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Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3

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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#581 » by Rafael122 » Sun Mar 10, 2013 11:26 pm

Got back from Jamaica on Friday, mostly cloudy for the majority of the week but had a great time. First time going to a Caribbean island that wasn't the Dominican Republic or Puerto Rico.

BTW, what happened to that big storm that was suppose to hit us on Wednesday? I noticed Capital Weather on the Post got blasted for this.
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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#582 » by pancakes3 » Mon Mar 11, 2013 8:34 pm

Interesting read:

http://theshadowleague.com/articles/kyr ... -superstar

In my sparse readings of W.E.B. Dubois, I have never come across the idea of the "Talented Tenth" before. Bootstraps, yes, but not the phrasing of the 10%.
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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#583 » by nuposse04 » Tue Mar 12, 2013 1:54 am

As a JMU alum, I am ecstatic right now, we made the big dance. The only thing that could make this season of sports better for me is the wizards going on a 20-0 run to end the season and bouncing miami in the first round.
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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#584 » by Higga » Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:27 pm

nuposse04 wrote:As a JMU alum, I am ecstatic right now, we made the big dance. The only thing that could make this season of sports better for me is the wizards going on a 20-0 run to end the season and bouncing miami in the first round.


I'm happy for JMU. I'm a GMU Patriot but if we can't win the conf. tourney, I'm glad JMU was able to. Got a lot of friends who are JMU alumni, glad they can enjoy making the NCAA tourney. Unfortunately you guys are gonna get smoked in the first round.

I didn't see the GMU game but apparently we blew a 20+ point lead in the conf. semifinal loss to Northeastern. Such a shame, because I think we could have easily beaten JMU in the conf. final. Oh well, good luck JMU.
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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#585 » by dobrojim » Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:33 pm

nuposse04 wrote:As a JMU alum, I am ecstatic right now, we made the big dance. The only thing that could make this season of sports better for me is the wizards going on a 20-0 run to end the season and bouncing miami in the first round.



just curious, my daughter's JV coach (who she really liked) was Dwayne Braxton.
He played at JMU if my understanding is correct. Can you tell me anything about
what he was like as a player?
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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#586 » by Ruzious » Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:46 pm

Severn Hoos wrote:I remember exactly where I was when I heard about that trade - at a beach house in Bethany - and I felt ill immediately. It was as bad as the day I heard about the Schilling-Finley-Harnisch for Glen (don't call me Big baby) Davis trade. Same trade, different sports. And the Orioles are only now recovering from that one.

I saw Ben Wallace's first game on the Bullets, I hadn't even realized he had checked into the game when all of a sudden this hand came out of nowhere and reached above everyone else to grab a rebound. I seriously think the ball was above the top of the backboard. And I thought "Man, Webber really got up for that one." Except it wasn't Webber. I knew right then that Ben would be special. And I was devastated when they sent him packing. In many ways, that was even worse than the Webber for Richmond trade. Really.

Ah, memories. I still haven't forgiven Wilbon for calling it a very good and necessary trade for the Bullets. To this day, I can't respect anything he says about basketball, because that sticks in my brain.

At least with the Glen Davis trade, I could understand the logic. Unlike Ike Austin, Davis had actually done something and was a premier slugger. The O's had a bunch of speedy OFers - so they figured Finley (most underrated player in baseball during his era?) was expendible, and Schilling and Harnisch were unproven. Who knew the O's used the Bullets doctors to clear Davis? :wink:
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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#587 » by nuposse04 » Tue Mar 12, 2013 9:47 pm

dobrojim wrote:
nuposse04 wrote:As a JMU alum, I am ecstatic right now, we made the big dance. The only thing that could make this season of sports better for me is the wizards going on a 20-0 run to end the season and bouncing miami in the first round.



just curious, my daughter's JV coach (who she really liked) was Dwayne Braxton.
He played at JMU if my understanding is correct. Can you tell me anything about
what he was like as a player?


that is before my time i think, he was there late 90s, into the 2000s i think. I was class of '10.
I assume you're talking about him: http://dukesball.com/roster_player/dwayne-braxton
right?

Higga wrote:I'm happy for JMU. I'm a GMU Patriot but if we can't win the conf. tourney, I'm glad JMU was able to. Got a lot of friends who are JMU alumni, glad they can enjoy making the NCAA tourney. Unfortunately you guys are gonna get smoked in the first round.

I didn't see the GMU game but apparently we blew a 20+ point lead in the conf. semifinal loss to Northeastern. Such a shame, because I think we could have easily beaten JMU in the conf. final. Oh well, good luck JMU.


Yah I think Mason beat us twice this year, so we definitely got a better matchup, also helped that it was pretty much a home game with how the CAA tourney is done. Can Mason still get a bid without a tourney victory?

btw, our best player, Devon Moore, his mother apparently has a brain tumor so he's been going through a lot lately going into this tourney. Should make for an interesting storeyline heading forward, very easy to root for the guy, he plays relatively smart and says exactly the right things.
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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#588 » by Higga » Wed Mar 13, 2013 5:27 pm

Na, 0 chance Mason gets an at large bid.

Big East Tourney will determine who gets a 1 seed out of the Big East. The other three 1s will be Indiana, Duke, and Gonzaga most likely.
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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#589 » by Chocolate City Jordanaire » Wed Mar 13, 2013 9:02 pm

TAYLOR, Mich. (WXYZ) - Police are investigating an incident involving a 12-year-old girl and a backpack full of cash.

On Monday, the female student brought $20,000 cash in her backpack to the 6th Grade Academy Building in Taylor.
Taylor School District became aware of the problem after the female student began passing the cash out to others. She reportedly gave one student $200 and another $500.


The school principal notified police.


Read more: http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/way ... z2NSJSpAhw

My first thought is I have a 12-year old son and a 10-year old son. She's giving away hundreds at school? I wouldn't even have to say anything because I make one son give stuff back that kids give him. "Their parents don't want them giving that away" is something I have said.

If we lived in Taylor, MI, my son would be buying himself those expensive Nike's that I refuse to buy and he would be spending his own money. This girl would be a friend of the family. I would cook a great meal and invite her family over. :lol:

(PS -- Seriously, I hope the friend who gave her the money is protected and that nobody gets hurt over this money. There is more to this. I remember there was a house off Indian Head Highway where over $100,000 was stashed. Somebody discovered a stash and this is potentially the type thing that gets people killed. I was only joking above. You don't want any parts of that money. The only legit explanation is maybe someone didn't want that in the bank for some reason. Before my mom passed away she had a large amount of her retirement money on in cash in her home, for reasons I will never understand.)
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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#590 » by montestewart » Wed Mar 13, 2013 10:35 pm

My first thought was, "I wish I was in 6th grade."

When my grandfather died, I went through his papers, and founds thousands and thousands in stashed cash. I gave it to my mother and grandmother, and never heard another word about it.

In the late 70s or early 80s, there was a big murder trial in Arlington. A couple had been shot in their car, in their garage, near my house. Some years later, a man was charged and convicted of the crime. He alleged that he was paid to do it by another man, who coincidentally was sole beneficiary of a large life insurance policy on the victims. Through several trials, that man was found not guilty, basically as a result of technicalities and police errors. I worked at a place that man worked, and everyone there that knew him thought he was guilty, as did pretty much anyone else that was willing to comment. Money makes people do strange and horrible things sometimes.

Still, I wish I was in that girl's class.
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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#591 » by dobrojim » Thu Mar 14, 2013 6:38 pm

nuposse04 wrote:
dobrojim wrote:
nuposse04 wrote:As a JMU alum, I am ecstatic right now, we made the big dance. The only thing that could make this season of sports better for me is the wizards going on a 20-0 run to end the season and bouncing miami in the first round.



just curious, my daughter's JV coach (who she really liked) was Dwayne Braxton.
He played at JMU if my understanding is correct. Can you tell me anything about
what he was like as a player?


that is before my time i think, he was there late 90s, into the 2000s i think. I was class of '10.
I assume you're talking about him: http://dukesball.com/roster_player/dwayne-braxton
right?




I'm sure that must be him. Thanks. I fwd'd it to my daughter.

Interesting to me he came from a little crossroads down near Appomattox
called Dillwyn that I happen to know from my earlier Moto-X hobby.
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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#592 » by pancakes3 » Fri Mar 15, 2013 3:50 am

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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#593 » by Knighthonor » Fri Mar 15, 2013 6:33 am

man we need a new news thread. no new discussions been started. same old same old. Well since my attepts to start new discussions here gets shot down, hey can you nate make a new dicussion on something other than the game threads and the indiviusal player threads?

I like something talking about the following:

*Wizard's team weaknesses vs Strengths
*What people like about the Wizards
*Rumor Room for Wizard's insider
*Turn Over locations
*Rate the player
*Wizard's history lessons.
*New team logo and name ideas
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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#594 » by Nivek » Fri Mar 15, 2013 1:37 pm

Knighthonor wrote:man we need a new news thread. no new discussions been started. same old same old. Well since my attepts to start new discussions here gets shot down, hey can you nate make a new dicussion on something other than the game threads and the indiviusal player threads?

I like something talking about the following:

*Wizard's team weaknesses vs Strengths
*What people like about the Wizards
*Rumor Room for Wizard's insider


See nearly any thread on the board. Free agency, draft, the "in the media" thread, the appreciation threads, the amazingly sucky threads all hit on these subjects.

*Turn Over locations


The data is probably available. Not everyone has the time, programming skills or inclination to do this kind of research. This sounds like a good project for YOU. If you don't have the skills to get it done, a) ask for help, or b) treat it as an opportunity to learn them.

*Rate the player


Check the "numbers" thread -- I post a link to my blogh where I post stat-based ratings weekly. Last update was Wednesday.

*Wizard's history lessons.


Kinda like this idea. Most of us are willing to get nostalgic from time to time. I've been extending my rating stat back to previous years (I just completed the 85-86 season -- aside: the 86 Celtics were RIDICULOUS), and it would be fun to compare the stat rating to memories.

One Bullets/Wizards thing that jumped out at me was that Moses Malone went on to have another 4 high-quality seasons after the Bullets dumped him because he was too old.

Remember Jeff Malone? He basically rated as about average at his peak. Getting Pervis Ellison for him was a great move...if only Pervis had been able to stay healthy.

Tom Gugliotta rated much better than I would have expected.

*New team logo and name ideas


This thread exists somewhere on the boards. It's been discussed. Might have to venture off the front page.
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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#595 » by nate33 » Fri Mar 15, 2013 1:56 pm

Knighthonor wrote:man we need a new news thread. no new discussions been started. same old same old. Well since my attepts to start new discussions here gets shot down, hey can you nate make a new dicussion on something other than the game threads and the indiviusal player threads?

I like something talking about the following:

*Wizard's team weaknesses vs Strengths
*What people like about the Wizards
*Rumor Room for Wizard's insider
*Turn Over locations
*Rate the player
*Wizard's history lessons.
*New team logo and name ideas

In general, if you want to get a topic started, a good rule of thumb is to start with a fairly long and informative post. If you find that you don't have much to say on the subject, then perhaps it's not a topic worthy of it's own thread.

Some of your proposed subjects seem like they could be worth a thread, others just look like you want to start a thread for the sake of starting one. And some already have threads devoted to them.

*Wizard's team weaknesses vs Strengths - I don't see much promise in this topic. We all know the basic strengths and weakness of the team. In-depth analysis of the strengths and weakness of players can be found in the various player threads. But if you can put together a strong first post, maybe the thread will be a good one.

*What people like about the Wizards - Seems kind of like a topic just for the sake of starting a thread.

*Rumor Room for Wizard's insider - We have a Wizards in the Media thread which usually covers rumors, unless the rumor itself belongs in another existing thread, or if the rumor is big enough news to deserve its own thread.

*Turn Over locations - Starting a thread that merely asks a question and then expects someone else to do a massive amount of research to answer you question is generally a bad idea.

*Rate the player - See Wizard's team weaknesses vs Strengths above.

*Wizard's history lessons. - Good idea. Start one

*New team logo and name ideas - These threads pop up from time to time. Here's one

EDIT: I just want to add that we're not trying to run a gestapo here. But at the same time, we believe that the Wizards board is the best on Real GM because we maintain a sense of order and history here. Go spend some time on the Toronto board or the New York board and you'll get an idea of how lousy boards can get when dozens of threads get started every day. Good conversations rapidly drop off the front page and get buried forever. We really like the continuity of our system. It's easy to go back and look at opinions that were made 3 or 4 years ago about certain players. Other boards don't have that kind of institutional history.

New members to the Wizards board often have the same complaints as you on how we run things because they're not used to it. But it give it some time. Over the long run, we think our system works best.
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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#596 » by Nivek » Fri Mar 15, 2013 1:56 pm

How's this for an entertaining morning? Drove my musician son to school with the radio going. Switching between top 40, classical, light rock and classic rock stations, he essentially performed a medley of music that demonstrated the commonalities between all. During a Mumford & Sons tune, he hummed the melody for Prokofiev's Troika, did Thrift Shop, Lose Yourself, and like 4 other well-known songs. Did the same over classical pieces.

He finally got stumped on a CPE Bach cello concerto because of all the triplets. He said the triplets broke from the 8th note pulse that had been common to all the other pieces.

Gotta say it was pretty cool.
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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#597 » by pancakes3 » Fri Mar 15, 2013 2:35 pm

Nivek, that's a very awesome skill to have and I often wish I had a better sense of rhythm and catalog of songs in my brain to even attempt what your kid can pull off the fly. There are DJs who have made quite the career doing mashups. He should experiment with some tunes (I'm especially interested the classical mashups) on garageband and put it up on soundcloud or youtube. If he does, let me (us) know.
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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#598 » by Nivek » Fri Mar 15, 2013 3:12 pm

pancakes3 wrote:Nivek, that's a very awesome skill to have and I often wish I had a better sense of rhythm and catalog of songs in my brain to even attempt what your kid can pull off the fly. There are DJs who have made quite the career doing mashups. He should experiment with some tunes (I'm especially interested the classical mashups) on garageband and put it up on soundcloud or youtube. If he does, let me (us) know.


Don't know if he'll have time for that kind of editing job. He has a competition in Delaware next weekend, he's making his Kennedy Center solo debut on April 1, another competition in Ohio in mid-April, which is followed immediately by a recital. I think he has school too. :)
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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#599 » by Chocolate City Jordanaire » Fri Mar 15, 2013 3:12 pm

Nivek, your post brought to mind just a couple of songs. "A Fifth of Beethoven" and "Bohemian Rhapsody"

Also, I bet your son would like songs by Chicago from the early era, right after they were Chicago Transit Authority and before the death of Terry Kant. All those guys were trained musicians, from classical background (besides the butt kicking guitar player Kant).

What I think you and pancakes are talking about is what made Chicago's tunes so good back in the day. They threw in a lot of different genres from classic all the way to modern day stuff. I don't understand to the depth you guys do, but I could appreciate how good that group was.
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Re: Official Random Thoughts Thread - Part 3 

Post#600 » by dobrojim » Fri Mar 15, 2013 6:30 pm

Very cool Nivek,

I had a really fun time Tues night at an open mic I occasionally go to.
I played back up on a song that I had never heard/practiced before including
taking a break on it. It came out darn well. In fairness, it wasn't a terribly
complicated song. Still a good feeling to be able to do that.

When I hear music these days, I am generally thinking numbers in my head
ie the 'nashville number system'. It's a great way to 'figure out' songs.
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