Le Basketbawl

In New York Vinnie’s neighborhood there two levels of stupidity. There is stupid and then there is “Frickin Stupid” which takes things to a whole other Frickin planet. The “Associated Press” has reported that there are at least two players currently playing in the NBA that proved without a doubt on Sunday that they fit the classification of  ”Frickin Stupid” perfectly.

Phoenix Suns big man Amare Stoudemire and Charlotte Bobcats  big man Tyson Chandler were both fined $7,500 by the NBA Front office for tweets that they sent out during their games on Sunday. The NBA enacted rules at the beginning of this season strictly forbidding players to be on any “Social Network” sites while there games were being played.

Okay first of all  did these two Frickin half-wits think that the Frickin NBA would not notice this? Are they that “Frickin Stupid” that they did not think anybody from the NBA was monitoring these sites? Did they  really Frickin think they would get away with this?

Secondly; what is the Frickin deal with these two Frickin Morons and Twitter?Are Amare Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler grown men or are they really teenage girls trapped in the bodies of NBA players like some Disney fantasy movie? Because that is what it sounds like to New York Vinnie; two big strapping NBA players with the souls of teen-aged girls trapped inside them who can’t wait to get back from the Frickin Mall to share gossip with their friends! Can’t you already picture it with Miley Cyrus starring?

Yo guys, New York Vinnie does not know if there is a support group or a Frickin 12 step program for dealing with Twitter addiction; but face it you two are Frickin Junkies! You are even doing it at the job! Go and get some Frickin help and straighten out your lives before it is too Frickin late!

You know how some things just seem right from the start and other things you know do not  have a prayer of working out? Like your best  bud introduces you to his new girlfriend and you just know that this  woman is nothing but trouble. You can’t say anything because then you will lose your pal; so you keep your Frickin yap shut and wait to pick up the Frickin pieces. Then there are other times when you know that things were just Frickin meant to be! New York Vinnie has the feeling that is exactly what is going on right now in the ongoing talks between the Philadelphia 76ers and Free Agent guard Allen Iverson.

The “Associated Press” reported that Iverson and his agent Leon Rose met in Dallas with Sixers head coach Eddie Jordan and Team President Ed Stefanski for two hours to see if the two sides could agree on a contract deal. The  76ers will be without their starting point guard Louis Williams for what is being said to be an eight week period as he had surgery last Thursday morning to repair a broken jaw. Iverson is looking for a starting gig in the NBA and is interested in possibly going back to the team and the city he started his NBA career with.

Stefanski released a statement after the meeting concluded. He said “This afternoon, we met with free agent Allen Iverson in Dallas for the first formal discussion regarding a possible return to the Philadelphia 76ers. The meeting … covered a variety of topics, all of which we would prefer to keep between the team and Allen. At this time, both parties remain non-committal regarding a final decision and we will continue to discuss internally whether or not to pursue this course. We want to thank Allen, Leon and Gary for taking the time to meet with us today.”

To break that down for you bottom line is neither side right now is showing their Frickin hand. However New York Vinnie in my gut believes that this deal will happen because there are so may things that make this a good fit. Do not be surprised at by the end of this week Iverson is sporting the Sixers colors.

The New Jersey Nets have confirmed that they have fired head coach Lawrence Frank after starting out the NBA season 0-16. The team will use assistant coach Tom Barrise as the bench boss in their game Sunday night against the Los Angeles Lakers. A choice has not been made of who will replace Frank for the rest of the season although Barrise and New Jersey General Manager Kiki Vandeweghe are rumored to be the two leading candidates. 

Right now New Jersey does not have a boatload of talent and what they do have is mostly inured at the present time. That is not Frank’s fault. New York Vinnie has never really been that impressed with Lawrence Frank during his stint with the Nets. He was brought in as an interim coach after New Jersey fired Byron Scott and won his first 13 straight games. The interim was soon removed from his title and has been on the bench since 2004.

When Frank had talent he did well; now that he has little he is no longer doing as well. It is a very simple formula that has been around since they started playing sports. You have guys who can play you will win, and if they can’t then you won’t and that is the Frickin Bottom Line!

Frank was expected to be fired at the conclusion of the road trip however the Nets management decided to make the move before the game against the Lakers. Ironically Frank’s coaching career with New Jersey started and ended with streaks; just the opposite kind. He won his first 13 straight games after taking over for Byron Scott in the 2003-2004 season; and would end his tenure with the 16 game losing streak. Another bit of irony is that Frank has now been the second NBA coach that has been fired this season. The first coach terminated was the man that Frank replaced as the New Orleans Hornets fired Byron Scott earlier this month.

The “Associated Press“; “The Bergen County Record” and “ESPN.com” are all reporting that the New Jersey Nets have fired head coach Lawrence Frank after the team started out the season with an 0-16 record. Reports are that Frank was told by Team President Rod Thorn Sunday morning that he was being dismissed.

The Nets play the last game of a four game road trip Sunday night against the Los Angeles Lakers. Though rumors were consistent that Frank would be getting fired it was assumed that he would coach the game against the Lakers and that the dismissal would come once the team got back home.

Ironically Frank’s coaching career with New Jersey started and ended with streaks; just the opposite kind. He won his first 13 straight games after taking over for Byron Scott in the 2003-2004 season; and would end his tenure with the 16 game losing streak. Another bit of irony is that Frank has now been the second NBA coach that has been fired this season. The first coach terminated was the man that Frank replaced as the New Orleans Hornets fired Byron Scott earlier this month.

There has been no word on who will replace Frank as the bench boss; however New York Vinnie believe it will be the team’s General Manager Kiki Vandeweghe.Vandeweghe has never coached before but he was the General Manager with the Denver Nuggets before being brought in house by New Jersey. Frank was in the last year of his contract with the Nets and had a record of 225-241 during his tenure.

“Believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see.” How much better we would be in this Great Nation of ours if we all followed that advice from long ago? Unfortunately New York Vinnie is far too aware that we live in a Frickin era that we get Frickin misinformation handed to us on an almost Frickin daily basis. And what is even more Frickin unfortunate is that many people take every thing they hear or read as the Frickin Gospel.

New York Vinnie has been telling you for months now that Allen Iverson is a very sensitive human being; and right now the guy’s pride is Frickin hurting big time. So he allowed the moment to get the best of him and ripped off his goodbye. And a writer who was only concerned about having a “Frickin Sensational Story” took it and ran with it. In New York Vinnie’s opinion Smith did nothing, illegal or unethical but it sure was Frickin sleazy!

So don’t put your Iverson gear into storage quite yet! Your Old Pal New York Vinnie knows we have not heard the last chapter in this story!

Don’t Count Out Iverson Playing This Season Just Yet!

Now this where we bring in the destiny, fate and karma. You could use a talented starting point guard and it just so happens that Allen Iverson is looking for that exact gig! Now if that is not Destiny than New York Vinnie does not know what is! Iverson has an eight week tryout to see if he can still be an effective starting point guard in the NBA back in the city and on the team where it all Frickin began! The advantage for you Ed is you can get Iverson most likely for the NBA veteran minimum which is a Frickin great bargain. Is that not just Frickin Poetic?

New York Vinnie believes that destiny is knocking on your door right now Ed. This a Frickin no lose situation; so answer the Frickin door and see if Iverson can be the “Answer” for your team!

With Williams Injured Could Iverson Go Back To The Sixers?

New York Vinnie does not want to come off as some Frickin Egotistical Know-It-All Pud; that is not what this Frickin column is about. It did not take Frickin Robert Downey Jr. as the New Frickin Sherlock Holmes to piece this Frickin mystery together.

New York Vinnie received an e-mail from another website on Friday saying they had the same idea but I had beat them to the punch. Philadelphia and Iverson makes Frickin sense there is a mutual Frickin need. All New York Vinnie did on Friday was pure Frickin speculation based on logic. It was not Mike Frickin Wallace investigative reporting.

From the day that New York Vinnie took over Le Basketbawl I have made and kept one pledge; to carry on the tradition of the “Late Great Howard Cosell” and that is to always “Tell It Like It Is.” New York Vinnie grew up on the Frickin streets and learned very early on in life that your name, your integrity and your credibility can never be taken away. You can only give it up yourself.

Less than 72 hours after reporting that Allen Iverson was retiring from the NBA Stephen A Smith in a guest column for “Fox Sports News” is reporting that indeed the Philadelphia 76ers are interested in possibly bringing Allen Iverson in while starting guard Louis Williams is out for the next 8 weeks after having surgery for a broken jaw.

Smith is trying to act like Frickin Woodward and Bernstein breaking the Frickin Watergate story! New York Vinnie thinks that Stephen A Smith is just a Frickin PUD without any Frickin credibility what so ever. If You take a Thousand shots Stephen; then  you will eventually get  one to go in. That seems to be your Frickin style of reporting.  

Do you remember the story from when you were a kid about the “Boy Who Cried Wolf” ? Back in ancient Greece there was this little Frickin trouble making PUD who used to guard the sheep. The little Scumbago would get bored during the Frickin day and to cause some Frickin excitement the kid would yell that a Frickin wolf was coming. The whole Frickin town would come running to save  the sheep meanwhile this little Muneco was laughing his behind off.

Well the little piece of Crapolla played the Frickin game once too often; and when the Frickin wolf showed up nobody believed the little PUD. So he was the Frickin appetizer for the wolf  before the Frickin wolf feasted on the sheep.

Remember a couple of years ago when Stephen A Smith was the Frickin “Golden Child” at “ESPN“?  He was the guy that got Kobe on “ESPN Radio” when they broke the story about how Kobe could not possibly play anymore for  the Lakers and he would not play a game in a Lakers uniform in the 2007-2008 season!  And that was quite a coup considering that Kobe Bryant now plays for; the Los Angeles Lakers.

Yo Stephen; reporting is not supposed to be like playing with a Frickin piñata! You  put on a Frickin blind fold and swing with a stick until you get the Frickin candy! You have no Frickin credibility or integrity in New York Vinnie’s eyes Stephen; and I have the feeling I am not alone! 

Are We Victims Of Destiny or does our own free will determine the final path we end up on? Your Old Pal New York Vinnie believes that both those forces are involved in our daily lives.  As we are intelligent beings (at least some of us) we make the decision to take the left or right hand turn, to go backwards or forwards. However sometimes destiny, karma, fate is the far greater force and we end up in a situation not of our choosing. However New York Vinnie does believe that things happen for a reason and most time work out the correct way in the end.

The Philadelphia 76ers will be out their starting point guard Louis Williams for what is being said to be an eight week period as he had surgery Thursday morning to repair a broken jaw. New York Vinnie’s choice as the “TOUGHEST PLAYER” in the NBA played with a Frickin broken jaw for 39 minutes and led the Frickin Sixers with 26 points in a loss to the Washington Wizards Tuesday. 

The Sixers are now starting rookie point guard Jrue Holiday in place of Williams. Philadelphia Team President and General Manager Ed Stefanski told the “Philadelphia Daily News” that the club has not made a decision on whether to bring in another player as the team waits for Williams to mend. Stefanski told reporters “We are going to see. We have versatility in the back-court.”

Yo Ed; Let us be Frickin honest here. You do not have “versatility” in your back-court because if you did you would not be starting a Frickin unproven rookie. The only other “true” point guard you have on your roster is Royal Ivey; a Frickin journeyman player playing in his sixth season in the NBA and a Frickin career back-up guy. However Ed; and please pardon the Frickin pun; but what has been a bad break for Williams could be just the break that a certain veteran Free Agent guard has been looking for!

Now this where we bring in the destiny, fate and karma. You could use a talented starting point guard and it just so happens that Allen Iverson is looking for that exact gig! Now if that is not Destiny than New York Vinnie does not know what is! Iverson has an eight week tryout to see if he can still be an effective starting point guard in the NBA back in the city and on the team where it all Frickin began! The advantage for you Ed is you can get Iverson most likely for the NBA veteran minimum which is a Frickin great bargain. Is that not just Frickin Poetic?

New York Vinnie believes that destiny is knocking on your door right now Ed. This a Frickin no lose situation; so answer the Frickin door and see if Iverson can be the “Answer” for your team!

Who do you think is the “TOUGHEST PLAYER” in the NBA? You may be thinking Dwight Howard, Marcus Camby, Amare Stoudemire or Kenton Martin. All good choices but none beats the guy who New York Vinnie has selected as the “TOUGHEST PLAYER” in the NBA. New York Vinnie’s choice hands down is Louis Williams starting point guard for the Philadelphia 76ers. Right now you are saying to yourself; New York Vinnie must have had too much smoked turkey for Thanksgiving Dinner! No, New York Vinnie realizes that Williams is all of six feet one inch and about 175 soaking Frickin wet. That is why My Man is so Frickin tough; this cat played with a Frickin broken jaw for 39 minutes and led the Frickin Sixers with 26 points in a loss to the Washington Wizards Tuesday. 

According to the “Philadelphia Inquirer” Williams appeared fine during and after the game even though an elbow broke his Frickin jaw. The Sixers first realized there was a problem when Williams said he had some jaw pain and he underwent an x-ray which revealed the damage. Williams had surgery Thursday morning and will miss eight weeks with the injury.

Can you even Frickin imagine how Frickin focused you would have to be to not realize you broke your Frickin jaw? New York Vinnie has heard some Frickin amazing stories over the years but that takes the Frickin cake! Louis Williams without a doubt is the “TOUGHEST PLAYER” in the NBA!