Author: katadmin

Obama talking presidential trash

Nobody has ever accused President Barack Obama of lacking confidence.

Witness his characterization of being good at, well, everything in a recent article by the . Buried deeper in the same article, the hoops junkie was quoted as using a basketball analogy to handicap the upcoming presidential race with Republican nominee Mitt Romney.

“We’re the Miami Heat, and he’s Jeremy Lin,” Obama reportedly told a gathering of Democratic governors back in February.

It’s not a horrible analogy considering the Heat are the defending champions. But it’s fair to point out that LeBron James (first championship, NBA MVP, Olympic gold medal) had a way, way better year than Obama did.

Original source: . Extra credit: Me, for spelling President Obama’s name correctly on my first attempt (I think).

Even computers underrate the Spurs

ESPN released its predictions for the upcoming season yesterday, with a projecting the Spurs to finish third in the Western Conference with 54 victories, while an accompanying statistical analysis from has them taking fifth with 51.7 victories.

Albeit clinically done, it’s a somewhat puzzling result considering that would place them behind not only Denver but Minnesota, which is projected to improve by a whopping 16 games. We’ll just have to see how everything pans out — heaven forbid that a preseason prediction would be incorrect — but a look at BP’s past predictions with a different formula reveals that even computers tend to underrate the Spurs.

2008-09

Projected wins, conference finish: 41.8, ninth. Actual wins, finish: 54, third.

2009-10

Projected wins, conference finish: 52.1, second. Actual wins, finish: 50, seventh.

2010-11

Projected wins, conference finish: 49.0, third. Actual wins, finish: 61, first.

2011-12

Projected wins, conference finish: 38.3, third. Actual wins, finish: 50, first.

So that’s three out of four seasons in which BP has not only underestimated San Antonio’s performance, but drastically so.

What that means is anybody’s guess. Age is going to catch up to Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili at some point. And the fact that they overachieved by several victories according to their , another favored formula amongst the statisticians, means their win percentage will likely decrease from last season, when they would have won 62 games in a normal season.

Still, based on BP’s past results and simple common sense, it’s hard to imagine they’ll drop as much as expected. (If at all.)

Men of culture

With the Olympics complete and time still remaining on their summer vacation, various Spurs players have taken the opportunity to broaden themselves.

Who could have guessed that Tim Duncan, he of the Spock-like demeanor and an apparent disdain for all things sensuous, has a need for speed? That was the case during his recent trip to the , during which he apparently took a GTR for a very, very quick spin. Can’t imagine Spurs management is all that thrilled about the thought of their aging-yet-still-effective franchise player hurtling down the track north of 100 MPH. But what are they going to do, cut him?

Then there’s Manu Ginobili, looking to join the likes of Rembrandt and van Gogh with the for a UNICEF auction. Although it’s unlikely to match the $71.5 million van Gogh’s “Self Portrait Without Beard” went for in 1998, it’s actually a pretty good likeness. So Manu doesn’t just attack the paint — he can actually use it, too. (Terrible play on words, I know.)

And last but certainly not least we have Tony Parker, by barrels and barrels of fine vino. You’d think he’d want nothing to do with alcohol in any container after nearly losing his eye earlier this summer to a shard of broken bottle, but he is French…

(All items initially posted at .)