Aggie87

Let Darth Vader read your mind Sithsense

"NBA's Most Mysterious Superstar" - by Chris Ballard, SI.com Imagine a parallel universe in which Tim Duncan was the most popular player in the NBA. The streets would be dotted with black No. 21 Spurs jerseys, sportscasters would refer to him, shorthand, as "T-Dunc" or "Tim-peccable"; a sports drink would pump the jingle, "I Want to Get to the Rim like Tim!" and, across the gyms and blacktops of America, teenagers would catch the ball on the left block, mechanically turn, fire up a bank shot and then yell, "I just went TD on your ass!" He would have his own best-selling highlight video (Come Jump Hook With Me), nappy half-beards would be the rage and, instead of sticking out their tongues, youngsters would mimic the Duncan Blank Stare after made baskets. But, of course, that is not the case. Rather, Duncan is referred to as a 'superstar' primarily by the few companies that he does represent, a not-so-klieg-light coalition of the ad community that includes H-E-B stores (Don't know what that means? You're not alone -- it's a grocery store chain in Texas and Mexico.), a video game called "Backyard Basketball" and forever-destined-to-be-a-soccer-company-or-a-dirty-acronym Adidas. Some commentators, especially those named "Skip Bayless," argue that Duncan is not a superstar because he is not exciting to watch. This very Web site, back in 2003, wrote a story called "Sports' Most Boring Superstars," in which the author listed the 'most yawn-inducing superstars' and put Duncan at the top, writing that his "Claim to Lame," is that "we'd rather have Shaq over for dinner." (Duncan, who has a dry sense of humor when he shows it, once said of his famously bland quotes, ""Wasn't I on SI.com's all-boring team? I'm at the top of my game, baby!") Regardless, there is no disputing that Duncan is less visible, and less popular, than most NBA stars. Despite being a two-time league MVP, owner of two championship rings, and an all-the-time, All-NBA selection, he was eclipsed in popularity in the span of one season by Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James when the duo entered the league, and he will never be as recognizable a star as Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan or Allen Iverson. Why is this? Let's start with the obvious. He's not American, or at least not mainland American (he was born in the Virgin Islands); he plays in a small market; he plays the least-flashy position in the NBA (calling him what he really is, a center); he shows no emotion on the court or with the press -- "a paragon of anticharisma," as S.L. Price called him in a laudatory SI Sportsman of the Year feature in '03 -- and he doesn't make highlight-worthy plays, at least as judged by the arbiters of such worthiness, those tape-winders at sports networks. Of course, this is exactly why many basketball aficionados love Duncan. He functions as a filter of sorts; if you are a true fan, you will appreciate the soundness of his game and find the beauty in his bank shot, his drop step, the way he rarely leaves his feet on defense. He is the anti-Vinsanity. New Jersey's Vince Carter is a player whose attributes are so wildly obvious, and acrobatic, that his myriad deficiencies are harder to spot to the novice fan. More than that, a player such as Vince -- a perennial vote-leader in the All-Star balloting -- is good at the things that are easiest for a casual fan to spot: dunking, making crazy shots and, well, jumping really high. If Carter is the wine cooler of the league, all sweetness and bubbles, palatable to even a 16-year-old, then Duncan is the aged Cabernet. You may not appreciate him at first, but, once your taste is refined, you understand what you were missing. Still, there is another, simpler reason why Duncan is not more popular: He doesn't want to be. That's why he offers up meaningless quotes in a monotone voice, why he turns down offers to be on magazine covers flexing his bicep, why he is perfectly happy with the fact that you may know nothing, or next to nothing, about his family and his personal life. Think about it: He's one of the best, if not the best, player in the NBA, he's winning championships, he's getting paid like a Sultan and he's playing for the best organization in the league. What is another $10 million in endorsements going to do for his life? How are more screaming fans going to make him happier? Why in the world would he want to be a superstar, if what we really mean by that -- and by 'we' I mean the media and the fans -- is a marketable superstar? It may seem unlikely in celebrity-saturated America, but Duncan is opting out of the culture of idolatry. And, in spite of his superior skills, that may be the most remarkable thing about him.

Funny enough, someone spammed All About Jazz today, with essentially the same message about this same album, and it was their first post there too. But I'm sure it's not you, since it was someone with a different handle. Since you've found your way to this jazz board, tell us about some of your favorite jazz artists, and albums.

Joe Lovano - Joyous Encounter

I just recently picked up a used disc ("Slow Breath, Silent Mind") by the JFJO on a whim. Their name kept catching my eye more than anything else. When I noticed this particular release on Kufala, I decided to give it a try, based on my previous experience with Club d'Elf on the same label. This disc is alot of fun - these guys are creative and experimental, and yet probably could (or do?) fit into the jam band scene pretty well too. Anybody else listen to these guys, or have any further recommendations?

Hey Jim - Not a new feature, but can you figure out a way to make the software automatically save sent PMS in our sent folder? I didn't realize mine weren't being saved until I'd already sent a few of them over the past day or two. edit - same question as posed previously, I just didn't see if any solution was available on this one.

Hey, that's not new cover art I see down in the corner, is it?? If so, can we see a larger image? Or is it a teaser? edit: homepage looks great, by the way!

Chalupa, you can attach a JPG or other type of image file from your hard drive via the "attach" feature right down below the "Add Reply" button when you are making a post. Not sure what the size constraints are (100K per file I think?).

Winning bid on this one ended up at $942.00.....

a few more: Keith Jarrett - both La Scala & Vienna Concert Martial Solal - Bluesine Ran Blake - Unmarked Van Jason Moran - Modernistic

The word "essential" kind of throws me, so I'm not sure whether these qualify, but I enjoy both of Brad Mehldau's solo recordings - "Elegiac Cycle" and "Live in Tokyo". He may not be the swinginest player around, but he's certainly creative and thoughtful.

Wags the Dog Dorothy the Dinosaur Henry the Octopus P.S. - If you don't recognize these names, count your blessings!

I've been wondering about this album since I first heard of it. Here's a quote from the writeup I mentioned above: Makes it seem like the "Big Cheese" pushed for this more than it being an organic, self-initiated effort. I'm going to wait until the release comes out, but I've already mentally prepared myself for an R&B tribute album that happens to include Sco, than a real Sco album. I get the impression John Mayer was pushed by the label to be involved in this project as well (and perhaps Herbie Hancock's next record as well?):

Lauren Hutton Lorne Michaels Lorne Greene

up.... There's a nice write up from JS about the new album on johnscofield.com right now. Also some sound clips, in case anyone's curious to hear this one. And John's going to be on Jay Leno on June 15th!

I've been waiting for this very thread since 10 March 2003. That's why I've been here all this time - finally, I can move on!!

Thanks for the heads up on those. You forgot to mention Kurt Rosenwinkel's "Deep Song", which I think is a great album, and includes Brad Mehldau, Joshua Redman, Larry Grenadier, Jeff Ballard, & Ali Jackson.

I didn't watch any of this season, only the last 10-15 minutes of the show last night. I thought the girl who sang with Billy Preston did great, she would have had my vote if I actually cared about the show or the winner enough to watch (let alone vote). Bo seemed to have stage presence, Carrie didn't. That's all I could see from my viewing, and don't care about either enough to want to see or hear them any more.

Got another one today. Must have been that one time I passed through Liege, to hop a Virgin Air flight to Malaga... ... and too bad I'm breaching the confidentiality of the email by sharing it here, and thus disqualifying myself. Though this is the first one I've received that isn't from Nigeria in a while *********************************** Wilhelmus van dijk Stichting voor menselijk gebruik van de informatietechnologie Rue P. J. Delcloche 19 4021 Liege, Belgium. REF. NUMBER: LCL/835900/10/04 BATCH NUMBER: 43-4-0-06-WDS Dear Sir/Madam, RE: NOTIFICATION The WILHELMUS VAN DIJK STICHTING, Liege, a foundation for the encouragement of human utilisation of information technology is conducting the LevaCom Lottery to encourage the use of the internet and computer education worldwide. We are pleased to inform you that you have been chosen as a mega-winner in the LevaCom Lottery held on January 27th, 2005. Your email address attached to ticket number 43-4-0-06 with serial number 00647947 drew the lucky numbers 11-77-11-77-77-11. You have therefore been approved for a pay out of US$1,200,000.00 (one million, two hundred thousand dollars only) in cash. CONGRATULATIONS! Please be informed that all participants in this lottery program have been selected randomly through a computer ballot system with millions of entrants sourced using search engines and web sites. To file for your claims please contact the designated claims agent below: LARRY WATKINS, PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPT. BERTHON NHS LTD ENGLAND email: berthonltd@hotmail.com All winnings must be claimed not later than June 3rd, 2005, after this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake. Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications endeavour to quote your reference and batch numbers in all first correspondence. Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our agent as soon as possible. Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the winners will result to disqualification. Sincerely, Erika Simonsen(Ms) INFORMATION DEPARTMENT NB: Please do not reply to this mail, contact your claims' agent. Also you are automatically disqualified if you are below 18years of age.

...Just be sure and save your listening room!!! And the puny tv!

As long as you have at least one in your queue on your monthly "ship" date, you're fine. Make sure you do this, or they'll bill your credit card anyway, and not ship you anything (or so they claim). I have about 20 things in my queue, but some aren't "hot" or need-to-have-now things. Just things I think about... edit - Oh, and if there are things you KNOW you want, you might be better off putting them in your cart and purchasing them now, instead of queueing them up for 6 months down the road. Never know what they'll suddenly stop carrying. I missed out on the Bobby Hutcherson "Now" disc because it was in my cue for last month, and they deleted it from their inventory the day before it was due to ship to me.

Someone tell me I didn't just see Kenny G on stage with Lynyrd Skynrd.

Fisherman hauls in 124-pound catfish ALTON, Ilinois (AP) -- Tim Pruitt went fishing and pulled up a whopper of a beast. No, seriously: It was roughly the size of a sixth-grader. Pruitt, casting his line in the Mississippi River on Sunday, hauled up a 58-inch long, 44-inch around blue catfish that weighed a whopping 124-pounds. To get a sense of just how big that is, the state record holder was a mere 85 pounds and the world record holder tipped the scales at 121 pounds, eight ounces. "My adrenaline was really pumping, so it wasn't that bad," said Pruitt. "Later on, when I was lifting him out of the livewell and into another tank I really felt the weight." Now, Pruitt, whose fish has already been weighed in the presence of a conservation police officer and measured by a biologist for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, is expected to submit documentation to the International Game Fish Association so that it can be certified a world record holder. Once that's done, the catch should be approved as the world's largest blue catfish, replacing the current champion that was caught January 16, 2004, in Lake Texoma, Texas, said Becky Reynolds, a spokeswoman for the association.

bump... I just recently picked up the RVG of "True Blue", yet already have the Spanish Blue Note version. Figured I'd buy the more "legit" versions of these discs as they come out. But given the limited nature of these Spanish Blue Notes, do y'all think the value of these will go up in the future? Is it worth my time to keep the Spanish Blue Notes that I have?