NOW YOU KNOW YOU GOTTA MAKE YOUR CASE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today’s video of the day is classic footage of a James Brown performance that was taken to the next level when he invited Michael Jackson on stage to “do something.” Michael reluctantly when to stage and, after dong his thing, he requested that James Brown call Prince to the stage. At that time, Michael seemed EXTREMELY interested in working with Prince. This, of course, was long before their well-publicized beef came to pass.

• Given his history of beef with Jeff Garcia and and Donovan McNabb, it’s interesting that Terrell Owens hasn’t publicly complained about Drew Bledsoe, who’s actually deserving of critique for his horrific play. In fact, for the most part, Owens has been a model citizen as of late. Of course, a cynic would suggest that Owens’ relatively good behavior is not due to growth and maturity, but the fact that he’s satisfied being the only star in town. A cynic would also suggest that, since he’s not getting the ball al ot, he’s actually happy that the team isn’t successful. On the other hand… Screw it, I’m a cynic.
• Now that it looks like the Detroit Tigers are going to lose the World Series, baseball’s underdog streak continues. The Marlins, Red Sox, White Sox, and now Cardinals, who crawled into the playoffs, have all defied so-called experts and beaten their much stronger opponents. Next year, I’m putting money on the Cubs.
• I’m tired of teams saying, “we’re better than our record.” After losing three agonizingly close games –one in overtime, and two on a last second field goal, one of which was the second longest in football history—many of the ever-delusional Philadelphia Eagles fans are saying that the losses don’t mean much because they could have won those games just as easily as they lost them. While this is true for the occasional fluke, losing three of the first seven games by a total of 11 points suggests that the team has some serious flaws. Bottom line, most teams are exactly as good as their record.
• Why the hell does Donovan McNabb vomit so damn much? This can’t be good for his Chunky Soup endorsements.
• Basketball season begins this week. Although I’ll be giving a full 2006-2007 preview in a few days, it’ll be interesting to see how the members of USA Basketball play. In the case of Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh, expect them to return with great conditioning and even greater confidence. For Lebron James and Dwyane Wade, who made deeper playoff runs, I hope that injuries and fatigue don’t catch up with them too soon.
• As much as I enjoy Michael Irvin, he and other broadcasters were wrong to label Tiki Barber a “distraction” for announcing his retirement early in the season. Many respected athletes have made their retirement intentions clear and used their final season as a victory lap/thank you tour across the league’s arenas. As long as he continues to play at a high level, which he has, everyone should just fall back and let him enjoy his last season.
• A new statistical measurement developed by Lenovo Group, the NBA’s new PC partner, says the Miami Heat are better with Shaq on the bench. The Lenovostat, which the league introduced last week, is designed to show which five players combine to make the best team on the court at any one time. Based on its findings, the Heat are best with Dwayne Wade, James Posey, Gary Payton, Antoine Walker, and Alonzo Mourning on the floor. In my opinion, this statistic is complete rubbish because it ignores that fact that teams take their best players off the floor when Shaq sits down. If Alonzo Mourning were to start, he’d be facing Yao Ming, not a washed up Dikembe Mutombo. Even if Yao stays in and guards Mourning, he’s been worn down by Shaq, who happens to be the most dominant center in the history of professional basketball save Wilt Chamberlain. Shaq please.

I got dreams, of holdin a nine milla, to Bob's killa
Askin' him why as my eyes fill up
These days I can't wake up with a dry pillow
Gone but not forgotten, homes I still feel you
So, curse the day that birthed the bastard
who caused your church mass, reverse the crash
Reverse the blast then reverse the car
Reverse the day and there you are, Bob Allah
Lord forgive him, we all have sinned
But Bob's a good dude, please let him in
And if you feel in my heart that I long for revenge
Please blame it on the son of the mornin', thanks again

Jay-Z "Lucifer"

Today's quote of the day is dedicated to Matthew D'Amico, my webmaster, 

who was killed in a car accident yesterday. Rest In Peace, Matt.

Since it’s election season, I’ll be spending the next few days reviewing political books that are of particular importance to upcoming contests. Keep in mind that the ratings at the bottom do not suggest that I agree with an author’s position. Rather, they speak to the rigor, depth, and level of engagement that are offered by the text.

Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction By David Kuo

In his new book, David Kuo offers a strong critique of George W. Bush’s manipulation of the faith-based community. Kuo argues that, under the guise of non-partisan good intentions, President Bush used his Faith Based initiatives strictly for political gain. Kuo also claims that Bush privately mocked and dismissed the very religious community that pushed him into office. According to Kuo, Bush regularly refers to Pat Robertson as “insane,” calls Jerry Falwell “ridiculous,” and says that James Dobson “had to be controlled.” While these claims are certainly true, they stand in sharp contrast to Bush’s public positions.

As deputy director of the White House office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, Kuo’s firsthand access to the Bush Administration makes his narrative of deep deception quite believable. In addition to his credentials, Kuo writes with a level of clarity and sincerity is rare for mainstream politicians. He doesn’t have any visible ax to grind, and he frequently finds himself agreeing with many of the Bush Administration’s actions.
At times, however, his sincerity borders on naïveté, and only bolsters Republican claims that Kuo was an idealist (and outsider) who doesn’t understand the intricacies of real-world politics. Nevertheless, this book is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the volatile mixture of religion and politics

BARBERSHOP RATING: 4.0/5.0 CLIPPERS