The Summer of 2010 officially kicked off with the Wolves signing Nikola Pekovic. Not a huge signing and the more I've been hearing, the more that I feel like all of this hype might be for naught. I think that LeBron should and probably will leave Cleveland but I could see a number of other guys staying home. I believe that the Hawks have peaked but if they are really offering Joe Johnson a full max deal, I'm not sure how he can turn that down.

I have no idea what LeBron, Wade, Bosh, and friends are going to do this offseason and judging by the laughable reporting on ESPN and other sports "journalism" sites, nobody else does either. All I can offer is what I think players and teams should do.

LeBron: Most people have LeBron going to the Bulls but I'm not in love with the Derrick Rose/LeBron tandem. Having Derrick Rose and forcing him to play off the ball seems like a waste. Also, the Bulls have to figure out a way to dump Luol Deng which won't be easy. The Bulls could shake things up with a three team deal with NO and Indy which could land them Chris Paul and Emeka Okafor for Rose, Deng, and Jo Noah but I doubt they could afford to pay everyone so they'll probably stick with Rose which means LeBron would be best off going to New Jersey. Not that Devin Harris is much better off-ball but he's played that role before and he's easier to move than Deng (especially if packaged with Derrick Favors).

Bosh: Bosh could go just about anywhere, from Houston to Chicago to New Jersey to the Lakers but right now I think that he just goes wherever LeBron or Wade goes. New Jersey is a good fit because they have a true center in Brook Lopez who can keep Bosh at his natural PF spot and also save CB4 from having to guard Dwight Howard in the playoffs.

New Jersey Nets: Devin Harris, Courtney Lee, LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Brook Lopez

Wade: I think the Wade and Rose tandem has similar problems to the LeBron and Rose duo but at least Wade doesn't play the same position as Deng. Also, I'd just much rather have Wade than Joe Johnson or Ray Allen (especially since Atlanta is reportedly offering Johnson a ridiculous amount of money.) Now what probably WILL happen is that Wade stays in Miami but I'm just not loving that option. Yes, they can sign people but I'm not sure if the talent is really there. The ideal move for Wade IMO is to sign in his hometown of Chicago and then try to recruit the best available PF.

Dirk: Odds are that Dirk is going to stay but if he wants to win, teaming up with Wade in Chicago might be his best shot. There's also the chance that if Amar'e leaves Phoenix and the Suns can find someone to take on Jason Richardson's expiring deal (which I could see the Knicks or Heat doing if they can't sign any of the elite free agents) that they'd be able to reteam Dirk and Steve Nash but I still think that Chicago makes the most sense.

Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Dirk Nowitzki, Joakim Noah

Amar'e Stoudemire: Stoudemire is a tough guy to peg. NY would seem like a nice fit except Mike D'Antoni's already said that he couldn't get Amar'e to play to his optimum level. Miami and Chicago have defensive minded coaches so I'm not sure they'd want STAT. New Jersey's probably the best option but, in this case, they've already signed Bosh. He could go back to Phoenix but I think he's already gone as far as he's going to go with them. Enter Orlando. If Philadelphia is desperate to dump Andre Iguodala's contract then a three way deal of Vince Carter to Philly, Iggy to Phoenix, and Amar'e to Orlando could work. And it might be the best place for him. He could play either the PF spot alongside Dwight or center with Rashard Lewis playing the stretch four.
And with Brandon Bass and Marcin Gortat, the Magic should be able to make some sort of trade for a swingman to replace Vince (not that replacing him would be tough since he was basically non-existent in the playoffs.) The current rumor is Gilbert Arenas, not something that I would recommend (in fact, I think that Joe Johnson and Ray Allen should consider forcing deal to Orlando if they get Amar'e) but for the sake of argument, let's say they go with Agent Zero.

Orlando Magic: Jameer Nelson, Gilbert Arenas, Rashard Lewis, Amar'e Stoudemire, Dwight Howard

Now here's where things get interesting. Joe Johnson is still out there but is he really interested in joining the hapless Knicks, the basically bare cupboard in Miami, or the always disappointing Clippers? These same teams might get desperate and offer Ray Allen and Paul Pierce big money but do those two really want to end their careers on teams that will struggle to even make the playoffs, let alone win a couple of games in them? So what might happen?

I think the team that wins the Joe Johnson/Carlos Boozer sweepstakes is the one that lands the best players in a deal. For instance, is New Orleans so desperate to dump salary that they'd give up Collison in order to cut Emeka Okafor and James Posey? If so, the Heat could deal them for Chalmers and Beasley. That would open up the door for Boozer and Johnson. Or does it? The Collison, Johnson, Posey, Boozer, Okafor roster isn't necessarily better than what the Jazz or Hawks have? Might the better decision be to take the money and not run

Once we get to this level of player, I think the sign-and-trade becomes more of a legit option and that means that there's a whole new level of possibilities. (A level which I don't want to waste time writing about right now.)

As for the Celtics players, I think it all depends on Ray Allen. Paul Pierce opting out is getting the focus now however if Allen leaves to play with LeBron in New Jersey or Dwight/Amar'e in Orlando, then I could see the Celtics saying, "Screw it" and not wanting to commit to a long term deal with Pierce. Right now, my guess is that the Celtics retain Pierce and Allen (I think Allen might want to stay close to Boston since his son is sick and they seem happy with the care he's getting in Mass.) and even though I'd love to reload on the fly, I think it might be the best move for the Celtics since I'm just not sure that the deals are out there. Yes, with a little imagination the Celtics could make some moves to add talent right away, but I'm not sure they are that realistic.

Posted by SoulHonky at 11:31 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

A lot of people jumped on the Gemma Arterton bandwagon when she appeared in the latest James Bond film but after watching her in "Prince of Persia", I'm just not sure she has "it". Not that she isn't a good actress and couldn't be great in supporting roles but there just wasn't really anything all that interesting about her. I'd like to see her try out a comedy but her next film is "The Disappearance of Alice Creed", a psychological thriller of sorts. Coming Soon has the first five minutes of the film so maybe this film we be the one that help Arteton establish herself and distance herself from the myriad other hot young actresses who were supposed to break out.

Posted by SoulHonky at 09:37 AM | Permalink | Comments ()

Now, while I do believe that the Right has more outright racists than the Left, it always annoys me when people act like liberals are somehow completely open-minded people who harbor no ill-will or ignorance towards any minority. Thankfully, Joel Stein has helped prove that the Left can be just as idiotic and ignorant as anyone else. (I'm assuming Stein is liberal; maybe he isn't but his article still reads like the typical lefty ignorant rant.)

Part of me didn't want to link to the article because I don't want Time getting more hits off of it. And angling for hits off of a controversy has to be the main reason that they published the article because I simply can't seem to find any logical reason for the piece to exist. It has no point, doesn't make sense, and almost seems to contradict itself at the end. But what it does show is the Left's standard approach to spouting ignorance: pepper it with self-deprecating jokes (or, at least, tangentially-deprecating) and then rely on the age old face-saving technique of "But I have a friend who is...."

And, as one would expect in the 21st Century, Stein followed up his story by going to the place where everyone goes to do themselves no favors - Twitter. His response to the shitstorm his story brought on was:

"Didn’t meant to insult Indians with my column this week. Also stupidly assumed their emails would follow that Gandhi non-violence thing.”

That tweet is the epitome of how not to react when you realize you've done something ignorant. (And trust me, I'm regrettably well-schooled in this.) In short, Stein basically wrote, "Hey, didn't know what I wrote was ignorant. So let me just write something else that's ignorant."

The first problem with the tweet is something that goes beyond the error of saying something ignorant; it's how not to reply to any mistake. If you knock something over and break it or hit someone's car, you can't just say, "Whoops, didn't mean to do that" and go on with your life. (Or in this case, say "I didn't mean to hit your car" and then proceed to hit the car again.) You still need to apologize. Stein obviously forgot that part and, in doing so, seems like he a) thinks that all that matters are his own intentions and not the response that his ignorance elicits or b) appears to be blaming Indians for being insulted. It's like saying, "Hey, didn't mean to offend you guys so stop being offended." (Now, some people might think that I'm reading too much into Stein's tweet but when you say something offensive and then respond via a medium that only allows 140 characters per message, you pretty leave yourself open to others trying to interpret your meaning. If you don't want that, better explain yourself, preferably on something that allows you to express yourself more fully.)

The "You're reading too much into it" defense also falls apart when one reads the second sentence of the tweet. How is someone supposed to read any inkling of sincerity in the first part of the tweet after they read the Gandhi remark?. Stein knows that people thought his article was insensitive, if not outright racist, so making another prejudicial comment (even in jest) in the response is almost willfully ignorant.

I'd go on to point out some of the nonsense in the piece but since I think I've already put more thought into this post than Stein put into his entire article, I'll just move on.

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:01 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

Looking forward to David Fincher's latest and this trailer has me excited. Simple (all dialogue, no footage from the film) but it is enough to make me forget about Benjamin Button.
Also, it seems like the lasting influence of The Dark Knight is the rise of the ominous single, repeated note, a style that Nolan repeated in his Inception ads and has permeated to many other trailers/films.

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:36 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

Nikki Finke's Deadline.com recently ran a piece asking, "Where did all of the tough guys go?" They bemoaned the fact that scrawnier actors like Adrien Brody or slackers like Seth Rogen were taking over the action genre. Personally, I thought the article was way off. First off, it's not like Matt Damon didn't bulk up, Daniel Craig is probably the most ripped Bond there's ever been, and Jason Statham is holding his own as he carries the mantle for all those who love stupid, braindead action films.

What was even more off, however, was the fact that Deadline thought that "The Expendables" might help bring back the big, tough guy actors. It won't. If it brings back "Tough Guys", that probably means that the old Kirk Douglas/Burt Lancaster aging mobster movie from the 80's will be remade. The problem isn't that America doesn't have tough guy actors, it's that Hollywood is skewing older and older. The biggest bad ass in the new "Predators" movie seems to be Laurence Fishburne, no spring chicken. Liam Neeson has pretty much reinvented himself as a shit-kicker (filling the void left by former graybeard tough guy Sean Connery) with Batman Begins, Taken, and The A-Team. Who's next? Helen Mirren?

Actually, yes. Yes, she is.

And while some people can act like this is something new, it really isn't. The bottom line is that Hollywood isn't going to invest the money that it takes to blow shit up unless they have a known actors. And most known actors with proven track records are older. People point to the days of Stallone and Ahnuld but the fact of the matter is that James Cameron helped make The Governator while Stallone's two biggest franchises came from his own pen - Sly wrote both Rocky and First Blood (which introduced John Rambo).

Then again, you can also blame Sly and Arnie for the lack of committed action stars because they weren't exactly committed to the genre themselves. As soon as Arnold could string together complete sentences, he started making comedies, usually alternating between kicking ass and being silly. Stallone also tried his hand at it time and again (although with much less success.) Pretty much every potential next action hero has followed this plan (or tried to break out of the action genre completely.) Vin Diesel and The Rock were probably the two most likely to succeed but they've run away from their roots (although Diesel has been forced back after watching his movies tank and pay plummet.)

Like everything in the world right now, the key is the economy. Studios think they can lure non-action junkies by casting off-type and going with guys like Damon, Brody, and Rogen. Meanwhile, action stars can make more money and help their box office resume by doing kids flicks. Studios just aren't going to spend the money it takes to make and market a straight-forward action movie with a standard action movie actor because they know that the audience is limited. If these films are going to make a comeback, people have to find ways to make them cheaper ala First Blood or Crank or Transporter, etc. If actors/producers don't want to do that, then they better find a hot property (be it a video game, comic book, graphic novel, etc.) to option so they can act like they have a pre-sold audience waiting for the film.

The actors are still tough; it's just that the times are tougher.

Posted by SoulHonky at 02:09 AM | Permalink | Comments ()

The draft did not disappoint... those who expected it to be disappointing. It started off with a bang. There were a couple of early trades and then one of the more amazing business moves of recent memory when, a mere hour before the draft, the Blazers' ownership told GM Kevin Pritchard that today would be his last day and that he should pack up his stuff once he was done with the draft. (And, not surprisingly, Pritchard still managed to make some nice trades for his team and didn't do what many people would have done and drafted their kid brother or Teen Wolf or something.)

There were some surprises but they came from unsurprising places. The Warriors decided to take yet another lanky power forward. The Utah Jazz took a white guy. David "Tunnel Vision" Kahn followed up last year's PG-centric draft by drafting three small forwards and trading for a fourth. Oh, and as is Kahn's MO, none of the small forwards are really all that great and there were better players available. Before the draft, I wrote that the Wolves should take DeMarcus Cousins at #4 because there would be SF's available later in the draft and I was right. I just didn't think that Kahn would then go and add those SF's. I actually like Martell Webster (who the Wolves got for #16 Luke Babbitt and Ryan Gomes) but he's a role player, probably best off the bench, and that's not what the Wolves need. At the end of the day, the Wolves got better but they still aren't good. It was better than the Hornets's draft, though. They gave up the #11 pick for the #21 and #26 just so they could give away Morris Peterson, who's going to be an expiring contract and have some decent trade value. (In fact, OK City GM Sam Presti made the great move of adding on two expiring deals worth a total of 9 million bucks and getting two picks for his trouble.) They then took Craig Brackins and Quincy Pondexter or Brian Cook and Tony Allen as I like to call them.

I was happy with the Celtics' first round pick, Avery Bradley. I thought he would be gone by their pick and he's a nice combo guard and the 19 year old should be no worse than a rich man's Erick Strickland next season and has room to grow to be a legit starter in the league (hopefully, a saner version of Monta Ellis.) Sadly, the Celtics wasted their second round pick on Luke Harangody, who will do little more than replace Brian Scalabrine as the white stiff in a suit on the Celtics' bench. I'd have much preferred Stanley Robinson, Manny Harris or a number of other players.

But the theme of the day was, as expected, Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop. The draft wasn't a game changer; it was a prelude to free agency. That's why the Nets probably stuck with Derrick Favors (a nice trade asset) and it could have been why the Pacers added a SF in Paul George when their best player (Danny Granger) plays that position. So the real noise is on the horizon. It should be an interesting off-season, which will make up for this rather lackluster draft.

Seriously though, the best part of the draft might have been Wes Johnson's plaid pants. Seriously, I've been looking to get a pair and his were pretty sweet.

Draft '10: Wesley Johnson's awesome pants from The Basketball Jones on Vimeo.

Posted by SoulHonky at 10:01 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

The hardest draft to peg in years, the 2010 draft has been the cause of many wasted hours for me. I've tried to do final mock drafts but I can't find the right trades to me. When I tried to make one without trades, I found it infuriating because certain picks lead to situations in which a team pretty much HAS to deal their pick (or a key player on their team.

I got midway through a mock with trades but it was just taking too long to figure out good deals for both teams. I started again without trades but once I got to the 2/3's point, I realized that the Wolves should probably go with DeMarcus Cousins over Wes Johnson because the odds are better that they can get a solid swingman later in the draft.

Of course, Cousins going #4 leaves Wesley Johnson at #5 and I just can't see the Kings being happy with that. They already have Omri Casspi and Donte Greene at the SF and I'm not sure if a Tyreke Evans/Wesley Johnson backcourt would be able to keep up with quicker guards. There's some talk of Greg Monroe going #4 but I don't really see him as being much better than the recently departed Spencer Hawes - both guys have potential, neither guy will reach it. Gun to my head, I'd have the Kings take Johnson but then that just leaves the Warriors deciding between Al-Farouq Aminu and Monroe. Well, there's also Ekpe Udoh but I kind of still loosely subscribe to the "name value theory" that my friend and I came up with in college. There are just some guys that you can tell won't make it in the NBA and a name like Ekpe Udoh doesn't seem like a name that announcers will be tossing around in a few years. Also, I'm not a fan of shot blocking, defensive bigs with weak lower bodies which prevent them from banging with legit bigs. If my bigs can't defend in the post, I'd rather just go with the Magic attack and start a small forward at the 4; what I lose in less than two weakside blocks a game, I'll make up with a legit shooter/mismatch on the offensive end.

In the end, what I've figured out about this draft is that I'm just not thrilled with it. Are there some possible sleepers at the end of the first round and in the second? Yes. Am I confident that I can peg them? Not really. On top of that, the teams that have the toughest picks to figure out (the mid-lotto picks) have lousy rosters. The Warriors are at the beginning of a purge and I think it's actually a good idea. Even if they get nothing but cap space or expiring deals for Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins, it's not THAT bad. Sure, they sold for way less than value but at least they'll be clear of those contracts and can start a building plan that isn't mired in wasted money. If Warriors think they've got it bad, they should look at the Pistons - they can't even give away their players. The Pacers have loads of expiring deals but probably will be unwilling to use any of them to add a veteran. The Hornets are in the unenviable position of needing to add talent or potentially lose their franchise player via free agency in the new future... except if they add any more money, the owner will go bankrupt and there won't even be a near future. And then there's the Clippers. I mean, why bother?

So I guess to end this rant, I'll just do a "Gun to the Head" mock draft. No trades, no worrying about reaches or not. If I was GM of these teams and there was a gun to my head, who would I take?

1. Wizards: John Wall

2. 76ers: Evan Turner

3. Nets: Derrick Favors

4. Timberwolves: DeMarcus Cousins - They are looking to deal Jefferson and I think there will be better swingmen than bigs available at the Wolves later picks.

5. Sacramento Kings: Al-Farouq Aminu - I like his ability to potentially play the 4 ala Josh Smith, Thad Young, Gerald Wallace. The Kings aren't going anywhere so they can wait on this project. As for the name theory, I'm nervous but I kind of like Al Aminu.

6. Warriors: Wesley Johnson - Warriors will be THRILLED if they get this lucky.

7. Pistons: Cole Aldrich - They want toughness and that's what Aldrich brings. He won't be great but he'll fill the middle.

8. Clippers: Luke Babbitt - This team might not be much defensively but Baron, Gordon, Babbitt, Griffin, Kaman should be nice offensively. Although, IF I was doing trades, I'd push for Kaman for Deng, Hinrich, and #17. The Bulls swap Deng for Kaman (clearing space for LeBron) and give up #17 in order to dump Hinrich, who is a decent backup to Baron. Actually, he'd be the replacement because I'd probably look to deal Baron and #8 for Eddy Curry and Danilo Gallinari or Wilson Chandler. (Disregard my "why bother?" from earlier because, clearly, I bothered.)

9. Jazz: Ekpe Udoh - They might be better off trading down and grabbing a Larry Sanders type a little later but Udoh's weaknesses might actually make him a decent complement to the short but bulky Paul Millsap.

10. Pacers: Avery Bradley - They're going to have to reach for one of the point guards. Bledsoe is more of a pure point but I like Bradley's scoring here better and think Obie could mold him into, at worst, a scrappy backup who can step up in key moments. (Hopefully, he'll be able to rein in his offense unlike Nate Robinson.)

11. Hornets: Ed Davis - If anything is going to get this kid to reach his potential, it'll be running with CP3. He's not a great complement to Emeka Okafor but I was think the Hornets might be able to work out a deal with Minnesota, swapping Okafor and contracts for Jefferson and Ryan Gomes's partially guaranteed contracts. Save some money this year, get a better player but bigger money in the future.

12. Grizzlies: Greg Monroe - A Monroe/Thabeet frontcourt could be great or could be bust central.

13. Raptors: Patrick Patterson - They probably would have preferred Monroe but Pat Pat isn't a bad consolation prize and should be able to put up some nice numbers on the sure to be horrific '10-11 Raptors.

14. Rockets: Larry Sanders - A reach here but he's a decent backup/complement to Yao and Scola. Also, there's something about the name "Larry Sanders" that makes me think of a guy who'll be a lifelong Rocket.

15. Milwaukee Bucks: Damion James - He can defend and hit the three and is tough. Just seems like a Skiles-type player and he might be able to play a small power forward alongside Ersan Ilyasova. I wouldn't be surprised if he quickly earns crunch time minutes over Maggette or Chris Douglas-Roberts. A reach over Paul George, Luke Babbitt, or Xavier Henry but I like his fit on the Bucks. I'll probably be stunned that I actually typed this when I read it in an hour but it's how I feel right now.

16. Timberwolves: Paul George - Things work out perfectly for the Wolves who nab the best big man and a very good SF prospect in George. Even if the Bucks took George, there would still be some nice swingman options at this pick.

17. Bulls: Kevin Seraphin - If they can't dump this pick, they'll want to stash a player overseas. Seraphin seems like the best of the foreign options.

18. Thunder: Luke Babbitt - The Thunder probably want a big man but they can afford to take the best player available here since they have the #21 pick as well. They don't need another shooting guard so Xavier Henry isn't an option and Babbitt has the size that he could potentially play some stretch four (and maybe make Jeff Green available in a trade for a more traditional low post big man.) Worst case scenario, he's not a bad role player and guy who could spell Durant yet still knock down the trey.

19. Celtics: Eric Bledsoe - Much like a drunk, hot girl at a bar who is inexplicably into me, I loved nate Robinson but I didn't trust him for a second and new that the whole thing could devolve into chaos at any second. The C's need a better backup point guard and I think Bledsoe fills that need. Also, he played alongside John Wall last year so I think he should be able to get some minutes on the floor with Rondo.

20. Spurs: Xavier Henry - A big man might make more sense in the short term but, let's be honest, none of these available bigs are getting the Spurs anywhere closer to the Finals. If they want a legit big man, they can deal Richard Jefferson's expiring contract and/or Tony Parker. Henry will be able to play some minutes at the three and, in the long term, joins George Hill, Tiago Splitter, and DeJuan Blair as the future of the Spurs.

21. Thunder: Solomon Alabi Hassan Whiteside was an interesting option but the Thunder already have their headcase project in BJ Mullens. It was between Orton and Alabi and I think Alabi's skillset might be a bit better for the Thunder.

22. Trailblazers: Willie Warren - I'm a supporter of Jerryd Bayless but I think the Blazers might want another point guard or tweener option here. Eric Bledsoe would be ideal but Warren, Jordan Crawford, and a number other names could make for interesting complements to Brandon Roy. I'm gonna stick with Warren here since he looked good freshman year as a supporting player and that's exactly what he'll be in Portland.

23. Timberwolves: James Anderson - The Wolves probably won't keep the three picks and might want to stash someone overseas but this is a team that needs talent and that's what Anderson is. The man can score and if the Wolves do indeed move Corey Brewer, he could find himself starting alongside fellow rookie Paul George.

24. Hawks: Gordon Hayward - The Hawks run was nice but they might want to try to sell high on Josh Smith and just sell Marvin Williams period. I could see a deal with Toronto working out. At this point, I'm not sure who the Hawks go after since they need so much. Even though they already have Marvin, they might as well take the best player available and stop the Gordon Hayward freefall.

25. Grizzlies: Terrico White - Jordan Crawford is a possibility but I think White has the best shot at running the point and could be a nice complement to OJ Mayo (who I don't think the Grizzlies should deal.) Looking at their first two picks (Monroe, White), it's obvious why the Grizzlies are looking to deal. They are in the nether regions of this year's draft.

26. Thunder: Tibur Pleiss - There's almost no way that the Thunder keep all three picks (they'll probably try to move up) but if they do stand pat, they'll look to stash someone overseas and this Pleiss guy sounds as good as anyone.

27. Nets: Jordan Crawford - This late in the draft, the Nets can afford to roll the dice on a guy with upside. The question is whether it's Crawford or Stephenson. Crawford might not be the pick, simply because he became famous by dunking on LeBron James in James's own summer camp and LeBron might not want to have to hear about it every day in practice. Stephenson, however, is supposedly a world class knucklehead. For now, I'll go with Crawford for his potential to be instant offense off the bench.

28. Grizzlies: Hassan Whiteside - Since they seem down on Thabeet, the Grizzlies can deal him and have Whiteside as their new project du jour. At this point in the draft, there's no way that Chris Wallace will be able to turn down Whiteside's potential and athleticism.

29. Magic: Elliot Williams - The Magic could be looking for a new shooting guard with JJ Redick being a free agent and Vince Carter being a bum (who might be shopped since he's essentially an expiring contract.) Again, Lance Stephenson is an option, as are other tweeners like Dominique Jones or Armon Johnson but I think Williams might be the best choice.

30. Wizards: Daniel Orton - Funny how that works out. Orton ends up with former teammate Wall and his size should be a nice complement alongside Aundray Blatche or Javale McGee.

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:01 AM | Permalink | Comments ()

The Bucks made a couple of moves yesterday that reek to me of a GM not really knowing what his coach is looking for. The Bucks acquired Corey Maggette and Chris Douglas-Roberts; two guys who look good on paper but seem like they won't fit in in Milwaukee. Before injuries vaulted him back into the starting lineup, Maggette was moved to the second unit because he could better freelance. Corey's never been one to work that well in a set offense and this was in Don Nelson's wide open system. I could see him clashing with Scott Skiles, especially since Corey's never been known for his defense, which is Skiles' M.O. The main reason that the Bucks went after Corey was to get a replacement for John Salmons, who is going to opt out of his deal but I'm not sure if Maggette's a better fit than Salmons nor am I sure that Salmons is going to make as much as Maggette currently does. It just doesn't seem like a great move. As for Douglas-Roberts, he clashed with the coaching staff in New Jersey and often took to Twitter to voice his displeasure. I don't see that working well with Skiles.

The other big rumor out there is a possible Chris Paul trade. Now, I've been saying that the Hornets should consider dealing Paul since last year. If there's a lockout in 2011, this could be the last year that Paul plays in a Hornets uniform since he can opt out after the 2011 season and I'm sure he'll get paid a full second max by a team like the Knicks. Sadly, there are no sure things in this year's draft but the Hornets do have some option. First off, I wonder if the Sixers would consider making a move with the #2 pick and some of their young talent (and Jason Kapono and Willie Green's expiring deals.) Or there could be a three team deal with Devin Harris heading to Indiana, Paul heading to New Jersey, and the #3 and #10 picks heading to New Orleans. Yes, dealing Paul for question marks like the #3 and #10 picks in this years draft isn't ideal but if they can get another solid young player or a future draft pick, it might not be so bad. I'm not sure if Philly would go for it but I'd prefer their offer since it would land the Hornets Evan Turner (and possibly Marreese Speights as well.) A young core of Collison, Thornton, Turner, Okafor, Speights isn't too bad and they'd still have David West to move for more young talent. Odds are that the Hornets will demand too much for Paul right now (whose value might be lower because of his injury) and wait until the deadline to move him but with the team stuck in neutral, their financial issues, and the current labor situation in the NBA, I'd be surprised if Paul wasn't eventually moved by the trade deadline, if he isn't shipped out now.

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:17 AM | Permalink | Comments ()

The Playlist clued me in to the new trailer for "The Green Hornet". I have to agree with their take that the film looks rather generic (and the comments point out that a couple of the trailer moments aren't exactly original). I think the biggest issue might be a lack of focus. It seems like Rogen is trying to be funny in a film that isn't really a comedy. I hope there's a joke about him constantly using Kato's name because it seems like Rogen uses his name in every other sentence in the trailer.

The studio really rolled the dice by casting Rogen in this but I'm just not seeing it right now. Maybe the film will be better (and I'd never guess that this trailer was for a Michel Gondry flick) but right now, expectations are lowered.

Posted by SoulHonky at 04:28 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

"Cyrus" feels like a rough draft of a big budget comedy film. And, in Hollywood, that's almost a good thing since the journey from draft to finished product is often where movies get screwed up. The film follows a lost soul who falls for a beautiful woman with a troubling relationship with her almost-incestuous 22 year old son. The problem with the film is that it's stuck in between an off-the-wall comedy and a poignant relationship story. The characters and situations are so out there that whenever the movie tries to go for an even borderline heartfelt moment, you don't buy it.

There's also the issue of casting. John C. Reilly plays the leading man and comes off as a loser. It's like his character from Step Brothers matured to be a more adjusted man. Everything he does comes off as manic or neurotic. Even things that aren't crazy, like wanting someone to meet his girlfriend and her kid to see if he isn't the only one who thinks something is weird between them, comes off as insane. And there's really nothing gained from this insanity. The weird antics just make him harder to connect with and the film would have been better off if he was just a normal schlub. (Not to say that he should be perfectly adjusted but give him normal problems rather than making him seem like a complete outcast.

But why would an even halfway normal guy get involved in such a strange relationship? Well, the woman is absolutely radiant Marissa Tomei. (And for such a weirdo, Reilly's character gets picked up by Tomei and was once married to a character played by Catherine Keener.) Now just having a guy like Reilly land a girl like Tomei is one thing but to give Reilly as many issues as her is a bit too much.

Now, thankfully, when the battle for Tomei's affections between Reilly's character and her son, played by Jonah Hill, starts up, it never really goes too far. In the hands of a studio and a hack director, this film could have devolved into a Dane Cook/Kate Hudson straight-to-DVD product. The Duplass Brothers wisely focused more on the emotions than the hijinks but the set-up and characters just weren't strong enough. Also, things do get weird and those moments, while funny, make the film seem unreal, which then hurts the film when it tries to get anywhere close to real emotions. Then again, if a studio went in the other direction and tried to really set the emotions in a real foundation, I could see this becoming an Eric Bana/Heather Graham flick that should have immediately gone to Oxygen/Lifetime.

In the end, the film stuck to the middle which helped it from ever being boring and kept it going at a nice pace but it never really reached a peak in either the emotions or humor. The film never felt completely unreal but very few of the moments seemed like something that would happen in real life. It kind of felt like the first feature from someone who just graduated from film school. Not polished but headed in the right direction. I'd recommend checking it out on DVD but if you're going to the theater, there are other films out there that I think are more entertaining.

Here's the trailer, which wisely plays John as a more normal person.

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

Sunday is usually a day of rest or sleeping off a hangover so it's a big day and night of TV watching for me. For a while, it was a time for me to catch up on shows that I missed first time around as IFC showed "Arrested Development" and DirecTV's channel 101 aired "Deadwood" and "Oz". Sadly, I've now seen all of AD and Deadwood and Oz is limping through its final season. So are there any options for shows to help me waste time?

The frontrunner is "True Blood". I started watching this show in the second season and I like it although I do find it to be uneven. It doesn't seem like that's going to change this season as the show now has an almost ridiculous amount of storylines to follow and the show jumps back and forth between storylines (many of which aren't really going anywhere) like it was written by someone with ADD. Still, like "Entourage" which is coming back soon, I like the characters enough that I'll stick with it, although if "Blood" sinks to "Entourage" levels of lousiness, I might tap out.

ABC premiered two new summer shows and I'll probably give both of them a second chance. It's hard to judge a show based on the pilot alone because that first episode has to establish the characters, premise, setting, etc. The later episodes can settle into the actual story and format. This is especially true for Scoundrels; the show looks like it's going to focus on a mother trying to get her family of criminals to go straight but her newly incarcerated husband is going to try to keep that from happening. The pilot was OK but the premise seems inherently flawed. We're supposed to root for the mother to get her family to clean up their acts but, as viewers, we'll probably root against that since nobody wants to watch a bunch of people just acting normally. On top of that, almost all of the characters are mere caricatures so it's not like you could see most of them really succeeding in the normal world. Maybe the show will surprise me but I wouldn't be surprised if I stopped watching this show in a couple of weeks.

I have a little more hope for ABC's other show although it could completely fall apart. "The Gates" is basically "Picket Fences" with werewolves, vampires, witches, and a human cop and his family. Now the show could be very cool but I have a feeling that it's going to get bogged down in soap opera emotions and a thin mystery storyline. Also, the show has teen and adult characters and I think they'd be better picking one and sticking with it. It's tough to mix the two because childish connections don't carry the same weight as adult relationships. Prom King and Queen breaking up doesn't have the same repercussions as parents deciding to divorce. The bigger issue that the show has is tone; it feels like it should have a "Desperate Housewives" feel to it but instead it's fairly moody and too earnest. The main vampire family we meet is basically analogous to the hard working husband and the mother who never wanted to become a mom and move to the suburbs. It's an interesting turn, in theory, but it doesn't really play here. Again, it could be developed in later episodes but, already, it seems like the entire town is at each other's throats and there aren't any real friendly (or even frienemy) relationships. On the bright side, the show does feature the hottest Audrey Grizzwold, Marisol Nichols, as the wife of the new chief of police.

TNT's "Leverage" has also moved to Sunday and I tried that show again but I'm just not feeling it. The show is basically the Y2K A-Team with more of a focus on brains than brawn but I don't think it works because heists need to be more cerebral and this show's break-ins are usually laughably implausible. The actors are all likable so I can see how it's successful but it's just not for me. When the implausible is the norm, being interested in how someone will figure out a heist or double-cross just isn't interesting.

In the end, I should probably thank all of these shows because they are helping convince me that maybe I should go out and do something productive on Sundays. Well, at least until football season starts up.

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:03 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

Deadline Hollywood had a link to this spoof made by the lit department of WME, one of the biggest agencies in Lalaland. File this in the sad but depressingly true file.

Posted by SoulHonky at 10:56 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

I was looking through the release schedule for 2011 and saw a film "Skank Robbers". I wondered if someone was releasing a porn or something. Nope, as The Playlist has pointed out, "Skank" is a comedy starring drag-superstar Martin Lawrence and Jamie Foxx. Apparently, the idea started as a fake trailer during the BET Awards and someone decided, "Why not? They're doing it with Machete." So now we're going to see "Big Momma's Heist."

Now, this is nothing new. The 90's had a run of these with "Sling Blade", "Boogie Nights", "Office Space" and "Bottle Rocket" all starting out as shorts. The difference, however, is that now it's not indie directors or new faces trying to break through; it's established stars/directors using this as a way to sell their next project. The recent "fan trailer" for Mortal Kombat was a fairly well-connected project helmed by the director of the recent "Fame" remake.

What this does is make things harder to the up-and-coming talents in Hollywood. Pitching a spec script isn't enough anymore; the odds of selling one to a major studio seems slim-to-none nowadays. However, just coming up with a phony trailer or short doesn't seem to be any more of a help since now more established people are falling back to that and the web is inundated with these shorts. The rise of internet portals like 60 Frames and Vuguru turned out to be much ado about nothing because they, like the studios they were supposed to be different from, were only looking for submissions from established writers/directors.

This is the main problem with Hollywood. Even when supposedly digging for new projects, they go back to the same well. This isn't to say that "Skank Robbers" won't be funny but when you're struggling to make money and finding fresh material, I'm just not sure that going with spin-offs of characters from films like "Get Him to the Greek" and "Tropic Thunder" or financing films based on joke trailers is the way to go. Sadly, nobody seems to be learning as even TV is making more and more remakes of shows (most of which fail.) I feel like we're on the verge of another indie movement like Miramax in the 90's but, unfortunately, I think the odds are good that it will start outside of Hollywood and possibly outside of the US entirely.

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:47 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

"Winter's Bone", like "A Prophet" or "There Will Be Blood", was a tough film for me to rank. I didn't love it but, then again, I went in expecting a completely different film. I read up that it was kind of a noir mystery but it was really more of a character study. In fact, it's almost a reverse "There Will Be Blood", a young girl trying to survive by playing by the rules in spite of everyone around her not seeming to care about her. I don't know if I'd recommend it as a film that people should go out and see in the theater but I'd definitely say that you should add it to your Netflix queue.

"Bone" is a gritty, dark film with some outstanding performances that will probably land, at the very least, some Indie Spirit Award nominations. While I didn't love it, it was still one of the better movies I've seen this year and a far cry from the rubbish I've sat through lately.

For more spoiler-filled reaction, continue reading.

My biggest beef with the film, besides the fact that I went in expecting a mystery, was that everyone was just a complete, thoughtless asshole. Looking back, every single person knew what was going on besides the main girl and nobody would lift (or cut off) a finger to help. The brother knew, the neighbors knew, the cop that first broke the news knew. And why does the whole thing finally get solved? Because "people are talking". I don't know. It makes sense, the hero was headstrong and got her way because she played by the rules but wouldn't take no for an answer, but the ending just left me with an empty feeling that I haven't really had since "Baby Boy", another fake "happy" ending. I mean, this girl now has money but it's not enough to really last when she's raising two kids and taking care of her crazy mom and it's pretty much been proven that her family and neighbors won't help her unless the rumor mill starts a-churning. The film ended and I just felt like, "Great, she's back to the shitty status quo."

The movie was well made and had some terrific performances but it just didn't connect with me. The ending was just a little too neat (even though it wasn't completely clean) and the struggle that I saw the girl go through made me think that she needed to find a way out, not be content that she could stay.

Posted by SoulHonky at 12:13 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

I have to admit that I haven't been able to jump on the AMC bandwagon since neither "Breaking Bad" nor "Mad Men" really landed with me but here's the pilot episode of their third original program, "Rubicon".

Posted by SoulHonky at 01:34 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

EW's Owen Gleiberman wrote of "The A-Team", "It's trash so compacted it glows." If you think that comment makes sense, then you might like this movie. Because, honestly, if they had compacted trash so that it then started to glow, it probably wouldn't have seemed all that out of place with the other nonsense that was happening in this film. It seems like a lot of critics seem to be giving this film a break because the show it was based on was pretty silly but that film was, at least, interesting. The action scenes are just too ridiculous and, worst of all, the stakes of the film are non-existent. The McGuffin are printing plates for 100 dollar bills and that's just not all that interesting.

Another problem, which is a growing issue in Hollywood, is that the action scenes are edited in such a way that you really don't know what's going on. You see a lot of big things flying around but a lot of times, it's just noise. I feel like a lot of people need to tone down the CGI because it isn't making things better. In order to enjoy this film, you have to bury your expectations and expect nothing but a bigger, louder, but stupider version of the television show. In one scene, Liam Neeson's Hannibal Smith argues that his team should go in to help prevent the loss of life that the bad guy Black Forest mercenaries would rack up. Then The A-Team goes up and blows the bejeezus out of Baghdad, killing everyone involved (and judging by all of the careening trucks, probably a few bystanders as well.) Of course, this was all the plan coming together so we're supposed to just go with it but the lack of connection between one moment and the next was just too much for me to take.

But the biggest problem with the film is that the show at least tried to have some heart; these were vigilantes who were helping out the little guy. The problem with the movie is that they are just trying to help out themselves and that's not nearly as endearing. It's the inherent problem with an A-Team origin story and the problem that the eleven or so writers on The A-Team film never seemed to crack.

If you like big dumb moves, I'd actually recommend the more fun but arguably less logical "The Losers" or even the loud yet not that exciting "From Paris with Love". I guess I should also review that film which I just watched last night but I actually found myself fast forwarding through parts of it (even though it was only about 90 minutes.) Still that film had a couple of interesting moments which makes it better than the fluffy A-Team. As for The Losers, I forgot to list it on my 2010 Film List, which is good news for Sylvain White and friends because it has definitely gotten a boost from all the lousy movies that I've seen this summer. Granted, it's not a huge boost since that movie was also nonsense but it was more entertaining nonsense.

On the bright side, apparently Hollywood studio execs are starting to realize that all of these remakes and reboots aren't the best business plan and they might go back to trying out some original material. And, to continue the mixed metaphor from earlier, maybe that's the silver lining that's making the compacted trash of this summer seem like it's aglow.

Posted by SoulHonky at 09:10 AM | Permalink | Comments ()

At this point, the draft is kind of a crap shoot. There will be good players available here but who has the right attitude to become a legit player. Whose talent will translate from college to the next stage? I'm not completely sold on these guys so these picks could change completely in the next mock but for now...

26: Thunder: Tiny Gallon - With two late picks and a pretty loaded roster of young players, the Thunder can roll the dice on Gallon, a talented big man with some issues in the past. I was considering a flyer on Lance Stephenson but with Harden and Sefalosha already at the 2, it just didn't seem to make sense. The Thunder could go after a back-up SF like Stanley Robinson but I'd take a flyer on Tiny.

27. Nets: Dominique Jones - The Nets might sell this pick in order to save cap space but if they use it, I'd go with Jones, an aggressive, good shooting combo guard. Actually, I wouldn't mind if the Celtics bought this pick since we're in need of a influx of youth and Jones could replace Nate Robinson, who I don't think will be back in green next year.

28. Grizzlies: Stanley Robinson - Damion James is probably the next SF on most lists but I like Robinson as a fit here. I like Robinson's offense better and I'm not sure how much the Grizz need James since they already have Demarre Carroll. If the Grizz are going to go with the Monta Ellis for OJ Mayo/Thabeet deal, they may opt for a combo guard here to team with Ellis, someone like Terrico White or Armon Johnson. But I think the more obvious move is that they're going to lose Rudy Gay so I'm going with Robinson.

29. Magic: Terrico White - White's a combo guard who could be a nice replacement for Jason Williams as the backup PG in Orlando. And I think the Magic should seriously consider upgrading from Jameer Nelson because, right now, the PG is the key position for the Magic and Jameer just isn't good enough to get them to the promised land IMO. The biggest problem, of course, is that I'm not sure how the Magic land a top PG. Nelson, Gortat, and Vince's expiring deal is a decent offer but what does that get you?

30. Wizards: Damion James - I don't love James here because I think a team with John Wall at the point could use a better shooter at the SF spot but James is the best talent available and I'm just not seeing many better options. Quincy Poindexter and Devin Ebanks are interesting options but James seems like the safer bet. Also, it would be good to have someone who is committed to defense.

Posted by SoulHonky at 05:57 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

The documentary "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work" seems more like a PR presentation than an in-depth look at the Queen of Stand-Up. The film glosses over a lot of Rivers' self-inflicted wounds and doesn't interview anyone that doesn't love her. The film is still interesting but it is really carried by Rivers' stand-up material. Part of me would rather have simply watched a stand-up special or a collection of her greatest hits. A lot of reviews claim that this is a great look at what it's like to be in show business but that doesn't really hold since the whole reason that Rivers still works and basically shills for whatever will pay her is because she's committed to living a ridiculously lavish lifestyle.

I'd recommend putting this film on the ol' Netflix queue or telling people to catch it when it hits the movie channels but there's no reason to really go out and see the movie. It's entertaining and there are worse ways to spend a couple of hours but the film itself just doesn't have enough to it to really be anything more than a puff piece with selected moments of soul-baring stories.

Posted by SoulHonky at 05:39 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

Not that I have the highest expectations for either Karate Kid or The A-Team but they at least look watchable (although the 2.5 hour run time for Kid seems excessive.) I don't think I'll see "Karate Kid" in theaters but I expect to see A-Team. However, the better news is that the indie world has finally delivered a couple of movies that seem interesting. Yes, I've been let down so far by the critical darlings that I've seen but "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work" and "Winter's Bone" both seem pretty interesting and I'll see them either this weekend or some time next week. "Bone" was the Grand Prize winner at Sundance and is at 89% at Metacritic. Here's the trailer for the film; looks bleak but could be interesting.

Posted by SoulHonky at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments ()

21. Oklahoma City: Solomon Alabi- The Thunder need a big man who can score in the post but there really aren't any that are available right here so they decide to take the next best thing in Alabi.

22. Portland Trailblazers: Eric Bledsoe - Big man was an issue this year because of injuries but the Blazers have Marcus Camby, LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Oden so I don't think a project big man is going to make too much of a difference. The Blazers might move this pick to move up or deal for a big man but, for now, I'll have them grabbing Bledsoe, who could be a nice complement to Brandon Roy.

23. Minnesota Timberwolves: Gordon Hayward - The Wolves keep this pick (after sending the 16 to Golden State in the Jefferson deal and take a flyer on Gordon Hayward. It's a long way to fall for Hayward but I just didn't love him as a prospect.

24. Atlanta Hawks: Willie Warren - Warren is this year's poster child for why you should leave early. He was a lotto pick last year and might not be a first rounder this season. He's on the small side at the 2 but should be able to fill the spot for the Hawks. When he look great last season, he was doing it by feeding off of Blake Griffin; he could do the same with Al Horford in Atlanta. The big question for the offseason for the Hawks might be Josh Smith. Smith is a talent and still young but it might be time to move him and head into a new direction. The Hawks may have peaked this year with Smith playing well and mostly keeping his wits about him. With Joe Johnson gone and Mike Bibby getting older, the Hawks have some moves to make. I wouldn't be surprised to see a Mike Bibby for Jarrett Jack type deal (although I can't imagine Bibby would be too happy about that.)

25. Detroit Pistons (from Memphis) - Gani Lawal - The Pistons add another big man to the mix by grabbing Lawal after adding Ekpe Udoh earlier in the draft. Now the real work starts for Joe Dumars, who has to clean up the mess he's made.

Posted by SoulHonky at 09:43 AM | Permalink | Comments ()

(Stole this pic from Wick McLean's Facebook.)

Posted by SoulHonky at 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments ()

I'd love to say that I didn't "get" the new biotech-thriller "Splice" and that's why I didn't like it but I did get it and it didn't help. The film has been labeled a "horror" film by many but the flick wasn't scary and the only things that were horrorrific were the terrible decisions made my the main characters and the abandoned farm house locale. The film was basically "Little Shop of Horrors" without the musical numbers, a more topical being (the cloned Dren replacing Audrey II), and a more obvious undercurrent about parenting. The movie was just bad. It wasn't scary, the characters were nearly impossible to sympathize with, the dialogue was hokey. Just a shake your head and walk out of the theater type flick

More disappointing was that one of my ideas for a horror film was KIND OF done in a trailer before the film. The pretty lousy looking "Chain Letter" has people getting, you guess it, chain letters and dying. My idea is people getting texts that (and here's how it's different from One Missed Call or Chain Letter) say that if the recipient doesn't kill someone in 2 hours, they'll be killed themselves. I haven't really plotted out the idea at all but I like the idea of a slasher film in which anyone could be the slasher. Part of me was thinking of it as a web series since it would have many different angles. One version is someone trying to decide whether they should kill or not. Another is someone trying to figure out who sent it before the time runs out. And a third could be everyone paranoid about who got the latest text and not trusting anyone. I think it could be pretty cool but because I haven't even figured out the best medium for the idea, I haven't been able to outline it yet. I might try it after I get done the first drafts of my superhero pilot and my reality TV musical.

And while the ideas are similar, I think I could be able to come up with something better than this looks. (And this is more of a rip-off of "The Ring" than "One Missed Call")

Posted by SoulHonky at 04:31 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

I tried out a nice new BBQ place in Hollywood, near the Beverly Center last weekend. The Smoking Joint was the name of the place although what jumps out from the sign is "Fine California BBQ". The food there was good and the BBQ sauces were very good but nothing really jumped out at me. I'd recommend trying the place out although with Baby Blue BBQ and The Wood Ranch being so close, it's hard to say that it's a must try.

The place, however, that did make The List was The Bowery in Hollywood. A stone's throw from Arclight, the self-proclaimed first gastropub in LA has an interesting burger (served on an English muffin) but the sandwich that has won me over is the Chicen French dip. Gruyere and Sauteed onion with chicken jus on the side, the sandwich was delicious and filling. The shoestring fries are also particularly tasty. This sandwich definitely makes The List of favorite meals in LA and I have to say that The Bowery has also made The List of fave eateries in the area.

Later this week, I might compile the full lists of favorite place/dishes.

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:48 AM | Permalink | Comments ()

Since I already want to revisit some of my lottery pick decisions, I'm going to blow through the rest of this draft, starting with picks 15 - 20

15. Milwaukee Bucks: Xavier Henry - I love this fit for the Bucks but I have a feeling that Henry will be moving up the draft. The youngster from University of Kansas is a tough call because he has upside but seems like he's destined to be a role player. I'd love for him to fall to the Celtics and be able to learn from Ray Allen but he's simply too good of a prospect to get past the Bucks, who have their backcourt of the future with Jennings and Henry. Henry may be one dimensional but with Jennings and Bogut, he can afford to be. I also think he's potentially a very strong defensive player and Scott Skiles should be able to bring that out of him.

16. Golden State Warriors: Luke Babbitt - In a revamp of a deal I proposed earlier, I would take Kelenna Azuibuike and the #23 pick out of the Al Jefferson/Corey Maggette deal and have Minnesota send the #16 to the Warriors. Also, before this pick, the Wolves swap out Ryan Gomes's partially guaranteed contract to Miami, who send Michael Beasley to Portland, who sends Spaniard Rudy Fernandez to Minnesota.
As for the Warriors, if they make the Thabeet/Mayo for Elllis deal, they'd already have a new look squad of Stephon Curry, OJ Mayo, Kelenna Azuibuike, Al Jefferson/Anthony Randolph, Hasheem Thabeet/Andris Biedrins. A defensive minded SF like Damion James could be a decent pick but I'd go with Babbitt who is a bit of a 'tweener but could fit in nicely on the Warriors. Like Xavier Henry, Babbitt could move up in the draft but, for now, I'll keep him in the mid-first round and send him to the Warriors.

17. Chicago Bulls: James Anderson - The Bulls shored up their frontcourt with the Luol Deng for Chris Kaman deal earlier and now they add a backcourt scorer to hopefully replace Ben Gordon. Gordon Hayward and Damion James were options but I think I'm going to go with Anderson here since his shooting ability and athleticism should make him a great fit alongside Derrick Rose.

18. Miami Heat: Kevin Seraphin - The Heat are trying to open up as much cap space as possible so they might dump or sell this pick outright but they might be best off by using it to stash a foreign player overseason. With Donetas Montejunas dropping out of the draft, big man Seraphin's the best pick here.

19. Boston Celtics: Daniel Orton - The first thing the Celtics need to do is figure out what's going on with Ray Allen. If they can't sign him, they might have to go with a swingman in the draft. Gordon Hayward is falling but that's because I'm not really sold on him and I wouldn't love him on the Celtics. I also can't stand Kendrick Perkins and wouldn't mind adding someone who could ultimately replace him. I'd really consider dealing him for an earlier pick, if the C's could get that, and I'd definitely look to ship him off this offseason. However, my dislike for him aside, Perk is a great defensive big man and key to the Celtics being able to handle Dwight Howard. The C's would need to find a replacement and I think that could be Orton. Give this 19 year old a couple of offseasons with Clifford Ray and he should be just as good as Perk, if not better.

20. San Antonio Spurs - Larry Sanders - The Spurs offseason could be a very interesting one. Tony Parker is no longer untouchable, Richard Jefferson is probably on the first train out of town, and they are coming dangerously close to needing to rebuild completely. Of course, Gordon Hayward is an option but I think the Spurs probably make a deal like Jefferson for James Posey, Mo Peterson, and Darius Songaila to fill the three spot. Larry Sanders would add another defensive presence and, building for the future, could be a nice complement to Dejuan Blair.

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:07 AM | Permalink | Comments ()

Turned on Fox News for a second to watch Megyn Kelly going on and on about the oil disaster and how people were right to be mad at President Obama for not reacting fast enough. Which seems odd since Fox News were the leaders in the "Where's the Oil?" and "It's not that big of a deal." camp when the crisis first started (not to mention usually favoring Drill Baby Drill. Them being mad at Obama is like a guy who refuses to wear a condom getting mad at his girlfriend for getting pregnant. It's ridiculous. Even worse was the crap they were spewing when the spill first started. People kept citing the fact that there's a lot of oil on the bottom of the sea from natural seepage so this spill wouldn't make that much of a difference. That's like saying waterboarding isn't torture because human bodies are 70% water. "It's not like we were putting anything into the Gitmo prisoners that wasn't already there."

Although perhaps the craziest part of this whole issue is how poorly the White House is handling the PR angle. First the President doesn't seem that taken by the issue and now he's saying pandering remarks like he's looking to kick people's asses about the spill. Of course, on that same day, the White House also called for the end to the moratorium on exploring new off-shore wells so it seems like a rather hollow gesture. Overall, the White House's dealings with the press have been abysmal. George W. Bush proved that you could spew nonsense but the right tone would keep the people appeased, as long as you were ahead of the curve. Claim "Mission Accomplished" and people will overlook the fact that nothing's changed or that the toughest part of the mission hadn't even started yet.

The absolute collapse of the Obama PR machine and relationship with the press has been completely demoralizing. I never thought he'd be able to pull off a lot of his ideas because of the stranglehold that special interests have on the Capitol and the fact that too many politicians are set in their ways but he can't seem to sell anything to the public and the Republicans, with no especially competent public speakers in office, manage to put him on the defensive in every situation. Also, the promise of transparency just makes his detachment from the press even more striking. It's like he thought he was going to be "transparent" on his own terms.

The blame game surrounding the oil mess, with the left blaming Bush/Cheney and the Republicans finding a flaw in whatever Obama does, can't mask the fact that the White House is simply incapable of controlling their message and consistently screw up their responses to events, big or small. Unforunately, Obama can't have a beer with the oil spill at the White House to try to smooth this one over.

Posted by SoulHonky at 11:26 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

Closing out the draft we have the Raptors and the Rockets. These teams are at the same place right now but that's because they're heading in opposite directions. The Raptors were making a push but now they're a team in completely disarray, about to lose their star player to free agency and their key free agent signing has publicly stated that he wants out. The Rockets are rebuilding, made some nice deals and have a couple of future Knicks draft picks which should be pretty good since I see them whiffing on the big free agents this summer.

However, this doesn't mean that the Rox should be laughing as they pass the Rapz. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of their prospects in the long term. Most Improved Player Aaron Brooks is good but not great, newly acquired Kevin Martin has as many flaws as strengths, Trevor Ariza is a role player, Luis Scola and Yao Ming could be a great frontcourt but neither of them are young (and who knows if Yao will be able to come back from his injuries.)

So what should these teams look to do?

The Raptors need to make wholesale changes. This won't happen because Bryan Colangelo is still in charge but there isn't a single untouchable player on the roster and I'd gladly move pretty much every player on that team. They seem to think Andrea Bargnani is a building block but I've never seen it with the kid. There are a lot of possible deals out there but I just can't find many teams who would/should be willing to take back the Raptors contracts. The Bobcats deal for Boris Diaw seems goo but I don't see Hedo and Stephen Jackson co-existing.

The previous two picks really killed the Raptors because Patterson or Edoh would probably have been their pick, even though neither guy is really a perfect fit. Perhaps they can swap picks with Detroit along with Jose Calderon or Jarrett Jack for Ben Gordon. In the end, I think the Raptors end up rolling the dice on Paul George. The rolled the dice on upside last year when DeMar DeRozen and they do it again this season. George handles the 3 and DeRozen the 2. Also, like with the Udoh pick for the Pistons, George is one of the more sought after prospects here so they could swap him later.

The Rockets have some expiring deals and draft picks so they could make an interesting offer to a team like Philly, who is looking to dump salary. I'm not sure how much they'd have to give up but I'd say that a team focusing on Jared Jeffries and/or Shane Battier with the 14th pick, Jordan Hill, and/or the Knicks pick for Andre Iguodala could happen although I don't love it for the Sixers. Actually, I pretty much hate it but making sense has never seemed like a priority for Ed Stefanski.

The Rockets need to package some of their key players for better talent but I'm not sure what's out there right now for them. Like the Raptors, there isn't anyone that I'd call untouchable and I'd actually consider moving Trevor Ariza and Kevin Martin ASAP since I'm not sold on them. As for the pick, the Rockets should probably look to gamble on one of the two project centers, Hassan Whiteside or Daniel Norton. Whiteside's attitude is problematic and I don't love that the Rox don't have a ton of established veterans who could keep him in line (especially if they move Battier's expiring deal and Yao's still banged up) but he's worth the risk.

Posted by SoulHonky at 09:02 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

Thanks to Gibby for playing this song for me. I like Jack Johnson but this is still a funny song. Kirk Zipfel's EP is on ITunes and I'd recommend checking out the studio version of this song and "Little Ronnie Hubbard".

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:06 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

In Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Micmacs, there's a character that builds little, simple robots out of salvaged trash. The creations are fun to check out although they aren't something that you'd like to spend more than a few minutes watching. Sadly, Micmacs is like those cute, little creations except you have to watch for 80 minutes.

The film is getting rave reviews which gives me yet another example of a film getting points for not being in English. Possibly the cutest entry into the revenge genre, Micmacs has no real soul. It's well-intended but has no heart. Almost everything is cute for the sake of being cute, from the character tics to the unnecessary camera moves, but all it accomplished was that it made me very sleepy. I wouldn't recommend this film.

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:48 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

The 11 and 12 picks are going to the Kings and Pistons via a couple of my deals. The Kings should be able to grab a Jason Thompson replacement at the eleven spot but the question is which flawed big man do they roll the dice on? Late lottery big men are tough to judge because the track record of the established guys is just as shoddy as the supposed high potential guys. For every Brook Lopez, there's a Mike Sweeney. For every Amare Stoudemire and Andrew Bynum, there's a Saer Sene or Patrick O'Bryant.

It's about now in the draft process (and probably a bit earlier for this year's crop), that it's hard for fans to really judge the prospects. Yes, people will still have their favorite sleeper prospects but when judging between guys like Hassan Whiteside, Ekpe Udoh, Patrick Patterson, etc. things like attitude, work ethic, etc. start to become more and more important and could be the key to determining between a bust and a productive player. I can give the best guess from the info I have so far but these picks are the most fluid in mock draft, for better or for worse, because any reports on the rumor mill can affect the perception of a player.

Looking at the Kings options, right now I'm leaning towards Patrick Patterson. A jack of all trades, master of none, Patterson still has room to grow and should be a nice addition to the Kings frontcourt. Ekpe Udoh should be a great off-ball defender but all reports have him being a bit weak in the post and a project offensively so I'm not sure if he is really what most teams need. As we've seen in these playoffs, height is important but having someone who can bang in the post is just as important. The risky reach du jour seems to be Hassan Whiteside, a guy with a load of upside but a questionable attitude. I just can't recommend any team take that chance this early in the draft. He reminds me too much of guys like Jerome Moiso or Patrick O'Bryant. Even Javale McGee, who fell and looked pretty good in his rookie season, has leveled off. The super athletic string beans scare me off so I'll have the Kings grab Patterson, who's just come off playing with a high usage point guard in John Wall so playing with Tyreke shouldn't be anything new.

And that leaves us back at Detroit.

If the team wants to consider getting tougher, they could look at Kendrick Perkins in a deal of #12 and #36 for Perk and #19. It's hard for me to be objective on this one because I can't stand Perk and would be happy to see him go (and I think Xavier Henry could really benefit from the mentorship of Ray Allen.) For now, I'm going to stay away from that one.

The Pistons also might look to their neighbor in the north. Toronto is in about as bad position as Detroit with so-so players on big contracts. They also have the added bonus of Hedo Turkoglu now announcing that he doesn't want to go back to the Raptors. Ben Gordon for Hedo? A salary dump of Hedo for Tayshaun Prince's expiring deal? Joe Dumars might consider that although once you consider the length and amount of the aging Turk's contract, I think the smart move is to stay away.

I'm still stuck as to any deals that the Pistons might actually pull off. I might have to come up with a post for them alone later but, for now, I'll just have them add some defense and grab Ekpe Udoh. Udoh might not be the strongest guy but maybe Ben Wallace doesn't retire and shows him how to work a weight room. And with two picks from the Grizzlies trade, the Pistons can afford to roll the dice on a guy like Udoh. Also, of the remaining players, Udoh might have the best trade value so he could be used in a sign-and-trade or future deal.

Posted by SoulHonky at 03:09 AM | Permalink | Comments ()

Keith Olbermann went off on Campbell Brown yesterday in a kind of ridiculous rant.

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The crazy thing about Olbermann's comment is that it completely echoes something that Glenn Beck was saying yesterday as well. I watched a few seconds of Beck and he was going off about how hard it was to be in his shoes because he has to give this opinion and fight for the truth. Olbermann has a point that CNN doesn't offer a lot but that doesn't really make him innocent of being in the echo chamber. Yes, Olbermann does often apologize for his mistakes, like when he went on the Daily Show and said, "You know what, you're right," Olbermann said to Stewart. "I have been a little over the top lately. Point taken. Sorry." after he commented that Senator Scott Brown was "an irresponsible, homophobic, racist, reactionary, ex-nude model, tea-bagging supporter of violence against women and against politicians with whom he disagrees." Good for him?

Brown and Olbermann are both right; when going against personalities like O'Reilly and Olbermann, CNN isn't going to be able to compete with news that those other channels have been running all day. However what we SHOULD see is something with more insight and not more spin. There's a saying that the job of the teacher is to protect his pupils from his own prejudices. The same goes for news anchors; especially ones who claim to be fighting the good fight (and, obviously, only things they agree with are the "good" fight.) Still, it's just hilarious to me that, in his defense of himself from being like O'Reilly, Olbermann echoed Beck and then got on a soapbox and blasted CNN as bad and his job as the more difficult job. No, Keith, the difficult job is how to actually present the truth and both sides of the story AND be able to draw viewers. You can't do it; that's why you rant and rave and hope people tune in.

Posted by SoulHonky at 03:58 PM | Permalink | Comments ()

I know that we're supposed to be in a post-racial society but when I see that Indiana and Utah have the up-coming picks, I can't only think - man, Gordon Hayward has a good shot of going here. Honestly, I don't think he has a good shot going there (and I think he could be a bust) but you can't help but think of these teams as marshmallows in the cut up of hot chocolate that is the NBA.

My prejudices aside, the Utah pick has been the source of much debate... actually no, there hasn't been much debate about it - it's been a source of much mockery for the Knicks and their former GM Isiah Thomas. The Knicks sent this deal off in the disastrous Stephon Marbury deal. But while Isiah gets a lot of crap for the trade, let's not overlook the fact that the Suns traded it just so they could get under the salary cap. They traded Tom Gugliotta's expiring deal and two first round and one second round draft picks for Keon Clark (who was also expiring but made a lot less.)

While taking on bad contracts was Isiah's undoing, you can't help but wonder what might have happened had the Suns been more frugal with their own money and not been forced to dump or outright sell the picks that they had. Over the past six years, the draft picks that the Suns traded or sold have been: Luol Deng (2004), Nate Robinson (2005), David Lee (2005), Sergio Rodriguez (2006), Rajon Rondo (2006), Rudy Fernandez (2007), Serge Ibaka (2008).

Now, obviously, it's hard to complain because the team has had a nice run and is now in the Conference Finals but if their front office had just found a way to hold onto a couple of these picks, they might be favorites to get to the Finals. Then again, they might have just blown the pick. From the three choices that they actually used in the last six year, they got Alando Tucker, Robin Lopez, and Earl Clark. Robin's not bad but Alando's out of the league and Clark hasn't looked like much this season.

But that's all in the past. The real question is, what are Utah and Indiana going to do with improve their future?

Utah is in a nice position because they're basically playing with house money. Their biggest need is at the small forward spot. Yes, they are potentially losing Carlos Boozer but Paul Millsap is no slouch and Andrei Kirilenko is actually better suited for the 4. Wes Matthew proved to be a great rookie free agent pick-up so the shooting guard position is in decent enough hands. They could use a backup center and Cole Aldrich is available; that seems like the obvious choice and, if Cole is available, I could see the Jazz taking him.

The thing I just don't like about Aldrich (or Xavier Henry) is that they seem to just keep the Jazz on their current path and their current path isn't getting them to the Finals. Henry has far more upside than Matthews does at the 2 but he doesn't seem to be a game breaker. Someone like Paul George might be worth the risk because he can knock down the three and defend. But he's a risk and I don't think the Jazz could really go for him over the steadier Aldrich or Henry.

In a later mock draft, I might come up with something for the Jazz to pull off but for now, I'm going to have them play it safe and do what everyone expects them to do - draft the white guy, Cole Aldrich.

That leaves the Pacers and while Avery Bradley is a bit of a reach here, he sounds like a PG that Jim O'Brien would love since he plays defense and can knock down the three. The biggest problem, however, is that he's more of a shooting guard in a point guard's body but the Pacers have Mike Dunleavy Jr., who can take care of some of the point guard duties.

But while Avery looks good on paper, he's still a reach and a project and I'm not sure if the Pacers, most notably Larry Bird and Danny Granger, are really looking for long term. The Pacers have to three nice expiring deals in Troy Murphy, TJ Ford, and Dunleavy Jr. and might want to try to win some games now. If the Sixers are really looking to give away Andre Iguodala if it means dumping Elton Brand, the Pacers should seriously consider swapping Murphy, Dunleavy Jr., Jeff Foster, and Brandon Rush. It would be great if they could hold onto the draft pick and have: Bradley, Iggy, and Granger but I'd be willing to throw it into the mix to get the deal done. Still, I don't think that's the right move for Philly.

Right now, I'd say they stick with Bradley. Like Utah, something else could shake out in the future but it seems like the most obvious move right now.

Posted by SoulHonky at 10:13 AM | Permalink | Comments ()

Despite my creepy uncle crush on Mary Elizabeth Winstead, I am getting less and less excited about "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World". I don't know what I was expecting but this seems kind of underwhelming. I guess I'm turned off mostly by the non-existent relationship that seems to be at the core of the film. Maybe it plays better in the film but right now it just kind of seems like an empty shell with a lot of neat fights/graphics surrounding it.

Posted by SoulHonky at 11:34 AM | Permalink | Comments ()

This year's draft has been hard to peg... and we haven't even gotten to Joe Dumars and the Clippers. You want a confounding duo, Joe Dumars went from being the best GM in the league to one of the worst while the Clippers have almost never made sense on draft day and I'm not even sure that they have a GM right now.

So what might happen when these two own the stage on draft night?

The Sixers were hard to figure out because they could go in a bunch of directions. The Pistons are tough because I'm not sure where they can go at all. They have an expiring contract in Tayshaun Prince but I'm not sure that anyone is really excited enough about the 7th pick in this draft to give up someone of value. They'd probably like to dump Rip Hamilton, Charlie Villanueva, and/or Ben Gordon's contracts but I'm not sure that's possible. They have talked up Rodney Stuckey as their point guard but now rumors are spreading that they are looking for a pure point to run the show. The front office also want a low post scorer and to add more grit and toughness to the team.

Basically, Joe Dumars wants a different one than the one he built.

As for tradies, I could see Rip Hamilton going to Denver or New Orleans for K-Mart or Emeka Okafor but the Nuggets need K-Mart's toughness as much as the Pistons do and if the Hornets really want to hire Tom Thibidou, they can't go and trade the guy who should be the anchor to their defense. I considered Chris Kaman for LA native Prince and the #7 but I think there would be better deals out there for Zee German. In the end, I just can't find a deal that I think an opposing team would be willing to make this early in the offseason.

In the end, their best choice might be to trade down with Memphis. The Grizzlies give up #12 and #25 )or #28) and grab Ed Davis. Davis seems like the type of athlete GM Chris Wallace loves, coach Lionel Hollins recently said that he wouldn't mind a PF would could play above the rim, block shots, and rebound, and even if Zach Randolph skates away clean from the recent marijuana investigation, he's going to be a free agent next season. The Pistons lose out on the potential of Davis but I really don't see Joe Dumars, who should be somewhat worried about his job, putting his faith in a kid who hadn't even learned to play consistently in college. Greg Monroe and Cole Aldrich are other options but I'd rather move down and pick up another first than settle for either of them.

As for the Clippers, their biggest need is SF and I was really considering a Chris Kaman for Andre Iguodala swap but I'm not a huge fan of Kaman and I don't really love anyone at the 8th pick to make it worthwhile for the Sixers. Baron and #8 for Marvin Williams and Mike Bibby? It's a fair offer because neither team would really be thrilled with it. The move that makes some sense for both teams is Luol Deng for Kaman. Joakim Noah would move to the PF spot and give the Bulls a great frontcourt to entice LeBron James to come to the Windy City. WIth Kaman gone, the Clippers would look to replace him with either Greg Monroe or Cole Aldrich. Aldrich is a nice Kaman replacement but I'd go with Greg Monroe.

Up next, we finish off the top 10 with the much talked about Knicks pick that went to Utah and Indiana.

Posted by SoulHonky at 08:12 AM | Permalink | Comments ()

The one and only good thing about Prince of Persia: The Sand of Time is that it gave me something to think about all weekend. The question is whether a film with no single good moments is better than a terrible film that has a handful of laughs. While I left MacGruber actively hating the filim, I have to admit that there were some good moments. Prince of Persia? I can't really think of a single one. The film didn't have the greatest plot, which I would forgive since it's a kid's movie, but it also wasn't the least bit thrilling. And then there's the completely WTF? cameo of Alfred Molina. It's like he's coming from a different movie, he's not very funny, and most of his dialogue seems like it's from a tea party rally. What makes that interesting is that the initial plot seems straight from MSNBC - a lot of almost direct metaphors to the WMD in Iraq debacle. Was his characters tax-fetish added to keep the Right wing happy and fend off any complaints that the plot was leftist propaganda?

As for the much discussed, Jake Gyllenhaal as the Prince of Persia, he doesn't really bring anything to the movie. Neither does Gemma Arterton. That's not to say that they are bad; they just are playing rather stock characters. On the bright side, for me, the film didn't make much use of the Sands of Time gimmick. I'm writing a pilot in which one of the characters has limited time travel abilities and was worried this film might use the time travel gimmick but they barely made use of it. In the end, the film just felt tired. They rush through a story that is filled with exposition while the characters don't have much of an arc, and the tension is just "Someone might catch up to you." A great example of the problem with this film is that, in a key moment for the love story, Arterton's character finds out that Jake's going to stick with her and she seems moved, "You're going to help me?" The problem is, he's been helping her the whole time. And he's still a fugitive so it's not like he has anything better to do. Some people complain that this film is like watching a friend play a video game but at least then you can laugh at your friend for screwing up or making a wrong move; in this film, it was like there were no wrong moves to be made.

Back to the original question, I still think I have to go with MacGruber at the bottom of my list. You can argue that the SNL peeps were aiming lower and were trying to be stupid but I still think it missed for me and I think you have to lose points for aiming low AND missing. I don't like the "It's a kid's movie" defense for Prince of Persia for the same reason. Kids were basically sleeping in the screening I went do. The one thing I'll say for MacGruber is that it has more of an audience - people who are fine with five laughs in two hours and love the current SNL might like that film. I wouldn't recommend Prince of Persia to anyone. (Which brings us back to the question, wouldn't that make it the worse film?)

If you couldn't tell from this rambling response, it's a tough question to answer. And since both movies are terrible, it's not a question worth figuring out.

Posted by SoulHonky at 07:49 AM | Permalink | Comments ()