Hey what’s good everybody, once again it’s Darrell Butler, your AllHipHop.com fitness specialist. Before we can cook up your sleek new physique, we first need to go over the primary ingredients involved. Those key ingredients are a combination of cardio, strength training and the subject of today’s column:  nutrition. You may have noticed that I chose the word “nutrition” over the word “diet.” This is due to the fact that I’m promoting healthy changes to the way that you already eat over crazy fad diets and quick fixes.  There’s a reason why the first part of the word diet is die – many of these plans are extremely dangerous and sacrifice your internal health for the sake of your outward appearance.

Many of these plans are also just too unrealistic to continue for the rest of your life. Sure, you may shed a few pounds by only eating grapefruit or by guzzling some nasty liquid concoction for 10 straight days, but once you go back to eating normally, you’ll most likely gain it all back…and more!  For an example, look no further than Oprah’s struggles with her weight over the years due to her initial reliance on fad diets.

This isn’t to say that there isn’t a solid theory behind many of today’s most popular diets; some just need a few minor tweaks here and there to make them more practical. For example, the Atkins plan requires dieters to eliminate virtually all carbohydrates from their menu and exist almost entirely on meat and proteins. Why does this work? The primary “fuels” for your body are sugars, carbohydrates and stored fats – in that exact order. Once your body has burned through all of the sugars and carbohydrates in your system, it will be forced to burn off stored fat already on your body. So by eliminating the amount of sugars and carbs that you eat, your body will be forced to burn fat. 

It’s a sound theory, but like I said, there needs to be a few minor changes to this plan to make it more practical and realistic. For example, carbohydrates are also your prime energy source, so without them you’re going to feel sluggish and unable to focus throughout the day. While protein is great for helping to build muscle, it still has to be prepared in a healthy manner. You can’t expect to eat Slim Jims and bacon every meal and not end up with high cholesterol and blood pressure issues.

Another popular diet that’s been around for decades is the Slim Fast plan, where participants drink a shake for breakfast, a shake for lunch and have a full sized dinner. Once again, this is a sound theory based on portion control, but the plan is backwards. How so? Because most of us are more active during the day so that’s when we’d need more fuel for our bodies. In this plan, the smallest meals are breakfast and lunch, then you load up on calories for dinner only to park your body on the couch to watch tv and fall asleep. What kind of sense does that make?  Besides, who wants to drink two shakes per day as a meal for the rest of their lives? 

The most successful long-term weight loss programs such as Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig are based on real foods. It’s much easier to stick to a routine when you have more options and actually enjoy what you’re eating.  Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting that you run out and join these programs – the theory behind them is actually quite simple and can be replicated at home.  Here’s how:

Step 1 – It’s time to bust out your calculator so your first step is to grab that.  Choose a realistic weight that you’d like to be and multiply that number by 11.  For example, if your goal is to weigh 150 pounds, you’ll multiply 150 by 11 for a total of 1650. That is approximately how many calories you would need to consume each day in order to reach or maintain that weight. I said approximately because there is always a human element to this formula, so that number may need to be adjusted slightly for your particular needs. This figure also doesn’t factor in calories that you may burn off during the day due to cardiovascular activity (walking, working, etc.) so if you’re an active person, you can raise that number. 

Step 2 – Your next step should be to spread these calories out over five or six meals/snacks each day.  The American tradition is the eat three meals per day, so if this is what you’re used to, try cutting those meal portions in half and turning them into six. Your goal should be to eat every few hours before you get hungry. I know that may have thrown a few of you off, so let me repeat that – you should be eating before you are hungry. Hunger is actually a sign from your body that it’s requiring more fuel, and you should have eaten already.

Your metabolism increases every time that you eat, so by doing so every few hours, you’ll force it to speed up. Many dieters are under the impression that they’ll speed their metabolism by not eating at all, but that is actually wrong on multiple levels. Yes, it is true that you will lose weight by starving yourself, but you’ll also lose muscle and possibly damage internal organs. 

It’s also just not a good look since you’ll look worn down and unhealthy (anyone see those shots of Nicole Richie on the beach a few months ago?  My point exactly…).  Last but not least, not eating causes your metabolism to slow down, because your body realizes that it’s not getting enough food so it begins to burn through calories slower. That’s not something that you want to happen, because once you do go back to eating normally, you’ll end up gaining a ton of weight since your metabolism has decreased. 

Spreading your daily caloric intake over five to six servings will also reduce the portions of each meal.  Smaller portions are easier to break down, so your body won’t have to store as many digestive fluids and enzymes. That alone will begin to slim your midsection – portion control is the same theory behind gastric bypass surgery. This is how Star Jones and Al Roker slimmed down – it’s a risky procedure though and not for everyone.

Your largest meals should be in the morning, so big shout outs to all of you breakfast lovers. I also tend to throw in elements from the Atkins diet by eliminating carbohydrates throughout the day, resulting in my final two meals consisting primarily of protein and veggies.

Of course, we can’t be good all of the time, so I’d like for you to allow yourself at least one day that literally anything goes.  My current day is what I refer to as “Fat Fridays” but feel free to pick your own – Sloppy Sunday perhaps? Bottom line is that you can’t eat perfectly all year. Trying to do so may result in binge eating or throwing in the towel completely, so please give yourself at least one meal or an entire day per week to reward yourself for being so disciplined the rest of the time. You may be so used to your routine by that point that you don’t’ want to take advantage of the full day, which is even better, but just knowing that you have that option will give you something to look forward to. 

I know I’ve thrown a lot at you with this column – it’s a lot to digest, no pun intended. Before I let you go though, here are a few general tips to help you along your path to healthy eating.

1.      If you know that a holiday or social event is planned, make that day your “cheat day” for the week.

2.      If it’s not an “anything goes” day and you can’t fight the urge to cheat, try to have your slip-up occur as early in the day as possible so that you can burn it back off through cardiovascular activity before the day is over.

3.      Never eat a large meal right before bed – try to remain active for at least an hour or so after your last meal.

4.      Drinking water throughout the day helps boost your metabolism and can allow you to feel less hungry. This is especially true when combined with fiber since water causes it to expand in your stomach to make you feel more full.

5.      In general, hot foods are easier for your body to digest than cold foods. Natural foods are also easier for your body to break down than processed man-made foods. By natural, I mean anything that is organically found on the Earth. That does not include Twinkies…

6.      Always read the labels on your food carefully, many times the information provided is for a serving less than the portion actually provided in the package so you may have to break out that calculator again. 

7.      Try to substitute many wasted calories with something more nutritious. For example, instead of a doughnut, try a bagel. Instead of soda, try juice or water. Making subtle changes to what you’re currently doing may make this new lifestyle easier to pull off than you think.

8.      Alcohol is fun, I know, but there are more side effects than drunk dialing your ex. It’s going to be hard to build a six pack if you’re also drinking one every other day so try to limit that as much as possible, especially beer. Don’t’ believe the hype, “light” doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s good for you.

9.      To really get an idea of how well you’re doing, try keeping a diary of literally everything that you eat and drink each day. Seeing it written out will help you stay on point more than you possibly realize.

10.  Just because the restaurant serves you a giant portion, nobody is forcing you to eat it all.  Feel free to take home what you can’t finish instead of forcing it down. Many restaurants are beginning to offer the number of calories on their menus as well. Check out your local bookstore for guides to how many calories are in many of your favorite restaurant’s popular dishes.

That’s a lot of info for one sitting so I’ll cut this here. Feel free to hit me up with any questions that you might have though. Bear in mind, this is not the only solution so you can also consult a dietician or your local physician to help customize a plan that will work for you. In Part 2 of this series, we’ll discuss the second key element for building your new body: cardiovascular activity.

Until Next time be good…or be good at it.

-Darrell

Here is the MP3 soundtrack to go along with this edition’s topic:

“Soul Food” – Goodie Mob”Sleep For Dinner” (remix) – Lords of the Underground”Put It In Your Mouth” – Akinyele ft. Lil’ Kim

 

Darrell W. Butler is a certified personal trainer and strength coach with the American Council on Exercise (ACE).  He is the founder of Industrial Strength & Performance (I.S.P Fitness) and has trained at facilities throughout the nation. You can find out more about his work at www.isperformance.com

 

 

The Nostic Apparel offices in midtown Manhattan are a hectic place, but all is in order.  Prospective buyers come in for meetings and designer Nancy Jones discusses Nostic while taking care of family business on the phone with her son Jim. In the background are racks full of T-shirts, jeans, and hoodies elaborately covered in gothic imagery and a flashy, dagger-emblazoned logo. The Nostic brand is derived from the religious movement of Gnosticism, which teaches that humans need spiritual knowledge in order to navigate between good and evil. 

 

As Mrs. Jones describes, there is a story behind every skull, dove, grim reaper, angel, and scripture. Taking fashion cues from her famous son, the lady best known as Momma Jones developed a unique design that the Diplomats Capo began to rep proudly.  With high profile industry cosigns and distributors from as far as Canada and Japan clamoring for the clothes, Nostic appears to be on the rise.

 

AllHipHop.com: When did you get your start in fashion?

 

Nancy Jones: I’ve been doing fashion since I was little.  My son gave me this big break to actually explore more of what I love to do most, and God is good – He gave Jim the opportunity to get out there. God gave me for me to do what I do best. I love kids, and I love to create and design.

 

AllHipHop.com: How did the idea to start the Nostic line form?

 

Nancy Jones: I was into the women’s [clothing at first], and I had to do some of the men’s stuff due to my son. So I was doing t-shirts at every fashion show. At one time they would call me Ghetto Mom, then it was called Echelon, then it was called Jonez, so now we’re down to Nostic. When [Jim and I] sat down to talk and he said, “Mom, since you like doing the t-shirts, that’s what you should start out with and we can probably get the line out like that.”

 

I started doing t-shirts that were not to [his] liking [at the time], and we got into this big, huge, nice, lovely, juicy mother and son argument.  That’s when Chrissy [Jim Jones’ stylist and significant other] gave me the insight on how and what he likes to wear. We were coming up with all sorts of names, and she came up to me and said, “What about Gnostic?” and I said, “I love it, but I don’t like the ‘G’,” so we made it Nostic.

 

AllHipHop.com: What were the style pointers you took from your son?

 

Nancy Jones:  Studying my son’s whole dress thing, [I saw that] sometimes he put the shirt on with the cross, next time he might have the shirt looking all vintage and torn up, then he looks like he’s in a gothic kind of world, and then he has a Jesus Christ on his shirt. Nostic fit so perfect, so I just took everything that he likes and how he likes to wear and it and combined it into one.  So that’s how we came up with the skulls, the fallen angel, the angel with the reaper – the vintage looking stuff.  He likes his stuff fitting him nice. And I love it because Jim likes a lot of the back in the day stuff, and that’s my type too. I was very flashy and I still keep my little flashiness. He honestly got that standing out in his dressing. I’m glad that he loved it because the first shirt that I made, he flipped out.

 

AllHipHop.com: How exactly did he flip out?

 

Nancy Jones: Well all this time, he didn’t know that I had started making shirts. I told his [assistant] Chris Lecky, “If something exciting come on, the only time you give him this shirt is in the middle of whatever that is.” So Jim was in the middle of an interview and Chris gave him the shirt, and he said “Where did this come from?!,” and Chris said “From your mother, that’s your line.” He said, “Get out!” Then the interviewer said, “Can I have it?” and Jim said “Hell no! You can’t afford it!” Jim took his shirt off and [put on the Nostic shirt].  So from then it was on and popping.

 

AllHipHop.com: I’ve seen different people from the Diplomats, such as Juelz and Freekey Zekey wearing Nostic.  Who else do you have in line to be spokespersons?

 

Nancy Jones: They think I’m crazy, I just target anybody.  Even when we went to MAGIC [fashion convention in Las Vegas]…  I know LL Cool J has his own line and the whole nine yards [and I told him] “I can’t give you the clothes if you don’t wear my s**t.” I told 50 Cent, “I can’t give it to you, I need to see you put it on.”  Nick Cannon, Young Jeezy – I don’t play.  Boy, I told Scrappy, “If you don’t wear it, you gonna be picking up scraps for real!” I told Rich Boy, “If you don’t wear it, you gonna be Poor Boy!” I’m not gonna give you any of my stuff if you’re not going to wear it, because anything that you make that is your line and you give to me, I’m gonna wear it.  The people I love the most in the industry are Gino Green, we support each other back and forth.

 

AllHipHop.com: Jim, along with Juelz and Lil’ Wayne, has been going hard with the rock star look lately. Where do you think the appeal of that comes from?

 

Nancy Jones: He’s crazy like his momma. I ain’t gonna lie about it, I go into that mood swing type of thing- one time you might see me dressed like the sexy church lady, another time I might be dressed like the secret squirrel lady, another time I might go into that rock and roll. I know if I want to make a difference, that means I have to dress completely different in order for someone to say, “Wow, who is that person, what’s going on?”  I tell my daughters: the way you appear makes the whole difference to anybody.

 

AllHipHop.com: Do you think the spiritual symbolism of the line will resonate with people?

 

Nancy Jones: It’s who wants to take it how they want to take it. Nobody said this is just spiritual. If this is on you [points to a Nostic shirt with biblical writings on it] and I read the words and I want to get into that, then fine. If not, if I like the style it just looks hot. But at least I know you got a piece of the bible on you [laughs], so one day it will touch your soul. [With] some of the [Nostic clothes], it won’t be all the way bible stuff, because Gnostic is actually a balance: day and night, good and evil, so it’s all about good balance in life. This [points to another shirt] is the grim reaper and a lady gambling for her life with the dice, and my son plays cee-lo, so that’s the way he saw this.  Everybody takes it however they want to take it, but they know there’s a story behind it.

 

AllHipHop.com: How did Joe Levin get involved as the President of Nostic?

 

Nancy Jones: [In the beginning] I was doing it all by myself and it started getting overwhelming, because now they wanted more and more and more. And that’s where Joey came in. I came with stuff already built, but he turned and built the sh*t out of it. He’s the greatest. I still have a lot more to learn, but he has shown me things and taught me more things than anybody in this apparel industry would even try to teach me. Because I’ve been through the line of different people and it’s not no honesty thing out there – it’s a dog eat dog world.  Thank God, He built me as a nice lady but a tough lady, so I’m not going to back down. That’s my partner for real, my whole family is my partner because they’ve been my inspiration.  My daughters Keisha, Precious and Jamillah believed in me real hard. I was determined to get this out one way or another.

 

AllHipHop.com: In terms of self-expression, what kind of message does someone wearing Nostic send out?

 

Nancy Jones: They are sending out a good, positive message.  It’s spiritual [depending on] how you feel about it.  I know when you wear it, you feel good. We have our own Nostic women wear that we just getting ready to start out, and I know I feel good when I wear it. I know for a fact when my son wears it, when the whole Dipset wears it, when his compadres wear it, when the people that call me up at MTV and BET wear it, it gives people a positive feeling. It makes you feel good, like this is what it’s about. I want it to continue ‘cause God is good and he’s going to make sure it gets bigger and bigger.  It’s already there, I’m just waiting for it to all start revealing and shining harder.

 

For more info on Nostic, go to www.nosticapparel.com

 

 

Washington Wizards

 

Projected Starting Lineup:

C Brendan Haywood

PF Antawn JamisonSF Caron Butler

SG Gilbert Arenas

PG Antonio Daniels

Coach: Eddie Jordan

 

The good: A healthy hungry Hibachi helps his home team as he returns from injury to be the most eccentric yet deadliest player in the league.

 

The Wizards never had a chance entering the playoffs versus the Cleveland Cavaliers.  All-stars Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler both suffered season ending injuries right before the first round matchup leaving forward Antawn Jamison to fend for himself.  Now that Butler and Arenas are healthy, expect to see the best trio in the NBA last season.  They have no shortage of youth as 2006 first round selection Oleksiy Pecherov and 2007 first round Nick Young provide much needed punch off the bench.  The Southeast Division has gotten stronger in some areas, but weaker in others, so this Wizards team has everything to gain.  They can create so much havoc in the playoffs if healthy.  If Gilbert Arenas continues on his torrid pace of hitting clutch shots, the Wizards will be one of the most entertaining teams to watch in the league. 

 

The bad:  Arenas’ and Butler’s injuries last season exposed a roster that is very thin.  Not good for a team trying to keep their star guard.

 

Arenas has stated that he will opt out of his deal at season’s end to test the free agent market.  Although the aforementioned Young and Pecherov will bolster a thin bench, the loss of starting center Etan Thomas to a heart condition will hurt.  His backup and occasional foe Brendan Haywood will have to take his place and at some point, find the heart he has always lacked.  Eddie Jordan will have his hands full, especially if the injury bug strikes once again.  One of the three best teams in the league for most of the season, injuries caused them to fall to .500 and the 7th seed in the East.  There’s no safety net for this team, making Arenas and Butler much more valuable.    

 

The outlook: 3rd in the East, 1st in the division, good health, a lot of game winners from Agent Zero, BUT… another first round matchup with the Cavs, another first round loss, a following offseason of concern over Arenas’ desire to stay in DC.

 

 

Miami Heat

 

Projected Starting Lineup:

C Shaquille O’Neal

PF Udonis Haslem

SF Ricky Ravis

SG Dwyane Wade

PG Jason Williams

Coach: Pat Riley

 

 

The good: Anytime you have a healthy Shaq and D-Wade on your team, you always have a chance to win.

 

Injuries took a major toll on this team heading into their first round matchup with the upstart Chicago Bulls.  Dwyane Wade tried to grit his teeth and try to play through a damaged shoulder, but it was not enough as they lost to the Bulls in a sweep.  (note: Wade is slated to miss the first few weeks of the season recovering from shoulder surgery)  However, once Wade is able to return, he is one of the best scorers in the NBA and can single handedly carry a team to victory.  I believe Shaq will have a bounce back season statistically as he tries to get one more championship before retirement talk begins to settle in. 

 

After trading to get Daequan Cook in the 2007 Draft, the Heat will have instant offense off the bench.  Point guard Jason Williams has something to play for in a contract year.  The recently acquired Ricky Davis also has alot to prove, and Miami may not be done yet with rumors of Mike Bibby, and Ron Artest fading but still lingering.  The wild card is forward Dorrell Wright.  The high school product needs to start so he can show how good he can be.  If given that opportunity, a breakout season may be on the horizon.

 

The bad: Injuries, food, and lack of desire threaten to destroy this once championship team.

 

The Heat had a terrible offseason, failing to land another impact player or scorer (Lakers fans will tell you free agent acquisition Smush Parker is not that).  As previously stated, Wade is going to miss time this season over an injury he should have taken care of last season.  The Heat got old very quickly as Shaq and Alonzo Mourning got another year older (Mourning has stated he will retire after the season ends).  Add that to the fact that Shaq likes to take half of the season off to nurse injuries and you now have a team that features Dwyane Wade and a bunch of question marks. With the talent in the Southeast division developing, the window of opportunity is closing for the Heat.

 

The outlook: 8th in the East, 2nd in the division, a first round exit once again, and a serious debate over whether this team needs to rebuild around Wade again.  They get in by the skin of their teeth.

 

 

Orlando Magic

 

Projected Starting Lineup:

C Dwight Howard

PF Rashard LewisSF Hedo TurkogluSG Trevor ArizaPG Jameer Nelson

Coach: Stan Van Gundy

 

The good: Dwight Howard is still improving.

The Orlando Magic re-signed center Dwight Howard to a 5 year $85 million deal this summer.  Good, because Howard is an absolute beast.  Finishing third in rebounds per game, Howard is one low post move away from being the scariest young big man in the NBA.  Helping in providing Howard with an offensive is game is former Heat head coach Stan Van Gundy.  After Florida Gators coach Billy Donovan accepted a 5 year deal only to renege a week later, Stan will be the savior of Central Florida. 

 

Newly acquired forward Rashard Lewis will bring his 22.4 PPG from the Seattle Supersonics to the Magic Kingdom.  This team is young and athletic with guard Trevor Ariza ready to shine after being buried on the Knicks bench to start his career.  If they get a lead late, then the game is pretty much over with J.J. Redick on the line.  After former coach Brian Hill failed to use him, expect to see more playing time for the former Duke star.

 

The bad: For a team that has many impending free agents, spending so much money on Rashard Lewis might be a move they will regret down the line.

 

This is a team filled with young shooters and point guards.  The problem is, there isn’t enough money to give out to these players.  Guards Trevor Ariza and J.J. Redick are due for extensions and the Magic cannot afford to lose them.  After all, they did misuse and lose center Darko Milicic to the Memphis Grizzlies this offseason.  Now with Tony Battie out with a rotator cuff injury, they are severely thin at the power forward and center spots.  They will miss Darko more than they could have deemed imaginable.  Maybe giving Lewis $110 million over 6 years might not pay off the way they’d like.  Also, some players have to step up.  Carlos Arroyo looks like Steve Nash in Olympic play, but like a third stringer in the NBA.  Somehow, he must put everything together and be effective as do Redick, Ariza, and center James Augustine who will now have a bigger role in Battie’s absence.

 

The outlook: 9th in the east, 3rd in the division, and an always happy Howard becoming frustrated.

 

 

Atlanta Hawks

 

Projected Starting Lineup:

C Shelden Williams

PF Josh Smith

SF Marvin Williams

SG Joe Johnson

PG Acie Law IV

Coach: Ron Woodson

 

 

The good:  Stop the presses! The Hawks finally drafted a point guard! His name is Acie Law IV.

 

Although the Hawks did not land Greg Oden or Kevin Durant in the 2007 NBA Draft, they had the #3 and #11 picks respectively to add to their young core of players.  #3 pick and Florida Gators standout Al Horford is my pick for Rookie of the Year.  While everyone else is out sipping the Durant Kool-Aid, Horford will show everyone that he is the most NBA ready player to come out of this draft class.  He alongside Shelden Williams aka The Landlord aka Mr. Candace Parker will give the Hawks a much needed low post presence. 

 

The Hawks are never short on swingmen, but at least they have some great talent at those positions.  Josh Smith is ready to win a Defensive Player of the Year award at his progressive rate and Joe Johnson is one of the best shooting guards in the NBA, let alone the Eastern Conference.  The biggest acquisition for them was passing up Ohio State guard Mike Conley at #3 and taking Acie Law IV out of Texas A&M.  Although Law still needs time to fully learn the NBA PG position, he will show everyone that Atlanta can make a run at their first playoff appearance since 1999.

 

The bad:  Coach Mike Woodson is on a short leash.  He might not be around to watch the Hawks fly high.

 

Mike Woodson has had plenty of time to get this Hawks team competitive.  Unfortunately, with ownership in disarray and lack of fan support in Atlanta, it’s hard to get this team going.  Woodson unfortunately will be a coach that will get fired before the team truly gets better.  Now, with so much youth, one wonders how it hasn’t paid off yet.  GM Billy Knight has unnecessarily overstocked certain positions while leaving others, mainly point guard, thin.  His biggest faux pas was drafting UNC bench player Marvin Williams #2 overall in the 2005 NBA Draft, right before the triumvirate of Deron Williams, Chris Paul, and Raymond Felton.  Oooww.  If Marvin can’t show signs of being a franchise level type of forward, Atlanta just might have to take a L on this experiment and move on.  This team is one year from hitting greatness, but they have to play out this year first.

 

The outlook: 10th in the East, 4th in the division.

 

 

Charlotte Bobcats

 

Projected Starting Lineup:

C Emeka Okafor

PF Walter HerrmannSF Gerald WallaceSG Jason RichardsonPG Raymond Felton

Coach: Sam Vincent

 

The good: Gerald Wallace and Jason Richardson are ready to be one of the most lethal duos in the Eastern Conference.

 

The Bobcats have a done a good job since their creation in 2004.  Last season Gerald Wallace emerged as their best player, showing the promise fans were deprived of seeing when he was on the Sacramento Kings.  With a draft day trade sending #8 overall pick Brandan Wright to Golden State Warriors for star guard Jason Richardson, now the Bobcats have two scorers Raymond Felton can pass to. 

 

First year coach Sam Vincent has a lot to look forward to as J-Rich and Wallace combined with franchise center Emeka Okafor can become a devastating three-fifths of a starting lineup.  Also, Walter Herrmann and Matt Carroll were big surprises as they were both signed off the scrap heap and produced very well during the second half of the season, giving them added depth.  First round pick Jared Dudley will bring a hard nosed edge to this team as it is now developing a new identity as a physically imposing squad.

 

The bad: Injuries are already decimating the team before the season starts.  The last thing they need now is an inconsistent Raymond Felton.

 

Sean May and Adam Morrison, both supposed to be key members of the Bobcats’ bench, will be out for the season with knee injuries.  That is a big blow to this team who have had to deal with an injury prone Okafor and inconsistent play from their point guard Raymond Felton.  The 5th pick of the 2005 NBA Draft, he has found himself one step behind Deron Williams and Chris Paul in terms of development.  Now is the time for Felton to get better now that Brevin Knight has moved on to the Los Angeles Clippers.  He needs to cut down on the turnovers and become more assertive.  Okafor in a contract must try to remain healthy because he helps no one in street clothes.

 

The outlook: 12th in the East, 5th in the division, but this says more about the division than about the team.  This division has potential to be the best one in the next year or two.

Platform: PSP

Developer: Square Enix

Rating: 4 out of 5

 

 

 

Nearly a decade has passed since the original release of Final Fantasy: Tactics for the Playstation. Square-Enix has granted the wishes of many with this turn-based strategy gem, Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions for the Playstation Portable (PSP). Released after Final Fantasy VII in 1998, the Tactics franchise was widely overlooked due to the massive popularity of FF7. Final Fantasy Tactics deviated from the original course of the main Final Fantasy series, and this PSP title retains all the original charm, elegance, and absorbing gameplay from its predecessor while tacking on some extras.

 

Initially, you’re presented with a tutorial mode which is highly beneficial for anyone who isn’t familiar with the mechanics and the backstory. It covers everything from the battle system, the job system, and the lore of Ivalice. There’s a wealth of information that is almost necessary and will help you on your journey.  

 

 

 

 

Your character begins the journey as a Squire or Chemist. From there, you can level up these jobs and branch off into other professions like Knight, Black Mage, and White Mage, etc..  Battles take place on a field of tiles of varying height and different terrains, with variables suchs weather impacting skirmishes as well. Each character can move a certain distance and posses a different attack range, similar to chess.

 

 

 

You’re allowed to have 5 players on the field and a maximum of 24 selectable characters in your army. As you engage in battles, you’ll gain job points for your main job, which allows you to buy abilities. Simple, right? Well…it is pretty simple. Fight baddies, use items, gain experience points and job points, rinse and repeat. Ahh, gotta love the RPG grind! In order to achieve the higher jobs, you’ll need to temper and hone your characters as much as possible. Levelling up your jobs unlocks more advanced ones.

 

 

 

 

The plot is concrete and linear; Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions isn’t a game that allows you to choose your own path.  It’s a tale of dueling families, friends killing each other and unsuspecting villainy; very Shakespearean. As the plot progresses, new areas are opened up on the world map. You can travel back to older areas to battle, go to towns to stock up on wares, or you can press ahead to advance the story. An additional feature is the ability to battle friends over local ad-hoc wifi. Multiplayer mode also adds some hours by letting you team up with a friend for challenges or pit your parties against each other. Being ad-hoc only, you’ll need to find a buddy with a copy of the game around your level.

 

Overall, Final Fantasy: The War of the Lions is an impressive port to the PSP. It is a solid title, and always welcomed in the rather hungry-for-games PSP landscape. Lions packs so much content you’ll be busy with your PSP for hours. If you didn’t get a chance to play the original title, then you cannot pass up this magnificent update

 

Credit: The Gamer Studio – http://www.thegamerstudio.com

Earlier this week on ESPN SportsCenter, Mike Greenberg of Mike and Mike in the Morning asked Hall of Famer Steve Young who was the better QB, Tom Brady or Peyton Manning?  Young reacted as if his manhood was being questioned and thought that was a ridiculous question.  He didn’t attempt to answer the question and moved on from the topic.  The next day, Greenberg brought it up in conversation with his co-host Mike Golic and Golic’s opinion was that Brady is having a better year than Manning, but Manning is the better overall QB.  That’s an answer I have no problem with.  I think the big man hit the nail right on the head. 

 

Later in show, Phil Simms came on and the guys asked him the same question.  He too reacted to the question the same way Young did, but then said the best line to end the whole discussion.  It was better than what Golic said.  Simms just said, “Who cares?”  You know what, he’s right.  Who cares?  Both players are on great teams and are playing great football this year.  They are destined for a battle next week if both teams stay undefeated this weekend.

 

Brady is putting up some good numbers and with the addition of Randy Moss; the Patriots are just too strong offensively for a number of defenses this year.  Manning is playing like he has always played since he entered the league; smart and precise.  He’s easily the smartest QB in the league right now and arguably in history of the NFL. 

 

So as a fan of football, I am asking for a favor from my pigskin family.  Starting tonight, and every night leading up to Sunday’s games, light your candles, get on your knees and pray to the football gods.  Ask the Holy Trinity of Football (Lombardi, Halas, and Hunt) to keep the Pats and the Colts undefeated for their Week 9 match-up.  With the history between the two teams, you know that’s going to be one of the games of the year.

 

 

1pm games:

 

Game of the week: Detroit Lions (4-2) vs. Chicago Bears (3-4)

Location: Soldier Field, Chicago, IL

 

The Lions won the 1st game between these two teams back in Week 4 with a 37-27 score.  Since then, the Lions are 2nd in the NFC North and 6th in the NFC overall.  The Bears are 3rd in the NFC North and 9th in the NFC overall.  The Lions have shown much improvement on the offensive side of the ball, but their defense is still shaky.  The Bears offense has improved with Brian Griese taking over at QB, but their defense is not performing like the Bears’ defense from a year ago.  The Lions are ranked 30th while the Bears are ranked 25th overall defensively.  Don’t look for too many big plays on the defensive side of the ball for either team. Whichever team wins, it will have to come from the much improved offense of both of these teams.

 

Lions’ QB Jon Kitna needs 6 more wins to fulfill his promise of 10 wins for the season.   It’s possible, but it will be a task.  They still have to play the Packers twice and they have the Giants and the Cowboys on their schedule.  If the Lions are gong to win this game, they have to establish a run game with RB Kevin Jones.  With Jones returning this week, the Lions should be able to wear down an injured Bears defense with a good mix of run and pass.  Also, as stated every week by every football analyst in the country, don’t kick the ball to Devin Hester.  The guy can hurt you in so many ways; it’s not funny anymore.

 

The Bears need to protect Griese and make sure RB Adrian Peterson doesn’t touch the ball.  Despite his 6 INTs, Griese has thrown for 1203 yards for 8 TDs and has completed 62% of his passes for the season.  In last Sunday’s win against the Eagles, he was 27 for 41 with 322 passing yards and 1 touchdown.  The good thing about Griese is that he utilizes all of his targets.  He “shares the wealth” with his receivers and opens up the offense. 

 

Peterson is having a miserable start to the season.  He has 26 carries for 116 yards and no touchdowns this year and is slowly finding his comfort zone on the bench.  The Bears must find a way to keep their secondary locked on the Lions WRs and throw them off their routes and force them to run the ball with Jones, who is seeing his first real action this Sunday.  Hopefully a “rusty” Jones will be the “Achilles’ heel” for the Lions. 

 

My Pick: Bears

 

Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (2-4)

Location: Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, OH

 

Chad Johnson said that he would stop doing all of his celebratory until the Bengals start winning again.  Then there was a rumor this week about the Bengals trading Chad.  Hopefully it was rumor and Chad stays in Cinncy.  Not only does the team need him, but the city needs him also.  Although he’s a wide receiver, and WRs can be “prima donnas”, Chad makes the game fun.  He gives the fans a reason to watch because he’s enjoying himself on the field.  Yeah, he may have had a few choice words with Carson Palmer a few weeks back in their loss to the Patriots, but how many times have we seen that before.  Besides, with the way the Patriots have been playing, everybody has a few choice words on their respective sidelines. 

 

Considering the Bengals’ past, Chad is the best thing to happen to the city of Cincinatti since the “Ickey Shuffle”.  Also, don’t even think about getting rid of Marvin Lewis.  He’s as good of a head coach as there is in the League.  He just doesn’t have the defensive tools he has had in the past few seasons to stay on pace with the rest of the league.

 

The Bengals’ problem is their defense.  The Bengals have the 29th ranked defense in the league. Yikes!  Considering they were the 8th ranked defense last season, all you can do is smack your head in amazement. The offense has to run up the scoreboard just so they can stay in the game with their opponents.  They are the 4th ranked offense in the league totaling 387 yard from scrimmage and averaging 371.7 yards a game.  Carson Palmer has 1717 yards, 13 TDs and 9 INTs for the season in passing.  If the Jets hadn’t suffered a “brain fart” in the 2nd half of last Sunday’s game, the Bengals would have lost that game and would be 1-5. 

 

The Bengals need to do the same thing the Broncos did the Steelers in last Sunday’s night game.  They have to throw Ben Roethlisberger off his game and hold off the Steelers’ run game.  Willie Parker and Najeh Davenport have combined for 172 carries for 815 yards and 4 TDs.  The number of TDs isn’t staggering, but the combined yardage is what you want from a team that uses a two running back system.

 

All the Steelers have to do is to make sure Roethlisberger doesn’t make any of the mistakes he made in last Sunday’s loss.  Granted, he threw 4 TD passes; he also had 2 INTs and a lost fumble.  If the Steelers protect “Big Ben” and give him time in the pocket, he’ll make things happen. Defensively, the Steelers are still the #1 ranked defense in the league, so there’s no need for any explanation or suggestion on what they need to do defensively to win.  The Steelers are already doing it.  

 

My Pick: Steelers

 

Oakland Raiders (2-4) vs. Tennessee Titans (4-2)

Location: LP Field, Nashville, TN

 

The Raiders have defense.  Make no mistake about that.  They have good LBs and a solid secondary.  Other than that, there’s nothing else to smile about the Raiders as a whole.  The Raiders have the 20th ranked offense in the league and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get any better.  The only way the Raiders can win this game is to put pressure on the Titans’ QBs, no matter which one is starting.

 

If Kerry Collins starts, then the Raiders have a better chance of winning just by putting heavy pressure on him.  If Vince Young starts, then it all depends on how healthy he is.  If Young’s right quad is healed 85-90%, then he’ll give the Raiders’ defense head aches with his movement in the pocket.  If it’s 75-80% healed, he may be a little cautious and may not want to move around as much in fear of worsening the injury. 

 

The Raiders also have to stop the Titans’ run game.  The Titans are the 5th ranked rushing team in the league.  They average 144 yards on the ground.  The Raiders are ranked 29th against the run.  That’s not helping the Raiders’ cause this weekend.  The Titans also have the #1 ranked defense against the run this year.  They have allowed 59.7 yards of rushing this season.  The Raiders are just above the Titans in rushing.  They’re ranked 4th in rushing yards, averaging 145.8 yards a game.

 

The match-up to look for is Titans’ LB Keith Bullock against the entire Raiders’ offense.  Bullock has been a man on a mission this season defensively.  Bullock has 28 tackles total.  23 of the 28 are solo tackles and he has 4 INTs. 

 

My Pick: Titans

 

Cleveland Browns (3-3) vs. St. Louis Rams (0-7)

Location: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, MO

 

Like the Dolphins, the Rams need to mail in the rest of their season.  Marc Bulger came back last week in their game against the Seahawks.  He was about as useful as Stevie Wonder doing color commentary at a Lions game.  Bulger was 21 for 40 with 225 yards, no touchdowns and 3 INTs in the Rams’ loss to the Seahawks.  RB Stephen Jackson is returning for the Rams this Sunday.  Don’t expect much from him either.  The Rams’ offensive line is hurting, leaving no protection for Bulger or blocking for Jackson. 

 

Rams DE Leonard Little is out of Sunday’s game with a torn ligament in his big toe on his left foot.  That’s just another set back for a team that had so much promise the start of the season.  Truthfully, the Rams are at a big disadvantage against the Browns this Sunday.

 

The Browns just have to keep doing what they have been doing for most of the season.   With a weak Rams’ defense, the Browns should be able to decimate the Rams’ secondary and put some big numbers on the board through the air.  The Browns have the 7th ranked offense in the league.  The match-up I’m looking forward to is the Browns’ passing game against the Rams’ pass defense.  The Browns’ passing offense is the 8th best in the league while the Rams’ passing defense is ranked 10th in the league.  Considering that the Browns have scored most of their points in the air, it’s going to be interesting to see how they put numbers on the board.

 

My Pick: Browns

 

NY Giants (5-2) vs. Miami Dolphins (0-7)

Location: Wembley Stadium, London, England

 

This Sunday is the “International Grizzly” Game as the Phins have a home game in “Jolly Ole” England against the G-men.  Phins RB Ronnie Brown is out for the year with a torn ACL and LB Zach Thomas is out of Sunday’s game due to whiplash from a car accident after last Sunday’s game.  Like the Rams, there’s really not much to say about the Phins that can help them win.

 

 The G-men have the edge in every category possible in this game. The Giants are going into Sunday’s game with the 8th best defense in the league.  Since Week 2, their defense has been phenomenal and has been a key factor in their turn around from a 0-2 start.  You just hope that all of this travel won’t throw off the Giants’ momentum.  Thankfully for the Giants, they have their bye week in Week 9.

 

My Pick: Giants

 

Philadelphia Eagles (2-4) vs. Minnesota Vikings (2-4)

Location: Metrodome, Minneapolis, MN

 

The Eagles have too much fire power on offense for the Vikes.  The Vikes’ defense is ranked 26th overall while the Eagles have the 8th best offense. Brian Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter have combined for 125 carries for 680 yards and 3 TDs. Donovan McNabb has 7 TDs and 2 INTs so far this season with 1447 passing yards and he has the 15th highest QB rating with 88.4.  The Eagles have to shut down Vikes RB Adrian Peterson in order to win on Sunday.  The Eagles have the 18th ranked defense against the run while the Vikes have the #1 ranked rushing offense in the league.

 

All the Vikes have to do is run.  That’s it.  Don’t give RB Chester Taylor an inkling of an idea that he’ll even touch the ball this Sunday.  If Vikes Head Coach Brad Childress wants to bounce back from last Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys, let Adrian Peterson run the ball during the majority of the game.  Peterson is the leagues leading rusher.  He has 108 carries for 670 yards and 5 TDs at this point in the season.  Hopefully Eagles defensive coordinator, Jim Johnson, hasn’t lost much sleep this week trying to figure out how to stop Peterson.

 

My Pick: Eagles

 

Indianapolis Colts (5-0) vs. Carolina Panthers (4-2)

Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

 

All season long, we have been amazed with the Patriots and the way they have entered this season like a team possessed.  My question to you is this, how did we forget to mention the defending champs?  The Colts have been quietly under the radar this year.  They have the 3rd best offense and defense in the league this year and no one is even mentioning them to repeat.  We’ve been hypnotized by New England to only think about the Pats.  It’s another one of Belichick’s devious plans.  He’s the Cobra Commander of the NFL. 

 

This could be the game where the Colts get their first loss of the season.  Then again, it may not.  The Panthers’ defense is ranked 19th in the league and it doesn’t look like they can stop the Colts’ offense on paper.  Panthers have to put pressure on Manning.  The only problem with that is he reads defense so well, he’ll just audible to another play.  The Panthers have to try their best to disguise their coverage and do everything in their power to throw Manning off of his game.

 

Panthers’ QB, David Carr, practiced this week, so he’ll most likely get the start.  But if he doesn’t don’t be alarmed by the smell of Ben-Gay in the air, it’s only Vinny Testaverde.  The Panthers are going to have to really utilize RB DeAngelo Williams and WR Steve Smith.  Their going to need big numbers to compete with all of the weapons the Colts have on offense.  This will definitely be a good game to watch.

 

My Pick: Colts

 

 

4pm games:

 

Buffalo Bills (2-4) vs. NY Jets (1-6)

Location: Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

 

Last week I mentioned that the Jets head Coach, Eric Mangini, should consider making a switch at QB and bring in Kellen Clemens.  If Chad Pennington has a bad game this Sunday, don’t be surprised if Clemens gets the start in Week 9 against the Redskins.  Chad did sow some signs of hope in last Sunday’s loss against the Bengals, but it wasn’t enough.  Pennington was 20 for 31 with 272 yards, 3 TDs and 1 interception last week in the loss.  

 

What’s killing the Jets is their run game.  The Jets are ranked 25th in rushing offense this year.  Thomas Jones was the man who was to replace Curtis Martin.  How is that working out for the Jets?  Jones has 131 carries for 487 yards and no touchdowns.  With numbers like that, I’d rather have Oran “Juice” Jones as my running back. 

 

The Bills decided to stay with Trent Edwards as their starting QB and keep J.P. Losman on the bench.  That’s a good move.  He has given the Bills offense some new life and with RB Marshawn Lynch running the ball, the Bills look like a team going in the right direction in building up their offense.  If the Bills can stop Pennington from hitting his WRs for big lays, then they will pull off the season sweep.

 

My Pick: Bills

 

Houston Texans (3-4) vs. San Diego Chargers (3-3)

Location: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA

 

First, we want to send our prayers to the families in California that have been affected by the terrible fires this week.  Hopefully the families will be able to recover and return to their normal lives.    Because of the fires, the Chargers had practice in Arizona at the Cardinals training facility.  Qualcomm Stadium is being used as an evacuation center for people in the area for refuge from the fires.  Reports are now stating that the Chargers will be ready to go this Sunday in San Diego and the game will go on.

 

The Chargers have got the ball rolling, winning two games straight.  They have playing as if Martin Schottenheimer was still the head coach.  The Chargers have to continue doing what they’ve been doing for the past 2 games, have a soild mixture of run and pass and utilize LaDainian Tomlinson to the fullest.

 

The Texans have to attack the Chargers QB, Philip Rivers, and mess with his head.  They have to force him to make some big mistakes and capitalize on them.  They also have to attack the line of scrimmage and slow down the Chargers attack if they want to win this Sunday. 

 

My Pick: Texans

 

Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3)

Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

 

The Bucs lost a close game last week to the Titans and the Jags were shut down by the Colts last Monday night.   Both teams are hoping to bounce back.  Not only did the Jags lose the game, they lost their staring QB.  David Garrad sprained his right ankle in the Monday Night game and is now out 3-4 weeks.  Back-up QB, Quinn Gray, will be the starter.  That’s not good.  Since the Jags can’t throw the ball the way they would like to, they will have to rely on their running game to put numbers on the board.  If RBs Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew are healthy, the Bucs have a long day ahead of them in trying to stop the run.

 

The Bucs have to put pressure on the Jags and rattle Gray.  Since this is his first start, Gray will have everything thrown at him.  With the lack of a passing game, the Bucs can focus on the Jags ground game and shut it down.  This Bucs are the 12th ranked defense in the league while the Jags are the 13th ranked defense in the league.  Don’t look for any big numbers on the board because this is strictly a defensive game.  

 

My Pick: Jaguars 

 

Washington Redskins (4-2) vs. New England Patriots (7-0)

Location: Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA

 

The Pats have the #1 offense and defense in the league.  The ‘Skins have the 25th ranked offense and the 5th ranked defense in the league.  This can be a “trap” game for the Pats and they have a good chance of losing this game.  In this writer’s opinion, that ain’t gonna happen. The ‘Skins are a good team and have looked very impressive this season.  They’re just not on the same level of the Pats. 

 

The ‘Skins need to disrupt Tom Brady and his connection to his WRs.  If the ‘Skins can use their secondary to throw off the WRs routes, it will be hard for Brady to connect for big plays and big scores in the air.  The Pats have to slow down the ‘Skins run game and have to plug up any lane the ‘Skins try to open for RB Clinton Portis.  Once again, the Pats have too much power on both sides of the ball for the ‘Skins to handle and this Sunday will be a test for the ‘Skins.

 

My Pick: Patriots

 

New Orleans Saints (2-4) vs. San Francisco 49ers (2-4)

Location: Monster Park, San Francisco, CA

 

Both of these teams came into this season with a lot of promise.  Then fate reared its ugly head.  The 49ers started 2-0 and then lost 4 straight.  The Saints lost 4 in a row, then turned it around and have 2 straight.  Injuries have been the death of these teams and have pulled the promise of a successful season from under their feet.

 

The Saints have the 20th ranked offense in the league while the 49ers have the 32nd ranked offense in the league.  This game will be interesting.  Ironically, the 49ers have the 17th ranked defense in the league while the Saints are ranked 22nd.

 

With QB Alex Smith returning this Sunday, the 49ers have to utilize their big 3 in Smith, RB Frank Gore and TE Vernon Davis.  The 49ers really need to use Gore and run him as much as possible against a solid Saint’s D-line.  He needs to tire that line out as the game goes on so when the opportunity arises, he can break out for a big play.  Also, the 49ers O-line has to step up and give Smith time to execute the play.  The 49ers’ lack of protection is what got Smith injured in the first place.  Make up for it in this game and give this kid protection.

 

Defensively, the 49ers have to stop QB Drew Brees and RB Reggie Bush.  The 49ers D-line has to step up and put pressure on Brees and shut down Bush as soon as the game starts.  Since the Saints WRs are weak, the secondary should be able to contribute in stopping the Saints run game. 

 

The Saints have to continue to work Bush in the offense and allow him to go nuts.  Let him run all over the place as if he’s a little kid on a sugar rush.  On defense, the Saints should throw everything including the kitchen sink at Alex Smith and throw him off.  Since he’s returning from an injury, Smith may be a little hesitant to move around on the field hoping to prevent another injury.  The Saints need to put as much pressure on the 49ers that they possibly can and disrupt their flow.  

 

My Pick: Saints

 

 

Sunday Night Game:

 

No Sunday Night Game due to the World Series

 

 

Monday Night Game:

 

Green Bay Packers (5-1) vs. Denver Broncos (3-3)

Location: Invesco Field, Denver, CO

 

The Broncos have the 2nd ranked pass defense in the league.  They showed it last Sunday night against the Steelers.  The Packers have the league’s 3rd best passing offense.  Both teams’ CBs are very good, but the Broncos have the edges with CB Champ Bailey and Dre Bly. 

 

Also, the Broncos have a run game with RB Travis Henry which will allow them to open up the field using screen plays with Henry.  The Broncos have to shut down the Packers passing game and force them to run the ball.  Since the Packers run game is not the greatest, all they can do is throw the ball.  Take that away from them, there’s nothing else left for the Packers to do.

 

The Packers have to try and stop Travis Henry and force QB Jay Cutler to make big mistakes.  Once the Packers can force some big mistakes from Cutler, they can then capitalize on them and put some numbers on the board.  Let’s not forget, the Packers have CBs Al Harris and Charles Woodson in their secondary and they’re not too shabby.  If the Packers can get into Cutlers’s head, they have a good chance of winning

 

My Pick: Broncos

 

 Teams with Bye weeks: Atlanta Falcons (1-6), Arizona Cardinals (3-4), Baltimore Ravens (4-3), Dallas Cowboys (6-1), Kansas City Chiefs (4-3), Seattle Seahawks (4-3