The Contract Year

TEST

2009-06-01T22:38:00.000-04:00

Change Gone Come

2009-05-25T19:13:00.002-04:00

Regularly blogging just isn't going to work.

Now stream of consciousness and completely random pointless articles about nothing.

And Charles McPiffenberry. More McPiffenberry.

Cavs in 6

2009-05-20T18:29:00.004-04:00

And that still won't stop me from using a Dwight Howard picture!

Smart money says Cavs in 6, I'll take the smart money. I'm getting a little tired of some people saying the Cavaliers are going to sweep the Magic. I don't see it, they don't have the match-ups. Sweeping the Organization Formerly Known as The Pistons and the Hawks hardly means the same will happen to Orlando.

Cleveland is more disciplined. They have a better defense. They have LeBron James. Orlando has more weapons offensively. They do a great job spreading the floor. They have Dwight Howard. Dwight Howard is the key to this series. If he decides to be great, the Magic can steal this series. The same can't be said for anyone on the Pistons or the Hawks. The problem is Dwight hasn't shown he can be that guy that can take over a series and have a stretch of mind blowing days. I'm talking some 30/20 games that bring memories of a young Shaq. He's the best center in the league right now (Ming is injured to often), but not because he's at that level yet. He's soft of the best by default, the product of an extremely weak group of players that has career power forwards like Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire playing extended minutes at the position. Dwight can elevate his legacy now and regain some of that hype that he had during All Star Weekend. Now the Magic just have to actually get him the ball!

There isn't much to say about Cleveland. They are the best team in the playoffs right now, I can't see anyone stopping them. Both Denver and LA are capable of beating them, but we'll board that train when we get to it. LeBron James is just amazing, and he has his team believing they are good. Mo Williams is doing the exact same thing he did in Milwaukee, except people now care. He seems to be feeling himself a bit too much as well. (Not a Cavs fan. AT ALL.) Courtney Lee is a great defensive match-up for him, I'm looking forward to it. And as much as I'd like to see the Cavs lose, they are just too good. My worst fears might be realized, Cleveland with a major sports championship. Just disgusting. Please end my nightmare Orlando, please...

May 19 Was A Good Day

2009-05-20T17:14:00.003-04:00

Got the Blackout 10th Anniversary Collector's Edition (Blackout 1, Blackout 2, and a small poster) and Relapse. They are pictured somewhere in this completely pointless, and borderline weird photo.

Clippers Win The Draft Lottery

2009-05-20T12:55:00.003-04:00

The Clips are veterans of this thing, so they are rewarded with another #1 pick. Unfortunately for them it comes in a draft where the consensus top pick happens to play a position that the Clippers have plenty of players and a ton of money tied up in. Michael Olowokandi was the last consensus pick when they had the top pick in 2009, and that worked out well. Clippers could shock the world and go another direction here, but Blake is a solid pick. His size is often criticized, but height isn't everything.

It's more likely his career is already over. Grizzlies could reunite some young players from the Spanish national team by adding Rubio to Marc Gasol, that'd be interesting. It also would spell the end of Mike Conley's tenure as the future PG there. I'm interested to see how things will play out in the month leading up the draft.

Do Or Die: GAME 7

2009-05-17T15:44:00.003-04:00

Got to love the Game 7. Captivating in any sport, especially basketball. Rockets/Lakers. Celtics/Magic. A blowout and a good game.

Rockets @ Lakers

The Rockets have been admirable winning 2 of 3 games without Yao Ming, but the Lakers aren't about to lose this one. They are simply the better team and Houston won't be able to just get by playing harder. As I type this, the Rockets are already down 11 and are 2/15 from the field. They are taking horrendous shots, missing lay-ups, and not attacking the basket. They don't have any scorer to get them out of these kind of ruts since Ron Artest has been offensively inept the last 3 games. Kobe's legacy is safe, for now. It still remains to be seen will the Lakers win a championship, they aren't looking like they can beat the Cavs right now. And I can't overlook the Nuggets, right?

On a side note, anyone else notice that Derek Fisher just isn't good anymore?

Celtics @ Magic

Orlando is the more talented team, but they don't have the heart or grit of the Celtics. It's carried Boston this far, but can it carry them to the Eastern Conference Finals? Orlando has struggled mightily to close out games in this series, so you have to wonder if they can close out the series. Dwight Howard needs to get his touches and they have to avoid falling in love with the three. Courtney Lee has to keep up the intensity and play well.

Really the Celtics just need Ray Allen and Paul Pierce to play well in the same game for once. Perk has done a good job bothering Dwight, and they are getting contributions from players like Glen Davis and Eddie House. I think they are tough to beat if that happens, but I really think Orlando's talent will win this game.

Then again, watching that same talent blow a game wouldn't be uncommon either.

Joell Ortiz Covers The Classics

2009-05-15T13:59:00.003-04:00

Ever since the formation of Slaughterhouse, Joell (as well as Crooked I) has been growing on me. Joell Ortiz Covers The Classics is a "Jackin' for Beats" style mixtape where he just spits bar after bar on a ton of different tracks. Definitely you download this.

Grab it at OnSmash

May 19th Will Be A Good Day

2009-05-11T20:02:00.003-04:00

I buy about one album a year, but that will change the week of May 19th. You get the much anticipated and recently leaked Relapse from Eminem, as well as another album from hip hop's most entertaining duo. Blackout 2? How about a How High 2? I love that movie. Tracks I've heard from the album have been promising, especially the cuts featuring Raekwon & Ghost and the track with UGK. Can't really go wrong with this album from 2 legends.

I've already heard (and downloaded...and burned) Relapse, but I will support good music and buy the actual disc. I don't feel like reviewing it, because I'd just be talking to myself, but it was a pretty good album. 3AM has grown on me since I've heard the entire thing, and Beautiful might be the best song on the album. Got to love the random Christopher Reeves shots on the CD. It's kind of strange seeing him talk about the same things he did almost 10 years ago, in terms of pop culture, but that's just Em. Nick Cannon recently caught feelings because of some lyrics about him and Mariah carry on the track entitled Bagpipes from Baghdad. Overall, I'd give the album a 4/5.
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Laying here trying to enjoy this Hawks/Cavs game. It's really not a game, Atlanta is scared of the Cavs.

Dead Hawks Walking

2009-05-07T22:19:00.002-04:00

More like stumbling actually.

Seems as if the Cavs will walk to the conference finals and face the winner of Orlando/Boston. They will then end up in the finals, and I have to deal with another month of Mike Tirico hanging from LeBron's jock strap. He turns into a typical Cavs fan anytime LeBron does something semi-nice. Disgusting. Jeff Van Gundy wouldn't stand for that.

Boring, boring day. Relapse leaked, Wale's mixtape didn't come out (to my knowledge). Ahh well, I accomplished one key task today. I priced shampoos at Target.

And Now It Starts to Get Good

2009-05-07T02:36:00.004-04:00

Some pretty chippy games tonight.

Eddie House had a career high 31 points tonight. Seems like Skip caught feelings and slapped him. But he slapped Eddie House like he was his little brother, and will now likely miss Game 3 because of it. Smart.

This sequence is amazing. Kobe elbows Ron Artest. Ron Artest gets the foul.

After pleading his case, Ron Artest takes the matter into his own hands and confronts Kobe face-to-face. I'm not exactly sure what happened here, but Ron Ron ended up out of the game and Kobe was free to bow again.

Derek Fisher is now definitely suspended because he just laid a Brian Dawkins like hit on Luis Scola. Scola did fold like a bad hand, but he sold it well. Luckily for the Lakers, Derek Fisher hasn't been good for about 2 years.

Rock The Bells is Coming to the D!

2009-05-06T23:57:00.006-04:00

I will not have to drive to Chicago to catch this concert. Instead I can just make the little 20 minute drive to DTE. This is greatness, bask in it. This line-up is just piff. Charles McPiffenberry approves.

That reminds me, Charles McPiffenberry needs a logo. Hmmmm...

Once Again Back Is The....Oh Who Cares?

2009-05-06T01:17:00.008-04:00

I suck at blogging and getting people to care about what I write, but apparently I'll continue to do it.

First off, what a relief that the Celtics escaped the Bulls. I hate when the teams I'm rooting for get upset. You have to hear about it for a year and see it all on ESPN, it's just annoying. But I assume just avoiding ESPN in general would leave me a lot less annoyed. Anyway, the Bulls put up a great fight and should be able to carry this experience into the next season much like Atlanta. I knew I could count on Ben Gordon to start feeling his own shot a little too much and start becoming a low percentage chucker. Plus you can't rely on John Salmons putting up 30-plus points every game. Ben Gordon hit all those shots and most likely won't get a long term deal with the Bulls because it's Kirk Hinrich has a hard to move contract and it's just easier to give Salmons his minutes. Now some other team is bound to overpay for some streak shooter. Funny how the business works.

Onto the 2nd Round Amigos:

Magic 95, Celtics 90

Tale of two games. The Magic looked good for about the first 32 minutes of this game, absolutely destroying the Celtics. They were up 28 and all of their outside shots were falling. And then someone told the Celtics the game counted, and they quickly mounted a comeback. Orlando's threes stopped falling, Dwight stopped getting the ball, and players such as Brian Scalabrine and Eddie House stepped up and hit big shots. Orlando dodged a couple of bullets when up only four in a Rondo turnover and a Ray Allen three that hit every part of the rim before falling out.

Now I'm well aware that the goal for Orlando was to win one of the first two games on the road, but they went from making a statement to looking extremely vulnerable. The pressure is still on Boston (and Ray Allen) to show up to Game 2 and win, but doubt has definitely been cast in my mind. Before the series I thought Orlando would take this in 6, but I now have some hope that Boston might be able to pull this series out. Orlando still goes away from Dwight Howard, far too often for my taste, to take bad threes. My bias towards everything KG won't let me pick against the Celtics, so give me Boston in 6.

Rockets 100, Lakers 92

When the Rockets first got Ron Artest, it was theorized that they could now compete with the Lakers because of their improved defense added to the tandem of T-Mac and Yao Ming. Subtract T-Mac, add in a motivated Ron Artest, and you have that same team that some experts (Scoop Jackson, mostly) predicted to win the championship. Now while I don't think the Rockets are capable, they can obviously bother the Lakers. No other team can throw a defender like Shane Battier to follow Kobe around, and switch him off with a guy like Ron Artest. Artest also gives them a guy who matches up beautifully with Lamar Odom. Add Yao Ming in the post, and it forces Pau Gasol a little bit further from the rim. It also makes Andrew Bynum more important, because he's the only real size that can bother Ming. The Rockets did a great job controlling the pace of the game, and forcing Kobe to shoot the ball 31 times for only 32 points. It's well known one of the ways to stop the Lakers is to force Kobe to be a volume shooter, and the Rockets did a great job of doing that in Game 1.

As much as I would like to see Houston pull the upset, it's just not likely. Kobe usually responds to a bad game with a really good one, and LA is still the superior team. When Kobe is finishing out a close game hitting clutch shots and drawing double teams, the Rockets really have no one to go to that can match him. Post players don't really thrive in those situations, and you can't really rely on Ron Artest to carry you offensively. The Rockets have all the tools to make this one interesting, but won't be able to pull it off in the end. I think the Lakers take this one in 6 or 7, but it will be better than most people initially anticipated.

The more games there are, the more Ron Artest soundbites we get. Much like cornbread, "ain't nothing wrong with that."

Cavaliers 99, Hawks 72

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind the Cavaliers will win this series. Atlanta might challenge them once or twice, and even steal a game, but they have no shot to win. They haven't shown near the level of consistency it would take for them to make this a competitive series, and they still struggle on the road in the playoffs (with the exception of Game 4 against Miami). The Cavaliers will make this one quick.

Congratulations for LeBron James for winning the MVP. He's the best player in the league right now, you have to respect that. I still despise the Cavaliers, but credit is given where it is due.

King James
Big Z, The Great
Daniel, The Manservant

Who can stop that?

Nuggets 117, Mavericks 105

For the second time, a close game gets blown wide open in the 4th quarter by a big Denver run. Josh Howard went out early, and Dallas never really had a chance in this one. The Mavericks' opporitunity to pull an upset likely went out the window the same time Josh Howard went out with an injury. I'll admit, I thought this was the year that the Mavericks overachieve and Dirk diverts some of the criticism he's been getting pummeled with since the 2006 Finals. Sadly, that does not appear to be the case. The Nuggets are playing the best basketball of any team in the West, the Mavericks don't look to be the team. But it's too early to count them out, Dallas is a pretty good home team. They also have a nice little 3 day layoff before their next game, so Howard can get heal up an extra couple of days.

The Nuggets are such a feast or famine team in my eyes, because of their erratic play. JR Smith can either bury you with threes, or bury the Nuggets forcing them up. They can make some pretty dumb turnovers between Birdman and K-Mart, and Anthony Carter can play like Anthony Carter. Chauncey Billups really helps this team calm down, and his impact shouldn't be ignored. He's well on his way to his 7th consecutive conference Finals.

Nuggets take this one in 5, but Dirk proves his worth to a small segment of people.

Holy S***

2009-04-30T23:09:00.001-04:00

I'm going to destroy something if the Celtics don't win this damn series.

But my god, this is the greatest playoff series I can remember since Golden State/Dallas. Just WOW. WOW.

WOW!
WOW.
WOW??

Kobe MAD!

2009-04-26T15:26:00.004-04:00

Hornets 95, Nuggets 93

Missed the game. The Hornets are good enough to win another at home, but I think that will be their last of the season.

Heat 107, Hawks 78

The Hawks continue their trend of getting slaughtered on the road. There was one stretch in this game where they went to Jermaine O'Neal with Al Horford on him 3 straight times. He overpowered him to the rim for an easy bucket twice, and got a good look on the last one. The Hawks can't win this series if Jermaine O'Neal is having flashbacks to his 20/10 days. It's already no secret that they cannot stop Wade. Joe Johnson is going to have to step up and start matching him if they want a chance in this series.

Mavericks 99, Spurs 90

Tony Parker tied a Spurs record for points in a half with 31, and by the 4th quarter they were down 12. They just don't have it anymore. Mavericks may seal this one in 5 at San Antonio.

Lakers 108, Jazz 94

38 points for Kobe on 16-24 shooting. Just utter domination. Kobe doesn't have two bad games in a row, especially against Ronnie Brewer. The Jazz are finished.

More Fiyah!

2009-04-25T18:14:00.003-04:00

Cavaliers 79, Pistons 68

76ers 96, Magic 94

Orlando played from behind for most of this game, and when they caught up, started taking horrible shots. A three point lead doesn't mean you have to take 4 straight three point shots. The last of which was an actual solid attempt by Rashard Lewis that tied the game at 86. Dwight Howard also gave Theo Ratliff a vicious facial late in the game. Dwight's imposing presence still didn't stop Thad Young from going right at him, and getting a little flip shot to fall with 2 seconds to go that ultimately won the game for the Sixers. It looked like a travel to me, but it's still a solid play. Thad Young is a very promising young player, much better pro than college player. He's definitely a guy to look out for.

Rockets 86, Blazers 83

Nope. I refuse to give an analysis of this game. Not after what Steve Blake did. Allow me to set it up. Rudy Fernandez hits a heavily contested three from the corner that cuts the Rockets lead to one. The Rockets come down and hit the 2 free throws, then hilarity ensues. Steve Blake decides that with 17 seconds left on the clock, he's going to run full speed down the court and jack a shot. Not just any shot, a leaning 26 foot three. He didn't look for anyone. Not the hot Rudy Fernandez who is one of the leagues better perimeter shooters and was obviously feeling it. He decided to do it by his self. By the time the shot hit the rim, there was still 10 seconds left on the clock. Game. Set. Match. Still a 7 game series.

It's 80 degrees!

2009-04-24T12:42:00.002-04:00

Nice weather outside. Maybe that means I should leave my dorm.

Celtics 107, Bulls 86
Missed most of this game as I was actually in the gym playing basketball. Checked the score at halftime on my phone, and I obviously didn't miss much. The Bulls didn't have anyone on fire (Rose in Game 1, Gordon in Game 2) and they got thumped because of it. I feared that Chicago wouldn't be able to compete without monster performances, and I might have been right. Paul Pierce seems to have come back alive, which doesn't bode well for the Bulls either. I'm rooting heavily for the Celtics (KG!) but the Bulls need to play with some pride at home. This has the potential of an amazing series, don't let us down now Chicago. Then again, you're still relying on Tyrus Thomas...

Mavericks 88, Spurs 67
No NBATv and that streaming website that carries my name sake wasn't being very friendly to my computer last night. Even without seeing the game, I don't think the Spurs are going to win this series. They have been that overlooked underdog for so long, I think they are actually starting to get too much credit. Even though Parker is playing like the 2nd best PG in the league (Sorry Deron), Duncan is a step slower and the Spurs are a year older. Not having Ginobili really hurts this team, I think it will be too much to overcome. They had 49 points a couple of minutes into the 4th quarter. You won't win games like that.

Plus Dallas has underachieved for so long, it's about time they overachieve. Right?

Jazz 88, Lakers 86
It took Kobe going 5 for 24 just for the Jazz to squeak out a victory at the end of the game. That doesn't bode well for the Jazz, but at least they aren't going to get swept. This was a pretty good game. Jazz came out beasting early, mainly because Carlos Boozer had something like 9 points and 11 rebounds in the first quarter. Then the Lakers take the lead, get up about 12, and the Jazz start storming back thanks to their role players. Even Brewer hit a couple of jumpers. They traded leads a couple of times, Boozer and Gasol traded clutch dunks down the stretch. But the game winner came when Deron Williams isolated at the top of the key, drove to the lane, and hit a nice little fall away jumper with 2 seconds to go. Not even the great Kobe could save them. Then again, he couldn't hit anything.

I don't think I made enough of Boozer's performance. This guy would have had a solid NBA game if he didn't see the court after the 1st quarter. Then he goes and finishes the game with 23 points, 22 rebounds? Monstrous. I wouldn't mind seeing a guy like him in Detroit next season, but I don't think it's the smartest thing for him to opt out in this financial market. Time will tell.

The Pistons "play" today. Watch them get blown out at home at 7pm on ESPN. WOO HOO!

No Cable!

2009-04-22T20:44:00.002-04:00

I missed the games last night (studying of all things), so no recap. I did catch the end of the end of the Pistons game and found it hilarious that the 2nd unit came in and cut a 29 point deficit to a 7 point deficit. Then 2 of the starters (Rip and McDyess) came in, and the run immediately ended. That should tell you something about how finished this core group of guys is. Brandon Roy went off for 42 points and showed why he's right up there with some of the best in this league.

I'm missing all the games now because the cable is out in my dorm room. During Finals week no less. Just terrible.

A Double Dose of Goodness

2009-04-21T20:04:00.003-04:00

More games, more thoughts. Took a day off because well, I never update this thing regularly. Plus no one reads it.

Lakers 113, Jazz 100
Hawks 90, Heat 64
Nuggets 113, Hornets 84

BLOWOUTS! Well, the Jazz game ended a bit well but it was still a blowout. They just made the score look better at the end. They were just getting destroyed for the most of it. With no Okur, the Jazz might only win 1 game. I'm not sure how long he is out though. I honestly don't remember this game, so I will now move on...

I have maintained that the Heat/Hawks series would be one of the best series' in the playoffs if the Heat role players show up. Well they definitely didn't do it on Sunday. Beasley was having a terrible game, making every rookie mistake in the world. O'Neal was his typical non-factor self. And Dwyane Wade was looking like Famous Amos out there, just handing out cookies (8 turnovers). When Wade doesn't have any kind of help, it can be painful to watch. Mario Chalmers had a -27 +/-, just horrible. All these young guys (and JO's knees) are going to have to step up and put Wade in a position to take over, which he is very capable. Otherwise you'll continue to see Josh Smith getting 20+ points on a bunch of breakaway dunks. I'm starting to really like this Hawks team. They definitely have carried their experience over from last year, and Joe Johnson has quietly become a 2nd-tier superstar (1st tier is the Kobe, Bron types). Should be a good series, I still want this to go 7.

I think the Nuggets are one of the dumbest, mistake prone teams in the playoffs. But there is absolutely no doubt, when they are on, they are ON. Chauncey Billups was Mr. Big Shot for the first time since the 2005 Finals and JR Smith got into his rhythm and hit his shots. It's nice to see Billups actually showing up in the playoffs. As a Pistons fan, you haven't been use to that lately. He finally is playing hungry, as opposed to the overconfident Chauncey. Not much to say about the Hornets, they didn't show up at all. If Tyson Chandler isn't healthy, they don't have much of a chance to win.

76ers 100, Magic 98
Dwight Howard dominated this game as expected, and it didn't matter. 31 points, 16 rebounds, yet still down the stretch they go to Hedo Turkoglu. I don't get it, perimeter guys always seem to have something against feeding the big man down the stretch. He's the best player, he should have the ball. Iguodala stepped up big after blowing 2 free throws to hit a heavily contested step back jumper. I honestly didn't know he was capable of such a move. Louis Williams quietly had a solid game off the bench as well. But the game changer was Donyell Marshall, as awkward as that sounds. He had 3 triples, the biggest of which tied the game up with less than a minute to play. And I forgot to mention that the Magic were up 18 late into this game. I stopped watching around then so I don't know how they lost it, but they completely blew that lead. It was toe-to-toe of the last 2-3 minutes of that game. After a loss like that, Orlando should wake up and beat Philly down. But the 76ers have proven they aren't a joke.

Celtics 118, Bulls 115
Unfortunately I spent most of this game in class. Late classes are just as bad as early class, except you miss good television as well as being extremely fatigued. Class actually went well despite my group being unprepared. When in doubt, throw the guy who isn't there under the bus. And keep backing up over him.

Back to the game, the Bulls once again scared the Celtics. Ray Allen was dead until he went to the locker room, popped in a VHS of He Got Game, and came out in the 2nd half as Jesus Shuttlesworth. That man was on fire, 28 points in a half is impressive. And the most impressive thing about the performance, it took some attention off the fact that he was getting absolutely flamed on defense. Ben Gordon was hitting almost everything he put up, and went toe-to-toe with Allen. That three at the end for "Jesus" was beautiful.

Not good news for the Celtics that they didn't look like the home team or the defending champs at any point during these first 2 games. You know the United Center (I think that's the name) is going to be rocking because these Bulls fans think they have a chance. And they are more than right. Leon Powe is now out with ACL tear, so the Celtics have to rely on Mikki Moore as a backup big man. As Bernie Mack said in Playa's Club "It's bout to be some trouble, trouble."

Spurs 105, Mavericks 84
I didn't watch this game. It was a blowout from the beginning. At no point during the game did the Mavericks consider stopping Tony Parker. He was just walking to the hole. Nothing else to say. I got finals to study for.

40(-4) Games in 40(-1) Nights

2009-04-19T13:40:00.003-04:00

40 Games in 40 Nights is TNT's motto for the NBA playoffs. Well even though no games have come on TNT yet, 4 games are over and 1 night of the NBA playoffs is done. A quick run-down of each game:

Bulls 105, Celtics 103 - OT
Who knew that the first game of the NBA Playoffs in 2009 would be a duel between Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose? And that Tyrus Thomas' jumper would be the reason the Bulls upset the Celtics in overtime? Amazing game, by far the best of the day. Derrick Rose looked like a future superstar, even if the announcers kept pounding the fact that he was a rookie down the views throat, to the point where it became counter-productive. It's great to give his amazing performance the proper perspective (36 points, 10 assists is disgusting), but stop saying the same sentence. He absolutely dominated that game though, and got wherever he wanted to on the court. He's going to have a great series, but he can't stop Rondo either, making for an interesting match-up.

The big news for the Celtics was Ray Allen's seeming annual disappearing act in the playoffs. 1-12? That last shot had no chance, I knew it was off when it left his hands. Pierce missing a FT that would have gave them the lead and likely the game was not a good look. Noah's foul was horrendous, and he got bailed out by PP choking.

Even though the Bulls took this one, I don't think the Celtics are in too much trouble. Ray Allen should hit more than one shot in a game, and Derrick Rose isn't likely to sustain such an amazing level of play. I've always thought the Bulls would make this a series, but the Celtics should win this one in 6.

Cavaliers 102, Pistons 84
The Cavaliers are arguably the best team in the league. The Pistons are arguably the most disappointing team in the league. This really wasn't a game, or a series worth watching. LeBron is going to destroy and bury Detroit. Hell, Mo Williams might destroy and bury Detroit. I'd be surprised if one of these games is even competitive, the Pistons are a shell of their former selves. I love Rasheed going down low and abusing Joe Smith, then hanging out near the perimeter when he apparently got tired of being a big man.

The Cavs already have their brooms ready. This is not a series.

Mavericks 105, Spurs 97
The Mavericks are my upset pick of the first round. After years of woefully underachieving, it's about time they overachieve. With the Spurs' age and lack of Ginobili, I think it ends here. I just don't think they have what it takes anymore. Tony Parker and Tim Duncan still have match-up advantages, but the X-factor of the series is Josh Howard. With no Ginobili, the Spurs have no swingman that can match his output. You get a good series from Josh Howard, I'm confident you will get a Mavericks victory.

I'm taking the Mavs in 6.

Rockets 108, Trailblazers 81
I think playoff "experience" is the most overrated thing that will be pounded into the viewers heads over the next 2 months. But in the case of this series, it may mean something. The Blazers didn't look like they belonged on the floor with the Rockets at any point during this game. Yao just dominated, and even Aaron Brooks was putting in work. The problem the Rockets will run into either in this series or sometime down the line, is their lack of a real closer. You can dump it in to Yao for points down the stretch, but when the D locks down on that, what perimeter player can you rely on to get you points or get to the line? Ron Artest? I don't think so. I still think the best sub-plot for their playoff run is possibly making it out of the 1st round without T-Mac. I think you'd almost have to trade him then.

As for the Blazers, they need to wake up and get into this series. Roy and Aldridge need to have coming out parties, and Rudy needs to provide some key 3 point shooting. They are such a "deep" team, you'd think someone will step up. Travis Outlaw is going to have to play well, since he opens up things for everyone else on the floor when he can hit that 18 foot jumper.

I took the Blazers in 7, but I'm not so sure anymore.

Now, time to watch the Lakers "game".

James White Update

2009-04-09T14:32:00.002-04:00

Little late on this one but.....

HOUSTON -- The Houston Rockets have signed guard James White to a multiyear contract.

The 6-foot-7 White originally signed a 10-day contract with the Rockets on March 3, then signed a second 10-day contract on March 13. He signed his new deal Tuesday.

White had been playing in the NBA's developmental league for the Anaheim Arsenal, where he averaged 25.9 points, five rebounds and 2.5 assists in 34 games.

He's played one game for Houston, scoring five points with an assist and a steal in the Rockets' 107-88 win over Minnesota on Friday.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

From reading Paul Shirley's hilarious book, Can I Keep My Jersey?, I know multi-year means nothing. It's unlikely they gave him a guarenteed contract, just something so he can play in Summer League for them and they can get a closer look. I've always been a fan of his, since the McDonald's All American Dunk Contest way back. He never really lived up to his potential, but hopefully he can stick around in the league for at least another season.

James White in the D-League Dunk Contest this past year:

Do You Like Fish Sticks?

2009-04-09T04:11:00.006-04:00

Do you like fish sticks?
Do you like to put them in your mouth?

If your answer to both of the questions above is yes, have you ever considered that you may be a gay fish?

Or at least that's what South Park would like you to believe. That's basically the premise around the new episode is a joke created by Jimmy and Cartman (kind of). They do a great job poking fun at Carlos Mencia's tendency to steal jokes (and inability to be funny) and satirizing Kanye West's recent antics over the last year. The cartoon Rockwell haircut is spot on. They even get his crew to look as ridiculous as they do in the photo up top. World Star Hip Hop has video up of all the Kanye scenes, with the story line set-up at the beginning.

Kanye West on South Park

I Missed The Madness

2009-04-01T03:14:00.002-04:00

Oh I've been watching the tournament, just not blogging about it. Because I'm that lazy. Yeah.

I can say I'm rooting for Michigan State at this point, considering both my parents attended and all of my brackets are completely and utterly destroyed.

To Tweet or Not To Tweet?

2009-03-18T23:23:00.006-04:00

By now, everyone knows about Twitter. It is taking over pop culture, with it's membership ranging from "the kid next door" to Shaquille O'Neal. Even Diddy used it to inform the world of his tantric sex sessions. Even the extremely popular social networking website Facebook has redesigned to give it a more Twitter-esque feel (Bad move Facebook).

Add Milwaukee Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva (better known in the Twitterverse as @CV31) to the list of famous Twitter users. CV sent this "tweet" out during halftime of the recent Bucks/Celtics match-up:

In da locker room, snuck to post my twitt. We're playing the Celtics, tie ball game at da half. Coach wants more toughness. I gotta step up.
10:17 AM Mar 15th from TwitterBerry

Seems innocent enough. I'd call 15 points in the 2nd half against the Boston Celtics in route to a victory stepping it up. Of course with a coach like Scott Skiles, it is unlikely Villanueva will do it again. Though there was no formal action taken against CV, Skiles was quoted in the AP saying, "My personal opinion is, it doesn't have any place in the locker room". That's a relatively mild response from Skiles, this is the same guy that banned headbands as the coach of Chicago.

I only bring this up because I find Twitter slightly strange. It's essentially a bunch of random updates about peoples lives, mixed with what I'd call public text messaging. It's weird that we have gotten to a point where an NBA player would sneak to post an update during an actual game, but that's the nature of Twitter. Knowing exactly what someone is thinking at random points during the day. I can't lie, I enjoy following some celebs on Twitter. Phonte' of Little Brother is hilarious. I don't know where this phenomenon will end up going, but I do know someone needs to get Shaq a bigger keyboard.

Shaq's fingers + Blackberry keys = Spell Check's worst nightmare.

Ya Heard? Probably Not.

2009-03-17T23:37:00.007-04:00

The ranking of post-season college basketball tournaments for Division I schools goes something like this:

1. NCAA Tournament
2. NIT
3. Women's NCAA Tournament
4. College Basketball Invitational
5. WNIT
6. CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament

Luckily for me, Oakland just happens to have teams in the latter two. Today there was a home game where the Grizzlies took on Kent State in a tournament I've never heard of for a website I didn't know existed. I figure I should give a quick recap.

----

Oakland came out of the gate completely flat. Aside from Keith Benson dunking on someone something vicious, they looked like they didn't want to be out there. Maybe it was hangover from letting an NCAA tournament berth slip through their fingers, but none of the players really looked like they cared what was going on. Players were just starring at loose balls and making dumb decisions. Kent State's half-court trap was rather effective, but the 2nd half proved it could be broken.

Their lack of effort was really evident for about the last 3 minutes of the 1st half, where they just let a 4 point game balloon into a 27-40 half time deficit with very little resistance.

The reality of the situation must have set in for the players at halftime, because they came out focused. After giving up 2 free throws, the Grizzlies went on a 20-4 run. Much of that was due to more effective ball movement, and Eric Kangas hitting 3 triples. In fact, Kent State's 4 points in that came off of a beautiful 4-point play by guard Tyree Evans, or "Agent Zero" as someone sitting near me in the stands affectionately called him. It fits pretty well given his number and his propensity to launch a shot just about as soon as he catches it.

Right after that run, Kent State hit a three pointer to take their last lead of the game. Oakland quickly responded and it was pretty much a wrap from then on. The energy in the building was crazy, I've never seen it that hype. Senior, and often team firecracker, Dan Waterstradt wrapped up a rebound getting the Grizzlies possession on a jump ball then randomly let out an emotional yell. If there was one moment that symbolized Oakland's mentality in the 2nd half, it was that. Mind you I laughed because it was completely random, but his team rallied around him. The crowd also rallied around the team for the entire half. The O'Rena was far from packed, but I have never seen it that emotionally invested in a game. The severity of the moment was not lost upon them. For the maybe 1000 people in attendance, the place was rocking! I wish all Oakland games were like that.

Now the Grizzlies go on to play a team to be determined later in a location to be determined later on Monday. This is normally where I'd put up a bracket, but none exists. Just as the gimmick for the CBI is the 3 game series to determine it's champion (Terrible Idea), the CIPT (?) reseeds after every round. That's a better idea than the CBI, and works for a small tournament since it rewards the better teams with home court, but let's hope they'd never consider that in the NCAA's. It'd ruin it completely.

Tomorrow, we tackle the "real" tournament.

This Time With More Positivity

2009-03-12T01:10:00.002-04:00

Not much to say today so I figured I'd post a video of someone getting their legs taken from underneath them.

That's just sick. Another one, not so devastating but still get's results.

Deron Williams is the second best point guard in the league, and he still hasn't made an All Star Team? Next year, let's fix that.

Noooooooooooooooooo

2009-03-10T22:02:00.004-04:00

In 3 years as an Oakland student:

-I took an L because I pay to attend this wack school.
-I took an L because I never transferred.
-I had to watch the Men's and Women's basketball teams lose to Oral Roberts in the Conference Finals in 2007.
-I just had to watch both the Men and Women blow 10 point leads to teams from Dakota. DAKOTA. Both North AND South. This is disgusting.

I just have to deal with the fact that the program is nothing but empty promises and broken dreams. Of course they look great for next year, but they will find a way to blow it. They always do.

This is how I feel right now:
http://darthno.ytmnd.com/

Go Grizzlies!

2009-03-10T02:52:00.004-04:00

It's not often I big up Oakland. The school has mad flaws, including a lack of social events sponsored by any student body. I need to change that, it's not that hard. This is coming from the guy who spends most of his time in his dorm. All of that is irrelevant now. For the 2nd time since I've been here, both the men's and women's basketball teams have made it to the conference championship.

The men will be taking on North Dakota State (Regular Season Conference Champs) at 8pm on ESPN2. Should be a good game, hopefully Oakland can keep Woodside and Winkleman in check. Woodside hasn't really lit up the Grizzlies like he has other teams, and Jonathon Jones is definitely talented enough to outplay him. Kangas' injury will be big, the team definitely needs his outside shooting unless freshman like Kush and Maynard can step it up. I think if they can get the ball down low to Keith Benson early and he's hitting shots, they will be tough to beat. A big game from Will Hudson or Dan Waterstradt would go a long way to a tournament appearance.

On the other side of things, the women will be taking on the national ranked (#14) South Dakota State. Like the men in their match-up, they split their regular season meetings giving SDSU one of it's two losses. I can't sit hear and analyze the game, but I didn't catch any women's games this year.

I'm hoping it doesn't turn out like it did last time, with both teams getting sent home by Oral Roberts. We can't be getting sent home by the Dakota's, that's just not "whoa". I think at least one team will pull it out, my money is on the men.

GO GRIZZLIES!

Unmotivated...AGAIN

2009-03-04T04:09:00.002-05:00

You'd think break would motivate me to restart the rest of the school year. Not at all. I haven't been excited in a minute.

Well, Watchmen coming out this weekend excites me. That's about all I can think right now. It's like 4am anyway, I just like to blog to make it seem like I accomplished something tonight. Homework definitely wasn't one of them. At some point, I'm going to have to develop a work ethic. Might help my sleeping patterns.

Hopefully I'll put some more stuff up here soon. I want to actually have a 20 post month. I don't know if I have the content to do it, but I'll try.

I do a radio show that no one knows about on a station no one listens to and a blog that no one cares about and few people know exists. If I'm trying to get attention, I'm failing miserably.

Who Doesn't Love Snacks & Shhh

2009-02-25T23:22:00.001-05:00

http://www.snacksandshit.com/

Found this link snooping around Facebook/Twitter (something I should touch on later). Really funny site taking completely absurd rap lyrics and rightfully questioning what the hell the artist was thinking when he said them. The quips under the lyrics are just as funny. Hopefully they keep updating that site, mad potential!

Larry Hughes Welcomed With Boos

2009-02-24T03:10:00.003-05:00

If you didn't pay attention to the very disappointing NBA Trade Deadline (which mirrored my weekend, tons of potential that never materialized), one of this blog's favorite players was traded. That's right, the Bulls found a taker for Larry Hughes and sent him packing to New York. Of course his debut for the NY 2010ers was fantastic....

Mixtape Review - So Far Gone

2009-02-19T22:55:00.004-05:00

1. Lust For Life
2. Houstatlantavegas
3. Successful feat. Trey Songz & Lil' Wayne.
4. Lets Call It Off feat. Peter Bjorn & John
5. November 18th Produced by DJ Screw
6. Ignant Shit feat. Lil' Wayne Produced by Just Blaze
7. A Night Off feat. Lloyd
8. Say What's Real Produced by Kanye West
9. Little Bit feat. Lykke Li
10. Best I Ever Had Produced by Boi-1da
11. Unstoppable feat. Santogold & Lil' Wayne Produced by Diplo
12. Uptown feat Bun B & Lil' Wayne Produced by Boi-1da, Northern Profit
13. Sooner Than Later Produced by D10
14. Bria's Interlude feat. Omarion
15. The Calm
16. Outro
17. Brand New Produced by D10

Drake, if you didn't already know, has had the internet buzzing with his latest mixtape release So Far Gone. Given the hype, I had to check it out. And for what it is, it does not disappoint. Much if his style is that of a rapper/singer with immense commercial appeal. Unlike a Chamillionaire, his singing voice is actually bearable and he can make quality R&B tracks.

If you just look at the track list, you can see the frequent partnership with Lil Wayne. He's been closely linked, although not signed to, Lil Wayne's Young Money imprint and you can hear Wayne's influence in the way he raps. It's actually not a bad thing. Wayne is more than solid in each song he's featured in, including two of my favorites, Successful and Uptown. Successful is an aptly titled chill track with Trey Songz assisting quite nicely on the chorus. And the way Wayne comes in after the song fades out is kind of cold. Uptown is Drake's southern-esque track featuring Wayne and Bun-B, accompanied by an organ heavy beat.

My other favorite tracks on this mixtape include November 18th (His ode to Houston/Chopped & Screwed records), Say Whats Real (Him ripping over the Kanye Song), and Best I've Ever Had (An amazing chick song that would actually have crazy single potential). Recently the latter is the song I'm feeling the most, maybe it's the Spring time.

So Far Gone is a great mixtape to just cruise to, it have a very chill vibe to it. Drake definitely benefits from some album quality production. This is one of those CDs you can play in the car with your boys, or more appropriately, when entertaining a breezy. Drake has slowly made me a fan, and I'm almost positive he's going to blow up when his debut album drops. Especially if his mixtapes are this quality.

Grade: 4/5

Nothing Much Here

2009-02-04T23:25:00.003-05:00

"You got to score da ball to win da game!"

-I was almost disappointed in the Super Bowl, but the 4th quarter was amazing. Very exciting, great pass by Big Ben and great catch by Santonio Holmes. I almost felt bad for Arizona, but I'll take my +.500 record in these playoffs and get over it.

-LeBron James and Kobe Bryant have officially made the New York Knicks the team that you go for 50 on, at their place. MSG may be still referred to as the "Mecca of Basketball", but they better get used to a lack of defense. It will all work itself out at some point, but remember the Suns never got over that hump because they couldn't make key stops.

-Editing music is not the most exciting thing to do in the world. Especially when an artist doesn't cuss often, but just likes saying the N-word. And it's not Narnia.

Oh, and editing out the "Diddy's" are the worst. The ad-lib profanity is always in the middle of the verse and never sounds right when it is edited out.

-Valentine's Day falls on All-Star Saturday. Hmmm. I know which one of those I will be enjoying already.

-Random Curren$y track:
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=53293997055&h=8E1Re&u=wwONr

Fire. This song actually has single potential. Well, aside from the fact that it is Curren$y.

-I started writing this with a purpose, I no longer have one.

P.S. Michael Curry still sucks.

My Super Bowl Picks

2009-02-01T16:56:00.002-05:00

Brothers from another

Playoff Record: 5-5

I'm taking the Steelers. There are plenty of reasons why, the defense, the lack of belief in the Cardinals, Ben Roethlisberger's winning history, Omar Epps as the coach. But the most importantly, my mom likes them. And like D-Wade says, if my mama like it, I like it.

Steelers 28 Cardinals 21

Pistons
Losses to the Celtics and just recently the Cavs. Yeah, they aren't a good team anymore. Nothing else I need say on this situation. Blowing a 4th quarter lead with LeBron on the bench because you refuse to close out on Danielle Gibson (aka Damon Jones 2.0) and can't guard a pick and roll is inexcusable. Nice to see Mike Curry finish the game with a completely different line-up each time. I just want him to do something smart once.

Me in the Studio

2009-01-31T11:57:00.002-05:00

Being a radio DJ is fun.

Peep the new template son, it looks nice.

Late Picks...

2009-01-18T15:20:00.003-05:00

Mid-Day nap so refreshing.

Anyway on the radio I picked Philly over Arizona and Pittsburgh over Baltimore. Of course Philly is already losing right now, but that nice statistic that says teams that score for are 2-6 makes me feel better.

Then again, I'm 4-4 with my picks so far going .500 each round. That probably won't change.

In Other News...

The Pistons are terrible since Richard Hamilton came back and they went to small ball. Starting a 4th quarter letting the Thunder score 13 unanswered is kind of bad. Letting the Hornets score 9 straight in the same situation in your next game is just sad. 0-4 since the return of Rip and Small Ball. It obviously works.

I thought Curry was hired because the players respected him. Given the way RaShooting Guard and Rip don't always bring their A games, or his complete unwillingness to make the big decision (Rip or A.I. off the bench) what is that respect really worth? Maybe they have good locker room conversations or something. It's disgusting.

Well There You Have It

2009-01-14T00:17:00.002-05:00

Charlotte 80
Detroit 78

There you have it. Do the right thing!

How Could You Be So Heartless?

2009-01-13T15:58:00.003-05:00

Michael Curry: Richard Hamilton, Allen Iverson both to start tonight vs. Charlotte Bobcats
by A. Sherrod Blakely
Tuesday January 13, 2009, 12:43 PM

The biggest question facing Detroit Pistons coach Michael Curry has been about how he would handle Richard Hamilton's return to action.

Would Hamilton keep his pre-injury spot in the starting lineup? Or would Allen Iverson keep starting alongside Rodney Stuckey?

Well, contrary to recent speculation, it's going to be both, Curry said at practice today. At least for now.

Hamilton, who has been sidelined for eight games due to a partial groin tear, will finally be back on the floor tonight for the 7:30 p.m. tip against the Charlotte Bobcats, who are led by former Pistons coach Larry Brown.

Because of comments made by Hamilton to the Detroit media that he was unwilling to come off of the bench, many saw the shooting guard's return as a potential land mine for the Pistons and the continuity they achieved during their recently snapped seven-game winning streak.

My fears about the Pistons have been confirmed. Michael Curry is a mediocre coach who is more concerned with keeping his players happy than making the tough decision that puts the Pistons in the best situation to win. They won 7 straight games without Rip in the line-up, I don't think that is a coincidence. It's not that Richard Hamilton is the problem, but small ball just doesn't work for this team. When you think a textbook shooting guard, Rip is one of the guys that comes to mind. He has no business at SF, he will get handled defensively. And Tayshaun as a 4 just takes away the advantage of his length and allows him to become a liability to get posted up against teams with interior scoring.

Rip came out Saturday and said there was no chance that he came off the bench, and I actually agree he shouldn't. The answer should be to try to convince Iverson to come off the bench. Unlike Hamilton, A.I. can actually set players up and can carry a team offensively if they want to run a defensive line-up with guys like Aaron Afflalo in the game. It gives the Pistons a dynamic bench player unmatched by anyone the Celtics, Magic, Cavaliers, or Hawks can trot out. The problem is convincing him to come off the bench. A good coach knows how to balance a 3 guard line-up and still get each around 30 minutes a game. I fear Michael Curry isn't that coach, and that he will ultimately fail like Flip Saunders before him.
-----
My reaction to the return of small ball and the complete medicrity of my playoff picks can be summed up in one moment with Jake Delhomme:

Back in the USA

2009-01-10T18:56:00.002-05:00

I made these picks earlier in the car with a friend who can vouch for me. I may be posting this as the Ravens are at Tennessee's goal line with the game tied 7-7, but I assure you (my make believe readers) that I picked these at a Sunoco gas station.

Divisional Round Picks
Ravens over Titans
Panthers over Cardinals
Giants over Eagles
Steelers over Chargers

Oh, nice job by featuring Matt Millen as an analyst last week NBC. I do remember that he was considered the replacement to John Madden before he butchered the Lions, but O.J. Simpson was considered by some to be the greatest running back then he "allegedly" killed two people. No one wanted anything to do with him after that.

I'm not saying Millen (I can't think of a word that accurately describes killing a franchise over the span of 8 years) is in the same class as a murder, but I am.

Rambling

2009-01-08T05:18:00.004-05:00

-Pistons lost today. I think Rip is secretly happy, because they look better without him. Most likely because Mike Curry is forced to use a line-up that doesn't involve Rip or Iverson on the bench.

-I went 2-2 on my playoff picks, sad. I really wanted to act like I knew what I was talking about, but I don't think anyone saw Darren Sproles coming.

-Oklahoma/Florida tonight. I don't like Florida. I think it's the "Tebow is the hardest working player ever" crap you get from ESPN. I know he's supposedly a great kid, but how about the random walk-on who made some major conference team who wasn't born with such physical attributes as Tebow? I'd reckon he had to work harder.

Florida probably will win, I will be sad.

-Ohio State lost another bowl game. They take more L's than I do. Self depreciating humor. Fun.

-It's 5:21am and I have no interest in doing anything right now. I have 5 hour old chicken sitting on my desk though, I might want to throw it away. But I haven't gotten out of this chair in a couple of hours.

-Best cure for insomnia = Youtube. Where else would I go from listening to Shyne to Steve Wonder?

-Attractive women =/= Engineering students at Oakland. Someone please prove me wrong.

-For no particular reason, I'm listening to this song. Reminds me of high school.

-After disgracing my race with that atrocious attempt at a dunk on Youtube, I have discovered if I just run up from the baseline (or wing) I dunk 3x easier. Not really sure why, but I now need to try this out in a pick-up game.

-Andre 3000 is an AMAZING MC. Like, really good. I say that just in case you didn't catch the amazing.

-Nothing more to say.

Transmission over.

New Year, New Name

2009-01-03T14:45:00.002-05:00

Larry Hughes' Contract Year is now "The Contract Year". It's a much better name, and it's unfair to single out Larry Hughes. How can we forget such players like:

Mike James
Jerome James
Tim Thomas (about 3 times)
Shaun Alexander
Simeon Rice

I'd have more, but I'm drawing a blank right now. That's unfortunate. But they will not be forgotten or overlooked.

NFL Playoff Picks
Colts over Chargers
Ravens over Dolphins
Vikings over Eagles
Cardinals over Falcons

Blog redesign coming when I decide not to be lazy.

0-16

2008-12-28T16:20:00.002-05:00

Matt Millen, kill yourself you worthless piece of ____.

Merry **********ing Christmas

2008-12-24T22:34:00.000-05:00

Have a good holiday world.

This isn't really all that impressive

2008-12-23T13:19:00.001-05:00

But hey, it's something.

Not much to say lately. I am now a radio host, which is both frightening and exciting.

Andre Miller Welcomes Us To December

2008-12-01T03:16:00.003-05:00

Damn. Rose has no respect for his elders.

Don't look now, but Devin Harris is the best point guard in the East. That's right, in the entire conference. Avery Johnson and Mark Cuban can't be feeling too good. He just put 47 points, 8 assists, and 7 rebounds on the team supposedly known as the Suns. Kid is serious. Also, why are the Suns running their offense through a declining 36 year old big man? Just wondering....

Pistons are 6-6 with Iverson and 0-4 on Sundays. This team is just not there. I still say give it some time, but I'm losing hope. The offense looks non-existent at times, no one wants to move.

I'm trying to think of a reason why the Lakers won't win 70+ games this year. After an hour of thinking, the only thing I can come up with is Lamar Odom.

Larry Hughes hit a game winning shot

2008-11-25T00:15:00.002-05:00

And now I basically feel like I can try anything and succeed.

It's not that I'm a hater (an overused term by people who are desperate to feel important), but it's just Larry Hughes.

More Hamiltonilization:

Youle!

2008-11-19T00:55:00.000-05:00

I have nothing important to say. I am 20 now. Congratulations self.

Yup

2008-11-10T14:52:00.003-05:00

Barack Obama was elected as the 44th president of the United States. Change in the white house! But it will be interesting to watch when people realize he's a politician. Broken promises are going to happen. Nothing's going to be more important than stabilizing the economy, so certain things won't happen. Hopefully he can do a good job. There is a certain group of people thinking his presidency will mean he's going to help them. I doubt it's going to be the case.

His election takes an excuse away from some Black folk who like to say they can't do this and that because they are Black. A Black president won't solve the problems of Black people, but hopefully it'll motivate them to actually do something purposeful with their lives, stop claiming some low income neighborhood, and make it so your children are in a position to succeed, not going through the same issues you had.

Allen Iverson is now on the Pistons. So far, so good. 0-2, going into a West Coast Road Trip. Someone needs to tell Rasheed he's 6'11", because 8 threes won't cut it. Against Boston mind you. Stuckey has been getting toasted on defense, it's embarrassing. But I'm willing to give this team a chance. The old starting line-up with Chauncey ranks 2nd in NBA history amongst games played together in the same starting line-up. It was about 5 years. And Iverson is a shocking change from Mr. I Haven't Hit A Big Shot in 3 Years. They need time to gel, and they'll be fine. They won't win the championship though, so I guess that's a failure in most Pistons fans eyes.

Big things possibly going on with me this week. We'll see, and hopefully I have good news to report next week. Otherwise I won't mention it at all.

Michigan Voter Guide for November 4th

2008-11-03T12:25:00.003-05:00

This is a monumental election not just because of who is involved, but because of the times we are in. The economy, the future of the war in Iraq, tax plans, health care, etc. 98% of eligible Michigan voters are registered to vote according to The Detroit News. (1) That's an amazing statistic, but it doesn't stop there. We got to get out to the polls and make informed choices. Hopefully you are already aware of all these issues, but just in case I wanted to get this all out there.

Presidential Election
Obviously this is the biggest thing on the ballot. Democrat, Republican, or other? First minority Presidential Elect, first female Vice President, or Bob Barr? It doesn't matter which way you vote, just that you vote and do so for good reason. Not because you've let campaign fearmongering get to your head. Vote for the issues, not the appearances. Most of all, vote for yourself.

Some good sites to get you more caught up on some of the issues are:
http://www.factcheck.org/
http://detroit.about.com/od/governmentpolitics/tp/DetroitMichiganIssuesJobsTrade.htm

Proposals

STATE OF MICHIGAN
STATEWIDE BALLOT PROPOSAL STATUS
NOVEMBER 4, 2008 GENERAL ELECTION
STATEWIDE PROPOSALS QUALIFIED TO APPEAR ON NOVEMBER 4, 2008
GENERAL ELECTION BALLOT
COALITION FOR COMPASSIONATE CARE: Initiative petition approved as to form June 6, 2007; signatures filed November 20, 2007; petition determined sufficient March 3, 2008; proposal language certified to State Legislature March 3, 2008; 40-day consideration period reserved for State Legislature elapsed April 12, 2008.
Purpose: Legislative initiative to allow under state law the medical use of marihuana.
Contact: Michigan Coalition for Compassionate Care, P.O. Box 20489, Ferndale,
Michigan 48220. Dianne Byrum (517) 333-1606.
STEM CELL RESEARCH: Initiative petition approved as to form February 4, 2008; signatures filed July 7, 2008; petition determined sufficient August 21, 2008.
Purpose: Proposed constitutional amendment to permit with certain limitations stem cell research in Michigan.
Contact: Stem Cell Research BQC, P.O. Box 20216, Lansing, Michigan 48901. Mark Burton (517) 974-4004.

(2)

Proposal 1
I encourage you to read the full language in link 2 provided below, but a basic summary is that the proposal would allow medicinal marijuana use for patients with severe illnesses and absolve their doctors from charges to prescribing it.

About.com provides some great insight on it here (http://detroit.about.com/od/governmentpolitics/a/marijuana.htm?once=true&), including these important tidbits:

# The statute only protects medicinal use of marijuana from Michigan criminal laws, not Federal prosecution.

# Legalizing marijuana for medical or recreational use opens up the state’s ability to regulate it in terms of purity and strength. It can also then be taxed.

Proposal 2

The Embryonic Stem Cell Research proposal. This is a sticky issue, especially for the religious bunch. This proposal would basically allow Embryonic Stem Cell Research and absolve it from local and state regulation. You can get a right-wing perspective on this bill here (http://inkslwc.wordpress.com/2008/09/18/michigan-ballot-for-2008-proposal-2-stem-cell-research/) which also addresses some of the issues the more religious of us may have. A key fact from About.com:

The slippery slope argument regarding embryonic stem cell research is taken to an extreme by the main opponent to the proposal, Michigan Citizens Against Unrestricted Science & Experimentation (MiCAUSE). The group argues that opening the door to embryonic stem cell research will ultimately lead to human cloning, animal/human hybrids and higher taxes, all consequences that fall outside of the actual language of Proposal 2. For instance, the “2 goes 2 far” television ads peppered on the air waves state that similar proposals in other states cost taxpayers shovels full of money. The ad is misleading because the states in question included state funding within their proposals while Michigan’s Proposal 2 does not.

(3)

I've seen those ads and they made me reconsider my stance of Prop 2, so I feel its important that we recognize there is no langauge in the Proposal that includes state funding.

State and Local Elections
I'm going to go out on a non-so-long limb and guess that not everyone is really up on the smaller elections going on. I will be the first to admit I need to read the very site I'm about to recommend.

Election 2008 Michigan Voter's Guide
This link will get you informed on all the smaller races, from state senate to the township. Check it out.

I hope someone reads this and learns something. If not, I learned something putting it together. Get out and vote people!

1. http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081023/POLITICS01/810230386
2. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Statewide_Bal_Prop_Status_145801_7.pdf
3. http://detroit.about.com/od/governmentpolitics/a/stem_cell_mi.htm

Larry Hughes Injured? Nooooo.

2008-10-29T01:22:00.003-04:00

That's a condescending "Nooooo" by the way.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:
October 24, 2008
BY BRIAN HANLEY bhanley@suntimes.com

Larry Hughes was optimistic Thursday he will be back well before the six-to-eight-week time frame he initially was given after dislocating his right shoulder in the Bulls' 85-75 victory Wednesday night at Minnesota.

''I'm pretty positive it won't take me that long to get back on the court,'' said Hughes, who was wearing a sling. ''It's kind of a weird thing the MRI looks as good as it does. It's really weird that it's not bothering me as much as it should or nothing's really showing up.''

Hughes said he will undergo a second MRI exam today in which dye is injected into the joint in hopes of getting a more clear picture of any damage.

''I'll know a little bit more [today], but I'm feeling pretty good right now,'' he said. ''The test [today] will show a little bit more in-depth of what's really going on.''

Hughes was injured when he and the Timberwolves' Mike Miller dived for a loose ball late in the third quarter.

''It was kind of a freak play because it wasn't really a high-impact collision or anything like that,'' Hughes said. ''It was more my body was going one way and my arm was pulled down the other way. It kind of slid rather than popped. That was a good thing because when it was put back in place, it kind of slid back in place.

''I've done everything that everybody's asked me to do as far as the MRIs and X-rays, taking the physical exam and all that. Right now it's just kind of sore, just feels like I need a couple days rest.''

This guy is made of glass. At least when it's not time to get paid.

On a more personal note, school sucks and there isn't much else going on with me. Plus I turn 20 soon. Ugh. Lots of regrets, small ones too. A lot of small ones.

ESPN's Page 2 Delivers

2008-10-21T17:16:00.000-04:00

They usually post some clever little comic on the home page of Page 2, but this one has to be the best I've seen in a while. I'm pissed I didn't think of it first. You can definitely say the same thing can be said about the Lions.

Or my flag football team, but that's a whole 'nother story.

The Diving Bell and The Procrastinating College Student

2008-10-16T01:51:00.002-04:00

I'm supposed to be writing a shot-analysis which is worth 20% of my grade in film, a class I need to help my GPA. Certainly my best grades aren't coming from Linear Algebra or Design and Analysis of Algorithms. I haven't typed a word yet. The paper is due at 10am. I also have an online quiz to do by 9am. Will I sleep? Stay tuned.

The film that is the subject of my paper is this incredible French film known in the US as "The Diving Bell and The Butterfly". It's an amazing true story, and instead of getting into it, I'll just advise you to see this movie one day. It's artsy, but it'll have an impact.

Mid-Term Season

2008-10-14T00:50:00.002-04:00

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

But on a positive note, that means it's Midnight Madness time. And that definitely gets a thumbs up from me.

I have nothing to talk about, I just want to blog more than 3 times a month.

Hey look, the NBA scoreboard works.

Greatest Call Ever (That doesn't involve Kevin Harlen, of course). Harlan is an amazing announcer, just amazing.

NBA: Grading The New Uniforms

2008-10-03T12:33:00.012-04:00

First off, MILLEN GOT FIRED. WOOO! WOOO! WOOO! But they are still the Lions.

Now Media Day 2008 recently passed in the NBA, which brought along some interesting photos and new uniforms. A few teams decided to go back to their 90's roots with stripes, others wanted to modernize their uniforms, while a team like Oklahoma City tries to discover an identity. They failed. Let's jump right into the grading of the league's newest uniforms.

Taking It Back

Both the Magic and the Hornets decided to go back to the 90's with the stripes look. Personally I love it. My favorite jerseys include the Magic back with Penny and Shaq, and the Bulls Black Away jerseys. It's a good look. But for some reason, it just looks a lot more natural on the Hornets jerseys. Plus Orlando's jerseys kind of curbs outwards towards the top rather than being straight. I also want to thank Dwight for the pseudo-inappropriate pose right there. He probably took more time practicing that than his FT's.

Orlando's Grade: B

This doesn't have anything to do with their uniforms, but I really like the Hornets as a team. I'll admit I never was high on David West, but Chris Paul has that man looking beastly. The stripes on the jersey are very well executed and bring back memories of the Charlotte days. They are by far my winner of the meaningless Media Day Jersey Battle.

Hornets' Grade: A+

The Upgrades

Two teams decided to update their uniforms this year. The Kings went with a very subtle change to the side of the jerseys, darkened the lettering, and changed their home jerseys to say "Sacramento" instead of "Kings". It's small, but the jerseys look slightly better. Many people won't get a chance to see them because Sacramento frankly isn't that good anymore. Kevin Martin is one of the better SGs in the league, and Francisco Garcia should have a break-out season with Artest gone, but this team won't be in the playoffs for another 2-3 years.

Kings' Grade: B-

Minnesota made a more drastic change to their uniforms getting rid of the black trim with the green trees and going with a more modern look. The best part about their old uniforms was the font, which they intelligently kept. These new jerseys remind me somewhat of those green Dallas alternate road jerseys, except they look better. I'm liking the large blue sky and tree trim. A big negative for these jerseys is the logo on the back of the shorts. Why do we need an a$$ logo? That's the dumbest thing I see with sports uniforms. Don't draw attention to that area, just let it be. Have we not learned from the Idaho situation (Google it)?

Timberwolves' Grade: B+ (Penalized for butt logo)

The New Kids on The Block

Why the hell did the New Kids on the Block come back? Were they needed?

That's besides the point. I referring of course to the Oklahoma City Thunder. So I guess Kevin Durant is a Thunder now? A Thunder. I got used to the Magic and the Heat, so I guess Thunder isn't so bad. I just wish they went with something that was plural. I'm just calling them OKC from now on.

I'm really starting to lose focus. It's probably because OKC's uniforms are very forgettable. The logo is weak too. I was really hoping they went with some of the Black & Gold designs that some fans created, not this half Bobcats half Knicks colorway they have going on. They look like those jerseys for the created teams on NBA 2K. I'm pretty sure there is a Thunder logo on there as well. These jerseys lack identity, appeal, or style. I'm interested to see how the away jerseys look, they can't get any worse.

~~Thunder's~~ OKC's Grade: D

And Just to Laugh

I'm Cooler Than That Yo

2008-09-29T03:14:00.004-04:00

The Cool Kids. Interesting pseudo-throwback rap group I love listening to. Their beats are always hot, and they have a unique style.

Check out their new song "2K Pennies" which is the main track on NBA 2k9 (A must cop):

And just to throw it back to my parent's time:

When LL was still relevant. At this point, he should move on. No more head like a sharks fin.

You know what, I'm on a roll. This song used to go hard, in like 6th grade or something:

*Yes, I'm continuing to pretend people actually read this*

Water: It's Good For Your Soul

2008-09-12T15:59:00.003-04:00

Today marks 3 weeks of me successfully drinking nothing but water. There is no real reason for this besides me proving to myself I have control over my diet, which I suppose makes me happy. Being in shape (at least somewhat) makes life a little bit more enjoyable, especially when the only thing you really seem to care about is sports.

My major goal last year was to dunk, so I spent a lot of my free time in the gym actually working out by lifting weights and doing Plyometrics. I am proud to say I can now dunk, but I'm greedy. I want it to come easy. Just off vert with no effort. 2 handed! So starting next week, I'll start another harder jumping program (courtesy of the Vertical Jump Bible...I highly recommend it). Should take 8 weeks.

My ultimate goal for this school year is to try to get a 36" vertical leap. That's a ridiculous goal honestly, especially since I'm far from a pro athlete (let alone a college one), but I'm gonna try like hell to get it. I didn't exactly come from a bloodline of super athletes, so maybe I can start the trend in my family.

School Isn't So bad

2008-09-10T00:57:00.001-04:00

But homework sucks.

This Week in Cheap: An Alternative to HDTV

2008-08-28T15:39:00.007-04:00

Technology is constantly changing, and one often affected (or effected. This always confuses me, especially in the summer) area is television. I remember back in the day with my old dial TV that I had to buy a converter for just so I could screw in the RF unit of my Sega Genesis. Now "High Definition" television is the wave of the future, displaying a vibrant and crisp picture that I must say is great for sports and action movies. It is definitely man-technology. But don't just throw away those 13" analog televisions away just yet, they actually have a great use.

Recently I discovered a cheap alternate to HDTV. It is temporary, but trust me it does work.

1. Find a television with an antenna.
2. Turn said television to that one channel that never comes in all the way. Usually channel 26 if you're in the Metro Detroit area.
3. Watch closely for about 15 minutes. You must not look away.
4. Run to your nearest cable television and notice how much more you appreciate the quality.

When timed right, you can enjoy all your favorite programs in high definition (for about 5 minutes). Go watch some good ole Public Access before the 4th quarter of the big game, or even the start of Gossip Girl. After that 5 minutes is up, just think of all the money you saved.

I hope to make this a weekly thing, spreading my frugality to the world!

I'm so unmotivated right now

2008-08-25T15:08:00.004-04:00

Toronto was great, check the facebook. Cleveland was as well, pictures also on the 'book.

I'm feeling much like Larry Hughes after he signs a contract extension. I'm unmotivated, suddenly getting injured, and my production isn't what it used to be. I gotta get out of this funk. Oak Park is as boring as I remember, I'm about to start doing some stuff I've missed out on this summer. I don't know what that means, but it sounds nice.

Woo. TeamUSA won. Dwight Howard depresses me, he's just big. I hate seeing big men refuse to use some kind of skill.

Shouts out to Brandon for leaving the first comment in the history of my blog. It's only been nearly a year.

New Blog Name

2008-08-13T16:58:00.000-04:00

The new blog name (and look) is dedicated to my favorite event in the past few years, Larry Hughes' contract year. For one season, a solid NBA starter evolves into a near All Star. Such an event needs celebration, and an obscure blog named after it.

I'll update with more soon. Almost out of Ohio. Here I come home!

I'm shrinking

2008-07-05T17:17:00.005-04:00

Michael Beasley, I feel your pain. I've been going around with the illusion in my head that I was barely 6' tall for quite some time. Come to find out, thats only true if I'm wearing shoes. Here are the results of my completely pointless personal physical test:

Height: (without shoes): 5'11"
Weight: 175-180lbs
Standing Reach: 7'11"
Standing Vertical Leap: 27.5"

On the bright side, only a select few people view this blog and I'm normally wearing shoes. I'm still 6' tall in my mind.

Live 2008 NBA Draft Blog

2008-06-26T19:22:00.039-04:00

Yahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Let's get this started. Interesting draft. Overrated big men like DeAndre Jordan, Javale McGee and Anthony Randolph are actually falling. Scouts are actually learning something, who would've thought.

Another deal went down before the draft, Richard Jefferson was sent to the Milwaukee Bucks for the 20/23 year old Yi Jianlian and the player formerly known as Bobby Simmons. He got paid and disappeared. Solid deal for Milwaukee, Jefferson can really do damage if he wants to. They definitely get a better team and Redd will get easier looks. He isn't a lead your team type of guy. I really have no opinion of the deal for the Nets. Until they start playing Sean Williams, I won't know what to think.

7:29PM (EST) - Apparently Rose is going first. Good choice for Chicago.

7:38 And the Chicago Bulls officially select Derrick Rose with the 1st pick in the draft. Can't really argue with this pick, they need a PG and he's about as can't miss as it gets for guards this year. He can finish at the rim which has become increasingly important in today's NBA, look at Tony Parker and Dwyane Wade. He can pass, but I don't think he'll ever be a 10 assist guy. I see a possible 20/7/5 type player.

Chicago might actually get good. They've been that young team that's supposed to have gotten over the hump by now. Now they have a PG that's worth a darn.

Oh nice, irrelevant footage of Rose and dumb questions. Good thing they kept Stuart Scott away from these guys. Derrick Rose sucks as a public speaker too.

7:45 Good to see Pat Riley isn't completely out of his mind. Beasley and Marion can work together, but will they stay together? I'm interested. The East is getting better, and I love it. Dumars, do something!

P.S. I love the mama interviews. They so proud!

7:49 O.J. Time. I really like his game. His defense has potential, and he has that great scoring mentality. He just needs to learn to pick his shots.

Nothing crazy yet...

7:51 It's about to get weird now. Seattle could change this draft around. I heard they are going to swap picks with the Clippers for 7. Hmmm...

7:55 Russell Westbrook? Hmmm. Interesting pick, he can definitely play defense. Can he really run a team as a PG?

Tip: Never watch the draft with a couple of chicks. Their analysis of the prospects is a little different than mine....

7:57 My sources tell me that Chris Wallace is going to trade this pick to the Lakers for Ronny Turiaf, a 2nd round pick, and a bag of Baked Lays. Disappointing as I'm sure he could get some Sun Chips in there somewhere...

8:02 Another UCLA player off the board, this time to the Grizzlies. He's skilled, but can he stop the faster breed of PF? I think he'll be one of those really solid starters that every team wants, but not a star. Kevin Love has that country strength.

8:04 The Garden is going to flip if they don't take Jerryd Bayless here. He's someone they know, he's talented, and he's not European. Good luck hearing Gallinari's name called over all the boos. He's really talented though, I think he'll be the best foreign guy since Manu. I'm betting the Knicks got Bayless, they need a guard. Bye Starbury.

8:07 And the Garden erupts in........

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO's. Welcome to New York Danilo. He can really do somethings in New York. He's been one of my favorite international players for a while.

8:10 I just realized the Grizzlies starting fowards are now named Gay and Love. I'm just saying...

8:15 Eric Gordon just got drafted by the Clippers at 7, but the important thing is that he "often visits the Bahama's to visit his family." Thanks ESPN, I really wondered about that.

8:18 I love how Marc Jackson says the Knicks would be better off drafting/building for now, not the future. Thanks for confirming why you aren't a coach in the league now. That strategy has worked out great for them the last 2 years, huh?

8:20 2008's workout wonder gets picked #8 by the Bucks. This is interesting, they just traded for a SF. Something is going on here, I just don't know what.

Thanks ESPN for letting us know he is the first player born in Thailand to be drafted in the NBA. ESPN consistently proves itself as your source for irrelevant statistics.

8:22 If Joe Alexander's nickname is really "Vanilla Sky", that would make my day. I like that. I like that a lot. Too bad he plays in Milwaukee, no one is going to see him sky anytime soon.

8:25 Either there is a trade going on, or Raymond Felton pissed someone off. Then again, no one ever accused Michael Jordan of drafting well. Lopez is a steal at 10 for the Nets, a highway robbery.

8:28 A friend of mine seems to think DJ is going to the Blazers. That would make some sense. Something has to be going on.

A lot of guards so far, maybe I was wrong. Are the big men underrated?

8:29 I never was a big fan of Jerryd Bayless, but why in the world is he slipping? Indiana is gonna take him in a heartbeat...if he lasts.

8:31 Okay, maybe Indiana doesn't take him. I forgot about TJ for for a minute. Too many nicknames.

I'm liking Lopez to the Nets, Brook that is. He's a good big man that can do some damage in the league, especially at #10. Typical NJ big man if you think about it because he isn't a great rebounder either. No one else rebounds on that team so maybe he'll luck into 9-10 a game?

8:35 Okay, ignore my last post. Bayless to Indiana happened. Great talent at #11, but what is his role on the team going to be? I don't even pretend to know. At least Tinsley will be gone. He is a massive underachiever.

8:42 Uh........................What?

8:44 It's not that I never heard of Jason Thompson, but you usually don't see the guy protected as the 1st round steal go in the lotto. They must really like him. How does he vibe with Hawes.

8:48 Brandon Rush is the Tayshaun Prince of this draft. He won't be a star player, just really solid. Good defender, good shooter, good teammate. Lets just hope he doesn't end up like his brothers...

Not to steal your material Fiyastater.com, but man he does look like Moesha's daddy.

8:53 I'm trying to figure out how Anthony Randolph and Brandan Wright could possibly co-exist on the court at the same time with Don Nelson as the coach. I just can't figure it out. Nellie hates big men. Randolph is a twig too, he barely weighs more than me. Maybe he can play SF, I've only caught him once on ESPN U 2 days ago.

Oh no, here comes Vitale.

8:56 Vitale is always babbling on about nothing. Man, shut up. Got to love him overrating every American player. Is anyone surprised that he's riding Kevin Love?

8:59 Robin Lopez went to the Suns. He's solid, pretty good defender. They really needed size and he should be a nice energy guy who can contribute immediately. I really hope he's not the Jarron to Brook's Jason. The Collins' brothers were enough.

9:02 Stephen A is magnificent. He usually always admits he knows little about prospects, so they just having him reporting rumors and interviewing players. That's why he's good. Solid journalist, but he networks like no other. Their is a preponderance of evidence to support my claims. He's MAG-NIF-A-CENT.

9:09 Don't really get the hype around Speights, and by hype I mean the guy at RealGM. Haven't seen much of him, but you gotta wonder about a guy who doesn't always bring it who doesn't have extreme talent to fall back on.

Roy Hibbert makes back up to the 17th pick, after destroying his stock this year. He's a talented big man, he just doesn't seem to play big against the teams he needs to. I remember the Davidson game. He was a scrub. Gives the Pacers a better center than Jeff Foster or Troy Murphy.

9:18 Blazers make another great move to get Jerryd Bayless. Man, Kevin Pritchard is a genius. The Blazers are going to be serious with Bayless. Him being a non-passing combo is kind of offset by the fact that Roy can push the ball too. Pacers get another PG and Brandon Rush. Rush is a nice "character" guy that they are trying to fill their team with, but did they really need another PG with Ford? Well, Tinsley leaving is still a great sign.

Oh yeah, the Wizards took another "soft" big man. They really need someone more rugged. McGee can block shots, but what else can he really do? They really need a big man to step up.

9:21 Cavs take JJ Hickson. Whatever. Pistons need to hurry, trade up, and get Darrell Arthur. NOW. DO IT DUMARS! DO IT!

9:27 A skinny 7 foot jump shooter. I don't trust this guy. I'm pretty sure he averaged 5 points in France.

9:30Once again, I really like Bayless to Portland. Situations really effect how a player develops, I think Portland is the right situation.

9:36 Dumars. Darrell Arthur. Dumars. Darrell Arthur. Dumars. Darrell Arthur. Dumars. Darrell Arthur. Dumars. Darrell Arthur. Dumars. Darrell Arthur. Dumars. Darrell Arthur. Dumars. Darrell Arthur.

10:15 Okay. Ryan Anderson. Solid player with solid talent. My roommate likes him, and he can shoot the ball. Very well. Courtney Lee at 22 is a solid pick for Orlando. Good to see those junior/senior players getting some love. They really needed a SG and Lee was solid at Western Kentucky. Koufos at 23 is an interesting pick when you have Memhut Okur. Serge Ibaka is a monster athlete, but his basketball experience is very limited. He has a pretty good ceiling, but doesn't this sound a lot like Saer Sene?

Houston taking Batum at #25 is a solid pick. He has potential to be a good defender and can finish around the rim. Funny they question his ability to lead, kind of like T-Mac. Spurs reach and take George Hill. I'm one of the few people that has actually heard of him and seen him play, and he killed Oakland in the Semi's. I never thought he was a first round talent though.

10:16 My roommate is arguing religion with me, ruining my blog. Thanks....

10:18 Seriously, he ruing my blog. Some people don't believe what you believe. DEAL WITH IT!

Anyway, The Hornets snag up Darrell Arthur as a mega steal at the end of the draft. I love that pick. Maybe there is some health concerns that I don't know about, but this pick looks solid. New Orleans is gonna be good for a long time. Grizzlies draft Donte Greene with the 28th spot. Solid, he would have been a much higher pick had he came back. The kid has game, he just needs to learn how to play better. I would've loved to see in him Detroit

10:19 Dumars on the clock. Late round magic again?

10:20 I'm guessing Walker and Chalmer close out this 1st round. Let's see...

10:23 DJ White? Ugh. Jason Maxiell, Amir Johnson, Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess, and now DJ White? He may be a solid player, but he doesn't really solve many issues. Taking a chance on DeAndre Jordan might have been something I liked, the Pistons really have no true Center. Disappointing pick.

10:28 DraftExpress is reporting Darrell Arthur has been sent to the Houston Rockets while the Blazers grabbed Nicolas Batum. Solid for both teams. Blazers get another athletic SF and the Rockets get some more height on their team. Could be a great addition for Houston, since DX is reporting Arthur slipped because of some erroneous physicals. Something weird. He's a top-15 talent, and a major steal this late.

10:30 DeAndre Jordan shouldn't have came out, and now his stock is tanking. TANKING.

10:35 Tough break for Jordan, Douglas-Roberts, and Chalmers here all falling into the 2nd round. As Dickie V said (as hard as it is to agree with him), they now have ample motivation and a chance to become great players in this league.

Word is DJ White is going to be moved for Seattle's 2 second rounders, #32 and 46 I believe. I like that.

10:40 I'm hearing Lee to the Bobcats for Raymond Felton. Makes a little more sense for Charlotee...I think.

I'm not going to pretend to know a lot about these 2nds, so random antidotes here and there are all I'm gonna contribute.

10:43 Who the hell is Walter Sharpe?!?!?! REALLY?

11:01 Still don't know who Sharpe is. That Knicks/Bobcats deal doesn't look too likely now, just another rumor I suppose.

Random Observation from a friend:
whats up with team's drafting twin players?
I AM HIBACHI: last spencer hawes for brad miller
I AM HIBACHI: this year anthony randolph for brandan wright
I AM HIBACHI: kosta koufos for mehmet okur

Good point. I like Jordan to the Clippers. Low risk pick for a 2nd rounder. If he turns out well, they look like geniuses.

11:08 Douglas-Roberts is finally off the board at #40 to the New Jersey Nets. Wow. I can't figure out why he slipped this far, I can't see the logic in taking a lot of the last 15 players over him. He's the player I think has the highest chance to be that 2nd round steal. He has a situation where he's going to get PT, he's a strong talent, and has the motivation to go with that Detroit upbringing. I'm loving this pick for the Nets.

This is my time to bow out though. Bayless to the Blazers I really like. Lopez and CD-R to the Nets make them come out like champs. I don't think anyone in the top 3 lost. I don't think Russ Westbrook will be a top 5-7 player in the draft despite being the 4th pick. DJ Augustin could go either way, I don't know what to think. I'm hyped for the Summer Camps now. I'll definitely be tuned in.

Thanks for all 4 people who read this. Certainly was an...experience.

Draft Time

2008-06-25T23:24:00.002-04:00

Ah, one of my favorite times of the year. College basketball meets pro ball for one night, and we get to make educated (for some) guesses about the future of a bunch of 19-24 year old tall guys who excel at either putting a ball into a 10 foot hoop, or stopping people from doing so. Such a beautiful exhibition of athleticism and finesse is the game of basketball, how can you not love it?

I'm guessing the draft order goes Rose, Beasley, Mayo, then all hell breaks loose. I was going to do a mock draft, but then again I'd just be making random guesses based on Nbadraft.net and Draft Express. A few trades will probably go down, much like last year. Earlier today the Pacers agreed to trade Jermaine O'Neal for T.J. Ford and the 17th pick. Solid trade for both sides really. One team is scared that their player might get seriously injured again, another is scared that their player won't get healthy again. The Raptors can really be a force is O'Neal returns to some semblance of his former self. With Bosh on the team, he no longer has that pressure to be "The Man". Kevin Garnett proved that can certainly help a player become more successful.

I'll have my eye on the Pistons. I'm glad to hear every Pistons starter in trade rumors, it shows Dumars is serious about breaking up part of this team. You can only succeed at failing for so long. Getting rid of a player like Rasheed Wallace could help, I really get tired of hearing what kind of player he can be. How about we realize the player he's been for the last 3 years? Chauncey Billups isn't even called Mr. Big Shot anymore because he hasn't done anything in the playoffs for the last 3 years. The Boston series might have been the best he's had in the Conference Finals since '04. I remember last year, he got dominated by Cleveland. Come on.

Hopefully I can do a nice little live draft blog tomorrow. I really have no reason to, I have about 1 reader and a few people that just realize I have a blog because it's linked to my Facebook. Regardless, it should be fun.
-----

Yes, I am still geek'd about Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and the rest of the Celtics getting that ring. I've been a fan of Garnett for as long as I can remember, and I was starting to give up hope on him. Minnesota got terrible, their games weren't on TV anymore, and he was heading down the road to being more like Charles Barkley than again being compared with Tim Duncan. A great team and one year later, he legitimately has a case as one of the top 20 players in NBA history. Not only that, but he squashed the criticisms about him not coming up big when it mattered and him not being a winner. Winning is as much a result of a player's talents as the talent of the players around him and how compatible their games are. KG is certified. ANYTHING IS POSSIBBBBBBBBBBLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! And of course, "SHOUT OUT TO MY MAMA BEATNUT!"

*Check my post from August 2nd, 2007. I called Rondo having a breakout season, and look what he did this year and in Game 6. Now just ignore the rest of that post once you read past Amir, who didn't really breakout but actually got meaningful PT.

There is no point in this guard

2008-06-23T13:56:00.008-04:00

Cleveland Rock'd!

2008-05-19T01:06:00.002-04:00

Yeah baby! Boston (finally!) advances to play the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. LeBron & Pierce went at it, too bad I missed most of it because I was at the movies with the fam watching Speed Racer (Really cool movie). KG was right, that better be on ESPN Classic this week. Hopefully I still get that channel. I want to right more, but I'm just so tired...

The Pistons are the hometown team that I grew up loving, and the Celtics have 2 of my favorite players on their team (Hint: Neither is Ray Allen). I'm really torn on this series, I'll be no matter the outcome. Given Boston's recent struggles, I'm not so sure they have a better chance than Detroit to beat the winner of the Western Conference (likely LA). It'd be nice to see another championship in the D, because that window is gonna close eventually. On the other hand, I'd love to see KG get a ring and get out of that Charles Barkley class of superstar. This should be a great series, too bad I won't get to catch a game because they scheduled Game 3 for Monday. Just great, Stern wants the playoffs on until July. I'm convinced.

Speaking of Cleveland, I will soon be residing there doing an internship. Thankfully I won't have to deal with that "Witness" non-sense, and can brag about the Pistons since they are still playing.

Random Note: It is no longer the Big 3. Ray Allen is not a superstar or border-line All Star. He's a glorified role player until proven otherwise. A spot-up jump shooting has-been. I don't say that because I don't like him, but he really disappeared this series. Boston kind of needs you.

Last Day of Work

2008-05-14T01:03:00.002-04:00

Finally done working at the Palace, on to bigger and better things. I enjoyed it, but I can safely say I am never looking to work in the restaurant field ever again. Just doesn't move me. I'll miss the food, and some other things, but mainly the food.

In other completely unrelated news, I hate the Cleveland Cavaliers. Considering where I will be going in a few weeks, that creates sort of a quagmire, but let's hope they'll be out of the playoffs by then.

NBA: Where The Playoffs Happen

2008-04-22T11:13:00.005-04:00

I'm a little late, but I'm going to do my little first round run down. Might even get a little insight into my early championship favorite.

#1 Boston Celtics V. #8 Atlanta Hawks
America finally gets a chance to watch the Hawks, a team that has been mediocre since the Mookie/Mutumbo days. Josh Smith is definitely a guy to watch, he's electric. Joe Johnson may be one of the most overlooked SGs in the league, and you can see why Al Horford will be a starter in the league for years and got some serious consideration for Rookie of the Year.

Now that I got that out the way, this isn't really a series. Boston isn't Detroit, they are too hungry to let Atlanta even think they have a chance to win this series. This will be quick and painless. Garnett is on a war path, and Atlanta is just a prelude.

Celtics in 4

#2 Detroit Pistons V. #7 Philadelphia 76ers
Match-up a surprising young, athletic team against a bunch of complacent underachievers, and you have trouble. The Detroit Pistons don't think the 76ers can beat them, and the 76ers don't care. Game 1 confirmed that. I didn't believe Philly had a chance in hell, until Sunday. This series will likely help serve as evidence why I don't have Detroit representing the Eastern Conference in the Finals. It's so frustrating because they play down to the level of their opponents, and they do it consistently. They've been complacent since 2005, and what have they done since? Listen to the post-game comments, do they sound concerned? Do they sound hungry? "We've been here before. We know what it takes to win in the playoffs." Really Chauncey? So when you got overconfident last year, and LeBron padded his resume on you, you didn't take notice. You come out and display that same attitude? The Pistons have been to the Eastern Conference Finals 5 times, been to the Finals twice, and only won once. In that span, they've swept a grand total of 1 team. But ask them, and I bet they think they are a dynasty. Their window of opporitunity closes this off-season, so championship or not, don't expect to see the same team back next year. Unfortunately this one isn't going to do much. Ever since they made the All Star team, it's been downhill from there.

So much credit to Philadelphia, for coming out and playing to win. They actually have some advantages (mainly effort and athleticism) and an underrated PG in Andre Miller. The worst thing you can let an underdog do is believe. The Pistons on the other hand, will probably escape this series rather than cruise through it. I'm starting to doubt whether they'll even beat Orlando.

Pistons in 6

#3 Orlando Magic V. #6 Toronto Raptors
I don't really have much to say about this series. Chris Bosh is good, but Dwight Howard is better. Jose Calderon and T.J. Ford are better than any of the Magic's guards, but Turkoglu and Lewis are a lot better than any of Toronto's non-Bosh players. The Raptors are another team that doesn't get any national TV love during the season, and they can be entertaining, but they just aren't that great of a team. They've been slumping lately and their former #1 Andrea Bargnani hasn't done much of anything this year. Talk about disappointing.

It is good to see Dwight Howard turn into this generation's Shaq. You have to fear anyone that can easily give you 20/20. He'll probably end up as one of the best rebounders in league history. All the while Rashard Lewis makes $117 million to get outplayed by Turkoglu. Then again, without Rashard, Turkoglu wouldn't get the same looks.

Orlando in 5

#4 Cleveland Cavaliers V. # 5 Washington Wizards
I don't like the Cavaliers. At all. I try to keep things as objective as possible, but I rarely say anything positive about this team. There really isn't anything to like. But that's not going to make me pick against them, because I saw the first 2 games and LeBron James IS just that good. Imagine how many points he'd score if he could hit some free throws. He is just killing that team, but I don't think this series is over just yet. There is something about the Cavaliers that doesn't sit right with me, in terms of their team. When LeBron isn't he-man out there, they just don't look good. I remember hearing people asking who won the Chicago/Cleveland/Seattle trade, asking who it helped the most. Funny thing is, it probably is Seattle. Ben Wallace without his Detroit supporting cast, is just a guy who can block shots and grab a couple rebounds. No one fears the fro anymore. Delonte West and Szczerbiak live off of the looks LeBron can get them, they seem to struggle creating their own offense. What I'm trying to say is, Cleveland just gives off an aura of being beatable. Role players don't play well on the road typically, and this is where Washington can get back into this series. Caron Butler has been unimpressive, as well as Gilbert. Haywood has also been pretty solid, but needs to avoid foul trouble as really their only post threat. They just need to play better, as simple as that sounds.

It seems you can't mention this series without mentioning Soulja Boy, thanks to Deshawn Stevenson and LeBron James. Soulja Boy's label should send them a check for all the free publicity he's getting. For some reason, analysts feel the need to bring it up every game, on every show, at every halftime. The song was annoying enough, so please stop! I must admit though, that and the disdain these teams share for one another, makes this the most intriguing match-up in the East.

Cavaliers in 6

#1 Los Angeles Lakers V. #8 Denver Nuggets
The only reason Denver won't get swept is Allen Iverson. It's an unwritten rule that no matter how bad a team he may be on, they won't get swept. But they will surely get close, because they need JR Smith to play like a superstar to have a chance. Giving up 120 points doesn't win many games, and I wouldn't want to get into a shoot-out with a team with Kobe on it. That's usually not a smart idea. Even Pau Gasol is going crazy. I'm not a fan, but I wouldn't be surprised if they made it to the Finals.

A name I haven't mentioned, mainly because he may not matter, is Carmelo Anthony. I'm not saying he's not good, but is he relevant? I always defended Carmelo as being more than just another Glenn Robinson, and he is, but is he more than just a smooth scorer? Granted, he did improve his rebounding this season but he still lacks it on the defensive end. You'd love to see him become that complete player, someone with success. It just seems like he's doing more to hurt himself than help himself. More frustrating is how bad that team is structured. The Nuggets 20 years ago didn't win with all offense, why would it be different for these Nuggets? Hell, better teammates would help Carmelo's "legacy". I mean, look at Kobe. Over the last 3 years, he's had the same Kobe type seasons. The difference this year, his teammates have actually improved and they got Pau Gasol for a Big Mac combo with large fries. I guess that makes you the MVP somehow.

Lakers in 5

#2 New Orleans Hornets V. #7 Dallas Mavericks
Analysts were picking the Mavericks, trying to say the Hornets were too inexperienced and the Mavericks will finally step it up. Well honestly, I don't see that happening. I'm officially on the Chris Paul bandwagon, and I just don't think Dallas is that good. Dwyane Wade scarred that team, then Golden State poured salt on the wound. It's just not their year. I don't know what else to say about this series, so let's talk about the Chris Paul to Tyson Chandler pick-and-role. It's easily one of the nicest plays you'll see this post season, surpassing the Steve Nash/Amare Stoudemire pick-and-roll. Paul will see Chandler from anywhere on the court, and it's a mutual understanding what he needs to do. Chandler, knowing he only scores on this play and offensive rebounds, soon will be dunking down an alley-oop placed perfectly over the rim. If somehow Chandler can't get open, then Peja is there standing on the wing ready to drop the trey. The pick and pop with David West is equally as efficient and truly awe-inspiring. That's why Chris Paul averages 11-plus assists a game, those 3 plays.

The window for the Mavericks to win looks to be closed. Kidd is getting older, actually everyone on that team is getting older, they really could use some injection of youth. They also shouldn't still have to rely on Erick Dampier for post play.

Hornets in 6

#3 San Antonio Spurs V. #6 Phoenix Suns
When that game went into overtime, I saw the writing on the wall for the Suns. Then Tim Duncan hit a three, and the game was basically over. When Duncan hits a game tying three, the Spurs are probably going to win the game. And then trying to cover Ginobili with no one at the basket to stop a shot? Come on now. He's going left, and he's likely going to score. I never was a big Ginobili fan, but he's good. Game 1 was amazing. It was everything this series should be, I just hope there are no let downs for the rest of the series. This is the one series that NEEDS to go the inexplicable 7 games of the 1st round that makes it last 2 weeks. Tim Duncan was absolutely bananas. He always destroys Amare, because Amare cannot stay out of foul trouble. I thought thats what Shaq was supposed to help with, but he can't stay out of foul trouble. Thats what happens when your back-up big man is Boris Diaw, who he's not playing the undersized center in a fast paced offense role.

This is the best series of the first round, I just hope it isn't the best series of the playoffs again. Steve Nash and Tony Parker. Shaq and Duncan. Amare and Ginobili. The star power is there, the intensity is there, the history is there. I look forward to seeing some great games out of this series, with either team capable of winning the championship. To be honest, I don't see either doing it this year though. San Antonio just hasn't looked like the same championship team of a year ago, and I don't trust Phoenix's lack of depth. Play D.J. Strawberry, and only good things will happen. I hope I'm wrong, but........

Spurs in 7

#4 Utah Jazz V. #5 Houston Rockets
The Rockets need to beat the Jazz twice at home to win this series. There is no chance in hell of that happening. It's unfortunate, because they would actually have a chance to get out of the 1st round if they didn't have major injuries. Utah is just too good for them, especially since we are seeing an inspired Andrei Kirilenko for the first time in a while. If he can keep it up, the Jazz have a real shot at making it out the West. The light-skinned duo of Deron and Boozer is deadly, and matches up well with any other in the West. The LA/Utah 2nd round series is going to be epic, I honestly think Utah can take them. Kirilenko is going to have to do his thing on Kobe, but the same goes for Fisher on Deron. Both teams dig into their benches too, so it'll definitely be a fun series. I hate to just disregard the Rockets like that, but it is what it is.

Tracy McGrady is going to go 0-7 in terms of making it out of the first round for his career. That's sad, but it's a combination of things. He needs to take over games down the stretch as opposed to the first 3 quarters. 1 point in the 4th quarter is inexcusable, even if the defense is keying on him. He needs to show that he is THE man, but maybe he just isn't? At least not this post-season. A big problem is, he can't get easy shots. I can't believe it, but they need Rafer Alston to hit some 3's. I really hope he makes it out some time, I thought this was his "year". I give up on him, and the only reaction he can probably give is:

Jazz in 5 (...and that's being nice)

Update

2008-02-23T16:41:00.002-05:00

Haven't written anything in a while, so I'm gonna try to get back into this. Free time + End of the college regular season + League Pass should equal some kind of posts.

An update on Darius Washington, he got cut by the Spurs and ended up in Greece. Funny how things work out.

Crossing Paths

2007-11-22T11:44:00.000-05:00

This is the story of two of my favorite college players of the past few years. One is from Florida, the other went to Florida. One is currently in the league, the other is overseas. This is the brief story of James "Flight" White and Darius Washington Jr.

My first memory of the very self-assured Washington came from an Adidas DVD profiling 3 basketball players (Washington, Dwight Howard, and Josh Smith). If I remember correctly, he was getting on Smith for "whining" about something. It was interesting profile, his father seemed very intent that he would do big things with his basketball career. Maybe even to the point where it seemed like he was trying to live through him.

Flight's first appearance on my television came during the 2001 McDonald's All American Dunk Contest. Heralded as the best dunker in the contest and the favorite, White went on to put on one of the best dunk contest performances I've ever seen. The way his slender frame soared through the air would put Clyde Drexler to shame. It almost appeared as if it was too easy. His final dunk, a 2 handed double clutch from the free throw line, sent me out of my seat. Somehow he lost the contest to future college teammate and current New York Knick, David Lee.

Washington emerged the next year as the starting point guard for John Calipari's Memphis Tigers. While not exactly the pure point guard, Washington got the job done. Assisted by teammates Sean Banks and Rodney Carney, Memphis got into the Conference USA tournament with a chance to win an automatic bid to the NCAA tourney. They faced a very talented Louisville team that was one of the best in the country. Washington had his breakout party, keeping Memphis in the game with his 23 points and 6 assists, but it was the points that he didn't get that left a lasting memory. Down 2 with 6.5 seconds left, Washington drove the length of the court and launched a desperation 3 as time expired. While the shot was off, he baited Francisco Garcia into a foul. A freshman steps to the line for the biggest moment of his career. Three shots win it, two shots tie it. The first drops and Washington turns to his coach in typical Washington fashion, as if to say, "I got this." The second one bounces off the rim, and Washington looks visibly shaken. The final shot to send the game into overtime falls just short, and almost simultaneously Washington falls lifelessly to the ground.

James White's career got off to a solid start at Florida. He averaged 6.2ppg coming off the bench. After the season, White decided to transfer to Cincinnati to play for Bob Huggins. Throughout his career, according to many, White never quite lived up to his potential. DraftExpress called him, "One of the biggest enigmas in college basketball over the past five years." Despite the criticism, White did average 16.3ppg, 5.1rpg, and 2.0apg his senior season, leading Cincinnati to the NIT.

Although Washington claimed the events of the past season didn't hurt his confidence, his sophomore campaign showed little improvement. His scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, and FG% all took a hit. Despite his struggles, Memphis amassed a 30-3 record (thanks to the emergence of Rodney Carney and rookie Shawne Williams) on their way to an elite 8 loss to eventual champions UCLA. With Carney and Williams both deciding to bolt for the NBA, Washington followed.

It was the 2006 NBA draft when their paths finally crossed. Washington was coming off a less than impressive season and was projected as a mid-late 2nd rounder. James White was regarded as an older player who still had potential and was projected as a late 1st-early 2nd type of player. The first round came and went, with neither of their names being mentioned. But with the 1st pick of the 2nd round, the Indiana Pacers selected James White. 28 more picks went by, yet no mention of Washington. The Detroit, holding the final pick in the draft, ended up taking another PG (Will Blalock) undoubtedly leaving Washington disappointed once again.

The story could end right here. White had made it, Washington didn't; but nothing in life is that simple. Despite a solid performance during Summer League, the Pacers decided to part ways with White on the eve of the season due to a plethora of guards. Washington's NBA dreams weren't over just yet. Dallas picked him up during training camp, and played a few pre-season games for them. Unfortunately for him, they decided to let him go. Washington ended up being a top pick in the NDBL draft, but decided to go overseas and make more money playing for PAOK Greece. White eventually landed on the Spurs roster, and was sent down to the D-League, to the same team Washington was supposed to play on.

At this point, I had forgotten about Washington. I thought he was done in terms of NBA opportunities. I thought White was a steal for the Spurs, with White being trained to be another defensive stopper. Turns out, I wasn't so accurate. White did eventually get called up and showed promise for the Spurs. They even started him on the last game of the season, a game in which he scored a career high 17 points. The next summer came around, but there were no ravings about White's potential. Instead, there was criticism that White still hadn't improved his game. He ended up a free agent shortly after the NBA draft. Washington on the other hand, used took his experience from overseas and came back to make another run at making an NBA roster. Coincidentally, the one team that took a chance on Washington was White's former employer, the San Antonio Spurs. Washington had a very solid pre-season performance, including an 18 point, 9 rebound, 8 assist explosion against the Golden State Warriors. The final cuts came down, and Washington was not on the list. In fact, Washington made the active roster.

James White is now playing EuroLeague basketball for a Turkish team. Darius Washington is now the 3rd PG on the Spurs roster. With the injury to Jacque Vaughn early in the season, Washington saw extended minutes as a back-up. David Thorpe of ESPN.com even rated him as the 8th best rookie 2 weeks into the season.

As a fan of both players, I want for them to succeed and play in the NBA. They could both be completely unknown in a year, but they both got the opportunity. It just seems as only one of them capitalized on it, for now...

It's Basketball SEASON!

2007-11-09T00:42:00.000-05:00

This is easily the best time of the year. Baseball is over, Football is getting more exciting, and the basketball seasons have begun. Prep, college, or pros, I love it all. The transition from the baseball season (which makes ESPN hard to watch) to basketball has been made much smoother due to the fact that football is again relevant in Detroit. It hasn't been since Barry left town. Seeing this team 6-2 this year is something I would have never predicted, not after what I've seen from them. I find myself watching the games waiting for them to blow it, and they haven't. They either get baptized by a random NFC East team (outscored 100-24 against Philadelphia and Washington) or pull out the victory. It's amazing. The Denver game was one of my happiest moments as a Detroit sports fan. For once I was embarrassed for the other team. It's a great feeling. Boston most be loving it right now.

Back to my point, this is the greatest time of the year. While the NBA has gotten off to a better than normal start to the season, my focus will be on college ball for the next couple of months. There are so many questions that I need answered. Will Kansas finally stop underachieving? Will Michigan finally do better than annual trips to the NIT? (While they probably won't this year, Beilein is a much better coach than Amaker) Can Oakland make it back to the NCAA's? Who is the better freshman: Derrick Rose, O.J. Mayo, Kyle Singler, Kevin Love, Michael Beasley, Eric Gordon, etc.? Is Kyle Singler the next really good Duke player people love to hate? What random team few people have ever heard of will win 20 games? How badly will my NCAA bracket look at the end of the year? There is more where that came from, and I'll be sure to write about it during the upcoming season.

College ball may be more engaging, but the NBA has it's own appeal also. I'll tell you right now, I don't think the Wizards will make the playoffs. Toronto, New Jersey, Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, Orlando, and Miami are all better teams in my opinion. That's my "surprise" pick of the year. Gilbert Arenas is talented, but his shot selection is reminiscent of Antoine Walker. A team I hope makes the playoffs in the West would be the Hornets. If they can stay healthy, they could make a little noise this year. Chris Paul is something special, and the team around him can ball. Tyson Chandler got out of Chicago and finally started playing, or started playing with a distributor instead of a scorer. Whatever the reason, I like his game now. A 6th or 7th seed for this team isn't out of the question at all.

My prediction for the championship this year is........The Detroit Pistons. Yup! (Okay, that's a lie. But as long as I receive a check every week, they won't get bashed excessively.) If I'm not lazy, I'll write my little preview for the season. It'd be nice if I got League Pass so I could give a better opinion, but this'll have to do. Only about 2 people read this blog anyway.

That's all for now. Enjoy the season, this is a beautiful time of year. My journalistic prime. If I can't blog now, I can't blog. Hopefully those 2 people come back and enjoy this thing I'm trying to do right here. Until next time....

Okay

2007-10-11T11:03:00.000-04:00

-At the end of my last blog I said I was starting a plyometrics program. I lied. I just ended up doing this basic weight lifting program, but it's worked. I'm starting to discover this thing called athleticism, and they only time that I successfully completed a dunk, 2 of my friends were there. It's documented!

I also said I would start blogging regularly, hah.

-Antoine Walker is out of shape and school is hard again. I swear this is just like my junior year of HS.

-The Lions may not win 10 games, but I have to say that it's a refreshing change to actually turn on a Lions game and think they have a chance of winning. It got to a point in the last few years where I wouldn't even watch the Lions, because I knew they'd lose. It killed my love for football.

-I probably should be getting ready for class now. I have homework to do. Maybe later.

-I think KG has been my favorite NBA player for the past 6 years. Seriously, no one else can come along and replace him? Melo challenged, but he's just not KG. What am I going to do when KG retires? What am I going to do when Shaq, KG, and Duncan are all gone? That's going to be a very weird time for the league.

-If you lower your head, drive to the hole constantly, and can't score 20ppg, you aren't talented. It's what everyone else does. As Mitch Albom once said, fouls used to be called when the defensive player was using an illegal advantage over the offensive player, now they are just called when the offensive player gets touched.

-Who is more shielded by their leagues? QB's or NBA superstars (guards/forwards)?

-Will the Wizards ever add a PF, or is Andray Blatche suddenly the answer? By the way, what professional athlete solicits a prostitute? YOUR IN THE NBA! It can't be that hard man.

-I'm really behind schedule now.

-I'm starting to get tired of rap. There is only so much I can take. That reminds me, I need to charge my IPod.

I gotta go to class now. Thanks for all the people that read this (no one), but someone might if I actually start using it.

If your 18-24, and you don't vote in the upcoming presidential election, I will personally beat you down. Vote or catch a beat down. Take that, take that Diddy.

I've been slacking

2007-09-04T11:49:00.000-04:00

School has started, so maybe I'll have a chance to actually keep this updated. One of the main points of doing a blog was training myself to write on a daily basis, whether or not I wanted to. Now I actually have to do that.

And I want to send a special shout-out to Michigan football for using the embarrassment of the season against an lower division school (App St.), and not against Ohio State or the Pac-10 in a bowl game. Maybe they can actually win those games now!

Starting a plyometric program today. I want that vertical leap!

Breakout Players for the 2007-08 Season

2007-08-02T10:43:00.000-04:00

Here's just a rundown of some of the players I think will break out next year. Monta and K-Mart (The one that actually plays) did it last year, look for some of these players this year.

Rajon Rondo (Bos) - With Delonte West gone, Rondo will get a chance to show what he can do. Pierce and Allen will make up for the fact that he can't shoot, while his defensive presence, playmaking ability, and exceptional rebounding will make him a valuable member of the Celtics next year. He's strong with long arms, he's going to a really good defender in this league.

Amir Johnson (Det) - If your in Detroit or you follow the D-League, you don't really need an explanation here. Amir Johnson probably won't see that much playing time, but he likely will appear in more than the 8 games he played last year. The last high school player picked in the NBA draft, Amir Johnson is a high-flying athletic beast. Just to give you a taste, during garbage time last year (aka the last few games of the season) he put up 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 rebounds on Philly. The last game of the year he had a tantalizing 20 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 3 steals, albeit against a Boston team that had no interest in winning games. If that is any kind of indicator of the potential of this guy, the league better watch out. He is slowly getting groomed to take over the starting PF spot as Sheed ages, and he may even surpass Jason Maxiell in playing time. Johnson definitely needs to add some bulk and experience, but a lot of Pistons fans are hoping he is our diamond in the rough.

Dorrell Wright (Mia) - Dorrell Wright is just what the doctor ordered for an aging Miami team. Wright is a solid on defense and the boards while possessing the athleticism to get to the rim and finish. With Wade missing some time early in the year, Posey likely out of town, and Antoine Walker falling out of favor, look for Wright to put up some inflated November numbers.

Francisco Garcia (Sac) - Ron Artest has hindered the emergence of Garcia, but with Artest being Artest, Garcia's minutes are bound to increase. He's been a silky smooth shooter since his days at Louisville, and proved he could score in the league with a strong finish to the season. He's lanky, and is pretty solid rebounder because of it. Do not be surprised if Artest is traded and they give the starting role over to Garcia, he could be a solid starter in this league for a while.

Louis Amundson (Phi) - You know those intangible guys that just seem to hang around the league even though they really do one thing right? That's Amundson, and he's a phenomenal rebounder. Philly will play this guy this season, and he'll go get the job done.

Robert Swift (Sea) - This was supposed to happen last year, then he tore his ACL. I honestly haven't seen much of this guy, but I'd expect him to put up around 10/10 on a very young Seattle squad.

Tarence Kinsey (Mem) - Along with Argentinian Walter Herrmann, Kinsey made a lot of people do a double take when they kept seeing them with 20 point performances. If you've never seen him play, one scouting report called him a poor man's Rip with hops. While I don't accurate this really is (He did wear a mask part of last season), there is no doubt the man can shoot the ball. As a starter, he averaged 19 ppg on 49% shooting. While most of that came during the last month of the season, this guy will be a contributor on a young Memphis team.

I don't know if it's pity or what, but I also think that Darko is going to have his best year and Adam Morrison isn't going to suck. I'd feel a lot more comfortable banking on Darko though.

KG's Goodbye, Minnesota's Good buy

2007-08-01T14:44:00.000-04:00

Kevin Garnett has been my favorite NBA player for some time, but it's been hard lately. The Timberwolves have been a joke ever since Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell left, and KG became the superstar too loyal to an organization going nowhere. Then he started popping in and out of trade rumors around draft time. I've heard every rumor you can think of, so I didn't really give the story any credence. The draft passes, nothing happens. Then one day, I wake up and KG is a Celtic. Kevin Garnett in the East, surrounded by 2 All Stars, with a chance to contend for a title? It's a beautiful thing, but don't think for a minute Boston is going to walk through the East. Not yet.

A trio of Kevin Garnett-Paul Pierce-Ray Allen is just flat out scary, especially in the oft-criticized Eastern Conference. Kevin Garnett is one of the most talented power forwards to ever play this game (Look at the nine 20+/10+/4+ seasons), but the biggest criticism around him has been his lack of ability to carry a team to post-season success. KG apologists would argue that he never really had a team around him, and both sides are right. Now Garnett has no excuse being surrounded with Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. His unselfishness will be rewarded when he's kicking the ball out to Ray Allen, and not Wally Szczerbiak (I didn't even have to Google him to spell it right), while looking for Paul Pierce slashing to the rim, and not worrying what Ricky Davis is doing. Ray Allen, no longer the face of a franchise, gets to go back into a 3 star system that he thrived in with Milwaukee years ago. Paul Pierce finally gets a chance to play with some players over 30 who will log more than 10 minutes per game. It doesn't take a genius to realize how much better it is seeing KG and Ray Allen out there, than Antoine Walker. Usually putting 3 players of this magnitude on a team would create ego problems, but none of these players have really experienced success in their careers and they are not young. This is the last chance for them to actually contribute to a championship team, not a ring-chasing has been.

Now Boston has to prepare for their 2nd off-season, that is, actually putting a team of players around their trio that compliment them. Rajon Rondo is a very nice young player, someone fans will get to know a lot more next year. He's one of those slashing PGs with absolutely no jump shot that seem to be taking the NBA by storm (Tony Parker winning Finals MVP, Mike Conley going 4th in the draft). KG is going to take pressure off of Rondo because of his playmaking, so Rondo's real job will be to control turnovers and play good defense. Defense shouldn't be an issue for him. But you can't just throw him into the fire right now, they need someone who can come in and give him a rest. I've heard it mentioned everywhere, but Brevin Knight is someone who can give you 20 minutes per game with that veteran leadership. That's what the Celtics need, veterans who know their roles and do it well. A player like Ruben Patterson off the bench to take some pressure off of Pierce would work. Solid role players are all they need. Their success this season depends on their ability to add a functional bench to this team.

This trade didn't only benefit the Celtics, but the Timberwolves made out pretty well given the circumstances. As a friend said, "The worst deals involve the best players." Getting equal talent back for a marquee player isn't possible. Getting talented young players definitely is, and that's why Minnesota made out well in this trade. Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, and Ryan Gomes combine with Corey Brewer, Craig Smith, Rashad McCants and Randy Foye to give Minnesota something they haven't had in a long time. A future. Ever since the Joe Smith debacle cost the Timberwolves numerous 1st round, they only had mediocre talent to shop in the trade market and some money to try to attract players to a very unattractive destination. Who was the last young player you remember making a significant impact on the Timberwolves? Now they have bunch of young players, cap room, and a high draft pick. The ideal situation for a team rebuilding from scratch. They now have the assets to make a trade or they could stand pat and watch their youth develop. Al Jefferson won't ever replace Garnett, but he definitely has the ability to put up 20/10. He's going to have to adjust to the forward loaded West. Gerald Green will never be another T-Mac, but he can score. Corey Brewer is an effective defender, and Randy Foye continued to improve as the season progressed. They may not be much now, but the Timberwolves will be a team to watch.

The East is starting to get interesting now. None of the top teams in the East improved much this season, including the defending Eastern Conference Champion Cavaliers. While a week ago they may have been satisfied, I guarantee that Detroit, Cleveland, and Chicago are looking over their backs, preparing for the rebirth of the Boston Celtics.