Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Wednesday Ramblings

I don't have much to say today, but I thought you all might be interested in a few links.

The first comes courtesy of the Miami Herald. Just a day after completely dominating the Bulls, Michael Beasley had a bit of a rough go of it against Sean Williams. Mario Chalmers, on the other hand, just one day after shutting down Derrick Rose (10 points, 5 TOs) and accumlating 6 steals decided to show off his offensive game to the tune of 19 points and 9 assists and 3 steals. Through two extremely meaningless summer-league games Chalmers is averaging 15 points, 7.5 assists and 4.5 steals. While we're discussing Mario, it might also interest you to know that Pat Forde has an article up discussing it's historical significance. Personally, I don't think there's any doubt that it's either 1 or 2 with only Laettner being better. For the record, I'd probably lean toward Laettner's as the only real argument for Chalmers' is that it was in the championship as opposed to the Elite 8. Thoughts?

Nobody thinks NBA summer-league is a more useless gauge of a player than myself. However, when you're Mario Chalmers and you fell to the second round and you're playing for a guaranteed contract, I'm guessing you leave the gym happy after a day like yesterday. Call me crazy, but if the Heat trot out Chalmers, Wade, Marion, Beasley and Haslem they could be a contender in the East. They've also got some decent depth, but no size whatsoever...

****Edit**** Mario was offered a 3 year deal worth around $2.3 million today, they must like this kid. If you don't want to click, guaranteed first two years with a team option the third...meaning they can match another teams bid to take 'Rio away.

Secondly, Darrell Arthur has signed his rookie contract with Memphis.

Before switching from basketball, you all may have heard the news about prized Arizona recruit Brandon Jennings deciding to take his game to Europe instead. The NY Times is wondering if this will open the floodgates. Think Chase Budinger regrets his decision? Think Lute Olson wishes Miles Simon had not bedded his old, saggy, wife? With ASU on the rise, that's a program in trouble...

As football season fast approaches, the Anderson Family Football Complex is nearing completion. Here you can find the most recent photo slideshow of the facility. Also, here is a Video Tour. I've still got some apprehension about this season, but how can you not love the direction the program is heading...

In somber news, it seems that FNL had to cut a few characters. Unfortunately, they were Smash and Street. I had always thought this would happen after the first season, the first senior campaign for Riggins and Street. It wil be interesting to see how the show develops without two main pieces. Let's just hope that it still does included football from time to time.

Yes. Yes. And more yes.

For those of you FJM readers out there, Junior has a wonderful piece up about Bill Plaschke right now.

Before we go, I have one last question for our Methzouri readers; Where did Mizzou come from and why has it taken over your university? This is something I've always wondered about, but never been able to get any sort of an answer. I understand that it's a nickname and that's fine (though typically nicknames are substantially shorter for brevity purposes), but this would be akin to us at the University of Kansas putting KANZA across our jerseys. You know, if we had made the mistake of not wanting to have to go through the hassle of saying Kansas (or the ancient KU) every time and instead shortened it to the much edgier, hip, KANZA.

6 comments:

Robo Boogie said...

As with most things MU the real story is every bit as bland as you can imagine. I had always thought it was the winning answer in an ancient Missouri spelling bee perhaps won by Ike Clanton. But alas as even the university website confirms it was just somebody making it shorter (Those 2 letters are a deal breaker). In fact it calls it clipping and explains it as some at ole Methzou might not be able to understand it. I also think they are trying to make it sound like it has more significance than it really does, since a drunk journalism undergrad underpinning the school nickname is at best embarrassing.
http://www.missouri.edu/about/whatismizzou.php

Robo Boogie said...

Also I think if we used KANZA we would have to give the local indian nations 20% of all proceeds, something Lou would not like.

Hiphopopotamus said...

Ha, good find. To be honest, that's pretty much what I figured, which makes it all the more unbelievable that they put it on their jerseys, etc.

Some of the best traditions likely have a similar origin (or lack thereof), but you don't see Auburn putting a War Eagle on their helmets...

GingerBalls said...

I like how they mention that the junior high science magazine incorporates the name Mizzou as well...does that mean they teach junior high level science there?

It is odd that the main page of their entire universities website is plastered with it. Seems less like a nickname and more of a global reference to me.

Robo Boogie said...

Little public service here if anyone form methzou has found there way here for some unknown reason here is how your school defines shortening.

"That means that a longer word, Missouri, got shortened (or clipped) to Mizzou, which is similar but shorter."

glad that is settled I was confused!

Similar but shorter. That's what she said.

GingerBalls said...

NO TIME! But she did.