May 29, 2009
Good Lookin Out
May 28, 2009
Rules are Rules, or at Least They Should Be
Thorough Thursday:
Hit the Books Bro
Derek Rose is going to be a great NBA player. As a Chicagoan, and as an avid basketball fan, I am simply amazed by his talent and composure at such a young age. I have been more than willing, on several occasions, to drop upwards of $50 to sit within arm’s length of the ceiling in the United Center, just to watch him play. And best of all, he is a player I can really get behind as he embodies so many attributes that I admire, ones that are so Chicago….stoicism, poise, self-reliance, and humility. He’s the rawness basically. So when I heard this morning that the University of Memphis had been charged with major violations for the 2007-2008 team that Rose played on, I hoped that he would not be implicated in any wrong doing as I worried that this image may be tarnished. After looking into the story further, my fears were confirmed when I read that the allegations include "knowing fraudulence or misconduct" on an SAT exam by a player on the 2007-08 team. Sources confirmed that the player was indeed Derek Rose.
Though the full story is not out yet, it sounds to me as if Rose’s SAT numbers were altered or manipulated in some way in order to meet a minimum requirement for either admission, or some provision within the athletic department that allowed him to hoop. Many will argue that this is not a big deal because Rose is clearly a star in the NBA, who wouldn’t have attended college had it not been for the 1 year rule. He did what he had to do, served his mandatory year of college, and now he is fulfilling his destiny in the NBA, so who cares about his SAT score? Well you know what? I do. I think its garbage and I’ll tell you why.
May 27, 2009
The Toughest Sports To Play...My Take
Like sports? Me too, but I always find myself wondering which ones are the hardest to play. Fortunately for you, I happen to know which sports in this crazy world are the most impressive….to EVERYONE. And I will give you the reasons why. So if you’re looking to be impressed and entertained, I’ll tell you which athletes you should be in awe of, and for what reasons.
Defense…if you like defense, be impressed by tennis players.
Tennis-Hardest sport to defend at the highest level.
For a singles match, it’s one man or woman protecting one side of the court that is 39 ft long and 27 ft wide. In essence, oneperson protecting 1,053 square feet from a tiny yellow ball that is only allowed to bounce ONCE. Thus, you have to be everywhere at ONCE. Couple that with the fact that you have gunners like Roddick serving the ball at 140 mph and Nadal returning shots near 80 mph and it puts Tennis players heads and shoulders above other athletes in terms of keeping the other side from scoring. No other athletes in no other sports have to cover this much ground, this quickly in the name of defense…and by the way, these matches go on for hours.
Offense…if you like Offense be impressed by MLB baseball players
Baseball-Hardest sport to play offense at the highest level
Using a round bat to hit a round ball that is barreling toward you at speeds up to 100 mph literally sounds impossible. In fact, had you never heard of baseball and never seen it done before, you probably would think that was impossible. Thus, hitting a baseball is the hardest single thing to do in professional sports. And it just happens to be the essence of this highly skilled game. There need be no argument here, because the greatest offensive baseball players in the history of the game,… only hit successfully about 3 out of every 10 tries.
Physically Demanding…if you like finely tuned athletic machines, be impressed by NFL Football Players
Football-the most physically demanding sport at the highest level.
Playing in the NFL takes years off your life. That is a fact, and it’s evident in every bone-jarring collision that is as routine in football as a fly-ball, or a jump-shot are in other sports. The game is a constant barrage of violent hits, played by real life giants. The evidence…The average size of an American adult male is 5”9” 180 pounds….the average size of a NFL player is 6”1” 245 pounds….and not only are they enormous, but they move faster than we can ever imagine. Soccer has football beat on endurance running close to 8 miles a match, but their body does not take the same punishment. Boxing definitely takes a toll on your body, but boxers do not strap on the gloves for a fight once a week for 16 weeks straight.
If you like overall athletic prowess and skill…be impressed by NHL Hockey players
Hockey—the hardest sport to compete in at the highest level
This game is played on Ice people, ICE! A near frictionless surface, no other team sport can boast such a distinction. To be a professional hockey player you MUST,..(even if you’re a benchwarmer) be a world class skater. As if that weren’t enough, hockey players don’t touch the object of the game with their hands, but instead use a long wooden stick, extended away from their bodies, in order to control a slick puck that is also on Ice people, ICE! Hockey has every sport in the world beat in terms of difficulty because at the end of the day in all the others,…you still standing with your feet on the Ground.
Questions? Comments? Good. Glad to clear that up for you.
May 26, 2009
Playoffs Optional?
May 22, 2009
Good For Morale
Funny Photo Friday
Self Esteem Boost
If you are a guy, who has been to his fair share of taverns and watering holes, then you have no doubt seen creative displays on a wall in front of a urinal. Many bars like to put up fun facts, silly bar jokes, a list of top pick-up lines, or even pornography to keep their male patrons amused while peeing. But all of those efforts pale in comparison to the bathroom featured in the photo above.
May 21, 2009
I'm Convinced that He's Convinced
Throrough Thursdays:
Inside the mind of James Harrison
Those of the BUSE nation that know me personally know that I have a couple theories about people and their behavior. One of which is that stupid people are often thoroughly convinced in their own stupidity. James Harrison is officially one of those people. Harrison, is the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker who made almost all of the big plays for the modern Steel Curtain in their Super Bowl win against the Cardinals this February. Because he came to the Steelers as an undrafted free agent, he has always carried himself with a chip on his shoulder and has now earned the respect as one of the games top linebackers. He got a new contract, lots of money, and apparently, a profound perspective on the duties of a champion. This week Harrison spoke out about his decision to resend an invitation to the White House from President Obama. Harrison, who also skipped the team visit after winning the Super Bowl in 06, will be the only Steeler who not in attendance. When asked why, he offered an example of his blindingly faulty reasoning,
“If you want to see the Pittsburgh Steelers, invite us when we don’t win the Super Bowl. As far as I’m concerned, he would have invited Arizona, if they would have won. I don’t feel the need to actually go. I don’t feel like it’s a big deal to me.”
Right off the bat. Harrison is an idiot. It doesn’t even make sense, so don’t argue that he’s entitled to his opinion, because stupid opinions are particularly maddening. Harrison is grinding my gears right now because there are 3 reasons why he should have never came to this decision.
He is an adult—so he shouldn’t have the reasoning skills of a small boy. Why is he taking offense to the fact that the White House invitation is only being afforded to him because he won the Super Bowl? Of course it is. The same way every team doesn’t get a trophy, a ring, a parade….the winners get certain shit James. You have been playing sports all your life why are you confused.
He is a pro football player—your status alone should make you want to accept an invitation to meet the man who runs the country in which you make a living. I realize Harrison is a millionaire star athlete now, but recognize the significance of the moment as well as your rightful place in that moment. Nobody is tripping because you aren’t going; he’s the damn president. Humble yourself and accept the invitation, show up, take a picture and shake the man’s hand. Honestly, do you think Obama is really geeked up to meet James Harrison, no. He has important things to do, like fix the world. Obama is offering YOU a privilege, not the other way around.
He is a black man—leave it to Harrison to not understand the social significance of meeting the first black president. Regardless of if he voted for Obama, you live in a country where people died for your right to vote, and died for Obama’s right to hold office. I’m not saying that he needs to be a champion for his race or a social pioneer, but understand that as a black man, you look silly in your overt ambivalence towards an opportunity to meet Obama. It is a big deal James; it’s much bigger than you. (Or your enormous head) (Easily on steroids btw.. but the whole NFL is so whatever)
May 20, 2009
Age Doesn't Matter at the Ball Field
May 19, 2009
Kobe is STILL BETTER than Lebron
Just the facts of an important issue.
I will make no secret, I love Kobe Bryant, and he’s my favorite player in the NBA, (besides the Birdman Chris Anderson….”Birrrrlll”!) But I am a journalist at heart, and I can analyze anything objectively. Thus, I need to put a stop to all this “Lebron has surpassed Kobe” talk that I am hearing from everywhere. Because the Kobe hatred and Lebron love seem to be inversely related, I have to squash all that and tell you why Kobe Bryant is the best hooper on the planet,..Still BETTER than Lebron James. Lebron’s statistics have largely been distorted, this year, so I will take each popular Lebron argument and dissect it to help you realize your mistake.
Argument. Lebron scores more points, has more assists, and grabs more boards. He gives your team more than Kobe.
True, but misleading for these reasons. In terms of points, Lebron plays in the East, plain and simple. There is less defense, less defensively sound big men, and most importantly, less coaching in the Eastern conference. If Kobe played in the East, his scoring would be off the charts, i.e.(81 against the Raptors, 61 against the Knicks, both of them away games!) Assists—I can admit that Lebron is a better passer and assist man, but Kobe plays on a team in which the offense goes through him. Lebron’s plays on a team in which he is the offense. No matter who shoots on the Cavs, the offense is designed so that Lebron is the one giving them the ball. It doesn’t work that way with the Lakers when you have players like Gasol, Bynum, and Odom who can score regardless of who is passing to them. Give Lebron his props, but don’t hold it against Kobe that he plays to his team’s strengths.
Same thing with rebounds, Lebron is required to do a lot of rebounding for the Cavs, but Kobe has 2 seven footers and the game’s best rebounding swing man in Odom, on his front line, rebounding is not his responsibility.
Argument. The only knock on Lebron was his free throws and defense, and this year he shot 78% from the line and made 1st team all defense.
Kobe still shoots better from the line at 85%. And defensively, it is not even close. Lebron made the Defensive 1st team because of his stats, lots of steals and lots of blocks. But when you’re 6 “8”, and leaving your man for weak side blocks, that’s not great D, that’s aggressive athleticism. Because what doesn’t show up in the stat line are the countless times his efforts for weak side blocks left his man wide open for jump shots, lay-ups, and offensive rebounds. Secondly, steals are also a misleading statistic. They too are NOT great defensive plays, but mere mistakes by the offense, they are turnovers.
Perfect example—Chris Paul made 1st team all defense this year, (largely because he led the league in steals) but in the playoffs against Denver, he got lit up by Chauncey Billups for 23 points and 7 assists per game. He’s supposed to be the BEST defensive pg if he is on the first team all defense, but the guy that he’s guarding scores 5 more points than his season average during the playoffs? Steals aren’t defense people, because Chris Paul and Lebron James can’t stop anyone from scoring unless they make a mistake. Kobe doesn’t make the 1st team all defense (this year for the 7th time) because of misleading stats. It’s because he defends multiple positions well, and locks you down, makes it hard for you to dribble, shoot, and pass.
Argument. Numbers don’t lie, in every major category, Lebron is better this year, including the win column.
The Cavs had the best record in the league.Let’s not forget this is just one season. Kobe is just one season removed from being the MVP so it’s ridiculous to say that Lebron has now solidified his spot above Kobe after just one season of having the numbers to back the claim. Secondly, sometimes, numbers do lie…..this year Kevin Durant averaged more points, more assists, shot better from the three point line and the free throw line, and made fewer turnovers than Carmelo Anthony….is Durant now better than Anthony? Of course not. Don’t be false “witness” to Lebron’s greatness, he had a great season, but stop saying he is better than Kobe.
May 18, 2009
TrackFiends.Net
Monday Mullings: Need More Sources
File sharing and free downloads have evolved into a huge subculture in the world of music. I for one spend countless hours, seeking, sifting, and selecting tracks on Limewire…hoping for the perfect download that does not begin with a longwinded, narcissistic rant by either by DJ Kay Slay or DJ Drama…..and preferably ones that do not end with some fellow insisting that I “hit up Trackfiends.net” because it’s “got that fire” and I can “cop an exclusive sound kit”. I do it because I love music, and Limewire just happens to be the freest and easiest way to enjoy the music I love. But is it wrong? Morally? Is it really a moral issue? I’m starting to think so and I’m mulling over the question today, is it OK to download free music? Here’s how I break it down, but I’ll need some spirited comments to help form my decision.
Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free. It’s a true adage that applies to every situation in life , especially this one. Perfect example—D4L’s Shake that Laffy Taffy is literally, the most heavily downloaded song of all time. (by leaps and bounds)….but their album, which was shitty, sold like shit….and we haven’t heard from them since. So in this world of all to frequent one hit wonders, downloading comes in handy because paying any amount of money just to bump Laffy Taffy would be absurd. That song should be permanently assigned to track 1 on the mixed CD’s of 8th graders at a juke party in 2005. Thus, my guitar doesn’t gently weep for D4L. Though their record may have sold better had it not been for free downloading, they put out an inferior product that doesn’t deserve to be bought. So here, I feel good about my downloading practices.
On the other hand, there are artists like Eminem. I bring up Slim Shady because his blindingly hot new album the Relapse has inspired this blog. He is extremely talented, with a loyal fan base that buys whatever he puts out. But Eminem got money, knew it, and took it out his pocket and threw it when he attracted the casual rap fans with the Marshall Mathers and Slim Shady LPs. That’s where the real bucks are in any form of entertainment, and Limewire challenges that. The problem is, that in the world of Limewire, the casual fan downloads, he doesn’t buy. Albums have always been and will always be leaked, so people are going to get free music forever. But when a bootlegger hooks up a casual fan with that leak, the money train stops, the casual fan is perfectly fine with downloading each one of the songs he likes, and then moving on. And that, in essence, to me is in fact stealing. Why the difference between Eminem and D4L? Because stealing is relative, just like everything. You steal a French fry off my plate, I let it slide. If you steal my car, we’re going to fight about it. Musically, D4L is a French fry, and Eminem is a beastly Mercedes. So I’m not alright, morally, with taking money out of Eminem’s pocket but then enjoying his music all the same. Regardless of how successful he is or how much money he already has. That’s his livelihood; the fruits of his labor, so exploiting that seems a little wrong.
Hence my frustration BUSE-nation. Determining how I feel may not change my behavior, because money is tight and I’m not too excited about paying 1 buck a song for the ITunes model. I have 1,000 songs on my iPod, but please believe I wouldn’t even own one if I knew filling it would cost $1,000. A few things to keep in mind, Limewire is not illegal, it’s just a loop hole. They make money when people upgrade to Limewire Pro, which gives you a license to file share, but that license costs $25 and the program cost $21. But as long as you keep clicking “no” when you’re asked to upgrade to the Pro service, you have an unlimited trial membership and you can use the service for free…forever. So who are you cheating, the system or the artists? And is it wrong either way?
May 15, 2009
Funny Photo,..well Video Friday
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsG5uq9xOKo
I love Nike. Not their shoes because they suck. Not their clothes because they are far overpriced, and definitely not their practices because I don’t like the idea of a 5 year old in Indonesia making my hoopin shoes for a penny an hour. No, I love Nike’s marketing. It’s brilliant, beyond reproach, and ahead by leaps and bounds compared to all other athletic apparel distributors. Proof of that bold statement lies in the two commercials I’ve posted on today’s blog.
Nike’s marketing team is simply genius because they realized that with NBA commercials that tell us how “amazing” the playoffs are running every ten seconds, fans do not need to be reminded that Kobe Bryant and Lebron James (the NBA’s two best players) are on a collision course to the finals. Instead of a commercial showing a montage of their career highlights, or a black and white film reel of the two stars dribbling a ball as young children……Nike ignored those clichés and went in different directions. Great comedians make fun of themselves, and Nike does a great job of poking fun at their own spokesman with these lil puppet commercials.
LeBron really does take the whole chalk clapping thing too far. And he reminds us after every game that he is playing extra hard because its the "playoffs"
Kobe has told the media thousands of times this year that this years Lakers team is "hungry". And he revels in the fact that he had "3 rings" before he was 30.
What better time than during the NBA playoffs to make fun of Kobe and Lebron for their respective egos and personalities? If you have ever watched a game of these two, or listened to either of them speak at a press conference, you can’t help but laugh at these ads. SO even though you have seen em a bunch by now, watch again and laugh out loud at work like I do.
As always, Vive Guayama! (Now at full strength)
Alerta! Los Brujos!
May 14, 2009
The Good Ol' Days?
May 13, 2009
Van Gone-dy
There is a reason Pat Reilly took over for the Miami Heat in 2006. He knew the team would not meet its championship aspirations with Stan Van Gundy at the helm. While this Orlando team can remain a force within the East for years to come, if they want to win a championship last night was a perfect example of why Van Gundy must go. Under the pressure of the big lights he has become a whiner constantly complaining about his team, who wilts when the game is on the line.
May 11, 2009
Movies Done Right
May 8, 2009
Racial Profiling at its most Hilarious
Funny Photo Fridays: Somebody has it out for this TV news anchor.
This photo is the funniest version of racial profiling I have ever seen. Sure, it may be a coincidence that the man suspected of rape is apparently the twin brother of the anchor. (I mean the police sketch and the man to the right are staright up identical. In fact, I would arrest him during the next commercial break.) But if you are the director of this newscast, why would you have that anchor, read the story associated with a graphic of a police sketch that implicates him as a rapist. Let the other anchor read this story, that way you can give my boy here a head start to run from the cops.
Black people have a lot of hang ups about white people thinking that "all black people look alike", particulary when it comes to police sketches and suspect descriptions. So I hope the police in this case handled the situation delicately. Because without question, that is the most generic looking black man I have ever seen, as well as the most generic looking sketch of what a black man lis supposed to look like. For perspective on how funny this is, you can't do better than Dave Chappelle."
"That's why I think Asian people should just chill out. It ain't so bad with the whole look alike thing. For instance, a lot of people think all black people look alike. And we don't get mad or all bent out of shape about it, we usually just call these people 'Police'. "
Back Monday with more realness.
May 6, 2009
Bakers Square Anyone?
I've Had Enough of this Anti-Favre Sentiment
Whoop That Trick Wednesday: Fans Need to Chill Out
All too often, fans feel entitled to form opinions about certain athletes based on non-tangible sports ideals like legacy, tradition, rivalry, and other concepts that are valued at a high emotional price when it comes to sports. In these cases, making decisions that go against these ideals upset fans greatly(…Examples…Jordan coming out of retirement to the Wizards after ending his career with the Bulls as a champion…..Johnny Damon leaving the Red sox as a free agent to play for the Yankees…)when these things happened, fans got pissed. So yesterday when the news broke that future Hall of Fame QB Brett Favre is mulling another comeback to the NFL, this time with the Vikings, not surprisingly, many Packer fans, and football purists were outraged. Today Brett Favre is getting whooped by fans all over for merely contemplating a comeback with the Vikings. So on his behalf; I am going to whoop ALL of those fans who claim to have beef with good old #4.
You see, not only will fans never understand what it’s like to be a professional athlete, but conversely, professional athletes will never understand what it’s like to be a fan. The overwhelming majority of pro athletes, particularly football players, have been the stars of the teams they care about for their entire lives. They have never spent significant time, money, or energy on simply being a fan of their high school, college or pro team. We are from two different worlds. So while many things in sports are debatable topics for all of society, the urge to keep playing and keep making money is not one of these topics. No fan, anywhere, ever, should be hating on Brett Favre for thinking he can still play and wanting to collect a check because if the right people agree with Favre (i.e.. the Vikings) then your opinion is grossly irrelevant. Also, for the many Packer fans that feel betrayed because Favre would come back and play for the “rival” Vikings, and see it as Favre getting revenge on the organization that scorned him…Get over it…Really! Has Brett Favre not given Packers fans enough? He’s the most famous player in your team’s history, won your only recent Super Bowl, and actually made that small market Midwest town a relevant city throughout the 90s and up until 2007. He shouldn’t have to be buried in his game uniform to preserve his legacy. It should be cemented.
I’m sick of fans making a huge fuss about the greed, vanity, and narcissism of professional athletes, because in reality much of those perceived negative traits are overstated. I believe that because of their tremendous salaries, their extravagant lifestyles and the fact that they play a game for a living, pro athletes are subject to weighted resentment and conduct standards assigned to no other members of society. And while I agree that people of great wealth and prominence should be held to and judged by greater standards, I feel that their personalities should be analyzed a whole lot less and their motives should not be constantly called into question. As fans we like to think that “we” would act differently if we could switch places with some of these athletes. Perhaps more humble and more gracious and respectful, and certainly we would be conscious of how much fans love us, and give back to the community because we make so much money, and always play hard yada yada…etc….But this is not true. In a perfect world pro athletes would be role models and represent the best aspects and virtues associated with sport and tremendous wealth. But, they are people, who have the same flaws, insecurities, and personal defects as everyone else. Making millions of dollars or throwing and catching a ball for a living does not change that.
So relax outraged football fans. If Favre wants to play until he’s 80, let him play. If Favre wants to hold a grudge against the Pack, let the Pack worry about it. You are definitely entitled to an opinion, but Favre doesn’t owe you anything. So your opinion doesn’t really matter as much as you think it does.
May 5, 2009
The Proprieties and Improprieties of Drinking Games
Tuesday Tutorial: Do's and Don'ts; Will's and Won'ts
This Tuesday, I want to address and provide insight on a topic that, despite my age, is still a very relevant issue. Drinking Games. As a 22 year old man, nearly 2 years removed from my college days and the youthful prime of my best binge drinking abilities, I have come to appreciate drinking games much more. It’s surprising how often they can make or break a night, and so I wanted to show my appreciation by giving you a little tutorial on some of our favorite games; instructing you when and when not to play them.
Cards Boozing
Games like F*** the Dealer, Ring of Fire, Connections, Tourettes, Up and Down the River
Card games are excellent ice breakers and should be used primarily when boozing in a mixed gendered environment. In all card drinking games everyone takes a turn with all eyes on them, and often times, they are given the chance to interact directly with another person as a result of their turn. So whether that turn involves taking a card, predicting a card, blurting out an answer, or commanding another player to drink,…the opportunities for flirtation are endless as you can choose to zone in on any participant and run as much gizzle as possible within the confines of the game. For a mixed audience, card games are just ideal.
Do not however play cards when the audience is all one gender. For guys it’s a bad idea because card games are all games of chance, and men prefer games of actual competition based on skill. (Beer pong, beer dye, baseball etc.) Basically if we win in a card game with all guys, “we’re awesome”. If we lose, “the game is bullshit”. Card drinking games and an all male cast of players is one of the early stages of ridiculous “beer balls” that present themselves in an ugly moments later in the night. As for women, in card drinking games, no one gets drunk evenly. Someone ends up pulling the unlucky card that forces them to drink more than everyone else. This is bad for women because when they don’t drink evenly, one woman gets TOO drunk. A woman who is TOO drunk can only lead to night riding, or babysitting, both of which are undesirable circumstances for every woman involved.
Mobile Boozing
Games like Speed Quarters, Civil War (or any beer pong game with live rebounds), ClusterF***
These games are definitely tight. It’s hilarious to hustle around a table, or slide cups around in a fast-paced high scoring fashion. But these games should not be played in unfamiliar confines. All too often at parties you have the group of friends who want to turn the beer pong table into the Civil War table, or who want to turn the card table into the speed quarters table. When this happens, they bring uninvited intensity into a party and should they happen to be annoying, everyone now hates them. Mobile boozing games should be kept among friends, in those same friend’s homes and apartments. Don’t bring your mobile boozing to my house, because if I don’t know you that well, I can’t have you boxing me out for rebounds or breaking my drinking glasses with quarters.
Games that Should Never be Played again…
Anything that involves chanting…Zoomy Zoomy/Fuck You
These games suck. What is this? Kindergarten??! We all sing together now. We look like idiots out here pounding a table and then clapping our hands in unison. Not to mention, we’re grown ass men and women, I’m sure there is a quieter, less obnoxious way to booze effectively.
Flippy Cup
Great game, cool concept, but no one ever keeps score and EVERYONE cheats. People use two hands constantly and if they don’t flip successfully after 3 tries, they simply grab the cup and place it down and laugh as if it were some sort of joke. But really this game is a joke, it always sounds like a good idea, but you play 4 uninspired rounds before someone goes to the bathroom and then the game ends immediately. No staying power, people lose interest quickly.
When in Doubt???
Shoulders
I don’t have enough time to go into specifics, but odds are, you probably know why this game is so great. All you need is 5 players, and at least 2 of them girls, and you’ve got yourself a party. Splendid.