The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

UPDATE:

We've had a delay and the move into the new house won't occur till NEXT Thurs. I am beyond frustrated but this looks to be the last thing left. I'm sorry for the delays and constant pushbacks, fellas.

[DarkOutFront]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Still returns faster than Derrick Rose.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Still returns faster than Derrick Rose.

HAHA, oh man, that was great. Needed that laugh.

Okay, we get in today. I got work till 10PM and I'm back on shift at 8AM Friday, but Friday afternoon/night I'm free and I'm going to get back into this. Thanks guys for keeping the faith, means a lot to me you've been so patient, I will do my damndest to reward that.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Got bumped up to a morning shift for tomorrow. I got to get some sleep tonight, fellas, but I'll be on this tomorrow night and I have the next two days off.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Can't seem to find the trade file, guys, so I'm having to re-engineer them. Thanks for the patience, should have at least one of the trades ready to go tonight or tomorrow night.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Early Christmas Gifts: Big Trades

By Rachel Hansen|ESPNLosAngeles.com

December 24, 2015


Christmas has come early for some teams and fanbases as two NBA superstars have relocated to new cites. Here are the trades and the analysis, plus rumors floating around for the rest of the league.

The Trade: Mavericks trade Dwight Howard for Nets Brook Lopez, 2017 1^st round (top 5 protected).


Analysis: Mark Cuban isn't known for admitting when's he's wrong but, in this instance, he has. Cuban moved D12 away as the Mavs sit at a paltry 10-17, dead last in the Western Conference. They managed to get a fairly good deal, considering everything, as bringing in Brook Lopez (three years younger) and a first round pick for next year should help alleviate the loss of one of the best centers in the game.



For the Nets, they finally get the man they've wanted since the original Dwightmare. Paired with Deron Williams, the Nets will try to make a run and get back into the playoffs in the East. Sitting at 11-15, they're not out of the running yet, but could be if they don't turn things around before the All-Star break.



In the end, both teams get what they want, but we won't be able to judge the winner anytime soon.





The Trade: Knicks trade Carmelo Anthony, Rasmus Larsen, 2016 1^st round pick (unprotected), and a 2017 2^nd round pick for Suns Derrick Williams, Isaiah Austin, Jared Dudley, and Pierre Jackson.



Analysis: The Knicks, sitting at 7-21, are horrid. They tried to bring in new talent to mesh with 'Melo, but it didn't work. But they managed to get a good trade for a player who needed a change of scenery. 'Melo, Larsen (this year's first round pick), and their 2016 unprotected pick are all the Suns now.



The Suns, 10-17, move on from Williams, who's having the best season of his career but the rest of the team is suffering from his on-court ball demands. Jennings and Melo will make an interesting duo. Austin didn't want to be with the Suns anymore and now that he's in New York, his wants should be satisfied.



Both teams make out well here, but the Suns will look better in the short term. The Knicks should be better next year.



Rumors:



Chris Paul and Blake Griffin look to be moving on from the Clippers sooner, rather than later. Sources from within the organization are saying that with the Clippers season virtually dead at 11-17 in the ultra-competitive West, both players are going to be looking to get out before the trade deadline. The Clippers are quietly fielding offers, looking for what will work best for both parties, but word has it that they're desperate for getting back quality players that can make a difference sooner rather than later. Reloading via draft picks doesn't seem to be an option as the cross-town Lakers continue to excel.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story



12-24-15

The buzzer sounded and he suppressed a cringe. He couldn’t afford to show weakness here. He walked the long walk down the crowded hallway, fellow prisoners on both sides of him. They were eyeing him. Watching him. Waiting.

All they needed was an opportunity and then they’d strike. He wouldn't let them, of course, but he was alone here. His crew was gone, scattered into multiple prisons across the country. He had no allies here. No friends.

At least, not yet. He just needed some time and he’d find some dirt on someone. He knew how to blackmail people, it was how he got his start in this business, how he managed to build his empire. He lost it before. He got it back. He’d lost it again.

He’d get it back.

“You gonna bleed, Gerard!” Someone yelled.

He didn’t acknowledge it in any way. Small fry. Small minds. There was a bounty out on his head. He had a lot of enemies here, a fact that he knew was done on purpose. He wasn’t placed here by accident. But he still had rights and one of them was visitation.

The door to the visitation room opened and he stepped in. He took his seat, looked through the glear class, and picked up the phone.

“Well?”

His brother on the other side frowned at him. “Why the hell are you calling me? Why am I here?”

Gerard rolled his eyes. His little brother never had any ambition. Never had any thoughts of something better. “I need you. You’re the last person I have left.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Jarrod answered. He shifted uncomfortably in the chair. “I shouldn’t have come.”

“You're family. I need you, please,” he said as pleadingly as he could. His brother was a sucker for that crap. He had a big heart which meant he had a big weakness.

Jarrod’s dark eyes flashed with sympathy. He sighed. “All right, what?”

Gerard buried the urge to smile. He needed to look broken. Hurt. “Look, I’m in here and it’s dangerous for me. I need to get out and I need money for a good lawyer, someone who can win me an appeal.” The truth was he needed the money. He wasn’t going to appeal.

He was going to escape.

“I work as a manager of a bank and there’s no way in hell I’m giving you any of my money.” He wagged his finger. “And I’m not asking Mom.”

“I have my own,” Gerard said with annoyance. “Some I’ve kept for a rainy day.”

“A rainy day?” Jarrod rubbed his face with one hand. “It’s --”

“Properly invested. It’ll take time to get. Go see my friend. He works with numbers.”

Jarrod got out a pen and paper. “What’s his name?”

“Greg Ngami.” Jarrod wrote it down as Gerard leaned back in his chair. “It’s been a few years since we spoke, he and I, so remind him of who I am.”

“How?”

“Just give him a date: March 5^th, 1998. He’ll do what you want then.”

Jarrod wrote that down on the paper and stuffed it in his pocket. “All right, anything else?” He was getting fed up.

This wasn’t a happy family reunion but it was a necessary one. “Yeah. Tell Mom I love her.” He didn’t mean that either. His mother had done nothing for him for years.

Jarrod stood and shook his head. “If I did, it’d only hurt her.” He sighed, hung up the phone, and left.

Gerard allowed himself a small smile.

He’d get out. He’d find Gold. He’d finish this.

That was a certainty.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Rapid Reaction: Timberwolves114, Lakers 104

By Rachel Hansen|ESPNLosAngeles.com
December 25, 2015


The Lakers (21-6) took on the Timberwolves (16-12) at Staples Center in a high scoring, chippy contest. Neither of these teams has a grudge against one another, at least before this game, but that will likely change after this meeting.


The Lakers started the game hot, bombing from deep behind Jabari Parker's 13 first quarter points. Anthony Randolph also played big in the second quarter, helping the Lakers secure a 57-53 halftime lead.



But Monta Ellis would not be denied. Ellis, who struggled in the first half, came back in the second and began lighting the Lakers up from everywhere on the court. Kobe looked a half-step too slow to counteract him so Jabari Parker was switched onto Ellis, for the third. But that only guaranteed the Lakers a slim two point lead going to the fourth.


When Kobe was put back on Ellis, Monta unleashed and he was unstoppable. He finished with 44 points on 18-of-38 shooting and was named player of the game. Rubio finished with 20 points and 15 assists.


The Lakers stars of Kobe, Jabari, and Randolph all finished with at least 24 points but they got little help from Bogut or Burke, both finishing with only three points. Towards the end of the game, Peklovic and Bogut got into it after a hard foul from Pek. Pek was given a technical and ejected, but the Timberwolves would win the game, getting a crucial win against a title-contender.



The Lakers next play against the Nets, welcoming back Dwight Howard to Staples again after his recent trade.



Here are three takeaways from the game:


No Help


Trey Burke and Andrew Bogut were both missing on offense and defense, the two players leaving no positive impact on the game. Both addressed the lack of impact after.



"It was a tough game," said Bogut. "I just couldn't find my shot ... things were nasty on the inside tonight and I'll remember that. Things won't be the same next game."


Burke had a different take on his woes. "A lot of real life stuff going on right now ... my name is all up in trade rumors and I just want some certainty. Am I staying or am I going? Until I know, it's kinda hard to focus sometimes on the court. I need some clarity."


Lakers Making Trades?


Trey Burke is on the block and, according to multiple sources, the Lakers are eyeing Blake Griffin. Griffin, who is publicly dissatisfied and privately very disappointed in the Clippers, has expressed a desire to be traded. He wants the Clippers to get the best deal for all sides and has little leverage, but he's a star and the Clippers don't want to send the message that they won't do right by their stars when it comes time to part ways.



Chris Paul is also rumored to be on the block, and the Lakers could be looking at a possible three team deal involving him as well. The only two untouchables on the roster appear to be Kobe Bryant and Jabari Parker.



Is Kobe too Old?



Kobe Bryant was thoroughly outplayed by Monta Ellis in the second-half of the game and he acknowledged as much. The question is, is this a sign of Kobe's inevitable decline? Bryant doesn't seem to think so.



"No, this isn't me slowing down and becoming useless defensively. This is a bad game, an off night ... don't worry about me. Vino is still good ***t."

[BraedenG33]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Personally, I would rather you stay away from Paul and Griffin. To me, the way you've had Randolph play, he deserves to finish the season out as the starting 4. He is a very good player and I have always liked him. I once played a Nuggets association in 2k13 where in training camps I bulked him up and worked on his fundamentals as a big man and he even earned the starting 5 spot with Faried at the 4, relegating McGee to the bench. I got him up to 250 lbs and made him a great post scorer. Meanwhile, I don't think CP3 would be a good fit in your locker room. He has an alpha dog mentality about him, similar to Kobe but not quite as extreme, and I don't think he and Kobe could mesh. It happened last year with Dwight IRL in LA. And Paul's and Griffin's relationship hasn't always been peaches and cream. To me, you need to find a quality player at the point guard position who is a pass-first kind of a guy, and doesn't have an ego, that is the type of player who will fit with Jabari and Kobe. look up guys with good passing numbers and low shooting tendencies, those are the guys that fit the bill. I would say Rondo, but he has a little Alpha dog too (though he has proven to coexist with aging stars before so you never know) and I don't think the C's would trade him now that they have wiggins, especially since its to a big rival.

[MuhMitchell]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Can't wait to see what moves the Lakers make!

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Personally, I would rather you stay away from Paul and Griffin. To me, the way you've had Randolph play, he deserves to finish the season out as the starting 4. He is a very good player and I have always liked him. I once played a Nuggets association in 2k13 where in training camps I bulked him up and worked on his fundamentals as a big man and he even earned the starting 5 spot with Faried at the 4, relegating McGee to the bench. I got him up to 250 lbs and made him a great post scorer. Meanwhile, I don't think CP3 would be a good fit in your locker room. He has an alpha dog mentality about him, similar to Kobe but not quite as extreme, and I don't think he and Kobe could mesh. It happened last year with Dwight IRL in LA. And Paul's and Griffin's relationship hasn't always been peaches and cream. To me, you need to find a quality player at the point guard position who is a pass-first kind of a guy, and doesn't have an ego, that is the type of player who will fit with Jabari and Kobe. look up guys with good passing numbers and low shooting tendencies, those are the guys that fit the bill. I would say Rondo, but he has a little Alpha dog too (though he has proven to coexist with aging stars before so you never know) and I don't think the C's would trade him now that they have wiggins, especially since its to a big rival.

I'm with you on Paul and Griffin and AR15. Love the way Randolph is playing. Paul is definitely NOT going to be a Laker, Griffin probably not (I want to keep AR15, but I don't think I can trade for Griffin without trading him), but the Lakers WILL be involved in these trades, in some form. I have some pieces I'd like to ad and I can facilitate for other teams.

Can't wait to see what moves the Lakers make!

Oh yeah, the Lakers trades will be interesting, but they're still about a week or two in story from becoming reality. Stay tuned.

And thank you both for the comments, glad to see people are still following. I know it was a long wait but things have finally settled down now and I'm looking to jump back into this as B-ball season approaches.

[BraedenG33]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

I'm with you on Paul and Griffin and AR15. Love the way Randolph is playing. Paul is definitely NOT going to be a Laker, Griffin probably not (I want to keep AR15, but I don't think I can trade for Griffin without trading him), but the Lakers WILL be involved in these trades, in some form. I have some pieces I'd like to ad and I can facilitate for other teams.



Oh yeah, the Lakers trades will be interesting, but they're still about a week or two in story from becoming reality. Stay tuned.

And thank you both for the comments, glad to see people are still following. I know it was a long wait but things have finally settled down now and I'm looking to jump back into this as B-ball season approaches.

Glad to see we're on the same page for some of it. And Also, I would have waited a year if I had to for this stuff, its fantastic. I did';t get to mention it, but that was an excellent post for Gerard, seems like and interesting plot development. I knew he would be to easy to keep under raps. I've always loved a good, crafty, downright evil villain, with a mysterious and interesting past, and Gerard fits the bill. Of course, I wonder about his past, you sort of eluded to it in that post with the line:

"...He just needed some time and he’d find some dirt on someone. He knew how to blackmail people, it was how he got his start in this business, how he managed to build his empire. He lost it before. He got it back. He’d lost it again.

He’d get it back..."

Are we going to get anything in terms of his backstory? Maybe a flashback or two in prison with some of his old enemies?

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

Glad to see we're on the same page for some of it. And Also, I would have waited a year if I had to for this stuff, its fantastic. I did';t get to mention it, but that was an excellent post for Gerard, seems like and interesting plot development. I knew he would be to easy to keep under raps. I've always loved a good, crafty, downright evil villain, with a mysterious and interesting past, and Gerard fits the bill. Of course, I wonder about his past, you sort of eluded to it in that post with the line:



Are we going to get anything in terms of his backstory? Maybe a flashback or two in prison with some of his old enemies?

Gerard's past will be coming to play this season, as well as his brother ... there's going to be a lot of twists as we go along. It's gonna be fun.

[trekfan]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

BREAKING NEWS

The Phoenix Suns have fired Mike D'Antoni, bringing an end to his season. The Suns recently traded for Carmelo Anthony, former D'Antoni player, and sources are saying that neither wanted to be together. D'Antoni privately was against the trade of bringing in 'Melo but was willing to try to make it work.

Suns owner Robert Sarver wasn't interested. Sarver has also announced that the Suns current GM will be stepping down at the end of the season due to health concerns.

"It was a tough decision, but one that needed to be made ... we have an obligation to our fans and players to put the team in the best position to win. I respect Coach D'Antoni, but it was time for us to part ways," said Sarver.

New Suns player Carmelo Anthony was excited to be in Phoenix. "I'm glad to be here and I'm sorry to see Coach Mike go. I'm looking forward to building something with Brandon."

[MuhMitchell]

Re: The Gold Standard: The Ronnie Gold Story

And thank you both for the comments, glad to see people are still following. I know it was a long wait but things have finally settled down now and I'm looking to jump back into this as B-ball season approaches.

Like Braeden said earlier, I'd wait forever for this series, it's one of the only things I still check OS for!