Perfection

Perfection is on the horizon for the New England Patriots and would be the first time an NFL team has gone undefeated since the 1972 Miami Dophins. The Dolphins went 17-0 overall winning the Super Bowl and since then teams have come close but have not been able to go undefeated. Well this year appears to be different..The Patriots are currently 16-0 and are on the brink of history if they beat the New York Giants next week. I think this will definitely happen for a couple of reasons. The first reason is that soo much is at stake for the Patriots as if they go undefeated they will be in the history books forever. Also their opponent is the Giants who are in the playoffs and are not playing for anything at the moment. They just want their players to be healthy so most likely Tom Coughlin will not play the starters much more than a couple of series.. I can't blame him.. Sixteen other teams had a chance to beat the Patriots so its not the Giants fault if they don't play their starters and try their hardest to beat them. I believe New England will win this upcoming weekend with ease and etch their feat in the history books forever by being the first team since the 1972 Dolphins to finish a regular season undefeated.

Mamba vs. King James

Well tonight the two best players in the NBA squared off. Kobe Bryant aka "Mamba" and Lebron James aka "King James." Lebron's team pulled out the win 94-90 but seeing these two players in action against one another is always a treat. Both of them have all around games that make them the two most coveted players currently in the NBA. The way each player makes their respective teams better is awesome to watch. Lebron has more upside in my opinion as he is soo young and already has become one of the top 5 players in the league. I still don't think he has hit his prime yet as with Kobe he probably is in his prime at the moment. Tonight the King left the court victorious.

The Mamba

Known as the mamba...

The reason he is called the Mamba is because like the snake, Kobe's strike is deadly. The mamba is one of the worlds most deadliest snakes. Kobe Bryant is the NBA's most deadliest player. It has also been said to be the most aggressive snake in the world attacking for no reason. Kobe is the NBA's most intense player. Kobe went off without warning for 81 points against the Raptors in 06" and has plenty of 40 and 50 point games littered all through out his career. Thus why they call him the mamba.

According to Kobe, "The Mamba can strike with 99 percent accuracy at maximum speed, in rapid succession. That's the kind of basketball precision I want to have." The deadly Mamba snake is also known for raising itself four feet off the ground when threatened and being virtually impossible to kill.

Kobe is probably the best scorer in the league right now. I have not seen another player, except Michael Jordan, have the scoring repertoire and capability of Mister Bryant. Out of the current superstars in the league I'd have to say the only player with an all around game to mimic Kobe is Lebron James. Dwayne Wade when healthy can also be put in that category as a great all around player after you saw what he did in the NBA finals a few years back winning the finals MVP and bringing the Miami Heat their first NBA championship.

Watching Kobe play reminds me of when I used to watch Michael play. It's always soo exciting because you never know what he is going to do on the court and when he will have one of those memorable games like he did against the Raptors last year when he scored 81 points. So all I can say is each time you get to watch him play whether in person or on TV enjoy it because, like Michael, Kobe will not always be playing basketball so enjoy every moment of it now.

Mister T. Woods- A Proven Winner

Tiger Woods participated this past week in the Target World Challenge. This is actually his OWN tournament. Not many golfers have ever had their own tournament...Tiger wound up winning his tournament again for the fourth time since inception. It's just amazing to me to see an athelete in a sport where there are soo many competitors win in tournaments on a consistent basis. Its all on his talent as its not a team sport where others can pick up the slack when the star is not playing as well and the team still wins. In golf its Tiger's sole ability that determines whether he wins or loses a tournament. All I can say is that the way he dominates the tour is amazing and awesome to watch. Winning the Target World Challenge was definitely a nice way for him to finish off 2007.

Injuries

Everyone who has ever played a sport has for the most part experienced an injury at one time or another. While watching the Giants play the Redskins tonight yet another player suffered an injury. Jeremy Shockey wound up breaking his leg and will undergo surgery later this week. With his season now over he will be on the road to one of those tiresome, boring, long ordeals of rehab..

Seeing Shockey's injury tonight brought back memories for myself. I was fortunate to never break a bone playing basketball. Through my years I was pretty much injury free except for a sprained ankle/finger here and there. However my senior year of high school i remember when i went down on a drive to the basket and knew my left ankle was in pretty bad shape. After finishing the game (my coach was like Bobby Knight and did not care for one's injuries, lol) I went home and put my foot in an ice bucket. The pain was unbearable.. The next day I went to the doctor and was told I had a badly sprained ankle where I had torn some ligaments. I missed the next two games and during the next couple weeks I did intense water pool therapy and heat/cold stimulation sessions. Trying to get my ankle back into useable shape was a job in itself. I finished out the season playing decently but the ankle injury definitely hampered my productivity on the court at times.

After having that "significant injury" where I had to rehad and wasn't at 100% I realized that injuries are a part of the game and something you have to deal with. When you can't play up to your full potential or playing the game you love is taken away from you as a result of an in jury you realize that playing a sport is something you should cherish each day because it's something you will not always have the luxery of doing.

The Downfall of Marion Jones

I remember reading Sports Illustrated for kids when I was around 12 years old and seeing an article about this young girl named Marion Jones. She was known as the fastest female in high school track and field and she used to beat the high school boys on a regular basis in foot races. She went on to star in track and basketball at North Carolina where she was part of a national championship basketball team one year. Soon after Marion was the hottest female athelete in the Athens Olympics where she won five medals. She had endorsements with Nike, Wheaties and was known worldwide.

Then there became grumblings about all of these professional athletes taking performance enhancing drugs. She steadfastly denied ever taking drugs for a long time. However this past year she finally came forward and admitted to taking drugs to help her performance. This is a sad sad story. Of a great female athlete who known has embarassed herself, her sport and her family and friends. Its sad to think that someone soo talented would take performance enhancers for an edge over the competition. This is a world class athlete. You're telling me that she couldn't have trained harder and tried to become the best in her sport the right way.

Now she is broke, been stripped of her olympic medals and will have to live with what could have been for the rest of her life. People hit crossroads in their life when they can take a different path. The lesson to learn here is that whatever you do, do it the right way. Because in the end as long as you tried your hardest and put your best foot forward you should consider yourself a winner. If you cheat and win you know deep down inside that it doesn't mean as much as it would have if you did it the right way.

The Dukies!!

So college basketball season has started and I am ecstatic. The freshman class is great to watch. Whether its Eric Gordon at Indiana, Derek Rose at Memphis, O.J. Mayo at USC or Michael Beasley at Kansas State I have enjoyed the beginnings of what I believe will be a great college basketball season. There is also one other freshman I have grown to like watching play. He is such a smooth player and makes it look soo easy on the court and his name is Mister Kyle Singler from Duke University.

As most of you know Duke is my favorite basketball team. I know some of you might say well they are always good and you're a front runner but I really have liked the Dukies since I was a little kid and attended their summer basketball camp for 3 years in a row.

This year Duke is looking good. They are undefeated so far and are playing great team basketball. The thing I really like about the team this year is that they are soo deep. They go ten deep which is great because in recent years their depth was lacking. Anyways make sure you check some games out this year. Pretty much every Duke game is on TV so make some time and enjoy some great basketball!

Athletes with Illegitimate Kids

All I can say is read below...This is hilarious. Now I know why all these guys try to get as much money as possible from their respective sports. Now I know why Calvin Murphy is trying to broadcast games for the Rockets until the day he dies. I just don't know how these guys have enough money to pay child support and/or ALIMONY. All I can do is shake my head. Every time you think of having unprotected sex gentlemen please refer to what is below. Enjoy. Statements to remember. "No Glove, No Love" "Finance Before Romance"


ATHLETES WITH ILLEGITIMATE KIDS

THE HEAVYWEIGHTS
Calvin Murphy - 14 illegitimate kids by 9 women. You sir are our current champion.
Travis Henry - 9 kids by 9 women. All of this by 28. Impressive. He is on pace to catch Calvin. The fact that he's broke from paying child support may slow him down though.
Ex-San Antonio Spur Willie Anderson - 9 illegitimate kids. If only his field goal percentage had been as high as his impregnation rate.
Evander Holyfield - 9 illegitimate kids. Has more kids than brain cells left.
NEW MEMBER Jason Caffey - 8 kids by 7 women.
Shawn Kemp - 7 illegitimate kids by 6 women. Gives his nickname of the Reign Man new meaning.
Derrick Thomas - 7 illegitimate kids by 5 women. He died at 33. Let's just leave it at that.

THE MIDDLEWEIGHTS
NEW MEMBER Ray Lewis - 6 kids by 4 women.
NEW MEMBER Marshall Faulk - 6 kids by 3 women. Which is probably why he considered coming out of retirement.
Larry Johnson (basketball) - 5 kids by 4 women. 3 are illegitimate.
Charles Rogers - Uber-NFL Draft bust reportedly has 5 illegitimate kids...and no paycheck. Definitely the makings of a solid family.
Vlad Guerrero - 4 kids by 4 women.
Santonio Holmes - 3 illegitimate kids by two women, before leaving college.
Former Celtic Greg Minor - 3 illegitimate kids.
Ricky Williams - 3 illegitimate kids. Maybe that's why he smokes so much weed.
Priest Holmes - 3 illegitimate kids. You best keep running Priest.
Chad Johnson - Has 3 illegitimate kids.
Shannon "Horseface" Sharpe - 3 as well.
Mike Bibby - apparently had two before leaving 'Zona.

THE LIGHTNING FAST GROUP
Willis McGahee - 3 illegitimate kids in 2 years in Buffalo. Not a lot to do in Buffalo, except make babies. Lots and lots of babies.

THE GUYS YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT GROUP
Walter Herrmann
Peja Stojakovic
Wizards Coach Eddie Jordan
NHL player Daniel Alfredsson
NHL player Richard Zednik
Mike Miller
Marvin Harrison
Tracy McGrady

THE FAMOUS OLD GUYS GROUP
Steve Garvey - 2 illegitimate kids by 2 women.
Dr. J - 2 illegitimate kids by 2 women. I actually met one of them.
Larry Bird
Isiah Thomas
Jim Palmer
Darryl Strawberry
Pete Rose
Tug McGraw

THE GETTING A HEAD START GROUP
Gary Sheffield - Had 2 illegitimate kids by age 17. Added a few more later on in life.

THE THAT'S JUST WRONG GROUP
Elijah Dukes - recently impregnated a 17-year-old foster child. Also has 4 more illegitimate kids - making him a middleweight as well.

THE QB KIDS GROUP
Matt Leinart - already has one, my guess is he's working hard on another while that collar bone heals.
Tom Brady - the dream baby is here.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON THIS GUY GROUP
Noel Devine - He's not an official member yet because he's not a pro. He's an incoming freshman at WV. But he had 2 illegitimate kids in high school, and possibly more. Keep it Noel, a good start, but you've got a long way to go.

GUYS WITH AT LEAST ONE ILLEGITIMATE KID
Antawn Jamison
Chipper Jones
DeShawn Stevenson
Cliff Floyd
Mark Messier
Brian Urlacher
Rae Carruth - Yes, he fathered an illegitimate kid before the incident where he had his pregnant girlfriend gunned down.
Oscar De La Hoya
Juan Gonzalez
Andre Rison
David Justice
Andruw Jones
Alonzo Spellman
Dave Meggett
Gary Payton - From a reader: The best part about Gary Payton is that his illegitimate kid is named "Gary Payton, Jr." so that when his wife (or whatever) had a kid, and he wanted a junior, he couldn't do it without major confusion, so he named his legitimate kid "Gary Payton II."
Stephon Marbury
Jason Kidd
Allen Iverson
Latrell Sprewell
Juwan Howard
Kenny Anderson
Scottie Pippen
Hakeem Olajuwon
Patrick Ewing
Randy Johnson

M. Vick

So as you all know Mister Mike Vick aka Dog Trainer has been sentenced to 23 months in jail. That means he will not be out of jail until the fall of 2009. That's a long time folks..See the problem here is that there is no real training facility in jail. So for Vick to stay in shape these next two years on a PROFESSIONAL level will be quite hard. Each year new quarterbacks come in the league as well and it will be harder as time goes on for him to get a job in the football league. This is what I don't get. Why was he wasting his time fighting dogs when he could've spent that time trying to get more endorsements and BETTER his image which was a little suspect as it was. Now his image is ruined, he lost 20M of his contract but the total losses for him could be closer to at least 100M considering the future money he could have made in the NFL and through endorsements. It's really sad to see such a gifted athlete throw soo much away and not think about the consequences of his actions beforehand. I really hope Mister Vick thinks a lot about what he did and that he decides to change his life for the better and be a changed person when his sentence is up. Until then stay out of trouble Vickster.

I'm Baaaaaack!!!

After a long hiatus yours truly is back to blogging on a consistent basis. See I got sidetracked with work, exercising as well as other stuff and I finally realized I have to stay on top of blogging as well to keep my readers happy and entertained. So I'm back and looking forward to providing insightful information to all!

New Orleans

It was great getting to head down to New Orleans with The Associates for a work conference. First off I had never been there and had heard how much fun it is. The first benefit of going down Saturday morning was that the plane was only half full. Thus I had a whole exit row to myself. Was pretty sweet I must say. However I usually sleep all the time when I travel so I didn't notice it that much. When we got to New Orleans we headed off to Bourbon Street. Seeing Mardi Gras on TV and all the craziness associated with that street I was excited. I can't believe how narrow the street is. Is still hard for me to believe all those people are able to fit on it at one time during Mardis Gras. Anyways it was cool to see all the different stores/bars and restaurants. We had a great time and all in all New Orleans was a good time.

That Time of Year

As all sports fans know the best time of year is the fall. First off you have the baseball playoffs, so if you are a new york fan like me (I like the yankees more but if the mets are in the playoffs i'm rooting for them too)then you get to watch the games that actually count in an intense atmosphere. Next you have college football. Granted my team Notre Dame isn't doing soo hot this year lol but it's still fun to watch all the other great games every Saturday. Next you have the NFL. I have grown to really like the NFL over the years and its a great way to spend your lazy Sunday as well. And last but not least you have the NBA. The best of the best. This year should bring another exciting season. All in all you just gotta love the fall!!

Can I say Dream Team?

Well I have to say before the FIBA world championships I was a little worried. The U.S. men's senior basketball team had lost last summer and had to settle for the bronze. And last summer's team had Lebron, Melo and D Wade. But...joining the U.S. team this go around were a few main players. Kobe Bryant, Chauncey Billups, Tayshaun Prince, Michael Redd and Jason Kidd. The team this was summer was legit. Let's go through each player one by one real quick. Amare Stoudemire aka STAT(Standing Tall and Talented) was a man child this summer. He basically dominated each team the U.S. played on the inside. Dwight Howard. Man among boys and he still is a young boy. Enough said. Michael Redd. Great shooter who opens up the inside and keeps teams from playing zone. Tayshaun Prince. Jack of all trades. He continually scored clutch baskets and played great D. Chauncey Billups. Experienced point guard who played a great floor game and had the team running fast breaks all game along with Jason Kidd who played incredible. These two experienced point guards helped the U.S. team immensely. Lebron, Melo, Kobe were all INCREDIBLE. They dominated the game and whoever was guarding them.

It was great seeing this team play. They really seem to be getting used to playing together and they sort of looked like the original Dream Team from 1992. They blew out all of their opponents and made it look easy. And...this team didn't have Chris Paul, Chris Bosh or Dee Wade. Just imagine how much better they will make the team. Anways I'm looking foward to the Olympics next summer and seeing the U.S. bring home the GOLD!!

The New Sheriff in Town

It's kind of neat to be able to say the all time home run record was broken during my lifetime and I was able to see it on television. It's one of the most storied records in baseball (if not the most) besides the consecutive games played record held by Cal Ripken Jr. and the all time strike outs record held by Nolan Ryan. A lot of people out there do not like Barry Bonds or say he is on steroids. Mind you it has yet to be proven that he did you steroids...I feel Barry should be given his due because the record he broke was incredible and lasted for a long long time. Granted Alex Rodriguez might catch him enventually but for now enjoy the record Barry and congratulations.

Yet Again..

I am not a big golf fan. Never was. However I must say that whenever I watch Tiger Woods play I get entranced. Its so riveting to watch him play at times. Yesterday in the final round of the PGA Championship, Tiger basically played it safe through the entire round, just taking pars on each hole. He ended up winning his 13th Major. It's amazing how good he is and how much he has accomplished in his career. Golf is a sport where he could essentially be at the top of his game for another 10-15 years. With the shape that he is in and the way he takes care of himself combined with the drive he has to win who knows what he will accomplish in the coming years. I kinda believe that once he passes the record of 18 Major wins by Jack Nicklaus that he will hang them up soon thereafter. He is not someone who will stick around to just be there. He's more the type that has other dreams and goals and would rather be challenged to achieve them instead.

Mister Antonio

So its time to introduce everyone to the new addition to the Martin family. He goes by the name of Antonio. I have to say it's nice to have a nephew for the simple fact that I have never had one. I have three nieces which is also nice but I feel I like having a nephew is cool because I can teach him to play different sports and to make Diesel aware of his place in society.

I haven't spent too much time with Antonio yet but I did go to the beach with him and my sister in law for Memorial Day weekend. All he did was smile the whole time there. He seems to really be enjoying life and having a good time. It's going to be fun watching him grow and experience life. I kind of hope he learns to like basketball so I can teach him the ins and outs :)

Cheating??

Welcome to Tim Donaghy's world... Granted he did have a great job. Being a referee in the NBA and interacting with superstars on a daily basis during the season is a once in a lifetime job for most people. A key saying that I was told when I was younger is "To whom much is given, much is expected" Well Timmy was given a great job and a lot was expected of him as an NBA referee. First and foremost he was expected to call games fairly without any type of bias. That's the root of his job...But recently in the news its been stated that he is being investigated by the FBI for allegations that he bet on games that he officiated over the past two seasons and that he made calls affecting the point spread in games. There is nothing worse in sport than someone cheating the system. Whether as a track and field athlete who takes performance enhancers to run faster, or a baseball player who tries to get an edge over the competition with the use of steroids. Any records that are broken in competition now are scrutinized to the fullest extent as you just don't know who is using performance enhancers and who is not.

Deep down I hope Tim Donaghy isn't guilty of cheating the system. But in reality I believe he is because why would the FBI go through all of this and have it hit the newswire if there wasn't credible evidence. It's sad that people will do such things for greed. Personally I feel if you have a decent life and can live comfortably and enjoy what life is all about then why do you have to be soo greedy? It's not like you can take that extra money to your grave. And is it worth public embarassment as well as the ridicule and hurt your family will receive as a result of your actions? I don't think so...Anyways it should be interesting to see how this story unfolds over time. It definitely is reality TV drama.

Changes in the East

Well as you all know by now there have been a few trades this past summer that have reshaped basketball in the Eastern Conference. The Western Conference has been the powerhouse of the two conferences pretty much since Michael Jordan retired for the second time in 1998. My co-worker Dave made a good point the other day about how it seems like aging stars from the Western Conference seem to move to the Eastern Conference to finish out their respective careers. Two stars that fit this bill are Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. Yes both are still great players but they are past their prime or right at the peak of their playing ability. However both of these players will help the Boston Celtics out of the basement in the Atlantic Conference. They will bring excitement and will help the "Truth" Paul Pierce win some games this year. This is great for Boston considering they did not win the NBA lottery this past year.

The Knicks also made a few good moves. First off they got rid of Steve Francis and his huge contract and were able to get Zach Randolph who will help with rebounding (Eddy Curry does not rebound) and will provide a consistent low post scorer. Also the Knicks drafted Wilson Chandler and Demetrius Nichols who looked good in the summer league along with Nate "The Great" Robinson, Vegas summer league MVP. So I think the Knicks will be fun to watch this year and should have a decent season as long as they avoid the injury bug. The Magic also signed Rashard Lewis. I still think they paid him too much money so you have to give his agent a lot of credit... He will give the Magic a more consistent scorer though.

Overall this summer has been filled with changes around the league. This upcoming season should be great and I look forward to seeing all the exciting action!

NYC Steam Pipe Explosion

Yesterday was a normal afternoon/evening. I was finishing up work and decided to take the subway home to make sure I would be able to pick up my laundry before closing. As I entered the subway station on 32nd and Park the 6 looked really packed and my first instinct was to squeeze in and get home. Then I was like there's probably another train right behind it so I'll wait to have more space. Once the train departed someone came over the loudspeaker and said all 4,5 and 6 trains were stopped in both directions as there was an explosion at Grand Central. I thought I heard wrong but they said it again. So I exited the subway station looked up Lexington Avenue and could not believe what I saw. A huge geyser of steam and brown-like substance was spouting out of the ground with incredible force. There were a ton of people standing, staring, wondering if this was an act of terror. Bystanders had there camera phones out taking pictures, others were walking towards the explosion to get a better look...It wound up being a steam pipe explosion...Thoughts just went through my head the whole time. What if I had taken that subway train...Was that 6 train stuck at Grand Central as a result? What if I had decided to walk home and the steam pipe had exploded near me? I usually walk in that area on my way home. I just hope everyone who was in the area at that time ends up being ok. I know one woman died from a heart attack and others were injured. All you can do is hope and pray those injured turn out ok. Situations like this just make you think about life and how precious it is and how it can all be taken away from you or loved ones in an instant. I always try to let the people who are an important part of my life know how much they mean to me in one way or another on a consistent basis.

The Associates

So I guess its time to formally introduce everyone to a group known by most as "The Associates." We are a multi-dimensional group of young men who enjoy the finer things in life, work hard and just like to have a good time no matter what we do. I'm sure most of you reading this already know me...I do have a few nicknames that have been given to me by my co-workers including biz, bron bron, darkness and 50-50. Well that's all you will be learning about me. Time to introduce my co-workers who complete the Associates

Kevin Werner-known as K Dub, Dubster, Mister W. Attended Boston College where Craig "CheeseBurger" Smith, as Kevin calls him and Troy Bell (a great college basketball player who dominated Big East play) attended. He's a very funny guy who loves the Mets and sports in general. Likes to work with numbers (you should know he was doing calculus since elementary school...genuis). Kevin is also very knowledgeable on an array of topics so he is a great perosn to listen to and learn from. A cool thing about Kevin is that he is pretty much willing to try anything even if he's never done it before or in awhile. Last week we had an intramural basketball game and we needed extra players so he offered to play with us and played very well I might add. Its things like that which make him a great person. I picked up this blogging thing from Kevin as well. Make sure to check out his site at www.kevinwerner.com

David Axelrod-known as Wise (from the LeBrons), Daxelrod, Dax, D. Attended Duke University. I love Duke basketball so we get along great as a result :) Dave enjoys all sports and is very knowledgeable on the topic so he is great to talk to about all the happenings from Michael Vick being indicted for dog fighting to Rashard Lewis getting overpaid by the Magic. One of the cool things is that we both played basketball in high school so its always cool hearing the people he's played against that are now in the nba or playing overseas and vice versa. He also was the original founder of garbage can basketball which has taken the world by storm!

Victor Chiang-known as Vic,V-ster, Vickster, Slumlord. Attended Duke University so we get along as well because of the love for Duke basketball :) The main thing about Vic is that he just loves to compete at random things. For example we challenged him to eat everything on the Wendy's dollar menu within an hour and he did it in 45 minutes. Go figure... It would take a lot of money for me to do that. He did win $100 by the way for it. However I have told V that we are going to have a competition of different games between all of the Associates. Including pool, darts, ping pong, bowling, etc. That should be interesting.

Richard Kubanik-doesn't have a nickname yet and unfortunately is not in the picture above as he just recently joined the Associates. However please be certain that I will find a great nickname for him! Attended Vanderbilt University. So far it's been great getting to know and work with him. One thing I do have to say is that he is the best dressed Associate everyday. Hands down.

That '98 Hurricane Bball Team

So I decided to bring it back a bit.. Back about 10 years as a tribute to those special teammates I played with on "that 98 team." Jermain Hollman, Dale Menendez, Jason Ritchie, Mike Ford, Jeremy Liggon and Dwayne Sanders. What an interesting journey it was. It basically began when I was a ninth grader in the winter of 1997. We were undefeated (20-0) and were playing the top team in Class B Amityville at Stony Brook for the Class B Championship. We were not expected to win as Amityville was a known powerhouse and was the favorite all year. However all game we hung close and even had the lead by 2 points with a minute to go in the game. We wound up losing the game and we were all heartbroken and in tears afterwards but it was the beginning of a year long dedication.

That summer we all played a ton of basketball together. Most of us played AAU that summer and went to respective basketball camps to hone our games but the most important thing is that we played together a ton..whether it was with summer league games playing other east end teams or just playing on a random day down at the elementary school at the outdoor courts. Our goal was simple: Never to feel the way we did when we lost to Amityville the prior year thus ending our then undefeated season.

When the 1997-1998 season began we were on a mission. We scrimmaged the best teams on the island and practices were very intense. I was now in my third season on the varsity and the great thing about practice was that everyone knew they had to bring that intensity day in and day out. We all did and as a result practice was never longer than an hour and a half. It was great! Throughout the season we bonded even more as a team, as a school and as a community. I will never forget when we were 24-0 and had just won the Long Island Class B championship over South Side at Hofstra University. The fans were standing and cheering for us for what seemed like an eternity and we were finally going upstate to play for the Public School Class B State Championship. First time that the Westhampton Beach boys basketball team was heading upstate!

The day we headed upstate I remember the big coach bus with TV's parked in front of the school. We were all amped up and excited. As we all got on the bus I remember all of the studends, faculty looking out of windows of the middle school and high school bidding us farewell. Then as we passed the elementary school the entire school was outside waving at the bus as it drove by...very touching moment I must say.

When we got upstate we blew out Penn Yan Academy. They were a decent team but could not handle our tenacious defense. The next day we were finally playing for the state public championship. I had never been more nervous before a game in my life. Because I couldn't fathom losing that last game for the state title. We were playing Westhill, the team that won the state title the year before. Long story short we won by 20 points! Our defense was amazing and all of us played like our lives were on the line(well they were, we had a Bobby Knight as a coach). We felt like we were on cloud nine. When our bus arrived back in Westhampton we were escorted by the fire/police department to the high school where there was a mass of people. There was a celebration in the gym and that week of school was soo hectic. From being congratulated non stop to having basketball practice (for the state federation championship the following week) life seemed surreal. We wound up winning the state federation championship as well, capping a perfect 28-0 season.

I will have to say that has been the most amazing time in my life to date. I finally realized that you can reach goals (no matter how lofty they may seem) if you work really hard. I remember when we were 11 or so and Jeremy and I would talk about winning a state title and how great it would be. To see that dream come true was priceless.

Fast forward to today and I still think of all those guys I play with. Getting to see Jermain and Jeremy on a pretty consistent basis brings back memories and makes me smile. And when I get to see Jason, Mike, Dale and Dwayne I sometimes think of how much we went through to achieve that common goal which will forever keep us all linked. And on a last note playing a rec summer bball game with Jermain the other day for the first time since high school was really nice even though neither of us are the players we used to be. :)

To view information on this historical season please go to the link below:
http://members.tripod.com/~jermain/

Dee Booner

I am back! I know it's been awhile but I have finally gotten around to giving everyone historical insight on the infamous Dee Booner. Dee Booner was named by his parents after the legendary Daniel Boone. Daniel Boone was an explorer and hunter whose exploits made him one of the most famous frontiersman in American history. As Dee Booner went through life he began learning about the person he was named after and he wanted to follow in his footsteps and live up to the great legend of Daniel Boone. In grade school he would show up with toy rifles and continously tell his classmates how he was going to be a great hunter one day. Someone with the ability to kill all types of animals to provide for his family on the frontier. His classmates would make fun of him constantly as a result of him being "different" but Dee Booner didn't care. He stuck to his word and over time became one of the greatest hunters to ever live on the planet. Mister Booner is now 97 years old and lives in Montana. He still owns "Dee Booner's Hunting Shop" which is now run by two of his kids. There are still days when Dee will go outside, look around and think of all the great hunting expeditions he had. His dream now is to groom his grandson to be a great hunter and to continue the family tradition that he started. The moral of this history lesson is that you can do whatever you want in life if you put your mind to it. However if you enjoy hunting and living on the frontier you might be referred to as "Dee Booner" and now you know why...

The Originations of Tommy Franks

About 8 years ago another animal entered my life... I had already lived a life full of animals from birds, to cats, to rabbits, to hamsters, a parrot and I'm sure the list goes on and on. I just dont have the mind capacity available to remember each and every one. My mom just loves animals and now that there are no kids left in the house they are her "children" so more power to her.

This new animal had a few distinguishing characteristics. For one he was a dog...The other main features that he had were a huge head (thus his nickanme at times is head magee), white in color and a powerfully built body. Upon his entrance into my parents home at a few weeks old I knew this animal would decide to be the leader of the pack. My little brother named him Diesel for his muscular, well built frame. As time went on this name fit him very well.

One day we took Diesel to the local beach for an introduction to the ocean and sand. Diesel was calm at first but then he saw other dogs and he began leaping through the sand to get to them. At his young age it was easy to catch him and restrain him from saying "hello I'm Diesel, leave my beach" but I knew he was going to be a piece of work as time went on. Over and over that late afternoon he would leap after other dogs and we would have to catch him and bring him back to where we were...

As Diesel got older he took control of the household in more ways than one. For starters he beat up Princess, another dog of ours, so that for the rest of her life the two of them could not have any contact. One would be upstairs the other downstairs or outside in the backyard. Diesel also had a little brother named Phantom. He beat him up too. So he was now the "top dawg" in the house which he thoroughly enjoyed. Another way Diesel took control of the house was through eating. If my parents "forgot" to feed him on time he would ram his head into the couch repeatedly until his hunger was satisfied. One other way he shows his dominance is when he wants to sleep. He stretches out on the whole couch so Phantom has to sleep on the floor. Or if my Dad is on the couch that Diesel wants he will push him into the corner so he can stretch his large frame. When I visit Diesel will sleep in my bed which is always not the best thing...He repeatedly pushes me against the wall and leaves me very little room while he enjoys the comforts of life.

All in all Diesel is quite the dog and I love him. I have since began calling him Mister T. Franks as well b/c he runs the Martin household just like how Tommy Franks directed the U.S. troops in Iraq. Currently Diesel is still the leader of the Martin household. He believes if your not the leader of the pack the scenary never changes...

Vernacular

Many people have asked me where I come up with the different sayings, lingo, etc that I use on a daily basis. Well I am about to give you the history of B Lee's vernacular...


It all began a couple years ago. I was innocently enough listening to one of my favorite rapper's, snoop doggy dogg, and I came across a great line from one of his songs. It was as follows: "fo shizzle nizzle, its the big neptizzle"


I thought it was really neat how snoop put "izzle" on certain lyrics he used in his songs. This was something that really interested me. I started thinking about different ways to use this. I began just putting every letter of the alphabet in front of "izzle" and seeing what came of it. Words like bizzle, hizzle, dizzle, trizzle all sounded pretty cool to me. Over time I tried to think of words that went in conjunction. This is where the infamous "hizzle, hazzle, trizzle, trazzle" surfaced. Another idea that came to me was to add "ster" to various words. For example if one wanted to take a nap you would say the individual was partaking in a napster. Over time words were created by myself and friends that gave us a way to bond and having a fun way of communicating. I am now going to share some words from our current vocabulary. Enjoy!


1) yes sir dawg (ysd)-a way of responding in the affirmative to a friend.



2) hizzle hazzle trizzle trazzle (hiz haz triz traz)-can be used in a variety of ways. mostly used at the end of a statement or to illicit a response from a friend.



3)mister maybach-was coined when Gilbert Arenas decided to buy his father a maybach. the word is used when talking to someone who is looking to be on a path to wealth and riches.



4) wise-coined by the associate David. named for a character from the LeBrons. currently the name for the associate David.



5) business(biz)-coined by the associate David. named for a character from the LeBrons.currently the nickname for the associate Bronson.



6) sir dawg sir-a term coined by the associate Victor. it is a way of giving any statement made that extra umph.

7) mister magee-a term that just came to my head. i really can't pinpoint where it originated. i just liked how it sounded. :)

8) caaap hook-a term used when a male or female is hooked by the opposite gender. whether its because of love, lust or whatever else the person has been hooked by captain hooks well known iron hook.

9) flipster-a term coined by the associate David. In reference to Ronald "Flip" Murray of the Detroit Pistons. a high riser(at times) as Kirk Hinrich knows...lol.

10) plates-coined when younger brother A was seen putting up numerous plates on the bench press.

11) my body is my temple-more of a phrase. coined by the younger brother of mr. lee when describing his physical speciment.

12) hibachi-word spoken when mr. arenas begins his fireworks display to the dismay of opposing players and coaches, notably the phoenix suns and the portland trailblazers.

13) smoke-has a few different meanings when used in different contexts. for example "i'm going to smoke you" can mean i am going to knock you out or leave you in the dust. the latter could be in a race or playing an individual one on one on a basketball court.

14) DTH-termed coined by Denis Kelleher meaning "drop the hammer" :)

Anyways I am always open to new vernacular. If you are creative and would like to add to the list by all means contribute!

The One, The Only, His Airness

He has been mentioned in the category of Ali. Referred to at times as MJ, Mike Jordan, Michael, His Airness, Air Jordan, #23. The list goes on ...One of the most amazing things about MJ is that he failed time and time again in his life. Whether it was not making his high school varsity basketball team as a sophomore or missing game winning shots in the nba. What sets him apart from a lot of players, besides his great talent, is his determination to work harder than anyone else and never be afraid of taking the last shot of a game. It was a pleasure getting to see him play.

"The Beginning"

It's weird how I became one to begin blogging.. My coworker Kevin began a blog last year and i thought about it but never got the motivation to get one started. until today, that is. So here I am beginning a journey that will be adventurous, fun filled and interesting!