Josh Q. Public:  I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught. -Winston Churchill

1.  When my fantasy baseball draft comes around, I’m picking D-Nice.  Gy-Ro-Mite!  I may even pick him too early.  I don’t care.  I haven’t been this excited about every fifth day since Pedro left town.

2.  More Sox talk?  Sure, why not.  Beltin’ Todd Helton.  Hasn’t been beltin’ for a couple of years now.  My first thought goes to steroids.  It’s just gross that’s the way we have to think now.  Just like it’s gross every time there’s a power outage or gas truck explosion we think terrorism.  Oops.  Just got political.  Sorry folks.  Todd Helton.  That’s a lot of lefties, no?  Papi, Drew and Helton.  I don’t care.  I like it.   A batting order with David Ortiz, Manny, J.D. Drew and Helton.  Goodness.

3.  The Super Bowl is getting closer and closer.  I find myself caring less and less.  Is that wrong?  Tell me there’s gonna be some Terrible Terry Tate commercials and maybe I’ll start to care a little more.

4.   When is the Shield coming back on?  C’mon guys, the joke is over.  We’ll be good.

5.  Vee Dot Carter.   Finally playing harder.  Competition is nada.  Filled it up for forty on Saturday.  Twenty in the fourth.  Nets end their record tying, three game, lose by one point, on the other guy’s last possession streak.  Carter just had thirty-three versus the Clips and a career high thirteen assists against the Wiz.  Nobody beats the Wiz.  Nobody.

6.  Stanford bears down.  Bears down to beat the number three UCLA Bruins.  Maybe its because I’m an East Coast guy.  I dunno.  I never believed in UCLA from the giddy-up.  As good as Arron Aflallo is, I just don’t see it.

7.  Seven-time Cy Young winner Roger Clemens isn’t prepared to say whether he’ll be back for another season.  Here we go.  Here we go again.  Here comes the Roger Clemens dog and pony show.  The Roger Clemens dog and pony show coming soon to a town near you.  Between him and Ted Stroehmann’s boy Brett Favre, I’ve just about had enough. 

8.  I know I’m gonna get killed on this one but, the Tiger and Federer stories don’t move me.  Don’t groove me.  Don’t J-Schmoove me.  I understand they may be the most dominating athletes out there, but I’m just not feeling the country club sports.  Never have.  I need action.  I need action for my satisfaction. 

9.  Here keep coming the Suns.  Again and again and again.  The Suns defeated the Cavs 115-100 on Sunday for their 33rd win in their past 35 games.  Only three other teams in NBA history went 33-2 over a 35-game span in one season: the Kobe and Shaq’s Lakers in 2000; Michael and the Jordanaires in 1995-96; and Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor of the ‘72 Lakers.  How did that ‘72 Laker team ever lose?

10.  Here you go Dusty.  The Mamba scored six of the Lakers’ 14 points in overtime against the Spurs.  He now has accounted for a total of 50 of his team’s 106 points in OT this season. The Lakers have 38 games to play this season, but number twenty-four has already scored more OT points than any other player in any season since Fab Fiver Jalen Rose tallied 51 points in overtime in 2000-01.

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even! 

Josh Q. Public:  I got a hundred guns, a hundred clips, I’m from New York, New York.  I got a semi-automatic that spits next time if you talk, you talk.  -Ja Rule

Public Service Announcement:  Ok here we go!  What’s crack-a-lacking sports fans?  To my Harlem crew, my Brooklyn crew, true New Yorkers wear orange and blue. How ’bout them Knicks?  Now first off, you should know, I’m no Knick fan.  In fact, I loathe Zeke more than any other figure in the NBA.  His Bad Boy comments about Larry Legend are unpardonable.  And know this, I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again.  I’ll say it ’till the cows come home.  I’ll say it, then I’ll say shalom.  I’ll say it from here to the Astrodome.  If Kevin McHale doesn’t get hurt, there are no Bad Boys.  There.  I said it.  Having said it, I’ll say this:  Zeke is making this a fun team to watch.  Who woulda thunk?  Isiah ruined the CBA.  Isiah ruined the Raptors.  Isiah ruined the Pacers.  Isiah, bizzaro Midas.  I thought Isiah was going to ruin the Knicks too.  Run them into the ground.  It sure looked like it.  Didn’t it?  But here we are.  Here we are forty-six games into this season and Thomas only needs five more wins to better Larry Brown’s efforts of last year.  How did this happen?  How did they beat the Nuggets, the Cavaliers and the Pacers on the road?  How did they beat the Pistons, the Bulls and Miami at home?  Huh? How?  Tell me.  I need to know.

I’ll tell you.  They’re tough.  Ram tough.  Mentallly tough.  On their last leg, just gettin’ by.  Halos round their heads, too tough to die. Tick-tock they don’t stop, and to the, ah tick-tock they don’t quit.  No they don’t quit.  They don’t quit on the road.  They don’t quit on the road when they’re trailing.  They don’t quit on the road when they’re trailing better teams.  They’ve got a swagger now.  Since the brawl they’re ten and nine.  They play hard all the time.  Like Johnny Cash, they walk the line.  Jamal Crawford’s walking the line.  Walking the line and hoisting up fifty-two against Shaq and the Heat.  Walking the line and hitting sixteen straight.  Just tearing it up in the World’s Most Famous Arena.   Stephon Marbury’s walking the line.  Walking the line and playing defense.  Tough defense.  Dare I say it?  Tenacious defense.  Walking the line and filling it up.  In the first 25 games, Starbury put up just one 20-point-or-more game.  Just one.  Since then, he’s blown up for 20-or-more nine times, exceeding 30 once and 40 another.  Walking the line and making the pass.  He made the pass thirteen times to Crawford in that fifty-two point ridiculousness.  Eddy Curry is walking the line.  Walking the line while averaging 19.4 points.  19.4, tops among Eastern centers.  Tip-tops.  His .586 shooting percentage is fourth in the league.  David Lee is walking the line.  Walking the line and crashing the boards.  Crashing the glass with reckless abandoned.  Walking the line and coming off the bench for eleven points and eleven boards a game.  Big Nate Robinson is walking the line.  Walking the line with his his heart on his sleeve.  If you’re a Knick guy, how can you love this cat. Jumping out of the gym.  Diving for the loose ball.  Quentin Richardson is walking the line.  Walking the line and knocking down threes.  To my uptown crew, my downtown crew, true New Yorkers wear orange and blue. The New York Knicks.  Walking the line and making things frantic.  Making things frantic in the Hot Lantic.

Public Spectacle:

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even!

Josh Q. Public:  Spanish bombs, yo te quiero infinito.  Yo te quiero, oh mi corazon.  -The Clash

Public Service Announcement:  OK, here we go!  All right ramblers, let’s get rambling. Finally.  After losing ten straight, there’s finally a light at the end of the tunnel.  Finally something to get excited about. Pau Gasol.  Standing tall.  The most wanted man in basketball.  On the trading block.   Rumor has it, he’s going to the Bulls.  Rumor has it, he’s going to the Cavs.  Rumor has it, he’s going to the Nets.  Rumor has it, he’s going to the Celtics.  The Celtics?  Really?  That’s what Peter Vescey says.  That’s what Peter Vescey says in Hoop Du Jour.

That’s good news.  Real good news.   Like the Supremes always say:  Oh my baby’s comin home tomorrow, ain’t that good news?  Yeah, ain’t that news?  I’m gonna have him a party at the station.   Ain’t that good news?   Yeah, ain’t that news?  I’m in.  I like this guy. I want this guy. The Celtics should too. They did back in 2001. Back in 2001 when they offered their 10th and 11th picks in order to move up in the draft to get him. They should still want him. Kung Pau is good. Real good.   Kung Pau can score.  Kung Pau can score in the post.  Lethal in the low-post.  A lethal weapon.  Martin Riggs style.  He can play facing the rim.  He can play with his back to it.  He’s a dipsy-doo dunkeroo slam-jam-bam just a waiting to happen.  And that hook.  That impossible to block hook.  Even Kareem loves to look at that hook.  A devastating hook.  Cassius Clay style.  He can pass too.  He can run the floor.  He makes good decisions.  Am I gushing?  Am I going too far?  I’m sorry.  I’m just excited. 

Excited at the prospect of the Truth finally getting the oppurtunity to play with a bonafide star.  This is a two-star league.  You can’t leave home without’em. You ain’t winning nothing without’em.  See Kobe Bean.  Maybe the best you ever seen.  Better than Big Daddy Don Bodine.  But he hasn’t been able to go it alone.  No one has.  Wally’s not that guy.  Antoine almost was. But they had Kenny Anderson too. Ricky Davis certainly wasn’t. I don’t think any of the kids are either. Yet. Pau is.  Paul Pierce and Kung Pau.  I like it.  I like it a lot.  Kung Pao up front with Big Al.  Happy days would be here again.  The skies above would be clear again.  But at what cost?  That’s the question.  I would give up anybody, anybody not named Paul Pierce or Al Jefferson.  Even Gerald Green the Dunk Machine?  Yes, even Gerald Green the Dunk Machine.  Jerry West wanted him in the draft.  Wanted him real bad. He can have him now.  Don’t misunderstand.  I love Gerald.  Think he could be a star.  Pau is a star.  He lives large.  Big House.  Five cars.  He’s in charge.   

If Pau is truly available, the Celtics have to explore the opportunity.  They have to.  Playing for the draft is playing for a complementary frontcourt player to go along with Big Al Jefferson.  Pau is that complimentary player, and then some.  Danny, if you’re listening.  Pull the trigger.   Please. Big Al, the Truth and Kung Pau could take the Hot Lantic.  Could take the Hot Lantic in a hot a minute.  Could take the Hot Lantic in a hot Boston minute. Haven’t we waited long enough?

Public Spectacle:

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even!

Josh Q. Public:  G-berg and Georgie let their gimmicks go rotten, so they died of hepatitis in upper Manhattan.  Sly in Vietnam took a bullet in the head.  Bobby OD’d on Drano on the night that he was wed.  They were two more friends of mine.  Two more friends that died.  -JimCaroll Band

Public Service Announcement:  OK here we go.  Live from the squared circle. Bringing you the cheese like Urkel.  I was saddened when I heard Bam Bam Bigelow died the other day. Found dead in his Florida home, passed away from an unknown cause at age 45.  I used to be a WWF freak.  Aaahh Freak out!  Le Freak, C’est Chic.  Couldn’t get enough.  Couldn’t get enough of Rowdy Roddy Piper smashing coconuts over the Superfly’s noggin.  Couldn’t get enough of George the Animal Steel eating the turnbuckle like a fat kid eating cake.  Couldn’t get enough of Superstar Billy Graham.  The man of the hour, the man with the power, too sweet to be sour!  Couldn’t get enough of the Macho Man.  Ooh yaa!  There was the Iron Sheik Camel Clutching.  There was Sgt. Slaughter Cobra Clutching.  There was Greg the Hammer Figure-Four Leg-Locking.  The Moondogs: Rex and Spot.  The Bulldogs: Davey Boy and Kid Dynamite.  The Valiant Brothers.  The Hart Foundation.  The Maginificent Muraco.  Jesse the Body.  All of it.  And then there was Bam Bam Bigelow.

Bam Bam Bigelow.  More tattoos than the NBA.  More tattos than you could shake a stick at.  An abundance of tatoos.  A plethora of tattoos.  Herve Villechaize style.  Bam Bam never made it like the Hulkster made it.  Like the Undertaker made it.  Never was number one on the charts.  But he cartwheeled his way into our hearts.  Greetings From Asbury Park.  The flying head butt off the top-rope.  At 400 pounds, he was big.  At 400 pounds, he was agile.  You dug his style.  He made it worth your while.  Gave you a smile from here to the miracle mile.  He did flips off the top rope.  He did the Wham Bam Thank You Ma’am.  And, he wrestled LT.  Not Complainlian, the real LT.  Cocaine takin’, quarterback breakin’, New York football Giant Lawrence Taylor.  Wrestlemania XI.  Can you dig it?  Wrestlemania XI.  Bam Bam, wrestling in Ted DiBiase’s Million Dollar Corporation.  The apex of his career.  In comes LT, along with his mantourage.  Ken Norton, Jr.   Carl Banks.   Rickey Jackson.   Steve McMichael.  Reggie White.  Chris Spielman.   Salt-n-Pepa’s Whatta Man blaring.  What a mighty big man.  Bam Bam clotheslines LT.  Boo Ya!  Power Slam.  Boston Crab.  Leg-lock.  Greetings From Asbury Park Baby!  Down goes Taylor, like a drunken sailor.  Here comes the count.  1…2… not to be.  Up jumps LT.  Throwing forearms with ferocity.  Bam Bam goes down for the count.  He goes down for he count and loses the match.  Maybe so, but it’s a moment in time I’ll never forget.  Rest in peace Bam Bam. 

Public Spectacle:

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even! 

Josh Q. Public:  The preservation of the means of knowledge among the lowest ranks is of more importance to the Public than all the property of the rich men in the country.  -John Adams

Public Knowledge: 

1.  So you weren’t impressed with the Big Aristotle’s comeback performance.  The fourteen minutes, five points and five boards weren’t enough for ya?  You want more.  Well, tonight’s the night.  It’s gonna be all right.  The Heat face the Eddy Curryless Knicks.  I think maybe, just maybe, Shaq will put up some numbers.

2.  Guess who’s taking the hill again today.  Guess who’s making a triumphant comeback again today.  That’s right, it’s none other than Carl Pavano.  Last seen, Mr. Pavano was smashing up his Porsche and his ribs.  Hasn’t thrown in the bigs since June of ‘05.  Show me what you got little mama. Show me what you got.  Inquiring minds want to know.

3.  Pau Gasol to the Baby Bulls?  Perhaps.  Paxson says he’s interested.  They’ve needed a body in the middle who can score ever since they traded away fat Eddy Curry.  But for who?  Madison Square Gordon and Luol Deng.  Not bloody likely.  We’ll be keeping an eye on this one.

4.  Trouble in Cleveland?  The Cavs are 24-18.  All well and good.  But they’ve lost six out of their last ten.  Bye-bye Brownie?  Dwane Casey style?  Maybe.  Whenever high hopes fail to come to fruition, it’s the coach who usually suffers.  Regardless of who misses big free throws.

5.  What happened?  They used to be the most swinging alligators in the swamp.  They used to be the greatest percolators when they really started to romp.  Wally Gator style.  Now?  Not so much.  Seven times this season, the Nets have led by at least ten points and lost. Monday they were up twenty.  Wednesday, they were up eleven with four minutes left.  This team could be 27-15.  Instead, they’re 20-22.  Good thing they’re in the Hot Lantic.  Not for nothing, Cuttino Mobley’s 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds remaining gave the Clippers a 102-101 victory over New Jersey.  It was the Nets’ third consecutive one-point loss, equaling the longest streak in NBA history. 

6.  Red Sox finalize deal on JD Drew.  About time.  Coconut Crisp, Julio Lugo, Papi, Manny, JD Drew.  That’s a pretty daggone good line-up.  Gy-Ro-Mite!, Schilling, Pap, Boom Boom Beckett, Wakefield.  That’s a pretty daggone good staff.  You listen to me brother, saddle your ponies you bet!  Bring it bitches!  Listen to me now, or listen to me later:  Fear the Red Sox!

7.  Dewey beats Truman.  Vee Dot Carter:  “I’m thrilled. It’s always just a great feeling to be selected as an All-Star as a starter.”  Hey dum-dum, Hibachi’s starting.

8.  Does it ever stop?  Tractor Traylor. Remember him?  Broke a backboard while at Michigan.  Broke his arm while out with Mateen Cleaves.  Well, he broke something else.  The law.  His Largeness just pleaded guilty yesterday.   Pleaded guilty yesterday to preparing a false tax return after hiding assets for a convicted drug dealer.  I’ll never get it.

9.  Start me up!  How is Canadian Idol Steve Nash not an All-Star starter.  Tracy McGrady?  Really?  I love T-Mac as much as the next guy, but c’mon.  Stupid.

10.  The Nugget trade no one is talking about.  Earl Boykins for Steve Blake.  The Nuggets have won five straight since attaining Blake.  He has started at the point in all five of those games.  Coinky dinky?  We think not.  Blake pushes it.  Pushes it real good.  Hits the three.  Protects the rock.  The Nuggets are the team no one wants to see come playoff time.   

11.  Quote of the day.  Gilbert Arenas:  “He’d like to see what I’m going to do against Duke?  I thought it was funny because if I have the chance to go back to college, I’ll give up one NBA season to play against Duke.  One college game that’s five fouls, right? … 40-minute game at Duke, they got soft rims I’d probably score 84 or 85. I wouldn’t pass the ball. I wouldn’t even think about passing it. It would be like a NBA Live or an NBA 2K7 game, you just shoot with one person.”   And that’s different from now, how exactly?

12.  Baby boomers.  Four of the five players selected for the Eastern Conference All-Star Team are 25 years old or younger: Agent Zero and Flash are both 25; Chris Bosh and King James are both 22.  In the past 50 years there has been only one NBA All-Star Game in which four (or more) starters from one conference were no older than 25. The 2002 West team had four: The Big Ticket, Little Stevie Franchise, The Big Fundamental and The Mamba.

13.  Money makin’.  Money, money makin’.  Dallas Maverick super disco breakin’.  Disco Dirk.  Nowitzki had 11 rebounds, marking his seventh straight game with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. He also had a seven-game streak earlier this season.  No other NBA player has had even one streak of five or more consecutive games with 20 or more points and 10 or more rebounds this season.  MVP?

14.  Multiple published reports state that Kenny Anderson will be named quarterbacks coach of the Steelers.  Anderson played all 16 of his NFL seasons with the Bengals (1971-1986) and he started 23 career games against Pittsburgh, the most for any NFL quarterback vs. the Steelers over the last 50 years.  I always liked that cat. Remember 1981?  Huh?  Do ya?  Sherman, set the way back machine.  1981.  Anderson had completed 62.6% of his passes for 3,754 yards and 29 touchdowns, with only 10 interceptions leading the NFL with a career-high 98.4 Passer Rating.  Associated Press and Professional Football Writers of America NFL Most Valuable Player Awards and the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.  Freezer Bowl to the Super Bowl.  The Bengals lost Super Bowl XVI to the 49ers, but Anderson wasn’t bad.  25 of 34 passes for 300 yards.  Two touchdowns.  Another one on the ground.   At the time, his 25 completions and 73.5% completion percentage were both Super Bowl records.  Kenny Anderson ladies and gentlemen, Kenny Anderson.

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even!

Josh Q. Public:  Got a punch to crunch, cold munch for lunch.  Not Grady or the lady from the Brady Bunch.  -Run DMC

Public Service Announcement:  OK, here we go!  Too soon?  Too soon to make my pick?  Too much is never enough.  Super Sunday.  Super fun day.  Super more fun than Tank Johnson’s submachine gunday.  This it.  This is it, the night of nights.  This is it, we’ll hit the heights. And oh what heights we’ll hit.  On with the show, this is it.  Bugs Bunny style.  Who to pick?  Who to pick?  That’s the question.  Who to pick?  Survey says:  The Bears.

That’s right folks I’m picking the Chicago Bears.  The Monsters of the Midway.  Super Bowl Shuffling all the way to Disney World.  Bear down, Chicago Bears, and let them know why you’re wearing the crown.  You’re the pride and joy of Illinois.  Chicago Bears, Bear down!  And Bear down they will.  They will Bear down with their running attack.  The Colts’ poor tackling was a major problem during the regular season.  A major problem.  A Major Healey problem.  A Major Wolfgang Hochstetter problem.  A Lee Majors problem.  A Six Million Dollar problem.  The Colts had the NFL’s worst rushing defense during the regular season.  We know they turned that around in the playoffs.  We also know it resurfaced last week.  It resurfaced last week in the first half against the Patriots.  The Pats ran 19 times for 85 yards in that first half.  The Pats ran for a dominating 4.5 yards per carry.  Sure the Colts made some adjustments.  But the Patriots ran only five times in the second half.  I assure you, the Bears will not give up on the running game so easily.  They will run early.  They will run often.  Three yards and a cloud of dust.  Again.  Again.  And again.  Cedric Benson will Bear down.  Thomas Jones will Bear down.  He Beared down against the Saints.  Beared down for 123 yards.  Beared down for two TDs.  And you saw the drive.  You saw the drive to close out the game.  Smash mouth football baby!  Goodness! 

The Chicago defense will Bear down.  Number one in the NFC.  Number one in our hearts.  The Bears just held the NFC’s best offense to just 14 points.  Held them to 56 yards on the ground.  Terminate ‘em!  Eliminate ‘em!  Defense, defense!  Annihilate ‘em!  Oh they will.  Brian Keith Urlacher.  Number fifty-four.  That’s all you need to know.  Mean from head to toe.  He’ll catch you wherever you go.  Brian Urlacher’s gonna Bear down.  You can bet your bippy on that.  He’s the big Kahuna on this Bears defense.  The number one monster of the Midway.  It will be his job to shut down Dallas Clark.  Shut down Clark who leads all postseason receivers with 17 catches.  Shut down Clark who leads all postseason receivers with 281 yards. Clark is averaging 16.5 yards per catch in these playoffs.  He hasn’t played against Urlacher.  Urlacher is big.  Urlacher is fast.  Urlacher is big and fast.  Clark does not stand a chance.  Not a snowball’s chance.  Not a snowball’s chance in the south of France.  Lance Briggs will Bear down.  Mark Anderson will Bear down.  Ricky Manning Jr. will bear down.  The Chicago defense will Bear down and create turnovers.  Ease my troubles, that’s what they do.  That’s what they’re good at.  They led the league with 44 takeaways.  They forced four turnovers Sunday.  They made Drew Brees fumble.  They made Drew Brees fumble less than a minute after Berrian’s TD, and took the wind right out of the Saints‘ sails.  Took the wind out of their sails and shuffled to the Super Bowl.

Lastly but not leastly, Devin Hester.  You know Devin Hester’s gonna Bear down.  Gonna Bear down on special teams.  Devin Hester, Mr. Anytime, the pound your chester, the bulletproof vester, the very bester.  Expect at least one Sports Center special out of this cat.  Expect this cat to give the Bears good field position.  Expect this cat to give Chicago good enough field position to Bear down and win this ballgame.  Ellis Hobbs of the New England Patriots had 220 total kickoff return yards against the Colts in the AFC Championship Game, the second most in NFL playoff history. Just think what the Very Bester’s gonna Bear down and do in the Super Bowl. Bear down, Chicago Bears, and let them know why you’re wearing the crown.  You’re the pride and joy of Illinois.  Chicago Bears, bear down!  Th-th-th-that’s all folks!

Public Spectacle:

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even!

Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.  -James Madison           Read More »

Josh Q. Public:  Don’t call it a comeback.  I been here for years.  Rockin my peers and puttin suckas in fear.  -LL Cool J

Public Service Announcement:  OK, here we go!  Look who’s back, back again. Shaq is back, tell a friend. Just when you thought it was safe to go outside again.  Just when you thought it was safe, here he comes.  Here comes the King.  Here comes the big number one.  Shaquille O’Neal is here, he’s second to none.  When you say Shaq, you’ve said it all.  When you say Shaq, you’ve said it all.  Careful.  Careful out there.  Careful everybody.  I know.  Out of sight, out of mind.  The Big Aristotle was out of sight.  The Big Aristotle was out of mind.  The Miami Heat were out of sight.  The Miami Heat were out of mind.  Well, he’s back.  He’s back and he’s still outta sight.  Outta sight, Daddy-O.  Outta sight, Shaq Daddy-O.   Can you dig it? Sure he played limited minutes last night.  Sure the Heat still lost to the Pacers last night.  But the shape of the NBA changed last night.

The Big Baryshnikov returned last night from a 35-game absence.  With 4:49 left in the first quarter O’Neal returned and joined Dwyane Wade, Jason Williams and Udonis Haslem.  It was the first time that unit has been healthy enough to share the court since June 20, 2006.  You remember what happened then?  Don’t ya?  Sure you do.  That was when the Heat polished off Disco Dirk and the Dallas Mavericks.  Polished off Disco Dirk and the Dallas Mavericks to earn the first NBA title in the franchise’s 19-year history.  Everybody’s been Phoenix Sunsing.  Everbody’s been Dallas Mavericking.  Nobody’s been Miami Heating.  I am.  I smell what Miami’s got cooking.  I know.  I know as of right now, the reigning champs wouldn’t even be allowed to defend the title.  Wouldn’t even make the playoffs.  We know why.  There’s been a void.  A big void.  A huge void.  A seven-foot one, three-hundred and twenty-five pound void.  A seven-foot one, three-hundred and twenty-five pound void in the middle for 37 of the Heat’s 41 games.  Even without Shaq, the Heat have been warming up.  During the past 10 games, the Heat are seventh in the league in scoring.   During the past 10 games, the Heat have put up better than 102 points a game.  During the past 10 games, the Heat are third in field-goal percentage, fifth in three-point shooting and have a positive point differential.  During the past 10 games, the Heat have not had the Diesel.  They do now.  They do now, and all bets are off.

Public Spectacle:

Peace out homies. Six Two and Even!

Josh Q. Public:  The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will.  -Vince Lombardi

Public Knowledge:

1.  Tamerlane Lincoln Kennedy.  You remember him.  Lincoln Kennedy of the Oakland Raiders?  Offensive tackle.  Part of the 12-0 National Champion Washington Huskies in 1991.  Two time Pro Bowler.  The Oval Office.  Retired in 2004.  Well, he’s baaack.  Playing for the Dallas Desparados of the Arena Football League.  Must have run out of money.  Right?

2.  So Juan Marichal wants Big Mac in the Hall?  Isn’t he that cat?  Isn’t he that cat who did it like this, did it like that, did it with a baseball bat.  Did it with a baseball bat to John Roseboro?  Smashed John Roseboro in the head two times with said baseball bat.  Get the papers, get the papers.  He’s lucky he’s in the Hall. 

3.  Is there any stopping this Suns Juggernaut?  Not tonight. Not the Knicks.  Shooting the lights out.  The Suns made 61 percent of their shots against the Wiz(48 for 79), their highest in any game in over seven years.   However, 20 of Phoenix’s 31 misses came on 3-point attempts.  On two-point shots, the Suns went 35 for 46, 76 percent. That was the second-highest field-goal percentage in NBA history on two-point shots. On March 13, 1998, the Clippers made 52 of 66 two-pointers, 79 percent.  Goodness!

4.  The Ohio State University is number six on the charts.  Number one in our hearts.  The Gigantic-O is starting to dominate.  One handed.  Wait till tournament time. Is that the team you want to face then?

5.  Bernie Baseball wants one more year in the Bronx.  Good luck with that.

6.  The NFL and its players union have agreed to more extensive testing for performance-enhancing drugs and have added the blood-boosting substance EPO to the league’s list of banned substances.  Things could get interesting here.  I have to believe there are a ton of NFL players on the juice.  How cool was the Jeremy Shockey helmetless play?  Walkie Talkie Shockey.  He walks the walk.  He talks the talk.  If you’re a Giant fan, how can you not love that guy?  But it got me thinking.  It got me thinking, when people start acting crazy like that out there, I’d give ‘em a steroid test right on the spot.  Merriman busts through the line and busts out the Lights Out dance.  Steroid test.  Reggie Bush goes…all…the way…and points at defenders before doing a summersault in the end zone, steroid test.  Drayton Florence Henderson head butts an opposing player, steroid test.  On the spot.  Every time.

7.   Michael Vick will not be traded and will be the Atlanta Falcons’ starting quarterback in 2007, the team’s ownership said.  We’ll see. I never bought into Ron Mexico’s game.  Exciting?  Sure.  Game breaker?  At times.  Super Bowl Quarterback?  Never.  He’s no Vince Young, I’ll tell you that.

8.  The arrest of Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Johnathan Joseph has members of the team Furious Five, embarrassed and concerned that guilt by association has ruined public perception of the team.  As well it should.  I’d cut this cat right now.  Stop the madness.  You have to start somewhere. 

9.  I wish I was a little bit taller.  I wish I was a baller.  I wish I had a girl who looked good, I would call her.  With a listed height of 6-foot, Allen Iverson became the shortest player in NBA history to score 20,000 points. That distinction had previously belonged to 6-2, We Are Marshall, Hal Greer.

10.  Is Rex Grossman the worst Super Bowl quarterback ever?  Vince Feragamo?  Trent Dilfer?  Champagne Tony Eason?  Billy Kilmer?  David Woodley?  Craig Morton?

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even!

Josh Q. Public:  I’ll throw it down your throat like Barkley.  See these car keys – you’ll never get these.  They belong to the 98 posse.  -Public Enemy

Public Service Announcement: OK, here we go!  It’s college basketball baby!  Diaper Dandies.   PTPers.  Maalox Mashers.  Dipsy-doo dunkeroo slam-jam-bams.   Call the fire chief cause he’s on fire!.  All of it.  It’s awesome baby!  Had enough of all this football nonsense?  Can’t keep it up for another two weeks straight?  You need a break?  You wanna talk basketball?  Is basketball your favorite sport?   Do you like the way they dribble up and down the court?  Kurtis Blow style.  Huh?  Well today’s your lucky day.  Today we’re talking about college basketball’s best kept secret.  Today we’re talking about the University of Massachusetts’ own Stephane Lasme. 

UMass Basketball?  Really?  I thought they died.  I thought they died after Calipari blew town.  I thought they died after Marcus Camby went pro.  I thought you said are you all right Spider.  Think again folks.  Don’t be so Simple Minded.  UMass Basketball is alive and kicking.  Stephane Lasme is alive.  Stephane Lasme is kicking.  Yup, Stephane Lasme is his name.  Defense is his game.  Just been named Dick Vitale’s National Player of the Week baby!  Just been named Dick Vitale’s  All-Human Eraser Team.  Just been named in ESPN’s Weekly Watch: Five Your Should Know.  Just been named ESPN.com Big Man On Campus.  Why Public?  Why him? Why?  Why?  Why?

In case you haven’t been watching.  In case you haven’t been paying attention.  Lasme had a monster of a week.  A Frankenstein of a week.  A Yeti of a week.   A Godzilla of a week.  In wins over George Washington and Temple this cat totaled 44 points.  This cat totaled 26 boards.  This cat blocked 17 shots. In the win over GW, he put up a triple-double.  Triple trouble.  A triple double  that featured eleven blocks.  Eleven blocks.  My oh my!  Lasme is second in the country in blocks (5.35).  He leads the A-10 in blocks and rebounds (9.9).  He is the reason the Minutemen are hanging with Xavier in the standings.  Hangin’ tough.  Are you tough enough?  NKOTB style.  He became only the 23rd player with multiple triple-doubles in the same season.  And that third double ain’t assists.  It’s blocks.  Who does that?  Stephane Lasme, that’s who.

Lasme is the best defender in the nation.  Never on vacation.  The man’s an aberration.  Knocking balls into orbit like the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration. He simply changes the game with his defense.  He’s the difference maker.   The chocolate caker.  His five plus blocks a game are just one shy of the record single-season pace set by Colgate’s Adonal Foyle.  And this ain’t the mid ’90s Patriot League.   This is big time basketball.  He has the ability to block shots without getting into foul trouble. But don’t think Sean Bradley.  Don’t think Manute Bol.  Don’t think Samuel Dalembert.  He is not simply a one dimensional player.  You don’t amass triple doubles by being one dimensional.  He can shoot the short jumper in traffic.  In rush hour traffic.  In Lincoln Tunnel rush hour traffic.  Against Temple he was 9-of-10 from the floor.  He can shoot free throws.  Only shooting at .616 pace so far this year, he went 14-of-14 from the line as a sophomore against Duquesne.  So remember the name.  Coming soon to an NCAA Tournament near you.  Coming soon to an NBA arena near you.  Blocking shots into a stratosphere near you.  Stepahne Lasme.

Public Spectacle:

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even!