Dikembe Mutombo and Geico - Excellent

Dikembe Mutombo and Geico...  Finally I found a Geico commercial, I like...  Dikembe has been everywhere.  I saw him at The Inaugural Ball last month, and he's been popping up on my TV screen recently (i.e. because of NBA All-Star weekend and this Geico commercial).  His signature laugh, finger wave, and of course the shot blocking!  PERFECT.

I'm tired of watching commercials with athletes that are unrecognizable.  NBA All-Star weekend is full of "stars" from music, acting, and the basketball court.  Unfortunately, some of the athletes are undeserving of the attention and maybe it's just me, but I think that there is a degree of mediocrity in the NBA right now that hurts the game.  It's refreshing to see veteran talent receive the attention it earned.

That's right, Dikembe, capitalize on your image and remind people about the basketball good old days ---- it's well deserved!




THE WIRK

The Wirk hits The Inaugural Ball

I was given the opportunity to attend The Inaugural Ball on Monday, January 21, 2013 at the Washington Convention Center.  Politics aside, I like a good party and I wasn't about to miss the chance to go to another Inaugural Ball. 

In 2005, my friend, Ryan, asked me to attend the Liberty Ball with him.  He called me while I was at work and told me that I had 3 hours to get ready.  3 hours to get ready for an ball?!?!  I couldn't believe it, but he was serious.  I left work, threw on some make up, and put on the only dress that I thought I could pass of as appropriate on short notice.  Unfortunately for me, my make up was too light (i.e. so I looked like Dracula) and my dress was short so I felt out of place.

2013 was my year to make it right.

With my Carmen Marc Valvo dress that arrived the day of the ball, I was ready for the festivities.  My mom gave me a necklace that I used, but unfortunately I forgot that she also gave me the matching bracelet.  I took my pink Chanel clutch out of its box, and my ensemble was perfect.

I believe that the average person loves to stand in line for no reason.  With our tickets in hand, my friend and I kept our heads down and walked past about 1000 people into the queue by the metal detectors.  Upon entry into the Convention Center, we waited in the coat check line (i.e. where I quickly spotted Dikembe Mutombo).

While we were in line, we missed Alicia Keys perform.

Eventually, we checked our coats and headed to the ballroom.  Thanks to my friend, Taiwanna, we spent most of the night in a hospitality area where there was an open bar and little to no wait for food.  In addition to seeing the POTUS and the FLOTUS, I checked out the band Fun, saw Jennifer Hudson serenade President Obama and his wife, Stevie Wonder, Jamie Foxx, Vice President Biden and his wife, John Legend, and Usher perform.  I also saw Anthony Hamilton get wheeled out in a wheel chair, probably because his feet hurt.  Can't say I blame him.  My feet hurt for days after the event.  Days.  Pain.  Days...

It was a great night, and I love the fact that I spent it with a group of my favorite ladies!  I look forward to more Inaugural Balls in the future.  It's all about who you know, and I've been around for a while...  I know the game, and lucky for me, I know a lot of fantastic people!


THE WIRK

John Wall caught Ilgauskas' elbow and he didn't like it ~ Heat v Wizards

I had spent the past couple of days (i.e. with my mom visiting), running all over creation.  Last night mom and I went to the Verizon Center to check out the Miami Heat v Washington Wizards game.  ****  If you follow the blog, you know why this game is interesting and if you don't follow the blog you are a VERY BAD person.  Just kidding.  Kind of.  Sort of.  Not really.

Early in the game, with 8:48 left on the clock in the 1st quarter, Zydrunas had the ball and John Wall wanted it.  Zydrunas is 7'3" and rookie, John Wall, is 6'4".  It doesn't take a genius to know that when Zydrunas holds the ball up, that Wall had better back up and watch his face (i.e unless he wants to eat elbow).  Sure enough, emotions ran high and after catching Zydrunas' elbow, Wall decided to use his right arm to throw a body punch.  Here's a clip of the scuffle:  http://www.nba.com/video/games/wizards/2011/03/30/0021001110_mia_was_play2.nba/

Here are two words that describe John Wall's actions: ROOKIE MISTAKE.



To put the elbow and height in perspective,
and in honor of opening day this was on the
 way to a Cleveland Indians' baseball game.

****  I'm not advocating fighting in the NBA, BUT if I was Zydrunas (i.e. after receiving that weird body punch from John Wall) I would've gone after Wall, like he was Greg Ostertag... John Wall should've swept Zydrunas' leg(s) because tall trees can't land elbows when they're on the ground... THAT's how you fight a seven footer...  You don't try to "BOX".  Wait, speaking of boxing, I don't remember the venue, but there was a guy heckling Zydrunas one day.  He was saying things like, "I'll be Rocky and you'll be Drago."  Too funny...

I am listening to ESPN and the commentary from the lady "talking through the video".  She is heavily biased towards the Miami Heat, and obviously doesn't know her NBA history.  Zydrunas has a temper.  He isn't one to start fights on the court, but he won't back down from one.  I watched the events from section 121 and I've seen many a "tussle/fight" with him.  I know that if he wanted to treat the events like a game of WHACK-A-MOLE, Zydrunas could've pounded John Wall.  The fact that Zydrunas grabbed Wall by both arms and drove him back, shows that Zydrunas exercised restraint.

Elbows in the NBA aren't uncommon.  Zydrunas used to complain about Dikembe Mutombo's elbows, and Mutombo's methods of clearing out his opponents have been well-documented.  Here's a link to a Sports Illustrated (SI) article if you want some light reading from 1999 by Marty Burns:  Don't Bogart That Joint: Opponents are tired of blocking Dikembe Mutombo's elbows with their noses. 

For the record, and it goes without saying, but I will anyway ~ Zydrunas isn't Mutombo.  ****  I do think Zydrunas gave Wall a cheap, left forearm to get Wall to back away.  Further, at the 15 second mark, if you see the red coat at the top of the section, that coat belongs to my mom and I'm sitting next to her.  Yes, if it's interesting ~ chances are I'm there.

As a result of the altercation, for the Miami Heat,  both Juwan Howard and Zydrunas were ejected.  Washington Wizards lost the services of John Wall for the game too, since he was also ejected.

Ultimately, the ejections and the long referee deliberation and review seemed to take the energy out of the building for some time.  Surprisingly the energy picked up and the game wasn't a run away Heat victory.  Jordan Crawford scored 39 points in the losing effort.  Dwyane Wade scored 33 points and some dude named, LeBron, led the Heat with 35 points. 

****  This picture pretty much sums up the past couple of days since I went to New York to see The Lion King with my mom on Tuesday, and we just saw the Miami Heat and LeBron yesterday.

Final score, 123-107.  Wizards lost. 

Update: Wizards rookie, John Wall, has been suspended one game without pay and two Miami Heat players were fined for their actions.  Heat forward Juwan Howard received aa $35,000 fine, and teammate Zydrunas Ilgauskas was fined $25,000.

THE WIRK