Sports: NBA WCF 2013 Recap & Spurs answer their critics on the court

*Used with recognition to google images*

 

“Spurs taking the road less traveled”

By Rey Andrade-Garza

May 30, 2013

San Antonio, TX

          First, I promise I won’t gloat or say I told you so to the hordes and masses of Spurs haters on this planet that picked the Grizzlies to win. Yes, I laid out every reason in my preview blog to this series as to why the Spurs were more than ready for the challenge from a mediocre team, yeah I said it. Yes, a mediocre team that jumped on a dead horse OKC team hobbled and were one three pointer away from not even being in the WCF’s. OKC had no way of putting up a fight much less a series worth watching. As the Spurs swept the Lakers, defeated the media darlings from Golden State and quickly dispatched the Grizzlies so unceremoniously and so matter of fact. The NBA analysts and critics scrambled for reasons why this team was still relevant and how on earth did they make it to NBA Finals six years removed from their last trip. The answers they gave were more predictable than the Spurs.  For all the accolades and the playoff runs the answers were on short supply and the responses were all too easy to say but they weren’t.  I will address the well documented “haterization” of the Spurs but also the irony of the praises the media has of this team.  This won’t be some metaphorical trip or some lame attempt at poetically pinning this team’s journey to this year’s NBA Finals as some line off a Robert Frost poem.  What I will do instead is I will finally put some perspective to this run, give reasons why the Spurs are still capable of winning this title and possibly next year’s and how they beat the Pacers or the Heat without any real effort.

Facing Indiana

The hardest part of this year’s playoff run for the Spurs is done. Bold, but true.  The Spurs are so focused that I don’t see any scenario where this team squanders this opportunity.  Duncan, Parker and Ginobili have all said as much.  It has not been lost on them nor has anyone forgotten to remind them it’s been 6 long years since they were in the Finals.  This team has been in the hunt for many more titles and probably would have been on their 7^th title run this year if not for that unbelievable Derek Fisher 3 pointer, here in SA in ‘04 or the debacle against the Mavs in ’06.  That Fisher 3 is humanly impossible to do.  After the series, I remember my brother tried to duplicate it. First by trying to make the three and next by passing and tipping it in as bank shot or layup and I’m no pro but we timed it and never got faster than 0.7. I liken that three like the JFK conspiracy for Spurs fans, who know we got robbed from being back to back champions that year.  Last year, the Spurs ran out of gas and peaked at the wrong time against OKC.  The Spurs are healthier and peaking at the right time and as a fan I know the Big Three will have this chance and only this last chance together. It’s hard to say as a fan but with Ginobili being a free agent this summer who knows what will happen.  In fact, with Ginobili there are 7 Spurs as free agents this summer.  17 million in cap room will only go so far so the Spurs will have to prioritize and this is my first reason why the Spurs, with this group wins the title against the Pacers or Heat.  The Pacers haven’t been to the Finals to the Finals since 2000 and while this team should been called the "Indiana Trees" with Hibbert, West, Paul George & ½ of the Hansbrough they lack the discipline, experience and coaching necessary to beat the Spurs.  They are one dimensional team that plays pick and rolls to get points with George Hill and Paul George but outside of that the points are few and far between. Roy Hibbert is no push-over but if he has to battle Duncan and Tiago Splitter on both sides of the court he will be ineffective.  He can’t pass like Duncan or Tiago and he will have to step outside the paint to cover Duncan’s jumpers and with a wide open lane Tony Parker will own.  Frank Vogel is a fine coach but anything you want to know about his expertise he showed by not having Hibbert on the last two plays Lebron drove to the basket in game 2 of the ECF and  that demoralized the Pacers I don’t care what anyone says they have had to play catch up ever since. I agree with Skip Bayless that the Lebron handshake might as well been the kiss of death.

Facing Miami

          Miami is the reigning champ and no disrespect but I don’t think they are as hungry for the title this year.  They are perfectly content living the glory and praises they got every game they won in the regular season and playoffs.  They are crowned every win they get and that makes their Final run if they get there which I suspect will happen for ratings and ratings only, less meaningful for them. The Spurs are considered a very poor ratings draw being ranked 37^th, which I know for fact is not true at all.  I teach a class on Communication Technology and Nielsen ratings are based on a statistical formula of only 4,000 homes nationwide, which in no way documents people viewing habits in bars, homes, viewing parties, etc. that have no set top boxes. It’s a farce but even with San Antonio being the 7^th largest city we are lumped with the Charlotte Bobcats of the world with almost 2million people living here in the metro area. Who cares, this is all a tangent to prove that whatever the truth is the truth that matters is that watching game 5 of the Pacers vs. Heat point to the Heat being the draw that David Stern wants.  They showed the replay of Nazr Mohammed pushing LeBron James and getting ejected but Birdman shoves poor who cares its Tyler Hansbrough, who by the way didn’t even retaliate and receives no ejection? To add insult to injury it wasn’t even a flagrant two call. It should have been by every definition of that rule.  I can’t argue with Skip Bayless on the notion that he made two valid points why the Spurs will win against Miami.  The Heat is the 2^nd oldest team and the Spurs are the 7^th oldest team in the NBA.  Stephen A. Smith alleges that’s deceptive because the starting Five for the Spurs are older than the Heat starting five and that is true but the Spurs bench is loaded with young talent that overmatch the old Heat bench at every position.  Plus, as Skip put it, Wade maybe 31 but his knee is 44. It’s funny to say but for once the Spurs are faster, younger and deeper than the Heat.  They also are on a roll and the Heat well, not so much.  The Spurs have been resting and the Heat has been gathering more miles and more bruises.  Let’s not even compare coaches because Eric Spoelstra can coach 10 more years and never be Coach Popovich.  Sorry to be so blunt and mean but it’s true. He isn’t in the same league even though they will share the same court.  The Heat are a feisty group and I can see them getting rattled by calls not going their way and even in fighting, panicking and resorting to scrappy dirty plays that will not rattle the Spurs in any way, shape or form.  Last and not least, Tony Parker is the MVP of the playoffs and right now; no one can stand in front of him so they might as well enjoy the show.

“Haterization” vs. “History”

          Haterization is the sincerest form of jealousy. I hear it here in San Antonio and it makes me sick because I feel that if this team was in LA, Miami, Boston or Chicago they would be household names, women would be calling their kids Tiago, Kwahi, Dajuan in tribute to lesser known hometown heroes and sneaker commercials would be the norm and statutes erected in their honor. As stereotypical as these words sound it’s true. They would be legendary and history would forever mark their accolades with those of the great.  Small problem, they are in San Antonio so it should matter less? Well, history has proven that even with 16 playoff runs, 37 playoff experiences, 4 titles and countless seasons of 50 wins or more the Spurs are the New York Yankees of the NBA.  People expect them to win and compete every year and they are hated for it but one small difference they aren’t in New York. Can you imagine anyone talking crap about this team in a high profile market like those teams I just mentioned? There would be haters but they would be drowned by far more love than hate for sure.  As a sports fan, or even a true basketball fan what more could you want from a franchise? All they do is win and even as the cliché goes everyone loves a winner, why in this case is it not true? You can point to all the stupid reasons the analysts give but even the flipside of this equation is not true either.  You can say well, the Spurs are an “under –the-radar” or underdog team but every year fans in droves flock in support of them, which ironically enough the Spurs faced such a team in Golden State this year.  Well, they aren’t sexy enough, they don’t pound their chest or celebrate the moment with handshakes to opponents or maybe, they are arrogant and unapproachable and like some have said they don’t welcome the limelight.  Who cares? Rush was a band that never cared for the limelight but their millions of rabid fans got them into the rock-n-roll hall of fame this year.  Barry Sanders was a quiet warrior in the Detroit Lions backfield but when he played on Sundays his phenomenal runs were unforgettable that even to this day fans pay tribute to him as they did by putting him on the cover of Madden 25^th Anniversary Edition game.  So why aren’t the San Antonio Spurs hailed in like manner at the very least? LeBron James is as loved as he is hated yet the love is there for him and even though I don’t sing his praises enough people do for good reason, he is a champion and whether his team was bought instead of built as the Pacer signs say in this series so too are the Spurs.  They scout their talent, draft it and people say the Spurs were lucky but they wouldn’t have to be if they were respected like the Lakers or Celtics and if players were smart they would choose the title runs instead of the paycheck runs but the allure is in getting the fame on a daily basis the likes that the Heat enjoy but that the Spurs deserve and never get.  As unfair as it is and while I relish the idea of the Spurs getting their due, somehow, I think the would mean little to me if everyone loved them because than I feel it would feel less special and as I fight to say how good they are there is satisfaction that they do there really great work fighting year after year on the court for all the blind bats to see.

Sports: Preview of WCF 2013: San Antonio Spurs versus Memphis Grizzlies

*Photo used with credit to google images. *

“A Grizzly Discovery: The Complimentary pieces are not so complimentary."

By: Rey Andrade-Garza

San Antonio, TX

          One month or so away 6 years ago, right about the time everyone was paying attention to how Lebron would ever recover from a finals loss; the Spurs had just put the finishing touches to their fourth title with a sweep of the Cavaliers.  I mention sweep because the Spurs swept the Lakers this year, the Jazz and Clippers last year and once again reminded everyone in the world that like it or not this team isn’t content with the numerous accolades they have accomplished.  Tony Parker at the press conference after their defeat of the Warriors was quick to put perspective to how opportunities like returning to the NBA Finals don’t come that often.  Not to disagree but lost on all NBA analysts and maybe Tony is one careful oversight.  The Spurs are returning the Western Conference Finals on back to back years when the supposed window of opportunity for this team came and went.  Tim Duncan played great in the first half, not the second.  Manu shot horribly yet his intangibles were finally put on high alert with his 11 assists in the game and Tony playing over 40 minutes plus put in some timely 3’s using his reserve tank but all of that is not the reason why the Spurs are legitimate contenders to the title this year.  The complimentary pieces of Tiago Splitter, Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard and Gary Neal show why the Spurs returning the conference title is no fluke.  These are just complimentary pieces that would have a starting role on any team.  Kawhi doesn’t complement the Big Three; in fact, Popovich moved him to a starting role because his value in both sides of the floor has become instrumental in the pick and roll. On the defensive side his long arms swat poor passes and corrals steal and is the first straight up Bruce Bowen since Bruce Bowen. When it came to giving rest to the Big Three; Leonard often got the same treatment.  Definitely, not complimentary; essential and equivalent in importance and Leonard played like it all year.  His clutch three’s against the Warriors is no mistake nor is his growth this time around in the playoffs.  Tiago Splitter is another Spurs who importance is not one of just complementary in nature.  It was evident in the semi-final series versus the Lakers his size was missed against Pau Gasol and in crucial period of game 4, 5 & 6 Andrew Bogut weakness and inability to defend against his superb passing and rebounding was key to pivotal momentum swings the Spurs needed. His sharp passing and finding the open man will expose flat footed permanent paint tenants like Zach Randolph. I promise you the "Big Gazeebo" as I like to call him; will have more than his hands handle full with Splitter with a dash of maybe Aron Baynes for good measure.  This will be the same Splitter that if often dismissed by the likes of Stephen A. Smith and Jeff Van Gundy but will be the post that neutralizes another Gasol this coming series. Danny Green shot more 3’s this season than any other in Spur’s history but rather than recognizing that the awe of Curry’s alluring arch was mesmerizing to most but without Green’s 3’s this Spurs team wouldn’t stand a shot of retuning  to the conference finals.  The real beauty that wasn’t diagnosed by any analysts in any true detail was Green’s play on Steph Curry. A close friend of mine posted a remark to Facebook post after one game and affectionately called him Danny “Hold the Curry” Green. He didn’t just hold the curry he didn’t let it anywhere near his plate. That was the real “Ankle Gate 2013” of that series. Ankles I don’t think twist themselves but good defense makes you change directions ankles aren’t used to turning. The only true complimentary piece besides Dujaun Blair is Gary Neal. Neal has yet to cement his mark in this Spurs playoff run but did show flashes of his offensive prowess in Game 5 & 6 showed that if his shooting confidences improves Gary could and is capable of going off Curry-like.  The NBA has it wrong.  The old guard of the Spurs isn’t taking a back seat to the rise of the new Trail Blazers, Rockets or the newly dispatched Warriors. The new guard of Spurs who continue to impress upon those unfamiliar with Silver & Black basketball how these roles players are anything but complimentary. See, it's not the Big Three of Duncan, Ginobili & Parker the Grizzlies should fear it should be the complimentary pieces who don't play like complimentary pieces. I know many will say that the Grizzlies beat the Spurs in 2011 but that wasn't the WCF nor is it 2011. Yes, the Grizzlies are gritty, so are the Spurs. Yes, they have a great defensive team, so too are the Spurs. Yes, they have a great coach but better than Popovich? Here is the real discovery no one talks about and the real difference this series: Memphis roles players: Tony Allen, Pondexter, Prince and even Conley are complementary players and beyond those roles; they can't be counted on. The Spurs bench is more like a second starting unit; not true for the Grizzlies. The last time these two teams faced each other the Spurs didn't have Kawhi and Splitter wasn't Splitter nor was Green, Green in fact he was very Green and wasn't even a role or complimentary piece in that playoff series that year. I feel that NBA playoffs this year need a heavy dose of Spurs team basketball.  They seem to compliment an otherwise self-serving audience that is enamored with the “ohh’s and ahh’s” and when this team arrives on the floor the decibel meters begin to flat line, the noise diminishes, time stops and Spurs silence the critics with a deafening roar.

Album Review: Katatonia's challenges our royal status in "Dead End Kings"

     As "The Parting" begins on Katatonia's ninth studio album, "Dead End Kings", it scolds us for hiding behind the scenes of life and, "Taking it all for granted/ Like freedom/It's something you'll never have."  Enlightened notion, considering the fact that most who follow Katatonia, a Swedish metal group out of Gotenburg, Sweden paint them as pioneers in the death and doom metal musical genre. Scattered throughout the 11 tracks that compromise Dead End Kings, it pours heavily on themes of  death and belonging, but underlying hints of light reflect that Katatonia is suggesting that even in death there is hope. By the time the album reaches the third track, "Hypnone", which loosely translated means chemistry, it's clear they're balancing their own chemistry between death and participating in life, "I need the sound of rain/Wearing dependence down./The line must be kept so thin/To live near life/Not within." The clincher in the track contains the lyrics that proudly stamped the name of the album, declares that even when things seem most hopeful all you have to do is look within me and find my own defeat, "Reflect my eyes/And strip this creation of mine/Tomorrow is so long/The dead end king is here/Black wings upon his back."
     In an interview on Blabbermouth.net, June 13, 2012, Jonas Renkse, co-founder of Katatonia and lead singer, commented that, Dead End Kings, "is about the corridors of our mind from where there is no return. Be a king or queen in your own right in these hallways, even at the dead end. Carry your burden with pride. That's what we are doing, twenty years and counting. Kings, because we believe in what we are creating, in our own disturbing faith."  What introduced me first to Katatonia, was a Myspace music suggestion while searching for melodic metal bands, I first heard the haunting graveyard track, "Unfurl" from "July" a three-song EP released by Katatonia in 2006. Although, I'm rarely active on Myspace account anymore, I have however been an avid fan of this under-appreciated metal group since. The reason I mention the song, "Unfurl" is another such gem exists on Dead End Kings, it's fourth track, "The Racing Heart". The track beautifully marries desperate despair and one's own graceful departure. "The Racing Heart", showcases stellar lyrics from Jonas Renkse, who after 20 years into Katatonia, has perfectly crafted the haunting allure that has gained the band a dedicated following all these years. The highlight of the lyrics, wrapped in the chorus, as Renkse's regretfully aches, "If I sow a wind now/I will reap a storm/You saw me sliding away from the sun/And tomorrow/Who will come/And put their hand over mine/Mine with the burning shape of a gun."
     Another notable track, "Lethean", which from Greek Mythology, one of the four rivers from Hades, pleads, "How long/Is the pattern going to speak for you/How far can your voice reach/"Your song below the night". The pounding hook in "Lethean", keeps asking, "What took you so long/The high grass/What took you so long," as the subject of the song hides among the trees and skyline in plain sight and how after taking many life's chances, "Now/This river/This time I will." Dead End Kings, doesn't quietly fade into the night on  it's final track "Dead Letters", a brutal sonic deathscape churns "Vexation/Internal void/My dreams are getting darker and darker," which sums of the album's tug and pull between darkness and light. Overall, the album can best be described as a quintessential dark Katatonia trip, a little more refined here and there but true to the form we've come to expect. Katatonia, will once again be embarking on another tour, opening up with Opeth, with a few headlining acts in Merriam, Kansas, Farmington, New Mexico and a stop at the famed, Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood, California on May 27, before headlining alone through Europe, with stops in Germany, UK, and their homeland of Sweden. Check Katatonia.com for more tour and concert information. -
©Rafael Andrade Garza, 2013.

photo courtesy of Katatonia.com

Local Flavor: Music: Alternative Radio

“There is no alternative to the alternative.”

By: Rey Andrade-Garza

May 15, 2013

San Antonio, TX.

          Gone are the days that you were introduced to new artists and sounds by your radio dj. So too, are the times when each dj had a personality of their own and offered you something different and kept you glued to the dial. The great dj’s were the ones where you didn’t know what song was next but you knew they were taking you on a musical journey and it was like living in a moment in time. San Antonio was the mecca of cutting edge rock-n-roll where bands like Scorpions, Rush, Budgie, Thin Lizzy made mandatory stops to point to play here because this was the place to play until about the mid 1990’s.  Nostalgia still takes me to the days when The Godfather Joe Anthony was on the air (99.5 KISS) introducing us to little known acts like Garfield French, Legs Diamond, Wasp and Europe among others.  He made it a point for his listeners to expand the ear palate with choices from all over world.  You didn’t like it all but at least you didn’t feel like you were left behind the scene on what was new in rock.  Today, it’s a different world with Sirius XM, ITunes, Rhapsody and other underground sites like FrostWire. I like to get my music these days navigating through Spotify, which lets me explore different artists all the while interrupting my listening to full albums with promos and the occasional annoying commercial but that’s the game now.  The promos are sometimes great but often I don’t pay attention to the band they are promoting because I have been programmed to search for bands independently.  No real great dj’s left to be honest. It’s been ages since I was shown different music and with the endless choices today I like the a la carte method and self-discovery of finding music on my own.   However I did rediscover a station I had not tuned into since the days of riding the school bus with my Walkman listening to Lisle & Hahn or Art Garza on 96 Rock.  KSYM, the college radio station on the SAC (San Antonio College) that has always been there it seems. I have to make a bit of a confession and say that although I loved jamming to Rush, Queen and Pink Floyd I was also a 90’s kid who grew up with new wave artists like The Cure, Depeche Mode, Psychedelic Furs, Red Flag, Nitzer Ebb, The Church and so many others and KSYM 90.1 helped me discover real alternative music.  As I started listening again these past few months I realized they are the only real alternative to the radio scene in this city.  I swear all the rocks stations: KISS, KZEP and even X106.7 sound about the same anytime of the day! Tune into KISS and you will hear Metallica at least once an hour and still have Radiohead’s “Creep” on permanent rotation with heavy hitters like Filter (if only you could see me type this sarcastically) and it's just plain predictable. KZEP  doesn’t fare any better, the only difference now is all the grunge alt-heroes from yesteryear now make it to rotation in time to be a classic: So playing: Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Nirvana, etc. this only helps me remember how old I’m getting.  X106.7 plays fewer commercials than the other two but sounds only a little different from KZEP. Boring! Say, you want to hear the new cutting edge rock like The Black Keys, Miike Snow or Mumford & Sons you have no place to go but online or up the road to Austin because they are trendy and cutting edge when it comes to the alternative music scene. This is what irks me about this whole music scene here. Complacency.  It’s pathetic when the city gets all hyped up because Bush or Soul Asylum decided to play here. These bands are no longer relevant and this shows how this city has progressively become less of an option for stellar, alternative bands to play in. The only bright spot this past year was the Maverick Music Festival that featured Gary Clark, Jr. which was the type of artist that we never get and haven’t in decades. I didn’t particularly care for the Toadies who were on the bill but maybe they were put on the lineup to appease the typical San Antonio rock fan stuck with what the local radio stations offer. They are the type of music aficionado that don’t question and just accept the mainstream music being paraded in front of them day in and day out. It’s hard for me to be so critical of my city and it pains me because I grew up with this music but I get bored easily if the envelope of music isn’t pushed. I need variety, complexity, progressiveness and my heart isn’t stirred listening to the same regurgitated garbage these rock stations offer.  KSYM is that alternative and thank God.  Listening to these college dj’s have me pushing my Shazam App to figure out who is playing and I never know what song will be next and I like that. I like the fact that Shazam doesn’t recognize the song playing half the time and there is some comfort knowing I may never hear that song again and so I got to relive a time capsule moment and relive a feeling that was long since dormant. It’s kind of refreshing to take a step back and just let the dj take you on a ride and introduce you to music you won’t hear anywhere in San Antonio.  They’ve become a bit of a guilty pleasure for me, again. They take me back to my college days when I used to dj for my undergraduate college radio station and the freedom you get from playing songs that match your personality and at the same time educate listeners into music they probably would never come across if not for you.  I try never to look at KSYM music schedule (which you could easily access on their website) but since I have been listening I know that Thursday night’s is the long running Metal Show and Saturday morning there is jazz and weekend nights they play nu disco and hard house which is awesome.  During the day you will hear music from the world over and some alternative rock.  The station keeps you guessing and challenges your ear palate and reminds you that there are still dj’s exploring and not stuck on the allure of vinyl from 30 years ago.  Don’t get me wrong, I love classic rock but I don’t have to hear More Than Feeling by Boston every day since the song was basically ruined for me by Guitar Hero. If you’re really looking for an alternative in San Antonio, this whole time and for many decades it has always been KSYM 90.1.

KSYM website: http://sacrtfnet.alamo.edu/ksym/index.htm

Sports: Blogamentary--Spurs vs Warriors: NBA Playoffs 2013

May 11, 2013

          This will be what I will call a “blogamentary”.  Essentially this will be an observation of the semi-final series of the San Antonio Spurs and the Golden State Warriors. Pictures used come from google.com and cited here as exclusive rights of google.com and used here for artistic purposes only.

 

  “The Crowning of the Uncrowned”

by: Rey Andrade-Garza
San Antonio, TX

     For two days leading to last night’s thumping of the San Antonio Spurs on that exciting little team from Cali-for-nia the stage of death was set. The noise of anticipation before the game at Oracle Arena was laid out as a perfect, ready- made coffin for the old guard of champions. That’s where they got it wrong. Parker’s 25 first half points were gutsy and for all of Tim Duncan’s 23 points at the age of 37, this was nothing new, not shocking but who finished the Spurs before they were finished? Certainly, not those who watch Spurs basketball in the Duncan era with 16 years of playoff contention. Yet, despite that it was hard to see through all the premature glitter of paper crowns and virtual champagne splashes the media created for the Cinderella Warriors. This is just the NBA’s latest love affair in the dubbing of the Splash Brothers Steph Curry and Klay Thompson-- is not new.  This coronation by the media, who is hell bent on anyone, yes, anyone but the San Antonio’s Big Three of of Ginobili, Duncan or Parker, as premature winners. They might as well be called The Step Brothers. Even for all their boring crowns are past champions. These are the same champions who Mark Jackson finally called had four future hall of famers in Coach Popovich and the Big Three.  Thanks for noticing. Why did it take this victory for the critics to finally not count out the Spurs who are not to be counted out?  For years, the ESPN, NBA fans everywhere were perfectly okay with crowning King James before he even won his first title.  Mark Jackson at last night’s press conference was finally shown that casting crowns with no banners was an oversight when he called the manifestation of the backcourt of Curry and Thompson the best in the history of the NBA. Finally admitting with the series 2-1 that he knew and I paraphrase that this would be a heavyweight fight and that he wasn’t taking the Spurs lightly. Not so fast Mr. Mark “We’re shocking some people!” Jackson. Aren't you the one who exuberantly clamored this exact oversight in a timeout during a key stretch in the second half of game 2? Or should we just forgive the oversight since you like to live in your fantasy hyperbole world? As I was watching the replay of the game today on NBA TV I kept looking at the decibel meter each time Curry or Thompson splashed a three yet, when Duncan shoved Andrew “Don’t call me Bogus!” Bogut checked him with a statement in the opening minutes of the game it was a clear message that the supposed, sleeping giants came to play. That's when I knew the fight in the Spurs was always there.  I find it disheartening and damn right “disrespectful” as Stephen A. Smith would say to only acknowledge the greatness of the Spurs when these Step Brothers of the NBA, obviously prove yet again that they are a legitimate contender for the true crown. To know Popovich is to know he could care less what anybody says of his team and has little use for accolades, egos and unnecessary hype. Parker said as much at the press conference after the game when he was asked if he needed motivation to perform at an MVP caliber level. This is downright disrespectful to a real NBA finals MVP. Parker in line with Popovich’s said he is only motivated by what Popovich says and plays only for his team and the city of San Antonio.  Does this team have to remind everyone four banners hang on the rafters of the AT&T Center and none of the Big Three are retired yet? As long as the Step Brothers step on the court you can rest assured the Spurs will not go down easy. If these accolades and resumes that the Big Three have compiled were part of a high glamour and trendy high market team like Chicago, NY, Miami or LA would anyone dare dispute or count them out? Someone needs to tell the analysts that only real champions in this series wear robes of silver and black.  To be honest, I will take this opportunity to say that Popovich was robbed of a back to back Coach of the Year title. No disrespect to Denver Nuggets coach George Karl who is a fine coach but he is not in the same caliber as Gregg Popovich. Lest we forget what Popovich was able to do with this team this year and yes, the NBA and ESPN did because apparently Popovich wasn’t even in the top 3 in the voting. That is the true epitome of disrespect. The shunning of greatness is commonplace for the Spurs who every year all they do is win! In fact, this year, the organization celebrates 40 years of existence and in all that time they have only missed the playoffs 3 times! So, when the NBA analysts are forced to recognize greatness all they can ever say of the Spurs is they fly under the radar. No, they don’t, that’s just what they think they have to say because they obviously don’t watch Spurs basketball at all. They are too busy following the next sensation in the NBA and engaging in pointless dialogue of what the Lakers will do next year when the Spurs just finished sweeping them off the court! Shameful and disrespectful but if it were the other way around the endless dogging of the unpopular Spurs would be comical right?  What Popovich did with his Big Three who missed 50 games collectively, but as team managed to win 50 games or more for a record 14 years running is the blueprint of how championships teams are built on paper on and off the court. Now that the Spurs reclaimed home court advantage and lead the series 2-1 can they finally, admit, for once they were wrong to count out the Spurs, yet again? Whether they get to the finals this year is yet to be seen but as long this team is led by Popovich and these battle tested Warriors of Duncan, Parker and Ginobili step on the court, these Step Brothers will ankle check the Curry’s and Thompson’s of the world with a splash of class and rarified championship fight.

Music: Fan Review: Album Review: Black Out the Sun, Sevendust, 2013
May 11, 2013

"Nothing is Simple as it Seems with Sevendust" by Rey Andrade-Garza

As the first symphonic notes come to life on the song “Memory” it is apparent this won’t be just any roller coaster ride. Black Out the Sun (2013) from Atlanta, GA’s metal-based Sevendust punches out song after song, with sounds pouring out the speakers that are difficult to ignore.  With a combination of melodic bliss, monstrous guitar leads and quick paces that lead you on a carousel dream. You are driven down numerous valleys of hope, despair and utter beauty.  Sevendust seem to have regained their chops here on this effort.  On the second track, “Faithless”-- and in a wave of scorching riffs and thunderous vocals, Lajon Witherspoon belts out, “Found my way through the eyes of hell” with unapologetic grunts that would appeal to any grindcore fan but Sevendust’s signature sound is not a one trick pony. They are the fathers of progressive melodic metal because they love to mix harmony with brutal steal.  It’s apparent that in subsequent tracks “Till Death” and “Mountain” the attempt to chart familiar areas but with a new level of maturity and sound many fans predicted would come from the efforts of 2001’s Animosity. An earlier interview Clint Lowery, lead guitarist and back-up vocals called this album: “A basic Sevendust record..” and I couldn’t disagree more. Yes, the sound is unmistakable but not the risks they take on tracks like “Cold As War” where it opens with eerie orchestral and muffled guitar synths that come and return between chorus lines and reminiscent of something you might expect to hear from NIN or even Rammstein.  With honest despair LaJon delivers: “Cold as war…You think I would know by now, the day is gone away, the day is gone away!” Hauntingly enough, the mood of the album creates the ambience of a lost empire into one person’s soul. Even the ballads aren’t ballads but declarations or marches of a soap box hero. The title track, “Black Out the Sun” begins innocently enough with harmonious grace and has a mid-tempo range. This is where the album divides in half in a metaphorical way in sharp and stark contrast to the songs that appear later on the album which grow darker with more melodic chorus lines and heavy distortion. Delving into parts unknown, the sounds become deeper with quick resonance like in “Nobody Want’s It”. This becomes the perfect transition for one of the standout tracks on the album: “Dead Roses”. With reckless abandonment, opaque bells and transparent lyrics: “Hate your beautiful way, we live in your game” is muddled with “Decay” which booms the strongest riffs since maybe “Enemy” or “Ugly”.  By the time “Dark AM” strums into your speakers, the album has painted a clear picture of emotional neglect with raw conviction as LaJon achingly calls out: “Live until you die/Just come alive/it’s all you'll need to know.” Chills and goose bumps line my arms when the chorus unfolds with those melodic riffs. I’m rendered speechless. This song lets you know that Sevendust is not done sharing the journey humanity takes in the face of agony, trials and tribulations. Maybe, only Katatonia does melancholy better but you’ll be damned pressed to ignore the efficacy in which these songs are delivered. You might also think, so what; this band has already charted these philosophical renderings in plenty of albums, most notably, Seasons, 2003 and their last studio album Cold Day Memory, 2010.  Black Out the Sun lets you know they are older, grittier, dirtier-- stamped by the rigors of time. A close look at the history of the band mirrors most people’s daily struggles. Your reminded again that Sevendust is a people’s metal band: Hardworking, grinding out this their 9^th studio album. The message appears to be simple, so are the lyrics but the experience is anything but and therein lies truth as in “Picture Perfect” where it stammers into: “There's always something in the way/ I swear there's no more silver lining”.  As the album reaches an ending your no closer to release or understanding but a level of acceptance appears in “Got A Feeling” that breaks down into an acoustic ballad. The Sevendust story has always been of human breakdown in its most simplest of forms.  Just like an Oliver Twist ending, the album finishes with “Murder Bar” which coasts with a final slope into the roller coasters deepest drop; “With all the familiar places” and we are better for having taken the ride.

Poem: Nightcrawler

Nightcrawler

 light is inverted darkness
when the sunlight
hides in a mad eclipse
So my days now
resemble little hope
as I'm afraid
to see the world
through a cardboard hole
My love is gone
lost in a puff of red crimson smoke
the years that held us together
slipped like a bedroom sheet
ghost to the floor
either hot or cold
light and darkness
fight inside
sparring with myself
blurred by anticipated
late night phone calls
and weeks old texts
I'm too weakened to attest
to find that light
at the end of that proverbial tunnel
I've crawled enough on my knees
so skip that supposed light
I'd rather drown eclipsed
basked in these bullet-ridden emotions
soul bleeding out of me
hand to hand combat
cartoon crimes
I've hung up my brave cape
no longer willing to fight
for love or the justification of it
I'll leave that for another team
I, marvel girl-
how you calmed the storm
manifested in that kiss
But, nothing came of this
I'm content to wear the night out
mocking building shadows
settling old scores
ambush hellfire
teleport undetected
manifest my destiny
before the morning comes

(c) Rafael Andrade Garza, May 09, 2013.

photo courtesy of www.fanpop.com

Poem: Caterpillar Star

Today, I dug up another poem from the vault. This poem centers on soul searching and finding out who you are as a person. It's also about leaving friends and your past behind. It's an emotional piece about self-discovery. Thanks for reading-Rafael Andrade Garza.

Caterpillar Star

A new story begins
and takes residence
under the wrinkled avenues
of my brown eyes
where memories form
tier by tier
sometimes, dried-in years
I no longer fear
of, what the past might bring
I'm an old apartment
renovated for rent
You came to see the lay-out
and were surprised
to find my heart inside
over-looking a busy street
searching for understanding
again, and again
Today, I feel consumed
in the nebula of love
and, I'm lost in its interstellar dust
I'm enjoying its mystery
and, as I cascade and fall
into the mass of million eyes
I crash and collide
into the same starry-eyed characters
with the same stories
but, different names
It all sounds so nostalgic to me
It feels as though I'm dreaming awake
As I thaw out of my old self,
I sink back into the Earth
I sometimes get lost
searching to find my street
Since, everyone in my old neighborhood
has moved away
I have remained;
Because, once I had a good excuse
Now, I just wait to fade away.

© Rafael Andrade Garza, 2005.

photo courtesy of Wikipedia.com

Poem: Workmanship

I wrote this poem sometime back and it came together rather easily for me. The idea for this piece came to me while watching a diamond commercial on tv. The sound was muted but the message was clear as to intricate process of the diamond cutter process. It led me to compare of how we must also be the work of a higher God and that we are fashioned with purpose.  Hope you enjoy the poem. Thanks for reading-Rafael Andrade Garza.

Workmanship

I've never investigated the steps
a diamond maker makes
but, I do know that he has to cut
the perfect shape
the right light that shines
a task that few have chiseled
just like the almighty creator
who fashioned us after his image
but, our voice is our voice
and our steps are signaled by outlines
drawing our paths in this life
so, careful to the cut
pressure and time
a perfect life is made
so, it shines
testament to the handy work
proof to the labor
an act of love.

(c) Rafael Andrade Garza, May 10, 2012.

photo courtesy of shutterstock.com
 



Local Flavor: Dining Critique: "Missing a Step or Two"

Local Flavor: Dining Critique
Two Step Restaurant
9840 West Loop 1604 N
San Antonio, TX 78254
http://www.twosteprestaurant.com/

May 6, 2013

 Aesthetically speaking this place is a knockout! See to me that's the problem, looks are indeed  deceiving. Two Step Restaurant is nothing if not inviting. This place fancies itself an upscale, family owned, Texas BBQ joint with some Tex-Mex flair. That is a lot for any restaurant to live up to especially one that wants to bridge good BBQ with some San Antonio staples such as chips & salsa as an appetizer. Back to that in a minute. We were greeted graciously by the host who just happened to be walking back inside before we came in. I purposely arrived at high noon and I took in the décor and the beautiful seating areas of the Cantina, Dining and Patio. We were offered our choice and took our place Cantina side. Immediately, our server was welcoming, knowledgeable and they had my favorite beer on tap: Shiner Light Blonde! Whew boy, that was an unexpected surprise and a good one at that--being the beer snob that I am. (Note to self: Flying Saucer Fix later in the week.) The salsa was dynamite but the chips were stale! Our host returned just in time for me to tell him the horrid tale of the chips being stale and he returned moments later with what he called a fresh batch of chips that were equally as stale! Jesus, LOL. I can tell they were put in the micro and nuked to hell! That would be theme of the experience here! Just as you get your hopes high: fast service, great Texas beer and awesome salsa; they kept missing a step or two in other areas. The "queso" we ordered came after the salsa and it looked appetizing but I could make better "queso" with a hearty can of Hot Green Chiles Rotel and some Velveeta and that's no lie! The menu offered a variety of choices that included burgers, seafood and even tacos! I made sure to ask plenty of questions. That's the mantra you should take at any 'new to you' establishment. Ask and you shall know! Special of the day was a steak sandwich on a hoagie! I asked if the catfish po'boy was good and he decided to plug how he was from Missouri and was used to catfish from that region but eventually said it was good here! I convinced myself that any item on the menu should be as important as any other item on the menu and I was going to put this to the test! Again, beautiful presentation but it was a huge let down! Catfish isn't hard to get right but easy to get wrong and it was all kinds of wrong here! My brother didn't fare any better! He ordered the special and I was expecting to see a flank steak on some Texas Toast but he got what looked like a Philly Cheese Steak on the same style hoagie my depressing catfish came in. The scenery of this restaurant made the experience bareable along with Willie Nelson playing in the background. The server who was also doubling as a bartender gave excellent service and to be honest with you, for it being lunch rush hour the parking lot had more cars than the whole establishment! Maybe, no one who works here carpools! Who knows?! I ordered another Shiner Light Blonde to wash down the sorrows that was my catfish which by the way came with pathetic string fries instead of the steak fries the server said came with the sandwich. He did tell me fries here are not fresh but frozen. Point taken but Mr."I'm From the Show Me State" still lied to me but don't worry. I didn't punish him on his tip. He tried to push the dessert saying everything was done from scratch but I didn't feel like pushing my luck! I just couldn't take another let down! At nearly $40 bucks with modest portions on our plates and all the you can eat stale chips, this place is teetering on being pricey! The verdict: I would take two steps to another BBQ joint that looks like a hole in the wall but where the food is the attraction not the property!

Price: Moderate to Pricey
Atmosphere: Excellent
Food: (Presentation: Superior, Taste: Okay to Good)
Portion: Modest to Fair
Customer Service: Superior!
Overall Experience: 3.75 Sombreros out of 5

By: Rey Andrade-Garza, 2013

                                             The Steak Sandwich Special

                                                      The Catfish Po'Boy Sandwich

                                                        Queso Dip

                                                       Chips & Salsa

                                                     The Cantina

Two Step Restaurant

 





 

Local Flavor: Rusty Bucket BBQ

Local Flavor: Dining Critique
The Rusty Bucket BBQ
600 Cupples Rd
San Antonio, Texas
210-433-6663

May 4, 2013

      As you walk into the small cozy dining area adorned with rustic western theme of tin cans, license plates and even a quaint piano you get a sense of the laid back atmosphere of the Rusty Bucket.  If you don't know this is a Texas BBQ joint, the picnic tables will almost give it away.  Don't go looking for waitresses and service 'cuz you came to the wrong place. It's a self serve attitude here as if your at your own back home BBQ affair.  No menus here either. That's in case you missed the special outside the door before walking in. If you want to know what they are offering the blackboard has a standard menu of Texas BBQ staples. The holy trinity of chicken, sausage and brisket and even some spare ribs as well.  You order your food through what looks like an old bank teller or casino window. I ordered what looked the most interesting: The Lone Ranger. I didn't order any sides since I wanted to order it the way it came. The side you ask? Plain Lays Potato Chips. Cricket, cricket! Did you hear that? No fanfare for this sandwich and that's a damn shame with a name like that! What's in it? That's the trinity on a sesame style bun. My brother ordered the special. To be honest I would say neither were generous portions and the presentation was bare bones. These sandwiches would of looked better on hoagie buns giving it a Texas Poor Boy style feel. My humble opinion if I should have one. The way they served me made me feel like maybe the carnival style paper tray was best suited for a frito pie and not something as ingenious as the Lone Ranger. The concept for the sandwich was great but the meats were not moist but they were a little tender to tough. The flavor was on point though. I kept putting sauce on it because it was a little dry. To me it was missing the love sauce to be frank. My brother said the chopped BBQ he had was definitely better than the chain style offerings of Bill Miller's here in town.  I would say the sauce was mild with a slight kick and definitely vinegar based but not overpowering at all. I'm partial to Rudy's BBQ sauce and the fact that I can order burnt ends and moist for my style of brisket.  I asked the cashier when this place opened and she said two years which kind of took me aback since they had a plaque from the San Antonio Express News from 2010 and a dining critique from a neighborhood magazine. I didn't care to read what they said I wanted to experience this place with no preconceived notions.  I dove into The Lone Ranger and I devoured like only a "meatatarian" (Don't judge me, it's a personal choice) like me can. She made no real connection for this establishment nor gave any insight of what made this place special than other BBQ spots here in town. She missed a "Golden" opportunity; because this place has potential and it's not half bad. I washed down my meal with soda and I had to tell the cashier that the C02 was out. She had no idea what the hell I was talking about, I had to tell her it was flat much like her customer service skills. I didn't tell her the last part but maybe I should have and I say that because she was more eager to return to her Happy Meal from McDonald's. She proceeded to eating in front of customers at the customer dining area. It made me wonder if you work here wouldn't you want to eat what they serve here? Just a thought.

Price: Moderate
Atmosphere: Good
Food: Good to Very Good
Portion: Ok
Customer Service: Poor
Overall Experience: 3.5 Sombreros out of 5.

                                          Rusty Bucket BBQ

                                          The Chopped BBQ

                                           The Lone Ranger

--By Rey Andrade-Garza, 2013

Poem: Firewalker

This poem was brought about by an attraction that never really saw the light of day. Love is such a universal theme and this particular story doesn't end with the two desperate ever coming together. Sometimes, the unknown is far attractive than the actual notion of getting together. Please comment below, let me know what you think. Thanks for reading! -Rafael Andrade Garza

firewalker

Some kind of fire

You had over me

Burning, smoldering

Even the farthest memories

Punished me

At first sight,

Your golden hair

Fanned the highest flames

Porcelain doll lips

Kept hinting, suggesting

You played cleverest of games, girl

Unforgiving time passed

I saw that the color of  your hair

turned dark chestnut

seemingly innocent lips

now outlined in black soot

You quieted the flames, girl

You shushed those emotions

and ate heartbeats

like hospital scanners

surrounded by cupped prayers of return

I finally let the wick go,

Yet it still irritates

More than it burns

Agitated now and then

by Hollywood romantic notions

A gift of that grand fire

That did engulf you and me

 I’m a firewalker now-

Your fire didn’t cleanse me

Those drafts and beaten tracks have gone

“Now I'm saving all my loving
for someone who's loving me” x 2

© Rafael Andrade Garza, November 16. 2011.