It's Not Luck

So much can change in a week. Sometimes entire months go by when nothing happens and you’re droning on-and-on but then in a span of three days your life gets turned upside down. That’s amore! Of course I’m talking about my Boston Celtics!  For a seventy-two hour span, there was a chance that the Celtics would win a GM7 against the Wizards, win the #1 overall draft pick in the 2017 draft, and then win a GM1 on their home floor against the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers. That would have qualified as the greatest Celtics period since our championship almost ten years ago. As it turned out, only the first two happened, but they were the most important happenings. It’s been a banner week. Let’s recap.

May 15: I start the day meeting some friends at Tea N More for boba and some laptopping. Then, while I sit in a PacArts programming meeting, I discretely have the BOS-WAS game on. Turns out I don’t even need the leave the room because Kelly Olynyk is the One True Manbun and had a career night to give Boston the victory.

Mostly I’ve been avoiding watching the actual games this season because every time I watch we lose. Case in point, I watched the first two games and Boston went down 0-2 to the Bulls. I stopped watching for six games and we ripped off four straight victories and went up 2-0 on the Wizards. I resumed watching after a GM3 loss to Washington and we go on to lose GM4. By now I’m ready to start watching games again, but during a huge GM7, my friend — who had been texting me and filling me in all playoffs — told me to shut my viewing device off as GM7 started winding down. As soon as I stop watching, the Celtics pull away for a huge win.

May 16: Regardless of any game results this season, the most important thing for the Celtics this year has been to win the #1 pick. We had the best chance based on Danny Ainge’s prescient deals with Brooklyn years ago, but “best chance” was only 25%. Twenty-five percent is pretty damn low, and no sure thing. (Plus there was a decent chance that the NBA would conspire to let the hated Lakers vault over everyone for the first pick.) The last three times the Celtics had such high lottery picks we lost a player to cocaine overdose two days after he was drafted, and then we whiffed on the Tim Duncan and Oden/Durant lotteries. So yeah, there was no way I was going to watch the lottery, not with my luck. Instead I played League of Legends to distract myself until someone told me Boston had won.

I was beyond excited and texted 🍀 emojis to anyone within internet distance. I was planning to stay home but sheer joy lured me out and I went to my friend’s house to laptop and chat until 3AM. Again, 🍀🍀🍀! Note: I want the Celtics to just take Markelle Fultz, and not trade away the pick. Please just take Fultz!

May 17: Still giddy over our last night's lottery win, my banner week includes the premiere of MTV’s Champs vs Pros. George orders $75 worth of Thai food for three adults and a baby, and we watch as Lolo Jones becomes the Kevin Garnett of the Challenge and destroys ex-WNBA star Candice Wiggins with her competitive intensity. I didn’t know about the Lolo hate from before but now I'm caught up and am still solidly cheering for her. Also, the Celtics get blown out by thirteen points in GM1 against LeBron and Co., but who cares, we won the lottery! Woohoo!

May 18: I go for day one of volunteering at a museum downtown. I not only prove that I can use a hammer and a level, but I meet my name/life doppelgänger working on archiving the collection. Let’s just say that this person and I have the same last name and our first names are only one letter off. Plus we graduated from college the same year. “Who are you!?” I kept saying to her. Life always surprises.

After we attend my friend’s non-profit networking event in the evening, I go back with my friend to her apartment to counsel her and her friends on a future Taiwan trip. I learn the power of modular furniture — and vehicles — and decide I must have more modular items in my life as well.

May 19: The Celtics suffer one of the worst defeats in NBA history, losing by 44 points in GM2. In addition, Isaiah Thomas, the King in the Fourth, goes down to injury. For "weeks that a lot happened,” nobody can top Isaiah. He lost his sister, played in a playoff game the next day, had his teeth knocked out soon after, received oral surgery, and then scored a career-high 53 points for a GM2 win over the Wizards. And now it’s revealed that he’s been hurt most of the time, thus explaining his slightly sub-par performances recently. Everyone loves Isaiah.

As for me, I was up from 7AM-4PM, most of that time spent hanging stuff at the museum and trying to be handy. It felt productive and unusual, and I liked it. Banner week continues.

May 20: After the second of four upcoming airport runs, I am at the museum briefly for a tea lecture before I head off to book club — Sarah J. Maas’ Court of Thorns and Roses series. I had severely underestimated the length of the last two books, and I didn’t exactly finish the 600/700 page books, respectively. However, I did dive deep into the fandom of Maas, and her haters. While I didn’t love the series, nobody should be hated/bullied this much.

After a cat nap, I get Indian food and then have a PS4 game night with friends. Among other things, we played What Remains of Edith Finch, a sort-of game about a girl who returns to her house to figure out how her family members died. Edith Finch is incredible, from both a mechanics and storytelling perspective. (It's also Annapurna Pictures' first foray into video games, and more than lives up to their quality reputation.) I had been waiting to play it with a friend, in case it was scary. Turns out, it really isn’t scary scary, but neither would I play it alone.

May 21: I stumble around at home until the afternoon, when I must hit the airport again to pick up AMR/George from their weekend in San Franciso. On the way back we pick up (in this order): a New York deli sandwich, many bobas, Mexican food for soon and then their child.

And somehow, magically, even without Isaiah Thomas, the Celtics battle through and win GM3 on a last second three-pointer that bounces around and around. If my sister’s next child isn’t named "Lolo," I am going to push hard for “Avery.” Or maybe “Avery Kelly Jonas” Although those names have a few too many negative connotations. I know the Celtics (probably) can't beat Cleveland, but even taking one game off them -- in a beautiful comeback to boot -- was enough. The sprinkles on top.

• Boston Celtics’ NBA Draft history in the top ten (2015)
• The Winners and Losers of the NBA Draft Lottery
• Isaiah Thomas’s 53-Point Night Deserves to Be in Boston’s Postseason Pantheon
• Who Owned Celts-Cavs Game 3?
• The Once and Future Celtics

My favorite thing about this Celtics playoff run — the first they’ve had any success in during the Brad Stevens era — is how a different hero steps up each night. Isaiah is the star but Al Horford has more than proven he was worth last summer's free agency splurge. And Avery has transcended his “defense first” reputation by leaps and bounds. Even Gerald Green and Amir Johnson have had their moments. On top of all that, Marcus Smart going 7/10 from three in GM3 was the most unbelievable plot twist I’ve seen all year — Smart normally can’t shoot. And when Jonas Jerebko is hailed as playoff hero, it’s a good time to be a Celtic fan.

In fact, it’s a good time for bandwagon jumpers to jion us now, as we’re set for at least a decade of success. That’s how important winning the lottery is: ten plus years of happiness ahead. Make wise choices, plan for the future, execute where you can, get 🍀. That's how May 15-21 will go down as the week that my life got so much better. See you on the hardcourt (of life)!

The State of the Celtics

I'm watching the Celtics play in their forty-second game of the 2015-6 season, officially the NBA’s halfway point. They started the game versus the Mavericks shooting one for fifteen and accumulating a grand total of two points with about four minutes to go in the first quarter. That’s not good. Since I’m watching this after the fact, I know the Celtics fight back and take this game to overtime, but they still lose by five. Overall they’re 22-20, sitting in the eighth and last slot for a playoff appearance. It's hard to tell if they’re overachieving or underachieving. It's time for a Celtics check-in!

Basically if I’ve been home alone this year, a rarity, I’ve got an NBA game on. League Pass is dominating my life and I just enjoy having a game on in the background, even though I’m usually doing something else. I’ve seen maybe half of the Celtics games, the most in awhile, and I’m here to give you my thoughts about them. Because I’m sure you care too! (Okay, I’m mostly writing this post for my sister to read. "Hi George!")

The Coach
It’s weird when your team’s best asset is its coach. Brad Stevens is only thirty-nine years old and is generally hailed as a basketball genius. He’s been able to create a competitive team out of an ever shifting blend of bit parts and castoffs.
 Almost every player that has come through the Celtics during Stevens’ reign seems to perform better than expected. Opposing players praise Stevens all the time and he recently took a game off to visit a former player on his death bed. He’s got brains and heart, and he’s going to be Boston’s coach for a long long time. Danny Ainge has made a lot of amazing moves over his tenure but hiring Stevens three years ago was probably the most prescient of all. Now to find Stevens an actual superstar to work with, alà Popovich / Duncan or Carlisle / Dirk.

• The rise of Brad Stevens and his starless Celtics (2015)
• Brad Stevens' story isn't storybook (2013)

The Guards
The undeniable strength of this version of the Celtics is the three guards, Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley, and Marcus Smart. Thomas is only 5’9” but our best offensive weapon. We acquired him in a mid-season trade last season and he sparked us to a surprise playoff run. He’s averaging 21.8 points and 6.6 assists this season, and basically if he isn’t scoring then the Celtics are in trouble. If you watch the Celtics games, Thomas has the ball in his hands 80% of the time he’s on the floor. He’s challenging for an All-Star appearance this season — although I don’t think it’ll happen — and he’s a vocal leader and fan favorite. Also, because he’s tiny, it means he’s a huge defensive liability. Opposing teams love to isolate Thomas on defense and post him up. I mean, wouldn’t you?

Luckily, Bradley and Smart are two of the best defensive players in the league. Bradley, despite being only 6’2” himself, is almost legendary for his on-ball defense. He isn’t going to be a star but Bradley has turned into a very nice player and his outside shooting is starting to become automatic. Smart, whom we drafted number six overall last season, is hurt a lot. When he’s on the court he’s a defensive beast, with a penchant for hitting timely three pointers, but overall he’s entirely a work in progress. He really isn’t a good shooter, and he’s not a really a point guard, and so far it’s hard to see him being a future perennial All-Star. But we must hope...

Effort Driven
Basically the entire Celtics roster is made up of “try hard” guys. Jae Crowder, acquired in the last year’s trade for Rajon Rondo, is all effort and heart. He’s a super solid 6’6” and is strong enough to defend almost anyone. Plus he's young and his shooting and passing is getting better as his game expands. Watching Crowder’s energy makes you just love him, trust me.

And then there’s power forward Jared Sullinger, who is only 6’9” but has a big butt, literally. Even though he looks slow and has no hops, Sullinger can rebound with anyone and he’s trying to get better position all the time. The downside with Sullinger is that he has some horrific shooting stretches and is almost never in shape. Yes, Sully's number one problem is that he’s kind of fat. Coaches call him out on it and he’s getting slimmer, but Sully is basically always chubby. But chubby can be cute, right?

Sidenote: Even if you don’t watch a lot of Celtics games, you’ll notice that they have a lot of interesting hair guys on their team. Smart and Jared Sullinger both sport Honey Badger-style blonde mohawks. And Kelly Olynyk's ponytail and occasional flowing locks is mesmerizing. Fun!

Our big off-season signing was Amir Johnson, an undersized forward-center who was supposed to bring us some rim protection — something we’ve long sought. As advertised, Johnson has given us exactly that and the long time veteran has been a perfect fit for the Celts. He’s been an upgrade over Brandon Bass and it’s fun to finally have a Celtic who can block some shots. I wish our 2015 second round pick, Jordan Mickey, would get some court time since he’s supposedly a shot blocking monster but it looks like he needs some more seasoning in the D-League.

Evan Turner
Stevens’ best reclamation project. Turner was basically considered hot trash when he was on the Pacers but after signing with the Celtics during the 2014 off-season he's turned into kind of an important player. Turner is 6’7” and is capable of handling the ball a lot and can make some very nifty passes. Then again, Turner is also often the dumbest player on the court as he takes bad shots, makes terrible decisions, and is kind of out-of-control. He’s entertaining though and the NBA-focused Sources Say podcast with Juliet Litman and Chris Ryan devoted a whole segment to Turner’s social media quotes.

• Ep. 22: Sources Say w/ Chris Ryan & Juliet Litman
• Evan Turner's not bad, and that's a problem for the Celtics (2015)
• What Should the Celtics Do With Evan Turner? (2015)

"Larry Bird is not walking through that door..."
The Celtics have four white guys on their team: Kelly Olynyk, Tyler Zeller, David Lee, and Jonas Jerebko. Of the four, only Olynyk is important. He’s seven feet tall and sort of looks awkward sometimes but he’s a good outside shooter and important to the Celtics because he can spread the floor by threatening a three pointer at all times. Olynyk has slow feet and is also a liability on defense but his offense could be increasingly vital for this team. At best he'll become a poor man's Dirk Nowitzki? Speaking of Dirk, I saw his documentary, The Perfect Shot, on Netflix a few weeks ago and it's pretty good.

There was a stretch last year when Tyler Zeller was looking like a keeper, but then Rajon Rondo got traded and Zeller lost the guy who got him so many easy buckets. Now Zeller's stuck on the bench. A similar thing happened to Jonas Jerebko, who at times looks like a useful offense / defense forward but then he misses every shot and you realize that he’s not sticking around much longer. And speaking of not sticking around much longer, David Lee, former All-Star and recent world champion (with the Warriors), well, I just read an article this morning questioning if Lee would be out of the league next year. So there’s that.

The Shooters We Can’t/Don’t Use
Over the past two years Danny Ainge has drafted two guards who are supposed to be great shooters. James Young came in 2014 (along with Smart) and RJ Hunter was our second first round pick this year -- along with Terry Rozier, aka mini-Smart. Neither Young or Hunter have seen much time on the floor, and even though the Celtics need outside shooting very badly they probably won't be making appearances soon. C'mon guys, just stand there and hit a three once in awhile, how hard can it be!

The Future
Basically the Celtics are a semi-competitive so-so team and lack a franchise level star. Everyone is waiting for Danny Ainge to turn this collection of C/B-level talent and all our future assets — and we have a ton of them — into a superstar and then reassemble the type of contender we had in the late 2000s. (Can you believe that the Kevin Garnett deal was almost ten years ago? Seriously, the KG trade was done in July 2007!)

We own a billion upcoming first round picks but it doesn’t seem like we’re going to get a franchise level guy because the Brooklyn Nets aren’t tanking hard enough and the Celtics are too good to draft high. Without some major luck in the draft we’re going to be stuck waiting to trade for a star. Sadly, I can’t even imagine who’s available that we might get soon. The dream is DeMarcus Cousins but the reality is that we probably can’t even get a Carmelo Anthony or something like that. Where art thou Celtics savior?

Watching so many Celtics games can be painful because we seriously can’t score most of the time, but the definition of a true fan is watching, and enjoying, the rebuild on the way to a title. Toward that end, I follow these two blogs: Celtics Hub and Celtics Life for my daily fix. You should too!

• Celtics Hub | Celtics Life

Awake, Always

Currently pushing: Celtics “We Are Young and Smart” T-shirt. There’s a lot of stuff I want to recommend but since tonight is the start of the NBA season, there’s no way I can’t highlight the future of the Boston Celtics: first round picks Marcus Smart and James Young. Sure, that may signal that Rajon Rondo is on his way out (please no, please no), and while I was stunned on draft day about the pickup of another point guard, I’ve come around to the idea that Smart’s defense and competitive spirit is exactly what Boston needs. Oh and yes, you can bet I drafted Smart in my fantasy league. While it may be another losing season ahead for the Celts, I’m excited for the new blood to jumpstart the rebuilding. Here's Smart and Young, wearing Smart and Young.

A few weeks ago I jaunted to New York for a wedding and the tail end of summer. Actually, summer was all the way over and fall jackets were on full display. It’s been awhile since I only spent a few days in New York so I tried to cram everything in. The second night, I sat around watching Got Soul practice for the wedding dance. Post-college, some of my friends still wanted to dance and so they started Got Soul for a few years. Now they re-rented their old practice room, and even I could feel the electric reunion energy. There probably aren’t a whole lot of wedding dances left in our futures, so this felt like one of the final rides.

Friday, before the wedding, I cruised up to The Whitney to take in the Jeff Koons exhibit. Basically I needed to go to hate-see it. I have strong anti feelings towards Koons work, but since it’s best to take something in before you totally reject it, I went. Verdict? Just like the Slate Cultural Gabfest said, I was impressed by the workmanship, if not necessarily Koons' vision. Some of the pieces, mostly made of aluminum, looked so much like other materials that it was almost impossible not to sneak a touch. I walked right by the inflatable Incredible Hulk organ before doubling back and realizing it was not plastic. My favorite piece of his ended up being this nude woman in a tub with the top half of her head chopped off. In person, the effect was jarring, and I couldn’t stop the mental disconnect and looking for the missing half. Overall, I was more excited about the Edward Hopper stuff tucked away upstairs. There weren’t many actual Hopper paintings but it was still a nice surprise.

The one thing I had to do in New York was watch Kenneth Lonergan’s play, This Is Our Youth. It stars Michael Cera, Kieran Culkin, and Tavi Gevinson. Cera may bring in the crowds but I was there to see Tavi. She was quietly brilliant in Enough Said last year and I thought she was just as great in her Broadway debut. There was a lot of young Michelle Williams in her performance, but without all the annoying Williams-ness. The Cort Theatre is small enough that almost any seat has a nice view, so go to the cheap seats and watch this thing. And then maybe queue up Lonergan’s You Can Count On Me, which back in 2000 vaulted Laura Linney high up on my "actors/actresses to must-see" list.

• These Kids Today
• Desperate Fledglings, Flung From the Nest
• Urban Blight: The world of Kenneth Lonergan
• Grantland, "This Is Their Youth"
• Tavi Gevinson Style Evolution: From Rookie To This Is Our Youth

I also got the chance to swing by my friend's about-to-open restaurant in Williamsburg. Wait, actually, it's open now. Pam and Jose used to do a pop-up in the same space, but now they've completely remodeled and it's called Semilla (Spanish for "seed"). The food is vegetable forward and as you can see from this link, absolutely stunning. I was going to miss their opening but wanted to see how much the space had transformed, since they'd been working on it for months. Needless to say, the makeover was amazing, and the tiled bathroom has a fun window that lets you peer out into the kitchen.

After my quick visit, I got on a trusty Citibike for one last ride, across the bridge to the Lower East Side, to meet Pam's identical twin -- and equally obsessed food person. She had just returned from a long bike ride and was parked at El Rey Coffee, ordering everything on and off menu, saying hello to friends and strangers alike. For a few hours, it was New York summer again.

The rest of the weekend was filled with some dancing, some puking (not by me), some singing, friend-family dinners, plenty of hanging out, and late night hotel lobby time. It stirred a bit of revival in my heart for New York after my quick exit in July. Still, I couldn't stay since Taiwan Part 2 beckoned and I had a fifteen hour flight to catch. Bye U.S., I'll be back!

• Semilla website | @semilla | #wandrlstng
• First Look at Semilla, Williamsburg's Newest Chef’s Counter
• "Veggie-Forward” Williamsburg Pop-Up Chez José Is Reborn As Brick-and-Mortar Semilla
• Pig Roast Sundays Return to the Crown Victoria in Williamsburg for Second Season (2013)
• Chez Jose's Jose Ramirez-Ruiz and Pam Yung On "Guerilla Cooking" and New York's Food Scene (2012)

All Together Now

Currently pushing: Strength in Numbers project. Chops of Mountain Brothers fame is trying to Kickstart the money for an album he made with a roster of current Asian American musicians. There's less than three days to go and they're short. So if you care about Asian American artists, then consider donating. Also, "21 Asian American Musicians You Need to Get Behind Right Now."

I’m cleaning up the rest of Eddie Huang’s memoir, Fresh Off the Boat. I went to go see Huang back in February but I’m only now getting around to reading my friend’s copy. Fresh Off the Boat, aside from being entertaining and hilarious, is important because it presents a point of view that is rarely seen. The experiences of our generation of immigrants that grew up in American but solidly had a foot still planted in Asia -- mainly due to how our parents raised us.

If you’re an immigrant, and especially an Asian-American one, you can relate to so much from this book, especially the stuff about dealing with the culture shock of whiteness. I forgot where the link went, but my friend forwarded me a piece where a twentysomething Asian-American shares her experience growing up and being placed in ESL classes even though her English was better than everyone else’s. The writer had a line in there, heavily paraphrased, about how growing up there’s a decision you make to assimilate to the white culture around you, or to resist. (Update here's the article: "The Asian-American Awakening: That Moment When You Realize You're Not White.")

When I was younger, I never felt that, but mainly because I was mostly oblivious. In retrospect however, every person of color has to make that decision at some point. In fact, that decision is always ongoing. That moment though, the “oh shit, I’m not like them” moment is true for everyone.

When the Huang family moves to Orlando, Eddie and his brothers enter a world where he’s continually picked on and made fun of for things like his otherness, the strange lunch food he brings to school (packed with loving care by his mom), and the usual shit that we Asian-Americans know about. Young Eddie eventually decides to stop taking shit and fight back, often literally. He decides he’s not going to assimilate and that’s that.

“Emery [Eddie’s younger brother] wouldn’t go talk to my parents about the things he really cared about or about how he really felt; he’d talk to me. When he talked to them, they just yelled at him. When he came to me, I’d always get stomachaches because I didn’t know what to do most of the time. I just told him what they’d taught me about ohw we should behave: respect your parents, respet your family, speak Chinese at home, take off your shoes at home, be polite at other people’s homes, don’t borrow money from people, but if other people need it from you lend it to them, as long as it’s inconsequential. Don’t fight, but if someone calls you a chink, fight.”
-Fresh Off the Boat-

The book isn’t all about race of course, there’s an equal amount in there about class and feeling inferior because he thought his family was poor. One of my favorite things about Fresh Off the Boat is how it really focuses on the (often crazy) family dynamics that come with moving to another country together. Also, there’s a ton of sports and rap references, which is a huge bonus. Plus some Encyclopedia Brown and Jonathan Swift for good measure too. Obviously, I’m recommending the book big time because even if it doesn’t speak to your experience, it speaks to one Asian-American’s experience that isn’t stereotyped. Regardless of you how you feel about Huang's antics, he represents an attitude and viewpoint that hasn't been shown before, much less in a book.

On a related note: Maurene Goo’s Since You Asked did the exact same thing for me as Fresh Off the Boat. It’s a young adult book with race, not about it. And if you read contemporary YA, that’s incredibly rare. s.e. smith’s review captures that aspect of the book exactly. Did I happen to see Eddie Huang walk by while I was having lunch in Fort Greene a few weekends ago? Yup I did. Did I quickly move to follow him down the street to the Brooklyn Flea? Of course I did. No shame in my stalking game. Did I say hello? Of course not.

• As Fresh Off the Boat returns for new season, Eddie Huang's got a full plate
• New season of Vice's Fresh Off the Boat: Detroit
• Hyphen Magazine: Nina Ichikawa, "Starchy Fried Goodness and Other Vices"
• Roseanne Pereira, "Eddie Huang: That’s My Spaceship"
• Meet Eddie Huang, Food Personality (2011)

The new NBA season officially started yesterday. I’ve been consumed the past week in drafting for my fantasy league. Seriously, I’m checking my phone every few minutes and researching players like all the time. I haven’t even been blogging anywhere because I’ve been cranking out articles for my sixteen team keeper league, SlamNation. This is probably the only writing related thing that I don’t dawdle at. Fake articles about each trade? On it. Full reviews of each team pre and post-draft? Did it already. If I could be this productive with other things, I would be a star.

I’m contemplating joining another league, one set up to mirror Bill Simmons’ suggestions for the ultimate basketball league. Even though I’m swamped by fantasy obligations already, I’m considering joining this thing. Key word there is “fantasy” because it's all fake obligations. "I gotta go do some work/writing, and by 'work' I mean fantasy articles. See ya!" Anyway, the fantasy team I’ve been slowly rebuilding has finally acquired enough parts to make it seem like a contender. I built a team around Rajon Rondo, which meant going big ball and acquiring power guys like Dwight Howard, Josh Smith, Al Jefferson, and Andre Drummond. Of course, now Rondo is out for a few months and my poor team will just spin its wheels.

Speaking of the Celtics, it was an off-season of transition for my team. If you don’t follow basketball at all, I’ll put it like this: The Celtics tore the house down this summer and are now rebuilding it brick by brick. Gone are stalwarts Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, in are a bunch of nobodies who won’t be around for very long. While I absolutely are dedicated to the Celtics, this is the season I happily (not-)watch them lose and instead focus my support toward the new old Celtics, aka Brooklyn Nets. I’m just a mile or so away from Barclays so I can pretend they are a semi-local team. While I couldn’t be sadder to see Pierce and Garnett go, I’m glad they have a chance to win a championship. Beat the Heat, beat the Heat!

• Brooklyn and Boston: After the Trade
• Bill & Jalen’s (Video) NBA Previews
• Simmons: The day I unveiled the greatest fantasy league ever (2011)
• Simmons: How I Would Fix Fantasy Basketball (2008)

Tearin' Up My Heart

Guess how much time I spent this morning "researching" a boy band's background? And not even a relevant boy band like One Direction. Allow me to catch you up onto the wonder that is IM5. Here's their "Disney Dudez" parody. As you'll see, the band contains a black Justin Bieber sing/dress/lookalike, and an Asian kid. More importantly, the (mixed-)Asian one is the cute one. And the tallest. And the most talented. #hotasianboy can now literally be applied to a boy. Move aside Godfrey Gao.

I don't have to tell you that having an Asian American boy band member is unprecedented. I mean, you'll have to go back to MTV's original Making the Band to find a predecessor. Even then, not quite. Bryan Chan got cut early on and I can't tell if Ikaika Kahoano was mixed or what. Neither of them made it to O-Town, but did end up joining forces later on to form their own by band. Trivia: Matthew Morrison was also in LMNT. Yes, a young Mr. Schuester. Mind blown.

Anyway, let's bring it back to Will Jay, trailblazer and soon to be icon. He fucking kills it in the Disney video -- as, ahem, Shang/Mulan -- and he should clearly have fan girls following his every move. Heck, I may be fangirling him. Read his bio. He's got Jason Mraz on there, Al Green on there, and omg, Tribe. A seventeen year old who listens to ATCQ? Just give me the papers to adopt him or date him off to someone I know. Of appropriate age of course. Also, young Will drops Catch Me If You Can references in interviews. What's not to love?

The ultimate capper here is that this boy band you've never heard of was founded by Simon Fuller of Spice Girls/Idol fame and Perez Hilton. "We don't want any ugly ones. We don't want any Joey Fatones, if you know what I mean." IM5 is clearly about to be the next big thing. Can any of them actually sing without auto-tune? Are any of their songs any good? The answers are "probably not" and "definitely not," and but I mean, does that even matter?

And to prove that I don't just go gaga over boy bands, here's a "The Cup Song" cover featuring Kina Grannis and some other Youtube people. Related, I am on the lookout for three friends who can sing, clap, and flip cups around at the same time. Auditions only done in-person, apply via text message. Start practicing.

Heat wave time is officially here. I've never owned this many tank tops in my life and just the other day I caved and got an air conditioner for the apartment. It's hard to hibernate by day when your room is a furnace. This mini 5000 BTU beauty does the job and I'm happy to include it among my growing inventory of "things that control the weather/temperature." Between a space heater, humidifier, and this AC, I'm ready for every season. What I'll do with these items when I move is beyond me.

Living in New York, and staying put in one place for so much longer than I'm used to, has made me pile up stuff. My old "only have what you can carry" rule isn't quite working out anymore. Thus, time to declutter! Here's a nice Medium post about doing exactly that, "The Noise of Stuff." I was also reading a good article about the whole getting rid of extra fluff and living a minimalist lifestyle thing and how it's only for the privileged. The article made some remarkable points but unfortunately I can't find it. The basic takeaway was that privilege wasn't about having the money to buy stuff, but also about being in a place where you can choose where or  how you spend your resources.

I choose to spend my money on multiple shaved ices and bubble teas. As any sane person would do in this weather.

Bad segue alert. You know who has really been decluttering? Danny Ainge! Over the span of a week or so, he tore apart my beloved Celtics and is going into total tank mode. Last time we did this, we whiffed on getting a high pick, aka Kevin Durant, but made out with the revised Big Three and a championship. Now our head coach basically quit on us, and we jettisoned our team leaders and the beating heart of Celtic pride -- along with the guy who maybe jumped the gun on a tattoo. Then we went ahead and hired a head coach who's barely older than me. It's a definite recipe for success.

To be honest, I wasn't unhappy to see the rebuilding start. Next year's draft is supposed to be stacked so if we're gonna hit rock bottom this is the time to do it. When we went to Vegas a few weeks ago, I didn't even put my traditional fifty dollars down on the Celtics to win the championship. It'll be super weird and tremendously sad to see Paul Pierce -- and to a much lesser extent, Kevin Garnett -- wearing the Brooklyn white and black, but I'd rather have them fighting for a title as opposed to rotting away in Boston. Although I did hope they would join Doc, Chris Paul, and Blake Griffin in Clipperland. That would have been an interesting contender.

The biggest question now is what happens to Rajon Rondo. I'm not sure he's a viable franchise cornerstone, what with his sometimes genius level play alternating with huge deficiencies in his game, but I don't want to see him go yet. Maybe he'll take the reins now, without a few old men to slow him down. Anyway, the NBA off-season has been super exciting and I'm refreshing Twitter and checking news like crazy.

• On The End of The Paul Pierce Era and Start of A Rebuild
• What the Pierce-Garnett Trade Means for the Nets and Celtics
• Crashing Invitation to KG and Paul Pierce From a Brooklyn-Dwelling Celtics Fan
• Emergency B.S. Report with Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo
• Why We Watch: Rajon Rondo, Cubist

On My Parade

Listening to: rainymood.com. Who doesn't love the sound of rain, but huddled up safely indoors? I've been listening to this site for a whole day straight. There's a link to a song of the day below, or you can just put on your own moodtastic song on. Now to get a Rainshower Glade plug-in to have my room smell like rain too. Um, delicious.

In late January, it was announced that Rajon Rondo was out for the season with a torn ACL. Maybe you don't care about this. But it ruined my life. It ruined way bigger things than that too. It ruined my fantasy basketball team, it ruined the Celtics current season, it ruined the Big Three era. An athlete who tears his ACL won't be fully recovered for a year at least. By then, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce will be even older. Immediately following Rondo's injury news, pundits were speculating that general manager Danny Ainge would have to blow up the team.

Over the holiday break, George and I attended a Celtics game and thank goodness we did as KG, Pierce, and Rondo may never play together again. We wore jerseys and everything! Unfortunately, the Celtics were blown out by the Clippers, but we sat real close so it was still fun. However, if the Celtics are going to rebuild, it could be a long time before we can be that excited again. Since George is a semi-new fan, she doesn't know how long it can be between great teams. She's only been around for the good times. She doesn't know the actual feeling of going over twenty years between titles. I fear she will soon find out.

Also, I am concerned for our siblingship. Without the Celtics' championship hopes to rally around, our relationship could collapse. I mean, what else will we talk about? Danny, I'm pleading with you not to break up a happy home. Don't trade KG or Pierce. Don't make George sad. Otherwise I'll never hear the end of it. #goceltics

• Life Without Rondo
• Celtics Hub: Welcome to the Rebuild
• Paul Pierce (Still) Wants To Retire As A Celtic: Why It Matters
• The Point Forward: C's hard-pressed to stay afloat without Rajon Rondo
• Are the Celtics Really This Good Without Rajon Rondo?

And then there's football, another sports disaster for me. I've laid out my reasons for being a Falcons fan before, but mainly it's because I was hardcore into Deion Sanders. Liking teams in faraway places actually compelled me to apply to schools in Boston and Atlanta just in case I wanted to go there. Clearly I was not the brightest high schooler. "Yes, Boston College, Emory, I'd like to attend. Never visited, but I like sports teams in your city!" Instead I went to Michigan, which obviously has a huge sports culture but somehow I emerged with no school spirit at all. UMich's basketball team is/was number one? Really? News to me.

Anyway, the stupid Falcons broke my heart too. After going 13-3, earning themselves the best record in the league, and having an almost MVP candidate in quarterback Matt Ryan, they proceeded to collapse big time. Nobody believed in them because they were being talked about as paper tigers all season long. But I hoped they would be better than everyone thought. Roddy White and Julio Jones were Andre Rison and Michael Haynes 2.0!

It had been almost fifteen years since the Falcons made it to their lone Super Bowl, and that game was pretty much over from go, as John Elway and Terrell Davis shellacked the Falcons 34-19. This time around, I was hoping they could redeem themselves. Starting off with tempered expectations, I was watching the Falcons verus 49ers game a few weeks ago, hopping between the laundromat and a burger joint -- I don't have a TV so watching sports has been dicey. When Atlanta jumped out to a seventeen point lead, I thought it was over. Then the 49ers came back to almost tie it up by halftime, and I went straight into panic mode. Suffice to say, the Falcons failed to score in the second half and San Francisco emerged with a 28-24 victory. Epic collapse.

Basically I've decided to give up on sports -- the only thing keeping me going is watching the Lakers collapse too. This past weekend, I even took a hiatus from watching the Super Bowl because it just wasn't worth it. Excuse me while I put up photos of my teams when they were happy, so I can feel better. It's all I have left.

• The Thrill of Defeat
• Who Is the Real Matty Ice?
• D-Block: The Glorious Talk Show of the Atlanta Falcons Linebacking Corps (2012)
• The Incomplete Tale of Matt Ryan (2012)

All In for the Win

Listening to: The Morning Benders, "Lovefool (Cardigans)" and Ben Taylor, "Nothing Compares to You." I guess I'm in a covers mood. Actually I'm arguably always in a covers mood.

My sister just sent an email asking me to explain why Shaq's strained calf muscle keeps him out for weeks while other player's injuries only last a few days. The answer is: I don't know. I mean, Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal is old. Like thirty nine years old. And he weighs (at least) three hundred and fifty pounds. His body just breaks down a lot. He's also the only hope the Celtics have of winning title eighteen. Yes, it's desperate times for Celtics fans starting this weekend, when they face off against the Knicks in round one of the 2011 NBA playoffs.

Post Kendrick Perkins trade, the Celtics' new additions have been nigh useless and the growing sentiment among fans and experts are that the Celtics are done as serious contenders. They got blown out by the Heat and the Bulls in recent weeks and the entire attitude of the team is in the dumps. They need Rajon Rondo to step up but he's somehow morphed from best point guard in the league to inconsistent and puzzling headache. It's been theorized that the Perkins trade has emotionally affected Rondo as he lost his best friend on the team.

It's easy to forget that for these dozen guys who spend all their time together, losing your hang out buddy can throw everything into flux. You lose that person you talk to, eat on the road with, and for Rondo and Perkins, basically grew up with. Since the trade deadline, the Celtics have added five new players -- Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic, Troy Murphy, Carlos Arroyo, and Sasha Pavlovic -- and that must be difficult on a team used to steady and stellar chemistry. And poor Avery Bradley, the only rookie left on the team. Who does he hang out with? As we learned in Episode 4 of The Association, Bradley is tasked with getting peanut butter and jelly for every pre-game spread. That must be an even lonelier task now.

I'm already a pessimistic fan at heart -- always fearing the worst -- but I still have a slight hope that Boston can pull through this year. Although logically they aren't good enough, maybe they can just magically make it happen. Of course, nothing would hurt me more than to see them fight to the Finals and then lose to the Lakers again. Last year's Game Seven defeat was too painful. I can't do it again this year. So please basketball gods, just tell me if the Celtics will win a championship this year. I'll trade you something really valuable in return if the answer is "yes." My first born child is yours. Okay fine, George's first born child as well. Take all our children!

Last year the Celtics started their epic run to the Finals while I was headed to Europe. Clearly I need to leave the country again for them to succeed this year. Mexico is only a short drive away, maybe I better go down there for the next two months. Anything for my Celtics. I'm already preparing to get all emotional either way. Damn feelings, damn this weak heart.

Let's end on a happy note: Paul Pierce's best dunks of the season. For some reason Pierce has been unleashing some monster dunks this year, which proves that he's still got a little spring in his step. And speaking of hops, this JR Smith dunk is the craziest one from this season-- even greater than any of Quake Griffin's. Pause it and look at where Smith takes off from before he hammers it home two-handed. I'd take some of that in the morning.

Greatest Love of All

I had this old VHS that I wore out to death: NBA Superstars. It was one of my first basketball videos and I'd watch it over and over again. At the time I had yet to have any music preferences so I just listened to all the artists featured on the video. Luckily for me, the artists and songs highlighted were pretty classic. Janet Jackson, Vanessa Williams, Kool Moe Dee, John Mellencamp, Yanni, Steely Dan, Whitney Houston. Each song was paired with an all pro and it was all so beautifully done. A few years ago NBA Entertainment released all three Superstars sets on one DVD. Only the first one is timeless, but for a few bucks it's a must buy for every basketball fan. Check out some of the videos and playlists from the first Superstars tape here. And this NBA Jam Session tape was my second favorite, but it never hit DVD sadly.

Of course, when I went to make my memory video of my first in-person Celtics game this weekend, I dipped into the Superstars playlist for a classic, Billy Joel's "This is the Time." Their version features NBA greats from the past; my version features my Saturday night at the Clippers versus Celtics game.

Basketball games I've attended in my lifetime: (1) Golden State Warriors versus Clippers when I was a teenager. My dad brought me because the Clippers were doing pre-season in San Diego and we sat way up. (2) Pistons versus Hawks, in college, when a group of us got tickets for the Palace and sat as high up as humanly possible. Dikembe Mutombo was an ant. (3) Lakers vs 76ers once on Christmas Day. Somehow my friend had box seats and George and I both went to see Iverson battle Kobe and Shaq. I thought that would be closest I'd ever get to a NBA game.

Oh no, this time around, we sat seriously three rows from the front. Like it was us, then two rows of VIP seating, then courtside seats. I've been telling people that we were well within the Splash Zone. Suffice to say, the only time I've been closer to a basketball game was when I'm sitting on the sidelines of a pickup game, waiting my turn.

How did I end up with such great seats? Well, my friend's girlfriend got him the tickets for his Valentine's Day present. And then she so kindly suggested that he take me. Initially I wasn't sure if I could take them up on their kind offer since I was clear across the country and flying in for a game seemed extravagant. But my friend said, "C'mon, it's once in a lifetime. Get here and we'll go. " So of course I had to come because this was my only chance to see Paul Pierce, KG, Rondo, and Ray Allen all together. No amount of money would be worth staying away. I love Valentine's Day! (Actually I think I just love my friend's girlfriend, but in a grateful way.)

You would cry too it if happened to you.

So how was the game? It was amazing of course. Everyone looks exactly like they do on TV, just life sized. It's weird. Celebrities tend to look different than they do on-screen, but sports people are just the same in person. Maybe I need to get closer or something. But what you can't feel at home is the absolute confidence and coolness of all the players.

The Clippers, who aren't even a good team, all carry themselves with swagger. Backup players are looking out into the stands as if they own the place. And when Blake Griffin is about to get loose for a dunk, the entire arena stands up in anticipation. He had two open court slams and a few other mighty ones. The man is a monster. And when they say Kevin Garnett just exudes cool, it's absolutely true. Just looking at these prime athletes walking around on the hardwood made me want to faint. "How do they walk around being so awesome all the time?"

The floor looks tiny though, like way smaller than it is on television. More narrow and not nearly as wide. The players look like they are all mushed together and it seems like there's no room anywhere. And when dunks or spurts of action happen, it's all incredibly fast. Blink and you miss the pass that leads to a score. You really gotta pay attention. I tried my hardest not to take pictures, video, or look at my phone because I needed to maximize my forty eight minutes of heaven. My hands started hurting from clapping so hard about halfway through the first quarter. I had to pace myself. I found myself yelling out non-sensical things even though I'm not much of a screamer.

I'm also not normally an autograph or picture guy but I was hoping maybe I'd sneak close enough to a player for one or the other. My semi-realistic goal was to say "hey" to Brian Doo, the Celtics strength and conditioning coach. He's always on TV and he's like the Asian face of the organization. Sadly, no Celtic came within hailing distance of me. However, my friend did get to meet Ben Baller, who is the new Jacob the Jeweler -- among many other things. Just the night before, my friend had been showing me Baller's blog and website and filling me in on his history. And then at halftime this blinged out Korean guy goes walking by and my friend's like, "It's Ben Baller!"

When he came by again, my friend congratulated Baller on his recent engagement and then we snapped a quick pic. The encounter made us seriously giddy and it was our biggest brush with celebrity that night. Unless you count Pat Sajak, who also walked by, looking all orange and old. Or Billy Crystal, who looked kinda bored and probably wished he had Oscar hosting prep to do. I did keep an eagle eye out for Bill Simmons but no luck there.

Afterwards, we drove back down to San Diego and immediately rewatched the game on DVR to see if we made any of the shots. Our seats were situated so that every time the teams transitioned from one end to the other, we appeared as little blurbs in the background. It's such a small thrill but man were we excited. I want to save that recording forever. During the game, we tried to jump out of our chairs before anyone else in order to get on TV but that clearly didn't work. Next time I need to wear my gear -- which we had run out of time to pick up beforehand. I have logo-ed out high rise socks, wrist bands, a jersey, and a sweatband, I swear!

This was quite possibly the best night of 2011 for me. And it's only February. Sorry March through December, it's all downhill from here. Thanks Hong and Jenn, Sweetest Day this year is on me!

Family Business

Currently pushing: NBA's The Association, featuring the 2010-11 Boston Celtics. The third episode just came out and there are only two more left. Clearly episode four will be about the end of the regular season -- with a strong focus on the loss of Kendrick Perkins -- and then the season finale will be about the Celtics winning their eighteenth championship. Sorry to ruin the ending.

Thursday was the day I was scheduled to fly back to San Diego and also the NBA trading deadline. Already thrilled by the bevy of basketball happenings this week, I was afraid that I would be in the air when all the drama unfolded. Luckily my layover in Baltimore was three and a half hours long. I had the chance to stand by for an earlier flight but figured between my laptop and trying to keep tabs on what my beloved Celtics would do, I'd stick around Charm City. (For the record, I haven't hung out much in Baltimore but "Charm City" is a very unlikely moniker.) Anyway, as the trade deadline came and went, I kept hitting refresh on my sports feeds. Earlier, George and I had been texting back and forth, building excitement and discussing possibilities.

Lemme lay out the story for those uninitiated: The Boston Celtics have been one of the best teams in basketball this season and are the favorites to reach their second Finals appearance in a row. The only thing holding them back would be injuries. Missing an additional big body and a swingman, all Celtic fans knew that Danny Ainge had to do something. Often hailed as one of the savvier general managers in the game, I was excited for the magic Ainge would undoubtedly pull off. Personally, I was hoping for Shane Battier or Grant Hill, a couple of classy veterans whose experience, defense, and solid shooting would secure our title chances. Instead the deadline seemed to pass with the Celtics having done nothing.

Then I read on some NBA analyst's Twitter that the Celtics had agreed to trade Kendrick Perkins in exchange for Jeff Green. "Trade Kendrick Perkins!" I thought, "how ludicrous!" Perkins is our scowling center and the key to us defending the likes of Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum. After busting his knee in Game 5 of last year's Finals, Perkins' absence caused the Celtics to get pummeled inside as they eventually lost to the Lakers in seven games -- it hurts to type this, yes it does. There was no way we'd trade Kendrick!

Well, as the world now knows, we did trade him. Along with Nate Robinson. What we got back were two softies, Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic. It boggles the mind. I won't go into the pros and cons of this trade, or what made Danny do it, but read some analysis here if you want to. The jury is definitely out on whether or not this was a wise move. Along with trading away Perkins and Robinson, three other guys were moved for some roster space and future considerations. The Celtics starting five that had never lost a playoff series together is no more.

What hurts the most is that Kendrick Perkins loved being a Celtic. He was loyal, he cared, he worked hard to come back from injury, and he's never known another professional basketball home. It's possible he would have left this summer via free agency but Perk deserved to try to win one more ring with his guys. Reports are that he cried when he heard about the trade. Kevin Garnett, the heart and soul of the team, said it best: "Very tough day to play basketball, to even concentrate. Just being bluntly honest. You feel like you lost a family member today. Tough day."

Maybe this trade makes the Celtics a champion again. Maybe Jeff Green is actually good. Maybe the Big Shamrock can keep it healthy for a playoff run. Maybe Ainge is smarter than everyone else. Still, this trade is so painful. I swore I'd care less about sports after last season's Finals loss, but I guess I was all sucked in again.

"Selfishly, I wanted one more chance with them: Garnett, Pierce, Allen, Rondo, Perkins, Baby and Doc, the only seven guys who mattered here. But that's the thing about sports -- 'them' always seems to change when you least expect it.... Doesn't matter how old you are, where you are in your life, where you're living…there's no feeling quite like your favorite team trading someone you genuinely liked."
-Bill Simmons on the trade (scroll down)-

In related news, I'm going to the Clippers versus Celtics game tomorrow. It's my first ever Celtics basketball game. I'm going to be sitting super close. I'm going to witness the first night of the Jeff Green experiment. I'm probably going to have one of the best times of my life. I'm probably going to be wearing my Celtics jersey and matching headband and long socks. But I won't be seeing Kendrick in Celtic green. Sigh.

How Shaq Gave Me My Groove Back

Listening to: ceo, "Come With Me." Apparently any music coming out of Sweden right now is bets on to be good. This is a solo project from Eric Gerglund of Tough Alliance and here's an interesting interview with him from Pitchfork. What I really need to know is whether "ceo" is to be pronounced as one word or if the letters are to be spelled out individually. Either way it makes it hard to Google.

The last time I posted about the Celtics, they were on the verge of getting into the Finals after taking the first three games from the Orlando Magic. Then a dream matchup of Boston versus Los Angeles materialized (again) and soon after the Celtics took a 3-2 series lead. Ahead by double digits going into the last twenty four minutes of the season, I literally skipped down the block during halftime of game seven, thinking about the night's upcoming festivities. When the Celtics won, I would drink some whisky and celebrate in macho style -- even if I can't drink whisky without coughing like an amateur.

This unexpected championship would launch my slow moving 2010 into proper orbit. Two victories over the Lakers in three years and nothing could have been dreamier. Life would be triple rainbows and pouring sunshine. This second Celtics-Lakers matchup was doubly exciting because George and I were cheering together each game, going so far as to make shooting sleeves out of socks to help the team's shooting woes. She even named an eggling after Rajon Rondo.

Then tragedy struck. The Celtics fell apart after halftime, Ron Artest became a hero, and now history will have to accord Kobe some measure of respect as a slayer of his demons and a five time champion -- even if he played horribly that last game. Following the four point loss, I collapsed on the floor and ran my tongue over the gash I'd opened in my lip earlier. Yes, I was cheering so hard that I somehow slammed my head on the ground in frustration and bit myself. George shed a few tears for the huge loss. I would have cried if I wasn't a robot incapable of human emotion. Our friend, who had come over to help us celebrate, was instead tasked with trying to cheer us up. Just an hour before we were ready to tear up the town. Now I was inconsolable.

After that night, I decided to swear off caring about sports. It's just the same old, same old, over and over. "A soap opera for guys." Why is life about winners and losers anyway? Why tie my emotions into the fortunes of some far away team that I've never even seen play. What am I cheering for exactly? A specific combination of colors on a uniform? Bleh.

But then the offseason started and the promise of another contending season lured me back in. While Lebron James took his talents to South Beach to form the Super Friends, the Celtics reloaded. Doc Rivers came back. Ray Allen came back. Paul Pierce restructured. Nate Robinson came back. Marquis Daniels came back. Kendrick Perkins is recovering after a horrific knee injury. The walking corpse that is Jermaine O'Neal signed. And finally, earlier this week, the one and only Shaquille O'Neal became a Celtic. It's a strange world we live in where enemies from the last decade are suddenly part of your team.

I know there are skeptics out there who point out that a thirty eight year old Shaq will clog the lane. I don't care. His sheer immenseness will help alleviate the rebounding woes Boston displayed last season. They still need a backup swingman to replace Tony Allen and round out the roster but they're looking good. The Heat are the new front runners in the East, and the hated Lakers also made some quality off-season additions, but there is hope that Boston has one more run in them. My lip has healed, my heart has scarred over, and I'm ready to cheer again.

So I guess it is true. You can love and lose, and love again.

Big hands I know you're the one

Wow wow wow. I have so much writing to do but I can't keep my attention away from the television because the Celtics have given me the best week ever. Three wins in a row, including an epic triple double from Rajon Rondo. Nobody thought the Cavaliers would lose to the Celtics, and I must admit, my rational side gave Boston a slim chance of beating Lebron and Co. after their up and down regular season. But they came out tough from the very beginning of this series, hit their stride halfway through, and just dominated late. How quickly things change.

Kevin Garnett is secretly back to almost his old self, Tony Allen has emerged as a defensive gnat, Ray Allen is still stroking it from deep, and the Celtics are buckling down and playing real defense. Sure Paul Pierce has been quiet this series but he'll come around. And my love for Rondo cannot be measured. He's so much fun to watch, he gets a ton of steals a game, he's an one man fast break, and some of his passes are just mind blowing. He's got this awesome behind the back one handed fake move that is just wicked. I want to practice that move and pull it off once, even if it's in my dreams.

Now if only Rasheed Wallace can pick it up and not be complete idiot. He hit a few big threes tonight but I can't trust him quite yet. He's lazy beyond belief. And for all of Danny Ainge's moves -- bringing in Sheed, Marquis Daniels, Nate Robinson, and Michael Finley -- the bench is still anchored by Tony Allen and Glen Davis.

The conference finals are going to be bananas. Can the Celtics match up well enough to take out the Magic? I don't know. But every Celtics fan is reinvigorated and willing to believe anything can happen. Do Steve Nash and the Suns have enough to outgun the Lakers? Again, a crazy proposition. But if the Suns can beat the Lakers and meet the Celtics in the Finals, my friend Jasmine and I might become mortal enemies for two weeks. If the Lakers and Celtics make it again, I fear for the matchup but that would clearly be the most historic combination. And if it's the Lakers and Magic again, booooring.

What is terrible is that I'm going to be in Europe for the entire duration of the conference title games. How will I be able to watch the games? How can I miss the possible last post-season of the Big Three? Do I just shut my eyes to the world and hope they make it to the Finals or do I cheer them on during weird time zones from another continent? This could be huge. I can go to Europe anytime, but the Celtics only compete for the Finals every so often. Hum.

For the record, Lebron has to leave. The city of Cleveland is sports cursed and he's not going to win down there. I know it's his hometown and he wants to bring a championship back but it's time to go. The Cavs just stopped trying about halfway through the fourth quarter. Near the very end, down by just nine with one minute left, the Cavaliers chose to not foul and just let the time dribble out. A lot can happen in a minute in the NBA. The Cavs plain quit and it's time for LBJ to get out. While I love Lebron, I say he can't receive another MVP until he wins a championship. Regular season dominance is great and all but if you can't win a title, you shouldn't be a three time MVP.

Possible destinations? New York, New Jersey, or Chicago, among a handful of others. I think he should go to the Bulls. Follow in the footsteps of Michael Jordan, get into a winning culture, play alongside Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and another big time free agent. I know this turn of events would hurt Cleveland more than The Shot but it makes the most basketball sense for Lebron. He could also land with the Knicks but they have nobody on that roster. Or come to the Celtics Lebron, we'll take you!

The Department of Lost & Found

Listening to: Mountain Brothers, "Galaxies." Chinese guys who rap? What was this? The MBs were the first Asian American rap group to hit it big (relatively). Over a decade ago, I saw them perform at a Taiwanese conference my freshman year and then put their CD on repeat until the music wormed its way into my head. So hearing this track now, off an album I haven't touched in years, brings it all back. So what are the Mountain Brothers doing now? Like any good Chinese kids, Peril-L and Styles have careers in the medical profession. Chops is still in music though, as a much respected and sought after producer. Video of them performing is here.

Lately when I get home I've been cruising through my basketball DVDs. I used to just watch the highlight videos over and over again but I started getting box sets of entire series and games and just pop those in now. The beauty of it is that I can work and listen at the same time. Currently I'm reliving the 2008 Celtics championship one glorious game at a time. I need it because the 2010 Celtics are in total collapse right now. We knew they were built for the short term but I don't think anyone expected them to fall apart so quickly.

Kevin Garnet is still not the same after last year's mysteriously lingering knee injury. His days as a top defensive player are over, barring a miracle. Paul Pierce is banged up and seemingly a step slower. Ray Allen is erratically steady and still a beautiful shooter, but there's talks he'll be traded. I'd hate to see him leave but he's got a fatty expiring contract. Free agent pickup Rasheed Wallace has been horrific. I can't even stand watching him lazying around out there. I seriously try to avert my eyes when he's on the court. Thanks Detroit, way to give us a lump of dirt. The good news is that point guard Rajon Rondo finally made the All Star game, and he's currently ranked third in the league in assists and first in steals. He's ridiculously amazing and fun to watch. And Kendrick Perkins is getting better with age too.

I'm pretty sure the Celtics are struggling because I haven't blogged about them yet this season and without a public display of my support, the entire franchise wobbles. So after this, post-All Star break I'm sure they'll get right back on track and fight to the Finals to dethrone the odious Lakers. I'm excited already.

With football and Jersey Shore over, there's not much I've got going on TV wise. The solution to that is back to the Netflix queue. Recently I watched Charlie Kaufman's "Synedoche, New York" and Pedro Almodovar's "All About My Mother." Synedoche blew me away, like I was reeling afterwards. It's a movie that's so complicated yet superbly simple and I wanted to rewatch it immediately. Very roughly speaking, it's about living but being dead inside. Kaufman has a gift for taking a crazy high concept idea and then executing it beautifully. Watch all the extras on the DVD, it's well worth the time. Watching All About My Mother, a film that's been recommended to me from many sources, made me regret that I never learned Spanish -- and made me want to live in Barcelona, as always. I haven't loved all of Almovar's films but this one hit home hard. It's got death, transvestites, morality, faith, and is ultimately about parental love. Highly recommended.

"On the surface, it might seem that Almodovar has dug into his usual rogues' gallery for some of All About My Mother's characters. After all, the film features a pregnant nun and a pair of half-men/half-women. However, instead of accentuating the bizarre characteristics of these individuals, Almodover concentrates on their humanity. They are not developed as caricatures; they are brought to life as people worth sympathizing with. Every relationship in this film, regardless of who the participants are, is built with care and consideration."
-reelviews.net-