Dec 20, 2008

History Repeats itself

Greetings Viper fans.




Seeing as how my blog is now a feature on RGVIPERS.com, it is probably a good idea that I start posting on a more regular basis. By the way my thanks to our new webmaster Jonah Goldberg, he is also the Vipers new Media Relations Manager. By the way he also serves as our Home Color Commentator on our radio broadcasts.





Let me just start by saying, RGV is a much better team than the record indicates. The Vipers have had a crazy schedule, even the eight game homestand was crazy. You had the last two D-League Champions, ( Dakota, Idaho) Two other playoff clubs (Sioux Falls, Colorado), and a very solid Utah club that had two NBA Assignees. Right now the Vipers cannot finish games. Coach Moser cant quite put his finger on it. But coaches don't like to make excuses. Since I am the broadcaster and subsequently a Viper apologist I will make the excuse. The Vipers are tired and have little to NO practice time. The first 12 games were in 24 days. 8 home games, against some of the clubs I mentioned, one was a day game with two back to backs. The the first road trip happened. 4 games in six nights in 4 different cities. Game one in frigid Colorado. Only day possible for practice was the Monday before and the floor was not maintained and slippery. Play Tuesday night. Fly for Tulsa on Wednesday, no practice just rest, why? Thursday the game was at 11:00 AM, no shoot around obviously. Win that game. Head over to Tulsa airport, wait, and wait, and wait. Flights are cancelled. Can't get to Des Moines, IA. We bus at 1:00 AM to Kansas City, that's as far as the roads would let us go. Stay the night in a great hotel in KC. Bus at 1:00 pm to Des Moines. Arrive in Des Moines at 5:30om head straight to arena. Play overtime game against Iowa. Fly out next morning at 5:30 AM for Austin. Play Austin on Sunday at 3:00 pm, bus home that night.





Look this is pro basketball, but you tell me that this was an easy stretch of games for a club that needs more practice time and I'll say that you need your head examined. Hopefully these next few days of practice will do the club wonders.





- Next item on the agenda, the assignment of Joey Dorsey. I was excited about the possibility of his assignment since draft day. I knew he wouldn't get any minutes with the big club, but I knew he would make the big club. He is a bruiser, a defensive force and someone who could develop into a strong Ben Wallace type of player. He needs playing time, and he will get a ton of it in RGV. He really is the type of player the Vipers need right now. A strong rebounder ( especially on the offensive side of the glass), shot blocking bruising defender, and a player to take some pressure off of Alton Ford, who can focus more on scoring with Dorsey in the line-up, and also to challenge Alton on the glass. I hope this is an extended assignment. I think it will be, although the Rockets have been mum as to just how long he will be on assignment.





- And now the bad news. Kendall Dartez is the latest Viper to graze in greener pastures overseas as he is off to China. Dartez had some interest from some clubs to join an NBA roster, likely after the showcase, but nothing ever panned out, he got an offer he couldn't refuse. I wish him the best, but now the Vipers will have to search far and wide for another big man, which are hard to find. This adds another hole to this club, who already needed a big, (before Dorsey's arrival), and a sharp shooting three-point specialist. Sadly the Vipers don't get any benefits in the waiver list because of Kendall's departure, that only happens with Gatorade Call-Up.



I am going to try to blog more... our friends over at Ridiculousupside...Who I have added to the blog roll, have challenged me to update more so I will. It's tougher to maybe link as much as I have in the past but I will try.

Untill later...Stay outta the paint

Dec 4, 2008

Vipers Game Blog

Halftime Vipers 52 - Wizards 42

Solid first half for Rio Grande Valley although Smush Parker is taking some terrible shots right now. He looks like he is just trying to get into a rhythm but hasn't been able to so far tonight. Craig Winder and Trent Strickland both have 11 points with Winder's coming off the bench. Alton Ford is drawing fouls from any Dakota players the crosses his way and he is making them pay as big Al has 12 points, but most importantly is 8 for 8 from the foul line. As for Dakota the don't have a single player in double figures.  Quemont Greer has nine points to lead the way for Dakota. The Wizards have played all 11 players. Let me just say that Hamed Haddadi is a beast. He needs ALOT of developing... but he is a beast!!


5:44 Remaining 2nd Qtr  Vipers 40 - Wizards 35

Dakota must like spotting its opponents  big leads and coming back. Vipers have led by as many as 12 but the Wizards have brought the game back into close single digits. Craig Winder has looked good off the bench with 9 points including two three pointers. Mo Baker is just a pest defensively and he has also put up seven points...He is a really good player on what could be a good Dakota team.



Second Media timeout 2:44 remaining Vipers 25, Wizards 13

Trent Strickland looks like the Trent Strickland from the weekend. He has nine 1st quarter points and is 4-5 shooting from the field. Quin Humphrey has been agressive in the early going as well with seven points.

Vipers are shooting over 70% from the field right now.. Lets see if they keep it up

Pre Game Versus Dakota Wizards

Hello Friends:

Well the Vipers got the stomach punch of the century in the third quarter of last night's game versus the expansion Erie BayHawks. The Vipers were nearly tripled up, outscored 35-12 in the third and dropped their first game of the season with a 101-86 loss. Personally I think it's better that it happened sooner than later. 

This Vipers team has a ton of talent, but has been developing some bad habits. They turn the ball over too much and think they can turn on a 10-0 run whenever they want. It doesn't always work that way in this league; especially when you play everyone in your division seven times. 

Tonight's opponent is Dakota. We saw Dakota twice last season and it is probably safe to say that they are the San Antonio Spurs of the the D-League and of minor league basketball. They just always win. I don't know what it is that draws people to Bismarck, North Dakota, but they put a winner on the floor year in and year out. They have four championships in the 12 year history of the franchise. One IBA championship, two CBA titles, and one D-League title. Duane Ticknor is their head coach, another minor league coaching legend. The schedule makers were not kind to the Vipers. Four of the first five teams the Vipers have faced this season have coaches with at least one minor league championship on their resume... NOT COOL!!!

The Wizards are 0-2, they suffered a home loss to Iowa to begin their season and started their road swing with a heartbreaking overtime loss to Austin last night despite coming back from a 19 point deficit. So Ticknor and the Wizards are dying for a win, lets hope they can wait till they go home.