Week 8 rankings, chat and predictions

[Certain]

@oats, I've come to realize that OutKast is my favorite rap group, and Andre 3000 might be my favorite rapper. The New York snob 13-year-old me would be very upset by this development.

I can get behind that assessment. Chris Bosh is Method Man? Darko Milicic is Coolio?

[oats]

Def agreed at the darko comparison lol. High expectations, later to become a punchline.

Whichever of those albums is overrated and buoyed by guest appearances would be an apt comparison for bosh.

[Certain]

Originally Posted by oats

Whichever of those albums is overrated and buoyed by guest appearances would be an apt comparison for bosh.

Don't do this. Chris Bosh was ridiculously good in Toronto.

[oats]

Easy to standout on a weak team in a weak conference. Not saying he's bad, but worth mentioning alongside Lebron and wade? Only because of affiliation.

[Certain]

Chis Bosh's last five years on the Raptors: 22.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.1 blocks a game, 50.0% from the field and 81.1% from the line, with a 23.3 Player Efficiency Rating. And he was the best player on two playoff teams in that span. He also was (and still is) a rather good defensive player, particularly when he is allowed to play power forward instead of center.

He subjugated himself to win championships. I'm not going to shit on him for that, especially not when he has broadened his offensive repertoire in the process. I absolutely think he still could average 23 points a game on a .500 team. That isn't what the Heat want out of him.

[oats]

Look at mcgrady on the raptors and then on the magic. Above-average talent will reveal itself as elite when surrounded by bums.

I would have made the same choice as bosh, not hating on him at all. I just chuckle at the idea of him being part of "the big three." That's like saying MJ, Pippen and kukoc were the big three, or Payton, kemp and Schrempf. One of them is not like the other.

[Certain]

Originally Posted by oats

Look at mcgrady on the raptors and then on the magic. Above-average talent will reveal itself as elite when surrounded by bums.

I would have made the same choice as bosh, not hating on him at all. I just chuckle at the idea of him being part of "the big three." That's like saying MJ, Pippen and kukoc were the big three, or Payton, kemp and Schrempf. One of them is not like the other.

Bosh was a five-time All-Star when the Heat signed him. He was an Olympic gold medalist. He was the best player on two playoff teams. And he now has a bigger impact than Dwyane Wade, at least over the course of a full season.

A better analogy would be that it would be like saying James Worthy was the Lakers' third star in the 1980s. No one thought Worthy was on the same level as Magic Johnson or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (until toward the end of the run, at least).

[Frank]

Originally Posted by Certain

Season 3

Anyway, here are the Week 8 matchups, with picture topics that are assigned to each battle:

Championship: 1. oats (7-0) vs. 2. King Ra. (4-3) - King Ra first championship match up in 3 seasons. A qualified candidate capable of ending Oats streak. I see King Ra turning up the heat on Oats with a scorcher. Oats is 7-0 and has lived up to the hype and has been a mighty contributor in season 3. I don't see Oats going undefeated but I don't see him being beaten easily either. It will take valiant effort. One a King can put together. Vetwork represent! Represent!
Contender match: 3. Mike Wrecka (3-4) vs. 4. El Pancake (3-2) - El Pancake is reeling and is prime for another beating. Just Write took him out in the opening week and he hasn't regained traction since. Mike Wrecka could take this opportunity to knock him out of the power ranks and put his name in a championship match. The Writers Challenge Champion has never graced an AOWL title match. I expect this match to change that.
5. zygote (5-2) vs. X. MMLP (0-1) - Not many people can beat Zygote. I've beaten him 3 or 4 times but each time it was a pressure cooker. I don't see MMLP getting a single vote. Not sure who the fuck he is. Baron mynds drinking buddy will get drunk under the table.
7. Fig (1-0) vs. 8. Bladed Thesis (1-0) - Bladed Thesis. I read one piece in the open mic forum that seemed to shake the rust off. A weathered warrior will come out swinging the sword at the Fig Tree. Will the fig tree be rustled or will the Fig Tree chop itself down and crush the opponent.
9. Certain (1-0) vs. 10. Witty (1-2) - Two competitors with clout in their own neck of the woods. Respected, wiley veterans whom have never crossed paths until this week. At its potential I'd call it BOTW. I got Certain in a neck and neck classic.
11. timeless (4-3) vs. 12. Frank (5-2) - Timeless thinks the topic is wack. Goodluck.
13. Vividlyvague (4-2) vs. 14. Adonis (3-4) - Middle Tier showdown. Neither will blow you away but they have the ability to amaze in interval phases. Similar skill level. Interested in this battle more than any other this week. I got vividlyvague in an vital match up in his young netcees career.
15. rhetoric (0-1) vs. 16. Totoro (0-5) Who is rhetoric? Totoro will win and be 0-6 next week.
17. d0ubt (0-0) vs. 18. Johnathan Mercy (0-0) - ....
19. TheRealWayneBrady (0-0) vs. 20. Zombie (0-0) - ...

I am not participating in the voting process until the Rank thread is clearly visible.

[Certain]

Your rank is listed, @Frank.

[oats]

Big game James was the third star, though cooper was a mega beast on the defensive end. That team was too stacked.


You're probably right on that comparison, but I maintain bosh was nothing more than an above average forward in a weak setting. He's a solid contributor though, no doubt. At this point, I'd say Allen is a more important member of the big three.

[d0ubt]

my apologizing for not finishing my required votes for signing up. completed forgot about finishing that last vote until now, and when i came to do so i was too late. i won't be tardy on deadlines from here on in.

[Certain]

Originally Posted by oats

Big game James was the third star, though cooper was a mega beast on the defensive end. That team was too stacked.


You're probably right on that comparison, but I maintain bosh was nothing more than an above average forward in a weak setting. He's a solid contributor though, no doubt. At this point, I'd say Allen is a more important member of the big three.

Chris Bosh is involved in 22.6% of the Heat's possessions when he is on the court. Ray Allen is involved in 16.6%. Bosh also plays 5.3 more minutes a game than Allen. He also has substantially larger defensive responsibilities.

Bosh was about as good as LaMarcus Aldridge is now when he was on the Raptors. He proved himself. Above-average players don't average 24 points a game on 51.8% shooting while surrounded by mediocre talent, including a lack of ballhandlers and shooters to help free them up. Ask anyone around the league about Bosh, and they all will tell you he is one of the 10 best big men in the league.

No one thinks or ever thought he was as good as LeBron James or Dwyane Wade. No one suggested that. But he's a star.

[Frank]

Ranking thread

No cluttered corny numbers plz

[Certain]

Frank, you don't have to vote. You won't get credit for any wins if you fail to, though, and you therefore won't advance in the rankings that you care so much about. Stop being a petulant child.

[Frank]

You non competitive journalist. You got the ranks all wrong. Math is not your strong suit. Somebody help this dude set up a fucking ranking thread.

[Fig]

You can't spell Frank without rank

Or karnf

[dyedinthewool]

Originally Posted by Fig

You can't spell Frank without rank

Or karnf

Please change name to figgy newton. <3

[King Ra.]

How would you rank everybody? @Frank

[timeless]

Yeah why are the rankings so weird?

[PancakeBrah]

Frank just being butthurt bros. Don't mind him.

The struggle for relevance...it's too real right now.

It's just the internet Franky. Small little fella.