Looks like these threads are going to keep popping up every few months. Glad to have some people to talk rap with. Favorites:
Jay-Z
Dr. Dre
Snoop
Eminem
Tupac
Biggie
Immortal Technique
Andre 3000
Big Boi
Lil Wayne
Ice Cube
Public Enemy
The Knux
Saul Williams
TI
Mos Def
Nas
So yeah, I'm mostly into mainstream stuff but I like to check out the Saul Williams and Immortal Techniques of the world because I find some real favorites in the more underground scene.
lol @ everyone who said Chicago was going to knock off the C's. You're looking way to far ahead. The Celtics had 2 mediocre at best games and Chicago's 2 best players went off for their best games of the season and they still only won one of those games. If the Celtics can play at 70% the rest of the series the Bull's don't stand a chance.
Also, just because Ben Gordon does nothing but score doesn't make him not a good player. He can just flat out win games for the Bulls. Having someone on your team that can win games for your team is an important thing if the goal is to win a championship and not just during the regular season. If the Bulls are trying to build a title contending team, which they are showing some serious promise of, keeping Gordon would be a good step.
Oh I'm not saying the Blazers are a lock as a loss for that series, I'm just saying that if Yao plays hard its going to be a rough series for them. I still see Houston in 6 but I wouldn't be surprised with the Blazers winning it.
So it looks like two upsets are going to be avenged today, with the Celtics getting brilliant games from Rondo and Allen and Tony Parker lighting up the Mavs.
Man Yao stomped on the Blazers. That was crazy, I'm pretty sure its the second time this season he was perfect from the field and foul line and scored 20something points. Ridiculously impressive. I don't really think that the Blazers have an answer for Yao, and even Scola was dominating their big men.
Spurs and Maverics was a good game but no one really showed up for San Antonio outside of Parker, Duncan and Finley. Maverics just had a much better team and bench effort.
Cav's stomped Pistons, Lebron was amazing. Exactly what everyone expected going in.
Now Boston and Chicago, that was a nuts game. I still think Boston wins this series in 6 but that was an amazing showing by D-Rose. The Bulls are looking like they could be real contenders in a few years.
Now it's time to watch Kobe stomp on Utah and laugh.
Also, who thinks that Matt Ryan will be the new Tom Brady? As in QB that nobody else likes because he's such a ***** *****? Yes, he's a good QB, but I think that Flacco has proven that he's better. Flacco did, after all, make it to the AFC championship game, whereas Ryan and the Falcons only went to the first round of the playoffs and lost to the Cardnials. Thoughts?
Flacco better than Ryan? You're joking right? Flacco had a top 3 defense and a solid running game and played more of a complementary roll to the offense than the meat of it. His whole job was just to not lose games for his team. If Flacco had a bad but not terrible night, his team still had a good chance of winning through a defense that forced a ridiculous amount of turnovers and a 3 headed backfield to wear the other team down. Ryan had a terrible defense so the offense had to carry the Falcons to the playoffs. Sure he had a good running back, but not significantly better than the Ravens. As for losing to the Cardinals, the Eagles and Panthers both lost to the Cardinals, and they gave the Steelers a hell of a game. It's not really a big shame to lose to your conference's champion.
Looks like they might need a HB or 4. Do we know whose going to be healthy from last year?
Also, I generally agree about using the draft for defense but their going to have 2 first rounds, a second and two third round picks. If Sanchez falls to the 12th spot I would think it would be good insurance to have him behind Orton, and they could be developing him to their QB of the future.
Well if you look at the draft it seems like the Bronco's have a pretty easy trade up in the draft if they package the two picks they got from Chicago, which I believe is the 18th and the 80-somethingth, I think they could move up maybe as high as 2nd or 3rd and be guaranteed Stafford or Sanchez, as Orton really isn't going to be the future of any team. That still leaves them with their 12th overall pick and I think that puts them in a good position to get some defense with the draft.
Also, I can't even begin to talk about how disappointed I am with the Vikings, once again. They had every opportunity to go after Cutler or Garcia or even Cassel and they didn't. Seems like were going to stick to the get a good player at every position except QB strategy for another year. :/
EDIT: I forgot to mention my actual thoughts on the trade! I think Denver definitely got way more than they were expecting for what was essentially a fire sale, but I don't value draft picks as highly as a lot of people do so I actually think Chicago got the better end of the deal. All they really need is someone for him to throw to now. When a returner is your best receiver and your biggest gains generally come from pass interference instead of completions, you really might need another wide receiver.
Try Blackalicious out. Almost no swearing and a pretty positive message overall.
If you go back to some old school stuff you can find good stuff without much swearing in it too. Run DMC and LL Cool J are two primes examples of that.
Also, Jay-Z's MTV unplugged is all clean, basically a super-radio edit version of some of his best songs.
I have just about no faith in Orlando making the Finals. I think both Boston and Cleveland are in a whole different league of talent and skills. Boston just seems really dangerous in the playoffs, especially if KG is 100%. As long as KG is in their locker room their going to be one of the hungriest teams in the league, and maybe the most talented team in the league.
As for the Lakers, I really don't see them being as much of a lock as people are making them out to be. I could see either the Spurs or maybe even the Jazz taking them out. If Ginobli is fully healthy I would give the Spurs a big edge, and even if he's only at like 80% I would still put even odds on the Spurs. As for the Jazz, their really streaky. If they can win their three home games in the series I could definitely see them going back to LA and winning another one. To be honest though, Denver, Portland and Houston seem like they could steal the series too.3
EDIT: FTMB: I really can't see you guys making the playoffs. I mean, your closing schedule is pretty easy, but its not like Dallas' is unbelievably hard. There's just not enough games left for you guys to make it up.
As for the Cavs, I was surprised at the beginning of the season about how good they were playing, but I'm honestly just gonna put that praise on Lebron and a great home crowd. Lebron has been playing out of his mind all year, clearly one of the top 2 MVP candidates (clearly the MVP in my mind). His team is by all accounts less talented than that Lakers but their still managing a better record by Lebron's briliance and a commitment to sold defense.
So whats everyone's finals? If Ginobli gets back to healthy, I'm gonna say a Boston v Spurs final, if not, Boston v Lakers in a rematch of last year. Spurs will beat Boston if they make it to the finals with a healthy Ginobli, but Boston will beat the Lakers in much the same fashion they did last year.
Looks like my bracket is about to get destroyed. Memphis is down by like 13 but they've just been getting outclassed all game. I really hope they can get back into it, but I just don't see it happening.
EDIT: Yup, there it goes. Valiant effort, Tyreke was amazing, but it just wasn't their year. Well, there goes my bracket.
hells yes. since first seeing her as Saffron in Firefly i lost it. she's amazing.
When I saw her on Firefly I thought she was hot but never really looked into her. And then I saw her on Mad Men and something about her on that show.... She was just so curvy and confident and sexy.
I'm not doing too bad this year, I went 23 for 32 in round one which isn't great, but still not bad. I'm 14 for 16 on my Sweet 16 (Zona instead of Wake and Mizzou instead of Marquette), and all my Elite 8 are still in tact.
Jay-Z
Dr. Dre
Snoop
Eminem
Tupac
Biggie
Immortal Technique
Andre 3000
Big Boi
Lil Wayne
Ice Cube
Public Enemy
The Knux
Saul Williams
TI
Mos Def
Nas
So yeah, I'm mostly into mainstream stuff but I like to check out the Saul Williams and Immortal Techniques of the world because I find some real favorites in the more underground scene.
Also, just because Ben Gordon does nothing but score doesn't make him not a good player. He can just flat out win games for the Bulls. Having someone on your team that can win games for your team is an important thing if the goal is to win a championship and not just during the regular season. If the Bulls are trying to build a title contending team, which they are showing some serious promise of, keeping Gordon would be a good step.
So it looks like two upsets are going to be avenged today, with the Celtics getting brilliant games from Rondo and Allen and Tony Parker lighting up the Mavs.
Spurs and Maverics was a good game but no one really showed up for San Antonio outside of Parker, Duncan and Finley. Maverics just had a much better team and bench effort.
Cav's stomped Pistons, Lebron was amazing. Exactly what everyone expected going in.
Now Boston and Chicago, that was a nuts game. I still think Boston wins this series in 6 but that was an amazing showing by D-Rose. The Bulls are looking like they could be real contenders in a few years.
Now it's time to watch Kobe stomp on Utah and laugh.
Flacco better than Ryan? You're joking right? Flacco had a top 3 defense and a solid running game and played more of a complementary roll to the offense than the meat of it. His whole job was just to not lose games for his team. If Flacco had a bad but not terrible night, his team still had a good chance of winning through a defense that forced a ridiculous amount of turnovers and a 3 headed backfield to wear the other team down. Ryan had a terrible defense so the offense had to carry the Falcons to the playoffs. Sure he had a good running back, but not significantly better than the Ravens. As for losing to the Cardinals, the Eagles and Panthers both lost to the Cardinals, and they gave the Steelers a hell of a game. It's not really a big shame to lose to your conference's champion.
Also, I generally agree about using the draft for defense but their going to have 2 first rounds, a second and two third round picks. If Sanchez falls to the 12th spot I would think it would be good insurance to have him behind Orton, and they could be developing him to their QB of the future.
Also, I can't even begin to talk about how disappointed I am with the Vikings, once again. They had every opportunity to go after Cutler or Garcia or even Cassel and they didn't. Seems like were going to stick to the get a good player at every position except QB strategy for another year. :/
EDIT: I forgot to mention my actual thoughts on the trade! I think Denver definitely got way more than they were expecting for what was essentially a fire sale, but I don't value draft picks as highly as a lot of people do so I actually think Chicago got the better end of the deal. All they really need is someone for him to throw to now. When a returner is your best receiver and your biggest gains generally come from pass interference instead of completions, you really might need another wide receiver.
If you go back to some old school stuff you can find good stuff without much swearing in it too. Run DMC and LL Cool J are two primes examples of that.
Also, Jay-Z's MTV unplugged is all clean, basically a super-radio edit version of some of his best songs.
As for the Lakers, I really don't see them being as much of a lock as people are making them out to be. I could see either the Spurs or maybe even the Jazz taking them out. If Ginobli is fully healthy I would give the Spurs a big edge, and even if he's only at like 80% I would still put even odds on the Spurs. As for the Jazz, their really streaky. If they can win their three home games in the series I could definitely see them going back to LA and winning another one. To be honest though, Denver, Portland and Houston seem like they could steal the series too.3
EDIT: FTMB: I really can't see you guys making the playoffs. I mean, your closing schedule is pretty easy, but its not like Dallas' is unbelievably hard. There's just not enough games left for you guys to make it up.
As for the Cavs, I was surprised at the beginning of the season about how good they were playing, but I'm honestly just gonna put that praise on Lebron and a great home crowd. Lebron has been playing out of his mind all year, clearly one of the top 2 MVP candidates (clearly the MVP in my mind). His team is by all accounts less talented than that Lakers but their still managing a better record by Lebron's briliance and a commitment to sold defense.
So whats everyone's finals? If Ginobli gets back to healthy, I'm gonna say a Boston v Spurs final, if not, Boston v Lakers in a rematch of last year. Spurs will beat Boston if they make it to the finals with a healthy Ginobli, but Boston will beat the Lakers in much the same fashion they did last year.
EDIT: Yup, there it goes. Valiant effort, Tyreke was amazing, but it just wasn't their year. Well, there goes my bracket.
When I saw her on Firefly I thought she was hot but never really looked into her. And then I saw her on Mad Men and something about her on that show.... She was just so curvy and confident and sexy.
Elite 8: Louisville & Kansas, UCONN & Memphis, Pitt & Nova, UNC & Oklahoma
Final 4: Louisville & Memphis, Pitt & Oklahoma
Title game of Pitt & Memphis with Pitt taking it all.