The Return of the Sunday Buffet, NBA Playoffs style

No one asked my opinion on non-Suns topics, but I'm going to give them anyway.

Some people may remember me from years and years ago on the SportingNews fan blogs. I used to post every Sunday something called the Sunday Buffet (or maybe it was called 'Sunday Brunch'; it's been a long, long time).

Sunday Buffet is a smorgasbord of breakfast options centered around interesting news from all sports. As I am now solely on a Suns blog, I stuck that concept on the shelf for several years but decided to dust it off today in the wake of some interesting developments in the world.

Pineapple Upside Down Pancakes

The New York Knicks hired one of the best coaches in the history of the game to... run their basketball operations. And now, Phil jackson is reportedly interested in hiring one of the brightest young front office minds to... coach the team.

Brilliant! What could go wrong?

Well, let's see. Do you think there's any chance Phil might have an opinion on how Steve Kerr coaches the team? Of course, Phil will attend practices and such and their philosophy on coaching the team will be sympatico... until things go sour.

But even during the honeymoon, how many times will we be watching a Knicks game on TNT and there's a camera shot of a Knicks assistant whispering something in Kerr's ear during a timeout while handing him a folded up piece of paper? How many times will the camera shoot up to Jackson's seat to get his unvarnished reaction after a bad play or (gasp) a bad play call?

I really hope for Kerr's sake this marriage doesn't consummate.

Irish Weekend Fry Up

All I can do is shake my head. I've been surprised all my life at the racism that still exists in the US when it crops up from time to time. Of course, I know there are different races, but I don't ascribe to the notion that there is any qualitative difference between people of different colors and I don't suffer people who express an opposite opinion.

I can only hope that the NBA has the gumption to make a serious stand against the Clippers owner. Baseball did this years ago with Marge Schott - suspending her twice for racist and anti-semitic comments - and it is necessary to do it again. Eventually, Schott left her ownership position.

I truly hope the Clippers players win the whole championship now. All of it. Every single game from now on. All while their owner is being forcibly removed from his position.

And that's all I will say on this subject.

Breakfast Flambe

CTLVCOF

Man, that was a big-balls shot by Vince Carter yesterday to win the game over the Borg. 1.7 seconds left, pass into the corner, pump fake the bald spot, then BOOM!

Finally, after six frustrating years, the Roger Mason Christmas Day shot got turned around on those suckers. Suns fans will remember. Christmas Day 2008. Suns up by 2 after a glorious Grant Hill back door cut to lay the ball in with mere seconds left.

Spurs get the ball, with Tony Parker at the top of the key. Grant Hill guarding him. But Jason Richardson left Roger Mason to help on the Parker drive, got stuck in the middle, Parker tossed it to Mason and BOOM. Merry g@$$amn Christmas, Suns fans.

Finally, that three-to-win-the-game got turned on the #1 seed Spurs, who find themselves at a 2-1 deficit to the 8th seed. I have to admit, I love seeing the Grizzlies and Mavericks taking it to the vaunted Spurs and Thunder early in the first round of the playoffs.

The Suns fought hard to make the playoffs, but got sent home by the Mavs and Grizz in playoff-atmosphere games in the final weekend of the season. Mike Conley of the Grizzlies recently credited that round-robin for getting the Grizzlies into playoff mode early. Now the rest of the NBA gets to taste their moxie, and I'm loving it. The Western Conference is a BEAST.

Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Cheeses and Sausage

There's nothing like playoff basketball in general. Intensity spikes. Players with big cajones step up, while others fade into the background.

Eventually, talent wins out for the most part, but early games in early rounds can be a wonderful testament to how much parity there is in professional sport.

#8 Atlanta is tied with #1 Indiana, 2-2

#6 Brooklyn leads #3 Toronto, 2-1

#5 Washington leads #4 Chicago, 2-1

#8 Dallas leads #1 San Antonio, 2-1

#7 Memphis is tied with #2 Oklahoma City, 2-2

#5 Trail Blazers lead #4 Houston, 2-1

That's six out of eight series either tied or upside down, and nearly every game coming down to the wire. I must say I've never enjoyed a non-Suns playoffs as much as this first round. Quite a scramble!

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Got any more breakfast analogies, folks?

Feel free to add to the Buffet!