Showdown...
I don't typically set aside time on my calendar for NBA games that don't involve the Wolves (and rarely even then), but Friday, January 17 is circled. It's the first meeting of Shaq and Yao. Now, let's all get in our time machines and travel back, say, one month. Yao-mania has exploded, and there is now serious talk about Yao being the #2 Big Man in the league. All of which may still be true. And what were people saying about Shaq? Well, people were still trying to bury the Lakers, and Shaq was clearly not healthy.
You heard the rumblings. People didn't come straight out and say it, at least not in mixed company, but you know what people were thinking: Shaq might be in trouble.
What now? Well, Yao's a little dinged up, but he'll play. Shaq? He's back in full effect, and so are the Lakers. This isn't just a Present/Future game going on here; this game has Implications. As in, implications for seeding, for both teams. Don't forget, the Lakers are chasing Houston, are four and a half games behind them, and already have a loss to Houston (in L.A.). You might remember that game, where Yao went 9 for 9 from the field, scored 20, and set Barkley's lips in motion towards the ass of an ass.
You think Shaq is ready to move on? I don't. Big Fella's gonna introduce Yao to the Pecking Order, and Shaq's still on top. I expect Yao to compete, and at least hold his own. But maybe Yao has his own agenda regarding that Pecking Order. If so, it's gonna be a fun night.
Kentucky/Vanderbilt...
Caught some NCAA ball last night; I don't see nearly as much as I would like these days. One of these years, I'm going to follow NCAA men's hoops from start to finish, religiously. I might even get a package. Yes, this is the fourth consecutive year I've said that. My resolve is slowly strenghtening. Slowly.
Anyway, last night I watched Kentucky/Vanderbilt. Some interesting things about the game:
Vandy's gym is unique. Built in 1952 by an architect who had served in WWII and saw the bombed-out remains of the great European opera houses, it is an homage to their design. As a result, there is seating on three sides of the court, for the most part. The court is raised, and the benches for the teams are on the baseline, and not the sideline, to give better sightlines. The effect is that the court is more like a stage, and the game a performance. I suspect it is hard for TV to capture the effect fully. The baseline benches are weird; at one point, a Kentucky player is on a breakaway, and Tubby Smith is screaming at him from right under the basket. How distracting must that be? Smith was working hard; it's like he's right there on the court, directing the offense and defense in real time.
As for the game, it was close until Kentucky's Marquis Estill took over on both ends. That guy can play; he looks like a longer, less skilled Elton Brand. He's a senior, and thus a longshot to have a significant pro career (how things have changed), but he was the man last night.
12:28:35 PM 
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