The fine folks over at iMeem linked up with the homies U-N-I for a Los Angeles edition of their “Keys 2 The City” series. In chapter one, Thurz & Y-O give you a basic introduction to the crew and we even get some footage of them on the court. Which reminds me…every time I see these dudes, we’re supposed to get out there and play but it always falls through. They’ll be up here in Seattle this weekend for a show on Sunday the 7th at Nectar (with Blu!), so perhaps we can finally do this. Bring your game fellas.
Posted in News, Sports on August 12th, 2008 by Hyphen
On Sunday, the Guardian reported on the image above, which features the Spanish men’s national basketball team in an advertisement for the Beijing Olympics. The dragon in the center circle? Clumsy, but admissable. The fingers pulling back the skin around their eyes in an attempt to mimic asian features? Yeaaaaaah, I’m going to go ahead and hit you with the:
You’d think that the European country closest to Africa (separated by only 8 miles at the Strait of Gibraltar) might be the most racially tolerant member of the E.U., but unfortunately, you’d be dead wrong. Spain has a long history of racism, and in recent years, it’s repeatedly reared its ugly head in their sporting events. From the abuse Lewis Hamilton received earlier this year, to Luis Aragones’ moronic comments about Thierry Henry, it seems like a new incident pops up every few months. We also can’t forget about when Samuel Eto’o almost left the pitch a few years back:
And now the Spanish basketball team, one of the best squads in the world, has again demonstrated the ignorance and racism that appears so prevalent in their culture. It’s shocking enough that this actually made it’s way into an officially sanctioned advertisement (apparently involving the female team in the same pose on the opposite page), but how could players who’ve spent time here in the NBA agree to this? You’re telling me Pau and Marc Gasol, Rudy Fernandez, Juan Carlos Navarro, Jose Calderon, and Jorge Garbajosa didn’t know any better? Wow.
I don’t want to sound too high and mighty, because we clearly have lots of race issues here (cough, cough, cough), but it’s time for Spain to get a grip on this. If they’re going continue campaigning for Madrid to host the 2016 or 2020 Olympics, they have to get serious about this problem.
Posted in Sports, Videos on July 16th, 2008 by Hyphen
Another ill throwback video from The Meaning of Dope, this one featuring Erick & Parish showing off a few of their trademarked moves on the court. I always think it’s hilarious how so many hip-hop related people, who clearly are horrible players, think they can ball. Sure, there are a handful of MC’s who can (or could) play (Game, Mase, Cam, Lil’ Romeo, even Will Smith was all-city apparently), but most rappers wanted to be athletes growing up. It’s the same thing in reverse too; athletes want to be entertainers. By no means am I a baller, but I played small college and can hold my own. When I jokingly talk smack with artists and then get on the court only to see something like the above? Awww man. I just feel bad.
Posted in Sports, Videos on July 4th, 2008 by Hyphen
Doesn’t get much better than that. Steve Nash recently held some charity events in NYC, one of which was “The Showdown in Chinatown,” a pick up game of footy involving some of the biggest stars in basketball and soccer: Baron Davis, Jozy Altidore, Thierry Henry (a future Sounder?), Salomon Kalou, Claudio Reyna, and more. The stop motion photography gives this video a great artistic touch.
Damn, now I really want to go play soccer…but instead I’m off to register voters at various 4th of July festivities. Have a good 4th y’all!
Posted in Sports, Videos on July 3rd, 2008 by Hyphen
New Nike commercial, greatness. I got dunked on once…by Donald Watts…I was a high schooler at the time though. Never had it happen again, so I’m aight.
Shout to the homies Owen and Dave for being on the receiving end, pause, of the two nastiest dunks I’ve seen from a game I was playing in (Dave even got it on his birthday…ouch). Special shout to Evan for selling Owen out on that play by letting his dude go backdoor, errr…second pause. Final shout to Alex who did this to people on the regular back in our P-P days.
“I intend to post up John McCain every chance I get”
Seriously, could dude be any cooler?
Though I am taking away one point for him employing Reggie Love, who was part of the Duke team that stole (that’s a FOUL!) the championship from Arizona in 2001. That one’s right up there with the Illinois debacle in 2005. Sigh.
