Post by Herby New Year! on Dec 2, 2021 9:34:23 GMT -5
Good morning GMs and welcome to our table. We have asked some of our favorite TMBSL GMs (Majic, Pete, KC, Trofie, and Tim) to give order to chaos on some topics such as the best teams in sim, the best free agent signings, and the best gifts they've ever received.
Editor's note - We apologize in for the delay in posting this round table. All of our available bandwidth at the Simon Corporation's headquarters was utilized refreshing the twitter feed of Pete Sampson, Notre Dame beat writer for the Athletic.
We hope you enjoy our discussion.
Power Rankings - Sim
Give me your top 10 teams in sim for 3017.
Pete:
10. Cleveland Cavaliers - got fleeced in the Bynum trade but this is a bet on Fultz to shine this season
9. Phoenix Suns - Great looking young wings, aging but still effective bigs, and Al Cooper as the steady hand guiding the ship. You could do a lot worse.
8. Portland Trail Blazers - IDK if Motley will prove to be worth the value given up for him, but I applaud Magic for taking a swing. This team should have one of the best defenses in the league with Motley, Webber, Winslow and Oladipo as starters.
7. New York Knicks - Last season's finals run might've been the swan song for the Knicks title window. Losing Ibaka hurts big time, and I don't think they've got anyone to replace his production on the roster. Kyrie keeps them relevant no matter what, but they are probably outside of the elite teams now.
6. Utah Jazz - Liked the trade for Worthy, and Coleman and Jennings are still a great pairing. Beasley was OK last year but probably need an upgrade to make a jump to contender status.
5. Indiana Pacers - Winners of the offseason imo. This team is deep on quality and upside, although I'm not sure if they have a star capable of getting them into the elite category outside of Ibaka. Another year of development for Giannis and they could get there.
4. Charlotte Bobcats - Tyus Jones was a big find and there is star power with Brook, Jabari and Dumars. Have some big decisions coming this offseason
3. Carolina Cougars - Did a great job flipping his roster to transition from the NVE era, and now the Cougs are stacked with young talent. Lots of strong defenders and plenty of upside. Will the wings be able to carry the scoring load as NVE ages out as a scoring option?
2. Anaheim Amigos - Last season's champ is legit. Myles Turner is closing in on the title of best player in the league and NWG is a legit stud. The other bigs all have a weakness or two but complement each other well. If they can get something from Russell, that would be huge.
1. Los Angeles Lakers - Another year older for JBC and no Mikan around, but Wilkins and Wagner are the best wings in the league imo and Boozer is a top tier big. If Mihm can replace Mikan's production 80%, the Lakers should be at the top of the league for one more season.
Trofie:
1.Amigos- Won the title last year. I initially had the Lakers #1 but the more I look at it I think Bk has the best team. Turner had an amazing TC and Webster is till Webster. Does BK pivot on Goss or go with Russell? His upgrades into Mason will be crucial to nail down another starter on the Wing. I don't love his other Bigs. Could ship out Russell who will require a max for future picks or another Wing.
2.Lakers-Still have the best NBA Jam team in the league. Have reliable depth at the wing position, a game manager at PG. They need Mihm or Bam to take the next step to Win a title. Bam has the grades and Mihm was just selected #1 overall in shitdraft . This could be JBC's last ride.
3.Cougars- I have them #1 out east and in the upper echelon of teams in the league. NVE and Gooden had shit Tc's but I'm assuming NVE goes to Germany. Ferguson looks like a stud and they have 4 bigs on the roster that can play defense and are well above average with regards to efficiency. Miles likely won't have a huge roll this early. OG puts up gaudy defensive #'s but he turns it over just as much. I don't know if they can score like they will need to.
4.Bobcats- They have the 3 headed monster down low. Super efficient bigs. They won't win on the defensive end but they will board. They have more than enough scorers that start to make Lynch a Reb only SF. They need Tyus to stay the course and hopefully he improves on his Pre-season
5.Knicks- Still have the best player in sim. They lost Ibaka and haven't filled that void yet but Ank is currently trying to acquire a superstar to fill it. They need Butler to continue to play like he did in Pre-season. Butler has been an afterthought for the Knicks and certainly not the player they thought he would be.
6.Pipers- Could easily jump into the top 5. I didn't love the price he paid for Blossom , but he fits the team mold perfectly. He's got two dominant wings that will score inside, a top 3 PG and some good Bigs down low. This team lacks depth and will likely get murdered on the boards so they need to get better in that department.
7.Jazz- After a disappointing exit in the playoffs the Fason is rolling the same team outside of the additions of known pieces of shit Karl Malone and Charles Oakley. I think Harrington probably starts at PG. Beasley and Worthy seem like overkill. They likely win the division again.
8.Pacers- They added Ibaka down low and signed Kawhi to a long term deal. I'm not sure what he's going to on the wing as none of them will score efficiently. Giannis just didn't take the step he needed to this offseason, and Jackson still shoots like shit. . He's got some great bigs and will dominate most games on the boards. He's going to have to win with defense. Bagley looks like a bargain signing after he gets his +30. I don't see them sliding lower than 8 and if he makes a trade for a stud I could see this team winning the East.
9.Blazers- Projections have him as the 8th seed out West but I don't see it. This will be an over bet for me in the Casino(AGAIN). He added Motley who will get a +5 via Mentor. He still has Webber. Winslow didn't score efficiently this PS and that hurts. Dipo looks good and Burke seems average. They do everything well but nothing great.
10. Suns- This was going to be the Suns or Grizz. I took the Suns because of the Wings. Tatum looked great , and JPV is a great SF although he had an underwhelming PS. Bogut is still holding it down at C and they retained Cooper. I don't think they can get much higher than 10th on a power ranking but they are a steady team that will make the playoffs
KC:
1. Lakers
2. Amigos
3. Pipers
4. Cougars
5. Jazz
6. Bobcats
7. Knicks
8. Pacers
9. Grizzlies
10. Suns
Majic:
1) Amigos - defending champs and Turner looks to have taken another step. He has to get through the Lakers, but other than that I think BK has ta great shot at going back to back
2) Lakers - they just added the #1 overall draft pick and look poised to continue their dominant run. Wager and Wilkens on the wing are the best 1-2 punch a team has in my opinion. Key will be how well Mihm looks after upgrades, if he is a stud then watch out.
3) Cougars - NVE and Gooden dropped off a bit in TC but I am willing to bet it was more superficial. Gooden has blossomed more than I ever expected and NVE is still a game changer. KAT is a nice 3rd/4th wheel and I think they are well positioned.
4) Knicks - until proven otherwise Kyrie is the best player in sim and can carry a team. They have some holes but it seems like Ank is willing to do whatever it takes to compete.
5) Bobcats - a dominant front court should lead to another successful season. Their wing rotation will be interesting but it wont require a lot of scoring. Can this team defend well enough?
6) Jazz - I really like this roster and think its one of the more deep teams. They can run a great wing combination and also have alot of solid role playing bigs to count on. Does this team have that one true star to push it over the top?
7) Pipers - really like this team and it all starts upfront with Ewing. Blossom should fit in nicely and this team looks solid from front to back.
8) Pacers - Does Giannis make the leap? That is really the only question that matters. If he is ready to take off then it raises this Pacers ceiling. I think they are probably a year away though.
9) Blazers - Another team that I think is 1 year away from truly ascending. Big trade in the offseason for Motley and he slides into a big 3 with Dipo and Winslow. Can Burke ascend to an above average PG, that will determine the ceiling.
10) Chaps - was hard to pick this last slot but I went with the chaps. Gates is a damn good player and they have some nice complimentary pieces. Likely missing the 1 other stud but its a solid team.
TimPig:
Amigos - Defending champions didn’t really lose anyone of significance, added some depth via the seventh overall pick, and saw an explosive TC from their MVP-caliber big
Cougars - Really solid team up and down with balanced scoring from a few players; I think if Towns can get into the 25ppg range alongside NVE then they’ll be neck and neck with the Amigos
Lakers - Wilkins, Boozer, and Wagner are all still studs but I think trading Mikan was the wrong move. I get the cap crunch but I think he’s the number one priority on the team and I don’t think Mihm can or will replicate what he did.
Jazz - A full season of Worthy plus Mashburn and Harrington as depth pieces should have this team in a better spot than last year
Bobcats - Brook, Jabari, Nurkic, and Dumars are all studs and Jones more than holds down the fort at point guard
Knicks - Lost Ibaka and replaced him with Nene, and you have a post-TC signing starting at shooting guard; Kyrie helps these team stay afloat, but they’re on the decline
Pipers - Blossomgame fits in perfectly but I’m not sure what to think of their big situation. They seemed to play better with Ewing hurt and White/Jahlil both look like really good third bigs. Love their 1-3 though.
Pacers - Hit it big in FA but some of their major contributors are still very young in Giannis, Thomas Bryant, and whoever starts at PG
Trail Blazers - Motley was a good addition at a high price. I just don’t see a true #1 scorer on this team unless Oladipo came around during TC. Winslow shoots a lot but not particularly efficiently.
Cavaliers - I like Fultz and their bigs a lot and think it’s a really strong foundation. I hate to rub salt in the wound but the wings need some work.
Best 3 and worst 3 draft picks from the3016 3017 draft.
KC: [editor’s note, the intern responsible for initially asking for perspective on the 3016 draft instead of the 3017 draft has been fired. We apologize for his incompetence.]
Best - McCollum, Antetokounmpo, Oladipo
Worst - Burke, Ledo, Zeller
Majic:
Best:
1) Stromile Swift - really was intruged by Swift as a prospect and even more so now. He has really good volume and is one of the better rebounders in the class. He also puts up solid blocking numbers and that should grow with time. He still has all of upgrades left and he could turn into a two way star. You would like his efficiency to improve but again, the +30 should help with that.
2) Mike Miller - Miller appears to be a lights out shooter which makes him really enticing. His shooting percentage after sim 1 is alot better than it was in PS, so hopefully that trend continues. Another guy that still has all 30 points available to him and if used correctly he could blossom.
3) Eduardo Najera - very itnrgued by him as a player. He probably best projects as a SG but he has a nice overall game. Not necessarily elite at anything yet but offers strong play across the board.
Worst:
1) Darius Miles - call me crazy but we have yet to see him in any way. He didn't play in preseason and has yet to log any meaningful minutes after sim 1. Crazy to think the #2 overall pick isn't playing in any way. I am sure 20s has the scout and knows how good he can be, but the rest of us have no clue.
2) Chris Mihm - call this is the overreaction section but Mihm just looks OK so far to me. His efficiency after 1 sim is outrageous but its unlikely to continue. His rebounding is my biggest concern so far and hopefully that comes up. I guess I would just hope for a little more from a #1 overall pick.
3) the non-pick of Malik Allen - Its insane to look at Allen right now and see that he went undrafted. Even if he is putting up those stats on a robo team its still impressive. Looks like the Bucks snatched him up and I am curious to see how he looks on a real roster.
TimPig:
Best:
Mateen Cleaves - In a rough draft, all signs point to Cleaves turning into a stellar point guard. No turnover issues from what I can see and his scoring should see a huge boost after his upgrades.
Kenyon Martin - People trashed this pick at the time but he could be some kind of special D/R big if he gets his upgrades.
Eduardo Najera - Somehow this guy who was actually a power forward is eligible to play shooting guard, which will help make up for what appears to be poor rebounding. His efficiency looks really good early on.
Worst:
Jamal Crawford - I don’t really see anything redeeming about him. Maybe with upgrades he’ll be good in an outside offense but he looks like ass right now.
Ime Udoka - I’m not sure I see the point forward archetype ever being one that has any use in sim
Hedo Turkoglu - There wasn’t anything in his profile that seemed like it would translate positively to sim; seems like a point forward but without the label as he was a profile guy
Trofie:
Best
1.Mike Miller - I feel he has the highest build for upside. He will be a better Mike Dunleavy on offense.
2.Jake Voskuhl - he's someone I really wanted but could never pull the trigger. Looks to be a very good defensive big.
3.Mateen Cleaves - looks like a very good future PG. He was a Gem so that helps. I like this pick when compared to Jamal Crawford
Worst
1. Kenyon Martin - a no offense big is a tough pill at #3. This draft sucked and there are many contenders for worst pick
2. Chris Mihm- Pete said he had a bad TC but he just doesn't look special at this point. Another all offense Big
3.Jamal Crawford- I could be wrong but I think this was a terrible pick. Some have said he doesn't need any inside and to throw it all in 3's. I disagree and I just don't see how he will ever be good.
Pete:
Best 3:
Mike Miller - I had him at 1.3 on my board and he had one of the best TCs by the looks of it. His preseason was meh but will look great after uppies.
Joel Pryzbilla - Trof posted his scout after TC and he looks pretty close to Mihm. He went 39 picks after Mihm. That's pretty good value.
Mateen Cleaves - I think he could wind up being the best point in the class. Pretty good value to get him where he did.
Worst 3:
Chris Mihm - There wasn't anyone in this draft who screamed #1 overall pick. However, I talked myself into trading for the pick by thinking about the upside of some of the players in this class, then talked myself into Mihm as a high floor pick who could keep things rolling when JBC is gone. Bad process overall and poor value for what was given up.
Kenyon Martin - I know Pointy had the scout because I sent it to him. Good PS notwithstanding, I thought K-Mart would've been a good pick in the latter part of the lottery, not at 1.3
Ime Udoka - at 1.10 I'd prefer some upside, and A handles means he's going to be passing it a ton. I don't have the scout so maybe he's good, but I think there are other wings I would've taken.
Top 3 and worst 3 FA signings from the 3017 off season season.
TimPig:
I chose to stay away from bird max re-signs for this question.
Best:
Serge Ibaka (Pacers) - Ibaka was the big prize in free agency and was the biggest name to switch teams. It’s especially big for the Pacers, who weaken their biggest division rival and one of the top teams in the conference who don’t have an obvious successor in place.
Harry Hough (Bucks) - Sandwiched in between the two solid Pacers signing is a guy they let go. Hough is still just 22 and had some really solid growth early on in his career. Finding a point guard who can score and doesn’t turn it over despite high usage has proven to be difficult in 6.0.
Kawhi Leonard (Pacers) - Another defensive ace, Kawhi can play four positions effectively as shown in his time with the Cavs. It’s an affordable deal and he should be a fantastic glue guy on this roster.
Worst:
Luis Scola (Rockets) - Scola effectively received a max despite never eclipsing 30 minutes or 10 rebounds per game in his career. He doesn’t provide any defense to speak of. He is a solid player, but I think he could’ve been brought back at about half the price.
Bob Cousy (Bullets) - I actually like Cousy as a player, but the max seems like an overpay. The Bullets seem like they’re building an inside-focused team, so spending top dollar on a point guard that likes to shoot just doesn’t seem like the best fit.
Delon Wright (Chaparrals) - Honestly this isn’t even a bad signing, but there weren’t a lot of long-term deals handed out this offseason. The grades are appealing so maybe someone would’ve offered more but his performance doesn’t warrant the contract IMO.
Trofie:
Best
1.Serge Ibaka - I also offered him a MAX. He's a premier big in the league
2.Jason Jennings- Fason got a good big back on a reasonable deal.
3.John Bagley- Heebs got a potential starting PG of the long-haul with no upgrades put in to him. At worse he's a cheap backup
Worst
1.Luis Scola- this is a bad deal anyway you spin it.
2.Kawhi- I don't get tying up the amount of $ you did into a guy for defense and rebounding. Maybe hit works out.
3.Karl Malone- Idiot Fason ruins his Jennings signing .
KC:
Top - Ibaka, Hough, Bagley
Worst - lets face it theres only 1
Luis Scola - overpaid lol
Majic:
Best:
1) John Beckman - this one was easy, young PG that is elite and still ascending. Great signing and a no-brainer.
2) Joe Lapchik - still a really young player and already a dominant big. Easy signings
3) Harry Hough - another young ascending PG, easy choice here.
Worst:
1) Bob Cousy - Not sure I understand this deal, Cousy is an OK player and not someone I would want to pay a max to.
2) Luis Scola - there weren't any glaring choices outside of Cousy and I decided to exclude all 1 years deals and any really small ones. Scola is a nice player and a great piece to have, not sure he is worth the contract he got.
3) Serge Ibaka - this pick is by default as I don't think any other deal was worth mentioning. There is no doubt that Ibaka is a star and is worth big money, my biggest concern here is age. The end of this contract gets ugly and if we don't factor in an amnesty it gets concerning.
Pete:
Top (ignoring max-level resigns):
1. Serge Ibaka - any time you can steal a top-flight player in FA is a coup, and Serge is worth the vet max at least for the next few seasons
2. Kawhi Leonard - Not sure if Dirt didn't want to resign him or didn't shell out enough, but Kawhi is a good player and this is a reasonable deal
3. John Bagley - It's a pacers love fest here. Bagley is on a really cheap deal, so even if he just ends up as a good back-up it's a win.
Worst
1. Bob Cousy - Bob has gotten worse over the past few seasons, so a 5 year max seems like a big time overpay
2. Luis Scola - unlike Cousy, Scola has played well for the majority of his career. But not well enough to justify the length or money of this deal. I doubt there were any other offers close to this.
3. Marcus Smart - it's only an MLE so it's not a bg deal, but I think there were probably other players more deserving. Nothing against this deal though, i just couldn't find 3 that I disliked.
Power Rankings - Holidays
Give me your top 5 holidays in order.
Pete:
1. Thanksgiving - As an adult I'm all about the food, and nothing beats Thanksgiving dinner. Also great to reconnect with people you might not've seen for the past year. Also the most football-centric holiday.
2. Labor Day - Less of a hassle than 4th of July, but I'm almost always hitting the beach. Also falls on my birthday sometimes, so I get the double bonus of a birthday celebration with a 3 day weekend. Also, college football's return usually coincides with Labor Day.
3. Christmas - Gift-giving is stressful and I'm never too excited to pretend I still go to church, but there's no denying it's a good time. Would probably rank higher except my wife almost always has to work on Christmas.
4. 4th of July - Fireworks! Beaches! Barbecues! Love warm-weather holidays but the normal fun stuff at the beach is always 3x as crowded.
5. Memorial Day - Similar to Labor Day, except without the proximity to my birthday. The temperature is a lot more hit-or-miss as well. Sometimes it's among the best weekends of the year, sometimes it's 50 degrees and drizzly all weekend and you're stuck inside playing Boggle.
Trofie:
4th of July- Great weather. Usually spent at the Ozarks for our family. My kids love it. My mom still yells at me for drinking too much and lighting off fireworks. Get over it.
Memorial Day- Great weather. Usually spent at the Ozarks for our Family. Boating and Booze. The kids love it and nobody has drowned.
Christmas- I never really cared about Christmas. I'm not a big gift guy as I'd rather just buy what I want. Now that I have children it makes the list.
Friday after Thanksgiving- It's a tradition for my side of the family to get together get hammered on Tom and Jerry's and watch Nebraska lose. We smoke cigars and play pitch. Very enjoyable.
Halloween- We walk the neighborhood with friends and kids. The younger kids enjoy it so that makes it worth it.
TimPig:
1. Christmas - Work is slow, lots of food and gifts, people are generally in a good mood, corny movies. Everything about Christmas is awesome and anyone who isn’t lame gets into the spirit at least a little bit.
2. Thanksgiving - A holiday centered around food (though I think I prefer the food we eat on Christmas to the food we eat on Thanksgiving) and football. Can’t go wrong there.
3. Independence Day - Where I live, it’s the only holiday where you can be outside on the water and grill
4. New Year’s - Everyone gets dressed up and drunk. I don’t really care for fireworks but I appreciate that most of the holiday takes place the day before so you have a full day to recover before getting back to real life.
5. St. Patrick’s Day - I love Irish food, Irish beer, and Irish music.
Majic:
1) Christmas - this is easy to be. The music, the festivities, the presents, the food. Its all great and a fun time of year. Now that I have a kid I am excited to introduce Santa back into my life and see the joy from him.
2) Thanksgiving - Obviously the food is a great benefit, but this holiday really kicks off the holiday season. Typically get a nice 4 day weekend and enjoy time with family.
3) Memorial Day - probably a bit of a strange pick but I love memorial day. It really kicks off the start of summer and gives you a 3 day weekend in nice weather (usually). Always love when this holiday hits.
4) 4th of July - love cookout food and this is always a great holiday to cookout and drink.
5) Labor Day - usually kicks off the football season and a start to the best season: fall
KC:
1. Christmas - Biggest family holiday for my fam always a good time.
2. Thanksgiving - who doesnt love food
3. Halloween - gives all the women an excuse to let their inner sloot out? im in
4. 4th of July
5. NYE
Top 3 Christmas presents you've given.
Majic:
1) Diamond necklace for my wife - her mom gave me her original engagement diamond and I then had it made into a necklace for my wife.
2) Pandora bracelet - this was something my mom had wanted so I went all out and got her a nice set and a bunch of charms.
3) Christmas gift bags - last year I put together little gift bags for Christmas for my wife, her mom and cousin. It included a bunch of little items and presents that each of them would use and like. They all really loved it and appreciated them.
Trofie:
1. Django- He's our Black Lab . We just had our first child and she wanted a dog. She likes lap dogs(I don't) , so I took the initiative to buy her a dog for Christmas. He's a great dog.
2. Kids gifts- I'm grouping them all in one. They have gotten the Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and Django.
3. TMB secret santa- I had a present picked out then the guy I got backed out so I had to get a new person. He was a Cub fan and I have a ton of cool Cubs stuff. So I sent him signed game lineup cards and programs from the late 30's 40's and 50's. It was cool stuff , and I don't think he even enjoyed them.
TimPig:
1. When I was a senior in high school I needed art credits so I took an art class where we acid etched a piece of glass. I etched a White Sox logo into the piece of glass, framed it, and then got my dad a signed Minnie Minoso (his favorite player ever) picture to display behind it.
2. One time I was texting pointyeggnog about something sim-related and he sent me a screenshot of something on his phone. His wallpaper was a drawing of his dog, which I commented on and said was pretty cool. He said that his girlfriend at the time was an artist and did animal sketches, so I reached out to her and had her do a picture of my dog which I had delivered to my girlfriend at the time for Christmas.
3. I struggled to think of a third and wanted to get this sent in, so I asked my fiancee what her favorite gift from last Christmas was and she said that it was the weighted vest I bought her that she’ll wear when running and doing bodyweight workouts.
Pete:
I'm a bad gift giver, which shows because I can't think of any presents I've given someone that has blown them away. Usually, I ask the person what they want and get them that. I did score pretty big getting my wife a subscription to a wine-of-the-month club at the wine bar down the street. We've enjoyed it so much we've renewed it several times since, and it gives us a built-in date night every month when they have the pick-up.
KC:
-Took my old man to see his favorite, ZZtop in concert
-Bicycles for my daughters love getting them involved in outdoor activities and they still love riding bikes together
-Paid for my parents to have a much needed get away to Fredericksburg, Tx (wine country down here in TX)
-Hon Mention - Bought a couple expensive ass purses for an ungrateful gold diggin ______ but thats neither here not there.
Top 3 Christmas presents you've received.
Pete:
I think I got my N64 for Christmas one year, so that would be #1 easily. Outside of that, I think I was most excited to get things like Ninja Turtles and lego sets when I was a kid.
Majic:
1) Xbox 360 - nothing will compare to my excitement when I got this when it came out. pure joy
2) toy fire engine - when I was little it was the only gift I wanted and still remember the joy of getting it. I played with that things for years.
3) Carhart jacket - I had been wanting a Carhart jacket like my Grandpa used to have, my wife got me one and I have loved it.
KC:
- Dallas Cowboys tickets 10 rows up in the endzone
- Week Trip to Cabo
- Blackstone Griddle - you can cook anything on this thing
TimPig:
1. My first set of golf clubs. I was probably 8 years old and just getting into golf. Until then I had borrowed clubs but my dad bought me a set of clubs that included a driver, putter, 4-5 iron, 6-7 iron, and 8-9 iron. I carried them around everywhere with me all Christmas break. Slept with them, hung them on my chair at the dinner table, all that stuff.
2. Playstation 2. As with most new consoles, it was really hard to get your hands on one for the holidays. My Dad couldn’t find one, so he gave my brother and I an “IOU” that as soon as he found one he’d buy it for us, or if we found one to give him a call and he’d go wherever we were and pay for it. I think it only took a week or two before he was able to find one and bring it home.
3. Not sure it’s a top gift, or if it even counts as a gift, but one of my most memorable Christmases was the year after I got the PS2. I got a bunch of games the following year, went to play one of them, and the PS2 froze up and died. I was devastated. My older brother, who didn’t care as much about video games, told my Dad, who then disappeared for an hour before coming home with a brand new one. That was pretty special.
Trofie:
1. Dreamcast- the Goat video game system
2.Ernie Banks signed jersey- We had a secret santa in TMBSL probably 5-6 years ago. Soup got me a signed Jersey. Great present
3. Les Paul Epiphone guitar- Parents got me this as a child and I had a lot of fun. Formed a band with some buddies. Played on and off forever.
What's the weirdest gift you've received (not by mistake)?
Trofie:
When I was younger I loved baseball. I was probably 10 and there was a gift that looked identical to a baseball bat wrapped. I was begging my parents to let me open one gift early. My dad agreed. I of course picked the Bat. But it wasn't a bat. It was a pooper scooper for me to pick up the dogshit in the back yard. Dad had a great laugh. I broke it like a week later.
TimPig:
I had a friend pay for a three-month subscription to match.com because I had apparently been single for too long. Within like two weeks I was seeing someone so I ended up giving the code for the membership to someone else.
KC:
- Underwear with my one and only mugshot printed on them from when i was arrested for my DUI
Majic:
I had an old boss that gave out a bunch of gifts at a holiday party. He played it off as him having spent thousands of dollars on cool electronics and other things. Come to find out he had just gone to Big Lots and bought a bunch of cheap shit, it was awful and hilarious at how much he lied about it all.
Pete:
I don't have any personal gifts I can think of but I'll take the opportunity to shout out my step-grandmother, who always shopped at the thrift store and once gave my dad a cook book, and when he opened to the first page there was a note inside to my step-mom from her first husband. Another year, she gave my step-mom a party game designed for swingers parties.
What do you REALLY want for Christmas?
TimPig:
An official Red Ryder, carbine action, 200-shot, range model air rifle, with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time.
Pete:
I'd love a Christmas bonus big enough that it'll get me comfortable with a down payment for a house next year. We'll probably wait until next summer to start looking but I'm hoping we're close to buying something by this time next year.
KC:
1. My team to stop sucking ass in sim league
2. A New Pellet smoker
Majic:
I would really love a Blackstone or smoker. Really trying to branch out and try new cooking techniques and would love to have either a blackstone or smoker.
Trofie:
Not a huge gift guy. My wife and I don't do gifts for eachother. The kids will pick out something they want to get us. I will have the wife have the kids grab me some comfy slippers and cigars.
Editor's note - We apologize in for the delay in posting this round table. All of our available bandwidth at the Simon Corporation's headquarters was utilized refreshing the twitter feed of Pete Sampson, Notre Dame beat writer for the Athletic.
We hope you enjoy our discussion.
Power Rankings - Sim
Give me your top 10 teams in sim for 3017.
Pete:
10. Cleveland Cavaliers - got fleeced in the Bynum trade but this is a bet on Fultz to shine this season
9. Phoenix Suns - Great looking young wings, aging but still effective bigs, and Al Cooper as the steady hand guiding the ship. You could do a lot worse.
8. Portland Trail Blazers - IDK if Motley will prove to be worth the value given up for him, but I applaud Magic for taking a swing. This team should have one of the best defenses in the league with Motley, Webber, Winslow and Oladipo as starters.
7. New York Knicks - Last season's finals run might've been the swan song for the Knicks title window. Losing Ibaka hurts big time, and I don't think they've got anyone to replace his production on the roster. Kyrie keeps them relevant no matter what, but they are probably outside of the elite teams now.
6. Utah Jazz - Liked the trade for Worthy, and Coleman and Jennings are still a great pairing. Beasley was OK last year but probably need an upgrade to make a jump to contender status.
5. Indiana Pacers - Winners of the offseason imo. This team is deep on quality and upside, although I'm not sure if they have a star capable of getting them into the elite category outside of Ibaka. Another year of development for Giannis and they could get there.
4. Charlotte Bobcats - Tyus Jones was a big find and there is star power with Brook, Jabari and Dumars. Have some big decisions coming this offseason
3. Carolina Cougars - Did a great job flipping his roster to transition from the NVE era, and now the Cougs are stacked with young talent. Lots of strong defenders and plenty of upside. Will the wings be able to carry the scoring load as NVE ages out as a scoring option?
2. Anaheim Amigos - Last season's champ is legit. Myles Turner is closing in on the title of best player in the league and NWG is a legit stud. The other bigs all have a weakness or two but complement each other well. If they can get something from Russell, that would be huge.
1. Los Angeles Lakers - Another year older for JBC and no Mikan around, but Wilkins and Wagner are the best wings in the league imo and Boozer is a top tier big. If Mihm can replace Mikan's production 80%, the Lakers should be at the top of the league for one more season.
Trofie:
1.Amigos- Won the title last year. I initially had the Lakers #1 but the more I look at it I think Bk has the best team. Turner had an amazing TC and Webster is till Webster. Does BK pivot on Goss or go with Russell? His upgrades into Mason will be crucial to nail down another starter on the Wing. I don't love his other Bigs. Could ship out Russell who will require a max for future picks or another Wing.
2.Lakers-Still have the best NBA Jam team in the league. Have reliable depth at the wing position, a game manager at PG. They need Mihm or Bam to take the next step to Win a title. Bam has the grades and Mihm was just selected #1 overall in shitdraft . This could be JBC's last ride.
3.Cougars- I have them #1 out east and in the upper echelon of teams in the league. NVE and Gooden had shit Tc's but I'm assuming NVE goes to Germany. Ferguson looks like a stud and they have 4 bigs on the roster that can play defense and are well above average with regards to efficiency. Miles likely won't have a huge roll this early. OG puts up gaudy defensive #'s but he turns it over just as much. I don't know if they can score like they will need to.
4.Bobcats- They have the 3 headed monster down low. Super efficient bigs. They won't win on the defensive end but they will board. They have more than enough scorers that start to make Lynch a Reb only SF. They need Tyus to stay the course and hopefully he improves on his Pre-season
5.Knicks- Still have the best player in sim. They lost Ibaka and haven't filled that void yet but Ank is currently trying to acquire a superstar to fill it. They need Butler to continue to play like he did in Pre-season. Butler has been an afterthought for the Knicks and certainly not the player they thought he would be.
6.Pipers- Could easily jump into the top 5. I didn't love the price he paid for Blossom , but he fits the team mold perfectly. He's got two dominant wings that will score inside, a top 3 PG and some good Bigs down low. This team lacks depth and will likely get murdered on the boards so they need to get better in that department.
7.Jazz- After a disappointing exit in the playoffs the Fason is rolling the same team outside of the additions of known pieces of shit Karl Malone and Charles Oakley. I think Harrington probably starts at PG. Beasley and Worthy seem like overkill. They likely win the division again.
8.Pacers- They added Ibaka down low and signed Kawhi to a long term deal. I'm not sure what he's going to on the wing as none of them will score efficiently. Giannis just didn't take the step he needed to this offseason, and Jackson still shoots like shit. . He's got some great bigs and will dominate most games on the boards. He's going to have to win with defense. Bagley looks like a bargain signing after he gets his +30. I don't see them sliding lower than 8 and if he makes a trade for a stud I could see this team winning the East.
9.Blazers- Projections have him as the 8th seed out West but I don't see it. This will be an over bet for me in the Casino(AGAIN). He added Motley who will get a +5 via Mentor. He still has Webber. Winslow didn't score efficiently this PS and that hurts. Dipo looks good and Burke seems average. They do everything well but nothing great.
10. Suns- This was going to be the Suns or Grizz. I took the Suns because of the Wings. Tatum looked great , and JPV is a great SF although he had an underwhelming PS. Bogut is still holding it down at C and they retained Cooper. I don't think they can get much higher than 10th on a power ranking but they are a steady team that will make the playoffs
KC:
1. Lakers
2. Amigos
3. Pipers
4. Cougars
5. Jazz
6. Bobcats
7. Knicks
8. Pacers
9. Grizzlies
10. Suns
Majic:
1) Amigos - defending champs and Turner looks to have taken another step. He has to get through the Lakers, but other than that I think BK has ta great shot at going back to back
2) Lakers - they just added the #1 overall draft pick and look poised to continue their dominant run. Wager and Wilkens on the wing are the best 1-2 punch a team has in my opinion. Key will be how well Mihm looks after upgrades, if he is a stud then watch out.
3) Cougars - NVE and Gooden dropped off a bit in TC but I am willing to bet it was more superficial. Gooden has blossomed more than I ever expected and NVE is still a game changer. KAT is a nice 3rd/4th wheel and I think they are well positioned.
4) Knicks - until proven otherwise Kyrie is the best player in sim and can carry a team. They have some holes but it seems like Ank is willing to do whatever it takes to compete.
5) Bobcats - a dominant front court should lead to another successful season. Their wing rotation will be interesting but it wont require a lot of scoring. Can this team defend well enough?
6) Jazz - I really like this roster and think its one of the more deep teams. They can run a great wing combination and also have alot of solid role playing bigs to count on. Does this team have that one true star to push it over the top?
7) Pipers - really like this team and it all starts upfront with Ewing. Blossom should fit in nicely and this team looks solid from front to back.
8) Pacers - Does Giannis make the leap? That is really the only question that matters. If he is ready to take off then it raises this Pacers ceiling. I think they are probably a year away though.
9) Blazers - Another team that I think is 1 year away from truly ascending. Big trade in the offseason for Motley and he slides into a big 3 with Dipo and Winslow. Can Burke ascend to an above average PG, that will determine the ceiling.
10) Chaps - was hard to pick this last slot but I went with the chaps. Gates is a damn good player and they have some nice complimentary pieces. Likely missing the 1 other stud but its a solid team.
TimPig:
Amigos - Defending champions didn’t really lose anyone of significance, added some depth via the seventh overall pick, and saw an explosive TC from their MVP-caliber big
Cougars - Really solid team up and down with balanced scoring from a few players; I think if Towns can get into the 25ppg range alongside NVE then they’ll be neck and neck with the Amigos
Lakers - Wilkins, Boozer, and Wagner are all still studs but I think trading Mikan was the wrong move. I get the cap crunch but I think he’s the number one priority on the team and I don’t think Mihm can or will replicate what he did.
Jazz - A full season of Worthy plus Mashburn and Harrington as depth pieces should have this team in a better spot than last year
Bobcats - Brook, Jabari, Nurkic, and Dumars are all studs and Jones more than holds down the fort at point guard
Knicks - Lost Ibaka and replaced him with Nene, and you have a post-TC signing starting at shooting guard; Kyrie helps these team stay afloat, but they’re on the decline
Pipers - Blossomgame fits in perfectly but I’m not sure what to think of their big situation. They seemed to play better with Ewing hurt and White/Jahlil both look like really good third bigs. Love their 1-3 though.
Pacers - Hit it big in FA but some of their major contributors are still very young in Giannis, Thomas Bryant, and whoever starts at PG
Trail Blazers - Motley was a good addition at a high price. I just don’t see a true #1 scorer on this team unless Oladipo came around during TC. Winslow shoots a lot but not particularly efficiently.
Cavaliers - I like Fultz and their bigs a lot and think it’s a really strong foundation. I hate to rub salt in the wound but the wings need some work.
Best 3 and worst 3 draft picks from the
KC: [editor’s note, the intern responsible for initially asking for perspective on the 3016 draft instead of the 3017 draft has been fired. We apologize for his incompetence.]
Best - McCollum, Antetokounmpo, Oladipo
Worst - Burke, Ledo, Zeller
Majic:
Best:
1) Stromile Swift - really was intruged by Swift as a prospect and even more so now. He has really good volume and is one of the better rebounders in the class. He also puts up solid blocking numbers and that should grow with time. He still has all of upgrades left and he could turn into a two way star. You would like his efficiency to improve but again, the +30 should help with that.
2) Mike Miller - Miller appears to be a lights out shooter which makes him really enticing. His shooting percentage after sim 1 is alot better than it was in PS, so hopefully that trend continues. Another guy that still has all 30 points available to him and if used correctly he could blossom.
3) Eduardo Najera - very itnrgued by him as a player. He probably best projects as a SG but he has a nice overall game. Not necessarily elite at anything yet but offers strong play across the board.
Worst:
1) Darius Miles - call me crazy but we have yet to see him in any way. He didn't play in preseason and has yet to log any meaningful minutes after sim 1. Crazy to think the #2 overall pick isn't playing in any way. I am sure 20s has the scout and knows how good he can be, but the rest of us have no clue.
2) Chris Mihm - call this is the overreaction section but Mihm just looks OK so far to me. His efficiency after 1 sim is outrageous but its unlikely to continue. His rebounding is my biggest concern so far and hopefully that comes up. I guess I would just hope for a little more from a #1 overall pick.
3) the non-pick of Malik Allen - Its insane to look at Allen right now and see that he went undrafted. Even if he is putting up those stats on a robo team its still impressive. Looks like the Bucks snatched him up and I am curious to see how he looks on a real roster.
TimPig:
Best:
Mateen Cleaves - In a rough draft, all signs point to Cleaves turning into a stellar point guard. No turnover issues from what I can see and his scoring should see a huge boost after his upgrades.
Kenyon Martin - People trashed this pick at the time but he could be some kind of special D/R big if he gets his upgrades.
Eduardo Najera - Somehow this guy who was actually a power forward is eligible to play shooting guard, which will help make up for what appears to be poor rebounding. His efficiency looks really good early on.
Worst:
Jamal Crawford - I don’t really see anything redeeming about him. Maybe with upgrades he’ll be good in an outside offense but he looks like ass right now.
Ime Udoka - I’m not sure I see the point forward archetype ever being one that has any use in sim
Hedo Turkoglu - There wasn’t anything in his profile that seemed like it would translate positively to sim; seems like a point forward but without the label as he was a profile guy
Trofie:
Best
1.Mike Miller - I feel he has the highest build for upside. He will be a better Mike Dunleavy on offense.
2.Jake Voskuhl - he's someone I really wanted but could never pull the trigger. Looks to be a very good defensive big.
3.Mateen Cleaves - looks like a very good future PG. He was a Gem so that helps. I like this pick when compared to Jamal Crawford
Worst
1. Kenyon Martin - a no offense big is a tough pill at #3. This draft sucked and there are many contenders for worst pick
2. Chris Mihm- Pete said he had a bad TC but he just doesn't look special at this point. Another all offense Big
3.Jamal Crawford- I could be wrong but I think this was a terrible pick. Some have said he doesn't need any inside and to throw it all in 3's. I disagree and I just don't see how he will ever be good.
Pete:
Best 3:
Mike Miller - I had him at 1.3 on my board and he had one of the best TCs by the looks of it. His preseason was meh but will look great after uppies.
Joel Pryzbilla - Trof posted his scout after TC and he looks pretty close to Mihm. He went 39 picks after Mihm. That's pretty good value.
Mateen Cleaves - I think he could wind up being the best point in the class. Pretty good value to get him where he did.
Worst 3:
Chris Mihm - There wasn't anyone in this draft who screamed #1 overall pick. However, I talked myself into trading for the pick by thinking about the upside of some of the players in this class, then talked myself into Mihm as a high floor pick who could keep things rolling when JBC is gone. Bad process overall and poor value for what was given up.
Kenyon Martin - I know Pointy had the scout because I sent it to him. Good PS notwithstanding, I thought K-Mart would've been a good pick in the latter part of the lottery, not at 1.3
Ime Udoka - at 1.10 I'd prefer some upside, and A handles means he's going to be passing it a ton. I don't have the scout so maybe he's good, but I think there are other wings I would've taken.
Top 3 and worst 3 FA signings from the 3017 off season season.
TimPig:
I chose to stay away from bird max re-signs for this question.
Best:
Serge Ibaka (Pacers) - Ibaka was the big prize in free agency and was the biggest name to switch teams. It’s especially big for the Pacers, who weaken their biggest division rival and one of the top teams in the conference who don’t have an obvious successor in place.
Harry Hough (Bucks) - Sandwiched in between the two solid Pacers signing is a guy they let go. Hough is still just 22 and had some really solid growth early on in his career. Finding a point guard who can score and doesn’t turn it over despite high usage has proven to be difficult in 6.0.
Kawhi Leonard (Pacers) - Another defensive ace, Kawhi can play four positions effectively as shown in his time with the Cavs. It’s an affordable deal and he should be a fantastic glue guy on this roster.
Worst:
Luis Scola (Rockets) - Scola effectively received a max despite never eclipsing 30 minutes or 10 rebounds per game in his career. He doesn’t provide any defense to speak of. He is a solid player, but I think he could’ve been brought back at about half the price.
Bob Cousy (Bullets) - I actually like Cousy as a player, but the max seems like an overpay. The Bullets seem like they’re building an inside-focused team, so spending top dollar on a point guard that likes to shoot just doesn’t seem like the best fit.
Delon Wright (Chaparrals) - Honestly this isn’t even a bad signing, but there weren’t a lot of long-term deals handed out this offseason. The grades are appealing so maybe someone would’ve offered more but his performance doesn’t warrant the contract IMO.
Trofie:
Best
1.Serge Ibaka - I also offered him a MAX. He's a premier big in the league
2.Jason Jennings- Fason got a good big back on a reasonable deal.
3.John Bagley- Heebs got a potential starting PG of the long-haul with no upgrades put in to him. At worse he's a cheap backup
Worst
1.Luis Scola- this is a bad deal anyway you spin it.
2.Kawhi- I don't get tying up the amount of $ you did into a guy for defense and rebounding. Maybe hit works out.
3.Karl Malone- Idiot Fason ruins his Jennings signing .
KC:
Top - Ibaka, Hough, Bagley
Worst - lets face it theres only 1
Luis Scola - overpaid lol
Majic:
Best:
1) John Beckman - this one was easy, young PG that is elite and still ascending. Great signing and a no-brainer.
2) Joe Lapchik - still a really young player and already a dominant big. Easy signings
3) Harry Hough - another young ascending PG, easy choice here.
Worst:
1) Bob Cousy - Not sure I understand this deal, Cousy is an OK player and not someone I would want to pay a max to.
2) Luis Scola - there weren't any glaring choices outside of Cousy and I decided to exclude all 1 years deals and any really small ones. Scola is a nice player and a great piece to have, not sure he is worth the contract he got.
3) Serge Ibaka - this pick is by default as I don't think any other deal was worth mentioning. There is no doubt that Ibaka is a star and is worth big money, my biggest concern here is age. The end of this contract gets ugly and if we don't factor in an amnesty it gets concerning.
Pete:
Top (ignoring max-level resigns):
1. Serge Ibaka - any time you can steal a top-flight player in FA is a coup, and Serge is worth the vet max at least for the next few seasons
2. Kawhi Leonard - Not sure if Dirt didn't want to resign him or didn't shell out enough, but Kawhi is a good player and this is a reasonable deal
3. John Bagley - It's a pacers love fest here. Bagley is on a really cheap deal, so even if he just ends up as a good back-up it's a win.
Worst
1. Bob Cousy - Bob has gotten worse over the past few seasons, so a 5 year max seems like a big time overpay
2. Luis Scola - unlike Cousy, Scola has played well for the majority of his career. But not well enough to justify the length or money of this deal. I doubt there were any other offers close to this.
3. Marcus Smart - it's only an MLE so it's not a bg deal, but I think there were probably other players more deserving. Nothing against this deal though, i just couldn't find 3 that I disliked.
Power Rankings - Holidays
Give me your top 5 holidays in order.
Pete:
1. Thanksgiving - As an adult I'm all about the food, and nothing beats Thanksgiving dinner. Also great to reconnect with people you might not've seen for the past year. Also the most football-centric holiday.
2. Labor Day - Less of a hassle than 4th of July, but I'm almost always hitting the beach. Also falls on my birthday sometimes, so I get the double bonus of a birthday celebration with a 3 day weekend. Also, college football's return usually coincides with Labor Day.
3. Christmas - Gift-giving is stressful and I'm never too excited to pretend I still go to church, but there's no denying it's a good time. Would probably rank higher except my wife almost always has to work on Christmas.
4. 4th of July - Fireworks! Beaches! Barbecues! Love warm-weather holidays but the normal fun stuff at the beach is always 3x as crowded.
5. Memorial Day - Similar to Labor Day, except without the proximity to my birthday. The temperature is a lot more hit-or-miss as well. Sometimes it's among the best weekends of the year, sometimes it's 50 degrees and drizzly all weekend and you're stuck inside playing Boggle.
Trofie:
4th of July- Great weather. Usually spent at the Ozarks for our family. My kids love it. My mom still yells at me for drinking too much and lighting off fireworks. Get over it.
Memorial Day- Great weather. Usually spent at the Ozarks for our Family. Boating and Booze. The kids love it and nobody has drowned.
Christmas- I never really cared about Christmas. I'm not a big gift guy as I'd rather just buy what I want. Now that I have children it makes the list.
Friday after Thanksgiving- It's a tradition for my side of the family to get together get hammered on Tom and Jerry's and watch Nebraska lose. We smoke cigars and play pitch. Very enjoyable.
Halloween- We walk the neighborhood with friends and kids. The younger kids enjoy it so that makes it worth it.
TimPig:
1. Christmas - Work is slow, lots of food and gifts, people are generally in a good mood, corny movies. Everything about Christmas is awesome and anyone who isn’t lame gets into the spirit at least a little bit.
2. Thanksgiving - A holiday centered around food (though I think I prefer the food we eat on Christmas to the food we eat on Thanksgiving) and football. Can’t go wrong there.
3. Independence Day - Where I live, it’s the only holiday where you can be outside on the water and grill
4. New Year’s - Everyone gets dressed up and drunk. I don’t really care for fireworks but I appreciate that most of the holiday takes place the day before so you have a full day to recover before getting back to real life.
5. St. Patrick’s Day - I love Irish food, Irish beer, and Irish music.
Majic:
1) Christmas - this is easy to be. The music, the festivities, the presents, the food. Its all great and a fun time of year. Now that I have a kid I am excited to introduce Santa back into my life and see the joy from him.
2) Thanksgiving - Obviously the food is a great benefit, but this holiday really kicks off the holiday season. Typically get a nice 4 day weekend and enjoy time with family.
3) Memorial Day - probably a bit of a strange pick but I love memorial day. It really kicks off the start of summer and gives you a 3 day weekend in nice weather (usually). Always love when this holiday hits.
4) 4th of July - love cookout food and this is always a great holiday to cookout and drink.
5) Labor Day - usually kicks off the football season and a start to the best season: fall
KC:
1. Christmas - Biggest family holiday for my fam always a good time.
2. Thanksgiving - who doesnt love food
3. Halloween - gives all the women an excuse to let their inner sloot out? im in
4. 4th of July
5. NYE
Top 3 Christmas presents you've given.
Majic:
1) Diamond necklace for my wife - her mom gave me her original engagement diamond and I then had it made into a necklace for my wife.
2) Pandora bracelet - this was something my mom had wanted so I went all out and got her a nice set and a bunch of charms.
3) Christmas gift bags - last year I put together little gift bags for Christmas for my wife, her mom and cousin. It included a bunch of little items and presents that each of them would use and like. They all really loved it and appreciated them.
Trofie:
1. Django- He's our Black Lab . We just had our first child and she wanted a dog. She likes lap dogs(I don't) , so I took the initiative to buy her a dog for Christmas. He's a great dog.
2. Kids gifts- I'm grouping them all in one. They have gotten the Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and Django.
3. TMB secret santa- I had a present picked out then the guy I got backed out so I had to get a new person. He was a Cub fan and I have a ton of cool Cubs stuff. So I sent him signed game lineup cards and programs from the late 30's 40's and 50's. It was cool stuff , and I don't think he even enjoyed them.
TimPig:
1. When I was a senior in high school I needed art credits so I took an art class where we acid etched a piece of glass. I etched a White Sox logo into the piece of glass, framed it, and then got my dad a signed Minnie Minoso (his favorite player ever) picture to display behind it.
2. One time I was texting pointyeggnog about something sim-related and he sent me a screenshot of something on his phone. His wallpaper was a drawing of his dog, which I commented on and said was pretty cool. He said that his girlfriend at the time was an artist and did animal sketches, so I reached out to her and had her do a picture of my dog which I had delivered to my girlfriend at the time for Christmas.
3. I struggled to think of a third and wanted to get this sent in, so I asked my fiancee what her favorite gift from last Christmas was and she said that it was the weighted vest I bought her that she’ll wear when running and doing bodyweight workouts.
Pete:
I'm a bad gift giver, which shows because I can't think of any presents I've given someone that has blown them away. Usually, I ask the person what they want and get them that. I did score pretty big getting my wife a subscription to a wine-of-the-month club at the wine bar down the street. We've enjoyed it so much we've renewed it several times since, and it gives us a built-in date night every month when they have the pick-up.
KC:
-Took my old man to see his favorite, ZZtop in concert
-Bicycles for my daughters love getting them involved in outdoor activities and they still love riding bikes together
-Paid for my parents to have a much needed get away to Fredericksburg, Tx (wine country down here in TX)
-Hon Mention - Bought a couple expensive ass purses for an ungrateful gold diggin ______ but thats neither here not there.
Top 3 Christmas presents you've received.
Pete:
I think I got my N64 for Christmas one year, so that would be #1 easily. Outside of that, I think I was most excited to get things like Ninja Turtles and lego sets when I was a kid.
Majic:
1) Xbox 360 - nothing will compare to my excitement when I got this when it came out. pure joy
2) toy fire engine - when I was little it was the only gift I wanted and still remember the joy of getting it. I played with that things for years.
3) Carhart jacket - I had been wanting a Carhart jacket like my Grandpa used to have, my wife got me one and I have loved it.
KC:
- Dallas Cowboys tickets 10 rows up in the endzone
- Week Trip to Cabo
- Blackstone Griddle - you can cook anything on this thing
TimPig:
1. My first set of golf clubs. I was probably 8 years old and just getting into golf. Until then I had borrowed clubs but my dad bought me a set of clubs that included a driver, putter, 4-5 iron, 6-7 iron, and 8-9 iron. I carried them around everywhere with me all Christmas break. Slept with them, hung them on my chair at the dinner table, all that stuff.
2. Playstation 2. As with most new consoles, it was really hard to get your hands on one for the holidays. My Dad couldn’t find one, so he gave my brother and I an “IOU” that as soon as he found one he’d buy it for us, or if we found one to give him a call and he’d go wherever we were and pay for it. I think it only took a week or two before he was able to find one and bring it home.
3. Not sure it’s a top gift, or if it even counts as a gift, but one of my most memorable Christmases was the year after I got the PS2. I got a bunch of games the following year, went to play one of them, and the PS2 froze up and died. I was devastated. My older brother, who didn’t care as much about video games, told my Dad, who then disappeared for an hour before coming home with a brand new one. That was pretty special.
Trofie:
1. Dreamcast- the Goat video game system
2.Ernie Banks signed jersey- We had a secret santa in TMBSL probably 5-6 years ago. Soup got me a signed Jersey. Great present
3. Les Paul Epiphone guitar- Parents got me this as a child and I had a lot of fun. Formed a band with some buddies. Played on and off forever.
What's the weirdest gift you've received (not by mistake)?
Trofie:
When I was younger I loved baseball. I was probably 10 and there was a gift that looked identical to a baseball bat wrapped. I was begging my parents to let me open one gift early. My dad agreed. I of course picked the Bat. But it wasn't a bat. It was a pooper scooper for me to pick up the dogshit in the back yard. Dad had a great laugh. I broke it like a week later.
TimPig:
I had a friend pay for a three-month subscription to match.com because I had apparently been single for too long. Within like two weeks I was seeing someone so I ended up giving the code for the membership to someone else.
KC:
- Underwear with my one and only mugshot printed on them from when i was arrested for my DUI
Majic:
I had an old boss that gave out a bunch of gifts at a holiday party. He played it off as him having spent thousands of dollars on cool electronics and other things. Come to find out he had just gone to Big Lots and bought a bunch of cheap shit, it was awful and hilarious at how much he lied about it all.
Pete:
I don't have any personal gifts I can think of but I'll take the opportunity to shout out my step-grandmother, who always shopped at the thrift store and once gave my dad a cook book, and when he opened to the first page there was a note inside to my step-mom from her first husband. Another year, she gave my step-mom a party game designed for swingers parties.
What do you REALLY want for Christmas?
TimPig:
An official Red Ryder, carbine action, 200-shot, range model air rifle, with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time.
Pete:
I'd love a Christmas bonus big enough that it'll get me comfortable with a down payment for a house next year. We'll probably wait until next summer to start looking but I'm hoping we're close to buying something by this time next year.
KC:
1. My team to stop sucking ass in sim league
2. A New Pellet smoker
Majic:
I would really love a Blackstone or smoker. Really trying to branch out and try new cooking techniques and would love to have either a blackstone or smoker.
Trofie:
Not a huge gift guy. My wife and I don't do gifts for eachother. The kids will pick out something they want to get us. I will have the wife have the kids grab me some comfy slippers and cigars.
