Rafe Bartholomew on the Ultimate All-Star Weekend

Here is another splendid article from Rafe Bartholomew, the author of "Pacific Rims," that discusses how the whole Smart Ultimate All-Star Weekend was cooked and served by MVP, former RP Coach Chot Reyes, and those responsible for speaking and negotiating for Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, et al. Here are some of the highlights of the article:

• Assuming that MVP has the best interests f the public in mind, we can safely say that it's not entirely about the money. C'mon around eight hundred bucks to be in Upper B?
• Kobe not only got game. He's game for these events. Thankfully, the rest were, too, and did not act like demanding divas.
• There you go, the bright side of the NBA lockout.
• Finally, imagine the ecstasy that this event brought to all fans, whether they're watching live or on T

And here's the video from the article:

(Exhibition) Game Notes: Smart Ultimate All Star Weekend (Smart All-Stars vs. PBA All-Stars) Sunday, July 24, 2011

Smart NBA All-Stars 131, PBA All-stars 105

-Such a rare sight to see Kobe Bryant and Derrick Rose play together. Even though we have seen the usual Kobe Bryant moves (his dunks and his shake-n-bake jumper over Arwind Santos), one of that night's highlights was the play he set in order to give space for Derrick Rose and dish it to the MVP for a dunk. This is one thing that one wouldn't see in an All-Star game, assuming that Rose wouldn't cross borders and go over the West.

-Heads up to Arwind Santos who did most of the scoring throughout the game, as he played as a two or three and tried to match the energy level of the NBA players. Sol Mercado should be given credit as well, who did a few splendid plays when NBA Union president Derek Fisher was guarding him. Were they trying to catch the eyes of the team scouts who went along with Bryant and the rest of the Smart All- stars? Hmm.

-Despite the fact that it is an exhibition game, it was quite satisfying that the locals aren't totally intimidated with the NBA stars. The 5'10" L.A. Tenorio even tried to drive past three Smart All-Stars for a lay-up, which unfortunately missed. Although taken lightly, this event somehow suggests that we can really match the intensity of the NBA games, despite the fact that Filipino players will just be totally owned by the guys from the NBA when taken seriously.

-For one night, JaVale McGee became an in-game dunker for real. He had a lot of jams in the game, thanks to the likes of Chris Paul and James Harden who gave him alley-oop passes. Late at the game, he delivered a huge tomahawk and ran from one end to another, just in time to block Rabeh Al-Hussaini. Magnificent. Hopefully, he can do this in the NBA.

-Kobe, to a certain extent, took seriously the job of a player-coach. He became more of a distributor than primary scorer, and he was the one who worked out the substitution scheme for the Smart All-Stars.

-Derrick Williams is a real talent, and the Filipino basketball community is lucky enough to have witnessed a sneak preview of what he can do in the NBA. He can shoot. He can do flash passes. He can score from the inside. Will he be the showtime player of this year's batch of rookies? Well, we haven't seen top draft Kyrie Irving yet, so it's too early to judge.

-In the middle of the second quarter, the lineup of the PBA All-Stars was composed of the following: Ryan Reyes, L.A. Tenorio, Larry Fonacier, JC Intal, and Rabeh Al-Hussaini. Perhaps it's not surprising that there are four former Blue Eagles alums playing together against NBA stars. Wasn't there any Lasallian? But then again, we're talking about an MVP Foundation-sponsored event, so it's not totally surprising at all. It feels good to go back to the struggling yet glorious days of the Blue Eagles, post-2002 championship, and here were those who proudly donned the white and blue, bringing out their best against America's finest ballers.

-It was an amazing night for everyone, most especially for the PBA stars who had the great honor of playing against these great players. They even had to stop their warmup to watch the Smart All-Stars have their own (with a few of them putting on a show with their dunks). Al-Hussaini was spotted entering the court with a large illustration board, where he asked the Smart All-Stars for an autograph and trotting like a seven year old kid in the court before the game.

Photo from the Chicago Tribune

You've Got 21 Questions?

Insterestingly, Hawks Center Etan Thomas maintains a blog under Hoopshype.com, and he has something called "21 Questions," which is, well, basically 21 questions that discuss some prominent issues about basketball in America. And of course, for the sake of generating public opinion and having a say on such "important matters," here are some points to consider.

[Just see the blog for Thomas' questions]

On Question 2
The Wes Leonard incident sends an important message across all high school sports programs abroad: One, be strict with the medical tests that their players would have to undergo. Two, school should NOT let players who have potential medical problems to participate in tournaments that might put their health in danger.

On Question 3
Why should the NBA have a separate protocol implemented for concussions, when this should be normally included in the league's procedures for handling injuries in general. Shouldn't concussions be included as one of the common possible injuries that a player can have?

On Question 4
Blake Griffin should move soon. Moving, but at the same time, staying? Do you even get what this means?

On Question 7
Chris Bosh might not have been the only one who cried, but certainly, he cried the saddest tears of his life. Enjoy being in South Beach, Bosh.

On Question 11
Here is something debatable. It is true that the Thunder rose and became a contender despite being a small market, and this could imply that there simply is no disadvantage for those who do not "begin big," so to say. It is also true (and laudable at that) that proper management plays a big part in making teams successful. But then, come to think about it. If Kevin Durant bailed out on the Thunder, could they have the same level of recovery as the Lakers or the Celtics had during the past years? I don't think so. Maybe at this point, fans can curse and cry foul over the inequality that exists in the NBA.

On Question 12
Easy topic to tackle for employees. Of course, you can't openly rant about your boss. 'Nuff said. On the other hand, it appears that David Stern, especially this year, seems to be a tyrant of some sorts, all, as the upper level management claims, for the benefit of the NBA. Yes, Etan, interesting.

On Questions 16-18
It's good to hear that Union director Billy Hunter has already stepped in (never mind Woj's angle to it, we know that he's one of the worst, according to public opinion, columnists of Y! Sports) to do the negotiations, proof enough that the players would want to avoid a lockout. But when worse comes to worst, would both parties agree on something definite just to prevent this lockout? And also, if it is in the interest of the league (and the players as well) to have another 82-game season, why did they not process this at an earlier date?

Also, the proposal to split revenues and get rid of the salary cap makes sense. Teams can spend without any limit, signing anyone by as little or by as much, while the NBA benefits by getting half of whatever these teams earn. But the question is, will this be actually beneficial to small-market teams, and to some extent, those who belong to the big-market ones?

On Question 21
Since this blog has a bias towards the Purple and Gold, it would be worthwhile to entertain Thomas' question with these three words: Everybody Loves L.A…. And Kobe, especially.