oklahoma!

Seattle Supersonics / NBA Chamionship, 1979

"its ironic, I had the brew she had the chronic / the lakers beat the supersonics" - ice cube

Did you hear the news? The Seattle Supersonics are leaving Seattle. 41 years of history, bought and sold, and moving to The Sooner State. Oklahoma City, OK to be exact. While Seattle must be reeling from the loss, Oklahomans are no doubt very excited about the impending move. Expansion sports teams bring great boosts to any metropolitan economy, not to mention the urban renewal programs surrounding the new stadium construction. New bars, clubs, shops, restaurants; all byproducts of a revived sports community. And the very best part of all? RE-NAMING YOUR TEAM!!

Like if when the Nets move to Brooklyn for example, we're gonna rename them "The Brooklyn Bull-Shits" or something equally hip hop. We have to - I'm pretty sure Hovito put that in the contracts somewhere. But how unbelievably HIP HOP of OKlahoma would it be for them to name their new team "The OK Players"? MAN!! Then they could draft a bunch of dudes from Philly, maybe start some online message boards...

number one spot

Summertime: when the weather is so suppressing, we take refuge in air-conditioned movie houses and watch stories about outdoor activities. It's a beautiful thing.

Just in time for the funky heat -- MCA, 1/3 of the Beastie Boys (the one with the gravely voice) has a new movie in theaters this Friday. It's a basketball documentary called 'Gunnin For That Number One Spot', which we don't believe has anything to do with Ludacris. Nor is MCA getting his Larry Fishburne on Luda style - he's not acting - he's directing. The movie has received some favorable reviews (go'n and google it) and the preview is pretty dope. ¿qué puedes perder?

deep thoughts

those are mind-reading machines

Spaulding H. Forsythe asks: what's on your mind?

then tells us what's on his:

• Ok, American Idol ended. Did you see this though?
• Summer allergies? Listen to Oprah and flush your skull.
• By now, we’re all familiar with one of Bob James’ greatest contributions to hip-hop, ‘Mardi Gras.’ Apparently Biz Markie has it on 12” without the bells on the break. Diabolical!
• If you haven’t heard, the future of Professional Basketball now resides somewhere in the Northwest.
• The ruffian's dream come true.
• According to this report, I'm a social shrinker. I don’t shrink until I'm shrunk.
• Straight poetry meets hip-hop meets the UK countryside and its animals. Baffling.
• I don’t know what the title of this blog means, but I know it’s amazing.
• If you’re ever looking for 34 versions of ‘Walk on By,’ I know a place.
• Also, this is ridiculous

have a ball yall

The weather is cooperating. The season is beginning to peak. And the playgrounds are packed with ballplayers and those who consider themselves ballplayers but participate by watching.
Back before it mattered what shoes you were wearing to the park, it mattered what ball you brought. So let’s run that down:

The ultra-sticky

This ball still smelled like Target®; a fresh, right-out-the-box rock with the pimples all defined and clingy, no dirt in the seams. This was the kind of ball that gave some sense of confidence because suddenly you could palm a basketball. Just like Jordan. But that confidence could also suddenly crumble because, given a chance, your five-year-old niece could palm it too. The downside: After a few hours of playing, your fingers would start to bleed because they stuck more to the ball then to your fingernails. Not a good look.

The broken-in

This was a quality ultra-sticky after about a month of outside pickup. Some (*cough* Rawlings’, Huffy’s, Baden’s *cough*) barely lasted a week before losing grip and bounce. The broken-in was just that, broken in. These were the rocks that no one ever noticed were being used over and over again, they just were. No one ever stopped the game and complained; no one ever had to lick their fingers. This was the playground-pill you tried to devise a scheme to casually leave the court with because it was just a nice ball. Usually only had a month, maybe a bit more, window of broken-in status. Then would lose shape due to the heavy use. It was sad when you had to retire a broken-in. It really was.

The this’ll do

Not the first choice ball. Probably has cracked plastic/pleahter/rubber, or a peeling panel or two. This was the rock that was used when a broken-in ball was not around; either the owner left or it got punted onto the roof of the neighboring building over some ridiculous foul call. It was getting smooth or fuzzy from wear and, most times, had some inconsistencies in shape. If it wasn’t going oblong it had weird tumor-like bumps on it where the inner tube of the ball ruptured, making it look cancerous. Now, I’m not one to ever, EVER blame the ball, but every once in a while you’d dribble and hit that bump. If anything, this ball was actually a good one to use because it forced you to stay on your game to make up for its faults.

The Voit

This ball was a rarity in use, not so much in appearance. Everyone had a Voit it seemed, and there was never a good one in the bunch. Even fresh out the box, this ball sucked. No grip, strange sized grooves, and had the most lifeless sound when dribbled. And the ones that had been around the playgrounds for a while were glossy, almost worn down to gleaming rubber excuses of basketballs. Honestly, you could play jacks with these and get a better use out of them. Plus, shooting with them was a struggle. You could give yourself carpel-tunnel trying to flick your wrist with these things and you’d still be throwing knuckle balls at the rim. But, of course, when you did make a bucket or two, or a nice pass, or left someone at the top of key thinking about how they just got blown by, with one, you felt unstoppable, like you had a stroke of genius; or more dime-dropping ability then that dude in Belly; or more handle then a box of door knobs. So as horrible as the Voit was, it still had the potential to make you feel like you had a good day in the park.

the NBA playoffs, batches!

I know many people who have expressed their discontent, if not complete disapproval, of this year’s NBA playoffs.

Not exciting, you say. Who cares? you scream.
Two words: The Warriors. They’ll make you care.

Last night’s game was bananners. Yes. That’s bananas and bonkers. Check the box score: 116-112. The best flavor of basketball: respectfully fast-paced. Sure the Jazz won. But who thought they could run like that? And the Warriors, they’re playing unconsciously stupid-amazing basketball. And I guess that might happen when you join a very elite table for three; only three times in the modern playoff format has a #8 seed knocked off a #1. But that was last week.

Yes, it’s true: there’s a good chance the Spurs will win again. And many of us will weep and wonder why the most unexciting team to watch has to be so fu*king good. But last night, 72 total points (37-35) were scored in the first quarter between the Warriors and the Jazz. Seventy-two! It’s bucket-after-bucket basketball, folks. The frickin’ playoffs we’ve all heard about. You know, the only time its worth watching. Remember?


Finally the league has a strong story, a narrative, after a season almost afloat. There are characters worth watching: Baron Davis, Stephen Jackson on the perfectly-imperfect Warriors; “I Do Everything” Deron Williams and “20-Boards” Boozer on the Jazz; the Pistons wielding their best-guards-in-the-league and stifling defense weapons well; the Suns with Nash and Amare are sickening with talent and bounce; it’s just good to see Chicago’s lineup in the mix; the Cavs are the beam of light the savior apparently glides down to the earth on; and then the Spurs are like the sitcom that’s been on for too long, like 24 or some sh*t, where, yeah, it and the cast were good, then, but now the theme song has taken on the similar effect of a car alarm or a Black Eyed Peas song, but you still watch. And then the match-ups, Chicago and Detroit is a classic one, the Cavs and Nets are a bit of run-and-gun and youth vs. vets, same with the Suns and Spurs, but the one to watch is the Warriors and Jazz.

I know, I know; I never thought I’d be recommending people to watch the Jazz either, but damn, if the rest of the series is like last night, all other future plans will have to be cancelled.


It looks like the Warriors are peaking because they threw everything out the window. All game plans, all set plays, defensive stance; all seem gone. Nellie has a pack of wild jerseyed animals on his hands that run and score and steal and rebound and score again. It’s amazing to watch. And reminds you of why the game was so great to begin with, watching specimens of hard-court talent let themselves loose for 40 minutes. The Warriors weren’t supposed to beat Dallas, what with the Mavs’ calculated trades and bottomless bucket of recognized player-genius. Oh, but they did. And with reckless abandon. The greatest unknown defeated the well-known known. And that’s what the playoffs are all about.

So I suggest you watch, especially the Warriors, and remember why.

razzle dazzle

To quote Marge Simpson, who once challenged Bart to a game of the basketball, "I'm no Harvey Globtrotter..."
When I was in the fifth grade, I was on a co-ed team and used to have to guard girls who were twice my size. Also around that time, my mother worked at a nearby highschool, and would have to attend games in order to watch the doors. I would tag along naturally, as when one is a little dun, one likes to hang around all of the ultra-cool teenage varsity basketball players. One time before a game, I was hit square in the face by a directly passed basketball some evil teenager through at me. To this day I can close my eyes and see clearly that fleeting moment as the orange sphere made like a cannonball towards my face. Laid me right out, boy.
Those are my personal memories of basketball. I like these ones better:
• 1984-1988 NBA Slam Dunk Contests
• 1987 NBA Slam Dunk Competition
• The Human Highlight Reel
• Shawn Kemp "Dunking On The Helpless"
• 1995-1996 NBA Top Ten Blocks in german!
• "Homenaje a Julius Erving"
• Patrick Ewing dunks on Zo
• 1985 Los Angeles Lakers Showtime Magic, Kareem, Worthy, Midnight Star.

a little ol' fashioned b-ball

The NBA Playoffs started last week and its all ready certain a new team will be crowned this year. On Sunday, the Chicago Bulls broke out the brooms and sweep last year’s champions, the Miami Heat. Chi-town, will be facing a familiar rival, going up against the Detroit Pistons, who also managed to sweep the Orlando Magic under the rug as well. You don’t have to be a sports fanatic to enjoy playoff basketball, there is always the possibility to live out your hoop dreams via your computer. VU Games has a brand new game available online only called FreeStlye Street Basketball. FreeStyle has taken over the bodega so if you wanna suit up and test the kids, get at us. When we say takeover, we don't mean were turing into ESPN but we do want to see who's got game out there. Once you download the game, you will be able to challenge the Bodgea crew or take on some of your favorite websites and bloggers as a part of our FreeStyle Gaming League. Also, stay tuned because like always, we'll be offering up some great prize packs for all those who think they have what it takes to be the king of the court.