Twitter – Fansmanship http://www.fansmanship.com For the fans by the fans Fri, 12 Mar 2021 03:58:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.28 For the fans by the fans Twitter – Fansmanship fansmanship.com For the fans by the fans Twitter – Fansmanship http://www.fansmanship.com/wp-content/uploads/powerpress/Favicon1400x1400-1.jpg http://www.fansmanship.com San Luis Obispo, CA Weekly-ish Cal Poly’s win over Montana in Tweets http://www.fansmanship.com/cal-polys-win-over-montana-in-tweets/ http://www.fansmanship.com/cal-polys-win-over-montana-in-tweets/#respond Sun, 06 Sep 2015 20:32:17 +0000 http://www.fansmanship.com/?p=17179 Twitter is fun, especially during a game you’re watching. Thought I’d try to us it to start to piece together Cal Poly’s win over Montana last night via Twitter. Let’s see how this goes. Griz warming up on the field, kickoff in 55 min! pic.twitter.com/qYPVlfq9Al — Shaun Rainey (@ShaunRainey) September 6, 2015 Cal Poly defense […]]]>

Twitter is fun, especially during a game you’re watching. Thought I’d try to us it to start to piece together Cal Poly’s win over Montana last night via Twitter.

Let’s see how this goes.

]]> http://www.fansmanship.com/cal-polys-win-over-montana-in-tweets/feed/ 0 The search for the appropriate amount of mad http://www.fansmanship.com/the-search-for-the-appropriate-amount-of-mad/ http://www.fansmanship.com/the-search-for-the-appropriate-amount-of-mad/#respond Mon, 31 Aug 2015 03:54:16 +0000 http://www.fansmanship.com/?p=17152 Being a Dodgers fan and having a lot of Dodger-related people I follow on Twitter can be a conflicted experience. Take, for example, tonight. Jake Arrieta thoroughly dominated the Dodgers, no hitting them. It was the second time in nine days the Dodgers were no-hit. On the one hand, I understand it’s just one loss. I […]]]>

Being a Dodgers fan and having a lot of Dodger-related people I follow on Twitter can be a conflicted experience.

Take, for example, tonight. Jake Arrieta thoroughly dominated the Dodgers, no hitting them. It was the second time in nine days the Dodgers were no-hit.

On the one hand, I understand it’s just one loss. I understand intellectually that the team still won the series and didn’t lose any ground on the second place Giants, who also lost today.

When reading Twitter, I see a lot of the people I follow try to tell the world to chill out about it. People I really like and respect are basically downplaying the whole thing, reminding us that the playoffs are a crap-shoot, the team is still in first place, and that the Giants weren’t even in a postseason spot last year at this time.

Here’s the thing though. I want to be a little mad about it. As a fan, I think I have the right to be a little mad about my team being no-hit once, let alone twice in nine days. While it’s “just one game” in the middle of the season right now, “just one game” in the playoffs can make all the difference. Just one at-bat in the playoffs can change a single game. In the playoffs, a single game is a big enough sample size to make a big difference. This wasn’t the playoffs, but aren’t we all affected by what we see in front of us?

Shouldn’t I be a little unhappy as a fan that, against a really good, playoff-caliber pitcher (or a guy like Mike Fiers), there isn’t someone who can scrape together a good at-bat?

I am a big proponent of advanced statistics, but at some point it has to add up to something more than a team that can win the National League West and get bounced out of the playoffs by a team with more moxie, or ability to play in the clutch, or whatever you want to call it. While advanced statistics tell the story, the point of them is to win a World Series in the end.

Just for tonight, I’m going to allow myself the guilty pleasure of caring about the ability to hit in pressure or clutch situations. I’m going to allow myself to say “that sucks” when a team I root for seems to wilt offensively before my eyes.

 

 

My point is that the Dodgers were missing something tonight. They were missing something nine days ago. Maybe they’ve been missing something all season. Hopefully they’ll put it together and get off their World Series schnide this year — you better believe I’m rooting for it to happen — but it definitely doesn’t feel like it right now.

Which brings me back to my point. As a fan, I’m going to let the season play out. I’m going to stay reasonable. I’m going to truly believe that they can do it, right up until the end.

But I’m also going to allow myself to be a little mad about it tonight as a fan. Because what happened tonight — that’s not it.

What is the appropriate amount of mad in this situation? Maybe it’s different for everyone. I won’t judge you if you share your sports-anger experience and comment below.

]]> http://www.fansmanship.com/the-search-for-the-appropriate-amount-of-mad/feed/ 0 Some social media love for Brandon McCarthy http://www.fansmanship.com/some-social-media-love-for-brandon-mccarthy/ http://www.fansmanship.com/some-social-media-love-for-brandon-mccarthy/#respond Sun, 04 Jan 2015 17:19:15 +0000 http://www.fansmanship.com/?p=16204 The other day I posted an entry complimentary of the entertaining Twitter feed of the Dodgers’ newest lefty, Brett Anderson. The Dodgers’ other new pitcher, Brandon McCarthy, also is no slouch. Like Anderson, McCarthy has a similar twitter profile pic. I’m not sure how much one has to do with the other, but as a […]]]>

The other day I posted an entry complimentary of the entertaining Twitter feed of the Dodgers’ newest lefty, Brett Anderson.

The Dodgers’ other new pitcher, Brandon McCarthy, also is no slouch. Like Anderson, McCarthy has a similar twitter profile pic. I’m not sure how much one has to do with the other, but as a fan I love the solidarity.

The two both seem to have a good sense of humor. They both post about random crap that is neither self-serving nor baseball-related. It’s absolutely entertaining and they both add nicely to any Dodger fan’s list of Twitter follows.

While the back end of the Dodgers’ rotation is still in some jeopardy, two free agent pitchers have proven their social media worth. Here’s hoping their performance on the mound matches the entertainment value of their online personas.

If you examine these two works of art from their respective profiles, you can see that McCarthy and Anderson are basically twins in their “Dodgers” gear. Photos from Twitter.com.

Brett Anderson

MCCarthyProfilePic

]]> http://www.fansmanship.com/some-social-media-love-for-brandon-mccarthy/feed/ 0 Brett Anderson’s twitter feed is a pleasant offseason surprise http://www.fansmanship.com/brett-andersons-twitter-feed-is-a-pleasant-offseason-surprise/ http://www.fansmanship.com/brett-andersons-twitter-feed-is-a-pleasant-offseason-surprise/#comments Fri, 02 Jan 2015 16:12:30 +0000 http://www.fansmanship.com/?p=16200 The Dodgers’ deal with Brett Anderson was finally announced on New Year’s Eve, almost two weeks after he took his physical.  In the time since the addition of Anderson was reported initially, I’ve added him to the group of people I follow on twitter. I have not been disappointed. Anderson’s twitter page can be found here. […]]]>

The Dodgers’ deal with Brett Anderson was finally announced on New Year’s Eve, almost two weeks after he took his physical. 

In the time since the addition of Anderson was reported initially, I’ve added him to the group of people I follow on twitter. I have not been disappointed.

Anderson’s twitter page can be found here. It boasts an amazing photo of Anderson, with “Dodgers” gear on. If I said it was “Photoshopped,” Adobe would probably sue. There is also a picture of a shark, and a grumpy, frumpy cat that is pretty good. Anderson’s account is the kind of thing that lets you know that this is a guy who, at least off the field, doesn’t take himself too seriously.

He also seems to enjoy other sports and acts conscious of the world around him.

Anderson’s injury issues have been well-documented, but perhaps the Dodgers found themselves a sneaky-good addition. If Anderson can even pitch as well as he’s capable of for most of the season, he’ll be a solid contributor with a tremendous upside.

I didn’t know a ton about Anderson before, but if his twitter feed is any indication, we’re going to have a good time this season following his play on the field as well as his thoughts off it. Here are a few tidbits from New Year’s Day:

This is the top of Brett Anderson's Twitter page. You should check it out.

This is the top of Brett Anderson’s Twitter page. You should check it out. Via twitter.com.

]]> http://www.fansmanship.com/brett-andersons-twitter-feed-is-a-pleasant-offseason-surprise/feed/ 1 The New (second) best way to watch a game http://www.fansmanship.com/the-new-second-best-way-to-watch-a-game/ http://www.fansmanship.com/the-new-second-best-way-to-watch-a-game/#respond Tue, 15 Oct 2013 05:24:50 +0000 http://www.fansmanship.com/?p=10971 I’ve been watching Dodger games on Twitter lately — and loving it. I wanted to share because, if you follow the right crowd of media-types and others, I really think it enhances a fan experience. The one-liners in real-time can be laugh-out-loud funny and when you’re thinking “I really don’t want to see Michael Young […]]]>
Hyun-Jin Ryu was a gamer on Monday night and kept the Dodgers in the series. By Owen Main

Hyun-jin Ryu was a gamer on Monday night and kept the Dodgers in the series. By Owen Main

I’ve been watching Dodger games on Twitter lately — and loving it. I wanted to share because, if you follow the right crowd of media-types and others, I really think it enhances a fan experience. The one-liners in real-time can be laugh-out-loud funny and when you’re thinking “I really don’t want to see Michael Young again. What are the Dodgers still doing with that guy?,” you can see that there are other people who follow the Dodgers for a living who are having similar thoughts.

It’s really comforting as a fan. It helps me know I’m not crazy. Put them all together into a single Twitter feed and it starts to become more than something to occupy time between pitches — it’s added entertainment during the game.

I still think the best way to watch a game is live, in-person, with friends or family. BUT, if you cannot do that then I’d say getting a list like this to follow on Twitter can be REALLY entertaining.

Here are some of my top Dodgers/playoffs-related Twitter accounts and some fun things they’ve said/done. It’s probably not a complete list — I’m probably leaving out someone I really like, but it will get you started if you’re trying to create a list of accounts to follow during a game.

DodgerzGM

@DodgerzGM

It’s a parody Ned Colletti account that is too perfect. He promises 3 year deals to everyone, and is really perfectly on the line of parody and truth. Twitter made him change his account name to avoid confusion, but he has come back strong in the faces of those who would silence him. It’s Twitter gold and a must-follow.

 Dylan Hernandez

@dylanohernandez

Dylan is the Dodgers’ beat writer for the LA Times. He deals with the players and team on a regular basis, follows the fight game and soccer too, and has been known to grow an amazing beard.

Hernandez is at his best when making fun of Giants’ beat writer Hank Schulman for eating too much at the media spread and has some pretty creative hashtags, which is a handy skill in the middle of a long season. Dodger fans get their news from Dylan via the paper, but they should also follow his account for his quick wit and breaking news.

Eric Stephen

@TrueBlueLA   Eric is another writer who has covered the Dodgers all year for TrueBlueLA.com. He notices a lot of little things and generally keeps things in pretty good perspective, especially when I start spinning about the Dodgers playing really badly. Like me, Stephen is a UC San Diego alum and has appeared on our podcast, so you know he’s gotta be good. He is consistently prepared with great stats too. Like this one:  

 

 

Chad Moriyama

@ChadMoriyama Chad Moriyama does funny things during games, gets quick links to GIFs (if he doesn’t create them himself?) and is a volume tweeter. He seems like a smart guy who analyzes the game in an intelligent way, but emotions are worn on the sleeve of his account too, which makes it appealing.


 

 

 Jon Weisman

@JonWeisman

Weisman, his Twitter account, and his website (DodgerThoughts.com) are some of the most well thought-out, reasonable takes on any team I’ve ever seen. He is always one of the first to put things into real perspective and context and I appreciate him talking me off of the ledge.

 

Mike Petriello

@mike_petriello Mike Petriello’s blog has one of the greatest blog names ever: MikeSciosciasTragicIllness.com. His posts are well-written and engaging both via his site and on Twitter. He was able to put into words what we were all thinking during the first two NLCS games. During Game 1:

During Game 2:

And during Game 3:

 

Amanda Rykoff

@amandarykoff

Amanda is a writer (formerly of espnW and others) and does a good job getting social media stuff up quickly. She finds good .gif’s of things like Yasiel Puig’s bat flip, etc… and seems to pull some weight and go back and forth with some of the other top Dodger followers. Timely and humorous — a good follow. … and she was the first one I saw who posted the video and picture of the illegal rally bear, which is going to be my Halloween costume.

Here’s the Vine Rykoff posted too. Simply irresistible.

Dodgers Rally Bear

@DodgersRallyBear

It seems as if out of heaven, DRB has joined Twitter. This is sure to be amazing.

 

Honorable Mention:

@DodgersScribe (Anthony Jackson)

@SteveDilbeck (Steve Dilbeck from the LA Times)

@Molly_Knight (Molly Knight from ESPN)

@AJEllis17 (Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis, who can’t live tweet during games because, you know, he’s playing).

@TopesWriter (Chris Jackson who covers the Albuquerque Isotopes and also has appeared on our podcast)

 

]]> http://www.fansmanship.com/the-new-second-best-way-to-watch-a-game/feed/ 0 First a Salmon, Now a Trout, What Next…? http://www.fansmanship.com/first-a-salmon-now-a-trout-what-next/ http://www.fansmanship.com/first-a-salmon-now-a-trout-what-next/#respond Fri, 29 Jun 2012 13:48:48 +0000 http://www.fansmanship.com/?p=5803 The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are the MLB version of former cult classic “Fish Masters.”
 
 
 
“Fiiiiiisssshhhhhh Maaaastteeeerrrs…” should be played before every home game and I’m proposing a change of mascot from the formidable rally monkey to the hats of Salmons, Trouts, and someday….Carps?
 
First Tim Salmon. Now Mike Trout. Next Cole Carp. I like that, Cole Carp. It rings Barry Bonds of the early nineties with the
athletic reach of Torii Hunter.  But I’m in no hurry really. I’m okay with Mike Trout for now.
 
 
It’s hard to believe the kid is only 20 years old. He possesses a maturity beyond his years evident by a patient small ball approach at the plate, and it’s paying off. Over the last ten games the kid is hitting .388 with 5 stolen bases and 12 runs scored, pushing his season batting average to .344. Over that span, the Halos have won 8 of 10 and averaged a league best 5.9 runs per game. 
 
 
Last night’s dominating 13-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles was capped by a freakish catch in center and blew up the twittersphere. Legendary teammate Torii Hunter tweeted: “(Mike Trout) made one of the best catches I’ve seen with my eyes! He’s going to be fun to watch for years to come!” and opposing center fielder, Oriole’ Adam Jones:” This kid (Mike Trout) is a freak of nature. Just sayin.”  
 
 
 
It’s clear the Angels are the class sushi bar of the MLB, offering some of the finest cuts in league history. Salmon of the mid nineties to early two thousand’s, brought a world series ring and many home runs, while Trout, in this day and age, scales walls and runs like a cheetah. It makes you wonder what a Carp in the future might be able to do — move mountains? levitate? Whichever he chooses to do I’m certain it will be something special. But until then, “I would like an order of the Trout please with a side of home run robbery and a glass of your finest stolen base. Thank you.”
]]> http://www.fansmanship.com/first-a-salmon-now-a-trout-what-next/feed/ 0 One Jackass Flew Out to Another Jackass, and the Other Jackass Just Listened http://www.fansmanship.com/one-jack-ass-flew-out-to-another-jack-ass-and-the-other-jack-ass-just-listened/ http://www.fansmanship.com/one-jack-ass-flew-out-to-another-jack-ass-and-the-other-jack-ass-just-listened/#comments Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:25:09 +0000 http://www.fansmanship.com/?p=5409 As I watched television this morning I unfortunately stumbled upon an argument on ESPN’s First Take between former NBA player Jalen Rose and the weasel-lipped Skip Bayless. The two were arguing over journalistic validity, careening verbal shots back and forth in a game of trash talking ping-pong: Rose asserted his game-intellect based upon his career within the sport, as Bayless circumvented the argument with his ability to know the game like a chess master. Clearly the two, arrogant in their approach, differed on how to go about covering the NBA: Rose desiring a soft understanding approach toward players and league personnel, and Bayless from an entertainment-driven soap stone slinging name-calling (Example: Chris Bosh nicknamed “Bosh Spice” for his soft style of play).  The bout alone condoned my hatred for the greater money-making media who platform “news” on 24-hour spin cycles to muster up enough to talk about.

This time the one-two punch battled over their own careers, and for two hours dismissed the NHL draft, NFL draft, baseball highlights, Ozzie Guillen story, and many other news-worthy punch lines, in order that they might clear the air when it comes to their current bout over hashtags and tweets. This began during yesterday’s airing of First Take, when Rose reverted to calling the Bayless Water Pistol Pete instead of the Pistol Pete Bayless believed himself to be via twitter, stating:” Tall for age in 9th grade, chosen MVP of state-wide basketball camp over several future D1 players. Decided I was Maravich. Coach disagreed.”

Is it just me or are we all stuck in some derisive vacuum? Why are talking about Skip Bayless in high school? And why does Jalen Rose care?

Rose — pissy over a dispute on the NBA MVP race  — differs from Bayless’ beliefs on Russell Westbrook. And while Rose asserts Westbrook to be a favorable league MVP based upon ability to lead a team and take over a game, Bayless continued his dissent, calling the 21 year-old point guard assertive at the wrong times, a gunner and not a true believer in the greatness of Kevin Durant.

I’m still confused over how this became personal and how the argument devolved into some ego-driven juevo comparison on live television. Without question it argues against the authenticity of First Take and begs whether the show is just another script fueling the fire of a gossip-driven culture.

It seems, in some far fetched make believe world, Bayless’ tweet was in response to his argument with Rose. But why does Bayless think it’s necessary to prop up his defunct athletic career? In order that he might build a better repore with his colleagues, listeners, readers and critics? Does his tweet somehow include Bayless with the likes of NBA stars, as both a man who knows the game from the outside and from the inside? Is Bayless the Michael Jordan who never got his shot?

Likewise, how does playing the game make Jalen Rose more right than one who hasn’t? Should we assume Rose the superior of Red Aurbach? That, according to ESPN insider Andy Katz is absurd when examining and evaluating all the great minds who never played the game at a high level but currently teach it both at the collegiate and professional levels.

The circus malaise got all the more foul, when the more formidable and loud-mouthed, Stephen A. Smith, grovelled his own growls in an indistinguishable banter about his love of sports, his need to tell it like it is, his distaste for Kwame Brown, and the reasons why he alone could build trust with the formerly evasive, Allen Iverson. Smith’s displeasure with Rose rooted itself in insecure cries for professional attention, demanding Rose listen to his arguments as to why former players dream of being journalistic moguls like him.

And while Smith pearled his glories like a great philosopher, the middle man Jay Crawford sat steadfastly puzzled, perplexed and shamelessly amused. Crawford called himself “a fly on the wall listening to great sport knowledge,” using the barometer of his 12 – inch black backed lap top computer to announce their trending stats and the network’s desire to continue on with the battle between the two egos, in order to maximize viewer attention.

That, alone, tosses a greater curve ball in the mix, one I do not have the time for and would take two thousand pages to explain. Are we as fans, to blame for the current misery known as American Sports media? Our lust for entertainment, tweets, gossip and reality television pushing us to a point of intellectual irrelevance? One jackass listening to another jackass, and the other jackass just smiling?

]]> http://www.fansmanship.com/one-jack-ass-flew-out-to-another-jack-ass-and-the-other-jack-ass-just-listened/feed/ 1 His Majesty’s Kingdom of Clutch Bricks http://www.fansmanship.com/his-majestys-kingdom-of-clutch-bricks/ http://www.fansmanship.com/his-majestys-kingdom-of-clutch-bricks/#comments Sat, 05 Mar 2011 09:02:01 +0000 http://www.fansmanship.com/?p=1421 The naked eye sees a player with talent that is without a doubt off the charts. No one in today’s game can check him. If you can’t beat him to the spot, you might as well just have the usher ask for your ticket as you pop off a few kernels court-side. If you do beat him to the spot, he has the guile to contort around you, without being called for charging, and is able to execute an array of acrobatic shots like no other. Sometimes he might even just pull up and hit a jumper because he gets bored with the whole drawn-out process of going to the hole. All of this recognized, for whatever talent LeBron James possesses on the court, the well-trained eye sees something missing. What is unseen is something the greatest of the greatest have, and it is becoming more and more evident by the day that LeBron James simply doesn’t possess the “clutch” gene.

Go ahead, compare him with Charles Barkley. He was a unique talent that could also do things no one else in the league could for his particular sub-era. Charles, also like LeBron, after not being able to win a championship as a centerpiece, sought out another all-time great to try and fancy his finger with the ultimate shine. D-Wade, giving Hakeem a call at this point in time, might behoove you greatly.

Be my guest, compare him with Karl Malone. He also revolutionized a particular skill-set for his time and place. Try as they might, the greatest assisted connection of Malone and John Stockton could not reach the pinnacle. Karl, also like LeBron, “took his talents to a Beach,” this time Venice Beach, after his failure in the hopes of confetti and champagne in Utah.

The angle of these comparisons is simple: you can group James with a group of all-time greats if you so choose. Just make sure that group of all-time greats you are grouping him with is the one filled with the all-time greats that either never achieved championship immortality at all, or never won a ring as the heads-and-shoulders “best” player on their team.  Make sure to separate that group from guys that had the ultimate, the ring and the clutch gene that looks the penultimate in the face and laughs. To group James beyond this elite group is myopic, is in some way bias, and simply beyond a stretch of reality. He can sit at the Barkley and Malone table no problem; just don’t place him at the head table with Jordan and Bryant.

But hey, anyone can reveal “what is,” right? I’d like to burrow into “why.” What is below the surface? Why are his elite talents ostensibly devoid when it matters most?

I believe it is a culmination of many factors. It starts with a lack of humility. LeBron already thought he was much better than he actually was at a very young age. He was the guinea pig, the Neal Armstrong of today’s phenom basketball player that is coddled like a movie star from a junior high age. We are just now seeing the full tsunami of this generation come through the league, and LeBron was the Pioneer. Just search Sports Illustrated’s archives, and in February of 2002 you will find a barely 17-year old “Chosen One” in his St. Vincent – St. Mary Irish #23, trying to emulate some kind of Magic Johnson Showtime dime.

However, it goes beyond that. It stretches further than just a preconceived throne in all its majesty. His constant lapse in judgment seems to be an ever-progressing monster with James. He just can’t help himself. And even with the factor of the scrutiny of a microscope following him, he has exposed himself time and time again by saying or doing the worst possible thing at the worst possible time. How can this be explained?  Some people just have the virus of absolute obliviousness?

It has nothing to do with basketball and everything to do with character. Be it on-camera during post-game interviews, he and Jim Gray wrapping uncomfortably for supposed production value before “The Decision,” or his constant spamming of ignorance on his Twitter feed.  There is, at its core, something missing with LeBron.

Most recently on Twitter, for LeBron it’s now “war,” he is a “soldier” and it’s time for “battle?” Does James even vaguely remember how Kellen Winslow, Jr. was vilified for the very same inconsiderate and insensitive statements no more than five years ago? You are supposedly a grown-ass man, LeBron. When will you start acting like one and not like a juvenile?  Champions don’t behave like this, do they?

I believe the road to making it right or at least respectable in the department of public relations starts with James cutting the fat of some of his supposed “advisors.” With LeBron, this is mostly a collection of his childhood friends.  I know if I had the friends of my youth helping advise me in my career, I’d end up selling hot dogs at Costco.

Advisors are supposed to give advice in the best interest of their “client,” right? What James could really use are less people to telling him what he wants to hear, and more people telling him what he needs to hear.   He needs less childhood friends and more of the industry’s best PR-geniuses. You have the money? The underlying fact of the matter simply is: surrounding yourself with gravy-training “yes” men has never ended up taking anyone anywhere close to their full potential.

All the analysis of this social ineptitude be as it may, let’s return to the bottom line of “on-the-court.” Recent examples relating to the overall theme being presented are becoming more and more prevalent. Just checking in with your favorite media outlet over the past two weeks will reveal as much. We don’t even have to begin to list the history of buzzer-beating failures from past seasons.

*       *       *       *       *       *       *

On Thursday versus their heated inter-state and Atlantic Division rival, the Orlando Magic, the ever-present issue reared its ugly head again. This time it capped off an implosion of epic proportions. With the Heat up 24 in the 3rd quarter, Orlando went on a 40-9 run, highlighted by Jason Richardson going 5-5 from behind the arc in the second half.

Despite the avalanche, the Heat had a chance to tie in the final possession. Chris Bosh badly missed on a 3-point attempt, and upon the Heat scrambling for the offensive rebound, Lebron had a wide-open 3-point attempt with only seconds remaining. The expected occurred once again.  These aren’t just insignificant regular season games that don’t matter anymore. This victory for Orlando pulled them to within 3.5 games of Miami in the Southeast division.

In the Heat’s last home game prior to this debacle, also they blew a lead in an eventual loss to the New York Knicks, this time of the 15-point variety. A clutch performance by Carmelo Anthony coupled with some stout New York defense lead to the Knicks taking the lead in the closing moments. With a chance to be the hero in the closing seconds once again, a James drive to the hole was thwarted by the shot-altering defense of Anthony and a greatly-timed blocked shot coming from the weak side by Amare Stoudamire. The “King” was again unable to rule.

On February 24th, The Chicago Bulls had their turn. What was different? The Heat didn’t blow a late-game lead this time, but rather were neck-and-neck with the vastly improving Bulls for the entire contest. What was the same? Lebron missing yet another clutch shot, this also an uncontested 3-pointer, down 3 with 15 seconds remaining. You are supposed to wear a crown? Maybe a court-jester cap is more suitable for right now.

These recent instances are obviously just part of a small sample size. That doesn’t make them any less relevant of a piece in the way the overall puzzle is being sculpted. Go ahead, put the pieces together yourself. It’s the same as what you see on the box cover – the “King” bricking another game-winning shot when it counts.

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