Moments Social Networking Missed: NBA Playoff Posters Edition

In the NBA, legacies, reputations, and plays are put into lore during the Playoffs. Many of the plays you see on commercials promoting the League happened during the playoffs. During Game 2 of the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals, Paul George did this to Chris Andersen(no nicknames used when that happened to you), and earned his spot on commercials for years to come. That poster-worthy dunk, took social media by storm the moment it happened, as plays like that do in the present day. It led me to think back to some of my other favorite Playoff Posters, and led to my latest installment of  "Moments Social Networking Missed". 

"Reigned" on his head-  Prior to having his career ended because he ballooned to offensive lineman size, Shawn Kemp was the most electrifying athlete in the NBA. He had many legendary dunks, but this one in the 1992 Playoffs over Alton Lister stands as his signature. The "Reignman" destroyed Lister here, then pointed at him in a way that would have surely drawn a tech nowadays. It was a thing of beauty. 

"Stark" Contrast- Anyone watching the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals has been introduced to the "trick or treat"(as Reggie Miller puts it) nature of Lance Stephenson's game. John Starks was that guy for the New York Knicks in the 90's. You did not know from one trip up the floor to the next what Starks would do, but  when he was playing well it was fun to watch. This dunk on Horace Grant(with Michael Jordan flying in late) with the game on the line the 1993 Playoffs was definitely a treat. 

 

"Oh What A Move By Jordan"- Some plays do not need much description. This dunk from the 1991 Playoffs is one of those. If this was the "My Player" mode on 2K13, MJ would have gotten extra points for scoring on a double move, a highlight play, and getting the and-one. Classic, epic dunk. 

"A Bad Dream"- Hakeem Olajuwon was not only one of the best offensive centers ever, he was also a dominant defender. He was a guy that you could not come to the rim with a weak effort, and expect it to be fruitful. Kevin Johnson took that to heart on this trip to the rim in the 1994 Western Conference Finals. This is a dunk that is still shocking to this day. 

"Pip's up, Ewing's Down"- The Bulls and Knicks had a very heated rivalry in the early 90's. This violent dunk, followed by true disrespect, then a verbal assault directed at Spike Lee was epitome of that. Scottie Pippen and Patrick Ewing met at the rim, and the rest is history. One of my favorite dunks of all time. 

"Bang Like T-Mac"- The line used to start this portion of the blog was spit by Jay-Z two years prior to this dunk. Consider it foreshadowing. This play was all Dirk's fault for giving up the baseline, knowing that habitual poster magnet Shawn Bradley was back there. This was a nasty dunk by Tracy McGrady. 

Well, there you have a few playoff dunks that would have shut down Twitter, and Facebook. #RIP would have been a trending topic. Memes would have been made in the days to follow, and eventually there would have been a Jim Ross remix video made. It would have been fun to see how these plays would have been responded to in this era. 

Thank you for checking out the latest edition of "Moments Social Networking Missed". Feel free to leave any dunks you can think of in the comment box, or hit me with them on Twitter. 

I'm Jimmy L. Wilson, Jr., and I approve this message

Final Four Thoughts

The Monday morning after the first weekend of the NCAA Tourney, I woke up with a major hoop hangover. The second weekend left me feeling like a little dejected. Most of the games were blowouts, and to cap it off, we witnessed one of the most gruesome injuries in basketball history. It was a definite downer, coming off of an exciting first weekend.

Now, we look towards the Final Four in Atlanta. An event featuring three teams that coming into the season most people would not have been surprised to see here, as well as one team that surprised even die-hard fans, and alums with their Final Four berth. Here are my thoughts on the teams that are left. 

"Shocking" The World(Had to get the cheesy pun out of the way early. Sorry.)- Coming into the tourney, I felt like a team from the Missouri Valley Conference could cause some havoc. In my mind, that team figured to be Creighton. Much to my surprise, the Wichita State Shockers, made their way through what many deemed to be the softest region, to the Final Four. They dominated LaSalle in the Sweet Sixteen and then knocked out an Ohio State team that many picked to win the region.

Under normal circumstances, you would label a #9 seed in the Final Four a "Cinderella" story. However, if you have watched this team, you know they are far from it. They play a grinding, grimy style of basketball, and are not intimidated regardless of the opponent. They're mantra is "Play Angry" and they have done just that in making it to the Final Four. While I do not believe they will beat Louisville, they have a chance based upon their style of  play to make it a much more interesting game than people may expect.

"Win For Kevin"- Louisville was in the middle of a tight first half battle with Duke when Kevin Ware jumped to block a shot. The injury that ensued has been well documented, and if you saw it, is an image you will not be able to shake for a while. It is something that I still cannot get out of my head. However, after crying, and going to the locker room to get their mind right at halftime, the Cardinals came out, and did what they have done all tournament. They ran, pressed, and trapped the Blue Devils into the ground on the way to another blowout.

Louisville has played every game precisely the way the #1 overall seed in the tournament should. Their closest win was in the Sweet Sixteen against the Oregon Ducks. Even though they only won beight, there was never a sense of them being in trouble. Behind the dynamic backcourt of Peyton Siva, and Russ Smith, the Cardinals came into the tourney as the odds-on favorite to win it all. Nothing they have done has changed that in my mind. You add the incentive of winning the whole Tourney for Kevin Ware, and I believe the Cardinals will be tough to handle this weekend.

In Their Zone- Depending on who you talk to, the 2-3 Zone is either: A)A gimmick defense to used to hide weak defenders or B) a defense that can confuse offenses, and slow teams down. Regardless of how you feel about it, you have to be impressed with how Syracuse is playing it in the tourney. Jim Boeheim has said that this team is playing zone better than any of his teams have ever played it in the past. I am pretty sure Tom Crean and Indiana will agree with that assessment. You probably won't get much argument from Buzz Williams and Marquette either.

The Orange is taking advantage of a starting five who's shortest player is 6'4. The combination of length, and active hands in the 2-3 zone has made it difficult for teams to score. The zone is difficult for teams who rarely see it to prepare for. The question is, will they be able to put up good enough numbers on offense to win? They had a sixteen point lead with 15:50 left in the game against Louisville in the Big East Final, but fell apart offensively and ended up losing by seventeen points. An offensive drought like that this weekend, will make it a short trip to Atlanta for the Orange.

More Than Trey-  Coming into the tourney, it was my belief that any sub-par performance from Trey Burke would be Michigan's demise. That was before John Belien made the very wise move to start Mitch McGary. He has been a revelation in the tourney. Without him, the Wolverines would have been blown out of Jerry's World by halftime of the Kansas game. His hustle, rebounding, and putbacks kept them in striking distance. It set Trey Burke up for Burke's heroic second half and overtime that got the Wolverines out of the Sweet Sixteen.

Against Florida the Wolverines rode the hot shooting of Nik Stauskas to a huge early lead, and never let the Gators off of the mat. The Wolverines will need more of that good shooting against Syracuse to beat the zone. They need to get out and run, and try not to let Syracuse get settled in defensively. When the zone is set, the Wolverines will need smart play from everyone to get good shots. Tim Hardaway, Jr, and Glenn Robinson III will have to be ready to step up and knock down shots. It will be interesting to see how this team handles the stage.

As a fan that has been slightly disappointed in the Tourney, I am hoping for a great Final Four. Saturday, Louisville should handle Wichita St. in a game that may be slightly tougher than most expect. All week, I have wrestled with the Michigan-Syracuse game. It should be a tightly contested game, but I believe that in the end, Michigan will make just enough shots to knock off the Orange. I am definitely looking forward to seeing the matchup between Trey Burke and Michael Carter-Williams. These are two NBA ready guards, and it should be fun to watch.

Feel free to leave any feedback, thoughts, and comments. They are greatly appreciated. Check back on Monday for my Championship game thoughts.

I'm Jimmy Wilson, Jr. and I approve this message. 

March Madness Hangover: First Weekend Edition

If you are like me, you woke up on Monday morning with a serious March Madness hangover. From Thursday at noon, until Sunday at around midnight, you were consumed with college hoop. There were the buzzer beaters, controversial missed calls, upsets, and an urge to set fire to your bracket. Definitely enough to make you feel basketball drunk. Here are a few thoughts from what was a wild, first weekend.

Representing B1G Time: Coming into the NCAA Tournament people from Charles Barkley, to fans of teams in the ACC and Big East were praying for the B1G's downfall harder than Biggie felt his enemies were on Life After Death. They were hoping the conference would prove that it was overrated, and have a lot of teams get sent home before we even got to the Sweet Sixteen. That definitely was not the case.

Outside of Wisconsin, the B1G acquitted themselves well during the first weekend. There were dominant performances by Michigan State and Michigan in what were expected to be tough tests. The conference also had controversial(Ohio State) and gutty(Indiana) wins in games on Sunday. Minnesota got a solid win in their first game. They ended up losing to Florida, in a game that was the nail in the coffin to Tubby Smith's tenure there. Then, Illinois fell victim to a questionable call, that cost them a chance to win the game against Miami.

All in all, it was a very good showing for the B1G in the first weekend of the tournament. There is still much work to be done, but to completely silence the naysayers, I think they need to place a team, maybe two in the Final Four. Nothing that I saw from them this past weekend makes me think that is impossible.

"Gone-Zaga"- The groundswell against Gonzaga coming into the tournament was very strong. They were perceived as the weakest #1 seed, and picked by many to be the first #1 seed to be dismissed from the tournament. Their "Second Round"(still can't get used to calling it that...) game against Southern did nothing to change that. On Saturday night, Wichita St hit the Zags with one of the more special three point shooting performances and sent them back to Spokane. This was all that people needed to confirm in their minds that Gonzaga did not belong mentioned with the "elites". There loss will forever tarnish what was a great season for this group, and give pause to people from here on out about giving a team outside of the "Power Six" conferences a number one seed. The Zags had a great chance to change perception, and blew it.

Gulf Coastin- Filling out my bracket, I placed Georgetown in the Final Four. Needless to say, I expected their game against Florida Gulf Coast to be a relatively easy win. Clearly, the Hoyas came in thinking the same thing, and in the end we both were wrong. The crazy thing is, as I watched the game, I found myself saying forget the bracket, this team is fun to watch.

As a favorite, you can not allow the underdog get confidence. You need to exert your will on the team, and make them feel they do not have a chance. Watching the game Friday, FGCU turned the tables on Georgetown, and made it seem like they were the favorites coming in. It was impressive to watch the confidence, attitude, and borderline disrespect they came at Georgetown with. It reminded me of the year that Golden State was the eight seed in the NBA playoffs, and beat Dallas in the first round. They punched them in the mouth, got them down, and kept beating on them with flair. That confidence helped them to a win against San Diego State Sunday night as well, and set them up for a game with Florida in the Sweet Sixteen. Not sure if they can get a win in that one, but I'm looking forward to seeing how they compete.

Well there are my thoughts as I work my way through this March Madness Hangover. The good thing about this hangover is, you don't have to lie in a prayer, and say "If You make me feel better, I'll never do it again". You simply woke up Monday morning, and thought, "I can't wait to start it all over again on Thursday night". At least that is what I was thinking. Is it Thursday night yet???

I'm Jimmy L. Wilson Jr. and I approve this message

Follow me on Twitter. Do not be afraid to leave some feedback, either good or bad. 

Mr. Wilson's B1G All Conference Team

 We are coming off of one of the most interesting, intense, and fun B1G regular seasons in recent memory. There were many great individual performers throughout the conference. As we turn our attention to the B1G Conference Tourney in Chicago, and with March Madness fast approaching, here are my picks for the All-B1G Conference 1st team.

Victor Oladipo- Oladipo has been the best player on the regular season champion Indiana Hoosiers. He also is my pick for the B1G Player of the Year. During conference games he averaged 13.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.0 steals. On top of that, playing as a guard he led the conference in field goal percentage at 57 percent. He came up huge in all of Indiana's biggest games. Including this road win against Michigan State.. The Hoosiers have a great chance to win the National Championship, and if they do, expect Oladipo to lead them to it. 

Trey Burke- The Michigan Wolverines were a minute away from clinching a share of the B1G title. A lot of people will remember the final free throw that Burke missed, but that does not discount the work that he did all season. Without him, the Wolverines would not have been in that position. He led the conference in scoring and assists with averages of 20.2, and 6.4 respectively. He showed a great command of trying to make others around him better, but being able to take over a game when need be. This was on display at Purdue. Some Wolverine fans do not like to hear this, but the Wolverines will go as far as Burke takes them during the month of March. 

DeShaun Thomas- DeShaun Thomas is the forgotten man on Ohio State. The media loves Aaron Craft, and let them tell it, he's the only player on the court for the Buckeyes. Even searching Youtube for a video with Thomas, all I got was Aaron Craft videos. Despite that fact, Thomas was second in the conference in scoring at 19.7. He also got 5.6 rebounds per game. The Buckeyes are a balanced team, that could cause trouble for teams come tournament time. Even though the name you will hear the most is Craft, beware of Thomas, who is a scorer who can put in buckets from all over the floor. 

Cody Zeller- Coming into the season, Zeller was the odds on favorite to win the B1G Player Of The Year. He played to those expectations, it just happened to be a year where his Hoosier teammate Oladipo, and Burke became the conference poster boys. Zeller was third in the conference in scoring, and second in rebounding with averages of 17.1 and 8.2. He showed up with a monster game in the biggest one of the season at Michigan to win the outright B1G regular season championship. Zeller is another key cog in what could be a special season for the Hoosiers. 

Adreian Payne- This last spot was one that could have went to many players. Trevor Mbawke of Minnesota, the aforementioned Aaron Craft, and Jared Berggren of Wisconsin were all worthy candidates. However, I am giving my last spot to the most consistent Michigan State Spartan, Adreian Payne. Payne finally showed Spartan fans the talent that he has teased them with for two years. With averages of 11.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1 block, he was a big part in the Spartans having a shot at the conference title. They will need him to stay aggressive, and active as they head into the tournament. 

Well, there you have my All-Conference picks for the B1G. I would also like to salute my pick for Coach of the Year Bo Ryan of Wisconsin. Gary Harris of Michigan State who is my pick for Freshman of the Year, and Victor Oladipo who edged out Aaron Craft as my pick for Defensive Player of the Year. 

Feel free to leave a comment letting me know what you think of my picks. You can also follow me on twitter at @JimmyLWilsonJr and let me know there. 

I'm Jimmy L. Wilson, Jr., and I approve this message.

Pre-Game Key Components for Sparty

We are hours away from one of the biggest match-ups in the history of the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry in any sport. Both teams are coming in ranked in the Top 10 for the first time that I can remember(or find through research) ever. The closest was the 1999 football game where UofM came in ranked #3 and the Spartans were ranked #11. This game has huge implications in the tight B1G as we head towards the end of the regular season. It is a game chocked full of interesting match-ups on the floor, and should come down to a tight finish. Here are the key components that I feel MSU needs to pull off a win.

1. Keep Appling On The Floor- In some of the Spartans' recent games Appling has spent good amount of time on the bench in foul trouble. The Spartans will have a tough time winning this game with Appling spending more time on the bench, than on the floor. They were able to stay in the game at Indiana with a great effort from Travis Trice. However, there is a possibility that he will still be out with concussion symptoms. Denzel Valentine has done an admirable job when he's filled in, but the offense still tends to bog down with Appling not on the floor. So, Appling has to do a great job of trying to contain Trey Burke without getting into foul trouble. That will be a tall task, but as a junior, and co-captain, he has to figure out how to accomplish that.

2. From the Inside Out- This is a very simple concept that has been around since Dr. James Naismith put that peach basket up for the first time in Kansas. The game of basketball functions a lot easier in the half-court when you can work from the inside out. For MSU, that means early, and heavy doses of Adreian Payne, and Derrick Nix.

Payne is starting to show the game of a guy that could be an NBA player for a long time. He is posting strong, and making aggressive moves around the basket. The Spartans need to look to him early, and try to exploit the Wolverines down low. Nix has been a frustrating player to watch during his time at MSU. However, these last few games, he has been getting buckets at a decent clip. He has an array of post moves that are tough to guard one on one. Looking to him and Payne early will open up things on the perimeter for Appling, and Gary Harris. This will be very key for the Spartans in this game.

3. Defending the Three- The Spartans have been pretty inconsistent defensively against the three-pointer. Teams have been getting a lot of good looks from behind the arc. That can not happen against the Wolverines. They are a team that whether they want to acknowledge or not, live and die by the three. Tim Hardaway is shooting 10-17 in his last three games from there. Nik Stauskas is a shooter that you do not want to leave open, and Trey Burke can bury them as well. The Spartans have to close-out strong on the shooters early, and not let them set. Allowing any of these guys to get going could be a recipe for disaster.

4. Keep The Crowd In It- As stated earlier, this is the biggest game between these two that I can remember. The crowd at the Breslin will be ready to go at around 9 A.M. The Spartans have to capitalize and feed off that energy. A good, aggressive start will do just that. As talented as the Wolverines are, they are still a young team, and have shown that they have difficulty on the road. Quality play by the Spartans should keep the crowd involved, and have the Wolverines on their heels.

So, there you have my key components for a Spartan victory. This game has all the ingredients to be a close affair from start to finish. It is my belief that the home court advantage, and edge in experience will lead the Spartans to victory. For fun, I'll throw out a score of 77-73. Feel free to leave a comment if you agree or disagree. Feedback is always welcomed.

I'm Jimmy L. Wilson Jr., and I approve this message. 

Follow me on Twitter @JimmyLWilsonJr

The One Hitter Quitter Blog

Almost 48 hours ago, Manny Pacquiao got put to sleep by Juan Manuel Marquez in the fourth installment of their epic rivalry. It was the most devastating punch we have seen since the Cleveland Bus Driver went Mortal Kombat on that young lady. People were lauding it one of the nastiest one punch knockouts ever. For the casual  boxing fan who was certainly tuned in to the fight, I am sure that was the case. As a die hard fan, I agree, but off the top of the head can think of quite a few more. I will share a few of my favorites with you in this blog. Starting with...

Ladies First- This is the nastiest knockout that I have watched live. Why I was watching this live, I have no clue, but it was on a Saturday afternoon, and when it happened I immediately jumped on the phone and called everyone I knew would appreciate it. The chick was laid on the mat for 10 minutes, and they took her out on a stretcher with her neck stabilized. I really could stop here, but the next one is...

"There's Only One"- Punch needed to make you go night night. Following his custom of fighting a guy that Floyd Mayweather was panned, and didn't get much credit for beating up, Manny Pacquiao took on Ricky Hatton. This was a very devastating knockout, and the end of what was a decent career up until this point.

"It's A Lot of Holding Going on...Yeah, a whole lot of holding"- Those were the last words that Paul Williams heard before Sergio Martinez dropped the boom on him. This one hurt me because Paul Williams was my guy. I did however love how Martinez walked away with his fist in the air as Williams was falling. That was live.

I'm Roy. He hit me so hard I forgot- This is another one of those sports moments that I'll never forget where I was when it happened. This was Roy Jones' first loss, and no one saw it coming or expected it. The room went silent like we witnessed a family member pass. Roy Jones was NEVER the same after this.

I Harlem Shake, and Scold The Ref At the Same D Time- This one is straight comedy. No description necessary. Just watch.

(High-Pitched Girly Voice) "He hit me in my leeever"- This is not the most devastating knockout, but any opportunity to see Oscar De La Hoya roll around, squirming and crying is good with me. I wish I could find the interview where he said quote in the caption.

He Knocked Down Your Girl, THEN Knocked You Out- This is not boxing, but it is from an episode of "Cheaters". This guy caught his woman cheating with the help of the show. He went to confront them, and ended up on his back with a concussion. When it comes to one hitter quitters, this is one of the best ever. The part that made it bad(and is not shown on the video) was his woman saying "Babe, why did you let him knock you out"? I hope they broke up soon as his concussion symptoms were gone, because he would never live this down.

Well, there you have a few of my favorite one hit knockouts. I am sure there are quite a few more that have happened in the boxing world. These are just the ones that came to me off the top of my head. Please add anymore boxing ones you can think of in the comment box. The last one was added because I thought it was hilarious. Please do not add any youtube or worldstar fights. I am not trying to give an outlet for ignorant ratchet behavior.

Thanks for watching, and shout out to Juan Manuel Marquez for knocking all of Pac-Man's power pellets loose the other night.

I'm Jimmy L. Wilson, Jr. and I approve this message.

The Guide To Delusional UofM Fans

For years, I have been battling, debating, and disrespecting Michigan fans. A lot of my friends and family from around the country ask me, "what's wrong with the Michigan fans on your Facebook page?" Usually, I just say, they are passionate about their team, and it makes them delusional. However, there are different types of delusional Michigan fans. According to studies by the JLW Institute of Sports Fans, 99.6 percent of them are delusional. With the Michigan State-Michigan game being played tomorrow, and Michigan fans continually asking me for attention, I'll gladly shed some light on them. Enjoy this glimpse into the different types of delusional Michigan Wolverine fans.

1. The Historian- This one is pretty much universal when it comes to this group of people. Ask a Michigan fan about what is happening present day, and you will get a ton of remarks about the past. During the last few Michigan State-Michigan games, we will be having conversations in person and on social networking. As soon as mention is made to Michigan State winning the game we are watching, they will quote the overall record in the rivalry. This is part of their delusion. They want you to think that anything that is happening in the present does not matter. This is the reason that coming into the State game they have been saying "State will not win again because they can't beat us this year. History proves that." They have been wrong the last three years saying that, and the thought here is that they will be again. Do not let this delusional Michigan fan get in your head and make you believe history is all that matters. He definitely will try to do so. 

2. The Quote Machine- This guy right here is absolutely hilarious. He wakes up every morning, and right after reading the book of whatever religion he is a part of, he reads from the Book of Bo Schembechler. Then, he gets on Facebook or Twitter, and puts the quote of the day from that book. Should the quote of the day from there not be profound enough, he will get on the "Support Brady Hoke As Coach" page on Facebook, and take a quote or picture from there. Again, absolutely funny stuff to me. How about you come up with an original idea, and stop spewing quotes from other people. That junk is corny, and makes it look like you can not think on your own. Do not let this delusional Michigan fan get in your head, and make you think the quotes are all that matter. He will definitely try to do so. 

3. Social Network Stalker- This dude is not now, nor has he ever, been a Michigan student. Yet, he is Facebook friends with current players from all sports. Now, I can understand loyalty to a school that you did not go to. Can not knock you for that, because I have not gone to Michigan State(yet). However, to be almost thirty years old, and friends on Facebook with guys who play for your favorite college is slightly creepy. Not only are you their friends, but you like the pictures and statuses they post? That makes you almost certifiable. There will not be a caution to other people to not let this Michigan fan get into your head. Most people reading this are not crazy enough to send out these types of friend requests. However, if you are a Michigan fan, and find yourself in this predicament, please either unfriend the players, or seek professional help. 

4. MSU Is Irrelevant Guy- This guy is well represented in the 99.6 percent. He will spend all football off-season talking about how irrelevant Michigan State is. He will tell you that MSU is their third rival behind Ohio State and Notre Dame. Yet, as soon as the season starts, he is watching MSU games like a hawk and commenting on how they are looking. All the games that MSU plays against common opponents will be seen as a barometer for how UofM will play against that team. This guy will actually cheer openly for whatever team MSU is playing against. This happens before the MSU-UofM game, and after. Yet, scroll down their timeline, and you do not see any references to OSU or ND. That makes it hard for me to believe that MSU is as irrelevant as you claim. They may be seen in the eyes of some, as your third rival, but constantly mentioning them and they are irrelevant to you is delusional. Do not let this guy get into your head. He will definitely try to do so. 

5. Blame It ALL on Rich Rod Guy- This guy is my absolute favorite. Not only does he blame every loss, or bad play made during a game on Rich Rodriguez, he blames all his personal issues on him. Wife or girlfriend leaves him, it is Rich Rod's fault. Late for work, it is Rich Rod's fault. Kids get a bad grade, it is Rich Rod's fault. This dude really needs to get a grip honestly. The same players that they blame Rich Rod for getting when they lose, are the same players that win games for them. So, are the wins Rich Rod's fault too? Now, I will acknowledge, his coming there was a hit to the program. However, he has been gone two years. Time to stop blaming every loss, Denard Robinson interception, and your breakfast being nasty on him. It is corny, and shows your delusion. Do not let this guy get into your head. He will definitely do so. 

Well, there are about five more different delusional guys in relation to Michigan fans, but I believe, I have highlighted the most prevalent. By the time the Michigan State-Michigan game is over, you will see how delusional they are. They are high on the hog right now, and expecting a Wolverine blowout. That is absolutely absurd, and personally I can not wait to tell them about themselves after the game. Until then, I hope this has shed some light on the different types of delusion that I deal with in regards to UofM fans. Next time you see a conversation between myself, and one of them it should make a little more sense. 

Hope this was enough attention for you guys. Have a great day, and Go Green. 

I'm Jimmy L. Wilson, Jr. and I approve this message.

Follow me on Twitter @JimmyLWilsonJr

To My Fellow State Fans

Michigan State-Michigan week is finally here. Right behind opening week of March Madness, and the first week of the NFL season, this is my favorite week of the year. Michigan fans have taken my subtle jabs through the year as disrespect. They really have not seen anything yet. However, before I get to them, I would like to address my Spartan fans.

As we head into this game, the Spartans are clearly reeling. For the whole season, they have looked sub-par. They have yet to play close to the expectations that were set for them by the media, and the fanbase. The offense has been pedestrian, the defense has been solid, but not as dominating as expected. This has caused all types of disdain, anger, and potential for a fan mutiny. There have even been some Spartan fans claiming that this game against UofM is automatically a loss, I urge you to please relax with all of that.

You see, for the last three years we were spoiled. The Spartans played above their heads for a few years, and had some great seasons. This lead the fanbase to get confident, outspoken, and even have a few bandwagon people jump on. What can not happen is Spartan fans running for the hills because the team is struggling right now. That is what people expect from this fanbase. To be a front-running group of people, who are loud and supportive when the good times are there, and quiet, when the chips are down. That can not be the case right now. Especially during this week.

Fact of the matter is, State does not have to play a perfect game to be Michigan. Denard Robinson has looked great the last couple of weeks. The Wolverine defense has been impressive. However, some perspective is needed. Purdue, and Illinois are not exactly world beaters. Denard Robinson has not been pressured at all the last couple of weeks. He has been able to run all over those two defenses. There is a part of me that believes the Spartans in a rivalry game will find a way defensively to contain Robinson and force a few mistakes.

Part of me also believes that the Wolverine defense can be had too. The Spartans offensive playcalling has left a ton to be desired. This is the week to let it all hang out. You are going on the road, playing a team that will be favored, and they are your rival. There is no excuse for the Spartans to come out with the three yards, and a cloud of dust offense. The same aggressive attack that was played against Ohio State needs to be seen this Saturday. Get these dudes on the ropes, and watch Denard give the game away. Do not play conservative, and hope for the defense to keep you in it. Come out aggressive, and let the chips fall where they may.

As a Spartan fan, there have been plenty of years where I knew that UofM was the superior team. There have been plenty of years where I conceded victory the week before the game. This year is not one of them. This team can be beat by the Spartans. The Spartans have looked bad all season. UofM has looked pretty good(against inferior competition), but anyone who thinks they have arrived, or are a great team is sadly mistaken.

So, I implore all my fellow State fans, do not give these people what they want. Do not say "oh yeah, you guys are going to kill us". Do not concede victory to them before the game is even played. Should you choose to do that, please stay off the bandwagon entirely. Do not get on Facebook or Twitter during the week acting like State is going to lose, then after they win, get on talking about you knew it was going to happen. Those types of fans are not needed. So, if you are rocking with State rock with them, if you are not, please head to the nearest Wal-Mart, get you one of those ugly shirts, and cheer for Michigan.

Now that I have addressed my fellow Spartan fans, with the hopes that they will listen, and wear their Green and White proud this week. It is time for me to get my Loaded Lux on, and let the Michigan fans know "y'all going to get this work". Stay tuned, and Go Green, Go White, Go State.

I'm Jimmy L. Wilson, Jr. and I approve this message.

Follow me on Twitter @JimmyLWilsonJr

Brett Favre-SB Ring-Media Pass=Tony Romo

Tony Romo channeled his inner Paul Wall Monday night, and had the "internet going nuts" with his five interception(two of which were returned for touchdowns) performance in the Bears-Cowboys game Monday night. Cowboy fans were lamenting his play. Non-Cowboy fans were being dismissive with their comments. This writer even got on the fun, because he was the sole reason I lost my fantasy matchup last week. However, my final thought on Facebook was Brett Favre minus the Super Bowl ring and media pass equals Tony Romo.


Watching Tony Romo can be painful at times. Myself, and many others are on record as saying the Cowboys can never win a Super Bowl ring with him at quarterback. However, they Cowboys do not have a lot of options behind him, and can not make a move in another direction. Winning a Super Bowl may not even change the feelings that people have for Romo. However, that is something that he needs to do, and maybe it will buy him a pass to make mistakes. Just ask Brett Favre.

Favre and the Green Bay Packers won a Super Bowl on January 26, 1997. From that day on, every mistake, throw forced into coverage, and off-field issue was forever forgiven. He would throw the ball off the wrong foot, with four guys from the other team around his receiver, get it intercepted, and the commentators would say "That's just Brett being Brett". Any other questionable pass he threw would be attributed to him being "The Gunslinger".  They would comment on his excitement after a good play as "child-like enthusiasm".  It was really annoying, and cheesy for people who were not fans of Favre.

In the years after he won his Super Bowl, Favre was still the media darling regardless of his actions. He waited until he was good and ready to decide if he was going to play, thus holding the Vikings hostage regarding their quarterback position. He was involved in a scandal while playing with the New York Jets, that was swept under the rug. He broke the record for the most interceptions in the history of the NFL, but that fact is glossed over because he also has thrown the most touchdowns. For every game winning drive he orchestrated, he threw a game-changing interception(including in his final game against the Saints in 2008). Yet, all you hear about is how great he was. This is due to his Super Bowl ring, media pass.

Some of the same people that are on TV, and social media destroying Tony Romo, have never said a cross word about Favre. While Favre may be a better quarterback than Romo, a lot of the same traits that Favre is lauded for, are the same ones they destroy Romo for. Throws that were "fearless" by Favre, are considered poor by Romo. Interceptions that were attributed to "Brett being Brett" with a chuckle are considered another reason that Romo is not really a good quarterback. Brett Favre sending naked pics, choosing when he comes to training camp, and alcohol/prescription pill addictions were moved to the back page. Meanwhile Romo's dating choices, and bye week vacations are considered a distraction, and another reason he can not improve. That Super Bowl ring, and media pass is a mean deterrent for criticism isn't it?

This is a blog that will probably be considered "hate" against Brett Favre. Along with his media pass, he has firmly been entrenched in the club of athletes that you can not say anything bad about without being a "hater". However, the goal of this blog is to show my opinion that while Tony Romo is a flawed, mistake-filled quarterback, he is not too much different from Favre. It is also to show, that we as fans need to not fall for the media pump-fake, and accept all the passes that they give. A Super Bowl ring buys players(quarterbacks especially) a pass for the rest of their career, and it is ridiculous. Yet, Favre has lived off of his forever, and probably will.

So, next time you sit down to watch a Cowboys game, and get upset about plays Romo is making, remember, your hero Favre used to make those same throws. It is cheesy to act like we have not seen this before from a top quarterback just because you are a fan of his. I am not a fan of Romo or the Cowboys, but part of me hopes he one day wins big just to see how the media, and fans will treat him after. That probably will not happen, but I definitely would be fun to see if people would agree that Tony Romo plus a Super Bowl ring and media pass equals Brett Favre.

I'm Jimmy L. Wilson, Jr. and I approve this message. 

NFL Week 3 Picks

Last week I went 9-7 with my picks. That has me after two weeks with an overall record of 21-11. This week due to trying to handle some other articles, and blogs, I won't be able to give a breakdown of the three games that intrigue me the most. Here though are my picks for all of the games this week. Feel free to comment, and let me know which, if any you disagree with.

Giants@Panthers- Panthers
Rams@Bears- Bears
Bills@Browns- Bills
Buccaneers@Cowboys- Cowboys
Lions@Titans- Lions
Jaguars@Colts- Colts
Jets@Dolphins- Jets
49ers@Vikings- 49ers
Chiefs@Saints- Saints
Bengals@Redskins- Redskins
Texans@Broncos- Texans
Eagles@Cardinals- Eagles
Falcons@Chargers- Chargers
Steelers@Raiders- Steelers
Patriots@Ravens- Ravens
Packers@Seahawks- Packers

NFL Week Two Picks

Last week the NFL began its 16 week grind towards the playoffs. Last week also marked the start of my weekly picks for the games. After a 12-4 week one, I'm off to a solid start. Let's see if we can keep this up for week two. Here are the three games that intrigue me most, and my picks for the rest of week two.

1. Lions @ 49ers- This game is a rematch of a great game between these two teams last season. It also pits my favorite team against the team that represents the state I am from. So, there is a ton of excitement for this matchup for me. 

Last week the Niners went into Green Bay and knocked the Packers 30-22, in a game that I was ridiculed for picking the Niners to win. The defense was able to harass Aaron Rodgers all day, and keep the Packers offense from looking as great as it did last season. The offense showed a great balance, that is lost on most people with the NFL currently a pass-happy league. The Niners are being talked about as a Super Bowl contender by many, and did nothing to disprove that week one. 

The Lions pulled out an ugly 27-23 home win over the Rams in week one. Matthew Stafford threw three interceptions, but made up for it with an impressive two-minute drive to win the game. This was hardly the debut for a team that is on their way back up the NFL ladder. The defense did a great job of negating the picks thrown by Stafford and keeping the Lions close enough to pull out the late win. 

These teams are coached by two of the most intense coaches in the league. Their teams exhibit that same intensity, and play a very physical brand of football. Unfortunately for the Lions, the Niners are just a touch more intense, and physical than they are, which will result in a home win for the Niners. 

2. Bears @ Packers- As noted earlier, the Packers lost at home to San Francisco last week. They come back on a short week, for a Thursday home game against the Bears. This one is huge for them, because going to 0-2 in the NFC North will be a tough hole to climb out of. Aaron Rodgers, and the offense should be able to move the ball, and get points against the Bears. The defense, which was picked apart by the Niners, will have to step up and make plays. The front office made a lot of moves to improve the D, but they have to start paying dividends soon so the Packers can stay afloat in the NFC North. 

The Bears ruined the debut of Andrew Luck with at 41-21 home win against the Colts. Jay Cutler took advantage of his reunion with Brandon Marshall, and put up very good numbers. The Bears displayed a potentially explosive offense that could be fun to watch as the season goes on. The defense bothered Luck all day. He was sacked three times, lost a fumble, and threw three interceptions. They will need to be that aggressive with Aaron Rodgers to get a win against the Packers. 

This game is really a toss-up, but I'm going with the Packers at home. They need this game in a bad way, and I believe they will score enough points to keep themselves out of the NFC North basement this week. 

3. Ravens @ Eagles- The Eagles escaped what would have been the ugliest loss of week one against the Browns with a 17-16 win in Cleveland. Michael Vick threw four interceptions, and opened the door for his detractors to claim he is a horrible quarterback he is. Their playcalling left a lot to be desired. Why throw the ball fifty-six times in a close game, and you have LeSean McCoy on your team? The Eagles are a team that placed high expectations on themselves. They must have better performances from their players and coaches to reach those. Playing how they did in Cleveland will leave them on the outside looking in come playoff time. 

The Ravens put on a totally different display on the Monday Night Football stage. They dismantled the Bengals 44-13 in their home opener. Joe Flacco looked like he is ready to take the next step as a quarterback. Ray Rice scored two touchdowns and only had ten carries. The defense showed the dominance that has been typical for years. Ed Reed got a pick six, and broke the record for most interception return yards. Ray Lewis had fourteen tackles, including eleven solo, and looked like he drank from the fountain of youth in the offseason. As always, come the playoffs, the Ravens will be a huge factor. 

The Ravens offense played at a high level in the preseason, and that carried over to the first game. There is no reason to expect that to slow down. The defense will pressure Vick and the Eagles defense into mistakes, and that will be enough or a Ravens road win. 

Those are the three games that I'm looking forward to. A lot of teams are hoping to get wins, and stay away from the dreaded 0-2 start. Only thirteen percent of NFL teams have made the playoffs after going 0-2. That stat alone makes this week very important. Enjoy rooting for your teams this weekend(real and fantasy), and I'll check back in next week with my picks for week three. 

Rest of Week Two Games: 

Chiefs@ Bills-Bills

Browns@ Bengals-Bengals

Vikings@Colts-Vikings

Raiders@Dolphins-Raiders

Cardinals@Patriots-Patriots

Buccaners@Giants-Giants

Saints@Panthers-Saints

Texans@Jaguars-Texans

Redskins@Rams-Redskins

Cowboys@Seahawks-Cowboys

Jets@Steelers-Steelers

Titans@Chargers-Chargers

Broncos@Falcons-Falcons

I'm Jimmy L. Wilson, Jr. and I approve this message.

Follow me on twitter @JimmyLWilsonJr

Random Sports Thoughts: MSU Football Edition

The Michigan State Spartans opened up their 2012-13 campaign with two wins. The first was a tough, ugly 17-13 win over Boise State. The followed that with a rare road trip to Mount Pleasant, and beat Central Michigan 41-7. Here are a few thoughts from those games, as well as things on my mind for Sparty going forward. 

Maxwell's House- After the Spartans win against Boise State, my Facebook timeline was full comments about Andrew Maxwell. Spartan fans were nervous and wishing for a Kirk Cousins sighting. Wolverine fans were calling him a worse passer than Denard Robinson(pure comedy). The knee jerk reaction was amazing and mostly off-base. While his week one performance was less than impressive, some perspective is needed. The Spartans defense, and running game will be enough to win most games. They simply need Maxwell to make plays necessary to keep teams honest, and not make any costly mistakes. He does not have to be a superstar for the Spartans to win. There will come a time that he has to win a game, and I believe he is capable of that. For now though, please relax, and let's see how Maxwell matures. The book here says the kid will be alright. 

Just Nasty: Michigan State's defense is nastier than Cullen Bohannon and Elam Ferguson defending Durant, Nebraska(word to AMC's "Hell On Wheels"). Through two games they have allowed a total of six points, and no touchdowns. Running the ball against them has been pretty much futile, and they get pressure on the quarterback at an aggressive rate. The knock on them has always been the secondary, but they are improved as well. There are not any holes in what is the best defense not named Alabama, or LSU in the country. With the horrible offense being played by most B1G teams, this defense should dominate for the entire season. 

Bellwether- One definition for bellwether is a person or thing that assumes leadership or forefront. That is a great way to describe Le'Veon Bell's new role as the featured back for the Spartans. He shown glimpses of a being special back since his Freshman year. So far this season, he has shown how special he can be. He literally carried  MSU in the win over Boise State. With 210 yards on 44 carries, and 6 catches for 55 yards, he outgained Boise by himself. It was an epic performance, yet alarming. Backups Larry Caper, and Nick Hill must step up. The B1G is going to be a long grind, and while the Spartans have found their "Bellwether", they can not overuse him. 

Room For Improvement: The Spartans face a test this weekend with Notre Dame coming in. The Spartans will need a solid effort from their receiving corps and back-up running backs in this one. Against Boise State, the receivers had drops that led to interceptions. This can not happen in the game this weekend against Notre Dame and going forward in the B1G season. They need to contribute to the offense, in order to keep other teams from loading up against Le'Veon Bell. 

Backup running backs Larry Caper and Nick Hill must show they can be productive when they get on the field. They are not being asked to be world beaters, but take at least fifteen carries, and make something positive happen. Fifty touches in one game is entirely too much, and if the Spartans need that from Le'Veon Bell to win, this season may end in another trip to a bowl not named Rose. 

Pasadena or Bust: Prior to the season, I expressed to a few people that I expected the Spartans to be in the Rose Bowl this year. With the defense and running game as good as it is, and steady development from Maxwell, this was not too lofty of an expectation. After three weeks of seeing other B1G teams, anything less will be a true disappointment. The Spartans are far from a perfect team, but they along with Ohio State are the class of the B1G this year. That will be a great game when they come to East Lansing on September 29. Wisconsin, Nebraska, and Michigan will provide tough tests, but the Spartans should be able to get past them all. So, I stand even firmer in my preseason thoughts. This year is Rose Bowl or bust for the Spartans. 

There you have a few of my thoughts after two Michigan State football games. This has the potential to be a special season for the Spartans. I look forward to watching, and sharing my thoughts on it with you all as the season goes. Thank you, and be on the lookout for the next blog. 

I'm Jimmy L. Wilson, Jr. and I approve this message.  

Follow me on twitter @JimmyLWilsonJr

NFL Week One Picks

Week One of the NFL season kicks off about nine hours from now. With that, I'd like to introduce what will be a weekly(that's the plan) feature on my blog. I will highlight the three games that intrigue me the most. Give picks on those, as well as the rest of the games for the week. Here are the picks for week one. 

1. 49ers @ Packers: This game may be a NFC conference championship game preview. The Niners return most of their defense that was dominant all of last season. They lost linebacker Parys Haralson to injury in the preseason. That loss will hurt, but this defense should still be great. The offense has to score touchdowns and not field goals in the redzone this season. Hopefully that will improve with the additions they gave Alex Smith. 

The Packers return a team that went 15-1 last season. While that record should not be expected again, the drop off will not be too far. Aaron Rodgers will continue his ascent to best quarterback in the game status. He and his bevy of receivers should have another great season. They will need a little more from the running game, and Cedric Benson may be the back to provide that. 

This will be a tight, hotly-contested game. It should come down to the wire, and the Niners defense will make a play to give them the win in Green Bay. This game will whet our appetites, and leave us looking forward to a possible rematch in January. 

2. Steelers @ Broncos- Peyton Manning makes his regular season debut in Denver in this game. The NFL did not do him any favors by having him open up against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Peyton looked great in his final preseason, and it will be interesting to see if he can pull that type of performance off against the Steelers in week one. 

When we last saw the Steelers, they were chasing Demaryius Thomas into the end zone in an overtime loss to Denver in the playoffs. That was a huge upset, and the Steelers will be looking to avenge that loss in week one. 

This will be another good game, however this time, the Steelers will prevail over the Broncos. This is another game we may see again in January. 

3. Redskins @ Saints- Robert Griffin III makes his regular season debut in this game. He is one of five rookies starting at quarterback in the NFL. He has shown a ton of promise, and this road game will be a good test for him to start with. New Orleans fans are always into the game, so it will be good to see how he handles it. 

The Saints finally get to open the season, and begin to turn the page on "Bountygate". This will be the first game without head coach Sean Payton. That fact alone makes this game intriguing to me. We get to find out how important a head coach really is to their team. It will be interesting to see how Drew Brees, Jimmy Graham and Co. handle this season. 

The Saints should pull out a game that will be closer than expected. RGIII and the Redskins will put up points, but it will not be enough to beat the Saints in the Superdome. 

Rest of the Week One Games:

Cowboys@Giants- Giants

Colts@Bears- Bears

Eagles@Browns- Eagles

Rams@Lions- Lions

Dolphins@Texans- Texans

Falcons@Chiefs- Falcons

Jaguars@Vikings- Vikings

Bills@Jets- Jets

Patriots@Titans- Patriots

Seahawks@Cardinals- Seahawks

Panthers@Bucs- Panthers

Bengals@Ravens- Ravens

Chargers@Raiders- Chargers

There you have my pics for Week One. Feel free to post yours in the comments, and we can see who has the better week. Thank you for reading, and enjoy the games this weekend. 

I'm Jimmy L. Wilson, Jr. and I approve this message. 

  

Tips for A Successful Season: Parents Edition

With the school year starting, I feel it is necessary to give a few tips on how to have a successful athletic season. These tips will work for any sport in which your child participates. Sports can be a great learning tool, however, it will take effort from parents, coaches, and student-athletes for that to happen. So, in the first of a three part series I will address the parents.

1. Support Your Child- Unless you have to work, there is an emergency, or you are sick, there is no excuse for missing a sporting event your child is participating in. When I played, it always brought a sense of comfort to see my parents before the game started. As a coach, I noticed that my players always played harder when they knew their dad or mom was in the crowd. This support is something that is valuable and will never be forgotten by your child. Please, make sure to put anything you have going on aside for the two to three hours your child will be playing their game. They may not thank you in the moment, but they notice and appreciate you for it.  

2. Support the Coach- The job of a coach is not an easy one. They have to manage the attitudes and/or egos of their players.  At the same time, they need to make sure they have a proper gameplan in place for each game. Most importantly, they have to make sure that the players are successful where it matter most; in the classroom. That is plenty to deal with. As parents, you should do your job to make that easy as possible. You will disagree with some decisions the coach makes during games. You may not like the amount of playing time that your child is getting. However, you should never voice these gripes in front of your child. Your child will not show their coach respect unless you do.   Therefore, I recommend discussing issues and/or concerns you may have with the coach in private.  Public confrontations with the coach can be damaging to your reputation among other coaches, and correspondingly hinder your child in their future endeavors


3. Be Realistic- On every team there is a pecking order. Some players are more talented than others and playing time is given based on that. You need to be realistic about the skill level of your child relative to that of other players on the team. Unless he/she is in a league that requires everyone to play, they may not get the playing time you expect.  Instead of pacifying their complaints, or voicing yours, try talking to them about why they are not getting playing time. Are they playing hard in practice? Are they attentive? What are they doing to improve their game? Those three things alone can help a player get time where they normally would not. Acting like they are entitled to playing time simply because they are on the team will not.


4. Learn From Losing- Handling adversity and failure is one of the biggest learning tools that come from sports. Dealing with these things in sports, will help your child as they progress through school, and even adulthood. However, they can not learn from hardship by having excuses made whenever these situations come about. That can have the same effect on them in life and they will become excuse makers. Last year, my team at the Boys and Girls Club won a tournament game against a team that beat us by thirty points in the regular season. Walking out of the gym, I overheard a mother from the other team tell her son, "They did not beat you guys, the refs gave them the game." We won by thirteen points, and there was not much doubt about who was going to win throughout the game. It was extremely hurtful to hear because it simply contributes to the notion that we are not in control of our own destiny.  Children do not have to correct mistakes or work to be better, just blame someone else for your failure. We may not realize it, but those types of lessons can come back to haunt the child as he/she gets older. Instead, ask him/her what they could do differently or improve upon? Do not give them excuses as a cop out, because they will be thirty year-olds, and still doing that.


5. Encourage The Child- Any athlete is his/her own worst critic. Between the coach, and their own personal thoughts, a player gets beat up enough, so there is no need for you to do that. Instead, be a sounding board for the player. Let them vent, and express their feelings to you. When they have a bad game, the last thing they need is to come home and get brow beat by their parents. Should they choose to talk about it, just listen, offer some encouragement (not excuses), and move on. They will appreciate you for that more than you might realize.


These are just a few tips for a parent to have a successful season. You all play a very vital part in the success of your child, be it positive or negative. Hopefully with these few tips, you will be a positive force as the sports seasons start. In the next edition I will have tips for the coaches. Talk to you then.



I'm Jimmy L. Wilson, Jr. and I approve this message.

Jimmy L. Wilson, Jr. is a writer that enjoys watching, playing, and talking about sports. He coaches basketball at the Boys and Girls Club of Lansing. You can visit his blog at mrwilson42.blogspot.com for thoughts on current sports events. Follow him on twitter @JimmyLWilsonJr, and feel free to email any feedback to him at jimmyl.wilsonjr@gmail.com.

Boxing Should Own August

The month of August is the bane of my exsistence as a sports fan. The NBA free-agency period has ended. Tim Tebow is being debated for no apparent reason. Preseason football is providing a tease of what is to come. Baseball, golf, and auto-racing are the main sports being played. Those are sports that I can do without. All of that leaves me stuck looking towards September and the start of actual football. My question is, why wouldn't boxing take this month to spotlight itself?

Boxing has been an afterthought in the sports world for years. Between the price of pay-per-views, bad decisions, crooked politics, the heavyweight division dying, and MMA growing, people do not tune in like they used to. Casual fans come out in mass to watch Floyd Mayweather, and Manny Pacquaio fight. That is cool, but how are you going to keep those people coming back when Floyd and Manny retire? You have to introduce up and coming fighters with the hope that casual fans latch on to them. The month of August would be the perfect time to do that. 

On September 8th and 15th there are two fights that have me excited as a die-hard boxing fan . On the 8th, Andre Ward will take on Chad Dawson for a super-middleweight belt. On the 15th, Sergio Martinez will take on Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr for a middleweight belt. Both of these fights will be great battles, and are toss-ups as to who will win. These fights in August would have been perfect to introduce these fighters to the casual fan. Instead, the genius promoters chose to have these fights at the beginning of college football season. Yet another bad move by the boxing establishment. 

Dawson, Ward, and Chavez, Jr. are three fighters that could carry boxing on in the future. Martinez is on the downside of his career, but still a compelling guy nonetheless. These type of fighters, along with others like Danny Garcia, Adrien Broner, Nonito Donaire can carry the next generation of boxing. They are entertaining fighters, with personalities that will make you love or hate them. Garcia and Broner had fights in July. Donaire has a fight coming up in October. Why not have them fight in August so they can showcase their skills and personalities? Probably because that would make too much sense. 

So, boxing, let me introduce you to August. This month could help get you a little more time in the limelight, instead of on the backpages. You can present yourself to a sports starved audience during this month. You can showcase up and coming fighters, so that the casual fan won't declare you dead when Floyd and Manny retire. There are many things you need to do to repair your image. Setting up big time fights during this month can help start that process. Hopefully, next year you take advantage of what this month can do for you, and give me something to enjoy leading up to football season. Thank you for listening.

I'm Jimmy L. Wilson, Jr. and I approve this message. 

Tips for Fans

As summer turns into fall, we are quickly approaching football season. People will be gathering at stadiums, sports bars, and houses each weekend to watch the games. We will be venting our frustrations on Facebook, Twitter, and sports talk radio. As a courtesy, I would like to offer a few tips to make sure you do not embarrass yourself as a fan. It is very easy to do so, and not even know that you are. So, please take this advice, and govern yourselves accordingly.

1. Be Respectful- Football games bring out a different side for a lot of fans. The most mild mannered person you know will yell, jump around, and get really aggressive while watching their favorite team. All of this is cool, and expected. The problem comes in when that aggression leads them to string together more cuss words than an episode of The Wire. I understand and am happy that we live in a country that embraces Freedom of Speech. However, I should be able to take a child to a game without having them cover their ears to not hear all the cussing around us. Buying a ticket, or a beer does not give you a license to be rude and disrespectful. So, please sir, please ma'am, come up with something better than a sentence full of cuss words when you're upset about the game you are watching. 

2. Know What You Are Talking About- Imagine you are a person that is heavy into politics. You have a watch party for the Presidential election, and invite some friends over. Most of your friends are heavy into politics, and there are some insightful conversations going on. There is one friend who is a casual observer of politics, he is trying to chime into the conversations, but what he says makes no sense. After a while, it begins to get annoying, and you politely ignore him. Well that is the same feeling we get as sports fans during sporting events. This is one of my biggest pet peeves. Why express fake outrage when you do not really know what is going on? Let the people who know what is happening argue about plays, and events in the game. That will keep you from looking like Akeem yelling "Yes, in the face!!!", when it was actually halftime on Coming to America. 

3. Cut The Refs Some Slack-  In a football game, there are between 120-140 plays ran by each team. That means the players have 120-140 chances to influence the game and keep it out of the referees hands. Yet, as fans we tend to blame any close loss on the refs. A painful example of this is the 2011 Big Ten Conference Championship game. Michigan State had a few opportunites to put Wisconsin away. Instead, MSU let them stay close, had a close call go against them, and lost by one point. As much as I wanted to blame the refs, I had to accept, that MSU did not finish Wisconsin off when they should have. It is a tough pill to swallow, but once you do, you will not look like a person crying over spilled milk whenever your team loses a close game. 

4. Pick A Team and Stick With Them- Most of us have teams that we grew up rooting for. As a sports fan, we should realize that our team will not be great every season. In the years that they are not great, you can not jump on the bandwagon of a team that is. This is not a new practice, but with the advent of Facebook and Twitter it has been shown to be very common. They will start the season cheering for one team, then once that team falls off, they will be cheering for whoever is hot. That is a little corny. Pick a team, and if they are down stick with them. It will make the payoff that much sweeter when they begin to win again. Take my word for it as a Michigan State Spartans and San Francisco 49ers fan. 

5. Do Not Talk Until It Is Over- Every fan, myself included, has fallen victim to this. The team you are cheering for is winning early in the game. So, you get on Facebook, or start making phone calls to gloat. Next thing you know, your team falls apart, and eventually loses. Now, you have egg on your face because of all the trash you were talking earlier. Your best bet is to watch the game, enjoy the fact that your team is leading, and save all calls and Facebook statuses until the game is complete. That way you will not have to ignore phone calls and comments on your Facebook page after the game. 

Well there you have it. Just a few tips for my fellow fans to make the upcoming football season go a little smoother. Take heed to these, and you should have a good time from September to January. Thank you for your time, and enjoy the games this fall. 

I'm Jimmy L. Wilson, Jr. and I approve this message. 

Light Rain On Your Parade

First and foremost, I would like to personally thank Mitch Kupchak, and everyone else involved in bringing the "Dwightmare" to an end. This has gone on entirely too long. From his season of flip-flopping, to all the unfruitful off-season trade rumors during the summer, this has been like a bad reality show. So, thank you for getting Orlando to pimp out the next decade of their organization to get rid of the NBA's new public enemy #1. Now, onto my thoughts on the trade. 

Most Laker fans making plans for June and an anticipated Finals match-up with LeBron James and the Miami Heat. On paper and 2K13, it definitely seems like a foregone conclusion. The Lakers have not only added Dwight Howard, they also acquired Steve Nash, Antwan Jamison, and Jodie Meeks. All of this, and they didn't get rid of Pau Gasol. Those moves give them their strongest roster in years. However, the actual NBA season isn't played on paper or 2K13. Here are a few reasons why I think we should slow down on making our parade floats. 

1. Dwight's Back- Dwight Howard suffered a herniated disk that required surgery. He is optimistically saying that he will be ready for the start of the regular season, but that may not be the case. How do we know that coming back from such a serious injury, he will be the Dwight Howard that we remember on the court? Will the explosion and quickness still be there? That is how he has made his bacon in the league. He is far from a skillful player, which means he depends on his athleticism. Modern medicine has been able to fix a lot, but until Howard returns, assuming he will return the same as he did before his surgery is dangerous. 

2. Chemistry Project- It has been proven in the past that Kobe doesn't play well with other "alpha dogs". See the Shaquille O'Neal years if you need a reminder. Dwight Howard has said himself he doesn't want to play with another superstar. That he wants to be a go-to guy, and the one a team leans on offensively. You're telling me after the season of immaturity he has shown that his mind has changed on that? That line of thinking is naive and irrational. Kobe told him that if he came to L.A., he'll be the third option. Kobe doesn't play games, or deal well with goofy behavior. Those things describe Dwight Howard. Those are just the off the court chemistry problems. On the court, it will be interesting to see how the team's chemistry works. Everyone keeps screaming, pick and roll between Nash and Howard, but where does that leave Pau Gasol? What are they going to do when Metta World Peace decides he's not getting enough shots and starts jacking? We know Kobe is going to get his shots, but trying to figure out how to keep all the other dogs happy is going to be a tough task for Steve Nash. He plays point guard like a chemist, but there may be too many combustible elements for even him to deal with on this project. 

3. OKC's Not Going Away- To make it to the NBA Finals, the Lakers will have to knock off the Oklahoma City Thunder. I'm sorry, but this isn't going to be an automatic win for the Lake Show. Dwight Howard has said himself, the center that gives him the most trouble is Kendrick Perkins. The last time I checked, Perkins is still on the Thunder's roster. Steve Nash couldn't guard Russell Westbrook in his prime. Why do we think he'll be able to even contain him when he's in the twilight of his career? James Harden is still a threat coming off the bench, despite the fact that he played like a buster in the Finals against Miami. Serge Ibaka is great on the defensive end, and serviceable on offense. This is without mentioning arguably the best scorer in the world, Kevin Durant. This is the same team that put the Lakers out last season. They will be just as hungry as the Lakers are after their loss in the Finals. So, before we pencil the Lakers into the Finals, let's remember they will have a classic battle on their hands with OKC. 

I'm sure that this will be seen as "hate", as any dissenting opinion about what the masses think to be true is. The Lakers have made significant upgrades to their roster, and are a definite title contender. However, it is not wise to think a Championship is a guarantee. There is plenty of basketball to be played before a championship parade in the end of June. Consider this blog the voice of reason in case the Lakers do not perform how you expect next season.  For that my friends, you're welcome.