Week 4 Picks: Digital Underground Edition

"Its Shock G...The one that put the satin on your Panties."

Here we go, for no apparent reason whatsoever.  Week 4 coming at ya....

Houston -9 vs Oakland

I think the struggles over, I think the time is now,

I think that Old Al Davis is milking his own cow.

I dont know what that means, I know this spread is large

Its time for Stevie Slaton to step up and take charge.

Tennesee -3 @ Jacksonville

Tennessee is 0-3, somewhat hard to swallow,

Three tough games without a win, leaving me so hollow.

Chris Johnson will run wild, Kerry will sling passes

I walk these lonely streets at night and stare at women's asses.

New England -2 Vs Baltimore

Essentially a pickem game, this one is mighty tough

The weather man has called for rain, conditions will be tough.

Ravens have the Defense, the Pats have all the weapons

You should take the under too, if youre smellin what I step in.

Cinci -6 @ Cleveland

Maybe its because I watch the TV show Hard Knocks

Or maybe its because Coach Mangini gargles cocks,

Cleveland's changing horses, Cinci's got some style

Watching Cleveland struggle really makes me smile.

New York Giants -8.5 @ Kansas City

The Giants are a juggernaut, the NFLs best team

The d line and their running backs are something from a dream

This one wont be that close at all, probably 21

Stick a fork in Cassell, Kansas City's done

Chicago - 10 Vs Detroit

Chicagos playing pretty well, Detroit is riding high,

I picked the lions right last week, now its time to die.

Forte finds the end zone for the first time in this season

But Stafford throws the ball away, thatll be the reason.

Tampa Bay +7.5 @ Washington

Haynesworths on the sidelines, too bad he aint the coach

This games going to be ugly, I wish I had a roach

I wish I had a reason to sit and watch this game

The Redskins are pathetic, floundering, and lame.

Seattle +10 Vs Indy

Indy's going to win this game, but the seahawks keep it tight,

Seattle's kind of scrappy, but they face an awful plight.

Peyton's looking pretty good, so is Reggie Wayne,

If I don't eat some chicken wings I think Ill go insane.

New Orleans -7 Vs New York Jets

The Jets are 3 and 0 whoopty fucking Doo

But can they stop an offense that does what Drew Brees do?

I think this is the week, where Sanchez acts a rookie,

I hope that he goes camping, and gets molested by a wookie.

Me and Shock G at the Topsfield Fair, 1998.

Buffalo -1.5 @ Miami

The Dolphins lost their quarterback, but I forget his name,

Buffalo could use some offense, But won't get much in this game

TO hasn't caught a touchdown, hes barely caught 5 balls,

But I bet hes got pictures of Himself all up on his walls.

Saint Louis +9.5 At San Francisco

The Rams have been depressing, but I think that theres a reason,

That they can cover 9 point 5 at this point in the season.

I hated to watch the game last week, when Favre pulled one out.

Vikings fans get ready, he'll sabotage without a doubt.

Dallas -3 @ Denver

Dallas heads to the Rockies, Their balls might get real cold

The air is thin like wisps of hair, the mountains are so old

This pick does nothing for me, but Im confident its right

Im confident Im going to hump a couch on Friday night.

San Diego +6.5 @ Pittsburgh

The reason that I pick this one is that the Steelers are so Blah,

And Philip Rivers makes me mad, hes probably in a spa

Waxing off his nutsack, So LT can lick his nuts.

Green Bay + 3.5 @ Minnesota

Please, Please, make this Brett Favre ball-lathering stop.

Week 4 Picks Coming Soon...

This ought to hold you over...

Week 3 Picks: Random 90s TV Show Edition

Here are the Roomofzen Picks for week 3...after a slow start we are looking to pick things up.  First we have to acknowledge that we are not worthy of using a theme such as Greg Lloyd until performance improves, hence this weeks theme of early 90s TV shows that I may or may not have watched occasionally featuring girls I may or may not have humped my couch to.  Also, the picks will be made to rhyme. 

Tennessee + 2.5 @ New York Jets:

The Titans getting 2.5, surely you must be joking,

Rex Ryan's eating candy bars... oh no I think hes choking!

Alas they beat New England, but I think they are a fluke,

If I knew where Mark Sanchez lived, you can bet I'd hide the Duke.

Houston -4 vs Jacksonville

For the last two weeks this season, I've spent some time a waitin

For the appearance of a running back- the one they call Steven Slaton

Jack Del Rio may call to mind a sideline Charlie Bronson,

But the Jags won't stop the Texans, especially Andre Johnson.

Philadelphia -9 vs KC

It won't even make a difference-  Ty Thigpen or Matt Cassel,

KC won't make this close at all ,it will barely be a hassle

If Kolb starts to struggle, we just might see Mike Vick,

Westbrook, McCoy, and Jackson, The Eagles O is sick.

Baltimore -13.5 vs Cleveland

I think this is the year that the Browns turn things around,

No I don't, I'm only kidding, they're the biggest joke in town.

The Ravens D is playing well, thats really all they need,

And seriously is there anyone more badass than Ed Reed?

New York Giants -7 @ Tampa Bay

The Giants are really rolling, two good wins to start,

Tampa's got no Quarterback and I just ripped a fart.

In fact even on the road I'm surprised its only seven,

Does anybody out there know what became of Dorsey Levens?

Detroit -6.5 vs Washington

The Lions have some talent, I guess that much is true,

And I want to pick this upset, honestly I do.

I think the Redskins blow this one, despite playing solid D,

But the Lions are so due to win, it makes me have to pee.

Green Bay - 6.5  @ St. Louis

The Packers are a solid team, they're going to win this game

On the road or in Green Bay, its really all the same.

The Rams have Steven Jackson, but it really aint enough,

I heard that Aaron Rodgers loves a hairy muff.

San Francisco +7 @ Minnesota

I wouldn't eat food at Friendly's, in fact I'd rather starve,

And I'd rather wax my asshole than put money on Brett Favre.

The 49ers have some juice, so I'm going to take a chance,

I love a team whose coach is known for taking off his pants.

New England -4 vs. Atlanta

The offense it has struggled, the point production poor,

But lose two games back to back? it aint been done before.

The Falcons they are a decent team, in fact they are quite good,

But will win this game I say-- Giselle she gives me wood.

Chicago -2 @ Seattle

The Bears head out west this week, to the land of rain and grunge,

Does anybody anymore use a spermicidal sponge?

Forte has a breakout game, I think this one's a lock,

I wish I had a hundred grand and a 12 inch cock.

New Orleans -6 @ Buffalo

The Saints can score with ease, some would say at will,

If TO doesn't catch a score there'll be one unhappy Bill.

I know the meltdowns coming, I can feel it in the air,

New Orleans might hang 50 and I still might not care.

San Diego - 6 Vs Miami

San Diego can put up the points, and I hate Phillip Rivers,

And Merriman is a dirtbag, and Darren Sproles delivers.

Miami is a year away...we've heard that one before,

I've also read somewhere that Tia Tequilla is a whore.

Cinci +4 Vs Pittsburgh

The Steelers running game it blows, and Polamalus out,

Cinci has some talent, of that there is no doubt.

Big Ben will turn it over, that same old tale again,

Chris Henry looks exactly like a Roswell alien.

Denver pk @ Oakland

Who Cares!

Indy +2.5 @ Arizona I think the Colts are solid, though they struggled Monday night,

Peyton has some weapons, and man is that guy white!

I laugh at his commercials, he plays a real good tool,

Kurt Warners wife is hot now, man am I a fool!

Dallas -9.5  vs Carolina

Lose twice at Jerry's palace, you know it can't be done,

The Boys are back in town they say, Panthers on the run.

Delhomme is mighty shitty, they used to call him good,

Tony Romo dumped Jess Simpson cause she gained 47 pounds. Haha. Yes.

'Big Fan'

The Nick LaRocque story? Roomofzen can neither confirm or deny. Now showing in Kendall Sq. in Boston...

Foil in the Oven: Week 2 Picks

If you're reading this, I can only assume that you didn't follow my picks last week. Those who did can probably be found camped out at the nearest street corner.

5-10....not a great showing. But, weeks 1 and 2 are always the toughest to pick. The NFL is the most unpredictable of the 4 major sporting leagues, and this unpredictability is one of the elements that makes it so great. I was way off on some, and missed by half points on others. Nevertheless, it's great to be picking games again. I feel much more confident as we head in to week 2. Here they are. Home teams are in caps.:


Raiders +3 over CHIEFS: Even as the home team, I don't see how Kansas City can be favored here. Despite putting up 24 points against Baltimore, the Chiefs were dominated in all phases of the game. Most notably, they were only able to muster 29 yards on the ground. Oakland, on the other hand, looked great on Monday night. They outgained the Chargers, the had the edge in time of possession, and they held even in first downs (19 a piece). Richard Seymour may no longer be playing for another Super Bowl, but he is playing for a new contract and it showed. The guy made a huge impact with virtually no practice time. I love the Raiders here. I still meant all that bad stuff I said last week about them though.


TITANS -6.5 over Texans: I wasn't right about much last week, but I think I was dead on about Houston not being able to live up to the hype and about the Jets being better than you think. In that same post, I said that the Texans can't be a favorite in the AFC South because they are nowhere near as good as the Titans. I guess we'll see if I was right. That was a staggeringly lopsided affair in Houston last week.


Patriots -3.5 over JETS: This is tough. The Jets looked fantastic on the road last week, while New England looked completely out of sync at home. The Jets defense looks better than ever, while the Patriots are down Teddy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel, Richard Seymour, and now Jerod Mayo. All this, plus the fact that this game is in the Meadowlands, says to me that the Jets should be giving points. Since they're getting points, it seems like a no-brainer that I should pick them. But I can't. Not when we've got a rookie head coach and quarterback taking on Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, and especially not when they've got defensive backs talking shit just days before suiting up against Randy Moss.






Bengals +9 over PACKERS: I'm such a dumbass. Look, the Packers are a really good team. And, there's no question that year 7 of the Marvin Lewis era is shaping up to look just like year 6. HOWEVER, the Bengals have a habit of showing up, playing hard, and then losing by about three when they play really good teams. Knowing that, I can't in good faith advise you to take the Packers by 9. But, if you really lay it down on the Bengals, you're going to feel like a real dickhead if you're wrong. Best to stay away from this one. Bet on Tennessee.


Vikings -10 over LIONS: I've never heard commentators so captivated by a 110 yard, 1 touchdown passing performance. I would rather bathe in shit than watch this game.



Saints even over EAGLES: We can't just dismiss the Saints win last week because it was against the Lions. They didn't just beat them. They fucking killed them. They did everything they should have and more. I'd lean towards New Orleans even if Donovan McNabb were healthy.


Panthers +6 over FALCONS: Of all my blunders last week, none is more humiliating than Carolina being my "lock of the week". But, I'm far from quitting on the Panthers. Things got out of hand pretty quickly last week. Jake Delhomme is a hot-cold guy and he could play great against Atlanta.



REDSKINS -9.5 over St. Louis: This will make the Redskins wish they played in the NFC West. They'd probably take home the division crown.



JAGUARS -3 over Arizona: the Eastern seaboard has not been kind to the Cardinals.



Seahawks +1.5 over NINERS: Here's your lock of the week. I'm drinking the Seahawks kool-aid, and I'm not yet ready to say the Niners "look good".



Bucs +5 over BILLS: The Bills love to tease us into believing in them during these Sunday and Monday night performances. I don't know how much they have left this week.



Steelers -3 over BEARS: The Bears are interesting at home here, particularly with everyone questioning Jay Cutler. But, if you followed us last season, you know I always have a hard time picking the Bears because I can't hitch my wagon to a team that relies on flukey special teams plays and converts kick returning defensive backs into number one receivers. Jay Cutler will play better, but they need to run for him to be successful. They won't do that against Pittsburgh. Also, I think the absence of Urlacher is much more crushing than the absence of Polamalu (not because I don't think Polamalu is elite, but just because I think the Steelers are better built to absorb that loss).





Ravens +3 over CHARGERS: The Ravens are a very quiet contender in the AFC. Even at home, I don't think the Chargers have the cajones to hang with them.


Giants +3 over COWBOYS: Did you see the way Tampa was able to run on Dallas? This Cowboys team is very ordinary. I can't wait for Sunday night.


Colts -3 over DOLPHINS: This is my one to skip. But, I will just say that I think this line should be wider.

UPDATE: I forgot to add this one:

Cleveland even over BRONCOS

The Greatest Day of the Year

Happy Week 1 everyone. I know the Super Bowl is supposed to be the greatest day of the year, but I've always found it to be bittersweet because of the season being over. Sunday of Week 1 gives us the fix we've been craving for 7 months, and it also provides the comfort of knowing that things are going to be like this for a long time.

I don't want to discount thanksgiving. Maybe we can call it a tie.

see our week 1 picks below.


To celebrate, some Marshall Faulk highlights:

Foil in the Oven: The Greg Lloyd Edition: Week 1 Picks

Well, just like last season, we missed the kickoff spectacular. However, there was no way I could let this week pass without getting up the rest of my week 1 picks. Generally, these will be up by Thursday night.

Miami +4 over Atlanta: I was originally inclined to go with Atlanta. I feel great about the Matt Ryan era, and Tony Gonzalez brings more (tangibles and intangibles) than just about anybody they could have brought in. On top of that, the Falcons are at home. But, I hate their defense, and I can't get that out of my head. Miami is the more balanced team, so I'm taking them. However, they say you should always stick with your first instinct, so we'll see how it works out.



Baltimore -12.5 over Kansas City: Steep line here, but how can you not take it. Even if things were going smoothly in Chiefs camp, I'd like the Ravens. The fact that things have been disastrous makes it a no-brainer.



Carolina +2.5 over Philadelphia: This line infuriates me. Carolina is the lock of the week.



Bengals -4 over Broncos: This Bengals team is very intriguing. Cedric Benson could be primed for a huge year. Laverneus Coles is a nice piece to put with Ocho Cinco and a supposedly refocused Chris Henry. Tank Johnson and Roy Williams have come over from Dallas. If they weren't in the AFC North, I'd give them a fighting chance to be a playoff team. The Broncos, on the other hand, have been spiraling out of control ever since Mike Shanahan was fired at the end of 2008.






Cleveland +4 over Minnesota: Now that TO outed the Browns QB situation, is it really necessary to leave the QB section of their depth chart completely blank? The Browns are well built on both sides of the line, and I like them at home here. The Vikings are pretenders.



Jets +4.5 over Texans: The Texans seem to be this season's "it" team. I was shocked to log on to espn.com earlier this week to see them listed with the Steelers, Patriots, and Giants as favorites. That's a tough division that they play in, and in my opinion they are nowhere near as good as Tennessee. The Jets are better than you think.



Indy -7 over Jacksonville: Each week this season, I will pick one game that I would prefer to not discuss. This is it for week 1.



Detroit +13 over New Orleans: Maybe I'm crazy, but 13 just feels like a lot. Great teaser potential here.



Dallas -6 over Tampa Bay: This will be a tough year in Tampa, but I'd say the reconstruction is off to a good start.





Arizona -6.5 over San Francisco: Kill me please. NFC west matchups are the only thing keeping me thinking that maybe I really don't need to bother getting Sunday Ticket.



Giants -6.5 over Washington: The Giants are, in this one incredibly biased fan's eyes, the unquestioned favorite in the NFC. Their defensive line is going to set a new standard for dominance this season.

The Redskins, on the other hand, are as uninspiring a group as I can imagine. They've made it clear that they have no confidence in their quarterback. Clinton Portis will be worn down by week 8. The offensive line is old, and struggled mightily last season. Albert Haynesworth is the most dominant player at his position, but frankly not even he could help this group. Throwing 100 million dollars at one great defensive lineman and surrounding him with bums does not work. Haynesworth was able to make such an impact in Tennessee because he was surrounded by other good players (did you even notice that Tennessee didn't have him last night? No. That defense didn't miss a beat). The Redskins are starting Phillip Daniels at defensive end. He's 36 and coming off knee surgery. Guys like this make Haynesworth less effective.



Seattle -8 over St. Louis: Don't let the monochromatic turquoise uniforms fool you. Seattle has a lot of playmakers on both sides of the ball. Everyone is talking about the addition of TJ Houshmandzadeh, but I'm really more interested to see if Edgerrin James will be rejuvenated by the change of scenery.



Green Bay -3.5 over Chicago: The Packers, in my mind, are the clear favorite in this division.



New England -11 over Buffalo: The Patriots are not fucking around right now, and I'm excited to watch their offense operate. I'd be more excited if I wasn't constantly surrounded by their insufferable fans.





San Diego -9.5 over Oakland: Oakland doesn't deserve to play on Monday night. In fact, they don't deserve to ever be on television outside of the Bay Area. They are an absolute black eye on this league, and they should be treated as such. Oakland had the highest payroll in the league last season (over 152 million). This is a very puzzling fact when you consider the 5-11 record they compiled and the fact that a recent Forbes article lists them as the least valuable franchise in the entire NFL. So, really, it would seem impossible for things to get worse. But then, at the end of last week, they did.

Really stop and think about this most recent deal. Richard Seymour is a guy who many feel has been on the decline over the past few seasons. He's a guy who many believe, despite playing for an extremely competitive team, lost motivation after signing his last contract. Already, he doesn't sound like the type of guy you want to give up too much for. His momentum's going the wrong way. On top of that, he's up for free agency at the end of this season, and there is NO FUCKING WAY he would ever consider signing with the Raiders (why would anybody) as a free agent unless Oakland just blew away all the other bidders. So, on top of being on the decline, he's a guy that will only help you for one season.

There is no way in the world I can ever imagine giving up a first round pick for this guy. That, in itself, is ridiculous. What's equally ridiculous is that the Raiders never talked to Seymour before making the deal. If you're going to give up something as valuable as a first round pick, you'd better make sure the guy you're getting is motivated and start negotiating long-term before the ink dries. There are rumors that the Raiders requested contact with Seymour and the Patriots refused. If that is true, then it should have been a dealbreaker for Oakland. Now they've given up a first round pick, most likely a top ten pick, for nothing.

I understand that Davis (and I blame only him, because he's the only name you can click on when you go to the Raiders administrative page) has the right to do whatever he wants with his team. I also understand that he's not a bad guy and that he's been extremely influential in this league. However, it is unacceptable. The NFL needs to start pushing for a change of hands, and that starts with refusing to put this team in a prime time slot. At some point, Raider fans are going to lose interest in professional football.






Son Volt, Windfall:



and Uncle Tupelo, Gun, from 1992:

The Anticipation Builds......

As excited as I am for the college and professional football seasons to kick off, I am equally as excited for the new Baroness album to arrive at my door in October. In case our widget below didn't work for you, here is a youtube version of the first two cuts from the upcoming Blue Record. The first song is Bullhead's Psalm, and it leads in to The Sweetest Curse. Lie on the couch and let this thing soak in. Really really awesome.

The Podcast Returns: NFL Preview, Part 1

It's been over six months since our last podcast, and our rust certainly shows in this shaky return to action. Babcock and I called each other this afternoon to vent our mutual anger that Brett Favre was back in the news, and somehow this resulted in an impromptu podcast. We begin by bashing Brett Favre for about 20 minutes before we move on to discuss the impressive preseason debuts of the Giants and Patriots. We then break down the AFC and NFC East and make our Heisman Trophy pick. Finally, I try (unsuccessfully, although I did give him a huge hint) to stump Babcock in celebrity trivia. Here's your hint: "if you lie with dogs, you're bound to get fleas". Informative? Definitely not. But, I'd say it's certainly entertaining.

We will be back with part 2, and will bring the rest of the staff in to the fold.

(it might take a few seconds to load. If you haven't heard anything after 30 seconds, close and come back to the site and try again. This should do the trick. If that doesn't work, click below and it will feed you the episode straight from gcast).


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Check out this single from the new Baroness album (set to drop in October). It's called Bullhead's Psalm/The Sweetest Curse, and it kicks a lot of ass. It's comforting to know that soon enough (November or December according to their website), I'll be back at the Middle East and they'll be fucking blowing my face off again.





UPDATE: These are actually the first two songs of the new album. Bullhead's Psalm is the intro and leads in to track 2, which is the Sweetest Curse.

Roomofzen Fantasy Football.

What more can we say about Jeff Feagles that hasn't already been said 1,000 times on this website? The man is a fucking institution, plan and simple. At this point, I'm just enjoying every chance I get to see him punt while simultaneously awaiting the biography that I assume will be released when his career comes to a close.



I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I don't even know why we're bothering with the regular season. Let's just put the Giants and Patriots in the Super Bowl right now. The Giants defensive line rotation is unstoppable. Casten had Clint Sintim right. The guy is an animal. He would have had about 6 sacks tonight if he wasn't getting held like a bastard. How the hell are teams going to contend with him after they've already been broken by Osi, Tuck, Kiwanuka (who has given up his number to Sintim), big Fred Robbins, Rocky Bernard, Barry Cofield, Chris Canty, and Jay Alford? They won't. They can't. It's impossible. It's an embarrassment of riches. Don't even get me started on tonight's hero Tommie Hill. And then, on top of that, after Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw spent the first quarter steamrolling the Panthers, Danny Ware comes in and looks like he could go for 1,000 yards this season. David Carr and Mario Manningham both look like they're back in college. Maybe it's just me, but it really seems like the Giants could lose their entire first string (except Antonio Pierce) to injury and still win the Super Bowl.



Anyways, the reason I'm writing this post is to encourage you to join the roomofzen fantasy football league. Now, please don't be discouraged if you joined the fantasy basketball league and thought it was lame. The truth is that we all take fantasy football extremely seriously, and this league will be very competitive. It will also be covered right here on the site. Every transaction, every trade, every matchup will be covered here as if it were happening in real life. Not only will this plan finally give you that recognition you deserve for all that hard work you put in during the summer months, but it will also ensure that all players stay dedicated to their team throughout the entire season so that they can save face.

It should be awesome. The winner will receive a free roomofzen shirt that they design. Their design will also be featured in the roomofzen store.

Here are your instructions to join:

1) Follow this link to Yahoo! Fantasy Football

2) We are League #609049

3) Our password is: neclamchowder

This should bring you to our league (Boner Salad Reunion Tour) page. There, you can create your team. First come, first served. Draft will take place Tuesday, September 8th.

Speaking of the roomofzen store, we have a new item that is arriving just in time for fantasy football season:



purchase it here.

SICK!

This is Awesome.

Train of Thought

I just watched a pretty solid cameo on Entourage by Tom Brady. Notable moments that pop to mind include Turtle planning to inform Brady that he "Sucks Balls" only to be instantly won over by his charm and offering to bring the 3 time Superbowl champ wine and chocolate. (Typical Giants fan move) Then Brady tells us that Giselle cooks. Sure, Tom, sure she does.







Pretty pictures of mountains over sick guitar riff and slightly inaudible lyrics by the Heartless Bastards.






This play was pretty sick. You gotta love that they leave the punter without any blockers against what is probably eleven 3rd and 4th stringers who would literally eat a live kitten to make the roster. I would consider that a "life-saving ball fake".





Uncle Tupelo...badass.

Rashard Lewis Suspended 10 Games

Rashard Lewis has been suspended without pay for 10 games by the NBA because he tested positive for elevated testosterone levels.

Unfortunately, the Magic do not play the Celtics during the first ten games of the season. However, this is going to be a tight race in the East, and I'll gladly accept any turn of events that puts Orlando or Cleveland at a disadvantage.

Lewis says that he was taking an over the counter supplement that contained substances banned by the league, and his statement said that he hopes "every athlete can learn from my mistake that supplements, no matter how innocent they seem, should only be taken after consulting an expert in the field,".

Ordinarily, since Lewis plays for a rival team, I'd be screaming steroids here. However, Lewis has already told the press exactly what caused the positive test (DHEA). I'm much more inclined to accept the "taking a legal supplement not knowing it contained a banned substance" story when the athlete specifically states what it was that they took. It's only when they are vague in their explanation that I get suspicious.

Whoa This Shirt Is Intense

I had heard rumors that there were fans showing up at Redskins camp with "Washington Wants Vick" shirts and signs. So, I googled the shirts. I didn't find the Washington Wants Vick shirts, but I did find a whole slew of Anti-Vick shirts. Some are sort of funny ("Vick is a dick"). However, I couldn't help cracking up at the shirt pictured above, which is apparently an anti-Vick shirt and features what is hands down the most intense quote ever to be put on a t-shirt. You must have some seriously unresolved issues to wear this thing.

Just to be clear.... the quote, which lies over fire, reads:

"I am confident that the hottest places in Hell are reserved for the souls of sick and brutal people who hold God's creatures in such brutal and cruel contempt. - Sen. Robert Byrd"

What the hell do you do if you're at a cookout and there's some dude wearing that shirt? I would go with the obligatory raise of the beer can. You've acknowledged the shirt, and you can then relocate very quickly because you haven't engaged any discussion.

Baron Davis Documentary

I just took some time to watch Crips and Bloods: Made in America , which is an award winning documentary produced by Baron Davis. I won't lie, this isn't a topic in which I have ever had much interest. However, I was drawn by the fact that it was produced by one of my favorite NBA stars and because the reviews have been nothing but outstanding. Plus, I'm on vacation, so why not.

I really recommend this to anybody who is interested in American history, anybody who is interested in urban culture, or anybody who will consume anything with an NBA player's name attached to it (as I said, I fall into category #3). This is much more than your typical film that interviews gang members in hopes of dehumanizing them, keeping people at an even greater distance, and making the problem worse. Instead, this film is filled with history. It takes us all the way back to the mid-20th century, and shows us how something that began so seemingly innocent exploded to the point where there have been over 15,000 gang-related deaths over the past 30 years in Los Angeles county alone. It also paints the current gang culture in an undeniably negative and unflattering light, and in no way glorifies street violence. As an anti-gang documentary, what makes this incredibly successful is the knowledge it provides in terms of how this problem arose, how connected it is with the history and politics of America, and how deep-rooted it is in the culture of this pocket of America.

It's on demand. Check it out.