Jesus, Jocks, and the Jukebox

Jeremy Evans

Jeremy Evans' claim to fame is being last year's winner of the dunk competition. You won't know him for anything else, because he plays just over five minutes a game for the Utah Jazz. He looked to shake off his nerves half way through the competition last year, and I think he'll come in ready to blow the roof off the place this year.



James "Flight" White

They call him "flight." He can do this:



Enough said.

Kenneth Faried

Faried only functions in one speed - and that is "all out." Not only does he throw it down with ridiculous authority, and every game he throws down at least one crazy alley-oop, but he also has awesome hair, and that's worth at least three extra points per dunk as flowing locks make every dunk look better than it actually is. They also call him the Manimal. So that's fun. Unlike the three above participants, Faried is a very good basketball player, and if you don't know him yet, you'll know him soon. His only knock is that big guys usually get the shaft in these competitions (unless you're Dwight Howard).



Terrance Ross

Terrance Ross might win this competition. He jumps so high, and every dunk he throws down is a highlight. I want him to win over anyone else. But, Ross is young and inexperienced, and that tends to play a factor in these competitions as he might come out shy or shaky, and not make it into the next round. He's also on the Raptors, and a Toronto player winning the dunk comp isn't good for business. I sure hope I'm wrong though.



Eric Bledsoe

Bledsoe's perhaps the best basketball player in this competition. He may just be a backup point guard, but he's got Chris Paul in front of him, so you can't really blame him for that one. He's super fast, super talented, can obviously jump, is a great in-game dunker - but for some reason I don't see him being a great competition dunker. But like all of these competitors, he's definitely got a shot, and considering he's only 6"1, he might get the "woah, he's not very tall and he's still pulling that off!?" vote.

Being a Raptors fan isn't the most exciting thing in the world. When you go into a season, you expect a lot of the same old same old. The season narrative begins with This will be the year Bargnani makes the big leap, and ends with Bargnani needs to go, Bryan Colangelo's job will be "on the line," the team's going to lose more games than they win, and ultimately the Raptors miss the playoffs.

Another one of those "sure things" in a typical Toronto Raptors season is that Jose Calderon works his tail off all season long, and remains a beloved figure in the city of Toronto.

When we look at the 2012-2013 season, Bargnani is still awful, people have been calling for BC's head since the DeRozen extension, and the Raptors are 16-30, good enough for the 11th spot in the Eastern Conference. But on Wednesday evening, Raptors fans lost the only real positive constant that we can count on from season to season, as Jose Calderon was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies (and eventually the Detroit Pisons) along with the up-and-coming sophomore power forward, Ed Davis (who stayed with the Grizzlies) for 26-year-old Rudy Gay, a fringe superstar who either hasn't quite made the leap as one of the marquee players in this league, or perhaps never truly will. That will remain to be seen as new markets and new surroundings have proven to either stunt a players growth, or allow them to really flourish, but ultimately the Raptors got the best player in the trade.

I need to start off by mentioning that I really like this trade. The Toronto Raptors will never be a good enough basketball team with DeMar DeRozen and Kyle Lowry as their best players, and as serviceable as Jose Calderon and Ed Davis can be, you make this trade 10/10 times on Gay's potential alone.

That being said, at the end of it all I don't know if I have ever been as bummed out about a trade as I was on Wednesday night. Since coming up from Spain in 2005, the Raptors have been the only North American team Jose Calderon ever known. Every night, Jose Calderon has left it all out on the floor in Toronto, despite management bringing in other point guards to take his position on numerous occasions  and never really trusting him with the keys to the car as the starting point guard of the Raptors.

Despite managements lack of confidence, the media bashing his abilities, and his team missing the playoffs year after year, Jose Calderon has been a rock for the Toronto Raptors, and seeing him leave is a difficult thing to be excited about. Is he a solid starting point guard in this league? It's debatable, and I don't believe he is, but the point is that he never complained, he just went out on the court and kept working harder - because that's what good teammates do. And Jose Calderon was the definition of a good teammate.

As for Ed Davis, well, he's just a kid. It's his second year in the league, and he's really starting to come into his own as a solid 10 points 10 rebounds kind of player. He's not going to be a superstar in this league, and probably not even an all-star, but when you hear reports about Davis being visibly crushed leaving the court after hearing about the trade, that's just not going to feel good either.

What I'm trying to express here is that you forget sometimes that the NBA isn't just a bunch of guys playing basketball - it's a business. This trade? Good business. But as fans, most of us don't see these players as assets - we see them as people. This is a good trade, but Jose and Ed Davis are good people - and we're going to miss them.

When I first started in the Creative Communications program, I did it with the hope that one day I'd be able to work for an organization that I truly cared about, and spread the joy of that organization with others as a professional communicator. I've always known that it would happen one day, but I had no idea it would happen so quickly.

I'm very pleased to say that starting in April I will be the new Digital Media Coordinator at Providence University College.

This is an incredible opportunity for me, and I'm so blessed that my first job is going to be for an organization that has made such an amazing impact on my life. For those of you who don't know, I went to Prov for my first year after high school, and it was one of the best years in my life. I made amazing friends, had a ton of fun, and discovered a lot of thing about my faith that have been incredibly important in shaping me to the person I am today.

When I tell people about this new job, many people ask me about what, and where Providence is. In terms of where, it's just a short 40 minute drive away from my house in a lovely little town called Otterburne. As for what, I could go on for pages about it here in words, but there are a couple of videos made by Cam Friesen at Nice! Productions which come to mind that I feel illustrate perfectly the essence and community of Providence University College.

Have a great weekend.



Providence Harvest Festival Banquet from Nice! Productions on Vimeo.

My first memory of being a hockey fan came when I was six years old. It was my first year of playing hockey, and it only seemed appropriate that I should start watching the game that I was learning how to play. It was the Stanley Cup Finals, and the Detroit Red Wings were set to sweep against the physical juggernaut that was the Philadelphia Flyers. I don't remember a thing about the game, but what I do remember was seeing Steve Yzerman lift the Stanley Cup above his head, and from that moment being hooked on the National Hockey League.

As I got older and learned how to play the game myself, my passion for the NHL continued to grow, and what I've realized is that there has always been a direct correlation between my interest in the NHL, and my personal hockey career.

As a kid, you have the pipe dream of being an NHL player one day. With every bit of free time you try to learn everything there is to know about the NHL, because the only way you're going to get there is by studying the people who have already made it.

Of course, as the years went by it became clear to me that I wasn't going to make it to the big show, but there were still plenty of reasons to be obsessed with the NHL. Whether it was the dressing room conversations about last night's big game, the necessity of knowing everyone's name while watching Hockey Night in Canada or playing the latest EA Sports video game with your pals, or just having that inspiration every time you step on the ice for a big game, a love for the NHL was always very important to my well being growing up. But things have certainly changed.

I haven't played a real hockey game since February 23, 2011, and since then, something has happened to my love for the NHL. It's different.

Now, every time I see a sick dangle on Sportscentre, I can't go to practice the next day to try it out on my goalie. Now, when I watch my old hockey DVD's or watch highlights on YouTube, it's not to get psyched up for tonights game, it's to procrastinate from my homework. It's different. And now every time I turn on a game it brings back a feeling of sadness that life moves on, and the things you love in life will change whether you like it or not.

So I've been distancing myself - which has been relatively easy considering there hasn't been a whole lot of hockey to keep track of. But now the games back, and along with it, the nostalgia. Part of me wanted the lockout to cancel the entire season so I could freely enjoy watching as many basketball games as possible, without the allure of hockey tearing me apart. But that's not going to happen, and now every time I turn on a TV or open up a newspaper, I'm going to see the game that just feels so different to me now.

But today I'm making a choice to try and get back to my love of the NHL. My rationale for loving the game has changed as I have gotten older, and maybe now is just the time for it to change again. Don't get me wrong, I still love the game, and I still love the NHL, but it's time for me to find a different reason to love it again instead of loving it simply because I play hockey. I know there's a lot to love about it, but sometimes it's just hard to move past old memories, even though you know you'll make new ones down the road.

So, here's to the new season - may it bring back my fading passion, bring about new memories, and bring back a Stanley Cup to Toronto. Cheers.

After a wonderfully relaxing Christmas break, you'll be delighted to know that starting today, Jesus, Jocks, and the Jukebox will be back in full swing.

As each day goes on, I'm continuously inspired by the incredible blessings in my life, and the way God reveals Himself to us every day. I can assure you, the "Jesus" aspect of the blog will be as apparent as ever.

With the return of the NHL, and the NBA transitioning in to the second half of the season, you can expect plenty of Jocks.

And when it comes to the Jukebox...he's back, baby.




Have a great week.

As you may know, I'm on the radio every Sunday night hosting a hip-hop radio show called The Booth on Red River Radio.

But this Tuesday, November 20, I will be on the radio for a much nobler purpose, as my Radio PR class will be putting on a radiothon for Canadian Blood Services, encouraging people to give blood and save some lives.

Over the last couple of weeks, our class has been working hard to promote the radiothon, and try to set ourselves up to get the most people possible into the Canadian Blood Services Clinic (777 William Ave). So far we've had a lot of interest, but we'd still love to have a lot more people come down and support a great cause.

So, if you're in the Exchange District on November 20, why not head down to 777 William Ave and give blood. Or if you're closer to the RRC Exchange District Campus, you can take one of the shuttles from there and give blood that way.

We're going to be on the air from 7am-7pm, and I'll be on between 4-7pm, so whatever you do make sure you at least give a listen to hear some amazing stories and interviews about the importance of giving blood, and the way it really can save lives.

For more updates on the event, visit radio.rrc.ca.

Have a great weekend.

Listen to The Booth.

Listen to the radiothon.

#rallyforred

Listen, I know the Raptors haven't put together a dangerous team in over a decade. Yes, I realize league-wide they're probably one of the least relevant basketball teams of all time. I'm aware that the average basketball fan in the United States will struggle to come up with the names of two players on the current roster.

I know all of these things. I'm not completely blinded to the negatives of the Raptors, although when I look back at last year's Raptor report and realize that I said DeMar DeRozan now has a three-point shot, I may have a harder time persuading you. But at the end of the day, this is Canada's team. And I'm writing down the names of everyone who has laughed in my face, so that in 20 years when the Raptors win a championship and the entire country will try to say they are Raptors fans, I will immediately kick you right off the bandwagon. Jerks.

Moving on...

I'm going to make a bold statement: Despite their 1-4 start to the season, this may be my favorite Raptors team of all time.

Yeah, the Carter, McGrady, Oakley days were cool. And realistically, they were definitely a better basketball team. But I was too young to really appreciate it. So I'm hopping on the backs of the 2012-2013 Toronto Raptors and hoping they carry me on over to the first round of the playoffs. Jerks.

I know, the Raptors just came off a couple of bad loses to the Mavs and the Thunder where they just looked lost and outclassed. But unfortunately for my credibility, I planned on writing this post before those games happened. The Raptors had just finished beating a shorthanded Timberwolves team by playing a gritty, yet polished brand of basketball, and I was feeling pretty confident about snagging the 8th playoff spot in the East. But you know what, if you wait for a perfect time to write good things about the Toronto Raptors, history says you're not going to have a very active blog. So I'll keep going.

I'll cut right to the chase: The reason why I have been so excited about this year's team is almost entirely because of Kyle Lowry. This guy is incredible. Believe it or not, there aren't a whole lot of national broadcasts of the Houston Rockets, so I hadn't really been able to see much of Lowry before he came to Toronto other than what I read online and saw in short highlight packages.

After playing just three full games, Lowry has already become a massive fan favorite in Toronto, and really, what's there not to like about him? He's a very hard worker, a great defender, a good scorer, a three point threat, and a textbook court general. To top it all off, the guy's got swagger. He knows he's good, and contrary to the best players on last year's Raptors team (Bargnani, and DeRozan), he genuinely wants to carry this team on his back, and it has shown as he leads the team in points, assists, rebounds, steals, and three-point percentage.

It is because of Lowry that people are finally starting to talk about the Raptors again. He's breathed new life into the franchise, and have sports writers in the United States saying, "Hey, I actually enjoy watching this team play," or, "Wow, Toronto is kind of a dangerous team."

The Raptors will go as far as Lowry takes them. Period. But as good as he is, he's going to need some help. And as likeable and hardworking as this team is, it's very questionable as to whether or not Lowry's supporting cast will be enough to get the team into the playoffs.

There are three players on this team who will need to step up to help push this team over the hump.

First, there's DeMar DeRozan. Before the season opener, DeRozan signed a 4 year, 38-million dollar contract extension. Even as a Raptors fan, I can't defend this contract. It's awful. In his first three seasons in the NBA, DeRozan has proven that he is a good dunker. That's pretty much it. That being said, I love DeRozan. He works very hard, and isn't afraid to go to the hoop even against a defender like LeBron James. Sure, he may not always be successful, but it's encouraging that he has the confidence to try.

If the Raptors are going to succeed, they need DeRozan to become a shooting guard who can actually shoot. He's a below average defender, and if he can't develop a 3-point shot, then his upside is non-existant. Highlights may sell a few tickets, but winning sells more. DeRozan needs to become a complete player, and I truly hope that he achieves that, and proves all of the critics of his contract extension wrong - including myself.

Second, there's Andrea Bargnani. The best thing that has happened to him is that he's no longer the number one scoring option on this team. No team can succeed with Bargnani as their best player, and to be honest, I've never liked him as a player. His shooting has struggled out of the gate, and if he can't shoot, there is literally no use for him. The Raptors needs Bargnani to get better, or they need to get rid of him.

And finally, there's Jonas Valanciunas. I was very much against this draft pick a couple of years ago. But I was wrong. I love Valanciunas. This guy is a real work-horse who crashes the boards hard, but yet has great touch and can actually handle the ball a little bit. Realistically, he's not going to win Rookie of the Year or anything, but in a couple of years I think he's going to be a consistant double-double type of player. His biggest flaw is that he's going to foul out of a lot of games this season. But that's just kids these days for you. I drank the Kool-Aid - I am a big fan of Jonas Valanciunas.

A few rapid fire notes about this year's Toronto Raptors:

• Jose Calderon is much more likeable as a backup point guard. I think he's going to have a good year.
• Dwane Casey is the perfect head coach for the Raptors. Hard-nosed, credible, experienced, and defensive minded.
• Alan Anderson getting a lot of minutes and playing well is kind of good, but it also means DeRozan isn't living up to his contract. 
• As a Knicks fan, I liked Landry Fields. I was excited that he was coming to the Raptors even though he has a horrendous contract. It makes me very sad that he's been so awful. I hope he turns it around. I still have hope. 

For the first time in what seems like forever, I am here to address the second "J" in Jesus, Jocks, and the Jukebox because...

I always find it hilarious when we listen to the work of a musician and think we know them as a person. I understand that music is a way some people express themselves, but the true meaning of a song is only known by the artist and the artist alone. It's like 50 Cent said, "It's just music man, it's just music."

But sometimes, it feels like more than just music. On good kid, m.A.A.d. city, Kendrick Lamar gives us an idea of his life growing up in the streets of Compton, and his evolution from a good kid trapped in the life of a gangster, to a highly intelligent, incredibly talented, role model for everyone around the world trying to "make it."

The 12-track GKMC is an album that tells a story. In fact, when taken out of context, some of his songs make Kendrick look like the cocky, shallow, mainstream hip-hop artists we often hear on the radio - where in reality nothing can be further from the truth.

When Kendrick wants us to know what he life was like when he was 17-year-old, he raps about what's important to a 17-year-old: money, power, women, and "the homies". When Kendrick wants to talk about his evolution to a man, he talks about family, faith, and influence. But regardless of what he's rapping about, or who he's portraying at the moment, he executes it all so masterfully to a degree we really haven't seen in rap music for a long time.

Lyrically, Kendrick is on another level. His flow is unlike anyone's in the game right now and is a flow that can match every possible scenario - something Kendrick uses to his advantage. On "Backseat Freestyle" Kendrick raps as his 17-year-old self, sticking out his chest and hardly stopping to breathe as he tears apart another memorable Hit Boy production. But on tracks like "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" he slows it down to articulate stories of loved ones lost, seemingly from the perspective of the mature 25-year-old man he is today. Both extremely different styles and subject matter, both equally impressive and impactful.

Many publications predict GKMC will go down in history as "a classic." After hearing Kendrick tell his story in such an artistic way and honest way - it's hard to disagree. The features feel natural (Drake, Jay Rock, MC Eiht, Dr. Dre), the production compliments the content, and the story is simply captivating.

I could go through track by track and try to explain the story of Kendrick's life, but he does such a good job that nobody ever needs to try again. But what I will say is that in a business ran by suites and regulations, Kendrick tells his story his way - and we should all be thankful for that.


Best Tracks: The Art of Peer Pressure, Money Trees, Sing About Me/ I'm Dying of Thirst, Real

When you talk to people about "going to work" you're likely to get a wide range of reactions. But regardless of if you love going to work, or dread it every day, it's a part of life that certainly isn't going anywhere.

There are two things you need to know this weekend:

We left off part one with the words of Pusha T:

I love music, but I'd still definitely classify myself as a "sports guy."

The hip-hop scene is alive and well in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

G.O.O.D. music was in the building at the Garrick Centre last night as Big Sean stopped by to give us one heck of a rap show.

Big Sean's energy was contagious, which made for a hyped crowd and an awesome performance. As impressed as I was with the show Sean put on (considering  he's probably one of the least appealing members to me of the G.O.O.D. music ensemble), I was even more impressed with the crowd at the Garrick Centre.

The room was packed with true hip-hop fans, who were not only dancing and reciting the full lyrics of Big Sean's musical catalogue, but they were doing the very same to the playlist of rap classics the DJ was spinning an hour before the show.

As I watched what was going on around me, I was very encouraged with the state of hip-hop in Winnipeg. Lately, artists like Ludacris, Knaan, Big Sean, Wiz Khalifa, and the Weeknd have chosen to take their acts to Winnipeg, and it's great to see a big and excited crowd like last night's to show up and build the reputation of a respectable hip-hop community in our city.

With that being said, my realization of hip-hop's popularity in Winnipeg is especially encouraging to me as I'm here to announce my latest media venture: A hip-hop music show on Red River Radio!

The name and concrete concept are still up in the air, but basically every Sunday night from 7-9 starting September 30, I'll be spinning what I consider to be some good ol' quality hip-hop - streaming live on Red River Radio. So if you're interested in some great hip-hop and a little commentary from yours truly, you're going to want to make sure to tune in.

September 30, radio.rrc.ca, 7-9pm, mark it on your calendar. You've been warned.

How about one of the highlights of the Big Sean show to play you out. Boiiii.