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Month: July 2013
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Sinkholes and You
A lot of people have their attention on the skies above, afraid of unmanned government predator drones, unpredictable weather, or even alien invasions. But it’s not the sky you have to worry about it’s the ground beneath your feet. No, I’m not talking about mole people. I’m talking about my greatest fear…sinkholes.
You might be thinking, “Mike, what’s so scary about sinkholes?”. I dunno reader, what’s so scary about a portal to HELL opening up in the middle of your city?!?
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More Cloar
“Carroll Cloar: Southern Raconteur” at David Lusk Gallery through July 27th
Updated Free Agent List: As I illustrated in the previous post, the Grizzlies now find themselves with one open roster spot left to get to the minimum 13 and just a few million to spend without heading into the luxury tax. Barring a trade, expect the team to pursue a three-point shooter who can play small forward and can be had for under $4 million. I outlined most of these candidates in my offseason preview on Sunday. One new name to add to the list: Luigi Datome, an Italian forward who popped up in reports earlier this week as a subject of interest of both the Grizzlies and Celtics. I don’t know much about Datome, He’s 25 years old. He’s 6’9”. He shot 39% from three in the Italian League last season. In theory, Datome seems to fit the parameters of what the Grizzlies are looking for. I asked someone — outside the Grizzlies organization — who does research and projections on European prospects about Datome and the response I got was that he projects as a “replacement level” player and seems to be something of “an Italian Austin Daye.” That doesn’t sound like much, but Daye will be on an NBA roster next season, so Datome sounds viable.
Yahoo’s Marc Spears reports today that the Grizzlies are among the teams interested in Dorrell Wright — the highest-rated player on my own free-agent board who is still unsigned. No surprise there. It’s also been reported that Matt Barnes — who hit a bushel of threes against the Grizzlies in his final NBA game last season — is now talking to teams other than the Clippers, and you can bet the Grizzlies are taking a look there. I still harbor some hope the Grizzlies will make a play for Kyle Korver, but that seems unlikely, both because doing so would likely put the team in the tax and there are suitors who can offer more than the full mid-level exception.
My own updated “small forward shooter” rankings based on what we now know:
1. Dorrell Wright
2. Matt Barnes
3. Carlos Delfino
4. Francisco Garcia
5. Omri Casspi (personal fave)
6. Luigi Datome (ranking theme song)
7. Austin Daye
8. Anthony Morrow
Marc Stein Interview: I guested and co-hosted on The Chris Vernon Show for a while today, with Verno and I interviewing ESPN.com’s Marc Stein about the free agency landscape. You can hear that interview here.
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Just the Basics
John Branston presents the highs and lows of living with basic cable TV.
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TV Minus Zombies, ESPN, and Food Channel
Six months ago I switched to basic cable, the cheapskate option in my AT&T U-verse package. I did it to save a little money, gain a little quality time, and make a symbolic protest against AT&T and ESPN, which I blame for jacking up my monthly bill to $174 and ruining civilization as we know it.
Resolutions are easy in January. Most of the football bowl games I wanted to watch were on broadcast stations ABC, NBC, CBS or FOX. There were Christmas gift DVDs to enjoy instead. Then it got harder. ESPN has fought back against people like me by capturing exclusive rights to more and more events. Here is my report.
Total Savings: The difference between my old 280-channel package and my new 15-channel package is $40 a month, or $240 for six months. The savings should be more than that, but AT&T charges cheapskates and Luddites $15 a month for equipment that is “free” with other packages. Offsetting expenses: Netflix subscription for $7.99 a month, $4 beers at sports bars.
Most Grief Taken: My wife loves the AMC zombie show “The Walking Dead.” She reminds me about once a week. Offsetting factor: The Brad Pitt movie helped, but the zombie appetite is not easily sated. If I break it will be due to zombies.
Second biggest loss: Who knew the Grizzlies would go so far in the Playoffs, and that several of the games would only be on ESPN? Or that Michigan would beat Kansas in a thrilling game on TBS? Offsetting factor: Mooching off neighbors.
Third biggest loss: Watching people cook on “Chopped.” Offsetting factor: Actually cooking.
Other regrets: French Open and Wimbledon early rounds. Offsetting factor: ABC highlights and replays, if you don’t mind knowing Federer and Nadal lost.
Worthwhile discoveries on basic cable stations: None. The major networks are a wasteland and appear to have given up on everything except reality shows and copycat crime shows. Offsetting factor: Black Hawks and Bruins in NHL Playoffs and WKNO documentary on Henry Ford.
Best rented movies I would not have seen otherwise: “Sherlock Holmes” and “In Bruges”.
Worst rented movie I would not have seen otherwise: “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”.
Long books I probably wouldn’t have read otherwise: “Blue Latitudes” by Tony Horwitz and “11/22/63” by Stephen King.
Smug moment: Pointing out newspaper stories about Evil ESPN and viewers cutting cable and asking people “Does Paula Deen have a show?”
Sick moment: ESPN ends sharing agreements with broadcast stations for major events. AT&T comes up with more fees.
Guilty pleasure: Surfing 200 stations while on vacation and watching Paula Deen and Matt Lauer on “Today” on NBC.
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Griz Sign Tony Allen for Four Years
Chris Herrington reports on the quick signing of Tony Allen by the Grizzlies.
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Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche …
Chris Davis has video of Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche. So there.
- LARRY KUZNIEWSKI
- The Grindfather Returns
On a day when wing players around the NBA were signing bigger-than-expected deals — four years and $27 million for J.J. Redick, four years and $30 million for Kevin Martin, three years and $16 million for Chase Budinger, and four years and $22 million for Martell Webster — the market for Grizzlies guard Tony Allen seemed to be moving in divergent directions.
On the one hand, the asking price for starting-caliber but non-All-Star wing players was coming in higher than the Grizzlies may have hoped to go for Allen. On the other, some potential Allen suitors — notably the Clippers and Pacers — seemed to be filling up roster spots or salary space needed to entice Allen.
In the end, the negotiation between Allen and the Grizzlies seems to have come down to years — a guaranteed fourth year for the 31-year-old guard with a sometimes balky knee. And Allen got his fully guaranteed fourth year in a four-year, $20 million dollar deal that is, nevertheless, still less on a per-year basis than any other wing player signing on Tuesday. This for the only player in the group that has made three straight all-defensive teams, the only player in the group who just started on a conference finalist, and, certainly, the only player in the group to have significant, tangible box-office and marketing value beyond his on-court merits.
According to a source with knowledge of the negotiations, Allen’s contract is set up with escalating salaries. Based on 7.5% raises allotted in the league’s collective bargaining agreement, and my own algebra, Allen’s contract should look something like this year-by-year:
2013-2014: $4.5 million
2014-2015: $4.8 million
2015-2016: $5.2 million
2016-2017: $5.5 million
So, you want to see a video sample from Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche, opening this weekend at TheatreWorks? Here you go.