Yeah, about that posting often thing….whoops. I’ll try to update more frequently:
- Don’t ever let anyone tell you watching Perry Mason is a bad idea. Judge Sonia Sotomayor apparently watched it for hours. From this timeless television program she learned that being a judge could be pretty sweet. Now she is just an inevitably long, tedious, controversial judicial appointment away from being one of “The Nine.” I better start watching something random like “The King of Queens” and maybe it will have a transformative impact on my life. Check that; that might just transform my waistline.
- Speaking of transformation, Chris Andersen (AKA “The Birdman”) is playing his way into the hearts and minds of Americans. Seriously. My roommate hated the man more than a fat man hates losing a piece of cake, but an ESPN video feature had a big impact on him and a lot of folks (I’m just guessing here). It’s hard to ignore the all-out effort that the Nuggets are putting forth in the playoffs, and Andersen is their tattooed gelled haired cheerleader. His story is the ultimate underdog story (in the same way that Sonia Sotomayor is an underdog, albeit an underdog with a degree from Princeton and Yale). America gets behind the underdog, especially when the overdog is complacent and complains about everything under the sun.
- That being said, this series of course isn’t close to being over. The Lakers have shown a propensity to “flipping the switch” when it matters. Can they do it again? They have two out of three games in Staples. So… yes they can. But if JR Smith and Denver’s bench plays up to par tonight that switch might not matter. Well, there are a lot of ifs: If Carmelo is healthy and plays like he did in Games 1 and 2, If Nene continues to harass Gasol, if George Karl doesn’t blow a late-game coaching decision…yada yada yada. I’m not sure I trust Denver enough to see all those ifs through.
- One switch that already been done switched years ago for me is the “I dislike Phil Jackson switch.” The Zen Master has long since become The Big Excuse Machine (to use Shaquille O’Neal’s nickname format) or The Big Jerk, or The Big No Credit-Giver. TJ Simers of the LA Times had a delightful chat with Phil after the last game. Could you imagine living with Phil Jackson? I bet he’s great at making excuses about menial tasks like taking out the trash or leaving the toilet seat up. I’m tired of this act Phil. You are the Lakers. You don’t have to deal with bad officiating for the most part. You are the beneficiary of it. It’s like the Queen of England complaining about the Feng Shui in Buckingham Palace. What’s your point here, suck it up. You have Kobe Bryant. Simers makes a strong argument that this series is over already, but I hope we see a Game 7 with both teams playing at their peaks.
- Mo Williams, where are you? This is not the All-Star from the regular season. I was at the Dishman Community Center yesterday talking to one of the guys about the Magic-Cavs series. I said if Mo goes for 25 the Cavs win. Obviously he did not. The NBA’s (and Nike’s) dream matchup of Kobe v. LeBron could still happen, but someone (anyone!) on Cleveland is going to have to show up other than the King. I’m not sure it will matter anyways unless Lebron goes for 50-60 in one of the next few games. Orlando’s role players are doing what they should do; hit timely threes, rebound, and just make plays. LeBron is fighting with one hand behind his back, and he ain’t no fencer.
- Going back to “The King of Queens” from earlier….please don’t see Paul Blart: Mall Cop. Now, that might seem like an obvious statement, like “don’t hit yourself in the face” or “don’t lick that fencepost when it’s 20 degrees out” but trust me. There is nothing good about that movie. It’s unwatchable. Kevin James is great at stand-up, but bad at everything else.
- Bryan Cranston would probably excel at stand-up. Bryan Cranston is such an amazing actor that he might’ve saved Mall Cop if he swapped places with Kevin James. Anyone who watches Break Bad understands what I’m talking about. Just last week’s episode…wow. I am constantly amazed at how many people have never heard of Breaking Bad. It’s the best show on television. I don’t want to ruin it more you if you haven’t seen it, but please find a way to catch up. Just 20 episodes. Do it.
- The picture below is from Dog Mountain. The lady and I went on a glorious hike on Memorial Day. I’m constantly amazed at the outdoor opportunities we’re afforded in Oregon and Washington. I’d never heard of Dog Mountain, but I highly recommend it to all Northwesterners. I had a moment yesterday that put that luckiness into perspective. While working out I chatted with a great guy named Chuck. Chuck has horrible degenerative lung issues. We were getting to know each other and talking about life, and somehow my hike came up. He sounded genuinely jealous and said “Man you have no idea how much I wish I could go on a hike.” That’s one of those moments when I feel guilty about my lack of appreciation for what I have. If you can do it, go on a hike today. More tomorrow.
