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Walcoff: Wrong Barry, wrong time
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SAN FRANCISCO (Map, News) - It was no surprise to see three officials swallow their whistles when Brent Barry was body-slammed by Derek Fisher in the final seconds of that pivotal fourth game of the Los Angeles Lakers-San Antonio Spurs series Tuesday.
The surprise was San Antonio coach Greg Popovich not putting the ball in the hands of one of his more high-profile players with the game on the line. True, Brent Barry was having a career playoff night, scoring 23 points off the bench, but he is journeyman Brent Barry, not his Hall of Famer dad, Rick, who like most of the celebrated elite would have almost certainly gotten the foul call.
For further proof, go to YouTube and relive His Airness shoving Byron Russell out of the way and drilling the jumper that clinched Michael Jordan’s sixth and final championship with the Chicago Bulls in the 1998 NBA Finals at Utah, which remains the highest-rated TV game in league history. Tonight, look for the Lakers to carry that feel-good vibe back home (where they haven’t lost since March) and knock out the defending champs.
NO RESPECT: The A’s ought to ditch Stomper and have a Rodney Dangerfield look-a-like as their mascot.
Despite being one of the hottest teams in baseball and looking more and more like a legitimate contender, not a single Athletic is in the top five in fan voting at their position for the July 15 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium.
Outfield balloting goes 15 deep and there are still no Oakland players in sight. Of course, the relative no-name A’s are not helped by those sparse Coliseum crowds; hence fewer fans stuffing the ballot at the ballpark. But there is hope.
The All-Star manager picks the pitchers for the Midsummer Classic and the A’s have to get some respect considering their staff has the lowest ERA in the majors.
STAR POWER: Meanwhile, the Giants despite their miserable season have four legitimate All-Stars. Aaron Rowand and Bengie Molina are among the NL’s top 10 in batting average.
Closer Brian Wilson is among the league leaders in saves. And is there any pitcher more exciting to watch than Tim Lincecum? The 23-year-old right-hander is not only 7-1 with a 2.33 ERA, he is tied for the major-league lead with 76 strikeouts in only 70 innings. Some laughed when Lincecum’s teammates started calling him the “Franchise” last year when he was a baby-faced rookie. Tim still looks like a bat boy, but put him on the mound and he’s a beast.
SUPER AT SHORT: Congratulations to the amazing Omar Vizquel, who has now played more games at shortstop than anyone in major-league history — 2,586. The man Omar passed this week, fellow Venezuelan Luis Aparacio, will be at AT&T Park on Friday to honor Vizquel before the Giants-San Diego Padres game.
Vizquel at 41 is as spry as ever and using the same 9½-inch mini-mitt that has snared him 11 Gold Glove awards. I held that glove when we talked at spring training last year and thought it belonged to his 12-year-old son. Still think size matters?
Rich Walcoff is the sports director at KGO Radio (810 AM) and can be heard weekdays between 5-9 a.m. on the “KGO Morning News.” He can also be reached at richwalcoff@abc-sf.com.
Comments from Examiner Readers
10:47 PM MST on Tue., Sep. 30, 2008 re: "Steinmetz: Warriors’ nucleus not among best in West"
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Iwi said:
Kings will be a good team
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
I think that this is a fair summation of the warrior off-season moves. They appear to be one more "star" type player short of the playoffs, and that is assuming Ellis, Biedrins, and Randolph all develop as projected. Hope you are right about Williams at point, because we are asking a lot from Ellis there.
4 agree | 5 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
You neglected to mention Morrow, the free agent who tore up summer league for the Warriors. He was one of the best looking players in the summer league according to those in the know.
6 agree | 6 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
To the guy who wonders why Kosta Perovic didn't play much last year. Kosta was just terrible, he made Zarko look like an All Star.
7 agree | 6 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Do you talk just to hear yourself talk? this is the dumbest peice of no thought crap that you have ever writin and if the refs called games fairly Kobe and company would'nt even have been in the playoffs and thats why Kobe gets more calls than 411
7 agree | 8 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Continuing my post: Warrior's are not unproven in scoring department. We are in D. We can't guard PG, PF and C's. The way we solve this? Our depth. We have Buike guard the PGs, Jackson on the SF's, Monta on SG. and have Turiaf and Beidrins clog the middle. Even though they don't take up much space they can try slow them long enough for some help D. Look for the Warriors to have a kind of flowing zone this season. Lots of help D and a whole lot of agressiveness and pressure on the ball.
7 agree | 7 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Well first off, since Artest is going to the Rockets (presumably), you can shift the Suns down a spot and let Houston rise. As for Utah and the Spurs, NOH is way better than them. Yes NO lost to the Spurs in the playoffs, but now the Spurs are one year older and have not made any significant changes and NO has a playoff berth under the belt, another year of experience and James Posey to boot. Now for the Warriors. I believe that they deserve that 8th spot, if not the 7th. For right now I will just look at the core/starting 5 and not consider depth, overall play, and injury/age. Portland: Oden, Roy, Aldridge. Baylees? Outlaw? Mavs: Kidd, Terry, Howard, Dirk, Diop. Warriors: Monta, Jackson, Maggette, Harrington, Beidrins. Greg Oden is highly unproven and still has to fully recover. The others are well rounded and can put up serious numbers, but they do not have a good PG. Mavs have a chance but they need more heart. Warriors can score in bunches, but need D. I need letters.
6 agree | 7 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I agree with matt...to an extent. the key to the dubs success isn't all on the core (as it is with many other teams). This team is DEEP. They can eclipse many teams in the west with contributions from other players that aren't core. Not many other teams can make that claim. Well done Mully. Now go get Josh Smith!!!
7 agree | 7 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Wright and Randolph are the secrets to the Warriors future. Harrington, Jackson, Magette, Azu offer real fire power, in addition to Biedrins and Ellis. Warriors are one of the best balanced teams in the West in my opinion IF Nelson makes Wright and Randolph go to guys; i.e. if GSW play less run and gun, and more run and bring ball inisde, play more pwoer game, and play defense.
7 agree | 7 disagree
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Paul Huff said:
Hey Genius. Dallas has a nucleus of DIrk, Howard and Jason KIDD...but go ahead and throw Terry in there for a foursome. And putting the Mavs under such an unknown in Portland? Thats why you're a beat writer and not a true analyst. I look forward to watching the Mavs rraape the Warriors this year.
7 agree | 7 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Matt-- If the Warrior's competition won't win as many games because many teams have improved, doesn't that make it together for the Warrior's to get as many wins also?
7 agree | 8 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Matt, the Warriors could be a lot better this year. They have some young players that are due to have breakout years, like Beleneli, Wright, and this new kid Randolph. Last season I though the Warriors gave too many minutes to players like Barnes, Croshere, and even Kelena Abuzuke, who played just fair. The Warriors future is these young guys. While the loss of Baron hurts, the team will be awfully potent next season offensively. With Monta, Magette, Jackson, and hopefully Beleneli they will be shooting the lights out this season. The Warriors will be a better rebounding team too. You seem to have little confidence these young players will step up. Basketball belongs to the young guys coming up, not aging veterans.
10 agree | 9 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
My only problem is, if he planned to go he could have allowed GS to use the trade clause giving the team a chance to use it.
10 agree | 10 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Rich Walcoff: Warriors wise to let Baron fly south You hit the nail right on the head, Richie, in every way. Kudos.
9 agree | 9 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
i can see why you dont write for the chroicle
11 agree | 11 disagree
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noah said:
So, we're going to require all basketball playing college freshmen to sign a contract promising to stay in college for two years? It seems very unlikely that such a contract provision would be enforceable, at least absent collective bargaining.
11 agree | 11 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
"It was tough for me growing up in the streets"..... Yeh, I'd like to hear that on tape. Never, ever, ever believe what you read without a sense of humor and pity for the angle the reporters are going for. The boy is educated, polite, and has always been far from the streets... Except, apparently, for the day this interview happened.... Good lord....
12 agree | 13 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
So a week ago you state "Do you still think the Rockets are better without Yao Ming?" Yet in todays trash from you you state they go backwards when he comes back. Please tell me you don't get paid for this
18 agree | 17 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
so are all comments that disagree with the article deleted? Doesnt matter, you lost all your credibility when you said Josh Howard was the best player on the mavs. I'm still rolling on the floor over that one.
18 agree | 15 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
What you are forgetting is the play of Houston's rookies down the stretch. Add Yao into that mix with Scola and Landry with a year under their belt. Houston is a contender - I cannot see how you say a team will go backwards when you get the most dominant inside presence back in the line-up.
18 agree | 15 disagree
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Yinka Dare said:
Actually, Matt, David West played all of 111 minutes in a first-round playoff loss in '04. He is a stranger to the playoffs. Does experience count when you have only experienced losing? Why hate on the Toronto/Orlando series starring two of the league's best young bigs, instead of, say, the Hawks/Celts or Pistons/Sixers?
19 agree | 18 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
"True, the Warriors have yet to lock up a playoff berth, but that is something that is outside of their control." Outside of their control? Isn't it completely in their control? Steinmetz is unbelievable.
20 agree | 18 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
nellie needs to give his bench more playing time and believe in them more. he doesnt have to ride his starters for 40 minutes when the bench is very capable. Lastly, why didnt he leave the same lineup in that got them back within 6 points of the kings?? It was an off night for Jackson and Davis. A comeback was killed off and much need rest for your starters was lost.
22 agree | 23 disagree
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Steve in Concord said:
Perovic just recalled from D-league after avg. 18 rebounds and 35 minutes in two games. Significant?
21 agree | 20 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay warriors will win it all this year
22 agree | 21 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Hi, Could you please ask Don Nelson why he isn't playing Kosta Perovic?? It's really puzzling. When Kosta came into the game in Milwaukee, he dominated Andrew Bogut. Kosta looks a lot more agile than he's been given credit for and he sure can cover a lot of ground. When the Milwaukee guards were driving towards the basket they thought twice when they saw Kosta's huge presence in the lane and instead kicked it out to Bogut who Perovic got to with 2 large ground covering steps, just enough to disturb Bogut's release point so he missed. Plus, Perovic has professional experience, so he knows what it's like to go up against older guys. Kosta also looks stronger than Brandon and Patrick. I just wish he'd reward Kosta for his impressive defense against Milwaukee. Thank you!
47 agree | 55 disagree
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timgreen79 said:
I know we shouldn't sleep on the Spurs but I think they'll probably have too tough of a road if their record doesn't get better. As a 5 seed they'd play (in current standings): 1st - Utah on road, 2nd - Hornets on Road, 3rd - Lakers or Suns on road. Wow. They have experience on their side but will miss the athleticism and depth that the Suns and Lakers have. (That is if they could even get by Utah)
58 agree | 49 disagree
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Bob said:
Good point that we need to wait 20-25 games to evaluate Shaq. Personally I think Phoenix is going to drop in terms of overall record (because their SOS gets tougher), but then will come on in the playoffs. Which really is the only point of the Shaq experiment.
61 agree | 55 disagree
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Matt (SF) said:
I just posted a comment a few hours ago that was removed. Am I being censored? All I said was that the inclusion of Turkoglu and Noah in this article makes no sense. Steinmetz doesn't know what he's talking about - Hedo's having a great year and Noah has been above average. So why put them on your hate list, Matt? Please censor this comment again. I'm watching.
61 agree | 55 disagree
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J Barnett said:
I know Matt can't write but he was a quality baller for F&M College. And he's quite handsome in person.
63 agree | 58 disagree
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Ben R said:
I've already come up with the best solution to problem that is Matt Steinmetz, don't read the column. Go Lakers.
65 agree | 62 disagree
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Caleb B said:
How can you have an anti-NBA player list without including the likes of Stephan Marbury? I can't figure out the pattern in your list but Francis should be given a pass - he's injured and playing for cheap. And Hinrich? He's on team USA. Lot's of former and current knicks made your Top 15. About the only thing I agree with.
72 agree | 77 disagree
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