in which mike bibby makes a chump of himself.

i used to have respect for mike bibby, despite him being on a few teams i didn't particularly like, and being a royal pain in the ncaa (for my teams, at least). i don't think he was successful in his efforts to "take heat" off his younger players. for what it's worth, the globe gave him some pretty positive press until he insulted the fans. bandwagon or not (and even i can admit that i see a ton of new fans now. what a change from the emptiness of the last few years.) they love the team. and insulting the fans is equivalent to spitting on someone's doorstep before you walk into their house. just plain rude.

mike bibby made himself look like a chump, even with his post game commentary! calling everyone who booed you a bandwagon fan? more like painting yourself to be even more of a jerk. and people here liked him before - as was evident from the game at the beginning of march, if for no other reason than having eddie house as a brother in law. i respected him for being a bibby! he mentored rondo! and he calls it a strategic move so he can alleviate the pressure on his teammates?

it's only strategy if it's worth something in the end. if you're looking rattled in the fourth, after 48 solid minutes of booing you've brought upon yourself, your strategy backfired. if your star player fouls out and isn't on his a-game, and you can't produce a good scenario for your teammates, your strategy backfired. consider me a jumper onto the bibby sucks bandwagon.

it's exciting to live in a town that FINALLY cares about basketball again. i like football, i like baseball, but i'm one of those people who's legitimately upset when march madness is over, who finally re-embraced the nba a few years ago after losing the love thanks to george shinn in charlotte (and MAN i loved the hornets when i was a kid).i love basketball. i love this team. i love this roster, especially. i don't appreciate bibby's commentary, and i definitely don't appreciate his comments about perk.

perk is a beast.

it must be tough to be in atlanta, one of the most fickle towns for sports ever. but i have to say - you have to have fans in the first place to have fairweather fans. it takes the celtics going down there to pack that place. oh wait.

TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE FOR GAME THREE!

last night, in the garden, you couldn't hear the announcers over the bibby jeers. it's unlike anything i've experienced in the games this year. so loud, almost electric. i love the energy i get from it, i love how everyone around me is totally into it. the playoffs are amazing. and three cheers to kg for his defensive POY award - and bringing the team over to accept it with him..

i will admit the following:

1) i have a soft spot for al horford. why? the shimmy. 110% the shimmy in the final game of the ncaa tournament. hawks fans are missing out on massive merchandising possibilities. just imagine: the al horford jack in the box, you turn the crank, and mini horford pops out and shimmies. i should work for the nba. hook a lady up.

2) holy crap, acie law iv. i want you on my team in two years, provided that you're not injury riddled. acie stepped up his game majorly yesterday. i think out of the group i went with, i was the only one as impressed as i was. i think he's been overshadowed with horford on his team (and horford's pretty damn good for a rookie), but law's got a lot of potential.

3) rondo's better.

4) kg couldn't get that fadeaway jumper for the life of him last night. he finally got into the groove, but a little bit late.

5) i'm concerned about the lakers.

6) the dancers with the gino shirts are unnecessary. gino's getting played out. if we win a trophy, i hope gino gets retired, instead of beaten to death.

cheers everyone!

sam