NBA: New Season's Biggest Storylines

The NBA season is finally upon us and I am very happy.  The NFL is cool, but basketball has always been my first love.  This season should be one of the most interesting in recent history.  Let’s discuss some of the season’s biggest storylines.

Miami Heat: Championship or Bust

Will Miami repeat?  That is the million dollar question. I believe they have positioned themselves to do so.  They did not lose any key players from the championship team.  In fact, they added Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, two outstanding shooters who can space the floor even more for Lebron and D. Wade.  Further, Lebron is in a different stratosphere right now, and he is focused to become the best of all time.  Wade appears to be healthy and when he is, he is a top 5 player.  Chris Bosh has had another year to adjust to playing the center position.  The bench now boasts the likes of Haslem, Cole, M. Miller, R. Allen, R. Lewis, and J. Jones.  They may have the best shooting team, from top to bottom, in the entire NBA.  I am predicting another championship for the Heat.

Los Angeles Lakers: Reminiscent of the 2004 Team?

On paper, the Lakers look like a championship ready team.  But, will they live up to the lofty expectations, or will they underachieve?  Be clear, underachievement for this team means anything short of winning an NBA championship.  They were constructed to win, and win now.  Kobe is a year older, and Nash is just old.  Dwight Howard recovered earlier than expected and I expect him to clean the glass and block a lot of shots.  They have a serviceable bench with A. Jamison, S. Blake, J. Meeks, and J. Hill.  But, as with any other team in the league, they are one injury away from a Kobe Bryant temper tantrum and a Mike Brown firing.  We shall see.

Oklahoma City Thunder:  The End of a Dynasty?

I have been following the Thunder closely during the off season.  Throughout the summer, there were consistent rumblings that James Harden may not re-sign with OKC.  I honestly thought they would lose him in free agency, but I did not think he would leave before the beginning of the season.  Well, it happened and he is gone to Houston.  The Thunder signed Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb to replace Harden.  Also, they signed rookie, Perry Jones III, who has the potential to be a really good NBA player.  Eric Maynor has returned from offseason surgery and Serge Ibaka has signed a long term deal.  In terms of talent, I think they are in a good position, but, in terms of chemistry, the Harden departure may have a lasting negative impact.  We shall see.

Los Angeles Clippers: Ready for the Bright Lights?

The Los Angeles Clippers made many significant offseason moves.  They may have the deepest team in the league at this point.  They signed G. Hill, L. Odom, J. Crawford, M. Barnes to contracts and E. Bledsoe is still under contract.  Blake Griffin signed a contract extension and if this season is a good one, Chris Paul will likely sign a contract extension as well.  If Blake Griffin can develop a few back-to-the-basket moves to go along with his immeasurable athletic ability, he can make a leap as a player.  I am expecting Chris Paul to have an even better season than he did last year.  If the Clippers can win 53 or more games, I think he will have to be considered a heavy favorite for a Most Valuable Player award. 

Boston Celtics: A Year Older; A Year Wiser?

What an offseason for the Celtics.  They signed Jason Terry, Courtney Lee and Jeff Green. They lost Ray Allen, who has been involved in a war of words with members of the Celtics.  Kevin Garnett, in typical KG fashion said that he no longer has Ray Allen’s telephone number.  Rondo has been referring to him as “number 20.”  The Heat and Celtics never liked each other, and with Ray Allen changing teams, it will be even more contentious during the opening night game.  As an aside, I do not think Rondo is a top 3 point guard.  He is too limited because he simply cannot shoot the ball and he is a terrible free throw shooter.  That said, this is his year to emerge and prove people like me wrong.  Maybe.

Knicks or Nets: Battle of the Big Apple

New York Knicks or Brooklyn Nets?  Before the injury of Amare Stoudemire, who is becoming an overpaid, unhealthy bum, things were looking good for the Knicks.  Without him providing scoring, the Knicks won’t be better than a number 6 seed in the Playoffs.  The Brooklyn team has some talent, but they are unproven.  D. Will is a really good player, and Joe Johnson can play as well.  They have good coaching with Avery Jonhson and a solid low post presence with Brook Lopez and Chris Humphries.  I think Raymond Felton is going to have a very good year for the Knicks, but, without Stoudemire, the Knicks won’t advance and Carmelo with be blamed for it all. 

Peace 

 

Now Listening to: Lupe Fiasco Food and Liquor II

This past weekend was a good one.  I attended GHOE at North Carolina A&T State University.  Great weekend.  Today, I am back at work and listening to a little music as I work.  I am currently feeling the new Lupe Album.  It has a different vibe than his "Lasers" album and I appreciate that.  He was focused on this album and I hear it may be his last.  Check out the album. 

My favorite track on the album

Peace

Now listening to: Kendrick Lamar's Good Kid Mad City

I heard Kendrick Lamar's name for the first time a few years ago, but I did not listen to his music.  I was wrong but his new album is amazing.  Today is a busy day at work, but a blogpost about his album will be coming soon.  Until then, peace.

The Greatest: Jordan, Bryant or James?

Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player to ever play the game.  However, most recently, Charles Barkley and Phil Jackson made controversial statements regarding MJ.  Charles Barkley, an all time NBA great, said Lebron James has the potential to be better than Michael Jordan.   Phil Jackson a similar statement and noted that Lebron has all the physical attributes that Jordan possessed.  Barkley’s comments must be viewed with a bit of skepticism.  Barkley is a sports commentator and he has to make controversial statements from time-to-time to make sure his ratings remain at a high level.  Phil Jackson’s comments must be taken a bit more seriously, considering he coached MJ and Kobe.

Lebron James is the best player in the world and he is only 27 years old.  He is just now reaching his “prime” and his best basketball may be ahead of him.  He won a NBA championship last season.  He has already won 3 regular season MVP awards, a NBA finals MVP, 2 Olympic gold medals and an NBA title.  He can dominate at any number of four positions.  There has never been a player in the league that has his skill set.  He is arguably the best athlete to ever play in the NBA as well.  If I had to guess, I would think that he will be considered the second best basketball player in the history of the game. Ultimately, the jury is still out; only time will tell.

Kobe Bryant is an all time great.  His individual statistics and accomplishments are stellar.  He has 5 NBA championships, 2 NBA finals MVP awards, 2 Olympic gold medals and countless other individual accolades.  In his prime, he dominated on both ends of the court, much like Jordan did.  He has a reputation of being incredibly skilled and intelligent player.  Even in his prime, Kobe was a low percentage, volume shooter.  He has never shot better than 47% from the field.  As a quick comparison, Michael Jordan’s worst field goal percentage year was 47% when he was nearly 40 years old.  I also remember Kobe’s performance in a playoff series against the Phoenix Suns when he essentially quit competing for his team.  A player that will quit on his team can never be considered to be the greatest ever.

Michael Jordan has 5 NBA regular season MVP awards, 6 NBA finals MVP awards, 10 all NBA-first team awards, 1 defensive player of the year award, 9 time all NBA defensive first team, Rookie of the Year, 14 time all star, 3 time all star game MVP, and two time Olympic gold medals.  The most impressive of his statistics to me is the fact that he has 6 NBA championships and 6 NBA Finals MVP awards.  When the stakes were the highest, he “stepped his game up” to another level.  He is undefeated in Championship series competition.  What other player can say that?  He had 6 NBA finals appearances and 6 NBA finals championships.  

As of now, Micahel Jordan is the greatest player.  Kobe will have to settle for arguably being a top five all time NBA great and the jury is sill out of Lebron.

 

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Juvenile Delinquency: The Age of Majority

The other day, I had one of the most productive days of my young career.  Because I was in such a great groove, I ate lunch at my desk.  As I sat there, I began reflecting on my career and how thankful I was to be employed.  I browsed a few of my favorite websites and then began reading an article on cnn.com about a challenge to an affirmative action policy at the University of Texas.  The student challenging the policy argued that race should not be a factor in determinng whether a student is admitted into the university.  The outcome of the case has the potential to eliminate affirmative action in college admissions.  That said, I hope the Supreme Court renders the correct opinion.

 

When I left the office around 6:15 pm, I was in a pensive mood.  As I arrived at the meeting, I was pleasantly surprised because I had a chance to speak with one of my mentors, who happens to be a judge.  After our brief conversation, it was time to eat, and then time for the program to begin.  The program was about juvenile delinquency and the age of majority in the state of North Carolina.  During the first presentation, I learned that North Carolina is one of only two states where the age of majority is sixteen years old.  Essentially, that means that a sixteen year old accused of a crime can be tried as an adult.  In about ten states across the United States, the age of majority is seventeen years old and in the remaining states, the age of majority is eighteen years old.  When I think about the implications of the age of majority, I cannot help but think about a sixteen year old child being saddled with a criminal record for the remainder of his life.

Proponents of the law argue that sixteen year olds are capable of making decisions.  They argue that all sixteen year olds understand the difference between right and wrong.  They believe teenagers must be accountable for their actions.  This group also believes prosecuting sixteen year olds will act as a deterrent for other young children who may at some point commit crimes.  Individuals supporting this law believe it is “tough” on crime. 

Opponents of the law argue that a sixteen year old child does not have a fully developed mind. Moreover, they argue that the teenager is not capable of understanding the consequences of their actions.  They argue that juvenile delinquency is about more than children committing crimes.  They argue that the problem begins with their parents’ lack of involvement in their children’s lives.  They also argue that if a sixteen year old commits a crime under this system, that crime will follow them for the remainder of their lives.  They believe that is too tough of a result.

 

What do you think?

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Lawyer League Baketball: Win or Go Home

Basketball has played a major part of my life since I was 11 years old.  As much as I love basketball, I almost stopped playing a few years ago.  Law school was demanding and it made me feel that I did not have time to play.  I finally started playing basketball again at the end of my second year.  That really helped me get my mind back to the game.  During my third year, I joined a gym, and played a few times per week.  During bar prep immediately following my third year, I played basketball when I could, but realized how much I missed being away from the game.  The problem was simple: Where could I play with a group of like minded people who did not want to argue and fight about every possession?  The answer to that problem has been the Wake County Lawyer Basketball League.

I started working at my firm in September 2011 and almost immediately I asked my colleagues about local basketball leagues.  I was informed about the Wake County League.  I signed up for the league in November 2011 and the winter league began in January 2012.  The league was perfect because you played one game per week on Saturdays.  I ended up being selected to play on a good team and we clicked as a unit almost immediately.  We finished the season with an outstanding record and advanced through the playoffs.  Eventually, we lost in the championship game by 5 points.  I do not like losing, and making it that far just to lose the championship game was a tough pill to swallow.  I thought I would have to wait a year before being able to play again.  I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that I would have a chance to play in the summer league.

The league began in July 2012.  I was on a completely different team, but we ended up meshing very well.  Everyone seemed to know and accept their roles.  At first, we thought we would be a zone team, but then, we figured out that we could hang our hats on man-to-man defense.  That worked really well for us as we went through the season.  We had to deal with many absences throughout the summer because of vacations and family obligations, so our record was not great.  The beauty of the postseason is that your regular season record does not matter.  You just need to hit your collective stride at the right time.  We did just that and made it to the championship round.  We played a very good team, but thanks to great pressure defense, timely shooting, and unselfish play, we won.  I was extremely excited to win the championship, considering my team’s loss in the championship game in March.

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Jay Electronica: Where is the Album?

Please excuse my rant, but I have to get this off my chest.  Jay Electronica is one of the dopest emcess in the game right now.  But, is he really in the game without an album??  Jay Electronica is a lyricist.  That gets him at least 8 cool points.  He dated Erykah Badu.  She is dope, so that gets him another 10 points.  Exhibit C is one of the best mixtape songs I have ever heard.  Yep, add another 15 points.  He rapped toe to toe with some of the best emcess in the game, and held his own.  Add 20 points.  But, despite his great skills and all the cool points in the world, the fact remains that he still has not released an album.  My frustration cannot be tempered because I do not know who I should be mad at.  He is signed to Roc Nation, I think, so should my anger be directed at the management there?  Or, is Jay Electronica being a perfectionist and not finishing his album?  Who knows?  He needs to drop an album because no matter how talented he is, his buzz is just about dead.  Along those same lines, I was happy to see J. Cole drop his album while his buzz was still hot.  Shout out to him for dropping that classic, “Friday Night Lights.”  Hip hop fans can be fickle.  They can love you today and hate you tomorrow.  Today you are the best and tomorrow you are old news.  Remember Mims, Mr. “this is why I’m hot?”  Where is he now? You have to strike while the iron is hot.  I hope its not too late for Electronica.

I heard the name “Jay Electronica” for the first time a few years ago.  I was browsing online, as I like to do, and I came across his name.  I asked a few of my boys if they had ever heard of him.  All everyone said was “listen to Exhibit C.”  Nobody said listen because of any particular reasons, they all just said listen.  So I did.  If you have not heard the song, listen to the link below.  It is a classic track.  At the time of its release, it won a Sucker Free Summit Award for Instant Classic.  From that moment going forward, I began following his career.  Since then, he has released a few mix tapes.  Check out some of his newer songs. 

Exhibit C

“When I was sleeping on a train, sleepin’ on Meserole Ave out in the rain, without even a slice of pizza to my name, too proud to beg for change, mastering the pain, when New York Ni**as were calling southern rappers lame but then jacking out slang . . .”

Shiny Suit Theory

“Pay no attention to the critics and vulture they’d rather have a shot of Belvy just to spite you, they passing judgments cause they feel they got the right to, f**k em, I let the dice roll like the father did, I got to shine its in my blood im a Harlem Kid, I treat my babies right treate my ladies lady like, hit em with a remix to make sure they play me twice . . .

The Ghost of Christopher Wallace      

"Don’t talk to me about who’s the best alive or who is in your top five, cause he is not ill, real recognize real, stick to your deal, try to make a cool mil off the single, with that ringtone appeal, in three years you’ll be nil . . . “

Jay Electronica tweeted at the end of July 2012 that his album is finished.  This is good news, but I still have no idea when, if at all, that it will be released. 

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Fall 2012 Men's Fashion from Guest Blogger www.eyecandy828.com

Today, the blogpost is written by the beautiful and talented woman eyecandy828.com.  Visit her women's fashion blog at www.eyecandy828.com.

Check out her post below on men's fashion.

I love fashion. I love women's fashion for obvious reasons. However, I secretly love men's fashion. Men's fashion is always tailored and sophisticated. Here are some pieces that every man should add to their wardrobe. 

1. A COLORED PANT

Colored pants are a big trend for fall. You don't have to go bright. Choose a darker hue like hunter green or burgundy. They will add interest to your look but still look put together. Try a pair of colored cords for the fall. 

2. A PLAID SHIRT 

All plaid shirts are not created equal. While I love a flannel plaid shirt, every man should have a nice plaid shirt. You can wear it for work under a suit or with a nice pair of jeans. I love a gingham print shirt the best because the small pattern is flattering on all shapes and sizes. 

3. A GREAT SHOE 

I've always heard girls say the first thing they look at when they meet a man is his shoes. I'm just saying...

4. A TAILORED BLAZER 

Anybody looks instantly pulled together with a blazer. Try a blazer in different textures and fabrics now that fall has hit. A gray wool blazer like the one pictured is the perfect piece for any man to have in his closet. You can wear it with anything. 

5. A NICE WATCH

A nice watch is not only practical, it adds polish to any outfit. A great leather watch and a nice chronograph watch can build the foundation for a great collection of watches over time. 

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Taken 2: Prime Example of Why Sequels are Rarely Better

I like movies.  Okay, I love movies.  I watched Taken a few years ago and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.  Going into the movie, I had no expectations whatsoever.  It ended up being a much better movie than I ever could have imagined.  In the same way that a defensive end surprises a quarterback and sacks him, Taken really surprised me.  I was aware of Liam Neeson, but he had not played a signature role until Taken.  Also, I had not heard any of my friends talking about it, nor did I even remember the movie being at the theaters.  Typically, that combination is a dead giveaway that a movie is either not any good or a slept on classic.  Taken falls in the latter category.

The plot, acting and concept were all above average.  If you have not seen the movie, I will try my hand at giving a brief summary of the plot.  Liam Neeson’s character was a veteran CIA operative and because of his career, he missed a lot of important moments in his daughter’s life.  His career ruined his marriage as well.  So, his ex-wife and mother of his daughter married a rich man.  They both moved in with him.  Shortly thereafter, Neeson had a change of heart and decided that his relationship with his family was more important that his career.  He began trying to reconnect with his daughter, who was then a teenager.  In doing so, he begrudgingly agreed to allow her to travel with a friend to Europe for the summer.  He thought she would be staying with the family of her friend.  Unbeknownst to him, his daughter and her friend really planned to spend the entire summer following a rock band across Europe.  When he discovers his daughter’s plan (and his wife was well aware), it was too late. His daughter was taken by men dealing in human trafficking.  He was determined to get his daughter back.  If you have not seen it, I highly recommend it.

Can you think of a sequel that is better than the original movie?  I cannot.  Ironically, that same principle seems to hold true in music as well.  I do not know why directors fail to follow up a classic movie with another classic.  I have a few ideas though.  What are the components of a classic movie?  Great acting, plot, timing, original idea, and a great music score are a few components contributing to a great movie.  Of the factors, I think a novel idea might be the most important.  There has to be something about the movie that make it just a little different and better than a movie with a similar plot.  It needs the “it” factor.  Saw comes to mind.  I think it is a classic horror movie.  Jigsaw was a little more diabolical and sinister than most serial killers in movies.  It had the “it” factor.  But, the sequel, and subsequent 25 other “Saw” movies never lived up to the hype from the original movie.  In hip hop, the phenomena is known as a “sophomore slump.”  And, despite knowing that a sequel will rarely be as good as the first movie, we still go to the movie and expect to see a product more novel, and more special than the first.  We are almost always disappointed at the result.  But, don’t we know that before we pay to see the sequel?  I digress.

By no means am I saying Taken 2 is not a good movie.  I think it is very entertaining, but I think it is also very predictable.  Predictability can be a good thing in certain circles, but in the movie realm, it is not.  In this installment, Neeson’s character has to travel to Instanbul for business.  His ex-wife and daughter end up surprising him and meeting him there.  All the while, the family members of the men Neeson killed in the first movie while trying to save his daughter were plotting to get revenge for their collective losses.  If you have not seen the movie, I will not ruin it for you.  I recommend this movie and I think it will keep your attention for two hours.  But, it is not as good as the first movie.  You already knew that though.

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I Love the 1990s: Part I

There is something about autumn that makes me feel nostalgic, so travel with me as I go back to the 1990s.  I was born in the 1980s, but I came of age during the 1990s.  My love for that period grows with each passing day.  The lessons learned in the 1990s are still with me today.  

The television shows released during the 1990s are on another level.  Although the current television shows have better production quality, the shows from the 1990s had an authentic feel that cannot be duplicated.  A Different World is one of my all time favorite shows.  I still remember watching the show and believing that college life would be just like it was at fictional Hillman College.  Because I did not attend an HBCU, my college experience was somewhat different than the show.  But, many of the issues the show addressed, I saw firsthand while a college student in the early 2000s.  I cannot talk about television shows and not mention my all time favorite show, Martin.  Martin Lawrence is a comedic genius and his show was well ahead of its time.  Ole Otis, Jerome, Bob from Marketing, Roscoe, and Dragonfly Jones are a few of my favorite characters.  Family Matters was another one of my favorite shows that I watched with my parents on Friday nights.  That show provided laughs for people of all ages and also discussed important family topics.  The Cosby Show portrayed the black nuclear family in a positive light.  Cliff Huxtable was a physician and his wife, Clair Huxtable, was an attorney.  Teen Summit was a great show that addressed serious issues young, black teenagers were dealing with.  It aired during a time when the programming on BET was still good.  That said, how could I forget about BET’s Rap City: The Basement.  I looked forward to coming home after school and watching the latest and greatest in hip hop on the show.  I could go on and on about great 1990s television shows.

The other day, as I sat on my couch looking at old pictures, I came across an old picture of myself during the 1990s.  I was wearing an Avirex shirt, black Avirex jeans and black Timberland Boots.  Also, I was wearing a gold chain with a cross pendant, a black doo-rag, “diamond” earrings and a black New York Yankees fitted hat.  Those were the days!  Back in the 1990s, people wore baggy clothes, which is completely different than the popular style today.  Cross Colors is one of the least fashionable clothing brands ever crafted, but, it was very popular in the early 1990s.  Nautica bubble coats and UNLV Starter brand coats were big during the 1990s.  Timberland boots were wildly popular during the 1990s.  I recall asking my mother to buy me a pair of wheat Timberland Boots.  I asked her to buy me the kind with the leather at the top of the boot, which sold for $145.00.  If I had walked the halls of Cook Middle School with the boots without the leather, I would have been clowned for sure.  During my time at Cook Middle School, the “fashionable” young ladies wore Reebok Classics and tennis skirts.  The popular style of dress was heavily influenced by the hip hop culture.  I remember going back-to-school shopping with my mother the week before beginning high school.  We went to Hanes Mall and went to my favorite stores at the time—Belk, Hects and Dillards.  I was on a mission to find Tommy Hilfiger, Polo and Nautica t-shirts, book bags, and shorts.  Those were some of the best times of my life.  Remember CHAPS by Ralph Lauren?  The acronym CHAPS stood for “Could Have Had a Polo Shirt.” 

I met a few friends at a bar the other night and we a good conversation about the 1990s.  One of my friends talked about how he recently spoke with his 15 year old cousin.  His cousin told him that he had recently learned about “old school” gaming systems in his technology class.  He said he learned about the Nintendo, and my friend was excited and started telling him all about Mike Tyson’s Punchout and so many other games.  Then, his cousin said, “I learned about the Nintendo 64, not the Nintendo.”  He told his cousin that the Nintendo 64 is not old school. We all laughed about the experience and starting talking about technology during the 1990s.  Who remembers their mother giving them a quarter to keep in their pocket in case they had to use a pay phone to make an emergency phone call?  Who remembers beepers?  I had two or three different beepers in high school.  I remember owning a Nintendo and playing Blades of Steel, Tecmo Bowl, and Arch Rivals.  If you owned or even played a Nintendo game, you remember having to blow dust out of the game and the gaming console.  The joystick on the Nintendo had two buttons, “a” and “b.” I still remember having to use an antenna to get a clear picture on the tube television at my grandmother’s house.   Life was simple and the gaming systems, and pay phones were signs of that fact.  During the 1990s, many people in my age range did not have bills to pay, or children to care for or any other major responsibilities.  My biggest responsibility was going to school, making good grades and taking out the trash.  Because I love the 1990s so much, I will revisit this topic again soon.

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Menace to Society or Boyz in the Hood: Which is the Better Movie?

I love ‘hood classics’ and both Menace II Society and Boyz n the Hood fit the bill.  If you are unfamiliar with ‘hood classics,’ see the following: Juice, New Jack City, Paid in Full, among other great movies.  In my opinion, ‘hood classics’ tell important stories about inner city life in various ghettos across the country.  By ghetto, I mean an impoverished, crime ridden neighborhood.  Which movie is better?  I will attempt to solve that question based on the following: (1) Plot, (2) Acting, and (3) Favorite scene.

Menace II Society is a movie about a group of young, inner city friends growing up Los Angeles during the turbulent, violent 1990’s.  The movie follows the intertwined lives of the friends as they finish high school.  Some of the group members planned to go to college, while others planned to stay in their neighborhoods.  Other members, still, planned to leave California and start their lives anew elsewhere.  Some were successful in their quests, while others were not so lucky. 

Boyz n the Hood is another 1990’s movie chronicling the lives of a group of teenage friends from South Central,Los Angeles.  The friends had different perspectives on life and how it should be lived.  The one constant fact among the friends seemed to be that each person understood how prevelant discrimination  was during the 1990’s.  The movie even touches on police brutality and intra-race discrimination.  Again, some members experienced success, while others were devoured by the mean streets of South Central, Los Angeles.

The plots in both movies are really good, but I have to give the edge to Boys n the Hood.

Menace II Society: 7/10

Boyz n the Hood: 9/10

Of the two movies, Menace II Society employed the least inexperienced cast.  That said, I think the Menace cast did an excellent job.. Larenz Tate played O-Dog, and I think he absolutely owned his performance.  He is an underrated actor, but he has yet to land that breakthrough performance that can catapult his career to the next level.  This role was a long way from his role in Inkwell, but he managed to pull it off with flying colors.  MC Eight also did an excellent job portraying his role as A-Wax.  Ironically, or maybe not ironically, MC Eight is a former gang member and  an older hip hop artist.  He is an OG in reality, and I think that authenticity made his performance that much more believable.  Tyrin Turner played the role of Caine, who was a man torn between the street life and a life with beautiful Ronnie, played by Jada Pinkett.  He is another actor who has not been able to land roles in big time movies.  His character in Belly is memorable because of that ridiculous wig he wore.  In Menace, his character represents what happens when people “live by the gun.”  This tragic role has been played out on the big screen in so many movies including: Scarface, Carlito’s Way, Goodfellas, New Jack City and so many more great movies.  Caine is my favorite character in the movie.

Boyz n the Hood had the more well known, polished cast.  Cuba Gooding Jr. played Tre Styles who represented a guy who grew up in ‘the hood,’, but wanted more for himself than the hood could offer.  He was blessed in the sense that he had a strong father who kept him on the right track. Furious Styles, played by Laurence Fishburne, represented the educated man who still lives in the hood, not because he has to, but because he believes he can make a difference in his community.  He taught Tre how to become a man in an environment filled with gang violence, police brutality and overt racial discrimination. Angela Bassett played Reva Styles, who was Tre’s mother who was educated, sophisticated and loving.  She made the hard decision of allowing Tre move in with Furious as he was becoming a teenager because she could not “teach him how to be a man.”  She is one of my favorite characters as well.  Ricky is played by Morris Chestnut and he was Tre’s best friend and big time high school football star.  His character represents a good guy who dies in the hood because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.  That happens too often (See Trayvon Martin).  My favorite character, however, is Doughboy who was played by Ice Cube.  Doughboy represents that person who lives and breathes the hood.  He is my favorite character because he was also probably the most loyal, caring person in the movie.  As hard as he was on Ricky, he protected him in his own way and he did what he believed had to be done to avenge his death.

The acting in both movies is good, but I give the edge to the Boyz n the Hood cast.

Menace II Society: 8/10

Boyz n the Hood: 9/10

  

Both movies have great scenes, and it was very difficult to choose just one from each movie.  That said, here is my attempt:

From Menace II Society.  This scene symbolizes the point of the movie when Caine's life changed forever.

From Boyz in the Hood.  This scene foreshadowed one of the most famous, and saddest scenes in recent history.  RICKY!!!!!!!!

Both movies have many great scenes.  I think this a tie.

Menace II Society: 9/10

Boyz n the Hood: 9/10

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NBA Policy: Floppers Beware

 

I love the game of basketball.  I love the competitive spirit of competing against great players.  When I was young, I was always able to turn to the game when things in my life were going south.  I still feel that way, and for the two or three hours I spend on the court, a hallowed ground if you will, I am totally at peace.  Nothing else matters.  I am quite certain professional players have a similar feeling about the game and about its importance.  That said, I have been, and will always be, confused at those who cheat the game.  I do no understand why these athletes find a way to “pull a fast one” on the referees.  Why?!  These cheaters are commonly referred to as “floppers.”

Of course, flopping should never be confused with taking a charge, which is a great defensive move.  I can still remember my high school basketball coach yelling at me and telling me to take a charge.  In my mind, I knew that I was not taking a charge in practice, in a game, or in my dream.  I weighed 145 pounds back then and it was not happening.  I thought of myself as the best shot blocker on my team and my assistant coach always joked that I was the shortest shot blocker in North Carolina high school basketball.  A charge occurs when a defensive player anticipates the offensive player’s move and beats him to the spot that he planned to go.  Gary Payton, Scottie Pippen and other great defensive players were masters at this defensive technique.  Those players should be applauded for their defensive efforts.

Floppers, on the other hand, should be punished by some cruel and unusual method.  I am exaggerating just a little.  Basketball is a contact sport and a person must be physically and mentally strong to excel.  Flopping is not a sign of strength; it is the ultimate sign of weakness.  I am not sure when it became commonplace in the NBA.  But, I believe Vlade Divac is one of the first known floppers in the NBA.  Nowadays, the NBA is filled with floppers including: Manu Ginobili, Anderson Varejao, Luis Scola, Derek Fisher, and Shane Battier.  They need to “man up.”

I read recently that the powers-that-be in the NBA have had enough of flopping.  They passed a new anti-flopping policy that will be enforced during the upcoming 2012-13 NBA season.  I am quite certain the policy will come under fire because distinguishing between a “flop” and a “charge” is based on the subjective views of a referee.  Players with a reputation for flopping are likely to get called for flopping at a higher rate.  Either way, the policy will allow a player to flop  one time and receive a warning.  For the second flop, they will receive a $5,000 fine, $10,000 fine for the third flop, $15,000 fine for the fourth, $30,000 fine for the fifth.  Six or more offenses could subject the player to an NBA mandated suspension.  The Player’s Union is not happy with the policy and they plan to file a grievance with the NBA.  Other players have spoken about the policy and said that it is a ploy for the NBA to rake in more revenue.    

Flopping is an unwanted irritant and it has not place in the game of basketball.  That said, I am not sure the proposed policy is the answer.

 

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