Hit by a Pitch

Linas Kleiza had his first NBA double double today (23 points/10 rebounds — and 7-for-7 free throws) in the Nuggets’ win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Awesomely, there was a crowd of Lithuanian Kleiza fans at the Pepsi Center, boisterously cheering for Kleiza. I swear he thrives on attention — he tends to kick ass during nationally televised games, and tonight he was just on fire. I love that guy and I need to hang out with these loud-ass Lithuanian basketball fans.

I’m so relieved that the Nuggets turned it around after receiving a smackdown from the lowly Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday (no really, my mom and my dog could’ve played better defense and there’s no way they would have allowed the worst team in the NBA to score 133 points on them). That Memphis game brought back painful memories of last year.

Last year, I had the misfortune of attending the final home game, which was boring as hell and the Nuggets were ahead the whole time, until they lost in the final seconds. They lost the last five regular season games of the year before being squashed by the Clippers and their super-secret ugliness powers during the playoffs. They totally let themselves go after winning the division, and I knew they weren’t a good enough team to turn it back on for the playoffs.

So this year, I’ve been watching these final games with a bit of fear that the same thing will happen again. So far, it hasn’t. There’s no denying that this year’s Spurs are better than last year’s Clippers, but the Nuggets are hot and I’m not worried. I can’t say I think they’ll win (I mean, I can say that if I’m shit talking, but I’m not sure how much I believe it yet), but I can say they’ll play well.

I know it’s too early to worry about next year, but seeing as how Al Wilson just got cut from the Broncos, which bums me out, I’ll spend just a few seconds thinking about it. Word on the street is that next year’s Nuggets team will not include Nene and Camby, and that Camby seems the more likely candidate for trading. I’m going to say it now — getting rid of Camby would rank in the top five of “biggest mistakes the Nuggets could make.” I hope it doesn’t happen.

Now, though, isn’t the time to worry. Now is the time to get ready for the playoffs, which, for me, means coming up with my 2007 San Antonio Spurs heckling strategy. Ginobili, I’ll be ready for you.

If you’re here looking for information on the Gilbert Arenas shoe and jersey giveaway, check out his blog entry from 4/12/07 where he explains how it will work. Looks like we’re all getting up really early on April 21 (or staying up late the night before).

Yesterday, Jose Mesa pitched in game 969 of his MLB career.

IP: 1.0; R: 2; ER: 2; BB: 1; K: 2; HR: 0; ERA: 15.43

So I’m watching the Nuggets/Jazz game, and I got all distracted because I saw this jacked-up shit dancing around the sidelines. I have to say: WTF?

That shit is terrifying. Why is the bear so fluffy? Why is he wearing a jersey? And a sweatband? Mascots should not wear jerseys. It’s always terrifying. See?

You didn’t know what salukis were, did you. Now, you’re just afraid.

Furries should not be in charge of mascots.

I’m a Marlin. In a shirt. That makes it totally okay to dress up as a fish.

It’s supposed to be a rabbit, I think. With muscles? And gloves.

He looks like Deputy Dog’s reject brother who smokes weed in the basement.

Good thing he’s wearing shoes.

It’s no better if you dress up as a pretend animal:

This guy is called “Dinger,” which sounds like a nickname for something you’d find on your cat’s butt.

This doesn’t make sense.

There are so many things wrong with this I don’t know where to start. Burnie? Why does he have a watermelon for a nose?

What’s worse? Having Jason Kidd read you a story, or being eaten by a wolf wearing a Nets uniform?

Then, there are the terrifying green fuzzy things:

Is it drunk? It looks like an old woman who took her teeth out after pounding a bottle of tequila and doesn’t know what to do now.

Do I even need to comment on this?

Even my White Sox are powerless to resist the scary nondescript fuzzy green creature as mascot syndrome.

No really. What is this? For the love of all that is holy, why is it driving a car?

WHY?!!!

Hey guys, let’s take a terrifying bear with gigantism and put it in a jersey. Okay, done!

This is all I can handle for one night. I’m scared.

Julius Hodge is now playing with the D-League Albuquerque Thunderbirds. In his first game with the Thunderbirds on March 16, 2007, he had 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 14 assists; in his second game on March 18, he had a triple double. On March 19, he was named D-League Performer of the Week. Hodge is averaging 19.4 points per game with Albuquerque.

His player page can be found here.