From Johnson-Bird to Bryant-James, A New Rivalry In The Making?
From Bird and Magic...
It’s been 30 years since Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, then wide-eyed rookies with immense potential, took the National Basketball Association to a new brand of basketball.
Johnson, a proven winner from high school to college, where his Michigan Lancers ended what could have been a perfect season for Bird and his Indiana Sycamores in the US NCAA national championship the year before, injected passion, love for the game and introduced “Showtime” basketball to the world of pro basketball.
On the other hand, Bird, who can’t jump (that high), but grabs rebounds, don’t dunk a lot, but plays stern defense, was a consummate winner—his trademark buzzer-beaters or game-winning baskets already part of NBA lore.
Together, Johnson and Bird revolutionized the NBA and made the pro basketball a globally accepted sport—the sport that sparked tremendous interest among the Europeans and even Asians. No wonder, the number of Europeans and a few Asians are starting to crowd the Americans for regular slots.
Johnson and the Lakers won five NBA titles during the 1980s, while Bird led the Celtics to three, leaving the crumbs to the Philadelphia 76ers and Detroit Pistons to win one each.
...Lebron and Kobe
Fast forward to the present, the two likely players, who could spark some sort of a rivalry just like Johson and Bird did during the 1980s, are Kobe Bryant, also of the LA Lakers and Lebron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Well, Bryant (31) already has won four NBA championships (2000-2002 and 2009), while James, just 25 years old, already led the Cavs to the 2007 runner-up honors.
With many fruitful years ahead of him, it appears that James can soon catch up on Bryant and earn his place among the NBA legends.
In fact, a Kobe-Lebron Finals face-off nearly took place in the 2009 season considering that the Lakers and the Cavs finished with the best records respectively, in the West and the East.
Orlando Magic however, came in to dash the supposed marketing gold rush by clobbering the Cavs and taking the Eastern Conference title in six games to earn the right to face the Lakers in the Finals.
Basketball has certainly grown to global proportions since the 1980s’ Lakers-Celtics rivalry.
Now, it’s up to current NBA stars Bryant and James to take the lead and lift the level further for pro basketball to break some more records and barriers.
Photo Source: http://nicekicks.com/images/bron-kobe-2.jpg
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Road Tests For The Lakers
The road to a second straight NBA championship seemed easy for the Los Angeles Lakers during their first 19 games of the 2010-2011 season.
Currently owning a hot streak of nine straight wins, following their 108-88 demolition of the road-weary Phoenix Suns, the Lakers appear every bit of a champion.
Ron Artest has been fitting well in the Lakers’ triangle offense, averaging modest numbers of 12.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.1 steals during his first 19 games in the purple-and-gold uniform.
Andrew Bynum, meantime, has up the ante of his game thus far this year. Avearging 18 points and just above 10 boards per night and two blocks, the young seven-foot Laker slotman has improved further in his post plays, posting match up problems against opponents.
One thing, however, the Lakers will have to be prepared for is the coming road games.
Considering that in their first 19 games, LA only played four road games, the most recent of which, (prior to the 9-0 streak) was a 26-point humiliation at the Pepsi Center against Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets.
As the Lakers end their six-game home stand versus Minnesota this week, LA will be away from the Staples Center 19 of the 28 times where they are expected to play against more hostile crowd, teams out to beat them, different time zones plus a lot of traveling.
The coming road games will surely test the mettle and readiness of the Lakers to defend their title, which they won at the expense of the Orlando Magic last June.
The good thing though for LA this season is the difficulty of opposing teams to decide which player to guard defensively.
Kobe Bryant, considered the NBA’s premiere player now, has added a repertoire to his growing offensive arsenal—the low-post, which he improved on during the off season after his one-on-one sessions with NBA great center Hakeem Olajuwon.
Bynum also has a healthy Pau Gasol to lean on in the shaded lane for defense, rebounding and dunks, while Artest supplies the needed defensive presence against any opposing scorer.
Coming off the bench and expected to produce anytime is Lamar Odom, who has willingly stepped back and play the supporting role in the star-studded LA rotation.
With a host of scorers, defensive players and role players, the Lakers must translate these into Ws that would carry them on to the best record and the home court advantage going into the Playoffs.
What To Consider Before Casting Your Vote
We were able to listen to the presidential aspirants during last night’s (December 6) Harapan 2010 Forum, sponsored by the ANC/ABS-CBN channels.
It’s a perfect venue for voters like us to listen to their platforms, their viewpoints on specific issues plaguing the country and how they would respond in case they get elected as president to various situations.
As of the moment though, Ava and I have yet to identify the president we will be voting considering that we’re doing research and reading through the profiles of these aspirants.
I believe that as voters, it’s high time that we get rid of the popularity voting, which hardly made any difference for our nations the past two decades.
While actors and actresses do have the right to run for public office, not everyone is cut out for public service.
In running for public office, it takes more than just a nice-sounding or popular screen name to earn a spot in the public office.
It takes a lot of political will to carry on his/her job, a lot of heart for service to the citizenry as well as integrity all the time, considering the widespread corruption besetting our government past and present.
Anyway, after the Harapan 20101 Forum, we thought here are some key points to consider before writing at the black line of your ballots, the names of your chosen president, vice-president, senators, etc
- Fear of God—for some, this sounds idealistic, but truth is, you can never erase God in every area of our life. Daniel, a Jewish exile in Babylon born during the 632 B.C., was a public servant during his time. He served under Babylonian kings. Though the kings ruled and promoted an idolatrous culture, Daniel was known for his devotion and worship for God.
Daniel 6:3-4 gave us a brief description of Daniel as a public servant–3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.
2. Servant leader—there are just tons of leadership authors that have come up with various leadership principles in recent years. However, the ultimate example of a leader is none other than Jesus, whom candidates wishing to run for public office should emulate. Spending his last days on earth, Jesus got a basin with clean water and started to wash His disciples’ feet in the John 13 account.
12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
Washing another’s feet during their time, was certainly not the job of an esteemed Teacher like Jesus, but He chose to do it to emphasize the point that true leadership is serving others (with no strings attached).
3. Competent–meaning, the aspirant should be fit for the job. A simple research on the list of things the aspirant accomplished would already give you an idea if he is really fit for the job as president of the country.
I’m sure there are a whole lot more of things to consider when choosing for a presidential candidate or for any person running for public office, but at least, we gave you three key points that could serve as your guide before you cast your vote on May 2010.
Let’s pray that God will give each voter the wisdom to make wise decisions.
Photo Source: http://www.eleksyon.com.ph/sweetcron/system/application/views/themes/eleksyon_boxy/images/ad.jpg
Just For Laughs
Laughter is a good medicine, they say.
I was browsing through our December 2009 Reader’s Digest subscription the other night when my eye was caught on the Laughs! page.
Here’s a portion of the Laughs! page…This can give you some few seconds of laughs. Enjoy!
In cyberspace, they make fun of companies that keep you on hold forever. Here are a couple of messages local mental health organizations might wish to consider.
If you are obsessive-compulsive, press 1 repeteadly.
If you are co-dependent, please ask someone to press 2 for you.
If you have multiply personalities, press 3, 4, 5 and 6.
If you are paranoid, we know who you are and what you want, stay on the line so we can trace your call.
If you have short-term memory loss, press 9. If you have short-term memory loss, press 9. If you have short-term memory loss, press 9.
If you have low self-esteem, please hang up. Our operators are too busy to talk with you…
Ancient Prophecies
I’m very much excited with the upcoming Sunday preaching series on Ancient Prophecies (which by the way begins on Dec. 6).
Ever experienced dad or mom or probably your close friend promise to give you something?
-Buy you a bike if you’re in the top 10 of your class at the end of the school year
-you’ll be treated to a 5-day vacation at Hong Kong’s Disneyland
-have a 300 percent increase in your allowance next semester
-your friend promises to treat you to a movie, dinner and even drop you right at the door step of your house
I’m sure all of us at one time had somebody promise to give or do something favorable for us…but the hard part is, the promise wasn’t fulfilled…later. Ouch!
In the upcoming series, we’ll see God’s handiwork in human history, how He unveils His redemptive and glorious plan for each one of us through the many prophecies given by His prophets thousands of years ago.
And most importantly, how each of these prophecies spoken in different times, were fulfilled.
Isaiah 7:14 says, 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you [a] a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and [b] will call him Immanuel.
While people will surely be looking for signs everywhere as 2009 gives way for 2010, here’s my advice, you don’t have to turn to someone and ask for a sign.
God Himself gave us a sign—through the presence of Jesus, who was born, walked the earth more than 2,000 years ago, healed the sick, cast out demons, did miraculous things and, most of all, died on the cross and rose from the dead so that people from all walks of life—if they yield their lives to the plans of the Lord, will receive salvation and live a life free from sin and guilt and clothed in victory!
There’s been no record of global magnitude that God failed to fulfill prophecies given by His prophets.
Every prophecy spoken was fulfilled.
Want to know more? Join us for the next three Sundays at all 12 Victory locations. Check out the time slots at this web address…www.victoryubelt.org
