ESPN's Power Rankings
Week 1
9.10.09
2009 NFL Power Rankings: Week 1
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ESPN.com
The 2009 NFL season does not kick off officially until Thursday, but we've already got a rising team -- that is, according to the latest poll of our experts.
If the Seattle Seahawks continue to skyrocket the ESPN.com NFL Power Rankings at the rate they've been climbing this year, expect them to be our No. 1 team by, say, Week 3.
The Seahawks, 4-12 during an injury-riddled 2008 campaign, are No. 15 in the Week 1 edition of our rankings. So what, you say? In May, the Seahawks ranked 22nd. In our Training Camp edition published in July, the birds in blue were 18th. They finished last season ranked 28th.
Instead of 12 experts weighing in weekly, we have four who will cast their votes. See the glossary below for details.
The first four spots remain unchanged from our Training Camp edition. The San Diego Chargers and Indianapolis Colts flip-flopped the Nos. 5-6 spots.
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(Editor's note: LW indicates each team's ranking last week -- in this case, in the Training Camp edition Power Rankings.)
2009 Power Rankings: Week 1
RK (LW) TEAM REC COMMENT
1 (1) Steelers 12-4-0 They're loaded with talent and their coach knows how to maximize it. Can you say "repeat"? (Chadiha)
2 (2) Patriots 11-5-0 QB Tom Brady's broad shoulders have to carry an aging defense. (Clayton)
3 (3) Giants 12-4-0 The Giants have concerns on defense, but they buy time with solid ground game. (Clayton)
4 (4) Eagles 9-6-1 QB Donovan McNabb isn't wild about Wildcat, but he's the Eagles wild card to success. (Clayton)
5 (6) Chargers 8-8-0 Even if the Chargers get caught up in the hype, they will win the division. (Kuharsky)
6 (5) Colts 12-4-0 Left tackle is the one big issue, but they'll work around it as much as possible. (Kuharsky)
7 (7) Titans 13-3-0 Life gets easier after difficult first six games, four of which are on the road. (Kuharsky)
8 (8) Falcons 11-5-0 A year of seasoning for Matt Ryan should put the Falcons in better position. Coach Mike Smith's even keel also seems helpful. (Sando)
9 (9) Vikings 10-6-0 Schism or not, Brett Favre makes this team a championship contender. (Chadiha)
10 (10) Ravens 11-5-0 They're lucky WR Derrick Mason decided to return from retirement. (Chadiha)
11 (13) Bears 9-7-0 I still don't see how Jay Cutler can play his best without proven wide receivers. (Chadiha)
12 (17) Packers 6-10-0 It all comes down to whether that defense can play better with a new 3-4 scheme. (Chadiha)
13 (12) Cardinals 9-7-0 QB Kurt Warner and key veterans sound a bit concerned after a lackluster preseason. The Cardinals still must prove they can be consistent. (Sando)
14 (11) Panthers 12-4-0 It's tough to set expectations for this group after so much staff turnover and the way Carolina faltered in the postseason. (Sando)
15 (18) Seahawks 4-12-0 The Seahawks are rising in the rankings after QB Matt Hasselbeck proved he could take a hit during the preseason. LT Walter Jones' health also key. (Sando)
16 (15) Dolphins 11-5-0 The Dolphins hope to avert the three-game drop that usually hits a team that goes from worst to first in a division. (Clayton)
17 (14) Cowboys 9-7-0 WR Roy Williams is catching everything in practice despite a sore shoulder, but he needs big season for the offense to thrive. (Clayton)
18 (19) Saints 8-8-0 Skepticism seems appropriate until the Saints prove they've finally upgraded their defense. Until then, it's fantasy football with Drew Brees. (Sando)
19 (16) Texans 8-8-0 LB Brian Cushing alone can't solve the defensive issues that lingered through preseason. (Kuharsky)
20 (20) Redskins 8-8-0 QB Jason Campbell appears improved now that coach Jim Zorn lets him throw more downfield. (Clayton)
21 (21) Bills 7-9-0 Firing offensive coordinator Turk Schonert nine days before the season opener is a sign of total panic in Buffalo. (Clayton)
22 (22) 49ers 7-9-0 Establishing a hard-nosed ground game was the first step for coach Mike Singletary and offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye. Can the passing game catch up? (Sando)
23 (23) Jets 9-7-0 Mark Sanchez continues to appear confident as a starter. He's seemingly more advanced than most rookie QBs. (Clayton)
24 (24) Bengals 4-11-1 Love this year's version of "Hard Knocks." Unfortunately, the Bengals' playoff hopes can be summed up by Chad Ochocinco's trademark saying: "Child, please." (Chadiha)
25 (25) Jaguars 5-11-0 With three division games in first four, the Jags are likely to move down before moving up. (Kuharsky)
26 (26) Buccaneers 9-7-0 A defensive-minded rookie coach plus new starting QB minus the offensive coordinator: I'm not so sure that's a winning equation. (Sando)
27 (27) Broncos 8-8-0 It has to take a while for team to buy in after all the drama surrounding former QB Jay Cutler, and then WR Brandon Marshall. (Kuharsky)
28 (28) Browns 4-12-0 I just can't see new coach Eric Mangini turning this team around in one season. (Chadiha)
29 (29) Chiefs 2-14-0 The Chiefs have a chance to climb if they can separate themselves from the Broncos and Raiders. (Kurharsky)
30 (30) Raiders 5-11-0 Will QB JaMarcus Russell start to quiet critics or give us more fodder? (Kuharsky)
31 (31) Rams 2-14-0 The schedule makers did new coach Steve Spagnuolo no favors by sending the Rams on the road three times in their first four games. (Sando)
32 (32) Lions 0-16-0 New coach Jim Schwartz will make the Lions better. He just won't do it fast enough to make a difference this fall. (Chadiha)
As politically incorrect as I wanna be.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
College & Social Life: The Importance Of Networking
College & Social Life: The Importance Of Networking
M.D. Wright
8.30.09
I had it all laid out before me. I was a freshman at Long Island University out in Brooklyn. I had made quite a few new friends from all the boroughs, some from Jersey, a couple from Westchester and a few from Long Island. I had made in-rows with a couple of my professors and finally learned how to navigate the maze of BS at LIU's administrative office. What's more, after a tough first semester, I got a job at Kinney Shoes, which was to open the first four Champ's Shoes stores in New York City (this was 1998). I was excited and had assisted with set-up at the store at 23rd & 8th and the Dyckman St. store. I had my eyes set on breaking in with one of the sports teams, particularly the Knicks, who, at the time were STILL RELEVANT. I had the energy to put up with a lot more nonsense back then than I do now, so I would've persisted until I got my foot in the door; then worked up. Who knows where I would be now, 11+ years later?
Fast forward a bit, I am forced to withdraw from LIU against my will -- because everyone who knows me KNOWS I neither wanted to leave school NOR New York. Little did I know that the decision that was made FOR me was going to still be affecting me to this day, and possibly for the rest of my life.
There was a huge mess with the paperwork pertaining to withdrawal and then the school then royally screwed up my financial aid package. This guaranteed I would not be going to school anywhere ANYTIME soon. I went from having no debt to owing $11,000 to LIU. What made matters worse was the fact that I had been in the hospital about 18 months prior after nearly losing my life due to a cyst near my brain and blood poisoning. Duke Hospital had sent the bill to the address where my parents lived when I was brought home from the hospital after birth. Talk about a colossal mess. Given that my residency was in New York State at the time, the balance owed to LIU, and not having anything but a high school diploma (with no refined skills to speak of, obviously), I was not going to be getting anything decent with regards to jobs. I was sunk.
To make matters worse, I was not around people my age. Thankfully, God did bless me with a job. Albeit at $8 an hour. Definitely can't rent an apartment, buy a car (which is definitely necessary in North Carolina) and MUCH LESS repay those student loans and a hospital bill which was over a year and a half past due. Add to the fact that I hate Greensboro and never wanted to leave New York, I was tight for a good year and a half. I managed to save enough money within a year to buy a car. I was elated, because not only had I bought a car, but my skin had cleared up from the near-fatal case of psoriasis/blood poisoning that I had endured my entire four years of high school and the two subsequent years following.
Two months later, the car was totally smashed, did 15 grand. Some girl in one of those old '87 big body Thunderbirds tries to accelerate from 0 to beat me across the street as I'm doing 55 mph. DEAR GOD. I spent the entire summer of 1999 driving a putty piece of crap Toyota Corolla instead of my Honda Accord. I couldn't catch a break. At the job, I was 20 years old, surrounded by people 32, 34, 35 years old. No young women my age (except this one whore, who I will come back to later) and overall, no one who I could hang with after work. Given that I was not in school to socialize with people my age, how WAS I going to get to know more people. What did I have in common with these people who had spouses/significant others, children, second jobs and who could go to bars and lounges, when I had none of those things and was underage? I had every intention to come back to New York and resume my life, because save for the first 7 years that I lived there, Greensboro was not home to me and never has been. I just lived there because my parents did. I have no connection there and I hated being there. Home is where your heart is, and by now it is clear that Greensboro wasn't where my heart was ha.
Still, I tried to make the most of it. This is when I began getting in trouble, though. I had been very materialistic after being put onto armaniexchange, Iceberg, Coogi, etc. when hanging with some of my friends from school in Brooklyn. I was always hanging out in Morningside, up on the Hill and on the strip on 2-5 where my aunt worked at the State Office Bldg. I had always been fashionable and a trendsetter, but after spending so much time in Harlem World I really OD'ed with the name brands. So my means of expression and let's face it, having FUN, was to go shopping every week. I literally bought a new pair of kicks every week. Whether they were Air 1's, Jordans in a different colorway, Air Maxes, Timbos, dress shoes, what have you, I shopped every week. I owned every bottle of designer cologne, and bought all the name brands that I mentioned, plus those overpriced $150 Ralph Lauren sweaters. I did this for two years. Ran up $12,000 in credit card debt and repaid it all by 2002. I was miserable, because it took me 5 years to even make a respectable wage at that job. I had no privacy. I couldn't really travel, acquire real estate, go to school or anything, because what money I could've used to do that, I spent shopping, since I couldn't do ANYTHING ELSE in Greensboro. I hated hanging around some of those people at the church, because I never really felt at home there, either. I much preferred my other church in New Jersey, which I've been attending off and on for 13 years now.
I'd gotten myself in some serious trouble with debt, but managed to repay it all. Then, in a blink of an eye things changed. They began hiring younger people at the office. I was about 23 or 24, but by then, I had designs on leaving the job and, after spending all or part of every summer going back to NY and NJ (I had briefly lived with my aunt out in Newark in the late 90s), I was ready to go back. But then my wisdom tooth came in, and another tooth had to be removed on top of it. Because my then-car (a 1999 Mazda 626 with 130,000 miles and two blown transmissions -- working on a third at that time) was about to break down and I had spent most of 2001 and 2002 repaying credit card debt, I was wiped out savings-wise. I had to borrow money to pay the $1,100 for dental surgery dear god. I bought my first laptop that summer and, while speculating for real estate, had contemplated buying a house. I never seriously thought about buying because I was planning to return to New York that year. My dad was right in one regard: buying that house, even if I never really lived in it, would've yielded me about $40,000 in equity, because there were two phases built behind it. But I had a major concern and a huge decision to make: I had been accepted to Seton Hall for a second time that year (2003) and St. John's University out in Queens had recruited me to come and study with a full scholarship. At the time, St. John's didn't have dorms nor apartments, and I didn't have relatives in Queens at the time. Commuting from Harlem or Newark daily was not a good look. Or so I thought. (Little did I know the things I wasn't willing to do back then I HAVE to do now just to get to where I want to go sheesh). I passed on St. John's for petty reasons (I was against formal education at that point). I had been making close to $40K with bonuses and stock options every quarter. I was looking to invest in real estate and had other business endeavors in the works. "Who needs school?" I mused. All I did was delay my future by taking so long to return. Plus, I was only around people 10 years older than me, as I said.
This is where things began to crumble for real.
I had been messing with the office whore, who had been messing with half the guys at the office (this was an office of about 800, 700+ women, about 100 men, half of whom were gay, the other half who were married -- and some of them were DL gay -- the others were single and she was messing with most of THEM). Of course, being taken by her looks, I spent three years wasting my time on her. She was a year younger than me and we had been "hooked up" by her witchy friend who whined when she talked but had a deep guttural laugh like Fred Flintstone dear god. When they finally hired people close to my age, I was sick of that place. And it was the same old thing: the ones who didn't scare you by looking at them were hoes. I even had a couple of them who were married or on their way to being married throwing themselves at me. I was about to have a mid-life crisis at 25 ha.
My 626 blew its transmission for the last time. My dad had talked me into getting that car, because it was cheaper and I could learn how to work on cars. He was right on both counts. The car was DEFINITELY CHEAP (sarcasm) and I learned how to fix almost anything on a car. I wasn't totally upset. I drove that car into the ground in the four years I had it. 135,000 miles, three transmissions, several trips to NY and NJ, FL, DC, GA. It was time. But this time, (at the same time I was deciding about buying a house and going to St. John's) the transmission blew and I said "screw it", and said I was going to get the car I really wanted. At the time, the new Nissan Z car -- the 350 -- had just come out. I bought the 2nd one that had been sold at this particular dealer. They had to drive 100 miles to pick it up and custom detail it, with a free tank of gas for the inconvenience for me. I loved that car. I had it for 4 years and had about 90K on it. Did the same things: drove it to death in the same places, but it handled better and of course chicks saw that. I became even more suspicious and cynical. I began hating everything by the end of 2004.
Earlier in the summer of 2004, my friend Angelica gave me a prophetic word. It involved me going back to school. GOOD GRIEF. Hearing that now wouldn't be a big deal, since I'm still pursuing three more degrees, but at the time, I hated the idea. I prayed about it and I knew she wasn't drunk or something. It was God reminding me of what I had lost sight of because I had been forced to make a decision between choosing band and a tech prep program. I had also been told all my life growing up that I was going to be an engineer, even though I have abhorred math since middle school good heavens. I flunked math throughout high school. Only made things worse dealing with that skin/blood disorder. I really wish I had been allowed to LaGuardia (Performing Arts) or Julliard (and yes, my sister and I both have multiple talents in musical instruments). But, because I didn't get to play in the band, I became rusty in everything from drums, to guitar, keys, etc. Bad move.
Add to the fact that my sights had always been set up on front office/ownership work -- NOT playing professional sports (although I definitely could have played cornerback in the NFL or all three outfield positions/3B/SS or 2B in baseball -- had a cannon for an arm and could hit for days -- except a great uncle Charlie; but who really hits THOSE great anyway?). I had to ditch that because of my illness. I ran track and ran it well, because it was the least taxing physically dealing with all the 24/7 pain due to Erythrodermic Psoriasis, boils, cysts, open sores all over my body, bleeding all day, hair falling out in clumps and having no energy most of the day. I am amazed I didn't die. God had a plan for me.
And so I was reminded of that plan with Angelica's prophetic word.
Of course I wanted to work in sports as an agent/financial and legal adviser. And so it began. I didn't waste time. I applied to UNC Greensboro the Monday after. And I got accepted.
After beginning a non-profit organization with my cousin that fall, I saw it fit to leave that job finally; after 7+ years. They weren't accomodating me with regards to my class schedule and obviously finishing what I had started in Brooklyn was my goal at this point. So I screw "take your job and shove it" and left in August 2005. The non-profit was in place and we were all ready to get our 501c3 and funding. We struggled throughout 2006 trying to do this and I began to lose everything I had. With no real networking system in place (because I had returned to college shortly before my 26th birthday, I was around people 7, 8 years younger than me now), I had nothing to fall back on. I was dwarfed socially, dating back to being forced to leave LIU back in '98. I couldn't relate to my roommates at UNCG much. My last roommate was a cool dude and we had been friends (still are to this day), but he was 21 and I was 29 -- and he was getting married, and I, BECAUSE I WAS NOT AROUND WOMEN MY AGE for the past 10 years, was a fish out of water. It is a very numbing feeling. Makes you not really care. Even though I have always been about commitment and marriage, I never had a shot. I never had a shot in high school because of my condition. And even after that, because I was always 10+ years younger (at the job) or 7-10 years older (at UNCG) than all the women I was around -- it was forced lone wolfdom. I wasn't even a loner. It was the antithesis of my personality. My family will tell you that. I was always outgoing. But going out and getting hammered, using coke and weed, waking up next to some oinker who you don't even remember speaking to isn't my idea of fun at age 29, 30 -- nor had it ever been, really. I had only gone to the Tunnel down in Chelsea 3 or 4 times and didn't enjoy it. And I never saw the big deal with weed or getting drunk 3 times a week. My parents had broken that generational curse, so I couldn't really enjoy it.
I had said the last three years I was at UNCG that I was heading back to NY for good and not looking back. I had tried to transfer to NYU in 2006 but could not due to the non-profit not gaining funding. My cousin and I became even more engulfed in our studies and couldn't devote any extra time to the organization. We both nearly lost it all. I, in fact, LITERALLY DID. My credit, credit score, all my savings, my car, everything -- except my sanity. I was rock bottom. At age 27. All because of what happened when I had been forced to leave LIU.
2007 came and went. No job. I managed to get half the money UNCG owed me and when I came out to Staten Island for the summer, I had been working to transfer yet again. No dice. I had too many credits at UNCG by this point. It was senseless to give back 15 credits to get into NYU at $55K per. I came right back in 2008 and spent half the summer trying to get into City College in Harlem. Walked hundreds of blocks between Hunter, City and Baruch to get it done. I was accepted, all accept CUNY's LONG-STANDING TRADITION of screwing peoples' financial aid. To compound things, I had yet ANOTHER chance to get back on my track of sports. I had landed an internship with CBS Sports to work the football pre/post game show with Greg Gumbel, Dan Marino, Shannon Sharpe and Boomer; but I couldn't take it because I couldn't sign up for classes at City college BECAUSE of my financial aid situation DEAR. GOD.
I had to go back to Greensboro and finish at UNCG. I had hurt my back in September 2007 and spent the rest of that year and 2008 incapacitated. I had surgery on my back in September 2008 and am just getting back to where I had been physically in 2004 here in August 2009. I feel as though I have come full circle. I had struggled 100 times more in Greensboro than I ever would've if I had been consistently been in NY instead of here and there over the years and all the moving back and forth. It hurt me socially, it hurt me business-wise/networking and it hurt me academically. I am where I would've been in 1999 right now. TEN YEARS LATER. The little bit of struggle, going with eating one meal a day the last couple of weeks at LIU could not compare to not knowing if I would eat at ALL for three straight years. I had a good job with Champ's Shoes, would've had excellent camaraderie with my co-workers (many of whom were LIU students and other students from other universities) and would've been able to network with some really influential people. I don't blame EVERYTHING on the decision that was made without my input and against my will -- as I did run up debt, but none of that would have happened if I had not been usurped. I spent a decade trying to undo something that I had nothing to do with in the first place.
I feel as though I'm playing catch-up in every facet that I have mentioned. Some people remark, "Mike, you don't look 30. You look 21, 22". Maybe that's just God giving me a mulligan and a chance to do what I never had a chance to do when I really was that age.
Who knows, but God?
M.D. Wright
8.30.09
I had it all laid out before me. I was a freshman at Long Island University out in Brooklyn. I had made quite a few new friends from all the boroughs, some from Jersey, a couple from Westchester and a few from Long Island. I had made in-rows with a couple of my professors and finally learned how to navigate the maze of BS at LIU's administrative office. What's more, after a tough first semester, I got a job at Kinney Shoes, which was to open the first four Champ's Shoes stores in New York City (this was 1998). I was excited and had assisted with set-up at the store at 23rd & 8th and the Dyckman St. store. I had my eyes set on breaking in with one of the sports teams, particularly the Knicks, who, at the time were STILL RELEVANT. I had the energy to put up with a lot more nonsense back then than I do now, so I would've persisted until I got my foot in the door; then worked up. Who knows where I would be now, 11+ years later?
Fast forward a bit, I am forced to withdraw from LIU against my will -- because everyone who knows me KNOWS I neither wanted to leave school NOR New York. Little did I know that the decision that was made FOR me was going to still be affecting me to this day, and possibly for the rest of my life.
There was a huge mess with the paperwork pertaining to withdrawal and then the school then royally screwed up my financial aid package. This guaranteed I would not be going to school anywhere ANYTIME soon. I went from having no debt to owing $11,000 to LIU. What made matters worse was the fact that I had been in the hospital about 18 months prior after nearly losing my life due to a cyst near my brain and blood poisoning. Duke Hospital had sent the bill to the address where my parents lived when I was brought home from the hospital after birth. Talk about a colossal mess. Given that my residency was in New York State at the time, the balance owed to LIU, and not having anything but a high school diploma (with no refined skills to speak of, obviously), I was not going to be getting anything decent with regards to jobs. I was sunk.
To make matters worse, I was not around people my age. Thankfully, God did bless me with a job. Albeit at $8 an hour. Definitely can't rent an apartment, buy a car (which is definitely necessary in North Carolina) and MUCH LESS repay those student loans and a hospital bill which was over a year and a half past due. Add to the fact that I hate Greensboro and never wanted to leave New York, I was tight for a good year and a half. I managed to save enough money within a year to buy a car. I was elated, because not only had I bought a car, but my skin had cleared up from the near-fatal case of psoriasis/blood poisoning that I had endured my entire four years of high school and the two subsequent years following.
Two months later, the car was totally smashed, did 15 grand. Some girl in one of those old '87 big body Thunderbirds tries to accelerate from 0 to beat me across the street as I'm doing 55 mph. DEAR GOD. I spent the entire summer of 1999 driving a putty piece of crap Toyota Corolla instead of my Honda Accord. I couldn't catch a break. At the job, I was 20 years old, surrounded by people 32, 34, 35 years old. No young women my age (except this one whore, who I will come back to later) and overall, no one who I could hang with after work. Given that I was not in school to socialize with people my age, how WAS I going to get to know more people. What did I have in common with these people who had spouses/significant others, children, second jobs and who could go to bars and lounges, when I had none of those things and was underage? I had every intention to come back to New York and resume my life, because save for the first 7 years that I lived there, Greensboro was not home to me and never has been. I just lived there because my parents did. I have no connection there and I hated being there. Home is where your heart is, and by now it is clear that Greensboro wasn't where my heart was ha.
Still, I tried to make the most of it. This is when I began getting in trouble, though. I had been very materialistic after being put onto armaniexchange, Iceberg, Coogi, etc. when hanging with some of my friends from school in Brooklyn. I was always hanging out in Morningside, up on the Hill and on the strip on 2-5 where my aunt worked at the State Office Bldg. I had always been fashionable and a trendsetter, but after spending so much time in Harlem World I really OD'ed with the name brands. So my means of expression and let's face it, having FUN, was to go shopping every week. I literally bought a new pair of kicks every week. Whether they were Air 1's, Jordans in a different colorway, Air Maxes, Timbos, dress shoes, what have you, I shopped every week. I owned every bottle of designer cologne, and bought all the name brands that I mentioned, plus those overpriced $150 Ralph Lauren sweaters. I did this for two years. Ran up $12,000 in credit card debt and repaid it all by 2002. I was miserable, because it took me 5 years to even make a respectable wage at that job. I had no privacy. I couldn't really travel, acquire real estate, go to school or anything, because what money I could've used to do that, I spent shopping, since I couldn't do ANYTHING ELSE in Greensboro. I hated hanging around some of those people at the church, because I never really felt at home there, either. I much preferred my other church in New Jersey, which I've been attending off and on for 13 years now.
I'd gotten myself in some serious trouble with debt, but managed to repay it all. Then, in a blink of an eye things changed. They began hiring younger people at the office. I was about 23 or 24, but by then, I had designs on leaving the job and, after spending all or part of every summer going back to NY and NJ (I had briefly lived with my aunt out in Newark in the late 90s), I was ready to go back. But then my wisdom tooth came in, and another tooth had to be removed on top of it. Because my then-car (a 1999 Mazda 626 with 130,000 miles and two blown transmissions -- working on a third at that time) was about to break down and I had spent most of 2001 and 2002 repaying credit card debt, I was wiped out savings-wise. I had to borrow money to pay the $1,100 for dental surgery dear god. I bought my first laptop that summer and, while speculating for real estate, had contemplated buying a house. I never seriously thought about buying because I was planning to return to New York that year. My dad was right in one regard: buying that house, even if I never really lived in it, would've yielded me about $40,000 in equity, because there were two phases built behind it. But I had a major concern and a huge decision to make: I had been accepted to Seton Hall for a second time that year (2003) and St. John's University out in Queens had recruited me to come and study with a full scholarship. At the time, St. John's didn't have dorms nor apartments, and I didn't have relatives in Queens at the time. Commuting from Harlem or Newark daily was not a good look. Or so I thought. (Little did I know the things I wasn't willing to do back then I HAVE to do now just to get to where I want to go sheesh). I passed on St. John's for petty reasons (I was against formal education at that point). I had been making close to $40K with bonuses and stock options every quarter. I was looking to invest in real estate and had other business endeavors in the works. "Who needs school?" I mused. All I did was delay my future by taking so long to return. Plus, I was only around people 10 years older than me, as I said.
This is where things began to crumble for real.
I had been messing with the office whore, who had been messing with half the guys at the office (this was an office of about 800, 700+ women, about 100 men, half of whom were gay, the other half who were married -- and some of them were DL gay -- the others were single and she was messing with most of THEM). Of course, being taken by her looks, I spent three years wasting my time on her. She was a year younger than me and we had been "hooked up" by her witchy friend who whined when she talked but had a deep guttural laugh like Fred Flintstone dear god. When they finally hired people close to my age, I was sick of that place. And it was the same old thing: the ones who didn't scare you by looking at them were hoes. I even had a couple of them who were married or on their way to being married throwing themselves at me. I was about to have a mid-life crisis at 25 ha.
My 626 blew its transmission for the last time. My dad had talked me into getting that car, because it was cheaper and I could learn how to work on cars. He was right on both counts. The car was DEFINITELY CHEAP (sarcasm) and I learned how to fix almost anything on a car. I wasn't totally upset. I drove that car into the ground in the four years I had it. 135,000 miles, three transmissions, several trips to NY and NJ, FL, DC, GA. It was time. But this time, (at the same time I was deciding about buying a house and going to St. John's) the transmission blew and I said "screw it", and said I was going to get the car I really wanted. At the time, the new Nissan Z car -- the 350 -- had just come out. I bought the 2nd one that had been sold at this particular dealer. They had to drive 100 miles to pick it up and custom detail it, with a free tank of gas for the inconvenience for me. I loved that car. I had it for 4 years and had about 90K on it. Did the same things: drove it to death in the same places, but it handled better and of course chicks saw that. I became even more suspicious and cynical. I began hating everything by the end of 2004.
Earlier in the summer of 2004, my friend Angelica gave me a prophetic word. It involved me going back to school. GOOD GRIEF. Hearing that now wouldn't be a big deal, since I'm still pursuing three more degrees, but at the time, I hated the idea. I prayed about it and I knew she wasn't drunk or something. It was God reminding me of what I had lost sight of because I had been forced to make a decision between choosing band and a tech prep program. I had also been told all my life growing up that I was going to be an engineer, even though I have abhorred math since middle school good heavens. I flunked math throughout high school. Only made things worse dealing with that skin/blood disorder. I really wish I had been allowed to LaGuardia (Performing Arts) or Julliard (and yes, my sister and I both have multiple talents in musical instruments). But, because I didn't get to play in the band, I became rusty in everything from drums, to guitar, keys, etc. Bad move.
Add to the fact that my sights had always been set up on front office/ownership work -- NOT playing professional sports (although I definitely could have played cornerback in the NFL or all three outfield positions/3B/SS or 2B in baseball -- had a cannon for an arm and could hit for days -- except a great uncle Charlie; but who really hits THOSE great anyway?). I had to ditch that because of my illness. I ran track and ran it well, because it was the least taxing physically dealing with all the 24/7 pain due to Erythrodermic Psoriasis, boils, cysts, open sores all over my body, bleeding all day, hair falling out in clumps and having no energy most of the day. I am amazed I didn't die. God had a plan for me.
And so I was reminded of that plan with Angelica's prophetic word.
Of course I wanted to work in sports as an agent/financial and legal adviser. And so it began. I didn't waste time. I applied to UNC Greensboro the Monday after. And I got accepted.
After beginning a non-profit organization with my cousin that fall, I saw it fit to leave that job finally; after 7+ years. They weren't accomodating me with regards to my class schedule and obviously finishing what I had started in Brooklyn was my goal at this point. So I screw "take your job and shove it" and left in August 2005. The non-profit was in place and we were all ready to get our 501c3 and funding. We struggled throughout 2006 trying to do this and I began to lose everything I had. With no real networking system in place (because I had returned to college shortly before my 26th birthday, I was around people 7, 8 years younger than me now), I had nothing to fall back on. I was dwarfed socially, dating back to being forced to leave LIU back in '98. I couldn't relate to my roommates at UNCG much. My last roommate was a cool dude and we had been friends (still are to this day), but he was 21 and I was 29 -- and he was getting married, and I, BECAUSE I WAS NOT AROUND WOMEN MY AGE for the past 10 years, was a fish out of water. It is a very numbing feeling. Makes you not really care. Even though I have always been about commitment and marriage, I never had a shot. I never had a shot in high school because of my condition. And even after that, because I was always 10+ years younger (at the job) or 7-10 years older (at UNCG) than all the women I was around -- it was forced lone wolfdom. I wasn't even a loner. It was the antithesis of my personality. My family will tell you that. I was always outgoing. But going out and getting hammered, using coke and weed, waking up next to some oinker who you don't even remember speaking to isn't my idea of fun at age 29, 30 -- nor had it ever been, really. I had only gone to the Tunnel down in Chelsea 3 or 4 times and didn't enjoy it. And I never saw the big deal with weed or getting drunk 3 times a week. My parents had broken that generational curse, so I couldn't really enjoy it.
I had said the last three years I was at UNCG that I was heading back to NY for good and not looking back. I had tried to transfer to NYU in 2006 but could not due to the non-profit not gaining funding. My cousin and I became even more engulfed in our studies and couldn't devote any extra time to the organization. We both nearly lost it all. I, in fact, LITERALLY DID. My credit, credit score, all my savings, my car, everything -- except my sanity. I was rock bottom. At age 27. All because of what happened when I had been forced to leave LIU.
2007 came and went. No job. I managed to get half the money UNCG owed me and when I came out to Staten Island for the summer, I had been working to transfer yet again. No dice. I had too many credits at UNCG by this point. It was senseless to give back 15 credits to get into NYU at $55K per. I came right back in 2008 and spent half the summer trying to get into City College in Harlem. Walked hundreds of blocks between Hunter, City and Baruch to get it done. I was accepted, all accept CUNY's LONG-STANDING TRADITION of screwing peoples' financial aid. To compound things, I had yet ANOTHER chance to get back on my track of sports. I had landed an internship with CBS Sports to work the football pre/post game show with Greg Gumbel, Dan Marino, Shannon Sharpe and Boomer; but I couldn't take it because I couldn't sign up for classes at City college BECAUSE of my financial aid situation DEAR. GOD.
I had to go back to Greensboro and finish at UNCG. I had hurt my back in September 2007 and spent the rest of that year and 2008 incapacitated. I had surgery on my back in September 2008 and am just getting back to where I had been physically in 2004 here in August 2009. I feel as though I have come full circle. I had struggled 100 times more in Greensboro than I ever would've if I had been consistently been in NY instead of here and there over the years and all the moving back and forth. It hurt me socially, it hurt me business-wise/networking and it hurt me academically. I am where I would've been in 1999 right now. TEN YEARS LATER. The little bit of struggle, going with eating one meal a day the last couple of weeks at LIU could not compare to not knowing if I would eat at ALL for three straight years. I had a good job with Champ's Shoes, would've had excellent camaraderie with my co-workers (many of whom were LIU students and other students from other universities) and would've been able to network with some really influential people. I don't blame EVERYTHING on the decision that was made without my input and against my will -- as I did run up debt, but none of that would have happened if I had not been usurped. I spent a decade trying to undo something that I had nothing to do with in the first place.
I feel as though I'm playing catch-up in every facet that I have mentioned. Some people remark, "Mike, you don't look 30. You look 21, 22". Maybe that's just God giving me a mulligan and a chance to do what I never had a chance to do when I really was that age.
Who knows, but God?
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Daily Comedy On The MTA
Daily Comedy On The MTA
M.D. Wright
8.26.09
Okay, since I left SIDC, I've been hanging out in the city more often like I used to. So of course what comes with this is more run-ins with hobos, bad attitudes, WACKY TOURISTS who can't get out of the way and late-late night craziness on MTA buses.
As is the case every summer in Harlem, I see some cracked-out dude walking down the street, seemingly minding his business -- only to have him let out a primal scream and then babble to himself while startled outta towners look on in amazement and fear.
I can still remember a few summers ago when I had young Mike and young AJ with me and we were heading to Brooklyn. We were on the boat coming from Staten Island and this family of tourists are enjoying the sights from the Ferry. It was a mother, father and a son, and the son asks his mother: "mom, where are we heading?". Mom: "Brooklyn, son". Son: "really? So how do we get there from here?" (mind you they are standing on the rail while the three of us sit and watch the landmarks seemingly not move) Mother: "the subway". Son: "(GASPS LOUDLY) MOM!!! DO YOU KNOW WHO RIDES THE SUBWAY?!?!" (we all look at ourselves, knowing he has watched a bit too much TV and DIE laughing).
Later that same summer, we were down by MSG walking and this hobo sticks his legs out as we walk by. I never make eye contact or talk to these guys, but the youngest of my cousins did. So he begs for money. I still say nothing, and instructed them all to do the same. So we walk off, and the guy mutters "yall ain't nothin' but some GHETTO TRASH..." (but he's begging US for money ha). We laugh.
Just in the past couple of weeks I've seen some hilarious things.
I come back from Sunset Park out in Bklyn Thursday night and hung out in the city over at my chill spot (Bryant Park -- 42nd side facing 5th), after sweating my calories away from the previous WEEK, I finally make it back to Staten and once I'm on this side, I get on the bus. I'm minding my business, listening to my tunes. Three young ladies get on and sit in the back of the bus with me. Then this homeless guy gets on. I assume he was homeless because the B.O. on this guy reminded me other homeless dudes. The thing was, I didn't notice it immediately. Once we got up Victory Blvd. a bit more, I began to smell death. I looked up and the girls were laughing. They knew who it was, but I was slow because I was engulfed in my tunes. He nearly suffocated us and brought my eyes to bloodshot tears. He finally got up and moved when he realized the girls laughing. That smell is STILL stuck in my nostrils. It smelled like someone took a diarrhea dump, didn't wipe and chose to get on the bus naked after sweating all day. I never want to smell that again. NEVER. But I know I will tomorrow when I'm down in the East Village at Webster Hall (if I have the nerve to go over there HA).
I was with young Mike and young D'Ann on the boat a few weeks ago, along with young Jasmyn. We were heading back to SI after I had shown Jasmyn the city for the first time. This oinker, who appeared to have tied on a few before getting on board with her friends stands on the rail. There was a good breeze that night, and as she's yakkin' it up, her skirt flies up. I see nothing but paste and cottage cheese. I nearly threw up in my throat and got up making noises as if I was actually doing it. Mike and D'Ann DIE. The lady goes "stop laughing at me, you know you enjoyed it!". I go ................................... Asking her, "what are you doing, giving us a show here? We have underage kids here, dear god". She's like "yeah, you can say I was!". I die along with them ha.
I swear I hear the funniest things while standing on line at stores. Hearing gay guys break up with their lovers extremely loudly on the phone, or old dudes barking at their wives over the phone because they hadn't "taken the fish out" yet ha. I was standing on line waiting on the 1 down on Houston St. I was heading up to Christopher to meet Tara and her friends. I am exhausted after having been in midtown, Top of the Rock, CPK (both sides from Grand Army and 60 up to 72 and CPW), then went up to Harlem to see my family, came back down to Varick, walked 30 blocks and came to this station at Houston. This kid was on my left eating Chinese and I see a hobo digging in the ash can for food. He scores a leftover meal and sits down next to me. I don't even think anything of it. Alls I know at this point is I got two cats next to me who are eating and I hadn't eaten a THING at this point (7 pm -- had a cup of coffee and nothing more -- I have bad eating habits ha). So I was glad to get up to NYU and figure out where we would grab something to eat. We finally get some Halal and head back, after she gets terrified by this weird guy with spaced out eyes talking trash to the Halal guy as she ordered her gyro ha. I just looked at the guy and shook my head because he was just joshing around, but the Halal guy was ready to throw hot food at him ha.
Just yesterday, young Tara and I were coming back from walking around in the Village. I was on the prowl for my dirty hot dog stands after showing her a couple of my spots in the East Village (Buono Sera for one, over on University and 12th). So we avoid the subway and walk from 12th and 3rd all the way over to Canal to catch the 6. Not a walk you want to make after you had walked 150 blocks prior to that already. Anyway, we get to the ferry terminal on the Manhattan side and I'm wolfing down my dogs. I throw the paper away left-handed Michael Redd style, and this guy with 26 teeth missing goes "GOOD SHOT", but where's your rings? I roll my eyes. HERE WE GO. Mind you, this guy is from Brooklyn. You know me, I'll yak about sports with anyone in any borough if they're up to it. Young Tara's sitting there with an eyebrow raised at this guy. He looked like Delroy Lindo, just with 6 teeth ha. He's like, let me guess, you one of them Knick fans. I says YEAH I SUFFERED THIS ENTIRE DECADE LIKE THE TRUE KNICK FANS HAVE. He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. Meanwhile, his boy is beside him agreeing with me (fellow Knick fan). This guy is a BULLS fan and trying to give us the business because the Knicks haven't won in 36 years ha. Big deal. Tara knows her stuff and she calls him out (he was butchering the names of guys in the NBA worse than Dick Stockton does on TNT ha). He said the Celtics never won anything, and that noone (no one) could beat the Lakers in the 80s (Boston and Detroit did). The guy was a frontrunner. He claims he liked the Lakers in the 80s,t he Bulls in the 90s and the Lakers this decade. Along with these chicks I know who like Ray Allen and Boston, I do NOT understand why so many fellow New Yorkers love these teams (other than frontrunning ha). He yaks and yaks and yaks -- thinking I'm probably 21 or so, since I don't exactly look 30, and therefore thinking he could try to tell me stuff that I know better than HE does, having watched pro sports since 1985. The boat comes and we nearly miss it. I walked off, thinking Tara is with me and she's still entertaining this buster. I'm like "dios mio, COME ON before we miss the boat and have to sit here another half hour". That guy was weird, because he starts talking basketball just because I threw paper away ha. What on earth.
On that ride back on the boat, this guy from down south sits next to us. Tara asks me where I think they're from. I'm like "what am I, an etymologist? I dunno." But they have a 3 year old crying LOUDLY. She was piercing ears out there. I didn't mind her, though. I've been around that all my life. So after about 10 minutes, the father taps her on the arm and says "CALM DOWN HONEY, YOU'RE EMBARRASSING US HERE!!! LOOK AT THESE PEOPLE LOOKING AT YOU!!! (noone was paying her any mind, Tara and I were debating about Kobe Bryant ha -- she hates him BTW and that doesn't fly with me ha) I look up at the guy and he's red in the face. One thing he should know by now is that no one really cares about that stuff. Calm your kid down because she gets on your nerves, not because of what someone who will probably NEVER see you again may think ha.
M.D. Wright
8.26.09
Okay, since I left SIDC, I've been hanging out in the city more often like I used to. So of course what comes with this is more run-ins with hobos, bad attitudes, WACKY TOURISTS who can't get out of the way and late-late night craziness on MTA buses.
As is the case every summer in Harlem, I see some cracked-out dude walking down the street, seemingly minding his business -- only to have him let out a primal scream and then babble to himself while startled outta towners look on in amazement and fear.
I can still remember a few summers ago when I had young Mike and young AJ with me and we were heading to Brooklyn. We were on the boat coming from Staten Island and this family of tourists are enjoying the sights from the Ferry. It was a mother, father and a son, and the son asks his mother: "mom, where are we heading?". Mom: "Brooklyn, son". Son: "really? So how do we get there from here?" (mind you they are standing on the rail while the three of us sit and watch the landmarks seemingly not move) Mother: "the subway". Son: "(GASPS LOUDLY) MOM!!! DO YOU KNOW WHO RIDES THE SUBWAY?!?!" (we all look at ourselves, knowing he has watched a bit too much TV and DIE laughing).
Later that same summer, we were down by MSG walking and this hobo sticks his legs out as we walk by. I never make eye contact or talk to these guys, but the youngest of my cousins did. So he begs for money. I still say nothing, and instructed them all to do the same. So we walk off, and the guy mutters "yall ain't nothin' but some GHETTO TRASH..." (but he's begging US for money ha). We laugh.
Just in the past couple of weeks I've seen some hilarious things.
I come back from Sunset Park out in Bklyn Thursday night and hung out in the city over at my chill spot (Bryant Park -- 42nd side facing 5th), after sweating my calories away from the previous WEEK, I finally make it back to Staten and once I'm on this side, I get on the bus. I'm minding my business, listening to my tunes. Three young ladies get on and sit in the back of the bus with me. Then this homeless guy gets on. I assume he was homeless because the B.O. on this guy reminded me other homeless dudes. The thing was, I didn't notice it immediately. Once we got up Victory Blvd. a bit more, I began to smell death. I looked up and the girls were laughing. They knew who it was, but I was slow because I was engulfed in my tunes. He nearly suffocated us and brought my eyes to bloodshot tears. He finally got up and moved when he realized the girls laughing. That smell is STILL stuck in my nostrils. It smelled like someone took a diarrhea dump, didn't wipe and chose to get on the bus naked after sweating all day. I never want to smell that again. NEVER. But I know I will tomorrow when I'm down in the East Village at Webster Hall (if I have the nerve to go over there HA).
I was with young Mike and young D'Ann on the boat a few weeks ago, along with young Jasmyn. We were heading back to SI after I had shown Jasmyn the city for the first time. This oinker, who appeared to have tied on a few before getting on board with her friends stands on the rail. There was a good breeze that night, and as she's yakkin' it up, her skirt flies up. I see nothing but paste and cottage cheese. I nearly threw up in my throat and got up making noises as if I was actually doing it. Mike and D'Ann DIE. The lady goes "stop laughing at me, you know you enjoyed it!". I go ................................... Asking her, "what are you doing, giving us a show here? We have underage kids here, dear god". She's like "yeah, you can say I was!". I die along with them ha.
I swear I hear the funniest things while standing on line at stores. Hearing gay guys break up with their lovers extremely loudly on the phone, or old dudes barking at their wives over the phone because they hadn't "taken the fish out" yet ha. I was standing on line waiting on the 1 down on Houston St. I was heading up to Christopher to meet Tara and her friends. I am exhausted after having been in midtown, Top of the Rock, CPK (both sides from Grand Army and 60 up to 72 and CPW), then went up to Harlem to see my family, came back down to Varick, walked 30 blocks and came to this station at Houston. This kid was on my left eating Chinese and I see a hobo digging in the ash can for food. He scores a leftover meal and sits down next to me. I don't even think anything of it. Alls I know at this point is I got two cats next to me who are eating and I hadn't eaten a THING at this point (7 pm -- had a cup of coffee and nothing more -- I have bad eating habits ha). So I was glad to get up to NYU and figure out where we would grab something to eat. We finally get some Halal and head back, after she gets terrified by this weird guy with spaced out eyes talking trash to the Halal guy as she ordered her gyro ha. I just looked at the guy and shook my head because he was just joshing around, but the Halal guy was ready to throw hot food at him ha.
Just yesterday, young Tara and I were coming back from walking around in the Village. I was on the prowl for my dirty hot dog stands after showing her a couple of my spots in the East Village (Buono Sera for one, over on University and 12th). So we avoid the subway and walk from 12th and 3rd all the way over to Canal to catch the 6. Not a walk you want to make after you had walked 150 blocks prior to that already. Anyway, we get to the ferry terminal on the Manhattan side and I'm wolfing down my dogs. I throw the paper away left-handed Michael Redd style, and this guy with 26 teeth missing goes "GOOD SHOT", but where's your rings? I roll my eyes. HERE WE GO. Mind you, this guy is from Brooklyn. You know me, I'll yak about sports with anyone in any borough if they're up to it. Young Tara's sitting there with an eyebrow raised at this guy. He looked like Delroy Lindo, just with 6 teeth ha. He's like, let me guess, you one of them Knick fans. I says YEAH I SUFFERED THIS ENTIRE DECADE LIKE THE TRUE KNICK FANS HAVE. He rolls his eyes and shakes his head. Meanwhile, his boy is beside him agreeing with me (fellow Knick fan). This guy is a BULLS fan and trying to give us the business because the Knicks haven't won in 36 years ha. Big deal. Tara knows her stuff and she calls him out (he was butchering the names of guys in the NBA worse than Dick Stockton does on TNT ha). He said the Celtics never won anything, and that noone (no one) could beat the Lakers in the 80s (Boston and Detroit did). The guy was a frontrunner. He claims he liked the Lakers in the 80s,t he Bulls in the 90s and the Lakers this decade. Along with these chicks I know who like Ray Allen and Boston, I do NOT understand why so many fellow New Yorkers love these teams (other than frontrunning ha). He yaks and yaks and yaks -- thinking I'm probably 21 or so, since I don't exactly look 30, and therefore thinking he could try to tell me stuff that I know better than HE does, having watched pro sports since 1985. The boat comes and we nearly miss it. I walked off, thinking Tara is with me and she's still entertaining this buster. I'm like "dios mio, COME ON before we miss the boat and have to sit here another half hour". That guy was weird, because he starts talking basketball just because I threw paper away ha. What on earth.
On that ride back on the boat, this guy from down south sits next to us. Tara asks me where I think they're from. I'm like "what am I, an etymologist? I dunno." But they have a 3 year old crying LOUDLY. She was piercing ears out there. I didn't mind her, though. I've been around that all my life. So after about 10 minutes, the father taps her on the arm and says "CALM DOWN HONEY, YOU'RE EMBARRASSING US HERE!!! LOOK AT THESE PEOPLE LOOKING AT YOU!!! (noone was paying her any mind, Tara and I were debating about Kobe Bryant ha -- she hates him BTW and that doesn't fly with me ha) I look up at the guy and he's red in the face. One thing he should know by now is that no one really cares about that stuff. Calm your kid down because she gets on your nerves, not because of what someone who will probably NEVER see you again may think ha.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
August 13, 2009
August 13, 2009
The Love Of Rules
READ: Romans 13:1-10
Love is the fulfillment of the law. —Romans 13:10
When I teach writing, I explain that it’s generally better to use short words or phrases first in a series, as in “arts and letters” and “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Early in my career, I explained to authors that it just sounds better this way, but then I discovered a “rule” about this. And I learned that authors are more likely to accept editorial changes when I can point them to a rule than when I just say, “Trust me.”
This is typical of human nature. We have a love/hate relationship with rules. We don’t like rules, but we’re unsure how to determine right from wrong without them.
God had a relationship with Adam and Eve that was based on loving trust. The only rule necessary was one that protected them from knowledge that would end in death. But when disobedience broke the trusting relationship, God added more rules to protect the wayward couple and their offspring.
In Christ, God proclaimed once more that the good life He wants for us is not about rules but a relationship. As Paul wrote, all the commandments can be summarized in one word: love. Because we are “in Christ,” we can enjoy peace with God and others—not because there’s a rule, but because there is love. — Julie Ackerman Link
Though freed from the law with its stern commands—
No longer ruled by its harsh demands—
I’m bound by Christ’s love and am only free
To live and to act responsibly. —D. De Haan
The greatest force on earth is not the compulsion of law but the compassion of love.
The Love Of Rules
READ: Romans 13:1-10
Love is the fulfillment of the law. —Romans 13:10
When I teach writing, I explain that it’s generally better to use short words or phrases first in a series, as in “arts and letters” and “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Early in my career, I explained to authors that it just sounds better this way, but then I discovered a “rule” about this. And I learned that authors are more likely to accept editorial changes when I can point them to a rule than when I just say, “Trust me.”
This is typical of human nature. We have a love/hate relationship with rules. We don’t like rules, but we’re unsure how to determine right from wrong without them.
God had a relationship with Adam and Eve that was based on loving trust. The only rule necessary was one that protected them from knowledge that would end in death. But when disobedience broke the trusting relationship, God added more rules to protect the wayward couple and their offspring.
In Christ, God proclaimed once more that the good life He wants for us is not about rules but a relationship. As Paul wrote, all the commandments can be summarized in one word: love. Because we are “in Christ,” we can enjoy peace with God and others—not because there’s a rule, but because there is love. — Julie Ackerman Link
Though freed from the law with its stern commands—
No longer ruled by its harsh demands—
I’m bound by Christ’s love and am only free
To live and to act responsibly. —D. De Haan
The greatest force on earth is not the compulsion of law but the compassion of love.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Horror Show In The Big Apple
November 18, 1985
Horror Show In The Big Apple
Bad management and bad luck have made for a miserable start to the Knicks' ballyhooed Ewing Era
By Jack McCallum
Only six months ago the sun over Manhattan seemed to be shining a brilliant Knickerbocker orange. The Knicks had won the NBA lottery and the right to draft Patrick Ewing, and on that day executive vice-president Dave DeBusschere had pounded the table before him in delight. Five thousand Knick season-ticket holders suddenly possessed the keys to heaven, and 6,000 others would race out to join them. Longtime Knick fans began slipping photos of Willis Reed and Walt Frazier and Bill Bradley and DeBusschere out of their frames and replacing them with brand-new Ewings. You could hear that word "dynasty" being whispered in the spring air.
Other words are being shouted now, like "disgrace," "joke" and "you must be kidding." Through Sunday, the Knicks have been the Nix, winless in their first eight games of the season. They are 0-20 since last March 23 and only four losses away from tying the Cleveland Cavaliers' alltime NBA losing streak. The David Letterman joke is still alive. Did you hear about the new diet in New York? You can't eat until the Knicks win.
The Nix are an amalgam of bad luck and bad management, and unfortunately for Ewing, who has performed heroically, averaging 22 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, and their fans, there's no relief in sight. In retrospect, it's a wonder that DeBusschere didn't chip a bone in his hand when he hammered that table—one of his few decisive actions, incidentally, over the last six months. Consider the state of the Nix at present:
•High-scoring forward Bernard King is home in Franklin Lakes, N.J. trying to rehabilitate the right knee that he severely injured March 23.
He never comes to the Garden, either to look in on practice or watch a game. His disinclination to do the latter is understandable. King's last complete game coincided, not coincidentally, with New York's last win—he had 45 points as the Knicks beat the Pacers 118-113. That was so long ago.
•Sweet-shooting 7'1" center Bill Cartwright, who missed all of last season with a broken foot, is sidelined until at least mid-December after having fractured—for the third time—the fifth metatarsal bone of his left foot in an exhibition game. But five years and $6 million are guaranteed in the six-year, $7 million contract the Knicks gave him just before the injury occurred. The Knicks gambled—and lost—that the surgery performed last December by team physician Norman Scott would turn Cartwright back into the 17.0 scorer, .561 shooter he was in '83-84. The word is they signed him only after Scott had told them that Cartwright's foot would be able to withstand the rigors of regular NBA play.
•Steady Louis Orr, a veteran free agent forward who could make Ewing's life easier on offense, is sitting in his Cincinnati home waiting for the Nix to pay him what he's worth. Though DeBusschere offered millions to a medical risk like Cartwright, he has been battling Orr over what amounts to small change. Says Orr's agent, Ron Grinker, "A lot of general managers in the league are chess players, guys who are always three or four moves ahead. The Knicks do not act, they react. They are checker players."
•Instead of signing Orr, the Knicks took the absurd step of tendering New Jersey Nets free-agent forward Albert King, Bernard's brother, a five-year, $3 million offer sheet two weeks ago. King himself motored over to the office of Nets chief operating officer Lewis Schaffel to hand deliver it, his best drive in many seasons. The Nets matched the offer, and though the clubs were still talking about a deal late Sunday, New Jersey isn't about to send Albert across the river for nothing. It's a moot point whether King is more valuable than Orr at any price.
•Frontcourtmen Pat Cummings (pinstriped suit) and James Bailey (leather pants) have joined Cartwright (designer jeans) in an impressive bench fashion show. Cummings has recurring tendinitis in his right ankle and admits he's worried about his future. Bailey has partially torn ligaments in his left knee and will be out at least another two weeks.
•The poor play of the Knick backcourt has nothing to do with bad luck and a lot to do with being plain bad. DeBusschere stands behind the rotation of Rory Sparrow, Darrell Walker and Trent Tucker, which is shooting a collective 38%. The Knicks knew Ewing would need help from a guard who could both shoot from the outside and penetrate, but DeBusschere has not acquired one. Free agent Norm Nixon was practically begging to come to New York; his wife, actress Debbie Allen, is scheduled to open in the Broadway play Sweet Charity next March. But as of Sunday the Knicks hadn't rung Nixon's number, and he was reportedly close to signing with Houston.
Ewing could use some sweet charity. His knees are padded, and his left elbow—hyperextended in an exhibition skirmish with Indiana's Steve Stipanovich—obviously pains him. Tugging constantly at his elbow pad, getting ice in his spare moments, the sweat of defeat racing from every hardworking pore, Ewing sometimes looks more like a 10-year veteran than a rich kid of 23.
Where would the Nix be without him? Well, they're nowhere with him.
At least Ewing is getting well paid for his agony. DeBusschere claims that most of his time and energy over the summer were spent in the negotiations that turned Ewing into one of the richest athletes in pro sports, but those long hours will hardly go down as management's finest. Ewing has a 10-year contract valued at $31.2 million; six years and $17 million are guaranteed. But he could make as much as $22 million in six years under certain conditions, such as a career-ending injury. In addition, Gulf & Western, the $4.1 billion conglomerate that owns the Knicks, gave Ewing a $5 million interest-free loan. The way the rest of the NBA saw it, the Nix got their pockets picked on the Ewing deal, and then got taken again on the Cartwright deal.
For his part, DeBusschere contends that Ewing "held the cards." DeBusschere felt that Ewing's representatives were prepared to keep him out if they didn't get what they wanted, and DeBusschere could only imagine the horrific spectacle of 11,000 season-ticket holders, having watched Ken Bannister in the pivot instead of Ewing, storming his office at Four Pennsylvania Plaza. In light of the Ewing contract, what is Bernard King worth if he comes back healthy? And couldn't an extra million or so have been found and given to a sharp-shooting guard and a Louis Orr? DeBusschere must make a trade. It was a pivotal moment in Knick history when DeBusschere the player came from Detroit to New York in exchange for Walt Bellamy and Howard Komives in December of 1968. One season later the Knicks won the NBA title. But being a good deal and making one are two different things.
At present, the Nix and a legitimate NBA franchise are two different things. But they have been good for a few laughs.
New York is starting two rookies in the frontcourt—Bob Thornton, who last year played for Caja of Madrid in the Spanish National League, and Gerald Wilkins, who will be a good pro someday but as an off guard, not as a forward. Then there is Bannister, (the Animal) whose rebounding and defense have often been likened to that of a kitten. The Animal is threatening the unofficial record for air balls on short jump shots—he had four in a 97-94 loss to the Bulls on Saturday night. During a 92-88 loss to the Bucks two nights earlier, the Animal, a career 47% foul shooter, banked in a free throw, then vigorously nodded his head to indicate that—yes—it was all planned. Over on the bench, even coach Hubie Brown, who doesn't show a lot of teeth in the best of times, had to smile.
The continued absence of Orr caused some confusion at the Garden during the Chicago game when a few fans shouted "We want Louis!" It was unclear whether they meant Orr or Emmanuel Lewis, the 42-inch television superstar who had tossed up an honorary jump ball before the game. Ewing and his college coach, John Thompson, did cameos on Webster a while back. As for Lewis, the Nix need some quick guards.
On Nov. 3 in Portland, the Trail Blazers got a chuckle or two during their 110-96 victory when the Knicks played a stretch with an alltime all-bad lineup of Bannister at center, Thornton and aging Ernie Grunfeld at forward, and non-penetrating, slumping Tucker (37% from the floor, only five free throw attempts in eight games) and fourth-round draft pick Fred Cofield at guard. Ghosts of bad teams past positively whooshed through Memorial Coliseum, teams like the 9-73 Philadelphia 76ers of 1972-73, possibly the worst team in NBA history. Certainly the Nix aren't that bad.
Or are they?
They just might be if the backcourt continues its poor play at crunch time. Against the Bucks, Sparrow missed two consecutive wide-open jumpers late in the game (one of them was an air ball, henceforth to be known as a Bannister). Against the Bulls, the Knicks led 83-77 with 8:15 remaining but failed to run any semblance of an offense down the stretch, leaving it to Wilkins (who, like his talented brother, Atlanta's Dominique, does not have to be urged to shoot) to free-lance. Understandably, in tight situations the guards look for Bernard. But he's in New Jersey.
Somehow, the Knicks have hung together throughout these depressing days. This is a team that hustles from first buzzer to last.
One gets the feeling that the volatile Brown is due to go off at any moment, but so far he has kept his frustrations reasonably in check. During one postgame press conference he even apologized for being "feisty" in one of his answers. Sooner or later, though, the inscription on the coffee cup that he carries around at practice is bound to hit home: I COULD USE A LITTLE MORAL SUPPORT. A LITTLE IMMORAL SUPPORT WOULD BE FINE, TOO.
For Ewing, the eight defeats are two more than he endured in his final two seasons at Georgetown. And there are many more to come. He was asked how he's making the mental adjustment. "What can I do?" he answered. "There's nothing to do." With customary reticence he deflected questions about his elbow injury. "But thanks for asking," he added. Thanks for asking?
Meanwhile, players like Bannister and Thornton are getting more than their share of media attention, but wisely have not let it go to their heads. "I never thought I'd get this far in basketball," says Thornton, UC-Irvine's third-leading scorer (12.7) in his senior season. "I know one thing," says Bannister, "I could be gone at any time when people start getting healthy."
Grunfeld tried to put the mess that is the Knicks into perspective. "Honestly," he said, "we are trying our best."
Sadly, he's absolutely right.
Horror Show In The Big Apple
Bad management and bad luck have made for a miserable start to the Knicks' ballyhooed Ewing Era
By Jack McCallum
Only six months ago the sun over Manhattan seemed to be shining a brilliant Knickerbocker orange. The Knicks had won the NBA lottery and the right to draft Patrick Ewing, and on that day executive vice-president Dave DeBusschere had pounded the table before him in delight. Five thousand Knick season-ticket holders suddenly possessed the keys to heaven, and 6,000 others would race out to join them. Longtime Knick fans began slipping photos of Willis Reed and Walt Frazier and Bill Bradley and DeBusschere out of their frames and replacing them with brand-new Ewings. You could hear that word "dynasty" being whispered in the spring air.
Other words are being shouted now, like "disgrace," "joke" and "you must be kidding." Through Sunday, the Knicks have been the Nix, winless in their first eight games of the season. They are 0-20 since last March 23 and only four losses away from tying the Cleveland Cavaliers' alltime NBA losing streak. The David Letterman joke is still alive. Did you hear about the new diet in New York? You can't eat until the Knicks win.
The Nix are an amalgam of bad luck and bad management, and unfortunately for Ewing, who has performed heroically, averaging 22 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, and their fans, there's no relief in sight. In retrospect, it's a wonder that DeBusschere didn't chip a bone in his hand when he hammered that table—one of his few decisive actions, incidentally, over the last six months. Consider the state of the Nix at present:
•High-scoring forward Bernard King is home in Franklin Lakes, N.J. trying to rehabilitate the right knee that he severely injured March 23.
He never comes to the Garden, either to look in on practice or watch a game. His disinclination to do the latter is understandable. King's last complete game coincided, not coincidentally, with New York's last win—he had 45 points as the Knicks beat the Pacers 118-113. That was so long ago.
•Sweet-shooting 7'1" center Bill Cartwright, who missed all of last season with a broken foot, is sidelined until at least mid-December after having fractured—for the third time—the fifth metatarsal bone of his left foot in an exhibition game. But five years and $6 million are guaranteed in the six-year, $7 million contract the Knicks gave him just before the injury occurred. The Knicks gambled—and lost—that the surgery performed last December by team physician Norman Scott would turn Cartwright back into the 17.0 scorer, .561 shooter he was in '83-84. The word is they signed him only after Scott had told them that Cartwright's foot would be able to withstand the rigors of regular NBA play.
•Steady Louis Orr, a veteran free agent forward who could make Ewing's life easier on offense, is sitting in his Cincinnati home waiting for the Nix to pay him what he's worth. Though DeBusschere offered millions to a medical risk like Cartwright, he has been battling Orr over what amounts to small change. Says Orr's agent, Ron Grinker, "A lot of general managers in the league are chess players, guys who are always three or four moves ahead. The Knicks do not act, they react. They are checker players."
•Instead of signing Orr, the Knicks took the absurd step of tendering New Jersey Nets free-agent forward Albert King, Bernard's brother, a five-year, $3 million offer sheet two weeks ago. King himself motored over to the office of Nets chief operating officer Lewis Schaffel to hand deliver it, his best drive in many seasons. The Nets matched the offer, and though the clubs were still talking about a deal late Sunday, New Jersey isn't about to send Albert across the river for nothing. It's a moot point whether King is more valuable than Orr at any price.
•Frontcourtmen Pat Cummings (pinstriped suit) and James Bailey (leather pants) have joined Cartwright (designer jeans) in an impressive bench fashion show. Cummings has recurring tendinitis in his right ankle and admits he's worried about his future. Bailey has partially torn ligaments in his left knee and will be out at least another two weeks.
•The poor play of the Knick backcourt has nothing to do with bad luck and a lot to do with being plain bad. DeBusschere stands behind the rotation of Rory Sparrow, Darrell Walker and Trent Tucker, which is shooting a collective 38%. The Knicks knew Ewing would need help from a guard who could both shoot from the outside and penetrate, but DeBusschere has not acquired one. Free agent Norm Nixon was practically begging to come to New York; his wife, actress Debbie Allen, is scheduled to open in the Broadway play Sweet Charity next March. But as of Sunday the Knicks hadn't rung Nixon's number, and he was reportedly close to signing with Houston.
Ewing could use some sweet charity. His knees are padded, and his left elbow—hyperextended in an exhibition skirmish with Indiana's Steve Stipanovich—obviously pains him. Tugging constantly at his elbow pad, getting ice in his spare moments, the sweat of defeat racing from every hardworking pore, Ewing sometimes looks more like a 10-year veteran than a rich kid of 23.
Where would the Nix be without him? Well, they're nowhere with him.
At least Ewing is getting well paid for his agony. DeBusschere claims that most of his time and energy over the summer were spent in the negotiations that turned Ewing into one of the richest athletes in pro sports, but those long hours will hardly go down as management's finest. Ewing has a 10-year contract valued at $31.2 million; six years and $17 million are guaranteed. But he could make as much as $22 million in six years under certain conditions, such as a career-ending injury. In addition, Gulf & Western, the $4.1 billion conglomerate that owns the Knicks, gave Ewing a $5 million interest-free loan. The way the rest of the NBA saw it, the Nix got their pockets picked on the Ewing deal, and then got taken again on the Cartwright deal.
For his part, DeBusschere contends that Ewing "held the cards." DeBusschere felt that Ewing's representatives were prepared to keep him out if they didn't get what they wanted, and DeBusschere could only imagine the horrific spectacle of 11,000 season-ticket holders, having watched Ken Bannister in the pivot instead of Ewing, storming his office at Four Pennsylvania Plaza. In light of the Ewing contract, what is Bernard King worth if he comes back healthy? And couldn't an extra million or so have been found and given to a sharp-shooting guard and a Louis Orr? DeBusschere must make a trade. It was a pivotal moment in Knick history when DeBusschere the player came from Detroit to New York in exchange for Walt Bellamy and Howard Komives in December of 1968. One season later the Knicks won the NBA title. But being a good deal and making one are two different things.
At present, the Nix and a legitimate NBA franchise are two different things. But they have been good for a few laughs.
New York is starting two rookies in the frontcourt—Bob Thornton, who last year played for Caja of Madrid in the Spanish National League, and Gerald Wilkins, who will be a good pro someday but as an off guard, not as a forward. Then there is Bannister, (the Animal) whose rebounding and defense have often been likened to that of a kitten. The Animal is threatening the unofficial record for air balls on short jump shots—he had four in a 97-94 loss to the Bulls on Saturday night. During a 92-88 loss to the Bucks two nights earlier, the Animal, a career 47% foul shooter, banked in a free throw, then vigorously nodded his head to indicate that—yes—it was all planned. Over on the bench, even coach Hubie Brown, who doesn't show a lot of teeth in the best of times, had to smile.
The continued absence of Orr caused some confusion at the Garden during the Chicago game when a few fans shouted "We want Louis!" It was unclear whether they meant Orr or Emmanuel Lewis, the 42-inch television superstar who had tossed up an honorary jump ball before the game. Ewing and his college coach, John Thompson, did cameos on Webster a while back. As for Lewis, the Nix need some quick guards.
On Nov. 3 in Portland, the Trail Blazers got a chuckle or two during their 110-96 victory when the Knicks played a stretch with an alltime all-bad lineup of Bannister at center, Thornton and aging Ernie Grunfeld at forward, and non-penetrating, slumping Tucker (37% from the floor, only five free throw attempts in eight games) and fourth-round draft pick Fred Cofield at guard. Ghosts of bad teams past positively whooshed through Memorial Coliseum, teams like the 9-73 Philadelphia 76ers of 1972-73, possibly the worst team in NBA history. Certainly the Nix aren't that bad.
Or are they?
They just might be if the backcourt continues its poor play at crunch time. Against the Bucks, Sparrow missed two consecutive wide-open jumpers late in the game (one of them was an air ball, henceforth to be known as a Bannister). Against the Bulls, the Knicks led 83-77 with 8:15 remaining but failed to run any semblance of an offense down the stretch, leaving it to Wilkins (who, like his talented brother, Atlanta's Dominique, does not have to be urged to shoot) to free-lance. Understandably, in tight situations the guards look for Bernard. But he's in New Jersey.
Somehow, the Knicks have hung together throughout these depressing days. This is a team that hustles from first buzzer to last.
One gets the feeling that the volatile Brown is due to go off at any moment, but so far he has kept his frustrations reasonably in check. During one postgame press conference he even apologized for being "feisty" in one of his answers. Sooner or later, though, the inscription on the coffee cup that he carries around at practice is bound to hit home: I COULD USE A LITTLE MORAL SUPPORT. A LITTLE IMMORAL SUPPORT WOULD BE FINE, TOO.
For Ewing, the eight defeats are two more than he endured in his final two seasons at Georgetown. And there are many more to come. He was asked how he's making the mental adjustment. "What can I do?" he answered. "There's nothing to do." With customary reticence he deflected questions about his elbow injury. "But thanks for asking," he added. Thanks for asking?
Meanwhile, players like Bannister and Thornton are getting more than their share of media attention, but wisely have not let it go to their heads. "I never thought I'd get this far in basketball," says Thornton, UC-Irvine's third-leading scorer (12.7) in his senior season. "I know one thing," says Bannister, "I could be gone at any time when people start getting healthy."
Grunfeld tried to put the mess that is the Knicks into perspective. "Honestly," he said, "we are trying our best."
Sadly, he's absolutely right.
Friday, May 29, 2009
The Mailbag Debuts
The Mailbag Debuts
M.D. Wright
5.29.09
I am finally rolling out my Professor Mailbag. I'm going to debut with just a few questions that will give you a taste of the things to expect (at least twice a month) here at the Musings of the Professor. In the coming weeks and months, as questions and emails flow in, the number of featured questions will increase and be displayed here. If you would like to reach the Professor, simply drop him some bars at allout718@hotmail.com. With that, let's get right to the questions:
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Now that we live in an era of constant access to athletes, Do you think we're getting closer to them or forcing them to withdraw? Since the media is in their faces 24/7, wouldn't that lead to more players putting on a front, especially when PR firms and possible endorsements are involved? I've heard stories about old sportswriters having dinner and drinks with athletes, those days are long gone. Have expanded access actually limited our access?
-- Brandon, Virginia
Excellent question. I have sometimes wondered this myself. Especially given that we live in a time where people so politically correct. No one can express how they truly feel without drawing the ire of some special interest group that comes out of the woodwork anytime someone speaks ill of the people they supposedly "fight" for. Indeed, sportswriters like the legendary Dick Schaap, Peter Gammons and other mavens routinely dined and yakked it up with sports stars. Superstars, even. Now, with the media constantly vying for the "next big breaking news story", athletes and entertainers are wary of who they talk to (ex. Mike Tyson rarely spoke to anyone other than Jeremy Schaap
upon his release from prison in 1995, Kobe Bryant's mouthpiece was one TJ Simers
, before he actively began to rebuild his public image, Cam'ron only breaks news related to himself through Miss Info
or Funkmaster Flex
), if they spoke to anyone at all. I really do believe with the advent of Twitter and other social networking sites, that, while further breaking down the barrier between "them" and the "rest of us", you will see less interaction with the widespread media as we have known it. Effectively cutting the middle man out, if you will. Why use the media when you have Twitter ha?
I do agree with the PR/endorsements angle, but this is the one reason why I don't believe the media will totally be done away with. It does still serve as an excellent (and quick) means to create buzz and publicity for upcoming projects or products that a player or entertainer may be pushing.
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I realized that some Black People have had a hard way to go because of their parent's creativity when it comes to names. Keylolesha, Quandarious, and Rayshawneem are all extremes but you get the picture.
However, as Black People have progressed and more of us become "middle class" there has been a rise of the "Madisons", "McKenzie's" and "Sydney's" of the world. I find this is extremely common with female names. My goodness, I know 5 little black girls around the same age with the same name (Madison). I get it! We want something different, a name that says something else, but come on, can we hit a name book and retire some of these names? Just want to know other's thoughts. Also, what other names people are using to announce to the world that they have arrived and are now "middle class"!!??
-- Anonymity Requested, North Carolina
(Laughs)
You're not the only one who has wondered this, trust me. In a way it is a good thing that Black people are finally coming off these stupid names that make no sense DEAR GOD. Shaqadocious? DeMaybach? Vuittona?
However, the opposite reaction is kind of jarring. Maybe because we just aren't used to the image of a Black child with the name "Madison" or "Chip" affixed to their faces in a yearbook? I dunno. This will take some getting used to ha. I do agree, the Madison Jenkins and Holly Venables of the world kind of make you wonder what's next. That's the thing about Black people, though ha... you just NEVER KNOW what's next with names. Who saw the 70s/80s ghettofication of names coming? Our great grandparents are rolling in their graves for sure.
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Yo Mike this is Cory and this is my question. How do you feel about Roger Goodell trying to expand the NFL season by 1 or 2 games to make every team playing 17-18 games in the regular season and possible 20-21 to win the Super Bowl? I feel it's unnecessary to do this. The season is already long enough as it is and doesn't need to be tampered with anymore. Thanks.
-- Cory, Kentucky
I don't like the idea unless they plan to cut the preseason to two games. From what I understand, that is what Goodell's plan is. If the owners and player's association agrees to it (the latter being the main naysayer currently), then it's full speed ahead. I'd much rather see 21 games that count than four preseason games, a 16-game/17-week season (as is) or a four-preseason/17 or 18-week season and then the playoffs. The NFLPA will not go for that with obvious trepidation. More games equate with increased likelihood of injury to its players. You're guaranteed to see more images such as these:
No one (except sick, irrational fans whose hate for the New England Patriots far exceeds nature).
-------------
With Blake Griffin most likely heading to L.A.(well there goes his career) and Memphis pretty set at center, Do you think OKC goes after Thabeet and with the young nucleus they would have how long until they rise into a playoff time a la Portland?
-- Brandon, Virginia
Haaaaaaaaaaaaa First, let's take a quick look at just a FEW players whose careers have been killed by the Los Angeles Clippers organization before they even began:
Shaun Livingston.
Charles Smith.
Lamar Odom (his heart, got tooken).
Let's hope the Clippers "botch" this draft and don't choose Griffin.
However, by the sound of it, they are planning to select him #1 overall with their pick in the upcoming 2009 NBA Draft. The Oklahoma City Thunder started out in the 2008-2009 season on pace to break the 1973-74 Philadelphia 76ers' record of 9 wins and 73 losses. They did finish strongly down the stretch, however, winning 22 games following a 5-30 start. With G Kevin Durant,
F Jeff Green
G Russell Westbrook
and an assortment of decent role players, it would make sense for the Thunder to select C Hasheem Thabeet out of the University of Connecticut. We shall see. We don't know what the Thunder 's philosophy is. Do they want to run like the Suns or play halfcourt (with "Hosh") like the Rockets? Personally, I say take Thabeet and develop him -- give yourself a defensive presence inside. However, he is soft.
As a UConn fan, I saw this first-hand. CAUTION, Thunder. Caution.
--------------
Why is it that half the women out there are trying to tell us guys to be less picky, while the other half is looking for such an exact (and unrealistic) rendition of a man that none of us get a fair shake? Which half is really kidding themselves here and who should we listen to?
-- Lee, New York
I wrote a blog concerning such psychosis a while back. Rather than plug the blog, I'll answer flat out:
BLAME HOLLYWOOD, DISNEY AND DANIELLE STEEL.
These two are the culprit for women developing ridiculous expectations for men (most of these women don't even meet the kinds of expectations they have for the men they claim to want). Hollywood, with their movies with serene, classical tunes, showing a man act like a total pansy and doing whatever a woman wants... Disney with ALADDIN and Beauty & The Beast, trash like "Twilight" (featured here:) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clYTM_TaXP0 and Danielle Steel with her steamy, semipornographic novels
have all feed images, ideas and concepts into women's minds about a perfect man. Such a man (nor woman) exists. Therefore, there is a constant comparison (in women's minds, whether they admit it or not) between the images and characters on TV and in movies and the real-life man with issues that she chooses to get with.
There is a difference between being romantic, loving your woman, being caring, supportive, providing and protective of your woman. But to become a complete pansy, virtually a eunuch is a different story. What happens is you end up with a wide swath of good men who are essentially what most of these women both want AND need get passed over because they don't look like the proverbial Knight in Shining Armor
I could go on and on, but if you ask an honest woman to assess what her idea of an ideal man is, see does it not line up with characters from one of, if not all of the aforementioned media outlets. Who to listen to concerning this ha? This may sound crazy, but DON'T listen to the ones who talk the most about what they want. Listen to those who DON'T sit around talking about who/what their "ideal" man is. Check out this article really quick. This will answer ALL of your questions regarding this relatively new phenomena:
Does Twilight set an unreasonable standard for men?
By Ted Cox
As much as it pains me, I admit I have seen the Twilight movie. [view trailer] In my defense, I didn’t want to see it, but my four younger teenage sisters were bugging me to go for family bonding time (that, and I was still in trouble for picking Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull for the last family-movie outing).
In case you have been living in a hole for the past months, Twilight is based [on] author Stephenie Meyer’s novel of the same name. The story follows Bella, a clumsy, unpopular teenage girl who tries to manage an awkward relationship with her mustachioed father while she adjusts to life in a new town. Soon after starting at her new high school, Bella falls madly in love with Edward, a vampire who has been undead for “a while.” (The poor guy. Life must get pretty monotonous after a few hundred years.)
My sisters, like so many teenage girls, went gaga whenever the hunky, pasty Edward and his male-model coif appeared on-screen. Edward is inhumanly gorgeous, inhumanly strong, holds several medical degrees, plays concert piano, drives a shiny car, is filthy rich and, most importantly, is instantly and uncontrollably attracted to Bella.
It’s not hard to see why Twilight has become so popular. The story probably resonates with young women who feel they aren’t particularly pretty, smart, talented or loveable. Twilight is the movie version of a common teenage fantasy: The hot, rich guy falls madly in love with the unpopular klutz.
I guess that means Twilight is pornography for young women. While porn for men takes normal, everyday guys and pairs them with idealized women, Twilight flips the formula around: Bella is the everyday teenage girl who ends up with the idealized man.
When women are idealized in the media, it’s called sexism, objectification or misogyny. But when men are idealized, it’s called a blockbuster. One blogger at Feministing.com cried foul over Bella needing a man to fulfill her life. The same writer didn’t mention anything about the story holding men up to impossible standards.
Science is only recently exploring how films negatively impact the perceptions of women. Last month, scientists at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, released a study suggesting that romantic comedies can “spoil your love life.” Fans of movies like You’ve Got Mail and Runaway Bride were more likely to believe in unhealthy ideas like predestined love, fate and destiny, and that it’s not necessary for partners to verbally express love for each other.
It seems that just as pornography can fill men with unrealistic expectations about women, films like Twilight can give women unrealistic expectations about men.
Unhealthy, unrealistic expectations in the media affect all of us. To achieve true gender equality, unfair portrayals of men need to receive attention and criticism.
After all, if my sisters are hoping for an Edward to come along and sweep them off of their feet, they’re going to be sorely disappointed.
Excellent question. Expect a separate blog addressing this VERY SOON.
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I contend that the 90s contained more quality diverse music than any other era in history. Hip hop and grunge took off, female artists like Alanis and Britney broke sales records, and the ways we bought and shared music were forever altered. If you made a 90s mixtape, what would be on it?
-- Brian, Texas
You are trying to start something by talking about music here. Especially asking me to compile a mixtape. That's tough. I would definitely feature one song from everyone on the roster of Bad Boy Records, a cut from a group such as Green Day, definitely one or two songs from the conglomerate that housed Aaliyah, Missy Elliott and Timbaland, for some soul, a Jodeci record or two, a song from En Vogue, TLC, SWV and Mary J. Blige apiece, a track or two from Alanis Morissette and Diana Krall, an Aerosmith cut from "Get A Grip" ("Cryin''?)
I could go on and on Brian, you just gave me a blog idea. I will give you credits on that blog. Coming soon. I promise. Stay tuned.
For my other readers who want to submit questions, again, you can email me at allout718@hotmail.com or message me on Facebook.
Thanks for reading!
M.D. Wright
5.29.09
I am finally rolling out my Professor Mailbag. I'm going to debut with just a few questions that will give you a taste of the things to expect (at least twice a month) here at the Musings of the Professor. In the coming weeks and months, as questions and emails flow in, the number of featured questions will increase and be displayed here. If you would like to reach the Professor, simply drop him some bars at allout718@hotmail.com. With that, let's get right to the questions:
--------------
Now that we live in an era of constant access to athletes, Do you think we're getting closer to them or forcing them to withdraw? Since the media is in their faces 24/7, wouldn't that lead to more players putting on a front, especially when PR firms and possible endorsements are involved? I've heard stories about old sportswriters having dinner and drinks with athletes, those days are long gone. Have expanded access actually limited our access?
-- Brandon, Virginia
Excellent question. I have sometimes wondered this myself. Especially given that we live in a time where people so politically correct. No one can express how they truly feel without drawing the ire of some special interest group that comes out of the woodwork anytime someone speaks ill of the people they supposedly "fight" for. Indeed, sportswriters like the legendary Dick Schaap, Peter Gammons and other mavens routinely dined and yakked it up with sports stars. Superstars, even. Now, with the media constantly vying for the "next big breaking news story", athletes and entertainers are wary of who they talk to (ex. Mike Tyson rarely spoke to anyone other than Jeremy Schaap
upon his release from prison in 1995, Kobe Bryant's mouthpiece was one TJ Simers
, before he actively began to rebuild his public image, Cam'ron only breaks news related to himself through Miss Info
or Funkmaster Flex
), if they spoke to anyone at all. I really do believe with the advent of Twitter and other social networking sites, that, while further breaking down the barrier between "them" and the "rest of us", you will see less interaction with the widespread media as we have known it. Effectively cutting the middle man out, if you will. Why use the media when you have Twitter ha?
I do agree with the PR/endorsements angle, but this is the one reason why I don't believe the media will totally be done away with. It does still serve as an excellent (and quick) means to create buzz and publicity for upcoming projects or products that a player or entertainer may be pushing.
---------------
I realized that some Black People have had a hard way to go because of their parent's creativity when it comes to names. Keylolesha, Quandarious, and Rayshawneem are all extremes but you get the picture.
However, as Black People have progressed and more of us become "middle class" there has been a rise of the "Madisons", "McKenzie's" and "Sydney's" of the world. I find this is extremely common with female names. My goodness, I know 5 little black girls around the same age with the same name (Madison). I get it! We want something different, a name that says something else, but come on, can we hit a name book and retire some of these names? Just want to know other's thoughts. Also, what other names people are using to announce to the world that they have arrived and are now "middle class"!!??
-- Anonymity Requested, North Carolina
(Laughs)
You're not the only one who has wondered this, trust me. In a way it is a good thing that Black people are finally coming off these stupid names that make no sense DEAR GOD. Shaqadocious? DeMaybach? Vuittona?
However, the opposite reaction is kind of jarring. Maybe because we just aren't used to the image of a Black child with the name "Madison" or "Chip" affixed to their faces in a yearbook? I dunno. This will take some getting used to ha. I do agree, the Madison Jenkins and Holly Venables of the world kind of make you wonder what's next. That's the thing about Black people, though ha... you just NEVER KNOW what's next with names. Who saw the 70s/80s ghettofication of names coming? Our great grandparents are rolling in their graves for sure.
--------------
Yo Mike this is Cory and this is my question. How do you feel about Roger Goodell trying to expand the NFL season by 1 or 2 games to make every team playing 17-18 games in the regular season and possible 20-21 to win the Super Bowl? I feel it's unnecessary to do this. The season is already long enough as it is and doesn't need to be tampered with anymore. Thanks.
-- Cory, Kentucky
I don't like the idea unless they plan to cut the preseason to two games. From what I understand, that is what Goodell's plan is. If the owners and player's association agrees to it (the latter being the main naysayer currently), then it's full speed ahead. I'd much rather see 21 games that count than four preseason games, a 16-game/17-week season (as is) or a four-preseason/17 or 18-week season and then the playoffs. The NFLPA will not go for that with obvious trepidation. More games equate with increased likelihood of injury to its players. You're guaranteed to see more images such as these:
No one (except sick, irrational fans whose hate for the New England Patriots far exceeds nature).
-------------
With Blake Griffin most likely heading to L.A.(well there goes his career) and Memphis pretty set at center, Do you think OKC goes after Thabeet and with the young nucleus they would have how long until they rise into a playoff time a la Portland?
-- Brandon, Virginia
Haaaaaaaaaaaaa First, let's take a quick look at just a FEW players whose careers have been killed by the Los Angeles Clippers organization before they even began:
Shaun Livingston.
Charles Smith.
Lamar Odom (his heart, got tooken).
Let's hope the Clippers "botch" this draft and don't choose Griffin.
However, by the sound of it, they are planning to select him #1 overall with their pick in the upcoming 2009 NBA Draft. The Oklahoma City Thunder started out in the 2008-2009 season on pace to break the 1973-74 Philadelphia 76ers' record of 9 wins and 73 losses. They did finish strongly down the stretch, however, winning 22 games following a 5-30 start. With G Kevin Durant,
F Jeff Green
G Russell Westbrook
and an assortment of decent role players, it would make sense for the Thunder to select C Hasheem Thabeet out of the University of Connecticut. We shall see. We don't know what the Thunder 's philosophy is. Do they want to run like the Suns or play halfcourt (with "Hosh") like the Rockets? Personally, I say take Thabeet and develop him -- give yourself a defensive presence inside. However, he is soft.
As a UConn fan, I saw this first-hand. CAUTION, Thunder. Caution.
--------------
Why is it that half the women out there are trying to tell us guys to be less picky, while the other half is looking for such an exact (and unrealistic) rendition of a man that none of us get a fair shake? Which half is really kidding themselves here and who should we listen to?
-- Lee, New York
I wrote a blog concerning such psychosis a while back. Rather than plug the blog, I'll answer flat out:
BLAME HOLLYWOOD, DISNEY AND DANIELLE STEEL.
These two are the culprit for women developing ridiculous expectations for men (most of these women don't even meet the kinds of expectations they have for the men they claim to want). Hollywood, with their movies with serene, classical tunes, showing a man act like a total pansy and doing whatever a woman wants... Disney with ALADDIN and Beauty & The Beast, trash like "Twilight" (featured here:) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clYTM_TaXP0 and Danielle Steel with her steamy, semipornographic novels
have all feed images, ideas and concepts into women's minds about a perfect man. Such a man (nor woman) exists. Therefore, there is a constant comparison (in women's minds, whether they admit it or not) between the images and characters on TV and in movies and the real-life man with issues that she chooses to get with.
There is a difference between being romantic, loving your woman, being caring, supportive, providing and protective of your woman. But to become a complete pansy, virtually a eunuch is a different story. What happens is you end up with a wide swath of good men who are essentially what most of these women both want AND need get passed over because they don't look like the proverbial Knight in Shining Armor
I could go on and on, but if you ask an honest woman to assess what her idea of an ideal man is, see does it not line up with characters from one of, if not all of the aforementioned media outlets. Who to listen to concerning this ha? This may sound crazy, but DON'T listen to the ones who talk the most about what they want. Listen to those who DON'T sit around talking about who/what their "ideal" man is. Check out this article really quick. This will answer ALL of your questions regarding this relatively new phenomena:
Does Twilight set an unreasonable standard for men?
By Ted Cox
As much as it pains me, I admit I have seen the Twilight movie. [view trailer] In my defense, I didn’t want to see it, but my four younger teenage sisters were bugging me to go for family bonding time (that, and I was still in trouble for picking Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull for the last family-movie outing).
In case you have been living in a hole for the past months, Twilight is based [on] author Stephenie Meyer’s novel of the same name. The story follows Bella, a clumsy, unpopular teenage girl who tries to manage an awkward relationship with her mustachioed father while she adjusts to life in a new town. Soon after starting at her new high school, Bella falls madly in love with Edward, a vampire who has been undead for “a while.” (The poor guy. Life must get pretty monotonous after a few hundred years.)
My sisters, like so many teenage girls, went gaga whenever the hunky, pasty Edward and his male-model coif appeared on-screen. Edward is inhumanly gorgeous, inhumanly strong, holds several medical degrees, plays concert piano, drives a shiny car, is filthy rich and, most importantly, is instantly and uncontrollably attracted to Bella.
It’s not hard to see why Twilight has become so popular. The story probably resonates with young women who feel they aren’t particularly pretty, smart, talented or loveable. Twilight is the movie version of a common teenage fantasy: The hot, rich guy falls madly in love with the unpopular klutz.
I guess that means Twilight is pornography for young women. While porn for men takes normal, everyday guys and pairs them with idealized women, Twilight flips the formula around: Bella is the everyday teenage girl who ends up with the idealized man.
When women are idealized in the media, it’s called sexism, objectification or misogyny. But when men are idealized, it’s called a blockbuster. One blogger at Feministing.com cried foul over Bella needing a man to fulfill her life. The same writer didn’t mention anything about the story holding men up to impossible standards.
Science is only recently exploring how films negatively impact the perceptions of women. Last month, scientists at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, released a study suggesting that romantic comedies can “spoil your love life.” Fans of movies like You’ve Got Mail and Runaway Bride were more likely to believe in unhealthy ideas like predestined love, fate and destiny, and that it’s not necessary for partners to verbally express love for each other.
It seems that just as pornography can fill men with unrealistic expectations about women, films like Twilight can give women unrealistic expectations about men.
Unhealthy, unrealistic expectations in the media affect all of us. To achieve true gender equality, unfair portrayals of men need to receive attention and criticism.
After all, if my sisters are hoping for an Edward to come along and sweep them off of their feet, they’re going to be sorely disappointed.
Excellent question. Expect a separate blog addressing this VERY SOON.
-----------
I contend that the 90s contained more quality diverse music than any other era in history. Hip hop and grunge took off, female artists like Alanis and Britney broke sales records, and the ways we bought and shared music were forever altered. If you made a 90s mixtape, what would be on it?
-- Brian, Texas
You are trying to start something by talking about music here. Especially asking me to compile a mixtape. That's tough. I would definitely feature one song from everyone on the roster of Bad Boy Records, a cut from a group such as Green Day, definitely one or two songs from the conglomerate that housed Aaliyah, Missy Elliott and Timbaland, for some soul, a Jodeci record or two, a song from En Vogue, TLC, SWV and Mary J. Blige apiece, a track or two from Alanis Morissette and Diana Krall, an Aerosmith cut from "Get A Grip" ("Cryin''?)
I could go on and on Brian, you just gave me a blog idea. I will give you credits on that blog. Coming soon. I promise. Stay tuned.
For my other readers who want to submit questions, again, you can email me at allout718@hotmail.com or message me on Facebook.
Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
For Musicians: Digital Distribution
For Musicians: Digital Distribution
Getting Sold On iTunes
By Joe Shambro, About.com
Sell Music oniTunesKeep Your Rights Flat Fee - Keep 100% of Royaltieswww.ReverbNation.com
Sell Your Music OnlineDon't Sell Your Soul to the Record Industry, Sell Direct to Listeners!www.SongCastMusic.com
Create An Independent CDGet Discovered! Sell Your Music on Amazon.com. No Inventory Needed.www.CreateSpace.com
Recording Ads
Music Songs Music Studio Independent Music Industry Music Top Music
As an independent artist, you'll probably be very familiar with the fact that digital downloading is huge -- and you're probably wondering how to get your cut of the action! And it's not just illegal downloading taking a huge bite out of traditional sales -- legal downloading services such as iTunes, eMusic, Napster, and Rhapsody have created a huge opportunity for major and independent labels alike: the ability to sell your music to a large, diverse market, with little to no overhead costs.
At around $1 per song, $10 per album, these services represent a great way to get your music distributed to the masses. However, as an independent artist, getting your music digitally distributed on the big services may seem like an impossible task -- until now!
Digital or Traditional?
While it may be tempting to go the all-digital route and avoid the printing costs of a CD, it's also important to understand that the market is still there for CD sales, especially independent musicians. Despite the numbers looking great, there's only an estimated 10% of the music-buying public taking advantage of paid digital downloads.
You'll still want to consider retaining the option to sell CDs -- especially at your shows! Most artists see CD sales at their merch tables, even if they're not doing so great in local CD stores. Before making a decision on which way to go exclusively, consider the benefits of doing both, especially if you have a budget to do so.
Getting Your Release Ready - Mastering & Artwork
As an independent artist, you'll need to make sure your release is up to commercial standards before releasing it digitally. By now, I'm sure you're familiar with the process of mastering -- evening out the dynamics and maximizing the volume of your recording. Make sure that, whether you're doing the mastering yourself or hiring an engineer to do it for you, that your final product sounds it's best. Remember, you'll be on an even playing field (well, almost) to the big, major-label acts when you're being digitally distributed, so make your release stand out as best you can.
You'll also need to make sure you have complete artwork to submit, along with the complete track credits. The major players won't post your music without artwork -- it doesn't have to be the best, but something catchy certainly helps!
Obtain a UPC Code
In order to sell your music in any online store, not just iTunes, you'll need a UPC code assigned to your release. There's a few options, and they're all about the same price if you know where to look (and contrary to popular belief, you don't have to pay the $750 fee that's standard if you're getting your own UPC, unless you want to register a UPC as your own company). One option is going through your CD duplication company. For a small fee (between $20 and $50), you'll be assigned a unique UPC code for your product, which you can use on both your regular CD and your digitally distributed version. Just ask them, if they haven't offered it already. Another option is the great service CD Baby. They're an online store that's a major player in the digital distribution market, as well (more about that later). They'll assign you a unique UPC for $20. You can also do a Google search for "UPC Code", and you'll get some great results -- don't pay more than $50, though!
Find a Distributor
Unless your independent label (or you) are a major player, then you won't be able to deal directly with Apple. Unfortunately, but understandably due to the volume of interest, iTunes requires that you as an artist partner with an established distributor. This works to your benefit when you compare the selling and bargaining power you as one of the many independent artists would have! This offers them the ability to work only with high-volume sellers, who'll be committed to the level of content quality they strive for. Of course, the downside here is that is that it'll cost you a little more in sales revenue, due to the fact you'll have to help pay a minimal overhead for the other companies involved.
The number one thing to look out for in a digital distributing partner is a non-exclusive licensing agreement. Make sure that you will continue to own all rights to your own music. Don't sign anything -- and if in doubt, take it up with an experienced entertainment lawyer -- if you feel you may sign your rights away to your material, which goes without saying. You'll also want to make sure that the pay cut is fair -- the average payout is around 60 cents per song download, and most digital distribution services will take a 9-10% cut of that. Still, when compared to the overhead of printing and distributing an actual CD copy, you're coming out ahead!
One of the best distributors, as mentioned above, is CD Baby. They've partnered with not only iTunes, but many of the other major players in the digital market. They'll set up to sell your CD -- digital only, or, if you have real copies, on their online store, as well -- for $35 per album. There's some setup work, but it's all easily done. They handle the digital encoding of your material for you, to make sure that your music stays in the proper format at the highest quality.
Another great option is a company called TuneCore. TuneCore offers similar features to CD Baby, although they only deal in digital distribution, not traditional sales as well. Their pricing model is quite different, and allows you to choose which services you'd like to distribute to. For every release, they charge a 99 cent fee per store you choose to release to, including iTunes Japan, eMusic, and many others, aside from traditional United States iTunes distribution. They also charge a yearly maintenance fee of $19.98 per album, and 99 cents per song. For a 12-song album, that means roughly $25 in fees to distribute to the major players. They also don't make any claim to your material, just distribute it. They offer free UPC code generation, and can hook you up with a good artwork person if you don't have cover art already made.
And remember, promote your digital downloads!
Getting Sold On iTunes
By Joe Shambro, About.com
Sell Music oniTunesKeep Your Rights Flat Fee - Keep 100% of Royaltieswww.ReverbNation.com
Sell Your Music OnlineDon't Sell Your Soul to the Record Industry, Sell Direct to Listeners!www.SongCastMusic.com
Create An Independent CDGet Discovered! Sell Your Music on Amazon.com. No Inventory Needed.www.CreateSpace.com
Recording Ads
Music Songs Music Studio Independent Music Industry Music Top Music
As an independent artist, you'll probably be very familiar with the fact that digital downloading is huge -- and you're probably wondering how to get your cut of the action! And it's not just illegal downloading taking a huge bite out of traditional sales -- legal downloading services such as iTunes, eMusic, Napster, and Rhapsody have created a huge opportunity for major and independent labels alike: the ability to sell your music to a large, diverse market, with little to no overhead costs.
At around $1 per song, $10 per album, these services represent a great way to get your music distributed to the masses. However, as an independent artist, getting your music digitally distributed on the big services may seem like an impossible task -- until now!
Digital or Traditional?
While it may be tempting to go the all-digital route and avoid the printing costs of a CD, it's also important to understand that the market is still there for CD sales, especially independent musicians. Despite the numbers looking great, there's only an estimated 10% of the music-buying public taking advantage of paid digital downloads.
You'll still want to consider retaining the option to sell CDs -- especially at your shows! Most artists see CD sales at their merch tables, even if they're not doing so great in local CD stores. Before making a decision on which way to go exclusively, consider the benefits of doing both, especially if you have a budget to do so.
Getting Your Release Ready - Mastering & Artwork
As an independent artist, you'll need to make sure your release is up to commercial standards before releasing it digitally. By now, I'm sure you're familiar with the process of mastering -- evening out the dynamics and maximizing the volume of your recording. Make sure that, whether you're doing the mastering yourself or hiring an engineer to do it for you, that your final product sounds it's best. Remember, you'll be on an even playing field (well, almost) to the big, major-label acts when you're being digitally distributed, so make your release stand out as best you can.
You'll also need to make sure you have complete artwork to submit, along with the complete track credits. The major players won't post your music without artwork -- it doesn't have to be the best, but something catchy certainly helps!
Obtain a UPC Code
In order to sell your music in any online store, not just iTunes, you'll need a UPC code assigned to your release. There's a few options, and they're all about the same price if you know where to look (and contrary to popular belief, you don't have to pay the $750 fee that's standard if you're getting your own UPC, unless you want to register a UPC as your own company). One option is going through your CD duplication company. For a small fee (between $20 and $50), you'll be assigned a unique UPC code for your product, which you can use on both your regular CD and your digitally distributed version. Just ask them, if they haven't offered it already. Another option is the great service CD Baby. They're an online store that's a major player in the digital distribution market, as well (more about that later). They'll assign you a unique UPC for $20. You can also do a Google search for "UPC Code", and you'll get some great results -- don't pay more than $50, though!
Find a Distributor
Unless your independent label (or you) are a major player, then you won't be able to deal directly with Apple. Unfortunately, but understandably due to the volume of interest, iTunes requires that you as an artist partner with an established distributor. This works to your benefit when you compare the selling and bargaining power you as one of the many independent artists would have! This offers them the ability to work only with high-volume sellers, who'll be committed to the level of content quality they strive for. Of course, the downside here is that is that it'll cost you a little more in sales revenue, due to the fact you'll have to help pay a minimal overhead for the other companies involved.
The number one thing to look out for in a digital distributing partner is a non-exclusive licensing agreement. Make sure that you will continue to own all rights to your own music. Don't sign anything -- and if in doubt, take it up with an experienced entertainment lawyer -- if you feel you may sign your rights away to your material, which goes without saying. You'll also want to make sure that the pay cut is fair -- the average payout is around 60 cents per song download, and most digital distribution services will take a 9-10% cut of that. Still, when compared to the overhead of printing and distributing an actual CD copy, you're coming out ahead!
One of the best distributors, as mentioned above, is CD Baby. They've partnered with not only iTunes, but many of the other major players in the digital market. They'll set up to sell your CD -- digital only, or, if you have real copies, on their online store, as well -- for $35 per album. There's some setup work, but it's all easily done. They handle the digital encoding of your material for you, to make sure that your music stays in the proper format at the highest quality.
Another great option is a company called TuneCore. TuneCore offers similar features to CD Baby, although they only deal in digital distribution, not traditional sales as well. Their pricing model is quite different, and allows you to choose which services you'd like to distribute to. For every release, they charge a 99 cent fee per store you choose to release to, including iTunes Japan, eMusic, and many others, aside from traditional United States iTunes distribution. They also charge a yearly maintenance fee of $19.98 per album, and 99 cents per song. For a 12-song album, that means roughly $25 in fees to distribute to the major players. They also don't make any claim to your material, just distribute it. They offer free UPC code generation, and can hook you up with a good artwork person if you don't have cover art already made.
And remember, promote your digital downloads!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The Cavalcade That Was Bad Boy Records
The Cavalcade That Was Bad Boy Records
M.D. Wright
5.26.09
Edited: 9.30.09
In light of the news that Puff has signed a distribution deal with Interscope Records for the "new" Bad Boy that is focusing on "superstars", I thought it would be fitting to take a look down memory lane.
Okay, most people know and will admit that Bad Boy ran things from 1993-1998. The best year arguably being 1997. The summer of 1995 was great for them also, but between 1993-1998, the artists signed to Bad Boy and released albums/videos include, but are not limited to:
CRAIG MACK.
FAITH EVANS.
THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G.
TOTAL.
112.
PUFF DADDY.
MA$E.
These are basically my high school years, and obviously some of the greatest memories in life. Most people aged 25-35 can pretty much agree. Here are some of the highlights from each:
Craig Mack - "Flava In Ya Ear" (1994):
"And just like a piece of Sizzleannnnnnn... you'll fit inside my stomach with the eggs and grits between"
"You won't be around next year my raps too severe kickin' mad Flava In Ya Ear..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-MLp3l2fkA
Craig Mack - "Get Down" (1994):
"And-and... turn up the bass a lil bit, cause you know I wanna hear that... boompsh... boompsh... knowimsayin???"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcIdXQQKWv4
Craig Mack - "Flava In Ya Ear (Remix)" (1995):
"Don't be mad... UPS is hirin'..."
"Not from Houston, but I Rap-A-Lot..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8pG1mG7BeI
Faith Evans - "Soon As I Get Home" (1995)
This was that joint.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfPJgTGlTCA
Faith Evans - "You Used To Love Me" (1995)
For some Emo-esque reason, I loved this song. I always like to think these women are singing to me ha.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xvcw4_faith-evans-notorious-big-you-used_music
Faith Evans - "Ain't Nobody" (1996)
Lovely song. If you're mushy.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xqsmz_faith-evansaint-nobody_music
The Notorious B.I.G. - "Juicy" (1994)
SET IT OFF. Summer jam '94.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsT8FaZnzdE
The Notorious B.I.G. - "Warning" (1995)
"It's gunna be a lotta slow singin'... and flower bringin'... if... my burglar alarm starts ringin'..."
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xyz1x_notorious-big-warning_music
The Notorious B.I.G. - "One More Chance (Remix)" (1995)
This was that JAM in '95, along with Can't U See, right behind it. BTW, what did Faith look like in that bed ha?
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x17mb2_notorious-big-one-more-chance_music
The Notorious B.I.G. - "Big Poppa" (1995)
CLUB BANGA.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x17cv2_notorious-big-big-poppa_music
The Notorious B.I.G. - Hypnotize (1997)
I nearly shed a tear when this first came on, because it still didn't seem real that BIG was gone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBzJWtU-g34
The Notorious B.I.G. - "Mo' Money, Mo' Problems" (1997)
I was beginning to not like Puff at this time, but it was still a great song. With great spoken (out of breath) words from BIG.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nzHIx4fVuE
The Notorious B.I.G. - "Sky's The Limit" (1998)
"I'm sewin' tigers on my shirts... and alligators... you wanna see the inside ha? I see ya later!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtJW5mbErUA
Total - "No One Else" (1995)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xhnid_total-no-one-else_music
Total - "Can't U See" (1995)
I still do that dance that Puff was doing whenever this song comes on. Back when I still danced. I ain't got time for that anymore. Except in rare occasions.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xqz4x_total-notoriousbigcantusee_music
Total - "Kissin' You" (1996)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x21znf_kissing-you_music
Total - "No One Else (Remix)" (1996)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xa28w_total-no-one-else-rmx_music
Total - "Kissin' You (Remix)" (1996)
Who DIDN'T like this song/sample?
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3545l_total-kissing-you-oh-honey-remix
112 - "Only You" (1996)
This was the joint that set it off for Mase and 112, and showed why Biggie pretty much ran things from the time he got on until those fags popped him.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1mebw_112-feat-biggie-smalls-only-you_music
112 - "Cupid" (1997)
When you're graduating high school and chicks abound, this was your joint.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1gio6_112-cupid_music
112 - "Come See Me" (1997)
E-Double on the 16.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1nat4_come-see-me_music
Puff Daddy - "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" (1996)
We all loved this joint. Mase was relatively unknown except to C.O.C. fans (and his style was changed, so most still didn't know).
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x182yr_puff-daddy-cant-nobody-hold-me-down_music
Puff Daddy - "Been Around The World" (1997)
Hot97 played this song to DEATH that summer. That was the best summer ever to be in NYC, BTW.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1xe2r_puff-daddy-been-around-the-world_music
Puff Daddy - "It's All About The Benjamins (Remix)" (1997)
Guaranteed to get the crowd jumpin'.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x21zok_the-benjamins_music
Puff Daddy - "Victory" (1997)
Biggie KILT... not killed, but KILT this.
I wish Big had been around to make this video. "Brawl nights, I perform like Mike, anyone, Tyson, Jordan Jackson" had me put that joint on repeat at least 10 times when I first heard it. This video is over-kill, though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-DUNZHMDhI
Puff Daddy - "I'll Be Missing You" (1998)
The further out we get from that tragedy, the more I hate this song and look at Puff even more crooked than I ever did.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1tky6_puff-daddy-ill-be-missing-you_music
The Lox - "If Ya Think I'm Jiggy" (1998)
Not the Lox real style, but since Puff mandated it, it worked.
http://www.myvideo.de/watch/2348276/The_Lox_If_You_Think_I_m_Jiggy
The Lox - "Money, Power & Respect" (1998)
Underrated album by the Lox.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xqy1v_the-lox-lilkim-dmx-money-power-resp_sport
The Lox ' "We'll Always Love Big Poppa" (1998)
If you were caught up in the emotion back then, that's one thing. Again, the more we get away from March 9, 1997, the more these tribute songs leave me feeling hollow.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xlfib_lox-we-will-always-love-big-poppa_music
Faith Evans - "All Night Long" (1998)
Faith with the upbeat/hopeful lyrics, being a change-of-pace from the slit-your-wrist (but 15 tracks of goodness, IMO) stuff on her debut.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3iiv_faith-evans-all-night-long_music
Faith Evans "Can't Believe" (1998)
This was my knock in my whip back then.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1t2fk_faith-evans-feat-carl-thomas-cant-b_music
Faith Evans - "Love Like This" (1998)
More of the same.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3k4r_faith-evans-love-like-this_music
Faith Evans - "Never Gonna Let You Go" (1999)
Lovely song.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xsozo_never-let-you-go_street
Ma$e - "Feel So Good" (1997)
This was my JOINT. Period.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6ZnzHCUH28
Ma$e - "What U Want" (1998)
I remember when that fag Carson Daly was hatin' because they had to play it on TRL every day back then. Ha. It was still the joint. Just because it wasn't some poppy, uptempo BS?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6104D9tkl8
Ma$e - "Lookin' At Me" (1998)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3m5st_mase-lookin-at-me_music
Ma$e - "24 Hours To Live" (1998)
Last we heard from the Bad Boy Ma$e before the goonies up on 139th & Lenox ran him outta Harlem.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x19m9z_24-hours-to-live-mase-blak-rob-jada_politics
Bad Boy did its thing for a good 5 year stretch. But since BIG died, the Lox got wise to what Puff was doing with their money and Mase did whatever you wanna call it that he did -- well, Bad Boy sucks. Faith, Total and Carl Thomas all left.
It was a good run and Bad Boy was basically the high school soundtrack of my life.
M.D. Wright
5.26.09
Edited: 9.30.09
In light of the news that Puff has signed a distribution deal with Interscope Records for the "new" Bad Boy that is focusing on "superstars", I thought it would be fitting to take a look down memory lane.
Okay, most people know and will admit that Bad Boy ran things from 1993-1998. The best year arguably being 1997. The summer of 1995 was great for them also, but between 1993-1998, the artists signed to Bad Boy and released albums/videos include, but are not limited to:
CRAIG MACK.
FAITH EVANS.
THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G.
TOTAL.
112.
PUFF DADDY.
MA$E.
These are basically my high school years, and obviously some of the greatest memories in life. Most people aged 25-35 can pretty much agree. Here are some of the highlights from each:
Craig Mack - "Flava In Ya Ear" (1994):
"And just like a piece of Sizzleannnnnnn... you'll fit inside my stomach with the eggs and grits between"
"You won't be around next year my raps too severe kickin' mad Flava In Ya Ear..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-MLp3l2fkA
Craig Mack - "Get Down" (1994):
"And-and... turn up the bass a lil bit, cause you know I wanna hear that... boompsh... boompsh... knowimsayin???"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcIdXQQKWv4
Craig Mack - "Flava In Ya Ear (Remix)" (1995):
"Don't be mad... UPS is hirin'..."
"Not from Houston, but I Rap-A-Lot..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8pG1mG7BeI
Faith Evans - "Soon As I Get Home" (1995)
This was that joint.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfPJgTGlTCA
Faith Evans - "You Used To Love Me" (1995)
For some Emo-esque reason, I loved this song. I always like to think these women are singing to me ha.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xvcw4_faith-evans-notorious-big-you-used_music
Faith Evans - "Ain't Nobody" (1996)
Lovely song. If you're mushy.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xqsmz_faith-evansaint-nobody_music
The Notorious B.I.G. - "Juicy" (1994)
SET IT OFF. Summer jam '94.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsT8FaZnzdE
The Notorious B.I.G. - "Warning" (1995)
"It's gunna be a lotta slow singin'... and flower bringin'... if... my burglar alarm starts ringin'..."
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xyz1x_notorious-big-warning_music
The Notorious B.I.G. - "One More Chance (Remix)" (1995)
This was that JAM in '95, along with Can't U See, right behind it. BTW, what did Faith look like in that bed ha?
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x17mb2_notorious-big-one-more-chance_music
The Notorious B.I.G. - "Big Poppa" (1995)
CLUB BANGA.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x17cv2_notorious-big-big-poppa_music
The Notorious B.I.G. - Hypnotize (1997)
I nearly shed a tear when this first came on, because it still didn't seem real that BIG was gone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBzJWtU-g34
The Notorious B.I.G. - "Mo' Money, Mo' Problems" (1997)
I was beginning to not like Puff at this time, but it was still a great song. With great spoken (out of breath) words from BIG.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nzHIx4fVuE
The Notorious B.I.G. - "Sky's The Limit" (1998)
"I'm sewin' tigers on my shirts... and alligators... you wanna see the inside ha? I see ya later!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtJW5mbErUA
Total - "No One Else" (1995)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xhnid_total-no-one-else_music
Total - "Can't U See" (1995)
I still do that dance that Puff was doing whenever this song comes on. Back when I still danced. I ain't got time for that anymore. Except in rare occasions.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xqz4x_total-notoriousbigcantusee_music
Total - "Kissin' You" (1996)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x21znf_kissing-you_music
Total - "No One Else (Remix)" (1996)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xa28w_total-no-one-else-rmx_music
Total - "Kissin' You (Remix)" (1996)
Who DIDN'T like this song/sample?
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3545l_total-kissing-you-oh-honey-remix
112 - "Only You" (1996)
This was the joint that set it off for Mase and 112, and showed why Biggie pretty much ran things from the time he got on until those fags popped him.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1mebw_112-feat-biggie-smalls-only-you_music
112 - "Cupid" (1997)
When you're graduating high school and chicks abound, this was your joint.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1gio6_112-cupid_music
112 - "Come See Me" (1997)
E-Double on the 16.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1nat4_come-see-me_music
Puff Daddy - "Can't Nobody Hold Me Down" (1996)
We all loved this joint. Mase was relatively unknown except to C.O.C. fans (and his style was changed, so most still didn't know).
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x182yr_puff-daddy-cant-nobody-hold-me-down_music
Puff Daddy - "Been Around The World" (1997)
Hot97 played this song to DEATH that summer. That was the best summer ever to be in NYC, BTW.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1xe2r_puff-daddy-been-around-the-world_music
Puff Daddy - "It's All About The Benjamins (Remix)" (1997)
Guaranteed to get the crowd jumpin'.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x21zok_the-benjamins_music
Puff Daddy - "Victory" (1997)
Biggie KILT... not killed, but KILT this.
I wish Big had been around to make this video. "Brawl nights, I perform like Mike, anyone, Tyson, Jordan Jackson" had me put that joint on repeat at least 10 times when I first heard it. This video is over-kill, though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-DUNZHMDhI
Puff Daddy - "I'll Be Missing You" (1998)
The further out we get from that tragedy, the more I hate this song and look at Puff even more crooked than I ever did.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1tky6_puff-daddy-ill-be-missing-you_music
The Lox - "If Ya Think I'm Jiggy" (1998)
Not the Lox real style, but since Puff mandated it, it worked.
http://www.myvideo.de/watch/2348276/The_Lox_If_You_Think_I_m_Jiggy
The Lox - "Money, Power & Respect" (1998)
Underrated album by the Lox.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xqy1v_the-lox-lilkim-dmx-money-power-resp_sport
The Lox ' "We'll Always Love Big Poppa" (1998)
If you were caught up in the emotion back then, that's one thing. Again, the more we get away from March 9, 1997, the more these tribute songs leave me feeling hollow.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xlfib_lox-we-will-always-love-big-poppa_music
Faith Evans - "All Night Long" (1998)
Faith with the upbeat/hopeful lyrics, being a change-of-pace from the slit-your-wrist (but 15 tracks of goodness, IMO) stuff on her debut.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3iiv_faith-evans-all-night-long_music
Faith Evans "Can't Believe" (1998)
This was my knock in my whip back then.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1t2fk_faith-evans-feat-carl-thomas-cant-b_music
Faith Evans - "Love Like This" (1998)
More of the same.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3k4r_faith-evans-love-like-this_music
Faith Evans - "Never Gonna Let You Go" (1999)
Lovely song.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xsozo_never-let-you-go_street
Ma$e - "Feel So Good" (1997)
This was my JOINT. Period.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6ZnzHCUH28
Ma$e - "What U Want" (1998)
I remember when that fag Carson Daly was hatin' because they had to play it on TRL every day back then. Ha. It was still the joint. Just because it wasn't some poppy, uptempo BS?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6104D9tkl8
Ma$e - "Lookin' At Me" (1998)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3m5st_mase-lookin-at-me_music
Ma$e - "24 Hours To Live" (1998)
Last we heard from the Bad Boy Ma$e before the goonies up on 139th & Lenox ran him outta Harlem.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x19m9z_24-hours-to-live-mase-blak-rob-jada_politics
Bad Boy did its thing for a good 5 year stretch. But since BIG died, the Lox got wise to what Puff was doing with their money and Mase did whatever you wanna call it that he did -- well, Bad Boy sucks. Faith, Total and Carl Thomas all left.
It was a good run and Bad Boy was basically the high school soundtrack of my life.
May 26, 2009
May 26, 2009
Calling Evil Good
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Isaiah 5:18-23
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil! —Isaiah 5:20
The Wizard of Oz has remained popular for years. People of all ages have learned moral lessons from Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion as they traveled down the yellow brick road. Of course, in the plot line the great enemy to be overcome is the Wicked Witch of the West. Evil is clearly depicted and overcome by good.
A new Broadway musical, however, turns the moral sense of the original story on its head. In this rewriting of the story, the wicked witch is presented as a sympathetic character. Born with green skin, she feels like an outsider. Major characters, plot lines, roles, and other details are altered so that the wicked witch is really just a misunderstood person. The audience might come away with the idea that evil is good and good is evil.
During the ministry of the prophet Isaiah, a reversal of moral values took place in Israel. Some actually lifted up the evils of murder, idolatry, and adultery as good. In response, Isaiah gave a stern warning: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil!” (Isa. 5:20). In our relativistic world, popular culture constantly challenges biblical values. But studying, memorizing, and meditating on God’s Word can ensure our discernment between good and evil. — Dennis Fisher
In our day-to-day existence,
Evil sometimes wears a mask;
Trust the Lord for true discernment—
He gives wisdom when we ask. —Hess
If we know the truth, we can discern what’s false.
Calling Evil Good
ODB RADIO: Listen Now | Download
READ: Isaiah 5:18-23
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil! —Isaiah 5:20
The Wizard of Oz has remained popular for years. People of all ages have learned moral lessons from Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion as they traveled down the yellow brick road. Of course, in the plot line the great enemy to be overcome is the Wicked Witch of the West. Evil is clearly depicted and overcome by good.
A new Broadway musical, however, turns the moral sense of the original story on its head. In this rewriting of the story, the wicked witch is presented as a sympathetic character. Born with green skin, she feels like an outsider. Major characters, plot lines, roles, and other details are altered so that the wicked witch is really just a misunderstood person. The audience might come away with the idea that evil is good and good is evil.
During the ministry of the prophet Isaiah, a reversal of moral values took place in Israel. Some actually lifted up the evils of murder, idolatry, and adultery as good. In response, Isaiah gave a stern warning: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil!” (Isa. 5:20). In our relativistic world, popular culture constantly challenges biblical values. But studying, memorizing, and meditating on God’s Word can ensure our discernment between good and evil. — Dennis Fisher
In our day-to-day existence,
Evil sometimes wears a mask;
Trust the Lord for true discernment—
He gives wisdom when we ask. —Hess
If we know the truth, we can discern what’s false.
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