Food, Family, and Football.

FOOD, FAMILY, & FOOTBALL

 

It's the week of Thanksgiving

When all through the house

Every creature was cooking,

Aprons over the blouse.

 

The playoffs are nearing

As divisions are being clinched.

Teams still struggle with injury

And find themselves in a QB pinch.

 

McCown, Clemons,

Tolzien, Mike Glennon.

These second and third strings are fighting hard.

Matty Ice can't even get the Falcons to Wildcard.

 

It's time to be thankful

Of family, health, and fortunes.

Blessed children and loving wives

Put up with Gridiron Goons.

 

A favorable schedule and healthy roster,

blessings this time of year.

So raise your glass, let's make a toast -

Thankful for all things near and dear.
 

 

-bObD.

America's Primal Sin

This past weekend I went to go see "12 years a slave". It was a transformative experience to say the least. For a few days now I've been racking my brain to figure out what exactly I wanted to say about the film. There are so many levels to the film and and the subject matter itself, that I didn't know where to start. I simply want to state that it is my opinion that EVERYONE needs to see the film.

The movie is based on the 1853 memoir by the same name, written by a free black man named Solomon Northup. The story goes like this...Solomon was a free black musician living in New York when two white men; who offered themselves up as performers asked Solomon to accompany them to Washington DC for a paid performance. Once in D.C., they got him liquored up one night and when he awoke he was in chains and his free papers were gone. His name was changed to Platt and he was shipped to New Orleans to begin his life as a slave. As the title suggests, Solomon spends 12 years as a slave on a few plantations in New Orleans as he encounters various hardships, deceits, and cruelties. I'm guessing the normal nondescript life of a human being forced into slavery.

The beauty of the film is in the simplicity with which the story is executed. Director Steve McQueen understands the feeling the eyes can deliver to an audience. He understands how a wispy far off cry can convey a feeling of desperate despair. These things are integral when portraying such an undertaking, even if it was "just" for 12 years.

Chiwetel Ejiofor portrayed Solomon Northup as a proud, devoted family man of measure. A man who knew that he wanted to survive long enough to awake from his nightmare. Solomon knew that he had to keep his mind crisp and ready to act when the time came. Along with Eliofor's performance many stood out including Michael Fassbender as a deeply disturbed / alcoholic slave owner, and Lupita Nyong'o as an overachieving slave mired in deep despair. This movie isn't an all encompassing epic like "Roots". It doesn't have to be that. The movie leans on humanizing a moment in this country's past that is sometimes glossed over and overlooked. Even me, being an African American, I can even sometimes forget the atrocities that surely my ancestors lived thru. As I left the theatre that day, my heart seemed to beat a few beats slower than usual....I was showed things that I knew, but never felt.


-tshurn

Linsanity, MD, PhD...NBA.

We are always looking for a hero - someone to inspire us. We all have aspirations to be great, to do something great. We dream of being great.

For most Asians, that dream is to go to an Ivy League school and become a doctor. If you don't have a passion for medicine, or suck at Chemistry like myself, you work hard to become a successful engineer. It's not a false stereotype. It is as calculated as every Asian's near, if not perfect, math score. Arts and athletics are frivolous talents that look good on your application, if there is room. They are most definitely not things you make a living out of. It was unheard of to play it off as more than a pasttime, until Jeremy Lin came along.

Linsanity became such a phenomenon. I recently got to watch the film that documented this phenomenon. You can only imagine the crowd it drew at the theater - the parking lot was full of every Honda imagineable and the entrance full of young Asian Americans seemingly loitering.

The film began by introducing family and the importance of Jeremy's family during his childhood. The supportive mother, the father that shared the love of the sport, and the indescribable bond between the brothers. Jeremy had a dominating high school senior year that disappointingly left him without offers from schools. Patience and faith landed him at Harvard, where he flourished. Halfway through the film you could sense that everyone in the theater was living vicariously through the then 18 year old.

The hardships then set in. Jeremy's faith was tested as he bounced from team to team, NBA to Developmental League. He continued to train and play hard until his opportunity arose. It was the moment everyone remembers...the beginning of Linsanity.

In February of 2012, Lin made his first start as a New York Knick against the Jazz. With Stoudemire and Anthony out, Lin led the team to a win streak of seven. I swear when they showed the 3-point buzzer beater against the Raptors, the entire theater erupted. Two ladies behind me were cheering like they were at the game, witnessing the amazing play for the very first time. A feel good feeling filled the theater. Everyone was wide-eyed and beaming with admiration. Every woman was smiling ear to ear as if they were watching their own son's success.

Linsanity was, and is, a huge part of Asian American culture. We were all witnesses. The life it brought to entire families is immeasurable. Hope, faith, and the overall entertainment value of sports was taken to a whole new level for a demographic mainly concerned with success in academics and one's career, not sports. Jeremy Lin may be coming off the bench this year, but his accomplishments have far exceeded anyone's expectations. Awareness has been brought and will hopefully continue to inspire those who have dreams of being something other than a doctor, lawyer, or engineer.


-bObD

Code (True) Blue.

Fanship is a tricky thing. You have your Homer Fans, the ones that love their hometown team. Whether it is the hometown they grew up in or the present day hometown. Then there is the Family Fan. Mom and Dad are Patriots fans, daughter grows up adoring Tom Brady. But really, who doesn't adore Brady? There will always be Bandwagon Fans. Those who are in it just for the wins - the least loyal of all fans.

Being from Texas, no one understands why I am a Titans fan, myself included. I became a fan when the team became the Tennessee Titans, post Houston Oilers. Something about McNair's sexy, big chest in the revamped Titans blue and Eddie George running with the Titans logo. I'm enamored by their logo - if I wasn't the mature, grown fan that I am, I would have my room wall-to-wall with "flaming thumbtack" Fatheads. With no ties to Tennessee at the time, my fandom was as random as the reintroduction of POG-playing days in the early 90's.

Last weekend, I went to my first Titans game at LP Stadium. It was refreshing and a lot of fun! The 49ers were the obvious favorites going into the game, but with Locker returning from injury and the 49ers offense showing recent weakness, it had the potential to be a good game. Too bad that wasn't the case.

The game was pretty much over by the end of the 3rd quarter, with a score of 24-0, San Francisco. Had it been a Dallas Cowboys game at the Deathstar, the fans would have been out the door and in their cars by the middle of the 3rd. The random lots around the stadium make a killing off of parking, especially for blowout games. But these Titans fans remained loyal in their seats, cheering on their team with beer(s) in hand. The stadium erupted at the beginning of the 4th quarter when the first Titans points were scored. A field goal by Bironas! You couldn't help but cheer and enjoy what was left of the game.

It was refreshing to look around and see people appreciate the game and the players, despite the imminent loss. No boo-ing or taunting. Just the love of the game being shared by a stadium full of fans. My team lost but I still walked out of the stadium a winner. At least Miller and Bud had me thinking I was a winner... GO TITANS!



-bObD

Monta Ball

Monta Ellis is a Dallas Maverick. I've been intrigued by Ellis ever since he came into the league in '05. I remember watching him put a ton of points up on some poor school on ESPN his senior year. The kid was so fast and athletic with very deep range on his jumper. Of course, I thought to myself that it was really dumb when he declared. I just thought that he was too slight to survive, but the prevailing thought I had was that he was a pure scorer. Pure scorers are born. They are not made. Monta Ellis was put on this earth to throw a round leather ball through an iron hoop.....

Last week at media day for the Mavs, Ellis gave a qoute that a lot of people found very interesting. What he said was, "I'm going to play Monta Basketball" , "If ya'll want to criticize, criticize". Well then.....Hmmmm? Reporters, Bloggers, and Fans alike are always attempting to play shrinks when it comes to athletes. What did he REALLY mean by that? This type of question doesn't matter when you really think about it deeper. We can make this really simple. Monta is going to take a lot of shots. Monta is going to make a lot of shots. Carlisle is going to try to find a way to help Monta become more efficient. I, for one, think that it will work.....offensively, that it is. Calderon will help, as will Dirty and the Matrix. He will, I repeat, WILL be more efficient than last year. He will attack the basketball more, and he will be happier because he will win more. He actually has people on his team who understand offensive tactics.

MFFL's should just embrace "Monta Ball". It's what we have bean yearning for, for a while now. It's finally here. You can't beg for a nice pair of jeans for Christmas and open the gift and it's True Religion, but you mad cause you ain't get Tom Ford. Come on man. Monta will be Monta, let's revel in it. He's ours now. We are working on a "Monta Ball" tshirt right now!



-tshurn

Oh and Three.

I am stinkin' oh and three. 'Stinkin' being the extremely PG-rated word chosen to express my frustration and disappointment in my winless start to the 2013 Fantasy Football season in my ESPN league. I belong to the not-so-elite club of an 0-3 start. Three weeks into the season, three losses. No one wants to be in this hole. Questions are asked, eyebrows are raised, more beers are consumed, playoff hopes seem dismal.

Everyone gets to where they are differently. It is all about the matchups. Who your players are faced with on the field, and who you play against in your respective leagues...and luck when it comes to avoiding injuries. Sometimes mediocre performances are enough to win a matchup. Othertimes, your players better play like they are fighting for the wildcard spot just to be contenders.

Week one I was plagued with a weak RB core. Week two my wide receivers forgot to show up. Week three Drew Brees tried to get me my first win, but my Buffalo defense had other plans. It has been rough. I cannot say I am very pleased to be in the same company as the Vikings, Steelers, Giants, Bucs, Jaguars, and underacheiving Redskins.

I wish I could say this week I was going to turn it around, but it is not looking good. ESPN is projecting a blowout - not in my favor. With a waiver wire pretty thin with lottery handcuffs and a lack of trade-worthy players (aside from Brees), it seems I may be sitting ugly with the Jacksonville Jaguars this year.

This is uncharted territory for me. Crowned Champion last year in the same league I am currently struggling in, I have managed winning seasons in my other leagues. I have never started 0-3, let alone 0-4. It is hard to be hopeful, especially when this year's record/standing in the league has no bearing on next year's draft. As if the first pick promises a magical season...

I've got no coaching staff to blame, no one to fire. Poor drafting and poor sleeper suspicions have left me with a D-League team, at best. No excuses - I've got to find a way to win. The Cleveland Browns won when they traded away their franchise back, and everyone thought they had given up. I, too, shall find a way...it just won't be this week.

-bObD.

Football Sexy.

The much adorned hat trick. In darts, it's throwing 3 bulls eyes. In hockey, it's scoring 3 goals. For football fanatics, it's your college team winning, your hometown team winning, and at least one of your fantasy football teams winning all in the same week(end). If you happen to win more than one of your fantasy match-ups, then you're sitting on top of the world, and no one can touch you. You're Johnny Football, minus the demand for autographs, the oil money...the Heisman.

Everyone is aware of the excuse of a rebuilding season the Texas Longhorns are going through. A team with incredible talent cannot seem to win. Ranked at the start of the season, it did not take long for the Longhorns to fall. Going into week 4, the unranked team faced Kansas State. This was a conference game most disappointed fans figured to be over before it even kicked off. But the Burnt Orange prevailed 31-21; the coaching staff can rest easy another week.

Now while I am not a die hard Cowboys fan (a loss won't ruin my weekend like a Longhorn loss will), I am a homer, nonetheless. I hate Jerry Jones just as much as the next fan, and I have a love/hate relationship with Romo the entire season. Through 3 weeks, the Dallas Cowboys are 2-1. The 2 wins were quite convincing, with this past Sunday's being against the less than dominating Rams. Romo was on point, and a healthy Murray was doing his thing on the ground. The Cowboys won 31-7; it was quite refreshing.

Going into Monday night's game, the hat trick was very much alive. This was it - I didn't forsee the Longhorns and the Cowboys winning together many more weekends. I was up in points in all 3 leagues, with Peyton Manning, Decker, and Julius Thomas left to play. It was looking pretty solid. The Fantasy Gods were determined to challenge me. I needed Oakland to be shutout (or Janikowski to miss 2 FGs) to sweep my leagues. Pryor would not be a part of any shutout, and I unfortunately took a loss in my ESPN league. 2.4 points...maybe I can get a generous point adjustment somewhere in there? Not likely, and I shouldn't let such a defeat take away from my outstanding accomplishment.

I am feeling football sexy.

-bObD.

Anxiety Rules

It's football season and I got money on this shit. In my world money on the line equals anxiety. You see, I don't have much money to be just throwing around willy nilly and I'm naturally a bit of a cheapskate no matter how much cheese I have. Here in lies the conundrum....I don't like losing money, but I love the rush, strategy, and braggin rights that go along with winning anything. Basically I'm a penny pincher who has all the tenants that can lead to gamblers anonymous. bObD knows that my lifelong ambition is to become a professional gambler and live out my twilight years in Vegas. Of course those two parts of me clash violently into one another thus rendering my ambition a pipe dream.

It's okay tho, I try to live in the NOW and what's happening now is that I have a grand total of $70.00 on the line in three gambling ventures involving our great American sport called football. She took $50.00 for a fantasy league, $15.00 for another fantasy league, and $5.00 for a pick'em league. The exhilarating feeling of making a good pick on draft day or picking the perfect fit off the waiver wire that makes me high. She knows I'm a feign, call me Pooky.....but it's that in between lingering anxiety wondering whether or not you actually made that right pick that kills me. It's the waiting and I'm so impatient. I've started having stomach problems and I'm wondering if she's the cause. Somethings got to give, but I know it's too late for me. Football has me and she's not letting go.



-tshurn

Let's Kick This Off.

The first week of the NFL season is behind us, and what a first week it was. I feel like I just shotgunned a bunch of beers. The number of beers is in question; it's a blur, they all seem to run together. So do all the football games when you induldge in NFL RedZone. So let me attempt to recap Week 1...


Peyton Manning made it clear on Thursday that football is what he is good at, rapping is just a past-time. 7 touchdown passes thrown. A huge fantasy night for owners. If you did not win your match-up with Peyton as your quarterback this week, good luck with the rest of the season - it seems the rest of your team may need some work.

Kickoffs to Sunday's games were subsequently followed by safeties in three of the early games. The Titans, Bucs, and Chiefs each gave up 2 points in the opening minutes of the season. Poor Jacksonville didn't see much action after that, with a final score of 28-2 Chiefs.

Looks like Detroit has finally got a winning game from a running back since...Barry Sanders days. Reggie Bush looked extremely comfortable in pale blue. 191 yards, 1 touchdown - pretty impressive. They'll need it to fall back on if Calvin Johnson keeps getting touchdowns called back.

AD was anything but All Day on Sunday. I cannot even imagine how all the hundreds of first pick fantasy players felt when their sure pick Peterson took his first touch 79 yards for a touchdown. They probably all saw the trophy/prize money at the end of the road - the season was theirs! But wait, he only ended with 98 yards. Terrell Pryor got more. Purple Jesus got some yards to make up to beat that record...

Brandon Weeden doesn't know how to start a season without throwing picks. 4 in Game 1 of 2012 and 3 in Game 1 of 2013. Fantasy note: Don't start Weeden Week 1. Correction, don't start Weeden, ever.

Between Welker having a field day with Manning and Danny day-to-day Amendola contantly holding his groin, Brady is going to have one hell of a challenging season. The challenge seem to have started with Buffalo. Is Buffalo's defense really that stout?

The New York Jets won. WAIT, WHAT?!

Thank you Eli Manning for kick-starting another Cowboys season full of high hopes. It couldn't have been fueled any better than by an interception on the first throw. And the remaining 5 turnovers pretty much guaranteed a win. The Dallas Cowboys are undefeated. Start planning the parade.

I told you all about Vick this season! Chip Kelly is doing amazing things in Philly, and if Vick can stay healthy...

The Texans/Chargers game looked a lot like the Patriots/Bills game. Chargers looked like they were on PEDs...Rivers played like he had an 'S' on his chest and connected with every receiver he had. They had their way with the respected Houston defense. But solid and reliable Andre Johnson brought the Texans back. Oh, and the predictable Chargers fell apart.

It is amazing how much joy football can bring to one's life. Life is good right now.


-bObD.

Pigskin Shots!

It's finally here - football season! Whether you are one of the many fanatics playing fantasy football or you just love to innocently watch the sport, tonight is a national holiday to be celebrated. Before we kick off the season, I wanted to throw out some bold predictions, some bolder than others...

• Kaepernick will get capped this year. Defenses will find a way to stop him.
  
• Lamar Miller will single-handedly carry the Dolphins to an over .500 season.
  
• Danny day-to-day Amendola will only miss one game this year due to unspecified injuries.
  
• Atlanta will be one play away from making the Conference Championship this year.
  
• DeMarco Murray will be healthy this year. Dez and DeMarco will take the Cowboys to the playoffs.
  
• Cam Newton and Michael Vick will be fantasy phenoms this season. Start them every week.
  
• Gronkowski will have one more surgery sometime during this season.

That's all I have time for...Broncos over the Ravens by 7 tonight. Let's go!


-bObD.

Random shots...take 'em, don't waste 'em.

The real world has me tied up. So many drafts of thoughts have been started, with little or no time to complete them. Here are some random thoughts to throw at you...

• Today is National Draft Day. If you're not down with draft day, then I don't know why you bother living during the months of September through January. For those who haven't drafted yet, good luck!

• Tomorrow is the MTV Video Music Awards, and I'm kind of hyped about it. Over the past few years, artists have taken performance to a whole different level - a level which demands respect and leaves absolutely no room for mediocre. With JT, Lady Gaga, and Kanye in the line-up to perform...there will be no disappointing.

• Oh, Aziz, you are so funny...

• Someone buy me a Gold iPhone when it comes out next month, please?

• If 'Blurred Lines' ends up winning the Battle for the Best Song of the Millennium then I swear I will change all my car stereo presets to Sports...or Gospel. I wouldn't be surprised if idiots take the song to win the 2011-2013 region. That is upsetting.

• It may be off-season, but Basketball Does Not Stop when it comes to the Mavericks. Mark Cuban makes sure all the fans know it. 

On if this is a rebuilding year...“Oh no. Hell no. Don’t even go there. Look, there’s no template for winning in the NBA. … Dirk’s got to be healthy and he’s working hard. He’s been in the gym every single day looking great. Then we’ve got to come together as a team. We’ve got Samuel Dalembert, Monta Ellis, Wayne Ellington, DeJuan Blair. We brought in a lot of really good players and now it’s up to Coach Carlisle to make it all work together.”

• You win some, you lose some. Challenge yourself. 

-bObD.

What's Beef??

One verse blew Twitter up last night and all day today. One verse. I got on Twitter last night around midnight like I usually do just to saturate my mind with needless information, mostly about sports, reality tv relationships and lately a lot of racial ignorance :( , but this night was different. This night was.....refreshing. Yeah, that's the word....refreshing, like a really thirsty chick on twitter getting a follow from a celebrity, the thing trending on Twitter that quenched my thirst? Yes, you all know what I'm talking about, unless you have been in twitter jail for at least 48 hours you know that Kendrick Lamar called some people out on Big Sean's song "Control". He basically called out all the new school rap kids that are popular right now on the radio and mixtapes and shits. These cats are basically guys that rap on each otha's records and break bread together, make money together, go on tour together. Shit, two of the guys that he mentions on the verse are in the same song with him. It's Big Sean's fucking song!

I'm saying all of this to say this really. This verse was a ploy. There are a few reasons for it. Big Sean is promoting his new album coming out. Now, I don't know if it hurt him or helped him, being that his verse was the weakest of the lot with Jay Elec going in hard as well with his verse. Also, being that all the guys he mentions are basically his homeboys, he is giving them credit for being around his league, but he is saying that he is still heads and heels above them. Typical gregarious battle rap talk. Also, K. Dot wants mothafuckas to step they game up and come with real bars. Of the people he mentions I think that J. Cole and Jay Electronica are the ones that can do it......That being said, the last reason he did it was to re-energize an over saturated product. To shine up a dirty gem....it's name is Hip Hop.

Maybe it will work and maybe it won't. This isn't real Beef you see. Maybe real Beef will arise from it maybe it won't. I hope it does. The competition that real Hip Hop re enforces makes REAL MC's step their game up and this is exactly what Hip Hop needs right now.....it badly needs it. We (hip hop heads), dont need any more cute dance songs or sing along hooks bruh. We need substance! Real Bars! We need Jay Z vs. Nas type beef, LL vs. Moe D type beef, Eminem vs..... uh, nevermind, no one was that stupid. Anyway, that's the type of comp that we need today. Real lyrical beef.

That dude Joel Ortiz from Em's slaughterhouse crew came right back at Kendrick, and that track was dope. I love it, because that whole crew can spit and they are on some real lyrical shit but they are slept on. Maybe, this will wake people up and then we can stop hearing rappers singing they own hooks and start hearing rappers spit bars that make the hairs on the back of ur neck stand up when you hear them, just like mine did when I heard Kendrick last night.



-tshurn

The Johnny Football thing....

Okay, I admit it. I lied. I tweeted that I wouldn't post about all this Johnny Football stuff until it was resolved or whatever it was that I tweeted late one night. I'm going back on all of that because, number 1, I can't wait, and number 2, I came to the realization that this shit is just gonna drag on and on prolly. I really have a patience problem so I have to get these views off of my chest right now. Johnny Manziel likes to party. We can tell this from watching Sportscenter most nights or from his twitter feed. Either or take your pick. So what???, is what I was saying a few weeks ago. Dude is a 20 year old college student who just won the Heisman trophy. Let him do his thing. Then came SEC media day and it hit me. This guy plays a team sport. The unwanted media attention on him and his actions affect his team in a negative manor. It's hard enough for teenagers and youngmen to stay on task as it is. His coach looks so beat down that I actually feel sorry for him. My view began to change after SEC media day. Then came Wright Thompson's poignant interview and article with the Manziel family. I started thinking that Johnny Football was really heading for trouble. Not 7 days later did the latest Manziel "scandal" come out. Turns out the NCAA is investigating whether or not Johnny accepted cash for autographing merchandise. In the NCAA's eyes that action is a big no no. One that could lead to no Johnny Football this fall. I don't think ya'll heard me. THIS FALL! First and foremost, here on the rocks we are Sports fans. We want to see Johnny play against Alabama, and LSU. We want to see if he can accomplish the daunting task of equaling last season's Heisman campaign. These are the things that make sports so marketable. Now, with marketability comes the cheese...the cash. A&M is definitely taking a piece of it. The NCAA is taking a piece of it.....Now it seems as if Johnny himself, with the help of his personal assistant/best friend Uncle Nate, is getting it EARLY too. Johnny comes from a rich oil family. He has money. Johnny wants play money so he can live the NFL lifestyle now. There are no real villains or heroes in this Texas tall tale. It seems that everyday more information is coming out. If you ask this blogger of his humble opinion it would be this. Johnny will play this year, but the distractions will pull his production down a bit. Saban will be ready for A&M this year and he is a very vengeful person. Johnny football may even get hurt that game. The NCAA will have a hard time finding evidence that Manziel took money for his signature.  If he did take money it was cash. However this fiasco ends, I hope it ends with Johnny playing football again. The very thing that made us all take notice in the first place.



-tshurn

Not Top 10. Don't do it, WNBA.

A dunk contest, huh? Just because you get a talented player that can dunk with ease and at will in the league doesn't mean you can round up enough talent to hold an actual contest. Don't get me wrong, there is plenty of talent in the WNBA, but due to the God-given physical limitations, dunking is not one of the more accomplished skills among women ball players. In order to have a contest, you have to have a winner and a loser. At least 2 contestants. Brittney Griner and Candace Parker...maybe a few Nate Robinson-like sleepers? Even if you had viable contestants, would they risk injury and their season? Mavericks draft pick Shane Larkin recently broke his ankle going up for a dunk, and just like that he's out 8-12 weeks.

Come on, over the years, the men's dunk contest has been getting pretty lame. Between blowing out candles and jumping over Kias, the contest has become more about the props than the athletic prowess. Air Jordan will forever have his mark soaring from behind the free throw line, and Superman will always have his cape. But until they demoralize the sport by lowering the basket (I already despise the use of a smaller ball), there should not be a women's dunk contest. Fans will just need to settle for the already impressive, occasional drop-step dunks from phenom Griner.

Here's an idea: Why don't we try getting more teams in the league first. The league stands with 12 current teams, 6 of which are independently owned. This year is a breakout year with All-Stars Brittney Griner, Elena Delle Donne, and Skylar Diggins showcasing their talents as rookies. The league has a chance to grow and expand their fan base. A dunk contest, I fear, would be disastrous and only set back the league's growth and the respect it has earned.


-bObD.

Every Morning, You Will be Remembered.

I found out on Twitter late last night. My feed was pouring with retweets of Kidd Kraddick's confirmed death. KISS FM's Kidd Kraddick? Surely not him. 140 characters was not proof enough. I quickly searched online, and sure enough the Kidd Kraddick that my generation grew up with on the radio had passed.

He started the gig on 106.1 when I was in 4th grade. I was at the age where I could make radio station requests in the car, and if I asked nicely I was lucky to wake up with Kidd Kraddick in the morning instead of the boring 1080 news on the way to school.

The drive to school was a mere 18 minutes. It really only took 10 minutes to get to campus but what seemed like forever sometimes to find parking. But in those 18 minutes you got in your daily dose of pop culture news, a few hit songs, and a few good laughs to start your day.

Thoughts go out to his family, friends, and colleagues. A moment of silence should be followed by a moment of laughter, as that is what he brought to all his listeners in the morning. Rest in peace, Kidd Kraddick.

-bObD.

Big Bang in The Basement.....Triple D

I wanted to go last week. It was the first week of the The Big Bang at it's new venue....The Travis in the basement. Here's the story; I'm a working stiff and my schedule varies so I could not go last week because I had to work at 5am on Friday morning and my body just won't allow me to stay out all night and wake up that early anymore....this ain't 2000 anymore kids. So, I trolled various sites and twitter feeds and saw pics and heard how great it was and I was jealous. I hate missing out on good music and good times.....we can never replicate them. I told myself that no matter what I was going to go this week (plus I didn't have to work until 2pm today!)! So I rounded up some friends that are down to party and we headed out. bObD was winning in a dart tourney at Austin Ave. so she could not go. My homie Elvis said he was down.....We headed down 75 and my friend VerniciaV (her twitter profile) texted me and asked if we could pick her up. She is actress and singer, who does professional musical theatre and sings gigs sometimes around Dallas. She loves music and I had told her about Big Bang, because I had gone to a few when Sober was spinning at the Beauty Bar....Damn, my bad, Big Bang is a weekly jam put on by one of Dallas's best DJ's, DJ Sober. Dude deals in real hip hop, soul, smooth jams...whatever you need, he got. He's also half of that new group bootyfade. They songs be hittin. Anyway, we picked her up from some place called Baboush uptown and skirted out. When we arrived at the Travis, I realized that I had been there before but it was called something else and they were kinda upscale......VerniciaV was dressed nice and cool, but me and elvis had fitteds on and tennis shoes.....The bouncer took one look at us and said "Ya'll here for the basement huh?" And pointed us down the back of an alley. We walked down into the basement and it was chill down there. It was about 10:30 (early), so it was just some scattered people down there and Sober was already spinning some good shit. It's not a big area, but the ambiance was on point. It was dark and moody. they had plants and mirrors everywhere, a section with a pool table and some nice 70's era couches and chairs spread out. There was one main bar and a mini bar with a chick manning the mini. She had on a snapback and a long sleeve silk shirt....long hair coming out of the snapback, weird shit, just like I like it.

I could tell right off the bat that people come to Big Bang for a few things. First and foremost; the music. Sober was spinning a myriad of jams that are right up my alley. He was bumping That Eryka Badu when we walked in...."push up the fader, bust the meter, shake the tweeter, bump it!"....I think that's how it goes, I was geeked. Also, the vibe. So many different kinds on people go there to experience the eclectic mix that Sober brings. He jumped from "Adorn" (which VerniciaV was singing loud in my face ;) ), to oldschool HOV, which me and Elvis where reciting word for word. There was no beef, not much posturing and everyone was there to have a good time. Towards the end of the night, Picnic, the other half of Bootyfade showed up and MC'ed a lil bit. It was dope. We left out about 1 because my com padres had to work in the AM, but I coulda stayed till 2. I will most def be hitting it up again. Here at Words we promote good shit and here in Dallas, it don't get no better on a Thursday night than Big Bang at The Travis with DJ Sober......music transcends yo.


-tshurn

"Your thoughts Please?"

My homie Elvis (real name) texted me the other day and posed the title question about Kanye West's new album, Yeezus....at the time I told him that I had only listened to the album all the way thru once. Bye rule, I listen to albums three times before I commit to a critique.

So I took my time and listened to the cd a few more times, the old fashioned way....in the car, to and from work. After the first 2 listens, I didn't know what to think about the new electro beats and the screaming and dark nature of the project. But I always know that with real artists, you have to delve deeper to understand the true meaning of their overall theme....and they always have one. They take this shit very seriously. The craft....so I started to break down the songs' lyrics and the beats. I am notorious for taking time to warm up to albums and then loving them after listening and listening to them. I came to realize after 5 complete listens that I love the album and Kanye's progression.

The album is a classic to me for various reasons. First off, you can always tell when an artist is submerged in his/her craft. Kanye's vision for this album is clear......It's "FUCK YOU". Obviously, that was the mood of the artist at the time of the rendering of the project. Not only was it F u, but it was as one track puts it "I am a God"......"so hurry up wit my damn massage!". Kanye wants the listeners to know that no matter what you think about his personal life or his antics or even his lyric choice, you know that he is still a G.O.D. of rap that is and he was really key in its resurgence.

My boi Elvis, told me that what Kanye does on this album isn't hip-hop, and I told him that I respectfully disagree with him. With new production (daft punk), he has evolved....that's what artists do. Elvis is a devotee to hip hop's golden age, as am I. He is also from Brooklyn, so he really only recognizes East Coast music as "real" hip hop. What Kanye has done on Yeezus is transcend the notion of what hip hop really is. On "I  Am a God", the Hindi sample that he incorporates magnifies how hard the electronic beat hits. On "Im in It", Kanye spits about all kinds of sexual encounters, while still reminding the audience that he is on top. The bass timings of this song are eerie and sound like new visions to me. It's like him and Rick Rubin painted a new picture with colors never seen before.....The Nina Simone sample from "Blood on the leaves" is a haunting reminder of where we are still at as a society, it's one of the reasons that some white people think this album goes too far.

Kanye ends the album with "Bound 2". It's a cut that at first I thought was just a leftover from one of his previous albums. As I listened to the lyrics, I could tell that I was wrong in my assessment. He is rapping about being bound to one man or woman and love......how we all want love and need love. The way he paints this particular picture is in a humorous and realistic way..... "Close your eyes and let the words paint 1000 pictures/ One good girl is worth 1000 bitches". Charlie Wilson sings the hook, as well....enough said!

Yeezus is my album of the year so far and I'm sticking to that. I like when an artist has the guts to step out on a limb and reach for greatness. Knowing that he might fall on his face. Kanye doesn't mind falling and he doesn't really care if some of the masses are too closed minded to understand or even try to understand. He does him. He's in his moment....the album is 2x dope. Get into it.

-tshurn

Put me in, Coach. I want to win.

I've got this list - a list of people I'd like to spend the day with, have a few drinks with, engage in conversation with...if I could ever be so lucky. Charles Barkley, Edward Norton, James Franco, and Bill Simmons to just name a few. The list hasn't changed much over the past few years but a name just recently made its way to the top of that list - Coach Pat Summitt.

A fan of ESPN's 30 for 30s, I was so excited to hear about the release of Nine for IXs, nine documentaries recognizing some of the greatest female game changers in sport history. The documentaries kicked off 2 weeks ago with a telling story of Venus Williams and how she brought awareness to women's tennis - equality was sought out, not just in interest of the sport, but also in winnings. Even those who do not follow tennis know the name; the Williams sisters have dominated the sport, but to learn about how they got to where they are now, that was a story in itself.

While 'Venus VS' was informative, last week's 'Pat XO' was all heart. Pat Summitt is the face of the Lady Vols, a basketball program that has gained more recognition than the men's over the past couple of decades. If you didn't know Pat Summitt before, you definitely respected her after watching 'Pat XO.' Her coaching methods not only made winners out of players on the court, but off the court, as well.

The presentation of the film was ingenious. Pat Summitt didn't usually reveal much softness about her. As a fan, all we saw was the focused Coach Summitt that occasionally blessed us with a smile upon victory. Conference Titles, National Championships, 100% graduation rate, and a handful of the biggest names in women's basketball under her wing - these are the bullets on her resume. The film highlighted clips of friends, family, and colleagues, which provided the fine print between her accolades. A softer side to the hard-ass coach was portrayed. Now you not only respected her, you loved her, too. Loved the way she taught, loved the way she raised her son, loved what she did for the sport, hated how she had to end her term so early but loved how she did it so gracefully and with such dignity.

When I picture Pat Summitt, I either have an image of her staring down one of her players...

or her standing on a ladder cutting down the net...

There are definitely less memorable images to have of someone. Coach Pat Summitt is a legend, and directors Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern Winters did an excellent job of portraying her as one in the film 'Pat XO.'


-bObD.

The Eyes of Texas are very much upon us.

NBA off-season has got my head spinning and hurting. It's nerve wrecking for a Mavs fan to sit idly as the organization feebly tries to put together a winning team. A team that can make the playoffs and can be Championship contenders. We were just there. It's nauseating. So is waiting for football season to kick off. And then there's this video...

If you're any bit a Longhorn, you've already seen this video...not once, not twice, not three times...over and over again the video gets me hyped. Chills run down my back, goosebumps have nothing on the raised hairs on my forearms.

I'm ready for the Longhorns to make a leader out of Ash. No more benching Ash and seeing if little McCoy can save the play every other down or late in the second half. This is Ash's junior year - this is it. Time to extend plays confidently, three and outs are unacceptable. His 67.3 completion percentage was nothing to be ashamed of. It is a percentage that needs to be executed to the max this year.

Cue Mike Davis. I've got a soft spot for the Shipleys, but this is Mike Davis's year. #AshtoDavis will be trending every week. 100 yard reception games will be expected, not celebrated. Shipley and Davis have the hands, we just need the running backs to bring it with their feet. A healthy Brown and an improved Gray will complete the offensive palette. The colors will all come together and Longhorn Nation will proudly bleed burnt orange this season.


-bObD.

What are the chances???

The enigma that is Dwight Howard? What is he thinking? Is it gonna be Dallas, Houston, Golden St., Atlanta, or the incumbant Lakers? Who knows with this guy? Today he could say he is going to sign with Dallas and then do a 180 and return to L.A. before the reports can be fully confirmed. The only real thing that we know about about Howard is that his game is the real deal. Alot of times in America we confuse perception with reality. Ever since Howard had his indecisive moments last year in Orlando he has been vilafied and by response people have deminished his ability. Now, how does that happen? He is the same player that he has always been. He was hurt last year, playing thru lingering back problems and shoulder issues, and the guy still averaged 17-12-2. Not bad for a guy that was visibly hurt throughout the year. There is a reason why all these teams want the services of this guy. Let's remember his assets....He is 6'11'', rebounds at a high rate, shoots over 50 % from the field; blocks over 2 shots per game; and if he is the focal point of the offense (which he should be) he will averaged over 20 points a game. And lets be real, Howard should be more advance offensively, but we can't make the guy something that he is not. He is not an offensive stallwart. I doubt that he ever will be, but with what he does bring he is still the best 5 man in the league. If you call yourself a true fan of any of the teams involved in the D12 sweepstakes then it would be disingenuine to say, "We don't want him". We gotta stop living and breathing off of emotion alone. "I don't like him".....well ask yourself a question....Would you like him if he averaged 23-13-3 next year for your team and led you to the NBA finals? Shit, I know I would. I don't like all the drama, but maybe the guy just needs to mature a little bit and kill his ego. I know alot of grown men that need that (moi included). Anyway, I hope the Mavs get him and we ride off into the sunset with D12 and Dirty Dirk leading us into a new era.....maybe we will find out today, but if I'm going off of history then I doubt it. I won't believe anything till the papers are signed.


-tshurn

You Don't Have to Like the Decision.

The 2013 NBA season has come to an end, with the Miami Heat as the victors, to many people's disdain. Not enough can be said about the Finals this year - an epic series with several players that will go down as some of the best to play the game.

You either love the Heat or hate the Heat. You either love the act of domination and their perseverance to triangulate themselves on the same team, or you think The Decision just exposed one of the weaknesses of the league. There will be no comparison here. No MJ vs LBJ. Just an admiration for talent. You do not have to love LeBron James, but if you call yourself a fan of anything remotely athletic, you have to appreciate his talent.

"I don't know my ceiling. I don't stop trying to improve my game..." said LeBron in response to his 4th MVP award. The ceiling did not get in the way of another ring.

While LeBron did not dominate throughout the entire playoffs, with numbers reflecting somewhat mediocre play, he rose to the occasion as most greats do. One of the many memorable moments of this year's playoffs...

Paul George may have overplayed on the left side, but James finished in such timely fashion. It was amazing. An amazing finish.

And on defense...

Splitter didn't stand a chance.

Congratulations, LeBron...this is your greatness, this is your time.

-bObD.

Groupon Hates Your Stuffed Animals.

Over 140 bought. Limited quantity available.

Hurry, your chance to have all your children's stuffed animals together in one big orgy just minutes before they are hung to death is running out! Groupon Goods has a Stuffed Animal Organizer on sale for $29.99. For less than $30, you can string up to 42 stuffed animals, action figures, and dolls. So now they are off the floor and tied up...what does little Christopher do when he wants to play with his Batman, but his Batman is involved in a tangled war with 3 of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3/4 of the way up the pole and out of poor Christopher's reach? You tell your son Batman has been released from the evil elastic bands but now must be the action figure for the week because removing more than one toy from the organizer would be the beginning of a mess and defeat the purpose of the organizer. And if he doesn't understand and asks why, you say, "Because I said so."

Do kids these days still have stuffed animals? Aren't most pets and toys virtual these days? Whatever happened to Tamagotchis? Forty-two...that's like averaging 5 stuffed toys annually the first 8 years of your life. Seems a bit excessive. But then again, any number less than 5 on this contraption almost appears unpleasant or painful. What did that poor doll do to deserve to be strapped atop the 56" pole? Is there a big red A stitched on her dress? Is it really just a clever way of organizing or the beginning of the end for these stuffed animals?

-bObD.

1-N-Done...down, but not out!

I was playing a strategic game. I seem to have had a good grasp on it - the stars were, for the most part, aligned and my selected players were doing their part. Then came round 2 where points were doubled. A 3-pointer counted as 6, a rebound was scored as a 2-pointer. Nothing was going my way...the Mega Ball was always a digit off. Whether it was Belinelli, Jarrett Jack, or Klay Thompson, I seem to have picked the underperforming, ugly duckling of the night. I picked the right guys, just on the wrong day. But that's how this game goes.

Round 2 was tough. I haven't had to make decisions like that since high school when I coordinated my kicks with my tees...Nike Shox, Air Max 90s, Jordans, Nike Uptempos...Doc Martins. Each morning I spent a good 10-20 minutes deciding which pair to put on. Decades later, I am still making those morning decisions, along with others. Having to run the Bulls' roster dry, knowing it was not likely they would advance. Second guessing the experience of the Spurs and possibly giving into the fight of the Warriors. Enduring a painful Knicks/Pacers series. And losing sleep over the unpredictable Thunder/Grizzlies games. I am somewhat relieved the 2nd round is over - I lost a lot of ground in points.

Who am I kidding - it is not getting any easier. Points are now tripled. How long do you hold out on the big names? With the matchups presented, are the big names guaranteed to put up big numbers? Two-fifths of my Pacers line-up have already been played - how confident am I that the Heat will win? And in how many? There is no room for error. Kicks have been chosen and laced. Game on.


-bObD.

Tasty Run.

How often do you get to be a part of a "First Annual" anything? This year I got to run AND eat in the first annual Tasty Run. I am, by no means, an avid runner. To be honest, I am no runner at all. I partake in the Race for the Cure annually because it's Susan G. Komen...and it's for a good cause. And you get a crap load of freebies at the end of the race. But mainly because it's for a good cause.

When I heard about the Tasty Run, a 5K with tasting stations along the course, I was sold. I did not care what the cause was. For all I was concerned, the cause was my hyperactive thyroid and insatiable desire to eat. The fact that I could get a workout while eating, it was a total win-win situation for me. I have never been so excited to run before.

Shortly after the start of the race was the first station. No one was ready for it, including myself. La Madeline had a spread of chocolate croissants and their strawberry romanoffs, which I swear are laced with crack. By the time I realized I had approached the first of five food stations, my momentum only allowed me to grab one croissant and the largest strawberry I could see. I was so excited, I didn't know what to do - eat the strawberry? Eat the croissant? Keep running? Turn around and grab another strawberry?

Before I could establish a plan of action, I began to smell the next station. Genghis Grill had Teriyaki Chicken and Rice. Oooh-wee it smelled good! They had the food in a jello-shot cup so the only appropriate way to eat the food sample was to shoot it. You know, just like when you're downtown and it's your friend's 21st birthday.  It was no unlimited bowl, but it hit the spot. And if not careful, it hit the wrong spot. One of the keys to running, and exercising in general, is rhythmic and controlled breathing. Inhaling a mouthful of chicken and rice can throw that breathing off. Just a tad.

Raising Canes blessed the runners with some fresh-squeezed lemonade. While I could have done without the ice chunks in my lemonade, it was quite refreshing. Just before the 2-mile marker, Tiff's Treats had a table full of cookies, whole cookies. They were amazing. I ate the entire cookie. I didn't really have choice seeing as how there were no trash cans in site after passing the table. It's okay though - by this time, I had already decided this event was no longer a running event, but rather an eating event.

The last tasting station was hosted by On The Border. What better way to represent a mexican food station than with mini burritos and sopapillas! I knew it was the last stop before the finish line, so I made the most of it by taking pictures with the sopapilla girls, while enjoying a mouthful of fried pastry.

I finished the race in a record, slow time of 47:43 and continued onto the Dos Equis afterparty where we were greeted with whole cans of Dos Equis. While some may not think chugging a beer is the best way to hydrate after a run, I was surrounded by runners that would disagree.

The Warriors Uncut.

During a time when people of all ages are hyped about the summer movie releases, there seems to be another form of entertainment stealing the show. While you have your fair share of Marvel fans lining up to see Iron Man, the same number of fans are glued to the TV watching super human athletes battle on the basketball court. The Great Gatsby explores resistance to change, while the Chicago Bulls exhibit the fight to stay alive.

Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are no Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, but some say they are trying to pull off a high-octane heist against the San Antonio Spurs. A team many people counted out when David Lee went down, Golden State is still in it. They're going for the Oscar...the Best Series...the Larry O'Brien, they want to win it all.

I find it more fitting now, than before, to deliver this movie poster showcasing the three talents carrying the Warriors. How can you deny these young men another series win? Especially after a career performance from Harrison Barnes. When Curry and Thompson struggled offensively, and Bogut got into early foul trouble, Barnes took over. The team remained composed and continued to play their game. Their game is what continues to bring them back from deficits. Their game is what held the Spurs in overtime. Their game has evened the series to 2 a piece.

With the exception of Rose, no other player has been trending more during the playoffs than Curry. And while Rose is showing no signs of returning to the court this year, Curry is showing no signs of stopping or slowing down, despite his ailing ankle. The sportscasters like to bring attention to the noise the fans bring to the "Roaracle." How about the social media noise? Where did all these Golden State fans come from? One hundred plus decibels is followed by hundreds of thousands of live tweets. When did everyone become Curry's number one fan? The last time I remember so many fans coming out of nowhere was when the Phoenix Suns ran with KJ and Majerle in the early 90's. All-Star and fan favorites stacked, they fell short of the championship. Are the Warriors poised for a different outcome? Will these fans continue to line-up for this starring backcourt?

This series is nothing short of thrilling and spectacular, and I cannot wait for Game 5!


-bObD.

The D Rose Debacle

I need to start this post off by saying that I am a huge Derrick Rose fan. Ever since I saw him on the AAU circuit as a 16 year old, I knew he was special. He is obviously special.....if you know basketball that's not even a question. I admired him at Memphis, and since he was drafted by his hometown team, The Chicago Bulls. The kid clearly has his head on straight. He has handled every situation with class, honesty, and real emotion. Derrick Rose seems to be a genuine person, on and off the court. All that being said, I have a problem with the situation that is going on right now in the playoffs. When my homie bObD and I decided to start this blog, I said to myself that I wasn't going to jump to conclusions on people and judge people that I don't know personally, off of iffy facts and ignorance. I still hold true that premise. But this situation that has evolved in Chicago is very, very interesting. Derrick Rose was medically cleared to play basketball 3 months ago. He has been practicing with his team in 5 on 5 scrimmages for 2 months....2 months!! By all accounts there hasn't been a setback since he has been practicing and sources say that he looks good. Then comes the quotes from family, the Bulls, and Derrick himself.  His brother and his mother have been talking to the press way too much in my humble opinion. Reggie Rose (Derrick's brother), has come out and said that it is all mental and Derrick doesn't trust the knee. Derrick's mom has basically said the same thing. The Bulls will not come out and shut the kid down for the rest of the playoffs. Derrick himself, who doesn't say a lot, said that "anything's possible". Hmmm. What does all this crap mean? To add to all this stuff.....The Bulls players themselves (the only ones that really matter) are battling. These guys won a series that, as shorthanded as they were, they shouldn't have won. They won off of defense, grit, bravery, teamwork, grit, toughness, trust, grit, and mettle. This team is a TEAM. Something you rarely see on the landscape in the NBA. A unique team that has won my heart. I love watching them. I love how they compete. I love lil Robinson. I LOVE Noah....he's the guy I will show my son, when I show him how to compete on every play. The bottom line is that the TEAM deserves more than the Bulls brass is giving them. They deserve to know whether or not they are going to get help from the cornerstone of the organization, who seems to be healthy. After last night's dismantling by the Heat, will DRose decide to play Friday night? Have they already shut him down within the organization??? Do the players know? If he is healthy now, why hasn't he played before this? I cannot remember anything like this before. I have never been the kind of guy that believes that a player needs to listen to the court of public opinion or play for the fans in particular. I do believe that a star has an obligation to his team. Especially a team that's as special as this one......I can't wait till Friday.

Got 1-N-Done on my Mind.

The thought of the Mavericks not in the playoffs this year didn't weigh on me too long before my colleague discovered 1-N-Done Playoffs, another fantasy game ESPN has blessed sports lovers with. Excited to have something to do during the playoffs, I figured it wouldn't be too challenging - pick one player each day to play? Hell, I managed 3 fantasy football teams at one time this past year. I got this - it was going to be over before it even started. I mispoke and caught myself drinking from the same overconfidence cup as Brandon Jennings.

This game makes you scrutinize each individual player. Play their strengths, and let their team worry about their weaknesses. Only positive points are recognized - points scored, assists, and rebounds. Point values also multiply in each round of the playoffs. While this fantasy game focuses on individual players and stats, the players cannot be played if their team does not advance. Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard were obvious choices for the first week of play, as they both average a decent number of points and boards, and Gasol will even throw in a handful of assists. But which of the 4 (most assumed they would be swept) games did you play them? Game 1 would have been your best bet...the line...

Gasol 16 points, 16 rebounds, 6 assists
Howard 20 points, 15 rebounds, 1 assist

If you waited, Game 4 looked like this...

Gasol 16 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists
Howard 7 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist (can't do much if you foul out of the game...)

The two are obsolete, as far as 1-N-Done goes, now that they are out of the playoffs.

A sweep in a series one can predict. An injury to a critical player, you never want to forsee. It changes the dynamics of the team and series. I was saving Westbrook for the Western Conference Finals - guess that won't be happening. How does this affect Durant and his play? Reggie Jackson, you now have big diva shoes to fill. Good luck. And then there's Golden State's David Lee. The Warriors went into the series as the underdog. After Game 1, they became the underdog without their starting power forward. Mark Jackson went with something he is familiar with - he went small. Game 2 he started Jarrett Jack, a name not many gave much attention to prior to this series. And just like that, the Warriors are up 3-1 going into tonight's game. I start to think, Did I use Curry too soon? Will he hurt me in the next round with double points if they advance? Is his left ankle really sprained?!

Memphis and LA Clippers are tied at 2 games a piece. How long before I play Chris Paul? Will he be available after this series? Does Conley have it in him to have another big game? How much impact will the Griffin-ZBo battle under the basketball affect the next couple of games? Will this series go to 7?

This game has consumed me. It's even got me drawing players on my fridge...

And for once, I am invested in every game of the playoffs, even the Hawks-Pacers series. Which, with the exception of Paul George's triple-double recorded in Game 1, has been anything but exciting. Win or go home.


-bObD.

"It's Yours Forever"

On the plane ride back from Coachella I was reading a book of poetry from Nikki Giovanni. She has been one of my favorite poets since I began reading poetry. I would say that one of the main reasons that I admire her so much is her courage. With the courage comes a sense of adventure....some I read from her stuck with me...."If you buy something and you go broke they can take it from. Buy yourself a trip or a hundred dollar meal and it's yours forever". After I read that quote I realized that I enjoyed reading Nikki more for our kinship. In other words, we think the same way.

My coachella trip was just as much about the journey itself, as much as it was about the music and other stuff (you can fill in the blanks here). It was about not knowing what to expect; not planning too much, being free; chillin out. You know....the hippy way. If the hippy way means chillin in a very nice house with a golf course view in a gated community. The spot was dope....or to quote Rueben, the very talkative, very friendly local who we found to taxi us around all weekend, "the spot was bomb"....I love learning new ebonics! Anyway, The homie Jig and I went to 3 days of Coachella and I wanted to recap the music and the fun of the days on this blog. So today's post is going to be about what transpired on day 1. To begin with the homie jig and I decided to go to Coachella after our friend (whom we met on Blip) Lordy told us that her and her friends were renting a house. They were gracious enough to allow two dudes they didn't know get in on the action. We arrived in Palm Desert on Thursday night and met the whole crew. Scott, Jen, Alisha, Alex and of course Lordy. Everyone was cool as fuck. Jen and Alisha had me cracking up as the had their talking Tom app saying shit like "What up bitch!!". So later on that night we were all discussing what acts we wanted to check out. I found out that Alex was a big Wu-Tang clan head, as I am too. They didn't play until Saturday tho. The homie Jig and I had a pretty specific plan with a lot of hip-hop on the schedule for day 1.

I woke up about 7am the next morning because I couldn't adjust to the Cali time....everyone else in the house was asleep as they were all used  to it.....I was also so stoked that I couldn't sleep. I woke up and started drinking beer (that's what I do when I'm excited). Soon enough the house was up. The rest of the crew had been to Coachella before so they weren't in a hurry to get there. We ended up getting cabs to the venue at around 3:00pm. That kinda sucked because I missed Dam-Funk....but he played extra early. The Coachella grounds are just beautiful....palm trees everywhere, the iconic Ferris wheel, all the weirdo westcoastys....it was all love yo. The walk from the entrance to the grounds was brutal tho.....I'd say about a mile and a halfer....When we finally made it inside the fest, we immediately went to the beer garden; more on that later; 18 dollars and 2 beers later we arrived at the Alt J show. I had honestly never heard of them, but the rest of the group was stoked to see them. They were pretty good....like their name would suggest they were a little alt rock. It had me moving but I can't remember anything really specific. They did have a decent crowd and the crowd was feeling them. After that show Jen, Alisha, Scott and Lordy ventured out to a tent where some electro Djs were playing....I saw the line to get in there and I shot them the deuce. Jig, Alex and I went to see TNGHT. I have to admit that I'm not really into Dj sets, but these guys were bumping. The bass that they added into their set was deep and heavy....also, bye this time I was getting pretty full....Next, Alex wanted to see another DJ set. Their name was Modestep. I apologize for these very nondescript reviews but alot of this time is blurred in my mind because bye time we saw Modestep I was like a walking zombie, the heat, the boos....the whatever else, I had overindulged. The excitement of the event had gotten the best of me. This wasn't good because the people that I really wanted to see weren't until later on that night....so what did I do. Of course we went back to the beer garden for two more expensive ass brews!!! I downed them hoes and I was feeling good, so I thought. The next show on the list was one that the homie Jig was very excited to see; Modest Mouse. Right when that set started is when it happened.....I woke up sitting in gate with a cup of water in hand. the only thing going through my mind was "What the fuck did I do?" Apparently, I passed out and almost got kicked out for the weekend, cuz if they have to call the paramedics you can't come back son. Luckily Jig and Alex convinced them that i would be cool and I basically recovered...kinda. I was hazy and all I can remember from the rest of that set is that lead singer talked a hella lot....hella lot. I was walking slow and everything but I was starting to regain all my senses and shit. Good thing because up next was I group that i was waiting to see, Jurassic 5! Let me just start this off by saying the show was too dope. They played all their standards Concrete streets, quality control....when they dropped what's golden the crowd went bananas...it took me back to the times I saw them in the early 2000's in Dallas at Gypsy Tea Room. All the vocals were on point and the rhymes were tight. As usual Charlie Tuna rocked the mike to 10th degree. All three of us were into it. I remember thinking that this is what it is all about....crazy shit, good times, good friends and tunes, and that no one could ever take that memory from me, it was mine "forever".


-tshurn

Das Beard.

No playoffs for the Dallas Mavericks since 2000. A season plagued with what looked like an identity crisis, at times. 9 new players on the roster, Dirk recovering from injury...it has been a rough season for the team and its fans. But a reason to celebrate...the Mavericks hit the 0.500 mark with a win over the Hornets Sunday! Thanks to Mayo and Carter, there was a hairy distraction to the disappointing season. Dirk's beard was getting way out of control, and I think everyone is celebrating the shave. While the Mavericks will be ending their season tomorrow, at least it was a memorable one...

The next 'Dirk is My Homeboy' t-shirt?

-bObD.

Winter is Here! (sort of)

The best show on television has come back and if the 1st episode of the third season is any indication, then this might be the best season yet. "Game of Thrones" premiered Sunday night. It picked up right where it left last season, north of the wall where the ice zombies rule. I love this show because they really do stay true to the fantastic book series written by George R.R. Martin, sometimes down to the dialogue. He wrote such a lush, and sprawling landscape that the directors have so much material to work with. Maybe too much...that's why the success that the series has had is such a triumph....Anyway, I don't want to go out the line by praising the series too much...we are here to talk about the season 3 premiere! There is so much going on that it always leaves the viewer wanting more of a specific character or situation...an hour isn't enough time for this epic. The highlight to me was seeing the growth of Dany's dragons; the training that they are undergoing, readying themselves for future battles in Westeros. The kalesse herself is still on the hunt for an army that can help lead her to what she truly believes is hers for the taking....the Iron Throne. Meanwhile, Jon Snow finally meets the "King beyond the wall". It's hard to figure out if Snow genuinely wants to join this gang of "wildlings" or if he is still loyal to the black cloak and will be a double agent. Lord Tyrian had perhaps the most memorable exchange of the episode when he confronted his father about his limited role. First of all, I'm surprised that he had the balls to even question Sir Tywin Lannister. Dude might be the scariest, most evil character on board. He delivered the most cold blooded line of the night to his own blood...."You are an ill made, spiteful little creature full of envy, lust and low cunning". Of course, the reality of situation is that Tyrian is none of those things, except maybe lustful, but who cares about that?! The bottom line is that this episode sets up season 3 to the best yet in a wonderful world full violence, betrayal, sex, lies....anything that makes for great drama. Stay tuned, we will be recapping most of the episodes this season!



-tshurn

Im not "Shocked"

Well....I'm not! I knew before this tournament began that it was going to be one of the most unpredictable tournaments of all time. That actually made me really happy because I hate it when people pick "chalk" all the way through the tourney and end up making money off of that bullshit tactic. I mean, this is the NCAA tournament folks! There are supposed to be crazy upsets and buzzer beaters and upset fans and jubilant fans. That's what it's all about. But if I told you that I thought Florida Gulf Coast would look like the Harlem Globetrotters against Georgetown, I'd be lying. That upset ruined my gambling hopes (so I thought). I've always been a huge Georgetown fan and I liked this year's team as much as I liked anyone in the country. Otto Porter might be the best player in the country and JTIII always has the team ready to play. They just ran into a buzzsaw and a lot of alley-oops is all. I said before the tournament started that no team is really and better than any other team. It's proving to be a true statement through the first weekend of the tournament. Last night when Wichita State beat Gonzaga, I wasn't surprised at all. In fact, I wouldn't have been surprised if Gonzaga would've lost their first round game to Southern on Thursday. The college game has gotten so diluted from early NBA defections from kids that aren't ready that most of the talent is even.

So, I think that the team that wins the tourney this year will be the actual real national champion. It will be about coaching, leadership, chemistry, and focus. We could be in for the best sweet sixteen in years! Yeah the overall talent level is down, but the games should be so close and contested that its ok. Basketball is a team sport. It's magical when a real TEAM wins and wins together. Seedings don't mean anything in this tournament. I filled out my bracket just from the "eyetest" alone. Apparently, it's not going all that bad for me so far. This is the year when everyone is tweeting "My bracket is fucked!!!" .......


-tshurn

The Next American Gladiator.

I did it! I paid $65 to do everything I wasn't allowed to do when I was a little kid - climb ropes, jump over walls, walk across a plank, "play" in mud. This past Saturday, I participated in my first Warrior Dash. I had good intentions as far as preparing for the race. I was going to start running, lift weights, go to playgrounds to train, and actually use the gym membership I have been paying for the past 5 years. All passing thoughts. The next thing I know, it's the night before the race, and I am planning what to wear so that I don't get mud up my butt.

5 kilometers. 3.1 miles. It's not like I haven't done it before. In fact, I have an awesome habit of running 5 k's cold turkey. So how is this one that much different? Well, let me start with the fucking rocky terrain. Rocky Hill Ranch, to be exact. So many rocks, so many hills. Not enough endurance. The first mile or so was rough, to say the least. I was ready to tap out. I had just gone 10 rounds with Rowdy Rousey. I started to believe I had been tricked into a form of torture. Where were the obstacles I had heard about? As I struggled up what might as well have been Mt. Kilimanjaro, I heard a woman apologize to her husband for letting him down. I told her not to fret, as there were several people still behind her, including myself. To which she replied, "Whatever, I saw your calves. I know what you can do." I know she didn't just go there...

For those who do not know, I am extremely self-conscious about my calves. I don't wear skinny jeans - mainly because I can't fit my oompa loompa-self into them, but also because they would accentuate my turkey legs. I just started wearing capris last year, and that's only because I needed a compromise between my denim jeans and basketball shorts. I inherited my Mia Hamm calves, and they do absolutely nothing for me. No ups. No push. No hops. Nothing.

I completed the first few obstacles like a warrior. I felt like I was flying through The Eliminator, and no American Gladiator could stop me. And then came the first mud pit. I came to a complete halt as my friends stood across the pit, all covered in mud, and cheered me on. As if words of encouragement were going to clear my somewhat germaphobic mind. I quickly realized I signed up for this shit. I knew damn well there was going mud in this race. Just like all the brothas and sistas know there will be water detours and roadblocks in the Amazing Race. It drives me crazy when they can't finish a challenge because of their fear of water or their inability to swim. I wasn't going down like that.

An hour and a half later, I was clearing logs of fire and crawling through one last mud pit. The end was near, and I could taste the free beer. I sent my body through complete shock - it didn't see it coming. But at the end of the day, there was a sense of accomplishment. Knowing that I could do this without any training made me think about all that I was capable of. With some help from P90X, Insanity...regular workouts...I could be beasting. Oh look, another passing thought. The only thing I'll be lifting the next few weeks are 22 oz beer mugs. And a few fist pumps may be had as my brackets dominate March Madness.



-bObD.

The (Un)usual Suspects

So yeah, we are a few days late but here are some teams that we think might make a big splash in this year's NCAA men's basketball tourney. By big splash we are talking make it to the final four and win the chip homie. Yeah, that's how wide open this year's tournament is!! F'ing exciting....did I mention its March!!!

• St. Louis University - Yesss! My hometown team is nice this year! The Bilikins play stingy defense, and they are not afraid of anyone. If they score points they will be very dangerous.
• New Mexico - Steve Alford's team plays together and they have shooters..... the Tony Snell, Kendall Williams combo will lead to upsets.
• Creighton - Doug McDermott is the new age Wally Szczerbiak!!! In college that's a good thing, son!
• UNLV - The Runnin Rebels are runnin again....Mike Moser and Anthony Bennet will be beasting down low.

Yo....bottom line is that all the teams that are going to be in the tourney are pretty much equal. Let's be honest too, all the teams are pretty mediocre and I'm not saying that just to be down on the NCAA. This tournament is primed to be one of the best in recent memory for that very fact alone. One more last thought....I could have mentioned 10 more teams in this post; that's one of the reasons that I'm about to leave y'all with this....this could be the year that a 16 beats a 1!!!! (drops mic and exits stage left)



-tshurn

Team Sean and Catherine.

Guilty as charged - I was one of millions that watched the finale of The Bachelor last night. Three hours I will never get back. I normally don't watch this shit (I used to be anti-reality TV, until I gave into Survivor and then Amazing Race...) but I had heard so much about this Sean Lowe guy...apparently the most chiseled bachelor on the show to date. I just had to see for myself.

So, the plan was to watch the family meet the girls, catch some of the last dates, then go upstairs and return to my normal Monday night drama line-up, Deception and The Following. Easier said than done apparently. An hour and a half later, I found myself slightly anxious...Catherine, please pick Catherine. As a first time viewer, I kept an extremely open mind during the whole selection process. I wanted to punch Lindsay in her mousey face but contained my inexplicable disdain for the girl. I was slightly disappointed with the whole family time. Sean's dad completely won me over, but mom annoyed the crap out of me. She made it quite obvious she didn't want her son to propose...almost as if she wanted to marry her son herself. My first impression of Catherine - lame and reserved. My first impression of Lindsay, lame and not reserved. They were equally lame.

And then their final dates. Lindsay, I know Sean said he finds your affection for him humbling, but there are ways other than sucking face to express yourself. Catherine was able to restore my faith in minorities progressing in the TMZ world. From the moment she started jumping up and down at the site of the elephant, I knew she wasn't lame. When I watched Catherine's emotional struggle at the end of the night, I knew I had hit reality TV low - I was attached. I wanted Sean to say something more than, "Thank you for today."

While not a huge fan of ABC's choice of editing, Chris Harrison really had me sold on this mysterious letter. I know I was not the only one that thought Catherine had possibly given up on a future with the sought after hunk. Turns out it was just one of Catherine's many love notes to Sean. One last opportunity to show the audience she was more than just "funny and weird."

It was an outer body experience as I celebrated the pairing of two complete strangers on television. Sean had chosen Catherine! This moment of happiness had just erased the darkness from when Ozzy came up short in Survivor...or more recently, when Malcolm's Parkinson-hands couldn't get him more than 4th place. All was right in the world of reality television.

So, who's coming over to watch the Lowe-Giudici wedding?!


-bObD.

James Franco as Franco himself.

We all have our reasons for falling in love with an actor or actress. Whether it is their incredibly handsome and gorgeous self (Paul Walker, Chris Hemsworth), their award winning role in one of your favorites (Julia Roberts, Channing Tatum - haha), their sexy accent (Edward Norton), or their ability to out perform each time they're on stage (JGL, Nicholson, Jennifer Lawrence)...we have our favorites.

And then there are those who do not quite fall under these criteria. You can't really pinpoint what the hell attracts you to them. The talent weighs in at about a 5 out of 10 and attraction is a 7.5 out of 10, on a no-stache day. But there is something...it's like the pineapple and Canadian bacon on pizza - you just like it. More on some days than others.

James Franco is my unusual indulgence. I never caught the Freaks and Geeks failure, but I liked his talent in the 2002 Spider-Man movie. It was not until his appearance in General Hospital that I started to really pay attention. It was a gift having Franco star in my admitted television weakness. And then for it to be revealed that he played the fraternal twin of my favorite character on the soap - the attraction was undeniable. You really have no idea.

The actor/director/student/teacher took quite a hit when he co-hosted the 2011 Oscars. I, myself, was somewhat critical of his performance. I wanted him to win others over so that they could see what I saw in him. Videos started to pop up with "Top 10 James Franco is Stoned Oscar Moments." To which Franco responded, "I love her, but Anne Hathaway is so energetic I think the Tasmanian Devil would look stoned standing next to her." James Franco was given a once in a lifetime opportunity and it was not his cup of tea. Those who follow Franco's work should not have been too surprised by his lack of enthusiasm - he's no Billy Crystal.


The Academy isn't the only one criticizing Franco's work. The latest artist unhappy with Franco's performance - Justin Bieber. Earlier this year, Franco filmed himself lip-synching to Bieber's 'Boyfriend.' The video parody...

A silly parody makes him just like the rest of us. He's weird...and different. And people cannot accept weird and different with public open arms. He was recently invited to be the Grand Marshall of the 2013 Daytona 500.

Fans and writers said he butchered the most famous words in NASCAR. His shoutout to Danica was viewed as an intentional separation of the woman from the sport. Come on! He was giving recognition to a female athlete that had just made historic pole position! There was absolutely no disrespect meant by tweaking the drivers' command. But people don't like it when you try to get fancy or cute.

Franco is the ultimate artist in my eyes. Basic art cannot be explained. It has been said that Franco is a workaholic, always has his hands in school, movies, literature...the arts. The world truly is his canvas, and I am always eager to discover his next creation. Oz the Great and Powerful got bad reviews. Critics are calling Franco "withdrawn" and unable to sell his character as a mighty wizard. The audience isn't buying Franco's style; they don't share the same vision. I quote Oscar Wilde, "No great artist ever sees things as they really are. If he did, he would cease to be an artist." Those who do not take to Franco's work, do not share the same palette.


-bObD.