The Perfect Storm

In sports I'm starting to hate the word "potential" just because of how many times I've seen can't miss prospects squander it. People from Freddy Adu to Jamarcus Russell to Anthony Randolph, the list just goes on and on in terms of how many players never truly end up in a league of their own. A lot of times we focus on that player's lack of work ethic, but I think a very large factor that goes into it is stability and ending up in the right situation. In American sports especially, our draft system makes it almost impossible for a top prospect to land with an organization with a good front office and coaching staff. We reward poorly run organizations with top draft picks, who face the burden of high head coach turnover and joining a locker room that most likely has a losing mentality. There are exceptions however.

Kawhi Leonard went from being a lottery pick of the San Antonio Spurs 3 years ago to being NBA Finals MVP from this year's past NBA Finals. He effectively went toe to toe with LeBron James, who is easily the best basketball player I've ever witnessed with my own eyes (I don't like comparing athletes who played before I was able to see them play. Can't accurately compare them but that's for another article). A lot of Leonard's improvement comes down to the fact that he landed with the best organization in the NBA and was coached by the best head coach to have ever been in the league. He was able to combine that perfect fit with work ethic and will to improve, and the results have been amazing to witness. The video below nicely chronicles how he was able to drastically improve his basketball skills, and it's a lesson that not all prospects fizzle out. I hope he continues this improvement and is able to entertain us all for years to come.

Pastor Disaster

I went to Game 6 of the Hawks/Pacers first round playoff series at Phillips Arena. It was a heartbreaking loss for us Hawks fans, as we were so close to pulling off a monumental upset of the then-in-pure-freefall-mode #1 seeded Pacers. As my friend and I were walking dejectedly back to the CNN Center Marta station, we see someone on the side of the sidewalk handing out CD's. I get one without looking at guy handing it to me and I look at the name on it and it says it's made by none other than Atlanta rap legend Pastor Troy. I go back in shock, wondering why someone would be handing out Pastor Troy CD's in 2014 outside Phillips Arena and I was shocked to find none other than the Pastor himself, even wearing his championship belt in all of it's glory. Of course I immediately went into fan mode and got my picture taken. Sadly I did not get the belt in the picture, but it was the least I could do and it made me forget all about the Game 6 loss.

About a day or so ago I saw this picture pop up on my news feed. It was none other than Pastor Troy, showing up at the Atlanta Falcons mini-camp seemingly just to hang out. My friend sent me the picture and this conversation ensued over text message. It was too amazing, and I felt it needed to be captured somewhere for posterity purposes.

Tyler: Do you think Pastor Troy coordinated that visit or just showed up and said "I'm Pastor Troy, look at my belt?"
Me: Pastor Troy took the picture not with the coaches or the players but just in a random end zone. He probably just showed up and Instagrammed it and the Falcons used the picture. No one coordinates visits with Pastor Troy in 2014. He's famous enough to where we know who he is but unfamous enough to be on Judge Alex
Ahahahaha. He literally doesn't leave home without that belt. "Wallet? Check. Cell phone? Yep. Belt? Oh shit, let me get that."
Wonder if he's ever got drunk or high and left it somewhere. Can you imagine going to a bar the next day like "Hey I left my wrestling belt here last night"
Hahahaha. Or had a one night stand and forgot it and had to go back and the girl's on-again/off-again boyfriend was there and it was highly awkward for all of them. "Just getting my belt cuz, chill."
How many you think he owns? Think he has more than one and rotates them like work pants?
He's got a closet for just the belts. His house is a total shit hole but the belt room has fine Berber carpet and velvet-lined shelves and it's own security system.
He has a gun safe for his belts. He probably got Downs to do it
Hahaha. How many belts can this hold? No, not pants belts, like the one I'm wearing now. Does he have to check it with security at airports? This topic needs to be discussed at your next stand-up
I wonder how much he spends on Brasso every year. He definitely has to check it in his luggage. I'm glad he hasn't upgraded to the new WWE belt. He's sticking with the tried and true WCW Booker T Harlem Heat belt
"I'm sorry sir but the metal detectors picked up something." And he's all "Yeah it's my gold belt, solid gold" and the security guard goes "Sir our equipment only detects steel and brass, not finer metals"
Hahahah. Why has no one challenged him to a rap battle and winner gets the belt?
Hahaha. He's like Floyd Mayweather. He picks his opponents and the rules. "No using any words with vowels or you're disqualified"
What is he champion of? What federation recognizes him as it's champion?
Hahahaha. Is that a sanctioned belt, Pastor Troy?
I've never talked this much about a wrestling belt, ever

I still got love for you though Pastor Troy.

Overnight Celebrity

This video is absolutely hilarious. I don’t know Kwame Brown personally, but I can’t think of a bigger waste of space on any athletic team. Maybe Brazilian soccer player Amauri, but that’s cutting it close.



• The 3 teams they were talking about all seemed like likely destinations for Kwame next season. Classic.
• Only in the NBA can you get by by just being big. You don’t have to have any other discernible skill set. Just be big and you can have a long career in the NBA.
• Wing players get washed away in the NBA everyday, but big men just kinda linger around. Juwan Howard was playing basketball while I was in elementary school, and the fact that he’s still in the league is both hilarious and sad.
• I will try to sneak this video into any post I can. And this one.