Robin Reader

The NBA Finals: Stats to Consider

Tue, 31 May 2011 18:45:00 -0500

While listening to “Mike and Mike in the Morning” on ESPN Radio this morning, I heard a very intriguing statistic from Jalen Rose, NBA analyst, about the NBA finals matchup between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat.

Rose said that dating back to 1999, there have been only 3 teams to win the Western Conference. The Los Angelos Lakers have won it 7 times, with 5 championships. The San Antonio Spurs have won it 4 times, with 4 championships. And the Dallas Mavericks have won it the remaining 2 times.

Over that same period, there have been 9 different teams to win the Eastern Conerence! Only 3 of these teams have gone on to win the NBA finals: Detroit (2004), Miami (2006), Boston (2008).

What can we learn from this?

The Eastern Conference is WIDE OPEN! Surely Miami’s Big 3 saw this as an opportunity to dominate the conference for the foreseeable future which lead them to team up. If a team could be constructed like theirs was, they could be like the Lakers of the last decade.

The Western Conference IS TOUGH! Dallas having only come out of the West twice is more a testament to the excellence of the Lakers and Spurs as organizations than it is to the poorness of the Mavericks organization.

The Bottom Line: Perhaps over the next 10+ years, we’ll see a switch in the conferences. Can Miami dominate like the Lakers or Spurs? Will there be a variety of teams that come out of the West? I say yes!

"When the dejection over the blown leads in Games 4 and 5 wears off, one realizes the big picture..."

Thu, 26 May 2011 08:31:47 -0500

“

When the dejection over the blown leads in Games 4 and 5 wears off, one realizes the big picture remains blindingly bright for Oklahoma City. Looking forward, this is the most talented team in the Western Conference. They lost to a savvier team that excelled in the exact areas where the Thunder struggled, but they’ve also improved by leaps and bounds in this department every season.

There’s no guarantee they make it back here, obviously, but you have to like their chances. And when they do, experiences like this one — painful though it may be — might help push them over the hump.

”

- John Hollinger, ESPN

"In the three games, Oklahoma City has been outscored 39-17 in the opening minutes of the first..."

Sun, 22 May 2011 13:00:25 -0500

“

In the three games, Oklahoma City has been outscored 39-17 in the opening minutes of the first quarter until a reserve checks into the game. Overall, the deficit to begin each half is 57-31. Take those minutes away and the Thunder are comfortably outscoring Dallas.

To put a finer point on things, let’s replace the word “starters” with “Kendrick Perkins.” In his 82 minutes on the court, the Thunder have been outscored by a whopping 32 points. In his 62 minutes on the bench, the advantage has titled nearly as strongly the other way: The Thunder are plus-23.

”

- John Hollinger, ESPN

"Earlier this evening, President Obama called to inform me that American forces killed Osama bin..."

Sun, 01 May 2011 23:14:25 -0500

“Earlier this evening, President Obama called to inform me that American forces killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of the al Qaeda network that attacked America on September 11, 2001. I congratulated him and the men and women of our military and intelligence communities who devoted their lives to this mission. They have our everlasting gratitude. This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001. The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done.”

- President George W. Bush

"I love sleeping in on Saturdays And I love college football games I love not acting my age And good..."

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 12:01:11 -0500

“

I love sleeping in on Saturdays And I love college football games I love not acting my age And good barbeque

Yeah I’m a fan of all the books And anything my mama cooks Smallmouth bass have got me hooked On Sunday afternoon

Yes I love good cold beer And mustard on my fries I love a good loud honky tonk That rocks on Friday night

And hell yes I love my truck But I want you to know Honey I love your love the most

Man I love how Redman tastes And damn I love my Nascar race Any song sung by George Strait Is country at it’s best

Yes I love good cold beer And mustard on my fries I love a good loud honky tonk That rocks on Friday nights

And hell yes I love my truck But I want you to know Honey I love your love the most

Yeah I love scuffed up cowboy boots And broken tore up jeans A four wheel drive, eight point bucks And rocky road ice cream

And hell yes I love my dog And Jack D in my coke But honey I love your love Yeah I love your love I love your love the most

I love your love the most

”

- “Love Your Love the Most” by Eric Church

"A big reason fraternities come and go is lack of alum support and lack of individual drive for..."

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:10:38 -0500

“A big reason fraternities come and go is lack of alum support and lack of individual drive for excellence.”

- Debby Strickland

"In the seven games with Kendrick Perkins in the lineup, the Thunder have gone 6-1 while allowing..."

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 09:26:29 -0500

“In the seven games with Kendrick Perkins in the lineup, the Thunder have gone 6-1 while allowing just 91.1 PPG, more than 10 points fewer than before he was playing.”

- ESPN Stats and Info

Trump for President?

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 09:51:23 -0600

For some ridiculous reason politicians seem to believe that they are required to announce a run for the White House a year and a half or more before the election. By my count, that would mean that any day now, we’ll see a slew of candidates for the Republican nomination announce their intent to challenge the President. I have noticed one potential candidate in particular who seems to be positioning himself for a run.

Everyone knows who Donald Trump is (if nothing else, people know him by his hair). Despite that widespread popularity, Trump seems to be getting more and more face time on as many TV shows and other avenues as possible. He recently appeared on Letterman, his show, Celebrity Apprentice, is currently running on NBC, on Tuesday he’ll be roasted on Comedy Central, and I’m sure there are more. It just seems logical to me that all of this publicity is leading up to an entrance into politics.

So the question is, what do we think about that?

Naturally, recent history would lead us to discuss the economy first. Most people would agree that Trump has been successful, even in a down economy, and therefore may be able to provide some help to the rest of us.

What about his leadership? Is there any doubt that people in this country and around the world would listen when Trump speaks? I cannot imagine a scenario where Trump would or could be out debated by any world leader or business executive. He would get immediate credibility because of his past success as a business leader.

Where does he stand on social issues? First of all, I am of the opinion that it doesn’t matter what a person believes regarding abortion, gay marriage, etc. Beliefs one way or another on these issues will not affect the way a person governs the country. Perhaps the appointment of Supreme Court justices will be affect by these issues, however there are so many checks and balances of these appointments that I don’t see this as an issue.

The only problem that I can see is: would Trump take the pay cut to live in the White House? I can’t imagine this actually coming up in a debate, but the question is very real. Who knows how much Trump pulls down in a year, but I’ll bet it’s more than the President makes. Either way, I’m sure he’d be willing to do it.

The Bottom Line: If Trump does make a run and ultimately gets the nomination, it’s going to be hilarious when, in one of their debates, he says: “Mr. President, you’re fired!”

"No (wo)man needs sympathy because (s)he has to work. Because (s)he has a burden to carry far and..."

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:10:10 -0600

“No (wo)man needs sympathy because (s)he has to work. Because (s)he has a burden to carry far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”

- Theodore Roosevelt

"The rules of the game are, given the cards that you get, figure out the most optimum way to play..."

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 11:30:56 -0600

“The rules of the game are, given the cards that you get, figure out the most optimum way to play this hand that will enhance your chance to win.”

- John Wang

"If everything seems under control, you’re just not going fast enough."

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 19:44:38 -0600

“If everything seems under control, you’re just not going fast enough.”

- Mario Andretti

A new idol is born!

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 15:17:52 -0600

A new idol is born!

"Get spending down, shift government off the backs of the people, and jobs will return, as the..."

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 09:56:10 -0600

“Get spending down, shift government off the backs of the people, and jobs will return, as the invisible hand works it’s magic.”

- The Economist

"A teacher touches eternity for he knows not how far his influence reaches."

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 21:16:03 -0600

“A teacher touches eternity for he knows not how far his influence reaches.”

- Henry James

"To the Alumni Association, you cannot overwork the Greeks and expect them to leave here leaders."

Sat, 12 Feb 2011 09:56:59 -0600

“To the Alumni Association, you cannot overwork the Greeks and expect them to leave here leaders.”

- Dr. Bernard Franklin

Media vs. Media: Who Should We Listen To?

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 12:15:48 -0600

Have you ever noticed that reporters in any news media (cable, print, etc.) tend to exaggerate? Okay, maybe that was a ridiculous understatement.

As I sit here listening to a news cast, I can’t help but wonder why there is so much exaggeration of the issues. Don’t get me wrong, I understand that there is a difference between reporting the news and commenting on it. The TV personalities who report the news in an unbiased way present their information in a far different way than those who freely admit that what they say on TV is their opinion and may not be verifiable. The problem that I see is when the two types of personalities intersect without regard to the truth.

When those who claim to report the news add their own opinions to their stories, they distort the truth and thus tend to create unnecessary problems. Additionally, when those who choose to inject their own opinion don’t define for their audiences what is opinion and what is fact, how can the listeners decipher one from the other?

Perhaps the issue here is a broader one. When President Obama was elected, everyone in the media asked for more transparency - the President and Congress promised this as well. Whether the administration or the Congressional leaders have given that or not is irrelevant to my point: those in the news media should practice what they preach.

The Bottom Line: Television personalities (news reporters and commentators alike) should either stick to the facts without comment or exaggeration. If they choose to editorialize, they should specify that it is opinion so that the facts are not distorted for their audience.

"Perceptions are shaped by the clarity of hindsight."

Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:48:04 -0600

“Perceptions are shaped by the clarity of hindsight.”

- George W. Bush, Decision Points

"The culture and reward system of the enterprise must be one that encourages innovative thinking,..."

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 13:31:45 -0600

“The culture and reward system of the enterprise must be one that encourages innovative thinking, fosters proactive behaviors, and perhaps most important, tolerates failure when appropriate.”

- Michael Morris, Entrepreneurial Intensity

"Most public policy has come down to attention between three things: liberty, equality, and..."

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 22:07:02 -0600

“Most public policy has come down to attention between three things: liberty, equality, and efficiency.”

- Tim Pawlenty from Unknown

"RT “@realDonaldTrump: Don’t forget to watch me tonight on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, 12:35..."

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 11:03:38 -0600

“RT “@realDonaldTrump: Don’t forget to watch me tonight on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, 12:35 a.m. on NBC. I’ll be making a big announcement!” // I’ll bet he’s going to run for President. Anyone with me??”

- Donald Trump