It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair. It was the end of a life-long saga, it was the end of a week-long surprise. We had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going to heaven, we were all going directly the other way. In short, it was Carmelo and Deron, it was Axl and Thom.
It’s the best of times in Manhattan. It’s the best of times in the house of Melo and LaLa. Oddly enough, it’s also the best of times in Denver. Denver can move on. They have played a tiresome role throughout this saga. I would like to liken them unto the studio engineer who got stuck working on “Chinese Democracy” with Axl Rose. A thankless job in more ways than one. But that’s not where the similarities end between Carmelo to the Knicks and “Chinese Democracy”. Just like Axl’s final opus, we knew it was coming for so long that, when it finally happened, we didn’t even care. Collectively, as sports fans, we were more relieved that it was over. You can see this relief on the faces of Nuggets fans as well as the players. I don’t think the fans will remember this trade beyond the end of the season, much in the same way we don’t remember that “Chinese Democracy” finally came out.
Across the river, something different was happening. New Jersey somehow landed a guy who was candidate numero uno for the NBA’s version of a franchise tag. This was about as unexpected as Radiohead dropping a new album just days after announcing it (and then releasing it a day earlier than that). The world seemed to stop and jaws dropped when Williams got traded. Likewise when ‘King of Limbs” hit. It consumed everyone with ears to hear and twitters to tweet. But that’s not where the similarities end between Deron to the Nets and “King of Limbs”. Nobody knew what to make of either happening. We figured “King of Limbs” was a big deal, but opinions were across the board. It was too much to digest without fair warning. Same with Deron to the Nets. It had to be a good thing. He’s the best PG in the league going to the richest owner in the league and eventually to Brooklyn. But it didn’t seem to instantly energize the Nets. Or their fanbase. But it should be a big deal. I think ultimately both “King of Limbs” and Deron as a Net will matter and we will figure out how to understand them. It’s going to take longer than a week or two, heck, it might even take a couple years.
When we can finally wrap our heads around Deron the Net and “King of Limbs”, we will realize that Deron as a Net is to Carmelo as a Knick, just like “King of Limbs” is to “Chinese Democracy”. One will have a lasting impact, and the other will become a catch phrase for players refusing to sign extension and instead wanting to be traded. That’s an incredibly long phrase that desperately needs some help.
I can’t wait for next season when Dwight Howard starts pulling a Melo. Wake me when that’s over too.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Brothers?
Or the same person....? Come to think of it, I've never seen them both in the same room at the same time.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Jazz vs Jazz East Roundup
Just some thoughts about last night's Jazz vs Jazz East (or Bulls, as some might call them) game:
I STILL DON'T MISS BOOZER
I'm not going to overstate it and tell you that the inspired performances by Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap (who was especially gritty and teethy at the start) are proof positive that we're better off without Boozer. That's what the local media is for. I realize that it's one game and you can't get too hot or cold on one game. And I realize that, if you get really statty about it, neither Jefferson nor Millsap is necessarily out-statting Boozer either this year or when he was with the Jazz. And of course there are other factors, but...I don't miss his lack of heart at all. Compare Boozer's limp showing last night to LeBron returning to Ohio. Anyone with even a little heart would really wanna show up in a game like last night. But Boozer just continues to punch the clock. And Millsap continued to show why his game and heart are endearing and 1000x better for the team than a guy who puts up good numbers with no heart. ESPN's headline "Boozer Helps Bulls Beat Old Team" is true in the same way that "(Insert Any Non Crucial Player On Bulls) Helps Bulls Beat Jazz" is.
I STILL LOVE ANDREI KIRILENKO
OK. He's overpaid. That's old news. And he probably hasn't worked like a guy making Alpha Dog money should. But, even while watching him gun ill-advised airballs last night, I found myself loving the guy. Great passer. Unusual herky jerkiness that makes him hard to guard (if not occasionally hard to watch). FOUR blocks, most of them on Boozer. Steals. Basically, and I have said this a million times, he is not the best player on the floor ever, but he is a completely unique player, whose skillset is unseen in any other one player. He may leave us for a team that's a better fit, but I'll always have a soft spot for the Russian headcase.
I STILL WOULDN'T TRADE D-WILL FOR D-ROSE
But I'm willing to admit that, at least last night, Rose is the better PG. He's quick, almost impossible to stay in front of, and does so much– distribution, rebounding, tough D, running the O. Granted, D-Will's not 100% healthy with his jacked wrist, especially shooting-wise. But Rose had his way (as he does with every team and, probably, every elite guard), got to the hole, distributed, etc. It's hard to say, but I'd put Rose above Williams on the depth chart for now. I don't think D-Will will play that poorly against Rose again, though. And I'm a loyalist, so I'm sticking with my guy. They're close and I don't doubt D-Will's fire, heart, or ability. He's not gonna sit around and let the other dudes run the league. And, like I said with Boozer/Millsap/Jefferson, let's not use one game to make big blanket statements.
I STILL MISS SOMEONE
He showed us a few times last night that he still doesn't have an outside shot. But I still miss Ronnie Brewer. The missed shots and the clutch steal are RB in a nutshell. Maybe we get a little of that with CJ Miles, but (and I like CJ) Brewer seemed to just go out and get the job done, where CJ seems to need more encouragement and swagger and momentum. I guess I miss Ashton Kutcher, but I know as well as Bulls fans that for every clutch shot like last night's, there are plenty of moments where you think, "But...I thought Korver was supposed to be money..." as the losing buzzer sounds.
I STILL BELIEVE
I'm probably alone in believing in guys like Hayward and Fesenko, who show me just enough to believe they can be differencemakers (not all-stars, probably not even starters). What's wrong with being fans of Lifetime 8th Men? Hayward showed some grit and Fesenko doesn't seem to know how to back down (when properly motivated).
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Toilet Bowl Halftime Show
This should be the post where Spike and I try and guess the setlist of the Old Rock n' Roller during the halftime show of the Super Bowl. I got excited to make my predictions until I remembered that a.)there will be no rock n roll during the world's largest bathroom break and b.) I don't know enough Black Eyed Peas songs to even attempt an entire setlist (unless you can include "seductive dancing in a mini skirt" as a song). And lets face it, even if I did guess I would probably be 100% right because they will play the two songs everyone knows and then stretch it into a 15 minute crapshow.
I do think everyone will be a little more excited for a knee slide into the camera if it happens again this year.
I do think everyone will be a little more excited for a knee slide into the camera if it happens again this year.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
The Fourth Heatle
A few weeks ago, LeBron polarized the world by telling a reporter that the team refers to themselves internally as "The Heatles" only because of the massive amounts of attention they get when they are on the road. The world then went crazy saying that the Heat will never be comparable to the Beatles becasue the Heat will never have the success of the Beatles.
My take: Yeah, yeah, whatever. The Beatles are the greatest thing ever. I get it. I don't think LeBron was going there, but even if he was it is still the best nickname that has been suggested. I like how it sounds and I'm rolling with it.
Okay, now that I've gotten that off my chest, its time to delve into a Heatle topic that is much more fun. The Fourth Heatle. Many suggestions have been floated around based on free agency or trade speculation. The idea has even been around since before the Heatle moniker was around. Being that this blog is a mix of sports and music, I feel more than qualified to break down the field.
Note, becoming the fourth Heatle is more than just being a memeber of the Heat. You have to have a Yellow Submarine every now and then...and be memorable even with the big shadow cast by the other Heatles.
Dwight Howard. Odds 20 to 1.
Deron Williams. Spike isn't going to like the thought of this, but he hates the name Heatles so he probably won't make it this far. He might be the biggest catch for any team post-lockout. One might argue Dwight Howard, but Williams has done much more with much less. And he is a proven leader on the floor. If he leaves Utah, he's probably going somewhere to spite the Jazz like to the Lakers rather than to run the show in South Beach. Odds 14 to 1
Chris Paul. This is a difficult one to predict. Stern will never trade him and subsequently sink the Hornets. And it would be cruel for him to leave the team just before they move to Seattle, sending Sonics fans a shell of a team. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who wants to be a fourth wheel anyway. Odds 12 to 1
Ricky Rubio. The mop top. The point guard with some flare. Won't be an option until 2012-2013. He might be too late to the Fourth Heatle Party. I'm not sure that he will even pan out as a pro anymore. Odds 12 to 1
Devin Harris. LeBron has covertly lobbied for this, but does he add the backbeat they need? Is he even better at thsi point than anyone they've got? Odds 12 to 1
Mario Chalmers. Even if LeBron has taken 'Rio under his wing, I'm not sure he will be known for much more than a NCAA Title winning three pointer. Plus he's got the Pete Best thing going. Odds 10 to 1
Greg Oden. This was floated out as a possibility since the Heat need a big man and Oden needs a change of scenery. I'm not so sure his legs can hold up to the legendary, though now less frequent, Heat practices. Insert joke here about his alleged talents on South Beach. Odds 6 to 1
Nene. Another big man scenario. This one probably hinges more on what happens in Denver in the next couple months. The Nuggs could be on the verge of a total implosion and Nene's future will simply be collateral damage. Odds 6 to 1
Mike Miller. Many are anoiting him the fourth Heatle since his 32 point outburst vs the Raptors. Thats all fine and good, but we forget that Ringo, most commonly recognized as the fourth Beatle, was not a founding member. Pete Best was. The question with Miller might be better formed as "Is he the Pete Best of the Heatles?" Odds 5 to 1
Kevin Love. LeBron has already been lobbying for him. You've got to think he is leaving Minnesota, so why not trade the Twin Cities for South Beach? Odds 4 to 1
Steve Nash. Here is where it gets interesting. Could he be Jason Kidd for the Heat? We all know Nash is a better shooter than Kidd, Chalmers or any other PG the Heat could pick up. Imagine Nash getting wide open threes a half dozen times a game. Also he is great with the high pick and roll, which has become the Heat's bread and butter. Imagine him running it with LeBron while Wade cuts backdoor, Mike Miller/James Jones stands in the weakside corner with Bosh at the free throw line extended. Pick your poisen on that one. And he has the hair for it. Only problem with this one is how he gets there. Trade? Not happening. Buyout? Not with 22 mil left on the books. That leaves free agency in the summer of 2012. Odds 3 to 1 (a guy can hope, right?)
My take: Yeah, yeah, whatever. The Beatles are the greatest thing ever. I get it. I don't think LeBron was going there, but even if he was it is still the best nickname that has been suggested. I like how it sounds and I'm rolling with it.
Okay, now that I've gotten that off my chest, its time to delve into a Heatle topic that is much more fun. The Fourth Heatle. Many suggestions have been floated around based on free agency or trade speculation. The idea has even been around since before the Heatle moniker was around. Being that this blog is a mix of sports and music, I feel more than qualified to break down the field.
Note, becoming the fourth Heatle is more than just being a memeber of the Heat. You have to have a Yellow Submarine every now and then...and be memorable even with the big shadow cast by the other Heatles.
Dwight Howard. Odds 20 to 1.
Deron Williams. Spike isn't going to like the thought of this, but he hates the name Heatles so he probably won't make it this far. He might be the biggest catch for any team post-lockout. One might argue Dwight Howard, but Williams has done much more with much less. And he is a proven leader on the floor. If he leaves Utah, he's probably going somewhere to spite the Jazz like to the Lakers rather than to run the show in South Beach. Odds 14 to 1
Chris Paul. This is a difficult one to predict. Stern will never trade him and subsequently sink the Hornets. And it would be cruel for him to leave the team just before they move to Seattle, sending Sonics fans a shell of a team. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who wants to be a fourth wheel anyway. Odds 12 to 1
Ricky Rubio. The mop top. The point guard with some flare. Won't be an option until 2012-2013. He might be too late to the Fourth Heatle Party. I'm not sure that he will even pan out as a pro anymore. Odds 12 to 1
Devin Harris. LeBron has covertly lobbied for this, but does he add the backbeat they need? Is he even better at thsi point than anyone they've got? Odds 12 to 1
Mario Chalmers. Even if LeBron has taken 'Rio under his wing, I'm not sure he will be known for much more than a NCAA Title winning three pointer. Plus he's got the Pete Best thing going. Odds 10 to 1
Greg Oden. This was floated out as a possibility since the Heat need a big man and Oden needs a change of scenery. I'm not so sure his legs can hold up to the legendary, though now less frequent, Heat practices. Insert joke here about his alleged talents on South Beach. Odds 6 to 1
Nene. Another big man scenario. This one probably hinges more on what happens in Denver in the next couple months. The Nuggs could be on the verge of a total implosion and Nene's future will simply be collateral damage. Odds 6 to 1
Mike Miller. Many are anoiting him the fourth Heatle since his 32 point outburst vs the Raptors. Thats all fine and good, but we forget that Ringo, most commonly recognized as the fourth Beatle, was not a founding member. Pete Best was. The question with Miller might be better formed as "Is he the Pete Best of the Heatles?" Odds 5 to 1
Kevin Love. LeBron has already been lobbying for him. You've got to think he is leaving Minnesota, so why not trade the Twin Cities for South Beach? Odds 4 to 1
Steve Nash. Here is where it gets interesting. Could he be Jason Kidd for the Heat? We all know Nash is a better shooter than Kidd, Chalmers or any other PG the Heat could pick up. Imagine Nash getting wide open threes a half dozen times a game. Also he is great with the high pick and roll, which has become the Heat's bread and butter. Imagine him running it with LeBron while Wade cuts backdoor, Mike Miller/James Jones stands in the weakside corner with Bosh at the free throw line extended. Pick your poisen on that one. And he has the hair for it. Only problem with this one is how he gets there. Trade? Not happening. Buyout? Not with 22 mil left on the books. That leaves free agency in the summer of 2012. Odds 3 to 1 (a guy can hope, right?)
Friday, January 21, 2011
A Message from 1990's Charlie T.
90's Charlie T caught wind of the Gospel of Hustle debate and decided to cast his two cents into the chatter. 90's Charlie T has email, but isnt totally comfortable with it yet as a communication tool. He just likes to IM. The following is a except from his chat with 2010 Charlie T.
chuckt90_33: (9:36 AM) I really like Coach Spo. He talks about defense and adversity and is never satisfied. He probably spends four hours every morning and four more before bed locked in a room with Riles and Zo. Thats the only way to explain his dedication to the message. He is scared to death about what will happen if he strays from the Heat Way, knowing that he will have to answer to both of them.
charlie_T2010: (9:41 AM) Never underestimate the power of Alonzo's scowl or Riley's silence.
chuckt90_33: (9:42 AM) Exactly. One will tear your arms clean off and the other will find you a cozy place at the bottom of Biscayne Bay. I'm glad to see the two of them keeping the Heat Way alive. It seems like everyone is buying in too...except for JaChris Boshburn. I always wondered why Riley put up with Mashburn. The guy just wanted to put up threes from the corner. And when we brawled with the Knicks, he was looking for the back door, like the prep school kid in a bar fight.
charlie_T2010: (9:50 AM) Yeah, Bosh really fits that Mashburn role. Mash was third fiddle to Zo and Hardaway, and without the grittiness of PJ Brown and Keith Askins. We needed Mash at the time because points were at a premium though. Even if he was a bit soft.
chuckt90_33: (9:53 AM) A bit soft?! The guy couldn't crack an egg even if he smashed it against his forehead. He was unbelievable. Just like this Bosh guy. You saw what he said about getting hurt during a scramble for a loose ball. Please. I'd be surprised if he wasn't really hurt, but suspended by Riley for being a pansy.
charlie_T2010: (9:58 AM) So you agree with Spike? I mean I know Bosh is soft, but he does what we need him to. 18 and 10 and then stays out of the way.
chuckt90_33: (10:01 AM) Of course I agree with Spike on this one. Spike once rooted for a guy who wrestled WWF. I rooted for teams who wrestled on the floor. Toughness is part of our basketball fan DNA. What happened to you? Remember when the Heat would roll into MSG? What we saw in Cleveland may have been loud, but it wasn't as fierce as what we saw in New York or Chicago or Indiana. That was true hatred. And The Decision? Riles FAXED in his resignation. Thats what villains and tough guys do. They body slam when they box out and they fax in their resignation. They don't whine about an ankle. They play with one kidney and a cocktail of meds just so they can stay alive! They shred their knee getting back on D, and then rehab even though they are going to retire anyway. Who cares about 18 and 10. My little sister can put up 18 and 10 shooting 20 footers. I'm disappointed in you, future me.
charlie_T2010: (10:09 AM) I
chuckt90_33: (10:09 AM) You need to get back to your roots. You're in love with the fast breaks and the highlights against the Warriors.
charlie_T2010: (10:09 AM) I guess you're right. I am looking past some of the pretty boy stuff going on. But Wade is a tough guy. So is Bron. Udonis. Eddie House will mix it up. James Jones is taking charges. Big Cat is bustin up guys even when he's on the bench in a suit (see vs Ron Artest). I don't even like Bosh that much. So what if he is soft. We are winning.
chuckt90_33: (10:12 AM) We are winning now. But what happens when KG pushes him around in the Playoffs. Or when Bogut mixes it up with him. Or when Noah has his way. He wont be getting his usual then. He'll be getting his swim trunks ready to go chill.
charlie_T2010: (10:14 AM) I see your point. Right now he would be getting the PJ Brown hustle like Pau Gasol got in 08.
chuckt90_33: (10:15 AM) There you go. Stop pretending the regular season matters. For the teams that have a shot, its a chance to get it figured out, and right now Bosh needs to do a lot of that. And for our sake, I hope he does.
charlie_T2010: (10:18 AM) I hope so too. I know they are listening to the doubters because they've done a lot of disproving so far. Turning into a team so quickly, Bron and Wade playing well together, getting it done with a four headed center, making it work with a minimum salary roster.
charlie_T2010: (10:20 AM) I'm glad we had this little chat. I have been too soft on my guys. I'm just excited to have some hope...and some exciting basketball to watch. But you're right. I am not giving it the full Zo effort. I'm standing by the back door when i should be mixing it up.
spike_dub_12 (10:23 AM) And on the fourth day, there was light.
chuckt90_33: (9:36 AM) I really like Coach Spo. He talks about defense and adversity and is never satisfied. He probably spends four hours every morning and four more before bed locked in a room with Riles and Zo. Thats the only way to explain his dedication to the message. He is scared to death about what will happen if he strays from the Heat Way, knowing that he will have to answer to both of them.
charlie_T2010: (9:41 AM) Never underestimate the power of Alonzo's scowl or Riley's silence.
chuckt90_33: (9:42 AM) Exactly. One will tear your arms clean off and the other will find you a cozy place at the bottom of Biscayne Bay. I'm glad to see the two of them keeping the Heat Way alive. It seems like everyone is buying in too...except for JaChris Boshburn. I always wondered why Riley put up with Mashburn. The guy just wanted to put up threes from the corner. And when we brawled with the Knicks, he was looking for the back door, like the prep school kid in a bar fight.
charlie_T2010: (9:50 AM) Yeah, Bosh really fits that Mashburn role. Mash was third fiddle to Zo and Hardaway, and without the grittiness of PJ Brown and Keith Askins. We needed Mash at the time because points were at a premium though. Even if he was a bit soft.
chuckt90_33: (9:53 AM) A bit soft?! The guy couldn't crack an egg even if he smashed it against his forehead. He was unbelievable. Just like this Bosh guy. You saw what he said about getting hurt during a scramble for a loose ball. Please. I'd be surprised if he wasn't really hurt, but suspended by Riley for being a pansy.
charlie_T2010: (9:58 AM) So you agree with Spike? I mean I know Bosh is soft, but he does what we need him to. 18 and 10 and then stays out of the way.
chuckt90_33: (10:01 AM) Of course I agree with Spike on this one. Spike once rooted for a guy who wrestled WWF. I rooted for teams who wrestled on the floor. Toughness is part of our basketball fan DNA. What happened to you? Remember when the Heat would roll into MSG? What we saw in Cleveland may have been loud, but it wasn't as fierce as what we saw in New York or Chicago or Indiana. That was true hatred. And The Decision? Riles FAXED in his resignation. Thats what villains and tough guys do. They body slam when they box out and they fax in their resignation. They don't whine about an ankle. They play with one kidney and a cocktail of meds just so they can stay alive! They shred their knee getting back on D, and then rehab even though they are going to retire anyway. Who cares about 18 and 10. My little sister can put up 18 and 10 shooting 20 footers. I'm disappointed in you, future me.
charlie_T2010: (10:09 AM) I
chuckt90_33: (10:09 AM) You need to get back to your roots. You're in love with the fast breaks and the highlights against the Warriors.
charlie_T2010: (10:09 AM) I guess you're right. I am looking past some of the pretty boy stuff going on. But Wade is a tough guy. So is Bron. Udonis. Eddie House will mix it up. James Jones is taking charges. Big Cat is bustin up guys even when he's on the bench in a suit (see vs Ron Artest). I don't even like Bosh that much. So what if he is soft. We are winning.
chuckt90_33: (10:12 AM) We are winning now. But what happens when KG pushes him around in the Playoffs. Or when Bogut mixes it up with him. Or when Noah has his way. He wont be getting his usual then. He'll be getting his swim trunks ready to go chill.
charlie_T2010: (10:14 AM) I see your point. Right now he would be getting the PJ Brown hustle like Pau Gasol got in 08.
chuckt90_33: (10:15 AM) There you go. Stop pretending the regular season matters. For the teams that have a shot, its a chance to get it figured out, and right now Bosh needs to do a lot of that. And for our sake, I hope he does.
charlie_T2010: (10:18 AM) I hope so too. I know they are listening to the doubters because they've done a lot of disproving so far. Turning into a team so quickly, Bron and Wade playing well together, getting it done with a four headed center, making it work with a minimum salary roster.
charlie_T2010: (10:20 AM) I'm glad we had this little chat. I have been too soft on my guys. I'm just excited to have some hope...and some exciting basketball to watch. But you're right. I am not giving it the full Zo effort. I'm standing by the back door when i should be mixing it up.
spike_dub_12 (10:23 AM) And on the fourth day, there was light.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Princess Christina
Soft.
I am not against anyone for being upset about being injured. It's your livelihood. You (ostensibly) love to play. You're competitive and want to be out there. You want to help your team win.
Or want to just chill. Whatever.
But come on.
Picking on a first year ex-Euroleaguer? (Would Xtina Bosh have been so vocal if KG had landed on his ankle? If you say yes, you are LYING. He went after a youngblood.) Calling out somebody who hustled without malice? Sure, let's not be reckless. Sure, let's not be malicious. (This was neither, by the way). But come on. I don't want anybody on my team who wants to institute itty bitty micro-rules or gentlemen's agreements about when hustle is and is not appropriate. Please.
Give me the guy who dives for the ball, who gets on the floor. Not the guy who believes in some pink cotton candy world of "higher law."
Maybe KG should warn his teammates before diving into the bench for a loose ball. Maybe Robert Parish should've warned Kurt Rambis before he clotheslined him.
Bottom line: Chris Bosh got hurt on a nonmalicious hustle play (in which he may have been outhustled) that happens 5-6 times every game and had to whine about it with some stupid rant about...what...a mutual understanding among players about the propriety of hustle?
Somebody get the Heat a muzzle.
And somebody get 1990's Charlie T on the line to remind 2010 Charlie T what it meant to battle on the basketball court.
"What's it like rooting for a total p*$#!?"
I want to start out by saying that every member of the Miami Heat has said something stupid that has made headlines. They are not excused for making dumb comments. They know good and well that there are reporters waiting anxiously for some sound bite or sentence fragement that will garner some attention. They have the full attention of the sports world which means most sports fans hear all of these remarks, or at least the most ridiculous ones. (see also Iverson, Allen "we talkin bout practice?") We then get to have heated, over the top debates about what kind of person they are. In most cases this wouldn't be fair but when you have a signing party at the arena in July and have a tv special, you get more scrutiny.
Okay, now that I've got that off my chest, on to the matter at hand. Two questions about The Heatles; Is Chris Bosh a pansy? and to quote Spike's question to me "What's it like rooting for a total p*$#!?"
Four years ago I was playing pick-up basketball with a bunch of friends from school. It was five on five, full court and indoors. Just a bunch of never-weres getting together and sweating it out. Three games into it, we had finally found balanced teams and it quickly became more competitive. The last game featured a pizza bet, with the losing team paying for the winners to go put any calories back on that we had managed to shed. With this kind of a reward comes more dedicated defense and rebounding, since those are the things that only require the one skill we had any amount of (hustle). Here is where this story becomes relevant.
Towards the end of the game I had the defensive assignment on the opposing point guard. He had hit a couple of long jumpers, and was slower than most, so I was playing up on him. Around the free throw line extended, a teammate of his set a screen on me. I decided to go under it and at the same time he decided that he would try and come off the screen with a drive to the basket. He changed his mind when he saw me go underneath and he pulled back. I stepped out on him as he tried to square up and reset. This resulted in him apparently tripping over himself and going to the ground. He lost the ball, which I picked up and took down to the other end for a basket. Upon my return to the other end of the court I saw everyone standing around him on the ground. The was holding his kneee and cursing about his knee. When I came into view, the curses were then directed at me. I was a no-good-fill-in-the-blank who had pushed him over when I knew he had bad knees. Neither accusation was true, but nobody else saw what had happened and I was now the bad guy.
He tried to get up and walk it off but it was apparent that something more than a sprain had happened. We would later find out that his surgically repaired knee had failed and he tore his ACL. We went from being freinds at school to him ignoring me and blaming me for his injury. I had no response. I was sorry he had gotten hurt, but I hadn't done anything wrong. He was playing basketball, a potentially rough sport, and wasn't wearing his requisit knee brace. He tried to push the blame onto me or get me to cover some of his medical expenses. How do I respond to that? I was as kind as I could afford, but unfortunately I felt no responsibility and all he got was a couple of lunches out of me.
Now this is a round about way to getting at the question at hand. Is Chris Bosh a soft, whining pansy? Well I was in the shoes of Omer Asik, getting blamed for an injury. How did I feel? Was it justified? I understood that he was mad and that he would incur some expenses because of the injury. But I did feel wrongly accused. Could I have taken it a little easier? Of course. It was a pick-up game after all. Was this kid a pansy for blaming me? Never did that cross my mind. I did feel like he took the blame assignment too far. I think the same can be said of Chris Bosh. I am a homer, but I don't think he is truly worried that an ankle sprain will keep him from providing for his family. I think he said it out of frustration, in the same way my friend blamed me. It is a pansy thing to say, but I don't think Chris Bosh is a pansy.
So, what's it like rooting for a total p*$#!? Well, its pretty good when he is part of a team winning 21 out of 22 games. When they are on a 3 game skid, it gets a bit tougher. Its also easy to disregard anything stupid he might say since he is, at best, 3rd on the depth chart and maybe only 6th on my favorites depth chart. (In case you were wondering, my list goes Wade, Haslem, LeBron, House, Magloire, Bosh, Chalmers, etc.) If he was higher up on either depth chart, it might bother me quite a bit more. I do wish he was more of a "go to work and keep your mouth shut" kind of guy. But in the end, I don't really care that much when he says stupid things.
Fortunately, there are plenty of other guys doing stupid things that I get to be all worked up about.
Okay, now that I've got that off my chest, on to the matter at hand. Two questions about The Heatles; Is Chris Bosh a pansy? and to quote Spike's question to me "What's it like rooting for a total p*$#!?"
Four years ago I was playing pick-up basketball with a bunch of friends from school. It was five on five, full court and indoors. Just a bunch of never-weres getting together and sweating it out. Three games into it, we had finally found balanced teams and it quickly became more competitive. The last game featured a pizza bet, with the losing team paying for the winners to go put any calories back on that we had managed to shed. With this kind of a reward comes more dedicated defense and rebounding, since those are the things that only require the one skill we had any amount of (hustle). Here is where this story becomes relevant.
Towards the end of the game I had the defensive assignment on the opposing point guard. He had hit a couple of long jumpers, and was slower than most, so I was playing up on him. Around the free throw line extended, a teammate of his set a screen on me. I decided to go under it and at the same time he decided that he would try and come off the screen with a drive to the basket. He changed his mind when he saw me go underneath and he pulled back. I stepped out on him as he tried to square up and reset. This resulted in him apparently tripping over himself and going to the ground. He lost the ball, which I picked up and took down to the other end for a basket. Upon my return to the other end of the court I saw everyone standing around him on the ground. The was holding his kneee and cursing about his knee. When I came into view, the curses were then directed at me. I was a no-good-fill-in-the-blank who had pushed him over when I knew he had bad knees. Neither accusation was true, but nobody else saw what had happened and I was now the bad guy.
He tried to get up and walk it off but it was apparent that something more than a sprain had happened. We would later find out that his surgically repaired knee had failed and he tore his ACL. We went from being freinds at school to him ignoring me and blaming me for his injury. I had no response. I was sorry he had gotten hurt, but I hadn't done anything wrong. He was playing basketball, a potentially rough sport, and wasn't wearing his requisit knee brace. He tried to push the blame onto me or get me to cover some of his medical expenses. How do I respond to that? I was as kind as I could afford, but unfortunately I felt no responsibility and all he got was a couple of lunches out of me.
Now this is a round about way to getting at the question at hand. Is Chris Bosh a soft, whining pansy? Well I was in the shoes of Omer Asik, getting blamed for an injury. How did I feel? Was it justified? I understood that he was mad and that he would incur some expenses because of the injury. But I did feel wrongly accused. Could I have taken it a little easier? Of course. It was a pick-up game after all. Was this kid a pansy for blaming me? Never did that cross my mind. I did feel like he took the blame assignment too far. I think the same can be said of Chris Bosh. I am a homer, but I don't think he is truly worried that an ankle sprain will keep him from providing for his family. I think he said it out of frustration, in the same way my friend blamed me. It is a pansy thing to say, but I don't think Chris Bosh is a pansy.
So, what's it like rooting for a total p*$#!? Well, its pretty good when he is part of a team winning 21 out of 22 games. When they are on a 3 game skid, it gets a bit tougher. Its also easy to disregard anything stupid he might say since he is, at best, 3rd on the depth chart and maybe only 6th on my favorites depth chart. (In case you were wondering, my list goes Wade, Haslem, LeBron, House, Magloire, Bosh, Chalmers, etc.) If he was higher up on either depth chart, it might bother me quite a bit more. I do wish he was more of a "go to work and keep your mouth shut" kind of guy. But in the end, I don't really care that much when he says stupid things.
Fortunately, there are plenty of other guys doing stupid things that I get to be all worked up about.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Best of 2010
Sorry to the faithful readers in the delay of this post. And without further ado...
2010 Albums
1. The National - High Violet
2. Mumford and Sons - Sign No More
3. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
4. Beach House - Teen Dream
5. Tallest Man On Earth - The Wild Hunt & Sometimes The Blues ...
6. Anais Mitchell - Hadestown
7. Justin Townes Earle - Harlem River Blues
8. Nathaniel Rateliff - In Memory Of Loss
9. Josh Ritter - So Runs The World Away
10. Laura Marling - I Speak Becasue I Can
2010 Mixtape
When I put this list of songs together, I started by identifying every song that made an impact on me in 2010. It could have been a fun song, a catchy song, a meaningful song or a mood setting song. Then I tried to narrow it down to a manageable number, and eventually I trimmed it enough to fit on the old fashioned blank CD. Then came the hard part; how do I sequence the songs in a way to make the mixtape descriptive of my year? I tried to identify the reasons behind my reactions to each song and use those reasons to organize the mixtape.
Dream Sequence
I spent a good portion of 2010 having dreams, trying to understand them or chasing them down. Turned out this manifested itself in a good number of the songs chosen
528491 - Hans Zimmer
A curveball. Good to start out with a curveball to get the listener off balance, but this song represents the most impactful sound waves to hit me in 2010. Anybody who was anxiously anticipating Inception got excited any time they heard these deep, powerful foghorns. This was also one of the smartest songs of the year. Read more here.
The Dreamer - Tallest Man On Earth
This song made me stop in my tracks in the first 10 seconds. Rare to do to me anymore. I must’ve listened to it 12 times in a row after that.
Awake My Soul - Mumford and Sons
Best song on one of my favorite albums. And a great Take Away Show to boot.
Cloudy Shoes - Damien Jurado
Doesn’t specifically mention dreams in the song, but it has the same atmosphere that accompany most of my dreams.
Change of Time - Josh Ritter
“I had a dream last night, and when I opened my eyes…”
The Trying Time Section
Somebody once told me that man can do anything if he knows there will be an end to it. I responded that I could do anything as long as I could listen to music throughout, with or without an end.
Rambling Man - Laura Marling
“Its funny how the first chords you come to, are the minor notes that come to serenade you”
Wait For Me - Anais Mitchell f. Ben Knox Miller and Justin Vernon
“But if all you got is your own two legs, you best be glad you got them”
The Train Section
Workin' for the MTA - Justin Townes Earle
I love trains and I spent a good deal of my year on trains. And I especially like songs about trains. Country songs about trains and in old New York.
In Concert Highlights
Early Spring Till - Nathaniel Rateliff
Saw him open for The Low Anthem and I didn’t expect much. I was half paying attention to him when a couple songs into his set he played this song. The sincerity in his voice cut through the crowd chatter and drew me in.
Postcards From Italy – Beirut
Summertime, outdoors, Balkan folk.
Afraid Of Everyone - The National
One of the highlights from my musical highlight in 2010. This was the fourth song they played when I saw the in Oakland, but the first song that crushed me. Matt Berninger sings with a lot of feeling and emotion and it comes across on their records, but that only captures about 5% of the power of him singing live. This song really had that power.
The Upbeat Section
Not much to say here other than these songs got a lot of dance time in 2010.
Everlasting Light - The Black Keys
Walk In The Park - Beach House
Moves - The New Pornographers
Rill Rill - Sleigh Bells
Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) - Arcade Fire
Home (RAC mix) - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
2010 Albums
1. The National - High Violet
2. Mumford and Sons - Sign No More
3. Arcade Fire - The Suburbs
4. Beach House - Teen Dream
5. Tallest Man On Earth - The Wild Hunt & Sometimes The Blues ...
6. Anais Mitchell - Hadestown
7. Justin Townes Earle - Harlem River Blues
8. Nathaniel Rateliff - In Memory Of Loss
9. Josh Ritter - So Runs The World Away
10. Laura Marling - I Speak Becasue I Can
2010 Mixtape
When I put this list of songs together, I started by identifying every song that made an impact on me in 2010. It could have been a fun song, a catchy song, a meaningful song or a mood setting song. Then I tried to narrow it down to a manageable number, and eventually I trimmed it enough to fit on the old fashioned blank CD. Then came the hard part; how do I sequence the songs in a way to make the mixtape descriptive of my year? I tried to identify the reasons behind my reactions to each song and use those reasons to organize the mixtape.
Dream Sequence
I spent a good portion of 2010 having dreams, trying to understand them or chasing them down. Turned out this manifested itself in a good number of the songs chosen
528491 - Hans Zimmer
A curveball. Good to start out with a curveball to get the listener off balance, but this song represents the most impactful sound waves to hit me in 2010. Anybody who was anxiously anticipating Inception got excited any time they heard these deep, powerful foghorns. This was also one of the smartest songs of the year. Read more here.
The Dreamer - Tallest Man On Earth
This song made me stop in my tracks in the first 10 seconds. Rare to do to me anymore. I must’ve listened to it 12 times in a row after that.
Awake My Soul - Mumford and Sons
Best song on one of my favorite albums. And a great Take Away Show to boot.
Cloudy Shoes - Damien Jurado
Doesn’t specifically mention dreams in the song, but it has the same atmosphere that accompany most of my dreams.
Change of Time - Josh Ritter
“I had a dream last night, and when I opened my eyes…”
The Trying Time Section
Somebody once told me that man can do anything if he knows there will be an end to it. I responded that I could do anything as long as I could listen to music throughout, with or without an end.
Rambling Man - Laura Marling
“Its funny how the first chords you come to, are the minor notes that come to serenade you”
Wait For Me - Anais Mitchell f. Ben Knox Miller and Justin Vernon
“But if all you got is your own two legs, you best be glad you got them”
The Train Section
Workin' for the MTA - Justin Townes Earle
I love trains and I spent a good deal of my year on trains. And I especially like songs about trains. Country songs about trains and in old New York.
In Concert Highlights
Early Spring Till - Nathaniel Rateliff
Saw him open for The Low Anthem and I didn’t expect much. I was half paying attention to him when a couple songs into his set he played this song. The sincerity in his voice cut through the crowd chatter and drew me in.
Postcards From Italy – Beirut
Summertime, outdoors, Balkan folk.
Afraid Of Everyone - The National
One of the highlights from my musical highlight in 2010. This was the fourth song they played when I saw the in Oakland, but the first song that crushed me. Matt Berninger sings with a lot of feeling and emotion and it comes across on their records, but that only captures about 5% of the power of him singing live. This song really had that power.
The Upbeat Section
Not much to say here other than these songs got a lot of dance time in 2010.
Everlasting Light - The Black Keys
Walk In The Park - Beach House
Moves - The New Pornographers
Rill Rill - Sleigh Bells
Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) - Arcade Fire
Home (RAC mix) - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Best of 2010 List
Charlie T and I talked many times about how 2010 was not a year for the faint of quality. Some have said that the year was lesser, but that's bunk. The quality releases of 2010 were such that it made making a Top 10 list almost impossible. Here's where I landed. Unlike most lists, I'm saying "screw anticipation" and sticking #1 at the top. No reveal, nothing.
1) The National- High Violet
This album’s spot at #1 is meaningful beyond just it being the best record and the one I listened to and wanted to listen to the most in 2010. It’s meaningful because it sets the precedent for this reckoning and judgment, the critical philosophy that governs how I picked my favorite records of 2010. There are some albums on this list (and off it) that suffered because of the expectation (mine, the public’s, the band's) that follows releasing a great record. That can mean that we expect albums to build on (to quote the Miami Heat about themselves) greatness. It can mean we have our own arbitrary expectation of what a band should do next (the most unfair of our expectations). And it can also mean that we simply expect the album to be at least as good as the previous one, which is fair but also pretty subjective and even a little arbitrary.
The National met expectations at the crossroads and ran over them– with furious frenetic drums, shoutalong choruses, catharsis, mumbles, blood, buzz, and more. This album is NOT Boxer Pt II. But nothing that I loved about Boxer prevented me from loving this record. It took parts of that record, evolved them, and mixed them with new elements and angles and approaches. The results are great, an album that I had no problem listening to back-to-back-to-back, a feat unheard of in my ADD-riddled impatient 21st Century mp3-single mind.
Charlie T and I talked about the challenge of not being able to pick THE one standout favorite track (initially, at least, “Fake Empire” on Boxer). At different times, different songs leapt out, pushing the others aside. But just temporarily. The song I like least (“Runaway”) is a favorite of most of my friends, which says something for the well-roundedness of the record.
2) Justin Townes Earle- Harlem River Blues (+ his contribution to the John Prine tribute record)
Steve’s kid. It has to be said. Especially with a middle name like Townes, which I’ve heard he opted to include later in his career. Might as well embrace it all, I guess. He fares better than most famous musicians’ kids (Julian Lennon, Wilson Phillips, etc) and jumps to the adults’ table with Teddy Thompson and Rufus Wainwright.
From the first line of the first song, I was sold. And, mind you, I was bracing myself to hate it. Hype filter set to UNBELIEVABLY HIGH. And the first song just rolled over me. “Lord, I’m going uptown to the Harlem River to drown. Dirty water gonna cover me over and I’m not gonna make a sound.” It’s the first song in a long time that I just repeated over and over and over.
But it’s not just that song. It’s the beauty of “Christchurch Woman” and patient story of “MTA.” It feels old and new. It feels borrowed and original. Mostly, it feels like a guy finding his voice, an authentic voice. It’s the record I’ve been hoping to hear from Ryan Adams for awhile now- Americana that nods to its roots and keeps adding leaves. Oops. There’s that expectation again.
3) Over The Rhine – The Long Surrender
This won’t even come out til January. But I couldn’t wait. I decided not to do this album the injustice of sitting on it for a year and letting its beauty and impact be lessened by time. So here it is.
A year ago, I got to hear Linford and Karen (the two writers/players/singers in OTR) in a songwriting class, talking about how their unique and unorthodox music career allowed them to grow, and how it allowed them to devoutly believe that– 20 years into the game– their best record was still ahead of them. What other bands can say that their best record would come out 20 years in? The Beatles didn't even last 10 years. (Don't take this as a knock on The Beatles. I am a ridiculously big Beatles fan.) The Stones– a model of career longevity if not continued creative relevance– recorded Undercover in their 21st year, not a landmark record and nowhere near even THEIR Top 10.
I got to hear them preview these songs last September at the Mercy Lounge in Nashville and was blown away, praying that the recorded versions would live up to their in-concert promise.
And Joe Henry captured it. And by “it” I mean the greatness and beauty and devastation and sadness and sweetness of these songs, the power and subtlety of Karen’s incredible voice, the movement, the moment, and, yes, the best record of Over The Rhine’s career. Not a dud in the mix.
4) Tallest Man On Earth- The Wild Hunt (+ the EP)
I jumped to my kneejerk “Way Too Dylanesque” stance on this one and a friend pointed out, “If this was actually Bob Dylan, you would worship these songs.”
He was correct. These songs, while I don’t find myself listening to the whole record in any one sitting (but, hey, sometimes the blues is just a passing bird), are great. Desperate, tender, brash, passionate, sad, poetic. And what a great guitar player.
5) Anais Mitchell- Hadestown
If we’re talking about expectation, I had none with this one. I literally bought it because the album art and cast of musicians intrigued me. I had no idea what to expect. And was shocked by how much I loved it.
There was a month where this was in contention for the #1 spot. Its ambition– a modern day folkie take on an old myth, sung by a murderer’s row of great indie and folk voices (Mitchell, Justin Vernon, Ani DiFranco, Greg Brown, the guy from The Low Anthem), part folk and part Broadway– is staggering. Mitchell has vision and guts. And the songs are good. And if you can get a guy who has a hairtrigger gag reflex when it comes to anything even remotely Broadway to dive headfirst into your record, you’re getting somewhere.
I'd say there were a few ambitious releases this year (Kanye for one) and this has to be in the club.
6) Jakob Dylan- Women & Country
Jakob, you are forgiven for that last postage stamp of a Wallflowers album. This collection is gorgeous, well written, smart, effortless. And Neko Case and Kelly Hogan's perfect vocals don’t hurt. I found myself going back to this record more than I ever thought I would. Sure, it has the mark of T-Bone Burnett, but since when is that a bad thing?
7) Josh Ritter- So Runs The World Away
Unfair expectation dropped a good Ritter album out of the Top 5. Completely unfair and I'm sure time will prove me wrong. Just because I thought it would be something that it’s not, I initially didn’t gravitate towards this album like I thought I would. But if you take a killer live show and the Josh Ritter Pantheon songs “The Curse” and “Change Of Time”, it refuses to be denied. In 5 years, I will still be talking about this record, but I just can't honestly put it ahead of the others as a document of THIS year. Lame, I know.
8) The Lower West- Only The Dead Know Brooklyn
A collection of honest, authentic lo-fi songs by the prolific, dynamic Dominic Moore with a new cast of characters that brings more piano and bass to the mix than usual. Dominic is one of my favorite songwriters and he shines all over this one, his range leaping from explosive to sleepy and everywhere in between.
9) Laura Veirs? Damien Jurado? Horse Feathers? Patty Griffin? Arcade Fire?
No, this isn't a tie. It's indecision and refusal to make a decision. Veirs and Horse Feathers were latecomers, leading a late and furious charge for the Top 10. But Patty and Damien had the writing. And Arcade Fire had the je ne se Quebequois.
10a) Dr. Dog – Shame Shame
10b) Tift Merritt – See You On The Moon
This, however, is a tie. A tie for tenth between two albums that I didn’t listen to as much as the rest, but every time a song came on from one of the records, I loved it and had to chastise myself, “Why aren’t you listening to this all the time?” It still holds. Why, Spike, why?
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Laura Marling – I Speak Because I Can
Elvis Costello – National Ransom
Peter Gabriel – Scratch My Back
Megafaun – Heretofore
Janelle Monae
Breathe Owl Breathe – Magic Central
Mumford & Sons
Beach House – Teen Dream
Black Keys – Brothers
Mose Allison
Mavis Staples
Jim Lauderdale- Patchwork River
Robert Plant- Band Of Joy
Broken Bells
GOOD BUT DIDN’T KEEP ME INTERESTED
The Hold Steady
Retribution Gospel Choir – 2 (killer leadoff track, less thereafter)
The Weepies
Jonsi
Broken Social Scene – Forgiveness Rock Record
A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED IN
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Ryan Bingham- Junky Star ( I love Ryan. This album felt a little blah to me. Uninspired maybe?)
Ray Lamontagne & The Pariah Dogs
ADMIT THAT I STILL NEED TO CHECK OUT
Frightened Rabbit
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Spoon- Transference
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Jason Collett
The Head & Heart
Drew Grow & The Pastors Wives
Sufjan Stevens – The Age of Adz
Drive By Truckers
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