Hey everyone. Hope all is well.
I've launched my new Blog called The Sports Inquirer. I'm still going to post here at Pourtout Pancakes, but not as often.
Here's the link: http://thesportsinquirer.com/
I leave you with some Michael with Dirty Diana:
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Sunday Reflections on Michael Jackson
What an interesting week each of us has had and its time to get to the Reflections.
Music to Listen to: Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson
It wouldn’t be right for me to do a Reflections and not have a Michael Jackson song as my choice for music.
I was going to write about the USA Soccer team coming close to winning the Confederations Cup or how Hank Basket violated at least three guy rules by his involvement with Kendra Wilkerson, review the Mars Volta Album, etc. but a lot of that can wait until tomorrow.
This whole Reflection will be dedicated to Michael. We all know about his “interesting” lifestyle and the criminal accusations, all of the bad stuff. However, I’m going to look at the positives.
The reason that I have Smooth Criminal is that its my favorite video of his. My favorite song is Beat It but the video for Smooth Criminal gets the nod.
The first album that I ever bought with my own money was MC Hammer’s Too Legit to Quit but the second one was Michael’s Dangerous.
I was just a little too young to get into Thriller but I knew all about it. In fact, Beat It is my favorite song because it had a rock and roll sound to it, especially with Eddie Van Halen doing the guitar solo. Hearing that song and Run DMC’s Rock Box heavily swayed me to like rock music more then all of the rap music my buddies was listening to.
Even before I got Dangerous, I got the Bad album and of course dug all of the songs. Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel were both classics on there.
However, I was actually moved when I heard Man in the Mirror. Even as a little kid, I would get emotional hearing that song about looking at yourself and making an impact on society.
But Smooth Criminal was the business. I still remember making my mom buy the Moonwalker movie which featured the full-length video of the song. It was on. I remember darn near busting my ass trying to do all of the dance moves, especially the spin on top of a table and the lean forward. Just watch the video from the 6:30 point on. I had that whole routine down. I would have arguments with my friends about if they doctored the video with special effects. Michael was such a hero to me that I would argue that he could do anything.
So based on all of this, I decided that when Dangerous came out, I was going to rush to the music store in downtown Brooklyn and make it happen.
I listened to that whole album on an endless loop on my tape player. Yes young bucks out there, I bought that album on tape, CDs weren’t an option at that time.
I still remember waiting in front of my TV in 1991 when all of the major networks like MTV, BET, VH1 and Fox all debuted the music video for Black or White AT THE SAME TIME. I personally watched it on Fox because it was after an episode of In Living Color. We all saw the video and were amazed by it.
The last part of the video was odd because Michael decided to do a solo dance when he was smashing windows and grabbing his crotch strongly. As a 10-year old boy, that confused me.
What didn’t confuse me was the video for In the Closet. Oh my goodness. Just watch it below for a moment.
Now, I’m an 11-year old boy watching this video and I’m noticing Naomi Campbell and thinking to myself, “OK, she’s attractive.”
That’s the PG way of saying that puberty started for your boy at that moment.
Naomi Campbell in 1992, my word.
So the rest of the album is the business as well. Remember the Time was another video that stopped the world when it premiered. Who is it is solid, the Jam video featured frickin Michael Jordan, Heal the World was a touching song, Give in to Me was excellent and featured Slash so the Guns and Roses fan in me appreciated that.
The key to the album for me was that it had elements of rock, pop, R&B, soul and everything in between.
After wearing out Dangerous, I went back and got Thriller and Off the Wall and understood the essence of him.
His music and style was so influential to everyone. All of us from ages 25-60 have tried to dance like that guy. We all have a bad impersonation of him.
He’s the only musician that I know that everyone has cosigned in liking him. Even the punk rockers who were listening to Bad Brains and Black Flag were feeling Michael.
The one thing that shouldn’t be understated is his impact on MTV. Before him, MTV wasn’t playing videos by Black artists on a consistent basis. Michael changed all of that. As a result of that, you have an entire generation of performers influenced by that guy.
I’m going to conclude with this and each of you can get back to work out there.
I said on Facebook that the reason that music is a big part of my life is because of Michael Jackson, Metallica and MC Hammer. If I had to round it out to a top-five, Aerosmith and LL Cool J would be the rest of it. The sixth man would be Eric B and Rakim.
That’s all from me. Thanks for reading my thoughts. I’ll have some more of my favorite Michael Jackson songs throughout the week.
Have a good fight and good night everyone.
Music to Listen to: Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson
It wouldn’t be right for me to do a Reflections and not have a Michael Jackson song as my choice for music.
I was going to write about the USA Soccer team coming close to winning the Confederations Cup or how Hank Basket violated at least three guy rules by his involvement with Kendra Wilkerson, review the Mars Volta Album, etc. but a lot of that can wait until tomorrow.
This whole Reflection will be dedicated to Michael. We all know about his “interesting” lifestyle and the criminal accusations, all of the bad stuff. However, I’m going to look at the positives.
The reason that I have Smooth Criminal is that its my favorite video of his. My favorite song is Beat It but the video for Smooth Criminal gets the nod.
The first album that I ever bought with my own money was MC Hammer’s Too Legit to Quit but the second one was Michael’s Dangerous.
I was just a little too young to get into Thriller but I knew all about it. In fact, Beat It is my favorite song because it had a rock and roll sound to it, especially with Eddie Van Halen doing the guitar solo. Hearing that song and Run DMC’s Rock Box heavily swayed me to like rock music more then all of the rap music my buddies was listening to.
Even before I got Dangerous, I got the Bad album and of course dug all of the songs. Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel were both classics on there.
However, I was actually moved when I heard Man in the Mirror. Even as a little kid, I would get emotional hearing that song about looking at yourself and making an impact on society.
But Smooth Criminal was the business. I still remember making my mom buy the Moonwalker movie which featured the full-length video of the song. It was on. I remember darn near busting my ass trying to do all of the dance moves, especially the spin on top of a table and the lean forward. Just watch the video from the 6:30 point on. I had that whole routine down. I would have arguments with my friends about if they doctored the video with special effects. Michael was such a hero to me that I would argue that he could do anything.
So based on all of this, I decided that when Dangerous came out, I was going to rush to the music store in downtown Brooklyn and make it happen.
I listened to that whole album on an endless loop on my tape player. Yes young bucks out there, I bought that album on tape, CDs weren’t an option at that time.
I still remember waiting in front of my TV in 1991 when all of the major networks like MTV, BET, VH1 and Fox all debuted the music video for Black or White AT THE SAME TIME. I personally watched it on Fox because it was after an episode of In Living Color. We all saw the video and were amazed by it.
The last part of the video was odd because Michael decided to do a solo dance when he was smashing windows and grabbing his crotch strongly. As a 10-year old boy, that confused me.
What didn’t confuse me was the video for In the Closet. Oh my goodness. Just watch it below for a moment.
Now, I’m an 11-year old boy watching this video and I’m noticing Naomi Campbell and thinking to myself, “OK, she’s attractive.”
That’s the PG way of saying that puberty started for your boy at that moment.
Naomi Campbell in 1992, my word.
So the rest of the album is the business as well. Remember the Time was another video that stopped the world when it premiered. Who is it is solid, the Jam video featured frickin Michael Jordan, Heal the World was a touching song, Give in to Me was excellent and featured Slash so the Guns and Roses fan in me appreciated that.
The key to the album for me was that it had elements of rock, pop, R&B, soul and everything in between.
After wearing out Dangerous, I went back and got Thriller and Off the Wall and understood the essence of him.
His music and style was so influential to everyone. All of us from ages 25-60 have tried to dance like that guy. We all have a bad impersonation of him.
He’s the only musician that I know that everyone has cosigned in liking him. Even the punk rockers who were listening to Bad Brains and Black Flag were feeling Michael.
The one thing that shouldn’t be understated is his impact on MTV. Before him, MTV wasn’t playing videos by Black artists on a consistent basis. Michael changed all of that. As a result of that, you have an entire generation of performers influenced by that guy.
I’m going to conclude with this and each of you can get back to work out there.
I said on Facebook that the reason that music is a big part of my life is because of Michael Jackson, Metallica and MC Hammer. If I had to round it out to a top-five, Aerosmith and LL Cool J would be the rest of it. The sixth man would be Eric B and Rakim.
That’s all from me. Thanks for reading my thoughts. I’ll have some more of my favorite Michael Jackson songs throughout the week.
Have a good fight and good night everyone.
MMA Review
Its time for that MMA Review.
So much has taken place since I’ve done my last MMA Review. I’ll have to just hit on various points and keep it moving.
-I didn’t catch any of the Bob Sapp vs. Bobby Lashley fight on Saturday but it went as I expected. Lashley got the early take down and grounded and pounded his way to a victory in the first round. There was no reason for Lashley who is still learning the stand-up portion of his game, to participate in a boxing/kickboxing style fight with a respected K-1-style fighter like Sapp.
The more interesting thing about this event is the continued development of Lashley. He’s serious about becoming a legit threat in MMA. He has the size and athleticism to do it. Furthermore, he is training at American Top Team, so you know that he is receiving some excellent training. He can definitely sign with the UFC or Affliction and at least be competitive. He’s not at a championship level yet but it ain’t going to take much time.
-I thoroughly enjoyed the Ultimate Fighter Finale on Spike last Saturday. The Clay Guida/Diego Sanchez fight is definitely the mid-year “Fight of the Year” leader. The constant energy of Guida is amazing. I’ve never seen a fighter constantly keep his high fight pace throughout an entire match like he does. However, Sanchez won the fight with some nice uppercuts and submission attempts.
You can make the argument that Sanchez could/should get the winner of the BJ Penn/Ken Florian Lightweight title fight in August. I understand that. I also liked the Kevin Burns/Chris Lytle fight as well. Joe Stevenson and Nate Diaz also had an enjoyable fight.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
NBA Draft Review (First Round)
Hey folks, I’m going to keep a running commentary of the NBA Draft that will serve as a review for each of you reading this late Thursday night or Friday morning. As usual, I have to take care of some business first.
Music to Listen To: Knock you Down by Keri Hilson
Some Keri Hilson action for you to listen to.
Crush of the Day: Tamia Hill
She’s my favorite NBA wife/girlfriend because she can sing, is a talented actress, beautiful and Canadian. LaLa Valasquez came in a close second.
Some general thoughts on things overall.
-I’ll save it for tomorrow on a non-NBA Draft day but Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson all dying in the same week. It shows that you have to cherish life and live it right because it can be taken away from you.
-Tremendous job by the USA men’s soccer team for beating Spain on Wednesday. I was going to do a commentary on the state of USA soccer in general but I’m going to save it until the Confederations Cup final against Brazil takes place on Sunday.
-A message to Al_Roker. I didn’t get my pictures about the fashion of the NBA Draft from si.com. They copied off of me. Actually I didn’t even know that si.com was going to do a photo gallery of past drafts.
-On that same note, Al_Roker, I can see how I would be condoning cheating on your significant other with my Ali Landry/Mario Lopez comments. I’m not down with cheating. No one wins in the end.
OK, rest of the post will be NBA-related
-Tremendous job by Cleveland getting Shaq. What do the Cavs have to lose by getting him?
-I miss the NBA Draft being broadcasted on TNT. You had the excellent Ernie Johnson serving as the facilitator and he runs laps around Stuart “holla, I’m going to just throw slang terms into my speech to show how much I’m down” Scott. Furthermore, you had Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley giving you honest commentary.
Everytime I hear Jay Bilas talk, I want to take a nap. He seems like a nice guy but he bores me greatly.
The only good thing that Scott contributes to the show is his terrible interviewing of the new draftees. Crap, it looks like Scott is going to be serving as the lead anchor and Mark Jones will be doing the interviews, which is an excellent move.
I’m also going to miss Stephen A. Smith yelling at me. Those were the good ole days.
-Darn, am I going to have to mute my TV everytime Dick Vitale comes on? It may have to take place.
-Yes, I’m going to mute every Dick Vitale appearance.
-I wonder who the Clippers are going to take?
-Wow, David Stern wasn’t booed as much as I thought during his intro on the podium. I guess my New Yorkers are getting soft. That’s more like it NYC fans. Screw the Lakers winning the title. As a Knicks fan, I will never, ever root for the Lakers to achieve anything good.
-I hope Blake Griffin works out for the Clippers, I really do. The only problem is that the Clippers are going to have to get rid of one of their bigs. Zach Randolph and Chris Kamann makes too much money. Marcus Camby, prepare to make a move.
-Why doesn’t the NBA have the equivalent of a Mel Kiper Jr.? Jay Bilas tries but we need someone who dedicates their life to scouting.
-Fashion rating for Blake Griffin? Solid seven out of ten. I like the purple shirt, but those are Lakers colors, be careful Blake. The black suit is a nice touch though.
-And the Memphis Grizzlies take…Hasheem Thabeet. I guess I saw this coming but I don’t like his game, especially on offense. He’s going to have to work very, very hard on that side of his game. The defense and rebounding is OK but I still think that he lacks some toughness and strength that you would like to see in your center.
-Fashion rating for Thabeet? I give his look about an eight. I prefer lighter colored suits for the taller NBA guys and he has a nice light grey with a baby blue tie.
-And the former Seattle Sonics take…James Harden. Interesting. I see where they’re going with this. They already have a point in Westbrook, forwards in Durant and Green. Harden will slide into the shooting guard spot. If Thabeet was available, they would have taken him and been probably better off. I just think that Harden needs to improve his jump shot and he’s also slow for a perimeter player.
Personally, I would have taken Tyreke Evans in this spot.
-Fashion rating for Harden? He gets a nine. The bow tie is a nice touch. I like the brown colored suit and vest. The only thing preventing this from being a ten is the white shirt with the blue stripes.
-I like Harden. I’ve heard interviews with him the past few days and he seems like a good guy.
-And the Sacramento Kings take…Tyreke Evans. Love this pick all things considered. I know that I said in my draft preview that the Kings should have taken Rubio in this spot but I’m with Evans now. Of course, Evans needs to work on his jump shot but overall, nice pick.
-Fashion rating for Evans? Seven out of 10. The black pinstripe suit is nice and he lucked out with picking out the purple shirt and tie with the Kings taking him.
-And the Minnesota T’wolves take…Ricky Rubio. The Spaniard gets taken. What’s up with the crowd chanting U-S-A? Accept all cultures people. Where can I get the Rubio haircut? I’m going to hold out on my commentary until I see the next pick.
-Fashion rating for Rubio? Eight out of 10. He’s rocking the black suit with the pinstripe blue shirt and the skinny black tie. Very European look. I like it.
-And the T’Wolves take…Jonny Flynn? What? Respect to Syracuse but really? You have Rubio and Flynn together? I’m not so sure about this one. If you’re going to go with a guard, why not DeRozen or Holiday or even Curry?
-And Golden State takes…Stephen Curry? Damn it Don Nelson? Howe many more guards do you need? Curry is a beast and will be a solid pro but where is he going to play on that team? They already have Monta Ellis at point.
And yes, as a Knicks fan, not happy. I would have liked to have had Curry.
-This is really showing how small the league is getting. You have Minnesota taking two point guards and then Golden State taking a small guy.
-Fashion rating for Curry? He gets the first ten of the evening. I like the pinstripe grey suit, the striped shirt is nice, enjoy the vest and the purple tie. Is purple the hot color of the season?
-The Knicks take…Jordan Hill. Of course he gets booed by the NYC crowd. So proud right now. I like this pick for New York because he’s a big who is athletic to run in the D’Antoni system. I didn’t think that he would be available in that spot. Furthermore, he actually looks like he wants to rebound and play some defense, which is sorely needed for the Knicks.
-And the Toronto Raptors take…Demar Derozan. I really like this move. He’s a big guard that can compliment Calderon in the backcourt.
-And the Milwaukee Bucks take…Brandon Jennings. Slight risk with this guy. None of us have really seen him play. I’m taking a pass on evaluating him. Has some nice physical skills. Van Gundy just made a good point about Jennings already facing adversity in his career. This will help Jennings in the future.
-Interesting trade between Orlando and New Jersey. Trading away Vince Carter is a mixed move. You save some money but you do get rid of your best player besides Devin Harris.
-And the New Jersey Nets take…Terrence Williams. He’s a nice slasher to work with Harris. Williams just said that he doesn’t watch ESPN? Really? That’s not possible.
-Fashion rating for Williams? Four out of ten. The grey and black isn’t working. Throw some color into your wardrobe.
-And the Charlotte Bobcats take…Gerald Henderson. What a shocker, they take someone from the state of North Carolina. He’s a solid player. Not an All-Star but has excellent value at this position in the draft.
-And Indiana takes…Tyler Hansbrough. Him and Indiana fit together. There were rumors that Larry Bird was in love with him so this pick isn’t shocking. You know that Hansbrough is going to work hard and not quit but his athleticism is lacking. However, who would you take over him? I would take Jeff Teague over him at this stage of the draft but that’s it. Good value pick but he needs to work on his interview skills and at least sound a little more excited.
-And the Phoenix Suns take…Earl Clark. Anyway, Brandon Jennings of the Bucks decided to just show up on stage with David Stern. Interesting.
-And Detroit takes…Austin Daye. This is a joke. This skinny rail is a lottery pick? He is very overrated. He needs to hit the weight room and visit some buffets to become a decent pro. He’s also not very tough and weak. He brings nothing physical to his game.
-Fashion rating for Daye? He gets about an eight out of the. I like the teal sweater.
-Just turned to MTV for some Michael Jackson coverage and saw Kurt Loder. Where has he been?
-Ok, Dick Vitale is talking. Time for the mute button and flipping to some other channels. Tons of Michael Jackson coverage as expected.
Michael, Run DMC, MC Hammer and Metallica are probably the biggest reasons why I’m such a huge music fan.
When his Bad album came out, I thought I was Michael Jackson and then when I saw Smooth Criminal, it was on. Much respect to his musical talent.
-OK, back to the Draft. Chicago just took James Johnson. He will work well with their system.
-So how long before Steve Kerr either gets fired or “resigns” from Phoenix? One year? Two?
-Philly takes…Jrue Holiday. Should have stayed in school.
-Minnesota takes…Ty Lawson. Come on, this is too much. How many frickin point guards do you need? I like Ty Lawson as a player but where is he going to play. He has to be traded at some point tonight or maybe tomorrow. Personally, I like him more than Jonny Flynn.
OK, so now we’re hearing that Lawson will be traded to Denver. That makes more sense.
-Atlanta takes…Jeff Teague. Finally. This guy is tremendous. The Hawks may finally have a point guard of the future.
-Utah takes…Eric Maynor. I like his pick as well. He’s an excellent point guard who will be a serviceable backup to Deron Williams. A forward may have been preferred in this spot in case Boozer walks but who’s available?
-Glad that the Knicks fans are booing Larry Brown. Earmuffs and blindfolds. Fuck Larry Brown. There, I said it. Moving on…
-Flipping back to MTV, John Norris makes a cameo. Still has goofy hair but just like Kurt Loder, where has he been? I like Kurt and John’s work over the years.
-The Hornets take…Darren Collison from UCLA. Nice player who will make a solid impact with New Orleans.
-Portland takes…Victor Claver from Spain. No clue. He’s going to stay in Spain because Portland always keeps their European players in Europe for a few years.
-Sacramento takes…Omri Casspi from Israel. The Israeli Nation is rejoicing right now! Once again, no clue.
-Why hasn’t Blair or Sam Young from Pitt been picked yet? If BJ Mullins gets picked before him, I’m done with trying to figure out NBA GM’s. It’s a joke that Daye was taken as high as he was earlier.
-While we’re at it, Bilas, why is every player “long?” Are there any “short” players out there?
-Dallas takes…BJ Mullins. That’s ridiculous! He SUCKS!!!! That’s awful! Bilas is saying that he’s raw. That’s code for sucking. Terrible, terrible pick! ESPN said that his Must Improve is his Post Game! He’s a frickin CENTER!
That makes me mad and I’m not even a Mavs fan!
-The former Seattle Sonics take…Rodrigue Beaubolis. Great name but have no clue about him. He’s French so you know that I have to represent for my French brothers out there. Good luck to him.
-Chicago takes…Taj Gibson. Good player.
-Memphis takes…DeMarre Carroll from Missouri. OK player.
-Minnesota takes…Wayne Ellington. Another guard. I’m done with Minnesota.
-And Los Angeles takes…actually, the Knicks bought this pick so I hope that they take one of the Pitt guys.
-OK, it looks like Darko is coming to the NYC and getting rid of Quentin Richardson. This isn’t a bad trade.
-The Knicks take…Toney Douglas. He’s a scorer. I do like the clips of him playing defense. Douglas and Jordan Hill in the same draft, not bad.
-Cleveland takes…Christian Eyenga from the Congo. Good luck to him.
I’m not going to have analysis of the second round. Time to turn it in.
Music to Listen To: Knock you Down by Keri Hilson
Some Keri Hilson action for you to listen to.
Crush of the Day: Tamia Hill
She’s my favorite NBA wife/girlfriend because she can sing, is a talented actress, beautiful and Canadian. LaLa Valasquez came in a close second.
Some general thoughts on things overall.
-I’ll save it for tomorrow on a non-NBA Draft day but Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson all dying in the same week. It shows that you have to cherish life and live it right because it can be taken away from you.
-Tremendous job by the USA men’s soccer team for beating Spain on Wednesday. I was going to do a commentary on the state of USA soccer in general but I’m going to save it until the Confederations Cup final against Brazil takes place on Sunday.
-A message to Al_Roker. I didn’t get my pictures about the fashion of the NBA Draft from si.com. They copied off of me. Actually I didn’t even know that si.com was going to do a photo gallery of past drafts.
-On that same note, Al_Roker, I can see how I would be condoning cheating on your significant other with my Ali Landry/Mario Lopez comments. I’m not down with cheating. No one wins in the end.
OK, rest of the post will be NBA-related
-Tremendous job by Cleveland getting Shaq. What do the Cavs have to lose by getting him?
-I miss the NBA Draft being broadcasted on TNT. You had the excellent Ernie Johnson serving as the facilitator and he runs laps around Stuart “holla, I’m going to just throw slang terms into my speech to show how much I’m down” Scott. Furthermore, you had Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley giving you honest commentary.
Everytime I hear Jay Bilas talk, I want to take a nap. He seems like a nice guy but he bores me greatly.
The only good thing that Scott contributes to the show is his terrible interviewing of the new draftees. Crap, it looks like Scott is going to be serving as the lead anchor and Mark Jones will be doing the interviews, which is an excellent move.
I’m also going to miss Stephen A. Smith yelling at me. Those were the good ole days.
-Darn, am I going to have to mute my TV everytime Dick Vitale comes on? It may have to take place.
-Yes, I’m going to mute every Dick Vitale appearance.
-I wonder who the Clippers are going to take?
-Wow, David Stern wasn’t booed as much as I thought during his intro on the podium. I guess my New Yorkers are getting soft. That’s more like it NYC fans. Screw the Lakers winning the title. As a Knicks fan, I will never, ever root for the Lakers to achieve anything good.
-I hope Blake Griffin works out for the Clippers, I really do. The only problem is that the Clippers are going to have to get rid of one of their bigs. Zach Randolph and Chris Kamann makes too much money. Marcus Camby, prepare to make a move.
-Why doesn’t the NBA have the equivalent of a Mel Kiper Jr.? Jay Bilas tries but we need someone who dedicates their life to scouting.
-Fashion rating for Blake Griffin? Solid seven out of ten. I like the purple shirt, but those are Lakers colors, be careful Blake. The black suit is a nice touch though.
-And the Memphis Grizzlies take…Hasheem Thabeet. I guess I saw this coming but I don’t like his game, especially on offense. He’s going to have to work very, very hard on that side of his game. The defense and rebounding is OK but I still think that he lacks some toughness and strength that you would like to see in your center.
-Fashion rating for Thabeet? I give his look about an eight. I prefer lighter colored suits for the taller NBA guys and he has a nice light grey with a baby blue tie.
-And the former Seattle Sonics take…James Harden. Interesting. I see where they’re going with this. They already have a point in Westbrook, forwards in Durant and Green. Harden will slide into the shooting guard spot. If Thabeet was available, they would have taken him and been probably better off. I just think that Harden needs to improve his jump shot and he’s also slow for a perimeter player.
Personally, I would have taken Tyreke Evans in this spot.
-Fashion rating for Harden? He gets a nine. The bow tie is a nice touch. I like the brown colored suit and vest. The only thing preventing this from being a ten is the white shirt with the blue stripes.
-I like Harden. I’ve heard interviews with him the past few days and he seems like a good guy.
-And the Sacramento Kings take…Tyreke Evans. Love this pick all things considered. I know that I said in my draft preview that the Kings should have taken Rubio in this spot but I’m with Evans now. Of course, Evans needs to work on his jump shot but overall, nice pick.
-Fashion rating for Evans? Seven out of 10. The black pinstripe suit is nice and he lucked out with picking out the purple shirt and tie with the Kings taking him.
-And the Minnesota T’wolves take…Ricky Rubio. The Spaniard gets taken. What’s up with the crowd chanting U-S-A? Accept all cultures people. Where can I get the Rubio haircut? I’m going to hold out on my commentary until I see the next pick.
-Fashion rating for Rubio? Eight out of 10. He’s rocking the black suit with the pinstripe blue shirt and the skinny black tie. Very European look. I like it.
-And the T’Wolves take…Jonny Flynn? What? Respect to Syracuse but really? You have Rubio and Flynn together? I’m not so sure about this one. If you’re going to go with a guard, why not DeRozen or Holiday or even Curry?
-And Golden State takes…Stephen Curry? Damn it Don Nelson? Howe many more guards do you need? Curry is a beast and will be a solid pro but where is he going to play on that team? They already have Monta Ellis at point.
And yes, as a Knicks fan, not happy. I would have liked to have had Curry.
-This is really showing how small the league is getting. You have Minnesota taking two point guards and then Golden State taking a small guy.
-Fashion rating for Curry? He gets the first ten of the evening. I like the pinstripe grey suit, the striped shirt is nice, enjoy the vest and the purple tie. Is purple the hot color of the season?
-The Knicks take…Jordan Hill. Of course he gets booed by the NYC crowd. So proud right now. I like this pick for New York because he’s a big who is athletic to run in the D’Antoni system. I didn’t think that he would be available in that spot. Furthermore, he actually looks like he wants to rebound and play some defense, which is sorely needed for the Knicks.
-And the Toronto Raptors take…Demar Derozan. I really like this move. He’s a big guard that can compliment Calderon in the backcourt.
-And the Milwaukee Bucks take…Brandon Jennings. Slight risk with this guy. None of us have really seen him play. I’m taking a pass on evaluating him. Has some nice physical skills. Van Gundy just made a good point about Jennings already facing adversity in his career. This will help Jennings in the future.
-Interesting trade between Orlando and New Jersey. Trading away Vince Carter is a mixed move. You save some money but you do get rid of your best player besides Devin Harris.
-And the New Jersey Nets take…Terrence Williams. He’s a nice slasher to work with Harris. Williams just said that he doesn’t watch ESPN? Really? That’s not possible.
-Fashion rating for Williams? Four out of ten. The grey and black isn’t working. Throw some color into your wardrobe.
-And the Charlotte Bobcats take…Gerald Henderson. What a shocker, they take someone from the state of North Carolina. He’s a solid player. Not an All-Star but has excellent value at this position in the draft.
-And Indiana takes…Tyler Hansbrough. Him and Indiana fit together. There were rumors that Larry Bird was in love with him so this pick isn’t shocking. You know that Hansbrough is going to work hard and not quit but his athleticism is lacking. However, who would you take over him? I would take Jeff Teague over him at this stage of the draft but that’s it. Good value pick but he needs to work on his interview skills and at least sound a little more excited.
-And the Phoenix Suns take…Earl Clark. Anyway, Brandon Jennings of the Bucks decided to just show up on stage with David Stern. Interesting.
-And Detroit takes…Austin Daye. This is a joke. This skinny rail is a lottery pick? He is very overrated. He needs to hit the weight room and visit some buffets to become a decent pro. He’s also not very tough and weak. He brings nothing physical to his game.
-Fashion rating for Daye? He gets about an eight out of the. I like the teal sweater.
-Just turned to MTV for some Michael Jackson coverage and saw Kurt Loder. Where has he been?
-Ok, Dick Vitale is talking. Time for the mute button and flipping to some other channels. Tons of Michael Jackson coverage as expected.
Michael, Run DMC, MC Hammer and Metallica are probably the biggest reasons why I’m such a huge music fan.
When his Bad album came out, I thought I was Michael Jackson and then when I saw Smooth Criminal, it was on. Much respect to his musical talent.
-OK, back to the Draft. Chicago just took James Johnson. He will work well with their system.
-So how long before Steve Kerr either gets fired or “resigns” from Phoenix? One year? Two?
-Philly takes…Jrue Holiday. Should have stayed in school.
-Minnesota takes…Ty Lawson. Come on, this is too much. How many frickin point guards do you need? I like Ty Lawson as a player but where is he going to play. He has to be traded at some point tonight or maybe tomorrow. Personally, I like him more than Jonny Flynn.
OK, so now we’re hearing that Lawson will be traded to Denver. That makes more sense.
-Atlanta takes…Jeff Teague. Finally. This guy is tremendous. The Hawks may finally have a point guard of the future.
-Utah takes…Eric Maynor. I like his pick as well. He’s an excellent point guard who will be a serviceable backup to Deron Williams. A forward may have been preferred in this spot in case Boozer walks but who’s available?
-Glad that the Knicks fans are booing Larry Brown. Earmuffs and blindfolds. Fuck Larry Brown. There, I said it. Moving on…
-Flipping back to MTV, John Norris makes a cameo. Still has goofy hair but just like Kurt Loder, where has he been? I like Kurt and John’s work over the years.
-The Hornets take…Darren Collison from UCLA. Nice player who will make a solid impact with New Orleans.
-Portland takes…Victor Claver from Spain. No clue. He’s going to stay in Spain because Portland always keeps their European players in Europe for a few years.
-Sacramento takes…Omri Casspi from Israel. The Israeli Nation is rejoicing right now! Once again, no clue.
-Why hasn’t Blair or Sam Young from Pitt been picked yet? If BJ Mullins gets picked before him, I’m done with trying to figure out NBA GM’s. It’s a joke that Daye was taken as high as he was earlier.
-While we’re at it, Bilas, why is every player “long?” Are there any “short” players out there?
-Dallas takes…BJ Mullins. That’s ridiculous! He SUCKS!!!! That’s awful! Bilas is saying that he’s raw. That’s code for sucking. Terrible, terrible pick! ESPN said that his Must Improve is his Post Game! He’s a frickin CENTER!
That makes me mad and I’m not even a Mavs fan!
-The former Seattle Sonics take…Rodrigue Beaubolis. Great name but have no clue about him. He’s French so you know that I have to represent for my French brothers out there. Good luck to him.
-Chicago takes…Taj Gibson. Good player.
-Memphis takes…DeMarre Carroll from Missouri. OK player.
-Minnesota takes…Wayne Ellington. Another guard. I’m done with Minnesota.
-And Los Angeles takes…actually, the Knicks bought this pick so I hope that they take one of the Pitt guys.
-OK, it looks like Darko is coming to the NYC and getting rid of Quentin Richardson. This isn’t a bad trade.
-The Knicks take…Toney Douglas. He’s a scorer. I do like the clips of him playing defense. Douglas and Jordan Hill in the same draft, not bad.
-Cleveland takes…Christian Eyenga from the Congo. Good luck to him.
I’m not going to have analysis of the second round. Time to turn it in.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
My Super Spectacular NBA Draft Preview
Its time for that NBA Draft Preview for the potential non-NBA fan. I’m contemplating doing a diary of the draft but that’s The Sports Guy territory but what the heck, I’m trying to make an impact here so you may see me try something like that. For now, let’s get a Preview in the books.Music to listen to: Tonto by the Battles
I know that I put them up a few days ago but here it is again.
One of my favorite sports nights of the year is always the NBA Draft. Even if your team doesn’t have a high draft choice there’s always activity with trades and potential free agent signings.
Furthermore, you have the combination of analysis, players being in the green room waiting to be picked, fashion choices (you know that Brandon Jennings is going to wear something different), seeing mothers crying, fathers trying to look too serious, agents on telephones, etc.
The fashion deserves it own mention. You can see new millionaires wearing these outfits on the biggest day of their young professional life.
It brings me to my favorite surreal moment ever in the NBA Draft and then I promise to get to some team analysis.
For the uninformed, the NBA Draft runs very similar to the NFL Draft in that the leagues select about six or seven players to sit in the backstage area with their families so that when their name is called, they can walk on the stage wearing the ball cap of the team that selected them and shake commissioner David Stern’s hand. Always entertaining to see how tall a player is and even see their body type.
In 2001, the Philadelphia 76ers had a late first-round pick and decided to pick Seton Hall center Samuel Dalembert. Usually when the pick isn’t in the building, Stern just says that the next team in the draft slot is on the clock or something along those lines. Before Stern could do that, the cameras point to the audience and who comes hopping over the railing unannounced to meet Stern on the stage, Dalembert himself.
One more thing, he was in a full suit.
Of course the crowd cheers because the draft was in the NYC like this year and he’s a local guy. I think they were cheering him on because it was a surreal moment.
I remember watching that moment on TV and just shaking my head.
OK, on to the picks and other general NBA thoughts:
-Why doesn’t Phil Jackson just retire already? His whole “maybe I’ll only coach home games” is just another example of him wanting his ego stroked.
So many of these guys are the same way. Despite so much success they want to be constantly wanted. Why do you think we have to deal with the constant stuff with Brett Favre?
Jackson just wants everyone to tell him that he’s a great coach and we want him to stay around and be graced by his presence.
He’s not getting that here and Kobe is the head coach of that team anyway. Go sit back on your chair, keep your arms crossed and act like you care on the sidelines.
-How did Richard Jefferson end up on the Spurs? Economics and this won’t be the first significant example of this we’re going to see in the future with this economy.
I figured that I will look at only the lottery teams picking in tomorrow or tonight’s NBA Draft, depending on when you read this. I’ll tell you who I think they should pick and who they will eventually pick. However with potential trades and idiotic general managers, the goal of this isn’t to make every pick correct because that’s impossible.
1) Los Angeles Clippers: Should/Will take Blake Griffin, Oklahoma.
They need pretty much everything accept maybe shooting guard and small forward. Ed Gordon and Al Thornton man those positions and have decent potential. They could use a point guard but Baron Davis makes too much money to invest in that spot, similar to center and Chris Kamann. At this stage, you take the most talented player and that goes to Griffin. I’m mixed on what I think he will do. He has excellent athleticism but if that was an indicator of success in the NBA, Stromile Swift would be a multi-time All-Star by now. He has to develop his raw skills if he’s going to become an elite player but the potential is there.
If anything, the Clippers need to draft a new coach and general manager who happens to be the same person, the inept Mike Dunleavy. Why he’s still employed is beyond me.
2) Memphis Grizzlies: Should/Will take Hasheem Thabeet, Conneticut
I don’t like Thabeet as a player. I think that he’s soft. I saw his games against Pittsburgh, a physical team that plays an interior game that he’s going to have to deal with in the NBA and saw him play smaller then he should. However, the one thing that Memphis can really use is size and he’s the best post player available.
I’ve thought about Rubio, Evans, Curry, Harden and even Jordan Hill for them but none of them fit and it isn’t because of Mike Conley. People are acting like Memphis won’t take a guard because of Conley. If Conley was so great, why did Memphis play O.J. Mayo at point for a significant part of last season?
I would be concerned about both Rubio and Thabeet ditching individual workouts with Memphis because I think neither one wants to play for them, which I understand. The Grizzlies are probably the weakest NBA franchise in the league right now because of the lack of fan support, small market and losing mentality. Not many guys are going to run towards that situation.
In the end I think that they will either take Thabeet or trade the pick.
3) The team formerly known as the Seattle Sonics: Should take Thabeet. Will take Tyreke Evans, Memphis.
Yeah, still bitter about the move to Oklahoma City. I like the makeup of this team’s young core of Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook. They need more size and if Thabeet is at this spot, they should take him.
However, since I think that the Grizzlies take Thabeet, lets look at the options for them. You could go with Rubio or Stephen Curry but those point guards don’t fit in with Westbrook. James Harden is a possibility as well.
In the end, I’m going to say that they go with Evans, who gives them the physical presence as a combo guard that will fit their needs the best.
4) Sacramento Kings: Should/will take Ricky Rubio, Spain
This is a pick that not only fits for them on the court but off the court as well. The fans will be excited seeing this guy play and he will have an immediate positive impact for the Kings.
I’m on the positive side of seeing the potential of Rubio. I like that he’s a pure point guard with some good height. Yes, he’s skinny but he will gain weight in a good way in a few years. I liked how he looked in the Olympics as well. It’s always tough to evaluate foreign players because most of us haven’t seen them play enough to gain an evaluation. I’m just not a fan of the rest of the players available.
5 and 6) Minnesota Timberwolves: Should/will take Stephen Curry, Davidson and James Harden, Arizona State:
Minny traded away their starting backcourt of Randy Foye and Mike Miller to get the #5 pick so they need major guard help.
I’m a big fan of Curry and not so much of Harden. I think that Curry can be an All-Star because he can shoot and is a much better ball handler then people are giving him credit for. He’s never going to be a speed demon like Rondo, Chris Paul, Tony Parker, Derrick Rose and others of that ilk. However, he’s going to be in the right place at the right time and make his shots.
Harden is a tall shooting guard who also lacks the speed that I would like to see from him. However, he a natural scorer and that’s what Minnesota will need to complement Kevin Love and Al Jefferson who will be doing their damage in the post.
Mid-lottery Music you should listen to: Szamar Madar by Venetian Snares
7) Golden State Warriors: Should/will take Jordan Hill, Arizona
The Warriors need a power forward who can score and Hill fits that role. However, when you are dealing with this team, you never know. I wouldn’t be shocked if they took a point guard, even though they will probably trade Jamal Crawford and are still keeping Monta Ellis at this moment. They also have plenty of wing guys like Biedrins and Randolph but those guys aren’t physical enough. Don Nelson, just take Hill and don’t get intrigued by DeMar DeRozan or Jrue Holiday.
8) New York Knicks: Should take Jrue Holiday, UCLA. Will take DeMar DeRozan, USC
Actually as a Knicks fan, I wouldn’t be mad at either of these picks. Both guys are athletic guards who will thrive in D’Antoni’s system. However, I think that the need is greater for the Knicks at point guard and like Holiday over DeRozan.
9) Toronto Raptors: Should take Holiday or DeRozan. Will take Jonny Flynn, Syracuse
The Raptors can use some some point guard help and I’m going to say they take Flynn. If DeRozan is available, they will jump on him correctly. I can see Holiday here as well.
10) Milwaukee Bucks: Should/will take Holliday
With the trading of Richard Jefferson to San Antonio, they need scoring so whoever is left from the DeRozan, Holiday and Flynn platter will be taken. Look out for Gerald Henderson out of Duke in this spot.
11) New Jersey Nets: Should/will take Brandon Jennings, Italy
I know what you’re thinking. Why would they take a point when they have Devin Harris? I see your angle but at this stage, you have to take the most value with the pick. Henderson isn’t a bad option. I’ve seen Jeff Teague out of Wake Forest in this spot and he’s another point guard you can look at. However, I’m going to say that the Nets are going to take the guy with the most potential and stick him in the bench and let him develop.
12) Charlotte Bobcats: Should take Gerald Henderson. Will take Tyler Hansbrough, UNC.
Let’s see. The Bobcats have shown their love for Tarheels in the past with taking Sean May and Raymond Felton in the past. Plus Larry Brown, the head coach is a Tar Heel. Who runs the team? Michael Jordan, Tar Heel Emeritus. Not only will they sell tickets, Tyler will actually be a serviceable guy for those guys.
13) Indiana Pacers: Should/will take Jeff Teague, Wake Forest
He provides them with an explosive guard who can get his own shots. Furthermore, this will separate them from the Jamall Tinsley era, which is always a good thing.
14) Phoenix Suns: Could/should take Gerald Henderson
Athletic guard who will fit in their system.
OK, that’s a quick guide of the draft for you. I think you should at least watch the first hour of the Draft if anything to see what it’s about.
Good fight and good night everybody.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Random Observations
Hey everyone, time to start blogging. I don’t have anything in general to write about so I’ll hit on some general things.
I’m trying a new tradition of enjoying a drink at the end of a long day. Its something that I’ve seen the older men in my life, uncles, stepfathers, etc. do and they look distinguished and who doesn’t want to look distinguished
Tonight its some Jack Daniels and diet coke, which sounds good in principle. I’m halfway through it now and I must say that it may be time to reevaluate this one. I’m always open to suggestions. Maybe some juice and rum or vodka. Beer? Malt Liquor? The options are endless.
Music to listen to: Since You’ve Been Wrong by The Mars Volta
My boys released their fifth studio album today. I’m mad that I wasn’t able to attend Bonnaroo this year because I didn’t get tickets which actually ended up being a good thing because I had to go to my grandfather’s funeral that weekend anyway and wouldn’t have been able to see them anyway.
I’m in the middle of my first listen of the album now and you will get a review of it at some point. Above is the first single from the album. I like the direction the band is taking from first listen.
Crush of the Day: Ali Landry
I watched the first episode of the latest installment of Superstars on ABC tonight and was reminded of the hotness that is Ali Landry.
The thing that I will always remember about her was when she was dating A.C. Slater aka Mario Lopez, they got engaged and he proceeded to cheat on her at the bachelor party.
First, I’ve never been with someone as hot as Ali. Heck, the girls I kick it with now, most of them aren’t even in her league so no sympathy towards Mario from that end. Second, if you’re going to cheat on your girl, especially your fiancée, you have to do it in a classier way than at the frickin bachelor party. I’ve never cheated on a girl, don’t condone it but can understand how someone can be placed in a compromising position, etc. However, if you’re going to step out on your lady, keep it classy.
OK, that went to a place that was unexpected but I’m winging it here and that’s what happens. Let’s move on and enjoy Ali’s beauty.
-Superstars on ABC. I’m sold. If for anything, seeing Terrell Owens get told off tonight was worth it. Furthermore, whenever you have Dan Cortese involved in anything, I’m going to give it a chance.
-I think that David Price just gave up another run tonight against the Phillies. My goodness, he got rocked tonight.
I’m biased towards David because he is a Commodore and is probably the second-most famous Vandy athlete out there. Cutler is currently in first. Furthermore, he’s a good, local guy with an enjoyable demeanor. What I’m trying to say is that unless he pulls an O.J. or something else as crazy, I’m going to be on his side.
However, I need to take a backseat on this one for a moment. I was telling the Rays from spring training this year to let David be the top-line starting pitcher at the major league level from the beginning. I didn’t see why they were starting him in the minor leagues at the start of the year.
However, this is all part of the process of developing him into a top-line pitcher. I’m not saying that giving up a lot of runs against Philly tonight means that he’s a lost cause. If anything, it shows us that he is still developing and needs time. All of us need to temper our expectations of him.
-I’m going to do an NBA Draft preview tomorrow night in preparations for Thursday night. But real quick, now does Richard Jefferson end up on the Spurs?
-Message to Perez Hilton. If you talk as much crap as you do, you’re going to get smacked. Stop bitching. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, be fortunate that you don’t get wrapped up in gossip.
Shoot, right now, I’m watching the TMZ TV show. I don’t know what it is about these shows. A grown man watching this stuff. Shame on me.
-I’ve been enjoying the College World Series tremendously the past week. Game one of the Championship Series between Texas and LSU may have been the best played college baseball game that I’ve ever seen between the execution, passion and general play.
One more thing. I was chatting with my buddy Chris who is a huge LSU fan during the game and we’ve decided that we need to work at a place like Texas or LSU at least once in our career because it looks like too much fun.
Furthermore, if you’re a coach at either one of those schools and you can’t win and I don’t care what sport it is, water polo, track, softball, football, basketball, etc. You need to be fired. You have no excuse between the level of recruited athletes, facilities, money, fan bases, “talent” to lure the athletes, etc.
-How frustrating is it when you’re watching a show like Law and Order or CSI (whatever version or city of your choice) and you’re into it at the beginning and then change the channel, forget that you were watching the episode, turn back about 30 minutes later and feel completely lost? Just happened tonight with CSI: New York on Spike just now. Darn.
Are ya’ll still with me. I’m only halfway done.
-I got roped into watching a marathon of College Hill on BET. Not good.
-Didn’t do a good job of watching US Open golf tournament this weekend. I think between the weather delays and just zoning out, I give myself about a 2 out of 10.
-So John and Kate are divorcing. I hope that they just go away and someone takes care of those kids.
-I have no interest in seeing Transformers 2 but will eventually see it in about three weeks when the hype has died down.
OK, I was going to go for about six more paragraphs but am holding back.
So tomorrow, expect an NBA Draft preview.
On Thursday, I’ll touch on USA soccer and why Hank Basket is an idiot.
On Friday, MMA Review is going to return darn it and probably a commentary on the state of late night TV.
Later.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Sunday Reflections
Hey everyone, its been a long time since I’ve posted on my Blog. In fact, this may be the longest layoff that I’ve ever had between posts.
There are several reasons for this. First…
OK, quick rant. In the past two nights, I’ve seen on cable TV all three Jackass movies (I’m counting Jackass 2.5 as a separate movie) and now the Spike Man’s Choice Awards.
Earmuffs or blindfolds for the children out there…
In all of those occasions, the word shit has been said uncensored, yet when they try to say fuck or dick, it gets beeped out. What’s up with that.
I don’t like censorship and don’t get offended with the words but how does that pass? Discuss.
Some business:
Music to listen to: Tonto by The Battles
I was turned on to their music after hearing the band mentioned on the listening list of Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, the lead guitarist and music composer of The Mars Volta, only the greatest band ever, during one of his interviews. I looked up some of their work and liked it. Enjoy.
There are several reasons for this. First…
OK, quick rant. In the past two nights, I’ve seen on cable TV all three Jackass movies (I’m counting Jackass 2.5 as a separate movie) and now the Spike Man’s Choice Awards.
Earmuffs or blindfolds for the children out there…
In all of those occasions, the word shit has been said uncensored, yet when they try to say fuck or dick, it gets beeped out. What’s up with that.
I don’t like censorship and don’t get offended with the words but how does that pass? Discuss.
Some business:
Music to listen to: Tonto by The Battles
I was turned on to their music after hearing the band mentioned on the listening list of Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, the lead guitarist and music composer of The Mars Volta, only the greatest band ever, during one of his interviews. I looked up some of their work and liked it. Enjoy.
Crush of the Day: Keri Hilson
I caught her new video with Kanye West and Ne-yo, “Knock You Down,” and not only is it an excellent song, she looks excellent in it as well.
Some background on Keri. She was born in 1982, so she fits my age requirement. Remember, 10 years older and five years younger. Born in Decatur, Georgia and attended Emory University, so she isn’t a dumbass. All of this is good news because when we get married, we can move to Atlanta to be closer to both of our families.
Actually, she’s going to have to battle out Ciara and Maria Menunos for the honor of being Mrs. Pourtout. Tough battle.
Anyway, last weekend, I was in Georgia and South Carolina dealing with family business. Then this past week, I was finishing up my last official week at work and actually had no desire to write.
The original plan was for me to take this upcoming week off from writing but since I kinda took that week off already, expect a return to daily or semi-daily content on Pourtout Pancakes.
Honestly, I did want to write about some stuff but for once I showed discretion because the content would have been potentially depressing about subjects like children and marriage and the Peoples’ Champion doesn’t like to read that type of stuff.
This past week was interesting because I was able to spend time with the fam back in Georgia, which is always good. My nieces and nephews are growing up so much. I’ll probably write about them a little further later this week.
Everytime I see them in Georgia, I don’t want to leave them, especially my niece. I nearly cried when I had to say goodbye to her.
When you combine that with my final week of work at Belmont, spending time with the Peoples’ Champion’s son, Irish, and just life in general, it was an emotional week.
I really have nothing else for now, just wanted to get something on the Blog before some of you forget it exists.
One more thing, yes, the new Blog will be launched but will take place next week. You will know plenty about it in due time.
Until then, good fight and good night everyone.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Sunday Reflections on a Monday
Hey everyone, its time for those Sunday Reflections
Music to listen to: Creep by Stone Temple Pilots
In the continuing tradition of posting my favorite song from a road trip that played on my radio, here’s some STP with Creep.
The other two choices were some Justin Timberlake and some Phish. Maybe I’ll get to those songs later this week.
-The reason that I was traveling so much this week, hence the lack of posts, was to attend my grandfather’s funeral.
If you’re a long-time reader of this Blog, you can reference my posts about my grandmothers passings last year to gain a prospective of how I look at death. We all die one day and need to look at the positives and not fear it.
The main thing that I’ll remember about him is that he may have been the biggest influence on me becoming a sports fan and setting the path that I’m on right now.
Back in the day when I was even six or seven years old, I had a passion for following sports. I’m talking about reading articles, looking at all of the reports on TV, watching every Mets and New York Rangers game as possible, etc. However, this passion had to be reinforced and that’s where my grandfather and uncles come into play.
I would literally get quizzed by them every time that we would have family gatherings on the weekends. They knew that I had an interest in it and that my mother had limited knowledge on the subject. It got to the point where I was preparing to discuss the latest topics in the sports world before our meetings.
So while the proceedings were taking place this weekend, I kept thinking about those days when I would sit with him for hours talking about wrestling, football and our mutual favorite team, the New York Mets. Those days are missed.
-Speaking of the Mets, good job guys finding two extreme ways to lose to the Yankees. On Friday, this happened…
And then they get shut out yesterday with Santana getting rocked in the process. Brutal and that’s just how it is when you’re a Mets fan.
-This is what I wrote after the Lakers won the NBA Finals last night on Facebook and it got some major responses:
“…and the Lakers win another title...I don't give a damn about your kids Kobe, stop putting them in the spotlight. We all know that you cheated on their mother and you're putting them out there for your image. Good job smiling Vanessa Bryant, your fakeness is inspiring.”
I still stand by what I said. We all have pet peeves in life and one of mine is fakeness and Kobe is a prime example of that. I get tired of seeing his children put on display to exude this family man act and that’s what it is. He may be a good father or a bad father, none of us knows. But it isn’t a coincidence that you always see his two daughters dressed up in Lakers clothing to be parlayed out there. We know the truth about him.
As for Vanessa Bryant, its her life and her marriage but she looks way too happy for someone who got cheated on in public for the world to see and then always seems to take material goods like jewelry, cars or clothing like all is well.
Just a thought. As one of my main men Param said to me, “walk a mile in another man’s shoes.”
-Congrats to the Pittsburgh Penguins for winning the Stanley Cup this weekend as well.
-I was going to talk about some non-sports related items now but I’ll hold off on that for the moment because its time for a major announcement…
I’m starting a second Blog called The Sports Observer next week. More details will be available later. But I can tell you that it will be a daily sports site with news and commentaries from various minds throughout the universe.
The unfortunate part about this is that Pourtout Pancakes will not have as much new material. The plan is for Pancakes to have a new post once every three to four days. Furthermore, it will most likely be non-sports related and focus more on things like music, television, politics, etc.
That’s it for now, have a good week.
Music to listen to: Creep by Stone Temple Pilots
In the continuing tradition of posting my favorite song from a road trip that played on my radio, here’s some STP with Creep.
The other two choices were some Justin Timberlake and some Phish. Maybe I’ll get to those songs later this week.
-The reason that I was traveling so much this week, hence the lack of posts, was to attend my grandfather’s funeral.
If you’re a long-time reader of this Blog, you can reference my posts about my grandmothers passings last year to gain a prospective of how I look at death. We all die one day and need to look at the positives and not fear it.
The main thing that I’ll remember about him is that he may have been the biggest influence on me becoming a sports fan and setting the path that I’m on right now.
Back in the day when I was even six or seven years old, I had a passion for following sports. I’m talking about reading articles, looking at all of the reports on TV, watching every Mets and New York Rangers game as possible, etc. However, this passion had to be reinforced and that’s where my grandfather and uncles come into play.
I would literally get quizzed by them every time that we would have family gatherings on the weekends. They knew that I had an interest in it and that my mother had limited knowledge on the subject. It got to the point where I was preparing to discuss the latest topics in the sports world before our meetings.
So while the proceedings were taking place this weekend, I kept thinking about those days when I would sit with him for hours talking about wrestling, football and our mutual favorite team, the New York Mets. Those days are missed.
-Speaking of the Mets, good job guys finding two extreme ways to lose to the Yankees. On Friday, this happened…
And then they get shut out yesterday with Santana getting rocked in the process. Brutal and that’s just how it is when you’re a Mets fan.
-This is what I wrote after the Lakers won the NBA Finals last night on Facebook and it got some major responses:
“…and the Lakers win another title...I don't give a damn about your kids Kobe, stop putting them in the spotlight. We all know that you cheated on their mother and you're putting them out there for your image. Good job smiling Vanessa Bryant, your fakeness is inspiring.”
I still stand by what I said. We all have pet peeves in life and one of mine is fakeness and Kobe is a prime example of that. I get tired of seeing his children put on display to exude this family man act and that’s what it is. He may be a good father or a bad father, none of us knows. But it isn’t a coincidence that you always see his two daughters dressed up in Lakers clothing to be parlayed out there. We know the truth about him.
As for Vanessa Bryant, its her life and her marriage but she looks way too happy for someone who got cheated on in public for the world to see and then always seems to take material goods like jewelry, cars or clothing like all is well.
Just a thought. As one of my main men Param said to me, “walk a mile in another man’s shoes.”
-Congrats to the Pittsburgh Penguins for winning the Stanley Cup this weekend as well.
-I was going to talk about some non-sports related items now but I’ll hold off on that for the moment because its time for a major announcement…
I’m starting a second Blog called The Sports Observer next week. More details will be available later. But I can tell you that it will be a daily sports site with news and commentaries from various minds throughout the universe.
The unfortunate part about this is that Pourtout Pancakes will not have as much new material. The plan is for Pancakes to have a new post once every three to four days. Furthermore, it will most likely be non-sports related and focus more on things like music, television, politics, etc.
That’s it for now, have a good week.
Sunday Reflections coming Monday afternoon
Hey folks, just got back from out of town. Sunday Reflections will be up later today.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Tears of Joy
Hey everyone, hope all is well with you. I'm in Georgia with the family and heading to South Carolina tomorrow for a few days, so posting on the Blog will probably not be happening as much as normal. Anyway, lets get to business.
By the way, I'm loving the comments. Meggie came strong on my last post. Respect also to Jared and Param with their comments as well.
Music to Listen to: The Show by Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick
I wanted to keep the tradition of listing my favorite song on the car radio from the drive down here but the music selections were pretty weak. I had the scan going and had some Offspring, which isn't bad, but the second choice was going to be Lady GaGa. Not happening.
Instead I'm going to post that gem above. I was watching a special on BET about the best moments from the past BET Awards and one of them was a performance of The Show. Tremendous song.
Over the weekend, there were two and one-half moments which made me tear up. Since I share many aspects of my life here on the Blog, I'm going to tell them to you.
Half-tear moment #1) I spend Sunday afternoon at the palace of The Peoples' Champion and his spawn, who we will call Irish. I've been wanting to spend time with Irish for a long time and since he's six months old, this is a good time for me to establish my uncle skills. He needs to get to know me before we start our sparring mixed martial arts training sessions in two years. I was encouraged by Irish enjoying me shadow boxing with him and me allowing him to punch me in the face. He was smiling at these activities, very happy with that.
So I got to hold him, feed him some tasty sweet potatoes, the entire bonding experience. Irish took a nap and when he woke up, he started crying in his crib. I picked him up, made sure he was healthy and took him to the Champion.
While I was doing this, the Champion commented that I was doing well and told me that I would be a good father.
To be fair, I have younger nieces and nephews, so I've gone through the whole process of dealing with a toddler. However, its been a while and I had fun.
When I left to go back home, I was actually sad. I wanted to spend more time with Irish. Which leads me to...
Full Cry Moment #1: One of the underrated good reality TV shows out there is Family Jewels, the documentation of Gene Simmons' family. For those of you unfamiliar with Gene, just look up Kiss, listen to some songs and you're good. The show has Gene, his long-term girlfriend Shannon Tweed, who still looks tremendous after all of these years, and their two teenage-aged children, Nick and Sophie. The show is actually funny, especially Nick interacting with Gene.
So the show had its season premiere on Sunday and it was centered around Sophie's Sweet 16 birthday party. Gene thought back to all of the past birthdays that he missed of Sophie's becasue he was on the road with Kiss. However, Shannon would videotape each birthday party and send it to Gene. Furthermore, Sophie would make cards and letters for Gene over the years while she was growing up and he kept all of them. During the show, Gene pulled out a box with all of this old stuff and then the old videos were shown.
Furthermore, during the show, Sophie arranged for her and Gene to take a dance lesson for the daugher/father dance because she doesn't like dancing but she knows how special that is to Gene. When she took Gene to the studio and told him why, he was about to cry and hugged her.
At this stage, I'm darn near about to lose it.
Finally, the party takes place and Gene takes the mic to talk about Sophie. He talks about how proud he is of her, etc. He makes it halfway through and can't finish the speech because he's so emotional.
Now, at this point, your boy is shedding a tear.
I think that it had to do with seeing Irish earlier in the day and being in the mindset of a father.
Childen are so precious.
Full Cry Moment #2: The WEC event was also on Sunday. The WEC is a mixed martial arts organization and they had a televised event on Versus. BTW, Urijah Faber was game but Mike Brown is a beast. We'll never know what would have happened if Urijah doesn't break his hand.
Anyway, back to the tears. One of the first fights included Jens Pulver. I'm going to give you the CliffNotes version.
Jens is a featherweight/lightweight fighter who has been in the fight game for many, many years. He came from a troubled past to emerge as one of the best fighters in the world years ago. In the early days of MMA, it was all about the big guys, heavyweights, light heavyweights, even middleweights. If you were a little guy who should have been fighting in the 155 or even 170 weight classes, you were out of luck because the interest was weak. Jens is a 155 pounder and even he had to fight guys 40-50 pounds bigger than him to make money.
However, Jens would do well in these fights and always represent for the little guys.
Furthermore, he along with some others, helped usher in the lighter weight classes getting respect. You now see guys like Faber, Miguel Torres and even B.J. Penn get mainstream MMA attention when this wasn't the case five years ago. Jens had a lot to do with this.
So as MMA has become more popular recently, Jens has dropped his last few fights and not looked good in them. However, he has been open about overcoming struggles in his personal life and now being in a happier place. So while his career may be stalling, he is doing well outside of the cage.
On Sunday, he lost another fight, this one in the first round and afterwards during the interview he hinted at retirement in an emotional state. He has always been honest with the fans and he thanked them for all of the support over the years. He talked about his family and his growth as a man.
The crowd gave him a standing ovation and I did the same from my home.
Of course, a tear was shed.
I admired how Jens has given maximum effort and commitment to MMA. I then reflected back to myself and realized that I haven't done that in any aspect of my life. It served as a motivator for me.
Its a perfect transition to a major announcement that I will have in my Sunday Reflections that will affect not only this Blog, but my life in general.
Until then, have a good night. There won't be a post on Wednesday so I'll be back on Thursday.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Sunday Reflections on a Monday
Hey everyone. You’re getting Sunday Reflections on a Monday. It happens, lets keep it moving.
Music to Listen to: Fear of the Dark by Iron Maiden
More on those guys later…
Crush of the Day: Mya
I was watching something on TV and Mya popped on my screen and I was reminded of her. Actually, it was the Lady Marmalade video she did with Pink, Lil Kim, etc.
I’ve never understood why she wasn’t a bigger star. She’s attractive, can sing, decent actress, etc. Never got that.
On to the Reflections:
-The weekend was actually pretty tame. I stayed in most of Friday and Saturday night, relaxing. Its been good to have some free nights to focus on myself and my state.
-However, on Saturday night, I ended up watching the Iron Maiden documentary film, Flight 666, on VH1. Basically, the band documented their tour from last year when they did something like 25 shows in 27 days in five continents.
It was well done, especially when we get to see some live performances from the guys. The fan base for that group is beyond loyal and kinda scary, especially in South America. It was funny when you would see the guys playing in Los Angeles or New York and it was a typical American crowd, jamming to the music but not getting to rowdy. They played in Argentina and Brazil and it was a mess, especially Argentina. There were mobs of fans at the hotel, massive soccer stadiums filled with at least 100,000 people, all for Maiden. Tremendous stuff.
-I also caught a lot of college baseball with the Super Regionals.
I love watching the games in other parts of the country besides the southeast, which I get plenty of in Nashville. I have much love for Belmont and Vandy but you see teams like Fullerton and Arizona State play and its ridiculous. The game in the southeast is more masher style, hit home runs, etc. I saw something in one of the Fullerton Super Regional games that was rare. Lead off man for Fullerton gets on base. He steals second. The second batter comes up, bunts to the third base side, he’s safe on an infield single. So now we have runners on first and third, no outs. The number three batter comes up, bunts again, runner from third scores, everyone’s safe. The number three batter bunted. How does this work?
I would be shocked if Arizona State or Fullerton doesn’t win the title this year. More on this when the World Series starts.
-Did a bad job of watching the French Open this year. Congrats to Federer. Wish I had more to add.
-Did catch some of the Memorial. Tiger is back and I’m loving it.
-New definition of Jackass. His name is Kyle Busch. Watch below:
What a bitchass move! This is why I will never, ever like any of the Busch brothers. Punks. The guitar is a trophy that the good people at Gibson work on for months and is valued at over five-figures. But for this asshole to smash the guitar like that shows what a dick he is. Sorry for the salty language but that’s how I feel.
-I spent a good amount of time on Sunday at the palace of the People’s Champion and got to interact with his spawn. That was a glorious moment. I had such a good time hanging out with the baby. I got to feed him, carry him around, etc.
It got me thinking that I want a kid. I’m always lukewarm on being a father. Some days I’m all for it and others I’m not. Just go to a store and see a kid acting up and that will make you want to refrain from having a baby for a moment.
However, it would be nice to have a child to help mold. My biological clock is ticking and I need to jump on that.
Actually, do men have a biological clock? I know that its recommended that men in their 40’s shouldn’t have kids but what about younger? Discuss.
-OK, sorry for the short Reflections but its time to get some rest.
For tomorrow, I will write about two moments over the weekend that made me cry. One was during the WEC MMA event on Sunday and the other one was on a reality show that aired on that day as well.
Music to Listen to: Fear of the Dark by Iron Maiden
More on those guys later…
Crush of the Day: Mya
I was watching something on TV and Mya popped on my screen and I was reminded of her. Actually, it was the Lady Marmalade video she did with Pink, Lil Kim, etc.
I’ve never understood why she wasn’t a bigger star. She’s attractive, can sing, decent actress, etc. Never got that.
On to the Reflections:
-The weekend was actually pretty tame. I stayed in most of Friday and Saturday night, relaxing. Its been good to have some free nights to focus on myself and my state.
-However, on Saturday night, I ended up watching the Iron Maiden documentary film, Flight 666, on VH1. Basically, the band documented their tour from last year when they did something like 25 shows in 27 days in five continents.
It was well done, especially when we get to see some live performances from the guys. The fan base for that group is beyond loyal and kinda scary, especially in South America. It was funny when you would see the guys playing in Los Angeles or New York and it was a typical American crowd, jamming to the music but not getting to rowdy. They played in Argentina and Brazil and it was a mess, especially Argentina. There were mobs of fans at the hotel, massive soccer stadiums filled with at least 100,000 people, all for Maiden. Tremendous stuff.
-I also caught a lot of college baseball with the Super Regionals.
I love watching the games in other parts of the country besides the southeast, which I get plenty of in Nashville. I have much love for Belmont and Vandy but you see teams like Fullerton and Arizona State play and its ridiculous. The game in the southeast is more masher style, hit home runs, etc. I saw something in one of the Fullerton Super Regional games that was rare. Lead off man for Fullerton gets on base. He steals second. The second batter comes up, bunts to the third base side, he’s safe on an infield single. So now we have runners on first and third, no outs. The number three batter comes up, bunts again, runner from third scores, everyone’s safe. The number three batter bunted. How does this work?
I would be shocked if Arizona State or Fullerton doesn’t win the title this year. More on this when the World Series starts.
-Did a bad job of watching the French Open this year. Congrats to Federer. Wish I had more to add.
-Did catch some of the Memorial. Tiger is back and I’m loving it.
-New definition of Jackass. His name is Kyle Busch. Watch below:
What a bitchass move! This is why I will never, ever like any of the Busch brothers. Punks. The guitar is a trophy that the good people at Gibson work on for months and is valued at over five-figures. But for this asshole to smash the guitar like that shows what a dick he is. Sorry for the salty language but that’s how I feel.
-I spent a good amount of time on Sunday at the palace of the People’s Champion and got to interact with his spawn. That was a glorious moment. I had such a good time hanging out with the baby. I got to feed him, carry him around, etc.
It got me thinking that I want a kid. I’m always lukewarm on being a father. Some days I’m all for it and others I’m not. Just go to a store and see a kid acting up and that will make you want to refrain from having a baby for a moment.
However, it would be nice to have a child to help mold. My biological clock is ticking and I need to jump on that.
Actually, do men have a biological clock? I know that its recommended that men in their 40’s shouldn’t have kids but what about younger? Discuss.
-OK, sorry for the short Reflections but its time to get some rest.
For tomorrow, I will write about two moments over the weekend that made me cry. One was during the WEC MMA event on Sunday and the other one was on a reality show that aired on that day as well.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Random Observations: NBA Finals Preview, Vince Young, Terminator, etc.
What’s going on everyone. This post will be about previewing the NBA Finals which start on Thursday. However, as usual, business needs to be taken care of.
Music to listen to: 14 Years by Guns and Roses
When I saw Terminator Salvation last night, one of the scenes featured the G&R song You Could Be Mine which was also in Terminator: Judgment Day. That song is ok, but 14 Years is still my favorite song from that band.
-Speaking of Terminator, finally saw it last night. It was OK. Christian Bale does a decent job as John Connor and I understood the plot. Yes, Arnold does make a cameo appearance but in the form of the original Terminator, which was good. However, the plot can basically be said in one sentence, “Let’s blow stuff up so that we can prevent bad stuff from happening in the future.”
Let me put it this way. I’m intrigued to see Wolverine again. I REALLY want to see Star Trek again. I have no interest in seeing Terminator again. I think that says it all.
-Some non-NBA Finals related subjects that I would like to touch on since this is a sports-related post.
1) I have no problems at all with what Vince Young said earlier this week about wanting to compete for his job back as the starter of the Tennessee Titans. He further stated that if he isn’t going to start for Tennessee, it may be time for him to play somewhere else. Young has made mistakes in the past and still has to improve as a quarterback and by no means is this a sympathy plea for him. He’s a professional football player. However, I would rather have a quarterback on my roster who wants to compete rather then quit mentally or physically. As coach Jeff Fisher said, you want every player on your roster to want to be a starter.
2) I’m more disappointed that Lebron James didn’t talk to the media after game six of the Cleveland series against Orlando than him congratulating the Magic after the game. I do think that the move made him look like a bad sport and him saying the next day that he didn’t congratulate the Magic because he’s a “winner.” Showing respect to your opponent after they beat you fairly on the court doesn’t make you a “loser.” The bad part about it is that if you’re the leader of the team, you can’t leave your teammates during a time of trouble. You have to stick together through the tough times, answer all the questions and be accountable. Every elite athlete has done it and Lebron shouldn’t be an exception.
OK, on to the Finals. I’m going to break down each position and then give my prediction. Lets get started.
Point Guard: Skip is in the Finals! Skip to my Lou aka Rafer Alston is a basketball playground legend back in New York City. I’ve followed him from the And 1 mix tapes to Fresno State to his stints in the NBA with Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Toronto, Houston and now Orlando. I’ll be cheering for him. As far as on the court, he has been a stabilizing force for the Magic after Jameer Nelson went down. Derek Fisher has been a game player for years but has declined this year. He hasn’t been hitting the open three-pointers as much as in the past.
Advantage: Orlando
Shooting Guard: We’ll get to the Magic first in this one. Courtney Lee, the pride of Western Kentucky, had an excellent start to the playoffs before he hurt his nose. He has a good shooting touch and plays solid defense which will definitely be needed. As far as the Lakers, its all about Kobe. I like the progression he has been making throughout the playoffs, especially in game six against the Nuggets. He knew that game was the closeout and he finished with a solid 35 points. This series will determine a huge part of his legacy. Win the series and he’s a top-eight player all-time and only second to Michael Jordan in all-time shooting guards. Lose the series and the questions still loom.
Advantage: Los Angeles
Small Forward: Trevor Ariza is a nice player who is a good three-point shooter and a solid defender. He’s going to have his hands full with the Michael Jordan of Turkey aka Hedo Turkoglu. Hedo has had an interesting development to his career. He was the fourth banana back in Sacramento behind Webber, Bibby and Peja and was expected to be a third-wheel behind Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis in Orlando but now he’s an indispensible part of a title contender. He will have the ball in his hands the most and be a main distributor. He’s also a clutch shooter towards the end of the game.
Advantage: Orlando
Power Forward: Rashard Lewis was a force in the Cleveland series, especially on three-pointers. If he’s on offensively, the Magic are on point. Pau Gasol is a nice player as well and has had a productive playoff season. However, I want to see some more from him, especially on the road. His numbers always look good but if you watch him during a game, he disappears at times. The big advantage Gasol will have is in rebounding and maybe on defense with his shotblocking ability. However, Lewis is on the perimeter a lot of the time which will push Gasol away from the paint, therefore making his advantages negligible.
Advantage: Push
Center: Dwight Howard has emerged as the best center currently in the NBA and can cement the start of a legendary career with an NBA title. Sometimes his offensive game stalls and his free throw shooting leaves something to be desired at times but he’s a tremendous force overall. The positive for the Lakers is that they have some bodies to throw at Howard, especially Andrew Bynum. The Lakers’ center is working himself back into the rotation after a regular-season knee injury and has shown improvement. The key for both of these guys is to stay out of foul trouble. Whoever does this better will give their team a major advantage in the series.
Advantage: Orlando
Bench: For Orlando, Pietrus is going to have to have a big series for it to compete. Anthony Johnson (College of Charleston represent) has been solid for the Magic as well. For Los Angeles, you have Odom Brown and Farmar being major contributors.
Advantage: Los Angeles
Prediction: Orlando has been playing better in the playoffs but Los Angeles is the better team. In the end, I’m going to take the team with the most motivation and the best player.
Lakers in seven
Music to listen to: 14 Years by Guns and Roses
When I saw Terminator Salvation last night, one of the scenes featured the G&R song You Could Be Mine which was also in Terminator: Judgment Day. That song is ok, but 14 Years is still my favorite song from that band.
-Speaking of Terminator, finally saw it last night. It was OK. Christian Bale does a decent job as John Connor and I understood the plot. Yes, Arnold does make a cameo appearance but in the form of the original Terminator, which was good. However, the plot can basically be said in one sentence, “Let’s blow stuff up so that we can prevent bad stuff from happening in the future.”
Let me put it this way. I’m intrigued to see Wolverine again. I REALLY want to see Star Trek again. I have no interest in seeing Terminator again. I think that says it all.
-Some non-NBA Finals related subjects that I would like to touch on since this is a sports-related post.
1) I have no problems at all with what Vince Young said earlier this week about wanting to compete for his job back as the starter of the Tennessee Titans. He further stated that if he isn’t going to start for Tennessee, it may be time for him to play somewhere else. Young has made mistakes in the past and still has to improve as a quarterback and by no means is this a sympathy plea for him. He’s a professional football player. However, I would rather have a quarterback on my roster who wants to compete rather then quit mentally or physically. As coach Jeff Fisher said, you want every player on your roster to want to be a starter.
2) I’m more disappointed that Lebron James didn’t talk to the media after game six of the Cleveland series against Orlando than him congratulating the Magic after the game. I do think that the move made him look like a bad sport and him saying the next day that he didn’t congratulate the Magic because he’s a “winner.” Showing respect to your opponent after they beat you fairly on the court doesn’t make you a “loser.” The bad part about it is that if you’re the leader of the team, you can’t leave your teammates during a time of trouble. You have to stick together through the tough times, answer all the questions and be accountable. Every elite athlete has done it and Lebron shouldn’t be an exception.
OK, on to the Finals. I’m going to break down each position and then give my prediction. Lets get started.
Point Guard: Skip is in the Finals! Skip to my Lou aka Rafer Alston is a basketball playground legend back in New York City. I’ve followed him from the And 1 mix tapes to Fresno State to his stints in the NBA with Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Toronto, Houston and now Orlando. I’ll be cheering for him. As far as on the court, he has been a stabilizing force for the Magic after Jameer Nelson went down. Derek Fisher has been a game player for years but has declined this year. He hasn’t been hitting the open three-pointers as much as in the past.
Advantage: Orlando
Shooting Guard: We’ll get to the Magic first in this one. Courtney Lee, the pride of Western Kentucky, had an excellent start to the playoffs before he hurt his nose. He has a good shooting touch and plays solid defense which will definitely be needed. As far as the Lakers, its all about Kobe. I like the progression he has been making throughout the playoffs, especially in game six against the Nuggets. He knew that game was the closeout and he finished with a solid 35 points. This series will determine a huge part of his legacy. Win the series and he’s a top-eight player all-time and only second to Michael Jordan in all-time shooting guards. Lose the series and the questions still loom.
Advantage: Los Angeles
Small Forward: Trevor Ariza is a nice player who is a good three-point shooter and a solid defender. He’s going to have his hands full with the Michael Jordan of Turkey aka Hedo Turkoglu. Hedo has had an interesting development to his career. He was the fourth banana back in Sacramento behind Webber, Bibby and Peja and was expected to be a third-wheel behind Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis in Orlando but now he’s an indispensible part of a title contender. He will have the ball in his hands the most and be a main distributor. He’s also a clutch shooter towards the end of the game.
Advantage: Orlando
Power Forward: Rashard Lewis was a force in the Cleveland series, especially on three-pointers. If he’s on offensively, the Magic are on point. Pau Gasol is a nice player as well and has had a productive playoff season. However, I want to see some more from him, especially on the road. His numbers always look good but if you watch him during a game, he disappears at times. The big advantage Gasol will have is in rebounding and maybe on defense with his shotblocking ability. However, Lewis is on the perimeter a lot of the time which will push Gasol away from the paint, therefore making his advantages negligible.
Advantage: Push
Center: Dwight Howard has emerged as the best center currently in the NBA and can cement the start of a legendary career with an NBA title. Sometimes his offensive game stalls and his free throw shooting leaves something to be desired at times but he’s a tremendous force overall. The positive for the Lakers is that they have some bodies to throw at Howard, especially Andrew Bynum. The Lakers’ center is working himself back into the rotation after a regular-season knee injury and has shown improvement. The key for both of these guys is to stay out of foul trouble. Whoever does this better will give their team a major advantage in the series.
Advantage: Orlando
Bench: For Orlando, Pietrus is going to have to have a big series for it to compete. Anthony Johnson (College of Charleston represent) has been solid for the Magic as well. For Los Angeles, you have Odom Brown and Farmar being major contributors.
Advantage: Los Angeles
Prediction: Orlando has been playing better in the playoffs but Los Angeles is the better team. In the end, I’m going to take the team with the most motivation and the best player.
Lakers in seven
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
MLB Predictions Review (June)
Hey everyone. We’re in June and this is a good time to look at my Major League Baseball predictions and see how they’re going so far. However, first, we need to get to some business.
Music to Listen To: The Eastoner by General Midi
Its time for that down tempo beat to relax to.
Crush of the Day: Ana Ivanovic
I figured that since the French Open is taking place I figured that I would pick her. Also, she lost in the 4th round so maybe this will make her feel better.
OK, this is the first day in June and we’re starting to get an idea about how teams are performing. We’ve had some surprises and disappointments. I’ll compare my predictions to the current standings.
OK, this is the first day in June and we’re starting to get an idea about how teams are performing. We’ve had some surprises and disappointments. I’ll compare my predictions to the current standings.
AL East (my predictions):
1) Tampa
2) Boston
3) New York
4) Toronto
5) Baltimore
2) Boston
3) New York
4) Toronto
5) Baltimore
AL East (current standings):
1) New York
2) Boston
3) Toronto
4) Tampa
5) Baltimore
2) Boston
3) Toronto
4) Tampa
5) Baltimore
Thoughts: Toronto came out of the gates flying high but have come down to earth. All you need to know about them. 18-7 record at home and 11-17 record on the road. You can’t win a division like that. Halladay is a stud but there isn’t much else. If you’re a Tampa fan, you should be concerned some. Barnett has been a pleasant surprise but Kazmir’s struggles are not a good sign. Hopefully David Price will be a spark for them on the mound and B.J. Upton can get it together. Longoria will be the MVP this year. New York and Boston have been about what you expect, even though you have to be very concerned about David Ortiz if you’re a Red Sox fan. Even Baltimore is playing respectable ball. The Matt Weiters era is in full effect.
AL Central (my predictions):
1) Cleveland
2) Minnesota
3) Chicago
4) Detroit
5) Kansas City
2) Minnesota
3) Chicago
4) Detroit
5) Kansas City
AL Central (current standings):
1) Detroit
2) Chicago
3) Minnesota
4) Kansas City
5) Cleveland
2) Chicago
3) Minnesota
4) Kansas City
5) Cleveland
Thoughts: I’m done picking Cleveland to do anything well in baseball ever again. I should have known that my pick was bad when Carl Pavano was the scheduled third starter at the start of the season. Never again. Detroit has been a nice surprise, especially on the mound with Porcello, Verlander returning to form and the revival of Willis. I’m not necessarily a fan of the Tigers but I like Willis and he’s an exciting player to watch. The White Sox are OK, nothing special. I’m telling you to watch out for Minnesota. Those guys are going to be around in the end. Also, as Peter Gammons said on Baseball Tonight on ESPN a few weeks ago, the Twins need to sign Joe Mauer to an extension yesterday. He will be a Yankee or Red Sox player after next year if that doesn’t happen. You can’t have a catcher like that hit the open market. How about Zach Greinke becoming the best pitcher in baseball this season? No one saw that coming. Good for the KC fans to have something to follow.
AL West (my predictions):
1) Seattle (darn it, why?)
2) Anaheim
3) Oakland
4) Texas
2) Anaheim
3) Oakland
4) Texas
AL West (current standings):
1) Texas
2) Anaheim
3) Seattle
4) Oakland
2) Anaheim
3) Seattle
4) Oakland
Thoughts: Why do I always seem intrigued by the Mariners? Need to move on from them. The bad part is that Bedard and Felix Hernandez are pitching well for these guys. Texas has been nice because they’re still hitting but actually getting some decent pitching. I don’t know if that will keep up but so far, so good. Anaheim are probably going to win this division again but Guerrero needs to start hitting for them to get anywhere. Oakland is about where I expected them to be.
NL East (my predictions):
1) Philly
2) New York
3) Atlanta
4) Florida
5) Washington
2) New York
3) Atlanta
4) Florida
5) Washington
NL East (current standings):
1) Philly
2) New York
3) Atlanta
4) Florida
5) Washington
2) New York
3) Atlanta
4) Florida
5) Washington
Thoughts: Much success! I’m so proud of myself. I really think that these standings are going to stay this way. Philly has the most talent in the division and that’s even without Cole Hammels being in complete form. He’s on my fantasy team, trust me, I’ve been following. I don’t know if Ibanez is going to keep this pace up also. Lidge also needs to find himself to help the bullpen. I will say this about the Mets. Even with Delgado, Wright, Beltran, Reyes, four out of their five best players hurting or slumping, they’re still above .500 and right in the hunt. Atlanta is a wild card because it will get some pitching boost soon. I worry about their offense. Florida and Washington are where I thought they would be.
NL Central (my predictions):
1) Chicago
2) The Natti
3) St. Louis
4) Milwaukee
5) Houston
6) Pittsburgh
2) The Natti
3) St. Louis
4) Milwaukee
5) Houston
6) Pittsburgh
NL Central (current standings):
1) Milwaukee
2) St. Louis
3) The Natti
4) Chicago
5) Pittsburgh
6) Houston
2) St. Louis
3) The Natti
4) Chicago
5) Pittsburgh
6) Houston
Thoughts: I thought that the loss of Sabathia and Sheets would be a bad thing for the Brewers and they may still struggle later in the year but all things are good so far. It also helps to have Ryan Braun anchor your lineup. I have to give St. Louis credit as well. I’m not the biggest fan of LaRussa but he gets the job done. I think that these guys will ultimately win the division because they have Pujols and now that Carpenter looks to be at form, it’s a wrap. I’m happy to see the Natti emerge as a respectable team. I need to get my Cueto and Bruce jerseys. The Cubs will never, ever go anywhere when guys get injured like Ramirez and Carlos Zambrano acts like a jackass. Both of those dudes on my fantasy team, not happy with either one. Pittsburgh and Houston are what they are.
NL West (my predictions):
1) Los Angeles
2) Arizona
3) San Francisco
4) Colorado
5) San Diego
2) Arizona
3) San Francisco
4) Colorado
5) San Diego
NL West (current standings):
1) Los Angeles
2) San Fran
3) San Diego
4) Arizona
5) Colorado
2) San Fran
3) San Diego
4) Arizona
5) Colorado
Thoughts: This was and still is the Dodgers division to lose. San Francisco needs to make their move now if they want to stand a chance. But back to LA. The whole Ramirez saga is interesting. First, congrats to him for using a female fertility drug as a steroid. Smooth. Second, he’s going to get cheered just as hard when he comes back. Finally, I think the Dodgers are going to go to the World Series. The Giants are showing some life. The Padres have Peavy and Gonzalez and not much else, which we already knew before the season even began. Arizona already has changed a manager and Colorado will be doing that soon as well. Great division.
That’s all for now. The next review will be in July around the All-Star game. Your thoughts are always welcomed. Later folks.
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