Bob’s last show, from ten years ago yesterday. Hard to believe Drew’s been messing up the rules hosting for almost ten years himself.
3-on-3 Basketball is Now an Olympic Event
Business Insider – On Friday the IOC announced a number of new events that will be included in the upcoming 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Most notable among these new additions for basketball fans is the inclusion of 3-on-3 basketball for both men and women.
The 3-on-3 Olympic competition will follow current FIBA rules. Games will be played in the half court with a 12-second shot clock. Scoring goes by ones and twos over the course of one, 10-minute period.
The first team to reach 21, or whoever is leading at the end of the 10-minute period, wins.
Every four years, the Summer Olympics try to become a little bit more like the X Games. Which is strange because the Summer Olympics, love them or hate them, are a quadrennial colossus. I couldn’t turn on a television last August with out seeing a swimming pool. Meanwhile, the X Games exist to provide #content and programming hours for ESPN during the dog days. The X Games could be permanently canceled tomorrow and I wouldn’t know one person that even noticed, never mind cared about it.
But 3-on-3 basketball? If the Summer Olympics can have regular volleyball AND beach volleyball, why not 3-on-3 basketball in addition to regular basketball? If Michael Phelps can win eight gold medals in one summer, why can’t Kevin Durant go for two? And at least I already know the gist of the rules as opposed to BMX Freestyle Cycling, which was also added for 2020. I bet BMX Freestyle Cycling scoring makes figure skating scoring look like scoring the word CAT in Scrabble.
The other thing 3-on-3 basketball has going for it is that it is quick. Last night’s Red Sox game took more than four hours. You could play a 3-on-3 basketball best-of-15 gold medal final in that same time. With 10-minute games and 12-second shot clocks, a game of 3-on-3 basketball will be quicker than a game of Madden.
My only gripe is the lack of the obligatory “win by two” rule. Rematch city. Which is why the gold medal round has to be at least best-of-seven. That would still only take about an hour. And this has to be played outdoors in 90 degree heat, with a chain link fence two feet out of bounds. Otherwise, why not just make the three-point shooting contest an Olympic event?
Wait, let’s not give them any more ideas.
I’m Ready for some Football
ABC News – Hank Williams Jr. will be bringing his rowdy friends back to ESPN on Monday nights this fall.
Williams will debut a new version of “All My Rowdy Friends,” featuring its “Are you ready for some football?” catchphrase, before the first Monday night game of the season, between the New Orleans Saints and Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis on Sept. 11.
ESPN pulled the song midseason in 2011, following controversial comments made by Williams on Fox News…
Cynics will say that ESPN is too liberal, and that this is just a ploy to placate conservatives. They may be right, but I don’t care. This a solid move by TWWL.
“All My Rowdy Friends” “Are You Ready for some Football” is the best sports theme song of its generation. It started in 1989 and originally ran until 2011. I still watch Monday Night Football every week but I couldn’t tell you what songs they’ve used since 2011. I’m no country music fan, but it’s hard to top this classic. Honorable mention from this generation of sports theme songs goes to the NBA on NBC and MLB on Fox.
The song by itself won’t stop the NFL’s ratings slide, but it should evoke some feelings of nostalgia and generate some buzz. Not bad for a 90 second song.
Friday Morning Randomness
Jay Leno’s first Tonight Show, 25 years ago last week.
Phoenix Cops Foil Attempt to Assassinate Former Green Ranger Jason David Frank
Yahoo – On Friday, former Green Power Ranger and mixed martial artist Jason David Frank spoke to reporters about his alleged assassination attempt at Phoenix Comic-Con. Police arrested a man at the Phoenix Convention Center on Thursday after he made it into the event with multiple weapons, including three guns and a knife, Phoenix police confirmed to PEOPLE in a statement on Sunday…The suspect was allegedly targeting Frank, who was appearing at the convention, according to Uproxx. According to court records obtained by ABC 15, the suspect allegedly had a calendar reminder set on his smartphone saying “Kill JDF,” the actors’ initials.
Okay first off thankfully nobody was hurt as this psycho’s plan was foiled by cops before he could do any damage. The guy was carrying 3 guns, a knife and body armor so he was definitely looking to hurt a lot of people. Great work by the Phoenix PD.
Now, on a lighter note, don’t you have to be a *little* bit more famous than the guy who used to play the Green Ranger on Power Rangers to qualify for assassination? Listen, I love JDF, but “assassinate”? I think thats a little strong. I’m pretty sure you need to be like Martin Luther King or a martyr of some sort to qualify for that term. I think attempted “murder” probably covers it for Tommy.
Also, talk about Yahoo selling the guy short. JDF was a LOT more than just the Green Ranger. He was the White Ranger, the Black DinoThunder Ranger, the Red Zeo Ranger, hell he was even a Doctor one season. Show some respect.
But of course nothing will ever top his original role, where this kid from the other side of the tracks made it cool to play a FLUTE because it was also a dagger and it ya know summoned a goddamn dragon out of the water.
Friday Morning Randomness
The final edition of the NBA on NBC, along with the legendary John Tesh theme music.
RIP to Christopher Boykin AKA Big Black from Rob & Big
TMZ – Christopher ‘Big Black’ Boykin, who was the other half of Rob Dyrdek’s hit MTV show “Rob & Big” — has died … TMZ has learned. His rep tells us Chris died Tuesday morning. No official cause of death yet, but multiple people connected to Chris tell us they believe it was a heart attack. He was Rob’s best friend and bodyguard on their reality show, which ran from 2006 to 2008 — and also later appeared on ‘Fantasy Factory.’
With all the fake news bullshit we here about every day I was hoping this one was fake, but nay, Big Black from Rob & Big died tonight and that makes me sad as hell. For a show that only ran for 2 seasons Rob & Big is still one of the funniest MTV shows ever. I used to watch the shit out of that show. I own the DVDs. I shit you not.
So Big Black, in your honor, I will continue to routinely quote an MTV show from 2006. Do work son. 22’s. Murdered out. This guy is the reason that 11 years later I still wanna grab two of my buddies, head down to Sears for a photoshoot, and recreate the Death Row Records portrait to frame on my wall.
Now onto the highlights. There are so many of them – the nutritionist episode (“Next time you wanna smoke a crack rock, just smoke a little”), the mini horse, the constant hazing of Drama and the birth of Drama Beats, Big Bob, the Death Row portrait, Uncle Jerry, Black Lavender and of course Bobby Light, but apparently MTV is more strict than the goddamn MLB with video clips so there’s only so many I could find online. Roll the tape.
Tough Days at TWWL
A reminder of better days at The Worldwide Leader.
It has been said before that your favorite Saturday Night Live cast is the first cast you are old enough to remember. That would explain my reverence for Weekend Update with Norm Macdonald and those early Celebrity Jeopardy sketches from the mid ’90s. The same could probably also be said about SportsCenter anchors.
With Saturday Night Live, there can be a legitimate debate over who anchored Weekend Update the best. Norm Macdonald might get my vote, but I recognize that good arguments could be made for Seth Meyers or Dennis Miller. There can be no debate over SportsCenter anchors, though. [Sorry, First Take, et al.] The Olbermann/Patrick tag team was the best, hands down.
It’s disappointing to see what SportsCenter has become. I know that SportsCenter can’t go back to two guys reading news stories in front of a wood panel wall like the Ron Burgundy days. I know that the immediate availability of news and video on my phone in my pocket has to change the model of a sports news/highlights show.
But sometimes I just want to watch sports with the smartest, funniest people in the room. I’ll watch highlights of the Red Sox game for the 10th time if you give me something no one else does. Hell, I’ll watch MLS highlights if you don’t make me feel like a less-enlightened sports fan because I don’t know the name of the head coach of the Seattle Sounders.
I don’t care how many graphics or video boards you have. Just get me the highlights, the news and a couple of laughs. Don’t talk down to me and don’t bullshit me.
PS – A decent theme song wouldn’t hurt either. The current SportsCenter theme sounds like a race car engine on loop with the same six notes repeating. Do better, ESPN.
Happy Prince Day
KARE 11 – Gov. Mark Dayton has declared Friday as “Prince Day” across Minnesota to honor the legacy of the homegrown music legend, who died April 21st of last year of an accidental painkiller overdose.
I won’t lie, I was never a big Prince fan. In fact, I remember deliberately avoiding his halftime show at Super Bowl XLI. I was still a little upset over the Patriots’ choke job in the AFC Championship game I guess. And that was my loss.
Prince sold more albums than any other artist in 2016, and that includes the one that I bought. Prince is definitely an acquired taste, but the man has an impressive list of hits. It definitely surprised me, and I wish I had paid more attention while he was alive. Just an incredible musician and performer.
I have always firmly believed that U2’s halftime show at Super Bowl XXXVI was the best of all time. After watching Prince, though, it’s close. That should mean a lot coming from a Patriots fan.
So pour one out for Prince tonight, and enjoy the Purple Rain.
RIP Charlie Murphy
Complex – Comedian and legendary storyteller Charlie Murphy has reportedly passed away at age 57 following a battle with leukemia. According to TMZ, Murphy’s manager has confirmed he passed away in a New York City hospital due to complications from the deadly cancer. He had previously been undergoing chemo treatment to fight the illness.
Unreal. Always sucks to see one of your favorite celebrities go, especially ones that make you laugh as hard as Charlie Murphy did. Guy flew under the radar for years as his brother tore up Hollywood before exploding onto the scene in Chappelle’s Show.
Charlie Murphy stole the show every single time he was featured in a skit. Charlie Murphy’s True Hollywood Stories of Prince and Rick James are all-time classics. Nothing will ever top these two skits. They were a look into how wild the 80s were in Hollywood and just how crazy some of our most beloved celebrities were. With a little comedic flair of course, but Charlie had the benefit of not being a huge star so these stories, as hilarious as they were, seemed pretty genuine.
Player Haters Ball. “CLAP FOR ME BITCH!” Classic.
The Mad Real World. “CORRECTION” Classic.
Charlie Murphy coined some all time phrases too like “Habitual Line Stepper.”
And I still laugh every time I see him Bruce Lee kick Rick James in the chest.
Pour one out for my guy Charlie Murphy or as Rick James called him, “Darkness.”
The 300s 