TEN!

POP THAT CHAMPAGNE!



Yes, kids, that is $6 Brut California Champagne, or as I like to call it, the beer of champagnes. It the most symbolic way I could have possibly celebrated this Nets win. Don't get me wrong - every time the Nets win, it makes the day a little brighter. But, let's take a step back. That was their 10th win of the season. They are 48 games out of first place. They suck.

There are still plenty of reasons for hope. I absolutely loved the 60 Minutes interview of Prokhorov - can't wait to see him in action. And, as Nets All New points out so astutely - there will be something new each month for the next four months. But you know what will not be happening? Winning meaningful games.

Every offseason is exciting for NBA fans. New rookies, new free agents, and, in some cases, a new coaching staff. But, I'm sick of the hype, the predictions, the trade rumors, etc. And I know, at some point, I'll be contributing to this. But, this season is a sobering reminder: just give us results.

For now, I'll just sit back and watch the rest of the NBA Playoffs, and reacquaint myself with how the game is supposed to be played. If anybody cares, I'm throwing my support behind Cleveland. I know that makes me sound like a front-runner, but out of all the teams I've watched this season, the LeBrons were the most aesthetically pleasing. It was basketball the way it was meant to be, and the camaraderie reminded me of the 01-02 Nets.

As for now, congrats to the Nets who tried this season: Keyon, Devin, Courtney, Brook, Terrence, Boone, and the Hump. You all deserve a sip from the Brut. The rest get Natty Light.

Two Anniversaries!

Tomorrow will mark the one year anniversary of Slippery When Nets! I would like to take a moment to give my thanks to all my readers. It is your comments, e-mails, and death threats that have made this blog so much fun to write. I hope it is fun for you to read! Stay strong Nets fans, hopefully the tone of this blog will change next year.

But, why I am I writing this today? Wouldn't it make more sense tomorrow? Glad I asked myself these questions! Today marks the 15th anniversary of the first Nets game I went to! My memory isn't that strong, but I do remember my early basketball trips went like this: first game was Knicks versus Jazz, then Nets versus Jazz, then Nets versus Knicks. Not sure why my parents took me to so many Jazz games, but hell, I was just pysched to be seeing live NBA action. Through the joy that is basketball-reference.com, I was able to pinpoint the exact dates: the Knicks/Jazz game was January 14, 1995, the Nets-Jazz game was March 17, 1995, and the Nets-Knicks game was April 2, 1995. Not surprisingly, the Nets lost both those games. I should have taken that as a sign to abandon ship immediately and take up following the Florida Marlins.

But, I have to say, with a deep breath and sigh, that I liked the past 15 years. They made the playoffs 7 years, won 4 division titles, and made the Finals twice. I got to watch an MVP candidate and first-ballot Hall-of-Famer in his prime. And, while there have been traumatic losses (including this season), at least there were very few playoff gut-wrenchers, as the Nets never lost a series where they had home-court advantage. Aside from the teams that have won championships (Chicago, San Antonio, the Lakers, Detroit, Miami, and Boston), I'd say the Nets' last 15 years can compare favorably to most of the other franchises.

That being said, I really hope I am saying this again in another 15 years. The future is questionable in regards to free agent signings and draft picks (there's a 75% chance of being unhappy with the result). As any sports fan should, I am bracing for the worst.