John Tesh

As long as we're posting musical basketball YouTube clips, check out John Tesh getting down -- with his answering machine -- to the NBA on NBC theme song (which is apparently officially known as "Roundball Rock").

Not enough JT for you? Then surf on over to www.tesh.com, where you can learn more about John's views on a variety of subjects, including pets, computers (featured article: "Cyberbullying Has Become a Huge Problem"), and "intelligent kindness."

It is clear to me that NBC turned the right man when they were in need of a theme song for their NBA coverage in the nineties.

One Last Time . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbZTmcIfdBQ

If you are American, and if you like basketball, please take the time to watch the above clip one more time before the experience officially slips into the past. It is beautiful . . . truly beautiful!

Who Reigns Supreme?

Team USA has come full circle. When the Dream Team of the ’92 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain took to the court, they were considered the best arrangement of superstars ever assembled. After many Summer Games since, and with a perception or reality that the world has caught up to USA basketball (Argentina won the 2004 Gold Medal after all), the Redeem Team of 2008 has brought back USA basketball dominance. Thorough and convincing has been their play, the USA superstars of today have drawn comparisons to that untouchable bunch of 1992. Perhaps bordering upon hoop-lore blasphemy, the Redeem Team actually stacks up fairly well to the Dream Team. And for the sake of curiosity and intrigue, I’d like to take an inside look at the individual match-up comparisons of the Dream Team and the Redeem Team:

Magic vs. Kidd
This comparison probably isn’t very close. Magic was the best PG to lace up the sneakers (and this coming from a huge John Stockton fan). He and Bird essentially reinvented and reinvigorated the game of basketball in the NBA. In particular, Magic brought a new version of the fastbreak which had its own name…Showtime. Kidd has been a Magic Johnson prodigy…a pass-first PG who loves the fastbreak and distributing the ball. Kidd has become ‘one of the top 5 PGs’ of all-time, yet definitely peaked 4-5 years ago. To his credit, Kidd has been a solid team leader for the Redeem Team.

Edge: Magic, easily

Jordan vs. Kobe
Michael and Kobe will forever be compared to one another. Kobe is arguably the best player in the world right now. He’s got the complete overall game and owns an incredibly accurate jumper and 3-point shot (perhaps better than Jordan). Kobe has become a great defender for Team USA. BUT, we’re comparing him to the best player ever. Jordan sits alone on his pedestal of greatness. He’s THE BEST EVER. No one can match his competitiveness, focus, drive and ability. Until Kobe wins rings without Shaq around, he’ll be looking upward towards the MAN.

Edge: Jordan

Bird vs. LeBron
So, our comparison with Larry and LeBron is somewhat unfair. They’re two completely different players. Bird was ‘the straw that stirred the drink’ for the Dream Team. He was the ultimate team player (passing, shooting, intangibles). LeBron actually provides similar abilities. He passes well and gets his teammates the ball. Bird was probably the best shooter to step on the court. LeBron doesn’t match-up in this regard, but he’s still young and has time to grow and develop. LeBron brings something that Bird doesn’t…he’s an incredibly athletic, physical specimen. Call me crazy…

Edge: LeBron, by a hair

Barkley vs. Carmelo
Charles was perhaps the best rebounder ever. People didn’t call him the ‘Round Mound of Rebound’ for nothing. By the time he played for the Suns, he had an unreal all-around game…shooting, scoring, rebounding, passing. He was powerful! Carmelo can score with the best of ‘em, but he doesn’t do much else. He deserves his star-status, but he doesn’t match up to the Chuck-ster.

Edge: Barkley

Ewing vs. Howard
Ewing owns the advantage over Dwight Howard. He was an immensely skilled and powerful center. He was tough to stop in the post. Howard may be considered the most athletic center to play hoops, but his skills don’t match up to Patrick Ewing.

Edge: Ewing, by a little

BENCH:

Stockton vs. Deron
For a Jazz fan, this comparison is intriguing. Stockton is our legend, our hero. In ’92, he was close to playing his best basketball. He holds the all-time assists and steals record. He was the best point-guard at “setting the table” for his teammates…perfect fit for the Dream Team. Deron (I believe) is on his way to greatness. He’s also a perfect fit for the Redeem Team…unselfish, great passer and outside shooter. Every team needs a good passer.

Edge: Stockton, closely contested

Drexler vs. Wade
I believe this is the best comparison of all. Talk about similar players with similar abilities. Clyde the Glide was smooth and acrobatic. Wade might be the better ball-handler and defender. Wade played tremendous ball during the Olympics (perhaps considered the MVP). He’s been utterly amazing for the US…bringing back his Miami Heat championship form.

Edge: Wade

Pippen vs. Prince
Not even close. Pippen was a superstar defender and athletic full court player. He was a fantastic role player for the Dream Team. Pippen might actually compare favorably to LeBron. Tayshaun’s solid, but nothing spectacular.

Edge: Pippen, undoubtedly

Malone vs. Boozer
Our second Jazz player comparison falls far shorter than the first one. The Mailman was a legend, an icon, a franchise carrier. He was unreal running the floor, playing the post, rebounding defending and scoring the ball. Unreal! A better comparison for Malone might be Amare Stoudamire. Boozer is a very good player with an impressive, offensive post game. That’s about where the comparison ends.

Edge: The Mailman, in a landslide

Robinson vs. Bosh
Two lanky post players who play left-handed in the paint. Robinson was plain and simply better. Bosh is young and still has time, but doesn’t possess the strength that Robinson had.

Edge: Robinson

Mullin vs. Redd
Michael Redd is a poor man’s version of Chris Mullin. Mullin’s shot ranks as one of the best ever. Redd shoots it well, but not at Mullin's standard.

Edge: Mullin

Laettner vs. Paul
We can all agree that this comparison should have been Isaiah Thomas and Chris Paul. Can you believe Christian Laettner was on the Dream Team?

Edge: Chris Paul


OK. So…the Redeem Team comparison to the Dream Team doesn’t ‘hold water’. Even so, with the Redeem Team facing tougher competition over the course of the Olympic Games (comparatively to the Dream Team), they played remarkable basketball to reclaim Gold and the top spot of the basketball world landscape. With this fact alone, we should all be proud of our ballplayers in Red, White and Blue! WINNER: DREAM TEAM

Golden!

The Redeem Team has brought back the Gold Medal to the USA. In one of the most thrilling and hotly-contested Olympic games ever, the USA pulled out a huge victory in the waning minutes of the Olympic battle, winning 118-107.

Kobe Bryant nailed a three-pointer and was fouled, converting a four-point play in what was a close game with only 3:10 left in the 4th quarter. Later, Dwayne Wade hit another 3-pointer to essentially wrap up the victory for the USA, putting them in front 111-104 with 2 minutes left. Ricky Rubio was then called for a technical foul, with under 1 minute to go and down near 10 points, that sealed the deal for the Americans and started the post-game celebration.

The USA/Spain game was the closest, most tenuous and nervewrecking battle that has occurred for this year's Redeem Team. Spain just wouldn't go away. They played a perfect game, putting them in contention to pull the upset. But, the star-power and clutch play of the Americans was too much to handle at the end. Here are some of the highlights:

Mr. Clutch: Kobe Bryant

Kobe hit some huge shots in the closing minutes. When it seemed like our players were tensing-up and feeling the pressure of Spain's upset bid (and the crowd going crazy), Kobe stepped up to the plate to lead the Redeem Team. He was fantastic at the finish.

MVP: Dwayne Wade

Wade came off the bench to lead the second unit and overcome Spain's first quarter lead. He scored 21 points in the first half alone and finished with 27. He was the difference in bringing us back. Wade was also 4-7 from the 3-point line and helped provide the spark we needed.

Unsung Hero: Tayshaun Prince

Tayshaun was awesome when he was in the game. He gave the team some intangibles in the way of put-backs, rebounds, clutch shots and zone busting passes. He gave some important minutes to the 2nd unit.

Game Changers: Chris Paul and Deron Williams

The 2nd unit guards were huge at pushing the pace, setting the tempo and negating/creating turnovers. With Jason Kidd struggling to keep up with Rubio and Navarro, Paul and Williams provided better defense and fresher legs. When they were in the game, the USA would go on a 'run'.

Consolation Prizes:

Spain: Give them credit. They wouldn't give up. Spain put themselves in position to steal the game at the end.

The Gasol Brothers: Really pounded the paint. Spain outrebounded the USA.

Navarro: He seemed to get around our guys at ease and shoot his floaters in the paint. It was frustrating to watch. He had a breakout performance!

Rudy Fernandez: His shake-and-bake, off-balance shooting demo kept Spain close. Fernandez made five 3-pointers and finished with 22 points. Portland has found a sweet shooting Brent Barry type.

Ricky Rubio: Established himself as the #1 pick of the 2009 NBA Draft. He's quite the performer and showman, for only being 17 years old.

WAY TO GO REDEEM TEAM USA!

The Goofiest Team in the World

The Jazz' experience at the Olympics has gone to script so far: the U.S. has dominated (at least parts) of all of its games; Deron has played solid minutes and typically leads the second unit as they pull away from teams; Boozer has looked undersized in his 2-6 minutes of action. Russia completely collapsed and failed to qualify for the quarterfinals, but Kirilenko dropped a classic 2004 line on Lithuania: 17 points, 6 boards, 6 assists, 6 steals(!), and 3 blocks.


On Sunday Team USA will take on Spain, a team that is undefeated if you don't count the 37 point drubbing the first time they played the boys in red, white and mostly blue. But make no mistake, Spain is a worthy opponent, with loads of current, and once-upon-a-time NBA talent. They are also quite possibly the goofiest collection of elite basketball players ever assembled. To prepare for the gold medal match, here's a preview of the awkwardness that will ensue:


The Gasol Brothers: These Catalan brothers are Spain's version of the Collins twins - except subtracting the Stanford degrees, and adding NBA-level talent and radio-good looks. Pau is the anchor of the offense and must have a great game if Spain is hoping to win. Pau is also the only man in history that became better looking by going with the Brigham Young/stoner look. Don't believe me? Check out his pre-beard days. His brother Marc (who was traded to Memphis for Pau) looks like a beefy Apollo Anton-Ono. As a player, Marc is a lot less fluid than Pau, and "carries a little extra weight," but he is a strong, effective center, and took advantage of the U.S. in the first game when they tried to defend him with Kobe or Wade.


Alex Mumbru: You're telling me that this academic-looking fellow is a lights out 3-point shooting small forward? If he were on an NBA team I would expect him to be working in the legal department. To get a more intimidating look, he wears that weird black tape on his shoulder that is all the rage among Olympians, but is probably just duct tape.

Jorge Garbojosa: The former Raptor is, without a doubt, the best chain-smoking big man since Vlade Divac. He's a classic Euro big man - loves the three pointer and sports just enough chest hair to make him irresistable to the ladies in Khimki. Look at him: what a sexpot.




Rudy Fernandez: This soon-to-be Trailblazer has generated some early buzz for rookie of the year. I've only watched him play in the earlier match against the U.S., but from what I can tell he's an energetic defender and a crafty scorer on offense. He also may be the dorkiest guy on an extremely dorky team. I can guarantee that this guy is fluent in elvish and has a 12-sided die with runes in place of numbers. To get a better sense of his social life, check out his myspace pictures.

Ricky Rubio: With the injury to Jose Calderon, it looks like Ricky and TCG's favored son, Raul Lopez, will be manning the point on Sunday. Rubio is talked about as a possible number one overall draft choice next year. He's 6''5', a great defender, and plays with energy and smarts. On the negative-side of things, he is a world class flop artist, looks like the love child of Adam Morrison and Getty Lee, and weighs about a buck forty-five. With some maturation, and good old fashioned American steroids, he will likely be a nice NBA point guard one day.

Juan Carlos Navarro: Love the faux-hawk. Tool.

Olympic / Jazz Fun Fact

With Team USA advancing to the Gold Medal Game against Spain, here is a Utah Jazz / Olympic basketball fun fact to consider before tip off:

TEAM USA HAS ALWAYS WON THE GOLD WHEN THERE IS A UTAH JAZZ PLAYER ON THE ROSTER.

• In 1992 in Barcelona: Karl Malone & John Stockton = GOLD

• In 1996 in Atlanta: Karl Malone & John Stockton = GOLD

• In 2000 in Sydney: No Jazz players = GOLD (although there was no Jazz player, I credit this Gold Medal to the absence of Tim Duncan on the roster . . . see below).
  
• In 2004 in Athens: No Jazz players = BRONZE (Now, Boozer was on that team, but it wasn't until later that fall that he suited up for the Jazz, so he doesn't count). Is it a coincidence that Duncan's only stint with Team USA leads to its worst failure in Olympic history? I don't think so . . .

• In 2008 in Beijing: Carlos Boozer & Deron Williams = ????????

BRING HOME THE GOLD!

Going For Gold

The face-off, the battle, the rematch for gold.

With Jose Calderon out-of-action because of injury, Raul Lopez jumped into the starting line-up for Spain and helped lead the Spaniards to a 91-86 victory over Lithuania. Lopez played 19 minutes for the Spanish team and provided 7 points, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 rebounds, while also hitting clutch free throws at the end of the game to ensure a Gold Medal Match-up with the USA.

Deron Williams played a secondary role for the Redeem Team which beat the 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Team, Argentina, 101-81 in the semifinal match-up. Deron Williams came off the bench to play 13 minutes, providing 6 points on 2-three pointers, 2 assists and 1 rebound.

The Americans continue their dominant play going into the Finals rematch against Spain. In their prior encounter, Team USA destroyed the Spaniards rather convincingly. Will the Spanish be out for revenge? Can they match-up with the strength, determination and star-power of the USA? If so, it'll have to be with Raul Lopez manning the point guard position, now that Calderon may not go for the Final.

European Exodus Continues . . .

ESPN is reporting that one of the most mediocre shooting guards to ever grace the Jazz organization, Gordan Giricek, has signed with Fenerbahce of the Turkish league.

It appears that the Spurs offered him a deal, and he turned it down for, yes, once again, MORE MONEY! His agent said, "We looked around the NBA. Everybody was moving very slowly. And there were great opportunities for him to play overseas for a lot of money." Sounds like a broken record at this point.

Who is going to party with Jarron Collins now?

Tune Into TCG

TCG's dominance of Monday drivetime continued on Monday as Pasty Gangster defended Larry H.'s honor and discussed pornography. I am not joking. You can hear the fireworks fly here. (Unfortunately, Pasty's first discussion point is cut off in the recording - it was probably more salty porn talk).

Also, this week you can get two shows for the price of 1! Last week the Booner threw down. You can hear the delayed release here. Amazingly, Booner was NOT the first TCG author to discuss porn on Utah radio.

Which Jazz Players Love Techno?

As the Olympics, and Team U.S.A., roll along, it is clear that globalization has hit the NBA. Other nations are beginning to spend cash to train athletes, and the results are paying dividends. The Spanish team that was dismantled on Saturday is saturated with current and former NBA players. Teams from small nations (Lithuania) have numerous players with international-level skills, and teams from huge nations (China) are quickly leveraging the size of their populace to their advantage.

But the more dramatic example of basketball globalization may be more a result of changing economic conditions rather than improved player development. Josh Childress, among others, was lured away from the best league in the world because of the almighty Euro. Rumors abound that Lebron, or Kobe, might journey across the Atlantic for piles of fake-looking money.


But how does this all affect the Jazz? Can the most provincial of NBA teams possibly be touched by global currency fluctuations? You bet.

Most Jazz players are not attractive to European teams, whether it is because of the player's contract or style of play. Paul Millsap, an absolute beast for the Jazz, would not be as valuable in the uptempo, shooter-dominated leagues in Europe. Same goes for Ronnie Brewer, and Harpring. Some guys (Deron and Boozer) aren't going anywhere because they are getting big time money here at home. Collins has no recognizable basketball talent, so the Jazz are stuck with him too.

But there may be some Euro-interest in these guys:



1. Andrei Kirilenko: Superficially at least, AK seems a likely candidate to sign with one of the cash rich Russian teams, like CSK Moscow. He even threatened to leave once before when he and Sloan were fighting. But while his inside-out game seemingly originates from the old world, his contract is 100% American capitalism. It's unlikely that any team, European or otherwise, is going to offer AK anywhere near the $15 million that the Jazz are paying him. He's just not worth that much. What's more, he's got an astounding three more years making beaucoup bucks until heading home is even an option. However, the wildcard here is that some Russian teams aren't worried about investment returns; their owners are billionaires that lose money owning their teams, but do it out of patriotic pride. Could a Russian owner be enticed to dangle millions of Euros in an effort to lure Kirilenko home as Russia's Michael Jordan? And would the Jazz let him out of his contract if he wanted to go?

Kirilenko's Euro Rating: 3 out of 10

2. Memo Okur: Okur is another guy that you'd expect to take a long hard look at Europe. He's a prototypical European center, married to a former European beauty queen, and he loves falafel in the offseason. He can opt out next year, and his current salary (about $4.5 million after taxes) is actually less than what Childress will be making in Greece. The real question with Okur is whether he prefers the limelight of the NBA to playing in Russia, or Greece. No Turkish teams have the kind of economic clout that the rich European teams have, so he'd still be playing in a foreign country, it would just be closer to home. So it may come down to whether he'd rather play soccer with his beauty-pageant wife in the idyllic hills surrounding the Aves, or on the frozen tundra of PSkov.

Okur's Euro Rating: 4 out of 10.

3. Kyle Korver: What's that, you say? Kyle "Kountryboy" Korver moving to Europe? Preposterous, right? Maybe not. Korver is the Jazzman with the most Euro-translatable game: he is big (6"6'), a pure shooter, and plays a solid team game. Plus, he makes about $6 million in the NBA, which translates to a measly 4 million Euros. Combine that with the perks of Europe (free house, car) and what's not to like? Well, besides that aggressive secularism sweeping across Europe and the absence of the K2 church.

Kyle's Euro Rating: 3 out of 10.

4. Kyrylo Fesenko: Let's be honest - Kyrylo's Rocky Mountain Revue was an abomination of the highest degree. There is something about this guy that makes coexisting with Sloan seem highly unlikely. He's making peanuts, and the Jazz have an option on him next year, but unless I'm totally off on this one, Fesenko may not even become one of TCG's Jazz greats (and the bar is pretty low). Anyway, why would Kyrylo keep plying his karate big-man act in Boise/Orem, when he can get paid in his home country of Russia (once the Russian army invades the Ukraine, I mean)? You know what? I can't think of a reason why he wouldn't.

Kyrylo's Euro Rating: 10 out of 10