Easter Weekend, Boob Tube, and another Top 20 Countdown.

Originally written Thursday, April 21st, 2011. 

TGITELW (Thank God It's The Easter Long Weekend, and why not?! After all, this is the weekend when he (assuming a man's in charge up there) gave his son to the world, so you could enjoy an extended paid vacation. Seriously. I was talking to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.)

Happy yesterday! To those of you who have already forgotten, yesterday was 4/20, the reason you forgot is the same reason you celebrated. But since I do like a good chill tune, here's one for just such an occasion.

Okay, it's been a few days since I last chimed in on entertainment, music, sports and summer on here. Today I'm culturing the kiddies on the world of the 'Arts', teaching a mix of high school outdoor pursuits and art class. I'll be going around "OoO'ing" and "Ahh'ing" but I should have sometime to write in my journal, and then get it typed up and online by the end of the day. Today we'll try to touch on a little bit of all those things I mentioned above; we'll discuss the value of having a "human microwave" (I'll explain this further below.) for any aspiring NBA playoff squads. I'll take a look at what IMHO are a couple of the best shows out there right now, some will be just recent premieres and others will be heading into their newest seasons. I'll also continue my countdown towards summer, despite the fact that all things summer appeared to be put on hold this week, as we had what I pray is the final snowfall of the 2011 winter season. And lastly, I'll unveil my latest Hip Hop Top 20 countdown to close this thing out and get us ready to enjoy the long weekend!

Okay so I'm going to enjoy a baked potato. (a rare craving, I admit.) But I'm starving, I need nourishment and I need it now. I can cook it in your conventional oven for and I'll be 45 minutes getting what I'm looking for, in fact, I might have perished by now. Or I can microwave it and it'll be done in about 8 minutes. The point I'm making is that microwaves heat up, and quick! In the playoffs, where staunch defence triumphs and even the most profilic offences can stall at times, having a player who can heat up quick can be an invaluable asset.

Vinnie Johnson was an integral part of the Bad Boys late 80's back to back championship seasons, he was also the original "Microwave". Johnson garnered the moniker for his penchant to enter games and seemingly heat up on call- like a microwave. Other variations have included Gilbert Arenas' self proclaimed "hibatchi" title, from his pre-pistols days.While some players are like you're conventional ovens, they can be used for multiple purposes and and when they get hot they can stay hot, your Carmelos, Dirks and Durants come to mind. These fellas are pre-heated, they get to the line, get their feel, get their rhythm, let the game come to them. Then there is the guys who don't log the long minutes and don't get the same volume of looks, but are seemingly able to come in an impact the game, almost instantaneously. The league has very much become a superstar league and you need those players to carry you deep into the post season, most every team has a franchise player or two that fill this roll, an at times they cancel each other out. At times it is the supporting cast, and in a game where swings and momentum play such a key role, having a guy who can come in and  seemingly score at will can make a huge difference.For years, Manu Ginobili filled this role to perfection for the San Antonio, at times, shifting the tide of a crucial close game or close series. Here are my picks for guys who fill this role  for their teams, and how their ability to fill this position could be the difference between and early vacation and playoff immortality.


JR Smith - If JR wasn't a knucklehead, he would probably be a starting 2 guard somewhere and we'd hear his name mentioned as one of the most lethal scoring threats in the L. Unfortunately, JR is a knucklehead, and because of this he has spent the better part of his NBA career in George Karl's doghouse - the end of the Nuggets bench. But his offensive prowess is undeniable, coming off the bench to reach double figures in 14 of Nuggets final 18 games attest. He has unlimited range and absolutely no conscience when it comes to pulling. When he's hot he can take a quarter over single handedly, something the Nuggets are going to need if they hope to slip past the defensively sound Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round.

James Harden - Speaking of OKC, the Thunder have their own source of fire in James Harden, serving as their sixth man and often their 3rd option offensively behind the two-headed monster of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Sefalosha starts, but he is in their as a perimeter defender, when Harden gets in their he is looking to make his impact felt on the offensive end. Since the departure of Jeff Green to the Celtics in mid season for the defensive stopper Kendrick Perkins, Harden has blossomed in his role as the Thunders 6th man and 3rd option offensively, to the tune of 16.3 ppg in those games. The match-up of JR Smith v James Harden will be on to watch in the first round, I see them as the key to winning the bench battles for each respective side. And that won't be the only time they're called upon if either team looks to go deep into May.
  
Jamal Crawford -  I would be remiss if I didn't include Jamal Crawford in this conversation as the man has served the Atlanta Hawks "microwave" for a number of years now. Despite the fact that the reigning 6th man has relinquished his crown to Lamar Odom in 2011, a year that has seen his numbers dip slightly from previous years, he is still called upon to come off the bench and provide instant offence for the Hawks. Crawford has an uncanny ability to get any type of shot off, including some that make you say "wtf", but he also makes more tough shots than anyone in the league. The leagues all time leader in 3 pointers made with the foul (26) is a crucial part of the hawks game plan and they'll need his outside scoring to push them past the favoured Magic in the first round.  So far his tallies of 23 and 25 points in the series first two games show his flair for rising to the occasion.

Jason Terry - Much like Crawford, Terry too has made a living in this league providing an offensive lift off the bench for his team. Among the league leaders with an average of 6.2 ppg in the 4th quarter, Terry has provided a scoring punch for the Mavericks off the bench all season and will continued to be relied upon. While the 'Jet' may have lost a step defensively, he can still get his shot off at will and has the stones to do it on the biggest of stages. If  Dallas is going to finally make noise this post season you can count on Jason Terry playing a key role in it.

That's a few, others who come to mind, these fellas may be bit players but they will need to come in and hit timely shots, Kyle Korver, Peja Stojakavic, and James Jones.

One medium that has received little attention from me to this point is television - what's hot on the boob tube these days. While I admittedly don't watch a tonne of TV, and I watch even less major network television of the canned laughter variety. I'll leave that fodder for the pleasure of the masses. I do enjoy a good series, and I like them best if I can sit and take a volume in over a should period of time. The torrent world has blessed us with the ability to watch our favourite shows at our leisure, and if you miss a week of your favourite show, you can Here is a look at some of the best tv programs out there at the moment, a few that have been running for some time and others that are 100% fresh. First off, i'm in it for the grit. I don't enjoy the polish and ease of network television, with its monster of the week, solve the crime in an hour formula, I'm in it for the nitty gritty, the character development,give me what goes on behind the scenes, and the occasional cuss word or boob doesn't hurt, those do exist in the real world too. Here's 5 that I'm currently enjoying or looking forward to what comes next.

The Killing - The Killing is a American adaptation of a Danish miniseries "Forbrydelsen", which follows the police as they investigate the murder of a teenage girl, the story has a series of interlocking stories and leads which weave together as the police unravel who is responsible for the murder of Rosie Larsen. Intriguing storylines and good characters are what have me watching this show as it airs weekly on AMC at 9et. Some people have compared the series to Twin Peaks, I haven't seen Twin Peaks so I guess that's my bad, maybe I'll check it out when this series is through. But do check this one out if that synopsis appeals to you at all.

Boardwalk Empire  - Boardwalk Empire takes us back to the days of the roaring twenties and the prohibition era as we follow the exploits of politician/gangster Enoch "Nucky" Thompson. Thompson is the kingpin of all the hustle going on in Atlantic City but he must protect his position as well as his perceptions. As political ties and criminal syndicates begin to intertwine and skeletons reveal themselves, can Nucky keep everyone and everything in check to protect his own interests. Great writing and a genuine feel that you've shifted eras makes this show an enjoyable watch. Some memorable characters here. 

The Walking Dead - Another AMC original series, The Walking Dead follows police officer Rick Grimes as he leads a group of survivors in a area overrun by zombies or 'the walking dead'. The series aired with 6 episodes in the fall and got picked up for a second season. Creator Frank Darabont, of Shawshank Redemption fame, has developed the show from a series of American comic book graphic novel  of the same name. The show itself can be quite graphic at times- meaning some gory zombie head shots which are enjoyable. The show returns with it's second season this fall, catch up on season one in the mean time.

Breaking Bad - Again, AMC serves up another great offering with Breaking Bad. Bryan Cranston (The Father in Malcolm in the Middle) plays Walter H. White, a brilliant chemist who teaches high school chemistry. Walter learns he has terminal cancer and decides to use his chemist knowledge to develop some top choice crystal meth, as a means to pay for his cancer treatment and provide stability for his pregnant wife and disabled son. Breaking Bad is excellently written and Cranston carries the show expertly. The show is heading into it's 4th season which begins airing in July. 

The Game of Thrones - Game of Thrones sees seven noble families fight for the control of the mythical land of Westeros. The show sees much in the way of political and sexual intrigue as more than one family have their eye on taking the throne, by any means necessary. Having only seen the pilot I can't say a whole lot except that I really enjoyed it and most people who have read the books and loved them said that the HBO show follows the story quite accurately and that's a promising sign as the books have been lauded in many circles. I'll likely be referencing this show more in the coming weeks but if the first episode was any evidence of things to come I'll be following this one.

Contrary to what it may seem, hip hop isn't the only music I'm into, here's a tune if there ever was one.

So I look out my window and I see a bunch of nasty white stuff out there on the ground, and while this is certainly a disappointing circumstance it only serves to fuel my desire for greener times and warmer weather, I am left wanting summer that much more. Our countdown continues, giving you another series of summer related desires that are just around the corner. So we'll toss the countdown widget up, close our eyes and dream of basking in the warm summer sun.

63. Camp Fires - Camp fires are a summer staple. Usually one person will pipe up and claim that they can light a fire, to which we give that person , a medal and watch them go to work. This is usually followed by about a 45 minute struggle of man vs. nature. Smoke everywhere, "white rabbits" and  remarks like "the wood's awfully wet!". But when a fire finally comes together it is well worth it. It brings folks together and makes the beers go down a little quicker as you ought to get em down before the flames heat em up. An if you want a snack with those beers how bout...

62. Hot Dogs Over the Open Flame - Sure you can eat hot dogs all year long but it's not exactly a staple of good health (So Struan tells me) but hot dogs are one of the few things that are easily roasted over the open flame, making it delightful camp fire treat. Now you can enjoy all the hot dogs you desire without the same stigma or the shame that comes with eating them all winter.

61. Smores - With all this talk of camp fires and the treats they yield, I couldn't leave out the most glorious of all camp fire treats. For those of you unfamiliar with summer. those who don't know what a s'more is, an no it's not a second helping, it is scrumptious sandwich of freshly roasted marshmallow and chocolate pressed between a pair of graham crackers.

60. Ice Cream - In keeping with the food theme, summer is synonymous with delicious new ice cream varieties and I'll be looking forward to what my new flavour of the summer will be this time around. Speaking of which, Four C's opens on  Friday (tomorrow), so let's hope this snow is off the ground and there's a warm breeze in the air, summer is on the way.

From one countdown to another...

The Hip Hop Top 20 for the week of 04.18.11

TW     LW              Track                                     Artist
20.       20.              Success Is My Cologne        Curren$y
19.      n/a.              Show Goes On                  Lupe Fiasco
18.       12.              Wet                                   Snoop Dogg
17.      n/a.              My Last                           Big Sean Ft. Chris Brown
16.      n/a.              Wake Up                         Wiz Khalifa
15.       19.             On My Level                     Wiz Khalifa Ft. Too Short
14.       09.             3D                                       The Game Ft. David Banner
13.       14.             All Of The Lights (Remix)     Kanye West Ft. Drake, Big Sean and Lil Wayne
12.       15.             Eraser                                  Kid Cudi
11.       13.             All Black Everything             Lupe Fiasco
10.       10.             Phone Numbers                   Wiz Khalifa Ft. Trae The Truth and Big Sean
09.       11.             American Rapstar                Big K.R.I.T.
08.       06.             Makin' Dough                      Obie Trice     
07.       08.             Capcom                               Kid Cudi
06.       05.             Black and Yellow (Remix)   Wiz Khalifa Ft. Snoop Dogg, Juicy J, T-Pain
05.       04.             6'7"                                     Lil Wayne Ft. Cory Gunz
04.       07.             Roll Up                               Wiz Khalifa           
03.       02.             All Of The Lights                 Kanye West                          
02.       03.             Dreamin'                             Big K.R.I.T.
01.       01.              Red Nation                        The Game Ft. Lil Wayne


Ed's Note. Sorry so slow getting this published, I'll have a weekend wrap up on Sunday or Monday. Hopefully I'm not writing a Knicks 2011 season eulogy. Have a good one folks!

Happy 10th blog as well.