Massively Multiplayer: Gaming In The New Millennium
- Thread starter RySenkari
- Start date
- Status
Oh yeah, no Columbia explosion! That's awesome. Also, betting it now, Bush wins 2004, but loses 2008. Also also, pity you couldn't butterfly away Putin along with Bush. Eh, you win some, you lose some. Also, is Mark Zuckerberg going to make Facebook ITTL? You mentioned earlier he might be pushed into game development. Also, how are Peter Thiel and Elon Musk doing in 2003? I assume Musk is gonna be less famous then OTL with a more functional Space Program?
Last edited:
Hmmm...Depends. Is the economic crash gonna be Butterflied? It'd be delicious irony if the Republicans win 2004 and end up getting the blame four years later. Also, on another note, has any Party ever gotten four terms in a row, Post-World War II? I doubt Al will win. Maybe not to Bush though. McCain maybe?
Last edited:
TehIrishSoap
Banned
Seeing as we are around June 2003, what's the situation with Metallica and more specifically, St Anger? I noticed that Korn had a #1 single ITTL and Linkin Park have some critical acclaim under the belt, does the album have an even stronger nu metal vibe than OTL? Loving the TL guys. Keep up the great work!
Yeah I have a sinking feeling that Gore will lose, but the Democrats will win 2008.
Wow, I totally forgot about Angelfire! A couple of sites I used to go to a lot back in '06-'08-ish still used it.
It looked interesting, I hope it sticks around longer.
Maybe they'll bring Thiel and Musk into NASA to direct the upgrades? Inject some fresh blood to shake up the establishment?
Maybe TTL's version of MySpace will be integrated into SEGAnet?! That'd be awesome!
It looked interesting, I hope it sticks around longer.
I would definitely love to see NASA pulled out of the gutter ITTL! As far as I'm concerned the shuttle we got was a complete PoS, and never should've been built; especially when there were so many better designs they could've gone with. And before anyone plays the "money card", with all the budget overruns of the Shuttle program (not even counting the cost of having to build Endeavor to replace Challenger), they wouldn't have cost any more and a couple might actually have been cheaper in the long run. I'mma stop before this turns into a full-scale rant. I love space, I'd sign up for a one-way ticket to Mars if they offered them.
Maybe they'll bring Thiel and Musk into NASA to direct the upgrades? Inject some fresh blood to shake up the establishment?
Maybe TTL's version of MySpace will be integrated into SEGAnet?! That'd be awesome!
That could be an interesting way to go... If they do that, I'm thinking McCain/Powell would be the more likely ticket in '04, then Gore/<name> back in '08, followed by Powell/<name> in 2012.
Yep, instead of helping to found MySpace ITTL (which is butterflied anyway), he's the community manager for Apple's Seganet 2.0. It'll be covered in more detail once it gets rolled out.
Putin is just too cunning to be butterflied out of power in this scenario. However, he might get a check on his power this time around, we'll see. Mark Zuckerberg's fate as of right now is up in the air, we're approaching his pivotal OTL decisions....he's in Harvard but whether he's learning programming for the web or for games, we'll see. Elon Musk is working under Mark Cuban at Lycos at the moment, the two are pitching ideas for various things back and forth at each other, though Musk may strike out on his own eventually. As for Peter Thiel, he's currently looking for the best ways to invest his PayPal money, standing pat and taking a wait and see approach after launching his venture capitol firm.
The sports update is up next, so it'll be covered as part of that, along with LeBron being drafted (yeah, he goes prep-to-pro ITTL as well)
About the economic crash, maybe, maybe not.
Hmmm....we do have a music update coming up soon so let's save what Metallica's up to for that. St. Anger seems somewhat vulnerable to butterflies though.
That was something fumbled with the changed of board, there is the PDF when the different fond and text is far more fixed, you can download the pdf in the first post here, that is an advise for new readers, read the pdf even if miss some comments.
Oddly enough you mention Tom Anderson of MySpace just after talking about the Matrix. Is Neo still Tom Anderson ITTL or does he have a more Asian name?
Not at the moment, but we could cover it at some point. Want to know who the PM is as of TTL 2003, or want us to go more in-depth? (we'd need more time for that though)
PM, please. And also a bit about the current Canadian political party system, since at this point IOTL the Progressive Conservatives collapsed and became the CPC in 2003 and the NDP rose to prominence.
I meant PM as in who is the current prime minister of Canada and current party system, not a Personal Message.
Spring 2003 (Part 10) - Sports And More
The 2002-03 NBA season saw the emergence of a number of talented young players, including rookies Carmelo Anthony and Yao Ming, and others like Ron Artest (playing for the Atlanta Hawks) and Shane Battier (playing for the Chicago Bulls). These youngsters led their teams to varying degrees of success, with Yao Ming making the biggest impact, teaming up with veteran power forward Chris Webber to propel the Phoenix Suns to a 46-36 record.
In the East, the Pacers, playing a fast-paced style of basketball thanks to all-star point guard Steve Nash and head coach Mike D'Antoni, got off to a great start, winning 19 of their first 22 games. However, not every player on the team could keep up with this breakneck pace: Reggie Miller tore his ACL in a Christmas Day game against Iverson's Washington Wizards, and the Pacers' fortunes declined, the team finished 47-35, good for only the fifth seed in the conference. Jonathan Bender emerged as an absolute beast, scoring 23.5 points and grabbing 10 boards a game as he led the Toronto Raptors to the #1 seed in the conference, even ahead of the talented Wizards and defending champion Celtics, who could only muster a 55-27 record and had to settle for the #3 seed.
In the West, Shaq and Duncan continued their dominance with a 62-20 record, the best in the league. The Warriors, last year's conference champions, were second at 60-22 behind the play of league MVP Kobe Bryant. The Portland Trailblazers, who'd started off so well the previous year, had a rough season due to injuries and finished at 41-41, good for only the #7 seed and a date with the Warriors in the first round.
Playoffs:
First Round:
Eastern Conference:
(1) Toronto Raptors over (8) New York Knicks, 4 to 3
This would be the first NBA Playoffs played with the best-of-7 format for the first round. The Knicks played an incredibly gutsy series, with their star center Kenyon Martin going off for an incredible 34 point, 18 rebound, 7 block performance to steal Game 1 in Toronto. From there, the Knicks and Raptors traded wins and losses, with Martin matching Bender every step of the way. Had the playoffs been played under the old format, the Knicks would have won after winning another game in Toronto, this one Game 5. However, the Raptors came back to win Game 6 in Madison Square Garden. Game 7 was in Toronto, and this time, Martin wouldn't be able to carry his team to a win. The Raptors dominated the deciding game, 119 to 81, giving them momentum for the second round.
(4) Orlando Magic over (5) Indiana Pacers, 4 to 0
This series was barely competitive, with Pau Gasol and Dirk Nowitzki bullying the Pacers all series. Without Reggie, the Pacers couldn't get anything going on offense, and only Game 4 was somewhat close. The Magic swept and would get some much needed rest.
(3) Boston Celtics over (6) Detroit Pistons, 4 to 2
Despite the play of Rookie of the Year Carmelo Anthony, the Celtics just had too many weapons and too much experience. Grant Hill and Penny Hardaway continued to be one of the league's best tandems, and the Celtics were able to win the series despite a few close games.
(2) Washington Wizards over (7) Chicago Bulls, 4 to 1
Allen Iverson proved himself to be easily the best player on the floor, and the Bulls had no answer for him. Shane Battier was completely outmatched at point guard, with Iverson putting up 51 points in Game 4 to put the Wizards ahead 3-1. They would go back to Washington and win Game 5 easily after that, taking the series.
Western Conference:
(1) Los Angeles Lakers over (8) Houston Rockets, 4 to 0
An easy Lakers sweep over a young but outmatched Rockets team who couldn't handle the combined size and skill of Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan. The Rockets had crept into the playoffs over a talented but underachieving Vancouver Grizzlies team who many in the league suspected of tanking their last few games for an outside shot at getting LeBron James in the draft lottery, and many Rockets fans thought their team should've done the same after this blowout series.
(4) Dallas Mavericks over (5) Seattle Supersonics, 4 to 3
The Sonics had been fairly poor over recent years, but after acquiring Vince Carter in a blockbuster trade at mid-season, reversed their middling fortunes and made a major playoff push. These two teams played an epic series, but in the end, the Mavericks, led by Alonzo Mourning, tipped the scales and won in a 105-101 Game 7 thriller.
(6) Phoenix Suns over (3) San Antonio Spurs, 4 to 1
The Spurs hoped to give David Robinson, who was strongly rumored to be retiring after this year, his first NBA ring, but they ran into a buzz saw in the form of Yao Ming and the Phoenix Suns. The Suns, who also boasted Chris Webber and Mike Bibby, rattled off four straight wins after the Spurs won Game 1, with Yao outplaying David Robinson all the way. Despite this, during the last stretch of Game 5, with the Suns leading 104-91 with 20 seconds left, fans chanted "one more year!" at Robinson, imploring him to stay. Despite this, Robinson would retire ringless after the conclusion of the playoffs.
(2) Golden State Warriors over (7) Portland Trailblazers, 4 to 3
The Warriors survived a hell of a scare from the Trailblazers, who had injured starters Shawn Marion and Jason Kidd return in time for the playoffs, bringing their team back to full strength. To make matters worse for the Warriors, Kobe Bryant had an off series, scoring less than 20 points a game. However, Mitch Richmond, who'd already announced that it would be his final year in the league, wouldn't be denied, scoring 30 points in the clinching Game 7 to give the Warriors the win and advance them to the conference semifinals.
Second Round:
(4) Orlando Magic over (1) Toronto Raptors, 4 to 2
Dirk Nowitzki truly emerged as a superstar in this series, and the Magic defeated the Raptors, splitting Games 1 and 2 to steal home court advantage and defending their home court the rest of the way. The Raptors just couldn't stop the offensive might of the Magic's two European big men, who combined for 48.7 points per game between them over the six games.
(2) Washington Wizards over (3) Boston Celtics, 4 to 1
This was a highly anticipated series between two bitter rivals who had a lot of bad blood, the teams had spent the season battling it out back and forth for the Atlantic Division championship all year, and had split four highly competitive regular season games, with a number of ejections taking place during those games and a controversial incident in which Allen Iverson was suspended for a homophobic remark directed at Celtics stars Grant Hill and Penny Hardaway. The series, however, didn't live up to the hype: Iverson was just too good, and the Wizards had little trouble beating the defending champions, who were plagued by turnovers and injuries to key bench players. The Wizards would return to the Eastern Conference Finals.
(1) Los Angeles Lakers over (4) Dallas Mavericks, 4 to 0
Another dominant series by the Lakers, who had no trouble dispatching the talented Mavericks. Shaq and Duncan combined for an overwhelming 61.8 points per game between them, leaving the Mavericks completely outmatched.
(2) Golden State Warriors over (6) Phoenix Suns, 4 to 1
In a series that wasn't quite as close as people thought it might be (though there were some close games), the Warriors were able to knock off the Suns in 5. Kobe Bryant was back in star form, propelling the Warriors over the Suns' talented young core. Though the Warriors were able to win without much trouble, most fans believed that the Suns were just getting started.
Conference Finals
(2) Washington Wizards over (4) Orlando Magic, 4 to 3
The skillful play of Nowitzki and Gasol just about gave the Magic a win in this fiercely competitive Conference Finals that saw a frustrated Iverson ejected late in Game 6 after a controversial call. There was speculation he might be suspended for Game 7, but the league decided simply to slap him with a fine, and Iverson came out swinging in Game 7, pushing the Magic to a 22-7 lead. However, the Magic roared back, closing the gap to make it 50-48 at halftime, and even taking the lead briefly midway through the third quarter. The Wizards were able to take back the lead and push it to nine by the end of the third, and though the Magic got as close as four, they never led in the fourth quarter. The Wizards would advance to the NBA Finals.
(2) Golden State Warriors over (1) Los Angeles Lakers, 4 to 2
For the second straight year, the Warriors upset the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. They did it with a balanced attack, led by Kobe Bryant but involving numerous role players and bench warmers, and triumphed over the Lakers' twin towers in a thrilling Game 6 win in Oakland. The Warriors would once again advance to the NBA Finals for one last chance to get Mitch Richmond a ring.
NBA Finals
Golden State Warriors over Washington Wizards, 4 to 2
Years of heartbreak and frustration for Mitch Richmond came to an end as the Golden State Warriors won in six games to bring the title to Golden State for the first time since the 1970s. The Warriors took the first two at home and stole Game 4 in Washington, and though they would suffer a 108-87 rout in Game 5 to make the series 3-2, they would return the favor with a dominant 104-70 victory to clinch the series and the title, giving both Kobe Bryant and veteran Mitch Richmond their first championship rings.
-
The 2003 NBA Draft was the story of one man and one man only: LeBron James, perhaps the most highly touted high school basketball star ever. Teams were tripping over themselves tanking in their quest to land the best shot at getting the #1 pick in the lottery, and ultimately, it came down to three teams:
Atlanta Hawks- Atlanta actually had the best record in the league of all the non-playoff teams, barely missing the #8 seed in the Eastern Conference. They had an excellent young nucleus led by mercurial defensive star Ron Artest, and landing LeBron James would've been a huge coup, similar to the Orlando Magic landing the #1 pick in the 1993 Draft.
Cleveland Cavaliers- The Cavs had been really crappy over the last several years, despite getting Vince Carter in the draft in 1998. Carter had been surrounded by terrible players and had been unhappy in Cleveland, though he was reported to have been excited about the prospect of possibly playing alongside LeBron. However, the Cavs traded Carter to Seattle at the trade deadline for a heap of picks in what many analysts suggested was a deliberate move to get James (the Cavs had the league's fifth worst record at the time), turning down another proposed trade package that included Gary Payton. The Cavs ended up with the worst record in the league and had the inside track at getting LeBron. James was the big hometown star, and it seemed like destiny that he would end up in Cleveland.
Denver Nuggets- The Nuggets were another team that had largely stunk up the Western Conference for the past few years. They had the third worst record in the league, just a game better than the Western Conference bottom-feeding Los Angeles Clippers (who wound up with the fourth pick in the draft).
The final draft order went like this:
1. Denver
2. Cleveland
3. Atlanta
The Nuggets got the #1 pick and went for LeBron, while the Cavaliers had to settle for #2. Analysts expected them to take the Serbian sensation, young Darko Milicic, but they stunned everyone (and drew some boos from gathered Cavs fans) when they instead took Dwyane Wade, an excellent shooting guard who'd led Marquette to an incredible run to the NCAA tournament finals that spring, but was thought to have a much lower ceiling than Milicic. The Hawks were glad to snatch up young Milicic at #3 (though they would have rather had James, they were desperate for a starting center and Milicic was a perfect fit), pairing him up with Ron Artest, Jamal Crawford, and Troy Murphy. The Clippers shocked many when they took Luke Ridnour with the fourth pick, this ultimately didn't go well for them. A popular sports-related "what if?" concerns high school phenomenon Chris Bosh, who tragically died of a sudden cardiac event during a game in his senior year of high school as he was leading his undefeated Lincoln squad into the state basketball playoffs. Had he not died during that year and had he attended college for a year (as he was expected to do instead of going prep-to-pro like Carmelo Anthony that year), he would have been available during the 2003 draft, which might have led either Atlanta or the Clippers to select him. Had the Clippers taken Bosh (and had he panned out as a good player) over Ridnour, they may have avoided the continued terrible stretch of basketball they played throughout the rest of the decade.
-
Whistlestop Wins Belmont Stakes, 2nd Triple Crown Winner In Seven Years
In a dominating eight-length win over second place Uncalled For, Whistlestop became the 13th Triple Crown winner at the Belmont Stakes earlier today. Ridden by jockey Jerry Bailey, Whistlestop posted the fifth-best winning time in Belmont Stakes history on his way to victory.
Whistlestop joins an elite club of horses which includes legendary horses such as Seattle Slew, Citation, and Secretariat. The most recent Triple Crown winner before Whistlestop was Silver Charm in 1997, whose victory in the Belmont Stakes, by 1/30th of a length, was the closest in the event's history and ended a 19-year streak without a winner.
-from a June 7, 2003 article on Yahoo! News
-
Serena Dominates Wimbledon, Roddick Triumphs In Epic Final
World #1 Serena Williams won her third straight Wimbledon title, defeating her sister Venus in straight sets to claim her third Wimbledon and seventh Grand Slam. She had little trouble in the final round, dominating with blistering serves and excellent all-around play, including her fewest unforced errors of any match in the tournament. Said Williams after the match: "I was just playing my game. I knew I had to really bring it like I do every time I face Venus, but I didn't let the pressure get to me, I treated it like just another game and played the same way I always do."
Meanwhile, controversial superstar Andy Roddick had a much more difficult time of things in his Wimbledon final, where he took on World #3 Roger Federer in a finals match that lasted nearly five hours, including a marathon tiebreaker that saw both men have match point at least three times each. 2003's Wimbledon win is the first Grand Slam title of Roddick's career, while Federer has yet to win one.
-from a July 6, 2003 article on Yahoo! News
In the East, the Pacers, playing a fast-paced style of basketball thanks to all-star point guard Steve Nash and head coach Mike D'Antoni, got off to a great start, winning 19 of their first 22 games. However, not every player on the team could keep up with this breakneck pace: Reggie Miller tore his ACL in a Christmas Day game against Iverson's Washington Wizards, and the Pacers' fortunes declined, the team finished 47-35, good for only the fifth seed in the conference. Jonathan Bender emerged as an absolute beast, scoring 23.5 points and grabbing 10 boards a game as he led the Toronto Raptors to the #1 seed in the conference, even ahead of the talented Wizards and defending champion Celtics, who could only muster a 55-27 record and had to settle for the #3 seed.
In the West, Shaq and Duncan continued their dominance with a 62-20 record, the best in the league. The Warriors, last year's conference champions, were second at 60-22 behind the play of league MVP Kobe Bryant. The Portland Trailblazers, who'd started off so well the previous year, had a rough season due to injuries and finished at 41-41, good for only the #7 seed and a date with the Warriors in the first round.
Playoffs:
First Round:
Eastern Conference:
(1) Toronto Raptors over (8) New York Knicks, 4 to 3
This would be the first NBA Playoffs played with the best-of-7 format for the first round. The Knicks played an incredibly gutsy series, with their star center Kenyon Martin going off for an incredible 34 point, 18 rebound, 7 block performance to steal Game 1 in Toronto. From there, the Knicks and Raptors traded wins and losses, with Martin matching Bender every step of the way. Had the playoffs been played under the old format, the Knicks would have won after winning another game in Toronto, this one Game 5. However, the Raptors came back to win Game 6 in Madison Square Garden. Game 7 was in Toronto, and this time, Martin wouldn't be able to carry his team to a win. The Raptors dominated the deciding game, 119 to 81, giving them momentum for the second round.
(4) Orlando Magic over (5) Indiana Pacers, 4 to 0
This series was barely competitive, with Pau Gasol and Dirk Nowitzki bullying the Pacers all series. Without Reggie, the Pacers couldn't get anything going on offense, and only Game 4 was somewhat close. The Magic swept and would get some much needed rest.
(3) Boston Celtics over (6) Detroit Pistons, 4 to 2
Despite the play of Rookie of the Year Carmelo Anthony, the Celtics just had too many weapons and too much experience. Grant Hill and Penny Hardaway continued to be one of the league's best tandems, and the Celtics were able to win the series despite a few close games.
(2) Washington Wizards over (7) Chicago Bulls, 4 to 1
Allen Iverson proved himself to be easily the best player on the floor, and the Bulls had no answer for him. Shane Battier was completely outmatched at point guard, with Iverson putting up 51 points in Game 4 to put the Wizards ahead 3-1. They would go back to Washington and win Game 5 easily after that, taking the series.
Western Conference:
(1) Los Angeles Lakers over (8) Houston Rockets, 4 to 0
An easy Lakers sweep over a young but outmatched Rockets team who couldn't handle the combined size and skill of Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan. The Rockets had crept into the playoffs over a talented but underachieving Vancouver Grizzlies team who many in the league suspected of tanking their last few games for an outside shot at getting LeBron James in the draft lottery, and many Rockets fans thought their team should've done the same after this blowout series.
(4) Dallas Mavericks over (5) Seattle Supersonics, 4 to 3
The Sonics had been fairly poor over recent years, but after acquiring Vince Carter in a blockbuster trade at mid-season, reversed their middling fortunes and made a major playoff push. These two teams played an epic series, but in the end, the Mavericks, led by Alonzo Mourning, tipped the scales and won in a 105-101 Game 7 thriller.
(6) Phoenix Suns over (3) San Antonio Spurs, 4 to 1
The Spurs hoped to give David Robinson, who was strongly rumored to be retiring after this year, his first NBA ring, but they ran into a buzz saw in the form of Yao Ming and the Phoenix Suns. The Suns, who also boasted Chris Webber and Mike Bibby, rattled off four straight wins after the Spurs won Game 1, with Yao outplaying David Robinson all the way. Despite this, during the last stretch of Game 5, with the Suns leading 104-91 with 20 seconds left, fans chanted "one more year!" at Robinson, imploring him to stay. Despite this, Robinson would retire ringless after the conclusion of the playoffs.
(2) Golden State Warriors over (7) Portland Trailblazers, 4 to 3
The Warriors survived a hell of a scare from the Trailblazers, who had injured starters Shawn Marion and Jason Kidd return in time for the playoffs, bringing their team back to full strength. To make matters worse for the Warriors, Kobe Bryant had an off series, scoring less than 20 points a game. However, Mitch Richmond, who'd already announced that it would be his final year in the league, wouldn't be denied, scoring 30 points in the clinching Game 7 to give the Warriors the win and advance them to the conference semifinals.
Second Round:
(4) Orlando Magic over (1) Toronto Raptors, 4 to 2
Dirk Nowitzki truly emerged as a superstar in this series, and the Magic defeated the Raptors, splitting Games 1 and 2 to steal home court advantage and defending their home court the rest of the way. The Raptors just couldn't stop the offensive might of the Magic's two European big men, who combined for 48.7 points per game between them over the six games.
(2) Washington Wizards over (3) Boston Celtics, 4 to 1
This was a highly anticipated series between two bitter rivals who had a lot of bad blood, the teams had spent the season battling it out back and forth for the Atlantic Division championship all year, and had split four highly competitive regular season games, with a number of ejections taking place during those games and a controversial incident in which Allen Iverson was suspended for a homophobic remark directed at Celtics stars Grant Hill and Penny Hardaway. The series, however, didn't live up to the hype: Iverson was just too good, and the Wizards had little trouble beating the defending champions, who were plagued by turnovers and injuries to key bench players. The Wizards would return to the Eastern Conference Finals.
(1) Los Angeles Lakers over (4) Dallas Mavericks, 4 to 0
Another dominant series by the Lakers, who had no trouble dispatching the talented Mavericks. Shaq and Duncan combined for an overwhelming 61.8 points per game between them, leaving the Mavericks completely outmatched.
(2) Golden State Warriors over (6) Phoenix Suns, 4 to 1
In a series that wasn't quite as close as people thought it might be (though there were some close games), the Warriors were able to knock off the Suns in 5. Kobe Bryant was back in star form, propelling the Warriors over the Suns' talented young core. Though the Warriors were able to win without much trouble, most fans believed that the Suns were just getting started.
Conference Finals
(2) Washington Wizards over (4) Orlando Magic, 4 to 3
The skillful play of Nowitzki and Gasol just about gave the Magic a win in this fiercely competitive Conference Finals that saw a frustrated Iverson ejected late in Game 6 after a controversial call. There was speculation he might be suspended for Game 7, but the league decided simply to slap him with a fine, and Iverson came out swinging in Game 7, pushing the Magic to a 22-7 lead. However, the Magic roared back, closing the gap to make it 50-48 at halftime, and even taking the lead briefly midway through the third quarter. The Wizards were able to take back the lead and push it to nine by the end of the third, and though the Magic got as close as four, they never led in the fourth quarter. The Wizards would advance to the NBA Finals.
(2) Golden State Warriors over (1) Los Angeles Lakers, 4 to 2
For the second straight year, the Warriors upset the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. They did it with a balanced attack, led by Kobe Bryant but involving numerous role players and bench warmers, and triumphed over the Lakers' twin towers in a thrilling Game 6 win in Oakland. The Warriors would once again advance to the NBA Finals for one last chance to get Mitch Richmond a ring.
NBA Finals
Golden State Warriors over Washington Wizards, 4 to 2
Years of heartbreak and frustration for Mitch Richmond came to an end as the Golden State Warriors won in six games to bring the title to Golden State for the first time since the 1970s. The Warriors took the first two at home and stole Game 4 in Washington, and though they would suffer a 108-87 rout in Game 5 to make the series 3-2, they would return the favor with a dominant 104-70 victory to clinch the series and the title, giving both Kobe Bryant and veteran Mitch Richmond their first championship rings.
-
The 2003 NBA Draft was the story of one man and one man only: LeBron James, perhaps the most highly touted high school basketball star ever. Teams were tripping over themselves tanking in their quest to land the best shot at getting the #1 pick in the lottery, and ultimately, it came down to three teams:
Atlanta Hawks- Atlanta actually had the best record in the league of all the non-playoff teams, barely missing the #8 seed in the Eastern Conference. They had an excellent young nucleus led by mercurial defensive star Ron Artest, and landing LeBron James would've been a huge coup, similar to the Orlando Magic landing the #1 pick in the 1993 Draft.
Cleveland Cavaliers- The Cavs had been really crappy over the last several years, despite getting Vince Carter in the draft in 1998. Carter had been surrounded by terrible players and had been unhappy in Cleveland, though he was reported to have been excited about the prospect of possibly playing alongside LeBron. However, the Cavs traded Carter to Seattle at the trade deadline for a heap of picks in what many analysts suggested was a deliberate move to get James (the Cavs had the league's fifth worst record at the time), turning down another proposed trade package that included Gary Payton. The Cavs ended up with the worst record in the league and had the inside track at getting LeBron. James was the big hometown star, and it seemed like destiny that he would end up in Cleveland.
Denver Nuggets- The Nuggets were another team that had largely stunk up the Western Conference for the past few years. They had the third worst record in the league, just a game better than the Western Conference bottom-feeding Los Angeles Clippers (who wound up with the fourth pick in the draft).
The final draft order went like this:
1. Denver
2. Cleveland
3. Atlanta
The Nuggets got the #1 pick and went for LeBron, while the Cavaliers had to settle for #2. Analysts expected them to take the Serbian sensation, young Darko Milicic, but they stunned everyone (and drew some boos from gathered Cavs fans) when they instead took Dwyane Wade, an excellent shooting guard who'd led Marquette to an incredible run to the NCAA tournament finals that spring, but was thought to have a much lower ceiling than Milicic. The Hawks were glad to snatch up young Milicic at #3 (though they would have rather had James, they were desperate for a starting center and Milicic was a perfect fit), pairing him up with Ron Artest, Jamal Crawford, and Troy Murphy. The Clippers shocked many when they took Luke Ridnour with the fourth pick, this ultimately didn't go well for them. A popular sports-related "what if?" concerns high school phenomenon Chris Bosh, who tragically died of a sudden cardiac event during a game in his senior year of high school as he was leading his undefeated Lincoln squad into the state basketball playoffs. Had he not died during that year and had he attended college for a year (as he was expected to do instead of going prep-to-pro like Carmelo Anthony that year), he would have been available during the 2003 draft, which might have led either Atlanta or the Clippers to select him. Had the Clippers taken Bosh (and had he panned out as a good player) over Ridnour, they may have avoided the continued terrible stretch of basketball they played throughout the rest of the decade.
-
Whistlestop Wins Belmont Stakes, 2nd Triple Crown Winner In Seven Years
In a dominating eight-length win over second place Uncalled For, Whistlestop became the 13th Triple Crown winner at the Belmont Stakes earlier today. Ridden by jockey Jerry Bailey, Whistlestop posted the fifth-best winning time in Belmont Stakes history on his way to victory.
Whistlestop joins an elite club of horses which includes legendary horses such as Seattle Slew, Citation, and Secretariat. The most recent Triple Crown winner before Whistlestop was Silver Charm in 1997, whose victory in the Belmont Stakes, by 1/30th of a length, was the closest in the event's history and ended a 19-year streak without a winner.
-from a June 7, 2003 article on Yahoo! News
-
Serena Dominates Wimbledon, Roddick Triumphs In Epic Final
World #1 Serena Williams won her third straight Wimbledon title, defeating her sister Venus in straight sets to claim her third Wimbledon and seventh Grand Slam. She had little trouble in the final round, dominating with blistering serves and excellent all-around play, including her fewest unforced errors of any match in the tournament. Said Williams after the match: "I was just playing my game. I knew I had to really bring it like I do every time I face Venus, but I didn't let the pressure get to me, I treated it like just another game and played the same way I always do."
Meanwhile, controversial superstar Andy Roddick had a much more difficult time of things in his Wimbledon final, where he took on World #3 Roger Federer in a finals match that lasted nearly five hours, including a marathon tiebreaker that saw both men have match point at least three times each. 2003's Wimbledon win is the first Grand Slam title of Roddick's career, while Federer has yet to win one.
-from a July 6, 2003 article on Yahoo! News
Last edited:
- Status