Its all a game

Last night while watching the 2005 NBA draft I got mad heated that Raptors GM Rob Babcock took Charlie Villanueva with the 7th pick. I'm calling for his immediate dismissal. What was he thinking?

I mean Villanueva looked like a top 10 pick last year when he was playing next to Emaka Okafor at UConn but this year he wasn't all that. Actually he disappeared in a positively Rashard McCant type way in Uconn's final game in my opinion. I usually chart out all the possible Raptor picks and even got it right the one year we took Kareen Rush. Boy was I happy that year until we traded him a few picks later to the Lakers for this Mr Potato head looking guy. Damn!

So last night when I heard we picked Villanueva I was like rushing around talking to myself saying no way, there's got to be a trade in the works. Oh well! Maybe Babcock is tired of Toronto and is trying to get fired. I still hope Villaneva works out though.

Oh well. Anyway as I watched the draft and wondered about the impact of these young men on the NBA in years to come I had some deep thoughts. Thoughts like why draft a high schooler on potential rather than take a solid college grad where you know what you're getting. Its all a big gamble.....just like life.

I mean dudes are being penalized for going to school now. Sort of like real life, you go to school do your degree come out and the debt hits you like whoa. Its sort of like that BDP rhyme: 'You go to Vietnam come back you're a veteran but how many veterans are out there peddling' except substitute Vietnam for college and substitute peddling for struggling and cant find a job. Schools supposed to be the way to success but dudes who went straight to work out of high school be making more cash than some college grads who are straight struggling. Geez I'm starting to sound like Kanye.

And I was following the whole issue with Marvin Williams the number 2 pick last night. The one knock on him was that he's too nice a guy and they don't know if he wants it bad enough. Basically that's saying he's not a big enough jerk and his ego isn't big enough yea and then teams complain that the guys in the league aren't good citizens, wow! Just like real life I guess being nice just aint where its at. Still number 2 pick aint bad for ol Marvin for most of the good guys in the world its more like you're not even drafted.

Yep the draft is sort of like life, the asses somehow seem to impress those in authority more and get ahead don't they?

They also sometimes say life's a game you got to play hard to win and you may have some talent but it will only take you so far. But is life truly a game? I mean come on I could use a time out right about now to regroup but if I call time out right now I'm likely to be hit with a Chris Webber like penalty and blow the game and turn the ball over. Turn the ball over? What ball? You have to pick the ball up and run with it I've heard. Me I just dropped the ball a long time ago because I was tired of getting hit. Why is it that if you pick up the ball and start running mysterious linebackers appear from out of nowhere to impede your progress and sometimes stomp you into the ground. You've got to be able to take a hit son. Well f that, if you hit me mama said knock you the hell out. Personally, I say take the ball and pass that ish to someone else and let them deal with that shh umm hit. Where's my pass protection anyways? I'm feeling like a QB outside the pocket trying to go deep while dodging 400 pound linebackers trying to sack me for a loss of yards. I've already lost mad yards as it stands, if I lose anymore I'm out of the game and in the stands. Always got to scramble and I aint as fast as M Vick.

They say take it to the hole strong, maybe you'll get the bucket And 1. But maybe you should just settle for the jump shot. I mean good jump shooters are far and wide lacking in the league, I say find your niche, everyone cant dunk, everyone wont be a star some people got to be role players right. Someone has to do the dirty work, play defense, we all cant be flashy.

Got to deal with the curveballs life throws, cant strike out. Knock it out the park while other brothers be hitting bunts (I got SOUL POWER never took a cold shower neva had a ...). Got to get on top of the ball, handle the bouncers and the beamers. Hit them for six! Avoid the tackles, don't bogey on the 13th, return service, win the game, win the set, win the match. Instead I'm behind the 8 ball and praying for a hail mary to save me. Whoa sports metaphor overload!

Anyway I still don't believe life's a game. If it is then why is it years after I've been in the league I still feel like I'm undergoing a rookie hazing? Why cant the coach take me out when I'm playing crap and put me on the bench for a spell. Where's my sub, even a stunt double would be nice in some situations. Why cant I rack up a DNP (did not play) when I'm sick. Where are the drugs when I'm playing through pain? Why cant I demand a trade? Life's just not cricket (fair) but then again cricket is no longer cricket these days anyways.

Where's my playbook, where's my scouting chart on the opposition, and worst of all where are my endorsements? I could be s spokesperson too. I can sell product. Actually I probably cant. I'm giving it 110% out there son, I got sound bites?

Still the closest my life will probably get to sports is sudden death. Who knows!