Dancing, Dancing

by JSun on Aug 7, 2008 2:40 PM MDT

"Dancing, dancing," is what my 1.5 year old daught says as she gyrates around. I really don't know where she got it, but she wiggles her hips in ways usually only seen in rap videos. Occassionally, the missus watches MTV, but there's never any videos on there, so I'm at loss.

Anyway, my laziness was recently called out, so I thought I'd put something up about the Suns Dancers.

More narcisscistic stories, first, though. We were on vacation a couple of weeks ago in Carlsbad, CA (N San Diego) and eating dinner at a place called Pizza Port. They have decent local brews and its a pretty fun place. So, after dinner and a few beers (none for the kids), we decide to let the baby walk around a bit. She climbs on the table (kids tend to do those things, and it didn't seem like a big deal since the tables are essentially picnic benches) and starts dancing ... to Warrant's Cherry Pie ... like Bobbie Brown.

Here's a link to the video for you pervs persons too young to remember.

Back to the dancers. You can vote here, and the fine print says that fan voting is worth 25% of the decision. I'd like to be able to say that I watched the videos to determine who was actually the best dancer, but who has the time to do that?

Granted, this is not as cool as thedirty.com or Steve Nash/Dirk Nowitzki fanfic, but it was enough to pull me away from that stuff.

There are some kinda cool stories out there about the dancers. They do actually work hard and stuff, and many have regular jobs and career aspirations. I do also appreciate the fact that, although the outfits don't leave much to the imagination, they are not on the sluttier side of things. Have you seen some of those other outfits/costumes out there?

I also know some pro dancers and its really hard just to be average at it -- even if you've got talent. I'm torn between my caveman-chauvinism and the knowledge that it truly is not easy work. Why would somebody do that? Work so hard just to be objectified? And you guys thought Zeno said some tough stuff to understand ...

I might poke around and link some stories about the dancers. I might also throw up some thoughts for discussion (or just soap-box yelling). After all, what are we going to do for the next 55 days? Watch baseball?

In some basketball-related news, Dragic still might have a shot at coming over here. Although, I think the article says he's currently the backup PG on his Spanish team:

The biggest factor in getting Dragic to Phoenix now seems to be Tau's ability to find a backup point guard to replace him.

Am I reading that right? Isn't that a bad thing for the Suns? I was kind of figuring he was some sort of star in Europe.

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Dragic as a backup

Well, about Dragic as a backup:

1) This would be his first season with Tau. He’s been on loan to Olimpija (Slovenian champs; 3rd in the NLB) for the past two years where he did start. Goran played very well both years.

2) He’s only 22 and European superclubs like Tau are generally very hesitant to play youngsters. Guys like Rubio are very much the exception.

3) “Backup” PG is really a misnomer here. The starting PG for Tau, Pablo Prigioni, only plays like 24 mpg. His old “backup” Zoran Planinic played the same, and since he has left to CSKA, Goran would have been playing in the same role. So you’re really talking about co-PG. And co-PG on Tau at 22 is nothing to sneeze at. They were the Spanish Champs (deepest league in world outside of the U.S.) and 4th in the Euroleague.

Dragic isn’t star material but I really think he could be a legit 15 mpg kind of guy after he adjusts.

Purchasing my Dragic jersey

by rosewood on Aug 7, 2008 3:07 PM MDT 0 recs

Backup PG

I’m not really so worried about his 10-15 mpg here (if he makes it over) as I am about all the hype about being the heir apparent to Steve Nash. If all that was needed was Nash’s backup, I wouldn’t care about the “back-up” or “co-PG” designation.

And this is just my prior ignorance about the situation (some of which I blame on the Suns’ propaganda machine), but based on this information it really seems that he doesn’t have much more than the same “potential” as all the 19 and 20 year olds who left college and went in the first round. It would therefore seem to be a good pick in that there’s a guy with a lot of upside the Suns did not have to burn a 1st round pick to get. He may be a “steal” in that sense, but I’ve been under the impression he was so much more. Amare and LB (if he stays) and the others are going to need a real PG pretty soon.

My fear is that if he’s merely a “serviceable” point guard Amare is going to standing in the post vainly (and frantically) calling for a ball that will never make it. Either that, or he’s going to be rolling to the basket watching the pass get intercepted by lesser defenders. I have this horrible vision of Barbosa repeatedly driving to the basket with his eyes gazing squarely into the top of his sneakers.

Maybe some of it was my own wishful thinking, but when I kept hearing that he was going to be groomed to replace Nash, I thought he had already shown a lot more than “potential” to the scouts. I was never delusional enough to even expect (although you can hope) he could replace Nash, but I pretty much thought he was a “Nash Lite” at a minimum (I’m thinking perhaps Rajon Rondo with a slightly better shot if not as good a defender).

It seems that the expectations were set pretty high for someone playing 20 mpg in Eurpoe (Spanish league or otherwise, it’s not the NBA).

Mmmmm ... Guinness

by JSun on Aug 7, 2008 3:57 PM MDT up 0 recs

Yeah

If you were looking for a star, than look elsewhere. Dragic ideally will be a Earl Watson-type, which as long as we’re not paying him 6M, I’d be fine with.

I’ve just been excited because I thought we found a backup PG on the cheap. But if Kerr is hoping he’ll replace Nash, well…

We’ll just let that be.

Purchasing my Dragic jersey

by rosewood on Aug 7, 2008 4:24 PM MDT up 0 recs

Potential and Defense

And about Potential:

Dragic is more than just potential, though he does have upside. But he’s already produced well at the highest levels in Europe (Euroleague and Eurobasket), so we’re not talking about a project here.

Also:

Exactly what Dragic can’t do is shoot. But he’s athletic, a good enough playmaker, can drive, and most of all is pretty great defender/ballhawk.

I guess another way to think of it is think D.J. if D.J. could play PG.

Purchasing my Dragic jersey

by rosewood on Aug 7, 2008 4:27 PM MDT up 0 recs