"Hell, there are no rules here - we're trying to accomplish something." - Thomas A. Edison
"I have found that people who can successfully resist temptation invariably lead depressingly stunted lives." — C.D. Payne
"So don't weep for me now, my friends, because science insists that I have not died. Energy just always changes state and I refuse to believe that human consciousness is the sole exception to this universal law." - Mark Millar
"Do only butterflies die in flames? What about those devoured by the flames within them?" - E.M. Cioran
In a move that I would describe as surprising, at the least, the Browns have put the franchise tag on kicker Phil Dawson. Under the current CBA (set to expire in 10 days), this means that Dawson will receive a 1-yr contract at the average of the top 5 highest paid players at his position. For Phil this translates into $3.25mil. Dawson, who counted himself among the many that did not expect the kicker back in Cleveland next season, sold his house in Westlake and was preparing for his first pro season off of the North Coast. The Brownies will wait until the labor situation is resolved to have conversations with the only kicker the "new" franchise has ever had. Only in Cleveland do we franchise a kicker.
The Buckeyes shot 53% from the field and turned the ball over just 3 times in beating Illinois 89-70. The Bucks held the lead for the final 39:27 and remained undefeated at home. David Lighty lead the way with 21 points and 6 steals. He put on a clinic early in the 2nd half stripping several Illini and scoring 13 consecutive at one point. William Buford scored 15 of his 17 in the 1st half, Jared Sullinger added 12 & 11 and Aaron Craft bounced back from a dreadful performance against Purdue with 6 assists and 0 turnovers. This win was crucial for OSU as they struggle to hang onto a coveted #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. Twice this season they have lost and twice they have responded by taking down a tough foe in the subsequent game. The ability to avoid a losing streak will be key in maintaining standing for a selection committee that will have to leave either the Bucks, Kansas, Texas, Pitt or Duke off of the 1 line. And here's what I would scream at the Buckeyes if I had their ear, "GUARD THE BALL ON THE PERIMETER! DO NOT GIVE UP OPEN 3s!" Can I emphasize that more? If OSU fails in March due to poor perimeter defense, I might go hunt each player down and smack him in mouth.
Too much of this never made much sense to me. All around me are the constructs of society, mores, folkways, rules and regulations. We're all so afraid of judgment that we hide ourselves from the world around. I'm not suggesting a filterless spew of dark secrets and deep desires, simply a common trust among our fellows. No one should have to hide in shame. No one should have to fight alone. To quote myself,
We're all so selfish, so afraid, so much like little children cowering behind absent skirts. The magic and the music is to share this with each other, but how can we if all of our gestures are painted with a timid, callous brush?
There's an old line that none of this matters if you're unhappy. So you you go down the list of things you should want - money, house, wife, kids, fast car, cocaine, star trek collector's plates, fame - and then you strike out on the path that society has laid out to get these things. You have that conversation with Tyler Durden's dad. Then, maybe you get there and it's not so great. Or maybe you fucked up 22 times and never got there at all. Maybe you're wallowing in self-indulgence at the colossal failure that your life has amounted to. Or maybe you lucked into getting everything exactly right, hit that goddamn nail right on the head. Then you get to be a leader of society. Then you get to tell everyone how you got there. Then people try to copy it. I'm not going to go off on a rant about the butterfly effect, but what works for the rooster won't work for the gander. There is not checklist, no template, no six-lane expressway to personal fulfillment. I read once that it's very difficult within the human condition to be happy unless you are flourishing. But here's the joker - you don't need to pull down six figures or marry the prom queen to flourish. All you need to do is honor yourself. How I got so deep into the mire without hearing of this is beyond me, although I suspect that it flies in the face of capitalism and the American Dream. You have to fight those things bereft of existential angst, those things that are to thine own self. No one can predict what they are and no one has the right to deem yours any less worthy than another. Chances are that you already know what these things are. They're unfolding for me as I write. There are a select few reasons not to do them, but most of us are not burdened with such weights. So go do them. Now. There will always be a thousand reasons to avoid them, scores of faces that still don't get it. Pay them no minds. This is not about instant gratification, not about base desires. Rather this about being human in it's fullest sense. If you don't do that, then you're not really alive. So I'm going to keep on talking, even if no one is listening. Strangely I'm no longer looking for any recognition, not struggling to solve the equation, find the answer. This isn't the meaning of life, but if you're unhappy I would give it a whirl. I don't have the discipline to paint a self-portrait, but I would love to sketch it for you, one streak of graphite at a time.
Ah, hell, I'm gonna play you some Justin Bieber for you cuz I have the fever. No, not really. I'll let Ed and John take us out. Cheers.
From New York to Denver - F Danilo Gallinari, G Raymond Felton, F Wilson Chandler, C Timofey Mozgov, the Knicks 2014 first round pick, 2 second round picks that New York received from Golden State in the David Lee deal, and $3mil cash (non-sequential, small denominations).
From Denver to NYK - 'Melo, G Chauncey Billups, F Renaldo Balkman, F Shelden Williams and G Anthony Crater.
From New York to Minnesota - F Anthony Randolph and C Eddy Curry.
From Minnesota to Denver - F Corey Brewer
Thank god it's over. All this and Deron Williams intends to head to Manhattan in 2012. But we still have the Cavs.... yay....
