Man I miss high school. I mean I'm only a year gone but I already feel like life is moving on. I already feel the pressure to find a way to make some money. That pressure builds up on the inside and makes me feel like I gotta make some moves. But that pressure also makes me angry just a little bit. A little more angry at times than I wanna be. I feel like I'm growing up too fast and I'm just not sure that I'm ready to start my life. I'm sure I'm not the only person that feels like this.
I also miss being at college. I love home. Home is definitely where the heart is and where the heart belongs. But I miss school. I kinda miss the work. I feel like the work makes me take my mind off of the life that I'm trying to build. I hate that all that comes to mind now is I'm gonna need a job. I'm gonna need to pay for things like a car. But then I'm gonna need gas money. And how can I rent an apartment? How can I go out to eat? How can I be social on the weekend and have a couple beers? All this shit is just piling up on me. I know it's way down the road but damn.
This NBA lockout has got me thinking. Nothing seems to be permanent. I mean this was just one of the best seasons of basketball I have ever seen but yet next season is not going to happen for now. My Lakers didn't even make the conference finals, getting swept by the Mavericks. But they were so good last year. What happened? I guess the only way to explain it is that times changed. Omri Casspi just got traded from the Kings. Dude was a beloved part of the Kings organization, always getting cheers when he stepped onto the court. He could ball too. But he's gone now. It's so weird because this shit is just moving on and I'm standing here trying to figure out where the hell it went. It seems like not too long ago I was standing in front of my new dorm wondering what the year had in store. Now I'm a vet at this college shit, figuring out how to make my dollars stretch a little bit further and living on cheap and slightly gross food. I can't seem to keep still now. Sometimes I wanna get up and just go do something. I don't wanna be trapped anymore. I hate the impending feeling of life to come. I'd rather it just come now so I can face it head on. I want to be ready but I know I'm not. But before I know it I will have to be.
I think I just miss the feeling of having very little responsibility. Now I know that my parents are gonna be there but I have to take care of myself. It's a hard thing to grasp because one day you're just a baby and the next day you're being thrust out into the world. It's definitely on the job training, learning how to live. I don't know how my parents did it. I hope I'll be ready for that.
That is all
eTeacher
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Stupid Lockout
Soon, the NBA players will be locked out. This pisses me off. I don't care what anyone says those players and owners are fucking rich. They have more money than I could ever dream of having. Owners that buy teams for upwards of 300 million dollars and own fortune 500 companies do not need to be quibbling about millions. They do not need to be so bitchy about paying players and making it possible for fans to see the teams play with such high ticket and concession prices. It's bullshit. I love watching basketball but these rich men are ruining it. And I don't just mean the owners. The players too, who act like brats and don't appreciate how lucky they are. It's simple. Take a little bit less money. I'm not referring to all of them. But the ones that earn upwards of 20 million a season need to take a pay cut. That's way to much damn money that they will never spend in their lifetime. Hell, their kids and grandkids couldn't even spend all of it. The owners are losing money because of stupid contracts that some players have. The players want more. I hate when people say that the Heatles all took pay cuts to play together. Over 6 years they are still all making over 100 million. Not even counting endorsements. I haven't even started on that. Some players make over 30 or 40 million with their contracts and endorsements. This is not the majority, but if they are making that much, they sure could take a pay cut. I'm simply speaking as a fan of the game. I love watching the game of basketball. It's such a good game. But this lockout will ruin it. Both sides are selfishly fighting over millions of dollars rather than finding a medium. Players with ridiculous salaries need to take a pay cut. Less than a million isn't fair for players either. Make a harder cap and make the players earn their money instead of all of it being guaranteed. With the extra money earner lower ticket prices and fan gear. The league will gain more popularity. I hate how selfish all these rich people are becoming. Their job is to entertain us and showcase their talent. Not argue over money. They're lucky to be able to play for a living. And they take it for granted. I'm no expert on any of this, but I just wanna see some basketball.
That is all
That is all
Words
Hearing racial epithets and gay slurs kinda annoys me. Except I don't like the word slur. Makes it as if the person saying it is directing it towards someone in a mean way with the purpose of offending a person. But then again that is what those words do. So maybe slur is the right word. Regardless, I dislike it all. And I feel like sport culture in the United States has made the use of these words more prevalent.
Of course I could blame all those rappers and let that be the end of it. But I choose not to. I think that kids look up to athletes more than musicians. They see men and women who take care of their bodies and enjoy a profession where their job is to play a game. A few times this year, the word faggot was seen uttered by famous players. While the analysis was way overblown I bet this word is thrown around in the locker rooms all the time. I don't necessarily dislike the word because of what it means to gay people. That is part of it. But I figure it's a mean word same as any racial epithet. So it falls into the same classification.
The confusing part to me is that I don't like the word nigga or any other form of it. But my favorite rappers use the word regularly in their rhymes. And if I stop listening to my favorite rappers, I might end up with very little music listen to. So I keep on with it. I have a choice but I choose to listen still. So that's pretty contradictory.
Maybe what I'm trying to say is to not direct any of these offensive words to anyone. And although sports stars are not meant to be role models, they are. They should be careful. And we should be careful to follow the good and not the bad. And to not overanalyze when Kobe or Joakim let's a word slip. They messed up. Shit happens. Just learn from their mistake.
That is all
Of course I could blame all those rappers and let that be the end of it. But I choose not to. I think that kids look up to athletes more than musicians. They see men and women who take care of their bodies and enjoy a profession where their job is to play a game. A few times this year, the word faggot was seen uttered by famous players. While the analysis was way overblown I bet this word is thrown around in the locker rooms all the time. I don't necessarily dislike the word because of what it means to gay people. That is part of it. But I figure it's a mean word same as any racial epithet. So it falls into the same classification.
The confusing part to me is that I don't like the word nigga or any other form of it. But my favorite rappers use the word regularly in their rhymes. And if I stop listening to my favorite rappers, I might end up with very little music listen to. So I keep on with it. I have a choice but I choose to listen still. So that's pretty contradictory.
Maybe what I'm trying to say is to not direct any of these offensive words to anyone. And although sports stars are not meant to be role models, they are. They should be careful. And we should be careful to follow the good and not the bad. And to not overanalyze when Kobe or Joakim let's a word slip. They messed up. Shit happens. Just learn from their mistake.
That is all
Musings
Since this should be a blog about sports and current events, I'll actually talk about that today. There are some things that piss me off or are just interesting. In no particular order they are Metta World Peace, the NBA lockout, the NFL lockout, giants-a's weird mess, summers without basketball or football, and tiger woods.
Metta, meaning friendliness or goodwill or something like that, combined with World Peace sounds good. I mean the Artest formerly known as Ron (I like that) has his heart in the right place no doubt. I'm not going to knock the guy for ever doing anything with the purpose of making more peace in the world. And with all his therapy stuff, he is really doing something. But at the same time...really Ron? I mean there's two that come to mind. World B. Free and God Shammgod. The first guy just changed his name from Lloyd. And it sounds kinda sick to be honest. And Shammgod was the dopest, most effective move that slightly crossed over into illegal but not really. Dude wasn't that great but the move lives on. Metta's legacy will continue to live on as that guy who started that huge brawl. Sadly, this causes a major contradiction.
Now I sometimes love the NBA. I think that it's extremely entertaining and the game is awesome. A lot like soccer so it makes me like it even more. But I would hate if the league became locked out. Honestly, some players make too much damn money and others don't really make enough. No player needs to make 25 million this year, and over 30 million in the last year of his contract. It makes no sense. So yes if an owner is in debt because he gave a bad, guaranteed contract to let's just say Gilbert Arenas, then yes there needs to be some changes so a player that took such a huge fall will not be such a waste of money. But let's face it. The NBA is one of the top leagues in the world right now. With a lockout, more than likely coming today, we can only hope to have a season when it's supposed to start.
The NFL lockout is stupid. NFL players risk themselves everyday to make those owners billions of dollars. And the owners want more money. The owners want to take more money from the players. Unlike the NBA, the NFL is making money. And the players get hurt a ton more. It's a good thing the owners, ahem Roger Goodell, let go of that stupid 18 game season cause all we would get are more collisions, more fines, and more injuries. As a side note I'm all for safety in football. But a lot of those hits seem unavoidable. I mean really they do. Guys flying at each other both trying to get the ball or keep someone from getting the ball. One ducks at the last minute surprisingly and boom. Half of those hits, both players ended up hurt. Does a player honestly want to hurt himself? Stop with the fines and realize that there are a lot of mere accidents in the game. It's a violent game anyways. So grow a pair if u wanna play or watch.
Since we're talking about basketball and football I might as well go here. The two biggest leagues in the nation do not play during the summer. Most people have the most time to watch and enjoy the sports but there is none to watch. The super bowl is kinda bad for me, but it's ok cause basketball is still going. But when basketball ends I wanna cry. It's like I'm being locked out from my favorite sports.
The Oakland Athletics would like to move to San Jose, which is apparently one of the biggest cities in the nation. The Giants are blocking it along with Bud Selig, citing that San Jose is in their territory. I'd like to point out that Oakland is still very close to SF. Very close. San Jose isn't closer. So this is just stupid. And Bud Selig is an asshole. I would also like to point out that while Oakland hasn't been a great team of late, they have won more championships than the Giants while in the bay area 4-1. Oh and people that live in California that are all of a sudden Giants fans piss me off.
Finally Tiger Woods. I feel so bad for this guy. He's so good. But he had his downfall in a major way. I think he will still win a few majors, get some good tournament victories. But it's painful watching him struggle. He was the best for so long. Probably still is. And screw those Rory Mcilroy comparisons. Tiger is Tiger. There is no one like him. Rory can make his own path. But he won't be Tiger. He didn't ambush the PGA tour like Tiger. So lay off. Anyways I think Tiger will make it back. He needs time and to not bulk up so much. The slim Tiger from the start of the century was much better. Oh and golf needs Tiger Woods back.
That is all
Metta, meaning friendliness or goodwill or something like that, combined with World Peace sounds good. I mean the Artest formerly known as Ron (I like that) has his heart in the right place no doubt. I'm not going to knock the guy for ever doing anything with the purpose of making more peace in the world. And with all his therapy stuff, he is really doing something. But at the same time...really Ron? I mean there's two that come to mind. World B. Free and God Shammgod. The first guy just changed his name from Lloyd. And it sounds kinda sick to be honest. And Shammgod was the dopest, most effective move that slightly crossed over into illegal but not really. Dude wasn't that great but the move lives on. Metta's legacy will continue to live on as that guy who started that huge brawl. Sadly, this causes a major contradiction.
Now I sometimes love the NBA. I think that it's extremely entertaining and the game is awesome. A lot like soccer so it makes me like it even more. But I would hate if the league became locked out. Honestly, some players make too much damn money and others don't really make enough. No player needs to make 25 million this year, and over 30 million in the last year of his contract. It makes no sense. So yes if an owner is in debt because he gave a bad, guaranteed contract to let's just say Gilbert Arenas, then yes there needs to be some changes so a player that took such a huge fall will not be such a waste of money. But let's face it. The NBA is one of the top leagues in the world right now. With a lockout, more than likely coming today, we can only hope to have a season when it's supposed to start.
The NFL lockout is stupid. NFL players risk themselves everyday to make those owners billions of dollars. And the owners want more money. The owners want to take more money from the players. Unlike the NBA, the NFL is making money. And the players get hurt a ton more. It's a good thing the owners, ahem Roger Goodell, let go of that stupid 18 game season cause all we would get are more collisions, more fines, and more injuries. As a side note I'm all for safety in football. But a lot of those hits seem unavoidable. I mean really they do. Guys flying at each other both trying to get the ball or keep someone from getting the ball. One ducks at the last minute surprisingly and boom. Half of those hits, both players ended up hurt. Does a player honestly want to hurt himself? Stop with the fines and realize that there are a lot of mere accidents in the game. It's a violent game anyways. So grow a pair if u wanna play or watch.
Since we're talking about basketball and football I might as well go here. The two biggest leagues in the nation do not play during the summer. Most people have the most time to watch and enjoy the sports but there is none to watch. The super bowl is kinda bad for me, but it's ok cause basketball is still going. But when basketball ends I wanna cry. It's like I'm being locked out from my favorite sports.
The Oakland Athletics would like to move to San Jose, which is apparently one of the biggest cities in the nation. The Giants are blocking it along with Bud Selig, citing that San Jose is in their territory. I'd like to point out that Oakland is still very close to SF. Very close. San Jose isn't closer. So this is just stupid. And Bud Selig is an asshole. I would also like to point out that while Oakland hasn't been a great team of late, they have won more championships than the Giants while in the bay area 4-1. Oh and people that live in California that are all of a sudden Giants fans piss me off.
Finally Tiger Woods. I feel so bad for this guy. He's so good. But he had his downfall in a major way. I think he will still win a few majors, get some good tournament victories. But it's painful watching him struggle. He was the best for so long. Probably still is. And screw those Rory Mcilroy comparisons. Tiger is Tiger. There is no one like him. Rory can make his own path. But he won't be Tiger. He didn't ambush the PGA tour like Tiger. So lay off. Anyways I think Tiger will make it back. He needs time and to not bulk up so much. The slim Tiger from the start of the century was much better. Oh and golf needs Tiger Woods back.
That is all
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Appreciation
Here’s what I think. We need sports in our lives. A part of us feels like we need a distraction from real life, so we look to sports to take us away to something more fun to get angry about. But also maybe sports have become a metaphor for life and certain situations that occur in the middle of a game can help us get through those rough times in life. Or maybe sports are an avenue to see actually talented people succeed where we have failed and when they do not live up to the hype we cannot wait to tear them apart. We become proud of these people and because they make so much damn money they should do their best at all times. And if not, then why should we waste our time and money on them? And this is the reason sports are so amazing: they are so polarizing but at the same time draw people in to the drama and excitement contained. Let us use basketball as our main example.
In this time, when the United States is in such a dire economic situation, even the President feels the need to take a break from the shit job he stepped into in order to pay attention to basketball. Never before have I heard the Commander-in-Chief make predictions about every game of March Madness as if he knows what is going on, as well as who is going to win the NBA championship. Interestingly enough, this is what all of us do. At least those of us that give a shit about athletic black men putting a ball through a hoop. We want to forget about that paper that we have to write for school, that problem that we are having with that significant other, or the fact that college is fucking expensive. We want to see men who actually have fun with their career, who get paid obscene amounts of money to do exactly what we would like to do. We attempt to live vicariously through them, commonly referring to our favorite teams as “we” as if we are the 12th man on the roster who just isn’t traveling with the team. The reason for this is simply that if they were not there to entertain us with their talent, we would stress more about those everyday things in life. Arguments about more serious topics such as economic policy would be more common, rather than the everyday argument about whether Mike Brown is a good fit for the Lakers or if Kobe is still better than Lebron. Funny thing is who honestly gives a fuck about any of that. Those people live in the top .1% of the people in our nation. Their lives have nothing to do with ours. But they help keep our minds off of real life, if only for a few hours.
Now, how can things that happen in a basketball game possibly relate to real life? Let us attempt to figure this one out. First off, a jump ball. Like in life, the beginning of the game is a toss up. There’s really a fifty/fifty chance for each team to get the ball. And in life sometimes a person gets lucky and other times they do not. It’s really just a jump ball. Timeouts are like when a child goes and sits in a corner to think about what he’s done wrong. But more practically it’s when a man goes and sleeps on the couch because his woman is mad. He just needs a timeout in order to let the woman cool down, like when a team tries to cool down Dirk when he’s on fire. Fouls are like when a person does something wrong and gives the other person the right to take free shots. These fouls add up and can get you out of the game. Whoever has the most fouls has to be careful or they will be gone. A fast break is like having an orgasm. You reach the climax and then, well, it’s kind of just over. But you want to replay that moment over and over again. And finally, the buzzer beater. When everything seems to be a lost cause, someone pulls something out of their ass and saves the day. Doesn’t always happen, but when it does, it’s the best.
Finally, let us attempt to decipher the strange phenomenon of why we, meaning some of us, like sports so much. Part of me feels that our shortcomings are fulfilled through stars in the game. Our favorite players tend to relate to us in some way or another. Or at least we think they do. We think that if we were a little bit taller, more athletic, and lucky, we could take that guys spot. We enjoy watching what we think that we could be in another life. The problem with this is that we also tear them apart when they do not live up to the expectation, as if we could do any better. These guys are professional athletes for a reason. They are the best at what they do, most of the time. I mean sure people can make plenty of money overanalyzing everything. Which is cool, by the way. But at the same time, even as we point out where they failed, we could never do better than them. But in our imaginations, we know how to fix their problem.
All I am trying to say is that we need to spend more time enjoying players and their talents. Sure, sometimes they do not play as hard as they should. That is a problem, and I have no problem ripping a player to pieces for it. But let sports be a distraction. Let basketball stand for something slightly more than just putting a ball into a hoop. And let’s not overanalyze every player. I say we appreciate that year-round, there are people who have major talent and enjoy doing what we never could. And we should enjoy it with them.
That is all.
Dedication
Today I was out for my morning ride after working out. By ride I mean I was riding my bike, which is great exercise if you don't remember your childhood. It's kinda funny though, because most college soccer athletes won't go for bike rides in the morning. They'll go for a morning run, take out a ball and go for a kick-about in the park. Of course I am not a normal college soccer athlete. My soccer career was turned upside down when I destroyed my knee playing. This is the second round of recovery for me, and hopefully the last. So instead of being able to go for a run or do normal lower body workouts that everyone else can do, I ride my bike. I ride so that I can get healthy and strong again. I ride for my rehab, both mental and physical. I ride so I can have my hour to listen to music and see the streets of Sacramento and Elk Grove.
Oftentimes on my rides I am overcome by some form of grief. Because of my inability to do what I actually want to do, I am stuck riding a bike for hours at a time to try to get the strength back that I originally built up two years ago. Following grief comes determination. I am determined to get stronger again and get back to what I really want to do. I am determined to prove everyone, including myself, wrong, that I really can be healthy again, the same person that I was before anything ever happened. I'm determined to get back to being the same person athletically that I was before, with all the skill and talent that is still somewhere in this body. But then after determination comes an almost defeated feeling. The feeling that even when I get back to being healthy, maybe I'll never play again. The feeling that my knee will never be the same again and that I can just hope that it will hold up for the rest of my life and I won't have anymore major problems with it. And the feeling that maybe it just wasn't meant to be.
The point of this is simply dedication. There are thousands of people that are really good at sports but never get over the edge. Injury, lack of motivation, or just not having the right opportunities can stop a person from reaching their full potential in whatever their craft may be. When I watch professional sports on television, I sometimes notice players who just don't seem interested. I notice players who aren't giving it their all at all times. And I can't help but think of other people who have the talent but just never had the chance and would do anything to be in that spot. This is why sometimes I hate sports. Because sometimes the people that play don't seem to deserve it. But I love sports at the same time. I see players that dedicate themselves to the game. They give it their all at all times to be the best that they can be, for themselves and for everybody that is watching them. I love to see a person that dedicates himself to become better every single day. I love to see a person with a chance to make it and takes it. And I love to see a person who was beat down to get back up and make it. It all takes dedication.
That is all
Oftentimes on my rides I am overcome by some form of grief. Because of my inability to do what I actually want to do, I am stuck riding a bike for hours at a time to try to get the strength back that I originally built up two years ago. Following grief comes determination. I am determined to get stronger again and get back to what I really want to do. I am determined to prove everyone, including myself, wrong, that I really can be healthy again, the same person that I was before anything ever happened. I'm determined to get back to being the same person athletically that I was before, with all the skill and talent that is still somewhere in this body. But then after determination comes an almost defeated feeling. The feeling that even when I get back to being healthy, maybe I'll never play again. The feeling that my knee will never be the same again and that I can just hope that it will hold up for the rest of my life and I won't have anymore major problems with it. And the feeling that maybe it just wasn't meant to be.
The point of this is simply dedication. There are thousands of people that are really good at sports but never get over the edge. Injury, lack of motivation, or just not having the right opportunities can stop a person from reaching their full potential in whatever their craft may be. When I watch professional sports on television, I sometimes notice players who just don't seem interested. I notice players who aren't giving it their all at all times. And I can't help but think of other people who have the talent but just never had the chance and would do anything to be in that spot. This is why sometimes I hate sports. Because sometimes the people that play don't seem to deserve it. But I love sports at the same time. I see players that dedicate themselves to the game. They give it their all at all times to be the best that they can be, for themselves and for everybody that is watching them. I love to see a person that dedicates himself to become better every single day. I love to see a person with a chance to make it and takes it. And I love to see a person who was beat down to get back up and make it. It all takes dedication.
That is all
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
The Crying Baby Theory
This one is interesting actually. Everyone has that one baby in their family that cries like crazy right? The one that demands all the attention and sorta pisses everyone off but everyone pretends like it doesn't. Yeah the crying baby. Pretty damn annoying I know.
I feel like every team in sports has a crying baby. That one player that thinks he's the superstar but he's really not. He's kind of a brat, demands a fat contract, and never lives up to his contract. Also that player that tends to get injured rather often. Or the player that was a superstar before but once he got all the attention and figured out that people cared about him (or her) turned into a drama queen. Like a baby who tends to cry more when he figures out that he gets everything he wants when he cries. I dislike this. I dislike the player more because he is grown and should know better. But every team has a crying baby. And it can ruin teams.
That is all
I feel like every team in sports has a crying baby. That one player that thinks he's the superstar but he's really not. He's kind of a brat, demands a fat contract, and never lives up to his contract. Also that player that tends to get injured rather often. Or the player that was a superstar before but once he got all the attention and figured out that people cared about him (or her) turned into a drama queen. Like a baby who tends to cry more when he figures out that he gets everything he wants when he cries. I dislike this. I dislike the player more because he is grown and should know better. But every team has a crying baby. And it can ruin teams.
That is all
Basketball Players to...Rappers?
The strange topic of interest I am attacking today? I want to compare rappers to basketball players. Everyone knows that, as Drake says, "We wanna be them, and they wanna be us." I mean honestly how many basketball players have tried their hand at rapping. There's Shaq, among his other career attempts, with his rendition of, "Kobe, tell me how my ass taste." There's Kobe, who should have never let these thoughts creep into his mind. There's Ron Artest...I mean Metta World Peace...who purposely started the largest brawl in NBA history so he could stop playing basketball in order to start a rap career that never actually jumped off. Well except when he won his first championship and he recorded a song but no one actually took that seriously. I mean, you saw how he was dressed when he went on Letterman or whatever show it was.
Enough of my rambling, let's just start. One of my favorite ballers and one of the most polarizing figures in the rap industry. Kobe Bryant and Kanye West. Kobe is a good player. Great player actually, one of the top 10 of all time. Has all the skills and the drive to win. To push to be as good as he can. And he's cocky. But he backs it up no matter what. When he gets on that court he's Kobe. Except for those rare times that he's not Kobe but everyone has those days right? On to Kanye. Anyone else get this feeling that he just thinks he's the best? Same vibe that we get from Kobe it seems. Just like Kobe, Kanye is really good, and will be one of the best rappers to ever lay down a verse. From Through the Wire to Roses and Addiction, from that Graduation album, skipping over that 808's aberration, and straight on to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Dude has major talent, there's no denying it. He works his ass off to be the best that he can be. But this weird feeling just comes. It's like, he just doesn't quite have it. Just like Kobe he's probably the guy that everyone is trying to shoot down right now. But he's just not the best.
Which is where we move on to our next comparison. Kanye's big brother in this industry and the greatest Laker besides Kobe: Magic Johnson and Jay-z. It's like Magic just had it all. He could pass, he could run the floor, he had the body to bang inside a little bit, his game changed through the years to adapt to his teammates, and everyone just seemed to love him. He was the ultimate teammate. He led his team all those years to become the greatest Laker of all time. He used what he had and never more. He knew his talent and his skills and he made sure to always play to his strengths. This is what Jay-z does, but also what we do not get from Kobe and Kanye. Kobe and Kanye always strive for a bit too much and forget to stay within themselves sometimes. These lead to bad performances. But Jay-z is always on point. Always. He had some fantastic cuts in this amazing career of his. That Blueprint 2 album was off the chain. He adapted to the times. When the 90's had some harder tracks, he did it and he was near the top. When the decade brought around some new sounds, he was ahead of the time, still bringing top shelf music. He changed with the game, kept the Roc Nation on top, always knowing what to do with his new up and comings. Just like Magic, he made everyone who ever rapped with him better.
And guess what? I cheated. These are not all rappers. The greatest of all time (G.O.A.T.) is Michael Jackson. It's too hard to think of a rapper that is just perfect. That has influenced everyone who even attempted music. Who has so many artists sample and try to remake his music. There was and there never will be anyone better. Just like Michael Jordan. To be the greatest player ever, you have to go through Michael Jordan. Jordan didn't have it all. He was never the most talented or the tallest or even the most athletic person on the court. But he always seemed like he was. He always seemed larger than life. While he played everyone wanted to take him down but each and every time they failed. He was the ultimate competitor, the ultimate winner, the ultimate leader. He set the stage for basketball as it is today. Nobody grows up saying I want to be like Dr. J or Magic or Kareem so much anymore, no offense to those guys. It's just that Jordan had what everyone was missing. He had the it. He always won. He made people say I want to grow up to be like Mike. He had the shorts, the swagger before it was even called that. He called people out and embarrassed them on the court. Nobody ever second guesses Jordan because he's Jordan. The most successful athletic shoe line to date. The man is what everyone wishes they can be. Even if Kobe got seven rings he could never be Jordan. Jordan is Jordan. He's just the best ever. The top dog. And Michael Jackson was the same. He was the trend setter. He did things with music that no one would have ever thought of doing. He wore the clothes, sold the albums, and sold out stadiums. Not arenas but stadiums. Places that hold over 100,000 people. He was loved worldwide. When he was at the top everyone wanted to be better than Michael. But they couldn't. And they can't. Just like Jordan, Michael is Michael. Michael is perfect. He has his flaws but he is as perfect as a musician can be. He understands the music, he feels it. Jordan felt the game. The game came to him and he owned it. Music called Michael and he owned it. No other player or musician had that. Those two men were called to exhibit their craft. They were called to share their art with the world. And they did. And they were loved for it. There are no two people in the history of music or sports that are as beloved and revered as those two men.
That is all
Enough of my rambling, let's just start. One of my favorite ballers and one of the most polarizing figures in the rap industry. Kobe Bryant and Kanye West. Kobe is a good player. Great player actually, one of the top 10 of all time. Has all the skills and the drive to win. To push to be as good as he can. And he's cocky. But he backs it up no matter what. When he gets on that court he's Kobe. Except for those rare times that he's not Kobe but everyone has those days right? On to Kanye. Anyone else get this feeling that he just thinks he's the best? Same vibe that we get from Kobe it seems. Just like Kobe, Kanye is really good, and will be one of the best rappers to ever lay down a verse. From Through the Wire to Roses and Addiction, from that Graduation album, skipping over that 808's aberration, and straight on to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. Dude has major talent, there's no denying it. He works his ass off to be the best that he can be. But this weird feeling just comes. It's like, he just doesn't quite have it. Just like Kobe he's probably the guy that everyone is trying to shoot down right now. But he's just not the best.
Which is where we move on to our next comparison. Kanye's big brother in this industry and the greatest Laker besides Kobe: Magic Johnson and Jay-z. It's like Magic just had it all. He could pass, he could run the floor, he had the body to bang inside a little bit, his game changed through the years to adapt to his teammates, and everyone just seemed to love him. He was the ultimate teammate. He led his team all those years to become the greatest Laker of all time. He used what he had and never more. He knew his talent and his skills and he made sure to always play to his strengths. This is what Jay-z does, but also what we do not get from Kobe and Kanye. Kobe and Kanye always strive for a bit too much and forget to stay within themselves sometimes. These lead to bad performances. But Jay-z is always on point. Always. He had some fantastic cuts in this amazing career of his. That Blueprint 2 album was off the chain. He adapted to the times. When the 90's had some harder tracks, he did it and he was near the top. When the decade brought around some new sounds, he was ahead of the time, still bringing top shelf music. He changed with the game, kept the Roc Nation on top, always knowing what to do with his new up and comings. Just like Magic, he made everyone who ever rapped with him better.
And guess what? I cheated. These are not all rappers. The greatest of all time (G.O.A.T.) is Michael Jackson. It's too hard to think of a rapper that is just perfect. That has influenced everyone who even attempted music. Who has so many artists sample and try to remake his music. There was and there never will be anyone better. Just like Michael Jordan. To be the greatest player ever, you have to go through Michael Jordan. Jordan didn't have it all. He was never the most talented or the tallest or even the most athletic person on the court. But he always seemed like he was. He always seemed larger than life. While he played everyone wanted to take him down but each and every time they failed. He was the ultimate competitor, the ultimate winner, the ultimate leader. He set the stage for basketball as it is today. Nobody grows up saying I want to be like Dr. J or Magic or Kareem so much anymore, no offense to those guys. It's just that Jordan had what everyone was missing. He had the it. He always won. He made people say I want to grow up to be like Mike. He had the shorts, the swagger before it was even called that. He called people out and embarrassed them on the court. Nobody ever second guesses Jordan because he's Jordan. The most successful athletic shoe line to date. The man is what everyone wishes they can be. Even if Kobe got seven rings he could never be Jordan. Jordan is Jordan. He's just the best ever. The top dog. And Michael Jackson was the same. He was the trend setter. He did things with music that no one would have ever thought of doing. He wore the clothes, sold the albums, and sold out stadiums. Not arenas but stadiums. Places that hold over 100,000 people. He was loved worldwide. When he was at the top everyone wanted to be better than Michael. But they couldn't. And they can't. Just like Jordan, Michael is Michael. Michael is perfect. He has his flaws but he is as perfect as a musician can be. He understands the music, he feels it. Jordan felt the game. The game came to him and he owned it. Music called Michael and he owned it. No other player or musician had that. Those two men were called to exhibit their craft. They were called to share their art with the world. And they did. And they were loved for it. There are no two people in the history of music or sports that are as beloved and revered as those two men.
That is all
Monday, June 27, 2011
Lebron James
This is a name of interest. Personally I have not liked the guy for about four years. Or whenever he first went to the finals. I still respect the shit out of his game, though. And for this reason, I feel like people need to lay off of this guy. Let us start with the most ridiculous knock against him of them all.
Lebron James is not Michael Jordan. No one is, and no one will be. I mean look at the guy. First off, he copped out and went to Miami, which I hate. A lot. Secondly, the guy is an absolute monster. Jordan was not. But Jordan did everything he could to be the best. Lebron plays pretty. Or tries to at least. He wants to be friends with everyone and have fun. Which is cool and everything, but when he's expected to be the alpha dog and own the court, he should. But then again, he's not an alpha dog. Yet. He's a fucking good player who should be able to do everything on the court. And this is what we want from him.
Lebron is not even Kobe to be honest. Two different games. Kobe has become finesse. A killer from the mid-range. Lebron can be a brute when it comes to attacking the rim and has a sporadic shooting game, which completely disappeared in the Finals. To be the best player in the game, at his position, his shooting game has to become a ton more consistent. And this is why I will always say that Kobe is better. Because he reconfigured his game in order to not take so much abuse and still be efficient. Lebron has not seemed to figure it out yet. All the talent in the world, but hasn't filled his potential.
Lebron has time though. As a fan of sport, I can never root against a person to achieve all they can. I want people to succeed and become as good as they can at whatever they do. Like I said, I respect Lebron's game and the talent that allows him to be the player he is. But I just don't like him. He's cocky in a bad way to me. Like he's just better than everyone. If he fixes this part of his mentality, he could be absolutely amazing. He will never be a killer like Jordan. He won't be a Kobe either. But he can be a Lebron, which we have not seen before. He doesn't need to be compared to anyone. Lebron is Lebron and there has never been another like him. He will have his own legacy. And as much as I wanted him to taste losing once again this year, I hope his career is fulfilled.
Lebron James is not Michael Jordan. No one is, and no one will be. I mean look at the guy. First off, he copped out and went to Miami, which I hate. A lot. Secondly, the guy is an absolute monster. Jordan was not. But Jordan did everything he could to be the best. Lebron plays pretty. Or tries to at least. He wants to be friends with everyone and have fun. Which is cool and everything, but when he's expected to be the alpha dog and own the court, he should. But then again, he's not an alpha dog. Yet. He's a fucking good player who should be able to do everything on the court. And this is what we want from him.
Lebron is not even Kobe to be honest. Two different games. Kobe has become finesse. A killer from the mid-range. Lebron can be a brute when it comes to attacking the rim and has a sporadic shooting game, which completely disappeared in the Finals. To be the best player in the game, at his position, his shooting game has to become a ton more consistent. And this is why I will always say that Kobe is better. Because he reconfigured his game in order to not take so much abuse and still be efficient. Lebron has not seemed to figure it out yet. All the talent in the world, but hasn't filled his potential.
Lebron has time though. As a fan of sport, I can never root against a person to achieve all they can. I want people to succeed and become as good as they can at whatever they do. Like I said, I respect Lebron's game and the talent that allows him to be the player he is. But I just don't like him. He's cocky in a bad way to me. Like he's just better than everyone. If he fixes this part of his mentality, he could be absolutely amazing. He will never be a killer like Jordan. He won't be a Kobe either. But he can be a Lebron, which we have not seen before. He doesn't need to be compared to anyone. Lebron is Lebron and there has never been another like him. He will have his own legacy. And as much as I wanted him to taste losing once again this year, I hope his career is fulfilled.
First Thoughts
1. This is a blog for the purpose of sharing my ideas on happenings in the world. But not really in the world because the world that really matters is the sports and pop culture world. Basketball and soccer with some football and maybe a splish-splash of some other sports if they are deemed important enough for me to talk about. And by pop culture I mean musical artists with talent and people that do not act like fools in public.
2. Soccer is my favorite sport. I love to play the game. And I would play if my knee wasn't wrecked. But more of that on a later date. Basketball is my second favorite sport, and would be my favorite if I was taller. I love watching both at all times of the year, unlike most people who only pay attention to playoffs and major tournaments. Barcelona is the best, possibly the best team ever this past season and that is not debatable. I am a huge Lakers fan and while many people hate that guess what? I don't care. Kobe is awesome, but not Jordan. But he is better than Lebron. That tangent is for another time.
3. I love music. I hate pop music. Let me clarify. How many Wale songs are actually on the radio? Have you ever actually heard of Black Cobain? Do you really listen to J. Cole? Adele's album is actually perfection. And fuck what you think, but Childish Gambino, better known as Donald Glover has flow for days. Clever and his presentation is excellent.
One more, a personal friend of mine. H-Rud, my Jewish brother from another, Harris Rudman. Dope as fuck, and needs to be put on. Real talk.
4. I am a college student. Gonzaga University. I'm kind of on the soccer team there, but kind of not. This knee..for another day. Basketball is big up there. But we can't get over that edge. I have some ideas of how, but doesn't everyone. Psychology major, and I want to do something else with my schooling. We'll see where that takes me.
That is all
H-Rud-Little Giant
http://www.datpiff.com/H-Rud-Little-Giant-mixtape.226736.html
2. Soccer is my favorite sport. I love to play the game. And I would play if my knee wasn't wrecked. But more of that on a later date. Basketball is my second favorite sport, and would be my favorite if I was taller. I love watching both at all times of the year, unlike most people who only pay attention to playoffs and major tournaments. Barcelona is the best, possibly the best team ever this past season and that is not debatable. I am a huge Lakers fan and while many people hate that guess what? I don't care. Kobe is awesome, but not Jordan. But he is better than Lebron. That tangent is for another time.
3. I love music. I hate pop music. Let me clarify. How many Wale songs are actually on the radio? Have you ever actually heard of Black Cobain? Do you really listen to J. Cole? Adele's album is actually perfection. And fuck what you think, but Childish Gambino, better known as Donald Glover has flow for days. Clever and his presentation is excellent.
One more, a personal friend of mine. H-Rud, my Jewish brother from another, Harris Rudman. Dope as fuck, and needs to be put on. Real talk.
4. I am a college student. Gonzaga University. I'm kind of on the soccer team there, but kind of not. This knee..for another day. Basketball is big up there. But we can't get over that edge. I have some ideas of how, but doesn't everyone. Psychology major, and I want to do something else with my schooling. We'll see where that takes me.
That is all
H-Rud-Little Giant
http://www.datpiff.com/H-Rud-Little-Giant-mixtape.226736.html
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