Become Legendary

I need to implement this somewhere in my blog. Any ideas?

Just a Quick Link.

Forget what she did...They should fire her for being - as Charles Barkley would say - "turrble".

http://bostonherald.com/news/regional/general/view.bg?articleid=1101535

17

17. Paul Pierce is Finals MVP. Yes!

The NBA vs. Sir Isaac Newton

(I apologize for taking so long between posts, but I have been working on a few at a time, and have just finished one of them)

The NBA has reached that point. The hole in the space-time continuum. The entrance to a parallel dimension has been located, and we have just unhinged the door. They have proved Sir Isaac Newton's 3rd law of motion (For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction) to be present well past the physical world. They have truly reached the point where nothing good can happen without some sort of bad being attached to it.

I am talking, of course, about the conspiracy that is associated with the officiating of NBA games.

Well before the investigation into Tim Donaghy became news, NBA games, more than any other league, appeared to have been directly influenced by the officiating. It was often noted that fan favorites like Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant were allowed to stretch the rules a little bit. A travel was no longer just the lifting of a pivot foot. A carry was no longer placing the hand under the ball. A drive to the hoop almost always resulted in a defensive foul call, provided the star on offense attempted to wow the casting directors in Hollywood with his acting ability.

As legends like Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Magic Johnson retired, so too did the interest in the league. There was no longer any stars to watch, and the larger market teams began to do poorly; a result of so many great years with weak draft picks resulting from their playoff runs. We were left with a league with little watchability.

(please note that some of the statements I make in the next few paragraphs are my own personal beliefs and not necessarily the truth)

When a league becomes unwatchable, there are only a few options. They can a) Fold (XFL), b) go into a lockout, make the league a bit more small scale, and rely on new talent to generate some interest (NHL), or c) Make the game more interesting. Now how could option C be utilized? Simple. By giving the viewers more of what makes sports so interesting in the first place: tough match ups, series going extra games, all-star players putting up outrageous numbers. The NBA appeared to choose option C. As we were leaving the 1990s and approaching the new millennium, the NBA needed something to help compete with the mass markets of MLB and the NFL. All of a sudden, we start seeing some tough series go 6 or 7 games. We see teams in large markets like the Lakers, Nets, and Knicks competing for the title of World Champion. We see players like Shaq and Kobe being given permission to sidestep common NBA rules (illegal defense, traveling, etc.) to provide a bit of an advantage.

We see what might be the NBA "adjusting" games/series.

Tim Donaghy may be a rogue referee in a sense. He BET on games. Outside of his involvement, we have not seen any evidence to indict any others of this felony. But in an attempt to lessen the jail time he will inevitably serve, Donaghy has cowardly passed information on, true or untrue, regarding other officials helping fix games, including a disputed game 6 in the 2002 NBA Playoffs.

The infamous game 6 between the Kings and the Lakers, though not officially the game in question, was considered odd back in 2002, but has recently taken on a new life with the allegations. Not only did the Lakers get every call in the final quarter of the game, but they exceeded their average free throws per game in ONE quarter!! Does that sound a little familiar during this postseason (and I'm not just talking about game 2 in the Finals...the Lakers could have driven to the basket a bit more and not tried to flop around like the Euro-trash they are)?

Commissioner Extraordinaire David Stern has time and again made comments assuring the public that Donaghy was a rogue official, and that all the problems are baseless, but yet former officials are being questioned by the Feds about current official Dick Bavetta (check this great post by Bill Simmons to see who reffed game 6 in 2002). Then David Stern doesn't bat an eye as he allows Bavetta to roam the court in Sunday's game 5. If you want to look like you are handling the situation, you leave nothing to speculation. Now we have TWO games in the 2008 NBA Finals refereed by an individual who is being looked at by the FBI. I don't know how any fans can look at these games and question how legit they are.

Which brings me back to my original point...

Why is it that after every great game, the officiating becomes more and more of a focal point?

The NBA has the renewed Lakers-Celtics rivalry filling headlines and more importantly, television sets, across America. But with questionable call, the common fan must be thinking that the series might not be entirely up to the Celtics and Lakers. It could be the incredible free throw differential in game 2. It could be the fact that the refs decided to let a game in which the Lakers were dominating, suddenly become more physical to help aid the Celtics in an historic comeback. It could be the Kobe Bryant "hack Paul Pierce in the stomach to make him lose the ball" steal to secure a lead late in game 5.

As we approach game 6, Boston fans (let's go C's!!!) hope to finish off the greatest turnaround season ever, while Lakers fans shop for the newest Louis Vuitton bag (OK, that wasn't necessary. Lets try again...)

As we approach game 6, Boston fans (let's go C's!!!) hope to finish off the greatest turnaround season ever, while Lakers fans hope to prolong the season for just one more game, so they can have an opportunity to win it all. It has been an incredible series so far, complete with the two best teams from their respective conferences, and some of the best basketball players that have ever played the game. With all the competitive fire in the two teams, and the renewed rivalry, it was predicted by many that this game would potentially go 7 games. Could you imagine the buildup? All the former members of the two teams gathered to watch the deciding game, the competitive fire leaking out of the TD Banknorth Garden. The Celtics attempting to keep Red Auerbach's record alive by not letting the Zen Master Phil Jackson take sole possession of the most NBA titles as a coach. This would be the game for the ages. The NBA's very own Super Bowl. Everyone and their little sister would watch this game. America would be glued to the tube as Paul Pierce and Kobe Bryant battle it out for the Championship and MVP trophies. WOW!! The NBA would make SOOOO much money off of this game!!

Now why do I feel (disgustingly) like this was the plan all along?

Surviving Summer Television

Jim Halpert couldn't find the right moment in Season 4 of The Office to propose to Miss Pamela Morgan Beesly. Ted Mosby, Architect DID propose to Sarah Chalke's guest starring character, Stella in How I Met Your Mother's season finale. Lost fans have once again been twisted around by the ever changing plot, and Prison Break continues to find people needing to escape prison.

But now what?

We are stuck in the 3 month torture chamber that is summer television. With our favorite sitcoms and dramas taking a break, we now must resort to the ridiculousness that is reality television, and primetime fillers. Without further ado, I now present a glance into what we will be watching once the dog days of summer hit, by network...

ABC has decided to become network television's answer to Spike TV. In addition to our favorite reality shows like The Bachelorette and The Mole (if I were to watch a reality show on any of these channels, it would probably be The Mole), ABC has decided to take a cue from G4TV and Spike TV by copying Japanese television. Not only are we going to experience "I Survived a Japanese Game Show", where Americans actually go to Japan and compete on their shows, but we are going to get our very own MXC clone, "Wipeout". Yes, I will probably watch "Wipeout". But probably only when I am bored out of my mind.

In my opinion, CBS might have pulled me in for their summer season more than any other network. They did this by following the two most important rules of new television series: 1) Sex sells, and 2) When in doubt, find Regis and make a game show.
The most intriguing new program on TV is Swingtown, a drama based in the 70s about "swingers". So basically, that means a lot of sex with a lot of different people. Lots of sex = Lots of viewers.
CBS then hit the game show jackpot by bringing back a little game called password. "Million Dollar Password" puts two contestants against each other as they give and receive clues to and from a different duo of celebrities each week, attempting to correctly guess the "password". With Regis hosting, and celebrity pairings such as Neil Patrick Harris and Rachel Ray (the premiere pairing), you have an instant hit. Watch out "Deal or No Deal".

Since the start of American Idol, Fox has decided to ditch the classic sitcom/drama model, and has pretty much gone exclusively into reality shows. Yes, we have 24, Prison Break, House, etc. but we know where Fox is making its money, and they are going to stick with the shows that cost the least while bringing in the most. That being said, the show I recommend from Fox this summer is "So You Think You Can Dance". I have always had rhythm, and am not afraid to move around a bit - I could probably go on the first stage of this show and not be embarrassed - but I would also not be invited to the next round because the dancers on this show not only have rhythm, but are also well choreographed and well versed in multiple forms of dance. If you have ever watched a Michael Jackson music video and were wowed by some of his moves, then check this show out (if you already haven't).

Let's be honest here...if it weren't for "Comedy Night Done Right", NBC might be completely down the tubes. Guess what NBC?!? American Gladiators was cool in the 1980s. It is a cool rerun show. But I am not going to watch it more than twice this summer. If NBC wants to do a show about Americans badasses, then work with G4TV, find a way to get Ninja Warrior into the U.S., and watch Americans go against a tough course.
On the Ninja Warrior subject, that is probably the only Japanese show that can really translate to America, because it doesn't really rely on the goofy people looking stupid. Yes, those people are fun to watch splash in the water, but I would much rather see the guys who can do the tough stuff, and have a shot at winning. This is why CBS is going to have a tough time with their new shows. Without the Japanese dubbing, it won't be funny after one or two episodes.
I should also mention that America's Got Talent is back, but that is another rip off show...

NBC, get your act together...I don't want you to fail and then have to cancel some of the best comedies of all-time...

---

Two quick notes:

1) I am probably going to end up losing a ton of money this summer, because I have become addicted to horse racing. I've been to the track 3 times now in two weeks, and I have cashed at least one ticket each time. This Saturday, I cashed a $0.10 superfecta ticket for $89.89. I'm beginning to feel like I know what I'm doing, which is the worst thing that could happen because that's when you start to bet more money than you should.

2) Celtics vs Lakers. Tonight. Don't miss it.

Update: Big Win by the C's. Yes, they stopped playing defense in the 4th quarter, and allowed the Lakers to have their own little 3-point shootout, but when you build a big enough lead after 3 quarters, you don't necessarily have to play better than the opponent in the 4th quarter.

Enjoy the summer television.

Ryan

Thursday

Guess how tired I was this morning?

It wasn't just the fact that I had witnessed one of the best basketball games of my life, which so happened to end about an hour after my new, working world bedtime. It wasn't the fact that I have to wake up at 5:30 AM to get ready for work.

The reason I was so tired was the absolute draining of all emotion I experienced from the combination of the eventful (to say the least) Red Sox game and the unbelievable spectacle that was Paul Pierce making me go from entirely deflated to incredibly pumped up in a matter of a couple NBA minutes (like 15 minutes NHT (Normal Human Time)).

I don't want to really go into too much detail about either of these situations, as I know that every person and their sister have an opinion they want to discuss, so I will just leave you with a few thoughts.

1) Paul Pierce, whether the media wants to admit it or not, is 100x more the heart of the Celtics than KG. I love KG...but we could play without him. Losing Paul Pierce would be beyond devastating.

2) Paul Pierce did NOT fake the injury. I have watched The Truth play for quite awhile now, and I can tell you that he is not one to wuss out and fake an injury just because he wants a call or something. Paul Pierce was in pain (I thought I heard him say something like "Why me, why?" when he was on the ground), and if you watch the replay, it definitely didn't look like a fun twist of the knee.

3) As much as I hated the 3 day layoff in between games, I now love it. As a Celtics fan, I can only imagine how difficult it would have been for Pierce and Perkins to have come back with only one day of rest. So thank you NBA Scheduling Director, whoever you are.

4) I understand Kobe doesn't want the Celtics to feel like they accomplished something by playing solid D against him, but give credit where credit is due. You missed shots because you were double teamed or had a hand in your face. Don't tempt the Celtics.

As for the Red Sox...

1) The suspensions were fair with the exception of 1. Jon Lester. I mean, you give the guy 5 games (1 start) when he didn't have a part in the altercation, then only give Shields 6? 6 games for a pitcher is STILL only 1 start. What is the point even?

2) How stupid were the Rays?

3) I love how Coco almost tempted the Rays to come back at him again in the future with his beautiful interview after the game.

watch here

---

Before I call it a night, here are some interesting links in the world of entertainment:

You loved Superbad...now the writers are going to get a bit more cartoonish

Not a bad year or so for an ex-stripper....

First of all...How does something like this even start? Second, thank God it isn't...

--

I'm off for now...I will post something interesting tomorrow. I will be busy so I will have things to talk about (going to the track again as well). Have a good one.

Ryan

Calling All Democrats!

So let me preface this post with saying this: I hate discussing politics. For me, it always turns into an argument, and it always ends up finding its way back to religion. I do not want to discuss my religious views on this blog unless out of necessity, so I will just let you know that I am a Republican, and therefore, pretty conservative (yeah I know, what kind of college student is conservative?). The point is, I in no way want to step on anybodies toes, and I am not trying to start an argument. I just feel that as a college student who understands a little bit about the U.S. Government (I did get a passing grade on my AP test as a Junior in High School), that I need to offer some help to the voters of the upcoming election.

As it stands, we now have a chosen representative of the GOP and Democratic Parties in John McCain and Barack Obama, respectively. With Obama just recently wrapping up the nomination, many are complaining that Hillary will not be President, and that McCain is better than Obama. Now, I don't know which current Senator is the better candidate, but I do know one thing regarding the Obama Haters/Hillary Lovers...

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, though having different approaches, had similar views. This is what frustrates me:

I have heard countless whiners and complainers saying that it is an outrage that Obama beat Hillary and that they will now vote for John McCain. THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!!!

If you want to vote for someone, you should want to vote for them because they have the same values and morals as you do, not because you like one person or the other. This is not American Idol. If you screw up the election, you don't get to just change the radio station and hear another artist. You are stuck with the same guy for 4 (maybe even 8) years.

This is why the whole racism/feminism thing is so hilarious. I will handle both of these separately:

Racists: You don't deserve a vote anyways, so just be thankful that you get one. If you are pro-life, against gay marriage (I should note that all of the 'big-3' candidates are against gay marriage), don't want to spend government money on anything excessive, want to continue fighting in Iraq, and want to limit higher taxes, then go ahead, vote for McCain. But if the reason you will be voting Republican this fall is because you hate blacks...well, go to hell. Seriously, I don't want you scumming up our election.

Feminists: Same as above, if you are pro-life (I think that right there should be all I need to really question), don't want to spend government money, etc. etc., then by all means vote for McCain. But then drop your feminist act. If you were going to vote for Hillary because she was a woman of power that had all the same values as you do, but now are not voting for Obama because he happens to have a Y chromosome...then please just re-evaluate your life.

Here's something I learned in my 21 years: The President doesn't do everything. They have a Cabinet. They have speech writers. They have Advisors. They pick people that are in agreement with their morals, values, and have the same views on the progression of our great country, not by their race, creed, color, or gender. If you can't vote for Obama because he isn't Hillary, fine. Just make sure you aren't voting for McCain because he ISN'T Obama.

This is not a post about how I think you should vote for Obama. I don't know who I will be voting for. I can tell you this much, however; I will be voting for the candidate whose views most resemble mine.

So think twice, Americans, because you really do have an opportunity for change. But it rests on what we do this November. Vote because you know what you want, and if you don't know, stay home (yes, I am saying you should not vote if you don't know who the better candidate is). It is better to not help either candidate, then it is to help one for the wrong reasons.




p.s. If Obama decides HRC is the best VP candidate, he is out of his mind, and then you should forget everything I just wrote and vote for McCain.

Bud Selig...

(Here's the link to the original story: http://sportfiends.com/2008/06/02/bud-selig-hates-little-leaguers/)

If it wasn't for the fact that you keep handing over World Series trophies to the Red Sox, I would probably have to hate you (in fact, someone else could give the Sox the trophy...I'm officially off Bud). If you think that as commissioner, you have done what you can to save baseball from the annals of sports shame with the steroid issue, you are wrong. We all know there are still guys out there that are finding a way to use PEDs. But I guess you have gotten a little sick of picking on the Really Big (read: Juiced Up) Boys, and decided to find someone of a little bit smaller stature to harass.

I understand the move regarding the Cape Cod League and requiring certain teams (Chatham A's, Hyannis Mets, etc.) to pay royalties to Major League Baseball for using the trademarked names (Colleges and High Schools tend to pay for using similar logos, so the CCL shouldn't get a break), but now you, Bud Selig, have gone too far.

As a little kid, I waited by my phone anxiously every Little League draft night for my coach to call and tell me what team I was on. Every year, I hoped that that year's Red Sox coach would draft me. I wanted to wear a Boston 'B' and play under that uniform. If I was on the Red Sox, I would be just like my heroes...John Valentin, Mike Greenwell, Mo Vaughn, Nomar Garciaparra...I never did get to play for the Red Sox. I was locked up as an Oriole for my extended time in the Majors, so I had to settle on pretending to be Cal Ripken Jr. (it could have been worse).

Little League baseball is now going in the same direction that some Sports Video Game franchises have gone...no illegal use of team names. Unless the leagues pay licensing fees, teams will have to settle for non-MLB team names or advertisements on their jerseys.

When I was 13 and made the jump to Babe Ruth League, my town made the decision to use our jerseys as billboards, allowing local companies to advertise by sponsoring a team. Gone were the days of imagining I was actually on the Baltimore Orioles, playing Shortstop as Cal Ripken Jr. made the move over to 3rd Base to make room for me. Now I was playing for "Savings Bank Life Insurance".

I had a hard time imagining Johnny Accountant moving out of the corner office and into the cubes to make room.

Here's the link to the story. If any more details comes out, I will certainly post them.

---

Some other links of note:

Kelsey Grammer suffered a mild heart attack after having symptoms following a morning of paddle boarding with his wife.

Have you heard about the MTV Movie Awards bit with the boys from Pineapple Express?
Take a look for yourself
If you were one of the 27 people to have watched this airing, what did you think?

For music fans, a sad day... Bo Diddley has passed away due to heart failure. He was 79.

---

That's a wrap. Don't forget to follow me on twitter for updates all the time.