Me[h]mo to the Haters: "They Create Open Shots for Me"

In my first NBA fantasy draft, I took Mehmet Okur with my 11th round pick, the 61st overall. And my Jazz-guzzling coworkers derided me for it big time, thinking the 11th round was way too early. After tonight’s performance, I think my 11th round pick was a bargain.

One rebound short of a double-double, MehmO. dropped in 22 points on 9-14 shooting to lead the Jazz to a seven-point victory over the Blazers. Taste it! I had my doubts through three quarters, but the Jazz came through in the clutch with a 29-point fourth quarter. What’s not to like about that?

Especially cool was the clinching pass and finish from Andrei Kirilenko to Carlos Boozer with 30 seconds left in the game. I was impressed and happy for the Jazz, even though our friends in Vegas may have been a little disappointed that the Jazz had to hit that last free-throw and barely beat the 6.5-point spread.

Eddie’s Observations

*What’s with the same old intro' music? I think that was cool back in the early nineties. I’m no expert, of course, but how about something original?

*Jerry Sloan waited all the way until the lights came back, after introductions and his first appearance on camera, before unbuttoning his top button and loosening his tie. Why even bother? Or is it a tradition? I’m an ardent respecter of traditions, so if that’s the case, please disregard. Moving on…

*At least twice, announcer Ron Boone brought up random family tidbits about a Portland player. These comments were hurried, awkward and irrelevant to the flow of the game. Pssssst: I don’t care. Save it for a blow-out.

*Speaking of Boone, did anyone else have a hard time understanding his mumble-mumble-mummba-what!? What happened, did Hot Rod Hundley leave his bottle under the bench?

*By far, the loudest cheers of the night came in response to a handsome white-boy dropping treys. That Kyle is such a dream…

*In a close second were the cheers from the New Zealand Heartland Rugby team: “These chicks that are dancing—love these outfits! Hey mate…mate…” I wonder what Gilly had to say next.

*It would have been so much easier for me to recognize Jeff Hornacek in the studio if he would have rubbed his cheek each time he talked.

*After watching the gold-medal game, I’m a big fan of Rudy Fernandez. At one point in the third quarter he stopped a nine-point Jazz run with a big three-pointer. I was dying for just one r-rolling FerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrNANdezzz. I need to check out the Portland broadcasts.

*Was it just me, or did Brevin Knight enjoy having Steve Blake’s foot in between his legs just a little too much in helping Blake stay in-bounds on that random sideline play?

*Unofficially, the game was broadcast in high-def on Comcast Channel 664. Officially, Comcast Channel 664, the MOJO station, (according to my programming guide) was showing “Getting Abroad,” “Pressure Cook,” and “After Hours with Daniel.”