8th interview

With the 8th interview, we are having konil as the manager of 'Thrilling Beast' & 'Supermen'. Let's get it started with the interview

Ex-ManCrush (BALD)

New ManCrush (With Better Hair)

W: Are you free?
N: Pretty much.. wassup?

W: Interview 2nd year
have to keep the tradition
N: hhehehehe.. ok
I can do it

W: Cool
What was your first impression about draft this season?
N: Too soon. it's done even before the pre season games start, so I felt a bit lost. especially since we start with a new auction system. the new auction system was interesting though. learn what to do and not to do for next season.. if I don't screw it up again this season...
other than that it's fine... changing my system since I've been bombing for the last couple of years

W: Yeah I also found this year draft a little too soon

Which player in both your comla or almoc team that you are most happy to get in terms of draft position or dollar?

N: hmm...well.. I guess Bynum and Parker.. Toney Douglas is yet to be proven if he's gonna excell in d'Antoni's system... Calderon, if he can kick some ass, i'd be happy with that much spending...

on ALMOC... quite happy i got Boozer and Gay.. that is if they perform like they did today. I think keeping Derozan is a good investment too

W: Yes, Bynum is the steal of the whole draft in auction according to me.
If you can repeat both the draft, what is the ONE thing you might do differently?
N: On COMLA, I would stop my spending spree after Gasol.. i spent on JJ, Manu and Pierce for the sake of other people not getting them for that low of a price... I was kicking myself when they stopped bidding. on ALMOC.. I'm kinda happy with the way it went.. like I said, using a new system, and according to that system, i should be kicking ass.. hehehehe

W: Who is the steal of the draft do you think other than the one in your team?
N: nick: kobe $39, ossin: scola $7, edu:.. no clue, since he already change his roster so much.. sofian: duncan $19, david west $9. gepeng: blatche $7. ossan: kidd $18, he's proven to be a steal every year. dono: harden $3. awi: monroe $8, odom $13, lowry $27. matoa: allen $10, nene $16. lung2: i don't like his team..ehehehehe.. fu: felton $14, boozer $11, varejao $5

W: wow
that's a lot of player :)
N: hehehehe

W: very detailed answer, how about for ALMOC?
N: Non keeper only?

W: yes, non keeper only
N: non keeper: duncan, rip hamilton maybe

W: And who did the best in the draft according to you? (other than yourself of course)
N: ALMOC I'm liking edu's and yours. COMLA: yours and dono

W: Thanks, I remembered your last year interview that Frye is going to be your new main man, looks like you are keeping your word :)
care to comments?
N: Yeah... it's hard to find a combination of rebounding player who can block, steal, and give 3s... I figure, the rebound, points, block and steal is a given for any player if I pick a big man. but the 3s, that's the steal... the way I did my draft was i plan my team to surround Gasol and Frye.. hopefully it'll pay off

W: Seem like a good strategy
any last word to fellow managers or our blog readers?
N: Yeah... this is the year to be THRILLed!!!

W: hahaha good one
thanks a lot Neil
N: Thanks dude

Forever

I am going out of town for a few days, so the remaining interviews have to wait until I got back to be posted. Sorry about that. It's also a good chance to think about what picture I will upload next for the interview. Probably wont be able to top a previous few one though hihihi :D

With the time I spent on reading and watching NBA, I dont know why I never seen this ad until today
A very good one I might add.

7th Interview

Next interview going to be something special coming up, the 2-in-1 interview. It is the combination interview of the two rookie managers of the "Tucksen" team. I will combine both managers interview into one

From Warcraft: Two headed Ogres.. I meant Managers

W: Since this is your first year in fantasy, how's playing fantasy so far? Is it like what you imagined?
S: Very fun and every bit like what I imagined after listening to you guys for a couple years
T: Honestly it’s more than what I imagined… It’s very time consuming but it’s exciting at the same time

W: What is your first impression on the draft?
S: Not as confusing and thrilling as I thought it would be, but rather nail-biting nevertheless
I thought we did reasonably ok at our first draft
T: Tense, we had a little blunder during the draft, but ‘Tucksen’ is a rookie, and every rookie make a mistake. In my opinion we could have done better, but nevertheless with CP3 and Deandre in ‘Tucksen” we should be leading in assist, steal, block and reb :)

W: I think you did okay, better than my first draft LoL
Who do you think have the best draft? (Other than yourself)
S: Hmmm gunnersss and yours (Moneyball)
I forgot which player you drafted, but that was my impression that night
T: Gunners had the best draft

W: If you can repeat the draft night, what is the ONE thing you would do differently?
S:  Hmm...  Actually, short of having a crystal ball and knowing only what I knew that night... Nothing
T:  If I could have repeat the draft night, I would have drafted without Lauraaaa O:) Draft with Laura was making me confused and difficult to concentrate =D

W: hahaha Laura… Laura….
But it’s worthed right?
T:  Worthed, every part of it hahaha

W: How is having two head in one team?
Is it easier or harder?
S: It's good since this is our rookie year. Definitely helps a lot and so far we've been agreeing on most of the things
T:  It’s an advantage for ‘Tucksen’ kow,,, for a rookie to manage team with two person is a blessing

W:  Which player do you like best in your team according to their draft ranking?
S:  DeAndre in 4th, LO in 5th :D they would have been gone otherwise had we picked other players first. (Keeper 6th and 7th)
T:  My mancrush. Deandre Jordan :)

W: Good answers
Any last word for the fellow managers or our blog readers?
S: Managers, beware. Tucksen FTMW!
T:  Our target is to be number 1. It’s not easy but doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

W: Well said
Thanks Gentlemen
S: Thanks kowi :D
T: Thank you

6th Interview

Next up we have the manager kodawn who is managing team 'a d a w n' for our 6th interview

W: Busy?
D: No

W: Want to do the interview?
D: Ok

W: First impression of the draft?
D: COMLA = fun
ALMOC = messy

W: How so? care to explain?
D: Messy coz i got disc

W: Ah yes, blaming the disc
D: basi *no actual English translation, best translation is "zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz"*

W: If you can repeat the draft, what is the one thing you would do differently? (other than the you got disconected ofcourse)
D: I'm gonna pick up rondo or david lee

W: I said other than you got disconected, that's basically same thing
D: Oh
hmm pick more big men early
Especially blocker

W: Who is the steal of the draft this year in both league?
D: wah
hmm
kaman in round 13 by bun2

hm i think thats it for ALMOC
ahahah
COMLA... wait

W: Ok take your time
D: Thornton at 18$
Boozer at 11$
Bynum at 8$
Monroe at 8$
Kaman at 4$

W: Wow, lots of steal like you said earlier
Which manager did the best draft in comla? almoc? (Other than yourself please)
D: COMLA : ossin , awi
hmm wait let me see
and fufu
ossin you fufu
and for ALMOC
....
same hahaha
or ossin you sofianfufu sofian tentative
either one

W: Ok hahahah i'll note that down
As the Honorably financial minister, do you have anything say about this year collection?
D: Good job everyone for paying before the deadline
no drama

W: ah speaking of drama....
also as the founder of the DQ foundation, who do you think this year DQ award will go to?
D: I'm not dq !!

W: Ok ignore the first part of it, but who do you think will be this year DQ?
D: I dont know

W: Not even a guess?
D: Bun or the rookies ?

W: Any advice to the rookies?
D: Stay down there
upper spots are for seniors

W: LoL i have to agree with you on this one

any last word for the blog readers or other managers?
D: Bring it on suckahh

W: That's concludes the interview
thanks kodawn
D: k thnks

4th & 5th Interview

For our number 4 interview, we have kosan who is the manager of GeNNoSuKe

Genno-san with the cute Oboro

W: Ok let's do this, before my bb get sucky stuckey again, it has been acting weird since morning
What is your first impression on the draft?
O: Okayy
Good draft, auction was fun, every1 had equal chances. Snake was snake

W: Which player in your team do you like the most in term of draft position & auction $?
O: Hold on, need to open my trustful ipad

W: Take your time kow
O: Damn, forget it lah, too diff, left hand holding bb, right hand ibu's shopping bags
If my memory serves me right
For almoc, I like all my picks
Muahahaha
But dropped my last 3 picks already hehhehe

W: Last year you also only kept 2 of your original draft pick player :p
O: Really??? My keeper yah? Hehehhe

W: Hahaha I think you drop or trade your keeper too
O: Opened my ipad, please wait
Hmmmm, in almoc, everyone is where it shud be
In comla, I like Tyson n Hibbert, cheap cheap, not cheap as your Monrohhhhhh, oh Monroh

W: LoL, ok
How does it feel to be drafting in overseas? Unfamiliar territory? In fact I think you may be the first one in doing so
O: U did too last year kan? In singaporeeeeee???

W: I did? Damn I can't remember
Maybe that was 2 years ago, I'm getting old, I can't remember even what I did last week
O: Yes, quite depressing actually, first because I stayed in the best hotel in the area but their business centre only opens up to 8, wth
So I pulled my 'life and death' reason for fantasy basketball reason. Ha ha ha

W: I heard u moved hotel too, is it because of this?
O: Yes, I couldn't give them the same reason X_X
Go to cheaper hotel, and they have better internet access X_X

W: Wow, what a story, Hahaha
Other than my Monroe, who is the steal of the steal in the draft?
O: In comla, K-man was the steal of the draft, for wan dalaaaaaaaaa

W: Kaman?
O: In almoc, none other than your chicken curry
Yes Kaman

W: Other than keeper kow
If u vote for kaman in comla, I think you will vote for kaman in almoc 13th rd pick also
O: Hmmmm, other than keeper, yesssss k-mannnn
Lucky bastardo

W: Who do you think had the best draft night other than yourself?
O: Gunners
In both leagues

W: That seem to be popular answers :)
How's holiday so far ?
O: Holiday? I'm working here, 24/7 for GeNNoSuKe's gloryyyyy !!!

W: Ya I can tell from all the FA movement by GeNNoSuKe
Any last word for fellow managers or our blog readers?

O: =D
Give up guys, resistance is futile, GeNNoSuKe will prevails

W: Fun interview, Thanks kosan
O: Thanks kowi ;)

W: Enjoy your holid.... I mean enjoy your hardwork
O: O:)



As for the 5th interview, we have kojoe as the manager of "Gepeng" playing for the COMLA league only. This will be his first interview ever in this blog

Armorman

W: Do you have 10 minutes to spare kojoe for the interview?
J: Can can.

W: Ok here we go
First Q: What is your first impression on the draft?
J: Very interesting draft, first time. I did an auction. I kinda expected some of the result. But there are some players that I think are overvalued.

W: I remembered you kinda hold back in the beginning of the draft, was this your strategy?
J: Hmm...
I told myself that I wanna see how the other managers bid.
That's my strategy, if everyone is fighting for the big names, then I take the plan B, $20 players.

W: Seem like a good strategy
J: I just bid to spoil the price, "how high u can go".

W: Which player of yours do you like the best in term of $ spent?
J: Like I said earlier, some players are overvalued.
I think I like javale mcgee. $14? That's good enough for me.

W: Yeah quite a steal
How do you like auction compare to last year snake draft?
J: I love this draft. It is better for h2h. Fair for everyone.
If I am playing roto, then I prefer snake draft.

W: Which manager you think did the best on the draft night (other than yourself)?
J: I forgot the other teams, but I think the Gunners has a pretty strong team.

W: Most response I got do agree gunners have the strongest team
J: Cos I am playing him next week, so I need to do some research of his team. Didn't pay much attention to the others, YET.

W: Oh good luck to you :p
J: Hahaha..

W: Which player do you think are the most undervalue in terms of $? (Other than your own)
J: Kobe n Dorell.

William Pranoto: As a sophomore, do you think last year experience teach you a lot about this league?
In another words, what is the one most precious lesson you learnt from last year experience?
J: Of course.
U live u learn.
Hahaha
I cannot forget e Roy incident. I kinda gamble.

W: LoL I knew it... I knew you were going to say the Brandon Roy thing
J: This year, I actually took a gamble too.
I have a lot of potential player too. Rookies and sleepers.

W: Gamble is good, over gamble is bad
J: Hahaha
I just know when to stop and play it safe.

W: If you can repeat the draft, what is the ONE thing you would do differently?
J: I would get Wall

W: John wall? Why?
J: It is either him or Irving.
I still had a lot of money at that time.
And I also know Genno need a PG. So I could actually either get him or make Genno pay higher :d

W: Evilllll :p, I also remember you are the first one to finish your draft. Why do you think you finished first?
J: Cos I know the players that I want?

W: Very good answer yet cocky at the same time :p
J: since I can't get any top 10 players, means I know which players to take from 50-100

W: Final one
Do you have any last word for fellow managers or our blog readers
J: Last word.. Hmm... It is the year for sophomore. Veterans will get injured a LOT!!

W: hahahaha That's a warp. Thanks kojoe for your time
J: Thanks Kiwi.

2nd & 3rd Interviews

For the 2nd interview, we have Koyan as the manager of "The Blue Duck" and "DRAGON(d/h)theduck"
I went through extra effort to get a picture to best represent this team, but unfortunately i'm not quite satisfied myself. You'll be the judge which picture are the best.

Somehow I have a feeling the right one will be the winner. Whenever I'm talking to Koyan, he seem to always make me hungry (more evidence below)

W: You wanna do it here through BB or msn?
S: BB. I'm at home, sick

W: Because of draft?
S: Too busy the last one month
No resting day

W: So what is first impression of this year drafts?
S: Very lucky year for sure =D not only got 1st pick and but I also got Rondo on the 2nd rd becoz Dono got disc. Phew... If not, Dono will pick Rondo and my team will have no PG

W: LoL, What about COMLA?
S: I like auction draft. We should use this auction every year. Its downside only the draft time. It takes two and half hour to finish all. Me and Nick did a draft bareng at Cozy restaurant in Pluit. It was fun. For my team, I guess I got fair price for all of them. I satisfy with my roster

W: If you can repeat the draft again, what is the one thing you would do differently?
S: For ALMOC, I'm thinking if picking LBJ better for my team. And for Comla, I won't waste my spot for Fredette :p it is a small but big mistake

W: I thought you are Jimmmmerrrrrr mania :p
S: Lol I got into Nick's trap

W: You got in into COMLA draft with less than 1 minute to go, what happened? Is this part of the plan?
S: My original place to draft was bengawan solo coffee shop at pluit. The traffic on Monday was f*cking bad. It takes me two hours from office to Pluit. Because I hadn't eaten yet, so we move our draft bareng to Cozy. Fyi their yangchow fried rice is good (y). I arrived there 5 minutes before draft. I guess I still have a good karma.

W: Good karma indeed
Which manager did the best draft in both league? (Other than yourself)
S:: I must say Ossin for both league. Good luck, Kosin!!

W: Which player do you think is the steal of the draft in term of draft ranking / auction $?
S: ALMOC: Darko

W: How about for comla?
S: COMLA: Bynum for 8dollar

W: I should really try that yangchow fried rice, you made me hungry and its only 4 pm
S:: Hehehe casiu & prawn kowww

W: You made me drooling even more
S: It's really nice.

W: I believe you
S: Do not forget to include this in the interview

W: Of course!!!
I'm thinking to upload the picture too, after field trip
S: Lol wkwkwkwkw

For the record: I still haven't got a chance to go, anyone?

W: Got any last word for blog reader or fellow managers?
S: Prepare yourself for a busy 16weeks <Changed few times into softer one after worrying about karma> :p
W: Ok get better soon koyan, and thanks for the interview
S: Thanksss

And for the 3rd Interview we have the Kodoe as the manager of the ConCarnage team.

W: Ready to rock and roll?
D: Yesss :)

W: Ok here we go
 what do you think this year draft compare to last year?
D: I love every single minute of the auctions draft... Owners bidding for every single players they love/like/adore and I love the competitiveness of the other owners.. I would say this year draft is more competitive

W: If we got to do the draft all over again, what is the one thing you would do differently for both draft?
D: I would love to do auctions...
Auctions on almoc.. And comla stays auctions .. :) I love auctions

W: LoL someone is auction freak :p
Who is the best steal in term of draft position or auction $?
D: Cheap n perform
Hehehe I would say.. Beasy n jennings would be a steal in the draft.. At least that's what I tought...
No one steal KD from me :)

W: How about almoc?
Any player you consider steal in almoc?
D: Almoc .. I might have to say Wall by Genno..I was gonna say Monroe :) but people think its too high

W: Cool, and next question: Which manager did the best draft in both league? (Other than yourself)
D:  I have to say gunners has the best team end to end.. Definitely

W: Any last word to blog readers or fellow managers?
D: Gotta say let's have a good year.. May the best team wins..more drama means karma.

W: That will do
Get well soon and thanks again for the interview
D: Thank uuuuu :)

Edu's Nightmare
I was going to spent more time on matching their skin color, but I pity Edu already :p
(at least this still look 'fake')

Happy New Year + 1st Interview

Well it's not happy new year 2012 yet, but it is happy new NBA year. I am still a bit sleepy from watching almost 3 consecutive live NBA opener Christmas games. NBA did the right thing picking boston vs new york as the first game. It ended with KG missing the last shot which would have tied the game. And then the rematch of the last year final which was a bit boring because Dallas was raped from the beginning. And then follow by Chicago vs Lakers which Rose ended the game with a half floater - half jump hook shot and won by 1 point.
Anyway I'm very excited to report that all interview are done. And I'm going to include the first interview right now.

Author Warning: All interviews may contain offensive & personal jokes, cruel sarcasms, embarrassing statements and some may be very hurtful. If you are a sensitive person, and cannot bear any of above treatments, we suggest you to stop reading this blog and go to this link instead. Author are not responsible for any of the comments made in the interview, Author are simply posting the interview as truthful as it can be. In conclusion for the love of the Fantasy Gods, please do not shoot the messenger.

Each interview will be posted as the order which interview was done first. And the first one we have Mr. Ossin as the manager of the Gunners team.

W: Kosin free?
O: Lets do it kowi

W: Yeah welcome to the F.I.R.S.T. interview of Fantasy Basketball 2011-12 season.
O: Wohooooo

W: How do you feel about your draft this season?
O: Hope this is a sign I will finish first in both leagues
Im happy. I get almost all I want

W: Quite a confidence :)
How do you feel about Derick Rose in COMLA as your most expensive player? and LBJ in ALMOC for first rounder?
O: As a red team member I hv my eyes only on Rose and LBJ. A bit expensive for Rose, but 60s is the number im hoping I will pay and I did. If someone bid 70 I will turn to look other red member for my first pick

W: You could have double bron bron in both league, but I guess Rose is not a bad replacement :)
O: I want to pick CP3 but his knee and not a red is what turn me to Rose
I dont want to pay 70 for a player. thats why i let go LBJ. sorry bron bron

W: Which player in both your COMLA or ALMOC team that you are most happy to get in terms of draft position or dollar?
O: For ALMOC im happy w my starting 5. They are what im aiming and i get all 5. For comla I think Jennings at 7 is quite cheap. hopefully he can be my dark horse.

W: If you can repeat the both draft, what is the ONE thing you might do differently?
O: Im not so sure about Dudley in COMLA and Stuckey is a bit of gamble. But I dont think those two will cost me my first time winning both leagues. yeahhhhhhh

W: If you have to pick one manager, who did brilliantly in the draft? (other than yourself) and why?
O: I like Shazaam in comla and Moneyball in ALMOC.
Moneyball coz he got toney douglas and cheap curry
Shazaam coz hes the only one who can trouble me in comla

W: Drafting without makoli this year I assume, is that why you did better this year?
O: Yes I miss makoli. makoliiii where r uuuu

W: What draft system do you like better, auction or snake draft? why?
O: I like auction better. more dono... i mean, more drama

W: HAHAHA I'm laughing so hard with that answer
O: Too bad Bun2 not in auction league. shud be more fun if he is

W: Any last word to the blog readers or to fellow manager?
O: Get ready to rumbleeeeeeee

W: Marvelous, that's should wrap it
and... cut..
Thanks kow
O: Thanks Kowi

Draft Aftermath

Draft is generally a success.
COMLA:
Our first auction draft was a great hit. All managers were present during the draft. Matoa have a problem with IE because of basketball reason, thus have to use Mozilla. He barely finish download the flash to get into the draft with less than 5 minutes. Not to be outdone, Sofian also got into the draft room with less than 1 minute to go. It was very exciting night.

ALMOC: Things could be better since the 11th pick Nick was late and were only available half of the draft (details below) and 12th pick Matoa choose to use autodraft instead. The new rookie also only had one manager present, where the other manager was in the exciting mission of "Operation Laura" with Nick. You can ask them both what those mission was, and they would be glad to tell you the story.

I am in the process of interviewing each manager, hopefully it should be done in a few days. Check back the blog for the interview with each of the COMLA & ALMOC managers

Winning Shot

As the 326 BLUE and 326 RED are entering the tournament.
Red is currently sitting with 1W & 1L
Blue is currently sitting with 2L

We wish them luck in the tournament for this weekend and would like to remind them NOT to do this in the game.



Credit to Kowin for finding this

Welcome New Manager(s)

So NBA finally is back on and will only play 66 games. Naturally it's time for all of us to start busy again. The lock out effect going to be interesting. Already I hear question like
"how many people was in our league"
"who the heck is this player"
"how did you check last year draft"
LoL, somehow the lockout had some amnesia effect on some our managers

The biggest impact of lockout though was to ALMOC league, was to one of our manager, who decided he lost interest in NBA. We like to wish Mr. Cekui well and thanks for the wonderful 2 years he spent with us. Less than 24 hours later after it was confirmed, we managed to find not one, but two replacements. Mr. Tuck and Mr Sen aka Mr TuckSen will be playing a joint account in ALMOC.

Their latest crazy picture

We like to welcome these two gentlemen in our freakish league

Congrats to iFoe and Mrs. iFoe

Congrats Fufu, it was a great wedding, great food, great friends, great night.

Did you seriously have to pay for this bike?

Tribute to Steve Jobs

Steven Paul Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011)

Some interesting facts about Steve Jobs:
- His biological father is Syrian Muslim, most people in Arab consider him as Arab-American
- He was once very poor and had to slept on floor, return coke bottle for food
- He worked at Atari before
- His biological sister is a famous author "Anywhere But Here' - a story about a mother and daughter that was later made into a movie starring Natalie Portman and Susan Sarandon.
- He had some celebrity romance with American fold singer Joan Baez
- In his 2nd return to Apple in 1997, he went to meet Bill Gates (who many believe was his big nemesis) and somehow magically convinced Bill Gates to invest 150 million to save Apple from bankruptcy
- He was a Buddhist and did not consume any meat other than fish
- His salary was only $1

Most of his famous quotes were first given in this speech



This is the "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish" address delivered by Steve Jobs in 2005 at Stanford University:


I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've
ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?

It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.

And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.

It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.

None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it's likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.

Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.
My second story is about love and loss.

I was lucky - I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation - the Macintosh - a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.

I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me - I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.

I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.

I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

My third story is about death.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.

I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.

This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope it's the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Thank you all very much.

Photos of Steve

 

Editor comment: Someone asked me why the loss of someone who I never met & didn't know in real life made me so sad. Not sure I have the right answer to that... but then again billions of people feel the same way like I do.
This is happening in all apple store around the world

Apple Store NY

Apple store in SF

Apple store in Shanghai

Outside Apple Store in Ginza-Tokyo, Japan

Still in Ginza

Apple store in HK

Apple Store in Paris

Apple store Palo Alto

Apple Store Sydney with multi-languages

In Chengdu, China

 









Once again thank you Steve

Worst Job Ever

Just When You Thought You Have Seen It All Along Comes This Poor Guy And His Job Nightmare.

Best Basketball Article I've Ever Read

Just go to next link and read it. Best basketball article I've ever read.

"The No-Stats All-Star" by Michael Lewis
Warning: extremely long article and very technical about basketball

Michael Lewis: the author of the book: Moneyball, which was made into a movie and is now in theater

 Also Author of "The Blind side" which also made into the movie a while back.

You would think this guy is a sport story writer, but actually his main job was a financial journalist. Lewis has worked for the New York Times Magazine, as a columnist for Bloomberg. He now writes for Vanity Fair

Interesting Stats That You May Not Know (even if you are a fantasy freak)

Top 10 Dunkers (# dunk attempts per 100 possessions)

It's a clippers player who hold the number 1 spot, but not the clippers you think. (He is rank 3rd) Surprise to see Hollins and Warrick to be in 6th & 7th spot, who weren't even a starter.

RANK	NAME	TEAM	FGA	FG%
1	DeAndre Jordan	LAC	4.45	90.23%
2	Dwight Howard	ORL	4.21	96.52%
3	Blake Griffin	LAC	4.04	88.38%
4	JaVale McGee	WAS	3.82	95.48%
5	Tyson Chandler	DAL	3.48	94.16%
6	Ryan Hollins	CLE	3.37	92.11%
7	Hakim Warrick	PHX	3.33	92.31%
8	Andrew Bynum	LAL	2.88	93.67%
9	Kenyon Martin	DEN	2.83	92.75%
10	LaMarcus Aldridge	POR	2.82	89.70%

Here are players who did not record a single dunk attempt last season:
Other than Battier, mostly are in Guard position. Although I find it quite odd to see Battier, Deshawn Stevenson & Chalmers on this list. Not a single dunk? really?

The Never-Dunkers

NAME	TEAM
Shane Battier	HOU
Andre Miller	POR
Anthony Morrow	NJN
Kyle Lowry	HOU
Toney Douglas	NYK
Beno Udrih	SAC
Tony Parker	SAS
Richard Hamilton	DET
Sasha Vujacic	NJN
Mike Bibby	ATL
Daniel Gibson	CLE
D.J. Augustin	CHA
Chris Paul	NOH
Steve Nash	PHX
James Jones	MIA
Derek Fisher	LAL
Kirk Hinrich	WAS
DeShawn Stevenson	DAL
Jameer Nelson	ORL
Luke Ridnour	MIN
Jason Kidd	DAL
Chauncey Billups	DEN
Jose Calderon	TOR
Steve Blake	LAL
Keith Bogans	CHI
Jose Barea	DAL
J.J. Redick	ORL
Mario Chalmers	MIA
Eric Maynor	OKC
Gary Neal	SAS

Top 10 Layup Rates

Barbosa is a good player, but you wouldn't expect him to be in number 1 spot. I'm surprise to see Melo and Monroe in that top 10 list. 

RANK	NAME	TEAM	FGA	FG%
1	Leandro Barbosa	TOR	9.63	62.45%
2	Tony Parker	SAS	9.23	65.78%
3	Carmelo Anthony	DEN	8.80	50.97%
4	Russell Westbrook	OKC	8.43	57.11%
5	Derrick Rose	CHI	8.41	57.84%
6	Tony Allen	MEM	8.39	62.18%
7	Carlos Boozer	CHI	8.25	65.41%
8	Tyreke Evans	SAC	8.24	58.33%
9	Rodney Stuckey	DET	8.10	56.35%
10	Greg Monroe	DET	8.04	63.11%

Top 10 Tip-In Rates

Camby is the leader in this category, but did it in a very poor FG%. If you talk about efficiency, Z is the man, leading with 65%.

RANK	NAME	FGA	FG%
1	Marcus Camby	2.01	36.36%
2	Andrew Bogut	1.94	48.78%
3	Joakim Noah	1.89	55.36%
4	Zydrunas Ilgauskas	1.85	65.00%
5	Kris Humphries	1.55	37.93%
6	Jason Thompson	1.49	50.98%
7	Amir Johnson	1.43	61.29%
8	DeJuan Blair	1.38	43.48%
9	Kevin Love	1.37	58.33%
10	Samuel Dalembert	1.25	38.30%

Top 10 Hook Shot Rates

Bogut is the modern day Kareem. With so many non american in this list, you kinda know that hookshot aint that popular in US nowadays. It's still amazing to find Darko (rank 2nd!!!) in this list

RANK	NAME	FGA	FG%
1	Andrew Bogut	7.93	44.78%
2	Darko Milicic	6.93	45.30%
3	Roy Hibbert	6.16	54.21%
4	Dwight Howard	4.78	49.43%
5	Brook Lopez	4.18	51.35%
6	Andris Biedrins	3.28	43.96%
7	Luis Scola	3.17	50.99%
8	LaMarcus Aldridge	2.98	46.55%
9	Andrew Bynum	2.96	43.21%
10	Pau Gasol	2.79	50.63%   source http://www.goldenstateofmind.com/

End of Long Holiday

So it has been a while since I updated anything. With NBA season still unsure, there was really not much to do and to write about. Just finished a long holiday, I used the holiday to watch many top sports documentaries. More about that in my next blog.
just to re-cap what's been happening in the past few months:
-Our Sunday school basketball has changed to mini-sparring from the usual first to 15. All players who attended divided into white & black jersey, and teams battle it out for 4x12 minutes. It was a success, however few drawbacks were a few player were complaining not getting enough minutes.
- One of my keeper player W.Chandler was the first to sign with China teams with no cancellation clause even if NBA is to resume :(
- I need new basketball shoes, but I dont like nike, any suggestions?
-There were talk about creating mini basketball here, trying to replicate on the video below, now we are trying to find sponsors and players


I dont know why the next picture is relevant, but I dont think anyone will complain.

Nice Bike & Helmet

Speaking about documentary, I was thinking it was time to do a memorable CD of compilation pictures & videos with highlight and interview with the sunday basketball 326 ers. As I quoted from my friend, let's face it "we ain't getting younger" Hopefully this can happen in the near future.

YO World-all say hi to THE BRAVE N MIGHTY ANDREW WILLIAM WIBISONO

Congrats to Mr. Bun and Mrs. Meli for their second son Andrew who was born on 23rd July 2011.
Apology from the writer who was at overseas at the time, thus unable visit in the hospital.

Andrew William Wibisono

Congrats Mr. Fu

Congrats to Mr. Fu, this is indeed your year. Not only winning first place in COMLA, but also managed to stole the first place right on the final week of the ALMOC.
Fu become the first ever in our fantasy history to win from both leagues (dual winner)
With the addition winning from bracket competition, making him the current record holder for most money win from a single season of fantasy basketball (6.65)

End result for ALMOC:
1st. Fu with 74
2nd Wi with 73.5
3rd Adawn with 73

Congrats to Fu and the remaining top 3 of ALMOC


Here are the final result of both leagues:
COMLA

ALMOC:

Fantasy Dinner

It was in Kwetiaw Kerang Singapore at Pluit where the venue was decided to be held fantasy dinner. It was fun to meet up among fantasy managers, although I pitied Agus & Sondhi who also joined the dinner and  had no idea about the conversation since it was 99% about fantasy basketball.

Finally after a long hours of discussion, negotiation, argument, laugh, voting, vetoed, we came down to a conclusion as follows:

What has been decided:
ALMOC:
a. The years keeper has been reduced from 3 years to 2 years.
a* Previous potential keeper such as love, noah, curry, deng, m.gasol, etc will be eligible for 2 more years (no change) from next season
b. Penalty from bottom 3 have been increase from previously 100k each to 500k, 300k and 200k total of 1 mil to be used for fantasy gathering/dinner
c. Waiver system no longer using priority, and will be replaced by bidding, similar with comla
d. Draft system will still be similar like 2010-2011 season, using random automated from website
e. Entry fee will increase from previously 500k to 800k
f. The number of games will reduce from 85 games to 82 games
g. Should a manager quit, his team will be frozen, no mid-season takeover is allowed

*point a*, f & g are new : with the addition of voting from cekui, wandy and edu

COMLA:
a. Entry fee will increase from previously 500k to 800k


Highlight of the night: Someone yelled out "EH CIBE, SINI LOE" in the restaurant hall. LMAO

The top 3 of ALMOC and the not so lucky one

ALMOC Season Finale

updated news: only 3 games today, but enough to move some ranking within top 3. ALL top three are now tied with 73.5. Big showdown tomorrow!

With most NBA teams played 81 games with 1 more game to go. It's time to hand out the fantasy award for ALMOC.
I must say this again, this may be the wildest finish of ALMOC top 3. With 1 more game to go to go, I'm still unsure who will finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd. It's a privilege for me personally to have a close match with Adawn and iFoe for the top 3. Despite who will get the first tomorrow, congrats for finishing top 3.
I also must thank the Trade Councils, I believe this year Trade Councils performed with the out-most high level of performance and fast reaction, it clearly showed how enjoyable this season was.

Without further due, here are the awards based on fantasy performance:

MVP: Kevin Durant
No surprise here, although KD was struggling in the early season, however he managed to pick up the form from last season. Congrats Mr. Bellepue
Best Current Keeper: Kevin Love
Also no surprise here as Love finish 4th overall only behind KD, CP3 and LBJ. Congrats Mr. iFoe
ROY: Landry Fields
Credit to Mr. Bellepue for finding him first and Mr. Havana for keeping him most of the season. I'm sure this awards will surprise everybody, however Fields stats is outperforming Wall, Griffin, Monroe, Crawford and other rookie. It's not that Fields number are that great, it's just that every other rookie numbers are very bad.
Best Un-drafted Player: Dorell Wright
Best New Keeper: Dorell Wright
Congrats Mr. Gennosuke who seem to always getting the best out of FA every season.
Best Drafted Player in terms of Draft Position: Serge Ibaka
Drafted #139th and yet performance rank at #40. Congrats Mr. Gunners
Worth mentioned: Elton Brand drafted #93 and finish at #19, credit to Mr. Gennosuke.
Most Disappointment Player in term of Draft Position: Brandon Roy
Drafted at #26 however combination of poor result and injury prone earned him this embarrassing award. Poor Mr. Bitch Slappers
Most Comeback Team: Matoaroto
Mr. Matoaroto was the last at 12th position in mid January with only 41 pts, however since then he managed to turn around, increase his point by astonishing 18 pts and finish respectably 59 up to today. A remarkable turn-around.

Most Games Watched Live and TV: Bellepue
Most Tweets About Fantasy: Bellepue
Most Money Made from Online Betting: ArchaRoto
Most FA Moves: Gennosuke = 92
Least FA Moves: Gunners = 29
Most Trades: iFoe & Gennosuke = 5 trades
Least Trades: Matoaroto = 0 trade
Most Trades Vetoed: Adawn & Havana = 1 trade
Most Original Draft Team: Bitch Slappers & Gunners = 6 original players from draft
Least Original Draft Team: Gennosuke = 2 original players from draft; Dirk & Elton
Most Bachelor Team: Duck & Gunners
Most Dramas: no need to mention any name here, but we all know :p


Please do suggest if I missed out any more important or not-so-important awards
Comments will be appreciated


Once again, congratulations, félicitations, congratulazioni, selamat, congratulaciones, 祝贺,Glückwünsche, 喜び, 치하,  gefeliciteerd, gratulatio , تهنئة

Summary Of Past Two Weeks

I was busy and long overseas trip, therefore I missed covering COMLA semifinal and final. At the end,
Fu was 1st place
Lung2 was 2nd place
and Wandy was 3rd place

Congrats to Fufu for getting his top spot in COMLA, this is the 3rd time fufu got top spot for comla. He did it before in 2006, 2008 and now in 2010 season.
(PS: To MR. FUFU, this will be your recognition so you can show your kids, so we dont need to sign on a piece of tissue paper, hahaha)

Congrats also to Lung2, who are the first rookie who end up getting the top 3 spot in the first year.

Last but not least, special congrats to Matoa, who finally getting to top 3 and broke the COMLA curse.