In my opinion the greatest music video ever. 3:25-4:13 is GENIUS on every level. The attention to detail. The inverted piano keys. The first 10 seconds of the video. Is there a better music video than this?
Friday, July 3, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
The NBA Draft occurred less than two weeks ago. The Wizards traded away the 5th pick for a pair of proven players: Mike Miller and Randy Foye. When I first heard about the trade in the days before the draft, I was shocked as to why the Wizards would pass on the chance to take Ricky Rubio with the 5th pick. I had built up a sort of basketball man crush with highlights like this:
and this:
Talent and potential at the age of 18 undeniable. Not wanting to play in a city because it wasn't a big enough market. Just a bit concerning to me. In any event, the trade was made and we got Randy Foye and Mike Miller. As GM, Ernie Grunfeld is one of the more respected GM's in the game, though I'm not really sure why. He was a successful GM with the Knicks, though they already had a certain Patrick Ewing playing for them. And then he was the GM of the Milwaukee Bucks, a veritable wasteland. So what is 2009 and the future looking like for the Wizards under Mr. Grunfeld?
* A few notes beforehand (skip if you understand how a salary cap works)
1) The NBA has what is called a salary cap. A cap means that there is a limit on the amount a team can pay players on its total payroll per season (projected to be somewhere around $69 million for the next season - has to be used on at least 13 players). The 'soft' part of it means that a team can go over the limit, sometimes without even paying a luxury tax.
2) What is a luxury tax? When a team goes a specified amount (let's say $10 million or so) above the salary cap, the NBA will invoke the luxury tax. Easy explanation: for every dollar over the luxury tax a team spends, they have to give the same amount to the NBA, which will then redistribute the other teams in the NBA at the end of the season. Sports socialism, if you will.
** The purpose of this is obvious: the NBA wants to give all teams and even mound to pitch offers to potential players. Of course, larger market teams where athletes can get more exposure and marketing (i.e even more money due to sponsorships) still dominate (BTW, you were probably thinking, hey what about the Spurs, they are small market. San Antonio is the seventh largest city in the country. Hardly a small market team).
** It mitigates the chances of having a powerhouse team of all-star, $20 million players (it actually makes it fairly impossible if you think about it. Most NBA teams, even more so now, struggle to make a profit. If you had to match dollar for dollar every amount you paid to players after the luxury tax kicked in and give it to the NBA, you would 1)lose money and 2) the other teams would receive the money from you[your luxury tax divided by 29]. NBA owners are extremely wealthy (worth hundreds of million through 1-digit billionaires). However, they aren't two-digit billionaires willing to own an NBA team that would lose $20 M a season. If Bill Gates or Lawrence Ellison decide to buy an NBA team one day, well, watch out.
This is the current player/financial situation of the Washington Wizards (formatting issues):
Player 2009 2010 2011 2012
Gilbert Arenas$16,192,080 $17,730,694 $19,269,308 $20,807,922
Antawn Jamison$11,641,09 $13,358,905 $15,076,715 $0
Caron Butler $9,780,970 $10,561,960 $0 $0
Mike Miller $9,750,000 $0 $0 $0
Mike James $6,466,600 $0 $0 $0
Brendan Haywood$6,000,000 $0 $0 $0
DeShawn Stevenson$3,886,928 $4,151,786 $0 $0
Randy Foye $3,575,761 $4,795,095 $0 $0
Andray Blatche $3,000,00 $3,260,331 $3,520,661 $0
Nick Young $1,714,800 $2,630,503 $3,695,857 $0
JaVale McGee $1,496,640 $1,601,040 $2,462,399 $3,494,144
J. Crittenton $1,477,920 $2,275,996 $3,245,571 $0
Dominic McGuire$825,497 $0 $0 $0
TOTALS: $75,808,291 -- $49,063,676 -- $37,866,684 -- $20,807,922
If you can see through the formatting issues (or just glance at this site while reading, http://hoopshype.com/salaries/washington.htm), a few obvious things come up:
1) Washington meets the minimum number of players on the team (13-active roster).
2) NBA players make a lot of money (esp. one Gilbert Arenas - I'll get to him in a second)
3) The Wizards are above the salary cap (most teams are) but don't pay the luxury tax.
4) Randy Foye (an up and coming guard, scored about 16 ppg last year) gets paid about 3.5 M because he is still in his first rookie contract
One would think that teams that are successful naturally spend more money to do that. Let's look at the Lakers(sportscity.com - has 2008 salary caps): 78.3 M
Celtics:$77.6 M
Nuggets: 68.5 M (equivalent to the Washington Wizards; the Nuggets were arguably the second best team this year after the Lakers)
Cavs: 89 M
* You ever realize why Mark Cuban is so angry and yelling at officials (and now cursing out players' mothers) in the stands? Take a look at the Mavs' salary payroll for 2008: $94.5 M. OUCH!
While the Lakers spent over the cap, so did the Wizards and a number of other NBA teams. In fact, the Lakers, for all of their fame and sunshine state weather and celebrity, spent $9 M more than the Wizards. The Cavs spent almost $90 M to try and get themselves a title, and they were still nowhere closer than a few seasons ago.
What does this mean? It comes down to the quality of the GM to make the wise decisions.
The GM position is difficult because it's constantly in flux:
* Does one try to win a title in the now and mortgage their future?
* Does one do just enough to make the playoffs each year, keeping the owner and fans happy?
* Does one try to 'save up' and wait for the iron to get hot (like what the Knicks are doing with waiting for next summer)?
* Does one overpay for a player that is well into his prime (think Celtics and Kevin Garnett - [he will be making $21 M in 2011. Three seasons from now in 2011, he will be 36 and will be in his 17th season!)? THE BIG TICKET? Hmmm, by then he should be happy to settle for THE LITTLE TOKEN.
* Does one realize that NBA players are NBA players, understanding that they don't want to spend their millions and the best years of their life in places like Charlotte (2008 cap - $60 M) and Salt Lake City, Utah (2008 cap - $64 M)?
So how do the Wizards look?
1)Well, Gilbert Arenas and his Gilbertology are tied down the next 5 seasons at around $16-22 M per season.
2)Antawn Jamison (btw,I love how people still pronounce it like it's Antwan) is tied up for the next three seasons at $11-15 M per season.
3)Brenda(n) Haywood will be playing again this season after missing all of last year. He's 29 (prime time) and in a contract year (last year of his final deal @ 6 M this season), so he will play his ass off this year. So the Wizards will have to overpay this summer to keep him. And if Grunfeld signed off to pay for the bad-kneed Arenas, I count on him to pay for a soft center who looks clueless on the court.
Ahem, exhibit F, I mean exhibit A:
4) Randy Foye. I would love this trade if the Wizards were paying him his same salary now (about $4 M) for the next three seasons. Instead...contract talks loom next summer for the one of the better young 2-guards in the league. Would the Wizards sign him for $8-9 M a season and pair him with another 2-guard in Gilbert Arenas (bad idea), while limiting the playing time of another young 2-guard in Nick Young, who is every bit as talented as Foye? Anything is possible with this Grunfeld cat.
The only piece of good news?
Deshawn Stevenson has only 2 years left on his contract. If Grunfeld re-signs him, I will cease to be a Wizards fan.
Final thoughts:
1) The GM, more than the team superstar, head coach or owner, is the most important person on an NBA team.
2) Looking at the Wizard's payroll, I have no idea what his plan is.
3) As of July 2009, the Wizards could potentially have a lineup of the following:
1 - Gilbert Arenas
2 - Randy Foye
3 - Caron Butler
4 - Antawn Jamison
5 - Contract year Brendan Haywood
& nothing but guards to come off the bench (Mike Miller, Nick Young, Deshawn Stevenson and Blatche to sub for the ballin' Brenda)
Does that team (if healthy) beat the Spurs, Lakers, Nuggets, Celtics,Magic Trailblazers (they have plenty of cap space this summer) or Cavs (with Shaq)? Not a chance.
So we have a potentially good, not great team to enjoy for the next year.
Then contract talks with the the big Brenda and Foye. And Arenas signed for five years.
Grunfeld's grade - D
Let's contrast that with:
Whoever the GM that is in charge of the Spurs - (Look at this payroll and how the high-playing players just roll off and free up space season after season. That and how you sign veteran players to 2-year contracts and/or trade for veterans with 1-2 years left on their contracts?)
http://www.sportscity.com/NBA/San-Antonio-Spurs-Salaries
Genius personified.
Spurs GM without a name Grade - A+
Let's go, Wizards?
("I'ma lay here until Grunnie pays up and gives me a $118 M contract.")
and this:
Talent and potential at the age of 18 undeniable. Not wanting to play in a city because it wasn't a big enough market. Just a bit concerning to me. In any event, the trade was made and we got Randy Foye and Mike Miller. As GM, Ernie Grunfeld is one of the more respected GM's in the game, though I'm not really sure why. He was a successful GM with the Knicks, though they already had a certain Patrick Ewing playing for them. And then he was the GM of the Milwaukee Bucks, a veritable wasteland. So what is 2009 and the future looking like for the Wizards under Mr. Grunfeld?
* A few notes beforehand (skip if you understand how a salary cap works)
1) The NBA has what is called a salary cap. A cap means that there is a limit on the amount a team can pay players on its total payroll per season (projected to be somewhere around $69 million for the next season - has to be used on at least 13 players). The 'soft' part of it means that a team can go over the limit, sometimes without even paying a luxury tax.
2) What is a luxury tax? When a team goes a specified amount (let's say $10 million or so) above the salary cap, the NBA will invoke the luxury tax. Easy explanation: for every dollar over the luxury tax a team spends, they have to give the same amount to the NBA, which will then redistribute the other teams in the NBA at the end of the season. Sports socialism, if you will.
** The purpose of this is obvious: the NBA wants to give all teams and even mound to pitch offers to potential players. Of course, larger market teams where athletes can get more exposure and marketing (i.e even more money due to sponsorships) still dominate (BTW, you were probably thinking, hey what about the Spurs, they are small market. San Antonio is the seventh largest city in the country. Hardly a small market team).
** It mitigates the chances of having a powerhouse team of all-star, $20 million players (it actually makes it fairly impossible if you think about it. Most NBA teams, even more so now, struggle to make a profit. If you had to match dollar for dollar every amount you paid to players after the luxury tax kicked in and give it to the NBA, you would 1)lose money and 2) the other teams would receive the money from you[your luxury tax divided by 29]. NBA owners are extremely wealthy (worth hundreds of million through 1-digit billionaires). However, they aren't two-digit billionaires willing to own an NBA team that would lose $20 M a season. If Bill Gates or Lawrence Ellison decide to buy an NBA team one day, well, watch out.
This is the current player/financial situation of the Washington Wizards (formatting issues):
Player 2009 2010 2011 2012
Gilbert Arenas$16,192,080 $17,730,694 $19,269,308 $20,807,922
Antawn Jamison$11,641,09 $13,358,905 $15,076,715 $0
Caron Butler $9,780,970 $10,561,960 $0 $0
Mike Miller $9,750,000 $0 $0 $0
Mike James $6,466,600 $0 $0 $0
Brendan Haywood$6,000,000 $0 $0 $0
DeShawn Stevenson$3,886,928 $4,151,786 $0 $0
Randy Foye $3,575,761 $4,795,095 $0 $0
Andray Blatche $3,000,00 $3,260,331 $3,520,661 $0
Nick Young $1,714,800 $2,630,503 $3,695,857 $0
JaVale McGee $1,496,640 $1,601,040 $2,462,399 $3,494,144
J. Crittenton $1,477,920 $2,275,996 $3,245,571 $0
Dominic McGuire$825,497 $0 $0 $0
TOTALS: $75,808,291 -- $49,063,676 -- $37,866,684 -- $20,807,922
If you can see through the formatting issues (or just glance at this site while reading, http://hoopshype.com/salaries/washington.htm), a few obvious things come up:
1) Washington meets the minimum number of players on the team (13-active roster).
2) NBA players make a lot of money (esp. one Gilbert Arenas - I'll get to him in a second)
3) The Wizards are above the salary cap (most teams are) but don't pay the luxury tax.
4) Randy Foye (an up and coming guard, scored about 16 ppg last year) gets paid about 3.5 M because he is still in his first rookie contract
One would think that teams that are successful naturally spend more money to do that. Let's look at the Lakers(sportscity.com - has 2008 salary caps): 78.3 M
Celtics:$77.6 M
Nuggets: 68.5 M (equivalent to the Washington Wizards; the Nuggets were arguably the second best team this year after the Lakers)
Cavs: 89 M
* You ever realize why Mark Cuban is so angry and yelling at officials (and now cursing out players' mothers) in the stands? Take a look at the Mavs' salary payroll for 2008: $94.5 M. OUCH!
While the Lakers spent over the cap, so did the Wizards and a number of other NBA teams. In fact, the Lakers, for all of their fame and sunshine state weather and celebrity, spent $9 M more than the Wizards. The Cavs spent almost $90 M to try and get themselves a title, and they were still nowhere closer than a few seasons ago.
What does this mean? It comes down to the quality of the GM to make the wise decisions.
The GM position is difficult because it's constantly in flux:
* Does one try to win a title in the now and mortgage their future?
* Does one do just enough to make the playoffs each year, keeping the owner and fans happy?
* Does one try to 'save up' and wait for the iron to get hot (like what the Knicks are doing with waiting for next summer)?
* Does one overpay for a player that is well into his prime (think Celtics and Kevin Garnett - [he will be making $21 M in 2011. Three seasons from now in 2011, he will be 36 and will be in his 17th season!)? THE BIG TICKET? Hmmm, by then he should be happy to settle for THE LITTLE TOKEN.
* Does one realize that NBA players are NBA players, understanding that they don't want to spend their millions and the best years of their life in places like Charlotte (2008 cap - $60 M) and Salt Lake City, Utah (2008 cap - $64 M)?
So how do the Wizards look?
1)Well, Gilbert Arenas and his Gilbertology are tied down the next 5 seasons at around $16-22 M per season.
2)Antawn Jamison (btw,I love how people still pronounce it like it's Antwan) is tied up for the next three seasons at $11-15 M per season.
3)Brenda(n) Haywood will be playing again this season after missing all of last year. He's 29 (prime time) and in a contract year (last year of his final deal @ 6 M this season), so he will play his ass off this year. So the Wizards will have to overpay this summer to keep him. And if Grunfeld signed off to pay for the bad-kneed Arenas, I count on him to pay for a soft center who looks clueless on the court.
Ahem, exhibit F, I mean exhibit A:
4) Randy Foye. I would love this trade if the Wizards were paying him his same salary now (about $4 M) for the next three seasons. Instead...contract talks loom next summer for the one of the better young 2-guards in the league. Would the Wizards sign him for $8-9 M a season and pair him with another 2-guard in Gilbert Arenas (bad idea), while limiting the playing time of another young 2-guard in Nick Young, who is every bit as talented as Foye? Anything is possible with this Grunfeld cat.
The only piece of good news?
Deshawn Stevenson has only 2 years left on his contract. If Grunfeld re-signs him, I will cease to be a Wizards fan.
Final thoughts:
1) The GM, more than the team superstar, head coach or owner, is the most important person on an NBA team.
2) Looking at the Wizard's payroll, I have no idea what his plan is.
3) As of July 2009, the Wizards could potentially have a lineup of the following:
1 - Gilbert Arenas
2 - Randy Foye
3 - Caron Butler
4 - Antawn Jamison
5 - Contract year Brendan Haywood
& nothing but guards to come off the bench (Mike Miller, Nick Young, Deshawn Stevenson and Blatche to sub for the ballin' Brenda)
Does that team (if healthy) beat the Spurs, Lakers, Nuggets, Celtics,Magic Trailblazers (they have plenty of cap space this summer) or Cavs (with Shaq)? Not a chance.
So we have a potentially good, not great team to enjoy for the next year.
Then contract talks with the the big Brenda and Foye. And Arenas signed for five years.
Grunfeld's grade - D
Let's contrast that with:
Whoever the GM that is in charge of the Spurs - (Look at this payroll and how the high-playing players just roll off and free up space season after season. That and how you sign veteran players to 2-year contracts and/or trade for veterans with 1-2 years left on their contracts?)
http://www.sportscity.com/NBA/San-Antonio-Spurs-Salaries
Genius personified.
Spurs GM without a name Grade - A+
Let's go, Wizards?
("I'ma lay here until Grunnie pays up and gives me a $118 M contract.")
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Pure Comedy
After many months of viewing this clip,this still gets me every single time. Maybe it will get old one day.
Doubt it. Enjoy.
Doubt it. Enjoy.
Monday, June 29, 2009
By now, we have all seen the BET Awards. I had to tape them and just finished watching them. I had a feeling beforehand that the awards were going to be special. The producers of the show were put between a rock and a hard place in that they had to redo an entire 2 1/2 hour show in three days. I didn't think I could have been more excited about the BET Awards this year. Honestly, it has (*had) continued to make great strides each year to becoming a respectable awards show, while still demonstrating that it could be more exciting/innovative than the others. Starting a blog, I thought it would be interesting to write comments as I was watching the show.
Alas, here were my comments while watching: { } = further explanation/edits after I made the live comments
I have a feeling these BET Awards are going to a running Michael Jackson tribute. Hopefully it’s touching and not tacky {I am definitely not Nostradamus. Anyone could have predicted that}
Ginuwine should only be given a mic when it’s time to sing. Did Ginuwine stumble or what on his tribute to Michael Jackson? Obviously, he wasn’t reading from a teleprompter. But did you at least prep him and tell him to prepare something?
Example - “I wanna tell him and his family.. well I wanna tell his family” – SPEECHLESS (I couldn’t make that up if I tried)
By the way, I had to keep count. He blinked like 40 times {counted 32 after rewinding the DVR three times} in less than 20 seconds. That has to be a record. Were the lights THAT bright?
Ne-Yo in public without a hat?! This is setting up to be a good (for the wrong reasons) BET Awards.
Whoa, just caught a glimpse of Kanye’s girl. Whoa. Blonde hair and pink lipstick. Here's a pic of her if you haven't seen her before.
She sort of resembles a mashup between these two luminaries:
and
Lebron, Keri Hilson, Kanye etc. are really feelin this Soulja Boy performance. He spits like 3 bars, then ‘Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa I’m getting moneyyyyyyyyyyyy’.
Queen Latifah! She needs to drop a rap album. Back in ’93, I used to always play her classic Black Reign album. {I definitely did press pause and find the 'Black Hand Side' track on my Zune and played it - If you don't know that track, download or youtube it. Classic}
Nichelle Nichols was out late to the stage because she was in the "ladies room?" Even if it’s nature and it has to happen, did you have to say that on live television? We're better than that.
The last time I saw Ne-Yo’s head this much was in Stomp the Yard. {YES, that does mean that I am admitting to seeing that film. Slightly more embarassing revelation: Every time it comes on television, I watch at least 30-45 minutes of it. I mean EVERY time. It's like the black cult classic for the new millenium} <<-- I think that last sentence was a stretch.
I will give Keith Sweat the benefit of the doubt and say that he must not have been able to get stage practice before the show.
**All talk that black people naturally have rhythm was put to rest. Thanks Keith Sweat**
** The same applies to Al Sharpton. **
Ray J – To be forever known for three things: 1) being Brandy’s brother, 2) the sex tape and 3) the song, 'Sexy Can I' (so bad but so damn catchy)
I can’t name three people funnier than Mike Epps.
Did Keyshia Cole borrow that bra/corset number from Madonna? It should have been returned yesterday.
Why is Monica struttin on stage like that??!! Easy!
Apologies for the previous statement; now I know why. She had that look of, “I’m bout to out sing this girl Keyshia Cole like it ain’t even funny.” And she most definitely did.
A Marlon Wayans sighting. Can never look at him in quite the same way after this role:
If that doesn't go down in Ripley's Believe It or Not for missteps that did NOT kill a career, I will be amazed.
Quoted from when Jamie Foxx was in the crowd in the upper tier with regular folks– “It’s complete pandemonium. Oh oh the camera man fell. The camera man fell. Alright relax, relax. Alright. Alright, relax. Aight. You gotta hold on, the camera man. Hold on. Relax, relax. Gotta relax. Everybody relax. It’s for Michael, it’s for Michael. Just relax. It’s getting crazy. Everybody hold on.”
- He got them to relax on the belief that it was for Michael Jackson. Then he went on to plug his new tour. That was for Michael? You’re better than that. Don't use his death to get them to get silent and then plug your own show? Am I the only one that caught that?
Damn, Don Cornelius. Speed it up!
Tevin Campbell?! Even more amazing than that?! He is only 32.
Just how short is Bobby Valentino? {Just did a google search. Consensus in: 5'3''}
Fridge break. Cornelius is waxing philosophical telling a story longer than the Bible about the O’Jays.
(+/- 2) on the number of people Eddie Levert has probably killed in his life. I’ll take the over.
Did he just cuss on live tv?! What happened to the 6-second live tv delay that started after Nipplegate at the Super Bowl?
Here is the official quote from Levert - “Snow was blowing and wind was blowing. And people was dancing and shit.”
For the sake of time and a headache from shaking my head too many times in embarassment, I won't post any more comments about the BET Awards. I have a strong feeling that BET won't try redo-ing an entire show again in 3 days, no matter who passes away. I can understand the intent. I can understanding paying homage to the most influential black entertainer of all time. But definitely a case of thinking with the heart and not the head.
Alas, here were my comments while watching: { } = further explanation/edits after I made the live comments
I have a feeling these BET Awards are going to a running Michael Jackson tribute. Hopefully it’s touching and not tacky {I am definitely not Nostradamus. Anyone could have predicted that}
Ginuwine should only be given a mic when it’s time to sing. Did Ginuwine stumble or what on his tribute to Michael Jackson? Obviously, he wasn’t reading from a teleprompter. But did you at least prep him and tell him to prepare something?
Example - “I wanna tell him and his family.. well I wanna tell his family” – SPEECHLESS (I couldn’t make that up if I tried)
By the way, I had to keep count. He blinked like 40 times {counted 32 after rewinding the DVR three times} in less than 20 seconds. That has to be a record. Were the lights THAT bright?
Ne-Yo in public without a hat?! This is setting up to be a good (for the wrong reasons) BET Awards.
Whoa, just caught a glimpse of Kanye’s girl. Whoa. Blonde hair and pink lipstick. Here's a pic of her if you haven't seen her before.
She sort of resembles a mashup between these two luminaries:
and
Lebron, Keri Hilson, Kanye etc. are really feelin this Soulja Boy performance. He spits like 3 bars, then ‘Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa I’m getting moneyyyyyyyyyyyy’.
Queen Latifah! She needs to drop a rap album. Back in ’93, I used to always play her classic Black Reign album. {I definitely did press pause and find the 'Black Hand Side' track on my Zune and played it - If you don't know that track, download or youtube it. Classic}
Nichelle Nichols was out late to the stage because she was in the "ladies room?" Even if it’s nature and it has to happen, did you have to say that on live television? We're better than that.
The last time I saw Ne-Yo’s head this much was in Stomp the Yard. {YES, that does mean that I am admitting to seeing that film. Slightly more embarassing revelation: Every time it comes on television, I watch at least 30-45 minutes of it. I mean EVERY time. It's like the black cult classic for the new millenium} <<-- I think that last sentence was a stretch.
I will give Keith Sweat the benefit of the doubt and say that he must not have been able to get stage practice before the show.
**All talk that black people naturally have rhythm was put to rest. Thanks Keith Sweat**
** The same applies to Al Sharpton. **
Ray J – To be forever known for three things: 1) being Brandy’s brother, 2) the sex tape and 3) the song, 'Sexy Can I' (so bad but so damn catchy)
I can’t name three people funnier than Mike Epps.
Did Keyshia Cole borrow that bra/corset number from Madonna? It should have been returned yesterday.
Why is Monica struttin on stage like that??!! Easy!
Apologies for the previous statement; now I know why. She had that look of, “I’m bout to out sing this girl Keyshia Cole like it ain’t even funny.” And she most definitely did.
A Marlon Wayans sighting. Can never look at him in quite the same way after this role:
If that doesn't go down in Ripley's Believe It or Not for missteps that did NOT kill a career, I will be amazed.
Quoted from when Jamie Foxx was in the crowd in the upper tier with regular folks– “It’s complete pandemonium. Oh oh the camera man fell. The camera man fell. Alright relax, relax. Alright. Alright, relax. Aight. You gotta hold on, the camera man. Hold on. Relax, relax. Gotta relax. Everybody relax. It’s for Michael, it’s for Michael. Just relax. It’s getting crazy. Everybody hold on.”
- He got them to relax on the belief that it was for Michael Jackson. Then he went on to plug his new tour. That was for Michael? You’re better than that. Don't use his death to get them to get silent and then plug your own show? Am I the only one that caught that?
Damn, Don Cornelius. Speed it up!
Tevin Campbell?! Even more amazing than that?! He is only 32.
Just how short is Bobby Valentino? {Just did a google search. Consensus in: 5'3''}
Fridge break. Cornelius is waxing philosophical telling a story longer than the Bible about the O’Jays.
(+/- 2) on the number of people Eddie Levert has probably killed in his life. I’ll take the over.
Did he just cuss on live tv?! What happened to the 6-second live tv delay that started after Nipplegate at the Super Bowl?
Here is the official quote from Levert - “Snow was blowing and wind was blowing. And people was dancing and shit.”
For the sake of time and a headache from shaking my head too many times in embarassment, I won't post any more comments about the BET Awards. I have a strong feeling that BET won't try redo-ing an entire show again in 3 days, no matter who passes away. I can understand the intent. I can understanding paying homage to the most influential black entertainer of all time. But definitely a case of thinking with the heart and not the head.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Judge a book by its cover?
In the airport the other day, I gave myself the choice of buying one of two books. One was the latest David Sedaris book, "When You Are Engulfed in Flames". The other was the latest Malcolm Gladwell book, "Outliers". The Sedaris book had the image of a skeleton smoking a cigarette. Just a bit intense. The Gladwell book was simple but clear. Title, name of author, a bunched together series of pearls and one pearl that was separate from all the rest. Message simple and clear. I bought the book. Enjoyed it and highly recommend it.
Move to this morning. Sunday mornings are best for reflection and music. I mean, Lionel Richie did write a song about being 'easy' like Sunday mornings. As I was making breakfast, the Gladwell book was on the counter. In a roundabout way, I got to thinking about album covers and how they seem to determine the quality and/or success of the record. Don't believe me? Here are just two examples. I chose Next and Jon B.
I'll start with Next first. Their biggest hit was the song, "Too Close", from their first album. The song was (in)famous for the lyric:
step back youre dancing kinda close
I feel a little poke coming through
On you
Now girl I know you felt it
But boo, you know I cant help it
You know what I wanna do
A quick analysis of the album covers (in order) reveals the success of the albums:
Rated Next: All men are looking at the camera. There are two prerequisites of the late 90's: neon-tinted sunglasses and a band mate that is best defined as 'extra'. That would be the guy in the middle -
Welcome II Nextasy Now, they already had a few things going against them, namely the dreaded sophomore slump and the album title. But the sophomore slump thing gets too much buzz in the music business. The name of the album is the ENTIRE reason the album wasn't successful. That and the album cover. You can analyze it for yourself, but just two remarks: 1) The guy on the left could not be more upset in the photo. Evidently making the album must have been hell. How else do you explain that scowl on an ALBUM COVER of all things? It's not like their first album didn't go double-platinum? It did. And 2) The guy on the right is not even looking at the camera. He has that look of, "If I have to spend more second like this, I'm through. But I'ma fake the hell outta this so no one sees my anger and frustration." Wrong.
The Next Episode - The third and last album up for review. We'll start with dude on the left. Now he's back looking at the camera again, though it's mad awkward with the over the shoulder look. However, fairly normal and mundane. Dude in the middle is 50% responsible for this failure of a cover. A members only jacket with a nipple out and a face like it's a mug shot just don't cut it. As Mark Jackson of NBA on ABC/ESPN would say, "You're better than that!" And last but certainly not least, the creme de la creme. I really need not explain the action in this picture. Three words will suffice. HE IS PRAYING.
For the sake of time (yours and mine), I will just present the most successful Jon B album (1.2 million sold) and the least successful album (13,338) and leave the judgement and comments to you.
Cool Relax
Helpless Romantic
As with many sayings, the "Don't judge a book by its cover" saying is false. When choosing your next album to buy (or download, probably illegally), google search the album cover first. Covers do matter.
P.S - The next (pun intended) album for Next is titled Next, Lies, & Videotape. I anxiously await the album cover.
Move to this morning. Sunday mornings are best for reflection and music. I mean, Lionel Richie did write a song about being 'easy' like Sunday mornings. As I was making breakfast, the Gladwell book was on the counter. In a roundabout way, I got to thinking about album covers and how they seem to determine the quality and/or success of the record. Don't believe me? Here are just two examples. I chose Next and Jon B.
I'll start with Next first. Their biggest hit was the song, "Too Close", from their first album. The song was (in)famous for the lyric:
step back youre dancing kinda close
I feel a little poke coming through
On you
Now girl I know you felt it
But boo, you know I cant help it
You know what I wanna do
A quick analysis of the album covers (in order) reveals the success of the albums:
Rated Next: All men are looking at the camera. There are two prerequisites of the late 90's: neon-tinted sunglasses and a band mate that is best defined as 'extra'. That would be the guy in the middle -
Welcome II Nextasy Now, they already had a few things going against them, namely the dreaded sophomore slump and the album title. But the sophomore slump thing gets too much buzz in the music business. The name of the album is the ENTIRE reason the album wasn't successful. That and the album cover. You can analyze it for yourself, but just two remarks: 1) The guy on the left could not be more upset in the photo. Evidently making the album must have been hell. How else do you explain that scowl on an ALBUM COVER of all things? It's not like their first album didn't go double-platinum? It did. And 2) The guy on the right is not even looking at the camera. He has that look of, "If I have to spend more second like this, I'm through. But I'ma fake the hell outta this so no one sees my anger and frustration." Wrong.
The Next Episode - The third and last album up for review. We'll start with dude on the left. Now he's back looking at the camera again, though it's mad awkward with the over the shoulder look. However, fairly normal and mundane. Dude in the middle is 50% responsible for this failure of a cover. A members only jacket with a nipple out and a face like it's a mug shot just don't cut it. As Mark Jackson of NBA on ABC/ESPN would say, "You're better than that!" And last but certainly not least, the creme de la creme. I really need not explain the action in this picture. Three words will suffice. HE IS PRAYING.
For the sake of time (yours and mine), I will just present the most successful Jon B album (1.2 million sold) and the least successful album (13,338) and leave the judgement and comments to you.
Cool Relax
Helpless Romantic
As with many sayings, the "Don't judge a book by its cover" saying is false. When choosing your next album to buy (or download, probably illegally), google search the album cover first. Covers do matter.
P.S - The next (pun intended) album for Next is titled Next, Lies, & Videotape. I anxiously await the album cover.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)