Comments for The Ugliest Guitar http://theugliestguitar.com the projects and thoughts of Andrew Tobolowsky Tue, 26 Jul 2011 18:36:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on Israel 2 by Mackenzie http://theugliestguitar.com/archives/671/comment-page-1#comment-743 Mackenzie Tue, 26 Jul 2011 18:36:46 +0000 http://theugliestguitar.com/?p=671#comment-743 Andrew! I'm sincerely enjoying the Israel travelogue portion of your blog (travelblogue?). It's educational AND entertaining. More more! Andrew! I’m sincerely enjoying the Israel travelogue portion of your blog (travelblogue?). It’s educational AND entertaining. More more!

]]> Comment on The NBA Draft: The Biggest Myth by Eoin Gubbins http://theugliestguitar.com/archives/653/comment-page-1#comment-712 Eoin Gubbins Fri, 24 Jun 2011 13:46:11 +0000 http://theugliestguitar.com/?p=653#comment-712 That's fair...if you're always looking for stars. If you accept that definite stars are just incredibly rare and when they do come along it's hard to tell them apart from the also-rans, I think it's ok to take a project and hope he can become that. Gasol did play for Barcelona, for a little while, he mostly played for Girona though...and he was still a project, he wasn't good when he came over but he worked hard and got in shape and suddenly he's a very good player. But look, you can rarely predict who'll be a star and who won't, otherwise Dirk and Pierce wouldn't have been so low their draft year. Chad Ford has a good piece on Grantland about what a crapshoot the draft is. I think you're very much underselling the project move though - it's too easy to focus on the times it didn't work. But yeah the Dirk clones never seem to work out. That’s fair…if you’re always looking for stars. If you accept that definite stars are just incredibly rare and when they do come along it’s hard to tell them apart from the also-rans, I think it’s ok to take a project and hope he can become that. Gasol did play for Barcelona, for a little while, he mostly played for Girona though…and he was still a project, he wasn’t good when he came over but he worked hard and got in shape and suddenly he’s a very good player. But look, you can rarely predict who’ll be a star and who won’t, otherwise Dirk and Pierce wouldn’t have been so low their draft year. Chad Ford has a good piece on Grantland about what a crapshoot the draft is. I think you’re very much underselling the project move though – it’s too easy to focus on the times it didn’t work. But yeah the Dirk clones never seem to work out.

]]> Comment on The NBA Draft: The Biggest Myth by Andrew http://theugliestguitar.com/archives/653/comment-page-1#comment-711 Andrew Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:25:52 +0000 http://theugliestguitar.com/?p=653#comment-711 I'm certain that, actually, it has worked some. Manute Bol is a decent example though it's pretty likely he never was as good as he could be. And Serge Ibaka is a good example. Gasol played for FC Barcelona for two years before he went to the NBA. Also, Ian Mahinmi hitting that shot was great, but it did only turn a 7 point lead into a 9 point lead. What I'm talking about is these grainy video of these Serbian guys who seem to be able to both shoot and dribble (the next Dirk) and these huge, jumping African guys (the next Hakeem). It never happens. Manute, incidentally, had more blocked shots than points scored in his career. It's not like they're all busts, either, but I can't think of a single example in which a player with all that supposed talent has turned out to be a star in the NBA. And none of those guys you've named were or are stars. I’m certain that, actually, it has worked some. Manute Bol is a decent example though it’s pretty likely he never was as good as he could be. And Serge Ibaka is a good example. Gasol played for FC Barcelona for two years before he went to the NBA. Also, Ian Mahinmi hitting that shot was great, but it did only turn a 7 point lead into a 9 point lead. What I’m talking about is these grainy video of these Serbian guys who seem to be able to both shoot and dribble (the next Dirk) and these huge, jumping African guys (the next Hakeem). It never happens. Manute, incidentally, had more blocked shots than points scored in his career.

It’s not like they’re all busts, either, but I can’t think of a single example in which a player with all that supposed talent has turned out to be a star in the NBA. And none of those guys you’ve named were or are stars.

]]> Comment on The NBA Draft: The Biggest Myth by Eoin You Obviously Know Who This Is http://theugliestguitar.com/archives/653/comment-page-1#comment-710 Eoin You Obviously Know Who This Is Thu, 23 Jun 2011 08:24:18 +0000 http://theugliestguitar.com/?p=653#comment-710 Alright, stall the ball there my friend. No project has EVER worked out? Either you're being EXTREMELY selective about what you call a project, or you're out of your damn mind. Serge Ibaka? Marc Gasol? Kirilenko stayed in Europe for a couple of years after he was drafted, but he was eighteen and raw when he was drafted. Ginobili's European career didn't really take off until after he was drafted (I know he was a second round pick). Manute Bol played exactly one year of D2 basketball. I'm not saying there haven't been plenty of ridicuous busts through people selecting 'projects', but it certainly HAS worked out a bunch of times. Hell, there was a game in the Finals the Mavs didn't look like winning without Ian Mahinmi. Alright, stall the ball there my friend. No project has EVER worked out? Either you’re being EXTREMELY selective about what you call a project, or you’re out of your damn mind. Serge Ibaka? Marc Gasol? Kirilenko stayed in Europe for a couple of years after he was drafted, but he was eighteen and raw when he was drafted. Ginobili’s European career didn’t really take off until after he was drafted (I know he was a second round pick). Manute Bol played exactly one year of D2 basketball. I’m not saying there haven’t been plenty of ridicuous busts through people selecting ‘projects’, but it certainly HAS worked out a bunch of times. Hell, there was a game in the Finals the Mavs didn’t look like winning without Ian Mahinmi.

]]> Comment on Fintan 1 by Jemma Castle http://theugliestguitar.com/archives/570/comment-page-1#comment-643 Jemma Castle Tue, 16 Nov 2010 14:15:28 +0000 http://theugliestguitar.com/?p=570#comment-643 I want to read more about Fintan ;) his history and his future I want to read more about Fintan ;) his history and his future

]]> Comment on by Nathan Jernigan http://theugliestguitar.com/archives/435/comment-page-1#comment-523 Nathan Jernigan Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:34:19 +0000 http://theugliestguitar.com/?p=435#comment-523 Anecdote Man? Anecdote Man?

]]> Comment on by Kirsten http://theugliestguitar.com/archives/353/comment-page-1#comment-284 Kirsten Mon, 05 Oct 2009 05:26:28 +0000 http://theugliestguitar.com/?p=353#comment-284 After studying neuro & psych, and working in an imaging lab that focused on attentional processes, I have a task for you. http://www.members.shaw.ca/gf3/circle-the-cat.html Go to that website at approximately 3 am, no matter the state you are in. Play the game until you win. Repeat up to 4 times in 24 hour periods for as many consecutive days as possible, occasionally varying the time of play between 2 am-5 am. I make no promises... but you'll either be dead or a genius after one week. 50/50 shot of becoming impenetrably focused at any hour gives you pretty decent odds ;) PS Don't ACTUALLY do that. But if you do, and happen to become a genius, write a book and credit me. And pay me portions of your profit. Seriously. The bay area is expensive After studying neuro & psych, and working in an imaging lab that focused on attentional processes, I have a task for you.
http://www.members.shaw.ca/gf3/circle-the-cat.html
Go to that website at approximately 3 am, no matter the state you are in. Play the game until you win. Repeat up to 4 times in 24 hour periods for as many consecutive days as possible, occasionally varying the time of play between 2 am-5 am.
I make no promises… but you’ll either be dead or a genius after one week. 50/50 shot of becoming impenetrably focused at any hour gives you pretty decent odds ;)
PS Don’t ACTUALLY do that. But if you do, and happen to become a genius, write a book and credit me. And pay me portions of your profit. Seriously. The bay area is expensive

]]> Comment on by PGALC http://theugliestguitar.com/archives/328/comment-page-1#comment-97 PGALC Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:22:43 +0000 http://theugliestguitar.com/?p=328#comment-97 You only need about 25% of your liver for it to regenerate into a whole liver. I think you'll be fine... at least until this weekend. You only need about 25% of your liver for it to regenerate into a whole liver. I think you’ll be fine… at least until this weekend.

]]>