Affirmative action has always been and will always be a hot topic.  People either love it or hate it.  I don’t think there is a medium.  Unfortunately and whether people want to admit it, race is still a prevalent factor in how people are treated in America.  And although race relations in America are much better than they were, let’s say 40 or 50 years ago, we, as Americans still have a long ways to go.  Hence, the reason I believe affirmative action is still very much important in our society.  Of course, there are so many people who disagree with me.  For example, in 2006, the Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action in Parents v. Seattle and Meredith v. Jefferson.  In these two cases, the Supreme Court was bitterly divided and ruled 5–4 that programs in Seattle and Louisville, Ky., which tried to maintain diversity in schools by considering race when assigning students to schools, are unconstitutional.

Now, I know you’re wondering how this relate to Obama’s nomination.  Yesterday, I was reading an article on cnn.com.  Here’s an excerpt from that article, “Barack Obama’s political success might claim an unintended victim: affirmative action, a much-debated policy he supports.  Already weakened by several court rulings and state referendums, affirmative action now confronts a challenge to its very reason for existing. If Americans make a black person the leading contender for president, as nationwide polls suggest, how can racial prejudice be so prevalent and potent that it justifies special efforts to place minorities in coveted jobs and schools?  “The primary rationale for affirmative action is that America is institutionally racist and institutionally sexist,” said Ward Connerly, the leader of state-by-state efforts to end what he and others consider policies of reverse discrimination. “That rationale is undercut in a major way when you look at the success of Senator Clinton and Senator Obama.”  Other critics of affirmative action agree. “Obama is further evidence that the great majority of Americans reject discrimination, reject prejudice,” said Todd F. Gaziano, a scholar at the conservative Heritage Foundation and a member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.”  To read the entire article, click here:  http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/06/28/affirmative-action-hurt-by-obamas-success/

I think the people who believe Obama’s nomination is proof that affirmative action is no longer needed are out of touch with reality.  Even though Obama won the nomination, he hasn’t won the race yet.  Not to mention that there are many people who say they will not vote for Obama simply because he is a Black man.  The people who are for Obama are looking for a change and believe Obama is the man to bring that change about.  Simply put, the people for Obama are not just for him because of his race.

What are your thoughts on this subject?  Do you think Obama’s nomination is hurting affirmative action?  Or will his nomination help affirmative action?  I wold love to hear your comments/thoughts…….

Last year was either super or horrible for the New England Patriots and what was even more spectacular was that there was never any in between. No team in the history of the league had gone 18-0 in one season before. No team in the history of the league had scored as many points as the Patriots had scored. No team had thoroughly dominated the first half of a season like the Patriots had. Even with all of that, the Patriots were not given any credit because they were caught illegally “spying” on the New York Jets at the beginning of the season. The thought was that their success was based on their “spying” instead of their preparation and skill. The only way to get their just due, in the Patriots’ mind, was to win the Super Bowl.

The Patriots’ offense last year was the best the NFL has ever seen. They did not score under 34 points until November and their lowest point total all season long was 20. Tom Brady threw a NFL record 50 touchdowns last year while newcomer Randy Moss caught a NFL record 23 touchdowns. Wes Welker set a team record 112 catches and the offensive line featured 3 Pro Bowls in Dan Koppen, Logan Mankins, and Matt Light. Patriot running back Lawrence Maroney, who was forgotten by most in the first half of the season, rushed for over 100 yards in four of the last six games, including the playoffs. The offense was so awesome that people forgot about the cornerstone of the franchise since they became a championship team under Bill Belichick.

When Belichick became the coach of the Patriots, his defenses again confused and dominated opponents. Nothing changed, even with the offense scoring dizzying amounts of points. The defense still excelled as they always have and the defense quietly gave up the fewest amount of points until the last game of the season. Mike Vrabel led the team in sacks with 12.5 and was third in tackles. Asante Samuel led the team in interceptions with 6 and Tedy Bruschi led the team in tackles with 92. It was business as normal for the Patriots defensively, which as always, meant bad news to the rest of the league.

The Patriot defense, being as good as normal, combined with the offense – playing at a record-breaking level – led to an 18-0 record and made them huge favorites in Super Bowl XLII. The only problem was the Giants played as though they were the favorites and pulled off the tremendous upset, beating the Patriots 17-14 in a thrilling victory. Not only did the Patriots lose the Super Bowl, but core players, like Asante Samuel (Philadelphia) and Eugene Wilson (Tampa Bay), on their defense left New England to play elsewhere. The Patriots will still be the favorites to go back to the Super Bowl this season, but one has to wonder how much of an effect last year’s loss in the Super Bowl (which ruined their “perfect” season) will have on the Patriots this season.

NOTABLE QUOTE –
“ If I could Hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me”…Robert Murray McCheyne

As I sit here in my truck in Columbus, GA and wait for my husband, I have the radio tuned to 100.7, a continuous gospel station. They are playing Marvin Sapp singing, Never Would Have Made It. I didn’t have to tell you that, did I? EVERYday if I am in the truck for more than 30 mins, I will invariably hear this song. I love the song. But one station playing the same song two to three times a day??? Is that fair to all the other artists longing to hear their song played just once a week?

Why is it that Pastor Marvin Sapp gets so much play and air time? What is it about Pastor Marvin Sapp that offers him the privilege of singing on the much publicized award shows? And why did the audience respond to him more than all the other guests? Well, as much as I love him, I can’t say it is because he is the best singer. Let’s be honest, the song begins with him literally screaming: Never Would Have Made It. But guess what? I have walked through my house screaming the same thing! I believe the reason this particular song is what it is, is because Pastor Sapp speaks for us all!

Life is soooooo hard. Relationships are hard. Jobs are hard. Finances are lean. People are losing homes. Friends and loved ones are dying. Life is rough and every truthful Christian must admit to hard times, at least every now and then.

And honestly, there are times when, by no fault of our own, the hard times definitely outweigh the good times. And just when you think it can’t get worse, it does! The question of how you are going to make it through becomes ongoing. There seems to be no way out. Instead of having a breather between crises, they just keep coming. Back to back issues, one right after another. It’s painful and exhausting.

Then one day, without notice, you realize, the struggle is over! The pain has subsided. The issue glaring you in the face has faded into the background. You can breath. Funny thing, you did nothing to lessen the problem. You just gritted your teeth, held on, and went through it. There is no logical explanation as to how you made it through it. But you did and now you feel great! You feel stronger. You feel wiser. You feel better… so much better. When you look back you have to realize the only one that could have brought you through it was God. Ding, ding, ding! The reality is, you never would have made it without Him. Pastor Sapp knew that and sings to the very core of humanity and Christianity when he declares; he never would have made it without God.

Might I admit, every time I get in my truck and tune in to 100.7, continuous gospel, I not only look forward to hearing Pastor Sapp serenade me, I feel like my day is incomplete without it. I am sorry for all the other artists who don’t’ get their fair share of air time but right now, this day, this time, in this world, we need to hear somebody speak for us all and tell our sweet Lord, we Never Would Have Made It Without Him!

How about a little extra bible class on Sunday?

It is there for you, it is there for me and it is there for everyone in the world. What is it that is there? Temptation. Let’s look at just a little bit of what the bible says about temptation/test/trial.

There is some overlapping in the Greek words translated by these English terms. They occur infrequently in the Old Testament (OT), But the New Testament (NT) develops these concepts of temptation, testing, and trials.

OT:
1. Testing
NT:
2. Temptation
3. Testing
4. Trials
5. Summary

OT – 1. Testing in the OT. Three Hebrew words are translated “test” in the NIV and NASB: nusah, sarap, and bahan.
Nasah occurs thirty-six times in the OT and indicates an attempt to prove the quality of someone or something. Often a time of pressure and difficulty constitutes the test. God tested his people at the time of the Exodus to “see whether” they would follow his instructions (Ex. 16:4; cf. 20:20; Dt 8:16; Jdg 2:22)

But human begins have no right to test God (Dt 6:16), unless specifically invited by God to do so (Mal 3:10), the word here being bahan) The historic incident referred to in Dt 6:16 is instructive. God had promised to be with his people and had demonstrated his presence in the fiery cloud that accompanied them. Yet Israel demanded proof, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Ex 17:7). Because God is totally trustworthy, demanding proof of his power or presence is an insult, demonstrating a failure to walk by faith (cf.Mt 4:5-7)

The word sarap means “to smelt or refine.” It refers to the process by which gold or silver is refined. This process is used to illustrate God’s purification of his people, usually through judgment (e.g. Jere 6:27-30; cf. Eze 22:18-22;). The NIV translates this word seven times as “test” or “tested” (Ps 17:3; 26:2; 66:10; 119:140; Isa 48:10; Jer 9:7 Zec 13:9).

Bahan Also means “to test,” specifically in the spiritual realm, with a focus on some quality, such as integrity. It has the sense of an examination designed to prove the existence of the quality sought. It is found twenty-nine times in the OT (Ge 42:15, 16; 1 Ch 29:17; Job 7:18; 12:11; 23:10; 34:3,36; Ps 7:9; 11:4,5; 17:3; 26:2; 66:10; 81:7; 95:9; 139:23; Pr 17:3; Jer 6:27; 9:7; 11:20; 12:3; 17:10; 20:12; Eze 21:13; Zec 13:9; Mal 3:10,15),

While testing may involve the believer in difficult circumstances, God’s purpose for us is always good..

May the Lord Jesus Christ touch, Bless, Strengthen, and heal you is my prayer. Have a great day in Jesus.

Wow! People, we are sinking fast! Rapists, severe rapists aren’t eligible for the death penalty? How can this be? Additionally, how can this have gone on since 2003? This is just another indication that something is VERY wrong with our criminal justice system. It would be in your best interest to keep up with this one because our world is getting more and more evil around us. We don’t necessarily want to dwell on this evil, but at the same time we don’t want to turn a blind eye to it either.

Below is an excerpt from an article written concerning Patrick Kennedy – I guess it is appropriate to say CHILD rapist Patrick Kennedy.  Click the link and read the rest of the article.  You will probably shake your head in wonder.

Child rapist Patrick Kennedy has now successfully avoided his death sentence. The Supreme Courts decision mocks both the nature of the Constitution and the serious suffering that young victims like the one Patrick Kennedy raped in 2003 undergo each and every day. It hammers yet another nail in the coffin of clear Constitutional interpretation.

read more | digg story

Very interesting draft.  Not too surprising, but interesting.

Atlanta: none        

Boston: J.R. Giddens (30)                       

            Bill Walker (trade_47)

            Semih Erden (60)

Ainge continued his very good work on draft nights.  Giddens is a player and may even be able to be productive this season.  Getting Walker in a trade could be a big-time move because Walker already has the athleticism to excel.  Erden is a project and don’t expect to be on the team for a long time if ever.

Charlotte: D.J. Augustin (9)

                Alexis Ajinca (20)

                Kyle Weaver (38)

I don’t understand the Augustin pick when the Bobcats have had so much difficulties with the frontcourt, even though most of the difficulties are because of injuries.  The good thing is that heat will be put on Raymond Felton.  Ajinca was a Brown favorite and defensively, he will scare the living daylights out of teams, especially if he is able to team with Emeka Okafor.  Weaver will bring surprising versatility and if he can find his niche, he could be a decent player.

Chicago: Derrick Rose (1)

              Omer Asik (trade_36)

Although I disagree with the notion of drafting Rose instead of Beasley, Rose does bring a ton of excitement and expectation to the Windy City.  Give him some time and he may be a big-time PG.  Asik is another surprising defensive player, but he may be in Turkey for 3 or 4 more years.

Cleveland: J.J. Hickson (19)

                Darnell Jackson (trade_52)

                Sasha Kaun (trade_56)

Hickson could ended up being the sleeper of the draft.  Give him two years and he will be starting, regardless of what the rest of the team looks like.  I don’t think either Jackson or Kaun will make the team.                   

Dallas: Shan Foster (51)

Although Foster was THE MAN in the SEC, there’s something about Foster can says that he just will not be that good in the NBA, unless he can just be a spot-up shooter and even then, that would need improvement.

Denver: none

Detroit: Walter Sharpe (trade_32)         

             Trent Plaisted (trade_46)

I was very surprised that the Pistons traded D.J. White as I thought he would fit their future needs.  That being said, Sharpe was an underrated prospect and even though he could easily start in the D-League, Sharpe could eventually be a player.  Plaisted is one of the most athletic players in the draft, but he does not like contract and rarely goes strong to the basket, despite his ability to jump over most.

Golden State: Anthony Randolph (14)

                      Richard Hendrix (49)

I am very confused with the Randolph selection, especially when the Warriors already has Brendan Wright.  To me, they are almost identical in style of game, except that Wright is bigger.  Do not like that pickup.  Hendrix is a bruiser and while his offensive game needs work, he has absolutely no problem in getting rebounds.              

Houston: Joey Dorsey (trade_33)

              Donte Greene (trade_28)

              Maarty Leunen (54)

I was perplexed with the Rockets’ early moves, but trading for Dorsey made perfect sense.  Talk about a PF and a physical presence for Yao.  No more cheap shots at Yao because of Dorsey.  Greene is one who could develop into the small forward or wing opposite McGrady that the Rockets have been looking for, but he’ll need some time.  Leunen is one who has surprising rebounding skill, but he is a perimeter big man.  He would fit well with Dorsey as well. 

Indiana: T.J. Ford (trade)

             Rasho Nesterovic (trade)

             Jarrett Jack (trade)

             Josh McRoberts (trade)

             Brandon Rush (trade_13)

             Roy Hibbert (trade_17)

The Pacers totally remade their team and Pacer fans should be excited.  Ford is a substantial upgrade at the PG position and is one of the really good young PGs in the league, despite him being traded.  Nesterovic had two productive seasons in Toronto and could do some good things in Indiana.  Jack will challenge for the starting PG spot, but I think he will backup.  The only question is how many will he have to backup?  McRoberts never had much of an opportunity in Portland, but he should do much better now that he is back in his hometown.  Rush was one of the really underrated talents in the draft and may get to play with his brother Kareem.  Hibbert will bring the Pacers some size they haven’t had in quite a while now.         

LA Clippers: Eric Gordon (7) 

                   DeAndre Jordan (35)

                   Mike Taylor (trade_55) 

The Clippers took a gamble in Gordon because he is a small 2-guard.  There is no questioning his ability, but there may be questioning his ability to guard.  Jordan fell rapidly once his poor offensive game was there to show everyone.  He still has a ton of defensive ability and size though.  Taylor was impressive in the D-League and at the pre-draft camp.  Taylor will be on someone’s roster next season.

LA Lakers: Joe Crawford (58)                  

I like this pick.  The Lakers know that they need some tough player and Crawford is about as tough as they come.  He showed that in the last two months when he led a very weak Kentucky team to the NCAAs.  If he can find a niche, he could very well stay in the league.

Memphis: O.J. Mayo (trade_3)

               Antoine Walker (trade)

               Marko Jaric (trade)

               Greg Buckner (trade)

               Darrell Arthur (trade_27)

I have continually thought that the best overall guard in the draft was O.J. Mayo and somehow the Grizzlies got him with the 5th pick.  Walker has showed his age last year and Jaric has not shown anyone his potential since early on in his career while Buckner is a hustle guy who can stay in the league by doing the little things and glamourless assignments.  Arthur could be a big-time sleeper as he as this past season at Kansas.  He is not flashy, but he is good.         

Miami: Michael Beasley (2)

           Mario Chalmers (trade_34)

Beasley quite simply is the best plater in the draft and is my early favorite for this upcoming Rookie of the Year award.  Chalmers was one of the best clutch players in all of college basketball season last year.  Both of them could play early and often and while Beasley is a certainity, Chalmers could as well. 

Milwaukee: Richard Jefferson (trade)

                  Joe Alexander (8)           

How in the world did the Bucks get Jefferson?  An absolute steal for Jianlian and Simmons.  He and Michael Redd could do major damage.  Alexander is a combo forward with deceptive range and deceptive quickness, but most of all, he plays to win.

Minnesota: Kevin Love (trade_5)

                 Mike Miller (trade)

                 Brian Cardinal (trade)

                 Jason Collins (trade)

                 Nikola Pekovic (31) 

Love was the best low-post presence in the nation last year and Minnesota needs somebody on both ends of the floor.  Miller is one of the best shooters in the league and still has other ways of putting the ball in the basket as well.  Cardinal has been totally lost since he left Memphis and maybe Minnesota could be the place you for him to find his game.  Collins is strictly a defensive player with a very little offense in his game.

New Jersey: Yi Jianlian (trade)

                   Bobby Simmons (trade)

                   Brook Lopez (10)

                   Ryan Anderson (21)

                   Chris Douglas-Roberts (40)

The Nets may have had the best trade of the night.  Jianlian showed a ton of potential last year and will be better barring injury.  Simmons is a tough guy who can play either forward and can big-time basketball.  Lopez is the better low post scorer in the draft and that makes him a solid pick here, especially since they haven’t had a solid low post scorer since Buck Williams.  Anderson can score and rebounder in bunches, but he isn’t the most physical player, but he can play.  Douglas-Roberts at 40?  Well, let’s just say that the Nets look a lot better already.        

New Orleans: none                                   

New York: Danilo Galliani (6)

Galliani heard the boos, but he should have cheers waiting for him because he can play.  The thing is that he had better play very hard, very long in order to win the fans.  The good part is that it should not be that difficult to way the Knicks have played basketball for almost all of the decade.

Orlando: Courtney Lee (22)

Lee is one of those players who will probably be a better pro than he was in college and he was really good in college.  The only curious thing is to see how much playing time he gets because of the logjam with Turkoglu and Lewis both playing the wing.

Philadelphia: Murresse Speights (16)

The 76ers make a good pickup of a big man that should be able to compliment Samuel Dalembert, both offensively and defensively.  Speights will challenge shots and when motivated, will go strong to the boards.  On the defensive end, he consistently challenges the shot and can block a few of them as well.

Phoenix: Robin Lopez (15)

              Goran Dragic (trade_45)

Everyone seems to love Robin Lopez instead of his brother Brook in terms of potential.  They point to Robin’s defense and how his offensive game is just starting to come around.  Lopez should fit perfectly with Phoenix’s new philosophy.  Dragic is not necessarily sure where he will be, but he has very good size and can shoot the rock.

Portland: Jerryd Bayless (trade_11)

               Ike Diogu (trade) 

               Nicholas Batum (trade_25)                  

               Sonny Weems (trade_39)

Bayless is an explosive combo guard with big-time scoring ability and a knack for getting to the basket, a dangerous combination when Oden starts to play.  Diogu snatches everything he is near off of the glass and has an underrated post game.  Batum has a lot of ability, but it appears that he does not go all-out at times and is not aggressive when going to the basket.  Weems is a player that will need to bring up his defensive ability in order to stay in the league.          

Sacramento: Jason Thompson (12)

                    Sean Singletary (42)

                    Patrick Ewing Jr. (43)

Most people do not know of Thompson, but the Kings took a good one.  He can really rebound and while his offensive game needs some work, he will not hurt anyone with his offense.  I think Singletary will be one of those 2nd rounders who surprise next season.  He does most everything a PG should do, but he is short, one of his few negatives that he has.  Ewing Jr. will go all-out, especially on the defensive end.  If he makes the team, he will be respected early.

San Antonio: George Hill (26)

                    Malik Hairston (trade_48)

                    James Gist (57)

Another mostly unknown player is Hill, even though he was clearly one of the best players in the college basketball last year.  He can really score, but sometimes decision-making can be questioned.  Hairston is one player whose growth never exceeded where people saw him.  Good player, but he could have been and probably should have been better.

Seattle: Russell Westbrook (4)

             Serge Ibaka (24)

             D.J. White (trade_29)

             DeVon Hardin (50)

             Sasha Kaun (56)

I don’t understand the fascination with Westbrook, especially at #4.  Good player, but not at #4.  Ibaka is definitely raw, but give him 3 years and he should be ready to contribute a low.  Meanwhile, White could be ready to play next year, especially if he can continue to stay away from the injury bug.  Hardin has the ability to contribute, but will he?  Sometimes he just disappears from the game, which could make him disappear from this roster.  Kaun will not make the team.

Toronto: Jermaine O’Neal (trade)

         Nathan Jawal (trade_41)                 

The Raptors took a big gamble in bringing O’Neal.  If his injuries are not behind him, then they look very foolish.  Jawal is an underrated big man who can really play defense and could surprise many offensively.

Utah: Kosta Koufos (23) 

         Ante Tomic (44)

         Tadija Dragicevic (53) 

I am definitely not a fan of Koufos, even though he really played well at the end of last season.  He does not do anything great, but he is adequate at a lot of things.  I don’t expect Tomic or Dragicevic to play in the NBA for a while, even though I believe Dragicevic will be a good player in the NBA one day.

Washington: JaVale McGee (18)

The Wizard fans probably had another heart attack because McGee is a project, even though he has great athleticism.  His low-post skills leave a long to be desired.  He will have to make an impact on the defensive end in order to play.

Shaquille O’Neal has always taken the opportunity to disrespect Kobe Bryant, especially after the Los Angeles Lakers traded him to Miami in the summer of 2004, so him freesyling about how “Kobe Ain’t Nothing Without {Me},” was nothing new to basketball fans, but this was not just about Kobe.  The rap sounded like a bitter old man, which is unlike Shaq, who usually comical at every opportunity.  He did not just disrespect Kobe, but also Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Patrick Ewing and gave an unusual look into Shaq’s personal life, something Shaq very rarely goes into publicly.  Was this Shaq being Shaq or something entirely different?

Shaq started his rap by disrespecting Kobe at the beginning and people went wild.  This is not surprising because it can be argued that the best rivalry this decade has not been Yankees versus Red Sox or Colts versus Patriots, but Shaq versus Kobe.  While the beginning of the “feud” started before this decade, it really did not get wildly popular until after the two teammates started winning NBA titles together as Lakers.  The 2000-01 season was where their “disagreements” became common stories, not just in Los Angeles, but for the entire country.  They almost had a daily story about just them and what they said about each other.

Throughout this time, the Lakers kept winning titles and when they would win titles, they would “be nice” to each other.  It came up again at the beginning of the 2003-04 season when Kobe was charged with a rape allegation and the two took turns blasting each other publicly.  After a disappointing loss to the Pistons in the NBA finals, the Lakers traded Shaq to Miami and Shaq publicly blamed the loss and later, the fall of the Lakers on Kobe.  Eventually, they again appeared to “make up” until this past weekend.

The first surprise with Shaq’s rap was his “shots” at Jabbar and Ewing.  Shaq is universally known of one of the greatest centers in the history of the NBA.  While this is the case, one of the centers considered greater than Shaq would be Jabbar, who won 6 NBA titles and 6 MVPs in his 20 seasons, mostly as a Laker.  That seem to come from nowhere since Kareem has never been anything but complimentary of Shaq.  Now Shaq and Patrick Ewing were contemporaries and their early battles were commonplace on national television, so this was not that surprising except that Ewing has been retired in 2001.  Shaq has always thought of himself as one of the best centers ever and has never hid this fact.

What was new was Shaq letting people know about his personal life.  People knew that Shaq was getting a divorce this year and knew how Kobe “broke the code” and ratted on Shaq when he faced his own difficulties in 2004.  What people probably did not know was that Shaq has had a vasectomy.  The question is why would he bring this up freestyling in New York?

To me, this is about it being Shaq’s last chance for the limelight and everyone, including Shaq, knows that he gets instant limelight whenever he goes out of his way to disrespect Kobe.  The problem is that Kobe and the Lakers may be about to go a title run, so Shaq had to say his “view” now because once Kobe wins another title, Shaq will not be able to rant against Kobe anymore.  My questions are the “shots” he took at Jabbar and a certain extent Ewing and his public declarations about his divorce.  Was he just freestyling or was it the ranting of a bitter man?

Michael Jordan.  The name that everybody knows and recognizes.  Some people feel he is the best NBA basketball player ever.  Some people (well, women in particular) think he is gorgeous.  Others may feel he is down-to-earth.  There are so many adjectives that could be used to describe Michael Jordan, but cold-hearted would not be one of them — until now.  I guess I should clarify and say Michael would only be described as cold-hearted if the following news article from the New York Post is to be believed:

“MICHAEL Jordan fouled out with a young boy who asked him for a picture last weekend. The NBA legend was spotted waiting for his valet-parked car outside of Kobe Club in Miami when the youth approached and told him how great he was, says our spy: “The boy told Michael he was wearing Jordan sneakers and asked him if he could snap his photo. Michael kept walking and got in his car, leaving the kid behind in tears. He was so upset he threw the disposable camera on the ground and broke it.” Jordan’s sports agent did not return a call or e-mail.”

Now, based on this article, how would you describe Michael?  Before coming to a conclusion, here are some things to think about: maybe he was just in a rush or maybe he was so preoccupied with his thoughts, that he didn’t even see the kid.   I don’t know.  Well, I do know.  I just don’t want to believe it.  What about you?  Do you think Michael Jordan would shun a kid who admires him?  Inquiring minds want to know.

This is something I do.  This not what I think will happen, but rather how I would draft if I were the GMs.  This is subject to change because of trades.

1. Chicago-Michael Beasley (Kansas St) 6’8 239lbs.  Most talented player in college basketball this past season.  Has all of the tools to be a big-time player in the NBA.  People that think Derrick Rose should be the pick had better remember that the Bulls were thought to be the best team in the East during the preseason, but with Rose, they would definitely have to wait.

2. Miami-OJ Mayo (USC) 6’3 200.  I’ve said over and over again, that Mayo was the best frosh guard in the country, over Rose and over Eric Gordon.  He has quite a package and can play either guard spot well while playing some inquired defense.

3. Minnesota-Derrick Rose (Memphis) 6’2 196.  OUCH!!  What a present, especially when they would have probably taken Rose beforehand.  The Timberwolves need a PG and Rose would fit pretty well, although I’m sure that it’s not exactly the nicest place.

4. Seattle-Eric Gordon (Indiana) 6’2 222.  Adding another big-time collegiate scorer to the Sonic roster.  Gordon is very explosive and plays surprisingly good defense.  He and Durant teammed together could drive teams nuts for years to come.

5. Memphis-Kevin Love (UCLA) 6’8 255.  This would be a gift.  The Grizzlies need a replacement for Pau Gasol and while Love isn’t as athletic, he has skill that most big dudes don’t have anymore, especially rebounding and throwing the outlet pass, which could have the Grizzlies doing more running this season.

6. New York-Jerryd Bayless (Arizona) 6’2 204.  If it were me, this would be the beginning of the Stephon Marbury phase-out program.  Bayless is very underrated because he was in the Pac-10 and wasn’t seen much, but he has big-game scoring while having playmaking skills as well.

7. LA Clippers-Anthony Randolph (LSU) 6’9 197.  Typical Clipper pick.  Randolph has a ton of potential.  While his offense needs a lot of work, his defense is good, especially his shot-blocking ability.  If he ever gets a consistent mid-range J, watch out!!

8. Milwaukee-Joe Alexander (West Virginia) 6’7 220.  Another pick that could be risky.  Alexander had a breakout junior season after being mostly non-existent in his first 2 seasons at West Virginia.  While he has 3-man skills, he has 4-man size.  If the Bucks can gets those skills consistently used, they have themselves a player.

9. Charlotte-Brook Lopez (Stanford) 6’11 256.  The Bobcats can only hope they be so lucky.  Lopez is the best offensive low-post scorer in the entire draft and since I believe their goal will to take easier shots next year.  Also, with Okafor, they could make life difficult for opponents in the paint as well.

10. New Jersey-Danilo Galliari (Italy) 6’9 212.  I think this is even more the pick now that Richard Jefferson’s name has seriously come up in trade rumors.  Galliari should become one of the better shooters in the league, but people are going to be surprised with his versatility.

11. Indiana-D.J. Augustin (Texas) 5’10 172.  The only question I would have is will he be able to guard anyone in the NBA??  Augustin has a lot of offensive skills, but he has a weakness that isn’t talked about as well.  He rarely shoots well on a jump shot, but is very good when he can shoot his set shot.  At 5’11, this would have to change, but the Pacers need a PG now.

12. Sacramento-DeAndre Jordan (Texas A&M) 6’10 250.  The Kings seriously need a center and they need better defensive players and in Jordan, they get both.  Jordan needs a ton of work on his offensive game, but defensively, he’ll challenge anyone, even though he’ll need to do some serious lifting too.

13. Portland-Marresse Speights (Florida) 6’10 245.  Speights was the only remaining member of Florida’s back to back titles who emerged last season.  Speights will be the second center for Portland, who will be looking at getting Greg Oden, but will also be gaining Speights as well.

14. Golden State-Russell Westbrook (UCLA) 6’2 192.  Don’t think that Westbrook being another UCLA PG, like Baron Davis, is a coincidence.  Many have Westbrook a lot higher, but outside of his athletic ability, I don’t even see Westbrook as a lottery talent.  The Warriors, however, want an athletic PG and Westbrook could be their guy.

15. Phoenix (from Atlanta)-JaVale McGee (Nevada) 6’11 241.  He could be the ideal guy to be beside Amare Stoudamire when Shaq leaves.  People are going to be he is too thin, but he hasn’t fulled out yet either.  The question is, how much will the Suns change with Terry Porter??

16. Philadelphia-Darrell Arthur (Kansas) 6’10 225.  I think Arthur is one of the really underrated players in the draft.  I think he is very good from 12 feet and in.  Arthur is also an underrated defensive player as well.  He isn’t flashy, but Arthur should be a solid player.

17. Indiana (from Toronto)-Nicolas Batum (France) 6’8 210.  Don’t know what to really make out for Batum.  He has long arms and a ton of skills, but he doesn’t go hard to the basket at all.  Has too much of Boris Diaw’s (his French teammate) attitude and doesn’t bring it.  If he ever does, he WILL be the steal of the draft.

18. Washington-Roy Hibbert (Georgetown) 7’2 272.  If Hibbert drops down here, the Wizards would have to take him.  They have struggled for years because they simply will not address the low post presence on both ends of the floor.  They will know what they get from Hibbert, even I think he will be better than most think.

19. Cleveland-Brandon Rush (Kansas) 6’7 205.  I believe the Cavaliers are facing a HUGE summer and getting Rush could get it off to a good start.  This would also give the Cavaliers a wing that can put the ball in the basket and create off of the dribble, something they don’t have outside of Lebron.  Would be a solid pick.

20. Charlotte (from Denver)-Mario Chalmers (Kansas) 6’2 186.  I don’t understand why people don’t have this guy.  Didn’t make the biggest shot in the biggest game of the season??  Well, I think the Bobcats will be very wise to take him because other than Ray Felton, they have no other PGs currently on the team.

21. New Jersey (from Dallas)-Courtney Lee (Western Kentucky) 6’5 200.  Another very underrated player.  An efficient scorer for a team that just can’t shoot very well.  Plays defense and will challenge his opponent defensively.  Since the Nets only have Vince Carter, Lee would find time immediately.

22. Orlando-Alexis Ajinca (France) 7’1 227.  Let’s face it, after Dwight Howard, who do the Magic have inside??  Exactly, no one.  Ajinca has ridiculously long arms and can definitely block shots.  His offense is very raw, but Orlando don’t exactly need offense.  He may also be able to play with Howard, a frightening thought for anyone trying to score in the paint.

23. Utah-Donte Greene (Syracuse) 6’8 221 .  This may be low for Greene, but I’m not a huge Greene fan.  However, there’s no doubting his productivity.  I know the Jazz are looking to become more athletic at the wing position and Greene definitely brings that.

24. Seattle (from Phoenix)-Jason Thompson (Rider) 6’11 250 .  I believe that the Sonics would love to get Thompson right here, particularly since Thompson can play both the 4 and the 5.  While everyone knows that Mike Beasley led the country in the rebounding last year, few know that Thompson was right behind him.  This would be a coup for the Sonics.

25. Houston-Robin Lopez (Stanford) 7’1 252.  Many people believe Robin has a bigger upside than his brother Brook, mainly because Robin’s offense is a work in progress.  His defense, however, is among the best in the draft and since the Rockets need another backup center, one who could learn from Dikembe Mutombo.

26. San Antonio-Ryan Anderson (California) 6’10 225 .  One who have to wonder why the Pac-10′s leader in scoring and rebounding would be around this late in the draft.  The Spurs were beat down on the interior throughout the playoffs and it has been a long time since they have had another offensive threat in the interior and Anderson could be a surprise.

27. Portland (from New Orleans)-Joey Dorsey (Memphis) 6’7 265.  Since they have a ton of picks and trades in the works, the Blazers had better do one thing and that’s have a protector for Oden.  Dorsey is the definition of an enforcer and could do just that.  People also forget how good of a defensive player the last two years in college.

28. Memphis (from Lakers)-J.J. Hickson (N.C. State) 6’9 240.  This would be one heck of a start for a trade that was thought to be a steal for the Lakers.  Hickson was the most underrated freshman in the country last year and would be a steal at this pick.  In a couple of years, he could be Gasol’s replacement.  A no-brainer pick.

29. Detroit-D.J. White (Indiana) 6’9 236.  No one has endured has much in the last 4 years than White.  After all of the injuries and struggles, White has dropped despite his perseverance, but he could be ideal for the Pistons, especially since Rasheed Wallace has been in multiple trade rumors.

30. Boston-Gary Forbes (UMass) 6’5 221.  The Celtics don’t need to look far for their player.  Forbes was the best player in the Portsmouth Invitational and one of the best at the pre-draft camp.  Forbes has underrated versatility, but he also has a ton of game.

The other day, I read a Yahoo! news article about two kids (a 9 year old and a 7 year old) in Salt Lake City, UT, who are protesting the high gas prices because their cable was a casualty of budget-cutting.  Basically, the kids are upset because, “All of my mom’s monny goes to the gas tank!”  Of course, this is just one example of cutbacks a family has to make in their budget due to the economy being in such turmoil.

That Yahoo! news article got me thinking about other ways to save money in this horrible economy.  So, I googled the internet for different ways to save money and based on my findings, I’ve comprised a list that hopefully will be helpful.  I’m sure most of you have heard some, if not all, of these money saving tips, but just in case you haven’t, here they are again:

1. Don’t play the lottery. Just don’t do it. You might as well flush your dollars down the toilet. Save $50-$250 a year.
2. Go out to dinner only once a month instead of twice as this can save at least $500 a year.
3. Instead of buying expensive bottled water, use a water filtration system such as one from Brita or Pur. It turns your free tap water into the same pure water you’re buying at the store. Evian spring water, by comparison, costs approximaely $21.19 a gallon. And you thought gasoline was expensive!
4. Eat less red meat. Pasta and chicken are inexpensive and better for you. Three meatless meals a week can save your family over $500 a year.
5. Break the fast-food habit. You can easily spend over $40 a week at these places, which amounts to approximately $2,000 a year that you could be putting into a savings account.  
6. When shopping for the sack lunch or the kid’s lunches, those individually packed snacks and drinks look so convenient. Buy juice in bulk and use a thermos. Buy fruit and cheese in bulk, and use your Tupperware. Snack-size chips cost twice as much as filling a plastic bag from a big bag of chips. You get the idea.  You can save hundreds of dollars a year.
7. Every night, try to put all the change and dollar bills from your pocket or purse into a change jar. You can save quite a bit if you do this.  My husand and I do this and once when we cashed it in, it was over $300.
8. Popcorn is a very healthy and inexpensive snack. Not the microwave kind smothered in butter at a dollar a bag. Get a hot air popper and use the $1.50 a pound bags of corn. It’s as fast as a microwave and uses less electricity. You can save approximately $300 a year by doing this.
9. Save on gas. Drive smart, keep your speed down. Leave extra room between you and the car ahead of you. Smooth, lawful- speed driving will save you at least 3 mpg. Besides saving $200 a year in gasoline, there will be less wear and tear on your tires and brakes, and less chance of an accident or tickets causing higher insurance rates.

Well, that’s my list.  I’m sure you can come up with even better money saving tips.  Please share them here – it is greatly appreciated!