Sure, these are a few days late, but our crack astrologer Buck Delano was busy last month on some sort of weird mission to Central America where he was trying to procure large amounts of fertilizer.  Why?  The stars know why.

Aquarius- Think hard about this one- when was the last time you actually watched another human being put on a pair of socks?  Not in a movie, or anything, but live.  When was the last time? Has it been a while?

Pisces- Why not export the entire NBA wholesale to Chinese as way to pay down the national debt?  Nobody would miss it after a year except Ernie Johnson, and  we need to get those treasury notes back on our soil somehow.

Leo- Your wife is quite a dish.

Scorpio- I love your pants!  They’re fantastic!

Cancer- Your stream of consciousness is heavily silted.

Virgo- You need to stop  drinking over a liter of soda a day.  That shit is gross and everyone is noticing.

Capricorn- You know that feeling you get when a really hot chick is way into you and you fucking know it and you can say nothing wrong in front of her and she is so digging your shit and you wake up and it’s Friday morning and you have plans to hang out with her tonight and every step you take and every word out of your mouth that day is exactly perfect and you know it because it feels like  raw fucking MDMA is being shot out of every neuron in your synaptic cortex?   If you could bottle that up and sell it, you would awesome.  Better living through chemistry.

Sagittarius- How are you still alive? Fuck Sagittariuses.

Aries- If you knew how much money and pussy this website gets us, you would keel over with envy.

Taurus- Anyone still wearing the stock Apple iPhone earbuds in this day and age is queerbait.  Get some nice over-the-ear headphones with some drivers in them.

Gemini- Looking for a change in your life?  Buy some explosives.  Why not?

Libra- That pang of guilt you feel for that bad thing you did last week?  That is actually early-stage onset syphilis.  Go get that checked out right away.

Classic.  TBS sucked the entire playoffs, and the fans made a quality decision here.  It’s just too bad an actual good broadcaster like Ernie Johnson got the brunt of the boos.   Can we just state these boos were meant for Chip Caray and company?

Ernie Johnson’s masterpiece — The BOOKHOUSE

I say ‘masterpiece’, because I consider the BOOKHOUSE to be a true work of art — creative, tasteful and incredibly well put together. Ernie is a craftsman of the Internet. But not only that but a philanthropist to authors looking to showcase their books.

Being a clumsy, computer illiterate, I admire anyone with skills and knowledge of computer language. Unfortunately, many web sites employ so many gimics and bizarre flashing items in clashing colours, that they are a ‘turn off’ as far as I am concerned. Just because things are available does not mean that all of them have to be employed — to the detriment of the essential contents.

A visit to the BOOKHOUSE is like entering a well-ordered bookstore or library where the genre you are seeking is there ready and waiting, clearly ordered. Here – at the click of the mouse – we see the latest books by new authors. All of them potential best sellers. Book covers, reviews or synopsis reveal each books contents, plus where they can be purchased. You can even have a chat with one of the authors on certain days.

Take a look at the BOOKHOUSE

And my page there.

Maybe you should be there too?

A few days after Michael Jackson died, his father Joe was smiling and waving to the crowds outside his Encino home while promoting his new record label. Now he’s got a new act: “The Jackson 3″. He’s talking about Michael’s kids.

On Monday, Joe Jackson, was interviewed by the UK’s The Sun. The Paul Solomon article on Monday gave a rundown of the situation, and it elicited a strong response from our readers.

Below is a comment from our long-time reader Ernie Johnson, who doesn’t pull any punches:

“How much longer do we have to endure the non-stop Michael Jackson circus? Yes, he was killed by a representative of the insurance company because he was worth more dead than alive. Yes, his father beat him as a child and that turned him into the pedophile freak that he became. Yes, he had a pet chimp, whom he taught to moon walk. Yes, he outbid Paul McCartney for the Beatles catalog. Yes, he had three kids who weren’t biologically his (nor his “wife’s”). So now you’re telling us that ol’ Joe is going to teach Paris, Prince, and little Blanket how to sing and dance, and beat them with a coat hanger until they learn their steps? Blah, blah, [expletive deleted] blah. Enough already! I’ll wait until the movie comes out on Blu-ray”.

No stranger to controversy, Ernie’s stream-of-consciousness rant was in questionable taste, a fact that our readers either missed, or didn’t want to comment on. Or maybe some of them agreed with Ernie. Is this what people are thinking but are afraid to say? There were other comments:

Our long-time reader and commentator Marc got the wrong Joe Jackson, but as is his style, he may have been trying to make a point: “I liked Joe Jackson much better when he was putting out edgy New Wave songs like ‘Is She Really Going Out With Him’ and ‘Steppin’ Out’. His new stuff really creeps me out,” Marc said, referring to the singer of the same name, who hit his peak in the 1970s and 1980s.

Johnny G. responded to Marc: “I think what Marc is saying is that Joe Jackson the singer is getting a bad name from Joe Jackson the child-beater,” he said, then got back on the real subject of today’s what-the-heck-is-going-on news. “Michael’s dad is making an idiot out of himself, and when I heard Joe’s wife Katherine was getting custody, it made me wonder what was going on. Now I’m hearing that Joe is separated from his wife, so hopefully he won’t be allowed to have anything with them. As for the ‘Jackson 3′, I don’t see how anybody in charge of the kids’ welfare would agree to this. But when you’re talking about the amount of money to be made, anything can happen.”

Don Powell said it best: “Joe Jackson should be kept as far away from these children as possible. He’s a total nut case.”

A few days after Michael Jackson died, his father Joe was smiling and waving to the crowds outside his Encino home while promoting his new record label. Now he’s got a new act: “The Jackson 3″. He’s talking about Michael’s kids.

On Monday, Joe Jackson, was interviewed by the UK’s The Sun. The Paul Solomon article on Monday gave a rundown of the situation, and it elicited a strong response from our readers.

Below is a comment from our long-time reader Ernie Johnson, who doesn’t pull any punches:

“How much longer do we have to endure the non-stop Michael Jackson circus? Yes, he was killed by a representative of the insurance company because he was worth more dead than alive. Yes, his father beat him as a child and that turned him into the pedophile freak that he became. Yes, he had a pet chimp, whom he taught to moon walk. Yes, he outbid Paul McCartney for the Beatles catalog. Yes, he had three kids who weren’t biologically his (nor his “wife’s”). So now you’re telling us that ol’ Joe is going to teach Paris, Prince, and little Blanket how to sing and dance, and beat them with a coat hanger until they learn their steps? Blah, blah, [expletive deleted] blah. Enough already! I’ll wait until the movie comes out on Blu-ray”.

No stranger to controversy, Ernie’s stream-of-consciousness rant was in questionable taste, a fact that our readers either missed, or didn’t want to comment on. Or maybe some of them agreed with Ernie. Is this what people are thinking but are afraid to say? There were other comments:

Our long-time reader and commentator Marc got the wrong Joe Jackson, but as is his style, he may have been trying to make a point: “I liked Joe Jackson much better when he was putting out edgy New Wave songs like ‘Is She Really Going Out With Him’ and ‘Steppin’ Out’. His new stuff really creeps me out,” Marc said, referring to the singer of the same name, who hit his peak in the 1970s and 1980s.

Johnny G. responded to Marc: “I think what Marc is saying is that Joe Jackson the singer is getting a bad name from Joe Jackson the child-beater,” he said, then got back on the real subject of today’s what-the-heck-is-going-on news. “Michael’s dad is making an idiot out of himself, and when I heard Joe’s wife Katherine was getting custody, it made me wonder what was going on. Now I’m hearing that Joe is separated from his wife, so hopefully he won’t be allowed to have anything with them. As for the ‘Jackson 3′, I don’t see how anybody in charge of the kids’ welfare would agree to this. But when you’re talking about the amount of money to be made, anything can happen.”

Don Powell said it best: “Joe Jackson should be kept as far away from these children as possible. He’s a total nut case.”

To read all the comments at the author’s Web site, please go to: http://www.paulsolomon.blogspot.com

"Okay, Mo, you are no longer our point guard, because Lebron is going to handle the ball for the rest of the game while you stand stationary on the wing and watch him do something Lebronesque that will hopefully lead us to a win." What else could Cleveland Cavaliers head coach have said during this meeting late in the third quarter?

Between the Orlando Magic and Cleveland Cavaliers, the Magic are the better team. The Cavaliers have the best player, however. That player is Lebron James, who, predictably, did exactly what NBA Commissioner David Stern was hoping he would. His Majesty notched the fourth triple-double of his playoff career with 37 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists, taking over late with, predictably, a little help from his official friends.

James, entering this must-win Game 5, didn’t want to have to score a ridiculous amount of points for his team to win. What he failed to realize is that his supporting cast is so paltry that Cleveland only wins if he goes crazy.

The Cavaliers don’t run an offense. They have one play, which is called ‘let’s-give-the-ball-to-Lebron-and-hope-he-scores.’ On this night, it worked. James had a hand in 32 points in the fourth quarter; he scored 17, and dished assists that amounted to 15 points by his teammates. The only reason they scored any points in the fourth quarter was because the Magic converged on his continuous drives and left them open. This was a good decision. How were the Magic defenders supposed to know that the likes of Mo Williams and Daniel Gibson would reward James? They hadn’t in the previous four games. This was a freak accident, and will not happen again.

Holding a six point lead late in the fourth quarter, the player ran the play, drove into the lane and initiated contact with Orlando’s center Dwight Howard. Howard was straight as an arrow, and did not commit a foul. James ran right into him, and clearly should have been called for an offensive foul. Yet, a whistle was blown, as one of Stern’s cohort’s followed continued to follow his orders, on Howard. It was his sixth foul, disqualifying him for the remaining two minutes. To make matters worse, James’ shot went in.

After the Cavaliers ten-point win that forced a Game 6 in Orlando, Kenny “The Jet” Smith and the infamous Charles Barkley weren’t impressed with the victory. Smith repeatedly asked Reggie Miller, who is clearly salivating over the possibility of a Cavaliers-Lakers finals, “Can Lebron do this two more times?”. It was a simple question, one Miller did not answer. Barkley chimed in saying, “If he does that two more times, Orlando shakes his hand.” This was Smith and Barkley’s way of saying that there is no chance he can duplicate this performance. Here’s the problem for Cleveland: Lebron will need to prove Smith and Barkley wrong to win the series.

The Cavaliers held a 22-point lead in the first quarter. Even at home, this was not a safe margin. The Magic turned the tables in the second quarter, and climbed within one on a three-pointer by Rashard Lewis at the halftime buzzer. This further proved that Cleveland doesn’t have the talent to keep up with Orlando. Yet, they regained their composure, and were down only one entering the fourth period. This is when the play went into full effect.

Orlando didn’t have an answer for James, but that doesn’t mean–even though Cleveland’s tactic managed to pay dividends–that it’s a recipe for prolonged success. The Magic, after making seventeen three-pointers in Game 4, were surprisingly outscored in this department, managing to drain only 8 of 25 attempts, while the Cavaliers canned nine. They weren’t at their best, yet they managed to overcome a huge early deficit, exploit many Cleveland weaknesses, and prove why, even with this loss, they are vastly superior.

Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy voiced his displeasure with the Cavaliers system, saying “the game is basically all Lebron, all the time…if he get’s into the lane, it’s automatically a foul. We have to find a way to stop that.”

Gundy should be thrilled: Orlando heads home, to the friendly confines of Amway Arena, where a one-play offense and one-man shows go to die.

ryan vesler is a sicko. he made an elevator ernie johnson shirt. don’t worry, this video clip will explain who ernie johnson is. this is the coolest thing ever. it’s amazing that ryan got a shout out from ernie johnson before an nba playoff game. 

many of you are familiar with ryan’s shirts. they’re ferocious. you should probably buy a few. i know gym, kate piv, and joe pa have. i’m going to say you’ll like these best: surf ohio, detroit, holy toledo!, block ohio, archie.

photo: celticsbeagle.net A few weeks ago, we celebrated the one year anniversary of The Playground Gave Us… It

I’ve been watching the NBA on TNT for many years now and the crew of Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, and Ernie Johnson are usually entertaining, and sometimes even correct about what they say.  Last night, Barkley, Smith, and Chris Webber made fools of themselves.  They took what Dirk Nowitzki said totally out of context and criticized him mercilessly for no reason.  

In Game 1 of the Denver Nuggets-Dallas Mavericks series, Kenyon Martin shoved Dirk Nowitzki to the ground hard and got a flagrant foul.  Then Barkley, Smith, and Webber – the Three Blind Mice – criticized Nowitzki for not doing anything.  However, if Dirk had punched Martin he would have been thrown out of the game and they would have criticized him for that. 

Less skilled players have always tried to provoke stars in hockey to get them to retaliate but thankfully the NHL has cracked down on that.  It doesn’t happen as much in the NBA but there is still a big danger that retaliating will get you thrown out.  During Game 4 of a playoff series in 2007, Robert Horry of the Spurs made a flagrant foul on Steve Nash of the Suns, which got Horry ejected from games 5 and 6, but the Suns’ Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw got ejected for Game 5 for leaving the bench, and the Spurs won the final two games of the series.  So it would have been stupid for Dirk to react to the incident.  Just last week the Magic’s Dwight Howard got ejected for a game for throwing an elbow.

Then they showed a clip of Nowitzki talking about three of the Nuggets defenders.  “I think Birdman does a good job because he’s so long.  He contests my shot.  Martin and Nene are stronger and they try to body me more and Birdman’s just long and when I shoot he can still jump up there and contest the shot.  So, yeah, they’ve got three very good defenders.” 

The Three Blind Mice went off about how terrible it was for Nowitzki to say that, misquoting him and implying that the quote meant that they could stop him, and criticizing him for not trash talking.  

First of all, what Dirk said was no different than what any player on any team in any sport says all the time.  He is complementing the other team because to do the opposite would result in bulletin board material that could potentially fire up the opponents.  If he had done what the Three Blind Mice wanted him to do, he would have been criticized for saying something stupid. 

Second, Nene, Kenyon Martin, and Chris Andersen are a very good trio of big men.  The Three Blind Mice are right that they can’t guard Dirk but Nowitzki was just factually describing that they are good players.  Take a look at Dirk’s quote again and now look at how the three former players interpreted it.  

Chris Webber:  “Dirk is scared of a defender.  I’ll tell you why I could stop him.  I can stop him because he got that push.”  Really?  Because someone pushed Nowitzki and got a flagrant foul that means that you could stop him, Chris?  CWebb, there is no way you could stop Dirk.  If he reacted then he would have risked being kicked out of the game.  “I’ve never heard a scorer, I’ve never heard a true warrior, a dog, say ‘this guy can check me.’  First of all, Nowitzki didn’t say, ‘this guy can check me.’  He said they were good defenders.  This quote is no different than any other quote ever.  “I’m saying that he doesn’t want to get pushed anymore so he’s conceding and being very nice and saying they are the best ever.  I’m just shocked.”  The best ever?  Look at Nowitzki’s quote again.  What you say is a crock.  Get rid of your alligator shoes and practice your commentary.

Chris, you say some intelligent things, but this time you sounded idiotic.  Dirk’s quote was probably a reply to a question like this: “Can you talk about the big men that are defending you – Birdman, Nene, and Martin?  What makes them hard to play against?” 

Kenny Smith:  “It feeds the stereotype that this guy is playing a little soft.”  On what Dirk said:  “I’ve never heard that before.  So then Charles chimed in and he’s never heard that from a great MVP.  I’ve never heard a great scorer say that guys can guard me.  This is the most I’ve ever heard.  I’ve heard a guy go, ‘they do a great job of trying to guard me but I can hit the shot that I want every time.’  Look at the quote again, Kenny.  

Charles Barkley:  “That pisses me off every time I hear that.  If a guy even thought he could guard me I’d tell him, ‘I’m going to kick your ass tonight.’  Grandma Barkley would say, ‘You can’t let people tell you they can stop you.’  Then he started to bring up “Grandma Nowitzki” before E.J. stopped him.  First of all, the Nuggets defenders never said they could stop Dirk and Dirk never said they could stop him.  Barkley went on:  “One of the keys to being a great player is having so much confidence in yourself…for Dirk to say that guys can stop him, that’s just not cool…There might be one guy who can stop you or slow you down, but three can’t.”  Nowitzki never said guys could stop him.  Look at the quote again.    

Webber went on, “You can’t guard me!”  Smith replied, “And that’s what you’re supposed to say.”  Webber said he’s played with a lot of great players and “never heard one of them say you can check me.”  Wrong, Webber.  This quote is no different than millions that have been said throughout the years.  Dirk did NOT say, “you can check me.”  He said Birdman’s length poses a problem while the other two are more power players.  They are good defenders.  That’s it.  Nothing more, nothing less.  

Shame on Ernie Johnson for not offering up a different opinion until much later in the show.  

Part of the problem with sports as entertainment is that productivity, or winning doesn’t matter.  It just matters how you do something – what kind of style you have.  It’s why Shaquille O’Neil is considered a better player than Hakeem Olajuwon, when Hakeem was much better.  Shaq never won a title without all-time greats alongside him.  Does Shaq have ANY offensive moves?  He loves to talk, though.  It’s why Dwight Howard is considered a better player than Yao Ming when Ming is a much better center.  Howard is more gregarious and Yao is more humble.  Respect other cultures and understand that players from Europe and Asia can still be great players without shouting it from the mountaintop.  

David Robinson was called “soft” because he didn’t trash talk and didn’t have tons of tattoos. How could one of the best rebounders and shot blockers in NBA history be soft?  All Robinson did was win the Rookie of the Year, win a gold medal as part of the Dream Team, win two NBA titles, win the NBA MVP, was named Defensive Player of the Year and in 1994 scored 71 points in the final game to win the scoring title.  Robinson was named one of the top 50 players in NBA history. 

It’s why Art Monk, one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history, took 8 years to make it to the NFL Hall of Fame (see http://www.coachmike.net/artmonk.php and www.myredskinsblog.com).  He was modest and didn’t trash talk, and for that reason, many didn’t like him.  

Webber:  You helped dismantle the Washington Bullets franchise and your antics were part of the reason they changed their name to the Wizards.  Abe traded you away, young for old, big for small, just to get rid of you to have solid citizens.  Who are you to criticize Dirk?  At least he made it to the finals.  You were known as a talented player who was afraid to take big shots during crunch time and when you did take those shots they were jumpers.  You pretend that you are tough but you grew up privileged, going to a cushy private school in a nice area. 

Smith:  You were an NBA bust until you got on the Rockets, and then it was Hakeem’s team.  You were a 3-point shooter, not a point guard.  Rookie Sam Cassell was brought in during crunch time during the NBA finals in ’94 and then again in ’95 while you were on the bench.  You’re a good commentator now but for many years you were painful to listen to on TNT and the way you talk doesn’t seem 100% real or authentic. 

Barkley:  You recently said that your DWI last year was the best thing that could have happened to you because you did it countless times and would have kept doing it until you got caught.  Really?  You’re almost 50 and you didn’t realize you should be drinking and driving? You admit that you would have continued to do it if you hadn’t gotten caught?  Maybe if you had played more defense you would have won an NBA title.  Late in your career you relied on the 3-point shot too much.  Yes, you’re entertaining but half the stuff you say is wrong.  But you say it with authority and that’s enough for most people.  

For the record, Dirk had 28 points and 10 rebounds against Denver in Game 1 and 35 points in Game 2.   The Mavs will probably lose the series to the Nuggets after being down 2-0 but not because of Dirk.  The Nuggets have the better team.  

***

Now that I’ve had a day to think about it, I stand by everything I wrote. What Barkley, Smith, and Webber said was much worse than ridiculous and inaccurate.  

However, overall these guys are usually good commentators and entertaining.  Also, I feel sorry for anyone under 25 because they didn’t get to see Barkley in his prime and he was unbelievable the way he ran the floor, coast to coast, dribbling the ball for dunks. Smith was a good player and a great three-point shooter.  Webber was a great player though he could have been better.  He should have had an NBA title but didn’t get one through no fault of his own.  The refs robbed the Kings of that series vs. the Lakers in 2002 and the Kings would have beaten the Nets in the finals.

As for Dirk, he has won 9 playoff series.  Compare the number of playoff series Nowitzki has won compared with other superstars:

Nowitzki  - 9

Yao Ming – 1

Carmelo Anthony – 1

Tracy McGrady – 0

Ok, you can finally stop holding your breath. Round 1 of the NBA Playoffs is finally over. We saw one of the most exciting 7-game series’ ever (Boston Chicago) and one of the the least exciting (Atlanta Miami). We saw dominant performances (Parker, Gordon, Allen, Billups) and we saw players disappear (the search continues for Chris Paul and Roger Mason). We saw things we expected (Kobe and LeBron cruising) and things we didn’t (Orlando winning a game without Howard). We even saw a Hawk interrupt a game.

The first thing I took away from this series was how much better TNT’s coverage is than ABC’s. It’s not even fair to compare the two. Charles Barkley and co. do an absolutely phenomenal job. I feel dumber listening to Magic Johnson. TNT is funnier and smarter than ABC which is a real shame. The chemistry between Barkley and and Kenny Smith is unmatched. They rag on each others picks, provide better analysis and joke around where Ernie Johnson looks so bewildered as to what’s going on. They even have better commercials (even in this commercial, Johnson is clueless).

Magic Johnson provided some of the worst analysis I’ve ever heard concerning the upcoming Hawks Cavs series. He said something along the lines of, No, I don’t think this series will be a sweep. I really like the three gaurds for Atlanta, I mean, they’re not as good as Clevelands but Atlanta plays really well at home.

What?

Pause for thought.

Nope, I still have nothing.

Second, great players can win games but not series’. Best examples of this: Ben Gordon, Tony Parker, and Dwyane Wade. They all extended their respective series but ultimately it takes a team to win over the long haul.

The Spurs’ bench (or really anyone outside of Parker and Duncan) provided so little that Dallas made it look easy. Had it not been for Parker killing Jason Kidd, they would have had no shot. I mentioned that San Antonio being a 3 seed showed a lack of depth in the West. You think Dallas beating the Spurs was a big win? Wait till Denver kills them.

The experience of the Celtics eventually won over. Gordon and Rose won games for the Bulls but when it came to game 7, the Bulls didn’t have enough. See, when a player is taking over a game, it’s a lot easier for role players to play better for 3 reasons. 1. They don’t have to do as much, removing some pressure. 2. They’re likely to be left open when defenders move in for double teams and 3. When someone takes over a game, your team is probably winning and it’s much easier to play loose when up a few points. In game 7, the pressure is on. Role players get tight. See the Cavs two years ago. See the Spurs this entire series. See the Heat on Sunday. It is inevitable.

The Hawks series was pretty uninteresting. Pretty much all the games were blowouts. When Wade took over, the Heat won. When the Hawks were able to slow him down, the rest of the Heat roster was useless.

The NBA officials are still terrible. I’m still unsure how Rondo didn’t receive any technicals during that series. Wade was handed game 6 by that officiating crew. That was the easiest game on Beat the Streak to date. There was no possible way Atlanta was winning game 6 in Miami. Why wasn’t Dwight Howard immediately ejected? The ref had a clear view of that elbow to the face.

The next round doesn’t appear to be too exciting. I’m at the point where I just want to see Kobe play LeBron.

I’ll be honest. Before the Dallas Denver series got underway, I was leaning towards Dallas. Then Stuart Scott informed me that no team had ever lost a playoff series to a team they had won 3 games against in the regular season.  Denver beat Dallas 4 times this season. Then I thought about how poor San Antonio actually was. Without Parker and Duncan, they were ghosts. Dallas didn’t even have to defend the other 3 players. What’s going to happen when they face a team that they have to defend 1-5? I’ll tell you what: game 1. Lets look at the numbers. Dallas had 20 turnovers including 8 from Jason Kidd. Denver limited Howard to 15 points. Dallas had no defense for any post player: Nene 24pts, Melo 23, Andersen 11. Result: 14 point loss.

Dallas couldn’t stop an aging Tim Duncan despite there being no other big man on the court they had to defend. They have no chance against the big men of Denver.

Now, I think Jason Kidd will be more effective in this series because Billups isn’t the kind of guard that can blow by him like Parker (and that I’m sure of). But there’s still no answer in the paint. Also, the tandem of Andersen, Kenyon Martin and Nene can limit Dirk where he won’t take over a game while also giving each other enough rest to stay fit.

Josh Howard is the x-factor for Dallas. He is the only one I think Denver could struggle to defend. Unfortunatley, he’s not so great of the defensive side himself leaving ‘Melo open to answer Howard’s points. Howard also isn’t exactly known for his toughness if this series gets too tight. Yeah, I like Denver in this one.

The Cavs may sweep Atlanta.

Look for Kobe to go off on Ron Artest. Artest has been running his mouth which is one of the dumbest things you could do before taking on Kobe. I can’t wait to see another Kobe highlight reel. That series could be pretty slow as I think the only way Houston has a chance is if they get physical and foul a lot.

Boston and Orlando could be an interesting series. But I really don’t like Orlando and I’m burntout with Boston. I’ll take Boston in 6 and leave it at that.

Hey, shouldn’t you be studying for finals? I know I should.

Until next time, Ball hard.

I realize that sometimes Anderson goes “slumming,” but I have to say I was more than surprised to see him on “Inside the NBA” this morning with Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley.  I don’t know how anyone can watch this show without the closed caption button turned on.  Is that English they are trying to speak?  I am not sure, but luckily Johnson was there to translate.   

As anyone who even knows a little a bit about Anderson can tell you, except for being a coxswain on a sculling team at Yale, Anderson is not exactly a sports fan.  I am not sure if he would know whether or not to dribble a basketball or hit it with a bat, so I was curious to find out what he might be talking about on a show like this.  As I found out, it had nothing to do with sports.  He talked about the topics from the previous night’s 360, apparently for any rerun viewers, the “Washingtonian” cover, and Twittering. 

Anderson continued his unsettling infatuation with Barack Obama by bringing up the topless photo on the cover of the “Washingtonian.”  He asked Johnson, Smith, and Barkley what they thought about it.  He said that it had been Photoshopped, pointing out that the color of Obama’s shorts had been changed from black to red and he claims that they lightened his skin saying, “we’re not sure what that’s about.” 

Being an artist I can see the reason for the so-called changes that seem to disturb Anderson.  First of all, the black shorts obviously would not have worked with the black background, and, in my opinion, his skin tone doesn’t look any lighter, but it may appear to be so again because of the darker background color.  For one reason or another Anderson always tries to make a racial issue out of everything.  Strangely enough neither of the black announcers even mentioned the skin tone, instead they focused on other issues.  Barkley thought it was disrespectful, but Smith thought that in light of so much childhood obesity it would set a good example. 

Then Charles Barkley decided to ask Anderson a serious question:

BARKLEY:  So, let me ask you a question, this is a serious question.  Why don’t they just shoot them damn pirates man? 

Always the eptiome of class and sophistication!  I believe the correct grammar is “THOSE damn pirates.”  I noticed that the media ignores and  misquotes him by correcting the mistake in every one of their posts about this show.      

Anderson’s response was surprisingly opinionated:

COOPER:  Ah, you know, it’s a — it’s a good question, there’s a lot of people asking it.  You know they’ve arrested one of them now, they brought this guy to the United States.  I don’t know if you saw the picture of him arriving here, he was smiling clearly — a — a seemed kind of disoriented, it’s got to be pretty surreal for him, but un — I don’t know why they don’t just shoot them or — or at least arrest them you know NATO arrested a couple just the other day and then they released them again, ah — so they’re back out there doing the same kind of thing.  So it’s a good question.

I dont know if he was just trying not to make Barkley feel stupid or what because although he had just said that he did not know why they didn’t just shoot them he went on to try to explain maritime laws that prohibit guns on ships.

At the end of Anderson’s appearance Ernie Johnson brought up the subject of Twittering. 

JOHNSON:  Do you have people tweeting for you or do you actually do all that tweeting?

COOPER:  We have – we have – we have a show — we have a show twitter and anytime it’s me Twittering, you know, we say it’s me and if it’s just something you know telling people about what’s on the show, then it’s somebody or — or me, but usually if it’s me Twittering it says this is from Anderson — a — cause — you know — a — I wouldn’t want anyone twittering in my place.  If you’re saying it’s from you…you guys might actually have to do this.  Not sure if that’s the answer you wanted. 

Barkley then chimed in with his remarks.

BARKLEY:  Listen I — I am not a big tweeter guy because I think any person who sits around and say to themself, I wonder what Anderson Cooper and Kenny “the Jet” Smith are doing right now, they got a name for people like that, they’re called losers.

Anderson got a huge laugh out of that:

Funny thing is wasn’t it Anderson who begged the viewers to sign up for the CNN twitter just last week?  

I am not a fan of Twittering, but frankly, based on what I heard on this show and during Barkley’s appearances elsewhere, the only reason he is not “a big Tweeter guy” is because he can’t put together a coherent statement in 140 characters or less. 

If Barkley thinks that people who follow the issues that affect our country are losers then what does he call the idiots that waste their time watching a bunch of Neaderthals run up and down a court dribbling a ball in order to throw it at a little basket on a pole? 

If the viewers did not take an interest in Anderson or his show he would not have the career he does today.  I doubt Anderson ever posted a comment to Twitter or FB, he has too many subordinates that could do that and who would know the difference anyway?  He doesn’t even blog much any longer, but no matter if he does these things or not, he should be thankful that the viewers still do and he should treat them with respect.

Ernie Johnson’s the white guy that anchors TNT’s show Inside The NBA and he’s flanked by Kenny “The Jet” Smith and Charles Barkley, both of whom are former NBA players.  Every now and then, another former player will sit in as a guest host.  Now, I have nothing against anyone making a living, but why the hell is Ernie Johnson the guy?

Ernie’s a geek from way back.  He used to have oversized black rimmed glasses and, although I’m sure he’s a decent guy, he’s basically got the personality of a slice of toast.  I don’t mean to paint a poor picture of the guy, but alongside a firecracker like Charles Barkley, it’s a tough sell.  Even Kenny Smith comes up with some good angles on the game and adds to the discussion.  Ernie, also known as “EJ” (ooh, real stretch for a nickname, guys), does keep everyone reeled in, but adds little to the proceedings.  Maybe they’ve got him in there as the straight man, or maybe the show isn’t supposed to be entertaining, but then why hire Charles Barkley?

As I said, I’m sure EJ’s a decent human being outside of work and he’s probably a great guy to have as a neighbor, but for such a visible spot in a major sporting event’s broadcast, I just don’t get it.  Maybe he was the guy who happened to be in the building on the first day of shooting and they just kept him around.  Or maybe he’s good friends with Ted Turner?  At least that other show got Tom Arnold, who adds comic relief if nothing else.  I’m still wondering what EJ adds to the show.

For the record, I do love Charles Barkley.  Kenny and the other players that come in are alright, but Charles is the real cornerstone of the show.  I love a guy that calls things as he sees them and is not afraid to speak his mind, good or bad.  Barkley’s DUI or DWI or whatever the hell it’s called these days (how about “drunk driving”?) was totally lame on his part, though, no excuses.  He seems to be taking the punishment and seems to have acknowledged his major mistake, so I guess that’s all you can expect.  He’s another guy I’d like to meet someday.

Maybe Charles can introduce me to Ernie.

Say all you want about guys scoring the ball.  Talk about skill development, shooting 1,000 shots per day, working with trainers, and all that other stuff.

Defense is what it’s all about!

If you can defend, there’s a place for you.

You will be on the floor late in a close game, trust me.

Every coach wants a great defender to stop the opposing team’s best player.

It takes hard work; many don’t want to work.  It takes courage, toughness and a desire!

Last night, the Cleveland Cavaliers went into Houston to take on the Rockets.  LeBron James, one of the best players in the NBA knew he had his work cut out.   Shane Battier and Ron Artest of the Rockets were assigned to check LBJ.  James has been unbelievable to this point.  He soars through the air, shoots long jumpers, makes the mid range and of course dishes the ball.  He is clearly one of the most exciting players to ever play the game.

Notes:

Pre-game on TNT with Kenny, Charles and EJ.  They all chimed in on the contest and they included their views on offense vs defense, mainly the Rockets trying to stop LBJ.

“It annoys you when someone says they can stop you.” That’s what Charles said last night when talking about great offensive players and hearing that someone is going to shut you down.

Well CB,  I don’t know if LBJ was annoyed, and I don’t know if Battier or Artest said they were going to stop LBJ but they did a great job last night.

“Offense beats defense.” said The Jet, Kenny Smith.  “Just ask George Gervin.”

Yes Kenny, you may be half right.  Just how many championships did Ice win?

If you want to win big games and rings, there comes a time you have to lock up! Just ask Walt Frazier, Bill Russell, Dennis Johnson, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Michael Jordan and Bruce Bowen.  (People fail to realize that it just wasn’t Jordan’s big time shot against Byron Russell and the Utah Jazz back in the day in the Finals that won the game, it was his steal on Karl Malone that put them in position for Jordan’s great shot)

Speaking of defense, rings and high scorers, T-Mac, who is currently out of action for the rest of the season scores a ton of points right?  He’s never made it past the first round of the playoffs.

I don’t know if any one player can stop Lebron, but I do know you can slow him down and make it tough on him.  (Or try your best to slow him down) The basketball world puts too much emphasis on offense and not enough on defense. It’s time players, coaches and teams focus more on defense.

“You may get into the second round (of the playoffs), but if you want to make a serious run and be a serious contender,” said Wafer, “you’ve got to be able to continue to play defense. We are trying to come together as a unit.”

Battier was able to draw two charges on James during the game which is always key.  Many players refuse to draw charges.  I often wonder why? Artest hounded LBJ all night.  Ron-Ron looked focus.  Give his boy Reggie Miller credit, Miller was in the house doing the game for TNT.

The Rockets won the game 93-74, Cleveland shot a season low 34% from the field.   A lot of the credit has to go to the Rockets defense.

Offense may win games and sell tickets, but defense wins rings!

Just defend!

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

My favorite broadcaster is Craig Sager, best known for his work with TNT’s NBA coverage. There are two reasons, and they’re both very fickle. One? He wears those ridiculously awesome suits that take the balls of a F–k Lion to go out in.

Also, because he’s hilarious. Just check out this interview. The title? Bud Lights and Blondes: Five Minutes With Craig Sager.

Here are some favorite excerpts from it.

I guess I’m just curious, did you get a chance to look at the dance teams?

Oh sure.

What’d you think? I mean, is it like NBA quality?

Well, have you seen the ReD Foxes? Wait to see them. It’s the Lithuanian [Ukrainian] dance team. The blondes?

Um, maybe….

I don’t think you’ve seen them. You’ll notice them. They’re hot. No, they’re really, REALLY hot. They were very popular in Athens. You know, we’re here long days. We got here today at 2, and we’ll do a game about a 10:15 start. It’s real long day. So our camera guys will focus on the ReD Foxes. They even came out and watched them practice before the competition.

Especially, you know me, I have a blonde fetish, and you don’t find many blondes out here. And so when I found out that the Red Foxes were here, I was very, very pleased. Their dance team, the Chinese dance team, doesn’t look to me like they’ve been together long or they’ve been trained by a U.S. NBA dance team. And I would know, too, because I married one. I married a Luvabull from the Chicago Bulls. I’m the one you should talk to when it comes to evaluating dance teams. I’m the guy….We have long days, long hours here, and there are men’s games and women’s games. [Pause] I’m glad the Red Foxes are here.

But they must ask to take pictures [In Beijing]. I mean, they ask to take pictures of any tall white guy.

Wait till my bride comes over tomorrow, the former Luvabull.

Why? She’s gonna get mobbed you think?

Ohhhhh! Well, she’s 21 years younger than me and she’s still hot, so….

And what about wearing the outfit? Does it, like, offend your sensibilities?

Oh my God! It’s terrible! I’ve got to wear this little vest bib! I’m getting a lot of grief from the NBA players. You know, ‘Where’s your sport coat, where’s your tie?’

Do you have a matching thong? [laughing]

Yeah! I’m not going to show it to you though.

You really do? [staring]

Yeah, but I’m not going to show it to you.

Why would you have a matching thong? [horrified]

Because you’ve gotta be excited!

Awesome. So you don’t care if I say that you have a blonde fetish?

Oh no. Everybody knows that. EVERYBODY knows that. Bud Light and blondes. So there’s a Hooters here, I went to Hooters the other day in Beijing. I’ve been to probably 250 Hooters across the country and world. It’s the only Hooters I’ve ever been to that didn’t have any Bud Light or blondes. I was very disappointed.

Now, I know I was supposed to pick my favorite local broadcaster who’s near and dear to my heart, which would be Harry Kalas. But the TNT crew is just so damn entertaining! Ernie Johnson and Charles Barkley (especially) are amazing, and Sager with his suits are the cherry on top. Plus, check out this video of KG absolutely tearing him apart.

Sir Charles

Charles Barkley returns from his seven-week leave of absence tonight, joining Ernie Johnson and The Jet on TNT’s NBA studio show. As you likely recall, Chuck was slapped with a DUI in late-December after driving through a stop light and picking up a female friend for what sounded like it would be a good time. Of course, hilarity ensued when Barkley asked the officer that was booking him to confirm whether or not the woman he was with was hot. Yes, even Barkley can turn a DUI into a joke.

Personally, I’m happy to see Barkley back with TNT. Sure, he’s screwed up — aside from the DUI, there’s his gambling problem/debt, his general outspokenness and the fact that he was a pain in the ass to the media in his playing days — but Barkley seems to be a lot more human than your A-Rods and Roger Clemenses. He’s been willing to admit mistakes. Also, he’s done a lot of good.

In honour of Chuck’s return, it’s only fitting to have a look at Frank Caliendo’s impression of Sir Charles:

Doctors (or Brainiacs) and Drinking don’t Mix…If Charles was a faithful reader, he might have avoided a lot of trouble… remember this? We could have saved him a lot of embarrassment and time in the legal system, while giving him something to laugh at as well.

Charles Barkley is one of our favorites here at Too Old. He was a hellvua basketball player who didn’t let his limitations prevent him from being one of the 50 best in basketball history. For a guy who is 6 foot 5, he rebounded like he was a foot taller. It is that dogged determination that can get him into trouble at times. It is that dogged determination that has him in the news again.

Chuckles, as his friends call him (I made that up, but I am not his friend, so how the hell would I know?) has said and done things that are not politically correct during his career. One of the biggest statements that he made was his famous quote, “I am not a role model…” I have the shirt that is printed by NIKE that I wear, since the statement is so true. People should not look up to athletes to be a role model. You should look to parents, family and others that make a real difference.

But, Chuckles, I have to take umbrage with that statement. I do look to you as a role model, and it’s because you are a straight shooter and call it like you see it. Here are my favorites that I found at Blacksportsonline.com, organized into categories that represent why I admire Barkley.

Charles on Working

1) On the All-Star Game: “Hell, there ain’t but 15 black millionaires in the whole country & half of ‘em are right here in this room.”

2) “I can be bought. If they paid me enough, I’d work for the Klan.”

3) After retiring from basketball “I’m just what America needs – another unemployed black man.

I can get behind the thought of number 2.

If the Klan paid well, I would have to think about it. At least then I could try to subvert them from the inside. But, if the money was that good, I would be worried about compromising my pay check.

Charles w/5 Politically Correct…your search has returned zero documents… (Those who use lexis/nexis should get it)

1) After throwing a guy through a 1st floor window in a bar Charles was in front of the judge.
Judge: “Your sanctions are community service and a fine, do you have any regrets?”
Charles: “Yeah I regret we weren’t on a higher floor”

2) After Kevin Garnett threw a ball into the crowd out of frustration and was ejected. They showed footage of the man that got hit by the ball being taken away in a stretcher and his daughter was crying. Charles commented that players take passes to the face all the time. He topped it off by saying: “You know why that little girl’s crying? It’s because she’s thinking ‘my daddy’s a wussy’”.

3) I’d never buy my girl a watch… she’s already got a clock over the stove.

4) When the Dream Team was about to play the Angola national team, during pre-game interviews the other USA players provided diplomatic, face saving comments about how they would play hard and felt strongly they would win. When Chuck was asked about Angola and the game, he replied: “They’re in a lot of trouble.”

“We are in the business of kicking butt and business is very, very good.”

5) Ernie Johnson, on Reggie Evans being caught grabbing the rocks of Chris Kaman: “(Reggie Evans) got caught with his hand in the cookie jar.”

Charles Barkley: “Ernie, I don’t know where you get your cookies at but the rest of us don’t get ours there.”

I am the first to laugh at something if it is funny. It really doesn’t need to be politically correct. The fact that you are evaluating what you say because of someone else and their political leanings is hilarious

Would I beat Dad’s ass if I could get away with it? Yes, I would. Is it funny as a cartoon? Absolutely. It’s a NON PC shop and that is the kind of thing that they would have in there. While you are there, can I get some waffles?

Charles on School and Education

1) “When I was recruited at Auburn [university], they took me to a strip joint. When I saw those titties on Buffy, I knew that Auburn met my academic requirements.

2) “Did you graduate from Auburn?”
Charles: “No, but I have a couple people working for me who did.”

3) Ernie: “Auburn is a pretty good school. To graduate from there I suppose you really need to work hard and put forth maximum effort.”
Charles: “20 pts and 10 rebounds will get you through also!”

Don’t get me started on the NCAA. A lot of people will say that the institution is not racist. I am inclined to agree. They only care about one color, green. If the money is right, then they will be okay with you. Their decisions are irrational a lot of time concerning eligibility. They seemingly punish the players who have done things the right way, and allow the schools that play the game and toe the company line enough rope to hang themselves and others. While I don’t have any sympathy for Maurice Clarett and his crime committing spree, I do think that the ability to go pro whenever you want is the last mechanism the NCAA has over athletes, usually black athletes. In some respects, there is still a plantation style mentality that resides with Miles Brand and the other bigwigs that control the NCAA. The organization rakes in hundreds of millions of dollars, while the players are supposed to be happy that they get school paid for. That is a huge benefit that I have been privileged to receive for debate and for sports, but when the other people around you have fat pockets and you are scraping by on top ramen because you went on a date earlier in the week is unnecessary. Sports that have a higher percentage of white players, like baseball, tennis and hockey, you can go pro as soon as you graduate high school. In tennis, you an go pro even earlier. But sports like basketball and football, which have a higher concentration of minorities involved, have subjective limitations all designed to hold the brotha man down.

But, I can still laugh at players who game the system and get away with it…I am looking directly at you Reggie Bush…

Charles on Politics

1) On the Enron scandal investigation: “Almost all those politicians took money from Enron, and there they are holding hearings. That’s like O.J. Simpson getting in the Rae Carruth jury pool.”

2) Man, everything gets blamed on the Clintons, every single thing in this world. I think Bill Clinton shot JFK, too

3) “I had to explain to my daughter why that skank Monica Lewinski has an hour special on HBO this weekend.”

Monica Lewinski is famous for one thing…okay two things. First, she is known to me because she IS a skank. What woman do you know will allow you to “release” all on her dress after performing a “head examination”, then KEEPS the dress? Second, she will allow you to “warm” up your cigars…if you know what I mean, and I mean all the possible combinations you can think of…

So much so, she got a cover of a very popular magazine…

Here is the excuse Bill probably gave Hillary when the blue dress was first discovered

Which finally brings us to the reason that this post originated…Oral Sex and the love of receiving it.. When it’s done right, there is nothing better in the world. You know it’s being done right when you toes curl and you feel that the very essence of life is leaving you. I wish that one of the Female members of our posse wrote about this, but I will say that writers in the crew can always agree on one thing…that we are on the prowl for the best ever, and a lot of women can compete for the title in our history. There are a lot of women who either give sub standard “examinations” or who give no effort. When you find one that is a pro, you keep coming back for more. This was the dilemma that Sir Charles found himself in and he did what any rational man/actor would do… he went back for more. It is here where we have to caution you to count to ten and think about whether it is a good idea or not.

Charles Barkley, former Phoenix Suns player and NBA star, told police he was in a hurry to receive oral sex from a female passenger when he ran through a stop sign drunk early Wednesday, a police report states.

The report, released late Wednesday by Gilbert police, details how Barkley not only made candid references to his impending rendezvous with an unidentified woman for oral sex but how he at least half-seriously implored a civilian police employee to help him get out of the DUI bust.

The 11-time NBA All-Star was arrested, cited and released on suspicion of misdemeanor DUI and being impaired to the slightest degree.

Gilbert police Lt. Pete Smith pulled over Barkley’s black Infiniti SUV at 1:30 a.m. after it rolled through a stop sign about 10 mph near 75th Street and Sixth Avenue in Scottsdale.

“He was very respectful and very cooperative,” Gilbert police Lt. Eric Shuhandler said. “It was a very routine DUI arrest.”

Smith is one of dozens of officers in the East Valley DUI Task Force from 10 different police agencies that have been combing area streets since Thanksgiving looking for suspected drunken drivers.

Barkley’s arrest was one of 90 made Tuesday night and into early Wednesday in Scottsdale.

In a statement to the Associated Press, Barkley said he was “disappointed that I put myself in that situation.”

He added, “the Scottsdale police were fantastic.”

“Now, it is a legal matter, and I will not comment any further as it is a legal matter.”

The reference to Scottsdale police reflects Barkley’s apparent lack of knowledge about the regional DUI task force and how the arresting officer’s department assumes jurisdiction for an arrest no matter where it took place.

Smith was in an unmarked patrol car when the SUV rolled by the stop sign, the police report states. The SUV stopped just south of the intersection and a female climbed into the passenger seat.

Smith pulled over Barkley’s vehicle, which blocked the southbound lane, and Barkley had bloodshot, watery eyes and had the odor of alcohol on his breath, the report states.

“I asked if he had been drinking, and he said, ‘Yes, I have,’ ” Smith wrote in the report. Barkley then admitted to having a “couple” of drinks.

Smith gave Barkley a field sobriety test, which he failed, Shuhandler said.

At the advice of his bodyguard, who Barkley said was a police officer, he refused to take a portable Breathalyzer test but submitted to a blood test.

Those results will not be available for a week.

While being processed at the East Valley DUI Task Force command post, Barkley told police, “I was going to drive around the corner and get” oral sex, the report states. He explained he had engaged in oral sex with the same woman last week, the report added.

Barkley then told a civilian employee, “I’ll tattoo your name on my ass” if it would get him out of the DUI, the report states.

Because his SUV was towed, when Barkley left the command post, he took a taxicab. Shortly before departing, he shook hands with several officers, Shuhandler said.

Barkley was returning from Dirty Pretty Rock Bar near Camelback and Miller roads where he spent about three hours with a group of about 40 people, bar owner Ryan Jocque said.

The party included actor Jaleel White, who played TV nerd Steve Urkel in the 1990s sitcom Family Matters, and NFL great Michael Strahan, who retired from the New York Giants after winning last year’s Super Bowl in Glendale.

“Charles is a very good customer of ours,” Jocque said.

Despite a turbulent end to the year, Shuhandler said he hoped the former Phoenix Suns star would turn the negative experience into a positive.

“He has a chance to do something good with this,” Shuhandler said. “I hope he does.”

A court date in Scottsdale Municipal Court has yet to be scheduled.

Nicknamed Sir Charles, Barkley was an 11-time NBA All-Star and league MVP in 1993. He played 16 NBA seasons for the Philadelphia 76ers, Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets, and he played on the USA Olympic Dream Team in 1992 and 1996.

Damn, Charles…did you really have to express what is on your mind?  We have all gotten the “whiskey dick” or the sensation of needing to have sex after drinking, but really?  I mean we have to have some self control.  Also, with the type of coin I know you must have (considering you are still working with TNT) couldn’t you have gotten a driver?  Maybe you should fire the cook and hire a driver to aviod these types of situations. Or if you are that trusting, make her drive…its not a watch…

Let’s play a quick game of Classic Concentration.

What do you end up with when add together …

Karnac the Magnificent

Steve, Chevy & Martin

                                                           +

Where Amazing Happens

                                                          =

                                                         ???

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Hilarity & Hoops all wrapped up into one.

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Courtesy of BDL …

One-on-One: Ernie johnson talks TV, being press secretary

Ernie Johnson is hilarious. It may not come across that way all the time on “Inside the NBA,” but when you sit down and talk to him, it’s easy to see why he has become one of the most popular broadcasters on television. Johnson has a wicked sense of humor and doesn’t take himself too seriously, which are both reasons why the show continues to have success.

This is the final Q and A in a series of interviews I conducted with the show’s personalities (Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith) during my behind the scenes look at the “Inside” set in Atlanta.

Ball Don’t Lie: TNT says that basketball’s biggest night is on Thursday. How can basketball’s biggest night only have two games?

Ernie Johnson: Well, sometimes it’s three. (Laughs) Because it’s exclusive, that’s why it’s the biggest. It may appear to be a misnomer … but no, it’s basketball’s biggest night because it’s the only night that has Charles and Kenny.

BDL: Do you think there is any part of “Inside the NBA” that could be better?

EJ: (Pauses) So, you’re asking what would I change about the show?

BDL: Yeah.

EJ: Nothing. I really wouldn’t. I’m older than these other guys, so I grew up watching Carson, they’re totally different shows, but one of the great things I liked about Johnny Carson when I was growing up was the fact that while he was funny, he was really great when some of his stuff wasn’t funny, or the jokes didn’t go over, and he played it off so well, he wasn’t afraid to [say], “We’ll take a shot at this and see what happens.”

And I think that’s kind of [the same attitude] with Tim Kiely the [Inside] producer and all of us. It’s like, “Yeah, we’ll try something.” And if it’s not funny, fine, but we’re not just gonna sit there and do a cookie-cutter show, that you know what’s coming if you watch it once, you say, “I know what’s gonna happen next Thursday, this is the way they do things.” You never know …

BDL: You never know what’s going to happen around here.

EJ: No, and that’s the beauty of the show. A lot of times even when something doesn’t work it’s like, “That was bad, that didn’t work at all,” but it was funny because we didn’t play it off seriously like, “Oh, well that wasn’t funny, we’re sorry. Is it funny that we weren’t funny … yeah. Not everything has to be hit out of the park; it’s just great sometimes the guys react.

==========================================

Bar none … this corner’s favourite show on television today:

Ernie, Kenny & Charles

by a country mile.

——————————————————–

“What he really meant … “

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For Everything Else there’s Mastercard!