I NEED TICKETS!

So ESPN is releasing a movie about the Knicks vs. Pacers rivalry in the Reggie Miller era entitled "Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The NY Knicks." It should be amazing. There are mad interviews of the players (Ewing, Oak, Starks, Miller, The Davis Boys, Smits), the coaches (Pat Riley and Larry Brown) and of course, Spike Lee. Can't wait.

Check out this Q&A with Reggie Miller recently published in the Times (big up to the Silver Fox).

If any of you guys can get me tickets to the March 2nd premiere of this movie at the Ziegfeld Theater in NYC, I'll be your best friend forever. Reggie'll be there, and I'd love to watch it with the energy of NY in the building. If not, maybe we should try to get together and watch the ESPN premiere on March 14th. Is that a weekend day?

Chris Matthews Is (Probably) Not a Racist

I'm going to go on record as saying that I DO NOT believe that Chris Matthews is a racist. By now, you must have heard about Chris Matthews' comment after the State of the Union address that he "forgot he was black for an hour." Matthews simply pointed out a reality, albeit a troubling one: quite frankly, there are many (blacks included) who still see being "black" as an impediment to one's perceived competence in America.

Check out this piece in the NY Times entitled "Analysis: Do Blacks Truly Want to Transcend Race." The gist of it is that many say that a figure like Obama has successfully "transcended race" when we reach the point where his competence and presidential nature shine through and can be taken for granted, despite their race (appearance, cultural behavior, etc.). Dr. Imani Perry, a professor at Princeton captured how I personally feel about it well when she says, ''As a black American I want people to remember who I am and where I come from without attaching assumptions about deficiency to it."

So while many wish for a color blind world, I merely wish for a day when blacks and other people of different backgrounds can maintain aspects of their culture without fearing that it will diminish their credibility as a competent individual. This is why I think Obama is such an important figure. He:

1. is a baller. he plays basketball well and often
2. eats greasy burgers and fries from places like Five Guys
3. is a pimp. Look at his walk. He hasn't shed that south side of Chicago bop
4. slips into black vernacular English in informal settings
5. can dance



In short, he is proof positive that you can be who you are and be viewed as excellent on your own terms. I think he's helping us move in the right direction. Why should people have to shed their culture to be respected, trusted and embraced by the mainstream as a competent leader in any field?

Lebron, King of NYC?

Pic from the 2010-2011 NBA season?


Profilic blog poster Chris Hall and I have been arguing this point for some time now, and our arguments have spilled over to the point where I feel like I should blog about this topic to see what the general public thinks.

(Side note: I used the word "arguing" versus "discussing" because as anybody who has discussed something with Chris can attest to, it is hard to discuss things without them developing into all-out wars. Anybody remember, as kids, when Chris and MMG would discuss points in the MMG/Side Bar basement, and neither one would concede any points by the other, nor let any other bystanders into the discussion? Sorry, I digress.)


So here's the question: As all of us know, for some time now there has been much discussion about LeBron James coming to the Knicks next season. Clearly it would make the Knicks immediately much better, and depending on the cast around him, possibly a playoff team.

(Side note 2: If the Knicks make it into the playoffs this year, the NBA should re-do divisions because that's how inferior the East is.)

(Side note 3: Gilbert Arenas is a cocksucker and I'm glad he's gone from the NBA. He's been a cocksucker for some time now, and it's cocksucker karma.)

(Side note 4: If LeBron comes to the Knicks next year, I'm going to conveniently forget that I lost my Knicks allegiance for 4 years ago and be a die-hard Knicks bitch again in 2010.)


So here's the question: How would LeBron's legacy be affected by playing in NYC versus playing in Cleveland?

My contention, basically, is that in today's world, it makes little difference what market somebody plays in, as NBC and ESPN cover the best teams with their star athletes. That's why Cleveland and Miami and Los Angeles and Phoenix are always on the nationally featured games, as opposed to New York and Chicago. LeBron can also get endorsement deals regardless of what city he's in. Therefore, his legacy / status is largely independent of his home city.

Chris' contention, basically, is the opposite - that playing in NYC adds a level of allure and je ne sais quoi which will ultimately raise LeBron's status as a global icon and consequently will add to his legacy in a way that having the same on-the-court success in Cleveland would not afford him. (Chris, correct me or elaborate if desired.)

We've reached an impasse in our discussions. Any thoughts?

The Gun Plot of 2006

In cleaning out my stuff and getting settled here at the new house (slowly but surely), I came across this article from our local paper from an incident that happened at the high school I teach at in April of 2006.

The "ringleader" pictured in the article was a student of mine that school year, before dropping my Computer Programming class (saying, "I like you and everything, but I don't know what the hell is going on" and electing for a study hall). A few months after leaving my class, he allegedly hatched this Columbine-like plot.

It shows you traditional axioms such as these are applicable sometimes:

- shit can happen anywhere;
- you never know what the person you're talking to is thinking; and
- count your blessings.

Mailing it in - Two Videos

I plan on blogging soon about moving into our house. But in the meantime, here are two videos for your amusement.


1) Funny, from Family Guy. "Maa... Maa... Mum... Mum..."




2) I always think of Jay-Z as the best, but when Eminem was in his prime, he may have been better. From The Blueprint.