Until Tom Brady shows me he can’t do this there’s no way I can pick the Rams even though I love their physicality on both sides of the football. New England is -3 or so last time I looked and that’s probably about right. In the last two Super Bowls both Matt Ryan and Nick Foles played well against the Patriots so I would expect the same tonight from Jared Goff. But again, as long as No. 12 is out there throwing for 400 hundred yards or so…I have to go with the Patriots.
I like Maroon 5 so the halftime show and the commercials should be solid. A Budweiser horse commercial would be nice. Possibly we can get through the game without any politics. Wouldn’t that be nice?
I hope he can dance…that’s all I’ll say at this point. Those of us who are actually Michael Jackson don’twant feeble white southern boys throwing our name around if they can’t sing and dance. This is what it looks like when the real Michael Jacksons are in shape and on top of their games.
There are two things every white guy secretly wishes he can do in his lifetime… 1 moon walk, and 2 dunk a basketball on a regulation height rim. I have to tell you, after seeing this debacle today … Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, and Cory Booker might have a problem.
As someone who actually is Michael Jackson and who himself moonwalked back in the 70’s when in high school…I can assure you there was nothing racial attached to the moonwalking per se. In fact, I became somewhat iconic with the black girls in my school. I do know this though…Putin and Trump are laughing hysterically right now. Where do you even go from here? He was going to dance at the presser but his wife wouldn’t let him. Trust me, I know that look from the woman standing next to you…and his wife had that look. Even if he wasn’t telling the truth, I have to tell you I kind of liked him. Hell…if Trump dumps Pence at some point, this guy might actually resonate. I do want to see the moonwalk first though.
This should be fairly simple. If it is proved the sitting governor of Virginia is in truth one of the people in this photo he should resign sometime today. Even in Oklahoma this wouldn’t stand given how quickly the University of Oklahoma on two separate occasions in the past several years handled similar issues of racism like this one in Virginia. I actually applaud OU in that in both instances students were expelled and a fraternity was closed down. Even in Oklahoma this doesn’t get excused in public. To think this occurred in what is regarded as a somewhat progressive state such as Virginia is disturbing, but in reality… not a shock. As crazy as this sounds, I actually think racism in America has even gotten worse despite the fact Barack Obama was elected to two terms. Actually, if memory serves me correct…Obama carried Virginia twice and at one time Senator Tim Kane was thought to be in the running to be VP on the ticket.
To me, the most stunning thing is that this photo went unchallenged by the school itself at the time thirty years ago. Reagan would have been in his second term and the nation was embroiled in Iran-Contra at the time, but it’s just stunning this photo was deemed okay in Virginia in 1985.
To the Dems credit, this isn’t going to be allowed to stand. You’ll notice, or at least I did, that Joe Biden was the first person on the record saying this isn’t okay. That would tell me Joe Biden is running for president add to the fact he served alongside Barack Obama for eight years and probably knows of stories directed at he and Obama which would probably turn our stomachs in regards to the human condition as far as the level of racism still in America.
This one isn’t on Trump. This one is just on the basic understanding that racism in America or the understanding of it is not really grasped by white Americans.
Again, I go back to the biblical ending in Philadelphia when this season appears to have changed for the Thunder. In those waning seconds when Paul George curled along the top of the key and swished the ball thru the net to erase the bitter disappointment of what would have been a devastating loss to the Sixers….then and there this season changed.
Maybe in this age of millennial fascination with numbers and no regard for the human element in the games we play, they could be right. Maybe there’s a chart or a graph or some other bullshit from those who didn’t play or coach sports beyond the eighth grade…but I still believe the human part of the game does indeed still matter.
Last night in Miami—the Thunder won their 7th straight since the Paul George Miracle in Philly. All is smiles in Thunder Nation right now as the Thunder are in third place in the West and only two games behind the Warriors in the current fight for second place in the West. That’s right–the Denver Nuggets with a win last night over Houston sit atop the West.
Putting the Nuggets aside…think back to last season and remember how far back the Thunder were in the standings at this point in the season to the Warriors and Rockets. It was staggering as in they didn’t deserve to be mentioned in the same breath with those two teams. This team since Philly is different. They’ve shown when they focus and play with a mission they have a right to be in the discussion…. in fact, multiple discussions.
As in…Paul George is playing better overall basketball in Oklahoma City right now than either Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook did in their MVP seasons wearing Thunder blue.
I don’t write that with my Nick Gallo Sippy Thunder Cup near my keyboard. I write that as a brutally candid observer of NBA basketball for the past fifty-five years. For the record…I became an NBA self proclaimed savant at the age of six. Take that however you might.
If I had to vote right now at this moment…Paul George would have my MVP vote for this reason…. He’s doing all this having to mesh his game with Russell Westbrook’s game and at times that isn’t easy. But what Paul George has done on both sides of the floor is beyond even what I saw with Durant in OKC’s love affair with KD. Simply put, I wouldn’t trade Paul George for the reigning two time NBA Finals MVP. Paul George is a better defensive player than Durant and has shown this season he’s an excellent passer as well. This isn’t meant as a diss of Kevin Durant, but as a compliment of Paul George.
Paul George on Friday night torched the Miami Heat for 43 points on 23 shots. He went 10-16 shooting the trey. The ten makes are a Thunder record even in the wake of Durant’s 40-50-90 MVP season when all the angry white people in Oklahoma who voted for Trump still loved KD. Back then Kevin was a slave who knew his place. Harsh? Maybe take a look in the mirror, Oklahoma. Maybe Neil Young confused Alabama with Oklahoma. We’ll have to ask Jalen Hurts at some point.
But I don’t want to write about that bullshit right now because I’m on a basketball high as are the Thunder.
If Russell Westbrook were sitting next to me right now…I’d kiss him. Through all my bitching and moaning on here about the way he plays at times…HE WAS MAURICE CHEEKS LAST NIGHT!
14 points on 6-10. 12 rebounds. 14 assists. Smart, crisp decision making. That was Maurice Cheeks in 1983. Now…I know Russell wasn’t born until 1988, but trust me, Wild Thing…you were Maurice Cheeks last night in Miami. Why would that be a bad thing to keep doing?
And for the record, Dennis Schroder was superb as well in Miami scoring 28 points and making another argument for Sixth Man of the Year consideration.
But here’s the thing in closing while I’m on this high. Paul George could win the MVP and Denis Schroder could win Sixth Man of the Year… but Russell Westbrook is the engine which drives this car. Period. This is still Russell Westbrook’s car.
And when Russell Westbrook plays like he did in Miami on Friday night, the possibilities for this Thunder team are the sky.
The Thunder at Boston on the ABC Sunday Super Bowl preview. What a time to show the world what the Thunder could be, no?
Oklahoma, this is what Sam Anderson was trying to tell you…grow up.
This was an interesting game last night in Oakland. The Warriors were riding high with an eleven game winning streak, but Klay Thompson missed his first game of the season with an illness and the Warriors were just really sloppy and got hammered on their defensive boards. The Warriors had no answer for Joel Imbiid. Watching the Warriors without Klay Thompson seemed odd. It didn’t look right with just one Splash Brother. Thompson becomes a free agent this summer and as an NBA fan I hope he stays with the Warriors. It’ll be very interesting to see how the Warriors are configured next season as Durant, Thompson, Green, and Cousins are free agents.
Amazingly…you look at the Western Conference standings and there’s the Denver Nuggets just a half game out of first behind the Warriors. This deep into the season and the realization starts to become real that perhaps these Nuggets won’t collapse and fall out of a top four seed in the West.
Being that you’re the same age as my son, this is what I would say to you in regards to this Kevin Durant situation as per Nick’s ceremony. Go high and make a gesture of public kindness to Kevin Durant regarding his presence at Nick Collison’s ceremony. I’m assuming since you met Michelle Obama on her book tour in Denver you read the book. You know what the Obamas would say, right?
“When they go low, we go high.”
I read the book.
Why ruin a beautiful opportunity to restore a friendship over something this petty? Maybe a letter to the sports page to the Daily Oklahoman from both you and Nick explaining why it’s time to let this go and move on could be a nice touch. Lord knows, that newspaper could use some clicks given the fact they’re on their third ownership group in the past five years in the internet age. Maybe you could help them appear relevant since apparently their writers can’t.
Why not make a gesture of public kindness to Kevin Durant?
Why not take the opportunity to nudge this city along? To show decency, kindness, and human empathy to the guy who by his own words admits he wishes his own life as a man were more on track like yours? Apparently none of that is taught in all these churches these angry white people attend every Sunday. The New Testament must not be that big of a deal in the era of Trump Christianity.
But why not?
Lord knows, nobody better than you knows what a complete pain in the ass Berry Tramel can be at times– so why not do something in which all of this can be put behind all parties and everyone can move along with their lives?
You don’t think Durant would love to be Uncle Kevin?
Here’s another book for you…The Last Pass by Gary Pomerantz. Why don’t you pick up a copy and read it. It’s about friendship. About a friendship between Bob Cousy and Bill Russell. And the lifelong regret Bob Cousy carries insidefor not helping his friend come to terms with the fans in Boston or maybe himself as well.
Granted, Kevin Durant left and it hurt. But at the end of the day when neither one of you will be playing basketball any longer maybe restoring your friendship wouldn’t be a bad thing for either one of you.
Take it from someone twice your age, while trophies and rings and such are all okay—as you get older you realize the most important things in your life are the relationships–both family and friends. I know you already know that. But you’re in a completely different situation here in that you can help an entire city grow up a little and take a step forward as one. You’d think with all these friggin’ T-shirts they put on the seats for playoff games one shirt might say, “Touch Someone With Kindness Today.”
Jerry West is one of the smartest guys I’ve ever observed in professional sports. A Hall of Fame player, a championship head coach, and a championship GM and consultant. When he talks, I take the time to listen. I respect his takes.
Like I wrote on here earlier, my initial response to Kevin Durant leaving to play for Golden State was negative. It took me about six months to get over it. I’m over it. In fact, in a way, a part of me has to admit other than the Thunder the Warriors are the team I watch most often when they’re playing against a top eight team on the road. They play the game the right way. They move the ball. Ron Adams has them playing championship defense. I’ve seen Durant’s game as an overall player flourish. Durant is on my list as either the second best player in the world or the third best player in the world. He is a generational iconic player.
He never played money games with OKC. He fulfilled his contractual obligations to the fullest and in fact played very well in the Game 7 defeat to the Warriors in 2016. He became by the letter of the CBA a free agent after nine years of contractual ‘slavery’ to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
He never did the bullshit we saw from Kawhi in San Antonio, or like Jimmy Butler did in Minnesota or like Anthony Davis is presently doing in New Orleans. He fulfilled his contractual word.
He never was a problem within the community. He opened a restaurant in Bricktown. His foundation donated a million dollars to the tornado victims in Moore. He talked up Oklahoma City on a Sixty Minutes piece. He was the face of a city as it was growing thru the transitional facelifts of MAPS. He was the literal pulse of a city coming back from the dead. He was a part of all this we see in downtown Oklahoma City. You think Mick Cornett did this all by himself? I read Mick Cornett’s book and he’s a smart dude, but he and the others in MAPS should say a little prayer for Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook every chance they get.
And let me be clear with this, unlike Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant was accessible and professional to the local media… especially Berry Tramel. He didn’t play games. He was a professional. He didn’t drone, “The execution was really good.”
So he left after nine years and pursued something different. My son after nine years left his Fortune 500 job in downtown Oklahoma City which earned him a better job in Denver. More money, a better place to live, a better educational system for my grandchildren some day, four major league sports teams, trout fishing, ski slopes, Washington Park, etc.
Tell me what my son did wrong?
And the answer is he did nothing wrong.
Tell me what Kevin Durant did which was wrong other than not meeting with Russell and Nick and explain to them in person why he made his decision.
My advice to Kevin Durant after reading the supportive letters Berry Tramel got in support from OKC Thunder fans of his column makes me realize Kevin Durant shouldn’t come back for Nick Collison’s jersey ceremony. He should call Nick in private. He should do the same with Russell. But there’s no reason for him to waste an airline ticket to come back to what in essence is a city it was ten years ago only with a facelift via MAPS. Kendra Horn, baby…I’m guessing you’re a one termer.
Let it go… Kevin Durant.
Is it racial thing per se? I don’t think so. Here’s what I think…it’s a state which ranks dead last in education and at the end of the day is in essence still a college market even after Hurricane Katrina.
So while I think Kevin Durant should make the effort to rekindle his friendships with Russell and Nick…don’t come back. You don’t owe these people a thing. Move forward, and grow as a man. Learn from this. We all learn in different ways.
Bill Russell after eleven world championships never came to terms with the fans in Boston and had his own Celtics jersey retired in private. The same will probably be true for Kevin Durant in Oklahoma City.
Forgiveness and kindness…such flawed concepts in our biblical heartland.
Howard Schultz was on Morning Joe earlier today and I watched with interest. You will not find many people as open to various view points as I am. I have no political ideology per se. I recoil equally at times to the American Freedom Caucus and those on the extreme left who think their way is the only way. Neither one of those approaches will ever sustain long term is my take given the current state of American politics. Usually…it is a blending of ideas and thought which give a policy the best chance for success.
So—I watched Morning Joe this morning. Howard Schultz was on trying to explain what exactly it is he’s trying to do with this independent presidential run he’s talking about. Now putting aside the fact no one asked him why he sold the Sonics to Clay Bennett and then feigned faux anger after the team was moved to Oklahoma City…I thought his answers were interesting and well thought out. His thoughts on Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren were interesting in relation to health care and the proposed net worth tax.
He’s a lifelong Democrat and of course we all know the Starsbucks story where he as an employer provides health care to his employees and an array of progressive benefits to his employees.
At least with Schultz his comments will be adult and part of a process in which hopefully all become more enlightened about issues such as health care, the debt, trade policies, taxation, immigration, etc.
Here’s a video of Schultz on Morning Joe this morning. It was interesting. But at the end of the day he’s saying what I’m saying….both parties are broken and it won’t matter if Kamala Harris or Elizabeth Warren or whoever could beat Donald Trump. Here’s a suggestion from me to Howard Schultz….give Michael Bennet a call.