The Dilemma of Dwight Howard

I feel that as long as we live, Lebron James will always be directly associated with “The Decision.”  While it was unnecessary and completely absurd, it was an hour; an hour that he undoubtedly wants back, now that he’s been scrutinized almost daily for it.  Dwight Howard has taken over a year to figure out what in the fuck he wants to do, and Lebron – although he finally won – is still the NBA’s villain.  I am now dubbing this period of uncertainty surrounding Dwight Howard “The Dilemma,” because there’s really no solid outcome for Orlando.

Why aren’t we on Dwight like we were on Lebron?  If your answer is because “Cleveland doesn’t deserve it – he should have stuck it out and won it with the team who drafted him,” keep in mind that this is the second FRANCHISE center – a once-in-a-lifetime center – to leave Orlando behind in two decades.

News broke about two days ago that Dwight requested to be traded to the Nets.  News just broke about two minutes ago that Deron Williams, who is the NBA’s most well-rounded point guard if not the best overall, will remain with Brooklyn for the next five seasons.  It now looks that the Joe Johnson trade wasn’t a consolation for losing out on Deron and Dwight, but instead a piece to add to them coming to join the team.  Things look as though they’re finally going the Nets’ way for the first time since Vince Carter could reverse dunk.

I don’t get how a package of Brook Lopez, Marshon Brooks, Kris Humphries and picks compares to the packages that the Lakers, Clippers, and Rockets can put together to offer Orlando, but it seems like they’re somehow the frontrunner.  The only problem is, if Dwight does get his way, which is probably going to happen, who do  you root for in the East when it’s him vs. Lebron?  Dilemma vs. Decision? Villain vs. villain?

Pretty soon, there’s going to be no one left who is easy to root for.

–Zack Hammill

Breaking Bad Season 5 : July 15th

If you haven’t watched season 1-4 of Breaking Bad yet, you probably should stop reading this blog, because you’re missing out on what may very well be the greatest television drama of our decade. Walter White and Jessie Pinkman killed the king (oh ya, spoiler alert.) How this season unfolds? Well in the words of Aaron Paul himself, it will be a ‘bloodbath.’ Can’t wait.

A$AP Rocky Channel4 Documentary Teaser

Pretty Flacko has been on tear since last year’s LiveLoveA$AP mixtape, changing the forefront of New York rap as we know it. With hype steamrolling ahead for his new LongLiveA$AP LP, Filmmaker Luke Monaghan decided to encapsulate the Harlem rapper’s historic rise to fame with a documentary due to drop later this fall. It will be available online in August. TRiLLa.

Welcome.. Again.

It’s been a year’s detour. ElMaverick is back, as The Empire. Coffee’s ready.

Fantasy Football 2011 Positional Rankings: Quarterbacks

Vick resurrected his career last season, proving he can carry a fantasy lineup.

It was a very uncomfortable summer for football fans across America as the NFL seemed to be hanging in limbo, everyone watching ESPN updates on the confusing and intricate details of what still had to be worked out in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Cooler heads prevailed and we learned there would indeed be football on Sunday (collective exhale of relief). The approach of late summer means one thing and one thing only: fantasy football, and the preparation leading up to your draft. Without further a due, a comprehensive evaluation of all fantasy positions, beginning with the year’s top 5 projected signal-callers. Let’s get right into things.

1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

In three years at the helm for Green Bay, Rodgers has come in second, first, and second again in terms of fantasy production at the QB spot. He has an offensive line that is coming off a Super Bowl Championship and only improved this off-season. Promising Tight End Jermichael Finley will be back healthy this year, bolstering a receiving corps that includes Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson, and new addition Randall Cobb. Rodgers is as close to a sure thing as you can get.

2. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles

What can you say about a player that averaged 29.7 fantasy points a game? One of the greatest waiver pick-ups someone in your league ever made last season, Vick will be back this year to continue his amazing come-back story from the pits of hell. As an obvious rushing and passing threat, Vick completed a career-high 62.6% of his passes last year while accumulating 676 yards and 9 touchdowns on the ground. As entertaining as they come, Vick is not to be overlooked in this year’s draft, by any means.

3. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

Throwing for 4600 yards last season but also tossing a career high 22 picks, Drew Brees is a player you can feel safe about in your QB slot. He will undoubtedly lower the number of INTs he throws this year and is very durable- not to mention he is dropping back behind a stellar O-Line. With a number of tools to work with in his offense (including new additions Darren Sproles and Mark Ingram), don’t be suprised to see Brees finish in the top 3 QB statistically this year.

4. Tom Brady, New England Patriots

It was tough not to put Brady into that #3 slot after the addition of perennial downfield threat Chad Ochocinco, bolstering a group of receivers that already includes Wes Welker, Deion Branch, and Julian Edelman, Brady has proved time and time again that he can put up big numbers no matter who he’s throwing to. One of the key factors to consider in drafting #12 is his two new weapons at the tight end spots in Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski, who both had breakout seasons last year as rookies.

5. Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts 

Peyton has never missed a start in 12 years behind center and he has also never finished a season without throwing at least 28 TDs. Yes, he had neck surgery and has missed some time in the rushed training camps, but the last time he had neck surgery he threw for 4,700 yards and 33 touchdowns. Being in a keeper league myself this year, I know what future Hall Of Famer I’m not letting go of. Let’s hope his receivers can manage to stay healthy.

 

Who The F*ck Is Kreayshawn?

Gucci Gucci Louis Louis Fendi Fendi Prada, basic bitches wear that shit so I don’t even bother. So go the head-nodding lyrics of one Natassia Zolot- a Bay Area 21 year old that fronts the ‘White Girls Mob’ composed of Kreayshawn (pronounced ‘Crishon’), DJ Lil Debbie, and V-Nasty, who also raps. The whole presentation- the outfits, the piercings, the tattoos, and the music itself oozes swagger- one could only chalk it up as her being a product of her environment. What type of 21 year old girl raps? And what type of 21 year old girl raps about Swisher blunts and Adderalls?

With accolades from Lil’ B, Soulja Boy and most notably Odd Future, it’s obvious that she has been around the block. As a Berkley Film School dropout, she obviously learned something about building hype and visual enticement- she even produced the Lil’ B ‘Like A Martian’ video. She’s been heralded by Drizzy Drake himself and even the Red Hot Chili Peppers have come calling looking for her directional leadership for one of their videos. Think what you want about the styled-up ditzy looking hypebeast, but she knows how to draw a following.

NFL Action: The Quarterback Carousel Turns

Matt Hasselbeck will be behind center for the Titans next year.

Since the Lockout was lifted, the front offices of every NFL team have been scrambling to make a full offseasons worth of roster moves before training camps and the Pre-Season get underway. The shake-ups that we’ve seen so far include some considerable QB relocations.

Matt Hasselbeck has reached a multi-year agreement with the Tennessee Titans, as Seattle made it pretty clear that their relationship with the 35-year old veteran playcaller was over. As the Titans will use Hasselbeck to help groom the cannon-armed Jake Locker, the Seahawks weren’t waiting around, as they have already agreed to a deal with the athletic but inconsistent Tarvaris Jackson. A roll of the dice for Pete Carroll and company. In turn the Vikings have worked out a trade to acquire Pro-Bowler Donovan McNabb from the Redskins.

The Redskins have signed Santana Moss and Donte Stallworth to bulk up the receiving corps, but they are in dire need of a QB. Rumblings of Favre returning (again) have already begun- spare me. In the meanwhile, Paul Posluszny signed a 6-year deal with the Jaguars, leaving the Bills in desperate need of an inside linebacker. With the third most cap space in the league right now, Buffalo needs to be proactive in the market to stay competitive in the AFC East. The Bills returned to Ralph Wilson Stadium yesterday, and one player that isn’t on the hot seat is Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is being given the reigns of this Buffalo offense heading into the 2011 season. How he will respond to the pressure is anyone’s guess, but he played well in his time calling the shots last year, so there is reason to be optimistic.

Fitzpatrick checks out the new helmet with Buddy Nix.

First Look: The Amazing Spider-Man

Its tough not to be critical with any movie adaptation of Spiderman they will try to come out with after the watered-down, overly-Hollywood Toby MaGuire attempts to revitalize the webslinger. The series of flicks crashed and burned, steadily declining after the first flick was released in 2002. With Andrew Garfield playing the new Peter Parker, the word is this movie will focus moreso on Spiderman’s origins.

The New Era

With the sweltering heat in full force, it is safe to say summer is here. And in summer lies a good opportunity to reflect- allow me to think aloud for a bit.

It has been a tumultuous year for the ElMaverick Enterprises to say the least. The blog has come under its fair share of scrutiny from parents and readers alike- it seems that some commentary had offended, which was to be expected. A pillar of inspiration and loyal ElMaverick author, not to mention a best friend, deceased in February and added a certain degree of levity to the whole operation I started while bored in my dorm room one day in 2009. No one is backing down- only moving forward.

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