Blog Adoption: What I Learned

Dr. Terry Clark

Blogging For Journalists

Presentation—Hoopshype blog

URL: http://hoopshype.com/author/mika-honkasalo/

What I’ve Learned

            I conducted my blog adoption on a blog called Hoopshype.com. Hoopshype is a multi-user blog with several writers who discuss several aspects of professional basketball, ranging from international play such as the Olympics to its most prominent focus, the NBA. Some of the topics regularly explored on Hoopshype include rumors, analytics, statistics, draft analysis, transaction analysis, contracts and salary cap breakdowns, and many others. The blog is a great source of information for anyone who follows basketball and enjoys the finer, more in-depth components of the game and the NBA as a whole.

The Thunder is over-playing a veteran over a more talented young player...Again

Sigh. What is it with you, Thunder?

First it was Derek Fisher playing more minutes than James Harden at times. Then it was more of the same with Caron Butler added to the mix, playing both Fish and Butler over guys like Jeremy Lamb and even Reggie Jackson from time to time.

And let's not forget that  this season, Mitch McGary has all but disappeared despite being better than Collison at this point in his career by just about every measure.

I can let that one slide, because Collison barely plays either. But what the Thunder is doing to Cameron Payne right now is criminal and could very well cost them a deep playoff run.

The Thunder, by all appearances, is headed to the postseason with Randy Foye as its backup point guard instead of Payne, who's had a very good rookie season.

Here's how Randy Foye has done over the last ten games as the Thunder' backup point guard. In each of these ten games, he played at least 14 minutes for a total of 195 minutes.

17 assists to 12 turnovers (not even good enough for a 2:1 ratio), 30 percent from three point range and 30 percent shooting overall.

To compare, I took a sample of the last ten games in which Payne played at least 14 minutes:

35 assists to 10 turnovers (better than a 3:1 ratio), 34 percent from three point range and 44 percent shooting overall.

Oh, and before you bring up defense... a quick comparison on Basketball-Reference will tell you that nearly every defensive stat--basic or advanced-- is either even or slightly in favor of Payne.

So who would you rather have as your backup point guard in the playoffs?

The only thing Foye has over Payne is experience. But isn't that curious when you consider that Payne has only been to the playoffs one time, and it was four years ago?

Isn't it also curious that they'll hold the experience thing against Payne, but not against Dion Waiters or Kyle Singler, each of which will be playing in the postseason for the first time? Even Sixth Man of the Year candidate Enes Kanter has only been to the playoffs once... a series sweep against the Spurs, in which he played ten minutes a game.

Yeah, but Payne isn't experienced enough. Okay.

People tend to get bent out of shape when I criticize the Thunder, but it's only because I want them to win so badly and I hate to see them hold themselves back with such obvious mistakes.

Let's at least hope that Westbrook plays upwards of 42 minutes per game in the playoffs to minimize the dysfunctional bench that defines the 2016 Thunder (aside from Kanter).

Trophies

I'm just tryna stay alive and talk about sports. And they don't have no award for that.

No wait, apparently they do.

As you probably know, I do a radio show twice a week in addition to writing for the Vista/UCentral. I joined the radio show last semester, partnering with two of my good friends and fraternity brothers, Jacob Beeman and Matt Wallen.

Back then, it was called "The Chute" and I could only attend on Fridays. Ever since then I've had a blast doing it, talking about sports with the guys on the radio waves just like we normally would at a restaurant or in the living room.

At the end of the semester we had our final radio show, and we were all happy and loose to be pretty much done with all of our school work and get to Christmas break. Because of this we had a great time and probably had the best radio show we've had to date--it was funny but also some good analysis.

So we entered one of the segments from that show in the OBEA awards and won first and second place for best sports commentary in the state (collegiately).

I never imagined when I started doing radio that it would actually get that kind of recognition. As I said in my social media posts about it, I'm incredibly honored.

It's pretty cool to be able to talk sports with your brothers on the radio. It's even cooler to have people recognize the work you've put in to make it worthwhile.

So shout out to OBEA for giving us this honor. I speak for myself as well as Jacob and Matt when I say that we really, really appreciate it. And shout out to my radiomates Jacob and Matt.

I also have to shout out Ike Wilcots, another friend and fraternity brother who has taken over for Jacob this semester and has done an amazing job. "What's Goin' On?"

Lastly, shout out to our listeners, of course. And if you aren't listening: congratulations, you've played yourself.

Nah but really though, tune into 99.3 FM Mondays and Wednesdays from noon to 1 o'clock to listen to the Matt Wallen Show, our new radio show title (Matt is a narcissist but it's fine). And don't worry--if you hear music at first, you're in the right place. Just wait a few minutes and enjoy the song before we come in and kick some serious sports knowledge.

Sincerely,

Brad Jayroe (The Real)