Speaking of which...

You know, I just couldn't resist. If only for nostalgia's sake. I remember watching this as a kid, and this scared the living s--- out of me. To this day, I still get flashbacks looking at this scene. What a movie.

My belief is stronger than your doubt

A random post about a hyper-phenomenal athlete. The closest player in the league to, you know, him. Special point of note: 3:52 mark in the clip. My eyes literally bulged out of my head like the Judge at the end of Roger Rabbit.

-IV

Stephen Curry's big day

This is a pure case of numbers not telling the whole story. In fact, it didn't even touch on a fraction of it.

The appalling moment of the game came when Loyola's squad went down by 20, and still applied the shadow technique on Curry. Check out, among other tidbits, this mirthfully foolish quote by Loyola coach Jimmy Patsos:

"We had to play against an NBA player tonight," Patsos explained. "Anybody else ever hold him scoreless? I'm a history major. They're going to remember that we held him scoreless or we lost by 30?"

Some will remember the catcalls Patsos received from the fans when he stuck with the defense well after the game was decided. Davidson coach Bob McKillop was so annoyed he kept Curry in the game until the final minute.

"It seemed to me they were willing to risk the game at the expense of locking Steph up," McKillop said. "When you put two people on somebody and you do it for 30 minutes and at the end of the game, you have to wonder what the reasons for that are."

The amazing thing about all of this is that Curry was perfectly content with sharing the ball, not in an "I wanna pad my assist total" way, but in a "let's win the game and stats-be-damned" way. That's commendable. People around me now how much I abhor bandwagons, but my fervor for Curry and his flight will have to be an exception. I latched onto him in the NCAA tournament game - UM vs. Davidson - in the opening round two years ago. He put up 29 in a losing effort but caught my attention if only for the baby-faced ease he put into that effort.

Now, over 1,000 NCAA points later, he has added another chapter to his legacy. The self-less play of a man who actually has much to prove this year otherwise. If he would have garnered 9-10 dimes along with the nil he put on the board, then he and Davidson benefits statistically. But to one who didn't see the game - yours truly included - his three assists, three rebounds and two turnover game makes him look as if he was Mugsy Bogues on Space Jam after his skills had been absconded. That wasn't the case. Humility has been his calling card and there will be many tests that will compel him to give up that card. But for now, it's still in his hand.

Mick Vic

Here we go again.

This news comes expected. The real grist is the irony that this story comes two days after the Falcons recorded a big win win - against a team that Vick routinely TORCHED - in their miracle season. The Falcons have clearly moved on, but Vick's fate is as uncertain as a hungover test-taker.

The Vick aficionados (and they still are out there) are steadfast in their belief that he will don an NFL uniform again. Some believe he will be a starting quarterback again. Many people doubt that last point. Frankly, I can't blame them. He would have missed two full football seasons by the time he is released. There's no guarantee that NFL teams will want to deal with the excess media, PETA and the diversion of focus in the locker room. And he'll be 29 by the time training camp rolls around.

Despite this, he does have a few factors going for him.

Every year, there are a bundle of injuries that befall quarterbacks that somehow place previously unknown quarterbacks (J.T. Sullivan anybody?) at the helm of the quarterback position. If Daunte Culpepper, Matt Cassel, Kerry Collins, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tyler Thigpen and the aforementioned Sullivan can start for an NFL team in 2008, then surely Vick can eventually find his way behind a center sometime in his career. But it will take him training out of his mind to get back in NFL shape as well as a rehabilitated attitude to show teams that he is more than legs (not just talking about his behavior either. He was the anti Peyton Manning in terms of preparation.).

So in memory and nostalgia for the Falcon fans who suffered the most from, you know, that... here is something that will make you smile.




-IV

And they say rap lyrics were harmless...

Stupidity at its zenith

Playa hata' say what?

I wonder what flavor Alan Keyes likes his Hater-Aid in?

Read for your erudition...it doesn't matter. Even if he is right about Obama's citizenship, what exactly does it prove? That Obama is dishonest about where he was born? Does that make him less American than you and I because we just happened to pop out of our mother's uterus on American soil? Or is this just another episode of the 'Aid?

This is fruitless. No good will come out of this. Hating never helps; it only exacerbates. In fact, I dare somebody to give me an example of hating producing a positive change in a situation. Just so that there's no ambiguity in that dare, allow me to define the simple parameters of "hating":

1) It must be a subject about where the outcome does not make a difference in the "game." For example, if it is a playoff or playoff determining game, and a team is screwed over repeatedly or in the final seconds of a close game because of an egregiously bad call, and they call attention to the referee after the game, that is not hating. That is reasonable complaint. But if it's a game in which you were down by 15 and you make a comeback but a questionable call goes against you, and you call attention to that referee, that is hating. That call wasn't the reason that you were down by 15 in the first place. That's the reason you lost...so don't blame the call.

2) When you have to call someone out based on factors that have nothing to do with the person's ability or skills to complete a task, that is hating. In Latin, this is also called ad hominem. During this past campaign, the cries about Obama's connections to Williams Ayers and Jeremiah Wright were fair game because they called to attention Obama's credibility and personal associations. Nothing wrong with that. What wasn't fair was how people didn't research thoroughly and consider the context of each situation: Wright's sermons were from years ago and when examined closely, had a great deal of truth to them. Ayers was a figure who barely knew Obama other than a few handshakes and conversations. If you look at all the presidents in U.S. history, I'm sure that you will find a few of them with dubious associations.

So, yeah, Alan. You're taking some mighty gulps buddy.

-IV

Seas of Economy

Pirates are back y'all!

This is not Captain Jack Sparrow. This is real life. What can you say? Times are hard...joblessness is higher than it has been in 60 years. You can either work harder (smarter) in your field, or change professions and become a pirate, which is making a vengeance-like bounce back. It hit rock bottom last year, and now it is up 75% in 2008. Does anybody see this as mere coincidence that piracy is emerging when the economy is sagging? I know that this is a bit thin, but it's something to watch out for as the tide turns and a new leader takes his seat in the Black House.

-IV

Superpride

Only because this stuff is indefinitely fascinating.

-IV

Meh

Congratulations neologists! A new word has been added to your beloved tool, the Collins English Dictionary. The new object of fascination for you wordheads: Meh.

Meh is a term adopted because of its use on the Simpsons, courtesy of Bart and Lisa. It means tedium or indifference, or it can be used to depict an accountants' convention, a filibuster or a Greg Maddux interview. It is used best in one word sentences, akin to how someone says "bollocks", "stupid", or "(insert any of your favorite four letter words here)". Below are the best situations to interject "Meh" in your vocabulary:

5) When you see a Sarah Palin interview for the 20th time this week, you just say "Meh" and flip the channel.

4) After flipping the channel, you come across a advertisement about a skin product that claims to "invigorate" your skin's glow. You then see Kerry Washington, Alicia Keys, or some other starlet whose face was always immaculate in the first place. You realize that and you say "meh" and flip the channel again.

3) Finding nothing on the tube, you pick up the phone and call that cousin that you've been putting off. You get him/her on the phone and five minutes into the conversation, you realize why you've been putting him/her off. You say "meh" five times silently, but just loud enough for the person on the other end of the phone to hear you. The person says, "Were you about to say something?" and you reply with "somebody is calling me on the other line, and I have to take this." Five seconds later, you are relieved.

2) The television is useless at this point, so you decide to go read a book. But there's a problem: you have no "readable" books. Everything you have in print are cook books, old school text books, and that Dr. Suess book that your niece left over last weekend. "Meh" you say, before sagging over to the computer.

*1) You start browsing the 'net. You come across a website that some relative sent you through email. The email reads: "Check him out. He's writing some superb stuff." So you obediently click on the link, and it sends you to Clutch Magazine. You read some interesting pieces until you come across one with the byline "Zettler Clay." You force yourself through three sentences until you finally say, "Meh" and shut down the computer. 45 minutes later, you awaken in your chair with a black screen in front of you. You then deliriously drag yourself to bed and go to sleep.

*This is a true story.

Strolling for Sit-Coms, Take III

This will make you smile on a Monday.

-IV

Strolling for Sit-Coms, Take II

If you don't have time to watch the whole 9 minute clip, just turn to the 3:05 mark. I promise that this is worth it.

-IV

Strolling for Sit-Coms, Take I

A classic scene from an often-times scintillating show.

Yoshida: The Tide Is Changing

First girl ever drafted pro in Japanese baseball

Ain't this some stuff? That ball must really knuckle when it comes out of her hand. I'm talking about something unhittable. This is one of the world's most resistant-to-change cultures, taking in a female to pitch alongside males. Personally, I'm flabbergasted. You see young women turn pro all the time; golf, tennis, soccer, polo. But women and men aren't usually integrated in sports. Women have their own "section", because of the gender laws that govern each culture (a third cousin of the Civil Rights Movement).

But Japan? A 16-year-old girl...with men? It's going to be interesting to see how this one turns out.

-IV

First and Fifteenth...that's my cue

Clutch Magazine is right back at you, twice back at you, like Christ back at you! The much-abhorred line by Juelz Santana aside, Clutch is back up for the second time this month with 'views with .... I ain't telling. Go check it out!

But I will evince that it is an article with the inimitable Diahann Carroll in there, done by yours truly, as well as a few more engaging pieces by the other writers of the website. So check it out and show some love. The issue is on point. I'm may be a little biased.

-IV

Many men...wish death upon me...

Barack Obama is making history in the most inauspicious way possible.

Courtesy of the AP, it is now known that a litany of people want Barack Obama under. I haven't heard anything this surprising since the other day when I heard rain outside after it thundered for 20 minutes. Check out this excerpt of adject repulsion:

One of the most popular white supremacist Web sites got more than 2,000 new members the day after the election, compared with 91 new members on Election Day, according to an AP count. The site, stormfront.org, was temporarily off-line Nov. 5 because of the overwhelming amount of activity it received after Election Day. On Saturday, one Stormfront poster, identified as Dalderian Germanicus, of North Las Vegas, said, "I want the SOB laid out in a box to see how 'messiahs' come to rest. God has abandoned us, this country is doomed."

This, coupled with the report of gun sale spikes, provides for reasons that black folks need to wake up. How many people realize that Obama is in some serious martyr territory? More time praying and less time celebrating would be a start.

-IV

The Turner Speaks!

Now this is what I'm talking about. See, forget all these analysts on CNN and Fox and their pontifications on the economy. I'd rather listen to billionaires speak. I voraciously read Mark Cuban's blog for this very reason. I want to hear what Warren Buffet has to say about a faltering stock market, not Glenn Beck. So when Ted Turner mused on the economy, I was all antennas. Here's what the man with the most land in the U.S. had to say:

I think we’re going to have to change our lifestyle. And maybe it will be for the good. For the last 40 years, we’ve equated how much we had with how happy we are. Advertising tells us if you buy a big car and a new TV, you’re going to be happier. But I really don’t think we’re happier than we were in the ’50s. Back when we were living within our means and people had savings. We might have to get to know our neighbors and play bridge with them. Maybe some children will have to move back home. On ‘Sanford & Son,’ the father and son lived in the same house. They had a lot of fun.

Way to go Ted. How much consumption do people need? I have always believed that while technological advances has its place, rapid advances do not. In fact, they cripple. iPods cause people to be more antisocial, more inward. Video games give children no incentive to interact with each other without a competitive endeavor being the reason. Credits card companies routinely exploit college students with hopes of being fly and being seen in a proper light.

Businesses have to be regulated, no doubt. But what about the consumers being preyed upon? The championing of individuality is the primary reason for the mass commercialization today. I'm not sure if Ted practices what he preaches or not, but the billionaire is on to something regardless.

Put down the contraptions and pick up the board games; embrace conviviality and shun reclusion. Build communication skills instead of joystick skills. Our lives as a result will be richer because of it.

-IV

Senseless

I don't understand it. It's been a disturbing trend over the past few years. The criminal peak age for young men has progressively gotten lower and lower. Youngsters. Youngins. Lil' N----s.Hoppers. (Whatever you want to call them), has grabbed control of the murderous spirit early in life. (Queuing up my inner Hubie Brown voice) Normally back in quaint times, you had people grow up to become sociopaths. Sure you did. Now they have reached sociopathy and crossed over into sadism by the time they are 18. You know that things are going to get worse before they get better and you know that it will take the efforts of a community for that to happen.

(Turning the channel on Hubie Brown and landing on Bill Walton) The greatest crime and deprivation in the history of Western civilization is that men are growing up without men. I am firmly convinced that the loving guidance of a father is the reason that so many men grow up with bellicosity in their souls.

(Turning the TV off).

No parent deserves to read about the murder of their child through senseless killings. No parent wants to go through that, so no parent should let their child's associations go without inquisitions. Not questioning them outright, but questioning your child to question himself about healthy relationships. We talk all the time about how society and the venom that humans routinely dish against one another, but we don't question the people who allows themselves to get caught in the wrong situation. That's understandable because we are a forgiving nation, so we tend to cut somebody some slack for soundless decisions. Hey, it happens to us all.

But I seriously think that we have to vet those close to us more than we do, if we see the "train going on the wrong track". If we continue on in our own worlds, in our indifference - conscious or unconscious - towards those close to us, then we are letting somebody else fill the vacuum that your presence could occupy.

You know the saying "better you than me"? This time, let the answer be "me."

-IV

Something I thought I'd share with ya

Anthony Wilson of Bleacher Report writes a glowing - and accurate - tribute to the lone unsung hero of the Laker three-peat at the beginning of this century. My dad always told me that Rick Fox was a ballplayer.

-IV

Smoove loss

Right now, the Hawks are down by three at the half against a 1-4 Oklahoma City Thunder team. They are really feeling the Smoove blues. Russell Westbrook, who is a real player, and Earl Watson were able to penetrate into the lane with impunity in the second quarter. Statistics show that the Hawks shot 35% in the second quarter, hence the reason for their offensive struggle. But it's Josh. All Josh.

Smoove invigorated fast breaks and more aggressive defensive, because of his Nightcrawler-like ability to appear out of nowhere to smack shots into oblivion. Now the Hawks are reliant on stopping the team the good ole' fashioned hard way: man-to-man defensive execution. This tends to take compromise an offense because of the exertion needed to defend. Not saying that the Hawks are doomed without Josh; the Hawks just have to realize the implications of his loss and adjust accordingly.

As I typed that last sentence, Earl Watson dribbled coast to coast and flawlessly completed his layup drill. The Thunder have outscored the Hawks by 10 points in the paint thus far.

So in mini-tribute to the importance of Smoove, herein lies the block party countdown:



-IV

....for real

The first part of that sentence states:

The 2008-09 Atlanta Hawks are.

Yes they are. I wanted to get that out before the legions came in full tilt to position themselves on the bandwagon. To a wary watcher, a watcher who has seen the consistent inconsistency that Atlanta sports have displayed over the years, this comes as quite a shock. Of course I knew that this team would improve from last year (contrary to many "pundits"). That seven game playoff series against Boston isn't a fluke, contrary to many "pundits", who insist on ignoring that accomplishment. I knew that losing Josh Childress was leavened by the gains of Flip Murray and Maurice Evans. In fact, I even knew that those two were infinitely better than Childress. The main differences between Childress and Mo and Flip:

1) Mo brings much needed three point shooting.

2) While Childress was a better rebounder, Flip is a playmaker. He is the second best playmaker on the Hawks (outside of Cool) right now, and he anchors the bench. A cagey veteran (hear that term thrown around a lot, huh?), he is fearless if nothing else. You couldn't say the same thing about Chill.

3) Mo and Flip are old youth, meaning that they have been around the block while still remaining relatively young. That is IMPORTANT. By the way, these points not knocks on Childress. He has been an outstanding player for the Hawks and he is a real cool cat. My conversations with him have been nothing short of candid, and he is always respectful when conversing with the media. I wish him the best in Greece and he definitely made the right move in matriculating over there. This is just a situation of having pieces fit, and it turns out the Flip and Mo fits better than Childress. That simple.

So Flip and Mo's contributions come as no surprise, to me anyway. What is most astounding is the cohesion that this team is playing with right now. There has been much ado about their defense, but I have always said that defense comes from chemistry. Knowing where your teammate will be and trusting them to be there and them actually being there. Long arms, active hands and relentless rebounders go a long way too, and the Hawks do not have a shortage of those. You know how the good basketball teams seem to have this connection, this joy of playing for each other, rather than the name on the front of the jersey. That is where this team is right now.

They beat two 50 win teams on the road this season. They straight beat down a Toronto Raptor team that typically gives them problems. Before the game in the media room, I was chatting with AJC Hawks beat writer Sekou Smith about the Hawks (what else would we talk about?).

"Toronto is my sleeper team this year," I said.
"Yea, they have talent. Calderon always give them problems," Sekou replied.
"No, I'm not just talking about top four teams in the East. I have them really being a contender this year."

The Hawks later proved how foolish my statements were. They gave the Raptors what Dominique Wilkins called, "an old-fashioned beat down." After the game, like any game, the locker rooms were a tale in contrast. Toronto was stunned, with a sullen Calderon telling me after the game that "we were just spanked. Tonight, they just beat us." Nothing deep, but the countenance and body language told the story: Toronto came into the game knowing nothing about this year's Hawks.

I should have been focusing more on the Hawks before the game and their real shot of winning 50 games this year. That's the better story; that's the season that will give Joe Johnson MVP notice, Josh Smith All-Star consideration, and Mike Woodson Coach of The Year nominations. But as always, I remained stuck in the Atlanta Way of doing things: provide an illusory titillation, and then let down.

But up is down. Left is right. Barack is president. Anything can happen. Yes, that includes the Hawks being a real NBA threat.

What a day!

I don't need to say anymore. We all know the events of the past 24 hours. I'll have plenty more to say in the coming months and years. Below are some great reads from a dizzying day:

The Next President

McCain's Concession Speech

Obama's Poker Style (I dug this up from a while ago, but it's no less relevant today)

Praise from around the world

Financial changes already

Change coming to sports too


Also, a piece from me regarding my initial meeting with B.O.

-IV

Gotta do it again

One of the deepest scenes in television. Had to bring it back.





-IV

Allen Iverson in the MO

I just stepped back in the house from a trip to D.C. and the first place I went was to ESPN.com to verify what I'd been texted earlier: Allen Iverson swapped places with Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess.

This confirms two things:

1) Joe Dumars realized that his version of the 90's Atlanta Braves weren't going to cut it.

2) Rodney Stuckey is about to take over the franchise.

The Piston Era as we knew it is over. Chauncey Billups was more associated with the success of the Pistons than anybody on the team. That's like when the Braves traded David Justice. When they did that, the heart of the team left. Even though the Braves went on to win eight more division titles, they were fixtures for early playoff departures because they didn't have any position players to, you know, show heart. There's no mistaking that the Pistons needed to make a change. Their recent stagnation in the playoffs exhbited their tendency to be a step slower and lackadaisical than the other teams (Miami, Cleveland, Boston). But acquiring A.I.?

That's a bold move for Detroit. This is not about Detroit acquiring a superstar to jolt the team. This is Detroit acquiring Allen Iverson; who is extremely skilled at filling up the box score but also a prodigious ballstopper. For Allen Iverson to be effective, he needs the ball in his hands for an inordinate amount of time. His assists tends to come in midst of double-teams than in the flow of the offense, as opposed to Chauncey Billups. Nobody has ever confused A.I. for a point guard, which is the position that he now is thrust into. In other words, Allen Iverson and his 27.7 point per game average is the anti-Piston.

That's why the Pistons as we know them have left the building. (The irony of this deal is that A.I. lands in the big D seven years after Larry Brown tried to ship him there. The only thing that stopped the deal is Matt Geiger refusing to pass on $5 million. Smart guy he was...what ever happened to good ol' Matt Geiger?)

But something tells me that Joe D isn't finished dealing. Just my penny.

Denver, meanwhile, gets the point guard it needs as well as a hometown star coming back. Denver gets a more than serviceable big man who comes back to the place where he started his career. Denver....gets better. Simply put, they got over on this trade.

Here is a nice piece by J.A. Adande on the deal, providing supporting details to my theory that Detroit winning that championship a few years ago was a fluke.

-IV

Black Masculinity Project

It's up and running. My blog that is. Check it out. Insightful articles are abound. Plus it's kinda cool to sharing a site with Stringer Bell.

Peep Rules To The Game...a personal favorite.

- IV