Where In The World Is Ricky Rubio?

It’s more like…where will he end up?

After being drafted 5th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves, reports have now surfaced that Ricky Rubio may stay in Spain for another year, maybe two! Now he has offers from a Turkish club and Real Madrid; what the hell happened?

It sounds to me like young Ricky may be hiding out in order to hopefully force a trade to a different team, a team that he would prefer. I see it like this:

• Minnesota drafted Rubio with the fifth pick and then Johnny Flynn with the sixth pick, meaning two point guards in a row. Because I don’t believe that the T’Wolves’ GM is the Matt Millen of the NBA, I have to think that the T’Wolves were thinking of moving at least one of their draft picks. As much as they would like to keep Rubio, I think they may ship him to try and get what they can. Rubio is a pretty hot commodity at this point, especially to Donnie Walsh and the New York Knicks. And I would go out on a limb to say that if Rubio was traded to the Knicks, he wouldn’t be returning to Spain to even pack his bags. Although I can’t think of a trade deal that may take place between the Knicks and the T’Wolves, I would expect to see Rubio in orange and blue before the season starts.

….:::..the drama queen begins his reign….::::…

Loss of a Legend: ‘King of Pop’ Dead at 50

Thursday June 25th, 2009 marked an extremely sad day for millions of people across the world. Michael Jackson, “The King of Pop”, passed away at around 2:26 p.m.

People can say what they want about Michael Jackson and call him crazy, bizarre, and “Wacko Jacko”, but I happen to be on the other side. Michael Jackson had a troubled life since the day he was born. Abused as a child, both physically and mentally, Michael was stripped of any kind of childhood when he was forced to sing and entertain at age six.

In 1993 when allegations surfaced that Michael Jackson had given wine to a young boy and then sexually assaulted him, people began to change their outlook on Michael forever. The new allegations, in addition to his ever-transforming body, his pet chimp Bubbles, and close relationships with young children, had people turn against him almost immediately. At that point, many forgot about all of Michael Jackson’s important and generous contributions to the world. Michael Jackson donated more than $300 million to charity before it was considered “trendy”, which we see so much of today. He helped starving kids in Ethiopia, he donated millions of dollars to help find a cure for AIDS, he single-handedly pushed the “USA for Africa” campaign, and he served as an inspiration to people all over the globe.

Whether or not you respect Michael Jackson, support Michael Jackson, or believe him, there is no denying his talent and the mark he set on pop culture. And when you think about it, he left his mark on more than just that. Michael Jackson will forever be the foundation for all that is entertainment, whether it be his music, his dancing, his singing, his style, or his music videos.

Too often do we see horrible things happen to good people. The problem? Childhood may have a lot to do with it but I think it’s more about the ”leaches” that these successful people surround themselves with. Michael Jackson did not surround himself with good people and they literally sucked the life out of him. Michael Jackson himself once wrote, “Mother always told me, be careful who you love. And be careful of what you do, ’cause the lie becomes the truth”. Unfortunately, Michael Jackson himself didn’t live by his mother’s rules.

….:::..Michael Jackson performing “Billie Jean” at Motown 25…..::::…

Shaq Heads to Cleveland to Make One Last Run

Shaq may say that he has three years left but, if the Cavs win it in 2010, Shaq should retire on top.

With the recent pre-draft trade that sent Shaq to the Cavs and Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic to the Suns, the obvious explanation is that the Cavs want LeBron to stay and the Suns are waving the white flag.

Although I don’t feel like LeBron has any intentions of leaving Cleveland in the summer of 2010, Danny Ferry and the Cavs’ front office seem a little uneasy. As for the Suns and their white flag, it’s a sure sign that little Steve Kerr has the idea of rebuilding in his head. Recent rumors have suggested that the Suns are shopping Amare, but other rumored trades show that the Suns may hold onto Amare and add some pretty decent players. It’s all up in the air at this point and Steve Kerr is pretty unpredictable.

Some say that the addition of Shaq really doesn’t help the Cavs and it doesn’t increase their chances at a title. I beg to differ. Think back to the Eastern Conference Finals when the Cavs played the Magic. A guy like Shaq down low to put a body on Dwight Howard wouldn’t have helped? Of course the Magic now have Vince Carter which will cause other match-up problems, but don’t tell me Shaq doesn’t help.

My money was on the Cavs to win the NBA Finals in 2009 and they came up a bit short. Now, with the addition of the 37-year-old egotistical man-giant down low, the Cavs are my early favorite to win the 2010 NBA Finals. …::LeBron, don’t dissapoint….:::..

With Just One Day Left Until the Draft, the NBA Gets A Shake

With just a couple days left before the 2009 NBA Draft, the league felt an abrupt shimmy along the way. With three blockbuster trades completed on Wednesday alone, don’t be surprised if several more deals go down and even more rumor clouds pop up.

1.) Milwaukee Bucks send Richard Jefferson to the San Antonio Spurs for Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas, and Fabricio Oberto :                                          

As surprising as it is, your eyes are actually not playing tricks on you. That’s right, the Spurs actually acquired a player under the age of 30. Richard Jefferson is just 29-years-old and will serve as a nice offensive threat for the Spurs. The Bucks on the other hand, do not receive a whole lot in player value but they do get three expiring contracts, and they free up Jefferson’s owed $29.5 million over the next two years, in order to try and retain Charlie Villanueva and Ramon Sessions. It should also be noted that the Bucks immediately sent Oberto to the Pistons for Amir Johnson in order to create even more financial flexibility.

Winner? Although a line-up with Duncan, Ginobili, Jefferson, and Parker is scary, I think I give the leg up to the Bucks because they have a future ahead of them. Spurs make out in the present. Bucks likely make out in the future. But then again, it’s the Bucks.

2.) Washington Wizards send Etan Thomas, Oleksiy Pecherov, Darius Songalia, and the #5 draft pick to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Randy Foye and Mike Miller :

I’m obviously a huge Wizards fan so this position may come off a little bias. In my opinion, the Wizards receive a ‘B’ grade while the Timberwolves receive a ‘C+’. The Wiz send off a huge and ugly Thomas contract and dump some expiring contracts. As a fan, I would say that they sent the #5 pick and a halfway decent bench player (Songalia). The T’ Wolves are now equipped with four draft picks for Thursday night, two of which are in the top-ten. Mike Miller will serve as a solid veteran bench player that can stroke it from three while Foye could compete for the starting point guard position. Although Foye has had injury problems over his first few years, there is no doubt that he can score and pass effectively when healthy. I would like to think that Foye and Miller will do just fine in D.C. However, don’t look for any of the three Minnesota additions to do anything in the production category. The T’ Wolves did this primarily to acquire the #5 draft pick and probably trade up on Thursday night.

Winner? I know, I know. I say the Wizards. The Wiz have plenty of young talent in the locker room (Young, Blatche, McGee, McGuire) and the last thing that would help the team would be a rookie other than Blake Griffin. Instead, the Wiz get two guys who can play right now and contribute solid numbers in most categories. But mark my words…::..the Wizards are likely not finished dealing…:::::….

3.) Golden State Warriors send Jamal Crawford to the Atlanta Hawks for Acie Law and Speedy Claxton :

With the Atlanta Hawks not expected to be able to match an offer that Mike Bibby receives, bringing in an offensive backcourt player like Crawford is a smart idea. Joe Johnson is the primary point-scorer on the Hawks squad but Jamal Crawford can chuck it from all over…and they usually drop. Crawford is like a ticking time-bomb – he could all of sudden drop 50 right before your eyes. The Warriors had to trade him because he never fit in Golden State’s formula while it was the same case for Acie Law in Atlanta. With the Warriors expected to release Claxton, this trade is basically heads-up, Crawford for Law.

Winner? I would say Atlanta by a long shot. Take a look at the stats and see who you would take, Law or Crawford. Acie Law hasn’t had the opportunity to prove himself quite yet but I wasn’t high on the guy when he entered the league anyway. The only problem that may form in Atlanta is who gets more shots, Johnson and Crawford can turn into ball-hogs reeeaaaal quick.

……:::::…It can only get BeTTer from heRe…:::::>>>

‘Public Enemies’: The Official Movie Trailer

Hitting theatres July 1st, Public Enemies tells the fascinating story of John Dillinger, the famous bank robber from the 1930′s.

The Michael Mann (he’s pretty frickin’ good) film will star Johnny Depp and Christian Bale and the trailer does a fine job of attracting viewers, in my opinion.

It’s tough to judge a movie by it’s trailer, the list of those is endless, but Public Enemies could end up being a classic.

…::Check..It..Out::…

’2012′: The Official Movie Trailer

December 21, 2012.

Never before has a date in history been so significant to so many cultures, so many religions, scientists, and governments.

The trailer for this film looks absolutely …:..CrAzY..::..

From the creator of Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow, Roland Emmerich now brings a film that documents the end of the world. Obviously this guy likes mass destruction, but this trailer looks like his best work yet. I’m not saying the movie will win an Oscar, but you can’t deny the special effects.

 

Can You Believe This Kid?

I know it sometimes seems foolish when people overhype a young athlete and completely blow him out of the water, calling him the #1 pick before he even hits high school. But after watching this video, you can’t tell me your perspective hasn’t changed just a little bit…

John Wall is a 6’4 point guard out of Raleigh, North Carolina. He’ll follow John Calipari to Kentucky to play ball this fall. Most NBA Mock Drafts have this kid going number one overall next season, and it doesn’t seem too far fetched after watching a video like this.

…::..Notice the kids he’s playing against….he makes them look that ridiculous…::..

NBA Mock Lottery 1.0

The NBA Draft is just days away and I haven’t posted a single Mock Lottery, so here it is. Some pretty wild stuff happens on Draft Day so trying to pick a correct Draft Lottery is like…well, winning the lottery.

1.) LA Clippers – Blake Griffin, Soph, Oklahoma : Do we really need to explain? Hands down, the best player in college basketball last year.

2.) Memphis Grizzlies – Hasheem Thabeet, Junior, UConn: Thabeet seems a little ‘iffy’ to me, personally. But you can’t teach 7’2 and a young team like the Grizzlies could always use some defense.

3.) OKC Thunder – James Harden, Soph, ASU : Harden paired with Westbrook makes for a scary backcourt in the future.

4.) Sacramento Kings – Ricky Rubio, INTL., Spain: As much as I want Rubio to drop to number five, he won’t. The Maloofs will scoop up this kid pretty quick. They have their big guys and now they’re getting their floor general. (I like this kid…:…see ViDeO CLIP:::…)

5.) Washington Wizards – Tyreke Evans, Freshman, Memphis : The Wiz are pretty much up in the air at this point but I think they should target a point guard before a big man like Jordan Hill. Tyreke Evans may be more of a natural SG but the Wiz shouldn’t shy away from a combo guard with tons of potential.

6.) Minnesota T’Wolves – Ty Lawson, Junior, UNC : I honestly have no idea who the Wolves will go with at the number six spot, so I’m going with a guy who I think is extremely underrated in most Mock Drafts and who had an impressive workout with the team. Lawson can do a little bit of everything.

7.) Golden State Warriors – Jonny Flynn, Soph, Syracuse : Flynn really fits with the Warrior’s style. He’s quick, explosive, and I like his intensity. His size on the other hand? That may be an issue (6′).

8.) New York Knicks – Brandon Jennings, INTL. : Jennings has New York written all over him and Spike Lee will probably approve. The Knicks need a general for the future and Jennings can bring the tempo.

9.) Toronto Raptors – Jordan Hill, Junior, Arizona : Here is where the anticipated drop of Jordan Hill occurs. Chris Bosh is obviously on his way out of Toronto so why not draft his future replacement? Jordan Hill has a lot of talent and may end up being a steal at #9.

10.) Milwaukee Bucks – Stephen Curry, Junior, Davidson: I’m not particularly high on the guy but some teams are, like the Bucks. Ramon Sessions will likely split from the Bucks and they’ll need a PG. Steph Curry is waiting at #10.

11.) New Jersey Nets – DeMar Derozan, Freshman, USC : With Vince Carter on the trading block every other day and the Nets doing their best to lure King James in 2010, Derozan could help add explosiveness to the backcourt.

12.) Charlotte Bobcats – Tyler Hansbrough, Senior, UNC : If anyone knows how to draft like a complete idiot, it’s Michael Jordan. Someone has to take Hansbrough, why not fellow UNC Alum MJ? It’s a huge reach right here but I could see it happening.

13.) Indiana Pacers – Gerald Henderson, Junior, Duke : They could use a swingman and Henderson brings the ability to make his own path to the basket. I’m not too high on the Dukie but he shot up the big board pretty quick.

14.) Phoenix Suns – Earl Clark, Junior, Louisville : A pretty good talent to grab at #14 and he has the length and athleticism that the Suns seem to target. He really made a name for himself in the tourney.

Brandon Marshall Requests Trade From The Broncos

We know he’s talented. We’ve seen what he can do. But can anyone really turn the other cheek when it comes to Brandon Marshall’s character?

Apparently Brandon Marshall and his agent, Kennard McGuire, believe that a change of scenery is necessary in order for Marshall to go on with his NFL career. This may very well be true, however Marshall’s problems do not seem to stem from the Denver area. Can’t domestic assaults and fights with random women happen anywhere?

As Cris Carter once stated, there is a lot of misleading information about Brandon Marshall and his character floating around. Therefore, I don’t want to make any crazy assumptions. But, with all that talent, wouldn’t you think a guy like him would shape up? Maybe help his own image?

Perhaps this is again because of Josh McDaniels, the same guy who “allegedly” ran quarterback Jay Cutler out of town. Is Brandon Marshall hoping for a Cutler-Marshall reunion? Although I am unsure who the realistic suitors are for the Pro-Bowl receiver, I don’t believe the Bears would cut a felon like Tank Johnson and then sign one just a few years later. Kind of goes against the team image don’t ya think?

I hope that Brandon Marshall lands with a team in a good city that really gives him the opportunity to grow up and take advantage of his unbelievable abilities. I’m just not a big believer in the change of someone’s character after a random team change. But there is always the case of Randy Moss. The final result will depend on which team has the biggest…balloons…to take a risk on this guy.

Stallworth Gets 30 Days In Jail For Fatality

On March 14th, just days after signing his roster bonus worth millions of dollars with the Cleveland Browns, NFL wide receiver Donte Stallworth strikes and kills a pedestrian while driving under the influence in Miami, Florida. Stallworth’s maximum penalty was 15 years, however he will only serve 30 days. ESPN reports:

After his release from jail, Stallworth must serve two years of house arrest and spend eight years on probation. Lyons said the plea agreement will allow Stallworth to resume his football career. The Akron Beacon Journal reported that according to an NFL source, commissioner Roger Goodell is expected to discipline Stallworth before the Browns start training camp July 31.

Stallworth must also undergo drug and alcohol testing, will have a lifetime driver’s license suspension and must perform 1,000 hours of community service. Lyons said after five years, Stallworth could win approval for limited driving for reasons such as employment.