March 28, 2007

300…Pushups a Day

While I fight this plague or whatever it is–the doctor was clueless, and I’ve got a prescription that’s done nothing to verify that–I’m watching McDonald’s All-American Game.  Eh.

But I just saw a commercial for “300,” which I saw with my girlfriend the other day.  ‘Twas a good movie.  War flicks tend to have a bit too much gratuitous violence for me, but this one was good.

Only thing–did anyone notice how every Spartan in the movie was swole as all get out?  Why has no historian noted that Sparta was also home to civilization’s first gym?

Straight up–check the flick and see what I’m talking about.  It was all six-packs, guns, and barrel chests.  You can’t get like that just doing exercises.  Them dudes had to have been working with weights.  I could be wrong, but I don’t think it was like that back in the day.  I’ve seen clips of the NBA in the ’50s.  These dudes would have broken Bob Cousy over their knees.

March 27, 2007

The Universe Hates Me…

Business…here’s a look at whether teams out of the playoffs in the NBA should tank or not to get high draft picks.

So riddle me this.  I’ve gone to Houston three times since 2005.  Each of those times, I’ve gone in March or September.  So why is it that this is the second March trip that has gotten me flu-ish?  It makes no friggin’ sense, man.  What have I done to the universe?  I treat my mama well.  I work hard.  I’m a good boyfriend.  I even pay my bills on time.  Hell, I work out and eat right.  What have I done, ha?  Ha?

Oh, and congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Jason Draper.  It’s always good to see two wonderful people get together and be wonderful to each other.  Occasionally, something happens to make you feel good about the world.

Then you get something flu-ish.

March 26, 2007

Thinking Caps Needed

Yo, does anyone ever remember Stone Cold Steve Austin dropping one of those brews?  Really, let it be known if you’ve seen it.  Cuz I haven’t.

March 23, 2007

Chat Today

SSP…I’ll be chatting at 1 ET.

Busy getting stuff ready for a good friend’s wedding.  I’ll be around.

March 19, 2007

Dear 3000…

Dear Andre 3000,

I just heard you on this new Devin.  You ripped it.  Just like you ripped that Lloyd remix and the “Throw Some D’s” remix.  You’ve decided to rap again, and you’re doin’ it to death.  Glad to hear.

My response to that–if you don’t do another OutKast album, I’m through with you.

I’m so serious, man.  Like no other group, I’m emotionally attached to OutKast.  I remember where I was the first time I heard all the albums.  I remember riding around September 27, 1998 and listening to the preview of the album on the radio in Atlanta, hoping I didn’t run out of gas while I circled streets in Atlanta that I shouldn’t have been joyriding on.  I remember downloading “b.O.B” in the summer of 2000 and spending three straight days listening to nothing else, trying to make sense of what I heard (what I realized was this was the greatest hip hop song I’d ever heard).  You guys are a part of my life, making me one of those people that takes music way too personally.  But it’s only with Kast.

So Andre, could you please explain to me how you’ve been able to jump in the studio with all these cats, but you haven’t recorded in a studio with Big Boi in years?  How the hell, man?

I can’t help but wonder if this is about more than just two people growing in different directions.  It sounds like beef, and it sounds like it’s coming from you.

Honestly, I don’t care what the problem is.  Just fix it.  You’re still ill as all get out, and Big Boi’s absolutely incredible.

Give me my group back.  Even if it ain’t really mine.

Laters,

Bo

March 16, 2007

Chatting from Winston

SSP…I’ll be chatting again from 5-5:30 or so (Eastern) on the tournament.  Click here to get there.

And contrary to my previous statement, anyone can come check it out and ask questions.  You must have an Insider to read the chat after it’s archived.

Should have a piece up later today, too.

March 15, 2007

Cold Pizza at 10:30

SSP…I’ll be doing a phone interview for ESPN2’s Cold Pizza discussing some news items from the Winston-Salem pod of the NCAA Tournament.  Check it out if you don’t have to go to work.  Or just don’t have a job.  Or are the type to sneak out of work to watch cable.  I won’t tell anybody.

March 14, 2007

Greetings from the basement!

I’m coming to you live from the bowels of the Lawrence Joel Coliseum.  If they hadn’t put decorative blue curtains all over the place, I’d be afraid someone was going to hang me from a ceiling and use a car battery to shock me into telling secrets I don’t know. I wish I was joking.  But oh well…there’s a basket full of Snickers bars.

Anyway, I had a really interesting moment today–the Tom Izzo presser.  That was even more interesting than the Bob Knight presser in a people-watching sort of way.  The Knight presser was, well, Bobby Knight.  The Izzo presser, however, was full of Midwesterners, a group with which I have limited experience.

Clarification–I have limited experience with white people from the Midwest.  Man, they all sounded like characters from Fargo.  The accents were something I’d never heard in person.  Kinda cute, to be honest, and I’ve never classified a group of people as cute.

Black people from the Midwest are different.  They sound like me–Southern.  Because, well, they generally are.  Hooray Great Migration!

Time to find my hotel.  Long day of games tomorrow.

And thanks to anyone that made it to the chat.  It was a lot of fun, and more than my mother showed up.  That made me feel much better.

March 13, 2007

Decompressing from Tampa

Business…here’s a wrapup I did on the ACC Tourney.  It posted yesterday, which should tell you something about how I’ve been doing.

SSP…I’ll be doing my very first chat session with SportsNation on ESPN.com.  I’ll be on tomorrow at 3, so please come if you’ve got an Insider account.  Seriously–I fear no one showing up.  Please keep me company and spare me the embarrassment.

The tournament was a blast.  The best part, as always, were the Haagen-Dazs bars in the media area.  Of course, that bit me in the ass.  I’ve been told that i was captured on camera showing my affection for a Vanilla and Almonds bar.  It would be embarrassing…except anyone that knows me recognizes that not even a TV camera is gonna stop me from going to work on good ice cream.  Pride ain’t stopping me from giving respect to ice cream.  I’ve only loved my family longer than I’ve loved ice cream.

Also, I had an experience like no other–watching the brackets come out with a room full of sportswriters.  It was so cool to sit there with my peers–I think they’re my peers–and fill in the brackets, use process of elimination to figure out who was left, gasp at some of the committees choices, and break down what would happen next.  It was the sort of thing I dreamed about being in a position to do when I got in the job, and it was a blast.

Another interesting moment–people there actually recognized me and complimented me on my work.  Wow, man.  Talk about a flattering experience.  A guy at a student paper even asked someone to ask me if it would be okay to do an interview with him.

Are you serious?  Trust me–it’s a far bigger favor for someone to want to talk to me than it is for them to spend a few minutes with me.  I’m sure that dude realized that when excitement led me to talk his ear off.

And now, I rest.  Couldn’t even finish my workout today because I was so worn out.

I’ll be in Winston-Salem covering the Dance this weekend, so posts will probably be sporadic.  But seriously, check out the chat if you can.

March 12, 2007

Smell that?

It’s the midnight oil, baby!

Oh yeah.  Business…here’s a look at Christian Laettner’s brief return to the ACC.

Well, there should be two pieces up tomorrow and another on Thursday.  Not sure I’ll be able to link until late tomorrow night, so check Page 2, should you be interested in such things.

And now, I go to sleep.  If you’re in the Triangle, catch me on 96 Rock tomorrow morning at 8.  Assuming I can wake up in time, of course.