SKO Interview: Eboy

*****First, an intro. HIBACHI 2.0 is constructing a very large interview with all of the members of Shawn Kemp's Offpsring over the course of the next couple of weeks, because we thought it would be interesting . . . fun . . . and funny. And, it would be a new thing. Well, except that SKO actually did some interviews before this. Anyways. There are some general questions from HIBACHI, but at the end of all of the interviews BETCATS asked a few different ones that were many times more entertaining. Anyways, we give you first in a five-part piece . . . Mr. Cliff Terhune a.k.a. Eboy. So, thank you to Eboy and the whole SKO fam.*****

HIBACHI: Childhood . . . where did you live, what kind of stuff did you do, etc? Siblings?
Eboy: Grew up in Jersey......as an only child(imagine that) and had a huge family that was everywhere throughout the state. I was you normal kid growing up......no big problems that lead to my downfall. Well there was that night in ‘87 when I.........aww..forget it.

　
HIBACHI: How did you discover basketball?
Eboy: Through my uncle Mike......who basically turned me on to college and pro ball and that’s how I discovered a freshmen in the making Michael Jeffrey Jordan. Just so happened that he got drafted to the Bulls...who I was cheering for because my uncle had lived in Chicago for 10 years before and he had me hooked on the Bulls since the Nets and Knicks both sucked the collective dick of shittiness. Fate is pretty cool.

HIBACHI: What hobbies have you had throughout your life?
Eboy: Basketball......cooking......comic books.....music......playing in bands......basketball......my fam......being know as Eboy to adoring fans worldwide.

HIBACHI: If you went to college, where did you go and what did you study?
Eboy: I did go to college....missed out on playing big time college ball due to family circumstances....played ball for a Junior college before taking my career path to real school......blah....blah...blah.

HIBACHI: Marital status/kids?
Been with my wife for 12 years (married for 6 of them) and have one son, 4 years old, who is now taking over the house like I’m a broke bitch in foreclosure.

HIBACHI: Age?
Eboy: In my mind I’m still 24.....but 38 ain’t so bad if you’re trying to live like you still got game.

HIBACHI: Occupation?
Eboy: Boring.

HIBACHI: Favorite player as a kid growing up?
Eboy: If you are referencing basketball.....it was and always will be Michael. I’ve had a well documented love affair with the dude since I was 12.

HIBACHI: Why are you a fan of the team that you root for?
Eboy: I’m going to answer this too.....even though it’s for TAD mostly. I root for the Heat for two reasons. I moved to Florida the same year that the Heat started as a franchise and I got caught up in the excitement that surrounded the team in it’s infancy. Although I was a staunch Bulls fan from the time of late in his career Artis Gilmore......and was obsessed with Michael, Scottie, etc......the Heat were like the little brother who tried their damndest but could never get over the hump. Once Michael left in 98 (and I became disgusted with the management of the two Jerry’s for breaking up the greatest modern sports dynasty without giving them the chance to lose what they had earned and turned my back forever on the Bulls) I turned my full, undivided attention to the Heat.....not just a casual fan.....but fully engrossed.....in a team that only mattered a couple of seasons in their history up to that point. I wasn’t like the modern Laker fan....who is jumping on the wagon when things are at their best.....I supported them when they were their absolute worst. Having seen the emergence of Dwyane is just icing at this point. 20 years on....I AM the Heat.

HIBACHI:When did you stop playing hoops, if ever? On what levels did you play?
Eboy: Still haven’t stopped playing. Documented elsewhere is the history of Eboy the prep player.....so I won’t bore your again.

HIBACHI: Who is your favorite player now?
Eboy: Favorite player now........hmmm........well......of course Dwyane is ridiculous and I have the utmost respect for his game......but Michael Beasley is tugging hard for a few reasons.....he’s a natural scorer (like me).....left handed (like me).....goofy(like me).....and he’s got an unlimited ceiling on just how good he can be. I feel blessed to be able to see two talents like this from night to night and hope I can see it for a while longer.

HIBACHI: Have you ever met an NBA players?
Eboy: Yes.....I have. I also have a few relationships with some former Heat players as well as a few other local guys that played NBA ball in other spots. I also.....and mostly never talk about.....have a pretty cool relationship with one of the most legendary sports figures in history......but no one ever believes me.....so I keep it to myself. It works out better that way anyway.

HIBACHI: Where do you see the Heat in five years?
Eboy: If Dwyane stays and Beasley develops.....and they can make a free agent signing of huge proportions......the Heat, with Dwayne still in his prime, will be challenging for Eastern Conference supremacy for a few seasons with the Magic and the Cavs.

HIBACHI: Which rookie from the class of '08 will have a better career?
Eboy: Confused by this question.....but I would say that OJ, Derrick, Michael, Robin and Kevin will all be career players with the possibility of a few of them being legendary.

HIBACHI: If you could take any non-all-star in the NBA and place them on your team, who would it be?
Eboy: Wow......who would I want to fit with the Heat? A guy like Caron Butler would look good back in black and red.

HIBACHI: What music do you listen to?
Eboy: I’d say everything......but it’s kind of misleading.....I love old rhythm and blues.....hard rock.....old school hip hop......Motown......80's metal.....90's alternative. Yeah...that’s about it.

HIBACHI: Who wins the Finals this year?
Eboy: Interesting question........here will be your most interesting answer, obviously. The Cavs will take that shit like they own it. The real answer you know you want to read is who will they beat? I’ll say with full honesty....and not because of my dislike for the team.....that the Lakers will not be there. They just don’t have enough horses coming from their bench to win three series in the west. They’ll lose....in my estimation....to either the Nugs or the Jazz in some odd series that will make little sense to fans across the country. Kind of like this answer.

BETCATS: Does having such large man boobs pester you?
Eboy: No.....sports bras are way better today than they were in the 90's.

BETCATS: Can you describe what it is like to be a chronic liar AS A DAY JOB. Would you recommend it?
Eboy: Uhm.....probably not.....you never know when you're going to have to switch it up.

BETCATS: True or False: you and raccoon genitals are like popcorn and butter.
Eboy: Possibly......although I prefer white cheddar salt on my popcorn.

BETCATS: Follow up regarding you and Ryan Jones's marriage: when can we expect the first baby?
Eboy: Ryan is currently taking prenatal vitamins to open the potential birth canal.....so it's getting closer.

BETCATS: How is your son doing? Is 'Lil Eboy' ever going to comment? If so, can i teach him how to?
Eboy: Kid's good....if he comment's I hope he has the potential to do something innovative like coming up with comment hangman....so yeah, you can lend a hand in teaching him.

BETCATS: If you could be one animal, what would it be and why?
Eboy: Hmmmm............well, I like to think that I could be some form of a big cat like a lion or a tiger............but in all honesty....I'd like to be a gorilla....why not live life being able to whip some ass and throw my poop at whoever I'd like?

BETCATS: If you had to eat one human body part forever, what would it be and why?
Eboy: Is this a trick question? When you say "eat" does it mean I have to digest it?

Thanks a lot for your time, E. That was only 1 of 5 . . . get excited for TADOne, Cheryl, AR and Tariq!

Leon Powe Story ***REMIX***

*********PREFACE: Yes, I already posted this in . . . October? Whatever, but I posted the Leon Powe story a while ago. But, I went back through it and wrote a BETTER new and IMPROVED Leon Powe story, at least in my opinion. I shook it up a while ago. In the words of Weezy F. Baby . . . Remix Baby!*********



A Moose Track

How do they happen? The stories that keep you surprised, bewildered, amused and excited all at the same time. The stories that simultaneously bring a tear to your eye and a smile to your face. The stories that leave you happy for the people involved and making you feel damn lucky about your own privileged life.

Sometimes these stories go unnoticed, never heard about by anyone, staying deep in the background of the individual. These stories are often never acknowledged; even though they have the power to inspire, and empower. How many people have heard the amazing story of Leon Powe, power forward for the Boston Celtics? Not as much as there should be.

Leon Powe, Jr. was born on January 22, 1984 in the tough inner-city area of Oakland, California. At the age of two, his father bolted from the family and his mother, Connie Landry, leaving Leon the man of the house. Without a steady income to support Leon and his six younger brothers and sisters, she was forced to sell trinkets and toys at a flea market; which was enough to keep her family from going hungry.

At seven years old, walking home from school one day, Leon faced a shocking sight that left him no less surprised and crestfallen than renewed sentence on a convict. His house, now a vast pile of ashes, was being hosed down by firemen. Apparently, his younger brother Tim was playing with an errant match. Kids.

Out of a home, the eight-person Powe family found themselves nomads overnight in one of the toughest neighborhoods in America. They settled and slept where they could, be it a cheap motel, an abandoned car or a street corner, and over the six years of their nomadic existence they lived in over 20 locations.

Food wasn't always a given for the young family, and with her mother working long hours on a low-paying job, Leon was often forced to stay home from school to look after his little siblings; being the oldest. With the burden of having to take car of many children, working a job and having so little money overpowered Connie, and she gave into her drug addictions. When Leon was ten years old she was caught stealing groceries and was sentenced to ninety days in prison.

During her stay in jail, they discovered her drug addiction, and the Child Protective Services took custody over Leon and his siblings and they were placed under foster care. He had to grow up faster than most; with an absent father figure and a mother who wasn't there for most of his childhood. You'd almost expect him to get into the nearby gangbangin'.

But Bernard King, the older brother of Leon's then-best friend Shamare Freeman, was determined to not let that happen. Freeman was constantly flirting with trouble and, sometimes, the law as well. In their teens, Leon walked away from his best friend and, hours later, Shamare was caught stealing a bike. Shamare was sent to jail, and Bernard took Powe under his wing and acted as a father figure. Playing basketball on the streets kept him out of trouble.

For high school, still in foster care, he attended Oakland Technical High School, a public institution with an enrollment of 1,500 students. He led the basketball team to the state championship as a Junior, but Leon Powe was not known for his luck. Four days before a game, his mother died of a heart attack at the age of forty one, leaving Powe shocked and full of grief. Knowing that his mother would have wanted him to take part in the game, he played in the loss.

He cruised through the high school basketball circuit, leading his team to the state championship again the following year and getting national attention for his play. He won many prestigious awards, and he became the only player to have their number retired at the high school. But with all of these significant events happening on the court, he had to keep his grades up off of it.

With his tutor, Jonas Zuckerman (hired by Ward, one of Powe's elementary school teachers) Powe studied profusely for the SAT. At first, he didn't care about his academic performance. But as he realized that it was as important as advertised, he went to classes without being told, and his GPA rose from a low-level 1.8 to a very respectable 3.2. He took the SAT's four times in order to obtain the necessary score, with a fifth just in case.

An excited Leon decided to attend the University of California, Berkeley, where he shined early as a player. He played a year and a half for the California Golden Bears, with a large injury in the middle, although it didn't hinder his play. After this stellar play, he decided to leave college before his senior year to enter the 2006 NBA Draft.

He continued over the next four years to play his game, emerging as an elite bench player for a great team, the Boston Celtics, and was a key component in their championship season that was 2008. The story of Leon Powe is one of ultimate success, a feel-good of epic proportions.

How do these stories happen? How do they become possible? We can only imagine. The story is interesting and awe-inspiring amongst many other adjectives that could be used. The true role models lie in these recounts; I just wish they were told more. If you are a basketball fan, Leon's game demands your attention.

But his life story demands your respect.

--Moose

Ronnie being Ronnie (SI)

First, let me say this is from SI, it's dated April 19, so I'm guessing it's in the upcoming issue. A different side of Ron Artest, but pretty much the guy I expected when he came to Houston, hopefully more fans will realize how much this guy has changed. He's come a long way from the Ron from the brawl.

http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1154213/index.htm

WHEN WE go out there," said a Houston Rockets security guard to forward Ron Artest, "don't stop for autographs."

"O.K.," said Artest.

"They're going to want to take a picture with you," warned another Rockets employee, a community relations director, as they strode an uncongested hallway inside the Toyota Center, on their way to a meet-and-greet with thousands of Rockets season-ticket holders being staged in the arena's concourse. "But don't stop."

"O.K.," said Artest.

The same cautions had been issued to all of his teammates—keep moving, don't cause an incident—but there appeared to be an urgency in the message to Artest, given his unfortunate history of mixing with crowds in NBA arenas.

"You can sign if they ask you to," said yet another security guard, "but keep walking."

"Don't stop," said the Rockets' community relations director.

"Don't stop," echoed the security guard.

"O.K.," said Artest.

The doors were flung open to the concourse and Artest began to wade through the fans. Some looked exultant in his presence; others intimidated. Then Artest noticed, on the far side of the concourse, a handful of grade-school children playing a virtual-reality game. They were leaping to swat at large images of spelling blocks that had been projected onto the wall.

Artest stopped.

"Hey!" he said. "What's that?" And just like that he was among the children, reaching up to tip the blocks as if they were soft rebounds around the rim. He tapped the final block upward so that it came to rest alongside two others to spell a word.

"C-A-T," Artest told his audience. "Cat."

He had won the game. The kids were jumping around him, celebrating.



"But I don't think I was really touching [the blocks]—was I?" asked Artest. "Yes, you were," said a security guard, who explained the mechanics of the game as they moved along. Then Artest caught sight of rookie teammate Joey Dorsey playing Wii boxing. He stopped again.

"Do you want to play?" asked Dorsey, and suddenly there stood Artest among a cheering crowd, throwing (gulp!) punches. For how many spectators did a certain melee come to mind as Artest delivered virtual lefts and rights that knocked Dorsey's character flat on his back?

"Kobe!" yelled a fan behind Artest. "Hit him like he's Kobe!"

"Someone said Kobe?" yelled Artest, laughing over his shoulder as he threw punches wildly. "Yeah! Kobe!"

Soon the fight was over—Dorsey in a decision, in spite of the knockdown—and the fans laughed and reached up to pat Artest on his thick blacksmith's shoulders. The people's champion.

TO THIS point in the season (and all pronouncements on Artest must be carefully couched) the NBA's most volatile star has surprised in a positive way. At a time when the Rockets could have fallen apart, it was Artest who reinvigorated the team that is now battling the Spurs for the Southwest Division title. Is it fair to now define Artest as, of all things, a stabilizing influence? "Yes," affirms Houston forward Shane Battier. "Ironically."

The Rockets gambled by acquiring Artest last summer from the Sacramento Kings in the hope that he, swingman Tracy McGrady and 7'6" Yao Ming would form a championship Big Three. Before long that vision appeared to be doomed: McGrady was unable to recover from off-season left knee surgery, Artest was limited for the first half of the season by a bone bruise in his right ankle and the Rockets struggled to figure out how to play together. "We won games, but it wasn't pretty and I don't think we were happy," says Battier. "We didn't know who we were. It was frustrating. We needed something to flip."

The flipper was Artest. After McGrady shut himself down in February to undergo season-ending microfracture knee surgery, Artest took up the vacated leadership role. A team that had been built around the half-court offense of T-Mac and Yao suddenly became a defensive outfit that pushed the ball off the stops generated by Artest, Battier and power forward Luis Scola. In the previous four years the Rockets had gone 20--46 without McGrady, but at week's end they were 28--12 in his absence.

Artest, 29, has evolved as a player. After having long seen himself as a go-to superstar, he has accepted his role as a complementary scorer, averaging 17.2 points through Sunday to Yao's 19.6. The 6'7" forward, who once bulked up to an estimated 280 pounds in order to punish opponents inside, has trimmed down to 246 while generating 41% of his scoring from beyond the three-point line. The Defensive Player of the Year in 2004 is even taking his cues at that end of the court from Battier, who often dictates which of them will guard Kobe Bryant or LeBron James. "I let Shane decide because he's always thinking the game," says Artest. "Even though I've become more mature, I still get a little bit emotional."

Reserve center Dikembe Mutombo believes Artest grew up while dealing with the kidney cancer treatments of his five-year-old daughter, Diamond, who Artest says has responded positively to the chemotherapy she underwent last fall. Artest also gained perspective from visiting Africa with the players' union two summers ago, and he is committed to returning to Kenya after the playoffs. "He has seen the suffering of the poor, the disease, and he relates it to what is happening to him with his daughter," says Mutombo. "You don't find that in so many players; that they wake up in the morning and say, 'I am going to Africa and I am going to do more.'"



While those experiences have no doubt reshaped Artest, he credits his steadier play to the Rockets' coach, Rick Adelman, who spent half of the 2005--06 season with Artest in Sacramento. "He's nothing more and nothing less than a coach," says Artest. "He doesn't hold grudges, he doesn't try to teach you to be a man, he doesn't teach you how to become a boy, he's not trying to tell you how to handle your life."

If previous coaches have sought to fill that role with Artest, it would be understandable: This is the player who once asked if he could take off the early part of the season to promote an R&B album, then infamously went into the stands in Detroit to instigate the brawl in November 2004, earning a 73-game suspension. So far in Houston, Artest's behavior has been more endearing than infuriating. "He has some idiosyncrasies that are quite interesting," says Rockets guard Brent Barry. "Sometimes he'll come to practice and never get into the locker room, he'll just change up in the weight room. Usually during halftimes we'll find him in just his hightops and his boxers, which is an interesting sight to see. Sometimes he has some choice words in a timeout, or before a game in the huddle, that have absolutely nothing to do with what we're about to try to accomplish, and Shane and I enjoy a brief moment glancing at each other. Much like Manny being Manny, Ronnie is Ronnie."

Artest fits comfortably with Houston's blend of up-and-comers, internationals and erudites. "I think Ron's a fan of James Joyce: He talks in streams of consciousness," says Battier. "I don't think Ron's concerned about being a diplomat. He's concerned about winning, and the quickest route for him to win is to be blunt."

As he sits on a tilted bench in the Rockets' weight room, Artest acknowledges he is trying to self-edit. "Sometimes I don't even speak nowadays," he says, "because I'm not sure I'm going to say it the right way." Staring at himself in the mirrored walls, he says of his early career, "I took it for granted. I was young, I was athletic, I was shutting down Kobe, I was shutting down LeBron. I was just cocky: I'm the best defender in the league. Can't nobody score on me. I was not humble at all and I just continued to get in trouble. I knew my talent was needed on a lot of teams, and I took all that for granted. I should have cherished those moments a couple of years ago. Some of that was out of my control, some of that was in my control. But now I have another shot at it."

TWO QUESTIONS remain in Artest's immediate future. The first: Can he and Yao lead the Rockets deep into the playoffs? The Rockets will struggle to score enough points to knock off the Spurs or the Los Angeles Lakers, but their defense—which yielded a miserly 44.6% shooting at week's end, fourth in the league—should give Houston hope of advancing to the second round for the first time in a dozen years, dating to the reign of Hakeem Olajuwon.

The more difficult question is whether Artest, who will be a free agent after the season, has been on good behavior simply to earn a new contract. "I understand that argument," says Rockets general manager Daryl Morey, who then dismisses it. Morey believes that Artest has grown through his hard experiences, and that with Adelman's oversight and his comfort in the Rockets' system, Artest can continue to flourish.

Battier, for one, would like to keep him around. "After this year, my lasting memory of Ron Artest is, he loves the KissCam," says Battier, referring to the timeout entertainment in which couples in the stands are shown on the arena jumbotron and prompted to smooch. "We'll be in the middle of a game and we're all focused, and I'll look over at Ron, and Ron will be on the floor cracking up laughing at the KissCam. We've all seen it a million times, but every time he finds it the funniest thing ever."

"KissCam is funny," says Artest, "but I hate it when they put it on me and one of my teammates, and then I have to put the towel over my head." It's all part of growing up, to realize there is no beating the KissCam.

A Point Guard's Worst Nightmare

A Moose Track

The center takes a swift entrance pass to the post from the off guard positioned on the wing, and he gets position, battling with the opposing big man for position. Realizing that he doesn't have a prayer of getting the ball in the hoop that way, he kicks it back out to the swingman, who scans the court, deciding on his maneuver.

Noticing the shouting shooting guard on the opposite side of the court, a quick two-handed chest pass finds it's way into the waiting shooter's steady hands. Receiving it softly, the shooter takes their time getting into position for the three pointer. The grip on it feels as good as any for the two guard, who let's loose as a defender starts running towards him.

The ball flies into the air, leaving big men and point guards alike clawing and wrestling for position for the awaiting rebound. Unexpectedly, the ball ricochets off the back of the rim, taking it's first bounce at the top of the key beyond the three point line. Players, taken aback, start to react to the surprising outcome of the rebound.

The quickest man on the court, the point guard, runs over and snatches the ball, beating out all other fighting men by at least a step. Taking off towards the hoop on a breakaway, the dribbler accelerates, deciding whether he should take a layup or go for the slam to give his teammates fire and momentum. Or, if there is a man coming up behind him, should he pass it up for the dish? Toss it off the backboard for a highlight reel alley-oop? These are the types of things the dribbler mulls over.

Slowing down towards at the wing of the opposite hoop, all alone, the dribbler decides to go for the jam. Amidst a crowd of cheering fans, encouraging the dunk, the quick point guard brings it back for the tomahawk, eyes close to the rim, anticipating a highlight-reel finish, until . . .

A seemingly inhuman body comes up from behind, bringing superhuman hops and length. Ain't no way the ball's getting in the hole this time.

--Moose

The Next Nate Robinson

Sorry to dethrone Moose, but i found something worth writing about and have some time to do it. The font is pink today because it's pimpin, pimping! And the gray font is links, so click the gray stuff.



If you don't know who Peyton Siva is, you are about to find out. Although his rivals.com profile lists him as 6'0, he is actually 5'10. Part of the dreaded class of 2009 (2011 ftw!), Siva has already signed his letter of intent to play at Louisville, or so saythen this site, but as my favorite site pointed out today, letters of intent are not set in stone, so who really knows where he will end up.

Anyway, i know everybody is probably wondering 'so why the fuck is this guy the next Nate Robinson? I see zero parallels.'

Ladies and Gentlemen, feast your eyes upon these Youtube clips, the place where i drew that conclusion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yExc_-m02rs&feature=dir

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoiiGh0fFrI

Of course ballislife.com has Peyton covered too, although saying he is the 'best' when that means being better than John Wall is a bit silly.
http://www.ballislife.com/highschool/2030901:Page:16730


I would really really like to see this guy in SLAM. The world deserves to know! Also, sorry for stepping on your turf Farmer Jonez and Justin 'Biddy Biddy Bop Bop' Walsh.

Hustlin' -- Dedication 2

A Moose Track

We all know the song "Hustlin'" by Rick Ross. One of the most recognizable hip hop songs in the 2000's in which we live today. While we all have our opinions of Ross (I see you, BET), I think that we can all pretty much agree that this song is dope, even if we hear it a few too many times.

So, there's the real song. Then there's the remix featuring Jay-Z. Then, there's this version. With slightly less exposure, the DJ Drama-Lil Wayne Dedication 2 mixtape features my favorite remix/version of this song, and the following video features just that. And yes, I laughed out loud the first time I heard Drama's little shouty thingys. But after a while it sounds pretty badass.



--Moose

The Best Rapper Alive

Guess who? I'll give you a hint IT IS NOT GUCCI!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzzCAomo988&feature=related

and here is his latest track:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0

Match Up: Rockets & Lakers+ game preview

So DP and I had this half hour long convo over facebook the other night, and we were just railing on about a bunch of different stuff, some girl, the differences between Australia and the USA with ages, e.g Sweet 16th, 18th, 21st birthday.
Then we shifted on towards a more basketball-orientated theme when I noticed the Bobcats (!) had beaten the Lakers.
Naturally, DP was upset, and I was just rubbing it in, saying how BET would be stoked, and we'd likely see a blog post up soon ( check below this for that) showing him gloat.
This got me to thinking- the Cats have LA's number- they swept the season series, and they've also given the Celtics fits the last year or two.
But it also brought to my attention just how vulnerable the Lakers may prove to be in the playoffs. Last year they destroyed the Nuggets (and rightfully so), with Kobe going off for 30+ in every game. They then got the Jazz in the second round, fresh off a 7 game grind with the Rockets. The Lakers moved on, winning the Western Conference eventually, and fizzled out badly in the Finals, thats a story we all know well.
The thing that strikes me though, is how well the Lakeshow (it just doesn't sound right to me...) matched up with other teams they played throughout the playoffs. And when the met the Celtics, who matched up better, they got destroyed.
So, continuing with my little jabs at DP, I said that the Lakers would struggle to even make it out of the West (just for closure, I said that the Cavaliers or Celtics would be representing the East. Duh).
But think about it for a minute, how do the Lakers match up with the Rockets? Just off the top of my head, I said pretty average. I mean, they both score the ball ok, the Lakers a little easier, while the Rockets are a solid defensive team, kinda making that a wash.
Go deeper. Look at how the teams match-up position wise. Start with the Lakers on the left.

Fisher vs. Brooks


Edge: Lakers. Slightly.

Fish has done it all before and is going to stretch the Rockets. If he can occassionally get into the paint against the much quicker Brooks, it'll create problems for Yao, who has to come out and help.

If Brooks can stop Fisher from posting him up, and can run him around in transition, I think it could be an even match-up. Other than that, Fish is the veteran, and the Lakers are more poised in general. Hopefully Brooks can get into the paint as well with his superior speed and athleticism.


Bryant vs. Artest


Edge: Lakers. Slight.

I call it pretty even for a few reasons. Artest is the superior defender. Without question. Bryant is the superior offensive player. Without question. They can play both sides of the ball and are two of the most versatile players in the league.

Kobe destroyed Ron Ron in their last match-up with 32 in the second half. Ron had a terrible offensive showing and finished just over double digits. If Ron can focus on team oriented defense then he has a better opportunity to stop Kobe at the same time, because he knows Battier and Yao will be there to help out as well. Kobe once again, needs to trust his team and not force issues, but slowing down Artest on the block is going to be huge for Bryant, because once Ron gets going offensively, he's even more dangerous defensively.


Ariza vs. Battier


Advantage: Rockets.

Eh. This is a wash. Ariza with the athleticism, Battier with the smarts. Both can play defense, Battier is superior though, and has (shock horror!) actually contributed offensively the last few games, averaging over 12 points a game (almost double his season average). I think having Battier in the corner for 3pointers may give a slight edge to the Rox, since it spaces everything out, similiar to Fisher. But his ability to come and give Kobe fits also helps out.


Odom vs. Scola

Advantage: Lakers.

Versatility is the key. Both rebound very well and Scola is the more polished scorer, but Odoms ability to run the break off a board and find open guys is significant.


Gasol vs. Yao

Advantage: Rockets.

As good as Pau is, and as skilled as he is, anyone going up against Yao is at a disadvantage. Yao will just bully him away from the paint and force him to shoot 12-15 footers (which Pau can make) but Yao is going to have his way inside, and should be able to get a 25/15 type game. This hasn't been the case in recent games, as the Lakers have doubled from the weakside baseline, and Yao's had difficulty throwing out of the double from that spot. The Rockets have apparently worked on this, and should prove less troublesome.


Bench:

Advantage: Rockets. Hayes is a defensive beast, Landry may play today, Von Wafer is instant offense and Lowry is a very solid backup, likewise with Mutumbo.

Farmar has (IMO) regressed from last year, and he's less consistent, forcing more minutes on an ageing Fisher. The loss of Radman hurts them, and Adam Morrison isn't comfortable yet. Sun Yue is a joke right now, and cant get off the bench (sorry China).


Coach:

Jackson vs. Adelman.

Advantage Jackson. He's had the wood over Rick for a good decade+ and his victories over the Kings has to be demoralising. He's as good as anyone with game to game adjustments, and there's something called the 'triangle' offense?

The Rockets are still having troubles performing Adelman's 'read and react' motion based offense 2 years in. The supporting staff is great for both teams.


Final: I think the Rockets can pull this off, but it truly depends on how Ron plays on Kobe, and how physical the refs allow play to be- if this is the case, Yao should be able to punish Pau around the hoop. Homecourt means a lot too, even though the Lakers have won the last three games. Being at Staples Centre makes it hard to win, but with wins over SA, and NO on the road the last week and a disapponting loss to the Suns, the Rockets need to bounce back.

The Lakers have also suffered losses lately, and a 6 pt win over the Bucks was less than convincing.


Result:

Lakers by 3, because Yao gets into early foul trouble in the second quarter.

The Education Of Kanye West

A Moose Track

I admire Kanye West.

You look at that sentence. You see my reference to Kanye West in an admirable light, and you feel doubtful. A rapper? Who admires a rapper? Who sees a rapper as a positive influence in our society? And isn't he the one who was on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine as Jesus with horns? He's the insanely cocky one, right? And didn't he get into a feud with another rapper?

Well, that last one doesn't count. It was merely for record sales. But all of the rest of the above statements are good arguments for why Mr. West would not be a role model. They're just ignorant ones. Kanye is one of the most original artists that we've had in a while, and he might be the most original that I've seen and heard in my lifetime.

First of all, his music is awesome. Great rapper with meaningful lyrics (well, most of the time), creative synths and production along with a good singing voice. Yes, I liked 808s And Heartbreak. But I own all of Kanye's musical work, and it's all great in my eyes. But, aside from his musical side, he is still an admirable person.

He is not afraid to take risks. This is the big one. He doesn't care what other people think, he wants to do what he wants to do, and he isn't fazed by the media, critics or anyone who doubts him. And this is the admirable part, whether he gets into trouble for it or not. I'm not saying that I'm patterning my behavior after his, after all, he is undeniably pompous and, well, cocky. But that is what sets him apart; he's confident.

I originally got the idea for this piece while I was listening to All Falls Down from The College Dropout, when a certain lyric really got my attention. I walked over to my desk and wrote it down, because it really provoked my thoughts and I felt like I could relate.

"We're all self-conscious, I'm just the first to admit it."

This is truly an admirable statement. And, it is a trailblazer for others to admit the same thing. The people who are self-conscious (which would be, ahem, everyone) can now admit it without fear of being ridiculed, because Kanye said it. Maybe that's not how people should run, but that's how it goes. I used to think that I was the only one that admitted that I was self-conscious, at least to myself. Because he's right, huh?

Kanye takes risks with everything that he does, communicating his thoughts in every last one of them. He's so open, not afraid of what other people will think of him. Some people see this as pompous and cocky. I see what these people mean, but most of what I see of it is bravery. True, this man is very secure, and he could very possibly be too secure. But that's the appeal of Kanye. Here's another one of Mr. West's thought-provoking quotes.

"Nothing in life is promised except death."

See it one way, and it's pessimistic. See it the way that you're supposed to see it, and it's an entirely different quote. The pessimistic way is that "oh, we're all doomed for death. Boo hoo." But what he's talking about is, go after your dreams. I know, I know. Sounds corny. I know what I'm typing. Nobody can tell you that you can't do something. Of course, maybe I'm interpreting it wrong. Maybe he's remarking that people can back out of their promises, like what his former fiancee did in the past year.

Kanye West does not lack humor, no matter how it's intended. Sometimes it sounds cocky (I'm saying that too much), but funny is another thing to describe the following.

"If y'all (are) fresh to death, then I'm deceased."

Kanye West is truly an interesting man. I don't admire all of what he stands for or all of his actions, but I think that we can all learn a thing or too from him.

Or maybe we're just too self-conscious to admit it.

--Moose