Musical Chairs

[Gant]

I doubt there's anyone reading this who was not at some point forced by professional educators to play the game, "Musical Chairs." It was a long time ago though, wasn't it?

In case you've forgotten how to play, here are the rules:
1) The game is played with contestants and chairs.
2) There is one less chair than there are contestants.
3) In the background music plays.
4) While the music is playing the contestants covetously circle the chairs.
5) When the music stops, everyone rushes to seat themselves.
6) The lone contestant without a chair is eliminated and subject to derisive hoots by their onlooking peers.
7) The contest continues until all contestants but one are eliminated, leaving that heroic figure in possession of the last remaining chair.
8) The chair possessor is roundly lauded for their seat capturing acumen.
9) The last runner up receives a particularly severe dose of derisive hooting.
10) Everyone moves on to finger painting.


In case you didn't know, there is a critically important game of Musical Chairs being played right now in the NBA free agent market. In this case there is a slight variation from the traditional rules: There are three contestants and two game-ending chairs.

The name of the game is Capture the Mid-Level Exception Big Man. The contestants are named: The Orlando Magic, The San Antonio Spurs, and The Boston Celtics. The chairs also have names: Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess.

The winner gets Rasheed. The second place finisher get McDyess. The third contestant is eliminated not only from the game, but quite possibly from NBA title contention.

There is one other oddity to the NBA version of Musical Chairs: The chairs get to pick the contestant, not visa versa.


Here's what's happening: McDyess is holding back because Rasheed gets to choose first which he will do next week. After Rasheed picks his new locale, then Antonio can select his.

There's not a whole lot of separation between Wallace and McDyess, just as Boston, Orlando, and San Antonio offer very similar enticements in terms of money and championship possibilities.

Right now the music is playing. Can you hear it? In a short while there will be silence. Two powerful teams will have elevated themselves. The other will be sitting on their ass in humiliation while everyone points and hoots.

[Bad-Thoma]

Pretty apt comparison Gant, though I don't think I was quite as scarred by my musical chairs experience as you were .

[Gant]

Pretty apt comparison Gant, though I don't think I was quite as scarred by my musical chairs experience as you were .

Ha ha. Seriously though, it was nothing compared to the wanton brutality of "Tag."

[BillessuR6]

Gant, was one of these chairs defending Yi in his predraft workouts?

[Gant]

Gant, was one of these chairs defending Yi in his predraft workouts?

You know I thought about that and believe the answer is, yes. But after being thoroughly defeated by Yi in a game of one on one, the chair has no urge at all to physically challenge McDyess or Wallace.

[greenbeans]

You must have shudered at the mere mention of dodgeball

I like the comparison, and I'm hoping Orlando ends up being hung out to dry. Add Vince, but subtract Hedo, Lee and Alston? That's not exactly a recipe for success imo.

[Gant]

You must have shudered at the mere mention of dodgeball

I like the comparison, and I'm hoping Orlando ends up being hung out to dry. Add Vince, but subtract Hedo, Lee and Alston? That's not exactly a recipe for success imo.

I was the Michael Jordan of dodgeball. What a shame they didn't have a pro league. I could have retired by the time I was eight. It's a beautiful game.

[canman1971]

We used to play a game in elementary school called "Trips-a-Lot" Very basic. 15-20 kids would run around a field, and try to take each other out by tripping them. No hands were allowed. I loved it because I was fast and had very good balance. But it got pretty violent, for 10 year olds.

[Hemingway]

As dodge ball has been banned in school across school across america childhood obesity has sharply risen. Getting hit with a barrage of balls is what fat kids need to wake up and realize that this will continue to happen through out life until they get healthy.