Rivalries of epic proportions: Lakers vs. Celtics, Duke vs. North Carolina, Bob Knight vs. a chair, Bricklayers vs. Violators. Wait…what?
 
Naturally, I’m talking about MTV’s Rock ’N’ Jock Basketball. So, gather around boys ‘n girls as I tell the tale of athletes and celebs coming together for an annual (ran from 1990 to 1997 or so, I think?!?) charity game of basketball. But not just any basketball game…how about one that featured a 25 point and a 50 point hoop waaay above the regular rim? Sounds intriguing, yet?
 
Add in 1990’s NBA greats like Shawn Kemp, Gary Payton, Reggie Miller, Tim Hardaway, J.R. Rider, and John Salley (okay, now I’m stretching the word ‘great’ too much)—and you’ve got the starts to a winning combination. Plus suit up singers like Brian McKnight and Boyz II Men, baseball all-stars like Kenny Lofton and Ken Griffey Jr., rappers like Queen Latifah and Marky Mark Wahlberg (sigh…), musicians like Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and actors like Dean Cain and Leonardo DiCaprio—and it’s a slam dunk.
 
The game were often intense, okay…not really, but there were a lot of alley oops and points on the scoreboard. MTV VJ and comedian Bill Bellamy captained the Violators, while MTV Sports anchor and actor Dan Cortese guided the Bricklayers. Bellamy often ended up on the losing end…but don’t worry about Bill ‘cuz he made plenty of memories along the way.

I mean, who can forget…
 
–Latifah stealing the ball from Kemp en route to a layup? No one told the 6 foot 9 inch “Reign Man” that the Queen was a high school b-ball star growing up in New Jersey.
 
–“Superman” Dean Cain winning the celeb dunk contest every year? How tall were the hoops for that anyway?
 
–Flea absolutely en fuego during a three-point shootout contest? Check that groovy court.
 
and finally…
 
–Gary Payton trading himself from team to team after every quarter to assure he’d be on the winning squad?
 
Ahhh…the crisp and refreshing taste of the 1990’s. Sure beats Crystal Pepsi.
 
PeAcE,
DeRoin.
 
Hey Yo, wait a second!!
I can’t leave without mentioning that MTV Rock ‘N’ Jock played softball, too. Much like basketball, more hijinx ensued. Outfielders brought fans out onto the field to take over in centerfield for awhile, baserunners had to go backwards around the basepaths one inning a game, and I’m sure a manager got thrown out every year for arguing a call.
 
Stars like George Clooney, Warren G. (once struck out twice in a slow-pitch charity softball game… c’mon Warren- you shoulda regulated on them fools), and Carmen Electra hit the diamond next to MLB players like Cecil Fielder, Darryl Strawberry, and the illustrious Roger McDowell. I had to make mention of softball because of relief pitcher McDowell alone, who took the mound over the years wearing anything from a kilt and a jester hat to crazy sunglasses and a dreadlock wig.

Are my thoughts on pop culture way out in left field, or right on par? Weigh in on these hot topics and tell me how cool I am when it comes to being mainstream. Today, I’m talkin’ music, movies, television, and technology… 

**T-Pain sucks musically and lyrically, but is a smart guy. He knew the autotune would play out fast, so he flooded the market with the most material in the shortest amount of time to capitalize while the commodity was still hot. It’s dead now…but he’s probably rich. 

**This season will probably be the last for “Dancing With the Stars“. The only reason I know it’s still on the air: my Mom watches it and I continue to make fun of her for doing it. Plus, I’ve heard the ‘star’ power is significantly down hill. America’s love affair with dancing is waning. 

**Speaking of which, singing talent shows have been falling down, too. ‘American Idol’ is apparently still chugging, though. Is this year the end of the line for this former TV juggernaut as well? [Bonus- Did you know: I’ve never seen a single episode of this show?] 

**Another show I’ve never luckily watched is ‘Spongebob Square Pants’. I hear it’s all the rage with the youngsters. But I’ve also heard it’s full of jokes with double meanings and all sorts of creepy innuendos. Is it this generation’s version of ‘Ren & Stimpy’? I recently caught an episode of ‘Ren & Stimpy’ at 2:30 AM. Wow, it sucked…how did we enjoy this weird fest so much as kids? 

**Is it just me or has R&B music’s well almost completely dry? I mean every song is about the same handful of topics in the same song structure. The only artists putting out stuff worthwhile recently have been Solange Knowles, Jill Scott, musiq soulchild, and Raphael Saadiq. We need another album from San Fran guitar player and singer Martin Luther- ASAP! 

**A big “thanks” to Clear Channel for killing the personality of the radio deejay. The one of rare time a deejay gets to be him/herself: reading the weather. Otherwise, they’re just forced to press play on the exact same playlists that automatically play and announce what sponsor is sponsoring the next segment. Viva college radio! …and pirate radio (as long as the pirates aren’t Somalian, I guess). 

**Someone get KTIV weekend sports anchor Mike Orlando an audition for ESPN ‘Sportscenter’ already. He’s been trying hard to capture that elusive Chris Berman mojo. 

**Why does it seem all recent slapstick comedies have been slapped with an R-rating? (And why do they all feature the same group of 5 dudes?) Does every film need to try to up the ante and out-gross or out-shock its competition? 

**Remember how many great sitcoms there were in the 1980’s and 1990’s? You couldn’t count them all on your hands and toes. Now old timey baseball pitcher Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown (now there’s a current pop culture reference if I’ve ever seen one) could count them on one hand. But a deserving shout does go out to ‘How I Met Your Mother’ for being awesome. 

**’The Simpsons’ completely ran out of ideas and any fresh material like three years ago. In sad news, ‘Family Guy’ seems to be heading that way, too. 

**The words “swag” and “swagger” are as overblown and no longer cool as when people kept doing ‘Chappelle’s Show’ Rick James jokes way past their expiration date. Cue a new buzzword. 

**Twitter = diet Facebook lite with zero calories. 

**Does it bug anyone that the main character from ‘The Matrix’ movies is named Thomas (Neo) Anderson…just like the glance over the shoulder in a white t-shirt guy who created Myspace? Me neither…but could Myspace be the matrix? Probably not. 

Well, that’s all the time we have this week folks. Be sure to tune in next week: same channel, same place for Off-Base Opinions!

PeAcE, 
DeRoin.

This post has taken forever to publish since I could never submit it here with all the links and pictures in tact. This edition of “The ’90’s on my Mind” is just too powerful to host here. So follow the link.

DUMB & DUMBER

PeAcE,
DeRoin.

P.S.- I will drop an extra to entice you to visit the link by giving you my top five quotes from the movie:
5. “We got no food, no jobs… our pet’s heads are FALLING OFF!”
4. “It’s okay…I’m a limo driver!!.”
3. “Just when I thought you couldn’t get any dumber, you go and do something like this… and totally redeem yourself!”
2. “Wanna hear the most annoying sound in the world??”
1. “Who’s the dead man that threw the saltshaker?!!”

Why is Hollywood making such a big deal over another dead, drugged-up actor? Is giving Heath Ledger standing ovations and boatloads of awards because he died really necessary? Does he deserve to become another secular idol? Personally, I’ve never heard of him until he died and all the tributes and honors are all just unfruitful fodder trying to make a hero out of a supposed prescription drug abuser…hardly a role model. Exactly the same way music fans made The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac glorious martyrs– Hollywood is putting Ledger on the pedestal making him greater in death than he was in life. (Sure Biggie and Tupac were great emcees, but don’t deserve to be automatically mentioned in every ‘greatest of all time’ discussion…but that’s a whole other conversation.) 

So, should society continue to herald people only after they’ve died as incredible icons when they so obviously aren’t? Drop some knowledge…