GSoM offseason roundtable, Part II: Pre-game rituals and movie slogans

When Duby Dub Dubs put together this offseason roundtable project, we didn’t exactly know how it would go or how many responses we’d get. Yet we ended up getting so many responses that I chose to divide it into two parts so it’s actually readable.

If you missed the first part, you can find that here. And without further ado, here’s the second part.

Would you rather be the Harrison Barnes and start games, or the Andre Iguodala and finish them?

Ivan Bettger: Good lord. This question is a loaded grenade launcher. There’s no way in hell I should be allowed to answer it. Oh well!

So first, it’s worth noting that Harrison also finished games quite often, as the Ringo Starr of SBDS. Regardless, Iguodala is the more important player, counted on to take the biggest defensive assignment at the end of games — so that’s gotta feel good. On the other hand, defending LeBron would just suck terribly.

The heart of this question though — who would I rather be? Barnes is 24 and is about to make $20 million dollars a year and will get to shoot a ton of shots. Andre is beginning to decline, never sniffed max money, and sits around with giant ice packs on his knees. I lack ambition and pride — start, finish... whatever. I’m taking that Barnes life.

Kim Stubbe: I would rather be Harrison Barnes and start. But that has to do with my personality type.

I like to do things right the first time and grow frustrated when I need to clean up after everyone else. Sigh...I’m so Type A.

Apricot: Closer. And I love the glue guys, the Andres, Draymonds, Pippens.

Bram Kincheloe: Curveball, I’d rather be LeBron James because he just beat them both in the Fina——-DAMNIT RYAN MOURTON! GET OFF MY COMPUTER! NO! NO! YOU CANNOT ANSWER ANY OF THESE QUESTIONS! GO BACK TO YOUR HOBBIT HOLE!

Whew, sorry about that. Had to beat back some trolls with a wooden club.

Anyways, um, I’ve always thought of myself as more of a Dread Pirate Roberts kind of guy, but I guess I’ll answer with Iguodala. Purely because he’s still on the Warriors and Barnes is about to get KILLED by the Dallas fans once they realize he’s no good at basketball.

Belly Bumper: Since I’m already known in real life as the guy who misses wide-open jump shots, I’d rather be the guy that can finish games while being assigned to defend the top player on the other team.

Hugo Kitano: As somebody who doesn’t really deal well with pressure on the court, I’d rather start the game. There’s more leeway for mistakes as both teams try to feel each other out; ultimately, it feels like more of an opportunity than responsibility early in games.

Nate P.: I just feel sad that Ryan Mourton is all up in Bram’s head. Win a championship this year, Warriors. Win it for Bram’s well-being.

What’s your usual ritual / routine for watching a Dubs game on any given night?

Sami Higgins: I get superstitious about my shirseys, to be honest. I have an ever-growing collection and have been known to switch shirts depending on what's happening in the game.

Mike Brady: Much like Sami I tend to get quite superstitious. I got a free "lucky tee" when I was at a Warriors game around St Patricks day, it's green with a four leaf clover and I would wear it for every big game. Until we lost the finals this year, it's now balled up sitting in the corner of my wardrobe. Aside from that my routine is probably quite different, due to the severe difference in time zones I usually have a nap before games and I always have breakfast during the fourth quarter so I'm not as rushed leaving the house for work haha.

KS: I have to eat dinner beforehand or else I will be so excited or tense that I won’t be hungry until after the game. Then right before the game starts I pour myself a glass of wine. I might need to get some Klay Thompson Star Wars socks though.

Jason K. Lee: A more recent tradition that my wife and I take part in is putting our Curry bobbleheads (yes, plural) on either side of our TV during the playoffs. As the game goes on, we continually rotate the bobbleheads to make sure they’re facing the correct basket. Now that I think about it, GSoM crew, shouldn’t all of us should stop these rituals after what happened last year because they clearly didn’t work? Or wait, did they actually work SO well that we got KD? hmmm...

Tamryn Spruill: A thump of the Klay Thompson bobblehead and the uncorking of a bottle of red blend.

Apricot: Assuming I’m not at the game, I fire up NBA League Pass. Then I see that the game is blacked out. Then I, uh, convince League Pass that I’m from out of town. Then I find out the game is actually on NBA TV. I scramble around to figure out what cable provider has NBA TV. I curse. Then I go on Reddit and find a good stream which I should have done any way instead of paying for League Pass.

BK: Lol, Apricot. I feel that pain. My personal approach to the game is simple: start drinking and then start firing off irresponsible tweets at @FeartheSword from the @Unstoppablebaby handle, regardless of whether or not the Warriors are playing the Cavs.

Belly Bumper: I’m a parent of a 2-year old son and work, like most of you, a 9-5. It’s rare that I can watch a game live. Thank the LILBASEDGOD for DVR. My “routine” is to do as I’m told by my wife and pray that the little one will go down by 8 p.m. (ha!). My hope is that I can stay awake to watch the entire game.

Hugo Kitano: Game on my computer and Twitter on my phone. Sometimes pretend to do work on the side.

I can’t help but think that this previous Warriors season is well captured by the quote from the great Ricky Bobby, “if you aren’t first, you’re last” … what is one movie quote (or title) you’d use to describe our upcoming season?

IB: “Yippee Kiy-yay Mother#$%&#$!” (Second choice: “Now I have a machinegun. Ho Ho Ho!”)

MB: "Join me and together we can rule the galaxy" (I always assumed that was Kerrs/Lacobs opening pitch to KD).

KS: “You guys give up? Or are you thirsty for more?” -Kevin, the main character in Home Alone.

Nate P.: We found A New Hope when the Warriors fought their way out 40 years of misery to win a title to the Empire Strikes Back when a group of whiny opponents recovered from the brink of elimination to beat us to, now, the “Return of the Jedi” as we’ve joined forces with a smooth baller who was formerly an adversary to put down the evildoers for good. Let me think about whether there’s a single overarching title I could use for that...

JL: “I’ll be back.” -The Terminator

TS: “Don't f*ck with me fellas. This ain't my first time at the rodeo.” -Joan Crawford, as played by Faye Dunaway, in Mommie Dearest

SH: “ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?” - Gladiator

BK: If this question were about last season, the answer would undoubtedly be this master quote from The Big Lebowski. However, as far as next season... Instead of a quote, I’m going with this famous fight scene from The Matrix because physics, time, and space are about to get wonky as heck.

Belly Bumper: I drink your milkshake.

Hugo Kitano: “My precious!”