Thursday, June 30, 2011

A Greg Oden .......Update

Is this guy the biggest .....bust......ever?

We think.....yes.

But leave it to the NBA to give multiple chances.

From BusinessInsider.com:

Greg Oden Gets Another Shot To Silence The Critics

Greg Oden Portland Trail Blazers
Image: AP

Yesterday, the Portland Trail Blazers extended a qualifying offer to Greg Oden that should keep him in Portland through the 2012-13 season. And with that offer comes an opportunity for Oden to finally live up to the promise he showed when he entered the NBA four years ago, and finally shake the label as "The Next Sam Bowie." 
In 1984, the Portland Trail Blazers famously selected Sam Bowie over Michael Jordan with the second pick of the draft. Twenty-three years later, the Blazers had the top pick of the draft, and once again chose the big man (Oden) over the electric scorer (Kevin Durant).

Four years later, Oden has missed 246 of the Blazers 328 games. That has drawn some unfortunate comparisons to Bowie who only played in 63 games in the four seasons following his rookie campaign.

Meanwhile, Durant is a two-time defending scoring champ, and is the leader of an Oklahoma City Thunder team that some think are the favorites to win it all in 2011-12.

Here is a look at how Oden's first four seasons in the NBA compared to the first four seasons of Durant and Bowie.

Greg Oden's career

It certainly paints an ugly picture. But Oden will only be 23 when the 2011-12 season is scheduled to start. Bowie, on the other hand, was 27 at the start of his fifth season.

Oden's career has been a colossal disappointment. And there is a good chance he will never be a dominating force in the NBA. But at such a young age, and with a team that refuses to give up on him, there is still hope.

And hope is more than a lot of people thought Oden would have at this point.

Don't Look Now......But Here Comes Atlanta

Bring on the Braves.....

The Philadelphia Phillies have the best won-lost record in all of baseball....but when they look over their shoulders......here are these pesky Atlanta Braves...Just 4  games back.....winners of their last 8 out of 10.  The 2nd best record in the National League.


From the Athens Banner Herald:


Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman rounds third base on his way to score in the fourth inning of the Braves’ 5-3 win over the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday.

Braves wrap sweep of Seattle

SEATTLE - The Atlanta Braves first took down the pitcher with the best ERA in baseball over the past two months, then rallied to beat one of the top rookies in either league.
FULL STORY

Latest NL East standings:

National League
 East W L Pct GB Home Road East Cent West Streak L10
 Philadelphia Phillies 51 31 .622 -- 32-14 19-17 23-13 13-9 8-4 Lost 1 6-4
 Atlanta Braves 47 35 .573 4.0 22-17 25-18 16-14 15-7 8-10 Won 3 8-2
 New York Mets 41 40 .506 9.5 18-20 23-20 15-15 10-10 8-8 Lost 1 6-4
 Washington Nationals 40 41 .494 10.5 22-13 18-28 13-19 9-7 10-8 Lost 3 5-5
 Florida Marlins 35 45 .438 15.0 17-26 18-19 11-17 9-10 10-9 Won 1 3-7

Money Spent.....and ...Money Earned

Make no mistake about it......It's all about money....

Who earns it and who spends it.

From :


HoopsHype.com:
 
The highest paid players:

PLAYERS TEAMS 2010 / 2011 SALARIES
1. Kobe Bryant
Los Angeles Lakers
$24.8 million
2. Rashard Lewis
Orlando Magic
$20.5 million
3. Kevin Garnett
Boston Celtics
$18.8 million
4. Tim Duncan
San Antonio Spurs
$18.7 million
5. Michael Redd
Milwaukee Bucks
$18.3 million
6. Pau Gasol
Los Angeles Lakers
$17.8 million
–. Andrei Kirilenko
Utah Jazz
$17.8 million
8. Gilbert Arenas
Washington Wizards
$17.7 million
9. Yao Ming
Houston Rockets
$17.6 million
10. Zach Randolph
Memphis Grizzlies
$17.4 million
11. Vince Carter
Orlando Magic
$17.3 million
–. Dirk Nowitzki
Dallas Mavericks
$17.3 million
13. Carmelo Anthony
Denver Nuggets
$17.1 million
14. Amare Stoudemire
New York Knicks
$16.8 million
15. Dwight Howard
Orlando Magic
$16.5 million
16. Joe Johnson
Atlanta Hawks
$16.3 million
17. Kenyon Martin
Denver Nuggets
$16.0 million
–. Elton Brand
Philadelphia 76ers
$16.0 million
19. Predrag Stojakovic
New Orleans Hornets
$15.3 million
20. Chris Paul
New Orleans Hornets
$14.9 million
–. Deron Williams
Utah Jazz
$14.9 million
22. LeBron James
Miami Heat
$14.5 million
–. Chris Bosh
Miami Heat
$14.5 million
24. Jason Richardson
Phoenix Suns
$14.4 million
25. Carlos Boozer
Chicago Bulls
$15.0 million


And team by team payouts:

NBA Payrolls 2010-2011

Team

$(million)



LA Lakers$ 95.3
Orlando Magic$ 89.9
Dallas Mavericks$ 85.8
Boston Celtics$ 83.3
Denver Nuggets$ 83.0
Houston Rockets$ 72.7
Utah Jazz$ 71.1
Philadelphia 76ers$ 69.4
Atlanta Hawks$ 69.1
New Orleans Hornets$ 68.9
Memphis Grizzlies$ 67.8
Milwaukee Bucks$ 67.7
Portland Blazers$ 67.5
San Antonio Spurs$ 64.9
Detroit Pistons$ 64.7
Golden State Warriors$ 64.6
Indiana Pacers$ 64.4
Charlotte Bobcats$ 61.1
New Jersey Nets$ 57.0
Phoenix Suns$ 55.4
Miami Heat$ 54.4
Washington Wizards$ 52.7
Cleveland Cavaliers$ 51.3
OKC Thunder$ 50.3
Toronto Raptors$ 49.4
New York Knicks$ 47.2
LA Clippers$ 47.0
Chicago Bulls$ 46.7
Sacramento Kings$ 39.0
Minnesota T-Wolves$ 37.6

Goodbye.........NBA

Guaranteed contracts.....$25 million a year deals.....a soft salary cap.....

Those things will go down as ...things of the past......at least in the NBA.

The owners no longer want to make guaranteed payments of $10 million a year for 6 years.....when the player is through being an asset after 2 to 3 years.

We found everything you need to know about this impending lock-out from this web site:

theatlantic.com

The NBA Lockout Is Near: Here's What You Need to Know

By Derek Thompson The players want the NBA to be more like Major League Baseball. The owners want the NBA to be more like the NFL.

590 lebron.pngLucy Nicholson/Reuters

As if we didn't have enough labor crises already, the NBA will become the second major sports organization to enter a player lockout at midnight tonight. Could 2012 be a year without basketball? (Or football?) We're here to guide you, step by step, through the squabble that could take down the $4 billion industry of professional hoops.

What's the NBA dispute about, in a nutshell?

The players want the NBA to be more like Major League Baseball. They want huge player salaries that are guaranteed to pay out, even if the player under-performs.

The owners want the NBA to be more like the NFL. They want smaller player salaries, more "revenue sharing," and the ability to let players go if they don't perform.

How did we get here?
The NBA expects to lose $300 million this season after losing more than $300 million last season. Those losses aren't concentrated in a handful of clubs. Two thirds of the NBA's 30 teams will lose money this year, Commissioner David Stern said.

Owners currently pay players about 57 percent of their gross team revenue. If they paid closer to 50 percent of the pie, they might be in the black. That's what this fight is about: Designing a system that allows teams to offer players competitive salaries without bankrupting smaller teams.

What's the difference between a "hard" and "soft" salary cap?

A salary cap is a spending limit on your players. The NFL has what's called a "hard" cap. There are very few exceptions where teams can spend above the limit on players. This makes teams more competitive. It also means that owners don't get into a horse race to see who can pay the most money.

The NBA has what's called a "soft" cap. The official limit is about $58 million, but teams can go over that in all sorts of ways. The most famous is the "Larry Bird Exception" that allows teams to resign players above the cap without it counting.

Most basketball teams spend above the cap. Boston, New York and the Los Angeles Lakers can spend more than $100 million, while Minnesota spends less than $50 million. Like major league baseball, teams that spend way above the cap pay a luxury tax that is redistributed throughout the league.


What do the owners want, and why?
The owners want more money. First, they are asking for a one-third reduction in player salaries. Right now, owners are required to spend nearly 60% of team revenue on players. They want to bring that down closer to 40%.

Second, they want a hard cap.

Third, they want "non-guaranteed contracts." This will let them cut, or renegotiate with, a player who under-performs. One of the highest paid players in the league right now is Rashard Lewis. He's guaranteed to make $21 million in the final two years of his contract. In the last two seasons he's played only 50 games and averaged half the point total of Dwyane Wade. The owners want to be able to get out of those contracts.

Fourth, the owners -- particularly owners in smaller markets -- want more aggressive "revenue sharing" so that teams that spend like New York and LA do more to subsidize teams that spend like Minnesota and Charlotte.

What do the players want, and why?

The players want more money, too. They want to keep guaranteed contracts because that's guaranteed money. They're opposed to the hard cap because that caps their salaries. In particular, a hard cap would keep the wealthier teams from bidding competitively on players.

The players union also wants revenue sharing to be part of the collective bargaining agreement so they can force teams at the lower end to spend more on player salaries.

Will there be a 2011-2012 NBA season?

"The NBA lockout is going to be a lot more contentious and prolonged than the NFL," said Jeffrey Standen, a professor of sports law at Willamette University and author of The Sports Law Professor blog.

"The owners in the NFL have the basic structure of the collective bargaining agreement," he continued. "The revenue percentage. The rookie salary compensation scheme. It shouldn't be too bad of a negotiation. In the NBA, the owners want some fundamental changes to the collective bargaining agreement."

Why has the looming NBA lockout received less attention than the NFL lockout?

Maybe because football is the king of sports. It's a more distinct season. It holds the fall to itself. Also, the NBA is a long, spread-out affair. If basketball misses a third of its regular season, it still has 55 games. If football misses a third of its season, you're down to 10 games.

What might a final deal look like?

If owners can cut player salaries, as a percentage of gross team revenue, by a sixth, and then get concessions on players' rights (perhaps by eliminating sign-and-trade deals), we might get a deal.

 

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Hump Day.....News & Views

It's Wednesday.....again.

Let's ........"hump"!

Stuff we're following for you:


These "Cocks"........have game:

South Carolina Florida

South Carolina Wins 2nd Straight National Championship 

 

A new look......and a new deal?   Wow!!!

Tiger Woods Japanese Heat Rub Ad
Tiger Woods Gets New Endorsement Deal
 
Young, black.......and dead:
Isayah Muller Facebook

Star Athlete Killed Hours After High School Graduation

 

Yeah.....but can he hit?   Or throw strikes?

Cirque Du Soleil Padres First Pitch

The Most Acrobatic First Pitch Ever

 

Hey......you're the world champs.....celebrate all you want:

Dirk Nowitzki Germany Celebration

PHOTOS: Dirk Nowitzki Can't Stop Celebrating

 

Keep on humpin'.......

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

R.I.P. Lorenzo Charles

We remember Lorenzo Charles....from his dunk in the 1983 NCAA Championship game that defeated Houston.

Wow......has it been 28 years?

Again.....our thoughts and prayers are with his family.


May he rest in peace.



From YouTube:



Monday, June 27, 2011

A Few Things......We Learned....This Week-end

It's hot....it's humid....it's summer time in the south.

Not that we didn't already know this.....but.......

It's hot....and  humid.....

Did we mention it's hot?

Other things we learned....with the help of the Huffington Post:



A divorce can sure mess up one's finances:

Los Angeles Dodgers Bankruptcy
Dodgers File For Bankruptcy
 
Serena is still human......and humans often fail:
Serena Williams Marion Bartoli
Serena Falls Short
 
This new look Mike Tyson.....is turning out to be a decent human being:
Mike Tyson Remarries Exwife In Surprise Ceremony

Surprise! Mike Tyson Says 'I Do' Again With Ex-Wife

 

Tiki Barber.....is not well liked: 

Eli Manning Tiki Barber Plaxico Burress

Eli Manning: Giants Would Accept Plaxico Before Tiki Barber

 

Smarter?

Thought so....... 


Saturday, June 25, 2011

R.I.P. Nick Charles

Before ESPN's ......Sports Center.......

There was a maverick.....Nick Charles.

There was CNN's.........Sports Tonight.

Sports Tonight......was way better than  any ....ESPN's Sports Centers...

For it was just sports.....without all the .....self promoting ESPN  bullshit.

Mr. Charles.....we will miss you...Our prayers are with your family.

From the Washington Post:

Nick Charles dies; first CNN sports anchor


Nick Charles, a onetime Washington sportscaster who became CNN’s first sports anchor in 1980, died June 18 of bladder cancer at his home in Santa Fe, N.M. He was 64.
Mr. Charles began broadcasting at CNN on the news network’s first day, June 1, 1980.


(CNN) - Nick Charles anchored “Sports Tonight” 17 years, then had his own show, “Page One with Nick Charles,” before leaving CNN in 2001.

“In those early days, when I came back to work each Monday,” Mr. Charles told The Washington Post in 1986, “I wasn’t sure if the station would still be there or if it would be a dry cleaning store.”

For years, he was teamed with Fred Hickman on “Sports Tonight,” a nightly roundup that challenged and often topped ESPN in the ratings.

“Our biggest problem in the beginning was finding credibility,” Mr. Charles told The Post in 2000. “I’d call people and say ‘this is Nick Charles from CNN’ and they’d hang up on me. They thought we were a lending institution or were trying to sell them something.”

Mr. Charles anchored “Sports Tonight” 17 years, then had his own show, “Page One with Nick Charles,” before leaving CNN in 2001.

Mr. Charles anchored Winter Olympic coverage for the TNT network in 1992 and 1994 and was co-host of the network’s Goodwill Games in the 1980s and 1990s. He covered most of the leading sports events around the world, including Super Bowls, the Kentucky Derby and the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

He was probably best known, however, for his analysis and commentary of boxing. He interviewed former heavyweight champions Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson and, after leaving CNN, was a boxing commentator on the Showtime network until 2009.

Nicholas Charles Nickeas was born June 30, 1946, in Chicago and was a graduate of Columbia College Chicago. He was a taxi driver before beginning his broadcast career in 1970 in Springfield, Ill.

In the early 1970s, he worked at Baltimore’s WJZ-TV before becoming a sports anchor for WRC-TV (Channel 4) in Washington, where he shared anchor duties with Glenn Brenner.
“What too few people realize is that [Mr. Charles] works as hard as any local sportscaster in the country,” The Post’s Ken Denlinger wrote in 1979. “Brenner and Charles gave the area its best mix of entertainment and information in recent memory.”

After WRC fired him in 1979, Mr. Charles moved to Atlanta, where CNN was being launched.
“We did our shows on a shoestring,” he told The Post in 2000. “But we always got it done, and we had a great sense of adventure doing it. “

Mr. Charles, who was half-Sicilian and half-Greek, became almost as famous for his good looks as for his polished broadcast delivery. People magazine once named him one of the most handsome men in America.

Mr. Charles had three children from his first two marriages, which ended in divorce.
Survivors include his wife of 13 years, Cory Azumbrado Charles, a onetime international producer for CNN; and a 5-year-old daughter from his third marriage.


On this Day.....

Today is Saturday, June 25, 2011

Today in
Sports History

1918 - Babe Ruth became the second American League player to hit a home run in four consecutive games.







1921 - Jock Hutchinson became the first U.S. citizen to win the British Open.


1968 - Bobby Bonds (San Francisco Giants) hit a grand-slam home run in his first game with the Giants. He was the first player to debut with a grand-slam.




1985 - ABC’s "Monday Night Football" began with a new line-up. The trio was Frank Gifford, Joe Namath and O.J. Simpson.




1985 - New York Yankees officials enacted the rule that mandated that the team’s bat boys were to wear protective helmets during all games.


1997 - The NHL officially approved expansion to 30 teams by the year 2000 with the announcement of new teams in Atlanta, Columbus, Minnesota and Nashville.


2002 - Muhammad Ali received a humanitarian award at the second annual BET awards.





2003 - Todd McFarlane bought Barry Bonds 73rd home run ball at auction for $517,500.

Love.....Lawsuits....& the NBA

Gilbert Arenas....is making news off the court....again.

Thankfully ....this time there is nothing criminal...

Just a civil matter.

From ....The Young, Black & Fabulous:

Gilbert Arenas Files Lawsuit To Block Baby Momma Laura Govan From "Basketball Wives: Los Angeles"


We told you previously that Chris Bosh had filed a lawsuit to block his baby momma from appearing on "Basketball Wives," and now Gilbert Arenas has hired Bosh's legal team to file suit against Laura Govan, hoping to keep her off the L.A. spinoff of the show.  Deets inside....

Friday, June 24, 2011

At Least .....He's Not Beating up ......Fans

Ron Artest......is a rare breed.    He last made headlines as a member of the Indianapolis Pacers......running into the stands......beating up a fan.

Remember this? 

Pacers–Pistons brawl - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

And now?

Ron....has found.......peace.

Check this out:

In the name of peace

  • Ron Artest wants to change his name to "Metta World Peace." But what other choices did he have?

  • Artest files petition to legally change his name | More All Ball: Participants in Draft night's "The Kiss"

  • Lakers.com: Video GM Kupchak on Artest's name change | Video Artest wins Kennedy Citizenship Award

  • R.I.P. Peter Falk

    We knew him .....as the lovable detective......Columbo.

    From the Los Angeles Times:

    Associated Press
    The actor who became an enduring television icon portraying Lt. Columbo, the rumpled raincoat-wearing L.A. police homicide detective, died at his Beverly Hills home. Photos

    Wednesday, June 22, 2011

    Hump Day.....News & Views

    On this 2nd day of summer...in this small, southern, college town....it's hot.

    It's humid......there are ...afternoon thunder-storms.

    Yep.....it seems like summer to us!

    Stuff.....we're "humpin' " about:


    Reggie's got a new "bush":

    Reggie Bush Melissa Molinaro

    PHOTOS: Reggie Bush's New Girlfriend 

     

    Serena gets emotional:

    Serena Williams

    Serena Gets Emotional After Opening Win At Wimbledon

     

    Again.....Can we please get these guys ......back to work?

    Akeem Jordan Arrested

    NFL Player Arrested On Misdemeanor Assault Charge

     

    Fashion Statements.....from the William sisters:

    Williams Sisters Fashion

    Grand Slammin': Venus' and Serena's Outfits Over The Years

     

    Tiger......please get well......soon:

    Tiger Woods Att National
    DOCTOR'S ORDERS: Tiger To Miss His Own Tournament
     
    Hail to the "Champs":
    Mavericks Plane

    WATCH: Mavs Airplane Celebration Has It All

     

    Braves making a move?

      John Amis/APAtlanta’s Chipper Jones, left, congratulates teammate Brian McCann after his two-run home run in the third inning Tuesday.

    Minor ends winless streak

    ATLANTA - Brian McCann hit a two-run homer, Jason Heyward had an RBI single and Mike Minor ended a nine-start winless streak in the Atlanta Braves' 5-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night.
    FULL STORY

    Have a great Hump Day!

    Friday, June 17, 2011

    Friday Funnies......LeBron Style

    These are just...too easy....

    LeBron James .....jokes.

    Sit back and enjoy:

    Why didn't LeBron James go to college? Because he can't pass the finals. 
     Apple is coming out with a LeBron James iPhone. But it only vibrates because it has no rings.
    Why does LeBron only get served boneless buffalo wings? Because he has a tendency to choke.
     Tomorrow is Lebron James day, everyone gets to leave work 12 minutes early.

    But wait.....there's more....some of these are repetitious....we apologize.....

    What do you call the three superstars who decided to play together for the Miami Heat next season?
    The Three Mi-Egos

    How do you know you've found Lebron James' cell phone?
    It vibrates and receives calls, but doesn't have a ring!

    How do you know when it's Lebron James' Birthday?
    Everyone gets to leave work 12 minutes early.

    What did Matisyahu say to Lebron James?
    Your not the only king without a crown

    Why shouldn't you ask Lebron James for change for a dollar?
    Lebron will only give you 3 quarters!

    Why has BP contacted Lebron James about containing the Gulf Oil Spill?
    Because they want him to clog the pipes with his EGO!

    Why did Lebron James have a cancer scare earlier this season?
    The Cavaliers almost signed Allen Iverson!

    What is the difference between Saturn and LeBron?
    Saturn has rings.

    How Many points did Lebron James score against the Jazz?
    James scored so much, Utah made him an honorary Mormon!

    Why did Lebron James choose not to go to College?
    Lebron likes to avoid the finals!

    What is Webster's new definition of pointless?
    LeBron James in the 4th quarter!

    Why does Drew Carey want Lebron James to stay in Cleveland?
    Because misery loves company!

    What's worst than Lebron James hosting Saturday Night Live?
    Lebron James supporting cast on the Cleveland Cavaliers!

    After extracting a benign growth along his right jaw line what procedure is Lebron James looking to perform?
    Extracting himself from the Cleveland Cavaliers!

    What did Lebron James eat during his last breakfast in the city of Cleveland?
    Eggs Benedict Arnold!

    Despite Lebron James leaving for the Miami Heat why does Delonte West want to stay in Cleveland?
    Lebron James' Mom!

    Why did Lebron head down South?
    Because his mother went West!

    How does Lebron James know he has a fever?
    When the number on the thermometer matches the number of people in his entourage!

    Why did Lebron James & Chris Bosh decide to play for the Miami Heat?
    The Mayor of South Beach recently declared all paternity tests invalid!

    Why is Dwayne Wade (3 years at Marquette University) proof that basketball players should stay in school?
    He recruited Lebron James (no-college) & Chris Bosh (1 year at Georgia Tech) to take less money and play second fiddle to him!

    What does Lebron and his dad have in common?
    They both leave when times get tough!

    Why is Lebron James not happy about going down South?
    Because his mom is heading West!

    Why doesn't the apple fall far from the tree?
    LeBron chokes in the playoffs, his mom chokes on Delonte!

    How is your best friend like Lebron James?
    They both woke up this morning without an NBA championship!

    Why doesn't Lebron James shake the hands of the other team after a game?
    Because they hurt so much from carrying his team all season long!

    Why does Lebron's agent want him to play in the National Hockey League (NHL)?
    Because they only have three periods.
    LeBron James' girlfriend is pregnant with the couple's third child
    This gives Lebron James the NBA record for most kids with the same woman!

    What do you call three highly spirited all-stars playing for one team in South Beach?
    An injury waiting to happen!

    Why can't Lebron James write his Auto-Biography?
    He's still stuck on the title!

    Thursday, June 16, 2011

    Love & Divorce....Iverson Style

    You knew this was coming......

    Stand by your man?

    Mrs. Iverson?

    Really?

    From .....The Young, Black and Fabulous....

    SPLITSVILLE LANE: Allen Iverson's Wife Files For Divorce....A 2nd Time!


    For the second time in only 15 months, Tawanna Iverson is calling it quits with hubby and former NBA baller Allen Iverson. Deets inside....

    Wednesday, June 15, 2011

    The ......"Aftermath"

    Now that LeBron James ......and the Miami Heat....are etched in the minds of sports fans all over this great nation.....as a colossal failure.......

    The aftermath....

    Who's the blame?   The Heat self anointed itself.....as the greatest basketball team of our time.  Before ever playing a game together.

    A team......LeBron said would not win .....1....not 2....not 3...not 4...not 5....not 6......

    But 7.......count 'em......7.....NBA championships. 

    Well.....our math skills tell us....you can't win ....7......without first winning .....1!

    The aftermath?

    Here's the Miami Herald......and their take....their view.....for their city and team:

    MIAMI HEAT WRAP-UP

    Hurting before they heal

    In the aftermath of crushed expectations, the Heat tried to look ahead. ‘There will be a healing process,’ coach Erik Spoelstra said.

    Hump Day.....News & Views

    On this "Hump Day".......We congratulate the Dallas Mavericks on their NBA championship......

    We feel a bit sorry for LeBron James and the Miami Heat.

    We feel bad for this Weiner guys family.....but not him......

    Other stuff.....that has us......"humpin'":


    One celebration.....too many?

    Deshawn Stevenson Arrested
    NBA Champion Arrested
     
    Please get these NFL guys back to work......soon!
    Christopher Owens

    NFL Player Allegedly Trashes Ex-Girlfriend's Apartment

     

    He went to Georgia.....enough said.....Go UGA!

    Leonard Pope Saves Kid

    NFL Tight End Saves 6-Year-Old Boy From Drowning

     

    Welcome back......our girl....Serena:

    Serena Williams

    Serena Wins In Return To Action

     

    I slept through most of it.......but America watched:

    Nba Finals Mavericks Heat Game Two

    NBA Finals Ratings Give ABC Best Summer In Decade

     

    Keep on "humpin'"

     

     

    Friday, June 10, 2011

    Sly Stone.....Cocaine? You Think? Duh!!!!!

    Leave it to TMZ.com.......to report the obvious.....

    Sly Stone busted for cocaine possession....

    Really?????

    Duh!!!!!!

    Sly Stone Arrested for Cocaine Possession

    UPDATE 10:03 AM PT: Sly did not make it to court this morning -- but his attorney did ... and told the judge Sly is currently being hospitalized for heart issues. The judge ordered Sly to appear on Wednesday instead.

    Sly Stone
    -- leader of the group Sly and the Family Stone -- is slated to appear in an L.A. courtroom today after the singer was arrested for cocaine possession back in April ... TMZ has learned.

    0610_sly_stone_EX_01

    Stone -- real name Sylvester Stewart -- was arrested on April 1 ... after LAPD officers say they found freebase cocaine on the 68-year-old during a vehicle search.

    TMZ spoke with Sly's attorney, James Silverstein, who tells us Stone was riding in a buddy's camper vehicle with some friends  ... when it was pulled over for a routine traffic violation.

    Click here... it's not over yet

    The Gods Must be Crazy......NBA Style

    The gods must be crazy.......at least the ones looking down on the NBA.

    The Dallas Mavericks are not a great defensive team.   They live and die by 3 point shots.  They are not physical.....They have only one superstar player.    They don't rebound well.

    Their second best player,  Jason Terry......comes off the bench.

    Their coach,  Rick Carlisle .....has been fired twice.....in the last 10 years.

    Their owner,  Mark Cuban.......is a billionaire goof-ball......

    And they have never won a championship ......ever.

    Yet these Mavs'.........swept the two time defending champion L A Lakers  in 4 games and now lead the Miami Heat 3 games to 2.......to come within a game of winning the whole dang thing.

    Yep.......the gods must be crazy.....

    From USA Today......Last night's recap:


    Thursday, June 9, 2011

    LeBron......May Have Other Things on his Mind

    LeBron James ......stunk it up in game 4 of the NBA Finals.....

    Maybe he had a problem focusing.....

    Maybe.....his longtime girlfriend  and the mother of his children...was ......"dipping"...

    Maybe......LeBron.....has had his heart broken.

    Maybe.........

    If you can believe YBF...........(they are usually right on).......

    From ......"The Young, Black & Fabulous":

    DO WE BELIEVE IT?: Did Wizards Baller Rashard Lewis Tap LeBron's Girl Savannah?

    I'm going on the record now saying I don't believe this ish....yet.  However, I'm doing my duty of relaying the pressing gossip out here in these innanet streets.  At least the gossip that could possibly hold some water.

    As it always happens during the NBA Finals, crazy rumors are hitting the streets.  And this time, yet another NBA baller has allegedly gotten it in with yet another one of LeBron James' girls.  Deets inside....

    Reports say Rashard Lewis of the Washington Wizards was allegedly caught getting it in with LeBron James' long-time girlfriend and sons' mother, Savannah Brinson.

    Ladies: Here's one reason you'll be able to tolerate watching the game with your man tonight.  You never know what info can leak during a game.

    Supposedly, LeBron's poor performance the other night in the Heat's loss to the Dallas Mavericks was all due to him finding out Rashard Lewis and his girlfriend Savannah getting it in. Mmhmm...

    The folks over at Hello Beautiful say they have a source who claims they know Rashard indeed slept with Savannah recently while he visited South Beach:
    Looks like Lebron James lackluster performance in this year’s NBA playoffs is related to yet another off the court drama. Word on the street is that Rashard Lewis slept with Lebron’s girl Savannah while he was visiting South Beach.
    Here’s what I found out :

    I have a very reliable source who clubs and drinks with all of the athletes that come through Orlando. He was all over the Tiger Woods issue and knew what all happened with Tiger prior to it being released publicly. My buddy has a place in Orlando, Lake Nona to be exact, and he lives among some athletes that live there in Orlando. Needless to say he golfs, drinks, and parties with some of the best people in central Florida. So when word got to him while at the bar last night, he called me. Word got out while drinking with friends, that Rashard Lewis slept with Lebrons girl while visiting South Beach.

    ESPN’s analyst Stephen A. Smith recently said on his radio show that Bron Bron is going through personal off court issues and that’s the reason for his poor play on the final.
    Hmmm.  Stephen could have been talking about many things honestly.  And REALLY--how many unemployed women who are living the life of a come-up with arguably the richest man currently in the NBA would "downgrade cheat"?  REALLY?  Yes, we know men "downgrade cheat" OFTEN.  But is this a different scenario?

    At the same time, isn't cheating in the NBA damn near a given these days?  Crazier things have happened.

    There were rumors of LeBron's mom getting it in with Delonte West (and supposedly caused him to lose the Playoffs last year)--and yes, we believed that ish.  Yet, there were recent rumors of a Laker wives love triange we barely paid attention to that supposedly caused kobe and co. to lose in the Playoffs this year.  So this could be just another rumor on the NBA Finals grill.

    No other hard core facts (or denials) have come out yet.  So for now--it's just a rumor.  Do we believe it?