Nba Slam Dunk Mod

[Vespasiano Jilg]

WASHINGTONCNN) -- About two weeks before deciding to invade Iraq, President Bush was told by CIA Director George Tenet there was a "slam dunk case" that dictator Saddam Hussein had unconventional weapons, according to a new book by Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward.

Powell was not even told until after the Saudi ambassador was allowed to review top-secret war plans in an effort to enlist his country's support for the invasion, according to Woodward, who has written or co-written several best-selling books on Washington politics, including "All the President's Men" with Carl Bernstein.

Woodward quotes Bush as saying he did not feel the need to ask his principal advisers, including Cheney, Rumsfeld and Powell, whether they thought he ought to go to war because "I could tell what they thought."

"I didn't need to ask them their opinion about Saddam Hussein. If you were sitting where I sit, you could be pretty clear. I think we've got an environment where people feel free to express themselves," Bush is quoted as saying.

In the book, Woodward reports that on November 21, 2001 -- about three months after the September 11 attacks and shortly after the Taliban regime crumbled in Afghanistan -- Bush took Rumsfeld aside, ordered him to develop a war plan for Iraq and told him to keep it secret.

As the war planning progressed, on December 21, 2002, Tenet and his top deputy, John McLaughlin, went to the White House to brief Bush and Cheney on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, Woodward reports.

The president, unimpressed by the presentation of satellite photographs and intercepts, pressed Tenet and McLaughlin, saying their information would not "convince Joe Public" and asking Tenet, "This is the best we've got?" Woodward reports.

About two weeks later, shortly after New Year's Day 2003, Bush -- frustrated with unfruitful U.N. weapons inspections -- made up his mind to go to war after consulting with Rice, according to Woodward.

On "Face The Nation" Sunday, Rice insisted that Bush's conversation with her in January did not amount to a decision to go to war, which she said wasn't made until March when military strikes were ordered.

Woodward also reports that U.S. officials were skeptical about the weapons inspections because they were receiving intelligence information indicating that chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix was not reporting everything he had uncovered and was not doing everything he said he was doing.

Despite his reservations about the policy, Powell told the president he would support him, deciding that it would be "an unthinkable act of disloyalty" to both Bush and U.S. troops to walk away at that point, according to Woodward.

The judges were Wilkins and another two-time champ, Harold Miner, along with Lisa Leslie, Karl Malone and Jamal Crawford. The trophy was awarded by Julius Erving, the first dunk champion, and named after him.

Someday in the not-too-distant future, the Sixers will be sending their entire roster to participate in All-Star Weekend events. As the franchise builds toward that day, we're left to reflect on moments past that fade with each passing year. One that's hard to forget is Andre Iguodala's display and subsequent snub at the 2006 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

Iguodala, then in the midst of his sophomore season and a few years shy of his big-money extension, was still in the good graces of Philadelphia as the other AI's sidekick. One day prior, he turned in an MVP effort during the annual Rookie-Sophomore showcase, powering the second-year players to a win with 30 points. Charles Barkley jokingly opined that Iguodala scored so much because, "he's trying to get it out of his system before he goes back to Philly [and plays with Allen Iverson]."

His in-game affinity for dunks and alley-oop finishes earned him a spot in a decent dunk field featuring reigning champion Josh Smith (still young enough to shrug off his shot selection), Hakim Warrick ("He's got a chance because he's been resting up all season"), and Nate Robinson, the token short man. The words that follow are a recollection of that evening.

The contest got underway without much of a clear favorite. TNT's crew was high on Warrick's athletic ability, banking on him using the national stage to finally earn some shine at the professional level. Smith won the contest the year before, but Robinson -- likely recipient of the usual "short guy bonus points" -- and Iguodala were given more of a chance than the Hawks forward.

That looked wise after the first round of dunks. Smith made an odd decision to place a piece of masking tape well before the free-throw line, seemingly indicating his take-off point. When his launch pad was decidedly further forward, the peanut gallery let him have it.

Kenny Smith (Dunk Contest Supervillian, Turner Sports): I guess the tape was just to let us know he was going to jump from there another time. Come on Josh, it's championship night, he won it [the year before].

Anthony Capelli (So So Def Records): Most anti-climatic moment of my life at this point. It would eventually be topped in a few years when I lost my virginity. Would love to hear the conversation he had after trying to explain the point of the tape to Nate Robinson. This dunk contest needs a 30 for 30.

Robinson emerged from the first series of dunks with 49 points, surging ahead of the field early. It's important to note that the panel of judges was a skewed group -- Kenny Smith represented the guards, Clyde Drexler was dunk royalty and Rudy Tomjanovich, Elvin Hayes and Moses Malone made up the over-represented big-man group.

Still, after the second round there seemed to be no debate as to who was going to eventually take home the crown. Iguodala cleared photographers out from behind the basket and prepared to make history with an off-the-back glass, one-handed reverse.

Matt Carey (Gary Harris enthusiast): It was the ultra-rare time where a miss actually brings more anticipation, to where everyone is like "Wait, he's doing what?" Kobe's face after Iggy doesn't hit it on the first try was an exact replica of my face.

We've seen just about every dunk recycled over the years -- East Bay, anyone? No one has tried to replicate Iggy's masterpiece because it's SO [redacted] HARD TO DO. Effortlessly dunking the basketball while simultaneously trying to avoid a concussion is a feat unlike any other.

Shamus Clancy, Philadelphia Daily News: What does it say about this franchise that my most distinct memory of the team in between the '01 Finals and 'Dre's free throws against the Bulls in the '12 playoffs is from some random contest? It's the greatest post-Vinsanity Dunk Contest moment.

Levin: The 2008 Phillies were still two years and a David Bell trade away from ending the 1983 drought. This was to be our championship. Finally, I'd live to see a winner in Philadelphia. I had no idea everything was about to go so horribly, pint-sizedly wrong.

Robinson's first dunk was an interpretation of a couple standbys, an off-the-backboard pass into a through the legs windmill. The problem with Robinson's flush was the volume of attempts it took to get there -- almost three minutes transpired between him picking the ball up and his finally completed attempt.

Tanner Steidel (President, Ja Rule Fan Club): Where was the time-limit/attempt maximum rule? People like to be conspiracy theorists about every outcome ever in the NFL, but nobody takes a second glance to this atrocity? The rule conveniently disappears the year the one guy who can benefit the most from it being gone participates?

Kyle Neubeck (Dunk Contest Truther): Setting aside how many times he got to keep trying, how did he not lose points for scaling it back halfway through his 50 attempts? He ended up nixing the backboard pass and just going through the legs. Was I supposed to be impressed that he was unable to finish what he started?

Levin: Nate tried this dunk and failed 133 times in a row. I'm surprised a TNT network executive didn't force them into a commercial break like on RAW during a Juventud Guerrera/Funaki match after a particularly devastating frogsplash to both parties. The entire run of the television show LOST came and went.

Carey: When Nate kept missing, the reaction felt like when you're trying to encourage a small child. I think people were fooled by Nate's size into thinking that he was actually a child, and thus needed nothing but positive feedback.

Unlike his fellow competitor, Iguodala brought the 50-point funk in a timeframe shorter than Mike Jones' 2006 classic 'Back Then'. After going behind-the-back in midair and throwing down a windmill, TNT's Kevin Harlan declared '"It's done," while Barkley was so convinced of his victory that he transitioned into talking about Damon Jones' wardrobe -- a particularly loud red suit.

With nowhere else to turn, Robinson pulled out what would end up being his trump card. Summoning former champion Spud Webb from the crowd, Robinson received a puzzling 50 for jumping over the shortest man to ever win the Dunk Contest.

Clancy: A guy who only made it this far because of his height is joined by another guy who only won the dunk contest because he makes Iverson look like Sim Bhullar. The crowd and judges have already been turned and are rooting for the guy who's the size of a Sixers ball boy. Our dear Andre has become the heel.

Burton: The fix was clearly in for lil' Nate. After the Chris Andersen Incident from the year before, there's no way Nate Robinson should have received a 44 for his first dunk in the finals. Besides, after the behind-the-backboard dunk, how can you honestly give any other slam a 10?

Iguodala looked to close out the contest with a through-the-legs reverse, a safe play that wasn't going to lose him the contest. Here's where things really took a turn -- after repeatedly declaring that it didn't matter how many times Robinson missed his last attempt, the TNT crew (which included judge Smith) crowed about "opening the door" for Robinson.

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