Apologies and Astonishment

Sorry I haven't been very active guys, a lot going on recently with a big paper and other school stuff, expect me to get back on track soon. Just some quick thoughts...

• I was told by a friend that a reputable source told him that former U of Arkansas back-up QB Alex Mortensen is signed with the Tennessee Titans as of today. Yes I said it.... Alex Mortensen. I really shouldn't say anything because I never got to see him play....just like every other razorback fan. Maybe his pops talked to ex-Titan GM Floyd Reese on the ESPN set and got him to pull some strings, just speculation.
• Also, ex-Razorback QB, and Allen HS product Casey Dick will attend mini-camp for the NY Jets. Once again, surprising. It's good to know that Razorback QBs are getting shots at the big time, I just wish they could have displayed pro-level talent while in Fayetteville. Don't let me be a hater though, congrats Mort and Casey, you have made it further than most others.
• Nice report on Obama, HE, I like what you're saying and you make some great points.
• Everyone needs to go to www.morethanagamemovie.com to watch the preview of the LeBron flick coming out. Looks like a heater.
• Mavs-Nugs starts this Sunday, Go Mavs.

That's all I got right now, just wanted to put down some quick points to let everyone know I'm still alive. Things could be slow in the coming week due to final exams. Have no fear, the blog is still here.

Avoid the swine flu,

Big Wil

As I Said...

I got some real issues to talk about today, not sports but real life stuff, but of course, gotta get to the sports first...

• All hail the Dallas Mavericks. Not withstanding that in his postgame interview, JET talked about the urgency of this year being that Kidd is not coming back next year? the Mavs straight up worked the Spurs. I posted in one of my early blogs that the Lakers and Cavs were toying with their respected first round opponents, and I would like to add the Mavs to that category for Game 5. Everytime the Spurs got close, Dallas would pull right back ahead. Spurs within 8, 3 pointer by the Mavs, Spurs within 5, 6-0 run by the Mavs. Just messing with them, "puppeteering" I believe was the word I used. Props to the Mavs, great to see you guys back in the mix. No one thought we could do it, the key ingredients are still there, just now we don't have a bullseye on our back. Congratulations to Mark Cuban too, best owner in basketball.
• Lakers win and move on, Rockets win and move on, pretty sure I called those, you guys can check me on that but I think I did.
• Shout out to Miss La, she's having a rough day/week, so remember I love you and it's all good baby.
• Shout out to BJ, he's still en route to the States, so keep praying for his safety and quick return.

Alright, this is where I'm going to get real. I'm currently texting my good friend and brother Derian (DJ) Searcy about a rather small yet very significant topic I just came across on my USA Today iPhone app. "Obama seeks to change crack sentences". I don't think many of you understand and perhaps just don't know about this little area of discussion in terms or punishment for crimes. Obama is seeking to reduce the jail sentence in crack dealer, as opposed to powdered cocaine dealers. Let me enlighten you and why this is a big deal, and hopefully just the tip of the iceberg. Lawyers call it a "100-1" ratio where a person selling 5 grams of crack gets the same 5 year mandatory sentence as a person selling 500 grams of powdered cocaine. In other words, 500 gram dealer and 5 gram dealer get the same sentence. Now I don't know about crack cocaine, the only place I've ever seen it is in the movies, I don't know anything about it. But I know people mess up. I know people gotta do stupid, illegal things to get by. I also know these people are mostly if not SOMETIMES good, honest people. Perhaps just trying to make a living, feed their family, or perhaps just got mixed up, wrong place wrong time type of thing. Let's dive a little deeper though. An 18 year old gets caught with 5 grams of crack, he goes to jail for the minimum 5 years, comes out at 23 years old with no education, no money, and FELONY on his record. He's screwed, right there, especially in today's economy, that young man (82% black, 9% white--based on facts) is screwed. No education, no money, no job, and he's a felon. You know just as well as I do, he's gonna have to make ends meet doing something, and since he's limited not entirely but some to this "100-1 rule", it will probably be illegal.

Let's change it up, same 18 year old gets caught with 5 grams of crack, but only goes to jail for 1-2 years, and no felony, reduced to a misdemeanor. He gets out at 19-20, still has time to go to school, or even an entry level position, and now he isn't a felon, he's a regular joe who just got mixed up. He's out, bettering himself by going to get an education and turn things around, or getting a job to provide for himself and his family. Multiply that young man by the hundreds of thousands that are locked up in jails and prisons right now serving this sentence--the impact is humongous. Not only on individuals and people, but on this country, on this economy, on our civilization. I cannot stress how big this seemingly slight reduction is for Americans and for America. Do not get me wrong, I'm not saying anything positive about drugs or trafficking, nor am I saying that I am above it by any means, but I understand that people get mixed up, hell the country gets mixed up, but the "100-1" ratio and its sentencing is absurd, and I'm happy to know that someone has finally looked upon it and taken action.

Let that whole thing marinate on the domepiece for a bit, I'm not even going to get into what this could do for the sports world.

That's my political talk for the day, that's what I think. If you agree, great, if you completely disagree, then that's great too. That's why this country is great. Just don't judge me by it.

That's all my raving and ranting for the day, more sports to come in the future, sorry had to get off track a bit today. I gotta go watch the American Idol that I DVR'ed last night, and then study of course. Over and out.

--HEMAN--

G'Day Mates

Merry Monday to you all. My camping trip was great, besides not having lighter fluid, wood, stakes (only until we found them), a hammer, and grilling tools. We made it work, and it was great, props to Miss La, much love to you. I missed almost everything Saturday but of course got caught up on Sunday.

• Some notes from the NFL Draft--1. What the hell are the Raiders doing? I mean Heyward-Bey looks freakishly good...ON PAPER! He's 6-1, 210, with a 4.3 40 time. However, using those stats is liking judging a person's intelligence by their GPA. Don't get me wrong, he has potential, he has to with the credentials he has, but honestly, did he deserve to be the #1 WR taken? Not at all, Crabtree, Maclin, maybe even Nicks out of UNC should have gone before that. 2. Good for the JETS, I mean everyone is in love with their trade to take Sanchez, and as I've said I'm skeptical about Sanchez as an NFL starter, but I guess 3 years down the road I can be completely right...or completely wrong. 3. Jeremy Maclin to the Eagles is a somewhat scary thought, Maclin and the pompous bastard from Cal that is DeSean Jackson are a scary, young tandem for the Eagles. 4. Very complete draft, I think a lot of players drafted in the later rounds will eventually be big names in the NFL (LeSean McCoy, Rashad Johnson, Javon Ringer, Rhett Bomar haaaaahahahah jk remember him?!)
• Since my lazy co-author decided to dedicate his blog to NBA Playoffs, and for the most part I agree, I'm going to go very light on that subject. Stopping Tony Parker is STILL the Mavs #1 priority Wilson, why was it so close at half? Lakers will close tonight, Denver will take a 3-1 lead, Mavs will close the series out in 5, Celtics in 7, Heat in 6, Rockets win in 5. Rest Lebron & Co.
• In other news, the ex-Nets NBA player Jayson Williams was tasered and hospitalized for mental issues this weekend after reports of suicidal activity going on in a Manhattan hotel. Police and a mental health unit arrived and tasered Williams, and took him to the hospital for mental tests. Williams was recently divorced by his wife for being abusive and a drug addict, and also has a pending retrial going on after he tried to cover up the shooting of his ex-driver, after the driver was shot in the head with a shotgun. Keep that negative train rolling Jayson, maybe one of these days you'll hit rock bottom and have nowhere to go but up.

That's all I got for today, my cousin is on his way home for leave, so give your thoughts and prayers for his safe and swift travel. Shout out to Mexico City, because of the swine flu my dad Big Hank won't be making his trip to the land of Dos Equis XX and they aren't letting people leave the country, so props to that. Clean the air down there too, looks like a permanent thunderstorm over that city. I'm sure I'll be back later, if not, then tomorrow. Chao

--HEMAN--

Weekend Wrap: NBA Playoffs

Ladies and Gents I apologize for my absence on Fri. and Sat., I got lazy and spent most of my time sleeping, watching basketball, and going to that thing they call class. With that being said, time to shed some light on the weekend in hoops....

• The Cavs-Pistons series came to a close today as the King's Men completed the first round sweep with a 99-78 win in Detroit. Not only does this end the Piston's season, but it also ends the recent monopoly they have had over the Eastern Conference. Over the last 5-10 years, the Pistons making it to the Eastern Conference Finals was about as regular of an occurrence as the sun rising in the morning. Some years ago when asked when their reign over the East would end, Joe Dumars said, "when our bigs no longer dominate the game." That's obviously the case now as the once-defensive beast Ben Wallace is long gone, along with the afro, and Rasheed is still talented, but not the same player he was back then. Multiple coaching changes, decline of the inside game, and the departure of Chauncey Billups are the reasons why this empire is no more. It's a sad day to the see Pistons gone in the first round, I always had much respect for the defense and team concept. DEEEETROIIIITTT BASKETBALLLLL.
• Where one run ends, another begins, as my camping co-blogger has said, the East will now be owned by the Cavaliers.
• Celtics-Bulls: I LOVE this series. After a game three shellacking, the Bulls came out and endured a dog-fight to defend their home court, evening the series at 2-2 with a double overtime victory at the United Center. Rajon Rondo is the player of this series, he had a triple-double today, and has two total for the series. On the opposite side of the court, Derrick Rose was one assist shy of the triple-double feat himself. I'm a huge fan of Derrick Rose; I'm amazed by his quickness and athleticism every time I watch him play. This point guard matchup is making this series what it is, and I hope it can blossom into an annual contest between these two. As much as I ooze over this series and think it should go seven, I can't say it would be the same if the Big Ticket were playing. KG anchors that Celtic D, and with him on the court, I don't think they would have some of the same defensive fallacies they are experiencing in late game situations that allow the Bulls to stay in/win games. His vocality and leadership is desperately needed at times. He can yell from the bench all he wants in his clean sweater-n-suit combos, but it's not the same without him in the paint.
• I'm currently watching the Magic-Sixers game right now, and Orlando is up 4 with 2:45 left to play. This would be incredible for Philly if they can take a 3-1 series lead tonight. Props to Thaddeus Young in Game 3 for that game-winner over Superman.
• I have been disappointed in my man Joe and his Hawks. They are in a 2-1 hole against DWade and the Heat. I know everyone thinks Dwyane Wade is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but somebody please stop this man and his team. Game 4 is tomorrow and I'm hoping for better results than Game 3. Go Hawks, put your pieces together and make it happen.
• The Lakers will look to close out their series against the Jazz tomorrow night in LA. After a poor shooting night in Game 3 (5-24), Kobe flipped the script as they say in Game 4, torching the Jazz with 38 on 16-24 shooting. Utah looked good in their one victory; however, I don't think great games out of D-Wil and Boozer will be enough to come back and win this series. I see the Lakers delivering the knockout punch tomorrow night at Staples.
• I know I should, but I really just don't want to talk about the Nuggets-Hornets series. I like very few people involved in that whole thing.
• Houston and Portland game 4 tonight, and Houston can put a stranglehold on this thing with a W. A vic puts the Rox up 3-1, and I don't think Portland has the experience to come back from that kinda deficit in the playoffs.
• Magic-Sixers game just ended, Hedo Turkoglu with the game-winning three with 1.1 seconds left. Series tied at 2-2. I guess he really is the Turkish Michael Jordan huh?
• Now to the first round series with any significance, Mavs-Spurs. Game four was yesterday in the Dirty D, and not to my surprise, the Mavs came out and all but ended the series with a 99-90 victory. Ironic stat of the night: the winning team shot 38%. Show me a team that can beat the Spurs shooting 38%, and I'll show you a Spurs team that isn't the same as it used to be. San Antonio really does not have a lot going for them once they get past Parker and Duncan. Tony Parker put it well when he told ESPN, "[Dallas] has more weapons than us."  And one of those weapons, many call him the X-factor of the series (told you HE), is Josh Howard. Ankle injury? What ankle injury? As Mars Blackmon would say "Money, it's gotta be the shoes" (Jordan commercial, Josh wears Jordans, get me?) . They can slow down Dirk, force Terry into tough shots, deter JJ from getting in the paint, but they can't take the man from Wake out of his game. I really feel like this series is the Mavs' for the taking, so go ahead and take it fellas.
• Shout out to Ryan Hollins for giving some crucial minutes in the second half, the three blocks and put-back dunk were HUGE, not to mention the 8 boards (4 offensive).

That's what your boy here thinks about what's going on in the hoops world. Props to Dr. James A. Naismith for creating the game.

Keep it real homies,

Dr. W.P. Neely

Basketball Analyst Extraordinaire

So I Lied...

Ok so I lied, I didn't go camping last night, but I am going tonight, I'm getting this in real quick before we leave. Call me Brad Paisley because again I'm waitin' on a woman. Let's get into it...

• The Cavs have all but eliminated the Pistons. How many dunks and lay-ups did the Cavs get last night? They had lay-up lines going on in The Palace, like me and my boys used to do on the low goal back in the day (which was a Wednesday). Lebron was 7-7 when going to the lane, but only 2-12 when not, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out where his strength is, if he gets a consistent shot, like a Jordan or Kobe shot, he will be absolutely unguardable. He was also one assist shy of a triple double (25-11-9), while Mo Williams had only 2 points. Richard Hamilton was saying in his post-game how upset and frustrated he is at the Pistons downfall, but you can't stay at the top forever, especially in the NBA. They had a good run, a great run, but that is definently over, just like Jordan was the demise of the Pistons in the '90s, Lebron is their downfall in the '00s.
• Thaddeus Young, welcome to the NBA Playoffs. The supposed-to-be Arkansas Razorback (who cares where he really went to college), had a monster shot last night over Dwight Howard to win the game for the 76ers and take a 2-1 game lead over the 3 seed Magic. The 76ers have a nice little team, Young, Lou Williams, Iguodala, Dalembert, the vets such as Andre Miller and of course Donyell Marshall, where the hell did he come from?! I even saw the 78 year old dunk the ball last night, good for him. Don't be surprised, especially now, if the 76ers pull a slight upset and beat the Magic in Round 1. Stan Van Gundy has to go, he's not that great of a coach, and personally he would give me a heart attack if I played for him, and I'm a pretty calm player. But props to Thaddeus Young, (and you too BJ), that was a big shot.
• Big lineup as far as the NBA Playoffs go today, most importantly the Mavs-other team game at 3ET. I hope the Mavs don't come out too confident, we'll see.
• The NFL Draft is today also, the Lions wrapped up their #1 pick yesterday selecting Matt Stafford as the recipient of a 6-year $80,000,000 deal with $41,000,000 guaranteed. I just wanted to show you all how many zeroes this young man is getting, even though he's already from Highland Park. Great story on Michael Oher out of Ole Miss, if you haven't heard that story, get to ESPN and read it. Great story, great kid, very humbling to hear something like that.
• Michael Young is beasting, 3 game-tying or winning HRs in the last week, the most recent coming last night in a 5-4 over Baltimore with a 2-run HR in the top of the 9th with 2 outs. They move him to 3rd base and suddenly he hits like one, go figure.
• Saw some pretty good flicks lately, shout out to Larry the Cable Guy, I could watch him the rest of my life, Miss La and I were crying watching his stand up the other night, great stuff. And most recently Seven Pounds and Notorious. Seven Pounds starring Will Smith was a great movie, one of those you don't understand until the very end, but still very good. No I didn't cry. As far as Notorious, whatever the actor's name is that plays BIG does a great job, and it's a good movie (cheesy at times), until the very end when they show real footage of Biggie's funeral. It's amazing how many lives him and Tupac touched, especially given what and how they got their word out. That movie tells you a lot about the power of music and lyric, and also passion and ambition. If you're a fan of hip-hop, or even if you're not, I suggest it.

That's all I got for now. I hear Coors Light calling my name. My shout out today goes out to my Uncle Brad (UB). He sent out a very powerful email bright and early this morning, which really made you think and also realize how much and what he thinks of his in-house family situation. Not only did he give a shout out to this blog (haha just a joke, not the point of the email or my reason for liking it), but one thing UB does is tell it like it is. I appreciate that, respect it, and listen to it. We're behind you, and continue to pray for those fighting, and still fighting, if you don't know I can't tell you how serious it is for those fighting over in that hell-hole of a place we've created. Good Saturday to all. I gotta get my suit on and my cooler filled, with Coke of course. Big Wil where you at?! You're slackin on ya pimpin...pimpin. Love, Peace, and Beer.

--HEMAN--

Listen Up Now

I got nothing to start with for today, so like Marvin Gaye "Let's Get It On"...

• That high school BOY going overseas. Yeah Big Wil I got some thoughts on that--unreal. This kid is 17 years old, in high school, about to go into his senior year, not to mention the long, great summer season that is AAU Boys Basketball, and lives in San Diego. And you're going to tell me he's bored with high school ball? He lives in San Diego! That's in California! And he's 17!! He's going to go overseas, and play with MEN, not boys, not college kids, MEN. Take a lesson from your predecessor Brandon Jennings, who has been telling NY Times that it was a mistake for him to go to Europe, and that he is mistreated and really hasn't learned much except that the world is a lot harsher than he originally thought, even if he does have a 7" fro and sick handles. Take a lesson here son, stay in San Diego, have fun with recruiting, you're first choice is Louisville, you don't think Rick Pitino can teach you a thing or two about the NBA? Wake up and smell the cigarettes, because if you go overseas that's all you're gonna smell.
• Now that nonsense is over, let's talk MAVS. I checked the score with 1:38 left in the 3rd Q and the score was 70-38....no that is not a typo, 70-38. The black and silver team didn't even have 40 points until the very end of the 3rd quarter!! It's considered a bad half in the NBA if you don't have 40 by halftime. Was it the Mavs D? Or just crappy O by the B&S? Whatever the reason, I was elated. Two scorers in double figures for them, one (Oberto) because of trash minutes at the end of the game, the other was Parker with 12?!! Meanwhile, the Mavs had 5 in double figures led by Dirk with 20, and held the Spurs to 16, 14, and 12 points in the first 3 quarters, respectively. This is Mavs basketball, this is what I remember from the glory days of '05-'07. WHEN the Mavs take Game 4 Saturday, consider this series a closed deal. I was predicting Mavs in 6, now with the way things are shaping out, I might take them in 5.
• What happened to the Baby Bulls last night? If you strictly watched highlights, you would have thought the Bulls had their game going, all I saw was Tyrus Thomas flying through the air, Ben Gordon shooting the rock, and Rose streaking down the court like he had thorns in his butt, but that's why highlights are just that, highlights, not outcomes. Jordan's former better come prepared in Game 4, or they could lose the finger they have left grasping this series.
• AS I POSTED YESTERDAY, I gave a warning to the Lakers as they headed into Salt Lake to play the Jazz. It's a very tough place to play, and add to the fact that Kobe was way off all night (5-24 from the field), and Bynum had 5 fouls in 7 minutes (props to Big Wil), with 4 points (props to HeMan). In addition, the Lakers shot 36% from the field and a very dismal 62% from the line. On a positive note, even with all that, it took a last second shot by Deron Williams, along with picture perfect defense by the hometown boy Ronnie Brewer(even though he hit on my lady). I look for the Lakers to come out looking for blood in Game 4, they don't like to lose, especially to Utah in the playoffs.

I got class now, and might not be back later although there is still a lot to talk about, I'm going camping with my girlie tonight, so shout out to WalMart for hooking me up with a fresh tent, and also Coors Brewing Company, you guys make a great light beer. See you on the flipside.

--HEMAN--

Hustlenomics

The title of this post has nothing to do with the information it contains, I only used it because I'm in microeconomics right now.  In other news...

• As I sat at lunch today I was very disappointed to check ESPNmobile and find that the Chiefs traded Tony Gonzalez to the Atlanta Falcons for a second round draft pick in 2010. This is sad for me to see, because for as long as I can remember I have seen Gonz in a Cheifs jersey, always being the one constant source of positivity for that team. However, if I'm a Falcons fan, I'm very happy with this deal. Gonzalez can come in and fill the hole left by Alge Crumpler a couple of years ago. Also, it gives young quarterback Matt Ryan a big, reliable, veteran target to throw to in times of need. As last year's stats will tell you, Ryan has a good thing going with Roddy White, but didn't appear to target anyone else too often. Now with Gonzalez roaming the middle of the field, it will force the D to honor the inside and short passes, allowing Roddy White to use the burners to stretch the field.
• Stephen Curry, Wayne Ellington, and Ty Lawson have all declared for the NBA Draft. Lett's break it down one by one. Stephen Curry looks like he is pushing 15 years old. With that being said, the guy has a sweet stroke, nice court vision, and apparent leadership qualities. He's got the talent to be on an NBA roster, but I'm not sure what his minutes will look like at the next level. If I were him, I would stay another year and solidify myself as a lottery pick. If he stays, I feel like him and my arch nemesis Willie Warren will be in the argument for best guard in the nation. Then again, no one is flashing millions of dollars in my face so what do I know. As far as Ellington and Lawson though, I feel like they are making a good decision. They put together an impressive tournament run, and with Hansbrough and Green leaving, that team will not be the same next year. Going now would allow them to leave at the top of their games as well as the top of their hype. I have a personal bias to Lawson for two reasons: 1) I feel like he runs the break with such speed and ease that it is a beauty to watch, and 2) I got a chance to meet him when BFlo and myself were in the Bahamas. We spotted him at the bar and at the craps table, and was a cool guy when we talked to him.
• HUGE game tonight in the D. The night will be so hot people will be pullin up on camels. I want nothing more than to be in the house that Cuban built to see the Mavs secure a 2-1 lead in this series. JET is going to have the crowd in the palm of his hand as always, and Dirk will remain at rest no more. I love my team at home, especially in the playoffs, especially against the Spurs. The only way I see the Mavericks taking a loss tonight is if Bass manages to destroy the regular backboard AND the safety backboard with a couple of throw downs similar to Fat Man and Little Boy. Nothing else need be said about tonight's matchup. Oh wait... play James Singleton!!
• Bulls-C's tonight in Chi-Town, and I like the the Baby Bulls. I agree with everything my brother has to say about this series, except for his insults to Derrick Rose's intelligence. I don't think he is dumb, I think he may just be a little camera shy, and the man is a rookie after all. In the words of Bill Murray in Space Jam, " Go Bulls".
• 17 year-old HS hoopster Jeremy Tyler has decided to forgo his senior year to go play basketball overseas. I don't know how smart it is for a 17 year-old kid to go to a foreign country to make hundreds of thousands of dollars playing professional sports, but I don't know any inside details of the situation. Any thoughts?

That's all for now folks, time for me to prepare my Pi Beta Phis to take a powderpuff championship. Shout out to the girl sitting in front of me rockin' an Ian Kinsler authentic, I'm impressed.

Do what you do,

Big Wil

BECOME A FOLLOWER!

Good afternoon. Please, if you follow this blog and like to read it, please become a follower, just to the right here at the top of the site. It's quick, easy, free, and is awesome to see it growing and how many people like to read this (if any). Also, if you have comments or questions, agreements, disagreements, please feel free to speak your voice, that's what this is for. J'mone...

• Mavs-Spurs Game 3 is tonight. A very big game, and one I think is set up great for the home-team given they won Game 1. Win Game 3 tonight, set up momentum and a harsh crowd for Game 4, win that, and go back to SA with a 3-1 lead. Series over, in 6. I believe this will happen, and as I've said before, CONTAIN TONY PARKER. Damp recently took back his statement he made about Parker, but did not necessarily back down. Smart for Damp, no one wants a fine from the NBA, especially when you're just venting your frustrations in a very emotional point in the season. The Mavs bench needs to show up again, and perhaps Dirk can give us more than he did in SA. Given all these things, look for a relatively easy playoff win for the Mavs.
• Watch out for Chicago tonight, that place will be rockin'. I would not want to be on the Celtics squad tonight, I hope they know what's coming. Same for LA, although not to the same extent. Utah has been a very difficult place to play for the last few years and given they got it within a couple of possessions at the end of Game 2 in LA does give Utah some hope. But if the Lakers come to play, don't look for an upset out in Mormon land.
• Stephen Curry along with the UNC backcourt of Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington decided today to go pro. I'm not completely sold on any of these NBA prospects, no doubt each dominated the college game, but Lawson and Curry both seem a little small for the NBA liking, and Ellington in my opinion just is not as good as he seems. I'm not sure, time will tell for these three.
• Quick shout out to JET for winning 6th Man, I've forgot to post anything about that in my prior blogs simply because I knew he was going to get it, and it was already done in HemanLand. Props though, very much deserved for Jason Eugene Terry.
• High School hoop star Xavier Henry chose Kansas University today after relinquishing his intent to go to Memphis under then coach John Calipari. Scary scary stuff for the Big 12 and the rest of the country. Besides him getting straight posterized by Willie Warren (YouTube--Willie Warren Dunk of the Day), he seems to be a legit, very skilled player out of Oklahoma. Don't think he'll be standing in the lane next year though when Willie comes beasting down the lane, again. Watch the video, you'll understand.
• Speaking of scary, Tony Gonzalez to the Falcons. Let me give you that "one mo' 'gin"...Tony Gonzalez to the Falcons. Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Roddy White, Michael Jenkins, Jerious Norwood, and now Tony Gonzalez?! A pro's pro, with a slight chip on his shoulder after being with the KC Chefs for so long, coming to a young, very talented team could bring the Dirty Bird back to the ATL. Congrats to Tony also, I know he's been talking about leaving KC for a "hot minute" as the kids say.
• Mark Sanchez? I want to take a vote to see who thinks he will be one of the next great QB's in the NFL, because I honestly don't see it. I posted yesterday my concerns for Stafford, and I have even more for Sanchez. There were many reports last fall about Sanchez not being the best QB out in Southern Cal, but got the nod simply because he had waited his turn, which is the lay of the land out in Pasadena. I just don't know, I don't see it. Speaking of Stafford, great article on Stafford in the Sports section of USA Today, today. I can't remember his name off the top of the domepiece (that's slang for "head") but the last QB to win a championship with the Lions was Bobby Layne, the same guy who was the last QB to win a Texas State Championship with non-other than...Highland Park, before Stafford of course. How ironic is that?
• Just saw Greg Paulus, the ex-Duke point guard, is going to join the Syracuse football program. I don't have time to speak on that. Absurd.

That's all I got for now, big sports day today. Shout out to Kid Cudi, no real reason why I'm just bobbin' and weavin' to his jams right now, so props to the KID. Possibly be back later, depends on the Mavs game. I'm off like some bug spray.

--HEMAN--

MY Turn

Sorry for the lateness of the post ladies and gentlemen, my day was filled with class, much-needed napping, and an unsuccessful attempt at an intramural sand volleyball championship. Thanks again for all the viewings and comments, you guys are awesome. With that being said, let me get 'em...

• I agree with BJ that there has not been dominance like this since MJ, but I'm still unsure if LeBron is the closest thing to Jordan. As a preface, I prefer LeBrontosaurus over Kobe any day of the week. With that being said, I tend to put MJ's game closer to Kobe's than the King's. Although Lebron has unbounded talent, I feel most of his dominance is based on unmatched physical ability. On the other hand, most of Kobe's game comes from pure skill and finesse. For this reason I feel like his game  is closer to Mike's. However, Lebron is showing early signs of the same leadership and maturity that Jordan had. They both have qualities similar to that of His Airness. On second thought, back then, was MJ that athletic equivalent of Bron today? Just a little something to chew on. This whole conversation can go for years, and I'm just confusing myself, so I will end it by saying that both Kobe and Bron resemble MJ in some way, yet neither is on the same level as him at this point.
• Continuing, I do believe that it is now LeBron's league, but I don't think the Larry O'Brien trophy will spend its offseason in Cleveland. The Lakers are too big, too versatile, and overall just too good. A front line of Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum is too much for the Cavs down low. And we must not forget that there is the Black Mamba. Kobe, with that lineup and my man D-Fish, is too much for Cleveland to handle. The Cavs are a great team, and they have the pieces in place, but I honestly feel like this year it's going to the Lakers. Just an opinion from the peanut gallery.
• I want to rant for a second about star treatment in the NBA. Fortunately since I was busy tonight, I didn't have to watch DWade or Chris Paul have their backs rubbed and heads massaged by the refs. I know the men in stripes are good at what they do, but they give those two more undeserved calls than a telemarketer. I have seen both CP3 and Flash play in person, and I find it ridiculous that these guys seriously get every call there is. In the '06 Finals against the Mavs, Wade averaged 16 FTs a game, that's unheard of. I don't know any stats off the top of my head for Paul, but I'm sure their is something out there to validate my point. Just some stuff I have noticed, keep it in mind next time you watch them play.
• Shouts out to Derrick Rose for ROY, and JasonEugeneTerry for Sixth Man.
• It's sad to see Dikembe Mutombo's career end, thanks for the finger wags Dikembe, they will be greatly missed.
• With the NFL Draft upon us this weekend, I want to make a point to say that 40-yard dash times are the most overrated statistics in sports. Those things are thrown around way too much in terms of a prospect's draft stock and overall talent. Running 40 straight yards with scouts around is nowhere close to the same as running on the field, in pads, with guys like Ray Lewis trying to kill you. If you want to know how fast a guy is, go watch his film. Combine heroes are looked too highly upon every year, if you want to know what a guy can really do come Sunday, look at his game film! Felix Jones did not have the fastest 40 time ever, but when was the last time you saw anyone catch that man? As the great Kat Williams would say, "Not Never".
• I want to make a shout out to the Dos Equis proclaimed Most Interesting Man Alive. The only man who ever made a moment awkward just to see what it felt like. He's a lover, not a fighter....but don't test him, because he's also a fighter.

I'm done for now sports fans, sorry if some of my points were all over the place and got a little confusing. I'm out like I just took a third strike.

Keep it real and always keep things in perspective,

Big Wil

Thanks to Rico

Rico-I thought so as well, I was trying to put my Shakespearean (spelling?) touch on that, Lebron IS poetry haha. I'll keep this one short and sweet (thick and petite--Kid Cudi) since my earlier blog was lengthy.

• Detroit Lions are reportedly in contract negotiations with Matthew Stafford. Now I don't know about Stafford as a franchise QB, all I know is that he's from Highland Park which is just south of my hometown of Plano. And I also know that every year when my high school scrimmaged HP, he would sit out, not even show up. And I know he went to Georgia and wrecked shop. Supposedly the contract is somewhere in the range of 80M with 40M guaranteed. Unbelieveable.
• Just watched the Heat beat the Hawks. How athletic are the freakin Hawks?! Charles Barkley made a good point about them though, they just give the ball to a different player and say "ok, you're turn" when they're on offense. That won't get you very far in the National Basketball Association. And even though I despise D-Wade because of the '06 Finals, he is a beast. Very good player, and very very lucky.
• Sorry to see Lil Rounds and Anoop Desai head home from American Idol this week, I know I'm a loser for watching it but whatever.

That's all I got for today. More to come tomorrow. Classes are almost done, yippee. Oh, shout out today to my teacher Dr. Finn, he said he was having a bad day today, maybe it's because I was doing a crossword during his class today, which he caught and scolded me for doing. I have a 97 and 83 on his tests though, when most people don't, so jokes on him. Hasta luego amigos.

Big Wil where you at?

--HEMAN--

Let's blog

Again, thanks to everyone for the comments and spreading the word about our blog. Please continue to tell your friends so we can get more and more people reading this bad boy. We had some great comments, and some of those I will address in this post, let's get it on.

• Let's talk Cavs. My cousin (our cousin really) posted a comment about really the Cavs organization, and in response to that, I would like to dive a little deeper into what he said. If you're looking for his comment, it is under "Comments" in response to my post yesterday (4/20). I agree with the fact that Lebron is a man, a force, and quickly becoming the BEST player in the NBA. For gosh sakes, he took 3 steps from outside the 3 point line and did a 2 handed windmill with ease...3 STEPS!! Never before have I seen a player resemble Jordan as closely as Lebron has. Jordan, to me, will always be the best basketball player to ever play the game, period. I feel like Lebron will be in that conversation before his career is done. He really looks like a had playing on a playground, jumping around, swinging from whatever he can, and really just looking like a kid in a candy store, like perhaps he created the NBA and everyone in it for his own enjoyment. However, just like Jordan, Lebron realized, fortunately for him very early, that he cannot win alone. So he asked for help. Ask Chosen One, and you shall receive. Danny Ferry, along with Coach Mike Brown, and the rest of the Cavs office, have done a superb job fitting the right pieces to the puzzle that is Lebron. On paper, this team is not as flashy as even their playoff counterpart Pistons, but behind Lebron and Coach Brown this team is very much just that, a TEAM. An actual team is rare in this day and age, think back to the glory days of sports, Jordan and the Bulls, America's Team, the Yankees, Patriots, Spurs...all these winning, championship teams did have superb players yes, but the one thing they all share is that they are a team. From manager/coach down to the bench warmer, everyone is on the same page and knows their role and what to contribute. I feel that the Cavs have this going for them, and perhaps they won't win this year, but keep that chemistry and that team concept going, and mark my words they will be the next great dynasty in sports. Lebron said something very profound in his postgame interview last night in referring to the Cavs losing their lead really because the second team went in thinking the game was over and really speared the Pistons comeback, he said "I'm not upset or disappointed with those guys, I'm disappointed with MY TEAM and they way WE let them back in." He wasn't even in the game! There wasn't a starter in the game, and he STILL took some blame for the comeback. Could you see A-Roid doing that? Even Tom Brady (because you know no matter how much the Patriots are up, Brady is still throwing bombs to Moss)? I don't think so, and then after all that...he's 24. Twenty four years old! Absurb, completely absurd. God must have had a really good day when he made Lebron, because he gave this young man talents and ideas and a personality that is not seen, ever, especially in the big realm of sports.
• Ok enough of my man-crush on Lebron, let's talk more NBA. Chauncey Billups has done more for the Nuggets than any of them will ever know. Being a retired point guard, I understand the importance of having a captain, leader, someone to calm the storm or humble the cocky. The Nuggets have always been a good team, look at the players they've had over the last 2 years...Carmelo Anthony, Marcus Camby, Nene, Allen Iverson, J.R. Smith, Kenyon Martin, Chris "Birdman" Anderson, and who can forget the man among boys that is Sonny Weems. They have always had a stacked lineup, the only problem has been their streakiness and themselves. As a team, just like their shooting, the Nuggets are streaky. They can come out and beat you 150-100 then the next night you turn around and beat them by the same score. Enter Chauncey Billups. Things change, he slows the ball down, he takes a technical foul, he draws a foul to get 2 free throws, little things he does that make the Nuggets a completely different team. I still believe that the Mavs will beat the Nuggets in the 2nd Round, but still, if Chauncey stays and they keep the key players, boy will they be scary next year.
• Congrats to Derrick rose for being announced ROY. He very much deserved it. I still think he's as dumb as a sack of rocks though.
• Dikembe Mutombo says his career is over after his injury in the 1st quarter of last night's game. Maybe now he will tell us all how old he really is, he's probably got some trees beat.
• And finally before class, Percy Harvin tested positive for marijuana. Is that news to anyone?

I'll be back later. More to come, no shout out yet, that will be in my later blog. Til then.

--HEMAN--

The Fiction That Is: Sports Outside of Mavs Playoffs

• I almost forgot, kudos to Mavs big Erick Dampier for finally realizing something I have been thinking about a lot as of late. In the Dallas Morning News, Damp basically told Tony Parker to watch out, because if he comes in the lane Damp is "putting him on his back". If I'm Tony Parker right now, I'm a little intimidated. Damp smiles so little, the one time I actually saw him show the pearly whites, I fell to the ground and suddenly forgot where I was. So thank you Erick for manning up, now let's just see you put it into action Thursday night. 
• Congrats to Dwight Howard on winning DPOY. The man simply gets it done. Superman throws shots so far into the crowd that the Magic should seriously consider putting up the same nets around the court that NHL teams use during their games. Just a thought.
• As HE said, the C's lost Leon Powe for the rest of the postseason. If it wasn't bad enough already, they don't have former DPOY Kevin Garnett available, and now a KEY utility for the men in green is not there to stand in. That front line is dwindling. I agree with HeMan's series prediction. As far as the rest of that game goes, Ray Allen was clutch as can be with an unnecessary three ball to win the game. It's a good thing he did too, because Ben Gordon was UNCONSCIOUS last night, hitting big shot after big shot. Going for 40+, over one of the best D's in the league, in the playoffs, in Boston, is definitely something to write home about. I like how this series is shaping up.
• This past Saturday, Washington Nationals outfielder Elijah Dukes was fined for arriving late to practice. At first it doesn't sound that bad, but then you realize the man was FIVE minutes late to practice because he was doing CHARITY WORK with a local Little League. I found this to be down right absurd. I know rules are rules, but really? You are going to fine the man for helping YOUR organization. Nevertheless, there is some good in the world as parents of that Little League put funds together in order to pay for Dukes' fine. Word to the wise: worry about things like winning games and spelling the team name on the jerseys right before you go handing out ridiculous fines, Washington Nationals (or is it Natinals?).
• In agreement with my co-blogger, Tyreke Evans and Scottie Reynolds are doing the smart thing in not hiring an agent for the NBA draft. It is my belief that just about everyone in college hoops, besides Blake Griffin, could use an extra year before they break the bank with an NBA contract.
• The NFL Draft is this weekend, and I honestly have been too consumed with the Playoffs to have any legit thoughts on it that don't involve the Cowboys. However, I do know that I would love to see Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay go head-to-head in a no-rules cage match, those two get heated around this time of year.
• When I said Playoffs, I meant NBA, not NHL. Don't expect much hockey on here, especially considering the Stars' season is over.

Life's good, and this blog train is showing no signs of stopping.

Gracias y Adios,

Wil Grande

Mavs vs. Spurs Game 2: The Fallout

As HE said, thanks to everyone for posting and increasing the amount of followers, we appreciate it very much. Let the beat build...

• Last night was awful, and nearly unbearable as the Mavs took a throttling to the tune of a 105-84 final. Shots were not falling (Dirk: 3-14, J-Ho: 3-8), but a good amount of that can be accredited to San Antonio slapping the floor and playin' some D. The Spurs were in the Mavs' jocks all night and made it hard for the playmakers to get on a roll. With much humility, Popovich stuck his best defender (Bruce Bowen) on JJ Barea, and it was obviously effective. Barea went 2-8 from the field with only 5 points, and managed to produce the lowest +/- of the night at -21 (For those unaware, +/-, as defined by Yahoo! Sports, is team net points while player is in the game). It was plain to see that he was not himself as he struggled to make things happen once he got in the lane. JET was the only Mav who seemed to be anywhere close to his usual self, going 6-15 from the field with 16 points. Not great, but not horrible. I don't even want to get into anything about Josh Howard.
• Yesterday I said Parker would come back for more in Game Two, but when I said that I didn't think it meant he would tie the Mavs in first quarter points. Parker was sensational all night as he drove past anyone who dared to get in front of him. As a side not, is it just me or does anyone else notice that Tony Parker can't shoot a left handed layup...with his left hand? Regardless, he still brought the wood, going 16-22 from the field, with 38 points, 4 boards, and 8 assists. Nice game Tony, I really hope you never play like that again for the rest of your life.
• Looking at the box score,what stood out to me the most, besides field goal %, was rebounding. SA won the battle of the boards 44-28. Bass was the only one who was flying after missed shots on a consistent basis, continuing to fuel the man crush that I and most other Mavs fans have on him. If the Mavs don't start hitting the glass better than that, don't expect much to change in the next few games. 

"They can't comprehend, or even come close to understandin' him..."-Kid Cudi, Man on the Moon.

• The Cudder describes perfectly how I feel about Rick Carlisle sometimes, especially with matters involving my boy James Singleton. Last night, I found myself multiple times wondering why Singleton was not getting any burn as the Mavs could not get anything going. I'm not saying he will come in and carry the team to the point where his back hurts, all I'm saying is the guy usually brings energy and positivity to the court when he is in the game. Lord knows we needed it last night too, especially on the glass. The man leaps like the 29th day of February. Come on Rick, throw him in there and let him light a spark for others to feed off of. He may be lacking in playoff experience, but better now than never right? Right.
• On a completely different note form last night's game, it may be a good thing that the Mavs didn't resign Nash way back when. I have a feeling if he was still on the team, Dirk would be doing things like this instead of working on one-footed fadeaways.

For now I'm putting the Mavs talk to rest. It's time to move on to other things. I want to echo what HE said about BJ, we love you and miss you man can't wait for you to get home.

Peace two fingers,

Big Wil

Day 2

First and foremost, thanks to all for the comments, on the posts, we are trying to get the word out about our blog, and hope that you can help us out. As of now my (HE) people haven't come through, but I have faith that they will. Also, we've gotten word that it's hard to tell who is posting what blog, so Wilson and I will now be "signing" our blogs. Let's get into it...

• The Boston Celtics. The defending champs. One and done. Yes, unless something drastic happens, like a Willis Reed type comeback from KG, consider the Celtics toast. Rondo goes for a triple double, along with 5 steals, and my BOY Ray Allen scores 28 in the second half, while also holding Rose to average (leave Gordon out of the conversation at this point), and it STILL takes a 3 by Allen with 2 seconds left to win?! Lucky for the Celtics, the Baby Bulls, for the second game in a row, didn't have a timeout to advance the ball to half court and try to get a better shot for one of their playmakers. The series shifts back to Chicago now and the Celtics and their fans should be very scared. Props to ben Gordon last night, putting on a show for the road crowd, thus regaining his grip on this series. Also, this morning it was reported that Leon Powe is now out for the postseason after tearing his ACL, which leaves the Celtics with 3 big men. One of which is Glen "Big Baby/Ticket Stub" Davis, who couldn't hit the ocean with a asteroid if he wanted to. I consider myself a slight fan of the Celtics, because I do love Ray Allen and really think Rondo will be a dominant PG of the future, but things are bleak at this point for the Clovers. Look for Chicago to close this one in 6.
• Once again being a Mavs fan is like riding the Texas Titan at Six Flags. One game you're on top of the world thinking they have got it going, then the next they get torched by the Spurs and give up 38 to Tony Parker in 33 minutes. As I said yesterday, the key to this series is stopping Parker. Giving up 19 in the first quarter was obvious foreshadowing as to how the game would go. It's simple for the Mavs, get Dirk going, add in some help from whoever it may be (Kidd, Howard, Barea, Bass), and slow down Tony Parker. Duncan wasn't even effective last night (13 pts and 11 reb) and yet they completely blow us out. Props to Damp, excuse my FRENCH (no pun intended), but knock Mr. Longoria on his ass.
• Shout out to Dwight Howard, Defensive Player of the Year, much deserved. Led the league in rebounds, blocked shots, dunks, and having opposing players just laugh in awe of his blocking prowess. I saw this young man play in high school, with Josh Smith and against Jordan Farmar (great game, Farmar won and thus solidified "the best player I've seen" status in my book, another story for another day) and he was something special back then, and has continually gotten better and better. And bigger, his shoulders are like volleyballs.
• Tyreke Evans and Scottie Reynolds both declared for the NBA Draft today, but both will not hire agents. Smart move for both. Stay at least another year.
• The Lions reportedly will sign their pick before the draft, I hope that they give more input into that than their new logo change. What a complete joke, that officially solidifies them as just plain pathetic.

That's all I got for today. Shout out to my cousin BJ, I think I speak for everyone when I say we love you, appreciate what you're doing, and understand that it is serious, legit, and life threatening. Can't wait for you to get home. Until tomorrow, or maybe later, who knows, ADIOS.

--HEMAN--

Uno

Ahh the almighty first post. I hope that usually it won't be this late in the day for me everyday, but I feel it will seeing that I am trying to graduate and make the last few weeks of class, even though I really hate it. That being said, let's get into it...

• As my colleague has already blogged, Monday means that Game Ones in the NBA Playoffs are now over. Some thoughts--the #1 seeds should sweep. They both looked as if they were toying with their opponents, hanging meat over their heads by a string, "puppeteering" with them if you will. The Sixers win was a surprise, saying that it wasn't is untrue and somewhat pompous of people to say, especially before the series even started. I thought the Rockets and Nuggets blowing out their opponents was the biggest surprise of the weekend, apart from the Baby Bulls. And of course, the MAVS winning was not a surprise, upset, or any word within that realm, it was simply right, correct, accurate, and shows that some things in sports do happen the way they are supposed to happen. As far as players, Derrick Rose showed he is here to stay. I watched the whole game and he was incredible. I just can't figure out if he really is that poised and calm, or just plain dumb, his post-game interview pointed to the latter, but who knows? Iguodala was also incredible, that was a very well-contested, tough shot to hit to win that game, an away game at that.
• Shout out to Ian Kinsler, 6-6 with the cycle, first time since 1894?! Impressive. I follow baseball more loosely than any other of the big 3 sports, but he is on the Rangers, so props. And also to the new red jerseys, I need to get a new red "T" fitted now.
• Anquan Boldin to the Eagles? Scary. Very scary. Now this is a developing, and not very serious proposal AT THIS point, but who knows with the NFL? The Redskins will probably take him and give him 97 billion dollars. 85 out too? Who wants Ocho Cinco? I tell you what, I'm done with intramural flag football, there's a spot on my team Chad? Those, however, are pretty big shoes to fill....
• Mike Brown, Coach of the Year, see my brother's post, enough said.
• Let's get back to my team, the Mavs, everyone says that Josh Howard is the X factor. I wouldn't say that I necessarily disagree with that statement, I just think that our PG's are more important than anything that Howard can do. Stopping Tony Parker...no let me rephrase...containing Tony Parker, should be the #1 priority of the Mavs. Holding him to 20 and 10 will allow the Mavs to contain the Spurs defensively. Kidd is used to playing defensive stopper (whether or not he executes that role is up for debate) so that is no wear and tear on his part, he will still put up 10-10-10. I'm making a prediction, WHEN the Mavs win this series, they will meet the Lakers in the WCF.

That's all I got for today. I'm not sure how this whole site works, but feedback is highly welcomed. Shout out to FW. Love you.

Holla back young'n

Opening Day

• The weekend is over, and that means the end of game ones in every NBA first round series. From my viewing, the only games I found to be good were the MAVS game, the sixers/magic game, and the bulls/celtics game. JJ Barea is the greatest thing the world doesn't know, Derrick Rose went beast mode, and Andre Iguodala is clutch.
• Game 2 of the Mavs/Spurs series is tonight, and as much as I consider myself the eternal optimist, I don't see things being as pretty as they were in Game One. The Mavs looked just as good in Game One as they have all year, but some things will probably be a little different the second time around. First, Dirk wont be as quiet this game. Fortunately for the Mavs, Dirk did not have to be himself in Game One, the combo of Howard Bass and Barea was enough to carry the offensive load. Expect bigger things from the German tonight. Second, like Nowitzki, Tony Parker will be more effective tonight. As much as I would love for Parker's career to go down in flames with this series, I just don't see it happening. Finally, the Spurs will NOT shoot a magical 78% (11-14) from Deep. This time, Pop will come more prepared, and the Mavs will look to come home with a 2-0 lead, should be a good one. 9:30 ET, TNT.
• In other news, ESPN reported today that Sheldon Brown has asked for a trade. Thank God. With Lito Sheppard and Dawkins gone, the exit of Brown would make the Eagles secondary look like it took a tranquilizer dart to the jugular. Let it fly Romo.
• Mike Brown was awarded head coach of the year today. He needs to do the truthful thing and go ahead and hand that award over to LeBron.

More to come later on,

Peace

happy birthday

Happy Birthday to Wilson also. Get drunk

first post

Hello all, this is the first post for Wilson and I. I'm sure we will cover a number of topics in the sports world, but we will officially start blogging Monday, April 20. My posts will look like this, while Wilson's will be either bolded or italicized. Go Mavs and blog you Monday.