NOLA- A New Orleans visual artist penned an open letter to Taylor Swift on Facebook, after what she describes as a frustrating experience trying to get credit for a piece of her own artwork.
The letter's author, Ally Burguieres, describes a situation in which a fan of Swift's copied a drawing that Burguieres created. Swift snapped a photo of the copy, then shared it on Instagram, Twitter and Tumblr, which Burguieres claims was promotion for the pop star's wildly popular "1989" album. Burgieres uses the fox image as the logo at her self-titled French Quarter gallery, and she said she's overheard numerous visitors remark on the similarities, saying things like "that's the Taylor Swift fox." "I know it's easy to think that someone might do something like this just for attention or to get money," Burguieres said. "But for me, it's about the principle of it. I didn't want to be suppressed because my rights were inconvenient to somebody in power. I didn't want to be silenced or intimidated or made to feel like I didn't matter because no one would be hearing what I was saying. I don't think anybody should feel that way. I respect Taylor, and I've bought her albums. I don't consider myself not a fan, but I don't appreciate these transgressions against art." "If (Swift is) going to take the law and use it for her own commercial gains, I'd also like to see her respect the rights and value of other artists," Burguieres said. "It's important that we all support each other. Reaching out to her, from the beginning, I've never done it with malice or contention or entitlement. It's simply that the unchecked power is dangerous, and it's important to take care of each other as artists and not intimidate or steamroll. If it's a power game, it's over." How about Taylor Swift being a lightning rod for controversy these days? Damn Tay-Tay, you make one song about 'Bad Blood' and people are ready to start making those pockets bleed. Anyway, talk about looking a gift fox in the mouth. Taylor turned a non-descript picture of a wild animal, that a 10 year old could probably come dangerously close to recreating, into the "Taylor Swift fox". Hey lady, you want compensation? Go take a look at your books and see just how many people bought copies of the fucking fox painting since it got posted on the social media account of a world renowned pop star. You can consider every cent you have received from that piece of art alone reimbursement for Taylor Swift using your picture as a "promotional tool". I have been to New Orleans. It's like an art aficionado's dream down there. That's why no one is wasting their money on a painting of a fox unless tourists inadvertently think that it has something to do with Taylor Swift. You really want to profit off Taylor Swift? Name the stupid painting "Taylor Swift Fox". Put a big ass sign out front of your gallery that says "HOME OF THE TAYLOR SWIFT FOX". Take the 'Blank Space' that exists around the majority of this canvas and have Taylor Swift write her name. Boom, sales through the roof. Attaching T-Swift's name to anything instantly makes it more valuable, especially when it's original value was that of Billy Madison's blue duck. Meanwhile, Taylor Swift accidentally aligning herself with your rudimentary fox painting has brought her absolutely nothing in terms of excess income. Taylor Swift isn't get paid for Instagram likes, she's getting paid off record sales and tour dates. Things that undoubtedly haven't increased because she happened to publish a fan's rendition of your elementary art. This isn't '1989' bitch, artistic integrity doesn't pay the bills. As an Ally Burguieres original this picture is fruitless, but as a Taylor Swift original it's priceless. I know your an artist, but maybe it would have been smart to learn how business works before opening your own?
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Texas Students Held A Pro-Farting Rally To Combat The Mock Mass Shooting On The Other Side Of Campus12/15/2015 Chron- Pro-gun demonstrators staging a mock mass shooting near the University of Texas at Austin on Saturday were overwhelmed in number and ferocity by a large group of counter-protesters wielding dildos and machines that generated fart sounds.
"This isn't about guns necessarily. This is about scaring our community. This is about a choice between fear and a little bit of good humor," Andrew Dobbs, a UT alumnus who organized the "mass farting" counter-protest, told the crowd. "We are in a scary time right now and lots of scary things are happening, and some people want us to be more afraid." "I choose to believe that fear is not the solution to the threat of our time. That laughing in the face of fear is a courageous act and toting a gun around everywhere you go, maybe not so much," he added. "When you come to my community, to the university that I love, and you threaten the lives of my friends, what I have to say is, I'm going to fart in your face!" The group of around 100 counter protesters shouted "Texas farts!" and "We fart in your general direction" as they marched down Guadalupe Street in Austin to meet members of Come and Take It Texas and DontComply.com who were staging the mock shooting across the street from the All Saints' Episcopal Church. "On the other side of campus, the mock mass shooting happened. You don't get a time and place, you don't get a flier or an invitation for a true mass shooting. They happen unannounced," said Pizgatti. "And the response time for the police to get over here was well after the event took place. That also illustrates the point of these gun-free zones. You must protest yourself. You must be armed." Open carry of any deadly weapons will remain illegal at all institutions of higher learning, however, and K-12 schools, hospitals and several other locations across the state will continue to be designated gun-free zones after the new laws go into effect. The mock mass shooting, which he billed as a protest meant to reveal the dangers of gun-free zones, quickly went viral after being announced on Facebook last week. The response from the UT community and other Austinites was swift and humorous. I know what you are thinking. That can't be a real headline. Well, I would like to remind you that this is Texas we are talking about, and I assure you, know matter how dumb the cause, in 2015 there is a group of people on a college campus out there ready to defend it. Anyway, we can discuss the effectiveness of a pro-farting rally later, but first I want to touch on how bad of an idea it is to hold a "mock mass shooting". This "shooting" is over, right? Everyone survived? Okay good, because that was the dumbest fucking idea ever. You know what environment is most conducive to a REAL mass shooting? An environment of fabricated hysteria. God dammit people, watch 'CSI' one time in your life. If you wanted to shoot a bunch of people, why wouldn't you patiently wait for the moment that everyone was going to be running around pretending they were being shot at? At the very least that buys you a few extra minutes of confusion when bystanders are convinced that innocent victims are just fantastic performers. Everyone knows that rallying for a cause will always bring out a couple of people that are vehemently against that cause as well. All you needed was one homicidal idiot that felt his deep seated fantasy was being mocked, because it was, to get proactive and disprove the entire basis of the protest by blowing it straight to hell. Listen, to the rational mind, holding a pro-farting rally really does highlight the stupidity of a mock mass shooting. However, the group of people we are talking about aren't rational thinking. These are people that are recreating tragic crime scenes to somehow show that a bunch drunk college students are SAFER when MORE firearms are around. If they were an open-minded bunch then the thought of a mock mass shooting being counterproductive would have already crossed their mind. Sure, I can get a laugh out of a fart friendly gathering and you can get a laugh out of a fart friendly gathering, but the people holding the college version of a civil war reenactment undoubtedly cannot. Meeting the hostile with humor, that they likely don't see the sarcasm in, is not going to end well, especially when the hostile want nothing more than to freely carry their guns around campus. So maybe, just maybe, let's let these idiots make asses out of themselves in peace, because giving them an opposition only encourages them more.
You got to feel bad for Chris Paul here. Not only because a 6'11, 280 pound center just put him on skates, but because it was literally impossible for him to see that coming. It's one thing for Steph Curry, or someone of the like, to make your ankles look like that of a newborn baby deer. At least you know to expect the unexpected from him. I'm not even sure if Andre Drummond crossed CP3 out of his jock or if CP3 was already falling in anticipation of the charge. I would say that the later is actually more likely. What is Chris Paul supposed to presume is going to happen when he is face guarding a center at the top of the key? A behind the back dribble was probably the last thing on his mind. In fact, he was probably just concerned with Drummond putting his nuts directly on his chin. You see that attempt at finishing the play? That was the attempt of a man that should not be trying to dribble in traffic. That's why I can't blame Chris Paul for getting embarrassed, because even Andre Drummond knew that Andre Drummond shouldn't have been doing what he did. This is like a short, white, jewish guy showing up to Rucker Park and dunking on someone during the first possession. The fact that it's unforeseen doesn't do anything to soften the blow to a man's ego, but at least it can help him sleep at night knowing that it could have happened to literally anyone else too.
At least Blake did what Blake does, and potentially made people forget that his All Star point guard got put in a blender by a player as tall and uncoordinated as the man that joins him in the Clippers starting front court... Original Revised YardBarker- ESPN made a change to their excellent article about Ronda Rousey published last week that has raised some eyebrows regarding the reason.
Some astute readers on the internet noticed that a change was made concerning the timeline of Rousey’s relationship with boyfriend and fellow UFC fighter Travis Browne. The original article noted that the relationship between Browne and Rousey began in April, months before Browne’s wife Jenna Renee Webb accused him of domestic violence. The edited version stated that they began dating in “early summer.” Webb posted photos on Instagram in early July showing bruises she says were the result of Browne beating her. Browne denied the allegation, and his manager said Webb was just trying to get back at Browne for cheating on her. When Browne announced in October that he and Rousey were together, it confirmed that Rousey was the so-called “other woman.” Rousey has faced a lot of scrutiny for being with Browne, especially from Webb, who blasted her for being with a “wife beater.” Remember when you first started using the internet? What's the first thing your parents told you when they say you fucking around on AOL? That's right, it was some variation of "be careful what you say on there, because everything can come back to you". Now granted, by starting a blog a decade later and throwing a bunch of unfiltered, potentially offensive thoughts out there for all to read, I didn't exactly take their advice to heart, but luckily for me, no one gives a fuck about my life. That's not the case for Ronda Rousey. Especially the Ronda Rousey that has made a hobby out of publicly attacking Floyd Mayweather for his repeated acts of domestic violence. Yup, that's right, the same Ronda Rousey that, prior to her last fight, went on a worldwide self promotional tour to create a positive image of herself. All that time and effort and she couldn't even get her facts straight when it came to telling her story to ESPN? Maybe Ronda should be fighting men, because indicting yourself of ethically questionable behavior by completely butchering a timeline is about as male as it gets. I'm not a big cheater, but who hasn't tried to fabricate their whereabouts from time to time? You know how many questions it takes to poke holes in my stories? One, because like most men, I am a terrible liar. Women might not be as good as men at mixed martial arts, but they are supposed to be far superior at forging the truth. Sorry, Ronda's not home right now. She's walking in a spiderweb. No need to leave a message, because she'll probably be too busy caught up in her entanglement of lies to call you back. Hey, I'm not even mad at Rousey for hypocritically dating an alleged domestic abuser, nor am I upset with her for fucking a married dude. I am simply appalled that she was so careless in keeping it close to the vest. It's not about the lie, it's more about the coverup, and she protected this one about as well as she protected her face against Holly Holm. So much work to cultivate a likable illusion of herself and then, when it was in dire need of protection, she just carelessly walked away from it like Bowe Bergdahl. Much like people, the internet doesn't forget Ronda. As rough as that draft was it's still going to be the version that people remember most. P.S. Hey Ronda, your boyfriend, WOOF. DailyMail- Cultural critic Camille Paglia wrote an essay in which she describes Taylor Swift as being a 'Nazi Barbie' whose model girl squad is nothing more than a performance prop. The opinion piece published in the Hollywood Reporter on Thursday says that the girl squad mentality doesn't empower women and instead promotes elitism. 'In our wide-open modern era of independent careers, girl squads can help women advance if they avoid presenting a silly, regressive public image — as in the tittering, tongues-out mugging of Swift's bear-hugging posse,' wrote Paglia. 'Swift herself should retire that obnoxious Nazi Barbie routine of wheeling out friends and celebrities as performance props,' she added. 'Women need to study the immensely productive dynamic of male bonding in history. With their results-oriented teamwork, men largely have escaped the sexual jealousy, emotionalism and spiteful turf wars that sometimes dog women,' she wrote. Paglia said that instead of focusing on 'socializing' women need to focus 'like a laser' on their own creative gifts. 'Writing about Taylor Swift is a horrific ordeal for me because her twinkly persona is such a scary flashback to the fascist blondes who ruled the social scene during my youth,' she says. Wait a minute, is this old board implying that young attractive women gravitate towards other young attractive women? Tell me more Confucius, tell me more! They also play nice in public and subtly tear each other down behind closed doors, you say? What a concept! Who would have ever thought that women were spiteful creatures that couldn't stand to see one another succeed? Well, now that we cleared that up I suppose the only thing to do is find a scapegoat to blame this on. Who better than that "nazi Barbie" Taylor Swift? Sure, she wasn't responsible for the ethnic cleansing of an entire demographic of people, but she's certainly promoted elitism by acting in a way that every single woman since the beginning of time has acted at some point in their lives. I suppose that's enough for me to lump her in the same category as Hitler. Can't see any possible disconnect in that logic. Let me let everyone, and specifically this "cultural critic" (like that's a real title), in on a little secret. There's no such thing as a woman that empowers all other women. In fact, the closest thing the world has to a group of women that truly support each other is feminists, and their whole movement is based on bitching and complaining about the women that choose not to live like them. For instance, isn't this psycho doing her own part in tearing down the fairer sex by comparing a successful female singer to a homicidal dictator? Camille (perfect name for this lunatic BTW) wants women to take notes from men, but I am pretty sure there's no men out there comparing Justin Beiber to Osama Bin Laden. I would argue that even men don't empower one another. We just don't give enough of a fuck to go about bashing each other either. Maybe, just maybe, the problem is this broad is looking for some underlying rhyme or reason to the actions of a ditzy pop star. I'm not here to tell you there isn't anything about elitist about Taylor Swift and her celebrity entourage. However, much to the chagrin of this old hag, when you're in your 20's 'elitist' is pretty much synonymous with 'popular'. This isn't anything new. It goes back to the middle schools days when all the hot girls hung out together and had some insufferable name for themselves like 'The Sexy 6'. That was only considered fascist to the ugly girl sitting in the corner in her overalls. Is that why you are so upset with Taylor Swift, Camille? Because she's the type of girl that completely ignored the existence of you and your straw hair when you were younger? Starting to seem like that's the case you old prune, because while Taylor Swift might be annoying, superficial, and fake, she's no different than any of those, famous or not, that have come before her. She's not promoting some tyrannical culture, she's just being a hot 26 year old superstar, and her place in society requires her to do nothing more.
Rutgers Hired Drew Mehringer To Run Their Offense, And I'm Not Sure I Know Who This Team Is Anymore12/15/2015
Full disclosure? I am concerned. No, it's not because Drew Mehringer is only 28 years old. By all accounts he is one of the most promising young minds in the sport. No, I'm not even concerned because he hasn't coached in a conference as prestigious as the Big Ten. His resume, which is littered with some the most efficient offenses in college football, speaks for itself. What concerns me is that I don't know if I am ready to embrace the spread offense just yet. Don't get me wrong , it sounds super exciting. An emphasis on being multi-faceted? A style that is predicated upon scoring early and often? Who wouldn't love that? It's just that I am a little resistant to change. It's not my fault. Years upon years of a repetitive, pro-style offense will do that to a man.
You know how their are still devout Catholics that believe that premarital sex is sinful? Every other single person is out there enjoying life and fucking anything that walks, but those religious nuts still believe, for reasons unknown, that sexual gratification before taking yourself off the market forever is wrong. When it comes to college football, I am those Catholics. Every other school is out there slanging the ball all around the yard and putting up numbers reminiscent of their basketball team, and I am just sitting convinced that running the football up the middle 65 times a game is the key to success. Chris Ash is running an Obama-esque campaign. It's time for change, and I think I am going to need some some time to get used to having a black presi....I mean, a spread offense. Seriously though, I am a little worried, and it's not because I have any issue with the completely new direction the program is headed in. I am worried because said program finally seems to be making all the right decisions. A young, hungry Head Coach that prides himself on having an attacking defense, and an upstart coordinator that turned Houston, a school not known for it's football, into an offensive juggernaut. I couldn't be more excited for next season to start, and the Rutgers fan in me knows that's when I am at my most vulnerable. I truly believe that Rutgers just drastically changed the future trajectory of their football program in the most positive of ways, and this feeling of optimism isn't just foreign, it' downright frightening. Surprise, Surprise: People That Curse Frequently Have A Better Command Of the English Language12/14/2015 Metro- The study, published in the Language Sciences journal, found that foul-mouthed people are actually more confident than people who don’t swear.
Participants were asked to say as many swear words as they could think of in 60 seconds. They were then asked to name as many animals as possible in the same amount of time. And, guess what, those who swore the most, knew the most animals as well. This was enough for psychologists Kristin and Timothy Jay to link swearing with a person’s vocabulary. They said: ‘Unfortunately, when it comes to taboo language, it is a common assumption that people who swear frequently are lazy, do not have an adequate vocabulary, lack education, or simply cannot control themselves ‘The overall finding of this set of studies, that taboo fluency is positively correlated with other measures of verbal fluency, undermines the [normal] view of swearing.’ ‘Speakers who use taboo words understand their general expressive content as well as nuanced distinctions that must be drawn to use slurs appropriately. ‘The ability to make nuanced distinctions indicates the presence of more rather than less linguistic knowledge.’ First sarcasm was a surefire sign of intelligence, and now constantly cursing all but guarantees you have an extensive vocabulary? Well, you don't fucking say. I don't want to overstate this or anything, but according to the formulaic contributions of science, I am the most articulate of intellectuals. I may fail each and every test you could possibly give me to prove otherwise, but I challenge you to show me a study to support those test results. This isn't even remotely surprising to me. Of course well spoken people use profane language. Do you know how goddamn frustrating it is to communicate with the majority of half-witted assholes that don't understand the bulk of the English language? You'd swear too if you had to constantly explain your word choice to a bunch of socially appropriate idiots. Courteous people and their inability to grasp the the full lexicon of discourse know not of the troubles of being a prisoner to one's own unlimited mental glossary. So don't go giving me the side eye for accidentally saying "motherfucker" a little bit too loud at brunch. Maybe you should reflect on your failures, as a productive member of the English speaking community, that have caused me to do so. Maybe if YOU read a book (preferably the dictionary), then you wouldn't be so quick to judge others for occasionally being too obscene for your liking. After all, were just trying to understand how others can't understand us. We are all speaking the same language, and if you can't keep up, then I have no choice but to speak down to you in the most disparaging of fashions. With the way the world is trending it is far easier to be a dumb person in 2015. With the responsibility of keeping the average IQ in this country in the triple digits comes the annoyance of dealing with people that are desperately trying to keep us from doing so. If you don't like the way my fellow intellectuals and I liberally converse in public then cry about it cocksucker, because I don't like the way you dickheads are dumbing down the population. If you want to make assumptions about me based on the profanity of my prose then fuck you and your 3rd grade education*. *Throughout this entire blog I couldn't stop thinking about the time my mother jumped on her high horse at one of my hockey games and yelled at an opposing parent "did you go to college to learn how to talk like that?". Based on her reaction, it's safe to say that higher learning was never in her cards. Was Andy Dalton's Interception And Subsequent Injury The Most Ginger Play In Sports History?12/14/2015
I know that's not saying much given the fact that you can count the amount of notable gingers in sports on your fingers (thumbs excluded), but I think that play perfectly captured what it's like to be a ginger athlete. Don't get me wrong, I actually like Andy Dalton, he seems like a nice enough guy. A hard working player that came from a relative small school, albeit a great football program, and has actually achieved a fair amount of regular season success. Who can't get behind a guy like that? However, to ignore the fact that his hair color, and the overwhelming sense of insecurity that comes with it, has had a detrimental effect on his ability to get over the hump would be disingenuous. There is a reason the term 'red-headed stepchild' exists, and it's not because every secondary family includes a ginger. It's because those with apricot-colored follicles are born behind the 8-ball. They must constantly try to atone for the limitations placed upon them by poor genetics.
Is there any better example of that than this play right here? Andy Dalton, a quarterback who is not at all known for making unorthodox plays, shot-putting a pass, that seemed better suited for the schoolyard, right into the hands of an awaiting defensive lineman? If that doesn't scream overcompensation, than trying to account for his mistake by tackling a guy that's twice the size of him certainly does. Of course. Of course that's how Andy Dalton hurt himself. Getting blindsided or hit below the waist wouldn't have been a ginger enough injury. He had to potentially ruin his team's surprisingly successful season by trying to do too much. That would have never happened to a brunette or a blonde. Shit, even a bald guy would have avoided a situation that catastrophic. Andy Dalton just can't help but be just a little different than everyone else, and it's not even his fault. It's literally impossible for a ginger not to be inside his own carrot topped head. That's as good a reason as any for his playoff struggles. Unless, of course, you want to take the low hanging fruit and say it has to do with his lack of soul...
Yahoo- Bill Kennedy, one of the NBA's top referees, has revealed he is gay.
"I am proud to be an NBA referee and I am proud to be a gay man," Kennedy told Yahoo Sports on Sunday night. "I am following in the footsteps of others who have self-identified in the hopes that will send a message to young men and women in sports that you must allow no one to make you feel ashamed of who you are." Kennedy's announcement comes in the wake of the NBA's suspension of Sacramento Kings guard Rajon Rondo, who game officials, including Kennedy, heard unleash a disturbing torrent of anti-gay slurs following his ejection from a game on Dec. 3 in Mexico City. After Kennedy, 49, ejected Rondo with consecutive technical fouls in a Kings loss to the Boston Celtics, Rondo defied league protocol to immediately leave the court and began stalking Kennedy, who had retreated to a far sideline of the floor. In the game officials’ report used as part of the NBA's investigation – which includes details provided to Yahoo Sports from National Basketball Referee's Association general counsel Lee Seham – Kennedy and fellow referee Ben Taylor described Rondo's post-ejection diatribe as including the statements: "You're a mother------- faggot. … You're a f------ faggot, Billy." First and foremost, congratulations to Billy Kennedy for coming out of the closet, and finally feeling safe enough to stop living a lie while working in a very hetero-dominant atmosphere. That is truly the most important aspect of this story. Every homosexual that feels comfortable enough to identify himself (or herself) as one is a small win for a society that is only becoming more and more progressive. The fact that there isn't enough material to make his announcement, in itself, a worthwhile blog is a good sign of how far we have come. With that said, I am going to need one question answered before I go about dragging Rajon Rondo's name through the mud. Are we to believe that he knew that Billy Kennedy was gay before verbally assaulting him with a host of anti-homosexual epithets? That makes a HUGE difference. I don't know much about Billy Kennedy. Does he talk with an exaggerated lisp? Does he dramatize his mannerisms? Does he show up to the arena in a feather boa? Were there any hints that Rajon Rondo could have possibly picked up on to make his host of insults intentionally personalized? I get that it is 2015 and the 'F word' is rapidly approaching the same level of offensiveness as the 'N word', but it's not exactly there yet. It's definitely not right for Rajon Rondo to be using that word in any context, but it's ways more wrong for him to be using it on purpose. I remember a couple years back I was playing in a hockey game, and a white player on the opposition dropped a HARD 'N bomb' on another white player on my team. The white official promptly threw him out of the game and I remember, in the moment, thinking that that was an overreaction. Isn't the most disrespectful thing about racial, or sexual, slurs that they are meant to intentionally disparage a person of that specific demographic? I know times have changed, but if calling a straight person a 'faggot' was a crime at the turn of the century then I would have been booted out of school faster than my middle school music teacher that was hooking up with my twin classmates. I'm not saying that I am giving Rajon Rondo the benefit of the doubt, but I am saying that it's not outside the realm of possibility that he deserves it. Either way, I have no problem with the suspension he received, but this could be the worst possible case of a "your mom" joke being punctuated with a "my mother's dead". P.S. If we are being honest, throwing a guy out of a game for staring you down is kind of...well...it starts with a 'G' and rhymes with "haaaaayyyyyyy!"...
You can criticize Garlon Green for slamming home a game tying put back into his own basket with less than a second left in the game if you want, but I refuse to do so. After all, why else would a player with his athletic prowess be playing in the German League? His sole reason for being there is to showcase his abilities, while not giving a fuck about anyone else around him. Do you know how much awareness you have to lack to put the ball in your own basket in that situation? All of it. All the awareness. Either he was entirely too focused on dunking a missed free throw to care that it wasn't his team's free throw, or he did it on purpose so he could pad his stat line in overtime. Simply put, Garlon Green don't give a fuck. He is not there to make friends. He is there to bring exposure to himself, first and foremost, and in doing so, bring exposure to the league. Since this is quite possibly the first German League "highlight" I have seen go viral, it appears he is doing his job. Certainly not well enough to get himself a better job, but he's doing his job nonetheless.
If there is one thing to chastise Garlon Green for it is the fact that his antics may have gone too far. Did you see the reactions of his German teammates who couldn't touch the rim if they borrowed a mascot's trampoline? Those weren't the reactions of two players watching Garlon Green do something stupid on a basketball court for the first time. Those were the reactions of two guys that can no longer stand having him on the team, no matter how much better he is then everyone else. You don't throw your hands up in disgust the first time the black superstar makes a mistake. You brush it off, and remind yourself that your team is probably better with him than without him. I guess what I am saying is that even prior to this ill-timed put back I'm pretty sure Garlon Green already wore out his welcome. There's no way that guy is averaging more than an assist per game. Shit, I would be surprised if he were averaging over one pass per game. That's not his role in the offense. Hell, that's not his role in Germany. His role is to do whatever the hell he wants as long as he looks good doing it. If his teammates reactions are any indication, it may be a role that's getting cut from the offense fairly soon, but until it does, it's his role to keep. I Really Think I Am More Impressed By Russell Westbrook's Bravado Than His Basketball Ability12/14/2015
Let me start by saying that Russell Westbrook using an opponent's shoulder blades for a give-and-go, catching the ball in mid-air, and without hesitation making a contested, fallaway jumper against NBA competition is insanely impressive. In fact, the only thing more impressive, in my opinion, is the fact that he even thought to do it. Now, it's not the first time we have seen a play like this, but it is the first time we have seen this reckless of a version. Generally the oblivious opponent getting used and abused is far closer to the baseline, and the resulting basket is usually an uncontested layup, not a forced a fadeaway that, if taken by anyone else, stands about a 10% chance of going in. Do you know how sure of yourself you have to be to attempt this play? This looked like it was straight out of an And 1 Mixtape Tour if And 1 Mixtape Tours were at all concerned about player's ability to put the ball through he hoop. You can't be any less than absolutely positive that that ball is going in to even consider using that move. Down 15 with .7 seconds left in the half? If this he misses that shot he's considered a selfish idiot that doesn't trust his teammates. I know that, you know that, and he undoubtedly knows that. So the fact that he still did it knowing that a lot more than a single halftime buzzer beater was on the line is nothing short of extraordinary. Only big risks return big rewards I suppose, but I can't help but think that is Westbrook's brain this basket wasn't as much of a risk as it was an absolute certainty. Confidence? Cockiness? Call it what you want, but Russell Westbrook has it in spades, and since more often than not it works in his favor, we get to watch on in awe, instead of befuddlement.
This may sound pretty ridiculous, but Pacman Jones and I aren't all that different. Sure, we have varying commands of the English language (that's a literacy thing, not a race thing), and we probably disagree on gun control (especially in strip clubs). However, when it comes to social media, we have a lot more in common than you'd think. You can criticize him for jumping on Twitter after a loss and bitching about what happened on the field, but don't you dare act like you're not being hypocritical. The only thing that differentiates us from Pacman Jones is that he doesn't stop himself from pressing 'send', 'post', or 'publish'. We let ourselves get shamed into silence by the hypothetical reactions of online strangers, whereas he has never known the feeling. Who hasn't gotten fed up with the stupidity of their acquaintances on Facebook and conjured up some long winded, politically incorrect response based on race or politics before realizing how poorly it would be received if they posted it? Am I the only person questioning how funny the joke I typed is before tweeting it? I really don't think so. So you know what, Pacman Jones may (does) look like an idiot for letting his emotions get the best of him in this semi-coherent rant, but at least he's not a slave to the opinions of an internet audience like all of us. Discretion is for the diffident. Filters are for the fraudulent. If nothing else, Pacman Jones can rest easy knowing that he'll never not be himself.
You know, in a way it is kind of poetic. At first glance it seems odd that the Milwaukee Bucks, of all teams, would be responsible for putting to rest so many lengthy winning streaks. However, could you really pick a better city to be most famous for raining on everyone's parade? I'm starting to think this stat transcends the strategical aspects of basketball. Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure the Milwaukee Bucks players are so miserable playing in the middle Wisconsin that they only put forth their best effort when they know they can potentially disappoint a large viewing audience. I bet those guys wearing '24-1' shirts weren't even Bucks fans. They were just Milwaukee residents relishing the rare opportunity to make the rest of the basketball viewing world as depressed as they are on a day-to-day basis. What else could possibly explain this trend?
This is like Eli Manning, of all people, being the one person that can beat Tom Brady in SuperBowl. Never mind kryptonite. If the only way to take down Superman was to cook his food in peanut oil that would be the equivalent of the Milwaukee Bucks constantly beating the best teams NBA history has to offer. This is like David's scrawny little brother constantly bullying Goliath. It couldn't possibly make less sense. I mean, the part where the losing team goes on to win a championship makes perfect sense, and that portion of the stat will probably stay true to form with this year's Warriors. Still, I can't decide whether or not Milwaukee being greatness' achilles heel is irrational, perfect, or some odd combination of both. Either way, the internet is a ruthless place... Wait just a damn minute, is football supposed to be fun to watch? I had almost forgotten how enjoyable it was to watch the Saints win. This last month had me thinking that plopping down on the couch, cracking open a beer, ordering some bypass-inducing food, and taking in a few hours of football on a Sunday afternoon was supposed to be a torturous activity. An activity that was meant to strengthen you a person if you managed to get through it without taking a warm, relaxing bubblebath with your toaster. Who knew that it could actually be a delightful experience that could provide you the opportunity to end the weekend with a smile on your face? I guess the constant barrage of demoralizing losses rendered joy an impossibility in my eyes. There may not be good odds that this feeling happens often, but in my best 'Dumb and Dumber' voice, "SO YOU'RE SAYING THERE'S A CHANCE!!!".
Hey Who Dat Nation, do you guys realize what just happened? The Saints, yup, the ones that play in New Orleans, just made a difference! I know it feels like it's been a long time since that happened, and that's because it has been. The beginning of November to be exact. As a matter of fact, the only relevance the Saints have maintained since then is when their defense has given daily fantasy players a fiscally responsibly, high upside option at quarterback. None the less, the Saints were back to remind everyone that they are still a professional football team, and they did so by essentially knocking the Buccaneers out of playoff contention. Spoiler alert! Spoiler alert! Time to flush Jameis Winston's rookie season, no matter how impressive it may have been, down the garbage disposal. Not that I, as a Saints fan, should be talking, but Buccaneers postseason football is no longer fit for human consumption. Drew Brees already took that pipe dream and laid it curbside for waste removal, no need to thank him for doing your choirs Lovie Smith. God, did it feel good to see Marques Colston casually adjust to the ball and modestly celebrate a couple of touchdowns passes like the good old days. Couldn't have been more refreshing to see a Saints offense maintaining a balanced approach while playing with the lead. Shit, even the defense, outside of a couple mind numbingly stupid penalties*, looked like it was playing with a purpose. That being said, I don't expect to see what I say today again until, at the very least, next season, but if just for one day it was satisfying to be a Saints fan, and at this point that's all I could ask for. * Kyle Wilson needs to stop pretending he's Brandon Browner, and Brandon Browner needs to stop pretending he's an NFL player.
Hey, even Cinderella's other shoe had to drop at some point. I am not saying this magical ride is over, but even the greatest of magicians aren't worth a shit without quality tools of their trade. As much as we don't want to admit it, when the Devils are without their top two centers their lineup is littered with guys that could just as easily be on their hands and knees scrubbing their stepmother's floor. That's not so much an insult as it is a credit to them for being able to keep the Devils in the playoff hunt to this point. Regardless, while this team has proved that nothing can kill their spirit, injuries can certainly kill their ability to put said spirit into action. You can't deny how special the comeback win over the Red Wings felt, but it's certainly not the type of win you can expect to see on a consistent basis. Especially when you are constantly asking each and every player to play a more significant role than they are capable of playing. It's an 82 game season, and everyone has a stinker here and there. However, those stinkers are going to smell a lot worse when you have a 3rd liner, at best, in Jacob Josefson going head-to-head against the likes of John Tavares, and an AHL call-up playing significant minutes against a one of the more talented teams in the league.
In a way, this fight perfectly encapsulated the game. Let's put aside the fact that apparently "player safety" just means putting a guy in the box for half the game when he stands up for a teammate whose safety was compromised, that's neither here nor there. This incident speaks volumes about the game because the intent was undoubtedly there, but the execution was not. I am not questioning the Devils work ethic, but I am questioning them putting that work ethic into practice. They just had one of those games where nothing went right. You know when you wake up on a Sunday morning after a night of heavy drinking and you have the motor skills of Bobby Farnham after eating a pot brownie? I feel like that's what the Devils were dealing with today. The harder they tried to do something the more disastrous it turned out. So we can just chalk this loss up to a debilitating case of the "Sunday scaries", but proceed with caution, because these efforts might not be few and far between if this team can't get healthy down the middle.
P.S. Not that it would have changed the result, but David Schlemko bleeding profusely from the face resulting in an Islanders goal instead of a Devils powerplay was just par for today's course. Appreciate the explanation though stripes...
You know, it's really a shame that the Los Angeles Clippers, led by their Head Coach, get a bad rap for being such great debaters. I suppose some might call that complaining, but maybe, for argument's sake, they are just fantastic at arguing? In fact, I think the reason that the Clippers never get a call overturned is based solely on the fact that NBA officials are sore losers. Hey stripes, maybe learn how to altercate so the Clippers can cleanse their reputation a bit.
Seriously though, nothing brings family together like verbally abusing an official. What you call bitching I call bonding. I bet Doc hires referees for Rivers family reunions just so they all have someone to team up against when a game of backyard badminton isn't going their way. Wouldn't be surprised if they have Austin invite his conservative white friend Brad over every Thanksgiving so that they can get some opposition for their political banter (and yes I just assumed that the Rivers are democrats, sue me). Where do you think their family stands on refugees? I don't know, but I certainly wouldn't want to be the one to find out. How dare anyone accuse Doc Rivers of nepotism. The only preferential treatment Austin has ever been granted is the ability to mock and question officials without censorship as much as his father. Hey, he had to get it from somewhere, right? It's just too bad that inherent trait has become contagious throughout the Clippers roster. Almost feel bad for them. They aren't intentionally whiney. It's an epidemic. A sickness that started at the top. Everyone hates the Clippers for something they can't even control. Are they contentious? Sure, but if we are talking about being disrespectful then the haters should be the ones looking in the mirror.
I got to be honest with you, it pained me greatly to make that the headline. To put it lightly, Star Wars isn't exactly my thing, but if the Devils are going to follow up a corny promotional stunt with the most improbable of comebacks then embrace all things Yoda, I will. Hell, at this point some fictional "force" might be the only explanation for what's driving this team's success. Jedi mind tricks are as good a reason as any that the Devils have managed to continue to rack up points despite being down their top two centers.
The other reason this headline made me cringe as I was typing it is because it means that I officially have to embrace the "relentless" motto. I know, I know, I've tried for the longest time not to be hypocritical, but this team has given me no choice. Before the season started I was taking every opportunity afforded to me to poke fun at the Devils for incessantly pushing that hashtag on the fanbase, but do you know what happened? This Devils team somehow took it to heart. Prophecy, self fulfilled. There's just no other word that better suits this team than relentless. While on the mend from critical injuries there is no way they should have won last night, especially entering the third period down two, against a more talented team with a hot goaltender. Other than an outright refusal to quit on themselves when literally nothing was going in their favor, nothing makes sense about the Devils winning last night. So fuck it, relentless it is, and relentless, we are.
This is what I instantly thought of as I watched Kyle Palmieri roof the game winner off a beautiful feed from Lee Stempniak...
I am not saying that the chemistry that exists between this team compares to that of Devils teams of the past, nor am I saying that Kyle Palmieri is the second coming of Zach Parise. What I am saying is that it is a hell of a lot closer than ANY of us could imagined. This team has come together faster than a homo-erotic sleepover party. My 7th grade haircut took more time to gel. That's the only way to account for what these guys have accomplished in such short period. Barring serious injury (crosses fingers), there are currently four players in the top six that are on pace to SHATTER their career highs. An AHL caliber bottom six hasn't even looked remotely out of place. An unimpressive defense on paper looks nothing of the sort on the ice. Cory Schneider's consistent greatness in net has only been rivaled by outsiders consistent lateness in recognizing it. The only reason this TEAM is making a playoff spot look like more and more of possibility is that they are the very definition of the word. So the Red Wings and their evil empire might currently be our father, but at least for one night they can refer to us as daddy.
Awful Announcing- During Turner’s NBA coverage last night, this could-be awkward moment turned into some hilarious television.
The Inside the NBA team were talking to Isiah Thomas (who is somehow employed by Turner after one tumultuous stop after another in his post-playing days) about New York Knicks rookie sensation Kristaps Porzingis. When Thomas made the comment that New York wasn’t for everybody, Ernie Johnson let out a slight chortle. Thomas asked why he was laughing, and that sent the entire set into uproarious laughter. We all know why. This is how you know your career in New York was an unmitigated disaster? No, it's not when the 'Inside The NBA' crew laughs at you. After all, they'll make sport of anyone. How you truly know you should be ashamed of yourself is when the person on the panel whose job it is to basically supervise everyone else is responsible for the uproarious laughter. This segment wouldn't have been nearly as funny if Ernie Johnson wasn't the one that instigated it. Just perfect timing. No joke necessary. Just a slight chuckle is all it took. Ernie didn't even need to take the most wide open layup ever, he just involuntarily reacted to the most blatant of set ups. Isaiah Thomas' tenure with the Knicks has basically been reduced to obvious sexual innuendo. So funny in it's failure that it's a punchline in and of itself. BSO- Davis told Jim Rome on CBS Sports Radio he sees similarities between the “truly phenomenal” Curry and Carolina — because of the constant disrespect.
“He’s a lot like we are as a football team right now, with so many people doubting him when he first came into the league. They had so many knocks on him, what he couldn’t do, what he wasn’t going to be able to do, he’s going to be a backup his whole career, and he’s proved everybody wrong,” Davis said. “It’s kind of where we’re at as a football team. We hear all the doubters, people telling us what we can’t do, what we won’t be able to do, and we just continue to stay focused on what we’re trying to accomplish, just like Steph. “We’re just trying to do it the right way, and that’s the main focus of this football team and what we’ve been able to do this season.” Ahh, so close Thomas, so close. It was right there for the taking, but for some reason you swerved left. You decided to compare your apple to an orange, when there was literally another apple right under your goddamn nose. Think of how much easier it would have been to compare the Golden State Warriors to the Carolina Panthers. Two undefeated teams. Both semi-disrespected to start the year. Both on incredible runs. Both being led by potential MVP candidates. That analogy was literally a lay-up, but Thomas Davis decided to stop on a fast break and launch some prayer of a jump shot from Steph Curry range. Good thing he is pretty damn good at football, because I can't imagine that verbal score on the SAT's was anything to write home about with that level of thinking. Comparing one single man to a roster of 53? That went just about as well as expected. Hey Thomas, do me a favor and be more vague. Maybe throw around some more keywords. Doubters, disrespect. Yup, that'll do it. I guess he just showed that you can pretty much compare Steph Curry to any group of people that have ever accomplished anything unexpected. I'll tell you who should be pissed by this analogy, the rest of the Golden State Warriors. 23-0 and they can't even get a shoutout in an ill-concieved juxtaposition made by an NFL player. As much respect as this quote shows to Steph Curry, it shows just as much disrespect to his teammates. Thomas Davis basically just implied that the Warriors are the 'tomahto' to Steph Curry's 'tomato', and I am pretty sure they deserve a little more credit than that. And Here We Have A Transgendered Dad That Left His Family To Live Life As A 6 Year Old Girl12/11/2015 Metro- A Canadian father left his wife and seven children to live as a six-year-old girl.Stefonknee Wolschtt, 46, is currently living with an adopted family because she doesn’t ‘want to be an adult right now’.
Before beginning her transition, Ms Wolschtt had been married for 23 years. ‘I can’t deny I was married, I can’t deny I have children. But I’ve gone back to being a child.’ The move provided great relief and Ms Wolschtt found the release from adult responsibilities extremely therapeutic. ‘We have a great time. We colour, we do kid’s stuff. ‘It’s called play therapy. No medication, no suicide thoughts. I just get to play.’ We have no one to blame but ourselves. In an effort to embrace the freedom of sexual expression we told people they could be whatever the fuck they wanted to be, and Stefonknee (greatest transgendered name of all time) took full advantage. Be honest, there are times when adulthood becomes stressful and you'd rather not deal with it. If I could pick time period to go back to in my life it would probably be college, but to each their own. I don't even have a wife or SEVEN children, and there are days when I would choose a dress and a coloring book over real world responsibilities. Don't hate the player, hate the game. This guy's life SUCKED, and he used his sexual ambiguity to change it. If he had just come out and said, "hey guys, I'm going to be a 6 year old now" everyone and their mother would be chastising him for abandoning his family. However, he turned this into a transgendered thing, and everyone knows you can never, ever criticize someone that wants to be the opposite sex of which they were born. That's pretty much why Caitlyn Jenner won 'Woman Of The Year' despite doing nothing other than tucking her cock to get ratings. We just don't feel comfortable enough to call people out on their bullshit when we don't understand their sexuality. Stefonknee is praying upon everyone's fear of sounding prejudice, and for that reason we are accepting him as a transgendered person, instead of loathing him for being a terrible person. P.S. Yes, I am going to refer to him as a "he". When you fuck your wife enough to conceive seven children then you'll always be a "he" to me. |
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