Who wins? 1992 Dream Team vs. 2012 USA Men's Basketball

The Dream Team played 20 years ago this summer.  They have often been called the best basketball team to ever play together.  You had MJ, Bird, Magic, Barkley, Stockton, etc.  This was a great team; defeating it's opponents by an average of 44 points.

The 2012 team is about to begin it's run through the Olympics.  They have stars such as Lebron, KD, Kobe, CP3, etc.

People are now starting to debate if these two teams played each other, who would win.  Kobe was asked that recently and mentioned that he thinks his team would pull it out.

Jordan, being told what Kobe mentioned, said that that was the stupidest thing he could have said.

Barkley, also, laughed at Kobe's quote.

These three people are extremely competitive (as are most current and former NBA players) and that is what you'd expect them to say. 

Luckily for you all, I am here to give you my thoughts.

It starts with me talking about nostalgia.  As we get older, we all become more and more nostalgic.  Music isn't what it used to be, people were more respectful all those years ago, basketball was much better when I was younger. 
I have been known to get nostalgic.  I was growing up in the early to mid-90's when NBA on NBC was really getting big.  I loved the intro, the players, the teams.  I remember watching Barkley and the Suns play Hakeem and my Rockets.  It was amazing.  I'll never forget watching Reggi Miller (singlehandedly it seems) defeat the Knicks time and time again. 

Ask anybody who their favorite player of all time might be and, more often than not, they'll mention a player from when they were a kid.  My favorite player of all time is Hakeem Olajuwon and I doubt that will ever change.  No matter how well the Thunder does or how well Durant might play, he will never top Hakeem (in my eyes).  Every person in the world is nostalgic and loves the players from their childhood.

With that being said, I feel that we are being a little too nostalgic with the Dream Team. 
When people think about the guys on that team, they think about everybody in their prime.  Bird, possibly the greatest shooter we've ever known, couldn't even play because of back problems.  Magic was still a good player but was still past his prime.  In fact, he came out of retirement to play in the Olympics.  He ended up playing infrequently because of knee problems.  Sure, it was a cute idea to have those two pose with Jordan for a poster.  It was kind of a nice way for Bird and Magic to pass the torch to Jordan, letting him carry the league for a while.

I will go position by position:

Point Guard: Magic Johnson and John Stockton vs. Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and Deron Williams.

Magic, in his prime, was the best point guard to ever play the game.  However, 1992 Magie was not who he used to be.  Stockton was great and is the all-time assists and steals leader in the NBA.  However, I feel that Paul, Russell, and Deron are way too athletic.  How Stockton and Magic going to even attempt to guard them.  I think that when his career is over, Chris Paul will be considered one of the all time greats. 

Edge: 2012 team
Shooting Guard: Michael Jordan and Clyde Drexler vs. Kobe Bryant, James Harden, and Andre Iguodala

MJ is, arguably, the best player in NBA history.  Drexler was a great player and Hall-of-Famer.  Kobe is the only one out of the 3 2012 players that can play with the other guys.  Harden and Iguodala are good players but don't even belong in the conversation with the other three.

Edge: 1992 Dream Team

Small Forward: Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen, and Chris Mullin vs. Lebron James, Kevin Durant, and Carmelo Anthony,

Bird was a nonfactor in 1992.  I will always believe that Pippen was vastly overrated.  Mullin was a great shooter but not the best defensively.  Lebron, KD, and Anthony would dominate their Dream Team counterparts.

Edge: 2012 team

Power Forward: Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, and Christian Laettner vs. Kevin Love and Anthony Davis

Malone and Barkley are two of the three best power forwards of all time (along with Tim Duncan).  Laettner shouldn't have even been on this team (with LSU's Shaquille O'neal available).  Kevin Love is an up and coming player.  When it's all said and done, he might be considered up there.  Anthony Davis will most likely be on the team with Griffin's injury.  He was the top player in this year's draft.  I think he will have a great career but I really can't be sure about that.

Edge: 1992 Dream Team

Center: David Robinson and Patrick Ewing vs. Tyson Chandler

This position matchup shows you where the NBA game has gone since the 90's.  It used to be a center-dominated league.  The game has gone away from that and is played more on the wings.  The majority of centers in the league are becoming PF/C.  They're learning to play away from the basket.  Robinson and Ewing are two of the greats.  I do feel that they might have a harder time scoring than you would think against Chandler.  He is a great defensive presence.  Just don't expect Chandler to score much.

Edge: 1992 Dream Team

So by position, I have the 1992 team winning 3 while the 2012 team winning 2.

If these two teams could play, it would be a great game.  I'd give the slight edge to the Dream Team.  However, I think the 2012 team could beat that Dream Team.  Kobe's remarks were not that off-base.  We need to forget about nostalgia and look at it with an open mind.
The one thing that I know for sure is that it would be an AWESOME game!!!!

What is freedom of speech?

People say dumb and/or controversial things.  That never changes.  However, when there is some kind of repercussion or consequence for them saying these things, people always go to the "freedom of speech" rhetoric. 

Let's take Reggie Jackson for example.  "Mr October" is a Yankees legend.  You mention his name and people think of his great career as a Yankee.  (Of course, out of his 20 year career, he only played 5 years in New York.)  His nickname, Mr. October, came from his clutch hitting in the postseason.  Now, he serves as a special advisor to the Yankee organization.
In an SI interview, he discussed how Alex Rodriguez's numbers should be tainted and he should not get into the Hall of Fame.  Those remarks were not the smartest because Rodriguez plays for the Yankees (who Jackson advises).  Jackson might have actually been correct in his words.  However, he was completely mistaken when he said that Kirby Puckett, Gary Carter, Don Sutton, Phil Niekro, and Jim Rice shouldn't be in the Hall.
Anyways, the Yankees asked him to step away for a little bit in light of these controversial comments.  Because of this, people start screaming "WHERE IS HIS FREEDOM OF SPEECH."

He's not the only one who people scream that about: 

Don Imus' comments about Rutgers women's basketball that got his show cancelled, anything that Rush Limbaugh says, etc...

People wonder why they don't have their freedom of speech.


Read this closely: Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequence.

Did Reggie Jackson get arrested for his comments?  Did Don Imus get prosecuted?  The answer to this is no.

That is what "freedom of speech" means.  No legal action can be taken because of their comments. 

Go into your boss' office and call him/her "stupid".  Tell your boss that he/she doesn't know anything.  If he/she fires you, please don't say that your "freedom of speech" was taken away.

Freedom of speech DOES NOT mean that there is freedom from consequence!!!

It's Their Fault!!!

Whereever you go, you will find people that are passionate about their sports teams.  People love sports.  Nothing can rile a group of people up quite like their team losing or the opponent acting like jerks.  Sports is one thing that can bring people together.  You might find yourself hugging somebody that you wouldn't have even talked to in a million years.  When your team wins, that just makes it that much better.  You love everybody (as long as their sporting your team's colors).

However, sometimes your team might LOSE!!!

When your team loses, you must always find a scapegoat.  That is the number 1 rule.  Never, and I repeat, NEVER say that the opponent was the better team (for that one game)  It has to be my fault, for instance.  I wore the same shirt every game we won.  This game I decided to wear a different shirt.  Stupid me!!!.    Or, how dare you not eat your regular pre-game meal.  You usually eat 2 bowls of cereal.  This time, you ate one.  You're the reason we lost.  Sometimes, the reason is closer to the action.  If it wasn't for that one play (out of 100), we would have won. 

However, the biggest and best scapegoats in the world are the referees.  If you haven't mastered the art of blaming a referee, then you are not a true sports fans.  Forget the fact that there are always bad calls for both teams.  Forget the fact that they missed that call that went in my team's favor.

MY TEAM LOST!!!!    IT"S THE REFS' FAULT!!   THOSE REFS WANTED US TO LOSE!!!   (yelling this is done best when you slam your hand on a table while stomping like a child who didn't get his way)

Of course, the bad calls that go in your favor become cheers of  "good defense" or "awesome block".  However, it's best to ignore the fact that that "awesome block" may have been your player giving the opponent a high-five (while missing the ball completely) or the "good defense" was your player doing his best attempt at a mugging!! 

None of that matters.  The refs were the reason we lost!!    

WHY DO THEY HATE MY TEAM????

Another thing to remember to be a fan is that every referee is out to get you and your team.  They have dreams about how to mess up your team's goal of being champions.  They will do everything in their power to make your team lose.  Your team is ALWAYS playing 5 on 8!!   It's HARD to beat your opponent and the officials also.  However, that's your team's cross to bare. 

Are you a real fan? 

Then it's time to find your scapegoat!!!

A world for our future children!!

When a couple gets married, people all of a sudden start questioning them about when they will  start having kids. While we are a couple years away, I started thinking about how the world will be when our kids are growing up.

To tell you the truth, it made me a little sad.

The sadness had nothing to do with the economy, how clean the Earth may be, or anything like that.

It had to do with people's hearts or the lack thereof.  It had to do with the fact that total equality STILL doesn't exist.  It had to do with racism and bigotry still exist/

You may say that it is getting better.  I agree, it is getting better.  I don't mean to trivialize what feminists in the early part of this century and civil right leaders in the '60's may have gone through.  It continues to improve.

However, it pains me to see that when my children are growing up, gay marriage will still not be acknowledged nation-wide.  It makes me mad to think that people will still hate and discriminate because of these differences.  I know that I can't change every heart (or any heart) about this issue, or any other.  However, I just have to wonder what their reasons are.  What reasons do we have to not let two people who love each other so much marry?  Some people don't fully understand it until they put a face to the issue.  Sometimes, it takes that for the hatred and bigotry to go away.

People can back up this belief with any religious book that they choose. However, what it comes down to is love.  People often hide behind the term "Christian".  As a Christian, that is pretty offensive to me.  My God is a god of mercy and grace; not of this hate that is perpetrated by so many people.

For our future children, I want a world with: gay marriage
                                                                        women truly having equal rights
                                                                        harder access to guns
                                                                        people exhibiting love instead of hate


Remember that hate is NOT a family value!!!

Fred Astaire vs. Gene Kelly

There are many debates out there.  Coke vs. Pepsi, Beatles vs. Rolling Stones, Garfield vs. Heathcliff, Frank Sinatra vs. Bing Crosby.

One of these such debates is "Who was better?  Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly."

These two men have been compared and contrasted many times.  They've been compared in books, in films, and now in my blog.  The average person can easily see that they are very different in the way that they approach dance.  I don't have a great deal of technical knowledge about dance.  However, I have spent an unknown amount of hours watching and enjoying both of them and their movies.  So let's begin:

Now to begin this conversation, you need a little bit of information.

Fred Astaire was born in 1899 and from the age of 6 was already in show business.  Astaire started as a brother-sister act with his sister, Adele.  They continued to do this until he was 32. He then went to Hollywood to be in movies.  According to Hollywood folklore, his first screen test is reported to have said, "Can't Sing.  Can't Act.  Balding.  Can dance a little."  Then his partnership with Ginger Rogers began.



Gene Kelly was born in 1912.  He didn't enter into show business until he was 26.  He started on Broadway in a show called, "Leave It To Me" as a dancer.  Then he got a part in "Time of Your Life" which is the first show that he danced to his own choreography.  His big break came when he starred in "Pal Joey".  It was during this show's run that David Selznick saw him and signed him to a contract. He then sold Kelly to MGM and his movie career began.


When Fred was making his move through the Big Apple, the shows were an excuse to get the latest songs out there.  The dialogue and action were written around the songs.  By the time Gene came around, most of these songs had been written.  His shows, such as "Pal Joey", were a little darker and had a story line that easily integrated the songs into the show.

Acting


Their acting mirrored their dancing in a way. With Fred Astaire, there is a shrugging quality to him.  He doesn't look like he's really trying.  He often plays a lovable, affable character.  It's kind of like he's saying, "Bare with me as I get to the next dance and then I'll amaze you".

As it seems that Fred Astaire might not be trying.  Gene Kelly seems to be trying too hard.  The characters that he tended to play were more brash, more outspoken.  He didn't like to see closeups of himself because he wasn't a natural actor.  He felt that his face showed that he was really trying.  His best acting was in the movies where he played a boastful, over-the-top character.

Singing


Neither Gene Kelly nor Fred Astaire are thought of as having wonderful voiced.  However, they are both very enjoyable.  Their voices are kind of alike in that they both have a high timbre to their voice. However, Irving Berlin preferred Fred Astaire to sing his songs than any other singer in the world.  That included Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Perry Como, etc.  That is because he felt that Astaire interpreted his songs better then any other person.

Dancing

Now we get to their bread and butter.  Their dancing is what they are truly known for.

Fred Astaire, just like his acting, often seems like he's not trying.  He is very up-right in his dancing and his taps skim the floor.  His dancing seems to characterize class and elegance.  It seems that he has invisible wings that slightly lift him up.  His body was longer and leaner than Gene's and he had a higher center of gravity.  No matter how he moves, it seems that his dancing is completely effortless.  He is probably working extremely hard but you would never know.


Gene Kelly, just like his acting, seems to be trying a little harder.  His dancing is low to the ground.  He has a much lower center of gravity.  His taps are more pronounced.  They seem to be digging into the ground a little bit more.  He was more trained in different dances than was Astaire.  He liked to incorporated these dances into his movies.  His three most celebrated movies are ones that had long dance breaks that incorporated his ability to perform different types of dance.  These three are "Singin' in the Rain", "On the Town", and "An American in Paris".  From the latter, he won an honorary Oscar for "his versatility as an actor, singer, director and dancer, and specifically for his brilliant achievements in the art of choreography on film."


These two performers were both excellent in what they did.  The only true similarities are that they both danced and sang in movies.  They way that they danced was very different from each other.  They were both innovative and led the way for many dancers and performers on stage and in film.

Personally, I prefer Gene Kelly's way of dance and his movies to that of Fred Astaire.  However, I enjoy both of them and will continue to do so for years to come!!

                                                                         Fred Astaire

                                                                           Gene Kelly

                                                                  Gene and Fred together

March is maddening!!!

It comes around once a year.  You know it's here by the crumpled up paper in the wastebasket, by the grumblings going on at the nearest watering hole, by the lack of anything productive being done at work.  Yes, my friends, it is March Madness.  No other time has a name fit so well.  

Why do so many people love this time of year?  

It's easily my favorite sports time of the year, even when I don't have a team vying for a championship.  Why is that?  For me, the Super Bowl can be hard to get into if I don't care about either team.  I feel the same way about the World Series, BCS Championship, and the NBA Finals.  March Madness is different though.  It is a tournament of 68 teams (68's right?  It still should be 64).  It's do or die time.  It's pure excitement.  The first weekend is the best part of an unbiased observer like myself.  You have games all day long, usually 3 or 4 at a time.

Why is March Madness so great?

Everybody loves a Davis vs. Goliath story.  We love the small underdog taking on the big boys.  That's why there are so many of these type of movies: Hoosiers, Rudy, Major League, Rocky, Cool Running, Little Giants.  There's a reason people love those movies.  They are inspirational.  At no other time will you find me being a huge Belmont fan, or a big Lehigh fan.  No other time will I say "Go Norfolk St.".  However, when these teams do the unbelievable, I feel like a kid on Christmas.  I jump up and down and continue to say, "I can't believe it".  This is what brings out the Madness in March.

It's great because of the last second shots to win the game.  It's Bryce Drew hitting the shot to help his dad reach the next game.  It's seeing the Christian Laettner shot over and over reminding me why I dislike Duke.  It's Rip Hamilton hitting the shot against Washington to save them from being upset.  It's Tyus Edney going coast-to-coast against Mizzou on their way to a championship.  It's John Lucas hitting the three to take my alma mater to the Final Four.

March Madness is one of the reasons we all watch sports.  

May your March continue to be maddening!!!!!