[scorecard]

Angela Stanford, that is. 

KAPOLEI, Hawaii -- Michelle Wie rallied from four strokes back entering the day to shoot a 5-under 67 on Saturday and win the LPGA LOTTE Championship.

The 24-year-old American finished at 14-under 274 after coming into the final round trailing third-round leader Angela Stanford by four shots after Friday's play. It was Wie's third career victory on the LPGA Tour, and first since taking the CN Canadian Women's Open in 2010.

Perhaps this performance inspired Wie's friend (? rumored one-time boyfriend), Robin Lopez and his Portland Trailblazers to steal the first game of their playoff series from the Houston Rockets.  Robin was on the receiving end of a couple of clubs (read: cheap shots) from Dwight Howard, and was given a technical foul for being teed off about it.

http://larrybrownsports.com/basketball/d...als/226748

[scorecard]

Angela Stanford, that is. 

KAPOLEI, Hawaii -- Michelle Wie rallied from four strokes back entering the day to shoot a 5-under 67 on Saturday and win the LPGA LOTTE Championship.

The 24-year-old American finished at 14-under 274 after coming into the final round trailing third-round leader Angela Stanford by four shots after Friday's play. It was Wie's third career victory on the LPGA Tour, and first since taking the CN Canadian Women's Open in 2010.

Perhaps this performance inspired Wie's friend (? rumored one-time boyfriend), Robin Lopez and his Portland Trailblazers to steal the first game of their playoff series from the Houston Rockets.  Robin was on the receiving end of a couple of clubs (read: cheap shots) from Dwight Howard, and was given a technical foul for being teed off about it.

http://larrybrownsports.com/basketball/d...als/226748

[slide]

Robin Lopez was -15 in last night's game.  it is not often you see a team win when the starting center has that type of contribution.

[slide]

Robin Lopez was -15 in last night's game.  it is not often you see a team win when the starting center has that type of contribution.

[scorecard]

I'd say his contribution goes well beyond +/- numbers though.  Seems like Howard doesn't like playing against someone his own size, and Lopez battling him really gets under his skin.  Additionally, Lopez allows Aldridge to play at the 4 where he has a distinct advantage against Terrence Jones or other PF's (to the tune of 46 points).  Robin's presence has made Aldridge much happier over the course of the season (along with the emergence of Lillard) and stopped talk of him leaving Portland.

[scorecard]

I'd say his contribution goes well beyond +/- numbers though.  Seems like Howard doesn't like playing against someone his own size, and Lopez battling him really gets under his skin.  Additionally, Lopez allows Aldridge to play at the 4 where he has a distinct advantage against Terrence Jones or other PF's (to the tune of 46 points).  Robin's presence has made Aldridge much happier over the course of the season (along with the emergence of Lillard) and stopped talk of him leaving Portland.

[fullmetal]

LMA's benefit from having Lopez on the floor ought to factor into Robin's +/- numbers though.  The only way a -15 can be good is if Dwight Howard regularly causes opposing centers to have worse +/- numbers.

[fullmetal]

LMA's benefit from having Lopez on the floor ought to factor into Robin's +/- numbers though.  The only way a -15 can be good is if Dwight Howard regularly causes opposing centers to have worse +/- numbers.

[slide]

LMA's benefit from having Lopez on the floor ought to factor into Robin's +/- numbers though.  The only way a -15 can be good is if Dwight Howard regularly causes opposing centers to have worse +/- numbers.

LMA was +17; Lopez was the only starter with a negative and it was a big one.  that is tough to do. 

on the earlier points, yes, Lopez brings 6 fouls and effort which help against Howard.  and if it gets close, it particularly helps in the hack-a-Howard end game.

[slide]

LMA's benefit from having Lopez on the floor ought to factor into Robin's +/- numbers though.  The only way a -15 can be good is if Dwight Howard regularly causes opposing centers to have worse +/- numbers.

LMA was +17; Lopez was the only starter with a negative and it was a big one.  that is tough to do. 

on the earlier points, yes, Lopez brings 6 fouls and effort which help against Howard.  and if it gets close, it particularly helps in the hack-a-Howard end game.

[fullmetal]

I guess the implication is that there are stretches of time when LMA is not on the floor and Lopez is...and that's when the -15 happens.  If Lopez plays a lot more minutes than LMA and manages to play all of LMA's minutes as well, then you're talking about an effective -32 from minutes when LMA is not on the floor with Lopez :p  That is an impressive kind of terrible...

[fullmetal]

I guess the implication is that there are stretches of time when LMA is not on the floor and Lopez is...and that's when the -15 happens.  If Lopez plays a lot more minutes than LMA and manages to play all of LMA's minutes as well, then you're talking about an effective -32 from minutes when LMA is not on the floor with Lopez :p  That is an impressive kind of terrible...

[Spiny_Norman]

To bring this thread back to the original subject, here is an article about Michelle Wie's return to campus this past Monday after her win in Hawaii.

http://golfweek.com/news/2014/apr/24/mic...irts-2014/

“I was overwhelmed with emotion,” said Wie, who tried to conjure up ways she could travel back in time and experience life on The Farm all over again . . .

For those who still believe Wie made a mistake when she chose to juggle five years at Stanford while playing the LPGA, well, you’re mistaken.

Wie calls her time in Palo Alto, Calif. – #nerdnation – the best years of her life.

[Spiny_Norman]

To bring this thread back to the original subject, here is an article about Michelle Wie's return to campus this past Monday after her win in Hawaii.

http://golfweek.com/news/2014/apr/24/mic...irts-2014/

“I was overwhelmed with emotion,” said Wie, who tried to conjure up ways she could travel back in time and experience life on The Farm all over again . . .

For those who still believe Wie made a mistake when she chose to juggle five years at Stanford while playing the LPGA, well, you’re mistaken.

Wie calls her time in Palo Alto, Calif. – #nerdnation – the best years of her life.

[Leftcoast]

Speaking of Wie, Michelle "threw" out the first pitch at the Giants game yesterday.  Well sort of.  Wie and fellow LPGA golfer Paula Creamer chipped to the catchers from the pitchers mound.  Michelle was right on the money while the other golfer sent one to the backstop accompanied by TV commentary from Julie Inkster.

I couldn't find it on YouTube but here's a still.



Pretty amusing.

[Leftcoast]

Speaking of Wie, Michelle "threw" out the first pitch at the Giants game yesterday.  Well sort of.  Wie and fellow LPGA golfer Paula Creamer chipped to the catchers from the pitchers mound.  Michelle was right on the money while the other golfer sent one to the backstop accompanied by TV commentary from Julie Inkster.

I couldn't find it on YouTube but here's a still.



Pretty amusing.