Wednesday Special: Kobe Redeems Me!

(1 Cent): Couldn't Wait For Monday ...

Well, this will be a short entry ... but I couldn't contain my excitement anymore. The Lakers finally won in Utah! I was a witness!

It was a glorious game. I was late getting off work and picking up my friend ... we arrived at the arena 1 minute in to the 2nd quarter. Upon entering, I see on the outside scoreboard: Jazz 20 - Lakers 27. Nice! This is the way to start off!

We quickly found our seats and watched the game unfold.

Basically, the Lakers led the whole time, but it still went back and forth. Then, late in the game, the Jazz took the lead ... but another Lakers run (capped by some timely 3's from Smush, Odom and Evans) held them off. Then, with the Lakers up by 8 with less than a minute and a half to go, Evans drove in and his shot bounced up high off the rim ... which set up the most spectacular dunk I've witnessed in person. Kobe came running out of nowhere and jumped and put back the rebound with a ferocious dunk that silenced the crowd -- except the conglomerates of Lakers fans, including me. It was like a video game ... it was unreal. After that, the Lakers were up by 10, the energy was sucked out of the arena and the game was over. The Jazz started a little come back, but to no avail.

Right after the dunk, I saw about 4 people get right up out of their seats and start walking out. I hollered out, "Thanks for coming ... drive safely!" ... right after I yelled out, "It's over, son! Put the kids to bed!" It felt SO good to get that win. I was happy the rest of the night and even a little giddy still. So, the Lakers win the season series 2-1 and might even get to play them in the playoffs ... which I'm hoping for because I've never been to a playoff game ... good times await!

(2 Cent): Notes About The Game

Just a couple of side notes about the game I found interesting:

-- As I mentioned before, I was 0-5 with my friend J.D. ... but now am 1-0 with my friend C.C. ... needless to say, she's coming with me to each Lakers game from now on (even if she doesn't want to and I need to drag her to the game like Britney Spears to rehab).

-- At one point, when Kobe had the ball and did some herky-jerky moves to put the Jazz defender on his heels and then made a ridiculous shot, one Jazz fan directly in front of me turned to his friend and said in respectful disdain, "He's amazing." I thought to myself, yes, yes he is. Watching Kobe in person is unbelievable ... everything seems so effortless ... even impossible plays.

-- The halftime show was atrocious ... and this is after witnessing (at the same arena) a magic show that seemed to be intended for the 10 and under crowd and even a "trash band" (you know, they bang on trash cans and milk jugs and hobo corpses to make "music") ... this time it was some dude (who took a wrong turn somewhere in the game of life) throwing Frisbees to a dog. No joke. It's things like this that lead me to believe the Apocalypse is very, very near.

-- There was an extremely annoying man sitting behind us who yelled "guilty" every time Kobe touched the ball (i.e., A LOT). *Note: he was referring to the charge against Bryant like 3 years ago. So, after the game ended, I said (loud enough so he could hear me), "I don't know about Colorado ... but Kobe raped you guys tonight!" If you need me to stand trial as a witness, call me up.

(1/2 Cent): That's All, Folks!

That's all I wanted to say. Check back for Friday's Grab Bag! Write comments and questions to HCP2007@gmail.com or click the Comments link below!

HCP

Spmusic Mondays: Time To Break The Curse

(1 Cent): Redemption is Nigh ...

Today, I embark on my 6th trip in 4 years to Salt Lake City and the Energy Solutions Arena (formerly the Delta Center) to watch my banged up Lakers take on the Jazz.

I really hope this is finally it ... that the Lake Show can finally get a win here. It's been too long since LA had won here and so far I am 0-5 in my attendance. It doesn't look like it will be easy when you consider:

-- The Lakers just played yesterday (Sunday) and are not very good in back-to-back games

-- The Jazz had Sunday off to rest and to prepare for LA

-- The Lakers are still playing without starting center Kwame Brown, starting small forward Luke Walton and small forward (6th/7th man) Vladamir Radmanovic

-- It's on the road, duh ... the Lakers haven't proven to be a good road team (gulp)

In the Jazz's defense (kind of), they played their last game without their starting center because of back spasms and their starting small forward because he banged his knee in a previous game. I can see how missing Mehmet Okur will hurt them, because he's basically their 2nd or 3rd best player (along with Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams) but not having Andrei Kirilenko won't hurt that much, considering how much he's fallen off this year.

Out of the 5 games I've seen, there is a pattern: the game is close throughout, going back and forth ... the Lakers make a run and seem like they'll pull away ... and then 1 of 3 things happen, 1) the Lakers get NO calls down the stretch, 2) the Jazz all of a sudden snatch up all the rebounds like Bobby Brown snorting 5 kilos of free coke with two flexi-straws, or 3) the Lakers' role players (i.e., everyone not named Kobe or Odom) get flustered and turn the ball over like it was a game of hot potato. My favorite is when all three of these things happen at once ... I like to call that the trifecta.

So, I'm less than 7 hours away from tip off ... maybe, by some weird twist of fate, the outcome will be different because this is the first time I'm going without my good friend J.D. He's gone to every game with me thus far and each game has resulted in a loss ... plus, it seems like 3 out of every 4 games we watch on TV together ends up in a loss .... I'm taking a female this time, so let's see if she can help break the curse (not that I'm superstitious or pathetic ... well, maybe one of the two -- you choose which one).

(2 Cent): Too Old For Hip Hop?

I was thinking the other day, after hearing that Hip Hop music is just a fad or that one day, when you "mature" and get older, you won't like it anymore or you'll out-grow it. But, is this really the case?

For me, why would I not like it anymore? I've listened to it since I was about 14 years old and kind of grew up listening to certain artists that are still going strong today. Wouldn't this just be like my dad, who's still listening to the couple same people that are still alive (not a shot at his age, heh) or listening to the same shtuff from the 60s and 70s? Why won't I be listening to newer Hip Hop in 10-20 years, or listening to my "oldies?"

Plus, I'd say half of the good Hip Hop artists now are into their late 20s to late 30s (with Dre being a tad older). Using Wikipedia for the ages, here are a couple of my favorite artists' ages:

-- Diddy, 37
-- Eminem, 34
-- Timbaland, 35
-- Snoop Dogg, 35
-- Ludacris, 29
-- Jay-Z, 38
-- Dr. Dre, 42
-- NaS, 33
-- Busta Rhymes, 34
-- 50 Cent, 31
-- Jermaine Dupri, 33
-- Nelly, 33

You get the idea ... lots of the big name artists in that industry aren't kids ... they're grown arse men. So, if guys this age are making the music, why wouldn't people that same age like listening to it? Or still be able to?

The thing that fascinates me is, how much longer are they going to stay in the game? All of them are still good at what they do ... I think they're in uncharted waters, because these artists didn't really have too many pioneers or forefathers for longevity -- they are the trailblazers. Will they go on and on and on like Tom Jones? Who knows?

This also makes me feel better about not feeling "grown-up." They still make dance music, sometimes rap about silly stuff ... I'm down with that. For now, I'm basically enjoying the moment and look forward to whatever happens. Long live the Hip to the Hop!

(1/2 Cent): Can't Nobody Break My Stride ...

If you've been keeping up with sports and my blog, you should know by now that Dwayne Wade is out indefinitely and that's not good for my Busdrivers fantasy team ... but it didn't hurt me last week, because Wade was injured after scoring 46 fantasy points (FP's) ... so, that was his average for the week.

After some anonymous commenter seemingly questioned the validity of my fantasy scores (or at least someone he knew ... because after all, he said he believed my scores but used the adjective "ridiculous"), I then score the highest I ever have this season. Go figure. If I could copy and paste the link to my league's site without running the risk of it being tampered with (i.e., if the links work to change stuff, no bueno for me) then I would. Again, why would I make this stuff up? Am I that much in need for positive affirmation? This blog was foremost for my friends to keep them updated with me, to let them know what I'm doing and to let them know what's on my mind ... I wouldn't lie to them in person, on the phone or in writing.

So, I apologize that I am so awesome that people don't believe the extent of the awesomeness ... but, concerning my scores, in the words of Jackie Childs, "They're real ... and they're spectacular!"

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Continuing with my line-up changes, I've decided to insert Smush Parker (G, LAL) for Wade and see what happens. As I said, Wade had 46 FP's last week ... Smush had 23 ... which turns out to be exactly half. Not good for me. Hopefully this will only be for 1 or 2 weeks, as Richard Jefferson (F, NJ) is supposed to be back in "early March." Without further ado, my ridiculous stats:

Week 17: W - 373.58 to 288.25 ... W-L Record: 15-2 (First in division; first in league; 12 game winning streak)

Week 17 Fantasy Stud: Kobe Bryant (G, LAL) - 50 FP's ... shoot, who needs D-Wade when you gots Kobe? (Oh, yeah, I do).

Week 17 Fantasy Dud: Chris Wilcox (F, SEA) - 19.67 FP's ... at least C-Wizzle is consistent.

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I just realized I didn't post Week 16's numbers (that's the day where I said "I got nothin'" and was probably too lazy to write anything and/or I was getting healthy again from being sick). Oh, well. Also, big ups to my boy Jason Kidd (G, NJ) for playing with a cracked rib and still getting double-doubles and helping my fantasy team ... you're A-OK in my book, son!

Have a good week. You're welcome to comment or ask questions by clicking on the Comments link below or writing to HCP2007@gmail.com.

HCP

Grab Bag Fridays: Why Wouldn't This Happen?

(1 Cent): Can't Wait 'Til Monday

Yes, I know I have a day (Monday) dedicated to all things sports and that I use Friday's Grab Bag to write about other topics ... but I absolutely couldn't stop myself from writing about the tragedy of the NBA, the Busdrivers (my fantasy team) and my mind.

The lead item is the potential season-ending injury to Dwayne Wade -- the superstar for the Heat and the #1 dude in the NBA for fantasy points (FP's) ... and my only hope for a sure championship season. Basically, reports are saying the best case scenario is that he will miss 6 weeks, doing rest and rehab (aren't those things opposites?) and could be back in time for the NBA playoffs. The worst case scenario is that he's done for the season, has surgery and will be back in 4 months.

Just to get this item out of the way, the Miami Heat are DONE. Finished. Stick 10 forks in 'em. In the immortal words of Dave Chappelle, they're "effin' done, son!" The Heat are 1-6 without Wade this season, with all 6 losses being by double digits (stat courtesy of ESPN). Yeah, I know they didn't have Shaq for the first half of the season ... but what has he proven thus far? What did he do against Dallas last night? Exactly. He did nothing (well, nothing in the form of preventing a blowout). Wade is the Miami Heat. Shaq is 35 (in March) and has been done since he allowed my Lakers to lose to the Pistons a couple of years ago (yes, I'm still bitter about that). If Shaq is the "#1" scoring option, then who's #2? A washed up Payton? A declined Walker? Kneeless Williams? Jason "3 point champion when no one is guarding me" Kapono? Zo? That's the thing, there is no #2 option. All those players are #4-5 scoring options (in this point in time). I don't care if the Heat have more games at home than on the road; I don't care that they're playing "weaker" teams; I don't care that they're in the East ... the fact is, if Wade misses 6 weeks, the Heat will be a participant in the lottery faster than Gary Coleman after binge drinking. Write it. Print it. Quote me on it.

The most important aspect (for me) of Wade's injury is my fantasy team is not the juggernaut it once was. You see, Wade averaged a couple decimals over 48 FP's a game (with my calculations of 25 FP's being an "average" fantasy player). He's twice an average player. There's no replacing him. Of course, I will try to with Darko Milicic (don't laugh) and Smush Parker (don't puke).

As I've said at least 2 times before in my blog ... the ONLY thing that ever prevents me (and my co-owner) from a (NBA fantasy) championship is injuries. Usually, this type of catastrophic injury happens right after we set our line-up for the week, during the playoffs. Now, we have to deal with this for the remaining 5-6 weeks of the regular season ... and still have to make the playoffs. Of course, we are 4 games ahead of the Wild Card team with 5 games (weeks) left in the season (not including this week, where I'm basically assured a win). So, I'm not a betting man, but I'd double down on us making the playoffs. But, still, now wins are not going to be "guaranteed" and a lot more "stress" enters the picture.

I'm basically counting Wade out for the rest of the fantasy season and playoffs. Even if he does come back to play, how effective will he be for me? R.I.P. Wade's Stats '07. You will be missed.

So, for me to still pull out this playoff appearance and championship, the perfect storm will have to occur:

-- Amare Stoudemire will have to continue to dominate ... even when Nash comes back

-- Jason Kidd will have to stay healthy (word on the street is he has a cracked rib!!!!)

-- Kobe Bryant will have to pretend it's 2006 and fire off some 40+ (regular) point games

-- Richard Jefferson will have to come back (early March) and play like he was projected to (i.e., not like poop)

-- Delonte West will have to keep doing his best imitation of Pistol Pete

-- Have Stephon Marbury read some stats from '04 to remind him he used to be good for almost 18 and 8 (points and assists)

All in all, it's almost the worst thing that could happen to the Busdrivers ... well, within reason.

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In a related sports item, I had an anonymous person (someone I honestly don't know or can't figure out) comment on an article, which I will post and respond to:

Q: "Not much to say except that if the Lakers trade Bynum for Kidd I believe the Lakers are selling out the future of a great team for the prospect of a good team this year. How do you feel about Bynum leaving the Lakers? P.S. Congrats on the Fantasy Court, I of course believe that your ridiculous stats are in fact real. " -- Anonymous

HCP: Well, with the trade deadline passing yesterday, we know for a fact the Lakers are not getting Kidd ... or that anything else happened. I thought there was supposed to be a flurry of moves? Henderson to the Jazz? Dixon to the Raptors? That's the best these fools could come up with? Lame.

Anyways, I was just discussing this very item (Bynum for Kidd) with my friend last night. I was a little bit torn and could argue the pros and cons for both decisions. I guess when it came down to it, I wouldn't include Bynum in a trade for Kidd because of the youth, the flashes of good performances and his potential. The question would be, "Will Kidd put us over the top?" I guess it's all hypothetical ... and the Kobe/Kidd/Odom trio would be awesome ... but who knows, Bynum could be one of the best big men in the league one day (a more offensive, less defensive Dwight Howard?). You don't want to look back one day and think, "Crap, I just gave away an awesome talent for an aged all-star."

But ...

Isn't it all about championships now? Think about the Shaq trade. Yeah, it took the Heat 2 years, but him and Wade (ok, Wade with Shaq tagging along) got it done - a championship. Would it be worth trading Bynum for a championship? Hmmm, now I'm thinking yes, it would. I mean, Kobe is in his prime right now -- do you think 4-5 years from now, Kobe will still be this spectacular? This healthy? You can't predict the future. With Kidd, at least it would've made us a more legitimate contender now. So, if the Kidd addition would've earned the Lakers a championship this year or next year, would it be worth Bynum? That's a similar question Heat fans are asking themselves right now, in retrospect ... was it worth trading Caron Butler (All-Star this year) and Lamar Odom (was playing like an All-Star until his knee injury, but he's playing now) for a very aged Shaq and that one (lucky @$$) championship last year, that Wade won all by himself? I mean, think about it ... yeah, you got the "name" of Shaq ... but think of the trio Butler/Odom/Wade would have been right now, in the East ... they'd have a great team for years to come. Now? They have a very old, washed-up Shaq ... and a bunch of over-the-hill, former All-Stars that aren't doing much.

I'm bringing this up because ... it's a similar situation. If Kidd brings a championship, then great for us right now. But if Bynum starts tearing it up in Jersey (remember, he's only 19 years old) and the other guys we'd have to trade to make the salary work (probably Kwame Brown, Radmanovic and .... I don't know, Sasha or Farmar?) ... I don't know. I just don't know. It'd be nice to know if Bynum was for real going to be a star ... and how Kidd's health will hold up for the next 3 years ... I'm glad I'm not Kupchak on this on.

So ... long story longer ... if you put a gun to my head (or any appendage), I would trade Bynum for Kidd ... but it wouldn't be without extreme hesitation and quite possibly some regret. The only thing that would soften the blow would be the 4th ring for Kobe. I think that might make it worth while.

(2 Cent): California ... We Came And Went

To make yesterday even worse (on top of Wade going down, duh) the OC had its series finale and will never be seen again.

Yes, it got kinda corny towards the end of this final season ... yes, it probably slipped a bit ... yes, I still loved it. I guess since I was a fan from the first season, it's just sad to see the conclusion of characters you really liked (more on this later). I mean, c'mon, it was a witty show ... had likable personalities ... and always entertained you. What more can you ask for in a show?

For me, the hour finale wasn't long enough ... I think the producers/writers thought so too, because it seemed a little crammed (i.e., they jumped ahead six months ... and then like, 6 years at the end). It was hard to tie up everything and sort out situations in just one hour, when so much had been going on.

I really wish it hadn't ended. Series finales always leaving me feeling ... empty. Like a happy, stable part of my life has ended. Yes, I realize this sounds pathetic because it's TV, but c'mon. TV shows sometimes define an time period. The OC had a good 4 year run; it shaped what people wore and talked like; it was a small phenomenon.

I can also remember a couple of other show's finales, like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Aire, Sienfield, Boy Meets World, Saved By the Bell and Home Improvement. I think the OC's end is a little more disappointing, in the fact that it probably didn't go for as long as it could have ... or should have.

With all those shows, though, you had characters that you identified with, wanted to be like or wish you could kick it with in real life (i.e., Taylor Townshend, Kelly Kapowski or Hilary Banks ... ha). When the shows end, it kind of makes you reflect on how other things end and that there aren't many things that last forever. I suppose the moral of the story is, enjoy the moment because the "good" could be taken away at any time.

(1/2 Cent): Going Back to Cent 1

Oh, so the last part of that person's comment ("P.S. Congrats on the Fantasy Court, I of course believe that your ridiculous stats are in fact real. ") ... was that trying to say someone out there doesn't believe my stats?

I wouldn't make this ish up, son! I'm posting real stats ... c'mon, I keeps it real here at Two And A Half Cents. Look back to my roster from my November post ... then after some trades and free agent pick ups, I have a killer line-up. I try not to divulge too much info, but I am doing this league from CBS Sportsline (read my beef with them, also in November's column) and the league is called Game Over. It is a head-to-head league, with each week being a game against another team. You have 10 players active and all their stats add up for a final score for the day, with each day being averaged out for the week. Add it up and you get the final team score. In fact, here's a look as of 2:00pm today of my roster and their fantasy points (FP's):

C - Amare Stoudemire (Suns) ................ 43.5 FP's
F - Luol Deng (Bulls) ................................ 24
F - Zach Randolph (Blazers) ................... 34.5
F - David West (Hornets) ........................ 36
F - Chris Wilcox (Sonics) .......................... 32
G - Kobe Bryant (Lakers) ........................ 47
G - Jason Kidd (Nets) ............................... 44
G - Stephon Marbury (Knicks) ............... 24
G - Dwayne Wade (Heat) ......................... 46
G - Delonte West (Celtics) ........................ 40.5
------------------------------------------------
Total Team Fantasy Points ...................... 371.5

I mean, I picked up David and Delonte West along with Chris Wilcox in the free agent pool ... traded for Kobe, Marbury, and Richard Jefferson (who's the 3rd guy on my bench, behind Smush and Darko ... gah!) ... had the rest drafted originally on my team. I'll admit, these numbers right here are the highest they've been all season (which makes it a perfect time to show them), but all my numbers from every post have been legit. Even if I sucked and my team stunk, I'd still post them. More to write and complain about. As I've said before, I've been doing this since high school with my co-owner friend J.H., so we know how to draft, what to look for in the pre-season, how to trade, etc. Don't hate the player, hate the game!

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Sorry for so much sports on today's Grab Bag ... but it is what it is (ha, always wanted to type that). I'll be back Monday for some music shtuff ... and of course, sports. Have a great weekend.

HCP

Spmusic Mondays: Mamba = All-Star MVP

(1 Cent): All-Star Festivities

All of NBA's All-Star Weekend was pretty good -- I unfortunately missed the celebrity game on Friday -- with the Charles Barkley/Dick Bavetta foot race being more entertaining than I thought it was going to be (and it was hyped).

Honestly, right before the race, when Ernie from TNT was interviewing them both, I actually felt the feeling of strong anticipation -- the anticipation I usually feel for Lakers playoff games or when I actually play in a basketball game. Not quite butterflies, but the giddiness of not knowing the outcome at all ... and thinking about the repercussions if Barkely actually lost.

The anticipation was even pushed higher when Barkely had two false starts to the race ... it was great! Then, when Barkely seemed to have it in the bag, him doing the last halfcourt run back-peddling was priceless ... as was his falling flat on his back, victorious. The NBA ... it's faaaaantastical! You have to YouTube that junk when you get a chance ... although, methinks it won't be topped live. It was mostly about the mystery and outcome, not the race itself.

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I thought the three-point shootout was pretty good ... wouldn't have guessed Kapono to win it all and tie the final round record with 24 points. The most disappointing shooter was Damon Jones, who proclaimed a year or two ago he was the world's best shooter and had been campaigning to be in this thing. He pretty much sucked.

I thought the slam dunk contest was better than last year's (mainly because of the new time limit on dunks ... the Nate Robinson Rule). I do, though, think Dwight Howard was robbed because he had the most original, most impressive dunk of the contest and didn't get jack for it (well, if you count a 42 out of 50 jack). I think the thing that hurt him most was that you couldn't really know or appreciate the dunk until a couple replays and close-ups.

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My boy Kobe taking home the MVP was pretty fun to watch, too. It was going to be either him or Amare Stoudemire, who had a lot of good dunks and even a couple of money jump shots. You might ask, "HCP, isn't Kobe and Amare on your fantasy team?" Yes, indeed they are. It was a pretty entertaining game to watch, no matter what other columnists are writing (i.e., they think it was a bore, not good, the worst one in recent memory, etcetera). I mean, what do you want? It was a lot of scoring, a lot of alley-oops ... tell the East to play better and it might be a close game. Remember -- the West had the most fill-ins for injured players, so they should've been "weakened" by that. No Nash, Iverson, Ming, Boozer ... no problem.

With Kobe playing the point guard role (six assists), the West was fine. Plus, having Dirk, KG and Duncan (three 7-footers) helped with the boards.

All in all, I enjoyed my weekend. But, for now, back to the regular season ....

(2 Cent): Kidding Around Part 2

There was more talk at the All-Star Game about the Lakers being interesting in Jason Kidd ... which gets my hopes up even higher. There's only 4 days left until the trade deadline so time's a wastin'. The new item in this deal is that it will be a 3-way trade, involving the Portland Trailblazers and their big, soon to be expiring contract of Jamaal Magloire (yes, we refer to Jamaal as a contract now, because him as a player expired long ago).

I really hope there is some substance to this deal and that it actually goes down. Shoot, there's even talk about Vince Carter being traded ... the Lakers could use him too! It'd be even safer for the Nets to trade him, since Carter has more value than Kidd (no unhealthy back issues) and since he can opt out of his contract next year (Kidd has 3 years left), they'd at least get something in return. Plus, Kobe -- shown most recently yesterday at the All-Star Game -- can play the point and we can move Carter to the 2 (guard) and it'd be beautiful. I like this even better than the Kidd deal! Let me see what we can offer in ESPN's Trade Machine ...

... (working trade) ...

Okay, so if the Lakers trade Kwame Brown, Vladamir Radmanovic and Aaron "I Lost" McKie, that will match Carter's $15 million salary. Plus, McKie comes off the books this year, Brown comes off in 2008 and Radmanovic gives New Jersey a desperately needed shooter that will help spread the floor for Richard Jefferson. It works. It fits. Do it! Dang it - I need to be a GM pronto!

Fingers crossed that something goes down by this Thursday ....

(1/2 Cent): I'm Drawing A Blank ...

... No, really, I'm drawing a blank and have nothing to write about. No new music. No new movies. I'm lame.

Enjoy the rest of your Presidents' Day ... I know I won't!

HCP

Grab Bag Fridays: Not Gon' Happen

I've been fighting some sort of sickness this weak ... starting to feel better but not in the right frame of mind to sit and type (yeah, I know, boo-hoo). With body fatigue and headaches, not really wanting to do much of anything except curl up in the fetal position and whimper.

Luckily there's the NBA All-Star Weekend to help cheer me up ... Until Monday ....


HCP

Spmusic Mondays: Whatcha Thinkin', Mr. Lincoln?

(1 Cent): Lakers Need To Kidd Around

Okay, after watching my Lakers get their butts handed to them by a veteran Pistons team and then lose yesterday to the Cavs because no one but Kobe stepped up ... I think we're in need of some help.

When Kwame comes back from injury, it's not going to make us that much better. In fact, Brian Cook isn't even getting any burn -- and he's our best big-man shooter next to Odom -- so I don't think having another big body will help.

There are some rumors that the Nets are willing to part with Kidd. The Nets aren't winning with Kidd and Carter (and with Jefferson, when he's healthy). They aren't getting any younger. All three of their contracts add up to about $44.4 million (the NBA salary cap is at about $53 million). It would make sense for New Jersey to trade Kidd and Carter; build around a younger Richard Jefferson and Nenad Krstic. Here's a proposal:

Lakers Get: Jason Kidd - PG

Nets Get: Kwame Brown - C, Vladimir Radmanovic - SF, Sasha Vujacic - SG, Chris Mihm - C and some type of 2007 draft pick.

The salaries match up (I tried it in ESPN's Trade Machine) and this is why I think it would be good for both teams.

For the Nets, it gives them a more than serviceable center in Brown, which will alleviate the pain of having Krstic out for the season ... it will also be great insurance, for example, if Krstic's knee injury is career ending or he doesn't come back to full form. The trade also gets them an above average (maybe a 5.5 or a 6 out of ten) small forward in the Radman ... he's proven with playing time to be effective ... and with the Nets' bench, he'll get plenty of it. They'll also have a very serviceable back up shooting guard in Vujacic -- which I'm sure they don't have now. Mihm's $4 million+ comes off the books after this year, but you could sign him for a lot cheaper next year (and would allow them to not have to use Great Uncle Cliffy or Jason "I Have Less Game Than Checkers" Collins, which is a very good thing). Plus, they get a pick in this really deep 2007 draft. Serviceable players to more than just fill your team's holes (eeww), some cap relief on the way and a draft pick. Seems like a good deal to me.

For the Lakers, they obviously get one of the top 3 point guards in the league (hey, I'd know -- he's on my fantasy team). Who would you want over him right now? I don't mean for the future, I'm talking about to win a championship right now? Maybe Nash ... maybe Tony Parker ... maybe Billups ... hmm ... that's about it. Plus, Kidd gets you rebounds and is a potential triple-double every night. Can you imagine the free looks Kobe and Odom would have on the break with Kidd running the point? It makes me giddy already.

Also, this would help ease some of the froncourt logjam, freeing up some playing time for Cook and furthering the development of Andrew Bynum. Even better, this would relegate Smush Parker (whom I love to death ... but c'mon) to the bench in a better suited roll.

Here's how I would imagine the line-ups and their top reserves:

New Jersey Nets

PF - Kwame Brown** (Injured for another week)
SF - Richard Jefferson** (Injured until early March)
C - Mikki Moore
SG - Vince Carter
PG - Marcus Williams

Bench

SF - Vladamir Radmanovic
SG - Sasha Vujacic
PG - Eddie House
SF - Bostjan Nachbar

Los Angeles Lakers

PF - Lamar Odom
SF - Luke Walton** (Injured for another week)
C - Andrew Bynum
SG - Kobe Bryant
PG - Jason Kidd

Bench

PF - Brian Cook
PG/SG - Smush Parker
SF/SG - Maurice Evans
C/PF - Ronny Turiaf
PG - Jordan Farmar

Again, it makes New Jersey a tad deeper with allowing the first step towards being under the cap (assuming they would move Vince Carter too) and getting another 2007 pick. This makes the Lakers have a very nice trio in Kobe/Kidd/Odom and allows for some of our bench players to have more playing time.

It makes sense! Just do it! Get Kupchak on the phone, pronto! Make it happen ... for my sanity!

(2 Cent): Didn't Even Know!

While skimming through the CD's at the store the other day, I came across one I didn't realize had come out. Brian McKnight put one out in 2006 some time entitled Ten (I'm assuming his 10th album) so I decided to give it a try ... I'm a McKnight fan and have his last 5 CD's or so (I started listening to him about '95-'96).

There was no hype for me with this one ... never heard anything on the radio ... I still expected a solid CD, though, and he came through. There was only one song that I thought was exceptional (i.e., can be one of my favorite tracks from him of all his CD's), but there only like 2 (out of 15 tracks) that I would say are not repeat listenable which is a good thing ... just a smooth production all the way through.

Here you get classic McKnight -- good vocals with range, the love and heartache ballads, a couple of interesting tunes. Overall, I'd give it a 7.5 out of 10 -- I just got it and I'm sure it will grow even more on me. It's above an average album with deeper words and feelings than the "usual" R&B stuff. If you're a B-Mac fan you will want to have it.

**My Fav Five**

1) Track 9, "Again" - This has to be one of my favorite McKnight songs of all time ... a great theme for an R&B song because I (if not many) can relate to something like this ... an awesome beat and vibe ... of course, his killer crooning skills in effect.

2) Track 6, "A Little Too Late" - Another song that has a unique theme; a good song to put on when you're feeling in the dumps by a girl ....

3) Track 1, "Used To Be My Girl" - A very sweetacle beat ... good bass line ... good hook, too.

4) Track 5, "Unhappy Without You" - Another good, unique take on a relationship and its feelings ... nice, more upbeat tune.

5) Track 3, "Find Myself In You" - A cool little diddy, with an almost old school 80's R&B feel to it ....

(1/2 Cent): I Was Worried Because ...?

At first glance, I thought I was a goner because I was only up by 30 fantasy points (FP's) and he still had Marcus Camby to play (he had been questionable all week due to a pulled groin ... most likely dude has been hanging out with Eddie Griffin too much).

It turns out all that worrying was for not (naught?). I ended up winning pretty big and it wouldn't have mattered if Camby played (unless he scored over 50 FP's). So, the Busdrivers are doing what they do best ... taking fools to school (yeah, hasn't gotten old in 10 years). Next week puts me up against J.D. for the 3rd time this season. I'm 2-0 against him ... can I make it 3? Will he pull off a bigger upset than the Dixie Chicks? Tune in next week to find out! Same 'cent' time. Same 'cent' web site.

Week 15: W - 345 to 289.92 ... W-L Record: 13-2 (First in division; first in league)

Week 15 Fantasy Co-Studs: Amare Stoudemire (PHO, C): 44.5 FP's and Dwayne Wade (MIA, G): 47.75 FP's ... I wanted to congratulate one of my favorite players, Amare, for having a dominating week ... more weeks like this and it's all over!

Week 15 Fantasy Dud: Cuttino Mobley (HOU, G): I thought he'd be good because he scored about 24 and 25 FP's the last two weeks ... put up 7 FP's in his first game and ended the week with 18 FP's ... needless to say ... I dropped him like it's hot.

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Until this Friday ... have a good Valentine's Day ... hope you bought that special someone something special ... and pray that I don't get sick ... I feel a little sumthin'-sumthin' coming on. Don't forget to write in your comments and questions by clicking the Comments link below or writing to HCP2007@gmail.com.

HCP

Grab Bag Fridays: You Can Bet That

(1 Cent): Why Not, I'll Use It

I received this "forward" in my e-mail account ... usually I don't read them, just because they're usually corny. But this one was a joke, so I decided to read it. It was one I never read before and it actually ended up being funny (at least to me and the person who forwarded it to me). Without further ado, here it is:

"Choosing A Wife: A man wanted to get married. He was having trouble choosing among three likely candidates. He gives each woman a present of $5,000 and watches to see what they do with the money.

The first does a total make-over. She goes to a fancy beauty salon, gets her hair done, new make-up and buys several new outfits, and dresses up very nicely for the man. She tells him that she has done this to be more attractive for him because she loves him so much.

The man was impressed.

The second goes shopping to buy the man gifts. She gets him a new set of golf clubs, some new gizmos for his computer and some expensive clothes. As she presents these gifts, she tells him that she has spent all the money on him because she loves him so much.

Again, the man is impressed.

The third invests the money in the stock market. She earns several times the $5,000. She gives him back his $5,000 and reinvests the remainder in a joint account. She tells him that she wants to save for their future because she loves him so much.

Obviously, the man was impressed.

The man thought for a long time about what each woman had done with the money he'd given her.

Then, he married the one with the biggest boobs.

Men are like that, you know.

There is more money being spent on breast implants and Viagra today than on Alzheimer's research. This means that by 2040, there should be a large elderly population with perky boobs and huge erections and absolutely no recollection of what to do with them."

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So, I don't know if that last paragraph is true ... but it's stuff funny to read.

(2 Cent): Thanks For Nuthin'

You know what really chaps my cheeks? Customer service people on the phones. Lately, I've had problems with the people from Comcast and now with Dish Network. They're just fools!

Basically, 3 different Comcasters told me 3 different things concerning a bill (i.e., they should rebate me about $57 but they say I owe $44 ... I am in the right). I just keep getting the run-around: "Call back here," "Call back there," "Don't worry about it," "Fax us this," ... kiss mine!

Now with Dish, I get this lady who doesn't know what the crap she's doing -- it must have been her first hour on the job. She kept inputting info on the computer incorrectly ... plus NEVER answered my question straight up. To top it off, towards the end of the conversation, she kept asking me if there was anything else she could do for me ... uh, other than not helping me some more, no.

Then, the same day, I call back and get Habeeb who can barely speak English. He didn't answer my question either. Basically, I'm going to do what I want and if they don't like it, then they can figure it out later. I'm trying to do things the right way, but these fools are not making it possible.

Okay ... reading back over the last couple of paragraphs, I realize I was pretty vague ... but details aren't important here. The thing to remember is that customer service should actually be called customer disservice. If you're not going to answer customer questions, what purpose do you actually serve? Wouldn't Comcast and other companies want to know that they're paying these fools $5.25 an hour for nothing?

(1/2 Cent): Valentine's Daze

The "holiday" known as Valentine's Day is a weird one. You can't really ask someone out that you just want to be casual with because you're almost obligated to get flowers, candy, some type of doo-hickey (i.e., stuffed bear) and then take them to a nice restaurant ... and who wants to do all that with someone you're not that comfortable with? Plus, what girl wouldn't be scared away if all of this happened by some dude she just met at Red Lobster?

Of course, if you are in a seriously relationship and you don't so something, then you'll most likely hear about it (unless you have a chick that likes to do the silent treatment or do passive-aggressive stuff, like leaving a plastic Wal-Mart bag out with your Sports Illustrated mag and some lotion in it). You have to do something creative, heartfelt, fun, original, blah, blah, blah.

So, this day is generally thought of as a ladies holiday, right?

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Note: anyone who's willing to argue this point can read this:

"The Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. The association estimates that women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines."

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine

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Well, what's the guys' equivalent of this day, hmm? I don't think there is one. I'm going to make one up right now. It's called Dude's Day. Think Valentine's Day but total opposite. I have spoken.

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Welp, thus ends another craptacular week. Enjoy your weekend ... I'll try not to suck it up at my bball game tomorrow (P.S. we won our last game). Take care!

HCP

Spmusic Mondays: Prince Is King!

(1 Cent): Colts Crowned

As you might have guessed from my blogs, I'm not the biggest NFL fan ... but I did tune in for the Super Bowl ... and hosted a nice lil' bash.

I had to choose sides, since it's always nice to have someone to root for, so I went for the Colts -- reasons being their colors were almost a Dodger blue, they had the most recognizable player in Peyton Manning, and I'm not a fan of any team from Chicago ... so there you go. I had joked that I bet 4 thousand on the Colts beforehand ... now I wish I would've. Bill Simmons was right -- Rex Grossman (Bears QB) could not be counted on in the clutch.

The main events for me were the people who came over, the ton of food that we had, the commercials that cost millions of dollars and even the halftime show of Prince ... who made it all worthwhile.

Was it just me ... or did he try to make his symbol shaped guitar look like his man-meat, when that huge curtain came up and you just saw his giant silhouette? Well, I guess it wasn't just me, because almost everyone started laughing and giggling like 2nd graders as it was happening ... while Prince's stock went up 10-fold in my book. Genius. No wardrobe malfunctions, but there was no denying the suggestive shadow; Prince found a way. He always does. (No, I don't know what that implies either).

As for the commercials, I'd say they were a bit of a let down. Especially the Coca-Cola ones, which I've not only seen last year, but at the movie theaters. My favorites that I can remember were the Go-Daddy commercials (obviously because of the skanky girls dancing and partying) and the one for this navigation system, where it parodied old Godzilla v. Mothra fights with a navagation superhero person against this monster that fabricated out of a city map; it was so corny, it was cool. I suppose since I can't remember what the navagation company was called, it wasn't that good of a commercial.

Other ones that I can remember (in advertising, they call it being "sticky") was that one that had two guys working on a car, doing a rendition of the Lady and the Tramp spaghetti kiss with a Snickers bar or something ... pretty gross ... but for shock value, it satisfies your hunger. Also, the one where a big, tough Ford truck bursts through a cake ... I'm sure I could've done so when I was 3 years old on a tricycle, but whatever.

All in all, a fun night and a good time. It's the only football game I watch, so I'm not disappointed the season's over ... it just means things are getting good because the NBA All-Star Game is in a couple of weeks, the NBA playoffs are almost here and no more NFL highlights taking away from all that. Yeah for February!

(2 Cent): Where's The Equality?

Let me get this straight. Kobe Bryant gets suspended one game (without pay) for inadvertently hitting Manu Gionobli in the face while trying to get a foul call and rebounding his block for another shot ... while LeBron James gets nothing for giving a "Hacksaw" Jim Duggin clothesline to the NBA's poster child, Dwayne Wade? What the crap is going on here?

I saw replays of Kobe's shot at least 4 different times and it did not look intentional -- it looked like he was flailing his arms in an attempt to both, 1) get a foul call and, 2) get the rebound for another shot, which he did. LeBron's shot, on the other hand, looked a tad more purposeful -- not to be confused with malicious -- as if he was fouling out of disappointment in his (below average) play.

All I am saying is that you have to treat players the same. Both players were going for a loose ball ... both players hurt an opposing player ... only one gets special treatment. Kobe's never been known to take cheap shots or be a dirty player, EVER. That's Bruce Bowen, John Stockton territory. It was just part of the game. Not suspending LeBron is not fair to Kobe, the Lakers, the game of basketball itself. I'm not saying I want LeBron penalized ... but if Kobe was, then he should have been.

(1/2 Cent): When Will It End?

The Busdrivers rolled to their 9th straight win behind powerful weeks from Kobe and Wade. Even though we had 3 players that played well below average (David West, Chris Wilcox and Stephon Marbury), we still won by over 50 fantasy points (FP's).

Since my friend J.D. (team name: Tenacious Tea-Baggers) upset the 2nd place guy in our division, I am now 2 games ahead. This week's game features said 2nd place guy and me ... which makes this week's game a little more tense. Of course, I'm not that worried. On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd say I'm at about a 3.

Week 14: W - 319.92 to 264.17 ... W-L Record: 12-2 (First in division; first in league)

Week 14 Fantasy Stud: Kobe Bryant (LAL, G): 52.67 FP's

Week 14 Fantasy Dud: Chris Wilcox (SEA, F): 18.67 FP's ... he averages about 22-24 FP's consistantly, which isn't spectacular, but this is bad even by his standards ... Richard Jefferson can not come back quick enough (is it early March yet?).

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I haven't had a review of a CD or movie in a while ... most likely because I haven't purchased one or seen one lately. Hopefully, something will tickle my fancy (eeww) and we can have a review soon.

Check back this Friday for the 2nd edition of the new Grab Bag Fridays (which includes a pet peeve). Hope all is well and make sure you ask your Love out for Valentine's Day soon ... it's only 9 days away!


HCP

Grab Bag Fridays: I'm Wiggin' Out!

(1 Cent): Doctors - But Mostly Patient - Stumped

Yes ... I again solidified my place in Hell for this cent's title, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity. First, I would recommend you read the article, then read the rest of what I have to say. Don't worry, it's a short one ... about 3/4 of a Web page:

http://www.wftv.com/news/6253589/detail.html

This article was posted by Nony with these words to say: "My life SUCKS, your life SUCKS, but mostly her life SUCKS ... Just a little fodder for the canon that is: Two And A Half Cents.

Amen, and ... amen, Nony. This really sucks. I'm curious to know what happened, although probably not as much as Claudia and her baby's daddy. I mean, what do you say? What do you do? I imagine the awkward silences that followed in the hospital's waiting room were palpable.

Honestly ... this is the stuff you see in Family Guy or something ... it is just so horrendously tragic and random. How does something like this occur, in the year 2007? I could understand if it was currently 2007 B.C. ... but now? With all of this so-called technology and medical advances ... this happens? And you wonder why I'm hesitant on paying health insurance ... shoot, I'll do my own quintuplet-bypass surgery and take my chances ... at least I'd be buried with all my limbs.

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On a tangential note, while reading this article, my eyes happened to glance across an article entitled, "Caught On Tape: Armed Men Rob Adult Superstore." How freakin' desperate do you have to be for some booty? What goes through these people's minds?!

Potential Robber/Porn Addict #1: Dag, yo, I really need to see some boobies ... that's it. Where's my gun? I'm goin' downtown and takin' that ish, yo. Who's with me?

Potential Robber/Porn Addict #2: Don't worry, I got your back ... at the store and back at home.

Potential Robber/Porn Addict #1: Uhh ... yeah ... let's just get in my 70s van with no windows and figure out the other stuff later.

Yes, not one, but two men robbed the superstore (note: not store, but superstore ... are there any other kinds of adult stores other than a super one?).

I might have said this before, but I'll say it again: Every day that I see things like this in the news, I wonder how many more seconds will pass before God decides enough is enough and just sends a celestial nuke and burns this earth. For real. I'm locating all of my fire extinguishers as I type ....

(2 Cent): You Should Be Ashamed, Fools!

I'm going to attempt to combine a sports article and a pet peeve article ... here it goes ....

You know what really chaps my cheeks? Stupid people voting for players that have no business being in the NBA's All-Star Game.

So, Shaquille O'Neal was voted in as the starting center for the Eastern All-Stars when he played only the first 4 games of the season (yes, played, not missed) ... and had averages of 14 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.3 apg, and 1 bpg. Even on averages alone, Shaq didn't qualify for "all-star" status. Combine that with the fact that he played in only 4 (!) games and you have ... your 2007 Eastern All-Star center. Pathetic.

I understand that the starters of the All-Star Game is a popularity contest ... but shouldn't there still be some criteria or rules that the voters need to follow? Such as, an eligible player must at least play in 20 games. 15 games? 10? Not 4!

The man-child who was voted in by the coaches for the bench as a backup center should be starting ... statistically, anyways. His name is Dwight Howard, and he averages 16.8 ppg, 12.1 rpg, 1.7 apg, and 1.8 bpg ... while playing in 46 games. I voted for him 5 times (I filled out 5 ballots). It's just lame that the unknowledgeable "fans" of the NBA voted Shaq in just because of name, and not because of performance.

If this is how it's going to be -- anyone can vote -- shouldn't we just rename the All-Star Game to the All-Popular Game? Yeah, so more people know the name Shaq than Dwight Howard (until about 2 years from now ... everyone will fear D-Ho the way they used to with Shaq) ... but being popular shouldn't be the equivalent of being an All-Star. It just shouldn't.

I suppose this especially chaps my said cheeks because Shaq played in only FOUR games ... that's just ridiculous. 'Nuff said.

(1/2 Cent): What's The Dealio, Yo?

So, as you have seen, these entries throughout the week will be hit or miss ... hopefully not too many misses. As for this weekend ... everyone enjoy the Super Bowl ... I'm in it for the commercials and the grub! And, why not ... go Colts!

**Random Thoughts**

-- I'm lovin' the song by Young Jeezy featuring R. Kelly called "Go Getter" (or something like that).

-- Everyone should be saying a collective prayer for Prince not to have a wardrobe malfunction while on stage at the Super Bowl's halftime show ...

-- D-Wade killed some of my fantasy points last game, with 12 turnovers (which equals negative 12 FP's) ... he also killed the average NBA fan by getting to go to the line 24 times by himself ... Jordan, Kobe, and LeBron combined don't get that many (look it up).

-- I've only sampled a couple of songs, but Ghostface Killah's CD Fishscale seems to be pretty money ....

-- My fantasy player of the week was again D-Wade ... with 52 FP's for the week ... the Busdrivers improved to 11-2, and are winning this week 335.5 to 268.5 so far ... powered by Kobe's monster game, which equaled 67 (!) FP's.

-- Is it bad that I find the commercials more interesting than the actual Super Bowl game itself?

-- My last two basketball games (in a league) were a 17 point outing in a W, and an 11 point outing in a loss (where I was the tallest guy for our team) ... hey, go easy on me ... it's only 8 minute quarters and time doesn't stop ... let's hope tonight's game brings out the best in me and my team ... and we can try to salvage our 1-2 season .....

-- The most disgusting analogy I have ever heard occurred early this week (describing some kind of food): "It tasted like the sweaty butt crack of a fat clown." I've never been the same since.

HCP