The Dave Hopla Appreciation Thread

bgroban · Post #21 » by **bgroban** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 2:10 pm

Was @ the Knicks game last night. Wife and I like to get there extra early and see the players warm up.

BTH and Hopla were on the court a good 45 minutes before everyone else. I don't know what their normal routine is simply because we don't go to many Wizards game, but Hopla was really working Brendan hard @ the free throw line. At one point, I counted Brendan making 16 FTs in a row... all swishes.

Funny moment - I don't have pictures simply because the MSG "staff/security" are so nutty, but Shanna (my wife) and I are sitting courtside watching BTH, Blatche and Opec doing some warm-up drills. Blatche walks over to us, looks a little winded and yawns. Shanna, who's a true NYer, looks @ Andre and goes "Come on Blatche! Wake up!! Too much partying last night??" She's a Wiz fan by association (me), but she didn't know they were in Boston last night. He chuckles and says "Naaaaw. Celtics, man." Priceless.

We don't go to many basketball games, simply because I only care for the Wizards. When we go, we always try to sit courtside. Shanna has a crush on Antawn. Got a chance to see OPEC up close - super goofy looking. And PS - Ronaldo Balkman is the UGLIEST player in pro sports.

fishercob · Post #22 » by **fishercob** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 6:31 pm

bgroban wrote:Was @ the Knicks game last night. Wife and I like to get there extra early and see the players warm up.

BTH and Hopla were on the court a good 45 minutes before everyone else. I don't know what their normal routine is simply because we don't go to many Wizards game, but Hopla was really working Brendan hard @ the free throw line. At one point, I counted Brendan making 16 FTs in a row... all swishes.

Funny moment - I don't have pictures simply because the MSG "staff/security" are so nutty, but Shanna (my wife) and I are sitting courtside watching BTH, Blatche and Opec doing some warm-up drills. Blatche walks over to us, looks a little winded and yawns. Shanna, who's a true NYer, looks @ Andre and goes "Come on Blatche! Wake up!! Too much partying last night??" She's a Wiz fan by association (me), but she didn't know they were in Boston last night. He chuckles and says "Naaaaw. Celtics, man." Priceless.

We don't go to many basketball games, simply because I only care for the Wizards. When we go, we always try to sit courtside. Shanna has a crush on Antawn. Got a chance to see OPEC up close - super goofy looking. And PS - Ronaldo Balkman is the UGLIEST player in pro sports.

Yeah, but he once got busy in a Burger King bathroom.

Chocolate City Jordanaire · Post #23 » by **Chocolate City Jordanaire** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 7:13 pm

fisher, I swear after I read about Balkman and before I scrolled down to see the picture I was getting ready to post that he reminds me of Humpty.

MSG ought to play Digital Underground's "Ba Do Reeeeer Do" and have the crowd do the humpty dance every time Balkman gets in the game.

http://www.truveo.com/The-Humpty-Dance/id/2093747998

:rockon:

keynote · Post #24 » by **keynote** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 7:16 pm

fishercob wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Yeah, but he once got busy in a Burger King bathroom.

(picture)

Eh, he looks more like Shock G to me.

Chocolate City Jordanaire · Post #25 » by **Chocolate City Jordanaire** » Wed Jan 16, 2008 7:25 pm

Dave Hopla once got busy while shooting free throws just to prove he can still shoot 99% even while getting busy.

Donkey McDonkerton · Post #26 » by **Donkey McDonkerton** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:53 pm

We have all read/heard about Arenas talking about the hat with the hand in the face...BUT WAIT....theeeeeersh moooore.

"Manute Pole" is a broomstick used to simulate a tall-as-a-skyscraper opponent. "The Silent Partner" is a giant head-and-shoulders of foam used to make players work on finishing and getting the ball over a defender. Gardening gloves can help with ballhandling.

Link to the Bog

Article on Hopla
*not sure if that has been posted

Donkey McDonkerton · Post #27 » by **Donkey McDonkerton** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 7:02 pm

Hopla gives his Wizards players their own notebooks, of the loose-leaf variety, filled with statistics and color-coded charts showing zones of the court where they've been "hot" or "cold."

"It helps out tremendously," Wizards guard DeShawn Stevenson said. "When I'm out there, I know when I'm at that spot he showed me where I'm shooting 60 or 70 percent. So I'm going to make that shot."

Sixty percent? Seventy percent?

Not too shabby, Stevenson. Not quite Hoplaesque, though.

keynote · Post #28 » by **keynote** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 8:19 pm

Donkey McDonkerton wrote:
Article on Hopla
*not sure if that has been posted

I got a kick out of this quote:

"So effortless, his ability to knock down shots. I've never seen anybody shoot like him," says Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Childress, who's worked out with Hopla. "And he has that charisma and that energy."

I know Josh is a solid shooter, but I'm not so sure that Hopla is glad to get references from a player with shooting form "you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy." :wink:

Post #29 » by **jmrosenth** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 8:59 pm

Ha, seeing Childress quoted is interesting. Shows that Hopla doesn't try to completely revamp your shot. He works with what he has. I didn't realize Childress was so efficient. This year he's at 58% FG clip. He certainly picks his spots well.

Zerocious · Post #30 » by **Zerocious** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:07 pm

Ruzious wrote: Where there's hope, there's Hopla.

Where there's Hopla, there's hope!