Harrison Barnes

Skills trainers: what's up with all them damn cones?

NBA individual award predictions

Mike Evans was made to stand for the national anthem. Or else. 

Holla:

@CoachDamany

The book, The Pain and the Game  - available at Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Pain-Game-Memoir-Damany-Hendrix/dp/1530072832

@GameTightSport

Blaps:

Big Sean  Bounce Back

Wasatch Front - DAME Dolla

Blocka - Pusha T feat. Popcaan and Travis Scott

We the People  - A Tribe Called Quest

The DOC and The Doctor - The DOC

Yo have you heard Pedro Gomez from ESPN conduct an interview with a Spanish speaking player? It's phenomenal.

Carmelo Anthony's issue with motivation.

The bay is weak when it comes to weather and that's fine with us.

Warriors have more than enough fuel for motivation and intensity. So let's get it.

The Raiders want to move from Oakland? You a grown ass man dog.

The maturation of Kevin Durant.

Cam Newton: Hey guys, concussions are real. 

Much respect:

DJ Willie Mayze in North Dakota defending Standing Rock

DJ Toure - Hiero Day

Tajai - Hiero Day 

Kaytranada / Arthur Baker / Mistah F.A.B. / Brand Nubian / Big Daddy Kane / Staple Singers

Episode 40, recorded in June after the Golden State Warriors blew a 3-1 lead to lose the NBA chip to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Before the series started I was talking smack with a dope MC and educator out of Cleveland, RepLife, then real life happened.  A lead was blown and history was made. This is my way of getting ready for the upcoming NBA season. Gotta face facts! 

This is the most recent episode of GTS recorded on February 25. I know I know, I’m late.

We kicked off the discussion on Steph Curry right after he put 42 on the Heat and 51 on Orlando. I’m calling Steph Curry the most powerful offensive weapon in modern times. I’m not trying to define ‘modern times’ or the players of that mystical era but yup, even MJ gets pushed back in line. Maybe a scootch over the top but I can’t front on the kid now. When I peeped Curry up close for the first time in 2011 my doubts were concrete. Most know Dr. James Andrews but Dr. Richard Ferkel, bad ankle whisperer, is that dude. Flip to 2014. Doubts? Naw man. Steph Curry is killing off naysayers like Galahad in the church from the movie Kingsman.

If you’re Colin Kaepernick, what do you do? Do you stay or do you go? Do you trust in the leak machine that is the 49ers’ front office? Do you trust in a coach that should be humbled and QB friendly but also dragging a reputation of struggling with NFL players that possess a strong sense of self? Or, considering your downward spiral do you push your chips to the middle and angle for a trade to play under Gary Kubiak or Hue Jackson?

March Madness is right around the corner so Al and Frank answer the questions regarding the UC Berkeley Men’s Basketball squad coached by Cuonzo Martin and led by the best freshmen class in over 20 years.

This is a dope episode of GameTight Sports. Actually an especially fresh episode because it’s the first single subject interview episode.

Tajai Massey of the Souls of Mischief

A couple of weeks ago I got a chance to meet Tajai and Phesto while they were being interviewed for the Golden State Warriors Believers documentary.

https://www.facebook.com/thebelieversdoc/

We tried to record then but the day went long and schedules starting clashing but I knew I had to get these cats on the mic to discuss general life topics expanding beyond of their musical history as one of the most celebrated hiphop groups from the West.

Here is an hour-long interview with Tajai we conducted while he was driving going from one job to the next. He’s currently working as an architect during the day, collabin with the crew on various Hiero related projects while raising two daughters. The crew is busing. Hiero Day. The Hiero Emporium. Recording. Imagining a better place.

This was recorded on February 23 on the heels of the Nevada primaries so we were amped. Fired up. But that energy pushed the discussion to a place that allowed us to shine light a grown man’s concerns, perspective and goals.

There’s a distinct high pitch tone running through the recording that I couldn’t shake—my bad. I don’t know if it were Skype, the cell phone or what-- so my bad on that but trust it didn’t get in the way of a dope convo. Enjoy.

Finally a post Super Bowl edition. We follow up on our predictions from Episode 37—we were wrong. All wrong. But look at Payton Manning sidestepping HGH rumors from the Al Jazeera report published in December. Meanwhile Cam Newton wrote a pretty big public relations check being boisterous and cocky. Can he cash it? Will we allow him a chance to make good on his talent and brashness? And while Cam Newton was under the radar for his post game behavior, it was the Denver Broncos defense that pushed Cam off his mark on the field and off the mic during the post game press conference.

We also hit on the first regular season matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Warriors just make it look easy. How?

What’s good Sacramento! Should the Kings boot George Karl or trade Boogie Cousins? Derek Fisher where are you? Busy chasing booty and not enough time thinking about triangle?

I’m dedicating this episode to Maurice White who passed away last week at the age of 74. Maurice White is of course the founder of the super group Earth, Wind & Fire. They perfected top-tier musicianship coupled with chart domination selling over 80 million records. And of course the African influence was on point and evident in their instrumentation, polyrhythms, wardrobe and albums covers. If you’re aware of the music around you chances are you can identify a key moment in your life, a celebration, a family affair or Netflix and chill (the reasons why we’re here) and Earth, Wind & Fire was part of the soundtrack.

The Super Bowl teams are set. The Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers are ready to go and while Denver was a safe bet at the start of the season nobody picked the Panthers. But if you step back and appreciate the MVP season Cam Newton put together, you’ll notice he actually got better in the playoffs—makes sense. But what about interesting choices with his wardrobe? Dab.

Oscars Always So White, right? But look at Common makin’ them Hollywood adjustments with Laura Dern. 

As the show flows on we also hit on the Golden State Warriors handling the San Antonio Spurs highlighted by a damn near perfect game from Steph Curry. But what do you get from that outside of one more regular season notch in the win column? If Kawhi Leonard can’t guard Steph, what’s next for San Antonio? Lebron bounced David Blatt and Blake Griffin bounced an equipment manager, some dude no taller than 6 feet.  Reputation rehab, STAT! And what about these Kevin Love trade rumors? 

Thinkin’ of A Master Plan - YZ

No More Parties in LA – Kanye West feat. Kendrick Lamar

Little Brother - Good Clothes

Burn Hollywood Burn

Nothing Can Come Between Us - Sade

Anderson .Paak - Come Down

First reference to “Steph” means Steph Curry, second reference is for Vino significant other, Stephanie Banner. Hi Steph!

Frank said, Steve Bowman. Steve Balmer is the owner of the Los Angeles Clipper.

Flint:

profess didn’t know the second or more polluted (not diluted) water source serving Flint Michigan. Answer: Flint River

Also, the state changed Flint’s water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River but currently the water might be coming from Lake Huron again but the pipes feeding the city need replacing ASAP and there’s a call for help including direct funds to purchase water or for funds to support more studies on the damage and solutions.

Honestly I’m still trying to catch up on this and that includes figuring out the best way for folks to help in the most effective way. Administrative costs are necessary to a degree but some of these nonprofit foundations are mismanaged so if you have any information on the best ways to help Flint residents, please pass it along. We’re on twitter, at GameTight Sports and you can always hit us on the line – 510-214-2808.  That’s good for sport talk too.

A nod to the passing of David Bowie was left out  but GameTight Sports remembers Bowie as an advocate for more black artists on MTV and for taking risks.

Robert Griffin III. Remember that first year? He was handling the spread offense like he was still at Baylor. Subway commercials. Playoffs! Life was good. But then he stayed in a game too long after suffering a leg injury, Shanahan moved on and Jay Gruden moved in. Bye bye spread offense and bye bye huge speed differential between RG3 and most NFL linebackers. Hello Kirk Cousins. What now?

And what about Kaepernick? He was flexing with no sleeves just a minute ago. There were haters but he had Beats by Dre. He came close in the Super Bowl then another loss in the NFC championship and the next thing you know his protector left for Ann Arbor and the Honey Badger had his number. So what's next for these two?

Thanks to a great question from a caller, FrankRed handles those questions.

It was easy to get caught up in the streak because streaks are fun. But Young Vino looked deeper at the way the Warriors are playing. The win loss record still looks sexy and when you have the greatest shooter in the game, you can always sidestep a loss. But the defense isn't the same and the turnovers are hot. Let's be honest, right now the way things are trending, the arguments for San Antonio looking stronger than Golden State are pretty compelling. 

2015 favorites:

Skyzoo | Alabama Shakes | Kendrick

Love you Cheryl!

 12-13-2015

We made some NBA predictions in episode 34 so here in Episode 35 it’s time to check on the progress since we’re about a third of the way through the regular season. 

Steph Curry as MVP: On schedule

Paul George as Comeback Player of the Year: On schedule

Karl-Anthony Towns: On schedule.

Dwight Howard as DPOY: Like flying United.

Look the Eastern Conference is no longer a tire fire. Why? Improved players AND coaching of course.

How do you explain Puffy Combs? Like from musical perspective? He’s not a producer in the traditional sense. Not a bandleader. Not a writer. But yet with his vision he’s been able to carve out an amazing over the last 20 years.  

Music please:

High & Might feat. Mos Def.

New Puffy feat. Jadakiss

New Jadakiss feat Swizz Beats

Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band

Ghostface 

The Warriors as champs are like an amalgamation of the Celtics and Laker championship team of the 80's. On the crunchy side you have the Celtics: hated and not really respected by many. Too fundamental. Too good.  And on the sweet side you have the Lakers. Showtime. Slick dimes. Magic. 

That's Golden State.  The greatest show everyone wants to see but because you rock Cavalier, Clippers, Thunder, Rockets, Kings or Wizards jerseys you have to be quiet when they say shut up. But when your squad ain’t around, you be cheering again. For the Warriors.

This will be one of the most entertaining NBA seasons in years because of that duality.

MVP

Draymond as DPOY and

a pretty solid rookie class.

Who you got?