Censored by Laurie

I think we're pretty mediocre. Talent wise, we're on par with the top teams in the SBC...as well as pretty much every team in Texas save for UT, Baylor, Tech and maybe A&M...this statement includes Houston so now you should have a pretty good idea where just talent will take you. People keep mentioning that we're lacking size inside and that will prove to be our fatal flaw this season. Sure, I would love Odufuwa to be 6'10" 250...or I would love for our 6'10" 250 guy to be Odufuwa (interpret that how you will) but we've won half the total rebounding battles, tied another and were competitive in 2 others. We're also in the top tier of the league in terms of blocked shots...and in terms of Belt scorers you have to go to number 20 and FIU's Nikola Gaecesa to find someone over 6'8"...and he prefers to stay outside. (3 other forwards in the top 20, Yates @ MTSU, Davis @ USA and Lewis @ UD). I'm not nearly as concerned with the front court as I am other areas. Like PG. Right now it isn't Josh...he has the handle, but lacks the understanding and in some cases want to make the right pass. Dominique is coming on as a distributor...and a big key to the season will be his continued development as a pass-first 1. If JJ continues to be satisfied with Josh on the ball for 35 minutes a night this team is in significant trouble. Another, less tangible, cause for concern seems to be a lack of leadership/glue. Take a look at JJ's first to seasons...15 wins in 2001, 7 in 2002...the 02 lost 2 contributors from 01- Unjel Masters, who you significantly upgraded with Michael DeGrate...and Kenneth Mangrum, your do-everything guy, shut down defender and vocal leader. Certainly I'm not suggesting Red was responsible for 8 wins...but his not being there significantly changed the team's complextion. The past few seasons we've had guys like Isaac Hines, Rich Young and Ben Bell...guys capable of bigger scoring numbers (esp. Young) but who sacrificed their individual numbers for the betterment of the team. Find that guy on this team. We have no real role players...and you combine that with suspect PG play and its a remedy for dissaster. I love JJ...and he's done much to build arguably UNT's best basketball program...I mean our typical starting 5 are 4 sophmores and a junior...the future is bright...but I question whether or not this is the season unless these very important areas see improvement.

Seems urine and Seinfeld talk are going neck and neck...and we have you to thank for pee discussion. Way to both derail and add irony...keep up the good work. Also known as the R. Kelly defense

According to his resume' he's killed 5

These ellipsis suggest an incomplete thought...

I hate Jerry Seinfeld and all Seinfeld references...the show...which has been off the air for like a decade...wasn't that funny to begin with (save for the Keith Hernandez spitting incident). Jerry himself is annoying, whiny and couldn't make a movie with a bee work...even though it starred a woman who clearly had been stung in the face by said bee...and God knows America loves a woman taking on in the face.

No love for the new show name?

Good...this should also mean fewer minutes for Adam McCoy...though if Mangrum struggles at all Josh will get 3 more minutes.

Bass and Norm have a natural reprore'...I'd like to see a regular segment from 10-12..."The Fish and the Pole"

Its what he does

uhh...lets not bring that name up on the regular board anymore...only the VIP...and the VVIP please. Carry on.

You know what I'm digging? These short, to the point, ironic replies.

The Raconteurs - Old Enough Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig, Lazarus Dig!!! Black Keys - Psychotic Girl (no video)

Couldn't agree more...their live shows are 2 or 3 songs from Hell Below...2 or 3 from No Deliverance...then the entire Rubberneck album. No Deliverance was about a week from coming out when I saw them last and Todd actually apologized for playing their new stuff. Check out the Black Keys

Stay Positive goes in two different directions...half the songs are their normal raucous sing-a-longs...the other half slow down quite a bit and show more depth, which is a bit jarring when you break out the Hold Steady...but they work for me, it took a few extra listens though, same with the new MMJ. Editors new album was good as well...saw them last winter right after the new CD dropped...great live show. Toadies are greatness...a couple of their new songs I really dug...but its so hard to hear new Toadies and try to not put it up against the genius that is Rubberneck.

Sandras? Or did you mean "bollocks"?

Who have you been talking to? Never happened.

Helped Calvin

Seems like he'd be the perfect interior compliment to an experienced high-motor, though slightly undersized defensive tackle.

Yeah...but can he catch the bubble screen?

Seconded...a million times over. Silent Alarm is still one of my all-time favorite albums...but my love for Bloc Party has since all but disapeared. The writing was on the wall in Weekend in the City as to how they were changing their sound, but the subsequent internet releases, EPs and now this new album have turned them from great Brit post-punk into glorified house music. Very disappointing...and what is worse is that I think this what their new fan base wants so they won't get the negative feedback I think they need to go back and find the Silent Alarm sound again

Not.Going.To.Happen

Since we actually had some interesting musical conversation going on the other day...and since football talk is a waste of time, I don't care about the NFL (except my dominating fantasy team) and the men's hoop team has a week off...I figured I'd throw out my top 20 albums of 2008...I always compile a list like this, then burn a bunch of CD's with a song from each and give them as X-Mas presents: 1. April by Sun Kil Moon 2. Missiles by The Dears 3. Fleet Foxes by Fleet Foxes 4. Evil Urges by My Morning Jacket 5. Consolers of the Lonely by The Raconteurs 6. For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver 7. Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds 8. The Last Tycoon by Peter Moren 9. Stay Positive by The Hold Steady 10. Attack & Release by the Black Keys 11. Stalk that Myth by Bowery Boy Blue 12. The Stand Ins by Okkervil River 13. Portland Cello Project by Various Artists 14. Narrow Stairs by Death Cab for Cutie 15. Canopy Glow by Anathallo 16. Rook by Shearwater 17. Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea by Silver Jews 18. Forfeit/Fortune by Crooked Fingers 19. Modern Guilt by Beck 20. Keep Color by The Republic Tigers Thoughts? Your additions? Haiku?

Fixed that for you.

He definitely deserved to at least take off the warm-ups in the second half...but finding him significant time last night would've been tough with the way Collin and TT were playing. Josh's play...and JJ's decision to keep Josh on the floor down the stretch bugged the hell out of me last night. 0-7, 1 assist, 5 turnovers earns you the most minutes? And clutch minutes? Even when Dominique had another really solid floor game? At the under 8 timeout JJ took Dominique out...didn't put him back in until under a minute after Josh committed back to back turnovers...yet he went in for Tristan. In my eyes he hasn't done anything this season that would merit him earning significantly more time than anyone else in the backcourt rotation. I felt at the under 8, Josh should've gotten 2 minutes to spell Dom for the stretch...I know JJ is just trying to help Josh find his confidence, but it nearly cost us another game late. Aside from the Josh dilemma...I was pretty happy with the minute distribution, especially up front. Howerton did what he can...I was even quite impressed with the mid-range jumper off the pick and roll he knocked down...but 7-10 minutes is about all you can expect from him. I do hope George's achilles is ok...that would be a huge blow.

Exactly...I'll have a lot more respect for Maddox when he does something about the south Texas Snow Monkey population