tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58080524054027384082024-03-06T00:47:28.401-08:00A View From ParisSports and stuff.Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-13010569952215900152017-01-22T17:37:00.001-08:002017-01-22T17:41:21.739-08:00Local White Man Touts "Many Black Friends And Family Members" As Definitive Proof That He's Not A Racist<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Local Man taking photo while NOT being racist.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br />A</span>fter posting yet another in what has become a disturbing amount of racially insensitive memes on his personal Facebook account, local White man James Hecker was finally called a racist by local Black man Paris Lay. Hoping to quickly dispel any rumors that he is a racist, James took to Facebook again and touted having "many Black friends and family members" thus making the very idea of him being a racist impossible.<br />
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While no African-Americans were able to come to his aid, an assortment of White friends of various ages and genders offered support to James' claim of not being a racist. Connor, (White) Sarah (White), Ron (White), William (White) and James O. (White) were among many, many Whites that vehemently disagreed with the charge of racism aimed at James. Sure they're White and would never be targets of James' racially insensitive posts, but that doesn't matter because they "know James." The many Whites noted that perhaps it was Paris who was actually being racist.<br />
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Furthering his case that he's "totally <b><u>not</u></b> a racist", James was able to produce ticket stubs from several African-American led feature films he's seen such as "<b><i>Meet the Blacks</i></b>", "<b><i>Tyler Perry's Boo A Madea Halloween</i></b>" and more recently "<b><i>Hidden Figures.</i></b>" James also noted to never actually saying the n-word while singing along to rap songs. "I mean it's just silly. I'm not a racist," an incredulous James retorted.<br />
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When asked about his thoughts on voter ID laws that almost exclusively seem to only effect Black voters, James was quoted as saying, "What's the big deal with getting an ID? I got one." And when asked about African-Americans protesting social injustices be it in the form of marching or simply sitting during the national anthem James said, "Silent prayer and reflection would honestly be the best form of protesting because everything is fine if you ask me. Complaining only makes things uncomfortable for white people."<br />
<br />Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-39232671189707785522016-10-31T09:36:00.002-07:002016-10-31T11:01:14.255-07:00Our History As Told By Our Museum<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfmjrInPCeCqLcn_52cxoOcuFeFzj27e1R8tMaIo9-TNCcdDiYKDVL5Wx2mNTexMbKom2ZkM5ZofiC7CPOBvs5DAUZw4lZWrbX9JDqQAPBXiCjfCW0cbzTXNxl6IxduBaQXvbhjyn0Aco/s1600/IMG_7279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfmjrInPCeCqLcn_52cxoOcuFeFzj27e1R8tMaIo9-TNCcdDiYKDVL5Wx2mNTexMbKom2ZkM5ZofiC7CPOBvs5DAUZw4lZWrbX9JDqQAPBXiCjfCW0cbzTXNxl6IxduBaQXvbhjyn0Aco/s400/IMG_7279.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">D</span>uring the five plus hour plane ride to Washington, D.C. I passed the time by reading a novel titled “The Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead. The novel tells the story of a runaway slave named Cora as she attempts a daring escape from her hellish life on a Georgia plantation to freedom in Canada. The author does a masterful job transporting the reader back in time by capturing the lives of slaves in extremely graphic details. The book is littered with tales of slave catchers, night riders, public lynchings, savage beatings, and other sordid particulars that I’ll spare you. Those sinister thoughts clouded my mind as I, a mere three generations personally removed from those real-world accounts that influenced Whitehead's fictionalized atrocities, stood in a line waiting to enter the National Museum of African-American History and Culture. The museum has only been open for a little over a month and experts had estimated it would garner some 7,500 visitors a day but reports say upwards of 30,000 people a day have attempted to enter it’s halls.<br />
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The building ironically stands a mere stone's throw from a towering monument to our nation’s first President, a man who’s vast wealth and position is partly owed to the work of slaves. It was hard not to think about that as scores of people, who's skin color would have relegated them to this man’s property, stood waiting to learn their shared history outside a building that rest in the shadow of the world’s tallest obelisk honoring a slave owner.<br />
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It’s that echoed history and a kinship of mutual and understood generational suffering that bonds African-Americans to one another. It’s why we could be total strangers to one another with no blood relation and greet one another as "brother" or "sister." It’s why in a crowd of people, when Black faces are scarcely seen, if we meet one another’s gaze, we exchange a nod. Outside the museum, there was an apprehensive yet truly joyous atmosphere of mostly Black faces swelling with a sense of pride and togetherness unlike anything I've ever personally been apart of. I saw one woman walking with her children, smiling as she said to her older daughter, “I like when I hear people say, it’s <i>our</i> museum. I like that. It IS <i>our</i> museum.” I saw older Black women dressed in their finest Sunday outfits. Older Black men wearing those cheap “Obama ’08” hats you'd find at corner stores throughout America's ghettos as if they were stately garb. Young Black men and Black women with dreadlocks falling down their backs toward the bend in their knees and afros stretching skyward wearing "Black Lives Matter" tees. Different corners of the country house us, age separated us, and contrasting events of life have molded us, but when you stood in that line, if you are an African-American, we all shared the same palpable excitement as each of us was eager to behold the unknown and forgotten history that awaited us.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Auction Block</td></tr>
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Once inside the simplest way to describe what I felt initially would be a perplexing mixture of profound sadness and suppressed rage. The permanent exhibit of the museum begins in the early 1400s at the start of slavery and works it’s way forward in time to chronicle life for Africans and their descendants throughout our nation’s complicated history. In the earlier parts of the exhibits, you see people in tears, or people fighting back tears, but you mostly see saddened head shakes and hear the sucking of teeth. It’s not everyday you see pieces of a slave ship and read the firsthand accounts of people ripped from their lives to be herded onto a ship with conditions wholly unfit for brainless livestock let alone men, women, and children. You don’t typically see auction blocks and know that is where hundreds of untold human feet, BLACK feet, stood apprehensively awaiting an uncertain fate. In your daily life you don’t get to read a story sewn onto a bag meant for gathering cotton that a mother once filled with a lock of her hair. The bag and that hair was then given to her child moments after the child was sold because she (the mother) had no other possessions to bequeath to her beloved, whom she knew she'd certainly never see again.<br />
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Often there was a lot of these hushed exchanges as strangers shared unknown details from something they'd previously learned before their visit, adding a layer of nuance to a given story or artifact on the wall. It’s not until you get to around the 1870s do the personal connections start to build with the museum. An older woman told me a story of remembering the nicest clothing her grandfather owned was his Union soldier dress uniform he received for fighting in the Civil War just like the one we stood in front of. Or another elderly woman offered me details from a childhood memory of seeing the scars her great-mother still bore from a beatings that left her back in a similar condition seen in Private Gordon’s famous photo.<br />
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Time has removed nearly all of those firsthand accounts from the world, but it’s when you move further into the 20th century that you learn a lot of our history is still living. There were men and women who could recall what they were doing and where they were when key moments of the Civil Rights struggle happened. For example, a woman acknowledged to me that she heard the bomb that killed four little girls in Birmingham because she lived there at the time. Watching older faces come alive as their past once again comes into focus was as much a part of the experiance of the NMAAHC as any of the aged artifacts on its walls. There were all these conversations about feeling a sense of open racism in 2016 not felt since the days of their childhoods. You'd see and hear scores of people truly fearful of what someone as duplicitous as Donald Trump possibly becoming President means for our nation. Especially what that means for us because African-Americans know all to well how easily our nation can bend toward hate and cruelty.<br />
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Ultimately it was a truly moving experiance and one I’ll never forget. I’m eager to go again with my children and I would recommend ALL AMERICANS make the journey to our nation's capital to absorb the museum's wonders firsthand. As cliche as this sounds, <b style="font-style: italic;">African-American History and Culture is <u>AMERICAN</u> HISTORY AND <u>AMERICAN</u> CULTURE. </b>It’s a museum that tells the very uncomfortable truth about the horrors this nation has actively inflicted onto millions of people solely because of their skin color. Further more it reminds us of what little our government has done to truly correct that unforgivable sin.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">A</span>s saturnine as a visit to the NMAAHC can be, there is something greater to be found at the nadir of our suffering; our strength. You can feel our resilience. You see that African-Americans have always found hope, even in the darkest of places and times. You learn that we've always grown loving families even from poisoned soil that was watered with our blood. You see our capability to find a sense of self and community even as those things were actively being stripped from us. Yes, you see our shameful passivity, but you also see our moments of quiet and open rebellion. You learn about our perseverance, witness our will to survive, and in some cases, our ability to triumph in the face of a government philistine not only to our culture, but indifferent to our very lives at times. The National Museum of African-American History and Culture is a living testimony that highlights the unwavering spirit of African-Americans. Despite an alarming deficiency in love, kindness, and basic human dignity from a majority of the people we’ve shared this nation with, for a majority of our time here, African-Americans DID NOT PARISH. That’s what I think that edifice was build upon. Our collective courage that has culminated into <i>now</i>. <i>"Now"</i> is not our journey’s denouement. <i>"Now"</i> is a continued battle for true equality that I’ve personally never been more inspired to fight for.<br />
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<br />Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-23392666228829539672016-08-19T04:43:00.000-07:002016-08-19T14:40:39.249-07:00The Republican Party's Great White Problem<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The GOP isn't the problem. Uneducated, misinformed, racist White people are.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">O</span>n the night of November 3rd, 1964, a little under a year after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, Lyndon B. Johnson won the Presidential Election over Barry Goldwater. It's been written that President Johnson wasn't in a celebratory mood, and given how he had just won the most lopsided victory ever, in terms of popular vote, you'd think he would have been. Johnson had leveraged the nation's grief over President Kennedy's death to get a hotly contentious civil rights bill passed. While common sense, common decency, and morality were on the side of that decision, a very large section of the Democratic electorate weren't too keen on having a key pillar of white supremacy erased. "We've lost the south for a generation. Probably longer," President Johnson famously barked after the bill was passed.<br />
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Since the end of the American Civil War up until the early 1960s, progressive Democrats from the North and Northeast looking for national success, much to their consternation, had to spend decades placating to the needs and whims of their largest constituency, white Southern voters. The victors of the Civil War, the Republican Party, enjoyed near universal support from African-Americans. Having literally fought to free Blacks, it wasn't hard to see why, but as America began rapidly changing during the late 1950s and early 1960s, many Democratic leaders were left at odds as to where the party should stand on the issue of civil rights.<br />
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Of course, and again, common sense and basic human dignity said this was an easy choice, albeit one that could potentially alienate MILLIONS of voters. The leadership of the Democratic Party was forced to look around them and examine their ranks. While their phalanx made up the voting majority of Americans at the time, the party had long been overrun with harden and uncompromising segregationists and/or violent racists. Thus they stood at a crossroads of losing a majority of their voters by pushing a policy that said voters overwhelmingly opposed or stand squarely with their voters on the wrong side of history. This was the moment Democrats had to choose between repudiating themselves from an identity/legacy of racism and white supremacy or to begrudgingly move forward with those voters and those ideals. Their choice, again while historically laudable, cost them dearly at the time and for a few years to come as well.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nixon's "Southern Strategy" has turned out to be a<br />
poison pill that wouldn't take effect until decades later.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>n 1968, using Richard Nixon's infamous "southern strategy", the Republican Party was all to eager to sign the same faustian bargain the Democrats discarded four years earlier, by appealing to the millions of racist White Americans that felt "betrayed" and were able to shift the entire political landscape of the country. Seemingly overnight, the entire south went from blue to red. The effects were so overwhelming that the Democrats lost five of the next six Presidential elections. It could be argued had Watergate NOT been uncovered, and had Nixon not sullied the Republican Party so prodigiously, Jimmy Carter would have likely lost to a Republican in the 1976 election. Few realized it at the time, as most still don't, Watergate wasn't Nixon's lasting and most ignominious effort. It was the "southern strategy" that was the true poison pill. Not just because Republicans <b><i>KNOWINGLY</i></b> <b><i>TIED THEMSELVES WITH RACISM TO WIN AN ELECTION</i></b>, but because they hooked themselves to religion as well. Racism and religion. Two things they didn't envision going out of style in America.<br />
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Traditionally, if you're a racist in America, you're more than likely a White Christian. As little back as the 2004 election the percentage of ALL registered voters identifying as "White Christians" was 64%. More than enough to carry the party that most directly appealed to them to a victory in a general election with little to zero support elsewhere in the electorate. In '08, the number dropped to 61%. In '12, it was down to 57%. Now in the '16 election the number of voters identifying as "White Christians" is down to 45%. So not only did Republicans not work on some much needed outreach to other voting blocks, Republicans have literally did more to alienate themselves to everyone else, while enduring themselves to the one voting block that is quickly evaporating. Their strategy over the past few years has been straight out of the "How to Lose National Elections" handbook. Even the one voting block that Republicans have carried in every election since the party's inception, college educated Whites, are starting to exit.<br />
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Yes we're more divided and part of that problem is during an age where communication is faster and easier than ever, where most of us hold the full weight of human knowledge at our fingertips in the form of smartphones, somehow, someway, facts have become "debatable". There's no longer partisan agreement on "basic reality." Traditional media outlets like the New York Times, the Washington Post or CNN are forced into an awkward position of trying to be fair and balanced while being beholden to the actual truth. These outlets want and SHOULD give Donald Trump, his supporters, and his surrogates a platform to make the case for him. Rather than using these outlets to have a nuanced discussion about the differences between the candidates or laying out their candidate's vision for America, Trump and/or his surrogates are coming off as "combative" and the media is then seen as "bias" when they're simply forced by reason and logic to debunk blatant falsehoods told by Trump and his lackeys.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breitbart CEO Steven Bannon has shifted the political landscape <br />
to a place where the right-wing media doesn't let things like <br />
"facts" stand in the way of pushing a narrative they want.</td></tr>
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You know, like "President Obama was born in Kenya." Or, President Obama, not even an elected official at the time, led the nation into the war in Afghanistan in 2001. Or President Obama and Hillary Clinton, not nationally elected officials at the time, changed the ROE (rules of engagement) that led to Captain Khan's death in 2004. Or, Hillary Clinton murdered Vince Foster. It's impossible for any reputable journalist to let patently false statements to go unchallenged. Supporters are left feeling like their candidate is being treated unfairly and are "forced" to venture off to places like Breitbart or Fox News, that will freely incubate all of the aforementioned fringe conspiracies. Leaving these supporters convinced that these easily proven lies are true and further entrenching them on the wrong side of a position.<br />
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<div class="p1">
Sure, senior leadership like Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, and John Boehner could have done a far better job at stopping some of the lies, but Republican leadership has to work on acknowledging the real problem with their party; their voters. The Republican party is overrun with homophobic religious zealots. Gun-loving sycophants. Ultra violent Neo-Nazis and Klu Klux Klansmen. Lie spreading, paranoid conspiracy theorists. The latter of which has become way louder and far too influential in terms of shifting our national political narrative. </div>
<div class="p1">
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<div class="p1">
Much like the Democrats in 1964 with Civil Rights, Republican leadership needs to be willing to take bold policies stances that'll help them shed those same racist voters the Dems abandoned, in order to return to a place where the party can win general elections. Because again, they (uneducated, misinformed, White racists) don't even have the kind of numbers anymore that make it worth appealing directly to them!</div>
<div class="p1">
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<div class="p1">
Ultimately, I don't want to see the Republican Party fade away. It was founded for the most noble reason any political party ever was; free slaves. The country needs the balance of conservative politics to reign in spending, control overreaching government policies, and to keep the Democrats honest. It's not the party's fault per say. You have to understand that the type of nativism and white populist politics that Donald Trump tapped into will ALWAYS have a place in American society. One, this is a free country and even as pigheaded as those views are, people have the right to have them. Secondly, and unfortunately, because racism still exist. It'll always be there, only now it'll be, loudly I might add, on the edges of our democracy and not at the center as it once was. And that my friends is a good thing. </div>
<div class="p1">
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<br />Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-81943476424595739992016-07-05T08:11:00.000-07:002016-07-05T08:42:49.809-07:00The Never-Ending Hypocrisy of Sports Fans<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzQE8Kt87oHeXx-6nYVlwPEUuzk832nQUhsMcQC57_DXwgCmjOFaNUzqPXP0JO5d83C8UZ1Grip_bgHhdBHIX2ywohsiWY_DRhsC7NLTg7fGNhEHDKbnZzRBuDrI5_gepKb17j6Z8Ne-q/s1600/Durant+Curry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIzQE8Kt87oHeXx-6nYVlwPEUuzk832nQUhsMcQC57_DXwgCmjOFaNUzqPXP0JO5d83C8UZ1Grip_bgHhdBHIX2ywohsiWY_DRhsC7NLTg7fGNhEHDKbnZzRBuDrI5_gepKb17j6Z8Ne-q/s400/Durant+Curry.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can't Beat Em, Join Em'.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">A</span>bout a week ago my brother Zeph and I were discussing our thoughts on the NBA's pending free agency period. During the colorful conversation we mostly lamented the fact that our beloved Lakers didn't have a chance at any marquee superstar on the market. When the discussion shifted to Kevin Durant it was brief. Zeph pointed out something I wholeheartedly agreed with. "What does he do?", I pondered. "He stays. As I see it, he needs to be loved. He doesn't want people to hate him. He's too mentally fragile to handle the criticism of leaving like LeBron. He's never going to leave because he's too weak to leave." His words more or less. I agreed that Durant, from what one could reasonably surmise from such a far distance, DID care about being loved. He seemed overly sensitive.<br />
<br />
Some may remember an OKC paper openly and fairly questioning Durant's performance as a clutch player after a horrid playoff game a few years back. Something every paper does in every other major city does to its star player in any sport after they have a bad game But Durant didn't like it. In fact, he was livid. The OKC front office rushed to defend Durant, putting out a statement critical of the article. Teammates lashed out at the reporter during the next media session and even Durant's mother offered a dissenting opinion. The pushback was so great from the team, the fans, and Durant's camp, that the paper actually issued an apology. So yeah. I agreed. Kevin Durant was mentally weak when it came to handling criticism, be it warranted or not.<br />
<br />
Cut to yesterday and as I see it Durant made the ONE choice, that while it yields the best chance of professional success, it also carries the most criticism. And as I see it was the HARDER of all the choices he could have made. If he stays in OKC, nothing changes. They run it back because after all they were only one win from the Finals. He goes to the Spurs, he's seen as the true heir to Duncan and their final piece. The Celtics, he's seen as the first true transcendent superstar to pick Boston in free agency, teaming with Al Horford as a rival to combat Cleveland's stranglehold on the Eastern conference. Miami, he seen as having been lured by the great Pat Riley as the Heat pulled another horseshoe out of its tanned, sun spotted ass, and Durant offers a true challenge for LeBron in LeBron's old stomping grounds no less. But he picked Golden State.<br />
<br />
On the surface the move look like what amounts to the United States increasing its already bloated defense spending. By all estimations the Warriors have amassed the most in their prime top level talent in league history. Four of the league's 12 best players, and all three of its greatest shooters are on ONE TEAM. Fuck! And you know what, I think they're going to be amazing. All those open jumpers Harrison Barnes misses, Durant doesn't. It's a team and culture that truly thrives off of teamwork and ball movement. Which is what made their final possession of the season so maddening. It didn't look anything like Golden State. A hobbled Steph Curry going iso, struggling to try to get past the flat footed Kevin Love to put up a hopeless jumper. Next season they may not win 73, but we would all agree even with 60-65 wins that team will be better than last season.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3Qi4DBIGf6M6KzQ_r9lge9i37vVEk64Ul838Bh5_ZGcxyHWErfX2ftugmURo6le6n9_iKvjO5DltYwajpO8vBL_OzXItFaQnwSb0f6gh7Xeq77wo7Wlf3Tk3kR6TXs5uqWgNKzsb9bu0/s1600/Heat.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3Qi4DBIGf6M6KzQ_r9lge9i37vVEk64Ul838Bh5_ZGcxyHWErfX2ftugmURo6le6n9_iKvjO5DltYwajpO8vBL_OzXItFaQnwSb0f6gh7Xeq77wo7Wlf3Tk3kR6TXs5uqWgNKzsb9bu0/s320/Heat.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The New Normal</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Y</span>esterday Zeph and I talked. He expressed like many of you disappointment in Durant's decision. Called him and this whole generation of players "weak pussies." To which I say when it's not your team, yes it sucks. The Cavs fans hated LBJ and the Heatles. Not just because James was leaving them. In part it was the idea of three superstars teaming up to achieve the only goal of the sport; win a championship! How dare them! This is pussy shit Cleveland said...Until James went home and used the same formula, two all-stars (James and Love) joining an already entrenched franchise player (Irving) to take the Cavs to two straight Finals and one title. Super teams didn't seem to bother Gilbert and Cavs fans these pass two seasons.<br />
<br />
Even Zeph doesn't mind it. He just doesn't remember he doesn't. In 2011 for one day, the Lakers acquired Chris Paul. On the roster they had Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum. By all accounts they planned on using their remaining first round pick along with Bynum to lure a still very much in his prime Dwight Howard from Orlando. Bryant. CP3. Howard. Pau. Let me day dream a second.... Okay I'm back to the real world which is a hellscape where Paul is on the Clippers, Kobe and Pau are gone, and the Lakers suck.<br />
<br />
But that day, I didn't hear any noise from Zeph about players being pussies for teaming up. It felt good to think LA was doing what Miami was doing at the time. Stacking the deck and giving themselves the best chance to win. But when it's LBJ and the Cavs, or the Heat, and now Durant and the Warriors it's unfair. The talk is MJ wouldn't do this. Magic and Bird wouldn't do this. Well they wouldn't because they couldn't move so freely. It's akin to Black people today trying to convince me, or rather themselves, if they were alive in 1820 they wouldn't conform to slavery. We are all nothing but products of our time and the work of the generations before us. Durant has seen players before him slaving away (excuse the term) on shit teams year after year with no title to show for it. He didn't want to be that guy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiV-fDXoIOI9X4HRLippif_vog4QB7_Fz3JJIpx54ZIRqODjdlSHypzbGpCsxiialdTW0-YnBRhrcHC6GZdNGVQKACVS5dOc8mSx7NLcReYrEzDF-s7HUAIWeAaWKGM4I3wihvfLaKTFYv/s1600/Durant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiV-fDXoIOI9X4HRLippif_vog4QB7_Fz3JJIpx54ZIRqODjdlSHypzbGpCsxiialdTW0-YnBRhrcHC6GZdNGVQKACVS5dOc8mSx7NLcReYrEzDF-s7HUAIWeAaWKGM4I3wihvfLaKTFYv/s320/Durant.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">73 wins are not, THIS is a better team than the 2016 Warriors.</td></tr>
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<br />
Zeph said he'll never watch the NBA again. Which knowing him, he actually won't. Zeph's nothing if not a man of his word. But others are saying the same thing, but you will. You'll watch. Because sports is the world's great reality show. Nothing is promised or scripted. If so, the 73 win juggernaut would be the champion. Games still need to be played. And as we've seen, anything is possible.Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-66854107728362474322016-06-19T10:04:00.002-07:002016-06-19T11:50:57.421-07:00Lessons From Zeph<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZY_xIkh7iDTl19BZUdGunyWfUrEkpcwCRg7IeGz99iCoea13JJs4trZlyg82QaYLLwCaDNp0Z-wygZKKO00WR2fqbELDJD6jaaucIg-6_fezCxWa2IELPRpY3XFdeOlRPZdZt7XmA3Dz1/s1600/Zeph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZY_xIkh7iDTl19BZUdGunyWfUrEkpcwCRg7IeGz99iCoea13JJs4trZlyg82QaYLLwCaDNp0Z-wygZKKO00WR2fqbELDJD6jaaucIg-6_fezCxWa2IELPRpY3XFdeOlRPZdZt7XmA3Dz1/s320/Zeph.jpg" width="168" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>hree things always populated my mind in regards to my father when I was a young boy. Foremost was his scent. Not surprising, as experts in the matter say smells are key in creating memories. I spent a lot of time in my younger years in a small rural town called Forest, MS. Most of the men I knew, uncles, older cousins, and gentlemen my mother dated, all had these rougher edges to them. Most wore dirty overalls or oil stained coveralls or blue jeans with tattered work boots. They'd spent time riding horses, hunting animals, fixing cars, tending to farms, working in lumber mills, or chicken plants. All had these hard and callused hands, worn faces and reddened eyes. These men clearly did a lot of hard physical labor in their day-to-day lives. Whenever I'd embrace these men for hugs, they often smelled of sweat, or motor oil, or wood, or animals, or Budweiser. It wasn't sourness from bad body odor, but something <i>different</i>. My father though, he never smelled like this.<br />
<br />
My father always smelled like <i>Zest</i> soap and fancy colognes with names I didn't know how to pronounce. He wore shirts with smooth fabric, shoes made of fine and shiny leather, and tasteful gold jewelry. (I assure you, despite how it sounds, my father DID NOT dress like a pimp.) His hands and skin were smooth and clean, yet his grip was stronger than any man I knew. My father was a thoughtful dresser, and before I, or even he, realized it, this was the first thing he'd ever teach me. Without knowing or trying, he taught me to care about one's presentation to the world. More importantly, his scent taught me the juxtaposition of men.<br />
<br />
The second thing I thought about was my father's height. Like every other person in my life, as a young kid I had to physically look up to meet my father's eyes. But even still I knew he had to be considered a tall man in the general sense. Around all my uncles, cousins, and aunts, my father physically towered over them as well. The thing that really made me obsess with my father's height were these delusions that one day I'd be as tall as he was. I knew my father loved basketball, so most of my fantasies involved growing up and being tall enough to play for the Los Angeles Lakers, my father's favorite basketball team. Or at least be as tall as my older brother "Lil Zeph", who seemed, in my mind, to be my father's favorite. Along with the advantage of living in Flint, and seeing our father more often, I assumed being an outstanding basketball player is what cemented Zeph's (my older brother) status as the favorite son. It was because of this I wanted to be tall more than I wanted to be anything else in the world. I'm 5'10"... on a good day. These words can't express the bitterness I felt typing them.<br />
<br />
Lastly, I always "missed" my father growing up. That was the thing I thought of the most. How much I missed him. I had barely stepped into consciousness when my mother left my father. I don't say they "split up" because that wouldn't be fair to my mother. She did in fact <i>leave</i> him. Under the ruse of a promised trip to McDonald's was how she got me to be okay with getting in the car. We did go to McDonald's... it just so happened to be all the way in Mississippi. Later my younger brother was born and we'd spend summers in Flint. I remember spending time with my Aunt Estell or with her neighbors a few doors away who were like surrogate parents, Fonzo and Cat, or my father's mother who also lived further down the same street. My father would come and pick us up from one of these places, and I can't recall what we'd always do, but I do remember feeling that however much time it was I'd spend with him, it never felt like it was enough. I spent more time <i>missing</i> my father than time actually spent with my father.<br />
<br />
In my father's defense, living almost 1,000 miles apart didn't make it easy on him. That also meant for a long time, I didn't really <i>know</i> my father. A large part of the image of my father was being shaped by my mother who rightly didn't always have the kindest words about him. I also got scattered opinions from aunts, uncles, and cousins. The basic consensus was my father was a "ladies man" and from what I could surmise it was true. I didn't know <i>how</i> babies were made at the time, but I knew you had to make a woman "like you" to get a baby. I knew I had brothers and sisters, via my father from different mothers than my own, so I knew my father didn't have a problem getting women to "like him."<br />
<br />
Not hard to see why as youthful photos of my father reveal an almost implausibly handsome young man, almost always with a beautiful woman on his arm. Watching my father interact with people, I learned to understand what women liked about him. He was an incredibly charming man that could talk with anyone. That charm coupled with his good looks probably got my father into a lot more trouble than he bargained for. He's a man and a man will typically be as faithful as the options available to him. "I didn't care what he did, to be honest," my mother once confessed, "I just couldn't get his ass to <i>at least</i> come home." More than anything, she'd always described my father as selfish.<br />
<br />
Today, the man my mother lamented isn't the man my father is, or has been for several years. The "Zeph", she fell in love with all those years ago has been replaced with someone far more patient and thoughtful. The jealous, quick tempered, selfish, single-minded "ladies man" that was described to me, isn't the man I know today. The man I know today is a man who's insight and knowledge on all things in life I've learned to lean on. I often joke that my father has lived long enough to see so many things and frankly, make so many mistakes, he has the "cheat codes to life." A lot of the pitfalls I'd surely sink into, were I left to my own devices, he easily helps me navigate.<br />
<br />
My father taught me that if shit gets heavy enough, it's okay to cry. <b><i>"You're a human son, and as such, you have feelings and emotions. Despite what the world will tell you, those things aren't exclusive to women."</i></b> My father taught me to always be respectful of others. <b><i>"Trust people and hold them accountable by their actions and their character, be forgiving but don't be stupid."</i></b> He taught me to be mindful of the fact that every story has two sides, to always listen to both, and to be fair. Even at the risk of not being on my side, my father is always fair. <b><i>"Son, I'd be doing you a disservice as a father if I didn't tell you the truth"</i></b>, is a line I regularly hear when he's delivering advice opposite of what I was hoping to get. More than anything, he taught me that life isn't about the good times. Primarily life is a test of how we handle the bad times. <b><i>"Any jackass can sail a ship in calm waters, but I want you to learn how to stay calm and steer your way through storms." </i></b><br />
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<div>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">W</span>hen I was about 15, I was getting ready for what was going to be my first date-date. I was living with my father at the time, and I came to him seeking advice. He helped me pick out an outfit, let me use some of his cologne and taught where to apply it, (which I forgot and my brother Zeph would later reteach me) give me a few bucks, and give me some "pointers". <b><i>"Be yourself son. It's enough, trust me."</i></b> In short, the date was a total disaster. I came home dejected and upset. My father asked how it went and I explained the gory details. My father sighed, shook his head, and agreed that I fucked it up. <i><b>"Paris, you aren't going to have trouble with women. You're my son and you got "it". Your brother Zeph has "it", you just haven't learned to tap into it yet. And "it" will be helpful with life in general, not just with women. Trust me son, you'll be fine."</b></i> He was right. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Besides that "infamous Jones Charm", throughout the years my father passed something more valuable than all the other things he's taught me; the lesson of evolution. Any real and healthy human should evolve into someone <i>better</i>. The man I am at 21, shouldn't be the man I am at 30, and he shouldn't be the man I am at 60. Self-admitted, my father didn't really change for a very long time, but my father's slower evolution came right as I needed it. Since I've been 18, coincidentally when I became a father myself, the counsel and comfort my father has given me has been worth more than anything material he could have given me as a child. If I were to compare my life to the game of basketball, my father wasn't Michael Jordan or LeBron James. For me, Zephniah Jones Jr. has proven to be more like Robert Horry. Someone that may not have been doing much in the first three quarters, but when crunch time comes around, he was always someone you'd want on your team because he's hitting a game winning three pointer. And remember, Robert Horry has more championship rings than Jordan, and in the end, isn't that what matters the most?</div>
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<br />Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-71091934632404656142016-06-07T08:22:00.001-07:002016-07-19T04:08:36.801-07:00Cause and Effect: America's Inevitable Response To Barack Obama and Racial Equality <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This night in 2008 sealed America's fate in 2016.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">"A</span>nd where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can", Barack Obama exclaimed as a crowd of over 240,000 in Lincoln Park erupted in cheers. When the former Senator and then, President-Elected ended his victory speech after the 2008 Presidential Election my face was wet with tears and a sense of civic pride swelled inside of me, the likes of which I never before and have not sense felt. Four years earlier, when I lived in Chicago, a stone's throw from the same park President Obama would deliver those words, the first vote I would ever cast would be for Obama's senate race versus Alan Keyes. Later to witness that same man soar to such unseen and unprecedented heights was beyond awe inspiring, it was beyond basic comprehension. I'd liken the experience to a blind man being granted sight for the first time, would the comparison not be met with charges of gross hyperbole. <br />
<br />
There's a potpourri of subjects in this world I find endlessly fascinating. Sports, politics, film and television, to name a few, but nothing arouses my intellectual senses quite like American History. Look no further than the birth of this nation to find an inconceivable meteoric rise to power that is singularly unrivaled in human history. In only 240 relatively short years, the United States of America clawed it's way from being a handful of backwater rebellious English colonies to becoming the premier place of commerce, technology, medicine, education, and entertainment arts in all of the world. It's history is made even more complicated in that America has had all of those aforementioned triumphs, while simultaneously perpetrating the world's most grotesque form of injustice, slavery, then engaging in over one hundred years of state sponsored overt and latent racial supremacy. I've long held the belief that Thomas Jefferson writing the words, "All Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" WHILE OWNING SLAVES, is, and will be in perpetuity, the planet's primary example of irony.<br />
<br />
We don't live in a world where there's this clear, inconvertible evidence of systemic racism. There's no segregated lunch counters to sit at anymore. No stores or buses to boycott. No more Bull Connors or George Wallaces to point to as clear oppressors. The men and women two generations before my own won those battles and when the battle-lines were <i>THAT</i> clear it's easy to see how once those fights were over, one could assume the war was over. As we as a nation have evolved, so has racism. Where pre-Civil Rights racism was Godzilla; this prodigious force that lumbers toward ALL men, crushing anything in it's wake with such obvious force, that even the blind can't deny it's presence, post-Civil Rights racism is more akin to Predator. An equally duplicitous threat that clandestinely maneuvers through an environment now eradicating <i>ONLY</i> it's intended targets and doing so with staggering efficiency. I apologize in advance for the following tautology, but it has to be said again. No one in a <b style="font-style: italic;">Godzilla </b>film could reasonably say he didn't exist, so the collective fight against Godzilla is a lot easier to mount when you don't have to spend time arguing his existence. By contrast, people in <b><i>Predator</i></b> films met their end in part because they're too busy questioning Predator's very presence.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scenes like this pepper America's past.</td></tr>
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I tell you all that not to lecture you on America's sins but to prove that despite these missteps, the spirit of the ideals and principles of this country's founding have endured. America itself has endured because our nation is a nation of fighters. It's in our very nature to fight the powers that govern us, but it's also our inherent righteous nature that pulls us forward. Albeit kicking and screaming sometimes, but forward nevertheless. The bedrock foundation of America's core founding ideals are so unflappable, that if you were only to look at the basic essence of the words of our Constitution, and use them as a guide, you'll always find yourself on the right side of any problem. It's chief message is one that calls for common sense, reason, fairness, and freedom that no rational man can reasonably dispute. The problem is those beautiful yet, quixotic words have to be implemented by men, whom we all know are seldom powered by the virtues of our founding documents. Too often men can be governed by less noble traits like greed, envy, hate, and fear. Even with all its rough edges, I still love and admire this country and its history.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">O</span>ne can not love the history of this nation without a certain "love" for the men that have led it. To love America is ipso facto a love of Presidents. Since this country's founding, these puissant men have guided and shaped, not just this nation's history, but the world's history like few other men can or have. I can name them all in succession, tell you the length of each man's term of office, and even offer up inutile facts about each. Knowing what I've know of our history and that office, I believe that I'd sooner live to see my beloved Chicago Cubs win a World Series before witnessing a Black man hold the Presidency. So I naively thought that just the moment itself, living to see this nation, via the freewill of a majority of it's own free citizens, elect a Black man to it's highest office, would be something worth collectively celebrating.<br />
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I already mention that the days of "Godzilla" racism are gone so that meant there aren't too many great moments of racial "firsts" to cross. Almost every major entity in this nation has christened itself with the champagne of racial equality. Sports leagues, schools, judges chambers, every field of employment, art, entertainment, all have had someone break through. Yes, many of our greatest Civil Rights heroes are dead and gone but there are still people in our country who can say they saw many of these moments. I had become reluctantly resigned to the fact that my generation's social defining "where were you when" moment was destined to be September 11th. Needless to say, it wasn't a story I would tell with pride to my as of yet born grandchildren. In my mind, November 5th, 2008 had given us "millennials" the a ultimate reprieve. We are a country <i>fueled</i> by the dream and broken promise of equality but <i>built and run</i> on the actions of racial hierarchy. You, reading this, and I, typing this, got to see our country show itself and the world, unequivocally, that that dream and that promise weren't just words anymore. It was real.<br />
<br />
Even if this NEVER happened again, even if President Obama had lost his re-election bid in 2012, or worse, he had been struck down that night in Lincoln Park, WE had lived to see the country actually elect him. In my learnt opinion, there is no more enviable moment of American history to have been alive to witness. And yet, why has this nation not overwhelmingly saw the moment as I had? Does my Democratic political leaning, knowledge of history, or my shared race with our President offer me some idiosyncratic viewpoint other people aren't able to see? Upon further examination, it should have been my comprehensive knowledge of our nation's history that guided me to see the rise of the tyrannical right and Donald Trump. Donald isn't doing anything special. He hasn't tapped into some unseen racism that America was waiting to unleash. He hasn't given voice to some "silent majority". Trump is simply put, America's logical and appropriate response to racial equality.<br />
<br />
I was often confused as to how or why President Obama hasn't enjoyed the long established norms and respects that the office in which he holds typically grants someone in his place. Why he's endured historic levels of Congressional pushback. It's safe to say we're all aware of Newton's third law, which states, "for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." Given that, and the history of America, I should have known that for every moment of cataclysmic racial equality, there has always been equal backlash. For slavery to meet its end, our country would wage its bloodiest war. A war within its own boarders, among its own citizens. A sweeping change in the voting habits for the country's southern population was the casualty for civil rights being embraced by the Democratic party in the 1960s. The end of Jim Crow/segregation saw the drug war and mass incarceration as it's logical response. Only with hindsight, is it easy to see how fool-hearted I'd been in thinking anything than other the complete opposite of everything that is Barack Obama, Donald Trump, would emerge from the crater of Obama's historical Presidency created in this country's psyche.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The face of America's logical reply to an Obama Presidency.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">W</span>here President Obama was born and raised in the most modest of means, Donald was born to superfluous wealth and prominence. Where President Obama is a tireless intellect, Donald is a lethargic imbecile. Where President Obama is exceedingly humble, Donald is endlessly egotistical. Where President Obama is consciously articulate, Donald speaks in the rambling self-interrupting cadence of your over inebriated uncle. Where President Obama is measured, reasonable, and Spock-esque in regards to logic, Donald is thoughtless, capricious, and seemingly unhinged from reality at times. Where President Obama's professional achievements reach the heights of Nobel Laureate, one could argue that Donald's professional ascension is WWE Hall of Famer.<br />
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I honestly believe if I were bestowed the all-reaching and divine powers of God Himself, I couldn't create a more fitting evil doppelganger for Barack Obama than Donald Trump. It doesn't seem real when I think about it but somehow, it seems so <i>perfect</i>. It's not all consternation in this perceived lost cause.<br />
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Last week, former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali passed away. From the universal and unanimous outpouring of love and respect Ali garnered you'd think he was always loved by America. I don't think I need to tell you that initially, the braggadocious, loud mouth, draft dodging, handsome, Muslim African-American heavyweight champion of the world didn't go over too well in 1960s America. But history looks kindly at Ali and his stance. Before his death, one could argue that Ali was the world's most beloved sports figure. Only through revisionist history can we all see the just nature of Muhammad Ali's words and actions.<br />
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I believe that one day, this inevitable rise of Donald, will become, like slavery and segregation before it, will be but mere battle scars of our country's unique history. That Donald and this shit-show that has become the 2016 election will fade from memory and President Obama will be seen with the rose color glasses history often uses to gaze onto others. Because trust me, one day, and you may not know or believe it yet, I believe near majority of Americans will join me expressing pride to tell the people of tomorrow they lived to see Barack Obama.<br />
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<br />Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-27048870597178361912016-06-04T15:30:00.000-07:002016-06-04T16:53:54.183-07:00Black Swagger Extinguished<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRepcmbe9JoldVTW5NbSRVSwdzd9WmtOP0MSbfW9uRleE-FWlaDcQMxqyFKbsDphJ6zpURV-PM38b00vBg7bEMArh96x_MHjq5TMF8TDrwBeTUwG5m02oynOt0CFW3hMjOQNRQfOgrG1lk/s1600/Pop+Art.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRepcmbe9JoldVTW5NbSRVSwdzd9WmtOP0MSbfW9uRleE-FWlaDcQMxqyFKbsDphJ6zpURV-PM38b00vBg7bEMArh96x_MHjq5TMF8TDrwBeTUwG5m02oynOt0CFW3hMjOQNRQfOgrG1lk/s400/Pop+Art.jpg" width="400" /></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">W</span>hen I was a little boy around 10 years old, I remember Mike Tyson knocking out Frank Bruno in the 3rd round of their heavyweight title fight. The pure power on display on March 16th, 1996 seemed to sear the sport into my permanent conscience. I don't remember much about the fight, but I do remember Bruno being totally out matched. My memory seems to tell me that Bruno was beat before the fight even started.<b><i> (As I got older, I learned that that was what Tyson was best at.)</i></b> Now at the time, I didn't know much about boxing, but I knew two things about Mike Tyson; I knew he was a boxer, an exceptional one, and I knew, somehow, that Tyson was "tough."<br />
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It wasn't because I had this knowledge of the inherent "toughness" that being the world heavyweight champion "magically" endows it's holder with, but in my young mind, the name "Mike Tyson" somehow seemed to be synonymous with something fearful. Something not quite as sinister as hearing the name Lucifer invoked, but I knew "Mike Tyson" meant "rugged" or "hard". I knew rappers would use his name in their lyrics, likening themselves to Tyson's strength and prowess. That night in 1996, I thought I was watching the world's greatest boxer ever by the way my uncles and male older cousins were cheering and hollering. They used colorful language that I wasn't allowed and eagerly exchanged high-fives. I don't quite recall which uncle or older cousin that said it, but something to the effect of, "I'm telling you, Tyson's the baddest motherfucker ever to do it", was yelled out. And almost instantaneously it was rebutted by another family member who exclaimed, "Na, young blood. He good but he ain't Ali." <b><i>(Later that year, I watched Ali light the Olympic flame in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. This was my first time seeing Ali live on television.)</i></b><br />
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Over the next twenty years of my life, a sort of obsession with the sport, more so an obsession with one of the sport's chief figures, Muhammad Ali, began. I have always said there is ONE reason, ONLY ONE, someone of my race should want to travel <i>backwards</i> in time. The opportunity, no, the PRIVILEGE of seeing Muhammad Ali fight in his prime. I've soaked up nearly every documentary, watched every dramatic retailing, read books, and articles chronicling the details of Ali's life and career. A few reading this will remember Ali signing a deal with the clothing line FUBU to be the new face of their "Platinum" line, after their "Fat Albert" collection ended. I'd save up from various jobs and use my earnings to buy shirts and jeans embossed with Ali's likeness and memorable quotes. From the moment I was old enough to truly comprehend the breath of his career, Ali has been without question or equal, my favorite athlete of all time. Mind you the man's last athletic endeavor took place over 5 years BEFORE I was ever born. One could reasonably argue that Ali's last great fight took place even earlier, in 1975. Ali's in-ring skill alone could warrant praise, but the fact that a young boy who had never and would never see him perform, could anoint Ali as his favorite athlete speaks to the sheer force of personality that was Muhammad Ali.<br />
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It wasn't his footwork, his hand speed, his punching accuracy, or his toughness as a fighter that endured with me. Rather his fearless and uncompromising persona. Ali's gift of tongue inexplicably surpassed even his enviable godlike skills in the ring. It was his confidence. His braggadocious nature during the time in which he spent the prime of his life that I've admired most. Spending time in Mississippi I have always been uniquely aware to this country's history as it relates to racism, so for me, one of the more fascinating aspects of Ali was that he survived. It continues to be bewildering just how the hell he made it out of 1960s America. Martin Luther King Jr didn't. Medgar Evers didn't. Even Ali's former mentor, Malcolm X was met with a violent end before the decade's end, but Ali survived.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>n an age where it could literally be in one's best PHYSICAL interest to be quiet, Ali wasn't. Ali never wavered in his faith and his personal convictions. Ali risked prison, sacrificed years of his athletic prime, as well as untold millions, in protest of the Vietnam War. He spoke openly about the hypocrisy of America. While America was championing war abroad to "free" people from the "tyrannical rule of communism", it feverishly worked to deny basic civil rights for millions of African-Americans here at home. Ali's bravery standing up and speaking his mind, despite the personal cost, is only <b><i>NOW</i></b> universally admired. For awhile, I always wondered why we hadn't seen a derivative athlete to Ali. Beside Ali's luck of being born during the golden age of the sport and the heavyweight division, <i>and</i> working to become the best of those titans, I've come to understand that it was the unique circumstances of 1960s America itself, more than anything else, that helped cultivate Ali. No athlete is Ali, because no athlete <i>needs</i> to be Ali.<br />
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Gone are the overt racist obstacles that Ali had to navigate in his day-to-day life. The blatant systems of control and oppression pressing on the necks of millions of Blacks have long been eradicated. The death of <i>that America</i> meant the death of <i>those athletes</i>. Racism is a much more complex beast in 2016. Equally as adversarial as its predecessor, just more hidden. It couldn't be denied in the 1960s that something was twisted with this country's logic of democracy when it was granting rights to only its white citizens. Even your wealth and status as a rich and famous athlete couldn't shield you from the dangers you faced if your skin were a few shades too dark. In 2016, money can create this fraudulent cocoon of security that most athletes of color lean on. There's no personal stakes for you if you're a rich athlete. To speak out now would be to speak up for people that aren't you or your family. To speak out now would be speaking out against forces that you, yourself don't face. Where Ali faced an almost moral and social responsibility to speak out, it can seem like a bothersome inconvenience or option to do so today.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8N9xOBTsWAyno7Tf81If7nPCS1daf1Pm3q0fYyFi6Yhq3d7FeGf1fuTX3tAglD1Cr4xazo8EHuOSR2xKm91wu04TYoNKDxe31M7Ux-UZt7TMnriGJ3Xv_o_tGRAyNVx5wR1LY6P6I7TJ1/s1600/Ali+3.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8N9xOBTsWAyno7Tf81If7nPCS1daf1Pm3q0fYyFi6Yhq3d7FeGf1fuTX3tAglD1Cr4xazo8EHuOSR2xKm91wu04TYoNKDxe31M7Ux-UZt7TMnriGJ3Xv_o_tGRAyNVx5wR1LY6P6I7TJ1/s400/Ali+3.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Ali wasn't perfect. No man is. He wasn't the most faithful husband nor was he winning any awards for his dedication to fatherhood. However to me, his greatest sin was the way he taunted and mocked his rival Joe Frazier. Frazier, rightfully so, was hurt, angered, and confused as to why Ali continuously leveled him with horrendous racial epithets. Often comparing Frazier to a gorilla, questioning Frazier's "Blackness", or worse of all, outright calling Frazier an "Uncle Tom". That's a charge worthy of coming to physical blows in today's Black America, but in 1960s Black America, it was damn near worth killing it's accuser.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>hose indiscretions not withstanding, the man lived an amazing life. The unanimous outpouring of respect and love for Ali goes to show the massive impact his life had not only in this country, but around the world. Ali has been this bright beacon of Black pride and confidence for young Blacks to look upon for over 50 years. While I was never lucky enough to meet him, I was smart enough to learn about him and get to know him as much as one could from a distance. I'm sadden that Parkinson's robbed THAT man of all the wonderful gifts that made him so special. His motor skills, his speech. It almost doesn't seem fair. But yet, I'm thankful that the world had him, because if man were to tell the story of boxing, of sports, of Black America or just America in general, you can't tell it without mentioning Muhammad Ali.Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-69470872051665996942015-03-05T23:48:00.000-08:002015-03-06T20:33:03.500-08:00The Twisted Confessions and Atramentous Musings of A "Broke" Writer (The Pitch)<span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>here are seminal moments of particular paramountcy within a postulant writer’s journey. These moments can be as minuscule as a writer's initial purchase of Final Draft or as gargantuan as the first time we type the words “The End” after one hundred plus pages of laborious work on our first feature. The moments act as proverbial lighthouses that guide one securely through the otherwise turbulent seas known as a "writing career". Few “lighthouses” loom with more intimidation than the writer’s first professional pitch meeting. <b>(A pitch meeting is when a writer meets with someone of relative importance in an attempt to sell their script.)</b><br />
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<i>“A large part of being successful comes from knowing your strengths and weaknesses.”</i> Not sure when/where, but I’m fairly certain I’ve heard that phrase uttered a time or two throughout my life. Although my next statement will be dripping with the unbridled hubris of a meth-fuel Kanye West competing at your local elementary talent show, I’ll write it anyway. I’m a damn good writer. I put "pen to paper" with the ease, brilliance, and similar consistency of Stephen Curry shooting a basketball. Yeah. I think I’m <i>that</i> good. The “writing” part of being a writer isn’t an easy task by any measure, but I’m very comfortable with that aspect of the job. The "business" part of being a writer is where the challenges arise for me. And one could reasonably argue that “pitching” is the most critical component within the business side of my chosen profession. So while I'm not lacking confidence in regards to my ability to compose words to form an amazing story, I’m substantially less proficient in the art of pitching that aforementioned amazing story.<br />
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My first pitch became a reality after I had the good fortune of having an encounter with a film producer while at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. He isn’t one of those guys with an IMDB page that's littered with credits that no one outside the families of the cast and crew know. This producer has produced more than a few films you’ve heard of. None of which I will tell you. During our brief interaction he asked me one question outside the topic of Sundance. “What do you do?” To which I replied confidently and proudly, “I write.” “So what’s your script?” The only thing I said was the film’s genre. Literally nothing more. He raised an eyebrow, smiled, and gave me his card. I emailed him a week after I got back from Utah, his assistant replied, we set a date and time for a pitch meeting, and that was it.<br />
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Fast forward a few more weeks and the day finally came. After a stressful drive over to his offices in Santa Monica, and a few angst ridden minutes that felt like eons in the lobby, I was ushered into a spacious conference room for my pitch. I would love to tell you that was a roaring success. That I'm now a lot richer and that it was the Gettysburg Address of pitch meetings but... it wasn’t. However, it wasn’t a complete dumpster fire. In short, I probably could not have been the worst he's seen but I surely wasn't the best. As hard as I tried I don't feel like I gave an articulate account of the story. <i>My story</i>. You’d think the person who wrote the damn thing would be the <i>one</i> person that could accomplish that essential task. When the conversation was focused on my script, which was about half my time, I was nothing more than an agglomeration of nerves, mumbling words when asked simple questions about <i>my story</i>. Oddly enough, once things steered toward talking about myself, I was far more relaxed and spoke with much greater enthusiasm. Not sure if that speaks more to my inability to pitch or to my furtive narcissism.<br />
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Once we finish discussing everything I thanked the producer for his time, gave him a physical copy of my script, which he promised to read over the next few weeks, and that was that. Like seemingly everything a person does in their life, hindsight has offered me a myriad of different choices I should’ve made. In retrospect, I can admit that I was terribly unprepared. I spent most of my time before the meeting tightening and polishing my script until it was near perfect, instead of actually practicing my pitch. I should have drilled that pitch over and over until I could recite it backwards… upside-down… blindfolded... in Mandarin.<br />
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My second mistake was not having enough passion. Which I’ve been told is a HUGE part of pitching. Just having an overwhelming amount of passion and confidence in what you’re pitching can be the difference between success or failure. Now all have I left to bank on is my script and the hope that my writing is strong enough to sell my script because my pitch wasn’t. I can envision this opportunity ending in one of three ways. Realistic best case scenario, maybe the story isn’t right for his production company but the writing is cogent enough to warrant more opportunities to pitch other scripts to him. Worst case, my script’s in the trash and I’ll never talk to him again. Fantasy best case scenario, he options my script, makes my movie, I get rich, and develop an addiction to cocaine and Brazilian booty models. <b>(That’s partly a joke. Which part… I won’t say.) </b><br />
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I'm not a glass half-full guy but I can reflect on a few good things about this whole experience. Speaking to the assistant in the front, who was also a writer, I realized how rare this happening was. The assistant has been working with this producer for a couple of years, sits less than twenty feet from the guy Monday through Friday and still hasn’t been able to pitch anything himself. So when he learned that I got this meeting not by way of a manager or an agent, but from a random meeting at Sundance, he was shocked to say the least. Win, lose, or draw, I was able to secure an actual pitch meeting with a multi-millionaire producer with nothing more than the words “blaxploitation, kung-fu, revenge thriller.” That’s it. I didn’t even tell him what the story was. As I said earlier, I only gave the story’s genre.<b> (The script is titled <i>“The Telling Of The Untold Legend Of Sonny Whispers”</i>. The title character takes his namesake from an alternative moniker of my older brother Shelton. And the title was a suggestion of my friend Al Green and no not THAT <i>Al Green</i>. Thanks fellas.) </b>Maybe one day you’ll see Ol' Sonny Whispers in movie theaters. If you like, you can actually read it. Just leave me a comment saying so and I’ll happily email it to you.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">E</span>ither way, I’m glad it’s over and I’m even more glad I did it. Just getting that meeting was an accomplishment. There are countless writers and directors in this town that would perform a variety of unspeakable sexual acts for a mere handshake and hello with that producer. I got thirty undivided minutes of this guy's time off the strength of my story's unique nature and the confidence I oozed when he asked what I did. If anything that's something and I learned a lot about the process of pitching. Mainly that I need to get better at it but I learned something. I HAVE to and WILL get better at it. The art of pitching that is. Because like I said, I’m a really, really great fucking writer and THERE will be a next time. And after it's over, I'll be here to write about it.<br />
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Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-70654909046258840312015-02-23T01:41:00.000-08:002015-02-23T08:13:15.546-08:00All That Glitters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>ruth be told I put WAYYY too much energy and time into caring about this. Every year I think to myself, “I’m a struggling Black artist getting upset at rich White people winning awards that I thought other rich White people should have won. What the hell is wrong with me?” But you know what? I don’t care. This shit is important to me. I really love movies. Not only because it’s my chosen profession, but because I feel like it’s important that we chronicle this stuff. That we recognize the films that truly matter in a given year and award the people that made them. That we honor their hard-work. (And trust me people, don’t let the dresses, suits, and all that pomp fool you. THIS SHIT, film making, is hard W-O-R-K. And yes, it’s not building roads in the middle of winter but it’s tougher than it looks.) It’s a pimped out celebration of films, filmmakers, and just Hollywood itself. Nothing is quite like the Oscars and as always, there were a few twist and turns along the way.<br />
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Best Picture. Best Original Screenplay. Best Director. Best Cinematography. Not a bad haul at all as <b><i>Birdman</i></b> won most of the night’s top prizes. I honestly expect <b><i>Birdman</i></b> to split Best Picture and Best Director with <b><i>Boyhood</i></b> but that didn’t happen. I was VERY surprised that it took Best Original Screenplay given the roll that <b><i>The Grand Budapest Hotel</i></b> was on for most of the night. It’s not that I don’t like <b><i>Birdman</i></b>. In fact, up until about 3 weeks ago, I thought it was the best film of the year. Then I saw <b><i>Boyhood</i></b> and my mind changed. <b><i>Boyhood</i></b> was one of the most moving experiences I’ve had watching a film ever. There’s something so amazing about watching the little moments of people's life captured so perfectly while watching those people literally age before your eyes. It's brilliance comes from it's subtlety and simplistic yet complex nature. I mean the dialog in <b><i>Boyhood</i></b> is some of the most natural dialog ever put on screen. And just the logistics involved with making a film over 12 years is mind blowing! It's an undertaking unlike anything in the history of film and I figured that alone would carry it to a victory.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">H</span>owever, after sweeping all the guild awards, the writing was on the wall that the Best Picture race was all but <b><i>Birdman’s</i></b> to lose. To it's credit, it’s an amazing film. Visually unlike anything you’ll ever see, but I feel like it’s winning was just another example of Hollywood licking it’s own ass. If a film ABOUT filmmaking or film makers is HALF decent it has a shot. Just so happens that <b><i>Birdman</i></b> was actually really really fucking good. I just feel like <b><i>Boyhood</i></b> was better and the degree of difficulty making <i>that </i>film was way higher.<br />
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If <b><i>Birdman</i></b> did earn any of my sympathy it was when Michael Keaton lost Best Actor to Eddie Redmayne in <b><i>The Theory of Everything</i></b>. Redmayne is a much much younger actor and has years of getting nominated ahead of him. This really felt like Keaton’s last and only shot at winning. Keaton really is about 50% of why <b><i>Birdman</i></b> is so great, with 30% being Emmanuel Lubezki’s camera work and the remaining 20% being a collection of strong supporting performances. In truth I haven’t seen Redmayne’s performance, but given his unbridled joy after winning he wasn’t expecting himself to win so why should I have?<br />
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JK Simmons, Patricia Arquette, and Julianne Moore were pretty much locks in their respective acting categories. No surprises at all. Save for Arquette’s bad ass acceptance speak calling out for equal rights and equal pay for women in the workforce. You Go Girl! I’ve always thought, if you got the stage, USE the stage. Graham Moore’s “Stay Weird. Stay Different” speech is sure to be talked about as well, but I’m Black, so by default, I have to say Common and John Legend gave the best speeches of the night. Besides, Neil Patrick Harris said it himself. Oscar MVPs.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">S</span>peaking of Neil Patrick Harris, can we just make it a law that dude host all the awards shows? He can do it all. Sing, dance, riff. Honestly, that was the best opening to the Oscars I’ve ever seen. I thought NPH was even better than Ellen, who wasn’t bad at all last year. Hmm. What were the odds that a gay award winning theater actor would be great at hosting a live stage event with musical numbers, multiple costume changes, and pre made gags/jokes?<br />
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There were a ton of other little nuggets from the night as well. Like how the hell did they pull of that "NPH predicts the show bit?" Jennifer Hudson being so good at singing that it reminded us that she won an Oscar for it (singing). That Glory performance being amazing and <b><i>then</i></b> somehow being topped by Lady Gaga. And so much more I’m forgetting so forgive me if I forgot something you liked. It was a pretty damn good show if you ask me. Congratulations to all the winners. Better luck next time to the nominees. God willing, and I get a break or two, I won’t be writing about this crap next year. Instead I’ll be getting wasted with Kevin Hart at the Vanity Fair 2016 Oscars Party in celebration of his Best Actor award in MY Oscar winning screenplay about a Black, gay Jewish actor performing one man shows during slavery titled <i><b>Shuck N' Jive</b></i>. Book it.<br />
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<br />Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-68481874503192701362015-02-16T04:06:00.000-08:002015-02-16T11:45:33.473-08:0010 for 40<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">S</span>aturday Night Live has been on the air longer than I’ve
been alive. About 12 years longer if we’re getting technical. I don’t know what
life is like without SNL and I kinda envy people older than me for that time in the world before it existed. And trust me when I say, as a Black man, wanting to go
BACK in time is not a feeling that we often have. Pre-SNL TV and seeing
Muhammad Ali in his prime are the ONLY reasons to go past 1980 in my book. You get a better sense of TWO things that only time can give you.<o:p></o:p></div>
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One, what TV was like before SNL and the impact it had. I bet it had to be so
amazing watching SNL those first few years. Given the fact that we have things like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime,
YouTube and about 3,000 other channels on cable TV, today SNL seems like everything else. But in 1975, when we had about 5 channels, it had to be really
shocking to see SNL back then. So fresh, so new, so different. At my age, 28, SNL is
just SNL at this point. But for those old enough to remember TV before SNL, it had
to be akin to watching a controlled car wreck of comedy unlike anything else at the
time. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>he second thing that would be great about being older would be having a total understanding of ALL the jokes. So much of SNL's humor comes from it's topical and current world pop culture/political satire. I’m a SNL freak and a political history buff so I
got an abnormal amount of the jokes, but a few things still went over my head. (I can
only imagine what a novice felt like watching <b><i>SNL 40</i></b>.) Their were a few older faces and bits that
got a cheer or laugh that I didn’t get. (IE the King Tutt musical bit,
Bass-O-Matic, and the context of the <i><b>Jaws</b></i> Love Song.) Those moments are where anyone that was over
50 enjoyed the show at a level I could never truly understand. Tomorrow
you all go back to being old bastards at the edge of death, but on February 15,
2015, I was genuinely jealous of you old farts. Anyway, in honor of <b><i>SNL 40</i></b> here are MY 10
favorite moments.</div>
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10: Miley Cyrus Rocks!</h4>
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Seeing Miley Cyrus not dressed like a crazy person or a
transexual prostitute is kinda like seeing Keith Richards sober. It doesn’t
happen often and each time it does, we should really cherish that moment. (Note:
Keith Richards is totally going to outlive us all. Including roaches.) The only skin I
saw on Ms. Cyrus was her face and hands. It was a refreshing change of pace seeing her FULLY clothed. Without the distraction
of her ass hanging out, I finally noticed that she’s actually a VERY, VERY good singer
and live performer. <o:p></o:p></div>
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9: Jaws Love Song</h4>
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While I didn’t quite get the context of the joke, I did
enjoy Bill Murray’s hilarious ode to what is arguably Steven Spielberg’s magna
opus, <i><b>Jaws</b></i>. It’s a bit I’m guessing he’s done before about other popular movies,
but given I didn’t see a moment of Murray in his prime on SNL, I didn’t understand the
reason for the bit. But the song's lyrics were very funny, Murray was a riot, and he got one of
two bleeps for the night. <o:p></o:p></div>
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8: Betty White and Bradley Cooper Go For Broke</h4>
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The Californians sketch is one that I’ve never cared for. I've always thought it’s just a bunch of writers from New York creating what they feel is a humorous representation
of the people from SoCal. Maybe it's because I’m not in those circles, but I’ve never ran into
anyone in my 3 years here (I live in LA) that talks remotely like that. <b><i>SNL 40</i></b>
offered a version of the sketch with the usual players and a few added A-Listers for punch,
Bradley Cooper and Betty White being two of them. And when the bit revealed the
two as "secret lovers", what I, and I’m sure the rest of America, expected to be a pantomimed
smooch turned into full on tonsil hockey between a 93 year old
woman and a man 53 years her junior.<o:p></o:p></div>
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7: Steve Martin "Hosts" Monologue</h4>
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I've come to understand that Steve Martin is one of those guys, like Billy Crystal and Mel
Brooks, that will always be funny. Literally always. You can just tell that some
guys are always going to have that fastball. I wouldn’t be surprised if the
man’s funeral is funny. He’s a stand-up legend and after just a few minutes you
can tell why he was given the first slot after the first commercial break. That man was born to make people laugh and he did that in heavy
doses during his time on <b><i>SNL 40.</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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6: Melissa McCarthy Channels Chris Farley</h4>
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The Matt Foley sketch is one of the greatest sketches in SNL
history. It’s simply brilliant. I'm telling you Chris Farley will be remember by fucking aliens for that sketch. But given the part/fact that Chris is ah… you know, dead, I didn’t expect to see the sketch in any other form besides a
video clip. I mean it’s <b><i>SNL 40,</i></b> so yeah we all knew they were showing it. But Melissa
McCarthy, in the “stars doing their favorite characters” bit during Weekend Update
perfectly played up the late comedian’s most beloved character. Besides having Farley's look down perfectly, the bit was complete with
all the physical humor from the original including McCarthy crashing through the Update desk, which I didn’t see coming. Bravo! Chris was somewhere laughing his ass off.</div>
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5: Seinfeld Takes Questions</h4>
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He’s Jerry Fucking Seinfeld. Like Martin, this is what he does. Seinfeld did a bit where he took questions from the audience. A particular
exchange with him and John Goodman was laugh-out-loud funny, along with a back and forth with Seinfeld show co-creator, Larry David. You can see why the guy is so respected and loved.<o:p></o:p></div>
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4: Jason Sudeikis Makes the Left Shark Look Normal</h4>
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The “What’s Up With That” musical sketch featuring Kenan Thompson as an overzealous soul singer turned political pundit has always been
one of my favorites on SNL. I wasn’t sure if I was going to see it, but during a brilliant
musical themed bit, they broke Thompson lose. It’s the same song as always and in the background you can see a red tracksuit/b-boy clad Sudeikis losing his fucking mind.
He’s provided background dancing for the skit for as long as I can remember but tonight he was
especially funny. And given America's recent love of crazy attention hogging background dancers, I'm sure the rest of the viewing public got a kick out of Sudeikis as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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3: Eddie Murphy Comes Home</h4>
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It’s going to be very easy to bang on Eddie Murphy after
this one. He was back on SNL for the first time since before I was born, 1984, and he
was about as funny as a cancer patient fresh in remission battling AIDS. He didn’t do a
single bit or character but the moment for me served as a much needed history
lesson for the world. There would be no SNL without Eddie Murphy. There was a point in time when he was easily the funniest human on the planet. And along
with Michael Jackson in the 1980’s one of the most famous people on the planet as well. Think about all the people there last night and remember this. <i>Murphy was the ONLY one
that got a standing ovation.</i> There's a reason for that.</div>
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To often we clown his shitty choices in movies, his flops of the past few years and forget just how funny, daring, and brilliant this man was. I knew he
did <i><b>Beverly Hills Cop</b></i>, <i><b>Trading Places</b></i>, and <i><b>48 Hours</b></i> while on the show, but HOSTING SNL as a fucking cast member?! Can you imagine ANYONE on the show now, or anyone else while they were on the show, being big enough to do THAT?! Hellllll nooooo. (Will Ferrell wasn't a movie star while he was on SNL so you can't say him.) Murphy is a living comedy genius. Sure he wasn’t all that funny during his return but so what? I’m glad I got to see him on that
stage and have THAT moment. He deserved it. He’s the one cast member that’s always seemed BIGGER than the
show and I’d love to think this could be the groundwork for him to come back and host the show. </div>
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2: Audition Tapes</h4>
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The coolest moment of the night for me was something I
thought I’d NEVER see. The SNL audition tapes are something of legend in the film/TV business. You’ve
heard the stories about certain people’s (audition tapes) and how great they were. The stories about how
TERRIBLE someone that’s famous now was during their audition. It was so cool seeing everyone so young, fresh
faced, and bright eyed. They were all full of so much life and energy. It’s a moment that
changed all of their lives and it's something they ALL had to do. You could tell that
some just had it from the moment they opened their mouths. Like Will Ferrell. Some were raw, but had promise. Like Seth Meyers. And
some had no chance in hell to get onto the show. Like Kevin Hart.<o:p></o:p></div>
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1: Celebrity Jeopardy</h4>
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Ultimately, SNL is a comedy sketch show, so while the previous
two moments weren’t particularly funny, I felt like the top moment of <b><i>SNL 40</i></b> had to be the funniest sketch. I'll start by telling you that Celebrity Jeopardy has always been the funniest thing on SNL to me. Will
Ferrell plays an overmatched/frustrated Alex Trebeck trying to maintain order
and sanity during a game of jeopardy with dimwitted celebrities. With Darrell
Hammond’s over-the-top wild-man parody of Sean Connery serving as his main adversary.
<b><i>SNL 40</i></b> even brought back Norm MacDonald’s gum-chewing maverick Burt Reynolds.
Along with a pitch perfect Jim Carrey as Matthew McConaughey, the sketch proved
it still has tons of life and offered up the night’s best laughs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-35011735008955500082015-02-02T07:13:00.000-08:002015-02-02T07:13:00.555-08:00Sundance '15: 10 Things I Learned and 5 Great Films I Saw<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">B</span>y all reasonable measures, and from what I’ve personally
observed, between the snow and the people, Park City, Utah is the whitest place
in America. It’s a quaint little ski town nestled in the frost covered peaks of
Northern Utah, some 25 miles or so outside of Salt Lake City. Park City is a
place with so many rich white people that the city's public transit system is 100%
free. Because God knows poor black and brown folks in the inner cities couldn’t benefit
from that at all. That’s just what rich white people on vacation need. Free public
transportation. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Park City is the kind of place I could totally hate. Or at
least be very envious/jealous of because it’s a place that offers things and
experiences most people will never enjoy. A place black folks can only dream of
or see in movies. (Irony.) It’s a winter wonderland where America’s elite come
to play. But once a year, in the last week of January, Park City is transformed.
Reimagined as a place where the little guys can rule the day. A place where dreams
can suddenly come true. A place where lives can change overnight. A place that
can lift people from total obscurity to unbelievable superstardom. For two
weeks, Park City is home to the Sundance Film Festival. One of the most recognizable and prestigious independent film festivals on the planet.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Over the course of two weeks, I slowly fell in love with Park
City. Or least this far more palatable version of Park City. It's a filmmaker's wet dream on steroids. It’s a kin to Comic Con or something only the people are pretty, tan, and they don't smell like basement and Doritos. Everywhere you go
people are discussing films. Ones they’ve seen. Ones they want to see. Ones
they love. Ones they’ve loathed. Throughout the city every conversation is peppered with
some form of “Have you heard anything about Movie X?” or "Oh you saw Movie Y, what did you think?" The experience is one that
somewhat confirms your love for something that at times you feel like is silly
or stupid. Sundance is a validation for the love of film. Sure you all love different films and have different taste, but the
overall theme remains the same. We all love movies! As a film festival novice,
I’m here to share the 10 things I learned and my top five films I saw during my
time at Sundance 2015. Note: This order doesn’t mean anything. The 10<sup>th</sup>
thing is no greater or worse than the 1<sup>st</sup>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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1: You CAN’T See Em' All</h4>
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There is no fucking way to see every film. The sheer
number of narrative films, documentary films, short films, art/experimental
films, animated films etc, etc is overwhelming. So don’t go into it thinking you’re
going to see everything because you wouldn't/can’t.<o:p></o:p></div>
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2: You WILL See A Horrible Film</h4>
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It’s Sundance. This film festival has being the launching pad for some of film's greatest talent in front and behind the camera. In fact, last
year's Grand Jury and Audience Award winning film <b><i>Whiplash</i></b> is nominated for multiple
Oscars including Best Picture. Great films clearly come out of the festival but
that doesn’t mean you won't see something B-A-D, bad. Just be ready to hate
something. <o:p></o:p></div>
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3: Make A Plan</h4>
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This one piggy backs off number one. Since you can’t see it
all, at least make a list of films you'd like to try to see. Game plan at least 10
films you want to see, rank them from most desired to ones you could live without
seeing. But…<o:p></o:p></div>
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4: Be Flexible</h4>
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Over the course of Sundance, films will either gain or lose buzz. You’re only going off of four factors when deciding what films to see. The description of the film. The performers in the film. The filmmakers behind the film. And the buzz. Something you could have really wanted to see could turn out to be complete
shit via a couple days of word of mouth. The buzz of the festival can lift or sink
a film. Speaking of…<br />
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5: Trust The Buzz</h4>
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For the love of God trust the buzz! If you’re in a room with 100 and 99 people don’t like one guy, something isn’t wrong with 99 people. Ask questions. Let people be your guinea pigs. Don’t get so entrenched to see something that you'd ignore what people are telling you. If the buzz is overwhelming, good or bad, just trust that it’s correct and act accordingly. If it’s mixed, just go see for yourself.</div>
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6: You WILL Regret Things</h4>
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You’re going to skip out on something you should have seen. You’re
going to see something you don’t like. It will happen. And yes, you’ll be upset
with yourself. That's fine. Remembering number one, you should expect this to happen at least once or twice.<o:p></o:p></div>
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7: Lines, Lines, Lines</h4>
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Like Six Flags in the middle of the summer, most of your
time at Sundance will be spent waiting in lines. Waiting in lines for the movies. Waiting in lines
for the bathroom. Waiting in lines for concessions. The one saving grace unlike Six Flags, where you wait hour for a one to two minute thrill, you get to see a two hour
movie.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> 8</o:p>: Sleep Is Optional</h4>
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Since Sundance is all lines, you need to be at places really
early to secure a spot inside the theater. Films play as early as 8AM which
means you need to be up and ready to arrive at least one hour before the
showtime. Films play as late as 11:45PM which means you could be getting out of a film at 2AM or later. Plus travel time. Sure most venues are in Park City, but some are as far as Sundance
Mountain Resort and Salt Lake City. So if you want to see movies, just know
you’re not going to be sleep much at all.<o:p></o:p></div>
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9: See The Docs</h4>
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When you think Sundance, it’s so easy to get caught up in
watching the narrative films, but don’t get all wrapped up the hype of the stars
and traditional storytelling. There are so many interesting people and subjects
that are explored by brilliant documentary filmmakers. I’ve learned that docs
are usually a safer bet because most can’t lean on a star. They almost
HAVE to be good or they can’t be made. <o:p></o:p></div>
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10: Have Fun</h4>
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This one is simple. Watch movies. Talk to people and share your thoughts. Have a few drinks and create memories. Just have fun. (Confession: I came up with the idea for the “10
Things I Learned" and couldn't think of ten so this one is kind of a cop out. I was
already committed to “10” so yeah, get over it.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p>Top Five Films I SAW</h2>
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1: <i><b>The End of The Tour </b></i>(Jason Segel gave the best performance of
the festival in my opinion. Like early Oscar-worthy. Never has 140 minutes of
two guys talking been so damn good.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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2: <b><i>The Bronze</i></b> (I haven’t laughed that hard at a film in
YEARS. It’s like first <b><i>Hangover</i></b> funny. Also, Greatest. Sex. Scene. EVER.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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3. <b><i>Dope</i></b> (Very funny. Super sharp dialog. And the three leads
are perfect. Shameik Moore is about to become VERY VERY famous. Buy the
stock while it’s low.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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4. <b><i>Z For Zachariah</i></b> (Quiet, but very fascinating character
study of jealousy, loneliness, and dueling desire of two men. It’s smarter than just being a story
of a good guy and bad guy which it could have been.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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5. <b><i>Me And Earl And The Dying Girl</i></b> (The most talked about
film of Sundance ’15. Also the Jury and Audience Award winner. Also sold for
$12M. It’s a total love letter to filmmaking and doesn’t go into the typical
troupes of the "teen coming-of-age" genre. )<o:p></o:p></div>
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Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-23892274252350624562014-09-26T02:16:00.003-07:002014-09-26T09:39:02.155-07:00What Does It Really Matter?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtQNyUZMVIRO5foPwJ6fXqiWhLpJZd_n8pW6s0qA1pugqH-NlmNA2NXeHE6ZRj2uVetK117DvATWdxenZMW79EFNpZdGJzxI45A2F_5tSDOzhTNPAVN6WtEk8JfYNYKXv3ZQ0GZnZIdt5/s1600/15goodell-master675.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJtQNyUZMVIRO5foPwJ6fXqiWhLpJZd_n8pW6s0qA1pugqH-NlmNA2NXeHE6ZRj2uVetK117DvATWdxenZMW79EFNpZdGJzxI45A2F_5tSDOzhTNPAVN6WtEk8JfYNYKXv3ZQ0GZnZIdt5/s1600/15goodell-master675.jpg" height="281" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">W</span>ant to know something really scary? I don’t give a damn
about women. I don’t give a damn about kids. And I don’t give a damn about men. And neither do you. None of us give two shits about any of these things because if
we did, none of us would ever watch another NFL game. We are all mindless sheep
akin to the thousands of Romans that would pour into the Colosseum back in the
early years of the ADs to watch men slaughter one another for their amusement. Just like those
simple-minded boobs, we have a bloodlust that MUST BE FILLED! And it must be filled at ANY AND ALL COST!</div>
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I don’t need a scientific report to tell me that men,
weighing as much as 350 pounds, running at 4.3-4.5 40 yard-dash speeds,
crashing into one another is REALLY FUCKING DANGEROUS! And if it (football) didn’t exist already and someone thought of this shit today, we’d ask them if they lost their damn mind. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“So let me get this straight? You want giant ass freaks of men to ram head first into one another
over and over for 3 hours? And all for the sake of entertainment you say? Are you fucking crazy? That's a horrible idea! A, no one would do it and B, no one would watch it!”</i> It’s no surprise that these men
playing a violent sport are committing violent acts off the field. There isn’t
a doctor alive that wouldn’t say repeated head trauma <i>doesn’t</i> have a drastic
effect on a person’s behavior. Roger Goodell knows this. The NFL knows this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The players know this. You know this. I know this. But no one gives a shit. They’re going to keep playing and we’re going to
keep watching.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzcFqyRgebedIsmk_GxQJWoLjKayZ-U3trkrirEoR89YmmniS89OXUjIA2X4ru7tE_M4ufi1JOBP_ZFq5hvZWuaExTWO-5EHAY3IJNrL6KoBSSB5z7OvxyqImH7tt90ws-Cm4kWK1oJpA/s1600/ravens-rice-football.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIzcFqyRgebedIsmk_GxQJWoLjKayZ-U3trkrirEoR89YmmniS89OXUjIA2X4ru7tE_M4ufi1JOBP_ZFq5hvZWuaExTWO-5EHAY3IJNrL6KoBSSB5z7OvxyqImH7tt90ws-Cm4kWK1oJpA/s1600/ravens-rice-football.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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You’d think the NFL would have started taking domestic violence serious after one of the countless arrest for domestic
violence since Goodell's taken over as commissioner. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jovan_Belcher" target="_blank">Or maybe after last season when a player shot the mother of his child seven times then killed himself in front of the coach and GM of his team</a>. Or maybe after they saw a player dragging his unconscious fiancee out of an
elevator like a sack of potatoes. But oh no! <i>Those</i> things weren’t enough. It wasn’t
until TMZ showed us what we had all ALREADY KNEW happened, did you, or the NFL, start to
act like they give a damn about domestic violence.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Folks, reading about domestic violence is one thing. A picture is one thing too, but SEEING it happen is a WHOLE other can of worms. I'll explain. According to some music critics and historians, Ike Turner invented rock-n-roll as we know it, but no one remembers him for that. Did you know the book that the 1993 bio-pic <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What’s Love Got To Do With It</i></b>
was based on the 1986 book <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I, Tina?</i></b> As in, what Ike had done to Tina
was known for at least seven years prior to the release of the film. Before 1993, Ike Turner still enjoyed a relatively lucrative career in music via touring and booking shows, but that all stopped once the movie hit <b>(Pardon the Pun)</b> theaters. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After June 9th, 1993, Ike Turner was about as untouchable as a Big Mac from Chernobyl.
Overnight he was instantly vilified and became the international poster boy
for woman abusers. I mean, his name pretty much became a verb to describe hitting a woman.
For years, Turner claimed that the abuse was vastly overplayed in the film, but
the damage was done. We didn’t even see Ike hit Tina <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">for real</i>. We saw Laurence Fishburne <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pretend</i> to hit Angela Bassett but just the visual <i>portrayal</i> of
domestic violence was enough to cook Ike Turner. <b>(Somewhere Chris Brown is thanking God his run in with Rihanna wasn’t caught on tape.)</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The point is Ike Turner hit women. We knew that and we didn't need a movie to figure it out. Just like we
knew James Brown, Sam Cooke, Jimi Hendrix, and countless other soul singers, hit
women. In both Jimi Hendrix and James Brown’s bio-pic from this year,
domestic abuse is only shown once, because they know the damage it can cause. For whatever reason, SEEING it somehow makes it "real" I guess?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">H</span>ow bad is domestic violence though? This is the first time I
can remember the "big bad NFL" bending to the will of public opinion. But only so
much did it bend. I’m not an idiot and I don’t think for one second that the NFL <i>didn’t</i>
see that video before TMZ released it. Because by all accounts, my Black ass could’ve called that casino and could
have gotten a copy of the elevator tape. I’m not here to say Rice or Peterson
or anyone else with domestic violence charges shouldn’t ever play again. This is a country of second chances, but for the league to act like they care and for YOU
to act like you care is just silly to me. <b>(When Anheuser-Busch came out with a statement
saying they were “disappointed” in the leagues handling of domestic violence I literally laughed. Anheuser-Busch and its “product” has had a hand in more ass-whoopings
than Everlast boxing gloves! A beer company getting “upset” over domestic
violence is like Smith and Wesson getting "upset" over war.)</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They (The NFL) don’t really care because YOU don’t really care. And no, Roger
Goodell isn’t quitting his job. He is a dumb-ass that couldn't get a job to pay him $44K a year, much less one paying him $44M a year. You don’t quit a job like <i>that</i>! You
retire or you get fired. FUCK PUBLIC PRESSURE when the public doesn’t really give a shit.
That’s why he gave half-ass answers and empty statements during last week’s
presser. That’s why he’s laying low. Because he knows all he has to do is
ride the wave and wait for the calm.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Goodell could've given a press conference where he said, <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Fuck Native Americans!
Go Redskins! Fuck Black people too, because the New York Giants are now the
New York Niggers! Fuck player safety! We’re adding Wednesday night games to go
with the already dangerous and sloppily played Thursday night games you never asked for. Get
money! And one more thing, yeah I saw the Rice elevator video and I laugh every time I see it! What are you going to do about it? See all you suckers on
Sunday and make sure you buy a pink Ray Rice jersey to support titty cancer or the
support of the stop of titty cancer or whatever that shit supports! Fuck you! Go NFL! Roger out bitches!” <o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He could have then dropped the mic, pulled down his pants, pissed on the reporters and we all would STILL watch the NFL. Hell I know Black fans of
the Giants that would proudly buy and WEAR, New York Nigger team gear! Funny
thing is, if we could just all stop watching for one Sunday, just ONE, the
message those empty seats, and empty ratings, would send could change everything. But we can’t. We need our medicine. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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This is the YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, binge-watch five seasons of a show in one weekend, “I need it now” age. We’ll
forget about this. Just like we forgot Russia shot down a fucking commercial plane. Just like we forgot
cops killed two unarmed Black men this summer. The NFL can do whatever it
wants. Say whatever it wants. And we’ll still watch. That’s why Goodell isn’t
going anywhere. Because he knows you, me, we, US, aren’t going anywhere. So why the hell would he?</div>
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Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-75557489178399920272014-08-15T12:03:00.002-07:002014-08-15T18:48:30.104-07:00Some Like It Hot! 2nd Annual NFL Head Coach Hotseat Power Ranking<div class="MsoNormal">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3twjoM8hqY2wtzFyoMMAxwcDXZ8soTDvJiYpvc8OqLDZoJ7FBD5T_wGkZzahsQ6G_ATH6bu1S6_idStrh3BGgV8euyoqQWLclerpF85OIWIMOBrih8XMtsPHxmEI2j-Oh2TboH3BM3SN/s1600/pete-carroll.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3twjoM8hqY2wtzFyoMMAxwcDXZ8soTDvJiYpvc8OqLDZoJ7FBD5T_wGkZzahsQ6G_ATH6bu1S6_idStrh3BGgV8euyoqQWLclerpF85OIWIMOBrih8XMtsPHxmEI2j-Oh2TboH3BM3SN/s1600/pete-carroll.jpg" height="257" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carroll has turned the Seahawks into a budding juggernaut.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">A</span>nother year, another dollar! The 2014 NFL season is
almost upon us. Last year, I had the bright idea of writing an article previewing
the season in an unconventional way. You can go anywhere to be told who’s going to be the breakout star or surprise team. Why would you want that? That’s boring... to me anyway. But who wouldn't want to know where their favorite team's head coach was sitting while riding the wacky NFL coaching carousel. No bullshit, Al Qaeda leaders have better job security than NFL head coaches.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This post is actually a huge moment for me because it’s the first time I’ve done a
second edition of a previous article. So if you were around for last season’s post, I'd like to say thanks for sticking with me. Anyway, let’s see who’s in the hottest
hotseat in 2014, but first, here’s a list of the “fallen” from last season. Cue, Sarah McLachlan's "I Will Remember You."<o:p></o:p></div>
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Jim Schwartz,
<i>Lions</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Mike Munchak,
<i>Titans</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Gary Kubiak,
<i>Texans</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Mike Shanahan, <i><strike>Racists</strike></i>, <i>Redskins</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Leslie Frazier, <i>Vikings</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Greg Schiano, <i>Buccaneers</i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Rob Chudzinski, <i>Browns</i> (DUDE WAS A FIRST YEAR COACH IN THE NEUTRAL ZONE! Damn Cleveland! Doesn’t matter the sport, even your first year coaches aren’t safe! Mike Brown is somewhere nodding right now.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Dead Man Walking (Norv Turner Award)</span></h2>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">(Named After the Coach that survived the most seasons as a Dead Man Walking.)</b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><b>Coaches here already have their pink slips under their office chairs, even if they don’t know it. These guys could literally be fired by the time I finish typing this. Only an improbable Super Bowl victory saves their jobs. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Joe Philbin - <o:p></o:p> Miami Dolphins</i></span></div>
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After two bad Dolphins' seasons, including all the drama from last
season, I’m as shocked as any that Philbin survived 2013. My only guess to why he
got to keep his gig is Dolphins management figured he deserved a “do-over" after the Jonathan Martin/Richie Incognito fiasco. But
if you ask me there's no way he should get a pass for all of the "in house drama" that took place down in South Beach. NFL head coaches are total control freaks in the locker room. I don't blame Bill Belichick for not knowing what Aaron Hernadez was doing off the field because coaches don't control that part of their players' lives. When it comes to everything on the field and in that locker room, head coaches are Alpha and Omega. If the Dolphins miss the playoffs this season Philbin will be
calling LeBron James to ask, "Who did you get to move your stuff from Miami? Why? I'm ahhh. I'm asking for a friend."<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large; font-weight: normal;">Blazing Hot</span></h2>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Coaches here are probably done after this season. Miss the playoffs and it’s over. Make the playoffs and it <i>still</i> may be over. They at least last through the season, but they’d need 10 plus victories and at least one playoff win to get another year.</span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Jason Garrett - <o:p></o:p>Dallas Cowboys</span></i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAKqgiDiVMEv0Bd9X8dp4V3cCmD032QoxeOz7k44r1MKS4Wf3xDsisAadzjnjbgNuUYa2Eho8LQogb94Iz1xv1d0H73bx3i9P9a4nFf-wUVdGginTEv1BXuT6Q9q5byDForMeOVTCPMaMe/s1600/Jason-Garrett.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAKqgiDiVMEv0Bd9X8dp4V3cCmD032QoxeOz7k44r1MKS4Wf3xDsisAadzjnjbgNuUYa2Eho8LQogb94Iz1xv1d0H73bx3i9P9a4nFf-wUVdGginTEv1BXuT6Q9q5byDForMeOVTCPMaMe/s1600/Jason-Garrett.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Face of a winner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Jason Garrett is like "Jason" in that he won't go away no matter how much death and destruction he causes. He's made the “Blazing Hot” list in back-to-back years and that's NOT
a good thing by the way. I predicted that the 2013 Cowboys would have a shot to make the
playoffs, blow it and somehow go 8-8. They smell even worst than that this season. Losing Sean Lee
doesn’t help and Romo may<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or may not be
100%. Truth be told, Romo is the only reason the Cowboys are as good as they have been. It’s
hard to see Jerry Jones giving Garrett another year if Dallas doesn’t make the
playoffs in 2014. He should be our "Dead Man Walking" but then again it is Dallas and God knows what the hell they’re doing down there.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Dennis Allen - <o:p></o:p>Oakland Raiders</span></i></div>
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Do you remember anything positive or negative about the 2013
Oakland Raiders? Nope me either. You could've told me that the NFL instituted relegation during the 2013 season and the
Raiders played in the CFL. That's how out of touched the Raiders felt last season. (Relegation is used in English soccer leagues. It's a policy where the worst team each year
moves down to a lower league.) I don’t see any scenario (Outside of Peyton Manning, Philip Rivers, and Alex Smith murdering one another in a three-way cage match to the death.) where the immortal Matt Schaub leads the Raiders into the playoffs. Which means I don’t see Allen in Oakland much longer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Rex Ryan - <o:p></o:p>New York Jets</i></span></div>
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Ryan pulled a Norv Turner in that he kept a job he had no business
keeping. Coming off that feat alone I had to move him down a level… or up… I’m
still not sure how movement on this scale works. The Jets added a few nice
pieces, most notable <strike>dogkiller</strike>, QB Michael Vick. Unless Geno Smith turns into a
beast, which I DON’T see happening, I can already see the QB controversy in New York. Did Rex not learn from the whole Tim Tebow thing?! Rex's just really into overrated, overhyped super polarizing quarterbacks I guess. It’s
been fun but it’s over if you miss the playoffs Rex.<o:p></o:p></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p> </o:p><span style="font-size: x-large;">Hot & Heating Up</span></span></h2>
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<o:p><b style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">Coaches here are in some trouble. Expectations are high so they must win but if they loss too badly they could be out.</b></o:p></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Mike Smith - <o:p></o:p>Atlanta Falcons</span></i></div>
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Mike Smith how the hell did you survive going 4-12?!?! With a healthy Matt Ryan no less?! A drop off that bad can normally be directly attributed to an injury to your star QB. Falcon management must've felt Smith was owed a pass because of the Julio Jones injury and for getting Atlanta back on track after the Bobby Petrino/Michael Vick mess. Injuries aside, the
Falcons are perennial under performers and Smith's leash is as short as it's ever been. A revamped D, and a healthy Julio should
equal a bounce back year for Atlanta. But all bets are off on Smith keeping his job if the Falcons have another season like 2013.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Ron Rivera - <o:p></o:p>Carolina Panthers</span></i></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBfIRkwOkrkVL0cQ-GgmaiHclP5dNYlpjKQg-g8bNxddIc6bmDewEPbwWepsdrebXwfub8LonbChH2-V58AMoDrPIrMROqHq6bM6RHA8d3ZM0wc-vxS_CmEhmx9Zjm8N-hjykl1po2A3_/s1600/ron+river.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvBfIRkwOkrkVL0cQ-GgmaiHclP5dNYlpjKQg-g8bNxddIc6bmDewEPbwWepsdrebXwfub8LonbChH2-V58AMoDrPIrMROqHq6bM6RHA8d3ZM0wc-vxS_CmEhmx9Zjm8N-hjykl1po2A3_/s1600/ron+river.jpg" height="216" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rivera is as intense on the sideline as he was on the field.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Ron Rivera, a lame duck coach on the verge of looking through the classifieds for a high school coaching job, successfully reshaped himself into Riverboat Ron, a risk takin' SOB that doesn't take shit! Riverboat Ron led the Panthers into the playoffs, kept his job, played himself off the "Blazing List" and moved up, or down still not sure, to the H&H list. Good, no GREAT job Riverboat Ron! That being said, I don’t see the Panthers going anywhere in 2014. I'm factoring in a much tougher schedule and that little part where the Saints and Falcons have both improved. I don’t think Ron’s in as bad as shape as he was coming into last season, he’s not out of the woods by any means.</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Marvin Lewis - <o:p></o:p>Cincinnati Bengals</span></i></div>
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Only Bill Belichick has been with his team longer than Marvin Lewis has been with the Bengals. That's surprising considering one guy is a three time Super Bowl champion and the other guy is well, Marvin Fucking Lewis! Three straight trips to the playoffs means there's a lot more pressure on him than there use to be. Cincinnati is rich with talent on both sides of the ball and the return of Pro Bowl D-Lineman Geno Atkins means the Bengals should be a lot better going into the playoffs. I say "going into the playoffs" because anything less is a total and complete failure. Given how much money they committed to Andy “I haven’t proven I can win a playoff game but thanks for the money anyway” Dalton, Cincy has lofty goals not for their future, but for right now.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Toasty</span></h2>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The coaches here aren’t in any <i>real</i> trouble but all bets are off if they lose 10 plus. Coaches here are relatively safe if they win 7 or more games.</span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Gus Bradley - <o:p></o:p>Jacksonville Jaguars</span></i></div>
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Damn son! Shit was all good just a week ago! Neutral list to Toasty in one year. That took some doing cause outside Cleveland, you get at least two seasons before you start feeling the heat. The Jags sucked harder than a hooker on Valentine's Day in 2013. Most of it could be blamed on their horrid QB situation that Bradley inherited. Now that he’s got his own QB in Blake Bortles (Who I think is going to be pretty good by the way.) there aren't going to be many excuses left. Given the success of rookie QBs the last few years, I don't think people in Jacksonville see a Super Bowl coming in 2014, but no way they should be 4-12 again.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Doug Marrone - Buffalo Bills</span></i></div>
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The Bills weren't great and like Bradley, its only Marrone’s second year but he
doesn’t feel safe at all to me. QB EJ Manuel had to deal with a few injuries so
it’s not all Marrone’s fault they were bad in 2013. Buffalo have the longest
playoff drought in the NFL so expectations are never that high. But I’m sure
they’d like to go to the playoffs sometime in my kid’s lifetime. Last year he
was on the Neutral list but I could see Buffalo moving on if he’s really bad
this second season. A few coaches from the Neutral list got the ax and it wouldn't be a shock if Marrone were one of those guys in 2014.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Neutral </span></h2>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">These coaches are just safe. They could lose 10 plus and still come back, but they definitely see more heat in the next season if they do that. Most of these coaches either just got the job or are in year two of the job. The ones that have a year of service start to move up or down after this season. But for this season, they could win or lose and they still return. </b><b>(NOTE: Names in bold are coaches in their 1st with a team.)</b></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1d604ItQrSy0UBrbd3mhruEw7T3iIrD4398rRPOaIddFw_fbw2ATU3LCLj0ntD1RKm4TIBYt4ExejOEzMsaAwiOR_XtFtakZeu1Hc-DfSuh1ELjGj7quCc1gmk0NWmXwKOVO5nn9gXgCW/s1600/Chip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1d604ItQrSy0UBrbd3mhruEw7T3iIrD4398rRPOaIddFw_fbw2ATU3LCLj0ntD1RKm4TIBYt4ExejOEzMsaAwiOR_XtFtakZeu1Hc-DfSuh1ELjGj7quCc1gmk0NWmXwKOVO5nn9gXgCW/s1600/Chip.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chip Kelly has brought happy times to Philly.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Chip Kelly - <o:p></o:p>Philadelphia Eagles</span></i></div>
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From an offensive X’s and O’s standpoint, Kelly very well
could be the best coach in the NFL. Philly’s dynamic offensive scheme helped turn Nick
Foles into a Pro Bowler and in turn, me into a back-to-back Fantasy Football Champion!
Thanks Chip! Expectations are rightfully very high in Philly. Especially seeing how shaky the
Giants, Cowboys and Washington all look. I see the Eagles at least winning the NFC
East, but I’m sure Kelly and the Eagles are aiming much higher than a division title.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Bruce Arians - <o:p></o:p>Arizona Cardinals</span></i></div>
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People forget that this guy was almost a <i>back-to-back</i> Coach
of the Year! Arians won in 2012 during “ChuckStrong” and could have won it last season as well. He got 10 wins in the NFL’s
toughest division and somehow made the corpse of Carson Palmer look like a real NFL QB again. That alone should have gotten the guy at least co-COY. The NFC West looks to be a just as tough
in 2014, with the 49ers and Seahawks being Super Bowl favorites so I could see the Cards winning fewer games. Either way, winning or losing season, Arians is one of the
safest in the Neutral zone.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Andy Reid - <o:p></o:p>Kansas City Chiefs</i></span></div>
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The 2013 Chiefs surprised all with their 11-5 season but not me. A bad division, new good coach replacing an old horrible coach, and a
soft schedule meant everything was in place for Reid to have success in year
one. You'll notice as their opponents got better down the stretch, the Chiefs got worse. Alex Smith is "serviceable" but he's not winning you a Super Bowl. If Reid couldn't win it all in Philly when Donovan McNabb was at the peak of his powers, no way he's winning it with a WAYYY less talented noodle armed Alex Smith. 2014 doesn’t look like it's going to be as nice as 2013 in Kansas City. However, even if they lose, Reid won’t feel much heat... yet.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Marc Trestman - Chicago Bears <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Mike Pettine –
Cleveland Browns<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jim Caldwell –
Detroit Lions<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Bill O’Brien –
Houston Texans<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Chuck Pagano – Indianapolis Colts<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mike Zimmer - Minnesota Vikings<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mike McCoy - San Diego Chargers<o:p></o:p></div>
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Jeff Fisher – St. Louis Rams<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lovie Smith – Tampa
Bay Buccaneers<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ken Whisenhunt –
Tennessee Titans<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jay Gruden –
Washington<strike> Racists</strike> Redskins<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<h2>
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Unmovable</span></h2>
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<o:p><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nothing to say because the coaches here aren’t going anywhere. They’ve got Super Bowl appearances and/or Super Bowl wins. They'd have to lose 10 plus for a few years before they feel an ounce of heat. These guys basically quit/retire to lose their jobs.</span></b></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGwoK4eC0FAJ0F1JzTjovIytXp8NCd4soeyOC7tdwUI2hYWbEWj4SRMcim-wPQdlHKcaLBkQqrw-D_AF_3ATpu8s5Ju1iIjf9TT-oZmPSfwjpVOxLVS_qT_yPMiMwkJI0w4TPjhlzrs3i/s1600/john+fox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDGwoK4eC0FAJ0F1JzTjovIytXp8NCd4soeyOC7tdwUI2hYWbEWj4SRMcim-wPQdlHKcaLBkQqrw-D_AF_3ATpu8s5Ju1iIjf9TT-oZmPSfwjpVOxLVS_qT_yPMiMwkJI0w4TPjhlzrs3i/s1600/john+fox.jpg" height="206" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After leading the Broncos to the Super Bowl, John Fox upgraded to unmovable.</td></tr>
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John Harbaugh – Baltimore Ravens<o:p></o:p></div>
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John Fox- Denver Broncos<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mike McCarthy – Green Bay Packers<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mike Tomlin – Pittsburgh Steelers<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sean Payton – New Orleans Saints<o:p></o:p></div>
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Tom Coughlin – New York Giants<o:p></o:p></div>
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Jim Harbaugh – San Francisco 49ers<o:p></o:p></div>
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Peter Carroll – Seattle Seahawks<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">God Mode (Nick Saban Award)</span></h2>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Named After The Coach With Greatest Job Security in the history of football.)</span></b></div>
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This slot is saved for the one guy that could lose every year for a decade and <i>still</i> not move. When this guy retires, the team is going to try to talk him into staying longer. This guy is NEVER EVER feeling heat. He has statues outside of the stadium, fans name they’re babies after him and water towers in his hometown have his name painted across them. He doesn’t lose the job until he quits the job and if he wants to come back, you fire the guy that replaced him on the spot if it means he coaches your team again.</span></b><br />
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Bill Belichick – New England Patriots</span></i><o:p></o:p></div>
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Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-33395264862140034092014-07-23T14:05:00.000-07:002014-07-23T16:11:52.682-07:00The Twisted Confessions and Atramentous Musings of A "Broke" Writer (The Gatekeepers)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I'</span>m honestly not sure why I continue to write this. I mean when I write about sports or movies and surprisingly racism, tons of people read my blog. Judging by the numbers from this "riveting and long running series" I'd say the only people who actually read these things are me, myself only to make corrections to my atrocious grammar, and my mother because she's supports anything I do and because well, she's my mother and she supports anything I do. Thanks for reading this mom because I know you are.<br />
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Anyway, I write these pieces for three reasons. One, to give all the people that say my job is so "glamorous" a look behind the "proverbial" velvet rope. <b>(Frankly it isn't that glamorous. Well I got to meet Cuba Gooding Jr. and Turtle from <i>Entourage</i> yesterday as of the original posting so this doesn't suck all the time)</b> Two, to give advice to friends looking to get into the business and/or give advice to friends already in the business. And three, and mostly, to get my thoughts out because God forbid I'm stuck alone with them.<br />
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A couple of months back I got a chance to be in a writer's room and it was easily the greatest job I've ever had. It took all of three seconds on my first day there to confirm that this, writing for film/TV, is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Monday through Friday for about three months, I got to sit in an office, watch six guys talk shit, tell jokes in funny voices and laugh my ass off. Really? This was <i>work</i>? I was hooked.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8G6e3WsiFo71K9uCkRw5vCGuHbRK8jv7GfWsYQoESOd_fzU_oitin3KAnFjZuxOuBXLI7fgLDp80gdOAYFfEspFUiDKqgFIGsh4NKDqTBR_AQuoFjnUZFvW11XTRHpr6sQ_81YVWGoPST/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8G6e3WsiFo71K9uCkRw5vCGuHbRK8jv7GfWsYQoESOd_fzU_oitin3KAnFjZuxOuBXLI7fgLDp80gdOAYFfEspFUiDKqgFIGsh4NKDqTBR_AQuoFjnUZFvW11XTRHpr6sQ_81YVWGoPST/s1600/image.jpeg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Group photo of the writer's room as drawn by Jordan.<br />
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One of my weekly tasks as the writer's PA included picking up and mailing out our writer's room payroll. It came sealed in a large manila envelope and was filled with all the checks. The checks were separated by writers and everyone else. Each group of checks had an expense sheet paper clipped to it that detailed, down to the last cent I might add, what each group was making. Since it was my job, it wasn't like I had to snoop to figure out what these guys made. <b>(Now I won't reveal the exact figures because I feel like giving you that much detail would be kind of unprofessional and there's really no need to know the number but I will say this... it was <i>big</i>.)</b><br />
<br />
Myself and the writer's assistant made practically nothing. Seriously for the amount of hours we were putting in we really weren't getting paid enough, but then again we <i>were</i> getting paid to sit in a room for 12 hours and watch six guys dick around so it's still not bad work if you can get it. But what the six writers made combined was so massive, I became physically ill after I saw it for the first time. I'm not joking. That's not a lie. That's not a typo. I literally became physically ill. I had to sit in my car for a good 20 minutes. 10 just staring at the number to make sure I wasn't hallucinating and the other 10 to compose myself for the 45 minute drive in rush hour traffic from Burbank back to Hollywood. Needless to say, the rest of <i>that</i> day kind of sucked.<br />
<br />
Eventually I got over it, continued my work and it was no big deal, but after seeing how much writers really made I've lost all patience for the "grind". (<b>The grind is a term to describe the process of working in the film/TV business.)</b> I've always been told that this is a business that takes a lot of hardwork, a little bit of luck and even more time. I've only been in a LA a year and some change, almost two in fact and here have been people that have been out here for five, ten, fifteen years before they get a break. Anytime I say "I should be doing this or that", people look at me, laugh and say "Paris, you're doing just fine. For someone that's been out here only a year, you're actually doing quite well." You couldn't tell me that but apparently I'm "doing just fine" so I guess I shouldn't start panicking... yet. But seeing those checks left me with the patience of a child waiting for dessert after peeking into the oven at nearly baked cookies. I mean I can hardly contain myself anymore.<br />
<br />
How do I get there? What do I do? What do I need? I've always said, the only shortcut to success is nepotism. Since my uncles and aunts last names are Lay and not Bay, in this business you need to be with a "gatekeeper". You have to be in a union or with an agent. Getting in the union is the ultimate "Catch 22." It's like wanting to start a chicken farm. You go to a farmer and say, "I want to start a chicken farm. I need a chicken. Give me a chicken!" The farmer declares, "You don't need an chicken. You need an egg." "Ok. I need an egg. Where do I get an egg?" He replies, "A chicken of course." To get into the union you have to work a certain amount days and hours on an union show but to work on an union show, YOU NEED TO BE IN THE FUCKING UNION! I think I'll pass on this particular circle jerk thank you.<br />
<br />
The other gatekeepers are agents and you can't do shit in this town without one. Agents, in theory, don't get paid until you get paid. So in a way they're agreeing to working for free. Having an agent tells people something about you. It's like the agent saying, "I believe in this person so much I'm welling to work for them for free for a bit because I know it's going to lead to a bunch of money one day." It validates you. And anyone looking to do business with you knows you're serious. <b>(An agent doesn't mean you have talent because there are TONS of shitty people that have agents.)</b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">S</span>o now I'm at that stage. Trying to get a gatekeeper. I'm working on a few projects that I really believe in and I've been sending emails and I feel really close but nothing so far. I'll close this with a Facebook status I posted a few weeks back because it fits and I'm lazy and don't feel like coming up with something "poignant" right now.<br />
<br />
<i>"This "shit" isn't for the weak of heart or mind. The business of film, especially the creative side here in California, is overcrowded, unrealistic, hypercompetitive and about as "stable" as a nine month old taking their first steps on ice. But the pot at the end of this rainbow is unlike anything I've seen. This business is filled with countless stories of people that finally broke through when it all seemed over.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>It's that fact alone that makes me get up everyday and say, "Why not me?" When I lay down tonight I'm going to do what I always do. Thank God for my health, for my family's health. For feeding me and my kids. For job opportunities for my friends and I. And when I wake up I'm gonna think the same thing I did the day before, "Why not me?" "</i><br />
<br />
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<br />Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-28919824270055054692014-07-11T12:08:00.000-07:002014-07-11T13:31:03.577-07:00You Can ALWAYS Go Home<div class="MsoNormal">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifafNbD12vJhS7e5Ge12J4fd_2bl-IJyroV6BytQyP7G3O_ObwQ3s5FLnrzcYaJ_mG71DWbq13LW7hBdW_Z7Yv8MOCs8OIGLdOvrBktRa33TiCKBB5O0mjJopplexFfMVyeE81OvWnVw2C/s1600/lebron-james.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifafNbD12vJhS7e5Ge12J4fd_2bl-IJyroV6BytQyP7G3O_ObwQ3s5FLnrzcYaJ_mG71DWbq13LW7hBdW_Z7Yv8MOCs8OIGLdOvrBktRa33TiCKBB5O0mjJopplexFfMVyeE81OvWnVw2C/s1600/lebron-james.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The King Returns</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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LeBron James is going home. Today he announced his return to
the Cleveland Cavilers via a <a href="http://www.si.com/nba/2014/07/11/lebron-james-cleveland-cavaliers" target="_blank">beautifully penned open letter </a>on SI.com. My first
feeling, oddly enough, was total shock. Friends had been asking me what I thought he’d
do and my gut always said he's going back to Cleveland, but just reading the news was still a bit
surprising. Not only does this change the entire landscape of the NBA, but it "rights" one of the greatest "wrongs" in sports. The Decision.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Four years ago when James left, I was one of the few people that
didn’t get upset. It was, at the time, the right move. The only problem I had was how he did it. I looked at it like this; doctors, lawyers, contractors, accountants all leave one job to go to another job with
better opportunities. Hell, the fry cook from McDonalds goes to Burger King
because they pay him fifty cent more! The NBA should be even more mobile than
it is. <o:p></o:p></div>
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These guys have 5 to 10 years, 15 if you’re REALLY great, to
accomplish the ultimate goal in their profession. If I were a really great NBA player my goal would be to maximize my chances
of winning a NBA championship every year. Because no matter how good your season is, only one team goes home <i>truly</i> happy every year. You, me, and everyone else not a professional (keyword
PROFESSIONAL as in get paid to do it because it's a job) athlete, has a much longer window to do their given trade. Imagine if you only
could do your job for 10 years. What if Steven Spielberg could only have made movies for 10 years? If you had such a small time in a career field, wouldn’t you do everything you could to be in
the best possible position to have success?<o:p></o:p></div>
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LeBron did all he could do in Miami. Four years, four straight Finals, and two titles. Miami was a city that more than willingly accepted/welcomed him, but in Cleveland LeBron is <b>beloved</b>. Miami and its fans never really appreciated LeBron or his greatness. Like game six of the 2013 NBA Finals. Half the
stadium walks out when the Heat looked like they were down for the count. They, Heat “fans”, quit on the team. They quit on LeBron. If that was game six in Cleveland, they would NEVER do that. This season, in game five when the Spurs were
gutting Miami, again the fans dipped. Cleveland never does that. They stay and
they cheer a two-time champion that took them to four straight finals.
Cleveland would understand that yes they lost, but you stay and give them
thanks. That you cheer for a team that gave you such joy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4-43al9jv6YUVRswGXarzbR7pBcD9mnHZALTi-4fFCPr9Mh1etH5aU-hqniY_qdn3PjayWLubUt8Wokxy0nNg_NjnsWQmyLXY7vc3q4BSQrDMF-5PN5fndPnGdDfsFGm75pggqnTY7cP/s1600/LeBron-James-Cleveland-Cavaliers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF4-43al9jv6YUVRswGXarzbR7pBcD9mnHZALTi-4fFCPr9Mh1etH5aU-hqniY_qdn3PjayWLubUt8Wokxy0nNg_NjnsWQmyLXY7vc3q4BSQrDMF-5PN5fndPnGdDfsFGm75pggqnTY7cP/s1600/LeBron-James-Cleveland-Cavaliers.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Irving and James will be just two of the four number <br />
one draft picks on the same team that drafted them. <br />
Bennett & Wiggins are the other number one draft picks of the Cavs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
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James is a better player, a better man than he was when he
left Cleveland. He said as much himself in the letter. I'd even say Cleveland is better because he left. They got THREE number one draft picks because of his exit. And two other lottery picks. I don’t think the Cavs
win the title next season. Not sure they can get that far with their current roster. Now if Cleveland is
able to land Kevin Love and pair him with James and Kyrie Irving, then yes,
they become INSTANT title favorites.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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In life you don’t get too many second chances. I mean you just
don’t. Once you screw something up, it usually stays that way. But when you're given the chance to do it over. To do it right. When you do, you take advantage of that
chance. This is a great day in sports history. Not just for Cleveland but for us
all. Sometimes sports is about something more. Something more than money. More than
titles even. Sometimes it's about what makes you happy. Sometimes it’s about what’s right. <i>“I have a responsibility to lead, in more
ways than one,” </i>James said<i>. “And I take that very serious.”</i> he continued. Outside of Miami, (And even they can't be <i>too</i> upset about this) how can you hate <i>that</i>? How
can you be mad at <i>that</i>? How can you be mad at a guy trying to make it right? This is proof that no
matter what you do and no matter how you leave, you can always go home.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-60515210610344764152014-05-28T12:50:00.000-07:002014-05-28T13:03:22.155-07:00The Twisted Confessions and Atramentous Musings of A "Broke" Writer (The Balance)<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">I </span>haven’t written one of these in a while. Life gets busy what can I say. “The Balance” is the most important thing to understand as an
artist. Of course learning and mastering your chosen craft is instrumental in capturing success, but that expertise is nothing without knowing and finding “The Balance”. Besides the typical internal bullshit, you know doubt, self-loathing, fear,
blah, blah, we artistic types have to go through another fight that I've found to be the most
important during the creative process.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px;">
ALL creatives serve "The Balance". We have no choice. Even if you don’t think you do, you do. Beyoncé, Martin Scorsese, Tom Ford, Jennifer Lawrence, Aaron Sorkin, or whoever else you can think of all serve these three masters. If <i>these</i> people have to respect "The Balance" why shouldn't you?</div>
</div>
</div>
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<br />
Whenever I pen anything, I always think about the three factors that make up "The Balance". In no particular order it goes
something like this; executives/producers, fans/consumers, and artistic
integrity. Again, you can put them in any order you’d like, but as long as you
know them you’re on the right path. I don’t put a single letter on the page of
a script, treatment or whatever without thinking about these three things.
Think of them like the three branches of our government. Executive, Legislative and Judicial. Each branch is equally as important as the next and no branch is more important than the other. It’s all about checks and balances.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;">1. </span>The executives/producers means thinking about the bosses
when you start a project. These are the people that "give the money to MAKE the money". You
have to think, "Is this going to make
money?" Because if you are trying to pitch something that isn’t, going to make money or lead to money, you’re NEVER going to get it off the ground. There has to be some kind of dollars involved. Remember
this is a J-O-B. People have car payments, overpriced pre-school tuitions, mortgages
and mistresses. No one is doing this for "love" or for "free". They want to get
paid now and if they do work for free, the project has to pay off one day. Sad, but these are facts.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">2. </span>Fans/consumers are the lifeblood of this and every other
business on the planet. You have to know whom you’re trying to reach. "Who’s
going to watch this show?" "Who’s going to listen to this song?" "Who’s going to buy these jeans?" We, artist, do this partly for the feedback. No one wants to perform
in an empty Madison Square Garden. Or have a film that’s seen by no one. Good
or bad, as an artist you are/should always be looking for a reaction. And if you're not creating with the consumer in mind you're already in a bad spot.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">3. </span>Artistic integrity. "Do you the artist, the creator,
love your creation?" "Is it something you can be proud of?" "Does it speak to who you
are and the message you want to get to the masses?" Or does it make your skin
crawl? Do you wish the project never existed? These are the things you have to ask
yourself when you are thinking about this part of "The Balance". Because art is
forever and you want to be sure that it's something you can live with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You can’t do anything without thinking about those
three things. Is this going to make my bosses money? Will an audience connect with this?
And does this satisfy me creatively as an artist? Making a project that successfully and completely speaks "Yes" to all three is “The Balance.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes artist make the mistake of letting "The Balance" get out of wack. Take Kanye West’s <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Yeezus</i></b>. This is the
example of a project completely serving the artistic integrity of the artist and not his fans or his investors. It
sold like crap, by Kanye's previous standards anyway, it had zero marketable singles, and fans hated it. Music, much like film, first and foremost
NEEDS to be entertaining. As in, it has to be <i>sonically pleasing to your ears</i>.
That doesn’t mean you can’t say something deep/thought
provoking. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Imagine</i></b>, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What’s</i></b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goin’</i></b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On</i></b>,
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A</i></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Change</i></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gon</i></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Come</i></b>,
and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Like
a Rolling Stone</i></b> are examples of just a few songs that have profound
messages, total artistic freedom, but remain enjoyable listens and hit songs. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are songs/films/projects so "corporate" they literally sound/look like commercials.
Sometimes you as an artist would love to
grow, but expectations from the fans and executives forces you to create something that’s more of the
same because they (the executives) know they’ll (the fans) eat it up. It’s a real struggle at times to find “The Balance". It’s up to you, the artist, not to cave under the pressure of wanting
to satisfy one part of "The Balance" over the rest. But when you do find that sweet spot. Where you create something the fans love, that keeps the execs swimming
in cash AND makes you proud, well, there’s
NOTHING greater.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-88510778309825052022014-05-22T19:42:00.002-07:002014-05-22T19:57:12.846-07:00Love the Game, Hate The People<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD8-2VYjUtHWl9EZdSZNxFANGpo7E3TqE2Wh0BaEFxVIq5yaHt-NHqNTub5Qfj-GjzWn43currHCo_tiOzzTR8ACkcKW3o9G42Njgsl2BaSRyKqOIROA-Db5jYSDhTjTJ98aLU48nfoU_I/s1600/ap_san_fran_shooting_sc_110822_wg_crop_exact.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD8-2VYjUtHWl9EZdSZNxFANGpo7E3TqE2Wh0BaEFxVIq5yaHt-NHqNTub5Qfj-GjzWn43currHCo_tiOzzTR8ACkcKW3o9G42Njgsl2BaSRyKqOIROA-Db5jYSDhTjTJ98aLU48nfoU_I/s1600/ap_san_fran_shooting_sc_110822_wg_crop_exact.jpeg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All of these people...are idiots. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I </span>hate Lakers fans. I hate Clippers fans. I hate Celtics
fans. Heat Fans. 49ers fans. Seahawks fans. Cowboys fans. Lions fans. Yankees fans. Red Sox fans. Cubs fans. Michigan
University Football fans. Ohio State fans. Man U fans. Brazilian soccer fans. Any
other team’s fans for that matter. I hate them all! Sad part is, I root for several of those
teams. The Lakers, Lions, Michigan Wolverines and Cubs are all “my” teams, but I’m really, really starting to hate the fans.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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There’s an old Chris Rock joke that goes, “I love Black
people but I hate niggas! Boy I hate niggas so much I wish I could join the KKK!” I
love sports, but I hate sports fans! Love the games (and I use the word “love” very loosely,) but hate (and I use that word KNOWINGLY) some of the
people that watch the games. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAF7itSbtZDk7x4kbxTkKwAw3dDptMJ-5sx_KYWKicpVenZ8Amz8eNxNuYglhzAhybiwXLHEPD0V6JO22Tl9oMSH5ZOZ_psgW9ut8IGQfismOmjLhkpLY3KY9yXZRvQZQzlvOFoMfo8Yjl/s1600/Fans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAF7itSbtZDk7x4kbxTkKwAw3dDptMJ-5sx_KYWKicpVenZ8Amz8eNxNuYglhzAhybiwXLHEPD0V6JO22Tl9oMSH5ZOZ_psgW9ut8IGQfismOmjLhkpLY3KY9yXZRvQZQzlvOFoMfo8Yjl/s1600/Fans.jpg" height="320" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This guy has "life issues" that Jesus couldn't fix.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
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Fan is short for fanatic. Merriam-Webster defines it
as “marked by excessive enthusiasm and often intense uncritical devotion. “ Let’s
break down this definition. “Excessive enthusiasm” means that even when the
team is shitty/average a “fan” is always going to be way too excited about the
team. Even as the team yields mediocre results, they'll always think higher of them (the team) than they should. <b>(A’la Cowboy fans, Lakers fans, Yankees fans.) </b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Uncritical devotion” means that even when the
team and/or players on the team, does something wrong, on or off the field, a
fan is unable to render any judgment on their players' or
team's wrongdoing. <b>(A’la Kobe/Lakers fans after Colorado. A’la Washington
Football Fans that excuse their team's CLEARLY racist nickname. A’la 49ers fan after Aldon Smith does…well anything.)</b></div>
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<br /></div>
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Even when these guys are dirt bags, cheating, lying, lowdown a-holes, "fans" <i>STILL</i> support them. If the name on the front of the jersey is a team they like, fans will wholeheartedly stand by them like a cheating politician’s
wife at one of those apology press conference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like a
person dressed in your favorite team’s gear somehow gives them a pass to commit multiple DUIs, slap their
wife/girlfriend and even murder people… allegedly anyway. If these men didn’t
run, jump, or throw the ball for a team you liked, then they’d be a public outcast like anyone else
would be.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">M</span>y biggest problem is fans are too stupid to realize they control sports. Not the players, not the owners, the FANS! They,
the collective body, don’t realize that without us forking over our hard-earned money for overpriced
parking, overpriced hotdogs, overpriced beers and VASTLY overpriced seats, game after game, that teams would be
NOTHING. Fans don’t get that the greatest message they could send to a racist owner, or
perennially mismanaged franchise, would be leaving their 40,000 plus seat stadium empty on gamenight. Imagine if the Washington Professional Football fans voiced their desire for wanting the team name to be changed by leaving FedEx Field a ghost town
on opening Sunday. The name would change from “Redskins” to “Fluffy Love
Fairies” by halftime. Fans have that much power but NEVER wield it. <b>(Quick
tangent about the Washington football nickname. Ask yourself this; would Dan Snyder, anyone that’s a fan of that team or anyone else feel comfortable
addressing a Native American as “Redskin”? Didn’t think so. If you won’t call a
person a “Redskin”, why the hell would you call a team that!)</b></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Looking on the outside, I see why it’s so easy to hate us
Lakers fans. All we do is talk about "our" 16 titles. Hell, we don’t even have the most
which is the most frustrating part about "us" bragging about that fact. <b>(The hated Boston Celtics have 17)</b> If we’re talking about
things in a historical context then sure, pound your chest Lakers nation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If someone is stupid enough to want to talk
about their team's legacy versus ours, then get at them. Of the ten arguably greatest players ever, four have had on a Lakers jersey at one point in their
career. <b>(Magic, Wilt, Kobe, Kareem) </b>But if a person is talking about the here and now, we need to do like all the other fans of hapless franchise right now, <b>(IE Bucks,
Cavs, Sixers fans)</b> SHUT THE FUCK UP! We suck.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip717zDhN88oQqR3s1zAKd7atvVU04MDsysZwWSkfY95MBdPUcyVIjyP4LljUqGW3tncewPSFAbwhn8Dckpjb2zBJDfDzXVc-VbdoeNbo4MhknM9vyWyvFubjQ-QFRHVmo_5OcRf7PDIWF/s1600/depressed+fan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip717zDhN88oQqR3s1zAKd7atvVU04MDsysZwWSkfY95MBdPUcyVIjyP4LljUqGW3tncewPSFAbwhn8Dckpjb2zBJDfDzXVc-VbdoeNbo4MhknM9vyWyvFubjQ-QFRHVmo_5OcRf7PDIWF/s1600/depressed+fan.jpg" height="219" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New rule: Unless you weren't ON THE FIELD playing the game,<br />
or you're NOT under the age of 8, you DON'T get to act like THIS.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
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Look, I understand that sports can be something more.
Something greater. Programs like ESPN's <b><i>30-for-30</i></b> and <b><i>E-60</i></b> or HBO's <i><b>Real Sports </b></i>do an awesome job of
showcasing how a game can become something more than, well, more than a game.
But for the most part fans need to remember, these are grown men playing a game, not fighting a war or curing cancer mind you, PLAYING A GAME that
<b>(BARRING YOU HAVING WAGED YOUR HOUSE ON THE OUTCOME, which is a WHOLE OTHER
article)</b>, has ZERO effect on your life! My brother didn’t speak to me for weeks
after the 49ers Vs. Seahawks game. I don’t care what he says, <i>I KNOW THAT GAME
HAD AT LEAST SOMETHING TO DO WITH HIS MOOD</i>. You’d think Richard Sherman
personally came in our apartment and slapped this negro the way he was acting. You’d think he was on the field in the number 7 jersey throwing passes the way he was depressed. Nothing outside of something happening to my children, mother, girlfriend, family or friends could get me <i>that</i>
upset.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You see, it’s a problem that after Green Bay Packers losses, domestic
violence goes up 45% in the state of Wisconsin! Really?! Why do people put such importance on the outcome
of a meaningless event, in the grand scheme of life, that they themselves <b><i>HAVE NO
CONTROL OVER</i></b>? I’ll never understand that. I mean I get “rec league guy” getting
all crazy because he’s there, in the moment. on the court. He’s still crazy but
at least he’s going crazy over a game he is <b><i>ACTUALLY INVOLVED IN AND HAS A
CHANCE TO EFFECT THE OUTCOME. </i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrvI53lgKP6O7w-5AXEc4qkXtyuPyIeP60AOrKq7bDcVyV2Dtl8W_wDc_wP7Q93iICHSOfvq1SNqFkTcglhn9emGJUX_by4WAEIdcs9NxP49zRZ6WkkXYtxdosbA7a79JpIvPSqU87OGa/s1600/crazyheatlady.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrvI53lgKP6O7w-5AXEc4qkXtyuPyIeP60AOrKq7bDcVyV2Dtl8W_wDc_wP7Q93iICHSOfvq1SNqFkTcglhn9emGJUX_by4WAEIdcs9NxP49zRZ6WkkXYtxdosbA7a79JpIvPSqU87OGa/s1600/crazyheatlady.png" height="168" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Again... idiot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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Maybe it’s because I’m happy and I don’t have to put sports on
this weird pedestal a lot of other fans do. I have two great kids. I have great relationships with
my friends and family. I think I have the world’s best job. I’m really lucky I guess, because
most people don’t have these “luxuries”. I mean, if I hated one or a few of
those things in my life, then <i>maybe, </i>and just <i>maybe</i>, I would try to replace it with
something else. But I would not replace it with something I couldn’t control like professional sports.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So from here on out, I’m no longer a Lakers “fan” or a
Michigan “fan, or a Lions “fan”, or a “fan” of any other sports team. I’m a Lakers “watcher”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> A </span>Lions
“viewer”. A Cubs “observer”. Which Merriam defines as “a person who
watches or notices something”. Because the only thing that I have an
“excessive enthusiasm” for or an “intense uncritical devotion” to is a little
girl named Aaliyah and a little boy named Dominic. (Those are my kids.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-66615330328884602852014-05-05T16:03:00.002-07:002014-05-06T12:52:39.956-07:00The Great Point Guard Myth<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Of3csX_O3d9k6a9wtvEVSwTlNkTxlRGA11tY4984F2HXL1JB3n-c45OAvFDtQvfLPYzF8YaDhBQMT7vtiq5ukiSbUXSxG68OpEKkAL1sAYHVaRkukSvMwWIbLEVMYPAJnbyF-hKeMN5S/s1600/nba-best-point-guard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Of3csX_O3d9k6a9wtvEVSwTlNkTxlRGA11tY4984F2HXL1JB3n-c45OAvFDtQvfLPYzF8YaDhBQMT7vtiq5ukiSbUXSxG68OpEKkAL1sAYHVaRkukSvMwWIbLEVMYPAJnbyF-hKeMN5S/s1600/nba-best-point-guard.jpg" height="198" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These players ARE NOT important!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>he greatest lie the devil ever told wasn’t convincing the
world that he didn’t exist. No, no, no, Lucifer’s best fib was convincing
anyone with a higher basketball knowledge in today’s world that guards, in
particular point guards, are important to winning a NBA title. You can’t turn
on ESPN, TV or radio without hearing talking heads say the same thing over and over
again about the NBA. “It’s a point guard driven league.” “Point guard play is so
key this time of year.” “You gotta get point great guard play or it’s over.”
Every time I hear this I want to punch my laptop.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The NBA is the easiest league to figure out. That’s why it’s
not as popular as the NFL. The flexibility and unpredictably of the NFL is what
makes it great. Those things, flexibility and unpredictably, make it a better sport to bet on. Anything can happen. The Houston Texans and Atlanta Falcons are the
ultimate case study. In 2012, both were a combined 24-7, won their divisions
AND a playoff game. One year later, 8-26 and now at the top of the NFL Draft! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Teams like Philly and Kansas City are the same in reverse.
Loser in 2012, but winners in 2013. The players contracts aren’t guaranteed in
the NFL so players can come and go almost exclusively on their production level.
Look at someone like Albert Haysworth in the NFL and Amar’e Stoudemire in the
NBA. Both 32 years old. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(Haysworth now
Stoudemire in November)</b> Both have been shot years ago athletically but
because Haysworth was in the NFL he was cut and hasn’t even sniffed a field
since 2011, while Stoudemire is still sucking the life out of the New York
Knicks. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(Cut to Knicks fans punching
their laptops and Stoudemire putting on a ski mask to pick up his check while
Gilbert Arenas drives the getaway car.) </b>If the NFL was like the NBA, Haysworth
would STILL HAVE TWO MORE SEASONS OF CHECKS COMING TO HIM. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(RE-READ THAT SENTENCE!)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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You can rebuild and retool on the fly in the NFL. Every year
you can start over and do it again. Every team has a REAL SHOT! You don’t even
have to have a first round pick to find a star in the NFL. Look at the Seattle Seahawks.
Russell Wilson was a third round pick. You rarely, and I mean RARELY, get a great
player outside of the top ten in the NBA Draft, much least the second round. That’s the
NFL’s greatest advantage over the NBA. Philly football fans can honestly
believe in their team’s chances to win a Super Bowl this season. If you’re a Philly basketball
fan and you think the Sixers are going to win the NBA, you need to run outside
and check the date on a newspaper because you’ve traveled back in time to 1982.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Going into this NBA season we could identify roughly five
teams with a REAL chance at the title <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(Miami,
San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Chicago, and Indiana)</b> and ten teams with the same
chances as my six-year old son’s youth summer camp team. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(LA Lakers, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Boston, Sacramento, Utah, Orlando,
New Orleans, Cleveland and Minnesota.)</b> There are only five guys on the
court for each team at one time so naturally the eye test works so much easier
in the NBA than the NFL. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGr6ilY8zLroDhIYO3_rOkl_9ze5b29-ecVfXT7t9KpKca5aYA6dK_Px4lQw5WojdFz_hRlbQE90lcuekpQnj1ICY4rqQ5sPtcB_cj8Swi-U4jIMOraih81n9L9eHKN4ZJ2MfLBVdlnTwb/s1600/Lebron-James.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGr6ilY8zLroDhIYO3_rOkl_9ze5b29-ecVfXT7t9KpKca5aYA6dK_Px4lQw5WojdFz_hRlbQE90lcuekpQnj1ICY4rqQ5sPtcB_cj8Swi-U4jIMOraih81n9L9eHKN4ZJ2MfLBVdlnTwb/s1600/Lebron-James.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is this man on your team? If not, chances are your team WON'T win it all.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I can’t tell you who the best lineman is in the NFL. I just
look at whoever gets voted All-Pro and say “Seems right to me.” I don’t need a
NBA expert to tell me LeBron James is the best player. You could bring Martians
to Earth with no knowledge of the game of basketball, show them the first half of a
Miami game, tell them what numbers are, then ask which player was the best and
they’d say the tall one in the number six jersey.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Because the number of players is so small, you could swap LeBron
in for the following teams and they have a legit chance to winning the title this season; Clippers,
Thunder, Bulls, Portland, Houston, Memphis, Washington, Spurs, and Pacers.You
could put James on ANY team they’d all win at least 50 games and make the
playoffs. Put Peyton Manning on the Jags and the Jags are STILL gonna suck. Look at how the same roster fell apart after he left Cleveland that
first season. This isn’t a best point guard wins league, it’s a best PLAYER
wins league. The only time the best point guard wins the title is if the best
player just HAPPENS to be a point guard. Lets look at the past champions, their
starting point guard and see when best point guard wins the title.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2013-12 Heat</b>: The
Immortal Mario Chalmers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2011 Mavs</b>: Jason
“I Became A Coach Two Years Later” Kidd.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2009-10 Lakers</b>:
Derek “Never Made an All-Star, All-Anything, NBA Team” Fisher<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2008 Celtics</b>:
Rajon “At The Time I was the weak link” Rondo<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2007 Spurs</b>: Tony
“Only One All-Star, not as good as I am now” Parker<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2006 Heat</b>: Jason
“White Chocolate/Flash In Pan” Williams<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2005 Spurs</b>: Tony
“Not Good Yet” Parker<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2004 Pistons</b>:
Chauncey “You Didn’t Know I Was An All-Star Yet” Billups<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2003 Spurs</b>: Tony
“Even Worst” Parker<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">2002-00 Lakers</b>:
Derek “As Good As I’ll Get And STILL Never Be An All-Star” Fisher<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1999 Spurs</b>: Avery
“The only individual award I’ll win is Coach Of the Year” Johnson<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1998-96 Bulls</b>:
Ron “Guess What? I never made an All-Star Either” Harper<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1995-94 Rockets</b>:
Kenny “More famous for being Barkley’s second banana” Smith<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1993-91 Bulls</b>:
John “Never made an All-Star” Paxton<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">1990-89 Pistons</b>:
Isiah "FINALLY" Thomas<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2LPJPV1Qs4nAszxVJ3yr9-yL2-XLl87YLW735Pj-79zGxbofZ9c3gP356CT5jnjdljGI5ZW9OammuCCp-76JkyGVvlLHAvLG0y7syQEpyc91mOP2nQAwP2uHbgP1fg5VgZt6tMvr95l8e/s1600/IT+and+Magic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2LPJPV1Qs4nAszxVJ3yr9-yL2-XLl87YLW735Pj-79zGxbofZ9c3gP356CT5jnjdljGI5ZW9OammuCCp-76JkyGVvlLHAvLG0y7syQEpyc91mOP2nQAwP2uHbgP1fg5VgZt6tMvr95l8e/s1600/IT+and+Magic.jpg" height="220" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Magic and Isiah. Last of the great point guards to win NBA Championship</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I had to go ALLLL the way back to 1990 for the last “best
point guard in the league” NBA title<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">. (And Isiah being the best is debatable cause Magic was still Magic so
the best point guard may have not even WON the title those seasons.)</b> And the
last best player being a point guard title was the 1988 Lakers with Magic.
Having a great point guard is about as important as having a “great” pinky toe.
You technically <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">need</i> one, but you’ll
live without it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is one way to win a title. Have one of the five best
players in the league at the time, PLUS at least one active “I can make or
made” an All-Star teammate. Jordan was the best but had Pippen. Shaq was the
best but had Kobe. Kobe was the best but had Pau. LeBron is the best, but has Wade & Bosh. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYyQfnEM2nM_dyoNSyJxUg4stWtLOHzIx1A3smlw0eIkmyB2QuXEMhFqNaQhOX5yQi3C3x09hYTZHFPdi5Y78qVYb_oTbn65XsOmS4cGOsx0qmNLiPSFKjSbaZHvBUjFlVAsm0ZEX0L9Y/s1600/Dallas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYyQfnEM2nM_dyoNSyJxUg4stWtLOHzIx1A3smlw0eIkmyB2QuXEMhFqNaQhOX5yQi3C3x09hYTZHFPdi5Y78qVYb_oTbn65XsOmS4cGOsx0qmNLiPSFKjSbaZHvBUjFlVAsm0ZEX0L9Y/s1600/Dallas.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Serious how the hell did the Mavs win the 2011 title?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">O</span>nly the 1994 Houston Rockets had the best player do it
solo. The 2004 Detroit Pistons were aliens. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">(Hindsight shows us that Detroit had four All-Stars in Billups,
Hamilton, Wallace Ben and Rasheed both that is. But they still should not have
been able to win.)</b> And the 2011 Dallas Mavericks themselves still can’t
believe they won. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They didn’t have the best player or an active All-Star sidekick. Dirk was an All-Star but wasn’t even a top five in the league guy at the time. I still have NO clue
how they won that title over Miami. You can’t say 2008 Celtics didn't have a top five guy because KG
finished second in the MVP so he was clearly one of the five best players.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This isn’t rocket science. This is as easy as it gets. We
don’t need to waste time talking about point guard play. All you
need from your point guard is a guy who can just keep it together. Someone who doesn’t
make a <i>huge</i> mistake in the <i>huge</i> moment. You don’t need the best point guard. You just need the best guy, regardless of position. That “best point guard” moniker
has gotten Chris Paul NO TITLES. Derrick Rose, NO TITLE. Steve Nash, NO TITLES.
Jason Kidd, NO TITLE in his prime. Gary Payton NO TITLE in his prime. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Want to know if your team is going to win the title? Ask
yourself two simple questions. “Does my team have the best player?” “Does my
team have one of the five best players?” If the answer to either or both was
no, then no. If the answer to one or both was yes, then maybe. And maybe is a
hell of a lot better than no.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-5471674214667486742014-05-02T13:54:00.002-07:002014-07-11T15:40:13.970-07:00"...And Martin Luther King Jr Had Hoes" <div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">“</span><span style="background: white; color: #252525; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>t is a
peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at
one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a
world that looks on in amused contempt and pity</span>”<o:p></o:p></div>
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As insightful as I am, the quote above
is not from my own hand. It’s from the famed African –American socialist W.E.B. Du
Bois. What you’re about to read here holds nowhere near the intellectual gravity
of something like <b style="font-style: italic;">The
Soul of Black Folk. </b> This is a tongue-in-cheek and very politically
incorrect social commentary on a few <o:p></o:p>age-old "certainties" in the Black community.</div>
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Self awareness is the hardest thing for anyone to do, so I don't expect this to be easy to read if you're Black. And it shouldn't be. I believe that we, as a Black people, need to shine the
brightest light on ourselves. </div>
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<h3>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Police Aren’t Always Out to Get Us!</span></h3>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Let me tell you a little secret. Most
people live their lives with little to NO interaction with law enforcement. Why is that? Because they don’t place themselves in situations where the police
SHOULD be involved. Sure, Blacks are sometimes unfairly treated by the police. I
myself have been “harassed” a time or two, but a lot of times, I must admit I was doing something I shouldn't or I was in a place where someone else was doing something they shouldn’t. Think really hard about an interaction with the police. Remove your emotion and you'll see that 99.999% of the time they probably had a fair and reasonable excuse to be there.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_VC9FRTZa97mkQku38xBahBFcQ_p095DOhyFJuZl35ojGJMq9HTkxvZKkjebmZi84TVqFBDjnWMLdGnkJKDOXLohFGUTZ4M9kxfQlspkpehLIh0bxQl82HbraTiMvrzP3aQ3_1UYt4fg-/s1600/police-brutality-1024x766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_VC9FRTZa97mkQku38xBahBFcQ_p095DOhyFJuZl35ojGJMq9HTkxvZKkjebmZi84TVqFBDjnWMLdGnkJKDOXLohFGUTZ4M9kxfQlspkpehLIh0bxQl82HbraTiMvrzP3aQ3_1UYt4fg-/s1600/police-brutality-1024x766.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two sides to every story. Don't do anything to get you a**kicked <br />
then mostly you won't get you ass kicked.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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During a conversation with a police
officer, (And he was a Black police officer) on a film set I learned something that makes a lot of sense. "<i>If the police is soap and every neighborhood is a body, the police in your neighborhood has to deal with the “armpits” and "asshole" "</i> the officer said. <i>"Every part of the body is the same color, and not all parts smell. In fact, some parts are really nice, but when you're always getting jammed in the ass you're just going to assume everywhere stinks and needs to be scrubbed." </i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
You have to be mindful that the police never get calls where people say things like “Hey
we’re having a party and just wanted to see if you guys wanted to come hangout with us.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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They get called because someone in f**king up. They’re almost exclusively dealing with people committing or
suspected of committing crimes. So when this officer was in a black neighborhood, he was
always dealing with the lower end of Black culture, and as unfair as it was he too started to get a “slanted view” of all Black people. Same thing happened with
Mexicans when he worked that beat. Same thing was happening now that he was
working a beat in a White neighborhood. That's just human nature man. Unfair? Yes, but anyone would start to feel that way. <i>“Cops who work in White
neighborhoods look at all White people the same way cops working in our neighborhoods
look at all Black people; potential suspects.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<h3>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Soul Food SUCKS!</span></h3>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’m writing a movie and I have a great
line about soul food that I’ll use here and now. </span><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"The
easiest thing for a people to pass down is their food and their recipes. An
important part of a culture is what the people eat. Unfortunately for
African-Americans we were victims of slavery. This means we were left to eat
whatever our masters didn't. Pigs feet, chittlins, hog maws, neck bones and all
the other shit that wasn't originally meant for human consumption. So in turn
we've passed down a shitty diet from generation to generation."</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLHfDCHV4ZEqe4X_ULyG4xtHaQHkp-2wHztVr4IxAQ4FSmv9EwfxrgGOkfT8A8Tn9fwUBLt8_-8qdejwKMn3r4Ozzjq_bC2NUM5tfXzQRP7lmS4W_REhQBvm5WtbmfZnO4atFl8NgfzNq/s1600/Soul+Food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLHfDCHV4ZEqe4X_ULyG4xtHaQHkp-2wHztVr4IxAQ4FSmv9EwfxrgGOkfT8A8Tn9fwUBLt8_-8qdejwKMn3r4Ozzjq_bC2NUM5tfXzQRP7lmS4W_REhQBvm5WtbmfZnO4atFl8NgfzNq/s1600/Soul+Food.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "soul" may be the only think this meal is good for, <br />
because it damn sure ain't good for anything else in your body.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There is a reason that Blacks are more
likely to have high blood pressure, be obesity, or get diabetes. Most of these diseases
are centered on a person’s diet and Black people have been eating so badly for so
long that our genes were literally reshaped! As good as soul food is, few
things on the menu have real nutritional value. We as a people need to put down the fried
chicken and collard greens and pick up some steamed veggies and baked fish. We
need to introduce healthy recipes to create a better diet for our children and
start to reverse at least one of the effects of slavery that still impact us today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">OJ Probably Did It.</span></h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAzvGZs4MVo4JAvGxmTT6mn-iQXiTtwIGhGr0Od292f6DNCvprDW9UIczqP0zACVhIJpPDD_2IaefA0GvI8azPBHEp_mssiziUGeuqU3BzESqQVVzzsyadtwK2h9BTY0t2HzVt2dk_79zw/s1600/OJ+mugshot.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAzvGZs4MVo4JAvGxmTT6mn-iQXiTtwIGhGr0Od292f6DNCvprDW9UIczqP0zACVhIJpPDD_2IaefA0GvI8azPBHEp_mssiziUGeuqU3BzESqQVVzzsyadtwK2h9BTY0t2HzVt2dk_79zw/s1600/OJ+mugshot.jpeg" height="400" width="369" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guilty.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Really nothing else to say. That
negro’s guilty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We Don't Give The Good White People Get Enough Credit</span></h3>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If you know me, I can be a bit… should I say “militant”. There are times where I say things that make Kanye West look like Carlton Banks from <i>Fresh Prince</i>. </span>Look at Civil Rights like a game of a tug-of-war between giants and men. We needed a few giants to switch sides, pull WITH us, and swing public opinion for more giants to join in. Civil Rights took a <i>real</i> turn after this moment.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/7BEhKgoA86U?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">John F. Kennedy, the most powerful and recognizable White man in the country, instantly helped vilify every racist in a way Martin Luther King JR never
could do. They were not only shamed by one of their own but the most important of their own. What JFK really did was act as an example for the rest of White America on the fence about Civil Rights to follow. He helped Whites that would have otherwise continued to stand pat, get off their asses and join our cause. In a sense, he<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“co-signed” for us and that helped fast-track civil rights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">My greatest point is this: A White
person that TRULY cared about Civil Rights in 1960’s showed real courage. If
you were Black in 1960's, you were <b><i>supposed</i></b> to show courage. If your house is burning down,
you’re <b>SUPPOSE</b> to run in and save YOUR kids. Hell it’s YOUR house! Sure it’s still a brave action but it’s an EXPECTED, and I’d even say a required action. You see your neighbor on the other hand doesn’t have to lift a finger. Why should they? Their house is
fine, their kids are fine, why should they risk their lives? </span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgImZVnC_0VBAK9g7Rapx2Ej52G8gNKTLX5Ar4Mpr4N7nqnDyOYOMKG-igLKjAHcN8__W6Ik6DQ6FgCK-hGrAflli__V9T4rCky686uFk7jaURW2GQi4ZZK05EKP47yYKU3QKFG8hmRZDuz/s1600/MLK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgImZVnC_0VBAK9g7Rapx2Ej52G8gNKTLX5Ar4Mpr4N7nqnDyOYOMKG-igLKjAHcN8__W6Ik6DQ6FgCK-hGrAflli__V9T4rCky686uFk7jaURW2GQi4ZZK05EKP47yYKU3QKFG8hmRZDuz/s1600/MLK.jpg" height="206" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you name the two white guys in this picture and/or tell me <br />
why the greatest Civil Right leader is holding it?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That’s not only a
brave action but it’s a selfless sacrifice. A White person
siding with Blacks on Civil Rights in early 20th Century would mean becoming a social outcast, and in the south, it could even mean death. Yes, more White people were on the opposite side of the fence, let’s not be so
quick to dismiss the ones that were willingly hand-in-hand with us. We should honor those that fought with us because they are just as much a part of Black History. Because Black History is American History.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Union Winning The Civil War Was The
Worst Thing to Happen to The Country.</span></h3>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is so much more complex than you
think. If you’re still reading, this one is going to change the way you
view that war forever. It’s going to take a minute but stay with me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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There is no debating it. The Civil War
<b><i>had</i></b> to happen. Slavery is a black eye that this country WILL never erase. Ever.
While the Union’s victory propelled the country forward, that
same victory sealed us to a fate, in some respects, far worse. <o:p></o:p></div>
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What makes this country different from every
other country on this planet? It’s not our freedoms and liberties. Canada,
England, and France enjoy many of the same ones you and I do. In some cases, like free health care, even better ones. What about our wealth and technology? Japan is just as advanced. China’s just as rich. Then what makes us
different? We’re the only country where the people have a fear of the
government and <i>not</i> the other way around. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sure there are other governments that are far
more ruthless, but it’s because those governments have a real and </span><i>palpable</i> fear of its people. For a good
reason too. Every great civilization have been able to successfully overthrow
their government at one point or another. Look at what happened in the Middle
East a few years ago. Those people were successful in overthrowing incompetent
and cruel leaders, giving their country new starts from the ashes of
rebellion. Of course some of those situations still aren’t ideal and most have years of
unrest ahead, but you know what? They were still ABLE to do something which is more
than us here in America can say. We can’t do anything to change our government.</div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why is that? How can issues that have
over 90% of the voting population's support still not pass in Congress? Why can’t something as </span>universally agreed upon like raising the minimum wage happen? How can the vast majority of the public think something should change and it still not change? Why do lawmakers seem to do whatever cooperations want and NOT what the people want? Because all those years ago when Robert E. Lee
surrendered, he also surrendered the people’s ability to ever truly question our government ever again. That victory empowered US government over the people and the
stranglehold has never loosened. In fact, it was tightened, with added agencies like the FBI, NSA and the CIA. And with laws like the Patriot
Act.</div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO66aweUfOw8NUhCWNNO-t0R82xbZgDvOE6fBviycwb3Isu9vWUxJtLtm4qMo77Yng_uOZ0RwiDBjCNErRzCnFzmUmU0DCFAWFH8qA4cJYObrtYoZfvMKtaU38Jh8hTY9Jo7nkD1ZQclRr/s1600/Black-Soldiers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO66aweUfOw8NUhCWNNO-t0R82xbZgDvOE6fBviycwb3Isu9vWUxJtLtm4qMo77Yng_uOZ0RwiDBjCNErRzCnFzmUmU0DCFAWFH8qA4cJYObrtYoZfvMKtaU38Jh8hTY9Jo7nkD1ZQclRr/s1600/Black-Soldiers.jpg" height="208" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Civil War was a MUCH needed moment in <br />
American History, but it was ultimately a waste.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></span></div>
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By trying to keep the asinine and archaic
practice of slavery intact, those idiots in the South forced the government to
stand on the right side of history. <b>We, the Independent American people, post Revolutionary
War, used our first chance for Civil Revolution to keep f**king slavery intact!</b> Really?! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It’s like going to a school where some of the
policies suck for it's students. Not all but things really need to change. Say you somehow break into the </span>principal's office, hijack
the intercom and you have a chance to talk to the entire school. A chance for the students to be heard. A chance to make a real impact, but
you use the platform to try and keep an even stupider policy intact. The powers that be then break down the door, kick you
off the intercom AND punish you…severely. The school then goes against your
suggested policy, thus making them look smarter and you dumber. Because of your stupidity the school tightens security and kills any chance of EVER letting a
student speak up. All the while masking the real problem; that some kind of CHANGE needed to
happen. You’ve successful empowered a flawed system into thinking it’s flawless.</div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Since 1865, the government's have been
looking at the American people as simpleminded boobs that can’t think for themselves.
Foolish simpletons that would be lost without Uncle Sam’s guiding hand. They
don’t listen to the people because the last time the people had a real chance to talk the people stood up for something really really really stupid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<h3>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Closing Thoughts</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">N</span>ow before you call me an "Uncle Tom",
let me tell you a few things about me. That opening quote you read? I knew it by heart. I’d venture to say before reading this, most of you didn’t know who W.E.B.
Du Bois was, much less read something like <b style="font-style: italic;">The Soul of Black Folk, </b>which I have<b style="font-style: italic;">.</b> I can tell
you the day Fred Hampton died. Do you know who that is and why he's important? I’ve read Alex Haley’s <b><i>The Autobiography of Malcolm X</i></b>…
<i>twice</i>. I knew about Solomon Northup some ten years before his story became the Oscar winning film <i><b>12 Years A Slave </b></i>because I read part of the book in high school. I say all these things to let you know I'm someone that knows my history and knows the history of his people.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I get it. There are tons of things that
happened in this country that were well beyond our control. </span><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Grande"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If life is a race, and America is the stadium, from 1776 to
about 1900, Blacks were expected to run AND win a race from OUTSIDE the
stadium. From 1900-1975 we were in the stadium but expected to win starting 20
yards behind the other runners WITH 15 pound lead shoes. From 1975 to now, Blacks are running that same race, finally free of the weighted shoes, but we
still start about 15 yards off the pace.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
If anything, our disadvantages should make us stronger, better, faster, and smarter than everyone else not weaker. But we don’t think like that. We just see limits and hurdles rather than building blocks and strengthening opportunities. Too often we quit before we even try. We don’t have the same drive as the generations before us. We’re too comfortable. Most Black folks think "The Struggle" is over. Why? Because we have a Black President, we can sit in the front of a bus and sh*t in same toilets as White folks?</div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Even with those early handicaps, Blacks
like Fredrick Douglas, Mary McLeod and Garrett Morgan STILL made
something of themselves. They found a way to rise above the </span>circumstances of the world they lived in and outshine Whites that had far greater advantages. If you're reading this and you're Black tell me something; what's your excuse some 100 years later? I'd hate for heaven to be a real place, have someone like Booker T. Washington ask me how come I didn't make something more of myself, me have to look him in his eyes and say, "It was too hard". </div>
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Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-70627505369804386372014-04-28T11:43:00.003-07:002014-04-28T18:08:36.896-07:00Nothing Ever Changes: Racism and the Role Social Media Plays To Keep Us Voiceless<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRXXSv9-u3VHTY9MfaV0LCvdd-XGdIeuFb7Mu6rcAw9N1aw-rua-ixpz7xJ2tP2gZaI_VfrA6YdWFnxO46YroHM8HTOxgZzEfakXk8ZRXufMD85DiqJ7cNl7YR8GCly9sLxqBXwXWgoE3B/s1600/Donald+Ste.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRXXSv9-u3VHTY9MfaV0LCvdd-XGdIeuFb7Mu6rcAw9N1aw-rua-ixpz7xJ2tP2gZaI_VfrA6YdWFnxO46YroHM8HTOxgZzEfakXk8ZRXufMD85DiqJ7cNl7YR8GCly9sLxqBXwXWgoE3B/s1600/Donald+Ste.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Will the NBA force Donald Sterling to sell the Clippers amid allegations of racism?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">S</span>o by now you know what this piece is going to be about.
This country’s most uncomfortable and STILL most-glaring problem; racism. I'm starting to realize if there is something for Black folks to miss about pre 1960’s
America, it’s the fact that we knew where we stood with White people. White
people could just “straight up” tell you they didn’t like you and they didn’t have to hide their feelings about you. Which is what made the few
White folks that were kind, and who genuinely believed in change, so much more amazing than the "kind" White folks today (By kind in the sense of being good to Black folks). Back in the day, a White person could be publicly shunned or worst, killed for supporting Black people. Because in 2014 when I interact with
some white people, mostly those over the age of 50, I can’t help but wonder the
same question. If it was 1964 would you be beside me, enduing my struggle or in
front of me, impeding my progress? I’m going to guess there are more closeted
racists in 2014 than there are closeted gays. It's the not knowing that sucks.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s the not knowing that led to the NAACP Los Angeles
chapter awarding Donald Sterling the lifetime achievement award a few years ago. The not knowing ALMOST led to him being awarded it AGAIN this year. I’d rather
have Sterling be the “nigga” hating a-hole he is than some fake a-hole who
pretends to give a damn about me or my people. The worst part about him is for someone that can't seem to even tolerate the presence of Black people, and
other minority groups, he doesn’t seem to mind sleeping with women of
color, or making money off the sweat of men of color. That is a mentality he
shares with Edwin Epps, the villainous slave owner from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">12 Years A Slave</i></b>. They don't look at Blacks as equals but rather view Black men as tools to make them money and Black women as nothing more than a bunch pleasure
“holes”. So in other words minorities are only good for two things; Filling his pockets and excuse me for saying this, "emptying his sack". But what should be done about this?<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I think there should be a full and total boycott of the Los Angeles Clippers while he still owns the team. Not just Black American Clippers fans either. All Clippers fans that found Sterling’s comments sickening shouldn’t step a single toe into the Staples
Center until Sterling sells that team. Only the fans can do something because the players are going to play. Although I think they shouldn’t. Think about it like this, if your partner cheats on you, which of these sends a
stronger message. A, saying your "disappointed" in them but coming back home? Or B, packing your stuff and never returning?</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHND39T-z1296pRGjXHayfSftVj5p2Ldh5x3BayAklWbbTpVboYMpLvm2tc0YpMMFQzwu4Wo4XXf94giA2KPkgFnfoXdz2wfH-CzDoswIW-hgeq8WRSYklmfXnr-wrd9csFH28400S5ox/s1600/Chris+paul.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHND39T-z1296pRGjXHayfSftVj5p2Ldh5x3BayAklWbbTpVboYMpLvm2tc0YpMMFQzwu4Wo4XXf94giA2KPkgFnfoXdz2wfH-CzDoswIW-hgeq8WRSYklmfXnr-wrd9csFH28400S5ox/s1600/Chris+paul.jpg" height="232" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doc Rivers and all Blacks on the Clippers <br />
have a chance to send a strong message.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<br /></div>
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If boycotting was good enough to affect change in Black American Civil Rights then it’s surely good enough to get rid of an owner. Boycotting hurts the
one thing rich people love more than their own children; their bottom-line. It’s the
ONLY play fans have and we're too stupid to realize it. We, me, you, the
paying, viewing customers are the ones that afford these players and owners the amazing
lifestyles they so lovingly enjoy. WE DRIVE THE MARKET NOT THEM. But because they know "we just gotta have our games", they
can do or say whatever they want. The statement that an empty Staples Center would send would be the biggest thing to happen in not only sports boycotting history but in American boycotting history, but it
won’t happen. And it won’t happen because this whole thing is a total microcosm of
America’s ever growing stupidity and laziness.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In 2014, we are smarter and healthier than we’ve ever been.
If you have a smartphone, do you realize that you have the entire wealth of all learned human knowledge at
your fingertips? Even still we’ve become a nation of smarter idiots. While social media is
great and has effectively shrank the world by helping to connect us better than ever before, it’s also (social media) left us voiceless. Let me explain.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Social media lets us THINK we’re really doing something. It lets us
THINK we have a voice, but social media can be AVOIDED whereas a living breathing human CANNOT. You
can bitch and moan all day on Facebook about your Congressman, but if he doesn't us social media then what’s the point? If you’re at their doorstep, PHYSICALLY
THERE protesting, you can’t be ignored. But when a person can put a two paragraph Facebook post and feel heard because they got a few "likes" why would ever they get off their ass? Unless you're a famous person, ranting on social media it’s akin to you
yelling in a room filled ONLY WITH friends and then walking outside trying to yell with tape on your mouth. That’s what social media
protesting is. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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If the Black Civil Rights movement had to happen in 2014
it’d consist only of angry Facebook posts, “snarky” Tweets, and tongue-in-cheek
memes. And that’s the way “The Man” likes it. The government LOVES social media because lets, us, the people
THINK we have a voice. It leaves us chained to our phones and laptops and
keeps us from hitting the streets where we could REALLY push for change. <br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is really simple. Donald Sterling doesn’t like Black
people. And that’s fine. He doesn’t have to. Hell, the KKK is still alive and
well today because this is America. You can have an opinion here. Be it smart, dumb,
or even racist, YOU have a right to YOUR opinion. But since Mr. Sterling can’t stand the company of Black people, I say he shouldn’t get to earn another dollar
off the athletic prowess of Black people. Sad part is even if he's forced to sell the team, he WILL STILL MAKE MONEY. Sterling paid only $15 million for the Clippers when he originally bought them some 25 plus years ago. If the Milwaukee Bucks, the worst team in the league by far, just sold for a record $500 million, what the hell do you think a team in Los Angeles with two of the top ten players is going to get? $800 million? A billion dollars! So even when he loses, he wins. Chris Rock said it best, "In America, only the White Man can profit from pain."<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-41415957197557641482014-03-29T11:54:00.001-07:002014-03-29T11:54:51.690-07:00The Art of Interaction With Famous Folks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWyYdUlFgQWBgLUlizZIlIWEfUkaf_K2ZNOcj_45HC3DmU1jQdoRxqBhjew_PPyvMNtlelginoIv58jMtC9Zrf7mUszERMSVlO3TE4a61qa8y3QEHDB6U2sYHJoUe4u-yRLQNA5sHHtuu/s1600/10012502_631733526875848_900493091_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghWyYdUlFgQWBgLUlizZIlIWEfUkaf_K2ZNOcj_45HC3DmU1jQdoRxqBhjew_PPyvMNtlelginoIv58jMtC9Zrf7mUszERMSVlO3TE4a61qa8y3QEHDB6U2sYHJoUe4u-yRLQNA5sHHtuu/s1600/10012502_631733526875848_900493091_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">I</span>n American culture there are several universal loves. We
love sports. We love apple pie. We love fast cars. And we love famous people.
Be it athletes, or television stars, or movie stars, or reality TV rejects, we Americans can’t get enough. You’d be lying if you said you’ve never done
this: You’re checking out at your local grocery store and you spot an Us Magazine or
People Magazine, or National Enquirer. See "Celeb X" is now dating or broke up with "Celeb Y". You know you at least picked it up and skimmed through it. Americans eat this
shit up like Fiddo does kibble.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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For whatever reason, we can’t seem to get over our fascination
with the people that appear on our various “dummy boxes”. (Laptop, Smartphones,
tablets, TVs etc.) Americans treat seeing a celebrity like discovering a 3
legged, purple polka dotted unicorn. Now working in Hollywood affords me the
opportunity to “rub shoulders” with some of these people and here’s what I’ve
learned.<o:p></o:p></div>
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A) They’re just people. Trust me they eat, drink, sleep, pee, and poop like everyone else on this giant blue floating ball of death we call
Earth.<o:p></o:p></div>
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B) Most are actually really nice. Now, you do run into a few jerks, but that’s the case with most people in life. You had nice teachers
and you had asshole teachers. You’ve met asshole cops and you’ve met nice cops.
The same is true with celebs. Most people had to work really hard to get where
they are. <o:p></o:p></div>
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While most are very humble and thankful for all they have, it’s
the former child stars or second generation celebrities who are the real assholes.
They’ve been “somebody” their whole life and think all they have is a “birthright”. They’ve always had someone kissing
their ass and come to believe their behavior is “normal” or “expectable”.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Since I’ve interacted with more than few and since I have tons
of friends in this business or who want to be in this business, I’ve created a list
to show you guys how to interact with them. A la, how to take a picture or ask for an
autograph.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglj_j26cQGb504YM7uelfWFhdAX0CEmvYEB4bizecFifoQ51LAa7Je4Romc1NrRqZPqBrv9dNZ_0guAf8W6UUfAMMUPKktzRA_TaI2x9Jz-p5geRgxbg4smQyrwKMhhWRWiJjFpVfvn08N/s1600/1958268_636916026357598_938309406_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglj_j26cQGb504YM7uelfWFhdAX0CEmvYEB4bizecFifoQ51LAa7Je4Romc1NrRqZPqBrv9dNZ_0guAf8W6UUfAMMUPKktzRA_TaI2x9Jz-p5geRgxbg4smQyrwKMhhWRWiJjFpVfvn08N/s1600/1958268_636916026357598_938309406_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<h4>
1) Act NORMAL!!</h4>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m sure you’re excited to see “Joe Blo” or “Suzy Q” but
remember they KNOW who they are and they get that “Oh my God it’s you!”
reaction every time they leave the house. So when someone is just cool, calm, and
collected it’s actually really refreshing. Be admiring but don’t kiss ass, and
don’t make it seem like they’re the second coming. (Refer to “A” above.)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Remember we’re filmmakers, we interact with these people
daily. We’re not civilians on the street. If you don’t make a living in the
entertainment world, you sure lose your shit when you see George Lucas, or Brad
Pitt, or Haley Barry. But remember, you, a filmmaker, acting like “that” is sort of like zookeeper getting “all hyped” at the sight of a lion. Trust me,
you’ll be seeing them everyday.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h4>
2) Only ask for a picture if you’re sure you’ll never work
with them again OR you won’t be working with them anytime soon.</h4>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There was a celebrity I worked with recently that I was
pretty excited to meet. He’s a very funny comedian I won't say who it was. I
actually wanted a picture, which is weird for me because I hardly do.
But then I realized I’d more than likely be working with the dude again in a
few weeks on another show. And wouldn’t you know it, I will be. If you’re on a
one-day commercial with Denzel, sure you can ask for a picture. But if you’re
on 3-month shoot with the guy don’t go asking for a photo op on the first day.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h4>
3) NEVER, NEVER, ask for a photo during the last day of
production, on the way to set, OR right after they’ve wrapped.</h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
These are easy ones. If you’ve been working all damn day,
under hot ass lights, dressed in clothes you’d normally never wear, would you
want to stick around any longer than you had to? Hell. No. They wanna get
changed and they wanna go home. So never ever slow that process for them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If they’re going to set, let them go to set. You stopping to
take a “selfie” slows down the whole production. And if it’s a multiple day shoot, ask two days
or one day before the last day. Everyone and they grandmother is going to ask
on the last day. Don’t be that guy or girl. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvc71mUbVY59Om01sOw4xLC6L4qKy5sVRdY9jSC5gRO2kZANl_sZg__6Dw2no2GUByrsmmfE3hQG30dvyHIaN0gAEBBj3vsBNuweUr42Q8STqit3-XGxjwes64WGYyANuHCQgxSYcME19I/s1600/1002565_532852960097239_1452610844_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvc71mUbVY59Om01sOw4xLC6L4qKy5sVRdY9jSC5gRO2kZANl_sZg__6Dw2no2GUByrsmmfE3hQG30dvyHIaN0gAEBBj3vsBNuweUr42Q8STqit3-XGxjwes64WGYyANuHCQgxSYcME19I/s1600/1002565_532852960097239_1452610844_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<h4>
4) Never take a photo with a celebrity too close to your own
age or significantly younger than you.**</h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you’re old enough to be their damn father or mother,
don’t do it. How does a grown ass man/woman look take a picture with Selena
Gomez or Justin Bieber. And the thing to remember about celebrities your own
age or close, is you two are peers for God’s sake. I’d never ask Drake for a
photo or any other celebrity that I could have went to high school with. This
is especially true in your 20s because it just points out the fact that you’re
the same age BUT for whatever reason they’re doing a lot better than you in
life.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*Athletes from your favorite team is fine no matter the age
gap. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
* Now when you’re in your 40s and they in there 40s, fuck
it. If you’re not “there” yet you’ll probably never get “there” so who cares
right.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-72654818198162404292014-03-24T00:53:00.002-07:002014-03-25T18:05:18.606-07:00The Seven Simple Truths Lakers Fans NEED to Face<br />
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<o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHj_jPY7B-AiAxLsUqFSUMO7RtKp3v3kSSt13z3l_eW2JqRswjYByxXnLzaHmbiQ24hk64jkAIu2SvkpsEeCxYFrd-5S7WRUu7iBmKZiUI4DT0A2S6kFeQkfNgShzOWhR1obuobomy2GJd/s1600/i-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHj_jPY7B-AiAxLsUqFSUMO7RtKp3v3kSSt13z3l_eW2JqRswjYByxXnLzaHmbiQ24hk64jkAIu2SvkpsEeCxYFrd-5S7WRUu7iBmKZiUI4DT0A2S6kFeQkfNgShzOWhR1obuobomy2GJd/s1600/i-1.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Who are these people?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">H</span>ow long has it been since the Los Angeles Lakers have been
THIS bad? It’s not just that the Lakers are bad, it’s that they’re genuinely
not interesting. Back in 2004-05, the year after LA traded Shaq to Miami, the
Lakers finished 34-48 and missed the playoffs. They sucked but we had YOUNG
Kobe. We had hope because we had the best player in the league and even if the team
sucked, Kobe was gunning for 35 points a night and that was at least interesting. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Lakers are as hopeless and uninteresting as the damn
Bobcats right now. There are too many things to talk about as far as fixing the team, but
that is not what this article is about. This post is about Lakers fans. Now, I fancied
myself a diehard until saw the things some fans were saying about this team.
This season has really helped me understand why people hate the Lakers and it’s
fans.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Lakers fans are as passionate as it gets and winning has
spoiled some of us beyond reality. I’m not a fan of Duke in college basketball,
or the Yankees in baseball, or the Cowboys in football but I am a Lakers fans and get why people
hate these type of teams. They win, and they win a lot (Not recently in the case of any of these teams anyway.) Winning breeds jealousy. So I get it, but the complete irrationality of some Lakers fans have become too much to stomach. So as a completely rational fan I figured it’s
time to SCHOOL my fellow Lakers lovers. Remember I do this because I care.
(This list is in NO particular order.)<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-size: large;">1. </span>The Lakers SUCK and ARE GOING TO KEEP SUCKING AT LEAST
ONE MORE YEAR</h4>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
Last year even with a healthy Kobe, (until D’Antoni ran him into
the ground like a mad jockey riding a Shetland Pony in Kentucky Derby) and semi-healthy Dwight Howard, LA BARELY made it to the playoffs. This collection of
players in LA is SOOO bad that even with two of the top 10 players in the league
last season LA was only an 8-seed and STILL got sweep in the 1<sup>st</sup>
round.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>THAT’S HOW BAD LA IS! <o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HMGVkFPIUY0VuOjLal_vBpd3k_DgKdbYqtrLju0s5Ffhpuz1lW0D2q4fKNzNw4-oDtwlCidmh9qulQcGEF-4zBg-y7nh3MqvIjocihpggPS3nsnZzt6JFqKC1PIx0plWkbNbpWS8q4Nh/s1600/mitch-kupchak1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8HMGVkFPIUY0VuOjLal_vBpd3k_DgKdbYqtrLju0s5Ffhpuz1lW0D2q4fKNzNw4-oDtwlCidmh9qulQcGEF-4zBg-y7nh3MqvIjocihpggPS3nsnZzt6JFqKC1PIx0plWkbNbpWS8q4Nh/s1600/mitch-kupchak1.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get use to seeing this face and THOSE type of scores.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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There are ZERO trades to make, no marquee free agents are talking about coming to LA, no sure fire franchise
player in the draft (ala no Duncan, Shaq, or LeBron.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anthony Davis was the last one.) and our best
player, Kobe, is coming off the worst injury possible. This is not a quick fix
situation. Get all those fantasies of every player and their grandmothers coming to LA. Irving isn't coming. Melo isn't coming. And at least not next season, <o:p></o:p>Love isn't coming. You know who is coming back? Mike D'Antoni.</div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-size: large;">2.</span> Kobe IS NOT the best player in the league and HASN’T been for awhile.</h4>
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<br />
This is one of the hardest things for LA fans to admit, but
let’s have a moment Lakers Nation. Let me talk to you for a second. I love Kobe. Dude’s easily my favorite
player ever, but I love the name on the FRONT of jersey far more than I do Kobe Bryant. The Lakers were great before Kobe and will be after Kobe. Now if you honestly think a 35 year-old shooting guard with 18 seasons, 45,000
minutes played, that's coming off of THE WORST INJURY IN SPORTS, is the best player in the
NBA, then… well then you’re just fucking crazy. Kobe can’t stay in front of
cardboard cutout anymore defensively and he’s basically the NBA equivalent of a DH in baseball.
And I’m going to assume after what happened when he did come back, another injury, this is going
to KEEP happening.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8zsJsDO7uMddGgeYl2r3Dex0QqCUMjQjQFvKaW_ECFWBuf9W_XT8VfSAjpIF_oOLv1_bDLHXFmUySzL6pgp1MIqxRgj0C56iFh2Ihy9RuVeMtERktPrvBRKHSPBE0XT1m5Dj0oVeSInv/s1600/hi-res-bebbd7ce09570a49fcd655bcf0aba80d_crop_north.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz8zsJsDO7uMddGgeYl2r3Dex0QqCUMjQjQFvKaW_ECFWBuf9W_XT8VfSAjpIF_oOLv1_bDLHXFmUySzL6pgp1MIqxRgj0C56iFh2Ihy9RuVeMtERktPrvBRKHSPBE0XT1m5Dj0oVeSInv/s1600/hi-res-bebbd7ce09570a49fcd655bcf0aba80d_crop_north.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Like all of Laker Nation, I love Kobe too, <br />
but some fans are like mama bears protect cubs.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
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It’s not that I’m “hating” on Kobe, but merely pointing out the
fact that he’s just old. Something he's been for a minute but now he's old AND hurt. But there’s nothing wrong with that. This stage of a player's career happens to
everyone. He’s got nothing left to prove to me, you or anyone. One of the best
ever, but currently NOT the best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right
now today as of March 25, 2013 I can name about 15 players I’d rather have. And the same was true of Michael Jordan in March of 2003 when he was on the Wizards.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-size: large;">3.</span> Kobe’s MASSIVELY OVERPAID!</h4>
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<br />
Want to hear something really messed up? NBA players are underpaid.
Now that sounds crazy saying that people who are running around bouncing a ball<i>
playing a game and </i>getting paid millions of dollars are underpaid but check this
out. Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira would be the 2<sup>nd</sup> highest
paid player in the league. When a guy that's not even the best player on his team and not one
of best 25-50 players in all of baseball makes more that all but one player in the NBA
that’s an issue.<o:p></o:p></div>
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That being said, Kobe has been WELL compensated for his services
to the Purple and Gold. LA shouldn’t be paying anyone, even Kobe, for PAST
performance. I could see giving him this deal if Kobe got "short changed" early on in his prime but he didn't. In fact, Kobe’s the highest paid player this season, still brings in more dollars off the court than anyone else and his total career earnings are top three ever.</div>
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In a salary cap
driven league, tying that much money to one player is already stupid, but to gurantee that much money to a
player coming off injury, his 17th season, and who got injured as soon as he
came back for the aforementioned injury was damn near negligent. Paying Kobe all that money is like putting
an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet in a strip joint; it’s just an all around bad
idea and no wins. But if you still aren’t convinced, ask yourself this; if Lakers brass
could go back in time and do that deal again, do they do it?<br />
<br />
BONUS: Kobe's 5 Rings AREN'T A VALID REASON TO SAY HE'S BEST. By that logic, Robert Worry was better than him and Jordan.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-size: large;">4.</span> LeBron James is the best player in the NBA, has been for a
while and the gap between him and next best is not close.<o:p> </o:p></h4>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
I’m 90 percent sure most of you just stopped reading, but
saying LeBron James isn’t the best is akin to saying water isn’t wet or fire
isn’t hot. It’s just illogical. Dude has the 3<sup>rd</sup> highest scoring average EVER. EVER. There haven’t been 5 players ever than can average 27 points, 8 boards
and 8 assists a game,<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cTJyNa8L0mOum0_16Cf7J032hAFOAzAWKDFebodCyzASgHZ7zXWDfOLabOXY0FfSyo2oYz-v1aK1h01IHda4ISOtFDgr7qtf3H6r40rRSRGI40SaBpBt48WTfz86SkHde6wVJcs5gO0-/s1600/nba_u_bryant_james1x_576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0cTJyNa8L0mOum0_16Cf7J032hAFOAzAWKDFebodCyzASgHZ7zXWDfOLabOXY0FfSyo2oYz-v1aK1h01IHda4ISOtFDgr7qtf3H6r40rRSRGI40SaBpBt48WTfz86SkHde6wVJcs5gO0-/s1600/nba_u_bryant_james1x_576.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry, but right now and, for the pass three seasons, <br />
the guy in black has been better.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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You remember how crazy people looked bashing Kobe when he
was dropping 81 or when he dropped 50 six games in row? Remember how completely
petty those people looked because they weren't judging Kobe on his ON COURT
ABILITY? Lakers fans, we look the same way when we say LeBron sucks. Lakers fans
are OBSESSED with bashing LeBron like <strike>racists</strike> republicans are with bashing
President Obama.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Look, I didn't like Michael Jordan growing up. Mainly because my first real
lasting memory of my Lakers involved MJ killing LA in five games during the Bulls first title. That being
said I at least recognized MJ's greatness. So why can’t we just do that with LBJ? It’s
like getting to watch Jordan, or Magic, or Wilt. We’re watching an all timer, at his peak no less, and even though he’s not a Laker, we can still recognize game.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-size: large;">5.</span> The Miami Heat are NOT a rival for the Lakers!</h4>
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How many times has LA and Miami met in the Finals? I’ll
wait…. Oh the answer's zero you say! That’s why LA and Miami are NOT RIVALS.
The Lakers have NEVER been eliminated from the playoffs by the Heat. That's why seeing Lakers fan rooting for the Spurs in Finals last season after they (the Spurs) waxed the floor with LA
in round one was crazy to me. How many times has LA tasted the bitterness of
defeat at the hand of Duncan and the Spurs? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Spurs, Celtics, and Clippers are far more natural rivals as
there is PLAYOFF HISTORY BETWEEN THE TEAMS. (Clippers not so much, but they’re
in same building so…) Those games mean more, so until a bond is forged in the
heat (pardon the pun) of playoff fires, l look at the Miami Heat like Muhammad
Ali looked at the Vietnam War in 1969. “Ain’t no Viet Cong ever call me nigger.”
“Ain’t no Heat ever stopped my team from winning a title.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">6.</span> All our problems are NOT Jim Buss’ fault.</h4>
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<br />
The funny thing is Jim Buss has been in charge of things for
the Lakers longer than you think. Who do you think drafted Bynum? Or helped
with the Gasol trade? He’s done some great things for LA. Sure the Lakers are a mess
right now, but it’s not from a lack of effort on Buss' part. He DID trade for Chris Paul. He
DID trade for Dwight Howard.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FR943HVcNsjPXgILoKnlSutdUpWAqsxarrYfynk94tdCGU_bGy-Ai6MWkuwgG9YX-CP1ccd37RtEJid_C6XAymrevqnOehFlnADQvVdjWPxeN77n9wNYtk_0K8j5ZguFn_VMcL4yE7WM/s1600/11113_Buss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2FR943HVcNsjPXgILoKnlSutdUpWAqsxarrYfynk94tdCGU_bGy-Ai6MWkuwgG9YX-CP1ccd37RtEJid_C6XAymrevqnOehFlnADQvVdjWPxeN77n9wNYtk_0K8j5ZguFn_VMcL4yE7WM/s1600/11113_Buss.jpg" height="250" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a shadow few men could get out of. <br />
Cut Jim Buss some slack. He's following the best ever.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Both were smart/box office moves at the time. The Paul failure
was not his fault and Howard just wasn’t built for LA. He’s (Buss) a problem,
but let us not forget that the dude tried to stop <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this</i> from happening, Had David Stern and the NBA not owned the Hornets, Paul
is STILL here and at the time we hadn’t traded Bynum so we clearly would have
flipped him for Howard. On a team of Howard, Paul and Kobe, Kobe's still alpha dog and LA has pieces in place after Kobe retires. Didn't work out but he did try.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h4>
<span style="font-size: large;">7.</span> Our 16 titles mean jackshit right now.</h4>
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I get it, I get it. It’s about team pride and blah, blah,
blah. But just like I don’t let Cowboys fans, or Norte Dame fans, use PAST GLORY
to talk about their team's CURRENT circumstances, we can’t use it either. We
suck right now. Magic ain’t walking through the tunnel. Shaq ain’t walking
through the tunnel and neither are those
titles. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Look Lakers fans, we’ve been on the top of the mountain so
long that our heads are spinning from the lack of oxygen so I get why some of y'all are nuts. We can’t always be
good. We can't get every free agent. And we can't win the title every season. I know this wasn't easy to read but someone needed to say it. Every team has to go through this. Now it’s our time to go through it, but it's tough because we're Lakers fans. We NEVER go through this. We’re at the bottom but if history holds true…That won’t last too long.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-70773807548869652762014-03-20T22:10:00.001-07:002015-03-06T19:29:47.238-08:00The Twisted Confessions and Atramentous Musings of A "Broke" Writer (Opening)<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">M</span>ost days are a battle. A battle that is an amaranthine and
fruitless struggle to overcome an enemy that’s as ever-present as a shadow and
as unforgiving as a scorn lover. Myself. Like most good writers, and yes I fancy
myself quite masterful with the written word, my worst enemy is myself. There’s
always this ineradicable self-doubt and apprehensive feeling that clouds the anterior
of my mind. It’s the brief moments where optimism shines through like sunrays
on a cloudy day that I outwit myself and create. Like now.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fiction writers are by nature a pretentious bunch of
bastards that think far too much about words, worlds, things, and people that
don’t exist. It’s a tortured life spent creating, changing, re-creating, then
changing again, then again… then again. Most are so fearful of rejection and ridicule
that they’re forced to hide their work like an overprotective mother bear. Not me.
It’s one of the several “writer’s tropes/stereotypes” I’ve managed to escape. I
figure, the ultimate goal of creating is to SHARE. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I freely and openly like to SHARE my work. Be it
half-done, completed, or a single idea. I’m always looking to SHARE! Not to be
praised, like so many others mistake or confuse, but to SHARE. To have other
people experience and absorb my creations. Whether that work is love, loathed
or something in-between is not for me to decide. The individual
experience is just that; an INDIVIDUAL experience. I’m just the provider.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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I’m starting to appreciate the grievance that is writing.
The loneliness, the doubt, the excitement, the judgment, the whole kit, bang,
and caboodle that is being a writer. I’ve said it before, but this is not a
path for everyone. I wouldn’t suggest anyone do “this” for a “living”. SERIOUSLY!
DON’T TRY THIS SHIT AT HOME! This is the greatest, and I mean GREATEST, risk
versus reward career I could possibly fathom. There are more days than a few
(and I even feel like this on GOOD days.) that I seriously question my decision.
There are ZERO guarantees. There is a TON of established talent, upcoming
talent, and future talent to compete with. There are people FAR LESS TALENTED
than me that WILL succeed. People FAR MORE TALENTED than me that WILL succeed. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">T</span>alented as I maybe, there’s a very good chance that all of
“this” will be a waste of time. I have to live with that doubt DAILY. But you
know what, I gladly do. My life’s journey is one in which something so friable
and fatuous as “writing” is totally worth it. That is partly what this blog
will serve as. As a way to give you an inside look of the thoughts on a
writer. Some days I’ll talk about the outside factors (good and bad), how
relationships affect my writing, or what it’s like to write comedy, or how I
interact with other writers, or interviews with other writers, or what it’s
like when someone likes my work, or when someone doesn’t. Some will be funny.
Some will be sad. Some happy and others just plain weird. Who knows? Either way
it should be semi-interesting. Or least I think so.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-33170746236266215822014-02-03T10:24:00.000-08:002014-02-03T13:34:20.972-08:00He Who Laughs Last...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-YLANb-EvRe9GD6-I6IisHUYRj64mVDEvVw_tdZfi071LAHPfD0JxDvsmsLF56UgQd843kTeGuvYWEj2875nQi43PaBwHBKr-qLC37Y24xFnB7uyhrbyoRpcrqJbUdSoj3yA3nKmA2Y4/s1600/0202_super-bowl-seattle-seahawks-russell-wilson_650x4551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3-YLANb-EvRe9GD6-I6IisHUYRj64mVDEvVw_tdZfi071LAHPfD0JxDvsmsLF56UgQd843kTeGuvYWEj2875nQi43PaBwHBKr-qLC37Y24xFnB7uyhrbyoRpcrqJbUdSoj3yA3nKmA2Y4/s1600/0202_super-bowl-seattle-seahawks-russell-wilson_650x4551.jpg" height="280" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson raises the Vince Lombardi trophy. <br />
This may not be the last time you see this.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">W</span>ell some months ago, before the NFL ushered in a new
season. Before the first ball was passed, ran, caught or fumbled. Before a single
play was executed or touchdown was scored I picked the Denver Broncos to lose
to the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLVIII. I was right.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Funny thing is, I picked them, the Seahawks, last season. There was just
something about their rookie QB, Russell Wilson that I loved. I loved his story. I loved his
fight and will to overcome things. Dude had gone from NC State to Wisconsin to
Seattle, mastered EACH system and became the starter in EACH place. Nevermind that he was a 3rd round draft pick, or that he was suppose to
be too short, or that Seattle had just paid Matt Flynn. Wilson still managed to win over coach Pete Carroll enough that he got the job over assumed starter Matt Flynn. The best man
plays in Seattle and the best man played when Wilson took over. I predicted that while Andrew Luck
may be better and RG3 may get more press, that Wilson had the better collection of overall talent surrounding him and that he would get a ring first. I was right.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was only wrong last season when I picked the Broncos because
I didn’t factor in <strike>Black Jesus</strike> Ray Lewis retired and I didn't realize how much that was going to
motivate the Baltimore Ravens. I was only wrong about the Seahawks last season because they
lacked the one thing they need most… Experience. But after a victory over RG3 and
Washington in round one and after a near win/close loss to the Falcons in round two, Seattle had all the
experience they would need for this season. I figured they’d come back next year just as hungry
and with the added experience, I figured only injuries could stop them. I picked
Denver again because I saw how weak the AFC was and I figured cream would rise to
the top. I was right. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zxxbk9bBhKIZSuFQfd4bEzu-k2p_vzDLnL-1KaiUz5rA3RGryvLXAlwFOHt58vZX2D2_G17dECwWCLdCUt7gdWP-C2HX5bq5iBNufGKWjECUFXCKUnAKRgbCD-O5RCY2j5sUUYmfn7Ue/s1600/nfl_a_manning2x_600x400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zxxbk9bBhKIZSuFQfd4bEzu-k2p_vzDLnL-1KaiUz5rA3RGryvLXAlwFOHt58vZX2D2_G17dECwWCLdCUt7gdWP-C2HX5bq5iBNufGKWjECUFXCKUnAKRgbCD-O5RCY2j5sUUYmfn7Ue/s1600/nfl_a_manning2x_600x400.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manning never got in groove against Seattle's D.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">S</span>eattle did to Denver what they did all season long. They
dominated. From the opening snap, Peyton Manning and Denver's record setting offense was
under siege and over matched. Last night MetLife sounded more like Century Link 2.0. If one play
has ever spelled doom for a team that safety was it for the Broncos. Winning teams DON’T start
games like that. They just don’t. Especially Super Bowl winning teams. Seattle’s defense played old school, cliché
football. They were fast. They were physical. They were hard-nosed, smash-mouth
and then some. Honestly, the real Super Bowl was two weeks again in Seattle.
Because the only team that had a chance to beat Seattle was San Francisco. Both teams, Seattle or San Fran, would have manhandled the Broncos. I was right.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Seattle reigns supreme over the NFL and it’s early, but I
can’t see why I wouldn’t pick them to do it again next season. Sure it’s hard to do, you know win
back-to-back titles and no team since the Patriots in '03 - '04 have pulled it off, but the
Seahawks have something on their side those Pats didn’t; youth. Seattle is the 2<sup>nd</sup>
youngest team to ever win the title. Of the 4 youngest squads to do it, (1981
49ers, 1974 Steelers, 1985 Bears and 2014 Seahawks) only the 1985 Bears <i>didn’t</i>
win multiple titles and some say the 1986 team was actually a better team than the legendary '85 Bears.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg3s-j4UiRN3v8ix8QZUBQzshDwyTafMVxsev7rQqy_0s2M7bcHyWIE3IQWoZ-vwgTV9pdwANx9n9cVg-TUPak0yF777NmSOhTYP-iZt439EfY45iayVr-h4nKgDyR1hM3V3ys-Axtvhh4/s1600/nfl_seahawks14_carroll_celebration_600x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg3s-j4UiRN3v8ix8QZUBQzshDwyTafMVxsev7rQqy_0s2M7bcHyWIE3IQWoZ-vwgTV9pdwANx9n9cVg-TUPak0yF777NmSOhTYP-iZt439EfY45iayVr-h4nKgDyR1hM3V3ys-Axtvhh4/s1600/nfl_seahawks14_carroll_celebration_600x600.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pete Carroll joined elite company as he became just one of three coaches<br />
to win both a national title and a Super Bowl title.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
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Seattle still has the benefit of getting elite QB play without
having to pay for it. That will change as Russell Wilson is going to command a $100 million plus contract when this "cheapo" deal is up. Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and a few
other key players have yet to be paid what they’re worth as well. Soon they all
will get paid and things in Seattle will before more difficult, but for now it doesn’t matter.
Congratulations to Seattle and thanks for making me look so right and for giving me this
video to play for my brother until the end of time. (Skip to 29:13) He who laughs last ALWAYS
laughs the loudest.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808052405402738408.post-40502407510007399852013-11-19T18:20:00.002-08:002013-11-19T21:35:48.954-08:00A Change Gonna Come...(Anniversary of A View From Paris) <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I first started this blog, I didn't quite know what I wanted to get from it. I knew I wanted it to be an outlet for me to get my opinions and thoughts out. A place where I could riff about sports, political issues and at rare times of personal waywardness, a place to vent. Kind of like now. This is probably the most random, but introspective thing I've written in a long time. Since I no longer have Facebook, Twitter or any other form of social media, that means I have no way to promote this so God knows who's actually going to read it.<br />
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I think sometimes in life I don't take time to take stock in what I have. Like most people, I tend to focus a bit too greatly on the things I no longer possess than appreciate the many things I still have or have been given. It's hard to do that in life sometimes. To show thanks for the little things. The little moments and little gifts that God (or whatever you believe) chooses to give us. I'd say that's one of my biggest flaws as a man. An acute inability at times to recognize just how truly blessed I am.<br />
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After having spent just over a year in Los Angeles, California I've experienced a lot. As a struggling writer, I spend most of my days lost in fantasy world I'm creating on my MacBook. Crafting characters and worlds, trying to escape the depressions of my own life. Trying to write that next great story that'll make me a millionaire. But as anyone will tell you that's a creative person, it's hard to escape your reality if your said reality has the weight of two full sized F-150s. That's the price of being a writer. The soul crashing self-doubt and countless failures one must endure for so few moments of success. And that's what I ask myself at times... Is it all worth it?<br />
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In this year, I've been lucky enough to eat, (most days, there were a couple I didn't, but that was very few and far in between) sleep in an apartment and work in my field of choice. Far better circumstances than a lot of my peers from college, so I'm thankful. I didn't lose any family or close friends and save for getting stabbed (too long of a story to tell), I've had my health. Besides that, I got a chance to get close to my oldest brother Zeph. So often people see us interact never knowing we hadn't talked or seen each other in over ten years. Not from malice or ill will but from growing up in different homes. Funny how blood is a bond that ties us and helped us pick back up like we never skipped a beat. I can say he's one of the best friends I have and I'm thankful I have him in my life again.<br />
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On that same note of long lost siblings, after four years of no contact, I was able to spend a few months with my daughter Aaliyah and I actually got to see both my kids together at the same time. First time they had been together since 2008 in fact. What a joyous week of watching them play, fight, laugh and share moments together. Just get to be brother and sister again. It's honestly the highlight of my year. Weird to say, but I never thought that day would come.<br />
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The soul of a man is a deep and lonely place at times. We're taught to hold in our emotions. Not to cry, not to feel but to "suck it up" and be "tough". "Be a man", people say. I think it's why us men end up so broke up after heartbreak or lost. A lifetime of being taught to bottle our emotions causes us to fall apart when things go south. (End up listening to old Sam Cooke and Otis Redding songs, like I am at this very moment when writing this.) My father once told me a story of how his father never once told him, that he (Zeph Sr.) loved him (Zeph Jr, my father). "I understood and knew that he did love me, but he never said the words to me", my father said to me. As a point, my father always tells me he loves me after every phone call. No matter how long or brief the call, my father always tell me. It's one of the few things in life I can count on.<br />
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In the end, I've learn one sure thing about this thing we call "life". Sometimes, you can do all the right things. Love your fellow man, read the Bible, pray daily, help old ladies cross the street and STILL end up with a shitty existence. All the while, the biggest assholes or untalented hacks can end up rich beyond measure, drive the nicest cars, date the prettiest girls, live in the grandest homes and have the best luck. The sun shines on the just and unjust alike. That sometimes nothing you can do will change the fact that you are just meant to have the short end of the stick. But through it all you can't get bitter. You can't let things like jealously, anger or doubt consume you. You have to stay on your path, no matter how long or tough your path is. It's your path to walk and your "cross" to bear. I say all <i>that</i> say, life is not fair and no matter how unfair it is...It goes on. And with <i>that</i> said, next time back to sports. Thank you for reading... if you did.<br />
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<br />Parishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08851377768494653066noreply@blogger.com0