Author Archive | Ashley

Matt Brady Dukes it out

These pictures were taken on February 24, 2007, after the last game of the regular season from my junior year.  We had just beaten Sienna College, our rival and toughest competitor in the league at the time.  Both teams were tied for first place going into the game.  It was the only Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) nationally televised game on ESPN that year, so not only was it great to be on TV, the game actually meant something.    Luckily we settled that, winning the conference title in overtime 98-88.

This was my roommate (and still one my best friends) for three years at Marist.  We had some good times for sure.  I can confidently say that this day was one of the best, and he would agree.

Here’s then Marist coach Matt Brady, who coached the Marist College Red Foxes for four years, which happened to be the same four years that I had spent there.  He had previously been the assistant coach for St. Joe’s University.  He was responsible for recruiting Jameer Nelson and Delonte West, two current NBA players who were part of a great team the year before he came to Marist.  His success as assistant gave him the credibility to become a Head Coach somewhere else.  His first stop was Marist.

Coach Brady believed in me and picked me to be a walk on for the 2004-2005 season.  After that there was never a question about it; I was a part of the team, as were all other walk ons who I played with during that time.  He was a good guy and a great coach to play for.  He truly loves the game of basketball and worked endlessly to make us better and get us to the next level.  My junior season we were led by Jared Jordan, who is still playing basketball overseas.  We had a real shot of making the tournament that year, but unfortunately we lost to Sienna in the MAAC conference tournament.  It was as close as we (and Brady) got during our time at Marist.  It just wasn’t meant to be.

Which is why it’s so rewarding to see him on TV today, Day #2 and Round 1 of the NCAA tournament.  He is currently the head coach for the James Madison Dukes, who are the #16 seed, facing one of the top teams in the country, #1 Indiana Hoosiers.  They don’t have much of a chance of winning this game (no #16 seed has ever won a game in the tournament), but getting there is an accomplishment all on its own.  Matt Brady has already won, and there doesn’t need to be a score to prove it.

Here’s an email exchange between Coach Brady and I from a few days ago.  I had wished him luck, let him know how proud I was to see him make the tournament, and ended it with this:

Seems like giving anything less than everything you got is merely just a waste of time; your dedication and work ethic as a coach has definitely led you down the right path.

He responded back:  ‘Your email was great to read…giving anything less than than everything you got is merely a waste of time. I will use that exact line with my team. Love it.  Hope you are well. I know you talk w alot of your teammates. Hello to all. You guys were special to coach.

This is what makes playing basketball so amazing.  It’s the relationships you build during your time together as a team.  All the practices, games, road trips, pregame speeches, team meals; they all blend together, but any special team never forgets those moments.  People move on in their lives, but those players never forget the moments it took to make it that special.  This is why sports are so great.

NBA League Pass: The Channel No One Has

I hate NBA League Pass.  Rather, I hate that most games each night are on NBA League Pass, because no one ever has it.  At least not the common bar.  No matter how many TVs a sports bar may have, chances are they don’t have it.  I’ve searched all around my neighborhood and have found only one bar to carry it.

Recently while down in Savannah (while someone else was puttin it on the Ritz, literally), I figured one of the bars downtown would have it, but no such luck.  First I went to World of Beer.  I asked the heavyset pissed off hipster bartender, who asked me what I said.  I slowly repeated N B A LEAUGE PASS, she then went and asked her fellow employee as if I had asked to borrow her car.  He said no, I left.

I then headed to Wild Wing.  I’ve been here before to watch a Bulls game, so figured this would be a safe bet.  I sit down, they tell me they have it.  They go to the 3 channels that says BULLS VS CELTICS, but no luck.  It won’t connect. I leave.

I pick up my pace and head to a bar on Bay Street.  I’ve been here before to watch a Giants game, so they miiiight have it.  But after this, there most likely won’t be anywhere that has it.  Go in, ask, denied.

I start to head back, but figured I’d head down Congress St. because there’s nothing but bars on it.  I stop in at one bar.  There’s outdoor seating in the front with 2 large TVs showing the Monday night NFL game.  I ask the guy behind the bar if they carry NBA League Pass.  He asks me what game I’d like to watch.  I point to his Celtics hat, and tell him ‘actually, the bulls and celtics.’ (He has no clue if they’re on.  White dudes with flat brim hats=not real fans).  Nice guy though, tells me he’s going to check.  Walks away for 2 minutes, and as he walks back I already know.

I wish NBA League Pass wasn’t so expensive.  But what bothers me even more is the reaction I get from people my generation (23-30, I guess) who act surprised when they find that I love basketball, rather, the NBA.  Since when did liking the NBA become equivalent to the Real Housewives?

I really don’t care who watches it as long as I’m able to, but I wish the overall population would understand that basketball is a MAJOR AMERICAN SPORT and that it’s not absurd for someone to be a fan.  It is not just for inner city kids, or black kids, or tall kids, or people who grew up watching the Chicago Bulls.  It’s the ultimate team sport that requires each player on the court to play both offense and defense.  Eli Manning could throw for 700 yards and they could still lose.  How is that his fault?  This is why basketball trumps all sports; each player is responsible for EVERYTHING that happens while they’re on the court.  You can’t blame the offense, or the defense.  You can only look at the people (players, coaches, and refs) who contributed.

Is it because we live in an era where everyone wants attention (look at Facebook, Twitter, etc.), therefore, gravitates to things (in this instance, sports) that focus on individual statistics rather than team?  Is it too much for people to support a group of people playing together?  Or is it just that most people are afraid to admit that they could never do what basketball players do and are just jealous?

 

The Deadline.

It’s finally here.  The NBA trade deadline.  After 3 PM ET today, there can be no more trades for the rest of the season, which means that each team will have to continue with whoever they have, like it or not, for the rest of the year and hope for the best.  It also means that we can stop having to listen to “reports” and “talks” and “rumors” of “possible trades.”

Trading is a huge part of all sports, but unfortunately for some teams it has taken precedence over what’s really important, and that is winning with what you currently have.  Sure, making a trade to improve your team makes perfect sense, but when the focus around your team surrounds the possible trade of one (usually the best) player, it’s easy to get distracted, whether you’re one of the players, coaches, or the player.  Especially when this happens for months.

Two guys who’ve been talked about endlessly this season are the Orlando Magic’s Dwight Howard and the Los  Angeles Laker’s Andrew Bynum, both young and talented centers who have promising futures. I have never personally cared for either; they are both immature and I honestly doubt if they truly care about winning.  But I’ll admit that both are exceptional talents.  Bynum is very skilled, and Howard might be one of the best athletes on the planet.  But I wouldn’t want either on my team.

And neither would Magic Johnson.

Last night during halftime of the Bulls vs. Heat game, the ESPN guys were talking about these two in particular.  One of the analysts, former player Jon Barry, asked Magic who he’d rather play with.

The dude who wants to win, and I’m not sure either one.  I’ll take Kareem.”  (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, all-time leading NBA scorer who Magic played with from ’79 to ’89, winning 5 championships together.)

I’d rather have Kareem too.

Luol Deng /lou-all/ /deng/

A few months back I found this artist, Richard Swarbrick.  He’s known for making videos of great British athletes, including Wayne Rooney, Stuart Broad, and Andy Murray (not very familiar with any of these guys; I’ve heard of Rooney before).  He recently made one of another British star, Chicago Bull Luol Deng.  I know I’m biased as a Bulls fan, but he’s become one of my favorite players.  Not flashy, but he’s gooood.  Not to mention he’s an amazing humanitarian.  Check out his foundation too.

By the way, those clips are from March 6, 2011, when the Bulls beat LeBron James and the rest of the Heat on a Sunday afternoon, solidifying their stance as championship contenders.  We had fun that day, Ashley even blogged about it.

 

Pop don’t play around.

San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich reacts to a referee’s call during the second quarter against the Utah Jazz the NBA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2009, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)

This is one of the better things I read so far this season.

In much the same way that I (and many others) have a hard time watching what’s become of life in American culture, San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich feels the same.  Pop is one of the most successful coaches in NBA history, winning four championships and has had what many consider the best franchise this past decade.  Meanwhile, rather than signing big-name talents like other teams have done, he has done the non-conventional thing and found the right players to fit his system.  Team-first players instead of big egos with twitter accounts.

A big story this year has come from the play of Ricky Rubio, a twenty-year old from Spain whose style of play has been compared to legends like Pistol Pete and Larry Bird.  After years of skepticism, he’s proved his worth and is having a great rookie season.

So when Pop was asked (he has and still coaches many international players) how the young Spaniard would adjust to adopting American culture, this is what he said.

“These guys, they travel around the world,” Pop said of international players.  “They’re more cultured than we are.  Everyone acts like Americans are the ones…we have sort of an arrogance about us.  Like we’re the cultured ones?  Are you serious?

“Have you watched TV lately?  Have you seen what Americans do?  How many languages do you speak?  And you wonder how they’re going to adjust to our culture?  I hope they avoid it and keep their own!”

I wish I could have seen the reporter’s reaction to that response.

The NBA lockout.

The NBA lockout has finally ended, and to top it off, they’re going to start the season on Christmas Day, with the Bulls being one of the games.  I love Christmas, but I haven’t been this excited for December 25th since I was 13 years old.

Most people don’t really care, and it amazes me how many of them there are.  But then I think about what the NBA used to be like and I understand.  My generation unfortunately grew up during the end of the Jordan and Pippen era with the Bulls, and in the few years after the league went to shambles.  Not as many stars. Too many “thugs.”  No real likeable guys.
But I assure you the game is back.  The league is loaded with young talent, and these guys play hard.  Most people have always complained that the NBA guys don’t try that hard, that college basketball is so much more fun to watch because they actually care.  And that might have been the case in the late 90s/early 2000s, but times have changed.  There are some young stars in the league right now, and they’re all trying to prove they belong more than the other. LeBron. Rose. Durant and Westbrook. Blake. Melo. Rondo. Curry. These guys are gooooooooood. Merry Christmas hoopsters.
Daaaaaaaaaaaaa bulls.

 

Hanson in Sayreville

here goes my last hanson event in 2013. plans fell through so i ended up going solo but thankfully meeting up with an old hanson friend, mary, once at the venue. we got there around 11 am and spent all day waiting in line, just like the good old days. hanson did their “walk” around 330 or 4, i took some pictures. asked isaac when they’d be back in the area, he said early next year. also asked him about his night in portland from a few nights before, because the ‘it’s a small world’ gods put him on stage with friends of our very own sylvi (so ran-dom … pic below..) — i gave taylor the same letter i gave isaac and zac in philly.

after some serious line drama, mary and i ended up front row taylor’s side. the show was good. they had energy .. and encored with SNOWED IN! merry christmas baby and little saint nick — i have never seen them do christmas music live so it was a glorious first. as always, a hanson show in new jersey brings about a lot of familiar faces and it’s pretty weird, pretty strange, to be part of this culture of fansons.

Dollhouse

This seriously happened a few weeks ago.  Also, this isn’t all of it.  Liz and I found the ultimate stoop sale with boxes labeled “Dollhouse”  — we requested a viewing of it and turned out to be all handmade furniture the lady’s grandmother made her in the 60’s. It was all amazing, but we only picked out our favorite pieces and went on our way.  We have created an entire existence for our bachelor here, expect to see more from him very soon.

Ashley Tenenbaum

We watched The Royal Tenenbaums the other day. I was just looking through some old pictures and came across this one of me in our first apartment. It reminded me of Richie in the mirror. Not sure why. We are not in the same pose or holding the camera even remotely the same way. It just, reminded me.

Saturday Chillday

This past Saturday was a lazy one for sure.  After we had been travelling to New Jersey all summer and then two consecutive September weekends for weddings and birthday parties, it felt SO good to be grounded to our apartment with zero plans.   Originally we had talked about bbq’ing all day and having friends come and go, but decided we’d rather just do our own thing (that’s allowed, right?)  On Friday night we ventured out on the town, first stopping at our friend’s new apartment in the Fort Greene neighborhood and then heading to Williamsburg to meet up with Ben and Dave.  Dave was apartment sitting for his cousin who had a pretty impressive studio/loft space on the water.  He built himself a raised bed and had funky art all over the walls, succulents growing in the middle of the couch and an old sliding glass door for the entrance for the bathroom. But, no oven or stove! Isn’t that crazy? I loved the space, but just could never be without heat for cooking.  If I remember correctly, he is some sort of creative director for Rolling Stone magazine, so I bet he doesn’t do much of the domestic scene. He also had a very adorable dog, Emmitt.  The four of us (and Emmitt) headed back to our apartment because the only thing left to do in Williamsburg was spend more money at the bars, which we really weren’t interested in.  We ended up with tall boys of Bud and Netflix streaming.  It was fun.

The next morning Joe, Dave and I sat outside practically all day  We had the grill going, played some board games, talked about ideas for a screenplay, re planted our fern and just chilled.  It was so nice.  My phone had died the night before and I apparently misplaced it, so I wasn’t in contact with a single person all day.  It is really such a liberating feeling to be incommunicado for an entire day.  I didn’t have to respond or reach out to anyone.  Joe grilled up some Mutten Chops that had been sitting/taking up space in our freezer since he brought them home from Chopped.  Mutten, is sheep.  I did not partake.  Instead I cuddled the animals and took notes of our ideas.

Dave left around 5 and Joe and I sat around for a bit longer, enjoying the early autumn chill.  Our yard somehow became a full blown bird sanctuary.  At one point we had a blue jay, cardinal, finch, and FOUR hummingbirds! Four!  I must add here, that I am not and have never really been a bird enthusiast (they actually usually scare me) but watching them from above as they just exist in a small Brooklyn backyard,  is interesting.  I tried to creep down to the garden to take some pictures- but I scared them away.

Joe and I headed inside, ate some ice cream and I was asleep by 9 pm.  It was glorious my friends, glorious.

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