Hoops & chutes

Just when I thought the Spurs would actually come out & make the Western Finals a series worth watching, they fell asleep at the wheel the other night against Kobe Bryant & those back-with-a-vengeance Los Angeles Lakers. If they don't step their game up in short order, chances of San Antonio making it to the NBA Finals for the nth time in as many years is not going to be a stretch...In short, we can forget all about that thought. And how many teams do we know of whom have stormed back from a 3-1 hole & punched their ticket to the Main Event? Not too many, folks, not too many.

At least in the Eastern Conference, the Pistons & Celtics are having it out & this could shape up to be an awesome series. From the looks of things, this could go to seven games...what with Boston being unable to win a postseason game on the road until the other night. In the long run, may the best team (& most hungriest of the two) win & find their way into the Finals. 'Nuff said.

More than staying afloat

Life for the Los Angeles Lakers has been nothing short of amazing this season. Some time ago, we thought 2008 would be otherwise back in L.A. & rightly so: they couldn't seem to get past the first round of the playoffs to save their tails last year. As it stood, they were well on their way to has-been status, a team who didn't stand a chance in a talent-laden Western Conference & never would either. If that wasn't enough, the star of the show, Kobe Bryant, didn't like what he was seeing & wanted out.

But how the times have changed since Kobe's outbursts last summer. The Lakers are starting to look like a legitimate contender again; Kobe's been Kobe as usual -minus the spazz-approved theatrics; Phil Jackson's life is once again looking brighter than ever, even since his good old days with Michael Jordan back in Chicago.

Now they're facing a team with nothing to lose in the San Antonio Spurs, a team whose approach is "pure vanilla." Los Angeles has one star of the show in #24; on the other hand, with the Spurs, it's a lot like picking your poison: five starters, a trustworthy bench & plenty of veterans who know the Conference Finals Routine by heart.

San Antonio knows that they're going to get a handful in terms of a perfect matchup:
The Lakers aren't going to be a pushover like the past few seasons post-Shaq; Kobe is more than happy to score at will like Lebron James if San Antonio goes to sleep on him defensively;
Los Angeles does have a reliable group of players who can step up if need be;
The Lakers aren't like the Jazz (San Antonio's opponent in last year's Western Finals) in the same way that they're not the Hornets.

Could this go to 7 games? We can't say for sure, but in the Western Conference, perfect matchups don't get any better than this.

One more for the road

I sensed that the San Antonio Spurs had a long series ahead of them when they took on the New Orleans in Round Dos of the 2008 NBA Playoffs. And after falling in an 0-2 hole, the Spurs didn't fold or give up; I sure didn't stop believing that they could make this a series for the ages. When Game 7 came up last night, I was thinking to myself, "May the best team win," not "may the home team move on to face Kobe Bryant & the Lakers." Seriously, I sensed that San Antonio could pull out a win on the road.

And they didn't disappoint: the Spurs are now in the Western Finals thanks to an 92-81 win over the upstart Hornets. Next question is: how'd they do it?

Well, bottom line is this: the Spurs have been there, done that; they've been in this situation numerous times & they know what they have to do when the going gets rough as last night's win confirms. On the other hand, the Hornets are a team on the rise, a team of upstarts in every sense of the word as far as playoff experience goes; sure, they've been an awesome team all season long but by the same token they haven't been tested thoroughly in the playoffs as much as San Antonio has for the past several years or so. Experience is what brought the Spurs to the Western Finals & what helped them win Game 7 BTW; experience is something the Hornets could have used a little more of & then some.

Tony Parker & company have kept the Spurs playoff philosophy simple along the lines of last year: nothing fancy, nothing flashy - they're all about getting the job done & keeping humble about it. Against their next opponent, a resurgent Kobe Bryant & the Los Angeles Lakers, one only hopes that they stick to their guns now more than ever.

Talking Bridge

The CSX Big Four Bridge over the Great Miami River in Sidney, OH.

Wow, two years since I first checked this historical landmark out & I'm still in love with this bridge. Not only is it one of the more heralded railroad bridges around in the Midwest; it's one of the more prominent bridges in the United States, period. It's carried railroad traffic for 85 years now so the Big Four bridge has definitely stood the test of time, I'll tell you that much.

Anyone who loves doing road trips should stop by Sidney sometime in the near future & check this bridge out while they're in town. Believe me, it's kind of a big deal.

Words of the day

For the longest time, one thing I've always enjoyed bringing up in some of my posts has always been showing support for the Greek community, so much so I really sound like a broken record...lol...in a good way though. Which leads me to the next issue at hand, another leitmotif of mine as far as Greek life goes & this is for the duders: showing support for your fave sororities.

Is your girlfriend an AOII? Well, show your support for her & her sisters by representing AOII all the way.
Is your girlfriend an Alpha Phi? Then show your support for her & her sisters by representing A-Phi all the way.
Is your girlfriend an AGD? Then show your support for her & her sisters by representing AGD all the way.
Is your girlfriend a DZ? Then show your support for her & her sisters by representing Delta Zeta all the way.

Even for all those single Greek/non-Greek duders out there, the same questions still apply but with these conditions:
Do you love AOII with all your heart? Then support AOII.
Do you love Alpha Phi with all your heart? Then support A-Phi.
Do you love Alpha Gamma Delta with all your heart? Then support AGD.
Do you love Delta Zeta? Then support DZ.

Guys, what I'm trying to say is this, especially for those duders whose significant others are AOIIs/A-Phis/DZs: showing your whole-hearted support for one sorority, especially if the love of your life is in one of them, shouldn't be that difficult. If you can take the time out of your day to show your support for AOII/A-Phi/DZ & do lots of beautiful things for them - & the best thing that could happen to any dude is to have the distinction of sorority sweetheart!! - not only will your ladies love you all the more for showing that they're appreciated but their sisters in AOII, DZ, A-Phi, etc. will feel the exact same way as your significant other: "Man, isn't he sweet!!" "Awww, he's the ultimate sweetheart," you know, the obvious, glowing superlatives.

To find a sorority whom you can represent unswervingly without fail - single or no, the choice is yours to make, guys. But if you've got someone by your side right now who is proud to be an AOII, an AGD, etcetera: duders, your choice has already been made & now it's on you to show your support with all your heart.

Current playlist #8

Robert Plant, "Ship of Fools," Now and Zen
Robert Plant, "Big Log," The Principle of Moments
The Who, "Quadrophenia," Quadrophenia
The Who, "Amazing Journey > Sparks," Tommy
Bryan Ferry, "Windswept," Boys and Girls
Roxy Music, "Running Wild," Flesh and Blood
The Rolling Stones, "Coming Down Again," Goats Head Soup
The Rolling Stones, "Wild Horses," Sticky Fingers

Swede Emotion

Retro? This isn't stinking retro!!

But what beautiful music we're listening to here, this latest batch of songcraft from Sweden's very own Dungen, Tio Bitar (roughly translated as "ten pieces'). You can call it psychedelic, a throwback to the late 60s, a blast from the past. Yet this is very contemporary music which Gustav Ejstes, Dungen's main man & multi-instrumentalist, has made for our listening pleasure. You could swear that this was recorded in 1968, 1970 or 1971 (as well as the recording equipment used for the task) but this was done in the new millennium...I know, but the sounds which abound on Tio Bitar have got me thinking otherwise.

"Intro" kicks things off with an outburst of fuzz-wah, a Blue Cheer-ish firestorm of the highest order, only to let some light through two-thirds of the way through with a jazzy flute melody. "Familij" feels ambient as much as it is psychedelic bliss. Then of course Ejstes delivers the Can goods on 3-minute rockers like "Gor Det Nu" & "Du Ska Inte Tro Att Det Ordan Sig." "C Visar Vagen" is a pastoral tune which strikes the perfect balance between sad & happy (same with "Sa Blev Det Bestamt.") "Mon Amour" starts out a simple ditty, fair enough, but just under 2:30 into the proceedings, it turns into guitar heaven, a monolithic fuzzfest for the ages. "Ett Skal Att Trivas" is ploddingly heavy but in a frigging good way, as with the Can-meets-Hendrix "Svart Ar Himlen."

If John Lennon came back to life as a Swede & sang in nothing but Swedish, he'd have a mellow, pleasant voice like Gustav Ejstes displays. True, Ejstes has a Lennon-ish flair in his voice & we can't figure out what he's singing about (point being that it's in his native Swedish). But then again, it wouldn't matter if he sang in English; music this loopy & lovely can't help but be majorly infectious, regardless of what language the words are sung in.

Tio Bitar is beautiful music you can't put a finger on. Is it psychedelic? Is it psych-folk? Is it music to rock out to? It's all of the above & Ejstes put out another winner which'll have you moving around as much as dreaming away. But please, for Gustav's sake, don't call this music retro!!

Something/Anything? (Side Three, or Third Time's the Charm)

With two stellar albums under his belt, Todd Rundgren really was hitting his stride as not only a singer/songwriter, but also as a musician & producer. So it was without surprise that he was prepared to strike paydirt in some way or other. And with the 1972 double-LP Something/Anything? Todd did just that. If Runt was the equivalent of a Bachelor's Degree in the world of music & The Ballad of Todd Rundgren was a Master's then S/A? is the Ph.D. Todd worked long & laboriously for. Not only is this pop heaven but also a trademark tapestry of sound which takes multiple listens to fully appreciate.

The 1-2-3 punch of "I Saw The Light," "It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference" & "Wolfman Jack" are not only an awesome way to start any album out: they're also power-pop gems on an album chock full of hidden treasure. (Kudos to "Couldn't I Just Tell You" as well.) "Cold Morning Light," "Hello It's Me," "Marlene," "Torch Song" & "Saving Grace" are beauties in the ballad department; "Black Maria," "Little Red Lights" & "Slut" reveal Mr. Rundgren in rock-out mode. "Intro" is Todd giving the ultimate homework lesson in the sounds of the studio: hiss, hum, lousy editing, the tape machine going on the blink among other out-of-line sounds. Of course, he didn't mention other sounds, nuances or effects which abound throughout S/A?: slowed-down instrumentation (as well as vocals: e.g. the intro to "Saving Grace"), instrumentation getting tinkered with electronically - just to cite some examples of Todd's multi-talented personality at work.

What makes S/A? so special is that 75% of the album was done by one man & one man alone. If there was a perfect model for folks like Prince to take to heart as far as one-man bands are concerned, S/A? is one great place to start. Side four - the other 25% of this magnum opus - was captured live in the studio, warts & all; this time around, Todd had the support of whoever showed up to play at the time but (if I should say so) Part Four is just as sweet. Talk about a musician who wasn't afraid to step outside the box: Todd's willingness to explore divergent musical styles like hard rock, pop, soul, R&B, early electronic music (& all this during a time frame of 90 minutes) to this day has never failed to amaze me or any diehard TR fan for that matter. And he still managed to sound like himself in the process.

Something/Anything? really made me a believer in Todd Rundgren, not only because it was one of the more challenging albums ever produced/released way back in 1972. It also showed us why Todd was God back in the day: this is a classic double-album from start to finish, veering effortlessly from one style to another, a showcase for Todd's knack to be diverse as can be in terms of musicianship as well as songcraft.

Something/Anything? (Side B)

In 1971, Todd Rundgren released his second solo effort, Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren. Building on the strength of its predecessor, Runt, this album was the ultimate showcase for Todd to let his producing & songwriting skills (& craftiness with what instrumentation to use, as well as where & when to use it) shine through like never before. Surely, Runt was an awesome album but with a rag-tag vibe attached. On the other hand, RTBOTR is a naturally marked improvement, a solid, cohesive group of songs which are pure power pop heaven.

The opener, "Long Flowing Robe," is hooks central, catchy as much as it is a curveball (at the prechorus & chorus) & sets the tone for this album in a major way. Of course, the next track, "The Ballad," is just that, with a talkbox solo thrown in for good measure. Then we go to guitar heaven: "Bleeding," "Parole," & "Chain Letter" (with its powerful acoustic intro & Hey Jude-ish outro) are as good as Todd gets when it comes to penning tail-kicking rockers. "The Range War" has a country & western vibe written all over its sleeve, & the majestic jazzy sweep which is "Boat On The Charles" can't be overlooked either.

No Todd Rundgren record would quite be the same without the prerequisite ballads: the aforementioned "The Ballad," "Wailing Wall," (one of my fave songs on RTBOTR, period) "Be Nice To Me" & "Hope I'm Around" are stand-outs on an album chock full of awesome songs. In just under a minute, Todd says his piece & moves on with "Remember Me," as if to say you were going to hear bigger & better things from the man in the future (BTW, we would when his 1972 magnum opus, Something/Anything? came out).

With Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren, the man of the hour came through with one of his more accessible, more cohesive efforts to date. At the same time, he let us in on what made him one of the most talented musicians/producers around: delivering with a mastery of styles which would serve him well on his next big project, S/A? Todd was not only a true genius & a wizard with this second platter of catchy songs; he was also on his way toward becoming a true star in the making.

Something/Anything? (Side A)

Back in 1972, Todd Rundgren came out with what could be considered his Ph.D. in the world of music, the double album Something/Anything? We knew he was one of the more talented, more diverse as well as more iconoclastic musicians on the block but when S/A? was released, we saw Todd in a different light: the man had truly arrived & was at the top of his game. Now a little info on the short but sweet road which brought Todd to this high point in his career in the first place:

He first began fine-tuning his songcrafting abilities back in the late-60s with Nazz; they only made two bonafide albums as a group (the final release, Nazz III, consisted of leftover sessions taken from their second album, Nazz Nazz). The latter album was slated to be a double-record set but Todd's bandmates were up in arms because of the musical directions he wanted to take at the time. Nonetheless, his work with Nazz proved to be a beneficial springboard which would serve him well once he broke out as a solo artist.

In 1970, Todd's first release as a solo musician, Runt, proved that his time with Nazz was time well spent & rightly so. By the same token, it confirmed an official trademark of sorts: the willingness to try anything & everything not only in terms of instrumentation but also divergent musical styles in the process (i.e. ballads, hard-rocking tunes, the more out-there stuff). With a 3-minute piece of pure pop bliss like "We Gotta Get You A Woman," with its percussion wonderland (during the pre-chorus & chorus), how could Todd go wrong?

As we found out, he couldn't. Juxtaposition was his personal philosophy from the get-go: The opening track, "Broke Down and Busted," was a slow-burning rocker but the very next tune, "Believe In Me," was a ballad. Then a more upbeat number (the aforementioned "We Gotta Get...") followed by a need-for-speed rave-up ("Who's That Man?"). And that's only the first side I'm talking about.

The second half showed Todd going places with his music & getting a little out-there: the middle section of "I'm In The Clique" was ample proof of that. "There Are No Words" was self-explanatory, a fully realized piece of "out-there" stuff: Todd all by his lonesome on vocals, channeling Brian Wilson without having to say a single word. The closing track, "Birthday Carol," was to Runt what "A Beautiful Song" was to Nazz Nazz: Todd showcasing his influences & songwriting skills without let or hindrance (& using a little leitmotif from "TANW" at the very end with the string section).

Haters would say, "What a weirdo," or "What was he thinking?" or "Who does this dude think he is?" But Todd Rundgren, the young buck on the scene, knew exactly what he wanted to do, where he wanted to go musically, & his first solo release was seen as a first but crucial step into realizing his goals as a musician as much as a producer & songsmith of the highest order.

More to follow...

Words of the day

Mother's Day is just around the corner & I felt that this would be a perfect opportunity to say the things I often have a tendency to leave unsaid:

You might be who knows how many miles away from your old home but when you get the chance call up your mom to tell her how much she is loved & appreciated; she'd not only love you all the more for it but she'll also understand how much you care about family. Oh, & it wouldn't hurt to send out a card & some gifts while you're at it.

Remember, Mother's Day is a chance to show your mom respect where it's due; on a day like this, it's not all you.

If family holds a pretty important place in your life, Mother's Day should be a big deal as well.

And having said that: If there was ever a time to show your moms that they're highly valued in your life, go out & do something wonderful for them, even if it's the smallest act of kindness.

96 tears

When a fraternity makes news headlines for all the wrong reasons, we tend to stop & stare, marveling at how badly they loused up. But when 6 fraternities make news headlines like so, oh man, we stop in our tracks wondering why they could tarnish their reputations as the leading Greek organizations on campus.

That's exactly what went down @ San Diego State just the other day; one fraternity was the star of the show but five others played a pivotal role in the front-page section as well. They didn't get nailed for a big block party with lots of alcohol & a bunch of unruly students finding stuff to break. It wasn't for hazing or for grades. Serious, it was for something far worse, something which makes me shudder every time I think about it: a huge drug ring.

My land: at a university where Greek life is kind of a big deal, this latest news of Greeks gone bad really takes the cake. I mean, this is a bit much for me to stomach: in organizations where we're promoting integrity, high moral standards (as well as values), there are those select few trying to challenge convention & the very ideals their respective chapters' founders brought to the table, & they're basically saying, "Well, we're in a frat & can do what we want, even if it's not legal."

Cases in point: those SDSU Theta Chis who openly dealt drugs with no qualms (& one of them even going wholesale in the text message dep't. informing customers on special prices for cocaine). Not just Theta Chi, but one needs to include the other fraternities who were part of the ring, & the members who stood by allowing such illegal activity to take place. Is this to say that they were the baddest of the bad in the Greek community? Among those 96 duders who got arrested, one was about to get a degree in criminal justice & another was going to get a master's in Homeland Security. Digressions aside, those fraternities who smelled a rat (that is to say, sensed that something was up with some of their members selling drugs) but chose to turn their backs & let them keep doing their thing just made the worst transgression of all: compromising their integrity, & with it their existence as premier Greek houses @ San Diego State.

I thought we'd have learned from the mistakes other folks in the Greek system made in the past. But this latest incident back in San Diego tells us that we still have a lot to learn: it's not this rote maxim that "crime does not pay," but what happens when bad things happen to some of the best & brightest Greeks in the bunch.

At the same time, we've found out what happens when the best & brightest Greeks in the bunch, even though they know their fellow brothers are up to no good or into illegal activities like selling drugs, look the other way & don't take action where it's sorely due: a few fraternities suspended, 8 dozen duders arrested.

L.A. Story

It seems that quite some time ago, Kobe Bryant was a full-blown spazz back in Los Angeles. He wanted to be traded to who knows where, he wasn't on amicable speaking terms with the Lakers GM & even his teammates, among other things...Kobe was on a huge ego trip we thought he'd never get off of. Not only that, but in a talent-laden Western Conference, we felt that Kobe & company would never be able to compete with the likes of Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, or the Spurs in general.

Fast forward to now: couldn't we have been more wrong. This season, Kobe could best be seen as a Renaissance Man, making a triumphant comeback for the ages. True, he's still the star of the show but this time around, he's getting help from his fellow teammates (one issue he fumed about no end last summer) & the Lakers are playing some of their best hoops since the good ol' days when Shaq was in town. (If only they had Shaq in a Lakers uniform again instead of him playing for those dreaded Suns...ugh.)

Who says attitudes can't change for the better? Well, Kobe has found redemption in more ways than one this season; he can still score points like a mofo but he's gained some selflessness in doing so. Sure, all eyes are still on the franchise player, the man of the hour. But lately, we haven't heard him pouting & fuming that the Lakers are underachieving. We haven't heard him screaming for an early exit, a move over to Chicago or Cleveland. The way things have gone with the Lakers for 2008, it looks like life is going Kobe's way. Not exactly, but from the way Los Angeles has been playing thus far, life is once more beginning to look good in Lakers land.

And no YouTube rants of Kobe asking us if we're kidding him or not: this year L.A. is a hoops force to be reckoned with & rightly so.

So this is goodbye...

Graduation. It's a time of year I remember vividly, not only as an alumni but also as a spectator. It can be a real emotional time; on other occasions it can be a joyous celebration for the ages. At any rate, Graduation is the end of one chapter to our lives & the start of another.

So this is goodbye? Well, Graduation is not only a goodbye to friends & hangouts we've come to know & love with all our hearts; it's also a hello of sorts. Of course, we're saying hello to the real world but we're also saying hello to new cities, new friends, new networks & connections. An event of such magnitude as Graduation isn't saying goodbye after all if we stop to think about it; in the same way, it's not the end of time either. If anything, real life has just began to sink in & it has started in earnest.

So this is goodbye? Graduation, for me, was not about saying goodbye to Muncie...I still visit the place every chance I get. It wasn't about saying goodbye to Greek life & all of its benefits...I'm truly proud to be Greek, to this very day. It wasn't about saying goodbye to many of my old connections & ties (which BTW I still have plenty of). It was about saying hello to the real world, hello to a whole new chapter of my life story, hello to a brand new period in my life.

This isn't goodbye. It's more like hello, on a day like this.