December 30, 2015

SportsFilter: The Wednesday Huddle:

A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.

posted by huddle to general at 06:00 AM - 10 comments

I guess this is one way to dribble your way down the court.

posted by NoMich at 07:47 AM on December 30, 2015

If you're looking for SportsFilter's NBA Pick 'Em, there are no nationally televised games this week. They resume one week from today.

There also is no Thursday NFL game, but I'll be updating the standings later today.

posted by rcade at 11:16 AM on December 30, 2015

If you're looking for SportsFilter's NBA Pick 'Em, there are no nationally televised games this week.

Any idea why that is? Is it college football bowl games taking all the airtime? Some other reason? The NBA is still playing, after all.

posted by Etrigan at 02:31 PM on December 30, 2015

Nice post by Etrigan over at the blue today.

posted by NoMich at 03:40 PM on December 30, 2015

Any idea why that is?

Not really. This seems like the perfect week for some more national broadcasts. I guess it's a case of the TV networks not wanting them.

posted by rcade at 04:03 PM on December 30, 2015

The NBA is still playing, after all.

Ten games on tap tonight, and I will be at one that perhaps features a significant event. It's Kobe Bryant's last game in Boston, and TD Garden will be sold out. I have been offered $200 per for my $83 (face value, I get them for $70 as a season ticket holder) seats, and I have heard stories that offers have been as high as $500 for the good seats like mine (center court and row 5) in the balcony. My son and I will meet at the Polaner Beer Garden in North Station, quaff a quick brew, head across the street for a fast piece of pizza, and then back to the Garden and the craft beer bar in the balcony. We will be cheering for Kobe, although a good natured boooo might be heard from time to time. There has been a lot in the Boston media over the past week or so about the rivalry, and I've heard a few things even I did not know. For example, Boston passed on Kobe despite watching him put out an incredible workout for the Celtics. After the workout, his potential was compared to that of Michael Jordan. The Celtics passed on him in favor of Antoine Walker because Walker was supposedly "more ready for the NBA"; Kobe after all was coming straight out of high school. It's going to be a good time tonight.

posted by Howard_T at 04:30 PM on December 30, 2015

Impressive sports birthday list for December 30th:

Sandy Koufax
Tiger Woods
LeBron James

posted by grum@work at 06:21 PM on December 30, 2015

And...(arrgh) A.J. Pierzynski as well, who I wish had been born in Samoa (which is right on the International Date Line) on Feb 29th, so he somehow technically wouldn't exist.

posted by beaverboard at 07:09 PM on December 30, 2015

It's Kobe Bryant's last game in Boston, and TD Garden will be sold out.

posted by yerfatma at 09:50 AM on December 31, 2015

Kobe did the same stupid thing

...at which point I turned to my son and said, "What else did you expect?" Actually, the game itself was a bit of a stinker, but the energy generated by it being Kobe's last in Boston made it a lot of fun. Celtics lost, not because of Kobe but because they played very badly, had poor shot selection, and were a bit sluggish. Boston is a team without a true "go to" guy upon whom they can depend for the solid game or the critical play at the right time.

posted by Howard_T at 10:01 PM on December 31, 2015

You're not logged in. Please log in or register.