The Kings

The Kings may have just become the new version of the Warriors. As much as I just don't like Jimmer, especially for what he did to my Zags during March Madness, I just feel like he's kind of that missing piece. I mean what was the Kings' real problem during the season? They weren't exactly the most consistent scorers. And honestly it is very hard to improve defense with a squad like that. Plenty of offensive talent, but not enough defensive dedication. So why not add a player like Jimmer. He can shoot the shit out of the ball. I feel like the offense is going to go like this: Jimmer is going to try to bring the ball up, Tyreke is gonna say fuck you Jimmer give me the ball. He's just gonna drive to the hole and get his buckets. DeMarcus is gonna get pissed at some point and begin demanding the ball. And Marcus Thornton and Jimmer will be waiting patiently on the three point line to convert those opportunities. And that they will. Oh and J.J. Hickson. He's gonna be the glue for the team. I can feel it. He was a perfect pickup. Salmons was the opposite of the perfect pickup. He could be another black hole when it comes to ball movement. But the way I figure the Kings need to worry about scoring. I'm saying all their starters should average like 15 points a game. They should capitalize on their offensive firepower and just try to outscore everyone. Jimmer can shoot from like 35 feet so if all else fails just pass him the ball. But if they all don't score or can't figure out how to pick their spots then we are looking at another terrible season from the Kings.

That is all

NFL Lockout Over?

On a day when the NFL lockout is presumed to be ending, forgive me for not jumping for joy. First of all, let me just point out that this deal should have been done months ago. And secondly, I am not happy for two sides whose leaders make a ton of money to have decided how to split extra revenue but still not give anything to the fans.

Honestly what bugs me the most is that the NBA lockout is serious. The NBA is LOSING MONEY. The NFL is not. The NFL is hugely profitable, making somewhere around 8-9 billion dollars per season. That's a lot of money. And the two sides are arguing over the excess. Unlike the NBA, every NFL team is profitable because everyone likes the NFL. Everyone likes football. They should have been able to get this done months ago, but the owners were being selfish, mostly because that's who they are. How else do you become a billionaire if you're not selfish. And because the owners are so selfish, the players are going to get more of what they want. Go figure.

Secondly, everything that the fans have to pay for is staying the same. The owners are getting more money and the players are getting more money. But the fans are getting nothing. The same fans who support the teams. The same fans that could very well stop buying in to the NFL product and the players and owners would have negative revenue. Tickets are still going to be the same, concessions will be the same, and gear will be the same. The fans are the ones who support these people's livelihoods but the fans get screwed in the end. That just seems unfair to me personally. And it seems unfair to every fan of the NFL. So please do forgive me for not being excited over the inevitable.

That is all

Motivation

I'm sitting here trying to figure out what really motivates me. What means so much to me that it will make me do whatever I need to do. It was always soccer for me. I can't play right now, so what is my motivation? I've always felt like a self made man, like I made my fortune as well as my bad luck. I sort of brought everything that happens to me against myself, both good and bad. So I can make up something that will move me to do something. But really what is my motivation? Shit, what is your motivation? What is the motivation of a player like Kobe Bryant? He has all the money he could ever want, money that he couldn't spend in three lifetimes. He's been the best player in the league. So what makes the man keep going? It's honestly a hard question to answer. It's hard for anyone to say what it is that keep them going. I think that for a lot of people, the answer to what is their motivation is success. However that person may measure success, that is the motivation. For me, it has become getting back to being fully healthy. For Kobe it may be to be considered in the class with Jordan. And for you it may be to have enough money to support yourself and your family, to live a comfortable life. I'm not really sure about anything as far as all this is concerned. I just wanna live and live well.

That is all

NBA Overseas

I want to talk for a bit about NBA players deciding to make the jump to go play overseas. The reason I want to talk about it is because I hate. it. Let me clarify. In no way am I mad at the players for giving the finger to the owners and deciding to move halfway across the world to continue playing basketball and make money for some other billionaire. In addition, the players that do make the decision to go will grow their own brand and will more than likely draw in more endorsements, which means more money (like they need it). Of course I don't expect many players to leave and even fewer truly star players. Quite honestly, Deron Williams made a bold choice and he is a leader in this effort to go against the owners. I think it is risky though. Not necessarily a huge risk but it is a pretty big risk. I wouldn't be afraid of the players getting hurt while playing, unless is Amare who gets hurt every season. I think the more violent environment would be the thing to be afraid of. But then again, other countries love our players. They adore the NBA for the most part. So I don't think the players would be in too much danger.

The thing I hate the most is that the players that I love to watch play will be playing somewhere else where I will not be able to see them. The lockout is terrible and it makes me mad to just think about it. But when I think about how some of the players will be playing and I can't watch them, it makes it a lot worse. See here's my thing. I'm all for the players deciding to play basketball because that's what they love to do. They want to stay in shape and play the game they love. I just hate how it is going down. Them being forced out of the league because the owners can't figure out how to spend money. It is quite infuriating. So I'm definitely of two minds about this. I love that the players are going to give a collective fuck you to the owners. I just hate that I won't be able to see them play.

That is all

Video Game

Sometimes I wish life was just like a video game. You turn it on whenever you're ready to play. You pick the game based on what you feel like doing. And you can jump into a world where shit is real but it's not. You can have all the guns you want if you're into that kind of thing and shoot people with no ramifications. And if you die then its okay cause you can come back to life. Me personally, I'd jump into all the sport games, especially NBA 2K11 and FIFA. I could ball alongside Kobe, see if I could take Lebron. And if the game starts to go bad then I can just restart it and try again. Imagine playing Tiger Woods PGA Tour and being able to play against Tiger. Being able to ask him if it was worth it to fuck all those women. That would be awesome. You could raise your stats until you're just as good as him and try to win all the majors. You could win the NBA Championship. You could even win the Champions League. You could choose your destiny and just have fun with it. You could be who you want to be and if it doesn't go right, you can choose something else.

The only problem is, life isn't a video game. Shit is real. There's no reset button. You have to stand up and deal with shit. But see this is why I love life. Cause it sucks and its fucking hard. But whats the point if it's not hard? Everyone gets tired of playing video games that are too easy right? So why not think of life as that long ass video game that's hard to beat but its fun at the same time. And just keep trying to beat the game. As long as you keep pushing through and believing that you can succeed, well, you can.

That is all

A look back at Tony Kornheiser's 1980 profile of Nolan Ryan for Inside Sports magazine - Grantland

A look back at Tony Kornheiser's 1980 profile of Nolan Ryan for Inside Sports magazine - Grantland

The Art of Resilience

Who else is quickly falling in love with the US women's soccer team, metaphorically of course. Isn't this team exactly what u look for in your very own favorite sports team? They're proud, they're resilient, and they're a team. And they don't give a fuck. How often do u see a far less skilled team that is kicked into the dirt dig deep and win? This is why they are the best team. Not for skill but for will. They will themselves to victory like a Kobe or a Michael Jordan. They fight every damn minute that they are out there, fighting for the win. They come through in the clutch and follow through later by proving they are that good, unlike the men's team. And they play as a team. They have their star power, of course, every team does. But their stars lead the team. They push the team. They bring the team up, bring out the best at all times. And this team is damn proud. They know who they are and where they are from and they know what they can do. They play within themselves and that makes them better. They win. And don't u get this vibe that they don't give a fuck? They're just gonna play their game with their own SWAG. And that's dope. See this is what we want in our teams. To see a few better players lead and pick up their teammates. A team that plays like a team. A team that is confident in who they are. And a team that holds their head up and says yes we are here. U gotta go through us. I love that. 

That is all

Who has the influence?

I wish athletes had more of a voice. There used to be days when athletes would always have something to say. They weren't just athletes but they took on the charge of being a role model as well. They decided that they could use their own influence and ideas to affect change in large groups of people. Nowadays, though, athletes stay out of the political arena. While this is probably the most savvy business decision, I feel like I would have a ton more respect for them if they decided to actually stand up and say something. Take Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant for instance. The best players of their generations but they don't say anything. Imagine how many people would listen to them. Imagine how much influence they could have off the court if they would stand up and take a stand. If I had that much clout with people, I damn sure would use it.

That is all

The Beauty of the Game

Today the topic is soccer. The beautiful game. And anyone that can sit and watch it will agree when I say that the game is absolutely beautiful. It is so fluid, yet hard around the edges. So gentlemanly, yet so feisty. If one were to say that soccer can explain the world and different interactions and attitudes with people, I have to say that I agree.

Let's take Barcelona for instance. They are a wonderful squad to watch. Every position is better than their oppositions. Even some of their backups are better. But this is not because they go out and buy the best players. Their players are home grown, straight from their own system. They are coached to play their position and play it well. They are like a well oiled machine when they play. They have no care for what the other team is doing, they just play their game. They possess the ball like no other team I have seen and they connect with one another. Everyone gets a touch on the ball and everyone gets involved. There are so many threats but they all defer to one another. There is no overpowering star personality that brings the team down. They know who is good at what and they trust each other. It is so beautiful to watch them because they don't batter opponents. They don't shove it in their face that they are better. They simply play the game and they get in positions to put the ball in the net. There is so much effort involved but it seems so easy to them. It's the beauty of the game. To put the work in and go out and perform.

Watching the US Women yesterday hit me with a different kind of beauty. The Brazilian squad was obviously the better team. Those women, just like their male counterparts, are the ball. The ball is connected to their feet. But the US Women had something else. A certain spirit, that never say die type of thing. It was wonderful to see them never give up and go out winners. This was no final but it was like a huge hump. They triumphed when they should have failed. That says something about the Americans. How we keep going and never give up. How we think everything is possible. It is a beautiful thing.

That is all

I'm so damn different...and on the NBA

The beauty of life is uniqueness. We are so damn unique that there is often someone who is similar to us in some way. A person or event, either current or in history that has gone through the same unique situation that we are going through at that very moment. So to hold it in and act as if no one can understand what you're going through is ridiculous. There is someone that can help, or at least sympathize. It's important for your sanity to make sure to get shit off your chest. Or else you might go crazy.

Just like I'm going crazy. But not quite because of things I need to get off my chest. I'm going crazy because I'm scared that there won't be an NBA season. I won't get to see Kobe defy his age and the miles on his body and lead his team to a championship, even though we know it's not exactly his team anymore because, well, he's got too many damn miles on his body. I won't get to vote against the Heat for the simple fact that I really don't like the Heat and not that I necessarily don't like Lebron, although I really don't like the egomaniac. As a side note, I just wish Lebron would work his ass off. He has the most talent of anyone I've ever seen play a sport. I mean he was gifted with the perfect body to play whatever position he wanted and he could play practically any sport. He is fast, agile, and coordinated. That's mostly why I don't like him. I feel like he doesn't give his all enough. Only when people piss him off enough or when he has his own agenda. Otherwise I see him disengaged a little bit. Anyways I hope the NBA doesn't lose any time and the players are still paid fairly. Without the NBA there is college basketball and everything but I'm excited for this season. There is so much more parity in the league. I think I really am obsessed with this issue. Whatever, Bill Simmons for commissioner.

That is all

The Struggle

Oftentimes I see people that succeed in life. People that went from nothing to something, but more often people that went from something to something more. My question is, what the hell does that have to do with me? I mean besides having some type of inspiration to reach that status, it is almost a bit demoralizing isn't it? I'm interested more in the struggle to get there more than hearing about people that are super successful. I'm more interested in people that keep on struggling to get better, rather than people that sit on their success. Because someone else's success doesn't teach me anything. But seeing someone who struggles but keeps moving on in life is much more interesting.

Because realistically, all of us in these normal acts of life have to struggle. Aspiring rappers don't look to the mega stars for their inspiration. They look to those up and comings who are just slightly ahead because those guys are going through the same thing and those guys have the passion to look up to. I think this is why people love Michael Jordan and don't love Lebron so much. MJ was the man. He was the best and he knew he was the best. But he never settled on that. He continued to struggle to get better in every aspect of his game. He never sat and relaxed and expected to continue to improve. He put in the time to make sure that he was getting better, to make sure that he could be dependable for his team. Lebron, with all his talent, is never really seen as the guy who works his ass off and struggles. We often see the playful side of him. As fans, we want to see a player that can work his ass off and related to us in that way. Because we all have to struggle through something in our lives. Some things are harder than others. But when we look for role models, we don't want to see someone who takes their success for granted. We want to see the people that see success as temporary and the goal continues to rise. That is the inspiration. The struggle is the inspiration.

That is all

Restless

I figured out what it is with me. I think it's the problem that everyone has. We're all just too damn restless. We have to have something to do, or feel like we have to do something at least. We have to feel like we're preparing for something and feel like we have some sort of purpose. Or else we feel like nothing. We feel restless. We feel like there is energy bottled up on the inside that needs to be released. For me, that energy becomes anger. Terrible anger. Since I've come to the realization that I probably won't be playing soccer again, I've been filled with a certain rage that before soccer could cure. I could go kick a fucking ball, kick it as hard as I could and the anger would subside. My energy would all be spent. But I feel like I'm holding too much of it in.

Everyone goes through a change in their life. Maybe it's for better or maybe its for worse. But whatever it is, it's for a reason. I been trying to figure this out for the longest time and I thought I had it figured out. I mean I knew that I would need to do something else with my life but I didn't know what yet. Well I need to put my energy into something else. There's too much energy that is just waiting to be used. Too much energy turning into anger for me. So I gotta put my heart into something. I think everyone does. Or we become restless. We wanna find an outlet for this excess energy, in whatever form it may take. I just gotta figure out what it is I really want. What is it that means so much to me?

What is it that means so much to you?

That is all

Obsessed

Let's admit it. We are all obsessed with something. Me personally, it has become an obsession with sports and becoming healthy, just a physical specimen. For other people it has become electronics. There's social media and all kinds of other crazy stuff. But we are all obsessed.

Is an obsession healthy at all? I mean all I do all day is read articles about basketball and football and baseball and soccer and the list goes on and on. I read about how culture relates to sports. I read about how athletes do stupid shit. I read about how athletes make tons of money. I read commentary articles about which athlete is going to have a good season and who will have a bad season. I watch the talking heads on ESPN every chance I get, even though I basically hate the Disney Corporation (thanks Mr. Trafton). I like sports a lot. That's all I can say.

I feel like I have an innocent obsession. It's kinda ridiculous I guess but it interests me. At least I'm not locked into a Facebook news feed as if that's the real news. But then again I'm locked into finding out about guys who make a ton more than I could dream of at this point in my life. But hey, at least I have some type of dream. I have a dream to try to achieve something great like that. So maybe an obsession is really okay. If it actually gets you somewhere.

That is all

Apologies

My apologies. In my post on the 4th I forgot to mention Marcus Thornton. He would be great if the Kings were to keep him. I would absolutely love to see that 3-guard rotation tearing teams to pieces with the shooting and slashing. He did play very well at the end of the season and hopefully he can keep his form. Thanks to Joe Shea for pointing this out.

That is all

Do You Belong

Anyone ever get that strange feeling that you don't belong quite right. Not that you're not cool enough or anything. Or that you're too weird or shy. Just that the fit isn't quite right. I'll illustrate this with a basketball example, may the NBA rest in peace for now. Richard Jefferson, a very good veteran player from New Jersey decides to sign with the San Antonio Spurs. This seems like a fantastic fit on paper. Tony Parker who dishes the ball extremely well and can hit shots in the pinch. Tim Duncan, still the leader on the team, can always get those key points. Manu is the star, even though I don't like him. And they can plug anyone in at center who can rebound and defend. That's a great core of guys. And it seems like Richard Jefferson would fit right in. It wasn't a lack of skill. His game should have fit. He can slash but he can also shoot. So why didn't he work out? I don't think anyone really ever figured it out. Maybe he wasn't getting to his spots. Maybe he needs a bigger part on the team. Or maybe for some reason he just doesn't fit in quite right. It looks great on paper. But it never panned out for him. I hope he finishes his career in a better way. 

So does anyone ever actually feel like this? Like you don't belong. But not in a bad way. Just that things are sort of awkward. Like you know the people, have similar interests and are always friendly. But there's just something strange about the whole thing. I hate watching it on the basketball court, or any field for that matter. And in friendly relationships it can be weird. I'm sure everyone can relate to this. You hear about a person and you want to meet them. They seem like a person you would be friends with. On paper it seems like the friendship could be great. But for some reason there's something missing. It's just kinda one of those things where you need to move on. So I hope Richard Jefferson can move on. 

That is all

The 4th and on the Kings

Happy 4th to everyone who actually wastes a part of their day to read my posts. And live the 4th to anyone who actually knows what I'm referring to. Just so you know I love all of you and I hope you love me back. Have a fun and safe holiday.

I just wanna talk about the Sacramento Kings for a minute. Now, I've mentioned before that I am a Lakers fan. But in no way do I hate the Kings or believe in the rivalry that fans dream up. I mean these games are heated but I don't think of it so much as a rivalry. Back in the early parts of the century sure. But no. Not now. I like my hometown team. I just been a Lakers fan. That's all.

Back to the topic, actually forgot it, hoes, money, I'm the shit, oh yeah I'm reminded. That Friday Night Lights mixtape is the shit. Anyways, I hope the Kings pick their shit up this year. Tyreke should be having a good season as long as his foot is good. He needs to lead that team. DeMarcus has problems and he needs to get his head straight. Sometimes he's alright and they come down too tough on him. But he's a good player and he needs to just be a good player. He needs to be a good presence down low like he can be. He and Tyreke are a good core. Jimmer needs to come in and shoot well. He can handle the ball some but he needs to shoot well. That's all. And J.J. Hickson, welcome to Sacramento. It is a much better place than shitty Cleveland. He's gotta be a presence and come up big for the Kings. They have a young team but I think if they all do their part then they'll have a good season.

Have a good 4th
That is all

Childhood

Man I just finished watching that 30 for 30 on The U. That was a dope ass school back in the 80's. Them dudes didn't care about nothing. Which reminds me of childhood. How you just don't give a fuck cause you don't know enough to care about shit yet. I mean think about it. When we were kids, we never got tired. We ran around, forcing our older sibling to play with us when they didn't want to and to make sure they actually played with us, we'd tell mom. Now when I see little kids, I can see how annoying that could've been. I mean kids have no concept of endurance. They just run and run until someone tells them to stop. Which is weird now cause you gotta be in shape in order to play a simple game of tag.

I remember those TV shows too. Man those were the best back in the day. Rugrats, Hey Arnold, Doug. The list goes on and on. But what inspired kids more than the Fresh Prince. Man he had the dope shoes, the fly ass hats, the clothes that hardly matched but that's all that we wanted to wear. That was our generation and who we are now. If you're having a bad day, find some Rugrats on Netflix and I guarantee you will feel a ton better. Cause like I said, as a child, you just don't give a fuck.

I remember being a kid and not having commitments. That's probably one of the best things. All you gotta do is be at home and keep your parents company. Now we got all these responsibilities. We can't just go outside to play anymore cause we have homework or we realize that it's too damn hot. I remember being able to play 3 or 4 different little league sports cause they only lasted a few months. Now we're locked into a sport year-round. Or a job. Or something.

Man today is one of those days when I just wanna be a kid again. I want it to be one of those summer days when I'm not bored and I can find something to do. Some video game, some book to read, just anything. That's why I can't wait to see my own children. I want to see them have fun outside. I can't wait to see them enjoy all their little league sports. I can't wait to watch them find their favorite shows that they can always go back to. Man, I miss childhood.

"Back in the days when I was young I'm not a kid anymore, but some days I sit and wish I was a kid again."
-Ahmad

That is all

The Rookies

If there is anyone or any group of people to feel bad for in all of this mess, it's the rookies. In both the NFL and the NBA, the rookies are the ones that are hung out to dry. The veterans have their spots on the squad for sure. But the first years still have to try out for the teams. They still have to earn their contracts. Besides those players drafted in the first round, no one has a guaranteed career. They don't have the contracts in order and they have yet to really try out for the team.

The NFL is scarier to me than the NBA for a couple reasons. First of all, there are far more players that are waiting to try out for the teams. This draft goes seven rounds and then later there is a supplemental draft for players that didn't get drafted or guys like Terrelle Pryor who just fucked up. Of course there are a lot of players on NFL rosters and a lot more spots to fill. The problem is, if there is no training camp, then how will the rookies get picked up? Will the teams just decide to take more proven vets to fill those spots? Players that go undrafted will have no chance to get picked up at all. This puts a lot more hopefuls out of work than it needs to. And this is all because the owners and players can't figure out how to split a billion dollars. Some of these rookies just need money to live on and they can't get picked up because of the problems that privileged men are having.

The NBA isn't as scary, but it is a bit more of a problem. Same as the NFL, the NBA rookies need to try out for their teams in order to get picked up. There are the players that will get a contract no matter what, but as of right now, just like the NFL, they aren't getting paid. The bigger problem for me is that, more than likely, the teams will have a lot less money to spend on players. The cap will be lower, thus making it harder for teams to sign players. This is terrible for those fringe players who probably would make it in the league, but have little chance to because of the lockout.

There is a problem I have with the players who decided to enter the draft. Everyone and their mom knew that lockouts were coming and both sports. And everyone knew that it would be a lot tougher to get a good contract than it was before. So why did so many hopefuls decide to enter the draft. Oh sure, the NBA and NFL are the land of milk and honey. They can get rich fast and ball. But really, especially for the NBA, so many players came out that could have used another year in college. And why leave college anyways? Those guys are superstars on campus. Why leave something so good for a career that is not a guarantee, at least not yet? So while the owners of both leagues are pretty dumb, and the players in the NBA at least should take some paycut, the rookies who were definitely not ready or who were not seniors took a large risk in entering the leagues at a time like this. Even with that said, it is hard to not feel bad for the rookies. They were making what seemed to be the best career choice.

That is all

Lockout World

With the NBA lockout now in effect, I am saddened by the fact that basketball could possibly not be around this season at all. Because of this, it is time to prepare myself for a lockout world. First and foremost on my list to fill the void: football. Everyone with a brain knows there will be a football season. The owners are jackasses and are interested in screwing the players out of millions of dollars. I mean seriously those teams make billions of dollars a year. Those owners are multibillionaires. I think they need to stop fighting over how to split up the money. The players actually play the game and risk their bodies. They deserve the money. And so since this is going to happen, football will have to become a major part of my sport watching.

Of course soccer. But since I pay attention to soccer anyways, I'm not exactly filling a void. I suppose I could pay attention to it more. But all that would do is make me realize how much I miss the NBA. So instead of more soccer, maybe some tennis. I like tennis. It's an interesting sport and I respect how hard the guys work. Takes so damn long though. And the screaming, while it can be tuned out, does go a little over the top. Since I'm looking for a quite game, maybe I can turn to golf. But the only way I can do this is if Tiger Woods is back. Otherwise golf is out of the picture.

Baseball. I knew there was a major sport that I was forgetting. I can watch sometimes if the stakes are high enough and good pitchers are pitching. But I hate when ball clubs throw out guys that are like 1-7 on the season with a 5.43 ERA (these are made up I hope). Playoff baseball is something I can get into. Or when the season gets down to the wire. Baseball plays so many games though and sometimes I feel like I'm watching the same play over and over. And the game is really a chess match, because it's all about the pitchers. Fielders have to back up their pitcher but lets be honest, the pitcher does everything. Another thing that sucks about baseball: it rules the Sportscenter Top 10. It is literally the same thing over and over, a diving catch. The catches are sick but come on. All in all though, I think that as the season wears on, baseball can take my interest.

Hockey can also...nah. I'll watch the highlights, maybe catch a few third periods and pretend like I really care about whether the Sharks won or lost. Overall, I don't think hockey is going to be any larger than it ever was. So let's recap. Football will occupy more space. But the games are played on Sundays. And I can't even watch those stupid NFL network Thursday games anyways. So that's not enough. Golf and Tennis have potential. Tennis is a hard sport and I appreciate it. But only if really good players play. You know, like Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic. Oh and the Williams sisters too. And baseball will pick up as well. As the season wears on at least. And hockey...just no.

All in all it is quite possible that I can survive the NBA lockout. Possible. Not likely. Because as I sit here and try to fool myself into thinking that these sports can take over the void that the NBA is leaving, I know it will not happen. It is just not possible. So basically all I'm saying is that the NBA needs to resolve all its problems and be ready by the time the season is supposed to start.

That is all