One thing I can say for sure about last Thursday night.
Shane MacGowan, now he is a true Warrior.
As I mentioned last week, I attended the Pogues concert right in NYC immediately following the MU debacle. MacGowan had had an "accident" in Boston two nights prior, so he performed the entire show in a wheelchair, slugging from a bottle of Michael Collins whiskey (find it if you can) and having a jolly old time. He was indecipherable when speaking, but nailed the sweet, sweet lyrics of all the Pogues classics, except, sadly, Fairytale of New York. My younger brother talked me into slam-dancing during the encore, the perfect way to get out Marquette aggression. It was also perfect for it's middle-aged feel, whenever someone fell, everyone would stop and help the person up.
The mosh pit was as warm and familial as MacGowan's hooch, but now that my shoulder has healed, I've turned the page to the 2007-08 MU squad.
More than anything else, the key, I think, is the return of Dominic James. If the Internets are to be believed, his stock is flat-lining. He is the 41st pick at NBADraft.net to Orlando (odd, considering the Magic have a stockpile of point guards including our beloved Travis...maybe a swap for TD to back up Nash?) and is only listed on the 2008 board at Draft Express.
We all saw DJ's shooting issues throughout the year, but what was apparent in the Michigan St. game was that this team is DOA without him, moreso anyway. After watching DJ lock down Neitzel, consider Cubillan having to the same against Edgar Sosa, Eric Devendorf or Jonathan Wallace, not too mention trying to get an open look...ever. McNeal isn't made for the point and double-teaming DJ opens the lanes nicely for he and Matthews. Even in an ice-cold slump, James' ability to get to the rack draws a second defender, plus the non-MacGowan-tough leg cramp dramatics always give the team a needed rest.
Come back and drop dimes, Dommy-J, we need ye and thus there shall be no Marquette fall from the grace of God.
CW staff - please yank this guys card. I don't care to read about his social life. 3 posts to date - all wastes of time.
ReplyDeletei kindly beg to differ. it's a blog. if you don't like a post, go to the next one.
ReplyDeleteEric, I beg to differ with your beg to differ. Not sure how the Pogues fit with the Warriors. Stick to the hoops. It's what makes this site better than others. Rather than tell your readers to go the next blog if they don't like your posts, perhaps you might want to go to the next blog to post? Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteIs this guy some kind of an intern?
ReplyDeleteI love this blog, but that was more like a diary entry!!
What does the Pogues have to do with MU, basketball, or anything else I come to this blog for? Not saying that concert reviews or social life updates don't sometimes make for good blogging... but not on a blog that specializes in basketball and the Warriors.
ReplyDeleteFirst rule of media: know your audience. This audience isn't looking for the Pogues. Either fit the theme of the blog you're on, or start a blog to fit your theme.
The season just ended. Why not a little diversion. After all we are only visitors on his blog.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great blog and I think the writer has more than earned the right to digress every once and a while. Whoever the rookie is that made the above stupid comments - shut it!
ReplyDeleteI am the rookie here, and yes the reason Cracked Sidewalks has been so great for so long is it's Lazar-like focus on MU hoops.
ReplyDeleteYes, I take flights of fancy, and if it doesn't apppeal to this crowd I think it will become apparent and then I can re-evaluate my usefulness (is that a word?)
That being said, the Pogues thing was a bit of fun, but the post was about Dominic James. Feel free to talk trash, but can we acknowledge that the piece was about DJ being the key to 2007-08 (as obvious as it may seem)?
xxxooo
caThe whole argument is moot now that large-walleted rednecks are covetting the second best coach in our school's history.
ReplyDeleteSo back to basketball.
However, I do stick to the theory that in the off-season there's nothing wrong with a little MU flavored nostalgia.
Guess in my mind that's where this short piece fits. There's always been a link between the first weekend of the Big Dance and the beer-swilling aura of St. Paddy's Day.
Four years at MU certainly didn't hurt that link. And, as I recall, it was pretty tough to make it around OD's, the Green Tree, Haggerty's, Murphys or the other watering holes without hearing Mr. McGowan and the Pogues snarl their way through Fairy Tale of New York.
Hey PJS we're making it apparent to you that since you're new, cut down on the social life stuff and stick to basketball. I don't mind it when NYWarrior deviates from the core topic because at least they post quality content. You write a blog entry for others to see and your entries to date just don't compare to the contributors. If you want to post your personal life stuff, do it at the end of the article so we can skip over it or get your own blog that nobody will read.
ReplyDelete