From the LA Times' TJ Simers' column today:

"We basically had only two guys, Quinton Ross and Elton Brand, who showed up against Sacramento," Coach Mike Dunleavy said. "After watching film of that game, I felt like throwing up. I told the players if that doesn't hurt you, I wish there's some way I could know that, because I don't want you here."

That’s the gem quote, but TJ also makes some good points about the fact that Elton & Coach Dunleavy can bitch until the cows come home, but just about every key piece of this team is signed long term, so trying to move pieces around will be difficult. I’m back and forth on this. I like our pieces, I like our team, I just wonder, Jesus Christ, if they are going to fall over and let the SACTO KINGS walk all over them in the most dire of circumstances, then what the eff are we paying these guys for? Sigh.

The other big theme of the day across clipper coverage land seems to be rising season ticket prices, vis a vis their inherent seeming lack of excessive worth if the team keeps going in the direction (down) that it currently seems to be embarked on. Sad state of affairs, the only saving grace (and a small pathetic scrap of one at that) being that if the losing continues, and ticket prices have to inevitably dump again, certain people long gone from LA that may or may not come back in a couple years would then return for nice cheap staples seats, but, sadly, to watch the formerly familiar yet heartbreakingly painful crapsketball we used to know and despise. Well, it’s a tradition, right? Right.

In other realms, Bill Simmons went intermittently down the line of the tail end of his MVP balloting, getting from #450 to #89. Relating to the Clippers, Corey Maggette came in at 94, but the kicker (at least to me, and in a number of ways, including a painful one in the ass of all clipper fans if too much time is spent pondering it) is Tim Thomas’ ranking at #245:

This was my first experience directly watching an NBA player parlay two months of quality playoff work into a four-year contract, then immediately stop giving a crap and playing hard once every four games. ... And lemme tell you, it was magical. In fact, it's even a little contagious: I no-showed six Clippers games in the past three months, including two in the past week (Portland and Sacramento). I didn't care whether I went or anyone else used the tickets -- the money was already down the drain, so why kill yourself worrying about it, you know? If anything, it's a cool feeling not to care. I feel just like Tim Thomas. So thank you, Timmy. You've opened a whole new world for me. Don't take it personally on Fan Appreciation Night this Wednesday as I'm lobbing frozen pieces of horse manure at you.

I'm speechless. Well, almost. Speaking of Tim and his old club, Phoenix, where he earned that fat contract our beloved LA Bastard Stepchildren are now paying him, the clips take on the Suns, yes I know, I know you know, yes, in the valley of Helios este noche. whatever goat statue, ethereal entity, or chakra laden crystal you are currently worshipping, throw in a verse or two for lack of clipper ignominy for old keith el otro and our favorite squad. You know, for, uh, something's sake. gratzi.