“�You know it�s been a long time, I shouldn�t have left you�”

What�s going on Bloggers and Bloggettes? It�s been quite awhile since I chimed in with my weekly Blog but here is my initial offering for the 2004 year. It�s been quite the chilly start to the New Year up here in Seattle with temperatures in between 14 and 28 degrees for the last week or so. We got some good snow on Tuesday and it lasted through Wednesday which resulted in every student and working persons favorite days of the year�SNOW DAYS. I know you remember waking up early to see if your school district was in session with that fresh snow on the ground.

Since my last entry the basketball season has been going well. We went down to San Luis Obispo, California for the Mission Prep Christmas Classic and took 3rd place. On a tragic note the young man who Menage mentioned in his entry who died in the car crash over the weekend, Kevin Mormin, was at the tournament with his team. We actually lost to his team, Our Savior of Centereach, NY, in the semifinals of the tourney. My condolences go out to his family and his team. While we were on the trip we also were in the earthquake that shook that area that registered 6.5 on the Richter Scale. It was a pretty big quake and it actually woke me up out of the bed. Coincidentally, the building that collapsed in Paso Robles, CA was two doors down from the movie theatre that we went to the day prior to the earthquake. Crazy�

The MVP of the tournament was Tywon Lawson from Bishop McNamara in Forestville, MD. For all of my people in that DC Metro Area and Bishop McNamara is playing near you go check him out, he�s worth the price of admission�and he�s only a sophomore.

“�she was telling me her tales about her airport blues, and how Bin Laden f**ked up airport rules�” Junya

The lines at the airport to pick up and drop off people over the holidays have been totally ridiculous especially after the Terror level was bumped up to Orange. They shutdown one entrance to Sea-Tac Airport so all traffic has to flow through one security stop�pure mayhem. Add in the snow from Tuesday and you have plenty of cancelled flights and frustrated passengers�

“Offense sells tickets and Defense wins championships”

USC and LSU both came up with dominating defensive performances in their respective games to prove the old adage true again. In defense of the BCS, I think it does provide a way to separate a number of teams with similar records that lost at different points of the season. It just so happened that Oklahoma took the most recent loss and thus was further down in the polls. On the other side I don�t agree with the idea that a Boise St-Hawaii game has a bearing on whether or not USC goes the Sugar Bowl. I�m glad I�m not on that BCS Committee�Oh and by the way USC will be just about everyone�s favorite to repeat as National Champions next year�

Steve Spurrier quit as head coach of the Washington Redskins and I hope he gets a head coaching job in the college ranks like yesterday. I�ve already heard fans of teams in the SEC and Big 12 saying they hope he doesn�t come to a school in their league�He�s still my favorite coach�only coach you have ever heard of that intentionally let the other team score so that he could get back on offense�

Speaking of coaches�

Bill Callahan was in the Super Bowl just a year ago and was fired by the Raiders

Is Jon Gruden still a genius even though the Buccaneers didn�t make the playoffs?

How does Jim Fassel get canned by the Giants and within one week have numerous job offers in the NFL?

Does Wade Phillips get credit for the Falcons going 2-1 for the last 3 games of the season? Or did that just coincide with the return of Mike Vick?

Charlie Hustle�

Pete Rose needs to give it a rest for real�I mean come on man you�ve lied intently for the past 14 years about your gambling in baseball and now you decide to come clean?? What are his motives? And if you were managing a baseball team, why wouldn�t you bet on your own team when you have them at the controls??? Get real�

Forgive me as I�m a little late with my end of 2003 awards and the finalists but here they are�enjoy�

Which fabled “franchise/institution” is in the most trouble?

UCLA basketball
Notre Dame football
Oakland Raiders
New York Knicks

You might not see the following category on the Grammy�s or anything like that but it at least deserves a place on the BET Awards�

2003 UnCut Video of the Year
Right Thurr-Chingy
Booty Poppin-Ludacris
Tip Drill-Nelly and the St Lunatics

And my final award of the year may be the most controversial. Past winners have included Micheal Ray Richardson, Roy Tarpley, OJ Simpson, Jayson Williams, Rae Carruth, and Nate Newton.

The 2003 “Throw Your Professional Career in Sports Away in Pursuit of Jail Time” Award
Kobe Bryant
Eddie Griffin
Joseph Forte

Until next week…stay at those New Years Resolutions, make em work…start the year off right. Get some exercise, invest some time in someone else’s life, volunteer somewhere, be a mentor or a tutor, donate those old clothes, etc. Enjoy the new year…

Baby bump another slow jam
And all the lovers need to hold hands
And if you ain’t got no man, hop up in my Brougham
I keep it pimpin like a old man

Chuuch…

f*ck that criminology rap we can get jet black floatin in the flyest ac n*gga!!

have you ever made out in dark hallways

If you live in the 202 and haven’t been to the Blue Room yet you are beyond slipping. Nice atmosphere and beautiful women who enjoy a mix of jazz, hip hop, and techno. KC u down?

First the mac go ting and when i’m done its ringgg …The Boy Wonder got that award in the bag.

Dennis Green was the best man for the job. Can he make the cards a winner? Are there any soul food restaurants left in Phoenix?

DC blog readers make sure you look at the D.C. craigslist site. Man you can come on everything from a house to a car, computer, and maybe even a freak jawn.

Nofolk, Portsmouth, & Suffolk might merge to become one city.Why? What does Norfolk have to gain?

I’m Kan, the Louis Vuitton don
I bought mom a purse now she Louis Vuitton mom!
Still might throw-on a little low-on
They want me to stop, ‘Go on, go on’
They don’t want me to shop and be spendin’ that hard
‘Oh My God is that a black card?’
I turned around and replied ‘why, yes,
But I prefer the term African American Express’

negro of the week award goes to chris stokes. B2K breaks up and it is revealed that the lead singer had a solo droppin already. at the same time the remaining memebers of the group were on 106 & Park last night lookin weezy. Dudes had that look like “damn, i’ll never tour again”. u know 1 of those dudes will find god, another will fade into obscurity, and the other will become a wack dancer/radio personality in des moines.

Sal’s Corner

Raising a successful child. We’ve already discussed the affects of a name on your child’s success. Now we shall take a gander at “alternative” success tips. So you will not hear any “Picking the best school” or “etiquette” speeches here. Im talking about other ways to ensure your child’s destiny

* Make your richest friends’ children, is your kid’s best friend. Every class trip, make sure they’re roommates. If that rich kid is a punk, dont waste your time on helping your kid with his homework, make em a better boxer so he can take up for that rich kid!

Sidetip: If you wanna find the rich people, go wit “Rome” to one of those art shows. “Go get a suit, get it tapered up”

* Get BET cut off of your cable service. Aint nothing worst than a child attached to “freestyle friday”.(jerome note:hahahahaha) Your child needs to watch more MTV so he can discuss shows that his rich kid friends watch.

* Never let your kid know how broke you are. “Son we cant go to Burger King” is not a good thing to say to your youngin. Kids tell their friends whats going on in the household. The last thing you need is those kids’ parents knowing you cant even afford a #2 and a 5-piece chicken tenders.

* If you have a teenage/young adult daughter, make sure you look at her boyfriend’s mother! See depending on how cute the mother is/was will tell you what kinda father that boy has. See (deep breathe)…..rich men marry pretty women, simple as that. Either that or he marries that ugly one who just was by his side when he was broke. She just happened to see the vision. Anyway….he’ll probably end up marrying the pretty woman. So if the boy’s mother is pretty, the family has paper! Inturn, the son will be rich cause dad has put him down on how to get money.

* If you have a teenage/young adult son, he doesnt need a girlfriend. He just needs a job! Let him work from age 11 on up. Take ALL of his money, ok ok, give him a LITTLE bit of it. Let his money chill until he is 18. He goes off to college and now you can give him his money back to splurge. This will be key for him in college. He has two choices….a) spend it on designer clothes or b) spend it on a sports car. Either way the pretty/rich girls will understand and feel him. He hooks up with one of them and their father dies and he inherits a business. Sounds like a winner to me????

* (last but not least)………Your child has to know how to cheat. YES CHEAT. Cheating is much more than looking on someone’s paper. It develops the idea of “rolling with the winners”. I myself can say I learned more about the lessons by cheating than I did by reading the chapters. I would copy the answer off of someone else’s paper, and actually figure out how to do the problem myself. “MAN…I shoulda studied wit THIS nigga, If I had known all of this last night I wouldnt have to have this cheat sheet in the small pocket of my Levi’s 560 jeans right now!” Cheating also adds trust to the relationship between your children and their friends. Children who cheat together are more likely to help find jobs for each other. Its nothing like being at work and seeing your man that got your through Calculus come in for an interview. “AWW Man dont even trip Im a put in a good word for you FO SHO!” (jerome note: that is the gospel. i don’t know anyone who got through college without some cheating)

Sidetip: Its a MUST that you let your kids watch Indianapolis Colts games so they can learn from Peyton Manning how to call audibles while cheating in the classroom. Eye contact, slight hand movements and code talk can do wonders.

Im not saying that success is all about money. Its about setting goals, adding to this world in a positive way and knowing your purpose in life. But at the same time, you dont want your kid to grow up and be 25 years old talking about “Im going back to my roots, who needs money, I have inner peace”. (hahahahahahaha) And this same lil nigga gonna turn around and ask you for $5 so he can go to Burger King and get that #2 and chicken tenders. This is my corner and Im glad to share it with you. Next week people……….”Lord Willin and Rome Feelin”

if somebodys rhymes sound like i wrote em i probably did

fresh to death

crackn til 4:45. I have never gone that hard on a birthday, New Years, etc. but I was interested in hearing/seeing dude spin to check out the way he spun, the records he chose, and how its better to have an MC on the mic while you spin. Black Thought and VAs own Skillz went back and forth hosting and while Skillz was more laid back, Black Thought was spittin crazy on the mic. Freestyles over breakbeats and other goodies….

Top 5 joints of the night ? spun:
1. Souls of Mischief - 93 Til Infinity
2. Black Moon - Who Got the Props
3. random Micheal Jackson/Jackson 5 cuts
4. Skee Lo - I Wish
5. A Tribe Called Quest - started the party off with Award Tour, Lyrics to Go, Buggin Out, Scenario, Check the Rhyme, and ELectric Relaxation. Gets no better than that.

I can’t compare this to the Hollertronix party a few weeks ago because the mood was different, as was the crowd, as was my mood. Both were dope. I’m gettin focused y’all.

Oh yeah before anyone catches feelings I went dolo? Why? Cuz I knew I was staying late and didn’t want anyone to get mad and want to leave early (plus i wasn’t paying for a cab). This was as much a chance to party and have a good time as it was research. Sorry.

Kaycee I put Ja and KRS One in the same sentence? I must’ve missed that one. I’ve never really been a fan of either so…stress coast though? Its cool…have u been out west? Hopefully so, everyone who goes gets their mind right (ask X, or my dude CO) so if you venture that way u will. I mean what other party of the country can lay claim to making the greatest record ever (G Thang is easily the best record ever, theres NO way anyone can tell me different. I’ve seen east coast wanna be thugs try to get their c-walk on everytime it drops)?

so just chill to the next episode

Man the internet sneaker community (fuckin posers!) is up in arms about those Pharells and ESPOS that dropped. Heres my take: If you’ve ever been cut in line it sucks. If you know its going to happen or think it might be prepared. Man theres no way in hell I’d travel from DC to NY, wait in line 16 hours and not get my shoes cuz someone jumped the line? Sheeit…

I’m going to Nebraska Sunday so I don’t know how the whole blog situation is going to work yet. According to the good folks at weather.com” its gonna be cold. HELLA cold. Snow flurries in D.C. as of Tuesday? I’m sayin it was 65 this weekend and oh were the streets crackn. All the little outside eateries were open like it was spring and your boy was at work. Sucks for me but i’m not mad. I’ll have that paper though….BELIEVE THAT!!

The Ravens let me down. The Colts didn’t. UA is what #3 in the country now? My art jawn should get crackn this week. I am supposed to meet the professor of photography @ Univ of Maryland whenenver I have a day off. Plus my drawing has been sick…I’m tryin to tell y’all. Its gonnna be another good year.

If Silas entry is in my hotmail it’ll be up tomorrow. I just had to get at y’all real quick…get at me, nextels back on by wed (or thurs @ latest)…

PEACE!!

Just the way playas play, all day everyday, I don’t know what else to say…

I blow up spots like little sisters..

Hello 2004! (Is it me your looking for?) I hope so.. Nevertheless, young world its me again (politics as usual).. And this is the new year’s 1st installment of the ever enterprising Friday post, The Menagerie.. I’m corresponding on the run today so I have nothing but chatter..

First off, I am taking heed to the ass chewing I and a few others of you got from the young man JB the 3rd last week.. So I am happy to announce I will be shipping my 1st recorded opus, Kosher Gravy on Jan. 11th.. All those who want a taste let me or Rome know as we develop this shipping list.

And I aint talkin where the Heat play at..

Secondly, after 3 weeks of being MIA and just plain out hurt, the NBA definiton of heart at the 2 spot will be back on the floor to smack the Bucks this week.. Yes, people the Answer is back.. Look out fantasy gamers, his stats are deceiving.. He gonna have big nights but the shooting touch might be off a tad.. We’ll see..

Every New Years.. (Eve or Day)

Somebody with a bright future always has something tragic happen to them around this time every Dec 31 - Jan 2nd. This time from what I understand this 7 foot two high schooler from LI,NY and 8 of his teammates were seriously injured when their bus flipped over en route to another holiday tournament.. Early reports are saying the big guy died.. Damn

Random Thoughts..

Five songs/artists that proved hiphop is still alive to some people and still got MAD radio spins.. (In other words these artists have careers now and they just did they own thing):
1. Kanye West ‘Through the Wire’
2. Youngbloodz ‘Damn’
3. Talib Kweli ‘Get By’
4. Freeway feat. Peedi Crakk ‘Flipside’ (WHOOOOO…now clap for me mami OH!)
5. Murphy Lee & Co. ‘Shake ya Tailfeather’
Those 5 artists supplied their message in the most sincere way to me last year.. Through the audio/sonic aspect and the video aspect too..

I am so glad USC won yesterday.. Easiest bet all year.. No Brainer

Beware of these germs! People will hock a loogee into they hands and greet u with it inna ‘Uncle Tom walking thru the hood’ ’s heartbeat.. The monkey got me.. This public transpo got something to do widit too..

Fellas beware of the power of the P this year.. Admit it or not, unless you are a homosexual, your everything sometimes centers around trying to hit everything u can think u can hit.. Word to the wise, that P is the most powerful stuff on the planet next to foolish pride.. U can’t defeat the P.. And u can only outsmart it for so long.. Get a steady supply if possible and don’t get greedy..

Most hated, can’t fade it..

Aint got much else to say.. Don’t make promises you know u can’t keep.. Don’t be calling somebody’s maker’s name in vain.. Don’t be smutting other niggaz jawns in other niggaz cribs.. Thinking isht is sweet.. Niggaz’ll creep up on ya ass..

Live Niggaz respect.. Check it..
–ripbigpoppa

Monday its on and poppin…

Work and a lack of a cell phone are killin me…

Monday we’re back and ready though.

04. No games, no gimmicks.

Lets get it.