Writing by shinda on Monday, 20 of February , 2006
So with the All Star game done, theres nothing left to do but go back and look at some highlights.
So I was on NBA watching videos and came across this one with Vince interviewing TMac. Now maybe its just me, but watch where Vince asks Tracy about Kobes 81 pts, and says,
Tracy: Hey we got Kobe Bryant..81 pts.
Vince: He didn’t score 18, he didn’t score 51, he scored 81.
Tracy: Not only 81, 62 in 3 quarters.
Vince: What are your feelings him doing it……..mmmm…never mind.
Him doing it…against the Raptors? Come on Vince let it out. We know you hate the Raptors. We also know TMac hates the Raptors, and that behind the scenes yall spent your days making fun of Bosh for getting drafted and stuck with the Raptors.
But then again if I where you, I’d hate the Raptors too.
Category: Basketball
Writing by shinda on Sunday, 19 of February , 2006
Check it, I liked Nate Robinson’s dunks as much as the next guy, but in all honesty he didn’t beat Iggy. So many tries just dont cut it. Yea I jumped out of my seat when I saw him pull what he pulled, but come on now, you dont get awarded a championship based on effort, its about what you produce.
Nate had tons of heart, untouchable hops, and the sheer sight of a 5′7 getting that high is remarkable, but he just didn’t hit his mark.
NBA needs to put in a trial limit, or at least a time limit. 2 tries and your done, or you got 1 minute to complete your dunk/whatever trials you got.
Ah well, I’ll mark Iggy down for the winning, hence I was 2 for 3, with my predictions. All the same, best dunk comeptition, since Wince.
Category: Basketball
Writing by shinda on Saturday, 18 of February , 2006
So here are our predictions for the All Star Skills Competition. Leave your comments with your picks, and after we can see how ‘ yall did.
Point Guard
Nash - Tejdeep, Amit
Dwane Wade - Shinda
3 Pt
Ray Allen - Shinda & Tejdeep
Nortwizki - Amit
Dunk
Iguodala - Shinda
Josh Smith - Tejdeep
Hakim Warrik - Amit
Category: Basketball
Writing by shinda on Saturday, 18 of February , 2006
Ever since Vince dominated the dunk competition in 2001, the dunk competition has never been up to par. The leagues tried to make it interesting, coming up with new ideas and almost a new set of rules each year, but lets face it, the dunk competition is played out, until at least the next bright new star comes around and pulls of something so creative that we’ve never seen it or even thought that such a feat was possible (even after NBA Live).
But that’s not to say that the Skills competition is all dead. Far from it, instead from the dunk competitions ashes a new highlight has risen, and finally been given the attention it so long deserved, that’s right folks the 3 point competition is the new thing to watch for.
Sure the dunk competition was fun to watch, but its just not near as exciting as the 3 point shootout and how could it be. A missed dunk (or 9 in the case of the Birdman) usually means that the dunk you finally do manage to connect with is less dramatic and far from exciting as the original would have been, but those same rules don’t apply to the 3 point competition. Sure a missed shot spells doom, but it doesn’t kill the moment like a missed dunk does.
Anyways I could go on, but its all star weekend, why over analyze these things, and after last nights performance at the Rookie game, the dunk competition isn’t all dead, after all who knows what young Iguodala has up his up his sleeves, I think this kid will impress and maybe even make a believer of me yet.
Category: Basketball
Writing by shinda on Friday, 17 of February , 2006
Not to long ago, I wrote about Kim Bolan coming to Ryerson to do a lecture, and how an effort should be made to confront her during her program and challenge her on the various things she has written.
Although last minute, considering exams and the hectic schedule of most students at this time of year, a good group of about 20-25 students were able to attend the lecture, on behalf of various downtown SSA’s (York, Ryerson etc) and COSS. I was able to talk with 4, 5 of the Singhs who attended, and they told me that it was an all right showing considering the time they had to put things together.
Basically the whole lecture was Bolan reading the preface of her book verbatim, after which question period commenced and the Sagnthaa(n) challenged her on various points.
Question’s ranged from her journalistic approach, (coming at the Air India story with the bias that she did), and also her inability to detach herself from the story which she had became evidently emotionally attached with. Her negativity towards the Sikh Religion and community were also questioned as were her motives behind the slander that she writes.
For the most part the questions remained as respectable as could have been expected, considering that no threats were made, and for duration Bolan side stepped the questions, either refusing to answer or shaking her head and saying we are all entitled to our own opinions.
After dominating the question period Bolan basically told the Singhs, that she had, had enough of their questions and that she was not there to talk about her writings rather Guerilla Journalism basically saying leave me the $@$@ alone. Many then decided to get up and leave taking the 2 undercovers assigned to watch over them, out with them.
Anyways, the objective of at least confronting her was accomplished. Sure more hard and concrete claims against her would have made her look worse, but being one of those last minute things, and the fact that as a community we haven’t really done much literarily to counter her only impedes(d) that.
I know of Singh’s who have been following the writings of Bolan, and others who after this encounter decided that it we necessary that we go through and highlight articles from her stories where she defames the community. Some Singh’s have decided to go ahead with such projects come summer, when time is more readily available, and school no longer a factor.
(If anyone has already started such a project or collection, do share your findings or at least share what you have so far, so that instead of working against each other ‘yall can work together and speed things up.)
Anyways, there was also some media coverage of the event, by The Toronto Star (Toronto’s major paper), and off course the Ryersonian (Ryerson Student paper).
Also check out the COSS website for images and probably even a release on the topic.
Category: Events, Sikhi
Writing by shinda on Tuesday, 14 of February , 2006
We let down our Shaheeds. It’s no dark hidden secret, (although some may act like it is), we let down their families; in turn letting them down as well, how we let them down well its both a confusing labyrinth and a simple line, all at the same time. (Confused? Good, you’re on the right track to understanding what I have to say).
During the morcha little thought was given to who had whose back. The concern of what would happen to my family, although a realistic concern wasn’t something given to heavy thought. There was this thing called trust. Singh’s had it. They trusted that the Sangat would look after their wives, their children, their finances, their households. They trusted the fact that we agreed with the need for them to sacrifice their lives and they trusted that we were all on the same page; after all, it was this unison of thought that led them to travel the path that they did.
It was only a matter of time though, that those leaders who at one time were making promises to Guru Sahib that we will fight for the Panth and the Quam, later found themselves, scampering to the feet of the enemy, with their hands in the air, and tails between their legs surrendering to the same people they promised to fight against. They switched sides, even after all the promises and speech’s they had made. This led to the extermination of a few, while others were able to shy away from the bullets.
Secondly the political system failed us. The whole thing about democracy giving power to the voters vanished; instead it gave voters the option of choosing between two evils, the choice of choosing between two different executioners, the choice remained, how do you want to die? Blind folded or not? From the front or the back? Hung, or shot? Instead of fighting for our lives and making cases against our death, we instead started arguing about how we wished to die. We started debating amongst ourselves whether or not we would rather be hung or shot, basically accepting the notion that we deserved to die.
With all that ambiguity the question then fell on what did the Shaheeds who died die for? Was it all in vain? What was the next breed of Shaheeds going to die for? No longer were they dying in retaliation or fighting for the cause of freedom or self preservation, after all how they could be when the so called and self appointed leadership was too busy discussing and debating about how we were wrong and accepted that fact.
So again, that trust was shaken. Leading one to wonder now, if those who had given Shaheedi in the 80’s looked at the situation now, would they have given those Kurbanian in the first place, or would they look back and think like I’m doing right now that it was in vain?
Now don’t get me wrong. Shaheeds are honored. We give them statutes, name villages, and do Keertans, Akhad Pahts and write books in their names, but none of these were things that Shaheeds gave their lives for. They didn’t give Shaheedi for honor, rather they give it for a cause, a belief, and maybe its just me, sitting hear, living comfortably far away from the actual problem region, that can think so loosely and liberally. But even then something just doesn’t add up, which makes me think did we give in to fast to soon. Did we get scared off? Did we let our Shaheeds down?
Category: Sikhi
