The Rivalry Continues

SUNS V. Spurs

Will this be the year the SUNS can finally send the Spurs home? Can the SUNS reverse the curse?

As mentioned below, the Spurs have a unique ability to look like a championship team no matter what seed they enter the playoffs with or how stinking old they may be. So the Suns beating the Spurs 2 of 3 times this season doesn't mean anything!

So what will make the difference? What will get the Suns over the top?

You can look at the stats all you want...points per game, home court advantage, records, seedings, etc. None of that matters (By the way the Suns own every offensive category and rebounding). The Spurs will be picked by most, they still have the Big 3, plus an emerging Hill, and Ole Trusty Pop.

(Read this section with emotion like William Wallace in final scene of Braveheart!)

But this year, (dramatic pause) this year the SUNS will not go quietly into the night! We will not have to watch the Spurs luck out on buzzer-beating 3-pointers by Tim Duncan! We will not suspend ourselves by letting our toes enter the court during a push fest. We will not break our orbital bones or head butt Tony Longoria! We will play team defense! You think Grant Hill is going to let the Phantom of Argentina-Manu Gawiggly light him up? WRONG! Just asked J. Dunkless with Portland! This is the year that the SUNS will triumph, but it won't be easy! To win the series they must win game 1.

PREDICTION FOR GAME 1: SUNS by 7

PREDICTION FOR SERIES: SUNS in 7

Don't Call it a Comeback! Playoff Preview..

Fredstrom is back after a much needed 6 month break! He's ready to break down this crazy Western Conference Playoff mess. Here it goes ya'll...

(1)Lakers vs. (8) Thunder- The Black Mamba squares off against the Durantuala! This season the Lakers squeaked by the Thunder 3-1 only winning two of those games by 3 points. The Thunder won the most recent game by 16! Besides two of the top scorers battling it out, this could be an interesting matchup...Thunder are coming in with some momentum while the Lakers are 4-6 in their last 10 games-Strugggglingg! It literally pains the Fredstrom to pick the Lakers in 6. Ouch!

(2)Mavs vs. (7) Spurs- The Texas Two-Step face off yet again, this time the upgraded Mavs may be the best team they've ever been and the ailing Spurs-weakest in the Duncan era. Don't underestimate the Spurs though, there is something weird about them come playoff time where their flaws magically vanish and they shut teams down. Like last year, the Mavs will come out on top in 6.

(3)SUNS vs. (6) Blazers- Planet Orange will eclipse the injury plagued Blazers. The SUNS are the hottest team since the all-star break in the West. The incredibly hungry Amare and ridiculous second team are making many analysts add the SUNS to the serious contender talks. It's not often that you keep your starters on the bench so that your lead can increase with unparalleled bench play. The SUNS are carrying a swagger not seen before and The Fredstrom loves it (double chest pound)! Even with regular season struggles against the Blaze (1-2) the SUNS will take them in 5.

(4)Nuggets vs. (5) Jazz- Who's the best in the Northwest? Both teams finished the season 6-4 not looking anything like the juggernauts they have shown themselves at times to be. Both teams struggle on the road and Denver is better at home. So the Fredstrom must pick the Nuggets but this one goes 7.

So that puts the Suns against the Mavs and the Flakers with the Nuggets...no upsets in round 1 for the West. Second round preview to come...

What do you all think?

Suns Squeak Out Season Opener

The Suns do what they do best...let an inferior team hang around and try to come up with stops at the end. Fortunately, they did come up with a couple late stops and "O" Canada took over to push the Suns over the top. The Fredstrom isn't going to say much more about tonight's game, except that they need to play a whole lot better.  The Fredstrom will now digresses to give you his Western Conference preview Power Rankings.

Standings after the 09-10 regular season...

1. LA Lakers- champs add Artest, could be good or bad, and hang on to Odom. Pending any Kobe injury, Lakers will finish 1st in the West. There is no reason to put LA anywhere else. Was Ariza the Laker X-factor? We'll see...

2. San Antonio Spurs- add McDyess and Richard Jefferson to the already dangerous trio of Parker, Duncan, and Manu.  Aren't we all sad that Bowen retired? Nash can finally play the Spurs without getting raked across his arms or repeatedly tripped: )

3. Portland Trailblazers- A young team that has continued to improve, Brandon Roy and company will build upon last years 54-win season to secure the 3rd spot this year.  Greg Oden is "healthy" going into the season and that can only help.

4. Denver Nuggets- Give Chauncy Billups a full year with Denver along with a returning core of dangerous scorers. Look for Denver to be among the top 5 in the West all year and will finish in the 4th spot.

5. Utah Jazz- Have one of the leagues best point guards with D. Williams, a returning Boozer, Brewer, and Millsap...a core that has had much success in the West over the past few years. Sloan's teams are tough, gritty, play hard-nose defense and frustrate many.

6 (7). Dallas Mavericks- Dirk, an aging Kidd, Howard, Terry, and Marion make up a pretty good team. They will finish with the same record as the Suns cause the Fredstrom can't figure out who is the better team despite the Mavs looking horrible last night.

7. (6) Phoenix Suns- On paper the Suns look pretty good, Nash, Richardson (who needs to step up), Amare, Frye, Barbosa, and Hill; with a vastly improved bench.  The bench kept them in the game tonight, although it was the Clippers.  The Suns will finish either 6th or 7th depending upon the tie-breaker with the Mavs.

8. Golden State Warriors- If Stephen Jackson can hold his drama together the GSW's will once again find themselves in the 8th spot.  They add Stephen Curry to a high-octane scoring machine.  This team will be interesting to watch for sure and maybe even for the basketball?

The Fredstrom feels really confident about his top 4 picks...do you see it the same way?

Where the Wild Things Are...The Fredstrom Isn't

It was one of the most anticipated movies of the past 6 months, but probably shouldn't have been.

In case you live in some imaginary place, the story is about a boy named Max who likes to act a little "wild" sometimes too wild.  The book tells us that Max is sent to his room without supper for his punishment...the movie has Max laying his chompers into Mom's shoulder and running out of the house...

Max often escapes these strong feelings through use of his vast imagination, one that takes him to a far off place- "Where the Wild Things Are."  He convinces these leader-less, direction-less wild things that he is a king from a far away place.  The wild things make Max their king. His first order of business is to have a "wild rumpus".  The wild things are a divided crowd and Max's solution is a dirt-clog fight and for them to make a giant new home.  Max becomes particularly fond of Carol, a wild thing that resembles Max in many ways.  Max does his best to be king but is clearly unfit for the job, longing to be home. After what seems to be days,  Max leaves the land of the wild things to return home as if only seconds have past.

This is not a kids movie...while watching this movie, parents were taking their bored children out of the theater, never to return again: )  The Fredstrom was expecting a fun movie with more laughs, instead he got a serious adult movie about a boy with an angry childhood.  It's not good when you invite people to a movie and you turn to them and apologize for taking them wasting their $7.75 (matinee!). So sorry Tricia, first Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Dull, and now Where the People Who Take Naps Are...The Fredstrom owes you...

"Where the Wild Things Are" earned an abysmal 3 Picasso's for making those Wild Things look so real, and that's about it...

Have You Heard of PS22?

August 28, 2009 - They're an Internet sensation with more than 40 YouTube videos. They've been courted by celebrities, they've been on Nightlineand MTV, they've sung songs with Tori Amos and Stevie Nicks, and they're only 10 and 11 years old. They perform in the fifth-grade chorus from Public School 22 on Staten Island, N.Y., and their singing has captivated millions. - Margot Adler

Notable songs by PS22 include, Viva la Vida, Just Dance, Eye of the Tiger, Don't Stop Believing, Landslide..and more..

You have to check out this choir! Thanks April! 

For more info click http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112336166 

This is Real...Not Kidding!

So let's say that you get a traffic ticket and have to take traffic school online to avoid going to court or don't want to pay that fine...

The following screenshots were taken of the actual final exams. Don't worry about studying, taking notes, or paying attention to the material! Check out some of theses questions and answers...redonkulous! (Click image to enlarge)So let me get this straight...the trunk isn't the safest place for a child?
Trucks have large liver spots?
People are using coffee makers, toasters, and copy machines while driving? Memo to test makers, try GPS's, radios, or iPods for decoy answers, you know things people actually use while driving! Idiots!
Telegraphs? Fax machines? Refer to comment above.
WATCH OUT FOR THAT ELEPHANT?!
To avoid neck injuries be sure to fasten your bulletproof vest?
This one was really difficult.
We have all heard of the Dept. of  Bar and Pub Safety, not to be outdone by the Dept. of Liquor and Drug Safety!

No wonder there are so many idiots on the road!  This is our standard for graduating driving school? Maybe the kicker is that you get 2 attempts to pass this test! If you fail this test you should have your license revoked and your car repo'ed immediately... helping lower the Fredstrom's car insurance.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

The Fredstrom went and spent his night with his beautiful wife at a kids movie: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Based on a popular children's book by Judi Barrett, Meatballs stars a young inventor named Flint Lockwood. Flint is a scientist who's dreams know no bounds, unfortunately his ideas get him into all kinds of trouble.

Flint ends up saving his hometown by inventing a machine that turns water into food, and he can make it "rain" anything he wants.  Cheeseburgers, ice cream, and the Fredstrom's favorite: giant hot dogs! But of course too much of a good thing ends up causing more trouble than expected.  Flint and company have to come up with an plan to stop his out-of-control experiment.

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a movie that adults can enjoy and one that kids will love. The best part of this movie was Officer Earl who's voice was provided by Mr. T.  He was hilarious!  He was worth the ticket alone.  The Fredstrom was thoroughly entertained but really looking forward to "Where the Wild Things Are"!

Meatballs earned a cool 7 Picasso's.