If God Left Me One Album...

I remember it like it was yesterday. It was 2004 and I was a senior at Tartan High School. My music provider and friend Kyle handed me a CD and told me, "This is going to change the game." He could not have been more right. The CD was The College Dropout; Kanye West's classic debut album. The album patented the sped-up soul sample, which has since become played-out, and had Kanye, "Take Freeway throw him on tracks with Mos Def." In other words, Kanye West started doing things hip-hop had never seen or heard. He also had an all-star lineup consisting of Jay-Z, Talib Kweli, Common, Mos Def, Freeway, Syleena Johnson, Consequence, GLC, Twista, Jamie Foxx and Ludacris...Damn. Not to mention Kanye produced the entire album and had Jigga Man spit two of the best verses of his life on "Never Let Me Down." Hell, even my sister likes this album. From top to bottom, no album I have ever heard is more complete. If you haven't heard it, listen to it. If you have heard it, listen to it again. If you love this album, you have my respect. Here's to the ROC...

How come my coaches never did this?

Coach Pete Carrol and his USC Trojans.

Percy Harvin

An excerpt from SI's Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback:

Percy Harvin, split wide right outside the numbers, versus cornerback Marcus Walker, playing inches across the line from him, planning to get a bump on Harvin in the five-yard bump zone to knock him off his route. Harvin juked almost imperceptibly left-right-left at the snap of the ball. Walker lunged at him but only got a piece of him as Harvin got outside Walker's left shoulder at the line. NFL corners, and highlight producers in TV stations across the country, are going to see a lot of this. Harvin is so quick off the line, then so fast, that if you give him a half-step and don't have a safety over the top for double-coverage help, the Vikings are going to throw a lot of deep touchdowns to this man. On this play, Walker never caught up, and the deep throw nestled cleanly in Harvin's arms. Touchdown.

Kurt Rambis

After an elaborate and strenuous search for a new coach, Timberwolves General Manager David Kahn has agreed to a 4 year/$8 million dollar deal with Kurt Rambis. Known for his grit determination as a player (see pic above, yes that is former coach Kevin Mchale going WWE on Rambis), Rambis will try to instill this same type of play in his new team. I credit Kahn for leaving no stone unturned in his search for a new coach while eventually settling on Rambis. I am excited about the hire and the direction of the franchise.

David Ortiz

What else can go wrong in baseball? I mean seriously. Are we gonna find out Ken Griffey Junior used steroids (God Forbid)? Are we gonna find out Hank Aaron was on HGH? Is it possible that there are women playing in MLB that have taken truckloads of testosterone and became men? Maybe everyone that ever played baseball was on steroids. Maybe every single record that exists right now is due to "performance enhancers". Bonds was bitter, Sosa was obvious, Mcgwire was sad, Palmeiro was funny and now David Ortiz. To be honest, I did not see this one coming. As he says it, "I always tried to do things the right way." Can't these guys just not cheat. As a baseball fan and just a person, I would like to see these guys play by the rules for everyones sake. The game of baseball depends on it.

T-Wolves

Not sure if this is official or not, but word is Kurt Rambis will be the next coach of the T-Wolves. Personally, I think Mark Jackson would have done a great job of molding Jonny Flynn(and hopefully Rubio) into great NBA point guards. I can't argue with Rambis however. He has NBA playing experience, coached under Phil Jackson, and won rings both as a coach and player. We'll see what happens.

Jay-Z

Tracklist and cover art for Blueprint 3.