Two And A Half Cents

Where just two cents isn't enough ...

Monday, September 04, 2006

Spmusic Mondays: Double Loss

(1 Cent): Collective Yawns For The Bronze

To destroy any predictions I have made previously, Team USA was upset by Greece late last week; Spain beat Argentina; we beat Argentina for Bronze while Spain (without it’s best player and FIBA MVP Pau Gasol) absolutely humbled Greece for the Gold.

I really want to watch that USA vs. Greece game, because I just can’t fathom how we could lose. Yes, I know that their team had been together for years and years while we were just put together a couple of months ago. Yes, I know the International game is a different game than the NBA. But I still can’t visualize how the collection of talent we had didn’t come through … against a Greece team that had no – NO – NBA players on the roster.

I suppose being the 3rd best team in the world isn’t too shabby. We did finish 6th about 4 years ago (or whenever the last World Championships were held … I’m too lazy to click on the ESPN link to find out). We had a better construction for the team … we had a better plan of not taking the world lightly … we still lost. I remember writing a week or so ago about how a team with LeBron, Wade, and Carmelo basically couldn’t lose – that each of those players were more than capable of carrying a team on any given night. Are you telling me that Greece’s team had better defense than last year’s Detroit Pistons team? C’mon, LeBron. Are you saying that this team of non-NBA caliber players is playing at a higher level than last year's Dallas Mavericks? Where you at, Wade? Carmelo showed up for the Greece game, scoring a team high 27 points ... but it's going to take that and a lot more (i.e. winning) for him to be put in the echelon as the latter two players.

Now I wonder what it'll do to our 3 co-captain's will for the qualifying rounds for the '08 Olympics. I wonder if it'll give them that much more motivation ... or be enough of a downer for them to go 'Tim Duncan' on us. Now that this tournamnet is behind us, we now have to look forward to the '07 Olympic qualifying tournament, where Team USA might have a totally different roster which includes Kobe Bryant, Chauncy Billups, Michael Redd, Paul Pierce and hopefully Amare Stoudemire -- some good veterans who can shoot ... and Amare who is a beast (if his knee is back close to 100%). Here's how I think the '07 qualifying team should look like (assuming all are injury free and plan to come):

Starters:

PF: Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix Suns
SF: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavs
C: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
SG: Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
PG: Dwayne Wade, Miami Heat

Reserves:

SF/PF: Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets
PG: Chris Paul, New Orleans Hornetts
PF/C: Elton Brand, Los Angeles Clippers
SG/SF: Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
SG: Michael Redd, Milwaukee Bucks
SF/PF: Shawn Marion, Phoenix Suns
PF/SF: Lamar Odom, Los Angeles Lakers

There was a complaint about not having enough size against the more physical teams ... adding Stoudemire, Odom (who has showed he can guard bigger PF's in the NBA), Marion (who has also played a majority of the time the past 2 years as an undersized 6'7" PF), and keeping Brand and Howard gives us a pretty strong front court.

Another complaint was about not having enough shooting ... well, add Redd, Pierce, Billups, and Bryant and you have more shooters than Watts.

Here's the kicker ... as much as I would have loved Team USA bringing home the gold, there is a silver lining out of this let down ... and it's that Kobe Bryant will be looked on to restore order to the basketball world. It would be something that Michael Jordan didn't need to do (because he had a cast of NBA legends on his side) and it would be something that Wade, LeBron, or Carmelo haven't been able to do together. There's no one else on the planet that I would rather have on my team than Kobe ... despite all the criticsm he has taken by being too selfish or just a gunner with no conscious, I believe he is the answer (no offense, Iverson) to Team USA's troubles.

Think about it. The reason why he has to shoot so much is because the majority of his teammates on the Lakers are barely NBA ready (although I still love my boys to death). Who else is going to score, other than Odom? Put Kobe on a team with other all-stars, other play makers, and he's going to be just that much more dangerous. He's going to be able to put more energy on defense (because he's not going to have to be the #1, #2, and #3 options on offense every time down court), and he'll be able to make others better because he can pass (check the stats). Furthermore, I don't think his skill set will be the most important ... but that swagger he possess; the killer instinct; the fact that he will do almost anything not to lose will help the team more than anything. I'm excited now for next summer. Let's get it on.

(2 Cent): Some Underrated R&B Songs

Okay, so there wasn't a new release last week that I wanted to buy, so I thought for today I wolud list about 10 R&B songs that are some of my favorite, but haven't ever been heard on the radio (as far as I can tell). These would be of the '5 star' variety in my iTunes library. In alphabetical order according to artist name:

1): 112 - "You Said" off the album Hot & Wet ... this slow jam is for those who had their heart broken when their baby said they'd always be there, but then circumstances change ... I really love the melody and the harmonizing is out of this world at certain stages.

2): Alicia Keys - "So Simple" off the album The Diary of Alicia Keys ... from the first pound of the bass, it has you nodding and feeling the vibe ... Alicia mixes beats, her piano skills, and her flawless voice beautifully ... and as I've said before, I love the little portions of the synthesized voice.

3): Ashanti - "Don't Leave Me Alone" (Featuring 7 Aurelius) off the album Concrete Rose ... what really does it for me on this song is the hook (chorus) ... I could listen to it all day ... 7 Aurelius is an awesome beat maker.

4): Brian McKnight - "Good Enough" (Featuring Joe, Carl Thomas, Tyrese & Tank) off the album U Turn ... this is just a great collection of great voices, each with their own verse ... the guitar and the bass are crisp which is a great contrast to their various crooning styles.

5): Craig David - "What's Changed" off the album Slicker Than Your Average ... some might classify Craig as Pop, but whatever, this song is straight money ... his vocals are nicely harmonized with his own and an unnamed girl ... the topic of not knowing where the relationship is going is pretty universal ... I've played this song hundreds of times and have not tired of it.

6): Ginuwine - "How Deep Is Your Love" off the album The Life ... this song solidifed Gin as one of my favorite R&B singers of all time ... he demonstates some crazy range at the end when he turns straight opera at the bridge and then when he sing/screams "You can count on me/You can confide in me/You can trust me" ... just an emotion evoking song.

7): Joe - "Good Girls" off the album All That I Am ... this is another song that I have put on repeat for hours ... the topic of meeting a girl that turns out to be taken hits home hard (I'm sure it's happened to more people than Joe and I) ... just a smooth jam with a great hook ... the bridge in this song is also one of the strong points.

8): Mario Winans - "Turn Around" off the album Hurt No More ... this is a song you should only listen to if you're really, really missing someone and feel like soothing that hurt ... I love the topic, the hook is strong, and a small detail I like is how you can slightly hear the sound of cracking in the background, as if you're listening to a real record (really, my speakers are fine).

9): Tyrese - "Somebody Special" off the album I Wanna Go There ... Jermaine Dupri does a great job of creating a catchy jam with hard base and a synthesized guitar ... Tyrese let's us know how he's grown from past experiences and how he thinks he knows what love is all about now.

10): R. Kelly - "Burn It Up" (Featuring Wisin & Yandell) off the album TP.3 Reloaded ... now, this is a more of a reggaeton vibe instead of the more tradtionally slow, methodical R&B songs, but it's an infectious beat that infuses some singing and rapping in Spanish ... Kells burns up the track with power in his voice and has yet another hit.

(1/2 Cent): I'm Human!

Okay, so we won again for our first 2 game winning streak of the season. The odd part was that I (gulp) didn't get a hit! I did pull a walk, though, which in our softball league gets me to 2nd base, puts the girl batting behind me on 1st base, and brings up the male batter behind her (I guess it's a penalty for those trying to walk the males to get to the females).

I don't know what my deal is. Personally, I think I got too cocky after the first 2 games of going 3 for 3 ... then I just expected to get hits no matter what I did ... then I went 1 for 3 ... then I tried hard again and went 3 for 3 ... then this last game I didn't even try that hard because I thought I was the shiz-nit in a city league softball league ... then grounded out sharply 2 times and finally walked (and scored). On a positive note, I did play excellent defense again at 3rd base. I know it's bad when I can't hit but I'm fielding like Cal Ripken Jr. It's usually the opposite. There's 2 more games left in the season, then the playoffs start. The team we play this Thursday is the same team we played in our first game of the season, where we lost 8-7 after leading 7-6 in the last inning. Hopefully, we can avenge ourselves ... and I can get my bat working again!

Wannabees Team Stats: (3-2) ... Last Game - W, 4-2

HCP Game Stats: AB = 2, R = 1, H = 0, BA = .000

HCP Season Stats: AB = 14, R = 4, H = 10, 2B = 2, 3B = 0, HR = 0, RBI = 4, BB = 1, BA = .714

If you have time, write in your comments or questions to HCP2007@gmail.com so we can build up a good Grab Bag Friday. I might just wait a month or so before I do a reader's response. I haven't decided. Check back for Pet Peeve Thursday (yes, there will be one this time).

HCP

1 Comments:

  • At 11:41 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    Don't worry about it HCP, I know they are having try outs for the Special Olympic Basketball Team, in which, I feel that Team USA will be more in their element. Who knows maybe you can be their waterboy...or wash their jock straps??...because you are obviously a die hard Team Loser Fan!!!!haha love your column!!

    From the Sheila from Downunder!

     

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