#mikal jones

[foxsoulart]

Some Bad future Mikal, I should draw my sassy baby boy more, he's fun to draw.

[rickeajacksons]

[charlesoberonn]

Not the original person who asked for book recs, but I really appreciate that list/the detail you put into it, and also how it was a sort of expansive list that seemed to have a little something for everyone. Thank you, Charles. I’d also be very interested in hearing your non-fiction recs!

Will do!

Tom Holland's History of Rome series (Rubicon, Dynasty, and Pax) covers the end of the Roman Republic and the beginning of the Roman Empire (From Julius Caesar up to the Emperor Hadrian) in an engaging and easy-to-follow narrative.

Ponzinomics by Robert Fitzpatrick is about the history of Multi-Level Marketing scams. How they came to be from earlier scams, how they grew so powerful, and how they evaded accountability by entrenching themselves in the highest levels of politics and the economy.

Mikal Hem's How to Be a Dictator is a funny but informative book about how autocrats come to power, stay in power, and all the things they do with that power, written in the form of a guide for the morally scrupilous to become dictators themselves.

The Road to Jonestowns by Jeff Guinn is a very good biography of cult leader and mass-murderer Jim Jones. It illustrates very well the contradictions of the man and his organization, being both an activist who helped the needy and a power-hungry cult leader who abused thousands of his own followers and eventually killed hundreds of them.

The hardest reads but maybe the most important are The Holocaust by Laurence Rees and American Holocaust by David Stannard. The Nazis' genocide of Jewish people and millions of others, and the centuries-long extermination and extinction of most of the indigenous peoples of the Americas are some of the biggest atrocities and tragedies in human history and yet most people know only the most basic details about them if at all.

[officermaddie23]

Mikal has gained the respect of 2 of the most powerful broods in Crescent Reach both the Stormscale and the Jones brood

[revenseventyr]

Old Christmas films could be the key to Christmas spirit

Journey to the Christmas Star has a remake, but it's still the original that's shown on Christmas Eve. (Photo: Norsk Filmdistribusjon)

Original article by Vilde Aardahl Aas can be read here in Norwegian (bokmål). Translation by revenseventyr.

Many Christmas films are outdated, but we watch them anyway.

For many, Christmas doesn't begin until they've seen the shoe fit Cinderella's foot or eight-year-old Kevin make plans to defend his house from burglars in Home Alone.

For others, it's not Christmas until they've heard Hugh Grant stammer forth that love actually is all around in Love Actually.

Not all famous and beloved Christmas films have endured, but what is it that turns a film into a Christmas film?

We've asked Mikal Olsen Lerøen what a Christmas film is. He's a lecturer at the University of Bergen, as well as an author and film critic.

Why do we continue to watch these films of varying quality year after year?

What makes a Christmas film?

For many the answer might be obvious. A Christmas film is a film about Christmas. But there are many films we watch at Christmas that don't fit into this category.

Lerøen splits Christmas films into three categories.

The first category is films about Christmas.

The second category is films that aren't about Christmas, but are set at Christmastime. One example is the Bruce Willis film Die Hard.

The last category is simply films that many people watch at Christmas. Three Nuts for Cinderella and The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix don't have anything to do with Christmas, but they've nevertheless become Christmas films.

We see an old-fashioned world we've left behind

A popular genre at Christmas is romantic comedies—often older British films like Bridget Jones' Diary, Love Actually and The Holiday.

'They're simple kinds of films. They're never very dramatic, but you get an hour and a half of good atmosphere,' says Lerøen.

In recent times these films have received a lot of criticism. Love Actually especially is the subject of discussion that turns up every Christmas. Lerøen highlights many of the same problems in Bridget Jones' Diary.

'If Bridget Jones' Diary had been made today, it would have experienced many challenges. Some classic romantic films that are big at Christmas have attitudes that aren't accepted any more.

'We can watch these films again, even if Bridget Jones says she weighs 63kg and is overweight. We know that doesn't work today. We still watch these films, even though they obviously have weaknesses.'

Many get in the Christmas mood from romantic comedies like Love Actually. (Photo: UIP.com)

Surprising favourites

There's also a share of films that don't necessarily have anything to do with Christmas. Some films we also watch at other times of year, but they're still special when Christmas arrives.

'I went on HBO and the category 'Christmas' came up and it included the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Harry Potter films. It's extremely strange,' says Lerøen.

It's difficult for some to see what wizards and hobbits have to do with Christmas, but for others it's obvious they belong to Christmas.

'There are traditions we've created as a community, often because TV channels have aired these films at Christmas. It could also be that many people watch them at Christmas because they have a good time and it's therefore become a tradition. Many people make their own Christmas traditions and stick to them.'

New traditions

Both Three Nuts for Cinderella and Journey to the Christmas Star have had remakes. But it's still the original versions that are aired on Christmas Eve.

'New versions of films such as Three Nuts for Cinderella and Journey to the Christmas Star don't work as triggers for a Christmas atmosphere. We haven't been watching them for 10-15 years and made traditions out of them. We have to invest time in those new films.

'If we begin to watch these new films with children when they're small, we'll make new traditions. Then we won't need the old films any more,' Lerøen explains.

Even though the new films might be better, we don't have the same feelings connected to them. Lerøen thinks that could change.

'If we have this conversation again in ten years, it could be that the younger generations think the new versions create more Christmas atmosphere than the old versions.'

The remake of Three Nuts for Cinderella could become a part of people's Christmas traditions, but it will take time, according to Lerøen. (Photo: Nordisk Film)

The hunt for Christmas cheer

There are many roads to a festive atmosphere, and for many watching Christmas films is the right way to go.

'The main purpose of these films is to create a sense of festivity around Christmas. It doesn't matter if we get it from going to a Kurt Nilsen Christmas concert or from going to church. It isn't about whether we take part in high or low culture. It's about what makes things feel like Christmas for us,' Lerøen explains.

According to Lerøen, there are also several things that make us stick to tradition with Christmas films, even the films that aren't particularly good.

'Some films are only good at Christmas and will get you in a particular mood. You're often tired after many hours of Christmas shopping and want to put your feet up and treat yourself,' says Lerøen.

[diarioelpepazo]

Un repaso a los 30 'rosters' de las franquicias de la Liga MARCA BASKET El comienzo de la temporada regular en la NBA trae también la conformación definitiva de las plantillas de la Liga. Estamos ante una nueva edición de la mejor Liga del mundo con varios candidatos en el furgón principal y un grupo de elegidos que lucharán por el premio MVP a la vez que tratan de meter a sus equipos en lo más alto. Como guía para seguir la temporada, estas son las 30 plantillas de los equipos de la NBA: Atlanta Hawks Plantilla: Saddiq Bey, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kobe Bufkin, Clint Capela, Bruno Fernando, A.J. Griffin, Mouhamed Gueye, De'Andre Hunter, Jalen Johnson, Seth Lundy, Garrison Mathews, Wesley Matthews, Patty Mills, Dejounte Murray, Miles Norris, Onyeka Okongwu, Trae Young, Trent Forrest. Altas: Kobe Bufkin (R), Mouhamed Gueye (R), Seth Lundy (R), Wesley Matthews (MIL), Patty Mills (BKN), Miles Norris (R). Bajas: John Collins (UTA), Aaron Holiday (HOU), Vit Krejci (MIN), Tyrese Martin (MIN), Donovan Williams (GSW). Jalen Johnson.EFE. Boston Celtics Plantilla: Dalano Banton, Oshae Brissett, Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford, Payton Pritchard, Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Luke Kornet, J.D. Davison, Svi Mykhailiuk, Kristaps Porzingis, Neemias Queta, Jay Scrubb, Lamar Stevens, Jordan Walsh, Nathan Knight. Altas: Dalano Banton (TOR), Oshae Brissett (IND), Wenyen Gabriel (LAL), Jrue Holiday (MIL), Svi Mykhailiuk (CHA), Kristaps Porzingis (WAS), Neemias Queta (SAC), Jay Scrubb (ORL), Lamar Stevens (CLE), Jordan Walsh (R), Nathan Knight (MIN) Bajas: Malcolm Brogdon (POR), Justin Champagnie (MIA), Danilo Gallinari (WAS), Blake Griffin, Mfiondu Kabengele, Mike Muscala (WAS), Marcus Smart (MEM), Grant Williams (DAL), Robert Williams (POR), Wenyen Gabriel. Kristaps PorzingisLAPRESSE. Brooklyn Nets Plantilla: Darius Bazley, Mikal Bridges, Armoni Brooks, Nicolas Claxton, Noah Clowney, Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, Harry Giles, Cameron Johnson, Royce O'Neale, Day'Ron Sharpe, Ben Simmons, Dennis Smith Jr., Cam Thomas, Lonnie Walker, Trendon Watford, Dariq Whitehead, Jalen Wilson. Altas: Darius Bazley (PHX), Armoni Brooks, Noah Clowney (R), Harry Giles, Dennis Smith Jr. (CHA), Lonnie Walker (LAL), Trendon Watford (POR), Dariq Whitehead (R), Jalen Wilson (R). Bajas: Seth Curry (DAL), David Duke Jr. (PHI), RaiQuan Gray, Joe Harris (DET), Patty Mills (ATL), Dru Smith (MIA), Edmond Sumner (CHA), Yuta Watanabe (PHX). Dorian Finney-Smith.LAPRESSE. Charlotte Hornets Plantilla: Amari Bailey, LaMelo Ball, Leaky Black, James Bouknight, Miles Bridges, Gordon Hayward, Cody Martin, Bryce McGowens, Brandon Miller, Frank Ntilikina, Nick Richards, Terry Rozier, Nick Smith Jr., Edmond Sumner, P.J. Washington, Mark Williams, J.T. Thor, Théo Maledon. Altas: Amari Bailey (R), Leaky Black (R), Miles Bridges, R.J. Hunter, Brandon Miller (R), Frank Ntilikina (DAL), Nick Smith Jr. (R), Edmond Sumner (BKN). Bajas: Kai Jones, Svi Mykhailiuk (BOS), Kelly Oubre (PHI), Kobi Simmons, Dennis Smith Jr. (BKN), Xavier Sneed, R.J. Hunter Nick Smith Jr. y Nathan Mensah.LAPRESSE Chicago Bulls Plantilla: Lonzo Ball, Onuralp Bitim, Jevon Carter, Alex Caruso, Torrey Craig, DeMar DeRozan, Ayo Dosunmu, Andre Drummond, Quenton Jackson, Zach LaVine, Julian Phillips, Adama Sanogo, Terry Taylor, Dalen Terry, Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, Patrick Williams, Justin Lewis. Altas: Onuralp Bitim (R), Jevon Carter (MIL), Torrey Craig (PHX), Quenton Jackson (WAS), Julian Phillips (R), Adama Sanogo (R), Terry Taylor. Bajas: Patrick Beverley (PHI), Javonte Green, Derrick Jones Jr. (DAL), Marko Simonovic, Carlik Jones. Alex Caruso.LAPRESSE Cleveland Cavaliers Plantilla: Jarrett Allen, Emoni Bates, Darius Garland, Ty Jerome, Damian Jones, Caris LeVert, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Georges Niang, Isaac Okoro, Craig Porter Jr., Ricky Rubio, Zhaire Smith, Max Strus, Tristan Thompson, Dean Wade, Sam Merrill, Isaiah Mobley. Altas: Emoni

Bates (R), Sharife Cooper, Ty Jerome (GSW), Damian Jones (UTA), Georges Niang (PHI), Craig Porter Jr. (R), Zhaire Smith, Max Strus (MIA), Tristan Thompson (LAL). Bajas: Mamadi Diakite, Danny Green (PHI), Robin Lopez (MIL), Raul Neto, Cedi Osman (SAS), Lamar Stevens (BOS), Dylan Windler (NYK), Sharife Cooper. Donovan Mitchell.LAPRESSE. Dallas Mavericks Plantilla: Greg Brown, Seth Curry, Luka Doncic, Dante Exum, Josh Green, Tim Hardaway Jr., Jaden Hardy, Richaun Holmes, Kyrie Irving, Derrick Jones Jr., Maxi Kleber, Dereck Lively II, Dwight Powell, Markieff Morris, A.J. Lawson, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Grant Williams. Altas: Greg Brown, Seth Curry (BKN), Dante Exum, Richaun Holmes (SAC), Derrick Jones Jr. (CHI), Dereck Lively II (R), Olivier-Maxence Prosper (R), Grant Williams (BOS). Bajas: Davis Bertans (OKC), Reggie Bullock (HOU), Justin Holiday (DEN), JaVale McGee (SAC), Frank Ntilikina (CHA), Theo Pinson, Christian Wood (LAL), McKinley Wright. Luka Doncic.JOSÉ A. GARCÏA Denver Nuggets Plantilla: Christian Braun, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Vlatko Cancar, Aaron Gordon, Justin Holiday, Jay Huff, Reggie Jackson, Nikola Jokic, DeAndre Jordan, Braxton Key, Jamal Murray, Zeke Nnaji, Jalen Pickett, Michael Porter Jr., Julian Strawther, Hunter Tyson, Peyton Watson, Collin Gillespie. Altas: Justin Holiday (DAL), Jay Huff (WAS), Braxton Key, Jalen Pickett (R), Julian Strawther (R), Hunter Tyson (R). Bajas: Bruce Brown (IND), Thomas Bryant (MIA), Jeff Green (HOU), Ish Smith, Jack White (OKC), Amida Brimah Nikola Jokic.LAPRESSE. Detroit Pistons Plantilla: Marvin Bagley III, Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks, Malcolm Cazalon, Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Joe Harris, Killian Hayes, Jaden Ivey, Isaiah Livers, Monte Morris, Marcus Sasser, Isaiah Stewart, Ausar Thompson, James Wiseman,Jared Rhoden, Stanley Umude. Altas: Malcolm Cazalon (R), Joe Harris (BKN), Monte Morris (WAS), Jontay Porter, Marcus Sasser (R), Ausar Thompson (R), Stanley Umude. Bajas: Hamidou Diallo, R.J. Hampton (MIA), Cory Joseph (GSW), Rodney McGruder (GSW), Eugene Omoruyi (WAS), Buddy Boeheim, Jontay Porter, Zavier Simpson. Golden State Warriors Plantilla: Stephen Curry, Usman Garuba, Draymond Green, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Cory Joseph, Jonathan Kuminga, Kevon Looney, Rodney McGruder, Moses Moody, Chris Paul, Gary Payton II, Brandin Podziemski, Jerome Robinson, Dario Saric, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Donovan Williams, Lester Quiñones. Altas: Usman Garuba (HOU), Trayce Jackson-Davis (R), Cory Joseph (DET), Chris Paul (PHX), Brandin Podziemski (R), Jerome Robinson, Dario Saric (OKC), Donovan Williams (ATL). Bajas: Patrick Baldwin Jr. (WAS), Donte DiVincenzo (NYK), JaMychal Green, Andre Iguodala, Ty Jerome (CLE), Anthony Lamb, Jordan Poole (WAS), Ryan Rollins (WAS), Rudy Gay, Rodney McGruder. Stehen Curry, Chris Paul y Klay Thompson.LAPRESSE. Houston Rockets Plantilla: Dillon Brooks, Reggie Bullock, Tari Eason, Jalen Green, Jeff Green, Aaron Holiday, Jock Landale, Victor Oladipo, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Jermaine Samuels, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr., Jae'Sean Tate, Amen Thompson , Boban Marjanovic, Darius Days, Trevor Hudgins, Fred VanVleet, Cam Whitmore. Altas: Dillon Brooks (MEM), Reggie Bullock (DAL), Jeff Green (DEN), Aaron Holiday (ATL), Jock Landale (PHX), Jermaine Samuels (R), Amen Thompson (R), Fred VanVleet (TOR), Cam Whitmore (R). Bajas: D.J. Augustin, Willie Cauley-Stein, Josh Christopher (UTA), Usman Garuba (GSW), Frank Kaminsky, K.J. Martin Jr. (LAC), Daishen Nix (MIN), Kevin Porter Jr. (OKL), TyTy Washington (MIL), Nate Hinton Jabari Smith.LAPRESSE. Indiana Pacers Plantilla: Bruce Brown, Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield, Isaiah Jackson, Bennedict Mathurin, T.J. McConnell, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Jordan Nwora, Ben Sheppard, Jalen Smith, Daniel Theis, Obi Toppin, Oscar Tshiebwe, Myles Turner, Kendall Brown, Jarace Walker, Isaiah Wong. Altas: Bruce Brown (DEN), Ben Sheppard (R), Obi Toppin (NYK), Oscar Tshiebwe (R), Jarace Walker (R), Isaiah Wong (R).

Bajas: Oshae Brissett (BOS), Chris Duarte (SAC), George Hill, James Johnson, Gabe York. T.J. McConnell.LAPRESSE. L.A. Clippers Plantilla: Nicolas Batum, B.J. Boston, Kobe Brown, Amir Coffey, Robert Covington, Paul George, Bones Hyland, Kawhi Leonard, Terance Mann, K.J. Martin Jr., Jordan Miller, Marcus Morris, Mason Plumlee, Norman Powell, Josh Primo, Russell Westbrook, Ivica Zubac, Moussa Diabaté. Altas: Kobe Brown (R), Nate Darling, K.J. Martin Jr. (HOU), Jordan Miller (R), Josh Primo. Bajas: Eric Gordon (PHX), Jason Preston, Xavier Moon, Nate Darling. Russell Westbrook.LAPRESSE. L.A. Lakers Plantilla: Colin Castleton, Max Christie, Anthony Davis, Alex Fudge, Rui Hachimura, Jaxson Hayes, D'Moi Hodge, Jalen Hood-Schifino, LeBron James, Maxwell Lewis, Taurean Prince, Austin Reaves, Cam Reddish, D'Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, Christian Wood. Altas: Colin Castleton (R), Alex Fudge (R), Jaxson Hayes (NOP), D'Moi Hodge (R), Jalen Hood-Schifino (R), Maxwell Lewis (R), Taurean Prince (MIN), Cam Reddish (POR), Gabe Vincent (MIA), Christian Wood (DAL). Bajas: Mo Bamba (PHI), Malik Beasley (MIL), Troy Brown (MIN), Wenyen Gabriel (BOS), Shaquille Harrison (MEM), Dennis Schröder (TOR), Cole Swider (MIA), Tristan Thompson (CLE), Lonnie Walker (BKN), Scotty Pippen Jr. LeBron JamesLAPRESSE. Memphis Grizzlies Plantilla: Steven Adams, Santi Aldama, Desmond Bane, Brandon Clarke, G.G. Jackson. Jaren Jackson Jr., Luke Kennard, John Konchar, Jake LaRavia, Kenneth Lofton Jr., Ja Morant, Mychal Mulder, David Roddy, Derrick Rose, Marcus Smart, Xavier Tillman, Ziaire Williams, Jacob Gilyard, Vince Williams Jr. Altas: G.G. Jackson (R), Mychal Mulder, Derrick Rose (NYK), Marcus Smart (BOS). Bajas: Dillon Brooks (HOU), Tyus Jones (WAS), Shaquille Harrison. Santi Aldama.LAPRESSE. Miami Heat Plantilla: Bam Adebayo, Thomas Bryant, Jimmy Butler, Justin Champagnie, R.J. Hampton, Tyler Herro, Haywood Highsmith, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jovic, Kevin Love, Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin, Josh Richardson, Duncan Robinson, Orlando Robinson, Dru Smith, Cole Swider, Jamal Cain. Altas: Thomas Bryant (DEN), R.J. Hampton (DET), Jaime Jaquez Jr. (R), Josh Richardson (NOP), Dru Smith (BKN), Cole Swider (LAL). Bajas: Udonis Haslem, Victor Oladipo (OKC), Max Strus (CLE), Gabe Vincent (LAL), Omer Yurtseven (UTA), Cody Zeller (NOP), Justin Champagnie, Cheick Diallo. Orlando Robinson.LAPRESSE. Milwaukee Bucks Plantilla: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Malik Beasley , MarJon Beauchamp, Marques Bolden, Pat Connaughton, Jae Crowder, A.J. Green, Andre Jackson Jr., Damian Lillard, Chris Livingston, Brook Lopez, Robin Lopez, Khris Middleton, Omari Moore, Cameron Payne, Bobby Portis, TyTy Washington, Lindell Wigginton. Altas: Malik Beasley (LAL), Andre Jackson Jr. (R), Damian Lillard (POR), Chris Livingston (R), Robin Lopez (CLE), Omari Moore (R), Cameron Payne (PHX), TyTy Washington (HOU). Bajas: Grayson Allen (PHX), Jevon Carter (CHI), Goran Dragic, Jrue Holiday (BOS), Joe Ingles (ORL), Meyers Leonard, Wesley Matthews (ATL), Marques Bolden. Giannis AntetokounmpoLAPRESSE. Minnesota Timberwolves Plantilla: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Kyle Anderson, Troy Brown, Jaylen Clark, Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, Vit Krejci, Jaden McDaniels, Jordan McLaughlin, Leonard Miller, Shake Milton, Josh Minott, Wendell Moore, Daishen Nix, Naz Reid, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mike Conley (NG), Luka Garza, Matt Ryan., Altas: Troy Brown (LAL), Jaylen Clark (R), Vit Krejci (ATL), Leonard Miller (R), Shake Milton (PHI), Daishen Nix (HOU). Bajas: Nathan Knight (NYK), Jaylen Nowell (SAC), Taurean Prince (LAL), Austin Rivers, Trevor Keels, Tyrese Martin. Anthony Edwards.LAPRESSE. New Orleans Pelicans Plantilla: Dyson Daniels, Kaiser Gates, Jordan Hawkins, Malcolm Hill, Brandon Ingram, Herbert Jones, Kira Lewis Jr., E.J. Liddell, Naji Marshall, C.J. McCollum, Trey Murphy III, Larry Nance, Jr., Jonas Valanciunas, Zion Williamson, Jose Alvarado, Dereon Seabron, Cody Zeller, Matt Ryan

Altas: Kaiser Gates (R), Jordan Hawkins (R), Cody Zeller (MIA), Matt Ryan (MIN) Bajas: Jaxson Hayes (LAL), Willy Hernangómez, Josh Richardson (MIA), Garrett Temple (TOR), Malcolm Hill. Zion Williamson.LAPRESSE. New York Knicks Plantilla: Ryan Arcidiacono, RJ Barrett, Charlie Brown Jr., Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Evan Fournier, Quentin Grimes, Josh Hart, Isaiah Hartenstein, Miles McBride, Immanuel Quickley, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, Jericho Sims, DaQuan Jeffries (NG), Duane Washington Jr., Dylan Windler. Altas: Ryan Arcidiacono, Charlie Brown Jr., Donte DiVincenzo (GSW), Nathan Knight (MIN), Jaylen Martin (R), Dylan Windler (CLE), Jaylen Martin. Bajas: Trevor Keels (MIN), Derrick Rose (MEM), Obi Toppin (IND), Isaiah Roby Jalen Brunson.LAPRESSE. Oklahoma City Thunder Plantilla: Davis Bertans, Ousmane Dieng, Luguentz Dort, Josh Giddey, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, Keyontae Johnson, Tre Mann, Vasilije Micic, Aleksej Pokusevski, Kevin Porter Jr., Cason Wallace, Jalen Williams, Jaylin Williams, Kenrich Williams, Isaiah Joe (NG), Aaron Wiggins (NG), Olivier Sarr, Lindy Waters. Altas: Davis Bertans (DAL), Keyontae Johnson (R), Vasilije Micic (R), Kevin Porter Jr. (HOU), Cason Wallace (R), Bajas: Jared Butler (WAS), Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (HOU), Dario Saric (GSW), Jack White. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.LAPRESSE. Orlando Magic Plantilla: Cole Anthony, Paolo Banchero, Goga Bitadze, Anthony Black, Wendell Carter Jr., Markelle Fultz, Gary Harris, Caleb Houstan, Jett Howard, Joe Ingles, Chuma Okeke, Trevelin Queen, Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Moritz Wagner, Jonathan Isaac, Kevon Harris, Admiral Schofield. Altas: Anthony Black (R), Jett Howard (R), Joe Ingles (MIL), Mac McClung (PHI), Miye Oni, Trevelin Queen. Bajas: Bol Bol (PHX), Michael Carter-Williams, Jay Scrubb (BOS), Brandon Williams, Mac McClung, Miye Oni. Anthony Black y Goga Bitadze.LAPRESSE. Philadelphia 76ers Plantilla: Mo Bamba, Patrick Beverley,Joel Embiid, Danny Green, James Harden, Montrezl Harrell, Tobias Harris, Danuel House, Furkan Korkmaz, Tyrese Maxey, De'Anthony Melton, Kelly Oubre, Filip Petrusev, Paul Reed, Javonte Smart, Terquavion Smith, Jaden Springer, Azuolas Tubelis, P.J. Tucker. Altas: Mo Bamba (LAL), Patrick Beverley (CHI), Danny Green (CLE), Kelly Oubre (CHA), Filip Petrusev (R), Javonte Smart, Terquavion Smith (R), Azuolas Tubelis (R). Bajas: Dewayne Dedmon, Louis King, Mac McClung (ORL), Jalen McDaniels (TOR), Shake Milton (MIN), Georges Niang (CLE), David Duke Jr, Ricky Council IV. Joel Embiid.LAPRESSE. Phoenix Suns Plantilla: Grayson Allen, Udoka Azubuike, Keita Bates-Diop, Bradley Beal, Bol Bol, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Drew Eubanks, Jordan Goodwin, Eric Gordon, Keon Johnson, Damion Lee, Nassir Little, Chimezie Metu, Jusuf Nurkic, Josh Okogie, Yuta Watanabe, Saben Lee. Altas: Grayson Allen (MIL), Udoka Azubuike (UTA), Keita Bates-Diop (SAS), Bradley Beal (WAS), Bol Bol (ORL), Drew Eubanks (POR), Jordan Goodwin (WAS), Eric Gordon (LAC), Keon Johnson (POR), Nassir Little (POR), Chimezie Metu (SAC), Jusuf Nurkic (POR), Yuta Watanabe (BKN). Bajas: Deandre Ayton (POR), Darius Bazley (BKN), Bismack Biyombo, Torrey Craig (CHI), Jock Landale (HOU), Chris Paul (GSW), Cameron Payne (MIL), Terrence Ross, Landry Shamet (WAS), T.J. Warren, Ish Wainright (POR). Kevin Durant.LAPRESSE. Portland Trail Blazers Plantilla: Deandre Ayton, Malcolm Brogdon, Moses Brown, Toumani Camara, Jerami Grant, Scoot Henderson, Skylar Mays, Justin Minaya, Kris Murray, Rayan Rupert , Shaedon Sharpe, Anfernee Simons, Matisse Thybulle, Jabari Walker, Ibou Badji, Robert Williams, Ish Wainright. Altas: Deandre Ayton (PHX), Malcolm Brogdon (BOS), Moses Brown, Toumani Camara (R), Scoot Henderson (R), Skylar Mays, Justin Minaya, Kris Murray (R), Rayan Rupert (R), Robert Williams (BOS), Ish Wainright. Bajas: Drew Eubanks (PHX), Keon Johnson (PHX), Damian Lillard (MIL), Nassir Little (PHX), Jusuf Nurkic (PHX), Cam Reddish (LAL), Trendon Watford (BKN), Jeenathan Williams, Justise Winslow, Kevin Knox.

John Butler Jr. Sacramento Kings Plantilla: Harrison Barnes, Deonte Burton, Chris Duarte, Kessler Edwards, Jordan Ford, De'Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Colby Jones, Alex Len, Trey Lyles, JaVale McGee, Davion Mitchell, Malik Monk, Keegan Murray, Domantas Sabonis, Jalen Slawson, Sasha Vezenkov, Keon Ellis. Altas: Deonte Burton, Chris Duarte (IND), Jordan Ford (R), Colby Jones (R), JaVale McGee (DAL), Jaylen Nowell (MIN), Jalen Slawson (R), Sasha Vezenkov (R). Bajas: Terence Davis, Matthew Dellavedova, P.J. Dozier, Richaun Holmes (DAL), Chimezie Metu (PHX), Neemias Queta (BOS), Jaylen Nowell. Harrison Barnes.LAPRESSE. San Antonio Spurs Plantilla: Charles Bassey, Malaki Branham, Julian Champagnie, Sidy Cissoko, Zach Collins, Devonte' Graham, Keldon Johnson, Tre Jones, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Doug McDermott, Cedi Osman, Sir'Jabari Rice, Jeremy Sochan, Devin Vassell, Blake Wesley, Dominick Barlow, Victor Wembanyama. Altas: Sidy Cissoko (R), Cedi Osman (CLE), Sir'Jabari Rice (R), Victor Wembanyama (R). Bajas: Keita Bates-Diop (PHX), Gorgui Dieng, Romeo Langford (UTA), Khem Birch. Victor Wembanyama.LAPRESSE. Toronto Raptors Plantilla: Precious Achiuwa, OG Anunoby, Scottie Barnes, Chris Boucher, Gradey Dick, Malachi Flynn, Javon Freeman-Liberty, Christian Koloko, Jalen McDaniels, Markquis Nowell, Jakob Poeltl, Otto Porter, Pascal Siakam, Dennis Schröder, Garrett Temple, Gary Trent Jr., Thaddeus Young, Ron Harper Jr. Altas: Gradey Dick (R), Javon Freeman-Liberty (R), Jalen McDaniels (PHI), Markquis Nowell (R), Dennis Schröder (LAL), Garrett Temple (NOP). Bajas: Dalano Banton (BOS), Will Barton, Fred VanVleet (HOU), Joe Wieskamp, Jeff Dowtin. Pascal Siakam.LAPRESSE. Utah Jazz Plantilla: Ochai Agbaji, Josh Christopher, Jordan Clarkson, John Collins, Simone Fontecchio, Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, Talen Horton-Tucker, Walker Kessler, Lauri Markkanen, Kelly Olynyk, Brice Sensabaugh, Collin Sexton, Kris Dunn, Luka Samanic, Johnny Juzang, Micah Potter, Omer Yurtseven. Altas: Josh Christopher (HOU), John Collins (ATL), Keyonte George (R), Taylor Hendricks (R), Romeo Langford (SAS), Brice Sensabaugh (R), Omer Yurtseven (MIA). Bajas: Udoka Azubuike (PHX), Vernon Carey Jr., Rudy Gay (GSW), Damian Jones (CLE), Juan Toscano, Romeo Langford. Collin Sexton.LAPRESSE. Washington Wizards Plantilla: Deni Avdija, Patrick Baldwin Jr., Jared Butler, Xavier Cooks, Bilal Coulibaly, Johnny Davis, Daniel Gafford, Danilo Gallinari, Anthony Gill, Tyus Jones, Corey Kispert, Kyle Kuzma, Mike Muscala, Eugene Omoruyi, Jordan Poole, Ryan Rollins, Landry Shamet, Delon Wright, Taj Gibson. Altas: Patrick Baldwin Jr. (GSW), Jared Butler (OKC), Bilal Coulibaly (R), Danilo Gallinari (BOS), Tyus Jones (MEM), Mike Muscala (BOS), Eugene Omoruyi (DET), Jordan Poole (GSW), Ryan Rollins (GSW), Landry Shamet (PHX). Bajas: Bradley Beal (PHX), Jordan Goodwin (PHX), Jay Huff (DEN), Quenton Jackson, Monte Morris (DET), Kendrick Nunn, Kristaps Porzingis (BOS), Isaiah Todd. Jordan Poole.LAPRESSE. Para recibir en tu celular esta y otras informaciones, únete a nuestras redes sociales, síguenos en Instagram, Twitter y Facebook como @DiarioElPepazo El Pepazo/Marca

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[tylercraig77]

Wasted Summer

No KD, so now what? After an entire summer of rumors swirling through the NBA world of the trade request of Kevin Durant, one has to wonder what could have been. And no, I don’t mean what could the Phoenix Suns have looked like with the Slim Reaper on the court alongside Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton. I’m more talking about what moves could we had seen if this trade was never…

[foxsoulart]

Prompt 6 with Mikal and his bro Casey Junior

Prompt list @truths33k3r4

Face it boys, you both cheated.

[the-shelfish-reader]

SHOT IN THE HEART

By Mikal Gilmore

© 1994; 403 pg; Doubleday

(Back row: Frank Sr. and Bessie Gilmore, Front row: Frank Jr., Gary, and Gaylen)

In 1977, a career criminal with a long record, who had been sentenced to death in Utah for two counts of capital murder, made international headlines. His name was Gary Gilmore. He was 36 years old. There hadn’t been an execution in America for nearly ten years. Utah was and is, of course, the nearest thing to a theocratic state in the U.S., heavily influenced by the LDS church in all matters relating to crime and punishment. It was the territory whose Mormon-dominated legislature, in 1857, drafted a criminal code that provided for death by hanging or firing squad in the cases of convicted first-degree murderers. The latter method also satisfied the early Mormon covenant, conceived by Joseph Smith himself, of “Blood Atonement.” Simply put, if one took a life, one must shed one’s own blood into the earth as an apology to God in order to have any chance at salvation. Early LDS history is rife with bloody, violent murders for crimes ranging from apostasy to rape to horse-theft. There are accounts of men murdered simply because they were perceived as an enemy to the LDS Church.

Gary became a celebrity due to his rejection of all appeals and reviews of his sentence. He demanded the State of Utah proceed with his death, by firing squad, as swiftly as possible. In the sociopolitical climate in America at the time, which hadn’t seen an execution in ten years, Gary’s demands were unthinkable. He was convicted in early October and was executed in January, and his last words, according to Mikal, were, “There will always be a father.” According to other sources, his last words were, “Let’s do this.” I think he probably said both. In any event, his execution-style murder of a Salt Lake City motel manager, followed by a similar shooting of an unarmed gas station attendant, were most definitely done in cold blood. At the time of the murders, he was out of prison on parole.

This is Gary Gilmore’s story. More broadly, it is the entire Gilmore family’s story, told by his youngest brother, nearly 20 years after Gary’s famous death. It’s even more interesting to me personally, as a true-crime enthusiast, because I knew Mikal Gilmore’s writing very well through Rolling Stone magazine. He was a staff writer there for a long time; I had a subscription for the same long time. His pieces were always really great reads, no matter the subject. I never associated his last name with that of Gary Gilmore, celebrated dead murderer, whom I had read about when I was a teenager. When this book was published, I was shocked the two vastly different Gilmores were, in fact, BROTHERS, and I ABSOLUTELY had to know how this was possible.

I should note that the famous author Norman Mailer wrote his own book about Gary Gilmore, which provided Mikal with information about his family—a family whose background was shrouded in secrets. THE EXECUTIONER’S SONG was published in 1979, and a few years later, it was turned into a TV movie of the same name. Gary was played by Tommy Lee Jones. Mikal says he saw no trace of the Gary he knew in Jones’s performance; then again, Mikal states multiple times that he didn’t really know Gary at all. More importantly, in an effort to avoid the family “curse,” Mikal had maintained a detachment from the story of his family that didn’t resolve until Mailer’s book was published. He was unaware of much (maybe even most) of his family history beyond the fact that he had a mother and a father. I think maybe Mikal didn’t want to know. But Larry Schiller (a producer on the movie) and Mailer made the tapes of all their interviews with Bessie Gilmore, Mikal’s mother, available to Mikal, and that’s when he learned the details of the family’s exploits in the years before his birth in 1951.

Gary on death row, 1976

Mikal (born Michael, changed in high school) Gilmore is an hugely talented writer who tells Gary’s story with sensitivity, love, and a massive, undeserved amount of guilt. The depth of sadness, shame, and abuse this family of “black sheep” had always suffered is almost unbearable to read. I felt Mikal’s grief and empathy for all his subjects, no matter how much they terrified or confused him. It’s unsurprising he had to struggle to make sense of all the turbulence within that group of damaged people he knew as his family in order to overcome their awful destiny. In writing this meticulously researched book, he attempts specifically to pinpoint the exact moment it all started to go so horribly wrong for his parents and his brothers. An impossible task, as it turned out.

More than just a personal story, this book is about a certain subset of Americans who have always existed: their economic prospects grim, their interpersonal relationships bleak, plagued by alcohol abuse and physical abuse, always known to the law, shunned by “polite” society and even elder generations of their own families. The Gilmores’ family history is a tale of two such societal outcasts who had the misfortune of meeting and marrying and procreating, inflicting grave emotional, spiritual, and physical damage on each other, and, most painfully, on their children.

Frank and Bessie Gilmore had four children: Frank, Jr., Gary, Gaylen, and, nearly ten years later, Mikal. Frank was a drifter and small-time criminal; Bessie a young Mormon woman dissatisfied with her life as one of nine children on a small farm in Provo. Frank was in his forties, and, unbeknownst to his new bride, had been married six or seven times and had a child or two whom he then abandoned; Bessie was barely out of her teens. He was an ad salesman for Utah Magazine, and he traveled through the southwestern United States as the result. Together they logged hundreds of miles traveling the back roads of Utah, Arizona, California, Nevada…and once the children began arriving, they too were packed in the back of the station wagons Frank preferred and taken along. These weren’t pleasant trips. Frank and Bessie fought, screamed, threatened, and hit each other for the majority of time spent on the road, while the children cowered in the back.

By that time, Frank was pulling a con on advertisers. He’d secure payment in advance for an ad to be run in the magazine, then abscond with the money. It was the family’s main income in those early years, but it also came with fear of the ever-present law enforcement threat. Sometimes, the perceived threat was directly from the person robbed. In those days of lynchings and mob mentality, one can understand the fear this family felt, which permeated right down into the children’s lives. It was no way to live. For anybody.

In 1941, when Bessie was pregnant with Gary, they were in Selma, Alabama, on an unknown “job” Frank had to do. She was over eight months along, and the plan had been for them to make their way back to Sacramento, where Frank’s mother lived, to have the baby. Frank’s Alabama activities dragged on so long that, as they were driving west through Texas, Bessie went into labor. They stopped in the next town with a hospital, McCamey, Texas—an oil boom town in the western part of the state. There Gary was born. However, Frank gave assumed names at check-in, and he named the baby before Bessie had recovered from the anesthesia given out routinely in those days. Hence, Gary Mark Gilmore was born Faye Robert Coffman. Once they had left the state, Frank took Gary’s birth certificate, tore it into little pieces, and said it was over and they could name him whatever they wanted. (That is the story Bessie told Mailer, but she kept a copy, which Gary found twenty years later. He accused her of having an affair with someone named Coffman—a frequent alias used by his father, but Bessie never explained, and Gary never spoke of it again).

The theme of destroying “official” things like marriage licenses and birth certificates, then making up events, names, and occurrences to suit their own needs in the moment recurs so often in this story, it becomes the Gilmore ethos. I suppose these small acts of destroying records were a rebellion against authority. Sudden departures, without warning, and without any promise of return, happened again and again. Once, memorably, Frank, Bessie, toddler Frank, and infant Gary were driving through northern Missouri when Bessie talked Frank into stopping at a gas station. She needed to change Frankie’s diaper and stretch her legs. When she and Frankie emerged from the bathroom, Frank Sr., baby Gary, and the station wagon were gone. She waited until nightfall, but Frank didn’t return. The gas station attendant locked up for the night and asked Bessie if he could take her to a nearby town that had a hotel and a bus station. Bessie wired her parents in Provo for the bus fare to come back to Utah. This had to be an extra-humiliating experience for her, because she knew her parents disliked Frank and didn’t approve of her marriage to a Gentile so much older than she, not to mention the rootlessness and unforeseen disappearances of this man they distrusted. Several days after arriving in Provo, she got a telephone call from an orphanage in Des Moines—they had Gary. They informed her Gary’s father had been arrested and jailed on a charge of passing a bad check; hence baby Gary was brought to them. Bessie again borrowed money from her parents, took Frankie, and went to Iowa. There she reunited with Gary, found a job as a housekeeper in return for room and board, and waited for Frank to get out of jail. This was the sort of everyday chaos the Gilmores lived in throughout the forties.

Eventually, Frank Sr. went legit, creating his own Building Codes Digest for Portland, Oregon. He compiled all the city building codes in an easy-to-reference handbook, with advertising space for interested buyers. It was a success, they bought a house in Portland, and by 1951, when Mikal was born, they were living comfortably. However, Frank and Bessie’s violence continued to erupt, as dependable as the sunrise. Frank beat his wife regularly. She bore the marks—black eyes, lumps on her face, bruises on her arms and neck. As soon as any of the children grew old enough to defy Frank, they too became recipients of regular beatings. Nobody provoked Frank as much as Gary did, and consequently, he bore more than his share of the daily household violence. Gary was beaten repeatedly by his father. No one intervened, and Bessie never tried to take the children away, never tried to leave this man of secret sorrows and rage, for the same reasons women stay in abusive relationships to this day.

Their last son before Mikal was Gaylen. His fate would be to live a life of petty crime, much like brother Gary. Gaylen would die at 27, in 1971, home in Portland, Oregon from a lengthy stay in Chicago. Portland was where the family finally settled permanently, with Frank making trips to Seattle for the new handbook he’d created of that city’s building codes. Mikal was a student at Portland State, living in an apartment downtown. He only knew what his mother told him: that Gaylen had returned, that he wasn’t well, he’d had a stomach problem and undergone surgery in Chicago, but he was “not himself.” Mikal didn’t know the truth of the circumstances of Gaylen’s death until after Gary’s execution and Mailer’s book, and to this day, he still doesn’tknow the details because Bessie would never tell him. He states, “This much I do know: Gaylen got stabbed in Chicago. Horribly, viciously and repeatedly.” His wounds never healed, and he died of what was apparently sepsis, in the hospital, after another surgery. The why of his stabbing will never be known, and isn’t important. I think it’s notable that in this family, two of its sons would meet violent death by different means. Can this be attributed to the history of violent crime, both hidden and known, that ran through both the father and the mother that somehow combined in the sons to predispose them to terrible deaths?

Mikal believes this to be true. A cursed family legacy. You can feel the pain in his words. When I originally bought and read this book upon its release in 1994, I had no way of learning whether or not Mikal ever came to terms with his family’s past. It was clear that by the time he’d finished this book, he had not. But time does heal, and I have always wished him the best possible emotional reconciliation with the causes of his nightmares (invariably, terrifying dreams starring one or more family members). I’ve researched him now, in 2021, and I’m delighted to see that he’s married to an accomplished woman, and they have at least one child, a beautiful boy. Mikal battled throat cancer caused by HPV recently, and he seems extremely grateful he survived not just the cancer, but the attendant therapies that follow such a diagnosis. I’m grateful he survived his family of origin, and I’m immensely cheered that he seems to be leading a happy life.

It’s hard to describe the level of Gary Gilmore’s fame (or infamy) at the time of his fight to die. He was on the cover of every American newsmagazine at least once. European newspapers covered the story with breathless anticipation. In America, I saw his face on the nightly news so often, I still remembered it in 1994 when I first read this book. There is even a punk rock song by a band from the U.K., The Adverts, who released a song about him, or more accurately, about how it would feel to see the world through his eyes:

Frank Sr. died in 1962 at age 72 when Mikal was 11. It’s maybe not so remarkable that the son born later, after the family’s nomadic days were over, would be the one son who would escape the family dynamic and find success in his chosen field. And for Mikal, that field was rock and roll music. His brothers had grown up on Elvis and Johnny Cash, but Mikal fell in love with The Beatles and Bob Dylan. Reading and music became his outlets, and he’d wait out the various, constant arguments and fights going on around him at home, hiding in a corner, reading his books and waiting out the storm.

I find it remarkable that the first child born to the Gilmores, Frank Jr., didn’t live a life of crime and its inevitable punishment. Frank Jr. was soft-spoken, even-tempered, and shy. He was prone to bouts of depression—not a great surprise. And he became an observant Jehovah’s Witness in his young adulthood. He had been drafted into the Army during Vietnam, but his application for conscientious objector status was denied. He was discharged, having spent two years in Fort Leavenworth for refusing to handle a weapon, and without ever having left the country. After Gary’s execution, Bessie’s death, and Gaylen’s horrible, protracted death, Mikal and Frank became closer than ever before. There was a 12-year age gap between them, and the lives their parents had forced them to live didn’t allow for much brotherly intimacy. They took trips to Utah together, visiting their mother’s family and even the scenes of both murders Gary had committed. Frank’s crystal-clear memory was as informative as Mailer’s books and interview tapes, and the clouds that had surrounded many defining events of their shared history cleared for Mikal.

I found the following quote to be an informed perspective on the way all devout Mormons think of generational sins. No doubt Bessie was made to study this text as a standard part of growing up Mormon in early 20th century America:

“The single strongest instance of blasphemy in the Book of Mormon occurs when a charismatic atheist and Antichrist named Korihor stands before one of God’s judges and kings and proclaims: ‘Ye say that this people is a guilty and fallen people, because of a transgression of a parent. Behold, I say that a child is not guilty because of its parents.’ For proclaiming such outrageous words, God strikes Korihor mute…[he] is left to wander among the people of the nation…and the people take him and stamp upon him, until he lies dead under their feet.”

The Bible is a mass of contradictions about this subject. One can find verses supporting the idea of generational sins, and others that echo the words of Korihor in the Book of Mormon.

It’s a sad story. Very sad. I believe that the best gift Mikal could have given his father, mother, and brothers was to succeed in whatever he chose to do. He was the family’s first member to attend college (on a scholarship), and certainly its first to make a name for himself. That he did so in journalism strikes me as miraculous. Bessie would have been so relieved that, in his case, the sins of the father would not be counted against the child.

[gothamniteintraining]

What the Heck

When I went to my first biology class yesterday a woman who was probably not Dr. Mikal Jones( the guy supposed to be teaching us) was teaching us. Then halfway through the best science class of my life a swat team brakes in and arrests her!

[objectivesubjectivity]

August is for Catching up Pt. 2: 2019

Here’s the updated 2019 list - additions in BOLD

American Football - American Football LP3

Vampire Weekend - Father of the Bride

Lana Del Ray - Norman Fucking Rockwell!

Anderson .Paak - Venture

Lizzo - Cuz I Love You

PUP - Morbid Stuff

Denzel Curry - ZUU

The Faint - Egowerk

Moon Tooth - Crux: I don’t know my metal enough to pinpoint precisely why this works for me but it does. Must hear track(s): Musketeers, Omega Days, Awe at All Angles, Trust, Rhythm and Roar

The Get Up Kids - Problems

The Hold Steady - Thrashing Thru the Passion

Better Oblivion Community Center - Better Oblivion Community Center

Pedro the Lion - Phoenix

Ooo Ooo - Basking in the Glow

Say Anything - Oliver Appropriate

Hiss Golden Messenger - Terms of Surrender: The album may not be entirely consistent but the unapologetic Americana on "I Need A Teacher," the Prince-tinged vocals on the chorus of "Happy Birthday Baby," and the lite gospel choir on "Katy (You Don't Have To Be Good Yet," make this well worth my time. Must hear track(s): See songs referenced above

Bad Books - III: Two prolific songwriters trade off primarily acoustic tunes at the solo-project open mic night but the real highlights here are when they share the spotlight. Must hear track(s): Army, Neighborhoods, Left Your Body, Myths Made Plain

Mikal Cronin - Seeker: Buoyed by a bevy of bold choices, Seeker narrowly avoids getting lumped in with all of the rest of the indie rock dudes with unremarkable voices and perfectly adequate lyrics. Must hear track(s): I've Got Reason, Show Me

Backstreet Boys - DNA

Redd Kross - Beyond the Door: Like a rager for aging punks, this album is equal parts embarrassing and way more fun than expected. Must hear track(s): Ice Cream (Strange and Pleasing), Jone Hoople

Khalid - Free Spirit

Jack M. Senff - Good to Know You: Part Elverum, part Kweller, and part Enders, Senff strings together a series of very palatable post-emo folk songs and a couple of them are quite pleasing. Must hear track(s): Full Decay, Strange Feeling

YBN Cordae - The Lost Boy

Jimmy Eat World - Surviving

Atmosphere - Whenever

Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?

Tiny Moving Parts - Breathe

Lucifer - Lucifer 1: I don’t know my metal enough to pinpoint precisely why this doesn’t work for me but it doesn’t. No Must Hear Track(s)

[blackkudos]

Orlando Jones

Orlando Jones (born April 10, 1968) is an American actor and stand-up comedian. He is known for being one of the original cast members of the sketch comedy series MADtv, for his role as the 7 Up spokesman from 1999 to 2002, and for his role as the African god Anansi on Starz's American Gods.

Early life

Jones was born in Mobile, Alabama, on April 10, 1968. His father was a professional baseball player in the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He moved to Mauldin, South Carolina, when he was a teen and graduated from Mauldin High School in 1985. One of his early acting experiences involved playing a werewolf in a haunted house to help raise money for the junior/senior prom. Jones enrolled in the College of Charleston, South Carolina. He left in 1990 without finishing his degree.

To pursue his interest in the entertainment industry, Jones, together with comedian Michael Fechter, formed a production company, Homeboy's Productions and Advertising. Together Jones and Fechter worked on several projects including a McDonald's commercial with basketball superstar Michael Jordan for the McDonald's specialty sandwich the "McJordan".

He scored his first Hollywood job in 1987, writing for the NBC comedy A Different World, on which he had a small guest role in the season five finale. During 1991-92, Jones penned the Fox series Roc and, in 1993, he co-produced The Sinbad Show. He also made a brief appearance on the FOX sitcom Herman's Head in 1992.

Career

MADtv

After hosting Fox's music series Sound FX, in 1994, Jones became one of the original nine cast members of MADtv. Unlike some of his fellow original repertory performers on MADtv, Jones came to the show with limited sketch comedy experience. However, his comedy writing and television producing skills proved to be valuable to the early success of the show.

Throughout the first two seasons of MADtv, Jones produced characters like the Cabana Chat band leader Dexter St. Croix and Reverend LaMont Nixon Fatback, the vocal follower of Christopher Walken. He was also noted for his impressions of Thomas Mikal Ford, Temuera Morrison, Warwick Davis, Danny DeVito, Michael Jai White, Eddie Griffin, and Ice Cube.

After two seasons on MADtv, Jones left the show to pursue a movie career. However, Jones returned to MADtv in 2004 to celebrate its 200th episode.

Other television projects

Aside from MADtv, Jones made many other television appearances. Perhaps his most popular and enduring television appearance was not in the form of a sitcom or television drama, but rather in a series of humorous commercials as the spokesperson for 7 Up where he gained wide recognition.

This exposure led to a plethora of opportunities for Jones. First, he hosted an HBO First Look special in 2000 and then, in 2003, Jones was given his own late night talk show on FX called The Orlando Jones Show. Although his talk show was short lived, Jones continued to make additional television appearances. In 2003, he appeared on The Bernie Mac Show and on Girlfriends. In 2006, Jones decided to return to television as one of the lead characters of ABC's crime drama The Evidence, as Cayman Bishop. He has also appeared in two episodes of Everybody Hates Chris, the first in 2007 as Chris's substitute teacher and the second in 2008 as Clint Huckstable, an allusion to the character Cliff Huxtable played by Bill Cosby on The Cosby Show.

In 2008, he appeared as Harold Wilcox, a violent veteran with PTSD, on New Amsterdam. In the first season of the show, Jones also starred on Nick Cannon's Wild 'N Out. Jones was the first guest star on the show. Jones was the co-host of ABC's Crash Course (which was canceled after 4 episodes). On November 16, 2009, it was announced on TV Guide that Jones had been cast as Marcus Foreman, Eric Foreman's brother on House, appearing in the season six episode "Moving the Chains". In 2013, he was hired as a principal actor in the FOX television series Sleepy Hollow. The freshman drama opened to FOX's highest fall drama premiere numbers since the premiere of '24' in 2001.

From 2016 through 2019, Jones portrayed Mr. Nancy, aka the African god Anansi, in the Starz series American Gods.

Film projects

After leaving MADtv, Jones expanded his cinema resume. He appeared in a bit part in his first big screen film, In Harm's Way (1991), Jones then joined Larry David in the feature Sour Grapes (1998), playing the character of an itinerant man. Subsequently, he appeared in Woo (1990), Mike Judge's Office Space (1999), alongside fellow MADtv alumnus David Herman, and in Barry Levinson's praised drama, Liberty Heights (1999). Since then, Jones has appeared in Magnolia (1999), New Jersey Turnpikes (1999) and in Harold Ramis' Bedazzled (2000).

During the 2000s, Jones' career began to branch out. In addition to his witty appearances in the 7-Up campaigns, Jones played the role of Clifford Franklin in The Replacements (2000) and the horror film From Dusk till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter (2003). In 2002, Jones landed the lead role of Daryl Chase in the action-dramedy Double Take (2001), alongside Eddie Griffin, and worked with David Duchovny, Seann William Scott and Julianne Moore in Ivan Reitman's sci-fi comedy, Evolution (2001). Jones was also in the 2009 film Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant and he appeared as the computer Vox 114 in The Time Machine (2002). His other more recent films includes Biker Boyz (2003), Godzilla (2005), Runaway Jury (2003) and Primeval (2004). Jones appeared in an uncredited cameo and played in Grindhouse Planet Terror (2007 film).

In 2011 Jones appeared in the documentary film Looking for Lenny in which he talks about Lenny Bruce and freedom of speech. In 2012, Jones starred in Joe Penna's original interactive thriller series Meridian created in conjunction with Fourth Wall Studios.

Voice acting

Jones has been featured in many voice acting projects over the years. In 1993, Jones appeared in Yuletide in the 'hood and in 1998, he made a guest appearance in the animated comedy TV Series, King Of The Hill. More recently, he lent his voice to the TV series Father of the Pride and the video games Halo 2 as the marine Sergeant Banks as well as other black marines and L.A. Rush. In 2006, he co-created, produced and voice acted for the MTV2 animated series The Adventures of Chico and Guapo.

In early April 2013, it was largely thought that Jones would be taking Tyler Perry's place as Madea. This stemmed from Jones's own report that he would be taking over the role, and photography of himself impersonating Madea. This led to public outcry from fans. Perry later revealed, however, that this was an elaborate prank played by Jones, stating, "That was an April Fools' joke that HE did. Not true. And not funny. When I’m done with Madea, she is done."

Personal life

Jones married former model Jacqueline Staph in 2009. They have a daughter. In October 2011, Jones provoked controversy when he joked on Twitter that someone should kill former Governor of Alaska and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. He apologized for the comment several days later.

[rottinghollows]

Song Reviews: RYAN, FURY, Junior, Savic, yungsignal, Elision

The following list of songs have been reviewed and are in no particular order. The thoughts expressed are also my thoughts, and don't reflect any other bias or outside influence. Enjoy!

RYAN: 300 Days Of War

300 Days Of War is a both smooth but very straightforward track in terms of tone. While the production is smooth, the lyrics do seem a bit more focused as a distinct counterpoint to the airy vibe. While I hesistate to call this a conscious rap track, despite bringing up some interesting subject matter, with musing of life's meaning and struggles in the UK, the track feels like it's to the listener, as opposed to speaking of or about what's discussed in the lyrics. The imagery surrounding this song is also really neat. "Trade your shoes for my sleep, sleep walk a mile at least" has a pretty distinct visual behind it. This has to be my favorite of RYAN's recent work, it feels very thought out and like he's found a niche of sorts. If a score had to he placed, it's a solid 7/10 from me.

FURY: HEART ON SLEEVE(Prod. Mikal Jone)

FURY has definitely come a long way as an artist, and really the best highlight example of this is on this track. There's this sense of distance and somber mood in FURY's delivery that honestly hits close to home. The sincerity in the lyrics, with expressed thoughts of wanting acceptance and not being able to move past heartbreak, coupled with Mikal Jones' very melodic and bittersweet production, it makes for some of, if not the best, from both parties involved. A rare, but honest 10 for FURY and Mikal.

Junior: I Want What's Best For You(Prod. K@LE)

Junior has captured a very unique, yet cold delivery. It may be a weird thing to relate it to, but Junior's delivery comes off like someone reciting a note from a prisoner, or someone who went far away. IWWBFY really strengthens that view as it sounds like Junior left this song in a sense. It's gritty, it's dark, and it's sad, but overall well done. Special love goes to K@LE as well, the beat especially fits well with Junior's delivery and lyrics. A solid 8 out of 10.

Savic: PUT 'EM IN THE GRAVE(Prod. TREE TIME)

Very few people in the underground have put in as much work as Savic has, and it honestly shows in how unhinged and admittedly even, batshit insane Savic comes off in his track. Nonetheless, it's so infectious and hard, and suits the Ohio native perfectly. My one and only criticism of PUT 'EM IN THE GRAVE is the reliance on some convention in terms of what's in the lyrics, notably the initial 666 and satanic references. It's not a huge deal, and the rest of the track is perfect moshpit music. There's also a very well made video by Night Runner here. Overall 8/10

Yung Signal: Up All Night

Up All Night a bit of a mixed bag in my opinion. There's a really good beat and Yung Signal has a pretty confident tone in his delivery. The song doesn't sound like it's stumbling over itself, and has some good bars over all. On the flip side, the lyrics in some places can be a bit hit or miss, as well some minor tonal hiccups. Signal is predominantly a producer, but for a track like this with vocals, as well as for massive potential for growth, it certainly makes me want to hear more. A solid 7/10.

Elision (Prod. Steel Tipped Dove): Derivatives

Elision(Elisha Lucero) has a lot going for themselves with this track. While there are parts that feel like verbal padding, Elisha has some strong lyrics and tone throughout this track. Steel Tipped Dove also gets a very honorable mention for how the beat he's made helps to accentuate Elisions delivery throughout the track, never feeling at odds with one another. While I could say there's more to work on in terms of subject matter, Elision definitely has something promising to look forward to, and this song feels like the initial taste of a greater, more realised artist and music. A strong 6.5 for this track.

Credits

Elision (Prod. Steel Tipped Dove): Derivatives

Yung Signal: Up All Night

Savic (Prod. Tree Time): Put Em In The Grave

Junior (Prod. K@LE): I Want What's Best For You

FURY (Prod. Mikal Jones): HEART ON SLEEVE

RYAN: 300 Days Of War

Up Next: Song Reviews II

[thecomicsnexus]

The Unmentionables

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #14 MAY 1988 BY KEVIN EASTMAN AND ERIC TALBOT

SYNOPSIS (FROM TURTLEPEDIA)

Casey Jones is patrolling the sleepy streets of Northampton, Massachusetts looking for some crimes to prevent. Northampton is nothing like New York City, however, so the mighty Casey is occupying his spare time as a vigilante by narrating events as if he were Mike Hammer. Jones is a little homesick for the Big Apple, but he's also reminiscing about the good times he had in this town as a kid with his cousin Sid. As Casey walks familiar ground, he passes by Louie's Variety store and is stunned by what he sees... the brass cow that once served as a rooftop landmark for the business has been stolen! Jones is enraged and gets to work on the case right away.

As Casey interviews Louie for details, a local cop walks in and assures the shopkeeper that the theft was probably just a college prank and that the cow will show up soon. Casey gets angry about the police officer's blase attitude, which only angers the cop, who tells Jones to "Butt out—pronto!" Casey storms off, vowing to find the cow.

The following morning, we find April frantically getting ready for work and asking where Casey is. Just then Casey walks through the door, icicles hanging from his hat and chin. Jones moans that he's been out all night looking for "the great cow" and collapses. Fortunately it's nothing serious, and Casey tries to explain about the theft, but April is running late and hurries off to work.

Cut to the Blue Bonnet Diner, where April is waiting tables. As Ms. O'Neil is going through her stubs, she overhears two men plotting something about a cow. One of the men slaps the other and tells him that if he has any info he should leave it at the front desk of Hotel Northampton, room 213. April is suspicious and tries to remember where she heard about a cow earlier in the day when she sees the newspaper headlines—the top story is about the missing cow!

Back at the farm house, Casey is trying to get the disinterested Turtles to help him when April calls. O'Neil tells Jones about the conversation she overheard, but unfortunately the man who slapped his partner overhears April's phone conversation and becomes alarmed. Casey takes down the hotel information and slams the phone down in his excitement over having a lead. April is unhappy because she wanted to go along.

Casey gets to the hotel and tries to get the woman at the front desk to tell him who's in room 213, but all he manages to do is get thrown out of the joint. As Jones sits on the stoop outside wondering what to do next, April arrives. April thinks she can have better luck getting the information, and she goes inside. As Fate would have it, just as O'Neil gets into the lobby, the slapping man (whose name is Howard) walks through with another fellow. April overhears the two making plans. Apparently Howard works for the older Texan man and they're making elaborate plans for a graduation party.

Later that night, April, Casey and the turtles arrive at the parking lot of the Hotel Northampton. Casey has asked the turtles to search room 213, and while the guys aren't happy about doing it, they agree. Jones and O'Neil crash the posh graduation party inside.

The Turtles find a bunch of paperwork and photographs of the Texan, Howard and the Brass Cow—however, they also discover they're in room 215—the wrong place!

As April is prowling the party looking for clues, she's spotted by Howard. O'Neil darts out into the lobby, where she's accosted by three men, Mikal Smengie and his brothers Luka and Luka. Unfortunately April has stumbled into a rendezvous between the Smengie Brothers and the Texan... a ten million dollar meeting that they all want to keep secret. Howard gags April and tells the Brothers to take her with them. Howard also give Mikal a briefcase full of money and an address. The Texan complains about loose ends and Howard says that he'll take care of things.

Back in the hotel room, the turtles decide that this case is too complicated and the police need to be notified. As they head out, they see April being kidnapped. The guys scramble down to the parking lot, but they're too late to stop the van holding their friend from escaping. The Turtles pile into their truck and head off to chase the van.

Casey goes into a rest room inside the hotel to gather his thoughts. He sits on top of a toilet in an empty stall as two guys come in. Jones overhears the two talking about a "prize cow" at Norman Whitty's place on Route 116. After the men leave, Casey dashes out to the parking lot to get his truck so he can investigate... except the truck is gone! Undaunted, Casey hails a cab.

Meanwhile the Turtles have followed the van to an old garage in the woods. Inside are the three brothers carrying weapons, a bound April and a well wrapped cow. As April berates her captors and warns them that she has friends, the Turtles burst in and kick the shell outta the Smengies. Once the Brothers are tied to a post, the Turtles interrogate them. The men talk to one another in Slovakian, which angers Raph and he threatens them. Under duress, Mikal explains that the brass cow was stolen from his family by their other brother Louie before the revolution. They've returned to steal the brass cow back and to sell it to Mr. Cudworth, who collects antique cows. April finds the story dubious, as ten million dollars is involved. Raph gets even angrier and decides to bash the cow to bits. Mikal then panics and exclaims that the cow is solid gold, and that they had stolen it before the revolution so that the new dictator wouldn't be able to use its wealth. They now want to sell it and share the wealth with their people.

Leo is suspicious, but he wants to see how things will play out before calling the police. In particular, Leonardo is interested in the Texan's role in these events. Leo hatches a plan that will allow them to get the real story.

Back at the hotel, the Texan receives a phone call from Leonardo, who tells the rich man that the deal goes down tonight and that they want an additional 5 million dollars. This does not please the Texan but he gathers up his forces and heads out.

Meanwhile, Casey has arrived at Norman's place on Route 116 in the taxi. Casey is jubilant about finding the cow and heads into the barn with glee—only to discover that the cow inside is real! Just then, Norman shows up with a shotgun and yells at Casey to get away from his prize winning heifer. Jones fast talks his way out of things and piles back into the cab, ordering the very unhappy driver to take him back to the hotel.

Back at the Smengie garage, the Turtles are all decked out in trench coats and firearms, awaiting their meeting with the Texan. The men show up and the Turtles demand the money. Howard asks where the Smengie Brothers are and the Texan demands to see the cow. Mike unwraps the cow only to reveal that it's a fake! As tempers flare, the Smengies crash through the garage door in a flatbed truck, with the real "brass" cow chained to the bed. A short fire fight erupts between the Texan's men and the Turtles, but the millionaire and his henchmen take off to chase the Smengies. The turtles pile into their own truck and bolt out in hot pursuit.

As the Smengie's truck barrels down the road, they pass Casey's cab. Jones grabs the wheel of the car and spins it around. The driver is scared to death and Casey screams at him to "follow that cow!" The cab gains on the truck and Casey jumps out onto the hood of the taxi and leaps onto the cow. Jones causes Mikal to crash the vehicle into a ditch and shouts, "You pukes are under arrest!"

Just then the Texan shows up, and Howard yells, "Correction! You're all under arrest!" As the millionaire wonders what's going on, Howard explains that he's an undercover secret service agent. It turns out that the Texan (whose name isn't Cudworth, it's actually Emil Bruzeniak) is in the business of buying and selling stolen national treasures. Howard has been working for Bruzeniak for two years, waiting to build enough evidence to bust him. Howard calls in his backup and two helicopters appear. The turtles and April arrive on the scene. The turtles bail out of the truck as April drives up to see what's going on.

When April arrives, Howard wants to hear why she and Casey are involved in the case. Jones explains everything in long detail and Howard demands to talk to the four men who helped April escape. April tells the secret agent that her allies wish to remain anonymous and pleads that they all be let go, as everything turned out fine. The agent begrudgingly admits that Casey and April helped solve the case and agrees to forget about their friends' involvement, filing it under "unmentionables." Casey and April walk off arm in arm as the criminals are lead off in handcuffs.

The turtles have witnessed everything from the safety of the woods.

REVIEW

This may not feel like a TMNT story for the most part, but it has been kind of adapted into TV. Because the story is centered around Casey and April, the Turtles are once more, on the side of the story.

On the other hand, April and Casey have been on the side themselves as well since they left New York, so it is nice to explore these characters. And it’s only one issue, no one will be hurt.

I now appreciate (absent) Laird’s rounded style, but I cannot complain, as the art is stunningly good. It even feels a bit experimental at times. And there is something about Eastman drawing cities... I just love them. He makes cities look real and cartooney at the same time.

I give the issue a score of 7

[sportsv]

最好的教練，給最少的時間？太陽為何要炒掉總教練 Igor Kokoskov？

文／ 小鐵

Igor Kokoskov，發音像是「可摳許可夫」，重音在第二個"ko"，如果還有人在乎這個姓氏正確發音該怎麼念的話。

不過短期內不重要了，根據名記者Adrian Wojnarowski的消息，太陽決定在Kokoskov執教一年後，開除這位本季只帶領太陽打出19勝63敗、隊史次差戰績的總教練。

Kokoskov在去年五月初就接到太陽的聘任，雖然從來沒有NBA總教練的經歷，也因此成為史上第一位接掌球隊總教練的歐洲教練，但他的履歷絕對夠漂亮，他的助教經歷一路從90年代的歐洲時期、一直到2000年開始的快艇、活塞、太陽、騎士、魔術和爵士，最為人知也是最讓他暴紅的履歷，則是斯洛維尼亞國家隊的總教練，在2017年歐錦賽他率斯洛維尼亞一路過關斬將，最終擊敗祖國塞爾維亞奪冠。

來到太陽執教，或者說「重返」太陽，對Kokoskov的確是相當有意義、也相當具有指標性的工作，在他以往的助教經歷裡，協助球員成長、或者修正球員就是他備受肯定的能力，以爵士為例，固然Ricky Rubio當初進入聯盟那樣呼風喚雨、傳球如蝴蝶般穿梭在眾人雙手之間的翩翩飛舞才是他從十幾歲就讓世界籃球眼睛一亮的技術，但明顯在經過Kokoskov的改造以後，如今進攻威脅性提升的Rubio，才更符合現代籃球的潮流。

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Kokoskov在爵士調教側翼球員的能力，來到本季經過選秀後共有Devin Booker、T.J. Warren、Josh Jackson、Mikal Bridges，再加上不論是開季的Trevor Ariza或是季中交易後換成Kelly Oubre Jr.，這樣子手握四側翼甚至五側翼的太陽，也相當受到期待。實際上太陽本季的狀況以一般球隊來說還是十分艱困，一整季都沒有合格的控球後衛，狀元中鋒Deandre Ayton又不像當今的機動長人一樣無所不在，照理說需要專職控衛協助進步的情況下，還能讓Ayton繳出16.3分、10.3籃板，PER值達20.5的好成績，儘管在新人王的競爭勢必排在Luka Doncic和Trae Young之後，但也絕對沒有被太陽養壞。

除了Ayton之外，太陽的年輕球員一整季下來或多或少都看得到進步，Warren下半季掛傷，但增添三分球武器後的他，只花半季就投進幾乎是生涯前三年總和的77個三分球，總命中率卻還能維持在0.486的高水準；Bridges定位明確在3D球員，一整年總計129次抄截是聯盟第8，也是聯盟抄截榜前20名唯一的菜鳥，JJ和去年一樣又在過了一月後大躍進，場上球權明確分配後連防守端都更有存在感，王牌Booker雖然三分外線的準頭下降，但利用擋拆帶一步後的中距離卻無比犀利，本季6.8次助攻、26.6分都是生涯新高，同時命中率還是從去年的0.423大幅進步到0.467，進攻的質和量都大幅提升。

或許只比擴編首年16勝66敗好的戰績的確不好看，但太陽在本季很明顯可以從比賽中不斷修正，整季太陽不只能擊敗金塊、塞爾提克這樣的季後賽球隊，就算面對勇士，太陽也能拿下勝利，甚至兩戰橫掃聯盟龍頭公鹿，太陽的陣容還有極大缺陷，但比起前幾年在Jeff Hornacek手中的無所適從、在Earl Watson手中如無頭蒼蠅，Kokoskov手中的太陽，顯然更有紀律、執行力也更好。

然而，前任總管Ryan McDonough在開季前被開除，新任總管James Jones一整年相對比較敢出手一點──我指買斷球員的部分，不論交易或是原本的冗員，Jones說砍就砍，例如先是裁掉Tyson Chandler然後就看著他跑去保護LeBron James、和巫師交易後不想留Austin Rivers就買斷，後來變成火箭板凳上的推進器，是好是壞的確難說，但他在堅持自己的方向時，其實也一直沒有給Kokoskov夠多的支援。

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儘管如此，以一個培育年輕球員的角色，Kokoskov無疑是太陽近10年來最成功的教練。但他還是在只執教一年後就丟了飯碗。這十年裡，Terry Porter早早被看破手腳，其他曾擔任過總教練的人選中，Kokoskov是執教時間最短的，這對他來說，實在不夠公平。

太陽在例行賽結束後，宣布把代理總管James Jones扶正，並找來前黃蜂、活塞總管Jeff Bower擔任副總管，但在總管比較菜、副手比較資深的情況下，意見傳達顯然不會沒有彼此的聲音，目前根據消息指出，太陽屬意的新任總教練人選是曾打過NBA、也曾經擔任過紐奧良黃蜂隊總教練的現任七六人助教Monty Williams，在我看來，這個人選和他曾經跟Bower在黃蜂共事的經驗不會不相關。

但擺在眼前有兩個問題，第一個是市場上也有一支球隊要爭取Williams，是剛砍掉總教練Luke Walton的湖人，也許Williams不是什麼名帥，但市場上人人皆知，只要競爭對象是湖人，就絕對不是什麼輕鬆的拉扯。第二個問題就比較現實，Williams也許曾和Bower合作愉快，但就以往經歷看來，他絕對不是什麼實力高超的亮眼教練，比起開創他更像是守成型，偏偏太陽以年輕球員為主的陣容，目前看起來最不應該的就是走保守路線。

當然不能否認，這些年或許人總是有改變的可能，或許Williams在相隔四年後，可能領悟了什麼，讓他得到這些總管的青睞，尤其在這一年和七六人的相處，歷經從「相信過程」到進入中堅的轉變，或許不是沒有收穫，但Kokoskov帶來的進步已顯然可見，在這個時候的轉彎，的確冒著風險。

最後，最讓人難以抱著信心的是，或許不太讓人意外的，始終想要在操盤中插手的太陽老闆Robert Sarver，很難讓人相信他沒有介入這樣的決策中，但是回首他自從入主太陽後做的決定，從打壞前老闆Jerry Colangelo在2007年強選秀會上的操盤計畫、把主要苦力Kurt Thomas拿去換兩袋球、把重要樞紐Shawn Marion拿去換格格不入的Shaquille O'Neal、又把O'Neal拿去換空氣、省教練的薪水，讓太陽從Mike D'Antoni之後就一直在不怎麼樣的教練中來來去去、選秀會上看走眼，除了JJ和Ayton兩個送分題以外幾乎毫無亮點，結果在這12年內發生過的好事，就只有曾經用Boris Diaw和Raja Bell換來一組夠深度的陣容，加上拋開O'Neal，讓太陽在2010重返西冠；2015年原本不是頭號目標的Booker，如今成為撐得起全隊的當家球星；還有就是去年終於找來這十年來最好的教練Kokoskov。

不過最後一件好事，就在一年後化為烏有。

日子總要過，決策已做只能努力尋找有沒有讓人還能樂觀的方向，但是說實話，從Robert Sarver的前科累累，身為太陽迷，對於努力挖正能量這件事，在此刻實在是有點厭倦。

我無法接受一個看起來已經幫助球隊往合理方向前進、只等待今年不論選秀會或自由市場補進控衛讓陣容更整齊後往前進的教練，在這個關頭、尤其是根本還沒確定接任人選的情況下就丟了飯碗。

前太陽球員Matt Barnes有話直說的、在自己的twitter上很快對此事做出評論。

淺顯易懂，也完全就是我此刻的想法。

最後，就讓我再念一次，Igor Kokoskov，「可摳許可夫」，謝謝你這一年的貢獻，是太陽欠你一個尊重。

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