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Kevin Durant - The Definition of an Unselfish Superstar

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Mon, 10 Nov 2014 04:58:00 +0000

Kevin Durant is a rare breed. Durant's Most Valuable Player acceptance speech captured truest essence of who KD is. A humble Superstar. That is not an easy feat in today's world.

Back in 2010 when LeBron James was in the midst of his grand "Decision", Kevin Durant had a quieter approach to his moral conundrum. Instead of broadcasting his choice, KD sent out a very subtle and direct tweet to his 8 million followers that announced that he would be back in Oklahoma City. LeBron unveiled his new home to Jim Gray and the globe on a prime time ESPN time slot. Durant stayed home and took the road less hyped.

KD's Most Valuable Player speech was the perfect encapsulation of just how genuine, selfless and heartfelt Durant really is. Most MVP speeches that have occurred in the past have become something of a dull formality. People tune in to see the top player accept his trophy, thank his family and teammates, and people forget about it the next day. What made Duran't speech so powerful was the emotion he displayed. For every teammate he individually named--and he did name all of them --there was the accompanying struggle to hold his composure. The current generation is so afraid of expressing their feelings. It is especially not "cool" for athletes to show this emotional side, particularly males.

When speaking to more than half of his teammates, Durant said "I love you" numerous times. Without hesitation, and with conviction, Durant spills out true emotion with such ease. There are very few people who are comfortable enough to say how they really feel. Durant is genuinely content and relaxed in his own skin and is the personification of a true professional. Durant is a guy who is extremely good at holding his temperament in public-- particularly in the media. He hardly ever breaks character. But this speech was something different.

Durant recounted a story about growing up with very little, and documents his families struggle to eat some nights. This was Durant's moment to be in the spotlight, and in typical Durant fashion, he deflected the attention away from himself. In probably the most touching, tear-jerking moment of the speech--and maybe of the season--Durant specifically dissects his most memorable childhood memory. It wasn't winning numerous awards, dominating tournaments, and it wasn't turning into a Superstar. The memory he recalls is sitting on the floor with his mother and brother hugging each other. "When you didn't eat, you made sure we ate." Durant recalled. With tears coming down his eyes, he says that his mother was the real MVP. The camera shifts to Durant's mother, Wanda Pratt, who is downright inconsolable.

Durant's humility goes beyond the podium and the basketball court. When Oklahoma was devastated by two severe tornadoes, KD went out to Oklahoma, walked around to the most dismantled area and took in the terrible destruction. He was so touched by the travesty, he donated $1 million and embraced Oklahoma like it was his home. Partly because this is his new home. Shortly before accepting the award, the Oklahoma City Thunder put together a really cool video that depicts Oklahoman's feelings and appreciation for their newly minted Most Valuable Player. They speak of him as a savior, a role model and a truly good person. Durant made sure to let them know he loved them
too.

After the Thunder's improbable Round two Game 5 win, KD and Westbrook were at the podium and Durant showed again how much of a throwback he is. Durant-- noticing that Russell Westbrook was checking his phone during the press conference-- told Russell to put his phone away. In a generation where kids are less and less engaged, Durant still understands the importance of giving your full attention--particularly in face to face situations. It was a subtle and seemingly meaningless utterance, but it gives a glimpse of what kind of person he is.

We live in an era where most kids (and adults) are constantly preoccupied and disinterested. You see heads buried in phones at all times. Kevin Durant is truly a rare breed. A classy, selfless individual who never seems to want to take any credit. Durant is a dominant player, but is always willing to make the assist--and that's just the way he likes it.

Greek Freak Nation - The Legend of Giannis Antetokounmpo

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Mon, 10 Nov 2014 04:45:00 +0000

Can you pronounce his name? Probably not. Do you need to know about rising NBA Star Giannis Antetokounmpo? Absolutely.

You might not know how to spell his name, but Giannis Antetokounmpo is taking the NBA by storm. Fanatical Bucks fans love him, but most people know very little about him. Despite this, Antetokounmpo has rapidly become the most popular player on the 2014 Milwaukee Bucks. According to NBA.com, Giannis was Google searched more than any of his Bucks teammates. He was also #1 amongst all rookies. Let's examine some of the reasons why.

For one he is 19 years old and in his first year located outside of Athens, Greece. Everything is new to him. Having a smoothie for the first time was a huge score for this guy. More importantly, he is gaining a mass following for his limitless potential. It helps that he is now nearly 6'11 with shoes on. (He was measured again at the end of the season and is still growing). His lanky frame has made him a YouTube sensation and earned him the easier-to-say nickname of "Greek Freak." I mean seriously, look at this guys hands.

He has only logged about 3 full years of professional level basketball in his life. Last year Giannis played in the Greek A2 league, which is a secondary league in Greece. This year he is playing in the NBA. Let that sink in for a minute. Going from Greece to Milwaukee is quite the culture shock. Giannis once went to Western Union to send all of his money home to his family in Athens. After dispensing his cash and heading for the exit, he realizes he sent every penny he had. Legend has it that Giannis decided to take a nice run to the Bradley Center, and along his path was stopped by a concerned driver. "Are you that rookie on the Milwaukee Bucks?" Indeed he was, and he got his hitch-hiked ride to the Arena.

The stories are nice, but his eye popping talent has taken the NBA by storm. Take a look at this play in a mid season game against the Knicks. Antetokounmpo displays his craftiness and his insane athleticism. It even caused a delirious Magic Johnson comparison courtesy of the great Walt "Clyde" Frazier. With his size, athleticism and decent shooting stroke, there's reasonable expectations of Antetokounmpo being a legitimate multi-year All Star. He is just now learning how to work with coaches and teammates (although most will not be back next year). Despite this, he is easily one of the few faces of the Milwaukee Bucks franchise. If he can put on weight, his lofty comparisons could come to fruition.

Some thought he could be a Nicolas Batum type. A guy who has great athleticism and is an above average shooter. There have even been comparisons to Kevin Durant. While that seems a bit wishful right now, check out this video of the Greek Freak against the Heat. Giannis is able to get from basket to basket in just 3 dribbles. How many people have realistically ever done that in an NBA game? One could argue there is a travel at the end, but still, this is a display of an unreal athlete who is only getting better. While his whole family is in Greece, his brother is also following in his younger brothers footsteps. Thanasis Antetokounmpo is two years older, and is currently playing in the NBA D-League for the New York affiliate, the Westchester Knicks. He plans to have his name called in the upcoming NBA Draft. Thanasis does not have the upside or the raw talent that his little brother has, but he is quite the leaper as well. He participated in the NBDL Dunk Contest this year.

This season was a trial run for Giannis Antetokounmpo. It was a chance to figure out how to compete with NBA talent on the fly. You might say that all rookies experience a tough learning curve, but consider that Giannis was playing against significantly worse competition than the star college athletes. He is not quite there yet, but he is figuring out out fast. Every time you see a great chase down block it shows you flashes of brilliance. Next season the Greek Freak will get another chance to take the league by storm. With the addition of his older brother, the legacy of the Greek Freak Nation will continue to grow for years to come.

Daughter of Milwaukee Bucks Owner (Mallory Edens) May Have Just Broken The Internet

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Wed, 21 May 2014 01:42:00 +0000

In less than an hour, 18 Year-old Mallory Edens has become an internet sensation. The NBA Draft Lottery started a little after 8 PM. Representing the Milwaukee Bucks was the Milwaukee Bucks Co-Owner's daughter Mallory Edens. When the Lottery started, Mallory had under 300 followers on Twitter. After a quick introduction with Heather Cox and millions of national eyeballs on her, many social networking platforms exploded. She now has over 11,000 followers--and still going. She has been a Trending Topic the whole time, and older men everywhere are cringing and admiring all over the world. Another day, another Internet Celebrity is born.

The Personification of UConn Men's Basketball

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Tue, 15 Apr 2014 18:12:00 +0000

This is not entirely new for UConn. They make an improbable, story book run throughout the NCAA tournament, and no one sees it coming. It is common because this is the story every time UConn plays in the NCAA tournament.

Here are the facts: Uconn has played in 4 NCAA title games, and are 4-0.

That is not just 4 titles, it's 4 titles in 15 years. Yet, why is Connecticut not viewed, seen or talked about as a powerhouse?

Here's an example of why this might happen: Last season. It was the final year of the Big East. There were features, articles, everything you can imagine put the spotlight on the Big East. In the midst of this celebration and dismantling go the Big East, there was a negative for UConn. They were ineligible to play in the NCAA Tournament because of failed academic standards. UConn was also barred from the big east tournament last year. Both are crushing blows. So with UConn not allowed to play in either, it was easy to forget that the UConn huskies existed in 2013. They had a rookie coach and several players had transferred. The memories of the big east were all about Syracuse, Georgetown and the other big names. However UConn won the big east tournament 7 times. Tied for the most ever with Georgetown.

Going into the Championship game, despite knocking off perennial title contenders Michigan State and Florida, all of the experts once again picked against UConn. After the loss Florida was 36-1 against the entire NCAA, but 0-2 against UConn. But why are the Huskies always the underdog?

Getting the very best recruits is supposed to get you to the top in the NCAA right? Here's another fascinating statistic: Kentucky had 7 McDonalds All Americans on their roster. 5 of which were starting as freshman. Guess how many UConn had on their roster? Zero.

So when you don't have the "very best" talent, the only way to beat your opponent is by having more heart, but also great conditioning helps too. Ryan Boatright gave his coaches all the credit for pushing the team in pre season so that they would be ready for this exact moment.

"We can give all the credit to Coach (Kevin) Ollie and our trainer. We call him Coach Travis," said Boatright. "The preseason was extremely tough. We really hated it, like the running was crazy and KO pushed us to do it. Coach Ollie didn't let us out of it. I remember him saying when I did not want to do those sprints, he was like, 'If you do it, at the end of the year when everybody else is tired, you're all going to be good and y'all are going to run them out of the gym." That vision paid off and UConn was indeed the last team standing when it was all said and done.

Only four teams have won more championships than Connecticut. UCLA (11) Kentucky (8), Indiana (5) and North Carolina (5)

None of these "power teams" have more than 2 titles in the last 15 years. UConn has 4.

I think it's time to start putting Connecticut in the conversation with the very best teams that college basketball has to offer.

Zach Galifianakis Does Hilarious Interview W/ Barack Obama (Between Two Ferns)

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 19:16:00 +0000

Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis: President Barack Obama from President Barack Obama

"Try being short, fat and smell like Doritos."

Zach Galifianakis' Between Two Ferns Series hits an all time high as he interviews President Barack Obama. In this 6 minute clip, Obama and Zach talk about Healthcare.gov, The Hangover, people letting Obama win in basketball and much more. Obama seems to have a good sense of humor and this is one of the funniest things you will watch all day. Video above.

Photo Credit: Missinfo

Frank Ocean- Hero (Ft Diplo x Mick Jones & Paul Simonon)

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 18:53:00 +0000

Check out this dope new Frank Ocean record that features Diplo, Mick Jones and Paul Simonon. This record was made for Converse's "Three Artists, One Song" Series. Converse has done a great job with this series, as they previously landed a great collab with Andre 3000 and the Gorillaz in 2012. Check out the Frank Ocean record below.

HNHH

Lil Wayne-Moment

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 18:42:00 +0000

Since the Carter 3 days, I can't sit here and honestly say that all of Lil Wayne's records have been solid. There have been some lazy, uninspired records. However, recently Wayne seems to be ready to release some solid tracks, and this is definitely one of them. This is off the Young Money album and Tha Carter 5 is expected to drop next month.

Shouts to X

Pharrell Interview About Oscars, New Album

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Thu, 06 Mar 2014 01:12:00 +0000

Pharrell has been on fire this year, and really every year for the past decade. This year was simply no different. He was on the two biggest records of the year in 2013 and he just released his new album "GIRL." Here he talks about the new album, as well as performing at the Oscar's with Hot 97's Angie Martinez.

Kid Cudi To Replace Lloyd As Ari Gold's Assistant In Entourage Movie

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Sat, 22 Feb 2014 21:47:00 +0000

For many years, Ari Gold from Entourage had a faithful assistant named Lloyd (Rex Lee). Gold would verbally abuse Lloyd constantly, which made for some great TV. In the later years of Entourage, Lloyd was promoted to rep and according to Deadline, Kid Cudi (Real name: Scott Mescudi) will be Gold's new assistant in the upcoming Entourage movie.

Read the rest of the details here.

Jay Rock ft Kendrick Lamar-To The Top

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Sat, 22 Feb 2014 21:19:00 +0000

The TDE crew has produced a ton of success in the last few years. Schoolboy Q, Ab Soul and Kendrick Lamar have done great things individually (their crew is called Black Hippy). However the first of the group who stepped out and gained mainstream attention was Jay Rock, who I had the chance to interview a few years back. Jay was a great guy and he has gone pretty well for himself. He put out a big hit with Lil Wayne during that time period, and has appeared on Kendrick Lamar's GKMC album, but he's still looking for that next big hit to get his buzz back. Here he recruits his buddy Kendrick Lamar for the cut To The Top. It's got a cool sound and I could see this making it's rounds on the radio. Check it out below

Thanks to NahRight

John Wall, Stephen Curry Grantland Interviews

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Fri, 21 Feb 2014 01:36:00 +0000

Above is John Wall being interviewed for 16 minutes by Bill Simmons. Wall talks about being an all star for the first time, Kentucky head coach John Calipari and playing in Washington. Wall shares a few funny stories about DeMarcus Cousins and even says they are trying to organize a battle of the older Kentucky players.

Below is another Bill Simmons Grantland interview with Stephen Curry that is a little under 20 minutes as well. Curry talks about playing in Golden State, how he has grown as a player and much more. These are great interviews and are a great watch if you have the time.

There are a few more All Star interviews, which you can check out at the Grantland YouTube channel here.

TMZ Releases Video Of Ray Rice Dragging Fiancee Out Of Elevator

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 21:01:00 +0000

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So there was initially a story over the weekend that Ravens RB Ray Rice and his wife were involved in an altercation, leading to both of their arrests. The arrest occurred after a "minor" mutual fight amongst Rice and his fiancee in Atlantic City, NJ, and Rice was later released. Now TMZ has obtained a very strange video of Ray Rice dragging his seemingly incapacitated fiancee out of an elevator in AC. There isn't much to go from here, and it does only show the aftermath of the altercation, but it is indeed odd and could be used as evidence later in this investigation. Hopefully she was just intoxicated and wasn't out cold from a serious attack. Will update if there is more information.

UPDATE: It has been reported that Ray Rice hit wife in the face with his hands, knocked her unconscious and he is due in court on Tuesday.

Read more about the story here.

Grantland Interview with Kevin Durant, Who Gives Himself New Nickname/ Talks Westbrook Return

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Wed, 19 Feb 2014 01:41:00 +0000

Bill Simmons of Grantland.com sits down with the NBA's MVP Front runner this year, Kevin Durant. They talk about a wide range of topics. Durant talks about what has been different about this season, as well as informing us that Russell Westbrook will be returning in their next game against the Miami Heat. Durant also gives himself a new nickname ("The Servant"). Later, KD touches on some of his other nicknames and the development of young players like Reggie Jackson and Jeremy Lamb. It's just over 10 minutes, but it's a good watch if you have the time.

Thanks to Grantland.

The Weeknd, T.I. Remix Beyonce & Jay Z- Drunk In Love

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 17:30:00 +0000

Ever since Beyonce dropped her surprise album, the internet has gone nuts and numerous songs from the album have become insanely popular. There is no question though that Drunk In Love has become the biggest and easily most overplayed. Once Kanye West hopped on the remix, a bunch of artists have decided to get on there as well. The Weeknd celebrated his 24th birthday by flipping the beat completely and putting his own spin on Drunk In Love. T.I also added a verse as well. Check out both below.

The D-League Dunk Contest Just Happened, And It Was Awesome (Mitchell, James)

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 21:46:00 +0000

During halftime of the NBA D-League All-Star Game, The Development League hosted a Dunk Contest. To be honest, It might end up being better than the real (NBA) Dunk Contest that is going to be held later tonight. Here we have Ra'shad James and Tony Mitchell throwing down some serious jams. Tony Mitchell won, but it appears that James stole the show and actually should have won. Here are a few more below.

All praises due to CrabDribble, Check out his vines here.

Kanye West, Jay Z & Beyonce- Drunk In Love (Remix)

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 01:05:00 +0000

Kanye West jumps on the remix to Beyonce and Jay Z's "Drunk In Love." It's been a little while since we heard Ye on anything, and his subject matter here is probably what you'd expect. Pretty vulgar but he still has a little left in the tank. Check out the streamable link below. Thanks to MissInfo

J Cole-She Knows (Official Video)

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 19:35:00 +0000

Check out the new visual from J Cole, "She Knows." This is the latest single from Cole's album Born Sinner. This is not your typical, generic rap video. J Cole barely even appears in the video. It's a story about a young boy in a tough family situation. He steals from his father and his mother is out being promiscuous. I always appreciated and respected Cole for not putting out conventional videos that have a deeper meaning. If you're a fan you will definitely enjoy this video.

Former NFL Player Darren Sharper Charged W Drugging/Raping Women

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 19:05:00 +0000

Wow. On a day where we are supposed to celebrate love and general happy thoughts, this is quite the bomb to be dropped. Former NFL Player Darren Sharper was charged Friday with numerous counts of drugging and raping women.

Two separate charges were filed, and in both incidents, similar patterns of behavior were displayed by Sharper. In the first instance, in October of 2013, Sharper met two women at a nightclub and then invited them to a party. They were both given shots and they passed out shortly after they were given shots.

In the second incident, On January 14th 2014, Sharper again met two women at a nightclub. They were invited to his hotel room. While in the hotel room, the two women were given shots and again, they fell asleep very soon after. Both instances, these women reported being sexually assaulted. This is scary stuff.

According to NOLA.Com, Sharper put Ambien and Morhpine in their drinks.

This is a horrible act, and it is disappointing to see someone on numerous occasions feel the need to drug and then sexually assault women. This does speak to a societal issue as well. You really never know what someone is offering. But as soon as someone sees free shots, and particularly from a high profile athlete, no one thinks to question what might be in these shots.

If these allegations are true, Sharper deserves to be put in jail for quite some time.

Read the full article, including the incident report here.

Really Cool Steve Nash Mini Documentary

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 20:08:00 +0000

ESPN's Grantland Channel made this awesome 10 minute mini documentary on Lakers Guard Steve Nash. It is called "The Finish Line: Episode 1 l Steve Nash." It is narrated by Nash himself, He talks about self doubt, retirement, the grueling comeback and what he can realistically still offer at 40 years old. There is a cameo by former NBA player Baron Davis towards the end. I think Nash can still be effective in spurts, but it doesn't seem like his body or mind are willing to last more than one more season. This is a great watch if you love basketball, Steve Nash, or killing time.

Full Drake "Rolling Stone" Article, Comments on Seymour Hoffman Cover

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 19:40:00 +0000

Rolling Stone published an extremely long and detailed article about Drake, as writer Jonah Weiner spent quite some time with the artist. Lost in the midst of this was one particular quote from the article. In this case, Drake was not feeling Kanye West's "Yeezus" album. Here was the quote:

"There were some real questionable bars on there. Like that ‘Swaghili‘ line? Come on, man. Even Fabolous wouldn’t say some sh*t like that."

Drake then rattled off a series of tweets (two of which he deleted) saying he was no longer going to do magazine interviews. He also said that he never spoke a word about Yeezus during his interview session. But since this tweet has now been deleted, is this an admission in itself? Here's what I think happened: Drake spent a lot of time with this writer (who wrote a really good piece, for what it's worth) and the "Yeezus" comment was one that Drake did not expect to be published. Drake would not want to burn a bridge as big as Kanye West, so it makes sense that he denies it. Would this writer just make that quote up? It's possible, but I doubt it. Writers look for anything that could be sensationalized, and "Drake Disses Kanye West!" is a headline grabber. Should it have been omitted? Probably. Does it make for a more interesting story? Certainly.

UPDATE: One of those tweets (later deleted) saw Drake ripping Rolling Stone for pulling him off the cover and instead replacing him with the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman. This caused a lot of controversy and was seen as distasteful. Drake then acted swiftly and wrote a post on his website explaining his comments and saying he is totally fine with Seymour Hoffman being on the cover.

The Rolling Stone Article is quite long, but a good read and an interesting insight into Drake's life, early childhood, his parents and his current life. Here's a recap if you don't want to read it:

-Drake had a "The Yolo Estate" sign in front of his house, but it was stolen numerous times.

-He is obsessed with Aaliyah and residential pools.

- "Hip Hop Emprasario" Jas Prince from Houston discovered Drake on Myspace in 2008 and brought it to the attention of Lil Wayne, who then sent a plane for Drake to meet Lil Wayne. He was signed shortly thereafter.

- His house in L.A cost him $7.7 Million, which he called a "steal."

The Rolling Stone article is 4 pages long but once again, is a worthy read if you actually like Drake.

Read the full article here.

Richard Sherman & Malcolm Smith Interview on Jimmy Kimmel

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 18:15:00 +0000

The Super Bowl Champion Seahawks have been making their rounds, and perhaps no one has benefited more than Richard Sherman. All he had to do was yell at Erin Andrews. Here Sherman and Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith talk about partying after the super bowl, communicating strategy with other players and making up with Michael Crabtree. Part 2 below. Interview aired last night.

Thanks to FieldGulls

DMX Goes Nuts At Interviewer In Bulgaria, Fight W/ Zimmerman On Hold

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 17:59:00 +0000

Since getting his passport not too long ago, DMX has been traveling around the world, and occasionally gives really weird and uncomfortable interviews. This is no exception. While in Bulgaria, X gives this short interview with a guy who clearly wasn't prepared for an angry and seemingly bitter X. Around the 1 minute mark, things start to get a little weird.

Also, in case you were excited to see Earl Simmons fight George Zimmerman, the fight is apparently on hold and canceled for the time being.

Kanye West- White Dress

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 17:49:00 +0000

Brand new Kanye West track, which will appear on RZA's "The Man With The Iron Fists" soundtrack. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come for 'Ye. He seemed to be possessed by his love for Kim Kardashian the past few months, nice to see him back spitting the way everyone knows he's capable of.

Rick Ross ft Drake & Wale- Diced Pineapples (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 17:40:00 +0000

Here's the visual for the standout Rick Ross track "Diced Pineapples." Pretty much what you would expect here. Models, bottles of Ciroc, Rick Ross grunting and beautiful weather.

Frank Ocean-Pyramids (Video)

noreply@blogger.com (legindary) — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 15:22:00 +0000

Check out this intriguing visual for Frank Ocean's standout track "Pyramids." A few notes about the record/video: They cut out some of the original (Which is to be expected with a 10 minute song). There is also some NSFW moments here and some strip club action. Overall I think this is a brilliant video and is worth a watch.