Grade Your Team (NBA)

[urban analysis therapist]

Originally Posted by Buckeye in SC

I agree that he is better suited for radio and that he probably wouldn't be as annoying there. But when I'm watching a game live, I don't need to have the play-by-play guy going crazy all the time.

I'm pretty sure he tones down the breathlessness whenever he subs in for Mike Breen - I don't have the MSG channel, so I can't say for sure.

[Orangeish]

My team: Chicago Bulls

Overall:
History and Tradition: A -
Division: B+
Uniforms: A+
Ownership: C+
Location: A
Arena: B +
Fans: A

Comments: Well, talk about the Da Bulls and you have to bring up MJ and 6 of 8 titles. Rightfully so, but other than that, not too much history here. Lots of bad to medoicre teams. The owner cares a lot more about is other team than this one, thats for sure. I actually don't care for the UC as much as everyone else does, but its a decent enough venue.

2008-09 Season:
Regular Season: B -
Star Power: B +
Coaching: B

Comments: Happy the Bulls made the playoffs and could have easily beat Boston but having a 7 seed and not getting out of the first round is not a successful year. Future looks semi-bright w/ D Rose, but I don't trust Tyrus, Deng doesn't seem to want to win, and Hinrich is never going to be a star. Noah plays his heart out, but he is never going to be an 20/10 guy. They are a still a few pieces off.

[Brandon26pdx]

Originally Posted by ABM

My team: Portland Trail Blazers

Overall:
History and Tradition: C
Division: C
Uniforms: B
Ownership: A
Location: B-
Arena: B+
Fans: A

Comments: 2 words: Greg Oden. This, coupled with NO MORE JAIL-BLAZERS!


2007-08 Season:
Regular Season: B (relatively speaking)
Star Power: B- (for now)
Coaching: B

If they trade for Ron Artest: F-

[Finger Laker]

Seattle SuperSonics

History and Tradition: B+ = Although it was a very ugly ending with ownership being a centerpoint of contention (it has also been the main variable with other seattle sports teams), the overall history was good. 40 years in the city, 3 finals appearances - 1 championship, 2nd most wins in the 90s, a lot of good personalities, players and coaches that came through the organization

Division: doesn't exist

Uniform: B+ - I love the green and gold and the styling of the lettering across the chest. My favorites are still the ones that had the offset color arch on both sides of the jersey. They lose some credibility during the firebrick red days.

Ownership: F - This has been the problem. Sam Shulman owned the team from '67 - '83, they built a franchise and had success. Barry Ackerman came in and then owned it from '83-'01. He was OK, but never could really excell at the business behind the business. Howard Schultz was in way over his head and the team fell in the toilet. Snake Oil Clay and his band of merry theives were by far the worst.

Location: F - it does not exist ...... but seattle is a great city, a decent sized market with a long standing natural rival in portland

Arena: D - the seattle center colliseum/key arena were just a tough fit. They had a temporary home at the kingdome during the late 70s / early 80s which allowed them to set attendance records, although not the best venue for nightly basketball. The tacoma dome is subpar as well, but was used for a couple years during their great run in the 90s. This was an area where ownership did poorly. They kept trying to make key area modern and up to speed, but despite dumping hundreds of millions into it the arena never got there and arena remained an issue until they left.

Fans: B- = typical fans - very supportive when things go well, some of the loudest and most intense you could find ....... when things not going so well it's an easy ticket - showed a lot of heart though during the end of days

2008-09 Season: Didn't exist

Media and Broadcasting: A+ = Kevin Calabro is awesome and he politely declined to ever move to OKC or continue to work for Clay

[urban analysis therapist]

^ It's sad what happened to the Supersonics. I'm with Bill Simmons on this one - I refuse to refer to the team in their current state, and call them "The team that shall not be named" or "The team formerly known as the Seattle Supersonics". I mean, it's one thing to move a genuinely crummy franchise with virtually no history behind it without second thought. But this was a team with a championship in the 70's, the Payton-Kemp teams from the 90's, and some really funky and awesome uniforms that were once worn by guys like Dennis Johnson, Gus Williams, and "Downtown" Freddie Brown.

And Hijacker Bennett simply stole the team without a seconds thought to the team's fans, the team's history with the city, or anything else besides getting a team in OKC. What a rat bastard.

[JL]

Houston Rockets get the highest grade of A+++ for performance this season considering what happened to their team with injuries!

[Western87]

Can't believe know ones done this already so I will
Los Angeles Lakers:
History: A+(what else can be said about the Lakers history that hasn't been said)
Division: C(Suns are down, Warriors are down, Kings are crap, Clippers are the Clippers)
Uniform: A+(Great unis although I still prefer the previous ones more)
Ownership: A+(Jerry Buss = best owner in NBA)
Location: A+(Lakers fit Los Angeles like a glove)
Arena: A+(Staples is a great arena, sorta underrated)
Fans: A(Only cause the celeb "fans" kinda give us a bad name, except Jack)
2008-09 season: A+(top of the world baby)

[BlackZappa301]

My team: WASHINGTON WIZARDS

Overall:
History and Tradition: C
Division: B+
Uniforms: D+
Ownership: F
Location: A
Arena: B+
Fans: B

Comments: We're always on the verge of something big, and have been for years. Sadly no one in Washington's Front Office seems to know the importance of having a big man.

[Lancet71]

Originally Posted by beowulf7

Well, it kind of is. The owner def. wants to move out of NJ and into Brooklyn. However, the Brooklyn residents voted against it b/c of additional taxes that they'd be incurred. Since I moved out of NJ in 2006, I haven't quite kept up w/ the latest news about the Nets. I'll ask my friends there if they've heard any updates to it lately.

It's a done deal.The area has been picked and it passed through all the legal issues.Now they're just waiting on construction.

[latinovelvet]

Originally Posted by JJG

San Antonio is the Green Bay of the NBA.

I'm sorry, I just absolutely have to laugh at this comment. Its nice that you think of your team like this, but I can guarantee you that the major ityof everyone else not a Spur fan would not agree.

Originally Posted by Western87

Can't believe know ones done this already so I will
Los Angeles Lakers:
History: A+(what else can be said about the Lakers history that hasn't been said)
Division: C(Suns are down, Warriors are down, Kings are crap, Clippers are the Clippers)
Uniform: A+(Great unis although I still prefer the previous ones more)
Ownership: A+(Jerry Buss = best owner in NBA)
Location: A+(Lakers fit Los Angeles like a glove)
Arena: A+(Staples is a great arena, sorta underrated)
Fans: A(Only cause the celeb "fans" kinda give us a bad name, except Jack)
2008-09 season: A+(top of the world baby)

I agree largely with this, but except for two things:
Fans: A+. I see your reasoning, but any Laker fan knows that this celebrity obsession the media has at Lakers games is a large minority. The media is great at capturing some jackass celebrity at Lakers games who is only there to be seen. But the fans are probably the most die hard in all the NBA. They come show up in droves at any given arena in the NBA supporting the Lakers. They show up hours before the Championship celebration and fill up the Rose Bowl. Those are the fans I give consideration to.
Division: I agree with your C on the division. But it seems like everyone is basing this on their Conference instead of division. If its on conference: A+.