Mr. Chemistry

lovegtm

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Thanks for doing it, but you could have asked lovegtm to freestyle it.
I still can’t get over “it is what it is, in terms of how great I am as a player.” I would have left that out of a freestyle, for fear of making it unrealistic.

The guy is literally delusional.
 

tims4wins

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I enjoyed this

"The most important thing is making sure these guys -- they have the belief in themselves and I continue to reiterate that confidence we have as a team. It is going to come down to that in order to be at a championship level to compete against the West, we need more. It is what it is."

A) you specifically said they need more pieces - so how can you profess that you have confidence as a team? how can they have the belief in themselves if you don't believe in them?
B) I think you mean the East. You need to get past Philly, Boston, Milwaukee, etc. before you can even get a sniff of a title
 

tims4wins

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A few years ago there was a guy who wrote about college hoops on ESPN.com - I think he was a scrub at Ohio State or something - blanking on his name. Every week in his column he would have a section dedicated to how Dick Vitale got to talking about (insert program) during a game that had nothing to do with said program. For example, if it was a Texas vs. Kansas game, how he would get to talking about Auburn. And he would give 3 possible answers - 2 made up, 1 the true Dickie V quote. All 3 would of course be absurd every week.

I feel like we need the same thing from @lovegtm for every crazy Kyrie quote that comes out. It would probably be pretty difficult to identify the true quotes vs. the made up ones.
 

kelpapa

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I'm not sure if he wrote what you are saying he wrote, but Mark Titus is a scrub from Ohio State. Sounds like something he would do.
 

tims4wins

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I'm not sure if he wrote what you are saying he wrote, but Mark Titus is a scrub from Ohio State. Sounds like something he would do.
Yep it was Titus. Thanks.

Edit: example

It’s halftime, which can mean only one thing: It’s time for Dick’s Degrees of Separation, the most mildly amusing Internet game involving college basketball! You know the drill: I give you the endpoint of a Dick Vitale tangent and you pick the path he took to get there. Let’s get down to business.

During Saturday’s Louisville-Virginia game in Louisville, how did Dick Vitale and Dave O’Brien end up talking about rigatoni?

A. When the camera cuts to Rick Pitino, O’Brien mentions that this has been a somewhat difficult year for Louisville, citing the Cardinals’ four home losses, an underwhelming February, and the dismissal of senior point guard Chris Jones. Vitale, however, credits Pitino for keeping Louisville in the Final Four hunt even when things turned south. Vitale — who is a former coach with Italian heritage — then suggests that Pitino’s resolve comes from his Italian roots, because “Italian coaches don’t make excuses — we make rigatoni, baby!”

B. A graphic shows ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi’s “last four in” and “first four out.” Indiana is listed among the last four in, while Miami is listed in the first four out. Vitale is stumped by this decision, because Miami beat Duke this season and Indiana is playing poorly down the stretch. That said, Vitale defends the Hoosiers by saying the Big Ten is a tough conference. He wonders aloud if a .500 record is good enough for Indiana to make the NCAA tournament. Vitale then tells viewers that Lunardi will join the broadcast later in the game and compares Lunardi to NFL draft guru Mel Kiper. O’Brien tells Vitale that he wonders what Lunardi does for fun during the 10 months of the year when he’s not breaking down the March Madness bracket. O’Brien jokes that Lunardi probably puts together brackets for other sports, like Little League baseball. Vitale says he thinks Lunardi likes to eat rigatoni.

C. A camera shows Tony Bennett as O’Brien mentions that Bennett is the first non-Duke, non–North Carolina coach in ACC history to win back-to-back outright conference titles since Norm Sloan did it with NC State in the 1970s. Vitale praises Bennett for the job he’s done at Virginia, waits a beat, and then mentions that Bennett always seems well dressed. O’Brien asks Vitale if he thinks Bennett wears Italian suits. Vitale laughs and says yes. Almost 10 seconds later, after O’Brien has resumed calling the game, Vitale says, “Maybe we should start calling him ‘Rigatoni Bennett!’”

B
 

bankshot1

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I still can’t get over “it is what it is, in terms of how great I am as a player.” I would have left that out of a freestyle, for fear of making it unrealistic.

The guy is literally delusional.
The only take away most rational people would take away from Kyrie is, "what an a-hole"
 

kelpapa

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https://grantland.com/features/mark-titus-kansas-win-baylor-rest-week-college-basketball/
Dick’s Degrees of Separation is back! You know the drill: I give you the endpoint of a Dick Vitale tangent and you pick the path he took to get there. Let’s get down to business.

During the Florida State vs. North Carolina game in Tallahassee on Saturday afternoon, how did Dick Vitale end up mentioning Rick Pitino?

A. After John Henson blocks a Florida State shot, Vitale mentions that Henson is the best shot blocker in college basketball other than Kentucky’s Anthony Davis. He then points out that Davis had another great game earlier in the day, before briefly talking about how good Kentucky is. This leads to him explaining that the state of Kentucky is a hotbed for basketball right now because not only are the Wildcats ranked second, but Murray State is one of two undefeated teams in the country. He also mentions that even though Louisville is struggling as of late, people shouldn’t write them off yet because they have a bunch of talent and they’re coached by Rick Pitino.

B. Following a Tyler Zeller dunk, Vitale brings up how Zeller’s younger brother Cody is leading the resurgence of Indiana basketball this season. Dickie V. then explains that he’s really impressed with Indiana this year, even though the Hoosiers lost at home to Minnesota earlier in the week. Beating Indiana, Vitale says, was a huge win for Tubby Smith, who Dickie V. claims is one of the most underappreciated coaches in the country. Vitale admits that Smith hasn’t exactly had a ton of success at Minnesota, but he also points out that he won a national championship at Kentucky in just his second year after taking over for Rick Pitino.

C. North Carolina’s Kendall Marshall is shown on camera, prompting Vitale to mention that Marshall is second in the country to Iona’s Scott Machado in assists per game. Vitale then tells viewers that Machado just had a 16-assist game on Thursday in a loss to Manhattan, who are coached by Steve Masiello. Vitale claims that Masiello is a rising star in college basketball, largely because he spent six years coaching at Louisville under Rick Pitino.
 

RetractableRoof

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While I find it amusing, it's not unexpected that the day after an extended absence an athlete finds himself more sore than the player who has been in game conditions, right? Just from an physiology standpoint... that sudden extra reach for a loose ball, or going turbo mode on a drive to the basket can't be simulated in practice or rehab sessions?
 

fairlee76

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Just saw this comparison - Kyrie:Basketball::Kanye:Music
I mean, kinda? I’m not the biggest Kanye guy but he had a run from 2005ish to 2012ish where he was arguably the king of hip-hop.

At his peak, Kyrie was maybe a top-10 guy in the league, right? So he’s basically Kanye now, minus that College Dropout to Beautiful Twisted Fantasy run...I think. Of course, Kyrie thinks he’s a combination of Hendrix, Mozart, and Marley which is what makes him so fun to observe from afar and talk shit about.
 

johnmd20

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Wow. Every time he opens his mouth, he jams both feet right in it.

This thread is a joy and laughing at Kyrie is fun. But he's out of his mind and he's not helping himself. And he used to be my favorite player in the league. So it sucks, too.
 

PedroKsBambino

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lovegtm

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TripleOT

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Yesterday, I read Letter from Brooklyn Training Room, by Kyrie Irving. Inspiring. He's the second greatest moral leader to leave Boston and change the world with his profound words.

Kyrie and his brilliance, 5-10. His teammates that need to be replaced in the off season, (except for the few that were mentioned half heartedly), 13-14. Kyrie averaging a minus 5.2 in the losses, with a team differential of minus 7.7, and plus 5.2 in the wins, with a team differential of 9.1.
 
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wade boggs chicken dinner

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Maybe not the correct thread but WTH. Contrast Mr. C with how Jaylen describes Kemba: https://weei.radio.com/blogs/nick-friar/how-kemba-walker-proved-himself-as-a-leader-to-jaylen-brown

Brown then provided examples of other sorts of behavior that don’t foster the type of environment Walker tries to create.

“Like, maybe somebody goes into a corner and doesn’t talk nobody. You know what I mean? Instead of starting to hang out with their teammates, they start hanging out more with their agent or people, their friends, their entourage,” the fourth-year Celtic said. “Kemba, we still hung out, we still played cards when we were out in China. Nothing changed even (with) more pressure and difficult(y). And then when things get a little bit difficult and you hit adversity, that’s when you get to see somebody’s true makeup and character. The whole world was against us, literally, and Kemba was the same guy.”
 

PedroKsBambino

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From today's Athletic article by John Hollinger:

I’ll add one more name: Isn’t Kyrie Irving way better than these other dudes? Yes, almost certainly. But he’s only played 15 games and he’s not exactly Mr. Chemistry these days. I can understand why you might want him there, and if he gets voted in as a starter I can live with it. But I can’t give a guy the nod when he’s missed nearly the whole season.
https://theathletic.com/1553292/2020/01/22/hollingers-nba-all-star-picks-the-eastern-conference-selections/

OK, which one of you is secretly John Hollinger!!!!
 
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tims4wins

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Nets tied with Lakers 44-44.

Kyrie of course is -9

Edit Nets down 75-70 at half, Kyrie -16
 
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Auger34

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Bledsoe over Brown and Tatum is quite the choice by Mr Hollinger.
It’s a lot worse than that....Brown didn’t even make his list of “20 players who could construct an All Star argument without inciting mockery”. A list that included Andre Drummond and Spencer Dinwiddie...
 

lovegtm

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Obviously the backend of their contracts will determine a lot of this comparison, but.....for all the "Kyrie is better, but Kemba is better for chemistry stuff", would any team take Kyrie over Kemba for the next 2-3 years right now? Forget the MLK/Jesus/Gandhi self-comparisons; Kemba is just plain better at basketball right now, especially when you add in his ability to play in scheme defensively and impact offense without holding the ball.
 

benhogan

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Obviously the backend of their contracts will determine a lot of this comparison, but.....for all the "Kyrie is better, but Kemba is better for chemistry stuff", would any team take Kyrie over Kemba for the next 2-3 years right now? Forget the MLK/Jesus/Gandhi self-comparisons; Kemba is just plain better at basketball right now, especially when you add in his ability to play in scheme defensively and impact offense without holding the ball.
Yep, Kemba is every bit as special, without all the nonsense.

Staying healthy/playing, which many noted in regards to Kyrie vs Kemba comps, is a skill.

Mr. Chemistry died so that team chemistry could find salvation.
+1 missed this, very funny
 

tims4wins

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So, um, Kyrie decided to not play tonight after hearing the Kobe news.

On the one hand I think that’s his right.

On the other hand he bailed on his teammates, and the Nets are going to lose to the Knicks.

I wonder if his teammates support him or will be pissed behind his back.

Edit: he also, whether intentionally or not, made it more about himself.
 
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slamminsammya

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So, um, Kyrie decided to not play tonight after hearing the Kobe news.

On the one hand I think that’s his right.

On the other hand he bailed on his teammates, and the Nets are going to lose to the Knicks.

I wonder if his teammates support him or will be pissed behind his back.

Edit: he also, whether intentionally or not, made it more about himself.
I am as big a Kyrie critic as anyone but the guy lost a close friend in a tragic accident. I have no problem with him taking a day off.
 

lovegtm

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So, um, Kyrie decided to not play tonight after hearing the Kobe news.

On the one hand I think that’s his right.

On the other hand he bailed on his teammates, and the Nets are going to lose to the Knicks.

I wonder if his teammates support him or will be pissed behind his back.

Edit: he also, whether intentionally or not, made it more about himself.
The Celtics also chose not to play last night, so I respect his decision.
 

lovegtm

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Ha. Perfect. I watched the game last night and can attest to this being true.
First time all season I haven't watched a game (replay) all the way through. Watched the first/second quarter, saw they weren't trying on defense, checked score, and stopped.

I don't even hold it against them: feels like literally everyone is getting hurt and the Kobe thing put even me into a weird mental place, so it is what it is.
 

jon abbey

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“ Only twice in NBA history has a player scored 54+ points and shot 81.0% or better from the floor.

Wilt Chamberlain 66 points, 82.9% (29/35) 2/9/69

Kyrie Irving 54 points, 82.6 (19/23), 1/31/20”
 

Imbricus

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“ Only twice in NBA history has a player scored 54+ points and shot 81.0% or better from the floor.
And Wilt was probably just throwing down dunks. Gotta give Kyrie credit for last night. He was unconscious. I think he started the game something like 10 for 10.