Thoughts with Whiskey: 2025-05-25

Current drink:  Maker's Mark.  Not my favorite bourbon, but extremely solid, and a great deal for the price.

• Finished the episode "Who Are You?" from the show Andor.  Absolutely brilliant.  One reason it works is that it's the first show since the 1977 original movie to make the Empire actually competent and scary (the later movies made the Sith scary and the Empire as just their lackeys).  A good guideline for Star Wars is that the more emphasis they put on the Force, the weaker the world gets.

• I'd like to thank Tyrese Haliburton for being the NBA villain they didn't know they needed.  He and the Pacers are both very good and very obnoxious.  Part of me roots for them to lose- the other part wants them to win it all this year so my beloved Cleveland Cavaliers can knock them off next year.

• The House passed the "Big Beautiful Bill" this past week.  Two thoughts:

• Speaker Mike Johnson is, much like Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell, really good at his job.  He twisted enough arms to get the bill passed when it seemed unlikely.
• I'm an old school Conservative.  I like tax cuts, and I think the government overspends.  But with a current debt at over $36 trillion and a current deficit at over $1 trillion (that's over $1,000,000,000,000.00), we really need spending cuts and tax hikes.  This bill does nothing to deal with the debt seriously

• Current game:  The life and suffering of Sir Brante.  Fascinating "Chose Your Own Adventure" type game going over an entire life.  Really enjoying it

Everyone have a great holiday:  Some Gave All 

Thoughts With Whiskey: 2025-05-16

Today's beverage:  Weller Special Reserve.  Probably the best value for bourbon, in my humble opinion.

* The Cleveland Cavaliers of 2024-2025 may be one of my favorite teams to have ever followed, and it was heartbreaking to see them go out in the 2nd round of the playoffs.  I would run it back with the same players; stability is criminally underrated in basketball, and I do think this was a learning experience (though a painful one) for them.  

* Watching season 2 of "Andor" now.  Best Star Wars tv show, even over the Mandalorian.  My plan is to finish the season and then rewatch "Rogue One".    And it continues my theory that the less involved the Force are in the Star Wars Universe, the better.

* I'd chat about politics... but what's the point?  I want my elected officials to be competent, decent, and boring.  Text me when that option becomes available.  

* Pete Rose and 'Shoeless' Joe Jackson are now eligible to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.  I lived in Kentucky when Rose broke Ty Cobb's record, and he was deified in that part of the country.  He was a great baseball player and horrible human being.  Though I suppose the same also applies to Ty Cobb and others who are actually in the Hall of Fame.  

* Be well, everyone.  It's rough out there.  

NBA 2025 Lottery Booking

Another year, another potential franchise player that everyone wants.  Ladies and Gentlemen, meet Mister Cooper Flagg.  All of the NBA teams want him, and the teams who did not make the playoffs are in the lottery to earn the right to draft him (if the teams haven't already traded away their picks).  And the draft is supposed to be deep enough that anyone who gets into the top 4 should get an excellet player.  I don't think the lottery is rigged.... but IF it was, here's how I'd book things.

Cooper Flagg

My Crazy Dream Booking: Portland, Sacramento, Houston, Chicago.

When in doubt, pick franchises that haven't ever won the NBA title.  I'm also in favor in giving all of the fanbases hope- and Portland certainly needs some hope.

As an added bonus, if Philadelphia drops from 5 to 7, they lose their pick to OKC.  Add in Phoenix losing their pick to Houston, and it's a lesson in not trading away unprotected draft picks.

  
What Should Happen: Winners of the lottery:  Washington, Charlotte, Toronto, Chicago, 

One thing I've noticed- all of the top prospects end up in the Western confernce. Wembeyana ended up in San Antonio; Zion ended up in New Orleans.  It's one of the reasons the Western Conference is tougher than the Eastern Confernce.

We need some balance- and Washington needs some hope.  Let's give the Eastern conference the top 3 picks  

What Will Happen: Winners of the lottery:  Utah, Washington, Brooklyn, Charlotte

Fourtune favors the worst teams, and the three worst teams end up in the top 4 picks.  Brooklyn is a large city franchise that ends up with a top 3 pick.

What I’m Terrified Will Happen: Dallas, Atlanta, New Orleans, Philadelphia

I don't like rewarding teams that make foolish moves.  Dallas traded Luka Doncic and got an older, injury-prone Anthony Davis for him.  The Dejounte Murray trade cost Atlanta their pick (to San Antonio)- and then Atlanta traded Murray for New Orleans' pick.  

If I Was Booking This And I Hated You: The Lakers get Cooper Flagg

Not possible- but the Lakers have the "I win.  I always win" button.  So never say never...