Flashback Friday: 1999 Movies

Sorry for no blogs this week, I'm chilling up here in Seattle for my cousin's graduation at the Univ. of Washington. That makes it 3 college grads in the fam this decade and another English degree in the fam. But as promised, the long-awaited return of the Flashback Friday posts: 1999 movies

As I continue racking my mind to realize that 1999 is now 10 years ago, I thought about the great films that came out from that year (as well as the cult classics and personal favorites). This was probably the year when I started getting immersed more in pop culture so in addition to the music, I also take a bigger interest in the movies.






No movie in 1999 had a bigger impact now and then than the Matrix. I swear you had everybody and their mama interpreting something from that. The graphics were out of this world, the multilayered story was intense and everybody was copying the martial arts style in there.


I remember everybody came back to school that summer talking about it and I remember saying there’s no chance this movie couldn’t get Oscars for its graphics. My school had chapels devoted to it and 10 years later, it’s message is still relevant with who’s controlling our reality.

That movie was almost a perfect storm and outside of its forgettable sequels, it’s a movie that will continue to down as not just a classic but one of the most influential movies of any era.




We also had some great high school movies that may have seemed corny to older folks, but are still worth watching now. 10 Things I Hate About You and She’s All That were pretty cool and Varsity Blues still gets some play (Ali Larter’s whipped cream scene alone is worth repeating) but nothing tops American Pie (or Shannon Elizabeth’s performance on video). A sleeper hit that sparked a few careers.



*It tripped me out that the same kid from Rookie of the Year and A Kid In King Arthur's Court was in this movie. haha*

American Pie is great because everyone can relate to one of the four main characters, knows a Stifler and knows one of the girls. To be honest, Judd Apatow revived this formula for “Superbad” and it showed how you can make a great, funny, high school movie.

It was also Disney’s last stand as Tarzan was their last hit before Dreamworks and Pixar blew them out of the water. $100 million, an Oscar for Phil Collins and the end of an era. Dreamworks took off where Pixar continued with Toy Story 2 in 1999 and produced classics in Shrek, The Incredibles, Ratatouille and others while Disney just focused on expanding their empire.



I remember being freaked when I saw Sixth Sense with my sis and Dad. It was the first time a thriller had me spooked and stuck with me for a while. It’s a darn shame that M. Night Shamlayan – who I considered the best director of thrillers after Signs – has yet to make a great movie since “Signs” and went from being the next Spielberg to the next wunderkind to struggle recapturing that magic.

Two cult classics came out that I discovered in college. I didn’t get Office Space when I watched it the first time but now it’s one of my favorites. I find myself relating to it better now that I’m working which shows that it still holds up. Then there’s Boondock Saints – I still haven’t seen all the way through but in the scenes that I saw, Willem Dafoe just takes control with his character. Another movie that holds up well.



It was the first year I learned that you could make a lot of money and flop (see Wild Wild West and The Phantom Menace). I remember liking WWW but watching now, that’s some terrible doo-doo with 4 Academy Award nominees (Will Smith, Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh and Salma Hayek). Star Wars I had a lot of buzz and a lot of people got anxious for it but I still haven’t seen it and never will. Nearly a billion $ can’t be wrong – or can it.

Another favorite was Sleepy Hollow. I was pretty excited to see it (one of the few R-rated movies Moms let me see) and I wasn’t disappointed by Tim Burton. The gore, the great story, Johnny Depp doing his thing and a crazy villain, it was great.

Finally, you had the most successful indie movie at the time, the Blair Witch Project. Everybody spoofed it, everybody got freaked by it, everybody laughed at it – and everybody took a cheaply made, $22,000 budget movie to the bank ($248 million worldwide). Just like Sixth Sense, we had another great horror classic.

1999 Movies Worth Watching Again

American Pie
American Beauty
Sleepy Hollow
The Hurricane (Denzel should’ve gotten the Oscar but eh, Kevin Spacey has two)
The Sixth Sense
The Matrix
The Mummy (Brendan Fraser had a nice run of successful blockbusters)
Austin Powers 2 (Heather Graham had every dude's attention– even Lenny Kravitz's)
10 Things I Hate About You
Big Daddy
Blair Witch Project
Boondock Saints
The Best Man
Cruel Intentions
Fight Club
Office Space
Payback
She’s All That
South Park
Tarzan (Disney’s last stand)
Varsity Blues
Virgin Suicides (introduction to future Oscar winner Sofia Coppola)
The Wood
The World Is Not Enough (James Bond flop)
Green Mile (tell me why Michael Clarke Duncan has NOT done another great drama since then)
The Talented Mr. Ripley (Matt Damon is really an underrated actor)

Feel free to add on and share memories

VSR: Halfway to a Parade (Game 2 recap)

At this point, everyone’s already thinking about Game 3 tomorrow so I’ll change it up and do the recap, quick hit style. Lakers Nation has a lot to be happy about and the Orlando crowd has plenty of reason to hopeful (and yes, I'm plotting All-Star Weekend in 2011!!)

1) No matter how you slice it, Courtney Lee’s shot was a tough play to make. Yes, he should’ve made a point blank lay-up but that was no point-blank shot. You go full speed ahead and try to come back to the hoop with a 7-foot Pau Gasol trying to distract you. I honestly think the first shot he missed when he had Gasol on the floor was much easier (the one Odom helped distract)

My heart sank when Turkoglu made that pass. Brilliantly designed and set up but just not executed. I welcomed Lee to the Nick Anderson club last night but in theory, missing a difficult lay-up isn’t exactly missing four consecutive FT’s.

2) The key to the game was Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom stepping up. Odom carried the team early in the 4th quarter and Gasol stayed ready when Fisher and Kobe dropped easy dimes to him for critical three-point plays in the 4th and overtime. Gasol also played excellent defense on Rashard Lewis in the 1st and he’s not backing down from Dwight Howard.

Nobody took more heat last year against Boston than those two. Nobody had more to lose this year than them. And since Andrew Bynum went out with that knee injury, Odom has become better on the glass and has been the X-factor in these last two series. Pau has quietly become the most effective big man of this postseason over that time and it’s not just his numbers, it’s how he’s asserting his presence in the Finals. Love how Fox Sports’ Mark Kreigel put it – the better basketball player is beating the better athlete.

3)Despite Stan Van Gundy outcoaching Phil Jackson last night, there are some major questions they need to answer. Why isn’t Rafer Alston playing more – did you really have JJ Redick in there at the point in the 4th??? Where is Orlando’s bench – Pietrus is getting blown up by Kobe, Anthony Johnson is MIA. These are the adjustments SVG has to make now that Turkoglu and Lewis have their shot.

4)Dwight Howard, meet LeBron James circa 2007 NBA Finals. Two young superstars drafted #1 out of high school with incredible gifts (LeBron = great vision/strength/speed /bball , Dwight = leaper/rebounder/best young big since Shaq) but got exposed against better teams in the last round of the playoffs.

LeBron got exposed for having no mid-range/post game. And now Howard is in the middle of kryptonite courtesy of double-teams. His limited offensive game (nothing besides hooks and decent spin moves) is showing and he knows what he has to do for next year. Til then, might wanna mix in some more FG's over the next few days.

But it happens to everyone. Every great player has that moment of clarity when they know what they have isn’t enough and they need more.

5) We’re seeing a Lakers team that has grown up over the last two series. This was a team that couldn’t bump back when pushed on the road. This was a team Houston pushed to the very last drop. Now they know how to fight back, how to play smarter, how to dig in.

Game 2 was a great one that both teams had to have and the Lakers earned it. Despite SVG’s weird lineup in the 4th (still scratching my head about JJ Redick as the technical PG despite Turkoglu running things), he had both of his main guns catch fire. Lewis hit some wide open shots but that’s all he needs to get into a rhythm. And yes Kobe did way too much to be a facilitator (7 TO’s with his 8 dimes) but his guys eventually delivered.

Bad game turned good? That's the story.

It was an off-night for the Mamba but I see the team’s will has consumed everyone. They know they are halfway to a title and they aren’t satisfied until they get to the top of the mountain. They know Orlando is going to fight for their lives tomorrow. Let’s see how this collective fire handles the weather of Orlando where the Magic are sure to make it rain.

"LeBron, are you still playing that game? Didn't you watch that classic last night? Oh that's right, you prolly didn't. Look here, I'm gonna need you to tidy up the place while I'm gone. Maybe I'll bring back a souvenir --- for my ring case to go along with my three championship rings."

Random Musings

I used to do this on MySpace a lot when I started blogging - just letting y'all swim in my stream of consciousness for a bit

It's funny how electric cars were supposed to be the wave of the future. In junior high back in 1996, I remember reading in science magazines how they were going to be popular and charging stations were going to sweep the nation. Well the stations are there if you look hard for them but the cars, however, aren't. Just something I thought about as I parked at the LA Convention Center for the L.A. Sparks game today.


Jay-Z's "Death of Autotune" takes off from the soul sound of American Gangster and just kills this modern era of hip-hop. In one soulful sweep, he targets skinny jeans, ringtone rappers, and finally - the tool of choice for T-Pain, Lil Wayne, his buddy Kanye and others. Lest you think the song won't connect, Jay already killed the people wearing jersey trends on The Black Album "I don't wear jerseys, I'm 30+...give me a crisp pair of jeans, button-ups."


After each Belmont Stakes, I feel like we're never going to see a Triple Crown winner for a while. That race is so hard for horses to run and I just don't think many are built to win it after the first two legs.


"We are born to make a difference, we live to figure out how" - something I thought about last week and something I'll expand on later.


My picks for best albums of the year: Green Day and UGK although it's really been an interesting year for albums. I feel like there's a lot of good to great albums but little is standing out. I still need to buy the albums from Silversun Pickups, The-Dream and Busta Rhymes but I haven't heard too much that I'm rushing for. Any ideas?


Random sighting today: Snoop Dogg at the Sparks' game and chillin in their locker room. Who knows how many fans they'll attract with the lineup they have but my verdict on their Farmers Insurance Group sponsored jerseys - No Good.

Can't let today go by without mention the anniversary of D-Day. It was one of the greatest tactical missions ever and effectively signaled the tide turning in World War II (Europe-wise). Much respect to any veteran still alive and we're praying for the troops abroad in Iraq and Afghanistan. I'm personally against the Iraq War but the troops just follow orders. Let Jay get the final words here...

"All my soldiers in the field, I will wish you safe return, but only love kills war, when will they learn."

Los Ojos del Mamba Negra (Game 1 recap)

While watching Game 1 last night downtown in the ESPNZONE at L.A. Live, I got struck by one thing during the 2nd and especially the 3rd quarter. Those eyes! Not Dwight Howard's no-show, Not Lamar Odom's strong play, not even Andrew Bynum coming to play. It was Los Ojos del Mamba Negra.

That glare! We saw it in the third quarter and it said so much. It was "get the bleep out of my way, Pietrus, or get on the Game 1 highlight video." It said to his teammates "you are going to make this shot and if you don't, you better make it the next time." It said, "we are not just going to win this game, we are ripping out their heart in their process. Let them know this is the NBA Finals!"

Last night pretty much was the sound of stepping on the gas while ahead and leaving somebody in the dust. It was about showing some toughness and displaying some killer instinct. Message delivered. Odom (11 and 14) and Gasol (16 and 8) showed why they should dominate the frontcourt and Andruw Bynum (9 and 9) looked like he was personally challenged to take it to Howard, despite his fouls.

Sheeet even Luke Walton (9 pts) got in on the fun. He hadn't looked that good since the first round last year when he couldnt miss against Denver.

Speaking of Dwight Howard, he looked more like the guy in my avatar (my distant cousin Clark Kent) than Superman. A pedestrian double-double with only 6 shots?? I'm betting that won't happen the rest of the series but dude better listen to some Gang Starr cause it's "No More Mister Nice Guy." Ask David Robinson how being nice fared against Hakeem.

But Game 1 was all about the Black Mamba. It's not enough that he had a monster game (40 pts, 8 dimes, 8 boards), it's not enough that people are critiquing his attitude after the game - saying it's phony (???? ooooook), it will be remembered for that glare. It'll be remembered for schooling Pietrus on that And-1 play that had me out of my seat and tweeting "Call 911, sweet Mercy!!!"

Jameer Nelson's return was not enough and it may have done more detriment down the stretch. Rashard Lewis was the Invincible Man, Turkoglu was quiet after the 1st quarter and the Magic couldn't hit a shot to save their lives. 15-54 away from the 3-pt line tells me that nobody could hit mid-range shots and take away Dwight Howard (1-6), that dwindles to 14-48 (less than 30%)

Live by the 3, die by the 3. We know what ORL is made of, but they can't stay that cold forever. I expect a better showing the rest of the way but if the Lakers play like that consistently, we'll get that parade on Figueroa in two weeks. I saw a sign outside L.A. Live that Vitamin Water was sponsoring - Kobe Diem. Kobe seized the day alright and he let everyone knows this title run is about satisfying hunger. Game 2 comes alive Sunday.

"You gotta be hungry, LeBron. That's why I'm playing right now, and you're babysitting Lil' Dez"

Once Upon A Time (A Mid-90's Fairytale)

The first basketball team I really followed growing up was the Orlando Magic. I was 10 years old and just starting to be exposed to sports. With Michael Jordan gone, I was a big fan of Shaquille O’Neal and the way he became the next young superstar. I had just started buying and renting NBA Videos (who remembers the NBA Jam Session videotape hosted by rap band Joe Public).

That 1994-1995 squad had the makings of a champion. You had a great 1-2 punch in Shaq (3rd year) and Anfernee Hardaway (2nd year), one of the league’s best shooters in Dennis Scott, the original Magic man in 2-guard Nick Anderson and a key offseason addition in Horace Grant from the Bulls. Yep, I still remember the starting five – the first I ever memorized – and then you throw in the bench of Brian Shaw, Anthony Bowie, Tree Rollins and Donald Royal….ummm on 2nd thought, nevermind.

Like most kids of that era, we loved Penny Hardaway too. A 6-7 point guard who was the 2nd coming of Magic, he could slash to the rack and set somebody up with a perfect dime. My favorite dunk growing up was when he smashed on Patrick Ewing from the wing (flash forward to 2:00 of this video)

I still have my 5th grade yearbook where a friend quoted the announcer “Hardaway….OVER EWING!!” cause I tried to copy that dunk on the jungle gym.

And if people could remember just how crazy athletic Shaq was back then. Everything Dwight Howard is doing now, Shaq did it and did it better. The league had never seen a guy that tall, that strong, that nimble since maybe Wilt or Kareem. And never had a tall guy become so marketable – too many giants weren’t comfortable in their skin or became the villain. Shaq was arguably the first to get universal acclaim. Of course that led to this abomination.

Funny now how it took N’Sync and Backstreet Boys to give Orlando some pop music love because until them, Shaq was the only music star they had (check the charts – platinum album, Top 40 single).

That team went 57-25, 39-2 at home, and earned the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference Finals. Shaq led the league in scoring (29.3 points), Penny made the All-NBA first team, Grant made the All-Defensive 2nd team and all five starters averaged double figures. I remember rushing home to watch those NBA on NBC double and tripleheaders and being thrilled to see Orlando every time.

They were nearly unbeatable at home and it was ironic they knocked out Boston in the opening round of the playoffs because it was the last series at the Boston Garden. The 1985-86 Celtics had the best home record ever (40-1) and for the Magic to close out the building, it felt like poetic justice somewhat. It was my first time getting acquainted with TNT/TBS’ coverage of the games and my first bout with playoff fever.

The semifinals against the Chicago Bulls was interesting because it was Michael Jordan’s first postseason since coming back wearing the 45. Apparently Nick Anderson got too comfortable in his hometown and said Jordan wasn’t the same old 23 anymore. Course, that was a mistake and before we knew it, rumors were flying about him pulling off the switch. By Game 4, the original 23 jersey was back.

It would be the second and last time in the 1990’s that MJ and the Bulls were sent fishing. After reading Playing for Keeps – David Halberstam’s brilliant biography of Jordan and his times – Nick Anderson would be the victim of Jordan’s wrath next year. For that moment though, it felt like the torch was passed to Orlando.

The 1995 Eastern Conference Finals was definitely an underrated series. Considering the classic Bulls-Knicks and Bulls-Pacers meetings, you wouldn’t think about it but it was pretty good. I didn’t realize Penny was pure murder in Games 1 and 2 (14 and 15 dimes!) maybe because I remember Shaq dominating. But I do remember being pissed I missed Game 4.

I will swear it til I die, that was one of the greatest endings to a game people don’t talk about it. It all happened in under 17 seconds. Brian Shaw hits a late 3, Reggie Miller comes down and hits another one, Penny hits one with under 5 seconds left, and then Rik Smits (Rik Smits???) hits the game-winner. I remember SLAM doing a write-up on its now-defunct last page devoted to buzzer beaters and it was amazing. The series went 7 games and like anybody, we loved the Lil’ Penny commercials hyping it up.

Then Game 1 of the Finals against Houston. Magic were up 20 and all was good. I made my lil’ sign on notebook paper and was ready to see a coronation. Then nobody could guard Kenny Smith from downtown. Then Anderson couldn’t hit a freaking free throw to save his life (four point blank misses that spawned two years of stories).

I remember laughing when I saw “The Big Green” soccer movie and the kid that missed a goal was named……Nick Anderson. Disney was cold for that. And then I still see Clyde Drexler trying to shoot that jumper over Shaq and NOBODY boxing out Hakeem Olajuwon for the tip-in rebound in overtime. Game, set and match.

(Irony – Anderson finished with 22 and 11 boards. Played 50 out of a possible 53 minutes. But what do we all remember? Yeah his FT-line of the night…0-4).

We all know what happened next. Shaq and Penny got swept – a series where Shaq admitted defeat and being outplayed – and the Magic dynasty would never happen. 60 wins in 1996 got them swept by the Bulls swept them in the conference Finals and Shaq went to L.A. To be honest, that team really had no reliable bench looking back at it. B. Shaw was a great 6th man and Donald Royal was serviceable but nobody else could really do much.

But I’ll never forget that team. I thought it’d be the start of something great but in fact it turned out to be a fairy tale with an unhappy ending (at least in ORL). Penny turned out to be the last of a dying breed of two tall point guards. Jalen Rose never got the chance to be a point guard and now every point guard has to be small, quick and/or strong. Pretty much the Jason Kidd/Isiah Thomas mold instead of Magic.

One of the boards on Okayplayer.com said that this was the greatest team never to win a title. I’d argue they were one of the best teams in the 90’s never to win but looking back on it, their bench was suspect. But they were the first team that I loved and this NBA Finals will give a great flashback on that.

VSR: NBA Finals Preview

It's ironic that the two teams that only one series ago were being questioned for lacking toughness showed in their Game 6's in the conf. finals and now the NBA Finals jump off Thursday night. L.A. Lakers vs. Orlando Magic - enter your cliche battle taglines here.

(Hollywood vs. Tiger Woods, the two best teams Shaq O'Neal played for, The Game vs. Flo-RIDA, J.A. Adande vs. Jemele Hill, Black Mamba vs. Superman)

Orlando beat the Lakers in both meetings this year, but unlike Boston last year, neither victory was one-sided. The Magic are a great perimeter shooting team with guys who can also slash (Lewis, Turkoglu) and they have the best young big man since Shaq in Dwight Howard. Love how the LA Times described him...a beast with the physique of a Greek God, one who can get rebounds and tip slams in a single bound. Superman indeed.

Did I forget Skip to My Lou? Naw. I've been mixed on him for a few years but with every success he adds to his streetball legend. He'll go down as perhaps the last great streetball legend to find success in the league because he knows how to be a solid PG.

The scary thing for the Lakers? They're almost no different than Houston - a strong perimeter team with guys who can slash. They don't have the big bodies the Lakers do but their 3-pt snipers are deadlier. Throw in Superman Jr. and you got a deadly team.

But with all of that said, the Lakers match up pretty well with them. Skip to My Lou and Anthony Johnson aren't that fast/physical so Derek Fisher won't be totally abused (Shannon Breezy and Jordan Farmar? They have the edge). Ariza and Lamar Odom can stick with Turkoglu, Lewis and Mikael Petreaus because of their versatility. Odom hates to get banged around so staying on the perimeter would suit him fine.

This is where Andruw Bynum has got to stand up and take fouls. Howard will abuse him and throw him around like a doll and he must respond like an NBA center. Phil Jax can't be scared to let him get in foul trouble and he can't be scared to use DJ Mbenga either just because he's a big body with 6 fouls.

Kobe destroyed Orlando in both games (34.5 and 10.5 boards with 7 dimes) and it's clear that while he wants to be the facilitator, he knows from last year that he has to be willing to take over games when people don't step up. He wants that Finals MVP trophy but knows it won't come easy.

It's up to Pau Gasol to step up and be productive against the Defensive Player of the Year. 12 pts and 8 rebounds like he averaged during the season won't cut it. He and Odom have to keep playing like they did the last two games. It's about hunger and desire and taking advantage where it's obvious.

This should be a good series? Will the Lakers have finally learned from last year's mistakes or will the Magic bring Disney luck to Hollywood?

(Tomorrow, I might do something on the 1994-95 Orlando squad - The first team I really followed in sports, stay tuned)

Progress or Misguided Intent

The LA Times reported that a male student was named prom queen at Fairfax High School. He did initially as a gimmick but grew into it and wanted to take it seriously. He feels very feminine (“a boy with a different personality”) and earned the support of enough of the student body to earn his crown (tiara?).

I don’t usually say this but pause. HUNH?????

A dude wants to be prom queen? In the name of Freddie Mercury, what kind of sense does this make? See this is where tolerance goes wrong – we start to tolerate everything in the name of open-mindedness even when it’s really looking at it the wrong way.

When most people read this headline, they automatically assume this guy has to be gay (he is). That’s the crux of the situation and why this “statement” is a failed chance to really make a point.

The young man feels feminine and has every right to live his life as a gay man. He also has every right to be comfortable doing it but when you want to challenge gender roles, this is NOT the way to do it. I'm not surprised he was going to win, especially if he got enough girls at the school to support him. We all know that girls tend to rally around gay dudes more than straight ones at times.

But here’s the problem. This is not a sign of progress for the gay rights movement. To me, it’s copping out to fulfilling the stereotype of how a gay man is perceived – more effeminate than masculine and not a real man. In my opinion, a gay man is still a man regardless of his tastes, likes or actions.

If the young man wanted to make a bigger statement about gender roles, he would have run as king. Challenge what being a prom king is about, challenge the idea that a man has to be macho and do it by being yourself. Had he won as prom king, it would have been a bigger victory because it shows that not every prom king fits that stereotypical jock/student leader who embodies “manhood.”

We call out lesbians who act tomboy-ish but regardless of how they act, they are still women. They may not ask a certain way that women do but that’s the beauty of challenging gender roles. Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, Lauren Conrad and Ellen DeGeneres are all women in their own unique way. Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Rupert Everett and my least favorite person Perez Hilton are all men in their unique way. It doesn’t matter if you are gay or straight, you are still male or female just not what society expects a male/female to be.

Some women like to say they can do anything just as good as a man. Well so be it but that doesn’t take away your womanhood. It adds a new layer. If a man likes watching soap operas or is in touch with his feelings, it doesn’t take away your manhood. Now a man might need to toughen up or woman needs to back down at some point but that’s another issue.

That, my friends, is true progress. Not settling for stereotypes but challenging them. This is my real problem with this story after the shock of it fades. The young man did not challenge gender roles by becoming prom queen, he succumbed to them. This is not progress, it’s just asking to do whatever you like without considering what would make a bigger impact – not just shock people.

(By the way, did anybody ask what the prom king thought? - Just asking?)

Blue Magic - Dodgers Report

If you told me before the season that the Dodgers would be the team to beat in the National League, I'd say it was a possibility. I thought our offense and bullpen was good enough to compete with anybody.

If you told me that they'd be the best team in baseball minus Manny Ramirez for 17 games (and counting til July 3), I'd call you a liar and delusional. Sure enough, there they are. Fresh off a sweep of the Colorado Rockies they are 33-15, 5 games ahead of the Cardinals and 6 ahead of the closest team in the American League.

*cue Jay-Z's Blue Magic - so what if u flip a couple bombs, we can triple that in runs, open up ya mind, Dodger Blue in the sky."

The offense ranks at or near the top of the majors in average, hits, RBI's, on-base percentage and runs. And it's great when you have three leadoff hitters - the last two batting switch - at the top of the lineup in Juan Pierre, Rafael Furcal and Orlando Hudson and ur best HR hitter bats No.8 (Casey Blake). Frank Lucas is only the person who had something blue more potent than Dodger Blue.

Hudson has been a great free-agent pickup with his bat (.347 avg, 16 doubles, 30 RBI's, .495 OBP) and his defense - not to mention being a great clubhouse presence. O-Dog is currently on a 16-game hitting streak.Not to mention that he and Matt Kemp are some of the biggest characters in the clubhouse haha. He's already gotten settled in L.A. by working with kids the Urban Youth Academy in Compton along with Torii Hunter and Pierre.

Pierre has been the year's biggest surprise. He went from bench duty to potential All-Star candidate since filling in for Ramirez - hitting over .400, stealing bases and scoring runs like its Christmas. But it's what veterans do: Prepare to step in when necessary and produce. Oh yeah, inspire people to throw support behind you.

Kemp (Soul Bro. No. 27) got off to a hot start but he's falling back into old habits of impatience at the plate and swinging too freely. James Loney (Soul Bro. No. 7) is starting to find his power stroke and Andre Ethier is stayin solid- although he's slightly struggled a bit without him. And great bench guys in Juan Castro and Mark Loretta leave Joe Torre with no worries about relying on them.

I was worried about the starting rotation but 6-2 Chad Billingsley and 3-3 Clayton "The Young Prince" Kershaw have picked it up as the 1-2 force, along with 4-1 Eric Stults at the 3 spot. Randy Wolf (2-1) has had games where he looks like Pulp Fiction's "Mr. Wolf" instead of the Elder Lobo on his last legs back home.

Confusing stat of the year. Closer Jonathan Broxton ranks among the NL leaders in wins (5) and saves (11). It would assume that he's blown a few saves but he hasn't - the team has just had its share of late-inning heroics. He's gonna blow by his high of 14 saves and the way things are going he could have 10+ wins and 40+ saves.

The bullpen has been a mixed bag of sorts. Last year's star Cory Wade already has four blown saves and at least one walk in his last six appearances. But I blame most of that arm trouble at the beginning of the year and the mental recovery from it. Taking his place this year has been big righty Ramon Troncoso (2.08 ERA).

I love this guy's stuff and most of all his durability. Best relief appearance this year by any reliever? 4 innings of one-hit ball on Apr. 25. Throw him in with Brent Leach and Ronald Belisario and it's more good than bad.

It's really gotten to the point where I'm not really worried about Manny coming back. He's apparently started working out at Dodger Stadium (although I'd hope he gave the fans an apology) and he'll add that unique dimension to an already jacked-up lineup. But there's no more need to count down to July 3 with dread.

True Dodgers fans know this team has high potential that's starting to cash in. Let's watch to see where this ride takes us. It's that 100% pure goodness (at least now). Bring on the Cubs!

So You Think You Can Dance >>>>>> American Idol

American Idol is now over. I heard through the crowded winery that Kris Allen defeated Adam Lambert and somewhere 40+ million people tuned in like they always do for this talent show. Now Kris will join the successful careers of Taylor Hicks, Fantasia, Ruben Studdard – oh wait, when was the last time you saw them on the pop charts?

Sheet, Adam Lambert has a better chance of success because he lost. Successful winners are Kelly Clarkson, Jordin Sparks and Carrie Underwood, successful losers are Chris Daughtry, Clay Aiken and Jennifer Hudson. Whose career would you rather have?

Now that I forced myself to write two paragraphs analyzing American Idol, let me say that for the record I have never seen one episode of this show since it started in 2002. That summer, I was more geeked about starting college than watching a singing competition. Listening to people sing in a competition doesn’t interest me – I’m more into hearing people sing and judging that performance. But the bigger problem is letting America judge who wins – it’s all popularity, not skill.

Watching people sing for a prize doesn’t fascinate me. Singing is not easy but I can tell you from being involved in church choirs and playing the piano that you can train someone to use their voice if they learn the difference between off-key and on-key.

For the record, I abhor reality competitions but I do like watching a few, none more than So You Think You Can Dance. Now here’s a show that takes great skill, creativity and not everyone can do it. And it’s a show I never thought I’d watch.

Dancing requires a lot of technique and after I took salsa for my elective senior year, I got a better understanding of footwork and the nuances of an artform I never would’ve given two craps about. I always loved dancing at parties and clubs but after I took salsa, my views on it expanded.

Great singers are a dime a dozen. Great dancers are harder to find. I love hearing people sing but there’s something more fascinating with seeing someone dance because you can say so much with your body. There’s only so much you can do vocally but there’s so much more you can do with your body on the dance floor. It’s why dance-offs are more fascinating.

Case in point – go to any club and watch two people challenge each other. It’s way more hype than watching somebody sing with no stage presence.

My problem is that AI has not raised the art form. It’s changed the game to make people think that’s the way to stardom but it hasn’t brought any substance. SYTYCD, however, has made people take another look at dance and reinvigorated interest in a niche people haven’t really explored. Don’t forget hip-hop made waves first not because of the MC but because of the DJ and the b-boy/b-girl showing off their moves.

Plus, you don’t have to worry about the watering down of dance while watching the show because there are so many avenues for dancers that are still relatively niche in nature. I'm a big fan of singing but the challenge and creativity in dance is much more intriguing to watch.

So pardon me while I enjoy the summer’s best show and care less where Adam or Kris end up.

Memorial Day - Memory Lane

*plays Nas - Memory Lane in background*

Memorial Day means two things to most. Pay respect to everyone who gave their life for our freedoms and fire up that grill for some BBQ. On the first note, I want to honor the memory of a family member I never knew and only met at the Vietnam Vet Memorial in D.C., Lowell T. Combs. Mom took me and my sis to visit the wall during our first trip to DC back in 95 and that was something I still remembered - even going back 6 years later, I wanted to see his place on the memorial.

Dad was also a Vietnam Vet but never really talked much about those days. I don't blame him really. Between that and a good friend about to head back to Iraq at the end of the year, the sacrifice is close and palpable.

Growing up the holiday meant two things - Strawberry Festival and Disneyland. We'd head out to Garden Grove, watch Mom check stuff out, get some strawberry shortcake and roll out to the Magic Kingdom. I loved it cause I'd always get some basketball cards there and show 'em off the next day at school.

I always loved those long days. It'd be one of my favorite holidays to look forward to - back when Disneyland was way cheaper and simpler to navigate. Just park, hop on the tram and enjoy the day.

The most recent Memorial Day memory was also probably the scariest. I graduated from college in 2006 the night before and spent the night partying away with the peeps (sidenote: congrats to my USD peeps who graduated Sunday). Got to bed at 3 AM, woke up at 10, packed up the rest of my room and tried to drive home. Good idea, right?

Wrong!

All I remember is popping in the Chili Peppers' CD "Stadium Arcadium" (I had bought it along with Ghostface Killah's Fishscale before i left) and spending the next 2 hours in and out of consciousness. I just remember praying God don't let me crash right after the biggest moment of my life. It was a miracle that I got home because I don't remember the drive - I just remember stumbling through the door, quick hi's to the family and walking upstairs to my bed.

That's still probably the most tired I've been behind the wheel.

So whatever you do today - fire up the grill, think about the troops, hit up the beach for volleyball - enjoy the holiday. I got some links to fire up and hopefully I can fight this mini cold - dust is not my best friend.