Tuesday Links

1. Jaleel White will always be Steve Urkel, but he's not a kid anymore...or a nerd. At least not in Cee Lo Green's new video for Cry Baby. He's a ladykiller, who knows how to cut a rug, yes he is!

2. The NBA owners may have locked out the players, but Kevin Durant is keeping busy. This dunk is ridiculous!

3. I loved the mother-daughter relationship and the rapid-fire pop culture references in Gilmore Girls. I still miss the show, but the show's creator is working on a new project - adapting The Nanny Diaries for ABC. I'm curious to see what she does with a concept that started as a book, then turned into a movie.

4. I wrote about my love for Twitter here and its (probably) unintended usefulness. But Twitter also has benefits for athletes (and other celebrities) and their fans.

5. I had to include this one because it made me laugh. Folks are still passionate about their allegiances to either *NSYNC or the Backstreet Boys. Last time I checked there were almost 900 comments!

As for me, I always have been and always will be an *NSYNC fangirl. ALWAYS!

6. Equal opportunity may soon be extended to the NFL gridiron - in one capacity anyway. Female referees, anyone? I'm down.

7. Think of that movie scene that makes you tear up EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. It might be on this list. A scene from my favorite movie is the first one listed and I got a little misty-eyed just reading about it.

8. This is just too funny not to share. Novak Djokovic is a throwback, that's all. :)

Tuesday Links

OK, so last week was bad. I didn't blog. I was busy and lazy. I could've done the links and Jam of the Week only, but I felt like that was cheating.

I'll tell you later on in the week what I was doing. (How's that for a big market tease?) I promise to do better with the blogging this week. And now that I've typed that, I actually have to do it.

In the mean time, here are the Tuesday Links.

1. Still mad about Netflix's price hikes? Well, Walmart has jumped in the game. Better yet, there's a relief fund for white people who love GAP khakis.

2. College athletes don't get paid, but schools and conferences make MILLIONS off them anyway. And some student-athletes do get paid and the schools get into all kinds of trouble when it's discovered. This guy thinks we should just end the charade and pay star student-athletes out in the open. Hmm. Maybe I'll blog my thoughts on the subject someday.

3. This video is just too funny. A Dad turns into the Double Rainbow Guy at a Little League game.

4. Any Mad Men fans? An  enterprising fellow took some time to do an unofficial remake of the opening credits.

5. Love this column about the time-honored tradition in baseball of trading talented, proven players for a gaggle of prospects who may or may not develop into Major Leaguers. It seems like a good idea, but I'd rather have the proven player.

6. Want to know who invented the high five? Yeah, you do.

7. This twitter exchange makes me giggle. Over and over.

8. An NFL player demonstrates his love for his wife through song.

9. So you already know I love nostalgia. Or my 80s and 90s versions of it anyway. I worshiped Saved By the Bell, so this video of White Collar's Matt Bomer doing the Bayside cheer melts my heart. And this columnist is crazy for being mad at Zack. She should totally be mad at Kelly for breaking Zack's heart!

And speaking of nostalgia...

10. Kenny Ortega plans to direct a remake of Dirty Dancing. Sigh. I love Ortega. He was Dirty Dancing's choreographer, and since this is my favorite movie, I knew that and adored him for it. He also choreographed Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Shag, two movies I also love. He directed High School Musical, which I think is supercute. And I haven't mentioned that he choreographed Michael Jackson's tours. So yeah, I have mad love for Ortega. But WHY he is remaking a movie that is so classic and iconic? Leave it alone, Kenny! Even Baby agrees!

Tuesday Links

1. In the grand tradition of Hollywood not being able to come up with any new ideas, apparently there are two new Snow Whites being filmed. Let the death match begin. Comic-Con was the perfect place to release photos from the Kristen Stewart/Charlize Theron version. Of course, that was two WHOLE days after photos from the Lily Collins/Julia Roberts version were released.

OK, I'll be nice and say the two movies really do look and sound different. Only time will tell if that's true and which version is better.

2. I've been listening to Adele's 21 A LOT the past few months. Yesterday, I stumbled across a track by track explanation of the CD Adele does on her website. Very cool to watch. Be warned though. Adele has a potty mouth.

3. Yankees' player, Curtis Granderson, who is black, says he's concerned that he doesn't see many black faces in the crowd at games. ESPN writer LZ Granderson doesn't think MLB has a problem. Yes, there are fewer blacks, but there are a lot of Hispanic and Asian players adding to the diversity of players.

My quick take: I agree with Curtis. All sports want to attract the best athletes and compete with each other to do so. If fewer blacks grow up watching the sport, then fewer will choose the sport to play, including the world's best athletes. Those fantastic athletes will choose football or basketball or soccer or whatever instead. Baseball misses out. There's no guarantee that they would choose baseball over football, but how can they ever get to that place of deciding whether or not baseball is their first choice if baseball never enters the equation?

4. One of my old bosses sent me an invitation to join his Fantasy Football League. I've never done it because my stomach turns at the prospect of having to cheer on a hated Giant or Eagle. Gross. BUT for those who do like to partake, here's a Draft Day Manifesto that should help you assemble the best team possible.

Is the NFL Lockout Over Yet? Do I Care?

  Thursday, the sports world was all abuzz that the NFL lockout would be over soon. The owners had approved the collective bargaining agreement. Now we were just were waiting on the players to do the same. Except they didn't. I could get into the whys and whynots, but that's not the point of this post.

I met the news with a big yawn. It's now Monday and it appears the lockout is all but over. I'm still not ready to drop to my knees in gratitude.

After last season ended and the lockout became official, so-called experts were wringing their hands, claiming that a portion of the season (or even the whole season) might be lost because of the dispute. I was never one of those people.

The NFL isn't in trouble. The league couldn't lose money if it tried. Football has replaced baseball as America's pastime. It is a nine billion dollar industry. Let me say that again.  NINE BILLION DOLLARS. All the players and owners are fighting about is how much money each side receives, not whether there is money actually being made.

It would make both sides look extremely silly, selfish, and self-involved if the start of the season was delayed because millionaires and billionaires were fighting about money.

I know ESPN has 24 hours to fill, but the constant gnashing of teeth and wringing of hands perplexed and ultimately annoyed me. I would have been concerned only if the lockout lingered into mid-August. But I knew it wouldn't.

Besides, it's not like we were missing games and that's what I'm interested in. The only thing we fans missed out on were free agent signings (and we'll still have that - just in a compressed amount of time). I'm sure there are people who watch these moves with intense interest. I don't. Yes, I like to know who the Cowboys sign, but that takes at most 5 minutes in a day.

Call me when the games start.

I live in the season. I've always been this way. While this NFL mess was going on, I had the NBA (Yay, Mavericks!), baseball, tennis, and the Women's World Cup to focus on. I don't have a favorite sport, so I'm just as happy watching basketball or baseball as I am football.

Am I happy the lockout is about to be over? Yes, absolutely. But let's not pretend it's a miracle that the owners and players were able to come to an agreement on how to split money so they can all stay rich.

On the Edge of Glory

Last week, I noticed that I was a light on the sports and heavy on the pop culture on this here blog, which would be fine except it's supposed to be pretty evenly split. I promised to do better.

My Monday post would be about sports, I told myself.

I thought I would write about one of my favorite movies, Bend It Like Beckham*, in homage to the Women's World Cup. But then I watched the USA-Brazil match yesterday and realized it would be so much better to write about the real thing.

I love sports. It's the ultimate reality show. You have heroes, villains, and engrossing storylines. This game had all that and more.

What the USA did yesterday is nothing short of amazing. In 123 minutes, those women inspired and motivated me to be better and do better.

How did I get to that point?

I'll be honest. Soccer isn't my favorite sport. I never watch it or even think to watch it unless it's World Cup time. I watched some of the men's World Cup last year, so I was feeling a little guilty I hadn't been watching the women's tournament as much as I could.

I knew the U.S. was playing Brazil in the quarterfinals, which was seen as an unfortunate break because Brazil has one of the best teams in the world. So I was interested to see how we would play against such a powerhouse. The Americans had sounded confident in pregame interviews, but it's a lot easier to talk a good game than play one.

I turned the game on while at work. We scored right away (I actually missed it. I was doing work I guess). While I wasn't engrossed in the game, I did check in periodically. During one of those check-ins, I saw Brazil lining up for a penalty kick. And they missed! Yay! But then they got to go again for some ridiculous call from the referee. And this time, Marta, widely regarded as the best player in the world, made the kick. Now, I was mad.

And then I saw that we would be one player down for the rest of the match. I didn't see the play that got her kicked out until after the game, but that was a bullshit call, too.

Anyway, from that moment, I was hooked. Could the U.S. somehow win a game against a really good team when they were at such a disadvantage? They managed to get the game into overtime only to have Marta score again. As the game neared its end, I admit that I had almost completely lost hope. They were a woman down and hadn't scored since the beginning of the game.

But the U.S. kept battling and then Abby Wambach scored with a minute left in the game. Freaking amazing!

The U.S. went on to win the game with penalty kicks. Duh. :)

This game had everything a sports fan or even someone who simply enjoys a good story could ask for. And the best thing about is that it's true. It's not fiction.

Amazing does happen. It can happen to all of us. With belief, dedication, resiliency, determination, hard work, and teamwork.

And a little karma never  hurts, either.

*Don't worry. I will write about Bend It Like Beckham one day. I seriously heart that movie.

Links, Baby!

I've decided to blog links to stories that catch my eye. Here's the first installment. 1. "Voice coaches Christina Aguilera and Adam Levine have collaborated on a new single"

I adore Christina and Maroon 5, so this made my day and it's not even 11:00 yet. *happy dance*

2. The Sports Guy, Bill Simmons, sports/pop culture blogger extraordinaire, did a retro diary of the Mavs-Heat Game 6. This was like the cherry on top of my delirium over the championship. I still can't believe the Mavericks won. It's amazing, and I haven't stopped smiling since.

We Are The Champions, My Friend!

Last night, the Dallas Mavericks won their first NBA championship. As a superproud Dallasite and sports junkie, I haven't stopped smiling since. *cue music to do the happy dance* I'm happy for everyone in the organization from Mark Cuban to Rick Carlisle to Jason Kidd to Jason Terry.

I'm happy for me, too.

Being a sports fan is not for the weak of heart. It can be exhilarating, but, more often than not, heart wrenching. In the four major pro leagues, there are at least 30 teams vying for a championship, which means the odds that your team will win the Stanley Cup, Super Bowl, World Series or NBA Finals are slim.

And yet I root anyway. I willingly allow my heart to be stomped on. Why? Sports are the ultimate reality show. You think you know, but really you have no idea. If the team that was supposed to win always won, there would be no reason to watch. But just when you think you have it figured out, the Texas Rangers, who'd lost nine straight playoff games to the vaunted New York Yankees, beat them to advance to the team's first World Series, sending me so high in the sky.

In other words, sports offer the best chance for the unexpected to happen. There's always a chance David will beat Goliath and hopefully in spectacular fashion.

If we listened to the experts, the Mavericks were David and Miami with the Superfriends trio of Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh. The three superstars to the Mavs' one - Dirk Nowitzki. The Mavs were too old to get it done. Not talented enough. Too soft, including their best player.

Bullshit. Dirk isn't soft. I was never one of those who said he couldn't lead the team to a championship. He's too damn good. Does that mean that I assumed it would happen? No, but not because I didn't think he could. Sports are a funny thing and trying to predict what will happen is futile at best. Basketball is a team sport, and as Dirk has demonstrated before, he can't win by himself.

I hoped and prayed that he would win a championship. I admit to being selfish and wanting my teams to win, so I can feel good. But this time, more than anything, I wanted Dirk to win.

I've never met him, but I've never not seem him be respectful of his teammates, his opponents, and the game of basketball on the court and in interviews. He puts the work in without whining or at the prompting of others. He doesn't run around seeking accolades or trying to become a brand. How can anyone not love him for that or respect him? In all honestly, he seems like a really humble, nice person. And I love that about him.

Dirk just wants to win. And now he has.

So Dirk, congratulations! And thank you for proving that hard work does pay off.