nba musings

Is that a threat? No! It’s a promise!
* Chad Ochocinco claims to have found loopholes in the NFL’s new Twitter policy.

From the AP:

“I’ve been really, really quiet, and there’s a storm coming Sunday. That’s one of the things that I do when I’m back: I have something. I keep you on the edge of your seat.

“NFL, I would like to apologize to you guys early. I understand. I read all the fine print in the letters you sent, but I did find loopholes. I found loopholes.”

I found loopholes. Ah yes, music to my ears. In other words, get ya popcorn ready!

Get the full scoop here: Ochocinco says he has tweet surprise for NFL

ps. I finally got around to watching Ocho’s throwdown with Skip Bayless on ESPN’s First Take. According to ESPN polls, “America” thinks Ocho won the debate by a margin of something like 70%. Well, I think America is on crack. Skip crushed it. I love me some Chad, but he was blatantly overmatched. Besides looking like he was about to cry, he also didn’t have much of a comeback for any of the points Skip made besides admitting he’s a showboat and had a bad season last year. The one good argument he made that I will give him credit for is that the media isn’t in the locker room and make a lot of assumptions based on innuendo and heresay. I believe that’s true. If you missed it, ESPN posted it to YouTube. You have to request the embed code (figures), so here’s the link instead: Ocho Vs. Skip

If you can’t believe a boozed out bisexual internet phenom, who can you believe?
* Depending on who you believe, Tila Tequila was either choked out and unlawfully restrained by “boyfriend,” Shawne Merriman – or – respectfully detained by an “acquaintance” only interested in keeping her from driving while intoxicated. More on this tawdry tale… Shawne Merriman’s lawyer: LB was seeking ride for ‘extremely intoxicated’ Tila Tequila | NFL’s Merriman accused of choking girlfriend Tila Tequila

Slick Rick
* Rick Fox is joining Melrose Place. And the jokes will clearly just write themselves.

He said, he said
* While I was away from blogdom and Twitterdom, there was a sad and tragic breakup! Ashton & Demi? No, worse! Steph and Mooncricket!! Noooooo! What the heck happened? I can only imagine. Amusingly though, the two decided to take to their respective Twitters to air it out. From what I can gather, Mooncricket got pissed about something and left casa de Starbury. Steph then implored him to come back or at least pick up the phone and call him. Alas though, it appears to be over. Oh the humanity!

Beckett bites the big one (No! I will NOT say, “pause.” That is stupid. STUPID!, I say.)
* My boyfriend, Josh Beckett, appears to be in the midst of a tragic slump. I tried to watch today’s game (CWS 5, BOS 1), but just couldn’t do it. The Josh Beckett that I know and love, rips opposing hitters’ hearts out, throws them to the ground and spits on them. I don’t want to remember him any other way.

A watched kettle finally boils
* Finally! Marquis Daniels signs on the dotted line. I like what I’m hearing from him so far: “Not many people get a chance to play with Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Rasheed Wallace. It’s a good opportunity and I’ll worry about the money later. Right now we have to worry about one thing, and that’s winning the championship this season.” Sounds like a smart guy to me. Now, lets get this season started! I’m tired of waiting. This off-season has been WAY TOO LONG! More from Boston.com: Celtics get their man

ps. Brad Penny sucks weenies
* Don’t you just love it when a guy loses games for you all season long, then gets released and pitches gems for their new team? You don’t? Yeah, me either. Suck it, Brad Penny!!

^ I won’t miss these god awful puns… at all! ^

Say it ain’t so, Ocho
* He’ll be back. Like a moth to the flame…

I swear, people left and right are trying to ruin Twitter. First, the Denver Post prints some story about J.R. Smith supposedly using gang signs on his Twitter. Yes, you heard that right. Gang signs. On his Twitter. How the hell does one accomplish THAT? By the end of the day *poof* J.R.’s Twitter is dead as disco. This royally frosts my cupcakes. Why? Because J.R. Smith is was priceless on Twitter. Simply priceless. If I had known this debacle was coming down today I would have at least taken a commemorative screen shot of his page or something. Instead, I’m stuck with this empty J.R.less existence. Not cool, Denver Post. Not cool.

Then, Ric Bucher (@RicBucher) shared the news (while still having balls enough to do so, I might add) that ESPN dropped the hammer. The hammer being a memo to their employees – including on-air personalities — that essentially seeks to cut them off at the knees in terms of what they can and can’t tweet about.

Source: http://twitter.com/RicBucher/status/3132468169

Unless it “serves” ESPN? Wha wha what?! The Worldwide Leader getting all, “I’m your master” on people. That just makes me queasy.

I realize there have to be some standards and practices. Hell, Chad Ochocinco (wait, is it “Ocho Cinco” or “Ochocinco”? Meh. F- it.) posted pictures of the Bengals’ drug test piss cups today on Twitpic. That can’t be kosher.

I commend Chad for giving fans inside access, but this might have been just a tad over the line. Just a tad.

Source: http://twitter.com/OGOchoCinco/status/3124716428

I guess we can be happy he didn’t decide we needed to see him actually pee in the cup. Aye yie yie.

Source: http://twitpic.com/cqlbd
From this tweet: http://twitter.com/OGOchoCinco/status/3124748206

So, I get it that at some point you have to create some guidelines, but ESPN and their ilk need to understand that the allure of Twitter for many people is the unfiltered access to insiders that it allows. Turn all of your associated Twitter accounts into PR machines vomiting press releases all day and just watch the follower counts drop like a lead balloon.

There has to be a happy medium. While ESPN mulls over just what that is, I hope they keep this in mind: Don’t ruin our fun!

ps. Looks like some NFL teams are cracking down. Thankfully the Bengals are not one of them!