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Archive for October, 2011

What I Learned at Lunch with Mark Jackson

A few things I learned from Mark Jackson that matters to me:

*Practices will start at 10, earlier than under Keith Smart and Don Nelson before him.

*Practices won’t be long for the sake of being long. A 17-year vet, better believe the new coach knows the value of an efficient practice.

Jackson: ““I like the idea of giving them the rest of the day to do whatever they want to do when we get out of here. There’s no need to waste time and be over there just to say we got in three hard hours. No. We’re going to be precise. We’ll have a purpose to it. It depends on how the guys are. If you’re efficient and put quality work in, we can move on.”

*Practices will be closed to the media save for a short segment at the end.

Now, the stuff I learned from lunch with Mark Jackson that matters to you? …

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Posted on Thursday, October 27th, 2011
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A Special Thanks to Ralph “The Rocket”

Usually, I wouldn’t write about a hiring that doesn’t impact the product on the court. A new director of security certainly wouldn’t compel me to bust out a blog.

But in this case, my journalistic training, my understanding of news judgment and relevance, will take a backseat to my personal prerogative. This blog post is motivated by my bias, my personal feelings, my agenda.

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Posted on Sunday, October 23rd, 2011
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Rosters Set for “We Believe” Game

The Charity game has been pushed back a week to Nov. 5  (no longer on Oct. 29). It’s still at 6:30 p.m. at the Events Center at San Jose State. The roster confirmations, first reported by Matt Steinmetz, include some of the big names you will want to see …

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Posted on Saturday, October 22nd, 2011
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Guess Who I Saw at the Food Bank in Oakland …

This morning, in low-key building near the Wal-Mart in East Oakland, Warriors assistant general manager Bob Myers was part of an assembly line. At the Alameda County Community Food Bank, bags full of donated groceries awaited Myers, assistant coach Mike Malone and some 20 other Warriors employess who volunteered today. Myers’ job was to take the food out of the bag and put them into a bin, then put the bag into the recycling bin.

Watching him work, it was hard not to wonder what he’d be doing if he didn’t leave his sports agent practice behind.

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Posted on Thursday, October 20th, 2011
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David Lee Said He’s in Great Shape, “Confident” in New Coaching Staff

I caught up with David Lee recently. He was in Los Angeles having just attended NBA Players Association meetings.

Lee is said the summers are too cold in the Bay, so he’s spent most of his time inSt. Louis, where he just bought his home. He said he’s in great shape, which has been the focus of his offseason regimen. He’s currently at 245 pounds, which was his playing weight at midseason last year.

LEE: “I’ve been working my but off. Not a lot going on inSt. Louis. I’m working out two or three times a day, getting my rest, eating right.”

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Posted on Wednesday, October 19th, 2011
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Jerry West Opens Up About Depression

Tonight on HBO’s Real Sports, The Logo, Jerry West - currently serving as an executive boardmember and consultant – will speak publicly about his lifelong battle with depression. Bryant Gumbel travels to West Virginia as West opens up in his home.

West says his depression was triggered by the abuse he suffered from his father in his childhood. On his book (West by West: My Charmed, Tormented Life) , he says he was raised in a home “where I never learned what love was and am still not entirely sure I know today. What I do know is that I harbored murderous thoughts, and they, along with anger, sadness, and a weird sort of emptiness, are in part what drove and fuelded and carried me a long way …”

West credits his perfectionist mentality to his determination to prove himself to his father.

WEST (in a segment airing tonight): “I would go to bed feeling like I didn’t even want to live. I’ve been so low sometimes and when everyone else would be so high because I didn’t like myself.”

In an Associated Press article, West’s wife, Karen, says the NBA legend rarely says the words I love you, “Maybe once a year.”

 

Posted on Tuesday, October 18th, 2011
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Yes, I Went to Warriors D-League Tryouts

I stopped by Dream Courts in Hayward to check out the Dakota Wizards open tryouts. Got a chance to chat with Kirk Lacob, who seemed to be running the show, and ran into my man Matt Steinmetz.

I did notice a few things that piqued my interest …

* The tryout wasn’t the biggest event there. Some AAU event was. Kids everywhere. D-League tryouts was tucked off in the back. Kinda fitting, right?

* Ball-a-Holic was trying out. He was easily the most famous person there. A blacktop notable who built a name on the ESPN show “Streetball,” he was easily the most famous person there. His real name is Cardell Butler and he played at Utah State. His game, sans the Streetball flash, was very controlled. Clearly, he’s got some skills. Quirky shot. He was much more passive than I expected. But he stood out enough from what I saw.

* Drew Shiller was in the building. The former Stanford guard, now working with Comcast I’m told, looked pretty small. He is listed at 6-feet, so I guess that makes sense.

* My jumper is off. Took a couple shots. Not even close. I need to get back on the court.

Posted on Saturday, October 15th, 2011
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“We Believe” Warriors to take on Current Squad in Charity Game

The Warriors exhibition game has grown from rumor to idea to reality. On Oct. 29 at the San Jose Events Center, members of the legendary “We Believe” team will take on members of the current Golden State roster in a charity game.

Jason Richardson, Matt Barnes, Kelenna Azubuike and Anthony Morrow are confirmed to represent the “We Believe” squad, which is now part of Warriors lore for upsetting top-seeded Dallas in the first round of the 2007 playoffs.

Barnes is working on securing Baron Davis, Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington. 

Point guard Stephen Curry highlights the current roster, which has also confirmed Dorell Wright, Jeremy Lin, Charlie Bell and rookie Jeremy Tyler.

Curry is recruiting guard Monta Ellis and David Lee.

All proceeds from the event will benefit Kaiser Permanente Breast Cancer Research foundation and Barnes’ Athletes vs. Cancer foundation.

Coaches have not been named.

Tickets are expected to go on sale this weekend.

Posted on Wednesday, October 12th, 2011
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Charles Jenkins, Meet Monta Ellis

I caught up with rookie Charles Jenkins, who is in his native New York working out, often playing with his buddy Kemba Walker, the former UConn star drafted No. 9 byCharlotte.

Jenkins, who the Warriors happily selected in the second round in June, said he is working on every part of his game. But he did single out one part.

JENKINS: “I am working on the defensive end a little more.”

Thank Monta Ellis for that. 

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Posted on Wednesday, October 12th, 2011
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Warriors Youngsters Especially Hurt By Lockout

Jeremy Lin is torn.

On one hand, he’s “buying in” to the mission of the Players’ Union. He’s been to the meetings and follows the negotiations. An economics major at Harvard, Lin said he definitely doesn’t want the players to sign off on a bad deal. 

Still, he said he knows this lockout — which has already led to the postponing of training camp, the canceling of preseason games and, so far, the first two weeks of the regular season — is hurting himself and his team.

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Posted on Tuesday, October 11th, 2011
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