Contentious C

Currently waiting for the doors at U Street Music Hall to open, having a Right Proper Raised by Wolves. This is just about the most floral pale ale I've had, which, if I'm going to have one of these, is the preferred side to err upon. A little light otherwise, and you certainly couldn't drink a bathtub of these like you can Loose Cannon, but it's a decent change of pace beer.

Yeah, some of them could be more aptly titled, "Missing the Point with Shadiversity". Today's talk: how Thanos couldn't wield such an unwieldy double blade. Next week: how Hulk's traditional clap attack would produce enough raw sound to literally rupture every organ in a person's body! Too bad Drax isn't there to provide his catlike reflexes after the point went over the other guy's head. Drax is quick; he would catch it.

Evidently not.

Looks like Tyreke Evans might have been eating a few too many of Redd Foxx's powdered donuts.

Well, they needed a DH for their injured list, right?

Increasingly, the state motto is, "Ohio: A Great Place to Be From".

Totally batshit crazy theorizing I had, with respect to AxB's post about various characters already having some knowledge of the Gems. As far as the comics go, the Gems aren't Big Bang-related; they were the product of a cosmic being that committed suicide and, in doing so, rendered the Gems into existence. Maaaaaybe if they wanted to go that direction again, they could adapt that idea as follows: The being in question offs itself, the Gems spring into existence, float around, have an annoying tendency to be in the middle of crazy shit, find each other again, Thanos Snap Once, Thanos Snap Twice, no more Gems. But, the power can't just go nowhere; it can't turn in on itself and simply disappear. Instead, perhaps they re-form into the being they once were, one who is *really really upset* to exist once again... ...and for the purposes of the next stage of the MCU, perhaps that being is Galactus?

Yeah, that. But, I'm not sure Curry's play to that point told anyone he'd toss himself into the 'best player in the world' conversation like he did, either. Him and Cousins actually have not too different numbers through 3 seasons given their positions, except Curry was better on offense, Cousins on defense, and Cousins played more games. Giannis and Harden are the only other guys I can think of who made those kinds of leaps from 'good draft pick' to franchise-altering. Even then, it was more a matter of time than people believing it. Well, there *was* Dirk. Should probably tell NBA GMs something about shooters. Plus, if Curry doesn't get hurt, their draft position probably improves such that they don't get both Barnes & Green in the following draft, and that might be just as lucky as the team-friendly contract.

Would we really say that's who Cousins is? Was he on that trajectory? Probably. But the track record for NBAers coming back from an Achilles injury is...not good. He played well this year, but that was in a role that let him do what he could, rather than what the team needed. Since then, Jokic has clearly passed him for best true center in the league, Gobert has been and continues to be better defensively, and AD/Giannis are better in the 5 with small lineups. He'll have to show that level again to get back in that conversation, I think. I hope he does, even if he's more laughably volatile than Rasheed Wallace on Ritalin.

Conference finals are set. Who ya got??? I don't think Portland has enough consistency and depth of shooting to hang with GS, and I don't think Toronto has enough bench to hang with Milwaukee (they only went 7 deep in that game 7 vs. Philly). GS in 5-6, Milwaukee in 7 sounds about right.

I like how that shot was an argument against Kawhi being a robot specifically designed to play basketball, because his teammates mobbed him and he was losing it, too. But it's also an argument *for* him being a robot specifically designed to play basketball, because he made the damned shot.

Can we just put one of these teams in the East so they can meet each other in the Finals next year?

Well, by the same shoddy logic that preserves 2014 "Tony says 'Who?'" Gamora, you could wave away all those potentially tragic un-dustings as people who landed "safely" because the Gauntlet read his intentions and just air-mailed them to their homes, like babies dropped off by the stork. The Stark Stork? Pretty sure the space station just picked up my eye roll. Time Travel Sucks. But was Laura Barton really using the same cell? Maybe it was a landline and Clint covered the upkeep on the farm. Pics or it didn't happen that it was his wife's cell and not a landline. Those are still things.

Some of it is that. A fair amount, too, is that maybe this team is just better off without Kyrie Irving. Rozier, Brown, and Tatum all played better last year, knowing they had to go out and do it themselves. Irving seemed to just be in the way of that. If they can bring back Horford, and Hayward goes back at all to being himself, then they're still in good shape. They don't need to blow up these guys in order to get Anthony Davis. They need these guys to start realizing they can go toe-to-toe with the likes of Davis, or Irving, or whoever, and rise to the occasion. Giannis's teammates are a good example of a group doing just that.

In the 'not at all news to anyone' department, Joe Namath talks about being an alcoholic. But man, does he ever sound like the real-life blueprint for BoJack Horseman. All we need is an oppressive maternal figure. And a cotton candy machine.