I'm full of cream, butter, and fried goodness
Greetings from New Orleans, where I'm about seven steps closer to a heart attack than I was Thursday morning when I left for LAX. Those of you who read the blog regularly know food is a big, big deal for me (which is why taco night in the Staples media room is somewhat holy), making this town something of a Shangri-La. Last night? Oyster po' boy, then some beignets stuffed with this shrimp/crawfish/crab mixture in a cream sauce. Today, BBQ shrimp in a sauce of at least 38 sticks of butter, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, creole seasoning, bay leaf, garlic, and more. Still short some gumbo (etouffee or jambalaya would also suffice), but there's always after the game. The point of all this? 1) To taunt AK, who will have to find something good to eat in Salt Lake City next week, 2) to explain why the live blog could end because I was sent to the hospital for a bypass, and 3) to reiterate the deliciousness, metaphorically speaking, the last visit the Lakers had to New Orleans. A 29 point win, with domination from start to finish.
Phil Jackson said before the game that it was as good a win as the Lakers have had this year, and nobody who watched will argue. Tonight, though, Jackson is expecting a better effort from the Hornets and a more competitive game. Nobody who watched New Orleans dismantle San Antonio on Wednesday would argue that, either.
Notes:
- Architecturally speaking, this is an interesting place. Not all that bad, except it seems to be modeled to mesh nicely with the Superdome (to which it is connected by a pedestrian bridge), a building that looks more like a nuclear reactor (or a giant gray version the St. Louis Planetarium, for those with knowledge of the Lou) than a stadium. Not an attractive building. Inside, it seems pretty cavernous, which is saying something because I always think buildings look small since I spend so much time at Staples.
- Funny story from last night: I'm sitting at the bar of a restaurant in the French Quarter, reading my menu. When I look up, the two girls next to me are chatting, and I hear one say "This old guy just asked me for directions back to Canal Street." The other one laughs, and says, "Do you know who that was?" The girl shakes her head, no. "Phil Jackson, the coach of the Lakers."
"Oh. I was wondering why he had a cane with a basketball on it." I missed the entire thing with my head in the menu.
- The visiting locker room is totally skinned out in Harrah's ads. Along the wall. Along the baseboards. There are Harrah's stickers on the little lockers the players use to store their valuables. Clearly, the folks over at the casino would like to remind the moneyed members of the professional athlete class that there is gambling to be had. It's the first locker room with ads I've ever seen.
- PJ talked, as you might suspect, about bettering the pick and roll D, something they'll see a lot over the course of the trip. Interestingly, the four games they're playing constitute the toughest trip by win percentage (NO, Houston, Dallas and Utah have a combined .667 winning percentage) the Lakers have seen since '73. Fun fact!
- Speaking of things you'll see over the next few games, look for the Lakers to use Pau Gasol's face up game to draw shot blockers away from the basket, something we referenced earlier in the game preview. We're geniuses!
AUDIO:
- Phil Jackson: Download phil_jackson_preno.mp3
BK
Looks like we might have a little urgency to accelerate AB's comback after all.
Posted by: Laker Kev | March 14, 2008 at 05:37 PM
X-rays negative, as thought. I hope he can somehow be ready Sunday.
Posted by: Laker Kev | March 14, 2008 at 05:39 PM
the bench is getting a lot of pt tonight. i wonder what phil is thinking. will we see coby in the 1st half again? hmmm....
Posted by: phred | March 14, 2008 at 05:49 PM
Lamar, Vlad & Luke: our forwards came to play! Thank God!
Posted by: Laker Kev | March 14, 2008 at 05:54 PM
What was in Lamar's Cheerios this morning? He's getting bold the outside shots. Go Odom.
Posted by: T_Melt | March 14, 2008 at 05:55 PM
Let's win this...no excuses, we can win without Pau if we play with heart and passion from kobe bryant to coby karl.
Go Lakers!
Posted by: thedropper | March 14, 2008 at 05:29 PM
That is the reason not the excuse.
When Coby no minutes and Farmar tired and Especially MBenga no pt when all our bigs out???? WTF is PJ thinking?????
If they are on the bench and we are short handed especially a big and not use MBenga is assinine.
Posted by: JustaLakerFan | March 14, 2008 at 09:13 PM