Hornets Hype

• Hoops Addict got David West to talk about Michael Eric Dyson, the media, and Byron Scott (although he doesn’t really bite on that one, haha) in a nice interview
• Twitter suspended the fake (and BRILLIANT) Devin Brown for “suspicious activity” yesterday … and there was much sadness
• My fun report (with pics!) about Chris Paul’s bowling event (no spoilers, though) should be up soon
• Dime Mag has Marcus Thornton listed as one of their Top 5 Second Round Steals
• As a resident of New Orleans who experienced Hurricane Katrina, I think we all should be concerned about the devastation in Haiti following the earthquake. Personally, I will always remember the people who sent me checks or donated clothing (try living in Boston in winter without any socks and see how that goes for you… of course I didn’t bring socks when I evacuated, I barely wear socks here) or furniture (we had an empty apartment with one mattress until a lovely couple I didn’t even know donated us their extra stuff). So if you have anything extra to spare, consider donating to Yele (Wyclef Jean’s foundation), or you can make a $10 donation to the Red Cross by texting “HAITI” to “90999? (it’ll be added to your phone bill). I am sort of sketched out by the Red Cross, however, because I believe they are not guaranteed to use your money for a specific disaster. So alternatively, you might want to consider Doctors Without Borders, Unicef, or even, to keep it basketball related, Sixer and native Haitian Samuel Dalembert’s foundation. He personally gave $100,000 and is apparently matching any donations made at the Sixers game tonight.

It’s funny, I spent so much time getting hyped up for “THIS IS THE .500 GAME GUYS, AND WE HAVE THE KNICKS/RAPS/CRAPPY TEAM!” only to have the team continue to lose. And then the Hornets end up getting to .500 in about the most unlikely and unpredictable way possible: 1) On the road, where they were 2-13, B) Against the Jazz (yes, I consider the Jazz the most unlikely road win, even over the Lakers. The Hornets have put together some great wins in LA). And then they actually went into OKC and put in a nice balanced effort last night to string together their first road win streak of the season and a 4-game win streak overall.

It wasn’t until about ten minutes after the game ended that I realized the Hornets were a winning team for the first time this season. I think At the Hive put this aptly when he observed that this year the Hornets have “a very random resilience.” I don’t know if it’s having young rookies with fresh legs come off the bench or Byron Scott getting fired or what, but the Hornets aren’t caving and getting steamrolled when things aren’t going their way quite as badly as they were in the beginning of the season or even last year. They’re winning games they aren’t supposed to win. They’re taking care of business at home. They’ve got to be up there at the top of the list in terms of the percentage of close games they’ve played in/won this season. (Hello, stat people? Does this observation have validity?) And they’re winning games against teams that are ahead of them in the standings, ie: the teams they need to beat to grab a playoff spot. And they have the Nets this Friday.

And… oh, what the hell. Go team.

P.S. I’m going to be at Chris Paul’s bowling event this afternoon. It’s being taped to air on ESPN in February, so I can’t tell you who won or anything. But check my twitter @ticktock6 for updates!

Well played, Hornets. Well played.

Unstoppable (Adjective): 1) Incapable of being stopped.

Chris Paul could not be stopped tonight. He had 30 points, 19 assists, and 9 rebounds. He was 7-7 in the third quarter. He was inside, he was outside, he was in the lane (finally, yes, we can all exhale a bit to see him dominating from there for the first time since his ankle injury), at the line. There was a stretch of the third to fourth quarters in which he had 22 out of the Hornets 24 points. There was a point when the Nuggets made a mini-run to close the gap, and Chris Paul checked back into the game, and his very presence, solely by being on the floor, was magic.

And there it was, in the building tonight, the Thing We Don’t Talk About. The players knew it. The fans knew it. And then in the fourth quarter I noticed something. Namely that Darius Songaila and Emeka Okafor weren’t on the floor, which was a little unusual. And that Devin Brown was, which was also a little unusual (but unsurprising considering neither Collison nor Thornton had a good showing tonight). The Hornets went with a crunch time lineup of Paul/West/Posey/Stojakovic/Brown. I think it is not coincidental that those five guys were all there last April, and were playing inspired and scrappy ball tonight. I think they wanted to close this out. And I think they deserved to.

If you’ve ever seen the movie The Sting, it’s about two con men who get revenge on a big mob boss by running an elaborate con and cheating him out of a quarter million dollars. But, the one character warns the other, taking the boss’s money isn’t going to be enough– it’s not going to change the past. And at the end, the other guy turns to the first guy and says, “You’re right. It’s not enough…. But it’s close.”

Where we semi-regularly give you the best pickings from the Hornets twitter feeds. What’s up with the guys? Well, the weather’s been on their minds, just like all of us regular people. (IS IT GOING TO FREAKING STOP STORMING EVER? Seriously. This is the second straight week.)

@oneandonlyCP3:

Mornin evrybody, headed to shootaround…did anybody else in NO hear that mini hurricane that ripped thru the city last nite?? CRAZY STORM

#igrewupon Starter Jackets (I had the Charlotte Hornets n my bro had Chicago Bulls)

“WHEELS DOWN back n NO…tough loss 2nite against a good Mavs team…we hav to get off to better starts wit our starting 5…which is my job!”‘

@mopete 24: (Hmm, wonder what happened… this tweet just makes me crave a baked potato.)

Had an AWFUL customer service experience today at Port Of Call restaurant in New Orleans. I wouldn’t recommend anyone to ever go there.

@jujubee32:

“Man… It’s raining lions and wolves in the N.O! Don’t even want to drive in this weather…”

“Why is there a huge elephant statue in my subdivision?!?! http://twitpic.com/tn9zx“

(‘Cause ya live in next to somewhere over there Plaquemines Parish, son. Get used to that thing. It’s always parked around there. Haha.)

@Bbrownsix was a little freaked out by the weather, and even posted a vid from what appears to be his rooftop window (And, since New Orleans isn’t exactly a large city, we now know which building he lives in. Haha). He’s also got a new custom background by @ejkiewicz_com.

This rain and wind just woke me up… All I gotta say is Wow!!!!!!

Man I dnt kno wat just hit the NOLA but it was crazy… I need to get back to LA… Geesh

Where I’m from I’m use to Eartquakes and a lil bit of rain.. Not mini Hurricanes and Thunderstorms…Oh Dipppppppppp!!!!!!!

It’s gettin pretty ugly outside…. http://twitvid.com/9E29E

New Orleans Arena Where Amazing Happens!!! Gametime vs Kings.. Let’s get this one fellas…

And, my personal favorite Bobby Brown tweet:

Popeyes…. Where Amazing Happens lol….

Yes, Bobby. Yes, it does. Plus a bunch of the Hornets team and staff went to the Cowboys game on Sunday while they were in Dallas to play the Mavs, and they took a pic on the field:

CP, the Browns, Emokafor & Hilton and Hornets staff

Well, it’s been… random. Follow Chris Paul, Morris Peterson, Bobby Brown, and Julian Wright for more Twitteratin’ fun.

So let’s get back on the hype side of things. Peja’s hosting his bowling event this week, and all the money raised goes to help kids. And guess what? It’s going to be live streamed this year, so you can watch online even if you don’t go.

Here’s the press release and info on how to get tickets if you want to support the event:

SwaggMedia to stream the 3rd Annual Charitabowl for the Peja Stojakovic Children’s Foundation

New Orleans, LA (PRWEB) December 11, 2009 — New Orleans Hornets forward Peja Stojakovic announced that he will dedicate a basketball/volleyball court at Delgado Park in Lakeview as part of his foundation’s “Court for Kids” initiative on Tuesday, Dec. 15 at 3:30 p.m. That same week, on Thursday, Dec. 17, Peja will host his 3rd Annual “Peja’s Charitabowl” fundraiser at the All Star Lanes in Kenner.

In partnership with SwaggMedia, the Charitabowl event will be streamed online free of charge at www.peja16.com and on http://swaggmedia.com. This will be the first time that Peja’s Charitabowl will be available to fans globally.

Lane sponsorships start at $1,500 for one lane and $2,500 for two lanes. Each lane includes bowling for four, one celebrity bowler, four bowling shirts, dinner and a special gift bag. Multiple lane sponsors and other corporate sponsorship packages are also available at a variety of price points. Lane sponsorships and tickets for the Charitabowl can be purchased by calling (504) 208-2274 or by visiting www.peja16.com. VIP (non-bowler) tickets are also available at $75 per person. The VIP tickets include early entry at 6pm as well as dinner, gift bag and opportunity to bid for live and silent auction items. General admission tickets are available at $35 for adults and $15 for children under 16. The doors for general admission open at 7:30pm.

Hornets players, Honeybee dancers, Hugo and other local celebrities and athletes will attend the event. The Charitabowl will also feature a live DJ, photo and autograph opportunities, as well as a live and silent auction with memorabilia and other distinctive items. Prizes will be given away throughout the evening.

“I’m very happy to be able to continue efforts to support the local community of New Orleans through the foundation. Thanks to the last year’s Charitabowl event we were able to help many children and their families by distributing books, food and refurbishing basketball courts. This is a result of the hard work of many people — not just me,” said Stojakovic.

Proceeds from the bowling event will go toward Peja’s “Courts for Kids”, a continuing initiative of the Peja Stojakovic Children’s Foundation, aimed at promoting health and fitness education through the game of basketball. The project installs new basketball courts, refurbishes existing ones and distributes basketball equipment in economically disadvantaged areas of New Orleans, providing children with an opportunity to stay off the streets.

“SwaggMedia is honored to be able to contribute to such a great cause. Technology is the future so the synergy was perfect,” says SwaggMedia CEO, Craig Noble.

About SwaggMedia

Swagg is that something unique and forward-thinking that breaks out from the pack. And SwaggMedia is bringing exactly that to the world of new media. Masterminded by legendary music industry executive Craig Nobles and co-founded by professional basketball player David West, SwaggMedia represents the evolution of internet distribution. SwaggMedia has built proprietary technology to launch a platform in 2010 that will be the one-stop destination for news, commerce, social networking, original content and live streaming video. Users can purchase music, TV and movies, share their experiences with their extended networks, watch live events and get up to the minute information on all facets of pop culture. More than a website, SwaggMedia will encompass a lifestyle, giving users across the globe access to a world they could only imagine. We look forward to introducing you to SwaggMedia.

About Peja Stojakovic Children’s Foundation

The Predrag Stojakovic Children’s Foundation, a non-profit organization strives to brighten the lives of children who suffer from displacement, poor quality of life, and loneliness. Mission of Peja Stojakovic Children’s Foundation is to provide and educate children and their families on issues of critical concern such as food, shelter, economic self-sufficiency and hope. Since the Hornets move back to New Orleans, Peja Stojakovic has been active with his organization by building basketball courts for kids, distributing food and necessities to needy people as well as distributing books and school supplies to youth organizations (First Book being one of the beneficiaries). As a recognition of his charitable work, Stojakovic received the NBA’s Community Assist Award for the month of December 2009. Peja Stojakovic Children’s Foundation’s mission is to provide and educate children and their families on issues of critical concern such as food, shelter, economic self-sufficiency and hope.

This is just a heads up for those who don’t know: Hornets.com is giving away a set of season tickets for the rest of the year. You have 24 hours to enter, which means until noon tomorrow (Thursday, 12/10). Hey, it’s worth a shot!

We’ve already got ‘em but I thought I’d get the word out, in case anyone who reads the site wants to enter. You know how I feel about things that are free…

Huge news : Chris Paul practiced today!

It was his first practice since spraining his ankle in the Blazers game. The fact that the team gave no official timeline worried a lot of Hornets fans. Weeks? Months? No one was saying. And yet– surprise!– here he is practicing, and now NOLA.com is saying he hasn’t been ruled out for tomorrow night’s game. Tomorrow! Wow. That’s…. unexpected.

CP participated in a full contact workout. The Hornets have been 4-4 in his absence.

This is just a random photograph of Chris Paul practicing. It is meant to be symbolic.

Headquarters: right here.

Over on At the Hive, someone mentioned Blazers fans last year showing their rookie love with Team Bayless. Of course, I was struck by what a fantastic idea this is. Plus I really really want a Team Thornton shirt to wear to games. I’ve pretty much been obsessed with Lil Buckets’ game since the first moment I saw him. And thus:

Join TEAM THORNTON! You know you want to.

Why Team Thornton? Why not Team Collison? Well… you know Lil Buckets is my pet rookie, and as a second round draft pick who’s tearing it up out there, as well as a local Louisiana guy, I think he deserves our support! I decided Team Thornton should be purple and gold, because those colors conveniently go with both LSU and the Hornets. Of course, I made it in male and female, in case anyone else wants to join the fun. And no, I’m not violating copyright by putting a Hornets logo on, so don’t even ask me to.

You know you wanna be on Team Thornton with me.

I'm beginning to fear my love for Lil Buckets' game has reached unhealthy levels. Like, really unhealthy...

Did it really happen?

It happened without Chris Paul. It happened without David West having a good game. It happened by dominating the boards. It happened against the team with the best record of this young NBA season. And it happened on national TV.

Oh my gosh, is my Marcus Thornton love veering into inappropriate and all-consuming territory? Ever since he first stepped onto the floor, I just knew this kid could play. In the first four games of the Post-Byron Scott era, the first of his young career in which he’s received non-garbage minutes, Lil Buckets is averaging an efficient 16 pts in 20 minutes. He just has the self-confidence of a kid who believes he’s going to be a player in this league. You can’t coach that. You can’t buy it. It’s something I wish Julian Wright had. In the first half, Buckets was taken down by an Amare Stoudemire flagrant 1. A little while later, he cuts to the basket along the baseline and lays it in, right in front of Amare.

mW: Wait, was that him just popping back up, or did I see swagger?
Ticktock6: That was totally swagger! I love it!

I was all forlorn when he tweaked his ankle late in the game. He was easily going to set himself a new career high (it’s only 20, after all– he’ll surpass that in the next few weeks I bet). He tried to walk it off, but Jeff Bower was having none of it, and called timeout. But, a few minutes later, there’s Lil Buckets jogging out of the locker room. He spent some time bouncing up and down, stretching it out, and clearly wanted to get back in the game. The coaches elected to sit him. But it just confirms what I suspected: Buckets is indestructible. He certainly crashes the boards in the shadows of much larger players like he is. In summary, my love for my pet rookie knows no bounds.

But. Lest Darren Collison feel left out, I will say that I am dazzled by his speed every time he runs the floor. On one fast break, mW turned to me and said, “He looks like he’s just jogging, and yet he beat everyone down the court.” And the Suns are a running team! He’s going to wreak havoc against unsuspecting bench squads when Chris Paul comes back. Believe that. And that driving layup that sealed the game was positively CP-esque.

Emeka’s block on Amare. Eeeek.

Peja for threeeeee… actually, I’m not going to dwell on that, like the national media did. We knew he still could. Him outrebounding everyone on the Hornets and the Suns? Well. All right. That deserves a shout out.

Loved the standing O from the crowd when the Suns called timeout three minutes in. Hornets were up 11-2, and it just goes to show that fans appreciate hustle. And, seriously, the Hornets best closer is not Chris Paul. It is, hands down, “Shout!” on the jumbotron. By my informal count, I am not sure the Hornets have ever gone on to lose after that song is played. “A little bit louder now… Hey-ey-ey-hey!” … Game over.

Earlier this season I began to have a sneaking suspicion that maybe Devin Brown has got some things going for him that go beyond what we see on the floor. Darren Collison in the paper thanking him for helping him out on the floor… he’ll throw out some genuinely intelligent quotes (one time he was the Shirtless Locker Room Interview on Hornets Tonight, a fact which caused me to be extremely put out… except what he said was so not-dumb I couldn’t even find it in myself to hate on it)… last night he was waving his arms pumping up the crowd. The very foundations of my world have been rocked. Devin Brown is shooting from three in a way that some might describe as anti-detrimental. Devin Brown, I have to say, played well last night. But… what would I do without Devin Brown mockery? What is my place in such a lonely, stark, and frightening new world? I feel lost and helpless, like a small sea creature caught up in the whirl of great tides that I cannot fight or understand.

Oh, Devin. Devin.

You believe you can fly, Devin. Fly like a ninja. And who am I to stop you?

Happy Mardi Gras!

The Hornets officially unveiled their Mardi Gras special third jerseys today in a super secret (OK, not really, it was semi-open to the public, just at the inconvenient hour of 3 PM, so I didn’t go) ceremony at Mardi Gras World. So it clashes like crazy and might make your eyes bleed. Everything Mardi Gras related clashes like crazy! It’s all good. I mean, you can’t complain about the colors in this case. The colors are Mardi Gras. I like the NOLA and the patterned sides. The only thing I’m not a fan of is the two-toned front and back. It looks really cool in theory, but the Hornets better not be playing any teams that wear green or purple, because you won’t be able to tell who’s coming or going. Like the 2008 All Star jerseys that looked great until you realized the white/gold of the West looked really similar to the white/silver of the East, and when the players turned around it was impossible to tell which team was which.

And now for some pics from the unveiling, courtesy of Matt a.k.a. Storm Surge Photography. Darren Collison and Julian Wright modeled the jerseys for fans and media. Click the thumbnail to see the large version. Huge thanks to Matt, who attended the event, for sending along the pics.

I bet people will totally pick these up. It’s something you can wear at parades every year. It’s the very definition of “local color.” Check out what UniWatch has to say about the new jerseys (basically that they do so many things wrong, it should be hideous, and yet they like ‘em anyway). You can already buy a Chris Paul one, plus matching wristbands, headband, and hat in the Hornets Nest online store. The unis debut on February 5th at home vs. the Sixers.

P.S. Look at the close-up detail on the CP jersey. I just realized the trim that actually looks like a weird checkered pattern is actually BEADS. Now that’s pretty cool.

Chris Paul Mardi Gras swingman