Archive for August 8th, 2007

- 88 + sunshine > 100 + overcast when it comes to the amount of sweat generated on a run. But then, given that no two runs are ever exactly the same, I can’t say for sure. Plus… you know what? Nevermind the whole thing. I think I only put on 2 layers over the wifebeater today. Not a fair comparison.

- If Terrell Owens were on course to break any of Jerry Rice’s records, he would probably be getting a similar (but not the same) amount of anti-cheerleading from the media. Now understand, Barry : baseball >>> Owens : football, but if they were even, it would be about the same, I’m guessing. I say ‘about,’ because I don’t think that TO has demonstrated quite the same level of vitriol towards the press, so he wouldn’t get quite the same level back, but I think the general concept is the same.

- Starting a football team is some hard work.

- Big up to Common for having the number one album in the country this week. Of course I copped. In a way, I’d like to think that it’s something significant, but at the same time, I only care marginally. But here’s what I think I know: commerce as a measure of artistic quality fails, but that also leaves the question of a more accurate way to measure the value of art to the people for whom it is intended.

So like this: a couple months ago, Professor X posted the list of the 100 funkiest songs, as determined by his readers. Now, I don’t argue with the people on issues like this, because what the people say is ultimately what matters. However, I know for a fact that I could pull out some jams that are at least as funky as, if not funkier than, many of the songs on the list. However, since many people may not have heard those songs, they would never come up on a greatest-of-the-genre list. That doesn’t make the songs themselves any less-funky, but in a way, the question could be asked, if the songs were funkier, wouldn’t they have gained greater notoriety? I’m pretty sure we all know that My answer to that question would be ‘no,’ but I also think there’s a fair question in there to be asked.

- I’m pretty sure Jesse Lee Peterson wouldn’t ascribe this couple’s naming of their baby to any innate traits to white people, or even to New Zealanders. But let some Black folks try it.

Run Pass - DMc is talkin Super Bowl again. Of course he is. What quarterback wouldn’t be talkin Super Bowl in training camp?

This is bigger than that, though. Let’s think back. Think wwwaaaaaaay back to last year. Eagles were coming off a 6-10 debacle. People thought he was on crack. Then the season unfolded. He’s puttin up MVP-type numbers. He goes down. Season’s over, right? Wrong. They finish 10-6 with the division title. (Yes, over the so-called mighty Cowboys, who… well, as Don Magic Juan might say, P up, H down, right?) So now. Listen up carefully. Those who think the Eagles have no shot at taking the division again, or even the conference…you might have a big surprise in store. Especially if (but not iff) the play calling is somewhere close to balanced.

Seven hundred fifty-six. Finally. So maybe now we can stop talkin about it, and maybe we can get a respite from all the vitriol. As Sports Illustrated’s Phil Taylor points out, it’s not like any old body could shoot up or rub up or whatever Barry is alleged to have done and then and gone out and hit all those home runs. I guess it could be said that he was a tool, even when he was a 5-tool player, so honestly, let’s not let the former overshadow the latter. Barry Bonds has been an elite baseball player from the get-go. He been good. Even those who don’t like it should just focus on that and respect that.

Simply put, sports records are made to be broken (vinyl records are not!), even by people who we don’t necessarily wish would break them. Let the man have his moment. Sooner or later (and at the rate Alex Rodriguez is going, it’s gonna be sooner) somebody’s gonna pass him anyway.