Around the League: 2018 Offseason

[Superbone]

Apropos of nothing, and posted in this thread for lack of a better place...

Roseanne Barr is blaming Ambien for the offensive tweet that led to her show’s cancellation.

I once had an Ambien posting incident on the old site. IIRC, I didn’t offend anyone, but did scare some people who thought I might be having a stroke or something. Does anyone have either an archive of it or a really good memory?

Wow, so you really think it's a valid excuse?

I didn’t say that, and I don’t want to turn this into a discussion that would be better fit for the Politics folder. I’m just wondering if anybody can help me with my vague memory of my own incident.

I do not recall the incident. I truly wasn't aware that Ambien induced posting was a thing.

Had a sleeping disorder myself and was on ambien for about 6 months. It's very real. The text message threads I'd wake up to were insane. I had no recollection. I burned a few bridges during that span, unfortunately.

Interesting. Doesn't excuse Barr's tweet (sounds like Ambien might bring out your unfiltered thoughts) but it sheds some light on the real effects of the drug.

[AmareIsGod]

Wow, so you really think it's a valid excuse?

I didn’t say that, and I don’t want to turn this into a discussion that would be better fit for the Politics folder. I’m just wondering if anybody can help me with my vague memory of my own incident.

I do not recall the incident. I truly wasn't aware that Ambien induced posting was a thing.

Had a sleeping disorder myself and was on ambien for about 6 months. It's very real. The text message threads I'd wake up to were insane. I had no recollection. I burned a few bridges during that span, unfortunately.

Interesting. Doesn't excuse Barr's tweet (sounds like Ambien might bring out your unfiltered thoughts) but it sheds some light on the real effects of the drug.

It was my own fault. You're supposed to go sleep when you take it. It would happen when I'd take it but stay up. I was told and have read not to do this. Ambien shuts down all of the areas of the brain and if you stay awake, you make bad decisions without an ability to differentiate right from wrong, plus the amnesia that comes with it. Definitely not standing up for what Barr said. She should know better. If Ambien was the "culprit", she's not taking it how it's meant to be taken.

[Superbone]

Bryan Colangelo may disagree:
https://twitter.com/Suns/status/1001963174097293312

[Cap]

Wow, so you really think it's a valid excuse?

I didn’t say that, and I don’t want to turn this into a discussion that would be better fit for the Politics folder. I’m just wondering if anybody can help me with my vague memory of my own incident.

I do not recall the incident. I truly wasn't aware that Ambien induced posting was a thing.

Had a sleeping disorder myself and was on ambien for about 6 months. It's very real. The text message threads I'd wake up to were insane. I had no recollection. I burned a few bridges during that span, unfortunately.

Interesting. Doesn't excuse Barr's tweet (sounds like Ambien might bring out your unfiltered thoughts) but it sheds some light on the real effects of the drug.

In my case it wasn’t my unfiltered thoughts. More like incoherent nonsense.

[Indy]

I didn’t say that, and I don’t want to turn this into a discussion that would be better fit for the Politics folder. I’m just wondering if anybody can help me with my vague memory of my own incident.

I do not recall the incident. I truly wasn't aware that Ambien induced posting was a thing.

Had a sleeping disorder myself and was on ambien for about 6 months. It's very real. The text message threads I'd wake up to were insane. I had no recollection. I burned a few bridges during that span, unfortunately.

Interesting. Doesn't excuse Barr's tweet (sounds like Ambien might bring out your unfiltered thoughts) but it sheds some light on the real effects of the drug.

In my case it wasn’t my unfiltered thoughts. More like incoherent nonsense.

Exactly. IIRC, it was basically the text version of having a stroke in the middle of a speech.

[Indy]

Now you are making me feel old. Weren't the 90s only like 10 years ago?

Heh. 10 years ago is not 1998. It's 2008. How about that.

Now I'm worried about Indy's math skills.

Ha! Less about math and more about not being able to internalize that the 90s ended nearly 20 years ago. And I spent half the 90s in my 20s. So that means I am old.

[Superbone]

Now you are making me feel old. Weren't the 90s only like 10 years ago?

Heh. 10 years ago is not 1998. It's 2008. How about that.

Now I'm worried about Indy's math skills.

Ha! Less about math and more about not being able to internalize that the 90s ended nearly 20 years ago. And I spent half the 90s in my 20s. So that means I am old.

Yeah, you're right. It's more like a time warp. Where does the time go?! Besides, you're a youngin. I spent over half my 30s in the 90s!
I remember figuring out how old I would be in the year 2000. Now that is 18 years ago! It's almost 2020. Crazy.

ETA: Did you know that next year, 2019, is the year the original Blade Runner took place?! Where's my replicant?

[O_Gardino]

Now you are making me feel old. Weren't the 90s only like 10 years ago?

Heh. 10 years ago is not 1998. It's 2008. How about that.

Now I'm worried about Indy's math skills.

Ha! Less about math and more about not being able to internalize that the 90s ended nearly 20 years ago. And I spent half the 90s in my 20s. So that means I am old.

Yeah, you're right. It's more like a time warp. Where does the time go?! Besides, you're a youngin. I spent over half my 30s in the 90s!
I remember figuring out how old I would be in the year 2000. Now that is 18 years ago! It's almost 2020. Crazy.

ETA: Did you know that next year, 2019, is the year the original Blade Runner took place?! Where's my replicant?

Crazy how many scifi books and movies are now set in the past.

[Indy]

Heh. 10 years ago is not 1998. It's 2008. How about that.

Now I'm worried about Indy's math skills.

Ha! Less about math and more about not being able to internalize that the 90s ended nearly 20 years ago. And I spent half the 90s in my 20s. So that means I am old.

Yeah, you're right. It's more like a time warp. Where does the time go?! Besides, you're a youngin. I spent over half my 30s in the 90s!
I remember figuring out how old I would be in the year 2000. Now that is 18 years ago! It's almost 2020. Crazy.

ETA: Did you know that next year, 2019, is the year the original Blade Runner took place?! Where's my replicant?

Crazy how many scifi books and movies are now set in the past.

It is crazy. When you think about how much changed from 1960 to 1970, at least in the public consciousness, they probably expected a lot of that to continue at that pace.

Most of the public had never heard of a computer in 1960, and by 1970 they had already guided us to the moon, and were seen every week on Star Trek interacting verbally with humans. Dick wrote DADOES in the late 60s (published in '68). I am sure that to him, 2019 seemed like we would be light years ahead of where we were then.

[INFORMER]

You are probably right but I’m avoiding any big man who is an offensive liability. Just screams bust to me

Bamba isn't an offensive liability.

[specialsauce]

You are probably right but I’m avoiding any big man who is an offensive liability. Just screams bust to me

Bamba isn't an offensive liability.

Except he is?

[The Bobster]

You are probably right but I’m avoiding any big man who is an offensive liability. Just screams bust to me

Bamba isn't an offensive liability.

Except he is?

Here's ESPN's scouting report -

Strengths:

Excellent size (7-foot-9 wingspan will be the longest of any player in the NBA). Relatively thin but has a frame that should fill out nicely in time. Quick off his feet.

Has significant potential defensively. Shows some versatility stepping outside of the paint and switching onto smaller players.

Career 68 percent free throw shooter. Made 14 3s on the season. Seems to have soft touch and might have more potential as a shooter than he demonstrated in college. Good hands. Will be able to space the floor vertically.

Improvement areas:

Has a tendency to float. Doesn't always look engaged or purposeful enough in terms of boxing out, setting screens, rolling to the rim and using his size to his advantage.

Offensive game is a major work in progress. Doesn't have any consistent means of scoring at the moment. Decision-making can be poor. Below-average passer.

Sixteen months older than Jackson. Has a lot of work to do on his physicality, skill and approach. One of the bigger boom-or-bust prospects in this draft.

[Indy]

You are probably right but I’m avoiding any big man who is an offensive liability. Just screams bust to me

Bamba isn't an offensive liability.

Except he is?

If you have a good passing ball handler in the pick and roll, with hands like his and his length, think of how easy lobs would be. And remember how when Shaq came into the league he couldn't do anything but score from 3 feet?

[specialsauce]

So now we’re using a basketball legend to give hope to Bamba. The things you’re saying are exactly what people say about every big man who is incredibly raw coming in. Oh he’s so tall so he can dunk. Big whoop, so can Len he still sucks.

[TOO]

Len has atrocious hands, Bamba doesn't. Huge difference.

[Indy]

So now we’re using a basketball legend to give hope to Bamba. The things you’re saying are exactly what people say about every big man who is incredibly raw coming in. Oh he’s so tall so he can dunk. Big whoop, so can Len he still sucks.

I think it is incredibly silly to compare Len to Bamba.

[specialsauce]

So now we’re using a basketball legend to give hope to Bamba. The things you’re saying are exactly what people say about every big man who is incredibly raw coming in. Oh he’s so tall so he can dunk. Big whoop, so can Len he still sucks.

I think it is incredibly silly to compare Len to Bamba.

The argument that he is not an offensive liability because he can dunk is equally as silly. So can every 7 footer.

[Split T]

So now we’re using a basketball legend to give hope to Bamba. The things you’re saying are exactly what people say about every big man who is incredibly raw coming in. Oh he’s so tall so he can dunk. Big whoop, so can Len he still sucks.

I think it is incredibly silly to compare Len to Bamba.

I don't know that an offensive comparison is that silly. At least coming out of college. Len was billed as a long fluid athlete with a decent touch who could potentially shoot. We know that Len didn't amount to much offensively now, but there were high hopes for him once.

I didn't watch enough Bamba to make any statements on his hands as compared to Len, but I was pretty underwhelmed with his offensive game. He struggled with physical play near the rim and was often pretty invisible on offense. A lot of that might be his teammates not getting him involved, but I think he's got a long ways to go to be a difference maker offensively.

With all that being said, these opinions are based on his play at Texas, from everything I've seen/read/heard since the season ended, Bamba is making significant strides on his body and offensive game. He seems to have a great head on his shoulders and a great work ethic. Its hard for me to see him not being an elite defensive player in the NBA and be at least a threat to score. I think he'll be on Capela and Gobert's level defensively, with more offensive upside.

The more I think about it the more I wish we could have gotten the #1 pick another year. I'm excited we have it, but I would have felt really good about picking 3rd or 4th as well. There are some real talents in this draft and I think everyone in the top 7 will be happy.

[Superbone]

So now we’re using a basketball legend to give hope to Bamba. The things you’re saying are exactly what people say about every big man who is incredibly raw coming in. Oh he’s so tall so he can dunk. Big whoop, so can Len he still sucks.

I think it is incredibly silly to compare Len to Bamba.

Probably equally as silly as comparing Bamba to Shaq.

[Cap]

The more I think about it the more I wish we could have gotten the #1 pick another year.

Not me. I have totally bought into the hype on both Ayton and Doncic. Two of the best prospects to come along in years.