Hornets Hype

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

And for that matter, New Orleans Hornets too. Last night the arena crowd witnessed its second serious/season-ending injury in as many games, when  Kareem Rush tore his ACL. It was a bit eerie to watch him roll around in pain in almost the same spot Chris Paul was rolling around Friday when he sprained his ankle. Both of them flew up in the air and came down hard.

So you know, guys. Be careful. If this happens again tomorrow night, it will get creepy.

The Hornets floor right now is like the Bermuda Triangle where season dreams go to die

There was a moment just before the final buzzer sounded when I’d forgotten the Hornets just lost.

If you follow me on Twitter, you probably watched me completely spaz out and go crazy when Darren Collison and Lil Buckets checked into the game with six and a half minutes left. And did they ever hit the game with a splash. Thornton had 8 pts and 1 rebound in 6:34, going 2-3 from three. Collison went 6-3 with a steal, running the fast break more times than I think we saw all game. Both rookies hit all their free throws. And they were zipping all over the place, cutting to the basket.

I’ve been mostly Thornton-Thornton-Thornton till now, I know, but there is just a joy and energy that Collison brings that I really enjoyed last night. You can just see it in the bounce of his feet. When he got slammed under the basket by a flagrant foul, he popped right up, clapped his hands, and grinned. And if Byron Scott thinks Bobby Brown brings speed to the lineup? Collison’s speed blows his out of the water. These guys were hungry. It was so contagious even Songaila and Posey seemed to perk up a bit. Hilton was inspired to do at least two things right.

Will people pay to watch a losing team? That’s the question, isn’t it? Clearly one of the answers is you pay to watch Chris Paul, because he’s a future great. But last night I found another answer. I watched Darren Collison steal the ball and zip up court, and Marcus Thornton cut all over the place. And I thought, “I would pay money to watch these kids make mistakes and lose.” If you couldn’t see the difference between those six minutes and watching 4 or 5 guys nearing the end of their careers going through the motions and looking depressed as they realize they might not regain their old form, then you must be blind.

Do I have sympathy? Yes. I do. People get older. I’m getting older too, and the reality is that most of us hate it. My 50-win predictions for this team were based on Posey/Peja/Peterson maintaining some kind of consistency with their career stats. We could probably handle a drop-off from one. But not all three. And you know– this may come as a huge shock so be prepared for it– I don’t include Devin Brown in that bunch. Not today, anyway. Because I think he really tried last night, put in an impossible situation, and he hit his shots. And I love all of these guys. I wasn’t upset when we traded Rasual Butler, because between the Three Ps, the Hornets looked to have that role covered. How do you predict things like this?

But the bottom line is, if Byron Scott really means it when he says he wants the team to run more, if the Hornets take a deep honest look at themselves and finally accept that some players have deteriorated, if the team wants to put a product on the floor that’s exciting for the fans, the last six minutes of Lakers/Hornets is what we need to see. I want to see Chris Paul balling with young kids who are creative, who can keep up with him.

Look, you don’t play the rookies because you think they’re going to be some magical solution, some great mysterious hope that can be plugged in to fix the problems with this team. They won’t. You play them because, even though you may lose with them, you’re already losing without them. The fans who pay the money to sit in the seats deserve to see something fun. They deserve to see something that gives them hope for the future. They deserve to see hustle and heart. Beginnings not endings. The local kid getting his chance and making his dream come true under the bright lights.

If you’re not giving us a championship this year, give us something we can love. That’s all I ask.

Oh, and pssstt. Byron. You looking for answers? Here’s a freebie: Thornton is your starting 2.

Lo, the delicious scent of basketball about to be played! (photo courtesy of @hornetsdotcom)

I think there are still some walk-up tickets available. Get on out there and grab your free t-shirt! See you all at the game!

P.S. And you can also check out our preview with Cowbell Kingdom.

Now that’s a pretty NOLA.com background! Um, if a little Myspace-esque in its clashing… (Click to biggify.)

*Disclaimer: Look, I know the team probably paid them to put that up. But. Whenever NOLA.com/Times Picayune acknowledge the Hornets exist, I still get overexcited. Sorry. It’s a holdover from these days.

NOLA.com: Looking Good in Teal

Just wanted to remind people that the Hornets beginning of the season rally/block party/freebie giveaway/team stalking opportunity is next Monday at 5:30. We’ll definitely be there. The whole team will be there. People are always asking me where I got ____ Hornets thing, like the Fleur de Bee car magnet or the yard signs. The answer is they usually give away stuff at the official events, and sometimes it’s stuff they don’t sell in the store. Here’s the official release so you can check it out. Should be a fun time, and if you see us, come say hi!

NEW ORLEANS –– The Hornets and Harrah’s Casino will host Swarm at Fulton Square Powered by Toyota on Monday, Oct. 26 from 5:30-8 p.m. on Fulton Square at Harrah’s Casino to tip-off the start of the 2009-10 regular season. The pep rally will give fans the chance to meet the entire 2009-10 Hornets team and is free and open to the public.

Fans will have the chance to meet their favorite Hornets player, be entertained by Hugo, Honeybees and other Hornets entertainment groups, take home Hornets giveaways, listen to live music by Big Sam’s Funky Nation and enjoy food and drink specials from restaurants located on Fulton Street at Harrah’s Casino.

“We are so excited for the upcoming season, and this is an opportunity for the community to get show their support and meet the many new faces on our squad,” said Hornets Executive Vice President of Basketball Chad Shinn. “We plan to continue the winning tradition of New Orleans Hornets Basketball and build a team that can make history and compete for a championship for South Louisiana.”

The Swarm at Fulton Square pep rally tips off the Hornets’ 2009 Buzz in Blue Week Powered by Toyota. The Hornets will make stops across metro New Orleans and on the Northshore throughout the week to promote Opening Night Powered by Toyota. Buzz in Blue Week activities include fan interaction events, watch parties and community initiatives

The Hornets’ regular season home opener is on Friday, Oct. 30 as they take on the Sacramento Kings at the Hive at 7 p.m. Fans can also purchase individual tickets to Hornets home games at Hornets.com, by calling 1-800-4NBATIX, at all Ticketmaster outlets or by visiting the New Orleans Arena box office.

Your annual look at the Hornets promotional calendar, hitting all the highlights (ie: the days that things are given to you for free). So if you’re still looking at which games you might want to attend, mark down these days.

Oh, and just FYI, I am excluding the games where the giveaway is Thunderstix. No particular reason, other than that I personally think they suck:

• 10/17 preseason vs. Pacers– Hornets schedule magnets (everyone)
• 10/30 home opener vs. Warriors– Opening Night t-shirts (everyone)
• 11/6 vs. Raptors– Hornets jersey keychains (first 10,000)
• 11/17 vs. Clippers– Go Green bag (first 10,000)
• 12/4 vs. Timberwolves– Emeka Okafor bobblehead (first 10,000)
• 12/16 vs. Pistons– Honeybee posters (first 10,000)
• 12/23 vs. Warriors– Hornets Christmas ornament (first 8,000)
• 12/30 vs. Heat– “BEE a Designated Driver” T-Shirts… ho ho what a great pun (first 8,000)
• 1/2 vs. Rockets– Mardi Gras mini-basketball (first 4,000 kids)
• 1/8 vs. Nets– Elvis Night. No giveaway listed, it just made me snicker.
• 1/29 vs. Bulls– Mardi Gras youth arm sleeve (first 4,000 kids)
• 2/5 vs. Sixers– Chris Paul Mardi Gras bobblehead. I must own this. (first 10,000)
• 2/10 vs. Celtics– Mardi Gras beads (first 10,000)
• 2/21 vs. Rockets– Mardi Gras youth jerseys (first 4,000 kids)
• 3/22 vs. Mavs– Hornets team poster (first 10,000)
• 4/9 vs. Jazz– Mardi Gras youth shorts (first 4,000 kids– hell, these kids are gonna have a whole freakin Mardi Gras outfit by the time this season is over)