Friday, March 30, 2012

Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX: Season Five Kicks Off With Urgency On “Mad Men,” Plus R.I.P. To Iconic Bert Sugar



Love the Pete-Roger fight
Sally now sounds like Barry White
Megan Draper has something to hide
Though it isn’t her Canadian backside
“Mad Men” finally back ruling Sunday night

A memorable Sweet Sixteen ride
Some fans even choked up and cried
With three Burger Boys in place
Now hope has a new face
Pack has that dreaded “upside”

More racial controversy, oh goodie
A kid shot for wearing a hoody?
As Trayvon Martin lay dead
No time for he said, she said
Can’t let his murderer walk free, could we?

Too-short “Walking Dead” finale fun
Finally left the farm when overrun
If surprises are what you craves
How about a chick with two armless slaves?
Rick now has attitude, prison and gun

For the sweet science a tough year,
Lost so many treasured and dear
Bert Sugar is the latest to pass
A true character of boxing, alas
A cigar raised to you, plus a beer

Last time

Thursday, March 29, 2012

“Catching Fire” Rides On The Momentum Of “Hunger Games,” But Lacks The Urgency Of First Book



After racing through “Hunger Games,” I pretty much had to move directly to Suzanne Collins’s next installment, “Catching Fire.” The opening scenes depict Katniss struggling to adjust to her new role and life as a victor.

“I mourn my old life here. We barely scraped by, but I knew where I fit in, I knew what my place was in the tightly interwoven fabric that was our life.”

As the embers of uprisings begin to glow in certain districts, the story jumps rather quickly and suddenly from this development to another reaping. In the lead-up to the Games, I found myself wondering why the champion tributes didn’t take the next logical step of defiance and band together to refuse participation in the Games.

“ … even if all of us meet terrible ends, something happened on that stage tonight that can’t be undone. We victors staged our own uprising, and maybe, just maybe, the Capitol won’t be able to contain this one.”

Also, a plot that was revealed later on in the story made it easier to make sense out of other developments that took place during the Games.

One of the issues for me with this version of the Games was that I found it difficult to envision the geographical layout of the arena. The lack of smaller alliances, hunters and individual character development led to a lack of intensity and excitement surrounding this competition, though I was amused by envisioning a bunch of junkies (“morphlings”) running around in the jungle, wigging out.

Personally, I think it would have been a cooler plot twist if the forcefield were broken and then the remaining tributes all made a dash into what lay behind, forcing the Capitol to try to track them in the actual world without the benefit of a controlled environment.

There is purposely a lot of ambiguity about how Katniss truly feels about Peeta, but the point is that she wants to decide her future for herself—not have it dictated to her by the Capital. Though she’s loved by both Peeta and Gale, Katniss is mostly dead inside, and thus incapable of returning those loves, a point that Collins works hard to convince us of. It’s apparent that she associates Gale with safety and life, while Peeta symbolizes danger and death. Unfortunately, she is given the ultimatum of being forced to marry Peeta to quell the revolution, or risk having her family and everyone she knows killed.

At times, Katniss’s stubbornness and inability/unwillingness to see the larger reality of the rebellion becomes frustrating; to me, it took her too long to understand the sacrifices and get over her selfishness. Gale completely embraces the rebellion, while Peeta mostly stands around hoping Katniss eventually notices him again. Finally, Katniss sees the light, realizing that she must “become” the Mockingjay in order to make the rebellion truly meaningful and worthwhile.

Collins continues with a great concept for a story, maximizing the fast and easy read. Her themes of girl power and fight the power propel the book naturally, but the searing intensity and drama of the first book are dramatically diminished this time around. Yet the sinister final line of Book Two -- “Katniss, there is no District Twelve” -- serves to bridge the final gap in the trilogy, and once you’ve come this far, it’s too difficult not to immediately move to the last installment.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXIX: Furious Week In The NFL, Plus Sean Payton Will Have More Time To Hit The Pills


Denver ditched Tebow for Peyton
Now the experts are Tebow hatin’
A new pain in Manning’s neck
Is fans who will give him heck
If Manning starts Tebowin’, he’s Satan

A long-term plan no one’s seen
Fail after fail ‘til it’s just mean
Now the ‘Fins are a laughingstock
Plummeting like a bad stock
Wasn’t this embarrassed when we were 1-15

Leprachauns and clovers on this date
A Guinness or three a day late
During March Madness
We toast Irish sadness
Then resume our post-holiday hate

Tebow hits the Big Apple, yo
Kind of the anti-Broadway Joe
As Sanchez throws 10-yard turds
Can Jesus save Ryan’s F words?
“Tebow, wash my feet ... real slow”

Goodell cracked down from the sky
Players were kinda like, “Why?”
Bounties result in suspensions, you see
Try to hurt intentionally and pay a fee
Did we learn nothing from Johnny and Cobra Kai?

Last time

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Deep Thoughts By No-Look McFadden: Episode 53



#1
A "Fringe" ode to Walter Bishop, perhaps my favorite character on television now and for quite a while.

#2
Doppleganger update: So John Tortorella, coach of the New York Rangers, is a dead-ringer for Harry Ellis of “Diehard” (played by Hart Bochner). *Insert yippee ki yay joke here*

#3
As a nice change of pace, an unbelievably cool story about a blind surfer kid in Brazil. True vindication for the belief that biorhythms can sync with those of Mother Nature's.

#4
Pluto has a message for NASA. Also, kind of for NASA’s Mom as well.

#5
Apparently, the Thesaurus never really had a shot opportunity chance.



#6
Wideout Hines Ward retired from the Pittsburgh Steelers the other day. A fiercely competitive, gutty and clutch player, to be sure, but I think all of the Hall of Fame talk surrounding him is misguided. Sure, the longevity is certainly there, but was there ever a time where you’d consider among the top 10 or so receivers in the league?

#7
This comic summarizing the outdoor music festival experience is missing a few key frames, I think. But I guess it depends on your age ...

#8
Few things go together better than crack and fire? Well, except for maybe whiskey and guns, of course! Just ask Jayson Williams.

#9
It was hard to watch Lehigh big man Gabe Knutson without being reminded of two-time Final Four darling and Butler standout Matt Howard, in terms of style of play and general peskiness.

#10
This long-ish but insane view of space shuttle footage is simply one of the most purely incredible things I’ve ever seen.

Monday, March 19, 2012

When Icebergs Attack ...



Important safety tip: Don't steer your boat too close to an exploding iceberg. It almost cost these nervously giggling tourists.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVIII: The Wolfpack’s Back In The Dance, Plus Cheater Hill Finally Hears Punishment



Things were looking kinda bleak
Before the celebration reached its peak
The Pack is dancing again
11th seed, but can still win
Helps the relevance State does seek

An amazing job by Julianne Moore
Depicting a crazed political whore
Her impression of Sarah Palin
Is what everyone’s hailin’
Even Tina Fey is asking for more

More arrests than touchdowns
Drops, whines and meltdowns
Now he’s off to the Bears
Thin, his act always wears
And soon he’ll run out of new towns

The GOP has collectively farted
A fool and his vote soon parted
Tune out the gollee hicks
Already tired of politics
And spring only just freaking started

Sanctions for UNC Cheat
Now hear the Wal-Mart fans bleat
Verifying the Carolina Way
Is to cheat each and every day
Can the new coach avoid a repeat?

Last time

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Deep Thoughts By No-Look McFadden: Episode 52



#1
I definitely feel like I need more real-time, every-shot coverage of all the times when Tiger Woods finishes 37th in a tournament.

#2
Alternately cool and terrifying: pups playing underwater.

#3
My least-favorite part of college hoops is flopping. I can’t quite recall when trying to run and jump in front of another player so you can then fall down became confused with “good defense,” but it’s out of control. My high school coach once told me you can’t play defense from your arse, and I think that still applies.

#4
So I recently noticed that the woman (Rondi Reed) who plays Mike’s abrasive mother on “Mike & Molly” also had a bit part as one of Jerry’s neighbors in the “Kiss Hello” episode of “Seinfeld.”

#5
One of the leaders of the avalanche of semi-literate, douchebag athletes-turned-broadcasters is Shannon Secretariat Sharpe. As if offering no cogent, original thoughts pertaining to his own sport weren’t bad enough, he thought he’d bring his ignorance to an entirely new arena with this completely erroneous college basketball report. Way to be!



#6
Dopplegangers of the Week? Deandre Jordan of the L.A. Clippers and “Ghostbusters” actor Ernie Hudson.

#7
Is the Millennium Falcon lying at the bottom of the Baltic Sea? I really want to think so.

#8
Duke leads the nation in George Michael beards. Also, alum/announcer Mike Gminski wears a creepy hoop earring. I’m not sayin’ those things are related, I’m ... just sayin’.

#9
I’m astonished to say “The Office” is finding its stride in a post-Michael Scott world. Some surprisingly hilarious episodes this season.

#10
Three straight Jeremy Lin-related covers, SI? C’mon, you’re better than that. I thought.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

“2012”: Lots Of Stuff Burned, Broke, Fell And Sank, And Then There Were Pull-Ups



“Everybody out there has died in vain if we start our future with an act of cruelty.”

With the year itself pouncing on us somewhat unexpectedly, I figured it was high time to check out the calamity flick “2012.” Fueled by an angsty John Cusack, I found it to be an undeniably gripping disaster film, with insane special effects. It’s also almost interminably long at nearly three hours, but the emotional aspects of the movie serve to keep you engaged.

In a validation of a Mayan civilization that didn’t get a ton right, the opening scene of the movie couldn’t be more ominous. The causation involved solar flares and neutrinos and shifting crust—all a bit hard to follow—but it was easy enough to see that chaos ensued, in the form of a cracking-apart Earth.

The movie (which includes elements of the underrated Starz series “Torchwood”) hinges on a rather large global conspiracy, which one might think would be somewhat difficult to keep quiet, but you can file that under many suspensions of disbelief in this one. As an unabashed Danny Glover fan, it was good to see him as Prez long before Obama gave the office a run, and it was cool as well to see cast members from both “Fringe” (Ryan McDonald) and the “Big C” (Oliver Platt).

Woody Harrelson (playing himself, I’m almost sure) also made a memorable appearance as a tin-foil-hat-wearing, RV-living, conspiracy-broadcasting hermit type ... and this is actually how I envision Woody “The Hempster” Harrelson living his life now.

Director Roland Emmerich managed to create a riveting flick, but toward the end it purports itself to be a movie about human nature and a morality play. But really, how seriously can you take a film that has “No more Pull-Ups. Nice.” as the last words? In the end, “2012” is best when it just sticks to what it is: a special-effects vehicle and nothing more.


Friday, March 09, 2012

Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVII: Braun Ain’t Quite Vindicated, Plus Annoying Carl Ruins Everything



‘Roids masked by meds and creams
Off on a technicality, it seems
A cheater, everyone hates
But the MVP, off Braun skates
Any wonder baseball comes apart at seams?

A bounty scandal ain’t for the faints
The game’s integrity it taints
He’s always been a tweaker
Now Payton’s kind of a cheater
He and Gregg Williams hurting the Saints

Brick on brick is stacked
A campus along a train track
A school that’s second to none
Knowledge mixed with culture and fun
Happy 125th to State’s Pack

The media, he’d been banning
Now more paparazzi than Dakota Fanning
Copters track him on South Beach
Praying he ain’t a washed-up reach
Buyer beware when it comes to Manning

Randall storyline my pet peeve
Especially with his last-minute reprieve
Dale died amidst gore and snarl
Thanks to that little bitch Carl
Time for our band to pick up and leave

Last time

Thursday, March 08, 2012

ACC (*yawn*) Tournament Time in Hotlanta!



Normally, I spend too much a good amount of time previewing and predicting the ACC Tournament, as you can see from voluminous efforts from 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011. This year, though, due to the brutal state of the league, I didn’t have the energy or inclination to offer much more than a cursory look at the tourney.

Anyway, what follows is the meager effort that’s the fruit of disappointment and malaise ...

THURSDAY, MARCH 8

Noon, #8 Maryland vs. #9 Wake Forest
Summary: Both teams are playing better of late (yes, even *gulp* Wake), but Mark Turgeon’s Terps have the upper hand in talent and will outlast the Deacs in a game that will serve as a fittingly brutal kickoff to a tournament that has lost so much luster.
Winner: Maryland

2 p.m., #5 NC State vs. #12 Boston College
Summary: The Pack is kicking itself for pissing away opportunities to have played itself into a first-day bye, so there is a chance that State will play lackluster against a bad-but-scrappy Eagles squad. However, Mark Gottfried will offer gentle reminders of the motivation that being on the bubble needs to bring, and the Wolfpack will pull away in the second half. Somewhere, Tom O'Brien snickers into a Black & Tan.
Winner: NC State

7 p.m., #7 Clemson vs. #10 Virginia Tech
Summary: The Hokies gave poor effort in the regular-season finale vs. State, and Seth Greenberg appears to be presiding over a team that simply can’t wait for the season to come to quietly conclude. The Tigers have been on the wrong end of many close losses, but Brad Brownell has pieced together a serviceable rotation -- at least serviceable enough to mercifully close out Virginia Tech’s campaign. Sheerly out of habit, Greenberg immediately begins drunk-dialing the NCAA Selection Committee to lobby for his Hokies.
Winner: Clemson

9 p.m., #6 Miami vs. #11 Georgia Tech
Summary: The Hurricanes have played surprisingly well for Jim Larranaga, and the Jackets are in a bit of a shambles after some key departures throughout an up-and-down year. Will playing in front of the home folks inspire Brian Gregory’s squad? For a while it will, but Tech is still a year away from making noise in the ACC. The ‘Canes’ bubble status will be enough to carry them past the Yellow Jackets, in easy enough fashion that Reggie Johnson casually destroys the media buffet at halftime.
Winner: Miami


FRIDAY, MARCH 9

Noon, #1 UNC vs. #8 Maryland
Summary: Turgeon will have his bunch more than primed to play his former mentor, Roy Williams, but the bottom line is the Terrapins just don’t have enough firepower to hang with the Heels—even when UNC plays disinterested ball for 25 minutes or so. This one will be over in plenty of time for Ol’ Roy to root on Kansas in the Big 12 tourney.
Winner: UNC

2 p.m., #4 Virginia vs. #5 NC State
Summary: The Pack booted away a chance to knock off the Cavaliers earlier in the year, and with a tourney bid potentially resting on this game for both teams, it should be a barnburner. Both teams lack depth, but State has a little more to call on, and it would be difficult to expect Sammy Zeglinski to duplicate his lights-out showing from the first meeting. The Wolfpack goes 3-16 from the free-throw line, but still takes a big step toward earning a Big Dance berth by pulling out a close one in the tourney’s first “upset.” Unfortunately, the event is marred by Karl Hess throwing Todd Fuller out of the ACC Legends brunch earlier.
Winner: NC State

7 p.m., #2 Duke vs. #7 Clemson
Summary: The Blue Devils are going to miss injured Ryan Kelly, but the Tigers don’t have the make-up to take advantage of Duke’s holes. The lack of a true point guard can hurt the Dookies against teams with good backcourts, but Clemson is more of a grind-it-out squad. Despite the customary 14 fouls committed by Tyler Thornton, the Devils have more than enough to hold off Brownell’s bunch here.
Winner: Duke

9 p.m., #3 Florida State vs. #6 Miami
Summary: One of my least-favorite features of the expanded ACC Tournament is the late game on Friday, which features a team playing its first game when the tourney is essentially already half over. However, the Seminoles don’t let it hurt them, as they regain their stride and end Miami’s NCAA Tournament hopes with a comfortable victory. But hey, go Frank Haith, right?
Winner: Florida State


SATURDAY, MARCH 10

1 p.m., #1 UNC vs. #5 NC State
Summary: In their second matchup, State uncovered the formula needed to beat the Heels: double down in the post and force the UNC guards to knock down perimeter shots. Unfortunately for the Pack, they didn’t rotate or close out well enough, and the Tar Heels, led by Kendall Marshall, nailed seemingly everything they took. The harsh reality for the Wolfpack is that UNC is a terrible matchup for them, and anything short of a Lakista McCuller game from someone like Alex Johnson is going to end badly for the Red and White. Roy likely won’t even need to do his weird gingerbread-man defensive-stance exhortation or pass out on the sideline.
Winner: UNC

3 p.m., #3 Florida State vs. #2 Duke
Summary: Expect the ‘Noles to pound the Blue Devils relentlessly on the interior in an effort to get the Plumlees in foul trouble. With Ryan Kelly sidelined, FSU should have even more success on the interior, and strong perimeter defense should be enough to outlast a team that relies on hitting a dozen three-pointers a game. Not even Austin Rivers’s four-step offensive shuffles will be enough to stop Florida State from getting everyone’s attention with a second victory over Duke this year.
Winner: Florida State


SUNDAY, MARCH 11

1 p.m., #1 UNC vs. #3 Florida State
Summary: The Seminoles’ destruction of the Tar Heels early in the year seemed to galvanize UNC, so this is a much-anticipated rematch. This time around, Florida State shouldn’t count on their guards going berserk from three-point range, but the stifling defense they play will get under the Heels’ skin. In an upset that will rock national pundits and reorganize brackets everywhere, the ‘Noles take home the tourney crown. Only this time, Roy will actually stick around to see the whole thing.
Champion: Florida State

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

“Hunger Games” Constructs a Compelling Tale About Preserving Individual Humanity in an Inhumane World



“As I slowly, thoroughly wash the makeup from my face and put my hair in its braid, I begin transforming back into myself. Katniss Everdeen. A girl who lives in the Seam. Hunts in the woods. Trades in the Hob. I stare in the mirror as I try to remember who I am and who I am not.”

It was hard for me not to notice the prevalence of “Hunger Games” fans around me (apparently, it’s a worldwide phenomenon or something), but I was pretty unfamiliar with the premise and wasn’t completely enthralled by the description of its writing as “for young adults.” However, I was urged to give the Suzanne Collins trilogy a try, and since you can make it through the books in a couple of days if necessary, I jumped right in. Adding to the (sort of) excitement was the fact that this would mark the first book I’ve read on a tablet of any kind.

My first impression was that the central theme mirrored a lot of aspects of human hunting for sport, as highlighted in Richard Bachman/Stephen Kings books “Running Man” and “The Long Walk,” as well as the Richard Connell short story “The Most Dangerous Game” (also called “Hounds of Zaroff”). There were even elements of “The Truman Show” and “1984,” with the constant surveillance and the “Big Brother” authority overhanging everything. Admittedly, these are more than worthy references and anchors on which to base your story.

Essentially, the plot envisions the remaking of the world (or just America?) after an environmental calamity, with a central Capitol controlling a dozen districts after an unsuccessful rebellion many years prior. As punishment for the rebellion, each district has to “reap” a boy and a girl to the “Hunger Games” every year. These “games” involve a survival competition, with the lone winner being the sole living child.

Our story dwells on Katniss, a young girl (although the initial description of her leads the reader to think she is a dude at first) who volunteers for the games to protect her sister, then unwittingly gets swept up in an alliance with Peeta, the boy from her district, and Haymitch, a former winner from her district who serves as her mentor. Katniss calls on the image of her sister, the not-so-subtly-named Prim; an unexpected ally, Rue; and her “friend,” Gale, a hunter-boyfriend type from back home who nicknames her “Catnip.” Hilarity Heart-breaking, gut-wrenching violence ensues.

The short, clipped sentences are a dead giveaway for a less-sophisticated audience, but they also serve to draw you into the story unbelievably quickly. I thought the book also did a pretty good job of intermixing some occasional, subtle humor. Choosing to tell the tale via a first-person narrative serves to immerse you in Katniss’s experiences, which can make it easy to forget that she’s just a young teenager -- until the awkward confusion about feelings interjects. Also, she’s grown up “not trusting anything so clean and pretty,” which permeates her perspective at every stage.

All the Greek names evoke ancient Athens, which inevitably lead to a connection to the Colisseum, where gladiators were killed for general amusement and entertainment (but not before leading quite the carnal life, if the “Spartacus” series is to be believed). As well, there was a fairly brilliant “Romeo and Juliet”-ish plot twist at the very end that I liked.




Of course, there were a number of plot turns or coincidences that were a bit too obvious or predictable, as well as some questions that popped up: With a wall of fire bearing down on you, why wouldn’t you jump into the lake? Why didn’t Catnip make the easy kill on Cato when the opportunity was there -- the game would’ve been over!? How do the cameras see into the rock hideout near the end? Why are Gamemakers actively seeking to kill participants -- wouldn’t one think that would be frowned upon by the spectators?

As a reader, your thoughts often turn to whether you think the audience/citizenry would be pissed over certain developments, until you remember that they are not the constituency; the spectators have to accept whatever is served to and imposed upon them. Thus, a lot of the queries could be chalked up to “He who has the power makes the rules,” so no worries there.

Eventually, Katniss begins to realize that the Capitol is seeking to erase her experiences by scrubbing away the pain and eradicating the scars that had accumulated over a hard-earned life; in so doing, they sought to take away the essence of who Catnip is. The omnipresence of Big Brother/Capitol makes it imperative to project a second, more connectable personality, which leads to a double life that can occasionally cast the participants into confusion. Throw in some subplots involving star-crossed lovers, the pursuit of determining the authenticity of feelings, and the constant battle to find out who is getting played and who is doing the playing, and you get the sense of what drives the “Hunger Games.”

In an exchange with Haymitch, Katniss analyzed the idea that the only tool a powerless citizenry has to defy the Capitol -- even in some small way -- is to save a small part of who you are only for yourself.

“They want to know about you, Katniss.”
“But I don’t want them to! They’re already taking my future! They can’t have the things that mattered to me in the past!” I say.


The central theme of questioning what is real and what isn’t carries the story nicely (although one part of the story was ruined by an over-anxious, well-meaning book critic), almost all the way to the finish. But unexpectedly, the tale ends with a clinical, abrupt ending, and for someone who believes each book -- even in a trilogy -- should stand on its own, I find that a bit lazy and off-putting.

Of course, that didn’t stop me from racing immediately to the next installment of the series ...

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

OMGThey'reTrikeDrifting



I find this alternately mesmerizing and terrifying. I could never get my Big Wheel to do this.

Friday, March 02, 2012

Limerick Friday LXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXVI: Leaping Into March, Plus Zombies Interrupt Cat Fights



As February slowly fades
Leap Day William trades
Candy for tears
So calm your fears
March Madness means bracket raids

Underwear Olympics, it’s called
By pundits both fat and bald
The NFL Combine is one test
Interviews and pro days are the rest
Then Draft Day finds Miami stalled

A secretary who “works” from home?
A rat dog allowed to office roam?
A company run by Brits
Can oft-times give you fits
That can’t be expressed in a poem

A season of promise slipped to rubble
Can State navigate the trouble?
A full season in every game
You know every ref’s name
Welcome to life on the bubble

A whole episode about ditching
A douche who’s always bitching
Rick gave Shane quite a beating
But couldn’t leave him to be eaten
Andrea ripped Lori a new one in the kitchen

Last time

Thursday, March 01, 2012

Deep Thoughts By No-Look McFadden: Episode 51



#1
The entire Jeremy Lin escapade has awkwardly skirted the lines of racism and political correctness. Some have landed on the racism side (Jason Whitlock) and others have paid on the P.C. side (ESPN.com editor fired for “chink in the armor” headline). The best headlines usually dance all over this line, and maybe the finest -- “Amasian,” by the New York Post -- somehow pulled it off without controversy ... no small feet feat.

#2
Speaking of political correctness, how come all the P.C. types conveniently overlook the “Fighting Irish”?

#3
Having trouble following the GOP “debates”? Why the fuck are you following the GOP debates?! Here’s a handy Republican decoder ring that’s a must-have for puzzling it all out.

#4
There’s no way West Virginia junior Deniz Kilicli isn’t at least 37 years old. He looks like he just walked off the set of “300” -- only back when the real Battle of Thermopylae actually took place.

#5
There are few better announcing voices out there right now than Ian Eagle.

#6
As something of a connoisseur of India pale ales, it takes quite a bit to blow me out of the water. But when I stumbled across the hyper-hoppy Stone Ruination IPA, that’s exactly what happened. This heavy-hitting brew from Stone Brewing Company in Escondido, Calif., just might be the best IPA I’ve ever had—and that’s certainly saying something.

#7
It’s never too late (or too early) to take a look back at 2011. Here’s an intriguing summary of the year ... told through Tweets.

#8
It’s interesting how paces and styles of play are over-criticized in basketball. If teams like Wisconsin and Virginia emphasize defense and ball control, how is that different from a program simply running a different scheme in football? There’s room for all styles in sports, and there are fans of street ball and fans of old-school, half-court hoops.

The maxim in boxing is “Styles make fights,” and it is often what happens when disparate styles match up -- and teams are forced to try to impose their system and will -- that make hoops games more interesting.

#9
It turns out wind shear can find beauty even in Alabama. As proof, here are some waves in the sky.

#10
The ESPN documentary project hit another one out of the park with the story of one-time hoops star Chris Herren. In the moving “Unguarded,” Herren’s descent into drug addiction is unflinchingly displayed, and it’s impossible to watch without thinking his wife should be nominated for sainthood. The seminal moment comes when Herren realized that he shaved in the shower for six years because he couldn’t look himself in the eye mirror. Powerful stuff.