Outdoor Games, Brutal Versions

Okay, few weekends back we had the no-show dubbed the Autotrader.com. Lets shoot stright and say the game could have been better. And should have been. Before the game, Shaq said that the only challenge of playing outside could be the weather: *Its not like playing in a vented air conditioned building.* Right after the game, we were excited... just about the weather. The shivering Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets couldn't have been more aware that fateful Saturday night that the best basketball league in the world, for the first time in nearly 40 years, had taken the game outside. Stevie Nash: *I don't think anyone expected it to be this cold here. It felt like Edmonton, Alberta... not Palm Springs.* Added Shaq: *It was colder than a motherfucker out there. And you can quote me on that.* Mere days after temperatures in the 100s (F), that Saturday's continuously crisp breeze dropped the temp at tipoff to about 70 degrees, with a further dip all the way down to 64 degrees (successfuly accompanied by gusts of 15 mph) in the fourth quarter. Finding ways to stay warm on the bench became the evening's prime mission. Thank God for warm towels. Of course, by the chilly fourth quarter, Chuckster Barkley was calling the game with a scarf wrapped around his neck. But what if the NBA teams dont have those cozy indoor arenas/centers? What if the games have to be played outdoors? Just imagine... every home team would wanna use the playing conditions to its best advantage, trying to create the best insurmountable edges. Like some brutal edges. And thanks to the respective teams nicknames, I set the home table for each NBA franchise. Just pondering about these silly drafts makes me giddy. Itll never happen... but you can imagine it for yourself and for your funny part of the soul. Just dont send this ideas to Mr. Sterns NBA Office, Im warning you.

[NBA Franchises Nickname --- The New Site Of Home Games]

The Bobcats, indigenous to the Carolinas but infrequently seen because of their stealth and nocturnal habits, are fierce and swift. They attack with the aid of an expansive 10-foot leap. --- Somewhere in the woods.

When you say the Bucks, the name reflects the area and the predominance of bucks. The bucks are indigenous to Wisconsin. --- Cottage filled with antlers.

The fighting Bull has a persistent fighting attitude along with the instinct to never say quit. --- Toreadors arena in Spain.

The Cavaliers represent a group of daring, fearless men, whose lifes pact was never surrender, no matter what the odds. --- Saloon bar.

The Celtics? The name has a great basketball tradition from the old Original Celtics in New York (1914-1939). And Boston is full of Irishmen. --- Somewhere in Ireland.

The Clippers are the Clippers because the original teams city was known for the great sailing ships that passed through San Diego Bay. --- Any kind of USS.

The Grizzlies came into existence in Vancouver, British Columbia. Grizzly bears are indigenous to BC. --- Somewhere in the woods.

Because Sauk Indian Chief Black Hawks tribe was located in Rock Island and a major part of the 1831 Black Hawk War was fought in the surrounding areas, the team was named the (Black)Hawks. --- Indian reservation.

The Heat. When you think of Miami, thats what you think of. --- South Beach.

The Hornets names genesis goes back to the Revolutionary War, when British General Charles Cornwallis wrote to the King of England in his battle report from the Carolinas that *This place is like fighting in a hornets nest.* --- Military base.

Despite no history of Jazz music in Utah... --- Jazz club.

The Kings... --- Royal palace.

The term Knickerbockers traces its origin back to the Dutch settlers who came to the New World - and especially to what is now New York - in the 1600s. Specifically, it refers to the style of pants the settlers wore... pants that rolled up just below the knee, which became known as knickerbockers or knickers. --- Somewhere in the Netherlands.

The Lakers nickname chosen for the team was based on the Minnesotas motto, The Land of 10,000 Lakes. --- At the lake.

This place is like Magic. The name referred to the magic of Orlando - a tourist hotspot with lots to offer visitors and those who called the area home. --- Disneyland.

The Mavericks. --- Some unusual place.

The Nets, after one of the most important parts of the basketball game - the net. --- Place filled with nets.

The Nuggets refers to the 19th century mining boom in Colorado, when people rushed to the area, hoping to make their fortunes by panning for gold and silver nuggets. --- Somewhere in the mountains.

The nickname Pacers was chosen because it was reflective both of the Indianas rich history with harness racing pacers and the pace car used for the running of the Indianapolis 500. --- Some circuit.

A foundry that manufactured Pistons primarily for car, truck and locomotive engines. Detroit - the nations automobile capital. --- Some metal factory.

An aggressive, sharp-toothed dinosaur dribbling a basketball. Raptors... --- Museum.

The Rockets was picked because it reflected the outstanding growth of space-age industries in San Diego. Houston - the nickname still fits because of the NASA space programs operation center there. --- Outer space.

76ers... --- Some 76th avenue.

Spurs... --- Somewhere in the cowboys land.

Suns... --- On the Sun.

A most appropriate nickname (Timberwolves) was chosen for the state's NBA team, as Minnesota is home to the largest population of timberwolves in the lower 48 states. Wolf range covers the northern third of Minnesota, with most wolves found in the least accessible forested areas. --- Wolfs den.

The Trail Blazers name reflects both the ruggedness of the Pacific Northwest and the start of a major league era in Oregon. A trail to guide others. A pathfinder. A pioneer. The actual name came from a practice by explorers making paths through forests and marking the paths by chopping a white blaze in trees bark so others could follow. --- Somewhere in the forest.

The Golden State Warriors - symbolizing a team belonging to all of California, the Golden State. --- There, where you can find any warriors.

The nickname Wizards depicts energy and an omnipresent power and brings to light what is hoped to be the wise and magical nature of the team. --- The circus.

Oklahoma City Thunder... --- Place, where it thunders.

p.s.: Eddy Curry sat on an exercise ball and it exploded. No one saw it coming, and yet, when you think about it, that should've been expected. (-Ric Bucher)
p.s.2: Larry Brown is most dangerous when he has a roster that doesn't make sense. (-Jemele Hill)
p.s.3: The Wiz can't catch a break. No pun intended. Abe Pollin's roster couldn't walk through the airport without getting hurt. (-Chris Broussard)

Posted by Foreigner in CS - Oct 26 2008 12:13PM