The LBN Newsletter, the self-proclaimed insider newsletter and blog of Michael Levine, recently asked - "Should Charlie Sheen be committed to a mental institution?" Over 85% said yes, but I was one of the minority - rather than an institution, I believe that this is what he needs:
Dear Charlie - Despite the fact that most folks believe that you should be committed to a mental hospital, I disagree. What you need is a strong-willed 24/7 chaperone who will monitor your every move and serve as your father/brother/friend/advisor/confidant/behavior monitor and enforcer. Forget all of the rationalizations and other BS that you spew to the media - you are among the most privileged of the privileged, and you simply do not know how to behave or to make intelligent decisions. Wisdom is anticipating the consequences, and Charlie, it appears as though you have next to none.
Considering what you pay per month in familial support, I am available for $20,000 per month plus room and board and a modest per diem. I will monitor your every action. We will clear your house of all drugs and alcohol. I will carefully scrutinize every person who comes into contact with you. The only time that I won't be at your side is in the bathroom and when you have guests in your bedroom. Said guests will be searched before being left alone with you. Twenty-four/seven - and I will bust your butt for any misstep. Deal??
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
AN ANGEL FOR SHABBAT
Spend all your time waiting
For that one second chance
For the break that would make it okay
There's always some reason
To feel not good enough
Oh,and it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction
Oh a beautiful release
Memories seep from my veins
Let me be empty
And weightless and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight
In the arms of the angel
Fly away from here
From this dark cold hotel room
And the endlessness that you fear
You are pulled from the wreckage
Of your silent reverie
You're in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort here
So tired of the straight life
Oh,and everywhere you turn
There's vultures and thieves at your back
The storm keeps on twisting
You keep on building the lies
That you make up for all that you lack
It don't make no difference
Escaping one last time
It's easier to believe in this sweet madness
Oh,this glorious sadness that brings me to my knees
In the arms of the angel
Fly away from here
From this dark cold hotel room
And the endlessness that you fear
Oh,you are pulled from the wreckage
Of your silent reverie
You're in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort here
You're in the arms of YOUR angel
May you find some comfort here
Spend all your time waiting
For that one second chance
For the break that would make it okay
There's always some reason
To feel not good enough
Oh,and it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction
Oh a beautiful release
Memories seep from my veins
Let me be empty
And weightless and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight
In the arms of the angel
Fly away from here
From this dark cold hotel room
And the endlessness that you fear
You are pulled from the wreckage
Of your silent reverie
You're in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort here
So tired of the straight life
Oh,and everywhere you turn
There's vultures and thieves at your back
The storm keeps on twisting
You keep on building the lies
That you make up for all that you lack
It don't make no difference
Escaping one last time
It's easier to believe in this sweet madness
Oh,this glorious sadness that brings me to my knees
In the arms of the angel
Fly away from here
From this dark cold hotel room
And the endlessness that you fear
Oh,you are pulled from the wreckage
Of your silent reverie
You're in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort here
You're in the arms of YOUR angel
May you find some comfort here
CAVALIERS DOWN KNICKS
I know that it is not good to relish a team's loss, so let's just say that I am most happy that the struggling Cavaliers were able to get a win over the Knicks. Of course the New York press has a spin, but here's what the NY Times had to say - I have added bold to the portions that I find most problematic for the Knicks:
KNICKS’ EUPHORIA IS THROWN FOR A LOSS
By JODIE VALADE
CLEVELAND — The first test was a rousing success. Carmelo Anthony made a triumphant Knicks debut Wednesday at Madison Square Garden. But playbooks take time to learn, and simply suiting up superstars does not guarantee victories.
On Friday, the Knicks showed that the pairing of Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire would be a work in progress for the rest of the season.
The 11-47 Cleveland Cavaliers, who endured an N.B.A.-record 26-game losing streak this season, embarrassed the Knicks, 115-109, at Quicken Loans Arena. Anthony watched the final 24.3 seconds from the bench after fouling out. During the last quarter, he aggravated a right elbow injury.
“There is a learning curve, and you can’t get around it,” Knicks Coach Mike D’Antoni said. “We know it. It’s going to take us a little while.”
The good news for the Knicks is that the simplified offense they are running until the new point guard Chauncey Billups is comfortable with all the plays is easy to execute.
“We do have the luxury of having two guys who you really don’t have to do anything,” D’Antoni said of Anthony and Stoudemire. “You just give them the ball and get out of the way.”
So far, when one star dominates offensively, the other quietly disappears. On Friday, Anthony started with an aggressive first quarter that yielded 16 points; he was 5 of 8 from the field. Stoudemire did not score in five attempts.
As Stoudemire awoke to score 11 points in the second quarter, Anthony managed only 3.
And in the fourth quarter, neither could find the basket reliably as Anthony battled through elbow pain that he said resulted in a loss of feeling in his hand at times. Anthony, who wore a sleeve on his right arm, said he did not expect to miss time with the injury.
Billups took charge in the fourth quarter, netting 18 of his 24 points. He brought the Knicks to within a basket a handful of times late in the fourth quarter, and the Cavaliers’ lead was tenuous until guard Daniel Gibson hit a 3-pointer with 30.6 seconds remaining. Anthony fouled out shortly after.
Anthony was 9 of 22 from the field in scoring 27 points. Stoudemire had 31 points, hitting 14 of 27 shots, and added 11 rebounds. But his counterpart on the Cavaliers, J. J. Hickson, had 24 points and 15 rebounds and 5 blocks.
All of it was a reminder that these Knicks are still learning to work together. Their newness was apparent, too, when Anthony still had to defend himself Friday for his time spent in Denver. During an interview on TNT on Thursday night at halftime of the Nuggets’ game against the Boston Celtics, Denver Coach George Karl was critical of Anthony’s defense and effort.
“Melo is the best offensive player I’ve ever coached, but his defensive focus, his demand of himself is what frustrated us more than anything,” Karl said Thursday.
Shortly after the interview, Anthony posted two updates to his Twitter account that appeared to be a rebuttal to Karl’s statement.
“Some people never seize to amaze me. Unbelievable,” he wrote. Immediately after that, he added, “When the grass is cut the snakes will show.”
Asked Friday about his relationship with Karl, Anthony shrugged off Karl’s comments. “That’s him,” Anthony said. “That’s George Karl. I try not to pay too much attention to that.”
The effects of the trade are still being felt, even in the Knicks’ desire to acquire big men who might help narrow the kind of 62-42 rebounding advantage the Cavaliers had Friday. With the Knicks desperate for size, D’Antoni acknowledged that they were interested to learn that the 6-foot-11 forward Jared Jeffries reached a buyout agreement with the Houston Rockets on Friday. D’Antoni said the Knicks’ president, Donnie Walsh, was exploring acquiring Jeffries.
Jeffries, who played for the Knicks from 2006 until a trade last season sent him to Houston, provides not only length but the defensive ability that D’Antoni yearns for.
“He’s a winner,” D’Antoni said. “And I thought he played well with us. There’s a lot of good things with him.”
These Knicks still are coming together, as evidenced by their loss to the lowly Cavaliers.
“That’s with anything new — there’s always pros and cons to it,” Anthony said. “We’re going to always have to answer that question until we prove to everybody that it will work. And it will work. I have no doubts about that.”
KNICKS’ EUPHORIA IS THROWN FOR A LOSS
By JODIE VALADE
CLEVELAND — The first test was a rousing success. Carmelo Anthony made a triumphant Knicks debut Wednesday at Madison Square Garden. But playbooks take time to learn, and simply suiting up superstars does not guarantee victories.
On Friday, the Knicks showed that the pairing of Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire would be a work in progress for the rest of the season.
The 11-47 Cleveland Cavaliers, who endured an N.B.A.-record 26-game losing streak this season, embarrassed the Knicks, 115-109, at Quicken Loans Arena. Anthony watched the final 24.3 seconds from the bench after fouling out. During the last quarter, he aggravated a right elbow injury.
“There is a learning curve, and you can’t get around it,” Knicks Coach Mike D’Antoni said. “We know it. It’s going to take us a little while.”
The good news for the Knicks is that the simplified offense they are running until the new point guard Chauncey Billups is comfortable with all the plays is easy to execute.
“We do have the luxury of having two guys who you really don’t have to do anything,” D’Antoni said of Anthony and Stoudemire. “You just give them the ball and get out of the way.”
So far, when one star dominates offensively, the other quietly disappears. On Friday, Anthony started with an aggressive first quarter that yielded 16 points; he was 5 of 8 from the field. Stoudemire did not score in five attempts.
As Stoudemire awoke to score 11 points in the second quarter, Anthony managed only 3.
And in the fourth quarter, neither could find the basket reliably as Anthony battled through elbow pain that he said resulted in a loss of feeling in his hand at times. Anthony, who wore a sleeve on his right arm, said he did not expect to miss time with the injury.
Billups took charge in the fourth quarter, netting 18 of his 24 points. He brought the Knicks to within a basket a handful of times late in the fourth quarter, and the Cavaliers’ lead was tenuous until guard Daniel Gibson hit a 3-pointer with 30.6 seconds remaining. Anthony fouled out shortly after.
Anthony was 9 of 22 from the field in scoring 27 points. Stoudemire had 31 points, hitting 14 of 27 shots, and added 11 rebounds. But his counterpart on the Cavaliers, J. J. Hickson, had 24 points and 15 rebounds and 5 blocks.
All of it was a reminder that these Knicks are still learning to work together. Their newness was apparent, too, when Anthony still had to defend himself Friday for his time spent in Denver. During an interview on TNT on Thursday night at halftime of the Nuggets’ game against the Boston Celtics, Denver Coach George Karl was critical of Anthony’s defense and effort.
“Melo is the best offensive player I’ve ever coached, but his defensive focus, his demand of himself is what frustrated us more than anything,” Karl said Thursday.
Shortly after the interview, Anthony posted two updates to his Twitter account that appeared to be a rebuttal to Karl’s statement.
“Some people never seize to amaze me. Unbelievable,” he wrote. Immediately after that, he added, “When the grass is cut the snakes will show.”
Asked Friday about his relationship with Karl, Anthony shrugged off Karl’s comments. “That’s him,” Anthony said. “That’s George Karl. I try not to pay too much attention to that.”
The effects of the trade are still being felt, even in the Knicks’ desire to acquire big men who might help narrow the kind of 62-42 rebounding advantage the Cavaliers had Friday. With the Knicks desperate for size, D’Antoni acknowledged that they were interested to learn that the 6-foot-11 forward Jared Jeffries reached a buyout agreement with the Houston Rockets on Friday. D’Antoni said the Knicks’ president, Donnie Walsh, was exploring acquiring Jeffries.
Jeffries, who played for the Knicks from 2006 until a trade last season sent him to Houston, provides not only length but the defensive ability that D’Antoni yearns for.
“He’s a winner,” D’Antoni said. “And I thought he played well with us. There’s a lot of good things with him.”
These Knicks still are coming together, as evidenced by their loss to the lowly Cavaliers.
“That’s with anything new — there’s always pros and cons to it,” Anthony said. “We’re going to always have to answer that question until we prove to everybody that it will work. And it will work. I have no doubts about that.”
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
MELO-LESS NUGGETS SHINE
The Associated Press writer made it sound like a wake. And one of the opening lines, "Anthony was one of the best players in Denver Nuggets history" needed the modifier "if the NBA was a one-on-one league." Great players know when to shoot and when to pass, and Melo only mastered half of that equation. Great players know how to involve the other four professionals on the court, bringing out the best in everyone, and Melo played a lot of back-em-down, jack-it-up while the others stood around and watched. Great players lead their teams to championships - enough said.
I was hopeful that the short-handed Nuggets would pull it together on the day after the trade. They played the Memphis Grizzlies, a team that they are battling for a playoff spot. I watched and I was very pleased - they hustled, they played great defense, they ran the fast break, and most importantly, they played team ball. On nearly every possession, there were 2,3, or 4 passes, working toward the best shot. They shared the ball, and were up by 30 at one point in the game. Awesome. It will be interesting if the talent that had been in Melo's shadow will emerge as a team rather than a group of individuals. Coach Karl has the ability to do this and no longer has to watch helplessly as an anointed one plays his own game.
I may actually watch them now.
I was hopeful that the short-handed Nuggets would pull it together on the day after the trade. They played the Memphis Grizzlies, a team that they are battling for a playoff spot. I watched and I was very pleased - they hustled, they played great defense, they ran the fast break, and most importantly, they played team ball. On nearly every possession, there were 2,3, or 4 passes, working toward the best shot. They shared the ball, and were up by 30 at one point in the game. Awesome. It will be interesting if the talent that had been in Melo's shadow will emerge as a team rather than a group of individuals. Coach Karl has the ability to do this and no longer has to watch helplessly as an anointed one plays his own game.
I may actually watch them now.
Newly-acquired Denver Nuggets (from left) Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari and Timofey Mozgov are cheered as they watch their new team defeat the Memphis Grizzlies.
ADDED NOTE: I submitted this as a Letter to the Editor of the Boulder Daily Camera, and they actually published it!! http://www.dailycamera.com/letters/ci_17474829
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
BYE BYE MELO
I have previously written about my low regard for the professional version of basketball. Generally speaking, that lack of respect carries over to the individual players as now epitomized by Carmelo Anthony. All season long, Melo and his equally self-enthralled WAG La La Vasquez have been pining for the Big Apple, playing ball at the center of the universe, blah, blah, blah. They finally got their wish with today's trade, and the only thing that makes me a bit sad is that Chauncey Billips was included in the deal. Apparently this was another demand of Megalo Melo. Chauncey is indeed the "hometown favorite." The first time that we saw him play was as an all-star high schooler from George Washington in Denver. The last time we saw him was courtside at the CU Coors Events Center, cheering on his alma mater is a win over Kansas State. Melo will not be missed, but Chauncey will.
Chauncey & Carmelo
Thursday, February 17, 2011
BLUE RONDO A LA TURK
Although I consider my musical tastes to be broad and eclectic, I must say there are some genres that I cannot abide - free-form jazz; four hour operas; rap; heavy-metal. I am not sure where the Dave Brubeck Quartet fit in the music classification, but I appreciate their sound and their iconic Take Five. However, I like this tune even more than Take Five - enjoy!
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