All posts by Amok

Emil Guillermo: Rachel Dolezal, Dylann Roof aren’t going to wreck my Father’s Day.

On the race beat, we were all wearying of Rachel Dolezal’s tale knowing there was something more important to talk about.

But Dylann Roof’s old fashioned racism with the fresh-faced millennial look wouldn’t have been my first choice among replacement subjects.

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Roof’s massacre was deplorable. And his  tirade against blacks, sounded like the things said about Filipino immigrants like my Dad in one of the most racist periods in California in the 20s and 30s.

It made for an unlikely Father’s Day gift I wasn’t expecting.

Click here to read my column  on the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund blog.

 

Emil Guillermo: #Warriors win it all. Called it in 6. Just a feeling from a long-suffering fan.

On Sunday, I wrote about the Warriors and LeBron going 1 v. 5 in my post at Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.  As a long suffering Warriors fan (yes, I don’t get to play; I just get to experience the team emotionally),  I can remember all the years of frustration before and after 1975, that magical year when the Warriors changed basketball.

The Dubs swept the Washington Bullets four games to none behind  a crackerjack scorer and underhand free-throw champ, Rick Barry. And they had a starting center, Clifford Ray,  just 6-foot-9.

The team was led by Coach Al Attles, who was seen as a revolutionary for USING HIS BENCH.

Imagine that.  In those days, a sixth man was often the only replacement of any starters. The  rest? They were just ball boys. The rotation rarely went above the top 6.

Attles changed things with a deep bench that others couldn’t match.

The Bullets had the starting stars. Guard Phil Chenier. Center Wes Unself. Forward Elvin Hayes.  Bonafide stars.

But the Warriors out-teamed them and won  by a single point 96-95 on May 25, 1975 for the unimaginable four game sweep.

I was fortunate to cover the Warriors when they visited the Boston Garden earlier that year, when I interviewed Barry and announcer Bill King at courtside.

When the team  won later that season, I was just a fan. And reconnected to my junior high school days when I  would go see Wilt Chamberlin and Nate Thurmond at my favorite venue, the very intimate SF Civic Auditorium (now the Bill Graham Auditorium).

Yes, they played basketball there.

In 1975, I had my own victory parade in Cambridge, Mass. for the Warriors. Most people thought I was crazy. But I knew I had to make it last.

Forty years later,  back on June 4, I predicted this again. And again the  Warriors were playing ball in a new way. It was a game-changing style  like Attles’ approach 40 years ago. Only quicker, faster, smaller.  Beyond the deep bench, the Warriors chopped the big men down to size.  Harrison Barnes was often  the tallest small at 6-8. Iguodala, the Finals MVP, is 6-6.  Stephen Curry, the regular season MVP, is just 6-3.  Draymond Green,  6-foot-7.

Not  a seven-footer in sight.

Nor a seventh game.

Just a championship parade.

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Linceblog: Matt Duffy gives Lincecum, SF Giants the early lead v. Seattle; Makes you forget that Panda guy.UPDATE: GIants Win! Next, the Warriors?

Matt Duffy wasn’t supposed to be the Pablo replacement. But his work ethic and production has kept him on the roster and forced him into the starting lineup.

And now when the Giants are swooning, Duffy is really coming into his own.

In the 2nd inning, his two-run blast to the left field bleachers gave Lincecum and the Giants a little breathing room early.

But compare these  numbers:

6 HR, .745 plus OPS; .282 BA, 28 RBI

6 HR, .718 OPS; .261 BA, 23 RBI

The first set are Duffy’s.

But here are two other key stats:

Duffy is five years younger, and 85 pounds lighter.  (Not too mention, about $17 million lighter in salary).

Pablo’s career years may be over.  That’s what you get paid for. Duffy’s could be this year, and in the future.

LINCECUM

Tim seemed to struggle with control with 4 walks, but still managed to pitch around the Mariners and let his  fielders help him get outs. He made just two bad pitches both to Mariner Brad Miller.

Miller’s solo shot in the 5th was Seattle’s lone run. Then he came back  with  two outs in the 6th with an RBI single, to cut down the lead to 3-2.

That was enough for Lincecum, who left this line:

5.2 innings; 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned runs, 4 BB, 3 SO,  3.31 ERA.

It’s a win and a stop if the Giants and the pen can hold it from here.

Giants started game with a 5-game losing streak, 9 straight losses at home.

But they ended strong, adding some insurance runs to up the final margin to 6-2 over Seattle.

Win for Lincecum, now 7-3 for the year.

And now Game  6. Go Warriors? Or do you want a game 7 that bad.

I said Warriors in 6. Let’s keep it at that.  It’s more 1 v. 5. LBJ vs. GSW.  Can LeBron will a win?

And if so,  then there’s a Game 7 and more travel by week’s end.

Let’s see Curry and Thompson,  get super hot and end the madness with a super splash.

They got a lake over there in Cleveland. And it’s no mistake if the Warriors win in 6.

Emil Guillermo’s Linceblog: Happy Birthday Tim Lincecum!

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The two-time Cy Young winner, four-time All-Star, is having a great year with a 6-3 record, and an ERA of 3.33, his best since 2011.

Career wise, he’s 107-82, 3.58 ERA.

Will  make his 13th start of the season Tuesday  in a day game against his “other home team,” Seattle at  AT&T Park.