pantaloons

I'm not getting too excited, Jack. While yesterday was our only impressive win of the season, we've seen what appeared to be LA turning the corner a few times this season only to revert to losing to rubbish teams. This has to turn into some momentum for LA to make the playoffs.

By the way, I bought NHL Gamecenter for just $50 for the shortened regular season. Worth looking into if you want to see some NHL action. Visit the NHL site and access from there. Also, I don't know if it's been mentioned on here, but there's a USA v Canada hockey game at Hisense Arena on June 15 this year. Tickets start at $80. I got mine a month ago but I'm pretty sure there are tickets still available. It'll be interesting to see who comes to play though, considering the Stanley Cup Finals will still be on. I doubt anyone from one of the final four teams will be coming to play. And Macca, great effort getting to Edmonton!! I have friends who live there but I still couldn't muster up the effort to get there when I visited the States last year. Flights to Edmonton from anywhere in North America are obscenely expensive.

Thanks Jack. What a season indeed. If Howard goes, he goes. He's been a poor man's Bynum this season and there's no guarantee at all that he'll get anywhere near his best ever again. As currently constructed, this team was built for a two-year run. Unfortunately it looks like they'll just give me the runs for two years, but most of our contracts come off the books after the 2013/14 season (all bar Nash), when the plan will be to splash on a couple of big name free agents (ie. LeBron, though it would disgust me to have to support him if that eventuated, and then there are other names like Deng, Iguodala, Landry). I'd be reluctant to make any moves now that weren't designed to help us get younger and better for the 2014/15 season and beyond. If you trade Pau and/or Dwight, you have to get quality youth in, whether players and/or picks. Either way, and sorry if this is the 30th time I've mentioned it in this thread, but what the heck were we doing hiring D'Antoni? Totally wrong for our roster, not to mention Jackson's availability. I don't care when we kick him to the kerb, so long as he's not there in a couple of years. Things are always interesting in Hollywood.

I'm hoping that the 48 game season means that my Sharks are confused and treat the playoffs like games 49-82 and dominate.

Good luck to the Niners fans on here. My day's a long time San Fran follower so I've been right behind them these playoffs. He might be waiting a while for Melbourne to salute so hopefully his boys get the job done in a fortnight.

Ha! The hurry up offense works well for them. Very annoying when you've recorded the game and like to fast forward between plays though!!

Unforgivable performance from Seattle today. Turning down two simple first half field goals cost them dearly. I know they were down badly, but on the road you need to put points on the board when they are gifted to you. Going for it on 4th and 1 on the 11 is one some would agree with, but in that situation I thought it was desperate. And whatever the heck happened at the end of the first half was an utter farce. Great game though, and a great weekend of football. Can't see the Niners getting beaten. They've looked to me the team to beat since Week 1, and nothing has changed for me since then except the positive QB change. Pats to meet them in the SB.

We've got a couple other issues as well, Macca. Our choice of coach was silly. The team needs time to gel. We are old. But yes, we need time with the side intact. Not to be this season.

I've tried to ignore most of this season but it's pretty difficult when every second person wants to talk to me about the Lakers and my twitter feed is exploding with LA talk. Macca, with five on a court it's impossible to have great results with significant injuries. I've never seen a season like this for LA in terms of injuries. We've just learned today that Hill is out for the season - another massive hit. Out of 36 games, this is the games missed due to injury this far: Nash: 24 Gasol: 11 Howard: 3 Hill: 7 Blake: 29 I won't go into other injuries to players not in our usual best 8 or 9. That doesn't take into account that Howard has been playing injured. This was a team that needed a chunk of the start of the season to gel, and that just never happened. Our record in close games is extremely poor so that's also skewed our win-loss record downwards. I don't mean to sound like I'm making excuses, but that's just the simple reality of the situation. If I'm angry about one thing though it's hiring D'Antoni. I don't care what Jackson was asking for, shelve your ego and sign him. Uncharacteristically poor move from LA. Bring on NHL season.

For 3, 4, 14 and 26 we ended up with Viney, Toumpas, Hogan, Dawes and Barry, with some shuffling down in the third round where we were just picking state leaguers anyway. Pretty much three top-5 picks plus a 24 year old premiership CHF.

No real news on Crennel's replacement yet, Macca. They'll talk to some college coaches. I'd be happy with both Reid or Lovie - they've both had good records and made the Superbowl. But Crennel had to go, as does GM Pioli. There's no mucking around in the NFL. I know part of it is a slightly unhealthy desperation to win right now and appease fan bases, but at least we didn't stuff around like Melbourne with Bailey for 4 years when it was clear after 2 games he had no idea. And yes, it seems it's not the best year to have the #1 pick. Depending on what pick the first QB will be taken, it might be worth trading down to a pick in the 10-15 range plus another pick or three for the #1 pick. It's a huge indictment on Crennel and our QBs that the side had 5 Pro Bowlers this year and still had our worst ever season. Bring on the playoffs though. I can't wait.

Good riddance, 2012. My football teams were a combined 6-32.

There should be a 'Richmond' button on your microwave.

Mine and the wife's arrived on Wednesday, but as of this afternoon's mail drop I believe the kids' memberships have not yet arrived. Is this just standard, or did the village bandit pinch the kids' merchandise on Wednesday?

Our spiritual home is the MCG. We well know that other clubs grew to of suburbs while we grew out of our ground. Any social club should be built into the MCG, accessible from outside the ground outside of game time.

I believe after being delisted he was heard to say "I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore".

What a horrid day in KC. Very sad.

Bell was in the locker next door in #21. I like the idea of retiring jersey numbers in the US, but it's different here. We've got 154 years of tradition and we can't just start shelving numbers.

I'm confused. Wasn't today the day the AFL Commission was supposed to meet and kick Melbourne out of the league, slip a bit of arsenic into Cameron Schwab's Ovaltine and ban any coach from ever playing someone out of position again?

Worst team = KC. Utter disgrace. Division winners two years ago, injury plagued last year, upgraded the roster in the offseason and got a few back from injury and now 1-8. Complete lolfest.

Are we only going for 39 players again next season? By my calculations, including Viney, we've subtracted 12 players from the senior list and added nine, taking the list to 36. Why not go to 40 and use four picks? I expect there's a simple answer.

Losses, because there won't be any.

Richmond's 2013 membership slogan: "When Brad Miller and Addam Maric just aren't enough".

I was sending off #firemikebrown tweets a few days ago. This had to happen. You can't have one of the best lineups assembled since Showtime and have Brown at the helm. It's like having Stevie Wonder driving a Ferrari. Phil Jackson or Jerry Sloan would be unreal. Great stuff.

"Then again: As we’ve seen above, the lottery does not assure that tanking ended in 1984. Not even close." Thanks for the link, Macca. I read this one when it came out. I totally agree with the above quote, and it needs to be a caution for people thinking a lottery will completely eliminate all queries over teams out of the hunt going at it 100%.