June 12, 2007 6:00 AM
The NBA's Grande Finale
The NBA Finals have been a big letdown. For one thing the whole extravaganza comes just too late. By now we all have other interests beyond huddling around the TV. The other thing is the matchup is just not a very interesting one. It's actually quite boring. I mean I'd almost rather watch soccer. Which is kind of frightening actually. I mean I'd almost rather watch bread mold than soccer.
I never quite know where my ideas and inspirations for them are going to come from. But I think I can sort of figure this one out. Over the weekend I watched a few episodes of the Wonder Years. I never got to watch this show when it first aired but I'm catching it in reruns and just loving it. I grew up in the 70's so I can relate to the show so well. Anyway, there was one show that had to do with Kevin, the shows main character, getting himself into a jam by agreeing to paint the house of one of his teachers from school. As I was sketching my roughs for the day the idea of having some guy doing something he didn't want to do just to avoid having to watch the NBA finals came to me. Good premise. Should he be mowing the lawn? Kind of done a lawn mowing motif before. Cleaning the garage? Too hard to illustrate the concept (I guess I could have drawn the guy sweeping but it didn't exactly grab me). Painting the house. Now that's a grueling project that noone in their right mind wants to do on the weekend. And as I was drawing the image it dawned on me...Wait...The Wonder Years...that's what Kevin was doing in the Wonder Years show I just watched. Painting a house. Subconsciously that must have come through. The mind of a cartoonist is much like a sponge. Soak up everything and then, on deadline, wring that puppy out and wah-lah...instant idea. Oh how I wish it were that easy.
So that's my daily insight into the mind of a cartoonist. Much like watching soccer and the NBA Finals, it's a pretty scary sight.
Drew
June 12, 2007
6:30 AM
Tank writes:
Drew, I don't know if I've ever seen you do a NASCAR related cartoon? I'm a Colordoan who lives in Texas now (ouch). Maybe the interest in NASCAR in CO is not as big as it is here. Occassionally, there's some pretty good "dirt" that would make good cartoon fodder.
PS - even tho the Spurs are 60 miles down the road from us, I find the finals boring, also.
June 12, 2007
7:10 AM
Rob writes:
Well, I like watching Tony Parker do layup drills against the Cavs. Mr. Painter was duped though, as soon as he gets done painting they'll be announcing the players. He'll get to watch it anyway.
It would have been funny if LeBron was trying to paint a house but couldn't because the Spurs owned the paint.
June 12, 2007
7:25 AM
eric jemings writes:
Drew,
You once again hit it on the nose.
Eric Jennings
June 12, 2007
7:25 AM
eric jemings writes:
Drew,
You once again hit it on the nose.
Eric Jennings
June 12, 2007
7:25 AM
eric jemings writes:
Drew,
You once again hit it on the nose.
Eric Jennings
June 12, 2007
7:25 AM
eric jemings writes:
Drew,
You once again hit it on the nose.
Eric Jennings
June 12, 2007
7:25 AM
eric jemings writes:
Drew,
You once again hit it on the nose.
Eric Jennings
June 12, 2007
7:25 AM
eric jemings writes:
Drew,
You once again hit it on the nose.
Eric Jennings
June 12, 2007
9:54 AM
Tom writes:
Boring or not....
It been great fun watching Lebron run around in his NBA diaper and look foolish. It's nice when a spoiled rotten brat is put in his place.
He might be able to slam a dunk down, but he has zero concept of team basketball. Also, what's with him biting on his freaking nails all the time?
Welcome to the NBA LeBron.
We are all witnesses for your overhyped existence. We are all witnesses to your airball free throws. We are all witnesses to your inability to clone yourself into Michael Jordan, as you so wish you could.
We are all witnesses.
June 12, 2007
1:07 PM
Eric writes:
Was it the episode where he painted the house of the hot teacher only to have his "employees" bail on him at the end. I loved that one. Add the fact that she sold the house and the guy put on siding 2 years later just adds drama to the episode.
June 12, 2007
2:57 PM
Rob writes:
Atleast it wasn't that episode of Sopranos i've had to read about in almost every Game 2 article i've read.
June 12, 2007
3:07 PM
Mike writes:
No kidding Tom,
I laugh everytime LeBron does his act with the hand chalk, as if he's casting some kind of spell, then spreads his arms out like we're supposed to worship him or something.
Hey, LeBron -
Try actually WINNING something first Bucko.
And even then, you really wouldn't be worthy of praise anyway. Just keep dreaming that you're Michael.
You aren't.
June 12, 2007
3:49 PM
Harry Thomas writes:
As bad as the Spurs-Cavs finals seems to the rest of the country (we rather like the idea of the Spurs going for their fourth title here in San Antonio), it could be worse, folks. It could have been San Antonio vs. New Jersey.
At least with the hype surrounding LeBron James, the rest of the sports world is paying attention.If you doubt that, check out all the news stories that lead off with LeBron and get around to mentioning the Spurs in about the fifth or sixth paragraph.
The dirty little secret here is that the NBA's dream series is New York/LA, every year. That way, people who aren't normally interested in the game will tune in to see the celebrities in the stands.
San Antonio has three celebrities: Tommy Lee Jones, George Strait and Eva Longoria. Cleveland has the hype machine that is LeBron James and Drew Carey. There go the ratings.
BTW: The NBA's worst nightmare: Spurs-Pacers.
June 13, 2007
8:57 AM
Tom writes:
It was a beautiful sight to see LeBron sucking on his thumb and complaining to the ref last night at the end of the game.
"But....But....Bob.....he fouled me right there!....He fouled me....He fouled me....!!!"
Waaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!
Grow up you big freaking baby!
The only good thing about this series is watching LeBron get worked over and totally frustrated. It's good theater.