LOVE AND BASKETBALL

   Ok, so that title has been completely played out...  But originality isn't in the title, its in the content right?  I wanted to write a NBA playoff preview, but the playoffs have already started.  So instead I'm going to debunk a myth, about love and sports.

   I often wonder about the reality of love.  Does it really exist, is it just a romantic fantasy?  Does it have to be mutual, or can someone be hopelessly in love by their self?   Does everybody have 1 true love, or can you have many loves throughout your life...  And if either of those are true, how do so many people end up alone?  I also wonder if I've ever been in love, or if they were just young romances and I have yet to experience what love really is...

   I know that I have thought i was in love, or atleast i believe that is why I've done so many crazy things.  I was once in love with a girl for a year, and although she wouldn't date me i took her on a family vacation and on Christmas bought her $350 earrings (idiot...).  With another girl for love i commuted from Philadelphia to NYC on a weekly basis.  In high school for love I put together silly gifts, let a girl redo my entire wardrobe (like i was a Ken doll), and spent countless hours doing nothing but cuddle...  i'll understand if you no longer believe i'm straight.  I even once bought playoff tickets because as Matt Damon says best, "I had to See about a girl." just cause i was intrigued.  (and I'm talking Hockey... damn)

   So i believe in love, if simply for the crazy things it can make you do.  But my question today is "Is there Love in Sports?"  And i don't mean the Gay-Love connection...  (Rudy Gay and Kevin Love).  But can a person fall in love with their sports team?  You hear of die-hard fans, but can they emotionally and spiritually truly be in love with their team?

   When I was a little kid i began to follow basketball.  I didn't know much about the game, just that it was fun, fast, and people looked like they could fly when they dunked the ball.  Every kid wanted won of those 5 foot hoops that they could practice throwing down, and I couldn't get enough of mine.  And when I watched the game on TV, they inspired me with 360s and tomahawks that i wanted to do.  

Love Lil' Penny

   When it came to choosing a team, it was quite simple.  Everyone loved Michael Jordan and the Bulls.  There was Space Jam, the Championships, and he was simply the best.  I couldn't like the same team as everyone else, I was different.  All of a sudden there was a new kid in the league.  Lil' Penny was all over the commercials, and Penny Hardaway was the charismatic player with the potential to be the next Magic Johnson.  He could pass around his back, he could dribble between his legs, he was fast, and he could DUNK!  I was in love and you couldn't tell me anything different.

   I loved magic tricks, and my favorite color was blue.  It was a perfect match.  I don't even know if i picked my team or the Orlando Magic choose me.  During those early years I didn't watch many games.  I collected trading cards (trading all my Jordans for Pennys...), wore the Air Pennys, and only used the Magic in every video game.  It was a boyish love, where i knew the girl I liked, but i had no idea what to do with it.  

Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway

   Penny Hardaway got hurt and the Magic became forgetful, as did my interest.  Until i hit puberty and Orlando got smoking hot.  With Tracy McGrady on the team, the Magic became the Hottest team in high school.  They weren't winning championships, but they had the League leading scorer and everybody bought his Jersey.  When everybody thinks your girl is Hot, it only makes you like her more and puts you continually on your toes to defend her.  Those years i watched every game.  I played entire seasons on NBA2K and Live just to average 50 points per game with T-mac and go undefeated.  I wore his shoes, owned his Jersey, I even wanted his lazy eye!  

   But the biggest infatuation came with the game and the numbers.  I knew every stat, every player on the team.  I started Fantasy basketball leagues, of course rigging the draft so i could have T-Mac.  32.1 PPG and the prettiest stroke/kick of the leg I have ever seen.  I watched every nuance of the game.  I began playing basketball more than ever and the Magic inspired me to practice, work hard, and dream that I was part of the Magic too.  But as every high school sweetheart goes, Love is blind. 

   It was 2003 and the Magic were the 8 seed playing the superior Detroit Pistons, but with T-Mac anything was possible.  We went up 3 - 1 as the underdog against this Pistons team, but this was the first year that in the first round it was best of 7, as if the world was against us...  The next 3 games were a week of torture watching my team lose again and again and again.  After game 7 I cried alone in my room for hours, cursing God for intentionally torturing me with this pain.  Then I blamed my ex for the disaster, right then and there e and Orlando broke up.  I swore off basketball forever.  My first love broke my heart.

   I'm told over the next season the Magic bottomed out.  T-mac demanded a trade, Doc Rivers got fired, and  the Magic held the worst record in the NBA.  I wouldn't know, i didn't watch it.  I probably played alot of Video Games, chased girls, and tried playing Lacross.  Pathetic yes, but thats what love and a broken heart can do to you.

   But as with what usually happens, great things happen after great misfortunes.  As I was trying to stay away from the NBA, Orlando drafted a young stud by the name of Dwight Howard.  The new young stud was my age and intriguing.  He managed to pull my interest back.  While i college i even slept around with another girl (the Boston Celtics), but the Magic fought for me back.  In 2009, with me in attendance, the Orlando Magic came together as underdogs and B*tch slapped the Celtics right out of a repeat title.  Dwight Howard was like nothing I'd ever seen before, and I was head over heels in love.

   Sidenote:  The Boston Celtics were a college fling.  It was wild and exciting and swept me up in the Big Three.  It was mostly physical, and yes the sex was great.  They brought me places I'd never been before, and gave me a Championship.  It is a relationship of the past, to which I have only fond memories...  And I'm sorry if I can't help but to hop back in bed with the Celts (threesome) once in a while!

Best climax of my life!

   Dwight and the Magic brought me to an NBA Finals, but we weren't ready.  We choose to wait, but we hope someday soon it will be our time.  Is our love mutual?  Of course.  Its the fans love that gets these players paid and makes them a living.  Players have to give back their love for the relationship.  Fans know when a player puts out the effort and shows their respect and love for their fans.  Together the fans and the team become one.  Our love inspires the team to get better on the court as well as become the role models we need.  Our cheers can lift them up to feats that would otherwise seem impossible.  If the love is not there, the team falls apart and the player can quickly fade away...  For Orlando, just ask Steve Francis.

   So yes, there is Love in sports.  Only love can bring you on a rollercoaster of emotions like sports, and make you irrational with sports.  Fighting at a Bar, spending more money than you have to see a game, waiting all night in the rain to meet your favorite player, or crying because your team broke your heart.  I have had ups and down, loved and hated the Magic.  They make me cheer and they make me cry.  This year with Dwight I don't know whats next, maybe they will bring me the most coveted ring, maybe Dwight will leave me for Los Angeles.  All i know is the Magic will always be with me, through good and bad.  And if that ain't love, I don't know what is.  

**This article is dedicated to my first three loves:  Dwight, T-mac, and Penny...

 - Casey

Thoughts, Comments, Questions?  E-mail us at thethreemanweave@gmail.com

What Would Charlie Sheen Do?

Charlie Sheen at a LA Lakers game.

   Last night I was watching Charlie Sheen do a 60 minute interview on 20/20 and couldn't help but see the world around us is falling apart.  From Mayan religious believers to Hollywood movie producers we are told 2012 could be it!?!  Not to mention there are open revolts in Egypt and Libya.  If thats too far away for you, how about in our own government.   The Democrats and Republicans are at each others throats and if a fiscal budget is not secured by Friday for 2011 our working government could come to a screeching halt.  

    But most importantly Sports can be in jeopardy as we know it.  Starting at 12 midnight March 4th there will be a Lockout of American pro-football.  And on July 1st the same thing may just happen to the NBA.  So when i listen to Charlie Sheen, I don't think he's crazy.  I think he is just ahead of the Curve.  He sees the surrounding environment, and he is taking action.  I think the entire world can be compared to the MANiac himself.  So i continue to ask my self,  WWCSD, or "What Would Charlie Sheen Do?"  Then I look at the NBA, and I realize most players are already following suit.  Don't believe me?  Just look at some of the following NBA players, and then ask yourself "What Would Charlie Sheen Do?"

(The following are real quotes from Charlie Sheen)

Interviewer: “Some are saying that you’re bipolar.”  WWCSD? Sheen: “I’m bi-winning. I win here and I win there.”

Carmelo Anthony has been keeping his mouth shut all year, not giving much of a clue as to if he was staying or going in Denver.  Although many close to him knew that he wanted to go make a splash in the Big Apple, 'Melo would never openly admit it and continued to hold onto Denver for the money...  $65 million to be exact.  Some would classify that as bipolar, but in reality Anthony is "bi-winning."  Whether he was in Denver or New York, all he did was WIN here, and there, putting both teams in playoff contention.

*Billups gets an honorable mention.  As he steadfast stated he wanted to stay in Denver, he now seems to be enjoying his time in New York, and along with 'Melo he wins where ever he goes.

"[Porn stars are] the best at what they do and I'm the best at what I do. And together it's like, it's on."

  This is for Greg Oden, the man who can't stay on the court and has now become more famous for his D*ck than anything else.  So what??  Its what he does best!  And once that text message gets sent, ITS ON!!!!

"I'm proud of what I created. It was radical. I exposed people to magic. I exposed them to something they're never going to see in their boring normal lives."

  Blake Griffin is a Human Highlight real.  I don't care what you call him, the Ricki Blake Show, Blake Superior, or just BLAKE.  Blake throws down Dunks like Charlie blows lines.  You can't turn on the TV without seeing news on Charlie or a Blake Griffin Dunk.  And the All-Star weekend dunk over the KIA was Blake's Plaza Hotel meltdown.

"Every day is just filled with just wins. All we do is put wins in the record books. We win so radically in our underwear before our first cup of coffee, it's scary. People say it's lonely at the top, but I sure like the view."

  What Would Charlie Sheen Do if he was Kobe Bryant and the Lakers...  All they do is win 5 championships this decade, 16 in franchise history, and Kobe Bryant is slowly passing every scorer in the record books.  Sure they are on cruise control this year, when you win that much its hard not to be.  Kobe knows its lonely at the top, hell even his teammates can barely stand him and he's been sitting on the top for years.

“I’m tired of pretending like I’m not special. I’m tired of pretending like I’m not bitchin’, a total freakin’ rock star from Mars."

  To my boy Dwight Howard.  He has grown tired of smiling and taking it on the chin and acting like he's just another All-Star.  He has come out this year with a vengeance and dominating the league across the board.  He knows he is a freak of nature from another planet (Krypton?), and is now openly saying that if the Magic doesn't recognize that and put players around him, he is gone.  

**Please Dwight, calm down and stop all the LA talk.  If Charlie Sheen can carry Two and a Half men to multiple Emmys, you can surely win us a championship.  Don't go berserk and get the show cancelled!

"I'm different. I have a different constitution, I have a different brain, I have a different heart. I got tiger blood, man. Dying's for fools, dying's for amateurs."

   Just look at the Boston Celtics players ages:


Paul Pierce:          33 yrs old  1,044 games played
Kevin Garnett:       34 yrs old  1,270 games played 
Ray Allen:              35 yrs old  1,182 games played
Shaquille O'Neal:  39 yrs old  1,420 games played  (oldest player in the League)


   While these players should be breaking down and dying, the Celtics just won't quit.  They have a different make up, a different heart, they are made of Tiger Blood, man.  Just like Charlie Sheen, you can keep expecting them to break down and fail, but all they do is "WIN".  Kevin Garnett holds the team together, and as Charlie would say "If you’re a part of my family, I will love you violently!"


"I'm not a marriage guy, but maybe the three of us [referring to his two girlfriends] will get married. Oh, now it's a polygamy story."

Say Hello to my Godesses

   For the Frenchman Toni Parker.  The man breaks up his marriage with Eva Longoria by sleeping with her best friend.  Maybe marriage isn't for him, he needs lots of women.  Yet, he is still having a career year.


"Can't is the cancer of happening."

Here Charlie Sheen is directly quoting Kevin Garnett to Charlie Villanueva, WWCSD?

"I got magic and I got poetry in my fingertips."


  Chris Paul who seems to have lost a step, but still is playing the game at a Lights Out level.  He just seems to control every faucet of the game and is a true floor General.  25 years ago this quote would have been for Magic Johnson, and I personally think Chris Paul and Penny Hardaway (bias) are the only men with that same talent since.

"C’mon bro, I won best picture at 20. I wasn’t even trying. I wasn’t even warm."
   Kevin Durant is the youngest person to ever win the scoring title, and he wasn't even trying... With Lebron sharing the load in Miami, and 'Melo now sharing it in New York, there may be nobody for Durant to compete with for years. And he's only getting better.

“I am battle-tested bayonets, bro.”
  

   To Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs who are flying wayyy under the radar and are one of the most battle tested team in the league. With a veteran team like that, and home court throughout the playoffs, they could be making a deep deep run into the postseason.

“Look what I’m dealing with, man, I’m dealing with fools and trolls.”

   For Kevin Love and Steve Nash who are All-Star talents carrying their respective teams on there back. Steve Nash is in his twilight years playing at an all-time high caliber level, with only the "Artist formerly known as Grant Hill" playing on his team. If only he can get traded. Kevin Love on the other hand is stuck in Minnesota as he will set League records for double doubles and rebounding this year. Studs.

"I was banging seven-gram rocks, because that’s how I roll. I have one speed, I have one gear: Go."

   Nothing seems to slow Derrick Rose down. The team has suffered injuries, tough losses, and the media, but D-Rose has them kicking on all cylinders and quickly becoming the tea to beat in the East. D-Rose flies down the lane like an F-18 and seems to be at a faster pace then the rest of the competition. He has one speed, and that may win him MVP.

“You have the right to kill me, but you do not have the right to judge me. Boom. That’s the whole movie. That’s life.”
   Coming to the end, we have to mention Lebron James. Some feel he is egotistical... All of Cleveland hates him... And though they have the right to kill him, you can no longer Judge him. Its time to see if he can win.

"There’s a new sheriff in town. And he has an army of assassins.”

   The Big winner this year was Dwayne Wade. With him convincing all of the Big three to go to Miami, he keeps his leader role as sheriff, and Bosh and Lebron have become his army of assassins. He is really the puppet master behind the whole operation.

   I keep thinking of the Michael Jordan / Charlie Sheen Hanes commercials, and maybe MJ embodied Charlie Sheen best. He was a nut case, that parties, gambles, has tiger blood, is the best, Wins, Wins, and Wins... If the players in the NBA want to be like Mike, maybe its time to ask WWCSD.

 - by KC

Survival of the Fittest

No formal introductions, my name is Casey.  My intentions were to pop my “writing” cherry with a stream-of-conscious article on the Super Bowl.  Unfortunately, after a few games of Beer Pong and a few more drinks after that, my recollection of the actual game is spotty at best.  We had a bunch of friends over for the game, a couple Prop-Parlay pools for our entertainment, and about 2 single girls for 5 single guys to fight over.  As one could have easily predicted no one landed either of the girls, the packers won, and we all had hangovers Monday morning.

RE Babe...

So then it was Monday, back to the grind in my 9 - 5 cubicle, and without any ideas.  Then something happened.  Over the course of the work day, I was called by 3 different friends asking for different sorts of relationship advice.  Leon had just had his heart broken the previous weekend with an ended relationship, and turned  to me as the only person he could talk to.  Claire had ended a relationship a month earlier and was about to have her first date since, and she turned to me to give her tips and talk her through her jitters.  And Jill called to discuss a fight she just had with her boyfriend of 6 months.  This guy is her first real Love, and she just wanted to talk through resolving the situation and working things out.  (For all you zombie fans, yes, I intentionally choose 3 Resident Evil characters to protect my friends names!)

*Note:  I apologize ahead of time, I do plan on making this a lighter / comedic column with a slight focus on sports…  But today we are kicking it off serious, again I was too drunk for the Super Bowl.

A little background on myself, I’ve always been a serial monogamous.  From the time I was in 8th grade, I have had a girlfriend within every 6 months (except for my senior year of college!).  However, when you have a lot of relationships, that means you’ve had a lot of “failed” relationships.  Even right now its been a little under a month since my last break-up with my girlfriend of over a year, and I’m still trying to figure out that.

Not this Johnny,
well most of the time.

When I broke up with my high school sweetheart, I was a complete mess.  In college, I had a relationship end at the beginning of my Senior year that took me over a year to get over.  My best friend would come visit me at school to get me drunk and get my mind off of it, but those nights usually ended in long depressing talks (thanks Johnny).  It took me a long time to get over that one, I had to remove her from every aspect of my life just to stop thinking about her.  Out of sight, out of mind.

So I called Johnny to tell him how ironic it was that a bunch of people were turning to me, of all people, for relationship advice.  He responded with, “Whoever is asking you is a complete idiot, you’ve done everything wrong in a break-up with an ex, and have sabotaged all your own relationships.”  The funny thing is he was right.  Though I think I learned from them, right?

I spoke to my Dad next, asking him “why would I be a good person to turn to in this situation?”  He laughed and immediately responded,  “Cause you’re a Survivor.”

So I called up Jill and walked her through her argument with her boyfriend…  Basically playing devil’s advocate, and explaining to her that she is right, but this is how “he sees it.”  (remember boys, 2 rules with women:  1)  Women are always right.  2)  When women are wrong, refer back to rule number one.)  Next I spoke with Claire, she had her HOT date tonight and wanted me to calm her down and give her some tips.  By the way, this was my high school sweetheart, very, very interesting….  Crap, that may have given away her identity to some readers, lets strike that out.  Obviously being a guy, I had never given first date tips to a girl before so I had to think about it.  But I talked her through it, gave her 3 tips, and she had a great date.

Tips for the ladies:

1. Remember he asked you out, so you already know he thinks your HOT…  Confidence.
2. Every time a guy goes on a date, he is feeling that he is the lucky one…  Building that confidence.
3. Order a fun drink as soon as you get there, not beer.  It will help you relax, lighten the mood, laugh, and just be yourself….  Remember, not to many drinks, or that confidence will be two high and most likely panty-less.

• Bonus:  Always make an attempt to split the check, the guy will never let you actually do it, but the gesture will always impress him.  And if he lets you pay, tell him to forget about a second date!

With Leon we went out bowling.  I let out all my personal stories about break-ups, how crappy they made me feel, and what I did to get over them.  I also told him how he needed to cut her off for awhile to get over her.  How that would also be the best way to show her what she is losing.  Some people don’t realize what they have until its gone, the last thing you want to do is be there for her and make it an easy transition for her.  (I learned that one the hard way)  I’m just a 24 year old guy, speaking his mind, and I don’t know much.  But I think I’ve learned a little just from experience.

The journey for Love isn’t at numbers game or just “waiting” for the One.  Its not about being perfect, regretting mistakes, or being afraid of failure.  It’s a game of Survival.  Being able to take it on the chin during each hardship and prepare for the next one.  I realized my friends look to me because they’ve seen me survive the worse.  Love is a game, and so far I’ve managed to Survive.

Keep your head up, and you will too…  (thanks Pops).

 - Casey

Questions, Comments, Ideas?  E-mail us at   thethreemanweave@gmail.com

Inflection Point

It's been a long time coming- about a year to be exact. An outrageous trip to Atlantic City and an e-mail chain worthy of syndication convinced me that I needed to start a blog 11 months ago; the professional procrastinator in me legitimized silence until tonight. Naturally, this begs the question, "Why now?" Everything has come full circle. I think that's the best way to put it.

Let's take a step back to say, May 2009. President Barack Obama steps to the podium in the Joyce Center to deliver the Commencement Address at the University of Notre Dame. Not surprisingly (this is ND after all), a relatively naive (infer what you like) young man fighting through a particularly acute headache takes in his surroundings, attempting to appreciate the multi-faceted significance of the moment. He reflects on his undergraduate career: academic- disappointed; romantic- discouraged; athletic- satisfied; social- gratified. He'll miss Notre Dame, but he decides that he's ready for a fresh start. This will be a different fresh, though- a real fresh. No expectations. No limitations. His mind wanders to the keg of Bud Light he reserved earlier in the day. The parents better drink.

Fast forward.

Yeah, that was me. It’s hard to imagine that almost two years have gone by. A lot has changed and nothing has changed. Hence, me sitting here at midnight on a Sunday crafting a post for a blog that was supposed to have started a year ago. Hence, the continent of Australia (more on that sure to come) and that inconceivable creature, the horned frog. Hence, Las Vegas lines of credit and syndicated corporate loans. Hence, 4lokos and wine clubs. Hence, chatroulette and LinkedIn. Hence, the full circle.

We all ate brunch at Turning Point today. It’s becoming a Sunday tradition- kind of like the pancake breakfast, except more frequent. There’s great food, great company, and great, albeit older, scenery. While munching on my scrumptious pumpkin filled French toast with pecan infused coconut rum sauce, some names came up in conversation that brought back memories. I literally couldn’t help but smile. It was absurd. I was sitting there like an effing moron just grinning. (Picture the kid in Bad Santa after he hands the wooden cucumber to Billy Bob Thorton. That was me.) If only I knew what I know now back then. Damn signs (For those of you who are unfamiliar with them, signs are unequivocal indicators that what you want to happen will happen without you so much as opening your mouth and telling her how you feel. Awesome, right? THEY’RE NOT REAL, IDIOT.). At any rate, this smile just consumed me. I texted people that I hardly know. I called people and talked NASCAR (and the finer points of Butler University girls). I rode my bike to the Bagelry. Okay, that last one isn’t true. But the point is that I was…well, happy. And that’s when it hit me: someone must have slipped something into the pecan infused coconut rum sauce.

Seriously though, I realized today that I finally get it. I might not fully appreciate it or even remotely be able to control it, but I sure as hell get it. Life. Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it. Ahhhh. Breathe it in. Pure, unadulterated life (cue Ke$ha).

Almost like a sign (They’re not real. They’re not real. They’re not real.) reinforcing my revelation, I came home from purchasing my new Droid (sold to me by a 20-something year old named Millie. Yeah, I thought that was weird too.) to find my roommates chilling with this girl that just gets me. This girl just gets me. She doesn’t even know me, but she reads me like a book, plays me like a fiddle, beats me like an egg (I just made that one up, but I really like it.), and [insert appropriate simile here]. I’m not joking. A few months ago, I came home to a similar situation and found myself quickly engaged in a conversation about relationships. Almost immediately, said girl addresses me and says “You’re never satisfied, are you?” WTF. Really? Reallly? How am I supposed to respond to that? I can’t. She’s right. I’ve never had a serious relationship. I always find something wrong. It’s ludicrous. I’m certainly not perfect, but any girl I date damn well better be. Idiot. Anyway, she was here again tonight and the significance wasn’t lost on me: she gets me and now I kind of get me. Full circle.

So that’s it. That’s why I’m breaking the silence. How ya like dem apples?

-AOTW