Floyd Mayweather vs Shane Mosley preview!!!!! by Ronald Carthen

I'm just going to cut right to the chase, I want Floyd "Money" Mayweather to beat Shane Mosley on Saturday. I don't care if it's by knockout or decision, just get the job done. We all deserve to see Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao face each other before this year is over, especially how uninteresting boxing has been as of late. Mosley holds the WBA welterweight title but this will be a non-title fight. I understand that Mayweather did not want to pay the six-figure sanction fee and I don't have a problem with that. These two better put on quite a show for the fight to cost $70.00 in HD on Pay-Per-View this Saturday.

I don't expect Mayweather to knockout Mosley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Four of Mayweather's last five fights have ended in decisions. His only knockout win was to Ricky Hatton in the 10th round on December 8th, 2007. The 33-year old undefeated (40-0-0) boxer will have great defense and speed for this fight. Mosley will not be able to keep up with him what so ever in the ring. I think it will be difficult for Mayweather to get a knockout in this fight. He should be able to jab the crap out of Mosley. Mosley sucks so bad in stopping opponents jabs. 

Mosley may not win this fight, but he's not scared of "Money" Mayweather what so ever. This man defeated Oscar De La Hoya (twice), Fernando Vargas (twice), and Ricardo Mayorga. I guarantee you that he will be aggressive as soon as the bell rings. Mosley has won four out of his last five fights, three of them by knockout. He easily defeated Antonio Margarito in the ninth round to win the WBA welterweight title on January 2009, that was the last time he fought in the ring. I'm very concerned how the 38-year old will perform after more then a year off of boxing.

I'm telling you right now Mosley will do everything to throw as many combinations to knockout Mayweather, but Mr. Mayweather is going to do everything to get that cash. He's going to be to quicker legs and faster hands to land victory No. 41. Mayweather will be lucky to get one knockdown, but I think he'll win by unanimous decision. 

Check out some highlights off Floyd Mayweather and Shane Mosley b/f they square off. Enjoy the fight everybody!!!!!!

                        
Floyd Mayweather Highlights


Shane Mosley Highlights   

LEBRON JAMES will win MVP!!!! by Ronald Carthen

LeBron James will win the 2009-10 MVP at Akron University on Sunday. Come on like none of us saw this coming a long time ago.

This will be Lebron's second straight year winning the MVP trophy and I don't see this being the last time winning this award. The 25-year old small forward will win at least three more MVP's before his career is over. The crazy part about is he'll win this award in his next three years and then Kevin Durant will take the MVP crown sooner or later. It's too bad Kobe Bryant will not win this award again, but with the supporting cast he has around him, he doesn't have to score 30 or more points a night these days.        

King James finished second, behind Durant, averaging 29.7 points and averaged 8.6 assists and 7.3 rebounds. He led the Cleveland Cavaliers with the league's best record (61-21) and currently has home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

I enjoyed how much he destroyed the Chicago Bulls in the 1st round of the playoffs. He averaged 31.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 8.2 assists. This series was no competition to this dude but don't expect the Boston Celtics to do any better.

Trust me LeBron's elbow will be fine against the Celtics. Do you think Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, or Kendrick Perkins is going to stop him from going to the paint? Please!!!!! Expect him to go off in the semifinals.            

Jeezy "Hood Politics" and Christina Aguilera "Not Myself Tonight" produced by Polow da Don official videos and Jay Electronica ft Diddy "The Ghost of Christopher Wallace!!!!!

Jeezy "Hood Politics"


Christina Aguilera "Not Myself Tonight"


Jay Electronica ft Diddy "The Ghost of Christopher Wallace" (audio)

Tyreke Evans wins Rookie of the Year...Is it the right decision????!!!!! by Ronald Carthen

Sacramento Kings point guard Tyreke Evans deserves to win NBA's Rookie of the Year over Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry and Milwaukee Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings.

I'm surprised that Curry, who shot over 46% from the three-point line, finished second and Jennings finished third, but that's what happens when Jennings only shoots over 37% from the field this season. I know Jennings leads the team with 20.8 points and averaging 3.8 assists against the Hawks this postseason, but this award is based on who shows up in the regular season not the postseason.    
Evans was only the fourth rookie in league history to average 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists. He joined Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James in the 20-5-5 club. That's a heck of a list of heavyweights people.

The fourth pick in last year's draft, after one season out of Memphis, led all rookies with 20.1 points, second in assists with 5.8, and fifth in rebounds with 5.3. He scored 20 or more points 41 times this season, the most of any rookie in the Sacramento era. On March 10 against the Raptors, he was the first rookie in the Sacramento era to record a triple-douple with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Like Jay-Z always said "Men Lie, Women Lie, Numbers Don't."        

All three rookies will be great but I don't see all three of them playing with the same team in a few years. It's great to see these are going to be our next NBA stars for the next 10 years.   

EMINEM 1st single "NOT AFRAID" (AUDIO)

Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals choke!!!!! by Ronald Carthen

If the Washington Capitals had a definition in Webster's Dictionary, it would be "Ultimate Fail." How can Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals look at themselves in the mirror this morning?

Not only did the they allow Montreal Canadiens become only the ninth No.8 seed to win a series over the No. 1 seed in 32 matchups since the NHL went into it's current format since 1994, they were the first No. 1 team to allow a No.8 seed come back from a 3-1 lead in the series.

I thought Ovechkin was the best hockey player in the league, better yet the entire world. The two-time MVP has played in four career playoff series and all of them went to a Game 7. He and the Caps are 1-3 in those contests. If you are the best player in the league you have to win in big games. In Games 1-4, he had eight points (four goals and four assists), including his best game in Game 4 when he scored two goals and an assists. In Games 5-7, he had only two points (one goal and one assists).

You have to give credit to Canadiens goalie Jaroslav Halak and his defensive performance for an amazing sense of urgency in this series. Halak had a total of 94 saves in Games 6 (53 saves) and 7 (41 saves). He held the Caps to only three goals in Games 5-7. I know Sidney Crosby and the Pittssburgh Pengiuns are taking serious notice on him at this point.

You also mean to tell me the Caps had problems scoring on power play goals? How can the league's best power play team, converting 25% of thier shots, only go 1 for 33 in this series. When the Habs have a man down for 2:00 you have to take advantage of it.

The Caps, who had the league-best 54-15-13 (121 points), were the best team in the league and they fall short like this. What an embarrasing way to end your season.

This wasn't just a bad lost for the Caps, it was a bigger lost for the league. Ovechkin and Crosby are two of hockey's biggest stars and if you lose one or both of them in the postseason, ratings will fall for sure. Yes the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks are good teams, but they don't have great star power as both of these guys. Good luck to the NHL for trying to get your viewers, especially if Crosby is out befor the Stanley Cup Finals.                       
   

Lupe Fiasco "I'm Beaming" official video

KOBE with the #1 selling jersey!!!!! by Ronald Carthen

For the second year in a row, Kobe Bryant is the NBA's best-selling jersey, based on sales at the NBA Store at New York City and NBAStore.com. How amazing that one of the most-hated player in the league is still selling jerseys like crazy. His team, the Los Angeles Lakers, top the list for the league's most popular team merchandise. Lakers merchandise have top the list in seven of the last eight years. It's great to hear that sales are up 20% from last year. Check out who else made the Top 15 selling jerseys, including Kevin Durant making his top 10 debut, and the Top 10 team merchandise.

Top 14 Selling Jerseys      
1) Kobe Bryant, Lakers
2) LeBron James, Cavaliers
3) Kevin Garnett, Celtics
4) Derrick Rose, Bulls
5) Dwight Howard, Magic
6) Dwyane Wade, Heat
7) Chris Paul, Hornets
8) Paul Pierce, Celtics
9) Kevin Durant, Thunder
10) Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets
11) Nate Robinson, Celtics
12) David Lee, Knicks
13) Brandon Roy, Blazers
14) Pau Gasol, Lakers

Top 10 Team Merchandise
1) Lakers
2) Celtics
3) Cavaliers
4) Bulls
5) Knicks
6) Nuggets
7) Magic
8) Heat
9) Spurs
10) Suns

WTH Moment of the Day...A basketball player hits what he thought is the game-winning shot in overtime...but someone on the other team makes a basket with 0.6 seconds left to win the game!!!!!!!!!

The Game "Shake" and "400 Bars" official video

The Game "Shake"


The Game "400 Bars"

D-WADE what do you do now????!!!!! by Ronald Carthen

I can't believe I thought the Heat were going to beat the Celtics in six games, what was I thinking. If this is Dwyane Wade's last game as a Miami Heat, at least he went out with a bang.

In games four and five, D-Wade combined for 77 points on 26 of 48 from the field and seven of 14 from three-point range. He did everything you asked him from going after rebounds, hustling for loose balls, blocks anyone shots at will, dunks to give his team a momentum swing. In this entire series, he averaged 33.8 points on 60% shooting, 43% from the three-point range, a total of seven steals, and a total of six blocks. It was like watching him play the Celtics one-on-five.

The question isn't going to be how much money will D-Wade make, it's going to be will Pat Riley find another all-star to help D-Wade get another championship. Since he and Shaquille O'Neal, who was traded to the Phoenix Suns during the 2007-08 season and now plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers, led the Heat to the championship in 2006, the team hasn't made it out of the first round of the playoffs in their last three playoff appearances (they missed the playoffs in the 2007-08 season). At some point you have to make this man happy.

With a big off season coming up, there will be plenty of free agents that Riley will have to consider to help his franchise. They need to find a big man who isn't scared to crash the boards and get some points in the paint. They can always go after Amar'e Stpudimire, who the Phoenix Suns tried to trade before the deadline, or Chris Bosh, who is ready to get out of Toronto, and how about Carlos Boozer, who could of been a Bull or a Heat at some point this year.

If he doesn't get any help, he'll be out of Miami and he'll find a new home. My favorite spot for him would be his return home to Chicago to play for the Bulls. Can you imagine D-Wade and Derrick Rose, also from Chi-Town, in the same backcourt, oh my goodness!!! There would be no answer to stop them every night. The only other team I can see him going to is the New York Knicks. If he waits and sees who else will be signed for the Knicks this offseason, he'll make sure the Garden will be his new home and put people in those seats.                                     

D-Wade will be the second biggest free agent this summer, next to LeBron James. I can't wait to see where he plays next season. I personally would love to see him in Chi-Town, but it's hard leaving Miami for a cold winter city.

OL SKOOL Video of the Week...Bobby Brown "Every Little Step" (video) chosen by Chris Wallace

Malcom X Killer goes free....Should he be free or still in jail????!!!!! by Ronald Carthen

Do you know who Thomas Hagan is? He's the man who killed 39-year old Malcom X during a speech at New York's Audubon Ballroom on February 21, 1965. Hagan, now 69 years old, was paroled today.

Hagan was released on a few conditions. He was required to seek, obtain and maintain a job, support his children and abide by a curfew. He has been working at a fast-food restaurant for the past seven years.

Hagan had been in a full-time work-release program since March 1992. The program allowed him to live with his family in Brooklyn five days a week and stay in prison for two days. He was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for the assassination of Malcom X and in 1992 he gets to be semi-free? I find that very interesting. When you kill someone you go to jail for life that's all I'm saying.

Thomas Hagan and two other men were involved in the assassination of Malcom X for their anger towards Malcom leaving the Nation of Islam to orthodox Islam. He and the Nation called all whites "blue-eyed devils," but he later changed his views on whites which led to the Nation's anger.   

I know some African-Americans who supported Malcom from his amazing era are upset that this is happening today. I guarantee you there's someone asking the question "What if they had killed a great white leader?" I think he would have been in prison for life if he killed a white leader in that particular era. He would have no chance of getting parole and we all know that. I do believe in today's era, that this man would have been in prison for life if the leader was white or black.

I'm too young to remember the death of Malcom X but I'm very upset to see good people die for silly or no reasons at all. I'm very angry when our own black people kill one another, especially how much we preach on sticking together. I'm very disappointed that this men go free for killing one of our biggest black leaders ever.

This death should teach us that we should stick with one another and talk things out with differences with one another, instead of taking somebody away from this earth for having different beliefs.            

T.I. "I'm Back" official video plus Usher "There goes my Baby" (live), Tyga ft Chris Brown, B.O.B., and Eminem freestlye

T.I. "I'm Back" (video)


Usher "There Goes My Baby" Live from iheartradio


Tyga (from Young Money) ft Chris Brown "G" (video)


B.O.B. ft T.I. and Playboy Tre "Bet I" (video)


Eminem "Despicable" (Freestyle)

My experience at the MAGIC-BOBCATS game in CHARLOTTE!!!! by Ronald Carthen

I was so happy that me, my brother, my dad and his girlfriend, and two founders and writers of Blueprint N.E.W.S. went to Charlotte to watch the Game 3 of the Orlando Magic against the Charlotte Bobcats. Most of us sat at section 101 to watch the Bobcats first ever playoff game. I couldn't believe the ticket only cost $75 for that seat.

When the Bobcats ran to the court to warm up, I began to take pictures of some of the players, such as Gerald Wallace and Stephen Jackson. As I was heading back to my seat, I saw Kentucky head basketball coach John Calipari sitting in the same section as I we were. I couldn't believe the man that coached John Wall and Derrick Rose was here at the Time Warner Cable Arena. Then I came by to shake his hand and he said "Hey how are you?" I then asked him for an autograph at then he said "Sure if I had a pen he would give me one." I ran as fast as I could up the steps and begged my brother if he had a pen. When he gave me the pen, I ran with my game program and he signed the cover of the program. I then asked for a picture and he said sure. In case none of you would believe me, I chose this picture to prove I met the man. It was an experience I'll never forget and it was the highlight of the day.                      

For the second time of my life I saw Bobcats owner Michael Jordan at the game. I wasn't as star struck this time like I was in Wilmington, NC when the Cats played a scrimmage game. He was very animated on the bench and I know how much he would love to play if he could right now. It was great to be a lot closer players in the stands such as Robert Parrish, David Thompson, and Mugsy Bogues. I even saw Nelly walking down the court, since he does have share of the Bobcats.

There are a few things I learned throughout this entire game. One thing I learned is watching Magic point guard Jameer Nelson being defended by Raymond Felton, was like watching Jordan going up against Cleveland Cavaliers Craig Ehlo in the late 1980's. Jameer made his life miserable the entire game, better yet how about this entire series. He scored 32 points and had no turnovers in game three of this series. He's averaging 25.7 points and has only three turnovers in this entire series. It was insane how many times he was able to step back, drive in the lane for layups, and hit jumpers at will. I haven't seen him play this well since his senior year at St. Joseph's in Philadelphia.

Another thing I learned was the foul calls on Dwight Howard were outrageous. I don't know how many times you can call a man with so many love taps. I see why Dwight had a technical foul during the game. I did enjoy when I was sitting right there and he made the loudest and ferocious two-handed dunks I've ever seen in person. It's too bad I didn't much of him during the game, especially when he fouled out with three and a half minutes left in the game, but he's a lot bigger in person and I can see why he is dangerous in the paint.

I like when my brother said the Vince Carter went from "Half Man, Half Amazing to Half Man, Half Old." Vince has had a horrible series against the Cats. He's only averaging 13.7 points and only made 13 of 40 shots (32% shooting) in this series. All I see him do is shoot three-pointers, and tries to lay it in. I miss the Vinsanity that would dunk on people and hurt their feelings.

What made the Bobcats fans so upset was towards the end of the game. Without Dwight on the court for the Magic, the Cats should have taken full advantage of this situation. The Cats were down 85-84 with 31 seconds left to play. With much time for Stephen Jackson to shoot the ball, he decides to catch and shoot it rather then wait for the clock to wind down and missed the shot. When Vince made two free throws after he was fouled, the Cats were down by three. Little did we know that Raymond Felton would come in and try to go for an easy two, rather then wait for the clock to go down. Felton would miss it and that caused the Cats a win.

The game was great and I wouldn't trade this day for nothing. I promise we will never sit in a nose-bleed section ever again.                                   

Kevin Garnett: The "Bargain-Priced" Ticket by Chris Wallace

There comes a time in every athlete's career where they seem at a physical crossroads. The mind wants to do what the body can no longer do, thus causing a sense of insecurity by the athlete and doubt in the fans who watch. In the case of Celtics star forward Kevin Garnett, this has never seemed any more apparent than it does now. In fact, one former NBA star went as far to say "It's sad watching KG these days." Sure KG is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, one of the league's best defensive players, an NBA Champion, an MVP and a perrenial all-star. His slender 6'11, 220-pound build that he entered the league with is now a 6'11, 250-pound frame that has endured more than 15 seasons of hard-nosed, play-every-minute tough basketball that has taken a mental and physical toll on one of the premier forwards of this era. Quite frankly, Kevin Garnett has proverbially run out of gas. There's just simply no other way to put it. Sure he's still a quality player on a good playoff team, but with his numbers in consistent decline and his physical skills quickly eroding, KG is becoming more and more of the next Shaq. And I don't mean a 25 or 30-year-old Shaq either.

I'm not sure if I saw this decline coming so soon or with such sharp a production dip but nonetheless, we're about a season away from some team asking KG to take its mid-level exception to play and take a sixth man role coming off of the bench. Those words uttered in the same sentence with KG should be against the law but as we all know, people find ways to break or bend the law. KG, however, won't be able to bend any rules or laws in attempting to find that fountain of basketball youth that once saw him completely overwhelm opponents with his offensive array of moves, his rebounding and his ability to play lockdown defense on whoever he played against. Tim Duncan, Karl Malone, a younger and hungrier Rasheed Wallace, Dirk Nowitzki, Alonzo Mourning.....you name em and he has defended them probably better than 90% of the players at his position in history. On this Celtics team and at this point in his NBA career, KG is so far removed from his MVP-like play with the Timberwolves that seeing him in a T-Wolves uniform in highlight films is like watching old reruns of the Cosby Show when Rudy was a little girl.

All in all, fans of KG should come to terms with the fact that he will never be the KG of old ever again....just, perhaps, an old KG. But even he still is better than no KG at all.....maybe.

Jeezy ft Plies "Lose My Mind" official video....plus new music from Nas & Damien Marley, Plies, and Lupe Fiasco & Alicia Keys, and a flashback joint by Jill Scott!!!!!

Young Jeezy - Lose My Mind (TM103 Official Music Video) Feat. Plies from ThisisNightmare on Vimeo.






Nas & Damien Marley "As We Enter"



Plies ft Jeezy & Fabolous "Look Like" (Audio)



Lupe Fiasco ft Alicia Keys "Letter to a Beat" (Audio)



Jill Scott "Gotta Get Up" (Audio)

Trey Songz Unplugged!!!!!!

Pt. 1


Pt. 2


Pt. 3 "Say Ahhhh"


Pt. 4

Tribute to Dorothy Height!!!! by Antonio McKoy

“Greatness is not measured by what a man or woman accomplishes, but by the opposition he or she has overcome to reach his goals.”

“We have to improve life, not just for those who have the most skills and those who know how to manipulate the system. But also for and with those who often have so much to give but never get the opportunity.”

~ Dorothy Height                                                                            

On April 20, 2010 we lost one of the principle players of the Civil Rights Movement.  And while it is easy to look back at her accomplishments and all that she fought for in order for us to be in the position we are in today, more importantly we should draw inspiration from her work and why she carried the torch.

Personally, when I see those who have long carried the torch for the African American community I can’t help but pause and reflect.  Not on their accomplishments, or my own accomplishments or desires but I often ask myself do I have the same strength and determination to work and fight to overcome as they have in their life, do I have what it takes to give of myself entirely, looking for nothing in return but to see my community improved, to see the road paved for those who have yet to come? I can only hope and pray that when my time on the earth has come to an end I can inspire such questions by the next generation, but not only that, I hope that I can inspire someone to pick up that torch just as Dorothy Height and all of those who have gone on before her have inspired me.

WTH Moment of the Day!!!!! "Girl admits on the radio she set up her friend to have sex with her Baby Daddy and give him HIV to get SOCIAL SECURITY CHECKS!!!!" That's a Shame!!!!!

Ron's Final NFL Mock Draft by Ronald Carthen!!!!

I'm so happy that the NFL Draft is finally here. It's great to see the first round air today so I don't have to waist a Saturday afternoon sitting at the house. Today will be the last day of my mock draft. I do have a few changes, but I'm sticking with my guns for most of my picks. Take a look at my final 10 picks including the ones I made this past week.

1) St. Louis Rams- QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma  
- I don't see any reason why the Rams would not take a franchise quarterback here. When was the last time you discussed a good QB for the Rams since Kurt Warner?

2) Detroit Lions- DT Ndumakong Suh, Nebraska  
- This guy will make Pro Bowls for years to come. This is the perfect guy to help the Lions, who only had 26 sacks and finished last in the league with allowing 30.9 points per game.

3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma
- The Bucs allowed 25.0 points per game and recorded only 28 sacks. Please pickup this guy who'll be a start to a good defensive draft for this team.

4) Washington Redskins- OT Russell Okung, Oklahoma State
- Now that they have Donovan McNabb, they have to get an offensive lineman to help protect the new QB. Russell will help this O-Line look that much better. Their line allowed Jason Campbell to be sack 43 times last season.

5) Kansas City Chiefs- OT Trent Williams, Oklahoma
- Matt Cassel was sacked 42 times last season. I think Trent would be a great pick for the Chiefs.

6) Seattle Seahawks- OT Bryan Bulaga, Iowa   
- As you can see this will be a offensive linemen draft. Matt Hasselbeck was sacked 32 times and hasn't played a full season since 2007. They need to get Bryan to give Hasselbeck some protection.

7) Cleveland Browns- S Eric Berry, Tennessee
- Eric Berry will be a hall of famer when his career is over. The Browns better take him now, especially when the whole team had only 10 interceptions all last season.

8) Oakland Raiders- OT Anthony Davis, Rutgers 
- The Raiders should take Jimmy Clausen, but you know Raiders owner Al Davis isn't very smart. They will pick up Anthony Davis in this draft. Sorry JaMarcus Russell was sacked 33 times last season.

9) Buffalo Bills- DT Dan Williams, Tennessee
- The Bills should take him too, but they are so in love with Tim Tebow that I don's Clausen will pick him either. Dan Williams will be the third tackle picked in the top 10 of this year's draft. Picking up 32 sacks isn't too bad but it could be better.

10) Jacksonville Jaguars- DE Derrick Morgan, Georgia Tech
- The Jags finished with only 14 sacks last season, unacceptable!!!!!! You don't pick Derrick Morgan it'll be a mistake, even though C.J. Spiller is tempting.

11) Denver Broncos- WR Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State 
- There's no way that the Broncos trade Brandon Marshall and pass up on Dez Bryant in this year's draft. All he did was lie about visiting Deion Sanders not get arrested or taking drugs.It's a shame that he was suspended after September 19h, 2009.  Dez finished with 2,425 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns. 

12) Miami Dolphins- OLB/DE Sergio Kindle, Texas
- Now that the Dolphins picked up Brandon Marshall in a trade from the Broncos, now they can focus on getting a pass rusher who can help this team, who lost Jason Taylor and Joey Porter. Sergio Kindle would be a fit to help this team go after QBs. The Dolphins finished with the league's third-best 44 sacks last season. Sergio finished his Longhorn career with 148 tackles and 16 sacks.

13) San Francisco 49ers- CB Joe Haden, Florida
- The Niners allowed only 14 touchdown passes last season. I think the 49ers adding Joe Haden will add great depth and help Nate Clements continue to stay dominate in the secondary. Joe finished with 197 tackles, eight interceptions, and two forced fumbles in three seasons.

14) Seattle Seahawks (from Denver Broncos)- RB C.J. Spiller, Clemson
- The Seahawks finished with only 97.9 rushing yards a game. Julius Jones and Justin Forsett combined for 1,289 rushing yards and six touchdowns this past season. I don't think any teams will need a running back until this pick and C.J. Spiller is a must. The 2009 ACC Player of the Year rushed for 1,212 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns last season. He finished his career at Clemson with 3,547 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns.

15) New York Giants- ILB Rolando McClain, Alabama
- The Giants have to find get a linebacker to replace Antonio Pierce, who was released this offseason. Please pick up Crimson Tide's Rolando McClain. McClain played a big part on helping Nick Saban win the 2009 national championship. He picked up a team-best 66 tackles, seven for loss, and two sacks.    

16) Tennessee Titans- DE Jason Pierre-Paul, South Florida
- With Kyle Vanden Bosch joining the Lions, Jason Pierre-Paul will fit right in with the Titans. Jason went to two schools before attending South Florida. He had 45 tackles, 16.5 for loss, and 4.5 sacks this past season with the Bulls. He should help out the Titans defense, who allowed 25.1 points per game and recorded only 32 sacks.

17) San Francisco 49ers (from Carolina Panthers)- C Maurkice Pouncey, Florida 
- 49ers head coach Mike Singletary wants to pound the ball and smash defenses in the mouth. With a disappointing 26th in total rushing yards (1,600) and 25th in rushing yards per game (100.0), Maurkice Pouncey will begin to make Frank Gore very happy. The 6'4 304 pound center won the Rimington Trophy for the nation's best center.

18) Pittsburgh Steelers- OG Mike Iupati, Idaho
- I know Santonio Holmes was traded to the Jets, but with such a weak receiver class, the Steelers need to find someone on the offensive line. Ben Roethlisberger sacked 50 times is not a good look. If Mike Iupati is still on the board, they need to snatch him in a hurry. The 6'5 331 pound guard didn't allow a sack in 2009. That's music to Big Ben's ears and it's something he seriously needs.       

19) Atlanta Falcons- OLB Sean Witherspoon, Missouri
- The Falcons finished 26th in the league with only 28 sacks last season. This calls for someone in the draft to get behind the line of scrimmage and hit some quarterbacks. Sean Witherspoon would be a great pickup here. He recorded 376 tackles, three forced fumbles, and four interceptions in the last three seasons.

20) Houston Texans- S Earl Thomas, Texas
- The Texans will need to figure out if they want to add some depth in the secondary or add a running back to help Steve Slaton, who fumbled the ball five times last season. With such a deep running back class, I think they'll add someone in the secondary after Dunta Robinson signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Picking up Longhorn safety Earl Thomas will be a good pick up for the Texans. He set a Texas record of eight interceptions last season.

21) Cincinnati Bengals- TE Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma   
- The Bengals had a huge problem with keeping tight ends healthy last season. Jermaine Gresham missed most of the season with torn cartilage in his right knee. He caught a total of 25 touchdowns in his sophomore and junior year. We'll see how good he is and if he's healthy enough by the 2010 season.

22) New England Patriots- OLB Brandon Graham, Michigan               
- The Patriots only recorded 31 sacks last season. They will need someone who can play defensive end and linebacker in the 3-4 scheme. Brandon Jackson should be the perfect choice for the Pats. Jackson finished with 26 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks with the Wolverines last season.  

23) Green Bay Packers- OT Charles Brown, USC
- Aaron Rodgers, along with Ben Roethlisberger, was sacked 50 times last season. They have to draft Charles Brown to add some depth in the weak offensive line.   

24) Philadelphia Eagles- S Taylor Mays, USC
- The Eagles allowed 27 touchdowns passes last season. They need someone intense like Brian Dawkins and I think Taylor Mays will be that same leadership that Dawkins had while he was on the team. While running a 4.31 in the 40, he'll be able to go after an receiver or running back that wants to head in the end zone.

25) Baltimore Raves- CB Kyle Wilson, Fresno State 
- The Ravens finished third in total defense and points per game allowed with 16.3 points. Ed Reed needs help in the secondary. Cornerbacks Domonique Foxworth and Chris Carr allowed 19 touchdown passes last season. Kyle Wilson could be a DB that the Ravens need. He's a tough and nasty corner that will make this team so much better.

26) Arizona Cardinals- OLB Jerry Hughes, TCU 
- How can the Cardinals replace linebacker Karlos Dansby? He may be a bit small (6'2 255 pounds) but he is moving up in the draft board. He had 58 tackles and 11.5 sacks in his senior year.

27) Dallas Cowboys- OT Vladimir Ducasse, Massachusetts 
- The dirty Flozell Adams is no longer on the Cowboys roster. They need to find an offensive tackle to protect Tony Romo. What a story it would be if they pick up Vladimir Ducasse. He's a Haitian-born American born player who had to feel the effect of the earthquake in Haiti months ago. Along with Colts wide receiver Pierre Garcon, another Haitian will brighten the spirits for the Haitian community.

28) San Diego Chargers- RB Ryan Matthews, Fresno State
- No LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles, who should of been a free agent but the Chargers signed him to a first and third round tender, only ran for 3.7 yards a carry last season. I hope Ryan Matthews can help this team, who finished 31st in total rushing yards and rushing yards per game (88.9). He ran for 1,808 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns last season.

29) New York Jets- DE Jared Odrick, Penn State
- Shaun Ellis isn't getting any younger and a young defensive end will be useful for Rex Ryan. Big Ten defensive player of the year Jared Odrick will fit well in the 3-4 scheme. He recorded 43 tackles, including 11 for loss, and seven sacks.

30) Minnesota Vikings- QB Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame
- I think this upcoming season should be Brett Favre's last season. They have to find someone to replace him and Jimmy should be the guy.

31) Indianapolis Colts- OT Roger Saffold, Indiana
- The Colts will have to find a bigger offensive tackle. How about a local player like Roger Saffold. The 6-5, 318 pound lineman that help led the Hoosiers to allow only 16 sacks this year. He allowed only one sack the entire season.

32) New Orleans Saints- ILB Sean Lee, Penn State  OLB Jerry Hughes, TCU
- Scott Fujita signed with the Cleveland Browns this offseason. You can start by picking up fifth-year senior Sean Lee. Sean finished with 86 tackles last season and finished with All-Big Ten honors with 138 tackles in 2007. His weakness will be his health after missing the 2007 season with a torn ACL. The Saints have to fill that spot and I believe this is the guy to do it. He may be a bit small (6'2 255 pounds) but he is moving up in the draft board. He had 58 tackles and 11.5 sacks in his senior year.

ABC's NIGHTLINE Faceoff "WHY CAN'T A SUCCESSFUL BLACK WOMAN FIND A GOOD MAN?"

Steve Harvey, Sheri Sheppard, Hill Harper, and Jacque Reid joined a panel discussion on why successful woman can't find a good man on ABC's Nightline. Trust me you will enjoy it. Part 3 had to be a link due to some issues with the video. It's a great conversation.

Pt 1 My Standards are Too High"





Pt 2 "Black Folks Aren't Communicating"


Pt 3 "Ladies Stop Choosing Bums"....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH2WW_xcSQ0 

Pt 4 "Who's Been Cheated On?"


Pt 5 "Real Men Aren't Intimidated By Women"


Pt 6 "Dating Other Races"


Pt 7 "No Scrubs"


Pt 8 "Oops He Forgot To Get Married"

The New $100 Bill with High-Tech 3-D Ribbon.... By Nicholas Carthen

The U.S. Treasury will be issuing a new $100 on February 10, 2011 with a 3-D security ribbon.  The security ribbon on the bill called Motion, will contain 650,000 micro-lenses embedded on each bill that will allow the underlying  image to shift when the bill is moved.  The new bill will also feature color shifting "100", security thread, a bell in the inkwell that will change from copper to green when the bill shifts, and a portrait watermark on the side of the bill.

I personally think that the new bill is different and unique; they will eventually changes all the other bills to this kind a style in the coming years.  The main reason for the new $100 bill is to make it extremely hard to create a counterfeit $100 bill and to cut down on the ones that are still floating around the nation.

Take a look at the video and tell me what you think.

Big Ben is Suspended...Is it time to say goodbye???!!!!! by Ronald Carthen

Ben Roethlisberger will be suspended six games for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. Big Ben could get his suspension reduced to four games if he is on good behavior. Thank you commissioner Roger Goodell for making the right decision.

I know prosecutors didn't charge Big Ben for sexual assaulting a 20-year old girl at a Georgia nightclub in March, but that doesn't mean he didn't get the girl drunk, have one of his bodyguards escort her in the hallway of the club and Ben exposed himself while he was in the hallway. I'm not sure if he followed her to the bathroom and forced her to have sex with him, but the man needs to take responsibilities for his actions. How can you be accused of sexual assault once before and almost put yourself in the same situation and with a college student.

There are reports that the Steelers are looking to trade Big Ben for a top 10 draft pick. They have spoken to the Rams, Bills, Jaguars, Raiders, Seahawks, 49ers, and the Browns to see if they can send him away for multiple draft picks. The Rams and the Bills are not interested in picking him up and carry his dirty baggage. The only team I see picking him up is the Raiders if they decide to make this trade. Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell has one more year left on his contract and the Raiders are ready to get rid of him. If Ben comes to the Raiders, they'll finally have a QB to be proud of since Rich Gannon took them to the Super Bowl in 2002.

It's time to see what's out there and if the offer is too good let the man go. The Rooney family and Steelers fans are frustrated with how he represents himself off the field. It doesn't matter if he brought the city two Super Bowls, how about showing the league, your family, your friends, and your teammates some respect. Change your ways or you are about to get what's coming to you and it's not going to be pretty. Just get rid of him it wouldn't hurt my feelings.                         

Skyzoo "My Interpretation" official video

Ciara ft Ludacris "Ride" official video

Lloyd Banks "Bomb First" official video

Waka Flocka Flame (ft Travis Porter, Sean Teezy, Da Kid and Slim Dunkin) "To The Max" official video

Ron's NFL Mock Draft (20-11) by Ronald Carthen

Today is day two of my famous NFL mock draft. We take a look at picks 20-11 and I believe we'll see Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant and Clemson running back C.J. Spiller fall in these picks. They will be the best two offensive rookies in the upcoming season. Lets take a look at these picks and let the debates begin.

20) Houston Texans- S Earl Thomas, Texas
- The Texans will need to figure out if they want to add some depth in the secondary or add a running back to help Steve Slaton, who fumbled the ball five times last season. With such a deep running back class, I think they'll add someone in the secondary after Dunta Robinson signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Picking up Longhorn safety Earl Thomas will be a good pick up for the Texans. He set a Texas record of eight interceptions last season.       

19) Atlanta Falcons- OLB Sean Witherspoon, Missouri
- The Falcons finished 26th in the league with only 28 sacks last season. This calls for someone in the draft to get behind the line of scrimmage and hit some quarterbacks. Sean Witherspoon would be a great pickup here. He recorded 376 tackles, three forced fumbles, and four interceptions in the last three seasons. 

18) Pittsburgh Steelers- OG Mike Iupati, Idaho
- I know Santonio Holmes was traded to the Jets, but with such a weak receiver class, the Steelers need to find someone on the offensive line. Ben Roethlisberger sacked 50 times is not a good look. If Mike Iupati is still on the board, they need to snatch him in a hurry. The 6'5 331 pound guard didn't allow a sack in 2009. That's music to Big Ben's ears and it's something he seriously needs.      

17) San Francisco 49ers (from Carolina Panthers)- C Maurkice Pouncey, Florida 
- 49ers head coach Mike Singletary wants to pound the ball and smash defenses in the mouth. With a disappointing 26th in total rushing yards (1,600) and 25th in rushing yards per game (100.0), Maurkice Pouncey will begin to make Frank Gore very happy. The 6'4 304 pound center won the Rimington Trophy for the nation's best center.

16) Tennessee Titans- DE Jason Pierre-Paul, South Florida
- With Kyle Vanden Bosch joining the Lions, Jason Pierre-Paul will fit right in with the Titans. Jason went to two schools before attending South Florida. He had 45 tackles, 16.5 for loss, and 4.5 sacks this past season with the Bulls. He should help out the Titans defense, who allowed 25.1 points per game and recorded only 32 sacks. 

15) New York Giants- ILB Rolando McClain, Alabama
- The Giants have to find get a linebacker to replace Antonio Pierce, who was released this offseason. Please pick up Crimson Tide's Rolando McClain. McClain played a big part on helping Nick Saban win the 2009 national championship. He picked up a team-best 66 tackles, seven for loss, and two sacks.    

14) Seattle Seahawks (from Denver Broncos)- RB C.J. Spiller, Clemson
- The Seahawks finished with only 97.9 rushing yards a game. Julius Jones and Justin Forsett combined for 1,289 rushing yards and six touchdowns this past season. I don't think any teams will need a running back until this pick and C.J. Spiller is a must. The 2009 ACC Player of the Year rushed for 1,212 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns last season. He finished his career at Clemson with 3,547 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns.  

13) San Francisco 49ers- CB Joe Haden, Florida
- The Niners allowed only 14 touchdown passes last season. I think the 49ers adding Joe Haden will add great depth and help Nate Clements continue to stay dominate in the secondary. Joe finished with 197 tackles, eight interceptions, and two forced fumbles in three seasons.     

12) Miami Dolphins- OLB/DE Sergio Kindle, Texas
- Now that the Dolphins picked up Brandon Marshall in a trade from the Broncos, now they can focus on getting a pass rusher who can help this team, who lost Jason Taylor and Joey Porter. Sergio Kindle would be a fit to help this team go after QBs. The Dolphins finished with the league's third-best 44 sacks last season. Sergio finished his Longhorn career with 148 tackles and 16 sacks.

11) Denver Broncos- WR Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State 
- There's no way that the Broncos trade Brandon Marshall and pass up on Dez Bryant in this year's draft. All he did was lie about visiting Deion Sanders not get arrested or taking drugs.It's a shame that he was suspended after September 19h, 2009.  Dez finished with 2,425 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns. 
    
   

Little Brother "Curtain Call" official video

Ol Skool Video of the Week Pt.3 Gang Starr "You Know My Steez" R.I.P. GURU!!!!!

Gang Starr "Moment of Truth" R.I.P. GURU!!!!!! (AUDIO)

Guru: Rest in Peace my brother by Chris Wallace

As a huge fan of hip-hop music and it's rightful place amongst society, I was honestly absolutely saddened by the death of one-half of my fave hip-hop duos of all time. Guru, the sole founder of Gang Starr and forever linked to D.J. Premier, succumbed to cancer on Monday at age 43 and shortly thereafter, the tributes were running rampant. Guru, who helped pioneer hip-hop and merge jazz and hip-hop music, brought a different sound and flair to hip-hop that had not been matched during his time. Hits such as "You Know my Steez, Mass Appeal, Full Clip, Moment of Truth and Discipline" are just a few of the pieces that this musical genius helped put together.

Guru partnered with D.J. Premier to form the duo Gang Starr in the late 80's and released "No More Mr. Nice Guy" and "Step in the Arena," classic albums in their own right. In 1993, Guru released his first solo album, Jazzmatazz Vol. 1 and it featured collaborations with notable jazz musicians as Donald Byrd and Roy Ayers. After reuniting with D.J. Premier to release several more albums, with the last being released in 2003, Guru and D.J. Premier had a falling out that led to a farewell letter before his death that sadly and oddly asked that he NOT be linked to D.J. Premier in any way.

Despite the request, its hard for any fan of Gang Starr not to link the two together. It's almost like asking brothers not to be linked together..sort of like Brett Favre asking not to be linked to the Green Bay Packers or Karl Malone asking not to be linked to John Stockton. I don't know what beef actually went down. Quite honestly, no one probably really knows the TRUE story but I DO know that Guru will be missed in the world of hip-hop and D.J. Premier was fortunate to partner with such a crafty cat. Rest in peace Guru.

OL SKOOL Video of the week Pt. 2 Gang Starr "Code of the Streets"....R.I.P. GURU!!!!!!!

OL SKOOL Video of the Week Pt.1....Gang Starr "Mass Appeal" R.I.P. GURU you'll be missed!!!!

NFL Mock Draft 1st Round (32-21) by Ronald Carthen

I can't wait until the 75th NFL Draft on Thursday. This draft is going to be so deep it's insane. You'll find many players from Rounds 1-3 and a few hidden gems in rounds 4-7 that could make an impact this year. This week I'm doing a three-part series on where some of the top prospects will land. Today I start picks 32-21 where some of last year's playoff teams will try to find needs and upgrade their rosters. Here are my picks and let the debates begin.

32) New Orleans Saints- OLB Jerry Hughes, TCU
- Scott Fujita signed with the Cleveland Browns this offseason. The Saints have to fill that spot and I believe this is the guy to do it. He may be a bit small (6'2 255 pounds) but he is moving up in the draft board. He had 58 tackles and 11.5 sacks in his senior year

31) Indianapolis Colts- OT Roger Saffold, Indiana
- The Colts will have to find a bigger offensive tackle. How about a local player like Roger Saffold. The 6-5, 318 pound lineman that help led the Hoosiers to allow only 16 sacks this year. He allowed only one sack the entire season.

30) Minnesota Vikings- CB Kareem Jackson, Alabama
- The Vikings had a bad time stopping the pass this past season. They allowed 25 touchdown passes last season so you know a cornerback is a must. Getting Kareem Jackson will be a plus for this team. He helped the Crimson Tide finish second in the nation in pass efficiency. He recorded 27 tackles and an interception.

29) New York Jets- DE Jared Odrick, Penn State
- Shaun Ellis isn't getting any younger and a young defensive end will be useful for Rex Ryan. Big Ten defensive player of the year Jared Odrick will fit well in the 3-4 scheme. He recorded 43 tackles, including 11 for loss, and seven sacks. 

28) San Diego Chargers- RB Ryan Matthews, Fresno State
- No LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles, who should of been a free agent but the Chargers signed him to a first and third round tender, only ran for 3.7 yards a carry last season. I hope Ryan Matthews can help this team, who finished 31st in total rushing yards and rushing yards per game (88.9). He ran for 1,808 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns last season.

27) Dallas Cowboys- OT Vladimir Ducasse, Massachusetts 
- The dirty Flozell Adams is no longer on the Cowboys roster. They need to find an offensive tackle to protect Tony Romo. What a story it would be if they pick up Vladimir Ducasse. He's a Haitian-born American born player who had to feel the effect of the earthquake in Haiti months ago. Along with Colts wide receiver Pierre Garcon, another Haitian will brighten the spirits for the Haitian community.      

26) Arizona Cardinals- ILB Sean Lee, Penn State 
- How can the Cardinals replace linebacker Karlos Dansby? You can start by picking up fifth-year senior Sean Lee. Sean finished with 86 tackles last season and finished with All-Big Ten honors with 138 tackles in 2007. His weakness will be his health after missing the 2007 season with a torn ACL.

25) Baltimore Raves- CB Kyle Wilson, Fresno State 
- The Ravens finished third in total defense and points per game allowed with 16.3 points. Ed Reed needs help in the secondary. Cornerbacks Domonique Foxworth and Chris Carr allowed 19 touchdown passes last season. Kyle Wilson could be a DB that the Ravens need. He's a tough and nasty corner that will make this team so much better.

24) Philadelphia Eagles- S Taylor Mays, USC
- The Eagles allowed 27 touchdowns passes last season. They need someone intense like Brian Dawkins and I think Taylor Mays will be that same leadership that Dawkins had while he was on the team. While running a 4.31 in the 40, he'll be able to go after an receiver or running back that wants to head in the end zone.

23) Green Bay Packers- OT Charles Brown, USC
- Aaron Rodgers, along with Ben Roethlisberger, was sacked 50 times last season. They have to draft Charles Brown to add some depth in the weak offensive line.     

22) New England Patriots- OLB Brandon Graham, Michigan               
- The Patriots only recorded 31 sacks last season. They will need someone who can play defensive end and linebacker in the 3-4 scheme. Brandon Jackson should be the perfect choice for the Pats. Jackson finished with 26 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks with the Wolverines last season.  

21) Cincinnati Bengals- TE Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma   
- The Bengals had a huge problem with keeping tight ends healthy last season. Jermaine Gresham missed most of the season with torn cartilage in his right knee. He caught a total of 25 touchdowns in his sophomore and junior year. We'll see how good he is and if he's healthy enough by the 2010 season. 

Ciara "Basic Instinct (You Got Me) Official Video

Russell Westbrook: On the verge of stardom by Chris Wallace

There comes a moment in time when we, as spectators and fans, look at players and say "Dang, that guy can play" or "dang why hasn't be reached his full potential." When it comes to Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook, we'll soon be using the superlatives "great," "tough" and "Deron Williams or Gary Payton-like" to describe his on-court abilities. Two years from now, remember I said these very words: Russell Westbrook will be one of the league's best point guards! He will be because he absolutely HAS to be.

The strength, the size, the craftiness, the mental toughness and ability to get to the rim all make Westbrook one of the NBA's brightest young players. It also doesn't hurt that he plays alongside Kevin Durant. But for all of the love that Durant receives, Westbrook really shouldn't be far behind. His season averages of 16.1 PPG, 4.9 RPG and 8 APG don't compare to the likes of a Deron Williams, Steve Nash, Derrick Rose or a healthy Chris Paul but the more he plays, the better he'll get. And the scary thing is that he's ONLY in season two and season three is when a lot of players make the "leap." And as long as he has the opportunity to play alongside a star such as Kevin Durant, why WOULDN'T he get better? As for this season, helping to lead the Thunder into the playoffs was a step in the right direction and showing what he can do on the big stage (His playoff debut against the Lakers) didn't hurt either.

WTH Moment of the Day...Two Bank Robbers try to leave on a Scooter!!!!!

Top 5 NBA Playoff Weekend Storylines!!! by Ronald Carthen

Kevin Garnett deserves to be suspended for Game 2!!!!!!

It looks like Kevin Garnett's attitude on the basketball court has come back to haunt. Garnett didn't have to elbow Heat small forward Quentin Richardson when he came by to check on Paul Pierce, who was laying on the floor with a bad elbow. I'm not sure what was said, but it led to a scuffle on the court with KG elbowing Q-Rich in the face. Intentional or not throwing an elbow is just as bad as throwing a punch. Now he has to sit out for Game 2 against the Heat on Tuesday night. It's not like the Celtics haven't played without him before, but let's see how they can shut down Dwyane Wade in the paint.

Kevin Durant gets shut down and what's up with Kobe's shooting!!!!!!

Ron Artest did a great job shutting down Kevin Durant in Game 1 of this series. Durant had a very hard time getting into the flow of the game and was frustrated all day long. He finished with 24 points on seven of 24 shooting (29%) and nine of 11 from the free throw. If he doesn't get it going it's going to be a quick and painful series for the Thunder.

What's up with Kobe Bryant as of late? He's still one of or the best players in the league, but he needs to get back into the groove far as shooting. In his last four games, he hasn't made at least 10 shots from the field. He scored 21 points but only made six of 19 baskets at the Staples Center. I know he has an injured finger but it's time to step it up a bit. I'm just glad he has a great supporting cast to led the Lakers back to the NBA finals.

LeBron James and the Cavs are hungry for a Championship!!!!!!   

LeBron James and the Cavs looked so focus to bring an NBA Championship to Cleveland. LeBron finished with 24 points, six rebounds, and five assists. If anybody is ready to "Bring a ring to the King" it was Shaquille O'Neal. Shaq bullied Joakim Noah and Brad Miller and looked as strong and quick up and down the court like he did his rookie year. I don't think he'll be tested until he faces Dwight Howard in the eastern conference finals. Anderson Varejao has been a great defensive player this season and he's made a big impact so far. He finished with a game-high 15 rebounds and eight points.

Carmelo Anthony one of the Top 5 best players in the league!!!!! 

My brother found out something very interesting. Carmelo Anthony has not finished any better than 3rd-Team All-NBA in his career, that's outrageous. Too bad he'll not be in the 1st team with the year Kevin Durant has had. Carmelo finished with a playoff career-high 42 points as he led the Nuggets past the Jazz to get a 1-0 lead in the series. He and J.R. Smith, who scored 18 of 20 points in the fourth quarter, scored 30 of the team's 38 points in the fourth quarter. I think the Nuggets will continue to take advantage of the injured Jazz. Carlos Boozer playing with a rib injury, Andrei Kirilenko out two weeks with a calf injury, and now Mehmet Okur is out with a torn Achilles tendon. Boozer may have to move to center for Game 2.        

Great weekend for points guards win or lose!!!!!!

I think some good NBA point guards stole the show this week on the opening weekend of the playoffs. With Dwight Howard scoring only five points (he had nine blocks in the game) and Vince Carter with 12 points on four of 19 shooting, you would think the Magic could lose this game. Thank goodness Magic point guard Jameer Nelson made played so well against the Bobcats. Nelson made the Bobcats point guards look like they belong in the D-League. He finished with 32 points on 10 of 18 shooting and four of eight from the three-point line.

I remember a song from Cam'ron's "Cookin' Up" when refereed to Blazers point guard Andre Miller having a basic game. Miller didn't look so basic to me, he was almost flawless as he led his team to an upset over the Suns in Game 1 of the series. Miller scored 15 of his playoff career-high 31 points in the fourth quarter as they were the only lower seed to win their first game of a playoff series. That was such an impressive win by this squad, especially without Brandon Roy, who's out with a torn meniscus in his right knee.

Blueprint N.E.W.S. co-founder and writer Chris Wallace told me that Oklahoma City point guard Russell Westbrook will soon be a Top 5 point guard in the league. Even though the Lakers took care of business, Westbrook bullied Derek Fisher, Jordan Farmar, and Shannon Brown. He finished with 23 points on 10 of 16 shooting. He made it look so easy to get to the basket and lay it in for an easy two. Someone better be ready to shut him down in this series or he'll average 21 points a game.

The Hawks opened with a 20-point lead in the first quarter, but Brandon Jennings did his best to bring the Bucks back into the game. With the Bucks down 62-40 at the half, Jennings made a charge and played a big role on helping his team cutting the Hawks lead to seven with less than eight minutes left. He finished with 34 points, the fourth-most from any rookie in their playoff debut, but it wasn't enough to beat the Hawks.        

Lil Wayne "Single" official video

WTH Moment of the Day...Girl from Delaware St. falls off stage during a Stroll Competition!!!!

Jay-Z and Beyonce perform "Forever Young" at Coachella

The New York-Boston Rivalry...Jay-Z vs David Ortiz!!!! by David Wynn

Jay-Z Suing Big Papi For Biting?

“Hey Papi”

As Jay-Z’s number one fan on Earth, I have a strong inclination that his 1999 hit song “Hey Papi” did not have David Ortiz bka “Big Papi” in mind. Although, here in 2010, he may very well may. As in, hey Papi, give me my sh!t back. According to the lawsuit documents, Mr. Ortiz decided to bless the name of his new sports club in the Dominican Republic with the same name as Jay-Z’s popular line of hotspots, the 40/40 Club. Unfortunately for Mr. Ortiz, that’s illegal (maybe baseball should institute a “one and done” policy, because I’m sure Ortiz would have learned that in Business Law 101, but anyways). So the Jiggaman took exception and decided to file suit and make things difficult for David Ortiz’s thieving ways. I knew Big Papi struggles early in the season, but this is taking it to another level. Left handed pitching, performance enhancing drugs, the Yankees……and now Jay-Z? Its gonna be a long year for ya boy.

Ron's 2009-10 NBA PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS...by Ronald Carthen

Two days without NBA basketball has been very difficult, but I can't wait until the NBA Playoffs begin. I'm ready to see if we are finally going to see "Kobe vs LeBron" or will someone like the Magic, Nuggets, Suns, or Mavericks are ready to spoil everyone's dream NBA Finals. I'm ready for Saturday and it can't get hear soon enough. Here are my predictions for the NBA postseason and let the debates begin.

Eastern Conference 1st Round Games
(1) Cleveland Cavaliers over (8) Chicago Bulls in 6 games
- LeBron James (averaging 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.6 assists) and the Cavs will start this series with a bang. It's too bad Derrick Rose will not have former teammates Ben Gordon and John Salmons for this series. The Bulls playoff experience will give LeBron and his squad a battle, but the Cavs will prevail.

(5) Miami Heat over (4) Boston Celtics in 6 games
- I don't care if the Celtics swept the regular season series against the Heat, but I don't see the same fire from this team. Doc Rivers may leave after this season, Kevin Garnett is not as healthy as I thought, and Rasheed Wallace is a joke. Paul Pierce (team-leader in points with 18.3 ppg) and Ray Allen (16.3 ppg) are playing well but they are not getting any younger. Rajon Rondo, who led the league in steals with 2.3 steals per game, will have to carry this team to make a huge playoff run. The Heat have won 12 out of the last 13 games. I believe Dwyane Wade, fifth in the league with 26.6 ppg, will carry the Heat and take advantage of an old Celtic team. Defensively they will shut down the Celtics the entire series. They are second in the league in allowing only 94.2 ppg.

(3) Atlanta Hawks over (6) Milwaukee Bucks in 5 games 
- The will be the most least interesting first round series in the playoffs. It's too bad Bucks center Andrew Bogut will miss the entire postseason with an elbow and hand injury, this would have been an interesting series. Brandon Jennings, averaging 15.5 ppg and 37% from the field, will have to carry this team in order to pull an upset. The Hawks will be hungry for a title right now, especially that Joe Johnson will be a free agent next year. This could be the last time that this group will have a chance to win it all.

(2) Orlando Magic over (7) Charlotte Bobcats in 6 games
- Dwight Howard, averaging 18.3 points and an NBA-best 13.2 rebounds, and the Magic will not take the Bobcats likely. Bobcats head coach Larry Brown led his team to an league-best 93.8 points allowed per game. Gerald Wallace, averaging 18.2 points and 10.0 rebounds, and Stephen Jackson will have to carry the load. I believe Howard, Vince Carter, and Rashard Lewis will be too much for an upset to happen.

Western Conference 1st Round Games       
(1) Los Angeles Lakers over (8) Oklahoma City Thunder in 7 games 
- "Kobe Bryant vs. Kevin Durant" what else can you ask for. You have Durant, the youngest scoring champ in history with 30.1 points, and Kobe a.k.a Black Mamba and four-time NBA champion. I would love for this series to go on forever. I'm concerned with some of the injured Lakers except for Kobe. If LA doesn't have Andrew Bynum, they will not win the championship, but I think they'll be fine without him. My only concern is can the Lakers points guards (Derek Fisher, Shannon Brown, and Jordan Farmer) shut down Russell Westbrook, who averages 16.1 points and eight assists.         

(4) Denver Nuggets over (5) Utah Jazz in 6 games
- I'm concerned with Carmelo Anthony, averaging 28.2 points and 6.6 rebounds, and the Nuggets without George Karl, who has throat cancer,  in this series. Let's see if acting coach Adrian Dantley will hype up the Nuggets to make a playoff run. How about this point guard matchup "Deron Williams vs. Chauncey Billups." Deron Williams, averaging 18.5 points and a third-best 10.5 assists, will need a healthy Carlos Boozer (suffering a rib injury) and Andrei Kirilenko (calf injury) to be productive in this series. Chauncey Billups, averaging 19.5 points and 5.6 assists, will have no problem finding Carmelo, Nene Hilario, and J.R. Smith.

(3) Phoenix Suns over (6) Portland Trail Blazers in 5 games
- How on earth will the Blazers beat the Suns without Brandon Roy, out four to six weeks with a torn meniscus in his right. Andre Miller and LaMarcus Aldridge will be no match for Steve Nash (averages 16.5 points and league-best 11.0 assists) and Amar'e Stoudimire (league-best 1,110 points in the paint). The Suns are the league's best offense averaging 110.2 points

(2) Dallas Mavericks over (7) San Antonio Spurs in 6 games 
- Tim Duncan (averaging 17.9 points and 10.1 rebounds), Manu Ginobili (averaging 16.5 points) and Tony Parker will not find a way to win this series. Dirk Nowitzki (averaging 25.0 points and 7.7 rebounds) and Jason Kidd (averaging 9.1 assists) now have teammates that are physical and can play good defense. The Mavs new teammates Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood have big a huge difference for this team.     

Eastern Conference Semifinals  
(1) Cavaliers over (5) Heat in 5 games
- LeBron and the Cavs will destroy D-Wade and the Heat in this series. LeBron's supporting cast (Mo Williams, Anderson Varejao, Shaquille O'Neal, J.J. Hickson) is a much better group than D-Wade's group (Micheal Beasley, Quentin Richardson, Jermaine O'Neal). LeBron's teammates will get it done and get enough rest for the Eastern Conference Finals.

(2) Magic over (3) Hawks in 6 games
- This will be Joe Johnson's last series in a Hawks uniform. I don't think Al Horford will find a way to stop Dwight Howard in the post. The Hawks have a great starting five but I think the Magic depth will be too much for the Hawks. The Magic will be in a physical war but they'll move on.

Western Conference Semifinals
(1) Lakers over (4) Nuggets in 6 games  
- I always look forward to watch "Kobe vs Carmelo" any chance they play against one another. I don't believe Carmelo and company will learn a lesson from last season's Western Conference Finals lost. They won't be able to stop Kobe or defend Pau Gasol in the post. If George Karl doesn't come back for the Nuggets, I smell a return trip to the Lakers in the conference finals. Hey Carmelo, good luck against Ron Artest.

(2) Mavericks over (3) Suns in 6 games
- Dirk and company will shut down Amar'e Stoudimire's offensive attack. They will have enough big bodies to shut Amar'e down but can they shut down the rest of the Suns offensive attack? Jason Kidd vs Steve Nash is a good point guard matchup. Both players can find players in transition, in the post, or beyond the arc. I think Caron Butler will shut down Jason Richardson and make him look unimportant. The Suns energy will not be very good in Dallas and I think the Mavs will win one game at Phoenix.           

Eastern Conference Finals
(1) Cavaliers over (2) Magic in 7 games
- This is going to be one of the best series in the playoffs. You already know the Magic are capable of winning in Cleveland. If the Cavs allow Dwight and company to win one game at their city, LeBron's championship dream could be in jeopardy. I think LeBron has made his teammates better this year and can beat the Magic this time. I'm ready to see if Vince Carter is ready to finally win a championship, but it won't happen. Give me the Cavs in a dramatic Game 7 classic.

Western Conference Finals
(1) Lakers over (2) Mavericks in 6 games
- You already know Kobe lives for this type of moments and the Mavs will not have an answer for him. Pau is going to have a hard time defending Dirk in this series. I would make sure Ron Artest would defend him throughout most of the series. Jason Kidd will have to be the x-factor for the Mavs in order to pull off an upset. I'm not going to call an upset like some of you will. I think this Lakers team will be heading back to the finals and Kobe will attempt to win his fifth NBA title.

NBA Finals 
(1) Cavs over (1) Lakers in 6 games
- We finally will see "Kobe vs. LeBron" in the finals. The Cavs swept the season series against the Lakers for a reason. LeBron and his teammates will be more hungry to bring a championship to Cleveland. I know Kobe will be hungry as well but will his teammates step up this season. I think it's LeBron's time and the Cavs will celebrate on their homecourt.