tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24767500058122615542024-03-13T08:05:38.575-07:00InFlux Was a Good BandUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-77658463342844433242014-06-03T11:11:00.000-07:002014-06-03T11:45:12.852-07:00Teaching with STAR WARSAt the end of each school year, I teach a unit that uses the Star Wars films as a review of several of the units we have covered during the year—namely Character, Plot, and Theme. Additionally, before the films are viewed, students are introduced to Joseph Campell’s “monomyth” theory found in THE HERO WITH A THOUSAND FACES (Pantheon Books, 1949). In order to do this, I put together a PowerPoint presentation that consolidates Campbell's concept down to 12 stages and demonstrates how these stages could be tracked though not only A New Hope, but also through The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Avatar. <div><br></div><div>W<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">ith a working knowledge of "The Hero's Journey," my students and I then analyze an abridged version of The Hobbit before launching into a close examination of Episode 4.
Once the actual viewing of the movies begins, there is a daily protocol to ensure that students are engaged and learning is taking place. Class begins with an open-ended discussion to either access prior knowledge or prompt the students to consider their own philosophy of life. Students then use specially-designed tracking sheets and are tasked with monitoring specific elements of the films such as Luke's heroic journey, color schemes, camera work, music cues and motifs, dialogue/body language, and general characterizations. At the conclusion of the film for the day, both simple comprehension and higher-level questions are presented to the students and then discussed. It is a fully holistic analysis of the films and a huge success with the students.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Over the years, I've worked my way up to including all 6 films and now utilize a viewing order of 4, 5, 1, 2, 3, 6 which presents the Prequels as a flashback and allows the viewer to not only track Luke's journey but to see the parallels in his father Anakin's journey as well. Throughout the entire experience, students are taking notes and are expected to engage in small group and whole class discussions.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">By sharing my experience on social media, I’ve become part of a larger community of educators who use Star Wars in the classroom; in fact, I recently officially joined “The Rogues” of Star Wars in the Classroom—a website dedicated to helping instructors use the films in their curriculum. I also regularly collaborate with Dan Zehr, an English teacher in the Chicago area who first heard my story via voicemail on a podcast called “Full of Sith” and is the co-host of another podcast called “Coffee with Kenobi.” I was also able to share my Star Wars teaching practices on episode 9 of “Coffee with Kenobi” and I have since became a regular contributor to that show and will be writing reviews of the upcoming Star Wars Rebels animated program for the “Coffee with Kenobi” website.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">Through Dan, I was also able to arrange to have Ian Doescher, author of William Shakespeare’s Star Wars speak to my classes via FaceTime.
Additionally, I’ve had the pleasure of sharing my teaching of “Star Wars” on the “Star Wars Kidscast” podcast and on “Full of Sith” where I was able to share my process, lesson plans and student reactions.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">As we move ever closer to Episode 7 and REBELS, I've even been able to share news in real time with my students. For instance, yesterday's announcement of Lupita Nyong'o and Gendonline Christie being added the Episode 7 cast happened during class and I was to pass on the good news to my students--and it was especially exciting for several of the girls who are continually asking about more females in the saga. We're all very excited about the future of Star Wars. I'd like to think I've done my part to make that "we" a little bit bigger.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-75519949507127334422014-03-26T09:53:00.001-07:002014-03-26T09:53:39.979-07:00The Prequels--Context Matters<div>For many, the Star Wars prequels represent at best a departure from their original vision of the Saga and at worst a perversion of everything they hold dear about the franchise. There are complaints about the acting, dialogue, an over-reliance on special effects, and of course racial stereotyping (and that's just Jar Jar). But seriously, as someone who introduces Star Wars to adolescents on a regular basis, I can honestly say that those without any prior attachment to the OT are much more likely to embrace the PT. I would also argue that for all the reverence the OT rightly receives, they are not perfect films either (but Empire comes mighty close). Time and nostalgia have clouded our minds to their shortcomings--such as they are. The Prequel Trilogy enjoys no such advantages and could only pale in comparison next to perhaps the most beloved film trilogy of all time.</div><div><br></div><div>Instead of focusing on what the Prequels are not--namely the Originals--we should turn our attention to all the wonderful things they gave us. Palpatine's rise to power. The creation of the Empire. The fall of Darth Vader. The Clone Wars in its many incarnations. Jedi in their prime. An exploration of the Sith. Podracing. "Duel of the Fates" played over epic lightsaber battles. Qui-Gon Jinn. And yes, even the controversial midichlorians as part of a further examination of the Force.</div><div><br></div><div>But most of all, the Prequels gave us a context, a deeper understanding of the role of Luke Skywalker in the OT. By seeing his father fail and pay the price of a living death as the puppet of Palpatine, we can finally get a true sense of how bad things could've gone for Luke. Not ready for the burden was he. Seeing the burden portrayed on the big screen only solidifies why.</div><div><br></div><div>They're great stories, these Prequels, regardless of the qualms some might have with them. And ultimately they serve to make the already great OT a richer and more complex tale of good vs. evil.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-86119790154985299912014-03-26T09:52:00.001-07:002014-03-26T09:52:09.075-07:00Is STAR WARS for Girls?<div>There has been a fascinating discussion about the role of women in Star Wars and all-too-frequent disconnect that occurs between the marketing and reality of female fandom. I have seen this firsthand in my classroom as it is almost always the female students who not only have never seen Star Wars but also are conditioned to think that it's not for them and/or they won't enjoy it. And yet, these girls always seem to be the ones who get the most out of it and express the most appreciation. For them, Star Wars is a long-forgotten or ignored gift waiting to be opened. Every year, these girls become my greatest "success stories" that I share with the next group of reluctant viewers. </div><div><br></div><div>Many of my past students come back to my classroom to express their gratitude and excitement about the future of Star Wars (and also to ask when I'll be showing it again). Almost all of them are girls--and they usually bring gifts :) When it comes to demonstrating the positive and lasting impact that Star Wars can have, one needs to look no further than these girls. Disney and Lucasfilm would be wise to capitalize on this phenomenon and not assume that Star Wars is just for boys. After all, when I told all my students about Episode 7 last year, the one who fist-pumped was a girl who hadn't seen Star Wars and initially tried to beg off the assignment completely.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-73493474773914201012014-02-11T19:11:00.001-08:002014-02-11T19:12:22.362-08:00Why I loved MAN OF STEEL<div><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">I've always been more of a DC guy than a Marvel guy. This is probably due in large part to the fact that I was born in the mid-70's and grew up with things like SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE, the WONDER WOMAN television show, and "Superfriends" as my primary exposures to the comics world. Sure, I also watched the classic '67 Spider-man cartoon, but for the most part, Marvel was just not on my radar. When I became a teenager, this trend continued with the arrival of Tim Burton's BATMAN in 1989 and THE FLASH live-action television show the following year. DC was all I saw and all I cared about. Marvel didn't have a big-screen success until BLADE in 1997 and didn't really impact the greater pop culture consciousness until 2000's X-MEN. By this time, we already had 4 Superman movies and 4 Batman movies (the fact that the latter 2 in each franchise were subpar efforts notwithstanding). The die was cast. I was a DC guy, and despite Batman being almost universally lauded as the cooler character, I was always a Superman guy.</span></div><div><br></div><div>I'd always loved Christopher Reeve's portrayal of the Man of Steel and couldn't get enough of the first 2 films in his series (I own both the Richard Lester and Richard Donner versions of Superman 2 after all). And while Superman 3 is atrociously bad, I still have a soft spot in my heart for THE QUEST FOR PEACE--probably because it was the last one Reeve made and includes Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor. So when SUPERMAN RETURNS was released in 2006, I loved it. I loved it for its reverential treatment of the Donner film(s) as a "vague history" (Bryan Singer's explanation of how it fit in the established canon and yet also superseded the third and fourth films). I still remember vividly how I got chills during the opening credit sequence when John Williams' majestic theme burst through the theatre's speakers and instantly brought back childhood memories of watching Christopher Reeve in action. That film also got me onboard through the use of callbacks to the Reeve films as it included unused Marlon Brando footage as Jor-El and dialogue lifts both direct ("Live as one of them, Kal-El, to discover where your strength and your power are needed. Always hold in your heart the pride of your special heritage. They can be a great people, Kal-El, they wish to be. They only lack the light to show the way. For this reason above all, their capacity for good, I have sent them you... my only son.") and indirect ("Well, I hope this experience hasn't put any of you off flying. Statistically speaking, it's still the safest way to travel."). The film was dripping with nostalgia for the original films, and I loved it for that. But I also loved the new stuff too--especially the epic plane rescue (which still ranks up there with the greatest of superhero action sequences) and the bullet bouncing off of Supe's eye. The combination worked great for me, but for whatever reason, it didn't resonate with the general public the way Warner Bros. and DC hoped it would--and so the "requel" failed to relaunch the franchise.</div><div><br></div><div>Seven years later, and on the 75th birthday of the greatest superhero ever, MAN OF STEEL was released. Created as an answer to not only the supposed shortcomings of SUPERMAN RETURNS and GREEN LANTERN but also in the wake of Christopher Nolan's superb DARK KNIGHT trilogy, MOS redefined the character in ways that thrilled some and disappointed others. The film was incredibly polarizing despite being a financial success, and it's controversial ending caused an uproar that called into question the very nature of the character himself. Does Superman kill? Should he? Is there a circumstance that justifies it? Never mind that SUPERMAN 2 had already shown Superman killing Zod (and that there were multiple examples of similar actions in the comics themselves). MAN OF STEEL's inclusion of "Kryptonian-icide"was deemed too brutal by many and was singled out as an example of the filmmakers' failure to grasp the character's true nature. </div><div><br></div><div>Perhaps almost as damning in the eyes of most of MOS's critics was the portrayal of Kal-El's earthly father, Jonathan Kent, who many felt did not adequately prepare his adopted son to become earth's greatest protector. Some complained that his response of "maybe" to Clark's question about letting his classmates die in the bus accident revealed the elder Kent to be selfish and/or paranoid. I would argue that Jonathan's point--and one of MOS's most powerful themes--is that sometimes sacrifices must be made that appear to be cavalier in the short-term so that a hero can reach their ultimate destiny (and save countless more) in the long-term. In the modern-day universe of MOS, there is a considerable amount of paranoia about what the world would do if it found itself invaded by a member of an alien race--as evidenced by the cover-up of the Kryptonian spacecraft by Colonel Hardy and his men and by Perry White's warnings to Lois Lane about printing an article revealing the craft's potential origins. Seen through this lens, Jonathan Kent's advice to Clark makes a lot of sense. He is concerned with protecting Clark's anonymity certainly. But also there is likely concern for the safety of those who would try to take Clark from the Kents by force. Any who tried would face physical danger from a boy not yet in control of his powers, and if Clark seriously hurt anyone, he would then have to live with the consequences. Jonathan Kent is desperately trying to save his son from having to make those kinds of choices until the boy is ready to handle any and all fallout from them--even if it means sacrificing his own life to do so.</div><div><br></div><div>It is here that MOS finds its closest ties to THE DARK KNIGHT. While there are clearly cosmetic connections to the Nolan Batman films (non-linear story telling, a Hans Zimmer soundtrack, Oscar-winners in supporting roles,etc.), the portrayal of how a hero is defined by his choices is the biggest reason that MOS can be seen as a sort of spiritual sequel to the 2nd of Nolan's Batman films. For just as Bruce Wayne decides to continue to keep his alter ego a secret even as the Joker promises to kill people as long he does, Superman is forced to face a similar dilemma in turning himself over to the US government and ultimately to Zod. By doing so, he potentially sacrifices himself to save others. It's an incredibly selfless act, if a bit naive. But in stark contrast to Batman's decision, it is undoubtedly the one Superman would and should make, and the beauty of it is that both character's choices are heroic in their own way. What is more is that Kal-El can only make this decision because of how his earthly father raised him and protected him. He is ready now to make the hard choices as a man because he was spared having to make them as a boy. He exudes confidence even as a surrenders himself, and even if he's not quite the Superman we're used to, it's clear he's on his way.</div><div><br></div><div>In fact, the way the way the film deals with the concept of identity is another one of its strongest points. Not content to simply re-hash the "how does Lois not know that Clark is Superman" trope, MOS reinvents that whole dynamic by having Lois discover Clark's alien heritage early in the film and makes the intrepid reporter both his confidant and a true force to be reckoned with. Consequently, this version of the Superman mythos gives us a Kal-El who must develop two secret identities. Of course, there's the "big, blue boyscout," but the Daily Planet's own Clark Kent (who is not fully formed until the final scene) is very clearly another construct that Kal-El needs in order to reach his true destiny and become the hero both his fathers thought he would be.</div><div><br></div><div>Which brings us to the end of the film. This is the point at which the most criticism is aimed, and I believe unfairly so. Some people have gone so far as to blame Superman for the destruction of Metropolis, but I find this argument problematic as he was literally halfway around the world battling the world engine when the siege on the city began. By the time he arrived, most of the damage had been done and most of the citizenry had either evacuated or already been killed. Some say that he should have led Zod away to continue the fight, but doesn't the fact that the fight extended into space only to return to Metropolis take the steam out of that argument? In any case, Zod was not someone to negotiate with at this point in the film. Instead, he was a warrior bred for a single cause--the protection of Krypton--and he wasn't about lighten up or change his mind after being denied his only chance to preserve his race. As he himself stated, there was only way to stop him--to kill him.</div><div><br></div><div>Throughout Kal-El's journey to becoming a hero, he faced several difficult choices, or tests if you will. But now, he was faced with the choice of watching Zod slaughter a family and continue the rampage on Metropolis or end the general's life, have that blood on his hands, and become the last of his species (unless Supergirl shows up as has been rumored). Both are impossible choices, but Superman makes the one that is the least selfish--just as he always has and always will--and clearly suffers emotional anguish in the aftermath. He sacrifices his own innocence to save innocents. Could there be a more selfless act?</div><div><br></div><div>Does Superman kill? He did this time, but you can be absolutely sure that he will do everything in his power to not be put in that situation again. He will grow from this. He will get stronger. And he will be the hero we all want and think we deserve. That's why I love Superman. And that's why I love MAN OF STEEL. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-45474442232379316662014-02-06T19:40:00.001-08:002014-02-06T19:40:20.190-08:00Obi-Wan Kenobi's Bum Rap<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><font face="Helvetica Neue Light, HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 17px; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Obi-Wan Kenobi never had it easy. His master Qui-Gon Jinn was a Jedi whose revolutionary views on the "Living Force" continually put him at odds with the Jedi Council and put Obi-Wan in a position of having to choose where his loyalties lay. But when Darth Maul struck down the venerable Jedi Master, Obi-Wan was put into an even more impossible situation--training the supposed "Chosen One" even if it meant directly defying the Jedi Council. This was compounded by the fact that Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon had not even been in agreement in regards to the training of Anakin Skywalker. From the beginning, Obi-Wan felt that the boy was dangerous, but as a loyal Padawan, he could not refuse the dying wish of his Master.<br><br>Having only recently been promoted to the rank of Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan was now immediately responsible for the training of potentially the most powerful of all Jedi. There was no way he could have been ready for that burden even he actually thought he could train Anakin as well as Yoda could have. Still, Obi-Wan did an admirable job training Anakin in the Jedi arts and eventually the pair moved beyond the traditional mentor-student roles to forge a father-son/brother relationship. <br><br>Still, he was never able to help Anakin deal with the younger man's issues with attachment. But perhaps that was due to his own issues on the subject, for as Anakin struggled mightily adhering to the Jedi code forbidding love, Obi-Wan adhered to this tenet to a fault (with the possible exception of Satine Kryze). Even after his time in exile reorienting himself to the nature of the Force under the tutelage of a now-joined-with-the-Force Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan still couldn't see how Luke's love for his fallen father might be the key to finally destroying the Sith. Although he had earlier claimed that "only a Sith deals in absolutes," Obi-Wan's ardent refusal to consider an alternative to killing Vader forced Luke to disobey his former Master in his quest to save his father and prevented Obi-Wan from seeing that Anakin's redemption from the Dark Side could result in the elder Skywalker finally embracing his destiny as the "Chosen One."<br><br>All this being said, Obi-Wan's final act in the Star Wars saga was to aid Anakin in his journey to becoming one with the Force. Perhaps as a way to atone for his failings as a mentor, Obi-Wan seems to finally embrace the redemptive nature of the Living Force and allow for the possibility that the universe is not as unforgiving as it might appear. For if there is hope for the soul of Anakin Skywalker, perhaps there is for all those who failed him as well.</span></font></td></tr></tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-42694757258500766702014-01-18T11:50:00.001-08:002014-01-18T11:50:54.260-08:00A galaxy not really that far away.What an amazing time to be a Star Wars fan! Not only are we getting new movies and a new animated show (Rebels), but the fan community has never seemed more vibrant or interactive. There are countless blogs, websites, and podcasts to express one's fandom. But even more amazing is the give-and-take between the fans and the creators of Star Wars. As many of the writers, actors, and actual Lucasfilm employees grew up on George Lucas' epic series, the line between fan and and creator is being blurred to unprecedented levels. And with the proliferation of social media platforms, one can legitimately interact with virtually any segment or creative force behind the making of Star Wars product. <div><br></div><div>Just recently, I was able to not only take part in a wonderful discussion on the podcast "Coffee with Kenobi," but have had the pleasure of being an active participant in the show through listener emails since the beginning of the show and will now be taking on bigger role in the "Coffee with Kenobi" family. One of the show's hosts, Dan Zehr, is a teacher like I am and he and I have been able to collaborate on curriculum and have struck up a friendship. All because of a shared love of Star Wars and the interactivity of a podcast called "Full of Sith"--another wonderful show that balances listener participation with great Star Wars access. These fine folks--especially the writer Bryan Young--took an active interest in the way I teach Star Wars in my classroom and by playing my voicemail, helped me to connect with Dan and Corey at "Coffee with Kenobi," the actor Sam Witwer, and several others. </div><div><br></div><div>And that's another thing--it's a self-perpetuating phenomenon. Because of those interactions, I've been able to swap birthday greetings with John Jackson Miller (author of Star Wars: Kenobi), discuss Stormtroopers with Pablo Hidalgo, and have Ian Doescher (author of "William Shakespeare's Star Wars" speak to my classes--just to name a few of the wonderful opportunities afforded me by the nature of current Star Wars fandom. </div><div><br></div><div>Next up, I'm very much looking forward to being a guest on "Star Wars Kidscast" with Chris Hamilton to discuss topics related to using Star Wars in the classroom. It'll be about a galaxy far, far away, but it's never felt closer. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-18422414655045531952013-06-18T23:29:00.001-07:002013-06-18T23:29:42.764-07:00SAGA Thoughts...<div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So, I just recently presented the entire STAR WARS saga (so far) to my 6th grade students. It was a huge success, and believe it or not, I picked up some new things--despite having seen the films dozens of times. </span></div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div>One of the things that was most interesting to me about the Prequels was that they continually showed the fallibility of the Jedi Order and its members--specifically, the issue of attachment in regards to the Jedi. <br><br>On the one hand, a lack of attachment allows a Jedi to put their mission first without having to worry about the safety or welfare of loved ones. This has much in common with the concept of superhero secret identities. If one has nothing to lose (or nothing known), one cannot be as easily compromised by one's enemies. <br><br>But on the other hand, is it realistic to expect anyone to be 100% selfless and without attachment? And if Anakin was allowed to have a normal relationship with Padme, couldn't he have gone to the Jedi Council for help with his visions? Maybe he doesn't end up going to the Dark Side if this is the case. <br><br>And what of Luke? He and Leia wouldn't even exist if not for Anakin's attachment to Padme. Clearly there are upsides to this attachment. <br><br>Both Anakin and his son Luke struggle with this issue--probably due in no small part to their Jedi training starting so late in life. Both disobey their masters in regards to attachment and suffer serious emotional and physical injuries (right hands) because of it. <br><br>But, ultimately it is Luke's attachment to his father that saves Vader from the Dark Side as he disobeys Yoda's and Kenobi's orders to kill the Dark Lord. What's more is that Vader's love for his son saves Luke from Palpatine and is probably the biggest reason he is able to return from the Dark Side and become Anakin Skywalker again. <br><br>So, attachment causes pain for the Jedi, but also is the reason the Force is brought back into balance. <br></span><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Can't wait to see what's coming in 2015 with Episode 7. </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-61813016855717671662010-07-12T13:40:00.000-07:002010-07-12T14:00:31.260-07:00Some Kind Words from an Unexpected Source and Some Welcome News<a href="http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/articles/2010/07/11/heats_competitors_warm_to_the_challenge/">“I watch all the teams and what they did for LeBron, and [the Heat] still have to go through the Lakers with Kobe Bryant out there, who’s been my favorite player for a long time,’’ said Pacers president Larry Bird. “And I don’t think whatever they do in the East is really going to concern him that much.’’</a><br /><br /><a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=5374270">Oh, and Fish is back. Thank you, Kobe Bryant:</a><br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pt_0ccnPXwA&hl=en_US&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pt_0ccnPXwA&hl=en_US&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />"I have decided to continue with Kobe, continue with our teammates and the fans of Los Angeles," Fisher said in a statement. "While this may not be the most lucrative contract I've been offered this offseason, it is the most valuable. I am confident I will continue to lead this team on and off the court. Let the hunt for six begin."<br /><br />"I took time to consider all my options, many not reported in the media," Fisher said. "I listened to every coach, every general manager, even potential teammates in order to make the right decision and I thank every one of them. At the end of the day, there's one person I could not turn away from.<br /><br />"Kobe Bryant asked me to stay but supported whatever decision I made. He and I have played together for 11 seasons, came into the league together as kids, and has been loyal to me even when others had doubts. We have won five championships together."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-87304340705593468452010-06-25T14:16:00.000-07:002010-06-25T14:51:52.846-07:00A Look Back at the 09-10 NBA SeasonWow, just wow. I had a feeling that the 09-10 NBA season was going to be something special, but I never would've guessed it would come down to the fourth quarter of GAME 7 in the Finals. I did predict <a href="http://influxwasagoodband.blogspot.com/2009/10/2009-2010-nba-predictions.html">Lakers over Celtics in 6 back in October</a>, but that was just a shot in the dark. What really happened was a far more dramatic series than anybody saw coming. That being said, let's take a look back at my predictions for this year and see how I did on the other stuff:<br /><br />10)Yup, the Big Fundamental was called a Power Forward by the Spurs again. No big surprise here. Of note though, was my email conversation with Brian Kamenetzky of ESPN LA who agreed with me on the point and had <a href="http://influxwasagoodband.blogspot.com/2010/02/quick-thoughts.html">this</a> to say: <br /><br /><em>Certain battles are bigger than all of us. Haha. <br /><br />I kid. I know I've talked about the absurdity of the PF designation for Duncan before, but it is, as they say, what it is. For TD, he's been slotted there for so long, nothing will change it now. <br /><br />Oh well. Thanks for the note, and of course, for listening to the show/reading the site. We appreciate it. <br />Brian</em><br /><br />Speaking of ESPN LA, how great is it that in its inaugural year, it gets to cover a Boston/LA Finals? The Lakers seem to have a knack for the historical, what with this also being the 50th year in Los Angeles.<br /><br />9)Did Rambis really regret taking the T-Wolves job? Well, let's see: 15-67 regular season, Ricky Rubio choosing Europe over the Land of 10,000 Lakes, and yeah—it's really cold there during the NBA season. Maybe he's a “glass is half-full” guy.<br /><br />8)On the other hand, the Clippers and Hornets jobs did open up—as did Cleveland, Atlanta, Philadelphia and New Jersey. In my opinion, each of those are at least as attractive as Minnesota. And of course, the Lakers job might open up, but more on that later.<br /><br />7)No, Shaq didn't gloss himself the “Big ____.” In fact, I'm not sure what Shaq did this year—other than get hurt again. At 37, he's just not an impact player anymore. I for one, am hoping he realizes it soon. I'd prefer he just retire and get his jersey hung up at Staples. What else does he have to prove? By the way, if you didn't see <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/columns/story?id=5205205">this great article</a> on Shaq's true Laker legacy, here's your chance.<br /><br />6)No feud for Carter and Howard either. I guess I should've seen this coming—especially from a notoriously soft player known for disappearing during crunch time and a guy seemingly more interested in having a good time than actually winning. By the way, if that's not true of Howard, then why isn't he training in the offseason with Hakeem instead of Kobe? Kobe wins the Finals and sets out to improve, Dwight loses and stands pat regarding his offensive repertoire. Speaks volumes about both of them.<br /><br />5)Yup, Wallace got a lot of T's—almost was disqualified from a Finals game because of them. AND he coasted through the regular season. Bill Simmons, noted Boston homer, even went so far as to call him his <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/100407&sportCat=nba">“least favorite Celtic ever.”</a> But there he was in Game 7 with that unstoppable turnaround J and smothering D getting his team THIS CLOSE to #18. But alas, it wasn't meant to be.<br /><br />4)Nope, Bynum didn't make the All-Star team. He did increase his scoring to 15 PPG and pulled down 8.3 Rebounds (both up from last year), but although he had impressive stretches, he also had some lulls which ultimately cost him the All-Star nod. But dude stepped up against Boston and was a huge factor when he played despite having the bum knee. This will be an interesting offseason for him as LA must decide whether or not to trade the 22 year old with huge upside and injury questions for a 26 year old Bosh who might not fit in (if we can even believe the rumors). I'm not making the decision, but if I was, it would come to down to this question—who makes me better for the next 3 years? The Lakers are a veteran team, and although it would be nice to possibly have a secure future with a guy who won't hit his tradition center prime for another 8 years, you've got to win now while Kobe is still in his prime. It should never come down to "win now" or "win later." You're the Los Angeles Lakers. Free agents will always want to come play for you.<br /><br />3)I won't say that Ron Artest was an unqualified success, but the Lakers don't win the title this year without him. I loved Trevor Ariza, and was sad to see him go, but no way he plays Pierce as well as Ron just did. But the most ridiculous part has got to be a tie between Ron being the best player on the floor in Game 7 and thanking his psychiatrist in his post-game interview. (Speaking of postgame...)<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oda0WkFcus0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oda0WkFcus0&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />The script couldn't have gone any better for Ron and the Lakers this year.<br /><br />2)LeBron won regular season MVP, but his team flamed out again in the playoffs. More and more we seem to be seeing a schism (how's that for a 50-cent word) forming between teams built for the regular season (Cavs, Mavs, Suns, etc.) and those built for the playoffs (Lakers, Celtics, Spurs). Then again, it could just be the veteran talent's just that much better with teams that play into June.<br /><br />1)And yes, the Lakers beat Boston—not in 6, but in 7 games to claim their 16th title. <br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VIFuVCEYoTY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VIFuVCEYoTY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br />Many people have stated that repeating is much harder than the first one, and the Lakers were certainly no exception to this. What I found most interesting was how this year's team resembles the '01 Champs. Both teams struggled with injury all year. Both teams added a potential combustible teammate (Isaiah Rider and Ron Artest) and both had something to prove for having not beat the previous year's champ who had been unlucky with injury (San Antonio lost in the first round in '00 because of Duncan being hurt, while Boston lost last year with Garnett out.) And somehow, the repeat validates the previous year's accomplishment. Yes, you were good last year too. Hey, you can only play who's in front of you anyway, right?<br /><br />So, now it's officially the offseason, but of course there'll be intrigue: Will Phil go or will he stay? If he goes, Byron or B. Shaw? (Experience and new system vs. inexperience, but keeping the system intact) <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/lakers/post/_/id/8877/lakers-take-west-virginias-devin-ebanks-at-43">What will we get in the draft?</a> Where do the free agents land? What trades will go down? But for now, I'll just kick back and enjoy the spoils of an incredibly entertaining and satisfying season and try to enjoy the journey a little more next year. Seriously. Kobe's been in the League for 14 years already. We've got to appreciate this dude while he's still doing stuff like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPMteWn_oxI">this</a>. Out.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-8900045016982496312010-05-05T17:09:00.000-07:002010-05-05T17:45:23.745-07:00Wheww. I feel a little better now...Considering the defending champs have at least started to once again resemble what might turn into a championship-caliber team. How about <strong>those</strong> qualifiers, huh? Some have said--and I agree with them--that OKC just might be the toughest opponent LA would have to face in the West, especially if Phoenix actually does get over on the un-dead, will-need-a-stake-through-the-heart Spurs. In any case, Kobe's looking healthier and the Jazz are simply overmatched in this series.<br /><br />The weirdest thing is that I'm now finding myself rooting for the Celtics--well at least as long as they're playing the Cavs. Of course there's the Shaq angle. Regardless of his "glorified roll player" status, you know the dude will think he has one over on Kobe if the LeBrons win it all this year. Yes, Shaq, that means just as much as Robert Horry having more rings than MJ. You and Playoff Bob must logically be the better player...ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR..gravy-trainer.<br /><br />But LeBron just bugs me. Sure a little bit of it is the fact that he legitimately has surpassed the Mamba as the best in the game right now, but I'll still take my chances with 2005 Kobe (you know, the one who went for 81). And there are other things, like the entitlement issues dude seems to have--as granted to him by the press. He's not guaranteed to win a single championship, let alone multiple titles, so can we please stop calling him The King? It is after all a biblical reference pretty far removed from a basketball player who won't shake hands with a victorious opponent who just ended his season and chose not to be at the birth of his second child because he'd been there for the first one?!? (I'm glad I'm not his 2nd kid).<br /><br />And what's with the injury thing? He keeps saying he's not going to use it as an excuse. Great, then stop bringing it up every five minutes!<br /><br />But probably my favorite thing is the number change for next year. He says he's changing from 23 out of respect and no one else should wear the number either. Then why did you wear it to begin with? Is this new-found respect? Did you just learn about MJ's career? That sounds a little far-fetched until you realize that he's switching to 6--a number made most famous by Bill Russell and Dr. J. What, have you not heard about them or do those guys not deserve the same respect as philandering gambling addict? It's mind-bottling...<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/qWkNPrXkvRA&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qWkNPrXkvRA&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-77700127509168953272010-04-25T13:00:00.000-07:002010-04-25T13:16:26.432-07:00Thank goodness for the NFL draftAt least with all the football news lately, some of the attention has been diverted from the debacle we're calling the Lakers' 2010 playoff run. The K-Bros predicted a repeat of last year's Rocket series for the entire playoffs, but unless the Lakers show on Monday night that they can win when they have to (something we really haven't seen this year at all), there might only be one round. <br /><br />Seriously, I'm already trying to picture who's coming in next year to replace some of the non-producing slugs on the current roster. And yes, things might have been different with a healthy Kobe and even a shred of continuity for this year, but this certainly doesn't feel like a 1-8 matchup. Of course, that might have something to do with OKC having the same record as Boston and that they would've been a 4 seed in the East. Any ideas? Somebody talk me down...<br /><br /><strong>New Giants or Same Giants?</strong> Lincecum has been ridiculous, Zito's actually starting to earn his salary, and we've seen flashes of hope from the offense. But we still don't score for Cain and I think I'd do a better job in the rotation's 5 spot. Madison Bumgarner anyone?<br /><br /><strong>Seahawks are making some noise</strong> Wasn't sure about the Whitehurst deal, but McCoy and Clausen dropping like millstones makes me think Carroll might know a little about NFL QB's. Liked the draft picks--especially Golden Tate. (See below) and loved the pick up of LenDale White. Only about 4 more months until we know if any of this worked!<br /><br />Out.<br /><br /><object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4Shq4-9Xn5M&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4Shq4-9Xn5M&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-77871334563826036112010-03-28T17:53:00.000-07:002010-03-28T17:56:04.453-07:00SI Profile: Pau GasolBeen a lot going on and I haven't had much time to blog, so I'll just pass on this great bit on The Spaniard:<br /><a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1167642/1/index.htm">A philanthropic, opera-loving, multilingual former medical - 03.29.10 - SI Vault</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-16449664054986134232010-02-21T16:47:00.000-08:002010-02-21T19:46:22.879-08:00Quick ThoughtsJust a couple of things during this 5-day break between Laker games.<br /><br />For nostalgia's sake, check out <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/lakers/post/_/id/2926/we-have-your-back-d-fish">this Derek Fisher-themed post.</a><br /><br />Speaking of the Kamenetzkys, these guys just got a billion times cooler by responding to one of my recent email queries. Check out the text below:<br /><br /><em>Hey guys, love the blog and the podcast. But I have one gripe, as insightful as you two often are, why have you not called out the Spurs on their continually ridiculous classification of Tim Duncan as their "Power Forward?" Despite the fact that the dude is the biggest guy on his team, guards the other team's center, spends the majority of his time on the low block--with his back to the basket, and played CENTER in college, San Antonio calls him a PF so he can start in the All-Star game over a healthy Yao. Phoenix did it with Amare, but you wouldn't let them have it. Give San Antonio the business please. Thanks.<br /><br />Hey Craig-<br /><br />Certain battles are bigger than all of us. Haha. <br /><br />I kid. I know I've talked about the absurdity of the PF designation for Duncan before, but it is, as they say, what it is. For TD, he's been slotted there for so long, nothing will change it now. <br /><br />Oh well. Thanks for the note, and of course, for listening to the show/reading the site. We appreciate it. <br /><br />Brian</em><br /><br />For their regular blog address, click <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/lakers">here</a>. For their podcast, click <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/espnradio/podcast/archive?id=4546784">here</a>. I highly recommend both for the serious sports (i.e. Lakers) fan.<br /><br />Last, but not least--enjoy the following video montage:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="349"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RyKgaeAoa-g&rel=0&border=1&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RyKgaeAoa-g&rel=0&border=1&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="349"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-70619178533471444842010-02-01T16:33:00.000-08:002010-06-19T13:07:11.372-07:00Lakers vs. Celtics: The Day AfterOne of the few perks of being a fan rather than a player is that when <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/teams/recap?gameId=300131002&sport=nba">a game like yesterday's happens</a>, you can honestly say that you would have been entertained regardless of the final outcome. If you played in the game and lost, it could affect your livelihood, but as a fan, you'd be sad to lose, but it shouldn't ruin your day.<br /><br />That being said, I was fully entertained AND frickin' happy because my team won. But not just <em>because</em> they won-- but mainly the <em>way</em> they won. I think we can honestly say that the ghosts of the '08 Finals have finally and irrevocably vanished. In fact, the C's have not beaten the Lakers at all since then, and watching this game, I marveled at the growth of one of the missing pieces from that run: Andrew Bynum. The kid is 22 for crying out loud, but is held to a ridiculously high standard--partly of where he plays (LA), and certainly partly because of the position he plays there. I mean, who else in the league has a more impressive legacy to live up to: Mikan, Wilt, Kareem, Shaq--four of the greatest players the league has ever seen and they all played <strong>your</strong> position on <strong>your</strong> team before <strong>you</strong>. Deal with that pressure.<br /><br />I remember vividly the NBA draft when we picked him 10th. I was hoping for Sean Mays; I guess I should've set my sights higher:<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HMyWkUSYv54&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HMyWkUSYv54&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />The greatness of this play cannot be fully appreciated of course if taken out of context. Knowing that Garnett (who looked OLD yesterday) had just hit a jumper over 'Drew and barked the whole way down the floor sets this up as a very emphatic "Shut the BLEEP Up!" moment. But the kid let his game do his talking for him and the C's had no real answer for him. Finally, Phil had to play him in crunch time--another milestone. As Trent would say, "My boy's all growns up!" (The following clip is rated R, so keep little ones away)<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XTPxEwfNTJc&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XTPxEwfNTJc&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Other things of note, <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/columns/story?id=4875770">Artest is finally starting to be Artest</a>. From <em>before</em> the opening tip, Ron-Ron was the metaphorical (to quote John McClane) "fly-in-the-ointment, monkey-in-the-wrench, etc" in Pierce's game. Easily the biggest mismatch in the '08 Finals, <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=300131002">Pierce's contributions were a virtual wash with Artest's</a>--not something that figures to be in Boston's favor as Pierce should be their go-to-guy and Artest is the Laker's 3rd option at best. Artest frustrated Pierce throughout, a fact most apparent on the push-off that probably cost the Celtics the game. <br /><br />Yes, Kobe does that too, Doc. In fact, he was called for it in this same game, but you probably didn't notice it because of the lack of complaining on Mamba's part. And that might have been the most surprising thing to me about yesterday's game--<em>how much the Celtics whine.</em> <br /><br />Pierce--on every call that could've gone either way, Perkins, Wallace, you <strong>KNOW</strong> KG never shuts up. Clearly, the Lakers have some whiners too (Kobe and Pau come to mind immediately), but yesterday they shut their yaps and went to work. There were calls that hurt them too (the out-of-bounds play late in the fourth, KG falling down near Artest to limit Ron's first half minutes), but ultimately they pressed on, refused to bullied and played lights-out D when they had to. That's why the won and that's why every Laker fan today feels pretty good about their team's chances when the games really matter. That and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_mamba">The Mamba.</a><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ciIJXOs7zH8&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ciIJXOs7zH8&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-79989493450307446212010-01-23T16:20:00.000-08:002010-01-23T16:21:49.239-08:00It's been 4 years already?Yep, 4 years ago yesterday. Enjoy.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/03EKI-s6TKE&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/03EKI-s6TKE&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-13487625327639318672010-01-18T11:55:00.000-08:002010-01-18T12:01:36.284-08:00Shannon Will Dunk!Some great news for Laker fans--really any fans of ridiculous hops and stupid athletic ability--<a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/lakers/post/_/id/1576/the-nba-lets-shannon-brown-dunk">Shannon Brown will in fact be in this year's Dunk Contest.</a> For the uninitiated--or even the experienced--please enjoy a small sampling below:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/bjKsyQGFMPo&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/bjKsyQGFMPo&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-58807566074212153722010-01-09T15:32:00.000-08:002010-01-09T16:17:02.293-08:00Finally, My Team Is Interesting Again!Unless you've been living under a rock the past 36 hours, you've already heard a plethora of reports that USC uber-coach <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nfl/news/story?id=4810861">Pete Carroll will soon be introduced as the next coach of the Seattle Seahawks.</a> It seems like a done deal, but apparently the Seahawks still have to abide by the so-called "Rooney Rule" which requires NFL teams to at least interview minority candidates when hiring a head coach or GM. <br /><br />Basically, it amounts to this: the Seahawks have their ideal hire all but inked, but have to convince a minority (in this case Minnesota's defensive coordinator, Leslie Frazier) to go through the motions--ERR come in for a legitimate interview because he stands just as much of a chance of getting the job as Carroll. The whole thing is ridiculous. The bleeding hearts will tell you this is the only way to ensure that minority candidates get a fair shake, but isn't it more racist to say, "Hey, we really want to hire this guy over here, but we still need a black guy to interview for our job. Wait. You're black, aren't you? Yeah, you'll do just fine."<br /><br />Look, if Tony Dungy if Mike Tomlin were interested in the job, they'd be pushed to the front of the line. BECAUSE THEY'RE GOOD COACHES WITH A SUPERBOWL WIN ON THEIR RESUMES. Yes, maybe those two men (and others like Chicago's Lovie Smith) benefited from the Rooney Rule somewhere along the line, but they also worked their way up the chain of command before taking on head coaching gigs. If the point is to hire on merit and not race, then just do it. Someone just said that you can't legislate morality, and they were right. Yes, racism still exists in the NFL (and the world in general), but the owners care most about only two things: winning and making money. If you're from Venus, but can help them do that, you won't have any problem landing a gig somewhere.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-50705470089231706482010-01-02T10:02:00.000-08:002010-01-06T19:39:26.703-08:00Nuts--Absolutely NutsThe Lakers had NO business winning this game, but sometimes Kobe is just that good:<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nYYbKZFd34Y&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nYYbKZFd34Y&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-50089418152403632602009-12-26T10:33:00.001-08:002009-12-26T10:35:49.861-08:00Ouch!Usually I'm upset that I miss a game. This one, it seems, was one better left un-watched. Therefore, I'll let the Kamenetzkys do the posting:<br /><br /><a href=http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/lakers/post/_/id/510/cavaliers-102-lakers-87-christmas-day-turns-out-to-be-opposite-day>Cavaliers 102, Lakers 87: Christmas Day turns out to be Opposite Day</a><br /><br />Posted using <a href="http://sharethis.com">ShareThis</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-13958760463303764762009-12-23T13:16:00.000-08:002009-12-24T17:17:12.704-08:00Pop TartsThis is an awesome bit--just wanted to embed some video to see if I could. Soon, my blogging skills will be complete...<br /><br /><object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/l8kThoZpF_U&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/l8kThoZpF_U&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-89846858885037320482009-12-21T18:27:00.000-08:002009-12-21T18:30:26.685-08:00ESPN'S Answer to the "East Coast Bias"It's finally here! If you haven't visited it yet, please check out <a href="http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/index">ESPN LA.</a> While there, be sure to check out the <a href="http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/lakers/">K-Bros' blog</a>--it's frickin' hilarious (as is their weekly Lakers podcast.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-2047594716081385582009-12-18T20:17:00.001-08:002009-12-20T18:37:29.195-08:00"Did IQ's Drop Sharply While I Was Away?"<a href=http://espn.go.com/nba/dailydime/_/page/dime-091119-20/weekend-dime-picking-decade-best>Weekend Dime: Picking the decade's best</a><br /><br />Posted using <a href="http://sharethis.com">ShareThis</a><br /><br />Apparently, Marc Stein can't count either--<a href="http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/poll/_/id/4018/nba-highlights-decade">fortunately, 73.6% of his readers disagreed with him and picked the Lakers as team of the decade.</a> However,it also seems his lack of priorities extends to ranking playoff games as he inconceivably picks a <strong>first round game one (!?!)</strong> over either of two great <strong>CONFERENCE FINAL GAME 7's (one of which went to overtime!!!).</strong> Is dude on the Spurs' payroll or something? <br /><br />And how many more cracks must we endure in regards to the Pau Gasol trade? ANYBODY could have had him--assuming they had a $9 million expiring contract like Kwame's. And little brother's turned out to be a pretty nice player too. Quit your whining. You didn't see the Lakers complain when the Sixers gave Barkley to the Suns or when the Rockets gave Pippen to the Blazers.<br /><br />And by the way, who stepped up to say, "Hey, the Lakers are REALLY helping out the Heat with that Shaq trade. That doesn't seem fair. I mean, Brian Grant isn't even healthy and he might never even contribute for them. Someone should step up and null that trade!" No one said jack. The Lakers did what you're supposed to do--move on. They ate Grant's contract, turned Butler into Brown into Gasol, and went back to kicking arse. Look, superstar trades are almost ALWAYS one-sided (Garnett, Kareem, Wilt, etc.) Take care of your own business and shut your hole.<br /><br />And while we're at it--Somebody wake up Hicks.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-65121631464308730332009-12-06T16:10:00.000-08:002009-12-07T19:22:05.466-08:001+1+1= More than 4? Or Who's the "Real" Team of the Decade?As we rapidly approach the end of another year (and decade), it's time to look back on 2009 and celebrate greatness. Obviously, the Lakers winning their 15th championship was the highlight of my sports year, but the Giants becoming relevant again (not to mention Lincecum's back-to-back Cy's and the emergence of Pandoval) was a much-appreciated surprise. Needless to say, I'm looking for the Lakers to repeat in '10 and for the Giants to take that next step and make it into the postseason.<br /><br />But enough on looking ahead. The point of this post is to voice my retort to one of the most inane sports proclamations in recent memory— <em>The Sporting News</em> naming the San Antonio Spurs as team of the decade for the 2000's. Now, one might do a lot of research and recite facts from all parts of the relevancy spectrum (winning percentage, home record, playoff wins, heck—even All-Star appearances) to make a case for the Spurs. But the fact remains that <strong>4 IS MORE THAN 3!</strong><br /><br />You could talk about consistency (wins per year or active playoff streaks) or maybe you just like the simplicity of their black and white uniforms, but in what universe do <strong>championships</strong> take a back seat to anything? The Lakers are the team of the decade because they were the <strong>Last Team Standing</strong> in 4 different years, while the venerable Spurs were the <strong>LST</strong> 3 times. Look, Duncan is an all-time great, and HE has 4 rings, but the '99 one doesn't count toward this decade, okay?<br /><br />Now I could bring up the disparity in conference titles (6 to 3) for the decade, but that would only be important as a tiebreaker. For instance, the Yankees must be considered the MLB team of the last decade. Like the Boston Red Sox, the Yankees won 2 titles. But unlike their historic rivals, the Bronx Bombers also had 2 additional league titles ('01 and '03)--which is, or at least should be, the trump card.<br /><br />Because San Antonio didn't even make it to the Finals last year, the Lakers were already the team of the decade BEFORE the Finals even started. Winning another championship just made them a more obvious choice—or should have anyway.<br /><br />John Schuerholz, Atlanta Braves President, once claimed that his team should have been called the team of '90s—unless one was counting championships. Frickin' hilarious. The ability to choke in the postseason is not a good thing. YOU won 1 championship, the Yankees won 3—do I need to go on? Perhaps there are some Buffalo Bills fans who are still confused?<br /><br />Look, clearly I'm biased* as a die-hard Laker fan. But even though the team I root for has far more regular season and playoff wins—not to mention conference championships—than the Boston Celtics, I would not begin to pretend that 15 is more than 17. There's still work to be done to be called best team ever. And there's a reason the Purple and Gold only have 15 banners hanging in Staples. They get it. It's just too bad that a national magazine like <em>The Sporting News</em> doesn't.<br /><br />* (If you haven't been following the <a href="http://letshannondunk.com/">Shannon Brown</a>, take a look at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcVLa02MDNc">this</a> and tell me you don't want the little dude in the Slam Dunk contest.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-61211236128578765562009-12-05T15:53:00.001-08:002009-12-06T11:23:03.043-08:00Happy Birthday to Me!<a href=http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/11256/kobe-bryant-making-the-best-of-bad-situations>Kobe Bryant, making the best of bad situations</a><br /><br />Posted using <a href="http://sharethis.com">ShareThis</a><br /><br />Please check out the attached article. It's a great reflection on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAXi7g1rc60&feature=related">this gift</a> to me from Kobe Bryant.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2476750005812261554.post-29647019121016831722009-11-10T19:56:00.001-08:002009-11-21T20:19:52.473-08:00Props to Lincecum...And thanks to the <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4671110">Cy Young voters </a>who do seem to account for how dominate the little dude really is. Sure, we'll never get back all those games he was virtually unhittable and yet took an L or a ND, but two straight Cy's? Guy really is a freak. A soon-to-be-very-wealthy freak.<br /><br />And welcome back, Pau Gasol. We missed ya. Let's start taking care of business.<br /><br />Seahawks--I've stopped watching. Just hoping we'll get a good draft pick out of this debacle.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0