The Commish: 2007 Draft Reactions

Nothing serious here, just my reactions to each pick from the 1st round of Thursday's NBA Draft. One thing I will say is that, as was the case last year, I was underwhlemed with talent of this Draft. My nigga Tony, however, was excited as usual. No, he has a particular man-crush for any young ballers that show even glimpses of talent...he's an extreme optimist with these things. And his common refrain around Draft time is that many teams are a few moves or pieces away from crashing the playoof/contender party and the Draft can ead to a squad makin a power move. My thinking going in was that none of these rubes available had that capacity. My favorite player in college, far above everyone else, was Randy Foye. i LOVE that niggas game, similar to how I loved Chris Paul's game last year and maybe even more. But outside of him, I was short on the rest of the dudes. But then Draft started progressing and I found myself continuing to think, "Woa, that was good pick up for that squad, they're looking interesting next year." Unlike this past Draft-class, which sucked, I think that this class, although underwhelming, has a chance to make some noise next season. Anyways, let's get at it...


1 Toronto -- Andrea Bargnani - PF: I like the pick, I guess. More than anything, though, Toronto seems soft and this perimiter drifting euro big man aint gettin at no toughness. But he looks like he has a lot of game, a ton of it even and Colangelo has a track record when it comes to talent-eyeing that I won't questions.

But what I'm saying is: tru, Bargnani/Bosh/Charlie front court sounds hype. But them dudes ain't strong. If I can guess, Colangelo's next move is to get some shooters and distributing point guard and build a team similar to Phoenix. Based on what his teams tend to look like, Bargnani was a better pick that kats like Aldridge or Thomas.

2 Chicago (Traded to Portland) -- LaMarcus Aldridge - PF: Not only is Adam Morrisson gonna be a better pro than Aldridge, but he's also a huge star in the Pacific Northwest. So if Portland is gonna use this Chi pick via a trade, why not pick Morrisson? I see Morrisson ending his career averaging 18 points and 6 or 7 boards a game, a few clutch playoff performances and a even 2 or 3 All-Star games. I see Aldridge more closely resembling Stromile Swift than Chris Bosh. But that's just what I see. I know, that Morrisson is gonna have a solid career, though. So why make this trade with the Bulls and kop Aldridge. I don't necessarily like Aldridge and I don't like this pick.

3 Charlotte -- Adam Morrison - SF: You already know what I think about Morrisson. He won't be a superstar and he won't ever be a top 10 or even top 15 pro. But I think he'll be real solid -- and this is coming from a dude that doesn't even get down with Morrisson too tough. His crying episode was corny, doing things like banging the ball against your head after rebounds is wack and the gait on his running stride hurts my penis. But the dude balls. Him and Ray-Ray will do their thing. Good pick for the Bobcats.

4 Portland (Traded to Chicago) -- Tyrus Thomas - PF: Chicago is effin loaded. John Paxson is doing his thing with that squad. I didnt see Ty too much during college season and I'm too high on him. But I think he'll be one of those game-changin dudes, like Marcus Camby, except Ty actually has a sweet looking jumper. Plus this gives Chicago some latitude to deal Chandler. I'm feeling this pick.

5 Atlanta -- Shelden Williams - PF: Everyone was screaming before the draft about how stupid Billy Knight was to pick Shelden this high. My nigga Tony even called the prspect of Shelden going No. 5 "gross". But here's the gist of the matter: Yes Dumars, Paxson, Colangelo, Riles, Walsh, Bass and a few other prescient and skilled GMs would have brokered a deal where they would have moved down a few spots, still got Shelden and aquired a player, future pick or cash in a trade with another squad. Knight is not that nigga. But he still did what he had to do. Moreso than anyone left in this Draft, Shelden was the dude for the Hawks. They got enough swingman to fill an arena. This squad needs a mature anchor and Shelden is that dude. I think he'll be every bit as good as Boozer, maybe better, because he's slightly more athletic. I like this pick.

6 Minnesota(Traded to Portland) -- Brandon Roy - SG: Everyone is really, really high on Roy. Some said he was the best in the draft, others said he was most ready. I think his game is real slick. He's got a lot of heady moves. Always seems under control. To me, he plays like a right-handed Jalen Rose, but with slightly less ability to run a squad. So that's what Portland is getting, a right-handed J-Rose (and JRose just so happened to be my second favorite collegiate player of all-time (1. kenny Anderson, 2. J Rose, 3. Alonzo Mourning, 4. Larry Johnson, 5. Chris Jackson)). I can't see Roy being a top 15 player ever in his career, but like Rose, he'll be one of those dudes in that next ring of players, I think. And his career might turn out to be a little consistent, too. On the other hand, I can see him gettin bottled up, too, and turning into a 6th or7th man. Ultimately, good pick for Portland. It's hard to know where this team is going with all the trades and the likelihood they are still trying to deal Zach and Miles, but Roy is a good pick.

7 Boston (Traded to Portland, then Minnesota) -- Randy Foye - SG: Foye on Minny is an excellent look. You already know I'm in love with his game. Plus that nigga hails from The Bricks. You think he bumps Redman? Foye and Gangsta Rick is an ill backcourt, but not the most patient. And with Casey runnin the show on the sidelines, that could be a problem. To tell you the truth, Marcus Williams is probably a better look at this spot, but still you pick Foye because he's a stunna and u never know if Gangsta Rick or KG is staying. Put it like this: anyone that picked Foye made a good pick.

8 Houston (Traded to Memphis) -- Rudy Gay - SF: I was hoping upon hope that Foye would slide to Houston at 8. That wouldve been the dopest trio if he teamed up with Tracy and Yao. But when they called Gay's name, I'm thinkin "hecky yeah!". I don't think Gay is necessairly a franchise player, because I don't think he's wired that way, but in a situation like Yao-Tracy-then Gay, you're looking at lights out. The Houston Chronicle said that the crowd, watching the Draft on the jumbotron at Houston's arena, were chanting "Rudy, Rudy, Rudy." They knew that, maybe Gay had a few questions about his motivation and heart, and that those questions make him a questionable pick at No. 1 (which is where he was predicted at the begginning of the season); but getting dude at No. 8 was a steal. But then Carroll Dawson goes and makes a trade where he send Gay (a real threat to be a top 10 nigga in 5 years) and Stromile (a bit of dissapointment in Houston, but still a viable option at the 4) to Memphis for FRIGGIN Shane Battier. I don't use this expression often, but WTF?!?!?!!!

You know why none of you have ever heard about Carroll Dawson? Because he's not a managing genius. He's not especially great at his job. But Jerry West is. What kind of face do you think he was making while on the phone with Dawson when this deal was goin down? I guarantee he put his hand over the receiver and whispered to the rest of his staff in war-room "Guess what, this nigga Dawson is about to give Gay and throw in Stromile, just for Shane!!!!" Don't forget, Stromile had good seasons in Memphis. So West and Fratello are getting a potential superstar and a serviceable big man for a pedestrian small forward.

Now granted. Shane can knock down some threes. He plays very heady ball and excellent defense. He's just the ype of player that Van Gundy likes and utilizes well. So, in essence and in theory, it's a great pick-up for the Rockets...especially since Houston might be lookin at Tracy's back and sayin "let's try to get this championship within 3 years" And, yes, I think Shane brings you closer to that point (right now) then maybe Gay would. But how do u get duped in to offering Gay and Swift just for Shane. Unless Houston wins a championship, I think it'll go down as one of the worse Draft-day trades ever. Put it like this: If Carroll has Battier and West drafted Gay, West wouldve gotten Shane and next year's first round pick for Gay...instead it was the other way around. A classic dupe move.

9 Golden State -- Patrick O'Bryant - C: Bryant looks like a softy. He also looks like he was an oreo in high school and college. I can't stand oreos. I'd have taken Hilton Armstrong over him. Or used some of their assets to move up and get a Ty Thomas or something. Or maybe address the 3-spot, since they seemed to have soured on Dunleavy. Like draft Carney or somethin. This is where the fact that the talent in this drafts sux makes G State's job difficult. But this O'Bryant dude looked unathletic and meek. I can;t stand oreos and I can't stand meek big men. Not meek in a noble sort of way like David Robinson..and even then, the Admiral was so explosive, it made up for his meekness. Nope, this oreo with a white dude's name was meek in a "I'm a softie that grew up always feeling awkward about being tall, so i'm an introverted pansy" kind of way. He'll drift along for 10-15 years in the league, solely because he's tall...maybe average a doble-double like (10-10) a couple years. I can;t stand oreos, though.

10 Seattle -- Mouhamed Saer Sene - C: What killed me about this pick was the raction it got from the sports-writers I was watching it with. Mind you, these are men that cover the NBA full-time, instead of part-time like I do (although, like it is for my nigga Gee, "it's a full-time job" regardless of whether I cover it or not)....anyways when Stern calls this african's name, they all erupt and start saying things like, "What. Where did he come from? Who is he?" blah, blah, blah. They acted like that came out of nowhere, even though EVERY draftnik had him going to Seatlle on the various draft boards. All throughout the evening I found myself thinking, "Do these men know about the sport they cover?" Nother story for another day.

This pick says or does nothing for me. What is this saying about Robert Swift, though? Are they done with him? Either way, Seatle just picked another project-big man...way to go, u pack of doofeses.

11 Orlando -- J.J. Redick - SG: I like this pick. Make teams pay for doubling down on Dwight. Get lots of kickouts from Jameer. Redick is the best shooter I've ever seen coming out college. Yeah, I said. He won't be a star, but if Hill can implement a defense to make up for Redick and Jameer's deficiencies, this was great pick up for Orlando. At the press conference that night, Otis Smith said the Magic didn't have their eye on anyone else.

In other news, my nigga Andrew or as I like to call him, The Carter, hates his guts. The Carter, if you remember, hated McCants' guts as well. Well after the Draft I headed to the Noble Palace to join former co-workers as we celebrated Young Seph's college graduation (Young Seph is kid brother to star columnist Cardo Maese). The Carter was there, drinking Miller Lite and excoriating Redick. He thinks Redick is a-hole. And he might be. I, on the other hand, think a lot of Redick's actions were the only thing a human being could do if he were to survive under the waves of wrath Redick was subjected to. His actions were reactions and appropriate reactions, in my estimation. I like athletes with chips on their shoulders. What I don't like, however, is to hear other sportswriters say they like Redick's chip and cockiness (like they were saying Thursday night) when I know that same fondness would not be bestowed upon a brown player (The Carter was obviously was not one of these guys).

The Carter's problem always stems from some encounter he had with such players when he was covering NC State for the school paper. Redick probably asked The Carter to stop staring at his package or McCants probably refused to answer a question like, "So Rashaad I wanna know...I mean, the women of NC State wanna know: How's It Hangin...I mean Boxers or Briefs." And based on some finite encounters, The Carter draws sweeping character assessments and relegates them to the box labeled "Bad Human Beings". Now, I'm not even gonna dispute if The Carter's assessment is correct or not, it probably is, actually. My thing is this, if dude can ball, he can ball. I don't care if I like your attitude or not. My favorite player in the league is Kobe and I think he's one of the corniest human beings on earth. In this case, Redick can shoot ridiculously well and has abit of a game to go with it. Good pick for the Magic.

12 NO/Oklahoma City -- Hilton Armstrong - C: I really like this pick. If Byron can find some way to get through to J.R. or get past whatever it was that had J.R. ridin pine last year..then that means you have a nucleus of Lil Chrissy -- the illest point guard in league other than Nash and old-man Ason 'No J' Kidd -- J.R., David West and Hilton. You start adding vets and this team gets scary. They almost made the playoffs last year. Greg Anthony made a very good point when he went through the list of players from UCONN and basically said: Calhoun sends legit niggas to the L. I agree. I'm expecting a solid and productive career from Armstrong.

13 Philadelphia (Traded to Chicago) -- Thabo Sefolosha - SF: I have no idea who this nigga is. I just know that he's from France. But did anyone see his highlights? this nigga's game is friggin sick. It was explosive, slick. Nigga was catchin the ball dipping his shoulder, driving to the paint, then corssing back to the wing and doing that good stuff. Once again, Paxson and the Bulls pick a good one. He may not crack the ritation next year, but I could easily see him being instant offense in 5 minute spurts off the bench and, at this point, Chicago is so deep that thats all they need (especially since one of their problems is scoring droughts).

14 Utah -- Ronnie Brewer - SG: Uhhh. Don't really acre about the Jazz and I'll never care about the Jazz. I think Brewer can be a Marquis Daniels and thats it. Now, I love Marquis, as one of those dudes that aren't stars, but you like their game and like to see them do well. I think Brewer has that potential. Problem is that he plays for the Jazz and I will never give an F about that squad.

15 NO/Oklahoma City (via Bucks) -- Cedric Simmons - PF: I like this pick for NO too. Another big body down low. If he pans out, the Hornets are looking really good for the future. He won't be a star by any stretch, just like most in this draft. But I think he has the potential to be a solid "rotation-guy" and thats what well-built teams are made of.

16 Chicago (Traded to Philadelphia) -- Rodney Carney - SF: Unless Philly plans on running Dre at the 2 spot, I don't understand this pick. I like Carney and all, but not necessarily for Philly. And Philly, by the way, is in a shambles. They wasted AI's career.

17 Indiana -- Shawne Williams - SF: Bird and Walsh are apparently intent on blowing up this franchise. They reportedly wanna trade O'Neal. Pedja opted out of his contract. They don't want Tinsley anymore. It's sad...because if they couldve made Ron-Ron work, they'd have had a champ contender every year. Now, they look to be starting from scratch. I'm a Walsh fan, he does well with personnell decisions. Let's see how this turns out. As far as the pick, don't have much to say about dude, since I've never seen him play.

18 Washington -- Olexsiy Pecherov - PF: As you know, the Wizards -- my hometown team -- play a close second to the Lakers for my hearts affection. Leading up to the Draft I had several convos with the DC crew about how we'd use this pick. I always said, trade it. Noone this deep in the draft made sense for us. We're a piece away from contending and this draft was talented enough to address that problem at No. 18. Tony liked Boone and I did too. So I wouldnt have balked at that pick. All of them liked Marcus Williams here, since we all thought he'd be a steal if he dropped this low, but I'm not a fan of moving Gil off the ball or starting an undersized, soft defensive backcout like Gil and Marcus. But picking another project-big man is just unnacceptable.

But, Grunfield has a track record that I respect. In each of his stops, he's built formidable teams and he showed considerable patience and insight with his moves last summer, namely: letting Hughes walk and bringing in Caron and Daniels. Here's what I think he's doing here: getting a younger version of Twain. If you looked at the highlights, this euro-dude can do alo of the things Jamison does now. And next year, if Jamison wants to walk because we won't pay him more than 8 mil/year, well we have a semi-clone we can insert for a quarter of that price and use the remaining millions to go after a pricey big-man. Thats speculation, though, but I'm more apt to trust Ernie and his decisions than immediately start questioning them.

19 Sacramento -- Quincy Douby - SG: Sac has a loaded squad, especially if they can resign Bonz. They werent gonna do too much to improve with this pick anyway...so why, not right? Not necessarily. Boone is still out there, but GMs are sound asleep. Ultimately, i dont care either way about this pick, Sac is still hurtin niggas next year.

20 New York (via Nuggets) -- Renaldo Balkman - SF: I didn't see this guy play. But I'm definitely not up in arms about the pick. Do people understand how talented the Knicks are? Who were they gonna pick up that was as good as the guys they already have? My nigga Chuck, a lifelong Knicks fan, said it best that night when he talked about Balkman being a hardnose competitor that the Kicks lack. I'll roll with that logic. I think people just have this corny knee-jerk reaction to everything that Zeke does and it annoys me. I hope my nigga steps out of the office and onto the sidelines and wins 45-50 next year. Think it won't happen? I'm callin it now. That squad is loaded. Last year's problem was Larry Brown was a complaining bish and though he could tank the season as a "told you so" to Isaiah and get the squad revamped to his liking. Dolan told that cornball what the deal was, though. Them niggas oin that squad like Zeke. He's an idol to them. I think they want him to succeed now that pressure's on. I can't wait till it's May and the Knicks are looking in the playoof hunt.

21 Phoenix (Traded to Boston) -- Rajon Rondo - PG: Don't exactly know what Boston is doing. Rondo and Bassy? I like the Bassy trade, but then why select Rondo? I'm also not a huge Rondo fan. Although I think he'll be a solid pro, but in a 25-minute player kinda way, maybe a solid starter. But I'd love it if he proves me wrong. But he won't do it on a squad with Bassy and Delonte already holding things down. Where are u goin with this one Danny?

22 New Jersey (via Clippers) -- Marcus Williams - PG: The best point guard in the draft studying under the best point guard of the last decade and one of the 6 or 7 greatest point guards of all-time? Rod Thorn did his thing with this pick. And I can't believe Marcus fell this far. Greg Anthony said this might be another 1988 when Mark Jackson fell to the late first round because of weight-athleticism issue and ended up winning rookie of the year and becoming one of the greatest floor leaders of his generation. I'm not gonna argue that Marcus' career can mirror that.

23 New Jersey -- Josh Boone - C: I'm so happy I get to see Boone and Marcus at the summer league in a couple weeks in Orlando. I think Boone is gonna surprise al ot niggas and step in and be a real force for Jersey...and I mean this year. He won't be vying for a spot on the All-Star team...but come playoff time I bet this dude is a valuable piece of the Nets rotation.

24 Memphis -- Kyle Lowry - PG: I was tellin Chuck that I wouldve much rather seen Lowry go to NJ than Marcus, because Marcus is ready right now and doesnt need the tutoring that Lowry does. But, oh well. West knows how to pick em. Lowry is built like an ox, a full-back almost, I like how he'd bully other guards on defense as sophomore. And his O-game was coming along. I don't know if Fratello's offense is the best for him..but Lowry-Gay is a sick tandem, i theory, for the next 10 years.

25 Cleveland -- Shannon Brown - SG: We enetered the sleepy stage of the draft long ago. I'm very invested in the Cavaliers, because Bronny means so much to the league. I couldnt care less about Shannon Brown, because Cleveland's progression will hinge upon LeBron's continued maturation and whatever Ferry does of the free-agent front./ This pick means nothing.

26 LA Lakers (via Heat) -- Jordan Farmar - PG: So the Heat get a title and we get Farmar? haha. Its all good though, the Heat have lots of pressing matters when their squad is coughing dust, Wade is nearing free agency and they'll be paying Shaq 20 mil for 25 minutes on the floor and periodic double-doubles. That's why getting that championship this year was so urgent for them. And that's why I still think that the trade was a logical move. Miami will find that out when theyre hamstrung next year. LA already won 3 titles, they were looking at trying to be in this position 5 years from now and I think we will. I like where we're headed and I really like this pick. Smush had flashes, but he was too erratic, too foten. Which is why Kupchak picked a point guard. If nothing else, Farmar is poised and smart. I think he'll fit in well and I'm looking forward to welcoming him to the squad. I think he's in the starting lineup by All-Star break, at he latest.

27 Phoenix (Traded to Portland) -- Sergio Rodriguez - PG: Have no idea what this does for Portland and I don't care either.

28 Dallas -- Maurice Ager - SG: I don't think Dallas needs another SG, but thats what u do at this point. U go for the best available player and Ager has some game with him.

29 New York (via Spurs) -- Mardy Collins - PG: I doubt he cracks the Knicks rotation this season. But Collins is a good ball player. Plus, Zeke may still have some wheelin and dealin to be done this summer, so it never hurts to have assets. Good pick this late in the draft.

30 Portland (via Pistons) -- Joel Freeland - PF: Have no clue about this dudes game and couldnt care less what this does for the Blazers.

What A Groupie Wants

A lovely GQ is on magazine stands as I type. Professor Will Ferrell is on the cover, in a sky-blue polo shirt, unbottoned all the way, so that his chest hair is showing and he's rocking yellow coochie-cutters that outline his crotch-goods. He's on a beach with two BAD latina numbers in bikinis. Inside this July issue is tons of good reading. Tom Carson on Depp. Another good Donahue joint on the workplace, etc. But none better than an article on Willy. It's like nothing I've seen. It reads like a Behind The Music or Biography on the History Channell, except Jason Gay leaves bunches of portions of the story blank and has Will Ferrell fill them in. I know, right? Genius. Because you know Will went bonkers. A couple excepts (with Will's insertion in italics):

"Back in the old days, Ferrell drove a golf cart. He ate his meals at Ralphs Supermarket, and his only dream was that one day he'd get to design a line of throwing knives made out of shark cartilage."

"Finally, there is the uncomfortable truth of his recent arrest for possession of illegal snakes and his painful public admission that he has "a problem with the booger sugar."

That's two of about 200 that had me laughing out loud, even as my gums throbbed from the pulled wisdom teeth.

But enough about William, on to the subject at hand: Groupies. There is also a story in this GQ about NBA Groupies. There are apparently four levels of groupiedom: The Gutter Girls are the worse. One level up are the Working Girls, then the Fly Girls and then the Upper Crust. Gutter Girls tend to be unattractive, looser than the loosest and used only an orifices by the average NBA baller. Working Girls actually have a lil bit of their own dough and try to appear to be high fashioned and only come out during things like All-Stars or when high profile teams are in town. But they ain't gettin at no NBA kat on the reg. Fly Girls are probably on the same level as your average video-chick, but maybe a lil less fly than the broad that plays the lead role in a Usher video. Those girls might actually have a chance to be wifey. Fly Girls are just bangin broads that perform services, but are fly enough to get services and gifts, maybe a few dates in return. Upper Crust are Eva Longorias and Vannessa Williams and rich white girls. They can marry these men.

The details of this article (straight from the hookers' mouths) are sordid, no less than PG-13. It also comes with tips for aspiring groupies. Sage advice, such as: Don't be shy. If your going to perform on one baller, you might do well to do so for half the squad. You'll probably read this article and toggle between shock-n-awe, bewildered amusement and depression. Because most of these women are, of course, black and...I mean, how and why? We actually know the answers, but it's still mystifying and sad.

Nevertheless, this article got me to thinking...what is the most desired class of public star to groupies. What, indeed, does a groupie want? An athlete? A rapper? Or an actor?

Actually, let's be a bit more embracing: What does a loose woman want? If your average woman -- star-struck and prone to one night stands and a quick "hello-hello" -- could choose between these next three groups of men, who would it be? And let's say the demographic is black women between ages 20-35 of all socioeconomic levels. The groups are as follows.

Athletes (just NBA. I'm sure NFL niggas got groupies, but a broad couldn't pick Steve Smith or Steve McNair out of a lineup without his jewels and/or jersey and/or expensive whip) : Allen Iverson, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett and Sebastian Telfair.

Rappers (any R&B cat other than Usher need not even apply, so why even include them, right?): 50 Cent, Method Man, Jay-Z, Nas, Snoop.

Actors (this bout to get real depressing, because 'm not trying to include no old niggas like Zel and Wes, so keeping with the young cats, picking are quite slim..so I'm gonna give them six to even things out) : Anthony Mackie, Terrance Howard, Derek Luke, Boris Kojoe, Taye Diggs, Mekhi Pfifer.

I gotta think that the NBA kats win out. Actors just don't have the clout. Women swoon over them and fantasize about these dudes, but they still are looked at as second class Hollywood citizens and we know women love a good alpha-nigga and these Hollywood dudes play the back in their profession too often. It gets down to rappers and ballers, right?

And when it comes to money and fame, NBA kats got that locked. I'd put only 50 and Jay on their levels. Actually, Jay is probably an idol of evey current baller, which makes him a godfather of sorts. But a dude's like Nas and Snoop and Andre 3000 and such...they seem to be abit more accessible than the NBA superstar. I don't know...I'm not a woman, this is all speculation...I'm just thinking that NBA dudes are a loose woman's prime catch. Am I wrong about his one?

I'm finally less wise

I had my wisdom teeth pulled today. Well, the two on the left side. It's been a long time coming. On some realness, them rotten choppers shouldve got snatched this time last year. I had a cavity in my lower left wiz the size of something real big. I could stick the tip of my tongue threw it. Nasty. And I don't know how it happened. Maybe it was because I was too busy brushing my teeth with Marie's blue cheese, Kerry Washington and the Cellar Door boxset.

At this point, the novacaine hasnt worn off yet, so the discomfort isnt that great. And the actual removal wasn't bad either. More pressure than pain.

I did, however, take my two teeth home with me. When I saw them, I gotta say that I was underwhelmed.

Remember that episode of Curb? The one where Larry scares Cheryl and Jeff/Susie's daughter with his tooth. Apparently it was so decayed and disgusting that Cheryl screamed in horor when she was it and the lil girl screeched like she was being attacked. I was sadistically hoping my wizzes looked like that. But, like I said, the cavities looked rather innocuous. It was a bit of a let down.

I think I should send them to my Moms though. She after all, bronzed me and the sibs first baby shoes and has three seperate baggies with hair from me and my lil bros (A-ez and Ceez) first haircuts. Something tells me she'd keep these teeth as some odd, weird maternal keepsake.

Even still, when I text'd her about the successful surgery, her snarky response went something like this: "Vince, you think you wisdom teeth just couldn't take your constantly yapping jaw."

She greased me.

Len Bias

I wasn't just partying and reunioning in DC earlier this month. I was working on story-project as well. It was for the 20-year-anniversary of Len Bias' death. The stories were supposed to run last Sunday, when everyone else's did...but we chose to wait...i can't and won't explain why. Still, the package turned out good. Here are the links to the stories.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/25/Sports/A_loss_of_innocence.shtml

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/25/Sports/Bias__death_still_hau.shtml

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/25/Sports/Sadly__the_Celtics_wi.shtml

Len Bias

Peops:

As you might recall. I was in DC for a while earlier this month. It was all fun and games and reunions. I was there working on a Len Bias story that was supposed to run the 18th, but for reasons out of my control got pushed back to this Sunday. I won't say anything else, since fellow-journalists have gotten fired for making disparaging comments about their place of work. Anyways, it was big package this Sunday. I wrote two stories and my nig Stephen wrote one on Bias as well. We had timelines and WhereAreTheyNows and all that good stuff. Here is a link to my two stories.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/25/Sports/A_loss_of_innocence.shtml

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/25/Sports/Bias__death_still_hau.shtml

The Music Crew: Redefining Gangsta Rap

I know I said I was gonna have a Music Dude post on some of the ridiculous amount of ridiculous albums I've been listenin to, lately. But this afternoon has spawned a historic conversation between me and the crew as we have randomly delved into one of those music-life changing discussions where drapes are pulled back and the sun lights makes you squint...or hearing parents talk about how they fell in love. It all started with an evening email from my nigga Trav last evening. What I'm posting is the email string -- totally unchanged. As messages keep coming in, I will post them to the end. If any visitor has extra knowledge to add, get to clickin on that Comment link and handle ur bees-wax.

Knowledge now...

From Travis, June 21, 6:30pm

Gents,

One of my students in this summer program gave a cultural presentation today on music and why it meant a lot to her. She mentioned that she wasnt sure where exactly gangster rap came from in her presentation, but noted that it was an important inflection point in music history as it has a lot of influence in today's artists.

I was thinkin, were did gangsta rap come from? I want to say that NWA were the fathers of it but that Snoop and Dre really popularized it around 1992 with the help of movies like Boyz in tha Hood. What gave birth to this genre of music? Was it really just the west coast's desire to be taken seriously in hip hop?

From Vince, 7:12 pm

Yo Bum Rush The Show dropped in 87. Takes A Nation of Millions dropped
in 88. Thats when things stopped being a game, when PE started speaking.

Ice-T dropped Rhyme Pays in 87, Power in 88.

NWA and the Posse dropped in 87, but Stright Outta Compton dropped in
89, which is the same year Road to Riches dropped.

Colors came out in 88, Do The Right Thing in 89...but movies sometimes
take 2 to 3 years to film.

So technically, the gangsta rap motif was already incubating before
the albums dropped. I'm writing as I'm thinking here, trying to get at
the essence of the gangsta rap genesis, because its an interesting
question and something we never discussed.

I throw PE in there, because I consider them the pioneer of overtly
defiant and threatening lyrics. Yeah, Ice-T dropped in 87 right with
PE, but Ice wasnt on no cop killer till a lil later.

U also gotta go back to a common refrain of many of our discussions:
Crack. Reagan dropped them rocks off in the hood around this time. So
the game got switched up, yeah...but so did niggas lives and they code
and look of the streets. If crack wouldve dropped in 76, then Melly
Mel and Herc and them niggas mightve sounded a lil more gangsta...but
still...somethin's not computin...because gangsta rap - in theory,
presence and sound -- is a product of Cube and Chuck D, if u ask me.

i'm gonna fall back for a sec and let some others nibble on this. But
keep in mind those album and movie dates when we talk about this.


From Gee, 8:47pm

i would think that those albums and were the definite beginnings to gansta rap, but i dont think it started to get real media and mass attention until NWA came with F*ck the police in 89...then ice cube came with americas most...
then we got movies like boyz in the hood and menace...
cube kept hittin you death certificate...and then in 91 i think we got "deep cover" which blew up and introduced dre goin solo, and snoop...then in 92 the chronic hit and it was a pretty much done deal

From Tony, June 22, 11:25 am

wait, who was the first niguh to sing wa da da da dang and show you what the nine do. '87. moe dee with the wild wild west. he was talking about killing niguhs back then. crack hit in '86, so definitly it was the catalyst but i think the genre of gangsta rap didnt emerge until the west got popular. g rap was a gansta and a rapper but he didnt make gangsta rap. chuck and kris were doing consciousness, not gansta rap. i mean even the r "used to be a stick up kid." but gangsta rap was a west coast thing. matter of fact thats what the west brought to the table - gangs.

From Tony, 11:45am

ayo vince, why do you say cube and chuck produced the genre of gangsta rap, i want to know.
where you are coming from.
and i would have to put crack number one on the food chain in terms of what spawned the era. gangs developed so heavily because of the need to protect the different drug territories. then you got guns, murder is out of control, and a lot of young niguhs with illegal paper. a black gangster almost always involves drugs. think of the black gangster movies. new jack/menace/boys in the hood/paid and full/belly-they all involve drugs. and please please please dont sleep on the fact that the movies scarface dropped in 83 i think. the effects of that film are ongoing and tragic.

From Vince, 12:14pm

I touched on this a lil in that last email. But here's my Cube/Chuck thinking:

What I'm trying to determine is the genesis of the ish like
Niggaz4life, Chronic, Deep Cover, Boyz N the Hood, New Jack, etc...naa
mean. There were social constructs that led to that, prior artists
that pushed the envelope or established a motif and films that acted a
precursor in terms of depicting similar stories and emopting similar
sensibilities that them West Coast niggas started reppin the new
decade.

Cop Killer and F*ck The Police, to me, were the first
landmark/hallmark tracks of the Gangsta Rap era after it have arrived
in full-bloom, stormed the media and bumrushed the charts. I remember
looking in the Gusto! every Friday when i was a lil preteen, checkin
the Billboard charts and I kept seeing this album called
Efil4zaggin...naa mean? That was NWA, No. 1 for like 10 weeks, goin
multi-plat off the strength of a schocking track and we know what it
is. And year before, Luke and them came out with Banned In the USA,
which was in no way gangtsa (but a lil later, I'll explain its
influence), but it was the begginning of rap's outlaw image with mass
media in full. Once record stores started pullin O.G. Oringinal
Gangster and Nigaaz4life from album shelves, thats when whities coined
the term Gangsta Rap and the rest is history (also around this time,
JW governing body started printing articles in our mags and books
warning against and semi-outlawing young kids to listen to rap
music...which is a big reason why, even if I liked a soing, I hated
West Coast rap...because I thought their over the top lyrics ruined a
whole genre of music for me.)

OK...so 1991 is the official year that Gangsta Rap begain in
earnest...but we gotta go deep than that and get at the genesis.

We can talk about Crack, the inundation of gangs on SoCal,
proliferation of guns (thanks once again to crack) and movies like
Scarface and Colors that dramatized that gangsta ish, but also Spike's
Right Thing that was incredibly influential in terms of voicing the
"new" rage and defiance for Gen X blacks.

But musically, there are some gangstarap identifiers: objectification
of women, violence, gun talk, drug talk, graphic sex talk, police
hatred, a total distrust of the American system, and a hubris that
basically says, "I can do whatever the eff I want cause I'm a G."

I think Luke and them did a lot for that graphic sex talk. Niggas out
west was listen to them Miami boys like, "Yeah, we talk like that
anyway, let's get that graphic on wax." I mean, NWA made B*tch Iz A
B*tch in 87...and Ice-T was talkin that slick pimp ish since he came
out, but by 1991, don't u agree that they raised the stakes? I don't
discount a 2-Live influence there....but that influence is much less
than Cube/Chuck...

I just think those two niggas rapped with such anger and such a
confident defiance..and to me, that was what was really "new" about
gangsta rap. Like Tone said, Rah and GRap had some gun talk, killed a
couple niggas on a song...but that music that as a composite was
gangsta rap...i really think Cube and Chuck blazed that
lyrical/emotional trail.

From Tony, 12:41pm

this is starting to become a little more clear. i dont know, now im thinking that gangsta rap may have been an unnatural progression from the previous era which was consciousness. criminal minded, bum rush the show, albums such as those sparked the consciuos era and set a platform for rappers to make this new music that was basically going to be the cnn for the black youth. gangsta rap initially stemmed from that, as it was reporting what was actually going on in the streets for a young urban black. but the term "gangsta rap" to me was just a term created by white media and record execs to capotolize on this new music that was hard hitting and raw but packaged in a way to sell to whites. i think these west coast niguhs were origionally just west coast conscious rapppers. but the media and execs took the pieces of what was being said (guns, drugs, degredation of women) and created gangsta rap to sell to the masses almost off of shock value. when i listen to amerikkkas most wanted i dont feel like im listening to gangsta rap, i feel like im listening to conscious hip hop. when i watch dotherightthing im watching consciousness. feel me. so maybe we can say the origin of gangsta rap is actually conscious hip hop. and that conscious hip hop was flipped and bounced in a way to 1) diffuse the message of consciousness in hip hop and 2) to make it popular to white youth. white youth wasnt kopping x clan, but they definitly kopped that NWA.

From Chuck, 2:04pm

Ok I have to chime in on this because I feel that you all are on the right
track but missing some key ingredients. I think if the question is what are
the origins of gangsta rap than you have to mention, two crews who came out
with a straight up street mentallity, KRS-ONE and Just ICE of BDP and
Schoolly D of the Stick 'Em crew. Kris was too gangsta when he dropped, his
debut album and record was an attempt to incorporate the mentallity of a
criminal with music. But as far as the stigma of what gangsta rap became, I
have to that Just Ice and Schoolly D were the first to be on some rob, kill
and just don't give a f*ck. Especially Schoolly D with 'Saturday Night' in
86/ 87 and 'Smoke to Kill' in 87/ 88 set off some ish that we had never
heard before he was cursing at a level that you didn't hear and talking
about things, llike raping women and gettin high, that are still too taboo
even today. Just-Ice had a crazy ass track with a kid I believe to be 'the'
DMX (he was also beatboxing on the track, you may want to do the knowledge
it was very dope) back in 86 that was just straight up hardcore hip hop and
is widely considered to be the birth of hardcore rap music. But Fell brings
up a good point that if we're talking about gangtas in gansta rap you have
to take to the west coast and Ice -T's 'Rhyme Pays' 86/87 (classic by the
way) wich had the legendary '6 in tha Morning' and it doesn't get more
gangsta than that and I personally beleive that song along with Colors(the
song not the movie) influence the entire movement because it was the first
time the west coast life style was introduced to the hop, and his
affiliation with Afrika Bambatta and the Zulu nation mad him ligitimate in
the eyes of the real headz of the time. We may also want to address the
significance of Sir-Mix-A-Lot's 'Swass' allbum of 87/88 very gangsta for the
times

From Vince, 2:24pm (in response to Tony's last email, but unaware that Chuck had sent the previous note)

See this is why we need to teach classes on this ish and right a
crew-collective book on the "creation then progression then degression
then rennaissance now stagnace of hiphop."

I like where u r comin from, though, my nigga. the whole gangsta rap
being an unnatural progression or evolution of conscious hop is so
keen its not even funny.

Because, to try to zero in on the essence, I think gangsta rap became
gangsta rap when it lost its message...and sure, F the Police had a
message, a very serious/grave/honest message, those songs were on
albums that featured alot of the consciousless songs...especially with
the mysogyny...OG Original Gangsta, I think Ice was still on that
conscious steez...even though I'm not an officianado of that album (I
will be downloading tonight, though, and doin some knowledge just to
see what cats were thinkin back then).

Like, did Snoop have a message? Did the chronic have a message? Or was
it them taking/embracing the hedonistic/materialistic aspects of the
hood and reporting that.

And then check this: Are we sayibng that Boyz-N-the-Hood was not the
cinematic equivalent of gangsta rap? Because it definitely had a
message.

Are we redefining gangsta rap right here? right now? This is big.

From Chuck, 3:05pmOk to me Gansta Rap is about two very important ingredients that without
both you don't have it. They are counsciousness, and not that stereotypical
'consciouss rap', but more awarness. An awareness of you souroundings, an
awareness of "what's "real"ly goin on?" or simply an awareness of what's
"real". Wich brings us to KRS's definition of gangsta rap: Rhymes Equal
Actual Life. The second key ingredient and maybe the most crucial element of
gangsta rap would have to be the perverbial "I don't give a f*ck" attitude
about absolutely everything. For example; I have a pic of me and my 9 on the
cover cause..., I say f*ck tha police cause..., I tell bitches they ain't
sh*t cause...That's Gangsta Rap to me

From Vince, 3:39pm
which is gettin at my point that whether ur goin with tony's version
of gangsta rap being a narrowly focused portion of that West Coast
music minus the consciousness...or we're going with a broader more
essential interpretation of gangsta rap that chuck just
defined...either way, its a redefinition of the music that white
people coined Gangsta Rap.

Tony is saying that the white people were throwin that term around in
broad, ignorant manner, because make no mistake: Amerikka's Most was
considered gangsta rap. But I see Tony's point in that, it really
wasn't. I feel like Tony is saying, "Yall can;t take that corny
moniker u made up up and start designating ish that has nothing to
with it."

Chuck is on some gangsta ish of his own where he's sayin: look, if
anyone is gonna determine what's Gangsta Rap, then the owners will do
that...and we're gonna get at what is REALLY gangsta...KRS, Cube, Ice,
PE, Just-Ice..etc. Chuck is taking therm Gangsta Rap and bringin it
back to the hood and the streets, he's yanking that designation out of
the hands of the ignorant and makin it a real, accurate description of
the music.

On one end there is a push, a distance...on the other end there's an
embrace and clarification. Either way...it's a redefinition and that's
big.

For my money..i'm goin with Tony.

a stop plug

Tonight was semi-crazy. It all started at the begiining of the Wright-Taylor Fight when Vino called me and said, "Yo Eff that Uncle Tom nigga." He couldnt have been more right. Taylor walked into he ring to a Nickleback song. That will never be appropriate. Later that night, my Pops put me on to an episode he had with a white woman at the Rochester Jazz Festival during Kenny Garrett's performance. If you don't remember, Pops cried when we saw Herbie at Warner Theater inDC, because, "these whities got my music hostage."

I hope to able to expound within the next day or so.

Music Dude coming soon..

Bilal's Love For Sale (the greatest black singing album to drop since 2000, maybe even the last 20 years); the new Gnarls Barkley; the 2005 Nikka Costa; Corrine Bailey; the new Lupe Fiasco; the new Marcus Strickland; the new Ghostface; the new Red Hot...

...we got ish to discuss, children. Knowledge session forthcoming.

Sisterhood and my niggas

Alright, this is gonna sound ultra-gay, but I was watching sisterhood of the Traveling Pants the other day..and it jarred my memory: I never novel-blogged about my trip back to DC, hangin with the crew and reading the Post's series on black men. So that's gotta come soon. It will come soon. I feel strongly about that.

I'm not a bigot...I have white friends

I will admit that myspace.com is actually a bit of a gem. I like it. I've relocated several HS pals and gotten back in contact with DC strangers. It's a good look.

But for a while, my friends list was lookin real narrow. A bunch of nigras and Chantelle, a favorite mulatto of mine.

That all changed today and I feel like this is a landmark day.

Three of my current favorite white people were added and an old high school buddy. I don't know who was first, but I think it was JD. Anyways, I'm gonna introduce them to you...

Rick Maese: Many of you know him through this blog. He's real white, but one of the white dudes I still refer to as things like, "My nigga Maese", cause he's my dude like that. My DC crew doesn't read the Baltimore Sun...and why would they...but if they did, they'd see his mug on the cover of the sports front, doin his young-columnist thing. He's a problem folks.

Jim Darlington: Yall might him as Prima D. He, along with MC Snuggles, produced that classic fake-hop video that was a cross between the Beastie Boys and...some weird white dudes. But Jim can say that he and Snuggs were Jamie and Stu before Jamie and Stu. You can find Jim somewhere in downtown Orlando on Fridays and Saturdays. I really think he's the Mayor of Bar Hoppin Orlando. and he can tango. For my money, he's the biggest problem.

Gretchen: Gretch and I were partners in crime at AF&PA back in DC. She's from Osh-Kosh, Wisc. She calls it Osh-Vegas. Technically, I was Gretchen's superior, but she was usually the brains of our operations. She's my gal. When I went home to DC a couple weeks ago I met her and Dana (my big sis and fellow Howard alum) and JB (one of my fav white dudes of all-time). She's all in love now, workin in an office with a window. Her myspace page is pathetic, though. She's probably too cool for it. But if Twist kopped a page, then that means its a certified site.

Casey: Old high school compadre. I'm hoping Casey can connect me with all the other white dudes I lost touch with from those days. City Honors' (No. 4 public high school in nation according to Newsweek) class of 1997 was a unified bunch. Not that previous or later classes were fractured like your normal public schools, but we were especially prone to intermingling races. Our lunch tables were integrated, so were our year book pages. It was cool thing. If you ask niggas that know, or anyone for that matter, Da Kid Twist was the bridge. Kevin Polowy, Matt Scaruto, Jon Chassin, Courtney Lee, Melissa Trincanatti, both Saras, Simone Rivera, Shana Weintraub, Laila Bondi-Marshner, my nigga Dan Colleran, Casey...they were people, my friends. Then they all skated to off to some liberal private or Ivy league schools, I stayed back at UB and we lost touch. Casey...I want that old thang back (but not in a faggy way, though).

This is just the begginning, cyberworld.

Jamie and Stu

Do you have one of those friends that refuses to use your correct email and is always forwarding stuff or sending messages to that email address u check, maybe one every three days?

Well, I have several of those.

Anyhow, waiting for me, this past Saturday, unbeknownst to me, was this clip of Jamie and Stu's video with Bob Saget

Have yall been keepin up with the new Jamie Kennedy show on MTV? Its like a fake reality show, where he and Stu the Jew wanna become rappers. Its obviously a joke, but I'm about to say somethin serious -- They got skillz.

That's comin from The Music Dude...and an emcee...an emcee that once said, "Figured as much/gold style the midas touch/but your outcomes reversed, perversed, the verse/infects all intellects worldwide/doin live autopsies to peep my steez inside"

Yo, Jamie and Stu can flow. I'm dead up about that. And the run with some sick beats, too.

That beat they ryhmed "Shoop" too...that was bangin. I had it Tivo'd and would just rewind and rewind and rewind how the beat dropped.

And, ultimately, the show is hilarious. If your sleepin, wake up and start gettin at that knowledge.

A Couple Things XX

My nigga Dub just emailed me on some "Yo, sun, stop slackin and post somethin new" steez. Which was odd, because it came after my latest Couple Things post. Either way, it reminded me that I had left something out -- Sunday TV.

-- There was this one Entourage preview (is that track in the back a Saigon track? I wanna say it is, but I'm not absolutely sure. Either way, it's seering. That guitar lick and that snare shot? Are u serious with me right now???!?!!?)...anyways...it was showing some clips and then "We Missed You Guys" flashed on the screen...and I was like, "Word, I do miss my Entourage niggas."

I imagine this is how women felt about Sex and the City...like Carrie, Sam, Miranda and Charlotte were their friends as well. Lyd said she cried during the last episode. Well, its no secret that Entourage is the male equivalent to Sex in the City. And HBO does a good job of it. Last season, I left DC for Tampa during the tale end of the season, which meant I'd email or instant message the DC crew on Monday mornings to find out what they thought about Sunday's show. At one point, my nigga Tony said "Entourage can do no wrong with me." That was a telling statement, because, in actuality, Entourage is a horribly acted show with average writing. But somehow -- and we aren't Ari d-riders like most -- but, somehow, we all LOVE that show. It's kind of an odd miracle of sorts.

Which is bringing me to Sunday's show. It was in a word: BOOTY.

It highlighted all the shows shortcomings. They tried to add a human element and make the guys a lil more 3-dimensional, by bringing the Moms into the picture...but it just turned out corny. And Adam Grenier's performance on Big Boy's radio show was basically a bad actor, acting horribly. It was just an all-around corny show.

With all that said, I was still wishing that there were 30 more minutes of the show...and, in no way, am I even remotely concerned that this season won't be entertaining.

-- The 3rd season of The Wire is reairing. I forgot how much I missed that show. Now, I AM, concerned about this 4th season. No more String? No more Avon? Really? You're gonna make that work? OK. If you say so. One thing I don't do is doubt HBO too often. They tend to never truly dissapoint me.

But back to the 3rd season. I think it was a masterpiece...and I'll still never fully understand why Idris Elba wasnt, at least, NOMINATED for a Globe or Emmy. String is one of the great television characters ever. But everything about the 3rd season was classic. 8pm on Sundays is on lock for the next 16 weeks.

-- I just told Gee yesterday that Avery is one of my top 5 favorite people in the NBA. A coach has never cracked that rotation. But as it stands now -- 1. Kobe; 2. Wade; 3. Bronny; 4. Avery; 5. Gil.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that Avery is the coaching equivalent to Lebron. Mad hype coming out the gate -- Bron in HS, Avery taking over games for Don Nelson. And then coming into the league and wrecking shop.

Straight up-n-down, there has never been a bsketball coach this good, this charasmatic, this smart, this young. Chuck called Avery a genius yesterday, and I'm thinkin in my head, "Duhhhhh, of course he is."

Yeah, the Mavs are deeper, more athletic and more talented than Miami. But Miami has the vet squad, with the best player on the court (Wade, although not by a whole lot) and Shaq. In many cases, Riles mops the floor with some young turk coach in this type of situation. But not Avery. This niggas defies coaching categories and previous norms.

On some levels, eff Lebron, we need to be bearing Witness to this nigga Avery, the Lil General. Spect due, baby!

A Couple Things XIV

until my forthcoming novel blog

-- My DC post is definitely coming, as is my Commish stamped point guard list. I feel a Music Dude post is in order soon.

-- One of the reason I absolutely LOVE Florida, is because we have hurricanes here. I LOVE these life and property threatening storms. Florida is so dope. Anyways...Albert is upon us. Havent been outside, yet...but Albert sounds like he's trying to get frisky. In a couple minutes I'm venturing out there. But I'm a soldier, so I'm good. One good thing is that its only 78 degrees outside.

-- I'm finally on myspace.com...I'm vinnytwist...so go add me as a friend if u haven't already. I guess it's a fairly cool site and for others -- school age kids, people wookin for wove -- it's probably incredible. Either way, I think it's up there with Tivo and the ipod as the most important developments of the new millenium.

-- The Sunday night I was in DC, I bit into a piece of chicken an felt a sharp pain shoot from my jaw through my body. This pain was so strong that it made my knees buckle. This pain was so strong it managed its way through the numbness of a day full of drinking alchohol. The next day it returned and worsened, to the point I had to visit the dentist on some emergency steez last Wednesday.

Remember that cavity in one of my wisdom teeth? Yeah, the one they diagnosed months ago? Well I procrastinate on important things like the longer I wait, the greater the reward. Except its about as opposite as that can get. Point is, the cavity decayed down to the nerve and got infected. They put me on penicilin and Vicatin. The pain has subsided, almost to the point where I might be able to rationalize puttin off the surgery, but I'm forcing myself into that office tomorrow. Not that I'm fleeing from pain (its not really painful at all)...just that I'd rather sleep, or work, or watch Blankman on HBO than be sittin in some chair...but it needs to get done.

-- Last week I had a nice novel blog all written up on my VIP sessions in Miami clubs with my niggas Claudy. It was tale of how different the music and mentalities of men and women are down south. How men are 10 times more mysogonistic in the South and how women -- partly from conditioning, partly from reacting to the mysogony -- are submissive in a deviant way. It was like a different world...an entertaining world, in a subversive way, but very different. By the end of the nights, I was expecting to see men pooring champagne down the front of some of the chicks' dresses and yanking their hair. It's a rap music thing, straight up.

But for real -- different world. They played nothing but Southern music: Rick Ross, Pimp C, Yung Joc, Jeezy and of course TI. The one time they played Jadakiss, the VIP room got a lil testy. Hiphop has changed, yall. The South runs ish. Atlanta is the new NYC and Southerners can mush Yankess in the hiphop face like we're cornballs...it's odd and wrong. Nobody up North has the cajones to let these clowns know what's what -- only some old skool preacher like KRS or golden-age owner like Nas or new school judge like Lupe voice dissenting views, but theyre viewed as haters or judgemental...so be it. But those nights in the Miami clubs were almost shocking...it was like "Wow, the blance of power has officially shifted in a very real way."

-- The Sports Journalism Institute was going on this past week. Its something where my parent company Poynter, invites some promising young minority journalist to St. Pete and they put them thru a journalism boot camp of sorts. My nigga GLee was in the spot helping out...he's like the uber-mentor for a lot of 25-below journalist. I used to work with him when I was newsaiding with the Post. He was a high schools editor back then. Now he's like, third in charge at the Boston Globe, doin his thing in a real way. We got up Sunday night and all the SJI kids were there, too.

It's where I met two pleasant kids from Fresno State. I told them that back in 04, i met a guy named Nathan Hathaway, who went to Fresno. It was during the summer when we were both interning at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Nathan was a Mormon. Nathan was one of the most genuine, nice dudes I had ever met. I mean, just all around pleasant. He was always interested in getting to know people, getting to know about things. He's one of the people I was glad I met that summer. Nathan also had a scar that started toward his forehead and went back across his scalp. It was from surgery. I can't remember the specifics, but something happened to Nate's brain when he was a young kid. Maybe he had aneurism, I believe. Anyway, I remember us all sittin at Will's (another intern who lived in Atlanta) crib near Emory...just kickin it. Will and his roomies threw a lil party. At some point, I started on some Good Life rant and Nate was fascinated. We mustve kicked it about that for a good 30 minutes. Then talks to turned to his scar and Nate took us on this emotional journey to what happened, how recovered and how he's dealt with it all his life. Dude was just such a good kat, for real.

Anyways, while at Wet Willies this past Sunday, I'm chattin up the two kids from Fresno and start tellin them how I know Nate -- expecting that knew who Nate was, since he was the editor of the college paper his last year in school. They both knew him. But then the girl, a cute lil Asian number, dropped the worse news of the year on me. Nate died in January. I almost dropped my drink. Apparently he had a seizure and went into a coma and never came out.

Are you serious, right now? I mean, really. Of all the people to go prematurely, Nate was not supposed to be that dude, especially after homeboy did all that fighting. And especially since the kat was such a good dude. Worse news of the year.

Back from DC

Just got back from what was a profound weekend in DC. Not feeling up to documenting what went down, yet, but will do so soon. Basically, I experienced epiphany after epiphany, cried twice, started tellin my niggas I love them and giving them hugs, ate well and drank better, we hosted the illest bbq...this might end up needing two or three novel blogs because I have, in actuality, probably a little too much to say. As I sit, right now, at my computer, it's hard to describe the way I feel. But I do feel a certain way. When I look back on the weekend, in a historical context, I think me and the crew will realize that it was a watershed. And thats saying something real important right there.

There is conspicuous irony in the fact that, Friday and Sunday, the Washington Post began running a series called "Being A Black Man". Ironic because, we talked about our lives as grown black men, so much. We're in that transitional stage where things are getting really real and we realized that, together. This Post series had me crying on the plane, sitting next to another black man, that felt what I was feeling after he read it.

I'm feeling a certain way right now, and its kinda frustrating. When I felt those plane wheels drop, signaling I had arrived back to Tampa Bay, I felt so bad it hurt me. No family, no real friends and the sobering confusion of contemplating this Post series and how it relates to me. Gimme a day to recover and clear my head and get ready for some knowledge.

Back in DC, boyee

Don't know when it happened, but a couple years I started calling D.C. "home". It used to flip out people in my hometown of Buffalo. They used to say, "that's not your home, boy!" And they were right. But it felt like it. When me and Lyd, who lives in the Bronx, go back to Buffalo for Mom&Pops anniversary each year, we always have at least one discussion about how we feel like visitors and guests. Visitors in the city and guest in our parents house.

I mean, I don't have a room, anymore. Neither does Lyd. Lyd and I used to live in the attic. It was like our own lil apartment. The two older sibs, graciously seperated from the rest of that madness on the two floors below. That was the beauty of proverbially movin on up, like we did in 95. But now, Ceez lives in Lyd's old room and A-ez lives in my ol joint. So, Lyd bunks with P on the second bed in Priscilla's palatial room; and I get stuck on the futon in Mom's lil study, which used to be A-ez's room. I call Mom's study "My room" sometimes, but it's really no different than a makeshift place for me to lay my head, even though Moms tries to throw a few comfort items here and there and make sure the desk is cleared and things like that. And sometimes I feel like I need a tour-guide. Like, I'm still that nigga that gathers the troops to go out places when I get home, still the Entertainment Coordinator. but that ultimately ended with something like, "Aight, everybody is gonna meet at X's crib...but where are we gonna go?"

Well, in about three hours I'm gettin on a plane to head back to D.C. Two days will be spent working a story project, the other two with my niggas. I'll be stayin in a hotel right on M Street, not more than two blocks from, AFPA, where I worked for the first three years in the area. I'm lunchin w/ my old pals from AFPA, going back to the Post to visit my people there and u know me and the crew are throwin the bbq on the weekend, where i'll see some others I've missed. We're gonna hit Adams Morgan and/or some of the downtown spots. I'll go catch some lunch at one or two of my favorite G'Town joints. I hope to visit my old congregation. It'll be like old times, I hope. But will it?

It's been close to a year now, since I left the Strict. The first time I left was in the summer of 2004, to intern at the AJC, a newspaper in Atlanta. I came back and it felt like coming home. The second time I left was the beginning of 2005 to intern at the Sentinel, a newspaper in Orlando. I came back in 5 months and it felt like coming home. I was always dissapointed to leave the jobs i was at, but happy to be back in my city. But what about this time? I wonder if I'll feel like a visitor. Chances are, I will. That'll be a little sad, though, because that'll be the last straw in the reality that I'm a true-Floridian. Ahhh, the horror.