He-Artest and Soul

When I was about 10-years-old, my dream was to play professional basketball. At 13, that dream changed to playing for Duke University; and, at 16, I finally knew what I wanted to do: become the sports journalist.

That last line (become the sports journalist) – wasn’t a typo; there’s a difference between ‘the journalist’ and ‘a journalist’. I wanted to be the best; to transcend the genre and make it better. I was willing to sacrifice a bigger paycheck outside of college, if it meant I could wake up everyday and do what I loved: watching, writing and talking about sports for a living.

I’m still embarking on that journey, and I’ve hit a few bumps along the road. My time in St. Petersburg, with my fellow Sports Journalism Institute (SJI) classmates and world-class editors, showed me what it meant to be a journalist. They helped me to understand what it meant to pay my dues, as well as to "be heard by listening," (I promise that’s my only Confucius-style line).

My experience at the SJI was humbling, but necessary; and, in the long run, it will make me a much better journalist than I would have ever been had I not had the opportunity to attend. Sitting at my desk this afternoon, reflecting on having had such a rewarding summer, I felt on top of the world! As a student, internships don't get much better than this: I love where I am and I love what I'm doing. Totally inspired to start writing my next piece, I began to think about my favorite subject, basketball, and who really transcends the game.

Ron Artest, small forward for the LA Lakers, has been labeled as a ‘bad guy’ in the league ever since the brawl at The Palace in Detroit. I see him differently. The Artest I see loves the game with a fervor and passion that is unparalleled by any other player. He’s not as athletic as LeBron, nor as skilled/cerebral as Kobe, but he loves his craft just as much - if not more.








Just check out the Q & A he did for ESPN the Magazine (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5417748). I assure anyone who reads it, this article will teach a person more about Ron Artest than the fight in Detroit would.

After that incident, people often asked, “What would Ron Artest do without basketball?” I’d like to ask them, “What would basketball be without Artest?”

He exemplifies the game in its purest form: fun. Sure, this is his job and he has made business decisions in the past to prove that; but, who has more fun playing than Ron-Ron? Did you see his post-game conference after Game 7 of the NBA Finals? He looked like he had just lost his virginity or something. He was exhausted, excited, speechless, and couldn’t stop smiling - all at the same time.



When he’s on the court, he has fun. He’s not the angry, tortured athlete that he once was for Indiana. Sure, his bleached hair during the NBA Finals reminded you of Samuel L. Jackson’s ghastly hairstyle in the movie “Jumper”; but, you couldn’t turn away from watching him play.

Just yesterday, I spent half my life reading a Bill Simmons blog/dissertation on the boredom MLB fans have to endure, especially in Boston. Guys like Ron Artest prevent that from happening in the NBA. Not all the attention he gets is good attention, but he almost always means well.

At the Sacramento Bee’s weekly intern lunch today, we got to speak with columnist, Ailene Voisin. She said, “Ron Artest is one of the most genuine, all-around, good guys you’ll ever meet.”

I couldn’t agree with her more (although, I never met him).

How can you not absolutely love this guy? He’s not shy towards the media nor his teammates, and he has provided some of my favorite quotes of all-time.

Would you have guessed, in a million years, that his favorite movie would be “Titanic”? How about the fact that his dream collaboration for his next song is Celine Dion? I dare you to drive to Queensbridge, NY with a copy of Titanic and a lifetime collection of Celine Dion CDs and just see if you make it out alive.

The individualism that he brings to basketball, without losing the teamwork aspect of his game, is what makes him different. The haircuts, tattoos, pre- and post-game press conferences, all contribute to what makes him one-of-a-kind.










He’s one of the few players with his own personality. The only person who Artest changes for is himself – oh, and also his family (but that’s like, a group). He is who he is and I love him for it. He paid his dues in having played for bad teams, and has made some bad decisions; but he has been rewarded later in life.

In a day where most athletes say one thing and do another, my favorite quality about Artest is his honesty. I’m a ‘keep-it-real’ kind of guy. Ron Artest keeps it realer than anyone else in the NBA today.

“When you need a stop, who you going to call?” Artest said in the ESPN the Magazine Q&A. “Not the goddamn Ghostbusters, I'll tell you that. You call me.”

Ron Artest might not be the face of the NBA, and he’s definitely not its best player; but he is, by all means, its heart and soul.

No doubt, he is one of the many athletes that inspire me to become the sports journalist.

By Aaron Hilton
Follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401

Deadline Breakdown: AL Central

AL Central – The AL Central is strictly a 3-team race. Kansas City has taken its regular place towards the bottom of the division and the Indians are just a shade above God-awful. However, any division with Ozzie Guillen and Joe Mauer is worth a close look.

1. Chicago White Sox – The South Siders are 1.5 games ahead of the Twins in first place and have just made a move that could possibly lead to them getting their man, Adam Dunn. Their acquisition of Edwin Jackson probably isn’t to bolster their rotation (c’mon, dude has a 5.16 ERA) but he does have upside if that’s what they chose to do with him. I think this trade is foreshadowing an interesting day to come at tomorrow’s deadline.
   Possible Players: OF Adam Dunn – Washington Nationals, 1B – Prince Fielder – Milwaukee Brewers.
   
   
2. Minnesota Twins – With Morneau still dealing with symptoms of a concussion he received just before the All-Star break, the Twins will likely need some help if they want to win the Central. They have already made a preemptive strike by trading for, closer, Matt Capps. Twins probably won’t pursue a bat in a trade; OF Delmon Young has ramped up his offensive effort since the break and is doing a great job of filling the void left by Morneau’s absence. I think giving up their top catching prospect for Capps is probably the last big splash coming out of the Twin Cities this season.
   Possible Players: possibly low level relievers like Ramon Ramirez of the Red Sox or Will Ohman from the Orioles, but nothing big. Capps was their blue chipper.
   
   
3. Detroit Tigers – After acquiring Jhonny Peralta from the Indians, it’s unlikely that Mike Lowell will wind up with the Tigers; however, anything is possible. Their focus now will probably turn to securing their rotation. I don’t know if they will be able to find a good deal for a starting pitcher between now and Saturday, but it would definitely help. I’m not sure if Verlander and Scherzer can shoulder the load alone.
   Possible Players: SP Paul Maholm – Pittsburgh Pirates, SP Kevin Millwood – Baltimore Orioles, SP – Jarrod Washburn – free agency.
   
   
4. Kansas City Royals – The Royals, again, are the go to team for deals at the deadline. A number of teams have been linked to David DeJesus; however, Kyle Farnsworth and Bruce Chen could also be finding new homes by the end of the weekend. The Red Sox and Yankees could make some sense for a Farnsworth deal – even though his 2.5 seasons in NY were very unsuccessful.
   Possible Players: They have a good, young pitcher in Greinke to build a team around; but the '09 Cy Young winner wont be enuogh. I could see them surprising everyone by dealing Alex Gordon as a part of a package deal - which would likely land them some serious talent - but I don’t know if the team is ready to give up on their golden boy.
   
   
5. Cleveland Indians – The Indians have already made one deal, getting rid of Jhonny Peralta, but there could be more to come. Travis Hafner, Rafael Perez and Jake Westbrook could be on their way out as well. This is purely based on speculation and my own personal opinion, but it could be true. Last year, they traded Victor Martinez to the Red Sox for righty Justin Masterson; it will be interesting to see if they part ways with “Pronk” (Hafner) as well.
   Possible Players: The Indians could use some help on their infield as well as in the bullpen. If Grady Sizemore can get healthy and Masterson can figure it out next year, this could be a team to watch in the Central in ’11.

Deadline Breakdown: NL Central

NL Central – The biggest division in baseball has only two viable contenders. Cincinnati and St. Louis are deadlocked atop the central division and it’s looking like the Reds are for real this season. All the other teams are sellers so this should prove to be one of the more active divisions in terms of both buying and selling this season.

1. St. Louis Cardinals – Their bats are fine in the outfield; however, with the exception of Pujols at first base, the Cards are very thin in the infield. Yadier Molina, Felipe Lopez, Skip Schumaker and Tyler Greene are all hitting below .270 and none of the other Cardinals hitters are buyable leadoff hitters (maybe Colby Rasmus but he’s better served further down the lineup or at the 2-spot). I look for them to back up their outstanding pitching staff with a reliable hitter for their middle infield who can possibly hit lead-off.
   Possible Players: SS/2B Julio Lugo (.255 avg. but he hit well for them last year), 2B Luis Castillo – New York Mets (a career .291 hitter with speed), INF Gordon Beckham – Chicago White Sox (price may be too high).
   
   
2. Cincinnati Reds – The Reds are in the opposite position of the Cardinals; their infield is hitting well, but they could use some help in the outfield. Jay Bruce and Johnny Gomes are solid, not great, in the outfield; however, Drew Stubbs is hitting only .235 with a .309 OBP. I could see them trying to find a replacement in the outfield, but I’m not sure that they will pursue a big name like Dunn or Corey Hart.
   Possible Players: OF David DeJesus – Kansas City Royals, OF Garrett Jones – Pittsburgh Pirates, OF Cody Ross – Florida Marlins.
   
   
3. Milwaukee Brewers – The Brewers are sellers this year (whether they want to believe it or not). There have been talks of trading Prince Fielder as well as Hart, and rebuilding the team around Yovanni Gallardo and Ryan Braun. I like the idea, and they should get a lot of major-league-ready prospects for them if/when they decide to go through with a trade.
   Possible Players: prospects, prospects, prospects. They are building for the future, not a playoff run this year; however, I do expect them to hold on to veteran 2B Rickie Weeks.
   
   
4. Chicago Cubs – Those poor Cubbies. This year will not be the end of their century-long World Series curse; however, they can dump some hefty contracts and retool for a run next year. I think they’ll keep Soriano, but I don’t know if any MLB team will bite on Carlos Zambrano. Big-Z just has too much baggage; but, if they could move him, it would definitely make their team better for next year.
   Possible Players: step one will be finding a buyer for Zambrano; the next step will be to try and find a manager to take over for Lou Piniella in 2011.
   
   
5. Houston Astros – Seems like the ‘Stros are going to send Roy Oswalt to the Phillies for J.A. Happ and 2 other prospects. That is a sign of more moves to come for a team in transition. I think they could be moving more guys – possibly Hunter Pence, Lance Berkman and/or Carlos Lee – by Saturday’s deadline.
   Possible Players: they’ve acquired Happ (if the aforementioned trade goes through) but that might be all their getting this year in terms of current big leaguers. I’m willing to bet the rest of their trades result in acquiring prospects from the minors for next year.
   
   
6. Pittsburgh Pirates – First off, I don’t know why they’re in the NL Central, Pennsylvania is on the east coast; but that’s an argument for another time. Pittsburgh has done a better job keeping its talent and building upon that each year. I don’t suspect many moves for them, other than trying to move Jones. It should be a relatively quiet deadline for the Bucs.
   Possible Players: whatever they can get for a middle-of-the-road player like Jones.

Celebrity-Athlete of the Day: Chris Bosh

All this week, I will be using the input from some of my close friends and followers of the blog for the Celebrity-Athlete series. Some might be better than others; however, I have made sure that all the ones used will at least be, somewhat, believable.

This one comes from my boy @tribeofshabazz; however, I’ve been thinking the same thing for a while now. It must be the fact that we both go to HU and are Sports Journalism Institute grads that puts us on the same page.

Today’s Athlete: Chris Bosh, power forward for the My-ami (pronounced Miami) Cheat (or Heat, if you’re into that sort of thing).

• Raise your hand if you thought that the Toronto Raptors was the perfect place for Chris Bosh to be drafted. Keep them up if you, at one point or another, mistook him for the mascot during warm-ups.
  
  I was completely heartbroken when Bosh went on to Wade County, not only because I hated the idea of him and LeBron teaming up with D. Wade, but because there would be no more Jurrasic Park jokes.
  
  Bosh doesn’t look like a flame (pause) but he DOES look like the Velociraptor from Jurassic Park. They’ve got the same bodily motion, and the same tall, slender frame (given, the raptor is way faster and stronger than Bosh). ESPN’s Bill Simmons recently said that he was offended to continuously hear Bosh’s name mentioned among the elite “superstars” of the NBA; what about of Hollywood?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Jurassic Park is a classic and if they were to do a number 4 (no doubt it would be in 3D) my money is on Bosh making a cameo appearance as a baby raptor.
  
  There’s really not much else to say about this one, the proof is in the picture. I don’t know if Bosh is hiding a tail under his compression shorts, but I do believe that he evolved from the same primordial soup that spawned the Velociraptor.
  
  In the defense of Wade and LeBron, who wouldn’t want a freaking raptor on their team? As Neil Everett would say, “If you don’t thing that’s awesome, then you need awesome lessons.”

By Aaron Hilton
Follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401

Deadline Breakdown: NL East

NL East – This division race isn’t as close as it has been in past years; however, that could change after this year’s trade deadline. With the Braves starting to falter atop the division, and the resurgence of the Phillies, Mets and Marlins in the second half, the only team that seems to be out of the pennant race is the Nationals.

1. Atlanta Braves – It’s no secret that the Braves are in dire need of another big bat in the outfield. Rookie sensation, Jason Heyward, has returned from the disable list on a tear, and their trade for SS Alex Gonzalez was a move in the right direction. They’re still going to need someone with a little speed to play some center field for them, because Nate McLouth has been a huge disappointment in ’10.
   Possible Players: OF – David DeJesus – Kansas City Royals, OF Michael Bourn or Hunter Pence – Houston Astros, OF Garrett Jones – Pittsburgh Pirates (although he’s more of a corner outfielder).
   
   
2. Philadelphia Phillies – The Phillies are in talks right now for starting pitching; specifically Roy Oswalt of the Houston Astros. Right now, Brad Lidge is a big concern for the Phils as he continues to get himself back to where he was two years ago – when the Phillies won the World Series. If the Phils can get back their key bat, Chase Utley, and continue to pitch as well as they have, they’ll be in good enough shape to make a run at the Braves without making a major splash this weekend.
   Possible Players: SP Roy Oswalt – Houston Astros, DeJesus, Jones, SP Ted Lilly – Chicago Cubs.
   
   
3. New York Mets – The Mets are a tough group to size-up. Currently, they’re still in the race for the NL East, so I’m going to assume that they’re trying to add to their roster. They need some hitting in the middle of their lineup, because they are ranked 20th or below in every major offensive category. Free agent signee, Jason Bay, has been a total disappointment thus far. If the Mets are sellers this weekend, look for them to deal guys like Carlos Beltran, Alex Cora or Pedro Feliciano. Beltran has a big contract and doesn’t seem likely to move, but Angel Pagan has played very well in his absence. I believe the Mets wouldn’t mind trying to get some value for the injury-prone outfielder.
   Possible Players: depends on whether they’re sellers or buyers but two guys that could really help their chances are 2B Kelly Johnson – Arizona Diamondbacks, or OF Corey Hart – Milwaukee Brewers (although the asking price might be too high for these guys).
   
   
4. Florida Marlins – The Marlins are looking like sellers this deadline; even though they are playing well and could possibly be one or two key players away from the postseason. I am looking for the Marlins to try and get a maximum return for players like Dan Uggla and reliever Leo Nuñez. They could also end up dealing lower level fill-ins like Jorge Cantu and Cody Ross to teams that need a short-term fix in a key spot.
   Possible Players: prospects from the Yankees, Red Sox, and/or any other team that is looking to trade with them at the deadline.
   
   
5. Washington Nationals – The Nats have a lot of young talent in their infield – Ryan Zimmerman and Ian Desmond – and especially in pitching – Strasburg and Drew Storen. They will likely be trying to add to their wealth of young talent at the deadline with teams asking for Adam Dunn and Josh Willingham. They could also end up dealing reliever Matt Capps, who is having a career year and would likely bring the Nationals at least one very good prospect.
   Possible Players: prospects from the Yankees, Giants, Braves, Rays, or Tigers.

I'm SMH at Usher Raymond

Usher is releasing a second installment of his album Raymond Vs. Raymond entitled Versus (he really thought hard about that name... smh).

After I listened to his Raymond vs. Raymond over and over for a weeks, I've come to the understanding that Usher's music has changed over the years. He went from classics like Nice & Slow to Yeah! and Burn. Now... he's selling albums and making money by singing songs like OMG! When I first heard the single I couldn't believe that it was Usher, I admit I love the song but come on... Usher is a mature artist, he can do better than club songs! I love R&B... and Usher has seriously let me down. I completely have lost faith in him. He has not been able to release a solid album in too long.

Anyways, one song from his new installment has been released. The song entitled Hot Toddy features Jay-Z and Ester Dean. I'm a big Jigga fan, but he's scaring me. I don't give in to all that Mason or Illuminati business, personally... I could care less. But on the track with Usher he calls himself a "god" and "King Hova." I hate to sound religious but... there is only one King Jehovah. And his name is Jesus... not Sean Carter.

Check out the song below.

The songs catchy... I'm not sure if it's Hot Toddy or Hot Tottie... 'Toddy' sounds like a male name so I hope it's not that. In my opinion the track is alright... but nothing great. He did need a few new additions to Raymond Vs. Raymond, it had a total of three good songs besides for his extremely commercial and club singles (which compared to his album Confessions is blasphemy).

Usher needs to take a nap, finalize them papers and come back with something more phenomenal. When it comes to R&B... Usher is failing me.

Deadline Breakdown: AL East

With the July 31st trade deadline just a few days away, I figured I would break down each division and the needs of its teams. Starting with the AL East and and ending in the NL West.

AL East – This is probably the strongest division in baseball – with the exception of the Orioles – and also one of the most amorphous. The Red Sox and Yankees are changing every year and you’d be hard pressed to find one year where all of the teams stayed static at the deadline.

1. New York Yankees – As always, the Yankees are likely to be big spenders at the deadline. I’m not familiar with a lot of their prospects that will likely be dealt; however, I do know that they need an extra bat. Granderson has been disappointing in his first season in pinstripes and they could also use a bat in the DH spot so that Posada can assume his regular catching duties.
   Possible Players: 1B/DH/OF Adam Dunn - Washington Nationals, OF - David DeJesus - Kansas City Royals, 3B/1B/DH Mike Lowell - Boston Red Sox (yea right, like we'd help them).
   
   
2. Tampa Bay Rays – Maddon and his club are not known for doing major deals at the deadline; but, as the Sox get healthy, the Rays are going to need a power, left-handed bat in the middle of the order to secure the Wild Card spot. I’m not sure how much longer they can survive with a .200 hitter – Carlos Peña – hitting cleanup.
   Possible Players: Dunn, Lowell, 1B/DH Prince Fielder - Milwaukee Brewers.
   
   
3. Boston Red Sox – How’s this for a deal at the deadline, an all-star and former MVP/Rookie of the Year at second base, a .300 lead-off hitter who stole 70 bases last year and a strong young 23-year-old reliever. By late August the Sox should be getting Pedroia and Ellsbury back from injury. Also, it’d a much better move for Theo Epstein to retain his young talent and call up young right-hander Michael Bowden to replace the ineffective, Hideki Okajima. I don’t foresee any big deals for the Sox this year.
   Possible Players: RHP Leo Nunez - Florida Marlins, LHP Scott Downs - Toronto Blue Jays, DeJesus.
   
   
4. Toronto Blue Jays – If their GM is smart, he’ll know that there’s no possible way that Bautista repeats his ridiculous numbers next year in Toronto. They already made a huge splash landing a much younger Yunel Escobar and some prospects for Alex Gonzalez; if he could pull off a deal for more young talent – preferably starting pitching – then they’d be in a much better position to win next year.
   Possible Players: It's hard to tell, right now, what the market is for Bautista; but, his last 2-HR game puts him at 30 for the year so they should get something good.
   
   
5. Baltimore Orioles – Sorry @kylegrantham, but you guys just need a solid hiding spot or something. It’s hard to establish team needs on the field, when you don’t know who’s going to be managing the team next season. Hire Buch Showalter, then we’ll talk trades.
   Possible Players: I hear they're holding tryouts (not really, but they should...go for it Kyle)
   

Troubled Star

Think of any word to best describe rapper and producer Kanye West... It's no surprise if ass hole comes to mind. Yet I'd like to refer to him as a "troubled guy."

Kanye West recently performed at the Facebook headquarters, giving them a sneak peak of some of the work off of his new album. The album was previously said to be entitled Good Ass Job. But today West announced via Twitter that "The album is no longer called 'Good Ass Job'... I'm bouncing a couple of titles around now."

Even though he is crazy... I'd like to think of myself as a Yeezy fan. He has had his share of bad moments, and on top of all that his last album could've been the soundtrack to a movie directed by Zoloft users...

Here's the clip of him at Facebook. Viewers beware, as my mom would say: "He sounds like he lacks vocabulary." He uses the N-word quite a few times.

Kanye West is the living and breathing example of the saying "money cannot bring you happiness." Let's just hope that he did a good job with his new album... from what we've heard already I think it's going to be great. His music career is clearly on the rise... and I'm praying that his personal life follows suit as his public and very embarassing outbursts are on the decline.

Btw... doesn't he sound like a poet? I love it! Check out another clip below.

__Coco Elle__

*** Coming up soon my review of Big Boi's new album Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son Of Chico Dusty (what's up with that title? lol) ***

Celebrity-Athlete of the Day: Rajon Rondo

All this week, I will be using the input from some of my close friends and followers of the blog for the Celebrity-Athlete series. Some might be better than others; however, I have made sure that all the ones used will at least be, somewhat, believable.

This one comes courtesy of my older cousin Tim, Jr. (I call him Tilly). I would like to take this time to say that these are jokes and I don’t mean any offense by them (for the most part); however, all jokes contain the slightest ounce of the truth.

Today’s Athlete: Rajon Rondo, point guard for the Boston Celtics.

• Ok, so Tilly and I were watching Diddy-Dirty Money’s “Hello Good Morning” music video a few weeks ago. Towards the end, Tilly pointed out that one of the members of Dirty Money – Dawn – looked just like NBA All-Star, Rajon Rondo. It was almost like the Dish Network gods heard him say it, because, right at that moment, her image flashed on screen. Cue the unadulterated, hysterical laughter followed by about 100 rewinds.
  
  What really amazed me about his discovery was how quickly he came up with it. It was like turning a double play, bang-bang. The worst part about it is that Rondo doesn’t help himself by being very dainty in demeanor.
  
  If he was scary, like KG, or fat, like Paul Pierce, I wouldn’t be able to make such a comparison; but he’s not. Rondo is skinny and funny looking, just like Dawn. The real question is, ‘who are the other two-thirds of dirty money in this equation?’ I’m still not sure, but I’m almost positive that it would take a combination of Pierce and KG to make a comparable Diddy.
  
  After my 10-minutes of non-stop laughter, I realized something: I used to think Dawn looked kind of good (c’mon, before I posted this, don’t act like you didn’t). Tilly had just ruined that for me and now the only thing I can enjoy about Diddy-Dirty Money is Diddy’s dance moves. I’m not going to lie to you, I was pissed for a while; then I realized that a lot of brothers and sisters look alike. Some of them might even be twins.
  
  Just imagine Dawn performing with Dirty Money while wearing a headband and dribbling a basketball; or, Rondo with eye shadow and leather tights, throwing a game-winning alley-oop to Nate Robinson (and then KG and Pierce dancing in the foreground, taking all the credit for the win).
  
  Needless to say, Dirty Money’s performances will never be the same for me from now on. Shit, basketball won’t be the same either; I’m just glad I’m not a Celtics fan.

By Aaron Hilton
Follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401

Celebrity-Athlete of the Day: Robert Horry

All this week, I will be using the input from some of my close friends and followers of the blog for the Celebrity-Athlete series. Some might be better than others; however, I have made sure that all the ones used will at least be, somewhat, believable.

Today's entry comes from my roommate/co-worker out here in Cali, @kylegrantham. Kyle's had some pretty good suggestions, so this might not be his only appearance in this weeks fan vote.

Today’s Athlete: Robert Horry, former Spurs, Lakers and Rockets power forward.

• Horry is a 7-time NBA champion and has won, literally, everywhere he’s been – with the exception of a brief, 32-game stint with the Phoenix Suns. His ability to succeed, no matter where he’s been, or what his role – along with his goatee and satellite ears – are what make him a ringer for Will Smith.
  
  In almost all of his movies, as a few of my good friends pointed out, Smith plays the hero. Whether it’s a comedic role, such as: Men In Black and Hancock, or a more serious role, such as: Ali or Seven Pounds; Will Smith has always saved the day and destroyed the box office. So, in many ways, their personal careers have mirrored one another as well.
  
  Horry was never the headliner for any of the championship teams he played on; however, he was always remembered for his willingness and desire to be the hero. His heroism and calm demeanor under pressure earned him the moniker, “Big Shot Bob”. Smith has done the same thing, but his nickname is way cooler: “The Fresh Prince”.
  
  Neither has swept an award show or been named an MVP/Best Actor – although Smith has come close a few times – but each man embodies versatility and a winning attitude. The two of them together could probably pick up all the DirecTV HD channels by tilting their ears a little towards the east, and maybe even hear your thoughts.
  
  These two guys are probably the most alike out of any pair I’ve done so far, simply because their similarities go deeper than their nappy, mini-fros. I’m not sure if Horry’s wife is anywhere near as beautiful as Jada; but that’d be asking too much anyways.
  
  I don’t know if Horry can rap (actually, I’m really not sure if Will Smith can rap), but his championship rings speak for themselves. He’s one of only two players, all-time, who have won a ring with three different franchises; Smith is one of the very few Hollywood stars to successfully transition from rap, to television, to the big screen – also three different franchises.
  
  The list of similarities probably goes on and on, but the point is that I’m not even sure, at this point, that Horry and Smith aren’t the same person. Maybe Will is secretly 6’10” and used some of the movie magic that he learned in Hollywood to disguise himself, albeit ever so slightly, under a sharp-shooting alter ego: Robert Horry. Hey, it could happen.

By Aaron Hilton
Follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401

Celebrity-Athlete of the Day: Josh Smith

All this week, I will be using the input from some of my close friends and followers of the blog for the Celebrity-Athlete series. Some might be better than others; however, I have made sure that all the ones used will at least be, somewhat, believable.

Today’s Athlete: Josh Smith, power forward for the Atlanta Hawks.

• Smith is best known for his high-flying, power dunks and freakish athletic ability. My good friend, and fellow Sports Journalism Institute 2010 alum, @dsmorais brought to my attention, the fact that he also resembles The Game.
  
  Didier couldn’t have been more spot on with his observation; and it’s not just in the face either. Their whole demeanor is similar. If it wasn’t for a 5-inch height difference – Smith is listed at 6’9” and Game at 6’4” – I would say that they could pass for the same person.
  
  Be that as it may, the two look just alike. I’m almost 100-percent positive that Game was an athlete before he started rapping, and, with his frame, basketball would be right up his alley. Smith, being from Georgia, is probably a huge rap fan and might have even tried it back in high school; wouldn’t surprise me one bit.
  
  Smith plays the game with a swagger that can’t be taught. His dunks and blocks are so ferocious, they could make grown men wet their pants in excitement…or fear (depends on whether you’re the victim or the audience). If Game was an NBA baller, there’s no doubt in my mind that he’d be of the Josh Smith mold. I just couldn’t see him parading around a park in LA showing off a Mickey Mouse chain (like “rapper” Lil’ Bow Wow) or doing some corny And-1 wannabe tricks (again, like Bow Wow). He’d probably run right at the defense, rise up and dunk on his defender something fierce. It’d probably look something like this (see below).
  
  
  
  Not convinced yet? How about the fact that they both wear red – albeit for very different reasons – and both men also represent their hometown at work? Not to mention that Game’s song, ‘Champion’, was featured on NBA 2K10. That looks like more than a coincidence to me, but that’s not all.
  
  Bringing the attention back to Smith being from GA, it goes without saying that he’s probably a better rapper than half of the “talent” to make it big out of his home state. I mean, can you honestly sit there at your computer and think of any Georgia rappers – other than Outkast, T.I., Ludacris, B.o.B and Jeezy – that are more lyrically gifted than a 5-year-old? Besides, if he did suck at rapping, who’s going to accept the unfortunate task of telling him? I’m 6’7” 250-pounds and I’m not even dumb enough to perform that task.
  
  Even if you don’t totally agree with me or Didier right now, just wait until you see ‘Hate It or Love It’ on MTV Jams. Eventually, it’ll click.

By Aaron Hilton
Follow me on twitter @Way_2_Tall401