Touch 'Em All Productions: 2009

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

LoCash Cowboys Visit the K102 Roadhouse

LoCash Cowboys

Monday, October 12, 2009

Toy Story 3: Trailer

Toy Story 3 - Theatrical Trailer | Movies & TV | SPIKE.com

One Republic in the KDWB Skyroom

One Republic joined us in the KDWB Skyroom today! They performed a few old songs and some of their new stuff as well! Pretty cool guys, their new album "Waking Up" drops 11/17.

Ryan Tedder

Zach Filkins

Brent Kutzle

Drew Brown

Eddie Fisher

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: Critical Review

Harry Potter and the Chamber Of Secrets (2002)

Director: Chris Columbus
Starring : Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane

Plot: Harry Potter (DANIEL RADCLIFFE) has not had a good summer. Not only has he had to put up with his overbearing Aunt Petunia (FIONA SHAW) and Uncle Vernon Dursley (RICHARD GRIFFITHS) and their dread of his magical abilities, but it seems as if Harry’s best friends Ron Weasley (RUPERT GRINT) and Hermione Granger (EMMA WATSON) have forgotten him – as they haven’t replied to a single one of his letters. Then, suddenly and mysteriously, house-elf Dobby appears in Harry’s bedroom and warns of great danger if the aspiring wizard should attempt to return to Hogwarts. Dobby is so keen to prevent the young Gryffindor from returning to the school for witches and wizards, he has blocked all of Ron and Hermione’s correspondence from reaching Harry. But despite the elf’s mischievous efforts, the ever-determined Harry is rescued from the Dursleys’ dreary clutches by Ron and his brothers – with the aid of a flying car! – and welcomed into the warmth of the Weasley household. But when Harry and Ron are suspiciously prevented from entering Platform 9 and boarding the Hogwarts Express back to school, the boys take emergency action to avoid being late for the new term – only to incur the wrath of Professor Snape (ALAN RICKMAN), who calls for their expulsion. Meanwhile, news of Harry’s first year heroism has spread throughout Hogwarts and he finds himself the center of much unwanted attention. His new fans include Ron’s little sister Ginny (BONNIE WRIGHT); first year would-be photographer Colin Creevey (HUGH MITCHELL); and most irritatingly, the new Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, Gilderoy Lockhart (KENNETH BRANAGH). Outshone only by his own vanity, Lockhart craves the attention that Harry shuns and is only too keen to associate himself with Hogwarts’ young hero. But not even Lockhart can offer an explanation or solution to the slippery and sinister new terror that is gripping the school. Now all eyes are on Harry, and his so-called friends are beginning to doubt him. Everyone, that is, except Ron and Hermione and fragile young Ginny, who has shifted her focus to her mysterious new diary. But Harry is not about to let his friends down and, with or without the support of Gilderoy Lockhart, he will confront the dark force lurking in his beloved school. -- © 2002 Warner Bros.(scoring 82% on rottentomatoes.com)

Review: Serving as chapter number 2 in the Harry Potter series of films, The Chamber of Secrets picks up the second school year at Hogwarts and follows the coat tails of the first installment, The Sorcerers Stone. Like The Sorcerers Stone, The Chamber of Secrets is a light hearted adventure that is pretty safe for the entire family. The acting has improved since year one at Hogwarts and it's clear that the movie makers had a little larger of a budget to work with this time around. The story was a little more in depth and more suspenseful this time around but it made the movie all around better. We were also introduced to a few new characters, mainly Dobby the house-elf who added an element of sincerity to Harry Potter and his gang. Unfortunately this is the only time that we see Dobby throughout the stories and movies that I have seen. I would add that there are still elements of the movie that seemed to have little to no purpose such as the paintings, the quidditch, and the moving stairs. However all of these things just add to the charm of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and make the fantastical school that much better! I really enjoyed this film and will continue to embark on my adventure throughout J.K. Rowling's crazy imagination. Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets scores 3.5 stars out of the possible 5 stars and I would highly recommend that you rent/borrow this movie for your viewing pleasure.

Please, if you are interested I encourage you to participate and share your thoughts. I would love to get some feedback and hear what each of you took from the day's topic. Just fill in the comment box at the end of each blog and let me know what you think! To read more posts and see my entire blog click the Touch 'Em All Productions header at the top of the page!

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: Critical Review

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

Director: Chris Columbus
Starring : Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane

Plot: As Harry Potter’s (DANIEL RADCLIFFE) 11th birthday draws near, he anticipates little in the way of excitement or presents from the Dursleys, Harry’s unpleasant relatives who took him in following his parents’ deaths and forced him to sleep in the cupboard under the stairs.

But this year, Harry’s birthday will be different.

A mysterious letter addressed to Harry arrives, written in peculiar green ink and accompanied by an owl. Harry is surprised and excited by the curious dispatch, but his horrified Uncle Vernon (RICHARD GRIFFITHS) destroys the letter before Harry has a chance to read it.

The next day, another letter and owl arrive, only to be squelched by the Dursleys. As each day follows the next, letters and owls continue turning up on Harry’s doorstep until the Dursleys, fearing they can no longer suppress the contents of the peculiar correspondence, flee with Harry in tow to a remote hut where they’re confident they cannot be found.

Their plan appears to be working when suddenly a LOUD CRASH carries the hut door off its hinges, revealing the awesome bulk of an enormous giant called Hagrid (ROBBIE COLTRANE). Furious with the Dursleys for destroying the letters and trying to conceal their nephew’s real identity, Hagrid reveals the secret that will change Harry’s life: he, Harry Potter, is a wizard!

Much to Harry’s disbelief, it transpires that the puzzlingly persistent letters are invitations for him, on the occasion of his 11th birthday, to leave the regular world and join his similarly-talented peers at the legendary Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Hagrid goes on to explain that Harry’s parents did not die in a car crash as his insecure relatives have repeatedly told him – they were in fact murdered by an evil wizard who in turn etched the distinctive lightning scar on Harry’s forehead!

Harry is completely overwhelmed by the revelations about his parents and the invitation to Hogwarts. However, faced with another night in the cupboard under the stairs and a life of hand-me-downs, he doesn’t hesitate in accompanying Hagrid to London’s Kings Cross Station, where he discovers the secret Platform 9 3/4 and catches the Hogwarts Express.

Aboard the train packed with wide-eyed first year students, Harry befriends fellow wizards-in-training Hermione Granger (EMMA WATSON) and Ron Weasley (RUPERT GRINT). Together with his new friends, Harry embarks on the adventure of a lifetime at Hogwarts, a wondrous place beyond Harry’s wildest imagination where he discovers his extraordinary talents and finds the home and the family he never had. -- © 2001 Warner Bros. (scoring 78% on rottentomatoes.com)

Review: Having never read the J.K. Rowling books I was fairly skeptical of these movies since most of the hype was coming from the avid readers of the books. At the same time that meant that the whole entire story would be a new adventure for me with twists and surprises around every corner. As the first chapter in the story of Harry Potter, The Sorcerer's Stone had a lot of introducing to do. It was tasked with the tough chore of setting the scene and introducing characters from the next handful of movies, but at the same time had to be entertaining. I would say that the books authors J.K. Rowling and the movies screenwriter Steve Kloves were very successful in this respect. With the main characters entering Hogwart's school at the age of 11, this film also had to work to find a balance between setting the scene for the darker sequels that were forthcoming and keeping it lighthearted and fun for the younger audience that would surely run out to the stores to buy plastic wands and barf flavored jelly beans.

For how young the actors were when they filmed this movie, the acting was actually fairly impressive. Certain actors were better than others but they all had room to grow into their characters over the next few films. Some of the special effects were too fake looking, but when you are embarking on an assignment as risky as this story could have been, I'm sure that the budget was not ideal when it comes to what the director and producers were hoping to portray. All in all I enjoyed this movie and it sparked my interest into the rest of the Harry Potter series. I would have to say that this movie is a little more childish than those in the series that followed it, nonetheless it was enjoyable. I would recommend a rent of this film and have rated it in at 3.5 stars out of a possible 5 stars.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Public Enemies - Critical Review

Public Enemies (2009)

Director: Michael Mann
Starring :Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Jason Clarke

Plot: Johnny Depp and Christian Bale emerge from two of the biggest blockbuster series of all time (Pirates of the Caribbean and Batman, respectively) to star in this crime drama from Heat's Michael Mann. Depp stars as legendary gangster John Dillinger, while Bale plays FBI agent Melvin Purvis. (scoring 67% at rottentomatoes.com)

Review: Well, better late than never! I saw Public Enemies back during its first week of release and am just getting around to the review. Maybe that should tell you how I felt about it :-) Public Enemies was one of those "Summer Blockbusters" that I had been looking forward to since late Spring when the trailers started to swarm the Internet. I am a big mobster movie guy and with this cast (particularly Depp and Bale), I was super excited for this movie to be released. Despite the actors best efforts this movie failed to meet expectations and failed to take the nation by storm as they had originally hoped. Most of that should be blamed on director Michael Mann and the poor path and guidance that this movie followed.

Creatively speaking, the movie was great. I really enjoyed the costumes, props, and acting as they each made you feel as if you were truly back in the 1930's. Unfortunately all of that was completely in vain as the main focus of the movie was completely non-existent? I was never able to figure out what the director was attempting to focus in on as the over-arching focal point. We dabbled in John Dillinger's life of crime, dabbled into his love life, dabbled with his desire to be done, and dabbled into his fall from fame, but never really focused in on a substantial storyline that could be called the main focus of the movie. This was very disappointing to me as I had very high aspirations for this movie. Had they focused on his life of crime and showed more of the successful heists that he pulled while dabbling in love life and desires to be done the movie would have been much better.

In learning a little more about the real life accounts of John Dillinger and this time in US history, it was a little disappointing to see that some of the movie was a bit embellished and fakey. There were some parts that were supposed to have taken place in MN which did not and there was a drive from Sioux Falls, SD to the middle of Wisconsin which in the film only took an hour or two when that drive would take 4-5 hrs today going 70mph.

All in all the movie truly was enjoyable. Foolishly, I had high expectations and the film fell far short of those. It pains me to think of how good this movie "could have been." I'm through with my complaining and would recommend that you do see this movie, in theater or rental. I rate this film 4 stars out of a possible 5 stars.

Friday, July 17, 2009

The Beatles: Rockband

New York – June 1, 2009 – Original band members Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, along with Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison, came together today to kick off the 2009 E3 Media & Business Summit with the world premiere of The Beatles: Rock Band. The first-of-its-kind music-based video game offers a revolutionary tour of The Beatles' music, career, and legacy. Presented by Apple Corps, Ltd., and MTV Games’ Harmonix Music Systems, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), The Beatles: Rock Band will be released worldwide on 9/9/09, as will the release of the entire, original, digitally re-mastered Beatles CD catalogue. (rockband.com)

Thursday, July 9, 2009

LOST - The Numbers (video)

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Confessions of a Shopaholic - Critical Movie Review

Confessions of a Shopaholic (2007)

Director: P.J. Hogan
Starring :Isla Fisher, Hugh Dancy, Joan Cusack, John Goodman

Plot: Based on a pair of effervescent novels by Sophie Kinsella, Confessions of a Shopaholic is a light and bubbly confection that should appeal to those who can identify with its heroine's passion. Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher, Wedding Crashers) has a label-filled wardrobe that any fashionista would covet, but she also has credit card debt to match. She craves a job at the Vogue-like Alette, but a position at a financial magazine at the same publishing company may be her ticket in. Despite her painfully low credit rating, Becky starts dishing out advice on saving, while debt collector Derek Smeath (character actor Robert Stanton) is hot on her Louboutin heels. Meanwhile, she is competing for the affections of her charming boss, Luke Brandon (Hugh Dancy, The Jane Austen Book Club), with icy Alette employee Alicia Billington (Leslie Bibb, Iron Man). A well-heeled hybrid of Sex and the City and The Devil Wears Prada, Shopalholic features the talents of Patricia Field, costume designer for those two films. The clothes are almost on an equal footing with the actors here, and each well-chosen piece in Manhattan shop windows or worn by Bloomwood helps contribute to the film's bright mood. A lesser actress might have been lost in all the colors, but Fisher is a formidable comic presence who pulls off Becky's ditsy lines and goofy falls with equal aplomb. Those hoping for a smart discourse on the perils of credit cards and excess spending are certainly watching the wrong film, but Shopaholic may just be the fashion equivalent of food porn for dieters. (rottentomatoes.com)

Review: I had heard rumors that Confessions of a Shopaholic had some potential to be humorous for the male gender that was either dragged to the theater or trapped on the couch while this movie was playing. Those rumors were horribly mistaken. It's been 6 years since Dumb and Dumberer was released and since then I have not laughed this little until I watched this movie. Maybe it's because I'm a guy, maybe it's because I hate shopping, or maybe because I live in real life and not fantasy land, but this movie was AWFUL! Beyond the main character being ditsy and delusional, both things that bug me, the acting was OK, yet it had no hope of salvaging this train wreck of a film.

I realize that "chick flicks" are feel good movies and because of this the plot suffers a little bit due to the aim towards a happy ending. But this movie was over the top. Even in a normal chick flick it follows a general pattern. A girl meets boy, girl loses boy, boy comes back to girl sort of thing. This movie was so fake that even when you would suspect that a bad thing was going to happen a good thing would happen. This is both frustrating and stupid. I am honestly surprised that I stuck with it and finished watching the entire movie. I will make up for my lost time by not wasting any more time critiquing about this poor poor film. Touchstone Pictures should return the $44 million this movie made in theaters back to those that waster their afternoons watching this film. Very disappointed, Zero Stars...

Crossing Over - Critical Movie Review

Crossing Over (2009)

Director: Wayne Kramer
Starring : Harrison Ford, Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd, Cliff Curtis

Plot: The struggle to achieve resident alien status, or gain full-blown citizenship in the United States, provides some thought-provoking material in this feature from director Wayne Kramer(The Cooler). Crossing Over is an ensemble piece that contains many overlapping story lines, most of which revolve around Max Brogan (Harrison Ford), a law enforcement official who specializes in arresting people who break stringent immigration laws. Joining Ford is Ray Liotta, who plays a corrupt immigration official who forces a wannabe Australian actress (Alice Eve) to sleep with him in exchange for a green card. The film also focuses on the rigorous guidelines laid down in post-9/11 America, with Kramer detailing the shocking maltreatment of a teenage girl who faces deportation after giving a misguided high school presentation on terrorism. These tales, and several others, all combine to present an intricate overview of the desperate and often overwhelmingly sad lengths people will go to so they can remain in the United States. Kramer’s film closely mirrors other harrowing ensemble pieces such as Paul Haggis’s Crash (2004) and Richard Linklater’s Fast Food Nation (2006). Crossing Over carefully presents many different sides of this complicated issue and also examines how coincidence and good fortune can play a part in achieving resident status. Ford is perfectly cast as the downcast lead character who battles with the moral and ethical ramifications of his job, and frequently gets too close to the people he is required to prosecute. Kramer skillfully interweaves each tale and allows just enough screen time to each of his characters, with Cliff Curtis leading the excellent supporting cast by playing an Iranian-American immigration official whose life is irrevocably altered by a series of tragic personal and professional occurrences. (rottentomatoes.com)

Review: Crossing Over tackled a topic that is always at the center of our political arena, yet is commonly overlooked by the general public. With a style much like that of the films Crash and Babyl, Crossing Over told the story of gaining United States citizenship through the eyes of people from many different walks of life. It was odd to me when I ran across this movie at the movie store. I saw a picture of Harrison Ford on the cover and read on to see that Ray Liotta and Ashley Judd were also in this film, yet I could not remember this film being in theaters? For whatever reason a movie with a star studded cast like this only warranted a limited release across the nation and only brought in $402,469 at the box office. Intrigued by the cast and the snippet on the back of the DVD case we rented it.

It was interesting to see the approach that the film took. The style of following a bunch of different story lines and sub-plots was interesting and well done as it was not too difficult to follow. We always think of the issues that we have with the Mexican/American border but often forget that the rules of citizenship apply to people from all over the world. This film approached this idea well taking us along the path of citizenship with a family from Hong Kong, an aspiring actress from Australia, a hopeful musician from Great Britain, a family from the Middle East and a young mother from Mexico. All had their own unique struggles with obtaining citizenship and it was interesting to see how they adapted into the American culture during their time in the country.

As interesting as it was as a whole this movie rubbed me the wrong way. First, there was some pretty graphic nudity and sexual situations that probably were not necessary to get the point across. It was also kind of a dull story. It kept you interested but didn't really every reach a point where you could enjoy it. The biggest gripe that I have with this movie is the way that it leaves you feeling as it ends. The last half hour of the movie is pretty intense as each of the story lines are drawn to a close fairly abruptly. It leaves you with a sick feeling in your stomach. It leaves you angry with the United States government and the regulations that they hold for becoming a U.S. citizen. And at the same time it leaves you with an understanding as to why these rules need to be in place. I'm not really sure what sort of stance that the director and writers were trying to take with this movie. I truly was not sure how I felt when the movie ended.

While this movie was very well put together and the filming techniques were very appealing, I was not a fan of the multiple story lines and questionable stance that it took. I think that IF you are interested in watching this movie you should stick to the $1 Redbox rental. I rated this film 2.5 stars out of a possible 5 stars.

Music Within - Critical Movie Review

Music Within (2007)

Director: Steven Sawalich
Starring : Ron Livingston, Melissa George, Michael Sheen, Yul Vazquez

Plot: Based on a true story, MUSIC WITHIN depicts how one man helped change policies and attitudes toward people with disabilities. Richard Pimentel (Ron Livingston) grew up with an emotionally unstable mother (Rebecca De Mornay) and lost his father in a freak accident, so he turns to public speaking in school to find direction in life and seek the approval and praise he needs. After receiving insightful advice from a public speaking mentor (Hector Elizondo), Richard enlists in the army and serves in Vietnam. He returns with impaired hearing and finds it difficult to get a job. Through friendships with Art (Michael Sheen), who has cerebral palsy, and fellow Vietnam vets with various ailments, Richard finds his calling as an employment placement advocate for those with disabilities. Catching the attention of the state governor, his innovative work leads to a breakthrough opportunity: to write the training program for employers and government agencies to improve conditions, hire, and retain employees with disabilities. His efforts ultimately result in the creation of the congressionally approved Americans with Disabilities Act. MUSIC WITHIN impeccably fulfills its mission to inform as it entertains, as it seriously explores this sensitive subject but never loses its sense of humor when dealing with the issues. Livingston (OFFICE SPACE) is perfectly cast as Richard; his earnest Everyman style inspires, and his deadpan comic timing adds warmth to a story that showcases how cold people can be. Sheen (THE QUEEN) is a marvel as the brilliant and witty wheelchair-bound Art. Their chemistry is spellbinding and their characters' unique relationship is the heartbeat of this endearing film. (rottentomatoes.com)

Review: Music Within was a movie choice of Abby's, most likely because it contained the word "Music" in the title, but it turned out to be one of the more enjoyable movies that I have seen in a while. Both Abby and I are fans of movies that are based off of true stories. I think that we enjoy knowing that these cool stories that we are investing our time in actually happened, and then Abby enjoys shutting off the DVD player, picking up the computer, and looking up the characters and stories from the movies on Wikipedia and other Internet sites. Music Within was a wonderful story of friendship, triumph, and failure. This story was one of the few true stories that was successfully translated to be portrayed on the big screen and the writers, actors, and director did it wonderfully. I think that most of us are aware of the discrimination and hatred that faced African Americans during the civil rights movement and the uphill battle that women faced while they were fighting for equal rights, but it was relatively unknown to me the discrimination that people with physical or mental disabilities were facing in the late 70's and into the 80's. I really enjoyed seeing the story of a man that was advocating for those who were being treated as if they were not human beings.

Ron Livingston did a wonderful job depicting Richard Pimentel, a good hearted yet horribly conflicted character yet another character stole the show. Art Honeyman was played by Michael Sheen (Frost Nixon). Art was a man that a recently discharged Richard ran into while on campus at his college. Art suffers from Cerebral Palsy yet has a wonderful outlook on life and has this smart alec quick wit poise to him which added large amounts of humor to the film. I have to imagine that one of the most difficult roles in Hollywood to play would be a role where the character has either a physical or mental disability. In 1988 Dustin Hoffman made headlines when he won the Oscar for Best Actor in Rain Man. Since then many people have played roles in which they were depicting someone with a disability. The toughest part of this has to be doing it in an authentic yet tasteful manner. I was incredibly impressed with Michael Sheen as he portrayed Art Honeyman perfectly. I have gained a large amount of respect for him after seeing him in this role.

This story is full of ups and downs, laughs and tears, and held my attention the whole way through. There is a large amount of foul language warranting it an "R" rating, but I would recommend this movie to those of you who are old enough/mature enough for this type of movie. I rated it at 4 stars out of a possible 5 stars!

Rebecca - Critical Review

Rebecca (1940)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring : Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, George Sanders, Nigel Bruce

Plot: A string of classic suspense films produced in England had earned Alfred Hitchcock a reputation in the United States, and his first American production, Rebecca, cemented his fame. Based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier, Rebecca was conceived to rival producer David O. Selznick's previous epic, Gone With The Wind. This psychological thriller, however, derives its grandeur from Hitchcock's careful cultivation of the title character's haunting legacy. Joan Fontaine takes the starring role and narrates the story of her life as the second Madam de Winter. Fontaine, young and innocent, meets the worldly and sophisticated Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier) while vacationing on the Riviera. After a whirlwind romance and marriage, the two return to his opulent English estate, Maderley, where Fontaine begins to realize she is not entirely welcome in her new role. Chief among her detractors is housekeeper Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson), who points out her every failing in relation to the previous mistress of the house, Rebecca. Fontaine is nearly driven to suicide by her inability to understand the mysterious legacy of the first wife. However, when a ship washes ashore, the mystery begins to unravel, setting the stage for the memorable and fiery climax. (rottentomatoes.com)

Review:
I would not consider myself a big reader so for me to actually finish a book is a pretty amazing feat. Even more so for me to finish a book that we were assigned to read in high school is a bigger feat in itself. I think that Rebecca was the only book that I read in its entirety during my high school days. I don't remember why it was that I actually read this one, but it happened so when I was bored and flipping channels it peaked my interest when I stumbled upon this film on TCM, which was ideal since TCM does not interrupt their movies with commercials.

The movie did not sway too much from the plot of the book written by Daphne du Maurier. Alfred Hitchcock was way ahead of his time when it comes to suspense in movies. He portrayed the drama and emotion in this thriller with utter perfection. The casting for this movie was also very well done. One of the highlights was one of the creepiest characters in movie or novel history, Mrs. Danvers, who was played by Judith Anderson. I was completely and utterly creeped out by Mrs. Danvers as I read through the book in high school and Ms. Anderson brought my nightmares to life in front of my very own eyes. The stone faced look and creepy smile almost pushed me over the edge, one of the best acting jobs that I have ever seen! The rest of this big name cast also brought their A-game making for a wonderfully enjoyable film.

Due to unenjoyable experiences with black and white films in the past I usually am turned off as soon as I see B&W, but Rebecca is a movie that I would recommend to each and every one of you! This is a classic novel that was turned into a wonderful thriller film by one of Hollywood's most renowned director's. I rated this movie 4 stars out of a total 5 stars and would recommend that all of you watch this film if you stumble upon it!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

This Day In Sports - June 25th

1930 -- Max Schmeling becomes the first German -- and European -- heavyweight world champion after he beats Jack Sharkey for the vacant title in New York.

1948 -- Ben Hogan wins the U.S. Open with a record 276, five lower than Ralph Guldahl's 1937 record.

1991 -- The Chicago Bulls win the first NBA championship in the team's 25-year history.
*from si.com*

Article of the Day:

The first draft lottery still rates the best
By: David Schoenfield
espn.com

The first NBA draft lottery took place in 1985, with the seven non-playoff teams participating. The big prize in that year's draft: Georgetown center Patrick Ewing.

As we prepare for the 25th draft conducted under the lottery system, consider how much the NBA has grown: from 23 to 30 teams; from seven lottery teams to 14; from rumors of frozen envelopes to a complicated system of ping-pong balls.

Consider also: in 1985, Ewing was a polished college senior who had led Georgetown to three NCAA championship games; one of the top picks this year will be 18-year-old Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio.

But NBA commissioner David Stern saw all this coming: "There are some 237 schools playing in Division I of the NCAA and that doesn't include smaller schools or foreign programs that will turn out more players like Uwe Blab or Bill Wennington," he told The Washington Post in 1985. "As basketball continues to grow worldwide, it will only get better."

OK, we'll forgive the Uwe Blab reference, but the commish was right. Basketball has grown as a global sport, turning the NBA draft into a worldwide event.

How did we get here? Contrary to the beliefs of conspiracy theorists, the lottery system was not created to steer Patrick Ewing to the Knicks, who had gone 24-58 in the 1984-85 season. In fact, the system was voted in after the 1983-84 season (in which the Knicks had won 47 games and reached the conference semifinals) in reaction to the perception that the Houston Rockets had tanked down the stretch. The Rockets lost 17 of their final 22 games, and nine of their final 10, to "pass" the San Diego Clippers by one game for the Western Conference's worst record. At the time, the worst teams in the West and East flipped a coin for the No. 1 overall pick. The Rockets won the toss, giving them the No. 1 selection for the second straight year (they added Hakeem Olajuwon to Ralph Sampson).

At the time, the controversy was whether a team on the fringe of making the playoffs would tank in order to make the lottery (originally, all lottery teams had an equal shot at the No. 1 pick). "If you're asking me where my heart would lie if it came down to a last-second shot between making the playoffs or the lottery, I couldn't -- I wouldn't -- tell you," Atlanta Hawks general manager Stan Kasten told the Post back then.

The Hawks missed the playoffs but didn't win the lottery. They drew the No. 5 pick and bypassed future All-Stars such as Karl Malone, Chris Mullin and Joe Dumars to draft the forgettable Jon Koncak (4.5 points per game in his career). The Clippers, predictably, didn't win the lottery either. Drafting third, they made a pick that would pretty much define the next two-plus decades of the franchise: Benoit Benjamin, a big man of immense talent, but best remembered for once trying to enter a game wearing two left shoes.

With that, let's relive each of the previous 24 years of the NBA draft under the lottery. We'll list the top 10 picks each year, suggest how teams should have drafted and grade the overall talent of each draft. Note that often players are selected by one team only to be dealt to another club in a prearranged trade; in those instances, we'll list the drafting team as the club that acquired the player.

Also, note this as you think about the results of Thursday's draft: By our hindsight accounting, NBA teams have nailed the top two selections in order just one time in 24 drafts (Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning in 1992). They've nailed the top pick just seven times out of 24: David Robinson, Shaq, Chris Webber, Tim Duncan, LeBron James, Dwight Howard and Derrick Rose.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

"Getting Lost" on TMIB

We've talked a bit about The Man In Black, Anti-Jacob, Esau, etc for a while now and we still don't know anything about him. Getting Lost on tvguide.com tackled this issue in their latest LOST Video. Check it out below...

This Day In Sports - June 24th

After a brief hiatus This Day in Sports is back up and running!

1991 -- The NHL's Board of Governors adopts instant replay.

1998 -- Sammy Sosa ties the major league record for homers in a month, hitting his 18th of June in the first inning of the Cubs' 7-6 loss to Detroit.

2000 -- Rick DiPietro is the first goalie drafted No. 1 in the NHL draft, by the New York Islanders.

2001 -- Karrie Webb, 26, captures the LPGA Championship by two strokes to become the youngest woman to complete the Grand Slam.

Article of the Day:

Kahn the Dealer Strikes Early
"Landing the no. 5 pick for two veteran guards deepened the Wolves' options and caught the fan base's attention"

By Jerry Zgoda

Last update: June 24, 2009 - 7:25 AM

New Timberwolves basketball boss David Kahn promised he'd be hyperactive in his efforts to rebuild a franchise that can't sell a $5 ticket since it traded away superstar Kevin Garnett two summers ago.

Who knew he had been guzzling Red Bull?

Kahn today is expected to finalize his first trade since he became the team's new president of basketball operations 32 days ago.

The bold six-piece transaction that sends Mike Miller and Randy Foye to Washington for the fifth pick in Thursday's NBA draft begs a question:

With the hours quickly ticking away, just who is he after in a draft some NBA executives have called the thinnest they've seen in years?

Kahn's opening move essentially wipes clean the team's existing backcourt and makes the Wolves further committed to youth and the 2010 draft, when the Wolves will have two more first-rounders if their own pick is in the Top 10.

It provides a fourth first-round pick to a team that already has accumulated the sixth, 18th and 28th overall picks Thursday and presumably doesn't want three, let alone four rookies on next season's team.

With Foye's departure, it sends away the player who -- fairly or unfairly -- most reminds Wolves fans of Kevin McHale's failure in 14 seasons as Kahn's predecessor.

But, most notably, it has done one other remarkable thing.

Kahn and his promise for change -- about to be delivered with roster moves beginning today -- has Timberwolves fans interested again.

They are chattering away on Internet boards in numbers not seen in these Twin Cities since the last bit of breaking Brett Favre news.

A franchise that has barely registered a pulse since July 31, 2007 -- the day McHale traded away Garnett to Boston in the league's biggest deal for a single player -- now is guaranteed a prominent seat at the proverbial table after NBA Commissioner David Stern steps forth Thursday and announces the Los Angeles Clippers have made Oklahoma forward Blake Griffin the first player taken.

More than anything, Kahn now has options as he remakes a team's youthful rebuilding process apparently with more youth and, at least for now, on the cheap.

The acquisition of two top-six picks puts the Wolves in position to barter with one -- or both -- of those picks another deal, with Memphis for the draft's second choice.

That'd give Kahn his choice of precocious Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio or Hasheem Thabeet, the Connecticut center who's raw, undeveloped and also 7-3.

(You can't teach that, you know?)

But this draft offers no guarantees, other than the Clippers will take Griffin first.

So, in such a year, Kahn might very well decide it's better to stay put with two picks and completely rebuild a backcourt he just emptied -- Sebastian Telfair's presence notwithstanding -- by sending both Miller and Foye to Washington and new coach Flip Saunders.

In a draft populated by guards, the Wolves could keep both picks and take their choice of the best guards left on the board after Sacramento selects fourth.

Kahn is believed to covet Tyreke Evans, the combo guard from Memphis who so impressed with his 6-6 size and strength during a Target Center workout last week against smaller point guards.

(The Wolves also like Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn a lot).

Until a few days ago, it seemed certain Evans would still be available with the fifth pick. Now, there's a growing chance the Kings will take Evans -- meaning Rubio very well could await Kahn and the Wolves with the fifth pick.

So could Arizona State's James Harden, another projected top-four pick. Flynn or Davidson's Steph Curry, the best shooter in the draft, will be there as well.

Only one thing is certain.

And most unexpected.

"People are excited," said veteran forward Mark Madsen, easily the longest tenured Timberwolf. "That's good, isn't it?"

Miraculous might be a better word.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

LOST - Embarking on a New Adventure

Embarking on a New Adventure:
It's been a while now since season 5 of LOST ended and I'm suffering through withdrawal right now! But I think that I have found a solution. Since I didn't really reach LOST "nerd status" until the summer between seasons 4 and 5 I'm going to do a little back tracking. Starting with the Pilot episodes I'm going to go back through and watch the entire series. Knowing what we know now I'm sure there will be some things that will make a little more sense and maybe some things that will help us answer the questions that we are still pondering. If you have yet to discover the goodness that is LOST, I would wholeheartedly encourage you to do so! ABC.com has all of the episodes on their website and you can watch along with us!

Well here goes nothing, wish me luck!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

This Day In Sports - June 10th

1984 -- Larry Bird named Finals MVP as Boston Celtics win NBA Championship, beating LA Lakers in Game 7, 111-102.

1984 -- Ivan Lendl beats John McEnroe (3-6, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5, 7-5) to win the French Open men's singles championship.

1986 -- A. Bartlett Giamatti, who would later become MLB commissioner, is named president of the National League.

1996 -- Patrick Roy and Colorado Avalanche sweep the Florida Panthers to win the Stanley Cup.
*from si.com*

Article of the Day:

Childress Says There's "Absolutely" No Dealine For Favre
By: Mike Florio
ProFootballTalk.com

Though Vikings coach Brad Childress has yet to acknowledge that his team is interested in acquiring “retired” quarterback Brett Favre, Childress declared during a Wednesday morning radio spot with our friends at KFAN in Minneapolis that no deadline exists.

"Absolutely not," Childress said. “Maybe by Deanna [Favre] or somebody like that, but certainly not from me. Not even — not even close. [I] don’t know where that dropped out of the sky from. . . .

“I don’t know how you guys in that industry go about your sourcing,” Childress added. “‘A source that a source said.’ I don’t know. It’s questionable. Very questionable.”

The fourth-year head coach also continues to be evasive regarding the true nature of the team’s interest in Favre. For example, asked whether the press has overstated the Vikings’ interest in Favre, Childress focused only on the report that Childress was in Mississippi to meet with Favre when Childress actually was in Minnesota. “I always thought David Copperfield was a great magician,” Childress said. “But I haven’t been able to do that one yet.”

Childress at no time has said that he’s not interested in Favre, so it’s Favre to assume that the door was and still is open for the Second Annual Brett Favre unretirement.

**Check out the podcasted interview now at KFAN.com**