Thursday, June 30, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
the laws
Law 1 Never outshine the master.
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Law 2 Never put too much trust in friends; learn how to use enemies.
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Law 3 Conceal your intentions.
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Law 4 Always say less than necessary.
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Law 5 So much depends on reputation. Guard it with your life.
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Law 6 Court attention at all costs.
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Law 7 Get others to do the work for you, but always take the credit.
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Law 8 Make other people come to you; use bait if necessary.
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Law 9 Win through your actions, never through argument.
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Law 10 Infection: avoid the unhappy and unlucky.
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Law 11 Learn to keep people dependent on you.
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Law 12 Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim.
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Law 13 When asking for help, appeal to people's self-interests, never to their mercy or gratitude.
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Law 14 Pose as a friend, work as a spy.
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Law 15 Crush your enemy totally.
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Law 16 Use absence to increase respect and honor.
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Law 17 Keep others in suspended terror: cultivate an air of unpredictability.
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Law 18 Do not build fortresses to protect yourself. Isolation is dangerous.
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Law 19 Know who you're dealing with; do not offend the wrong person.
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Law 20 Do not commit to anyone.
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Law 21 Play a sucker to catch a sucker: play dumber than your mark.
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Law 22 Use the surrender tactic: transform weakness into power.
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Law 23 Concentrate your forces.
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Law 24 Play the perfect courtier.
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Law 25 Re-create yourself.
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Law 26 Keep your hands clean.
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Law 27 Play on people's need to believe to create a cultlike following.
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Law 28 Enter action with boldness.
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Law 29 Plan all the way to the end.
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Law 30 Make your accomplishments seem effortless.
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Law 31 Control the options: get others to play with the cards you deal.
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Law 32 Play to people's fantasies.
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Law 33 Discover each man's thumbscrew.
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Law 34 Be royal in your fashion: act like a king to be treated like one.
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Law 35 Master the art of timing.
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Law 36 Disdain things you cannot have: Ignoring them is the best revenge.
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Law 37 Create compelling spectacles.
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Law 38 Think as you like but behave like others.
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Law 39 Stir up waters to catch fish.
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Law 40 Despise the free lunch.
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Law 41 Avoid stepping into a great man's shoes.
-
Law 42 Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.
-
Law 43 Work on the hearts and minds of others.
-
Law 44 Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect.
-
Law 45 Preach the need for change, but never reform too much at once.
-
Law 46 Never appear perfect.
-
Law 47 Do not go past the mark you aimed for; in victory, learn when to stop.
-
Law 48 Assume formlessness.
-
Law 2 Never put too much trust in friends; learn how to use enemies.
-
Law 3 Conceal your intentions.
-
Law 4 Always say less than necessary.
-
Law 5 So much depends on reputation. Guard it with your life.
-
Law 6 Court attention at all costs.
-
Law 7 Get others to do the work for you, but always take the credit.
-
Law 8 Make other people come to you; use bait if necessary.
-
Law 9 Win through your actions, never through argument.
-
Law 10 Infection: avoid the unhappy and unlucky.
-
Law 11 Learn to keep people dependent on you.
-
Law 12 Use selective honesty and generosity to disarm your victim.
-
Law 13 When asking for help, appeal to people's self-interests, never to their mercy or gratitude.
-
Law 14 Pose as a friend, work as a spy.
-
Law 15 Crush your enemy totally.
-
Law 16 Use absence to increase respect and honor.
-
Law 17 Keep others in suspended terror: cultivate an air of unpredictability.
-
Law 18 Do not build fortresses to protect yourself. Isolation is dangerous.
-
Law 19 Know who you're dealing with; do not offend the wrong person.
-
Law 20 Do not commit to anyone.
-
Law 21 Play a sucker to catch a sucker: play dumber than your mark.
-
Law 22 Use the surrender tactic: transform weakness into power.
-
Law 23 Concentrate your forces.
-
Law 24 Play the perfect courtier.
-
Law 25 Re-create yourself.
-
Law 26 Keep your hands clean.
-
Law 27 Play on people's need to believe to create a cultlike following.
-
Law 28 Enter action with boldness.
-
Law 29 Plan all the way to the end.
-
Law 30 Make your accomplishments seem effortless.
-
Law 31 Control the options: get others to play with the cards you deal.
-
Law 32 Play to people's fantasies.
-
Law 33 Discover each man's thumbscrew.
-
Law 34 Be royal in your fashion: act like a king to be treated like one.
-
Law 35 Master the art of timing.
-
Law 36 Disdain things you cannot have: Ignoring them is the best revenge.
-
Law 37 Create compelling spectacles.
-
Law 38 Think as you like but behave like others.
-
Law 39 Stir up waters to catch fish.
-
Law 40 Despise the free lunch.
-
Law 41 Avoid stepping into a great man's shoes.
-
Law 42 Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.
-
Law 43 Work on the hearts and minds of others.
-
Law 44 Disarm and infuriate with the mirror effect.
-
Law 45 Preach the need for change, but never reform too much at once.
-
Law 46 Never appear perfect.
-
Law 47 Do not go past the mark you aimed for; in victory, learn when to stop.
-
Law 48 Assume formlessness.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Strikeforce vs. UFC: 10 Dream Bouts
Good times were had making dream matches back when WEC merged with the UFC, so why not play dream matchmaker once again?
These matchups are purely for entertainment and discussion purposes, as both promotions have bouts currently signed and planned.
Robbie Lawler vs. Alan Belcher
Someone is going down in this fight for sure. I can picture big punches and kicks vividly. Besides, who wouldn’t watch either of these guys versus anyone?
Tim Kennedy vs. Michael Bisping
Is there an MMA fan in existence that doesn’t like Kennedy? I doubt it. That said, Bisping plays the heel as good as anyone. Bisping is a polarizing figure that has both lots of fans and those who want to see him lose. Each group would watch this one for different reasons, and they’d watch in droves.
Shinya Aoki vs. George Sotiropoulos
How sick would the ground work be in this rematch? Unprecedented sickness, perhaps.
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza vs. Demian Maia
Another potential amazing ground battle. Would it be too much to ask for these ground masters not to slug it out?
Josh Barnett vs. Junior dos Santos
I would pay to see this fight tomorrow; so would you. Everyone loves the heavyweights.
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brock Lesnar
Does Fedor have anything left? This would be a blockbuster fight, even with the recent slide of “The Last Emperor.” Would Fedor be able to channel his former reputation, or would he just get mauled by the gigantic heavyweight?
Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal vs. Quinton Jackson
This fight has its own story already in place, as the words have been flowing at each other for a long time now. Two elite trash talkers = a promoter’s dream.
Nick Diaz vs. Georges St. Pierre
If he gets by Jake Shields and is not going to fight Anderson Silva, the most exciting fight for GSP is Diaz. Can you really count Diaz out? I don’t think so.
Gilbert Melendez vs. Frankie Edgar/Gray Maynard winner
Say no more; this would be a no-brainer and an epic 155-pound pay-per-view main event.
Alistair Overeem vs. Cain Velasquez
K-1 striker vs. the world’s premier heavyweight mixed martial artist. Who wins? Is Overeem’s hammer big enough to take out Velasquez? My vote is no.
These 10 bouts are just scratching the surface of possible UFC vs. Strikeforce matchups. Tell us below which bouts you’d like to see, and how they’d unfold.
These matchups are purely for entertainment and discussion purposes, as both promotions have bouts currently signed and planned.
Robbie Lawler vs. Alan Belcher
Someone is going down in this fight for sure. I can picture big punches and kicks vividly. Besides, who wouldn’t watch either of these guys versus anyone?
Tim Kennedy vs. Michael Bisping
Is there an MMA fan in existence that doesn’t like Kennedy? I doubt it. That said, Bisping plays the heel as good as anyone. Bisping is a polarizing figure that has both lots of fans and those who want to see him lose. Each group would watch this one for different reasons, and they’d watch in droves.
Shinya Aoki vs. George Sotiropoulos
How sick would the ground work be in this rematch? Unprecedented sickness, perhaps.
Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza vs. Demian Maia
Another potential amazing ground battle. Would it be too much to ask for these ground masters not to slug it out?
Josh Barnett vs. Junior dos Santos
I would pay to see this fight tomorrow; so would you. Everyone loves the heavyweights.
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brock Lesnar
Does Fedor have anything left? This would be a blockbuster fight, even with the recent slide of “The Last Emperor.” Would Fedor be able to channel his former reputation, or would he just get mauled by the gigantic heavyweight?
Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal vs. Quinton Jackson
This fight has its own story already in place, as the words have been flowing at each other for a long time now. Two elite trash talkers = a promoter’s dream.
Nick Diaz vs. Georges St. Pierre
If he gets by Jake Shields and is not going to fight Anderson Silva, the most exciting fight for GSP is Diaz. Can you really count Diaz out? I don’t think so.
Gilbert Melendez vs. Frankie Edgar/Gray Maynard winner
Say no more; this would be a no-brainer and an epic 155-pound pay-per-view main event.
Alistair Overeem vs. Cain Velasquez
K-1 striker vs. the world’s premier heavyweight mixed martial artist. Who wins? Is Overeem’s hammer big enough to take out Velasquez? My vote is no.
These 10 bouts are just scratching the surface of possible UFC vs. Strikeforce matchups. Tell us below which bouts you’d like to see, and how they’d unfold.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Matches to Make After Strikeforce ‘Diaz vs. Daley’
The Strikeforce welterweight champion beat Paul Daley at his own game in the Strikeforce “Diaz vs. Daley” headliner on Saturday, as he put away the British striker with first-round blows in a memorable encounter at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego. Daley met his demise with only three seconds remaining in round one, as he was stopped on strikes for the first time in 39 professional appearances.
A meeting with Daley’s widowmaker of a left hook left Diaz on all fours with a little more than a minute left in the first period, but the rugged Stockton, Calif., native made himself a moving target on the ground, weathered the punch and returned to his feet. There, he rushed and finished Daley with another one of his trademark volleys. Diaz has stopped nine of his 10 foes during his current winning streak, during which he has established himself as one of the world’s premier welterweights and one of the sport’s most entertaining gladiators.
A closer look at four matches we want to see after Strikeforce “Diaz vs. Daley” follows:
Nick Diaz vs. Tyron Woodley: Still raw and relatively unproven, Woodley poses perhaps the most difficult style matchup for Diaz. An NCAA All-American wrestler at the University of Missouri -- he teamed there with current Bellator Fighting Championships welterweight titleholder and 2008 Olympian Ben Askren -- he wields the kind of wrestling pedigree that has given Diaz pause in the past. Undefeated in eight professional starts, Woodley has positioned himself for a run at the belt at exactly the right time. Diaz has all but run out of potential suitors under the Strikeforce banner. Whether or not Woodley’s defenses could withstand Diaz’s spider bottom game remains a real concern, but one has to figure matchmakers will strike while this iron is hot. Woodley’s athleticism, speed and top-flight wrestling make for an intriguing matchup with the champion.
Gilbert Melendez vs. K.J. Noons: Melendez put together what will likely go down as the most complete performance of his career, as he dismantled respected Japanese veteran Tatsuya Kawajiri in the co-main event. His heavy right hand had the former Shooto champion on his heels from the start, and he never relented. Ultimately, Melendez made Kawajiri pay for a desperate takedown attempt, as he sprawled, punched and elbowed his way to a violent finish. It was as beautiful as it was brutal, and Melendez can now make a real case as the world’s top lightweight. Noons showed his fortitude in going five taxing rounds with Diaz at 170 pounds in October. At lightweight, he is a brute. Perhaps the purest striker in MMA, his quick, powerful and precise punches can change a fight in an instant. Couple those abilities with his ever-improving takedown defense, and he poses a significant threat to Melendez’s throne.
Gegard Mousasi vs. Dan Henderson: Minus takedowns, Mousasi controlled his fight with UFC veteran Keith Jardine from start to finish. However, an illegal first-round upkick from Mousasi cost him a point and resulted in a majority draw that was panned by many. Few are blessed with more natural ability than the former light heavyweight champion, who has competed at three different weight classes in the last two years. Mousasi owns a 17-1-1 mark in his past 19 outings. At 40, Henderson remains one of MMA’s elite competitors, and a return to the 205-pound division has breathed new life into the former two-division Pride Fighting Championships titleholder. Carving out an historic niche in the sport, Henderson added the Strikeforce light heavyweight crown to his resume in March, when he dethroned Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante with his fabled right hand at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. No matter who comes next for the two-time Olympian, he will be difficult to knock off the mountaintop.
Shinya Aoki vs. Josh Thomson: Aoki’s second appearance on American soil went far better than his first. The Japanese submission ace capitalized on a major strategic blunder from Lyle Beerbohm and submitted “Fancy Pants” in a little more than a minute and a half. Despite a number of high-profile and embarrassing hiccups throughout his combat sports career, Aoki has long been established as one the world’s best at 155 pounds. The talented but oft-injured Thomson wields the kind of wrestling chops needed to keep a fight against Aoki standing and the kind of striking ability required to make him fold. Thomson, who turns 33 in September, has not fought since losing a unanimous decision to Kawajiri on New Year’s Eve in Japan. The American Kickboxing Academy representative, respected for years as one of the division’s scrappiest competitors, has never been submitted. That alone makes for an interesting storyline against Aoki.
A meeting with Daley’s widowmaker of a left hook left Diaz on all fours with a little more than a minute left in the first period, but the rugged Stockton, Calif., native made himself a moving target on the ground, weathered the punch and returned to his feet. There, he rushed and finished Daley with another one of his trademark volleys. Diaz has stopped nine of his 10 foes during his current winning streak, during which he has established himself as one of the world’s premier welterweights and one of the sport’s most entertaining gladiators.
A closer look at four matches we want to see after Strikeforce “Diaz vs. Daley” follows:
Nick Diaz vs. Tyron Woodley: Still raw and relatively unproven, Woodley poses perhaps the most difficult style matchup for Diaz. An NCAA All-American wrestler at the University of Missouri -- he teamed there with current Bellator Fighting Championships welterweight titleholder and 2008 Olympian Ben Askren -- he wields the kind of wrestling pedigree that has given Diaz pause in the past. Undefeated in eight professional starts, Woodley has positioned himself for a run at the belt at exactly the right time. Diaz has all but run out of potential suitors under the Strikeforce banner. Whether or not Woodley’s defenses could withstand Diaz’s spider bottom game remains a real concern, but one has to figure matchmakers will strike while this iron is hot. Woodley’s athleticism, speed and top-flight wrestling make for an intriguing matchup with the champion.
Gilbert Melendez vs. K.J. Noons: Melendez put together what will likely go down as the most complete performance of his career, as he dismantled respected Japanese veteran Tatsuya Kawajiri in the co-main event. His heavy right hand had the former Shooto champion on his heels from the start, and he never relented. Ultimately, Melendez made Kawajiri pay for a desperate takedown attempt, as he sprawled, punched and elbowed his way to a violent finish. It was as beautiful as it was brutal, and Melendez can now make a real case as the world’s top lightweight. Noons showed his fortitude in going five taxing rounds with Diaz at 170 pounds in October. At lightweight, he is a brute. Perhaps the purest striker in MMA, his quick, powerful and precise punches can change a fight in an instant. Couple those abilities with his ever-improving takedown defense, and he poses a significant threat to Melendez’s throne.
Gegard Mousasi vs. Dan Henderson: Minus takedowns, Mousasi controlled his fight with UFC veteran Keith Jardine from start to finish. However, an illegal first-round upkick from Mousasi cost him a point and resulted in a majority draw that was panned by many. Few are blessed with more natural ability than the former light heavyweight champion, who has competed at three different weight classes in the last two years. Mousasi owns a 17-1-1 mark in his past 19 outings. At 40, Henderson remains one of MMA’s elite competitors, and a return to the 205-pound division has breathed new life into the former two-division Pride Fighting Championships titleholder. Carving out an historic niche in the sport, Henderson added the Strikeforce light heavyweight crown to his resume in March, when he dethroned Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante with his fabled right hand at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. No matter who comes next for the two-time Olympian, he will be difficult to knock off the mountaintop.
Shinya Aoki vs. Josh Thomson: Aoki’s second appearance on American soil went far better than his first. The Japanese submission ace capitalized on a major strategic blunder from Lyle Beerbohm and submitted “Fancy Pants” in a little more than a minute and a half. Despite a number of high-profile and embarrassing hiccups throughout his combat sports career, Aoki has long been established as one the world’s best at 155 pounds. The talented but oft-injured Thomson wields the kind of wrestling chops needed to keep a fight against Aoki standing and the kind of striking ability required to make him fold. Thomson, who turns 33 in September, has not fought since losing a unanimous decision to Kawajiri on New Year’s Eve in Japan. The American Kickboxing Academy representative, respected for years as one of the division’s scrappiest competitors, has never been submitted. That alone makes for an interesting storyline against Aoki.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
New colors for asu
It is tough to argue with the rhyme and reason voiced by NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice. The NFL’s all-time leader in touchdowns stated his philosophy, “You look good. You play good. That’s the bottom line. But that’s in any walk of life, really.”
Arizona State University’s athletic department is prepared to follow suit.
On April 9th (Sun Devil Club event) and April 12th (Media and Public release), ASU is prepared to unveil a complete overhaul to the Sun Devils’ brand; including logo modifications, re-tooling the uniforms and continuing upgrades to the facilities, as well as Sun Devil Stadium.
First signs of ASU “change” occurred simultaneously as Dennis Erickson announced his 2011 recruiting class. Maroon marketing cards were displayed with a gold pitchfork and the date: April 12, 2011.
No details. No specifics.
Then, the ASU athletic department took to social media and increased the predictive banter.
Three weeks ago, ASU athletics posted a video on YouTube titled, “It’s Time…To Celebrate Our Past.” With the ceremonies rapidly approaching, more and more videos were posted.
Over the weekend, Sun Devil fans were greeted with ASU’s latest teaser video, “It’s Time. April 12, 2011.”
"It's Time...To Celebrate Our Past"
“Don’t fear change, just the Sun Devils,” was the final narration.
For years, uniform talk, color schemes and logo placement has run ramped on ASU message boards, along with an abundance of colorful language.
Much of the disgust stems from the potential removal of the Sun Devils beloved mascot and athletics logo Sparky. Yet, the athletic department remains firm about Sparky remaining prominent.
Subtle changes over the years came and went in a flash, including stints with all white uniforms, all maroon uniforms and one lone defeat at the hands of the Arizona Wildcats in head to toe gold jerseys.
Still, change affects people in different ways. Some are open to growth and willing to accept change as a positive. Others believe in tradition, keeping with the routine and remaining stagnant.
In the world of college athletics, words like stagnant, stale or dull should never characterize your athletic program.
Arizona State is taking the initiative and forming a progressive movement within the sports world. Although, many might consider a logo change or jersey modification a great business move in a suffering economy, the Sun Devils expect these changes to be far-reaching on multiple platforms.
"A Little Bit of History With a New Twist"
After all, college football is the kingpin of intercollegiate athletics. With that, the Sun Devils do expect change in 2011, especially on the gridiron.
Just as the conference went through change in 1978 with the addition of ASU and Arizona, the Sun Devils will usher in change alongside the revamped Pac-12, once again.
Now in the inaugural season of the Pac-12 conference, the Sun Devil football team will explode out of the gates with a new look, too.
Whether the colors of emphasis are gold, maroon, black or white or the decal on the helmet has a new, 21st century Sparky, a pitchfork, uniform numbers or the throwback “sunburst” logo, the buzz surrounding ASU athletics will inflate dramatically by opening kickoff on September 1st.
The results thereafter will determine how much progress ASU athletics will make.
If the players look good and feel good in their new threads, the results will come, or so, Mr. Rice says.
With preseason optimism heightened in anticipation of a breakthrough year for football, a new set of uniforms and an entire athletic department overhaul can only help to attract future recruits, while expanding the fanbase.
Seventeen and 18-year-old high school athletes love new gear or “swag.” The infatuation with new uniforms, with black incorporated, is nothing new, but today’s youth salivate over unveiling ceremonies in this fashion.
However, new uniforms alone will not hang championship banners or win football games, and that is what ASU is looking to progress towards. Change is the first step towards that goal.
Although, change does not have a timetable, only a launching point.
By this time next week, the “new look” Arizona State Sun Devils will be fully equipped with fresh Nike uniforms, a new logo, a new plan, and a new image to attract millions of new supporters and family members to the ASU community.
Yet, one has to wonder; if the players like it, will the fans admire the changes, as well?
Arizona State University’s athletic department is prepared to follow suit.
On April 9th (Sun Devil Club event) and April 12th (Media and Public release), ASU is prepared to unveil a complete overhaul to the Sun Devils’ brand; including logo modifications, re-tooling the uniforms and continuing upgrades to the facilities, as well as Sun Devil Stadium.
First signs of ASU “change” occurred simultaneously as Dennis Erickson announced his 2011 recruiting class. Maroon marketing cards were displayed with a gold pitchfork and the date: April 12, 2011.
No details. No specifics.
Then, the ASU athletic department took to social media and increased the predictive banter.
Three weeks ago, ASU athletics posted a video on YouTube titled, “It’s Time…To Celebrate Our Past.” With the ceremonies rapidly approaching, more and more videos were posted.
Over the weekend, Sun Devil fans were greeted with ASU’s latest teaser video, “It’s Time. April 12, 2011.”
"It's Time...To Celebrate Our Past"
“Don’t fear change, just the Sun Devils,” was the final narration.
For years, uniform talk, color schemes and logo placement has run ramped on ASU message boards, along with an abundance of colorful language.
Much of the disgust stems from the potential removal of the Sun Devils beloved mascot and athletics logo Sparky. Yet, the athletic department remains firm about Sparky remaining prominent.
Subtle changes over the years came and went in a flash, including stints with all white uniforms, all maroon uniforms and one lone defeat at the hands of the Arizona Wildcats in head to toe gold jerseys.
Still, change affects people in different ways. Some are open to growth and willing to accept change as a positive. Others believe in tradition, keeping with the routine and remaining stagnant.
In the world of college athletics, words like stagnant, stale or dull should never characterize your athletic program.
Arizona State is taking the initiative and forming a progressive movement within the sports world. Although, many might consider a logo change or jersey modification a great business move in a suffering economy, the Sun Devils expect these changes to be far-reaching on multiple platforms.
"A Little Bit of History With a New Twist"
After all, college football is the kingpin of intercollegiate athletics. With that, the Sun Devils do expect change in 2011, especially on the gridiron.
Just as the conference went through change in 1978 with the addition of ASU and Arizona, the Sun Devils will usher in change alongside the revamped Pac-12, once again.
Now in the inaugural season of the Pac-12 conference, the Sun Devil football team will explode out of the gates with a new look, too.
Whether the colors of emphasis are gold, maroon, black or white or the decal on the helmet has a new, 21st century Sparky, a pitchfork, uniform numbers or the throwback “sunburst” logo, the buzz surrounding ASU athletics will inflate dramatically by opening kickoff on September 1st.
The results thereafter will determine how much progress ASU athletics will make.
If the players look good and feel good in their new threads, the results will come, or so, Mr. Rice says.
With preseason optimism heightened in anticipation of a breakthrough year for football, a new set of uniforms and an entire athletic department overhaul can only help to attract future recruits, while expanding the fanbase.
Seventeen and 18-year-old high school athletes love new gear or “swag.” The infatuation with new uniforms, with black incorporated, is nothing new, but today’s youth salivate over unveiling ceremonies in this fashion.
However, new uniforms alone will not hang championship banners or win football games, and that is what ASU is looking to progress towards. Change is the first step towards that goal.
Although, change does not have a timetable, only a launching point.
By this time next week, the “new look” Arizona State Sun Devils will be fully equipped with fresh Nike uniforms, a new logo, a new plan, and a new image to attract millions of new supporters and family members to the ASU community.
Yet, one has to wonder; if the players like it, will the fans admire the changes, as well?
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
pothead vs stoner
A stoner is someone who wishes to become enlightened by his cannabis use, and uses it more as a ritual experience.
A pothead is someone who simply smokes because of its intoxicating properties and would do anything to get high, most likely with others than alone.
pothead is someone who has lost his job, car and girlfriend to weed
A stoner is someone who smokes but still leads a normal working life
stoner - someone who enjoys smoking, getting stoned, etc...
pothead - someone who lets pot take over his head (like the word), so it wouldn't be positive...I think of it as an insult.
pothead- someone who smokes pot regularly.
stoner- someone who smokes pot regularly, loves the subculture behind it, has ideals similar to the rave scenes PLUR (peace, love, unity, respect). when "passing the peace pipe" to settle differences actually has significance. along those lines...
so its kinda like the whole all squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares.
A pothead is someone who simply smokes because of its intoxicating properties and would do anything to get high, most likely with others than alone.
pothead is someone who has lost his job, car and girlfriend to weed
A stoner is someone who smokes but still leads a normal working life
stoner - someone who enjoys smoking, getting stoned, etc...
pothead - someone who lets pot take over his head (like the word), so it wouldn't be positive...I think of it as an insult.
pothead- someone who smokes pot regularly.
stoner- someone who smokes pot regularly, loves the subculture behind it, has ideals similar to the rave scenes PLUR (peace, love, unity, respect). when "passing the peace pipe" to settle differences actually has significance. along those lines...
so its kinda like the whole all squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Is sending kids college a waste
It's been nearly a year since Formula Capital's James Altucher discussed his theory on why sending your kids to college is a bad idea. The segment proved to be one of Tech Ticker's most popular...and controversial of 2010. More recently, a report based on the book Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses found that after two years of college, 45% of students learned little to nothing. After four years, 36% of students learned almost nothing.
Meanwhile, the cost of college keeps rising -- 20 times the rate of inflation and much faster than say healthcare costs -- and student loan debt keeps growing. As of mid-2010, U.S. student loan debt totaled $850 billion vs. $828 billion for credit card debt, according to the Federal Reserve.
So with more people coming around to the idea that maybe Altucher is onto something, the money manager and author is back with a follow-up: The 8 Alternatives to College:
-- Start a business.
-- Work for a charity.
-- Travel the world.
-- Create art.
-- Master a sport.
-- Master a game.
-- Write a book.
-- Make people laugh.
Meanwhile, the cost of college keeps rising -- 20 times the rate of inflation and much faster than say healthcare costs -- and student loan debt keeps growing. As of mid-2010, U.S. student loan debt totaled $850 billion vs. $828 billion for credit card debt, according to the Federal Reserve.
So with more people coming around to the idea that maybe Altucher is onto something, the money manager and author is back with a follow-up: The 8 Alternatives to College:
-- Start a business.
-- Work for a charity.
-- Travel the world.
-- Create art.
-- Master a sport.
-- Master a game.
-- Write a book.
-- Make people laugh.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Living
from my windows i can see,
living trees,
dew glistening from the leaves, dripping,
like dark blood welling from an ancient wound,
spilling life onto the damp ground below,
filling craters in the mud,
indentations, recording a past memory of a day gone by,
the energy printed on the record of time,
the trees know they will go on,
even when war and hatred fill the earth,
the grass will still grow,
pushing through the pores of fresh loam.
living trees,
dew glistening from the leaves, dripping,
like dark blood welling from an ancient wound,
spilling life onto the damp ground below,
filling craters in the mud,
indentations, recording a past memory of a day gone by,
the energy printed on the record of time,
the trees know they will go on,
even when war and hatred fill the earth,
the grass will still grow,
pushing through the pores of fresh loam.
You, Destroyed my soul
And the sky, it burns like fire,
My world, it came apart,
Your up there laughing,
just laughing,
cause you ripped out my heart,
slowly I am giving in,
my heart is black as coal,
you've left me cold and empty,
you've destroyed my very soul,
So now i stand here screaming,
my mind is lost to rage,
my only,
for death to come,
so I can turn that page
My world, it came apart,
Your up there laughing,
just laughing,
cause you ripped out my heart,
slowly I am giving in,
my heart is black as coal,
you've left me cold and empty,
you've destroyed my very soul,
So now i stand here screaming,
my mind is lost to rage,
my only,
for death to come,
so I can turn that page
My Insomnia
Insanity hounds my every step,
Insomnia has followed me home,
Madness has fallen in love with me,
and now I'll never be alone,
But time is the knife that cut my skin,
and the past is the ghost that haunts me,
Anger has bound me in chains,
and so I'll never be free,
Blood is the life that revived my soul,
Hurt is the angel that I've known,
Memory is the friend I have,
because I am always on my own,
The outcasts ore my followers,
the damned are my spawn,
murders are my family and heaven leaves me forlorn,
But insanity hounds my every step,
insomnia has followed me home,
madness has fallen in love with me,
and now i can never be alone.....
Insomnia has followed me home,
Madness has fallen in love with me,
and now I'll never be alone,
But time is the knife that cut my skin,
and the past is the ghost that haunts me,
Anger has bound me in chains,
and so I'll never be free,
Blood is the life that revived my soul,
Hurt is the angel that I've known,
Memory is the friend I have,
because I am always on my own,
The outcasts ore my followers,
the damned are my spawn,
murders are my family and heaven leaves me forlorn,
But insanity hounds my every step,
insomnia has followed me home,
madness has fallen in love with me,
and now i can never be alone.....
Scream
Scream i cried in anguish,
tearing at the skin that held you,
Scream i cried out in hate,
Ripping apart the old and new,
Suffer i schemed into your face,
spraying poison in your eyes,
Suffer i scream in distress,
Digging deep into your disguise,
Bleed i howled in anger,
Digging my claws into your chest,
BLEED i howled in desire,
laying you down to rest,
sleep i wept with torment,
brushing aside your hair,
sleep i wept in anguish,
stilling a soul in the air,
I'm sorry i whispered in sorrow,
twisting in deaths violent dance,
I'm sorry i whispered in regret,
taking away you one and only chance! ! !
tearing at the skin that held you,
Scream i cried out in hate,
Ripping apart the old and new,
Suffer i schemed into your face,
spraying poison in your eyes,
Suffer i scream in distress,
Digging deep into your disguise,
Bleed i howled in anger,
Digging my claws into your chest,
BLEED i howled in desire,
laying you down to rest,
sleep i wept with torment,
brushing aside your hair,
sleep i wept in anguish,
stilling a soul in the air,
I'm sorry i whispered in sorrow,
twisting in deaths violent dance,
I'm sorry i whispered in regret,
taking away you one and only chance! ! !
Jones on the fast track
You can often look back at sports’ biggest superstars and pinpoint the specific time when they suddenly clicked with the public. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird did it when they met in the NCAA finals. Tom Brady did it when he led the Patriots to their first Super Bowl title. And so on.
For 23-year-old Jon Jones, part one took place over the past few days. Part two, the culmination of the journey, could very well take place in six weeks.
On March 19 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., Jones faces Mauricio “Shogun” Rua for the UFC light heavyweight championship in a match that was put together literally while he was inside the cage at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, beating formerly unbeaten Ryan Bader (13-1).
It was clear from the weigh-ins on that Jones (12-1, the only loss coming via controversial disqualification) had captured the imagination of the UFC fan base, who already had come to the conclusion that he was going to be the next major star in the sport.
Some future starts live up to their hype, like Georges St. Pierre. Some struggle, but eventually get there, like B.J. Penn. Others, like Vitor Belfort, who headlined Saturday night’s show, end up as someone who started off dominating everyone but failed in the end to live up to his initial promise.
But even if Jones had beaten Bader on Saturday night, he was considered at least one more win away from a title shot.
Instead, the man slated to get the next title shot, Rashad Evans, suffered a sprained knee ligament in training on Friday. On Saturday afternoon at 2:30 PT, as UFC president Dana White was driving to the arena for UFC 126, he got the word from both Evans’ doctor and UFC’s doctor, Dr. Steven Sanders, that there was no way Evans would be ready to fight in six weeks.
All of Jones’ fan momentum in recent days – he was the center of attention at Thursday’s public workouts and got a huge ovation at Friday’s weigh-ins – wasn’t lost on White, who made the decision to go with Jones as the new challenger.
But that required several things falling into place: Rua agreeing to the change, and Jones beating Bader.
“There wasn’t a backup plan,” said White. “Right before Jones and Bader came out [for their match], Rua’s team accepted,” said White. “[Jones and Bader] were literally in the Octagon.”
The rest of the plan couldn’t have been scripted better.
Jones ran through Bader, dominating the match from start to finish. Bader couldn’t deal with the wide variety of striking attacks Jones, with his 84-inch reach, was throwing at him. And Bader, a two-time NCAA Division I All-America wrestler, was dominated at wrestling by Jones, who never wrestled after junior college.
Late in the second round, Bader wanted to get the fight to the ground but was having no luck putting Jones there, so he decided to go to his back on the ground, doing the rare wrestler equivalent of pulling guard. That move proved fatal, as Jones locked in a power guillotine from the top for the submission at 4:20.
At that point, the crowd was buzzing. While Jones was heavily favored, seeing it play out against a powerhouse fighter who has been able to out wrestle everyone had people thinking that Jones was destined some day to be not just a champion but perhaps the next dominant champion in the sport. But nobody had a clue how soon that opportunity could come.
White came into the Octagon as Jones was about to be interviewed and said that Evans had blown out his knee, and White added that Jones would be getting the next title shot, a rare moment where momentum and timing intersected perfectly.
“I thought he did pretty well,” said Rua about his new opponent. “In all of his fights he’s been winning convincingly, so I think he’s the guy who deserves a chance to fight for the belt the most.”
The irony of all this is the closeness of Jones and Evans, who both train at Greg Jackson’s camp in New Mexico. In recent weeks, Evans’ role in camp was to mimic Bader.
“He took a lot of punches playing Bader helping me get ready for the fight,” Jones said, noting that he was thinking that starting on Monday, his job over the next six weeks will be to return the favor and mimic the movements of Rua.
“Rashad is an awesome guy, an awesome fighter and an awesome friend,” said Jones. “For people who think he’s arrogant, he an amazing person,” I told him I would never fight him and I was ready to come back and be the best ‘Shogun,’ as a training partner. Now it’s vice versa. Now I’m fighting Shogun, and he’s out of the title picture. He told me, ‘I will never fight you for the belt, and no one will ever force it on us.’ He’s a great guy. I’m really sorry for what happened to him.”
Evans may only be out of action for six to eight weeks. Doctors will put his knee in a brace and hope it heals quickly. There is a chance he may need surgery, which would delay his return significantly longer. Evans has been out of action since earning his title shot with a May 29 win against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, which earned him the next shot. Rua last fought three weeks earlier, winning the title from Lyoto Machida. But after the win, he needed his own knee surgery. Evans turned down any fights in the interim, not wanting to risk his title shot.
White decided against telling Jones that if he won he would be getting the shot, and White said that had Bader won, the UFC was not planning on offering the shot to him.
“Ticketmaster has been going crazy,” White said regarding the reaction by the public after the announcement. The Evans vs. Rua fight had sold about 9,000 tickets for $1.6 million when Evans went down.
Jones, who grew up in Endicott in upstate New York, said he expects a ton of people from his home city to make the drive to Newark.
“My whole high school will be there,” he said. “With the economy the way it is, nobody wants to take a flight. I know my New York base will be there, and I won’t let them down.”
Rua didn’t have any serious issues with the change, noting his experience fighting for the PRIDE Fighting Championships, where fights often were made at the last minute.
“Well, actually being on the sidelines for a while is never good,” Rua said. “You lose a little fighting rhythm. It is what it is. In the UFC, we don’t fight that much in a year. They take care of us as fighters. They give us enough time to get ready properly. When I fought in Japan, they sometimes would tell me the opponent two weeks in advance. I have time to prepare for this mentally, and everything will be fine.”
For 23-year-old Jon Jones, part one took place over the past few days. Part two, the culmination of the journey, could very well take place in six weeks.
On March 19 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., Jones faces Mauricio “Shogun” Rua for the UFC light heavyweight championship in a match that was put together literally while he was inside the cage at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, beating formerly unbeaten Ryan Bader (13-1).
It was clear from the weigh-ins on that Jones (12-1, the only loss coming via controversial disqualification) had captured the imagination of the UFC fan base, who already had come to the conclusion that he was going to be the next major star in the sport.
Some future starts live up to their hype, like Georges St. Pierre. Some struggle, but eventually get there, like B.J. Penn. Others, like Vitor Belfort, who headlined Saturday night’s show, end up as someone who started off dominating everyone but failed in the end to live up to his initial promise.
But even if Jones had beaten Bader on Saturday night, he was considered at least one more win away from a title shot.
Instead, the man slated to get the next title shot, Rashad Evans, suffered a sprained knee ligament in training on Friday. On Saturday afternoon at 2:30 PT, as UFC president Dana White was driving to the arena for UFC 126, he got the word from both Evans’ doctor and UFC’s doctor, Dr. Steven Sanders, that there was no way Evans would be ready to fight in six weeks.
All of Jones’ fan momentum in recent days – he was the center of attention at Thursday’s public workouts and got a huge ovation at Friday’s weigh-ins – wasn’t lost on White, who made the decision to go with Jones as the new challenger.
But that required several things falling into place: Rua agreeing to the change, and Jones beating Bader.
“There wasn’t a backup plan,” said White. “Right before Jones and Bader came out [for their match], Rua’s team accepted,” said White. “[Jones and Bader] were literally in the Octagon.”
The rest of the plan couldn’t have been scripted better.
Jones ran through Bader, dominating the match from start to finish. Bader couldn’t deal with the wide variety of striking attacks Jones, with his 84-inch reach, was throwing at him. And Bader, a two-time NCAA Division I All-America wrestler, was dominated at wrestling by Jones, who never wrestled after junior college.
Late in the second round, Bader wanted to get the fight to the ground but was having no luck putting Jones there, so he decided to go to his back on the ground, doing the rare wrestler equivalent of pulling guard. That move proved fatal, as Jones locked in a power guillotine from the top for the submission at 4:20.
At that point, the crowd was buzzing. While Jones was heavily favored, seeing it play out against a powerhouse fighter who has been able to out wrestle everyone had people thinking that Jones was destined some day to be not just a champion but perhaps the next dominant champion in the sport. But nobody had a clue how soon that opportunity could come.
White came into the Octagon as Jones was about to be interviewed and said that Evans had blown out his knee, and White added that Jones would be getting the next title shot, a rare moment where momentum and timing intersected perfectly.
“I thought he did pretty well,” said Rua about his new opponent. “In all of his fights he’s been winning convincingly, so I think he’s the guy who deserves a chance to fight for the belt the most.”
The irony of all this is the closeness of Jones and Evans, who both train at Greg Jackson’s camp in New Mexico. In recent weeks, Evans’ role in camp was to mimic Bader.
“He took a lot of punches playing Bader helping me get ready for the fight,” Jones said, noting that he was thinking that starting on Monday, his job over the next six weeks will be to return the favor and mimic the movements of Rua.
“Rashad is an awesome guy, an awesome fighter and an awesome friend,” said Jones. “For people who think he’s arrogant, he an amazing person,” I told him I would never fight him and I was ready to come back and be the best ‘Shogun,’ as a training partner. Now it’s vice versa. Now I’m fighting Shogun, and he’s out of the title picture. He told me, ‘I will never fight you for the belt, and no one will ever force it on us.’ He’s a great guy. I’m really sorry for what happened to him.”
Evans may only be out of action for six to eight weeks. Doctors will put his knee in a brace and hope it heals quickly. There is a chance he may need surgery, which would delay his return significantly longer. Evans has been out of action since earning his title shot with a May 29 win against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, which earned him the next shot. Rua last fought three weeks earlier, winning the title from Lyoto Machida. But after the win, he needed his own knee surgery. Evans turned down any fights in the interim, not wanting to risk his title shot.
White decided against telling Jones that if he won he would be getting the shot, and White said that had Bader won, the UFC was not planning on offering the shot to him.
“Ticketmaster has been going crazy,” White said regarding the reaction by the public after the announcement. The Evans vs. Rua fight had sold about 9,000 tickets for $1.6 million when Evans went down.
Jones, who grew up in Endicott in upstate New York, said he expects a ton of people from his home city to make the drive to Newark.
“My whole high school will be there,” he said. “With the economy the way it is, nobody wants to take a flight. I know my New York base will be there, and I won’t let them down.”
Rua didn’t have any serious issues with the change, noting his experience fighting for the PRIDE Fighting Championships, where fights often were made at the last minute.
“Well, actually being on the sidelines for a while is never good,” Rua said. “You lose a little fighting rhythm. It is what it is. In the UFC, we don’t fight that much in a year. They take care of us as fighters. They give us enough time to get ready properly. When I fought in Japan, they sometimes would tell me the opponent two weeks in advance. I have time to prepare for this mentally, and everything will be fine.”
Feb top ten zines
Top Ten Zines
Negative Guestlist #14
More Noize #5
Distort #31-#34
Alta Intensidaz #6/Fanzine Miguel #19
Antipatia #13-15
Absolutely Zippo #46
El Zine #8-10
Fun Fun Fun #6
Standard Issue #11
XXX$posed SF’s Lusty Lady – Life Beyond the Looking Glass
Negative Guestlist #14
More Noize #5
Distort #31-#34
Alta Intensidaz #6/Fanzine Miguel #19
Antipatia #13-15
Absolutely Zippo #46
El Zine #8-10
Fun Fun Fun #6
Standard Issue #11
XXX$posed SF’s Lusty Lady – Life Beyond the Looking Glass
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Friday, January 28, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
Capricorn Personality
When it comes to professionalism and traditional values, Capricorn wins hands-down. This practical sign loves to tackle life in the most conventional of ways, leaving no stone unturned. Considered the most serious-minded of the signs, the Capricorn possesses an independence that allows for considerable progress both personally and on the job
Strengths:
Responsible, good managers, disciplined, self-control, dark sense of humor. Weaknesses:
Know-it-all, unforgiving, condescending, expecting the worst. Charismatic marks:
Medium build, can get in shape with effort but tends to be a bit soft. Likes:
Family, tradition, quality craftsmanship, understated status, music. Dislikes:
Almost everything at some point. Best environment:
Positive work situation, urban environments with culture and style, anyplace to be in charge.
Strengths:
Responsible, good managers, disciplined, self-control, dark sense of humor. Weaknesses:
Know-it-all, unforgiving, condescending, expecting the worst. Charismatic marks:
Medium build, can get in shape with effort but tends to be a bit soft. Likes:
Family, tradition, quality craftsmanship, understated status, music. Dislikes:
Almost everything at some point. Best environment:
Positive work situation, urban environments with culture and style, anyplace to be in charge.
Li- Ning shoes hit the U.S.
Chinese athletic shoemaker Li-Ning knew it couldn't "out-Nike" Nike, especially in the sporting giant's own backyard. So the company is going low-budget edgy in its expansion to the U.S, using an irreverent YouTube video to play up its heritage while taking a lighthearted dig at the company name shared with its high-profile founder.
Li-Ning is among the first Chinese consumer product brands trying to build a following in the U.S., seeking to grab a slice of its saturated but highly coveted market. As China's economic might increases — it last year overtook Japan as the second-biggest economy after the U.S. — its companies are increasingly confident about expansion overseas. But corporate China has yet to produce a brand with the global name recognition of the likes of Apple, Sony or Google.
"It's a process of finding out — while staying true to our heritage, our brand — what side of our DNA is going to resonate with the American consumer," said Jay Li, general manager for Li-Ning International. "We're still searching, to be perfectly honest with you. And we're not in a hurry."
Americans might remember Li Ning (pronounced lee-NING) as the final torchbearer during the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics — the former gymnastics gold medalist who "ran" along the opening in the stadium roof while suspended by wires.
His namesake company is a top domestic brand in China's lucrative athletic shoe and apparel industry, with more than 7,900 stores across the country. Though it has forecast slumping sales and a one percentage point decline in gross profit margin in 2011, CEO Zhang Zhiyong recently told the Wall Street Journal that Li-Ning plans to invest $10 million in U.S. operations this year.
"Our founder Mr. Li Ning has always said his vision was never about building China's Nike, it's about building the world's Li-Ning," Li said. "You can't be global without having a legitimate claim of market share in the most mature sporting goods market."
There are significant hurdles to overcome: Americans are still smarting from the recession and spending less. Chinese goods are widely regarded as shoddily made, knockoffs or even dangerous. Li-Ning's logo recently underwent a redesign, but many consumers may still see a strong resemblance with the Nike "swoosh."
"The way to fight the perception is to continue rolling out your own world-class products and that perception will go away," Li said.
He would not provide sales figures for the U.S., where Li-Ning products are sold online and through a few select retailers, but said international operations made up only 2 percent of the company's total revenue.
Expansion into the U.S. is "important for them because if they show they have retail presence in the U.S. it helps them not only sell there but it helps them sell in their home market in China and wherever else they go," said Ben Cavender, associate principal at Shanghai-based China Market Research Group which has studied Li-Ning. "They can say, 'Look, we really are an international brand.'"
The U.S. expansion began in earnest in 2007 with the opening of a R&D center and design studio in the Portland, Oregon, area, heart of the U.S. athletic shoe industry where Nike is headquartered and Adidas has a regional office.
Li-Ning's U.S. staff includes about 30 people, veterans of companies like Nike, Adidas, Converse and Columbia. In comparison, more than 6,000 work at Nike's headquarters just outside town.
Products sold in the U.S. include equipment and apparel for Asian-dominated sports like pingpong and badminton, niche areas where Li-Ning is an established leader. Its running shoes have debuted in specialty shops, with the aim of attracting avid runners who are concerned more about performance than brand name.
But it's with street culture-influenced basketball shoes that Li-Ning may be able to score its breakthrough. Endorsement deals with NBA players like Shaquille O'Neal, Baron Davis and Evan Turner have so far been key to building awareness among image-conscious consumers.
Li-Ning has a quality product but "we need to bring in the cool factor, the street legitimacy, the street cred. Bring all these elements together and fuse them into the product. It's a systemic project and we are working on it," Li said.
That's the thinking behind the YouTube video, featuring a Chinese Li-Ning import agent who has to convince two suspicious U.S. customs officials that the new F2 sneaker is a real shoe. It is a humorous take on real events involving a shipment of F2s that got stuck in U.S. customs because of questions over how to declare the components of a shoe made almost entirely of rubber-like foam material.
The YouTube import agent protests, "They're shoes! Li-Ning!" prompting one officer to snarl, "I'm Li-Ning toward kicking your ass!"
Created by L.A. ad agency Zambezi, the video has received about 40,000 views since December and is a way of getting some attention with limited resources.
There probably won't be a sequel — the Portland customs office called to complain about being in the video and Li's office pledged not to revisit the topic again.
For now, Li-Ning's baby steps are showing encouraging results. Cavender pointed out that one industry insider has found some Li-Ning products to be better quality than Adidas products. And the colorful, sometimes cartoon-like designs are turning heads, even if they haven't yet translated into massive sales.
"People are actively asking about it every time they walk in and see it," said Frank Pacifio, manager of a Champs Sports shoe store in Wayne, New Jersey, which sells two to 10 pairs of Li-Nings a week. In that time the store sells 10 to 25 pairs of its most popular shoe, the Nike Air Max 2010.
"A lot of people try the (Li-Ning) shoe on to see how it feels but people are just accustomed to the Nikes, the Jordans," Pacifio said. "People are so used to what they've had, you never want to take the leap to the other side."
Li remains confident, pointing to the mainstream acceptance of other Asian companies in the U.S.
"A few brands are attempting it, but no one has come out as a dominant Chinese brand in any industry yet," he said. "I always optimistically look back on the Japanese brands in the '50s and '60s and the Korean brands in the '80s and '90s. It's our turn. We'll get there."
Li-Ning is among the first Chinese consumer product brands trying to build a following in the U.S., seeking to grab a slice of its saturated but highly coveted market. As China's economic might increases — it last year overtook Japan as the second-biggest economy after the U.S. — its companies are increasingly confident about expansion overseas. But corporate China has yet to produce a brand with the global name recognition of the likes of Apple, Sony or Google.
"It's a process of finding out — while staying true to our heritage, our brand — what side of our DNA is going to resonate with the American consumer," said Jay Li, general manager for Li-Ning International. "We're still searching, to be perfectly honest with you. And we're not in a hurry."
Americans might remember Li Ning (pronounced lee-NING) as the final torchbearer during the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics — the former gymnastics gold medalist who "ran" along the opening in the stadium roof while suspended by wires.
His namesake company is a top domestic brand in China's lucrative athletic shoe and apparel industry, with more than 7,900 stores across the country. Though it has forecast slumping sales and a one percentage point decline in gross profit margin in 2011, CEO Zhang Zhiyong recently told the Wall Street Journal that Li-Ning plans to invest $10 million in U.S. operations this year.
"Our founder Mr. Li Ning has always said his vision was never about building China's Nike, it's about building the world's Li-Ning," Li said. "You can't be global without having a legitimate claim of market share in the most mature sporting goods market."
There are significant hurdles to overcome: Americans are still smarting from the recession and spending less. Chinese goods are widely regarded as shoddily made, knockoffs or even dangerous. Li-Ning's logo recently underwent a redesign, but many consumers may still see a strong resemblance with the Nike "swoosh."
"The way to fight the perception is to continue rolling out your own world-class products and that perception will go away," Li said.
He would not provide sales figures for the U.S., where Li-Ning products are sold online and through a few select retailers, but said international operations made up only 2 percent of the company's total revenue.
Expansion into the U.S. is "important for them because if they show they have retail presence in the U.S. it helps them not only sell there but it helps them sell in their home market in China and wherever else they go," said Ben Cavender, associate principal at Shanghai-based China Market Research Group which has studied Li-Ning. "They can say, 'Look, we really are an international brand.'"
The U.S. expansion began in earnest in 2007 with the opening of a R&D center and design studio in the Portland, Oregon, area, heart of the U.S. athletic shoe industry where Nike is headquartered and Adidas has a regional office.
Li-Ning's U.S. staff includes about 30 people, veterans of companies like Nike, Adidas, Converse and Columbia. In comparison, more than 6,000 work at Nike's headquarters just outside town.
Products sold in the U.S. include equipment and apparel for Asian-dominated sports like pingpong and badminton, niche areas where Li-Ning is an established leader. Its running shoes have debuted in specialty shops, with the aim of attracting avid runners who are concerned more about performance than brand name.
But it's with street culture-influenced basketball shoes that Li-Ning may be able to score its breakthrough. Endorsement deals with NBA players like Shaquille O'Neal, Baron Davis and Evan Turner have so far been key to building awareness among image-conscious consumers.
Li-Ning has a quality product but "we need to bring in the cool factor, the street legitimacy, the street cred. Bring all these elements together and fuse them into the product. It's a systemic project and we are working on it," Li said.
That's the thinking behind the YouTube video, featuring a Chinese Li-Ning import agent who has to convince two suspicious U.S. customs officials that the new F2 sneaker is a real shoe. It is a humorous take on real events involving a shipment of F2s that got stuck in U.S. customs because of questions over how to declare the components of a shoe made almost entirely of rubber-like foam material.
The YouTube import agent protests, "They're shoes! Li-Ning!" prompting one officer to snarl, "I'm Li-Ning toward kicking your ass!"
Created by L.A. ad agency Zambezi, the video has received about 40,000 views since December and is a way of getting some attention with limited resources.
There probably won't be a sequel — the Portland customs office called to complain about being in the video and Li's office pledged not to revisit the topic again.
For now, Li-Ning's baby steps are showing encouraging results. Cavender pointed out that one industry insider has found some Li-Ning products to be better quality than Adidas products. And the colorful, sometimes cartoon-like designs are turning heads, even if they haven't yet translated into massive sales.
"People are actively asking about it every time they walk in and see it," said Frank Pacifio, manager of a Champs Sports shoe store in Wayne, New Jersey, which sells two to 10 pairs of Li-Nings a week. In that time the store sells 10 to 25 pairs of its most popular shoe, the Nike Air Max 2010.
"A lot of people try the (Li-Ning) shoe on to see how it feels but people are just accustomed to the Nikes, the Jordans," Pacifio said. "People are so used to what they've had, you never want to take the leap to the other side."
Li remains confident, pointing to the mainstream acceptance of other Asian companies in the U.S.
"A few brands are attempting it, but no one has come out as a dominant Chinese brand in any industry yet," he said. "I always optimistically look back on the Japanese brands in the '50s and '60s and the Korean brands in the '80s and '90s. It's our turn. We'll get there."
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
City Stops Homeless Outreach
Bobby and Amanda Herring spent more than a year providing food to homeless people in downtown Houston every day. They fed them, left behind no trash and doled out warm meals peacefully without a single crime being committed, Bobby Herring said.
That ended two weeks ago when the city shut down their "Feed a Friend" effort for lack of a permit. And city officials say the couple most likely will not be able to obtain one.
"We don't really know what they want, we just think that they don't want us down there feeding people," said Bobby Herring, a Christian rapper who goes by the stage name Tre9.
Anyone serving food for public consumption, whether for the homeless or for sale, must have a permit, said Kathy Barton, a spokeswoman for the Health and Human Services Department. To get that permit, the food must be prepared in a certified kitchen with a certified food manager.
The regulations are all the more essential in the case of the homeless, Barton said, because "poor people are the most vulnerable to foodborne illness and also are the least likely to have access to health care."
Bobby Herring said those rules would preclude them from continuing to feed the 60 to 120 people they assisted nightly for more than a year. The food had been donated from area businesses and prepared in various kitchens by volunteers or by his wife.
He and his wife became involved in the effort several years ago, when she would take leftover food from work to the homeless downtown. From there, it expanded into a full-time effort for her working through Eyes on Me, the Herrings' nonprofit organization that focuses on Christian-themed youth outreach efforts.
Nearly every day last year, they distributed food prepared or donated by volunteers or local stores at 6 p.m. at the corner of Commerce and San Jacinto, near the Harris County Jail, Bobby Herring said.
Looking for new solution
On Nov. 8, they were approached by Houston police officers and asked to provide food at another location under an overpass at Commerce and Travis streets adjacent to Buffalo Bayou, he recalled.
They were happy to move to the new location and continued to provide food there until Dec. 30, when a park ranger and two police officers told them they would have to stop until they could obtain a permit.
Because the new area to which they had moved is on city park land, they need permission and permits from both the parks department and health department.
Because city ordinances would prevent them from obtaining the needed permit, Bobby Herring said he is hoping to find a new solution, perhaps working through a church with a permit or finding a downtown location that would allow them to continue to help the homeless.
Amanda Herring said she was frustrated at the city's sudden stance.
"I'm just really sad," she said. "I can't believe for a year we were right out in the open and never had anybody tell us to leave, to stop, to tell us it was wrong. I'm blindsided with it."
'Designed to protect'
Connie Boyd, president and CEO of the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County, applauded the Herrings' efforts but defended the city's stance.
"We absolutely need more people like them who care about this vulnerable population," Boyd said. "Even though their intentions are good, they ran into ordinances that are designed to protect the public. There are good reasons why they're in place."
Boyd said the Herrings, or any like-minded individuals, could use her organization to connect with more than 200 groups and agencies that provide aid to the homeless and possibly stake out a partnership.
Barton said city officials in the past had considered passing a "public feeding" ordinance that would make it easier for people like the Herrings to comply with rules designed to protect people's health and well being. The ordinance could involve easier and cheaper permitting processes, she said, although there had not been discussion of the matter for some time.
That ended two weeks ago when the city shut down their "Feed a Friend" effort for lack of a permit. And city officials say the couple most likely will not be able to obtain one.
"We don't really know what they want, we just think that they don't want us down there feeding people," said Bobby Herring, a Christian rapper who goes by the stage name Tre9.
Anyone serving food for public consumption, whether for the homeless or for sale, must have a permit, said Kathy Barton, a spokeswoman for the Health and Human Services Department. To get that permit, the food must be prepared in a certified kitchen with a certified food manager.
The regulations are all the more essential in the case of the homeless, Barton said, because "poor people are the most vulnerable to foodborne illness and also are the least likely to have access to health care."
Bobby Herring said those rules would preclude them from continuing to feed the 60 to 120 people they assisted nightly for more than a year. The food had been donated from area businesses and prepared in various kitchens by volunteers or by his wife.
He and his wife became involved in the effort several years ago, when she would take leftover food from work to the homeless downtown. From there, it expanded into a full-time effort for her working through Eyes on Me, the Herrings' nonprofit organization that focuses on Christian-themed youth outreach efforts.
Nearly every day last year, they distributed food prepared or donated by volunteers or local stores at 6 p.m. at the corner of Commerce and San Jacinto, near the Harris County Jail, Bobby Herring said.
Looking for new solution
On Nov. 8, they were approached by Houston police officers and asked to provide food at another location under an overpass at Commerce and Travis streets adjacent to Buffalo Bayou, he recalled.
They were happy to move to the new location and continued to provide food there until Dec. 30, when a park ranger and two police officers told them they would have to stop until they could obtain a permit.
Because the new area to which they had moved is on city park land, they need permission and permits from both the parks department and health department.
Because city ordinances would prevent them from obtaining the needed permit, Bobby Herring said he is hoping to find a new solution, perhaps working through a church with a permit or finding a downtown location that would allow them to continue to help the homeless.
Amanda Herring said she was frustrated at the city's sudden stance.
"I'm just really sad," she said. "I can't believe for a year we were right out in the open and never had anybody tell us to leave, to stop, to tell us it was wrong. I'm blindsided with it."
'Designed to protect'
Connie Boyd, president and CEO of the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County, applauded the Herrings' efforts but defended the city's stance.
"We absolutely need more people like them who care about this vulnerable population," Boyd said. "Even though their intentions are good, they ran into ordinances that are designed to protect the public. There are good reasons why they're in place."
Boyd said the Herrings, or any like-minded individuals, could use her organization to connect with more than 200 groups and agencies that provide aid to the homeless and possibly stake out a partnership.
Barton said city officials in the past had considered passing a "public feeding" ordinance that would make it easier for people like the Herrings to comply with rules designed to protect people's health and well being. The ordinance could involve easier and cheaper permitting processes, she said, although there had not been discussion of the matter for some time.
January Planet Overview
January Planet Overview:
The new year begins with a jolt when a January 4 Solar Eclipse highlights the importance of holding your position, whether in career, a significant partnership, or more importantly, financial wheeling and dealing. Venus rules love and money, and there could be a sudden change in either on the day of this lunation. On January 19, the Full Moon in Cancer, the sign of worldly goods, ushers in a time of innovation. Putting finances or romance into a livable comfort zone is on the minds of all. Icy Saturn turns retrograde on January 26, freezing the day's emotions for months to come, but you're already prepared
The new year begins with a jolt when a January 4 Solar Eclipse highlights the importance of holding your position, whether in career, a significant partnership, or more importantly, financial wheeling and dealing. Venus rules love and money, and there could be a sudden change in either on the day of this lunation. On January 19, the Full Moon in Cancer, the sign of worldly goods, ushers in a time of innovation. Putting finances or romance into a livable comfort zone is on the minds of all. Icy Saturn turns retrograde on January 26, freezing the day's emotions for months to come, but you're already prepared
Monday, January 10, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Top 10 Marijuana Victories in 2010
Top 10 Marijuana Victories in 2010 (in no particular order)
1. NEW JERSEY LEGALIZES MEDICAL MARIJUANA
2010 started with a bang when New Jersey's outgoing Democratic governor signed a bill that made New Jersey the 14th state to legalize medical marijuana. (Unfortunately, the new Republican governor has conspired with his state health department to delay and subvert the new law from taking effect and -- now one year later -- patients still do not have legal access to medical marijuana.)
2. WASHINGTON, D.C. LEGALIZES MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Voters in our nation's capital passed a medical marijuana initiative with 69% of the vote in November 1998. After Congress blocked that law from taking effect 11 years in a row, Congress finally removed the federal ban in the fall of 2009, and in 2010 the D.C. City Council passed legislation to implement the local law. While the D.C. law is more restrictive than we'd like, five medical marijuana dispensaries will be opening up within a short cab ride of Capitol Hill by the middle of 2011.
3. ARIZONA LEGALIZES MEDICAL MARIJUANA
By a mere 50.13% to 49.87% margin, Arizona voters passed MPP's medical marijuana initiative in November, making Arizona the 15th state to legalize medical marijuana. As a result, approximately 125 dispensaries will open up around the state by mid-2011. This campaign was successful despite severely limited resources, with MPP spending only $0.10 for each Arizona resident.
4. CALIFORNIA INITIATIVE DEMONSTRATES RECORD SUPPORT FOR LEGALIZATION
While Prop. 19 failed at the polls on Election Day, this ballot initiative still represents significant progress for our movement. First, the initiative received the highest level of support (46.54%) of any of the eight legalization initiatives ever to be placed on a statewide ballot. Second, the initiative received support from mainstream political institutions, such as the California affiliates of the NAACP and SEIU, the Latino Voters League, the National Latino Officers Association, and the National Black Police Association. Third, the initiative generated gobs of in-state and national news coverage, making marijuana legalization a respectable topic of political debate. Fourth, the campaign inspired the local governments and voters of three cities to pass laws that will automatically tax marijuana sales once they are legal under state law.
5. MARIJUANA-FRIENDLY GOVERNORS ELECTED IN THREE STATES
For the first time in memory, three gubernatorial candidates who are well known to be supportive of decriminalizing marijuana and legalizing medical marijuana were elected on the same day -- Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Dan Malloy (D-CT), and Peter Shumlin (D-VT). As a result, all three states are likely to pass favorable legislation in 2011.
6. THREE STATES REGULATE/EXPAND MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS
While state governments sometimes tweak their existing medical marijuana laws, Colorado's government did much more than that in 2010 when it passed a new law for issuing approximately 2,000 licenses to medical marijuana retailers, growers, and kitchens; as a result, medical marijuana businesses are now scattered around the state like pharmacies. Also, Maine's health department issued regulations to establish eight medical marijuana dispensaries, building on the MPP-authored ballot initiative that Mainers passed with nearly 59% of the vote in November 2009. And, to close out 2010, New Mexico's health department increased the number of dispensaries in the state to 25.
7. LOCAL INITIATIVE VICTORIES IN FOUR STATES
In Massachusetts, voters in nine legislative districts passed initiatives recommending that medical marijuana be legalized on the state level; in another nine legislative districts, Massachusetts voters recommended that marijuana be legalized entirely. In Wisconsin, voters in two local jurisdictions urged their state legislature to legalize medical marijuana. In California, voters in two cities blocked dispensaries from being banned. And in Colorado, voters in 8 cities and counties voted to allow dispensaries (this overt support is significant, even though voters in another 34 Colorado municipalities decided to ban dispensaries).
8. VETERANS AFFAIRS RECOGNIZES MEDICAL MARIJUANA
For the first time since 1978, a federal agency recognized marijuana's therapeutic value when the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs issued a new policy in 2010, stating that veterans who use medical marijuana legally under state law would no longer be denied other prescription medications or treatments.
9. TWO GOOD COURT DECISIONS IN CALIFORNIA
In the "Anaheim" case, a California appellate court found that federal law doesn't prevent cities and counties from licensing medical marijuana dispensaries. And in a separate case, a California superior court blocked an L.A. City Council ordinance that would have wiped out most dispensaries in the second largest city in the U.S. (Neither case has reached its final conclusion yet, however.)
10. CALIFORNIA IMPROVES EXISTING DECRIMINALIZATION LAW
In 1975, California decriminalized marijuana, meaning that people who were apprehended with up to an ounce of marijuana could not face jail time. In 2010, the California government improved this law by changing marijuana possession from a criminal misdemeanor to a civil infraction, meaning that -- in addition to not facing jail time -- small-time marijuana offenders will no longer have to appear before a judge, pay court costs or hire a lawyer, or get stuck with a criminal record.
1. NEW JERSEY LEGALIZES MEDICAL MARIJUANA
2010 started with a bang when New Jersey's outgoing Democratic governor signed a bill that made New Jersey the 14th state to legalize medical marijuana. (Unfortunately, the new Republican governor has conspired with his state health department to delay and subvert the new law from taking effect and -- now one year later -- patients still do not have legal access to medical marijuana.)
2. WASHINGTON, D.C. LEGALIZES MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Voters in our nation's capital passed a medical marijuana initiative with 69% of the vote in November 1998. After Congress blocked that law from taking effect 11 years in a row, Congress finally removed the federal ban in the fall of 2009, and in 2010 the D.C. City Council passed legislation to implement the local law. While the D.C. law is more restrictive than we'd like, five medical marijuana dispensaries will be opening up within a short cab ride of Capitol Hill by the middle of 2011.
3. ARIZONA LEGALIZES MEDICAL MARIJUANA
By a mere 50.13% to 49.87% margin, Arizona voters passed MPP's medical marijuana initiative in November, making Arizona the 15th state to legalize medical marijuana. As a result, approximately 125 dispensaries will open up around the state by mid-2011. This campaign was successful despite severely limited resources, with MPP spending only $0.10 for each Arizona resident.
4. CALIFORNIA INITIATIVE DEMONSTRATES RECORD SUPPORT FOR LEGALIZATION
While Prop. 19 failed at the polls on Election Day, this ballot initiative still represents significant progress for our movement. First, the initiative received the highest level of support (46.54%) of any of the eight legalization initiatives ever to be placed on a statewide ballot. Second, the initiative received support from mainstream political institutions, such as the California affiliates of the NAACP and SEIU, the Latino Voters League, the National Latino Officers Association, and the National Black Police Association. Third, the initiative generated gobs of in-state and national news coverage, making marijuana legalization a respectable topic of political debate. Fourth, the campaign inspired the local governments and voters of three cities to pass laws that will automatically tax marijuana sales once they are legal under state law.
5. MARIJUANA-FRIENDLY GOVERNORS ELECTED IN THREE STATES
For the first time in memory, three gubernatorial candidates who are well known to be supportive of decriminalizing marijuana and legalizing medical marijuana were elected on the same day -- Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Dan Malloy (D-CT), and Peter Shumlin (D-VT). As a result, all three states are likely to pass favorable legislation in 2011.
6. THREE STATES REGULATE/EXPAND MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS
While state governments sometimes tweak their existing medical marijuana laws, Colorado's government did much more than that in 2010 when it passed a new law for issuing approximately 2,000 licenses to medical marijuana retailers, growers, and kitchens; as a result, medical marijuana businesses are now scattered around the state like pharmacies. Also, Maine's health department issued regulations to establish eight medical marijuana dispensaries, building on the MPP-authored ballot initiative that Mainers passed with nearly 59% of the vote in November 2009. And, to close out 2010, New Mexico's health department increased the number of dispensaries in the state to 25.
7. LOCAL INITIATIVE VICTORIES IN FOUR STATES
In Massachusetts, voters in nine legislative districts passed initiatives recommending that medical marijuana be legalized on the state level; in another nine legislative districts, Massachusetts voters recommended that marijuana be legalized entirely. In Wisconsin, voters in two local jurisdictions urged their state legislature to legalize medical marijuana. In California, voters in two cities blocked dispensaries from being banned. And in Colorado, voters in 8 cities and counties voted to allow dispensaries (this overt support is significant, even though voters in another 34 Colorado municipalities decided to ban dispensaries).
8. VETERANS AFFAIRS RECOGNIZES MEDICAL MARIJUANA
For the first time since 1978, a federal agency recognized marijuana's therapeutic value when the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs issued a new policy in 2010, stating that veterans who use medical marijuana legally under state law would no longer be denied other prescription medications or treatments.
9. TWO GOOD COURT DECISIONS IN CALIFORNIA
In the "Anaheim" case, a California appellate court found that federal law doesn't prevent cities and counties from licensing medical marijuana dispensaries. And in a separate case, a California superior court blocked an L.A. City Council ordinance that would have wiped out most dispensaries in the second largest city in the U.S. (Neither case has reached its final conclusion yet, however.)
10. CALIFORNIA IMPROVES EXISTING DECRIMINALIZATION LAW
In 1975, California decriminalized marijuana, meaning that people who were apprehended with up to an ounce of marijuana could not face jail time. In 2010, the California government improved this law by changing marijuana possession from a criminal misdemeanor to a civil infraction, meaning that -- in addition to not facing jail time -- small-time marijuana offenders will no longer have to appear before a judge, pay court costs or hire a lawyer, or get stuck with a criminal record.
Suns should trade Nash
After a trip to the conference finals last season, the prospects in Phoenix Suns land have changed from scorching-hot to bitter-cold in seemingly no time.
Currently sporting a 14-18 record, the Suns are losers of nine of their past 12 games, with the latest defeat coming at the hands of the Sacramento Kings -- the team with the worst record in the NBA. To make matters worse, Phoenix is slated to play a winning team in five of its next seven games, beginning with the Lakers at home Wednesday night 1/5/10.
In a desperate move to shake things up and fortify the defense, the Suns executed a blockbuster December trade with the similarly underachieving Orlando Magic, netting Mickael Pietrus, Marcin Gortat and Vince Carter in exchange for Hedo Turkoglu, Earl Clark and Jason Richardson. The deal was supposed to revive the Suns' playoff hopes. But Phoenix has gone 1-4 with its new pieces.
Then there's Steve Nash, who's standing on the bow of a sinking ship. The former MVP continues to play brilliantly at the point guard position, averaging 17.2 points and 10.6 assists while ranking sixth leaguewide in player efficiency rating (24.1). This despite being a month from celebrating his 37th birthday and playing innocent bystander through the organization's painful overhaul.
So what to do with Nash? Here are the variety of options the Suns face
Currently sporting a 14-18 record, the Suns are losers of nine of their past 12 games, with the latest defeat coming at the hands of the Sacramento Kings -- the team with the worst record in the NBA. To make matters worse, Phoenix is slated to play a winning team in five of its next seven games, beginning with the Lakers at home Wednesday night 1/5/10.
In a desperate move to shake things up and fortify the defense, the Suns executed a blockbuster December trade with the similarly underachieving Orlando Magic, netting Mickael Pietrus, Marcin Gortat and Vince Carter in exchange for Hedo Turkoglu, Earl Clark and Jason Richardson. The deal was supposed to revive the Suns' playoff hopes. But Phoenix has gone 1-4 with its new pieces.
Then there's Steve Nash, who's standing on the bow of a sinking ship. The former MVP continues to play brilliantly at the point guard position, averaging 17.2 points and 10.6 assists while ranking sixth leaguewide in player efficiency rating (24.1). This despite being a month from celebrating his 37th birthday and playing innocent bystander through the organization's painful overhaul.
So what to do with Nash? Here are the variety of options the Suns face
Sunday, January 2, 2011
2010 Close Calls
If my fucking list was not enough music for you shit breeders. This is a bunch of albums that could have made the list this year. However, they fucking did not get in this year. I am going to give you these for free all assholes can thank me later, because I just gave you all lot of gems that you fucks did not know about lets go bitch’s
Slang – life made me hardcore,
American cheese burger / Bukkake Boys Split
Pollution – R smut
Culo – military trend
Black Milk – 365
Nerveskade – LP
Crazy Spirit – Burning churches EP
Iron Lung – Reissue
Deathraid – all life ends LP
Hellkontrol – wanker war 10”
System Fucker/ d clone split 7”
Chaso Channel LP
Prosthetics – bad intentions
Big K.R.I.T – Mix tape
Curren$y - 'Pilot Talk II'
yU - 'Before Taxes'
CurT@!n$: Killer Tape
Nipsey Hu$$le: The Marathon
Hank IV- III
Chainsaw to the Face 7”
BloodType – EP
Nomos One sided 12 “ EP
THOU:
Baton Rouge, You Have Much to Answer for: 12" EP
SYSTEMATIC DEATH / SEE YOU IN HELL:
Split: EP
Wiz Khalifa Kush and Orange Juice
Slang – life made me hardcore,
American cheese burger / Bukkake Boys Split
Pollution – R smut
Culo – military trend
Black Milk – 365
Nerveskade – LP
Crazy Spirit – Burning churches EP
Iron Lung – Reissue
Deathraid – all life ends LP
Hellkontrol – wanker war 10”
System Fucker/ d clone split 7”
Chaso Channel LP
Prosthetics – bad intentions
Big K.R.I.T – Mix tape
Curren$y - 'Pilot Talk II'
yU - 'Before Taxes'
CurT@!n$: Killer Tape
Nipsey Hu$$le: The Marathon
Hank IV- III
Chainsaw to the Face 7”
BloodType – EP
Nomos One sided 12 “ EP
THOU:
Baton Rouge, You Have Much to Answer for: 12" EP
SYSTEMATIC DEATH / SEE YOU IN HELL:
Split: EP
Wiz Khalifa Kush and Orange Juice
Top Records of 2010
Holy fuck, it is time again the top records of the year. However this year I will be switching up the format. I will not give you info on all of the albums, this year is going to be a straight up fucking list so, I can give you dumb fucks more music. When it comes to the music there will be no bullshit like Lil Wayne, fake ass Rick Ross, Drake, no bullshit rock that is played on any gay radio station, always their will be nothing for the Hipsters. No let the fucking fun and games begin. (This will be a Total Mind fuck shit breeders.)
20. Darius Rucker - Charleston, SC 1966
19. The Alchemist + Oh No (Gangrene)
18. The Madlib/Strong Arm Steady - Stoney Jackson
17. Foreign Exchange - 'Authenticity
16. Nightgaun – Hopeful helpless EP
15. Sex Prisoner – Judgment EP
14. The Wankey / Lotus Fucker split EP
13. Get Rad – I can live
12. Tech N9ne – Bad Season
11. Capitalist Casualties/ Man is Bastard split reissue
10. Bastard Noise- A Culture of Monsters
09. Systematic Death – Systemania Vol 1, Vol 2
08. V/A Nagoya City Hardcore
07. Spazz – Crush Kill Destroy Reisusse
06. Sun Ra and his Arkestra – The sub dwellers and the other darkness
05. Cough – Ritual Abuse
04. Artificial Peace- Complete Session November 81
03. Vinnie Paz - 'Season Of the Assassin'
02. The Endless Blockade/ Bastard Noise – The Red list
01. Acephalix – Aporia
20. Darius Rucker - Charleston, SC 1966
19. The Alchemist + Oh No (Gangrene)
18. The Madlib/Strong Arm Steady - Stoney Jackson
17. Foreign Exchange - 'Authenticity
16. Nightgaun – Hopeful helpless EP
15. Sex Prisoner – Judgment EP
14. The Wankey / Lotus Fucker split EP
13. Get Rad – I can live
12. Tech N9ne – Bad Season
11. Capitalist Casualties/ Man is Bastard split reissue
10. Bastard Noise- A Culture of Monsters
09. Systematic Death – Systemania Vol 1, Vol 2
08. V/A Nagoya City Hardcore
07. Spazz – Crush Kill Destroy Reisusse
06. Sun Ra and his Arkestra – The sub dwellers and the other darkness
05. Cough – Ritual Abuse
04. Artificial Peace- Complete Session November 81
03. Vinnie Paz - 'Season Of the Assassin'
02. The Endless Blockade/ Bastard Noise – The Red list
01. Acephalix – Aporia
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