BK and I have long been big fans of Yahoo!'s Ball Don't Lie blog.  We've linked to them oodles of times.  We've had BDL voices Kelly Dwyer and Tas Melas on our 710 ESPN Podkast.  We dig how the site gets its name from a cool Rasheed Wallace quote.  Safe to say, we've been in their corner. 

But now we realllllly dig them, because they made Mom's day after linking a post I wrote about her wondering how the Nuggets Chris Andersen got "The Birdman" nickname.  She thought this was very cool, although she couldn't understand why anybody would care about her Birdman curiosity.  Then again, she also once told her sons that she didn't understand why anybody would read their blog. 

I'm not kidding, by the way.  She actually said that.  It wasn't meant as an insult and she expressed confidence that we do a good job.  But, as she put it, "I just don't understand why anybody would care what you think."

I often ask the same question myself. 

AK

Sunday morning, the following email arrives in the ol' inbox...

"What kind of bird is he supposed to be? Love MOM"

The question came up again by phone, and I explained to Mom that "Birdman" is a nickname describing Andersen's airborne game. Elevating to block shots.  Skying for boards.  Dunks.  In the air, like a bird.  Pause.  Mom's response? 

"Oh. I thought maybe it's because his hair is like a rooster."

Mom is awesome. 

Still, she raises a interesting question.  What species of bird is Andersen actually supposed to be?  We'll listen to your suggestions.  I'll get the ball rolling with "a very odd duck."

AK

P.S.  The Birdman's 2005 dunk contest appearance is precisely why Tivo added the "do not delete until told to" function.

This just arrived in the ol' email in-box.

"Great game today. I think Kobe should be MVP this year.  It is sort of like Martin Scorsese getting an Oscar.  You need to recognize certain exceptional levels of talent.  Love MOM."

Interesting analogy on her part.  She certainly wouldn't be the first to opine that Kobe has gone too long unrewarded.  For that matter, so did Scorsese.  But after seeing the Academy fail to award his direction for "Taxi Driver" (John G. Avildsen won instead for "Rocky"), "Raging Bull" (Robert Redford for "Ordinary People") and "Goodfellas" (which in-effin-explicably went to Kevin Costner for "Dances with Wolves"),  Scorsese finally broke through with "The Departed."  The award was no real surprise, since everyone had a sense that 2006 was kind of "Scorsese's year."  And while I do think Kobe's 2008 season is of a better quality than "The Departed" (entertaining, exciting and generally well acted, but wraps up way too neatly and super fan Jack Nicholson needed a leash), I get the same kinda feeling about 2008 and Kobe.  Like I've said on many occasions, I have a very strong sense this is Bryant's year.  Apparently, Mom would concur.

FYI.  For those wondering, Mom, like her kids, does not actually have a vote.

AK

Here's the e-mail. In between scanning the crowd for her sons, she was keeping a close eye on the proceedings. As always, an interesting take (and her undying belief that the fourth quarter is where it's at).

"As I always tell you, it is all about the last 10 minutes... in this case, the last two minutes, 38 seconds. Did you ever see anyone work as hard as Ben Wallace for two points? Those other guys only try for three-point shots. Big mistake. That in a nutshell is why the Lakers were the better team. Looked for you on TV, but didn't see you. Love, MOM."

—AK

From this morning's inbox...

"Saw the dunking contest. That Nate Robinson is like a championship dachshund...best in show. Love MOM"

Once again, she's on the money...

... although let's be honest, Iguodala got penalized for being tall. That dunk from the other side of the backboard? Ridiculous!

Press the play button on the answering machine...

"Hey Andy. It's me. You know what I tell you. It's the last ten minutes of the game that counts. No matter what. And how about my boy Smush? Wasn't he terrific? And here's the big question for the blog: Why did he take off his headband and is he better with or without it? What do people think? I think I've never seen him play without it. Maybe I've missed it. Talk to you. Bye, hon."

If the team picked up on the little things the way Mom does, they'd be 42-0 instead of 23-19.

So what do we think? Is Smush better with a piece of cloth wrapped snugly around his melon? Or without? And is there a method to the madness when he occasionally removes it?

AK

Woke up this morning, and the following e-mail was waiting for me. To clarify, Mom's talking about Jeff Gordon the St. Louis Post Dispatch sports writer, not the race car driver.

From the "inbox" this morning.  Really, the woman sees everything, and apparently doesn't sleep.

"It is 4 AM and I just watched the replay of the game. First of all, I do not like the neckline on the Wizards jersey. Second, they were very short on Wizardry tonight.Third, Kobe is starting to think TEAM and the whole game goes better. He should consider having lunch with Steve Nash. Love MOM"

If he did get together with Nash, who would pick up the check? 

Woke up, checked my email, and the following summed up last night's win over the Bulls:

Subject: Smush

"Hi Andy I just read the paper. Everyone should be keeping an eye on Smush from downtown. If they aren't careful, they'll get SMUSHEd. Love MOM."

"SMUSHEd!" It's the phrase that's sweeping the nation! Or at least my mom's house in St. Louis.

As always, her emailed observations get to the heart of the matter in a way her two dumbs sons could never even attempt.

"I noticed that Lamar Odom smiled alot and that gave a friendly look to a team fraught with celebrety. Kobe seems more focused with his new do. Maybe the short hair is one less thing to worry about."

Mom raises a good question. During his time with the Lakers, Kobe's gone back and forth between close cut and rocking a bit of a 'fro. Which do y'all think he played better in?