Cheers Dane…love the confidence. Hopefully we’re all kicking back with some decent beer celebrating tomorrow night. Although I keep hearing The Wolf’s wise words from Pulp Fiction – ‘Let’s not start sucking each others d…. just yet!’

Happy to put a smile on the face a QLDer…share the prosperity I say. Although you’ve scared me half to death with that last sentence. Ricky will really struggle to combat that game plan.

And I did try fit Myles in, but there are some things that even science can’t properly explain

Harsh but fair…although I was aiming for irritating over galling

Forget Todd Carney…try researching this piece and ignoring all the references to Joel Monaghan!!!

Hey Chris…The Big Show puts you in good company with Phil Rothfield, Dean Ritchie, Danny Weidler and Rebecca Wilson. An esteemed group if ever there was one

Sounds like the World Health Organisation has to down tools in Northern Africa and South East Asia to concentrate their efforts on Australia’s eastern seaboard. Very scary.

Julian O’Neil and Hoppa both in the same article. Outstanding. One wonders what would have transpired if they ever took the field together. It could have been Julian’s dream or Hoppa’s worst nightmare.

Had to give the maroons something. Plus I got a parking ticket recently, so they slipped down my list.

Long live the greatest back line in history…the 80’s eels!!!

Ageed. With his size, strength and speed he should be making a far greater impact in defense, as well as the kick chase, which for mine are the best markers of effort

My psychologist told me I was never to mention Thorman again. Thanks for helping throw away years of productive therapy not to mentioned thousands of $$$. And I was just starting to feel human again

You’ve got me there James…it’s tough being an Eels fan, but I’d gouge my own eyes out if I had to barrack for Souths. You’ve helped turn a sh#tty day around!!! Cheers

Love the wrestling analogy mushi!

The problem with Parra is we can’t seem to retain a lot of the phenomenal talent that comes through our junior development program. I don’t know if it’s a case of not identifying talent at a really early stage, like Paul Gallen, poor retention e.g. T-Rex, or bad cap management…but it’s been a major issue for the Eels for decades now

Cheers M.O.C. I agree there is some level of progression. On the evolutionary scale a QLDer has to rank somewhere below a spider monkey and above a parking officer

The list of folks who’d like to inflict a little pain on me is long and distinguished. Welcome to the club. Unfortunately Parra’s stuck with me…the same way I’m stuck with them. What’s really sad is that I’ve already imprinted the Eels onto my two toddlers…inflicting a long life of pain and suffering onto two innocents. Is that a mortal sin I wonder?

You and almost everyone else in the state…probably most Eels fans too, who are ready to throw in the towel and start supporting the Western Sydney Wanderers if they show the slightest bit of ticker

Don’t get me started on Hayne…the mark philippoussis of league. All the physical gifts in the world, but a lazy f#cker.

Take you’re point on 2001…but I feel like it’s a little more than just being outplayed. We choked in 1998 against the Dogs, and bottled it the following year against the Storm. Then the performance in 2001, followed by a massive let down in 2002 to the Cowboys. Was it Brian Smith needing some advanced nasal spray to help get things up, or a touch of the Greg Norman’s in the big situation?

Hey Brett…I think you just offended the extinct Neanderthal’s of the world by calling me a nethanderal. They won’t be happy. I’ll happily take the nethanderal tag though. It’s better than being a Queenslander

Terrible idea. Whilst the economic rationale can’t be questioned, from a footballing perspective it would dilute the talent pool. What’s so great about this tournament is that we’ve already seen germany v holland, Germany v Portugal, England v France, Spain v Italy with Italy v England and Spain v France coming. Thats was separates the euro and creates such interest. Every match is vital, and is so often a heavyweight clash. Plus, the shortened route to the finals increases the chances of various winners e.g Greece and Denmark.. Get through the group stage and you’re three wins from being champion. Adding an extra eight teams is going to separate the big teams through seeding, and make it harder for smaller nations to win, as evidenced by the world cup, which only has a handful of likely victors each time

Nothing like a military style frisking from a serious Pole to set you up for a good afternoon, although you should have negotiated for the trophy wife instead of the tickets (he would have taken the money!!!), administered your own military frisking, and head off for a real beer

Hey mushi. A thousand apologies. I had my mum’s birthday dinner yesterday evening, and unfortunately the old lady’s birthday is one of the few things that will trump sports banter, mores the pity.

Few quick points:

1. Thank God for people like you. I thought I had a lot of time on my hands, but you’ve taken things to a whole new level. Great stuff.
2. Seriously though, you’re not related to LeBron are you???
3. The line about skewing stats was meant for the global “I” not the individual “I” e.g. stats can be skewed, or anyone can skew stats. Like Hollinger’s PER and the +/-, which only tell a certain part of the tale. I didn’t mean you’ve done any skewing..have you? I hope you didn’t take too much offense.
4. Hat’s off to your fantastic research. If LeBron plays with the same tenacity you’ve displayed he’ll probably elevate his game and end up proving me right.
5. I still maintain that if you watch each one of Jordan’s 4Q finals appearances and compare them with LeBron, you’ll notice that Jordan is never hanging around the baseline past the 3 point line for multiple plays. LeBron’s not the only one guilty. OKC goes through possessions where Durant doesn’t touch the ball in the 4th…he could do with a little more ‘eff you’ also.
6. Advanced stats are great…but nothing compares to actually watching the game to help formulate an opinion. Heaven forbid we sports fans start watching sports!!!

You’re a good egg mushi. Keep roaring. And say hi to LeBron at the next family function.

Here endeth the lesson!

Lies, damned lies and statistics.

The great thing about stats is that you can skew them to tell any story you want. I can’t argue against the usage rates you’ve quoted. But I guarantee if you watch the games you’ll notice long stretches of play where he’s just not involved in the offense.

At present Miami has only two capable playmakers, James and Wade. I’d expect LeBron’s fourth quarter usage rate as a percentage to increase simply because you’d hate to have the ball in the hands of Chalmers, Battier, Miller etc. So it’s usually the James and Wade show down the stretch. But because James doesn’t rest in the 4th, statistically it’s easy to say that there is an incremental increase in his usage rate, while still having patches where he’s not involved in the offense.

Watch the fourth quarter of game 2 when OKC is furiously making a comeback. There’s a stretch between the 8 and 4 minute marks where LeBron just isn’t involved. So although his usage as a percentage for the quarter might be high, the stat doesn’t account for four minutes of non activity.

I’m not trying to bash LeBron…my point is he could be so much better if he told everyone to eff of and took the ball.

There’s a theory that he’s gassed from having to do everything. If that’s the case then the coaching staff need to find a way to maximise his offensive play in the fourth quarter.

Completely agree that using only rings as the measure is limiting, but it can’t be discounted. If Dirk doesn’t lead Dallas to the title last year he probably sits behind Barkley and Malone in the list of great modern power forwards. With that amazing title winning performance he jumps ahead of them – rightly or wrongly.

If James somehow, as unlikely as it is, doesn’t win a championship in his career, years from now people will look at his stats in the same way they look at Malone, Ewing, Wilkins etc. Dominant players but not on the same level as champions. This does a massive disservice to how good James is, but is a perception that is unavoidable.

Agree on the Kobe point, but add up the rings, plus the points, plus the longevity etc. and it’s a compelling case for greatness…even if he is a d#ck

The Russell example is exactly what I’m talking about. By all account…and with the caveat that I’ve not seen Russell play…he had all the physical tools to dominate, along with a ferocious will to win that was unsurpassed. Statistically he’s not in the same league as Shaq, Kareem, Hakeem…but it’s the intangible, unmeasurable aspect of the game that makes him so great. Implant Russell’s will into LeBron’s body and he’s becomes the Terminator…simply unstoppable.

Don’t just look at the stats…which are unbelievable. I know James dominates games, and he’ll usually finish with 32 points, 9 boards, 7 assists or the like. But there are periods where he won’t be an active member of the offense. Sometimes going 4 -5 minutes…sometimes more…when he isn’t involved. It’s happened in each fourth quarter this finals. Miami could be up 3-0 if James put his foot on OKC’s throat. I don’t think this is because he’s a choker…far from it. I just think his mentality as a baller is different to a Bird or Jordan, who in fourth quarters wouldn’t let the game flow without being the primary point of contact.

The fact that James can still dominate without demanding the ball every single trip down the court is testimony to his natural greatness – he is far and away the best player on the planet. No-one is close…not even Durant who’s a phenom but isn’t the two way player and physical monster that James is.

My main point is that Jordan (and greats from other sports) brought it every time, regardless of the opponent or the prize on offer. His will to win, and his capacity to break down opponents was the point of difference. Imagine if LeBron approached his game the same way. His current domination wouldn’t even scratch the surface of his capacity to elevate his game beyond anything we’ve witnessed before. I honestly think a 45, 15, 5 line on a nightly basis wouldn’t be out of the question

Letting my emotions govern my feelings on this. I sincerely hope that Armstrong is conclusively proven to be clean. It’s not going to change the image of cycling as an unclean sport, but at least it won’t tarnish his incredible personal story…which for mine remains incredible even if he did dope. I mean the guy rose from his death bed and won seven tours. Even if he did dope, it’s still effing amazing!!!

Agreed…which is why it’s going to be so hard for James with the new enterprise bargaining agreement in the NBA increasing penalties for teams who exceed the cap. He’s got some all star teammates in Bosh and Wade, but the rest of the supporting cast is a motley collection of over the hill vets and untested rookies all on minimum contracts. Watch this space as OKC Thunder tries to keep their young core together whilst maintaining cap flexibility and a strong supporting cast all at the same time. Honestly, you need a degree in pure mathematics to successful work out the NBA cap