I wish that Gasol and Howard were in good health. I wish them a speedy recovery.
There is no player that I love hating more than Kobe Bryant ("Shananana, hey hey hey, goood bye!"). What I love about him is that he is every inch the entitled a**hole star: he's rude to his team-mates, that thing in Colorado, allegations of cheating on his wife, seemingly mean spirited; grew up rich, entitled, snotty. ...but he is so [dang] good. And there is no team I love hating more than the Lakers. Everything breaks their way. They have so much money. All these plastic celebrities attend their games. They've missed the playoffs like, twice, in the last thirty years (but check my math). It's a joy to hate such a great team.
The Heat are pretenders at the throne. Salary cap considerations, or a key injury will ruin them in due course. Miami will never be a dynasty like Boston, or the Lakers. They're just not in our category. That's not meant to be derisive - just a statement of fact.
I don't want to see that guy lose at half strength. And I don't want that team to lose without all of its crappy entitlements. I want them to have every advantage - and then I want to beat them.
There's gloating, and then there's GLOATING. And I want to be able to GLOAT. I'll never feel as satisfied beating the "Oklahoma City Thunder," or the "Los Angeles Clippers," as I would beating the LAKERS. The Fakers.
How amazing was that chant in '08? Tell me you could have felt that good about beating any other team.
Speedy recovery Pau! Speedy recovery Dwight!
We need you to be healthy so we can kick your ass.