Trevor Sides

"Cowboy punk-rock liturgist." AM at @BonfireEffect. Contributor for @WNGdotorg and @mockingbirdmin. Curator of +

[Trevor Sides @trevsizzle]

@HansFiene False and unnecessary. https://t.co/J4BikKfgyP

[Matthew Lee Anderson @mattleeanderson]

My hypothesis: the only way the NBA reforms what has become a practically unwatchable game is by re-incorporating as many of the norms of pick-up basketball as they can.

Anyone who has ever played at the park knows the honor-norms are carefully calibrated to harness competitive basketball without it leading to fights. Calling your own fouls often leads to a much higher bar for fouls ("no blood, no foul") because people mercilessly downrank guys who try to game the system. Even if they win, they get no respect--and respect is the engine that keeps everyone in line and makes games fun.

The league has to change something to stop the blight of foul-baiting, and I don't think it's as calling the game differently: I think they need to switch the incentives-structure, to shift players' thinking away from baiting people to get to the foul line. Pump fakes should be for better shots, not to draw fouls.

In short: bring back the honor code, complete with allowing maximal shaming and displays of superiority against players who violate it.

My potential proposals (which I have spent five minutes thinking about) include:

1. Each team has two "flop challenges" per game. Anyone can use 'em at any time, and if they're successful the player who flops is kicked out.
2. Quit indulging "safteyism" with players. Yeah, there were some bad injuries with players landing on others' feet...but the perverse incentives of kicking have broken the "landing zone" idea entirely. (This is why you can't have nice things, NBA players.) If someone injures someone deliberately, see rule 3.
3. Install an NHL-style "penalty box" and give players a latitude for scuffling. Keep the rule about anyone coming off the bench getting kicked out, and permanently ban any NBA player who gets into it with a fan Sprewell-style. Otherwise? If there's a minor fight, give the players three minutes in the box while the teams go four-on-four, or four-on-five. (Three minutes, rather than two, allows for a few more possessions and a steeper penalty.) Let players self-enforce their own honor code.
4. "Take it out." Seriously, reduce the number of free-throws entirely by setting the 1 and 1 number at 10 and two shots at 15 or 20 fouls. Maybe expand it so that there are more free-throws in the final two minutes, but other than that? Make the double-bonus practically impossible to reach.
The path to making the NBA fun again is making it more like the park we played at growing up, not less.

(File under: opinions for which no one asked.)

[Fox News @FoxNews]

Pizza Hut franchises across the country are rolling out "Pizza Hut Classic" remodels to bring back the iconic '80s and '90s dining experience.

Franchisees are reviving beloved staples like the red cups, checkered tablecloths, salad bars, and classic Tiffany-style lamps to draw families back into dining rooms.

After years of sleek modern redesigns, the old-school dine-in feel is suddenly making a comeback.

[Trevor Sides @trevsizzle]

@tjsides7 @Itsyaboytsides

[Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz @LeBatardShow]

This call of Wemby's logo three was ELECTRIC

[Trevor Sides @trevsizzle]

@collinhansen Great Faces, Great Podcasts

[Shane Morris @GShaneMorris]

Teens not having sex or drinking bc smart phones nuked human social development is a bit like your roach problem being solved bc your house burned down. Good news? I guess, technically. But hardly worth celebrating in light of the cause (or the mental health stats).

[Trevor Sides @trevsizzle]

Don't forget Silly Walks!

[Rhys Laverty @RDLaverty]

Reminds me of Augustine's critique of the decadence and incoherence of Roman polytheism in "City of God":

with every increasingly niche god that Rome invented (a god of planting the seed, a god of germinating, a god sprouting etc) it discredited itself a little bit more.

[The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee]

Orthodox Star Wars Fans Prepare To Celebrate 'May The 11th Be With You' https://t.co/Ip8DAbmQla

[Trevor Sides @trevsizzle]

Happy B-minus Fantasy, D-plus Science Fiction Day to all who celebrate.

[Trevor Sides @trevsizzle]

@BianchiWeather but why is the rum gone

[The Babylon Bee @TheBabylonBee]

New Young Earth Creationist Nuggets Feature Dinos And Humans Living Together Peacefully https://t.co/0YyELB5Xmr

[Trevor Sides @trevsizzle]

It's kinda like how the Colorado Rockies enjoy having a losing record season after season.

[Daniel Suhr @danielsuhr]

It’s almost like Colorado enjoys losing before the Supreme Court. 0 and 3 in recent years on religious liberty cases, the state finds itself back again on discrimination claims in its universal pre-K program. I explain for @WNGdotorg:

https://t.co/Hz3axkdrOB

[Trevor Sides @trevsizzle]

@rodger

[Trevor Sides @trevsizzle]

@yunghic1 It certainly does.

[Trevor Sides @trevsizzle]

"Such Great Heights" on the UPS commercial.

[YHC 🐖⚓️ @yunghic1]

Between Hegseth and Webbon, I think the Christian Nationalism brand is basically dead. Its more intelligent adherents will continue on, but they'll have to rebrand under something else. It's like having your designer sneakers be sold at Walmart: it's over.

[Ligonier Ministries @Ligonier]

The land was plunged into darkness as the light of the world was slain.

Watch this biblical timeline of Good Friday and reflect on all that Jesus endured to atone for the sins of His people.

[Trevor Sides @trevsizzle]

@JonahDispatch Their two, no, three, weapons are...

[Kyle Brandt @KyleBrandt]

Totally agree.

[Marty Priest @mjpriest1304]

USA baseball needed the travel ball dad - he knows all the scenarios, has mapped them out extensively and told everyone who will listen (and those that will ignore him). He may be annoying, but he knows the tiebreaker rules, scenarios win or lose and who and when they will play next - in every scenario possible. He would have told DeRosa and every manager. Travel ball dads for the win!