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