Jon Blaze
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
KOBE
BI first... here's a piece on why I can't understand why people justify fighting in hockey.
If anything should silence all the Kobe Bryant isn't the MVP / he shoots to much critics then Tuesday nights performance should have done just that. Less than a week ago Kobe dropped the Grizzles off for 60 points and the Lakers escaped M-Town with a two point victory. Tuesday night Kobe hit for 23 and LA lost to the Grizzles.
Without Bean (Kobe's middle name if you didn't know) the Lakers are a lottery team, easily. But Kobe's got them in the playoffs and everyone's sleeper pick along with Denver to maybe pull a first round upset.
I don't have a vote, but he's my MVP.
Another thing about Kobe. I believe that the purpose of a column is to take a stance on an issue and argue it. My girl Jemele Hill did that here, but she's fighting a losing battle. As big of a fan of Bean, to say he's better than Jordan is almost like blasphemy.
If anything should silence all the Kobe Bryant isn't the MVP / he shoots to much critics then Tuesday nights performance should have done just that. Less than a week ago Kobe dropped the Grizzles off for 60 points and the Lakers escaped M-Town with a two point victory. Tuesday night Kobe hit for 23 and LA lost to the Grizzles.
Without Bean (Kobe's middle name if you didn't know) the Lakers are a lottery team, easily. But Kobe's got them in the playoffs and everyone's sleeper pick along with Denver to maybe pull a first round upset.
I don't have a vote, but he's my MVP.
Another thing about Kobe. I believe that the purpose of a column is to take a stance on an issue and argue it. My girl Jemele Hill did that here, but she's fighting a losing battle. As big of a fan of Bean, to say he's better than Jordan is almost like blasphemy.
Labels: Ballin...
Friday, March 23, 2007
FREE SHAQUANDA COTTON
PLEASE take the time to read this.
The only words that come to mind concerning this is that this is extrememly FUCKED UP. That's about all I can say about it. Its a damn shame that something like this could ever happen. If nothing else this serves as a reminder that there are still places in this country where shit isn't right and there's a lot of work left to be done.
My Prayers go out to Shaquanda and her Family.
.....Ghost
Labels: Horrible
Which GM or Owner would you be???
Was reading my boi Chris S. ova at the postgame show and he spit some real knowledge on the difference in the way men and women look for soulmates. So upon reading what he wrote I'll ask you, in the game of love....
Which owner/gm are you most like?
I'm probably most like Lakers Owner Jerry Buss.
The Lakers have been able to continue a level of success throughout the year's thanks to Buss and his management team. They've worked through the changes that have come with the league and have always been able to stay competative.
My life even mimics the Lakers in the sense of long term vs. short term success. The Lakers had to choose between Shaq and Kobe, I had long-term relationship vs. short term flings. Like the Lakers I had a vision and that vision led me to making one of the best choices I've ever made. Just like the Lakers.
....Ghost
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
March Fairness??????
First, I'm going to start posting the link to my stories on here so they are more accessible. Don't know why I haven't been doing that from the start, just hadn't. But since I've been pretty hot the last couple of days - remove all the fire alarms cuz they going off all over the building hot - I've decided to finally do so.
So here's my column on the coach of one of our high school teams extremely bummed out that his team didn't make it to the state tournament. And a piece on this inner city basketball gym that is closing its doors after housing a basketball league for about 25 years.
Of course with it being March all the media hoopla is geared towards March Madness that starts Thursday. While many of you will be checking phones and websites to find out scores during the day, I'll be at work with the T.V. right over my computer enjoying all the action. I Rule, yes (fist pump).
I'm having a hard time understanding why many of the T.V. people don't understand why the coaches of Florida A &M and Niagara had a problem playing in the play-in game. The whole reason for having a conference tournament is to decide who will get an AUTOMATIC bid into the big dance. FAMU won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament while Niagara went through the Metro Atlantic tournament unbeaten. So why do these schools have to play in a play-in game? Throw RPI's and SOS's out the window on this. It's bad enough that these teams are virtually playing for the right to go one and done in the tournament as the winner of the play-in gets the reward of playing a #1 seed, in this case Niagara who defeated FAMU 77-69 travels to play Kansas on Friday.
The analysts all listed the play-in game as a way to draw exposure to the programs saying that for one night they are the only game on and they get all the attention. Sounds good. But in reality, Tuesday night there were NIT games on between two bigger programs who despite it being the NIT, I still opted to watch. Every basketball fan alive knows that the tournament officially starts on Thursday so tonight's game was more like the junior varsity game.
I don't think that the playoff game is a bad thing, I just believe that it should be played between the last two at large teams picked by the committee. They didn't win their conference tournaments and since they are truly bubble teams it adds to the suspense of the game. Imagine if it had been Syracuse, who didn't get into the tournament, versus Stanford, who did get in, battling for a #12 seed or so. How spirited would that game be with both teams fighting to continue the season. And giving the winner a #12 seed would give the winner hope considering that every year a #12 beats a #5.
The committee has a hard job picking the top 34 at large basketball teams in the country. It's a job that I don't want, but lets take the time to really consider changing the play-in game, because this weekend the Florida A& M Rattlers got all excited about earning an opportunity to wear their dancing shoes and all of a sudden they can't get into the party.
So here's my column on the coach of one of our high school teams extremely bummed out that his team didn't make it to the state tournament. And a piece on this inner city basketball gym that is closing its doors after housing a basketball league for about 25 years.
Of course with it being March all the media hoopla is geared towards March Madness that starts Thursday. While many of you will be checking phones and websites to find out scores during the day, I'll be at work with the T.V. right over my computer enjoying all the action. I Rule, yes (fist pump).
I'm having a hard time understanding why many of the T.V. people don't understand why the coaches of Florida A &M and Niagara had a problem playing in the play-in game. The whole reason for having a conference tournament is to decide who will get an AUTOMATIC bid into the big dance. FAMU won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference tournament while Niagara went through the Metro Atlantic tournament unbeaten. So why do these schools have to play in a play-in game? Throw RPI's and SOS's out the window on this. It's bad enough that these teams are virtually playing for the right to go one and done in the tournament as the winner of the play-in gets the reward of playing a #1 seed, in this case Niagara who defeated FAMU 77-69 travels to play Kansas on Friday.
The analysts all listed the play-in game as a way to draw exposure to the programs saying that for one night they are the only game on and they get all the attention. Sounds good. But in reality, Tuesday night there were NIT games on between two bigger programs who despite it being the NIT, I still opted to watch. Every basketball fan alive knows that the tournament officially starts on Thursday so tonight's game was more like the junior varsity game.
I don't think that the playoff game is a bad thing, I just believe that it should be played between the last two at large teams picked by the committee. They didn't win their conference tournaments and since they are truly bubble teams it adds to the suspense of the game. Imagine if it had been Syracuse, who didn't get into the tournament, versus Stanford, who did get in, battling for a #12 seed or so. How spirited would that game be with both teams fighting to continue the season. And giving the winner a #12 seed would give the winner hope considering that every year a #12 beats a #5.
The committee has a hard job picking the top 34 at large basketball teams in the country. It's a job that I don't want, but lets take the time to really consider changing the play-in game, because this weekend the Florida A& M Rattlers got all excited about earning an opportunity to wear their dancing shoes and all of a sudden they can't get into the party.
Labels: Let's Be Fair
Friday, March 9, 2007
R.I.P. Christopher Wallace
CHRISTOPHER WALLACE
(The Notorious B.I.G)
May 21, 1972- March 9, 1997
I've still got my copy of the May 1997 VIBE. It's not in as good of shape as the one pictured, but its something that still gives me the chills when I glance at it.
It's the 10th anniversary to the day that the GREATEST RAPPER OF ALL-TIME was taken from the world and hopefully to a better place.
Labels: Rest In Peace
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Random Basketball Thoughts
Here are just a few quick thoughts about what’s going on in basketball right now.
Shaq
I got the text message from my boy O right before I was going into the gym.
With all these nicknames Shaq’s got, one of them should be the BIG LIGHTSWITCH. Because he cuts it on and off when he wants.
I was like damn…he sure does. Shaq is basketball’s Roger Clemens, an aging player who when rested and motivated is one of the most unstoppable players their sports have ever seen. However if I’m the Heat, at some point this is going to get old. Clemens is paid on a yearly basis and was picked up in the later part of the season for a spirited playoff run. The Diesel just sits out the first half of the season for various reasons, then starts the All-Star game, and plays when he wants to the rest of the second half of the season. But once the playoffs start he picks up his play.
Now I understand that its all about winning a title, but at some point if I’m his teammate I’m going to voice my complaints. If I’m out here ballin as hard as I can for all 82+ games and you come in and decide to put up 24 points 13 boards, and 8 assists against Chicago but have like 12 points and 6 boards against Philly…that’s a problem.
NCAA Tournament
The sports reporters except L.A. Times J.A. Adande, that were on Around the Horn on Wednesday have no idea what March Madness is about. They said that none of the little conference tournaments matter this season, because there is no George Mason this year. How the hell do they know that? No one knew that George Mason was going to stir up quite the racket during last year’s tournament. That’s the whole point. In a format like this, you never know. One team gets hot at the right time and we’re branding them the Cinderella of the tournament.
King James
To every critic that said ‘Bron wasn’t playing as hard as he could or that he was on some type of decline. Would you like Bar-B-Que sauce or Honey Mustard to dip your foot in?
Since the Vegas Break ‘Bron has been going wild putting up 40, dropping more dimes than a dude with a hole in his Crown Royal change sack.
And did you see that weak side block on Rip Hamilton….it was like Hamilton threw up a volleyball set and James killed it like Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents.
Since the Vegas Break ‘Bron has been going wild putting up 40, dropping more dimes than a dude with a hole in his Crown Royal change sack.
And did you see that weak side block on Rip Hamilton….it was like Hamilton threw up a volleyball set and James killed it like Ben Stiller in Meet the Parents.
