Birthday Wish

Cheers to being 25! Jeers to seeing the world I grew up in fall apart! How about this for a birthday wish; let's stop screaming and yelling and let's start working together on really fixing the enormous problems we face. We can't just keep ignoring them and we can't keep thinking that someone else will fix it for us. Divine intervention isn't the solution, we are. Put aside the petty differences and stop putting money above people. If you think things are fine the way they are you are blind or ignorant. Get behind those who stand for change because they are our only hope. Stop dismissing the President because you didn't vote for him, because he's a democrat, or because he's black. He is fighting for us and I stand behind him. This country is starting erode away. Let's not let it slip away during our lifetime.

Lake Powell 2009 Video

Richard the TA

Last night I received news that I have been selected for a TA position at ASU for a class focused on Zoning, Subdivision Regulations, and Building Codes. What's so great about that? Well aside from giving me some great experience to add to my resume it changes the whole dynamic of paying for my Masters degree. Instead of having to pay the outrageous out of state tuition I now only have to come up with enough to pay for half the in-state tuition rate. That's a difference of several thousand dollars. Even better than that though is that I actually receive a stipend of over $3000 as well. While I'll still look for a part time job somewhere I don't have to worry about money quite so much and things are starting to fall into place. Hopefully I can get an internship for the city of Avondale as well.

The Big Move

Well, we've finally moved and we are now Arizona residents. After what seems like a year of planning (but I guess it was only half a year) we are finally in the Phoenix area, Goodyear to be specific. Although the city is pretty far west of...well..just about everything, it's very nice. Kaiti's parents have been kind enough to let us stay with them until we get back on good financial ground. But I'm excited to eventually move closer to Tempe and Phoenix.
Our POD arrives tomorrow and then we'll finally feel like we live here. It's been difficult to get used to the idea of actually living here since most of our stuff hasn't arrived, but once our couch is here I think it'll finally feel like home.
We've already been to the DMV (twice) and have new Arizona plates and licenses. So, we're pretty damn official. Hopefully ASU thinks so too so I can get in-state residency next year.
So, that's pretty much it. I start school in a little over a month and until then I'll be looking for employment and getting used to 110 + degree weather.

My chat with Chad Ford

Well, I just finished chatting with Chad Ford, NBA draft specialist...okay, me and everyone else on ESPN's web page finished chatting with him. But at least he answered one of my questions. That's exciting right? I didn't ask him anything about the Jazz because frankly, that's sort of a mess. They're picking 20th in a really bad draft class. Plus, Sloan refuses to play rookies and half the roster may be gone next season. So trying to figure out what they're doing in the draft would be pointless given how different this team will be once free agency starts. So instead I asked Chad about the Phoenix Suns. I might as well start following them since Kaiti and I will soon be living there.

Rich (SLC, UT) : Is Flynn around for the Suns when they (most likely) pick?

Chad Ford: (4:51 PM ET ) He's a possibility. I think Earl Clark and Austin Daye would be too. And I hear Steve Kerr likes Blair .. a lot.

What? Blair? Do the Suns really need an undersized power forward? Unless (que dramatic music) they play on getting rid of either Shaq or Amare...
There are a lot of rumors out there saying that both of these guys are being shopped around. Even Steve Nash might be on his way out. Personally, I think this would be a huge mistake. Getting rid of any of these guys would be a disaster. Shaq has played well and his expiring contract is worth a lot. If they want to trade him wait until the deadline, you're likely to get more for him from a team looking to cut money. Amare is the best player on the Suns, period. He has been a little disgruntled, but it'd have to be a damn good trade to get rid of a guy with his talent. Maybe he'd be more likely to stay happy if the ownership and GM stopped making stupid mistakes and trading away draft picks and all-stars (Joe Johnson anyone?). Nash is past his prime, but he's the face of the franchise and there aren't a lot of point guards out there better than him even at this stage of his career. The bigger reason not to get rid of any of these players is the 2010 draft. The Suns don't have a pick in it. If any of the above mentioned players is traded, the Suns forfeit their lottery pick. They'd tank a season and wouldn't even have a chance at improving in the draft. Not a smart move.
If they keep all those guys why draft Blair? He wouldn't see much playing time behind Amare and doesn't really help in any real way. The guy would fit better in a slow offense, not with the run and gun suns. Johnny Flynn is a much better option. He's a smart point guard and could take the much needed back-up point guard role while Nash groomed him to be the future of the franchise.
Steve Kerr has really made a mess of the Suns. Before he showed up the Suns were the most exciting team to watch. They were one of the top teams in the west and had a great coach. What did he do? He got rid of the coach, changed the philosophy of the team and took the fun out of the game for the remaining players (goodbye Raja Bell and Boris Diaw). He needs to go before he makes another mistake by taking Blair in the draft.
Or maybe Chad Ford is wrong. After all, the last time he answered my question he didn't hesitate to say that the Jazz would win the Northwest division in a landslide against the Nuggets. How did that one turn out again Chad?

The Drake Equation

Well, that does it. I might as well come right out and say it. I'm a nerd, a huge nerd really. It's probably not a surprise to anyone, but the reasoning behind my declaration may surprise some of you. Yes, it's well documented that I'm a video game nerd, a history nerd, a comic book nerd, and a movie nerd. But, I've joined into the strongest bastion of nerdom, the space nerds.
For the last 6 months I've been following a space blog called "Universe Today" It's full of fascinating information on anything from the latest design for the moon rover to cosmic rays and asteroids.
I used to be very interested in space and space exploration. When I was younger my dad and I spent hours building an Apollo rocket model and launching other rockets out of a local high school football field. Then I discovered that math was essential to perusing this interest. I've never been much of a math guy. So it became more of a hobby. Now I want to share that hobby because I am finding out all kinds of interesting things that I'd love to talk about with people.
Today I learned about the Drake Equation. To put it as easily as I can it is an equation that tries to assign numerical values to relevant terms to determine the amount of intelligent life in our galaxy. Sounds neat right? It is, in fact, why you don’t check out the actual equation here.
The Universe Today discussed it in relation to a "new drake equation", one that ultimately leaves us with the probability that there may be only one intelligent civilization capable of communication in the entire Milky Way, if that. That doesn't mean there isn't a lot more life out there on planets, but probably not comparable life.
This raises all kinds of interesting questions. is the equation flawed since it's based solely on earth experiences? Can we really set values for unknowns like the average lifetime of a communicating civilization? Are we looking for life the wrong way? Could humans actually be the oldest and most technologically advanced life forms in the universe? Will contact with other life ever be made? Given how small a percentage there is of another communicating civilization existing will we ever coexist at the same time with one? I literally have thousands of questions and it is tremendous fun to just sit and ponder some of these things. So, I guess I'm suggesting you too become a nerd. Check out the article I am talking about and then the rest of the blog. They update it everyday, sometimes several times a day, so you'll always have something interesting to read. Join the nerds.

NBA Playoff Predictions: How I'm doing? 2nd Round

Alright, the first round is over and second round has already begun. First, let's see how I did predicting round one.


Cleveland swept Detroit, as predicted.


The Celtics and Bulls series was tough and long, just like I said it would be. I predicted 6 games and if the Celts had managed to get the ball to Ray Allen at the end of the third overtime I just may have been right, instead it went 7 games. I was close, but at least I had the right team.


I picked Orlando in 6 and Orlando won in 6. Not a big surprise. However the fact that they won without Howard and Courtney Lee was a bit surprising.


Miami and Atlanta, my first mistake. I thought Wade could win the series for the Heat, and if he had just a little help from his team he probably could have carried them over the hump. The problem? His team practically played for the Hawks. Oh well, you can't get them all right.


The Jazz and Lakers series went exactly how I thought. Utah was able to get by the Lakers in one game at home, but were clearly outmatched and outplayed the entire series.


I though the Hornets would at least put up a fight against the Nuggets, but it turned out that they were worse than I originally thought (i.e. losing by 58 points at home). The Hornets lost it in 5 and this series was never really in question.


Again, I thought San Antonio had a bit more fight in them. I thought it would be a competitive series. But Dallas more or less mauled the Spurs. They just aren't the same team without Ginobli. But, I still picked the winner, it just didn't go 7 games.


Portland got off to a rough start and although they played well, they were just too young to win this series. I should have known better than pick them. The Rockets played very well and despite Roy's superstar performances the Blazers were out in six.


So, I picked 6 of the 8 series correctly. Not bad. So who do I have in the second round?


Eastern Conference:


Atlanta (4) vs. Cleveland (1)


Atlanta had to play 7 games against the Dwayne Wade's, since the rest of the Heat didn't really play most of the games. So how could they go and beat the best team in the NBA which also happens to have the official MVP? There is no way. Cavs in 5 or 6. Atlanta is tough at home, so they might win a couple there.


Orlando (3) vs. Boston (2)


Boston had a tough time with the Bulls and I think they're pretty tired. With all the overtimes they played they essentially played an 8 game series. Orlando also has Dwight Howard, who Boston will have a tough time matching up against with KG still out. The onyl problem for Orlando is the health of Courtney Lee, who may miss some time with his own injury. They aslo don't have the homecourt advantage. Still, I just don't see Boston being able to handle the Magic after such a tough first round. I'm taking the Magic in 7.


Western Conference:


Houston (5) vs. LA Lakers (1)


The Rockets beat an inexperienced team. That's the exact opposite of the Lakers. They know playoff basketball and have a deeper, longer bench. Yao may get the best of Bynum and Kobe may have some trouble against the defense of Artest and Battier. But who's going to stop Gasol and Odom? It should be a decent series, but I still think the Lakers win in 6.


Dallas (6) vs. Denver (2)


Okay, okay, the series already started. I know. But come on, the last game of the first round was on Sunday morning followed by this series beginning. I had no time to write predictions in between round one and two. Thanks NBA. Still, I would have picked Denver regardless. Dallas ran into a broken San Antonio team and even though they are playing good basketball, the Nuggets are playing great. They have home court advantage and a deeper more energized bench. I've said it time and again, but this Dallas team just doesn't feel or look right. I think Denver wins in 5 or 6.


So, check back and see how I do on these predictions. Maybe some teams will surprise me.

Best Headline Ever

When things get slow at work I like to read. What? Just about everything. I read about sports, medical news, politics, buisness.I'll read anything that looks interesting. But today I was caught off guard by a headline on the BBC website. I frequent their Science and Environment page at least once a day and find out all sorts of cool information there. But today one article just made me laugh. I don't mean inside, I mean literally laugh out loud, or LOL as the kids like to say. I don't often LOL, but when you "Spider sex violent but effective " how can you not? I don't know why that is so funny to me, but it is. I thought I'd share.

Countdown to "The Move"

Well, it's official, Kaiti and I are moving. Last week we confirmed reservations for a POD to move our stuff to Goodyear, Arizona on June 25th. I also notified my boss that I'd be leaving work effective June 12th. With holidays and days off take into account that means I only have 30 more work days left. I can't believe how quick this is happening. In three months I'll be sitting poolside down in sunny Arizona getting ready to start my Masters program.
There are just a few kinks that we still need to work out.

1. Our apartment. We've spoken with our landlord, who is happy to let us out of our lease as long as we can find someone to rent the apartment to. Usually I wouldn't be worried about it, but with the economy being what it is, it might be slightly more difficult than it would have been in the past. If we can't find someone to take it over we're out $857.00 for the month of July.

2. Jobs. Kaiti and I will both start looking for jobs before we leave, but again, the economy is garbage. We both have a ton of experience with office work and have some connections in the Phoenix area, but this will still be tricky.

Of course there are other minor problems we're still working out like where we can store stuff, where the POD will go in the parking lot, how will Boo handle the move, how in god's name we're going to move the bed frame. But, all in all I would say we're on the right track. I just can't believe it's happening so soon.

NBA Playoff Predictions: How I'm doing?

Alright, so I was a bit off with my predictions, but who saw Manu Ginobli going down for the season or the Jazz and Magic essentially losing every game they played since my last predictions. Oh well, I was sort of close. 

Let's take a look at the match ups.

Detroit (8) vs. Cleveland (1)

My last prediction: Chicago vs. Cleveland   

I knew Detroit could fall to number eight, so this match-up isn't too unexpected. I'm thinking this will be a cake walk for Cleveland given how poorly the Piston's are playing and how bad the chemistry is there. Cleveland in 4, maybe 5.

Chicago (7) vs. Boston (2)

My last prediction: Detroit vs. Orlando

I have to be honest, I'm surprised boston held on to the 2nd seed. I'm even more surprised that the Bulls shot up the 7th seed. I've been doubting them all season, so I guess they showed me. This will be an interesting series. Boston has lost Garnett for the rest of the season and their GM, Ainge, just went to the hospital because of a heart attack. How much is this going to effect the team? I still think the Celtics will win, but it won't be easy. Celtics in 6.

Philadelphia (6) vs. Orlando (3)

My last prediction: Philadelphia vs. Boston

Both of these teams have been struggling down the stretch. But, Orlando has Dwight Howard and some of the best three-point shooting. Philadelphia struggles from beyond the arc and doesn't have anyone to match up against Howard. Orlando will get by them in 6. 

Miami (5) vs. Atlanta (4)

My last prediction: Miami vs. Atlanta

Finally I got one right! And I'm still sticking with my other prediction; Miami will win. Dwayne Wade is good enough to win a single series for the Heat and there is just something I don't trust about the Hawks.

Now on to the West.

Utah (8) vs. LA Lakers (1)

My last prediction: Dallas vs. LA Lakers

The Jazz fell apart and Dallas was better than I gave them credit for. Utah is playing horrible basketball and can't win on the road. I think they might win one, due in large part to D Will. But, if they make this an interesting series I'd be a bit surprised. Lakers in 5.

New Orleans (7) vs. Denver (2) 

My last prediction: Utah vs. Denver

I thought if the Jazz could get the Nuggets in this spot they could take advantage of them and win the series. But in my opinion the Hornets don't have the same advantage. Chandler is still hurt and as good as West and Paul are, Denver is deeper and plays with a lot more energy. Plus, they have the home court advantage. I'm giving this one to the Nuggets in 6 or 7.

Dallas (6) vs. San Antonio (3)

My last prediction: New Orleans vs. Houston

Dallas is playing much better than they have been all year and it's happening at the perfect time for them. San Antonio on the other hand is facing a pretty difficult series without one of their most important players, Ginobli. This will be a dog fight and it's sort of toss up. I'm giving the Mavs the edge though, simply because San Antonio has a few more health questions. Mavs in 7. 

Houston (5) vs. Portland (4)

My last prediction: Portland vs. San Antonio 

This is going to be an awesome match-up. Both of these teams are exciting to watch and play true team basketball. I'm especially looking forward to watching Ron Artest battle Brandon Roy and Yao take on Oden. At the end of the day though, Portland is tough at home and has more star talent. I'm giving it to them in 7. 

So, as you can see the match-ups I had were a little off, but hopefully these predictions are a little better. I guess we'll see when the playoffs start tomorrow. 

 

NBA Awards 09

With a week left it's time to start talking awards for the season. I'll give my prediction and in some cases who I think should win instead.

Most Improved Player of the Year
Prediction: Kevin Durant
My Choice: Danny Granger
Why?
Everyone knows Durant is going to be a star in this league. The guy is putting up terrific numbers and will eventually be considered one of the top five guys in the league. Should we punish him for expecting greatness? No, but giving a guy the rookie of the year award his first year and than the most improved award the next? That's ridiculous. The only way he could have improved enough to deserve this is if he led his team to contention for the playoffs. That would have shown a genuine improvement instead of a natural progression. He's right where everyone thought he would be at this point in his career. Granger? Well, he wasn't exactly a high draft pick (17 in 2005). He has shown improvement every year and is now the clear leader of his team. His numbers are up and he's kept the Pacers in the playoff hunt through most of the year. They can still technically get in at this point. Durant's team has lost 12 more games and was never considered a playoff threat. Granger's put the team on his back and elevated his game beyond what people thought he could. That's why he should be getting the most improved player award. But I have a feeling Durant will wind up with it.

Sixth Man of the Year
Prediction: Jason Terry
My Choice: Jason Terry
Why?
He's clearly the best guy in the league coming off the bench. He's keeping the Mavs in games and providing scoring, energy and efficiency off the bench. The only other guy I see as a real candidate is Paul Millsap, but he started for most of the season due to Carlos Boozer's injury, so I don't really consider him a sixth man.

Defensive Player of the Year
Prediction: Dwight Howard
My Choice: Dwight Howard
The guy is leading the league in blocks and rebounds. Teams have to change their offense because of his presence in the paint. I don't think I need to say anything else.

Coach of the Year
Prediction: Stan Van Gundy
My Choice: Jerry Sloan
Why?
Van Gundy has done an excellent job. He's really transformed the Magic into title a contender starting with their defense. Plus, he was able to integrate Alston seamlessly when Nelson was lost for the season. I wouldn't be upset or surprised if he won it. But, Sloan has done an equally amazing job in Utah. The Jazz didn't have their projected starters on the floor together until late February and were still able to hold on for a playoff spot. Few teams dealt with injury as well as the Jazz and unlike Van Gundy, Sloan didn't have the defensive player of the year to help carry the team. Plus, it's absurd that he hasn't won this award at least once in his 21 years coaching the Jazz. The guy deserves it. He made the hall of fame this year, so he probably won't be getting this one either. But in my opinion it's odd to have a coach in the hall of fame when he's never been given coach of the year. Most teams would have fallen apart with the amount of injuries the Jazz had to key players, but Sloan made them execute and contend.

Rookie of the Year
Prediction: Derrick Rose
My Choice: Derrick Rose
Why?
He's put up very high numbers for a first year player. But the reason I give him the award is for his impact on the team. Chicago was a huge disappointment last year and most thought they'd struggle this year as well. Not with Rose at the helm. He hasn't been perfect, but he's led the teams to a potential playoff berth and is far and away the best rookie this year. His leadership and talent will lead to some great things down the road for the Bulls.

Most Valuable Player of th Year
Prediction: Lebron James
My Choice: Lebron James
Why?
He is in the top five in points per game, top ten in assists, top ten in steals, and has led his team to the best record in the NBA (so far). He's been magnificent and while Dwight, CP3, Wade and Kobe all deserve some consideration, at the end of the day, he's the best player on the planet right now.

Updated Predictions for the NBA Playoffs

With only a week and two days left in the NBA season I thought I would do a final prediction for what the playoff match ups will be. Let's start in the east.

8. Chicago Bulls - I was horribly wrong and I can admit it. New Jersey has no chance here. They completely fell apart. In my defense, the Harris injury in late March really killed them, but he didn't miss that much time. They should have been much better. So, I'll give in and pick Chicago. They've been playing pretty well, have the rookie of the year, and could even be the 7th seed given how bad the Pistons are playing. No one below them is going to catch up this late in the season. The Bobcats just can't make up that much ground.

7. Detroit Pistons - As I stated they could be the 8 seed since they seem to have forgotten how to play. Their chemistry is a mess with Iverson and Wallace and they are clearly a border playoff team. Can they hold of Chicago...well, we'll see. In any case they're going to get obliterated in the playoffs no matter what.

6. Philadelphia 76rs - Again this is pretty close to call. It could easily be Miami here, considering how close they are in standings. But, I'm giving the edge to Miami because they have Dwayne Wade and the Heat. That leaves Philly in the 6 spot.

5. Miami Heat -Finally I'm sticking to one of my predictions. Miami could fall to the 6th seed, but I don't see them moving up to the 4 spot and I think Wade will push them to stay with a more favorable match up in the playoffs.

4. Atlanta Hawks - Too far behind to catch up to the big boys in the east and too good to fall down and give up home court to Miami or Philadelphia, that's where Atlanta is.

3. Boston Celtics - I could be a pansy and pick Orlando here, but I won't. I really think Orlando can manage the 2 spot. Boston's been great even without Garnet, but I still think they'd rather be healthy than battle for a higher playoff spot.

2. Orlando Magic - I saw them blowout the Cavs on Thursday and I couldn't possibly put them lower than this. They looked downright dominant.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers - No surprise here. They stumbled a little bit over the weekend, but I think it was exactly the fuel they needed to finish strong and push them through the playoffs. They still want the best record in the NBA (and home court in the finals) and I think they'll get it.

First Round:

Cavs destroy the Bulls in 4 or 5 games.

Orlando will pretty easily defeat the Pistons. Who is going to match up against Dwight Howard? They'll take it in 5.

Boston will get through Philly, but it will be a challenge, especially if Garnett is still hurting. It'll go 6 or 7 games, but Boston's home court will be the deciding factor.

Miami and Atlanta will go at it and it will be brutal…not to mention fun to watch. The Heat will be victorious in 6 or 7 games because we already know Wade good is enough to win a series on his own.

Second Round:

Cavs and Heat will be great entertainment. Two of the best will go head to head (James and Wade). But Wade doesn't have much help and LBJ has a title contending supporting cast. Cleveland will win in 5.

Boston and Orlando will be a very physical series. Neither team will back down and it will be a dog fight. I want to say Orlando will win because I just don't know how healthy Boston will be. Not to mention I think they're going to have a tougher first round series. But, I'm not betting against the champs, not yet at least. Boston in 7 games. They may have regrets about not getting home court advantage though.

Conference Finals:

Cleveland is just too good and the defending champs will be just a little too tired to keep up with them. I think Boston might be able to win one series without home court against a good team, but I don't see them winning a second against the best team in the NBA. Cleveland is almost unstoppable at home (37-1). Sorry Boston, but LBJ is going to his second finals. Cleveland in 7.

Now to the West

8. Dallas Mavericks - They could overtake the Jazz at the 7 spot, I think the deciding game will come on Wednesday. But, for right now I think they'll stay put at number 8. Call me a homer.

7. Utah Jazz - I go ahead and give the Jazz the 4 seed in my last predictions and what do they go and do? Blow it. They had a solid chance at getting a higher seed, but they just plain suck on the road (and lose give me games at home to the likes of Minnesota's bench). Boozer isn't playing how he used to and I think there's some trouble in the locker room because of it. They had a big win against New Orleans and if they manage to beat Dallas on Wednesday they even have a shot at the 6 seed. But, really, they'll be lucky staying here at the 7 spot. Something is off about a team that can build a 20 point lead and then lose it in the span of 5 minutes.

6. New Orleans Hornets - Not having Chandler hurts. They are a solid team, but are missing that interior presence. Paul and West will keep them afloat, but I don't think they'll catch up to Portland.

5. Portland Trailblazers - This team just plays good competitive basketball and get pretty consistent contributions from everyone. They won't slip to the lowly Jazz and the struggling Hornets...at least I don't think they will.

4. San Antonio Spurs - They could stay at the 3 spot, but I just have to many questions to put them there in my predictions. The big three are good, but are they healthy enough? Who is coming of the bench that actually makes an impact?

3. Houston Rockets - Just a good team here. Not great, but better than those behind them.

2. Denver Nuggets - The way they handled the Jazz last week showed me that this isn't the Nuggets of past years. They actually play defense. They actually make the extra pass. They even show up for big games. This is a very good team and they're showing it when it counts most. They have won 7 in a row and are peaking at the right time.

1. L.A. Lakers - They just keep winning. They long ago wrapped up the best record in the West, can they get the best NBA record? What will Bynum coming back mean? These two stories will mean more in the playoffs.

First Round:

Lakers will destroy anyone they come across in the first round. Lakers in 4 or 5.

Portland will give the Spurs a run for their money. They'll be a tough out, but the Spurs will have home court and experience. That's too much for the young Blazers to compete against. Spurs in 6.

Houston and New Orleans will be a 7 game series and both teams will play well, but Chris Paul is another guy who can win a series all by himself. And that's what he'll do, breaking the hearts of Houston fans and Yao Ming, who just can't get out of the first round.

Call me a homer if you must, but I think the Jazz would win in a 7 game series with the Nuggets. Yes, the Jazz have trouble on the road, and yes they seem like they are self destructing. But it seemed that way the last two years and the Jazz went out on the road in the playoffs and won both series. It'll be a 7 game series, but the Jazz have experience in this kind of situation and if they can turn things around they still have a very talented roster. They just have to show up. Jazz in 7.

Second Round:

LA and San Antonio have a history of great playoff series and this one won't be any different. There will be blood. But, in the end LA is just too deep, long, and athletic for the Spurs to compete against. LA in 6.

New Orleans and Utah. DWill vs. CP3. It will be a great match up and in the past it's usually gone Williams' way. He probably will play better than CP3, but, I have trouble believing the Jazz will take two series away from home against quality opponents. I barely believe they can beat Denver, so there is no way I think they can beat New Orleans. This isn't a one on one game and for that reason I've got to pick the New Orleans. The Hornets will take it in 6 or 7.

Conference Finals:

New Orleans doesn't have the depth to their roster that LA does. It will be fun to watch, but I don't think it will be all that challenging for the Lakers to win in 6.

NBA Finals:

I am still picking Cleveland over the Lakers. It'll be a battle, but Lebron is for real and so are the Cavs. Cleveland in 7. Kobe will yet again be asked to describe how Shaq's butt tastes.

Hall of Fame Bound

It was announced today that Jerry Sloan and John Stockton will be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame. It's fitting that both of them will receive this honor at the same time since Stockton spent his whole career under Sloan and they both enjoyed success in part because of one another.
Stockton was one of the greatest point guards to play the game. He still holds the records for most assists and most steals all time. He also holds the NBA record for the most seasons and consecutive games played with one team, leading the Jazz for nearly 20 years. He was a ten time all-star and won two gold medals.
Sloan still coaches for the Jazz and is the fourth most-winning coach in NBA history. He coached the Jazz to 16 straight playoffs and to the NBA finals twice. But even when his two star players, Stockton and Malone retired Sloan stayed with the franchise and nearly coached a team everyone thought would be at the bottom of the standings to the playoffs. Although the team missed the playoffs the next two years, he took a new group of players to the conference finals in 2007. The Jazz have again reached the playoffs this season under his leadership and are always considered a dangerous and well disciplined team.
These are two quality guys who were committed to winning and playing the right way and it was a pleasure to grow up watching them.
I am sure that the third member of the historic Utah Jazz team of the past, Karl Malone, will join them shortly.

"Student Loan Nightmare: Help Wanted" Article

I read this article on CNN and I had a severe reaction to it. Read it over and then read my response. Agree or disagree? I understand her plight, but at the end of the day she chose this path and had to have known that it would be difficult/impossible to pay for it. Where is the line drawn? The system needs reform of course, but come on, $115,000 in debt.?What the hell was she doing exactly to incur that much?

Clearly the loan system is predatory and takes advantage of students. The interest rates are incredible. But then again, she chose an extremely expensive school and didn’t think about how she was going to pay anything back until she got out. Sorry, you should know that you’re not going to make a lot of money right away by going into the television industry. Any 18 year old who is smart enough to get into college should know that.Why didn’t she try and get scholarship money. Why didn’t she attend a less expensive school. Why didn’t she work while attending school?It is possible to go to college without getting that far into debt. The loan system is flawed but so are tuition prices. It’s insane that colleges charge as much as they do. It’s classicism at it’s worst. But both systems are unlikely to change anytime soon. That’s why as a student (consumer) you have to be smart and do everything you can to avoid crippling debt. If you were smart enough to get into a private school in New York you should have been smart enough to know you couldn’t afford it, or at least smart enough to know that you would have $115,000 in debt that you’d need to pay off. Take some responsibility.

Graduate School or: How I Learned to Worry About Everything and Love Holding Music

Since I was accepted to ASU I have been working diligently to try and set myself up as best I can for my future. So far Kaiti and I have been able to avoid any debt. No school loans, no car loans; we've lived within our means. In fact, we've managed to scrounge away as much money as we possibly can while still paying for her undergraduate degree and all our living expenses. We've been fairly successful. But that is all about to change. Being a non-resident who's been smart with money is essentially like putting a big target on your back and giving your prospective grad school a gun. They think you should blow all of your savings and income in order to attend (financial responsibility is something they frown upon). Based off the last tax year Kaiti and I are expected to be able to contribute $18,000 toward grad school...Seriously? Forget that we're moving down there and both have to find new jobs. Forget that in order to establish residency we can't accept ANY help from our family. No, those aren't important factors. Besides, what's $18,000? Oh right, A LOT OF MONEY that no one except the wealthy could produce.
So I am going to have them review my financial needs once again (yay, another financial form to fill out) and pray that they decide to send a little more my way. Then Kaiti and I are going to have to take out loans (keep fingers crossed that they are subsidized) and hope that in a year I will have met the requirements to be classified as an in state resident so I can petition them to change my status. Because apparently registering to vote in Arizona, paying Arizona state taxes and making a home there doesn't qualify you for residency. You have to supply bank records to make sure that no one has been helping you in any possible way. What's that? Your parents want to make sure you don't go into debt? Too bad, unless you want to pay out of state tuition forever. It's a ridiculous system and it seems almost predatory. To top it off every time I try to call the financial aid office I am put on hold for nearly 30 minutes and honestly with the money I am going to pay in tuition you'd that think they could get more than one song to play. Then when I am finally put through to an "expert" it turns out to be an undergraduate work study that has no idea how the system works. Helpful.
Oh well. I'm jumping through all the hoops and come August 24th I'll be starting a Master's program. Who knows if we'll have the money for me to finish it...we'll see. College tuition is out of control.

Movie Premiere

Last night was the much anticipated (at least by me) premiere of the VA security video I worked on a few months ago. It turned out great and is now on its way across the country. The executive producer and director rented out Brewvies for the cast, crew and others to see it before it was distributed and I snapped this photo outside the theatre. It's pretty cool to see something you helped make up on a marquee like that, even if it is a retro Flash Gordon information security video.

Updated Predictions for the 09 NBA Playoffs

It's been nearly 2 months since I posted my predictions for the 09 NBA playoffs. Now that the season has about a month and a half left it's time to look back and see how I did and give my predictions a little update. Let's start off with the east.

8. New Jersey - Call me stubborn, but I'm sticking with them. Yes, they are still ranked in 10th in the east, but they only trail by a half game and the two teams in front of them aren't exactly a lock. Milwaukee is still dealing with injuries and I don't know if they have enough to hold onto the last playoff spot. Although, I thought they would have fallen off a long time ago when Redd went out for the season. Chicago has even less of a chance in opinion. I just don't like this team. Rose is great, but Deng is still injured and I just don't like the team's roster. I would be surprised if they actually made the playoffs in front of New Jersey, Milwaukee or Charlotte. Speaking of Charlotte, I actually had a tough time not choosing them for the final spot. They've been playing very well recently and could stun everyone by grabbing the last playoff berth. Still, I had New Jersey in my last predictions and I am not ready to change my mind. They have good guard play and a great center in Lopez.

7. Philadelphia - Again, I'm sticking with the team I had here before. Why? They aren't good enough to move much further ahead. Conceivably they could beat out Detroit for the 6th seed, but Detroit has been playing better lately. I think they'll stay at the seven spot and should be happy to do so given how bad the Brand signing seems to have been.

6. Detroit - Finally a change in my predictions. They've dropped from a 4 seed to a 6 seed. While they are playing much better now that Iverson isn't starting (or playing due to injury) they aren't going to catch the teams ahead of them. They've turned a corner that might pay off in the playoffs, but I think they're stuck where they are in the playoff position.

5. Miami - The team isn't that good. Beasley has been sort of a disappointment given the hype he had coming into the league, and I, like everyone, have trouble remembering who even plays on this team. So why are they getting the 5th seed? Dwayne Wade. Simple as that. He could even pull off lifting this team to the 4th spot.

4. Atlanta - This team can be either explosive and exciting or utterly disappointing. They go back and forth, but I see them holding off The Miami Wade's a little bit longer. In the playoffs it'll be a different story.

3. Boston - Yes, I know, I am shocked to have them down here too. But given their injury problems I don't really know if they can hold off Orlando fro them 2 spot and I don't anyone could catch Cleveland. Besides, they need to think about the playoffs and give Allen and Pierce some more rest which might mean they cough up their current position to Orlando if it means their team is better prepared for the real work in the post season.

2. Orlando - I am surprised they were able to hang on after losing all-star Nelson. But the trade for Alston was genius. Dwight, Lewis and Turk are going to keep this team rolling and I think they'll overtake Boston.

1. Cleveland - LBJ will not let them give up the top spot. They're thinking about who has home court in the finals (they are after all 28-1 there). That will push them to the best record in the east at least.

On to the playoff game predictions:

First Round:

Cleveland will destroy New Jersey, or whoever gets the 8th spot. I will barely be a competition. But, the match up at point guard would be fun to watch at least with Williams and Harris playing against each other.

Orlando will beat Philly, but not as easily as one would think. Philly plays with a lot of energy and surprised everyone last year when they almost knocked out Detroit. But eventually Dwight will take over and Orlando will win in 6.

Boston and Detroit will fight an epic battle just like they did a year before. Detroit is dangerous now that they are playing their brand of ball and Boston's bench will struggle. Boston better hope they are healthy by the start of the playoffs, because it will be a dog fight. But, if the big three are ready to go Boston will take it in 7.

Dwayne Wade will do what he did in the finals a few years ago and almost single handedly win the series. Atlanta for all intents and purposes should beat the Heat, but I question their consistency and Wade will take advantage of it. I guess the other Miami players will play as well, but it will be the Wade show and Atlanta will self combust. Heat in 6 or 7.

Second Round:

In one of the greatest matchups in playoff history LBJ and Wade will duel each other and put on a show. Each one will try and one-up the other, but the difference is Lebron will have a team to back him up. Wade won't. Not to mention Cleveland will have the home court advantage. That kills any chance for Miami. Cleveland will win in 5 or 6.

Boston and Orlando will duke it out and depending on how tired the big three are it might go in the Magic's favor. But never question the heart of a champion, so I have to go with Boston barely edging out Orlando in 7 games. Their experience might trump everything Orlando seems to have going for them.

Conference Finals:

Boston will be too tired and the Cavs will be too good. Cleveland will end the back to back championship hopes of the Celtics by winning in 7 games. Home court will again be a deciding factor.

On to the west.

8. Okay, I admit it, I was a little off in my predictions in the west, and so let me try again. Dallas will get the 8th seed. Phoenix has not chance to get back into the playoff race at this point. Dallas could even get the 7th seed seeing as how Denver is doing what they always do, choking in the final, most important stretch of the season. But, it's not like Dallas has been that great. They are a very flawed team and unless Denver gives up the 7th spot, Dallas certainly isn't going to earn it.

7. Denver - Like I said, they haven't been doing too well lately. I don' think they'll lose this spot to Dallas, but they only have a half game lead so it's definitely possible.

6. New Orleans - Too inconsistent. They have the potential to be the second or third best team in the west, but only Chris Paul comes to play every night. The teams are so close in the west the Hornets could be anywhere from a 7 seed to a 3 seed. So I picked a happy medium.

5. Portland - I don't think they can win their division, but with Roy and the gang all playing hard they're going to be in the thick of things.

4. Utah - I want to put Utah in the 3 spot, but Houston has been too good and the Jazz are terrible on the road. I don't think they'll get higher than a 4 seed. But, last time I said they'd be a 7 seed (or maybe out of the playoffs all together) and they went on a tear, so maybe if I say they'll be a four seed they'll somehow get the 2 spot. Not likely though.

3. Houston - They are so much better without T-Mac it's not even funny. Well it is a little bit funny. I am surprised they have done this well. I look at their roster and besides Yao and Artest I'm not all that impressed, but they play good team ball and I think they'll hold onto the 3 spot, and possibly take over the 2 spot.

2. San Antonio - They seem to be stumbling a little at the end here, but who am I to question Duncan, Parker and Pop. If Manu comes back they'll be fine. I don't think they would fall much further than the 3rd seed.

1. LA Lakers - They are the best in the west without question. Even without Bynum. I don't think they are soft as they were last year either. But, what's going to happen with Bynum? Is he going to come back? How will that change them? Nothing is going to stop them from winning the west, but those are all good questions when you consider how they'll do in the playoffs.

First Round:

LA will impose its will on Dallas pretty comfortable, the Mavs will be lucky to win one game. They're simply outclassed. Lakers in 4 or 5.

San Antonio will handle Denver pretty easily as long as the original big three play well. Denver was impressive through most of the year, but seem to be out of gas. If the Nuggets regain their swagger it might be competitive, but the Spurs aren't going out in the first round. Spurs in 6.

Houston and New Orleans will be an interesting series. I've been a doubter of Houston all season, but they are an impressive team. Ron Ron may be crazy, but he can play and I think Yao would be difficult for the Hornets to handle. But, CP3 is one of the best in the league and even if his team doesn't play to their potential he will and that's enough to deny Yao moving beyond the first round yet again. Hornets in 6.

Utah and Portland will be an exciting series. Both teams leave everything out on the floor. But Portland's inexperience will end up costing them. Utah has been there before and Williams is always dynamite in the playoffs. While it will be a good match up, Utah will eventually win out. Plus, it's hard for opposing teams to win in Salt Lake City. Jazz in 6 or 7.

Second Round:

The Lakers are too tough, especially in places where the Jazz aren't. They have the best shooting guard in the league and if Bynum is back a much better center. The Jazz will put up more of a fight than they did last year, but it won't be enough. The Jazz have trouble on the road and are unlikely to change that tendency when they go to the staples center. LA will take it in 6.

Last time these two teams met in the post season it seemed like the Hornets were going to win the series, only to have San Antonio stun them. It won't happen again. The Hornets will have a tough time, but will eventually prevail. CP3 is that good. Hornets in 7.

Conference Finals:

No one can beat LA, at least not out west. They'll have a better team, home court advantage, and more experience in the post-season. Sure, San Antonio had all that, but the Lakers also have a much deeper bench and are far more athletic. The Lakers will cruise in 5 games to the NBA finals.

NBA FINALS:

I may have changed how they got there, but the two teams facing each other for the title will be Cleveland and LA. And guess what? I'm sticking with my prediction that Cleveland will win. Mo Williams is the Scottie Pippen LBJ needed to become the next Jordan. The Lakers will be overconfident coming off of their domination in the west and the Cavs will pounce. It'll be a hotly contested series and home court advantage may be the deciding factor, but I give the edge to Cleveland.

Old People = Worthless

I read this story and I couldn't help but hear all the elderly people who have told me that they are still productive members of society. For those of you who don't want to go the BBC link, allow me to summarize. This ancient curmudgeon thinks she can get out of jury duty just because she is 108 years old. Listen lady, I don't know how they do things in England, but here in America that's a sacred right that only young people can avoid for phony reasons. Tell me, what exactly is this 108 year old lady doing all day that keeps her from going to sit in a court room for a couple of hours? Huh? Heaven forbid we interrupt her busy life of crocheting and watching the British equivalent of Matlock. What, it's too much activity for her? Last time I checked jury duty didn't require you to run or perform feets of strength.

Arizona State Here I come!

Well, it's finally official. I logged on to check my status earlier today and found this waiting for me.
So, now I just have to figure out how I'm going to pay tuition....yikes.

Celebrity Zombie Holocaust Game: Part 1

This weekend, Justin, Tennille, Kaiti, Austin and myself came up with perhaps the greatest game known to man. Allow me to give you the premise.
Let's say there was a horrible zombie holocaust and you're stuck choosing between two celebrities to help you survive. Which one do you pick? Any justification is valid, but has to be thoroughly explained.

Today's celebrities are...

Crispin Glover (Back to the Future, The Doors, Willard)

or

Justin Long ( Accepted, Mac commercials, Live Free or Die Hard)

My pick is Crispin. He's flat out crazy and his connections to rats would come in handy in a pinch. Plus, I'd get to say "Hey McFly" all the time and he'd be okay with it. He's a little long in the tooth compared to Justin Long, but is better built and I would have no problem sacrificing him to zombies if the need arose. Besides, I have a feeling Justin Long would be kind of a whiny sidekick. Just a hunch. Comments? Suggestions?

The Palin Family: The Gift the Keeps on Giving

It's good to see that poor speaking skills run in the family. Some people want to see the Plain family out of the daily news. Frankly, that would be robbing the world of some of the most delightful hillbilly antics since the cancellation of the Beverly Hillbilly's.

"And so finally, my best friend just, like, blurted it out. And it was just, like -- I don't even remember it because it was just, like, something I don't want to remember."
-Bristol Palin

"I'd love to [be] an advocate to prevent teen pregnancy because it's not, like, a situation that you would want to strive for, I guess."
-Bristol Palin

(by the way, the origin of her name is based on Sarah being a big fan of Sports Center and that's the name of the city that ESPN has its headquarters. Look, I like Sports Center too, but I am not about to go name my kid Scott Van Pelt Brockmyer.)

Presidents Day Brew

As some of you may know, I recently took up brewing my own beer as a hobby. Today, I started brewing a new recipe, Blueberry Irish Stout. I took a can of blueberry's in light syrup, puréed them and mixed them with the Irish stout mix. According to my calculations this should yield 2 liters of 4.7% beer. It should be fully ready, bottled and carbonated on March 12th

It's Time to Stop Complaining and Actually Change

I've got something to get off of my chest. I am really tired of hearing people complain about the new presidential administration. Obama has been the President for less than a month and already people are complaining. He's not working fast enough, he's being too nice to republicans, he's not being bipartisan, he hasn't changed anything. Are you serious? Really, America, really? We have the worst president in modern history for the last eight years and it takes everyone 7 years before they start to complain about him. But, we expect this new guy to fix it in less than a month? I'm sorry, I'm not buying it.
Obama was very straightforward from the get go that transformation would not happen overnight. I guess he probably should have said it won't happen over a month either. The country's problems are multiple and all of them are extremely complicated. He has to walk a fine line between courting bipartisan support while also doing the things that he believes are necessary to get this country back on track, namely following more democratic principals. He's not going to please everyone, but he can't just write off the republicans. Clearly he has to be moderate.
We can all agree, this country is in big trouble. Everyday more and more jobs are lost, the housing market is pretty much dead, the deficit is unbelievable, our reliance on oil is inexcusable, we have two ongoing wars, and the planet is warming causing more and more natural catastrophes. These problems will take years, if not decades to solve (or in many cases simply adjust to). The 90's are over. The early 00's are over. The world has changed and this country must change with it. We cannot assume that we can do so quickly. It will take time, patience and resolve, but more than that it will take unity. The country has to unite. And like it or not Obama is the leader of this country. If we are truly going to change this country's direction we have to unite behind him. But, we cannot simply think that it's Obama's job to change everything. We need to understand that WE have to change things. Yes, Obama is a figure of change and I don't doubt that he will do everything he can to change this country. But, the American people need to understand we have a role in this. Our role is far more significant in creating this change than Obama's. We can't just sit back and continue to complain. The government now supports change, but the people it represents have to do the work. So instead of complaining think about what you can do to help facilitate these necissary transformations; stop being divisive and unhelpful and think about what you can do for your country.
This nation has missed out on 8 years of world changes because the last administration refused to believe that the country needed any modifications. If nothing else Obama has already done more than they did in those 8 years; he's acknowledged this need and has asked the American people to join him in helping us catch up with the rest of the world and become a leader once more. The first step is to stop complaining and do something.

There was a pretty awesome sunset last night and I hadn't taken any pictures recently. So I got out the old Cannon and took a few. Enjoy. 

Fantasy Basketball Team

Recently, Kaiti's brothers invited me to join their fantasy basketball league. I've been trying to think of a good name and of course awesome team colors for my newly formed team. I want something classic yet corny. Here are a few of the ones I have come up with. (note: Goodyear is where Kaiti and I are moving to).

-The Goodyear Beer Baron’s - Team colors: Two shades of white and golden brown.
-The Goodyear Gorillas - Team colors: Green, and golden yellow.
-The Goodyear God Warriors - White, gold, and black.
-Dick's Bird Serpents - Blue, orange, and black.
-The U.S. Grants - Union blue and gold.
-Goodyear Pillagers - Purple and white.
-Richard's Mighty Spaniels - Brown and white.
-Goodyear Gingerbread Men - Golden brown, white, and red.

That's all I have. If you prefer one over another let me know. Go ahead and suggest some too.

My Favorite Movies of 2008

Okay, admittedly I did not get out to the theaters all that much during 2008. I was after all planning a wedding, moving, holding my first legitimate job, traveling etc. That being said, of the movies I saw this year I have compiled a list of my favorite movies.

10. The Happening - Once a year there is inevitably a movie that comes along where you literally have to stop and say, "My god, that was actually made." This year, that film was 'The Happening'. This movie goes far beyond bad. It's like a perfect storm of awful. Clichéd and horrible writing don't even begin to tell the whole convoluted story. The stale acting is so bad it's almost breathtaking. So you may ask why I would put it on this list. Well, honestly, no other movie made me laugh quite as much as this one did.

9. Quantum of Solace - James Bond is back in this action-packed 2008 flick. If you're looking for high art and a deep, thought provoking plot, you've come to the wrong place. Why would you be looking for those things in a Bond movie in the first place? If you want an enjoyable popcorn movie with great action sequences, sharp dialogue and an awesome opening credit sequence, than this is the movie for you.

8. Harold - To be honest, I didn't even know this movie existed until it wound up on Netflix instant watch. But, it's an enjoyable off color comedy that deserves a chance. While I'm not really a fan of Spencer Breslin, his depiction of an outcast teen with early onset male-pattern baldness is hilarious.

7. Yes Man - This movie was a total surprise to me. I went in expecting nothing more than your average Jim Carey comedy, but I ended up really enjoying it. Sure, it's a premise movie. But, it manages to keep the premise fresh and funny. Most of the characters are pretty likeable as well. But, perhaps the best part of this movie is that it's not heavy handed. Most of Carey's most recent work feels the need to hammer home a lesson you already know. While this one certainly has a moral, the screen writer didn't feel the need to beat you over the head with sappy dialogue for the last quarter of the movie. While it certainly has its flaws, it's one you should check out.

6. Pineapple Express - If you didn't like '40 Year Old Virgin' or 'Half-Baked' this one probably isn't for you. In this hilarious take on buddy action movies Seth Rogan and James Franco are at the top of their game as two social rejects that learn to embrace their friendship (and weed). Sure, it’s sophomoric and unsophisticated, but I don't pretend to be anything but that myself.

5. Tropic Thunder - Clearly 2008 was the year of the comedy. Again, this is a flawed movie. It had tremendous potential and only reached it on occasion. However, it is still a success in my book. Rank with satire this movie holds nothing sacred and is an enjoyable way to spend an evening. While some of the actors fall flat (Jack Black) Stiller and Robert Downey Jr. are flawless. The opening fake trailers alone earned it a spot on my favorite list.

4. Iron Man - I'm no fan of the Iron Man comics. I'd much rather read Spiderman or the X-Men. But this movie was awesome. Why? Robert Downey Jr. Yes, the special effects are cool and the plot is pretty good as far as super hero movies go, but the movie reaches another level because of its lead actor. His playful portrayal of playboy Tony Stark is beyond charismatic and almost iconic. I can't remember ever liking a character that much.

3. Quarantine - Everyone knows I am a sucker for zombie movies. I like them all, no matter how bad they are. But a zombie movie that also happens to be good? I'm all over it. Essentially an American duplicate of the Spanish film [REC] this movie ratchets up in intensity with each passing second. It's a roller coaster ride from start to finish. Normally I dislike the handheld 'Cloverfield' type of camera work, but in this film it works. If you're looking for a good horror film, look no further. This is a must watch.

2. W. - Oliver Stone's bio pic of the 43rd President is wonderful. In a sense he goes out of his way to give George W. Bush a fair trial in regards to his failed presidency. He paints him as a tragic figure, unaware of reality and blindly following those around him while trying to trace his path to such a high office. However, what's truly remarkable about this film are its performances. Josh Brolin captures Bush and his mannerisms perfectly while the supporting cast not only looks their roles but nail the characters. Oliver Stone may have been too soft on Bush, but it's still an intriguing glimpse at the man who is about to leave office after nearly destroying this country.

1. The Dark Knight - This movie surpasses its genre. It's far more than a superhero film and much more than an action film. It's technically flawless and benefits from the wonderful performances of Christian Bale and the late Heath Ledger. It tackles philosophical and political questions such as terrorism, domestic surveillance and hope and it is nothing short of a modern masterpiece that will keep you entertained despite its long run time.

Honorable mentions: Hamlet 2, Forgetting Sarah Marshall

(Note: I didn't put Frost/Nixon on this list because it didn't come out until December 25th. That qualifies it for 2009).

Predictions for the 09 NBA Playoffs

The 2008/2009 NBA season is almost half way over. So I thought I’d try and predict which teams will make it into the playoffs and where they will be seeded. Let’s start off with the Easter Conference.

8. New Jersey – Yes, right now they’re 7th in the east, but I think Philadelphia will end up ahead of them, thus knocking them to the 8th spot. Milwaukee will be right there with them, but the way Devin Harris and Brooke Lopez are playing I think they’ll still make the playoffs.

7. Philadelphia – They will knock NJ out of the 7th spot, but won’t go much higher than that. I think it’d be hard to catch up with teams ahead of them considering they will still need adjustment once Elton Brand is back in the lineup.

6. Miami – Dwayne Wade can only carry you so far and the 6th spot is pretty damn far. Michael Beasley will improve and they may get some more help if they end up trading Marion before the deadline, hopefully in the form of a big.

5. Atlanta – It’s Atlanta, I’m sorry, I just can’t see them any higher than this despite how well they played the first half of the season. I don’t know if Mike Bibby can keep playing at this level, but they definitely have enough to get the 5th or possibly 4th spot.

4. Detroit – Okay, I’ll admit, I don’t know what to think of this team. They could go on a tear given how much talent they have and still catch up to the 3rd spot. But they just look lost out there. They have no identity after trading Chauncey and the chemistry is definitely not what it should be. But, when you have Rip, Iverson, Sheed, and Stuckey I don’t think you can slip too far. They won’t go far in the playoffs, but I think it’s safe to say they’ll be the 4th or 5th spot.

3. Orlando – This is a great team. Unfortunately for them there are two better teams ahead of them. I expect them to keep rolling, but Boston has already caught up and Cleveland will stay ahead of them.

2. Boston – They have struggled mightily the last few weeks and they definitely don’t have the same swagger they once did. Their bench is a big issue and I think they’re going to have to make a deal before the trade deadline. But, they still have KG, Paul and Allen. They’re going to be okay. Besides, they’ve shown they can put a gigantic run together if they need to. But I think Cleveland will still squeak out with the number 1 spot.

1. Cleveland – At the beginning of this season I was a huge doubter of this team. I thought adding Mo was a good move, but didn’t make this team that much better. Boy was I wrong. James is playing out of his mind (thankfully I picked him up in my fantasy league). They’re playing good defense and are unbeatable at home. King James will carry them to the number one spot; he simply wants it more than the Celtics do.

I expect the conference playoffs to go a little something like this:

First Round:
Cleveland will easily beat the 8th seed Nets, probably in a sweep or at the most 5 games.

Boston will take care of Philly in 5 or 6 games.

Orlando will have some trouble stopping Wade and Miami but will win in 7.

Atlanta will beat Detroit in 6 games and the Pistons reign will end.

Second Round:

Cleveland will stick it to Atlanta in probably 5 or 6 games. There is no way they can contain LBJ.

Boston will barely beat Orlando in a game 7. It will be a match up for the ages because Dwight Howard will be a beast.

Conference Finals:

Boston got the best of Cleveland last time, but James won’t let it happen again. He’s powered his team to the finals before and will do it again. The big three will tired of eliminating the Magic and won’t have enough left in the tank for Cleveland. It won’t hurt to have the home court advantage either. Cleveland will win in 6.

Now let’s move on to the Western Conference.

8. Houston – This is a tough choice, because I think Dallas has a shot at this spot too. But, I give the edge to Houston because if they get their team back from injuries they are much better than Dallas this year. That said, if T-Mac doesn’t come back well along with Artest they’re sunk. And if Yao goes down again, they can kiss the playoffs, and probably this roster goodbye.

7. Utah – The Jazz, like the Rockets have had plenty of injuries. In fact they haven’t had the roster they thought they would this entire season. But, they’ll continue to play well at home and win just enough to remain afloat until Boozer comes back after the All-Star break. They won’t catch up with anyone, but they’ll solidify their 7th seed spot and hope they can do damage in the playoffs. Again, if they continue to be plagued by injures, they too could be out of the playoffs.

6. Phoenix – Like Detroit, this team is a shell of its former self. But, with a resurgent Shaq and growing chemistry I think they’ll stay around the 6th seed. Nash has clearly lost a step, but is still one of the best point guards out there. Amare has been in a bit of a funk as of late, but I think he’ll start getting more shots once the chemistry comes together a bit more. I loved the Jason Richardson trade because he can put up points quickly and he shoots the three very effectively. While they aren’t what they used to be, they are flat out better and/or healthier than the teams behind them.

5. Portland – They have a lot of youth, so I don’t see them getting higher than a 5th seed. In fact they might even drop behind the Suns as the season progresses. But, I don’t think they end up missing the playoffs this year. They have strong coaching and a good leader in Brandon Roy. Aldridge is underrated and Oden and the other young guys should continue to progress.

4. New Orleans – Chris Paul is amazing, but the rest of his team? They’re mediocre, aside from West. Chandler is having a terrible season and while Posey is a great clutch guy and wonderful defender, they need a legitimate third option. They seem to lack the passion they had last year, maybe it’s because they’re waiting for the playoffs.

3. San Antonio Spurs– At the beginning of the season it looked like age had finally caught up with this team. Now, it looks like they’re ready for another championship run. Signing Roger Mason this last off-season was huge. The guy is great in clutch situations and compliments the team perfectly. Having him allows Manu to come off of the bench which is a huge asset for the Spurs. Duncan is still one of the most dominant players in the league and Tony Parker is a seasoned point guard who makes good decisions and can flat out score. They need help at center, but they’ve got enough to get the 2nd or 3rd seed.

2. Denver Nuggets– What a surprise Denver has been. They looked like they were going nowhere. They traded Camby and Iverson and I assumed they had thrown in the towel. But, Chauncey has been phenomenal. He’s given that team the leadership they’ve needed since Melo was drafted and has turned that team around. Nene is playing well and when Carmelo returns from his injury they’re going to be even tougher to beat. In my opinion they have the Northwest division all but wrapped up given that Utah and Portland are still struggling with injuries. They’ll be fighting with the Spurs for the 2nd seed and I’m giving them the edge because of the Billups factor.

1. LA Lakers – They’ve been like a steamroller this season. Their length can’t be matched by anyone and Kobe has been playing very well. No one in the west has the depth they do and I think the leadership of Fisher and Kobe will keep this team focused on locking up the number 1 spot.

I expect the conference playoffs to go a little something like this:

First Round:

LA will dismantle Houston even if they have their whole roster back from injury. The Lakers have too many ways to score and will have the benefit of having played together for longer. They take it in 5.

The Jazz take the Nuggets to the brink of elimination, but not having home court is the deciding factor. The Nuggets win in 7.

Once again it’s San Antonio and Phoenix. Unfortunately for the Suns, the outcome is the same once more. In will be a dog fight but the Spurs win it in 7.

In the playoffs biggest surprise the Blazers beat the Hornets. Paul will be dynamite, but the young guns of Portland will edge them out in 7 games.

Second Round:

No surprise here, the Lakers beat the Blazers handily in 5 or 6 games. The Lakers have too much and Portland is too inexperienced.

The Nuggets and San Antonio will slug it out for 6 games, but San Antonio will ultimately come out victorious. Roger Mason will continue to impress and the original big three, Parker, Ginobli, and Duncan will advance to the conference finals.

Conference Finals:

This will go seven games. Neither team will give an inch. But, LA will get to the finals for the second year in a row in a thrilling game 7. San Antonio simply won’t be able to contain Kobe and will get beat by their lack of size.

Now for the NBA Finals!

Cleveland will take on the Lakers in what will become a classic series. Lebron vs. Kobe. While the Lakers have the better team, the Cavs have the best player. My initial thought is to give it to the Lakers, but I just don’t see James getting to this stage again and not winning a championship. Somehow, some way, Lebron James will finally bring a championship to Cleveland after a duel with Kobe in game 7.

Top Ten Favorite Video Games

A few weeks ago I discovered that some original Xbox games were available for download via Xbox live. I immediately found one of my all time favorite games and have been playing it as much as possible since. So, I've decided to compile a list of my top ten favorites ala Rob Gordon (John Cusack, in High Fidelity).

10. Contra (1988) - The game is simple, shoot people/aliens/robots. But there was something beautiful in the simplicity of this game that allowed me and my former roommate, Scott, to play it for hours at a time. In fact, he once beat it three times in a row without dying a single time. I myself only beat it once, thanks in large part to Scott's awesome play. Truly great multiplayer games on the 8-bit Nintendo are hard to find, and this was simply the best one. Several sequels followed on other platforms, but the original NES version can never be topped.

9. Sims City 4 (2003) - Not many games lead you to learn more about an actual career (unless you plan on shooting aliens, travel through time, or play professional sports), but the Sim City series did just that. My love for city planning came from playing this series, but there is no denying that Sim City 4 is the pinnacle of greatness. The graphics finally did the game play justice and the idea of having a huge region with multiple interconnecting cities was a genius stroke. It was hard, but not impossible, providing the perfect challenge for the average gamer. And when you saw your little cities grow into a giant metropolis you felt an overwhelming sense of pride that no other game can give you.

8. The Sims (2000) - I know, two Sim games in a row. But, hear me out. These games couldn't be more different. One allowed you to build a complex city while the other allowed you to create hilarious scenarios like "What would happen if Jesus, a laid back messy hippie, and Satan, an uptight clean cut businessman, lived together?" I'll tell you what happened, gaming magic! I don't think I ever played this game the way it was meant to be played. I never really cared about advancing my characters careers or proving them with a lifetime of balance and happiness. Instead my friend Mark and I discovered a way for one character to kill off the entire neighborhood by luring them into a pool with no exit. Or seeing how long you could ignore a baby before it would be taken away by child welfare. Sure, I think back on it now and realize I probably needed some serious physiological help, but the game allowed complete freedom. My friends and I spent hours designing houses, creating disgusting looking characters and coming up with ridiculous premises ("What if Einstein lived with Nat King Cole"). Such a great game certainly deserves a spot on my favorites list.

7. Blade Runner (1997) - Far too often when a company makes a game based off of a movie they end up ruining it. They try to follow the storyline of the movie exactly or end up adding pieces to make it more exciting. Neither method works. I've already seen the movie; I don't need to see it again. And no, I don't remember the part in Batman where everyone on the street had a gun for some reason. Blade Runner on the other hand got it right. Set in the same awesome environment as the movie you take control of another detective, not Harrison Ford himself. You are even working a different case. While your case occasionally crosses paths with Decker’s, you spend most of your time tracking down your own renegade replicants. As a point and click game you don't have as much control, but that doesn't hinder the game play. Based on how you interact with characters and the choices you make there are 13 different endings, making it one of the best games to play over and over again. Are you a replicant? Are you human? Let your actions decide. Just like the movie, I can play this game and catch something new every time. Not a lot of games can boast that kind of experience. Plus it doesn't hurt that one of the lines of dialogue is "Your breath stinks, did you wipe your ass with your teeth?"

6. Mortal Kombat (1992) - I vividly remember when this game came out because my mom and dad both said that me and my brother couldn't play it. About a week later my brother bought it for the Sega Genesis on the condition that we could only play it with no blood. Back then you had to put in a special code in order to see any graphic events (yes, hitting people is fine as long as long as they don't bleed). That constraint lasted all of four days and suddenly my once outraged father was there beside us taking part in the severe beating of 16 bit characters. While the game was nothing more than a basic fighter, it ended up bringing my family together. Barriers were broken and my parents discovered that just because we saw imaginary violence, we weren't going to become serial killers. Oh, and knocking people into a pit of spikes is one of the coolest things in the world, not going to lie.

5. Rise of Nations (2003) - Have you ever drafted a formal declaration of war for an RTS video game? Sadly, I have. While I'm not proud of it, it certainly shows how intense my friends and I played this game. That same night, half of the fifth floor of Hayes-Healy on the USF campus was doing battle against one another. After two and half hours of hard fought game play I destroyed the world by launching yet another nuclear weapon. If I wasn’t going to win, no one was. For any history nerd, this game was like pure cocaine. Once you were hooked you couldn't stop. This game combined concepts from the Civilization series with the game play of Star Craft. You not only built massive armies, but advance your civilization through government, technology and world wonders; and you didn't have to do it turn by turn.

4. GoldenEye (1997) - Nothing solidified my friendships in junior high quite like GoldenEye. Every day after school I could count at least two people coming over to play it with me. Sure, it may have led to my obesity at the time, but damn it, that game was awesome. It became the easiest way to solve problems with one another and bond as friends (no pun intended). "Slappers only" became an acceptable way to vent ones aggression and as pubescent boys we had a lot of aggression. Not only was the game play fun, but at the time it was the most graphically rich game I had ever seen. I remember thinking to myself, "It will never get more realistic than this." While I may have been wrong about that, I wasn't wrong in thinking that this was one of the best games ever made...as long as no one plays as Oddjob, that's cheating!


3. Left 4 Dead (2008) - Zombies. What, that's not enough of an explanation for you? Okay, how about this, ZOMBIES! Seriously though, this game took my favorite genre of horror movie and finally did it justice. There was no garbage plot like "Resident Evil" and no time limit like with "Dead Rising". When you have zombies, you really don't need that much. This game is simply amazing. It adapts to how well your team is doing and has several different kinds of zombies; all terrifying. The best part, however, is the emphasis on team work. If you ditch out on your fellow survivors (or Zombies) it's not just likely that you'll get trounced, it's a certainty. You are rewarded for working together. And, as I've already alluded to, you can play as the ferocious undead. While I enjoy a plot driven game as much as the next guy when it comes to zombies all I need to know is where they are and how fast I need to run.

2. Half-Life/ Team Fortress (1998) - In my opinion this is the ultimate first-person shooter. The train ride at the beginning sets you up for an almost cinematic experience. This is the first game where I actually felt like I was playing a movie. Granted, its plot is a little thin and doesn't make much sense, but somehow you are immersed in its universe. The game play is great, with puzzles thrown in-between fire fights and alien attacks. It's gory, funny, and action packed, with a surprisingly cool soundtrack. But perhaps the best part is that it came packaged with an online game called Team Fortress which to this day is the best multiplayer game. I'm not talking about the new version. Yeah, that one is good and all, but the original? Forget about it. It was a pioneer. It definitely had the best multiplayer maps of all time, including "The Rock" based off of Alcatraz and the once popular Nicholas Cage movie. Now every time I play an online multiplayer game I immediately compare it to Team Fortress and I have yet to see one measure up. These games revolutionized the gaming industry.

1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004) - This may surprise most people, but I stand by number one pick. It's far superior to the Grand Theft Auto Three and as much as I enjoy the 80's campyness that is Vice City, I have special love of the early 90's. This game captures that era perfectly, right down to the curly mullet. It also has a great soundtrack and the best plot of the series. As well as the finest voice acting of any game. Samuel L. Jackson as a crooked cop -yes please. Unlike GTA IV, it doesn't take itself too seriously and allows for a much more imaginative experience. You can take Carl to the gym to get him ripped or to a burger joint to get him fat. Want him to have a stupid haircut? Sure, why not. You can take him to the courts for a little basketball, or just ride around the hood committing burglaries and drive-bys. You aren't restricted to just one city either, instead you can take your mischief out of LA and into San Francisco and Las Vegas with each city having its own unique landscape, missions, and culture. You can use cars, motorcycles, boats, helicopters, jets, or even jetpacks to get around while the hilarious gangsta' dialogue keeps you in stitches. Yes, it's offensive and over the top, but I like games where I can escape reality while still poking fun at it. San Andreas has given me and my friends hours and hours of entertainment and leaves me with sense of nostalgia for both the early 90's as well as when I first bought the game nearly five years ago.