NBA Playoff Predictions

Eastern Conference

First Round
(1) Detroit Pistons defeat (8) Orlando Magic 4-0
(2) Cleveland Cavaliers defeat (7) Washington Wizards 4-1
(6) New Jersey Nets defeat (3) Toronto Raptors 4-3
(4) Miami Heat defeat (5) Chicago Bulls 4-3

Conference Semi-Finals
(1) Detroit Pistons defeat (4) Miami Heat 4-2
(2) Cleveland Cavaliers defeat (6) New Jersey Nets 4-3\

Conference Finals
(1) Detroit Pistons defeat (2) Cleveland Cavaliers 4-1

Western Conference

First Round
(1) Dallas Mavericks defeat (8) Golden State Warriors 4-0
(2) Phoenix Suns defeat (7) Los Angeles Lakers 4-0
(3) San Antonio Spurs defeat (6) Denver Nuggets 4-3
(5) Houston Rockets defeat (4) Utah Jazz 4-2

Conference Semi-Finals
(1) Dallas Mavericks defeat (5) Houston Rockets 4-0
(3) San Antonio Spurs defeat (2) Phoenix Suns 4-3

Conference Finals
(1) Dallas Mavericks defeat (3) San Antonio Spurs 4-3

NBA Finals
(1) Detroit Pistons defeat (1) Dallas Mavericks 4-1

For Those Who Participated, Sincere Thanks

On Friday, America wore maroon and orange, supporting Virginia Tech’s victims. We were all Hokies. We all possess hope.

American Idol Live Blog

Delayed out of respect for Virginia Tech’s victims.

Phil Stacey (29 – Florida)

Billy Corgan phoned. He requested his appearance. The performance is terrible. His vocals are oversung and unbelievable. Terrible commencement for a bizarre evening.

Jordin Sparks (17 – Arizona)

Her face is adorable. However, her dress is questionable. Was the gold sewn into the dress as an afterthought? Her performance is exceptional. She does not oversing. Her emotion translates. The judges and I concur. She was outstanding.

Sanjaya Malakar (17 – Washington)

People are talking. They are questioning your presence. What is with the bandana? Is this the rodeo’s fashion afternoon? His performance is respectable. He does not oversing. Eerily, Bonnie Raitt is periodically channeled. Paula, he does not embrace controversy, his non-elimination is controversial. Simon, as bad as American Idol failures? This has been fun for a while? I agree with the former and mock the latter. He is a disgrace. This is known. Yet, he remains.

LaKisha Jones (27 – Michigan)

Jesus, eliminate her. She will never achieve attractive. Finally, her flab is less noticeable. The aforesaid is overdue. Her performance is satisfactory. Given her video emotion, one expected more. She was sans feeling and passion. I concur with Simon. Advancement and her do not pair.

Chris Richardson (22 – Virginia)

The white jacket is great. Given this week, this selection is appropriate. His performance is exemplary. Perfectly, his voice meets the lyrics. His emotion is believable. This evening’s finest. Randy, no sense of connection? Do you have emotion? Simon, no impact at all? Contrast Monday and this song’s depiction. Are you callous? Chris sends Virginia Tech prayers. Class gesture. America, vote him on this alone.

Melinda Doolittle (29 – Tennessee)

Her ensemble is hideous. Particularly, the blouse is unflattering. Her performance is bland. Music is believing the singer’s presentation. Her recitation is unbelievable. She channels all drunken, bar singing women. Simon, Tina Turner is not a country artist. My point is proven.

Blake Lewis (25 – Washington)

Outstanding song selection. “When the Stars Go Blue” is a favorite. My praise was premature. His performance is hideous. The vocal is undersung. The passionate lyrics do not translate. This performance was sans emotion and execution. He deserves advancement. However, this performance creates an elimination circumstance. Simon, your condolences should have led the program.

America & Race: Post Imus

America should discuss race. We should discuss the realties and repercussions. We should discuss our divisions. We should discuss our racial choices and our reasoning. We should talk before the next incident.

On April 4, Don Imus discussed the NCAA Women’s Tournament Championship. During his conversation, Imus labeled the Rutgers Lady Scarlet Knights “nappy headed hos.” Immediately, his firing was demanded.

Initially, Imus’s apology was dismissive. As firing demands escalated, he apologized formally. On April 10, both MSNBC and CBS suspended him for two weeks. Sponsors commenced departing. On April 11and 12, MSNBC and CBS fired Imus.

Imus’s axing had a soul basis. Historically, he voiced racial animus and incendiary speech. On this occasion, he targeted defenseless collegians. However, the aforesaid were irrelevant. The lone basis was monetary. Those who fired Imus should say this aloud.

Imus was also a double standard’s victim. Rappers have popularized vicious racial epithets. Nefarious words are acceptable amongst African-Americans. They are unacceptable said by caucasians. These labels are explosive, vile, and repugnant. They should never be spoken.

Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson were the firing’s catalysts. They spoke for the black community. They are unfortunate spokesmen. Jackson and Sharpton damage the black community. They embrace hatred and victimization. They are not a generation’s voices. They are the moment’s profiteers.

Imus has been fired. However, racism and bigotry will not disappear. On April 15, 1981, Los Angeles Dodgers General Manager Al Campanis disparaged African-Americans. Immediately, he was fired. When Major League Baseball hired Harry Edwards, he reinstated Campanis. His perceptive reason? “There are a lot of Al Campanis in the world,” Edwards said. “Its good to have someone in house who knows how they think.”

Case Dismissed, Lives Disgraced

The case exacerbated every segregation. Black versus white. Rich versus poor. Privileged versus beleaguered. Presumed societal pillars versus a stripper. The case was electric and false.

On Thursday, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Copper dismissed all charges restraining Reade Seligmann, David Evans, and Collin Finnerty. During his remarks, Cooper pronounced them innocent. He also excoriated Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong. "This case shows the enormous consequences of overreaching by a prosecutor," Cooper said.

Immediately, Seligmann, Evans, and Finnerty were disparaged guilty. Cable news blared the allegations. Pundits scattered innuendo. Faculty condemned the accused and athletics. Fellow students campaigned for justice. Duke cancelled their lacrosse season.

Amidst the ferocity, contradictions arose. Partiers challenged the victim’s account. Finnerty and Seligmann asserted alibis. DNA validated the indicted. Eventually, CBS questioned the case.

Arrogantly, Nifong prattled, posed, and preened. He condemned Seligmann, Evans, and Finnerty as hooligans. He declared the rape committed. He dismissed the DNA. He rejected Finnerty and Seligmann’s innocence. Meanwhile, Nifong and the victim did not speak.

Nifong deserves punishment. He warrants disbarment. He betrayed his office and the public’s trust. He flaunted ambition. He pandered to win an election. For this, he deserves figurative castration.

Exoneration is beautiful fiction. On Sixty Minutes, Evans stated reality. “Whatever I do in life, it will say, one of the three Duke Lacrosse rape suspects died today,” he said.

Reprehensibly, he is correct.

Pummeling the Guilty

Between the lines, Roger Goodell regulated behavior. Socks an inappropriate length? The player was fined. Jersey nameplate flamboyant? The player was fined. Excessive celebration? They player was fined. Outside the lines, Goodell observed behavior. Multiple players caroused and were arrested. Promptly, they resumed participation. Criminal calendars delayed their punishment.

Goodell has closed this revolving door.

Last week, Tennessee Titans cornerback Adam “Pacman” Jones was suspended for the 2007 season. Simultaneously, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chris Henry was suspended for eight contests. Both suspensions are sans pay. Any career resumption depends on Goodell.

This discipline establishes precedent. Previously, legal adjudication preceded league sanctions. Goodell chastised Jones and Henry as the reversal’s catalyst. "Your conduct has brought embarrassment and ridicule upon yourself, your club, and the NFL, and has damaged the reputation of players throughout the league. You have put in jeopardy an otherwise promising NFL career, and have risked both your own safety and the safety of others through your off-field actions. In each of these respects, you have engaged in conduct detrimental to the NFL and failed to live up to the standards expected of NFL players. Taken as a whole, this conduct warrants significant sanction,” Goodell wrote.

During his career, Jones has been arrested on five occasions and interrogated on ten. July 2005, he was arrested on assault and vandalism charges. October 2005, Jones received probation for non-reporting to probation and not disclosing his previous arrest. August and October 2006, two incidents with women spawned disorderly conduct, public intoxication, and misdemeanor assault charges. February 2007, Jones was charged with felony coercion and misdemeanor battery and threat to life.

In 2005, Henry drove sans a valid license, speeding, and with marijuana on his person. January 2006, he was charged firearm concealment and aggravated assault. June 2006, Henry was arrested for drunken driving. October 2006, Henry and teammates were arrested. Henry was benched and suspended. January 2007, Henry plead guilty to providing alcohol to minors.

Forever, I have advocated severe punishment. Suspensions with pain. No ten or fifteen thousand dollar fines. Nothing affordable. Revoke game checks and participatory rights. Goodell has done this. I applaud him.

American Idol: Failure Advances

Haley Scarnato has been eliminated. America’s decision was apocryphal. Sanjaya was horrendous. Lakisha and Phil were terrible. Obviously, America ignored their performances. They voted their preconceptions. The result was abdominal.

Clearly, America is delusional. Blake possesses potential. However, anyone else as a star is laughable. Lakisha is morbidly obese. Jordin and Melinda are chunky. Phil is bland. If one of them win, their career will be momentary. They will not sell.

American Idol screams they are a singing competition. However, singing and selling records are incongruent. Americans bought the Notorious B.I.G.’s edge. They bought Britney Spears’ attractiveness. They bought Nirvana’s aura. Rueben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, and Taylor Hicks have won American Idol. Are they selling? Are they on Billboard’s Hot 100? Guess why? Americans do not buy fat, ugly, and old singers.

American Idol is a phenomenon. The program is must watch. With that stated, label the show appropriately. Americans are not selecting their next idol. They are merely judging an annual talent competition. Essentially, FOX is televising a county fair.

The Big Five (4/15)

For reasons good and bad… they were the news.

The Hot Five (4/15)

A quintet of sizzling conversation starters.

Unified in Grief

Virginia Tech Tragedy: Presidential Reaction

Our nation is shocked and saddened by the news of the shootings at Virginia Tech today. The exact total has not yet been confirmed, but it appears that more than 30 people were killed and many more were wounded.

I've spoken with Governor Tim Kaine and Virginia Tech President Charles Steger. I told them that Laura and I and many across our nation are praying for the victims and their families and all the members of the university community who have been devastated by this terrible tragedy. I told them that my administration would do everything possible to assist with the investigation, and that I pledged that we would stand ready to help local law enforcement and the local community in any way we can during this time of sorrow.

Schools should be places of safety and sanctuary and learning. When that sanctuary is violated, the impact is felt in every American classroom and every American community.

Today, our nation grieves with those who have lost loved ones at Virginia Tech. We hold the victims in our hearts, we lift them up in our prayers, and we ask a loving God to comfort those who are suffering today.

“A Tragedy of Monumental Proportions”

On Monday, Virginia Tech suffered an unspeakable horror. Details remain unknown. Currently, thirty-three are dead. Fifteen are injured.

Virginia Tech has our thoughts and prayers.