I think you're truly something special

Why I like (Aaron) Jamal Crawford so much...

You know that excitement you get when watching someone play so amazingly well that it makes you wish you played even when you can barely dribble a ball? That's what kind of emotion JC incites from me. He is what captured me to the Hawks last season. After seeing him play I wondered, "Who is this guy?" and sought answers. My father, a lifelong Knicks fan (and if you know any of those, you already know how they can be *shudders*), proudly said, "Oh, that's the guy we gave to you." Of course he never brought up the fact of Jamal playing for Golden State before coming to the Hawks, but he just thinks "once a Knicks player, always a Knicks player." Silly rabbits.

I did not look at JC and think, "Oh yes, he's a cutie, I'm a fan!" What drew me to him was his presence on the court. This guy comes off bench and demands attention with his playing. This was crazy for me because, unfortunately, there is that cute-dar that attracts me to certain players who just happen to play well. Heads up, I'm just being honest with this blog. Back to JC...I researched the snot out of him, finding out how he is most known for his handles of the ball, breaking/injuring many ankles in the process, and even hitting threes like Palomalo hits offensive players. I soon found out that, although he scores like a starter, he doesn't mind coming off the bench if it benefits the team. A native of Seattle, Jamal has played for the Chicago Bulls, Knicks, Warriors, and finally Hawks. He'd love for Seattle to have a team and wouldn't mind playing for it either, as his heart lies with his hometown.

Jamal Crawford came in as the 8th pick for the 2000 NBA Draft, making the 2010-11 season his 11th. He was picked by Cleveland but immediately traded to the Bulls. Taken by his playing history, I decided to look at some of his more personal facts. This man gives back like it's his job! He gives to Seattle on a regular and now the Atlanta Boys and Girls Clubs. For every three he made, he donated $25 to local clubs for heart defibrillators and Philips Arena ended up matching his donations! After creating a Twitter page for his fans (www.twitter.com/jamalcrawfans), I started looking up quotes to post and different unknown facts, let me tell you something! This man has some great quotes. He's a well spoken and humble person.

I had the pleasure of meeting Jamal Crawford recently and he was super duper nice. He's got a down-to-earth personality...as evidenced by his choice of Halloween costume...
(Photo courtesy of Zaza Pachulia's twitter page)
He is the best 6th man! Point.blank.period. Jamal Crawford scores better than some of these teams' starters in less time. This statement would probably be better supported by some type of evidence but I'll just post JC's stats...Career average 15.5 ppg, 4 apg, and 84.5 % from the line. He holds the NBA record for most 4 pt plays with 29...the next in line is Reggie Miller with 23 (arguably 24). The man is slept on like crazy.

This.right here.is my.new post

I've decided to make this my regular blog. I'll be talking about whatever interests me, mainly sports and helping people. Trust me, I'll make it as interesting as humanly possible...or not. Right now I write to you while sitting in my cousin's apartment in New Jersey, listening to "Morris Brown," a fantastically happy-sounding song if you have never heard it before. For those of you who really know me, you know that my interest in sports has skyrocketed over the past couple years, to the pleasure of my father and brother and the disinterest of my mother. My (girl) friends find my interest pretty funny/entertaining. What brought it about was my trip to Spain mainly. I returned appreciating my family and people in my life a lot more and wanted to spend more quality time with my brother and father. I found that, by sitting with them while many games were on, we could bond. What I didn't expect was to become curious as to what was going on, having that curiosity lead to full-blown fanship.

I started off by watching the Atlanta Hawks play (as I had watched them many times before since they are the hometeam). My father, a fan of all-things related to sports, used to hold season tickets to the games back in the day. I eventually decided I wanted to go to the games, so I would go with my brother, my father or even my mother or friend. Anyone who would go with me, I'd take them. I soon learned of the ins and outs of the team and gained an opinion of the owners based on my research. My brother and I had discussed it before but since I wasn't a full-blown fan, I didn't really care. I will leave out my opinion of the owners for now but will say that some things prevent certain people from buying/continuing to purchase season tickets...that is all. I would love to make the team a popular staple of Atlanta, harnessing fans from around the world, but sometimes I guess my suggestions/opinions fall on deaf ears. Annnnyway....

What are my teams? I know that's probably a question for many (if any) people reading this. I really like players more than teams but sometimes I like so many players that I end up liking the team by default. My teams are as follows; The New Jersey Nets, The Atlanta Hawks, and The Boston Celtics. I'm probably getting some WTFuss?! reactions right now but it is what is people. I am a big fan of Paul Pierce *gasp* and KG...also Shaq, though he's a recently acquired player for the team. I fell in love with Rajon Rondo's playing when he was just getting heated up last season. The Nets were my favorite from the jump, before I even paid attention to what an assist was to a FG. I'm originally from NJ, so they're technically the hometeam as well. I LOVE Vince Carter, he's one of my favorite players and why I kept watching when I'd rather my dad turn to The Simpsons. I've followed him from being a saxophonist in a marching band to being one of the best to dunk the ball in an entertaining and amazing fashion. Last but not least, the Hawks. The hometeam and the team I could consistently follow to learn the sport. They're akin to my first love. Introducing me to new feelings I never thought I could feel, knowing how to push my buttons but making me happy with a trip to the playoffs and turning it around for the near-breakup by being blown out by Orlando. Oh yeah, Jamal Crawford is another one of my faves and I credit the Hawks to introducing me to his awesomeness that I never heard about before then...shame for hardly any media coverage on that man! But I digress...

What happens when these teams play each other? That should be another question asked by the masses. In no way, shape or form do I cheer for two teams when a game is on. I don't care if that team I'm cheering for is losing by 60, I don't do that. Isn't it like an unspoken rule of sports? So I pick one before the game starts. The time when this was the hardest was the Hawks versus Orlando game. I'm not an Orlando fan, but I am a Vince-anity fan, and I cheer for my dude from time to time. I chose to cheer for Vince at that remarkable game where J-Smoove had the incredible putback dunk that won the game. My face looked like this O_O literally. Actually, my mouth was open as well but that was too hard to display using just text. In my mind I was thinking, "DANNNG! Yes!" but on the outside I said, "Wow. That was nice, gotta give it to him." Ah, the difficulties of liking more than one team/player.

Also, as a fan of the NBA and a previous not-so-interested viewer, I can definitely say that if I were as uninterested in NBA games as I were many years ago, I would be unable to watch them today. The League has changed entirely too much for me to even enjoy something I definitely don't like. I could tolerate it before, but now I would just be downright bored. This may come as a shock to many but it's how I feel. I remember watching games with Michael Jordan (GOAT) and being sooooo into it, although I wouldn't mind watching something else, I wouldn't press it as much. Now? Not-so-much. The new technical foul rule? Boo-hiss. The actual enactment of said rule? Two thumbs down plus Lebron-James-in-Cleveland boos. Yes, I dislike it that much. Not only does it make the referees have too much power, it gives them reason to call even dumber fouls.

I've attended the Hawks preseason events which include the Season Preview with Rick Sund and new coach Larry Drew, two Open Practices at Philips Arena and Milton High School, Paint the Town, and the Orlando *shudders* game. I have recorded what happened at these events and I plan on posting my reactions/observations of them. Till we meet again!