Where's My Ball

MCDONALD’S MAKES ME HAPPY

Posted 03/29/2007 at 6:40 PM  |  1 comment/s

In general, just as a concept, an idea, I don’t enjoy all-star games of any kind. I’ve watched ‘em, played in ‘em and voted for ‘em, but the actual games usually turn out like a rap compilation album. They sound like fun until you actually hear the music. Last night was the 30th annual McDonald’s All-American Game at Freedom Hall in Louisville. I didn’t get in from work until just after halftime, but here’s just a few things I caught:

* If somehow you didn’t know this was the McDonald’s Game when you turned it on and thought it was, say, the Burger King Classic, Mickey D’s had you covered. Literally. They laid down the largest decal I’ve ever seen on a basketball court, which practically stretched from sideline-to-sideline and from one three-point line to the other. I’m not gonna say it was distracting, but at one point, the color commentators mentioned that the referees should towel off the court after a few players took spills because “the decal gets slippery when its wet.” Then they laughed. That would have taken all night.

* I’m already sick of hearing about O.J. Mayo. For those that somehow don’t know who he is, you would have after last night’s game. He’s been playing varsity high school ball since 7th grade. And averaging over 25 points per game doing it. He’s headed to USC next season, where he’s hoping to play one year of ball and increase his marketability by playing in the West Coast’s spotlight. How endearing. At one point, one analyst called him LeBron. He corrected himself by almost calling him LeBron again. That said, I can’t hate on him. One way or another, he’s going to be the biggest story in college ball next season.

* UCLA-bound Kevin Love, this year’s McDonald’s All-American Player of the Year, is the most unexciting POY in recent years. Not that he’s not an amazing player. 'Cause he is. But he’s a 6’10” white dude with more fundamentals than flash. His uncle was in the Beach Boys. He used to study Larry Bird when other kids were watching Big Bird (ha!). Uh, okay. He was actually supposed to swing through the VIBE office last Friday but had to cancel last minute. I definitely respect his game. He does a lot of little things — rebounds, makes strong moves, passes admirably — but I wish I could have seen what everyone else is so excited about in person.

* Boss on Deck just emerged from his office to ask Sean "RapidShare" Fennessey: “Why does Timbaland rap?” Had nothing to do with this particular game, but good timing nonetheless. I was just about to mention that Timbo performed at halftime. I missed it, but I heard the women’s McD’s All-Americans loved it. No love from the guys. But, hey, during his sideline interview at the beginning of the second half, he did pick the eventual MVP (Michael Beasley (23 points). So shout-out to him for that, I guess. Oh, and about the rapping, Sean says, "Because they want him to be a superstar."

* B on D also asked, “Where was the Memphis recruit?” That would be Derrick Rose. He’s gonna be good. You don’t need me to tell you that. Just another reason I hate all-star games — someone inevitably gets lost in the shuffle.

* This white dude Nick Calathes looked good out there (obvious pause). He’s going to Florida. Jason Williams is apparently his mentor. Let the comparisons begin.

* Was it just me or did a lot of the usual suspects seem to be missing last night? They were there but there was little mention of the big college teams (Duke, North Carolina, etc.) and their recruits. Guess that’s good for the game. There was a time when half the guys on the court were headed to the ACC (or, better yet, Duke and UNC).

* The game came down to the last possession. Mayo missed a 3 to win it and the West won, 114-112. Beasley looked genuinely excited to win. Strange to see an all-star game actually mean something to the people on the court.

* At the end of the day, whether the game was great or terrible, what this game does for the Ronald McDonald House charity is bigger than any one player on the court. During the game, ESPN showed the players visiting a local Ronald McDonald House. They should think about expanding that next year. Develop the visit into a half-hour show focusing on how it impacts one or two players.

Can't wait for the Jordan Classic...

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