Michael Jackson Dead at 50

The King of Pop is dead.

There will never be another entertainer like him.

Say what you will, as a musical entertainer Michael Jackson had no equal. The first concert that I ever attended was the Jacksons Victory tour which took place at the height of Michael Jackson's popularity.



I was thirteen years old.

I distinctly remember witnessing hundreds of teens crying in uncontrollable hysterics while listening to his music during the concert. It was unbelievable. To this day I've never seen anything like it.

The first VHS video that my family ever owned was "The Thriller" video directed by John Landis. We must've watched that thing a thousand times.

He was an entertaining actor too.

He notably appeared in "The Wiz" which was directed by Sidney Lumet and the 3D Disneyland attraction "Captain E.O." which was directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by George Lucas.









Big names...I know.

If that wasn't enough, he was directed by Martin Scorsese in the short film / music video "Bad".



Of course, later in his life he was known more for the controversy that was generated in his wake. At best, he was ridiculed for his eccentric behavior, at worst, he was accused of being a child molester.




But what was undeniable was his incredible music.

I remember going to Club 70's on Sundays in Hollywood. Every time Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop Till you get Enough" played the whole club rocked, literally EVERYONE in the club would dance. People would come streaming out of the bathroom, people would stop drinking their drinks, strangers would grab strangers just so they wouldn't have to dance alone. People would be doing the moonwalk. Grabbing their crotch, spinning, the whole deal.

It was classic.

The song symbolized the height of that evening's festivities.

Cause it was all down hill from there.

Rest in Peace Michael Jackson.

Los Angeles Lakers 2009 NBA Champions

Photo courtesy of Robert Gauthier/ Los Angeles Times


It's been a long, brutal road since the Los Angeles Lakers last won the NBA championship in 2002.

Chick Hearn passed away. Kobe Bryant was charged with rape. Karl Malone and Gary Payton joined the team. Lakers lost to the Detroit Pistons in the NBA finals. Shaquille O'Neal was traded for Lamar Odom, Brian Grant and Caron Butler. Phil Jackson left the Lakers. Rudy Tomjanovich was named head coach, then retired soon after. Lakers missed the playoffs. Shaq won a championship with the Miami Heat. Phil Jackson returned to the Lakers. Kobe Bryant demanded a trade. Lakers acquired Pau Gasol for Kwame Brown. Lakers lost to the Boston Celtics, of all teams, in the 2007 - 2008 NBA Finals.

Then we finally have today.

I have to admit, although it's great to celebrate a championship for the Lakers and their fans, it wasn't a fun ride.

I'll be the first to admit that I've been critical of Kobe Bryant and the franchise during this time and I still mourn the loss of my favorite player Shaquille O'Neal.

It's hard for me to just forgive and forget the horrible road it took to get to this position again.

But I've been a fan of the Lakers since I first learned to dribble a basketball. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was my favorite player growing up and I cried when Magic Johnson was forced to retire prematurely.

So I recognize and celebrate the significance of a NBA championship for the team and the fans of the Los Angeles Lakers.

Some milestones in this series win include the first NBA Finals MVP for Kobe Bryant.

Phil Jackson won his tenth NBA Championship as a head coach. The most for any coach in the history of the NBA.

Derek Fisher won his fourth NBA Championship, all with the Lakers.

The Lakers won their 15th NBA title in the franchise's history.

Congratulations to the 2008-2009 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers.

Mickey Rourke in Iron Man 2

 

I found this image of Mickey Rourke in Iron Man 2 via Dark Horizons and also through the blog of my friend Lon Harris.

Not sure what to...um...make of it.

Word is Rourke will be performing his role speaking in mostly Russian. He also spent some time in a Russian prison preparing for the role.

Nice.

No doubt Rourke is back. But what is up with that costume?

Dude, looks like a silly extra in an episode of Farscape.

I liked the first Iron Man movie.

But ironically what I liked about the film had nothing to do with the action or comic book elements.

I pretty much just enjoyed Robert Downey Jr.'s take as Tony Stark.

Truth be told, I thought a lot of the movie felt kinda silly and the action felt almost like a television movie of the week. Especially in comparison to The Dark Knight. Almost like an A-Team television reunion.

Well...maybe not that bad. But close.

I'm sure it was just the limited budget. I trust Jon Favreau. I'm sure he'll deliver a great movie with a bigger budget.

And I'm sure there's an excellent explanation for that outfit that Rourke has on.

Right?

King LeBron James the Loser?

LeBron James finally apologized to the media and fans for skipping the mandatory news conference following the Cleveland Cavaliers loss to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Sort of.

David Stern fined the NBA star $25,000 for not taking his media medicine and for refusing to discuss the Cavaliers disappointing series loss.

Stern stated, "He asked that I express to the media, the Magic and the fans his apology, and particularly the young fans, because he knows he has a responsibility to all of our fans, and that sportsmanship is appropriate whether you win or whether you lose. He understands why it was necessary for me to fine him $25,000 for missing the media availability."

Much has been made by the media and fans for LeBron James not congratulating the Orlando Magic players after losing the series, which is customary and for LeBron James leaving the arena in an insolent huff without talking to anybody.

Adrian Wojnarowski at Yahoo! Sports even went so far to call LeBron James a loser.

A...LOSER.

Not as a player in a game either...but a loser in terms of his character.

Ouch.

He has a point. Little League players are taught to congratulate each other after games. If we expect it from our kids shouldn't we expect it from our most revered athletes?

Supporters of LeBron James will say that it's his competitive fire, his fear that he'd say something he'd regret. The anger and disappointment in the series loss being too much for him to explain appropriately.

But isn't this what he's paid for?

He's paid to entertain, which includes taking his lumps when things go bad. If he gets the acclaim when they win, then he should get the blame when they lose.

It's unquestionably immature and poor behavior from someone who should know better.

The question I have is....why are we surprised?

We're talking about a guy who's nickname is "KING JAMES" and "THE CHOSEN ONE".



Seriously folks.

"THE CHOSEN ONE" as in The Savior, in essence "a basketball god".

Poseidon is the "God of the Sea". Apparently, according to the media, LeBron James is the "God of Basketball".



We're supposed to be surprised when "The King" ignores the pleas of his subjects? Or when a "god" ignores the humble prayers of his worshipers?

This is what we get when we anoint someone as all powerful.

I've stated before that I hate the media coverage of LeBron James. Not sure how the inappropriate media coverage of James got started, but it is now spinning way out of control.

We've gone from playfully calling players "Magic" and "Dr." to giving a talented player, who hasn't won a championship yet, a deity status.

I thought calling Michael Jordan, (Air) an element was pushing it.

But calling LeBron James a god?

Not only a god, but one that we must sit back in awe of and "witness"?




It's sickening.

What's worse is that the media is now shifting attention away from the deplorable behavior of LeBron James and towards the Cleveland Cavaliers so-called "crucial off-season". Crucial because the team must make moves to keep LeBron James in Cleveland.

Cause they must appease the God with a suitable sacrifice.

It's disgusting.

So...apparently... the Cavs have to give LeBron James a championship on a silver platter in order to make it enticing for him to stay?

Instead of expecting LeBron James to lead a team to a championship, the front office MUST build a "Dream Team" around him or he'll bolt to another team as a free agent.

How did things get turned around like this?

Truth is, LeBron is just looking for an excuse to leave and I say good riddance. If he wants to play in Europe or worse with the New York Knicks more power to him.

He'll learn that changing teams doesn't equal winning a championship.

Winning a championship takes unquenchable desire, overcoming intense adversity, displaying unquestionable heart and proving one's unmatched talent.

Greater players than LeBron have been unable to win a championship. Charles Barkley, Patrick Ewing, John Stockton, Karl Malone and Dominique
Wilkins to name a few.

It's one of the few things, LeBron, "a King" cannot summon on a whim or "a god" cannot conjure at will.