A House Divide Against Itself Cannot Stand ……….Bring On The Golden State Warriors
Below in part is the transcript of a speech given by Abraham Lincoln . It was perhaps one Lincoln’s best known speeches given after his acceptance as the Republican state candidate in Springfield Illinois chosen to run against Democrat Stephen A Douglas. Date June 16th 1858.
” Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Convention.
If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it.
We are now far into the fifth year, since a policy was initiated, with the avowed object, and confident promise, of putting an end to slavery agitation.
Under the operation of that policy, that agitation has not only, not ceased, but has constantly augmented.
In my opinion, it will not cease, until a crisis shall have been reached, and passed.
“A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.
I do not expect the Union to be dissolved — I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided.
It will become all one thing or all the other. ”
Click here to read the speech in its entirety .
The Golden State Warriors have had their struggles this season and their record of ’18-48′ within the Pacific Division of the Western Conference is reflective of that. Some 30 1/2 games behind the division leading Los Angeles Lakers (49-18) . The Warriors have had their growing pains as they try to assimilate themselves behind the court presence of rookie Steph Curry and the undoubted talents of guard Monta Ellis . Perhaps until Curry’s arrival the team’s best player ?
However, in light of this all there seems to be unrest within the Warriors’ organization . For coach Don Nelson despite the pleasant respite of having a player of Curry’s talents available to him . He has also got to tend with the bruised ego it appears of Ellis , who has started to complain about not getting enough of ball when on the court. Now far be it for me to suggest that Ellis is out of line but I’d have thought anything that seemingly makes your team better, is a great deal more than appearing to look atrociously god-damn awful. It’s not as if him hiking up shots all night long and padding his stats improves the effectiveness of the Warriors as a team to begin with ! You get the impression that without him the Warriors would be garbage. And perhaps he’s right , but with Curry playing alongside him that stench of the perceived garbage dissipates somewhat. Monta Ellis needs to ‘shut the hell up’, play the basketball and earn his keep. Because anymore of his whining and the Warriors’ front office will be looking send his a_s off to outer Siberia or to a NBA franchise willing to take the player off their hands.
Courtesy of Associated Press & Yahoo Sports
Lakers beat Warriors 9th straight time, 124-121
By Josh Dubow , AP Sports Writer
Oakland, Calif. (AP)—Kobe Bryant is happy to be done with the Golden State Warriors so the Los Angeles Lakers can prepare for what they might actually see come playoff time next month.
Bryant scored 29 points and the Lakers dominated the boards to overcome a turnover-plagued night and beat the Warriors for the ninth straight time, 124-121 on Monday night.
Bryant said there was nothing to learn from a game where the Lakers committed 24 turnovers, outrebounded Golden State 56-25 and allowed 100 shots before holding on at the end for the victory.
“You’re not going to see anything remotely close to this in the playoffs,” he said. “Not even close. There’s nothing you can gauge in this game. You just get out of here with a win and move on.”
Pau Gasol scored 26 points, Andrew Bynum added 19 points and 14 rebounds, and Lamar Odom had 17 points and 12 boards for the Lakers, who have won three straight following their first three-game losing streak in more than two years.
The Lakers led by 11 late in the fourth quarter but barely held on for the victory. It wasn’t sealed until Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis missed 3-pointers in the final seconds. Ellis’ last-ditch attempt bounced on the rim three times before falling aside at the buzzer, completing a 5-for-23 night.
“I thought it was going in,” Warriors center Chris Hunter said. “It looked like the invisible man tipped it away at the last second.”
Curry scored 29 points for the Warriors, who have lost seven of eight. Coach Don Nelson remained six wins shy of breaking Lenny Wilkens’ record mark of 1,337. The Warriors have only 16 games remaining this season, meaning Nelson’s quest for the record might be pushed into next season if he is brought back as coach.
The Lakers took advantage of their decided height advantage with two 7-footers in the starting lineup against a Warriors team whose only true post player is Hunter, a former NBA Development League player.
But with a season-high nine turnovers by Bryant and eight more from Bynum, the Lakers struggled to put away the quicker Warriors.
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Warriors’ owner Chris Cohan and GM Larry Riley have sought their best to place a good product on the field of play, in conjunction with Don Nelson. After the years of disdain and seemingly being ridiculed by in large part, many of their own fans and others within the state. It looks as if finally they may well be heading in the right direction. But the last thing that they would want is anything to ruin what appears to be a stability within the roster. But given the notion that, Ellis believe he’s the face of the franchise, rather than the talented young rookie. You get the impression that there might be some turmoil ahead for the organization and for the Warriors’ coaching staff . Prima-donna athletes come a dime a dozen but the ones who would defer to a younger and more talented teammate . Well, that becomes something of a rarity nowadays. Especially in today’s ego driven world of the NBA. And much of that has to do with how the players are marketed and how the NBA hierarchy has gone about as an entity in getting its brand noticed on a global scale. It’s no longer about the teams themselves but more so, about its superstar. Doubt my word ? Perhaps the words that can be directly attributed to LeBron James should be a clear indication of that. ” I want to be global marketing icon”. Perhaps that would be dispelled somewhat and be of benefit to LeBron, if he were to win something of note first. Like an NBA title and ring , rather than just having an Olympic gold medal and league MVP award merely adorning his trophy cabinet at present. But alas, this is how David Stern and the NBA hierarchy feels is the best way to market its brand on a global scale ? By the way , do you think that the Warriors might actually have fans in such far flung away places such as in Guangdong, China ? Inquiring minds need to know ?
For the Warriors with a mere 16 regular games left in the season. This will be about assessing the roster and seeing discerning the good, from the bad, from the indifferent. And overall what will be of benefit to the organization as it proceeds forward. But in my own assessment, they may well also need to look at the coaching staff. It seems clear that Nelson has taken the team as far as he can. It’s not as if his remaining there, will lead to further leaps forward. He’s done as much as he possibly can . But it appears that Cohan and Riley will retain the veteran coach and his staff for the foreseeable future. As to how the fans may well view this all is a matter of great debate and conjecture.
Ellis without his undoubted skills remains something of an enigma , not only to the fans but quite possibly also to the coaching staff. With his prodigious talent, I ask myself why in hell’s name would he now want to take on the role of a ‘villain’ and ‘alienate’ himself not only from the fans but quite possibly some of his teammates ? It hurts not only his image but creates division within the locker room amongst the players. And that’s of no benefit to the team or the organization , itself. ‘A house divided cannot stand by itself ‘ and with Ellis’ immature behavior in that context , it creates something of a dilemma and morass for the Warriors as an organization. Do they retain a player who when on his game makes them competitive ? Or do they jettison him , in order to stave off what almost certainly would lead to division amongst the roster and tension within the organization as a whole ? If Nelson really wants to show his ‘true worth as a coach’ , he and his coaching staff led by assistant coach Keith Smart had better sit Ellis down and explain to him what it means to be not only a ‘team player’ but also ‘teammate’ as well . It’d be of benefit to not only Ellis but also to Nelson and the entire organization.
The team gave a spirited display in 124-121 , in a 3 point loss to the Lakers in game that the Warriors had within their grasp. Games such as this, shows grit and mental fortitude but they fell short to a Lakers’ team that seems destined to make their presence felt within the postseason of the Western Conference playoffs. The Warriors can only aspire to seek such a place at some point in the future. But for now, for this young team, it is actually about learning the nuances of team discipline and what it takes to win consistently. Something apparently that Monta Ellis has yet to learn as a player within the NBA. Does anyone actually believe that he’ll learn it anywhere else ? For Ellis’ teammate, Steph Curry, his future appears to be bright as he embarks upon his own career within the NBA and to write his own legacy.
Alan Parkins aka tophatal …………….
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Drake …………“The Best I Ever Had”
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