Derrick Rose: The Return

Derrick Rose has been out of NBA circles for more than one year now.  Before he tore his ACL in April 2012, he was widely considered a top-five player in the NBA.  He was one year removed from a NBA MVP Award.  He was praised as the savior for a Chicago Bulls franchise that had not experienced much success since Michael Jordan retired.  When he went down with an injury, the hopes of the franchise were momentarily lost.  But, now, those hopes are once again shared among the many Chicago Bulls fans.  

Derrick Rose is a special talent for multiple reasons.  He is the most athletic point guard in the NBA.  His ability to dominate basketball games is predicated on his ability to be faster, stronger, and more explosive than the point guards who attempt to guard him.  Without his explosiveness, I am not sure he would be as effective.  I have never heard him described as a particularly “heady” player or someone who is a "true" point guard.  Those compliments are usually reserved for Chris Paul, Rajon Rondo and Deron Williams.  He uses his athleticism effectively on both ends of the court.  Because of his lateral quickness, and ability to anticipate opposing players’ moves, he has become a really good position defender.  In many respects, he anchors the Chicago Bulls’ defense. 

The City of Chicago has experienced a lot of turmoil over the last few years as a result of gang violence and a murder rate that rivals wars in other countries.  Many young, inner city Chicago residents do not have much hope  that they can overcome their unfortunate situations.  Derrick Rose, as Chicago's prodigal son, represents a breath of fresh air for many of these young kids.  Rose is from Chicago and grew up in a gang-infested part of the City.  Despite these seemingly insurmountable odds, he survived and flourished.  He attended college, albeit for only one year.  He has conducted himself as a professional on and off the court and has never had any issues that so many young, professional athletes cannot seem to escape.  He also seems to have a humble spirit and genuinely loves the game.  His latest commercial depicts his love for the game.  At the end of the commercial, and I am paraphrasing, he states: What would be left without the fame and money of the NBA?  His response is “everything.”  For some folks I would dismiss the comment as a marketing ploy, but for Rose, I truly believe he means what he said.  

The NBA regular season is right around the corner.  That said, Rose’s long-awaited return is only a few days away.  As if that were not a big enough occurrence, the Bulls open up their season against the defending NBA Champions, the Miami Heat.  The media will be all over that game.  I have watched Rose play a few games during the preseason, and he looks like he is back to form.  He even stated that he is now more explosive and also that his vertical leap has increased by five inches.  That is a scary thought for opposing point guards.  He is certainly coming for Chris Paul’s title as the best point guard in the game.  I cannot wait to see him square off with Paul, Kyrie Irving, Ty Lawson, Russell Westbrook, and many of the other great point guards in the league.  Rose has acknowledged that he has a bullseye on his back (no pun intended) and that many of the young point guards in the league will attempt to make a name for themselves by dismantling him.  Somehow, I am not convinced they will be successful.  Welcome back D. Rose!

Peace

Jury Trial: Second Chair

Writing is therapeutic for me and I have not written a blogpost in a few weeks.  I apologize for the absence and appreciate your continued support.  I have been extremely busy during the last few weeks, and had not had the opportunity to collect my thoughts until tonight. 

The Wheels of Justice Turn Slowly

I began working on a case in early 2012.  I   never expected the case to proceed to a jury trial.  I figured it would settle at a mediated settlement conference, or shortly thereafter.  As a civil litigator, most of my cases are resolved in a settlement agreement.  There are times when I am able to argue motions before judges, but the majority of my cases are settled.  I do not know the exact date when mandatory mediation became the practice in North Carolina, but I think it was the mid 1990s.  Before North Carolina adopted this procedure, civil litigators were consistently taking cases to trial.  Now, things are a little bit different.

Mandatory Mediation

Before any civil superior court case (any case where damages are alleged in an amount over $10,000.00) can proceed to a jury trial, the parties involved must participate in a mandatory mediation.  A mediation is a proceeding whereby a neutral third party facilitates negotiations between adverse parties.  It is a very useful procedure that usually means the case will settle before proceeding to trial.  During the mediation, each side weighs the risks inherent in proceeding to trial and after careful consideration, the parties usually decide to settle.  This has been the reality I have faced during my short legal career, until now.

Trial Continued

The case I previously mentioned was originally set for trial in August 2013.  However, because of a conflict of interest with the trial judge, the case was continued.  After the continuation, I put the case out of my mind.  I just figured that I should not get my hopes up because I just knew it would settle.  As has been the case many times in my life, I was wrong.

Trial Preparation

Once I realized the case would be tried before a jury, I began feverishly researching issues, drafting pre-trial motions and participating in strategy meetings in preparation for trial.  It was at this point that I realized how a case actually comes together.  As a junior attorney, I often work with senior partners, and despite my best efforts, they seem to be a step or two ahead of me.  I realized at this point why that was the case.  They have the experience that I am gaining, so they see the case differently than I do.  It the equivalent of a good basketball player who is talented but inexperienced being defeated by a more seasoned basketball player (remember when Kobe played against MJ early in his career?)  If you know anything about basketball, it is clear that Kobe gained the necessary experience, and is now a first ballot hall-of-famer.  Experience is the best teacher. 

Competitive Nature

I am competitive by nature and I like to think that I am a pretty intelligent individual.  That said, trial work gives me an opportunity to match wits with much more seasoned attorneys. It is fun and I am thankful to be able to do something that I truly enjoy.  I will talk about the jury trial sometime in the near future.  

Peace

Money Team: 45-0

Floyd Mayweather is one of the most hated and loved athletes of all time.  Some attend his boxing matches because they want him to finally lose a match.  Others attend his matches because they appreciate his skill set.  Some folks could care less about Floyd, but, even these folks take notice when Floyd has a match.

During 2012, Floyd was the highest earning athlete in the world.  He earned 85 million that year, and he only fought two times.  He earned 40 million when he fought Victor Ortiz and 45 million when he fought Miguel Cotto.  To provide some context for how much money he made that year when compared with his contemporaries, let's examine exhibit A, Lebron James.  In 2012, Lebron, who is probably the most recognizable name in all of sports, only earned 53 million.  Let's put that in perspective though.  Lebron earned 13 million in salary/earnings from the Miami Heat.  So what does that mean?  Well, it means that he began training camp in October and played non-stop basketball until June.  Floyd, on the other hand, trained a few months for each fight and earned at least 40 million per fight.  

People are bothered by Mayweather's persona.  However, we have to remember that he is an entertainer.  That said, the "Money Team," and "Money Mayweather" monikers are likely just part of his act.  How many of us know athletes or entertainers on a personal level? If I had a dollar for every time someone said "I like Kobe's game, but I do not like him as a person," I would be a wealthy man.  So, let me get this straight, you actually know the guy and he personally did something to you, right?  I will digress, but I hope this point has been well stated. I do not personally know Mayweather, nor do I care to meet him.  However, I appreciate his prowess inside the ring and understand that he is an entertainer.

Mayweather did not attain a MBA from Wharton Business School.  Despite a lack of formal marketing training, he has mastered the key concepts of marketing.  He completely eliminated the middle man known as the promoter.  He independently promotes his  fights because he realizes that what a promoter could do for him (for a hefty fee), he can do for himself.  He is always careful to give proper respect to his opponent after a fight.  Last night, he thanked the fans from Mexico and all fans for buying his fight on pay per view.  He is a marketing genius.  

If you have ever watched the HBO series titled 24/7, you know how hard Floyd works at his craft.  He has the same work ethic possessed by Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.  He believes he is the best, and it is difficult to argue against his contention.  After all, he has never lost a professional fight.  He has entered the ring against professional fighters, in different weight classes, 45 times, and he has emerged 45 times with a victory.  It may be too early to say that he is the greatest pound-for-pound fighter in the history of the sport, but, if he fights a few more years, and remains undefeated, he would deserve to be in the conversation.  Reasonable minds can differ, so I do not think he would ever be hailed as a consensus GOAT.  

Whether you love Mayweather, or whether you hate him, I would be willing to bet a small sum of money that you will be watching his next fight.  You care.

Peace

Iverson: A Final Curtain Call

Last week, Allen Iverson officially retired from the NBA.  It is hard to believe he will no longer compete in the NBA.  His retirement is a sure sign that nobody is invincible and that father time is undefeated.

I have been a fan of A.I. for as long as I have been a basketball fan.  My first recollection of Iverson came during 1993.  I remember watching SportsCenter and hearing about his unlikely success story.  They discussed how he was raised in poverty by a single parent and how he received a pardon from the Governor of Virginia for a very shaky criminal conviction. They also showed highlights of Iverson on the court, and he was quite frankly the fastest player I had ever seen on the court.  From that point going forward, I followed his career and even patterned my basketball game after his (that did not quite work in my favor).

If you saw Iverson in a room full of strangers, he looked unassuming.  He did not look like a basketball star.  He was not particularly tall.  He was not skinny, but he was not very muscular either.  He looked like a regular guy until you saw him on the court.    

By the time I started high school, Iverson was a legend on a national level.  However, he had long been a legend in my hometown of Winston-Salem, NC.  During his junior year of high school, he came to Winston-Salem for an AAU tournament.  He played for Boo Williams, which was a team from Virginia.  At some point that weekend, his team matched up against the Charlotte Sonics, which featured Jeff McGinnis, Jerry Stackhouse and Jeff Capel.  Legend has it that Iverson destroyed the Sonics to the tune of 40 plus points in the game.  Legend also has it that Iverson was playing up a division because he was a year younger than the other players.   Stackhouse and McGinnis were two of the best players in the Nation and this skinny kid from Virginia destroyed them.  It would not be the last time Iverson played the roll of giant killer.  

I always wondered what made Iverson such a great player.  After watching him play in hundreds of games, I am convinced that his will to win was second to none.  He always believed his team could win as long as he was on the court.  Always.  He believed he was the best player on the court, at all times. He played every game like it would be his last.  He was fearless and it was readily apparent that he really loved the game.  He had that look of sheer joy that all athletes have enjoyed at some point in life.  However, for most of us, the feeling was fleeting.  For Iverson, it was lasting.

I have so many favorite Iverson moments, but my favorite is his performance in the 2001 NBA Finals.  His team that year should not have made it to the Finals.  He truly carried that group.  During game 1 of the Finals, he put on a show.  I believe he scored 41 points that game.  Tyron Lue guarded him during parts of the game.  I think Iverson was tired of people saying Lue was the "Iverson-Stopper."  On one play, Iverson was isolated against Lue in the corner.  He made a quick dribble, then he stepped back and released a long jump shot.  In the process, Lue fell to the ground.  Iverson made the shot and stepped over, no, stomped over Lue for emphasis.  What a great moment.

I could say more, but I won't in the interest of time.  The game has lost a titan and A.I. will be missed on the court.

Peace

Kendrick Lamar: Back to the Basics

It is very befitting that Kendrick Lamar dropped his verse on "Control" this week.  After all, Sunday marked Hip Hop's 40th anniversary.  It took someone of Kendrick's status in the hip hop community to guide the hip hop community back to its origin; it was time to get back to the basics.

Kendrick Lamar is the hottest rapper in the game.  His verse on "Control" went against the grain and either caused two feelings among his contemporaries: (1) Appreciation; or (2) Anger.  Based on the feedback from artists such as Cassidy, and Joel Ortiz, the former feeling represents the status quo thus far. 

K. Dot challenged the industry; he challenged legends; he challenged contenders.  He gave great deference to four great artists.  He essentially said Jay-Z, Nas, Eminem, and Andre 3000 are future hall-of-famers.  Some believe he merely paid homage to the legendary emcees; I disagree, and think his challenge to them is subtle.  A literal translation of what I think he means is "Y'all are dope artists and I respect what you have done for the game, but, I want what you have.  I want to be considered the greatest of all time."

There was nothing subtle or indirect when he addressed the younger artists.  He told J. Cole, Big KRIT, Wale, Pusha T, Meek Mill, ASAP Rocky, Drake, Big Sean, Jay Electronica, Tyler the Creator, and Mac Miller that he wants to be the best.  In fact, he said he wants to make their core fans forget about them and never want to hear another verb or noun from any of them. I think people who understand the true essence of hip hop realize he did not disrespect any of the artists mentioned.  In fact, to the contrary, I think he paid them the utmost respect by mentioning their names.  

Do not be fooled though, he unequivocally declared his supremacy as the best in the game.  This kind of challenge is good for hip hop and I am glad to see a new group of talented artists who prefer quality over quantity.  There was a time not too far in the past when hip hop was watered down.  However, the current group of new artists seem to be focused on bringing back the lyrics and competitive spirit.
    

Kendrick's verse reminds me of the classic battles of the 1990s and early 2000s.  During this time, M.C. Shan battled KRS One; Canibus battled LL Cool J, Common battled Ice Cube, Jay-Z battled Nas, and Biggie battled Tupac.  The battles between these artists sparked some of the best music each artist had ever released.  Before the battle, Nas was fading into inevitable obscurity.  After Jay-Z attacked him on "Takeover," however, Nas responded with "Ether," which was followed by his critically acclaimed album, Stillmatic.  I hope K. Dot's verse has the same impact on today's  promising artists.  I hope his verse makes each of them pause before releasing music to the public.  Hip hop fans deserve and should demand nothing less than the best from our favorite artists.

If you have not heard the song, please check the link below.  To say that he dominated Big Sean's track would be a gross understatement, but check it out for yourself.

Peace

Hip Hop Turns 40: You Are The Perfect Verse Over A Tight Beat

You don't know where you are going until you know where you have been.  Well, it appears hip hop is not going anywhere in the foreseeable future.  But, how did hip hop begin?  Was there a singular moment that sparked the culture?  Yes.  On August 11, 1973, exactly 40 years ago today, D.J. Kool Herc hosted the first ever "hip hop" party (the copy of the original flyer for this party is depicted above).  That moment is often cited as the beginning of hip hop.  Although I have not been around since the beginning of hip hop, I have witnessed its widespread growth and I witnessed the golden era of hip hop.  

Despite hip hop's international popularity in 2013, it was not always a popular art form.  In fact, when it was being formed, many people did not want to see it succeed.  Some people believed it was not an art form at all; these naysayers believed it was a fad, with no staying power.  Boy were they wrong; thank God.  Others wrongly categorized hip hop as a form of expression for thugs and criminals.      I suppose the culture's founders should not have been surprised by the push back because people tend to be afraid of things they do not understand.  I think its safe to say that was the case with hip hop.

My personal experience with hip hop began during the early 1990's.  Considering I was born and raised on the East Coast, my first memories of hip hop are from West Coast artists.  In retrospect, however, it makes perfect sense that I was introduced to NWA, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.  The West Coast artists dominated the airwaves around the time I began listening in 1992.  A year or so after my introduction to hip hop, I began hearing more East Coast music and that is when I embraced the culture.

By the time I reached high school in the late 1990's, I was fully immersed in the culture.  Hip hop influenced the way teenagers dressed, spoke and interacted with each other.  Many of the more influential hip hop artists told stories of struggle.  They painted a picture that certain circles did not want to see.  They told stories that people did not want to hear.  The music transcended race, class, and gender.  It enabled a group of otherwise voiceless individuals to have a stage and audience to tell their stories.  That captures the very essence of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and its guarantee of a  Right to Freedom of Speech.

Hip hop is a resilient culture that has endured multiple attacks on its legitimacy and place in the music industry.  40 years later, it is still here, it is still a force to be dealt with and it is still defiant in the faces of critics.  Hip hop captured my attention at a young age and my love for the culture has only grown over the years.

I will end this post with one of my favorite hip hop quotes: "You are the perfect verse over a tight beat."

Peace 

2016 U.S.A Olympic Basketball Team

Team USA dominated the 2012 Olympic games, for the most part.  Coach K and Jerry Colangelo have helped restore the prestige and importance of representing the USA in Olympic competition.  Following the 2012 Olympic Games, there was some concern that Coach K would not return for the 2016 Olympic Games.  However, recently, he committed to the Team.  With him in tow as the coach, I am anticipating another gold medal for Team USA in 2016.  That said, it is time to discuss the 12 players who I think will represent the USA in a few years (The players on the team below are likely to change due to unforeseen injuries).

Starting Five:

1. Chris Paul:  As the best point guard in the game this choice is simple.  He controls the game like no other point guard and he is the best on-ball defender at the point guard position.
2. James Harden: With Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade being three years older in 2016, James Harden is the clear choice for the starting two-guard position.  He is a great competitor and a guy that is a very solid shooter and defender.
3. Kevin Durant: In three years, Durant will be coming into his professional prime, and will be impossible to guard.  He will likely lead the team in scoring as he did last summer.   
4. Lebron James: Greatest basketball player since Michael Jordan.  Enough said.
5. Dwight Howard: I am not a fan of his, but he is the best center in the game.  He will provide much needed rebounding and shot blocking.

Bench:

1. Kyrie Irving: Kyrie is the best of the very young point guards in the NBA.  He is already a better shooter than all of his contemporaries not named Steph Curry.  He also possesses the best handle in the game and a very high basketball I.Q.  He will only be 24 in 2016.  Scary!
2. Russell Westbrook: I realize that his selection over Derrick Rose may be controversial to some people.  However, I think that both players are very similar.  The biggest difference is Westbrook played on the 2012 team and he is the superior defensive player.  He can guard 1's, 2's and 3's.  He is a slightly better shooter as well.
3. Carmelo Anthony: He is the OG of the team. His game is tailor made for international competition and he has the size to play the 3, 4 or 5, in certain circumstances.  
4. Kevin Love: Two words: rebounding and shooting.
5. Lemarcus Aldridge: I think he is one of the most underrated power forwards in the game.  He has the height, and size to play the 4 or 5 in international competition.  He is also a very good shooter for someone his size.
6. Stephon Curry: He is on the team for his ability to shoot.  He is probably the best shooter in the world.  This is the first of my specialist positions.
7. Paul George: He will play the X-factor position.  He is an excellent defensive player, and has the ability to effectively guard positions 2-4.  

Notable Snubs:

1. Derrick Rose
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Dwyane Wade
4. Blake Griffin
5. Anthony Davis

Peace