18 thoughts on “June 3, 2018: Sunrise”

  1. I found my old harmonica and showed it to Newbish and taught him how to use it.

    His enthusiasm is infectious, but I fear that I've made a terrible mistake.

    1. I fooled around with a harmonica in college, taught myself a few songs and figured out some good blues licks. I still keep one in the car and play it when I'm stuck in stop and go traffic.

      1. With windows down, I hope. Spreading a little joy (or humor) in the world...

  2. So, Thursday evening around 7:30 the wife and I headed to Target to pick up a few things. On the way we got a call from Younger Daughter, who was just leaving work. She had pulled out of the Target parking lot without looking left a second time and got T-boned in the front driver's side wheel. Low speed collision, no injuries, only cosmetic bumper damage to the other vehicle, but I've got a lot of front end work to do on the BMW now. The strut, strut rod, tie rod and steering linkage all look bent and will have to be replaced by yours truly. But I do have all month to work on it since Friday afternoon we put Younger Daughter on a plane to Croatia. She's going to spend 17 days working on an archaeological dig of an ancient Roman villa on the island of Sveti Klement. After that, they're going to visit all of the Game of Thrones locations in Croatia, then spend a few days in Prague before heading home.

    1. so, reward or curse for her?
      🙂

      sounds like an awesome opportunity for YD.

    1. Disagree. He is a crank, but he calls out so much if the b.s. the league peddles. And he is a good analyst.

      Mark Jackson, on the other hand. Ugh.

      1. Disagree with your disagreement. He maybe used to be that way, but now he's just an old crank yelling at clouds. I just cannot stand to listen to him. My comment was inspired by him complaining about LeBron not getting called for a travel when LeBron... didn't travel. (He very clearly gathered then took two steps.) He used it to complain about certain players getting treated differently by the refs. Which, sure, that's a thing, but LeBron is a terrible example of it, especially when Klay Thompson had recently thrown a frickin should block into Korver and Korver got called for the foul.

        But sweet merciful crap do I agree with the Mark Jackson hate.

        1. You mean that three-step "gather"?

          The Thompson call where he put Korver in the popcorn machine and Korver jumped, out of control, across Thompson's path?

          In the latter, he complained about the call. So I am not sure what you are calling Van Gundy out for there. He was wrong there, but I get the complaint. All the "sweep through" and jumping into guys is boring basketball. There just is not an easy solution, because they reflect responses to aggressive defense.

          Van Gundy also complained about the handling of intentional fouls. The "hack-a-" strategy and, especially, intentionally taking a foul to stop a break are un-entertaining and deserve to be punished.

          1. No way, man, it was one gather step followed by two additional steps which is totally legal (section XIII(b)). And the Thompson call was awful. Korver wasn't that out of control and was not even jumping towards him and Thompson had to take a full step then jump into him to initiate contact. I think what I'm complaining about with regards to JVG is his terrible timing in starting his rants. The Korver foul would have been a much better time to bring up differential treatment by refs instead of using the guy who basically gets his ass kicked every time he drives with no call and right after a perfectly legal move.

            Mostly, though, this is a YMMV situation and my JVG mileage is "old man yelling at clouds".

            1. Mostly, though, this is a YMMV situation and my JVG mileage is "old man yelling at clouds".

              Agreed. I kind of enjoy his cloud-yelling, but I get your point.

              As for the NBA's "two steps is not traveling" rule, I hate it. Because now you get guys taking three steps and the argument that the first step was on the "gather." Ugh. No. You get one step. That was the rule forever. Two steps is at least arguable because it is so hard to judge in real time when the dribble stops and the gather starts, but three steps is ridiculous AND contrary to the rule (see below: two-count rhythm). No, no, no, no.

              But since we are gonna go to the rulebook, let me cite the guidance from nba.com on block/charge (to beat the dead horse from the controversial game one call):

              Block/Charge:
              A block/charge foul occurs when a defender tries to get in front of his man to stop him from going in that direction. If he does not get into a legal defensive position and contact occurs, it is a blocking foul. If he gets to a legal position and the offensive player runs into him it is an offensive foul. In both situations, if the contact is marginal, no foul may be called. To get into a legal position defending against the dribble, the defender needs to get his torso directly in the path and beat him to the spot. On a drive to the basket, the defender must get to his position before the shooter starts his upward shooting motion. For off ball players, the defender must get into position and allow enough opportunity for the offensive player to stop and/or change direction. All ties are considered blocks as the defender did not beat him to the spot but arrived at the same time.

              There is no effing way that bronbron got to the spot in sufficient time to allow Durant to stop and/or change direction. It should have been a block from the beginning. QED.

              *runs for the hills*

              1. Without the three steps, the Euro step is not possible and that is my favorite move ever, so I like the rule as written. (Also, the rule was baskets counted as two points and that had been in place forever, so I'm not buying that argument.)

                And FWIW, I think I agree with you on the charge thing. Also, Ken Mauer was involved and called the charge, so I just assume he was wrong because he sucks.

                1. Without the three steps, the Euro step is not possible and that is my favorite move ever

                  who was the NBA star famously quoted back in the day as complaining to a ref "That's my move! You can't call my move!" or words to that effect?

                  Anyway, back in my day, we had cross-over dribbles with a proper (illegal) carry of the basketball. AND WE LIKED IT.

                  *shakes stick*

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