I get that the guy just wants to make as much money as possible... but it's probably best to just not outright admit that you love money so much you're willing to toss the concept of freedom right out the window:

 

LeBron James undermines values he's espoused in most disgraceful moment of career

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/columnist/dan-wolken/2019/10/14/lebron-james-daryl-morey-china-hong-kong-tweet/3982436002/

 

On behalf of the 327 million American citizens who generally believe that freedom is good and authoritarian regimes are less good, let me apologize to LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.

 

It must have been a real inconvenience to take that 13-hour chartered flight to China last week and hang around a luxury hotel in Shanghai for five days while promotional appearances got canceled. Surely it was awful to be in the middle of an international firestorm where the stakes were so high: Would preseason NBA games be played or not?

 

...

 

"So many people could have been harmed, not only physically or financially, but emotionally and spiritually. Just be careful what we tweet, what we say and what we do. We do have freedom of speech, but there can be a lot of negative things that come with that too."

 

southpark dunks on lebron over hk - lol:

 

 

https://nypost.com/2019/10/17/south-park-dunks-on-lebron-james-over-hong-kong-controversy/?shared=email&msg=fail

 

 

On 10/7/2019 at 3:00 PM, surfohio said:

Lesson here seems to be: you can not criticize thin-skinned China. 

 

The NBA is learning what other businesses doing business in China have learned.

 

With the regular season beginning today, I'm sure the NBA is hoping this will all just blow over.  For the most fans, it probably will.  But for the Chinese government, it won't - and the NBA will need to walk on eggshells if they want to keep that huge China market (just like every other business).

And speaking of the regular season beginning today - the NBA set up two prime games to kick off the season tonight:

• The late game has the two L.A. teams featuring their new superstars -- Lakers (LeBron & Unibrow) vs Clippers (Kawhi & PG13-although George is out)

• The early game has Toronto raising their championship banner and facing New Orleans and #1 overall pick Zion Williamson -- or not:  https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/27897494/zion-williamson-undergoes-knee-surgery-6-8-weeks

^ i believe zion had knee surgery and is done for awhile, if not finished.

 

oh wait yr link has that -- its a shame we didnt get to see him in nba action -- we will see if or how well he comes back.

 

anyway, this is going to be the best season i can remember with all the parity. looking forward to it.

 

 

the gauling concept of load management brings out the funny lebron:

 

 

https://es.pn/2CtteRu

https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/2019/nov/10/miamis-dion-waiters-has-panic-attack-after-eating-weed-gummies-reports-say

 

10-game suspension here after a strange incident... 

 

and

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28043602/celtics-gordon-hayward-breaks-left-hand-spurs%3fplatform=amp

 

plus Curry may be out the entire season and the Cavs have a better record than GSW...what a crazy start to the season...

Edited November 10, 20195 yr by Boxtruffles

18 minutes ago, Boxtruffles said:

https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/2019/nov/10/miamis-dion-waiters-has-panic-attack-after-eating-weed-gummies-reports-say

 

10-game suspension here after a strange incident... 

 

(Basketball wives appropriate gif use  LOL)

 

How did the gummies get on the plane?

Who purchased them?

This is all shady!

lebron farted on somebody lol

 

 

 

edit - i found the story:

 

https://nypost.com/2019/11/23/lebron-james-farts-at-fans-after-they-ask-for-his-autograph/

Edited November 23, 20195 yr by mrnyc

LeBron highlight of the year...

"We each pay a fabulous price 
  for our visions of paradise."
     - Rush, Mission

changes in shot selection over the years:

 

 

 

27 minutes ago, mrnyc said:

changes in shot selection over the years:

 

 

 

I'm fascinated on how they record these.  Does the NBA have a stat person sit there with an iPad and tap on the court location?  And how was it calculated before tablet devices?  

^ good question. is it the tedious old fashioned way with somebody counting? or a higher tech method?

 

i liked the twitty commentary too, i.e., the mid-range is also dead in music and the stock market — lol.

 

I’m in shock 

Stunningly sad. Trying to get news on Twitter but I think this horrible news has broken it.

oh jeez just when you think it couldn't be worse news, his kids were with him? oh no.

1 minute ago, mrnyc said:

oh jeez just when you think it couldn't be worse news, his kids were with him? oh no.

I just deleted. It seems that ABC reported it on air but it is not confirmed.

This is just unbelievably sad.

 

Here's the current news from https://twitter.com/i/events/1221516526160769024

 

BREAKING: Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas Sunday morning. Kobe was traveling with at least 3 other people in his private helicopter when it went down.  Emergency personnel responded, but nobody on board survived.  Kobe's daughter Gianna Maria -- aka GiGi -- was also on board the helicopter and died in the crash, reps for Kobe Bryant tell TMZ Sports.  She was 13.  TMZ reports they were on their way to the Mamba Academy for a basketball practice when the crash occurred.

more unconfirmed -- kobe was piloting ???

24 minutes ago, mrnyc said:

more unconfirmed -- kobe was piloting ???

 

I don't believe Kobe is a pilot.  

yeah that can't be true. one daughter with him. they were going to her game at kobe's mamba sport academy and he was supposed to coach.

oh jeez -- now they are saying nine people aboard ???

 

 

and this is also more grim, but you can track the helicopter flight here on flightaware.

 

hit replay at the bottom -- makes it obvious what happened, if not why.

 

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N72EX

1 hour ago, mrnyc said:

oh jeez -- now they are saying nine people aboard ???

 

 

and this is also more grim, but you can track the helicopter flight here on flightaware.

 

hit replay at the bottom -- makes it obvious what happened, if not why.

 

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N72EX

 

Here is the ATC recording.   Seems to be the pilot inadvertently flew into IMC.  He probably flew it straight into the hillside. 

 

 

6 hours ago, Columbo said:

This is just unbelievably sad.

 

Here's the current news from https://twitter.com/i/events/1221516526160769024

 

BREAKING: Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas Sunday morning. Kobe was traveling with at least 3 other people in his private helicopter when it went down.  Emergency personnel responded, but nobody on board survived.  Kobe's daughter Gianna Maria -- aka GiGi -- was also on board the helicopter and died in the crash, reps for Kobe Bryant tell TMZ Sports.  She was 13.  TMZ reports they were on their way to the Mamba Academy for a basketball practice when the crash occurred.

I remember waking up this morning and watching Sports Center hearing Lebron talk about Kobe and his congratulatory Tweet praising Lebron for passing him on the all time list. It was so surreal to hear only a few hours later he had died. 

Was hoping it was a hoax.. unfortunately we lost one of the most entertaining superstars of all time.  Feels like I just lost part of my childhood. 

 

Lebron will get ring #4 this year for Kobe.. go bet the house on it

Can someone explain why Bryant lived in Orange County but located his sports academy 80 miles northwest in Thousand Oaks?  Why not in...Orange County? 

4 hours ago, jmecklenborg said:

Can someone explain why Bryant lived in Orange County but located his sports academy 80 miles northwest in Thousand Oaks?  Why not in...Orange County? 

It was an elite level AAU team so they pulled the top players from the Southern California region. For these types of teams, some players will travel 3-4 hours on the weekend to play on the team. They have the elite level coaching and facilities as well as access to the top technology and future college program connections. The location was less about where Kobe lived and more about probably allowing access to the top coaches, trainers, etc in the region. 

 

I believe LeBron has a similar team based in NE Ohio, but I could be mistaken on that. These elite level teams are not like the youth basketball of your day Jake (although St. James was a force back then :)) . 

5 hours ago, jmecklenborg said:

Can someone explain why Bryant lived in Orange County but located his sports academy 80 miles northwest in Thousand Oaks?  Why not in...Orange County? 

 

 

can some explain why cinci moeller used to fly student athletes in to school during their old reign of unfairness?

9 hours ago, TwoStickney419 said:

Was hoping it was a hoax.. unfortunately we lost one of the most entertaining superstars of all time.  Feels like I just lost part of my childhood. 

 

Lebron will get ring #4 this year for Kobe.. go bet the house on it

 

i never thought of that. he will be motivated in a way he never has been. watch out nba.

12 hours ago, jmecklenborg said:

Can someone explain why Bryant lived in Orange County but located his sports academy 80 miles northwest in Thousand Oaks?  Why not in...Orange County? 

Well I guess maybe when you own a helicopter it's not far at all.

 

I really always hated helicopters in general. I've seen some recent stats that appear to show they're more dangerous than cars or other aircraft. 

21 hours ago, Brutus_buckeye said:

I remember waking up this morning and watching Sports Center hearing Lebron talk about Kobe and his congratulatory Tweet praising Lebron for passing him on the all time list. It was so surreal to hear only a few hours later he had died. 

 

A day later and I'm still coming to grips with this.  We have tons to remember about Kobe - but the sadness is realizing that he was just beginning his post-NBA life and that future held so much potential.  The same could be said for his 13-year daughter Gianna - who was just beginning her life and wanted to follow in her father's basketball footsteps.

 

It is somehow fitting that Kobe's final tweet was congratulating LeBron for passing him at 3rd-most points and looking to the future of the league:

 

3 hours ago, surfohio said:

Well I guess maybe when you own a helicopter it's not far at all.

 

I really always hated helicopters in general. I've seen some recent stats that appear to show they're more dangerous than cars or other aircraft. 

 

I did aerial photography in Cincinnati twice from a helicopter.  You're somewhat free to go to most places, but the pilot does most of his navigation visually.  So you're literally following expressways, most often.  You are actually stuck to a specific altitude more so than a specific route, at least around Cincinnati.  

 

What's weird to me about this Kobe Bryant incident is that the pilot presumably followed this same route dozens if not hundreds of times.  The mountains in the LA area are big time - probably 3,000 feet in the area where the crash occurred and up to 5,000 feet near Pasadena.  I don't understand how the pilot made this mistake - i.e. deliberately flying parallel to a 30-mile long stretch of mountains from Burbank over to Thousand Oaks.  Why not fly a route parallel to but further north of the mountains?  

 

 

1 hour ago, jmecklenborg said:

 

I did aerial photography in Cincinnati twice from a helicopter.  You're somewhat free to go to most places, but the pilot does most of his navigation visually.  So you're literally following expressways, most often. 

You know i was unaware of that until I listened to the Kobe recording, where air control is giving the pilot highway directions, so strange. 

 

Great point about the route, so strange. I have no idea what happened of course, but here in San Diego lately the fog has been hovering out over the ocean most of the day and then suddenly coming onshore with a vengeance. 

Actually I looked at the crash site on Google Earth at 4222 Las Virgenes Rd., the address that appears behind the newscasters.  The helicopter hit the hillside at approximately 950 feet above sea level...the hill it hit peaks at 1,500 feet.  This helicopter pilot was WAY off course.  To hit this spot, instead of continuing due west above the 101 Freeway, the flight actually veered south.  I don't understand why the pilot wouldn't simply go straight up when he doesn't know what the hell is going on in fog.  Even if you can't see anything, with a compass you know not to go south. 

 

Also, there are some issues with altimeters in various weather conditions, but I have no formal pilot training so I won't speculate on this.  But once again, I don't get why they'd be flying in risky conditions to get to a youth basketball game.  Come on. 

 

 

8 hours ago, jmecklenborg said:

Actually I looked at the crash site on Google Earth at 4222 Las Virgenes Rd., the address that appears behind the newscasters.  The helicopter hit the hillside at approximately 950 feet above sea level...the hill it hit peaks at 1,500 feet.  This helicopter pilot was WAY off course.  To hit this spot, instead of continuing due west above the 101 Freeway, the flight actually veered south.  I don't understand why the pilot wouldn't simply go straight up when he doesn't know what the hell is going on in fog.  Even if you can't see anything, with a compass you know not to go south. 

 

Most likely he flew into IMC and became disoriented.  He may have been trying to set up to file an IFR flight plan, messing with maps, or any host of other cockpit workload issues that led to disaster.  

 

One thing that bothers me (as a fixed-wing aircraft pilot) is in a helicopter, you can push a button and "hover", which is a luxury no fixed wing pilot gets when flying in these conditions.   A fixed wing pilot is taught to make a timed 180 degree turn to leave the instrument conditions, which brings a host of terrain issues in these kinds of areas.   A rotary pilot could in theory stop, get their head together, and execute a 180 degree turn on a dime, and head back the opposite direction.   

 

8 hours ago, jmecklenborg said:

Also, there are some issues with altimeters in various weather conditions, but I have no formal pilot training so I won't speculate on this.  But once again, I don't get why they'd be flying in risky conditions to get to a youth basketball game.  Come on. 

 

Pilots all this "get-there-itis," and it takes the lives of more people than you think. 

Not surprising, tonight's Clipers vs. Lakers game has been postponed. Lakers will play again Saturday when they host the Trailblazers.

2 hours ago, Cleburger said:

One thing that bothers me (as a fixed-wing aircraft pilot) is in a helicopter, you can push a button and "hover", which is a luxury no fixed wing pilot gets when flying in these conditions.   A fixed wing pilot is taught to make a timed 180 degree turn to leave the instrument conditions, which brings a host of terrain issues in these kinds of areas.   A rotary pilot could in theory stop, get their head together, and execute a 180 degree turn on a dime, and head back the opposite direction.  

 

It is reported that they hit the hillside at 150mph+, a crazy speed for foggy conditions, I would think. 

 

Also, "get-there-itis" effects people in many realms.  People do it while driving.  People in manufacturing and transportation do it when they knowingly ship something they know it's quite right just to get it done. 

 

 

 

looks like he got dizzy and disoriented after circling around in a holding pattern in the heavy fog. 

 

spatial disorientation -- that kind of reminds me of the jfk, jr. plane crash.

 

i wonder why he stayed at 1000' when proceeding when there were 1500' hills around though  --- how high up can helicopters fly?

 

i guess this will take some time to know what happened with more certainty.

 

they say there is no black box, but the pilot had a flight ipad they can examine.

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/investigators-kobe-bryant-helicopter-crash-will-look-weather-aircraft-conditions-n1123911

11 hours ago, mrnyc said:

 

i wonder why he stayed at 1000' when proceeding when there were 1500' hills around though  --- how high up can helicopters fly?

 

 

It's called "scud-running."  Trying to fly under the cloud layer.   

 

Service ceiling on this variant of Sikorsky is 13,800 ft. 

 

I did read that this helicopter variant is not IFR certified with only one pilot.  But that would be a ridiculous thing for the single pilot to consider when his passenger's lives are on the line.  

On 1/27/2020 at 8:47 AM, mrnyc said:

 

 

can some explain why cinci moeller used to fly student athletes in to school during their old reign of unfairness?

 

Howard Ferguson was rumored to buy cars for his wrestlers in the early days of St. Eds's wrestling reign.

 

Once a program is established things like this are no longer "necessary".

 

Not really the same thing as a few days camp though.

Nice tribute to Kobe at the Pelicans/Cavs last night at RMF.  It began outside the arena for those fans walking in on the Huron side.

 

 

Conspiracies flying... seriously... people.. just leave it alone. RIP 

6 hours ago, E Rocc said:

 

Howard Ferguson was rumored to buy cars for his wrestlers in the early days of St. Eds's wrestling reign.

 

Once a program is established things like this are no longer "necessary".

 

Not really the same thing as a few days camp though.

 

 

i had heard that as a teen and asked about it, but its not true.

 

source: my uncle was his handyman for like 40yrs. they were very close.

14 hours ago, Cleburger said:

 

It's called "scud-running."  Trying to fly under the cloud layer.   

 

Service ceiling on this variant of Sikorsky is 13,800 ft. 

 

I did read that this helicopter variant is not IFR certified with only one pilot.  But that would be a ridiculous thing for the single pilot to consider when his passenger's lives are on the line.  

 

 

hmm, interesting. i have another question if you don't mind, i read something about the helicopter dropping straight down at the end. so it didn't smack into a hillside, it dropped down to doom. could that be anything but mechanical failure? or could there be another common known type reason, like pilot error related?

9 minutes ago, mrnyc said:

 

 

hmm, interesting. i have another question if you don't mind, i read something about the helicopter dropping straight down at the end. so it didn't smack into a hillside, it dropped down to doom. could that be anything but mechanical failure? or could there be another common known type reason, like pilot error related?

 

I watched the NTSB briefing today.   They said the aircraft was in a left descending bank at 2000'/minute.   So the pilot flew it into the hillside (and the crash scene video bears evidence to this as well).   Sounds like spatial disorientation to me.  

17 minutes ago, Cleburger said:

 

I watched the NTSB briefing today.   They said the aircraft was in a left descending bank at 2000'/minute.   So the pilot flew it into the hillside (and the crash scene video bears evidence to this as well).   Sounds like spatial disorientation to me.  

 

 

oh i see. yeah, in that case spinning around in a fog could spatially disorient someone for sure. that always seemed the most likely scenario. ugh. thx. 

1 hour ago, mrnyc said:

 

 

oh i see. yeah, in that case spinning around in a fog could spatially disorient someone for sure. that always seemed the most likely scenario. ugh. thx. 

 

Yes it's a killer.   The body and inner ear specifically can fool you into thinking you're flying straight and level and in reality you're diving or climbing.  

 

Even in the basic private pilot training I've received, it is drilled into you that if you ever fly into IMC you have to trust your instruments and not your brain.   Part of early training is "unusual attitudes recovery", where you put on foggles and the instructor takes control, does some aggressive maneuvers, then gives control back to the student.  Your task is to recover only using the instruments without any outside visual reference.