Post by Outlawz on Feb 23, 2008 14:56:04 GMT -5
The Hot Seat featuring James
Welcome Ladies and Gents to a new edition of the Budweiser hot seat. Today we are joined by the kangaroo master himself, James. Gm of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Thanks, I take insult to being called the kangaroo master. Where does that even come from? I see a kangaroo like once a week now because my girlfriend lives in the coutnry but before then, I could go a whole year without seeing one. STFU.
Good to have you.. This offseason there was a lot of movement. Do you think guys decided to tear it down because Lebron could be possibly coming out?
I think there were 2 reasons as to why guys started tearing apart their teams. First of all, I think teams who were legitimate borderline contenders like myself (Cleveland) and Play (Chicago) realised that they probably couldn't win a title in the next 2 years and saw the only other way as being through the draft and as you already mentioned, through LeBron, Carmelo Anthony or even Dwight Howard in the near future.
Secondly, guys were getting bored. I don't know, but having a lineup of Nick Van Exel, Jim Jackson, Larry Johnson, Chris Webber and Big-Z kind of bored me after a while. I saw these brand new rookies such as Tony Parker and Amare Stoudemire coming into the league and was just upset knowing that I was missing out on them. Since I dealt Webber and picked up Carlos Boozer and Drew Gooden, I've become a lot more interested in the BBS as well as the upcoming draft.
Prediction time. There does not seem to be a clear cut favorite at the moment to win it all. Who do you guys predict being in the finals and who’ll take it all?
Utah. Shaquille O'Neal is rediculously good. He is also a proven winner. Alongside Marcus Camby, Antonio McDyess, Glen Robinson, Larry Johnson and Eric Snow, I can't see them losing it this year especially with Philadelphia now out of the title race. I see San Antonio as the team that may surprise in the West and out East, I think Ebeners Heat will emerge.
Let’s talk about your team a little. What are your guys plans for your respective teams for the present and the future?
At the moment I'm looking to get a high draft pick and take either a point guard, shooting guard or small forward with the pick. I have my front court set (Zydrunas and Boozer) and have Drew Gooden as a flexible trade option. At the moment, getting a high pick in this years draft is my priority. If we can do that and potentially add a big name free agent to the lineup next season, I think we will be in good stead.
Lets stray a little from BBS and give you some hard questions. If you had a choice to choose who would be your commish would you pick Spence or Will? And why?
This is a very hard question. Both guys are awesome. I'm 'friends' with both so picking one over the other is a decision I don't want to make. I think as a commish, Spence is a lot better. I cannot comment on his social life however it seems stable enough to allow him to be one of the most consistant and well rounded commishes I've ever managed under. His draft files are always great and he manages to stay ontop of a very arguementative league well. Will on the other hand would be to inconsistant at the moment. So theres my decision, Spencer.
According to ducky in NBN most people in BBS would not survive so I pose this question. Name 5 gm’s from BBS who would definitely not survive in NBN and name 5 that could.
I think most BBS GM's would survive in the NBN. Weather they would be succesful in it is another question. Not only are the GM's different in the NBN, however your trading strictly on ratings and statistics. Here, we have player names that we can associate with a certain skill set however in the NBN, you have to value a guy like Kalin Peters (for instance) not by name, however by rating and past experience. This in my opinion makes the NBN a lot harder to be succesful in.
Back to the question though, guys like Krup, Reilly, Pig, Mark and DJ would obviously be succesful in the NBN because their knowledge of sims goes past that of the NBA. I think surprisingly guys like Dan, Scott and Jordan, who are very good in the BBS, would struggle in the NBN. Guys that would not survive in the NBN include Martinez (surprise, surprise), Keelty, Vernon, Greg and Galo.
Had Spence left NBN in the same fashion that Will left would either one of you have stuck up for Will the way a couple of people including myself stuck up for Spence?
Regardless of what anyone says, there were a lot of guys in the BBS that didn't like Will flat out; but I see why and thats not what I have an issue with nor will I ever. I've said this countless times before, however the way Will left the NBN wasn't good. He bad mouthed the league and Spencer which should not have happened because a) Spencer did nothing to him and b) you can't judge a league if you've only been in it for 1 season. I see why he left though. A lot of GM's tend to gang up on a single GM a lot. I don't mind it. Occasionally I do, but it doesn't bother me. Will left because he only joined the BBS to have fun and because this was happening, it made it less enjoyable for him. Why should he stay in an internet sim league if he isn't having fun?
If GM's in the NBN treated Spencer like the way the BBS ones did to Will, I would have stuck up for him for sure.
In your guys mind what separates NBN from most leagues?
The draft files, the legacy, the history. Those things are just priceless and it makes the NBN what it is today. 30+ seasons of draft classes, 30+ seasons of legendary players and 30+ seasons of drama make the NBN one of the greatest sim leagues ever. If the BBS can continue on past 2030 I think it will reach that status. I hope it does.
Who are the top 5 and worst 5 gm’s in both leagues?
Top 5 best in the BBS are Krup, Reilly, Andy, Outlawz and Play. I'm going to say that DJ, Mark, Pig, Aar and even Jordan are slight outsiders. If Nova didn't explode once every 3 seasons and make a dumb trade, he would be in there to. The best in the NBN include Will, Play, Andy, Aar and Hype. I can't even think of the worst GM's in the NBN though, sorry.
Enough about NBN. Recently I spoke to krup and spoke about a money league. Do you think that’s a viable idea? Would either one of you be down for something like that? We was thinking 5 bucks a gm every year and the champ wins it all at the end of the year.
It depends on how the players are distributed. It would be very interesting though and I'd be up for it even though I'd potentially have to sell my car to get $5 USD. It would be very very interesting to see what plans of attack GM's would take into that league. Win now or lose now, win later (the Outlawz approach). Also, drafts would be awesome. Player talent would be valued over hype and potential.
Next season many will be entering their contract year. DO you think anyone will actually be fired?
No, I don't see anyone being fired. Only yourself, Nova and Martinez are in their contract year (who are looking in trouble) and I see all of them wriggling their way out of danger.
Thx for being a part of the Hot Seat, James. Great job on answering the questions. You are now off the Hot Seat.
