Go check out my books and then trade money dollars for them.

Who the Cavs Should Draft Based on Watching 11 Seconds of Each Top Prospect

May 22, 2013 by Cleveland Cavaliers NBA

My Cleveland Cavaliers got the first pick in the NBA Draft lasterday, which means it’s time for me to dictate who they should pick.

I used nbadraft.net’s Mock Draft to see who the top 3 prospects are, assuming that one of them would be the pick, and that CLE won’t trade down.

Next, I entered these names into the advanced search engine, Google, to find their highlight reels.

Intending to watch as much footage as possible, I found myself bored after 11 seconds of Nerlens Noel, and decided that would be my criteria for all three young men, none of whom I’ve ever heard of before.

I honestly used to love sports.

Here’s my breakdown.

NERLENS NOEL

NN spent the first 7 seconds staring off into space, and then blocked a little guy’s shot. Despite being 7 inches taller than me, he weighs only 6 pounds more.

When did 5-10 guys who only averaged 10 and 9 become #1 draft picks. Tony Battie managed 18 and 11.

BEN MCLEBRON

BM also wasted his opening sequence by doing absolutely nothing to show me why he should be the pick, and I don’t like his shooting stroke. Ugly follow-through. His name sounds like a college player’s name.

OTTO PORTER

OP managed to make two plays in his allotted time – he clearly plays at a fast pace. I think the shot he blocked was the same angle – and same player – as the one Nerlens did. He’s a small forward whose name sounds like an ABA stud from the ’70s.

THE PICK: OTTER POTTO

One Thing About Star Trek Into Darkness That Bothers Me

May 20, 2013 by Movies

jim kirk original shatnerI was thrilled, happy, and satisfied coming out of Star Trek Into Darkness, although there was, without question, an intangible something nagging at me.

I let it settle a bit, did some pushups, and the answer quickly presented itself.

The constant nods to and outright swipes from the old version of Trek damages the movie in several ways, from concept, to script, to final presentation. (I’m being as broad as possible there – I don’t want to spoil anything.)

These nodswipes aren’t jarring enough to take Darkness out of the “good movie” category, but they’re problematic, in that I don’t think this rebooted series needs them.

The casting is great, the action and effects are great, and the tone is fun.

This production team was and is fully capable of going in their own direction with completely new concepts and stories, and of creating their own iconic moments, and I wish they would have.

Darkness is a good movie and well worth seeing, but the idea that it’s a missed opportunity is standing out more to me right now.

I discussed this at length in two separate spoiler-filled podcasts yesterday.

First, an iTunes link to a special edition of my own podcast, wherein I invite my brother Tim, a lifelong devoted Trek fan on (also embedded below): Harold Potter, You Wake Up!.

Second, my weekly appearance on Waiting For Next Year (Summer Movie Edition, Star Trek Into Darkness).