Pappy's Blog
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
That almost sounds pathetic when I type it like that, but the world of consoles and pixels has come a long way from when I was a kid. I can still vividly remember the day that my mother surprised me with a Nintendo, Mario Brothers, Kung Fu, and Friday the 13th. I was instantly hooked and went on to own many different games and systems over the years. However, it wasn’t until I purchased an Xbox that things really got interesting.
Before I get into that though, I suppose I should give you a little back story. I’ve never been much for PC gaming, but when Counter-Strike was very popular I tried it out and became addicted. Up until that point I had only played games against people on the same console or arcade machine. Being able to compete against someone on the other side of the globe was amazing to me. I actually became quite a good player back then and got involved in a clan for a bit. I got so much enjoyment out of that experience that when I found out about Xbox Live, it was a no-brainer for me to get hooked up.
I was a very big fan of the 2K series from Dreamcast, so the first games that I purchased for Xbox were NBA and NFL 2K4. When I got online I quickly learned that I wasn’t the greatest player in the world like I thought I was. It’s easy to be the top dog in your dorm or on your block, but it’s much harder when your competition is thousands of other people. However, the most important thing I discovered is that all opponents are not created equal. This is a valuable lesson that I recently had to remind myself of. For every player that wants to play their sports games in a realistic manner, there are 25 more that will resort to any tactic possible for a win.
Since picking up Fight Night Round 4 I’ve seen a little bit of everything online. From throwing 1700 punches in a ten round fight to using headbutts as a primary form of offense, some of my opponents have left a lot to be desired. After dealing with several knuckleheads in a row the other day, I couldn’t do anything but laugh. I’d love a community where every match was a strategic battle, but that’s just not feasible because people play games for different reasons. As frustrating as it can be to deal with some of the shenanigans, there’s really no point in getting mad at these guys. The online experience is always luck of the draw when you play random people.
The best thing you can do is build a strong friends list so that you always have like-minded opponents to compete against. I’ve been gaming with several people since the original Xbox. I’ve also run across a number of great OS players during my time on this site. Autumn Wind is always a blast to play in All Pro Football 2K8. I’ve also had some great FNR4 matches against DirtyJerz, Phobia, and a few others. Like most things in life, it’s all about being with the right people. So the next time you’re pissed off at a cheeser just take a deep breath, relax, and play someone who’s worth your time.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Posted on January 23, 2009 at 11:40 AM.
With the season a little more than halfway complete, the Carolina Legends are 5-4 and 4th place in the OS North. It's been a season of ups and downs, but the feeling around the locker room is one of optimism. Following a loss to Djwlfpack's Gladiators, coach Pappy Knuckles banned media from the facility and refused to grant any interviews. Since then his team has avenged that loss and gone .500. In an exclusive interview with ESPN's Stephen A. Smith, Pappy finally answered some questions.Smith: It's no secret that the Carolina Legends were a horrible team last season. You look like you're on pace to better your performance by several games this time around. Are you happy with the direction of the team?
Pappy: I'm never satisfied because I know that we can be better than we've played. We're at a crossroads right now and it's up to us to see how our story ends. If we can stay around .500 I think we can slide into the playoffs, but I'm hoping we can put together a few wins in a row to help our cause. Every time we win a game we turn around and lose the next one. The Trojans and Nightmares seem like they'll be battling it out for the first two spots. The Norsemen have won 5 straight and they're one of the hottest teams in the league. We have our work cut out for us.
Smith: What is the team doing well?
Pappy: We've done a good job of forcing turnovers and getting points from them. Last season we finished near the top in that category and we have the potential to do it again. Gale Sayers has been key for us. His contribution on special teams is a huge plus that we weren't anticipating. He started off kind of shaky, but he has stepped up to the challenge and become a leader on this team.
Smith: What do you think your team needs to improve?
Pappy: We give up a ton of yards through the air. Ronnie Lott and Kevin Lane have gotten their fair share of interceptions, but we're having a rough time against some of the better passing teams. We also need to get more out of Jim Harbaugh and our wide receivers. They've been a major disappointment so far. If we can get them to play a bit better we can become a very solid team.
Smith: Let's play a little word association. You say the first thing that comes to mind. First word, "cHuMps".
Pappy: I heard he's like 8 years old.
Smith: utexas
Pappy: "Who drafts 3 safeties?"
Smith: Trojan Man
Pappy: Opportunist. **** Jerry.
Smith: Djwlfpack
Pappy: Classic games, offensive-minded. Receivers everywhere.
Smith: There have been rumors that you may be leaving Carolina next season. Is there any truth to this?
Pappy: I don't think it's fair to my team to talk about this type of thing right now. I'll worry about my future once the season is complete.
Smith: I understand. Thanks for you time, coach.
Pappy: No problem. Where's Rachel Nichols homely looking *** at? When I find her I might let her give me some head if she's lucky. I tried to holler at Sage but she copped an attitude. Rachel looks lonely and I need to bust one.
Smith: Coach, we're still on the air.
Pappy: ****.
Legend Leaders
Gale Sayers - 917 yards rushing, 5 kick return TDS
Ronnie Lott - 48 tackles, 12 assists, 6 interceptions, 1 TD
Jack Youngblood - 10.5 sacks
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Coach Pappy Knuckles had very few positive words for his team following their recent loss to the Los Angeles Trojans. He made it known that jobs would be on the line if improvements were not made quickly. The Carolina Legends responded by defeating the Minneapolis Norseman 31-21 on the road. With the win, Carolina improves to 2-1.
The Norseman offense looked sharp in the first quarter. On their opening drive, Neil O'Donnell carved up the defense and connected with Raymond Berry on a 12 yard touchdown pass. The Legends responded immediately when Gale Sayers returned the kickoff and tied the game. "Gale's TD was a huge confidence builder," said coach Knuckles, "We started off pretty sluggish, but we really picked it up after that."
Gale Sayers scored 2 rushing TD's and took a kickoff to the house.
In the second quarter the momentum began to shift towards Carolina. Following a Terry McDaniel interception and a short drive, Gale Sayers ran it in from 1 yard out. They scored again on a Earnest Gregory reception with only a few seconds remaining. At halftime they found themselves with a 21-14 lead, and the Norsemen were never able to get back in the game.
Despite finishing with 3 touchdowns and 273 yards, Neil O'Donnell threw 5 interceptions (to five different defenders) and got sacked 3 times. The Legends constant pressure seemed to keep the Norsemen from maintaining their offensive rhythm. Ronnie Lott was responsible for one of the interceptions. However, it was a deflection and ball-jarring hit that proved just as impressive. Each of those plays ended Norseman drives on third down. Jack Youngblood added two sacks and found himself involved in many plays. Carolina's defense has been key in both of their wins.
The Legends still haven't seem to have found their offensive identity. Although Gale Sayers had his first 100 yard game of the season, Jim Harbaugh only completed 5 of 14 passes for 89 yards. In a division with so many offensive teams, coach Pappy Knuckles will have to figure out ways to get points on the board.
Reporter: Congratulations on the win. What was your strategy against the Norsemen?
Pappy: O'Donnell likes to chuck the ball a lot, so it was all about pressure and giving him different looks. I knew we'd get some turnovers, but anytime you get five interceptions it's a good day.
Reporter: Last week you threatened to bench Gale Sayers. How close were you to doing that for this game?
Pappy: He wasn't in any danger this game, but this was his last chance to prove himself. He finished with 3 touchdowns, so it's obvious that he's taking this seriously. We spent a lot of time in practice working on new run schemes. The practice seems to have paid off; Gale played well.
I don't care how much money you make or how gold your star is. If you don't produce, you ride the bench. Ross Poli-Dixon is going to learn that the hard way. He had another key drop today, so Jimmy Gibbs will be taking his spot. I suggest Poli-Dixon start putting in applications at Food Lion because there's no work for him here.
Reporter: Jim Harbaugh had another subpar game? What's going on with him?
Pappy: For the season he has only completed 18 of his 54 passes. With those type of numbers we're lucky to be winning. His timing is off, and when he does have an open man they either drop it or it's overthrown. Harbaugh will be getting more snaps in practice this week.
Reporter: Dexter Manley was recently fined for his inappropriate comments. Do you have anything to say regarding that?
Pappy: No. We'll worry about the Trojans when we play them again.
Reporter: You didn't get your second win until halfway into last season. What do you credit for the turnaround?
Pappy: Getting rid of the bums helped a lot, but we're only 3 games into the season. It's nice to be doing better, but there's a lot of football to be played. As always, we're taking it one game at a time and trying to improve each week.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Competition is what makes sports games so much fun. As much I enjoy playing against the A.I., beating up on a buddy online is what I really love to do. My first online experience was with NBA 2K4, and since then I've played hundreds of games without any major issues. The worst problem that I had up until now was an occasional laggy game. I don't know what they were doing this year, but they really dropped the ball. The following are my two biggest gripes with NBA 2K9 online.
Blind Ranked Matches
For some reason, 2K decided that we should no longer have the option of choosing our opponent in ranked matches. I'm not sure what the reasoning behind this was, but whoever came up with this idea should be fired. We have no way of knowing anything about our opponent until we're actually in the game. When you come across someone who plays like a clown you're either forced to sit through a horrible experience or quit. I suppose I should be happy that we're at least able to play friends through player matches. I just wish there was a way to have those stats recorded somehow.
5-On-5
2K, what the hell is going on? You have a game mode that most people seem to enjoy, but the majority of the time it doesn't work. I can count the number of 5-on-5 games that I've played on one hand. 3-on-3 and occasionally 4-on-4, is typically the best we can do without the game lagging, crashing, or never starting at all. And why did you not give the host any options to kick people? I'm going to start calling you 1K because you guys seem to complete everything halfway.
I've played games with 10+ people, flying vehicles, explosions, and huge maps with less online issues than NBA 2K9. I don't think asking for a game to work like it's supposed to is asking a whole lot.
Final Thoughts
I could've talked about your worthless lobbies(that should've never been changed), how the game occasionally freezes when creating a match, or a host of other issues. The point is that you guys need to improve next year. There's still time for you guys to fix some of the problems that this game has, but I'm not holding my breath.
-PK
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
With a 1-0 record, the Carolina Legends had high hopes when they saw the Los Angeles Trojans on the schedule. In his most recent press conference, coach Pappy Knuckles said that the Trojans had no heart and that coach Tommy Trojan had gone "Hollywood". In a game that involved a lot of profanity and sideline drama, the Carolina Legends coach was forced to eat those words.
Tommy Kramer was the man of the hour. He sliced up the Legend defense for 260 passing yards and two touchdowns. He also managed to scramble for 45 yards and a rushing score. The combination of Jerry Rice and Brent Jones proved to be too much for the pathetic Carolina squad to contain. They combined for 10 catches and left the the Ronnie Lott led defense looking for answers. Tony Nathan finished the game with 106 yards and two touchdowns.
The Legends didn't do much of anything worth writing about. The Pop Warner wanabees were held scoreless until the 4th quarter. Gale Sayers provided the first points on a kickoff return for a touchdown. Ricky Sanders also got involved with a 57 yard reception to give the Legends 14 points. With the exception of these charity trips to the endzone, Carolina had nothing to offer. Jim Harbaugh only completed 9 of 29 of his pass attempts. The super-soft Gale Sayers was held to a piss poor 8 yards for the game. Obviously, this can't continue if the Legends hope to win any more games.
The Carolina Legends fall to 1-1 and will next travel to New York to face Djwlfpack and the Gladiators. The Los Angeles Trojans improve to 1-0.
Carolina Legends - 0 0 0 14 14
Los Angeles Trojans - 0 7 14 14 35
Carolina Legends
Ricky Sanders - 1 TD
Gale Sayers - 1 Kickoff Return TD
Dee Anderson - 2.5 Sacks
Los Angeles Trojans
Tommy Kramer - 2 TD passing, 260 YDS, 156.3 QB rating, 45 YDS Rushing, 1 Rushing TD
Jerry Rice - 155 YDS, 1 TD
Brent Jones - 93 YDS, 1 TD
Tony Nathan - 106 YDS, 2 TD's
Dexter Manley - 3 Sacks
Tommy Kramer Earned His Legend Status
Reporter: Before the game you said that the Trojans had no heart. Do you still believe that?
Pappy: They have more heart than the team I put out on the field today, but that's not saying a whole lot. The Trojans won the battle, but we will see them again. Near the end of the game they had players celebrating on our sideline. They're lucky that things didn't get ugly out there because they crossed the line. That type of behavior is unacceptable, but that's what I expect out of such a low class organization. Jerry was pushing around my defensive backs and Brent Jones might be the dirtiest player in the OS North. Don't ask me any more questions about the Trojans because we've got no respect for those animals. They're not worth the dirt beneath my feet.
Reporter: Your team gave up running the ball fairly early in the game. Why did you stop giving the ball to Gale?
Pappy: Bottom line, Gale is playing like a big loser right now. He's got Jethrow Jenkins and all of these no-name high school allstars laying him out. Right now the only thing he's halfway decent at is returning kickoffs. There's a good chance that he could lose his spot as a starter in the near future if he doesn't improve.
Reporter: Lose his spot to who? Your team isn't deep on runningbacks.
Pappy: I'll put in the janitor if I have to. He couldn't do any worse than Gale.
Reporter: Tommy Kramer played lights out tonight. Did you expect that type of performance from him.
Pappy: That's like asking if I expected it to snow on the 4th of July. I knew that the Trojans had a lot of weapons, but I didn't think Kramer would do what he did out there. The man played a great game, there's nothing more that I can say.
Reporter: What did you tell your team after the game?
Pappy: I told them to get their **** together. The OSL is where men come to battle. We're playing like little girls. I'm not out here trying to use the Easy Bake Oven, I'm out here trying to roast these teams on the field. I will admit that I didn't call a great game of X's and O's, but the players have to show more effort out there.
Reporter: Last year your team went through struggles throughout the season. Are you worried that this could be the beginning of a trend?
Pappy: Not really. I know this is a tough league, but we're going to win more than we lose. This game sucked, but everyone loses. It's just part of the game.
Reporter: Do you have any thoughts about facing Djwlfpack's Gladiators?
Pappy: That guy has 600 legend receivers on his team. His offense is pretty tough, but we're going to have to find a way to grind it out. I think we can exploit his defense and keep the chains moving. If we play the way that we did today they're going to drop 85 on us.
Reporter: Did your team do anything well today?
Pappy: We managed to finish the game without anybody dying. I guess that's something to be happy about.
The Carolina Legends kicked off their season at home against the Atlanta Birds. In the first quarter, Jim Harbaugh connected on a 72 yard touchdown pass to Alvin Harper. With the lead in hand, the Legends never looked back.
Catcatch22's Atlanta Birds seemed frustrated by the Legend's defense for the majority of the game. They were only able to muster 3 points until the final minutes. Although they eventually finished with 17, it wasn't enough to come away with a win.
The Carolina Legends move to 1-0 and will next meet the Los Angeles Trojans. Coach Pappy Knuckles promised fans a better brand of football this season, and so far he is keeping his word. Can his team put together two wins in a row?
Atlanta Birds 0 3 0 14 17
Carolina Legends 10 3 10 0 23
Jim Harbaugh - 129 YDS, 1 TD, 111.6 QB Rating
Alvin Harper - 72 YDS, 1 TD
Ronnie Lott - 1 INT, 1 TD
Al Del Greco - 3/3 FG (54,30,47)
Test Ronnie Lott and You Will Lose
Reporter: How does it feel to be 1-0?
Pappy: It feels a lot better than being 0-1. It took us five weeks to get our first win last season, so it was important for us to come out and make a statement. We maintained our lead and did what was needed to win the ball game. I'm proud of the team.
Reporter: What do you think was the key to victory?
Pappy: This game was all about special teams and defense. There were a lot of so-called experts calling me foolish for drafting Al Del Greco. They thought that we would be better off with another defensive back or some offensive line help. I learned last season that a good kicker can be the difference between a win or a loss, so drafting him was very important. Nine of our 23 points came from field goals. When he hit his first one from 54 yards I could tell that he was feeling good. Last year we were scared to kick the ball, but now we have a leg that we believe in.
I can't say enough about Ronnie Lott. The ball didn't get thrown his way very much, but he definitely made the Birds pay for it when they did. That 80 yard interception return was a thing of beauty. We were pretty confident that the game was over at that point.
Reporter: You play Catcatch22 two more times this season. Do you think the next game is going to be any different?
Pappy: We know that we can be destroyed by any team in this league if we don't stay focused. The Birds really seemed to get it going with Charley Taylor late in the game. We're going to need to pay more attention to him next time around. Ottis Anderson didn't have a big game, but he ran over quite a few of my guys. Limiting his yards will be essential if we want to win again.
Reporter: Jim Harbaugh only completed 4 passes. Are you concerned that your passing game might be an issue?
Pappy: Jim Harbaugh threw the ball exceptionally well. Our problem was all of the drops. Ross Poli-Dixon dropped two wide open catches that would've gone for huge gains. He's our go-to tight end and we need him to step up.
I think Jim did a good job of not making any mistakes. He took whatever the defense gave him and didn't try to force anything. We need him to continue playing smart football.
Reporter: What about Gale Sayers? He only finished with 62 yards on the ground. That's a far cry from the numbers that OJ was putting up last year.
Pappy: This is only the first game of the season, I'm not worried about it. Gale will definitely have his fair share of big games throughout the season. Winning is the most important thing right now, and we accomplished that today. I think our difficulty running the ball came down to Rod Woodson. The guy tackled Gale even if he looked at the ball too hard. His solid tackling stopped a lot of big runs from developing.
Reporter: You next face off against Tommy Trojan's Los Angeles Trojans. What are your thoughts going into that game?
Pappy: Tommy is a hell of a coach, and I anticipate a great game. Last season he beat us in two close ones, so I'm anxious to even the score. Offensively he has a lot that we need to be concerned about, but my players are hungry. When we see the Trojans on the field it's time to eat.
Honestly, I don't know if L.A. has any heart. I think that they're more concerned about getting interviewed and making Sportscenter than winning games. Naming their team after the head coach was a terrible move for them. Tommy has gone Hollywood, and I think his love for glory is going to hurt the team. My prediction is that we're going to win by 7.
Reporter: Seven points? Are you sure you want to make that prediction?
Pappy: Actually, let's make that 9.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Rudy Fernandez, SF
Morale: Thrilled
Role: Starter - Your position as a starter is guaranteed.
Agent: Everything going on within the organization has made Rudy very happy.
Dirk Nowitzki, PF
Morale: Thrilled
Role: Starter - I want you to be the star of this team.
Agent: Nowtizki is enjoying his time with your organization.
James Posey, SF
Morale: Content
Role: Sixth Man - We need you to bring some energy off the bench
Agent: From what I can tell, James is OK with everything going on in this organization.
C.J. Miles, SG
Morale: Delighted
Role: Starter - You're replaceable if an upgrade comes along
Agent: The playing time and role of my client suits him perfectly.
Rasheed Wallace, PF
Morale: Overjoyed
Role: Starter - Your position as a starter is guaranteed.
Agent: Congratulations on running such a high class organization. Wallace couldn't be happier.
Rafer Alston, PG
Morale: Overjoyed
Role: Starter - You're replaceable if an upgrade comes along.
Agent: It's too bad that more organizations didn't handle their players like this one. Alston couldn't complain about anything even if he wanted to.
Yakhouba Diawara, SF
Morale: Content
Role: Role Player - We need your versatility off the bench; playing time will be very sporadic.
Agent: There hasn't been much for my client to complain about recently, but more playing time is always nice.
Sergio Rodriguez, PG
Morale: Content
Role: Role Player - Your minutes will be limited, but you will get a chance.
Agent: Rodriguez's role and playing time are up to his standards.
Rodney Carney, SF
Morale: Anxious
Role: Bench Warmer - Playing time will be very limited.
Agent: My client feels like his talent should get him an improved role and a few more minutes each game.
Sun Yue, PG
Morale: Upbeat
Role: Bench Warmer - You will only see playing time if we get hit by injuries.
Agent: Sun isn't unhappy about anything right now within the organization.
Julius Hodge. SG
Morale: Thrilled
Role: Bench - We need you to fill out the roster.
Agent: You've done a great job giving Julius everything he needs to be happy.
Etan Thomas, C
Morale: Content
Role: Role Player - Our young players need a mentor; playing time will be limited.
Agent: Right now my client isn't overly pleased or upset with anything going on in this organization.
Leon Powe, PF
Morale: Uncertain
Role: Sixth Man - You will have plenty of opportunities to prove yourself
Agent: For now, the only thing Powe is worried about is getting more PT. Can you help him out?
Chris Anderson, C
Morale: Uneasy
Role: Role Player - We need energy and depth off the bench.
Agent: My client really feels like he should be playing a couple of minutes each game.
NOTES
- Rodney Carney got injured early in the season so we got into a rhythm without him in the lineup. He's shown flashes of decent play when he's been in, but not enough for me to think about upping his minutes a lot.
- Leon Powe is my boy. He always gives me quality minutes off the bench. I'm going to make sure he gets more time.
- I like Chris Anderson, but I don't see him getting a lot of PT unless we're up big or somebody gets hurt. He should just shut his mouth and ride the bench.
@ 
KNICKS GET SLAPPED SILLY BY THE HAWKS
Chris Paul, Grant Hill, and former Knick, Nate Robinson, led the Hawks in a 19 point beatdown of the New York franchise. New York shot 41% from the floor; which was their worst performance of the entire season. They also put up a disappointing 1 of 10 shots from three point land. For a team trying to put wins together, this game was not the outcome that they wanted.
Chris Paul led the Hawks to an easy win over the up and down Knicks
Although the Knicks struggled making baskets all game, they were still fairly close at the half. However, the Hawks went on a 9-0 run to start the 3rd quarter which essentially put a nail in the coffin. Anytime New York chipped into the lead, Atlanta would respond immediately. In the 4th quarter Chris Paul took over the game and made sure that there would be no comebacks whatsoever.
Rasheed Wallace was the only Knick who played a decent game. He finished with 12 points and 7 rebounds. The team will need more than that to compete with the better teams. With the loss they move to 10-9 and will face a Pistons team who they recently beat by 8.
Knicks 12 16 9 15 52
Hawks 15 18 21 17 71
Knicks
Rafer Alston - 8 pts
C.J. Miles - 9 pts
Rasheed Wallace - 12 pts, 7 reb
Hawks
Chris Paul - 18 pts
Grant Hill - 17 pts
Nate Robinson - 11 pts
Knicks
23/55 FG (41%)
1/10 3PT (16%)
5/8 FT (62%)
18 Assists
4 Turnovers
24 Rebounds
5 Steals
3 Blocks
36 pts in the paint
15 Bench pts
Hawks
26/52 FG (50%)
5/11 3PT (45%)
14/17 FT (82%)
18 Assists
6 Turnovers
27 Rebounds
4 Steals
5 Blocks
40 pts in the paint
24 Bench pts
@ 
KNICKS SNEAK BY CAVS WITH 65-63 WIN
Nothing about this season has been easy for the 9-8 New York Knicks. In their first game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, they fell short by a score of 76-70 in overtime. It was a physical game that left a lot of bad blood between both teams. From the opening tip off of this contest it was obvious that this was going to be another war.
In the first half, New York's offense played very well. Rudy Fernandez and C.J. Miles' inside penetration was difficult for Cleveland to stop. However, the Cavs went on a 18-9 third quarter run that put a stop to any premature celebration. In the final period, the Knicks found themselves trailing 48-44.
"We really didn't want to lose to these guys again. They're tough, but we felt like we should've won the first time. We've got to develop a killer instinct and take advantage of opportunities. That's the only way we can become one of the elite teams in the league." - Dirk Nowitzki
The Knicks go on a 4th quarter run to seal the deal.
In the fourth quarter, Cleveland's Joe Johnson hit several big shots that kept his team in the game. Alonzo Mourning also had another big game with 8 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks. However, it was great guard play and teamwork that allowed the Knicks to come out on top in the closing seconds of the game. New York moves to 10-8 and next faces the hot Atlanta Hawks on the road.
Knicks 18 17 9 21 65
Cavaliers 12 18 18 15 63
Knicks
Rudy Fernandez - 19 pts, 5 assists
C.J. Miles - 14 pts, 7 assists
Rasheed Wallace - 12 pts, 7 rebounds
Dirk Nowitzki - 12 points
Cavaliers
Baron Davis - 14 pts
Alonzo Mourning - 8 pts, 12 rebs, 3 blocks
Joe Johnson - 9 pts
Knicks
28/51 FG (54%)
2/8 3PT (25%)
7/10 FT (70%)
23 Assists
19 Rebounds
6 Steals
4 Blocks
40 pts in the paint
6 Bench pts
Cavaliers
25/52 FG (48%)
3/10 3PT (30%)
10/17 FT (58%)
18 Assists
7 Turnovers
26 Rebounds
4 Steals
4 Blocks
34 pts in the paint
20 Bench pts
THE CAROLINA LEGENDS ARE READY FOR ACTION!
The Armchair QB's league officially begins season 2 on Sunday, December 21st. My last campaign wasn't anything to write home about, so it's nice to have a fresh start. I was able to put up solid offensive numbers, but I gave up entirely too many points. These were the main areas that I focused on during the draft.
- Improving my defensive line.
- Securing solid safeties.
- Upgrading the quarterback position.
I feel that I accomplished everything that I wanted to do. These are the players that I ended up with:
Team: Carolina Legends
Division: OS North
Gold
Ronnie Lott, FS
Gale Sayers, HB
Silver
Jessie Tuggle, ILB
Jack Youngblood, DE
Dick Anderson, SS
Bronze
Clyde Simmons, DE
Ricky Sanders, WR
Jim Harbaugh, QB
Al Del Greco, K
Terry McDaniel, CB
Alvin Harper, WR
The league expansion to 16 players and two divisions is pretty exciting. We have a good group of guys and everyone seems like they're ready to get this thing underway. Right now I'm 0-0 and the season is full of possibilities. Let's see how I feel after a couple of games...
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
@ KNICKS OUTLAST BLAZERS IN OVERTIME
"Tonight we showed what heart is all about. The Blazers hit us with everything they had, but we kept our composure and did what what was needed to win the game. This was a team effort all the way around." - Pappy Knuckles
When the Knicks started the game with an 11-0 run, it seemed like they were going to cruise to an easy victory. However, the Blazers went on a run of their own in the second quarter to close the gap. At halftime, New York was only up by a score of 32-29.
The second half was exciting, back-and-forth basketball. Nenê led the Blazer charge with outstanding post play and excellent rebounding. He finished the game with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Devin Harris also played very well, contributing 13 points and 10 assists. "Those two were bananas," explained Rasheed Wallace when asked about their performance.
Rudy Fernandez shot 3 of 10 from the field in his worst performance as a Knick. However, the team combined to shoot 55% overall. New York struggled from the free throw line all game and it almost cost them. With 1.3 seconds remaining in the game, Rafer Alston missed a free throw that would've won the game in regulation.
In the overtime session, New York outscored Portland 7-2 to win a tough game. With their third win in a row they improve to 9-8. It's obvious that this team is a work in progress, but a winning record is better than the alternative.
LEAGUE NEWS
Former Knick, Jason Terry has been placed on the trading block by the Houston Rockets after only two weeks with the team. Apparently they don't want him either.
Blazers 10 19 17 16 2 64
Knicks 18 13 14 17 7 69
Blazers
Nenê - 20 pts, 11 reb
Devin Harris - 13 pts, 10 assists
Steven Hunter - 10 reb
Knicks
Rasheed Wallace - 15 pts, 8 reb
Dirk Nowitzki - 14 pts, 6 reb
Rafer Alston - 14 pts
Blazers
25/56 FG (44%)
3/20 3PT (15%)
11/12 FT (91%)
14 Assists
4 Turnovers
27 Rebounds
3 Steals
2 Blocks
40 Points in the paint
11 Bench points
Knicks
32/58 FG (55%)
1/10 FT (10%)
4/10 FT (40%)
23 Assists
3 Turnovers
25 Rebounds
3 Steals
5 Blocks
38 Points in the paint
11 Bench points
Monday, December 15, 2008
@ NEW YORK EDGES OUT GOLDEN STATE AT HOME
The Knicks shot 66% from the floor in a game that saw them beat Golden State 78-68. Rudy Fernandez led the way with 26 points. On a night that saw New York get 29 assists (1 turnover) and 8 blocks, it was still a fight until the final minutes. The Warriors's duo of Richard Hamilton and Tim Duncan provided the team with all that they could handle.
"It hard to believe that we could shoot the way that we did and still have a chance to lose. You have to play all four quarters in this league because these guys don't quit. Golden State is a very good team. I know they're going to be even tougher next game." - Rafer Alston
Rodney Carney has returned to the team, following a thigh injury that has kept him out of action since the first game of the season. He played two minutes in this contest and it's uncertain whether there is room for him to be a major contributor. Coach Knuckles plans on starting him out slowly and seeing how he progresses over the next few weeks.
With two wins in a row the Knicks climb back to even at 8-8. Although the season hasn't gone as planned, a .500 record and two game winning streak are steps in the right direction. Dirk Nowitzki and Rudy Fernandez both received league honors by winning player and rookie of the month. With two of the most productive players in the NBA, the future looks bright for New York faithful. Lebron James and D.J. Augustin were the other recipients of the awards.
Warriors 14 20 16 18 68
Knicks 22 20 16 20 78
Warriors
Richard Hamilton - 17 points
Tim Duncan - 16 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists
T.J. Ford - 9 points, 7 assists
Knicks
Rudy Fernandez - 26 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists
Rasheed Wallace - 16 points, 8-9 FG
Dirk Nowitzki - 12 points
Rafer Alston - 10 points, 6 assists
Warriors
27/49 FG (55%)
4/7 3PT (57%)
10/10 FT (100%)
20 Assists
6 Turnovers
18 Rebounds
1 Steal
1 Block
36 Points in the paint
12 Bench points
Knicks
37/56 FG (66%)
0/9 3PT (0%)
4/5 FT (80%)
29 Assists
1 Turnover
14 Rebounds
5 Steals
8 Blocks
48 Points in the paint
12 Bench points
When J.J. Redick came to practice this afternoon, Pappy Knuckles gave him the news that he had been waived from the team. Although rumors of this being possible had been spreading recently, Redick was shocked that he was no longer a Knick. Since no decent offers were made for his services, Knuckles decided that it was best to cut their losses and let him go.
J.J. Redick's poor season cost him a job.
"I should've known better than to ever put a Duke player on my team. I drafted J.J. because I thought he would be our 3 point assassin off the bench. The only thing he did was stink up the court and hurt us on defense." - Pappy Knuckles
The Knicks are proving that a spot on their roster isn't guaranteed to anyone. Ever since Donnie Walsh left the organization, Knuckles has been a firm decision maker on the sideline and in the general manager seat. A few players said goodbye to J.J. as he left the arena, but it was obvious that he wouldn't be missed.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
@ 
RUDY FERNANDEZ TAKES OVER IN THE SECOND HALF, KNICKS WIN IN DETROIT.
New York visited the 2-11 Detroit Pistons in a must win game last night. Early on things didn't look very good as the team struggled to make their jumpshots. At halftime they were down 32-20 and searching for answers.
Coach Pappy Knuckles fired the team up in the locker room and encouraged them to turn up the intensity in the second half. He also told Fernandez that he had the green light to take over offensively. "Rudy was tentative in the first half, but that's not how he plays. I let him know that we needed his scoring to get us back in the game."
Fernandez scored 23 of his 27 points in the second half on 10 of 13 shooting. Rudy was breaking down defenders off the dribble and getting his points however he wanted them. In the 4th quarter the Pistons began double teaming him everytime he touched the ball, but that only left more open shot opportunities for his teamates.
The reunion of Kobe and Shaq in Detroit continues to be a bumpy ride. Although Shaq had a solid game, Kobe was only able to shoot 3-10 from the floor. The Pistons will need to improve their chemistry if they have any hope of getting bettter this season. The Knicks improve to 7-8 with the win.
Knicks 10 10 18 27 65
Pistons 13 19 10 15 57
Knicks
Rudy Fernandez - 27 pts (10 for 13), 6 assists, 7/7 FT
Dirk Nowitzki - 10 pts, 8 reb
Rasheed Wallace - 10 pts
Pistons
Al Thorton - 14 pts
Monta Ellis - 12 pts, 5 assists
Shaquille O'Neal - 9 pts, 9 reb
Knicks
26/48 FG (54%)
2/8 3PT (25%)
11/11 FT (100%)
22 Assists
5 Turnovers
20 Rebounds
5 Steals
3 Blocks
36 Points in the paint
9 Bench points
Pistons
27/50 FG (54%)
1/5 3PT (20%)
2/2 FT (100%)
21 Assists
4 Turnovers
16 Rebounds
2 Steals
3 Blocks
40 Points in the paint
8 Bench points
Saturday, December 13, 2008
@ KNICKS LOSE IN OVERTIME TO CAVALIERS
The Knicks nursed a small lead in the 4th quarter that was quickly erased. With 8 seconds left in regulation and the game tied, Joe Johnson hit a 3 pointer that put the Cavaliers ahead. On the following possession the Knicks struggled to find a good shot and C.J. Miles was forced to throw up a long, fadeway three that went in as time expired.
"I couldn't believe it when C.J. hit that shot. We've lost so many games on the last possession that I almost didn't know what to do," explained backup point guard Sergio Rodgriguez.
The Knicks didn't celebrate for very long because they were outscored 14-8 in overtime and lost by a score of 76-70. Poor rebounding played a significant role in this game. The Cavaliers won the glass battle 28-17 (8-1 offensive). The Knicks also only managed to get to the free throw line 2 times to the Cavs 20.
Coach Pappy Knuckles believes that his team is still headed in the right direction. "We turned the ball over, Zo killed us in the paint, and we didn't get any fouls to go our way. Considering all the things that we did wrong, we still had a chance to win. We just have to play a little better next time."
The entire starting five for Cleveland scored double digits. The Knicks drop to 6-8 and will next face the 2-11 Detroit Pistons with hopes of getting back on track.
Cavaliers 15 15 14 18 14 76
Knicks 16 14 19 13 8 70
Cavaliers
Gerald Wallace - 16 pts
Baron Davis - 13 pts
Joe Johnson -11 pts
Alonzo Mourning - 11 pts, 7 reb
Delonte West - 10 pts
Knicks
Dirk Nowitzki - 23 pts, 8 reb, 3 blocks
Rudy Fernandez - 16 pts
Cavaliers
28/55 FG (50%)
5/11 3PT (45%)
15/20 FT (75%)
12 Assists
8 Turnovers
28 Rebounds
8 Offensive Rebounds
3 Steals
4 Blocks
34 Points in the paint
17 Bench points
Knicks
33/61 FG (54%)
2/9 3PT (22%)
2/2 FT (100%)
25 Assists
7 Turnovers
17 Rebounds
1 Offensive Rounds
5 Steals
44 Points in the paint
8 Bench points
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