He's Back

Chris Webber. Don Nelson. Golden State Warriors.

It took 13 years for Warriors fans to finally get over that disastrous combination. Now it’s back.

I don’t know what to think or feel. If you’re not a Warriors fan, let me help you understand the significance of this.

Imagine an 18-year-old boy who meets a girl that is perfect. Let’s call her “Chrissy” just to give her a name. He loves everything about “Chrissy” and can’t believe she’s actually with him. She becomes his girlfriend; he falls deep in love and is sure he’ll marry her.

But a year later, she dumps him with one of those “I love you but I’m not in love with you” speeches. He feels completely betrayed and devastated.

Even though they were together for only a year, the pain never really goes away for years to come. He dates other girls, has other girlfriends, but never feels the same as he did with “Chrissy.”

Twelve years later, he meets a great girl and falls in love again. For the first time in his life, he can truly say he’s completely over “Chrissy.”

Well, a year after that, “Chrissy” is back in his life. She gets a job working with him and he doesn’t know what to feel. He spent his entire 20’s trying to get over this girl. He finally does and now she’s back. And although she’s not nearly as pretty to him as before, he can’t help but feel emotional and awkward about the situation. He honestly doesn’t know what or how to feel.

That’s how I feel with Webber back. For me and many Warriors fans, “Chrissy” is Chris – as in Webber.

Last year’s run to end the 12-year playoff-less drought – the last time being with Webber as a Warrior – along with the magical first-round playoff win over Dallas was the equivalent of meeting the new girl and finally getting over the Webber curse.

For the first time since the Webber/Nellie fiasco in ’94, everything is good in Warrior-land with Baron Davis, Stephen Jackson, and the young guys like Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins.

And now the guy who broke our hearts is back. With Nellie as the coach.

Webber is not nearly the player he was when he played here last time, and it’s a low risk move on paper.

Actually, if you look at it logically, Webber should help the Warriors become a better team. He can spell the big guys, is a great passer, good rebounder and can hit the mid-range jumper. He should help in the high post when opposing teams play zone defense, something that has hurt the Warriors. He has a high basketball IQ, something Nellie loves. Say what you want, but he did help the Pistons last season. And they’re getting him for nothing.

But is that enough to outweigh all that emotional baggage?

I have no idea. What I do know is that his first game at Oracle Arena will have an electric atmosphere – I can’t wait to see what the crowd reaction will be. Talk about a soap opera.

Mid-Season Improvements

Sharks netminder Evgeni Nabokov kept his team in control despite a
breakdown in the third period that saw Daniel Sedin on a breakaway.
(Steven Cabana / BAY AREA BLITZ)

Milan Michalek jabs in his own rebounds for the third goal of the night
while Steve Bernier created traffic in front of Roberto Luongo
(Steven Cabana / BAY AREA BLITZ)

SHARKS START SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON SWEEPING THE VANCOUVER CANUCK
By Reza Kazempour/Bay Area Blitz

It was important that the San Jose Sharks start the second half of the season with a home win. They swept the Vancouver Canucks in the final game between the two teams this season by allowing their defense to dictate their 3-1 victory.

Sharks’ goaltender Evgeni Nabokov picked up his 24th win and Joe Thornton provided three assists on goals from Craig Rivet, Jeremy Roenick and Milan Michalek.

"Right from the drop of the puck we played hard," said Thornton, who picked up his 200 assist in 181 games with the Sharks. "We made it tough on them to get scoring position and scoring opportunities."

Nabokov came close to securing his sixth shutout of the season until the Canuck's lone goal came courtesy of Ryan Kesler's awkward angle wrist shot. While Nabokov remained solid in between the pipes with 20 saves, his counterpart, Roberto Luongo had a tough time dealing with the traffic the Sharks created in front of him.

"He is one the elite goaltenders of the league," said Craig Rivet. "You're not going to beat him if he sees the puck."

Despite the loss, Luongo showed why he's an elite goaltender. With Alexander Edler in the box for holding at 10:52 into the second period, Luongo managed to knock Michalek's shot out of the crease with his stick while sprawling to make the save.

Luongo was voted to be the starting goaltender for the Western Conference in the upcoming All-Star game, but opted out to spend more time with his wife in Florida. While Luongo may not be playing, Sharks' Joe Thornton and Evgeni Nabokov will represent the Sharks this season at the All-Star game along with Sharks' head coach Ron Wilson.

And no two other Sharks deserve the recognition more than Thornton and Nabokov. Thornton was responsible for all three goals, while Nabokov kept the Sharks in control despite after a small breakdown in the third period.

"We go as Nabby goes," said Thornton. "He's a big part of this team, and we really needed him tonight."

After Kesler's goal, the Sharks solid defense collapsed briefly. The collapse allowed Daniel Sedin to easily walk in for a breakaway, only to be stopped by Nabokov's right leg pad.

"We were patient," said Nabokov. "Now we just have to bring [our game] from the road, home."

The Sharks got the got off to a great start with a goal from Rivet, who knocked in his fourth goal of the season courtesy of a disconnected pass by Canucks' defenseman Willie Mitchell. The Sharks picked up Mitchell’s pass and carried it into the offensive zone on a 4-on-2 opportunity. Sharks’ center Joe Thornton connected a pass to a trailing Rivet who lit the lamp for the first goal of the night.

Nearly a minute later the Sharks were forced to kill a two-man advantage with Patrick Marleau and Rivet in the penalty box. With a solid penalty kill effort, the Sharks managed to get more opportunities in that time-span than the Canucks could generate. One of those chances saw Michalek on a short-handed breakaway opportunity only to lose it in the final stride. Marleau was in the box for cross-checking Mike Weaver and Rivet was called for a questionable slashing.

In the second period, the Sharks kept the pressure strong. With a goalie pulled on a delayed penalty, Sharks’ Jeremy Roenick came close to completing a well-practiced give-n-go opportunity that nearly resulted in a goal.

It didn’t matter, as Roenick scored on the ensuing powerplay after Luongo gave up a hefty rebound on Rivet’s shot. Roenick’s powerplay goal was his eighth goal of the season with Rivet and Thornton picking up an assist. Roenick moved into second place in most goals scored among U.S. born players at 503, passing Joe Mullen. Currently, Mike Modano holds the record at 513 goals.

The Sharks will host the Toronto Maple Leafs this Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

Baron an All-Star?

Baron Davis should be in the NBA All-Star game on February 17 in New Orleans, but there’s a good chance that won’t happen.

Of the major sports, the NBA is by far the hardest All-Star team to make. With only 12 roster spots, it has become an exclusive club.

Every year there are several deserving players that don’t make the team, and Baron could be one of them this year. Let’s break down the western conference guards.

As of right now, Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady lead in voting. Assuming they get voted in, that leaves two or three spots for guards, depending on how many they decide to have.

Steve Nash and Chris Paul are locks. I don’t see any scenario in which they are not All-Stars. That leaves one more guard spot between Baron, Allen Iverson, Brandon Roy, Deron Williams, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

Talk about a stacked position.

Personally, I would narrow it down to Baron, Iverson and Roy because of team records (and the fact that I don’t think Parker and Ginobili are playing at the same level as these guys).

All three guys are having tremendous seasons. For me the tiebreaker is team record. As of Jan. 6, Denver and Portland are tied, two games ahead of the Warriors. Between Iverson and Roy, I don’t see how you can leave off Roy since he’s been the catalyst to what Portland has done.

So where does that leave Baron? Unfortunately, there is no room for him unless someone like McGrady (who probably wouldn’t make the team if he wasn’t voted in) sits because of injury.

One way for Baron to make it is if the Warriors get hot and have a better record than those two teams when they decide the All-Stars.

Injuries are the other way that Baron can make the team. If McGrady and someone else can’t go, Baron is in.

In baseball and football, it seems like anybody can be an All-Star, especially the NFL. In the NBA, it’s too limited. They need to expand the All-Star rosters from 12 to 15. It’s just not fair to deserving All-Stars who get snubbed year after year.