A Rose by any other name…

4 thoughts on “A Rose by any other name…”

1. Rose has been an ANIMAL. There have been a lot of Alpha Dog performances in these postseasons (NBA and NHL) so far: Kevin Durant, Mike Conley, Daniel Briere, Kevin Garnett, Jonathan Quick, Kerry Price…but that’s the playoffs for you in any sport – someone, famous or not, always steps up and puts the entire team on their backs.

2. Good Morning from Omaha,

   love the imagery of the cartoon. I used to think basketball was a team sport and I was thinking the Nuggets with the addition by the subtraction of Melo would prove that old saw. I was seemingly wrong. The theory is that it now takes a star player or two to get anywhere in the playoffs hence the alpha dog comment above.

   During the sport reporters on espn they were talking about college ball being a team sport but that the nba is not a team sport anymore. evolution first man walks upright, gets board, the mayans cut off their opponents heads and throw them through rock hoops. Then in a huge leap in time Naismaith creates a game at the Y to keep young kids out of trouble involving volleyballs and peachbaskets and basketball is invented. As the evolution continues the game becomes basketball, but kids are still getting into trouble.

   the more things change the more they stay the same.

   Strive for excellence, nothing but your best.

   Gene

3. Gene:

   Excellent points. You’re right about basketball being a more individual sport – in fact, the simple numbers show that hoops is the most conducive for a single player to have the greatest impact:

   Football: 11 Players – with different squads for offense and defense. 60 minutes

   Soccer: 11 Players – with individual players infrequently touching the ball. 90 minutes.

   Baseball: 9 Players – with the most influential player, the pitcher, use in rotational roles. No game clock, but many games exceed 3 hours.

   Hockey: 6 Players – with a four-deep roster utilized in every game. 60 minutes

   Basketball: 5 Players – with the best players only substituted for briefly. 48 minutes

   In that setting, a great basketball player can have a much more steady and lasting impact over the course of a (shorter) basketball game. While Tom Brady, Leo Messi and Tim Lincecum are certainly important players, they only make up around 10% of their team while on the field, and over a longer time period, and with the limiting conditions listed above. Kobe, D-Rose, and Durant all make up 20% of their team on the court, log in just over three-quarters of an hour in playing time (although, to be fair, it is an Herculean aerobic task), and make frequent contact with the ball, something that NFL linemen or rightfielders can’t claim.

   Although the power of the NBA Alpha Dog can actually be evidence that a solid team is actually more vital to success: with each player having such an impact, poor performers are that much more prominent and are explioted more frequently. The team-oriented Nuggets may be going down tonight to Oklahoma City, but they’ve fared much better than the top-heavy Melo-led Knicks did against a similar team.

   As for NCAA vs. NBA, College Hoops have three important wrinkles: Shorter game clock, longer shot clock, and legal zone defenses. The matchup zone, which has been a key strategy for many Big East schools in the last 10 years, is illegal in The Asssociation. By mandating man-to-man defense, Alpha Dogs often find themselves with better isolation chances and more open passing/driving lanes.

4. GMFO-

   that could be why so many “can’t miss” players in the NCAA have a hard time in the NBA. The star system is probably going to continue although I have a real problem with Miami and how that deal came together. It might be jealousy that LeBron got to , at the invitation of his friend, join the Heat. Although St John of Elway did basically the same thing back in the day. I still remember the outrage that came with his throwing a proverbial fit and saying he would try baseball rather than play for the then colts.

   The nba strategy exploits the weaknesses of the other team with mis matches etc just like in the NFL where Herm Edwards used to preach beating your man on every play. Both offense and defense and you would win a game. So the teams put the quicker receiver on the slower corner or they try to jack the wr at the line and get him out of rhythm and then if the qb doesn’t adjust you win your battle on that play.

   Its just chess with real live people as the pieces.

   Gene