February 15, 2012
Rankonia: Triangle Power Rankings
1. Metta World Peace, Swagvisor Yes. I am letting the word “swag” out of the penalty box, albeit briefly. I feel like Workaholics buried the whole concept and read a prayer over its tombstone. But if Metta World Peace wants to invoke it, LET IT BE INVOKED. Now, when a new NBA star is born, […]
Read moreBeyond the Buzzer-Beater: How Lin and the Knicks Beat Toronto
The headlines say the Linsanity beat went on Tuesday night. New York’s final two possessions in its 90-87 win over the Raptors — in which Lin tied the game on a driving and-one and won it with a fearless 3-pointer with half a second remaining — will dominate the highlights for the next day or […]
Read more2012 MLB Season Preview: Houston Astros
In a year when a book about stats adapted into a movie might actually win a bunch of Oscars, it’s appropriate to find a team that generates far more excitement from its new front office than its collection of ragtag on-field talent. Led by owner Jim Crane and CEO George Postolos, the Houston Astros have […]
Read moreGrantland Network Podcast: Men in Blazers
Love is in the air in the crap part of Soho as Roger and Michael celebrate their union with a Valentine’s Day Special. Luckily, it’s a mix of business and pleasure. The blazered men cover last weekend’s Handshakegate between Liverpool’s Luis Suarez and Manchester United’s Patrice Evra, reconcile after Roger’s lionhearted Everton dispose of Michael’s […]
Read moreAbout Last Night: Linsanity!
In case you were out living a life of leisure, here’s what you missed in sports on Tuesday. Linside the Air Canada Centre lin Toronto, the lindomitable Jeremy Lin linitiated the offense. Raptors defender Jose Calderon had a linkling — lindeed, a lincredibly strong linference — that a linstantaneous drive was linevitable. “He’s not so […]
Read moreFebruary 14, 2012
The Shootaround: NBA News, Notes and Mike D’Antoni Thinks You Are Being Ludicrous
Seasons Of Love I, for one, can think of nothing more romantic to do this Valentine’s Day evening than watch the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors. Valentine’s Day is about love, and love is about communication, and the New York Knicks, for the first time this season, are running an offense in which the […]
Read moreThe Washington Wizards Give Valentine’s Day Advice
Since they have completely mastered the whole “being on a basketball team” thing, some members of the mighty 6-22 Washington Wizards have decided to branch out in their professional lives. They have become love doctors. Shelvin Mack, Jordan Crawford, and Trevor Booker took some time out from stenciling Jared Sullinger’s name onto a locker room […]
Read moreB.S. Report: Bob Ryan
How did I host the BS Report podcast for four solid years without ever having the greatest basketball writer of all time on? It ranks among my 10 or 12 dumbest decisions ever, but I tried to make up for it by talking NBA with the one and only Bob Ryan for a solid hour. […]
Read moreThe Mysteries of Syracuse
Here are a few reasons why Syracuse’s 52-51 win at Louisville on Monday was a resounding positive: 1. Rick Pitino’s Cardinals were riding a six-game Big East winning streak and a seven-game run against Syracuse that dated back to 2007 (which prompted Jim Boeheim’s worst moment until his worst moment — start at 3:30). At […]
Read moreBlake Griffin Is the Plastic Bag From American Beauty
No, this is not a Fake Grantland tweet. So, as some of you might remember, the Academy Award-winning film American Beauty features a famous scene in which Ricky Fitts (played by Wes Bentley) shows a video of a plastic bag blowing in the wind to Jane Burnham (Thora Birch). For Fitts, this discarded piece of […]
Read moreThe Philadelphia 76ers and the NBA’s Middle-Class Dream
During the NBA lockout, the narrative unspooled by the vipers on the ownership side was that the league was in danger of being cleaved into two types of franchises. A small number were big-market teams in glittering, spired metropolises that collected superstars with the craven lust of billionaires taking trophy wives. The rest were clubs […]
Read more2012 MLB Season Preview: Pittsburgh Pirates
Previously: St. Louis Cardinals PITTSBURGH PIRATES Pirates fans might not want to hear about rebuilding anymore, not after two decades of losing seasons. But the Pirates scored another bumper crop of talent in the 2011 amateur draft, and few if any teams now boast a deeper stable of high-impact pitching prospects. The Bucs are a […]
Read moreAbout Last Night: Straight Comeback, Homey
In case you were out living a life of leisure, here’s what you missed in sports on Monday. Monday was Randy Moss’ birthday, and he made the surprising announcement that he wants to play football next season. In a moment that was perhaps too candid, he asked, “anyone out there looking to ruin their NFL […]
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