6 Thoughts
1) Tough home loss to the new look New York Knicks in a game Miami seemingly had won three different times. Especially tough losing on Oscar Night - I don't want to make excuses, but I wrote this blog once already with an Oscar theme, hated it, erased it, and now it's 12:22 and I am starting again. I think that's the first time I've ever finished and then erased a whole post. Inefficient - like the Miami offense tonight. Anyways, it's late, this post is probably going to stink, but we have to do it anyways: Oscar is waiting. By the way, I don't know if it's legal, but I voted for "Avatar" again. Let's go!
2) "It wasn't over when I left." "It's still not over!" The greatest line in movie history (Ryan Gosling in The Notebook) belongs to old friend Chauncey Billups tonight, the once and future Mr. Big Shots. Took over the fourth quarter, torching Mike Miller (Mike Miller? On a point guard?) repeatedly, forcing Spo to switch Wade on to him...annnnnd, he promptly made a 25 foot triple to win the game for the Knicks. Oh, Big Shots - I thought it was over between us when you went to the Western Conference to play for the Denver Nuggets, but now I see, we have a bond that will never die.
3) "I'm a fiend for mojitos." Of course, Colin Farrell in Miami Vice, the movie, followed immediately by him and some Cuban chick (don't know what it means that I can only remember Colin Farrell, not her) hopping into a go-fast boat, jetting the ninety or so miles to Cuba, getting liquored up, and making mad, passionate, Farrell-esque Cuban love! Probably with no condom, because that's how he does it...Belongs tonight to Dwyane Wade. Was he drunk? 5-15 for only 12 points, plus 5 turnovers for Dee Dub. Several possessions late in the game found him weaving all over the court like he had one too many. Perhaps Dwyane's mind was elsewhere, wishing he could have been in Hollywood, with longtime girlfriend Gabrielle Union, who was nominated for...well, she wasn't nominated for anything this year. But I promise you - I double promise you - any time the teenage cheerleading opus Bring It On is showing on tv, I never turn it off, although I will go get a sandwich during the Kirsten Dunst parts. Kirsten Dunst is like the Mario Chalmers of that film; Gabrielle Union is like Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. Put together. She's like- okay, that's enough...Anyways, Dwyane didn't have a good game.
4) "I'll play you for it." "For what?" "Your heart!" From Love and Basketball! Sanaa Lathan, all in shape to be a little point guard, she's like a- okay, okay...This belongs to Carmelo Anthony, in New York, where he was born, playing for the Knicks, where he belongs. He did what he do tonight, 29 points and 9 boards. Carmelo on the Knicks is just right. As a Heat fan, I know I'm supposed to hate the Knicks, but how can anyone hate a team with Melo, Amare, and Big Shots? Those are three great, and entertaining players. They played hard tonight - with heart!
5) "Hey, what did you think about the refereeing tonight?" "It was great! Even though we lost, it was demonstrably better than most NBA games, and crew chief Monty McCutcheon deserves a lot of credit. There were hardly any touch fouls called, and even on drives to the rim, you didn't get bailed out with a whistle - you had to finish. Just felt like I should note this." From the famous film, Not All Refs Suck...okay, I made it up. Not a lot of movies about referees, except Forget Paris, starring Billy Crystal, which I never saw. Why? I just told you: starring Billy Crystal. What are you, deaf? Just felt like I should mention it: like a game not marred by constant whistles.
6) Okay, okay, okay. New segment now: Ask Jax! This is where we ask Heat sideline reporter Jason Jackson a question to learn a little more about him. We know a little about Jax's life from watching him on tv. He has two beautiful young boys about the same age as mine; he loves ascots; he is working hard to get in (even better) shape; he is unfailingly positive; he loves the Cincinnati Reds; and he loves working with young protege Johanna Gomez, but like, in a 'friends' kind of way (and we like watching her - in the same way, of course). Okay, so Jax: what is spinning on your ipod lately, what is the one song you just keep going back to over and over?
Sadly my IPod Touch is more of a road luxury. I listen to it on the plane and in hotel rooms that have the docking station but I mostly listen to CDs in the car and to itunes on the many computers (desktop at home, laptop and netbook in backpack) I find myself staring at throughout the season. Now that I have wasted all that time, I am a Jamie Foxx freak. Not in the Rick James Super Freak kind of way – I simply cannot consume enough of his work. So for the last two months I have his latest album Best Night of My Life front and center in the car and on the Most Played play list on all devices. The song that has me right now is track 8, “Fall For Your Type” (featuring Drake). I am a sucker for R & B ballads. While I tend to bow toward power ballads, there’s something about the phrasing and feeling of this song that got me, has me and won’t let me go.
Bottom line: ya gotta feel for a cat who is about to make the same old mistake as he always does with the same types of women, but is stepping out and hoping this one is different
Look, we would have been happy just with the name of a song, but Jax took-it-and-ran-with-it! Awesome! And you know what? He's right! I downloaded that song this morning and listened to it a few times - it is a legitimate slow burner about a dude who "always falls for your type," even though he knows it's trouble. It's got this syncopated, noirish Phil Collins "In the Air Tonight"-y sound, which makes it perfect for inclusion in Miami Vice II, starring the aforementioned Colin Farrell, and coincidentally, Jamie Foxx. You might ask: "Are they really making a sequel," and I would say to you, "They f-ing better, because the first one is drenched in cool atmospheric music, and a richly colored, shimmering - breathing - city of Miami, not to mention Farrell and Foxx." I dunno how many Oscars the first one won, but I can't wait for the second one...Thanks Jax - that really painted a picture: Jax, alone on the road, with his jams, and his innumerable electronic devices!!! Next week we will cover: why Jax doesn't like Drake (because he thinks he's a fake gangster), and why I do (because I'm suspect)...
Okay, we are off until Thursday...How do you like this weekend schedule: Thursday, home vs Orlando; Friday, at San Antonio; Sunday, home against Bulls? See you then. Oscar says: Let's Go!
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