Howie and I traded email messages during the week to generate this Q&A:
First of all, thanks for taking the time to answer these questions during your exams week. Your parents aren’t going complain to me if you flunk out, though, are they?
No no no, thank you Jason, for your genius mind’s creation of Lowpost.net in the first place. It’s a big dose of my daily hoops-vitamin intake that I’m obliged to be a part of this cool project (that, and I needed something to do with my 4am study break!)
As for flunking out, don’t worry man, I’m already quite capable of accomplishing that all on my own, Q&A or no.
How did you first become interested in hoops?
OK, you’re making me feel old. MJ is understandable, but Costas?
Yeah seriously, dude was mesmerizing to me for some reason. For sure the greatest is Marv Albert, but Costas has his own style that I thought was just as good as Marv. And Costas did those cheesy, slightly-poetic summaries at the end of games that I really liked. Maybe the only thing against him, in my books, is that he had a role in BASEketball.
Are there a lot of NBA fans in Montreal?
Overall, no, not too many NBA fans around here even though I’d like to believe otherwise... this little fad called "hockey" and "Les Canadiens" is all everyone wants to talk about. But there are a ton of talent for basketball if you know where to look and lots of open gyms that I’m thankful for. That’s really where I congregate whenever I need to shootaround, have some actual NBA chat and runaway from the library.
What are some of your favorite blogs to read (NBA and otherwise)?
I’m interested all of them, but then I remember I don’t have that many hours in a day, so I stick with teams I like to follow. I love to check out Ms. SunsGossip’s classic creations, who is on the rise and everywhere these days. The Rising Suns is another very good PHX team blog, Lucas puts tons of good work into it. I like BulletsFever Bullets Forever, not only because of those nutty Wiz, but Mike is also a student/blogsmith, so I’m happy I’m not the only "kid" stressing out around here (and I’m sure he’ll probably graduate much much sooner than I will...) Seth’s Your New York Knicks has funny observations. Need4Sheed is simply an awesome site, it’s better than the Pistons’ official site. Let’s see, what else, I’m an avid reader of SLAMonline since its html days, and now they’re employing Ottawa-ians (Ottawa-ers?), probably wanting to take over the world. And I guess all the hot spots like HoopsAddict, TBJ, YAY! TrueHoop I like to hit up, though I must admit I’m really behind in reading a lot of their constantly updated stuff!
Non-NBA, I like to browse BoingBoing and be amazed by the smartness of people, The Sound of Young America has interesting links and cool guests on their podcast and I don’t know if you’re familiar with Ze Frank’s The Show (video blog), but that’s a fav of mine. But really, hoop blogs are so good lately that I don’t want to divide my attention elsewhere.
On your about page, you suggest that your blog is keeping you from focusing more on school. Be honest ... if it wasn’t for Unrelatedness, you'd just be partying more, right?
Ha! Without a doubt. That, and sleeping, can’t get enough of those great things. Actually, now that you mention it, I vaguely recollect that’s how The Unrelatedness started in the first place... needing to find a calming activity during the drunken haze of the morning after...
Is there any special significance to the Space Invaders on your header? Were you even alive when that game was out?
Ah, I’m just being a goof. Yeah, no way I was born back then. I don’t know if you noticed, before it was Pac-Man, slowly eating balls to get to Mr. Jerry West’s (that didn’t come out dirty did it?). I guess I just have an affinity for retro game icons. It’s also a way of letting readers know this is that type of NBA blog, y’know, the silly/random kind.
You probably had them at "Unrelatedness." Any chance we’ll see Missile Command or Spy Hunter up there in the future?
The title is pretty weird isn’t it? And trust me, I’m aware it’s super long and doesn’t quite roll off the tongue as easily as everyone else’s, I’d change it, but I can’t think of anything else.
Choosing headers is a very rigorous procedure: there are lab tests, charts and most importantly, voodoo. But yes, Missile Command and Spy Hunter made the cut (they’ll get rotation with others soon).
Which of the drawings that you’ve posted to the blog do you like the most? (My favorite is probably the DJ Mbenga sketch.)
Awesome! Yeah, that one is probably the best "direct joke" I could think of and I’m happy you liked it (I was starting to think I was only amusing myself with all those toons). I actually like the Stormtrooper tomahawk from a while ago, because Stormtroopers rule.
And I’m sure you and others probably figured out that I’m not really an actual artist, I’m just practicing with each one. My hope is that I can get good/consistent enough to develop a weekly strip with characters (about the NBA), but that’ll take a while, so don’t hold your breath!
You’ve posted links to mash-ups of old school jazz vs. the Wu Tang Clan, plus Queen vs. 50 Cent. What other mix-ups would you like to see someone produce?
Something weird like Snoop Dogg vs. Air Supply. Don’t ask me how that can work, but if some savant DJ can make it happen, I’m so downloading buying it.
For fun, I’d love to see: Tony Parker’s rap mashed-up with Celine Dion’s greatest hits. You have the French connection there and for the music video, picture this: Cirque du Soleil with none other than Eva Longoria headlining.
Jason, dude, you made my day. Because of this question, I must buy you a case of Molson 24s and we must chug. Your research is impeccable sir, I can’t believe you thought of this!
As for the answer: it’s got to be Shohoku hands down. Sorry Huskers, but you still depend on Jimmy Chitwood too much down the stretch, and Shohoku’s hustle will lock him down. Besides, the whole starting five from Shohoku can light it up on the offensive end: Takenori Akagi will just dominate inside. Double him? Pass it to Hisashi Mitsui to rain 3s all day. I haven’t even talked about Kaede Rukawa, the Joe Johnson of Japan high school athletics. Oh, and not even Coach Dale will want to pick a fight with Hanamichi Sakuragi. Hickory’s "four pass" offense won’t be able overcome that blowout.
Can you tell I’ve thought about fantasy matchups like these a million times? Man, I could go on forever...