Never in my lifetime did I expect to see this. Microsoft asked Canonical
(builders of Ubuntu Linux) to create the Bash shell inside of
Windows. Not an emulator! It is actually Linux inside of Windows!
Most people don't know (or forgot) that the Apple MacIntosh was at
its nadir when the company decided to completely scrap their
proprietary operating system and rebuild it based upon BSD unix OS (Berkeley Software
Distribution). The success of the Mac/iPod/iPhone/iPad are all
due in large part to the decision to switch to a Unix variant. It
was a big shock to developers who had to start all over with the new
OS, which they branded as OS X.
Microsoft is doing more than simply putting their toe in the unix
water - they are shopping for bathing suits. The Gates have opened
(pun intended).
Monday, April 4, 2016
Sunday, January 31, 2016
The ABL and the DH
Quite a few years ago (early 1960’s), the National Basketball Association (NBA) was a cozy club. Though not nearly as popular as today, it stirred some passion by would-be owners, notably Abe Saperstein who had the highly successful Harlem Globetrotters.
At about the same time, a group of business men conspired to create a rival football league to the National Football League (NFL). This group, derogatorily called “The Foolish Club”, formed the American Football League (AFL). Saperstein took note and tried to create a basketball league to rival the NBA.
The AFL, with lots of money behind it to compete for elite college graduates, succeeded and forced a merger with the NFl. Saperstein was not so lucky. His American Basketball League (ABL) simply didn’t have the staying power to force the NBA into a merger.
Although the ABL was not a business success, they did bring something to the table now used by all basketball leagues. Specifically, to add some spice to their games, they instituted the three-point line and the shot-clock (they also widened the free-throw lane).
Prior to these innovations, basket was a dull, plodding game. It was most evident in the infamous “swinging gate” defense as practiced by Henry Iba (coach of the Oklahoma State University Cowboys). The strategy of the defense was to clog the lanes and force shots from outside. A shot was only worth 2 point from anywhere on the court, so keep the other team away from the basket. And the offensive strategy of Iba was to hold the ball as long as possible on the chance a shooting lane might open.
Now consider what might have been if the ABL had been a success and forced a merger with the NBA. They might have been in separate ‘leagues’ within the NBA. For brevity, let’s call them the AL and NL divisions of the NBA. It seems likely that the two divisions would have had inter-league play during the season.
Would they have played with the AL rules (clock, 3-pointers) in AL cities and NL rules (no clock, no 3-pointers) in NL cities? After all, the NL could have maintained that there was “strategy” in games played by their rules. And indeed, it would have been a valid argument.
The problem with the NL strategy was that it made for a deadly-dull game, with typical combined scores under 50 points, and they knew it. The NBA uses the three-point line and the shot-clock today because they and their fans like it. I don’t know if they ever thanked the ABL for this.
The Designated Hitter rule in baseball was first proposed by Connie Mack over 100 years ago. Today it is universal - almost - the lone holdout is the National League of MLB. The prime argument for not using it is that it removes some ‘strategy’ from the game. This too, is a valid argument, although is is a tactic rather than a strategy. The tactic simply is to avoid having the pitcher come to the plate to bat. The heralded ‘double-switch’ is a common way to do this, and is revered by many NL fans.
The DH rule was nearly adopted by the NL in 1980 (only a miscommunication by one of the teams scuttled it). There will almost certainly be another attempt to adopt it very soon.
NL fans will moan and groan, some for generations, but the fight will soon be forgotten. Very likely, the kids of today will see the DH as the way baseball is played. And they will wonder what all of the fuss was about.
Ron Lambkin 2016 - @rlambkin
Go Royals!
At about the same time, a group of business men conspired to create a rival football league to the National Football League (NFL). This group, derogatorily called “The Foolish Club”, formed the American Football League (AFL). Saperstein took note and tried to create a basketball league to rival the NBA.
The AFL, with lots of money behind it to compete for elite college graduates, succeeded and forced a merger with the NFl. Saperstein was not so lucky. His American Basketball League (ABL) simply didn’t have the staying power to force the NBA into a merger.
Although the ABL was not a business success, they did bring something to the table now used by all basketball leagues. Specifically, to add some spice to their games, they instituted the three-point line and the shot-clock (they also widened the free-throw lane).
Prior to these innovations, basket was a dull, plodding game. It was most evident in the infamous “swinging gate” defense as practiced by Henry Iba (coach of the Oklahoma State University Cowboys). The strategy of the defense was to clog the lanes and force shots from outside. A shot was only worth 2 point from anywhere on the court, so keep the other team away from the basket. And the offensive strategy of Iba was to hold the ball as long as possible on the chance a shooting lane might open.
Now consider what might have been if the ABL had been a success and forced a merger with the NBA. They might have been in separate ‘leagues’ within the NBA. For brevity, let’s call them the AL and NL divisions of the NBA. It seems likely that the two divisions would have had inter-league play during the season.
Would they have played with the AL rules (clock, 3-pointers) in AL cities and NL rules (no clock, no 3-pointers) in NL cities? After all, the NL could have maintained that there was “strategy” in games played by their rules. And indeed, it would have been a valid argument.
The problem with the NL strategy was that it made for a deadly-dull game, with typical combined scores under 50 points, and they knew it. The NBA uses the three-point line and the shot-clock today because they and their fans like it. I don’t know if they ever thanked the ABL for this.
The Designated Hitter rule in baseball was first proposed by Connie Mack over 100 years ago. Today it is universal - almost - the lone holdout is the National League of MLB. The prime argument for not using it is that it removes some ‘strategy’ from the game. This too, is a valid argument, although is is a tactic rather than a strategy. The tactic simply is to avoid having the pitcher come to the plate to bat. The heralded ‘double-switch’ is a common way to do this, and is revered by many NL fans.
The DH rule was nearly adopted by the NL in 1980 (only a miscommunication by one of the teams scuttled it). There will almost certainly be another attempt to adopt it very soon.
NL fans will moan and groan, some for generations, but the fight will soon be forgotten. Very likely, the kids of today will see the DH as the way baseball is played. And they will wonder what all of the fuss was about.
Ron Lambkin 2016 - @rlambkin
Go Royals!
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