Draft and NBA Musings

Well, I can't say there was a lot of sizzle to this year's draft for the Texans, but at least there wasn't a collective large groan based on their pick. My hope got sucked out from under me at pick 7 when the Vikings grabbed Peterson. But the Texans ended up with a kid you can root for...Amobi Okoye. If you don't know much about this guy check out this bio. This huge hulking dude is only 19 years old! So hopefully this will be a good investment for the long term.

Okoye

On the NBA front, we may be witnessing the one of the biggest upsets in playoff history and it involves the home town Mavs. What is even more ironic is that the team doing it to them is lead by Don Nelson their old coach who Mark Cuban just hates. If they end up losing I could see Cuban litterally buying buildings just to blow them up to let of steam.

Personnally I was woried for the Mavs when I saw the matchup, but thought they would take care of business. As of right now...I think they are done. They just don't seem to have any heart to close out the games. They way they have been playing it seems like an almost impossible mountain to climb to win 3 in a row. I have been wrong many times before.

But on a side note, the first time the Rockets won the championship in 1994 they were a 2 seed and the 1 seed was Seattle. The Rockets couldn't beat Seattle to save their lives...so what happens...Denver the 8th seed comes back down 2-0 in a best of five and takes them out. Opening the door for the Rockets to eventually end up winning their first NBA title. The seminal moment of that playoff series...Mutumbo holding the ball in the lane lying on the floor after the victory.

Now back to this year. If the Mavs do lose, then guess who is the immediate beneficiary. The winner of the Rockets/Jazz series. If the Rockets can find a way to get by the Jazz then I think they can handle Golden State just due to Yao. By the way...the Rockets also have Mutumbo..

Trip to Margaritaville

Got a weekend pass from the missus for saturday night. Boarded a Southwest fun fare and headed down to houston to catch old man Jimmy Buffett at Minute Maid Park.

It is kind of an old tradition dating back to high school and has been hit or miss for the last few years. Got to the point where I had gone so much and the tickets were so high that I just said forget it. But this year my friend Jefe and I decided to go again. So that meant I got to enjoy a starburst wheat crust deep dish pizza from Star Pizza, in the afternoon and by night fall enjoy an evening people watching and listing to tunes under beautiful skies.

I would have to say that if pressed I would guess the average age at this concert was somewhere around 55. Maybe 50 with some of the younger ones skewing it a bit more downward. It is always fun to people watch, especially at a place like this. For example, there was shall we say a woman of size who with her man of similar nature where just dancing, singing and mugging up a storm. Then there was the guy that was going full force for the first 30 minutes and then we looked over and he was slumpped over in his chair asleep. Then there was the guy a row in front of us who would be so excited for every song...and would sing along, except he didn't remember any of the words. Or the guy next to us who, had we been doctors running and experiment, was a wonderful example of how over the course of 2 hours your responses deteriorate under the infulence of alcohol.

All in all, a good night. He played the hits of course (what would a concert be without Fins, Come Monday, Pirate Looks at 40, and Margaritaville) and mixed in some songs that I really liked, but aren't really the hits. Throw in some Willie Nelson and Hank Williams and you had a good evening.

Until next year...

Still there...

Latest mock draft at si has the Texans still getting Adrian Peterson. Let's just say that I am going to be eagerly awaiting draft day to see if we can mess this up again.

SI Mock Draft

Rock Out Church

Sunday was my first Easter at Rock Out Church...what I call the new place we have been going - Highland Meadows Christian Church. It was even ironic a bit as the minister (we call him a pastor - is that ok?) got up to welcome everyone he even said we are going to "rock this house for Jesus today". Let me just say...I don't know if I can go back to C of C after that service.

Now I know I have the blessing of living in a big city and it is a big church in an affluent neighborhood, so of course they have a good band with great equipment. But you can't help but praise with the music - and it isn't all new stuff either. They work in some of the old standards and to my amazement some are even more powerful re-arranged with instruments to me.

I still feel weak in that I can't support my argument for or against almost any doctrinal stance the church has taken. I know the stories, but can't quote chapter or verse, and sometimes when I actually take the time to go and check what I think I know I find I am wrong.

So over the past few months I have been convicted to try and question. Not my faith, but why I do the things I do, or why I am uncomfortable about things that might not make a difference. Habits can be hard to break.

Anyway, at the close of the sermon they played this clip from Steve Harvey. He is a believer and it was an interesting dichotomy. Obviously he was doing a comedy show...and some of this is funny. But you can tell that as he is doing this he really starts to get into it and all the points are spot on. The clip I have doesn't show his reaction at the end, which is to stay a thanks to God very solemnly. But this has some background so the clip will hopefully speak for itself.

Steve Harvey Intros Christ

One funny note...it looked like there was just a kid on the drums...and I think he was really into Easter. Because as the pastor (there I used it) was finishing up his sermon hamering home the points of why we know Jesus is the one way, the band was starting the background for the song they were going to play and this kid was giving the drum set all he had. To the point that the pastor was really having to talk loudly to get his points across. It didn't really distract from the sermon but it was a funny moment to me as I was recounting my time there that morning. I could just see this kid wishing he had a double bass to just rock out church...

The "Should Be" National Holiday

Today should be a national holiday. There is always someone or some group pushing a new figure or event that should be recongnized, but today truly should be recognized by our government and they should step up to let everyone off for the day.

Today is Opening Day for baseball and the National Championship in college basketball. (I don't count that baseball actually played games last night...that is just for tv and isn't really opening day).

What better excuse to have all Americans sit at home or enjoy a day with family and friends, than when you could have baseball on all day and then at night while you are still sitting out in the cool spring evening have the college championship on the tube or radio.

I think I will have to start a petition to my legislators to get the ball rolling on this...