Murky Invasion
The Official FreeDarko Mock lurches toward completion. ETA of this afternoon, maybe willing? In the meantime:
-In case you're still seething over us and the Celtics. . . lap up this latest Quotemonger. There are Green Guys in it, but I think I'm pretty fair and friendly.
-Getting an email from Keith Olbermann was really rad, even if it forced me to admit I'm full of shit.
-Yesterday, I took a look at a certain plaintive Garnett commercial and found myself affected as ever. Dr. LIC claims that this, more than anything else, makes him feel happy KG got the ring. I can't decide if the sadness it visits upon me is about Garnett's lasting pathos, or missing that pathos, which would be a little weird and mean.
Then, I started digging up some of the classic Adidas ads from around that period. Shit was really weird, and pretty visionary. The T-Mac/Clipse joint? McGrady with wings and flame? The Infinity Gauntlet-like one with Duncan, McGrady, and Garnett being built in an ethereal workshop? And then, it turns to the Basketball Brotherhood, which is about as down-to-earth and de-fantasicized as these things get. I'd call that the 2007-08 Celtics of brand strategy.
Nate Jones and I were talking about the sneaker game yesterday, and he suggested that Adidas decided to brand itself and go from there, instead of developing their unique players as brands. The former makes sense with Duncan and Billups, but Garnett and T-Mac certainly lend themselves to the latter—what Nike's done with Melo some (B.More), and, remember, what made Jordan such a revolution in the first place. Nate submitted Arenas as a step in the right direction, but I think that went too far. Those shorts were more likely to make you eat your shoes and set money on fire.
Randomly, this is where Beasley comes up. He's going to be a star, and has absolutely indomitable personality. I can't imagine anyone keeping a straight face as he gets squeezed into the template of Brand Jordan drama and honor, or Adidas's sentimental grind. Seems inevitable that a brand would have to break tone with him.
Oh, and more Beasley: This him to the Sonics possibility has to count for something. If any team is in a position to get the real story on him, it's Seattle. Plus, if you figure Durant's going to resent ownership at some point soon, and will likely leave when he can. . . all that changes if they bring his best friend on to form a ridiculously awesome tandem of contrasts and versatility. Despite my hatred of Clay Bennett, I would buy some season tickets if that came to pass.
Labels: kevin garnett, marketing, michael beasley, personality
posted by Bethlehem Shoals @ 6/20/2008 11:53:00 AM
19 comments
19 Comments:
if beasley became a sonic, would it then be likely that bayless become s a knick? if so, my heart is a flutter.
One minor point of contention from the Quotemonger, and elsewhere: I know people are like, KG can't possibly know what it's like to be bullied. Speaking from personal experience, if you're a big guy who's maybe a little more quiet and introspective than the average 12 yr old, little motherfuckers live to fuck with you. Tall skinny guys or average height fat kids are targets 1 and 1a for those little Napoleon complex having fucks. Just saying.
Here's the scenario. It depends on Mayo not going #3 to the Wolves. So Bayless a Knick? He'd have to not be #3, or go to the Grizz at #5. Wolves could use a point guard, if everyone's plan is to make Bayless one, since Telfair is back-up material and Foye won't play it.
If the Wolves go with Love (not inconceivable), the problem is that, while the Grizz want decent size still, Lopez is dropping like crazy. The good news is that, between Conley, Crittendon, Lowry, Gay, and Mike Miller, their 1-2-3 has enough going on. Down low, on the other hand, they're stuck trying make sense of Darko/Kwame.
jo--I know that, and let's also not forget that KG is really dark etc. etc. But for the purposes of Quotemonger, I decided to go with the stupidest common denominator.
Pretty much everything has been "rad" the last couple of days with you. New favorite word?
KG might or might not have been bullied growing up. But I feel there may be some accuracy to your casting of the media in the role of the bully who's ass just got knocked out. Granted not all of the haters are in the media, but the whole "KG is not clutch" thing was fueled by certain media elements and has been going on a long time.
Beasley-Durant Sonics would be amazing! just thinking about that team playing against the Odenized Blazers makes me jealous of the NW.
Bealey really is hilarious, Its obvious that he knows people are becoming frightened of what his aloofness implies. but he also aint worried because he knows its really ALL about what he does ON the floor.
flux=rad. Time to size up Beasley for some Starburys.
i think westbrook would work out well in blue and orange. gallinari or randolph? pass.
I have this feeling something odd is going to happen with the Knicks' pick. With Isiah no longer GM or coach but still running the draft (?) he could be tempted to do something wacky as a fuck-you.
Seriously, at this point, it'd be nice to have someone who's even interesting playing for the Knicks before David Lee gnaws his leg off.
As a Bulls fan, I was squarely in the Beasley camp, then squarely with Rose, now I'm still with Rose but leaning more Beasley.
Mayo ought to be a shoo-in #3. He has "translates to the pro level" tattooed somewhere on him. I can see him taking Arenas-style career revenge if he gets shafted, though.
I've lost interest in Gallinari (it's almost like he is a fully formed, known quantity at this point) and have moved on to Jason Thompson. I'm in some sort of trance trying to figure out if Thompson will be good or not. Vin Baker was a better scorer in college, but Thompson was a better rebounder and shooter. My current verdict for Thompson is "solid starter with occasional big games."
Welk: Pavement reference on this site=the meat and potatoes of nostalgia.
MONGA
Singletary is a MONGA/MONME candidate, same with Reggie Willaims.
For some reason I really think that Darrell Arthur is going to be great. I'm not sure why either, because it seems like anyone with that kind of talent that is that bad a rebounder has some kind of issue. But every time he's on the court I just immediately think he's the best guy out there, something in the way he carries himself - even if he's just confusedly wandering around, which he did a lot.
Peep Hollinger's big man rankings...he's EXTREMELY low on Anthony Randolph.
If OJ Mayo had come out after his high school career, he would have been #1 overall.
Getting a person generally regarded as #1 overall quality at #3 must be done. Minnesota gets the leftovers of B-Easy/Rose/Mayo. All have a legitimate case to be made for being taken #1 overall. Plus, it's more difficult for the GM to be blamed if the pick doesn't work out.
If you switched their college teams, Rose on USC and Mayo on Memphis, do you think that Mayo would be the consensus #1 overall?
Foye and Mayo in the back court together? They are big enough...
O.J. Mayo would have gone #1 over Oden and Durant? For real? He always vibed classic 3-5 pick to me.
i was watching a draft preview on nba tv last night, whatever talking head said that he thought the wolves would take lopez over mayo at 3...would that drop mayo to the sonics and bayless to the knicks or vice versa? from what i understood the sonics-bayless was a lock if they stayed at 4, and the grizzlies want kevin love with the 5. it feels like a long time since i've had anything invested in the knicks' draft spot. i'm still gwetting over taking balkman over rondo when they could have had balkman later with the fucking mardy collins pick.
I personally hope Joe Alexander falls to the Bucks. Just imagine flipping through league pass only to see him and Yi on the bench making fun of how hairy Mo Williams' shoulders are in Mandarin.
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