Hoops, there it is

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


The NBA is back!

Despite the lockout, last year's NBA season was one of the most memorable we've had in years. The storylines, the drama, the humour, the playoffs - everything about the season was an absolute treat to watch, and it completely overshadowed the fact that it took until Christmas Day for the season to actually start. 

As hockey appears to be shut down for the foreseeable future, sports fans will have the opportunity to shift their attention over to basketball. Lucky for us, we have quite a doozy on our hands, as there's an awful lot to be excited about in the NBA. 

Allow me to explain with 10 things to be excited about for this upcoming NBA season:


The Toronto Raptors

I will forever be grateful to the Toronto Raptors. It is because the Raptors that Canadians are able to watch basketball, and it was because of the Raptors that I started to watch the NBA in the first place (the days of Vince, T-Mac, and Oak). As much as I love them, it's frustrating when your favorite team sucks every year. 

This year's Raptors team is going to be a joy to watch. I'm going to write my annual Toronto Raptors report next week, but until then all you need to know is they're going to be a hard-working, exciting, disciplined young team who may very well sneak into the playoffs as the eighth seed in the East. And yes, I've been drinking the Jonas Valanciunas Kool-Aid. 

The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics Rivalry

We already got a taste of it on Tuesday and I know I was left craving more. This rivalry stems back from LeBron's days in Cleveland as the Celtics (particularly Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce) proved successful at being able to completely throw LeBron James off his game. In fact, two of LeBron's biggest playoff collapses in his career happened against this team. This rivalry continued as LeBron moved to Miami, and despite KG and Pierce being at the tail-end of their careers, last year's seven game playoff series proved that the rivalry is still alive and well.

If the pure hatred between the two chief Celtics and LeBron weren't enough, this off-season provided some more fuel for the fire as not only did Ray Allen leave the Celtics, but he left to play with the Heat. To top it all off, the Celtics made some great moves in the off season and have had time to heal from injuries, making the Heat and the Celtics almost a lock for the top two seeds in the East. A Derek Rose return is the only thing standing in the way of another Heat-Celtics Eastern Conference Final - and for that, we're all winners.

Practice

 I swear...I'm not going to say it. I'm not even going to reference it.

Come on...he's not even in the league anymore. Can I at least make my point first?

...ugh...



As exciting as having basketball almost every day in last year's shortened season, it might also be great to see these teams have some time to practice. Last year was an exciting year, but it was clear that the basketball being played was a lot sloppier than it should be, and it wasn't until the playoffs until teams really put things together and tightened up their execution. One team that will really benefit from practice will be the new look Los Angeles Lakers...which leads me to the next point....

The Los Angeles Lakers Power Struggle

Starting Lineup: Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant, Metta World Peace, and Steve Nash. On paper, that may very well be the best starting lineup in the league (I don't think so, but one could argue). But as we saw with the Miami Heat two years ago, having a lineup like this isn't without it's growing pains (Side note: I realize the Heat made it to the Finals their first year together, but their regular season was nowhere near dominant. Remember Cry Gate?)

This may be my inner hatred for the Lakers talking, but how on earth is this team going to co-exist? Does anyone really think Kobe is going to defer to another superstar? Realistically, the success of the Lakers lands completely on Kobe's attitude this season. On paper, this team probably could work, but that's assuming Kobe learns how to trust his teammates. But you know how the old saying goes: You know you're in trouble when you're banking on a selfless Kobe Bryant.

Zach Lowe on Grantland

 As much as I love Bill Simmons, I have to admit his writing has become very stale as of late. Note to sports writers: Mailbags should be used sparingly, and should not take the place of actual columns.

Thankfully, Simmons and the crew at Grantland welcomed a new addition to the editorial staff in NBA writer, Zach Lowe. Contrary to Simmons, Lowe is a very unbiased, fact-driven writer with an incredible knowledge of the sport, and according to his recent work - a crazy work ethic. Lowe has been writing columns on Grantland almost daily, and will provide some great consistency to one of the best sports websites out there.

The Minnesota Timberwolves

 Exciting and innovative point guard? Ricky Rubio - Check. Dominant superstar? Kevin Love - Check. Young talent with high potential? Derrick Williams and Ricky Rubio - Check. Potential feel good comeback story? Brandon Roy - Check. Quirky goofball with a memorable name but is actually pretty good at basketball? Niiiiiiikoooolaaaaaaa Pekovic - Check.

This whole team is so likeable to me, and once they are all healthy I think they can definitely be a team who can do some serious damage in the regular season. They will be fast and excting, and if Brandon Roy can regain some of the magic that made him a top ten player in this league just a few years ago, they may be a lot better than people think. Also, don't sleep on Andrei Kirilenko, who is tall, quick, can shoot, is Russian, had a good preseason and only really had one poor year in the NBA, and has a massive back tattoo. The best part is, they're the closest team to Winnipeg, so it will be a great excuse for a road trip at some point in the year.

The Western Conference

 Where the East has Miami and Boston as teams who can do some damage in the playoffs (and Chicago if Rose comes back healthy - but that's a big if), the West have: Oklahoma City, LA Lakers, LA Clippers, San Antonio, Denver, and one more year out of Memphis. This is going to be a tight conference, and we will see a lot of great games between these solid basketball teams.

It will be interesting to see who takes the two available playoff spots, as these six teams all feel like a lock. My prediction is the Utah Jazz get in quite easily after career years from Paul Millsap and Gordon Hayward, and the Minnesota Timberwolves sneak in as the eighth seed after a late push from a full healthy lineup.

Great Blog Material

 Some things to consider:
  • JaVale McGee is still playing basketball. Also, George Karl might kill him.
  • Steve Nash and Metta World Peace on the same team may provide some serious viral video material.
  • Dwight and Kobe are going to brawl in the parking lot.
  • The Minnesota Timberwolves are the whitest team since the 1980's Celtics.
  • The New York Knicks are the oldest team ever.
  • The best rookie in the league has a unibrow. 


With all of this gold, something's gotta give. My guess is that JaVale leads us off, and everything else falls right into place. The NBA is the home to the greatest characters in all of professional sports.

Off Season Moves

 Yes, Ray Allen is on the Heat, James Harden got traded, the Knicks didn't resign Jeremy Lin, Dwight finally got out of Orlando, and Steve Nash is a Laker.

But more importantly, JaVale McGee has been working on his sky-hook, and there may be an all NBA player rap album coming out this year.

Tell em, Stephen Jackson and Kevin Durant




 "Keep your game face on...poker."...classic Stack Five...classic.

 LeBron James

 LeBron James has finally become the undisputed greatest basketball player in the world. There is no possible argument that can suggest otherwise. And now that he has one ring, he will be playing as if a weight has been lifted off of his shoulders.

As we saw in the playoffs, LeBron has developed a post game, which means there really isn't anything on the court he can't do. I am truly rooting for LeBron, as I am always a fan of witnessing history. And if he stays healthy and focused, this may be the start of LeBron's journey in becoming the greatest basketball player of all time.

Basketball blasphemy? Sure feels like it. But the way he played last season has at least opened up the conversation. Only time will tell. All I know is, I can't wait for it to unfold.

Welcome back, basketball. Show us what you got.


A Good Kid, Great Rap Album: A review of Kendrick Lamar's good kid, m.A.A.d. city

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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



Smile While You Work

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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.


After you graduate high school, the idea of working for the rest of your life becomes a harsh and inevitable reality. And for myself, I've experienced work from both sides of the spectrum as I've dreaded some jobs that I've had, and absolutely loved others.

Although I'm not one of those people whose resume would look like a short novel if they didn't cut anything of it out, I feel like I've had enough experience to develop somewhat of an idea of what makes a good workplace. And from my small, but somewhat credible experience, I've found the key to a good job is actually pretty simple, but we'll get to that in a second. 

I bring this all up for two reasons. First of all, the Creative Communications program lead me to some awesome employment opportunities that have been an absolute blast so far. Whether I'm webcasting for a university hockey game, writing the game story for a Pewee hockey game, or teaching radio to grade nine students (although that doesn't start until next week), I have really been enjoying going to work, and not just waiting to get paid. 

Secondly, I spent time at a certain workplace this month where I got to witness the happiest employees I have ever seen. Wherever you looked you would see people smiling and laughing, and everyone you talked to gave you the impression that they cared for you and were genuinely happy that you were there. The crazy thing is this place wasn't a candy store or Disney World - it was a homeless shelter!

The homeless shelter I am referring to is Siloam Mission, who are an organization that provides food, shelter and other services to help the less fortunate stay happy and healthy, and get them back on their feet again. A rewarding job? Certainly. But the stereotypical idea of a homeless shelter is a grimey old building in the shadows of the metropolis, where it's always raining, and nobody is ever really happy. So what do they really have to smile about?

Fortunately, Siloam Mission is the opposite of that stereotype. It's has a warm, inviting atmosphere where communities are built, friendships are made, and the employees and volunteers running the programs wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world. 

As we toured the building, our guide was visably joyful telling us about how the organization was run, and was well equipped with stories not of despair and heartbreak, but of perseverance and victory. Stories that he didn't read from a script, but first-hand accounts of lives being changed because of the organization he worked for. And our guide was not the only one who carried that first-hand passion for Siloam Mission, as everyone we came in contact with (and there were a lot of them), seemed to be able to go on and on about how Siloam wasn't just a job they reluctantly woke up and drove to every morning, but a job for an organization they were honoured to be a part of. 

The phrase "Smile while you work," wasn't even enough for these people, as it felt a lot more like, "Smile because you're working." 

But what's their secret? As I said earlier, it's simple: Passion. 

These people are passionate about what they do. Nobody at that job was there because they had to be, they were there because they truly wanted to be a part of what was going on. And as I enjoy my odd jobs in the midst of my full time education, I see on the horizon not just the opportunity to make money after graduation, but I look towards an opportunity to be passionate about what I do, and to change the world while I'm doing it. 

Will that mean when it's time to look for a job, I'll have to be picky? No, that's not really what I'm saying. I'm saying that I want to find a job one day where I won't have to read someone an organizational mission statement to tell them why what I do is important, but I'll be able to tell stories, just like our guide, about how my job has changed my life, and how other people's lives were changed as well. 

Good Friday, I hope you have a nice weekend.

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There are two things you need to know this weekend:


  1. If you miss watching hockey, you can get your puck fix at canadawest.tv as the Manitoba Bisons are in action Friday and Saturday night against the Saskatchewan Huskies. I got the call and the camera, so your not going to want to miss it. 7pm both nights.
  2. If you like hip-hop, or you like me, check out my new hip-hop show on Red River Radio. It will be coming at you live at 7-9 Sunday night, and that's happening all year long. Stream it on radio.rrc.ca

Have a good Friday. 



New God Flow - Part Two

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


I believe there's a God above me, I'm just the God of everything else.

It was a good illustration of religion in rap music, as it seems many rappers are willing to shout God out to the mountaintops, but when it comes to living their live accordingly...well that's another story. 

But who can blame them, right? Fame alone can easily lead you astray, never mind finding fame in a hip-hop culture filled sex, money, drugs, and violence. 

But what if I told you that it's possible to rise above all of that, shout out God in your music, and live the life of a devoted Christian, while at the same time actually producing a good rap album? 

A few years ago, I would have been sad to tell you that it probably couldn't been done. I don't think I was the only one who looked at Christian rap with something like this in mind...



However, in the last few years, a rapper emerged to seemingly change Christian rap forever. 

From working at a Christian Bible camp, the name Lecrae inevitably popped up in casual conversation about music. I, being the Christian rap skeptic as I certainly was at the time, allowed that name to go in one ear and out the other, as I was simply not interested in the genre. 

However, almost a year ago today, I saw the name Lecrae yet again, this time it was during one of the BET Hip-hop Awards Cyphers. For those of you who don't know, the BET Cyphers are the best part of the awards show every year, where some of the best rappers in the game get together and show off their best freestyles. Last year's cypher saw the likes of Eminem, Rick Ross, Busta Rhymes, and B.O.B lay down a verse, and I was very shocked to see that Lecrae was lined up to do the same. 

What I was more shocked about was how good he actually was, and how on a national stage, amongst some of the greatest rappers in the world, Lecrae perhaps made the boldest statement of them all. (Lecrae starts at the 1:16 point of the video)



After the cypher, I needed to do a little research to see what this guy was really all about. After listening to his music catalogue at the time, it turned out he was consistently pretty good. I gave him a head-nod of my approval, but didn't even go as far as adding his music to my iTunes library.

Months later as I was browsing one of my favorite hip-hop blogs, I came across a post promoting Lecrae's new mixtape, Church Clothes. I was shocked because not only was a Christian rapper on a secular hip-hop blog, but the post said the mixtape was hosted by the secular American DJ and credible co-sign, Don Cannon. Had Lecrae left his Christian roots and gone mainstream?



I immediately downloaded the mixtape as I was overcome with curiosity for this new project, and was delighted to hear that Lecrae hadn't left his Christian roots. But, after reading reviews and features of the mixtape in XXL, The Source, and Complex magazine, an argument could be made that he had in fact gone mainstream. 

Why was this outspoken Christian rapper getting all of this mainstream coverage? Had he found the answer on how to shout out God in your music, live the Christian life, and sell records?

After reading countless articles and listening to Church Clothes again and again, it was clear that he had in fact found the answer:

Make good music, and people will listen. 

 It was that simple. Every feature article on Lecrae talked about how you may not agree with his religious views, but he sure is one dope rapper. And the statistics backed that up as Church Clothes was downloaded over 100,000 times in the first 48 hours alone.



Last month, Lecrae released his newest studio album, Gravity. The album debuted at #3 on Billboard 200, and reached #1 on iTunes in the United States. Lecrae was again featured in all of the top hip-hop magazines in the world, and even got an article on the TIME website.

Regardless of what you believe in life, Gravity is simply an excellent rap album. Lecrae's lyrics are honest, well constructed, and masterfully executed. Add that to some first class production, catchy hooks, and a guest spot from Big K.R.I.T., and you have yourself something special.



If you haven't heard of Lecrae yet, then it's only a matter of time, because Lecrae is coming, and it doesn't seem like he's slowing down any time soon.

So here's the moral of the story:

If you want to be on top, you don't have to sell your soul.

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