Hip Hop Music and Identity: How hip hop music motivates success through language and how stereotypes and commercialization give hip hop music a negative image

Good Morning Most hip hop fans would agree that hip hop and rap music get a bad rap. Ever since popularity rose in the early 90’s, people took offense to the derogatory language, anti-police views, and misogynistic references. Explicit warning labels became popular in the hip hop world to ‘warn’ people about what they were about to listen to. Hip hop music and rap became popular to people who came from a lower class and urban environment. The music was real and talked about what was going on in the streets, stripped of the bubble gum packaging that covered most of the pop music favorites of the decade. Music is a reflection of the time which can be said about all the different genres. In the late 80’s and early 90’s, it was finally being exposed that racism was still prevalent and strong in the United States. The police brutality against Rodney King in 1991 sparked a fire in many people and when the officers who committed the acts were acquitted, the Los Angeles Riots began. The words to NWA’s “Fuck Da Police” became an anthem for the aggressive and violent behavior. And so begins the bad reputation hip hop and rap music has had to carry on its’ shoulders ever since. By representing an urban lifestyle, rap music portrays hip hop culture in a negative light and falls victim to stereotypes and prejudices by people who don’t know anything about what hip hop music truly represents. Through the evolution of hip hop since the late 80’s, we have heard quick rhymes and a good beat with a variety of subjects to sing about. Style, subject matter, and lyrics change; they shift like the times. Instead of rapping about how bad life is, they rap about how bad they want to change their life and be successful by working towards something The lyrics are relatable which can lead to being motivational and inspirational. Hip hop music has shaped my identity and my way of thinking. I can relate to the lyrics because of how I grew up. I find motivation and inspiration through others who rap about similar struggles they have faced in life. From being poor, to being stereotyped, to wanting a better life, hip hop music is an inspirational tool and what I use to express myself to the world. I plan to research the effects of stereotypes, commercialization, lyrics and language, and motivation and how they are all reflected in hip hop music. More specifically, stereotypes and commercialization will be analyzed to see how they create a negative image for hip hop music and how through the use of language and lyrics, hip hop music is motivational for people who come from a lower socio-economic, or urban, background. Data will be collected using first-hand autoethnographic research, interviews, and textual analysis of Kanye West’s Spaceship. Researching the communicative effects of hip hop and identity formation will help create a better understanding and clarity for a very misunderstood identity group. Myself and others who identify with hip hop music as a representation of our own struggle are not comfortable with the negative way it is represented. Commercial radio songs about nothing other than money, sex, and drugs, are what are played on popular radio. What is popular is how society defines a genre, because it is what they know. Society has created people who appreciate materialism, engage in sexual activity, and do drugs by using the media as an outlet to represent these things. You can see this in advertisements, television, movies, and of course, music. But it’s not just hip hop music; it’s all music. So why is it that a country song singing about being an alcoholic or having a big truck is okay to listen to, but hip hop music rapping about smoking weed and having an expensive car is a negative thing? Data from my autoethnography will provide a first-hand glimpses as to why hip hop music is reflected negatively. Research from three separate interviews will also reinforce central themes regarding the issues with how hip hop identity is reflected in the media. A textual analysis of Kanye West’s Spaceship will provide an example of how media transmits the existing messages regarding hip hop culture and the effects it has on its’ listeners. Before any of this can be analyzed, a collection of existing scholarly sources will first be reviewed. This will serve as a basis for the issues that currently exist in hip hop music, as well as provide a gap which needs to be filled by more detailed, qualitative research. Most importantly, it will provide evidence as to why hip hop music is percieved negatively. Heard ‘Em Say: Hip Hop and the Scholars With all of the different genres of music there are to listen to, you do not have to understand exactly what the singer is singing about to feel the emotion in the song. We identify with certain types of music because we relate to it. The reasons we identify with it could be cultural or social, but it almost always reflects a part of who we are. When listening to hip hop music, identity formation becomes a social process that involves fitting in to an urban culture. Analyzing different hip hop artists can help better understand how hip hop music can influence a person’s identity through social communicative processes. Powell (2011) writes, “As an expressive art form, the hip-hop genre has served to counter conventional hegemony with its irreverent rhetoric, attire, musicality, and movement. Yet commonly, via the manipulation of dynamic racial and economic group-based identities, hip-hop personas paradoxically both strive for inclusion in and mitigation of hegemonic social structure” (p. 460). Powell goes on to discuss and analyze the lyrics of Snoop Dogg, Queen Latifah, and Ice-T and how their music reinforces social identity theory. The work of another well-known artist by the name of Tupac Shakur will offer insight into the violent image that has been given to hip hop music, specifically gangster rap. Although Tupac was regarded as a violent rapper and was involved in a deadly West and East Coast rivalry, he is largely considered by the public as one of the most fascinating hip hop artists. Brown (2005) writes, “In death, Shakur gained immortality as singles and CDs were released after his death. In fact, Shakur’s popularity increased after his death, as his record sales grew, while his life became the subject of books, college courses, television documentaries, and films. Also, academic conferences have been held on Shakur to address his social impact and legacy as a public intellectual” (p. 560). Instead of deeming the music as misogynistic and violent, it is more helpful to understand how the music of Tupac and other hip hop artists is a communicative reflection of a particular cultural identity. Iwamoto (2003) writes regarding Tupac’s gang background and how it impacted Tupac’s identity. “The gangster or mob image was one of the cultural-media influences on the formation of Tupac’s identity...The gangsta culture or “thug” lifestyle reinforced Tupac’s hyper-masculine values (gang values of toughness, fighting ability) and established his identity” (p. 46). Gangster rap has been given a negative image and faced much criticism. What began as a response to political ideas has now turned into a musical genre built on making money and led to commercialization. Regarding Tupac Shakur and gangsta rap, Brown writes (2005), “To simply dismiss gangsta rap or a gangsta rapper such as Tupac Shakur as a ‘thug’ whose music has contributed to the ‘moral decline’ of American culture would be too simplistic a statement to explain the messages contained in his music. In contrast to the negative criticisms of gangsta rap, some scholarship has illustrated the multifaceted messages of the genre and Shakur’s legacy as an intellectual, political figure, and an urban folk hero” (p. 559). Tupac’s lyrics reflect a genuine urban cultural experience which allowed people to relate to the messages and allowed Tupac to deliver his personal political opinions in a poignant, relatable way. The way Tupac’s music reflects a particular cultural group’s identity, which is not of the hegemonic class, gives people of the shared identity hope. Price (2005) writes, “Hegemonic forces must be countered by self-regulating pedagogical processes that raise the consciousness and inspire hope and vision. There is a dialectical relation between hegemony and hope that produces phoenix-like rising from the ashes” (p. 57). Hip hop is not just about representing a gang lifestyle, but about challenging what is viewed as normal and providing hope for people who identify with coming from a lower socio-economic background. Part of the reason why hip hop music has been given a bad representation is because of the dominant white culture in the United States. Hip hop music has been viewed as ‘Black’ music which addresses the racial divisions in society. Tanner (2005) writes, “While rap has been framed negatively, as a contributor to an array of social problems, crime and delinquency in particular, it has also been celebrated and championed as an authentic expression of cultural resistance by underdogs against racial exploitation and disadvantage” (p. 694). More often than not, hip hop has represented what it’s like to be Black in America by rapping about being from an inner-city, not having money, and facing racial injustices. Brown (2005) writes, “The social criticism and commentary of gangsta rap forces Whites and Blacks to confront societal issues that are often ignored” (p. 560). Hip hop lyrics have provided an in-depth look into an African-American culture and transmitted different social messages through the lyrics. The honesty of the lyrics addressing racial issues in America has contributed to one of the reasons why people have a negative image of hip hop music. Addressing deep racial issues in hip hop music makes it impossible for America to forget about slavery and the injustice committed against African-Americans by Whites. White rappers, like Eminem, have challenged the stigma of hip hop being labeled as Black music. Although hip hop is representative of Black culture, it has come to represent a distinct socio-economic class group and upbringing. Hess (2005) writes, “Rather than imitate a model of hip-hop blackness, Eminem emphasizes the autobiographical basis of his lyrics and his struggle to succeed as a rap artist; he presents a new model of white hip-hop authenticity in which being true to yourself and to your lived experiences can eclipse notions of hip-hop as explicitly black-owned” (p. 373). Part of Eminem’s success has been his ability to make his music relatable to people of any color who are coming from a lower socio-economic background. By doing so, his music has translated across racial lines and allowed more people to identify with hip hop culture and the realness of the music. Understanding urban youth culture is critical in reshaping the image hip-hop music has had since its creation. Sealey-Ruiz and Greene (2011) write, “There are few places in our society where Black youth can find refuge from the deluge of negativism and mistrust that often seeps into their daily lives. Despite the popularity of Gangsta Rap, rap has never really abandoned its socially conscious roots” (p. 343). Hip hop youth culture and identity has a lot to do with where you are from and the language you use. Holmes (1997) writes, “Clearly, the ghetto as a metaphor for meaningless is nothing new to rap. Worth thinking about, however, is how the ghetto as rap’s defining trope has itself become a site of contestation within the genre, and an agent of unprecedented transformation for the visual intelligibility of race and class throughout America” (p. 1). Not only race and class in America but other parts of the world, too. Hip Hop has influenced youth not only in the United States, but in Southern America as well. Reiter and Mitchell (2008) write regarding Brazilian hip hop culture and the increase of racial consciousness in Brazil, “There is a relationship between listening to hip-hop music and black racial identity. Hip hop has become an important vehicle to express struggles faced by poor, urban Afro-Brazilian youth, whose voices are often excluded from the mainstream” (p. 27). Media is a large reason why hip hop culture has spread to a different nation. Various forms of media have contributed in spreading the hip hop movement outside of the United States. However, this has also led to the commercialization of hip hop music and reproducing the negative stereotypes associated with rap music. The use of media is effective in reinforcing stereotypes that exist in cultural groups. Kistler (2010) writes regarding media effects, “One key aspect of involvement is the parasocial relationship between the viewer and the protagonist of a media script, whereby a viewer feels a connection with the media figure similar to that of a friend, peer, or counselor” (p. 69). It is difficult to determine if the stereotype reinforces the effect of the medium or if the medium reinforces the existing stereotype. Either way, the relationship is symbiotic. Matlon (2010) writes, “ The commodification of inner-city black popular culture, or hip-hop, by mainstream advertising and media provides a lens into the process by which masculinity may arise that nonetheless links a marginal group to the majority culture’s ideals” (p. 38). Media reinforces the stereotype of hyper-masculinity that exists in hip hop music. Hip hop music contributes to shaping social and cultural group identity. Typical characteristics of fitting into a hip hop identity group are coming from a lower-class background, facing stereotypes, and struggling to make a living. An area to further research is the motivational impacts of listening to hip hop music. Researching the influences of hip hop music on listeners and the desire to have a better life will be effective in understanding the positive impact of hip hop music on society. Can’t Tell Me Nothing "It's just--you don't look like you listen to that type of music." The fu**? What kind of music does it look like I listen to? "I don't know. You're just too classy to listen to that kind of music." "What kind of music does it look like I should listen to? Taylor Swift?" Does it look like I grew up off of one of the most drug infested streets of Modesto? Does it look like I took ESL (English as a Second Language) classes when I was in elementary school? Does it look like I come from an alcoholic father who I use to see physically abuse my mom? People make comments to me like that pretty often and I still don't understand it. I usually reply sarcastically and make a comment like, "Who does it look like I listen to? John Mayer?" Most people just laugh. I kind of think it's funny. But I'm offended at the same time. I feel like its a racist and narrow minded thing to say. Maybe it's because I live in the Central Valley and the culture out here isn't that diverse. Would people still be just as surprised if I lived in the Bay Area? What if I said I listened to Kelly Clarkson? Would that better fit the mold of the person you think I look like I'm supposed to be? And so begins the stereotypes that I have experienced in my life. Perhaps, this is why hip hop music has helped me express my identity to the world. If there is one genre of music that is stereotyped more than any other, it is hip hop music. Everyone is a critic without being a fan first. I can bring up something that happened recently where someone mentioned he was not a fan of Kanye West so he knew if he listened to the lyrics of one of his songs, there would be no way he could ‘identify’ with the lyrics. How can you judge lyrics you have not even heard? Another situation happened where I quoted my favorite line from a rap song, Now, I could let these dream killers kill my self-esteem Or use my arrogance as the steam To power my dream “What was that again?--- That’s.... pretty cool” I can’t believe how reluctant this person was to compliment a RAP song. The same person who said I’m too “classy” to listen to that kind of music. I just made you eat your words. But the real problem is that by saying I’m too classy to listen to rap, you put me in a higher hegemonic position over others who listen to hip hop. You are telling me that I am better than them. But why? What makes me better than them? And if I identify in that group, what makes you better than me? Do you know anything about my life or how I grew up? The struggles I have faced, the horror I have seen? No, you don’t. You’re not mighty enough to decide who is better than whom and why. Neither am I. But I do know why I relate to hip hop music. It’s real life. I can relate to the struggle. I can relate to being raised by my mom and having an abusive father. I can relate to coming from a bad neighborhood. I can relate to my family not having a lot of money and my mom getting free food once a week through the city. I know it may not look like this is my background, but it is. I’m not the only one who can relate, either. Hip Hop Stereotypes and the Struggle Part of hip hop’s success is the ability to translate the struggle of urban life through music. The struggle could mean being poor, experiencing violence, or just trying to stay alive everyday. My interviewee Mike reflects on the area he grew up saying, “I grew up in a really bad neighborhood. We weren’t even allowed to go out past night or even go in the backyard without adult supervision. It was pretty hostile every night hearing gun shots, robbery, getting my house broken into more than ten times when I was younger so it was a pretty hard area.” Mike grew up in Chicago, Illinois and was raised in an urban neighborhood. His environment helped shape his beliefs and values and his taste in music. He relates to hip hop music in a way that not everyone can. He goes on to say, “If you look at hip hop, what people really see is, it’s gritty, it’s people from the streets--people talking about drugs--look they are from the inner-city and how they view it, is how anyone views the inner ghetto--it’s bad, disgusting, something they don’t want their family being a part of.” So hip hop gets a bad reputation because of the environment and culture it represents. This is also why it is relatable for a lot of people who come from an urban environment. Lionel discusses why hip hop music gets a bad reputation and says, “People listen to their kids listening to hip hop and it sounds really bad and they don’t see it like we see it. They see it as bad music. You know, people talking about drugs and rape, bitches and ho’s. They don’t know that it’s something, when you grow up poor like I did, it’s just an everyday thing to them. It’s stuff the media frowns on and they exploit it like that out there.” It all comes back to being true to real life. It’s an accurate portrayal of what life is really like for many. By identifying with the music and the lyrics, it shapes who we are. The music begins to reflect our thinking and our way of living. This creates a communicative process in how we identify ourselves to the world. We begin to transform the music into our lives in a way that will motivate us to become better and overcome the struggle. One of the struggles being faced is living in a world where you are judged by a stereotype. It is a truth that no one likes to admit, but the fact is, we are all victims of stereotypes in our everyday life. Gold Digger So what is it about hip hop music that makes people feel the need to say that it’s not ‘classy’? The finger can be pointed at the commercialization of hip hop music. After all, the music industry is a business. Gangster rap is how hip hop was portrayed in the media and that’s the image music agents were looking for. Even Kanye West was not signed by some labels because he was not ‘gangsta’ enough. The image that was first embodied for being authentic and genuine, is now mimicked and reproduced to sell records. This has perpetuated the problem with making music with no meaning and throwing out rhymes without trying to make a point about something which leads to where we are today. However, what most people fail to realize, is that a lot of hip hop is not on the radio. Commercialization in Hip Hop The problem with commercialization in hip hop music was addressed throughout various points in the interviews. It was addressed as not having a message in a song and making a song that just sounds good but doesn’t really stand for something. The themes can be identified in all of the interviewee’s responses. Some of the comments Sam made in his interview were: “Now it’s kind of more commercialized...money became more of big business--people can get in and make big money.” “Today with the artists out there, they’ll make a song that sounds decent but they’re not really saying a lot. It seems like all you need is a good beat with a clever sounding chorus and hook, you know--and like Soulja Boy ‘Supaman’--if you have a clever saying or a good beat, it seems like you can make millions.” “I mean the random commercial stuff you’ll hear--that’s not true hip hop. It’s not really thought provoking. It’s just like, ‘hey this sounds cool, I can dance to it.’” “It’s like you’re a painter and have a canvas and just throw the paint onto that canvas without having the goal of a picture, you know what I mean?” Mike’s responses around the theme of commercialization: “Now it’s all poppy like Drake and Soulja Boy, where it’s all catch phrases.” “In just lyrics and just what they are putting across, they are not putting out much now. A lot of artists are out there, they just get a cool beat and everyone dances to it. They’re not really saying much, like in messages.” “It’s too easy to be a rapper now. I swear, I’ll just have someone write me some lyrics and make a video and just have a hook phrase and I’ll be the coolest guy out. I’ll be the new Soulja Boy.” Lionel’s responses: “I don’t wanna knock on nobody but when I hear like, Gucci Mane and all them, they sound like simple to me, it’s weird. It’s kind of like you get that feeling out there, like it’s who you know that can hook you up and that’s what’s catching the mainstream’s eye.” “Soulja Boy and all them, I mean I don’t really trip on them but I always thought it was funny. I mean, I don’t wanna knock it but with what I listened to growing up and hearing Soulja Boy, I thought that was garbage. Like what is this shit, you know?” So, it looks like the problem with hip hop music can all be traced back to the rise of artists like Soulja Boy: An artist who made a catchy radio song with a hook referring to a sexual position. But can we even call him an artist? This is the face of what represents hip hop music to the average person and also what represents what’s wrong with hip hop by true fans. It’s evident that hip hop music sends out messages about real issues which is why commercialization is viewed as a bad thing. Commercialization praises materialism. Through materialism, consumerism is pushed. Consumerism is driven by constantly persuading consumers to feel like they need to buy something else to be happy with their life. By listening to songs constantly praising materialism, it is only expected that someone will begin to feel like they don’t have enough in their life if they don’t own a Maybach. This turns the song into a commercial. Music should stand for something and not only be about making money. It could be viewed as a form of journalism; a true reflection of hip hop music is addressing social issues through the music. Materialistic topics, which are common in a lot of hip hop, are what has been emphasized by record executives signing new artists and created a negative view of hip hop culture. Flashing Lights There are stereotypes about every group of people, but hip hop is the only music I can listen to and and determine that people are being hypocrites when they make pre-judgments about a genre of music they know nothing about. I love punk and indie rock, but have never felt emotionally connected to a song like I do with some hip hop songs. I know we all face stereotypes in some way, but I would hope people don’t actually get judged by that. I’m sure everyone can relate to this and hope it’s true, if ever having been the victim of a stereotype. All my experiences have led me to believe that hip hop music is judged for the stereotypes that represent the genre of music. People make a judgment on something they know nothing about. It’s okay if you don’t like it, but don’t say it ‘s crap before actually knowing a thing or two about what hip hop really stands for: the truth. Stereotypes and Judgment in Hip Hop Stereotypes and racism are addressed in many different hip hop songs which can make people uncomfortable. No one wants to talk about the bad stuff that exists in the world because you can’t be in denial about what’s really going on if people are talking about it. Any person can relate to being stereotyped for one reason or another, and many others can relate to being stereotyped because of their race. It is a part of life that exists, but no one wants to talk about. Kanye addresses the issues in Spaceship. He writes, “So if I stole, wasn't my fault/ Yeah I stole, never got caught/ They take me to the back and pat me/ Askin' me about some khakis/ But let some black people walk in/ I bet they show off their token blackie.” Kanye addresses a deep underlying issue with the beginning of this line stating that it’s not his fault he stole. He could be referencing to society and how African-Americans have been victims of the system and forced to behave in certain ways because of their environment. He then states how his manager is racist but doesn’t want anyone to know it. He is an employee at a clothing store and states that he is the only black person who works there just so his manager can prove he’s not racist, even though he really is. This underlying theme in the song can be related to everyone’s life, whether they want to admit it or not. The person you know who says racist things but insists they aren’t racist, because they have black friends. The person you know who makes fun of gay people but insists they aren’t homophobic. The person you know who makes fun of obese people, but insists they do not judge people by their looks. There are so many ways this part of the song represents the truth about hip hop and the things people don’t want to admit about themselves, or the people they surround themselves with. It may only be one part of the song, but Kanye exposes stereotypes and racism in Spaceship by reflecting on his personal experiences in a poetic way. Stereotypes are prevalent in every aspect of our lives. Hip hop music is another way people get judged or discriminated for the music he or she listens to. In his interview, Lionel stated, “ The other day I was bumping some Game and these old White people heard it and when they heard it, didn’t wanna look at me. Probably because I’m in my car and it’s lowered, it has tinted windows, I have tattoos, and the kind of music I’m listening to sounds violent because it has a lot of cuss words and I noticed they rolled up their window, and I don’t know, you could kind of see that they were scared. So it’s like a stereotype that I’m gonna rob them.” Lionel may have been discriminated against because of his looks, or because of the music he was listening to, but there’s no way to know for sure. Although there is no way to determine the causation, there is a definite correlation between Lionel’s image and the music he is listening to and being treated differently than someone who is driving down the street listening to country. Looking at Mike’s interview can provide another example of how listening to hip hop music can affect being negatively judged by someone. Mike states, “Every time I drive by cops, I turn down my radio. I’ve been pulled over because of music. Because it’s too loud. Because it’s too vulgar. The cop even told me you shouldn’t be listening to that and I’m like, dude it’s music. It may be too vulgar for some, but for others, hip hop is a way of life. The music is true to the environment we come from. It’s more than just music and represents a cultural movement. Some of the stereotypes will be true, but some of them will blind you from appreciating what is really there. Like Mike said in his interview, “People will always try to bash it and say it’s all bad, but it’s not all bad. Even in the worst part of hip hop, there is a beautiful part.” Never Let Me Down Tattoos are so trendy now. Sleeves people will regret when their wrinkly skin starts to shrivel up and distort the canvas that was once an arm. I want something I won’t regret. A lot of stuff looks cool, but I know I won’t want it when I’m 50. I want something that means something. I want it to be a quote translated into Assyrian writing. But what quote? I don’t want something cheesy that’s tattooed on a hundred other people’s bodies. And I want it to be somewhere I can hide. On my ribs, in paragraph form. And then I heard it. I’ve heard the song a million times, but this time it was different. It just clicked. So I guess I’m one of a kind in a full house Because whenever I open my heart, my soul, or my mouth, A touch of God, reigns, out It’s perfect. I’ll never regret it and it’s from my favorite rap song. To top it off, I got it translated into Assyrian. A tattoo that reflects my culture and my identity. Why would I ever regret that? This part of my favorite verse has always made me feel like an individual. It reminds me that I am one of a kind. People around me should be lucky to know me. It’s not about having an ego, but appreciating the special qualities only you can bring to the world around you. Yes, I know I will never be the smartest, prettiest, or most-talented, but I am the only one who has my special combination of dorkiness, ghettoness, and randomness which can never be matched. I find an appreciation in everything in life which makes me who I am. I don’t judge something, or someone, I don’t know and can usually find the good qualities that get overlooked by others. I’m an individual trying to fit in and stand out at the same time. This is hip hop. This is about not being afraid to stand alone in a crowd when you’re terrified and making others feel like they are the ones missing out. This is strength and confidence. Being loved and hated at the same damn time. Being the minority, but feeling like the only majority that matters. This is hip hop. Two Words Feeling the bass beating through my speakers, it sounds like fists pounding to get out. I drive with the window down so the sound can flow through the air to the cars passing by. This song is the best. I want everyone to hear what I’m hearing right now. When you look at me and check out how I’m rocking my head up and down to the beat and laugh at my hand swaying to the music, I know you envy me. At this moment, I feel I have all the confidence in the world. No one can bring me down. I’m not embarrassed. I feel sorry for the people who care too much about what other people think. It’s just me, my ride, and the music. I love the beat of hip hop, but I love the lyrics more. They have inspired me. I have always loved poetry, but hip hop takes it to the next level. Spoken word is the best of both worlds; words that sound like they could be rapped over a beat, but so potent they don’t need one. I love to write because of the language and emotion that goes into the writing. It’s therapeutic. It’s about having an appreciation for the language of music which develops its own art form and will, in turn, motivate you to write your own thoughts and ideas down. It’s the best way to communicate everything you want to say but can never find the words for. Your own combination of words to form a language that is unique to you. The Importance of Language and Lyrics The lyrics and use of language are how someone can be motivated by, or relate to, a hip hop song. The beat is cool, but it’s the words that can emotionally connect you to a song. In Mike’s interview, lyrics were an important reason of what makes hip hop music special: Mike: “I actually listen to the words and think, ‘What are they saying? Are they using cool metaphors or similes?’ Man, because that’s what interests me. The beat is cool, but it’s mostly lyrical.” Nicole: “How would you define a good lyricist or a good beat?” Mike: “Someone who knows how to use words and express what they’re saying like a beautiful art form to where you could listen and think, ‘Wow, he just killed it’ in how he used his words. Expressing the words in a way that is heartfelt or touches you in a way.” It’s not just what the artist is saying, but how he says it. Is there any creativity? Is there a challenge? It can’t merely sound like something anyone could have written. There has to be some type of challenge in the music. Sam’s interview responses touched a lot on lyrics and language and he stated: “I’m a huge fan of the 90’s kind of hip hop where there’s a lot more meaning behind what someone’s saying--there was a lot more lyricism and metaphors, rhymes.” “Hip hop to me is just a pure beat and just rapping, lyricism. Someone just blowing you away with rhymes and metaphors.” “I listened to Biggie and I felt like his style is just what I was always thinking in my head. His rhymes, his metaphors are great. He makes--when you listen to a Biggie track--he just gets your head rockin’ back and forth, you just flow with him. Listening to his rhymes makes me wanna go and just write crazy metaphors that will make people say ‘damn’ and just hit you in the face.” For Sam, the lyrics and metaphors are why hip hop is so important. It’s a language art form. There should be careful selection of words and the words should be arranged in a way that will make you think. For Lionel, appreciating the lyrics came as he got older. Commenting about the lyrics, Lionel states: “When I was younger, it was always the sound of the beat, but the older I get,the more I absorb the lyrics and there’s some artists that are really slick with their tongues and creative with their beats and the way they put in how they feel and I really admire their lyrics.” “A good lyricist would put words together that’s creative and sometimes you have to think about it afterwards. Like if I would hear something Common, or Kanye, or even Eminem, would say and you hear them say it, and later on think back about whatever metaphor they said and think, ‘oh that was pretty nice.’” There is no doubt that language can be very persuasive. Through lyrics in hip hop music, an appreciation for the art of language and how it is used inspires people. The inspiration can be used to get motivated by writing your own music as a form of self-expression or find more artists who can write well. There is no doubt that it will motivate you to do something when having an appreciation for the art. This represents a strong communicative process in language use. Language is used as a way of identifying with hip hop music through the use of metaphors, similes, or other poetic aspects of writing. The use of metaphors is visible in a lot of rapper’s songs. The words can provide inspiration, relate-ability, or be an expression of the way you feel about the world around you. Motivation Through Listening to Hip Hop One of the most clever hip hop artists is Kanye West. His song, Spaceship, emphasizes hard work and the struggle to pursue your dreams. Hard work pushes West to stay motivated and focused on his dream. He writes, “Y'all don't know my struggle/ Y'all can't match my hustle/ You can't catch my hustle/ You can't fathom my love dude/ Lock yourself in a room doin' five beats a day for three summers/ That's a different world like Cree Summers/ I deserve to do these numbers.” In this part of the song, Kanye raps about how hard he worked for his success. It didn’t come easy and it took time and dedication. Kanye uses the metaphor of having a spaceship to fly you to the sky which represents dreams. Featuring the rapper GLC, his verse of the song writes, “In the mall ‘til 12 when my schedule said nine/ Puttin them pants on shelves/ Waitin’ patiently I ask myself/ Where I wanna go, where I wanna be/ Life is much more than runnin’ in the streets.” This line is especially helpful in understanding the way rap is represented in the media and how it’s not just about being violent or selling drugs on the street. You can work hard to earn a living and think about the bigger picture in life. Consequence, another rapper who enters the song for the third verse, writes, “I remember havin’ to take the dollar cab/ Comin’ home real late at night/ Standin’ on my feet all damn day/ Tryin’ to make this thing right/ And havin’ one of my co-workers say ‘Yo you look just like/ This kid I seen in the old Busta Rhymes video the other night’/ Well easy come, easy go/ How that sayin’ goes.” Consequence references when he recorded six tracks with A Tribe Called Quest and thought he was a part of the hip hop group thanks to his cousin, Q Tip, being a member. He raps about how he was mistaken and shouldn’t have expected it to be that easy. The 15 minutes of fame he achieved because of luck does not replace the hard work it takes to become successful in a musical career. Each verse in Spaceship reinforces the importance of hard work when working towards your dreams and does so with the voice of three separate rappers with varying life experiences. Lionel reflects on the motivational aspects of hip hop music and why it has the ability to motivate him: “Hip hop motivates me especially when I hear inspirational stuff, like Drake or Kanye, and the words are so potent that it makes you wanna do certain things like when I’m exercising. And I noticed if I hear a good lyricist or it comes out little gangster, I work out harder.” “I was listening to the latest Eminem and Kanye CD and it just motivates you to do better. Sometimes you feel down and you hear this rapper talking about how he was down and it’s an inspiring song and makes you not wanna quit on certain things and work hard.” Mike comments on how hip hop music is relatable to his life which gives him motivation : “It’s just something you can relate to because with a lot of hip hop, they are coming from poor neighborhoods so you could relate to their music, growing up struggling and being every day in the streets or trying to just make it day by day.” “It just makes me want to better my life and what I have, but be humble and grateful for what I do have.” “And when I feel like I wanna make it, I listen to Spaceship.” “It makes me want to strive for something better and do something better with my life and get more like, with a lot of the lyrics like Common and Talib Kweli, it’s all motivational, inspirational music, like trying to get out there and do more.” Hip hop music is overlooked as a source of motivation. However, it has been a source of inspiration for people coming from a struggling background for years. Hip hop has the ability to make people feel like they can become something better by making the lyrics relatable. The ‘If I can do it, you can do it’ attitude seeps through the lyrics of the music and can be absorbed by anyone who really stops and listens to the music. Last Call It is important to understand how hip hop music positively affects people. By only paying attention to the stereotypes and commercialization in hop hop music, people are blinded to the positive, motivational affects of the music. This is done through lyrics, use of language and creating relate-ability by facing struggles in life. It is important to understand the effects that someone’s environment can have on the way they choose to represent themselves to the world. Understanding where someone else is coming from is an important characteristic in every aspect of life, because it allows you to feel empathy for someone else. Having empathy for others will make you feel more grateful for what you have in life and achieve a higher level of happiness. Okay, I get it. Rap and Hip Hop aren’t for everyone. I get that it’s practically impossible to buy an album without a “Parental Advisory” warning label. I know it can be violent, sexual, and materialistic. What most critics (I should say skeptics because a true critic has a validated reason to make a judgment) don’t realize is there are different kinds of rap. Just like there are different kinds of rock. A lot of what you listen to is going to be based on your mood. Gangster Rap. NWA. Political Rap. Lupe Fiasco. Party Rap. 2 Chainz. Poetic Rap. Common. Spiritual Rap. J Ivy. Love Rap. Drake. Smart Rap. Childish Gambino. Stoner Rap. Wiz Khalifa. Cult Rap. Tech N9ne. The Best All Around. Kanye West. His albums go from one spectrum of hip hop to the other and I can find one of his albums to match every mood I’m in. All of these rappers speak truth in their own way to communicate about the world they live in. With all of the variety in hip hop music, I love it all. I love the way it motivates me. Most of these rappers grew up in a rough neighborhood; I can relate. Now they’re preaching their gospel to the world. You don’t have to be the same religion to attend their church, but you can’t deny that it has an emotional impact on its’ parishioners. For me, it’s striving to be successful. The music gives me confidence I’ve never felt before. Confidence that I don’t get when I listen to other music. It translates to the rest of my life and affects everything I do. Most of the confidence I have comes from the music I listen to. Anything is possible. I can be the next entrepreneur. It just takes hard work and dedication. Starting with a passion and letting it consume you like the music does. Changing people’s stereotypes is what motivates me. I want to be the exception and not the rule. It gives me fuel to keep going and not give up on what I want. Despite all of the adversaries and challenges I face, the struggle is worth it, because it means success is at the end of the tunnel. Nas said hip hop is dead. I disagree. It’s alive and breathing inside of me and everything I do. It’s made me, me. References Brown, T. J. (2005). Reaffirming African American Cultural Values: Tupac Shakur's greatest hits as a musical autobiography. Western Journal Of Black Studies, 29(1), 558-573. Hess, M. (2005). Hip-hop realness and the white performer. Critical Studies In Media Communication, 22(5), 372-389. doi:10.1080/07393180500342878 Holmes Smith, C. (1997). Method in the madness: exploring the boundaries of identity in hip-hop performativity. Social Identities, 3(3), 345. Iwamoto, D. (2003). Tupac Shakur: understanding the identity formation of hyper-masculinity of a popular hip-hop artist. Black Scholar, 33(2), 44-49. Kistler, M. E., & Lee, M. J. (2010). Does exposure to sexual hip-hop music videos influence the sexual attitudes of college students?. Mass Communication & Society, 13(1), 67-86. doi:10.1080/15205430902865336 Matlon, J. (2010). Creating public fictions: The black man as producer and consumer. Black Scholar, 40(3), 36-42. Powell, V. (2011). A social identity framework of American hip-hop cultural performance. Social Identities, 17(4), 459-476. doi:10.1080/13504630.2011.587302 Price, J. J. (2005). Hegemony, hope, and the Harlem renaissance: taking hip hop culture seriously. Convergence, 38(2), 55-64. Reiter, B., & Mitchell, G. L. (2008). Embracing hip hop as their own: hip hop and black racial identity in Brazil. Studies In Latin American Popular Culture, 27151-165. Sealey-Ruiz, Y., & Greene, P. (2011). Embracing urban youth culture in the context of education. Urban Review, 43(3), 339-357. doi:10.1007/s11256-010-0156-8 Tanner, J., Asbridge, M., & Wortley, S. (2009). Listening to rap: cultures of crime, cultures of resistance. Social Forces (University Of North Carolina Press), 88(2), 693-722.

TMZ Sports

Dwightsanity

With all of the Dwightsanity off-season drama surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers, it’s hard to believe all of the team’s problems would be solved by signing Dwight Howard to a five-year, $118-million dollar contract. The truth is, the Lakers have had problems on the court since Phil Jackson retired, but that’s neither here nor there. Lakers fans were praying to get Howard last season thinking he could fill the big-man hole caused by losing Odom and Bynum. This season caused disappointment and distress among hopeful Laker fans everywhere. So the question is: Will signing Dwight Howard solve the Lakers basketball woes? The hype surrounding Dwight Howard is just that: hype. This guy averaged 17.1 points and 12.4 rebounds during his season with the Lakers. Sure, he averages a double-double but is that the most he is capable of? Howard is a step above mediocrity hovering between the average and above-average range. But are the standards set too high for the 6’11’’ beast? It all comes down to work ethic. When Randy Moss claimed he was the greatest wide receiver to ever play, Jerry Rice weighed in by commenting, “The thing that separates us, is that I never took a play off. My work ethic, I was not the most talented but I was going to outwork you and I think that is why I was able to have so much success on the football field.” So far, Howard has proven to the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers that he plays when he wants to. He’s often the guy who always looks like he’s having a good time, but it leads people to think he doesn’t take wanting to win a championship seriously. When Shaquille O’ Neal discussed Dwight Howard on ESPN LA in June with Max Kellerman, he referred to a comment Jerry West made to him when becoming a Laker saying, “He told me, he said, ‘I know you do movies. I know you do albums but you need to get at least two or three championships while you’re here or this move will be considered a bust.” So to Dwight Howard, Lakers fans have this to say: We know you do impressions and we know you have a great time, but you need to win at least one, or two, championships to be taken seriously. Whether it’s in Los Angeles, Houston, or Dallas, prove your worth. Signing Dwight Howard could be a big risk to take and come at a hefty cost. Can the Lakers franchise afford the monetary risk at another sub-par season? Or will signing Howard into a contract be the assurance he needs that he can give every game his all? All that can be said is that if Howard is signed and has another mediocre season, at best, the blame won’t fall on Howard but on the Lakers organization. Like the saying goes, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.”

The Anahiem Royals?

The Sacramento Kings may soon become the Anaheim Royals and the state capitol will lose a franchise team that has helped stimulate the local economy since moving to Sacramento in 1985. Northern California has suffered the most during the economic crisis and the worst is yet to come if and when the Kings move to Southern California.
The Maloofs, the wealthy owners of the Sacramento Kings, have been pushing for the city of Sacramento to build a new stadium for the Kings for years. In 2006, two bills were rejected that would have raised sales tax by a quarter cent increase over 15 years. Power Balance Pavilion, formerly known as ARCO Arena, is the smallest venue in the NBA with a seating capacity of approximately 17,317. The arena cost about $40 million to build which is one of the least expensive arenas in the NBA.
In 2001, the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers rivalry was born as the Kings won their first playoff series in 20 years against the Phoenix Suns and then were swept by the Lakers. Nevertheless, the Kings gained popularity and began to play for sold out crowds. In the 2001-2002 season, the Kings made it to the Western Conference Finals against the Lakers. After a controversial series, the Kings lost to the Lakers in game seven of the series. The popularity of the Kings grew amidst the failure to bringing an NBA championship to Sacramento.
The Power Balance Pavilion and the team employ over 1300 full time and part time staff. If the Kings are relocated, there will be hundreds of people without a job in the already suffering Northern California economy. March 1, 2011 was the deadline to decide whether the Maloofs were going to relocate the Kings to Anaheim in the 2011-2012 season. They filed for an extension until April 18 when they will have to make a decision about moving the team.
Last week, the Maloofs filed federal trademark applications for the Anaheim Royals, Los Angeles Royals, Orange County Royals and Anaheim Royals of Southern California. Southern California will potentially have three NBA teams: the Los Angeles Lakers, L.A. Clippers and, possibly, the Anaheim Royals.
The citizens of Sacramento will have no one to blame but themselves if the Kings relocate because the taxpayers are the ones who rejected raising taxes to get the Kings a new arena. Next month Sacramento fans will have a definite answer about the future of the Sacramento Kings.

All-Star Dunk Contest: Revived! Or Is It?

For basketball fans, All-Star Weekend marks the middle point of the season and a weekend full of stars and athletes. From the celebrity basketball game to the 3-point shooting challenge, All-Star Weekend is loaded with events led by the most talented basketball players in the world. With all the festivities, the slam dunk contest is the most anticipated event for the weekend. However, for the last few seasons, the slam dunk contest has lost its' luster. After last year's dunk contest, the NBA took control and created the biggest spectacle of the event i have ever seen.
For the past decade, fans have wanted big names in the dunk contest. The LeBron James and Kobe Bryant's of the league; that's who we want to see dunk. Not, JaVale McGee? Of the Washington Wizards? Who is that? Or DeMar DeRozan? From the Toronto Raptors? Oh, you mean that guy who was in last year's pitiful dunk contest? These are some of the questions people ask themselves and thoughts people have when the dunk contest participants are announced, but it's also a way some players make names for themselves in the league.
This year the contest was centered around rookie All-Star Blake Griffin. Blake Griffin was originally drafted in 2009 by the Los Angeles Clippers as the first overall pick but was injured during preseason so never played a regular game in the 2009-2010 season. He debuted in regular season for the 2010-2011 season and has been a phenomenal player for the Clippers. Griffin, known for his size and outstanding game play, has grown popularity because of his beastly dunks. Just shy of seven feet standing at 6'10'' , Griffin breaks tradition of the general thought of a big man.
Well this year's contest just had it all. Dunks with one car. Dunks with two hoops.Dunks with three balls. It was ridiculous.
Although Blake Griffin's first few dunks were pure and without props, the flashy dunk over the car at the end just oozed cheesiness. Watching how hard the NBA tried with the dunk contest this year was like watching that kid in class that tries too hard to be funny and just fails. Don't get me wrong, there were some amazing dunks, but it was more of a circus than a contest.
At this point in time, every variation of dunks has been done. It's just a matter of using props and getting the crowd energized. The best dunk of all time would have to be the Vince Carter 360 dunk. He was in the dunk contest at the beginning of the millennium and no hoop had ever been dunked on like that before. But what made Carter so spectacular is that he brought raw talent mixed with creativity to the table. The fact that it was so simple yet difficult is what made the dunk so well known in the league.
So for this year's dunk contest, Blake Griffin was not my favorite. In my opinion, JaVale Mcgee and Serge Ibaka (Oklahoma City Thunder) had the best dunks of the night. Ibaka was the first dunk of the night and jumped from the free throw line. He flew like Michael Jordan and it was raw. The second most difficult, and best, dunk of the night, would be JaVale McGee's back handed dunk into the basket. I have never seen a dunk like McGee's before. He ran from one end of the three point line towards the other while his arm did a 180 and dunked the ball single handedly into the basket. His body was going one way with his arm doing the opposite. I mean that defeats Newton's law of motion. Or something like that.
All in all, the dunk contest was a lot more entertaining than years past but I'm just scared the purity in basketball will be lost in the translation of making money. Hopefully I'm wrong.

How I fell in love with basketball but more importantly, how I fell in love with the Los Angeles Lakers

If you're a Los Angeles Lakers fan, chances are you have heard every insult in the book from being a "faker fan" to a "bandwagon jumper." You constantly argue with your peers about why the Lakers are the best team in the NBA (because back-to-back championships equalling 16 total isn't proof enough) just to get people to admit that the real reason why they hate the Lakers is because they are the best. Now I, myself, hate fair weather fans just like the next person but chances are, if you're reading this, you are as loyal as they come.

Being born and raised in Northern California, I get a lot of flack about being an LA Lakers fan.

"You should be a Kings fan," or "You're just a bandwagon jumper; how are you a Lakers fan when you live by Sacramento and Oakland?"

Most people don't know how, or why, I became a Lakers fan and most people probably don't care but I write this for all the true Laker fans, or any loyal sports fan in general, to tell a story about a young girl who fell in love with basketball, and more importantly, the Los Angeles Lakers.

When I was eight years old, I bought a book from the book fair (remember those?) called "How to Reach Your Favorite Star." It mainly had addresses to your favorite stars' fan clubs so you could write to them but there were also random facts and information about the person.There were all kinds of different celebrities in the book from Axl Rose of Guns 'N' Roses to Shannon Doherty of 90210. The one that caught my eye was Shaquille O' Neal of the Orlando Magic.

I thought he was so cool because of how tall he was (7'1'') and I memorized every strange fact I read about him. My favorite was about being able to fit the contents of a two-liter soda in his shoe because it was so big. Thus began my fascination with Shaquille O' Neal. I admit I didn't know a thing about basketball; i was an eight-year-old girl. But that came later.

In 1996, Shaq became a Laker. And I was a Shaq fan. I started to pay more attention to basketball when I started high school and, by that time, the Lakers were in the beginning stages of their three-peat. Watching Shaq and Kobe play together was one of the best feelings in the world. Add in the strong supporting cast of Derek Fisher, Rick Fox and Robert Horry, and you just knew you were watching history in the making.

But times got hard after the three-peat. And as soon as Shaq left, I hated him. I had become a Lakers fan after all. I don't hate Shaq anymore. I mean, I'm older now, and I understand that happens in sports. I'm just happy he was able to help bring three more championships to the Los Angeles Lakers and appreciate the fact.

But I have been a Lakers fan ever since. Being a Lakers fan has made me fall in love with the game of basketball. I love the excitement and adrenaline of the game. I love the possibility that a team can be down 20 points going into the half and turn around and win the game. I love that players like Kobe Bryant can make a buzzer-beater shot to win the game. I love that Reggie Miller scored eight points with only 18.7 seconds left to beat the New York Knicks when everyone thought the Pacers were going to lose. These are the moments that define the history of basketball.

Maybe I should be a Kings or Warriors fan, but why? I'm not from Oakland or Sacramento. Where I live, there are no professional sports teams. So why does it matter what team I choose to support? Just because that's how it's suppose to be? Proximity is not the reason I started watching basketball. A player by the name of Shaquille O' Neal is. Had he gone from Orlando to Sacramento, I might be telling a different story right now but that's not the way this story was written.

Next time someone tries to talk trash to you about being a Lakers fan, just laugh it off. Because their team, whoever it may be, is not the championship team; their team does not have Kobe Bryant. Or Derek Fisher. Or Pau Gasol. Pity them. I speak with experience in defending my fanaticism when I say shrug it off. Don't get mad like I do and almost poor a beer on a bitter Kings' fan cheering for the Celtics. And I definitely don't recommend trying to fight, like that time I wanted to fight a guy, because they pissed you off so much. Just walk away. Unless you're a guy because if I was that guy would've been KOed.

Anyway, remember the feeling you get when the Lakers win championships. And the joy of rubbing it in peoples' faces shouting "I told you so!"

Remember our history. Remember our legacy. Remember our dynasty. And most importantly, remember why you love the Los Angeles Lakers wholeheartedly.

.

NBA Playoffs Update

So here is an update on the first round of playoffs; who's in, who's out, and who is still fighting to make it to the next round.

Eastern Conference:

Cleveland > Chicago: LeBron and the Cavaliers gave little hope to Joakim and the Bulls as they ended the series 4-1.

Boston> Miami: The Heat didn't beat the Celtics in any regular season games this year and were up 3-0 before Wade showed up in game 4 to get Miami their only win in the series. It still wasnt enough to get past Boston.

Orlando> Charlotte: The first and only sweep in round 1. The Magic are not playing around this year.

Milwaukee vs. Atlanta: The Bucks lead this series 3-2 as they snapped Atlanta's 14 home-game win streak. Jennings is doin work!

Western Conference:

Los Angeles vs. Oklahoma City: Lakers are leading the series 3-2. Come on Lakers!

Dallas vs. San Antonio: The Spurs lead the series 3-2. Oh the big battle in Texas! Can Dirk and his team pull it through? Ginobili has already smacked a bat this season so there's no telling what else he will do.

Utah vs. Denver: Jazz leads the series 3-2. The Nuggets are not playing with much heart right now while the Jazz are playing with all their might. Who will pull through?

Phoenix vs. Portland: The Suns lead the series 3-2. Portland has already suprised people with the way they are hanging in this series and with the way Brandon Roy showed up to play just eight days after his knee surgery. Will they suprise everyone and pull out a win too?



So it is evident that the Western Conference is much more difficult to win in than the Eastern Conference which is how it has been all season. The series in the East have gone as expected with only one chance of an upset in the Bucks/Hawks series. Where as on the West coast, there have been many suprises. Mavericks, Nuggets, Lakers, and Suns have all been expected to win their series and the Spurs and Jazz are leading while the Thunder and Blazers have been putting up a hell of a fight. So no team in the West is done with the first round yet.

On a side note:

I don't understand why anyone expected the Lakers to get past the Thunder so easily. Every time I tuned into ESPN, some analyst was talking about the Lakers winning the series by a sweep or 4-1. Really? Does nobody know that the leading scorer of the NBA is on the OKC Thunder? Do people not understand that the Thunder have one of the youngest teams in the NBA? With the youngest EVER leading scorer? And the coach of the year in Scott Brooks who will probably make it into the Hall of Fame one day? Come on guys! Even this Laker fan knew it wouldn't be that easy!

Oh, Playoffs!

The 75th NFL Draft

There’s a familiar smell floating around in the air. Can you smell it? Mmm, it smells like the 75th annual NFL draft.

The off-season trades in football have been unpredictable to say the least and with all the talk surrounding draft picks, it is hard to predict what team the top rookie quarterbacks like Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow will end up playing for.

The draft order begins with the St. Louis Rams, Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins and Kansas City Chiefs in the top five. The Rams, Chiefs, and Lions had a pick in the top five of the 2009 draft as well with Matthew Stafford (quarterback) being drafted by the Detroit Lions as the number one overall pick. Previous number one picks include Eli Manning, Carson Palmer and Michael Vick.

Sometimes, drafting a quarterback as a number one overall pick can be a bust. For example, JaMarcus Russell of the Oakland Raiders and Alex Smith of the San Francisco 49ers can fall into the ‘bust’ category. Smith started to come around in the 2009 season and eventually became a starter while the opposite happened with Russell. So will the 2010 number one overall pick be Sam Bradford? If he is, hopefully he won’t get the curse of the bust.

Other top 2010 draft class prospects include Gerald McCoy, Ndamukong Suh, Eric Berry and Russell Okung. Suh was a finalist for the Heisman award in 2009, but Mark Ingram ended up winning the trophy although many people believe it should’ve went to Suh.

The NFL draft will start Thursday, April 22 and be broadcasted ESPN live at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time and will continue until April 24. Going with the trend of quarterbacks usually being drafted first, I think Sam Bradford will be the number one overall pick this year. Let’s hope he plays as good as everyone thinks he will.

2009-2010 Best of the Best

With only about two weeks left in the 2009-2010 season, the race for the best of the best is getting tight. Throughout the season, some players have shined their light and then dimmed out while others have started as a slow simmer then began to boil mid-season. Meanwhile, the likes of LeBron James have stayed consistently on fire all season long. With that being said, here are my best of the best picks:

Defensive Player of the Year:

I'm going to have to go with Dwight Howard to repeat for this category. Howard is currently leading in rebounds with 13.3 and in blocks with 2.7. When you think of a defensive player, there aren't too many players that stand out like Howard. He has the size and the ability. Some people like to clown on Dwight (Charles Barkley) saying he doesn't use his size to his advantage, but he is obviously doing something right since he is leading in rebounds and blocks. Personally, I think that he could do more as a defensive player, but he gets fouled all the time when he plays more aggressive. He knows his team needs him in the game more than on the bench so I respect him for playing the way that he does. He is Superman.

Sixth Man of the Year:

Lamar Odom. I went back and forth on this one for a while because Jamal Crawford is having a great year, but in the end Lamar proved his worth a little more in my eyes. And no it's not because I'm a huge Lakers fan. Odom is one of three players on the Lakers who I can say has played consistently this year and he was a key element to the Lakers wins while Kobe Bryant was out. I don't know if it's because of his off-season marriage to a Kardishian, but Odom has played defense and offense equally. He is averaging 9.6 rebounds this season which is higher than his career average. Let's go Lamar.

Most Improved Player:

Danilo Gallinari. Gallinari was averaging 6.1 PPG in the 08-09 season. What is he at this season? 14.3. That's almost an increase of almost 10 points. Can you say ridiculous? He's also increased his APG from 0.5 to 1.5. By far not the best in assists, but were talking about most improved here. I mean he plays for the Knicks. You can only ask for so much improvement.

Rookie of the Year:

Blake Griffin. Just kidding. I still don't know if I'm totally sure who I want to pick for this. The two obvious candidates are Tyreke Evans of the Sacramento Kings and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. Two amazing players stuck on the shit hole teams of Northern California. But that's okay because they would not have their chance to shine as rookies otherwise. Brandon Jennings started off the season playing like he would be a contender, but the obvious choices now are Evans and Curry. Since I can't decide who is better, I'm going to go with who I like more and that's Stephen Curry. Curry has to be the choice. He is on the same team as Monta Ellis so he shares the ball more than Evans does on the Kings. 16.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG and 5.6 APG. Not bad for a rookie. The argument for Evans is that he is averaging 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists and only three rookies before have done this: Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan and Lebron James. BUT, he has missed 11 games this season due to injuries. I'm talking myself into choosing Evans now. Well I think he might actually get it, but I want it to go to Curry so I will stick with that choice.

Most Valuable Player:

Will it be LeBron James for the second year in a row? Or Kevin Durant who was Rookie of the Year just two years ago? My pick goes to Kevin Durant. LeBron James is an animal and he is the best if we go based off of the numbers. However, Durant has been a more integral ingredient to the Oklahoma City Thunder. James is the obvious choice and he will get MVP again but the way Durant has played all season says much more to me than LeBron. I expect LeBron to average almost 30 points a game. I didn't expect to see Kevin Durant playing at a LeBron James level in his third year in the NBA. Again, I'm not picking Durant because I've been jockin him all season. I am being realistic. Which is why I haven't mentioned Kobe Bryant like the analysts on ESPN. We could talk about Bryant, Melo, and Wade but let's be realistic. The real match up is Durantula vs. King James. My money is on KD.

It will be interesting to see how my picks fair to the actual winners this year. Hopefully it will be better than my Oscar picks and March Madness bracket. See you in the playoffs!

WTF

I can't even describe in words how irritated and frustrated I am right now with the Lakers. However, I am grateful for the fact that I was at work and didn't see the game because I probably would have broken my TV had I been watching it at home. When I looked at my phone to check the score and it was 94-89 with :41 seconds left, I was already pissed off because I knew they were gonna lose. Then when I looked at the score and it said 96-94 FINAL, I almost threw my phone and let out a shriek leading everyone in the room to think that something bad happened to me. But it was so much worse. The Lakers lost. AGAIN. For the third time IN A ROW!

It would make me feel better if they lost to shitty teams because then I can just say they didn't try. But the Bobcats are a pretty good team. The Heat have one of the best point guards in the league in Dwyane Wade. And the Magic are the Eastern Conference Champs led by Dwight Howard. Can the Lakers beat a GOOD team for once?!! Last week they were 7-8 against teams in the leading ranks of both conferences. So this makes them even worse. Which means all the teams they are beating are SHITTY teams!!!!! What the hell are you guys going to do when you play Denver in the playoffs??!!! The Nuggets team is stacked! Okay so you make it past Denver; so what about the Cavs and Magic situation?!Magic is hungrier than they were last year. And LeBron wants a championship ring. What is your plan?! Get it together!


WTF Lakers. WTF!!!!!!

Okay this was a dirty, dirty game. Maybe Ron Ron's hair riled everyone up, but man. It was aggressive for sure.

Matt Barnes had it out for Kobe the whole game. I saw in the highlights that he looked like he wanted to punch Kobe like 6 times. And I saw that he acted like he was gonna check the ball in Kobe's face. I don't know if the refs called a foul for that, but definitely should've been. Kobe put up 34 points. Big deal.

I love you Kobe, but I'm hating you right now. When will you start to trust your team mates? Did the team being 4-1 without you not earn your trust? Or did it just hurt your feelings that they played better as a team without you there? I know why you hog the ball. Because you don't think anyone else will make it in. This is why it seems like every game you guys play comes down to a game-winning shot. Sure, I'm just as happy as the next guy when you make the clutch shots. But when you didn't play, there was a good flow on the floor with passing and scoring between EVERYBODY. There are other guys besides Pau Gasol on the team.

But that leads to the real question for all the clutch shots this season..Why does it always come down to that? You guys should be winning by more than a 2-point margin. You are the reigning champs. But the way you guys are acting right now is like James Roper from "The Great White Hype"; unmotivated, undisciplined and lazy. And you think that you can win another championship without trying. NEWSFLASH! YOU ARE LOSING TO THE BEST TEAMS IN THE REGULAR SEASON! HOW DO YOU EXPECT TO WIN A 7-GAME PLAYOFF SERIES AGAINST ONE OF THESE TEAMS?!!!!

The Los Angeles Lakers are a better team than that. They have one of the strongest starting line ups in the NBA with the best bench team.

It's disgusting when they lose.

I can keep ranting on but I might end up throwing my laptop so I'm gonna stop here.

WHAT THE FUCK LAKERS?!

Ugh.

Tiger, Tiger, Tiger

Tiger Woods addressed the public about his indiscretions for the first time last week. Woods has been avoiding the media since Thanksgiving when the now infamous incident that involved his wife Elin Nordegren using a golf club to break the back window of Woods’ suburban and pull him out of the car after he crashed in front of their home. There were, and still are, different rumors flying around about what really happened that night. Did Elin attack Tiger because she found out about his affairs after the National Enquirer printed a story exposing his indiscretions? We may never know what really happened that night, but after Woods statement we now know for sure that Tiger Woods had multiple affairs and cheated on his wife.

Woods has lost endorsements, taken an indefinite leave of absence from his golf career, and may lose his family. But why does any of his private life matter? Tiger Woods has been the best thing that has happened to golf before, and after, his tumultuous sex scandal. I know that a lot of people in the public feel like it’s their right to know about Tiger’s private life. But it’s really no one’s business but his.

Are people even satisfied after his speech? It was clearly scripted as Woods had to look down at the podium every 30 seconds to see what his next line was. I can’t help but feel bad for him. Every time a public icon is exposed for something like, say, cheating on his wife, people feel like it’s their right to know and it’s the first time it’s happened. But it’s not. There are men and women out there who cheat on their spouse every day. It’s not like he is the first man, or famous athlete for that matter, to commit adultery. He is human. He has flaws. He makes mistakes. The only difference is he got caught and is a famous icon.

Tiger Woods never asked to be your kids’ role model. Golf is his job. The only difference between his job and mine is that millions of people watch him ‘work.’ And he gets a lot of perks that come in the form of million-dollar endorsement deals and being surrounded by super models every day. Ask any man out there if they would have acted in the same way if they were in Tiger’s shoes and nine times out of ten, they will probably say yes. I don’t know about you, but if I was a guy, I would still trade places with Tiger Woods today. Despite all the negative publicity he’s getting, Woods is still one of the richest people in the World.

People think it is their right to know every detail about Woods’ private life but it’s not. I think people just love to rubberneck in other people’s lives and watch a good crash and burn when they get a chance.

I could rant on forever about how it’s no one’s business about what Tiger did. He’s not the first person to cheat and he definitely won’t be the last. He plans on returning to golf but he doesn’t know when. In time, people will forgive him.

Let’s flashback to 2003 when Kobe Bryant was accused of rape and received negative publicity. The charges were later dropped in 2004 and Kobe-haters still comment about the incident but Kobe Bryant is still one of the best basketball players to have ever played in the NBA and has since went on to win an MVP title and championship title for the Lakers to prove it. His wife also stuck by his side through everything that happened.

Famous athletes typically get special treatment and as Tiger Woods said in his statement,

“I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn't have to go far to find them.”

I know I’m going to piss off a lot of people by what I say next, but they have the right to live by different rules if they want to. If I was married to a famous athlete, I would understand he would probably sleep with other women. It’s a small price to pay considering you get to live the luxurious life of buying whatever you want, having all the money in the world, and not having to do a damn thing for it. Of course I don’t want him to be with other women, but I understand the temptation is there and having sex with someone else is not as bad as lying to cover up about it. And if I wasn’t able to handle the lifestyle, I would not get in the relationship to begin with.

We put celebrities like Tiger Woods on a pedestal. We give them praise, ask for autographs, and grovel at their feet because they are famous. But when they do something normal people are not allowed to do, we treat them as if they don’t get the privilege just because they are famous and should have to live by the same rules normal people do. Yet, we don’t give them normal treatment.

Get over the drama of celebrities’ personal lives. That’s what soap operas are made for. And stop being hypocrites America because you would do the same thing.

NBA Trades

Following All-Star Weekend, the NBA trade deadline was on Thursday, February 18. Rumors were circulating the final week of the trade deadline about what players would get traded. The biggest trade talks surrounded Phoenix Suns Forward Amar’e Stoudemire being traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers which would have made Cleveland a favorite to win the Eastern Conference and head into the NBA Finals at the end of the season. Other rumors included Monta Ellis, leaving Golden State; Carlos Boozer leaving Utah; and Ray Allen leaving Boston. In the end, they all stayed put on their current teams, but big moves were made in other cities.

There are two main reasons a team will trade a player before the end of the season: to open up salary cap space for post season player acquisitions or to better their chances to make the playoffs in the current season.

Of all the trades made, one of the biggest was between the Dallas Mavericks and the Washington Wizards. The Mavericks traded Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, James Singleton and Quinton Ross to Washington in exchange for Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson. The seven-player trade consisted of Washington disassembling the current Wizards team and opening up salary cap space after the Gilbert Arenas gun incident gave the Washington Wizards negative publicity. As for the Mavericks, they make the playoffs every year, but the move has bolstered an already impressive Dallas team and has put the Mavericks in a more competitive light in other team’s eyes.

Another big trade was made between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Washington Wizards. Cleveland traded Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the rights to Emir Preldzic and 2010 first-round draft pick to Washington for Antawn Jamison, another move made by Washington to free up salary cap space for next season and by Cleveland to propel their chances of winning the Eastern Conference title. The Cleveland Cavaliers, led by Lebron James, are already the number one seed team in the East and have the best record in the NBA. Antawn Jamison is averaging 20 points per game and 8.8 rebounds this season, is a two-time NBA All-Star, and the acquirement of Jamison by Cleveland will give the Cavaliers more flexibility on the court with Jamison’s ability to stretch the four at the power forward position.

Another last minute trade that was made right before the time deadline on February 18 was a trade that involved the Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings and New York Knicks. Houston received Kevin Martin and Hilton Armstrong from Sacramento for Carl Landry and Joey Dorsey and the New York Knicks traded Jared Jeffries, Jordan Hill, a protected 2012 first-round pick and the right to exchange first round picks in 2011 to Houston for Tracy McGrady. The Boston Celtics got in the mix and sent Eddie House, J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker, along with a future conditional second-round pick, to the New York Knicks for Nate Robinson and Marcus Landry.

The rest of the season will prove to be entertaining as we watch how far Lebron James can take Cleveland with the addition of Antawn Jamison and how much of an effect the moves in Dallas will have on the Mavericks’ chances at winning the Western Conference.

Could it be?

The Los Angeles Lakers are now 3-0 with Kobe out of the game with an ankle injury.

Not only are they 3-0 without Kobe, but they have won by double digits in all three games.

First came the Trailblazers.The Lakers were coming off of an embarrassing home game loss to the Denver Nuggets so when they arrived in Portland, they meant business.Ron Artest led the team in scoring with 21 points and Odom, Gasol, Fisher, and Brown all had scores in the double digits. Oh and Odom had a measly 22 rebounds. No biggie.

Oh did I mention Andrew Bynum has been out the last two games and only put up 3 points and 1 rebound against the Trailblazers?


Next came the San Antonio Spurs. Or as I like to call them, the most overrated team in the NBA. Gasol and Odom both get double-doubles helping out the team with Artest, Fisher, and Farmar also scoring in the double digits for points.

And tonight the win streak continues as the Lakers defeat the Jazz in Utah. And yet again, Odom and Gasol rack up a double-double each.

So the question has to be raised, are the Lakers better without Kobe?

His missing presence sure isn't being felt in L.A. Odom and Gasol are doing a great job taking charge and getting the Lakers to win without Bryant. The ball is getting spread around the court more. Instead of passing the ball to Kobe to make the shot, it is pushing other players to take action. Portland, San Antonio, and Utah are all teams in the top 8 of the Western Conference so it's not like the Lakers got their wins against the Timberwolves, Warriors, and Kings. These are playoff bound teams we are talking about. Granted these teams were all shooting below the season's shooting percent average, but who's to say that's not because of the ball pressure the Lakers defense put on their opponents?

I can definitely say that in the past three games, the Lakers have been winning by a comfortable margin and not by a game winning clutch shot (Kobe). So maybe they are doing better without him. The numbers don't lie. And I love Kobe as much as any Laker fan, but maybe, just maybe, Los Angeles comes together as a team better without Kobe.

Damn it hurt to say that.

Jets vs. Colts

In Week 16, The New York Jets defeated the Indianapolis Colts because the Colts let go of their idea at having a perfect season and benched their starters. The following week the Jets beat the Cincinnati Bengals because the Bengals decided to rest their starters. Beating the Bengals in the last game of the regular season allowed the Jets to advance to the Wild Card game vs. the Bengals. Well, the Jets won yet again and beat the Bengals 24-14. Who would've thought? Definitely not the Bengals and Chad Ochocinco. Now the Jets have defeated the San Diego Chargers and are heading off to face the Colts for the conference title. I think it's easy to say that the Jets got lucky by getting into the playoffs in the first place but as head coach Rex Ryan said, the Jets can only play against who their opponents decide to play.

One thing is true, the New York Jets have the highest rated defense team in the NFL and one reason for that is Darrelle Revis. Revis had 54 tackles and 6 interceptions in the 2009 regular season. Most analysts think Revis should've got the title for Defensive Player of the Year, but the title went to Charles Woodson. Most likely because he had more interceptions. Even still, most of the leagues top wide recievers don't even get the ball when they play the Jets out of fear that they will get man handled by Revis.

Enough about the Jets defense, lets talk about the offense. The Jets offense ranks at 20 compared to the Colts number 9 ranking position. The Colts have Peyton Manning for QB who won MVP for the fourth time this year, breaking the tie for most MVP titles held with Brett Favre. Peyton Manning ranks at number six for quarterbacks in the NFL while Mark Sanchez sits at the lower end of the half at position 28. Peyton Manning has 571 ATT with Mark Sanchez at only 364. Manning has 16 interceptions and Mark Sanchez has 20, but Manning threw the ball almost 40% more than Sanchez did. So the question is, Can Sanchez get the ball to his recievers against the Colts and not turn the ball over? The Colts didn't show any mercy in the game against the Baltimore Ravens and held the score 20-3 not allowing the Ravens to score any TD's.

So in the game of the Jets vs. the Colts it is a game of offense vs. defense. Will the Colts offense led by Peyton Manning prevail or will it be the Jets defense led by CB Darrelle Revis?

One thing is for sure, if the Colts lose to the Jets, Rex Ryan's prediction of being in the super bowl this year will be true and it will be partly due to the fact that the Colts rested their starters in week 16 and kept the Jets playoff hopes alive. Wouldn't it be ironic? Don't you think?

The Return of A.I.

After about a week in retirement, A.I. has returned to the game. The team who has decided to give him another chance: The Philadelphia 76ers. A lot of people hate this guy because he has an ego, but I love him because of it. I am happy he is still playing and hasn't left the game yet. The guy is only 34 years old. He still has some good playing years left. He has fallen off a little the past couple of years, but he obviously wasn't happy to be where he was at.

The question a lot of people are asking is, was it a marketing move or a basketball move? My answer is, when isn't a basketball move a marketing move? Every move made is made to improve the team in some aspect, and when the team improves, the business improves. So obviously, it's both.

His last full season with Philly (05-06), he averaged 33.0 PPG 7.4 APG and .447 FG%
Statistically, this was his best season.

Since then, his numbers have been on the decline as he moved to Denver. Then Detroit. Then Memphis.

And now it's back to Philadelphia, where he holds the highest scoring average in team history (28.1). He also holds the record for 3-pointers (877).

I don't think he's the kind of guy who should be coming off of the bench because when he is where he wants to be, he will perform. And since he was humbled after no one made an offer to pick him up before he "retired," I think he knows he has to do well to give himself an ego boost back to where it use to be.

Allen Iverson will play his first game back with the Sixers on Monday December 7th, 2009 against his former team the Denver Nuggets. And then he will face the Detroit Pistons the game after. Pressure.

A.I. was very emotional during his press conference and even if you hate him, you can't help but hope for the best after watching this video.

Did someone say "practice?"

It's Basketball Time

So I'm a little late and basketball season is a few weeks in but I figured I'd write a break down on where the boys are in the season and what a good season we have in store...

Standings as of 12/1/2009:

Eastern Conference:

1. Orlando Magic (14-4): Magic is adjusting to the addition of Vince Carter just fine. Jameer Nelson is out for a few weeks because of surgery, but it is not affecting Orlando's game. Dwight Howard appears to be on the road to defensive player of the year. He already has a double-double under his belt so far this season. Rashard Lewis was suspended for the first 10 games, but is now back and getting back into the groove of things. All in all, the Magic are well on their way to getting to the finals, and this time, they may win it.

2.Boston Celtics (14-4): No shocker here. The Celtics quite possibly have the best line up of players in the NBA. Looking at their line up is like looking at the line up for an all-star team. Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Eddie House, and that's not even where it ends. KG playing is definitely a reason the Celtics are looking better this season, but they have a lot of competition when it comes to the Eastern conference.

3.Cleveland Cavaliers (12-5): As much as I hate this team, they are playing more like a TEAM this season. There are actually guys out there besides King James scoring points. Oh isn't Cleveland the team Shaq's on now? Oh yes, I forgot. The team actually plays better when Shaq is NOT on the court. The players look out of sync with Shaq on the floor and Shaq really doesn't look like he cares when you watch him. Lebron is on pace to have his lowest-scoring game average since his rookie year. Weird what happens when the whole team plays.Big ups to Mo Williams for playing like a stud this season.

4.Atlanta Hawks (12-5): Wow. This is the team of the Eastern Conference that came out of nowhere to suprise us all. The question is, how long is it going to last? There's a reason no one suspected this team was going to do this good but when is their fire going to burn out? They are playing like a better team than they are. I don't know if that makes sense to you, but if it does, you know what I mean. They are going to go on a losing run soon. Sorry Bibby.

5.Miami Heat (10-7): Closing out the top 5! Thank god, Miami. Miami is going to get better. Having one of the top guards in the game and easily one of the top 3 centers, O' Neal and Wade will lead the Heat to the playoffs. They should be doing better than they have so far. I think they are out of focus and will get into a wining streak, but they are probably going to have a few more losses since they head into some difficult road game challenges.

Western Conference:

1.L.A. Lakers (14-3): Anyone who is reading this right now knows that the Lakers are my team. I am actually suprised they have this many wins. They have come really close to losing a couple times like the game when they went into OT against OKC. If the Lakers played to their potential every game, they would always win. Sadly, this is not the case. They get lazy. And they need some serious work on their three pointers. Please Kobe. Everytime you shoot from the 3 line I cross my fingers. Odom and Fisher are the only ones I have confidence in going for the 3-pointer. Everyone else, go for the layup. The addition of Ron Artest has been an interesting one but something tells me we haven't seen anything yet.

2.Phoenix Suns (14-4): Yes, the Phoenix Suns. I know. I know. They are the equivalent of the Hawks in the Western conference. Another team whose fire is going to burn out. Yes Steve Nash is phenomenal. He has already recorded 16 assists 6 times this season! And we are not even half way through. Last season he had a total of 5. The Suns have been shooting 58% this season but we will see how it goes when they play the tougher games they have coming up. Shaq who? It's all about Amar'e right now.

3.Denver Nuggets (13-5): The Nuggets are the main competition and gunning for the Lakers. Everyone says the Spurs but I think the Nuggets have a stronger team. They play very well together. You can always count on Billups when he gets a hold of the ball and Melo is easily in the top 5 players in the NBA. Add Birdman Chris Andersen into the mix and you have one hell of a team. I can't stand Nene or J.R. Smith but they are good too. I guess. This is a team full of guys that I hate because I know they are good. Damn.

4.Dallas Mavericks (13-5): Dirk, Dirk, Dirk. You are too good. And very big. If you fall and get hurt, it is going to hurt A LOT. Definitely going to make the playoffs, but I don't see this team getting passed the second round. We will wait and see.

5.Portland Trailblazers (12-8): Huh..? I was expecting this to say San Antonio Spurs. I was going to talk about Ginobili and the bat and everything. Well, I guess I just did that. Brandon Roy is ON FIRE!And he will only get better.

So these are the standings as of today. It is going to be a very interesting season. There is so much talent, you never know who is going to come out of nowhere (Hawks) and suprise you(Suns).

Broncos v. Chargers

I knew Denver had it!! Okay...so my score prediction was a little off but the Broncos still won. I actually thought the Chargers had it for a second when the score was 27-23...I got a little nervous but I know they would pull though. I was happy to see the LT got some carries and yards...but no TD's and you could tell he was pissed walking off the field to the sideline. How about the amazing 93 yard TD by Eddie Royal?? And then one by Darren Sproles?? That was awesome!!And I have to admit...I have a little bit of a crush on Josh McDaniels so I want him to win every game. It's hard for me to understand how the Niners sucked so bad with Mike Nolan and he is such a good defensive coordinator for the Broncos. I am happy to see them going into bye week with a 6-0 record. I can't help but root for the underdog. And I really like Brandon Marshall too. And Kyle Orton. Something about the whole Broncos team. Okay. I'm done talking about my infatuation with the Broncos.And oh yeah, how about all those sacks?? Let's end with a video recap:

Sunday Football

Saints v. Giants

- So before the game started I was debating starting Drew Brees on my fantasy team. Now, I know you're asking yourself, why the hell wouldn't you start the best quarterback in the league? Well, the past two games before the Saints bye week, Drew Brees didn't throw many TD's and I have David Gerrard on my bench, who outscored him both times. Plus, he was going against the Rams. So that's my first reason.
Second, the Giants have a damn good defense team. So I thought it would be a low scoring game.But, Manning is still recovering with his foot injury so I knew his game wouldn't be right on.

So, I pretty much thought the game could go one of two ways: If the Saints won, I had a feeling they would blow up. Otherwise, the Giants would win by a field goal and it would be a low-scoring game.

Well, the Saints won 48-27. It wasn't a 59-o blowout or anything, but definitely falls into my definition of blowing up.

Thank you Mr. Brees.

Bills v. Jets

Where you at TO??? Will somebody trade him to a different team please??? Every week I start you and feel like you will come through, but you never do!! I can't blame you. I know you don't want to be on the Bills. Well actually, everyone knows that. Anyways, good game overall. It was pretty intense when it went into overtime because Lindell decided to CHOKE during the kick that could've won the game. Well, OT it is. And with 2:44 seconds left, Lindell kicks and wins the game for the Bills.

I just dont think Sanchez threw enough interceptions though. Five is just not enough for me.

Overall, good game to watch. Still don't think there were enough interceptions during the game though.

Raiders v. Eagles

Ah, the Raiders/Eagles game. Or should I say upset city!!! Who saw that one coming?! I bet there are a lot of people out a lot of money from betting on the Eagles.

I feel like I don't even know what to say about this game. I'm still in shock. And I'm not sure how I'm suppose to feel about this. I mean I like the Eagles. And I hate the Raiders. But have you ever hated something so much for so long that you started to feel a little bad for it? That's how I feel about the Raiders. I'm kind of happy for them, I think. But I know, in true Raiders fashion, they will lose their next game. And after they do, I'm gonna call them and play "Ego" by Kanye West.

Let's not get big-headed Raiders. It's just one game.

Don't feel too down Eagles. You will bounce back. Especially because you guys are extremely embarrassed right now.

Broncos v. Chargers

I'm gonna go ahead and say that the Broncos take it. I mean, they are undefeated and everything. Normally, I would cheer for SD since they are a west coast team, but LT is pissing me off because he was in the top 10 for draft picks and isn't doing shit. So go Denver. I predict a 21-13 win by the Broncos. I will report back after the game.