Sunday, February 7, 2010

Stratego


From TKB (who got it from Hoopsworld):
“…Acie Law and his camp have been given permission from the Charlotte Bobcats to talk to teams and try to find a situation that makes sense for the point guard. The New York Knicks have shown the most interest in Law and his expiring contract. The Indiana Pacers have also had some conversations with Law and could be a potential suitor if New York doesn’t work out. Law still has a lot of potential and many believe he could still be a great point guard if put in the right situation…”

Oh word?


See, Acie Law has been a part of one of the cooler endings in recent college history, taking down Kevin Durant in that clip with a balls-dragging three-pointer at the buzzer. We all know to what heights Durant's career has been elevated in just three years' time, but we should not forget that Acie Law IV is the only antivenin to the bite of the Durantula.

You see, it's like the game Stratego.

Within the context of the game, there are pieces ranging in value from 1-9; the closer to zero a piece's value, the higher its "power" over other pieces. You are in a simulated war and move your pieces, whose values are unknown to your opponent, in attack or defense of your opponents or your own flag, respectively. If your piece with a value of 3 moves into an opponent's 6, you win the battle and his piece is taken, a la chess. If you attack an opponent's 2 with a 4, he gets your piece.

The thing is, there is only one piece that can defeat a 1 except another 1 (in which case both would be destroyed): the Spy.

The spy's value is 9, so it's technically the shittiest numerical piece on the board, but its ability to destroy the opponent's 1-piece makes it an invaluable piece to any good strategy.

Which brings me full circle to Acie Law IV. He isn't a particularly good basketball player, but look back on his college career and his overall attitude about shit, and you realize that he's a Spy from Stratego. If you are ever in a fight with a 1 (In this case, Kevin Durant), you always want to have a Spy at the end of your bench who can clean his fucking clock and pop threes in his eyes.

Although not all of the following players are as bad as Acie Law (in most cases, the player is actually pretty good), they all share the ability to slay dragons:

Baron Davis
Ben Gordon
DeJuan Blair
Mario Chalmers
Jamal Crawford
Mickael Pietrus
Jerryd Bayless
Gilbert Arenas

It's curious that the only non-guards are DeJuan Blair, who I included for his ability to completely shut down Hasheem Thabeet in college and out-rebound anybody, and Mickael Pietrus, who I have never seen miss a key three-pointer toward the end of an important game (and he's taken his fair share).

So, I think the Knicks should get Acie Law IV somehow, even though I don't think any form of trade would work out. He's a dragonslayer, and those are cool. Right?

Songs of the Day:
"Watch Me Sink" - Have Heart
"Gotta Get Mine" - MC Breed feat. 2Pac


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