I Asked Myself an Important Question Today...

What to talk about tonight? Don't worry yo, thief got a million different things going through his mind, it's just deciding on which one to choose. That's the difference though ain't it? I don't do this for a job. I really only make nickels on the site, enough to keep it running. Naw this is about having an outlet to jam about my #1 hobby, about your #1 hobby. This is about US, collaborating and coordinating to beat THEM. This is about people who actually play the game, talking with one another about playing the game. This is our edge. This is about raising that trophy at the end of the season and saying 'see you next year', because there's no better feeling than the thrill of victory. Ya feel me?

On to the post!

I asked myself an important question today and I wasn't happy with the answer. Have I fallen in love with Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson? I have. Some of you caught the stories on these two fellas, but I'll fill the rest of you in. Late in November I sent across the team that was in first place (at that time) an offer of Mike Miller for Gerald Wallace. At the time GWall was shooting terribly, and Joe Schmo sportswriter was hammering you everyday saying those rebounds wouldn't last. Miller just had two back to back stellar games, 20 points with 4 treys followed by 17 points, 8 boards and 2 treys. He looked good and the kid I was dealing with was in serious need of treys. I admit, I was shocked he said yes, but at the time with GWall shooting south of 40%, I could see what he was thinking. Well, since then Crash has been unreal.

Around the same time, I made a play for Stephen Jackson. The 'issues' he had with Don Nelson were all over the headlines, and Joe Schmo kept telling us that Jackson the troublemaker was either getting dealt or benched. I was confident he'd be dealt once the Bobcats got vocal. It didn't take a genius to see this as being hugely beneficial to Jackson. Not just because Charlotte needed a scorer badly, not just because he'd see ramped up minutes, not just because he's talented, but because he'd be with Larry Brown and playing for Michael Jordan. Two guys I was confident would put him in line. The deal was Jackson and Jamison for Kidd, Haywood (who was dominant then) and Frye (yeah, I sold him early, but got value). Only today can we look all the way back and see how good of a deal that was. Jackson has been a monster since going to Charlotte.

You're reading my stories here, and thinking about these players, but you all have done the same thing. Either you snagged a guy off the WW early or you got him for pennies in a deal, and has been monster for you this year. Channing Frye was that guy for some, so was/is Gallinari. These are the toughest guys to deal. These are the players it's easy to fall in love with. Every day and every game is more positive confirmation of your awesome move.

I asked myself today, have I fallen in love with Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson? Is there any chance either player goes higher from here? What're the odds their play drops off through the end of the season, or worse, and injury strikes? Gerald Wallace is currently ranked 12th overall by Yahoo, that puts him in Deron Williams, Amare Stoudemire, Al Jefferson, Chris Bosh and Steve Nash territory. Shame on me if I don't at least make the effort to ink one of these guys. Over the last month GWall is ranked #2. That gives me room to target LBJ.

Stephen Jackson over the last month is ranked #14. Did I expect that? Heck no! Way above expectations. Man I knew he'd be good, but when I bought him he was ranked in the 100's, 'good' is a return to the 50's!

So long as I ink value, these guys can keep up their level of play and I won't miss them one bit. You know they can't possibly get better than #2 and #15. If I can grab a guy on the upswing, with more potential to stay in the top, I've got to take it. So take a look over your squad. Identify those guys you just might have fallen for. Those guys you got on the cheapy cheap and are really tearing it up. Look at the players around them in rank and ask yourself, would I rather have Gerald Wallace or LBJ (sure I'll have to toss in an Allen Iverson to ink it, but so what). Would I rather have Stephen Jackson or Al Jefferson?

Never let up, always be moving, always be working. This is how we dominate.