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"Good." (in Dave Chapelle's Prince voice)

While Lebron James virtually has the MVP on lock (3 consecutive Player of the Month awards this season), his lead in the scoring race is much more perilous.  At only 21 years old, Kevin Durant  is one-tenth of a point behind Lebron (Lebron’s 29.8 to Durant’s 29.7), having played 2 less games. Not only is Durant scoring 30-odd points a night, he manages to do so within the flow of the game.  His game has matured, no longer is Durant forcing 3′s or contested jumpers, the shots he takes are relatively high percentage ones (for him at least).  Not only has Durant matured, but so have the young nucleus of the Thunder.  Jeff Green, Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha, and James Harden provide the Thunder with arguably the most-exciting young nucleus in the league.  The Thunder’s and Durant’s maturity has resulted in a few things; if the playoffs started today, they would be 6th in the ultra-competitive West. Durant’s play, coupled with their record has resulted in Durant being named as an all-star for the first time. Finally, KD35 has legitimate shot at a scoring title.  It would seem the only thing Kevin Durant is missing, is a nickname.  KD, KD35, and ‘the Durantula” all have been tried and none have really stuck.

One of real reasons I believe Durant will win the scoring title is because Lebron will be rested down the stretch of the season.  However, knowing Lebron’s hyper-competitive nature, do you think he would take his foot off the accelerator if he were still neck and neck with Durant, on the last day of the season?  Could we be in for a final day scoring title showdown a la Thompson and Gervin?  Recall that in 1978, David Thompson and George “the Iceman” Gervin, were within a few tenths of a point of each other.  In an afternoon game, David Thompson scored an astounding 73 points, putting the pressure on the Iceman.  It was calculated that Ice would need 59 points to win the title.  Well, in the soiree, Ice did that and them some, managing 63 points, to claim the scoring title.

For all of you wondering if this showdown is actually a possibility, I’m here to say: yes it is – sort of.  On April 14th, the final day of the regualr, the Cavaliers take on the Atlanta Hawks in ATL, and the OKC Thunder host the Memphis Grizzlies.  However, both games start at 8PM EST, not allowing the back and forth of Gervin and Thompson.

All I know is I’ll be tuning in April 14!

This following augmented reality simulation, done by Keiichi for his Masters Architecture project, is his own vision of the future, and one that is dizzyingly driven by advertising.  Currently augmented reality apps take your surroundings and overlay information on top of them.  Keiichi predicts  future augmented reality apps will be invaded by advertising.  This video is a must watch (although it may make you dizzy).

[via Gizmodo]

Th artist, Paolo Nutini, is actually Scottish, not Italian, and he has the vibe of crossed between a funk and soul singer.

Coming Up Easy by Paolo Nutini

(c) ESPN

I personally feel that it depends on the situation.  If I were the New Jersey Nets, currently in dead last by a wide margin, as a GM, I would tell my team to go out and compete hard every night, but wouldn’t do anything to make them better.  I would let them run their course, possibly picking up cap space at the trade deadline.  If it came down to it, I may tell my coach to rest some starters down the stretch if we were in danger of losing the coveted #1 lottery percentage.  However, if I was the Sacramento Kings, already with a young nucleus, I would in no way allow my team to tank.  Fostering a losing culture in a team that is not quite at the bottom of the barrell is something I would not want in my locker room.

Aside from the draft lottery, there are other ways to “tank,” which have rarely every been seen in sports to this degree.  The NY Knicks basically said “eff-you” to their fans as they basically said, “We are going to suck for 3 years in the hope of signing Lebron James in the summer of 2010.” Oh and by the way, this plan was put into effect in May of 2008. (Click for article) As a fan, you obviously want your teams to win, but what about the Knicks? Doesn’t it seem somewhat counter-intuitive that the Knicks have “tanked” at the management level, but they are playing hard on the floor? By doing such, the past few seasons, the Knickerbockers have only earned mid-round lottery picks,  but don’t worry about these upcoming draft picks Knick fans, they were all traded away by Isiah Thomas.  Ladies and gentlemen, your post-Isiah, Donnie Walsh-era New York Knicks!

Isiah Thomas was one of the best Point Guards ever. Unfortunately, his success on the court did not translate to the front office,. Not for the CBA, Pacers, Knicks, etc.

Would you, as a fan, support your team mailing it in, in order to get a higher percentage draft at a potential franchise savior? Would you rather see your team bust their butts for an average lottery pick?  Weigh in.

Artest in his Peak shoe with the Lakers colours

While I recently showed a steezy commercial of Baron Davis chilling in his Li-Ning’s, another major Chinese shoe manufacturer, Peak, is taking some heat about the quality of their shoes.  Phil Jackson tore into Peak’s shoes, calling them “concrete blocks” among other things, after Ron Artest, developed plantar fasciitis in both feet.  One of Peak’s marquee athletes, Artest has been noticeably slower on the court this year, due to both age, and as Jackson would have you believe, his Peak shoes.

“I’ve called his shoes concrete boots for about the last month,” Jackson said. “Those shoes look like they are made for the Hudson River. But he stays with them and he gets his feet worked on. But he does not move really quickly. He looks like he’s clogging around out there.”

When asked about the injury Ron-Ron responded, ”I just don’t like excuses. That’s it. No excuses. I don’t want nobody saying, ‘Oh, Ron Artest has got plantar fasciitis, so that’s why he didn’t play a good game.’ No, I didn’t play good or I didn’t do what I did because that’s just what happened. No excuses.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, the risk of developing plantar fasciitis is more common to people “who wear shoes with inadequate support.”  While Artest’s Peak shoes would seem to be the common denominator, Artest has backtracked, telling ESPNLosAngeles.com, “”I was lying to one of my fans,”  when asked about his injury.

This a very interesting issue, as this isn’t the first time that either Phil Jackson or the quality of less-known brand’s shoes have come into question.  Recently, zen-master Phil blamed Lamar Odom’s upset stomach on McDonald’s, hampering the Lakers efforts to get Mickey D’s on board as an sponsor.  While there is no real consequence of Jackson’s comments here, if Artest ultimately switches shoes, Jackson’s complaints will have served their purpose.

Similarly, when Grant Hill came out of Duke and signed a shoe deal with Fila, who had not made a basketball shoe prior, people were questioning the stability of the shoe.  Needless to say, Hill’s foot and ankle injuries have defined his careeer, and though there is no way to draw direct proof the shoes committed the crime, it certainly casts ashadow of doubt.

It may seem that Ron-Ron’s dubious past may have us more likely believe that Artest would sacrifice performance for the all-mighty dollar that Peak provides him.  However, what about other NBA players who wear Peak shoes, like Shane Battier, Jason Kidd, and Jose Calderon? Though they may not be the biggest stars with the highest contracts, do you think try-hards like Battier would sacrifice an ounce of performance for money? I really hope not.

Take a look at Artest’s shoes, would you wear them to play ball in?  Is it a player’s prerogative to sign an endorsement for as much money as possible, even though it may affect their playing career, and ultimately their NBA contract?  Weigh in.

Ron Artest's original Peak shoe

La Roux – In for the Kill (Skream’s Let’s Get Ravey Remix

The original of this song is absolutely terrible, unbearable, however the slower, darker remix has legitimate vibes.

Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images

So the other night, as I often do, I quickly checked my Twitter feed.  One of the NBA columnists I follow, Brian Windhorst, had a tweet that read: “Cavs 34, Blazers 29 after 1Q. Bad mix: Blazers not playing interior defense and LeBron hitting jumpers. He’s 8-for-8 w/ 20 pts.”

Understanding the possibilities of LeBron challenging Kobe’s 81, I tuned into see what LBJ was going to do.  Though he didn’t come anywhere close to getting 80,70,60, or even 50, he led his teammates to victory with numerous assists in the second half.  Though LeBron didn’t get his points, I tuned into see a great basketball game, all because of one tweet.  As I keep telling Twitter non-followers, Twitter is only as useful as you make it.

Simply because of Twitter, I was put onto a great basketball game, one that I discussed ‘at the watercooler’, so to speak, the next day.  This is where people in creative industries, particularly the music industry as they are the most far behind, need to take note. A single person’s positive feedback can turn into a loop of sorts, if the person passes this onto others. Not only did I spread the gospel about the game through word-of-mouth, I just spread it via this post on the blog.  Though this feedback loop is understood and accepted within the music industry, the record labels still try and impose their dated methods of spreading music, be it by commercials, placement, big-budget videos, and 30-second samples.

So as a case study, let’s have a look at Broken Bells, the new collaboration between DJ Danger Mouse and James Mercer, frontman of the Shins.  The group has done no real advertising, but through word of mouth and the blogosphere, they have seen a ton of hype and free publicity.  Broken Bells intelligently released their single, The High Road, for free, in full.  While I realize that the blogosphere is not the end all be all, and certainly does not guarantee commercial success, usually if you get people talking about a band on the blogosphere, the interest is genuine.  Are you more likely to listen to a the song after seeing “Broken Bells” on the side of the bus or after a friend’s raving review of them?  Would you rather be able to listen to a 30-second sample, or the whole song?

Listen to Broken Bells on their official website (just a warning it is a blank page, with the song playing)

-Senga

First impression? This is going to be my new default browser.  Very minimal, streamlined, fast, etc…but it does use double the processing power of Safari or Firefox – I’ll live though.  Again fast and minimal – and that’s without all it’s features found for Windows implemented yet.

Mountain View, California is soon going to be recognized on the same level (if it isn’t already) as Redmond or Cupertino.  Once again, Google is taking over the internet with superiorly designed product – what a novel concept.  Though I don’t really like relying so heavily on single corporation, I hope Google fosters competition, making computing better for all.

While Jay-Z turns 40 today, giving a whole new meaning to his 40/40 club, here is a remix of his song, December 4th.  I like the 9th Wonder remix much better than the original, so that’s why it’s up here. Enjoy.

The Worst Layup Ever, David Wesley

Sorry for the quality, but this is just embarrassing, check out 0:16 to see just how bad this is.  If Lebron wants out of Cleveland it’s because he’s had to play with washed up ass-clowns like this.

No introduction or explanation necessary.

photo (C) gizmodo

N.B. I know a lot of Blackberry users read this, and there has been an announcement that RIM has partnered with Adobe to bring you Flash, but it is not yet on your phones.

Today, Gizmodo’s Jesus Diaz wrote a piece which lamented the iPhone’s lack of video calling, which can be found here.  While I would love if video calling came to the iPhone, there are other more important features the iPhone is missing, and one of them is ADOBE FLASH!  The minds at Apple have long excluded a feature in their devices until it is deemed “smooth enough” to be part of the Apple experience (at least this is their public reason).  Well, what is the excuse for making a web-based phone that can not run Flash!

Flash has long been an internet standard, but at the time of the iPhone’s release, Flash would have been to complex to run on the iPhone, fine I understand that.  But Apple should have made partnering with Adobe a top priority, to get a Flash out to users as fast as possible.  Not only has Apple not actively done anything to bring Flash to the iPhone, but their competitors have made deals with Adobe to get it to their platforms!  Most notably, RIM (Research in Motion, the maker of the Blackberry, for the n00bs out there) has stated it is one of their top priorities!

I am really hoping Apple has some super, top-secret release planned, but each day that goes by without hearing an announcement, the more I wonder.  Has Steve Jobs Apple gone mad? Do they think they alone can rule the internets?!  It’s not as if Flash is going away anytime soon.  I hope they aren’t waiting for Flash to “blow over” and introduce a next-generation technology to the iPhone, when half of the internet will still be Flash-based! Okay maybe not half of the internet, but every time I can’t watch my NBA highlights from NBA.com, because Flash doesn’t work, I’m going to start sending Apple angry emails.

via xkcd

I still have yet to post about Hype Machine, but now I think I will, with yet another sweet find.

Your thoughts?

And Happy Thanksgiving to all the Yanks out there.

RIP Haydain Neale 1970-2009

Still Believe in Love by jacksoul

Lupe rocking the Nike x Swagger Dunks!

Download HERE [via Hype Floats]

The man who modelled some of the most sought after kicks in recent memory, the Nike x Swagger Dunks, has traded modelling for the microphone, and released a mixtape.  At first glance, Lupe Fiasco’s enemy of the state: a love story, is anything but a normal mixtape.  It is only one track, but that track is 22 minutes long, and 22 good minutes at that.  This contrasts Lil Wayne’s No Ceilings, half of the mixtape is filler; either interludes or his buddies’ tracks.  However, Lupe is Lupe for 21/22 minutes, and he goes hard.  I like Lupe’s approach, cut the crap.

I’ve been into mixtapes for a long time, but its funny how the game has evolved.  Wale, Wiz Khalifa, and most notably Drake all have been born out of mixtapes and the resulting hype.  Now, it is not uncommon for a major artist to put out a mixtape promoting their upcoming album – Lupe is no exception. His album tentatively titled Lasers is set to drop in December.

Ignore the bad sideburns, and enjoy the intro, and one of the most underrated instruments on the planet, the harmonica.

In response to my complaints about not having many contacts (okay, so maybe not directly), I finally received Google Wave invites!  Though they were on Ebay for as much as $100 each a while back, I’m giving them away for free (read: I couldn’t find a buyer, just kidding).  I’ve got a few left, so let me know if you want Wave and I’ll send you an invite. There are a few conditions, however.

1) I have to actually know you, because…

2)I have to actually talk to you, so I can get a sense of Wave.

Leave a comment saying so, and I’ll invite you.  I guess the recent slew of traffic to my blog got me noticed? Moving up in the blogosphere? Let’s not get ahead of myself here…

PS. Nick Spiva, your invite should be arriving shortly.

This is a horrible, old picture of Bill.  Don’t read him based on his looks.

A few excerpts —> (C)ESPN, Bill Simmons

Q: When will Adrian Grenier realize that the best move he could possibly make with his acting career is to legally change his name to Vincent Chase? Give me one reason why this can’t happen, or why it shouldn’t happen.
– FC, Silver Spring, Md.

SG: I … I … I can’t.

Q: If Mike Dunleavy showed up at one of your book signings, what would you write in his book?
– Anthony Falco, Ontario

SG: I thought about this for 20 minutes and settled on this …

Dear Mike,

Thanks. For each of the last three summers, I nearly dumped my Clipper tickets solely because you were the coach and I didn’t want to waste my money watching six months of 20-point blowouts, disjointed strategy, unhappy players and some of the most mind-blowing crunch-time brain farts in the history of this great sport. I kept renewing only because I didn’t want to give up quality seats to see guys like LeBron, Kobe, Rose and Chris Paul, even if they were being frequently removed with 10 minutes to play because their team was leading by 30. So thanks for reminding me why I love basketball so much. If I would pay to see a Mike Dunleavy-coached NBA team, then clearly, I will pay for anything. I love this game.

Sincerely,
Bill Simmons
Clippers season-ticket holder since 2004

Q: If the boxing higher-ups had any sense whatsoever they would give us Pacman/Mayweather in six months. I would stop everything to have a fight night party for this event. I have not paid for a boxing event since Holyfield/Lewis in 1999 but I would spend at least $300-$500 to see this. What is the holdup?
– Seth Johnson, Middletown, N.Y.

SG: It’s going to be disappointing. Just warning you now. Mayweather could never trade punches in a million years with Pacquiao. He will be on his bicycle for 12 rounds. There is no way that, at this point in his life, Floyd Mayweather Jr. wants any part of Pacquiao, a concrete-headed, indefatigable freak of nature who can finish with either hand from every angle. If Floyd gets in the ring, he’ll end up doing more laps than Steve Prefontaine did for the University of Oregon. Just keep your guard up when you’re spending that $64.95.

(Important note: Will I be spending that money? Of course! Happily! I made the decision during Pacman’s glorious evisceration of Miguel Cotto that Pacman had finally reached exalted, “I Don’t Care Who You Are Fighting, I Am Watching It Live & That’s That” status, which puts him in the following company: Ali, Leonard, Tyson. My own personal Mount Rushmore. Manny hit Tiger/Federer status about a year ago and nobody cared. That’s why he needs the Floyd fight so badly. We’ve seen dominant pound-for-pound guys these past two decades, but nobody with finishing power anything like what Pacman has. He’s like a coked-up Aaron Pryor, only without the coke. Insane. If he’s fighting, I am watching.)

Q: Did you find it funny that the Memphis Grizzlies sent 3,000 of Allen Iverson’s jerseys to Tanzania, Hasheem Thabeet’s home country?
– Andy, Memphis

SG: Funny? I thought it was ingenious. They figured out a way to combine a failed free agent signing and high-lottery pick misfire and turn them into a heartwarming holiday story. That reminds me …

Without further adieu, here is my song of the day.

Ain’t No Love by Bobby “Blue” Bland

Introduced to a new generation by Jay-Z’s sampling of the track, the original deserves credit as well.

For those who understand the Nike SB reference, good on you.  For those who don’t, maybe one day you will see the light.  I also may or may not have picked up the matching Air Trainer 1 MP “Lights Out” shoes to go with it…but I’ll save that for later.

DO YOU KNOW?

For the record that was Rob Dyrdek and Big Black.

Stumbled across this today while reading headlines on the internet – the idea is brilliant!

Former Oxford Physics Professor Josh Silver came up with a means of creating adjustable glasses, by putting water in the lenses.  The significance of this these glasses is that they can be mass produced at a low cost, with the intention of giving proper sight to 1 billion people by 2020.

Check out the full article here HERE [via the guardian]

Do any of you have Google Wave? Anyone?! I do, and I can’t really see give a verdict, as I only have three contacts.  If you have a Google Wave account let me know! I want to test it out!