Kantrowitz, Tumblr'd

I love this little annecdote from the New York Observer's profile of New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony. It's New York to the core and I can just see it happening. 

“A long time we’ve been waiting.” 

A Look Into Gezi Park

Scenes From The Nets' Press Conference

A Leadership Lesson From The Brooklyn Nets

At the Barclays Center last Thursday, the Brooklyn Nets introduced three of their latest additions, former Boston Celtics Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry. It was a basketball event, but taught an important leadership lesson in the process.

The three stars, all past their prime, were acquired by Brooklyn in a trade that sent three first round draft picks back to the Celtics. That’s a lot of future talent to give up in exchange for a group of players at the end of their careers, especially considering the 37-year-old Garnett missed chunk of last season due to injuries.

But for the Nets, it was a risk worth taking. Their previous season ended with a playoff loss to the Chicago Bulls, a middling team without their injured superstar, Derrick Rose. The Bulls won the series because they cared more. They played with heart while the Nets, the more talented team, simply showed up.

This explains the addition of Garnett, one of the meanest players in the NBA. He may be old, but brings an attitude that changes the people around him. The Nets acquired him for his passion as much his skill. They could not afford to be a listless group of talented folks any longer.

“I think KG is a guy who comes with a lot of emotion, he plays the game at a high level and so he definitely changes the culture here,” said Jason Kidd, the Nets incoming coach. When asked if the Nets were lacking heart last season, Kidd simply said, “I really can't remember last year, adding: “Whatever they were missing last year, hopefully we have it this year.”

Jason Terry was more direct. “They just didn’t have that veteran leadership from a guy like a Kevin,” he said of last year’s Nets. “What he brings every night to the game, his intensity level, guys are going to want to step up and want to play for him.”

It’s a simple but a valuable lesson for anyone in the workplace: Talent can get you to a certain point, but without passion, you’ll get stuck. A team of talented people can do good work, but the best teams bring something more.

One Year Later, Still Stuck

Another view from Istanbul

Crossing Over

From Mating in Silicon Valley: “Cougar Nights” in Menlo Park and the “Love Concierge” Who Arranges Them 

News Folk, What Say You?

If the scoop it's something that would have come out anyway, I sort of agree with the above. But, not all scoops are of that nature. It's possible that if some news organization didn't bring a certain scoop to light, it might have lingered in the shadows indefinitely.

More College Basketball Coaches at Risk?

How To Dress For The Sunday Shows

This May or May Not Have Something to Do With a Meteorite