jury duty:

click on for a closer look. props to PC for finding this jewel.

wonder if the guy got off?

Dirk doesn't shoot blanks

Dirk Nowitzki is one of the best and most entertaining basketball players going, and I like him.  Even if I didn't I'd have to feel bad for this recent turn of events in which he 1.  Starts dating a career athlete hunter who is in no way attractive (booking photos aren't anyones strong point, but hers looks a little like Voldemort fro the Harry Potter movies)  2.  finds out that she's felonious enough to draw the interest of the FBI at which time he decides to ditch her until finding out 3.  he's on the hook for the next eighteen years.  I've never heard German blues music, but I assume it tells stories like this one.

Wu

THis is awesome. Ever wonder what the Wu Tang records would look like had they been released by Blue Note? Look here.

(Found via my first or second or third favorite sportswriter.)

Why I love Pennsylvania

You can look like this and still be the mayor of a town.

The Fifth Annual Magnificent Memorial Day Mimosa Party

can you believe it's been five years since the first one? wait, i guess four years. whatever.

WHAT: champagne, orange juice, and good company.
WHERE: casa su lyndon
WHEN: monday may 25 from 1-5ish.

time for a change...

tonight, the cavs will put the finishing touch on the ass-whipping they're dropping on the hawks. but that's fine. it's ok to lose to the cavs; they feel like a team of destiny, and nobody in the eastern conference was ever going to touch them once garnett went down with injury (though it would be nice if the cavs seemed even remotely concerned that they might lose).

so where does this leave the hawks? for me, i've found these playoffs really discouraging. a few re-enforced truths:

1. joe johnson is a great player. but he is not a superstar. nor is he a natural leader. joe hasn't stepped up his game one bit in the playoffs. i'll grant you he faced almost constant double teams against the heat, and now he's slightly gimped up. but going up against guys like wade and lebron has put joe in stark contrast. he is not a star, and i don't think he ever will be. he's a scottie pippen, not a michael jordan.

2. i've long been telling anybody who will listen that josh smith was too dumb to ever be a good player. his stupidity has been nationally exposed and show-cased during these playoffs (as has his lack of an even slightly reliable jumper). his raw athletic ability may be top 5 in the league. but he's too dumb to use it properly. can't see that ever changing.

3. mike woodson is a terrible coach. terrible. the hawks offense is standing around and watching joe dribble in for pull-up jumpers; occasional post-ups by smith or horford [who is solid player, but will probably never be a real post threat]. the hawks defense (supposedly woodson's specialty) is awful as well. no double teams on wade last series, no help on lebron this series when he inevitably beats the first defender. guys should not routinely get open dunks on you in a half court set.

great efforts these playoffs by flip, zaza, and bibby. all three have played hard (and earned being resigned). but the first two are solid back-ups at best, and the latter can't have more than another year or two left in the tank.

the hawks need to shake things up. this team isn't bad, but it will never win anything. so hold on to joe and horford. trade josh smith/marvin for a real leader or decent scorer of the dribble at the SF spot (seems like a john salmons-ish guy could be had). also could we find a center so horford can play the four? anybody know gortat's contract situation in orlando?

mothers day:

a lot of you have probably already seen this. but if you haven't, it's worth checking out:

lebron james IS the mvp:

lebron james won his first mvp award today. it was entirely deserved, and don't let PC or any other kobe lovers tell you otherwise.

consider the supporting casts. let me remind you that the cavaliers start anderson varejao. varejao would not start for the lakers, atlanta, or just about any other nba team. hell, he probably wouldn't play for half of them. varejao is backed up by [a now almost lift-less] ben wallace. mo williams is a solid PG, delonte west is a crafty combo guard. Z-man is a fundamentally sound but creaky old center (who can only play 20 min/ game). the rest of the squad is nba refuse. i'll grant you the lakers are a little weak at the point, but fisher is clutch, farmar and brown are solid, and that failing is nothing compared to the cav's paper thin frontcourt.

consider how the teams would fair if lebron and kobe switched places. just imagine if lebron was running the floor with gasol and odom on the wings. is there any doubt that the lebron-led lakers would win 70+ games? seriously. meanwhile, the kobe-led cavs would probably be about like the kobe-led lakers before the gasol trade: unlikely to get out of the first round.

i conceed that kobe does perhaps have the better "skill set". he's a better shooter, and probably a slightly better defender (don't let the lebron shot-blocking highlights/hype fool you too much; bron's gotten way better on D, but still isn't great on the ball. josh smith gets a lot of blocks too). i think kobe might win a game of 1 on 1 between the two. but that's not what the game is about.

there is simply no doubt that lebron is the more valuable player, that he dominates games more. lebron is a way better passer, better off the dribble, better finishing at the basket [than kobe ever was], better rebounder, runs the floor better, and commands more attention [more open looks for teammates]... most importantly he clearly makes those around him better players. kobe still fails that test, always has and always will.


ps- congrats to the hometown hawks for pulling out a gritty/ugly series against miami. here's hoping they can take a game or two off of bron bron and co.

Fungus

(pictured above-some nice latino lady making me a corn fungus (huitlacoche) quesadilla last weekend.)