Holdout? More like Hold-up!

Chris Paul is meeting with the Hornets who plan to convince him they make the team a title contender. Reports have surfaced of the point guard’s desire to follow Lebron's footsteps and join another superstar and push for a championship. I think Paul forcing the Hornets to make moves with the leverage of his moving is ridiculous especially considering he doesn’t really have leverage.

As NFL training camps approach it is typical to find rising superstars or established veterans threatening to sit out unless teams meet their demands, often using holding out to hold teams hostage. A string of superb Sundays can result in big paydays even for players under contract.

I have no problem with that even though I strongly believe that if you are under contract you honor the commitment you made. However, in a league where a team can play a player LESS if he underperforms by cutting him and not even paying him at all, over the years he was promised, I think its fair for a player to demand more if he does well.

“It a no-brainer and only makes sense for a player to make more cents while he can, especially if the effects of his profession could be negative and detrimental to his brain”

Also, football is a sport where players put their bodies on the line and risk their futures. Increased research is revealing the damages done to those now retired. The constant collisions are likened to mini car crashes. More and more retirees are suffering from different forms of dementia. It a no-brainer and only makes sense for a player to make more cents if the effect of his profession could be negative on his brain.

The NBA is different. Paul wants to play for the Magic or the Knicks, a team where Larry “Grandma-ma” Johnson who was getting paid top dollars as he moved closer to becoming the age of a grand-pa and Allan Houston is STILL on the Knicks payroll (albeit as an assistant and GM candidate).

If Paul doesn’t want to play for the Hornets then he should well it doesn’t matter because he’s under contract, one he signed. If he wants to leave to another team when his contracts up then he’s free to do so just like Lebron, who although with hometown ties had every right to. In the meantime, he should just play and do his part, not the GM, to make them a title contender.

Hot or Not?

World Premiere of Marques Houston and Rick Ross Video for "Pullin on her Hair"

3 Reasons Gordon Hayward Will Have A Solid Career

Jerry Sloan
If there was any coach in the NBA that I would want to play for it would be Jerry Sloan. Sloan is one of those coaches that knows how to take a player with mediocre skills and turn them into a solid NBA player. This is the best place for Hayward to be as he starts his career.

Larry Bird
When you look at Hayward, the first person I think of is Larry Bird. He reminds me so much of him. They are just about the same size; they are both from the Hoosier state, and also went to small schools and led them to David vs. Goliath type championship games. He won’t become as great as a player Bird was, but he will have a solid career in the league.

Drive
Hayward never gives up when he’s on the court. If it’s on the offensive end, he’s going to find a way to score regardless of whose defending him. On the defensive end, Hayward is long enough to defend on a NBA level. He lacks lateral quickness and physical strength that most wings have. Nevertheless, if Hayward wants to shut you down he will try his best at it. At Butler Hayward spent a lot of time guarding the 4 position, so he’s use to guarding more physical players.

August Movie Releases

August 6
-Middle Men
-The Other Guys
-Step Up 3D
-Twelve

August 13
-Eat, Pray, Love
-The Expendables
-Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World

August 18
-Vampires Suck

August 20
-The Lottery Ticket
-Nanny McPhee Returns
-Piranha 3-D
-The Switch

August 27
-Centurion
-Going the Distance
-The Last Exorcism
-Takers

Nicki Minaj- Your love video: Hot or Not?

Album Due in stores November 23rd

Shyne freestyles for XXL

One of my favorite rappers...ready for him to drop some new music

Album Review: Teflon Don

1. I’m Not a Star
2. Free Mason (feat. Jay-Z & John Legend)
3. Tears of Joy (feat. Cee-Lo)
4. Maybach Music III (feat. T.I., Jadakiss & Erykah Badu)
5. Live Fast, Die Young (feat. Kanye West)
6. Super High (feat. Ne-Yo)
7. No 1 (feat. Trey Songz & Diddy)
8. MC Hammer
(feat. Gucci Mane)
9. B.M.F. (Blowin’ Money Fast) (feat. Styles P)
10. Aston Martin Music (feat. Drake & Chrisette Michele)
11. All the Money in the World (feat. Rapheal Saadiq)

Producers Include: Clark Kent, Danja, The Inkredibles, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Lex Luger, No I.D., The Olympicks, The Remedy and Kanye West

Featured Artist: Jay-Z ,John Legend, Cee-Lo Green, T.I., Jadakiss, Erykah Badu, Kanye West, Ne-Yo, Trey Songz, Diddy, Gucci Mane, Styles P, Drake, Chrisette Michele and Raphael Saadiq

Rick Ross brings to us his fourth studio album “Teflon Don” (Maybach Music Group/Def Jam Recordings) and he has assembled one that could be his strongest to date. Of the 11 tracks on the album, 10 have a featured artist. Even though you could look at this as a good thing because it shows that Ross is able to pull in a vast amount of talent to work with him on an album, I look at it as a bad thing. This somewhat takes away from Ross’ creditability as a rapper. When I listen to someone’s album, I expect to hear them spitting two or three verses on the majority of the tracks. I’m not saying it makes Teflon Don a bad album (it actually makes it a great album), I just feel that it is more of a compilation album instead of a solo one.
Ross has put together an album that you could play from track one to eleven. Just like anyone’s album, there are songs that are stronger then others. A few songs that stick out the most on this album would be “Free Mason,” “Live Fast, Die Young,” “B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)” and “All the Money in the World.” In Free Mason which features Jay-Z and John Legend, Jay-Z finally quiets the Illuminati rumors. (“Bitch, I said I was amazing…. not that I’m a Mason. It’s amazin’ that I made it through the maze that I was in/ Lord forgive me, I never woulda made it without sin/ Holy water, my face in the basin/ Diamonds in my rosary shows he forgave him”.) His verse might arguably be one of the best verses of the year. “Live Fast, Die Young” which was produced and features Kanye West, is about every aspiring rap artists dream: living the lavish lifestyle of money, cars, clothes, and hoes. When West starts spitting on the second verse, it makes you look forward to September 14, 2010 which is the scheduled release date for “Good Ass Job.” West straight murdered this track and makes you forget about Ross second verse on the track.
“B.M.F. (Blowin' Money Fast)” is a cliff notes version of the life of Black Mafia Families co-founder Demetrius "Big Meech" Flenory. The lyrics talk about his upbringing in the streets and his lavish lifestyle once he got up to a higher level. (“These, mutha fuckas mad that I'm icey, /Stunt so hard make them come indict me”). Styles P verse on the track continues where Ross left off and continues to talk about the street life. I never really took Styles P as a great lyricist, but this verse was pretty dope. In “All the Money in the World” featuring Raphael Saadiq, Ross shows us a different side to him. He raps about his dead father and his children. He also sings along on the hook with Saadiq.
One thing that Ross definitely could have changed on the album is the track list. Three of the tracks were on his “Albert Anastasia EP”, and it’s like giving the people old material. One more thing Ross could have done to make the album better would have been to include more music. 11 eleven tracks simply isn’t enough for someone.

Rating: 4/5

Rick Ross Wiz Khalifa and Currensy- Super High Remix Video

Lebron: The Right Comparison

Lebron’s choice to “take his services to South Beach” and join D-Wade and Chris Bosh was bigger than the new Big Three, the NBA and even his ego even though it clearly couldn’t fill the unnecessarily long hour designated for THE DECISION his people arranged. Even economically, it transcended the millions of dollars Cleveland is to lose as a city from the vibrant nightlife created from games or the Heat gain as a franchise from jersey and season ticket sales. It was bigger than the sport itself as it symbolized its’ current status overall.

Perceptions

From one perspective, the notion of James joining fellow superstars seemed commendable. Far too often superstars seduce the spotlight with tempting and tantalizing stories of mischievous misconduct. With the abominable combination of the nationally felt effects of a struggling economy in a recession and possible work stoppages in multiple sports, a player seeking more money is a serious offense and one of the seven deadly sins in sports.

His doing so during a free agent period shared with the most notably inconspicuous player, Allen Iverson, seemed to further reinforce his reputation ironically as the answer to the Answer. While Lebron turned down more lucrative deals, the dress code inspiring, former MVP, once fan favorite bad boy who took the league by storm in polarizing fashion now finds himself without a suitor. The same brash attitude and stubborn beliefs in his abilities that helped him now hold him back. James was the opposite and the antidote.

However, it was Allen Iverson’s diehard attitude and unmatched competitive spirit that propelled him to stardom. The same IS said of Kobe and best illustrated in what Jordan recently said. The notion of him teaming up with other superstars is an unfamiliar concept to the game greatest who said, “There’s no way with hindsight, I would’ve ever called up Larry, called up Magic, and said, ‘Hey, look, let’s get together and play on one team’. But things are different.”

The Right Comparison

Questions of how his move affects his perception in comparison to his contemporary standard Kobe or to Michael are irrelevant. The most fitting comparison is Lebron to Joe as in Joe Mauer. The then 26 year old decided against joining fellow all-stars, future Hall of Famers, some of the games’ greatest of all time, the defending champions and perennial title contenders. He proved his loyalty by staying in his hometown.

He did so in a sport known for unparalleled and possibly unlimited spending during free agency. He did so in a sport where he could have earned more money than the entire payrolls of others teams. He did so in a sport, unlike basketball and the NBA in particular, where even if individuals dominate they can not single-handedly ensure success and even the brightest of stars rely on their teammates.

So many people contemplate how Lebron’s move affects his move in the list of the game’s legends. In comparison to both those and a counterpart in another sport he falls short. Lebron shouldn’t be commended for sacrificing money or the spotlight because all he gave up was his opportunity to live up to the commission of being the best.

Three Things to Look Forward to This College Football Season

Northwestern vs. Illinois at Wrigley Field
Football is finally returning to the friendly confines November 10th when the Wildcats of Northwestern take on the Illini of Illinois. I know these aren’t the two best teams in the world, but its football at Wrigley. A football game hasn’t taken place here since 1970 and the first collegiate game since 1938.

Life after Tim Tebow
The Tebow era at the swamp has ended after four years of amazement. Urban Meyer is not in a fret because he has John Brantley to replace Tebow. The redshirt junior so far has completed 71% of his passes at Flordia. Brantley also has many different options because of the talent that the Gators have at wide receiver and running back.

USC
Violations, transfers and the departure of Pete Carroll have the Trojans down in the dumps. They have nothing to play for this season, so who knows what Trojan team will show up. Expect C.J. Gable to become a household name though.

Monica- Love All Over Me

Monica teams up with rapper Manio and rumored new boyfriend Lakers guard Shannon Brown in this video.

Kat Stacks talks about Superhead, and Prostitiution