NBA Bullets +10 Most Important Playoff Performers + New Hip Hop 2.0 For Real This Time.

Just when it looked like the 2nd round of the playoffs had a great deal of entertainment capital ready to spend, Pop! The bubble burst! Steph Curry, who saw his stock shoot up like Apple in the new millennium, returned to his regular season form, shooting a paltry 36 percent (26-71) in the final 4 games against the Spurs. Going out with more of a whimper, than a defiant tour de force he seemed so capable of merely just a week prior. The reeling Thunder folded under the strength, size and general man power of the Grizz. The significantly undermanned Chicago Bulls ran out of enthusiasm, and the playoffs no longer accepted mere sweat equity as a form of currency, they succumbed to the Miami Heat in short order following their gut-wrenching, heart on their sleeves steal of a win in the opener. And my beloved Knicks shot themselves right out of playoffs, one miserable, highly contested, isolation pull up jumper at a time. Of course, Steph'll be back, Durant and the Thunder will be back, Rose and the Bulls will be back, even the Knicks, gulp, will be back, I hope. It's just I get excited about the prospect of great match ups, intense 7 game rivalries, and I thought we may have had something memorable brewing in Round 2, but alas, it was not to be.

We'll explore the playoffs 10 most important performers thus far and going forward, but first here are the latest installment of bullets.

• The Spurs are to the playoffs, as cheeseburgers are to my diet. An enduring staple.

• Memphis were undoubtedly Oklahoma City's betters. The fact they went into hostile territory and ended Durant & Co. on the road speaks to their maturity and development as a unit.

• Casual fans might not like the Grizzlies/Spurs match up, citing something superficial like it's lack of a true superstar or major media market. Overlooking, the fact that the Spurs and Grizz are undeniably the best TEAMS remaining out West. Contrary to the what the 30 second highlight packages might you believe, basketball continues to be a team sport and despite the importance of a superstar (a theory I subscribe too in large part), it still takes a team to reach the top.  

• In fact, 2013 has shown us the importance of a multi-faceted team dynamic, as we've seen more SUPERSTARS (Westbrook, Kobe, Rose, even Rondo) go down than I can remember in recent years off the top of my head. Like the Thunder found out if you build your team around a small SUPERSTAR core of players if you lose one, you're done. I still subscribe to the theory that ultimately you want to have a superstar and that the team with the best player often wins, but this years injuries have shown the counter point to this argument. Teams like Memphis (People made a fuss when they gave up Gay), Indiana (Already without former All-Star Danny Granger) and to a lesser extent San Antonio (They often play with one of their big 3 banged up, though I admit losing Tim or Parker probably dooms them), could sustain losing one of their major pieces, but if the Heat lost Wade, Bosh or Lebron it's curtains no?

• My 'Big'  takeaway (see what I did there...you will...) from Game 1 Spurs v. Grizz was the play up front,  the perception is that the Grizz have an advantage with their size up front, I think this 'advantage' has been a bit overstated, IMO when Duncan logs similar minutes to Gasol he is potentially the better big man on an any-given-night basis, and Splitter's continued development  may not have him on Z-Bo's level of dominance in the post, but he's a reliable passer, solid defensively and outplayed Z-Bo in game 1.

• Shout out to Bill Self and his recruiting squad over at Kansas, look forward to seeing Wiggins in the Kansas White and Blue.

• Forget the presupposition I made at the end of last blog; Mark Jackson could not out-coach Gregg Popovich, the Spurs adjustments to Golden States perimeter play were the driving point behind their advancement to the next round. Lesson, as always, never question Pop.

• As much as I lament watching my Knicks go out to the Pacers in 6, as a basketball fan I think the Pacers present a better challenge to the Heat, as I've detailed in blogs dating back to the start of the year. As Mark Twain once suggested, the best swordsman need not fear the 2nd best swordsman, but instead the unorthodox swordsman. I'm suggesting the Pacers represent a truly different foe than the Knicks, who would have been happy to get up and down the floor, trying and beat the Heat at their own game. In this case the Pacers are both unorthodox and 2nd best and because of this the Heat need to worry. Just not too much.

• Prayers to those suffering in Oklahoma as a result of the deadly Tornado disasters that touched down. Shout out to Kevin Durant for donating a million dollars to the relief effort. A million dollars.

• The Hornets are back....in Charlotte. Don't screw it up like last time. Wait, they're still the Bobcats, damn they're already screwed!

• 'Knicks Nation' posted chatter on Facebook about a hypothetical trade, sending Amare and Felton to the Clips for CP3. I'm in Knicks Nation and clearly it is not on planet earth, can't see Clips making a deal like that. Further support, they relieved Vinny Del Negro of his coaching duties today, so they're not totally incompetent over there.

• In related pink slip talk, the Raptors relieved Brian Colangelo of his duties as GM, somehow the smooth talking Colangelo held onto his role as President, which means he'll still get a paycheck, which was clearly where his head was at if he was pushing for Rudy Gay extension as reported. Don't build to make the playoffs, build to win the playoffs. 

• I am happy to report that Tracy McGrady is finally enjoying some playoff success, it's not as personal as he may have liked, but he's closer to a ring than ever before.

The 10 Most Important 2013 Playoff Performers.  (In ascending order)

Russell Westbrook/ Derrick Rose/ Kobe Bryant - Sometimes a players greatness, their perceived importance, can only be truly understood by their absence, damn, the playoffs are not better for this.

LeBron James - No list of important performers can be completed without at least a mention of the King. However, it's my assertion that while he is of great importance to the Heat, his consistency is now legendary.  Lebron's 'just fair' days are still better than many an all-stars averages. Now that he's seemingly limited any weaknesses (shot selection, turnovers, FT shooting %, lack of post game, and perceived clutch time impotency), he's virtually a lock to give his team a chance to win. As long as the LBJ arrives at the arena, whether or not he plays well, is no longer a question. James is important in the same way oxygen is; and you hardly worry about it.

J.R. Smith/ Carmelo Anthony - Making the list for all the wrong reasons; this duo makes the list as it was their inept shooting and decision making (i.e. shot selection) that was most important in keeping the Knicks from moving past the Pacers. No team had more riding on the shoulders of it's star than New York and Carmelo, except, maybe the Thunder and Durant (Westbrook out, not the plan) who performed quite well by and large, but that isn't important because it didn't matter. If Smith and Anthony had                                                                              played better, it would have mattered.

George Hill/ Mike Conley - Both Conley and Hill had had their moments to this point, Conley was excellent in his match-up with CP3 in round 1, and Hill really made the Knicks pay for doubling off him in the late stages of round two. Going forward, both Hill and Conley represent the on-floor general for their younger, less experienced squad in the Conference finals. Their ability to get their respective teams into their coaches gameplan, as well as execute said plan, will be one of the more underrated aspects of the Conference Championships.

Gregg Popovich - Beyond Duncan and Parker, I'd be hard pressed to find another individual  more crucial to the success of the San Antonio Spurs in 2013.(Since 1996, really. In which case, Ginobili gets in and Robert Horry gets an apology.) Pop continues to excel at making both in-game and in-series adjustments, if he can continue to outwit his coaching counterparts (Is this a question?), that gives Spurs fans another blue chip reason to believe.

05. Z-Bo/Manu/Chris Bosh - I see these guys as the vital periphery figures on their teams, at some point each of these guys each will be called upon to put the team on their back an steal a victory. Each is more than capable of taking over the game and fueling their team to victory. With Gasol as the primary big, Z-Bo often gets the other teams 2nd best big, he needs to be dominant in this role and be a force on the block. Ginobili will need to turn back the clock and tap into his instant offense off the bench, something that has carried the Spurs for critical stretches in the past. Love Ginobili. And lastly, Chris Bosh might be the most important person that no one is talking about. Much of the perceived weakness of the Heat lies in it's lack of size on the boards and in the paint. Bosh will be called upon to contribute in these facets of the game, and he'll see heavy doses of West/Hibbert, and Duncan/Splitter or Gasol/Randolph. Good luck and have fun.

Tim Duncan & Tony Parker - Here we go again, it goes without saying that nearly 20 years later, as Duncan goes, so too, go the Spurs. Duncan has been an unrivaled measure of playoff consistency through the years, and his elixir of life has yet to fail him. 2013 has been no different as his annual playoff increase in minutes has translated into increased production. His long time partner in crime, Tony Parker, joins him for what, at this point has to be, "One Last Ride: reVisted II". No doubt the Spurs are a marvel of an organization, they've retooled their perimeter shooting and (perimeter) defenders  multiple times throughout the 'Big 3's' run, their incredible regular season record(s) year in and year out are a testament to that. But it's money time, TP and TD time, all of the supporting actors have helped them get this far, and they'll continue to do their part but it's now up to the franchise guys to get these guys back to the promised land.   

Roy Hibbert/Paul George - I couldn't decide which Pacer was more important to their overall success. Conventional wisdom would suggest it's Paul George; he was their lone all-star, their leading scorer, oh, and ya,  he'll be checking the best player in the world. On the other hand, the Pacers whole defensive scheme of running shooters off the 3 point line and funneling them in towards Hibbert is entirely dependent on Hibbert being the most dominant player on the court at the defensive end. It's for this reason that I felt Hibbert was of greater importance than George during the series with the Knicks. What's more, Hibbert will be counted on even more on the offensive end as you can bet the Pacers will try and pound the ball inside on the smaller Heat, one of the Heat's consensus limitations. Unfortunately for the Pacers, they'll need both of these guys to be playing at, or finding new (entirely possible), peaks merely to match the expected output of the defending world champs. If both found new peaks, as I said possible - not probable, would it be Twin Peaks? And if it was Twin Peaks, wouldn't it have the same level of success.

Marc Gasol - Gasol is the guy that makes the Grizz go at both ends of the court. When their offense stalls in the half court, which it does, the Grizz often run their offense through Gasol in the high post allowing him to make the vital decisions with the clock running down. Nobody seems to miss Rudy Gay. And that's not even Gasol's better half of the court, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year quarterbacks one of the leagues staunchest defensive half courts, holding opponents to under 94 ppg. Limiting the once mighty, recently castrated, Thunder offense to under a hundred points in all 5 series match-ups. Gasol has thoroughly outplayed his match-up thus far, whether it's been Jordan, Griffin, Ibaka or Perkins - Gasol has dominated. If this trend continues against the L's BEST PF OF ALL TIME and 'that other guy from Brazil', Gasol's going to get his chance to bully the Heat. Is it possible that Marc Gasol is emerging as possibly the most unlikely finals MVP of all time?

Dwayne Wade - While LeBron is undeniably the MVP of the Miami Heat, it might be the play of Wade, or rather his ability to play, that becomes most important to the Miami Heat. Wade has been two very different players at various times throughout the regular season, and on into the post season. I don't fully expect this trend to change, however if the Heat are going to win it may take some type of super human gumption from Wade, reminiscent of a Willis Reed or Isaiah Thomas scenario. I can envision Wade sucking it up, rising to the occasion and that becoming what these playoffs are ultimately known for. (Also, possibly one of the few remaining ways to elevate his legacy.) That's big picture. Small picture; the King can't do it alone, and Bosh is going to have his hands full up front from here on out, Dwayne Wade is the best 2 guard left in the playoffs, by a lot, if he shines like it - the Heat cruise. If he struggles, mostly a health related concern, it'll be a struggle to the finish for the Heat. For this reason Wade is, and has been, the most important player in the 2013 Playoffs.

And my long OVERDUE HIP HOP 2.0! The Best of April/May. Enjoy.
LR NR
n/a 20. Watching Movies - Mac Miller -Something or Nothing? I can't decide. Probably nothing.

n/a 19. Unfuckwittable - Kid Cudi - My late bloomer from the 'Indicud' album.

n/a 18. $100 Bill - Jay-Z pretty much mails in this soundtrack brag track; but reppin' the excessive "roaring '20s", Hov can do that in his sleep. Yawn. 

n/a 17. Rising - Harry Fraud Ft. Tech Nine - Tech Nine does his thing on this opening track of producer Harry Fraud's latest EP.

n/a 16. Rocket Ships - Talib Kweli Feat. Busta Rhymes - Kweli and Busta handle the bars and RZA handles the beats in a 90's reunion.

n/a 15. Kenny Lofton - J. Cole - Cole builds his hype with this track off Truly Yours 2.

n/a 14. Back to Black - Andre 3000 & Beyonce - Hardly a rap track, this remake of the Amy Whinehouse masterpiece was hardly necessary as it's hard to touch the original, that said it's still enjoyable listen.

10  13. Brothers - Kid Cudi Feat. Asap Rocky & King Chip - Shout out Thomas and Dan!

n/a 12. Think Of Me - Childish Gambino - Love Gambino's flow on this one, for a Funkmaster Flex mixtape master, sure was a shitty recording.

n/a 11. Face The World - Nipsey Hussle - Real and uplifting track from Nipsey, 9th wonder on the production.

n/a 10.Favourite Song - Chance the Rapper Ft. Childish Gambino - Undeniably catchy.

n/a 09.  Through My Head - B.O.B. - The latest single from Bobby Ray, the newest, from his newest, Underground Luxury. There's a video out there as well.

n/a 08. Wit Me - T.I. Feat. Lil Wayne - Tip's flow is on point, and this might be the best I've heard from Wayne in awhile, which isn't really saying much. There's a video on youtube but it wouldn't embed here.

n/a 07. Cole Summer - J. Cole - I know he says, "It's not a preview...", but I kinda hope it is. Born Sinner drops June 25th.

12   06. Girls Love Beyonce - Drake Feat.  James Flauntleroy - Drake holds onto a spot on the chart, but it's been awhile, expect something soon.

n/a 05. Lupe Fiasco - Animal Pharm -Who does metaphors better than Lupe? Orwellian at that.

05.  04. Solo Dolo Pt. II - Kid Cudi Feat. Kendrick Lamar  - More classic 'Man on the Moon' music from the Lonely Stoner, and this time he's not alone.

07. 03. Get Away - De La Soul - This De La Soul offering over the RZA is hauntingly brilliant.

03  02. Open Letter - Jay-Z Feat.Timbaland - I'm sure you've heard this by now, possibly here more than a month ago. Here's the remix with Common, "Open Letter Pt. II"

01.  01. Immortal - Kid Cudi - Goes without saying I'm a fan of Cudi's latest effort.

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Reflections and Resolutions - Goodbye 2011. Hello 2012 - Part IA - Goodbye 2011.

Let's start by wishing a very Happy - Holidays ( All ), Hanukkah (Judaic Friends), Kwanzaa (Brothers) and Birthday (Jesus, Thomas). As well as a Merry Christmas (Christian Brothers), and a Happy New Year (All).

Phew! So much wrapped up in all of that (present pun), it's a seriously busy time of year, merely trying to survive the gauntlet that accompanies the seasonal festivities. My not so subtle excuse for a few weeks blog hiatus. But seriously, tough time of year to sit down and get anything done (written), since the age of 5 we were taught to shut our brains off, engage in stuffing our face with an assortment of Christmas goodies and mindlessly stare off at the consumer products placed before us. I didn't complain about it then and I'm not complaining about it now. I loved watching that little electric race car make his laps around the track. It was mesmerizing and hypnotic. And that was in elementary school. I'm just saying I couldn't hardly find the time to read, let alone write, this break. Beginning in university they tell you shut it down in early December. Okay, do your exams, shut it down, stuff your face, drink your beers, I know the routine. Again, not complaining, just, er, justifying, sorta.

I digress, I had started a holidays survival guide and maybe next year you'll get to read it. It appears we all survived to this point anyhow. I'm not so sure that the Beardo Knit Beard Cap we'll still be a hot ticket item in "gift giving 101", however I can assuredly say it will still be prudent to avoid drunkenly propositioning a coworker at a Holiday staff party function in 2012 so there's that from the "how to survive a holiday functions with dignity"section. Now you're already looking forward to next  Christmas! Regardless whatever I had written, it was so last year.

Here's a fun idea, let's start this year by reflecting on the year that was 2011. A year of water treading as far as I was concerned, in which the lows were never too low and the highs were never too high. Now that's what I call conservative living! I'll get to some lists and opinions here in a moment, but from a personal perspective I felt 2011 was a very safe year. I felt as though I did little in the way of reinventing myself or reshaping my mold. At times this can be a good thing - consistency, stability and balance certainly being positive characteristics. However in this case, while I do feel I have some of those characteristics, I also think we can get into auto-pilot sometimes and we're not allowing ourselves to grow as a person in that state. Just going through the motions and not living with emotion. Just food for thought. Certainly something that I will take into account when I begin to map out my resolutions for 2012 later in the blog. Sometimes I gotta break away from the comfortable coward within.

While I was sleep walking some exciting things went on in 2011. Here's a recap. My Take. Enjoy.

Top 11 Movies of '11:
01. Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.... Can't Wait.
02. The Descendents.... Can't Wait.
03. Shame.... Can't Wait.
04. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy .... Can't Wait.
05, Mission Impossible: Ghost Recon .... Can't Wait.
06. The Adventures of Tin Tin .... Can't Wait.
07. A Dangerous Method .... Can't Wait.
08. Moneyball .... Can't Wait.

Wait a minute this looks like a list of movies I most want to see... just haven't yet. (No excuse on the Moneyball exclusion here, have to see it.) But yeah that's exactly what it is, as is usually the case the year's best films are released just prior to Oscar season, an effort to build up their buzz  heading into award season. Below you'll find a list of the best films I actually saw in 2011 that were also released in 2011. I'll revisit a definitive best film of  the year list when we explore the Oscar selections in about a months time. For better or worse.

11. Captain America - Didn't blow my mind, didn't let me down.

10. Margin Call - Enjoyed this office drama that depicts a firm folding over night a la Lehman Bros.

09. Paul - Consider me on the Simon Pegg/Nick Frost bandwagon.

08. The Ides of March - The year of Ryan Gosling...

07. Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Good film, expect more Apes to follow. Not good.

06. Thor - Left the theater feeling pleasantly surprised after this viewing. Have to watch again but I enjoyed this popcorn!

05. Lincoln Lawyer - Early film from 2011. Probably slides down this list when some of the new releases come out but it held my attention, cocky McConaghy.

04. Kill The Irishman - Sleeper pick. Dope film. Check it out.

03. X-Men: First Class - Or the year of Michael Fassbender?

02. Source Code - A very cool idea for a film, I kind of see this as this years Inception, a science fiction movie that seems to have a better grasp of how to deal with the loopholes that exist when we suspend of disbelief regarding the supernatural. 

01. Drive - Best film I saw all year, opening scene sets the table for the whole film. Great music. Gosling owns the film without hardly speaking, acting his way through each and every scene. Check it out if you haven't already, expect something rather artsy.  

 
With further apologies to Warrior, Cowboys and Aliens, The Hangover 2(!), Fast Five, and upon recommendation from Dan, Real Steel, all films I still have yet to see, despite having loads of time to catch up on this. Congratulations movies you are now on the short to-do list.


Top 11 Most Interesting People '11: Solely according to me so you won't find the Kardashians here. These are the people that I will always read an ESPN article or Yahoo! side bar story about whenever their name pops up. Not necessarily out of adoration but certainly intrigue. Odds that they'll return to the list in '12.

11. Cam Newton - What he lacks in philosophy (A lion Cam? Really? In the jungle? Really?) he more than makes up for in raw footballing talent. Newton should be the ROY and flashed talents that will electrify for years to come. 6:1

10. Albert Pujols - Any time a guy signs a 260 million dollar contract they get on the list, throw in the World Series Victory and the 3 HR performance in game 3 and a pretty vanilla guy (read: robot) deserves a mention. 40:1

09. Michael Jordan - I'm always interested in what Black Jesus is up to. Rocked a tidy Hitler-esque mustache. 4:1

08. Barak Obama - The President, always a man of intrigue. This day in age with the challenges the United States have been facing both at home and abroad it's certainly a difficult time to be the man in charge, '11 was a challenging year, but it's 2012 that will be make or break in determining his long term legacy. 1:1 It's an election year! 


07. Derek Jeter - First Yankee ever to hit 3000 hits! Digest that. Arguably the most historic franchise in professional sports and Jeter stands a top the franchise in a sport that holds it's statistical milestones on a pedestal like no other. He did it in GQ fashion as only Jeter could hitting a home-run for number 3000, going 5-5 on the day and driving in the game winning run. I don't like many Yanks but Jeter is a baller. And he reportedly gives gift bags of memorabilia to his romances (read: conquests), a gentleman. 50:1

06. Mike Tyson/Charlie Sheen - Tyson always makes the list (for obvious reasons), sharing the spot this year with roast mate Charlie Sheen who was mildly interesting throughout the year with his Tyson-esque downward spiral out of sanity. 1.5/1  

05. Kanye West - Ridiculously productive last 18 months for Kanye. Guy's a really talented asshole. Stayed out of trouble for the most part. 16:1

04. Peyton Manning - Guy doesn't play and he's still a very interesting topic of conversation. His value was starkly apparent with the Colts looking absolutely listless in the early weeks of the NFL season. Losing him cost the Colts their season, and now with the Colts holding the top pick, Peyton might be out the door. So much can change in just one NFL season. 3:1 (This thing is just getting started! Read: Fearless Prediction)

03. Tim Tebow - White Jesus? Tim Tebow has been one of the most intriguing personality's in sports this past year. Christian values (as if these were a problem) and religious beliefs aside, I find Tebow to be a genuine good guy of the game; a guy who plays hard every down and refuses to give up on himself or his teammates.   Tebow has displayed a penchant for winning, as well as poor quarterback play, two things whose stars rarely align for greatness. Tebow is a polarizing figure, there are those who can't help but respect his track record for winning. While others find it nearly impossible to remain apologetic of a dismal completion percentage, yards per catch, low QBR and general poor QB play. Watch a Denver game and you'll find yourself thinking, "I know a guy who could have made that throw" following a Tebow 20 yard overthrow of a man streaking wide open. These things happen but you can't deny that Tebow took the 1-4 Broncos and led them to the playoffs. (Of course, say what you will about the AFC West.) 20:1

02. Lebron James - Another polarizing figure in '11 was Lebron James, who incidentally has the exact opposite problem as Tebow. He is arguably the best player at his sport, he just hasn't found a way to win on the big stage. (I realize Tebow hasn't won on the NFL's BIG stage) 2011 saw Lebron James, superfriend Dwayne Wade and their merry band of Miami Heat attempt to live up to their preseason parades and press conference posturing. In the end, the Heat were outdone by the underdog Dallas Mavericks, enlarging the size of the monkey to that of an ape now on Lebron's back at this point. Lebron continues to stumble on the biggest stage and, because of his villain image, this continues to delight us. Lebron was probably the player I would most miss watching if it weren't for this season coming together. No doubt it's Bron who has the league garnering it's best ratings in years. Love em or love to hate em, it's all love. 2:1
 
01. Steve Jobs - Have become increasingly interested in Steve Jobs and what a visionary his was for this digital world all around us. In a way he was one of the bridges to our transformation into the digital age. Sadly, it took his passing to bring everything that Jobs meant to our time and place to the fore. We live in the iAge (for better or worse) and it's mostly because of this guy. RIP

Honourable Mentions -  Dirk Notwitzki, Aaron Rodgers, Jack Layton



Biggest WINNERS of  '11

Dirk Nowitzki/Dallas Mavericks - The Mavericks and Dirk were both able to shake off previous claims that both the player and the team were too soft to rise to the challenge of an NBA championship. Facing the juggernaut Heat in the NBA Finals, a mid-level seed out of the West, the Mavericks were certainly the underdogs heading into the finals. But Dallas, backed by millions of Heat haters, were able to rise to the challenge. Using a combination of tough defense (Stevenson, Chandler, Marion) and timely shooting, (Dirk, Terry) the Mavs rolled over the Heat in 6, proving that the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts. It was a good year for the Mavericks!

Ryan Gosling/ Michael Fassbender - As mentioned above in the top films of the year, both Gosling and Fassbender have broken out in a big way in 2011. Fassbender is more of a newcomer on the scene with Gosling being a name on the precipice of super stardom since his role in The Notebook made him familiar to the masses and his role in Half Nelson gave him critically recognition, a nomination nod from the academy. Fassbender was a star in X-Men's enjoyable prequel effort and remained busy with roles in A Dangerous Method and Shame, two films that are currently in theater and have received positive reviews to this point, largely for the efforts of Fassbender.  

Tech N9ne - Tech N9ne finally made it onto the mainstream scene, appearing on Lil Wayne's Carter IV album this past summer with the banger Interlude. Pumping out his uber lengthy All 6's and 7's this past summer. Tech then released collaboration album Welcome to Strangeland in the fall. Was a good year for Tech.

Green Bay Packers - A Superbowl and a 15-1 record to follow it up. In a league that is anything but predictable from one week to the next, sounds like these guys were winners in 2011 to me. 

Honourable Mention: Tim Tebow, St. Louis Cards, Barcelona, Novak Djokovic, Rory McIlroy 

Top 11 Albums of '11: 2011  was a pretty good year for hip hop with some major label debuts from much hyped youngsters Wiz Khalifa, Big Sean and J.Cole. The year also saw some heavyweights back on the mic with Kanye West releasing his own album and collaborating with Jay Z on watch the Throne, Lil Wayne added to his Carter collection (not that you'll see that reflected in our list here) and Drake continued to make a name for himself as a player for years to come. We also had some surprising new talents shine in Big K.R.I.T. and Kendrick Lamar. All told 2012 was a good year for Hip Hop.

(Of note: I've included an Out of 10 ranking here for each album which will be confusing because the scores may not entire reflect their positions on this board, which seems contradictory. But remember this list is my top 10 albums of the year. For instance I recognize that Wiz Khalifa's album Rolling Papers was somewhat of a dud, you won't see it on any critically acclaimed top 10 lists, but I listened to that album a tonne. It just makes me a poor decision maker. Noted. It's like the guy who says Transformers is his favorite movie, and he's watched it 46 times, it's high on his list, but it's not a 10. So yeah, sometimes I recognize an album to be generally less flawed and yet I've enjoyed it less than another album on the whole. Maybe because of a few high points and low points, as opposed to a consistency. For instance I think Watch The Throne has some scintillating material on it, possessing some of the highest peaks of the year music-wise (Otis, Murder To Excellence), meanwhile it suffers lyrically at times with the redundancy of being told how rich and powerful Kanye and the Jigga Man are. Still a great album to ride to and party to. I know, just writing this, I'm thinking this makes no sense, maybe, just maybe, what I'm suggesting, while it appears to be contradictory, might only be paradoxical. Juss sayin.)

Without further ado, my Top 11 Albums of '11

11. Rolling Papers - Wiz Khalifa - On the list solely because of the number of rotations this LP got from me. I can't leave this off the list and feel honest about it. Listen to..... Wake Up, When I'm Gone, Black and Yellow 6/10

10. The Wonder Years - 9th Wonder - Great compilation album from a premier beatsmith. If you like samples and soul music, this is a great album for you. Some relative unknowns on the tracklist but their is the presence of Phonte, former member of Big Brother with 9th Wonder, who holds it down as the two seem like they haven't missed a beat. Listen to.....Band Practice Ft. Phonte and Median, Never Stop Loving You Ft. Talib Kweli and Terrace Martin, No Pretending Ft. Raekwon and Big Remo 8/10

09. Take Care - Drake - Take Care serves as an open account, revealing the past 12 months of Drake's   life, unveiling the tension that exists between his rise to fame and the drawbacks of emerging fame. This collection of offerings expose both the niceties, as well as the struggles, of a life under the microscope. Technically Drake has improved, expanding beyond simply being a #hashtag rapper, his crooning has improved as well. The future is bright. Listen to.... Headlines, Marvin's Room, Over My Dead Body 8/10

08. Greatest Story Never Told - Saigon - After years of delay and set back Saigon finally releases a studio LP,  it's worth the wait. In a word, gritty. Saigon has waited nearly 10 years to finally get his message out their and he makes the most of his opportunity. Listen to.....The Greatest Story Never Told, Friends, It's Alright 8.5/10

07. Section 80 - Kendrick Lamar - Compton MC Kendrick Lamar burst on the seen this summer with Section 80, a disciple of the Dre camp, Lamar represents a more introspective look at the hood, preferring to shine a light revealing the dark aspects of the hood, rather than gloat in it's suffering like many others in this day in age.  Listen to.....Reagan Era, Fuck Your Ethnicity, Hiiipower 8/10

06. Watch The Throne - Jay Z, Kanye West - Jay Z and Kanye prove they can co-exist both in the studio and on the mic in this high powered anthem generating mega success they call watchin' the throne. Listen to.....Otis, No Church in the Wild Ft. John Legend, Murder to Excellence  8.5/10

05. Cole World: A Sideline Story - Long anticipatedmajor label solo  debut from the one known as Young Simba. A few rehashed tracks were the byproduct of the recent mixtape phenomenon but other than that minor gripe this is a dope album and I listened to it lots in the past few months. Cole brings a fresh headiness to the game, punctuated by his ability to mesh popular cultural references within more complex themes and structures. Listen to.....Cole World, Lost Ones, Mr. Nice Watch Ft. Jay-Z 8/10

04. Pl3dge - Killer Mike - Another installment in Killer Mike's Pledge series, Pl3dge might be Mike's best yet. If you like southern rap and you like listening to someone with something to say than certainly check this album out, it was one of my go-to's in 2011. Kind of reminds of Scarface's The Fix in that it's an underrated album from a third coast that likely won't get its props. Listen to..... Ready, Set, Go Remix Ft. TI and Big Boi, That's Life 2, Ric Flair 8.5/10

03. All 6s and 7s and Welcome to Strangeland (Collabo Album) - Tech N9ne - All 6's and 7's sees Tech N9ne begin his 2011 transformation into a more radio friendly emcee, a tough evolution to complete without selling out. Tech still explores some of the stranger sides of life, he just seems to do it with a more positive outlook. His word play has never been in question. Listen to.....He's a Mental Giant, Strangeland, Am I A Psycho 8/10,  and Welcome to Strangeland served notice that Tech N9ne had energy to burn in 2011 with his early release already having an extended length.  Listen to.....Who Do I Catch Now, Slave Ft Kutt Calhoun, Krizz Kaliko, Noose Ft. Mayday 8/10

02. Return of 4eva - Big K.R.I.T. - There's a lengthy review that shows my support of this album in a previous blog. I liked this album immensely and still listen to it regularly, a testament to it's craft.  Can't wait for K.R.I.T. to drop his first major label debut in '12. Could be K.R.I.T.'s year to breakout. (read: fearless prediction) Listen to.....Dreamin', American Rapstar, My Sub 8.5/10

01. Undun - The Roots - This album might be getting a boost because of it's novelty to me right now, it's getting the most play in my itunes the past couple of weeks. The Roots have truly improved as musicians over the years and are now champions of their sound and Black Thought shows that he has not lost a step along the way either. A short play time, the album breezes by, just push play. Listen to.....Make My Ft. Big K.R.I.T. and Dice Raw, One Time Ft. Phonte,  9/10

Honourable Mention: REKS - Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme, Raekwon - Shoalin Vs. Wu Tang Clan (Maybe I owe this another look) Sorry Lupe Fiasco and Big Sean,  Lasers and Finally Famous simply did not make the cut, better luck next year. 

Biggest Losers of  '11:

Jerry Sandusky - One of the biggest stories of 2011 was also it's worst. Jerry Sandusky was charged with multiple counts of sexual assault on young men, children even , whom he encountered during his time working on the campus at Penn State. This is a despicable story and we're all losers for living in a
world where attempts are/were made to let perverts like this go on living their lives while young people are eternally scarred, for the sake of not rocking the boat? This story deeply saddens me about our state of apathy and lack of desire to take charge and seek change. The rest of these losers pale in comparison.


NHL Hockey Fans - No Sid the Kid for basically all of '11 and counting. Undeniably the games best player is leaving fans to wonder what could have been rather than what is. Get well Sid.

Lebron James - Lost the finals and was the butt of countless jokes as the masses reveled in watching James disappear during the the most important moments of the finals. His disappearance was a far cry from his in-your-face-im-taking-my talents-to-south-beach-to-win-6-or-7-titles-decision-blowout-bonanza. James made some poor decisions in '10 and they played out to make him look like a real loser in '11. I think James rights the ship in '12 , takes the necessary steps to winning the chip and cleans up his image in the process, landing him in the Winners of '12 section. (read: fearless prediction)

Boston Red Sox - Epic collapse followed by a massive shit flinging. Make it poor losers.  

Dishonourable Mention: Adam Sandler (Jack and Jill, Just Go With It?) , Joe Paterno (Guilty by Association - Should have done more), Lupe Fiasco (Yes - Lasers disappointed me this much, not even "American Terrorist III" could make up for that), Charlie Sheen


Top 11 Miscellaneous Good Things That Deserve a Spot on a '11 List:

11. Lionel Messi and Barcelona - Only soccer/futbol shout out that you're going to see in here, but 2011 was a huge year for the club team Barcelona. (Champions League Champions, Fifa Club World Cub, Spanish Super Cup) Messi was a big part of that trophy haul, cementing himself as the most talented football player in the world in 2011.

10. Simpson Catch - We've all seen the replay by now, but just one more time.

09. Wilco's The Whole Love - Great to have Wilco back. Not that Sky, Blue, Sky or Wilco were bad albums, they just weren't as challenging and/or dynamic as Yankee Foxtrot Hotel or A Ghost Is Born (IMHO). I've been digging this album since my first listen, and it continues to grow.

08. Michael Rapaport's documentary Beats, Rhymes and Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest -If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favor. Here's the trailer.

07. Grantland - I love this Bill Simmons spin off site. This is where I go for a lot of my sports and pop culture reading among others. 2011 saw the site develop after years of writing for ESPN.

06. Frank Ocean - Thinking About You - I liked this song since I blogged about it, nearly 7 or 8 months ago. Had to get a shout out!

05. Last Day of the MLB Season - What a great finish that day was. Two games in which the seasons of multiple ball clubs game down to the final pitch. Was a memorable pennant and wild card race to be sure! Of course, that is unless you're a Red Sox fan.

04. Blake Griffin's Dunks - Let the video speak for itself. Take it away ROY.

03. UConn Huskies - NCAA Championship for Kemba Walker and crew. The Huskies outlasted a strong but even field to walk away the winners of March Madness in 2011. Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb hit big shots down the stretch and their rugged Big East defensive style held up in an impressive run through the tourney.

02. St. Louis Cardinals Big Comeback - The Cards entire season was one big comeback and this was never more true than in the bottom of the ninth in Game 6.

01. Roger Craig's Two True Daily Doubles - I watch Jeopardy on a pretty consist basis and this was mind blowing as far as Jeopardy goes. Remember this feat was accomplished in the tournament of champions, playoffs as far as Jeopardy is concerned, Roger Craig makes two ballsy calls, answering the bell on each of them becoming Jeopardy's 2011 Champion a quarter million dollar prize. Cojones.  

 

*Of note - Roger Craig also owns the single day Jeopardy scoring record from a day during his time as champion. Trivia Baawws. 

Reflections Part I B Hip Hop 2.0 Top 20 Songs of 2011: I'm gonna throw a top 20 together on it's own in a follow-up blog and I'll link each song on there so as not to make this the longest scroll ever. Plus, one less thing to sort out before publishing this.

And finally, Part II will feature my 12 New Years Resolutions for 2012:

Stay tuned