Starting up a new feature here in the Brian’s Den, just because I appreciate my readers and like to keep introducing new menu items because if you blind people with how many choices you have, no one notices the food isn’t great. It’s called Random Thoughts (I put a lot of effort into naming my segments, if you couldn’t tell) and it’s pretty much just things that I wanted to talk about that didn’t warrant a full blog. Be it small complaints, small sports takes, whatever. Got it? Good. Let’s get into it.
Do Russell Westbrook’s triple doubles mean anything?
So today I finally went to get a haircut (more on this later) and was surprised that the TV was tuned in to the take-hole that is Colin Cowherd’s FS1 show. He was debating himself on if Russell Westbrook tying Oscar Robertson’s long standing record for triple doubles actually meant anything. And I’ve heard both sides of it, from people saying it’s totally meaningless to he unquestionably deserves MVP. While my full thoughts on his MVP-candidacy are coming soon, I have to say it’s stupid to say the record is meaningless. It has to mean something. It’s undeniable that the media has grown absolutely obsessed with triple doubles. If you have 33 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists you had a bad game. It’s kind of cheapened them, in a weird way. But even still, it shows how much he does on the court. I mean, sure, his teammates work harder boxing out their man so Russell can get uncontested rebounds than anyone has ever tried for anything and he has the ball in his hands every second he’s on the court so it’d be more impressive if he wasn’t averaging 10 assists, but it has to mean something. No one’s done what he’s doing in fifty years. That’s impressive no matter what it is. But it shouldn’t mean he’s a shoo-in for MVP, though, either. If the argument for him as MVP is entirely based on him averaging a triple double, would he not be MVP if he was averaging 9 rebounds a game? Everyone loses the ability to think rationally when it comes to triple doubles. It’s an incredibly impressive statistical feat, but he’s also on a team that’s not going to do anything in the playoffs and the fact that he’s the biggest ball hog of all time might actually be holding them back. He’s not the MVP.
I got a new phone
I’m finally taking myself out of the stone age and getting a new cell phone. No longer will my pictures look like cave drawings. No longer will I have to delete three apps every time I want to take a video. No longer will my phone conveniently fit into one hand, since all the new phones are the size of a small book. I go the Verizon store, tell my man Reggie I need a new phone, and I perused their various wares. A lot of great options, no doubt, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Some have facial recognition. Some are waterproof and don’t need cases. Some have professional-quality cameras and video editing software built in. Some are literally more powerful than a supercomputer. Some jerk you off and wipe your ass at the same time. Pretty much the only negative I saw is that the iPhone 7 Plus doesn’t have a headphone jack anymore. Unless you buy an adaptor or have bluetooth headphones, you can’t charge the phone and have headphones in at the same time. It’s stupid and annoying and I hate it. Needless to say, I went with the iPhone 7 Plus.
Haircut Update
For any of you who remember my barber dilemma, I finally mustered the courage to go out and get a haircut, and, shamefully, I couldn’t get myself to go to a different place. I walked in, and standing in the same place as always was my barber. He didn’t move. He didn’t even go on vacation! I have absolutely no idea what he was talking about the last time I went. Whatever, at least I look good. That’s all that matters.
Chris Sale Starts Tonight for the Boston Red Sox
Can’t believe it’s actually happening, but Chris Sale is pitching tonight. For the Boston Red Sox. At Fenway Park. It’s not Opening Day. As in, the Red Sox are so stacked, Chris Sale was not the first pitcher they threw out there. And other teams in the American League are still thinking of trying this season. What a crazy time we live in.
It annoys me that it doesn’t matter that the Cavs are a horrible team once the playoffs start
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a horrible team. They STINK on defense, their players are always fighting each other, LeBron is in full subtweet mode, the Celtics are going to beat them tonight and solidify their hold on the number one seed in the East. Nothing is going their way and none of that matters. Once the playoffs start they’re going to flip the switch and become the team that won the title last year. They’re going to win every Eastern series in at most six games. It’s just annoying and predictable. I hate the NBA sometimes.
Brian's Den 