NBA Playoff Time (NFL Take a Break)

The NBA Playoffs is about to start tomorrow and I am more excited about the storylines in this playoffs than I was last year. The storylines that I find most interesting deal mostly with adversity and redemption, so without further or due here are my top storylines for the 2012 NBA playoffs.

5. Will the Spurs be able to overcome their age and win the west? Although the Spurs on average are a young team, their three headed monster is getting up there in age. And this just might be there last run at a title.

4. Will the suspension of Ron Artest cost the Lakers a title shot? With Ron Artest unleashing the elbow heard around the world that resulted in a six game playoff suspension, the timing could not be worst for the Lakers. The harm in this suspension is that it causes a ton of uneccesary adjustments to the Lakers rotation that can be problematic in the future.

3. Can Derrick Rose carry the city of Chicago to their first championship since "His Airness?"
It seems as if D. Rose has so much weight from the city of Chicago to bring them their first title since the late 90's. Will he be able to get past a myriad of Big 3's or will fatigue set in by the time the conference finals rolls around.

2. Can the stars of the Thunder coexist to reach the ultimate goal of winning a title? The Thunder co-stars are both great scorers. However, this dynamic has proved to hurt the Thunder at times. What will Skip say if the Thunder don't go all the way?

1. Will Lebron James rise or fall? With LBJ's collapse in the NBA finals last year, the entire playoffs is centered around what goes down in Miami. If LBJ fails to win a title the mainstream media and all of America will not be kind to LBJ.

Stay tuned to the NBA playoffs because it's senseless to watch NFL coverage when they aren't playing any games.

NCAA Tournament

With the start of the NCAA tournament we often get wrapped up in upsets and our brackets. However, one thing that we often overlook is how widespread the talent has been throughout all of college basketball. 15-20 years ago the best teams were rooted in having a depth of talent that overwhelmed smaller schools. But the reason why the talent pool has been so widespread lately can be defined on how coaches use to define talent versus how they currently define talent.

In the past, talent was defined by having the biggest and most physically gifted athletes on a team and then maybe surrounding that core group of gifted athletes with a few shooters. In our current version of college basketball coaches have taken the small school approach to evaluating talent; and that's by seeking the most skilled players at their position and a players athleticism is a secondary attribute.

As a result, high school players have shifted their attention from dunks and block shots to ball handling and footwork. And this has given the game an appearance of talent being more widespread but I just think that the way talent has been viewed has changed thus evening out the playing field.

Throw it down Big Fella! Throw it Down!

One of the most exhilirating feelings for a basketball player is dunking on someone. Conversely one of the most humbling feelings is getting dunked on by someone. And if you have played long enough you have been on both ends of the equation. Recently I went to LA Fitness and I got the opportunity to play a 21 (Hustle) against some of the guys at the gym. As the game got more competitive one of the guys started talking trash with me, so much so that he had his brother record the game cause he believed he would have a hightlight of me on film. Little did he know what would happen next. Take a look.

Top 5 Dunks in The 2011 NBA Playoffs

Wow this playoff season has appeared to be a post season filled with players making new posters. My top 5 dunks are based on how loud I screamed when I initially saw the dunk. Rating the dunks for the spots are as followed:

# 5 Impressive but I think I could do that.
# 4 Ok he showed me something there.
# 3 Whoa
# 2 Arghhhhhhhh did he just do that?
# 1 Screaming like a school girl cause that was the best dunk this season!

Without further or do here are the dunks:

# 5: D-Rose over Joel Anthony

# 4: Kobe Dunks over Emeka Okafor

# 3: UD over D-Rose

# 2: Taj Gibson Tip Dunk on 3 guys

# 1: Kevin Durant over Brendan Haywood

Read em' and weep.

NBA Finals Prediction

Alright now we have arrived to the 2011 NBA finals and now we are left with two teams that bring a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals with the Dallas Mavericks vs. the Miami Heat. It's easy to see how these two teams made it to the NBA Finals this season. Although these teams both had up and down seasons they were both able to get through the season with decent record. More importantly these two teams were able to get better every month of the season. Both teams also have very deep teams that make stopping their offensive output difficult for any team. The funniest thing for me this playoff season was when all the analyst were picking Portland to beat Dallas. Not realizing that the Dallas Mavericks had Jason Kidd on their team.,who in my opinion is a bonafide winner (although he has never won an NBA title). 

With that said I think that this Final Matchup should be a good one because it is a battle of full court flare vs. half court execution; a deep bench vs. a dynamic starting crew. A lot has been said about the Mavericks motivation for being the reason why they will win the championship. A lot has been said about the Heat's dominance in the playoffs as the reason why they will win. In my humble opinion, I believe that the Miami Heat will ultimately win the title despite The Mavericks extra motivation to win the title. Why? Because I just believe that the Miami Heat's defense is going to shut down the Dallas Maverick's bench. I also think that the Heat will give Jason Terry a hard time on both ends of the court (especially if they match Chalmers on him). As far as Dirk is concerned I don't see the Heat stopping him. However, I believe that they will be able to stop him in pivotal situations that will ultimately lead to the Dallas Mavericks demise.

When it all comes down to it although Dallas may have a deeper team, they do not have multiple players that they can turn to when it is time to close the game. It's as simple as a street ball game the team with the best two or three players that can change the outcome of the game usually wins.

Miami Heat in 6.

NBA Playoffs Predictions: Round 1

In the next 3 months the NBA playoffs will be taking over the airwaves and our lives. The NBA Playoffs in my opinion is by far the best post season among the four major professional sports in America. As far as the playoffs are concerned I believe that this year is a pretty wide open year and I don't see it being as predictable as it was the past 2-3 years. Without further or do these are my predictions for the first round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs.

Starting out with the east. In the 1 vs. 8 matchup the Chicago Bulls are taking on the Indiana Pacers. With this matchup I think Derrick Rose and company are just too much for the Pacers. I do think the Pacers will take 2 games and expose some of the weaknesses that are being overlooked with the Chicago Bulls because of the well deserved love for Derrick Rose. At the 4 vs. 5 matchup I think the Orlando Magic will beat the Atlanta Hawks in 7 games. I just think that Dwight Howard will be too much for the anemic post players on the Atlanta Hawks roster. The 3 vs. 6 matchup is probably going to be the best playoff series this postseason where the Knicks take on the Celtics. Despite the Celtics recent troubles I think they will have enough to  beat the Knicks in 6 or 7 games, but mark my words this will be the series that everyone is going to be talking about this postseason. Last but not least is the 2 vs. 7 matchup where the Miami Heat will take on the Philadelphia 76ers. I honestly like the 76ers as a team. However, I'm not sure about Andre Iguodala's ability to carry the 76ers past the big 3 of the Heat. I got the Heat in 5 games.

Now for the Western Conference. In the 1 vs. 8 matchup the Spurs in my opinion will defeat the Grizzlies in 5 games. I just think that the Spurs bench is too deep for the Grizzlies and there offensive output will overbear the Grizzlies in a 7 game series. At the 4 vs. 5 matchup I like OKC over the Nuggets. I think Kevin Durant is going to have a break out postseason (I'm going to leave it at that cause I got a couple surprise picks in the next round). At the 3 vs. 6 matchup a lot of people are picking Portland to win the series. However, I'm going to go the other way and choose the Mavericks. I just think that Jason Kidd and Dirk will be able to carry the Mavs over the young Portland team in a 7 game series. For the 2 vs. 7 matchup I think the Lakers roll over the Hornets in 5 games. The Hornets will miss David West and I think the Lakers bigs are just too much for the Hornets. 

All in all, I don't really see any opportunities for upsets in the first round, however I do believe the majority of the upsets will take place in the second round. Stay tuned and enjoy the nights at the bars and the playoff parties and if you're lucky enough enjoy the games at the arena.

Time to Say Hail Mary.

I officially started going back to MAS this week and as usual the experience has been rather eye opening. So much has changed since I left three months ago. The alter is still the same and the private sanctuaries remained the same. However, there were some differences in the hallways and it seems that there are some new members that I don't recognize. Whatever the case it felt good to be back and attending MAS. Thus far I have taken three classes. Sound bites which has been a cool class in that we are learning how to refine our audio skills for video purposes. Another class I'm taking is portfolio development, this is the make or break class because MAS students must have an exceptional portfolio before graduating MAS. The other class that I had taken thus far was a brand called you. This class seems as if it will be helpful in the long run and especially helpful in getting the first job in advertising. I am hoping that this quarter at Miami Ad School (MAS) will be equally as effective as my previous quarter.

I will add that I am getting a nice consistent dose of basketball on a weekly basis. Just having the opportunity to make someone else a better player always seems to make my day.

One cool thing I want to share is this audio track that we had to listen to during our Sound Bites class and it's kind of cool. When you listen to this track close your eyes and be sure to have headphones in your ears. I think it's awesome but you be the judge.

Man In The Mirror

As I take a look at the man in the mirror what do I see? Right now I see a pretty skinny dude as a result of many factors that can be attributed to being away for some time. When I think about not being able to eat mom's cooking or going to LA Fitness to get my workout on, I have no choice but to think that I am shell of my former self. With that said, this week has been my first week back in the gym lifting weights. As I start benching 135 lbs. I begin to think to myself "wow this is heavy" and it was at this point I had come to the realization that I have become a weak boy. I will add that although I have been banished from the strong man's club, it felt good to be back in the gym and see the stereotypical people at the gym. What stereotypical people am I talking about (don't front like you are unaware of who i'm talking about).

The first type of person I miss at the gym is the guy who spends his whole workout on  his chest and arms and is deficient in all other body parts. I'm aware that a man's chest is a key selling point for most men but it isn't the only body part that women like, women also for some reason or another like butts. The next stereotypical person is the lady who spends her whole workout on the treadmill, stair master, and elliptical. I don't know how these ladies do it, because they look like they just aren't enjoying themselves. Seeing these people brought a smile to my face because it let me know that I'll get my strength back some time in the near future.

For all the people who are looking to add spice to their workout take a look at these two workouts and give one of them a shot. A little variety never hurts.

Back in the 305

Well it's good to be back in Miami, I have to say that I missed this city a lot. When I got back here I was kind of disorientated. It was the longest period of time I ever went without driving a car and admittedly so, I was rather scared. I totally forgot how to look out for cars in my mirrors and all I could remember is that I was definitely moving faster than any bike I used in Amsterdam. Coming back to the states has its benefits and its detractors. For instance, a benefit to being back in Miami is that everything is so cheap. However, an equal detractor is that the price to fill up a tank of gas is roughly the price of a prostitute in Amsterdam (which is 50 Euros or $70). Another benefit is that I can leisurely step outside with barely any clothes on (weather is great here by the way). However, the detractor to great weather in Miami is that mosquitos are out on the prowl ready and willing to suck the lifeline that runs through my veins. With that said, I'm happy to be here as I have access to a gym and a basketball at all times. As a result, my withdrawal symptoms are rather low because I am able to get high on the sound of the ball going through the net again.

One thing I wanted to add before I end this post is that I watched a very captivating and eye opening documentary on one of my flights to Miami. The name of the documentary is Inside Job and in this documentary it goes into great detail as to how we arrived to the 2007-2008 recession. If you got time I highly recommend you watch this documentary (whether you are American or not because the recession was global) because it will have you saying a myriad of expletives at the screen. Here's a trailer of the film.

Last Blog Post in Amsterdam

This is my final post from Amsterdam and I am returning back to America. I will still be a displaced basketball fiend in the sense that I will always be in search for my daily fix with basketball. I hope that you all have enjoyed my stories in Amsterdam and the insights that I have provided. The next time I post I will be in Miami. Aside from that I will leave you guys and gals with three posters that signified my trip.

Last Day At The Agency

When I came into this experience (this European Experience) I have to say that I didn't know what to expect, but as the final day at the agency has come I am happy that I made the decision to come to Amsterdam and intern at One Big Agency. This experience has opened my eyes to all kinds of new things aside from advertising. Since being here I have gained a new appreciation for art and expression; my musical knowledge has increased (thanks to spotify); and more importantly I have gained new friendships and bonds that I can carry with me for the rest of my life. All in all, I believe that I needed this experience at a foreign country and a Dutch agency to grow and I thank everyone at the agency for the ride.

Taking The First Steps

Well (sigh) I have been away in Amsterdam for close to three months now, and I know I've missed out on a lot of stuff that has been going down in the States since I been here. Some notable things I missed thus far include: Charlie Sheen, the live reactions to the Miami Heat, and anything Obama. However, one of the most notable things that I missed since I have been here is my niece taking her first steps (tear). I had a conversation with her (more like a threat) and I told her if you walk before I get back then I will have to give you a spanking. Needless to say she paid me no attention. This kind of reminds me of the time when I took my first steps, except for the fact that I was bit more fluid in my strides and I didn't fall but she's doing good for now. If you haven't seen her walking yet here's the video. I think I'm going to cry tears of joy as I'm spanking her for betraying me.

What's Wrong with The Heat?

Apparently everyone has an opinion on what's wrong with the Miami Heat amid this 5 game losing steak, so I figure I give my thoughts. In my opinion the Heat's problem right now can be found under one word and that's rotation. The Heat rotation has appeared to be in flux over this entire season. From a distance it appears that Coach Spoelstra is still trying to find the right combination of players that can come off the bench and produce on a nightly basis and with injuries it has been a challenge. However, I do want to take a deeper look at three different positions in particular that have seen probably the most fluctuation. They are the center, the point guard, and the shooting guard positions.

Starting with the center position lets look at Erik Dampier (ED) and Zydrunas Ilgauskus (ZI). In my eyes ED has been getting more minutes of late over ZI and the stats back my opinion. In the last 4 games ZI has averaged 8 mins. a game, whereas ED has averaged 20 mins. a game and if you are looking for points don't turn to ED cause he will only give the Heat 2 points a game win or lose. Whereas, ZI will give the Heat 5 points in wins and 4 points in losses. Not to mention that when ZI plays more minutes the Heat win more. Now for the point guard position when the Heat acquired Mike Bibby he naturally took minutes from Mario Chalmers. Is Bibby producing? No. Bibby is playing 20 mins. a game in the last 4 ganes and is giving the Heat a ginormous 3 points a game. Whereas, Chalmers in those same games is at 27.5 mins. a game and is giving the Heat 8.5 points a game.

Last but not least the shooting guard position. Now I have nothing against Mike Miller but he just isn't hitting open jumpers and not nearly as consistent as James Jones. Although Mike Miller is an overall better player than James Jones, for whatever reason Mike Miller just has not been doing what the Heat signed him to do and that's make open 3-point baskets. In the last 4 games Mike Miller has averaged 28 mins. a game and is only providing 5 points a game. I think Mike Miller can do better than that. All the while James Jones minutes have declined to 6 mins. a game in the past 4 games (does he even get a chance to sweat). I just remember earlier in the season JJ was a little more consistent in hitting open 3 point baskets than Miller has been throughout this season.

In conclusion, I think the Heat ultimately have to get their rotation in check before they can seriously contend and I didn't think Arroyo was the problem (he actually made shots unlike Bibby). There is a lot of blame to go around for the losses but it is extremely difficult to win games in the NBA with a Bench that isn't producing. Check out this video its a funny take on the Heat recent lamentations and woes. Please don't kill me Heat Fans

Thanking God

Wow it's been 10 weeks since I took on this journey to Amsterdam and I didn't know what to expect but I have grown a lot these past few weeks both in age and in faith. But, I really want to use this post to thank God for sustaining me through these weeks when I have been out of my comfort zone. I would love to take the credit and say that I am the cause for my success but I can't. Through every trial that I experienced while being here, God has been working through me and pushing me to go further and he gave me courage when I was afraid. I understand that I can't speak for everyone but for me I am grateful that I have God as my provider. Have a blessed day.

The Art of Soccer

Europeans favorite sport is by far and away football (Americans call it soccer) and I have grown to appreciate the art of soccer as I have gotten older. Soccer has a strong combination of the two major American sports. On the football side of things (American football that is) soccer has all the strategy that American football has. In soccer when two teams are playing they don't just go out and try to score a goal they fight and battle over field position and the two teams are also making sure that their defense and offense are aligned in the appropriate manner. Does that sound familiar yet? Soccer also has the artistry and finesse that is associated with basketball in that great footwork and great offense can always beat great defense. Not to mention that all the top scores in soccer get all the women (sounds like basketball). Lastly the anticipation of a scored goal and the celebration of a scored goal is comparable to a touchdown in that they are both rare in both games and their is a sense of jubilation for the home crowd. When you think about it most soccer games end in a 3-2 score this is equivalent to a 21-14 score in the NFL which happens more times than not. Either way I really wanted to show you guys and gals this video of one of the greatest goals i've seen in my lifetime and I want you to notice is the artistry that is involved with this goal. First you'll see the great pass then the connection between the passer and receiver and then the score (this connection is equal to an alley hoop or a long touchdown pass). More importantly, the final level artistry can be found when the scorer celebrates the goal which in my mind is a priceless celebration. You be the judge.

Missing Lifting Weights and You Know What

Alright let me apologize in advance because i'm starting to get an itch again and I just gotta scratch it in some form or fashion and this helps. My current mindset is positive, in that I am enjoying Amsterdam very much and it did snow earlier this week (which was my first time seeing snow). However, I am missing the enjoyment I get from working out and pushing myself to new levels. I'm anxious to see how my body will respond after my first day back in the gym. I would do push ups but they tend to bore me. Another thing i'm missing is The Game (not the show) and I long to play for about two hours and getting the opportunity to just get in the zone and play hard, but my time is coming soon and L.A. Fitness will feel my wrath. If you're reading this and you're wondering what this is about then we are in the same boat cause i'm just venting. Check out the snow and if you haven't seen Blake Griffin then enjoy him dunking on the Knicks.

Day 3 In Paris

Not much got done on our last day in Paris but I will say this; It has been a while since I have brought up anything having to do with basketball in my last few posts. However, I am proud to say that I am bringing the basketball back because, like any true fiend I had to make visiting a basketball court a part of my itinerary for my time in Paris. This court was rated the number 1 court in Paris by Courts of the World and it's located in the George Carpentier sports complex. On a side note the court is located on a street named after the capital of Haiti (so that was a double bonus for me). I have to say that going to court and just taking in the atmosphere was a breath of fresh air for me for many reasons and I feel truly blessed to see that no matter how different we think we are, we are all tied or connected in the grand scheme of things.

Day 2 in Paris

Enjoy the wonderful sights of Paris on Day 2

Day 1 in Paris

I tried to post a video but maybe next time because it wouldn't upload. Either way the video was explaining that I would try to do less talking on the next few posts and more visuals so that y'all could see what i'm seeing and get a visual idea of my experience in Paris. 

My first meal in Paris was raw beef an fries. Tastes like salsa.

Popped Cherry

As my days in Amsterdam are coming down to an end I will say that I am constantly gaining a new appreciation for Amsterdam and Europe as I experience more and more of the culture. With that said, it's always fun when you can share your experience with someone else, and it's even better when that person is a virgin to the country as well. So without further or do I am proud to announce that I have witnessed the popping of Carl's cherry (as it relates to traveling to Europe) and I have to say it was amazing. Now Carl for those of you who don't know is a long time friend of mine and we go back since the fourth grade (crazy how time flies). Needless to say I am happy that I get to share this experience with my friend and i'm excited to see what adventures await us when we get to Paris this weekend. I will say that it's amazing how you can always learn new things about people (even people you've known your whole life) and what I've learned about Carl yesterday, is that he has a ridiculous sense of smell. I have to say that I was astonished. As we walked through the crowds in Amsterdam Carl's keen sense of smell could pick up the different types of cologne and perfume that men and women were flaunting on their totally fit bodies (never mind his uncanny ability to smell the weed in the air) all the while i'm oblivious to the scent of weed, perfumes, farts and the like. Even more amazing was his ability to tell me the brands that people were wearing. I felt ashamed because i'm just a tall blind guy with no sense of smell (don't cry for me Argentina). Either way i'm excited about the next few days that are to come and I look forward to Paris but, check this guy out styling and profiling in Amsterdam.