BlogsGreat Off-Season Performances: The Dylan Edition
by Stop-n-Pop
on Jul 3, 2009 8:16 PM CDT
2 comments
I'm not that big of a fan of Dylan's early surrealism but I do have to say that the man has hit a late-career stride as a wandering Americana minstrel blues song-and-dance man and it's just about impossible not to enjoy. I dare you to look over the past decade of popular music and find a better album than Love and Theft or a more enjoyable one than Modern Times. Hell, even his collection of Mexican brothel tunes is worth a good listen.
This little ditty was recorded post Love and Theft and is included on his latest bootleg series collection. I hope you enjoy it.
Things will be slow here over the holiday weekend. I'll check in every now and then to see if there have been any major developments but we will return to our original programming on Monday with a post about the roster and possible rookie free agents (hint: Paul Harris and Lee Cummard) followed by a continuation of our Wayne Ellington post.
BTW: We kind of got behind with the pre-vacation madness today and were unable to put up a post about the Lynx's latest game, a loss to the lowly Sactown Monarchs. We'll make it up with a post about the future of the squad sometime next week. We hope to have much more Lynx content over the summer.
Enjoy the weekend and we'll be back full-time on Monday.
One more thing: With all of the interest readers of this site have had with Hedo-to-Portland and Rudy Fernandez, my over-the-weekend-fantasy-GM challenge to you is to figure out a deal that lands the Wolves this Portland small forward. When it comes to the Blazers, it's Batum or Bust.
UPDATE: Maybe not:
The Oregonian has learned that free agent forward Hedo Turkoglu has rejected an offer to sign with the Trail Blazers and has ended negotiations with the team.
He will leave town tomorrow morning.
Have the Blazers been Penn Slapped by Hedo? We shall see.
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Ridiculous Upside runs down the Wolves' summer league roster
Good stuff from Ridiculous Upside. We're equally excited to see Ben Woodside as well as Paul Harris and Steven Hill. Short of landing on the Wolves' active roster, we hope all three guys at least get a shot with the Skyforce.
Don Seeholzer of the PiPress takes one on the chin
Someone better hold another blogger ethics panel. H/T to Poor Dick for the link.
Regarding Little Birdies
by Stop-n-Pop
on Jul 3, 2009 6:00 AM CDT
41 comments
No doubt that you have seen the Charlie Walters report about Ricky Rubio and two more years in Spain:
The Minnesota Timberwolves' top draft pick, Ricky Rubio, 18, will remain in Spain to play for his DKV Joventut basketball team for the remaining two years of his contract rather than try to move to the NBA this season, El Periodico reported today. The Barcelona newspaper also says Rubio, who was paid $97,000 last season, plans to withdraw his contract lawsuit against DKV Joventut.
Two things: First of all, Joventut has repeatedly said that they would not negotiate with Rubio when a law suit is hanging over their head. If anything, this news furthers the dialog between Rubio and his team. Second, nothing in this report has been said on record. I know that this is how little birdies operate but we really have nothing new to go on until paperwork is filed or until we receive an official statement from Rubio and/or his agent.
Folks, I will repeat what I have said numerous times in the comments section: This is a simple math problem. The buyout needs to be paid back and there are questions over the amount and the duration in which it can be paid out. That's the issue right now. How can the Rubios negotiate a lower price or a more favorable payment plan that would allow Ricky to play in the NBA? That's the issue. This has nothing to do with Ricky coming over in 2 years and everything to do with the Rubios dropping the suit that was standing in the way of them further negotiating with Joventut. It baffles me to no end that this simple issue cannot be grasped by local and national media. Ricky is dealing with his very own domestic situation in Spain. Imagine Joe Mauer leaving the Twins for the Yanks. That's part of what is happening in Barcelona with Rubio.
Relax. It's a fluid situation and there will be more twists and turns. Ultimately, the Wolves give Rubio a solid place to land and things will work out for the best. The Wolves hold the leverage here and they simply have to be resolute and patient.
Sincerely,
Pangloss
UPDATE: Mac of the MIAC makes an excellent point in the comments:
Given that DKV Joventut is deeply in debt, and given that you wanted to reduce your buyout, what do you think your best strategy is? Easy. Tell them that you are willing to play out the remainder of your contract, ensuring they get $0.
That’s really the only play, and I think it will work to at least reduce it to something palitable. Telling DKV Joventut that you are going to play for the TWolves or Real Madrid only strengthens DKV Joventut’s bargaining power.
Yes, yes and more yes. This works on two levels. First of all, Joventut said they wouldn't negotiate with Rubio when he was suing them. Second, it removes Joventut's ability to collect on their debt. If you combine the two, it really makes you wonder what Joventut must have thought about their chances in court if they were willing to ask Rubio to drop the suit. It also makes you wonder why folks like the Bird Whisperer can't seem to see the forest through the trees. Here is a comment we wrote in the same thread:
The speculation is a bit much and there’s no sense in trying to make sense of each step of the dance between Rubio, Joventut and the Wolves because individually, one step could contradict the next. It’s something that will need to be taken as a whole and that requires patience and a preference for seeing the forest instead of the trees. This thing will be judged on two main things: Will Rubio end up in a Wolves uniform and will he be good? That’s it.
Rubio returning to Joventut is the worst possible thing that could happen for a team that sold his buyout to cover for its debt. Tap us on the shoulder when Rubio is in the NBA, either with the Wolves or another team. This thing cannot possibly be judged or absorbed until Rubio is in the NBA.
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Why Media Market Size Does Not Correlate to Endorsements
by Mac of the MIAC
on Jul 2, 2009 7:05 PM CDT
26 comments
Will an athlete who signs with the New York Knicks make more money in endorsements than an athlete who signs with the Oklahoma City Thunder? Does the size of the media market an athlete plays in correlate to the amount of endorsement dollars said athlete brings in? The answer, statistically, is no.
I’ve compiled the top 25 money making professional athletes competing in team sports and correlated their endorsement wages against the size of the media market they play in. The results indicate that there is a slight negative correlation between media market size, and the amount of endorsement dollars an athlete collects.
Click here to read the full data, explanations, and analysis.
(Ed Note: I fixed the link and bumped this to the front page. Please head on over to the JFSC for the entire article...as well as telling us what you think about the findings in the comments.)
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Ricky, el primer paso - Ricky, the first step
by miguelsp
on Jul 2, 2009 2:00 PM CDT
15 comments
Ricky looks in the coming days to withdraw the lawsuit brought against Joventut Villacampa reiterates that it is a basic condition for opening a dialogue process
(Ed Note: Full Spanish article below the fold. Muchas gracias to miguelsp for all of these links. As always, if anyone has a translation, please leave it in the comments. Remember, Joventut has said that it would not negotiate with Rubio with a lawsuit hanging over its head. Is this a surrender on Rubio's part or the beginning of negotiations on the buyout payment schedule? What say you?)
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Howlin' T-Wolf
The Wolves finally have a True Hoop Network blog. Head on over to Howlin' T-Wolf to check out Patrick's excellent site.
1 day ago
Stop-n-Pop
4 comments
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Minnesota and the number 5 is the best thing that could have happened to Ricky
by miguelsp
on Jul 2, 2009 11:28 AM CDT
72 comments
El número 5 y Minnesota es lo mejor que le podría haber pasado a Ricky
NO DESCARTA NADA SOBRE EL FUTURO DE SU HIJo
El padre de Ricky Rubio: "Ricky está nervioso"
- · Necesitan negociar la cláusula de Ricky para poder dar el salto a la NBA · No encuentran una solución con la Penya
(Ed Note: Full article and Google translation below the fold. Translations are welcome in the comments. This doesn't exactly jive with the dominant media theme about Jonny Flynn being the reason why Rubio isn't over here yet, does it? Folks, this is a math problem. There is a bottom line and the Rubios have to meet it.)
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