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Sunday, June 03, 2007

Riddle Me This

If I even start to write about the Cavs, and Lebron, and Daniel "Boobie" Gibson, and that I'm still up at 3:51am and I'm still super-pumped and hyper, I'll go on forever. Suffice it to say that as I watched the 4th quarter at a friend nearby, I jumped straight up in excitement with both hands first when Gibson hit one of his threes so hard that I smashed both hands into the ceiling and badly scraped one of them in the process.

So instead, here's a riddle I was asked during davening this morning, which took me and another guy a good 45 minutes or so to figure out [yeah, so kavana was a bit scarce in shul - about half the place was working on it, it seemed... and I finally got it during kedusha].

You are given 12 coins, one of which is a different weight than the other 11, and you need to - in just 3 weighings - determine not only which coin it is, but whether it is heavier or lighter than the others. How would you do it? There's only one answer.

Oh, and the game's turning points were Lebron's jumping in front of Wallace for the steal and 3-point play after a Detroit timeout, and Gibson's third three of the fourth quarter. That's when the Pistons really started to look like they were giving up. Of course, as a true Clevelander, I was still calculating how the Cavs could blow it with 3:59 left, and a 13-point lead, simply because they kept fouling the Pistons. Oy. Can we stop being so negative yet!? Are we allowed to be optimistic?! PLEASE!?

EDIT: Oh, and I thought it was really nice that after Lebron threw the ball to the rafters, he ran around and the first guy he hugged was big Z, who has been waiting for this for a long, long time.

23 comments:

  1. RM: yes, but when you're a Cleveland fan, which is second only to being a Cubs fan in terms of sticking it out for many, many losing seasons, sports right now is all ANY Clevelander (present or former) is talking about!! ;-)

    EZZIE CAVS RULE!!!!

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  2. WOW. That was a hell of a game. I only caught the fourth quarter, but Gibson, wow. That's two games in a row that are going to go down in history. Congrats. And that was a good hug. My gf was quite impressed. ;-) I always liked big Z.

    And I officially admit that I was wrong about the series. Now I predict the Spurs'll take it in 5. :-)

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  3. I am floating on Cloud 9. Completely elated. That was a helluva game. They all rock! What a team. Mike Brown, too.

    This was a long time coming. Oh how I wish I were back home in Cleveland right now. I am SO HAPPY!!!

    Cleveland FOREVER!

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  4. I thought you were going to say you put your fist through the ceiling!

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  5. Congrats. I'm actually looking forward to this series.

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  6. And I officially admit that I was wrong about the series. Now I predict the Spurs'll take it in 5. :-)

    You are being charitable.

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  7. Jack - Oh, feh. Cavs in five.

    Nephtuli - Woohoo! Maybe you'll be proven right. Or maybe I will. :)

    Ma - Thanks.

    Stacey - WOOHOO!!!

    JA - That's what I saw, too. And I hope you're wrong again. :)

    EK - EXACTLY!!

    RM - :P Sorry!! What EK said :)

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  8. Is NOBODY going to attempt the riddle!?

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  9. this blog has turned into a sports blog!!!!!!!!!!

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  10. We did that question in an undergrad logic class.....

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  11. I'm happy to know that I'm not the only one to smash my hand on the ceiling out of exuberance due to a sporting event. I did that while watching a Falcons game a couple years ago.

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  12. Ah, these riddles. No matter how many times I finally figure out the answers, I can never remember the methodology or the answer the next time the same riddle comes my way!

    Also - just wanted to comment on the sweet and relaxing photos you posted of you and Serach on vacation -
    May you spend many happy, relaxed, fun years together til 120!

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  13. ...Public Service Announcement...

    In case anybody was not aware, the Cleveland Cavaliers have advanced to the National Basketball Asssociation Finals to compete against the San Antonio Spurs for the right to be named champion.

    ...we now return you to your regularly scheduled blogging...

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  14. Wetzel has a good rundown.

    CLEVELAND – A couple of years ago Jack Blake, now 12, had reached the age when boys begin having questions about exactly how and why things work. So his father, Kevin, had to sit him down and have "The Talk."

    "Part of the parenting process in Cleveland is to express to children the history of losing here," Kevin said. "You have to let them know."

    Yeah, forget the birds and the bees. In Northeast Ohio, first you have to explain the Cleveland Cavaliers, Indians and Browns; namely why none of them ever win anything

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  15. If his team wins, can Lebron get a real first name?

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  16. Wow, to all you posters that are complaining about sports articles: Do we sports fans complain when there is a political article if we're not interested, or Hashkafa if we're not interested, or (Sorry Ezzie, im just making a point here) an update on Elianna's cheeks if we're not interested???
    If you dont care about sports, come back to this blog in a few days after the Cavs lose Game 1 and Ezzie starts blogging about something else. It's his blog and he will post about whatever he wants and try to satisfy all his readers. If its not up your alley, don't complain.

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  17. "If his team wins, can Lebron get a real first name?"

    You poor misguided, wayward soul:

    In Cleveland (and basketball in general), the name of LeBron is more than a distinguishing title. It represents the followers conception of the divine nature, and of the relation of LeBron to the Cleveland people. In awe at the sacredness of the names of LeBron, and as a means of showing respect and reverence for them, the scribes of sacred texts** took pause before copying them, and used terms of reverence so as to keep the true name of LeBron concealed. The various names of LeBron in Cleveland represent LeBron as he is known, as well as the divine aspects which are attributed to him.

    ** The Cleveland Plain Dealer, The Akron Beacon Journal, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated etc.

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  18. You can pretty much take that blurb, and substitute "Cleveland" with "New York" and "Lebron" with "Jeter". Still works.

    Speaking of, where are all the Stray-Rod haters now???

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  19. Believers of a false prophet and followers of an un-holy creed.

    Thy people are Yankee Fan.

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  20. Is it not a typo for Lebaron?

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