February 25, 2009

Pres. Obama Address to Congress

Pres. Obama addresses the U.S. nation before a joint session of Congress. In his speech focusing on the economy and the promotion of his economic agenda.

January 28, 2009

Starcraft, Nash & O'Neal Dunked On, Alessandra Ambrosio, Jay Z, The Roots, GI Joe Rise of Cobra

STORY OF THE DAY
For all the computer game Starcraft fans out there!


Starcraft Course opened for College - earn credits
Course Description:
UC Berkeley students with an interest in real-time strategy games and the competitive gaming landscape are encouraged to participate in this class.

This course will go in-depth in the theory of how war is conducted within the confines of the game Starcraft. There will be lecture on various aspects of the game, from the viewpoint of pure theory to the more computational aspects of how exactly battles are conducted. Calculus and Differential Equations are highly recommended for full understanding of the course. Furthermore, the class will take the theoretical into the practical world by analyzing games and replays to reinforce decision-making skills and advanced Starcraft theory.

Class will start with lecture and usually include a special discussion topic having to do with the day’s lecture to inspire new and original thought. At the end of lecture, there may be time to analyze student-submitted replays to illustrate a point or to improve analysis. Homework will be assigned at the end of each class and is due at the beginning of each lecture.

Course Learning Objectives and Goals:
What may look like complex topics are just ways we want you to think more deeply about the game to derive a greater satisfaction from playing. Furthermore, this understanding should have applications in real life, to further synthesize new information from limited inferences. The primary goal is for students to learn, enjoy the art of competitive StarCraft, and have fun. Overall, students will be applying critical thinking, quick decision-making, and game theory skills throughout the sessions. Students will also learn what to look for in a replay or game to learn most effectively.

Course Workload:
Each week, students must submit 2 replays of games they played and are willing to analyze in depth. Students are expected to explain the flow of the game, identify the time of several positive and negative moves, and show an understanding of how to overcome mistakes in these replays. Some replays will be reviewed by the class together.

DUNK OF THE DAY
WHO GOT IT WORSE? O'NEAL or NASH
Tyrus Thomas drunks on Jermaine O'Neal January 23, 2009

Josh Smith dunks on Steve Nash January 26, 2009


BEAUTY OF THE DAY
Alessandra Ambrosio Victoria’s Secret model.


SONGS OF THE DAY
Jay-Z - When The Money Goes
Raekwon - Criminology 2 (feat. Ghostface Killah)
Naledge - Look At Them Hips
Slaughterhouse - Move On
Royce 5'9 - Shake This

CLASSIC TRACK OF THE DAY
The Roots - What They Do

IMAGE OF THE DAY
GI Joe Rise of Cobra released 6 character posters to promote the movie. This was one of my favorite cartoon shows growing up! I'm still not sure about the movie, but so far the posters look promising! Here's a sample.

January 20, 2009

Toronto Raptors – Delivering Damaged Goods

Delivering Damaged Goods

Picture this: You are the delivery boy. Ding Dong rings the door bell. The purchaser opens the door. He has ordered the worlds finest crystal wine glasses for his wife. He’s excited to see the box with the Crystal Classics brand name on it and signs off on the delivery. He then opens up the box only to find his crystal wine glasses shattered! “Forget the name brand; what’s the point of having these if I can’t use them.” Such is the story of the Toronto Raptors center Jermaine O’Neal. The name carries accolades such as 6 times All-Star and 3 times All-NBA team. All which sound promising and attractive especially to teams that need help at their forward-center position. But what’s the point of signing off on such a delivery if you can’t use it?

A trade seems IMMINENT
Jermaine O’Neal is an attractive piece for playoff teams. Don’t expect teams like the Sacramento Kings or Memphis Grizzlies to make trade offers for Jermaine O’Neal. Although he has great experience and an All-Star presence in the low post he is also expensive and injury prone and does not solve solutions for any young or non-playoff team this year. With the Raptors slowly fading from the playoff picture it might be wise for Bryan Colangelo to move O’Neal’s contract for a contract that would be coming off the books at the end of this year. Most teams want to see if O’Neal is healthy enough to play before pulling the trigger on any blockbuster deals. A trade possibility includes:

Miami Heat: Shawn Marion, Marcus Banks


The Miami Heat need a dominant Center. Especially one that will prove to be serviceable during their playoff runs this year. Basketball usually tends to slow down to a half-court game in the playoffs and the value of Big Men are truly tested and appreciated during this time. This is where O’Neal can truly prove to be beneficial as the Heat could face Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic or Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics.

In return the Raptors would get Shawn Marion. Marion would rejoin with a familiar face in Bryan Colangelo, who was Marion’s general manager until he joined the Raptors in 2006.

Financially this move makes sense as well. O’Neal (who makes $21.3 million this season, has a player option for $23 million next season) while Marion’s contract, bit over $17 million will come off the books at the end of the season.

NO INSIDE-OUT GAME
The Raptors must use their strengths wisely and to their advantage! They are tied for 5th in the NBA for 3-point field goal percentage. The Raptors are surrounded by reliable 3-point shooters in Jose Calderon, Anthony Parker, Jason Kapono, and Andrea Bargnani. The Raptors need to start using these guys more thoughtfully with an inside-out game. Jermaine O’Neal is selfish! There is no inside-out game with him. Of course it’s not fair to call a player of his calibre selfish but this is a team game. Plenty of times the ball gets thrown into the paint and O’Neal forces up tough shots. He gets double-teamed and when that happens there is usually a Raptors player open on the perimeter.

January 5, 2009

Toronto Raptors: Its all MENTAL! Chris Bosh, Carlos Delfino, NYE pics


Toronto Raptors - Two in a row!
The Raptors are doing more with less, seems to be the theme through last couple of games. With their starting point-guard Jose Calderon and center Jermaine O'Neal out (day-to-day) it was the Raptors trade baits that stepped up to close the win against the Orlando Magic this past Sunday. Andrea Bargnani is slowly, but surely proving that he could be a sufficient center. Given starters minutes Bargnani has displayed his offensive skills (scoring in double-figures 5 out of his last 6). Bargnani also provides a rare combination of blocks (1.3 per game) and threes (1.2). Anthony Parker is the Raptors premier defender and can be relied on to shoot a high percentage. Parker silenced his critics with a 26 point effort (13-16) against the Magic. The Raptors have now consecutively beat two prominent teams in the NBA (Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic). The Magic are the NBAs best road team and still couldn’t manage to bring down the crippled Raptors. These past couple of wins could indicate a few things.

1) "IT’S ALL MENTAL." The Raptors might NOT have to make a drastic change after all. What is needed is a change of mentality. Why should they look to make drastic changes each time they loose a game? They shouldn't its more so the pressure of the fans and the critics that suggest something so imminent. Any drastic change will ruin any form of chemistry that existed. To prevent this, the Raptors would have to continue developing their winning mentality. A major problem for the Raptors is rebounding. The Raptors have two All Star Bigs in Chris Bosh and Jermaine O’Neal. It’s not like they don’t have the body to rebound. Bosh and O'Neal should try to transfer the rebounding mentality to the rest of the team so that guys like Bargnani, Jamario Moon and Parker get more involved. This is where coaching comes in and Jay Triano has to enforce rebounding not just by talking about it but running rebounding drills and building that fearless “the ball is mine” mentality. Again we come back to a change of mentality. The Raptors have the talent, they have the acclaimed players and now it’s just a matter of having the right mentality.

2) Point Guard DEVELOPMENT. Roko Ukic is starting to look more confident on the floor as he’s been able to get minutes and develop due to Calderon’s injury. This in turn can be beneficial for the Raptors down the stretch when the season starts to tear into the starter’s physique. Will Solomon also received a solid run against the Magic and managed to control his turnovers! Sure the Magic back-court is nothing to rave about but the rookie PGs should be credited for stepping up and making the right plays to win the game.

3) FIVE in a ROW? The Raptors have won their last two games and have shown a promising start to 2009. Can they make it five in a row? Next the Raptors play the Milwaukee Bucks, Washington Wizards and Memphis Grizzlies. Tonight they will face a resilient scoring Bucks team that is currently holding on to the 8th seed in the East. If Andrew Bogut remains out due to back spasms then the Raptors have a good chance of abusing the Bucks inside and coming away with a win; granted they contain Michael Redd. Then the Raptors play a Wizards team that is starting to show some life with a recent win over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. From there the Raptors take on the Memphis Grizzlies who are also coming off a convincing win against the Dallas Mavericks. After the Grizzlies Raptors face the NBA champs Boston Celtics (back to back). The next three games should give us an indication if the Raptors are starting to turn things around! The Celtics have been struggling and since anything is possible in the NBA, maybe the Raptors can notch SIX in a row! But lets not get ahead of ourselves and focus on the next three first. Although we seem to do better against stronger teams and loose against Oklahoma City in what should be an obvious win.

QUOTE OF THE DAY
Chris Bosh talks about trade talks
From Doug Smith's blog

"The only cloud is this losing streak. I don’t think it’s the GM thinking about it as much as everybody else is. He’s always looking to get better, that’s whether you’re doing well or you’re doing poorly. It’s more outside people saying we need change.

We traded this summer, and now we have a new coach, how much change do we need? The only thing that has to change is our mentality coming into the games. I think we can work on that first because I think obviously we know new players don’t necessarily guarantee you success.

You can look around the league, I think everybody that’s made trades this summer is still trying to find themselves as a team. You just have to work with what you have.
You just have to change the mentality. If you continue to do that, you can really turn things around."

RUMOR OF THE DAY
Raptors interested in re-signing Carlos Delfino
from rotoworld.com

“The Raptors are interested in re-signing swingman Carlos Delfino, who is currently playing in Russia. Delfino signed a three-year deal this past summer, but could follow Nenas Kristic’s lead and defect to the NBA. Signing Delfino would be an easy way to shore up their weak perimeter game, though a trade or two is still likely.”

PICTURES OF THE DAY
New Years Eve @ GOSSIP
Wheres Waldo? Andrea Bargnani (Toronto Raptors)

Chris Bosh (Toronto Raptors)

J.R. Smith and Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets)

Dahntay Jones and Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets)

January 4, 2009

Prince, Hollyweerd, Terminology, Nocando, Naledge, Carter III

Prince to Release THREE Albums in 2009

Prince will release not one, but three albums in the new year. He’s in final negotiations with “a major retailer” to distribute the music in physical form, and a highly interactive website will also provide an opportunity to buy. He’s not working with a record label. “The gatekeepers have to change,” he said several times throughout the evening.

He’s found his way back to the sound of “When Doves Cry. ”The first disc, tentatively titled “MPLSOUND,” is an electro-flavored solo effort recorded at Paisley Park Studios. Prince experimented with Pro Tools and “new ways of recording” on these trippy, experimental pop songs. One features a Q-Tip rap; another calls a “Funky Congregation” to worship and may become a live set piece.

He’s ready to revive the Quiet Storm. “We got sick of waiting for Sade to make a new album,” he said, introducing Valente’s new album, “Elixir.” The tracks are chill, with Valente’s buttery voice melding with beats by Morris Hayes and Prince’s guitar lines. Some are explicitly sexual. “This music is nasty, but it’s not dirty,” Prince said, explaining how sensual music fits in with his much-discussed faith — he’s a Jehovah’s Witness. “There’s no profanity. It isn’t promoting promiscuity. She’s singing about her lover, who could be her partner for life.”

He loves his guitar. As the tracks played on Indie 103.1 indicated, “Lotus Flower” is rooted in the instrument. Prince said he refocused on his playing while performing live dates with the singer Tamar Davis in 2006; with the spotlight trained on someone else, he could fall back in love with solos and riffs. “Lotus Flower” is a varied album, featuring cuts recorded over the course of two years, but standout tracks include some heavy rockers — especially the apocalyptic “Dreamer,” which Prince said was partly inspired by the radical black comedian Dick Gregory.

He did not vote for Proposition 8. In fact, he didn’t vote at all. “I didn’t vote for Obama either,” he explained. “Jehovah’s Witnesses haven’t voted for their whole inception.” The controversy over a recent New Yorker “Talk of the Town” item, which Prince feels implied he supported the gay-marriage ban, has upset him. It’s the first thing he wanted to discuss when the Web geeks had gone and we were alone. “I have friends that are gay and we study the Bible together,” he said. He added that two sides fighting “only benefit the third person” who instigated the fight.

ALBUMS OF THE DAY
Hollyweerd - Electricity Showroom mixtape (2009)

ALBUM DOWNLOAD

Terminology - If Heaven was a Mile Away (a tribute to J Dilla) (2009)

ALBUM DOWNLOAD

VIDEO OF THE DAY
NOCANDO MUSIC VIDEO



Tha Carter III Determined The Top-Selling Album Of '08

Just in time for the new year, Nielsen Soundscan shared their annual report with select industry and media. This year's results of retail and digital music sales included many Hip Hop stars such as Lil Wayne, Kanye West and Flo Rida.

For Wayne, the Cash Money Records veteran rapper had the top-selling album in any genre in his Tha Carter III. His sixth studio album, which included hits "A Milli", "Lollipop" and "Mrs. Officer," sold, according to the chart service, approximately 2,874,000 units this year. The effort, released June 10, edged out Coldplay's Viva La Vida, by over 700,000 units.

T.I.'s Paper Trail came in at #8, selling 1,522,000 units, as Beyonce's I Am...Sasha Fierce, released late this year, drew 1,459,000 units. The trio were the only urban artists in the Top 10, a list consisting of Country sensation Taylor Swift, veteran rockers AC/DC and Metallica, and the onetime Jive Records Rap artist-turned-Rock sensation, Kid Rock.

Despite Tha Carter III being the best-selling album, it was Taylor Swift, who had two Top 10-selling albums, that led all artist-sales, with over four million units from her entire catalog this year. Sampled by Boogie Down Productions in the '80s, AC/DC also topped Wayne, putting the New Orleans rapper at third, selling 3,382,000 of total catalog in the last year. He was the only Hip Hop artist to make the Top 10.

TRACK OF THE DAY
Naledge - “Look At Them Hips”

December 31, 2008

Obama, Bush, Phelps, Movie trailers, Christensen, Skillz 08 Wrap Up

2009 - IN WITH THE NEW
Barack Obama Inauguration Day - Tuesday, January 20

U.S. Senator Barack Obama won his bid to become President of the United States of America on November 4, 2008. He will be sworn into office on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. Barack Obama will become the 44th President of the United States and the first African-American to hold this high office. Music legend Aretha Franklin will perform at President-Elect Barack Obama’s inauguration in the Nation’s Capital on January 20. The program line-up will also include a prayer by Pastor Rick Warren and a cello performance by Yo-Yo Ma. Brooklyn rapper Jay-Z will headline an inaugural weekend opening party in Washington.


2009 - OUT WITH THE OLD
Letterman's Top 10 George Bush moments



2008 - ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Michael Fred Phelps (June 30, 1985)

He has won 14 career Olympic gold medals, the most by any Olympian.


MOVIES TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN 2009
The top 10 movies I'm looking forward to in 2009!
"9" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJcd2p0ilWw
"CHE" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQArwFALSLI
"2012" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VXa82AuwHU
"STAR TREK" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuDc4GtjLfY
"UP" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I789Pr5wLUc
"FANBOYS" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbSi8jUGVCc
"G.I. JOE" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV8oZ0npUy0
"PUSH" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpLhX0cvGOM
"ANGELS & DEMONS" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igEzb_sUj_Y
"TERMINATOR SALVATION" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdvaP9oNe2M
more...
X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE, TRANSFORMERS 2, AVATAR, WATCHMEN, SHERLOCK HOLMES

BEAUTY OF THE DAY
Helena Christensen

Victoria Secret model and girl from Chris Iasaak's "Wicked Game" video!


SONG OF 2008
Skillz -"08 Wrap Up"

PICTURE OF THE YEAR

December 28, 2008

UFC 92, Prince, Jessica Biel, Jeezy

UFC 92
Heres a quick recap of the main fights.
Rashad Evans vs. Forrest Griffin
Throughout the first 2 rounds Griffin looked solid. His combined attacks with punches and kicks kept Evans at bay. Griffin controlled the fight for the first 2 rounds and in my books looked to finish it in the 3rd. Although Griffin lookwed promising in the first two rounds you can tell that Evans was patiently waiting for his opportunity. Finally in the 3rd round Evans caught one of Griffin's kicks and answered it with a "Superman" punch, which dropped Griffin to the mat. From there Evans pounced on Griffin as they tangled on the floor. Evans managed to pull his arms free and got full strength behind his punches which rained down on Griffin; at which point the referee put a stop to the fight at 2:46 in the third round.


Frank Mir vs. Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira
The fight hadn't started and I was amped for this match. Why? Only because Frank Mir came out to “Hate Me Now” by Nas!! Talk about sending out a message. Mir was throwing very confident punch combinations all throughout the first round. Mir finished the round 1 with barely a scratch and showed a boxing technique which kept sliding under-hooks inside Nogueira' guard. Not much changed in the round 2 as Mir continued his throwing his punch combinations to finally land a devastating left hook that knocked down Nogueira. Mir pounced on Nogeira with a ground and pound which had the ref stop the fight. Frank Mir' convincing win came to an end at 1:54 in the second round.


Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva
Unlike the previously described fights this one ended in the first round. Neither opponents reached out to touch gloves. Jackson was out to revenge 2 previous losses to Silva. During the round Jackson ducked a jab from Silva and threw a massive left hook that landed square on the left side of Silva’s chin. Silva fell to the mat before Jackson rushed on top to land three quick punches and the fight was done. "You got knocked the f#ck out!" The fight ended at 3:21 of the first round. Next up for Jackson could be a title-shot against Rashad Evans. Stay tuned cause Rampage is back!


SCIENCE CLIP OF THE DAY
Sir Martin Rees: Earth in its final century?
"In a taut soliloquy that takes us from the origins of the universe to the last days of a dying sun 6 billion years later, renowned cosmologist Sir Martin Rees explains why the 21st century is a pivotal moment in the history of humanity: the first time in history when we can materially change ourselves and our planet. Stunning imagery of cosmological wonders show us the universe as we know it now. Speaking as "a concerned member of the human race," Rees harkens to the wisdom of Einstein, calling for scientists to act as moral compasses, confronting the coming developments and ensuring our role in "the immense future."


MUSIC CLIP OF THE DAY
Q-Tip, Prince & DJ Scratch.
Prince makes an apearance as he jumps on stage and plays guitar for Q-Tip at the House of Blues.


BEAUTY OF THE DAY
Jessica Biel. "Baby got back!"

Even Diddy got caught in the act.


SONG OF THE DAY
Young Jeezy ft. Pharrell - "Rumor Has It"

December 22, 2008

Pick em UP; Drop EM; the IT Factor!

Who to Pick Up, Drop Off, and who is the IT Factor in the NBA Atlantic Division during the 1st quarter of the 2008/09 season.

BOSTON CELTICS
Pick up: Kendrick Perkins
Kendrick Perkins: To be honest with you I can’t stand Perkins because he plays like he thinks he’s the best player on the court. He’s got this grill on his face when he plays as if he should be getting the type of calls that Kevin Garnett does. He must be confused! What he isn’t confused about though is the rise of his production. Perkins is averaging 11.3 points and 9.7 rebounds in the first half of December!! On the season Perkins is seeing the highest points (8.2) and rebounds (8.1) total in his career. Although his FG% has dropped from last year; still a 56.0% is nothing to frown upon! His FT% is touching a horrid 55.1% (eewww) but he doesn’t get to the line more then a couple times a game so I take that with a grain of salt. If you need reliable boards and blocks Perks is your man! He is averaging a career high 27:53 minutes per game and I see that trend continuing throughout the season as the Celtic vets get their rest. Expect to see more of Perkins grill!

Drop off: Eddie House
Eddie House: Unless you need a cheap source of 3s House should not be owned. He is Mr. Efficiency. He averages about 17:00 minutes per game and makes the most of it by providing an average of 1.3 a game and some scoring. Unfortunately, like in most leagues I like for a player to give me a bit more then just 2 categories. If you don’t need 3s you don’t need Edie.

The IT factor: Ray Allen
Ray Allen: Like wine Ray Allen gets better with time. Ok really not really but check this out. Ray Ray is averaging a career best 49.8 FG% and is logging 35:00 minutes per game. He is averaging 2.4 threes per game at almost 40% (39.5)! He is one of my favourite shooters in the NBA and he hasn’t lost his touch. For a SG he provides a decent 3.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. What make’s Jesus Shuttlesworth attractive is his high scoring, consistent 3s and his reliable FG, FT, and 3PT %s. On December 7th he hit 7 of 12 threes. If you need a reliable SG, Ray Ray is your man.


TORONTO RAPTORS
Pick up: Jamario Moon, Jason Kapono, Joey Graham
Jamario Moon: I’ll keep this one simple and self-explanatory. The Raptors new coach Jay Triano is trying to run a more up tempo offence, creating some fast break points. Andrea Bargnani does not fit this type of offense as well as someone like Jamario Moon does. I think that Moon is a lock in the SF position for now. Given 30+ minutes a game Moon can be stat-stuffer. I would recommend picking him up and stashing Bargnani remains on the bench!

Jason Kapono: I am going a bit out on a limb here and recommending Kapono for a few reasons. First and foremost of course because of his hot play the past couple of games. Kapono filled in nicely for Anthony Parker while he was injured. Kapono is showing that when given 30 minutes per game he can average 15/4/2 with two 3s per game all while providing reliable %s across the board. The problem of course is his defence. The 2nd reason I mention picking him up, and this is where I am going out on a limb, is because I think Anthony Parker could soon be traded. Brian Colangelo has hinted that he is not finished making moves this year and I think that Anthony Parker could be one of the players he trades next. Although Toronto does not have many attractive players available for trade; AP is known for his great defensive skills and efficient play. If he gets traded Kapono will likely become the starting SG for the season. Going out on a further limb, I think Andrei Bargnani could be traded as well if the right deal comes along for Toronto (ie: Bargnani for Corey Maggette)

Joey Graham: You know your league is deep when Joey Graham is getting picked up. Such was the case in both my Roto and H2H league. He is another beneficiary under Coach Jay Triano. Although Graham doesn’t offer much else then scoring and a few rebounds it is important to note that he provides very attractive 52.0 FG% and 87.9 FT%. He has hit double digit scoring during the first 6 games in December. But lately his playing time has been limited and shared with players like Anthony Parker, so don’t rush to pick him up unless you are in a 15+ deep league.

Drop off: Anthony Parker
Anthony Parker: Recent injuries have kept him out and Kapono has been shining in his absence. I think that he can be more productive in the 33:30 minutes per game that he is averaging. Also there is a possibility of him being traded.

The IT factor: Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh: From the beginning of the season Bosh has been on a tear!!!!!! Earlier in the season, in my 15 team, 12 cat Roto league Bosh was traded for Kobe Bryant strait up, 1for1! That should indicate to you the value that Bosh has had. He averages about 7 FTM per game at 83.4%. He is playing close to 40 minutes a game and thus has the time to produce his massive stats. His jump-shot has been money all year. As a Toronto Raptors fan I watch the games and have developed full trust in his 18-foot jump-shot. He also takes it to the basket enthusiastically and has developed an even more explosive game this year. My only knock on Bosh is his lack of shot-blocking. He is averaging just less than 1 blocked-shot per game and that is something that causes a slight concern for fantasy owners. Having a C that barely blocks a shot per game is like having a PG that barely gives you a steal or three per game. But that is my only knock on Bosh; otherwise he is an MVP candidate if he continues to play the way he has…and if the Raptors start winning.


NEW JERSEY NETS
Pick up: Brook Lopez
Brook Lopez: Let me introduce you to the Nets new Center for the next 10 years to come. This rookie is playing great and efficiently! While Josh Boone was absent, due to injuries, Lopez has been starting and giving double-double type production with close to 2 blocks per game. Think of Al Horford from last year. Lopez gives you consistent production with efficient %s (47.3 FG, 77.8 FT). He has a lot of upside! Kudos goes out to Nets management on this draft-pick! He makes for a solid number 2 Center on your team. He’s had 1+ block in 12 of his last 13 games and leads the Nets in rebounds with 7.4 per game.

Drop off: Sean Williams
Sean Williams: I like Sean Williams’ upside and I must admit my mistake. Before the season started I predicted him to have a break out season granted he was given decent playing time. Now he is on the bench behind Lopez and Boone. I still believe that Sean Williams has a lot of upside and if he is traded to a team that will give him the playing time, he will produce. He is an athletic Big with crazy shot blocking abilities. Until he is traded to a team that will give him some playing time he should be dropped.

The IT factor: Devin Harris
Devin Harris: Who won the Devin Harris and Jason Kidd trade? The Mavs are doing great recently and Kidd has been on a tear (ranked 10th in yahoo fantasy and is 2nd in the NBA in steals). But Harris has truly come into-his-own on the Nets. I think this move NEEDED to be made in order for Harris to produce the way that he has. This is a great stepping stone for an All Star in the making. Harris is averaging career highs in points (23.8), assists (6.3), rebounds (3.3), steals (1.4), and FTM (8.8). The difference has been Harris’ ability to get to penetrate defences and get to the line. He is becoming a premium PG, he is young and in the run for most-improved player of the year with Nene Hilario and Danny Granger. Harris, Vince Carter and Lopez are really doing a great job at keeping this team afloat when I really thought they would sink this season.


NEW YORK KNICKS
Pick up: Everyone on the New York Knicks!! Pick up their Towel Boy!
Thank you Mike D’Antoni! You have made me a believer. Wow I am actually enjoying watching the Knicks play. These guys are running, gunning and don’t look to be stopping anytime soon. Al Harrington is on a tear! David Lee is having a career season. Their guards Chris Duhon and Nate Robinson are not only very reliable but consistent. Little Nate has shown that he has crazy upside this season and deserves to be on your team as a second guard. Think of how versatile Boris Diaw was a few seasons ago under D’Antoni. Nate Robinson is just as versatile with the Knicks, offering scoring in the mid-teens, and career best 4.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.8 3PTM, 1.6 steals, 47.4% FG, 80.4 FT%. Nate the Great is a multi-category guard! D’Antoni came to the Knicks and his philosophy and style of play has set all of these players free!

Drop off: No One!
No one! You should own all of the Knicks 7-men rotation! All put up useful stats. If I had to be picky and had to pick someone then I’ll say Quinton Richardson. But this is only compared to the rest of the Knicks.
Quinton Richardson: If the Knicks get another guard (like they have been talking about doing so) then Q Rich’ value could decline. Only if you are in a 10+ team league and really need 3s then I would consider owning Q Rich. He is a nice source of 3s and rebounds.

The IT factor: David Lee
David Lee: CAREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER season. Congratulations David Lee. You are making me look stupid =) I say that only because I traded Baron Davis and David Lee for Allen Iverson and Andre Iguodala. Although I don’t regret it I am looking back like damn! His window of opportunity is so high it’s incredible. He is not the biggest guy on the team but he runs the pick-and-rolls with Chris Duhon extremely well (seen especially when they played the Warriors and he had a career high 37 points and 21 rebounds). He manages to grab offensive rebounds and get plenty of put-backs. He is in a perfect opportunity with the Knicks as plenty of shots will go up, so rebound and put-back opportunities will remain plenty. My only knock on him is the same as such players like Zach Randolph. They are great for scoring and rebounding but don’t offer much when it comes to defensive stats. He’s to a block per game. But that’s just me being picky! He has a great 56.2 FG% and a decent 73.3 FT%.


PHILIDELPHIA 76ERS
Pick up: Samuel Dalembert
Samuel Dalembert: Don’t look know but Sammy D is back. Or is he? He is a bit of a paradox. He has been a bit of a let-down from last year. Last year he averaged 2.3 blocks per game and a career high 10.4 rebounds per game. The addition of Elton Brand has caused a decline in those categories as the chemistry is still being developed. The 76ers have great expectations and with the recent firing of coach Mo Cheeks it should be known that they will not accept a loosing season. Dalembert needs to get back on track and unfortunately for Brand; his shoulder injury should pave the way for Dalembert's re-emergence of fantasy value. Dalembert has been coming on lately and his recent 17 rebound game is an indication of his re-emergence.

Drop off: Thaddeus Young
Thaddeus Young: This applies to leagues with no more then 10 teams! Young has been demoted to the bench. As a starter Young has been a reliable scorer offering his owners a rare combination of rebounds and threes with reliable %s. He has been demoted in order to make sure that players like Andre Miller, Elton Brand and Iggy get their shots up and offense running. UPDATED I just heard that Brand will be out for about a month due to his shoulder injury. On that note don’t drop Thaddeus Young just yet. He will be inserted back in the starting line up and should see an increase in Playing Time while Brand is out.

The IT factor: Andre Iguodala
Andre Iguodala: Iggy has always been the IT factor for the 76ers. He was their star after Allen Iverson left and before Elton Brand came in. His stats have been suffering as he finds ways to gel with Brand. The 76ers should have Iggy, Brand and Dalembert as their focal offensive players and guys like Andre Miller should take more of a Rajon Rondo role, and not try to score as much. In doing so Iggy will see more shot attempts and re-establish his offensive presence on the team. He seems to have faded in and out and back in again. For the 76ers to be successful they’ll have to get Iggy involved regularly and put together a more up-tempo system, especially now that Brand is out for some time. Despite the 76ers adding an All Star big man to the starting line up, Iggy is averaging a career high in 6.6 rebounds per game. He is versatile and rebounds, assists very well for a SF!

December 19, 2008

TORONTO WE HAVE A PROBLEM



TORONTO WE HAVE A PROBLEM!!!
It’s obvious that the Toronto Raptors are having a disappointing start to the season. But with 25 games into the season the phrase “start to the season or early in the season” can’t be used anymore. We are at the 1/3 mark of the season and Brian Calengelo has to make some moves, and soon!! What the Raptors are doing right now is not working. They don’t seem to have a style of play and are still trying to figure it out!? Even with two All-Star Bigs such as Chris Bosh and Jermaine O’Neal the team is getting out-rebounded on a nightly basis. There’s no more time left for this team to gel. Patience is running quick and the longer it takes the sooner you scratch this season and begin to rebuild for the next. We have $20 million players (Jermaine O’Neal 2008/09 $21,352,200). The fans, the city, the GM do not have time for everyone to become best buddies and then decide Ok we’re ready to play at full speed now. They had the meet and greets, they practiced together and now its time to play with some Passion and Grit. They are making the same mistakes over and over again and are constantly getting beat in the 4th quarter. Do we need a coaching change yet again?

The PROBLEM:
1) Lack of grit and passion = poor mentality = beat before 4th quarter starts.
2) Out rebounded = paid 20 million more to get out rebounded more?!!
3) Out scored in the 4th quarter = need a scoring SG/SF (think Corey Magette)
4) Lack true-tough leadership = Bosh needs to toughen up even more.

The ANSWER:
Lacklustre leadership sets a lacklustre example! Either Jermaine O’Neal or Chris Bosh will have to show some passion to fire up their team. Think of what Kevin Garnett brings to the Celtics each game. Even on the bench KG is yelling and getting his team fired up, or in some cases crying (lol Big Baby Glen Davis, I couldn’t let that one go). Get MAD Damn it! CB4 and new coach Jay Triano (Mr. Nice Guy) have to pick up some technical fouls. Do Bosh or J.O need to grab a chair and throw it on the court, or call out their team mates, dunk and scream, stare down opponents? They need to do what they must to become a problem! The Raptors aren’t considered a problem in the East. They are soft on the court and need to get rid of the less-passionate, soft personalities and bring in some grit and attitude….some gangsters!

Trade BAIT: Andrea Bargnani, Anthony Parker
At the start of the season I was excited to see how Bargnani had developed in the offseason. I thought he was progressing quite nicely until all the sudden he hit the rookie wall…but there lies the problem…HE’S NOT A ROOKIE ANYMORE. This is Bargnani’s 3rd season! How many more does he need to develop some consistency? The fans can see the effort but we’re at a point where we need to see the RESULT! There are plenty of teams that are interested in Bargnani. Let them test their patience with the number 1 pick. Offer him to the Warriors since Don Nelson loves his European Bigs (think Andris Biedrins) in exchange for Corey Maggette. We need a scoring SG with some grit! I’d love to see the Raptors bring in a personality like Stephen Jackson!


Pick EM UP?
Corey Maggete, Ben Gordon, Gerald Wallace, Tyrus Thomas, Shawn Marion (seems impossible BUT it can be done if the HEAT are interested in Bargnani, Jason Kapono or AP).

We SHOULDN’T HAVE:
We shouldn’t have drafted Bargnani with our 1st pick. I understand the pick from a business perspective but it hasn’t worked to our advantage. Bringing Bargnani into a metropolis like Toronto attracted the Italian fans the same way that Jose Calderon did with the Spanish fans. Now we have Italian night at the ACC which is great but this is basketball and games need to be won; not fans! Brian Colangelo could have drafted regarded players such as LaMarcus Aldridge or NBA ready Brandon Roy! Instead he pulled a Joe Dumars (think Darko Milicic 2nd pick in the 2003 draft). At least he had a marketing scheme behind the pick. I hate to be harsh on Bargnani but that’s how Toronto fans are. We are passionate and impatient. We BOO the Raptors even when they are down by 3 (Raptors vs. Mavericks, December 17, 2008)

A FEW STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION:
To step in the right direction the Raptors must:
1) Bring in a true scoring SG/SF.
HOW?
A) Trade away Bargnani or Anthony Parker and bring in a gritty player. Someone that has a winning attitude and toughness (S. Jackson type)
B) Take the 6 million that they will have to spend next summer, and use it now (there’s a way of doing this) to sign a true SG to a mid. level contract.
2) Play a more up-tempo style. Although Jose Calderon is a great point guard to build from he does not push up the ball as much as he used to (nor does he drive to the basket for easy layups like he did last year). Make note that you DO NOT need to pass the ball to the PG in order to run a fast-break. As soon as they rebound or inbound the ball push it up quick through 1-2 passes. What I see the Raptors doing a lot of the times is grabbing a rebound and waiting for Calderon. Then they give the ball to Jose as he trots up the court and run’s a VERY PREDICTABLE half-court offense.

If the Raptors loose this season they loose Bosh! I strongly believe this is a determining season of whether Bosh will remain a Raptor come 2010. He will have plenty of tempting offers thrown at him and it will be tough to say no to possible combinations such as Mike D’Antoni and LeBron James. Though the Raptors seem to be falling...Chris Bosh will have plenty of parachutes thrown at him.

December 18, 2008

Bush, Obama, Lola, Blake, Common

PICTURE OF THE DAY
Have you seen the new Matrix trailer? Bush is the new Neo!


BARACK OBAMA PICKS 'BEST CABINET BASKETBALL TEAM IN HISTORY'


Latest to join the ranks on Tuesday was Arne Duncan, 44, Mr Obama's education secretary, a 6ft 5in tall former co-captain of Harvard's basketball team who also played professionally in Australia.

General James Jones, 64, the new national security adviser, stands at 6ft 4in and was a forward for the Georgetown University team, the Hoyas. Eric Holder, 57, the nominee for attorney general, was co-captain of the Peglegs, his high school team in New York and also played at Columbia University.

Susan Rice, 45, the new United Nations ambassador, is just 5ft 3in tall but was a star basketball player at National Cathedral School in Washington, where she was nicknamed Spo – short for Sporting.

Mr Obama, 47, himself was an avid basketball player at school in Honolulu, where he was nicknamed Barry O'Bomber because of his devastating "jump shot" and would dribble and bounce a ball as he walked between classes. He struggled to make the starting line-up of his champion school team but has improved his game further over the years and still plays regularly.

During the 21-month election campaign, Mr Obama developed a ritual of playing a game of basketball every election day. Mr Duncan, currently chief executive of Chicago public schools, played with him on Nov 4, the day he won the White House.

Announcing Mr Duncan's appointment in Chicago, a grinning Mr Obama, who has said he will build a basketball court in the White House, said: "I just want to dispel one rumour before I take questions. I did not select Arne because he's one of the best basketball players I know.

"Although I will say that I think we are putting together the best basketball-playing cabinet in American history. And I think that is worth noting."

Mr Obama has just three main cabinet secretaries still to appoint. So far he has put together the most ethnically diverse cabinet in American history. Though he has yet to follow through on his promise to appoint Republicans, he is keeping on Robert Gates, a career intelligence officer, as defence secretary.

Among his selections are Mr Holder, who is black; commerce secretary Bill Richardson, who is Hispanic; veterans affairs secretary Eric Shinseki, who is Japanese-American; energy secretary Steven Chu, who is a Chinese-American Nobel prize winner; and several women, including Hillary Clinton as secretary of state.

"When you look at our entire White House staff and cabinet and our various appointments I think people will feel that we followed through on our commitment to make sure that this is not only an administration that is diverse ethnically, but it's also diverse politically, and it's diverse in terms of people's life experience," said Mr Obama.

He even has a reserve for the starting line-up of five for his basketball team. Although not a cabinet member, Paul Volcker, ex-chairman of the Federal Reserve, has been selected as chairman of Mr Obama's Economic Recovery Advisory Board.

Mr Volcker is 6ft 7in, played basketball for Princeton and is a towering 6ft 7in tall. The only drawback in terms of his court skills is that he is now 81.

CROSS OVER OF THE DAY
This can be considered a cross over. Check the spin that Blake does to score on the penalty shot. For this time only enjoy the hockey cross over of the day!


BEAUTY OF THE DAY
Lola Luv
Lola is vicious! And she raps too! Google her.


SONG OF THE DAY
Common - Punch Drunk Love (Feat. Kanye West)
Make sure you check his new album Universal Mind Control and support one of your favorites.

December 15, 2008

Size 10, Wade, Wolverine, Ksenia

SHOES THROWN AT BUSH ON IRAQ TRIP
Iraqi television journalist Muntadar al-Zaidi stood up and shouted "This is the farewell kiss you dog!" before hurling a shoe at Mr Bush which narrowly missed him. Thenhe said "This is from the widows, the orphans and those who were killed in Iraq." Before throwing his other shoe.

Showing the soles of shoes to someone is a sign of disrespect/contempt/dislike/hatred in Arab culture. This attack was symbolic. A correspondent later mentioned that Iraqis threw shoes and used them to beat Saddam Hussein's statue after his overthrow. After the incident President Bush managed to crack a joke and said "If you want the facts, it's a size 10 shoe that he threw."


CROSS OVER OF THE DAY
Wade why did you do that to Mayo? He's just a rookie! Ouch!


X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE trailer (ROUGH)
I can't wait for this one. They took their time to make it and on May 1st, 2009 the movie will be released. You can catch previews for it when watching moves like The Day The Earth Stood Still. This is a rough quality preview but a preview none the less! Looks crazy!! Will I Am the latest urban artist crossing over into the movie industry. This will be his first film role as John Wraith.

Hugh Jackman- Wolverine
Liev Shrieber- Sabretooth
Ryan Reynolds- DeadPool
Dominic Monaghan- Barnell Bohusk/Beak
Lynn Collins- Silver Fox
Kevin Durand- The Blob
Taylor Kitsch- Gambit
Will I Am- John Wraith
Daniel Henney- Agent Zero

BEAUTY OF THE DAY
Ksenia Sukhinova
It's only fitting that we praise Ksenia Sukinova as Beauty of the Day as we all Hail Miss World 2008!! Ksenia won the "Miss Russia" beauty contest in Moscow in 2007. She then beat out 108 other contestants to be crowned Miss World 2008. The contest was held in South Africa on December 13, 2008. 3rd place went to Miss Trinidad and Tobago 2nd to Miss India.


SONG OF THE DAY
Omega Red ft. Krs-one - Hiphop Party

December 12, 2008

James Brown, Pavarotti, Elektra

RIP 2 OF THE GREATEST
James Brown & Pavarotti on stage "It's a Man's World"


CROSS OVER OF THE DAY
Randolph Childress crosses Jeff McInnis!! OLDIE but a Goodie! Watch after he crosses him he singles to come get him real quick. Then nails the shot!


KNOWING trailer
How fitting that we are seeing more and more of these "Numbers" related movies. Especially with us getting closer and closer to what prophets predict will be the end of the world (December 21, 2012...but that is a discussion all on its own). Looks like the Number 23 movie with Jim Carrey.


BEAUTY OF THE DAY
Carmen Elektra
Fitting that I choose Carmen since she will be appearing in Playboy's 55th Anniversary issue coming out December 12th. Due to violations I won't post any of her Plyaboy pics!!


SONG OF THE DAY
Redman feat. Oh No - Lay You Out

December 10, 2008

Nash, Dragonball, Leryn F, LeBron

NASH TO TORONTO A POSSIBILITY

As a Toronto Raptors fan I would like to see Nash on the team. Him and Bosh can be running similar pick and rolls as he did with Amare and JO can provide similar but quicker offense as Shaq (with the same blocking stats). The move would be legit, and could give us a more legitimate shot at competing this year. I'm all for it! Any thoughts?

DRAGONBALL EVOLUTION trailer

I don't know what to think about this one. They ussually hype up the trialers but the movie's turn to ass. Think Street Fighter...ewww!! This is a tough cartoon to bring to the movies. I'm personally waiting on other ones much more then this one.

BEAUTY OF THE MOMENT
Leryn Franco


SONG OF THE DAY
Black Milk ft DJ Premier, Pharoahe Monch & Sean Price - The Matrix

P.S. HOW COME NO ONES TALKING ABOUT THIS
LeBron FREE THROW DUNK...During a GAME!@#@!#

December 8, 2008

De La Hoya Career R.I.P, NBA R.O.Y.

RIP OSCAR DE LA HOYA CAREER

This whole event was disappointing!! The under-cards showcased a few good winners/fighters but the fights themselves were crap (not much competition). Same is to be said about the main event. Manny just danced circles around Oscar, flourishing him with countless punches, combination's and strait lefts that penetrated Oscar's defense and messed up the Golden Boy's face. It's unfortunate cause I'm a fan of Oscar's but Manny is at his prime (29 years of age) and is demolishing everyone he fights. At 35, Oscar MIGHT have another fight or two left in him but after that showing, I hope he hangs up the gloves and just focuses on his Golden Boy productions. This guy (Oscar) made 200+mil in his last 4 fights!! Damn

NBA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Derrick Rose or O.J. Mayo? Who has your vote?
With cross-overs like this I'm starting to think Derrick Rose!

That one is tied with this one for Crossover of the week!

EWWWW!!! RIP Jesus Shuttlesworth. I can't front though Ray Allen is still one of my all time favorite players in the game!! He's tearing it up this year.

BEAUTY OF THE DAY
Adriana Lima


SONG OF THE DAY
Scarface - Can’t Get It Right (Feat. Bilal)

Canada Sky Lights Up, CHE, Jordan 2s

Police dash cam of Meteor over Edmonton, Canada

Canada light up the skyyyy!

"CHE" [trailer]

WOW! I can't wait. I was just doing some research on Che recently to further educate myself and ironically enough this morning I come across this trailer. I can't wait!!

WHAT YOU GOT ON MY JORDAN 2s!!!
Nothing nothing you ain't got nothing!Jordan 2s


SONG OF THE DAY
Jay-Z feat. Santogold "Brooklyn (Go Hard) produced by Kanye
"I jack, I rob, I sin, Ah man, I'm Jackie Robinson
'cept when I run base, I dodge the pen."

April 2, 2008

Roxanne Shante

I was reading a few interviews about Where Are They Now? from allhiphop.com and in the midst of the Roxanne Shante interview - saw this dope quote, which is the message that I've been trying to preach to anyone since Day 1. It's disheartening to see artists drop everything (especially education) to pursue Hip Hop - believing that this is what they want to do forever. They don't have a plan beyond Hip Hop. The average time-span for a rapper is probably one-two albums at most - and that's if you become popular enough to solely make money off of it!!! And now-@-days so many aspiring artists, especially the young ones think that this is it - I'm gonna be a rapper and that's it. I'm not saying that you shouldn't follow your dreams or ambitions but while doing so, don't cut off the option of school. I'll stop rambling; the quote sums up what I am trying to say.



AllHipHop.com: You're one of the few MCs that have been able to transition successfully to other venues outside of Hip-Hop, education wise and business wise. Was this a conscious decision early on in your career or were these ventures you pursued once you saw the direction Hip-Hop was going in?

Shante: Well the reason I was able to make such an easy transition was due to pursuing my education. With education it opens a lot of doors and the more knowledge you have the more choices you’re able to make. And I really credit going to school for that, because that wasn’t something I always thought about. At the age of 14 I’m thinking about Gucci sneakers and bamboo earrings. I wasn’t thinking about purchasing a jewelry store and probably could have done that by the age of 17 if someone had guided me in the right direction. But I’m blessed and really happy at the choices I made in the timeframe that I did.

March 29, 2008

Kobe for MVP

Kobe Bryant has had to carry the Lakers on his back all season. He's played through injuries, criticism, rumors and speculation. The most common criteria looked at when evaluating a most valuable player is the kidnap scenario. In other words, if you took Kobe out, how would his team do. Of course the same argument can be made if you f you took Steve Nash away from the Phoenix Suns, LeBron James from the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dirk Nowitzki from the Dallas Mavericks, Hornets' Chris Paul, and many more. But if you were to take those stars out of the line up, their team would at least survive. In the case of each of them, their teams would have enough left over to make a run at a playoff berth, at the very least. Without Bryant, the Lakers would not be a playoff team. Not even close. My MVP vote for this year is Kobe - with Chris Paul a nose hair behind, and my favorite player in the league; LeBron James, just behind him.