Top 5 Tuesday: Bobcats

Top 5 Tuesday returns! Today's topic: Great Moves in Charlotte Bobcats history. Straight to the countdown we go...

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There you have it folks, the five greatest moves ever by my hometown Charlotte Bobcats. What an incredibly difficult list to construct, so many outstanding choices.

More thoughts on the Okafor trade later. Ben brought up a good point in the "Comments" section of last night's post and I have two other things to mention as well. I'll try to get to that later today.

Yeah buddy, rollin' like a big shot

Top 5 Tuesday x2: DMB & 311

I have been waiting for this day for 3+ years now. But a new Dave Matthews Band album AND a new 311 album on the same day? Unprecedented. A new album is the culmination of years of creativity for the artist. Hopefully, both of these albums will subsequently provide years of listening enjoyment for us, the fans. In honor of this historic double-decker album drop, let's double our Top 5 Tuesday pleasure and get ready to count down the five best tracks from both Dave Matthews Band & 311.

Your role young reader is going to be a little bit different than normal. See, DMB & 311 are probably my two favorite rock-ish bands. So, I am essentially counting down the five best songs of my favorite artist(s). You, therefore, will do the same. In the "Comments" section (we need more comments people, this is slowly starting to grow), I need you to 1) identify your favorite musical artist, 2) provide a brief summary of why you like them, and 3) name your five favorite songs by that artist, in order. To serve as a sample:

Artist: 311

Why: Chad Sexton is a fantastic drummer, they are the best band I have ever seen live, they have provided years worth of bonding between myself and one of my best friends (helllllo Jason Howie), & their music is consistent - great melodies, some throw-down mixed with some mary jane chill, and a side of reggae funk. Love it.

My 311 Top 5:

5) Champagne (7th track off From Chaos) - sounds like a good song to toast to at a wedding to me

4) Don't Stay Home (11th track off 311) - kicking drum intro, really tight song

3) Applied Science (6th track off Grassroots) - the drum solo song. Played live at every concert, includes an extended solo for Chad Sexton and a joint-percussion section with the rest of the band. You think that's not making the top 5? Take the time to click the link on this one to get a taste of a live show. Awesome.

2) Beautiful Disaster (4th track off Transistor) - love the guitar rift and the general feel of this song.

1) All Mixed Up (4th track off 311) - yes, a mainstream track. I can't help it. Just love the flow of the verses, it has a hip-hop reggae feel to it. Chorus is solid and I dare you to play it at a bar and not see people singing along. I never skip it on the ipod.


Artist: Dave Matthews Band

Why: Carter Beauford is one terrific, bass-akwards drummer, their songs are complex & intricate, there are few things better than chillin at a Dave concert, & I never get tired of listening to them.

My DMB Top 5:

5) Pantala Naga Pampa/Rapunzel (1st & 2nd tracks off Before These Crowded Streets) - played together, and oh so creative. Best track off the best DMB album. But boy, does Halloween give it a run for its money.

4) Grey Street (2nd track off Busted Stuff) - the harmonies on this one, lots of energy, and it's great live.

3) #41 (5th track off Crash) - the #41-Say Goodbye-Drive In, Drive Out trio of songs is what caught my ears the first time I heard this album. Dad gave it to me for Christmas because some people had recommended it as something I might like. He didn't know I actually "hated" Dave Matthews Band because I did not like the song "Crash". Naturally, he gave me not only that song, but the entire album. Turns out I kind of liked it. And then it grew on me. And then it became an entry for Top 5 Tuesday. Carter's high-hat work and the live jam on this one put it in the list.

2) Dreamgirl (1st track off Stand Up) - I just love it.

1) Ants Marching (7th track off Under the Table and Dreaming) - very popular song across the masses. Encompasses all things DMB, in my opinion, and is just a fun song.

(For the record, the next five DMB tracks would be Drive In Drive Out, Say Goodbye, Recently, Grace is Gone, and Halloween, in no order).

There you have it, twice the Top 5 Tuesday fun. Hit it up with your favorite artist and your personal top 5. I've gotta run - two albums to pick up and play.

Know that we will always be down, down...

Top 5 Tuesday: Favorite NBA Players To Watch

This week's Top 5 Tuesday has to be NBA-related, given the ridiculously fun conference finals series currently going on. As I type, the Orlando Magic have taken a 3-1 series lead on Cleveland. Yes, you read that right. And I still think the Cavs have a good chance to win the series. Anyway, I think most people can agree that the top five players in the league right now are, in some order, King James, Black Mamba, Flash, CP3, and D-12 (although I'd debate Howard's inclusion). I thought about trying to rate the top five playoff moments I've ever seen, but figuring out which five Michael Jordan moments to include was a bit redundant. So, I am electing to go with your Top 5 NBA Players to Watch. It might be guys who hustle, guys who dunk, guys on your favorite team(s), or what have you. The only stipulation is that it must be a CURRENT NBA player (thereby eliminating Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Tim Kempton). My choices:

Honorable Mention: Chauncey Billups, Caron Butler, Ben Gordon (when he's hot), Baron Davis (when he cares), Tim Duncan (a former top 5 guy, but getting a bit older).

5b) Kevin Durant: There is no doubt in my mind that he will be in the Top 5 next year. Of course, that requires me actually being able to watch him on television. I saw the AFKATSS (Artists Formerly Known As The SuperSonics) play two times all season, and will need some more Durant time to adequately elevate him to Top 5 status. Either way, I too developed a man-crush while he was at Texas and love his ability to score in every way from every spot on the floor.

5a) Lebron James: Everyone loves him, and rightfully so. He is only down a bit on my list because he's just so physically imposing that it is almost unfair sometimes. Apparently only the Magic have figured out how to slow down the guy. His passing, weakside shot-blocking, and thunderous dunks are unmatched.

4) Brandon Roy: LOVED him in college at Washington and begged Bob's Cats to pick him in the draft. Naturally, they chose Adam Morrison instead (since he was not even the best collegiate player in his state at Gonzaga and he cried. Excuse me, she cried) and continue to search for a go-to-guy to score down the stretch from the wing. Go figure. Anyway, Roy does everything well and is a really tough dude. I enjoy the Trail Blazers mostly because of him and am looking forward to watching them grow up. He's just a gritty, clutch player.

3) Carmelo Anthony: Again, LOVED him in college. Saw him play early that season in Madison Square Garden and fell for his polished offensive game in the NCAA Tournament. He is such a phenomenal scorer for the Denver Nuggets, another young team that has been fun to watch grow. I find 'Melo frustrating at times because he can lose focus and not hustle back; on the flip side, I find him incredibly talented and efficient scoring the ball. My favorite part of his game is the smoothness - no one else like that in the league right now.

2) Chris Paul: I HATED him in college. He played on two great teams at Wake Forest, harassed the Heels on numerous occasions, and whined more than his fair share. He also did this. I figured he would go to the NBA and be a good, but not great, point guard. Now, I am a big Raymond Felton guy, and I like Deron Williams too. But, there is no argument about the best point guard from the 2005 draft. It is Chris Paul, a gap, then the debate begins. CP3 is faster than fast, pokes and prodes the opposing defense better than anyone other than Steve Nash and Ron Jeremy, and drops dimes like I drop rhymes (see?). Paul can score when needed and is one of the best pick pockets in the NBA. Paul is also a terrific team leader and seems to will his teammates to a higher level. There are few guys this competitive in the league, and his refuse-to-lose mentality is what sets him apart from his peers and puts him this high on my list.

1) Mark Madsen: because of this.

Ok, fine. The real #1?

1) Dwayne Wade: I do not care for the Heat, nor have I cared for many of their marquee players since Wade entered the league. That should illustrate the level of respect and admiration I have for D-Wade's game. This guy absolutely KILLS himself every. single. night. for his team. One injury-riddled season in 2007-2008 led them to the lottery. A full--strength D-Wade led them to an overachieving 5-seed. He is as personable a player as the Association has, a good guy off the court. He can do anything on both ends of the floor. But, it is the will to win and his 110% all the time that puts him tops on my list.

Alright, that's it for this week's Top 5 Tuesday. Later on this week, a look at three types of baseball. Next week's Top 5 will take place on a holiday on sorts, so get ready for a double-decker of analysis.

Holla atcha boy.

Top 5 Tuesday: Ladies (Revised)

Um...so did we know that Hayden is 19? As in, "Hi, my name is Hayden, I'm cute and all, but I'm only 19."

Oops.

New rule for my personal Top 5: you gotta not be too young for me (intentional double-negative, thanks). You can decide for yourself what that limit is, but she definitely crosses the line for Top 5 status. That's just not gonna work, ya'll. And next time, somebody of the male gender please let me know these things and police my postings/Top 5 lists.

As I mentioned, Hayden was a recent addition to the list. So, Hayden my dear, you gots to go. Maybe when I'm 35 and you're 27, that's alright. But I'm not in to changing diapers or having you show an ID to get into an R-rated-movie. And I would enjoy a glass of merlot if we ever had dinner...but you could not partake. So...um...wow, this is kinda awkward...I just think it's best if we stay friends and see other people (preferably those who are "of age" in my case).

Hey, it could have been worse.

Let's just go ahead and move Shakira up to the number 4 slot. And moving into fifth place, none other than my favorite American Idol winner, Carrie Underwood. The blond beauty from Oklahoma rocks the country music scene and rocks my world. Oh lil country girl. Insert gigantic picture here for emphasis:

Recap: Out with the way-too-young Hayden, in with the near-perfect Carrie. Revised Top 5: Carrie Underwood (5), Shakira (4), Alicia Keys (3), Scarlett Johannson (2), Jessica Alba (1). Lock it in.

Down down do your thang...

The Inaugural Top 5 Tuesday: Celebrity Crushes

It's here. The gimmick column that will take over the world. Cue the music as The Blue Team presents: Top 5 Tuesday. The premise is quite simple. I make a list of my "Top 5 _____" and you read it. Then, you tell me how stupid I am. The catch is this: when you comment on my choices, you have to provide your own Top 5 as well in the comments section. Not in great detail or description, but at least give me your list. And then, let the debate ensue from there.

I joke often about how no one in their right mind would read my craptastic blog. But, I think there is actually a decent number of you who read this, either via Facebook or linked from Twitter. Therefore, my hope is that this concept will provide you a good reason to read at least once a week and provide feedback. This is a bit similar to the Facebook rankings that a user can generate, but I appreciate more discussion and a better array of topics.

This week's Top 5 will feature the debate that started it all: Who are your Top 5 "Celebrity Crushes"? The criteria is open to your interpretation. It can be the Top 5 you would marry, sleep with, eat dinner with, discuss politics with, or what have you. Also, you can decide what constitutes a "celebrity". My cousin Whitney posed this question at Thanksgiving a few years ago and my entire family sat with great consternation developing our lists. It is now a standard question we ask folks, expecting them to have a response ready (or at least be able to come up with one fairly quickly). Failure to do so is met with tremendous disdain from our family. I asked a friend a few weeks ago and was met with such intense pondering that I had to allow him a few weeks to get back to me.

Anyway, let's roll. Here's my list for Top 5 Tuesday: Celebrity Crushes

5) Shakira. Beautiful, she can dance, she can sing, she can whisper sweet nothings in Spanish, and her hips...oh, her hips. I really think my favorite quality of Shakira is that she is probably not in your top 5. She's well-known, I promise, but I rarely hear her mentioned as one of the hottest women out there. She is a total package, in my opinion, and I like that you don't hear about her all the time. Although, you did hear "Hips Don't Lie" all the time; the song was apparently the most played song ever for a one week period.





4) Hayden Panettiere. Miss Claire Bennet herself is my "hero". She is also the newest addition to my personal top 5. Cute, personable in interviews, and short. Like it all. She is a bit on the young side though, a major drawback. However, it was obviously only a drawback from being a bit higher on this list, not nearly enough to put her off it completely. She is set for the big screen with "I Love You, Beth Cooper", which comes out this July. While I highly doubt I will ever set foot in a theater to watch it, I would surely enjoy her appearance in such a film. Yee haw.

3) Alicia Keys

She is an unbelievable singer, first of all. Second, I love her versatility: braids, straight hair, afro. Third, she is 100% woman. This chic does not mess around: she's politically active, involved in charitable organizations, and her lyrics are consistent with who she is. All adds up to a spot in my Top 5.

2) Scarlett Johansson. She kind of came out of nowhere in my mind, as I can't remember much about her becoming a celebrity hottie. The first time I truthfully can recall Scarlett was in "The Island", which came out in 2005. I mean, check out her IMDB. One would think that a celebrity of her status and respect among the male population would have been in a few more mainstream films or TV shows to gain exposure. Whatever. Point is, she is number 2. Which can only leave...

1) Jessica Alba. I felt like I "discovered" her on the show "Dark Angel", which aired through my junior and senior years of high school. None of my peers knew about her or the show. Oh, but I did. She obviously grew in recognition from there, staring in a number of well-known films. She has always been praised more for her beauty than her acting skills, which I attribute more to just how stunning she is than her lack of ability. She recently got married and became a mom, so I guess she's technically also number one on the "Hot Moms" list as well. I forsee her slipping from the number one spot on my list at some point, but it's going to take a new lady to do it. Namely, my wife.

That wraps up this week's "Top 5 Tuesday". So, now it's your turn. Who's your top 5? And yes, ladies, you can list your top 5 guys. We'll get to man crushes another week I'm sure, but the idea is to list the opposite (or attracted to) sex for this list. Now, go for it.

She got a body like a Coke bottle, face like a super model...