Baseball has too much standing around, doing nothing. Its said its the only sport where a player can nap during plays. In football, you take an oddly shaped pigskin. Then carry it a few yards (or in the rare, rare cases a lot of yards) while getting violently hit. Then stop and call a play. Then Repeat till score. Than the other team does it. Yawn. In hockey, as well as soccer, you maneuver in and out of play for more or less 90 min. And at the end of it…? 1-0. 2-1. 1-1. or the infinitely worse 0-0. Which, to me, means you basically watched 90 min of sport in which nothing gets resolved. What's the point? Don't even get me started on golf. Yeesh.(watch robin williams' take on in on youtube.com) Then there's basketball. Basketball has creativity. Basketball is a moving sport. It's active and electric and seemingly free flowing. It's one of the few sports that cannot end in a tie. On court, you may play all 5 positions . And you can do anything that any other player does. No position limits you to what you can do on the court. (except dunk of course. To the vertically challenged people) Every player can rebound, block, pass, and score. You can play by yourself, by 2s or 4s with half a court or a full court, or even with just a metal loop nailed on a pole. You get whatever it is you want in a sport. Speed, power, creativity, drama, emotion. All of which can happen in a single play. The competition, the mental aspect, the 1 on 1 game, the trash talk, the style, the pristine sound of a ball going swoosh! through the net… I could go on and on. But what distinguishes the game from any other sport is the Expression in, and of,  basketball. No other sport gives you the freedom of expression and imagination as basketball. All the facets have, if not require, that form of ingenuity. It is most obvious in the freestyle part of the game. The crossovers and the dunks and the passes. Basically the moves. Wherein the handling the basketball is like a dance of sorts. Contorting and maneuvering to score or pass. Where the ball appears to be an extension of the body. Bouncing up and down like an external heartbeat. In all fairness I have nothing against the other sports. I even like a some of them. But basketball… basketball is expression in action. Basketball is complete. Basketball is Freedom. And I, as the over used, over commercialized, ad-slogan says … I really do love this game.

a tribute story to the DOTA phenomenon                                          

The heir to the Satyr realm, Rikimaru sat on an Ironwood tree. He silently watched as an army of the Burning Legion trampled through his forest. He stalked the battalion as they crept slowly through the dense forest. The assassin waited for the opportune time to make his move, a fiery hatred in his eyes.

The battalion was en route to the tower on the west side of the area. They were escorting the Lich king's pet beast, the Magnataur. They've been trekking through the rugged forest terrain for half the day. As they walked, their leader reached an open grove. With a grunt, Magnus stamped his axe on the ground, signifying the battalion to rest for the hour. A dark fog had emerged from the ground. The battalion took little notice if this as they rested on the grove. Slowly but surely the fog began to rise. The weary battalion looked around at the fog with more caution than curiosity. Before they knew it, the smoke had engulfed the entire battalion rendering the scourge sightless.

Silently, the assassin began his slaughter. He picked off the scourge furthest from the group and sliced himself closer. The scourge knew they were in danger. But from an unseen foe. Panicked cries were heard from the smoky veil. One by one, they fell. The eyes of Magnus viewed the carnage with indifference. He watched as his battalion was massacred. When the last scourge fell, the Magnataur picked up his weapon and readied himself for battle.

With a simple spell, the beast gestured the smoke away. Growling with anticipation, the mighty beast awaited his adversary. Instinct told him he was being watched. Then his opponent appeared just clear of his line of sight, on his rear. He turned around and swung his axe only to find empty air. He sensed it again behind him, only this time the assassin struck first. With a scythe-like blade, the Magnataur was cut. Blood trickled down his back. But the beast was oblivious to the injury. The Magnataur saw glimpses of his foe, but he could not hit his target. All his axe hit was a blue blur of air. Rikimaru struck small but significant wounds, slowly wearing down the goliath. With a silent incantation the Magantaur's enormous strength doubled. Magnus' blows were of such power that it cast a wave of incredible force, ripping through earth and stone. But Rikimaru's stealth and agility kept him away from Magnus' slams, milliseconds away from being crushed. The Magnataur let out a roar of rage. Frustration seeping through his face. Magnus repositioned himself to measure his opponents attacks. His blood was spilling but slowly he saw more and more of the Satyr.

Magnus bellowed. With amazing speed he invoked the mysterious magic of Magnataure. Caught unaware, the lithe assassin scrambled to get clear, but an unseen force threw him toward the beast. Rikimaru helplessly flew towards the Magnataur. He landed on the Magnataur with a tremendous force. The impact stunning the assassin. For the first time Magnataur saw his enemy face to face. Rikimaru's stealth was gone. With that, the Magnataur leapt at his prey. Rikimaru gave what little strength he had to avoid the bone crushing blow of the hulking beast. But the damage had been done. He felt the crushed bones and bruised muscles on some parts of his body. Smelling weakness, Magnus ignored his own injuries, savagely pursuing the injured assassin.

With unrelenting fury, Magnus threw wave after wave, cutting off escape routes, slowly gaining on his adversary. Most of his slams were evaded but a few hit, weakening the already injured assassin. Finally, Magnus had his adversary completely cornered. He raised the enchanted axe to deliver the final blow. Magnus swung with all his might. At the last moment, the assassin disappeared, the thunderous blow hitting earth. Rikimaru blinked and reappeared on top of the Magnataur's massive shoulders. He bent down and whispered into one of Magnus' ears.

            "First blood is mine."

The beast's limp body slumped over.

The assassin walked into the forest, carrying the Magnataur's head.

i think its appropriate that i return to my blog on the same week that my beloved Lakers return to the playoffs. After a year away from the show, the Lakers placed 7th in the west. not bad considering a season of ups and downs.They now face the Phoenix Suns. Also not a bad thing. Although they've held the 2nd seed practically all season and feature last season's MVP, the suns aren't the powerhouse they were last year because of the absence of All-star Amare Stoudomire.This and the return of Zen Master Phil (who's got a well of playoff experience) gives the lakers a good chance for an upset. Right now, theyre down 0-1 in the series but i expect a competetive game 2. This series gives what laker fans have been looking for since the glory days not so long ago. Hope. Hope that one day, the Purple and Gold will reign supreme once again. I dont think it'll be this year. The Lakers are a piece away from being a seriious title contender (imagine KG in LA! *drool*) I think Detroit and the Spurs are gonna battle it out again in another boring (but classic) Finals series. How far do i think the Lakers will go? if they show up as the Lakers that beat both Detroit and San Antonio in the same week, they have a chance of getting past Phoenix. They even have a chance of getting to the conference finals against either Denver or the Clipps. But beyond that, i dont think they can beat Dallas or San Antonio in a seven game series. But right now, they're in a position to make an impact. Making the playoffs this year was great. Any other win will be a major plus.

I ask for your sullen kiss, your fluid affectionate embrace

I give you my eyes, my flesh, my mind

I am to seep onto my bed, alone awaiting your presence

I am doubtless that someway, somehow, we'll meet again

I am yours to take, in apparition of rest and surrender

Til the fragrant night sighs, long and drawn, in return

Til the last lingering of my consciousness fades

Til, at last, you perform your rescue

I place my body on your hands

I rest my head on your bosom

I bury myself in this blanket

 by INcuBus

forget the story
there is no one but me..
to one to live with
or live by

the ache of living
the scorn in every breath
what am i thinking?
do i flirt with death?

this one way trip
to the ultimate retreat
the end is too final
one i cannot meet

what if this depression
is really just drama
the dawn has its passion
the day has its trauma

i will not return
if dissatisfied
from what i learned
from having died