Written by Zach Harper | 03 June 2009

It's been a long time (nearly three weeks) since I dropped some links of hoopdem on you in which you can further your knowledge/outlook on the NBA while saving you from the drivel that spews from my fingertips on a daily basis. It isn't because there isn't good stuff to read out there. There's plenty of fantastic stuff that flies through my Google Reader throughout every day (by the way, if you don't have a Google Reader set up, you need to get one. It's THE best way to keep up with the internet postings). I haven't been able to spend much time updating and bettering this site because I've been working on a big project that will be hopefully unveiled to the public by the end of next week when I leave for Blogs With Balls (get your tickets). 

Yep, I could give you that information on the big project. But I'm withholding it. Look at me, getting off.

But with that said, I'm going to try to hit you guys with a Linkovich Chomofsky or Hoops Media Consumption post every day. So with that said, here is your first of many Hoops Media Consumption posts.

How To Be Successful as a Start-Up Sportsblogger by Adam from Fansided.com
Adam Best is the brains and mastermind behind the Fansided network, which houses some of the best and most unique sports blogs around the interwebs. He's been quite successful in building one of the best networks online and it's still growing with plenty of team blogs for each sport still available. If you have what it takes to bring the goods with an NBA team blog, you should definitely apply.

With this post, Adam has given you the basic guidelines and tips on how to be a successful start-up sportsblogger. I know for myself starting out, I had absolutely no clue what I was doing. I had only written for already established websites before and didn't know much about marketing or web design (still don't). But here, Adam has broken down the best way to get you started. It takes a lot of work to pull it off (so I hear) but if you can follow what this post lays out for you, you'll have as good of a shot at having your voice read as anyone.

The Should-Be Commandments of Sportsblogging:

1. Unless you can write like Hemingway, you better have a new post up each and every weekday on your blog.

This rule is simple. Blog readers like their favorite blogs to be there for them on a daily basis. The day of your typical blog reader might go something like this:

Alarm clock. Snooze. Alarm clock. Shower. Breakfast on the fly. Drive to work. Morning coffee. Blog rounds. Procrastinate. Work. Lunch. More blog rounds. Work. Drive home. Gym. Dinner. Pretend to listen to significant other or spouse. Maybe even more blog rounds. Conan. Pass out.

OK, so that's probably oversimplifying it. My point is that blog readers pick maybe a handful of sports blogs to visit and visit them pretty much on a daily basis, sometimes more often than once. Posting a couple times a week isn't going to get you added to anybody's Google Reader.

Be sure to check out the rest of the tips and tools to use to get yourself out there.

Will Brandon Jennings Laugh Last? by Haubs from ThePaintedArea.com
One of the biggest question marks in this upcoming NBA Draft is definitely the enigma that is Brandon Jennings. He was a headline-maker coming out of high school and foregoing college in order to earn some cash and learn the game overseas. He skipped the NCAA in order to play in the second greatest basketball league in the world. Except he didn't really set the world on fire over there. He was shuffled into the mix, turned into just another player, and as young players are apt to do in professional leagues, struggled with his consistency.

Well Mr. Haubs gives us a great breakdown on the player that Jennings is and could be in the NBA. Despite this not being a great draft in overall star talent, there are a lot of nice point guard prospects out there and a fair number are getting much more attention than Jennings. That could be because they might be better than him but it's more likely that since he didn't go to college, people just sort of forgot about him in a league that isn't readily available to consume at Americans fingertips. But he still has a lot to offer and could still end up being the best point guard prospect in the entire draft.

Jennings is extremely quick with the ball, he can finish at the basket in traffic at 6-2, and also has excellent court vision. He is reminiscent of a Tony Parker- or Aaron Brooks-type player in terms of speed with the ball, though I would say Jennings is a better passer than those players, but not as good of a shooter. Outside shooting is a big weakness for Jennings right now (he made just 23% of his three-pointers on the season), but I do think he has a pretty good stroke to work with.

He also doesn't yet have an effective floater or general craftiness inside like Parker or Brooks, though he does have a sheer explosion at the rim, even with a slight build (approx. 170 lbs.), that neither of those players have. I saw him score over 7-0 Tiago Splitter, one of the best defensive centers in the world, by impressively elevating and taking a drive right into Splitter's chest and scoring.

Check the rest of this phenomenal breakdown at ThePaintedArea.com, part of the ESPN True Hoop Network.


LeBron James' iPod Playlist by Natalie Sitto from Need4Sheed.com
I don't know if you've heard but LeBron James has been under fire as of late because of some poor sportsmanship and frustration with not wanting to talk to the media after he was eliminated from his quest for an NBA title. Well, a big reason for the snub was probably due to being in a bad mood. Perhaps that bad mood was because of the musical influences that shape his attitude. Perhaps those musical influences are a little too depressing for a self-anointed king to listen to. Here's part of the list from Natalie Sitto of the fantastic Need4Sheed website that she got from one of her readers:

1. King Nothing - Metallica
2. King Without a Crown - Matisyahu
3. Kryptonite - 3 Doors Down
4. Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley
5. New York, New York - Frank Sinatra
6. Sucks to be You - Prozzac
7. Lose Yourself - Eminem
8. Loser - Beck

Check out the rest of the list and LeBron's iPod customization in this post's entirety. I can't get over the first picture of him playing with the iPod on.


Battle Royal by Ed from EdtheSporsFan.com and Phillip Barnett from Talkhoops.net
For those of you who have been with us since before our move to MVN, you're well familiar with the fact that Ed the Sports Fan has helped us out on more than one occasion. Ed has a really good blog in which he and others pontificate on a wide range of sports topics. And those of you who have been regular readers of ours for most of the two years we've been around, already know that Phillip Barnett is easily the most talented writer we have on this site.

Well, Ed and Phillip decided to exchange emails over the last couple of days to figure out who is better between the Lakers and Magic, why Ed hates the Lakers so much, what their favorite goon-squads of all time are, and what the hell is the deal with Reggie Miller. It's a post that's reminiscent of the Simmons-Klosterman, Simmons-Gladwell, and Wade-Harper exchanges of the past. Here's a snippet of the conversation:

Ed the Thunder Fan,

I have this weird love/hate relationship with Reggie Miller. I usually don't like NBA players who make their careers just shooting the three ball, but Reggie was a different species. I respected Miller because, even though he may have been the boniest player of all time, he was raw. I still remember him beating Kobe's ass on the scorers' table. However, I can't stand the dude on TNT. I feel like he's assigned to call every Lakers' game during the regular season (and the damn 1st round of the playoffs) and so I hate him now. As a Reggie Miller fan, is it easier to listen to him just because you loved him, or is he just as annoying to you as he is to the rest of us?

I hate Del Harris. Four All-Stars, no Finals appearance. I yelled profanities every time we saw him on the sidelines during that epic Bulls-Celtics series. True story.

The Goon philosophy is a good one to have. There aren't too many things that could make me love the Lakers more, but if after Kobe retires and they go out and field a team like the 2006 Warriors (won that epic 1-8 first round match-up with the Cavs on sheer goonery alone -- is goonery a word?) or the mid-90s Knicks, I would love them just that much more. The media tends to get on teams like that, but I think the fans love it. I mean, would hockey or football even exist if people didn't like goons?

You definitely need to check out the exchange on Ed's site. They have a great back and forth and it's really a great conversation to read.


That's all I have for today. Tons of Finals preview pieces and predictions coming tomorrow. Send any suggestions for links to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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