Weekend Classifieds

I'm about to dip to NYC for the weekend. I need a break from the same ol' same in Connecticut. I didn't want to leave y'all hanging, so in the meantime here's a couple things you WON'T want to miss this weekend. Stay in the know, and as always......stay classy people.

1. Our boy, President-elect Barack Obama will be doing his first post-election interview on 60 minutes this Sunday at 7pm ET.
2. Two great NBA games tonight - Nuggets vs. Celtics and the Lakers host A.I and the Detroit Pistons. *Special note: Kobe is 3pts shy of tieing Larry Bird's all-time scoring record.

I'll holler at you beautiful people Monday. Enjoy the weekend!

~Crossy~

The Purple & Gold Enter the Bayou

A little voo-doo won't be enough to rock the L.A Lakers. The New Orleans Hornets are gonna need Chris Paul to put up beau coup ("a lot" in French) points to outlast L.A. The battle of the reigning MVP, and last year's runner up (CP3) should be interesting.

The Lakers are joined by the Atlanta Hawks at touting a pristine 6-0 record. In each of those wins, L.A has held its opponent to under 100 points. If L.A can do the same tonight, they will surely be 7-0.

Here are some points to consider in tonight's matchup:

• Trevor Ariza: Have I mentioned this guy lately? lol Well, the Lakers bench is one reason the team has been so successful. Late in the Mavs-Lakers game Tuesday, Ariza blocked Stackhouse as he was pulling up for a three that would have gave the Mavericks a one point lead. Ariza is starting to make L.Odom look less and less valuable.

• Paul is Potent: Offensively, Chris Paul is vicious. Therefore, the Lakers D' has got to be consistent and strong early on. Jordan Farmar and Fisher will be trading off on defending Paul. They struggled guarding J.Kidd Tuesday who managed to put up a triple-double. However, he also had five turnovers. Did I mention, CP3 has put up at least 20pts/10 asst in all six games this season? He's gaining on Jordan who holds the record for 10 straight games of 20pts/10 assts. Don't worry, we'll end that streak tonight.

• Kobe in the 4th: Kobe Bryant is like late breaking news. When he strikes, everyone scrambles. I'm glad the Mamba hasn't had to play as many minutes. But when he steps on the court in the 4th -- It's over. Ariza and Jordan Farmar have stepped up, while Derek Fisher and Radmanovic have yet to impress the masses.

• Bynum vs. Gasol: As excited as I was for Andrew Bynum to return to the lakeshow, I'm still not blown away by his performance thus far. Will he ever be as good as Pau Gasol? Let's hope he turns it up a notch tonight! He just inked a hefty contract of $58 million. Um, check please! Oh yeah, watch for Gasol to throw some bows in the post tonight.

Pick: L.A Lakers (Who else?)

Score: 101-98

Last words? We're taking the bzzzzzz out of those bees in the Bayou...

Hopefully, we'll wake up tomorrow to two unbeaten teams. I hope ATL's Mike Bibby makes it rain on the C's tonight. Enjoy the games!

~Crossy~

Even the Experts Agree!

If you're a sports fan, turning on ESPN or visiting ESPN.com is a part of your daily ritual. As many of you know, I love the NBA. Specifically, the Lakers. At the end of September I wrote a Lakers Preview post. In it, I talked about how Andrew Bynum's return was huge, and why everyone should watch out for Trevor Ariza this season.


Was I right?



Survey saaaaaaaaaaaaaaays? (*DING*) Yes.


Here's why:

I stumbled across NBA analyst J.A. Adande's article about Trevor Ariza today. Adande writes, "Trevor Ariza might be a stealth player, but he's showing up exactly where L.A needs him this season." Click here for the entire article. It's a good read.

I mean, if the expert (Adande) agrees with me then that just co-signs my point! Now, I won't name any names, but a few of my buddies disagreed with my Ariza observation. I mean truth be told the dude is explosive in a hush-hush kinda way. He adds energy, athleticism, and for lack of a better word: a body. When he's on the floor he literally blends in. However, as J.A wisely pointed out -- you can't miss em in the stat sheet!

Did I mention the Lakeshow is STILL undefeated...?

*Ahem* I rest my case...

Stay Classy!

~Crossy~

Sweep!!

The title of this blog is really all that needs to be said. Congrats to the entire Lakers squad!

What did you think of the

Lakers/Nuggets series?

Well since we are talking about the Nuggets, I figured I'd give you a few nuggets to note.

*The Nuggets became the first 50-win team to ever be swept in the first round of the playoffs.

*Nuggets coach George Karl had never been swept in a seven-game series during his 20-year NBA career

*The Nuggets had dozens of “I Believe” signs taped throughout their weight room, on the walls, even on the machines. [What is this...the Obama campaign?!]

Good try though. Better luck next time to the no "D" playin, Enver Nuggets!

Bring on the Utah Jazz! ;)

The Pied Piper of Preparation

Greetings all.

Today my inspiration for writing stems from an article I read about Boston Celtics star, Ray Allen. [Note: the picture is of Ray Allen & Kobe. Did you really think I'd put a picture of a Celtics player by himself on my blog...please.] The article talked about how Allen is borderline OCD in his daily routine. In the article they referred to him as the Pied Piper of Preparation. It's definitely a good read, and it inspired me to write on the subject of preparation.

Due to the fact that I was a journalism major and I love reading/writing...I am a slave to the dictionary. As a child my Dad used to always refer me to the dictionary anytime I read a word I'd never seen or couldn't pronounce. He told me to look it up, and right down the word and the definition. It's funny because I still do that to this day. It's amazing how much reading and looking up words can improve your spelling and writing ability. So in the spirit of my age old ritual, I'd like to call on Webster to define pied piper (no, not R.Kelly) and preparation.

Preparation: noun. The act of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purpose; "preparations for the ceremony had begun."

Pied Piper: noun. A person who influences others to follow or imitate him or her.

********The Pied Piper of Preparation is a leader who influences others to follow their practices of preparation.**************

A guy friend of mine [names are left out to protect the innocent, lol] has personally coined the phrase: preparation meets opportunity. While, I think he uses the line to pick up women, I still find it catchy, and brutally true.

Opportunity rarely finds you. It's a reward that is given when proper preparation is in place. So the question is: What are you doing to prepare for your future? I think all of us 20-somethings are struggling with that entry-level or mid-career question of what's next? Many of us want something but aren't willing to put in the work in order to receive it. I feel like as each new generation surfaces it's jaded with a false sense of "The Real World." Newsflash: It's not a reality show.

Sometimes I wonder if all my preparation is in vain. Am I preparing to be America's Next Top Reporter, when my calling is really to be a nurse? One thing I've learned in the 25 short years I've had a heart beat is that life is about the journey, not the destination. It's important to have goals, because it makes you a disciplined person. In the back of my mind, I hold the following thought: My better, is not His better. It's something I heard at my church home in Charlotte, and I've held it with me ever since. It's inspirational to me in that, I know that when I don't get what I want it's because God did not intend that blessing to be mine. Maybe me "not getting" that [insert blessing] is a blessing too.

God is working to make better...and best in your life. You just have to be patient and prepare.

What you think is better or will be best for you right now, is nothing close to what God has in store for you. I know He has plans for me, because when I'm down to nothing - the Lord is truly UP to SOMETHING! I just want to make sure that when that blessing comes I'm ready. I don't want to get an opportunity and then have to retreat and say, "You know what, that's my dream job, but I'm not ready." Preparation meets opportunity.

I like to think of myself as the Pied Piper of Preparation. I'm a Libra, so it's in my nature to be a compulsive procrastinator, yet when I really want something I will go all out. It's in our nature as humans to mimic behavior that we view as prosperous. For example, look at Robin Roberts, Michael Jordan, Oprah, or Jay-Z. They all possess qualities we try to align ourselves with because of the success it has produced in their lives. So I'd like to share some of my tips on preparing for success. Before you become successful, you've got to build confidence. No one will believe in you, if you don't believe in yourself. It's time to lose self-doubt. I hope this inspires you...

[This is where you take notes....] :)

How to build confidence...

• Find a role model in the field you aspire to excell in.



• Hold your achievements close to you, b/c it will help you build confidence faster.



• Continually work on your skills.



• Be thankful for what you do have



• Give yourself a pat on the back. Having an ego is not illegal. In fact, it's essential.

~Crossy~