BDL props...

is that rex chapman? not sure

And look at those short shorts…. NICE!

There are some nice things in here, with some solid kudos for Clipper Steve, but I feel like this is one of those extremely tight, hard-fought games that goes down to the final minute and a couple of close plays, and then somehow in the final free throw exercise the score looks much more lopsided than it really is.

Look, I love “Marketplace” Arnovitz, and everything about who he is and what he does. He’s extremely knowledgable and perceptive, and a very fine writer. In the past, at some point early last year, I believe that I expressed a similar sentiment to the BDL analysis, that CS works his tail off, but KA has knowledge, skills, and a je ne sais quoi that makes him a superior blogger. I was a bit in awe of Clipperblog.

And I was wrong.

When BDL says that KA has been doing this for “forever,” that’s a bit of an exaggeration. KA got started early in the 05-06 season and then rode the wave of the playoff run, and he did it like a friggin surf champ, Kelly Slater style. It was just awesome.

O6-07 was meant to be our season of dreams, and all we had to show for it was the Maggettifesto and the prospect of 600 days of rehab for Shaun Livingston. Your old pal Zhiv couldn’t take it, only watched about half of the last 30 games at most, and retired from commenting at ESPN or here at the relatively young CN site in order to obsess on FireDogLake/emptywheel and the liveblog of the Scooter Libby trial, if I remember correctly. But Clipper Steve slogged through those dark days like a real champ, he never let up, and he was only getting stronger. And the thing is… KA showed that he didn’t quite have the stomach for the tough times. He did have a new job, like, a real, demanding, great new job, but we can’t really use that as a factor in our blog analysis here. CS gave ClipsNation everything that he had, and as the season ended and we went into the 07 offseason, ClipsNation was a better site. It just was.

And after Brand’s injury and throughout the difficulties of last year, CS maintained his lead and superiority. Again, with the season essentially lost before it ever began, KA just didn’t have a hunger to get inside the Clips. He kept up his game analysis, and he always had valuable insights, but there was more wit and nuance for its own sake than there was substance. CS, meanwhile, remained a model of consistency and depth. The season was a clear cut victory for CS and ClipsNation. It’s not even worthy of discussion, really.

Part of the issue is the site format. This is another big plus for CS and ClipsNation. It’s much more comprehensive, reader-, and commentary-friendly. We all have a good time here and routinely engage in substantive discussions. With ClipperBlogs relatively rare postings, the comment thread quickly descends into inanity and becomes worthless and unpleasant. Some of this is just software, but again, ClipperSteve deserves the credit, for his sophistication and hard work.

Then came this offseason and the Brand debacle. Again, I’d give CS the nod in a head to head with KA, but the difference between ClipsNation and Clipperblog was monumental. My own humble, hare-brained, and insignificant contributions aside, this offseason was a team effort that was citizen journalism, fandom, and analysis at its very best, worthy of something that is, well, worth more than the Clippers, at least. But it is the Clippers, and it was fun and exciting and fascinating.

BDL talks about KA’s posts and ClipperBlog like it’s a fine wine, a rare treat that needs to be savored and pondered, like a $500 Bordeaux. I don’t dispute that, and again, KA has all the tools. Maybe it’s just time to upgrade the site. Even better, KA might do well to be absorbed and given featured status by ClipsNation, kind of like emptywheel and others over at FireDogLake. We would all read him just as eagerly, and the commentary would improve. (Someone else can figure out the banking takeover metaphor—maybe KA, with the whole Marketplace thing.) But give me the strength and effort of the case of California power Cabernet for the price of that single precious bottle of Bordeaux every time. 12 to 1 wins it, no contest—and the quality is hardly inferior.

Drink up, fellow citizens—there’s plenty here and lots more to come. A toast to ClipperSteve and his continued prosperity. We know he’ll take the high road, as always, with this cruel snub. But he wuz robbed.

I’m telling you now Clipper Blog is not a well rounded site. I’m a poster on it and there seems to be nothing but constant bickering and and spammers due to the lack of constantly fresh information.

Tell me why there are no updates on the blog regarding the Shaun Livingston signing with the Heat or information on Clippers Camp. I’m not sure rather all this is due to it being the offseason or there is simply not enough time for him to update the site but it is quite concerning. The constant bashing from supposed “fans” of the Clippers becomes utterly ridiculos and defeats the purpose of trying to create a discussion amongest other posters.

I’m not all that worried about it now because I find myself now just browsing through each of the three sites for daily information that the other does not have.

I surf all three sites regularly and this site easily has the best and most thoughtful commentary. Its not just CS (who writes more and better than KA) but also great writers like John R, Zhiv, ASOMS, BCF and many others who really bring this site to life. We are not always the first to report the news and sometimes KA see’s the situation more accurately than we do, but when a situation needs analysis, this is the only site to get your Clipper fix.

I still maintain that KA is by far the better writer (sorry CS). His analysis and insight and general writing style is just fantastic to read. But he doesn’t post often enough, and his updates during the lulls of the season (and off-season) are too few and far between. The comments section at ClipperBlog is plagued by witless cockroaches, the few competent posters there are champs for enduring the infestation.

There should be no argument that CN is the better site. From the format, to the members of the community, to the constant stream of information – there’s no doubt this is the place to be for true Clipper fans. Keep up the excellent work CS, and all the contributing members.