NBA Finals = A Happy Martha

Allow me to admit something - Every NBA Championship Finals that the Lakers have been a part of I have cheered for them…. until now.



Now that we've got that out of the way…


You either love him, or hate him, but no matter which it is for you there is no denying KB's usual domination on the court. On average he's 45% percent from the floor, and can generally get away with comments about how he can 'manage' a game from a distance and then turn things back on whenever he so pleases because, well, we believe he can. We've seen him do it. He is without a doubt one of the most talented players ever. Cocky or not, it's the truth. It's been said that when he wants to make a basket, he will, that no one can guard him, and that he is one of the greatest closers. That very well may be true, but all its making me want to do right now is stand up and give Boston some props.

Game one he shot 9-26, and last night he was just 11-23. Ouch. In the four losses to Boston this season, Bryant is just 35-of-93 from the field. Call it 'bad looks' if you'd like, I'll call it good defense. Give credit when due, and the Celtics have figured out how to stop the 'unstoppable' man. Brav-friggin-o!!

Yes, Kobe helped close Boston's 24 point lead down to 2 during the last 5 minutes of the game, but seriously, good job on getting that far behind in the first place. LA fans, go ahead and pick at that one. I know you're dying too. And to the Celtics, DON'T F'IN BLOW LEADS LIKE THAT!! I'm too young to have a heart attack and things like that are not helping. Plain and simple, Boston got too comfortable.

Moving along…

Last week on ESPN's website a group of sports nuts/experts listed five factors they thought were going to play majors rolls in this series. Number one was Kobe Bryant. No surprise there. Number five was each team's bench. Let's take a look at those good'ole bench warmers shall we??

The Lakers may have multiple decades worth of experience on their bench, but they have yet to put up high contributing stats. With a few of their key players in early foul trouble, Jackson sent second string guys in to play during the second quarter… you know, when Boston first started pulling ahead!? And they were the favored ones.

The Celtics on the other hand have had multiple contributors. PJ Brown has done an outstanding job in the wake of Perkins hurting his ankle, and Powe, who played a measly 15 minutes in last nights game, shot 6-7 from the floor, and got to the line 13 times. THIRTEEN TIMES!! That was more than the entire Lakers team shot the whole game. Give that man the T-Mobile player of the game!! He deserved it. Had I remembered the number the one time they flashed it on screen I would have sent a text or two for him as well.

So maybe the Celtic team is young, and yeah they have been doing fairly shitty in the playoffs in comparison to how they 'should' have been playing considering their regular season record. Everyone 'should' have been a breeze. You know what I have to say about that?? They still won! They STILL made it to the Finals. They are a group of guys who have never played on a team together, most of them have never been to the Finals before, and on a team that hasn't been there since the 80's… and right now they're kicking the Lakers' ass!! Rajon Rondo's total of 16 assists was the highest for any player in a Finals game since Magic Johnson in 1991. They had 31 assists on 36 FGs last night to give them the highest percentage for any of Boston's 118 Finals games ever. Not bad for some inexperienced babies don't you think?

Now, I am fully aware that the Lakers are 8-0 in the postseason at home, and that they've won 14 in a row there as well, and yada yada… but they have also never overcome a 2-0 deficit in the Finals, while Boston is 7-0 all time when holding a 2-0 series lead. I'm just thanking everything that is holy they won yesterdays game because having to win all 3 in LA would have been a *bitch*. Home court definitely plays a big factor, (and I believe it was either 3rd or 4th in that list), and naturally I can't expect Boston to take the next two games, and I doubt they will. I'm an optimist but a realist at the same time. That being said, I'm going to go with my original prediction of Celtics in 6 games… and then they'll get to celebrate at home. Won't that be nice??

Lakers cheerleaders – go ahead and hate away. Just know that whatever happens I'm stoked we have a great match up to watch this year. ALLELUIA!! That makes me a happy girl.

Atigun, meet the Internet… Internet, this is Atigun.

I’m in love and wanted to share some of the first pictures I have seen of my niece, Atigun Ophelia Swan…






Last night I popped in an old video of my family from when we were on a local SoCal talk show back in the mid-80s, (story for another time), and reality slapped me across the face. My big sister that was sitting next to me, who at the time was only 6 years old, is now a mother. Little weird, (slightly aging), but pretty awesome.

I am not sure when I will be able to meet this newest addition to my family, but I am looking forward to it and I’m sure when I finally do I’ll ball like a little girl.


Life is good.

When was the last time you danced?

Every afternoon when I was a little girl I would pull my Mickey Mouse record player into the living room, throw on some Michael Jackson (who I was TOTALLY in love with), stick my arms straight out and run around in circles while being completely convinced that I was the best dancer in the world. I didn’t care if my mom walked in and saw me, I hoped she would so I could show off a bit. Nothing made me happier. For years I said to myself, “When I grow up I want to be a dancer”. Although that did not happen I still fancy a corner of the dance floor from time to time.

Lately I have been living vicariously through the peeps on America’s Best Dance Crew. GO JABBAWOCKEEZ!!!!!..... they of course are much better dancers than I am but I get this little twitch in my shoulders and boogie in my butt while I watch them perform. It’s all sorts of awesome. There was another show a few years back, something ridiculous on MTV with Wade Whatshisface where in the final round he would quickly teach two contestants some choreography and they’d compete in head to head combat... it was super cereal and kind of dumb but I watched it anyways. There was a certain move one time on an episode that was kind of the dopeness that I decided to give a whirl. I was having one of those ‘no one is watching me so I’m rockstaring it up in the mirror with a comb microphone’ moments… only I was in the kitchen doing the dishes and looking mildly goofy while my roommate, unbeknownst to myself, was watching the whole time. Sometimes being embarrassed can cause healthy fits of giggles. I’m sure she had a few. My job there was done.

A few days ago while getting my hair did in CK’s salon our friend Natasha’s younger brother decided to teach us some ultra fantasmica dance crazes. I really hope that everyone walking past stopped to take a gander at our ridiculousness, but I wouldn’t know even if they did because I was too busy doing the Cupid and Superman. Side note: I would be perfectly ok with never hearing Soulja Boy ever again but something makes me a slightly happier now that I know the dance….. “watch me crank and watch me ROLLLLL”. *ahem*

If you’ve known me for a long time then you are aware that there was a point in life when you would never see me anywhere other than on the dance floor and it was extremely difficult to drag me away from it. There are still those nights when it is pointless to try and talk to me because I am too busy twirling around and acting silly. I am sorry if I step on you and will apologize in a few hours when I realize that I have broken your toe with my stomping (Dac, you know what I mean). Everyone should have these evenings…. minus the damaged appendages.

No, dip shit. You’re on a boat in the middle of a lake.

During the boat cruise on Friday night there were two separate instances when people came up just to give me a random hug and I replied with “Oh, are you leaving?!?”

I am pretty awesome.

Other worthy notables of proof:
1) I purchased a Whispers two disk greatest hits album on Saturday afternoon..
2) and Huey Lewis and the News…
3) then I went home to watch Step Up 2… and LOVED it!!

Hungry?

Now, this may look like a taste little morsel, but Im curious as to how many people in this world, when hungry, immediately think "Oh man, I wish I had a Snickers bar right now". It may satisfy the sweet tooth, but curb the hunger?? I'm a bit skeptical.

Last night officially marked the end of dodgeball for the season. My team is retiring until fall so we can go play outside instead of being cooped up in a smelly gymnasium.... which is fine by me because KICKBALL STARTS IN TWO WEEKS!!!!! (yes!!)

Two years ago I threw a boat party and all of the proceeds went to my roomies to help pay for their wedding. It may just be in my top ten list of fantasmica evenings. I am throwing another one on the same boat tomorrow night and it is making me realize how quickly time can pass you by. It was apparently so quick that I even put on the flyer that the first party happened last summer (oops). I really was convinced that it had only been one year. Two years from now I wonder what I will look back and have forgotten *shrugs*. Ginkgo anyone?? But anyways, it got me thinking about all of the people who were there last time(especially you, Tara), how many of them have moved away (again T, I'm calling you out), how many people have been married since, changed careers, had babies, bought houses, and so on.... and it's making me wish that I could just get every single person that I know and stick them on that damn boat again so we could have another night together laughing and dancing around like idiots. Chances are most of them will be, but Im a little sad that a few others will not. I'll just have to keep them in thought.

Is it the weekend yet?? GEEZ.

Tidy Whitey Superheros.

Last Friday night may have been one of the most entertaining evenings of my entire life. It was my girlfriend Crystal's birthday and the list of ridiculous is anything but short when it comes to her birthday themes. We've done 80's karaoke, been cowgirls for an evening and gone to a primarily male gay line dancing club, taken over as tour guides on a Ride the Duck tour, and on... and on. When asked this year what theme she wanted she replied with Tidy Whitey Superheros. So that is what we were.

The plan was to take over a dive bar up in Everett. Throw on some bright tights, a colorful wig, sport some high platform boots, and safety pin a piece of fabric to your shoulders for a cape and people tend to look at you a little sideways. Who would have thunk?? We walked in and the band literally stop playing... pure awesomeness. Naturally by the end of the night we were taking pictures with them for their website.

We were either loved or hated by the rest of the patrons but one thing is for sure, we were nothing but entertainment to all of them. May these pictures be the same for you...

Crystal - I love you more today than yesterday, but not nearly as much as tomorrow... and that is not only because you take such fabulous pictures (see above).

Happy Birthday.

I still love you, Josh Brown.

A wave of shock past through me last Friday when I heard you were leaving. Was this something that could have been avoided? Had we not screamed loud enough for you in the stands? Maybe we didn’t listen to your radio show enough… I knew I should have called in. I have so many questions for you. Who will lead us in points next year? When will we have another record breaking kicker on our squad? Are you going to eventually be replaced by someone who will tackle the way you do? And what makes the Rams so much better for you than us?? Thoughts of you playing with another team slowly started tearing away at my heart as I read quotes from you in the news…

"They just blew me away with their offer," Brown said. "I can't tell you exactly how it feels to be received and wanted that way by a ballclub."

So it’s the money then?? I hope you know it can’t buy you happiness.
It can’t be that. It must be something else…

"I never felt like we were really, really close," Brown said. "I felt like we just kept dancing around things, we just kept going back and forth, and nothing was ever being finalized and certain things that I perceived to be important were not being paid attention to."

I realize now where mistakes were made. We may have heard you, but we never listened. Kickers really do need love too and I am sorry that you have not felt that in Seattle. I am sorry that our relationship has come to this, and I am sorry the Hawks let you down. Sometimes you just really don’t know what you’ve got until its gone. Next season as you kick field goals against us I am sure that all 67,000 12th men in that stadium will all realize just how great it was to have you on our side.

I’ve been selfish this past week. I apologize. I haven’t taken into account that this is a great move for you. You get your $3million a year!! And take that $4million signing bonus!! You deserve it. I am sure that your family is excited to have you closer to home as well. These are all great things for you that I must keep in mind. I have just one request though… try not to feel this way, ok?? It hurts my soul when you think I could treat you like this…

“I'm going to get massacred by the Seattle fans now.”

I will be the bigger Hawk in this situation. I can accept that the Rams are showing you a greater appreciation than we did. Just know that the support was always there for you from this fan.

I still love you, Josh Brown. I am really going to miss you.
Thank you for five great years.

-Martha