Throwback Thursday: I Told You So

Every time I see someone in the NBA/Lakers community essentially repeat something I wrote in my blog, one image comes to mind. I think of the episode of “Will and Grace” when Grace does the “I told you so” song and dance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Auxn2VAdiKI

I think I relate to that moment so much because like Grace, I too have a Jewish mother who relishes in always being right (anyone who has ever seen her license plate knows what I am talking about).

Recently I have been posting to Facebook to engage in the literary form of the dance. Now I have decided to instead just post in my blog anytime I am proved right. This blog will be continually updated anytime I write something and then someone else in the community confirms it. So let’s get started:

D’Antoni Not Being Phil

“It is no secret that I am not a fan of D’Antoni. I have made my opinions about his coaching ability very clear on this blog. However, the cards were always stacked against him and I am not just talking about the injuries. Once there was a possibility that Phil Jackson could come back, no other coach would suffice.” – State of the Team 3/10

 

 

 

 

Brand

“The reason why I am hampering so much on Phil Jackson is simple: brand. The Lakers brand has suffered a massive hit. Most NBA teams do not have a brand, but the Lakers do. Players have always wanted to play for the Lakers because Jerry Buss established a winning culture and used the tools of Magic Johnson, Pat Riley, Shaq, Phil Jackson, and Kobe Bryant to establish the brand.” –State of the Team 3/10

Injuries

“Beyond the defensive deficiencies and the lack of player loyalty, I also think a huge part of the Lakers injury problem rests on Mike’s shoulders. I am not going to blame every injury on Mike. There are many reasons for the injuries: these guys are older, some had previous health issues, there is always wear and tear, and of course luck.  However, we have had two uncharacteristically injury filled seasons in a row. So I have to ask myself why are we having such bad luck? Well I do not think it is all luck or the other reasons I just answered. I think a huge part of the injuries is the fast paced offense.” – The D’Antoni Debacle 2/1

“Vitti’s best guess was a kind of chaos theory, that the contemporary game had become too fast, and that the run-and-gun systems espoused by coaches like D’Antoni introduced too many possibilities for things to go wrong.” – Ben McGrath of The New Yorker 3/25

Plagiarism?

I tease of course, but his article is eerily similar to mine. Read and compare:

State of the Team

http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-79592695/

Kevin Love

“I have been very adamant about the Lakers making a play for Mr. Kevin Love. He grew up in Santa Monica and went to UCLA. He seems prime to come and I think he would be a good fit.” – Where is the Love? 2/20

“The word is Love will either re-sign with Minnesota or head to the Lakers, which sounds more plausible,” Frank Isola of the New York Daily News 3/5

Firing D’Antoni

“The decision was made not to fire D’Antoni. This may come as a surprise to my readers, but I agree with that decision. There is no point in firing D’Antoni right now. There are 2 months left in the season, and there is no chance for redemption at this point. Let him finish the season out and then get a new coach.” –State of the Team 3/10

“I had a source tell me last night [that] Mike D’Antoni is gone at the end of the season,” Steven A. Smith 3/12

“The Lakers and Pau have said that they have not ruled out him returning next season. I personally think that is a long shot simply because of all the drama. I would love it if Pau came back, but I highly doubt he and D’Antoni will be able to weather another season together. The Lakers are going to have to make some big decisions this summer, so lets see where Pau and D’Antoni land.” – Bringing Down the House 2/27

“Since much of Gasol’s frustration stems from coach Mike D’Antoni and a system that utilizes Gasol largely away from the basket. At least two other players frustrated with their current roles were told to be patient because the Lakers will have a new head coach next season, sources said, but that could’ve been simply to mollify them for the time being.” Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher 3/11

Pau Gasol/Carlos Boozer

“It’s unfortunate that the Lakers and Bulls couldn’t work out a sign and trade deal with Pau for Boozer and a draft pick. Chicago could have dumped Boozer’s contract and I honestly would have had no problem with us taking Carlos Boozer for one year plus a draft pick.” –East Coast v. West Coast: The Battle Between the Lakers and the Knicks, and a Free Agency Update 7/12

“The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired Carlos Boozer on amnesty waivers…The Lakers won with a bid of $3.25 million…The Bulls must pay Boozer the remaining $13.6 million that he is owed in 2014-15 on the final year of his current contract.”- “Source: L.A.’s Boozer bid $3.25M” By Brian Windhorst http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/11229606/carlos-boozer-join-los-angeles-lakers

Waiving Steve Nash

“I want to criticize the Lakers for waiving Kendall Marshall. I liked Kendall despite some of his deficiencies. Also, he was making less than $1 million this year, so I cannot comprehend why we decided to waive him for financial reasons instead of the injured 40-year-old point guard making $7 million. I am sorry but those numbers do not add up. Steve Nash will not play more than 30 games this year, and that number is extremely optimistic. I personally do not believe he will play that many. I would expect maybe 20 games at the most out of him, and he will be playing limited minutes. I do not understand why we did not waive Nash.” Why Lakers Fans Need to be Prepared for Another Tough Season 7/26

On October 24th Steve Nash was ruled out for the season for his back injury