nbaplayoffs2009:

Ron Ron and puppies.

I just find it really funny/interesting that the night before Manny comes back to the Dodgers news breaks that Ron Artest reached an agreement with the Lakers. Two of the most polarizing players in their respective sports in the same city! That’s crazy! Listening to sports radio this afternoon, a majority of Lakers Nation appears to be in overwhelming support of the deal; much the same way (I have to assume) when the Dodgers got Manny last summer. I hope, in the coming weeks we see Artest sitting out in the Mannywood section at the Dodgers Stadium or at least in the fancy seats with a Manny wig on. I want to see a photo shoot with Manny and Ron Ron dressed as space cadets. I want to hear a joint Vic The Brick Mondo session with them.

I loved Trevor Ariza and what he did with the Lakers this past season. Many nights were spent jumping in the air after a dunk or a three point and shouting “THIEF!” at the top of my lungs after a steal especially during the Nuggets series and well, let’s face facts, if it wasn’t for Ariza’s third quarter performance in game 4, the finals could have had a different outcome. With Ariza going to the Rockets, it feels like a trade, but still, it’s kind of bummer. I had long term plans with Ariza; I bought the t-shirt with his name & number on the back of it!

Let’s hope Los Lakers can re-sign Lamar and Shannon Brown!

nbaplayoffs2009:

This may be the last thing on Trevor Ariza for the day unless Ariza signs somewhere or at least if Yahoo Sports’ Woj says something on the matter.

Now, you can look at Kobe Bryant’s recent contract extension and blame Kobe for not going in on a slightly smaller deal to provide more cap room so the Lakers could potentially re-sign Lamar Odom, Shannon Brown and Ariza. However, look at David Lee’s other client, Lakers center Andrew Bynum and all the cap room Bynum’s taking up. I’m just saying: don’t blame Kobe yet, but blame David Lee for pulling the wool over Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak’s eyes.

UPDATE: From Adrian Wojnarowski’s Twitter: “rockets expected to offer ariza multi-year deal at mid-level, still hope to keep artest” Basically The Rockets offered Ariza the same amount of money the Lakers did.

I will have the beer float from Golden State Cafe one day. Mark my words, that beer float will be mine!

via LAist

This may only apply to life time Southern California residents, but as I was walking around and waiting in line at Disneyland and its spin off park, California Adventure last night, I realized something. Perhaps inspired by overhearing somebody ask for Lion King stuff during my search for Up figurines but I realized there’s a Disneyland circle of life. You start as a child going with you parents, either in a stroll or clogging up walkways as you tug on your parents’ pants legs begging and demanding every technicolor piece of sugar within hand’s reach, but you’re just relegated to the rides of Fantasyland and Toon Town. Then you move onto the next phase; the phase when you’re embarrassed to be around your parents and you run around the park with reckless (within reason) abandon with your friends. After that there’s the couples phase and you have to assume after a while, the couples phase turns into a parents phase where you’re the one with children strapped to your shoulders and you’re struggling with the strollers.

Yet, I’m not sure if it’s actually possible to move into that last phase where the circle is complete. My feet are still sore. My legs are sore and I went in the late hours of the afternoon. I went when things were dying down and I’m still sore. I’m not jumping out to have children any time, but I don’t know if I can be that cool dad. The cool dad who puts his kid on his shoulder because the kid is too tired to walk. My legs began to give away about ten minutes into waiting for my second ride. I’m not sure if I’ll ever be able to muster up the strength to carry a child on my shoulders because their feet are too tired.

The next time I go to a theme park, I’ll probably get one of those motorized scooters and just zip around the place. I want to wait in line for a ride in my motorized scooter and I want to honk a weak horn when the line refuses to move and the rest of my family will ride motorized scooters and giant camelbacks full of soda.

Then again, I don’t even know if I can ride roller coasters anymore. There was a period when riding a roller coaster was enjoyable, but now, it’s just a punishment. A punishment that can be fun after the fact.