Prolix Prone

New cdonohue.com

2009-08-13T13:07:00.002-04:00

I updated and refreshed my personal Web site with the help of Wordpress.org and buddy Chris Spires. You can find my newly minted Web presence at www.cdonohue.com. Navigate on over and let me know what you think. Feedback is appreciated.

I'll probably customize the site a little in the coming days or weeks, but for the time being, that's it. Enjoy.

Will You Give Him a Chance?

2009-07-17T15:37:00.005-04:00

I've been following some Tweets and Facebook status updates and the news and blogs and etc. and etc. recently that have been focused on President Barack Obama and the confirmation hearings for potential Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Some of what I've read has been typical conservative and liberal drivel. People on both extremes are a little nutty. But some commentary I've heard and seen from more moderate, reasonable people has been, well, ridiculous. I know there are a lot of people who are concerned about government spending for stimulus packages and health care and other initiatives. Of course, I think people aren't as concerned about the spending as they are about the slow progress of some of Obama's plans. That's fair. But when people write that the financial and economic crises that Obama inherited (remember, he didn't create the mess) don't present an opportunity to try something new, I'm shocked. Of course it's an opportunity. It's a chance to chart a new path, to do something different, to get away from the Bush policies that put the country in its untenable financial situation. All I heard from right-wingers during Bush's eight years was alternatingly, "Give him a chance to prove what he can do" or "History will judge his legacy and impact on the country." Those same people now want Obama to do everything the way Bush did. And if Obama wasn't going to follow the same course, then he needed his initiatives to perform some miracle and work almost immediately to placate the right-wingers. It's an unfair standard. It's an either-or scenario for an ideological movement that seems to favor that kind of "pick a side" mentality. But I guess that's what Obama will have to deal with for the rest of his time in office. Perhaps conservatives and Republicans should complain less and work more on saving their foundering party or providing sound policy changes that don't center on the old Republican way of doing things that put us in this mess to begin with.

Now to Sotomayor. I'm a little shocked that there's concern about Sotomayor's past experiences influencing her judgments. Don't we all learn from what's happened to us in the past? Isn't that the point of experience? But really, what bothers me is that right-wingers are complaining about this, but they seem to forget that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito said during his confirmation hearings that his past experiences do, in fact, color his judgments today. (VIDEO HERE if you can't see it below.) I don't recall as much uproar about those comments. Is it because he's white and she's not? I'm not saying that IS the reason. But it's an interesting to question to ask.

Others are complaining that she's going to be an activist judge who will push her liberal agenda. Well, who knows if that's true. But guess what, Republicans? Bush named Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts to the court because of their conservative leanings. That's the way it works, people, for better or for worse. That's a privilege of being president. And you know what? That's not Bush's fault, and it's not Obama's fault. It's the system's fault.

And I think that's what's bothering me most about the national discourse that's centered on Sotomayor's confirmation. Bush was blamed for appointing Alito and Roberts, and now Obama's blamed for choosing Sotomayor. Alito, Roberts and Sotomayor were all lambasted in the media by pundits on both sides because of their points of view and potential ideological beliefs. It's not their fault they adhere to conservatism or liberalism. They should strive to remain objective and impartial, but we know that doesn't happen on the court (see Scalia, Antonin). So I think the system needs to change. Supreme Court Justices should be given term limits, not life-time appointments. Confirmation hearings should be more robust and in-depth, and nominated judges shouldn't get what is seemingly a pass onto the bench of the highest court in the land. But there need to be system-wide changes to affect any change in this arena. In the meantime, it's useless to criticize a president for his choice. And it rarely does any good to criticize the judge. (Unless his name is Robert Bork. There are some crazies out there. Sotomayor, though, is not one of them.)

New Blogs!

2009-06-27T14:55:00.002-04:00

Hey, everyone, let me hype you to a couple of new blogs I've started or helped start that you definitely need to check out.

Colin Donohue Photography. (http://colindonohuephotography.wordpress.com/) I'm starting to get more interested in photography, so I decided to start a blog that would feature some of the pictures I've been taking. I'm sort of learning on the go here, so they're not all gonna be winners. But I thought the blog would be a good creative outlet for me. Check it out and leave feedback and suggestions. I'm open to anything.
Pick and Pop. (http://pickandpop.wordpress.com/) I started this blog with my buddy Justin from Maryland. It's going to be a sports-centered blog, but we're going to make it interactive. We'll post polls, you'll vote and we'll discuss the topic of your choosing. We also plan on adding some audio and video elements to the blog to make it more dynamic and unique. Be sure to swing by and check us out. We're ranting on the NBA draft at the moment. But with football season about to gear up, I'm sure we'll shift our focus in a month or two.

And, of course, Prolix Prone is still open for business. I'm going to use this to write about all the other stuff that Pick and Pop and Colin Donohue Photography don't cover. And never fear, Prolix Prone will always be the home for your LeTravel James degradation.

Thanks, everyone.

(Ir)Rational Fear of Flying?

2009-06-23T15:02:00.002-04:00

Everybody makes the choice. It may not be a conscious one at the time, at the exact moment that it happens. But somewhere along the line—usually during the planning process—everybody makes the choice. And usually, little consideration is given to the decision. It’s engrained behavior. So when the time comes to step over that threshold, most people do it with a sense of blasé.

Not me. I don’t. I’m an active participant in the planning, in the lead up and in the eventual crossing from one side to the other. And, of course, that makes me a cauldron of nerves, a bubbling neurotic who instantly fields thousands of questions and concerns in my own mind. As quickly as they come, I have to shrug them off. If I didn’t, I’d probably lose my mind.

I like to tell people I have a healthy fear of flying. I like to say there’s nothing irrational about my anxiety. I do believe that fears typically have some basis in reality. Not everything that people fear is baseless, is cause for concern. Don’t call the people in white suits, as they say. But I’m also aware that fear can be crippling and nonsensical. It can manifest itself in odd ways and in odd places. If you don’t get a handle on it, then, yes, you’ll be imprisoned by it.

That’s why that threshold that I mentioned earlier is so important to me. I have to acknowledge it because denying it is foolish and fruitless. I’m not smart enough to think past it. But I also have to understand ultimately stepping from one side to the other probably won’t ruin me.

I know. You probably want specifics. What threshold? Stop burying the lede.

OK.

The threshold is the imaginary demarcation between the end of the jetway and doorway of the plane. Everyone makes the decision to step over that line and onto the plane. But who really thinks about that. Still, when you decide to walk onto a plane, you’re leaving your well being in the hands of pilots and grounds crew and the actual, physical tin can with souped up engines. You have to hope that everyone does his or her job precisely. You have to hope they do their due diligence. You have to know that you have absolutely no control over what happens from the moment you’re on the plane to the moment you’re off of it. Once you’re in, you’re there, for better or for worse. And there’s a helplessness about that. Maybe I don’t like putting my faith and trust into that many people. Maybe I think something as large, mechanical and intricate as a plane is just waiting for disaster. Maybe I believe that the laws of gravity are going to trump the marvelous feats of engineering. I don’t know what it is. But I know that I get in a lather sometimes because I have zero control. (Hell, maybe I’m a closeted control freak. But I don’t think that’s the case.)

Of course, you could turn tail and head back up the jetway. But there’s no guarantee that’s any safer. I know what the statistics say: Air travel is the safest form of transportation. And there’s great reason for that: technological advancements, well trained pilots and grounds crew, air traffic control that keep other planes in the sky away from one another. But there’s little comfort in numbers. I can’t wrap myself in a warm blanket of statistics and think that everything is going to be all right. I just can’t do that. On some level the stats are reassuring. For example, there’s a higher probability of my getting in a terrible car accident then of a plane I’m riding in crashing to the ground. That’s definitely a positive, and I try to dwell on the positives before and during a flight. It helps on some small level. But still, most people don’t have that feeling helplessness when they drive their cars. Why? Because they’re in control of their actions. True, when you drive, you have to be focused not only on what you’re doing but on what everyone else is doing, as well. But you know that if something bad is about to happen on the road, you rely on yourself, on your instincts, on your timing to avert disaster. When you’re in a plane? Well, you’re just along for the ride, all the while knowing that if something horrible goes wrong, well …

But none of this stops me from flying. And it probably never will. I fly fairly often during the year. I usually take a trip or two during the fall and spring semesters, then end up flying two or three times during the summer. I’ve taken quick jumps from Charlotte, N.C., to Greensboro, N.C., and I’ve taken interminable flights from Honolulu to Atlanta. I’ve experienced turbulent flights, smooth flights, bumpy landings, pancake landings and sudden drops. But I keep going because if I don’t, then fear envelops me whole and controls my actions.

I wrote all this from a bar in Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, Calif., as I waited to board a quick 40-minute flight to Las Vegas. I see people spread throughout the bar, drinking beer and wine, checking e-mail, playing games, listening to music, writing in a notebook, talking with friends and colleagues or just watching any of the 11 TVs clumped together against the far wall. I can almost guarantee that the middle aged woman who sat across from me, who glossed her lips and wrote Lord knows what in her notebook, wasn’t thinking anything remotely similar to what I was. Was she in denial? Or was she simply more well adjusted and rational? Maybe a little a both, but probably more of the latter.

The Yankees are visiting Boston, and that game is spread across four of the 11 televisions, and it serves as a welcome distraction from travelling and flying. A guy in a brown baseball game worn backwards is sitting at his table, resting his head on his clenched hands. He’s intently watching the Red Sox-Yankees match up. He seems invested in its outcome. He’s assuredly not thinking about whatever plane he has to catch soon. The engineering behind thrusting a several ton aircraft in the air is not nearly as important as whether struggling Red Sox slugger David Ortiz can turn around a pitch and get his average above .200. Priorities, people. (For the record, Ortiz walked.)

I look at these people and simultaneously deride them and envy them. Part of me says, “C’mon, folks, don’t be stupid. Humans weren’t meant to fly. That hunk of metal isn’t safe.” The other part says, quite simply, “I envy you.”

Why did I write this while waiting for a delayed flight? Because I was hoping it would be cathartic. I thought allowing my concerns and anxieties to surface would lead me to a shift in my mentality. I don’t want to be neurotic about flying. I want to enjoy it more than I do. I’m not sure if this helped at all. But I know one thing for sure, writing it before boarding a plane probably wasn’t the best choice. I’m not sure if this soothed my nerves or simply caused an explosion in concern.

Either way, I got on that plane.

At This Point, What Can You Really Say?

2009-06-23T13:35:00.004-04:00

Did you see this? Look left.

Ridiculous, right? As the title of this post suggests, at this point, what can you really say about this guy? LeBron James is going to become one of the most hated athletes anywhere not because of his talent or his wins or because of some perceived jealousy on the part of fans of other teams, but because of this kind of egregious behavior that endears him only to gold-digger types. Of course his stats are great (both on the court and in the bank), but I guess it's good to know that's all he cares about. It's kind of hard to wear a T-shirt that says "Check my resume" when under the TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS line, you have nothing to write.

Idiot.

Immaturity Costs $25K

2009-06-05T10:40:00.002-04:00

I thought I should briefly follow up on the LeBron James saga because it seems it has now come to a conclusion -- at least for this year. NBA Commish David Stern decided to fine LeBron $25,000 for his inexcusable behavior following Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Orlando Magic, when he sulked off the court and refused to shake the hands of the opponents who had just vanquished him and his Cavaliers. Initially, Stern met with LeBron and decided not to fine him. But after reconsideration, he changed his mind and now LeBron has to write a fairly hefty check. Ostensibly, the fine is because he refused to talk to the press after the game. But in reality, it's an indictment of his behavior, and I say that's a good thing.

Of course, LeBron had Stern apologize for him with this comment: "He asked that I express to the media, the Magic and the fans his apology, and particularly the young fans, because he knows he has a responsibility to all of our fans, and that sportsmanship is appropriate whether you win or whether you lose," Stern said. I guess LeBron can't offer an apology and sound contrite and remorseful, so he has to have the commissioner do it. Whatever. That's fine. At least he's being punished.

(Let me also award kudos to Stern for rescinding his initial decision not to chastise LeBron. It sends an outstanding message when the commissioner decides to lay a fairly heavy hand on his superstars, his breadwinners. So good for him. It's certainly something the NHL refuses to do because of it's spineless commissioner's office. Example: Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin picked a fight with Detroit Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg at the end of Game 2 with less than five minutes remaining. By rule, any time a player instigates a fight with less than five minutes left in a game, he's supposed to be suspended for the next game. Where was Malkin for Game 3? On the ice. Not shocking. NHL commish Gary Bettman needs to learn how to mete out consistent justice, regardless of whom it's directed toward. I find the NHL a much more fun league to watch, and the NHL playoffs far exceed the NBA playoffs in excitement, but Stern knows how to run an effective league, and Bettman clearly does not.)

King Arrogant

2009-06-02T17:51:00.003-04:00

Yep, this is another tale about possibly the most arrogant professional athlete in the world--LeBron James. I mentioned in my previous post how much I think LeBron is all about LeBron. He's not about his teammates. He's not about his coach. He's not about the league. He's not about the fans. He's about him. Plain and simple. The fake picture taking, the chalk throwing, the scowls, the frowns, the complaining, the nail biting, the crying, the histroinics, the postgame pressers. Everything. It's always about LeBron. Sure, I believe he wants to win an NBA championship. And if he does, he'll acknowledge the fans and his teammates and his coach and his owner and his general manager, but you know, in the back of his mind, he's thinking: "This trophy is for me because I deserve it." And there will be some truth to that statement when he gets to make it to himself. Certainly, any LeBron James championship team is undoubtedly a winner, in large part, because of his talents. But still, it will always be about him. He's an egomaniac, and even the most fervent Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James supporter would have to admit that.

Is it all his fault? I won't say it's all his fault. But it's mostly his doing. He could always take a new tack. Part of the problem is THIS IMAGE from his days in high school. But the largest reason I find him almost utterly unlikable is because he always needs to be the center of attention. He's like the middle child of the NBA, except that despite the fact that he's getting all the coverage from the league and the networks, he still needs more. His ego has an insatiable appetite. And that would would be bad enough, except that he couples it with classless shenanigans, such as his actions after Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Orlando Magic.

After the game ended, the first thing I thought to myself was: "LeBron isn't even shaking anyone's hand. He just walked back to the locker room." The media, of course, has grabbed hold of the story, and now it's national. I didn't need ESPN to tell me what LeBron did (or rather didn't) do. I saw it. And it cemented in my mind (and perhaps brought to the forefront of others) what I've always thought about LeBron James: He's a sophomoric, whiny, spoiled brat who's insanely good at basketball. It's a terrible combination.

Now, NBA commish David Stern wants to talk to LeBron about his walk-off. Stern isn't happy about what transpired. And I don't blame him. I give credit to Stern for wanting to discuss things with LeBron. I'll give him more credit if he publicly excoriates LeBron for what he did. It's unacceptable. What did LeBron have to say about it: "It's hard for me to congratulate someone after you lose to them. I'm a winner. It's not being a poor sport or anything like that. But somebody beats you up, you're not going to congratulate them on beating you up. That doesn't make sense." Hey, LeBron, you didn't win. You haven't won anything in your life. So guess what? You're not a winner. Yeah, 66 regular season wins is nice. The feeling of a ring on your finger is probably nicer.

How a player reacts in defeat, particularly a crushing loss, says a lot about who he is as a man and a person. This has nothing to do with basketball skill but about strength of character, about integrity. And LeBron showed he had neither in full supply after that game. Michael Wilbon of the Washington Post calls him out, but also gives him a pass, saying "It's LeBron James Gets It Right 299, LeBron Goofs 1." Wilbon's assertion there is ridiculous. Again, I think most of what James does is self-aggrandizing and self-promotional, so I would contend the numbers between LeBron Gets It Right and LeBron Goofs is much closer. But still, national media members who are usually in the tank for LeBron are now riding him.

And what has LeBron done since? He sent an e-mail to Orlando players apologizing and expressing regret. LeBron is 24 years old, but that kind of childlike move leads me to believe he hasn't matured socially or emotionally past 12. An e-mail? Seriously, LeBron? Is King James really an appropriate nickname?

But everything above is a prelude to this piece of hilarity. This is a remix of those Nike puppet commercials featuring LeBron and Kobe Bryant. One of the first commercials is pretty funny. But you should see the parody of the spot that someone put together, too. Absolute genius. The first clip below is the original commercial (listen for the crab dribble at the 32-second mark), and the second clip is the parody. Enjoy.

Congrats, Orlando Magic

2009-05-31T12:51:00.005-04:00

Outside of the folks in Orlando, maybe Charles Barkley and I were the only people who thought the Orlando Magic would beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA's Eastern Conference finals. I'm not some kind of NBA clairvoyant--far from it. But I do know a good team when I see one, and I know that a good team always beats a good individual come playoff time. Sure, a great player and decent supporting cast can win you tons of games in the regular season and help you roll over some less adequate postseason opponents. But when it counts, usually in a conference finals or NBA finals, an individual isn't going to win you games. That's doubly true when that individual (yes, we're talking about LeBron James) and his team are just a terrible matchup for the opponent. Let's look at a couple of the reasons why the Cavs lost:

No one can guard Dwight Howard. He's too fast and strong for the slow-footed Zydrunas Ilgauskus. He's too powerful for the overrated and foul-prone Anderson Varejao. He's too big for Joe Smith. And he's just better in every area than an aging Ben Wallace. So the Cavs have to double him in the post, which leads to point No. 2 ...
The Magic have too many outside shooting threats. Rafer Alston, Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkuglo, Courtney Lee and Mickael Pietrus can all nail the 3-pointer, and they did it with alarming accuracy and consistency through six games.
The Magic's entire lineup is simply bigger than the Cavs. They have major size advantages, which allow them to pass over defenders or shoot over defenders.
Defensively, the Magic allowed LeBron to do what he wanted. The Magic forced LeBron to take all the shots and single-handedly win the game. He couldn't. (Although, Pietrus did an excellent job defending LeBron, despite LeBron's output.)
LeBron James still cannot play defense. I don't want to hear about his improved defensive abilities this season. But if you watched this series closely, you'll notice LeBron running around everywhere and simply losing his man. Why did Pietrus outscore the entire Cavs bench for the whole series? Because LeBron lost sight of him.

And, quite frankly, in a decisive Game 6, LeBron disappeared. He scored 13 points in the first quarter than just 12 the rest of the way. That's not how a superstar is supposed to play. (See Howard's 40 points for an example of how a superstar should play.) Granted, he was tired. Through five previous games, he had to carry his entire team for 44 minutes a game. But still, the Cavs dispatched their first two opponents in four-game sweeps, so LeBron should've had plenty of time to rest up for this one. And the amount of minutes he was playing in the Magic series is directly attributable to his head coach, Mike Brown, who didn't do nearly enough to make sure his superstar player got some rest, at least. (I know James won Coach of the Year, and rightly so, but I've always found him overrated. Like Doug Collins in Chicago during Michael Jordan's early years, I think Mike Brown is soon removed from the Cavs bench.)

After the game, you could tell LeBron was frustrated. And he should be. His team won 66 regular season games, went 8-0 in the first two rounds of the playoffs, then fumbled away an opportunity to go to the Finals. But that still doesn't excuse some of his behavior during the series or after the game. (Full disclosure: I'm not fan of LeBron James. I can't stand him as a person, and I don't really care to watch him on the floor. I won't ever deny the fact that he's a great player. I'm not Skip Bayliss. But I don't like him, and I'm not afraid to say it. I am an NBA fan who doesn't have an affinity for LeBron James. I think that's OK.) LeBron is still a child in many ways, and his petty actions were plain for everyone to see. He thought he deserved a chance to play in the finals. Nothing is owed to him, no matter what the Nike commercials may have you believe. You want to know what I WITNESSED. I WITNESSED a sophomoric, bratty, petulant, self-absorbed kid take a loss in an absolutely abhorrent way.

During the series, he kept saying that HE was ready to play and that HE would come out strong and perform at a high level. In essence, he was telling people he had faith in himself, but he had none in his teammates. And this, my friends, is why he is NOT a better teammate than some other guys in this league, like Kobe Bryant. Yeah, LeBron did that fake picture garbage before games and everyone said the Cavs looked like a cohesive unit. The players all loved each other. But it's easy to buddy-buddy when you win 66 games. How does your superstar react when he loses a few games or when adversity strikes him and his team? In the case of LeBron James, runs away from his teammates and secludes himself. Classy.
After the Game 6 win, did LeBron hang around for a couple of minutes and wish congratulations to any of the Magic players, particularly his Olympic teammate Dwight Howard? Nope. He walked off the court, sulking like a child.
Also after the game, LeBron showered, got dressed and walked to the team bus without saying a word to anyone. As the leader of a team, he is responsible for standing up and talking to reporters. He needed to man up in that instance and be the face of the franchise. But, again, like a child, he took his ball and went home.
His histroinics on the floor are abominable. And that's not just something that he started during this series. He's been doing it his whole career. He checks his forehead, forearms, face, etc., for cuts every time he's fouled. He complains when other teams try to foul him to stop him from dunking, yet he tells his teammates to foul Howard to stop him from dunking. He rolls on the floor and throws his arms in the air when he doesn't get a call. He bites his nails on the bench. He takes fake pictures of his teammates. (Guess what, it's not about team unity. It's still all about him.) I'm tired of it.
He's all about him. The chalk toss before the game, which isn't even his invention. The fake picture, which I already mentioned. The mugging for the camera. The scowls. How about his reaction after the game-winning shot he nailed in Game 2 against the Magic. Sure, it was a big shot and a huge win. But he and his teammates acted like they had just won the NBA championship. Get real, folks.

Now, will LeBron James ever win a championship? Absolutely. He'll probably win a two or three of them. And he may even leave the game as the best player ever to play in the NBA. (But I still think he needs to equal or surpass Jordan's six championships to be in that conversation.) But he still has some serious growing up to do. We tend to forget that he's just 24 years old, and while he's accomplished a lot in his short time in the league, he's still a kid. I hope, for his sake, the maturation process, not as a player but as a person, begins in haste. Otherwise, we'll have to deal with his sulky, ungracious behavior for many years to come.

Spin the Black Circle

2009-05-01T12:41:00.008-04:00

A couple of months ago (maybe more, who can remember), I bought Pearl Jam's "rearviewmirror (Greatest Hits 1991-2003)." Sure, I'm a little late to the game if my first Pearl Jam purchase came in 2008. They were obviously a formative band, from the Seattle grunge scene, while I was in middle and high school. But I had no real interest in their music. I can't really say why. I guess I was more enamored at the time with groups like Steely Dan, the Beatles, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the hip-hop scene.

(An aside: The first hip-hop album I ever bought was Notorious B.I.G's "Life After Death," a historic double album at the time. Then I moved on to Puff Daddy's "No Way Out." My tastes in rap were not so well cultivated then. Still, as I moved through all the Biggie, Puffy, Busta albums, I started to gravitate toward Nas, Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, the Roots, a Tribe Called Quest, Lupe Fiasco, Eric B. and Rakim and De La Soul. I yearned for the socially conscious hip-hop, the kind of stuff that required a sharp tongue and a deep intellect. They were rapping about SOMETHING, which was important to me. Too much radio/club hip-hop is diluted garbage that combines a pulsating beat with repetitive, catchy lyrics. It's a sure formula to make some quick cash, but it's so shallow that its lasting impact is minimal or, usually, non-existent. So I found the soulful tones and understated, yet still good, beats of guys like Common and Mos Def, the musical acumen of the Roots and the lyrical prowess of people like Nas and Talib Kweli. Those are real rappers. The guys you hear on the radio? Well, they're just parodies of themselves and stereotypes of the hip-hop scene. They add nothing substantive to rap music.)

I was always behind the curve musically. I never paid any mind to the indie rock scene. I was never at the vanguard of any musical movement. I knew what I liked, and that's what I listened to. I usually relied on others to hip me to new bands and acts. Now, I had always known about Pearl Jam. Who didn't back then? In fact, my high school journalism teacher had a love for Pearl Jam that he probably will never have for any other living person. (He has a wife and kid now, so he may resent that statement. But I'll stand by it.) He would often force us to listen to the fivesome during class while we worked. I think because it was pushed on me so aggressively, I began to despise the band. I had the you-can't-tell-me-who-to-like attitude, so I avoided Pearl Jam's music. My shortsightedness led to my loss.

But I bring all this up now because I haven't been able to stop listening to "rearviewmirror" for the past two months, at least. It has stayed in my car's CD player almost exclusively, and I tear through the same 30+ tracks over and over and over again. Making up for lost time, I guess. At first, it was hard for me to pinpoint what I loved about this band so much. I guess on the first couple of listens, it was just the nostalgia of some of the songs. It was listening to Dissident, Even Flow, Jeremy and Alive one more time and 10 years out. Then after a few listens, I just enjoyed the rock 'n' roll, which was catchy and good. But when you listen to the same band for months at a time, you start to realize some of the deeper connections you make with the music. You learn why they were (and are) successful. And so you develop a greater appreciation for everything they did. And that brings me to the song Spin the Black Circle. Of all the songs on "rearviewmirror," it's one of my least favorite. But it was also the one song that really made me acknowledge the genius of Pearl Jam's entire catalog.

Spin the Black Circle is a hard rock song, certainly harder than anything else they produced, from the album "Vitalogy." In fact, Pearl Jam won its one and only Grammy Award in 1996 in the Best Hard Rock category for Spin. (It was a meaningless awards, according to lead singer Eddie Vedder.) And because it's such a hard rock song, I never enjoyed it. I like rock 'n' roll, but when it reaches a point of crossing over into metal (or metal lite) territory, I turn away. Because at that point, the music devolves into noise. And I thought Spin dove head first into metal lite. Maybe it had more of a punk feel, but I don't think so. So the first time I heard it, I moved past it. But a couple of weeks ago, it came around again, and instead of skipping, I stayed put to listen to it finally after weeks of skipping. And I came away impressed by how Pearl Jam constructed the song.

Everything Pearl Jam does is intentional. It's not just about intertwining the guitar, bass, drums, etc. That's obviously important. But a simple combination of every element that goes into making a song is only a start. What instrument should be featured prominently? How should the leader singer sing the song? When should the bass enter? When should the drums fade to back? Would a keyboard add an extra element to the piece? All these questions and more go into the total decision making process for a song. And some artists just toss things together, use that magic radio formula and produce a hit single that will make them a ton of money. More power to them, but again, does that music have any worth? No. Everything a band does has to have meaning. What's the raison d'etre, as it were? And what impresses me about Pearl Jam is that they seem to think thoughtfully through all their decisions.

Spin the Black Circle starts fast and ends faster. It's frenzied, frantic and frenetic. Nothing about that song should make your comfortable. The lyrics are about addiction, not to drugs, but to vinyl records. (Hence the title, Spin the Black Circle.) The first lyric is, "See this needle ... a see my hand ..." So you might think, as a listener, that it's about shooting heroin. Not the case. But still, the song does center on addiction to music and vinyl records, and so the music pulsates and tries to pull you into a helpless world. It's all power chords, so there's nothing too intricate there. But isn't that part of the point? Addiction is powerful, nothing subtle about it. So the song should be powerful, too.

Vedder sings aggressively throughout the entire piece, but he seems to get madder and madder as the song continues. And at the end, there's a beautiful devolution into anarchy. Vedder enters as he pleases and screams "spin." The other band members seem to play their instruments with no regard for pace or tone or timing. No one is in synch at all. It's a completely frenzied situation. It makes you feel like there's no release, nothing you can do. And, of course, that symbolizes addiction, particularly when addicts hit the bottom.

Al Weisel of Rolling Stone called the song a "revvedup thrash tribute to vinyl." David Browne of Entertainment Weekly said that it sounds "a little flabby, like dinosaur rockers trying to prove they're into Green Day." But I get the sense that Weisel and Browne didn't really listen to the song, the same mistake I made early on. To understand the true beauty of the piece is to listen to the music and lyrics together and to comprehend how everything fits together nicely. It may sound anarchistic, but unlike true anarchy, there's reason and structure behind it.

The 15-Year-Old Hero

2009-04-24T22:38:00.004-04:00

*I wrote this story about my friend Caleb Pike while I was a student at Elon. At the time both Caleb and I were juniors. It's difficult for Caleb to recount the details of this fateful day because he doesn't like to relive the situation. But after you read it, you'll learn the definition of a true American hero. I hope I did the story at least a little justice.

It was early, about 6:30 in the morning, and the traffic to work was still heavy. Caleb turned to his mother in the driver’s seat and did what most teenagers do on the last Friday of summer vacation: He complained.

“Traffic was [terrible],” Caleb said. “I was getting ready for school, and was kind of complaining about going back.” He also had contemplated requesting the day off from work, extending his last weekend of the summer to three days. But he thought to himself, “What’s one more day?”

He arrived at work in the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya, at about 7 a.m. It was a typical August day. A bit overcast, but the weather was cool. It’s never too hot in Nairobi because Kenya sits on a plateau.

He went down to the basement and prepared for his day. He worked in the commissary tending the cash register, stocking product, doing general repairs. He did a few odd jobs before setting to the task of fixing a broken typewriter. He fiddled with it for a few minutes before he heard the first loud bang. He set down the typewriter and his tools and walked out of the office to see what it was. At first, he thought maybe somebody a few floors up dropped a safe. No, he told himself, it was too loud.

Seconds later, a second bang. The building shook beneath his feet. The ceiling began to fall. The emergency lights turned on. Cement chalk filled the air.

Caleb started shaking. He mentally checked himself for any injuries. None. He remained calm and immediately thought of his mother. He hoped she was OK, but at this point, there was nothing he could do to help her. The aftershock of the bomb that contacted the embassy—the second band he heard—had forced the doors in the building shut, and they couldn’t be opened from the inside. Each door, though, could be opened with a five-digit code. He walked six feet across the carpeted hall and took a quick left. His manager’s office was in a corner, and she was trapped inside. As he tried to get the PIN from his boss, some Africans who were in the travel agency next to the commissary were screaming frantically. Caleb told them to be quiet so he could get the code. Successful. He opened the door and removed Giddy Shaw from the office. Then, he went back and grabbed the Africans. He maneuvered Shaw and the four Africans down the hallway. The restaurant and mail room at the other end was in sight.

The fake tile ceiling had fallen to the ground. The carpet was a mess. The fluorescent light fixtures were hanging tenuously. They swallowed chalk as they walked.

“The chalk fills your mouth like peanut butter, or like eating sand,” Caleb said. “Afterwards, you could tell who was in the building because they had a black ring around their mouth. It was hard to breath.”

The six-person convoy got half way down the hallway. Caleb ran into a Marine who had fallen three stories down an elevator shaft. Caleb told him to come with them, but the Marine declined. He said he needed some time. His ribs were broken. The Marine told Caleb to take the stairs. Caleb opened the door to the stairwell, craned his neck and noticed it was all clear. They got up one flight but could go no further. They left the stairwell and headed for a side door. The six exited through the parking garage. At the time, they didn’t know that’s where the bomb had exploded.

About 10 minutes after leaving his basement post, Caleb reached the top of the garage and ran into the in-house doctor. She was carrying a woman out of the building. The doctor handed the woman off to Caleb and told him to carry her the rest of the way. Caleb’s party had increased by one. The doctor headed back into the building, and Caleb, holding the woman and leading five others, was back in the paradoxically pleasant Nairobi weather.

“It was chaos,” Caleb said.

Eventually, someone took the woman from Caleb. Buses and cars were on fire. The school across the street had collapsed. The woman was replaced in Caleb’s arm with some classified information. Marines at the scene were running back and forth into the building to remove some of the important classified documents and making sure no one entered. Caleb delivered the papers. He hopped in a car and was taken to the U.S. Information Services building .
He was out. He was safe. He had never run. He had never panicked. He heard within moments of leaving the building that his mother was fine. It was an intense day. He had saved six lives – seven including his own.

He was 15.

Just a normal day

When Caleb left for work early the morning of August 17, 1998, he had no reason to think anything would go wrong. And why should he? Nothing had in the preceding summer months. His mother, Judy Pike – she worked for the embassy, greeting new employees and helping them get acclimated to the city – also had felt no need to worry. In fact, no one who worked in the building at the time expected a bombing. There were no previous intelligence reports that would suggest such a thing would happen. It surprised everyone.

“You hear different rumors and threats, letter bombs and things that might [happen],” Judy said. “I got too familiar and too relaxed. I was too comfortable.”

Judy pulled into the embassy. The building sat at the corner of a busy intersection, right on the sidewalk. Embassies these days must be built away from the street. They have to be set back for security reasons. But five years ago, that wasn’t the case.

“The people who actually go overseas and work over there have the understanding that there is some sort of risk,” Caleb said. “People know that now more than before, though.”

To be sure, Caleb was no stranger to living overseas. Aside from Nairobi, he has lived in Botswana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Niger, Liberia and the United States. At the time of the bombing, his father, Col. Dan Pike, was serving as a defense attaché. It was his job to understand the military capabilities of the surrounding nations. When the bombs exploded, his father was traveling abroad.

Shortly before 10:30 a.m., as Caleb worked with the typewriter, the guards outside the embassy had their first encounter with the terrorist bombers.

Lucky twice over

The first explosion wasn’t the one that inflicted the damage. The bombers, working for al-Qaede leader and mastermind Osama bin Laden, had thrown a grenade into the guards shack to create a diversion. The real bang, which would come only seconds later, could’ve been worse.

The intention of the bombers was to drive their truck into the bowels of the parking garage. If the bomb had been set off down there, the whole building would have collapsed. But the Marines standing duty gave their lives to ensure that didn’t happen. They distracted the driver. One Marine reached through the truck’s window and grabbed the wheel. As the driver and Marine struggled, the car veered off course and crashed into the side of the building. That set the bomb off, but the blast only went up the building. It didn’t cripple the building’s infrastructure at all. It blew out windows and doors, but the building still stood.

Caleb was working in the basement after the grenade exploded. Like most people in the embassy, he was overwhelmed with curiosity after he heard the sound. He walked out of the commissary to find out what happened. In the basement, though, there are no windows, so he couldn’t see what had happened. The people on the floors above him were not as fortunate. They left their desks to look out the windows. When the second explosion occurred – the real bomb – the windows shattered inward.

“People walked towards the windows, which was a problem,” Caleb said. “It blew all the windows and shredded people. Luckily, with my curiosity, I was below ground.”

Judy remained unharmed because 20 minutes before the explosion, she had left her office to meet a new employee. After she picked up the newcomer, she headed back to the embassy. She, too, heard a thundering noise. But there was construction going on in the area, so she thought nothing of it.

“I heard it, and didn’t put two and two together,” Judy said.

Soon enough, though, she noticed the destruction and mayhem.

“Someone told me that embassy had just been bombed, and I saw the ambassador, and she had some injuries,” Judy said. “I stopped and was numb because I realized Caleb was in building. I was kind of frozen. I couldn’t move for a little bit. I was shocked, because it hit me that it really happened, and I knew he was there.

“It might’ve been about five minutes, but it seemed like forever, [until] someone saw me and yelled out to me that they had seen Caleb leave the building.”

Mother and son reunited several minutes later at home. A total of 213 people were killed – 12 of whom were Americans and the bulk of whom were Kenyan civilians and bystanders – and more than 4,000 had been wounded.

Caleb, the hero

Caleb had no military training. He worked in the commissary. He sold food. He fixed things that needed fixing. The, curly blond-haired, blue-eyed kid from Fort Bragg, N.C., was studying geometry and algebra in his high school in Kenya. Roundly shaped, but built solidly like a wrestler, his large, round head sat on his broad shoulders – a neck conspicuously missing. What did he know about emergency rescue situations?

But instinct took over for Caleb.

“I don’t mean to sound cocky, but you either have it or you don’t,” Caleb said. “I didn’t have any training, it had to be instinct.”

Certainly, fear was present. But in the anxiousness of the situation, he never acknowledged it.
“Mostly it was just confusion, like what the heck had just happened,” he said. “A lot of it was still worrying about my mom. That was about it. Maybe that’s why I stayed calm because I wasn’t thinking about too much. I’m sure I was scared.”

Judy didn’t learn of her son’s heroics until the next day. She ran into a couple of the people he had rescued. They hugged her and told her Caleb was their hero.

“I was just very proud he could handle himself despite of what he was seeing: fires, death, ruin,” she said.

Caleb’s father also had him write down everything that had happened to him. Soon after, Caleb received the Department of State Award for Heroism, one of the more distinguished awards given to a civilian.

Now a junior at Elon University, he recalls his actions proudly, but infrequently. His unassuming manner and modesty belies the strength of character he displayed on that August day. And to think, he almost called into work that day.

A Typical Day in Wal-Mart (in 350 Words)

2009-04-23T19:03:00.002-04:00

*I wrote this feature while I was in Michael Skube's feature writing class at Elon University as an undergrad. The challenge was to write a full feature in no more than 350 words. It was a difficult assignment. Still, I thought I'd post it here for consumption. Enjoy.

A Typical Day in Wal-Mart (in 350 Words)

It requires the deft footwork, superior vision and quick steps more suited to an NFL running back. Hit the hole, spin around the cart, juke to the right, jump the child, and finally reach the electronics department.

Grab a cart, and it becomes tantamount to car racing. Take a hard right, pull in tightly behind another cart and wait for the chance to make a move to the outside. Beware of blind spots, though. Wrecks are sometimes inevitable.

Getting through Burlington’s Wal-Mart – the part department store, part grocery store – is a laborious task. It tests patience or boils blood. It remains busy from sun up to sunrise – all the more reason it shouldn’t have reallocated large chunks of its parking lot to the sale of soil, mulch and other gardening amenities.

“It’s as if the whole of Burlington is at the store at one time,” said Elon junior Joe Torralbes. “I like to do my shopping at 4 a.m.”

The store, located only a couple of miles from Elon University’s campus, is an overwhelming presence. It’s big business in an slow-moving, small country town. Walk through the sliding doors, occasionally receive a hearty “hello” from the greeter, and one’s immersed in the vastness of the Supercenter.

At least a half-mile from the front of the store to the back, and from side to side, Wal-Mart sells everything under its high ceilings and neon white lights. Board games, clothes, school supplies, groceries, electronics, Wal-Mart’s got it. And employees clad in blue vests scurry to their respective departments, perhaps making the store more bureaucratic than it need be.

The 30 terminals overrun the front end of the store, although rarely half of them are open. Of course, that forces lines to snake into aisles overrun with spilled merchandise and clog up the middle of the store.

And when the shopping is complete, one customer walks through the doors into the parking lot, cart in tow, sense of relief on his face. He mutters to himself, “That was a chore.”

The utterance isn’t sure to change next week.

In Flanders Field and World War II

2009-04-22T19:01:00.004-04:00

*This is the fourth in a series of four or five essays I wrote while I was in graduate school. I was going through some of my old grad school documents and came across the personal essays I wrote during my Advanced News Practices class, which I took from David Waters, who now works at The Washington Post. I thought throwing them up on the blog would be a good forum for them. So enjoy.

In Flanders Field and World War II
This story is about my visit to Normandy in France, where I got to stand on the same sand my great uncle did when he rushed the beaches (and survived) during World War II.

The bus slowed to a halt in the empty, dew-soaked parking lot. I slipped off with the rest of my classmates. We gathered for a moment, stretching out our tired and cramped legs and rubbing our sleep-deprived eyes. It had been long trip already, but we still had more than a week left. Our professors walked off the bus into the early-morning sun and led us up a brief, sinewy, stone pathway housed under the soft shade of the surrounding trees that may have been elms. I tugged down on my knit cap with a lowercase “dc” emblazoned on the front that symbolized the Washington Wizards, and I zipped up my red winter jacket as far as it would go and hid my mouth and nose behind it. The 30 of us – all battling the frigid January winter weather – soon turned a corner and set our road-weary sights on one of the more impressive and daunting sights we had ever seen. It stopped me cold for a moment. My feet seemed to be glued to the ground as I stared at the rows and rows of white, nondescript crosses that lined an undulating bright green countryside. The graves extended to the infinite horizon. It was early morning, so the sun was not at is peak. Shadows covered a great many of the graves, but the ones to the East were showered in the soft dawn tones of orange and yellow. The class fanned out across the graveyard.

On this trip across Europe, we had seen cemeteries in England, and would see mass graves in St. Petersburg, Russia. Yet for some reason, this American graveyard at Colleville sur Mer, which rested above the once blood-soaked Omaha Beach and deadly cliffs of Pointe du Hoc, seemed more awe-inspiring than anything we had seem before it or surely anything we would see later. The serenity of the morning, the structure of the cemetery and the gentle crashing of the waves on the beach belied the horrendous events that had transpired here less than 60 years ago.

As I walked among the knee-high graves, I thought back to John McCrae and his poem In Flanders Field. It was a World War I poem, but it held significance on this day:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below

Hundreds of graves are anonymous, some have identification marks and others bear the Star of David at the top to signify the death of a Jewish soldier. In the past, being in a cemetery forced me to recognize the finiteness of life, but standing there at Colleville made me ponder the D-Day invasion of 1944 that provided a rebirth for Americans and the inhabitants of this region. Then, I thought about my great-uncle Patrick Edward Fitzpatrick, or Uncle Eddie to me.

He slipped onto a landing barge that overcast June 6 day in 1944 and took the short, but assuredly tense, ride across the English Channel poised to continue the assault on the German forces at Normandy. He was 30 years old at the time – a bit older than the average soldier. He had been drafted into the war, or to him, stolen away by the Army from his job at Pepco and his life in Maryland. He was a tall, strapping, strong Irishman who had played some minor league baseball. (He often tells the story of showering next to Walter Johnson after one mid-summer game.) His job in the armed forces was to repair communication lines, so he was not a foot soldier, per se. When the boats approached the coast, he jumped over the side of the boat, waded through the water and hid behind a Jeep until he hit land. Once he felt the sand under his feet, he jumped into the nearest hole he could find until he was clear to continue his advance up the beach. He recalls looking to his left and watching Allied forces – mostly Americans – attempt to scale the vast, ominous wall of Pointe du Hoc. They were picked off easier than most. He says entire barges dumped only the dead into the Channel. He has no idea how anyone survived the invasion. Today, at 93 years old, he considers himself one of the lucky ones. (Ed. Note: My great uncle was 93 at the time this was written. He died two years later in 2007.)

All his stories careen through my head as I turn my empty stare from grave to grave. I rejoin the rest of the group and we begin our descent from the cemetery to the beach. We walk down a short pier and our professor tells us to take off our shoes and socks. We oblige and walk barefoot across the sand and toward the water. The wind whips off the Channel’s waters. I pull snugly on my knit cap again, my feet freezing in the wet, hard sand. My professor produces 32 roses. He hands all of us one rose apiece and tells us to wade knee deep into the water. Despite our better judgment, we follow his instructions. The cold water stings my bare skin. We form a circle, read In Flanders Field at our professor’s behest, observe a moment of silence and toss our roses into the water. It may seem like one of those typical cornball, cheesy movie moments, but I truly appreciated the gesture. I was standing on the very same beach my great-uncle was thrust onto in 1944. I was looking up the beach at the remnants of the German-used batteries that killed thousands upon thousands of Allied troops. I was having war flashbacks, or at least sympathy flashbacks.

I turned back with the rest of the group, did my best to dry my feet and put my shoes and socks back on. I walked up the hill to Colleville and took one last look at the immense cemetery. I felt a major pang of emotion overtake me, and I realized then and there my great uncle’s heroic acts, along with the other men and women who served that day, will always be remembered. I thought to myself that winter day in France that nothing I ever see or do will compare to my moments in Normandy at Omaha Beach. I tugged on my coat and walked back to the bus. We had more than a week to go and several more countries to visit, but the denouement of my trip happened at Omaha. The rest would only be filler.

Finding Solace in an iPod

2009-04-21T17:16:00.004-04:00

*This is the third in a series of four or five essays I wrote while I was in graduate school. I was going through some of my old grad school documents and came across the personal essays I wrote during my Advanced News Practices class, which I took from David Waters, who now works at The Washington Post. I thought throwing them up on the blog would be a good forum for them. So enjoy.

Finding Solace in an iPod
This story is about when I realized that my permanent residence was forever changed and how I used music to get me through the realization.

When things get too much for me, I retreat to my iPod. I know. It’s not very romantic. I don’t sit in the shade of a favorite tree, contemplating my finiteness in the midst of a larger world. I don’t lose myself in a sea of words penned by the great authors, displacing my psyche into a fictional dimension. I don’t have a significant other I run to for solace and a shoulder, discovering comfort in the arms of another. (Ed. Note: I do have that significant other now, who I can easily turn to in times of need. But when I wrote this, I didn't.) Instead, I plug in. I pick up the iPod, insert the buds into my ears and hit play. I let the music transport me. Who needs the choppy, abbreviated beauty of Hemingway and the biting satire of Heller when you have the cryptic lyrics coupled with rock-jazz stylings of Steely Dan and the reggae/rock/hip-hop/blues hybrid of Sublime? Who needs the everyman, depressing musings of Steinbeck and the wacky world of Trafalmadorians of Vonnegut when you have the blue-collar mentality of Bruce and the ghetto storytelling of Nas? In fact, as I sit here writing this, the music of Chris Thomas King plays in the background. His soft, understated yet powerful voice rips through the speakers as he tickles his acoustic guitar, fusing jazz and hip-hop to augment his mostly blues-dominated sound. He sings, while his guitar gently weeps – thank you, George – “Born under bad sign/I’ve been down since I began to crawl/If it wasn’t for bad luck/I wouldn’t have no luck at all.” The bluntness of the chorus is universal. At different times in our lives when the breaks don’t go our way, those words become paramount. When I feel down or stressed, I’m reminded of that chorus, and I immediately snatch up my iPod to hear which artist will attempt to staunch my temporary era of bad feelings.

The reference to the iPod may suggest this is a recent behavior. But I’ve looked to music for many years, whether it required using a Walkman, a Discman or even a record player when I had an urge to listen to my father’s “Snoopy and the Red Baron” 45. (Although, that song never really held much cultural or emotional significance for me. I left that to the Abbey Road LP.) Music speaks to me. Honest, open, thoughtful lyrics reach me and usually prove more expressive than I do. The instruments talk to me, oftentimes demonstrating more emotion than I ever illustrate. It’s that rich, textured combination of words and sounds that allows me to examine myself and research my affections. I need an impetus, something to catalyze me so that I can discover what I’m feeling and why it’s causing me such joy or anger or sadness or disappointment or wherever else I’ve stopped on the gamut of emotions. With the end of the semester bearing down, I often feel overwhelmed by the papers, the reading, the studying, the graduate assistantship, the freelancing and the prospect of a relationship. In order to slow myself down and push all that to the back of my mind, I turn to Common, a smooth, smoky-voiced, socially-conscious rapper. I flip to his song “Be” from his album of the same name. It’s the short introduction to his powerful 11-track album and contains a funky bass riff that builds to a climax before eventually being overtaken by a chorus of violins that pushes the bass to the background. Common quickly rips through his song, ending with the words: “Never looking back or too far in front of me/The present is a gift/And I just wanna BE.” Those three simple lines dominate my thoughts and cause a platonic shift in my mentality. It lends perspective to a mind that was previously too cluttered to find it.

I recall one time in particular where music really helped lift me from the doldrums. After I finished my sophomore year at Elon, I decided to stay in North Carolina for the summer so I could work at the local newspaper in Burlington. Indeed, I had already lived away from home for four semesters of college, but it dawned on me fairly quickly into the summer that I probably wouldn’t be going home for an extended period of time ever again. This thought jolted me. I had grown accustomed to being away at college, but I had never allowed the thought to enter my mind that my permanent residence was no longer so permanent. I sat at my desk in my apartment and stared at the computer screen in quiet contemplation. I could feel a lump welling in my throat; the one that warns of possible tears. I was alone, but I wouldn’t let myself cry. I forced my lip to stop quivering, shook my distant and detached stare and opened the iTunes application on my PC. I skipped toward the end of my play list for some Steely Dan. They’re low-toned, jazzy rhythms would soothe me, I thought. I played “Deacon Blues,” a not-so-veiled reference to a school a few miles down the interstate from me. The song cuts in with a light tapping of the cymbals, Walter Becker’s restrained electric guitar and the inauthentic – yet wholly effective – synthesized sounds of a flute. Donald Fagen’s untraditional voice, tinged with his trademark lisp, enters and the antiheroes’ dance begins. The song, while seemingly about a resignation to the L.A. musician’s lifestyle, has a practical application for me. The lyrics seem to have a more ubiquitous quality. To me, I sense not only the loneliness, but also the surrender to it. Fagen sings, “I crawl like a viper/Through these suburban streets/Make love to these women/Languid and bittersweet/I'll rise when the sun goes down/Cover every game in town/A world of my own/I'll make it my home sweet home.” As is true with most Steely Dan tracks, the horns sneak onto the track later, culminating with a prominent, well-placed and poignant saxophone solo. (An appropriate choice, considering the chorus mentions a saxophone.) The chorus: “I'll learn to work the saxophone/I'll play just what I feel/Drink Scotch whisky all night long/And die behind the wheel/They got a name for the winners in the world/I want a name when I lose/They call Alabama the Crimson Tide/Call me Deacon Blues.” I feed off the disconsolate, abandoned feeling emanating from the song, and in some weird way, it makes me feel better. Maybe I needed to know others out there experience a sense of homelessness. Whatever the reason, it forced me to crack a bit of a smile, and it helped me through that evening. I admit, maybe one or two tears reached the ducts. But Steely Dan at least put a smile on my face while they rolled down my cheek.

Does the 'L' in LSAT Stand for Loser or Learned?

2009-04-20T19:05:00.012-04:00

*This is the second in a series of four or five essays I wrote while I was in graduate school. I was going through some of my old grad school documents and came across the personal essays I wrote during my Advanced News Practices class, which I took from David Waters, who now works at The Washington Post. I thought throwing them up on the blog would be a good forum for them. So enjoy.

Does the 'L' in LSAT Stand for Loser or Learned?
This story is about my experience taking the LSAT during my senior year of college and the grander lesson it taught me about making rash decisions.

I walked out of my professor’s office with my head down. I dragged my feet slightly and slumped my shoulders. I found myself in a state of intense contemplation, although to the students who passed me in the hallway, I probably appeared more comical, like a living, breathing caricature of a dejected Charlie Brown. But truly, I was in serious thought. I was in my senior year as an undergrad, and my future lay unmapped. I had not a single idea of what I wanted to do once these quick four years of college came to an end. Should I continue my education? Should I join the work force? Should I take a year off from school? These are the typical questions that more than likely pinball around the heads of all soon-to-be graduates. They affected me, as well. Like a finely placed haymaker, my concern about my options (or lack thereof) staggered me. The uneasiness gripped me, and in a moment of un-clarity, I made a rash decision: I’ll take the LSAT.

I had always considered a career in law because my father is a lawyer and because my mother told me I would make a good attorney. (But motherly approval is often blind, so I took that bit of reasoning with a grain of salt.) Mostly, I decided to take the LSAT because of my scant experience in the field of journalism and my indecision about the importance of graduate school for journalism. Admittedly and unfortunately, the prospect of a career that pays – literally – colored my judgment.

I made up my mind to take the test fairly late in the school year, which didn’t provide me with enough time to prepare adequately. I bought the review books with the practice tests, every one of which proclaimed loudly on the cover with big bold block letters that it was the No. 1 test preparation guide money could buy. I hurriedly signed up for a weekend course, which consisted of two, eight-hour days. Apparently, this short, but intense, mental workout was sold as a satisfactory substitute for the normal multi-week courses. I didn’t buy it. But I attended both sessions, which were held in a cramped conference room at a hotel in Raleigh, N.C., perhaps further confirmation that this weekend LSAT walkthrough wasn’t the best choice. Still, I left each session with a throbbing headache. I was used to the marathon of a semester. Now, I had to acclimate myself to the sprint of a two-day schedule. I made it through the weekend of classes with my bottle of tension headache medication and, more importantly, a better, if not complete, knowledge of what to expect on the LSAT.

Now, I had two weeks until the test. I set aside four-hour chunks of time every day for the next 14 days. I locked myself in a room in the library on Elon’s campus and took practice test after practice test. A passerby probably noticed the excruciating mental pain I endured while in the room. A pencil held firmly in my right hand, sweat just noticeable on my brow, my left hand propping up my head as I read through each question multiple times, my wristwatch ticking silently as it counted down the finite minutes I had to complete a section. Every test I took showed no marked improvement. I was concerned. But soon enough, the day for the test arrived.

I drove to the University of Greensboro in my 1997 Taurus with the music blaring, so as to block out any distractions. I arrived at the campus, parked and walked to the building. I checked in, sat down and felt my heartbeat throbbing in my chest. The anticipation and a feeling of ineptness struck me from every angle. As the tests were distributed, I tried to quell the feelings by thinking about baseball or television or anything else. It hardly worked. I poured over every question in the booklet. Sometimes I read a question so many times, the words lost their meaning.

Seven hours later I had finished the test. I left with a feeling of accomplishment. Not because I thought I preformed well, though. In fact, my confidence was slowly eroding as I made the long walk back to my car. I only found solace in the fact that there was nothing I could do to amend the situation now.

I received my scores three weeks later, and as I suspected, I scored below average. I went into a brief bout of denial. “I never do well on standardized tests,” I told myself. “Had I prepared more, I would’ve done better, I’m sure,” I said. But eventually, I had to deal honestly with myself. I made a mistake. I allowed pre-graduation jitters guide me into a test I was never prepared to take. I let my emotions veto my rationality. And I paid for it. No decent law school would accept me on the strength of my GPA alone.

I don’t regret taking the taking the test. I regret the decision-making process, which led to my poor preparation. I have vowed never to allow myself to rush to judgment. Thoughtful contemplation and meticulous execution will always trump hasty determinations. But like most life-lessons, I had to learn that the hard way.

I Make the Can't Cut List

2009-04-19T15:44:00.002-04:00

*This is the first in a series of four or five essays I wrote while I was in graduate school. I was going through some of my old grad school documents and came across the personal essays I wrote during my Advanced News Practices class, which I took from David Waters, who now works at The Washington Post. I thought throwing them up on the blog would be a good forum for them. So enjoy.

I Make the Can't Cut List
This story is about the day during my junior year of high school that I realized I had made the high school basketball team.

The alarm blares. The obnoxious, high-pitched beeping startles me from sleep. It immediately puts me in a bad mood. I roll over and swipe at the clock aimlessly until I hit the snooze button. I throw my legs over the side of the bed and lay my face in my hands. It’s 6:30 a.m. and the sun has yet to penetrate the darkness leftover from the previous evening. No one should be awake before the sun returns from its respite. I’m half-asleep, but a coherent thought races through my still slumbering mind, anyway. I leap from my sitting position, hurry from my bedroom and rush down the hall to get ready for school.

Today. I’ve waited five years, six months and a handful of days. But who’s counting?

I clean myself up, grab my books, yell for my sister to get herself ready, and when she finally emerges from her room fully primped, the two of us leave the house and begin our short walk to school. Yet today, the less than quarter-mile stroll feels like a marathon because my anxiousness distracts me. I walk at a brisk pace, but still my heart pounds as if I had just run suicides at football practice on a mid-August afternoon. I try not to let the frigidity of the November morning bother me. I concentrate on the frozen blades of grass that crack under my feet. It helps clear my mind, but I know when I walk through those doors I’ll head straight to the basketball coach’s office where the list will be taped to the wall.

My sister and I arrive at school. She meets up with her friends, and I bob and weave through the crowd of bused-in students with the dexterity of an NFL running back. I leave the cold behind and walk down the hallways, sweat forming on my brow from a combination of the heated hallways and the anticipation. I remember the final day of cuts from three years of middle school and my first two years of high school. But this year, my junior year, it feels different. This time, I expect my name to be on the list, not absent from it, as had been the case in previous years.

I turn a corner and walk down the hallway toward my coach’s office. My every movement plays out in slow motion in my mind until I arrive. The list hangs motionless, staring back at me blankly, a single strip of tape holding it to the wall. I agonize over every name. I sound them out slowly, phonetically. Jaime Hollander. Not mine. Rodney Britt. Not mine. C.J. Williams. Almost mine. It started with a “C.” Fourth name. Colin Donohue. Internally, I let out a large sigh of relief. My shoulders slump slightly as relaxation overcomes me. I allow a glimpse of a smile. My friend and now teammate C.J. stands behind me. He was almost assured of a spot on the roster. I was not, and he knows that. He pats me on my back and leaves.

“I made the basketball team,” I say to myself. “And it only took five years, six months and a handful of days.”

But I wasn’t counting.

Best TV Show Theme Songs

2009-04-03T21:08:00.002-04:00

So ER came to a close last night after 15 years on the air. The TV drama, which started its run in 1994, boasted a bevy of stars during its run, George Clooney probably the most notable among them. In the interest of full disclosure, I can tell you that I watched the show on and off during its first five or so years, but really for the last decade ER has never been appointment television for me. It's not that I thought the program was bad or boring. I just didn't seem to care about it all that much. That said, I watched the series finale last night on and off (my attention was primarily focused on the Washington Wizards victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers, 109-101), and I felt a bit of nostalgia. Partly because the show really did leave an impact on the TV drama landscape, and partly because no matter who the producers cast on the show, there was always great chemistry among the actors.

But what really got to me was the final three minutes of the show, when the ER theme began playing, and the doctors at County General continue to do their day-to-day business of saving lives.

There was always something about the ER theme that stuck with me. What can I say. It's a great piece of music. So I thought I'd post my top 8 favorite TV show theme songs here. If you have any you want to include, feel free to leave a comment. But who am I kidding? No one reads this.

1. Cheers

2. The Simpsons

3. Law & Order

4. MASH

5. ER

6. The Office

7. Night Court

8. Taxi

Jay Cutler NOT coming to D.C.

2009-04-02T13:41:00.005-04:00

The fact that former Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler is NOT coming to Washington, D.C., to play for the Redskins is the news here. Sure, sure. He's going to the Chicago Bears for one of their lamentable quarterbacks and a couple of first rounders. But really, that's not the newsworthy angle to this story. Why? Because whenever there's a "name" on the market, the Skins are in the mix, and you can usually expect the idiotic tandem of owner Dan Snyder and general manager(?) Vinny Cerrato to get their guy. The one player who's going to return the organization to greatness. They've been doing this for more than a decade, and it's failed every year. It's produced a grand total of ONE playoff win. But hey, if it ain't broke, right?

There was a lot of debate about this entire ordeal, though. Was it a good move for the Redskins? Is Jason Campbell, their current quarterback, better or worse than Cutler? Of the quarterbacks, who would give Washington the best chance at winning a Super Bowl title? All legitimate questions, of course. And the back-and-forth, primarily on the Washington Post Redskins Insider blog, was contentious at times. (But I guess that's the price you pay for the anonymity of the Internet.)

Where did I stand on this whole thing? DO NOT trade for Cutler. DO NOT engage in discussions with the Broncos about getting Cutler. DO NOT pick up the phone. DO NOT send a fax. DO NOT fire off an e-mail. DO NOT communicate with the team at all. Stay away. Not because Cutler is a bad player (although he's not nearly as good as he thinks he is) and not because Campbell is the answer for the Redskins. But because the Redskins absolutely have to get away from doing business the way they've been doing it for 10+ years. The idea of the Skins trading for Cutler was (and still is) one of the stupidest things I've ever heard. Sadly, that's exactly why I thought the loser Snyder (I use the word loser not as a judgment of his character but as a judgment of the team's performance since he's become owner) would make it happen. My Skins fandom becomes shaken every time he gleefully pursues the big free agent or trade fodder. If this team were built properly and smartly, played hard and with great intensity, and still came up short at the end of a season, I could deal with that. But when it's pieced together by some Lilliputian fantasy football owner and then fails on the field (to Snyder's surprise), it's more difficult to deal with.

Still, there were some out there who said the Skins should pay two first-round picks (plus Campbell or plus cornerback Carlos Rodgers or even according to one report, plus safety LaRon Landry) for Cutler because he's the guy who will lead the Skins deep into the playoffs (even though Cutler hasn't made the playoffs yet in his career). Why? Because Campbell doesn't work in head coach Jim Zorn's West Coast Offense. Because Campbell holds onto the ball too long. Because Campbell can't come through in the clutch. Because Campbell throws behind his receivers, negating yards after catch, an obvious must in the WCO. Because Campbell stares down his primary receiver and then has trouble checking down. Are all of those legitimate arguments? To some extent, yes. But the bigger picture isn't about Campbell specifically, it's about what the team truly needs to fix to be successful. It's depth and young talent on the offensive line, production from wide receivers not named Santana Moss. It's depth on the defensive line. It's quality linebackers. And you know what? A quarterback, no matter who he is, won't fix all those problems. That's why you build through the draft and add a key free agent piece here and there.

But here are a couple of comments from users of the Redskins Insider blog that left my mouth agape. (I've removed the names to protect the idiots or the ignorant.)

I can't believe I'm reading all the posts saying boycott and blah blah blah...are you kidding me? What has JC done that makes him such a sacred cow, if you can get Cutler and Shanahan and have the stability of Shanahan as your coach for a long time and a 25 year old QB that can be your QB for a decade? give it to me plz. I'm tired of JC and I watched last season where we signed nobody and whiffed on 9 draft picks so I say trade the picks that you'd probably whiff on anyway for a franchise QB.

OK, but see the larger picture. It's really not specifically about Campbell. It's about how the Skins do business and how it hasn't worked in more than a decade. Sure, on paper, Cutler looks great (despite the fact he's a prima donna with an incredibly large ego). But former head coach Joe Gibbs looked good, too, as did former coach Marty Schottenheimer when he took over. But how did that turn out? Gibbs didn't get it done in four years, and Marty was given no chance to turn the team around. This is just Snyder again going for the big splash with no consideration for the ripple effect it leaves behind.

Shanahan hand picked Cutler. Shanahan is an offensive genius that can competently call a game from the sidelines. And has always built a dominant well-schooled Offensive line as a supreme judge of talent. Combine his HC skills and Cutler at QB with the NFL's 4th rated Defense.. and the Skins could be quite formidable next year. On the other hand, keep Campbell and Zorn, who the opposing Defensive Coordinators figured out in the last 8 games of last year (2-6 W-L).. you will have the same if not worst record next year..This is a no brainer if Snyder can pull it off.. If he does..09 would be something to look forward to...

(An aside: There was some talk that the Skins were going to go after former Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan.) But this is exactly the kind of thinking under Snyder's tenure that's led to ONE playoff win. You absolutely CANNOT continue to change quarterbacks and coaches on a whim and expect success. Guess what? It's never instant in the NFL. Sometimes it takes two or three years. So patience is required. Take some time, and you'll see results. But when you go the other way and continue to have high turnover throughout the roster, you'll never become a Super Bowl caliber team. And when you continue to bring in free agents, you never establish an identity. There's no "Redskins Way" of doing things because free agents come in with their own set of beliefs and habits. But when you draft guys young and keep them around, you establish a culture. Then, when you bring in one or two key free agents, they fall in line. But when you continually shop, you ruin any chance of having an organizational identity. Snyder is a travesty, and he's the worst thing EVER to happen to the Redskins.

Furthermore, the one thing Vinny has done OK decently is draft. He's found some good depth guys. Not many superstars, but good depth folks. So I'd rather entrust him to make selections in the draft than on the free agent market. But why does getting Cutler make this team better? He's 17-20. Campbell is 16-20. Cutler plays in a MUCH weaker division. He hasn't been to the playoffs. And why would Cutler play well in an offense that can't block pass rushers and can't generate any kind of passing game anyway because the receivers are small and unable (aside from Moss) to get open? Not sure how this is an improvement in any way. It's a lateral move, really, and the Skins would have given up a ton to make no forward progress. (I guess the whole thing could be an analogy for their putrid offense.)

As I said and you quoted, JASON CAMPBELL CAN BE A QB ON A SUPERBOWL WINNING TEAM. But if you're gonna count on him to win it like a Tom Brady or a Peyton Manning, well, **** in one hand and wish in the other cause it ain't happening.

Cutler isn't going to do that, either. But if you keep your draft picks, fill in the glaring holes and let Campbell manage the game (a la, Trent Dilfer), maybe he does become a Super Bowl winning QB. But if you trade away picks and other players to get Cutler, then you have absolutely ZERO CHANCE of winning.

So those are my two (long) cents about this whole thing. Here's a good joke I read on the blog today, and it's a good parting shot.

Q: Who's Dan Snyder's favorite coach and quarterback?

A: The next one.

Coen Trailers

2009-02-07T18:46:00.004-05:00

Building on the last post, here are the trailers to my top 5 Coen Brothers movies.

Fargo Trailer

The Big Lebowski Trailer

Miller's Crossing Trailer

O Brother, Where Art Thou? Trailer

No Country for Old Men Trailer

The Coen Brothers

2009-02-07T17:45:00.004-05:00

When I was in college, I took a film class that required a 30-page, end-of-term paper. It could be on any topic we chose, so I decided to write about the Coen Brothers as one of the few remaining auteurs in Hollywood these days. (And yes, I'm referring to Joel and Ethan Coen as a single entity. One gets credit for directing, one gets credit for producing and both get credit for writing. But the two of them do it all, and folks on their sets have always said the duo thinks with the same brain.) I had a great time researching and writing the paper. I unearthed some interesting perspectives about their work. For example, one author said that all Coen Brothers movies could be classified as both black comedy and film noir. That's a pretty true analysis. Another said that every one of their films has some kind of theme that seems to tie everything together (like the Dude's rug). It could be floors and feet in "Burn After Reading," hats in "Miller's Crossing" or the mysterious box in "Barton Fink."

But no matter what their biographers and authors have said, I've always enjoyed their films. They're shot intricately. They look beautiful. The dialogue is always true to the time and region. They're hysterically funny. The acting is always well measured first class. And yes, the films can be quirky, but there's always a reason for it. They're usually not weird for the sake of being weird. (I think it's a travesty that they've only been recognized for two major Academy Awards. They won for writing for "Fargo" and Best Picture for "No Country for Old Men." But they've produced several films worthy of award-recognition.)

So today, I watched two Coen Brothers movies: "The Big Lebowski" and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" I got to thinking about how I would rank their movies based on my personal preferences. So below, you can find the list of their movies (ones they wrote and directed) to date in order of release, then my completely subjective ranking. Keep in mind that even the films at the bottom of my list I still have a great affinity for. So movie No. 13 is not a movie I dislike. I enjoy all of their films, and I suspect I always will. Enjoy.

Coen Brothers Releases

My Rankings

Fargo: This may very well be my favorite movie ever. I love how desolate the Coens make the landscape look. I love the dark comedy that underlies the entire film. I love the subtle characterizations and interplay between the actors. Just a fantastic film with a famous scene involving a wood chipper. Memorable line: "You betcha."
The Big Lebowski: The Coens have said that after making a dramatic film, they like to relax by writing a loose, fun comedy. Hence, The Big Lebowski in the heels of Fargo. (And Burn afte Reading on the heels of No Country for Old Men.) This movie could be John Goodman's best work. This is truly a film noir, as the Dude gets drawn into detective work just because someone peed on his rug. Memborable Line: "Nihilists! Fuck me. I mean, say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos."
Miller's Crossing: This could be the closest that the Coens got to making a gangster film. But to call it that would be to pigeonhole it unfairly. It's a taut drama that's wonderfully shot with a hopeless protagonist. Gabriel Byrne's best work. Memorable Line: "Nobody knows anybody. Not that well."
O Brother, Where Art Thou?: Based on The Odyssey by Homer, this film follows three jailbirds who busted off the chain gang for freedom. They run into several trials and tribulations along the way. One of George Clooney's finest performances. Memorable Line: "A woman is the most fiendish instrument of torture ever devised to bedevil the days of man."
No Country for Old Men: This film was based on a book, and I don't think any other directors could've captured the look and feel of a deserted Western town any better than the Coens. It's a chase movie, but in this one, it's the bad guy pursuing the good guy. Plus, there's a unique twist at the end of the movie that leaves an impact on the viewer. Memorable Line: "Call it."
Barton Fink
Blood Simple
The Hudsucker Proxy
The Man Who Wasn't There
Burn after Reading
The Ladykillers
Raising Arizona
Intolerable Cruelty

'Injustice Tinged with Irony'

2008-11-07T10:03:00.008-05:00

I find it interesting that the Mormon church would be the one sending tons and tons of money to California to help ban gay marriage. An initiative on the ballot in California--Prop 8--gave the people a chance to weigh in on the issue. Voters passed the resolution, meaning homosexuals cannot be married in California. (Keep in mind that gay marriage was legal in California prior to Prop 8.) But the brief history is this: Mormons moved across the country hundreds of years ago so they could practice their religion without persecution. They, in part, wanted men to be able to marry several women. It was non-traditional, and that rankled, mostly, the Catholic/Protestant/Christian churches. Today, polygamy is not widely accepted in the Mormon church. But at the time, Mormons, rightly so, didn't want people telling them whom they could and couldn't marry. Now, though, they're trying to tell gay people that they shouldn't be married because it's non-traditional. The irony in that statement is dripping. Mormons would be well served to view this issue in their own historical context and allow gay people to marry if they so choose. When there are so many other issues affecting this nation within and abroad, why people continually attempt to argue this gay marriage/adoption issue is beyond me. Let people live how they want to live.

(I singled out the Mormons because of their history of escaping intolerance so that they could live freely. But the real issue herein--let people live--could apply to any number of religious groups. For example, Catholics have no right to decry anyone's way of living after what happened with several of the church's priests and young boys.)

http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=189782&title=i-now-denounce-you-chucklarry

A Day of Hope

2008-11-05T21:18:00.001-05:00

Last night made me hopeful for this nation again. A new name in leadership will lead this country out of the morass developed and cultivated by years of Republican leadership. It's time for a positive change, and I think we now have it. Celebrate the new frontier ahead of us and get ready to see America stand tall once again.

LeTravel James

2008-03-30T12:31:00.004-04:00

In my last post (the Wizards @ Sonics running commentary), I posted a couple of YouTube videos featuring LeTravel James doing what he does best -- traveling. One of the videos chronicles a walk he took in Game 3 of the 2005-06 first-round playoff series against the Wizards. The basket he made after his travel proved to be the game winner. The game's announcers didn't realize he walked, but I clearly remember saying outloud: "Travel!" (Also, LeTravel walked again on a game winner in Game 4. It went uncalled, of course.)

Anyway, little did I know that the NBA produced a commercial that described what a "travel" is. And guess what example they used to demonstrate the act of traveling? That's right. LeTravel's walk from Game 3 of the 2005-06 first-round playoff series against the Wizards. Below is the commercial. It's nice that the NBA recognized LeTravel's travel even though the three refs who officiated the game missed it.

Seriously, this guy takes more steps than the cast of S.T.O.M.P.

Wizards @ Sonics Running Commentary

2008-03-26T21:53:00.018-04:00

In an attempt to provide more frequent updates to this usually (and unfortunately) dormant blog, I thought I would provide a running commentary of tonight's Wizards-Sonics match up in Seattle. (You've gotta love the NBA League Pass. It's simply fantastic. I can watch any game I want any day of the week. I got it ostensibly so I could watch the Wizards. But I've found myself enjoying so many other games throughout the course of the season. I wonder how I ever lived without it.) Refresh your page often because I'll be updating often.

9:57 p.m.: The Wizards come into tonight's game against Seattle having lost an ugly game last night to the Portland Trailblazers. I saw no hustle, no heart, no energy, no determination, no awareness. The starters were particularly bad, and as great job Eddie Jordan has done this season, he didn't get his team prepared for last night's game. And he certainly didn't go to his bench early enough in the second half when his starters were flailing away. Anyway, it was plain bad. And it was an important game because it was Washington's first contest on this five-game West Coast swing. They play at Seattle tonight, at Sacramento, at Los Angeles and at Utah. Beating Portland, Seattle and Sacto were imperative because there's virtually no way the Wizards will take down either Utah or L.A.

It's even more important because of the Eastern Conference playoff standings. Right now, the Wizards sit in fifth place, with an opportunity to overtake the overrated Cavaliers, a team that features the overhyped LeTravel James. But three or four loses out West could doom the Wizards and shuffle them down to seventh place, which would yield a first-round series against the Detroit Pistons.

More from LeTravel:

10 p.m.: The Wizards game is about to start, so in the meantime, I'm watching the Heat and Knicks play in overtime. I guess the League Pass isn't always a great thing. Seriously, Miami and New York, the two worst teams in the East -- in the East! -- were a combined 32-108 going into their match up tonight. I guess after this evening's game, they'll be a combined 33-109. Even when one wins, one loses. There's some kind of irony in there somewhere.

10:12 p.m.: Brendan Haywood hits a lay up and draws the foul. He's been playing some inspired ball this year, and perhaps more impressive is his drastically improved free throw shooting. When he gets off to a good start, he changes the dynamic of this Wizards squad. And Haywood with another dunk. He has Washington's first five points so far. (Meanwhile, New York won in overtime. I know you were wondering.)

10:16 p.m.: The Sonics take a timeout as Washington goes up 11-4 early. They already look crisper and more focused than they did last night. Is that because of the competition? (I'm also looking forward to seeing Kevin Durant play. The kid's a talent.)

10:20 p.m.: How about all this coverage of the Sonics' potential (and highly likely) move out of Seattle? I can't imagine Seattle without a basketball team. And quite frankly, no matter how impressive the crowds were for the Hornets that last couple of years, I'm not sure Oklahoma City will be able to sustain an NBA franchise as well as Seattle has. That said, the folks in Seattle need to step up and finance a new arena for the Sonics. It's worth it economically. (Oh yeah, and the Wizards are up 21-14 with about five minutes left in the first quarter.)

10:31 p.m.: Eddie Jordan goes to his bench early tonight (finally), bringing in Roger Mason and Darius Songaila in the first quarter. Mason replaced DeShawn Stevenson, who had attempted six 3-pointers in nine minutes of action. (He made two.) After one quarter, Washington leads 29-23.

10:41 p.m.: The problem with the Wizards is that they too quickly (and too often) turn into a jump shooting team. When that happens, they lose all offensive flow and slack off on defense. That's what has happened early in this second quarter. They held a six-point lead after one, but now Seattle leads 35-33 four minutes into the second. The Wizards are at their best when they're attacking the basket, but they fall in love with the jump shot instead. That's one reason Washington is one of the better offensive rebounding teams in the league -- they miss a ton of jump shots. Meanwhile, Seattle is also outhustling Washington on the boards. Lack of effort and focus is a major reason the Wizards lost last night.

10:52 p.m.: The Wizards had been playing pretty sound defense lately, but tonight and last night, they've regressed big time. Matadors beware. Your jobs aren't safe. (For a humorous look at all things Wizards/Bullets, check out Wizznutzz. The videos are parodies of the NBA's "Where Amazing Happens" ads.)

11:36 p.m.: The Wizards entered halftime down 56-50. With about two minutes left in the third quarter, they're still trailing. They've opened this half with almost zero intensity and focus. (Are you sensing a theme here?) Example: Sonics forward Nick Collison had 15 rebounds in the first half. Fifteen rebounds is excellent for an entire game, but he recorded 15 rebounds in less than 24 minutes of play.

The Wizards have now nailed a couple of baskets to lessen the deficit to seven points, but they allowed Seattle to go up by as much as 13 points in the third. That's unacceptable. If the loss to Portland didn't knock some sense into them, I don't know what will. But if ever there were a must-win game this late in the season, it's tonight. Philly already beat Chicago, so now the 76ers are tied with the Wizards. If Washington loses, Philly climbs into fifth place and Washington dropts to sixth. (Now the Wizards are losing by nine. They ripped off a 10-0 run to bring the deficit to seven, but they missed a lay up and long jumper with a Seattle made field goal in between to fall back by nine, 75-66, with less than a minute remaining in the third quarter.)

11:43 p.m.: It's 75-68 entering the fourth quarter. The Wizards defense picked up (only 19 points allowed that frame), but the offense still lagged (just 18 points scored). They're not putting it all together tonight. When their offense is clicking, their defense is falling apart. When their defensive is staunch, their offense is relegated to long jumpers that often fall short. The sad part about this is that after an atrocious 4-10 month of February, the Wizards had started March 8-3 with wins against teams like New Orleans, Detroit and Cleveland. The Wizards must focus because they simply can't afford to finish lower than sixth in the EC. Finish sixth, and they face the Magic. Finish fifth, and they face Cleveland. Both of those are winnable series. Finish seventh, and they face Detroit. While the Wizards have matched up well against the Pistons in the past, they wouldn't be able to beat them in a seven-game series.

11:52 p.m.: The Wizards have clawed back into this one. With a little less than nine minutes left in the game, the Wizards are down 82-80. Why? They've attacked the basket, and they've relied on Mason to knock down some 3's. A 12-7 run to open the fourth quarter helps, too.

11:55 p.m.: The Wizards take the lead 85-84 at the 7:42 mark of the fourth quarter. It's their first lead since the second quarter. And a Songaila basket at 7:17 makes it 87-84 Wizards. The Wizards are on a 31-11 run that's spanned the third and fourth quarters.

Midnight: The Wizards are up 92-89 with 5:29 left in the fourth. Seattle is being torched by the hard-cutting Songaila and sharp shooting Mason. Mason nailed a 3 from five feet behind the 3-point line at the top of the key. Durant followed with a 3-pointer from the wing to pull the Sonics to within three of the Wizards. Now, Washington is finally running its offense. Good ball movement up top, strong cutting through the lane, great off-ball action. It's all translating to Mason 3's or Songaila layups. (I forgot to mention that I was also looking forward to seeing Georgetown product Jeff Green get some run tonight. We all know Durant will be a great player for the Sonics. But Green has the potential to be Durant's Scottie Pippen. Those two will run this Sonics franchise for years to come.)

12:07 a.m.: Seattle calls a 20-second timeout because Washington has taken a 99-91 lead with 2:54 remaining after a Jamison layup (assisted by Mason). Roger has scored 22 points, and Songaila has added 10. Those are 32 huge points off the bench for Washington, and it's why they've been able to take over this game. After the timeout, Eddie Jordan replaces Mason with Stevenson for defensive purposes. I don't like this substitution because Mason is a decent on-ball defender, and Stevenson certainly isn't going to shoot as well as Mason. So far, no problems because Caron Butler hit a layup to put Washington up 101-92.

12:15 a.m.: The Wizards use a strong second half, in which they only allow the Sonics to score 43 points, to close out a lesser Sonics team 104-99 and get their first win on this five-game WC swing. The Wizards were down 73-56 after Francisco Elson hit a 5-footer at the 4:16 mark of the third quarter. But after that basket, Washington outscored Seattle 48-26. You can check out the boxscore, but some important stats and notes from tonight's game:

Because of Philly's win early tonght, this was an important W for Washington. They kept the 76ers in the sixth spot for at least one more evening. It also means the Wizards picked up a game on the Cavs because Cleveland lost to New Orleans tonight.
It was vital for the Wizards to respond after last night's poor showing in Portland. They did what they had to do tonight to beat Seattle. It's good momentum going into Friday night's game against Sacramento and beyond.
Jordan trusted his bench more tonight than last night, and it paid off for him. He played Mason and Songaila for some extended time tonight in the second half, and they rewarded him. Mason dropped 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting (6-of-9 from 3-point range). Mason was great curling off screens and dribbling around screens to find his shot. Songaila scored 10 points on four field goals, but more importantly, he was active, as usual, playing great position defense, extending guards while defending the pick-and-roll and slashing to the basket for layups.
Durant scored 32 points and show 13-for-22 from the field. For a guy who's struggled with his field goal percentage most of the season, he shot lights out tonight.
The Sonics outrebounded yet another team tonight. They grabbed 49 boards to Washington's 34. Speaking of rebounds ...
Jamison put together another ho-hum double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Let's see where the Wizards go from here. Is this a flukey win out West, or one that will spur the team to more victories while it makes its way through Sacto, L.A. and Salt Lake? We'll find out Friday.

Democratic Debate at Elon?

2008-03-26T21:22:00.006-04:00

I received a news tip today that Elon has inquired about potentially hosting a Democratic debate before North Carolina's primary election on May 6. This is big news for the school and a major coup, if the Democratic party selects Elon as the host site. Nothing is certain at this moment, as Elon hasn't even been told when the party will make a decision. Elon is up against N.C. State, Wake Forest and Duke, at the moment. Wake has hosted debates in 2000 and 1988. You can read more about this developing story at The Pendulum Web site.

Some other quick hitters:

I've been posting a lot of videos on my blog recently, which is troublesome for those of you who may read my notes on Facebook. When Facebook imports my notes from Blogger, it doesn't import the embed code for the video, so the videos never appear on Facebook. If you read my stuff on Facebook, be sure to navigate over to my blog, Prolix Prone, to check out the videos. You'll enjoy them.
I attended the Caps @ Canes game last night in Raleigh, a contest that the Caps won 3-2 in a shootout. They gained a point on the Canes in the standings, but it's virtually meaningless because the Caps probably can't catch the Canes at this point. They're four points back with six games to play. The Caps are two points out of eighth place in the Eastern Conference, so reaching the playoffs via the final spot is a more realistic goal. But for some great analysis of last night's game (and all things Caps), check out Japer's Rink.
Speaking of the Caps, I love Alexander Ovechkin -- you know, the first hockey player in more than a decade to score 60 goals in a season. (He has 61 as of last night's win against Carolina.) The reason I like him is not because he can score like crazy, but because he's a tough guy who loves to play physically. He'll deliver as devastating a hit as anyone in this league. Check him out in action (and check out the hit at the 40-second mark):

'You Know What I'm Saying'

2008-03-24T16:07:00.003-04:00

This video is courtesy of Wizards Insider. It features Denver Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin saying, "You know what I'm saying" 15 times in less than a minute. You gotta love athletes' post-game interviews. "You know what I'm saying" is just one of several verbal affectations that athletes demonstrate. Of course, there are other variations on this theme, too, including a simple "You know" or a longer "You know what I mean." Anyway, it all works, and it all hogs tape on a reporter's tape recorder. Enjoy this clip.

More from Our Favorite Coach

2008-03-06T22:29:00.001-05:00

Here's some more from our favorite coach. I wish I could've played for him.

The Chris Webber Rap

2008-03-05T21:52:00.004-05:00

I hate to bury my coach-speak post, but I have to post this video featuring the unparalleled hip-hop skills of former Washington Bullet, former Golden State Warrior, former Detroit Piston, former Philadelphia 76er, former Sacramento King and current Golden State Warrior Chris Webber. This is hilarious, in that painful sort of way. Thanks to Wizznutzz.

Coach-Speak

2008-03-05T19:32:00.001-05:00

This is the epitome of cliched coach-speak. Journalists are told not to use boring, dull quotes. Avoid platitudes. That's good advice. But when something like this happens, it makes good video.

Who the Hell Should I Hire

2008-02-11T21:47:00.001-05:00

Yes, I'm a Redskins fan. But I still enjoy a good dose of Redskins mockery (so long as it's not delivered by bitter, ignorant, deplorable Cowboys fans). Here's some more of it, courtesy of Thighs Wide Shut*:

*Warning: Not all of the material on Thighs Wide Shut is suitable for work.

Zorn's the Guy

2008-02-10T13:42:00.000-05:00

Jim Zorn, hired originally as offensive coordinator, is now the head coach of the Washington Redskins. I have nothing to add to that, really. I'm not sure how I feel about it. He's not Jim Fassel, though, so that's a plus in Zorn's corner. Anyway, here's a video everyone should watch about Jim Zorn:

Mood: Thrilled

2008-02-04T09:01:00.001-05:00

I am a Washington Redskins fan. That means, for all intents and purposes, the other three NFC East teams fall somewhere on a continuum that reads "Despise" on one polar end and "Utter Hatred" on the other. But last night, I found myself rooting --and rooting hard -- for a New York Giants win. (By the way, can guys like Chris Berman stop saying "The New York Football Giants." You'd have to be as old as the guys who signed the Declaration of Independence in that confusing Fox pre-Super Bowl segment to think the New York Giants were a baseball team. Chris Berman's act is tired, though. I wish they could find someone else to do the NFL stuff on ESPN.)

It's true. I was in an unenviable position last night. Root for a New York team. (I still shudder at the thought.) Or root for the despicable New England Patriots, a team of liars and cheats. A team with a quarterback who exudes unparalleled arrogance. No, that's not supreme confidence. I don't want to hear it from Pats fans. It's unmitigated arrogance. And it's annoying. I don't care what Tom Brady does the rest of his career. I'd take Joe Montana instead of Brady every day of the week and twice on Sundays. Hell, I'd take Doug Williams, too. Give me a classy quarterback who appreciates the game, his abilities and his teammates. But, I guess Brady simply follows the lead of his coach. The just-as-egomaniacal Bill Belichick. What really grates me about the whole Spygate affair is that he didn't need to cheat. Everyone knows the Patriots are good. No one can deny it. I think 18-1 (haha) speaks for itself. Yet he still needed to get that extra edge. And sure Sen. Arlen Specter (R.-Penn.) is now sticking his nose where it doesn't belong to salvage the integrity of the Philadelphia Eagles, a team that lost to the Pats in Super Bowl XXXIX. But a part of me is ecstatic to see someone argue that commissioner Roger Goodell and the NFL did not take a long enough look at the spying scandal. The NFL will continue to coddle this Pats team until it starts to lose more often than it wins. The league wanted a 19-0 team. Stripping the Pats of their first round pick? Hardly punishment enough, considering they'll still select at No. 7 in the college draft this spring by virtue of a trade with the San Francisco 49ers.

But here I am -- a Redskins fan celebrating in the residual euphoria being emitted by Giants fans everywhere. I couldn't feel any dirtier. But then again, I couldn't feel any happier that the Patriots were served their comeuppance. (Well, that's not true. I'd be happier if the Redskins had served it to them.)

Now that Super Bowl XLII has ended, Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will interview for the Redskins vacant head coaching job, a position that should've gone to Gregg Williams. Spagnuolo had a tremendous game plan against New England. The Giants gave up only 14 points to the best offense in NFL history. But I think he'd be the wrong hire for the Skins right now. They need to find someone more offensively inclined. Greg Blache can run the Skins defense by himself. Bringing in a defensive minded head coach will only cause conflict on that side of the ball, while the offense toils under first-time coordinator Jim Zorn. It's imperative that the Skins give Jason Campbell a fair shot to be this team's QB for the discernible future. Hire an offensive head coach and tag team the kid so that he finally develops. Of course, forcing him to learn his third NFL offense isn't exactly the kind of continuity and stability that will spur a young signal caller to success. But give him a large enough support staff so that he does perform well. And please, give him a tall wide out. Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle-El are nice changes of pace. But Campbell really needs a WR that's considerably taller than the Lilliputians he typically has lining up next to him.

So Washington, interview Spagnuolo, but in the end, give the job to someone else. No, not Jim Fassel. That would be a disaster. I can't believe I'm saying this, but if I had to choose between Fassel and Steve Mariucci, I'd take Mooch. Ugh. The choices are undesirable. But a Skins coached Mariucci team is more appealing to me, not because I'm a Mariucci fan, but because I really dislike Fassel. (It's like the 2004 presidential election. People didn't vote for John Kerry because they were ardent Kerry supporters. They voted for him because they didn't want another four years of George Bush. Well, Fassel is the Redskins George Bush. Let's just hope this hiring process doesn't imitate the '04 election.)

Playlists

2008-02-02T15:04:00.000-05:00

I recently made three CDs to listen to on my short trips to and from work. They should last me quite a while. When I make these playlists, I do one of two things. Intentionally pick the songs that I'm favoring at the moment. Or, I put iTunes on shuffle, hit play and see where it takes me. I'll keep skipping along until I find a song that I like and add it to the playlist. Admittedly, this method takes longer because of its capricious nature. I don't know what song will hit next, so I end up skipping and skipping and skipping sometimes until I find a suitable track. For example, I'm not going to include a clip from a comedy album on my mix. I also won't drag a demo track onto the playlist, either. But it's still fun to see what iTunes skips to next.

I mention all of this because the three mixes I made turned out to have some really solid material on them. Sometimes with the iTunes shuffle method, I end up with a lot of mediocre songs on my CDs, so they don't hold up to multiple playings. (This is a function of the time issue. When you've been sitting in front of a computer for an extended period skipping around iTunes, you wind up getting bored and aggravated so you start dropping all kinds of tracks into the playlist just so the tedious process will reach its culmination. And I also know that if it's your iTunes, you should like 99 percent of what's on it. Truth be told, though, that's not usually the case because there may be a few albums you purchased long ago for a track or two that you enjoyed, while the rest of the record turned out to be garbage. And when you have more than 4,000 songs like I do, you're bound to land on some clunkers.)

Digression aside, here are the three playlists. I enjoy this music, so this is one man's taste:

Mix 1

Real Nigga Quotes from Common's One Day It'll All Make Sense -- This track has a banging beat, and it's from Common's second best album. (Like Water for Chocolate is his best.)
Charlie from the Red Hot Chili Pepper's Stadium Arcadim (Jupiter) -- This song seems to bridge the Peppers of old to the Peppers of new. There's a lot of the funky elements that were omnipresent in their early work (Uplift Mofo Party Plan, Mother's Milk), there's some hard rock (One Hot Minute) and some layered, textured vocals and music (Californication, By the Way).
Definition from Black Star's eponymous album -- This Mos Def/Talib Kweli pairing is one of my top 5 favorite hip-hop albums of all time.
What They Do from The Roots Illadelph Halflife -- This is my favorite Roots song from the best Roots album to date. This is hip-hop/jazz fusion at its ultimate. It hasn't been topped yet.
America by Simon and Garfunkel -- Bob Dylan may be the poster boy for folk music, but don't forget about this duo.
Home at Last from Steely Dan's Aja -- Aja is widely considered by critics to be Steely Dan's best album (although I'm partial to Katy Lied). It was their penultimate album of the '70s and does display some of their strongest work. Home at Last may not be the best track from the album, but every piece of music on Aja is fantastic.
We As Americans from Eminem's Encore -- Encore was a hugely disappointed third effort from Eminem. Most of it was nonsense and filler. We As Americans didn't even make the album's final playlist. It was relegated to the special second CD that came with Encore, which is a shame because this politically motivated song displays how great Enimen can be when he takes on a social cause. And it's probably better than any of the tracks on Encore.
Save Room from John Legend's Once Again -- This is a funky song produced by Kanye West. John Legend is the best R&B act out there today.
Dancing Days from Led Zeppelin's Houses of the Holy -- Can you go wrong with a Zeppeling song? I submit that you cannot.
Piano Man by Billy Joel -- A classic Billy Joel song with such strong lyrics that you make you take notice whenever it comes on.
Eat to Live from Talib Kweli's Ear Drum -- A wonderfully articulated hip-hop track from Kweli's newest album is touching and poignant.
Jet from Paul McCartney's Back in the U.S. Live -- It's a fun song from McCartney's post-Beatles days.
Greatest Hits from Sublime's Robbin' the Hood -- Sublime was an innovative band that combined sounds from reggae, rock and hip-hop. Greatest Hits flawlessly fuses reggae and rock.
Skills from Gangstarr's The Ownerz -- DJ Premier is the finest producer in hip-hop in my opinion, so anything Gangstarr did when they were a duo was gold.
Freedom by Jimi Hendrix -- Hendrix still holds the mantle of best guitarist ever, with apologies to Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page.
My Mind Spray from Jeru the Damaja's The Sun Rises in the East -- Jeru broke out when he appeared on a Gangstarr track. Primo produced Jeru's first two albums, then the two had a tiff and Jeru was on his own. He suffered with Premier, but his lyrical abilities have been unquestioned. And his pairing with Premier on this track and album was lethal.
My Way from Nas's Lost Tapes -- Lost Tapes contains tracks that didn't make it onto albums Stillmatic, Nastradamus and I Am. I'm a huge Nas fan, but most of Lost Tapes is better than anything that's on Nastradamus. That album was garbage. Lost Tapes is classic.
Hostile Apostle from 311's From Chaos -- 311's sound matured as they continued making music. They started from hip-hop/rock beginnings and slowly began to expand their sound. Hostile Apostle hearkens back to their earlier days while still emitting some of the more intelligent sounds of their newer stuff.
She from Green Day's Dookie -- A classic track from a classic album. The song is 14 years old, so in this fast-paced Internet-driven world, does that make She an oldie?

Mix 2

Baptized in Dirty Water from Chris Thomas King's Rise -- I learned about King when he starred in the Coen Brothers' "O Brother Where Art Thou?" I bought the soundtrack, on which he sang a song called Hard Time Killing Floor Blues. I loved that track, so I started buying his albums. He's a blues musician that also integrates elements on hip-hop into his music. Baptized in Dirty Water is straight blues music, and it's such a fantastically powerful track.
Verses from the Abstract from A Tribe Called Quest's The Low End Theory -- Tribe was a forerunner in hip-hop, and they helped pioneer the hip-hop/jazz sound that has been used by acts such as The Roots and Guru on his Jazzmatazz albums. Q-Tip is one of the more underrated MC's of all-time.
I.G.Y. from Donald Fagen's The Nightfly -- When Steely Dan split after their last album "Gaucho," both Fagen and Walter Becker embarked on solo careers. Fagen had more success with albums The Nightfly, Kamakiriad and Morph the Cat.
I Ain't No Joke from Eric B. and Rakim's Paid in Full -- Rakim is a grandfather of the hip-hop world.
What I'm Here 4 from Gangstarr's Moment of Truth -- This is Gangstarr's strongest album. And you already know my feelings about Premier.
You Never Give Me Your Money from The Beatles' Abbey Road -- You have to include Beatles tracks on your mixes.
Eye Know from De La Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising -- Much love should be given to some of the early rap groups that laid the pavement for today's artists. (And I mean today's REAL artists. The ones who rap about something, not the ones who get frequent radio play. There's too much garbage in hip-hop today. Someone needs to weed it out.)
Don't Feel Right from The Roots' Game Theory -- Game Theory is a solid album, and certainly better than The Tipping Point, the record that came before Game Theory. The Roots have hit their stride again.
How Many Mics from The Fugees' The Score -- One and done for this rap group that featured Wyclef Jean, Lauren Hill and Pras. This is my favorite track from the album that included Killing Him Softly, Ready or Not and No Woman, No Cry.
All Right Now from Free's Fire and Water -- This is a classic rock song. It's fun and loose.
Solsbury Hill from Peter Gabriel's eponymous album -- I don't know what it is about this song, but I love it.
Out on the Tiles from Led Zeppelin's Led Zeppelin III -- Led Zeppelin (the album) had a lot of hard-rock/metal elements. Led Zeppelin II had some more of the same, but it also experimented with a lot of different sounds. Led Zeppelin III contained more acoustical elements.
Doctor Wu from Steely Dan's Katy Lied -- Katy Lied is my favorite Steely Dan album. I first heard Doctor Wu as a little kid when my Dad was taking me to a haunted house, so that memory is always affiliated with this song. Still, Doctor Wu is one of the Dan's best tracks.
Pinball Wizard by The Who -- More classic rock from a great band.
Everything I Am from Kanye West's Graduation -- Kanye is a pretty strong producer (see John Legend and Common). As a rapper he's mediocre at best. I chose this track, though, because DJ Premier provides Kanye with some of his patented scratches. And if Primo has touched a track, I probably enjoy it. (To wit, I can actually stomach Limp Bizkit's N 2 Gether Now because it's produced by Premier and it features Method Man.)
Zero Chance from Soundgarden's Down on the Upside -- This track is off Soundgarden's final album. Soundgarden was one of many bands that made real rock 'n' roll music during the mid to late '90s. Rock today is staid and stale. But back in the day Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots, Foo Fighters, Chili Peppers, Incubus, Green Day, Rage Against The Machine and early Bush were all dominating the music scene for good. (Most of those bands are still making music.)
Everybody is a Star by Sly and Family Stone -- Sly Stone is one of the more enigmatic front man in rock history. His funky music had great commercial and critical appeal.
Atlantic City by Bruce Springsteen -- The Boss was great during the '70s and '80s. Then he hit some hard times. His most recent album Magic is reminiscent of his older work, so he may be experiencing a resurgence. Atlantic City is one of his older songs.
The People from Common's Finding Forever -- Common's collaborations with Kanye (they worked on Be) have given Common a commercial jolt. He hasn't sacrificed his lyricism, and he hasn't sold out. Kanye has done a good job of being Common's two guard (a position once hold by the late J. Dilla).

Mix 3

Favorite Things from Incubus' S.C.I.E.N.C.E. -- This is from Incubus' first album, and it contains a lot of the hard rock elements that made them such a great band earlier in their career. They've gotten away from that in recent years, but this track epitomizes what the band was.
Down the Backstreets from Guru's Jazzmatazz Volume 1 -- Guru is the other half of Gangstarr, and this solo effort sans Premier works because he surrounds himself with famous jazz musicians who join him on the album's tracks. It's a great concept, executed flawlessly.
The Game from Common's Finding Forever -- Yeah, this track was produced by Kanye, but like Everything I Am from Kanye's Graduation, The Game features scratches from Primo.
Ain't the Devil Happy from Jeru the Damaja's The Sun Rises in the East -- This is a great socially conscious song from Jeru. It might be his best. (The Bullshit is another classic socially active song from Jeru's second album, The Wrath of the Math.)
Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) by Marvin Gaye -- As Gaye got older, he started taking up social causes in his music. He began to separate himself from the love songs and the Tammi Terrell duets. Mercy Mercy Me is one of his forays into social activism through song.
Bourbon Street Blues from Chris Thomas King's Me, My Guitar and the Blues -- This is an upbeat blues song from the New Orleans native.
Ordinary People from John Legend's Get Lifted -- This is the song that made John Legend a star. It's Legend and a piano. There's an intimacy to this naked song that, combined with the lyrics and Legend's unique voice, work perfectly.
8 Million Stories from A Tribe Called Quest's Midnight Marauders -- The Low End Theory and Midnight Marauders give A Tribe Called Quest two powerful albums.
Beautiful Struggle from Talib Kweli's The Beautiful Struggle -- Kweli has always been a socially conscious rapper, and this song is a microcosm of what he's been doing for years.
Time out of Mind from Steely Dan's Gaucho -- Gaucho was thought to be Steely Dan's last album (they reunited in 1999 for Two Against Nature and again in 2003 for Everything Must Go). Gaucho was also a critical failure. I'm not sure why. There's still a lot of great tracks on the record, and this is one of them.
Ten Years Gone from Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti -- This is my favorite Zeppelin song.
Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen -- This could be one of the finest rock songs ever made. And of course it would come from the Boss and the E Street Band.
Sexy Sadie from The Beatles White Album -- This is a fun track. And when iTunes landed on it, I couldn't turn it down. No one would say it's The Beatles best song, but it's still good. (For the record, The Beatles only made one truly terrible song -- Revolution 9. And I love George Harrison, but Within You, Without You is pretty weak, too.)
If I Had a Million Dollars from the Barenaked Ladies' Rock Spectacle -- I love when bands have fun with their music. The Presidents of the United States of America always seemed like they were having a great time, so while the music was never technically stunning, it was forever fun to listen to, which makes it enjoyable.
Like Toy Soldiers from Eminem's Encore -- I know. That's two songs from Encore, the album I proclaimed was Eminem's worst effort. But Like Toy Soldiers has some real meaning and emotion behind it, which it makes a powerful song.
We're Only Gonna Die for Our Arrogance from Sublime's 40 Oz. to Freedom -- The song gets harder and harder as it progresses. The lyrics never change, though. It's a song that can get you pumped up before a game.
Sunshine from Lupe Fiasco's Food and Liquor -- I'm not sure how I feel about Lupe Fiasco's new album, The Cool. But what I am sure about is that no rapper since Nas has had as successful a freshman effort as Lupe did with Food and Liquor.
Right Now from Van Halen's For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge -- The Sammy Hagar Van Halen was no where nearly as good as the David Lee Roth version. In fact, Van Halen was never as good as they were with David Lee Roth. They've suffered since he left the band. But they did strike the right cord with Right Now.
Killer Queen by Queen -- This band produced so many hit songs and crossed over successfully into different genres of music.

So there you have it. Those are the three mixes I recently constructed for my listening pleasure. There's a little peek into some of the stuff I listen to. You may hate it, and that's OK because I enjoy it. And that's all that matters.

A Win and a Loss

2007-11-13T11:05:00.000-05:00

I spent my Sunday afternoon watching the Redskins eventually lose the Philadelphia Eagles. I always leave the bar after a Redskins loss thinking to myself, "What a way to waste a Sunday afternoon." But for most of the game Sunday I thought the Redskins were in control. There was no way, I audibly muttered to myself, that the Skins were going to lose. They seemed to have things wrapped up. But then, the play calling devolved. (A draw on third and goal??? What the hell???) The defense reverted to 2006 fashion, giving up a big pass play and a screen that went 50+ yards for a TD. That about sealed the deal for the Skins. I know they're still 5-4, but I think that loss effectively ended Washington's season. Skins play in Dallas next week, so they'll almost certainly be 5-5 after Sunday afternoon's onslaught. And that should do it, unless they rip off at least five wins in their six games after the Dallas contest. A 10-6 record might get them in, but with each division and conference loss they accumulate, they lose a number of tiebreakers. When Washington went to the playoffs two years ago, they were 10-6, and they only lost two games in the conference. They've already lost three NFC games this year.

The Positives:

Clinton Portis is beginning to run the ball well again. If he had been running the whole season like he's running now, this team would probably be in better shape. The Skins only chance for a win against Dallas is for Portis to go crazy and break off long runs and touchdowns.
The Skins finally freed Jason Campbell and let him throw a little bit. He did pretty well, converting on third downs and tossing three TDs to wide receivers. I think it's becoming more and more clear every day that Campbell simply doesn't have reliable receivers, which is why his progress has been stunted. The Skins need to sign some tall, skilled receivers to complement their small, speedy ones.
The offensive line, makeshift as it is, is finally coming together. They're run blocking better. They're pass blocking better. There's some encouragement in that area.

The Negatives:

Gregg Williams has become a one-trick pony this year. I'm sure he knows the offense doesn't score a lot of points, but he can't let that affect his defense too much. He refuses to call blitzes or send pressure of any kind toward a QB. That hurt him against the Eagles. The front four got no pressure, and Donovon McNabb had as much time as he needed to find receives. He's going to have to pressure Tony Romo on Sunday. Especially because ...
Sean Taylor is out indefinitely with a knee sprain. Skins say about two weeks, but it's probably more than that. If Taylor isn't playing, the Skins lose an intimidating force in the defensive backfield. They also lose a ball hawk who's been picking off passes this year. If he's not back there, Williams better find another way to create turnovers.
Jason Campbell continues to fumble the football. He absolutely has to hold onto the ball. His propensity for coughing it up is becoming a disturbing trend. Coaches won't trust him back there if he can't secure the football. His Tiki-like fumble-itis is nerve wracking.

So here the Skins sit at 5-4. Washington is a team that could very easily have just one loss. It's a team that also could very easily have just one win. That's why the Skins are mediocre, and it's why an 8-8 record is more realistic than a 10-6 one. Playoffs? I would say no. Emphatically.

But while the Skins were choking away yet another football game, the Washington Wizards were finally securing their first win in Atlanta against a Hawks team that counted the Mavericks and Suns as wins early in the season. What I saw from most of that game was the Wizards team that can be unbeatable. They weren't perfect. They let a 19-point, third-quarter lead dwindle down to single digits in the fourth quarter. But they did show signs of breaking out of their offensive slump.

So far this year, aside from the Denver game really, I've seen a Wizards team more dedicated to defense. Their rotations have been crisp. Their pick-and-roll defense has been more sound. Their double downs and cover downs have been faster coming. They've close out on shooters better. They've simply done a better job of locking down opponents. There's still A LOT to work on on the defensive end. Players, particularly Gilbert and Caron, continue to sag too far from their men, focusing more on the ball to get steals, which leaves players wide open for 3-point attempts. But overall, I've seen marked improvement. Early against the Hawks, the Wizards covered a pick-and-roll and rotated defenders quickly to cover the open men around the perimeter. I said to myself, "That's the best pick-and-roll and rotation I've ever seen from a Wizards team." They need to keep that up.

The offense looked crisp, too. They passed the ball well. Their shots fell. They got good penetration. They didn't stall too much. Everything looked much tighter. The questions is, as Gilbert said post game, will this win lead to more wins? Or will it just be one win? If they rip off a few in a row--and they should be able to, considering their opponents at home against Pacers, at Timberwolves, at home against Blazers--then the win against Atlanta will mean something. But if they drop another couple in a row, then the win against the Hawks was just a win, because even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while.

Early Impressions

2007-11-01T19:37:00.000-04:00

How much can you gauge after just two days worth of games? Not too much, I guess. But some teams made strong impressions--not all good, either.

I'll start first with the Utah Jazz. Will anyone be able to stop a healthy Carlos Boozer down low and Deron Williams at the point? They look potent in Salt Lake. That team is packed with skilled athletes. And because Jerry Sloan is the coach, the team will play with an edge and toughness, particularly on defense.

The AI-'Melo combo looked sharp. 'Melo continued to shoot well, and AI dished out double digit assists and made seven steals. If AI does those little things--assists and steals--and defers more to 'Melo on the offensive end, then the Nuggets have the makings of a special team.

Sure, the Cavs played the Mavs, but I'm not sure Cleveland could've played any worse (or any better). There simply aren't enough skilled players outside of LeBron on that roster. Sasha Pavlovic recently resigned with the team, but even he won't be enough. That's why I have the Cavs barely sneaking into the playoffs.

The Wizards looked terrible. Just terrible. Everything that was bad about the team last year showed up last night: Terrible late-game defense, bad late-game rebounding, no mental toughness, lack of preparedness, propensity to give up wide open 3-point jumpers, AWFUL coaching, poor player rotations and general aloofness. Yeah, it's just one game, but losing to a Pacers team without two of its starters, one of whom, Jermaine O'Neal, is the team's best player, is inexcusable and completely unfathomable. That's pretty bad.

And meanwhile, the world champs are quietly 2-0. No one ever pays attention to the Spurs.

Game to watch tomorrow night:

Wizards @ Celtics, 8 p.m., ESPN

NBA Season Preview

2007-10-29T21:58:00.000-04:00

Wow. It's been a while, hasn't it? I must be pretty terrible at this blogging thing. I don't know if I get bored with it, or if I simply forget about it, or if I become too busy to worry about it. But whatever the reason, my posts have come further and further apart.

Now, I won't sit here and make the same promise I always make when I return from the blogging abyss. I won't say that I'll be absolutely, 100-percent sure to blog more often from now on. I won't say it because, if history is any indication, I can't hold true to that promise. My shortcoming, I guess. But it's not like it's such a big deal. No one reads this thing anyway. (Of course, that could also be because of how infrequently I update. I'm sure if I made this thing a priority, at least a few people would find it and regularly check in. But, when posts are half a year apart, it's no wonder I don't have frequent visitors.)

But alas, I'm back. For now. With my patented one-sentence NBA 2007-08 season preview. (By patented, I mean stolen. Michael Wilbon did this once years and years ago, and I liked it. So I stole it. Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, right? That's what I'll say if I hear from Mr. Wilbon's lawyers.)

Before I begin I wanted to mention that the East became markedly better. They'll be more competitive, for sure. Does that mean they've caught up with the West? Absolutely not. But better, nonetheless. But surely the team that comes out of the East this season has to be better than that sorry Cleveland squad from last year. What a joke of an EC representative. It made me angry because the Wizards, had they been healthy, would've disposed of the Cavs in Round 1. (And yes, I'm a Wizards fan so you know where I stand.)

The Celtics are better, but not as good as everyone thinks. I'll explain later. The Knicks are better on paper, but we'll have to see how that front-court duo meshes. The Pistons, Bulls and Wizards are still hanging around. The Heat are up or down. The Cavs look thin. The East will have some intrigue. And yes, the last couple of teams vying for a playoff spot may still be waging a futile battle, but the final rep from the EC should be better than last year's Cavs.

Anyway, on to the previews, follwed by seedings and playoff predictions.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks have loads of young talent (Josh Smith, Al Horford, Marvin Williams), a proven scorer (Joe Johnson) and a decent inside presence (Zaza Pachulia), but they're also incredibly undisciplined, selfish and unintelligent when it comes to basketball IQ, so this team will again feed other NBA squads easy wins.

Boston Celtics: Another Big Three (KG, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce) looks to overturn the Eastern Conference, but the real keys to this team are young PG Rajon Rando and C Kendrick Perkins, and if those two don't add a dimension to this team, those top three will wear themselves out early, especially because the C's have no bench to speak of; however, the C's have too much talent not to make the playoffs and maybe advance one round.

Charlotte Bobcats: Gerald Wallace, Jason Richardson and Emeka Okafur make a nice trio of players, but the bench is weak, the PG, Raymond Felton, is a second-stringer at best, and the coach is unheard of; add it all up, and this team continues to battle Atlanta for last in the Southeast.

Chicago Bulls: It's the same question every year (Can this team score points?), and it hasn't mattered for the past two seasons because the Bulls play lock down defense, which is always good enough to get you into the playoffs and into the second round; but they're going to need to get more scoring somewhere from someone to be a legit threat in the EC playoffs.

Cleveland Cavaliers: This is the team that could face the biggest fall because Anderson Varajeo and Sasha Pavolic remain unsigned, meaning LeBron James will have to do all the work himself, which could mean the Cavs could finish outside the playoff picture.

Detroit Pistons: The gold standard of the EC, the Pistons have an opportunity to return to the Finals with so many EC teams in flux, but the question, as always, will be whether the players (notably Rasheed Wallace) will continue to respect coach Flip Saunders.

Indiana Pacers: Last year, Larry Bird made one of the most ridiculous trades in NBA history, so now his team is stuck with retreads and second stringers like Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy, Jr., and all this means is that Jermaine O'Neal will continue to beg for a trade as the Pacers miss the playoffs again.

Miami Heat: The Heat and the Cavs are the two playoff teams from last year that could miss them this year; the Heat won't have Wade for at least a month, Shaq is in major decline, the team has no bench and the general skill level is low, so the Heat are really going to struggle, so much so that they won't continue their run of Southeast Division titles.

Milwaukee Bucks: This is a fringe team that could squeeze into the playoff picture because Michael Redd is a legit scorer, but the real progress has to be made down low because if Bogut and Villanueva can't demonstrate that they're a real low-post presence, then Redd is working by himself, and he's not enough to will this team into the playoffs.

New Jersey Nets: This team continues to get older, but they still want to play and upbeat style of ball; yet, last year they focused too much on getting into half-court sets, which completely diminishes Richard Jefferson's effectiveness, so if they run, they could be a playoff team, but if they walk it up, they're done.

New York Knicks: So much talent, so many chemistry questions, so little coaching acumen, but I go back to that so much talent part, and I think they have enough to get into the playoffs, despite the chemistry questions, particularly down low, early on.

Orlando Magic: Rashard Lewis is in the house to help Dwight Howard make the Magic a perennial contender, but, while a Lewis-Howard tandem is probably playoff-ready, the Magic still aren't ready to be a legitimate threat.

Philadelphia 76ers: Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala are nice players, but the rest of this team is awful.

Toronto Raptors: This team oozes young talent at every position, and because they're so explosive and dynamic, the Raptors should continue to make the playoffs; although, they won't make much noise in the second season.

Washington Wizards: This is the most enigmatic team in the EC because a triple threat of Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison should be a 50-win team every season, but a lack of defensive philosophy and little depth have made them mediocre; still, this team is good enough to take the EC, so they'll make the playoffs and possibly advance a round or two.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Dallas Mavericks: No real need to go into great detail here because this is a top 3 team in the WC.

Denver Nuggets: George Karl said he has his team thinking defense again, so a new philosophy and a full year of AI and 'Melo should boost this team in the WC standings.

Golden State Warriors: They won't be fooling anyone this year, but that offense may be the best in the league, so this team should return to the playoff as a No. 6-8 seed.

Houston Rockets: This is an interesting team because Yao, T-Mac and some decent depth players (with the addition of Luis Sciola), which means the Rockets could shove themselves into the top tier of the WC.

Los Angeles Clippers: Without Elton Brand, this team stands little chance of making the playoffs because Chris Kaman, Cuttino Mobley and Corey Maggette simply don't instill fear in many opponents.

Los Angeles Lakers: With Kobe, without Kobe, who cares because this team is not getting to the playoffs.

Memphis Grizzlies: The Griz have great guard talent and depth, especially when Mike Conley Jr., emerges, to pair with Gasol underneath, which means a lot of points, but not necessarily a lot of wins by virtue of their division and conference.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin McHale has traded everyone away, so I think they'll suit up the first five players who walk through the arena doors every night.

New Orleans Hornets: Chris Paul is such a dynamic player and excellent passer/scorer that, with a healthy Peja in fold, the Hornets should be able to spread opposing defenses and eventually make the playoffs.

Phoenix Suns: The Suns are one of those top 3 teams in the West because, as everyone knows by now, they are the most offensively dynamic and efficient--what more has to be said, except that their defense (and crooked refs) is what keeps them from the Finals.

Portland Trailblazers: Brandon Roy is a stud shooting guard, and Lamarcus Aldridge will continue to improve, but without Greg Oden, there isn't much else there.

Sacramento Kings: Mike Bibby and Brad Miller, the nucleus of the team, are old, which means Sacto will be leaning on former Southern Conference star Kevin Martin to carry it, and, despite Martin's offensive prowess, that spells big-time losses for the Kings.

San Antonio Spurs: The class of the West is always undervalued and unappreciated, but they'll be there in the end again this season.

Seattle Supersonics: No Rashard Lewis (in Orlando) and no Ray Allen (in Boston) means a kiddie corps will lead this team to a long season.

Utah Jazz: Coach Jerry Sloan always mans one of the toughest teams in the league, and this Jazz team is no difference, as they play hard defense and efficient offense with a variety of inside and outside weapons.

HOW THEY'LL FINISH:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

ATLANTIC DIVISION

Boston Celtics (3)
Toronto Raptors (5)
New York Knicks (8)
New Jersey Nets (10)
Philadelphia 76ers (15)

CENTRAL DIVISION

Detroit Pistons (1)
Chicago Bulls (2)
Cleveland Cavaliers (7)
Milwaukee Bucks (9)
Indiana Pacers (14)

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

Washington Wizards (4)
Orlando Magic (6)
Miami Heat (11)
Charlotte Bobcats (12)
Atlanta Hawks (13)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

NORTHWEST DIVISION

Denver Nuggets (5)
Utah Jazz (6)
Portland Trailblazers (13)
Seattle Supersonics (14)
Minnesota Timberwolves (15)

PACIFIC DIVISION

Phoenix Suns (3)
Golden State Warriors (7)
Los Angeles Lakers (9)
Los Angeles Clippers (11)
Sacramento Kings (12)

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

Dallas Mavericks (1)
San Antonio Spurs (2)
Houston Rockets (4)
New Orleans Hornets (8)
Memphis Grizzlies (10)

EASTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND

Detroit Pistons d. New York Knicks
Chicago Bulls d. Cleveland Cavaliers
Boston Celtics d. Orlando Magic
Washington Wizards d. Toronto Raptors

EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

Washington Wizards d. Detroit Pistons
Chicago Bulls d. Boston Celtics

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Washington Wizards d. Chicago Bulls

WESTERN CONFERENCE FIRST ROUND

Dallas Mavericks d. New Orleans Hornets
San Antonio Spurs d. Golden State Warriors
Phoenix Suns d. Utah Jazz
Denver Nuggets d. Houston Rockets

WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

Dallas Mavericks d. Denver Nuggets
Phoenix Suns d. San Antonio Spurs

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Dallas Mavericks d. Phoenix Suns

NBA FINALS

Dallas Mavericks d. Washington Wizards

So there you have it. The Mavs beat the Wizards. I might be the only person gutsy enough (or dumb enough) to pick the Wizards to represent the EC in the NBA Finals, but I think with Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison both in contract years, with Caron Butler continuing to improve as an NBA player and with a bench that is much deeper than last year (Andray Blatche, Oleksiy Pecherov, Antonio Daniels, Nick Young, Dominic Maguire), the Wizards could be a major force in the playoffs. And as for the Mavs, well, I just think it's finally their time.

Call me crazy or stupid or both. I don't care. At least I'm back here blogging.

Wizards Playoff Game 3 Running Diary

2007-04-28T17:24:00.000-04:00

The Wizards are minutes away from beginning Game 3 of their playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Right now, the Cavs lead 2-0 in the best-of-7 set, and the third game shifts to the friendly environs of the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. The Wizards are playing without All-Star starters Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler, which pretty much makes the entire series against the Cavs a mere formality for Cleveland. I love the Wizards to death, but there's no way they're beating the Cavs in this series. So what recourse do I, a Wizards fan, have in a season that is just days away from reaching its conclusion? Put together a running diary of the events of today's contest against LeTravel James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

4:27 p.m.: The Orlando Magic and the Detroit Pistons are still playing. Right now, the Magic have climbed back into the game and taken a slight 83-80 edge. The Pistons are unraveling with just 3:30 left in the game.

Over on ESPN, the interminable NFL Draft continues. Some initial thoughts: Steve Young is an underrated analyst. He's articulate. He's thoughtful. He's not as pretentious as that blowhard Ron Jaworski. (For the record, Jaworski is great on NFL Match-up. Not so good elsewhere.) But what's with Steven's hair. He needs to grow out that quaff a little more because close-cropped hair really accentuates his ears. In fact, I'm about to put string together a few words that no one else has ever uttered: Steve Young needs to take hair-styling tips from Mitch Albom, who hides his huge ears beneath that oddly high tuft of hair. Seriously, it's the closest a male can get to a Marge Simpson style haircut.

4:32 p.m.: Rasheed Wallace hits a 3-pointer to bring the Pistons to within two points. Meanwhile, Steven Young still looks frustrated because of how difficult it is to get a word in edgewise with gasbags like Mel Kiper Jr. and Morten Anderson never shut up. I know Mel only comes out of hiberation once a year, but he isn't the only man on the dais. His rambling reminds me of the episode of The Larry Sanders Show from Season One when Bob Saget is his guest and he won't shut up about this and that and who cares. (The NFL Draft will take some getting used to without Paul Tagliabue. The Lurch-like imagery Tags brought to the proceedings were always mildly amusing. And what's with the Jets fans not booing their team's selection in the draft, Darrelle Revis? That's unnatural.)

4:37 p.m.: Before Game 1, I said the Wizards would lose by 12 points. They lost by 15. Before Game 2, I said the Wizards would lose by eight points. They lost by seven. Before Game 3 this afternoon, I have no idea. I'll say the Wizards win by three points. That's my prediction for the day.

Meanwhile, Detroit leads by three points after a high-arching lay-in from Chauncey Billups.

4:43 p.m.: There are 10.6 seconds left in the Pistons-Magic deciding Game 4. Pistons are up by two points. The Wizards game is still not on yet, and who knows how long these last 10 ticks will take. The inbounds pass and the foul took 2.5 seconds of game clock. Billups is shooting free throws. Nails the first. Hits the second. Pistons up four points. Magic take the lay-up and foul the Pistons on the inbounds. Now, there are 2.8 seconds remaining. Rip makes the first FT and the second to end the game. Pistons win 97-93 and earn the sweep. Detroit made its last 19 free throws, which just gives you another example of how seasoned the Pistons really are.

(Why is Steve Kerr doing the Pistons-Magic game. He's better than that. He's one of TNT's finer analysts, and he deserves to be doing a better series.)

4:48 p.m.: Kevin Harlan will be calling the Wizards game, which excites me more than the game itself at this point. It doesn't look like the Wizards sold out the arena for a playoff game. That's awfully sad, if true. Wizards win the tip. A true shocker.

4:50 p.m.: Arvis Hayes hits his first jumper. (Arvis instead of Jarvis because Hayes has no J.) Stevenson has missed his initial jump shot, which isn't a good sign because he has been struggling with his offensive game since Gilbert got hurt. AD has taken it down the lane three times already in the game's first two minutes, which is important because he can get to the rim whenever he wants.

Hayes hits another shot, drawing a collective, "Holy Crap!" from the crowd. At least, that's I was saying.

4:56 p.m.: The Wizards interior looks shakey again, as usual. Etan Thomas is playing awful basketball again, which is said to see. He's providing no help relief under the basket and he's going for no offensive rebounds. I don't like Brendan Haywood at all, but he may need to get more run than Etan today.

DeShawn Stevenson just took a jump shot on a one-on-three break, where he was the one and the Cavs were the three. That was utterly stupid basketball. Stevenson's jumper is off, so he shouldn't hoist up quick J's. He should pull it out and run through the offense. His decision results in a miss and quick transition for the Cavs. Hayes is forced to foul Larry Hughes as a result. The Wizards are not a smart team, and that reflects directly on their adequate head coach, Eddie Jordan.

5 p.m.: Time for me to find something to eat.

5:06 p.m.: I sit down with my cereal (great lunch, eh?) and Etan promptly blocks a LeTravel lay-up. Awesome. Jamison converts on the other end. Antawn has really stepped up his game in this playoff series, as he's become the No. 1 scorer for this team. He's done a nice job, but he must be wondering when the rest of his cast is going to pick up their games.

5:14 p.m.: The Wizards defensive problems continue as they allow wide open lanes to the rim and lose their men in screens and flexes. They're down only four after the first quarter, but they don't appear to be focused and interested in this game so far. I don't get the feeling that they're "into" the proceedings. They look sluggish and lazy. They seem to be sleepwalking. And Washington is getting no help from the zombies in the stands. My God, people. Get up and cheer a little bit. The silence in the arena is pitiful and inexplicable. Sure, Arenas and Butler aren't playing, but the rest of the team is still competing in a playoff game. Show some support. The Wizards may not be the same team you married when the season started in October, but they're still your NBA companion. Get going and pump this team up.

5:18 p.m.: It's the start of the second quarter, and the Cavs are up 26-22. LeTravel has 11 points. Haywood is in the game for the Wizards, and his sloth-like tendencies are evident today. So I guess the Wizards will get nothing from Etan or Brendan today. LeTravel just scored an easy lay-up because, again, a Wizards center is no where in the scene. They either refuse to step over and stop penetration, or they're just too lazy to get down the floor.

At least AD showed up.

5:30 p.m.: Hayes missed a lay-up. It's time for him to NEVER PLAY BASKETBALL AGAIN!

5:38 p.m.: This entire team is playing like a bunch of losers with their heads in the sand. This is absolutely pitiful and inexcusable. They're sluggish. They have no energy. They have lousy fans in the building. It might as well be empty. EJ refuses to go bigger to combat the rebounding problem. I'm more pissed off at this team right now than I have been at any other point this year.

5:49 p.m.: It's halftime, and the Wizards are losing 61-44. I wish I could say the Wizards are getting blown out because they're outmanned, but I can't. This isn't even about talent anymore. This is about character, integrity, hustle and passion. The Wizards have shown none of that. They're quitting on themselves. They're quitting on their coach (and I don't even like their coach). They're quitting on their fans (even though the fans ins the arena are awful today). There's nothing good about this game and about this team. I don't know what EJ can do to change the attitude of this team, but this bunch of losers isn't worth our time today. Good riddance to this team.

6:02 p.m.: Charles, Kenny and EJ just had some nice things to say about Grant Hill, whose tenure is ending in Orlando today. I think the Wizards should make a push to sign this guy. He would give them a 20-minute scoring option off the bench, and he wouldn't have to play recklessly. He would be a good fit. Ernie Grunfeld should consider it. His first priority, though, is finding a center who knows how to sprint up and down the court.

6:12 p.m.: The Wizards put together a 15-4 run to open the second half draws the Wizard to within six points. Now they're showing that fire and intensity of a team that absolutely has to win today's game to even have a chance at disrupting the Cavs future playoff hopes.

6:25 p.m.: I've been engaged in a debate with a know-nothing from the ESPN Wizards Message Boards. He's contending that the game went sour because of Haywood. I think he's giving the sloth too much credit. Anyway, the Wizards are down 73-68 with about three minutes left in the third quarter. They've fought their way back into the game, but they have to continue to push forward and take a lead. Trading baskets isn't going to work.

6:33 p.m.: It's 77-75 after three quarters. The Cavs lead. The Wizards have shown more passion, poise and character in this quarter than they have at any point in the series. That's why they've drawn back to within two. Antawn carried this team in the quarter. Arvis Hayes hit a couple of shots. Even DeShawn made a long jumper. Etan finally played with the hustle that's defined him during his career. An overall excellent effort from the guys for 12 minutes. Let's see if it continues.

6:39 p.m.: The Brazilian flopper Varajeo is the Cavs own personal Vlade Divac. His dives are pretty soft and ridiculous. Flopping is a sign of a weak, whimpy defender. He just tried to draw a charge on Jamison with a flop, but the refs didn't call it, and now the score is tied at 81. Varajeo really has limited skill offensively and defensively. He has high energy and good hustle, though, which is better than nothing. In fact, his motor is really the only thing that separates him from someone like Jared Jeffries. It's why Varajeo is probably more valuable to an NBA team than Jeffries, whose defense was constantly overrated and whose offense was truly nonexistent.

6:47 p.m.: The Cavs have taken a four-point lead because head coach Eddie Jordan has gone to his befuddling small ball lineup. The Cavs, meanwhile, aren't going to match up. They're going to leave their big guys in the game and beat the Wizards on the blocks. EJ's coaching has been questionable and downright ridiculous all year long, and he's about to blow another game for this team. He is, quite possibly, one of the top five worst coaches in the NBA. His substitutions are terrible. His team's focus is often poor. His grasp of game flow and general in-game management is less than average. He's truly held the Wizards back this year.

6:51 p.m.: DeShawn Stevenson landed hard and appeared to hurt his right hip. I hope he's OK, but it's probably good he's coming out of the game for a moment. He needs some rest. In fact, most of the guys on the court need a rest because AD, AJ and Arvis have played the whole second half.

7 p.m.: It looks like the Wizards have blown another opportunity to steal a game by losing their composure late in the game. The Cavs got a couple of wide open shots, and the Wizards look out of sorts on offense. I don't think they can come back from a 93-86 deficit with 1:56 left in the game. AJ is about to shoot three free throws. AJ made all three. It's 93-89 now.

The Wizards just forced a shot clock violation on Cleveland. This is a big possession for the Wizards right now with 1:32 remaining. And on that possession, AJ shot a baseline airball. He had the smaller Eric Snow on him, and he settled for a jumper, rather than backing Snow down. Not smart.

7:06 p.m.: There are 37.5 seconds left, and the Wizards are still down 93-89. Etan is at the line. He misses the first, which is not surprising. He makes the second, also not surprising. He shoots about 50 percent from the line. Wizards are down by three points. It'll be interesting to see if the Wizards foul immediately or try to stop the Cavs from scoring. I'm not sure if Jordan can count on this team making a stop, and he certainly can't count on them to make a shot when they absolutely have to have one, so I think he should foul immediately, send someone to the line, get the ball back and score a quick two.

7:11 p.m.: The Wizards didn't foul immediately, two defenders fell, AD had to come off Pavlovic to cover LeTravel, LeTravel passed to Pavlovic, and Pavlovic hit a 3-pointer. It's 96-90 Cavs now. This is why they should've fouled immediately. This is also why EJ is a terrible coach.

7:12 p.m.: It's still 96-90. The Wizards don't get the shot they want and end up missing a 3-pointer. And with 5.7 seconds left, the game is pretty much done. Wizards are down 3-0 in the series. This thing will probably wrap up on Monday night.

It's a tale of two halves, as the cliche goes. In the first half, the Wizards players quit and allowed Cleveland to take a 61-44 lead. In the second half, Eddie Jordan lost the game for his team with questionable coaching decisions and terrible substitutions.

The Wizards lose 98-92, another close loss, as has been standard for this Wizards team without Arenas and Butler. They usually play tough, but they can never put a game away because they're missing both their closers. Oh, well. It looks like the Wizards 2006-07 campaign will end Monday in Washington. I can only hope Eddie Jordan's tenure as head coach ends at the same time.

Gilbert Arenas: More Frustration Than Adulation

2007-02-07T23:04:00.000-05:00

Gilbert Arenas is hurting the Washington Wizards. I know, I know. That's heresy, right? An absolute travesty. Here I am, some piddling pedestrian, befouling the savior of the D.C. sports scene. With the Redskinsbeing just a mess of parts, with the Capitals sliding more and more into District obscurity every day, and with the Nationalshaving about three major-league caliber players on their roster, Gilbert Arenas and the Washington Wizards are the only thing we woebegone D.C. fans have. But the more I watch Gilbert this year, the more I think he's truly hurting the Wizards. Before I explain why, let me temper my statments by also saying that without Arenas, the Wizards are absolutely terrible. With him, they're a misleading eight games above .500 team. Obviously, the injury to Antawn Jamison has affected the team's recent fortunes. But, despite the lack of any true depth, the Wizards should still be playing competitive basketball. Right now, they're not. And even when they were winning ball games, there were troubling signs, particularly with Gilbert.

1) His shooting has been absolutely atrocious. In fact, since his 51-point surge against Utah Jan. 15, Gilbert has shot 92-for-234, which is a 39.3 shooting percentage. Not even par for the NBA course. He's scored 30 or more points just four times in the last 11 games. He's had only two games during which he's shot better than 45 percent in the same span. This is for a couple of reasons. One, he's become a volume shooter, a chucker in a lot of instances. He dribbles down the court and heaves up a long 3-pointer after just four seconds has elapsed from the shot clock. Other times, he takes heavily contested, ill-advised shots because, it seems, he wants to get his points. Also of importance, his size. He doesn't have the height to shoot over people like a Kobe Bryant or LeTravel James. If he doesn't come off screens properly, he creates little separation, and that affects his jumper. Unfortunately, it seems, the Wizards success is predicated on the team, especially Gilbert, being hot. (See Gilbert dunking in the above picture? That's called a high-percentage shot.)

2) Arenas plays no defense. Not even a semblance of it. His stance is terrible. He's so upright, he might as well be standing and waiting for his team to inbound the ball. He doesn't fight through screens. He doesn't stay between his man and the basket -- a basketball defensive precept you learn as a kid -- because he's so focused only on where the ball is. He sags too far, particularly into the post, where he attempts to thwart the attempts of second rate big men from scoring. His attitude is such that he doesn't care about defense, which he's said, not necessarily explicitly. He's certainly intimated that defense is unimportant in this age of NBA basketball, though. And until he demonstrates a renwed vigor on the defensive end, his teammates will also shed themselves of defensive responbilities. The other players will think, "If the star player doesn't have to do it, neither do I."

3) Gilbert must stop buying into his own hype. He's worked so hard to build his reputation, and now that he has one, he's focusing too much on his public persona. It's time to play basketball.

The three previous points are all fixable. He's not in dire straits, by any means. He can improve his offensive game, most notably his shooting, by getting shots naturally otu of the offense, rather than forcing the action. (Maybe he should have a true PG play beside him.) He could also learn to buckle down defensively and make stops. Hell, just keeping his man in front of him would be a major achievement. For as quick as he is, he sure does let a lot point guards run right by him. I know you've all heard of matador defense. And what's that old saying about there being a picture in the dictionary next to a defition of a word? Gilbert = matador. (Notice how the matador's stance mirrors closely Gilbert's defensive position.)

I still have faith, but I also don't buy into this whole Gilbert-is-untouchable nonsense I run into on Wizards boards. Until he repairs his game, this team will struggle. When the playoffs come around, the Wizards can't afford 10-for-27 nights from Gilbert. They need 10-for-18 nights. Gilbert also needs to realize that 25 points and 10 assists is just as good as 35 points and four assists.

Jamison can't come back soon enough.

In other news ...

I hope people are slowly realizing that the Duke men's basketball team is just not very good this year. (Of course, you'll never hear that from Mike Patrick and Dookie V, the two biggest Duke backers.) The Blue Devils have no legitimate scorer. Josh McRoberts has been one of the biggest busts in college basketball. Greg Paulus' skills are limited. And then who else is on that team? Just not much there.

Quick Hits

2007-02-01T17:03:00.000-05:00

Words. They're so important, aren't they? They're the basic building blocks of fundamental communication. They help construct our subjective realities, how we view the world. Objectivity is almost impossible because of how we frame the events that surround us. Different words mean different things to different people. How a series of words are strung together can elicit any number of responses from any number of individuals. But oh those pesky words. How they can fail us, too, if we don't know how to use them properly. (For a humorous take on the importance of words, check out this Stephen Colbert piece from The Daily Show.) Sen. Joe Biden, a Democratic candidate for United States President, made the mistake of not carefully thinking before speaking.

Not only did he take shots at Sen. Hillary Clinton and John Edwards, but his comments about Sen. Barack Obama seemed especially unappealing. Biden said of Obama, "(he's) the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy." Now, I don't take much offense to that, probably for two reasons: First, I'm not black. Second, I'm not offended by anything people say because, in the end, words can't hurt. In this marketplace of ideas, anything deemed inappropriate or unintelligent or simply ignorant is chased from the arena by those who tend to present substantive and important arguments. Of course, Biden's remarks came on the heels of his announcing his candidacy for president. That mean he had to back track and carefully clean up his missteps. He offered a non-mea culpa mea culpa on The Daily Show last night. By clean, Biden said he meant fresh. Do I believe him? Sure. Why not? What always struck me about Biden was that he didn't speak, typically, with a politician's tongue. He always said what he meant. He rarely minced words. That was a breath of fresh air. Of course, he's gotten in trouble for his remarks before, mostly because politican's are supposed to toe the party line and measure their words. At least people can get a feel of who Biden really is. If that costs him the election, so be it.

A U.S. commander insisted today that the Iraq war is winnable. Interesting how Gen. George W. Casey seems to be the only commander willing to say openly that all is not lost in the quagmire in Iraq. Casey urges that the U.S. demonstrate patience. I doubt patience interrupts the civil war boiling to the surface.

PC World said today that it will stop selling floppy disks once it's stock is sold. I'll never forget those little guys. They're an emblem of simpler times in my life, back when I used an old Apple computer that had a monitor that rendered all graphics, text and otherwise, in a spinach-green hue. How far we've advanced.

Here's an interesting story from ESPN.com about a couple of Portland Trailblazers basketball players visiting the Lorraine Motel on a recent trip to Memphis to play the Grizzlies. I've been to the Lorrain Motel, which is the site of Dr. Martin Luther King's assassination. It was a wonderful experience. I was in awe as I began my tour through the Civil Rights Museum. Visitors not only get to peek into the room in which Dr. King stayed while he was in Memphis, but they're also treated to a view from the window of what used to be a boarding house across the street where James Earl Ray fired on Dr. King. It's an oddly fascinating and depressing tour. For those who don't know, Dr. King was in Memphis for a sanitation worker's strike. When he came to Memphis, he generally stayed at a hotel closer to the river, but on this recent trip, black leaders in the community and in the nation encouraged Dr. King to stay at the Lorraine Motel because it was a black-owned establishment. He agreed, and it turned out to be a life-ending decision.

Lupe Fiasco's Familiar, but Distinct, Voice

2007-01-31T21:06:00.000-05:00

The young Lupe Fiasco has been rapping for years, peddling his rap wares to anyone who would listen. He has a dedication to hip-hop. His underground roots are firm. But when MySpace boomed, he used the ubiquitous web site to showcares his music. And, with a little luck and a lot of skill, he was found, initially, by rap mogul Jay-Z. Jay loved Lupe's music so much, he tried to sign him to his Island Def Jam label. Lupe was signed elsewhere, so he couldn't join Jay-Z's stable of stars. But Jay-Z's interest in Lupe's career helped him skyrocket to superstardom, and it's all come so quickly. His smash hit Daydreamin' has become omnipresent on radio stations and music television networks.

Lupe's successful effort, Food & Liquor, presents listeners with a rapper whose feet are firmly planted in the glory days of hip-hop, when rapping meant taking on a social cause, when making rhymes meant having a deft tongue, when beats, while still sampled, weren't made to get the youth hot and sweaty in a club setting. Lupe's mellow beats, combined with his smooth flow and attention to political and social issues, make Food & Liquor an album worth everyone's time and money.

Download (legally) these tracks: Real, Kick Push, The Instrumental, He Say She Say, Daydreamin', Hurt Me Soul, American Terrorist

Brief Mention of the Orioles Acquisitions

2007-01-31T20:23:00.000-05:00

The Baltimore Orioles made several offseason acquisitions that, I hope, will allow them to place higher than fourth place in the AL East for the first time in about nine years. The obvious priority for the Orioles front office was the bullpen. Baltimore signed four pitches to strengthen a weak pen that featured only one consistent performer last year: closer Chris Ray. The Orioles also inked two outfield bats. The O's had an astounding lack of production from their left field position last year. The two signess, discussed below, should help. Here now, is a brief run-down of some of the new Orioles.

The Bullpen:

1. Jamie Walker: Perhaps the best pitcher the Orioles signed. Walker is a lefty set-up man, who will be vital to the team's success. Last year, Baltimore had no southpaws of any impact. Walker also earned a World Series berth last year as a member of the Detroit Tigers.

2. Danys Baez: Last year, he was Los Angeles Dodgers property, but the former Tampa Bay Devil Rays closer is back in the AL East, where he's experienced his most success as a pitcher. He'll be a nice late-game guy.

3. Chad Bradford: The former New York Met right-hander will be a good middle inning guy if a starter can't go more than five or six innings.

4. Scott Williamson: The Orioles signed the former Reds closer to a one-year, $900,000 deal because of his history of injuries. He's a classic risk/reward guy for the O's. He could turn out to be a steal or a bust. But if he is a bust, there isn't too much money sunk into his surgically repaired arm.

Position Players:

1. Aubrey Huff: Astros property last year, but a Devil Ray for his whole career before that, will have an impact on the Orioles offense. He can bat anywhere from fourth through sixth, and he should provide some protection for Miguel Tejada in the lineup.

2. Jay Payton: The former Athletic will be a fourth outfielder for the team. He can start, DH or come off the bench. He adds more versatility to an outfield that had only two legitimate Major Leaguers in it last year.

Can the Wizards Win the Eastern Conference?

2007-01-31T20:06:00.000-05:00

The quick answer to this question, if you ask most people, is no. There's no way the Washington Wizards will claim the top spot in the Eastern Conference and gain that coveted home-court advantage. Of course, it's difficult to agree with pundits who think there are other, more seasoned basketball teams out there that probably will grab the No. 1 seed. Those teams being the Detroit Pistons and the Miami Heat. But the Pistons play basketball like it's a simple 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. job. It's more like factory to work to them than a game. Plus, the Pistons are offensively challenged with no bench to speak of whatsover. The Heat, meanwhile, aren't even in the playoff picture as of yet. No need to discuss them at this time. Then, there are the Chicago Bulls and Cleveland Cavaliers. Both of those teams are flawed, as well. The Bulls are great defensively, but mostly cold on offense. They're prone to long stretches of bad shooting. The Cavaliers play a possession game, meaning the offense is run through LeBron James every time down the floor. Pretty much, it's give the ball to LeBron and see what he can creat for himself and for his teammates.

So, the Wizards have a good chance. Sure, they have problems of their own, but after staring 4-9 (0-8 on the road), the team has gone 23-8. They're playing tough, inspired basketball. Their defense, still far from perfect (hell, far from adequate), is steadily improving. If Antawn Jamison's knee injury isn't serious, the Wizards do have a chance to contend in the Eastern Conference.

Quick Hits

2006-11-12T01:50:00.000-05:00

Here are some brief comments about the area sports teams. (This list doesn't include the Nationals and the Ravens, so I guess that means I'm going to write about the teams I care for in the D.C./Baltimore area.) I apologize for the unblogginess of this blog entry. There will be no links to anything because it's late, and I'm feeling particularly lazy. I'm sure you all will live. And by you all, I mean the two or three of you who check this regularly.

ORIOLES

Sources within the Orioles organization say the Orioles are discussing a possible trade with the New York Yankees that would send pitcher Jaret Wright to Baltimore. Right now, it's unknown whom the Orioles would have to send to the Yankees to acquire the right-handed Wright, but it's believed that a reliever would be part of the package. This trade possibility is not surprising considering the recent track record of the once-proud Orioles. This organization has been woeful for almost a decade now because of unconscionable personnel decisions. Trading for Wright would be a HUGE mistake. I don't care if Wright's only productive season came while pitching for Leo Mazzone in Atlanta. He is a No. 5 starter in a good rotation, and the Orioles must discontinue their perpetual search for back-of-the-rotation guys to round out their rotation. I mean, such a strategy would be understandable if the pitching rotation had two or three reliable arms and a clear-cut ace. Acquiring Wright would be another step backward for this club in disarray.

Additionally, I also think the Orioles should offer and pay Alfonso Soriano whatever he wants. They need a left fielder, and they need a big, powerful bat in that lineup.

WIZARDS

Washington beat Milwaukee 116-111 on Friday night. The Wizards had led by as many as 16 points in the first half, before entering the fourth quarter down by nine points. A 40-point fourth quarter iced the game for the Wizards, though. Through five games, this team has not demonstrated a renewed effort to play defense. Sure, they create tons of turnovers, but they allow teams to shoot at least 47 percent from the field. I guess we're in for another coronary-inducing season from the Wiz Kidz. They should beat the Nets tonight at home because New Jersey will be without Richard Jefferson.

CAPITALS

This team is just plain fun to watch. They're playing a more consistent brand of hockey. They're scoring more, and not allowing as many goals. Their defense is still not a strength, but it's improved, which is all you can ask for from a rebuilding franchise. Alex Ovechkin is still the real deal, too. I would love to see the Caps make the playoffs because they're a scrappy team that works hard and deserves some success. (Hey Orioles, take note. This is how you rebuild a franchise.)

REDSKINS

And last but not least, the most disappointing team in the area. Hell, the Skins may be the most disappointing team in the NFL. What a stunner last week against the Cowboys. The Skins won in spite of their coaches. If they want to beat Philly today, they'll have to avoid the big plays in the secondary and control the clock so Philly can't reach its average of 25 points a game. I'm taking the Redskins in this one, but I don't know why.

Wiz and Skins Thoughts

2006-11-06T10:43:00.000-05:00

Here are some thoughts about the Wizards and Redskins.

WIZARDS

Washington is 1-1 heading into tonight's game against Southeast Division opponent Orlando Magic. And so far, just two games in, the Wizards have shown us nothing demonstrably new. In fact, they look like the same team that's claimed the fifth seed the past two years, which is something coach Eddie Jordan has talked about recently. And frankly, that's not good enough. Simply making the playoffs may have sufficed the past two years, but now people expect something from this team, and they'll have to deliver. All that said, the team is only 1-1, and I'm still holding fast to my prediction that this team will approach 50 wins. They'll probably get something more like 48, though. So far, we've seen the Wizards play excellent defense for about 35 of the season's 96 minutes. That's not even half. The team is also rebounding poorly. These two glaring deficiencies are evident because of Antawn Jamison. Look, I like the guy, and I think trading him right now would be a mistake. You live with his defensive problems because he can drop 20 points a game. But he does create bad match ups, which the Wizards aren't adequately able to rectify because Washington is such an average-to-bad defensive team. Jamison also can't or won't box out his man on the defensive end, which is the least he can do. Thus, the Wizards have given up a lot of offensive rebounds.

But, I need to level a lot of blame at Jordan. Since he's been coaching the Wizards, my Dad and I have lamented at his rotations. He seems to have an utter lack of understanding when it comes to rotating guys in and out. Examples: Etan Thomas plays well for 10 first-quarter minutes against the Cleveland Cavaliers and doesn't see the floor again until late in the second quarter. Instead, Jordan uses Michael Ruffin for an extended period of time, a man with no discernable offensive skill set whatsoever. At the end of the loss to the Cavs, Jordan goes small, with Jamison manning the five on a couple of occassions. When Jordan uses a big, he subs in Brendan Haywood instead of Thomas, who already had two blocks. Jordan went to the same small lineup against the Magic, and the Wizards were outrebounded again. Jordan seems to adapt to the other team, rather than force the opponent to adapt to him. (The fact that this team has no killer instinct also reflects poorly on a coach who rarely demonstrates any kind of passion.) Jordan needs to kick this thing into gear and grasp the finer aspects of coaching. He hasn't shown much in his tenure in Washington, other than an excellent offensive game plan.

These are all things that can be fixed in due time, starting this evening against the Magic, and in the three games after that, all of which are at the Verizon Center. A 5-1 start would help boost the confidence of this team.

REDSKINS

Was yesterday's win against the Dallas Cowboys a gift? In part, yes. In part, no. A number of things worked for and against the Redskins yesterday to lift them to a wild, unusual victory, a win made only sweeter because it came against the Cowboys. I won't recap the proceedings here, but I will hit on a few points that stuck out to me.

1) The Redskins go for it on fourth-and-goal from the one-yard line after attempting to reach the end zone from inside the 5-yard line on the previous six plays. I don't mind the call. This was (still is) a desperate team. Rolling the dice on fourth-and-goal instead of going for the field goal is a gutsy call, and certainly one Joe Gibbs won't normally make. I liked the decision then. I like it now. Here's what I didn't like: the play calling. That was some of the worst offensive coaching I've seen. They run the straight-ahead power runs with Clinton Portis, and their stretch runs with Ladell Betts. That's backward. Plus, they have the hulking TJ Duckett sitting on the sideline. I think he could've punched in a 1-yard plunge. Good God that was awful.

2) If you think had Bill Parcells kicked the extra point early, rather than attempt the 2-point conversion, the Cowboys would've been kneeling after the Redskins missed field goal with 30 seconds remaining, you're nuts. If I follow that logic, I can say the Redskins should've scored on their opening drive, and it should've been 7-0 early, and that would've meant the Skins would have won easily. Had the Cowboys kicked the EP, the Skins wouldn't have settled for that 49-yard field goal late in the game that Nick Novak missed, which brings me to my next point ...

3) What the hell was with that 49-yard field goal? More bad coaching here, as well. The Redskins have the ball, the game tied at 19-19 late in the fourth quarter. Washington gets inside Dallas terrority, to about the 35-yard line and run three straight times, deciding to let the clock run down as much as possible before sending Novak, a rookie kicker for all intents and purposes, into the game to attempt a field goal that, while not out of his range, isn't one he's going to make a majority of the time. The Redskins should've attempted a pass on second or third down to move into Novak's range. Gibbs got conservative and almost blew this game. Speaking of blowing the game, Gregg Williams hasn't been mentioned yet. Here he comes ...

4) Williams decides to start Troy Vincent instead of Adam Archuleta. Good move. Couldn't agree more. But, with the game on the line in the fourth quarter, Williams reinserts Archuleta, who gets beaten once, but gets lucky because Cowboys QB Tony Romo overthrows TE Jason Witten. You figure Williams sees that and makes an adjustment, something like removing Archuleta entirely. Instead, he stays in the game, the Cowboys run the same play, and Witten hauls in a completion at the Redskins 18-yard line, setting up a potential game-winning field goal. Again, terrible coaching. Fortunately for the Skins, Vincent blocked the FG, and the Skins win.

All in all, the Redskins overcame their coaches and won in spite of them. There were mumblings that this team had zero chemistry, which was a major source of their problems this year. Perhaps a win like this helps. The Skins still didn't look good, and that secondary may be in for a long day against Donovon McNabb the Philadelphia Eagles next week. But hey, a win against the Cowboys is sweet. Breathing new life into a listless team, though, would be sweeter.

Interesting Read

2006-11-01T14:02:00.000-05:00

Dan Steinberg just posted a Wizards season preview on his Sports Bog, as discussed by Robin Ficker, the most notorious heckler in NBA history. His taunts are especially legendary in Washington, where he sat behind the visitors bench for 12 years, howling at opposing teams -- his own socially awkward method of showing support, I presume. Anyway, Ficker makes a couple of important points, one which I found very interesting and accurate. He says the Wizards would be content with winning 45 games this year. And you know what? Ficker couldn't be more right. In fact, it's his most salient point in the entire preview. Let's jump into the Way Back Machine (thank you again, Jimmy James) and realize that many times, the Wizards did not exhibit the killer instinct, the desire to completely annihilate oppposing teams. They must learn how to land that final, demoralizing blow; they have to become a feared team. This year may be different, but if we reflect on seasons past, the Wizards have been mostly apathetic about their successes and failures. They're often content and not driven to accomplish those loftiest of goals. This failure to achieve beyond expectations I lay squarely in the lap of Eddie Jordan, who needs to become a much better motivator. Adding a little firebrand to his personality would be nice, too. I'm interested to see if the Wizards have changed their attitude and learned the importance of never being satisfied. We need to see less coasting and more boasting. Let the beat downs commence tonight in Cleveland.

Some Musings before the Season Opener

2006-11-01T11:38:00.000-05:00

Here are some quick hits before the Wizards open their season tonight in Cleveland against the Cavs.

1) The Etan Thomas-Brendan Haywood debate has been in a full swing since the beginning of the preseason. Coach Eddie Jordan decided to name Etan his starter, and this whole ordeal has served as the undercard to the 82-game dogfight. The Poet vs. Brenda donnybrook will extend well into the season, with perhaps both players receiving an equal number of starts. Certainly minutes will be doled out evenly. Jordan has a knack for playing the guy he feels is best contributing at the moment. As a result, Etan may start, but Haywood may end up with more minutes. I, for one, am pleased that Jordan has named Etan the starter. He demonstrates more heart, passion, desire and toughness than Haywood, who often looks lost and uncaring for long stretches of the season. In terms of tonight's game, though, I think starting Haywood would have been the better tactical move because Brendan gives the Z-Train all kinds of problems. The Haywood-Thomas back-and-forth will rage on, and it will be interesting to see how the two respond -- especially Haywood.

2) A friend of mine IMed me the other day profressing his annual love for Tim Duncan. His curious man-crush aside, he also added, "Too bad (Duncan) doesn't play for the Wizards." That got me to thinking. We all like to conjure up fantasy trades in our minds. If only we could swing a deal for this guy, or for that guy. You know the routine. Express your team's (seeming) desire to sign a guy like Duncan and play the lineup scenarios out in your head. Could you imagine a starting five of Arenas, Butler and Duncan. Maybe even Jamison. Unstoppable is a word that comes to mind. Another phrase that springs instantly into the ol' mellon is pipe dream. That's what these aspirations are: pipe dreams. But hey, if not for these fantastic visions, the ESPN Trade Generator would be no fun.

3) Why is Gilbert Arenas' standing in the NBA still challenged to this day? Why aren't 29 points, six assists and two steals a game not enough to cement him as one the league's elite? That's a conundrum that is inexplicable. Talk to his teammates, coaches and various players around the league, and you'll hear them rave about Arenas' evident basketball skills. Talk to the media schlubs, and you'll get all kinds of qualified answers. "Arenas is a good ball player, but ..." "Arenas could be elite if ..." It's the same song and dance from those types. Starting tonight, Arenas can begin to put any questions about his game to rest. (Thanks to Dan Steinberg and his Sports Bog for the link to the above story.)

Marc Stein, We've Got Problems

2006-10-30T17:54:00.000-05:00

And not just the usual problems. You know, the ones that deal with how much you undervaule and underrate the Washington Wizards. I'm not too concerned with that. No, our problems today arise because of your unimaginative addition to the long list of potential Gilbert Arenas nicknames. In your Power Rankings, it seems you prefer the moniker Captain Quirk for Arenas. You think it's better than Agent Zero. Well, we here at Prolix Prone (by we, I mean me) feel as though your qualifications to make such decisions should be challenged. Captain Quirk seems like such a pedestrian entry into the annals of Gilbert's nicknames. Agent Zero, The Stealth and the various sundry of names that Dan Steinberg has included on his D.C. Sports Bog seem not only more appropriate, but more creative. (By the by, Steinberg's bog is the best bog in town. Maybe it's because it's the only "bog" in town, but really, we're just splitting hairs. Seriously, it's a top-flight blog, especially if you want news about teams other than the Redskins. Plus he drops pumpkins off the RFK roof in a stunt eerily similar to what Dave Letterman used to do. I'm not saying lawsuit, but ...) So, Mr. Stein, we wonder if you have the wherewithal to rank all the NBA teams if the pinnacle of your creativity leads you to the nickname Captain Quirk. I mean, don't know you that Gilbert isn't quirky. You're just angering the man.

The Lake House

2006-10-30T17:40:00.000-05:00

So I watched The Lake House, as promised, just not on Monday night. (Don't worry. For all you concerned folk out there, I did not watch MNF. I avoided T.O. like the plague. Interestingly enough, it seems T.O. has been avoiding the football like the plague, as well. That Sean Taylor hit he took in Week 2 has concluded in the extreme shortening of his arms on those crossing routes. You gotta love the Alligator Arms. But seriously, he's becoming the Deion Sanders of wide receivers -- absolutely frightened to go across the middle.) My digression aside, we'll get back to The Lake House.

I can honestly say that before viewing this movie, I had my (many) reservations. I was ready, willing and well-armed with substantial amounts of vitriol should this movie display even an ounce of horrendous material. My tirade was prepared. I was going to bludgeon this movie for wasting 90+ minutes of my time. An impartial observer, I was not. But alas, a phillipic I could not produce following the viewing of this film starring Sandra Bullock and Keanu "Neo" Reeves. Did I like the movie? The short answer to that is, "not really." But, that should be qualified a bit further. First of all, the movie is not horrible. (And if you want a real review, see Stephen Hunter's of The Washington Post. He's the only critic I'll read.) The premise is awful, the acting is pretty good and denouement is confusing and wholly expected. Still, the characters are well developed, which helps this movie a great deal because, as has been said, the movie's central theme -- the passing of letters through a magical mailbox that defies all laws of physics and time and space -- is silly. It's a decent flick that isn't completely horrendous nor utterly fantastic. It plays right down the middle. Perhaps the most refreshing aspect of the film is Reeves's more-than-adequate, and almost believable, turn as Alex. He was tolerable, which for him equates to an award-winning performance.

And although I didn't watch it on Monday night, I can say The Lake House was better than any programming that invovles T.O.

Wish Me Luck

2006-10-23T01:16:00.000-04:00

Later this evening, I will be watching the movie The Lakehouse, which, I hear, is a charming little picture, starring the still-attractive Sandra Bullock and the ever-vapid Keanu Reeves. The movie centers around a magical mailbox. I'm in for high entertainment. I'll be "enjoying" this film because my fiancee has asked that I watch it with her. My sacrifice means I will be missing Monday Night Football, or perhaps more apropos, T.O. Bowl -- Week Seven. To be honest, I had no intention of watching this football game. Avoiding the Monday Night circus is my mini-protest. I decry and abhor all things Terrell Owens, so I will not join the huddled masses for this evening's telecast. Yes, instead, I'll watch The Lakehouse, which should test the very limits of my existence. I sit here now, wondering what's worse: watching T.O. flaunt obnoxiously for the hated Cowgirls, or trying to stomach Keanu Reeves is a non-Matrix role. I guess I'll stick with Neo and the magic mailbox, and I'll bet it's a better time.

Wanted: Ombudsman

2006-10-06T01:42:00.000-04:00

Well, maybe more appropriately, a copy editor. See, an ombudsman (view one in action) is much different than a copy editor. Still, I serve in both capacities on my blog, which probably explains why so many of my posts are rife with errors. I'll try to explain why, although my reasons do not serve as a justification for my blunders. When I post, I typically type and type and type, so by the time I'm finally done writing, I'm tired of staring at the computer screen and pounding the keyboard. I hit the "publish post" button and move on. Then, I look at what I wrote a couple of hours later and notice all the glitches, large and small, that I made. So, generally, I go back and correct them. Fix the grammar, correct the spelling, tighten up the writing. But by that time, you kind people (all five, I guess) have already read the mistake-laden post, and you must consider me some kind of vapid blockhead. So, I offer my apologies, tempered by the fact that my routine -- writing first and editing hours later -- will most likely go unchanged. My suggestion: When you see I've posted something new, make a mental note to return to the post in a few hours, when, I hope, all the errors will have been recognized and eliminated. Thanks for your understanding and a wonderful day, you blessed bunch of losers.

(Maybe that last part was unnecessary. See, that's why I need an ombudsman, as well.)

Breaking the Mold

2006-10-04T18:23:00.000-04:00

I was asked recently to try to write about something other than sports. Suffice to say, I was at an immediate loss. I found myself grasping into thin air (literally, too, which was quite humorous to say the least; I mean, imagine seeing someone standing up straight in the middle of an office, arms slightly raised, grabbing at imaginary concepts) for even the most miniscule of ideas. I quickly retreated from that task because I had nothing, but mostly I gave up because people started peering into my office with quizzical looks on their faces. For fear of being committed, I halted my assinine behavior and promptly sat in my chair, where I would remain, motionless, for the next few hours. It was my hope that sitting still, like a good little boy, would prevent me from anymore public displays of buffoonery. However, I failed to realize at the time that not moving for several hours only elicited more of a response from the proletariat. Several checked to see if I was still alive. I can only presume my mime-like and monk-like non-activity forced many into thinking I had shuffled off this mortal coil. 'Twas not to be, though. I was, most happily, still breathing (and, incidentally, blinking, which probably should've clued some folks in to my continued existence on this rock).

But anyway, I'm back today to discuss topics other than sports, plus a little sports at the end. This ordeal with former Rep. Mark Foley failed to shock me in the least. This government has been overrun by corruption and deceit. (Obviously, the majority of Congress has followed the President's lead.) Apparently, Foley's prediliction toward younger boys has been more than evident for the past decade, yet no one found his actions worthy of further scrutiny? It's absolutely ridiculous. All parties who had knowledge of Foley's inappropriate advances should be released from their duties as a reprentative in the House. We're looking at you, Dennis Hastert. (For a smattering of Foley's IM conversations, click here and here.) I have nothing but scorn for this administration and the Republican party as a whole these days. President Bush is an evil, autocratic, duplicitous, tricky, untrustworthy politician. His presidency has only served to ensure that we, as a population, face more dangerous and able international threats. His tenure has been an utter failure. I don't want to mince words here, so I'll say it again: Bush's derelict administration has been a complete fiasco. He has bumbled through six years, barely winning one election and losing another. Why he has yet to be impeached is completely unfathomable. There should be a cacophony of voices from all corners of this country imploring our do-nothing Congress to begin arrangements to remove this deadbeat of a president from office. And you'd think the Democrats would be at the vanguard of such a movement. However, they're not. They're holding strong to that gutless, frightened mentality that lost them the election in 2004. However, I'm still behind the Democrats, a party that fights for equal rights and the American way of life, even if they still hide under the covers from the big, bad Boogeyman.

Bush, though, has placed our country, and our servicemen, in harm's way, thrusting them into a ill-begotten war. Bush says withdrawing form Iraq would "embolden the terrorists." Well, Mr. President, it seems a leaked report released a few days ago says otherwise. The fact that people needed a report like this to provide evidence that we're more unsafe now than we were eight years ago is astounding. Rumsfeld says no one anticipated the strength of the insurgency. It seems to me that that's a contingency you would plan for prior to invading a foreign country, particularly one in a hostile region of the world. Of course, that would assume this administration had some kind of blueprint for success. The situation in Iraq has gotten so bad that a majority of Americans think it's a civil war and a former soldier who lost both her legs in combat says Bush has offered only "shallow slogans." It's time to begin bringing our troops home. And what better way to welcome them back to the United States than with an impeachment and subsequent removal of this fraud of a Commander-in-Chief.

Other news: Are you getting enough sleep? If you're not, it could be affecting your health.

Breast milk does not boost IQ.

WTF? ROTFLOL! People have no grasp of all that fancy tech jargon.

Is Barak Obama readying himself for a 2008 presidential bid? I, for one, can only hope so. He would be a beacon of hope in this viciously partisan, Republican-ruled country. I don't know if he'd ever win the popular vote, though. (We learned with Bush, however, that claiming the popular vote is not an antecedent to victory.)

And in sports ...

Why will the Redskins beat the Giants, you ask? Well, for a couple of reasons:

1. The Redskins offense is rolling. The win against Jacksonville seems to have cemented Al Saunders' system in Washington, so the Redskins should be able to rip off points at an extremely accelerated rate, especially against a Giants defense that ranks toward the bottom of the league.

2. Plaxico Burress can't catch. He's Rod Gardner, Version 2.0. Burress, like Gardner, drops a proponderance of passes. His 50-50 hands are an embarassment, considering he's supposedly a No. 1 receiver.

3. Adam Archuleta isn't playing safety on a lot of third downs. Instead, he's lining up at linebacker, which will enable him to attack the line of scrimmage, or cover the intermediate middle.

4. The Giants are in seeming disarray. The players, apparently, doubt the coaches' collective ability to prepare for games.

There are four reasons. I could probably think of more, but they'd simply be variations on a theme. The Redskins need this win going forward because after facing the Giants, they play Tennessee and Indianapolis before heading into their bye week. A win against the Giants and the Titans would give Washington a 4-2 record heading into Indy, where they could lose and still boast an above .500 record. If the Skins lose to New York, though, they'll most likely enter the bye at 3-3, which would leave them with a severe uphill climb through the remaining 10 weeks.

Making Amends

2006-10-02T19:00:00.000-04:00

I'll make this short and sweet. I apologize, wholeheartedly, to Mark Brunell, the Washington Redskins quarterback, for casting him aside like some dingy hand-me-down after only two games. That's my bad. He was stellar yesterday, due in large part to Clinton Portis and a bevy of skilled receivers, particularly Santana Moss. Of course, the Redskins beat the Jacksonville Jaguars yesterday 36-30 in a thrilling overtime contest. (Brunell hit Moss for a 68-yard game-winning strike. I guess it's more accurate to say that Brunell completed a pass to Moss, who snagged the ball from well above his head and sprinted to pay dirt.)

Brunell has looked much stronger, and Al Saunders' system has appeared more fluid and dynamic the last two weeks. Soundly beating the Jags, a team with a top-notch defense and strong-armed pocket passer, went a long way toward rebuilding the city's confidence in this team. Not surprisingly, the turn about has occurred with No. 26 manning his usual halfback spot.

The Redskins still exhibit glaring weaknesses, most notably in the secondary. The defense's propensity for allowing big plays is troubling, especially when you consider this team will play the Giants and Colts in coming weeks. (Am I concerned about what Eli Manning could do to this depleted Redskins secondary? Yes. But I also know that Plaxico Burress is Rod Gardner Version 2.0 because Burress has 50-50 hands and a tendency to fumble.) Still, you kind of get the feeling that this win against the Jags could spark another three or four in a row. Nothing's guaranteed, and the Skins could throw up a clunker in the Meadowlands next week, just like they did last year -- a 36-0 annihilation. But I have this twinge in my gut that tells me the Skins are about to roll off a few consecutive W's. And who am I to doubt my gut? I genuflect at the altar of Stephen Colbert.

Jared Jeffries?!?! Are You Flippin' Kidding Me?!?!

2006-09-30T17:32:00.000-04:00

I had a brief conversation through AIM this morning with my boy Justin. He wanted to refute an assertion I made two posts ago about the Wizards having the potential to push 50 wins. Essentially, in blunt terms, he said there's no way the Wizards reach the half-century plateau obstensibly because losing Jared Jeffries (6 pgg, 5 rpg, 2 apg) would have a bigger impact on this team than I would acknowledge. (I'm sure Justin realizes, as do I, that the bigger reason why this team may not win 50 is because of it's complete aversion to defense.) So Justin and I chatted it out briefly. But his remark sounded familiar. He wasn't alone. In fact, many other knowledgeable Spalding-ites have said the same thing. Justin himself is quite acquainted with the intricies of the NBA game. He has a vast awareness of professional basketball, which is why I respect his opinion on all things NBA so much. But Jared Jeffries draws my ire, and I was compelled to disagree with him vehemently. Frankly, Jeffries is a bum. He's an overhyped defensive player with staggeringly underwhelming offensive statistics. His inability to hit open jumpers and convert lay ups -- please keep in mind he's 6-foot-11 -- is unparalleled in this league. Is it wrong of me if I'd rather have Kwame Brown on my team than Jared Jeffries?

Don't get me wrong. Justin, I think, perceives of Jeffries as a bust in the league. Still, Justin recognizes something in the man that many others have noticed, as well. As I said, Justin isn't a single, solitary voice in this argument. It seems that I'm the minority in this discussion, which is fine, but completely unfathomable to me because a simple perusal of this guy's stats clearly demonstrates that he's a 20-minute-a-game role player who has few redeeming basketball qualities. He certainly wasn't worth the five years and $30 million the New York Knicks gave him.

I went searching the Web to see what people were saying about the Wizards decision not to match that enormous and ludicrous offer sheet. It seems that overall, more people conluded that the move didn't hurt the Wizards; rather, it significantly helped the Knicks. Isiah Thomas said Jeffries' versitility would add another dimension to his dysfunctional team. CNNSI.com's Chris Mannix agrees, calling Jeffries and the Knicks a perfect fit. Why? Because Jeffries landed in a similar situation, siging with a team chock full of scorers. In NY, like in D.C., he'll be asked to play defense, which Mannix says Jeffries did "effectively." That's a nice vague term for his defensive effort. I guess effective is accurate, but certainly, his skills on that side of the ball have been extremely overrated. Mike Kahn called Jeffries "cat quick." Maybe in the land of NFL offensive linemen he's "cat quick," but against an NBA shooting guard, he's a sloth. If it's a catch-and-shoot 2, then Jeffries' height and length cause problems for the other team. If the 2 is a slasher, say like a Tracy McGrady, Jeffries might as well be a matador. As for guarding a four or five, give me a break. The guy's slight as can be. He gets muscled underneath by the bigger players.

Marc Stein of ESPN.com, a respected basketball analyst, said, "On the surface, it looks as though the Wiz absorbed a significant free-agent defection for the second successive offseason." Significant is a stretch. (Stein did laud the Wizards for replacing Jeffries with more affordable pieces. Of course, he did an about face and said the Wizards' offseason ranked ninth in the Eastern Conference. But look who he placed below the Wizards.I see no mention of Jeffries there.) Despite Stein's affirmation of Washington's offseason, ultimately, it appears as though he thinks Jeffries departure was consequential. Just look at where he positioned the Wizards in his Power Rankings.

The Jared Jeffries hype is a product of his height. Team execs always see something in taller players, blindly attaching the fortunes of thier organization on a 7-foot frame with limited skill. These tall players are like the ugly chicks at frat parties. The drunk Pi Kapps can't tell if the girls are attractive, but they're drunk, so who cares? NBA teams are the same way. They have their "beanstalk goggles" on. If a front office exec notices a 7-footer, then all of sudden that guy has promise and the potential to be an impact player.

I went to 82games.com to look at some statistics. Overall, it would appear that Jeffries added a powerful defensive contribution to the team last year. But let's look a little closer at the 5-man unit stats on the page for Jeffries because defense is a team-oriented activity, and one man can't stop an entire team. Last year's starting lineup for a majority of the season consisted of Jeffries, Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, Brendan Haywood and Caron Butler. With all of them on the floor at the same time, they scored three more points than they allowed. Certainly not much difference there. In fact, the two most significant point differentials occured when Jeffries was on the floor with Antonio Daniels. As far as defense goes, the most effective tandem was Jeffries-Arenas-Butler-Daniels-Haywood, although those five played a combined 33 minutes together. What this says to me is that Jeffries added practically no special defensive dimension when he played with the starters, but when Daniels came in to lock up a two guard, Jeffries became more effective guarding a 3. When he had to man-up a 4 or a 2, he was as able as anyone else. I glean from all of this that Jeffries is more suited to guarding a small forward, making him less versatile than most people think.

But, in case you need more evidence, let's take a look at Daniels' stats from 82games.com. When he was on the floor with Arenas-Butler-Jamison-Haywood, the Wizards outscored thier opponents by 41 points. Replace Haywood with Ruffin, and the Wizards scored 66 more points than the other team. Hmmm, I'm thinking Daniels was a more effective defender. Or, maybe he was just a more effective and efficient offensive player. I think it's a little of both. And for kicks, let's look at Butler's 5-man unit stats. In the 10 combos listed, only one shows opponents scoring more points than the Wizards. In my mind, Butler was a more aggressive and physical defender who could do more to frustrate an opposing player than Jeffries.

The Wizards did a nice job of replacing Jeffries with DeShawn Stevenson, a guy who can drop 11 and play good defense in the back court. He came at a much cheaper price and because he failed to cash in on what he perceived his market value to be, he'll probably display some extra motivation. He's got a chip on his shoulder, so he should mesh nicely with the enigmatic Arenas, who always carries a grudge. The point of all of this, though, is to demonstrate that Jeffries is most certainly not an elite, or even mediocre, player in this league. Now, could that all change? Of course. Maybe being in New York sparks a career revival for the Indiana alum. But if history is any indication, New York is just getting another expensive underachiever who will add little to that muddled roster.

And Now for the Sundry ...

2006-09-29T00:57:00.002-04:00

Before we get into the infamous and highly anticipated sundry topic, please be aware that the post below this is new and includes my one-sentence analysis of every NBA team. Very entertaining. Very informative. Very contrary to Bill Simmons, a New England sports fan and glorified sports "columnist." In reality, he's more of an uber-nerd, who, while often humorous, is so biased by his allegiance to his Boston teams that he fails to come off as credible a grand majority of the time. But, ESPN.com wanted a fan's-eye view, and that's what they got. At least he's delivering on the goods he promised.

Mount up, all, onto the horse Sundry ...

1) Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis has eliminated the over-the-top, vaguely transexual show costumes from his weekly press conference. It's apparently making national rounds. Click here. Also check out this poll.

2) You think you've experienced pain, and to a lesser extent, extreme annoyance? Quit your complaining. It seems that a beetle knawing away at your ear drum is a source of pain more excruciating than tearing up the insides of your knee. Leave it to athletes, though, to ridicule a friend and teammate in his time of need. They're calling the kid Beetle Juice.

3) And in this corner standing at an unknown, but almost assuredly diminutive, height, is awful slasher pic director Uwe Boll. In the other corner a cornucopia of movie reviewers who continue to berate Boll's talents as a director. That's right, Boll boxed his critics (and knocked out all of them). Oh, and in case you were having an anxiety attack about it, here's some video of one of the fights. It's pretty inelegant and unrefined, but compared to a lot of the boxing going on today, it's top flight. Or should I say top fight? I know. Good joke.

4) A color commentator will ref the middle period of an exhibition NHL game. I like this idea. Maybe it would give other sports fatheads a perspective on the game and difficulty of officiating a professional sporting event.

5) In NBA news, the Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard, a 20-year-old beyond his years in terms of talent and adaptation to the NBA, has predicted that the Magic will win the NBA championship this season. I guess he, Ricky Williams and Terrell Owens have been socializing together, enjoying a grab bag of narcotics. Don Nelson, the new -- and past -- Golden State Warriors coach, says free throws are his biggest concern for the team this season. I don't want to burst Nelson's optimism or challenge his coaching acumen, but I think free throws are the least of his worries with that unsettled team. First the Sacramento Kings wouldn't resign Bonzi Wells. Now, the assistant coach is suing his brother over a car wash. The Memphis Grizzlies are lowering ticket prices obstensibly to regain some of the attendance they lost last season. It's more likely the price of admission needs to be reduced because the team will be playing without All-Star Pau Gasol for two to three months.

6) Orioles pitcher Daniel Cabrera nearly no-hit the New York Yankees last night. Cabrera is an enigma with boundless talent who dominated such an impressive collection of stars. Cabrera was the first individual pitcher in 25 years to take a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Yankees.

7) Finally today, do you remember Heath Shuler? I know Redskins fans do. He was the absolute bust of a quarterback, who was annointed the savior of the team by Norv Turner. In hindsight, trusting Norv's judgment was utter folly. But guess what? Now Skins fans are taking aim at Shuler's campaign for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina in this entertaining video. (Props to Dan Steinberg and his Washington Post blog, called the Sports Bog, for bringing this to my attention.) Here's another attack ad. Here's the Web site dedicated to undermining Shuler's attempt at political office. Shuler seems to be in good humor about it, but it didn't take long for that first joke to materialize: "If Shuler tried to pass a bill, would it be intercepted?"

The NBA Season and a Sundry of Other Topics

2006-09-28T18:53:00.000-04:00

After the Washington Redskins fell to a dismal 0-2, the world came crumbling down around me. My beloved Redskins, at 0-2, were finished. Cooked. Well-done. The remaining 14 games? Merely a formality. There was no need to continue on. The trudge toward the bottom of the NFC East had begun, and seemingly, was picking up steam with every passing day. That's right. I panicked. After two measley games. After only 1/8 of the season had passed. I mean, c'mon. How ridiculous was my behavior? In all honesty, probably standard within the realm of the Redskin fan. But then, the Redskins dismantled that vaunted Houston Texans defense, piling up almost 500 yards and 31 points. Just an all-around beat down. Suddenly, I recognized a feeling of hope inside of me. It was fleeting, however, because I remained skeptical about a victory against Houston. My dubiousness led me to realize that the Skins did what they were supposed to do on Sunday. And while simply attaining reachable goals have been difficult for the Skins to achieve, the fact is, they beat a doormat, a mess of a team, a hodgepodge of parts, the sum of which is an unbearable, JV-like football squad. So, the Jags come to town this Sunday, and I guess we'll really know where Washington stands.

But, what does this have to do with basketball or the sundry of other topics? Well, after the second loss, a Monday night stinker against the Dallas Cowboys, I remember vividly turning off my television and thinking to myself, "Come back Gilbert. I need the Wizards." That's right I said I needed the Wizards. How counterintuitive is that? Go back four or five years, and no one needed the Wizards, or in keeping with the NFL theme thus far, the Texans of the NBA. But I was lamenting the fact that the NFL season, just two weeks old, had come to a horrendous and abrupt end. So I sat there, wishing the NBA season would sneak up on me unexpectedly. I wanted to see Gilbert draining 3-pointers and driving recklessly to the rim. I wanted to see Antawn Jamison hoisting up his unorthodox, long-range jumper and dumping in those little garbage shots from five feet out, the ones that frustrate defenders and coaches because, honestly, how the hell did he sink that shot. I wanted to see Caron Butler outmuscle his man and throw one done. I wanted to see 105 points a game and a posterization of LeBron James on opening night. If the Redskins couldn't get it done, I knew Gilbert and the Wizards would.

While I have more confidence in the Redskins these days, I'm still looking forward to the start of the Wizards season. With their new additions and a more embittered Gilbert Arenas, this team could easily push 50 wins. But, more importantly, I'm here to make some NBA predictions. Below, you'll find my one-sentence analysis of every team in the NBA. (I think I stole this gimmick from Michael Wilbon, but who cares? He used it once and never again. I'm usupring the style and claiming it in my name.) Yes, that's right. I'll provide insightful analysis in just one sentence. Take note Bill Simmons. You don't need 6,000 words to describe a burgeoning season.

Atlanta Hawks: Their big free agent move was signing Speedy Claxton, who's now hurt, to add to a roster with some talent (Josh Smith), but not enough to pose any real threat to teams in the East.

Boston Celtics: They made some nice acquistions, especially if Sebastian Telfair works out, to help Paul Pierce reach the playoffs again, but they're still short that one big-time scorer, so the playoffs are probably a miss for this team.

Charlotte Bobcats: Raymond Felton says this team is going to the playoffs, but I wonder if he's looked at his roster recently?

Chicago Bulls: Signing Ben Wallace and PJ Brown really sured up a defense that didn't need to be altered, but it also added no offense to a team devoid of any; however, the Bulls are improved and should be a factor in the playoff picture.

Cleveland Cavaliers: With LeBron James, the Cavs know they'll get plenty of scoring and consistent trips to the postseason, but whether he can will this team to the next level is yet to be seen.

Dallas Mavericks: They played some defense last year, which made them a more complete team, so expect them to continue that trend and be a favorite to make it back to the Finals.

Denver Nuggets: Carmelo Anthony is a helluva player, but he lacks a shooter who can spread the floor and a decent forward/center, so the Nuggets will be one of those average teams in the West that barely slip into the playoffs.

Detroit Pistons: Last season their defense was penetrable, while their offense improved, and without Ben Wallace, that defense will only slip, resulting in a major drop off for this Pistons team.

Golden State: Don Nelson is back, but he'll realize quickly he lacks the overall talent he had in Dallas.

Houston Rockets: With a healthy Tracy McGrady, this team is legit, but his propensity to injuries is cause for concern, so this team is hit or miss.

Indiana Pacers: A team often ravaged by injuries, the Pacers look strong again and should pose a challenge to teams such as the Bulls, Cavs and Pistons in the Central.

L.A. Clippers: The Clip Show had a surprising year last year, and they should be expected to make it back to the playoffs, with an exit in the second round likely.

L.A. Lakers: This team is still relying on Kwame Brown to be a dominant force under the basket, which means one and done come postseason time.

Memphis Grizzlies: This is a hard luck team that got jobbed by the screwy NBA postseason seeding, and now has to play its first two to three months without Pau Gasol, making a return trip to the playoffs highly unlikely.

Miami Heat: The Heat are aging, but they're still the favorites to take the Southeast.

Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks squeeked into the playoffs last year and will probably be replaced in the standings by a darkhorse like the Magic this season.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Garnett will endure another tough season because Minnesota again failed to surround him with proven talent.

New Jersey Nets: With Kidd, Carter, Jefferson and Kristic, the Nets have a formidable quartet of scorers that should bring them another Atlantic Division title.

New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets: Replacing PJ Brown with Tyson Chandler was a lateral move, but the improved play of Chris Paul will determine whether the Hornets are the eighth seed or on the outside looking in like last year.

New York Knicks: An absolute mess that Isiah the GM created and that Isiah the coach can't fix.

Orlando Magic: The Magic have a lot of good, young players, but they're still on the bubble because it's unclear who will give them consistent scoring.

Philadelphia 76ers: Allen Iverson again has a dearth of talent around him, so he'll continue to try to push this team into the postseason single-handedly.

Phoenix Suns: If Amare is back, this team is scary; however, if they don't play some form of defense, they're doomed to early playoff exits.

Portland Trailblazers: Zach Randolph is good (but troubled), the rest of this team is bad.

Sacramento Kings: No Bonzi Wells and an aging Mike Bibby means no playoffs.

San Antonio Spurs: The Spurs are the epitome of consistency and team basketball, which is why they're always at the top of the NBA.

Seattle Supersonics: Last year was a surprise, and this year, the Sonics should be more competitive, but how much remains to be seen.

Toronto Raptors: The Raptors have some nice, skilled, young players around which build, so they're probably still a year or two away from making a dent in the Eastern Conference.

Utah Jazz: Jerry Sloan has had a tough time since Karl Malone and John Stockton left, but AK47, a great all-around player, makes them a viable threat in the West.

Washington Wizards: With a couple of solid additions and the highest scoring trio in the league, this team should finally push 50 wins.

So there you have it. I have to run now, so the sundry of other topics to which I alluded in my title will have to wait until another day. I could just remove the "assundry" portion of the title, but ... meh.

Beware, Fragile Glass

2006-09-25T18:42:00.000-04:00

It's not half-empty, it's not half-full. It's just half right now. It fills up a little bit with every win, and it loses liquid with every loss. But beware, the thing is fragile. There's a fissure. If the Redskins look inept next week, the whole thing may crack apart, spewing the water everywhere. And when the glass is empty, it takes longer to refill. (What's that to the left of the cracked glass, you ask? Oh, that's an empty mug. It had been full of Hatorade, but I sipped that sucker down in two weeks.)

The thing about Redskins fans is that they extol every win to a tremendous degree. Every loss, meanwhile, is catastrophic, forging an end-of-the-world mentality. I'm guilty of it. I admit it. Redskins fans are bipolar for 16 weeks a year, and we're fine with it. We don't need help. When you're a fanatic, there's no panacea. The people around you just have to learn to deal with the wild mood swings: the elation of a win or the depression of a loss that lasts days after a Sunday's let-down.

So here we sit, Redskins Nation, supporting a team that's 1-2 after a definitive 31-15 romp against Houston. Before we begin, though, let's step into the wayback machine (thanks Jimmy James) and remember Week One, when Philly beat the Texans. Recall that if you will. The Eagles handled Houston and media types went nuts with Philly Phever. It was crazy. All of a sudden, just because of a single win against an NFL doormat, the Eagles were contenders again. The favorites to win the NFC East. The standard for the NFC East. Hell, the benchmark, the exemplar, the touchstone of the NFL. Watch your backs, everyone. The Eagles were ready to ingurgitate all teams in their path. Step aside, the team that beat the Texans is coming to town. If that was the case then (and we're fastforwarding here to the present), why isn't it the circumstance now? The Redskins arguably played better offensively against the Texans than did the Eagles. So, shouldn't the 1-2 Redskins now be christened the Super Bowl champions. No need to get the field ready, Miami. The Skins will gladly take the trophy now. They beat Houston. Season over. Cancel all the games.

Obviously, you recognize the folly of reading too much into a win against Houston. (Did you notice the Eagles blow the following week's game against the Giants? They're not ready for the big time quite yet.) So let's pat the Skins on the back for a win. Let's shake quarterback Mark Brunell's hand for setting an NFL record for consecutive passes completed (22). And let's give some dap to running back Clinton Portis for exhibiting his toughness and really sparking the offense. Then, let's regroup and analyze the victory. Really, the scrutiny of Sunday's game stops with the opponent. They beat Houston. It's like being given a win for taking a bye week. (Incidentally, I don't think the Raiders covered the spread against the bye on Sunday.)

Who knows, maybe the Redskins offense is dynamic, finally, because Portis is back. Maybe the team has turned a corner because a win, no matter whom it comes against, always builds confidence. Maybe Shawn Springs is back next week and the Redskins defense is top-flight again. Maybe. Maybe. Mabye. We still have as many questions as we do answers after three weeks. Next Sunday's game against Jacksonville will give us a true indication of where this team is at the quarter-pole of the season.

I have faith. I won't lose the hope that this team will get better. That come Week 13, 14, 15, the Skins will be battling for a top seed in the playoff picture. But in order for that dream to become a reality, they have to address their glaring weaknesses right now. This week. No more fine tuning. Play the guys who have a clue. Avoid the needless mistakes. Get it together because three of the next four games are against the Jags, Giants and Colts.

Can they beat Jacksonville? Yes. And not because of that whole parity argument. None of that any-given-Sunday crap. They have a chance because Portis can make some stretch runs to tire the Jags' defensive line. They have a chance because the Jags probably boast the worst wide receiving crew the Redskins have faced all season. They have a chance because, in general, the Jags don't score with any great frequency. They have a chance because they'll run the ball 30-35 times, even if the run is being stuffed time and time again. Anticipate a low scoring affiar. Something in the 20-17 range, with either team being on the winning end of that barnburner.

Let's revel in the euphoria of the Houston win a couple of days more, fellow Redskins fans. Then, we can revert back to the worrisome, anxiety-ridden, disquieted bunch we so enjoy being.

Redskins at Cowboys: Key Match-ups, Projection

2006-09-16T12:56:00.000-04:00

Redskins at Cowboys, 8:15 p.m. Sunday, NBC

Here are three key match-ups to watch:

1. Defensive end Andre Carter vs. Left tackle Flozell Adams

Carter has to prove to the Redskins brass and the Redskins fans that he can reinvigorate his slowly failing career. He needs to demonstrate that he can produce a season similar to his 12-sack output from a couple of years ago. Meanwhile, Adams has to keep Carter at bay so the Bledsoe can remain upright.

2. Wide receiver Terry Glenn vs. Redskins corners

One specific Redskins corner won't be covering Glenn. In the Redskins system, the corners play a side of the field, not a particular receiver. So, whoever ends up standing in front of Glenn will have a tall responsibility. T.O. will see double coverages rolled his way all night, but Glenn will probably have single coverage. That corner needs to shut down Glenn.

3. Special teams vs. Special teams

Both teams have serious issues in the kicking game. Neither team has a great punter, and neither team has a clutch kicker. If Mike Vanderjagt doesn't suit up for the Cowboys, they're in as much trouble as the Skins. If he does, however, than Washington can't let the game rest on the foot of John Hall again.

Three fantasy studs to play from Sunday night's game:

1. Terry Glenn, WR, Dallas Cowboys

If you have Glenn, suit him up. He'll be facing single coverage against one of the Redskins poor cornerbacks. He should be primed for a huge game.

2. Santana Moss, WR, Washington Redskins

The Cowboys, too, have a poor secondary. Moss should be able to replicate his performance from last season. He should be a safe bet.

3. Jason Whitten, TE, Dallas Cowboys

The Redskins are soft in the middle of the field. It should open up opportunities for Whitten.

Projected outcome of Sunday night's game:

Redskins 28, Cowboys 17

The Skins should be able to get that Al Saunders offense moving down field against a bad Cowboys secondary. Gregg Williams usually has success flustering Bledsoe and forcing him into bad decisions. I think the Redskins coaching staff redeems itself after last week's blunder.

Redskins at Cowboys: Scouting Report

2006-09-15T13:14:00.000-04:00

Just to clear up, the reason I'm a day behind according to the planner I laid out in yesterday's post is because the Skins played on Monday night. So because of that, I'll have to combine the fantasy stuff and projection in tomorrow's post. Anyway, back to today.

Redskins at Cowboys, 8:15 p.m. Sunday, NBC

Dallas Cowboys Scouting Report

Quarterback

Drew Bledsoe can still muscle a few down the field. But the same problems that plagued him years ago in New England affect him in Dallas. His lack of mobility has always been a concern, and when he's forced to hurry a throw or, god forbid, leave the pocket, he's more prone to mistakes than the Arizona Cardinals version of Jake Plummer. He has problems managing a football game. He may tantalize you early, but give him time, he'll slowly crush what faith you placed in him. The key to beating Bledsoe is getting in his face. The defense has to disrupt his timing. It seems Bledsoe has an especially difficult time getting himself out of trouble. He threw 17 interceptions last year, and in one game this season, he's thrown three. Seems as though not much has changed.

Running Backs

Julian Jones is neither a fast, nor powerful runner. Dallas will use him more, though, for runs inside the tackles. He should be easy enough to stop. If they bounce him outside, the linebackers will simply have to force him toward the sideline. He's not quick enough to cut back. Marion Barber has blazing speed with little power. Most of his runs will be off tackle. He may also be a viable option on RB screens. Redskins defenders are going to have square him up. If he slips by, he'll be tip-toeing his way to the endzone. Neither back, however, is special. The Redskins should have success curtailing the Cowboys ground game.

Wide Receivers

Last year, the Redskins shifted double coverage toward Terry Glenn, and he still torched them in the first match up for 157 yards and a score. This year, the Skins will be more focused on doubling T.O., which will leave Glenn in single coverage against a Redskins defensive back, which doesn't bode well for Washington. The Cowboys have a dynamic duo. T.O. is a big, strong receiver, so when he catches a pass, it will be integral for the corner or safety to bring him down immediately. Glenn is a little faster, and he should dominate whoever covers him.

Tight End

Jason Whitten is a top-5 receiving tight end in this league. He's a big guy, who should find plenty of seams in the middle of the Redskins defense. If there's one soft spot in a Gregg Williams defense, it's the middle of field. The Redskins linebackers are not very good in coverage, so Whitten has the potential for a big day.

Offensive Line

Despite infusing this unit with some more proven talent, it's still fairly weak. Last year, the line gave up more than 40 sacks. In the first week, the unit looked flustered against a stout Jacksonville defensive front. The Redskins, however, don't boast the same kind of power and athleticism up front. It should be an easier match up for Dallas, but the Cowboys should keep an eye on Andre Carter at the right end. He played a particularly poor game last week, and he'll need to demonstrate he's the same 12-sack guy the Skins signed in the offseason.

Defense

The strength of this group lies up front. The Redskins will have to neutralize the rush. The Cowboys defensive line will be facing a pretty strong offensive line, one that allowed no sacks to the Minnesota Vikings last week -- no small feat. The Cowboys linebackers are a liability, which makes the defensive line's job is magnified. Without Dat Nguyen, who retired, the linebacking corps lacks a lot of lateral mobility. Their pass coverage skills are less than mediocre. The Cowboys secondary is weak. The corners cannot are not good enough to playin single coverage. The safeties have no grasp of coverage concepts, particularly Roy Williams, who's more interested in a big hit than making a play against the passing game. If the line can't get to Brunell, the Redskins should rack up plenty of passing yards.

Special Teams

Dallas has a so-so punter and an awful kicking game if Vanderjagt isn't playing.

The Cowboys present many match up problems because of their strength at wide receiver and tight end. But overall, some of their more fatal flaws makes this an unstable team from week to week.

Redskins at Cowboys: The Breakdown

2006-09-14T17:19:00.000-04:00

If possible -- meaning, if I'm up to it (meaning, if I'm not lazy -- I'd like to have esome general rubric of response following a Redskins football game. A post the day after the game would be the first opportunity to establish went wrong and what went right. It would either be a celebration or a post-mortem. The second entry following the game would provide more reasoned -- I hope -- analysis, as a result of another day's worth of perspective. The third post would be a positional breakdown of the Redskins and their opponent. The fourth entry would be the game's scouting report. The fifth post would reveal some key match ups to watch, as well as which players should provide good fantasy stats. And the last post before game day would be the projected outcome . So, ideally, a week's worth of blogging leading up to gameday would look like this, assuming the Redskins played on Sunday:

Monday: Initial analysis; the good, the bad, the ugly
Tuesday: The day after the day after; more perspective = more insightful analysis
Wednesday: Positional breakdown
Thursday: Scouting report
Friday: Key match ups; fantasy studs and flops
Saturday: Projected outcome

I'd consider keeping a running blog on Sundays, but because I'm in Memphis, I can't watch the games from my apartment, unless they're on national TV. This is an ambitious project, and one with which I'm sure I'll stumble. I've been known to trumpet some grand blogging project, only to quell my own attempts later on. I'm a blogging masochist, you could say. So, I can say with complete confidence that I'll fail at this little project, as well. Especially if the Redskins initiate a losing trend. I'll find it harder to blog about a losing team with a payroll more inflated than many third world countries' GNP's. But for now, onto the ...

POSITIONAL BREAKDOWNS

Mark Brunell vs. Drew Bledsoe

Is it possible to be supremely confident in either QB at this stage in their respective QB's. I mean, there was a time when Brunell exuded an unparalleled style of QB play. He was the younger version of Steve Young, a mobile guy who could rifle the ball down field. Bledsoe, always a competent QB, has been mistake-prone his entire career. He builds expectations, sucks in fans, then flops in crunch time. But what about now? Who has the upper hand? Quite frankly, it's a push. Brunell can still move a little bit. Bledsoe is the second-coming of Bernie Koser. What separates the two, however, is their mental capacity. Brunell will not make as many errant and ill-advised throws as Bledsoe, who could very well toss two picks.

Advantage: Push

Clinton Portis vs. Juluis Jones/Marion Barber

Portis may not be fully healthy, but even a knicked up Portis is better than whatever pedestrian runner the Cowboys line up behind Bledsoe. Jones is neither fast nor powerful. Barber has blazing speed, but nothing else. Running back by committee schemes rarely work. But alone or in tandem, Jones and Barber cannot compare to the skills Portis possesses.

Advantage: Redskins

Santana Moss, Brandon Lloyd, Antwaan Randel-El vs. T.O., Terry Glenn

The Cowboys do have a solid due in Glenn and Owens. The potential is there for those two to scorch the Skins secondary, but they'll be relying on Bledsoe not to hit a Redskin corner in stride. Certainly, when healthy, T.O. is a top-three receiver in the NFL. Glenn is a nice complement. The Redskins have vast WR depth. Moss is an elite receiver, and Lloyd and Randel-El help take some pressure off him. There's no dearth of pass catching talent between these two, but the Skins depth gives them a slight edge.

Advantage: Redskins

Chris Cooley vs. Jason Whitten

Two premier pass-catching tight ends that differ only in their abilities to block. Whitten is a more proven blocker, which isn't to say he's fabulous when he's attempting to stall a charging defensive lineman. It simply means that Whitten is more suited for blocking duties than Cooley, who, in the first game against the Vikings, seemed to get lost in his new tight end position.

Advantage: Cowboys

Skins O-line vs. Boys O-line

I don't think there's even a question. Just look at how many times Brunell was sacked last year.

Advantage: Redskins

Skins defense vs. Boys defense

The two units are almost identical in terms of their one fatal flaw. Both have inadequate secondaries (this is true at the moment for the Skins because Shawn Springs isn't playing; with him, the Skins are markedly better). The Skins get slightly better linebacker play, though, while the Cowboys boast a much stronger defensive line. A slight edge goes to Dallas.

Advantage: Dallas

There you have it: a capsulated breakdown of this Sunday's opponent, the Dallas Cowboys. Neither team wants to start 0-2, so it should be an empassioned contest. Based on the breakdowns provided above, the Redskins would seem to be the favored team.

Take a Sip. It's Yummy.

2006-09-13T12:51:00.000-04:00

So with another day separating me from Monday night's inexcusable loss the Vikings, I have regained a little more faith in the Washington Redskins. I've never been a big proponent of the old coaching philosophy that sometimes a loss is necessary to faciliate a better understanding of where a team stands. I would always ask, "Since when is losing ever a good thing? Why wouldn't you want to win a game? Don't give me this adversity stuff." And to a great extent, I still tend to eschew the losing equals winning talk as nonsense and counterintuitive. But today, as I reflect some more on the Redskins, I'm thinking maybe the loss will help push them forward. They were way too nonchalant in the offseason, particularly during the preseason games. "Trust us," they would say, "We'll have it all put together by Monday night." Well, Monday came and the team constructed an uneven, uninspired effort. Maybe the Vikings knocked some sense into the Redskins.

I sit here now, thinking that the Skins have something to play for Sunday night. I'm almost unabashedly confident they can beat the Cowboys. I think Gregg Williams will scheme better defensively. I think Al Saunders will exploit the Cowboys secondary. I think Clinton Portis will run roughshod. I think the Redskins will get this turned around, so long as it doesn't come down to a kick at the end of the game.

There were countless negatives from Monday night, but the positives seem to be more glaring. Maybe it's because I'm a hopeless optimistic at this point, failing to recognize the faults of a team not primed to make a strong playoff push, but I don't think so. I just have a feeling that the Redskins can right their season sooner rather than later. I look at the NFC East after one week, and only one team, the New York Giants, really established themselves as legit. And they did so in a loss. The Cowboys still have an atrocious secondary, a weak offensive line and a quarterback prone to throwing interceptions and getting sacked. The Eagles beat the Texans. So what?

The Redskins will get it together and beat Dallas Sunday night. I'm thinking something like 28-17. Mark it down!

Monday Night Debacle

2006-09-13T09:24:00.000-04:00

So I'm back. For now. I'll try to post more frequently, but that seems to be my neverending chorus. Anyway, a post ...

I had every intention of discussing Monday night's Redskins 19-16 loss directly following the game's conclusion, but I decided to sleep on it. I wanted to make sure I was viewing the events that transpired last night in an appropriate frame of mind. In other words, I wanted to gain some perspective on the Monday night miss. A post last night would have resulted in a bunch of ranting and raving. I would've been a lunatic, obsessing about the result of a game from the first week of the season. It's hard to extrapolate how good or bad a team is after one contest, so I decided to table my thoughts until today, when I could provide a more insightful analysis. Here are some things that stuck out to me about last night ...

1. The Swiss Cheese Secondary: It's quite obvious that without Shawn Springs, the Redskins defense is among the worst in the league. There are several reasons why Springs is so vital to this unit's performance. Let's start at the beginning, which is to say, let's start with the defensive line.

The front four provided no pass rush last night. I know. Shocking. New acquisition Andre Carter was stifled, and Phillip Daniels reverted to his 2004 form. Without adequate pressure, Vikings QB Brad Johnson had the time he needed to pick apart the Redskins secondary. A good defensive line masks a weak secondary. See the Colts and the Cowboys for good examples. A bad one, though, amplifies the weaknesses of a mediocre secondary and makes a solid one look ordinary. Now let's move on to the blitz.

Gregg Williams needs to blitz for his defense to be successful. Here's the problem. He can't blitz if his corners and safeties can't defend against the pass on their own. Carlos Rodgers, Kenny Wright, Mike Rumph and Adam Archuleta have no concept of how to shut down receivers. If Williams can't trust his corners to play man effectively, he has to drop his linebackers into intermediate coverage. (Of course, even with that added help, the Redskins couldn't stop Johnson from converting long passes on numerous third downs.)

And now, we get to the secondary. The corners are just bad. There's no way to overstate that. They lack even the most rudimentary of coverage skills. Without Shawn Springs, this defense -- and thus, the team -- is doomed. When he comes back, the defense will show marked improvement. Next week against the Cowboys, he won't play, so it could be a long 60 minutes.

2. The Especially Abhorrent Special Teams: So much money went into improving the offense and defense, but once again, special teams was overlooked. Now, you don't sign special teams gunners and wedge busters to large contracts. (Although, I wouldn't put it past Snyder.) But the kick-off coverage unit, especially, was porous. It's easy for a team to score points when they only have to go 60 yards.

And then there's John Hall. This guy is finished. How Gibbs fails to recognize the deterioration of Hall's leg disconcerting. I know it's only one game, but Hall's tenure shouldn't last much longer. He doesn't have it anymore.

3. The Offensive Tease: The offense proved it could move the ball fairly effectively. It also demonstrated an utter and fascinating inability to score touchdowns inside the 10-yard line. This game should've been a Redskins laugher, but three field goals that should've been touchdowns blew that opportunity. You have to wonder why Mike Sellers, Chris Cooley, or hell, even TJ Duckett didn't get an opportunity to punch one into pay dirt.

Al Saunders play calling was also questionable. He didn't run the ball enough, and the passes Brunell completed were to the east and west, rather than to the north and south. They need to go up the field, not laterally from hash to hash.

Those are my observations. They're 0-1, and it's a bad 0-1. They shouldn't have lost to the Vikings. But my silver lining is that Springs will return eventually, and that the offense at least demonstrated it could get the football down the field with semi-regularity. If the Skins learn how to get into the end zone, they could be a 25-point-a-game team. Big IF to be sure, but I trust these coaches. I'll start worrying for real in five weeks, if this team isn't playing any better.

I Forgot

2006-06-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

What a surprise. I forgot to blog. I go through stages. Sometimes I blog constantly. Sometimes I disappear. Anyway, I'll still explain why Chauncey is overrated. But I also want to note that I've never seen a star player choke in a big situation like Dirk Nowitzki in the NBA Finals. I'd also like to note that Dwayne Wade is the best player in the NBA. Forget the LeBron nonsense. Wade is the Air apparent. No doubt about that.

A Declaration

2006-05-21T00:50:00.000-04:00

So, I've been gone for almost a month. In that time, I've had many blog epiphanies. Enough "ah-ha" moments to blog. In fact, many times I thought to myself, "I should blog about that." But there's the problem: The "thats", "ah-has" and "epiphanies" have dissipated from my memory. Oh well. You'll all simply miss my many pearls of wisdom, my endless witty banter, my sardonic sense of humor and, of course, my scruples, which can only be defined as quixotic. (That's right. I felt like breaking out the $10 words. Also, there's something about the use of scruples and quixotic in such close proximity that pleases me. I can't explain it. But, as usual, I digress ...)

What's the deal with the title of this blog, you may ask? Or, more likely, you've already forgotten what it was. In fact, you probably just got finished re-reading it because I mentioned it. Anyway, my declaration is thus:

Chauncey Billups may very well be the most overrated point guard in the NBA.

I don't have time at the moment to explain my statement, but don't worry, it's coming. Listen, I'm not going to rag on the man too much. He's won an NBA Championship. I'm also not saying he's a bad player. I am saying, though, that he gets more credit than he deserves. Example: The Cavs and Pistons are tied at 3-3 in a best-of-7 series.

More to come ...

More on the CA Suckiness

2006-04-24T17:10:00.000-04:00

I've been thinking about the whole personal CA debacle again, and I've come to realize two things. One, my initial story wasn't great. I know that. I covered Oktoberfest in April. The event was mostly a bore. It's fun for the people who know people participating, but otherwise, it's just a bunch of standing around for six hours on a hot April day. I did my best. The two things that interested me were the brats being cooked in one of the hearts of barbecue country, and the fact that Oktoberfest was going on in April. I tried to put those two elements up front.

Second, the copy editor lied to me. She told me the night I filed that she was deleting a quote, which didn't bother me, and adding more to the title of Wanda Barzizza. That's all I was expecting in the way of edits. I guess in the end she decided to rewrite the thing herself. The story's byline should've said: Quotes compiled by Colin Donohue.

I don't mind copy editors making changes. I've had editors who have made excellent edits that have tightened my writing. I'm appreciative of the work they do. I don't appreciate it when they make wholesale changes without giving me an opportunity to fix it. If I were on an extreme deadline, I'd understand more, but would be no more pleased. But the presses don't roll until 8:30 p.m. Saturday. My deadline was 7:30 p.m. I had it in to her by 6:45 p.m. I could've made any necessary changes as she saw them. Instead, she made the story bland, boring and blah. She should've just taken my name off of it.

For Today, the CA Sucks

2006-04-23T23:25:00.000-04:00

I recently covered Oktoberfest in April for the Commercial Appeal. Well, for the Bartlett/Cordova zoned edition of the CA. The copy editor did a butcher job on my piece. I was told I needed to write 12-15 inches (420-525 words). I wrote 15 words past the limit, but the story that showed up in the paper was 384 words. If they wanted a 11-inch story, I would've written an 11-inch story. The cutting was inexcusable, in my opinion. Furthermore, she almost completely altered or deleted a lot of what I wrote. I'm not one to complain too often. Copy editors are important, but this hatchet job was ridiculous. I've posted my original story. (If you want to see a story that's barely mine but boasts my name, CLICK THIS LINK.

Now, my original story isn't great by any means. This story gave me trouble. I had a tough time getting started and into the meat of it. And certainly some things I mention later in the story could've been mentioned earlier. I succumbed to the pressure of an insanely early deadline for a Saturday night. I was out of my element a bit, too, seeing as how this was a pure features story unrelated to sports. But, this is what I really wrote. I employed a staccato-style second graf and a question in a later graf to make it more conversational and break from the normal narrative feeling of the story. My attempt, however meek, at a change of pace. My transitions could've used work, too, but not work to the tune of 150 removed words and completely changed grafs.

Also, I'm not hating on copy editors. I value their work. They're of vital importance to newspapers. All I ask is that any major changes go through me. Give me the oppportunity to fix it. Don't just cut and move on.

Anyway, here's the story I wrote:

An unfamiliar aroma wafted through the air, a smell that, for the most part, is not commensurate to the Memphis cooking scene. The scent emanated from the dozen or so gigantic grills, as a swirling wind swept through and transported the scent of bratwursts to all in attendance.
That’s right. Bratwursts. Here. In Memphis. An epicenter of the barbecue world.
"Brats are becoming big on the backyard grill scene," said Michael Zeller, the corporate development chef for Johnsonville Sausage. "I definitely see it coming through. It’s natural."
Grilling brats was just one part of the second annual Oktoberfest in April, which took place Saturday afternoon at the Agricenter.
But wait. Why was Oktoberfest being held in April?
"We wanted to do an Oktoberfest actually in October, but none of them have ever worked here," said Wanda Barzizza, the chairman and founder of the Grand Krewe of Luxor. "We can’t get it off the ground because everyone is either at Ole Miss, University of Memphis or Tennessee football games. Some people we’ll eventually get down here in April, we wouldn’t be able to get in October."
The event, though, was less concerned about staying loyal to the traditional Oktoberfest and more focused on family.
"Bottom line, this is for the kids," said John McNulty, the captain of team Windsock. "That’s what it’s all about. It’s a fun gathering."
Barzizza originated the idea for the event more than year ago, and all proceeds from Oktoberfest in April benefited Shelby Residential and Vocational Services. SRVS aids more than 900 people with developmental disabilities.
"We wanted to do something that was more public that we could involve children in," Barzizza said. "We do this very similar to what you see with the Italian Festival, but we never go over a day."
The German-themed event included the customary Oktoberfest endeavors – brats and beer. But it also boasted a potpourri of nontraditional activities, including a celebrity brat eating contest – won by Tom Prestigiacomo of FM 100 – a suspender contest and kids’ and adults’ brat cooking contests.
The Southern Brat Singers, led by Michael Barzizza, took first place in the brat cooking contest. McNulty’s Windsock won second, and The Grand Krewe of Phoenix, headed by Jeff Moore and DeAnne Gammon, finished third.
Many of the grill masters, including McNulty, were making their initial foray into the art of cooking brats, so Zeller and Jerry Womble, a former team cook for the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, were on hand to provide simple demonstrations.
"We’re really going to do some basic things on how to cook brats," Zeller said.
Buddy Lanier, a co-captain of the Offside Grillers team, enjoyed the change of culinary pace.
"There are too many barbecue teams around here," Lanier said. "We’re in a five-phase program. Phase one is bratwursts, and phase two is Italian sausages. Five years from now, we could very well win (the brat cooking contest) in Munich."
Barzizza has been encouraged by the event’s progress, and she thinks it will become a Memphis mainstay in the near future.
"Over the next two or three years, you’re going to really see this thing take off," she said. "Next year, we have to get this advertised to the public early on and really start slamming it."

Say what you will about the quality of my story, but I like it more than the version that appeared in the newspaper. It's a shame when something you wrote is butchered, but because your name is on it, people associate it with you. I'd much rather have people pissed at something I wrote, rather than something a copy editor rewrote.

NBA Playoffs

2006-04-21T23:18:00.000-04:00

The NBA Playoffs start tomorrow (Saturday), so I thought I'd check in with some predictions.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Milwaukee Bucks (8) vs. Detroit Pistons (1): The Pistons take the NBA's best record into the playoffs against a Bucks team that staggered in at 40-42. The Bucks have been a mediocre team since the All-Star break after a quick start to the season. The only Milwaukee steals a game is if they shoot themselves to a W.
Pistons in four

Chicago Bulls (7) vs. Miami Heat (2): The Bulls finished the season on a tear, overtaking the 76ers and holding off the hard-charging Magic for a spot in the playoffs. They'll play a Miami team that hasn't seemed to mesh yet this year. Shaq has said numerous times throughout the season that he's been taking it easy so he wouldn't be worn down for the playoffs. Well, he better come through now. The Bulls will give the Heat some trouble from the perimeter because Chicago can shoot the ball, and Miami doesn't have great perimeter defense. But Dwayne Wade of the Heat will be the best player on the floor, and he and his team want a showdown with the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Heat in five

Indiana Pacers (6) vs. New Jersey Nets (3): I haven't been sold on the Nets all season, despite the win streaks they have a tendency to put together. Their trio of scorers -- Kidd, Jefferson and Carter -- is the second best in the Eastern Conference, but it's the late play of Kristic that has turned this team into a legit contender. The Pacers played well enough to make the playoffs, and with O'Neal contributing regularly again, Indiana may be able to negate Kristic's effectiveness. Still, the Pacers don't have anyone to stop Kidd's playmaking ability.
Nets in seven

Washington Wizards (5) vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (4): All the talk is about LeBron and the Cavs. No one seems to be focusing on the Wizards. Reminds me of last year's playoffs. LeBron is a true talent. He's a superstar in the league, and he may leave the NBA as the best player in the history of basketball. He led his team to 50 wins this season and could very well be named the MVP of the league. He'll be facing a Wizards team that finished 42-40, three games off last year's pace. Caron Butler was hurt for five games late in the season. Not coincidentally, the Wizards lost those five games. Had he played, the Wizards probably would've won at least three. That's a hypothetical, I know. My point is, however, that the Wizards are closer to a 45-win team than a 42-win team. The Wizards are better than many people think. However, they do have a tendency to shoot themselves out of a lot of games. They have trouble holding large leads because instead of attacking the basket and building on a lead, they shoot 3-pointers and allow long rebounds and fast breaks. They also don't play great defense. But neither do the Cavs. The Cavs don't have a point guard who can stop Arenas. If they use Hughes on Arenas, than Hughes' offense will suffer. Haywood and Ilgauskus match up well, and a combination of Jeffries, Daniels and Butler have held LeBron in relative check this year, as the Wizards took three of four games from the Cavs. The Wizards experience and the strong, tough play of Butler will help Washington. They'll steal an early game on the road and win their three home games.
Wizards in six

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Sacramento Kings (8) vs. San Antonio Spurs (1): Ron Artest thinks the Kings. He's the only one. The Spurs are too good defensively to let the Kings beat them.
Spurs in five

Los Angeles Lakers (7) vs. Phoenix Suns (2): This is a popular upset pick. Kobe is the best player in the league, but the Lakers don't have enough weapons. Do you really think Kwame Brown will continue to play well in the second season? Do you really think Luke Walton will make a difference? The Suns have offensive weapon after offensive weapon, and I'll take Shawn Marion instead of Lamar Odom any day.
Suns in six

Los Angeles Clippers (6) vs. Denver Nuggets (3): This is not an upset pick because the Clippers are the better team. Hell, they're seeded lower and have home court advantage, nonetheless. Cassell and Brand are a better one-two combo than any the Nuggets can throw at LA. 'Melo is a special player, but he's not enough to win the series.
Clippers in six

Memphis Grizzlies (5) vs. Dallas Mavericks (4): Both of these teams are victims of the NBA's inane playoff seeding system. The Grizzlies, a team that's never won a playoff game, rack up 49 wins and don't tank it like the Clippers and get the honor of playing the Mavs in the first round. The Mavs, on the other hand, will have to face the Spurs in second round. Ridiculous all the way around. This series has the makings of a defensive battle, but Dallas has a few more scoring options. The Grizzlies will finally win a playoff game, but not a series.
Mavericks in five

So, the second round should look like this:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Washington Wizards (5) vs. Detroit Pistons (1)
New Jersey Nets (3) vs. Miami Heat (2)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Dallas Mavericks (4) vs. San Antonio Spurs (1)
Los Angeles Clippers (6) vs. Phoenix Suns (2)

I'll post my semifinal predictions when we finally pare the field to eight.

No AC

2006-04-18T11:58:00.000-04:00

This will be a bitchin' blog. I don't mean bitchin' in the traditional cool-as-hell-and-so-transcendent-that-you-all-should-pay-attention sense. I mean I'm going to bitch in this blog. Here in Memphis at 10:27 a.m. Central Standard Time (and by the way, don't get me started on the crappiness of central time), it is 78 degrees outside. This afternoon, we will reach a high of 90 degrees. Inside the journalism building, the AC is broken. My office, which is usually frigid, is friggin' hot at the moment. I closed my blinds to keep the sun from shining directly on me, but that only provided marginal relief. Now, I sit here perspiring, my only salvation an ice-cold Diet Coke to my right, which is not only refreshing, but also serving as a thirst quencher. And soda is never good when used in such a capacity. So I'm sweating it out here, hoping my deodorant earns its money today. The good news is that class is optional tonight -- I opt not to go -- and I can leave the office at noon at the latest. So the day can only improve from here.

In more important news, the Orioles beat the Angels 4-2 last night to take three of four from Anaheim. Daniel Cabrera walked only one batter in seven innings after having issued 16 walks in his previous two starts, in which he totaled just 6.1 innings. This was an important series win. It moved them to 8-6 overall and proved they can beat a team other than Tampa Bay. So, they're 5-2 against Tampa Bay, 3-1 against Anaheim and 0-3 against Boston.

(By the way, Boston looks like the real deal, folks. I had concerns about them coming into this year, but they've looked good. I'm still not sure Clement and Wakefield will continue to pitch as well as they have, and the lack of fifth starter is a problem, but Schilling and Beckett have been fantastic. If Papelbon moves into the rotation, then they'll be short in the bullpen because Foulke my explode as the closer. I'd also like to see that offense play better before I annoint them AL East champs. But they're looking good. A solid team.)

(Sticking with the AL East tangent, the Yankees have looked vulnerable. Their pitching has been decent, but that won't last. Their vaunted offense hasn't produced as many suspected it would. But it's early. They started slowly last year, too, and still won the division. Wang, Chacon, Mussina and Pavano are all mediocre pitchers, and it's not good when the fortunes of this team are riding on those four sets of shoulders. The bullpen is adequate. The offense will have to carry this team. The Blue Jays have played decent ball so far, as well. BJ Ryan has paid off. The offense is scoring runs. But Halladay, Burnettt and the rest of the average rotation haven't been stellar. They made some nice offseason acquisitions, but not enough to challenge Boston and New York. The D-Rays have good, young, offensive talent, but they have no pitching, aside from Kazmir, to speak of. They'll finish last in the division again.)

The Orioles haven't played great baseball, but they've won. Their starting pitching has been up and down. The back end of their bullpen has been fantastic. Their middle relief has been awful. Their offense has been inconsistent. Unfortunately, David Newhan broke his leg last night. He had played his way into the starting lineup, and his speed at the top of the lineup was adding a much needed dimension to the offense. He'll be out for six to eight weeks, most likely. They start another important series against Cleveland tonight. Then, they travel to New York Friday for three games with the Yankees.

In still other sports news, the Washington Wizards secured a playoff spot with their win against the Cavaliers Sunday evening. The Wizards are a confusing team. They're wildly inconsistent and haven't proven all year that they're a great basketball team. They're merely a good basketball team. If they beat the Bucks tonight and the Pistons Wednesday night, then they'll secure the coveted fifth seed and face in the Cavs in the first round. That's the best possible matchup for the Wizards because it's a winnable series. I've been unhappy with Washington all season. They're a difficult team to define. They can beat Detroit (twice), San Antonio and Phoenix, but they struggle against Atlanta, Charlotte and Boston. They rely too much on jump shots, so they shoot themselves in and out of games. Gilbert Arenas' game would be augmented if he could add a floater to his repetoire of offensive moves. He can hit a 3-pointer, a mid-range jumper and finish around the basket. What he lacks, though, is the ability to toss up a floater, a la Tony Parker and Dwayne Wade.

The NFL Draft is next weekend, and Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart and Vince Young are receiving most of the media's attention. I'm sure they'll all have solid careers, and certainly someone like Bush can help reverse a team's (Houston?) fortunes. Outside of only Bush, though, I think Vernon Davis is the player to watch in this draft. The Maryland tight end is going to be a huge addition to whatever team drafts him. He has superstar potential.

I Know It's Early, But There's Always Room for Pessimism

2006-04-08T21:11:00.000-04:00

The Orioles lost to the Red Sox for the second straight day, and although the season is only (almost) five days old, there are already plenty of reasons to think the Orioles are going to be awful for a ninth straight year. Of course, the first reason is because Peter Angelos is the owner. But that's true every season. Let's run through the pitching staff and lineup to discover why Baltimore sucks.

Rodrigo Lopez: A pitcher who will give a team more than 30 starts and 230 innings a year. I'ts just a shame when said pitcher's ERA is more than 4.50.
Erik Bedard: Potential ace of this staff who does a good job throwing strikes and getting batters out. He's an onery fellow, who finds it difficult to get along with his pitching coach and catcher.
Kris Benson: Had a great first start. Who knows how well he'll fare this season? He's an unknown right now.
Daniel Cabrera: Last night's line: 1.1 innings pitched, seven walks. The capsulated story of Cabrera's short career. He can't throw strikes, so teams score early and often against him. He can rarely get past the fifth inning.
Bruce Chen: A soft-tossing lefty who may be the only pitcher worth anything in this rotation.

Onto the lineup ...

Brian Roberts: Abbreviated spring training is showing so far this season. He's under everything, sending a lot of pop ups and fly balls to the outfield. Can't get on base.
Nick Markakis: Rookie phenom who was roping everything in spring training. He's been rolling over everything so far this year. Has a great eye, draws walks, but grounds out too much so far.
Melvin Mora: Proving Peter Angelos correct so far this year by not signing him to an extension. He's pretty much been useless in the first five games.
Miguel Tejada: Making solid contact and getting on base. But since no one is getting on in front of him, he's not driving in runs.
Jay Gibbons: Double play Jay will swing at junk. Easy strike out victim. Also has a tendency to pop up. He won't offer Tejada much protection in the lineup.
Kevin Millar: Straight pull hitter. He's been getting on base because he has a good eye and can foul off pitches. Too bad he's so slow, or he could hit in the No. 2 spot.
Javy Lopez: Stroke doesn't appear to be back yet. He may have to move up to the No. 5 hole soon, though, for Tejada's sake.
Jeff Conine: Old, and it shows. He's behind everything. A major liability at the plate.
Luis Matos: Who knows from game to game? He's fine in the ninth spot. Just leave him here.

So there you have it. The recipe for NO success.

Final Four

2006-03-27T16:52:00.000-05:00

We're down to four, and not one of the teams still remaining is a No. 1 seed. That's impressive. It signals to me, at least, that there was a good deal of parity in this field of 64. Congratulations are in order again for the selection committee. They constructed a solid group of teams for this tournament, and it seems like every team they chose -- aside from some Big East schools -- proved its worth. So we head to Indianapolis now for the Final Four. I would presume that most people didn't have any of these teams in their personal Final Fours. Maybe they had LSU or Florida, but surely not both. No one outside the George Mason campus picked George Mason. And I bet if you polled all the students at GMU, you'd find that most of them didn't have their team advancing this far. The Patriots were 400-to-1 odds in some places, so if you put some money on them, the future is looking bright, provided they win the championship. And you know what? There's no reason why they can't. The four remaining teams are pretty evenly matched, and surely you have to give George Mason at least a 50-50 shot of winning after taking out perennial super powers Michigan State, North Carolina and UConn in this tournament. My brackets are shot. I picked UConn to win the whole thing. But even yesterday I found myself rooting for George Mason against the Huskies. I'm glad to see they recovered from what could have been a demoralizing buzzer-beating lay up to force overtime. Good win, George Mason. I hope you win the whole thing.

With none of my Final Four selections still remaining, I think this tournament is LSU's to lose. The Tigers will face UCLA this weekend. It will be a defensive battle, and the game will probably resemble the UCLA/Memphis tilt from Saturday. It will most likely be a low-scoring, grind-it-out affair. Defensive rebounding and ball control will be key in this one. UCLA has not impressed me with their tournament run. I think they play great defense and exhibit a massive amount of resiliency. But the Tigers seemed primed for a national championship. I think LSU is the most athletic team remaining. They're long, they're lean and they're talented. LSU will take Afflalo and Farmar out of the equation, which will leave the Bruins with little offensive productivity. LSU makes it to the title game.

Florida will look to bring the Patriots back to earth in the Final Four's other matchup. It's hard to bet against George Mason. They're so sound at every position. They play great team ball. They don't resort to elaborate offensive sets. They're vanilla. But, most importantly, they're effective. And, to use a sports cliche, they're hungry. They remind me of the young Florida Marlins team that won the World Series in 2003. The Patriots are too inexperienced and young in regards to the NCAA Tournament to know that what they're doing is unheard of. The pressure won't get to them. Unfortunately, I think Joakim Noah. He's just too big and too dominant. I'm going with the Gators in this one -- narrowly. That said, a Patriots win would not surprise me. I just have a feeling that Florida finds a way. But my feelings have done me all wrong in the last couple of rounds.

So, that sets up an LSU/Florida title game. Although, in my dream scenario, LSU would play George Mason. LSU will hold a special place in my heart because they took care of Duke in the Sweet Sixteen. The Patriots are exciting, too, because they've done the unthinkable. An LSU/George Mason final would be the best possible championship game for me. I'm rooting for George Mason to win this whole thing.

I Know Nothing

2006-03-26T17:46:00.000-05:00

I officially know nothing about NCAA basketball. The first three rounds of the tournament went well for me. These last two days have been awful. First, Memphis should've been wearing brown shorts last night because when they stepped on the floor, they crapped themselves. I know UCLA plays great defense, but I attribute most of Memphis' effort last night on their inability to make open jumpers and lay ups. They also demonstrated that they're not a very smart basketball team. They're talented and stupid, and that's a deadly combination. UCLA has has played three close games in a row, and they haven't looked like a dominant team yet. Meanwhile, LSU controlled the the Texas front court, holding LaMarcus Aldridge to four points. That's impressive. LSU and UCLA will meet in the next round, and this tournament is beginning to look like LSU's to win. I'm taking the Tigers against the Bruins.

And the tournament's Holy Crap team, George Mason, continues to blow by more skilled opponents, taking out UConn earlier today in overtime. Just wow. UConn is obviously a fatally flawed team. Perhaps that first-round exit in the Big East Tournament was a precursor of things to come. Congrats, Patriots. They earned it. They'll play the winner of the Villanova/Florida game taking place right now. For the record, I've taken Florida in this one.

Down to Eight

2006-03-25T18:09:00.000-05:00

After last night's games, the NCAA field is down to eight teams. George Mason continued its run through the tournament with a thorough defeat of Witchita State. UConn came back from six down late and forced overtime before eventually ousting Washington. UConn has not played well yet in this tournament, and I really felt like they would easily dispatch of Washington last night, once and for all proving that they are the best team in the nation. That didn't happen, and the Huskies almost allowed one to get away. Next, UConn will take on NCAA darling George Mason. Florida and Georgetown played a pretty evenly matched game, but down the stretch, the Gators athleticism proved too much for the Hoyas. Georgetown is a legit contender, but all year they've suffered from a lack of explosive one-on-one players. No one on that team can break down a defense by himself. They have a strong inside presence and disciplined offense, but they don't have a guy who can take defenders off the dribble and get to the basket. As a result, they didn't have enough offensive explosiveness to win their game against the Gators in crunch time. Villanova defeated Boston College in overtime last night in a game the Eagles should have had in their control. I really though Boston College's inside presence would be the determining factor in this one. As it turned out, guard play late in the game led to Villanova's victory. Boston College collapsed defensively at the end, while Villanova rendered the Eagles' tight flex meaningless late in the second half and overtime. Villanova will face Florida in the round of eight as a result.

So, who's going to win. George Mason has played some great basketball in this tournament, but I think UConn will finally be too much. I hesitate to say this again, but I think after last night's scare, the Huskies will end this one by halftime. George Mason can celebrate their fantastic season after tomorrow night. UConn, on the other hand, will advance to the Final Four.

Villanova and Florida will be a gritty, tight game. I had Boston College beating Florida to reach the Final Four in my bracket, but because of 'Nova, the Eagles are gone. I guess I'll stick with half my original prediction: The Gators will lose. I'm counting on the superior guard play of Villanova. The Wildcats make it to the Final Four.

Day after Tournament Talk

2006-03-24T12:32:00.000-05:00

We had a wealth of great, down-to-the-wire NCAA Tournament games last night. Before we briefly get into the nuts and bolts of it, let's talk about Memphis. The Tigers handled Bradley by 16 points, finally putting away a Braves team that upset Kansas and Pittsburgh. Bradley had a good run, but they ran into a sharp-shooting and intensely focused Memphis team. Duke's run also ended. After receiving the overall No. 1 seed in the Tournament -- for reasons I still don't understand -- the Blue Devils lost to a superior LSU squad. The Tigers are large along the backline. They can alter and block shots, which cut down on Shelden Williams' and Greg Paulus' effectiveness. In the front court, LSU is long and agile. The Tigers were able to keep Duke's guards in front of them -- although with guys like Paulus and Redick, that's not a difficult task. Specifically, the Tigers disrupted Redick's rythym. And if Redick ain't scoring, the Devils ain't winning. Duke was finally exposed. The Blue Devils were never a dominant team. They beat up on a weak ACC. Maryland was awful. Wake Forest was worse. N.C. State was inconsistent. North Carolina was bad for half the season. The only consistently good team in the ACC this year outside of Duke was Boston College, and the Eagles should've beaten Duke ealier this year, but the refs blew that game and Duke escapted Boston College with a victory. LSU put away a Duke team that was fortunate to get as far as the Sweet Sixteen.

Texas led West Virginia by 12 at halftime, but the Mountaineers began sinking 3-pointers in the second half. So many, in fact, that they took the lead briefly. The Longhorns were nursing a three-point lead with less than 20 seconds left. But Kevin Pittsnogle nailed a three with five ticks remaining to tie the game. Texas didn't call a timeout, came down the floor and hit a clutch 3-pointer with time expiring to win the game by three points. Frankly, I never thought the game would be so close, but the 3-pointer is truly the great equalizer, and it kept West Virginia in the game.

The biggest shocker of the night, though, was the UCLA-Gonzaga game. The Zags had a nine point lead with about three and a half minutes left, but UCLA closed the game on an 11-0 run to win by two points. Gonzaga held a one-point lead late after UCLA free throws. The Zags inbounded the ball to Adam Morrison. He passed the ball out of the double team across the court to JP Batista. Shortly thereafter, Batista was stripped of the ball, and UCLA convered the turnover into two points. A crushing loss for a Gonzaga team that led by 13 at halftime. Even though Gonzaga dominated most of the game, I still think the better team won.

So, on Saturday, Memphis will face UCLA and LSU will take on Texas. I think the Tigers continue their dominance and beat UCLA for the second time this year. The Bruins didn't look strong last night, and I think Memphis will overwhelm them early. LSU is a formidable team, but they don't shoot 3-pointers like West Virginia. Texas is strong inside, and LaMarcus Aldridge should handle Glen Davis. The Longhorns win it, setting up a Texas-Memphis Final Four.

Paring down the Field

2006-03-20T16:51:00.000-05:00

When you're wrong, you're wrong. And boy was I wrong about some of the games that took place this weekend in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament. I'm leading my pool, but, as with mos everyone else, I took a few lumps in these initial rounds. Before I break down each region, let me offer a mea culpa to George Mason, who I thought never should've been in the field of a 64 with teams like Florida State and Michigan seemingly more deserving of a spot. But boy have they proven me -- and many other professional NCAA men's basketball pundits -- wrong. They're into the Sweet Sixteen. More power to 'em. I don't know if Florida State or Michigan would have played as well.

Atlanta Region

Who's advancing?

Duke, LSU, West Virginia and Texas have all moved on to the Sweet Sixteen.

What went down?

Duke dispatched of Southern and George Washington easily and now face their toughest match up yet against LSU. Syracuse, who must have been emotionally, mentally and physically drained after their exciting Big East Tournament run. They were essentially non-competitive against Texas A&M. I thought the 'Cuse would at least get out of the first round. A&M gave LSU a run for their money in the second round, falling by only one point. West Virginia, much like Duke, cruised into the Sweet Sixteen, beating Southern Illinois and Northwestern State. Northwestern State upset Iowa in the first round, in what was an inexcusable loss for the No. 3 seeded Hawkeyes. As expected, N.C. State and Texas advanced to face each other in the second round, with Texas eventually beating State in a game closer than it should have been.

Who will win?

No. 1 Duke vs. No. 4 LSU: Duke has played well all season, but beating up on the ACC in down a year for the conference (the ACC received only four bids to the Tournament) does little to impress me. I think LSU has too much of an inside presence for Duke to handle. I'll take LSU advancing to the Elite Eight.

No. 6 West Virginia vs. No. 2 Texas: Texas is a strong team all around, but their biggest advantage rests on their frontline in the form of potential NBA Draft No. 1 pick LeMarcus Aldridge. West Virginia is a strong team, but they lack an interior post presence. All their players are more comfortable facing the basket and shooting jumpers, including 6-foot-11 Kevin Pittsnogle. Aldridge dominates the game, and the Longhorns advance to face LSU.

Oakland Region

Who's advancing?

Memphis, Bradley, Gonzaga and UCLA all moved on to the Sweet Sixteen.

What went down?

Memphis had little trouble getting out of the first two rounds. Gonzaga faced a couple of scares in their two wins. UCLA easily won their first-round matchup before struggling against an undermanned Alabama team. The shocker of this bracket -- and probably of the entire Tournament thus far -- is Bradley. The No. 13 seed upset Kansas, a team many people -- myself not included -- picked to go to the Final Four, then beat Big East power Pittsburgh in the second round. This is probably the best and worst case scenario for Memphis. They'll get to face the lowest seed possible in the Sweet Sixteen, but they're also playing a team that defeated Kansas and Pittsburgh. The other upset to note here is Alabama's defeat of Marquette, another Big East school. We were led to believe the Big East was the best conference in the NCAA this year because it received eight bids to the Tournament, but its schools have been falling early and hard so far.

Who will win?

No. 1 Memphis vs. No. 13 Bradley: Bradley's Cinderella ride has come to an end. The Tigers are too big, too long and too athletic for Bradley. Memphis also plays great defense, which will disrupt this mid-major from gaining any offensive flow. Memphis takes this team with ease.

No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 2 UCLA: Adam Morrison's ride is finished. He can turn his attention to the NBA Draft. UCLA will demonstrate their superior athleticism and outrun the Zags into the Sweet Sixteen in what should be ultimately a close game.

Washington, D.C. Region

Who's advancing?

Connecticut, Washington, George Mason and Witchita State all moved on to the Sweet Sixteen.

What went down?

Talk about an upset region. The mid-majors ruled this side of the bracket with George Mason and Witchita State stunning their competition. This potentially gives UConn an easier road to the Final Four, which may be necessary considering their play of late. They eeked out wins against Albany and Kentucky. For a team that by many accounts should win the NCAA Tournament, the Huskies have looked awfully sluggish and uninterested at times. Meanwhile, Washington, a team that seemed to struggle to end the regular season, upset Illinois to advance. Tennessee, overrated to begin with, barely beat Winthrop, a team out of the Big South, one of the weakest conferences in the league. Then, they lost to No. 7 seeded Witchita State, which really wasn't much of a surprise. What was shocking, though, was Witchita State's defeat of Seton Hall, another Big East team. I envisioned Seton Hall advancing to the Sweet Sixteen. Then, there's George Mason, which provided two major upsets that make Witchita State's accomplishments pale in comparison. GMU defeated a tough, physical Michigan State team in the first round, then defeated UNC in the second round by five points. I made a lot of noise about GMU's existence in the NCAA Tournament, as well as North Carolina being given a No. 3 seed, while Tenessee received a No. 2. UNC still should've been seeded higher than Tennessee, but maybe the Tar Heels weren't prepared for postseason basketball. George Mason certainly was.

Who will win?

No. 1 UConn vs. No. 5 Washington: I saw Washington lose to Stanford earlier this year, and after that contest, I became unenamored with Washington. I think they're a decent team that's lucky to have gotten this far in the Tournament. UConn handles Washington in a game that's over by halftime.

No. 11 George Mason vs. No. 7 Witchita State: Who knows? Either way, one team's magical ride will continue into the Elite Eight. I'll pick George Mason because I think Witchita State may become complacent. They're not facing an elite program, so the potential is there for them to ease up a bit. George Mason still feels slighted by all those naysayers -- myself included -- who thought the Patriots had no right being in the Tournament to begin with.

Minneapolis Region

Who's advancing?

Villanova, Boston College, Florida and Georgetown all moved on to the Sweet Sixteen.

What went down?

This region played out almost as expected. Upsets weren't plentiful, and the only one with any significance occurred in the first round matchup between Nevada and Montana, which Montana won. Boston College, a four seed, got a bit of a scare against Pacific, as the Tigers took the Eagles into double overtime in their first-round game. BC regrouped and took care of Montana in the next round. Villanova edged Arizona in the second round. Both teams blew out their first-round opponents. Wisconsin-Milwaukee beat Oklahoma, which barely registers as an upset. This was a game Wisc-Milwaukee should've won. Florida crushed South Alabama and Wisc-Milwaukee. Georgetown squeeked out a victory against Northern Iowa before dismantling No. 2 seed Ohio State in the second round. Again, I expected the Hoyas to take care of the Buckeyes. Ohio State was another team seeded too high.

Who will win?

No. 1 Villanova vs. No. 4 Boston College: Neither team has looked very strong in the early going, but I like Boston College in this one. I think the Eagles are too tough inside with Craig Smith and Jared Dudley. Guard play is a concern for BC against a tough 'Nova back court. But the Eagles are stronger and more physical, which should be enough to carry them into the Final Four.

No. 3 Florida vs. No. 7 Georgetown: The Hoyas are for real, folks. But Florida might be too much of a matchup problem for them. Georgetown likes to slow it down offensively, which oftentimes is the great equalizer for them. But the Gators will push the ball and create opportunities for their jump shooters. Florida takes it.

Enjoy another weekend of college basketball, everyone.

T.O. in Big D

2006-03-18T20:31:00.000-05:00

Read this post and marvel as I attempt to maintain some kind of journalistic objectivity while discussing the Dallas Cowboys. It's no secret that I am what can only be appropriately referred to as a "super-fan" of the Washington Redskins. But, I will try to discuss this Terrell Owens thing without injecting too much Redskins bias. It'll be hard, though, because the Cowboys stand for all that is evil in this world. I guess I'm not off to a great start.

To borrow the hackneyed expression, you must be living under a rock (or you must not follow sports news) if you haven't heard that Terrell Owens has signed a potential three-year contract with the Dallas Cowboys that could eventually reach $25 million. The Washington Post story can be found HERE. Another account from ESPN.com can be found HERE. He will receive a $5 million signing bonus and a $5 million base salary this season. He also stands to make $8 million in 2007 and $7 million in 2008, provided the Cowboys exercise the roster bonuses in the next two seasons. If he stays the entire three years, he'll make $25 million, which is substantially more than he would've made in the last years of his contract with the Eagles, the same contract that created the brouhaha that led to his release. But what does this signing mean for Owens and the Cowboys?

In sum, it seems to spell potential disaster for both sides. Owens is a top-five receiver in the NFL. He's a transformative player who enables secondary offensive options to be featured more prominently in an offensive attack because of a defense's tendency to focus its full attention on him. For this reason, and this reason alone, the Cowboys could become a more potent offensive team, which may or may not lead to more wins. (Although, offense wasn't the most pressing concern for this team.) Still, I can't see this acquisition as being beneficial for either side. (It may be helpful to Owens's wallet, however.) In watching many Cowboys games last year -- more than I wanted to -- I observed a team with an above average offense to the start the season devolve into a stagnant offensive team that had difficulty scoring points later in the campaign, which was exacerbated by a kicker-by-committee tactic that head coach Bill Parcells employed for much of the season. What I see this year is a team that could improve offensively, but most likely won't be as dynamic as a team with Owens should be.

Starting in the backfield, the Cowboys field an aging starting quarterback, Drew Bledsoe, whose decision-making skills seem to be deteriorating as quickly as his arm. Even though he doesn't get as much zip on the ball, he still put up decent numbers last season (23 TD's, 17 INTs, 3,639 yards) because his receivers did such a good job of creating space and getting open. At this point in Bledsoe's career, he requires receivers who can shed defenders because he can't complete the tough throws in tight space like he did in New England. See the 17 INTs as an example. Standing behind Bledsoe is running back Julius Jones, who can be classified as mediocre, at best. He posted only 993 yards and five touchdowns last season, hardly gaudy numbers for a starting running back in the NFL. Owens might help Jones reach 1,100 yards this season, as eight men won't be able to pile into the box to stop the run. Still, Jones isn't a flashy, change-of-direction back. He's also not a power runner. What does that leave? Not much success. He lost a number of carries last year to the fleet-of-foot, yet slight-of-build Tyson Thompson, who demonstrated more promise at the position. Jones really didn't provide any running relief for the Cowboys until the 16th week of the season in a victory against the Carolina Panthers, of all teams.

Terry Glenn, the Cowboys deep receiving threat, will probably benefit the most from Owens's presence. Owens will see double teams constantly, and Glenn proved last year that he still has the ability to beat man coverage deep for long receptions and touchdowns. But the negatives appear more prominent than the positives for this team. Owens will produce. He always does. But the Cowboys offensive season still rests on the prehistoric arm of Bledsoe and the adequate leg-work of Jones, which is an unenviable place for the Cowboys to be stuck. Let's pretend for a moment that the Owens signing dramatically transforms this offensive unit. There are still plenty of unanswered questions about the Dallas defense. Offense can carry a team only so far. Defense is what makes a squad truly special and successful. Now, let's pretend for a moment the offense stalls and produces little more than it did last year. The Cowboys will be bad, and who knows how Owens will respond. It doesn't mean much if he catches 70 balls for 1,300 yards and eight touchdowns if those numbers only yield six or seven wins. In a tough NFC East, defense will carry the best team. The last time I checked, Owens can't play linebacker.

In other news ...

-- Some Dallas fans are worried about the signing. But former cornerback Eric Allen thinks the acquisition will work out well for both parties.

-- The Atlanta Falcons continue to overhaul their secondary, most recently trading for Browns safety Chris Crocker. If they complete a trade for estranged Jets defensive end John Abraham, look out. That will be a formidable defense. It should take pressure of Michael Vick and the offense.

-- The Redskins finally traded beleagured back-up quarterback Patrick Ramsey to the Jets for a sixth-round pick. It's insurance for Chad Pennington. If I had to make the call, I'd start Ramsey. I still like the kid.

-- The AP is reporting that Steve Hutchinson's future is in the hands of an arbiter.

-- Be sure to visit John Clayton's blog on ESPN.com for comprehensive NFL coverage.

Lavar 'Doesn't Fit'

2006-03-14T13:45:00.000-05:00

I made my daily foray to the Washington Redskins team page on ESPN.com, and I found this gem of a story. Apparently, linebacker Lavar Arrington, formerly of the Washington Redskins, doesn't fit within the New York Giants defensive scheme, according to a source close to the coaches. There still seems to be some concern around the league, it appears, that Arrington is too much of a freelancer, who has problems adapting to more structured defensive set-ups. Gregg Williams and the entire Redskins defensive staff admitted as much last year when Lavar was benched for four games. He eventually played because Washington's depth at LB was shallow. But even then he was being replaced on crucial third downs by players such as Chris Clemons.

So it seems the freelance, rebel linebacker stigma has attached itself firmly to Arrington during this free agency period, and with the dollars he's commanding, he may not land at his preferred destination. After being released by the Redskins, he intimated that he would like to remain in the NFC East so he could face his former team twice a year. But the Giants don't seem to want him, and Philly won't take him, either, if he hasn't been able to prove he can work within a scheme successfully. He had a great opportunity last season to illustrate to the Skins that he could play with discipline, but he didn't meet the challenge. I know his playing time fluctuated, but if he couldn't thrive in Gregg Wililams' system, then something is awry.

I still like Lavar. The Redskins are seriously short-staffed at linebacker now that he's gone. Who's going to take over for him? Warrick Holdman? We saw how that went last year. But Arrington is going to have to sign somewhere for probably cheaper than he wants to and demonstrate to the league that he's still a dynamic football presence. I think he is, but now he's in the unenviable position of having to prove it.

In other football news ...

-- Minnesota is sending Daunte Culpepper to Miami for a second-round pick. Let's see if Culpepper regains his 2003 form. If he does, Miami got a steal. If not, Minnesota just won a trade in which they received only a second-round pick. It's a risky endeavor for the Dolphins, but with a decent receiving corps and emerging running back, a healthy Culpepper could help this team get over the hump.

-- The Redskins have signed Antwaan Randle El, Adam Archuleta and Andre Carter and traded for Brandon Lloyd in a busy couple of days. The guys on Cold Pizza think this is a dramatic upgrade for the Skins, who were only two games away from the Super Bowl last season, yet couldn't get there because of an offense that, if described as anemic, would be complimentary. Peter King of CNNSI.com thinks the Redskins are crazy, though, for signing two more small receivers. It's true, in addition to Santana Moss, the Redskins boast a Lilliputian corps of wide outs. But this offseason wasn't about getting big, strong receivers. It was about getting above-average talent so that teams couldn't double- and triple-cover Moss. Hell, Randle El was the prize of the free agent wide receivers, and with him and Lloyd, it's going to be impossible for teams to focus solely on Moss. Because of that very reason, these two deals are important and positive for the Redskins. The lack of a possession receiver does concern me, though. Maybe James Thrash can fill that role. Still, an offense with Clinton Portis, Moss, Randle El, Lloyd and Cooley should be pretty sound and exciting. The real concern, beside the lack of a possession receiver, is the QB position, though. Michael Wilbon touched on this topic in a recent column. And he's right. Without good QB play, these deals could be meaningless.

-- David Givens has signed with the Tennessee Titans, where he will pair with Drew Bennett to create a young and exciting receiving duo. The real issue here is how the Patriots will handle Givens's loss. New England lost David Patten when he signed with the Skins last offseason, and now the Patriots are without Givens. Who does that leave? Deion Branch is still around, which helps. But the other receivers on that team are better as third options than seconds. Troy Brown and Tim Dwight are nice players, but not good enough to relieve the pressure that will be on Branch this year. Still, Tom Brady is known for distributing the ball equally to all his receivers quite adroitly, so this may not be a big problem for the Patriots. You just start to wonder, though, when all the injuries and personnel moves will begin to hurt this team. It's a credit to Bill Belichik that he stockpiles draft choices. As a result, they always have an opportunity to get healthier and younger in no time.

-- The Lions signed Jon Kitna. This is an interesting decision. How much longer will Joey Harrington have before he's dethroned by Kitna? Good story line to follow.

-- And finally, barring what would be an extraordinary turn of events, Terrell Owens will be released today by the Philadelphia Eagles. It seems that his release is creating very little fanfare throughout the league. Good. This guy is poison to a football team. Maybe teams are beginning to notice. He'll sign somewhere, though, for what will probably be a pretty hefty chunk of change. I think it would be fitting if the Eagles didn't release him and instead deactivated him for every game the next five years. I'm realistic, though.

-- The chips continue to fall, now, as Drew Brees signed with the Saints. Like Culpepper, we'll have to wait and see if this was a good move for the Saints and the Chargers. Philip Rivers, I hope you're ready. That pretty much leaves Patrick Ramsey as the only other QB available, and it probably means the Redskins will be trading him to the Jets sometime soon.

A Few Thoughts about the Field of 64

2006-03-13T17:25:00.000-05:00

First of all, let me apologize up front to those of you who may have recently read my last two posts. They were rife with grammatical and spelling errors. I wrote and posted those entries without giving them a thorough edit. I'm sorry for my sloppiness. I have reread the posts and made the appropriate edits.

The NCAA Tournament field of 64 -- the play-in game is ridiculous and needs to go -- was announced yesterday, and I just wanted to share a few thoughts that jumped out at me immediately upon perusing the brackets.

Tennessee was given a No. 2 seed in the Washington region. This has befuddled me to no end. The Vols had an atrocious end to its season, and while it's deserving of its ranking in the AP poll and deserving of a high seed, the No. 2 is unjustified. I see the Vols as more of a 4 or 5 seed. Within their bracket even, there's a better team that was more deserving of the 2 spot. It's North Carolina. A UNC-Tennessee match up today would yield an unfavorable result for the Vols. Looking further, teams like Boston College and Florida, which were given a No. 4 and No. 3 seed, respectively, are better than Tennessee. The Vols will have a tough contest in the second round, though, where they'll probably see Seton Hall. My next problem was with Boston College's low seeding. They're a No. 4 in the Minneapolis region. This is a team that hit its stride after an early rough patch and finished 11-5 in its first season in the ACC. Then, it played its way into the ACC Tournament title game, narrowly losing to Duke in a game the Eagles should have won. They deserved better. They earned a No. 2 seed, in my opinion.

It's hard to believe that Air Force and George Mason got bids to the Tournament. Teams like Hofstra, Michigan, Cincinnati and Florida State probably should've received those spots. In the same vein, what's the justification for admitting Arizona and Wisconsin ahead of other 19-win teams like FSU and Michigan and Maryland. It's tough to figure how 19 wins out west (Arizona) is better than 19 wins back east (FSU). George Washington got jobbed by the committee. Granted, their schedule is weak, but their leading scorer, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, was injured for the A10 Tournament, thus their first-round exit to Temple was not a shocker. I think a 6 or 7 seed would have been more appropriate for GW than an 8, which will likely result in a second-round game against Duke, if GW gets by UNC-W first.

Duke should not have received the No. 1 overall seed. They won the ACC Championship, that's true. But all season, we've heard endlessly about how the Big East was a better conference, which seemed to bear out after the seedings were announced. The Big East got 8 bids. The ACC received four. UConn should've been the No. 1 overall seed. They are, after all, going to win the whole thing. Duke, I predict will be eliminated by LSU in the Sweet 16. Finally, Conference USA received two bids, one for Memphis, obviously well deserved, and one for UAB, a puzzler. They're 24-6 but to call their strength of schedule weak would be the understatement of this young century. They have one quality win against Memphis, but they were noncompetitive in the C-USA Tournament final against the Tigers. They really don't deserve to be in this field. Additionally, I wish someone from the committe would tell me why GW is an 8 an UAB is a 9.

Overall, though, I think the selection committee did a pretty good job this season. I don't have nearly as many complaints this year as I have in years past.

THE BRACKETS

Top 5 Reasons the NBA Has Become More Appealing

2006-03-11T22:03:00.000-05:00

*This is the first in a four-part series of Top 5 sports lists.

With the NBA regular season just 20 games from the finish, I thought I'd provide you with the first of four Top 5 sports lists I originated while proctoring a professor's midterm before my spring break last week.

David Stern has done some great things with his sport since he took over as NBA commish in the 1980s, but most of the success he and the league have experienced can be attributed to talented, dynamic players because, more than in any other sport, the NBA relies on its stars to sell tickets and win games. Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird. Those are players that saved the league from complete oblivion in the '80s. They're gone, but enter recently LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Dwayne Wade, and you can see why the NBA has continued to sustain. One or two great players can turn a team around in a heartbeat. Look at what Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison have done for the Wizards. How about the addition of Tim Duncan to the Spurs to play alongside David Robinson all those years ago? LeBron in Cleveland?

But for some time, the NBA was rife with problems, some of which are still everpresent. The first problem was parity. But not parity in the normal sense. I'm not talking about dynasties, per se, although the NBA has had its share. What I mean is that for some time the league exhibited a more-than-apparent West Coast bias. Fans of Eastern Conference teams used to view the Conference Championship as the be-all, end-all of the season. Once a team from the East met up with a Western Conference team in the finals, it became merely a formality. During the '80s Magic's Lakers and Bird's Celtics battled for the championship on a regular basis. Then, the Pistons and Bulls came calling, as did a resurgent Rockets team in the West. There seemed to be more back and forth, that is until Michael Jordan began winning titles. Defensive ineptness and offensive blandness also helped to drag down the NBA. And then there was the officiating. Well, maybe I should say there is the officiating. I think it's demonstrated marked improvement, but a star-system, no matter how many times officials deny it, still seems to be in place.

Quickly, though -- and I mean in the last couple of seasons -- the NBA has experienced a rebirth, at least in my eyes. Here are the five reasons I think the NBA has become more appealing.

5. Draft alterations
4. Competitive balance
3. Good, talented, young stars
2. More intricate offense
1. Defensive intensity

5. Draft alterations: Do you remember Lenny Cooke? He knew he had solidified a spot in the NBA draft. He could smell the guaranteed money of being a lottery pick. He had averaged 25 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks per game in his junior year of high school. In his senior year, the 6-foot-6, 206-pound guard averaged 31.5 points a game over the first eight games, but after turning 19, he was declared athletically ineligible according to high school athletics’ rules in his home county in New Jersey.

Sure, he had offers to play for North Carolina, Seton Hall, St. John’s, Miami and Ohio State. But millions of dollars speaks louder than a professor at a lectern. So, he declared himself eligible for the draft in 2002.

Cooke went undrafted. For every Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant and Lebron James, there is a Cooke, a Leon Smith, a Korleone Young. The big money and an unfathomable disdain for education force many young players to skip over college for the glitter and stardom of the NBA. Garnett, Bryant and James are anomalies. For Garnett and Bryant, it took a year to get acclimated to the league. For James, it seems to have taken no time at all.

For players like Jermaine O’Neal and Tracy McGrady, it’s different. It took O’Neal five years of warming the Portland Trailblazers’ bench before he figured out how to play in the NBA. McGrady spent three years on Toronto’s pine before developing into a superstar.

L.A.'s Kwame Brown, New York's Eddy Curry and Chicago's Tyson Chandler – all with four years professional experience – still haven’t figured it out. The NBA needed an age limit for the draft, and David Stern finally pushed one through. Thankfully. The league was dangerously close to being overrun with youngsters who were not mature enough physically or emotionally to play in the NBA. They were watering down the talent and potentially ruining their lives. Kudos to Stern and Co. for imposing an age limit. Kids need time to develop. Unfortunately, this could have the adverse effect of turning college programs into default minor league teams, but I think players that get to college and don't produce immediately will realize they have to stay. Those that do produce immediately will leave early, but that would've happened anyway. To alleviate this problem, the NBA created the NBDL, which has helped young kids develop into better basketball players.

4. Competitive balance: With Shaq moving back to the East and the Detroit Pistons emergence as the best team in the league, it seems the West Coast bias has gone by the wayside. Perhaps it disappeared after the Pistons shocking upset of Shaq, Kobe and the Lakers two years ago. Sure, the best teams in the league after Detroit -- Mavs, Spurs and Suns -- are out West. But increasingly, the East has become more competitive with the defensive-minded Pistons and the explosive Heat. There's quite a drop off after the Heat, but there's more balance from 3-8 in the conference than there has been.

3. Good, talented, young stars: I'm going to include LeBron James in this list even though he's a straight-from-high-schooler. He's the anamoly, though, not the standard. The league went through a brief period after Jordan's retirement without a great number of young, skilled players. Some of the players, such as Jermaine O'Neal and Tracy McGrady, were in the league, they had just yet to get playing time. Now, we have James, Wade, Gilbert Arenas, Chris Paul, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Andrew Bogut, Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. Couple those young guns with veterans such as KG, Kobe, Paul Pierce, Shaq, Tim Duncan and Dirk, and you have a dynamic set of young and veteran basketball players that produce an up-tempo, fluid style of ball.

2. More intricate offense: It used to be that Phil Jackson ran the only semblance of an offense in the league with his patented Triangle. Most teams adhered to the lazy and boring one-on-one isolation and two-man game, which, for the record, are still mainstays in the NBA, but certainly not the norm of any good team. Teams increasingly have come to realize that there are five players a side these days. It was utterly boring to see a team dribble down the court, wait five seconds and take a shot, then watch the opposing team take the ball out of bounds, dribble, wait seven seconds (oh, the patience) and take a shot. It was Bizarro World basketball. That has seemed to change. The Karl Malone-John Stockton screen-and-roll is an old basketball standard that never fails. Run effectively, it can create easy baskets or severe mismatches. A Princeton style offense is run by several teams. Flexes and simple motion are also occassionally used. Still, the NBA is a star's game, and good one-on-one players are needed for any team to be successful, but at least competitive teams are running more offensive sets.

1. Defensive intensity: The Spurs and the Pistons have forced teams to realize the importance of defense. Teams will still score more than 100 points a game many times during a season. The players are just too good to be stopped sometimes. But there seems to be more urgency and intensity on the defense these days. The Pistons stopped the Lakers two years ago with relentless on-ball pressure and solid rebounding. The Spurs are quick enough on the outside to keep guards from penetrating, and if they do get through to the lane, Duncan is there to flush them back outside. It's not enough to score 100 points a game if you give up 110. You still have to score more points than the other team to win. It's better to bear down defensively, even if it means sacrificing some offense to do it. Scoring might get a team into the playoffs, but it certainly won't help them advance. This is the main reason why I've begun to enjoy the NBA again. A renewed emphasis on defense is evident throughout the league, and NBA teams have begun playing something that resembles basketball more closely than in recent years.

*Part 2 of the series will chronicle the Top 5 Reasons Why the NHL Will Survive.

Gang Starr: You Know Their Steez

2006-03-10T18:51:00.000-05:00

Gang Starr is a two-man group: an MC and a DJ. Typically, in this scenario, the MC would be the face, the breakout star. But with Gang Starr, it's the DJ who supplies the duo with the most credibility and fame. Guru and DJ Premier form this always interesting, forever innovative underground assembly. It's a magnificent melding of talents and voices. Their synergy is pitch-perfect. They're a flawless coupling that has redefined and reinvented the hip-hop genre, due mostly to Premier and his style of beat making. In simplest terms, he invokes some jazzy flavor, hard, effective drum loops and his patented scratching and sampling, which he uses masterfully because of his photographic memory of hip-hop history. The beats are never intrusive. They're always effortless and always simply designed, so as not to distract the listener from the rapper. Most importanly, the beats fit the words, the mood of the songs and the style of the guests, if any, on the tracks. If MOP is starring alongside Guru, the beat hardens and becomes more aggressive. If KC and Jojo are featured, the beat mellows and takes a more leisurely pace. The song is a puzzle, it seems, to Premier, and his beat is an important corner piece. Everything fits snugly together.

In rap, sometimes beats are overproduced and oversynthesized. (See P.Diddy and some of Kanye's work for perfect examples.) Premier does such a adroit job composing his music that his beats, combined with Guru's lyrics, create a perfect synthesis, where the listener can be wowed by the words and fascinated by the music.

As forGuru, he's a former Bostonian who previously worked with another DJ before moving to New York. He initially experienced no success with his former running mate, so when Guru decided to press on, continuing to cling to his romantic dream of being a rap star, his DJ decided not to join him. In NY, Guru met Premier, and they promptly released No More Mr. Nice Guy in 1989, which contained outside production from Mark the 45 King. But Guru and Premier teamed up for good with Step in the Arena in 1991, an album that exhibited a sound and flow unique to rap at the time. They were finally on the map.

Guru isn't an "ooh, ahh" rapper, meaning, he won't blow you away lyrically with a prowess akin to Mos Def, Common, Kweli, Eminem, Immortal Technique or Nas. But he's an excellent, solid, underrated rapper in his own right. His talents are not more evident than on Moment of Truth, the finest Gang Starr album, and one of the selections on my Top 5 Hip-Hop Albums of All-Time list. Released in 1998, Moment is 20 tracks strong with only two throw-aways, The Mall and In Memory Of ..., a song dedicated to remembering those who have passed away. The intersticials and skits are rare, but bothersome. Other than that, the album boasts 18 quality songs. I won't review every single song here; rather, I'll highlight, well, the highlights.

The album opens with perhaps Gang Starr's best song in their illustrious body of work, You Know My Steez. There's a 20-second intro to start the song before Premier's heavy drums kick in. Guru takes over and excoriates the state of rap, as he explains succinctly why Gang Starr exhibits true hip-hop. Guru says, "On the microphone you know that I'm one of the best yet/Some punks, ain't paid all of their debts yet/Tryin to be fly, ridin high on the jet-set/With juvenile rhymes makin fake-ass death threats." On Work, Premier mixes heavy and muted drum work, while looping a few piano strikes. It's a quick track, but musically, more than lyrically, it stands out on the album. It's a rare case of Premier's work upstaging Guru's work because, as has been said, Premier is more concerned with the rapper being heard than with the beat being noticed.

Why is Premier such a unique DJ? Well, one example appears on the track Above the Clouds. Premier samples part of a President John F. Kennedy speech to open the track. This song features Inspectah Deck of the Wu-Tang Clan, which means, lyrically, this is one of the more superior tracks on the album. As Guru says, this track is an "Illustrious feature, narrator you select/Accompanied by Deck plus the DJ you respect." A Jamaican sounding female speaks two lines to open the album's title track, Moment of Truth. The mellow beat provides ample footing for the heady material covered in the song. Guru's first four lines provide a sound synopsis of the song: "They say it's lonely at the top, in whatever you do/You always gotta watch motherfuckers around you/Nobody's invincible, no plan is foolproof/We all must meet our moment of truth."

Premier laces a simple piano/drum/bass beat again on What I'm Here 4 later in the album. Guru talks about shunning greed and money for a more intellectual approach to hip-hop. "I take action the minute that the crowd gets hype/I'm type crashin, down like a meteorite/I'm bogartin, mics and whole stages/Destroying MC's dreams, from words to whole pages/Their rapbooks, look more like scrapbooks/with their fictional fairytales and frail ass hooks." On My Advice 2 You, Premier goes soft again so Guru pen a more introspective rap that chronicles the time he spent with his former DJ, and the undying friendship they share. Guru says, "You remember what happened last time, when you got knocked/Doin your thing, sewin shit up on the block/You need to stop, fore you get caught again/or you get shot and I lose another friend." Even Premier adds simple, but substantive and powerful, samples. He uses "Any man with the plan is precise with his life" and "Think twice."

Betrayal opens with 40 seconds of a phone conversation between Premier and an unidentified person. This track could've done without the boring intro because it's such an important song, which features Scarface, the Texas-based rapper. The song covers two stories -- one by Guru and one by Scarface -- about the traditional back stabbing and pettiness that happens on the street. Guru raps:

Check the horror scene
The kid was like twelve or thirteen
Never had the chance like other kids to follow dreams
Watched his father catch two in the dome and to the spleen
Nothin' but blood everywhere, these streets are mean
They spared his life, but killed his moms and his sister Jean
Of course over some drug shit
His pops was on some ill-out, spill your guts out, on some thug shit
Didn't know his boys was on some shady ass no love shit
His pops got played out though, with silencers they laid him out yo
Took his stash and all the cash and left 'em, tied up on the couch yo
With tape over his mouth, so he couldn't cry out
cause his dad was the nigga with clout
Survival of the fittest so they split his wig no doubt
Despite the stocking caps he noticed the same cat, who used to give him dough
and taught him to use the same gat
Supposed to be an Uncle, fam and all that
He could tell it was him 'cause he wore the same slacks, he wore when
he took him to Meadowlands racetrack
Why did he flip and go out like that?
It's called betrayal

Next Time ends the album, and Premier's beat, helped with horns and a bass, seems like it was created specifically to close a record.

Gang Starr has produced five albums, most recently, The Ownerz in 2003. It marked their last effort as a duo, and the rap world will sorely miss this magnificent tandem. Guru is progressing with his solo work, and Premier is working on mix tapes and full-length albums. He'll also continue to produce tracks for other artists, including mainstays Nas and MOP. But it's sad to know that Guru and Premier are no longer together. Surely, their break-up sent shockwaves through the underground, but in the mainstream world of rap music, it was barely a blip on the radar. Gang Starr valued music and wordsmanship. That's more than can be said about a majority of today's rap acts. Here's hoping Premier and Guru rekindle their magic sometime soon in the future.

Gang Starr Discography (Ranking out of five stars):

-- No More Mr. Nice Guy (N/A)
-- Step in the Arena (***)
-- Daily Operation (***)
-- Hard to Earn (****)
-- Moment of Truth (****1/2)
-- The Ownerz (****)

Playoffs May Not Be in Future

2006-03-08T22:14:00.000-05:00

Talk about choking: The Wizards lost a fourth-quarter lead, Gilbert Arenas missed a free throw and a jumper, Antawn Jamison missed two late free throws that would've tied the game and Caron Butler made a bad pass with 11.4 secons left and the Wizards down by four that pretty much sealed the deal. My prediction: The Wizards will not make the playoffs. And if they do, they'll end up facing the Pistons, which would result in a four-game sweep.

Their defensive inefficiency and propensity for playing poorly late in games has resulted in five loses in six games. In those six, they have given up more than 100 points five times. They won one of those games. They have routinely lost games in the second half, which shows that they are not ready to be a competitive basketball team. I don't know what it takes for this team to understand the importance of defense and late-game composure, but if they don't figure it out soon, they're cooked. Five of their next six are at home, but three are against teams who will make the playoffs this year, and another is against Chicago, a team that gives the Wizards all kinds of trouble. After that, they embark on a six-game West Coast road trip that could ultimately bring this season to an end.

The Bulls and the Celtics are making a push for that eighth seed in the Eastern Conference standings, and they're looking like serious contenders. With Sixers and Bucs losses tonight, the Wizards still maintain their hold on the sixth seed, but it's tenuous, at best. They're 30-30 and falling fast. Washington better solve their magnificently inconsistent season quickly. Detriot comes calling Saturday.

Something for Everyone

2006-02-23T02:31:00.000-05:00

I thought I'd scour the Internet a little bit and provide you with links to interesting reads and sites:

-- Here's another reason to hate the New York Times. Apparently, the Times rejected a student for an internship because one of the student's professors has been critical of the Times in the past.

-- This link is "your field guide to the Southeastern Conference (and a bunch of other teams besides), as explained via the cosmology of The Simpsons." Thanks to Simonetti for bringing this to my attention.

-- The Democratic candidate running against Arnold in California put this Sesame Street parody on his web site. Thanks to Ukman for the link.

-- Bud Light may not allow people to post their Real Men of Genius commercials on the web, but doggonit, we can still find the text. This site contains the text of all those classic radio Bud Light ads.

-- Did you love The Critic starring Jon Lovitz? If so, you may enjoy a wave collection of some of the show's funniest moments.

-- Orson Welles fell on hard times later in his career. He ended making this embarassing frozen food commercial. Here are the outtakes from that session. I think he's overdirecting a bit for a damn pea commercial.

-- I don't have much of an explanation, just check out the following links: Typo Bush, Typo Biggie, Typo Dylan and Typo Lennon.

-- Dan Gillmor's book We the Media is a fairly interesting read, and it's completely free online. That's really why I'm offering it as a link here.

-- You will get addicted to 3-D Pong.

-- An oldie, but a goodie for all of you who are continually frustrated with Macs.

-- Thanks for the Memories, Saddam.

-- As the site says, really, really, really lots of Daily Show quotes.

-- Do you need hip-hop lyrics? Ohhla has 'em.

-- You Kicked My Dog. I know. It's old. But who cares? It's still funny.

-- Arnold's Pizza Shop. Again, I know. It's old. Again, who cares? It's still funny.

-- A map of Springfield for the diehard Simpsons fan.

-- A comprehensive list of essays Steve Martin has written. You'll laugh 'til you cry.

-- I'm not sure what to think of this next link. Deadspin reports a story -- true or not, I don't know -- about baseball players discussing some sexually excplicit topics online with women.

-- Sometimes when a critic has too many movies to review, they decide not to review the bad ones.

-- A student editor at The Emerson College decided to run the cartoons of Muhammed that have caused riots overseas.

-- And finally, what link dump would be complete without some items from the Elon E-net want ads. First up, someone who desperately needs to find an interesting story for a class. Next, we have a gentleman trying to unload 50 ping pong balls. I wonder what they're for? The sadness continues, as I wonder how inept an advertising campaign must be if a speed dating event draws more men than women. This is at Elon, remember. Do you want to pimp your dog? And last, but not least, if you buy a Britney Spears book and decide you don't want it anymore, just throw it away.