If you don't know the "baller" in this pic, you're not alone (His name is DeAndre Jordan)
As glorious and entertaining as the Lakers are, as I'm reading the "Sports" section of the Los Angeles Times, I can't help but stare at the nearby Clippers article. I wonder if the position of "Clippers beat writer" is an intern position over at the Times. Anyway, as my eyes wonder towards the recap of a Clippers game, I realize that the Clippers may quite possibly be the least noticed franchise in basketball. In addition, players who go there have gone from passionate, hard-working and lovable players to nonchalant and passive individuals, most of whom have eventually grown restless with the organization.
Example: Baron Davis. I know I'll never forget when Baron Davis guided the #8 Warriors past MVP Dirk No-Whiskey and the #1 Mavs. Think of Baron as the Obama of that series; he was young, popular, and otherwise forced us to reconsider the definition of "favorite" and "underdog." But after being traded to the Clippers in the summer of last year, he has grown frustrated with the number of losses - and thus, lack of victories - and told the L.A. Times just a few weeks ago that this was the least enjoyable season in his entire career. The saddest thing for Baron might be missing the playoffs, which is almost a guarentee when you're on the roster of the Clippers.
Another Clipper who used to be praised by analysts and was an essential addition to any fantasy team, is Marcus Camby. When Andre Miller (another player who had a horrible stint with the C's) was on Denver, and throwing alley-oop after alley-oop, nobody could stop Camby from finishing with an emphatic dunk. Even after Andre Miller left, Camby continued to prosper in the Rockies as he developed a post-up game. Plus, his defenisve tenacity just added to his unparalleled repetoire. This season, as a Clipper, lagged by injuries, Camby continued to stay consistent but never really found a solid rythm. I know I certainly don't recall Charles Barker or "The Jet" making any references to the big fella, while last year he was the center of TNT praise.
However, I have just enough respect for the Red, White, and Blue to finish on a positive note. The only bright spot for this squad seems to be Eric Gordon. He continues to develop his skills and reminds me of Danny Granger when he first entered the league - a sleeper who will become very dangerous in the near future. If the Clippers can keep him and the rest of the team healthy, they could develop into a playoff-caliber club. But that's a lot to ask from a JV team.
Dope Jam of the Day
Get Your Boots On (Justice Remix) - U2 - One of the things that truly amazes me about this song, is Justice's vision. Instead of buying into the current trend of overlapping rap with electro, they chose to blaze their own path and remix a pop hit that probably wasn't in the era of their fans (20-year old electroheads). Besides my admiration for not remixing a rap song, Justice does an exceptional job of keeping the beats strong and "dancy," while also keeping lyrics extremely relevant. And the obvious point of praise: How many people can successfully produce a dance remix of U2?
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