Kroc Center: Partners & Supporters

Kroc Center: Partners & Supporters

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It Might Get Loud Trailer

I will be all over this one! Thanks for alerting me John Carroll! Thank GOD for music!

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NoiseTrade Widget

To Kill a Wedding Night…

Informationweek.com posted this bizarre report on it’s blog. The highly anticipated new Palm Pre hit Sprint stores Saturday June 7th, and let’s just say this guy probably did not have as awesome a wedding night as he could have. (picture posted on missjia.com)

On Saturday at 7 a.m., Theodore was 14th in line at an Atlanta-area Sprint store, fidgeting for his new Pre. His wedding was scheduled for 8 a.m. As much as Theodore wanted Pre, he wanted his bride, Anita, to see him at the altar at the appointed time. At 7:45, he abandoned his wait and left his line-number and credit card information with a Sprint store employee, asking that he “hold the 14th phone for me.”

Sprint store employee obliged. Minutes after the recessional, the newlyweds returned to pick up their phone, spending the first minutes of married life with a Ready Now consultant who walked the happy couple through Pre’s setup and features. The new Mrs. Travis later revealed that her reaction was “You did what?” to her husband spending the hour before their wedding waiting for a phone, but later admitted, “I guess I kind of understand now.”

Shaq needs Kobe Now!

Let me just state for the record that I am a Lakers fan, I am a Kobe fan and self-appointed apologist. I am a Shaq fan and apologist but less so since he abandoned the tantalizing-tinge of Tinsel Town for the sun-soaked sands of South Beach in unceremonious fashion. Much of the NBA Finals build up will include numerous thoughts and theories on Kobe’s need to exorcise the demon of LA hitching their proverbial wagon to him instead of the former most dominant player in the league. There will, no doubt, be pontification over Kobe’s need to match O’Neal title-for-title and prove that he can win it all without the Diesel Daddy. What will be swept under the rug, is the fact that Shaq’s legacy hangs in the balance in a series he can do nothing more than stand helplessly by and  hope that Kobe & Co. bail him out…AGAIN (2002 playoffs: Kobe (vs. SAN) and Horry (vs. SAC)) . This may be blasphemy to some, but consider these facts.

Shaquille O’Neal is no fan of Dwight Howard and Stan Van Gundy. He has publicly acknowledged as much. Stan, O’Neal’s former Miami Heat head coach, has found new life in the NBA elite, coaching one of the best young rosters in recent history which boasts the games most powerful and entertaining athlete in Dwight Howard. Freshen up on the Van Gundy O’Neal story here. The sports world has been enamored with a tall, hulking, fleet-of-foot big-man with a toothy grin and playful spirit for nearly 18 years. They are even used to seeing that guy play on the NBA’s finest stage wearing Magic Kingdom blue, white and silver. He used to wear number 32, now it’s a sleeker number 12 and, man, does he make it look good!?

'93 Dream Teamer stepping out of a London phone booth.

Shaq dreams about being this chiseled.

Dwight Howard didn’t enter the NBA with the same brash bravado that O’Neal did in 1992 but his last three years in the league have seen him steadily emerge as a lost post headache offensively and, most prominently, a defensive nightmare. Howard’s rise has coincided with the setting of Shaquille’s 12-year reign of dominance (he’s played 17 seasons and “dominated” for about 12 of them). To add insult to injury, Dwight’s antics during the 2008 Sprite Slam Dunk competition earned him the nickname Superman, a moniker O’Neal wielded without challenge to that point. Howard stole more than a name from O’Neal with that performance, he also swiped the affections of NBA fans everywhere. Fan-voters were so entertained by Dwight’s flying feats that he received the highest number of All-Star votes of any individual player…ever (3.1 million)! Shaq has refused to acknowledge Dwight’s dominance and even his presence at times, but that was when his trademark smile and “Shaq-attack” dunk were the only things at stake. Now, Howard threatens the very legacy O’Neal worked so hard to build and that sends chills up the very long spine of the giant formerly known as Superman.

How does Dwight threaten Shaq’s legacy and what, if anything, does this have to do with Kobe saving Shaq? It’s coming! Shaq has won four championship titles now age and attrition indicate he may not win another ring. If Dwight wins this year…

-Dwight gives Orlando the ring that Shaq couldn’t deliver. Shaq took Orlando to the Finals in 1995 to get swept by Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets.

-Dwight wins a title without another future Hall of Famer playing a significant role. Shaq’s rings included major contributions from Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade. and Robert Horry, all likely Hall of Fame candidates.

-Dwight wins his first title at age 23, 5 years earlier than Shaq. Shaq won 4 rings in a 7 year span.

-Dwight is a fitness freak! Barring injury, it’s likely that he will play for another 15 seasons or more and win more rings. Plenty of time to eclipse Shaq’s four rings. O’Neal’s conditioning and commitment to staying in top condition has always haunted him and likely cost him a ring or two.

With these things in mind, Shaq has tweeted “thats right i am saying it today and today only, i want kobe bryant to get number 4, spread da word” I believe Shaq needs Kobe to beat this young upstart so his legacy’s only contemporary will remain Tim Duncan with his 4 titles and nothing more. At this point, O’Neal and Duncan are arguably tied as the most decorated NBA post players behind George Mikan (5), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6), and Bill Russell (11). It’s early, but if Howard secures this one, he inaugurates a journey to be listted among the leagues greatest. The question is will he finish his career looking up at O’Neal or down?

Can Kobe borrow Nate Robinson’s green Krypto-nikes?

"Kobe! You might need deez!"

Happy Birthday to Me! and Malcolm X, Kevin Garnett, Joey Ramone…

…and Ho Chi Mihn, Pete Townsend and last, but not cute, Grace Jones!

I used to be full of crap now I'm just full of Joy!

Today I celebrated birthday number 33! While my joints feel the effects of 33 years of too much stress my spirit has never felt more alive. I have a core of friends and family that love me for who I am, I have two incredible jobs, two precious children to love and develop, and I have the most wonderful marriage a person could hope for. I think back to mid February of 1996 when I effectively alienated everyone that meant anything to me and I was forced to evaluate the abysmal choices I’d made to that point and purpose to do something different going forward. At 18 years old my life was marked by deceit, selfishness and foolish pursuits. To shorten this epic, I recommitted my life and decision making to pursuing Jesus Christ and the will of God. I didn’t get it perfect but I sensed more of the Holy Spirit’s presence in my heart and the things I thought were important before that time didn’t seem as urgent or relevant any longer. At my lowest, I never felt God could forgive me for my transgressions or use me to do anything for Him or anyone else. I thought I was eternally sidelined. That turned out to be a lie from the pit of Hell. I realize now that the brokenness I experienced in my youth was fertile ground for God to begin His work of restoration in my life. I believed I could plot my own course to success and joy but that left me outcast and irrelevant. Living for Christ has afforded me joy, respect and purpose. I credit all that I am and all that I have to God and God alone. I firmly believe had I continued life under my own guidance I would not have a story of celebration to report today.

Jesus said, “Abide in me, and I will abide in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abides in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing” (John 15:4-5).

A Great Memory of Wayman Tisdale!

Another great memory of former NBAer and musician Wayman Tisdale, shared by his friend, saxophonist, Kirk Whalum. This is one of Wayman’s  first public messages after having most of his leg removed due to cancer. Inspiring!

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Wayman Tisdale: You will be missed!

R.I.P. to Wayman Tisdale. One of the few professional athletes that finish a very respectable career in sports and move on to equal or greater success in other areas. I enjoyed him as a basketball player but I laughed when I first learned that Wayman was a jazz bassist. I was too young and naive to believe an athlete could be great at something other than sports. That was probably my way of dealing with being good at music and bad at sports. Wayman was one of the guys that first alerted me to the simple reality that people often have more than one talent/gift and can be successful at various things with talent and hard work. He played the game of basketball and displayed his musical art with so much passion and integrity that many people will never know him (tragic truth of our society). We share a mutual friend and acquaintance and I hoped to have the chance to share with him how he inspired me. Alas, cancer claimed his leg and now his life. Thank you Wayman, for loving your wife and children with integrity and sharing your passion for the game and for music with a crazy mix-up kid and the rest of the world! God bless the Tisdale family as they grieve and bask in the afterglow of a strong legacy and a life well lived. http://www.waymantisdale.com/

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Star Wars Weekends!

My son is only two years old (27 months) right now. I am anticipating the day he’s old enough to love and appreciate the marvel that is the world of Star Wars. Selfishly, I want him to grow up faster so we can hit Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park on one of these awesome weekends!

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Branford Marsalis’ Take on Students Today

You may know Branford Marsalis, the musical great, but do you know Branford, the social commentator? He comes to some wise conclusions after observing the patterns of his students and the flow of pop culture. He uses a colorful and objectionable term (”full of ___”), about 11 seconds in, to describe his students’ feeling sense of entitlement, the rest is expletive free.

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For the record, I wholeheartedly agree with his assessment. I have determined that I will fight the war against Western disillusionment and entitlement on my own fronts. You’ll never catch my wife, children, or anyone that consults me, wailing painfully  on American Idol or America’s Got Talent thinking they have something they don’t. If they do, you won’t find me in the crowd cheering that person on. It’s got to stop somewhere? Doesn’t it? Okay, I admit, I lose a little interest in American Idol after the audition rounds. I am part of the problem!