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[If some part of you doesn't absolutely love this dude, you aren't a basketball fan.]
It’s been over a year since I did a post regarding my lifetime fav ball-club, the Oakland Warriors. As all true Warrior fans know, it isn’t an easy team to love. You have to be ready for failure even when it looks like you will succeed. You have to be surprised by a win and expectant of a loss. I have an always will be down to love and support any and all underdogs, but not if they occupy such a position ON PURPOSE. We have regressed from the “We Believe” days of Baron, J-Rich, Monta, Stack Jack, & Al, to the days of “Why Beleive?” (coined by the brother G-Mitch).
I believe =P that it’s all about where a Warrior fan put his or her focus. If you believe we are headed to the playoffs while allowing 115 points per game, you are undoubtedly mistaken my friend. If you believe we will be hella young, energetic and exciting to watch, I’m with u 900%. “Why Believe?” because of these two young ballers who both share the nomenclature, ‘Anthony.’
[Sharpshooter and NBA 3-point % leader, Anthony Morrow]
[Future all-star/franchise player and current "most-exciting-warrior-to-watch-by-far," Anthony Randolph]
Let’s just hope Ellis and Curry can work together and not deteriorate each others’ game. =T
Corey Maggette is a “poor-man’s” version of himself. =(
C
p.s. Young Andris Biedrins is still the prettiest whiteboy in the league, bar-none. Don’t hate on his hairgel like it aint luxurious when u know it is. =)
This last week has been MORE than life-changing. I just finished my 3rd (and final) year coordinating an After-School Academic Intervention Program at a K8 School in the Bay Area. I just returned from Las Vegas (for the first time) from my (stuey) bachelor party. My Bachan (grandmother) just had a heart attack and is in the hospital, but is looking a lot better now and may be able to come home soon (thank God). And lastly, Baron “SaveUs” Davis just signed with the LA Clippers.
BACHAN (Grandma):
The Good – She is doing better each day I visit her. She went from immobile on morphine, while barely able to open her eyes with an oxygen mask on, to sitting in a chair, eating mashed potatoes and watching Wheel of Fortune. She is one of, if not THE toughest women people I have ever known. YEE.
The Bad & The Ugly – She had a f*cking heart attack and I have to come to the REAL realization that she won’t be around forever. She is 80 years old, a diabetic and has smoked Benson&Hedges Menthol cigarettes since she was 15(!). The heart gently weeps at what she might look like today without racism, classism and sexism having had a hand in her life.
LAS (DIRTY) VEGAS:
The Good
-I got to kick it with 15 of my closest homeboys for 4 straight days, some of whom I hadn’t seen in hella milleniums.
-Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is a f*cking BOSS. I was in the building when he captured his 4th(!) World Title with a 9th Round knockout of David Diaz. He has truly lifted his Pilipino countrymen (and Asian folks in general) on his shoulders with pride and determination. That “Let’s get ready to rumble,” dude gave me muhf*ckin goosebumps.
-It was my first time in Vegas (seriously) and it lived up to all the hype, and more. “Flashing…Lights, lights, lights…”
[The definition of a BEAST.]
The Bad
In a single day, I consumed Beer (2 kinds), Sake, Wine, Whiskey (3 kinds), Vodka (2 kinds), Gin, Rum and lost $50 on the slot machines.
The Ugly
What goes down, must come up. Ughhh…The opposite of awesome. My soul is shivering. =(
BARON DAVIS (leaving to the Clips)
[Got-dam, I'ma miss you. Why does L.A. ALWAYS get the upper hand? Fack.]
The Good
Thank you so much for making us (Oakland Warriors) matter again. You made it cool to be a Dubs fan. When else was Jessica Alba, Snoop Dogg and Owen Wilson coming to Oracle to f*ck with us? Never. Your dunk on Kirilenko in the 2nd Round of the Playoffs will live in Bay Area Sports memory for-e-ver. You are the best Warrior ever and possibly the best Bay Area Athlete of my generation. There, I said it.
The Bad
BoomDizzle opted out HELLA late but at the same time, the Dubs didn’t respond with any kind of reasonable offer to the man who turned their entire franchise around. Mullin, if you don’t go out and do something huge (ala Gilby “Agent Zer0″) Ima buy a #5 Clippers jersey. There, I said it.
The Ugly
Without B-Diddy, Stephen Jackson may take it upon himself to launch 30 3’s a game. Monta may not get the ball, and we may regress to the days of Clifford Rozier. We have been in a “rebuilding year,” since I was 12 damnit. There, I said it.
___
This week was one I’ll never forget (no matter how hard I try). Life is never one-sided and throws beauty, ugliness, order and chaos at you all at the same time. While I DO believe suffering is a fundamental part of life and that you must find meaning in it, that sh*t f*cking sucks son. However, without the sh*tty things in life you generally don’t fully appreciate what you DO have. Come what may, I will try to always remember that “you don’t know what you got ’til its’ gone (Baron),” that Vegas will make or muhf*ckin break you (ask 2pac!), and that I will cherish with all my heart, every waking second that I have my sweet, beast of a Bachan (grandma) on this earth with me.
This one’s for you pretty lady.
All my LOVE,
Colin Masashi Ehara
After their best season in 14 years, the Golden State (Oakland) Warriors will NOT be going to the Playoffs. Last night’s loss to the Phoenix Suns allowed for the Denver Nuggets to clinch the 8th and final seed in the (ludicrously amazing) BESTern Conference.
I’d usually go on a rant about how typical this is of Bay Area culture and how unfair it all is, but this time I’ma just sit with it. With all our spectacular play this season, we really didn’t deserve it as much as the Nuggets. We got ‘mollywhopped’ on our home court in what proved to be the most important game of the season when we lost to Denver last Thursday on TNT. A.I. made Monta look slow and Carmello Anthony made Beidrins and Azubuike look short and weak.
Sadly, our Captains Stephen Jackson and Baron Davis played pretty terribly during the last stretch of the season. With Matt Barnes playing like a shadow of his former self this year and Mikael Pietrus sitting out with a sore groin for 5 games(!) during a critical stretch, our lack of depth seemed to hinder everybody except Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins (if we don’t sign those kids in the off-season, look to us to regress to the Mike Dunleavy days). It seems critically important that we make some type of big move for a BIG man in the off-season. Word to Amare Stoudamire, Carlos Boozer, Dwight Howard, Elton Brand, Shaq, KG and every other talented PF/C in the league dunking on Austin Crosher’s face (I don’t hate him, I’m just being realistic).
I’m am bored of being the “underdog,” and would appreciate it if sometime in my life, I could watch a Dubs’ game and expect to win it instead of hoping for the best and being ecstatic when we win and heartbroken when we lose. Wins against the Lakers, Celtics, Denver, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas and New Orleans, coupled with Losses to Memphis, Minnesota, and Atlanta (at home), as well as New Jersey, the Clippers, Sacramento, etc. prove we’ve got some work to do in the “consistency” department. We’re like Al Harrington: You don’t know if you’re gonna get 3 or 30 points from him.
[Prolly won't be seeing this kid around next year. Ya never know though...]
I really don’t know what to do with myself for these final months of the school year. The Dubs have gotten me through some rough times this year and with Bay Area Baseball looking like a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest, it’s going to be a LONG off-season. I will end this post by saying that the Warriors need to play their arses off on Wednesday vs. the Sonics at home on ESPN, to reward their loyal fans (best in the league: hands down). They need to then follow that win with some off-season acquisitions that truly help step-up our interior defense. No Chris Webber-like tomfoolery or thinking that Brandon Wright can guard Paul Milsap.
In any case, I wish to thank Nellie, Baron, Stephen, Monta, Andris, Al, Matt, Kelenna, Mikael, Marco, Austin, Kosta, Patrick, Brandon and the Coaching Staff sincerely, for a fun-filled season. I will always continue to “BELIEVE,” regardless of whether I should or not. Maybe now some of these weak-arse bandwagon fans will jump back onto the Lakers genital region. For some who joined us last season, this is their first taste of true/classic Warrior dissapointment.
“It tastes like burning…” (Ralph Wiggum)
See y’all next season. No love lost you sweetass overachieving underachievers!
[The Future Looks Bright]
[Fear the Beard (again) in '08-'09...]
[I'm not as think as you drunk I am]
Baron & Nellie Show like yee.
C
p.s. Go Hornets. CP3 = MVP.
p.p.s. Here’s one for the road (apologies for the cornyass soundtrack)
It’s been a minute since I did a DUBS post, but last night’s loss to the L.A. Fakers hurt me soul. It feels as if from jump (ball), the refs, league, ESPN/TNT/every sports analyst in the country (except Jim Barnett and Bob Fitzgerald) wants us to lose. If you missed it, we lost in overtime due to a TERRIBLE call by the officials when Monta Ellis was dragged to the floor by Derek Fishface of the Fakers.
GSOM had this to say about it:
Overtime – The call that ruined everything
5 minutes was all that was in the way to victory. Special K (Buike’s nickname and I’m sticking to it) was HUGE! Lunging towards the basket on the first play creating a foul gave the Warriors the first lead. Monta contributed as he picked up his play nailing an open shot and creating another steal.
As our hearts pounded in excitement and fear, Kobe once again assisted to Fisher for a 3 pointer. Clock winding down this is how it ended:
58 Seconds Left: Warriors with a 1 point lead.
43 Seconds Left: Fakers distribute the ball as they nail a 3 pointer to take the lead by 2.
30 Seconds Left: Monta drives to the basket and as the ball rims out Special K puts it in to tie the game. WHAT A PLAY!
9 Seconds Left: Fakers run the clock down as Odom grabs a pass in the paint for an easy layup. Fakers by 2.
4 Seconds Left: Inbound pass set in Faker territory. This is it. The last play of the game. Nellie’s timeout prepped the team to tie it or shoot a 3 for the win. As the whistle blew and the players wrestled for position … the unthinkable happened. Fisher fell to the ground grabbing Monta with him, and the ref Delaney, blew the whistle calling an offensive foul.
Game over.
Kobe and Baron ended the night with 30 points and 7 assists each. Jackson scored 29 but it wasn’t enough. Incredible game … but horrendous ending.
I am SO tired of the Bay catching the shaft, but at this point I almost feel used to it. The LEAST the refs could have done was call a double foul. What SHOULD have happened was a foul on Fisher and Monta going to the line for free throws. To have the opportunity to win 2 in a row against the LakeShow taken out of our hands by the referees is to me, a metaphor for the lives that progressive, working-class Bay Areans live in Amerika. Even when we try to play by the rules to get ahead and make our quality of life better, outside forces come in and don’t even allow us to compete.
I realize fully that folks from the Yay can sometimes be stereotyped as thinking that their sh*t don’t stink, but (here I go…) from the Bay’s attempts to legalize same-sex marriage and going “green,” to commercial radio killing the homegrown Hip-Hop scene’s Hyphy movement, this country just doesn’t seem to be ready for the future the Bay Area is striving towards. We are collectively more creative, diverse, open-minded, liberal and unique than the vast majority of what is known as Amerika.
The loss to the fakers last night may have come down to one bad call, but throughout the game Baron was smashed as he drove the lane and whsitles were silent, while if someone is to even breathe near Kobe Bryant, it sounds like a fight breaking out during recess at an elementary school playground. Yadadaidig?
Our team, for the first time in 12 years seems to represent the area in which they play. Long gone are the days of drafting Todd Fuller and Andrew Declerq. The day we dealt Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy to acquire Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington was the day the “Golden State Warriors,” became the OAKLAND WARRIORS. And with that, came the HATRED. We are seen as a team of misfits (Baron: 2nd in the league in Technical Fouls), miscreants (Jack) and out-of-control-youthful play (Monta aka 1 man fastbreak). Add that to journeyman Matt Barnes, D-League phenom Azubuike and a Coach (Nellie) who lets his players PLAY, and you get a team that doesn’t command much respect from a league that has heralded the Spurs’ “fundamental-style-of-play,” for the last decade (BOOORING).
The last time I felt this way was prolly when I played for the JV squad as a sophomore in High School (ECHS Gauchos, blud!). I was the literally the only player on the team, not of Black/African heritage. (Primarily from the bench =P), I watched in disgust as referees HATED on our team from jump (ball) when we played at Prep/Private schools where the teams/players were wealthy and/or white. When I left the team the following season to play in the Japanese-Amerikan church leagues (where I averaged a double-double – yee.), my old teammates let me know that they were getting hated on EVEN MORE, because of the absence of my pale face and un-menacing Asian physique on their sidelines. =T *SIGH*
“I don’t need a ton of melanin in my skin, to see my country’s covered up some devilish sh*t. Sh*t.”
GO WARRIORS.
Haters: please keep hatin’! It just makes our shine, that much brighter come playoff time (sorry Dirk, but it aint happening ths year – Cry me a river Mark Cuban).
Peace and blessings to the beautiful people.
C+
[Check out the bullets in his hat. That's 'gangstalicious' (Aaron McGruder goes).]
As most of you already know, Baron Davis was snubbed and not selected to the 2007-2008 Western Conference All-Star Team. This was blatant dis and a slap in the face to not only Baron & the Warriors, but also to the city of Oakland and the entire Bay Area. Baron was hands-down, the best player in the entire playoffs through 2 rounds last year, and he has been the heart of the Warrior Franchise this entire year (and everyday before that)! Watch this and tell me otherwise!
2nd year point guard Brandon Roy of the Portland Trailblazers was taken in his place, and while I don’t for a minute discredit him (I’m actually a big fan), numbers DON’T LIE. When the All-Star Reserves were selected the NUMBERS looked like this:
Baron Davis:
PPG: 21.7
Assists: 8.0
Steals: 2.5
Rebounds: 4.8
Brandon Roy:
PPG: 19.7
Assists: 5.8
Steals: 1.0
Rebounds: 4.6
Warriors: 30-20, Blazers: 28-22.
IT IS FOR THIS REASON, I WILL NOT BE WATCHING THE ALL-STAR GAME THIS YEAR. I encourage all Warrior Fans and Bay Areans alike to observe the ongoing shaft that the Amerikan media has bestowed upon a community that is filled with people of color and diversity, and is primarily of working-class background. If the rest of the NBA is going to blatantly ignore the Bay Area and assume we will buy their products and sit through their ad-revenue, they must be smoking crack rocks.
COME ONE, COME ALL and join me in my boycott of this shafty, hater-laden, spiteful snub to Baron “Saved-Bay-Area-Sports” Davis, and read a book, take a walk, go play hoops yourself with the homies, but DO NOT partake in the utter bullsh*t that is the 2007-2008 “All-Star” Game.
Stand UP BAY. Turn that TV OFF on Sunday. Go Warriors.
Senbei
p.s. I WILL however be watching the Rookie game and Dunk Contest Saturday (Baron wasn’t left-out of that). =P
p.p.s. Monta is playing out of his f*cking mind right now!!!
p.p.p.s. I’ma HATER, but I warned y’all bout C-Webb. We’ll give him a few more games because it’s still early, but damn. =T
Well, they did it. I tried to warn ‘em but they didn’t listen. Apparently the Dubs are so much in need of a big man that they decided signing Chris “3 bad knees” Webber is the answer. Now, I don’t like Haters, nor do I like to Hate, but let us TRUE WARRIORS FANS not forget, this is the R.O.Y. crybaby who left our organization in shambles because he couldn’t handle Nellie’s tough love that has proven to make young players (Monta, Biendrins, Azubuike, Harrington) better ballplayers.
I HOPE that this ends up going well for the Warriors. You won’t find a happier person if this ends up working in our favor (esp. come playoff time). My prediction however, is that he will be a Troy Hudson-like bust, become injured and/or disrupt our team’s chemistry. He seems to make whatever team he plays for, an unhappy group of underachievers (sorry bout those years in Philly A.I. You still the man). He has also choked-out at the end of every important game in his life. Hopefully with him being a 15 mins a game role-player, these episodes won’t continue.
For sh*ts and giggles, here is a Q & A with the beloved Warriors Analyst Matt “Dookie-Green-Sportscoat” Stienmetz. =)
CWebb, “what can I say about your career that hasn’t been said about Afghanistan…it looks bombed out and depleted!” (“HATE, HATE, HATE!”) I PRAY your play doesn’t make Nellie look like this:
With love,
Someone who has LOVED the Dubs since we drafted Victor Alexander. =(
p.s. I had to put this up because even though it’s a CWebb highlight reel, it marks the last time the Warriors got any respect around the league until the arrival of our savior Baron Davis. Looking at this makes me realize that I hated this dude so much for leaving ’cause I loved him so much… Real Warrior fans feel me. Peep Mullin, Avery Johnson and Spree goin’ dummy:
While Baron & “Captain Jack” run the Oakland Warriors and Monta and Al drop in any points that are needed when B.D. & Jack have an off-night, this post is dedicated to my two favorite energizer-(rabid) bunnies: Matt Barnes and Kelenna Azubuike.
As the team’s 3rd captain, Matt Barnes was fundamental in our getting as far as we did last season. Many fans may not recall, but Monta Ellis took a back-seat in the playoffs and all but vanished, along with his confidence as a 20-year old youngster who had never seen the playoffs. It was Barnes’ “go hard or go home,” mentality that kept the Dubs rolling when we hit a wall, or just needed a lil’ boost. Peep game:
(MB smashing all over Devin Harris’ unattractive face.)
(And check this cat out having no remorse: ex-football player for sure.)
Matt Barnes started off slow this season, but has done nothing but play solid D, hustle his @$$ off and provide great floor games almost every night. (Example of a typlical MB outing: 8 points, 4 assists, 8 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block in 21 mins.) You gotta love those touchdown quarterback passes from end to end too.
___
Kelenna Azubuike came into the league pretty much and unknown. He was undrafted, born in London, England and played in the NBA’s ‘Developmental League’ after college where he lead the entire league in scoring. I don’t know what this man’s work-out regime is but this man looks like he done stole David Robinson’s arms from 1991 and attached them to his body! Mahf*ckin’ Adonis over here (no homo…phobia). Check out some of his play thus far for the 07-08 season. Impressive to say the least:
(‘Buike Highlight Reel)
(‘Buike sh*tting on Chris “Caveman” Kaman so hard, Kaman has to leave the game.)
I will ALWAYS have love for J-Rich and for how he came to us when we were down and out, played his heart out and got better every year, but this kid combined with Monta just about equals JR’s fire (if not exceeds it). Sorry G-Mitch & Kori, I know that hurts your feelings (and mine too), but that sh*t is true. =P Watch those highlights again and tell me I’m lying.
_____
Here’s to the “behind-the-scenes” cast members of ‘The Baron & Nellie Show.’ If yall keep going hard like this…
we won’t have to play Baron 48 minutes; he won’t get hurt; we make it to the playoffs and (hopefully) play the Mavs again; sh*t on Dirk’s upper lip; meet Utah and sweep them; lose to the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals; remember that we are the Warriors and are the happiest we’ve been in a long time ’cause 2 years ago, to even get that far felt like a dream deferred.
(Kobe gettin’ Kobe’d on)
“Barnezubuike” like *brrrrrrrrraaaattttttt!!!!*
C+
*Phrase coined by Kori Chen.
The Dubs had a coming out party (no homo…phobia) after getting beaten in overtime at home by the Orlando Magic on Monday. The Warriors won by a score of 120-90 (30 points!), and Monta Ellis continued his solid play, with a NARSTY dunk over Andrew Bogut.
(F*ck yo’ couch Bogut! And-1!)
It was dope to see Yi Jianlian (Chinese K.G.) dunk on DJ Mbenga super-viciously but still know we was whoopin’ the Bucks @$$. T-Hud (Troy Hudson) is back from his injury and had a beautiful alley-oop (6 assists off the bench!) to rookie Brandan Wright, Azubuike went 6-7 from the field and DJ Mbenga had a career-high 7 boards! Everyone was BALLIN’, and when I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE:
(Bob Fitzgerald, Jim Barnett & Matt Stienmetz’ wet-dream.)
If we continue to play like this, I don’t think anyone in the Pacific division wants any parts of us. When Austin Croshere is smashing on fools, you know we musta put a hurting on that @$$!
Golden state of mind like Yi (yee),
C
Since my last “Baron & Nellie Show,” blog, the Warriors have gone 7-1 with the return of Stephen “Captain Jack” Jackson to the lineup and I couldn’t be happier. This week, Jackson received the honor of Western Conference Player of the Week, alongside Dwight Howard who received the honor in the eastern Conference and will be going up against the Dubs tonight in the O(aracle).
As usual, Baron Davis has balled out of control and continues to be the most dominant point-guard in the NBA (when healthy). BD is averaging 24 ppg and 9 assists and right now, the only other players doing something close to that are LeBron James, Steve Nash and Allen Iverson! If you are a TRUE Warrior fan, please do the honorable thing and make sure that this man goes to the NBA ALL-STAR game. Make sure you vote early and often, and don’t worry: unlike the Presidential elections, your vote WILL be counted even if you are Black and/or non-republican! No one will be turned away! B.D. = MVP! VOTE FOR BARON!!!
While Jack and Boom Dizzle have benn beastin’, what has really impressed me is the play of local hero Matt Barnes who recently lost his mother to Cancer (R.I.P. Mama-Barnes). He has played his heart out for his beloved Mama and really given the team an extra boost in almost every area, providing defense, rebounding, assists and hitting almost all of his open shots. We love you M.B. Keep keeping it thorough good sir!
[In yo face Jerk Nowitzki!]
The last two who deserve honorable mention are our 21 and 22-year old starter/6th men: Andris Biedrins and Monta Ellis. First of all, without Biedrins I don’t really forsee us getting a single defensive rebound or blocked shot (unless it’s Baron) every game! He has been single handedly holding down the middle for us on a team of short, but lightning quick and athletic jump shooters. He is Mr. Double-Double and without him, our chances of reaching the playoffs decrease significantly.
Our other youngster Ellis, is not playing like a youngster either. Monta Elis has been fantabulous at both ends of the floor averaging 22 ppg since Jackson returned. The highlight of the year came when he scorched 2-time MVP Steve Nash for 31 points, completely dominating the 4th quarter (which ive never seen him do before) dropping in 15 straight points!!!
All in all, we are on a 7-game winning streak and if we continue to play like we have been, the Magic, despite their 14-4 record are going down tonight!
Word to Baron’s Beard & Nellie’s Belly,
Senbei.
p.s. What has more potential for growth and development?
A. Bellinelli
B. Nellie’s Belly
C. Our ugly-ass orange road jerseys
[JACK LOVE THE KIDS!] Check out little dude in the bottom right goin’ for a booger. =)
Not only did the Warriors get their first win of the saeson since I last blogged an entry into “colinresponse,” but they won again in Toronto with the return of Stephen Jackson into the lineup. =D I’m not sure who made our schedule this year, but being 0-5 and then having to wait almost a week to redeem ourselves, was upsetting to say the least.
Al Harrington has been the most consistent Warrior (after Baron Davis of course, who has carried us his entire Warrior career), averaging 20+ points a game, playing solid defense and being one of our best free-throw shooters (not hard on this club). I also need to tip my hat to 21-year old, Latvian savage, Andris Biedrins. His rebounding and all around tough play have been the staple in allowing the Dub’s to even have a shot at winning in each of their 2 victories. Congrats to Mikael Pietrus who returned back today after celebrating the birth of his new baby daughter.
We next embark on a week long, east-coast raod trip where we will face the knicks, newly revamped/amped boston celtics, agent-0 and the wizards, and then to philly before returning to the Yay. Now that we are back in full-force, I expect us to win at least 3 out of 5 of these games, with losses possibly coming from boston and gilbert arenas (who has torched the warriors every time he sees them).
2-6 aint too bad, it’s a long season. Captain Jack is back, Baron is statistically better than Allen Iverson and LeBron James right now and we are on a WINNING STREAK! Let’s get ‘em warriors. Even Austin Croshere was ballin’ today!
(Victory #1 of many!)
Notorious P.O.B. (Patrick O’Bryant) like yee,
Senbei
