Genesis

After listening to a Bill Simmons (a writer for ESPN.com) podcast, that featured my favorite writer, Chuck Klosterman, I was immediately discouraged because of both of their unique ways to transform raw emotion and complex ideologies into words. However, the discouragement has turned into motivation to become a better writer myself. Although it was a sports podcast, Simmons and Klosterman spent a lot of the allotted hour talking about writing style and how much they’ve improved over the years. I figure, the only way for me to grow as a writer is to write – every day. So, my friend Celia (who is also an aspiring writer and can be found at (http://betterthanyourbetter.blogspot.com/) and I have decided that we must write at least 350 words daily, even though there will probably never be a time where I only write 350 words a subject.

So I’ll be spending the rest of this summer writing about my thoughts on a myriad of topics including, but not limited to, sports, music, politics, movies and other pop culture topics. Not only will I be writing about pop culture, but I’ll spend my summer immersing myself in America’s ever growing sub-culture.

With that being said, I have a few thoughts on Game 1 of the Lakers vs. Celtics Finals:

1. I think the Lakers really underestimated the level of hostility they were up against in the Boston Garden. Those fans can create momentum with the best of them, think college basketball type environments.

2. The Lakers’ edge is going to be taken away by the extended halftimes, something I hadn’t thought about before this series started. They’ve played very well in third quarters this post season, a quarter that has been maker-or-break for teams in the ’08 Playoffs. The Lakers came out flat-footed after intermission and the Celtics took advantage of it. Look for the winner of the third quarter to win every game this series.

3. The Lakers’ defense is extremely underrated. They’re terrible individually, but they play amazing as a team. The Celtics have been praised for their defensive intensity all season, and they should have been, but the Lakers aren’t as bad as everyone thinks they are.

4. Paul Pierce’s Willis Reed like return to the game had to be scripted. There’s no way he needed to be carried off the floor like that after falling to the floor. He didn’t hit the floor hard or didn’t land awkward. I’m sure it might have felt a little weird, but the way he came out with his chest and arms puffed out was borderline comical. If the Celtics win this series, that moment will be talked about for years, but as an amazing, gutty performance from Pierce when it was actually Doc Rivers’ best coaching move of his terrible career.

5. I hate Ray Allen.

Lord willing, I’ll be back tomorrow with some thoughts.

Stay Hideous

-PB

(Word count to date, 480)