Where's My Ball

Happy Mother's Day?

Tue, 13 May 2008 11:12:13 -0500

My blog has pretty much turned into one long episode of "Inside The NBA," right? But night after night, something goes down that makes me wanna wake up in the morning and post. Tonight, it's LeBron's mom going after KG in the crowd and LBJ responding by, well, cursing mom out. Like he said, at least this didn't happen on Mother's Day. In related news, King James, who for whatever reason endorses Cub Cadet lawnmowers, is holding a contest to find out who can do the best trick shot in America. The winner gets a shot to play LeBron one-on-one (cool) and $5,000 worth of Cub Cadet products (slightly less cool).

No Post Game

Fri, 02 May 2008 13:31:20 -0500

Nothing to say today. (F'ing birthday parties after work on Thursday WILL kill you.) Except that Charles Barkley's ongoing fascination with the word "cougar" is awesome. Peep the story on the main site about Dwyane Wade's appearance on TNT and his reaction to questions about his alleged relationship with Star Jones.

Go Cougars

Thu, 01 May 2008 17:30:02 -0500

(Posting YouTube videos from all the ridiculous things Barkley says--or, in this case, doesn't actually say--makes my job a whole lot easier. Enjoy this clip--and then wonder to yourself: "What if Dwyane Wade really is dating Star Jones?")

Crank THAT, LeBron!

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:40:12 -0500

Soulja Boy. This dude just isn't going away, is he? (and, for the record, that's not me wanting him to either--this video is hilarious!) Apparently not because it looks like DeShawn Stevenson is planning to sit Soulja courtside tomorrow night when the Wizards host the Cavs back in Washington. Yaaaaaaaaaah...

The Sixty Million Dollar Man

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:29:44 -0500

I've heard Steve Nash is big into the "green" movement. Hybrid cars and such. Partnerships with the Arizona Power Company and Canadian company BC Hydro. Real into the environment. Like we all should be. But he's taking it next level with his new sneaker, the Nike Trash Talk. In fact, he's the first athlete to wear a recycled, high-performance shoe. The shoe looks exactly the same as his previous shoe but is put together with pieced-together scraps of leather and synthetic leather waste. The sole is made of ground-up rubber from a shoe recycling program. Anyway, because we're always striving to make our readers recognize the importance of "going green" a little bit more (if you haven't already, check the March issue!) I wanted to make sure I got this video up today--Earth Day. The clip is produced by Meathawk, the production company Nash recently started, and is based on the old television series "The Six Million Dollar Man" and Nash's tendency to take spills on the court. "I have such a passion for watching films and now, that passion is being transferred into filmmaking. After starting my own production company, Meathawk, this seemed like the perfect time and place for me to make a short film to increase environmental awareness through the promotion of Trash Talk," Nash said through a statement. Enjoy. Also stars teammates Amare Stoudemire and Raja Bell.

The Takeover

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:45:33 -0500

Let the games begin. With the NBA Playoffs in full force, there's only about a month left before the WNBA season kicks off. That would draw crickets most years, but today both adidas and Gatorade announced that they have inked endorsement deals with Los Angeles Sparks player Candace Parker. What does that mean for the league? For one, Parker is a star. Officially. And, for two, there's going to be a real presence surrounding her that's been absent from the women's league. Commercials. Events. Billboards. You're looking at the LBJ of the WNBA. Get excited.

Again...

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 16:29:55 -0500

Is it fair that Manu Ginobili keeps on racking up sixth man of the year awards?

Oh, George

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 10:48:54 -0500

What the? I coulda used a little more explanation from the ABC crew on this one...

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:27:53 -0500

THINK I GIVE A FUCK WHAT THE LOS ANGELES TIMES SAY?!! Okay, this isn't Prodigy's wildly entertaining blog (located over here), but it does have more to do with music than sports. Before you go any further, let's take a few seconds to listen to the official "Kobe Bryant for MVP" theme song together: Ah, wasn't that...yeah. The circus surrounding this year's NBA MVP has gotten pretty old pretty quickly. (Seriously, why can't Kobe just be thismuch more likable. Or go back in time and return the mic to its rightful owner. Would make this whole discussion easier, no?) But because VIBE's November NBA predictions are failing remarkably short (I take responsibility for the Bulls to the NBA Finals pick), I figure we need to get something right. Anything at all, really. So here's my (basketball-related) pitch... Chris Paul is a lot of things to a lot of people. To Tyson Chandler, he's the perfect teammate. To paraphrase some classic NBA Jam commentary, that guy couldn't buy a bucket before he teamed up with CP3 (again, trust me, I'm a Bulls fan). To Byron Scott, he's a career savior. Is that really the same guy who got chased outta New Jersey after 2 NBA Finals runs? To New Orleans, he's a hero. Who's moving to Oklahoma City now? And to VIBE (and just about any other non-Lakers fan out there) he's the MVP of the league. Few guys can match this guy's intensity on the court and good-natured personality off it (peep him rocking bowling gear in our May issue if you haven't already). If not for his 21.1 points-11.6 assists average, then for the simple fact that this guy out-Bruce Bowened Bruce Bowen last month and ended his streak of 500 straight games by getting the guy suspended for a cheap shot (check the video below). But here's my real pitch... Do you guys hear what I hear? I listened to Kobe Bryant's rap album on the train last night and....WTF!? Who approved this? I loved A.I.'s "40 Bars" just as much as the next guy, but was there really a time when someone thought this would heat up the streets? The only positive thing that came outta that frisbee was one of my favorite ESPN Page 2 lines ever: "Next time Tyra Banks starts thinking she's Oprah, someone remind her she sang on 'K.O.B.E.'" Now, to be fair, I swear I saw CP3 rocking a Young Money chain in an issue of ESPN The Mag a few weeks ago. But when I asked Jordan Brand about a possible Chris Paul/Lil Wayne collabo ('cause, as you know, Wayne doesn't exactly discriminate when it comes to who he hops on the mic with) they confirmed that, "They have a mutual appreciation for each other, obviously with their great love of New Orleans as a connection. But [as for] working on anything together, no, they are not." Whew. So in a close one...CP for MVP. Just as long as no songs come outta it. [Disclaimer: If you're a betting man, I also had UCLA winning the NCAA Tournament. And then Memphis once they beat UCLA. Just saying...] Brucey B kicks it with CP:

King Kobe?

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:20:20 -0500

Okay, I'm late on this. Way late. But Kobe Bryant did something I actually liked last week! He jumped over a freakin' car! Well, sort of. (Brought to you by the supporters of "Chris Paul for MVP.")

Sneak Attack

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:42:41 -0500

Truth be told, I'm more excited for the battle of the Candaces tomorrow night (Stanford and Wiggins versus Tennessee and Parker) than I am for the men's finale tonight. The men's side has seen more than its fair share of blowouts during the last three weeks, my beloved Blue Devils got knocked out in the second round and two of the last four teams (UNC and UCLA) bowed out without putting up much of a fight. So I'm more than willing to put off the college hoops talk 'til next season. But at least Memphis and Kansas will be wearing some cool sneakers when they take the court in San Antonio tonight. Generally, I get confused by the concept of "team" sneakers. In high school, for a variety of reasons, they never seem to be customized enough, never seem to be the right colorways and almost never feature team logos or anything extra. In college, they tend to at least match the unis but don't look any different than the next team with the same school colors. But adidas finally hooked up 7 teams at this year's NCAA tourney, including Kansas and Memphis, with the real deal: the adidas Team Signature Pro Model series ($100; shopadidas.com), featuring team colorways, team logos and a simple, effective design that actually makes them look like team kicks as opposed to 12 pairs of sneaks that the coach was able to cop for the team at a discounted price. If you're watching the game tonight, look out for 'em. And look out for the Tigers: Memphis 77, Kansas 65. And, oh yeah. Look out for me blogging more than once every six months from now on, too. Enjoy the game.

L.A. Confidential

Wed, 31 Oct 2007 19:22:36 -0500

I feel for Shawn Marion. I really do. All he does (every year!) is be the backbone of the Phoenix Suns team, hitting shots with that, uh, “peculiar” J, grabbing the ‘bounds that slide past Amare Stoudemire, outhustling the other teams in the Western Conference. And, for what? To get brought up in trade rumors every other day? Sucks to be Shawn. And that brings me to this: I’m…tired…of…the…Kobe…Bryant…trade…rumors…that…just…won’t…end. Seriously, are you as tired of hearing Magic Johnson and Stuart Scott and Charles Barkley and your postman and your butcher and your grandmother all wondering where Shaq's long-lost sidekick (yes, sidekick) is going to be traded — after demanding a trade this summer, rescinding his demand, then putting it out there again, then having the Lakers (months later, no less) say they'd be willing to trade him, then Phil Jackson putting KB24 in his place, then Kobe getting booed during, uh, pregame introductions, then...It never ends. What's next? It comes down to this: Trade Kobe Bryant…or don’t. Make the choice, let us know your decision and have that be that. See A-Rod? Don’t necessarily agree with him breaking out the news of him opting outta his Yankees deal during the World Series on Sunday, but at least he stuck to his guns and pulled the trigger (Sidebar: Kobe and A-Rod in Chicago? Hmmm.). And then the Yankees stuck to theirs and again said they wouldn’t negotiate with him if he chose to opt out. They moved on. So, Kobe? Say you’re gonna stay or stay you’re gonna go. You’re not Shawn Marion. The ball’s in your court. So, what do ya say? Three Things I Learned On Opening Night: 1. The Trailblazers are a good team — even without Greg Oden. Think about it, had they not won that draft lottery, the Blazers were destined to wind up with a middle of the road pick. Probably not a franchise-changing guy. Probably someone who woulda been confined to the bench for a couple months anyway. But with a much-improved LaMarcus Aldridge (watch out for this guy — seriously) and last year’s Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy, they woulda had a nice squad anyway. Now, they get to develop without the Oden crutch. 2. Shane Battier. If we’re choosing teams out on the playground, this guy is running with me. 3. Don’t be surprised if the Golden State Warriors struggle to make the playoffs this season. Just like last season. David mighta slayed Goliath last season (even though the Warriors toppling the Mavericks from the playoffs felt a little more like ~~Eminem~~ Rabbit outrapping Papa Doc) but it’s much harder to get fired up for 82 regular season games over and over and over again than it is for 6 in the postseason. One Name You’ll Know By May: The Portland Trailblazers’ Travis Outlaw. Outlaw has been stranded in Blazerland for a few years now after jumping from high school to the league. And coincidentally his last name is Outlaw. Not a good thing if you’re joining the ~~Jailblazers~~ Trailblazers. But he’s been making strides and, after a strong start last night, he’s gonna be one to watch. Trust.

Only The Strong Survive

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 20:24:09 -0500

So, K.G., Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are gracing both the cover of Sports Illustrated and the cover of ESPN The Mag this week. Kobe is all up in the new issue of Esquire. And, oh yeah, if you didn’t check out the November issue of VIBE yet (and if you didn’t, do it now), we’ve got our second annual NBA preview all up in the mix. Garnett, Amare, Tony Parker, Mike Conley Jr., Chris Paul and lots and lots of Stephen Jackson and the Golden State Warriors (VIBE's unofficial favorite team). We adopted the NBA-esque “Only The Strong Survive” theme this time around, because, well, it’s been a tough offseason for NBA types. The gambling stuff, all this talk of the Lakers trading away ~~KB8~~ KB24 (I’ll still never understand, despite their reasons, why active players change digits mid-career) and, of course, my old friend J.R. Smith dousing chicks with champagne up in the club (allegedly!). Yeah, it’s been rough. But now it’s time to get back and focus on what matters: ~~how the Chicago Bulls are gonna run through the NBA this season~~ preseason NBA rankings. Through a careful system of crunching numbers, speaking with NBA team execs and looking at video from the ’06-’07 season, I was able to devise a pretty incredible ranked list of all 30 teams for VIBE. But, truth be told, that list was pretty lame so I came up with this one instead. Enjoy. (And check back weekly for updated rankings, player news and some dope new blogs and columns from some special guests.) THE VIBE 15: 1. San Antonio Spurs — Is there any way Tim Duncan could have actually gotten better in the offseason? 2. Phoenix Suns — How long will Grant Hill be able to contribute to an aging Suns lineup? 3. Dallas Mavericks — Will Avery Johnson try to avoid the Golden State Warriors at all costs next postseason? 4. Chicago Bulls — Can you imagine Kobe Bryant in a Bulls uni? 5. Boston Celtics — When the Celts fail to win an NBA title, will K.G. regret making the move to Boston? 6. Utah Jazz — Why didn’t more people talk about Deron Williams before the playoffs started last spring? 7. Houston Rockets — Can the Rockets just win one playoff series before T-Mac hangs ‘em up? 8. Cleveland Cavaliers — Didn’t this team manage to get worse over the summer? 9. Memphis Grizzlies — Are you surprised? 10. Detroit Pistons — Don’t you already get the feeling Chauncey Billups & Co. will be further down this list at the end of the season? 11. Denver Nuggets — On a team featuring A.I. and Carmelo, why is all the news about J.R.? 12. New Orleans Hornets — Is this team going to be called the Hornets forever? 13. Golden State Warriors — Seriously, isn’t Stephen Jackson’s new tattoo ridiculous? 14. Orlando Magic — Is Dwight Howard ready to take this team to the Eastern Conference Finals yet? 15. Toronto Raptors — Can you name a player on the Raptors not named Chris Bosh? THE OTHER HALF: 16. Washington Wizards — Isn’t DeShawn Stevenson slowly becoming the poor man’s version of Gilbert Arenas? 17. New Jersey Nets — Will this team ever have enough firepower to be a true contender? 18. Portland Trailblazers — Won’t Greg Oden’s injury actually help LaMarcus Aldridge? 19. Miami Heat — Did Pat Riley really just trade for Ricky Davis to help the team? 20. Los Angeles Lakers — Can you imagine Kobe Bryant in a Bulls uni? 21. Seattle SuperSonics — Will Kevin Durant be as good as advertised? 22. Los Angeles Clippers — Don’t you feel bad for Elton Brand? 23. New York Knicks — Is this Isiah’s last chance? 24. Milwaukee Bucks — Isn’t Michael Redd the most underrated player in the NBA? 25. Charlotte Bobcats — Are you buying into the Gerald Wallace hype machine? 26. Indiana Pacers — Shouldn’t Jermaine O’Neal be a Laker by now? 27. Minnesota Timberwolves — Will this team be any better than last year’s Celtics? 28. Atlanta Hawks — Am I being too hard on the Hawks? 29. Sacramento Kings — If this team ever did relocate, would the fans help them pack? 30. Philadelphia 76ers — How 'bout those Phillies?

A King's Crown

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 18:30:08 -0500

I have to believe Cleveland Indians fans are feeling pretty low today. Not as low as, say, Philadelphia Phillies fans, but I digress. Sure, the Indians routed the New York Yankees, giving 'em a 1-0 lead in the ALDS, but they also sat by idly as Cleveland Cavalier LeBron James, king of the city, sat by idly wearing a Yankees hat during the Indians/Yankees game last night -- in Cleveland! Listen, I once went to a Phillies game wearing a Mets hat and got heckled half the game. I was, like, 7 at the time. True story. LeBron is a grown-ass man. Couldn't someone in Cleveland tell him (in whatever way they see fit) that doing this wasn't a good idea? And doesn't it bring this Tom Brady mishap to mind?

Age Doesn't Matter

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 17:26:53 -0500

"I'm waiting on one of these young guys...to show that I'm old." -- 42-year-old boxer Bernard Hopkins Know plenty of people out there were disappointed with the outcome of the Oscar De La Hoya/Floyd Mayweather bout back in May. I wasn't really one of 'em, but I will say that from where I'm sitting, I'm more excited to see how this Bernard Hopkins/Winky Wright match goes down. I've been a Hopkins fan since he came through and knocked Felix Trinidad off his pedestal. But I will also admit that I'm hoping the guy doesn't overstay his welcome in the ring. Forty-two is no spring chicken. Still, after watching this video, I'm not so sure he should leave just yet. Also, check Hopkins embracing UFC. Note to boxers: It wouldn't hurt to have some of those guys in your corner. Hopkins/Wright, this Saturday on HBO Boxing. Peep game.