In the Robert Redford-directed thriller Lions for Lambs, Derek Luke and Michael Pena play opinionated college students named A#### and Ernest respectively. At the head of the movie, these two friends ignite a fierce classroom debate that immediately forces the audience to stop and take a side on America’s fascination with patriotism.

 

With their passion for America-for-Americans, education and wasted money stance, the two men boast about getting involved. In a class presentation, they do a slide show on how to do away with the 11th grade, giving statistics on how much Americans would save as a result.  Sacrifice, save and serve are their ideas for saving America, and they subsequently join the war in Afghanistan.

 

Robert Redford does have a motive. He’s giving a voice to a case full of opinionated individuals that all come together after an American war goes wrong.

As the drama continues, the topic of war sparks a requested meeting with  seasoned TV journalist Janine Roth (Meryl Streep) and rising Republican Senator Jasper Irving (Tom Cruise). In the midst of this interview, she decides to pocket the senator’s new plan for a war win (which could affect the fate of A#### and Ernest) and deal with whatever consequences come her way. Her consequence, or course, is patriotism.

 

Tom Cruise plays the senator with grace, poise and a fierce determination; it’s as if he’s begging the audience to believe in the government and America again.  His efforts are regarded as words with no meaning by Streep’s character. Always blowing away audiences with her range, Meryl Streep carries an unashamed innocence and unrelenting wisdom. Jasper Irving and Janine Roth’s fluid interview are pinnacles of suspense, partly because you realize that every step forward Janine makes, patriotism and Jasper gain two more. As their conversation comes to an abrupt end, we realize that it’s not our enemies that will ultimately destroy America, it’s our own greed for recognition as the greatest nation.

 

Terrorism does not lurk in this movie – you see it coming a satellite away.  Professor Dr. Malley (Robert Redford) confronts the matter with his prize student (Andrew Garfield) with disbelief and a gulp of his Starbucks coffee. Redford captures Dr. Malley’s emotion with a heroic sadness, as he alarmingly watches his era succumb to an age of senseless apathy. The professor knows that his purpose in life is to teach the next generations, but his fear is that no one will listen. His student’s conscience recoils at the ruthlessness displayed at their conversation’s end.

 

Lions for Lambs is so rich and thought-provoking, you’ll want to tell someone about it. It’s one of the best written films of the year.

After last Sunday’s game against the Colts, Bill Belichick and Tony Dungy met in the middle of the field for the ceremonial handshake that most coaches do after a game.  If you look closely at the video from the game, you’ll notice that Dungy tried to say something to Belichick during the handshake and Belichick blew him off.  Was it intentional?  That’s anybody’s guess.  Can you blame Belichick if it was intentional? No.

 

Since the “spygate” incident, head coaches in the NFL and other sports have blasted Belichick and the Patriots for cheating.  Now if you believe he was the only coach, and that the Patriots were the only team that was doing such a thing, then I have a bridge in Brooklyn I want to sell you for a dime.  He wasn’t the first, and if there are other ways of stealing signals, he won’t be the last. 

 

The fallout from this, Belichick and the Pats are considered the “black sheep” of the NFL and they use it as their motivation.  Every team has the attitude of “nobody likes us, everybody hates us.”  It’s a form of motivation.  The truth is, a number of teams don’t like the Pats at all.  And they know it.  It’s not just mental motivation for them, it’s the truth, and they will use that against their opponents every Sunday until the end of the season.  Just ask the Dolphins and the Redskins.  

 

 

1pm games:

 

Minnesota Vikings (3-5) vs. Green Bay Packers (7-1)

Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI

 

The last time these two teams met, the Packers won 23-16 in Week 4.  That was the day Brett Farve broke Dan Marino’s record for Most Career TDs.  It’s always good to see a member of the AARP achieve such an accomplishment.

 

Since the Packers like to throw the ball so much, they should have no problem throwing the ball against the Vikes this Sunday.  The Vikes have the 31st ranked defense against the pass.  The Packers are ranked 5th in the league in passing offense. Look for the Packers to go to the air on 70% of their plays this Sunday as they try to embarrass the Vikes’ Secondary.

 

R.O.Y. (Rookie of the Year) Adrian Peterson ran for 112 yards and 1 touchdown in the last game.  Look for the same in this game.  Peterson is the league’s top rusher with 1036 yards rushing. And let’s not forget his record breaking performance from last week against the Chargers. (296 rushing yards, NFL single game record) The Vikes are the ranked 1st in rushing offense while the Packers are the 8th ranked team in rushing defense.  Since the Vikes have no passing game and they’re currently having issues at the QB position, look for the Vikes to work Peterson on the ground like his name was Kunta Kinte. With the Packers having the 11th ranked defense and the Vikes having the 22nd ranked defense, the advantage goes to the Packers.

 

My Pick: Packers

 

Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3) vs. Tennessee Titans (6-2)

Location: LP Field, Nashville, TN

 

In Week 1, the Titans beat the Jags 13-10 by putting up 282 rushing yards.  Since that game, the Titans have had the 1st ranked defense against the rush in the league while the Jags have had the 5th best rushing offense in the league.  Both teams can run the ball, so don’t look for too many points through the air.  This is strictly a game for the RBs.

 

Both teams have their own “dynamic duo” at RB.  The Titans have Chris Brown and Lendale White while the Jags have Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor.  It looks like the team that can stop the run, will win the game.  If that’s the case, the Titans have this game won.  They have the better D-line and LBs and are able to plug up running lanes easily. 

 

The Titans’ defense is really making some noise and looks to make a serious run for the playoffs.  The Jags are still picking up their faces after getting spanked by the Saints last week.  The Jags are coming into this game with vengeance on their minds from their Week 1 loss and the motivation to get back on track from last week’s trouncing.  With the Colts looking to have the lock on the AFC South, whomever and however this game is won may determine who gets one of the Wild Card slots for the AFC.

 

My Pick: Titans

 

Denver Broncos (3-5) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (4-4)

Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO

 

This is the 1st of the 2 games between these two AFC West rivals.  Thankfully for the chiefs, they’re playing the first game at Arrowhead.  Arrowhead is one of the most underrated stadiums in the league when it comes to the “12th man”.  On that note, with the injury to Broncos’ QB Jay Cutler and the Broncos having the 26th ranked defense in the league, the Chiefs have the upper hand.

 

Chiefs RB Larry Johnson may miss Sunday’s game with a sprained ankle, which means Priest Holmes will start for the Chiefs.  Considering that at the start of the season he wasn’t expected to play football again due to a back injury, it looks as though Priest Holmes has taken a page out of Ra’s al Ghul’s book and has found new life.  The Chiefs need a good, smart game from QB Damon Huard. The Broncos may be ranked 26th in total defense, but they are ranked 8th against the pass.  That doesn’t help the Chiefs, who are ranked 17th in passing offense.

 

If Cutler doesn’t play, then QB Patrick Ramsey will get the start.  That means one thing; the Broncos will most likely run the ball for the majority of the game.   Broncos’ RB Travis Henry sat out of practice this week with swelling in his knee, so he’s questionable.  That means Rookie RB, Selvin Young, would get the start against a Chiefs’ rush defense that’s ranked 14th in the league. It may be a long day for the Broncos this Sunday.

 

My Pick: Chiefs

 

Buffalo Bills (4-4) vs. Miami Dolphins (0-8)

Location: Dolphin Stadium, Miami, FL

 

The 1972 Dolphins hold the only “undefeated” record in the league.  The 2007 Dolphins looks to hold the only “defeated” record in the league as well. Unlike the winless Rams, it is hard to find one thing about the Dolphins that can give them a chance of winning.  If the Dolphins go “defeated” for the season, maybe the league should put an asterisk next to their record and the footnote should read, ”*had no heart”.

 

The only thing one can suggest is that they try and show some heart.  You can sit here all day and mention what they should do on offense or defense, but unless they have heart, it won’t do you any good.  So, they only way the Dolphins will win this game; will be when they show some heart. 

 

The Bills just have to keep playing they way they have been playing.  They have the better team on both sides of the ball. From QB, to RB, to coaching, the Bills shouldn’t have a problem putting this game away early.

 

My Pick: Bills

 

St. Louis Rams (0-8) vs. New Orleans Saints (4-4)

Location: Superdome, New Orleans, LA

 

Writing about 2 winless teams, back-to-back, is just wrong and “mean spirited”.  “Why hast thou forsaken me, Lord?”  The Rams do have a chance of winning a game this year, and this may be that weekend.  QB Marc Bulger is back, RB Stephen Jackson is back, and they still have their WR corp.  The Rams are ranked 16th in the league in passing.  That’s not great, but it’s not bad.  They’re in the middle of the bunch and that’s manageable in the NFL. 

 

What the Rams need to do is stop Drew Brees.  That’s it.  Reggie Bush is banged up, so he may not have too much of a presence on offense this Sunday.  He’ll probably have a limited role. If the Rams Secondary can shut down the Saints’ WRs, then they have a good chance of winning on Sunday.

 

The Saints have been running on momentum for the past 4 weeks and it won’t stop this Sunday.  The Saints need to put pressure on the Rams O-line and disrupt every play they possibly can to win this game.  Considering the Rams O-line is weakened due to a rash of injuries, that shouldn’t be a problem for the Saints this weekend.

 

My Pick: Saints

Cleveland Browns (5-3) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)

Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA

 

This is going to be a good game this weekend.  The Steelers have the #1 ranked defense in the league while the Browns have the #4 ranked offense in the league.  On the flipside, the Steelers have the 8th ranked offense in the league while the Browns are ranked dead last in total defense in the league.  Also, the two teams met in Week 1 with the Brown beating the Steelers 34-7.  Oh…that’s not good.  You know the Steelers are coming into this game with one thing on their minds, vengeance. 

 

The Browns have to find a way to tire out the Steelers defense with their running game.  The problem with that, it hardly exists.  The Browns are ranked 17th in running this year.  With their running game a little weak, their have to throw the ball again this weekend.  The problem with that, the Browns are ranked 17th in passing and the Steelers have the #1 ranked passing defense in the league.  Thank God the Browns are playing this game in Pittsburgh and not Cleveland because the “Dog Pound” would look like a kennel.

 

My Pick: Steelers

 

Philadelphia Eagles (3-5) vs. Washington Redskins (5-3)

Location: FedEx Field, Landover, MD

 

The Eagles are just having an awful season this year.  There has been too many distractions off the field to keep this focused.  At some point, as a team, you have to turn it around and this weekend may be that opportunity. 

 

The Eagles have a better QB, RB and D-line than the Redskins.  The Redskins have the better coach.  Game management is such an intricate factor in sports nowadays; you need a coach with a clear head to focus on the rights and wrongs of the game.  There’s too much going on in Philly right now and it will be hard for any coach to focus on the game this Sunday or any Sunday at this point.  If they lose, the Eagles season is all but over.  Personally, it was over in the preseason.

 

My Pick: Redskins

 

Atlanta Falcons (2-6) vs. Carolina Panthers (4-4)

Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

 

The last time the Falcons played the Panthers; it was in Week 3, the Falcons lost the game because their Secondary was getting use by the Panthers’ WRs, and CB DeAngelo Hall threw a Kanye tantrum that embarrassed his team and mostly himself.  Hopefully, he’s matured within the last month and a half, and is focused in turning around his team’s misfortunes. 

 

Last week, the Falcons ran the ball effectively and they won the game.  Good for them. They need to do the same this Sunday.  The Panthers are the 20th ranked defense against the run.  That’s a far cry from Panther’s defenses of the past.  The Falcons need to run so they can throw off the Panthers defensive schemes with “pass action” and “play action” formations.  The Falcons have to try and confuse the Panthers defense.

 

The Panthers know the Falcons running and passing game is weak.  So they will come after QB Joey Harrington from every angle.  They also know how to get in the heads of the Falcons’ secondary.  That’s the advantage the Panthers have going into Sunday’s game.  As Larry Zbyszko would say, “now it is interesting to watch, as the combatants play this game of human chess”. 

 

My Pick: Panthers

 

 

4pm games:

 

Cincinnati Bengals (2-6) vs. Baltimore Ravens (4-3)

M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD

 

When the Bengals beat the Ravens in the MNF opener, we all thought that this was their years to make some noise and bring the “fun” back to the NFL.  But the joke was on us, as both teams have been plagued with injuries on both sides of the ball and neither team has lived up to their expectations. 

 

WR Chris Henry has returned to the Bengals from his 8 game suspension, so QB Carson Palmer has his big 3 WRs.  That’s scary for any defense since the Bengals are ranked 5th in passing on offense already.  Now that the Bengals have Henry back, the Ravens’ Secondary has their work cut out for them. 

 

The Ravens need to protect QB Steve McNair and open running lanes for RB Willis McGahee.  If McNair can make it through the game without injuring or reinjuring any part of his body, (what’s left to injure on this man’s body?), then he can make it happen through the air and on the ground.  And since the Bengals defense is so weak, the Ravens need to just run the ball with McGahee and tire the defense out.  The Ravens are “tight” with the loss to the Steelers last Monday night and they remember Week 1 with the Bengals.  Best believe they’re coming into Sunday’s game with a chip on their shoulders as big as M&T Stadium. 

 

My Pick: Ravens

 

The “I Could Care Less” Game of the Week:

Chicago Bears (3-5) vs. Oakland Raiders (2-6)

Location: McAfee Coliseum, Oakland, CA

 

The Raiders lost a game that they should have won through their defense.  The Bears didn’t lose last week because they were on their bye.  Bet you they were happy about that.   Both teams are now playing for pride.  Good for them because you got to have goals. 

 

The Bears are the 26th ranked offense in the league.  The Raiders have the 16th ranked defense and have the 4th best passing defense.  That will make things interesting considering the Bears have the 14th ranked passing offense.  The Raiders have the 4th best rushing offense.  That’s not good for the Bears who are ranked 26th against the run.  It’s going to come down to Special Teams and coaching to determine the winner of this game.  If that’s the case, the Bears have the upper hand.

   

My Pick: Bears

 

Game of the Week: Dallas Cowboys (7-1) vs. NY Giants (6-2)

Location: Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

 

When the G-men and the ‘Boys played in Week 1, the Giants lost by 10 pts.  It was also speculated the QB Eli Manning, DE Osi Umenyiora, and RB Brandon Jacobs would miss a significant amount of time due to injury.  Since then, the G-men have won 6 straight games, are 1 game behind the NFC East leading Cowboys, and have been playing good, fundamental football. 

 

The Giants and Cowboys are ranked 7th and 8th in total defense in that order.  Offensively, the Cowboys are ranked 2nd while the Giants are ranked 15th.  So on paper, the Cowboys have the upper hand.  But the Giants have been on a roll for the past 6 weeks and with momentum on their side, I going with the Giants.  If the Giants Secondary can hold off the Cowboys’ WRs by taking away QB Tony Romo’s big targets and stop RB Marion Barber.  They have a good chance of winning.

 

The Cowboys defense just has to rattle Manning and force him to make big mistakes.  Get in his head and make him over think.  Once he starts to over think situations, he won’t notice the targets right in front of him and try for the big play as a last minute move.  The Cowboys defense is getting better, but the Giants momentum will the Cowboys stomach aches this Sunday.  

 

My Pick: Giants

 

Detroit Lions (6-2) vs. Arizona Cardinals (3-5)

Location: Cardinals Stadium, Glendale, AZ

 

4 more wins and Jon Kitna will fulfill his promise of 10 wins.  I know you all are probably tired of me keeping count, but for anyone to make the promise he made, for the team he plays for, and to be so close to cash it in; you’ve got to give them their props.  What the Lions are doing this year is special.  Everyone is impressed with how well their offense is clicking.  Wish you can say the same about their defense.  The Lions have the 28th defense in the league.  So you can tell that it’s their defense that’s keeping them in the game.

 

The Cards’ defense is ranked 9th in the league.  They’re ranked 13th against the pass which is what the Lions do very well.  The Cards will keep it close with the Lions, but the Lions are starting to get their running game back with the return of Kevin Jones.  The match-up to look out for is the RBs for both teams against the D-lines.  Jones and Cards RB   Edggerin James are very good and whichever team that can stop the run will win the game.

 

My Pick: Lions

 

Sunday Night Game:

 

Indianapolis Colts (7-1) vs. San Diego Chargers (4-4)

Location: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA

 

The Chargers let Vikes RB Adrian Peterson run up and down on them like they were a Pop Warner Team.  The Colts had a hard fought battle against the Patriots last Sunday.  Honestly, the Colts have the edge.  They have the 3rd best offense and the 5th best defense in the league.  They’re the 2nd strongest team in the league and with the way the Chargers defense has been playing lately, you can’t rely on them to stop Peyton Manning and all of his weapons. 

 

If this was last year’s Chargers team, you could say this would have been the 3rd best game of the season.  But since the Chargers defense has been so lack luster, for lack of a better term, it doesn’t look like this game is going to be too exciting.  Manning and the Colts are going to come in to San Diego “mad as hell, and they’re not going to take it anymore.”  Remember, the Colts have a championship to defend.

 

My Pick: Colts

 

 

Monday Night Game:

 

San Francisco 49ers (2-6) vs. Seattle Seahawks (4-4)

Location: Qwest Field, Seattle, WA

 

The 49ers’offense is deader than Elvis. It showed the last time the 49ers played the Seahawks.  The 49ers lost that game 23-3 and were sacked 6 times.  That was also the game the 49ers’ QB, Alex Smith, was knocked out of that led to him missing 2 games with an elbow injury.  Well, Smith is back and it doesn’t mean squat because the 49ers still has no protection for Smith on the offensive line.  OT Jonas Jennings is out for the year, so it’s going to be a long day for the 49ers’ offense as they try to protect Smith without one of their linemen.  If you’re O-line can’t protect the QB, then they can’t open up lanes for the RB.  Don’t look for big numbers from Frank Gore either.

 

The Seahawks will be without RB Shawn Alexander this Sunday.  That means RB Maurice Morris will get the start.  With the 49ers having the 26th ranked rushing defense, look for the Seahawks to run down the 49ers defense and put points on the board from the ground game.  It’s going to be a Quest at Qwest Field for the MNF crew to make this game interesting to watch.

 

My Pick: Seahawks

 

 

 

Teams with Bye weeks: New England Patriots (9-0), NY Jets (1-8), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-4), Houston Texans (4-5)

 

 

As the holiday season looms ever closer, be prepared for a glut of new titles to hit the market. There are a few I’m looking forward to myself – Geometry Wars: Galaxies, Godzilla Unleashed and the new Super Mario Galaxy. In the meantime, don’t sleep on the following sure-shot titles which are currently on the racks.

 

10. Big Brain Academy Wii Degree

 

 

This cool collection of video quizzes tests your recognition and reaction time. The artwork is colorful while the minigames are varied in selection and difficulty. In addition, this is one of the few titles that use your Mii in-game, so I copped it early on and enjoyed it right away. My wife and I battle on this, and since it’s the Big Brain Academy whoever wins get to say they are the smartest. I stay winning.

 

9. Transformers: The Game

 

 

The movie was funky and this game delivers too. Out of all the Transformers games ever released, this one has the best mechanics and the most immersive game play. Furthermore, there were some very innovative ideas used in the military-like Decepticons campaign. Though not perfect, if you liked the movie or grew up with the toys you will probably enjoy this adventure title.

 

8. Super Monkey Ball

 

 

One of the largest collections of minigames on one disc (50 in total) the main game has you tilting the Wiimote to roll a monkey in a glass ball all over these crazy little courses in a manner that is deceptively simple and super addictive. It’s one of the nicer applications of Nintendo’s motion sensitivity.  The minigame gallery has some neat two to four player games like Monkey Wars, Monkey Race and Monkey Target. Critics have already noted that some of the most fun to be had on the Wii is in the multiplayer action and this game has plenty to spare.

 

7. TMNT

 

 

Armed with fists and wits, ninjas make great video heroes and this title is no exception. It has all the acrobatic challenge of the Prince of Persia series (the engine on which this game is built) and adds the charm of the Teenage Mutant Turtles. It’s a nicely designed platformer with some clever scenery and a few nifty minigames. Not incredibly inventive, but overall I enjoyed the hell out of this one.

 

6. Rayman Raving Rabbids

 

 

Rayman is the dude but the demonic Rabbids are the stars of this minigame spectacular. One of the first games I got for the Wii, I was impressed from the outset with the quality of the graphics and the ingenious variety of uses for the Wiimote they managed to pack into this bundle. Pretty much a light hearted romp, those dang bunnies love to dance but hate on Rayman mercilessly. After running through the story mode you will have unlocked 70 minigames of various length and difficulty, with the Warthog Race, Bunny Hunt, and the dance scenes being my favorites. One of Wii’s launch titles which still delivers, the soundtrack includes Naughty by Nature’s “Hip Hop Hooray” and Chic’s “Good Times” and good times is exactly what you’ll find inside. Wifey rides for Rayman, too.

 

5. Marvel Ultimate Alliance

 

 

If it wasn’t for comic books, Hollywood wouldn’t have half the ideas that they do. The same goes for video games. This particular game was a hit on every console. Perhaps the biggest game with the most Marvel characters in it ever (140 total), you get to roll on Dr. Doom and his associates in this well written Action RPG. Though this is essentially a button smashing dungeon crawler you will get to travel to a grip of locales made famous in the comic books like Asgard, Doom’s Latverian Castle, Murderworld and Mephisto’s Realm, just to name a few. The soundtrack works well with the missions and the voice acting is adequate. A well rounded game with up to four player cooperative options makes for a solid superhero purchase.

 

4. Trauma Center: Second Opinion

 

 

The doctor is in. This game is so fresh that they took it from the hand held version where it started and reworked it entirely for the Wii. A stand out title which defies comparison, anyone who enjoys an exacting challenge and appreciates anime cinema should seek this out.  Diagnosis: take one of these and call me in the morning.

 

3. Super Paper Mario

 

 

It’s no secret that many of Nintendo’s best games are made in-house, and Mario never disappoints. A brilliant use of the Wii’s graphic capabilities with colors and character designs so flashy and fresh, this is what the modern arcade should feel like. Super Paper Mario builds on the success of the previous Thousand Year Door offering for the GameCube and eliminates the crummy turned based fighting. Sort of an RPG and platformer combination, this is very imaginative with the different possibilities of flipping the screen from 2D to 3D to reveal hidden sections along with the “Pixls” you collect which all give a special ability, like shrinking extra small to go inside houses so little you don’t even notice them on the first pass. I think I spent 50 or 60 hours beating this game and I loved every minute.  It’s an added bonus that the story dialogue is actually funny with a lot of gamer inside jokes. If you’ve got pepper in your pants then you will fare well in this adventure.

 

2. Resident Evil 4

 

 

Easily one of the best video games to date on any platform, this joint was out on GameCube two full years before it came to the Wii. Between then and now it was ported to the PS2 and a PC version came out with total sales in the millions. Well worth the wait, the Wii release eliminated some funky control issues the previous platforms had and sped up the load times. More than just shooting monsters in the face and getting money, this game has puzzles, timed missions, and the craziest storyline. Critically acclaimed all around, this game is a steal; I copped it new for around 30 bucks. Superbly paced, there are some “oh snap” moments in the game that rank among my favorite cut scenes from any video game. The Wii edition is the definitive version and surpasses all competitors.

 

1. Legend of Zelda – Twilight Princess

 

 

My wife brought me this game for Christmas last year before we could even find a Wii in any local stores. Now, after 100 hours of game play, I am still running Link all over creation getting treasure and finding hidden areas. This joint is still in my console right now! One of Nintendo’s greatest franchises continues to deliver with this magnificent odyssey populated with a fantastic cast of characters and sprinkled with spectacular visual effects. The different items you collect have the zaniest uses, the puzzles are excellent, and the boss battles are surprising to say the least. One of the bosses is an enormous spider that sh*ts eyeballs! Zelda has come so far and this game raises the bar yet again for the new generation of gamers to marvel at the ingenuity of Nintendo’s superb art designers. Highly recommended, this is a perfect release in all aspects and one of the greatest of all time.

 

I know there are several other games that could have been included here.  For instance, I really like Rampage for the Wii, but mainly off nostalgia for the arcade version. Since it’s pretty thin on actual content, it didn’t make this list. Also, the Wii Sports isn’t mentioned because it’s free with the console, though it’s certainly one of the most popular packages for the Wii. A couple other obvious omissions, Metroid Prime 3, which I have had for a few weeks but haven’t played enough into it to really give a fair review (though across the board I’ve heard its well worth the scratch) and the Simpsons I just copped – it’s got jokes for sure.

 

Many of the above titles you can find used and save some scrilla for the forthcoming releases, all of which I am hungrily awaiting my damn self.  Lastly, cop a few of those wireless GameCube controllers since all of the GC games work seamlessly, plus you can get them for cheap! Happy gaming, y’all.

 

 

Gentle Jones is online right now at www.gentlejones.com

 

 

The 2007-08 NBA season is up and running, and even though everybody has a clean slate, there are a few sure things that are likely to happen. You can count on the Suns and Celtics being tough, LeBron and KG are going to get theirs… but every season there are surprises, and there will be a few players who will have breakout years. Last year, Monta Ellis and Daniel Gibson were those guys. As for this year? Here are five players who might be household names come May.   

 

Marvin Williams – Atlanta Hawks

 

Two years ago, Williams was the second pick of the 2005 NBA Draft. Picked ahead of Chris Paul and Deron Williams, the Atlanta Hawks forward has not come close to living up to his billing so far. He is in jeopardy of being labled the next Sam Bowie – the guy picked ahead Michael Jordan in the ‘84 Draft. But before you call Williams a bust, here a few reasons we think he won’t be. For starters he is just 21 years old. He only played one season at North Carolina and he didn’t even start! So he is still young and is still learning how to play the game.

 

Physically Williams has all the tools – he is an athletic 6-9 who can play three positions, he has a soft shooting touch and he has a good attitude. In the pre-season, Williams put up good numbers – 17 points and 5 boards per game. With an improved Hawks squad, this could be the year Williams blows up. Joe Johnson is obviously the man down in A-town, but don’t be surprised if the versatile Williams becomes the second option on the team as the season rolls on.

   

Dorrell Wright – Miami Heat

 

Drafted straight out of high school in 2004, Wright spent the majority of his first two years with the Heat in street clothes – appearing in only 23 games. Last season, he showed flashes of brilliance as his PT increased. Though he is still raw, Wright has handles, hops and a decent “J”. Shaq is aging and Wade is injury prone, so this is a perfect chance in South Beach for Dorrell. He must start capitalizing on his potential and prove he was worthy of that first round selection back in ‘05.    

 

Louis Williams – Philadelphia 76’ers

 

Another member of the ’05 class, Williams was a late second round coming out of high school in Georgia. So far, his claim to fame was being boys with Bow Wow – he even appeared on B-Dub’s appearance on MTV Cribs. However, Williams has the opportunity to jump off the rapper’s coat tail and get his own shine. He proved in the last summer’s Vegas Summer League and Rocky Mountain Revue that he has game. The 6-2 guard used his quick first step to get to the rim at will – often finishing above the rim. He can also deliver the ball and run the team.

 

Williams has yet to develop an adequate three-point shot, but again, he is only 21. With Allen Iverson gone to Denver, there is no question Williams will get a lot of burn this season. So far he has impressed, dropping 33 in a pre-season game against the Nets.  

 

Nate Robinson – New York Knicks

 

Out of all the players mentioned on this list, Nate has been the most proven player. This tiny 5-9 Knicks guard has electrified crowds with his unbelievable athleticism and scoring ability. But Nate the Great has also proven that he was immature. Cocky and loud-mouthed, Robinson has been criticized for his child-like outbursts with opposing players, refs and even his own teammates. The brawl against Denver last season validated his immaturity even further. On the court, there were also some issues. Robinson hogged the ball too much, was defensively challenged and had failed to prove he can play the point.

 

After teammate Mardy Collins emerged at the end of last season and with the Knicks bringing in three more guards in the off-season, it was looking like Nate was odd man out. But Nate responded to the challenge. Playing the point guard, he dominated the Vegas Summer League, earning MVP honors and leading his team to a perfect record. Then he spent the entire off-season working out in New York getting reading for this season. The hard work has shown so far, as he has played well in the pre-season and during the first few games of the season. Don’t be surprised if he starts over Stephon Marbury at the point at some point in the season.

 

Von Wafer – Denver Nuggets

   

Sometimes a player has to take a step backwards before they can go forward. After leaving Florida State early in 2005, Wafer was a second round pick of the Lakers. Clearly not ready for the big stage, he found himself in the D-League the very next season. Second chances rarely come along in this league, but Wafer has worked his way back up scoring a 10-day contract late last season with the Clippers.

 

Playing with Denver’s summer league team, Wafer took full advantage, torching the Knicks for 42. Wafer had an impressive pre-season with the Nuggets and could very easily replace the immature J.R. Smith in the rotation. The Nuggets are also a lock for the playoffs, so look for Wafer to get some serious shine this post-season.

 

 

Music is all around us, whether it’s blaring from a Project window, banging out of the trunk of a passing car or perfectly nestled near your eardrum via your iPod headphones. Gregory Diaz and Kerry Granger, owners of B-Sharp Fashion, work to translate that music into their clothing. The duo began their partnership back in 2005 with a common goal of being “half a step above the competition.” The line’s foundation was built on their love and passion for the Hip-Hop culture, and that love for Hip-Hop is visible with every design.

 

We sat down Gregory Diaz and lead designer Crys Cash to talk about B-Sharp’s motivation, grasp on the direction of fashion and why they feel your closet isn’t the only place their clothing should be.

 

AllHipHop.com: B-Sharp is a clothing line birthed from Hip-Hop. Tell us about your apparel’s DNA.

 

Crys Cash: First of all, I’d like to say that the apparel is based on the music. I was raised on Hip-Hop. For as long as I can remember, Hip-Hop has been a major part of my life. What I do with each design is make sure that it dictates everything that I’ve seen in the past. I try to keep everything current and classic.

 

AllHipHop.com: How do you envision your product being worn on your consumers?

 

Gregory Diaz: When you wear B-Sharp, you can pretty much match it with anything. For example, the colors that we are using aren’t the crazy colors that everyone else is using; the purples, the oranges and all of that. So you can match B-Sharp with anything; boots, Air Force Ones, any style of footwear. Actually, what we try to do from time to time is find out which colors companies like Nike will be using. And sometimes we will use those colors within our designs so that it will match a lot better. All of our designs speak for themselves. We want for people to feel sharp when they are wearing our product.

 

Crys Cash: B-Sharp keeps everything fresh and presentable. We want you to be able to wear it at anytime, for any occasion. You can wear B-Sharp with Timbs, some Air Force Ones or your Jordan’s and still keep your fresh; you can even wear B-Sharp with a pair of suede Puma’s with fat laces or some Prada shoes. People should realize how important we all are to each other when it comes to fashion.

 

AllHipHop.com: What have you seen transpire in the world of fashion over the past year, that the average consumer wouldn’t have an understanding for?

 

Greg Diaz: I would have to say, history. Fashion always repeats itself. Right now, I can see that there are a lot more trendsetters, which is perfect for us, being a brand new company. But there are a lot of people who are getting into fashion now who don’t understand the history. There are people who don’t even know which styles they are wearing, when it was started and where did it come from. It feels like the ‘80s are back. You have trendsetters coming up who are like 15 and 16 years old, who weren’t around in the ‘80s to understand what they are doing when they lay their clothes out in the morning or before they go out for the evening; that history has repeated itself with them.

 

Crys Cash: I would say that people need to realize how influential Hip-Hop is on them, and the youth should realize how influential their aunts, uncles and parents are on their current style choices.

 

AllHipHop.com: Name one celebrity that if you find that they are wearing your product, you feel that you’ve made it to the big time?

 

Greg Diaz: I can name a few. I would have to say Jay-Z, definitely. But I’ll also have to say 50 Cent. 50 Cent really doesn’t wear other people’s product; he’s strictly G-Unit. So I think for someone like 50 to put on a B-Sharp t-shirt would be huge.

 

AllHipHop.com: The t-shirt is one of the most basic, yet crucial parts to complete urban wardrobe. What makes B-Sharp the best choice [for everyone]?

 

Greg Diaz: B-Sharp thrives on being different; our designs are extremely different. We have this sick designed called Crown Eye by Crys Cash, that nobody else could have thought of. We also have our #1 seller Mic Man which is a man made out of microphone pieces. We are different, definitely a half step above the competition.

 

AllHipHop.com: Tell us about your current progression at B-Sharp, and give us a peek into your 2008 line.

 

Greg Diaz: B-Sharp has been in place for the past two years. I feel that we have accomplished all of our goals, plus more. Our first line was Spring/Summer 2007, so for the first complete year we took care of our business. For our 2008 Fall/Winter line, we have some long sleeve sweatshirts. We have a new design called The Track Board which will be available on our site in a week. We’re also doing varsity jackets. As far as our 2008 line, consumers can be on the lookout for three amazing designs that we have. We’re working on two polo designs and also fitted caps.

 

Crys Cash: I just have to say that while other companies try to stand out, we’re unique. We like to keep things subtle and effective. At B-Sharp, we don’t try to stand out, we just do.

 

For more information on the line, go to www.justbsharp.com

 

 

There is nowhere to go but up when you start your acting career in a leading role opposite Denzel Washington. Ten films later, Derek Luke is sharing opening credits with legends Meryl Streep, Tom Cruise and a man he calls ‘Bob’- director Robert Redford.

 

The United Artist/MGM release Lions for Lambs opens in theatres nationwide tonight [November 9], and Luke plays another strong and driven character, A#### Finch. Consumed by his patriotic duty to put his money where his mouth is, A#### volunteers to go to war. The War on Terrorism is a relevant and especially touchy subject to tackle, yet nothing short of characteristic for Derek Luke’s cinematic resumé to date.

 

Derek exudes confidence as he speaks superstars and Jersey swagger. He also claims to be on assignment by his generation, on the rise and at the top, all at the same time. It’s been a full year since we last spoke with Derek, so we linked with the Jersey native briefly this week to discuss his new work, the influences of his mother and community, and the ways Hip-Hop moves and inspires him.

 

AllHipHop.com: How were you and [Lions for Lambs] co-star Michael Pena able to connect so well on screen?

 

Derek Luke: We discussed the subject of the movie and where we stand on it, and basically we vibed on what we had in common. Michael is a great guy and has a lot of experience in different roles. Our chemistry lies in our similar goals and experiences.

 

AllHipHop.com: How did you research your role of the patriotic solider?

 

Derek Luke: I talked to a lot of active military men and women. The most interesting thing about these soldiers is that their opinions are sometimes totally different from the government’s. What I found out was that the people that have the least and [who have] the most difficult times in life were the ones that volunteered to serve their country. It’s not about the money. These people really feel that they are a part of this country and their words aren’t just words, there is action behind them. I look at the military and think how structured and disciplined they have to be. To be a solider is deep.

 

AllHipHop.com: You [worked] with Robert Redford, Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep. What did you learn from or about them during the filming of Lions for Lambs?

 

Derek Luke: Although me, Tom and Meryl had different schedules, I’d get dressed after shooting and go back into the studio to watch their rehearsals. Meryl and Robert would just be conversing and I’d be starring at the monitors, amazed. I learned that only passionate and emotional people can be actors. Tom is passionate in front and behind the camera. On the second day of shooting, I heard somebody on set call Robert Redford, “Bob”. So I had to get a chance to call him Bob. When one of my neighbors asked me to get an autograph, I went up to him and said, ‘Bob”…he turns to me and says, “What can I do for you Derek?” When he’s on set, he’s all about you and how he can help you do better.

 

AllHipHop.com: Lions for Lambs makes your eighth film and by 2008, you’ll have acted in 10 films. Which character was the most challenging and which was the most rewarding?

 

Derek Luke:  Patrick in Catch a Fire was definitely the most challenging role to play. He was a very challenging person. Antwone Fisher was the film that I enjoyed the most. It was my first time, and I just wanted to honor all the people that make it happen for me.

 

AllHipHop.com: Which directors are you looking forward to working with again, and are there any that you’ll like to work in with the future?

 

Derek Luke: I’d love to work with Denzel again. I hope he keeps directing. You know when chemists and scientists make the perfect type of fragrance? Working with Denzel felt like the right kind of fragrance. He’s easy to talk to and very down to earth and he uses his acting for a movement… for a cause, a message, and I’d love to work with him again. Of course, I’d love to work with Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg. Who wouldn’t?

 

AllHipHop.com: How did your dreams of acting start growing up in Jersey City?

 

Derek Luke: I got my swagger from the east; especially my slippery church shoes. I was the dude in school that didn’t have the best talent, but always got an “A” for effort.  I’d be the one singing my heart out in the choir, off-pitch, but still singing strong and hard. My mom was a single parent and she taught me to do the best at everything. I grew up listening to women and was always very passionate and expressive. When I would watch a show or a movie, I said, “I wanted people to feel me.” I always thought that I was on assignment for my generation in Jersey.

 

AllHipHop.com: How does music, especially Hip-Hop music influence your life and your craft?

 

Derek Luke: No matter what I’m doing, music shapes how I do it or how I say it. There’s a beat running through my head pushing me on. I listen to music to feel something and to express my emotions. I have to credit Hip-Hop for what I’m doing now, because the movement opened doors for Jersey brothers like me and I represent in everything that I do.

 

AllHipHop.com: Who are your favorite artists?

 

Derek Luke: Hands down, Nas and Jay-Z.