And the Winner Is...

So, unless you've been living under a rock, you now know that the Dallas Mavericks are the NBA Champions!

I will be honest. I think it was about a month before the season ended, Dallas went on like a six or seven game win-streak. Jason Terry was interviewed after the game and he boldly predicted on television that the Mavericks were going all the way to the Finals and were going to win.

I sat up on the couch and laughed out loud. "Look at this clown!" I quipped. There was no way at "that time" did I think the Mavs had a snowball's chance in hell of going to the Finals, let alone winning it. Yet, like a carefully crafted script, they swept the Lakers, then beat the Thunder and Texas two-stepped their way into the Finals against the Miami Heat, the team that kept them from hoisting the trophy five years earlier.

I still didn't believe. Five years ago, I watched in disappointment as Dallas gave away that Finals series to a Heat team with an over-achieving Wade and an ailing Shaq. But key players, this time, stepped up, effectively shutting down at least one of the Big Three all of the time. They earned it! And, they are the champions! While, this summer will surely be focused on LeBron James' surprising absence in the Finals. How he was missing in action everytime his team really needed him, Dallas will quietly celebrate being number one. Until next season...

So Long Shaq!

So yesterday, Shaquille O'Neal decided to retire. Insert applause. Now, I don't want to sound like a hater, because I am not. I have enjoyed Shaq through the years, but I feel that people base their opinions of him as a player on his off-the-court antics. Is Shaq funny? Without a doubt. He seems like the type of guy you want to party with at XS Nightclub in Las Vegas.

However, his work ethic on the court has absolutely befuddled me through the years, and all of these so-called experts crowning him the "most dominant center EVER"??? FOH! Sorry to burst their collective bubble, but in my Stephen A. Smith voice, "you gotta be kidding me!" Shaq is defiitely intimidating on the court. Bar none, there has been no one else in the league that stands 7'1", 350+ pounds. His sheer size will intimidate the average 6'4", 200 lb. player. However, to say he was the greatest, as I read in numerous tweets. Or to say he was the most dominant is just reaching.

When Shaq entered the league his rookie season, he was picked 1st in the 1992 draft by the expansion team, the Orlando Magic. Together with Penny Hardaway, Nick Anderson and Dennis Scott, they went all the way to the NBA Finals in the 94-95' season, but lost to the Houston Rockets. The following year, they were swept by the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. That same year, Shaq became a free agent, and his team stepped up to the plate and offered him $115 MIL out the gate. However, Shaq did not accept this deal right away. He instead went on to play with the second dream team to a gold medal in the summer Olympics in Atlanta. I knew then that he was going to jump ship. He instead went to the bright lights of Los Angeles and $6 million more. At that moment, Shaq told the world who he was. He was a funny, easygoing big guy, who preferred fame, money and the spotlight over basketball. No one wanted to believe this, but it was true then, and it is true now. Shaq's time in L.A. proved to be exactly what I expected. We saw him in movies (Kazam), music videos (Fu Schnickens), and a sleugth of commercials and ads. He was steadily becoming the most marketable guy in the league. Almost! Jordan was still playing, and winning. By the time Jordan retired after the '97-'98 season. Shaq had taken that title. However, it was the bru ha ha on the court that got my attention.

At this time, I was NOT a fan of Kobe Bryant. He was young, arrogant and a loner, which doesn't quite fit in a team sport such as basketball. It seemed like the more fans and the media hated Kobe, the more they loved Shaq. We watched Shaq's waistline balloon, his conceited antics (him calling himself Superman and the greatest) grow, and we also began to watch these two personalities/egos clash with their coach Phil Jackson. Kobe took almost sole blame for this and was deemed the villain. By the '03-'04 season, the Lakers had won three titles in a row and barring injuries were looking to get a fourth title. However, the addition of Malone and Payton, not to mention the declining relationship with Kobe and Phil proved to be too much. The Lakers lost to the Pistons in the Finals. Kobe was coming off a rape charge and a fledgling endorsement career, and rumors that Phil Jackson was going to retire blew up. That off-season, Kobe became a free agent and the media hounded him about his return. Kobe said he would come back if: Phil returned, the Lakers brought in more people to build the team back up, and Shaq got his fat-ass into shape. I laughed about that statement for weeks. For the first time, I held a little admiration for Kobe. He didn't say he would return if they offered him $200 MIL! No, his concern was strictly about the direction of the team and the organization! You have to respect that. I knew. Shaq was leaving.

Shaq took his talents to South Beach for another $100 MIL + contract. He guaranteed that HE would bring a championship to Miami, and they held a parade for him. Shaq liked to party and was rich just like them, so he fit right in. Meanwhile, when the season began, he sat on the sidelines for inordinate amount of times with thumb and toe injuries while we watched Dwayne Wade kill himself to keep Miami in the running. As luck would have it, they played the Dallas "choke in the post-season" Mavericks in the Finals, and again, thanks to Wade, they won. However, Shaq took ALL OF THE CREDIT! The city of Miami gave Shaq a day, he was given the key to the city, and even became a police officer, seen chasing purse snatchers down the street. The following two seasons the team fell apart. Wade having killed himself to win that title almost singlehandedly, his body went down on him. Next thing you knew, they were being swept by the Baby Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. Where was the great Shaq then? Wade was barely 60% and desperately needed someone else to step up, Shaq was nowhere to be found. It was almost a repeat of the situation he had with Kobe, except Wade brooded silently.

Once again, questions loomed on other players. The Heat having picked up a declining but at times, reliable Antoine Walker, he took the blame for Shaq and it eventually cost him his job. I knew at the preseason presser when Riley went completely batshit about players coming back out of shape, that Shaq was leaving. The media railed on Walker, but no one was more out of shape than Shaq. He spent the start of the season, healing from yet another injury, getting back into shape and looking at what other team he wanted to go to. He ended up in Phoenix. After a few months, the Suns started picking up W's. Again, the media credited Shaq, then when they started losing and eventually fell apart in the playoffs to the Lakers no less, they blamed Amar'e Stoudemire. By the following season, it became harder to do that when teams who strengthened themselves in the middle were killing the Suns. No one wanted to say that Shaq looked slow, and out of sync, but it was bound to happen, not just because he'd gotten older. Hell, he was playing with Steve Nash! No Shaq looked bad because years of bad habits and a lazy work ethic were catching up to him. Showing up season after season out of shape, and having to try to push your body to get back into shape at the beginning of every season, which always leads to injuries, had caught up with Shaq.

By the summer of 2010 when everyone was focused on LeBron James and where he was going, Shaq was still requesting big money from teams. Realization hit when the preseason had begun and Shaq still didn't have a team. He settled for a lesser role with the Boston Celtics, but spent almost the entire season trying to rehab his body and get into shape. It was clear that his time had passed. My grandmother always says, time waits for no man. Shaq has had a career most players could only dream of. He has made an insane amount of money on and off the court. But I cannot and will not jump on the bandwagon and claim he is the greatest, because it's just not true. He never stuck with a team when they were down and then worked his way back up. Without a Robin, he never had a chance to be Batman, and anytime he won, he ALWAYS had a Robin! He was not as versatile, savvy or as quick as Hakeem Olajuwon, or as constant as a Bill Russell. He will be mentioned, he just isn't the greatest! So, farewell Shaq! It was fun and entertaining to watch!

For Better or For Worse

Webster's Dictionary defines marriage as: "the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex or a person of the same sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law."

I think this is a pretty fair definition of marriage, however, it is the consensual part that seems to be a problem in today's society. I am beginning to believe that people just shouldn't get married. Maybe Oprah was on to something when she decided that Steadman would just be her "beau" all those years ago.

Over the past few months, the headlines of couples and their torn apart families have sent the Mainstream Media into a frenzy. Is marriage not sacred anymore for anyone?

First up is Shaunie and Shaquille O'Neal. Now, it is no secret that Shaq is NOT one of my favorite people. His arrogance, lack of focus, shenanigans off the court (chasing criminals down the streets of Miami) and his classless breakup with Kobe Bryant has soured me to him as a person to say the least. Through the years, I have heard legendary stories of his affairs, second and possibly third families, etc. I didn't care because that's typical of a player like him. But recently, a story surrounding his extra-curricular activities piqued my interest. He is in the middle of a messy divorce with his soon-to-be-ex-wife Shaunie.


"Pic via NecoleBitchie.com"

So, Shaunie knew that Shaq was cheating on her and decide to hire a private detective, who kept tabs on Shaq for several months. This PI apparently got so much info on Shaq, it gave Shaunie the courage to approach the jumpoff, Vanessa Lopez, and convince her to go public with her affair with Shaq. Having signed a prenup, with proof of infidelity, now Shaunie gets more money. WOW! Wives and jumpoffs unite?

Next up... Sandra Bullock!

So, Sandra Bullock won a Golden Globe, a SAG Award and then the coveted Academy Award. At every show, she looked at her husband lovingly and spoke so well of him. She thanked him for putting up with her Hollywood life, and being true to her. Then, in a nightmare of a twist, we find out that he has pulled a "Tiger Woods." His affair is made public by a tattoo model that goes by the name of "Bombshell McGee"!




This chic is tattooed on her face and her underarms, despite all of the body art, she is a pretty girl, she's just a scallywag for sleeping with a married man. Again, we have a woman totally unaware of her husband's infidelity and then BAM! Not only did this McGee woman come forth, but about three or four others. So needless to say, that marriage is over!

Finally, we have Tiki Barber. Now this came as a surprise to me, because he has always portrayed himself as being somewhat wholesome. Very openly denouncing how his father left the home, and ran off to leave his mother to raise he and his brother alone. So a few years into retirement, the very married Barber has slipped. He and his wife Ginny have been married for 11 years! They have two kids at 7 and 5 years of age. Ginny is currently pregnant with twins.




In his retirement, Tiki works as a commentator on NBC Sports as well as a Today show correspondent. Many people felt he retired prematurely, considering the very next year the Giants won the Superbowl, but no one expected this. Not only did he have an affair, but he and Ginny have separated, and he is now seriously involved with an intern named Tracy Johnson over at NBC! For real Tiki? Like seriously?

All of this leads me to believe that marriage is just not for everybody. More importantly, if you aren't willing to put in the work for the long haul, DON'T DO IT! He has kids to think about. This story broke yesterday, on the morning of his 35th birthday.

It kind of makes you wonder if it is even worth it. Families are being torn apart everywhere, and it is kind of sad and demoralizing when you look at how much this affects the kids that are involved. Shaq and Shaunie have 5 kids together. This isn't something that should be taken lightly. While I don't believe that people should stay together and be unhappy, I feel that more responsibility should be taken before people take a walk down the aisle and make that covenant before God. Either way, my heart goes out to these families!

Miscellaneous Randomness - The June Edition!

Well folks it's been almost a month since I have regurgitated random thoughts on this blog, so here is some randomness for the month of June.

So, the weather is officially HOT now, which means that we ladies are having the feet out more. Now, thus far I have seen quite a few infractions...ladies, please oil, grease, moisturize or whatever you do to your feet before you pull them out all willy nilly. People of color do get ash, and thus when we show more skin, moisture is important. Go ahead, splurge, get that pedicure, you'll love it and so will your feet. For some, it is just plain necessary.

It is with sadness that I report the death of comedian, George Carlin. I really liked him, I always thought his incredible wit, penchant for finding humor in a ridiculous government, and his courage to attack the wrongs of this country were what made him brilliant.

I think I was about ten or eleven, the first time I watched his stand up. That was the first time I heard the term "N.I.M.B.Y." otherwise known as Not In My Backyard. Nimby was Carlin's way of telling people that we are all okay with righting the wrongs of society, as long as it's not in our backyards. Put the prisoners, juvenile delinquents, drug addicts, etc. in some far away place and we'll all be okay. He will be greatly missed.

BEEF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Clearly this weekend was the weekend for all of those with beef with someone else to let it rip. First up....Ice T and Soulja Boy????????? What?

As you can hear in this clip, Ice T basically feels that Souljah Boy singlehandedly ruined hip hop. I might be willing to agree, but I can't give the tike that much credit. While his song had soccer moms learning the dance, it is my belief in three years he will be long forgotten, thus he can't be given credit for such a feat in this great genre. No, in fact, many lame MC's contributed to the fall of hip hop.

Now, folks before you get the popcorn, there is a zippy and unexpected twist to this drama. Yes, another player has entered this Act and it is none other than Kanye West. Now as much as I support this hometown guy, he is a bit nuts at times. This is DEFINITELY one of those times.

His comments on the matter, according to Mediatakeout.com:

"Soulja Boy is fresh as hell and is actually the true meaning of what hip hop is 'sposed to be. He came from the hood, made his own beats, made up a new saying, new sound and a new dance with one song. He had all of America rapping this summer. If that ain't Hip Hop then what is? A bunch of wannabe keep it real rappers that ain't even relevant, recycling samples trying to act like it's 96 again and all they do is hate on new sh*t? N*ggas always talk about the golden age but for a 13 year old kid, this is the golden age!!! That song was so dope cause everything he said had a hidden meaning... that's Nas level shit... he just put it over some steel drums which is also some Nas shit if you had the 2nd album cassette with the bonus track "Silent Murder" on it. In closing... new n*ggas get ya money$$$$$$$$$$ Keep this sh*t fresh and original.... ain't no f*ckin' rules to this sh*t and that's what real hip hop is to me. "

WTFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is Kanye smoking that stuff? Is he sipping the yak? Comparing Soulja Boy to Nas is like comparing that hooker on Madison and Halsted to the Bunny Ranch. Two separate worlds. To make matters worse, he went even further, by stating on his blog that they have similar styles and music!!! First of all, when Nas first hit, he didn't even have a label, manager or promotion. They dropped him thinking his underground hip hop style would fall flat, instead of getting five mics from The Source and becoming an instant classic. Soulja Boy has one hit, and he has soccer moms doing his dance. Nas didn't inspire a new dance, he inspired a new way of thinking in hip hop. He inspired a consciousness in hip hop with a very real street edge. The two are NOTHING alike. It is just....wait, I need to breathe....it is just unthinkable that Kanye would compare the two and go even further by saying they are just alike! This is insulting as hell, and real heads would have to give him a virtual pimp slap for that grave infraction.

And for HIM to diss mixing samples, something he has made a career out of, is just preposterous! No, it's not '96, but Nas never has cared about everybody loving him or his music. He has always made the kind of music he wants to make. Soulja Boy isn't rapping with hidden meaning. He knew very well that white kids and their moms wouldn't know that "Superman that Hoe" was a porn term. This is complete and utter bullshyt for Kanye to even try and defend such garbage! Clearly they caught him at a high moment.

I digress....

In other BEEF, Shaquille "Overrated and Trying to Be A Cop" O'Neal is running his fat mouth again. Dissing Kobe in a rap he gave at a NY club, he disses him in a "Kobe couldn't do it without me" fashion regarding the Lakers losing to the Celtics in the Finals.

Okay, I need about 30 seconds...

WTFFFFFFFF! Shaq couldn't do it without Dwayne Wade! Let's face it, Shaq has gotten lucky in his career, in that he has always played alongside superstars. Everyone knows the year the Heat won, they were lucky as hell, and if it hadn't been for Wade, the Heat wouldn't have won a damn thing. Shaq was almost nonexistent in the Finals that year, he played not even half the season, and then got hurt going into the playoffs. In fact, it was all that extra playing and compensating that has kept Wade on the bench the past year and a half. As soon as Wade went down, the team had the worst record they've had in years, got swept by the Bulls in the playoffs one year, and just plain didn't make it the next. And this year, the Lakers beat the Suns, so what the hell is Shaq talking about? With Nash, Stoudemaire and Hill, Shaq couldn't get it done, and before he waddled into the desert, they were the favorite in the West.

Did he really say, Kobe made him get a divorce??? Wasn't that slip-up like four or five years ago? Was he really wearing a large chain that said BIG?? See, this is why Shaq has become a joke - he spends too much time on buffoonery in the off season, and less time trying to stay in shape, thus being relevant once the season starts. The funny thing is Kobe will get it without Shaq, and I wonder what Mr. Bigmouth will say then. UUUUGGGGGHHHHHHH!

KNOCKED UP!

So, in the past year, 17 girls at Gloucester High School have gotten pregnant. That's four times the amount the school normally has. Almost all of the girls are high school sophomores, and the Mayor of Gloucester claims that this is because Mayor Patrick Duvall has cut funding for many of the school's programs and the "No Child Left Behind," plan has failed.

All of the girls took Sexual Education in their freshman year, however, the school stopped the practice of passing out contraceptives, when they fired the school doctor for giving out contraception. However, several parents and school officials not only admit to seeing the girls celebrate and high five upon hearing that they've conceived, but some have been hearing about this alleged pact from their kids for months now.

Gloucester, MA is a small fishing town off Cape Ann. Most of the industry for the town comes from fishing, an industry that has taken a hit in this failing economy. Many families have been broken as a result, and many believe that the pact is a quest for unconditional love. Whatever the case, clearly there is a problem and it starts with communicating and then educating the girls at this school. Being a parent is hard, and a lot of work, I pray that they continue with their lives and follow their dreams. We have fallen on hard times, but there is still hope. I just hope they realize this!