Food For Thought Is Better Than A Meal

2006-09-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

Another two weeks. I'm not even ashamed.

Since learning a couple of weeks ago that I will be graduating in May, I've realized a few things. A) Senior year of college is not nearly as easy as senior year of high school and B) I wish that my senior year of college was as easy as my senior year of high school. This is more or less (mainly more) a segway into another excuse for delayed blog-postings. So let's just move on.

It's no secret that I get bored on Fridays. Especially at work when I see maybe six people after 4 p.m. And I'm here 'til 6 p.m. It's hard to find things to do to occupy my time. There is only so much reading that a man can do. I think I should just give in and get myself a PSP. I don't know how everybody would feel about that though. Plus, I love this company too much to ever let them down. So, I suppose that won't happen. I am however planning to get a laptop, bring it in here, and play poker and watch movies. I hope they don't mind that.

You can change my environment, but I'm still gonna be the same guy at heart. Just a online poker-playin', movie-watchin', son-of-a-gun.

But seriously, who doesn't like poker and movies?

I'm absolutely thrilled about this week's NFL match-ups. I don't see why everyone keeps pickin' the Vikes to beat the Bears this weekend. It has to be out of spite. It just doesn't make any sense. The Bears are the real deal this year. Their D was the real deal last year. I guess we don't know if Rex is the real deal yet, but we'll find out in about 12 more games. I'm not saying that the Vikes won't catch the Bears sleeping and pass all over the field (what else can they do?). I'm just saying that there is a strong bias against anything positive the Bears are doing. Just wanted to point that out.

I hope the Bengals crush the Steelers, and the same can be said about the Cardinals taking care of the Rams. I hate the Rams. Always have, most likely always will. I think the only time I liked the Rams was when Nelly was rockin' a backwards Orlando Pace jersey in his grimey debut video (my favorite debut video of all-time). That's the only time where I thought, "you know what, the Rams ain't that bad." Which was quickly followed by, "what am I saying?? I hate the Rams." This is my reality.

Anyways, I copped the new Lupe Fiasco joint today. That record is off the proverbial hook, chain, hinges, whatever. It's off of something. In all seriousness, that record is on-point like a laser beam. I had an hour to kill before work, and didn't have enough time to catch a movie or run back home. So I went to Best Buy, and immediately went back out to my car to throw it in the changer. Forty-five minutes later, I realized I had just heard the best hip-hop cd of the year. Hands down. Keep in mind that if Hov drops in November like he's supposed to, that might change all that 'cause everyone knows I have a strong pro-Jay bias, just as much as Fox News is right like a muhfugga. Anyways, the point is, Lupe's new compact disc will assuredly change my life for a number of weeks. And for that I am thankful.

I hate to brag (no I don't, but it's the right thing to say) but I said that Lupe's skills were bananas since he dropped that verse on 'Ye's "Touch The Sky." Don't get me wrong, 'Ye is cool with me, but in terms of substance, Lupe is just as strong. And based on flow and delivery, there's no question he blows Kanye out of the water. He could work on his whole image, but then again, that wouldn't be so Lupe now would it?

He's definitely exceeded even my wildest expectations for a debut album. And please don't read this and download his songs -- go buy his album. He deserves every penny for this classic. He's really what the game's been missin.' And, no, I don't get down with Dipset. And, no, I don't get anything for giving Lupe a rave review.

(Warning: this cd is strictly for hip-hop heads so if you're looking for a bunch of catchy showtunes, you won't find it here; this is real music, hip-hop or not)

Signing off, the Eternal President of the Lupe Fiasco Fan-Club.

Enjoy the weekend, and as always, cheers.

2006-09-08T15:19:00.000-07:00

Another two+ weeks went by without a post?

I would say that sort of thing is not excusable but come on, the only thing that's been going on is baseball season. I only care about the baseball playoffs. And even then, both college and pro football get first priority on my list of sports-world concerns.

Anyways, if that sounds like a perfectly lame excuse not to write for a few weeks, then so be it. I still blame it on the notion that sports are non-existent as a form of captivating, competitive entertainment unless football or basketball is in-season.

There's too much to write about the football season. In fact, I've already missed the first game. To be honest, I thought Daunte would carry the 'Fins but Charlie Batch showed some brilliance (okay, he played well). Over a 120.0 QB rating? I thought that was a typo this morning when I was watching Cold Pizza. I never get sick of the split-screen player comparisons. Never.

Thinking about all the things that could potentially happen in the NFL this year, I was overwhelmed. Everyone is trying to pick the sleeper, the breakout performer, the star, the player most likely to fail - it's sort of depressing isn't it? Imagine making it into one of the toughest leagues on the planet, making millions, and still being picked to fail. Irony at its finest. Anyways, I figured instead of committing the eternal jinx of picking the playoff teams, the AFC/NFC champs and all that, I'd just settle for a few interesting and fun picks to make. And of course, in order to cut down the need for two separate introductions, I've consolidated my NCAA and NFL picks. These are in no order, and as always, in a jumbled fashion. Enjoy.

The only four teams that can possibly win the Superbowl: Indy, Pittsburgh, Carolina, and Seattle

NFL sleeper (I couldn't resist making this pick): Tampa Bay - And about that . . . does anyone else agree that Chris Simms is possibly the best young quarterback in the league? 'Cause I do. You gotta love Cadillac Williams. What a dope nickname. He's so smooth, just like a Caddy.

NFL shock of the year: T.O. and Bledsoe manage to get along, put up solid individual efforts, and the Cowboys even win 10 games.

Second biggest shock of the year: Jake the Snake plays his ass off for Denver and surprises everyone in the media. And all the haters as well. Give me a break, I'm a Sun Devil for life.

Third biggest shock of the year: Vince Young does some damage, with his ARM and his legs by week 12. The Titans realize why they drafted him. And so does everyone else who is already writing him off because of . . . wait a minute . . . there is no reason to write the guy off. He's the colored Steve Young. Plays on raw emotion and reaction. Don't tell me Steve Young was any smarter than Vince Young.

NFL Player that the media shouldn't have written-off: Brett Favre. For obvious reasons. I'm not saying the Pack' are good, just saying that Brett Favre is great.

NCAA Champions: Ohio State

NCAA Runner-Up: Auburn

NCAA, Third place: LSU

Heisman Winner: Brady Quinn (this one is almost too easy). He may not completely deserve it, but ain't no group of sportswriters gonna refrain from voting for this guy unless he ends up with more INTs than TDs (think Steve Nash in the NBA, it's just the fun pick for writers). Which can't really happen in Chuck Weiss's offense. Close second: Someone from Ohio State, either Ginn, Jr. or Troy Smith. (This has less of a chance of happening then someone beating out Steve Nash for three in a row. I'm boycotting the NBA if that really comes to fruition. And I don't joke about stuff like that, especially when it comes to the NBA)

Oh, and by the way, the Pats will miss the playoffs this year. Either that, or make a first-round exit. I'm saying this almost entirely because I want to read the Sports Guy's column in which he makes excuses for his team post-NFL season.

That's all the picks I'm willing to make right now. I do a majority of things in life based on passion and impulse, and right now, I have very little of each in order to make more picks that will most likely fail to stand the test of time, anyhow. But I figure these few picks will make me seem either extremely smart or extremely stupid. Frankly, I'm willing to take the chance. Plus, this sort of stuff is fun for me.

I can't wait for this weekend. So much football, so little time. I'm gettin' giddy, which means it's time to stop writing.

Cheers.

P.S. ASU over Nevada, 38 - 17.

2006-08-21T15:45:00.000-07:00

For some reason, I thought I had left a pre-Europe post. I guess not.

In any case, I went, I saw, I didn't really conquer but I had a wonderful time. I should probably leave Caesar's words alone, but my Europe experience was as interesting, fun and educational as it was breathtakingly beautiful.

They always say that traveling changes a person. Maybe not for better or worse, but just in general. I think I understand what "they" mean. Europe is a different animal. There is so much history and culture there - from Paris, to Berlin, to Rome, to London - they're all uniquely different and captivating.

Here's a few running thoughts on my trip.

Paris is gorgeous. In all honesty, I see why it is considered to be the most romantic city in the world. It's difficult to describe because there is so much to say about a city like Paris. It's enchanting and historic. But at the same time, it's current and exciting. The energy in Paris is similar to the energy in San Francisco. Although, the French feed into the stereotype of being quite "uppity." Don't attempt to speak French unless you are fluent - they just hate it. Most of the time, they just cut you off because they can't bear to hear foreigners murder their romantic language. Also, the night life in Paris is classy. Just like the women.

Berlin is a tale of two cities. 70% of the city has been rebuilt due to the destruction from World War II. This makes the majority of the city very, very modern and technologically advanced. If you think Berlin is a dated city, you couldn't be more wrong. They have everything in Berlin. From trendy boutiques, to internet cafes, to swanky department stores and restaurants. The other 30% of the city that is older is still quite beautiful. From giant churches to war museums and handsome government builidings, Berlin is slated to become an increasingly tourist-friendly city. Most Germans, in my slight experience, are a bit rude and somewhat apprehensive to help out tourists with questions etc., but it can't be any worse than how tourists are treated in NYC or San Fran. People have to live their lives. No love lost, enjoyed the city regardless.

Rome is mind-boggling. Not only because the city is so historically significant, or that it served as the city of the uber-advanced Romans, but because of the sheer magnitude of the ancient structures and sites that exist. I was standing in front of the Colisseum in awe. I don't know if I was able to comprehend the incredible piece of architecture I was looking at, the history behind it, and everything that went on inside and around the structure thousands of years ago. Oh yeah, and I also saw the Pope. I still can't get over that one. Rome was everything I thought it would be (but with a bit more graffiti than I pictured). And the food was spectacular.

London. London was nothing short of incredible. I loved everything about it. The multi-ethnic citizens, the abundance of Indian restaurants, the well-engineered and efficient public transportation systems, the pubs, the people, the parks, the gardens, the castles, the shopping - everything. London is not really home to anyone. It seems like it's home to everyone. And I really mean that. The people who live there seem like they are all cultured and educated beyond the norm. After having a conversation with an Australian art student living in London (he had lived in the city for 10 years), I realized that London was my kind of city. I wouldn't mind taking some classes there next summer. Or maybe even living there for a couple years. London is my favorite. Did I mention the Indian food? Oh, and yes, the girls are great too.

Anyways, I suppose the whole point of this is to pass this along: for anyone who is interested in seeing Europe, just do it. You will learn a lot, and maybe even gain some new perspectives on certain things. It's an experience that you will really be glad you had. And I think it's an experience that I was very fortunate to have. Hooray for Europe.

Here's to London, and all of Europe's fascinating cities. Cheers.

2006-07-28T14:26:00.000-07:00

It's hot outside, I stayed out a bit too late last night, I was forced to go to class at an unruly hour this morning, I had to come into work a couple of hours early and yet . . . I'm still having a good day. And 'why' you ask? 'Cause it's Friday, peeps. Y'all know how I do.

If you've ever read any of the junk I post on here you'll realize two things: 1) this blog has about as much substance as a VH1 "Which Celeb Just Paid $800 for a Cheeseburger" special and 2) I love Fridays. It's the only running theme I have, people. Sad, and yet, true.

Interesting thought: the first NBA Summer Camp was held in Vegas, and the second one is being held in Salt Lake City, Utah. Not a big deal, right? Yeah, sure, if you're Shawn Bradley. I'm not quite sure if different teams go exclusively to one camp, or if teams can and do play in both camps but can you imagine the night-and-day difference between the two camps? I can see all the guys in Vegas having a blast, playing ball during the day and roaming the famous strip at night. And I can see all the guys in Utah, playing ball during the day and going to bed by 10 p.m. I only wish I was kidding.

I've been to Salt Lake City, it's an average town, nice people, good light-rail system (maybe the coolest feature of the town), but it's definitely not somewhere you want to spend your summers if you're a young, rich athlete.

I remember one of the nights my buddy and I were in Salt Lake, we decided to catch a Jazz game (Lebron was in town with his Cavs, rookie year, 'nuff said) . . .

Anyway, we get off the train and we're in the middle of the city, literally. It's Saturday night and it's eerily quiet outside. Okay, not a huge deal, we figured everyone was in the arena waiting for the game to start. And then my buddy and I began to notice a few quips - for one, people didn't really feel well about college-aged kids actually showing some enthusiasm during the game. It was like we were supposed to act like we were watching Cats on Broadway or something. We also notice that this particular sporting event rivals all other sporting events either of us had ever been to because of the amount of alcohol that wasn't being consumed. It was unusual for obvious reasons. I'm used to being at a game and at least having two or three run-ins with an overweight, middle-aged drunk guy. It's like that person didn't even exist in that arena. Befuddling to say the least.

All things considered and quips aside, it was a great game. Lebron put up some huge numbers (what else is new?), it went into overtime, all that good stuff. At this point, a few things were just a bit odd about Salt Lake City but nothing too bizarre.

After the game ended we just thought we'd bum around the city and hang out. Wrong. After the game ended everyone was on the first rail-car back to their homes. No partying, no drunken mischief, nothing. Just orderly conduct all the way around. We didn't even have any alternative hang-out options. In fact, despite being Saturday, everything was closed in the city outside of a few small restaurants. And even then, most of them were getting ready to close shop. Did I mention it was Saturday night?

The point of all this nonsensical story-telling is this: there ain't nothing to do in Salt Lake! I just can't imagine being a young rookie and knowing that I'm going to Salt Lake for Summer Camp while the other plane is heading for Vegas.

Vegas is like a Hollywood bombshell, and comparatively, Salt Lake City is like your grandmother.

Talk about night-and-day differences.

Hold your collective heads, future pros. You'll make it out alive. Eventually.

All for now. Cheers.

2006-07-27T15:39:00.000-07:00

The countdown shall begin.

Right now you are probably thinking, "what the hell is this guy talking about?"

The countdown, people. The countdown . . .

The countdown (the current one) represents the third or fourth biggest countdown of my life. The biggest countdown of my life was the countdown to my driver's license (solely because I waited a solid 16+ years of my life for the first tanglible and actual right I received as a human being). Needless to say, that countdown respresented all that was good in this world . . . "First you get the money, then you get the car, then you get the chicks." That's brilliant.

The second biggest countdown of my life was the countdown to my 21st birthday. I don't think I even need to elaborate on this.

And the third, was (although arguably) my 18th birthday. I didn't get a driver's license or a new car, and I didn't get free drinks and some birthday "TLC" but I did earn the right to vote. Oh yeah, and I got to buy ciggarettes for people. Plus, I kind of felt like a man at 18. Until later in my senior year of high school when I realized my parents could still punish me by doing things like taking my car away.

In any case, this fourth biggest countdown rivals the third - the countdown to Europe.

I wouldn't have had it any other way. Thirteen days, four presumably great cities, a few pieces of light luggage, my brother, and hopefully an experience I won't ever forget.

Europe has been lingering in my mind since the day my dad and I decided this would be a great summer to tour various cities, get out of this desert heat, and have a little fun. Until now, I really just kept it in the back of my mind, almost as a preventive measure not to get too worked up about it. But then it finally started to hit me in the last couple of days . . . I'm really going to Europe.

I've always wanted to see the Mona Lisa and the Eiffel Tower, always wanted to drink German beer in Germany, always wanted to see the Sistine Chapel in Rome (among numerous other sites), and I've always wanted to see what all the talk of London's charm is all about. It's hard to believe that these things will come to fruition. It's hard to believe I'll be touring so many cities with rich culture and history. It's all so exciting.

I had to get these feelings of aniticipation out in the open. And now that I have, I feel well . . . almost prepared. I think I'm actually ready for the countdown now.

8 days 'til I hit the other side of that water.

To England!

Cheers.

2006-07-26T17:12:00.000-07:00

Read it and weep:

http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=228739&GT1=7703

Yes, it's true, Lance Bass from N'Sync is gay.

I could make a million jokes here or I could be cruel and intolerant, however, I've decided to look at this from a different perspective instead. Follow my train of thought, if you will . . .

So, a member from an immensely popular boy band has publicly revealed his sexuality, and at the risk of being completely pig-headed let me say this: why doesn't this ever happen with immensely popular girl bands? I mean, wouldn't it be great if someone like the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls or Baby Spice was to come out and say she was a lesbian? Even if it was years from now, why do we only seem to get these things out of the guys post-stardom? The only types of famous girls that end up coming out are Rosie O'Donnell and Ellen. The females seemed to like Lance a lot back in the day, yet, we (meaning men) can't seem to catch a break with the girls that are publicly coming out. There needs to be some type of public revolution of hot, female lesbians. Or at least one famous lesbian should be semi-tolerable and semi-attractive. I hate to be the one to say it, but I had to say it.

I'm waiting for the revolution.

Cheers.

2006-07-24T16:36:00.000-07:00

I can smell it. No, not the post-"it rained last night" smell, but the other smell . . . the beginning of football season smell.

Okay, we're not quite there yet but the training camps have begun - and frankly, that's good enough for me.

This season is truly going to be fantastic. So many big moves (via trades and pick-ups) in the offseason - Brees, Culpepper, The Edge, Ty Law, John Abraham, Willie McGinest, Aaron Brooks, the list goes on. And also, one 'back that should be interesting to watch as the season moves along: Reggie Bush.

I know it's a bit early for solid predictions, so I'm not going to make any quite yet, but I will provide a few thoughts on the season. Even though it's still July.

Break-Out Teams of the Year:

The 'Fins, Chiefs, 'Skins, and Cowboys

Teams that were in contention last year, and will remain so:

The Panthers, Colts, Broncos, Bears, Seahawks and Bengals

(and yes, I know the Bengals are having more legal problems than Bobby Brown and Robert Downey Jr.)

Teams that won't do well despite wishful thinking:

The Eagles, The Chargers

Teams that are on the fence for a playoff berth:

The Cardinals, Giants, and Saints

The Most Unpredictable Team:

The Ravens

The Early Superbowl Pick:

The Redskins

That's all the categories I could think of at the moment. But as you can see, I'm already starting to talk about football. That tells me one thing: the NFL is going to have an even better year in terms of excitement, anticipation, and entertainment than it did last year.

I love you, NFL.

And I can't wait to see what it has in store for us this season.

Here's to football. Cheers.

2006-07-19T15:14:00.000-07:00

I'm upset.

I'm upset because Bill Simmons of ESPN.com has decided to follow the EPL, otherwise known as the English Premier League. There's a couple things that piss me off about this. First of all, during the World Cup, I mentioned to several friends that I was considering following English soccer via a cable package or whatever it would take to get such broadcasting, and now, it makes me look like I'm following the EPL because of the self-proclaimed "sports guy." And this clearly isn't the case, especially considering I said that well before the World Cup was over, and that he decided to announce it to the world afterwards. That's all fine and dandy, another person wants to follow the EPL, not a big deal, really.

What is a big deal, however, is the fact that I have to listen to his biased analyses on soccer. On European soccer. I was hoping to take up soccer so I wouldn't have to ever hear an American sports columnists' opinion on what is mostly a non-American game. And by mostly, I mean completely. And now, I'm going to have to deal with his predictable jokes and whatever else on yet another sport. This really upsets me.

I mostly read Bill Simmons because A) it's free B) it's funny how he makes fun of everyone and everything yet he's no one special in particular (definitely never played any sports at a competitive level) and C) because I love hearing what he has to say and then disagreeing with him. In fact, the only two things I've ever agreed with him on was 1) the fact that Steve Nash got the MVP this past season solely because it was the "fun" pick to make and 2) that Kobe deserved the MVP. However, later, he took back his MVP pick (and the better part of a column as a result) and said that Kobe wasn't the MVP. Way to stick to your guns, "sports guy."

Anyways, the point is, I was trying to escape all the sensationalism that American sports coverage brings to American sports. You know, all the soundtracked highlight reels, all the pre-mature "is he the best ever?" questions, all the crap that makes me say "wow, they're really trying too hard to make a story out of this."

And now, the self-proclaimed "sports guy" has ruined the EPL for me. Can't anyone let me have anything in peace??

Damn you, Bill Simmons.

I hope the Celtics never win a championship again.

The good news is that the team he decided to pick nationally (why did you have to do this, man?) on ESPN.com happens to be my team's biggest rival. For the record, my new-found team in the EPL is Arsenal. And yes, the only reason why this is so is because of Thierry Henry. So Bill, here's to Arsenal beating the crap out of your Spurs for seasons to come (or at least as long as Henry is there).

Cheers to everyone but Simmons.

2006-07-18T16:45:00.000-07:00

I hate difficult computer programs.

Actually, i just hate Microsoft Access.

If you've ever used it, you know what I'm talking about. Tables, queries, reports . . . whatever. I spent the better part of an hour trying to figure out how to successfully create a formula for a class assignment and it has left me with nothing more than some general frustration.

Don't get me wrong, I love computers, realize how incredibly easy they have been able to make life for the most of us and all that other stuff, but for God's sakes, you'd think they'd be able to come up with an easier way to navigate through some programs.

I hate Microsoft Access.

Is anyone else fearing a third World War at this point?

I'm not going to be as ridiculous as to suggest such a catastrophic event is coming, but the things going on in the world are just frightening. You'd think that peace would be the primary stepping stone to progress, not warfare.

I suppose humanity cannot escape its very own nature.

Here's to a more peaceful world. Cheers.

2006-07-07T15:56:00.000-07:00

NBA, NBA, NBA . . .

You're probably sick of it by now seeing as how this blog has evolved from being a short entry every few days (mostly to kill time at work and to dabble with writing) to a running sports journal occassionally intertwined with my personal life. But hey, the NBA and sports are a part of my personal life. And no, don't feel bad for me. I love it.

You know what I was thinking the other day?

Good . . . I'll tell you . . .

Gerry McNamara didn't get drafted??

Okay, this isn't an absolutely GIGANTIC, and HUGE surprise, however . . . Gerry McNamara didn't get drafted? I mean, really?

The man's name might as well have been Paul Wall, 'cause he was truly the Ice Man. He was cold down the stretch of games. Just cold. Dude has plenty of game, strong leadership qualities, a solid basketball IQ, good point-guard skills all the way around and a smooth jumper . . . I think he's bound to end up in the league and if he does, he's going to make a name for himself. I just hope he doesn't give up on basketball. Come on G-Mac, I'm pullin' for you.

Tyson Chandler to the Hornets? Chris Paul, Peja, Chandler? The Hornets are looking good. In fact, I'm projecting them to make the playoffs. It's going to happen, just watch.

Enjoy the weekend. Cheers.

2006-07-05T17:00:00.000-07:00

The highs and lows of educational progress.

Summer school at 9:30 a.m. isn't necessarily a low, but today it wasn't too pleasant. Fresh off of a holiday weekend, I wasn't too thrilled to roll out of bed, into my car, and down the street to the various buildings of higher-education -- regardless, it definitely beats driving 20 miles to my dad's office at 8 a.m.

I really don't mind summer school that much. Sure, it sucks, but atleast I'm getting a class out of the way, and ideally, I might even learn something. Plus, it makes me feel productive. I guess what I'm trying to say is this: summer school ain't that bad, but it's not fun either. In the end, life is all about making sacrifices. Summer school is just that, a sacrifice.

Lots of interesting things going on in the world of sports. Most relevant is the departure of Suns season-saver, Tim Thomas. I realize this is a big piece of the championship puzzle to lose but I can't blame him. If another company offered me 7 more figures to work for them, I'd leave too. This will definitely help the Clippers. Could it have been that Sam Cassell and Tim Thomas thought it time for a re-union? Perhaps. But I'm hearing that the Zen-Master coaching LA's other team might be trying to look for his veteran leadership. If this is the case, and Sam ends up with the Lakers, isn't it conceivable that the Kobe, Phil, Sam triangle could end up being one of the most successful yet unusual sports triangles in NBA history? I can just picture Phil smirking after calling a time-out, waiting patiently with his clipboard until Sam is done yelling at all the young players for various on-court mistakes. This might be a Grade-A Lakers season should this occur.

Sidenote: the Farmar pick by the Lakers caught me by surprise but all and all, this might be the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

So what do the Suns do now?

That's a great question, and I don't know if I can provide a great answer. We have some wiggle room after attaining some draft-day cash - maybe we can work something out with Carlos Boozer? I don't know? It's hard to replace someone like Tim Thomas. Real hard. I still think we'll be extremely competitive and well-rounded. I don't necessarily think a move for Jamaal Magloire would be a bad decision. In fact, I think I'd like that.

In other news, the Bulls were able to get Big Ben. Four years, $60 million - not bad. But as others have pointed out, that might be wasted cap money if they fail to surround him with the scoring he had in Detroit. Either way, that team looks more prepared on defense immediately and either way, I'm still not seeing anything past the second round. Unless of course, they make some additional significant moves.

And finally . . .

the World Cup.

The table is set -- France and Italy this Sunday for what seems like the key to the universe at this point. I'm incredibly excited.

My prediction? France 2-0.

It's official, I love soccer. No, no . . . not U.S. soccer, I'm talking soccer soccer, futbol soccer.

There's nothing quite like it. It's difficult to explain but I'm captivated by it.

That's all for today. Cheers.

2006-06-29T15:53:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it has been over a week since my last post.

I'm going to save my excuses and just admit that I didn't get around to it.

My apologies.

The 2006 NBA Draft . . .

It took place last night in New York and let me tell you, it was quite a chore to keep up with. I believe there were somewhere around 15 draft-day trades yesterday. But I'm happy with where people ended up except for Sebastian Telfair and his new home, Boston. I mostly don't like that he's there because of the fact that I don't want Boston to have him. I think he's going to be a really good point guard in the league, I just don't want him to become a good player on the Celtics. I'm not a big fan of the organization and I especially don't want them to get any better under Danny Ainge. I can't stand Danny Ainge. On the brightside, he might work well with Paul Pierce.

I think two teams that definitely improved were the Portland Trailblazers and the Toronto Raptors. I knew the Raptors would be able to do some damage in the draft, mostly because they have a capable GM and of course, the number one pick. I don't know too much about this Bargnani character but a 7-foot jump shooter can't really hurt your team, can it? I guess we'll find out. My vote is no.

Everyone has been talking about Brandon Roy and how he's going to come in and score 16-18 points a night for the Blazers (as it stands at the moment). I'm not too sure about that, but I like him in Portland. He seems like he's going to be a Joe Johnson-ish player for them.

My early selection for Rookie of the Year has to be Randy Foye from Villanova. The other day I had Kyle Lowry and him mixed-up (they look similar to me) and went on to say that he's going to be like a D-Wade in the league. Turns out I was actually speaking of Randy Foye (the taller of the two) and you know what? I'm sticking to it - Randy Foye, 2006-2007 Rookie of the Year. And of course, he won't be as great as D-Wade was his first season, but then again, with a partner like KG, they have a more than likely chance to get back into the playoff picture.

Anyways, I know what everyone is talking about, and that's the New York Knicks. And like everyone else, I don't understand why they wanted to take Renaldo Balkman. Supposedly he's a hybrid of Ron Artest and Dennis Rodman. If this were true, I'd applaud the pick. However, he seems like he's going to be more like a Malik Rose (is he still on the Knicks?). Regardless, good draft overall.

And P.S., I can't believe MJ decided to take Adam Morrison. I like players who play defense but at the same time, I'm not going to second-guess God.

I hope he makes him shave that 'stache. I don't know what he's trying to say with that, but it's not anything to be proud of. That's just me though.

Before I forget, I was also happy with what the Suns were able to do. They didn't make a first-round pick worthy of keeping for the third straight year but regardless, we were able to save about $9 million bucks. Word is that we're trying to secure Tim Thomas and another free agent (preferably a shot-blocker) that's ready to contribute, and looking to move James Jones and Kurt Thomas to make this all possible. My thoughts? I think it's a great plan.

I've never been so excited for an upcoming Suns season.

Finals, here we come.

Cheers.

2006-06-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the Miami Heat!

Okay, so Dwayne didn't drop 40 points, but 36 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals is good enough. I can't even get into how well he played last night and throughout the series (although he missed two semi-crucial free-throws towards the end of the game). I can look beyond that, mostly because he carried his entire team offensively and in the process, did everything in between, including a nice block last night on J-Ho (a great name in which to use the popular nickname format).

Wow, I can't believe Jason Kapono is going to have a championship ring. And Derek Anderson?! Wow.

In any case, I'm thrilled for Shaq, Dwayne, Pat Riley and Zo. Zo was a monster last night, straight up. I've said this before and I think I'll say it again - Zo would make a great case for the NBA's defensive player of the year if he got the chance to start, or got starting minutes. I mean, the man had 6 rebounds and 5 blocks in 14 minutes last night. He also had 8 points. That's pretty incredible for any bench player in 14 minutes (especially in the Finals), let alone one that is playing on a borrowed kidney.

And, as much as I don't want to admit, I'm also happy for Gary Payton. Don't get me wrong, I used to love Payton, he was one of my favorite players in the mid-90s, but ever since he blew up at Dwayne during the Bulls series in the first round, he's rubbed me the wrong way. In that moment he just seemed like a bitter veteran, upset because Dwayne got all the plays called for him, hit all the crucial shots, and even was humble, quiet and mature while doing it. It just seemed like Payton had envy written all over him. But I can forgive him, mostly because he may have hit the most pivotal shot in this entire series with less than 10 seconds left in Game 3 of the Finals. There is little doubt that if Miami had gone down 3-0 it would have been a completely different story. I might be angry about a Mavs sweep right now instead of being elated about Miami winning four in-a-row. So thanks, GP. I appreciate the momentum-changing shot.

The thing I really enjoyed about these Finals was the fact that it was so unpredictable and such a unique team match-up. As such, this allowed a lot of player shuffling to occur and the vets like Zo and GP really got to contribute. It wasn't like they were just sitting on the bench and ended up with a ring, they really earned it. This is more than I can say for Derek Anderson and Jason Kapono. Although, I'm sure they're great practice dummies (I can't rip Michael Doleac, I just can't).

Anyways, now that the Finals are over I only have one thing to look forward to . . . the NBA Draft. I expect a great number one pick by Mr. Colangelo in Toronto. Hopefully this means he won't take Adam "I like to cry during the NCAA tournament and I don't have the decency to wait until the game I'm playing in is over" Morrison.

That's all for me today, congrats to the Heat once again.

The Suns and I will see you in the Finals next year (unless of course you don't make it that far, in which case the boys and I will see whoever does make it that far).

Cheers.

2006-06-20T15:57:00.000-07:00

1, 2, 3, . . . Game-time! (whoo!)

Yeah, I know, it's not 1997 and I'm not part of the legendary Chicago Bulls squad but it's just how I feel today with the game coming up in less than three hours.

As much as I'd like to see Dirk break-out (the only Maverick besides Howard I can support or root for) and have a good game to save face after all the praise from his performance last round, I'd much rather see Dwayne "Boy-Wonder" Wade drop another 40 points and 7+ rebounds and more importantly, lead his team to their first championship.

It's not too surprising that Dwayne has been able to play so well throughout these playoffs. It's obvious that he and Lebron James are among the most mature young superstars the NBA has seen. I think his poise and confidence make all the difference. And youngsters should take note, he doesn't celebrate until after he knows his team won the game.

Beyond watching Dwayne Wade, it's been fun watching the Mavs choke on the road like Phil Mickelson on the last day of the U.S. Open. It's been even more entertaining to watch the Mavs classlessly blame the officials every time they lose. I don't care if a referee really did blow a call or not, it's still classless to hold someone else accountable for your team's demise in the last few minutes of a game. And everyone, Mavs included, seems to focus on the foul-call disparity - Mavs supporters feel as though the difference helps strengthen the case for lopsided officiating, I think it's because the Heat have players that attack the basket. It's kind of difficult to get foul calls when you're shooting jump-shots 8 out of 10 times, yanno?

In any case, Game 6 tonight should be great.

I don't want to say too much else - I ruined the Cavs post-season run last month when I prematurely wrote about the fall of the Pistons. Although, they did eventually fall, it wasn't at the hands of the Cavs like I was hoping for.

So for these reasons and others, we'll wait to discuss more about the game for another day or so.

I shall leave it at that.

Cheers.

2006-06-19T17:16:00.000-07:00

I don't know how much more of this I can take.

A little over three weeks ago, I decided to take on some extra work hours at my dad's office. I knew that I could use some extra money in the summer, and also, I knew it would be tax-free and flexible considering I'd be taking orders from my pops. No big deal, right? Wrong.

I've been waking up at 7:30 a.m. Monday through Friday, in order to leave the house by 8:15 a.m. and make it to the office by 9:00 a.m. Beyond the travel time and the traffic, I'm usually quite tired during my drive because I like to stay up atleast until Conan hits the airwaves. Last night I went to bed pre-Conan and it's still been a long day. Not to mention, I'm doing this on top of my summer school class, my other job, and taking care of my mom during my dad's trips to various cities for his extra hustle.

I guess I'm complaining because I'd like to be just hanging around all summer. But then again, how productive can that be?

It's the ever-important trade-off. I think Snoop said it best, "you gotta pay the cost to be the boss." Man, I really hope I'm some sort of boss one day.

I will say that I'm fairly proud of myself for actually doing all this. It does make me feel productive and all that. Although, I wouldn't mind sleeping in during the week.

I think I'm just going to have to suck it up, because for one, I simply have no other choice (unless I tell my dad I don't want to come in anymore, but that ain't going to happen 'cause there's no way I'm walking away from tax-free money) and for another, because I think I take some sort of solace in being productive in the summer.

Nah, I just need some extra loot for Europe. That's what it is.

The truth shall set you free.

Cheers.

2006-06-18T00:31:00.000-07:00

This is most unusual, I must admit.

(see posting date above and the time below, and then, think about it)

Yes. It's most certainly true.

It's Saturday night and I'm at home. In front of a computer. By myself. Writing a blog that most of the world will never care to read.

Insanity, isn't it? Couldn't we at least agree to call it that?

I don't remember the last time I stayed home on a Saturday night. And that's not being said for any self-serving reasons, but because regardless of if I do or don't want to go out, I still force myself to on Friday and Saturday nights. Mostly because otherwise, I feel like I'm missing out on something fun. And heck, I like fun.

Anyways, the point is that I'm happy about my decision (you know, to stay home - I get a little off-track sometimes).

Saturday Night Live followed by Larry King Live is quite the contrast of culture and well, television programming, however, its entertainment value for me is unparalleled.

Over the last few days, I've realized a great thing. I really enjoy watching world-class soccer. And I emphasize world-class because the MLS ain't no world-class nothin'. In fact, I've contemplated living in Europe for a few years in my upcoming late 20s, and now, soccer and English premier leagues might be the kicker in ending that discussion. Pun intentional.

I'm happy about this because it's always exciting to follow a new sport. Now the only four sports I'll watch just for pure entertainment (regardless of matchups etc.) will consist of basketball, football, golf, and soccer. However, I must confess, I have also recently enjoyed horse racing, although the human isn't really doing anything athletic. Riding a horse, sure, but what are they really doing? Horse racing is in the "animal sport" category. Which is a pretty short list. So short that I can't even think of anything else worth mentioning from that category.

I need to put this rambling to an end. At least for now.

Cheers.

2006-06-14T16:18:00.000-07:00

Truth be told, I've been avoiding a post for subconscious reasons.

I guess you could say that "subconsciously" I've been avoiding it because Miami has been playing poorly during the Finals. Now that they've gotten a win under their belts, I feel a bit more inclined to post. After all, I did pick them in seven games. And after all, just like most of the general human population, I don't like being wrong. Come on Heat! Get it done.

Anyways, I didn't get a chance to catch the game last night (trust me, I wanted to watch it) but I was incredibly happy to hear that D-Wade dropped an ugly 42 points and 13 rebounds on them. And, of course, ugly in this case means absolutely terrific and outstanding.

As long as Wade can keep doing what he's doing (attacking and dominating in the fourth quarter), and Shaq can continue to shoot 66% from the foul line (as he did last night), the Heat will be in good shape. Hopefully.

They're just one win away from a clean slate.

Needless to say, I'll be watching tomorrow night.

Beyond the usual sports garb on here, I don't have much to say about anything. It's the summer, and quite honestly, I like to save my thinking for post-summer activities, like school.

I will say this though - how is it that people ride sport bikes without a helmet? It's kind of like getting sent to war without a gun, isn't it? (FYI: I hate war) It just doesn't make any sense. I wish Big Ben a speedy and full recovery, but you have to be a little smarter than that. Pavement vs The Human Head. I think Pavement wins every time.

I can just imagine Bill Cowher/Sgt. Slaughter going on a private tirade after he left the hospital.

And who can blame him?

That's all for me today. Cheers.

2006-06-07T15:18:00.000-07:00

The show must go on. And so, it will.

The NBA Finals are set to tip-off tomorrow night in Dallas.

Two teams, Dallas and Miami, with two very different yet compelling story lines.

Dallas entered the season with high hopes, as they have for the past four years. The difference this year was the “Mad Scientist” Avery Johnson and All-World Dirk Nowitzki. Oh yeah, and that dude I’ve been hyping since his sophomore season, Josh Howard. It’s an unconventional three-headed monster – especially considering that one of the three heads I’m referring to is a coach. Beyond this trio, Dallas as a team shows great depth and versatility. Consider how they reached the NBA Finals: beating San Antonio, perhaps the most conventional team in the Western Conference, and then by beating Phoenix, the most un-conventional team in the Western Conference.

So is it really a surprise that Dallas is favored by 3 points tomorrow night at home? Not really . . . actually, not at all. And remember, they did take down the defending champions. And they did it in Game 7 on the road. That’s tough.

Let’s look at the team on the opposite side of the ball, the Miami Heat.

It was a roller-coaster season to say the least. I don’t like what happened to Stan Van Gundy (does anyone?), I didn’t agree with the addition of Antoine Walker for fear that it would take the ball out of both Wade and Shaq’s hands, and I didn’t think Riley was going to be able to make the difference he undoubtedly has made. I love both Wade and Shaq, and although I picked the Cavs to beat them in the Eastern Conference Finals, as soon as the Spurs fell, it seemed like the Heat caught fire. It seemed like they were on a mission, really believing that no one had a shot at the title beyond themselves.

So is this attitude founded or unfounded?

My answer: founded.

It’s obvious that the Heat play a much different style of basketball then the Mavs do, perhaps more methodical, even more boring. But with a playmaker like Dwayne Wade and an absolute monster in Shaquille O’Neal, I just don’t see how they can lose to the Mavericks. And yes, I do know that the Mavericks have home-court advantage and are 2-0 against them this season.

Here’s the thing with this match-up, all things considered, it might be one of the most unpredictable Finals match-ups in NBA history. Neither team has won a title; neither team has reached the Finals. Both coaches have rings, one as a player (Avery), and the other as a coach with the Showtime Lakers (Riley).

It was a virtual draw in my mind until today.

And then this is what I decided:

1. Miami has an edge with Finals experience (Shaq, GP, Riley)
2. Miami can run two above-average defenders at Dirk to slow down his scoring – Haslem and Posey
3. Yes, Dirk can create his own shots now, but I don’t think coming in the lane is as good of an option as it was against the Suns considering the Heat have Shaq (and/or Zo) protecting the rim
4. Josh Howard might do a good job on Dwayne Wade, but he still hasn’t guarded anyone as good as him in these playoffs
5. Dwayne Wade, if he ends up guarding Howard, will do a better defensive job on Howard then any player has done on him so far this post-season
6. The difference will be Shaq dominating the paint, and Wade penetrating, dishing, scoring and getting to the foul line (basically making virtually all the plays on offense, whether he's shooting or not)
7. The Heat’s supporting cast is playing to their potential right now, and finally . . .
8. One team has one superstar, and the other team has two superstars

My prediction: The Miami Heat over the Dallas Mavericks in 7 games

I can't wait.

It's going to be an interesting series and hopefully a great one.

Cheers.

2006-06-05T16:07:00.000-07:00

Tragedy befell on the state of Arizona last week, as our beloved Suns ended their 2005-2006 season.

It was a great run. But it's just the beginning. I truly believe that with the help of a healthy Amare Stoudemire, we would have been preparing for the Finals right now. Instead, my hopes are focused on next season, as we should undoubtedly be considered a legitimate title contender.

I will say it now without hesiatation, Phoenix Suns: 2007 NBA Champions.

As far as off-season moves are concerned, I really don't think we need to make any major changes. I've heard that Shawn Marion might be shopped-around, however at this point, it all seems to be speculative.

To be honest, I wouldn't be that upset over a departure with Shawn Marion if we could find that finishing piece to take us to the next level right now (beyond Stoudemire of course). And the only reason I say this is because Nash seems only to have a few seasons left in him considering his age and back problems. Although I mentioned that I feel as though we could have without question reached the Finals with Amare in the lineup and healthy, I still think the question of winning the championship comes down to attaining a "go-to guy" who doesn't need a high-number of shot attempts or minutes.

A guy like Jerry Stackhouse comes to mind.

Don't get me wrong, I love Shawn Marion and everything he brings to the table for a basketball team. I really do. I love his hustle, his defensive versatility, his unselfishness, his humble nature and the energy he brings to the team. He's a statistical juggernaut. And I understand all of that. I understand how much he does for our ball-club; on both ends of the court and on a nightly basis. However, I really think that we need that one guy down the stretch of a close game that we can go to for those crucial shots in the final close-out possessions; whether we have to trade someone or not, we still need that piece on this team. I think every team needs that player.

One thing that bothered me about the Suns this year was the fact that they didn't win a single game in the regular season when it was decided by less than three points. And I understand, that was just a few games in the regular season . . . however, I've always believed that you play-to-win every single night. The ability to win close games in the regular season gives players, teams, coaches, everyone confidence in close games in the post-season.

The thing I've always loved about Shawn Marion has been the fact that he's always been willing to do what has been asked of him, whether that means guarding Elton Brand or getting the Suns offensive rebounds. But the problem lies in the fact that we can't rely on him to make big shots in the last two minutes of a game. And we can't rely on him to make a winning shot. And yes, we have a great shooter in Steve Nash but that's usually countered by the fact that a taller, bigger defender is assigned to guard him the vast majority of the time when he's looking to make those big shots for us in the final minutes. Often, in order to get a good look on a bigger defender, he has to shoot off-the-dribble, in transition or take a shot early in the possession.

So here's what I'm saying: Marion is a great ball-player, and he does virtually everything including shooting a high free-throw percentage. But I think that we have enough talent with Amare Stoudemire coming back, and Boris Diaw improving every year to make up for what we would lose in rebounding and scoring. I don't think we should trade Shawn Marion BUT, I don't think that it is a bad idea to see what we could get for him.

If we could get an unselfish "go-to guy", that is both quick and versatile, who is willing to sacrifice individual statistics for the greater good of the team, and perhaps an additional player to replace Marion's defensive abilities, couldn't this become the final set of moves towards a championship-winning caliber team (granted Amare comes back 100%, or even 90%) ?

I think it certainly could be. "Could" being the key word.

So, to make things clear, I'm not advocating trading Mr. Marion; I'm simply justifying the idea of shopping him around and seeing what his trade-value is like in the league right now. It never hurts to entertain new ideas and consider different possibilities.

Just a thought.

But rest assured, either way, the Suns are winning the championship next year.

And, no, it's not too early to tell.

Cheers.

2006-05-31T15:50:00.000-07:00

And we're all knotted up in the Western Conference Finals . . .

Bravo, Bravo.

I really enjoy when the Suns win, apart from the obvious reasons, so I can write a pleasant, positive post the next day. So thank-you Suns, I'm in a wonderful writing mood.

I could not have been happier about Raja Bell playing last night. That's one tough cookie. And Leandro Barbosa . . . just sick with the pill. 24 points in 34 minutes, 10-13 from the field including 4-6 from 3-point territory. Now that's the LB that I love.

This is the game-plan for the next two games: run the court, play defense, hit the glass, shoot with confidence, and give the maximum effort. Nothing has changed - this formula can work for any team. And if we can continue to play hard, we're heading to the NBA Finals. Wow, imagine that trophy in Phoenix. It would be a gift from the basketball gods.

Anyways, I'm keeping it short and sweet for today.

I really hope the Heat can get rid of those Pistons tonight.

Cheers.

2006-05-30T14:30:00.000-07:00

Las Vegas.

Now, that was a good trip.

This past weekend, the guys and I decided to hit the road to gamble our part-time savings/extra cash and party in the city of sin. Never have I been so content with the location of a vacation spot. Okay, well, the senior trip to Cancun was just as thrilling (albeit in a different sort of way) but regardless, that first trip to Vegas was as good as it gets.

Four key Vegas-related things to keep in mind:

Don't play single-deck blackjack at New York, New York. Especially when the dealer is a 60 year-old, cold-hearted witch (and when you've been drinking and it's 3:30 am).

It's important to come prepared by bringing party shirts (casual button-downs), however, don't complain when everyone starts looking the same. It's just simply a way of life in Vegas.

Cab fares might just be the most fairly-priced item and/or service in the whole city.

It's always safer to fly than drive. And I say this because we almost got in what would have been a fatal car accident; most likely for all parties involved. Not good to say, but it's the truth.

Anyways, the trip went so well that an immediate re-visit was proposed, and I quickly accepted. In fact, Vegas was so motivating as a city that I'm considering living there next summer with some of the guys. There must be something in the water. Or maybe it's the no-sleep atmosphere, constant gambling opportunities, and innumerable party spots?

Nah, it's the water.

Switching gears . . .

Big Suns game tonight. A "must-win" for sure. I'm not worried, just a little concerned.

Accordingly, my rants about the NBA Playoffs will have to wait until tomorrow.

Cheers.

2006-05-24T15:33:00.000-07:00

It's been nearly a week since my last entry, so naturally, some things have transpired. No real reason for the break, just didn't want to force my blogging. I had to let it come to me. You know what I mean, so I'll move on . . .

As it stands, we seem to have four teams left in these NBA Playoffs. The Mavs, The Suns, The Heat and The Pistons. And we still have two more rounds of action left.

I would be lying if I were to say that I'm not worried about the Suns/Mavs series. The Mavs are much deeper than last year, with a plethora of big men, a still-young, capable point guard, and the best 7-foot shooter in the history of the planet. Size match-up problems aside, I haven't seen this look in Dirk's eyes . . . well, ever.

Now I'm a Suns fan. Always have been, always will be. But when it comes to basketball, regardless of my geographic and regional affilliation, I like to speak truthfully about match-up advantages/disadvantages, strengths/weaknesses. . . you get the picture.

If you've been reading my blogs since before the playoffs began, you'd notice that I picked this Mavs/Suns Western Conference Finals match-up (http://auroon.blogspot.com/2006/04/write-it-down-take-picture-record-copy.html), with the Suns winning in seven games, however, although I still believe in the Suns, admittedly these Mavs are a completely different team then the one we played last year in the Western Conference semi-finals.

This doesn't mean we can't beat them, it just means that the take-down of last year's NBA champs, coupled with better defense, a deeper bench, a brilliant player-turned-coach and home court advantage swings the "favorite" title over by the Mavericks' team name, and not ours.

As a Suns fan, I just can't root against my own team. I won't. I would never. But here's a question I like to ask myself, just to test my understanding of the team vs. team match-up: if I had to put my entire savings and net-worth (not much, but of value nonetheless) on one team winning the series, what team would I pick to win?

And that's the tough question. Throw your team allegiance out the window, start analyzing the teams, and try to choose the winning team without bias.

It's difficult.

And here's the reason why: because the Suns are always supposed to lose the series (according to all the TV experts and ESPN.com guys)! Okay, not always. But it seems like our high-paced offense and use of smaller lineups (we have no other choice until Kurt comes back) seems to turn NBA analysts into instant, almost band-wagon-like skeptics of the Suns. Which is understandable. But remember that capable-but-receiving-little-credit theory I had? Well, this might and most likely will come into play with this match-up between the Mavs and Suns.

The Mavs have a few clear advantages: size, rebounding, a deeper rotation of players, home-court, improved defense, and on the outside, a more focused unit of players eyeing a championship.

The Suns have a few clear advantages as well: speed, 3-point shooting, FT percentage, field-goal percentage, basically nearly all of the offensive categories.

So who's destined for the NBA Finals and what's the answer to my own question?

I'm still sticking with The Suns.

Because, for one, my whole capable-but-receiving-little-credit theory, the return of Kurt Thomas (in a substantial capacity defensively, hopefully), and the fact that we have too much offense, too much speed, and too much endurance down the stretch of ball games. It seems like other teams start-off better, but as we all know, it isn't how you start, it's how you finish.

The prediction stands as it did on April 26th. Suns in 7.

Go Suns.

Cheers.

2006-05-18T15:45:00.000-07:00

The Fall of the Pistons.

Okay, so it's not over yet. But if I was in charge of naming a cheesy VH1 special about them this season, that's what it would be called.

It's quite possible that they come back and take the series despite being down 3-2, considering they were down 3-1 in the first round of the playoffs in 2004. The same year they went onto to win the NBA Finals.

That's what I love about basketball. It's just as much about emotion, momentum and confidence as it is about great spacing, good team defense, and shot selection. So what happened to the Pistons?

I've never been on the Pistons bandwagon.

The Lakers have always been my second favorite team, so naturally, when Shaq and Kobe failed to win their fourth title, I wasn't too happy with the champion Pistons that year. I really can't say anything negative about the team, perhaps beyond the fact that they barely use their bench. Which isn't always a bad thing, however, if and when someone gets hurt it makes it that much harder for the replacement bench-guy to get in the game and find a rhythm, and for the team on the floor to have the same sense of cohesiveness that it's accustomed to.

So what changed for the Pistons after such a great regular season? One that had people talking early in the season about the possibility of the them breaking the Bulls infamous 72-10 season and winning the title?

Not too much in terms of X's and O's, but plenty in terms of the mental game. First of all, the Cavs went into the playoffs somewhat underrated. Obviously, a lot of basketball minds did believe they'd get out of the first round, but hardly anyone (beyond myself) thought they'd get to the conference finals (no, not even the guys on ESPN.com). I have a theory about this. It works with the NFL too. The teams that seem to receive the least hype and attention (and those which are still among the top teams in a given conference), seem to do considerably well heading into the playoffs or, in this case, even a season. In other words, the teams that have the talent, but are overlooked in terms of receiving their due-credit.

With the Cavs (now that they're on the verge of taking out virtually everyone's pick as the Eastern Conference champion), people are going to start saying, "well I always thought they were good enough" or whatever they want to say to justify a belief in a team they didn't have a belief in before. But the thing with this particular scenario was this: no one was giving the Cavs a chance. Just because they were playing the Pistons. The Cavs are a solid team. In my opinion, well-built for the playoffs. And true, they don't have a dynamic playmaker at the point guard position, and they don't have a great on-ball defender (sorry Larry, love your game though) but they seem to have a good team chemistry, and length at every position. Sometimes the strengths are good enough to overcome the weaknesses.

It's kind of like when you're playing some pick-up ball, and all the "good" guys are on one team, and all the "other" guys get stuck on a different team. Everyone knows that on paper, that the "other" team is outmatched and quite likely to lose. But somehow, the "other" guys find a way to win, and the "good" guys start making mistakes, losing confidence, and eventually blaming each other for getting out-played. I don't mean to brag (okay, maybe I do) but I've been on that "good" team before, and I've lost to that "other" team before. And in those experiences, we didn't lose cause we weren't the better team, we lost because we didn't give the other team any respect . . . and they fed off of it. The "other" team got after every loose ball, willed in every offensive put-back, and played defense like the 2004 Pistons.

So, there's the explanation.

Sure, Lebron got his fair share of credit. But the team didn't. And it's a team game. You're only as good as your weakest link. And it's not like Lebron and Hughes and Snow don't watch TNT, or ESPN, or read the paper. They knew what the consensus was on the series. And they decided they were going to go after the respect they felt they deserved. I can just see Lebron pumping his teammates up, "they don't think we can win", "they don't think we have a chance," "Kenny and Charles think we're going fishin'!" -- "is that what you guys think? Is it!?"

Last night, after the Cavs won in Detroit, Lebron did the perfect thing. He celebrated, he embraced his teammates, and then he went up to every one of them and said, "it's not over."

The fact of the matter is that it's not over. And Lebron is still busy focusing his team, as he should be. But sometimes, as much as the media can tear a team down, their lack of faith in a team can also pull a team together.

Watch, this year their will be some NFL team that everyone acknowledges as a decent team, but doesn't give them the credit they really deserve. Or considers them to make the playoffs, but not to make any sort of push. That's what the Cavs were thought of as this year. A good, competitive team, but a team that was missing something.

Looks like the only thing they were missing were some believers. Ironically, the lack of believers ended up becoming a motivating factor. And now, even more ironically, here come all the believers now.

And if they lose these last two games? It will be that old 'I-told-you-so' routeen from the people who are shocked and worried right now for the Pistons. The same people who thought the Pistons were going to walk all over and through the Cavs.

It's a catch-22 with sports fans and the media. They always take credit for the right predictions, and always deny the wrong ones. Or, even worse, they don't take a stand and make a prediction, and when whichever team wins, they claim that they knew the outcome or saw it coming and feel like they can ride the bandwagon. They figure they can always look right if they don't make predictions or don't say anything. How often do you hear the sports media say, "you know what, I was wrong?" Or, you know what, "this was a surprise?"

It's just sports.

Take a stand, make predictions, stick to your analyses, and support the teams you like. Isn't that the fun of it? You never know how far they can go. And then, if your teams still don't win, give credit where credit is due. But don't pretend like you weren't impressed or surprised. It's refreshing to say "I was wrong." It really is.

It's just how it should work, people.

Cheers.

2006-05-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

It is way too early for me to be sitting at a computer other than the one in my room.

As a favor for my dad, and because both he and my brother are out of town, I'm at his office basically babysitting, well . . . his office. Hopefully the phone won't ring, no one will come in, and I can just watch television until I have to leave.

I'm blown away by last night. The game was just unbelievable.

Suns/Clippers, Game 5 (the swing-game), double overtime, it couldn't be beat. The Suns look great right now but as much as I'd love to see a Game 7, I hope they can end the series tomorrow night in L.A., solely because I don't think I have the nerves to handle a Game 7.

Okay . . . I still can't get over that game. Wow.

Anyways, I'm looking forward to more basketball tonight. Surprisingly enough, as much as I want to watch the tail-end of the Cavs/Pistons game, for once in my life, I'm excited for a Spurs game. In case you haven't been watching the Mavs/Spurs series, let me fill you in. Basically, the Spurs have not been able to out-smart Avery Johnson and his coaching strategy in the series. And the Mavs have been hitting the glass (on both ends), running, gunning, slashing, cutting, exploiting mis-matches, and using the high-post beautifully. And of course, they've also been using the high-screen/high pick-and-roll to perfection. I hate to say this, but it's quite possible that the Mavericks can win the NBA title this year. They look like they're on a mission right now (don't worry fellow Suns fans, I'm still pulling for the Suns to win it all).

Who would have thought, as great as both the Mavericks and the Suns were last year, they're arguably even better this year? It just goes to show the amount of talent and coaching brilliance that is in the league right now.

Okay, too early to write anymore. Until next time.

Cheers.

2006-05-12T15:06:00.000-07:00

In my world, every day is wonderful. I'm just an optimist by nature. But today, I feel compelled to list the reasons why this day is just so great. Drum roll please . . .

Reason 1: It's another Phoenix Suns game-night

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, tonight the Suns are in action, on the road, looking to recover from a Game 2 loss. I like football, I don't mind the World Series, but I just need to get this personal belief off my chest: there's absolutely nothing as exciting and competitive as playoff-basketball. At this point, I may sound like a broken record. But it's true. In fact, it's so true that it might as well be thought of as a scientific law. It's that serious (at least to me, anyways).

Reason 2: It's Friday

Yeah, I know, school has been over for a few days for many people but you have to admit, Fridays still have that feel. Allow me to get introspective. Fridays are great because there is a work-reward factor involved. Sure, Saturdays and Sundays are great. But Fridays are special. For instance, I go to work on Friday. No biggie, lots of people work, right? Right. Well, the difference is that when I leave work on Fridays, there is just a sense of accomplishment. . . another 20 hours logged-in, another week I can add to the length-of-employment section on the resume, another weekend to look forward to. And most months out of the year, another week of school I can put behind me. I like all the days of the week, but none more than Fridays. It's always nice when you can squeeze in work and play in the same day. There's just a perfect balance on Fridays.

Okay, so there are only two reasons. But they're good, right?

I was on msn.com earlier today when I saw a headline that more or less said that O.J. Simpson was trying to sell a white Ford Bronco as a prank skit for a show he's involved in . I didn't know whether to be slightly disturbed by its sheer bizarre-ness, intrigued, or humored. In retrospect, it was a combination of all three. I think of all the people in this world that it would be awkward to meet, number one definitely has to be O.J. Simpson. Although, Michael Jackson puts up a good fight. I have to move on, I can't think about this anymore.

With Mother's Day coming up on Sunday I've decided that every year, I'm more and more perplexed as to what to get my mom. First of all, anything I can buy her, she can buy for herself. And yeah, yeah . . . it's the thought that counts, but you still have to buy something. I'm not complaining about the day, just about the difficulty of finding a good present. My gifts are always so random and obscure, that from year-to-year I seem to forget what I got her the previous year. What does this mean? Unfortunately, it means that my mom might be getting something she already got before once (or maybe twice) from me. Surely, I'm joking. But . . . there's a decent chance that this scenario comes to fruition one of these years. The funny thing? I doubt either of us would realize it if it did happen. It's not a bad thing, it's just how certain things work.

Enjoy your Friday, and have a great weekend. Cheers.

Here's a link to that O.J. Simpson article I mentioned: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12754888/?GT1=8199

2006-05-11T17:11:00.000-07:00

So the Clippers are in the series.

I still think it would have been over if the Suns won last night, but because they didn't, things have become more interesting. I'm not too worried. I just hope the Suns can steal a game back in L.A. (ideally, both games) and re-gain that home court advantage. We'll be fine. I hope.

I am dead tired today.

I think the combination of late-night and early-morning studying, coupled with basketball and the bar-visits over the last week or so is finally starting to catch-up with me. Finals week just kills my mojo. It's a proven fact at this point. Now I have to try to get some sleep this weekend. Which, just by the nature of summer, isn't likely to happen. Oh well, I'm officially done with school . . . I shant complain.

Apparently, Albert Pujols is on-pace to hit 83 home-runs this year. Can someone please test him? Human Growth Hormones aren't tested for in the MLB at this point, so it's only a matter of time before he starts obliterating records followed by Congressional hearings held years too late. I think at this point, anyone hitting homers at such an incredible rate should be a blinking-light of sorts to the MLB. They should just test for every drug, ever. That would solve everything.

I should be commissioner.

Speaking of commissioners, as an unwritten rule, no man should be let into a position of power with the first-name Bud. Discriminatory? Sure. The right call? Absolutely.

Cheers.

2006-05-10T15:35:00.000-07:00

It's game-night y'all.

Okay, let me just be honest here. There's no way the Clippers are coming back in this series if the Suns win tonight. I don't want to jinx the team or whatever, but the Clippers? Coming back from down 2-0? Collectively, as a world, we have a better chance of seeing dinosaurs come back before the Clips do.

Here's the thing though . . . I don't mind the Clippers. I'm just not willing to support them under any condition, despite the fact that I really like Elton Brand as a complete player and Sam Cassell's craftiness and leadership (he'll be a good coach someday). The thing with teams like the Clippers are that they seem to have a few pieces that just don't fit well enough. Almost like the Cavs right now, even though I thought they'd somehow (albeit miraculously) take care of the Pistons. That was a long-shot, I'll admit. But I just figured Lebron would be turning triple-doubles every night and Z would be swallowing all the rebounds. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I was banking on Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince breaking their respective femurs. In both legs. See, not everything happens the way you want it to in life.

Back-tracking...

On Saturday afternoon, I was so bored (and without my car) that I watched the Kentucky Derby. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about tradition and all that good stuff, but I have concluded that it has to be the most ritzy sporting event in the world. Every female in the stands had a tailored dress and an unnecessarily large hat; the outfits seemed as if they were worth more than the average American car. And every guy, down to the youngest of boys, were wearing what seemed to be fine Italian suits.

I can't say that I didn't enjoy the actual race, because I did, however, I've never seen a better-dressed crowd in my life.

I remember last year (maybe it was the year before) they showed Diddy at the Kentucky Derby. It was like a scene out of a gangster flick. Diddy was at a table, dressed sharp as usual, with a cigar in his mouth, stacks of cash on the table, and bottles of expensive something-or-another strewn about. The entourage in his company. There's no point to this story, I just thought it was a great scene. He can even bring the Kentucky Derby to life.

I can appreciate that. I really can.

Until next time, cheers.

2006-05-09T16:28:00.000-07:00

I'm no longer a playoff-basketball virgin.

Last night was great. My roommate and I decided to go downtown and scalp tickets for the first game of the Suns' second-round series against the Clippers. Needless to say, and despite my love for the game, it was the first playoff basketball game I've ever had the pleasure of attending. We ended up getting Lexus Club passes and entrance into the game for 30 bucks. It was well worth it. For those who aren't familiar with the Lexus Club, basically it's just a bar/lounge on the suite level -- with tv's, couches, bars (obviously, what I really mean is alcohol), food, lounge areas, and a great view of the game. It's like all the things I stand for all rolled in one: social outings, cold beers, basketball, and a nice live view of the game. And, of course, great-looking girls. (What can I say? I'm a guy. Sue me.)

I don't want to get all cheesy and romanticize the whole experience, but if one thing is for sure, it's that the atmosphere of a playoff basketball game simply cannot be recreated during the regular season. Additionally, I can't even explain how great it is to be at a playoff game for a team you really love. So I won't. Instead, I'll recommend that you go check it out for yourself. It's a great experience, all the way around.

Also, I saw Donovan McKnabb in the lounge at the game. He's not too friendly. Not a jerk, just not too friendly. It could have just been because I congratulated him on a great season, which would be a fine comment any other off-season, but based on the fact that Donovan and the Eagles missed the playoffs and just had a less-than-stellar season in general, he probably thought I was being sarcastic and/or patronizing. That, or he just figured I wasn't that important. Either way, he's still a decent guy in my book. No sense in judging him based on one casual meeting.

Moral of the story: Suns playoff games are great.

That's all for today. Cheers.

2006-05-07T11:36:00.000-07:00

An unusual day to post, I know.

Rarely do I feel the need or prefer to blog from home. Rountinely, it's done at work for the sake of boredom, and also, as a chance for a release to babble. I'm going to turn into Tika sooner than later. That's for sure.

I'd like to dive into a deep conversation, however, with the playoffs becoming the true blockbuster movie of the summer, I can only think basketball, basketball, basketball. It's getting to the point where if I realize that I'm going to miss the only game of the night, I'm slightly upset and frustrated at the same time. I've considered calling out of work for these reasons.

It's inevitable . . . I have to speak on the best first-round playoff series I can ever remember watching. I like to call it Ali/Frazier 4 (but with basketball teams instead of boxers) however most call it the Suns/Lakers series. Go figure.

Where do I even start with the series? First of all, Kobe did everything he possibly could have for his team (and I mean everything). The more I hear people talk about basketball, the more I realize that most have no idea what they are talking about. After Game 6, it seemed like it was most popular to say, "Kobe scored a lot and the Lakers lost. That's how we (the Suns) can beat the Lakers, force Kobe to shoot." I don't think you ever want to give the best basketball player on the planet a lot of shots, period. Remember, the Suns would have lost Game 6 had Tim Thomas (series co-MVP with Boris Jordan) not made a clutch post-pump-fake 3-pointer with just ticks left on the clock. And Kobe would have had a 50 point game and a win. So that theory is out the window.

The difference in that series was not Kobe, but the rest of the Lakers. The rest of the Lakers showed up in the beginning, but they left before the series was finished. I think it's really that simple. It's my belief that a basketball team is only as good as their last game. After feeling (like everyone else who watched this series) the Suns momentum shift after Game 5, the youth of the Lakers started to show. And a bit of inexperience, although, both teams seemed to have a decent amount of playoff experience with certain players (like Nash and Kobe) and playoff inexperience (like Diaw and Brown), but in the end, the better team really won.

Who would have thought that Boris Jordan (as some of the Suns players call him in the locker room) and Tim Thomas would step up like they did? Not too many people.

Before the playoffs, I was telling roommates and friends that a Boris Diaw jersey was going to be the next addition to the summer lounge-clothes; now, it's just a matter of time before I can scrape up the extra change to accomplish my mission. I think he's the key to our franchise in the future. He will be an All-Star in this league. I really think he's that good.

Hats-off to Steve Nash. I still don't think a three-time All-Star deserves to be a back-to-back MVP, in the company of Bill Russell, Moses Malone, Magic, Michael, Duncan, etc., however, he showed resilience. I agreed with Chuck that the Game 4 loss would scar us into the summer and next season. And Nash as well. But we can also throw that theory out the window.

And the final topic of round one? . . . Someone I love, but most love to pick on . . . the Brazilian Blur, Leandro Barbosa. Despite being physically mis-matched with Kobe, he played a great Game 6. Busted lip and all. Maybe Stu Jackson, David Stern and all the suits at the Association's office should require Kobe to wear sweat-bands over both elbows? I love the physical basketball, I really do. I think that's how basketball should be played in the playoffs, but, for the safety of the Suns' players jaws, lips, etc., they should consider this. On second thought, I'm too big of a Kobe Bryant fan to really agree with any decision that goes against him. Sorry.

Round 2? It's not going to be easy. Although, with the way we're clicking, it's not looking as if a sweep is out of the question. It's kind of difficult to keep up with the Suns, especially when they add insult to injury by nailing 3-bombs from all over the floor. If we're on, we're beating you. It's obvious but it's the answer to the "how do the Suns get it done?" question. Lots of 3s, an Indy 500 pace, and incredible spacing. Spacing is the key to offense. And the Suns look like they collaboratively wrote the book on it. Spacing, By the Phoenix Suns, Mike D, and Marc Iavoroni. It's probably being published right now.

I have to catch the second game of a double-header but I'll leave some closing thoughts, based on the assumption that my thoughts matter and you'd like to hear them. (Neither of which is probably true).

I still think the Cavs can come out of the East. LJ and Zeke just have to do what they do. And the rest of the team just needs to do a little less of what they usually do, and a little more of what they should and need to do. I guess LJ could lock-up on defense a bit more, too.

Until next time. Cheers, and enjoy your Sunday.

2006-05-01T16:40:00.000-07:00

I've been up for way too long.

Because of my usual weekend procrastination, I was up bright and early this morning finishing school work and preparing for a presentation. You know it's going to be a long day when you're eating cereal at 6:30 in the morning. In any case, I have no room to complain. In fact, I don't think I've woken up that early in a while. In a weird way, it was refreshing.

As much as loyal Suns fans (such as myself) don't want to hear anything else about the game this weekend, I still have to talk about it.

As Marc Stein from ESPN wrote, in some small way it just felt inevitable that it was going to end the way it did.

The problem for me watching the Suns play the Lakers is that I really like that team (the Lakers I mean), and moreso Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson. Always have and always will, I'm not going to lie and that's not going to change. The Lakers have been the only other team I've liked besides the Suns since I started following basketball during the 1992-1993 season. Initially, it was just because I appreciated Phil Jackson's coaching ability and his coaching style, and Kobe Bryant's work ethic and completeness as the best guard in the NBA since the turn of the century. But yesterday I was internally torn. This whole season has been an exciting fan year for me, watching the most Suns basketball I have watched in years and following what I like to call the New Era (not ballcaps) of the NBA, with Lebron and Wade as incredible talents themselves.
But somehow, I have a hard time watching the Suns play the Lakers. I want Kobe to do well, I want Phil to do well, but I also want my first love, the Suns, to do well.

So what do I do? I just watch. It's weird. Perhaps it's because I like both teams but I just seem to watch. And no matter how emotional or exciting it gets, I just keep watching. Other Suns fans start yelling, complaining, you know...the normal fan-thing to do. But I don't. For some reason I just remain calm. However, this only specifically happens in this match-up. In any case, it gives me a sense of clarity when trying to dissect the action in the game. Without romanticizing the process more than I already have, I just see both sides of the coin for lack of a better phrase.

The only thing that I try to figure out while watching such a match-up is who deserves to win, and who's playing the best basketball on that specific day/night. So, yesterday? The Suns should have won. But did they deserve to? I don't really think so. Blaming the referees after the game is pointless, it may relieve some anger, act as a release, but ultimately, the winning team shouldn't put themselves in a position where the game can be dramatically changed by one call, or even two. With 12.6 seconds left in regulation and with a five-point lead, the game wasn't so much won by the Lakers, despite their never-quit attitude (admirable at the least), as it was lost by Phoenix. We had that game. And I think that's what hurts the most. It's almost contradictory in my head: the Lakers won, but the Suns got emotionally crushed. The Lakers critics silenced...the Suns critics saying the tireless I-told-you-so's...but that's just basketball. It's the most graceful game on the planet. And regardless of wins and losses, it was a great game to watch. Even if I was silenced.

For the record, I don't think it's impossible for us to bounce back. We can win at home, steal one in L.A. and come back for the final round. After seeing that game yesterday, isn't anything possible? Suns in seven? Hopefully.

Moving on...

The NFL Draft. Leinart as a Cardinal? I thought it would happen somehow, but now that it did, I don't really know how I feel about it. I'm just going to give him and the Cards the benefit of the doubt and give a political answer...

It could work.

I say that based on the lack of pressure for him to come in here and be expected to start and single-handedly turn a franchise around. With Edge and Warner ready to go, he can breathe a bit more than he could in other places. If anything, I think in the long-run it may have been the best thing that happened to him with regards to his career. As usual, we won't know for a couple years if that was a good pick. But hopefully, he can go 37-2 for us.

That's all for me today. Cheers.

2006-04-28T15:33:00.000-07:00

Just pretend that I'm a super-cool Sam Jackson: "It's Friday, Mothaf*cka!"

That's the best way to describe how I'm feeling on this unusually cool (literally) Friday afternoon in late April.

There are a few things in life that I love: pool basketball, Christmas, good Chinese food, my family (including my incredibly fit however lazy bulldog, Nala)...and Fridays. Especially Fridays when my three favorite basketball teams are playing in the playoffs. So for that, and the other obvious reasons to love Fridays, I'm ready for the evening and night that lie ahead. By the way, that dunk that Kobe had last game over Stevey Nash was just utterly ridiculous -- Kobe's 75% of the reason why I love basketball today. Maybe more.

Anyways, I won't bore anyone with my analysis of the game tonight. I'm just looking forward to an exciting game.

So...the NFL Draft is tomorrow. And with the Cards having the 10th pick, I'm definitely interested in seeing what we can do with our opportunity. In my dream scenario...Vince Young falls to us, a few games into the 2006 season Kurt Warner breaks all his fingers, Young steps in as the QB and does his best Big Ben impression, and rattles off like 29 straight wins or something. I'd just like to see all the haters put to rest. Sue me.

My prediction: the Cards somehow end up with Matt Leinart.

That would be my "not-so-dream-scenario" -- although, I think he can ball, he just needs an All-Everything cast around him. Overrated in my opinion. Maybe he'll prove me wrong. We'll see.

Have a great weekend. Cheers.

2006-04-26T15:15:00.000-07:00

"Write it down, take a picture, record a copy -- press pause, that's the only way you stoppin' me."

I'm back after a long hiatus. I've been extremely busy, so my apologies to all the faithful readers. Let's get right into some fun topics...

Suns game tonight, and it should be another good game. I still think the Lakers are gonna win at least 2 games against us. I love the Suns to death, have been in the valley since the "Silver Season" (the real Suns fans know what I'm talking about), but I'm still slightly worried about us. Slightly being the key word.

I have to admit, after hearing Amare wasn't going to come back at all this year I felt as though some air went out of the team, but looking at us now, I refuse to believe that. Although we lack an inside presence, and rebound and shoot free throws (albeit with the highest percentage in the league) the least out of any of the playoff teams, I still think we can get to the Western Conference Finals fairly easily, and more importantly, I think the players believe that. Especially considering that we're going to face the winner of the Nuggets/Clippers match-up in the second round. However, with that said... the second round isn't exactly a walk in the park either, with Elton Brand and Chris Kaman (yes, I said Chris Kaman) playing the 4 and 5 respectively, and without Amare or Kurt, we might have trouble in the paint with the Clips. I still say we take it in 6 games.

And as always, the Sam Cassell/Steve Nash match-up will be a crafty war for the ages. Think about the similarities: both have odd-looking faces, both have bad backs, both make every team that they are on undoubtedly better, both most likely have never dunked the basketball since they were 20 (if at all), both have deadly mid-range jumpshots, both are studs from the foul line, both shoot an excellent percentage from the 3-point range, and both have that "there's no way he really made that lay-up" effect on other teams, fans, broadcasters and coaches.

At this point, the only difference is that one looks like E.T. and the other looks like a frog. A frog with long, flat hair. It's true. I promise.

Anyways, there's nothing quite like the NBA Playoffs. I've said this before (pretty sure that I've said it on a previous blog from months ago) but the NBA Playoffs marks the best time of the year. School is wrapping up, summer is lurking above the 90-degree temperatures (the first 100-degree day is the official start of summer in Arizona in my book, the 90s count as spring days), and the basketball just doesn't get any better. When I get older and have my own place, I'm going to buy an artificial Christmas tree, decorate it with with orange and purple, and put it up right before the first game of the playoffs. It's going to be a tradition. Christmas at playoff time. My wife and kids will just have to deal with it. And I'll even buy them presents.

So here's the breakdown of my playoff picks...

First Round, Western Conference:

Dallas over Memphis (5 Games)
Sacramento over San Antonio (7 Games)
Phoenix over L.A. Lakers (6 Games)
L.A. Clippers over Denver (6 Games)

First Round, Eastern Conference:

New Jersey over Indiana (6 Games)
Miami over Chicago (4 Games)
Detroit over Milwaukee (4 Games)
Cleveland over Washington (6 Games)

Second Round, Western Conference:

Dallas over Kings (6 Games)
Suns over Clippers (7 Games)

Second Round, Eastern Conference:

Miami over New Jersey (6 Games)
Cleveland over Detroit (7 Games)

Western Conference Finals:

Suns over Dallas (7 Games)

Eastern Conference Finals:

Cleveland over Miami (7 Games)

NBA Finals:

Suns over Cleveland (6 Games)

And there you have it...my picks. They definitely are not conventional, but why should they be?

Enjoy the playoffs. I certainly will.

Cheers.

P.S. Chris Kaman has the nappiest hair in the entire league. Hands down, no one even comes close at second. Also, doesn't this guy play basketball for a living? And doesn't he get to work out in an incredible facility every day, with no other responsibility besides basketball and fitness? I just don't understand how his body and especially arms are so flabby and un-toned. I will never understand. Frankly, he disgusts me. I had to drop that knowledge.

2006-04-17T16:45:00.000-07:00

For no good reason at all, I decided to stay up until 6:45 a.m. on Sunday morning. At which time I drove myself home from a friend's house to sleep for a few hours until I had to be up north at the folks' pad for Easter Sunday. I don't really know what I was thinking by staying up that late, but needless to say, I was beat. It's nice to be operating on a full tank of gas again. Real nice.

With three weeks remaining until the end of the semester (can you believe that?) I'm about as happy as I could be for the summer. But more importantly, I'm excited for the playoffs. I don't even care who the Suns draw, all I know is that it's going to get Nash-ty.

Speaking of basketball, both Rudy Gay and Tyrus Thomas (that young bull I talked about during the tourney) are jumping the ship and gunnin' for the league. I guess Thomas spoke to several NBA scouts and they assured him he'd be the first pick in draft this summer. Kinda crazy right? Especially considering he averaged 12.6 points a game this season, right? Not really.

I think that Tyrus Thomas at 6'10" with his jumping ability, athleticism, and defensive presence is a great pick for any team. A few years ago Gerald Wallace went in the first round after less than stellar college numbers and now he's putting up some incredible numbers for the Bobcats. I know, they're the Bobcats, but still...he's actually the third player in league history, besides Hakeem and 'The Admiral,' to average more than two blocks and two steals for a season. Pretty good company, ay?

Everyone is also starting to talk about Rudy Gay not making a good decision by jumping for the league. I hope they aren't serious. Considering UConn's team is getting dismantled over the off-season, I'm sure he'll be fine. Lottery pick without a doubt at 6'8"/6'9" with his athleticism.

Just had to straighten that out.

Anyways, that's it for me today. Cheers.

2006-04-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

As something that has become more or less of a ritual, I had the television on ESPN while I was going back and forth between the bathroom and the bedroom in an attempt to get ready for work. I was just about to put on my shoes when I glanced up at the television and saw Roger Lodge. Yes, Roger Lodge, the same 40-something, always casually-dressed, smart-ass that hosts (or did host? who cares) "Blind Date". At the same moment, I did a double-take to see if the television was still on ESPN...and it was. Somehow he had sneaked onto the set of "Rome Is Burning" for his apparent sports knowledge and his spell-binding commentary. This got me thinking...what exactly qualifies someone as a sports analyst? An easy answer after seeing Roger Lodge: a beating heart.

As if Roger Lodge appearing on Jim Rome's show wasn't puzzling enough, I realized that I had seen Roger Lodge on the show before, answering the same types of questions. Trust me, he's terrible and frankly, I don't see the cross-over appeal from "Blind Date" to a major sports network, even if he's just a guest. I'm particularly worried about this because he seems like the type of guy that is just cunning enough to talk the suits at ESPN into giving him his own show...at which point, I would have to disassociate myself from ESPN forever.

Maybe I just have it out for Roger Lodge but you can count on me never taking anything he says about sports seriously. I think the majority of people would agree. Let me give you an example: The first question that Jim Rome asked Roger Lodge was if he thought Matt Leinart was something the city of New York needed as a sports community, referring to the Jets possibly drafting him in the upcoming draft. Fine, fair question...Roger's answer?...it started out with this "Matt's GREAT looking..." -- need I say more? I even thought of this blog when I saw it, decided to rewind his answer, and made sure that was what he really just said as his first response to the first question of the day. It's a direct quote. Unbelievable.

There should be a law outlawing all present and past dating-show hosts to be quarantined from society. Preferably on a small island somewhere in the middle of the ocean. Remember how Happy Gilmore kept on saying "God, I hate that Bob Barker!"? Well, I have personally said "God, I hate that Roger Lodge" atleast 10 times to myself. Within the last six months. This repulsion runs deep. He didn't even do anything to me. But I can't let it go. I just can't.

Anyways, moving along...

The Suns played a terrific game last night. Down 17 points to the Kings in Sacramento, the Suns came back and ended up winning by 13 points. A victory well-deserved especially against a team that as of last night, the Suns would have faced in the first-round of the playoffs. I haven't seen a Suns win like that in quite some time.

I just hope that the Kings realize what most of the NBA has known for so long...no team with Shareef Abdur-Rahim can be successful. And that's not because he's a bad player, because he's not. But it's just because of his demeanor. I mean, if you looked at him during a game you would never be able to tell if they were winning or losing. You could say that about a few other players too, namely Tim Duncan (although not so much in recent years as he's habitually PISSED in select games down the stretch) however consider this, Shareef's never been in the playoffs before in his 10 seasons of employment with the NBA. What does this mean? Probably not much besides the fact that he's been on a grip of crappy teams. But I'll just take the flip side of the coin and attribute it to Shareef. For no real reason at all.

Sometimes, that's just the way the cookie crumbles.

Cheers.

2006-04-11T14:57:00.000-07:00

In one of my previous posts, I mentioned one of the worst television programs in the history of television programs: MTV's Date My Mom. Well now MTV has done it again. The show is called Yo Momma. 'Nuff said. And to add insult to injury, Fez from That 70's Show is the host. If you haven't seen it, but would like to see what I'm talking about, watch it for yourself. Words will hardly do the show justice...let's just say it's a combination of guaranteed pain for 30 minutes (if you make it that far) and just a feeling of "is this for real?" For as many decent programs MTV has, it sure has its fair share of bad ones. I think it's a possibility that MTV purposely comes out with bad shows that run for half-seasons in order to make the decent shows they run for full-seasons look good.

Once again, I like my conspiracy theories.

I was on ESPN.com today and I found out that Jerome Bettis is headed for the Hall of Fame. The Bowling Hall of Fame. I'm not kidding. In fact, it would be semi-funny if it was just a wise-crack, but it's not. It seems as though "The International Bowling Museum & Hall of Fame" is opening its prestigious doors to Mr. Jerome "Ben-Roethlisberger's-tackle-against-the-Colts-saved-my-entire-career" Bettis who will be the first inductee in their "Celebrities Bowling Hall of Fame." I'm not kidding about that one either. Quick re-cap...A) There is a Bowling Hall of Fame B) There is a Celebrities Bowling Hall of Fame sub-chapter and C) ESPN acknowledged this and quoted Jerome Bettis saying this about the soon-to-come induction: "this is a tremendous honor." A Nobel Peace Prize is a tremendous honor. A Pulitzer Prize is a tremendous honor. A Purple Heart is a tremendous honor. The Celebrities Bowling Hall of Fame? That's kind of like getting a Perfect Attendance Award in elementary school. I guess I'm happy for 'The Bus.' I suppose if I had to answer a multiple-choice question that read "Which of the following celebrities will be the first inductee in the Celebrities Bowling Hall of Fame?" my answer would be Jerome Bettis every time. Followed by David Wells.

Ric Bucher had an interesting article today talking about the difficulty of figuring out who the MVP of the NBA season is due to the different interpretive meanings of the award, ranging from
"MSIPOATTWBTE or Most Statistically Impressive Player on a Team That Was Better Than Expected" (winner: Elton Brand) to "MDPDTSOATTFS, or Most Dominant Player Down the Stretch on a Team that Finished Strong" (winner: Lebron James). Anyways it's good stuff, a legendarily accurate break-down in my opinion. I've provided the link to his article below if you wish to read it.

That's all for me today. Enjoy the terrific weather. Cheers.

P.S. Kobe's the MVP.

P.S.S. You can make a case for any of 5 or 6 guys for MVP, I just happen to think any man that drops 81 in a game, 60-something in 3 quarters, and scores over 2,500 points for the first time since Michael Jordan in the '89-'90 season, AND plays defense (most likely All-NBA Defensive First Team again) AND gets his team in the playoffs (where would that team be without him?... Not the playoffs) deserves the MVP.

P.S.S.S. Once again, this is completely disputable but Kobe has just been unreal this year, straight up.

Jerome Bettis' amusing induction: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2405188

Ric Bucher on top of his game: http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-060411&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos2

2006-04-06T16:12:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of procrastination (and my apathetic attitude towards school-work), I am vowing not to do any homework or studying during work today. Instead, I will strive to rattle your brain.

First, let's do a flash-back. Yesterday I was fully intent on writing a complete and coherent blog, however, this wonderful host site was down for maintenance. As such I couldn't make my post and didn't have time later-on in the evening so now you will just get what you got a couple of days ago: incoherent ramblings. My apologies in advance.

Lately I've been thinking about the large impact of the media on American culture. More specifically, in the way that the American people receive and use the information that they receive on a daily basis via television, print media, radio, the internet, etc. It seems to me in my personal experience, that the media is able to distort a person's entire view on a particular subject, whether it be race relations, politics, public figures, in a fairly effortless way. I began to think of this as troubling because of the way that I have been dissappointed with the media in the last few years. Starting first with everything post-9/11 and the shift of the enemy from global terrorism to an entire country (Iraq), and then with Hurricane Katrina and the various race-related prejudices and biases apparent in a variety of internet and print media sources during the aftermath of the hurricane. My question has always been how can we try to create an unbiased and fair media? To answer my own question simply, we can't.

Whenever we ask the news media, or print media to deliver stories and information about various topics, it is inherently natural for the people responsible for delivering this information to have their own personal biases and prejudices tied-up with the story in some fashion. So what are we to do? Certainly we cannot stop delivering news via human beings. The answer is that there should be more of an emphasis on educating the public about the various types of slants (for lack of a better term) and biases apparent in any type of news media. A more educated public is always better than a less educated public. Or rather, a more educated people are always more effective than a less educated people. The word public alone isolates us as if we are less worthy of pertinent information than the "media." In any case, I think on a basic level, perhaps starting with high school, there should be more of an educational-emphasis on learning how to interpret the media. It seems awfully "common-sense" to gather facts from numerous sources and to draw your own conclusions (as the truth always lies somewhere between the people and the media), however, on so many occassions I have heard grown adults cite very specific media-outlets as their only source of information. This concerns me.

It's ridiculous to say that the entirety of our country's problems stem from the media, because surely they don't. However, it wouldn't be as ridiculous to point out the prejudices and biases that are in the "media" itself. For example, during Hurricane Katrina when TIME Magazine used captions for pictures of those wading through the waters in downtown New Orleans, saying that the white people pictured were "searching for food" while similarly captioning a virtually identical picture (save for the color of the people's skin in the picutre) as "looters" and "refugees." It's possible at the time that TIME didn't even realize the bias and/or prejudice that was inherent in that caption. However, those types of biases and prejudices that we as a society don't catch, are some of the most detrimental in terms of enforcing a negative depiction of the events, or worse, the people involved in the events.

The most recent story that bothers me in terms of media presentation is that of Duke's Men's Lacrosse team in which 3 members of the team were to have allegedly raped a non-white female in the bathroom during a house party near-campus. It seems as though the media is constantly emphasizing the "alleged" aspect of the accusation, which for all intents and purposes is absolutely fair, however it makes me wonder how big of a story this would have been nationally if it was 3 black or non-white males "allegedly" raping a white female. I understand that the students have had their season cancelled, but it makes me wonder if these gentlemen were not priviliged kids going to a traditionally excellent university, how they would be treated...rather, how they would be portrayed by the media.

I don't have the answers but speaking for myself, I would like to see the media under more scrutiny in how they choose to present and not present certain topics. And how they choose to depict certain groups of people. Overall, the media is a powerful institution. And a powerful institiution without much regulation.

Concerning? To me it is very concerning.

Just some food for thought.

Cheers.

2006-04-04T17:09:00.000-07:00

Hello to all. It's just another Tuesday in my life and yet somehow I'm compelled to write another blog entry as if I really have something vastly important to say, which I don't. Atleast not at this point. So, in typical fashion, I'll just babble.

It's another over-cast day in the greater Phoenix area, quite rare for April 4th, no? I remember at this time last year I was sweating just from walking from my car to my first class. It's not like I miss the profuse sweating as much as I miss the mood that the summer season brings to Arizona, specifically the "mood" it brings to the campus of Arizona State University. And yes, I'm referring solely to the fact that hot weather equates to less clothing being worn by females. And who can complain? Not me, that's for sure. At the risk of sounding like a complete dog, o summer where art thou? <---(Forget that ever happened)

I was watching ESPN this morning and they were showing old NBA Finals Film from the Portland/Chicago series in the early 90s, 1992 I believe. In any case, I seem to have forgotten that Danny Ainge was on that Portland team and watching him play, I realized that he was a decent player yet, I've never really understood what he did well. He just seemed like he treated every game as a pick-up junk session yet somehow was able to put it together and fool everyone; coaches, announcers and fans included. He basically dribbled around, made rapid-fire passes, and every once in a while knocked down a jumper. I know that everyone equates him with being great and all that, and a part of those Celtics teams, but for as much as that guy did, he seemed to possess the least amount of raw talent. I mean, if I saw him at the Student Rec Complex, I'd want to guard him. For some reason, I was always under the impression that Ainge somehow sneaked into the list of the NBA's 50 greatest players, but according to Wikipedia (online), he made no such list. That got a big sigh of relief from me. I'd have a hard time agreeing with that decision.

Also, how is Danny Ainge still an executive, much less the Director of Basketball Operations for the Celtics in the league? I understand that the Celtics are a team based on tradition, and that Bostonians probably love Danny, but doesn't he deserve some grief? They've been in that "rebuilding" year for the last 6 years, okay...the last 15 years. I really don't see the Celtics going anywhere with Danny Ainge at the helm. And another great Celtic-turned-bad-Executive...Larry Bird. The Pacers have J.O. and Peja, plus some good role players like Jeff Foster, a solid wing-man in Stephen Jackson (in terms of production and haymaker-throwing-ability) and some good young players such as Danny Granger and Fred Jones...what's going on with this team? Both the Pacers and the Celtics should be much better in my opinion. I'm going to blame Bird and Ainge, you can blame who you want.

Well, that's about it for me today. I'm off to that Student Rec Complex I mentioned. I hope Ainge shows up because I'd eat his lunch. And drink his soda.

Cheers.

2006-04-03T16:20:00.000-07:00

I'm officially back on the grind.

This weekend treated me fairly well, all things considered. I mean, I would have rather not been sick going into the weekend, but somehow, a few drinks here and there didn't really push me into a re-lapse, so to speak. Although, we can consider this day six of my random flu I'm confident that I'll be a 100 percent by the weekend. What does this mean for you? Probably not much, so let's move on.

I was on Bomani Jones' website earlier today and he did one of his usual Top 25 lists, this time it was the top 25 T.I. slash T.I.P songs from his career. I have to admit, I agreed with most of his choices but that lead me to something else...although I complain about how hip-hop and rap has really taken a bad direction in the last few years with exceptions such as Jigga's incomprable albums and a few good albums from other artists, I'm fairly happy with hip-hop right now, especially in the South. Maybe just exclusively in the South. My two favorite MCs right now are definitely Lil Wayne (the President of Cash Money Records, if ya didn't know) and T.I. I hate to say that New York has fell off, but all things considered, no one's dropped anything in New York worth mentioning outside of Jay-Z since 50's Get Rich album a few years ago. So I've officially decided with new young bulls such as Weezy, T.I. and even Young Buck coming from the South, I'm going to go as far as to say that New York is deperately in need of a new artist, or something. I hope they figure this out soon.

Anyways, enough about that. There's too much I want to say about music in general to keep going on that. Maybe I'll write a book about it someday, who knows?

I'm fairly certain that tonight's UCLA/Florida match-up for the national title will be struggling for the high-ratings that the NCAA anticipated but I'll still check it out. If for nothing else, to hopefully catch a cameo of Bill Walton. Also, I want to add that after watching yesterday's Lakers/Rockets game, I've decided that there is no other sports-broadcasting trio more entertaining than Mike Tirico, Bill Walton and Steve "Snapper" Jones. Sure, there are a few, like that of Steve Kerr and Marv Albert that are definitely sharper and wittier, but none more entertaining. My favorite part during yesterday's game is when they showed some old-school footage of Steve Jones back in the day, broadcasting a game with Brent Musburger and Rick Barry; he looked like Kanye from Touch the Sky. It made my day. Maybe even my week.

Finally, I want to send out a congratulations to Charles Barkley for getting inducted into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot. The Mouth of the South is now an immortal figure in the realm of basketball. It's a beautiful thang.

More tomorrow (hopefully). Cheers.

2006-03-29T17:38:00.000-07:00

I really don't appreciate getting sick randomly during the middle of the week. For obvious reasons, no one likes getting sick, but I especially hate it when you go to bed all fine and dandy and then you wake up and realize you're not a 100 percent.

Hopefully, I'll be able to take in some rest and all that good stuff (vitamins, water, etc.) and get back up to par sooner than later. I really don't want to have to miss a day of work.

Beyond my pounding headache and runny nose, I got a chance to see the Red Sox on ESPN today in a pre-season game. As much as it pains me to say this, they looked a lot more coordinated and in-sync than I expected. I on the other hand, am having a difficult time even typing this blog. Sad, I know.

Anyways, I don't know if anyone has heard about the men's lacrosse team at Duke University and all the wild things that have been going on lately but it's honestly disturbing. If you want to read about it, I've provided a link at the bottom of this posting. With regards to the alleged rape, I think it's absolutely hanus and ridiculous. The fact that these guys are not cooperating with the local authorities bothers me too. And the fact that they were screaming racial slurs at these women at their party is even more disturbing. I'm sure more will come out of this and that it will become more of a story but honestly, what's happening in this world these days?

Alright, I need some bed-rest so I'll leave it like that. Hopefully, I can drive home safely.

Cheers.

http://www.dukechronicle.com/

2006-03-28T17:27:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday to all.

Where do I start? Well...let's see, how about the Tourney, ay? Okay, I can understand how people would pick UCLA and Florida, but George Mason and LSU? To be honest, I would love to see either George Mason or LSU win it. Basically because I hate both Florida and UCLA; Florida because I'm sick of coaches (i.e. Billy Donovan) biting Pat Riley's slick-as-a-gato hair-do and UCLA for its previous ties to Bill Walton. Am I kidding? Hardly.

It's funny seeing Bill Walton watching the UCLA games on TV every time the camera guys pan the crowd because I'm fairly certain he thinks he's above attending the games, mostly because he thinks he's cool and partly because he thinks he's too cool. I could just be interpreting it the wrong way though. I heard that often times, professional teams will actually pay ex-players to come out and watch the game, sort of as a way to market the team itself. In UCLA's case, I'm fairly positive they gave Bill a new glass-blown object and maybe some of that stuff from back in the day. I love Bill Walton's wife too. It seems like a very creepy relationship, almost as creepy as Woody Allen's marriage to his stepdaughter. Almost is the key word.

In reference to Florida, I read that Billy Donovan had Bill Bellichick come in and talk to his team before the tournament. Should we allow this as a sports society? I mean, isn't there a fair chance that Bill Bellichick was so upset after the way his team's season turned out that he took Billy Donovan as an understudy and just master-minded the whole gameplan for the Gators during the tournament? I enjoy conspiracy theories so I'm going to go ahead and say, yes, that's what happened.

Anyways, I'm all about the state of Lousiana, especially after the destructive nature of the hurricane season this past year and all that the people of the state have had to endure. Plus, I think that Glen "Big Baby" Davis is one of the most NON-overrated players in the tourney and that Thomas kid is just a young bull, straight up. So for Hollygrove, the 504, and the state of Louisiana, I hope that LSU can bring the title and the nets home.

Sidenote: Isn't there a better nickname they could come up with than "Big Baby" for Glen Davis? The man is just that, a man. The word 'baby' should not be associated with him, in any way, shape or form. Even if you preface with the word 'big.' If anything he's an earthquake; with a smooth release from the top of the arc.

Anyways, enjoy the rest of the week. Cheers.

2006-03-24T16:43:00.000-07:00

T.G.I.F., yanno?

I was hoping to be able to get off work, enjoy my drive back to Tempe, and then come home to a fridge full of frosty cans (mostly Coors, maybe some Miller Lite) but then my dad decided to arrange a random emergency family-outing because my great aunt and her daugher were coming into town. I love my great aunt and all of my extended family but the word inconvenience comes to mind, especially considering that we're going out to dinner on Sunday night too. I don't think Tika realized that A) March Madness was going on and B) that I like being lazy on Friday nights, drinking beers and watching whatever sports I can find on television until I figure out my plans for the evening. Next time, I'll have to send my dad an e-mail or something. Anyways, I figure that at the worst, my brother and I watch some borderline-exciting indoor football and hang out downtown for a bit.

Anyways...on to bigger things...(not really)

I read today that R.Kelly offered his brother $50,000, a house and a record deal if he took the fall for him in the whole child-pornography videotape scandal...here's my question...who would take that deal??? I'm fairly certain that the last time I heard about the case, there were like 657 counts of illegal whatever that he was facing. I don't think you can bribe someone with things like a house when they won't be able to live in it for a minimum of like ten years. R.Kelly's brother also claims that R.Kelly is bisexual...here's another one of my questions...who cares??? I mean the man allegedly relieved himself on 15 and 16 year-old females, I think calling him a bisexual would be like offering him a promotion at this point. All and all, it's probably the least of his worries.

I also thought it was funny that his brother said, "we ain't brothers no more." It's always exciting to read a) double negatives and grammatically unfit phrases in quotation marks and b) double negatives and grammatically unfit phrases in quotation marks. I guess A equals B in this equation.

That's all for me today. I would have written a few more entries this week had I not been buried by school work. I thought I went to ASU, not Oxford. I need to tell the professors to ease-up a bit on us; this constant school work thing doesn't really sit well with me.

Until next time.

Cheers.

2006-03-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

Back to reality after a fun Spring Break. Mexico was definitely a wild ride, and quite the experience all things considered. I think I picked up more stories on that one trip than I expected. Allow me to share some thoughts about my trip as well as some important things that happened:

1. I learned that it's never good if you're taking a bus to Mexico and the engine catches on fire. On the side of the freeway outside of San Diego. When a bunch of drunk college students want to get to Mexico. Especially when your bus driver is 84 years old. Give or take a few.

2. Never, ever, ever, EVER hook-up with a crazy girl in Mexico, especially on the first night. Luckily, I'm not speaking from recent personal experience but rather on behalf of one of the guys who more or less got the Swimfan-stalker-treatment after an encounter on the first night. She was following him and consequentially all of us like a shadow for the rest of the trip. It was creepy. Every time I turned around...ah! Very sneaky.

3. Don't drop your wallet in Mexico. It's likely to get picked up and held for ransom. Unfortunately, this time I AM speaking from recent personal experience. I got my wallet back, there was just nothing in it. And I didn't even pay the ransom fee. Solid.

4. Never underestimate the length of your trip home from Mexico. It can take up to 10 hours; especially if you have the same 84 year old bus driver.

5. Even when it's a little chilly, Mexico can still be a frickin' good time.

Spring Break Moment of the Week: Twin blondes making-out in front of a drunk crowd. As much as it was a public display of incest, it was equally as hot. There's just a special place in my heart for things like this.

On to the tournament...

The last four days have been as exciting as they have been...well exciting. I'm pulling for a Texas/UConn Final however, I'd love to see Bradley win it all. I have no reason for wanting this to happen besides just for the fact of wanting it to happen.

As far as everything else that has gone on, I can't even comment. It's just been a blur of great games and thrilling finishes. My final four is still in tact: UConn, Texas, Memphis, and Boston College. So in my world, everything is peachy. I'm surprised that UNC lost in the second round but besides that, not much else was incredibly shocking. I will say, however, that I'm happy to see the smaller schools like George Mason and Wichita State make strong showings in the tournament. It just goes to show that the tournament has to be open to all Division 1 teams, as crazy as that sounds. After all, it would only take two additional rounds to get everyone in. It's only fair and Vegas would love it. And as a fan, I'd love it as well. (I can't believe I agree with Woody Paige)

Well that's it for me today. It's good to be back but mostly stressful. I just realized how much I don't appreciate busy school weeks.

Cheers.

2006-03-10T15:45:00.000-07:00

It's all over.

Well, for a week. Then it starts again. But...it's all over temporarily, let's just put it that way.

Today has been a long one, particularly because I've been at work since this morning, which isn't typical. And also because I have browsed every internet site that I normally would and still every minute seems to have a 120 seconds in it. Ah, well. I can't really complain, after all, it's spring break.

I was very upset yesterday. I pretty much structured my day around watching the Suns/Spurs game and by the time I came home (right before tip-off), I found out that neither Nash nor Barbosa were playing. So, at first I thought, "hey, you know what, we can pull this off." But then I thought, "hey, you know what, I had no idea what I was talking about because I completely forgot how much Steve Nash deserves to be MVP." And that's a big thing for me to say, much less admit. Not because I don't like Steve Nash, but because I don't want to have to come to terms with the fact that if Nash isn't healthy in the playoffs, we're going to have very, very difficult time winning a series. So last night was a moment of clarity, if nothing else. But I still think we're gonna bring it all home this year. I'm just waiting for Duncan to tear his ACL, and the Pistons to get in a plane crash.

In all seriousness, I think that the Suns really can win the West. The Spurs don't scare me much this year, I think defensively we have what we need to beat the Spurs in the playoffs. We have a great perimeter defender (on-ball) in Raja Bell, a great all-around defender and contributor in Boris Diaw, Shawn Marion ('nuff said), James Jones who is not a prototypical defender but is just long enough to annoy shooters, and Kurt Thomas, Brian Grant, and newly-acquired and quite surprising Tim Thomas who should collectively be able to handle any combination of San Antonio's big men. And if Amare can come back? It will be that much easier to contain Tim and Nazr. So basically, I've convinced myself that this is the Suns year. There's no way to un-convince me unless I'm told what I was told last night: that Nash isn't playing. I can't wait for the playoffs. And I can't wait to take out the Spurs. I think that might be sweeter than winning a championship. If for nothing else to watch the fallout of all the NBA studios in the country, minus Reggie Miller who is a BIG Suns supporter and just a pimp all the way around.

Anways, that's it for me. There's a very good chance that I don't write anything for ten days.

I know, you're shattered.

Cheers, to Spring Break.

2006-03-08T16:31:00.000-07:00

It's hump-day. That's right boys and girls, it's Wednesday! Okay, it's not that exciting. And yes, I was just looking for a way to start this blog.

This week has been bittersweet. The bitterness of homework and mid-terms gets me, but the sweetness of knowing I will soon get to spend 4 days in Mexico soothes me. It soothes my soul...

Anyways, the point is this: mid-terms generally suck, and spring break generally freakin' rocks. That's all I wanted to get out. It's not like it's new information, but it feels good to share it with the world.

And here's something else I'd like to share with you: How did Crash win best picture? I can't believe the Academy is so scared of giving gay-relations social attention that they actually gave the award to a movie dealing with race-relations. What has the world come to? This proves my theory that is as follows: The only thing that old, white men fear more than black people are gay cowboys. It's true, I promise.

New news that is supposed to be new news but is more like old news: reports say that Barry Bonds might have taken illegal substances.

My reaction: Really??? No...him...are you sure??? Barry Bonds???? Wowwww........

My Real Reaction: Well, obviously.

I'm pretty sure that at the height of his drug-usage and steroid-binge, he could have cranked a homer from San Francisco to the south-side of Chicago. Give or take a state or two.

As far as banishing his records...I hardly think it will happen. But as a sports-society we should permanently have an asterisk next to all the records that have been broken since Mark McGuire entered the league up until Barry Bonds retires. Just to make sure.

Here's what I want to know...does Luis Gonzalez juice? I remember during one of those years when Bonds hit 1,206 homeruns (or whatever) that Gonzo belted out 59. If he did that legitimately that is impressive. If he was using like the rest of them, he's just a $%#*^%@ jerk.

Well that's all for hump-day. Cheers.

2006-03-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

Boredom. I despise it.

I'm sure at some point in your life you have seen a movie, a television show, or a cartoon that deals with granting wishes. My best example comes in the classic Disney movie Aladdin wherein one of the characters gets three wishes. Along the same line, I'm sure at some point everyone has wondered what they would wish for. I think I would wish to never be bored. It might seem like it would be hard to grant this wish or that it's a pointless wish but it's really not. In order for me not to ever be bored I think that it would require a never-ending supply of money. So even if the Genie rules out any possibility of asking for money, I would still get it through an indirect request never to be bored. Clearly, I'm over-thinking this.

In any case, that was all a preface to this; my blog -- which as of right now is saving me from the very boredom I speak of. Sure, my job is one of the most flexible and most relaxed jobs anyone could possibly get at my age but somehow towards the end of the week, I still tend to get bored. I guess that's what will ultimately drive me to move through the ranks in this world. A just want a job I won't get bored with, and I want to live a life in which I am never bored. Money is ultimately my motivation once again. But is that a bad thing? I know money can't buy happiness, but as I like to say, it can buy me the things that can make me happy. Not all the things that make me happy can be bought (because surely I'd worry if I placed all my happiness in tangible, purchasable products) but it can create situations in which I will have a chance to do or experience something that will ultimately make me happy and forge everlasting memories. I'm pretty sure I'd be happy if I could afford a private, chartered-jet to Italy for the weekend with my love (let's say Jessica Alba), afford to stay in the classiest 5-star hotel, and hire a driver to take me to all the historical places in Rome. Surely, that money would put me in a situation to be as happy as I could be in any other situation, regardless of how much of it I am spending. Everyone sees the evil in money, I see the opportunity in it.

That's the whole complex with being a product of a family of businessmen. And being in the business school. And working at an established business. You're always thinking dollar signs. But to tell you the truth, I find nothing wrong with the fact that money motivates me. Of course, in a perfect world I would pick my profession based on nobility and passion but nobility and passion can't exactly pay my bills. Or take me to Italy without those dead presidents coming into the picture. Either way, a person can be happy, successful and wealthy in just about any profession. So I'm not advocating following dollars instead of what you love, but if what you love is living life, then money can let you do that with ease.

I guess I'm not really trying to say anything in particular besides the fact that I disagree that money isn't or shouldn't be a motivating factor in succeeding at life. I think more importantly then teaching us how to write a business letter, college at a subconcious level teaches us how to be more effecient, more productive, and more successful in society than our counterparts, whomever they be. Atleast that's what it has taught me. The hard part is becoming something more than mediocre. It's too easy to be mediocre. And that's what perplexes me. I become comfortable with mediocrity just like anyone else can become comfortable with it. I guess in a way, boredom reminds of the emptiness that lies in being unproductive. Although, when I think about it...I'm still being productive and earning money while being bored at work right now. How does this all make sense? I guess it doesn't. And I guess in my case, you don't have to be able to make sense of everything in order to learn from something. And I guess (for the third time) that ultimately, boredom has to exist for us to really appreciate fulfillment. It's the whole second verse to the joy/pain scenario.

What I learned about myself today: I love being fulfilled. I hate being bored.

Enjoy the weekend. Cheers to all.

2006-03-02T16:18:00.000-07:00

I've learned so many crucial life-lessons these past two days that I just feel like a new man, with a new philosophy. On everything.

Oddly enough, this rapid change all began yesterday thanks to Julio Franco's (yes, the baseball player) philosophy towards staying in shape, something that is obviously integral to any athlete. Similarly, I made the connection between that and life in general. To paraphrase the 47-year-old slugger, he said something to the effect of how when he's in a grocery store, and he walks by the bakery he smells the sweets and the cakes and the cookies just like everyone else, but in the end, he realizes that he doesn't need these things. People buy these things, love these things, but they don't need these things. The lesson learned wasn't in the fact that there is a difference between wants and needs because surely I recognized that difference, but it was in the simplicity of his realization and his realization itself.

This is a simple examination. But the simplicity of things is something I appreciate in life more than most people. As a metaphor for the way Julio Franco's casual interview changed my thinking (more or less)...I don't want to know how to get in shape anymore because I know that, I want to know how to become strong enough (mentally, physically, spiritually) to stay in shape because I don't know that. If we all did, we'd all be in shape all the time.

And this lesson can be applied to anything, for instance, a profession; I don't want to know what it takes to become successful professionally, I want to know how to maintain that success and how to keep succeeding.

To understand why this rather meaningless interview (to most of the literate population) with Franco changed my perception of certain things, I suppose you would have to understand me first. Don't worry, I'm not going to give you a narrative about my entire being but simply put, sometimes you just have to change your lenses to really see the big picture. The big picture in this case: realize what others don't.

The other life lesson this week came from Malcolm Gladwell, famous non-fiction author and writer for The New Yorker. I will preface this by saying that I haven't read any of his critically-acclaimed and scholastically-praised books however, I have read the articles that he has done for the aforementioned print source. Malcolm basically taught me what I had known for so long but was unable to put into words. After all, that's why he's a great writer.

I learned from Malcolm these two things: Video games make kids smarter and books make kids dumber.

Okay...so he didn't say that outright. But it's interesting in his article how he talks about the difference between explicit and collateral learning. An example of explicit learning would be a book...you don't have control of where it is taking you and ultimately it is a submissive task. Then there are video games; they challenge you to control the environment, to solve a puzzle, to execute a variety of muscle movements and mental strategies...in this way, "the value is in how it makes you think."

Obviously, this doesn't mean that we as a society should dismiss the value of the written word or start praising video games for their collateral-learning purposes, however, in general it means that everyone should strive to see the value in every task in terms of the big picture. There's not a single day of a person's life where that person cannot learn something not only new, but valuable.

I suppose that amidst the hoop-la and the pressure of succeeding in "the real world" and getting through college it's always good to know that you can still succeed if you like to play video games, and that the kid reading the book in the corner could end up being an introverted nerd for the rest of his life. These are things we all know. And it's funny to me, because somehow I feel like through my writing and my blog I can change something in someone in someway. But ultimately, we all have to learn these things for ourselves. Surely, something just clicked that seemed to put everything in perspective for me just from simple stories and writing. I guess my only hope is that everyone has those points in their lives where things click, and as often as possible.

In the end, we all need to learn for ourselves and not just to pass the next test.

Self-realization is a lesson in itself in an innumberable amount of ways.

2006-03-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

Happy first day of March. I hope everyone is as excited as me for this spring season. I really don't know where I'm going with this besides the fact that I want to make it clear that everyone knows that in a few weeks I will be in Mexico, a country where all Americans can leave all their problems and worries at the border. For goodness sakes, it's Mexico.

In lieu of this year's spring break festivities I'm basically trying to shape-up so I can have some sort of self-respect when I'm wearing my board shorts for four days straight. It isn't easy to un-do practically six months of trashing your body. I realize that it's college and that we could all drink less, eat healthier, exercise more often and get more rest, but damn...habits are tough to break. I have no one else to blame but myself, and U.S. Federal laws. Allow me to explain...

See, when a person first turns 21 he/she tends to exploit the benefits gained from the age-change, especially when this same person has never exploited these benefits before (I never had a fake ID). Also, it's impossible to do anything social in this country without the presence of alcohol. Unless of course you consider events that are religiously affiliated, but even then, people tend to drink a little more than Jesus's fair share of wine.

Anyways, isn't it ironic that I'm trying to get in shape for basically a four-day party in which I will probably be very unproductive, if at all? The answer is yes. These are just the simple ironies in life that both baffle and intrigue me. The most ironic part is that I, knowing the irony, still chose to pay for this event and willingly enrolled for this Mexican Fiesta...so the question becomes why? It's all calculated. Human nature (and my personal habits) have allowed me to inexpicably rise to the occassion when urgency is at its highest and when there happens to be a handsome reward as a motivating factor. So, if for nothing else, I decided to go somewhere for Spring Break because I knew that this would undoubtedly force me to get in shape. This is not to say that I've never failed, because any great man has (tongue-in-cheek of course) but I do love the pressure that urgency creates. Time, or lack thereof, is my greatest motivator. Doing the impossible, and then doing it twice...that too is equally as great of a motivator for myself.

In any case, to keep this from turning into a session of personal realization let's move on to something equally as important to myself...basketball.

I think the most annoying thing about hearing discussions about basketball is how people like to classify players as a certain type, or as saying a basketball player can do this, but can't do that. I think a good portion of the reason why the NBA has turned into a league where millions of dollars are paid out to those that have specialties is because too often people and critics and everyone else are content with these individuals' specialized contributions. Wouldn't it make more sense to demand or to atleast pressure these players into acquiring all the tools they possibly can? Instead of saying, "well, Nash is a great passer but he can't play defense." Shouldn't we all say, "if Nash wants to elevate himself and his team in the process, he needs to start shutting down opposing players defensively?" The problem is that we don't because as fans, executives, coaches (not all obviously, but a majority) are too content with individual players' strengths.

Look at the great players in the history of the game of basketball...they all did what the majority thought they couldn't. Michael Jordan didn't play on a squad with 5 hall-of-famers...he lead by example, worked on something new every day, and forced himself to improve. That's all. It sounds easy and it is, the hard part is believing that you can improve.

I say all of this because when considering the next basketball team to represent America their are a gizillion reporters coming up with reasons why Michael Redd should be on the team and Chris Bosh shouldn't or whatever they are filling their websites with but the simple fact remains that the players have to get it done. Anyone can justify putting one team together over another, and certainly with the amount of statistics that are kept in basketball (and all of the major sports these days) a person can pretty much tweak his argument by presenting any statistics he/she would like. So the bottom line really becomes that it's not a question of which talents will mesh, but a question of which players really want to go to compete, and which players are just content being on the team.

Ultimately, I think that statistics are only as important as the value one gives them. Leading by example, working hard every day, and trying to compete collectively for a common goal are important qualities in any profession, let alone basketball. As I conclude my sermon, what am I getting at? All I'm saying is that coaches and current players should be asked for their opinion as to who they believe should go to these international games. After all, these are the people who have the most contact with these players in competitive, basketball-related settings.

If it were up to me, I'd take the hardest workers in the league...whomever that may be. Simple as that.

And people want to keep Kobe off the team? I don't know very many people who go to work at 5:00 a.m. every day like Kobe does.

2006-02-27T15:10:00.000-07:00

In sports, statistics are kept. What I don't understand is why we can't keep statistics in activities outside of sports -- just for the heck of it.

Perhaps this is fueled by my usual Monday-afternoon-at-work aggravation but the statistic I'd like for someone to keep is call volume on Mondays. That and the-most-repeated-annoying-idiotic-things that people say when talking to you on the phone. This might be hard to relate to, but if you ever end up working for a corporation you'll have a heads-up on the types of things people say and their tricky corporate ways.

I've decided to compile a list:

The "DO NOT CALL (ever again) LIST"

1. A lot of times people will call wanting to speak to someone based on their title, for instance, "Hello, can I speak to the head of your IT department?" Obviously, this person is trying to sell our IT department something and obviously the IT people are not familiar with him/her or else the person calling would ask by name. It's fun in a certain way to talk to these callers because I always say "Sure!" and they get real excited, except this is the point where I transfer them straight into someone's voicemail; making sure that they will never get through to the requested persons using deceptive tactics. Good try, chumps.

2. Here at McMurry we have several different phone numbers, both national and local, that ultimately connects a person to...well...me. In some cases a person will call and say, "Is this 8-8-8-blah-blah-blah...?" I don't think they understand that A) I don't know what our toll free number is numerically speaking, I just know it is 888-McMurry and B) Even if I did know, didn't you hear me say, "Thank you for calling McMurry"??? At this point a person should realize whether or not they were trying to call McMurry and that should answer that.

3. This is my favorite...it's along the same line as #2 above..."Did I dial 6-0-2-blah-blah-blah...?" My answer (at least in thought): How the $#%! am I supposed to know what you dialed??? I just want to say, "well I don't know, you're the one that made the call, did you or didn't you?" They could always try looking at their fingers while dialing to find out the answer to that question. I don't think phone calls just randomly get routed to numbers that weren't pushed. At least not often.

That's all for my list, there are more I assure you but right now they escape me. Surely this list will receive additional entries in the future.

Moving along...

Some reports are saying that Vince Young of college football fame scored poorly on his Wonderlic test. For those that are unfamiliar with the oddly-named test, it is simply a test given to potential NFL quarterbacks during the Scouting Combine held every year prior to the NFL draft. Here's my question: why in the world are they publicizing his alleged score results??? Have they ever reported on a quarterback's alleged Wonderlic test results before??? I really think this is a proposterous news story, sports-related or not...on all accounts.

First of all, I realize that quarterbacks have to have some basic knowledge of numbers and need to have atleast an average amount of logic (which isn't a lot these days) but to report about his alleged score-results is just ridiculous. Are they purposefully trying to drop his standing as a quarterback? What's the point of this? Does a Wonderlic test read the future? Does it give anyone a true idea of someone's quarterbacking ability? Because surely if we could tell how good an athlete was based on a test, we wouldn't schedule games, we would just compare test results. But we don't, so I shall render the test irrelevent in terms of its practicality. Even I know to throw a 65-yard bomb after picking up an early lead and a first down, and when the mis-matched corners are pressing my quickest receivers, but that doesn't mean I can sit in the pocket, avoid a pass rush, and put it on the money. Although, I wish that it did mean that.

Even if Vince's scores were low, what's the difference? If he goes to a system where he has good coaches and a veteran quarterback to learn from, I don't think Vince is going to have a problem playing professional football. I mean, was I dreaming or did I see him completely dismantle a team that was the most heavily media-glorified college football team since Nebraska in the mid-nineties? By himself to boot. This is the same league where Tom Brady got drafted in the sixth round. I don't really think a piece of paper does justice to an athlete's ability to play a game. In the first place, sports aren't so much about knowledge and understanding as they are about an indomitable will. Just another reason why I don't respect many sports writers and many, many, many media outlets for even printing this type of stuff just to make the news. Why doesn't anyone write an article saying "Who cares about the Wonderlic? And screw irresponsible, irrelevant sports media coverage!"

Now that I think of it, that's going to be the title of my first book.

Another great day. Apologies for my angst and temperament. I love you all. Okay, I like most of you a lot.

Cheers.

2006-02-17T16:10:00.000-07:00

I just want to make it clear that although I posted a link for Bomani Jones' article about Steve Nash does not mean I agree with his article. I just thought some of it was enjoyable. If you want to see what I think of his article, go to BomaniJones.com where I posted a comment to his mini-article about the piece on ESPN. He wrote back, and we've been having a little battle and it's actually a battle on the comments section, so you can read all of it if you wish.

In any case, it's Friday. That's reason enough to be elated. Even though it's gloomy.

That's all. Cheers and enjoy the weekend.

2006-02-16T17:50:00.000-07:00

Yo. What up? <------ (Don't ask for an explanation; it means nothing).

Today is a good day, even Ice Cube would agree.

Thursdays are a blessing for me. No school on Friday, the nightlife seems to be full of energy, and what's better than being able to sleep-in, go to work for four hours, and party and sleep-in again? If your answer was "nothing at all," we're on the same page.

I will soon be adding more to the blog-page-thing-whatever of mine, if nothing else, just to feel cool.

I read a lot of different stuff online everyday at work, usually it's just a process of retaining information, bringing it up given the right opportunity, and making myself look good. However, every once in a while, I will read something that is just so profound that I must share it with the general public whether or not they want to hear it. The following can be considered the quote of the day. Actually, you can consider it the best quote of all-time, because I do.

"Steve Nash is the best point guard in the NBA. Allen Iverson is a better player, but calling him a point guard because he brings the ball up the floor is like putting a kitten in the oven and calling it a biscuit." - Bomani Jones, ESPN.com

Read the article if you wish, it's about why "The Sun" is a front-runner for MVP.

Link: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=jones/060215

2006-02-13T17:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday. I know it's thrilling but please...keep your excitement to a minimum.

Nice, relaxing weekend for me. I didn't end up going to the bars on Friday or Saturday night which is quite surprising considering that I usually feel compelled to visit on atleast one of those days. A lot of good sports on the tube as well, including the snowboarding half-pipe last night, some good college and pro basketball games, and a fairly exciting Pro-Bowl which still means that it was in no way competitive. They need to figure out a way to spice-up that event.

On to more important topics...

I just came across this on MSN.com about Hurricane Katrina and all the fraud that has taken place since the storm ravished the southern coast. It's fairly disheartening to read stuff like this, considering that there are plenty of people in the U.S. and in the world that could have benefited from the help a lot more. It's never a good idea to buy a .45 caliber handgun with your FEMA check. However, with those crooked cops down there, who am I to judge that situation? Anyways, check out the article if you're interested, there's a link below. Typically, I'd speak-on about this subject but unfortunately I have to leave the office. Hopefully, I'll have something more substantial later this week.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11326973/

2006-02-09T16:38:00.000-07:00

Holla. I'm back in the heezy. For the 17th time, I apologize for the gap in writing.

The excuse: I've been really busy at work and...my internet browser at home doesn't want to function. Allow me to explain...

I seem to always have the most befuddling computer problems. So my internet is connected, signal strength is immaculate, but then, my internet browser takes forever to load the homepage. Additionally, I can't go to other pages because they all appear as blank internet pages with the word "done" on the bottom. I swear, every time my life is all in order I have a computer problem. I think it's a way of telling me that I don't have it all figured out just yet.

There's been so much going on in the sports world these days that I don't even know how to begin giving my opinions on all the issues. First, in case I forget to mention it, I ended up having a full-fledged discussion with Bomani Jones from ESPN.com via e-mail about something music-related that he had written on his blog. It was fairly exciting, considering most of the writers from ESPN rarely write me back (the other one who has being Gene W.) and most of them don't bother explaining themselves to a lowly reader like myself. Ultimately, I think we both got our points across. It started off ugly, and ended up being one of those, "alright, I see you homey, stay up" deals.

Like I mentioned before, since so many things have happened in the sports world since my younger days (when I used to write consistently on this page), I'm just going to sound off. Appropriately, this will be called "Sounding Off."

Sounding Off

- Super Bowl: Congrats to the Steelers. I'm happy for The Bus. Maybe from now on I can actually get a solo-tackle on a Steelers' running back in Madden. Although...Fast Willie Parker is a crafty son of a gun. As far as Big Ben and his 22.6 quarterback rating in the Super Bowl (lowest of all-time) I will defend him by saying the following: atleast he made the game-saving tackle in the Conference championship. Randle-El for President in 2008.

- Kobe's 81: Unbelievable performance. Regardless of what you may think of Kobe, his numbers speak for themselves. I've never been one to just rely on stats when looking at a player and his ability but when you think about what he did in the month of January, and the fact that he's still got the team in contention for the playoffs, he's definitely at the top of the game right now --- alone.

- JJ Redick: To be honest, I haven't watched him enough against good teams or during testing road games, but I do think that he's a pure shooter. I think that he has a chip on his shoulder, which is a good thing, however at this point I think his game his too one-dimensional to make a big impact in his first few years in the L. He's what I like to call a system-player; if he's in the right system he'll shine, if he's not he may fade into the pool of NBA mediocrity.

- NHL Gambling Ring: Gretzky, Tocchet, Janet Jones, $1.7 million dollar gambling ring? Absurd. Latest reports from ESPN.com are now saying that Wayne Gretzky was involved (no surprise there, especially considering his best friend and wife were implicated from the get-go) and that his wife might have been placing bets for him. Obviously, this isn't going to be good for business. And obviously, this is not going to be good for anyone involved. Personally, I'm glad to see hockey falter. I can't stand hockey. I hope this isn't going on in other professional leagues. My favorite thing about this whole story is that the feds decided to call it "Operation Slap Shot." Doesn't that just sound like a really bad teen-sports-movie? Like a bad choice to follow-up on the success of the Mighty Ducks films? I think it does.

- Possible NBA trades: Don't let Iverson leave Philly, please. He deserves to be a part of that franchise until he calls it quits on his own terms (which hopefully won't be for 5 or 6 seasons). Just get some consistent players around him, a coach that can improve their defense, and some scorers that actually have a decent inside-out game to relieve the pressure off of Allen. They went to the Finals a few years ago with not much more than what I named, plus Dikembe, why not try it again? As far as Denver moving K-Mart and Earl the-not-so-Pearl...I suppose that's a decent idea, but why? Both Earl and K-Mart have intangibles, plus K-Mart's contract is hefty...let it be and work out the kinks in the off-season. No one in the west has a chance besides the Suns, Spurs, Mavs or Lakers anyway. Y'all are fightin' for fifth place.

Wow. That felt great. I need to remember to do this more often; it's always a good way to let it all out.

Final Thought: I should pursue this whole writing thing. I mean, if Bomani can do it, so can I.

A.P., signing off.

2006-01-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I lied. I've broken my promises about writing more. And once again, I apologize. Keep in mind that I promise nothing for the future of this blog.

I just got done having to stomach a difficult Broncos loss at the hands of Big Ben and the Steelers. I knew they would come hard, but I didn't expect Mike Shanahan (two Super Bowl rings) to get out-coached. However, when I think about it, Bill Cowher is destined for a Super Bowl. Is it just me or do we all seem to forget about Bill and his abilities as a coach before the playoffs? I mean, he took the Steelers to the Super Bowl in '95 with Tommy Maddox at the helm, let's give this man his props.

I feel bad for Jake. He's going to get some negative press after this loss. I don't like how sportswriting has changed over the years and throughout the generations, speaking specifically about coverage of TEAM sports. I think too often we tend to single-out individuals as the reasons for wins/losses without recognizing or acknowledging the integral role of all the players on the team and additionally, the role of the coaching staff for preparing a game plan to execute. After all, these are TEAM sports that we are watching. It's not like we're watching Federer and Roddick at Wimbledon one-on-one, and without immediate coaching instruction. The only time you can point the finger at an individual is when that individual plays an individual sport; makes sense right? Vanderjagt should have made that field goal, but the team shouldn't have put him in that position. Catch my drift? If you're Andy Roddick, you just shouldn't have double-faulted the serve. My point: just don't blame one guy when the competition is not between individuals. If you are an athlete and you point the finger at everyone else around you, you probably won't have too many people that will want to fight with you. Yanno?

Good.

And while I'm on this rant about what I do and don't like, I will also throw in that I really don't respect the sportswriters like Bill Simmons and others who always scrutinize individual players in team sports and get very personal. What right as a fan do we have to judge the moral character of John Doe the person as opposed to John Doe the player? We don't know these guys personally, so why do sportswriters pretend like they do? I'm sure some of them have contact with these players, but I don't think the players will continue to confide in writers if the writers are taking shots at the player and his character. Let's just stick to what these guys do on the field/court/whatever area play is conducted on.

I believe it's okay to discuss a personal matter as long as you don't use it as a crutch to take something away from a player's abilities as an athlete. You also can't be a murderous lunatic but I think the most important thing is to remember that we can't let the media manipulate the way we watch sports. More often than not, they tell you about something negative a player or an organization has done and don't tell you about all the positive things, all the community volunteer work and all the charitable contributions. We're all humans. None of these athletes are invincible. Is it not possible to be understanding? We'd all like to be forgiven for the countless mistakes we have and will continue to make in our lives, why can't we forgive someone else? Especially an athlete. Personally, I don't care if MJ gambled on his own time. And I really don't care that Kobe cheated on his wife. Who am I to judge someone else? Especially when I don't even know them.

My favorite TV show used to be Entourage, and Entourage quite unequivocally. However, Stephen A. Smith and the show "Quite Frankly" on ESPN continues to be flawless both on topical content and commentary and insight. I will truthfully say that I am not surprised by the success of the show. I knew when I first heard Stephen A. Smith speak his mind that there was something he was bringing to the table that no one else was bringing (probably his "well, quite frankly..." attitude).

I'm very happy that the show is moving to prime time so quickly. The show just offers a perspective on sports that is both refreshing and no non-sense. Take note how Stephen A. Smith never bashes an athlete or player for their personal life, nor does he ever make a judgment and/or take away from a player because of his mistakes off the field. He's even mentioned this on his shows how he tries never to do that. And you know what? I don't think ANY writer has more professional-athlete friends in this country than Stephen A. Smith. And that just shows that you can criticize the game (whatever game it may be) and players without having to bring down someone as an effort to make a reasonable profit. There is a HUGE difference between a Jim Rome and a Stephen A. Smith. One is respected by his peers and the players that we all seem to drool over, and the other is not.

Quite Frankly, this is just my opinion.

Off to watch more playoff football. Cheers.

Note to Stephen A. Smith: Thanks for changing the game. It's a great look.

2006-01-16T01:49:00.000-07:00

First post of the year. This medium of thought feels so foreign to me.

Although it's a little late for reminiscing, 2005 was a great year. Lots of fun, lots of progress...I have no problem with 2005. On to the present and the future...

(I don't know why I feel like writing at 2 a.m. in the morning on a Monday but whatever)

School is coming up and there's nothing better than spring semester; the weather is great, the girls in your class that you notice in the beginning of the semester seemingly begin to take their clothes off as the semester breaks into spring and summer, and spring break leaves you with many options (especially when you are 21).

I had a great winter break but, I'm ready for the spring semester. There's just a sense of closure with the spring semester...maybe that's why I like it.

In any case, cheers to Spring 2006.

More writing beginning this week, I promise.

2005-12-28T15:35:00.000-07:00

Man, what a slow day.

At the office this week, more than a third of our staff each day seems to be taking vacation time, which is completely understandable, however it also makes my work day a little slower with not as many odd projects to do and less calls coming in from the east-coast. So basically, since I'm working full-time for the rest of the week and for a day next week, I'm looking for something to keep me occupied at work. I was thinking about starting to write a book, but of course, that would require a lot of planning (and way too much writing among the countless other reasons I decided against it). At this moment, I'm completely stumped. There's only so much web-surfing that a person can take each day, and only so much reading you can do (although I'll most likely read a few chapters before I leave).

New Year's is on the horizon and quite frankly, I don't know what I'm doing yet. The more and more I think about it, the more and more I realize that a house party is the best option for New Year's. The bars are just going to be a little too ridiculous on New Year's, and getting a cab and/or a designated driver will be difficult to come by. I think the best plan for New Year's is to make it an all-day event: bars during the day where it should be conceivably less-crowded than at night-time, and then a house party in the evening to get the celebration started. Two birds, one stone = I like it.

Well, I guess that's it. Time to find something to eat up the rest of the clock.

Cheers folks.

2005-12-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, not so sure about the Chappelle Theory anymore based solely on the disclaimer on the Chappelle Theory site. It still seems likely to me but true or not, it's still worth reading and if it is a hoax, it's definitely a very good one. Cheers all the way around for viral marketing. Or is it being called a hoax now because the truth is out and a cover-up is necessary??? Hmmm...you never know in this crazy world.

Christmas tomorrow and still no presents for the parents but rest assured, there are orders being made via big bro's wife. Or girlfriend (I prefer wife personally).

Alright, this paragraph might shock you but just stay cool. I think I'm going to change my career path and follow one lined with Lacoste sneakers, Chanel glasses, and Burberry scarves (English language note: scarfs is also acceptable here). I'm hinting at fashion y'all. Surely, I jest, however I think I'd be a good fashion designer. Maybe even great. All I need is a fancy name that clicks with consumers, some start-up capital and some 'yes-men' to order around (or 'yes-women,' I don't discriminate, I just regulate). In all honesty, if I had the funds and the resources to create my own clothes I definitely would. In fact, I can guarantee that when I start making the big bucks that I will look into getting custom clothes, tailored by and for me. Random? I know. True? Absolutely.

The whole idea of fashion in general is wild. Clothing has always been a way to express yourself, ever since we adopted the idea of clothing as humans and people, but it's interesting to think about how much marketing is involved, the amount of labor, the hours spent on design and then to think about the consumers that obviously drive the market for fashion. It's difficult to create new and different clothing, but it's even more difficult to get people to buy it consistently. But the profits are enormous if you can get the brand to work for you and not the other way around; just think about the mark-up the next time you spend $60 on a Polo Shirt that's probably worth about $4 in raw materials.

My point in all of this rambling is America's unmatched consumer culture (in terms of how much we consume), how infatuated we become with things such as fashion, and the money it makes for advertisers, labor forces and those within the clothing company itself, i.e. the owner(s). How could you blame Diddy or Jennifer or Coach Carter for branching out to clothing lines after acquiring their level of celebrity? They are all incredibly successful clothing lines. If I was famous, I think the first thing I might do would be to start a clothing company. I'd hustle all day for that cash. I'd post up on any block, in any hood, and wait for that money to pile up.

Just more food for thought. Happy Holidays (I'm politically correct these days thanks to my corporate ties). Until next week readers. Cheers.

Here's a link to fashion at its best:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=riley-jackson/page6

2005-12-20T16:32:00.000-07:00

It's crunch-time.

I think I may be in a bit of trouble seeing how I have not yet bought any Christmas presents. And I haven't even told my parents what I want for Christmas (which at this point, is still undecided).

It's safe to say that I love to procrastinate during the Christmas season.

Yesterday, I read possibly the most bizarre/outrageous conspiracy-theory-type-thing I have ever read...and it was about Dave Chappelle. If you haven't heard about the Chappelle Theory yet, you're in for a treat. I will provide a link at the bottom of the page, but in summary it's a theory that explains the sudden cancellation of his mega-popular Chappelle's Show on Comedy Central. It's wild. Basically, the theory claims that his and his family's safety was threatened by anonymous notes/bizarre incidents that were ultimately funded and fueled by 'the Dark Crusaders.' The Dark Crusaders happen to be a group of prominent black Americans, including Oprah Winfrey and Bill Cosby ( I can't stand him). You have to read it for yourself. But, I will say that it is definitely feasible and far too detailed and elaborate to be created as a hoax. I believe the vast majority of it.

Anyways, that's all for me today. Cheers.

Here's the link: http://www.chappelletheory.com

2005-12-16T17:50:00.000-07:00

Friday baby. That means only one thing: kickin' ass and taking names. And that's exactly what I plan to do.

Here's the gameplan: Leave work, drink...go home, change, dinner and drinks...chill out, regroup, refocus, Old Town for more drinks. You see how this works? It's not rocket science or even science with Bill Nye, it's just the laws of nature. Man likes alcohol, man drinks alcohol. This drink is for our primitive impulses.

Okay, that's enough. I'm just goofin' off, but in all seriousness I think it's funny how every social scene in this country revolves around alcohol...sporting event = alcohol, company party = alcohol, dinner = alcohol, clubs/bars = alcohol. You can't go anywhere without alcohol. God bless America.

Sidenote: My supervisor at work gave me a box of chocolates; the chocolates look like bottles of Stoli Vodka and inside the chocolates there really is vodka. Long story short - I ate like 4 of them the other night thinking I would feel something but nope, just unnecessary calories. They had maybe a half-shot of Vodka inside each piece of chocolate. Highway robbery man.

Alright, that's it for me. I'm out of here. Enjoy the weekend.

Cheers.

2005-12-15T17:17:00.000-07:00

I've been slacking...I know. I apologize for these long breaks but I have a heart-felt belief that writing represents character, and I cannot force my character to come out. I have to want to write in order to write effectively. As such, I shall now continue with this entry.

There is almost too much going on in my life currently. I mean, besides the fact that I've been working on getting financing for an investment property (and negotiating ways to seal the deal with Papa Thapa), lining-up repairs before I ditch possibly the most defining feature of my life (my car, more details later), and getting ready for a shopping frenzy prior to Christmas for family and co-workers alike, I feel as though I barely have time to breathe. But, complaining (like I'm doing here) is pointless because this is my life...and you know what? I love every minute of it, even if the Suns don't win the championship this year.

Back to the most defining feature of a man's life, his car. It's a difficult decision to part with your first car, but it has to be done. At this point, I'm not sure that I will find a car that is as functional, defining and as efficient as the one I currently have but I will shop around for something different. Here's what I've been able to conclude, my car is just like me.

Example One:

Music. My car is always grooving, mostly (if not completely) to urban-rhetoric thanks to my life-long passion and interest in rap and the hip-hop culture. Music is the soundtrack of my life, and similarly, it's the soundtrack for my car as well.

Example Two:

Simple design, complex features. Maybe I'm digging really deep here but bare with me. The Honda Civic is not your classic eye-turner. I mean, obviously, if you happen to go the 'The Fast and the Furious' route with it then it can be, but in it's essence it is a rather standard vehicle but with features that are so functional and simple that they tend to impress. Features such as the fuel-efficient and arguably best compact sports motor to date, the V-Tech engine. Other features include subtle standards that have just enough twists to be unique to Honda such as the interior design, simple-button displays and quite a bit of top-end power (the power that really matters to those of us who don't sprint quarter-miles for pink slips). Like myself, there is more to my Civic than meets the eye, it just takes time and interaction to discover all of its unique features.

Example Three:

The upgraded muffler. Many would consider it embarassing to have an upgraded muffler and well, practically nothing else besides a short-ram air intake to increase performance but, in my case, it's all I really wanted to do with the car. I fancied the idea of dressing up my vehicle but the ROI margins were just too low. Instead, I gave it a voice, and some thunder. It's not as loud as the tailpipes on Jesse James' custom chopper, but the muffler is just scratchy and deep enough to evoke favorable responses from passengers inside the vehicle and those outside. Plus, it does increase gas mileage. What's my point? Simple, the muffler is like my voice: sometimes it can go unnoticed, other times it's the most noticeable but ultimately it's a voice of confidence and maturity. I really like this parallel between man and machine.

Perhaps, for some, this comparison I've made is a little hard to understand or connect with but to me it makes perfect sense. A person's car can define their character, and I really, really think my car has/does. I will miss my car when it goes. It's been a big part of my life and it has been involved in countless memories. If I had the option to never sell it and still get a new car I would, but I can't, and I know this. I'm not even sure if I can let my car go. It will most-assuredly need the perfect replacement but like all good things, they must come to an end. Hopefully it will be a new chapter in someone else's life.

I just hope I can find a new chapter as good as the last.

To my Civic: I bid you farewell (maybe, we'll see).

2005-12-12T17:49:00.000-07:00

Thank God that finals are over. Last week truly sucked in terms of school, however, this week and the next four that will follow are sure to bring about a lot more relaxation. I'd really like to take a vacation, but no one seems to want to take one with me.

My new home at the office is awesome, it's super-official. I used to hold quarters in the 1002 building, on the West-side of our campus (throw the gang signs up) but now, thanks to renovation (a lengthly one at that) I am back on the East-side. It's the lap of luxury. This is not to say the other side wasn't nice, because I assure you that both are sound in terms of design, however this side has it all...

I have a giant media-wall behind me, with a TV whose dimensions honestly need to be given in feet rather than inches, and enough indoor plants and fountains to make it feel like a tropical escape to...well, somewhere tropical. Did I mention the constant play of bad 80's music courtesy of our media-center's iTunes? That's the only drawback.

However, these speakers will be rockin' once I find out how I can download and sneak-in some Jay-Z onto the playlist.

I have to go, I think I just saw the CEO throw up the diamond in lieu of The Roc.

Look what I started.

2005-12-06T17:27:00.000-07:00

It's been far too long since I have done a blog entry. In fact, it's been so long that I almost forgot my 'user name' to get into this website just a second ago. Truly sad, I know.

I apologize to anyone who was even semi-entertained by my blog entries, my random topic discussions, or anything else I did at the helm of this world renowned website. But, rest assured noble readers, I will start-up again shortly with enough blogs to keep you correcting my grammatical errors for weeks (I'm pretty certain that I have very few, if any).

First things first...the weather is where it should be, which, if you know anything about me, pleases me to the fullest. I think I am the most likey candidate every day to make a comment, recite the temperature, or inform an arbitrary human being about the current weather conditions and/or the expected weather conditions. Just call me Nick Cage. On second thought, please don't.

December means Christmas. It's the ultimate pairing - Christmas...and December. Like Scottie and MJ, like bread and butter, like rap music and basketball, like Nick and Jessica...wait a minute...like Nick and Matt Leinart. I'm sorry, I had to get it in there. In any case, December brings me smiles, although as I get older, it becomes harder to decide what exactly I want for Christmas. Right now, I'm hoping for financing to go through on a new condo. Until then, I shall elect not to be greedy.

2005-11-21T17:14:00.000-07:00

Time has been going by so fast that it wasn't until this past weekend that I realized that this was the week of Thanksgiving.

Here's what this means: Lots of eating, a three-day work/school week, and a nice long weekend to catch-up on school (and to visit the bars).

Lately I have been sounding off about racism, the NBA dress code...basically just the things that rile me up as a human being. Well, I think Thanksgiving is another topic that riles me up, not as much as Columbus Day, but close.

I've read lightly on the subject and found different things. One source says that Thanksgiving is to commemorate a feast between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag in 1621, and another source says that it is less about the Pilgrims and the Indians, and more about the "bounty of the autumn harvest" and the opportunity to give thanks to a Judeo-Christian God.

Don't get me wrong, I like Thanksgiving...I just don't like its premise. I think everyone needs a long weekend during the year where we can all spend time with family and friends, break bread, and give thanks to our creators, or for those that don't believe in creation, give thanks for the ability to sustain the world we live in. However, I don't think the development of this holiday is pure. As a country, we are celebrating in memory of that first Thanksgiving...where the new settlers gave thanks to the Native Americans and then effectively destroyed the vast majority of their people and restricted their way of life, including cultural practices. This is similar to me visiting The Bahamas, thanking their inhabitants for their hospitality, and then selfishly taking control of the land and killing the Indigenous people. It's really not much different.

So what am I saying?

To tell you the truth, Thanksgiving is my second favorite holiday...I love the food, I love the family environment, I am thankful every year for all that I am fortunate enough to have and to give...but I don't think it should be a national holiday because of the history embedded in its very existence. I doubt that in my lifetime we will stop celebrating Thanksgiving or even Columbus Day but you know what...I don't agree with either of them. I think we should have a day of thanks, and a weekend of togetherness with family and friends...but it shouldn't lead us to a chunk of American history that is both despicable and reprehensible.

As for Columbus Day...

that's another story.

Thanksgiving to me is only giving thanks, and remembering our NATIVE Americans. Unfortunately, I also remember that we could not accomplish peace or progress without devastation.

Happy Thanksgiving.

2005-11-17T16:44:00.000-07:00

Typically, before I type-in my new blog, I read the blog from the day before...just to see if it made any sort of sense. Well, I just read what I wrote yesterday and I will admit, I have issues. How did I go from talking about smelly coins to me talking about how cool I think I am??? Wow. Once again, I've baffled myself.

Money. It's such a complex concept isn't it? Or is it really just simple?

For many people, it's the driving force for ambitions and goals. For others, it's as meaningless as the paper (actually mostly cotton) that it's printed on. Lately, I've been trying to do a better job of budgeting my money. I've been trying to save a little bit but at the same time, I don't want to let the thought of money hamper what I want to do, especially not at this point in my life. This conflict of interest brought me to the question...how much does money really matter to me right now?

The answer is still a bit of a question mark. I make enough money as a full-time student and a part-time employee to live comfortably, however, I always feel like I should be saving more and spending less...after all, that is the basic principle behind accumulating wealth. But right now, seeing how I am in college, I feel less and less inclined to worry about saving money. This is not to say that I want to spend a 100% of what I earn or that it's a good idea (it's not), but it is to say that I will start to worry less about spending more than I save, specifically because I'm in college right now.

Here's how I have justified this to myself: I have the rest of my life to make money! Right now, for these college years, I just want to keep my grades up, have a good time, and save enough for a rainy day.

It's like my Dad always tells me, "in this country, you can always find a way to make money so it's not something you should worry about right now...school is what's important."

So, I officially feel better about my terrible spending habits now that I've justified it through the magic of a web log.

In order not to kid myself I will say that although I do believe school is important like my father, I also think having a good time while going to school is important...okay, now I'm just trying to justify my innumerable vices, most of which have come as a direct result of being in college...this might be impossible to do. Shucks.

I think I'll just leave it at that. Cheers and happy spending.

2005-11-16T17:33:00.000-07:00

A weird thing about life: coins smell.

I just sorted a box of coins into different piles, and afterwards, as I was typing, I smelt this semi-foul odor. It turns out that the odor was coming from my hands thanks to those frickin' coins. Everyone knows that money is dirty, but if you really think about it, it's just beyond gross. And if you really want to know how badly coins smell, just take a few handfuls of coins and play with them for about 20 seconds, after that, you'll understand what I'm saying.

After my rant about baseball yesterday I feel inclined to write something fun and laughable.

Self-Realization Moment: The funny thing is, I really do write this blog as if it were a column on ESPN.com. I mean, I don't always talk about sports, but I really think that lots of people read this. Is there something wrong with me? Am I just out of my mind?

Before you can say yes, let me just say that in my lifetime, I've done some weird things, and in life, I will continue to do weird things. For instance, when I'm driving in my car and listening to music, seldom do I ever listen to it; most of the time I'm singing with the music or rapping along to the lyrics. The sad part is, I just do this all the time. I won't even realize that I'm doing it and then I'll pull up to a stoplight with cars on either side and by the time I realize what I'm doing I'm thinking..."do people think I'm nuts?" Usually, as I turn my head to either side, I see the people quickly glance away...and somehow it always looks like they are smirking because I am such a goofball.

I think I'm really cool. Maybe that's my problem. I'm a nice guy, cocky sometimes, but mostly, I just think I'm very cool. Now is there something wrong with that? I would say no.

I don't really know where I'm going with this...I think I'm just admitting that I'm that weird guy who thinks he's cool.

Now that's gangsta.

2005-11-15T16:05:00.000-07:00

Today I would like to thank the game of baseball.

That's right, baseball.

And why you may ask...? Well, today baseball announced a legitimate plan to rid the game of steroids (hopefully). Baseball's previous steriod policy punished players by giving them a 10-day suspension for the first-offense, 30-day suspension for the second offense and a 60-day suspension for the third offense...with the fifth offense finally banning a player for life.

The new steroid policy will suspend a player for 50 games for a first offense (without pay), 100 games for a second offense (again, without pay), and a lifetime ban for a third offense; note that the new policy will suspend players for games and not days, which makes the new policy even harsher.

Major League Baseball will start testing all players during spring training and at least once during the season with random testing also available at the league's discretion in-season.

All I have to say is: it's about frickin' time.

I have never been a big baseball fan, but over the last two years I've come close to refusing to watch it based on principle alone. The principle being that I did not want to support a league of athletes that were basically allowed to use steroids. That sounds over the top but in reality, it's really not that much of a stretch. Up until 2002 baseball did not even test for steroids.

The usual rebuttle to the point I bring up of how much I dislike baseball because of its policies and general lack of concern about the prevalent steroid issue is the NFL and steroid use in their league. This rebuttle is one that can barely be considered one; the NFL has been commended by the U.S. Congress and other authorities including the MLB for their drug-testing policies. Of course, this does not mean players don't cycle here and there, but it does mean that the league is serious about keeping their players under a watchful eye, or at least, certainly more serious than baseball has been.

The thing about the MLB that has just left me outraged has been the fact that fans still continue to follow it, and the die-hards seem to act like steroids isn't a big issue based on the ideology that it runs rampant in every professional sport so why isolate it to baseball? But the fact remains that baseball is indeed the only sport in which it runs rampant (and without serious consequences until now). Steroids in the NBA has never been an issue, the NFL has had a strict policy for years, and the NHL, well frankly, who even cares? (Jokes aside, I doubt that players in the NHL use steroids.)

Everytime I have watched baseball, the only thing I can think of as players get up to bat is "I wonder if this guy 'roids?" It's a fair question. Especially in a sport where batting averages are calculated to the hundreths-place and where the difference between a guy that hits .245 and .265 can be a starting spot on the roster (and millions of dollars).

So why do I care so much about steriods in sports? Well that answer is easy...because I don't want to watch a bunch of guys compete when some of them have clear biological advantages. That's not the true spirit of competition. If I want to watch players compete, I want to see them compete legitimately. I want to see who really is the best.

I'm happy now because maybe I can become a baseball fan. Maybe the first thought in my head when I see baseball players won't be related to steroids. And maybe I can actually say thank you to the league for taking steroids, an illegal substance for goodness sake's, and creating a plan to get it out of the game. I don't want to see guys hit .330 with 70 homers anymore. I just want to see some pure competition.

After all, that's the way it should be.

2005-11-11T15:12:00.000-07:00

One thing about yesterday's post, Keon Clark really is my homeboy. I support his decision not to play in the NBA anymore; I can't say that I can relate to it because I would never give up the opportunity to play in the NBA, but for all intents and purposes, I'm glad that he's happy now. Just goes to show that for some guys, the NBA is just a job...and that's okay as long as those guys give it their all while they are still playing. Here's my take on it: if a player's heart is not in it anymore then he should retire instead of sticking around for the game checks, and I think any coach/player/owner that has a true passion (keyword) for basketball would agree.

Switching gears...

I haven't really talked about the T.O. situation because frankly, I don't think he's a jerk, I don't think he's an idiot and I don't think he's the problem. And that seems to be a very unpopular position. All T.O. really needs is some direction, and some coaching. Whatever happened to all the coaches who actually made it a priority to make their teams come together and to give their players help and guidance with sincerity??? I could write a ten-page essay on this T.O. stuff, and I just might.

Please allow me to babble about this whole issue...

T.O. is a highly competitive, highly motivated individual that thrives in the limelight, and that thrives attention. He's an entertainer, and to boot, he's even controversial, making him that much more interesting. I think T.O. is easy to break down: praise him, thank him, pay him well, don't talk negatively about him, put him on a pedestal and you know what? He might just leave you alone.

Maybe I feel like I'm honestly on T.O.'s side because I can relate to him as a person. Obviously I'm not rich and famous, but I think that I am just as sensitive, just as confident in myself, and just as hungry for recognition when I have done something I am proud of. Now is that a personality flaw? Maybe some would think so. But is that just me? Definitely. And T.O. is the same way; I think that he expects so much out of himself that he expects A LOT out of others (i.e. Donovan McNabb). And I think that can be a very good thing.

I don't like hearing people bash T.O. I don't care if you think he's an idiot or a jerk. He's a tremendous player and a player that has no problems off the field: no criminal record, no drug abuse, no illegitimate children. It's just going to take a coach who can mentor him, and a team that can try to understand him to make him succeed. I also don't like sportswriters saying that he can't play anywhere, and that any team that signs him is crazy. Do these people read their own columns? Do they realize how ridiculous they sound for completely dehumanizing another person. These are the same sportswriters that couldn't make their high school football team, much less their junior-high basketball team and they think they know what it's like being part of a team and supporting a teammate? If I was on T.O.'s team I'd have his back.

And where are the Eagles on all of this? I personally think it's a bit pathetic that they can't control a player. They are an established franchise with supposedly a great head coach, and they can't control T.O.? I think if anything T.O. looks like a Braveheart right now, standing up against an entire organization. I have no respect for the Eagles, for Andy Reid, or for Donovan McNabb. Not one guy can even stand up for T.O.? Not even one guy can say, you know what, maybe we should have done something when he caught his 100th (his 100th!!!) touchdown of his career, or you know what, maybe Donovan shouldn't have said that we can win with or without him before last year's Super Bowl...I mean, no one thinks that this kind of stuff would make T.O. feel unappreciated and pushed away by the franchise, his teammates and his coach?

Here's why everyone hates T.O., because they all envy him. He's focused, he's the best receiver in the game, and he competes every day, every practice and all the time. So what that he doesn't want to hang out with his teammates...I wouldn't either.

And I hate to say this...I really do, because for some reason this makes me seem crazy, but I think a lot of the hate has to do with the fact that he's a successful, talented, and cocky black man. And "not to sound racist or anything" but if there is one thing I know about white people, there's nothing they hate more than a cocky black man.

Any number of intimidated white people (who don't think they are racist):
"He's black! Oh my god! And he's going crazy, just like all of them! He thinks he's soooo good at football, look at that big black guy, what a nut! Did you hear what he said?? He can't even speak properly!! What a crazy black guy! Look at him dance, look at him getting cute with his touchdown routeen, look at his jewelry, what a cocky a**hole! He probably loves rap music, and strip clubs, and Hypnotiq! He's not that big, I could stop him with my shotgun!

I'm so sick of hearing all of that. He's black, he's cocky, he dances, get over it. And people think I'm crazy because I think that the majority of white people I meet are racist??? Well the majority of white people I meet ARE racist, point-blank and period. If I've ever heard someone say anything even remotely racist and felt like it was heartfelt then I'm going to think of them as a racist. I love how white people think because they don't say the "n word" and because they listen to rap CDs that they aren't racist but then they crack jokes about black people all the time around their buddies without even understanding how it's racist. And then when someone says something it becomes: "What do you mean, how is that racist? The majority of black people like fried chicken and hot sauce, that's not racist!" Really? That's not racist? Okay.

I wish these people knew how ridiculous they sound when they bash T.O. It really seems like they go out of their way to ridicule him in every way possible because he's that black guy they all get annoyed with. They're fine with black people as long as they "act properly" and "enunciate" but if they start dancing or shouting then they are just another thug black male. If T.O. offends the majority of white people, then he's just labeled as "one of those black guys we don't like but we'll never give a reasonable explanation of why and just blame it on his dancing and shouting and whatever he does from this day on will be because he's gone crazy."

Honestly, I can't even write anymore without going "crazy." I'm going to freak out. Maybe I'll start dancing and freestyling a rap verse, and then someone will say what are you doing? You're not black? Stop dancing like that, and stop rapping! And I'll say I'm not "being black" (as white people say) but I'm just being me. And then I'll say well that's a racist thing to say, and then a group of them will band together and try to convince me that it wasn't racist. And then somehow they will make me out to be the crazy one.

Yep, that's what will happen, I can see it now.

From now on, if people say racist things around me, I'm going to call it out. I'm sick of it. And I'm not crazy...not yet atleast.

2005-11-10T17:15:00.000-07:00

I don't think I've truly looked forward to a weekend more than I have this week. Atleast not this school year. I mean, I always look forward to the weekend, but this week was about four days too long. I'm just glad that I got a couple tests out of the way. I think I can relax for a while.

On second thought...with two 10-page papers due within the next month, I might actually have to start them this weekend... bummer. That's okay, the Suns are playing tonight and we're overdue for a victory. And plus, the odds in Vegas of me doing anything school related this weekend are about the same as the odds of the Cardinals actually looking like a professional football team. I think that puts me at 200 to 1.

I read an article on Keon Clark that was pretty interesting. Keon Clark, for those that don't know, is an ex-NBA ballplayer. I guess he's 30 years old now, but a couple years back he was a decent player; tall and athletic, somewhat of a spark off the bench, the perfect person to study if you want to learn how to effectively collect garbage points/rebounds. Anyways, he lives on 30 acres of land now, about an hour outside of Indianapolis and doesn't really do anything. Although he's been getting some phone calls from interested teams trying to get him out of retirement, he's relentless in his pursuit to stay unemployed. I'm not too sure why I am sharing this but I just thought it was funny that he buzzed-off after making some money in the league. He also has some cases pending; hopefully he has enough of that old money for a decent attorney. Message to Keon: thanks for keeping it real. It's humbling to see a focused man lose all of his senses and pile up various criminal offenses.

Yesterday I said that if it didn't cool down within two days I was going to move to Alaska, well, I think the weather gods read my blog because today was more like what November weather should be. Either that or it was just sheer coincidence...nah, I like my explanation better.

Keon Clark is my homeboy. Cheers.

2005-11-09T17:06:00.000-07:00

If I could do anything I wanted to for a living, I would definitely be the owner of an NBA franchise. As a fan, I would know exactly how to keep the fans happy.

I would lower beer prices, have better, cheaper seats available to fans, and throw more free shirts into the stands during timeouts.

I hope I find a genie in a bottle so this wish of mine could be granted. It's not asking too much, right?

It's November...and still too hot. This is the final straw, if it doesn't cool down in two days then I'm moving...to Alaska, forever. Okay, that's not true but it's still too hot. Unlike others, I don't attribute this to global warming, rather to an unmerciful act of God.

I'm in the process of preparing for a history test tomorrow. Here's my opinion on history: if it repeats itself let's just wait until it does, then we don't have to argue about what really happened. Surely I jest.

Almost time to shut down shop here at work, my parting words shall be...goodnight to all. Easy enough. Cheers.

2005-11-08T11:44:00.000-07:00

Good morning y'all.

I feel like I've done injustice to the world for skipping so many days in between blogs. However, I'm quite confident that no one has really noticed.

I just wrapped up watching Batman Begins. What a terrific movie. I knew watching the trailers that I would like the movie, but it was truly entertaining. I love how they left it wide-open for many more Batman movies to come.

I've always been partial to Batman. My older brother was always into it a bit more than I was, but I think it definitely rubbed off on me. I remember we used to go around the house pretending we were Batman. In retrospect, my parents, and specifically my mom, probably thought we were crazy. But you know what...it was fun.

I remember I always used to try to think of my own character to be, like Crime Fighting Man or something like that, but it was never the same. My characters were often under-developed with no background or explanation of their existence. Underwhelming to say the least.

Now, with Batman beginning again, I will live vicariously through Bruce Wayne and his other half.

And you can set your clock to it. Cheers.

2005-11-03T16:59:00.000-07:00

Nothing brings me more joy than consecutive nights of NBA action when there are teams playing that I actually enjoy watching. I don't think I'd rather do anything else on a weekday night besides sitting down on the couch and watching a basketball game. It's especially convenient because the majority of games don't start until after I get home from work and to boot, the majority of them finish in good time, so I can still go out afterwards.

It's truly wonderful. Long live consecutive nights of weekday NBA action.

I was considering getting the half-season package of NBA Extravaganza! or whatever outrageous title that the cable companies have for the package that gives you all the NBA games every night, but then, I thought of a few good reasons why this would turn me into a worthless human being - here are some of them:

1. I would probably come home, turn on the tv, eat lots of food, drink lots of beer, talk to myself (and the television), never shave, leave garbage all over the condo, never study for tests, never write papers, never do homework, and I would never have time to do anything else that you can think of that might be even remotely important.

Okay, so that's the only one reason...but it's a good one. Actually, it's more than one reason, but I only have one number displayed for my run-on sentence, so I consider it to be just one. My apologies.

Speaking of basketball and television (the two most important things in my life, I'm not even kidding...I'm so serious I'm frowning) I have come to the conclusion that I whole-heartedly appreciate ESPN for replaying NBA games at 3 a.m. For example, last night I was watching the Lakers game until I was summoned to go out around half-time...so I left, came back at like 2:30 in the morning and what do you know? The game was in the third quarter. It was great.

I could just get Tivo or DVR and avoid having to bank on ESPN replays but that would be a little too easy. Besides, I like to take a walk on the wild side every now and again.

Cheers.

2005-11-02T17:39:00.000-07:00

See...that's why I said I almost promise. I know that y'all missed my ramblings. Okay, maybe not, anyhoo...

The 2005-2006 NBA season is officially, well, official...and under way. Unfortunately, my Suns lost last night in a great double overtime game but I'm fine with it. Considering the Mavs had a full and healthy squad and we still hung in there without Stoudemire says a lot. We're bound for the playoffs and even more, we're going to the NBA Finals. Period.

I'm excited to watch my second favorite team tonight, the Lakers. The Lakers are great because it's like watching a reality television show with all the celebrities that show up to the games and with Phil and Kobe always under a microscope. It makes for some dramatic basketball and always makes the season interesting. The only thing about the Lakers that I can live without is the constant talk about whether or not Phil and Kobe can co-exist, it's almost as bad as all the sports columnists who are still writing about the dress code policy.

I've read Phil Jackson's book Sacred Hoops and have always admired and respected him, mostly because of his spirituality, humbleness and his ability to bring more than just basketball to basketball. However, yesterday on ESPN, Scoop Jackson (I only read it because I wanted to see why he considered Phil to be racist, more or less) wrote an article about Phil's racist attitudes and the way that the media seems to let his words slip because of his status. (See the link below.)

I think that what Phil said was unfair and wrong, and yes, even racist for the simple fact that he generalized an entire race of people. My question is, when do these people stop making these statements?

On one hand there are readers who believe the writer is crazy, especially when he or she is of a non-anglo background, and then there are writers who believe that their readers are crazy...here's my point: Shouldn't these coaches just stop making these remarks? At what point do you realize that you are generalizing an entire race of people?

Since readers are tired of hearing about race, and the writers continue to write about race, here's the best solution: STOP GENERALIZING, STEREOTYPING AND PRETENDING TO KNOW WHY THINGS/PEOPLE/RACES ARE THE WAY THEY ARE.

Surely these writers aren't just coming up with these articles. There are people who are making the comments in the first place; coaches, players, fans, etc.

Can we just please watch what we say? Not even how we say it, just what we say. Please.

Thank you.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=jackson/051101

2005-10-31T17:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Frickin' Halloween.

Okay, okay...I know I already said that I wasn't a huge fan of Halloween but that was before I realized that lately, with Halloween falling on Sunday/Monday, Halloween has practically become a week-long event. Today is actually Halloween but it seems like it is rather insignificant considering we've already abused the holiday this past weekend as a great excuse to party hard (that's not a complaint, just a fact). Regardless, I'm sure I'll be out tonight and will have no complaints come tomorrow so...in all honesty...what am I trying to say?

Let's just switch topics.

I can't believe it's November (and still unusually warm). Pretty soon it will be Christmas, and then New Year's, and then graduation, then my wedding...where does the time go? One of the girls here at work got picked to be on The Bachelor and they were going to tape the show for three weeks in Paris and when I got to work today I saw her thinking 'why are you here?' It turns out that three weeks had already passed. I was stunned.

I think life should emulate Tivo; that way I can rewind, slow down, pause, or speed-up life as I choose. I would make college a 10-year experience by slowing it down. And I would speed up anything that has to do with waiting in lines.

I think that the invention of cleats ranks up there with Edison's light bulb and Gutenberg's printing press. The amount of traction-control...just bonkers.

I'll come up with something more riveting to write about tomorrow. I almost promise.

2005-10-28T17:44:00.000-07:00

Hopefully, as many of us know by now, Rosa Parks died earlier this week at the age of 92.

I hope that everyone of all races and ethnicities regards this as a significant passing and realizes the impact she had as a catalyst of the Civil Rights Movement. I feel like there are a lot of people who think she just sat down on the bus. Well, that is exactly what she did...she sat, but she also refused to become another member of society who thought that they couldn't make a difference. She refused to be subordinate, she refused to believe she was any less important than any other human being regardless of skin color, and most of all, she inspired change.

I consider her life to be one of the most important ever lived in America; in retrospect, and at first glance, Rosa Parks didn't do anything that anyone would have thought would change the course of American history and the way we live our lives...but she did.

Perhaps she was just tired, perhaps she didn't want to stand, perhaps she didn't want to give a her seat up to a white person, the explanation of why she refused is far less important then what she refused. I think for anyone to downplay the significance of her choice that day in 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama is foolish.

She certainly wasn't the first person to refuse the ridiculous laws that existed at the time, but she became that one person that made a difference.

Rosa Parks, rest in peace.

2005-10-26T16:29:00.000-07:00

Two important things...1) I have found a costume for Halloween and 2) Yes, I changed my blog template. But don't get used to it, I don't know how much I like it...if anyone actually reads this thing that I like to pretend that lots of people actually do, please give me some feedback. On with my ramblings...

By the way, I would normally disclose my Halloween costume idea, however, my costume is so simple, cheap and exciting that if I divulge any information I risk the idea being taken. Basically what I'm saying is that I'm not telling anybody what my costume is, and it's only because I am so cool that people like to copy me (or atleast I like to think so).

I started to pre-register for my classes next semester. The more I think about it, the more I realize that eventually I might have to get serious about this whole college thing. This would mean I would have to stop going out the minimum of four times a week, and also would mean I would have to cut back the alcohol abuse, I mean, the alcohol consumption. Notice that I said I might have to get serious...in reality I will probably just burn the candle at both ends, so to speak, and start losing my hair at 24. Let us pray that that won't happen.

Random question...is it just me or do some foods taste a lot better then they smell, for example, popcorn. I really dislike the smell of popcorn, but they have the innate characteristics of Pringles, being that once you start eating it you really can't stop. This is definitely the best example as a response to my random question, but, I think Indian food falls under this category as well but not as well. Get it? Moving on...

I've decided that when I get my bulldog (and it will happen) that I will give it both a first and last name. I didn't realize how funny/incredibly awesome it is that our family dog (a bulldog as well) has both a first and last name...Nala Rani...which translates to Queen Nala. I think that might be one of the best pet names ever, especially because it integrates my family's native tongue, Nepali. I don't know if the name of the bulldog I will eventually get will be able to live up to that of the one and only Nala Rani, but we'll see.

Sidenote: Bulldogs are like stoners. I don't think I need to elaborate any further.

Cheers.

2005-10-25T15:36:00.000-07:00

It's inevitable that I speak of Halloween.

I like Halloween. Notice that I said like, and not love. I used to love Halloween. It was such a magical day. Last night, one of my friends said that Halloween is awesome because you always have a memory...and I definitely think that it's true. You always vividly remember each Halloween you dress-up for because essentially, you remember how everyone reacts to your costume. I was thinking of not really taking too much interest in dressing up this year, mostly because I wanted to avoid having to put together a costume last minute but after hearing the thoughtful words of my friend, I am definitely ready to dress-up, if for nothing else, for the memory.

Last year my buddy Scotty and I were anchormen/Beastie-Boys-look-a-likes and I will always remember that. This year...I'm undecided. I always have a good idea for a costume (atleast I like to think so) but I end up either not following through or not wanting to spend a small fortune for something I eventually destroy throughout the course of the night. I always thought it would be funny to be a large object, like a big toothbrush, or a shower...I think that was in The Karate Kid...I remember in one of them they went to a Halloween party, and this kid in the movie was a shower, there was a circular rail above his head and a curtain that went around him. I always thought those types of costumes were so random that they were hilarious. But I really don't have the skill to pull that off.

I always feel like my costume ideas aren't really that good. So this year...I'm not even going to kick around my costume ideas, I'm just going to go with what I really want to be...whatever that may be.

Apparently my freshmen-year basketball coach was on the news because he's stuck in Cancun with his family thanks to the insane hurricane season. I hate to say it, but when my friend told me of this, I thought it was funny...only because my coach, Coach Rice, had a raging temper. I remember him just flipping out, and his face turning fire-engine red...one time he just started taking basketballs from the racks and throwing them against the walls. We were 3-5 to begin the season, and then we ended up winning the last 8 games in a row so I guess he ended up getting through to us.

I would love to coach high-school basketball. I'm pretty sure I'd be the coolest coach, ever. I would make my team work hard, but I'd also try to teach them how to play with fundamentals, and how to play as a team rather than chasing individual stats. Maybe after I make enough money, I'll just take it easy and coach basketball. That would be great. Actually, that would be one of my goals accomplished.

Back to work. Cheers.

2005-10-24T17:47:00.000-07:00

What a quick weekend.

Last week seemed like it had ten days in it, and then the weekend seemed like it was one night. What is going on? I fear the upcoming weeks. I haven't really put in a lot of work at school lately, because frankly, there hasn't been much assigned. My theory about college is simple: college is all about working in intervals. Sometimes you won't have a test, quiz or assignment for two weeks, and then...in one week you have two tests, two papers, and three homework assignments. So...because it has been a couple weeks since I've had a truly difficult week, I feel as though one is coming up, however, I refuse to look at the schedules for my classes because I am not really committed enough to actually start assignments early. Although, I do occassionally write a paper a few days in advance, but that's just because I like writing. Otherwise, procrastination is the name of my game.

The older I get, the more I realize that college doesn't really teach a person too much, unless of course, you are doing a post-graduate degree. I feel as though I have learned a fair amount, but at the same time, I have really gotten away with not going to classes and getting good grades. For instance, last semester I had a class that I attended no more than 6 or 7 times, honest, and I got an A. Something's not right about that. I hate to say it, but college really should take attendance if they really care about education. But who am I kidding, it's not like college really does care about that, they're all about the dollars. Who can blame them?

I went looking for some condominiums (I hate that word) this weekend with my dad. One was too far north and the other was too old to be beneficial as an investment. The condo that I really wanted seems to be in incredibly high-demand, seeing how it sold out in one day. I'm on the back-up list for one so I'm hoping with everything I have that it will work out. I think if I get it I will throw a big party the first week I move in, however, everyone has to bring me a present. Maybe that won't fly. We'll see.

Cheers.

2005-10-21T16:35:00.000-07:00

I love Fridays.

There is something about a Friday that just gets me excited. Obviously, it's the fact that I know I don't have work or school for two days, but I love that everyone is in a better mood. Only if we could convince ourselves to be as cordial and as happy on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as we are on Fridays.

Working in a corporate environment, you get to observe and see a lot of things at a relatively young age and many times, these observances are so perfectly stereotypical that it's funny. For instance, here at work, EVERYONE is just so nice to each other and in such a superficial way. Let me provide an example...there are a lot of good looking girls that work here, and sometimes as I watch one of them walk through the lobby and pass another good looking girl, they give each other a big smile which seems innocent but secretly you can just tell that they are competing. It's just not a genuine gesture. It's so weird but laughable at the same time. There are other examples too...for instance, I lot of the older people here will ask me how my weekend was and what I did but I can't be honest. I mean I could, but I can't just tell them that I went to the bars, got lit, went home and made some phone calls I shouldn't have. I mean I could...but I can't. So, in everyone's best interest I have to make something up, like I went to a car show, and then did some yardwork. It's really quite funny.

The weirdest thing associated with this work-versus-real-life thing is when you see someone from work outside of work. Both parties are always in disbelief because neither party realizes that the other person might actually have a life outside of their job. Here's two extremes of this: Within a few weeks of working here, I saw one of the girls from work at Chandler Mall. I was with my buddy and she was with her boyfriend, and we were just like...oh, hey...so...what are you doing?? Even though we were both clearly at the mall shopping. The other example is a bit more awkward. I was at a nightclub in Scottsdale, and it was a Thursday night so it was fairly crowded...anyways, towards the end of the night I saw this girl with a drink in her hand and she was dancing, and she looked familiar but it was dark, so I couldn't tell if it was the girl from work or not...so a few minutes passed and then we just silmultaneously embraced and said hello and accepted that we both knew each other from work. It was weird, not in a bad way, but just weird.

When I came to work the next day, Kara (another girl), told me that Theresa (the girl I saw at the club) wanted to know when I got to work because she had told Kara that we saw each other...so she probably just wanted to talk about seeing each other. Now that's taking it too far. If I see a co-worker outside of work and they witness me when I'm connecting with alcohol and vice-versa, we don't really need to discuss it. Oh well. I guess any of this is better than seeing a co-worker somewhere more awkward, like the underwear section at Macy's. (Had to get in a Macy's plug, I love that store, great undergarments too).

Bottom line: I love my weekends, and I'd rather not see my co-workers outside of work. Well...let's be honest, there are a few I would never mind seeing. But the others, let's just keep our weekends to ourselves and hope we don't see each other.

Off to a Suns pre-season game via great tickets from a buddy. Enjoy the weekend. Cheers.

2005-10-20T17:32:00.000-07:00

I'm back before you had a chance to miss me.

Okay, I actually have a lot more to discuss about the NBA dress code, but because I don't want to make every blog into a large column I will just talk about something else, something that doesn't upset me as much.

I read the most bizarre article today on ESPN.com, a man had been convicted of robbery and shooting with intent to kill and he received a 30-year prison term...but then, he requested that he be sentenced to 33 years in prison to match Larry Bird's jersey number: 33.

What is wrong with with this guy???

He gets 30 years in the joint and he asks for 33???

You have to be kidding me. Sadly enough, it's not a joke and this guy is seriously getting 33 years upon his ludicrous request. The district judge in Oklahoma county said, "we accomodated his request and he was just as happy as he could be." What? I will never get over this.

Yesterday was a good day for me. I received notice of my biggest accomplishment to date as a human being, as I learned that I got accepted into the W.P. Carey School of Business at ASU. I was very excited and wanted to tell everyone cause frankly, I like to let everyone know when I've done something I'm proud of. Call it what you will but I'm just a happy guy and I don't have a problem sharing my accomplishments. If you want to send me a gift bag, card, chocolates, or whatever my address is 1886...okay, nevermind. Bad joke? I thought it was funny.

My contacts have been relentlessly bothering me. I'm sure it doesn't help that I sometimes leave them in for 56 hours at a time but I really need to look into some eye surgery. Of course, I say this with hesitation. Lasers near my eyes don't really make me believe that something positive is about to happen.

Until next time. Cheers.

Here's the link to that story about prison-guy and his Larry request:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2198534

2005-10-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

Dress code? NBA?

It's true. The NBA is going to have a dress code this season which requires (more like forces) players to wear "business-casual" attire any time they are with the team, including traveling to the arenas, going to the hotels and boarding the planes. (Note: business-casual is not as lenient as it sounds)

I understand that the league is trying to clean up the image and look more professional but I think it is a bit ridiculous to have the players wear suits and ties when they are boarding a 5-hour flight at 9 in the morning. I can understand having the players look professional for the post-game interviews or in the event that they are at the game but not playing, but I think that it's a bit too much to ask players to always be in dress.

To me, the NBA is the most appealing professional sports league because the guys who play have so much personality and always have their own personal style. From their free-throw routine, to their tatoos, to the way they creatively score, the NBA is all about personality...to not allow players to wear their chains or their jeans makes the league a bit boring. I will still love the game, but I don't think I'll enjoy seeing the players come into the arena as much or enjoy seeing what new hat A.I. is gonna rock for the post-game press conference.

Perhaps I fall into being star-struck by these athletes but that's what watching the NBA does to me, it makes me the ultimate fan. Of course, at the end of the day, these guys brush their teeth and go to bed, but I like seeing them express themselves. To me, the NBA season is about watching players grow, fail, try, succeed, it's like a reality show for me. And now, it seems like it is gonna be scripted and static. Well...maybe not scripted and static, but it will be less stylish that's for sure.

Even the guys that always used to dress-up (Michael Jordan was always in a great suit) are getting something taken away from them. Those suits were them...that was Michael's personality, the pinstripe suit, the $295 red-leathers, the jewelry...and now, everyone's going to look the same. I'm sure as creative as the guys in the league are, their individual personalities will still shine through but you know what...I like seeing Iverson with a doo-rag, a big chain, and a Yankee fitted.

That's the NBA.

When the idea of a potential dress code was talked about I thought that it would be a good idea but I just don't like the stipulations. If I were David Stern, these would be the rules:

-Suits would be required when a player is not eligible to play yet still attending the game. When on the sideline, no sunglasses allowed and no visible chains; earrings, bracelets, rings, watches would all fly.

And that's it.

That's really all you need. But...like I said, I love the game so I still have to show support even if I don't particularly agree with the dress code. I just hope the players don't show up in draft-day suits to the games.

Cheers.

2005-10-18T17:27:00.000-07:00

Wait, wait, wait...breaking news...

Being such a pop culture junky (not really) I have nearly confirmed that the Nick Lachey/Jessica Simpson break-up is for real and that Nick Lachey will be moving into a bachelor pad AND...(here it comes) that he will share this pad with the more-famous-than-anyone-in-Hollywood-right-now Matt Leinart, quarterback of those damn Trojans.

Okay, despite my dislike for USC, I can honestly say that this is a deadly combination even compared to Tupac and Big L (that's for the people who actually know who Big L is, otherwise just ignore it)...maybe that's a bit of a stretch, but either way- are you kidding me??? That's not a bachelor pad, it's the new home for all of Hugh's girls.

First of all, I would love to be Nick Lachey minus the boy-band past, and I wouldn't mind being a potential two-time Heisman Trophy winner like Matt Leinhart but this move (if it really goes down) needs to be etched somewhere in the history books. It's just unfair that these guys get to do this. Actually, I'm just jealous but wow...talk about living the life. I can't even imagine...the girls, the parties...the girls...the parties...sorry. My mind typically wanders.

Just for the record, about four episodes or less into season one of the Newlyweds, I predicted the break-up. Many thought I was crazy, those who didn't share my wisdom pointed out the beauty of Jessica Simpson, however, there is only so much one man can take. I was always suspect of Nick's Buddha-like demeanor and I just knew that it couldn't hold over the long run. I mean sure, Jessica's a successful, talented, singer/actress and is pretty much made of money but you know what...I'm proud of Nick because frankly, it's about time! I feel like I'm watching my son (I don't have one obviously, but I'm talking about in the future) score his first two points in a basketball game when I think of Nick breaking up with Jessica and then, to boot, moving in with Leinart. I support this decision with everything I have.

I also like the fact that Jessica Simpson is single. Somehow, when a famous girl is single, they just become so much more attractive, even though there is only a slight population of human beings that actually have a chance. Jessica better not pull any stunts and start dating anyone like Bam Margera. I think she would drop to the lowest rung of pop culture (right next to Britney Spears but just above Kevin Ferderline).

Honestly, for some reason this news excites me more than it should. I think I am just trying to live vicariously through one of these guys who have obviously accomplished more than me already. But that's okay, I'm thinking about buying a place and letting Lil Flip throw parties at my spot.

Don't hate on it...I'm just trying to catch up to Nick and Matt. My, how times change.

2005-10-17T17:21:00.000-07:00

I hate to always talk about sports (not true, I love talking about it) but with such a big game this past weekend I have to.

USC played Notre Dame on Saturday in definitely one of, if not the best college football game I have ever seen. Unfortunately, USC won after a dramatic finish.

I'm sick of USC. I want them to lose; they've won 28 straight games. Typically, I like the best teams in sports because they always seem to have this level of confidence and swagger that no other team has but for some reason, I just don't like USC. I haven't really put my finger on why, but I just had to put that out in the open.

I haven't gone grocery shopping in a couple weeks. It's not that I don't want to, it's just that grocery shopping can become too much of a chore for me. I never make a list, I tend to spend more than I need to, and I always buy the same food. I also try to buy healthy things but I've realized the amount of things that are actually healthy and good are limited. And plus, I always end up buying things that aren't really meals, but more like snacks, so I end up sustaining my hunger by going out anyways.

I think when I'm older and have more money, I'm going to get a chef to come in and make me meals at least a few times a week. I think I'd just feel better about my random and out-of-schedule eating habits that have been engrained thanks to college.

That's enough complaining for one day. Cheers.

2005-10-14T16:24:00.000-07:00

As a society, I think we need to come up with a standard scale for rating jobs based on a pay-to-actual-work-involved ratio. This would be especially helpful for those of us who elect to work part-time jobs during high school or college for spending money (okay, beer money, but let's just call it spending money for now).

I'm pretty sure my job would score quite high, atleast a 9.4 out of 10 (keep in mind that there is no mathematical formula to my rating system, just sheer personal opinion and favortism...kind of like the BCS system in college football).

I'm trying to think of what other part-time, student-type jobs would score high. Here's a few that I believe would:

- Any position at a record store where more than 50% of the staff look like stoners (eh, maybe just 25% of the staff).

- Bookstore. Although...they probably require the staff to clean when business is slow on top of having them pretend to reshelve books and magazines that customers that come in seem to read, never buy, and always leave on the tables. Does anyone besides me notice that these types of customers tend to do this while drinking their over-priced coffee? Hmm...maybe that's the catch. I think the bookstores have an ulterior motive...they aren't really intent on selling customers books as much as they are intent on charging nearly 6 dollars for a cup of coffee. And then, they don't really care that the customers don't buy books because they just took-in a 95% profit on the coffee. So that's how they stay in business...interesting.

- Drug dealer. I mean, sure, you have the possibility of being incarcerated looming over your head but come on, finding kids to buy and sell drugs to in college or high school is the metaphorical equivalent of trying to find sand at the beach.

- Cashier anywhere (almost anywhere). If you can handle standing for long periods of time and like to teach people how to run their credit/debit card through that electric machine with the non-too-touch-sensitive-pen attached to it then you might be quite happy...especially considering most places pay well. Grocery stores or a discount retail/wholesale store like Wal-Mart, Home Depot or Costco seem to be deserving of a 8.9/9.0 rating.

- The front door girl at a night club that just stands near the bouncer(s) and checks your name off the list (well I guess this only applies if you are VIP), otherwise I'm talking about the girl that is just too cool to talk to any of the not-so-very-important persons waiting to get in. Even if they get paid $7.50 per hour I would say that the ratio is still quite high. I mean you could be high while working and it really wouldn't be grounds for termination or for that matter, grounds for any type of negative consequence besides having to bring enough pot for the entire staff next time, owner included.

That's all I have so far. I'll probably be too lazy to think of more of these, but if I come across one that sticks out and scores higher than my job, I'm sure I'll post it. Although, I will admit that since this is my rating system, I am not above remaining completely and utterly biased on all accounts.

It's my world, and y'all are just living in it baby. Cheers.

Note: I, too, am guilty of reading books and magazines in bookstores and not buying them, however I choose not to let the bookstore retain a benefit from my visit and thus never buy coffee or a pastry. I also tend to put the books/magazines back (well, for the most part).

2005-10-13T14:44:00.000-07:00

I really don't like Making The Band 3 on MTV.

I understand the concept of the show, and only watch parts of it (usually when I'm putting away my laundry), but I don't understand why those girls just can't get along...it baffles me. Is it necessary for them to act like they're in high school? P. Diddy, or actually now I guess it's just Diddy (the man can ask to be called whatever he wants in my book) should just give up on his all-girl-band dream and just let them party in Soho with the cameras around. I'm sure he could release an uncensored DVD of the whole thing and add to his climbing fortune. Until then, I hope he just does what he did last season, take the money from MTV and not give out any record deals. He's always thinking.

In case you haven't heard by now, some of the players from the Minnesota Vikings rented a couple yachts last Thursday night, boarded them with about 90 people and engaged in (allegedly) lewd conduct ranging from drug use to nudity. No wonder they've won one game. The whole story is still entertaining though. It just goes to show that not every professional athlete cares about a championship, or much less the game itself.

In their favor, I will admit that it would be difficult to turn down a party on a yacht.

That's all I'm going to say.

2005-10-11T19:55:00.000-07:00

I have concluded that the piano is the best instrument ever.

I don't know why I just randomly thought this, but I definitely think it would be the coolest instrument to know how to play. I think I am going to start taking piano lessons soon.

I want to be able to play a classical song on the piano, one that was written by Mozart or Beethoven. I want to be able to play it from memory some day, in my high rise apartment/condo at night, over looking the entire city. That would be awesome. And of course, I would be wearing a really sharp suit and sipping on some cognac or scotch in between songs.

I don't know why I think of these types of things, but oh well, it's what I want to do.

One of my friends told me they hung out with Johnny Knoxville the other night. I was jealous. That man is one heck of an actor. If you haven't seen his performance in Walking Tall with The Rock then you are in for a treat my friends. Okay...maybe I am giving him too much credit but he's definitely a better actor than Paul Walker. Which, I guess, isn't saying much.

Paul Walker is one of those actors that would be better off starring in silent films. Then again...that still requires talent. Nevermind.

Cheers.

2005-10-10T16:41:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I lied.

Maybe this year we won't have to wait all the way until November for cool weather, however, this week could just be one of those fluke-weeks where it gets nice and cool and then heats right back up. In any case, I'll deal with it. It's all downhill from here (I hope).

I've decided to do my history paper on organized crime in America in the 20th century. If I had the opportunity, the know-how, and the willing participants, I would definitely start an organized crime syndicate. I don't know how it all works, but I will soon find out; and that knowledge might be the starting point for a Nepalese mafia. Surely I jest (or do I?).

I went to the dentist's office today; I used to like the dentist and now, as I've grown, I'm just not that fond of him. I've heard that dentists have the highest rate of suicide compared to any other profession. I can see why. Seems like a mind-numbing job. What's the most exciting thing that can happen in your day?...finding out a patient needs a root canal?

Don't consider being a dentist, ever. Cheers.

2005-10-07T15:00:00.000-07:00

I saw an interesting thing when I was driving today.

I had just gotten on the freeway and running a bit late, I was switching lanes when I noticed a green minivan. On the back window in very large, white writing it said "1,941." And then below it, it said "U.S. Deaths in Iraq so far."

At first, I don't think I even had a thought in my head. I guess you could say I was speechless. I don't really know why. And then, I started to think, do I think that it is right or wrong for someone to do that? I don't really know if I have figured it out yet. Thinking about it now, I don't know if it is a question of right and wrong or even a question of it being appropriate.

I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I think that he's just exercising one of his rights, which is completely fair because he is definitely allowed to write that on his vehicle. However, I know that several people that I know personally would object to the writing of that statement on the back of his minivan. They would probably say, "well if he (it was a male driving) doesn't like the U.S. he can live somewhere else." Or, "he needs to support our country." Personally, I don't like the idea of settling conflicts with violence, so I can understand where he is coming from.

On the other hand, although he has his opinion, and based on the statement on his window, his opinion is that he is against the war, I think some things are better left unsaid or in this case, unwritten especially in such a public sense. I rarely voice my opinions in a public spectrum because people are quick to judge, and then quick to draw a conclusion of your character based on your opinion, and some are even quick to act on that judgement without respect for people's differences.

For example, my father's Indian friend owned a convenient store in downtown Phoenix. He was from Northern India where there is a fairly large population of people who are not Hindu but rather Sikhs, and they happen to wear turbans based on their religious beliefs. Well, after 9/11 there was undoubtedly a sense of animosity by some Americans towards Arab-americans and most especially Muslims.

Following the tragedy of 9/11, a man came into his convenient store and shot and killed him in cold blood, and in broad daylight.

He was wearing a turban so the man thought he was Muslim. Such a cowardly and hanus act towards a man that had not done anything wrong. There's no way to justify something like that. He wasn't even Muslim. And even if he was, he wouldn't have been responsible for anything having to do with tragic events of 9/11. That would be like carrying animosity towards all Christians for the incident in Waco, Texas.

I think in order to avoid the ignorance, rage, and thoughtless acts of so many people, it is best to leave some things to ourselves. Like my father tells me, "there's two things you should never discuss, religion and politics." I think he's right. Actually, I know he's right.

2005-10-06T16:11:00.000-07:00

I can't wait for basketball season. It's the best time of year for me.

The weather is great, football season begins to get real interesting, Thanksgiving and Christmas come up quickly, and there are plenty of basketball games to watch every week. Hopefully, Phil and Kobe can get the Lakers on the right track and the new-look Suns will still be the greatest show on earth.

Basketball season, and especially the beginning of the season, gets me thinking about Christmas. I can't wait for that either.

I suppose I can't wait for a lot of things, November included. It's really the first month (post-summer) where you can count on not having to use air conditioning in the car or at home anymore, and where those sheets on the bed actually come in handy.

In all honesty, it really seems like Halloween night is when you finally feel that winter lingering in the air. I think it's just because everyone is outside at some point that night and collectively we all realize that in late October, at night, it can tend to get nice and cool.

Subject change. I want to be on a reality show. I think it would be great, especially the Real World. You don't do anything! Of course they supposedly have a "job" during the taping but making videos of other people and drinking with wanna-be-musicians doesn't really seem too hard. Plus, they get to drink like 9 times a week with absolutely no responsibility to anyone or anything except of course the so-called "job." Next year the whole cast should just refuse to work. And if they decide not to tape the show they could relish in the fact that MTV would have to re-cast all over again. It would be worth it.

2005-10-05T11:28:00.000-07:00

Technology. Sometimes I love it and sometimes I hate it.

I use Microsoft Outlook at work all the time and I think it's great especially the features; the calendar, the virtually unlimited storage capacity, the pop-up alerts everytime a new e-mail comes in...so I decided to set it up at home, bad idea. I find out that my e-mail at McMurry is not capable of syncing to Outlook if it's off-site, okay, I'll just sync it with my Yahoo account. Nope. Apparently you have to pay for your Yahoo e-mail account if you want the convenience of their service via Outlook.

I'm just waiting for flying cars, like in the Jetsons. And that robotic housekeeper.

I'm taking a class called Technology and Environment and it really challenges you to think about the direction of technology in our world today. As a nation, and maybe just as a part of Western culture, we tend to associate progress with technological advancements. But where do we draw the line? Do we even need to draw a line?

I'm okay with technology. I have a PDA phone, I use the internet daily, and I own a digital camera the size of a credit card. But I don't know if I'm okay all the technology our government and military has. Things we don't even know about. It's scary to think about identity fraud; people getting their entire lives ruined by a person using their records and personal information. And cloning. I don't think I want a clone, for any reason. I think if I need a new kidney, I'll ask a friend, a family member, a co-worker...just don't clone me. I know one thing in this life that's guaranteed, and that's death, don't ruin that for me technology. I'll go when it's time to go.

Did you know that in Long Island, city planners purposefully built 9-foot-tall bridges throughout the city so that public transportation vehicles such as city busses wouldn't go into Long Island? The idea behind it was to keep the urban population out of Long Island, specifically the minorities which make up the majority of pubilc transportation users. Those bridges still stand today.

Technology, what a concept. I can't even live without my cell phone...or my broadband internet service. It's pathetic. Time to post this blog, and check the calendar on my phone. Cheers.

2005-10-04T17:04:00.000-07:00

As many people know by now, Kanye West made a public statement during NBC's national benefit concert for Hurricane Katrina victims early in September. Since then, it has been the topic of many conversations around the web, in homes and amongst friends and family.

Although I don't necessarily agree with the viewpoint that "George Bush doesn't care about black people," I certainly think that Hurricane Katrina has shown the irrefutable existence of racial divide that still exists in our communities today. In a Businessweek article (a short opinion piece) I read that the hurricane as a whole has shown this country's weaknesses, specifically culturally. I would have to agree.

I know many people who still hold prejudices and stereotypes against other races and it's disheartening to see.

I may not agree with everything that Kanye West said, however, I would be lying if I said that I don't see where he is coming from. If nothing else, I respect his courage to say what he believed, and not whatever was scripted for him to say. I think the real tragedy would be if we allowed the media to spin and defame his character because of something so many Americans were already thinking regardless of whether it was right or wrong (subjective anyways).

Many people believe that his statements will hurt his career; I think it will just make him an icon among a community that is seldom spoken for by people who are actually from the community. I don't think they should have excluded his comments from the West coast broadcast...why? However unpopular his opinion, I think that the black community has been unfairly portrayed in certain ways; as evidence, Yahoo (among other media) captioned pictures of Black families with food as looters, and pictures of White families with food as food "finders" (Yahoo did publicly apologize).

I'm proud of Kanye West for expressing how he felt, something most celebrities don't do.

Here's a good link with a video from the benefit concert:

http://cleveland.indymedia.org/news/2005/09/17033.php