One Degree from Bacon
posted: 11/17/2006 at 9:15 AM
Breaking News from Boston. I am now one degree from Kevin Bacon. So, if you're standing around the office day, tweaking your fantasy basketball roster, and happen to get caught up in a "six degrees game," you can toss out my name. Actually, to be fair, Brian Wheeler should probably be used. He was hanging with Bacon, and his wife (Bacon's not Wheels'), Kyra Sedgwick, in our hotel lobby in Boston last night. Not to be outdone, John Lukrofka, who is on our traveling TV crew, worked out with Bacon and Sedgwick this morning in the hotel's weight room. So, Lukrofka is also claiming now to be in Bacon's posse. Lukrofka is a jock sniffer, so I'm not sure if he actually hung with the pair, or if he was just walking by and saw them. I need to see some photo evidence of this "friendship."
There's a movie set just outside the hotel on a side street. Evidently Sedgwick is starring in the movie and Bacon is just here hanging out. We're going to try and get him to come to the game tonight. Maybe I can get him to fill in for Rice for a quarter. I was a little more impressed by the fact that Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney was having a cup of coffee in the lobby this morning.
Speaking of movies, we had a little time last night and caught Will Ferrell's new film
Stranger Than Fiction. Wheels and team strength coach Bobby Medina walked out, for some reason. I think they were expecting
Old School. It's certainly not that. I stayed, along with Dan Dickau, Ime Udoka, Mike Rice, and TV producer Scott Zachry. I liked the movie, and so did Rice and Zachry, but Ime and Dan didn't. There you go.
There's a basketball game as well tonight, as you may know. The Trail Blazers and Celtics at the TD Banknorth Garden (I think that's what they're calling it now).
The biggest news we've talked about, is that fact that Nate McMillan is changing the starting lineup. LaMarcus Aldridge will start in place of Jamaal Magloire, and we've also found out Juan Dixon will be starting at the shooting-guard spot.
Obviously, this is being done to give the team a little more offense early in the game, and take some pressure off Zach Randolph. Dixon has been playing well off the bench, and with Martell still with a sore back, Dixon is probably the best outside-shooting threat the team has right now. My biggest concern is how the Blazers will match up defensively with the Celtics. They start Paul Pierce at the two, and Wally Szczerbiak at the three. Pierce is 6-6, and rebounds, and Wally is 6-7. I'm assuming Dixon will take Sebastian Telfair, and Jarrett Jack will end up with Pierce or Wally. Udoka could get the matchup on Pierce, but that would leave Jack on Wally. You see why that's a concern.
One match up that could be intriguing, is the potential Sergio Rodriguez / Telfair duel. Most likely, Sergio will be matched up more with the back-up point guard for Boston, Rajon Rondo, the rookie out of Kentucky. Rondo has been playing as much, if not more, than Telfair lately.
Boston looked very impressive on Wednesday, and it's difficult to tell what team we'll see tonight. They beat the Pacers 114-86, but it was just their second win. They are 2 and 6 heading into this game. Keep in mind, this will be their seventh home game, and have played just two road games. That has fans here concerned, and there's been talk that the win over Indiana perhaps saved Doc Rivers' job. I don't think that's the case, but he is feeling the heat after this slow start. Danny Ainge is also feeling some, and has been criticized in the local media.
Last week, as you recall, Udoka got a nice piece done on him in
Sports Illustrated. Yesterday, after practice, SI's Ian Thomsen was in the lobby of the hotel interviewing Zach, and then after that had a long sit down with coach McMillan. So, another story is on the way. Also, last night during ESPN's broadcast of the Texas-Michigan State game, they had LaMarcus on the phone from his hotel room during the play-by-play. He was talking about the Longhorns, and his adjustment to the NBA. Nice to see this kind of national press interested in this Blazer team.
Trail Blazers Courtside, presented by L.A. Weight Loss, was on the radio last night. To hear the interview with Nate McMillan,
click here. Also, ESPN's Chris Sheridan was on the program, and had some very interesting things to say.
Click here to hear that interview. Also, Antonio Harvey had his feature this week on LaMarcus Aldridge.
Click here to listen to that.
Talk to you on TV tonight (4:30 FSN).
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Mike, when is Joel going to come back? It seems like he's been out for two weeks! Is his injury getting any better?
What is the word on Brandon Roy? How long until he's on the court again. Also, where have Jacks minutes gone? Is it because of score or is he going to be a platoon guy with Sergio taking half the minutes?
I'm SO excited for Aldridge to start -- and all the comments about similarities to 'Sheed are right on, his arms go practically down to his ankles, he has that 'keep the ball high' turn around jump shot and quickness. He might not be able to shoot three's like 'Sheed, but in any case he has the potential to dominate.
Can someone please tell me who the Blazers Captains are? Email me at phunkroller@yahoo.com please.
Go Blazers!
Yeah, how is Joel? Has the swelling come down? We need that big man in the middle.....lol
MB, whats the time table for Brandon if he decides to opt for the surgery?
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