Delete.

Haven't been to music in the park in years... I used to hate going
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I've been to music in the park a few times. I usually go whenever they play reggae.

Its hit or miss.I remember one year they had Raphael Saadiq and Mandy Moore. I went one time and was standing next to Vernon Davis
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[h2]If Warriors are waiting out the F/A storm… who'll be left for them?[/h2]
Posted by Tim Kawakami on July 2nd, 2009 at 1:16 pm | Categorized as NBA, Warriors

So the Warriors' pursuit of Amare Stoudemire is on the back-back-backburner/nearly dead and Chris Bosh is not on the market and Hedo Turkoglu was never an option and Charlie Villanueva was gobbled up by Detroit.

What's next for a poor, gritty, conspired-against 29-53 team, yearning to vault itself back into relevancy and build around Anthony Randolph, Stephen Jackson, Stephen Curry and Anthony Morrow?

By all appearances, Warriors GM Larry Riley and Kahuna Don Nelson are going to wait it out a bit, see how many teams over-spend during the irrational exhuberance of July 1-2-3-4-5, then maybe pounce on an under-valued leftovers, preferably a shooting big man but maybe also another wing or two.

There's some logic to that: Let the antsy teams destroy their cap situations by bidding against themselves for Villanueva, Ben Gordon, Turkoglu, Trevor Ariza, Marcin Gortat and David Lee.

The Warriors aren't one player away from title contention. They're already committed to large money-Jackson, Andris Biedrins, Monta Ellis, Corey Maggette-and don't need to keep adding it every year just to sign another non-difference-maker.

If a Paul Millsap or a Brandon Bass or a Marvin Williams should slip through the cracks the first week of free agency… the Warriors could try to swoop in with a decent-but-not-crazy offer and see what happens.

But the waiting-it-out-for-smarter-deals scenario also could be just an over-optimistic spin on the potential much tougher two-toned reality:

* The players who are getting signed now, as the Warriors sit and groan at the asking prices, are the players who can make a difference. That's why they're in high demand. Now. Not in a week.

If you sit out of the high-demand period, you aren't involved with the best players.

* The best players always have options-even in tough economic times and with teams bidding themselves to the luxury-tax line-and players who have options will not and do not generally consider the Warriors a likely destination.

If you're restricted F/A Millsap, for instance, and the offers are about the same, would you rather join Nelson's ragged crew or end up playing next to Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in OKC or lining up with Deron Williams in Salt Lake for years and years?

(To further put the kibosh on Millsap-to-the-Warriors: If you're Utah, you'd just probably match anything offered up to the mid-level exception, which is the most the Warriors can offer, anyway.)

Riley and Nelson may not like it, but already know this, probably, from their dabblings with Stoudemire, who would much rather sign a long-term deal with the Suns than consider such a concept with the Warriors.

Which is why the Warriors may be not be sitting out the frenzy by choice. They probably just can't get in with the VIllanueva/Millsap/Ron Artest/Lee class of player if they wanted to.

After blowing their post-Baron cap room on Corey Maggette, Kelenna Azubuike and Ronny Turiaf last season (and not successfully trading Al Harrington for an expiring contract), the Warriors are over the salary cap and can offer no more than the MLE (starting at about $5.8M) to any free agent.

That's the same as any other over-the-cap team, like the Lakers, Cavaliers, Magic… you know, winning teams that don't have reputations for going to war with their best players and haphazardly hazing young players.

Let's take a run through some of the free agents and maybe even trade-eligible players who might be of interest to the Warriors over the next few days or weeks…

* Utah RFA Paul Millsap: Young, rough, versatile scorer and proven rebounder. Yeah, he'd fit on the Warriors, as he would anywhere. MLE for five years would not be an over-payment. Which everybody in the league knows.

Carlos Boozer's opt-in with Utah muddied up the Jazz's situation-they're probably still set on matching any Millsap offer, but now they've got to be careful of the price. OKC could go nuts here, if that fits the Thunder plans.

-Warriors' likelihood: Low.

* Utah PF Carlos Boozer, via trade: Opted-in for $17.7M, but will now be a UFA next summer and may want out, especially if Millsap is the anointed PF. Problem for the Warriors or anybody: You'd have to hammer out an extension with Boozer before trading for him, and he's a notorious money-grabber. Also, Jazz would start by asking for Anthony Randolph, and if the Warriors even contemplate that, they'd have to weigh Boozer's injury problems.

-Warriors' likelihood: Very low.

* NY Knicks RFA David Lee: A young running PF, but a non-shooter, so he's not a Nelson-style player and duplicative of Biedrins and Randolph. Lee's chances of an above-MLE offer were damaged by Memphis' idiotic cap-eating acquisition of Zach Randolph, but somebody with room will probably try to toss him a long-term offer.

-Warriors' likelihood: Very low.

* Dallas UFA Brandon Bass: A lesser version of Millsap and a potential over-value for the MLE. He'd fit in Warriors system, but Bass is no difference-maker. He's also on the radar of New Orleans and Orlando.

-Warriors' likelihood: Not high, but rises if Orlando and NO go in different directions. Warriors would have to over-pay, in a Maggette-like scenario.

* Toronto UFA Shawn Marion: Interesting candidate-he's 31, so has some prime years left, he can rebound and run, and he may miss out on the big-money whirlwind. So Marion would be a tremendous two- or three-year MLE pick-up for a winner. But maybe not so easy for a losing team that does not value defense, that wants a playmaker, and that has a chilly relationship with his agent, Dan Fegan.

-Warriors' likehood: Possible only if Marion gets desperate, which isn't the best situation for either side.

* Cleveland UFA Anderson Varejao: Non-shooting defensive-minded PF, represented by Fegan. In other words: Not exactly your perfect Warriors candidate.

-Warriors' likelihood: None.

* Lakers' UFA Lamar Odom: Who wouldn't want this guy if the price is right? That, of course, is the issue for the Warriors, who love Odom but can only offer him the MLE, and he'll get more than that from the Lakers, who win titles. The Warriors could try a sign-and-trade, which would pay Odom more, but why would the Lakers do that?

-Warriors' likelihood: Very low.

* Denver RFA Linas Kleiza: Deep-shooting combo F, would work nicely in Warriors' system, certainly not as a game-changer, however. Probably won't be leaving Denver unless there's some serious money issues-say, if the Nuggets have to pay Chris Andersen more than they expected or if they have a sudden shot at Ron Artest.

* Houston UFA Ron Artest: Not a big man, not a great character role model for the young players, but yes, definitely a potential game-changer. He's a defensive game-changer, however, and that's never a big emphasis for Nelson.

Plus Artest plays the same position as SJax/Azubuike/Maggette. Plus-plus Artest is openly chasing a title-whether it's in Cleveland, LA or staying in Houston.

(By the way, I cannot see any team taking Maggette's contract-4 more years, $39.7M-in order to facilitate a trade with the Warriors, unless the Warriors are getting back an even worse contract. And there aren't many worse contracts out there. Hello, Baron Davis and Elton Brand!)

* Atlanta RFA Marvin Williams: Interesting scoring tall forward, so that fits with Nelson. But he's not a decision-maker or much of a rebounder-basically a young Al Harrington, and we saw how that worked out. Hawks will probably match anything up to the MLE, anyway.

* Boston UFA Leon Powe: Good guy, Cal guy, hurt guy. Definitely not a difference-maker, not a Nelson-style big man and probably won't be healthy until February at the earliest.

For the Warriors, maybe as a late-July fan-pleasing afterthought, with an eye towards 2010-2011. But the Warriors, who have a roster already loaded with not-quite-good-enough players, can't sign another one and wait a year.

* Portland UFA Channing Frye: Decent shooting C/PF, so Nelson could be semi-interested. Certainly could be had cheap. A back-up, nothing more. Possible for W's.

* Detroit UFA Rasheed Wallace: No.

* Detroit UFA Antonio McDyess: No.

* Miami RFA Jamario Moon: Springy, shooting tall forward. I guess a possibility.

* Boston RFA Glen Davis: Thick decent-shooting PF. Over-pay possibility for a few teams. Should stay with Celtics.

* Indiana UFA Marquis Daniels: Proven Nelson-style player. A wing, of course. Not worth the MLE, especially for a team that has many, many wings. But a possibility for the Warriors.

* Milwaukee RFA Ramon Sessions: Scoring lead guard, just like Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry. No. Unless Nelson/Riley are trading Ellis.

* Atlanta RFA Josh Childress: Played in Greece last season, but talking about returning to the NBA, particularly with Milwaukee. A wing. Defensive-minded poor-shooter. So not likely for the Warriors, I'd think.

* Sacramento UFA Ike Diogu: Gotta give Hollinger credit-he supported the Ikester in '06 with zero to show for it, and he's still listing Diogu as a good bargain-pick this year with even less to show for it. And I'm chuckling the whole way. That's one thing Nelson and I will ALWAYS agree about. See, there is one thing.

* NY Knicks UFA Chris Wilcox, Memphis UFA Hakim Warrick, Phoenix UFA Stromile Swift: Bleah.
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[h2]Meet the Warriors Summer League Team[/h2]
Posted by Adam Lauridsen on July 2nd, 2009 at 1:08 am

Summer: school is out, the fog is in, and the Warriors have a shot at winning it all. "It," of course, being the annual Las Vegas Summer League. This year the team will be rolling out two starters from last year's regular season squad and two new backcourt acquisitions. No, Marco Belinelli will not be dazzling the crowd for a third straight year. With Anthony Randolph on the roster, however, I doubt the Vegas fans need to worry about a lack of excitement.

I'll be covering in person one Vegas Summer League game this year, but the NBA should have others available for viewing on its cable network and over the internet. Since the commentary on those broadcasts often consists of an out-of-work boxing hype man shouting the names of players (including at least five variations on "Belinelli"), here's a brief guide of who the team expects to field. Keith Smart, as usual, will coach.

Anthony Randolph - The Randolph we saw during last year's summer league was very much the player that made appearances for brief spurts early in last season. He was all raw aggression, endless athleticism, and a burning desire to make every play a highlight. Those games provided our first introduction to Randolph's special blend of "it." This summer shouldn't be an introduction, but a coming out party. Randolph is reportedly taller and stronger. And as we saw on the court to end the season, he's certainly more controlled and collected in his game. Guys like Randolph typically can't wait for opportunities to prove themselves against real competition. The rest of the Vegas League should be put on notice. Last seen: carrying the hopes and dreams of Warriors fans.

Stephen Curry - As with Randolph last year and Belinelli the year before, the summer league may set a lot of our initial expectations regarding Curry. Belinelli demonstrated how the league's ragged play favors shooters, so this year's rookie should have an advantage. Since Nelson has already reportedly moved him ahead of Monta in the point guard depth chart, I'll be curious to see how much time he gets running the offense - and how well he manages it. Nothing would do more to help his point guard cred than developing a little early chemistry with Randolph, particularly on the pick-and-roll or drive-and-dump. We've all heard the high praise; Vegas will be Curry's first opportunity to back up words with actions. Last seen: breaking Steve Kerr's heart.

Anthony Morrow - Morrow, like Curry, should have his way with the lax and disjointed defense of the summer league. Towards the end of last season Morrow demonstrated an improving ability to create his own shot, which should also serve him well on a team that is unlike to have many offensive sets. Randolph and Morrow have reportedly been working out together all summer, so they should already have a good feel for each other's games. Morrow should use this summer league as an opportunity to demonstrate defensive intensity and unselfishness - skills that will help make him more than just another pretty jump shot. Last seen: leading the NBA in three-point percentage.

Jermareo Davidson - Just as Davidson began to settle into the Warriors' system and gain some confidence last season, he broke his foot. The little we saw before the injury was encouraging - decent rebounding, a sweet mid-range jump shot, and general hustle play. Rob Kurz is out of the picture, and I'm guessing Davidson's play is a big reason why. He can play either power forward or high-post center for Nelson and provides a nice change of pace from all the other big men on the roster. Whether or not a Stoudemire trade goes through, I'm guessing Davidson finds a place on the 09-10 roster. Last seen: helping the Warriors dress a league minimum eight men.

Acie Law - Randolph carries the highest expectations and Curry is the most eagerly anticipated unknown, but Law may have the most to gain by a solid summer league performance. The Warriors' point guard spot is still very much open for the taking. On paper, Law is in a perfect position to seize it. Marcus Williams, however, taught us that things don't always work out like they should on paper. If Law can run the team - and I mean "run" in both the management and sprinting senses - he could earn some valuable trust from the coaching staff. Although I don't hold high hopes for him to be a long-term solution at the position, he's young and getting a fresh start. He could be a pleasant surprise. Last seen: facilitating Jamal Crawford's relocation.

In addition to these roster players, there are plenty of new faces:

Jared Jordan - Those looking for a true point guard to help the Warriors may find one in Jared Jordan. The 6-2 Marist College product led the nation in assists for two years and was snagged by the Clippers in the 2007 second round. He spent the last two preseasons in the Knicks and Hornets camps and is an early favorite to be in the Warriors' camp this fall competing for a roster spot. Last seen: averaging 8.8 assists in 30 minutes for the Vipers of the D-League.

Jamal Sampson - Cousin of former Don Nelson / Warriors' big-man mistake Ralph Sampson, the Cal product has bounced around the NBA for 5 years. He's been haunted by questions regarding his motivation and was out of the league entirely last year. With the Nuggets in 06-07, he averaged a rebound every 2.5 minutes - a rate that likely grabbed the Warriors' attention. If we're suddenly thin in the front court due to trade, Sampson might get more than a cursory look. Last seen: getting waived by the Dallas Mavericks.

Joe Ingles - A 6-8 guard / forward from Australia, Ingles looks to be a classic Nelson player. He's known for both his passing and long-range shooting, ranking 4th in the league in assists while connecting on over 45% of his shots last season. Potentially a Toni Kukoc-like mismatch, Ingles should get a serious opportunity to demonstrate that he could be an end-of-the-bench glue guy for Nelson. Last seen: winning the Australian league title.

Connor Atchley - The 6-10 power forward / center from Texas is going have a hard time moving ahead of guys like Davidson and even Sampson in the depth chart, but brings some intriguing skills to the table. He's got great shooting touch, some nice finesse moves around the basket and NBA size. It doesn't sound as if he has a Rob Kurz-like motor, however, which may set back his chances with the team. Last seen: ending his 5th year at Texas with a whimper.

Lawrence Hill - Those who watched Stanford basketball regularly can weigh in on the 6-8 small forward. From what I can tell, Hill is a good shooter that likely lacks the complete game and athleticism to become and NBA player. Then again, that's what they said about Anthony Morrow before he embarrassed 29 other general managers last year. We can never have enough good shooters, so I guess there's always an outside chance Hill could show the team something new this month. Last seen: earning All Pac-10 honorable mention starting every game last season for Stanford.

Cartier Martin - Of the new faces, Martin may be the most NBA proven. He played in 33 games for the Bobcats last year, averaging 2.6 points. His playing time tapered off towards the end of last year and the Bobcats apparently didn't invite him back. I have a hard time seeing a 6-7 small forward with not-so-great shooting and relatively weak rebounding beating out the other guys on this list for a roster spot. Last seen: joining Wright and Davidson as members of the "Bobcats West" contingent of the Warriors.

Quan Prowell - Only 6-8, but high-flying and hard-nosed around the rim. He entered the 08 draft but questions over his age (he's two years older than is typical for his class) and off-court issues likely hurt his stock. These types of guys - possessing the athleticism but not the skills for the NBA, or vice versa - typically fill-out summer league rosters. Prowell probably needs to best Davidson to have a shot at getting a camp invite. Last seen: impressing scouts during the 08 Portsmouth Predraft Camp - but not enough to actually get drafted.

Lawrence Roberts - The 6-9 former Mississippi State forward / center brings the most bulk to the summer league team at 235. He was SEC player of the year in 03-04 - always an honor that earns a player an extra look - and finished third in player of the year voting behind Jameer Nelson and Omeka Okafor. Despite the honors, he was picked at the end of the second round by the then-Sonics, traded to the Griz, then let go after the 07 season. He played in 2007 for the European powerhouse Olympiacos, but was let go three months later and ended up in the Serbian league. Last seen: as the power forward for Red Star Belgrade.

From the days of Elie and Askew to modern examples like Watson and Kurz, Nelson likes nothing more than to find - and shine - diamonds in the rough. This year's summer league team features five players that will make the Ws' roster and earn minutes, but it may also contain some of those hidden, forgotten, or marginalized players that suddenly blossom in Nelson's system. Stay tuned to see who may suddenly find himself whisked from the D-League or European outposts to the front of an NBA rotation.
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also anyone down to start a fantasy football league on yahoo soon? last time we had too many teams, let's have 12 teams instead....i'll make onesometime in the future when i get really bored here at work.
 
Originally Posted by acidicality

also anyone down to start a fantasy football league on yahoo soon? last time we had too many teams, let's have 12 teams instead....i'll make one sometime in the future when i get really bored here at work.
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I'm going to sit this one out. I'm not too much of a football guy. Didn't I join the last football league and sucked the whole year? Idon't want to put myself through that again.
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Actually, I just checked. I placed 5 out of 14. I was out of the playoffs, but 5th place, that's a victory for me.
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Joe Ingles - A 6-8 guard / forward from Australia, Ingles looks to be a classic Nelson player. He's known for both his passing and long-range shooting, ranking 4th in the league in assists while connecting on over 45% of his shots last season. Potentially a Toni Kukoc-like mismatch, Ingles should get a serious opportunity to demonstrate that he could be an end-of-the-bench glue guy for Nelson. Last seen: winning the Australian league title.

Doesn't sound too bad. I like the fact dude is 6'8" and is known for his "passing." We'll see how he does in Summer League.
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I'd be down for a fantasy league for sure....I always seem to join 3-4/season. Maybe we could each put in like $10-$20 through pay-pal to make it that moreinteresting. People always seem to put in more effort when money is on the line. Anyways, PM me the info if you guys are going to start one up!
 
FFball count me in


by the way "Public Enemies" was really well done, a la "Assassination...." and "3:10"
just remember it's a sort of biopic, not a western shoot em up
 
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