Links To The Present: February 3rd, 2010
2010-02-03
-On Basketball Prospectus, Kevin Pelton pretty much puts the LeBron James foul issue to bed. Good stuff from him.
-Bandwagon Knick has a really good response to my transition post from earlier in the week, replacing “fast break” statistics with “<10 second” statistics, which are tracked by 82games. Not only are the Knicks quite a bit better early in the clock than their “fast break” points would suggest, but the Cavs are first in the league in eFG% in the first 10 seconds of the shot clock. Posts like this are what I was hoping to see when I wrote my initial post.
-Kelly Dwyer has LeBron James at the top of his MVP ballot, and Anderson Varejao as his front-runner for DPOY.
-LeBron James was among those “tricked” by Shaq’s slow start, according to Brian Windhorst. Also contained in the article: Mike Brown going out of his way to praise JJ Hickson’s defense.
-Terry Pluto gently bemoans how the Cavs’ stellar play has occasionally been overshadowed by trade rumors.
-Since this was in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, I have a flimsy excuse to post it. (I probably would have done so anyways.) Bill Watterson, creator of “Calvin and Hobbes,” granted his first interview since 1989 to the PD’s John Campanelli. I remember reading Calvin and Hobbes collections for hours on end when I was in first grade and being absolutely mesmerized. When I go back and read the strips now, they still seem fresh, funny, and smart. I recommend the interview to anyone else who grew up with Calvin and Hobbes.
I have the app for droid – and all the collection books. I loved it growing up and still find it meaningful
I actually tracked Watterson down at one point, such was my obsession with C+H. (Imagine my surprise when I found out that he likely lived two blocks from my house at the time.) Another vote for sled-philosophizing for me – It’s a Magical World is one of the only books I’ve had with me everywhere I go for the last ten years.
So, uh, basketball? Something something Iguodala something defensive field goal percentage? Something Raptors and Heat something.
When I was young my parents took me to an art show opening at a small gallery in Chagrin Falls for a then not-famous-yet Bill Watterson. Calvin and Hobbes had just recently been picked up in syndication. He gave a short and interesting lecture to a small audience (I doubt there were more than 20 of us) and stuck around for a meet-n-greet. I had no idea at the time how unique and special that meeting was. A very thoughtful guy. Looked very much like Calvin’s father in the strip.
One more vote for the snowmen – so creative and so funny. I used to cherish my Calvin and Hobbes collection books, and now I have the app for my Droid and read it everyday. They just had another classic – when Calvin’s dad is trying to take a picture of him for the holiday card. The different faces he makes at every CLICK are just priceless.
It’s strange, when you read Calvin and Hobbes, it is very touching and heartfelt. And Watterson obviously has a huge imagination. This made me think he might be very outgoing. But if you dig a little deeper, Calvin is definitely a loner, and rejects pretty much everyone around him except Hobbes (his imagination). So it’s easy to see that Watterson would be a recluse.
Calvin and Hobbes is my all-time favorite comic though. My favorites were definitely when he was philosophizing while riding the sled at 100 mph
I might posit that Watterson not giving an interview since the year I was born makes him seem less than sociable.
I second ben tej. Calvinball was always a joy as well. Although that interview kind of makes Bill Watterson seem..well…not very sociable I guess
My favorite Calvin and Hobbes strips by far were Calvin’s snowmen. Many snow days were spent trying to recreate them.
Can we trade for John Campanelli?
a flimsy excuse isn’t necessary when the material is so enjoyable. still, I saw that on your twitter