Mets @ The Movies!

Yet another marketing scheme and way for the New York Mets to make money, even when their games are away. But yes, I am a sucker, and lover of all things free and deeply discounted, so I fell for it. Mets at the Movies! Last night, Wednesday, August 29, the Mets had a road game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Instead of just having people watch from home, for free, they teamed up with SNY and Screenvision and invited us to come cheer on the Mets, in real time, at the historic Ziegfeld Theatre in midtown Manhattan. While the game was exciting, it left the whole crowd disappointed because the Mets fell short in their comeback attempt. All in all, it was something I will remember for a long time to come and, if given the choice, I would definitely do it again.

There's no way a game shown at a movie theatre can compare to actually being in Philly, but let me tell you, it was a great experience. The game started at 7:05 but people started lining up before 5, and when I got there around 6, the line wrapped around the corner. Thank God I bought my tickets in advance and went right to the entrance! The viewing screen was huge, 50 ft x 23 feet, and the theatre seats 1,131. Official numbers show that the theatre almost sold out, with 1,100 in attendance. There were even some celebs in the building. 1969 Mets' starting shortstop, Buddy Harrelson, was present for a meet and greet before the game began. I was able to get his autograph and take a pic with him. SNY, a television network devoted to New York based sports, had two of their own anchors, Chris Cotter and Lee Mazzilli, attended the game and answer some questions. Alex Anthony, the Mets PA announcer, emceed the event. There were traditional Shea Stadium amenities; beer, hot dogs, beer, popcorn, and let's not forget beer. There were live giveaways, funny skits, and sing-alongs. Meeting Mr. Met was fun for me. I didn't get a picture with him but I got a hug! The Pepsi Party Patrol made their rounds, launching t-shirts into the crowd and getting the fans hyped. The atmosphere was awesome; 1,000+ Mets fans all gathered together in an enclosed space, in the least likely place one would think to host a game.

The whole time I screamed and cheered, waving my blue and orange pompom through the air. We chanted, we laughed and even sang "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" during the 7th inning stretch! It was like watching the game from home, with 1,099 of my friends. I caught one of the launched t-shirts, which literally fell in my lap. There was a funny skit called "Jose Reyes" where he went around trying to teach people some Spanish vocab. Later in the skit, Carlos Delgado joked that before he took Reyes' class he didn't speak a word of Spanish. Those that attended to game got two free tickets to attend a Mets home game against the Atlanta Braves in September. The tickets to view the game at the theatre were 10 bucks, and I got two free tickets out of it!? BET! I looked at the tix and the seats suck ass. But hey, they were sorta free right? We also got "gift bags" that had SNY trading cards and other promotional items.

The only bad thing about the game was the fact that the Mets lost! It was the top of the 9th, the Mets were down 4-3 in the midst of a comeback. There was one out and two runners on, Endy Chavez on 3rd and Marlon Anderson on 1st. Pinch-hitter Shawn Green hit a ground ball that was caught by SS Jimmy Rollins. A clear double play, Rollins pitched it to Tadahito Iguchi at second getting Anderson out, then to first where Green was ruled safe, and Chavez scored what appeared to be the tying run. The officials ruled that Anderson interfered with Iguchi at second, causing him to miss the possible game ending out at first. And while that was true, the issue was that the throw to first would have been late without Anderson intentionally barrelling into Iguchi. What could have been a Mets win, turned into the Mets fourth loss in a row. Their first place lead in the NL has gone from seven games to three.

I tried to take pictures inside the dark theatre but most of my attempts were futile. Finding the right setting and flash for my camera was a hassle, so I pretty much gave up. Below are some of the pics that weren't half bad. Enjoy!

THE Best Weekend of the Summer!!

Starting today I'm back on my grind. This summer has been great, but for me it's pretty much over since I have to get back to work. But thank God for friends!! I've done more in the past 3 days than I have in the past 3 months! This was the best weekend I've had all summer, and the perfect way to send myself off into the real world. But trust me when I say, this weekend was a fairytale. All plans fell right into place and it was awesome!

Friday, 8.24 - The 2nd Annual Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic at Rucker park in Harlem. Introducing us to the latest batch of talented ballers, and showin the youngins to how we do it at The Rucker! In a year or 2 all of these guys will be playing for top NCAA basketball teams, and rockin March Madness. HARD. BODY.

Saturday, 8.25 - Ball 4 Real block party and game at Madison Square Garden. They've branched off of AND 1, and these guys are still throwin it down. 1/2 Man, Main Event, Special FX, Spyda, AO, Pharmacist & Mr. 720! The flashiest, craziest, sexiest high-flying dunks and alley oops you'll ever see! Congratulations to Pat Da Rock on becoming the newest addition to the Ball 4 Real roster, and winning $100,000. #27 baby, gotta love it!

Sunday, 8.26 - The 10th Annual Black August concert @ The Nokia Theatre in Times Square. Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Dead Prez, DJ Evil Dee & DJ D-Nice, M1 Hosting. Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Hands Off Assata Shakur. Raising social consciousness and awareness to the struggles we still face in this world. The next phase of the revolution. And the after party at Arena?! Bananas!

I would like to thank everyone who came together and helped make this amazing weekend possible. Shout out to my girl Skrilla!! Always in the mix! Jay-Vo, girl you held me DOWN! Ride or die homie! Big Cease stay openin doors!! Al, even though you did me dirty in the end you got me right.

2nd Annual Elite 24 Hoops Classic

The summer's winding down, and next week my schedule really kicks into high gear. My lazy summer will turn into a hectic fall, and I'm surprisingly excited about it. So I called up my girls and decided to have a nice night out. I live in Harlem literally a stone's throw from the legendary Rucker Park. During the summer they have tournament games within the week, and sometimes they host special basketball events. Last night the 2nd Annual Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic presented by Rise Magazine was at The Rucker. The top high school juniors and seniors from all across the nation got a a chance to shine on what is arguably one of the most famous basketball courts in the nation. Some of these high schoolers have already committed to programs like USC, Nevada, UNC, Arizona, Ohio State, and UCLA. I'm a huge NCAA basketball fan, and I love tracking player progression, usually from college to pro. A chance to see some of these guys even earlier? Jump on it!! Basketball game at Rucker Park, and menzes galore! It was slated to be one of the best nights I've had in a while. I had it all planned out.

Armed with a pen, pad and comprehensive roster, me and girls went to the park. We were met with a line that was super long and a park that was super full. Security told us the park was closed and that they weren't letting anyone else in. My girls, not avid basketball fans like me, decided to leave. I decided to stay. Travel light, travel far right? There was no way I was not getting into that park. I buddied up to security and he saw me writing on my pad and asked me if I was press. "Hell yeah I'm press!" He asked me who I was with and I told the truth, myself. I told him I'm an up and coming sports writer, I gave him my website info (which reminds me I need business cards) and he led me in through VIP. I made my way to the sidelines and got a front row seat behind the bench. Shortly after that, another friend of mine showed up so I wasn't completely alone. Former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian, Houston Rockets PG, Rafer Alston, AKA Skip To My Lou, and Golden State Warriors PG Baron Davis coached the 2 teams. I sat behind Davis' bench and had the opportunity to talk to him and ask a few questions. Nate Robinson was there, and they said Magic Johnson was supposed to show but I didn't see him. The GOAT Squad came out ahead and beat the Skip To My Lou Squad, 169-164. Looking at the final score, it's clear that there were some outstanding performances. Lance Stephenson, a 6-5 shooting guard and rising junior led his school, Lincoln HS in Brooklyn, to a state title last year. Being in NYC, he was definitely the hometown favorite. Stephenson won co-MVP honors and scored an Elite 24 record 38 points, along with 4 assists. While most of the players chose to pound the lane the entire game, Stephenson also showed his ability to knock down threes. The other MVP was Arizona-bound PG Brandon Jennings. The 6-1 senior from Oak Hill Academy (VA) proved to be even more impressive, finishing the game with 19 points, 7 rebounds, and an Elite 24 record 23 assists. This is his second time playing in the tournament and the kid has great hands, a strong drive to the hoop, and not to go unmentioned, hops. Other standouts included Kemba Walker, Demar DeRozan, Samardo Samuels, and Luke Babbitt.

And Another Thing!

The funniest part of this whole debacle is the fact that the 53 pit bulls that the federal government seized from Mike Vick's property are gonna die anyway!! If no one comes forward by today, Thursday Aug, 23, to claim the dogs, they will be euthanized. These dogs are deemed "unsafe pets" so the likelihood of anyone coming forward to claim these pits is slim to none. The government doesn't want these dangerous animals, and they are ready and willing to kill them, just like Vick & Company have been accused of doing. With all of this, wouldn't it have just been easier to let "Bad Newz Kennels" keep the damn dogs and make some money? I mean really, they government called themselves "rescuing" these pit bulls, only to have them meet the same, unfortunate end. There's irony for that ass!

Beating A Dead....

I've tried to kinda stay away from the Michael Vick issue. I could care less what people think, I don't give a DAYUM if Mike Vick fights dogs. Period. Point fuckin blank. Damn a damn dog!! People have done, are now doing, and will continue to do worse things. We live in a society where people treat their dogs better than other human beings. We step over the homeless, but run to the aid of abandoned pups. People are out there killing!! HUMANS!! Babies are dying, children are being molested, women are being raped, people are being tortured, we are at WAR!! With the reaction Vick has gotten you would have thought he's done all of the above!

I can understand people who are against dog fighting. Hell, I don't like it either. What I can't stomach, are people who believe that if you don't agree with them on this issue you are an immoral person. Fighting dogs sounds horrible, but let me be honest. I know people who fight dogs. Yes, I said it. Are they good people? Sure! Do they do some questionable things? Sure. Do I really give a rats fuckin ass? Hell to the nah! Hey man, listen, I got bigger fish to fry than to worry about pit bulls, which are arguably some of the most vicious dogs around! Another truth about me, when I was around 7-8 years old, I was attacked by a pit bull. Ok, more like it bit me once then kept it moving, but it was an attack none the less. This (white) woman was walking her 2 pits, 1 huge one and one puppy. I saw them coming and I decided I didn't want to end up a statistic so I decided to hide behind a huge tree and wait for them to pass. Well clearly the big ass pit wasn't having any of that and took my hiding behind the tree as an insult, or a challenge. The pit came around the tree, found me hiding, and bit me. The thing just bit me! Of course I started to cry, the woman asked me if I was ok, I said yes, and she uhhh, kept it moving. She clearly didn't want any problems so she left a child crying behind a tree rather than get me some help. I ended up in the emergency room to get checked out. I had to get rabies shots, the first one being in my ass, by a fine ass male doctor. I was little hesitant at first, but I showed him the goods. Hmmm, I wonder how he's doing...Anyway, this incident with a malicious pit didn't turn me off of dogs at all. Things happen, it is what it is. I love dogs, I think they're great. Some more evil than others, but great.

I read that long ass indictment and call me heartless, but I wasn't moved. The issue seems to be the manner in which the dogs died; electrocution, drowning, hanging. Sounds painful! Stephon Marbury came out a couple of days ago, as a Vick supporter, and likened dog fighting to hunting and people were all up in arms! 'Oh, how could he? There are no similarities whatsoever! Tell Stephon to stay in his lane, stick to basketball!' But let's put all the cards on the table, people hunt animals and leave their dead carcasses strewn about in their homes as prizes. What is the purpose of hunting deer? Yes, yes, I've heard that dumb ass story about thinning out the herd and overpopulation. Say what you want to try and justify it, but the truth is people take pleasure in killing deer! And bears and rabbits and elk and whatever the hell else they feel like killing and plastering their petrified heads above their fireplaces. I've heard the argument that hunting is legal and dog fighting isn't. Ok, way to state the obvious genius! The less obvious answer is people don't keep the animals they hunt as pets. If most people had deer as pets and dogs were out in the wild being hunted, people would have dog-skin rugs! And if they found out that Mike Vick was breeding deer to have them fight each other to the death, they would be just as outraged! As a society we make exceptions for the things we want to do, and deem everything else illegal.

Like you already know, I love 1050 ESPN Radio. Most of the hosts are on the "I love dogs with all my heart how dare you do anything to them but love them" side, and I'm fuckin sick of it. The past few weeks it's been getting harder and harder to listen to the station. No one says anything original, it's all about the humanity. Anyone who calls in to disagree with the anti-Vick stance gets berated and hung up on. So when the Vick topic does come up, as hard as it is for me, I just change the station. That is except for when the Max Kellerman Show is on weekdays from 10am - 12pm. He's the only guy who dares to take an alternative stance. He brings up the meat industry and the manner in which pigs, cows and chickens are bred, and subsequently slaughtered for our enjoyment. He brings up the hypocrisy of people who simultaneously proclaim themselves animal lovers and avid hunters. He brings up the fact that pigs, as filthy as we blast them to be, are smarter than dogs. Look it up people! Haven't you ever read Animal Farm!! This ain't no joke!

I say all that to say, GET OFF MIKE VICKS JOCK!! The man already pled guilty, and it's still not enough for all you dog lovin, animal rights havin, PETA supportin, I still hunt animals but the way I kill them is more humane ass phonies!! Damn, you guys are beating a dead dog! I mean uhh, horse.

Eli Manning Up

Ok, so everyone's talking about this Eli Manning/Tiki Barber mini controversy. So hell, here's my take on it. I was actually watching the Sunday night game with the New York Giants vs. the Baltimore Ravens. The halftime show came on and there was Tiki, a man I admire and respect with uhhh, 2 other guys. They were introducing him into the lineup of anchors we'll have this season on NBC's Sunday Night Football. I remember thinking to myself, hmm, this is a bit of a tricky situation for Tiki to be in. Halftime show of a Giants game, and now he has to talk about their performance. And trust me, the way the Giants played in the first half, there were not many praises to be doled out. So the panel gets to talkin and they ask Tiki to tell them some stories; they want the scoop on what really went on behind closed doors. What's Lil' Manny (that's what I call him!) really like? Tiki, like a kid eager to please, gave up a story about passing a weekly motivational speech onto Manning for one game and he pretty much tanked. His voice was weak, and he seemed unsure and timid. Eli responded to Barber's jabs by questioning his leadership ability, citing his retirement announcement that came in the middle of last season, distracting the team, and an occasion when Tiki called out head coach Tom Coughlin.

I'm not mad at this situation for the same reasons other people are mad. Tiki didn't say anything the media hasn't been saying for years; Eli looks meek. His demeanor is stoic, he's not very animated, and he doesn't get guys hype, on the field, in the huddle, on the sidelines or in the locker room. Eli is not his brother Peyton. I've heard people saying Tiki should just shut up and mind his business. Huh?! Football is his business! It's his (new) job to be critical of teams, and that includes the team he played for his entire NFL career. People are saying that Eli has finally said something in response to his critics. Hooray backbone!! You think after all these years in NY he's finally had decided to beat back? Nuh uh. Eli doesn't give a shit what all the other media analysts say. He cares about his job and his team, that's it. And when a former teammate, one that he thought he could trust, comes out against him with personal tales of his shortcomings and failures, Manning takes a stand. Eli's not mad that critics call him a sub par leader, he's mad TIKI called him a sub par leader. These guys were supposed to be friends, teammates at the least. When someone you look to for help to speak so negatively about you on national television, you really don't have much of a choice but to fire back and come to your own defense. And for what it's worth, I'm on Eli's side on this one.

Let's face it, Tiki is an analyst now, he's going to be dissecting teams, and it's impossible to think that everything he says will be positive. There will be some weaknesses pinpointed and some deficiencies exposed about his former team. That is to be expected. But revealing insider information? That's kinda low Tiki. When they asked him to disclose some info dirt on Manning, I expected Tiki to remain a bit impartial. Hell, let me just say it - Tiki should have kept his mouth shut! I would have respected his answer more had he given some lame story that didn't make Eli seem completely inadequate and feeble. Maybe something along the lines of him being young, and this year really being a pivotal year for him to grow and step more into that leadership role, especially with Tiki being gone. I've heard people say, Well, how come Tiki didn't say any of that while he was on the team? Duh DUMMIES!! Cuz he didn't want to belittle the guy who is supposed to be the cornerstone of their offense. In the traditional sense, the QB is the leader but we all know, including Eli, that Tiki ran that offense. It would have been in poor taste for him to lay into his QB during the week, and expect things to be all good on Sunday. That's not the way it works. He's Tiki, not T.O.

But hey, Tiki's tactlessness seems to have given Eli the motivation he needed to finally speak out. Tiki lit a bit of a fire under his ass, and for the first time, I think Manning actually felt it. Let's just hope this little flame will turn into a well-contained wild fire when he hits the field. If it doesn't, no one will be surprised. But if it does, we have Tiki to thank for it. That's Tiki for ya! Always helpin the Giants! Even after retirement.

Hate It or Love It

I have a love/hate relationship with NFL preseason games. I love em cuz it means that football, no matter how sloppy and uncoordinated, starts in August, not September. It means that I get to take a look at some of my favorite teams before the season starts, find strengths and flaws, and see how the team gels. Preseason gives you a rare look at guys who never take the field in the reg season, backups, guys who wanna make the team, and rookies. Preseason is also the time of unlikely, untimely, unexpected, devastating, too-fuckin-early-ass injuries. EVERY preseason, without fail, players get hurt. Some with tweaked ankles, others with season ending injuries. The New York Giants played the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday night and OMG did we feel it! First of all, the Giants didn't look that great, yet they eeked out a 13-12 win. Baltimore's defense is sick!! The Giants lost 5, count em - 5, guys in this game. Back to back injuries, hell, I even got hurt! Some guys look like they'll be ready to go for the season opener, others are DONE for the season.

1) CB Sam Madison – Pulled Hamstring
He injured this same hamstring last season and missed about 4 weeks. Season opener? It's questionable.

2) FS Will Demps – Dislocated Elbow
He said he's had this injury before in is career and he was back in 2-3 weeks. Doctors, however, say the healing process takes more like 4-6 weeks. We'll see, but as for now, count his ass out.

3) WR Steve Smith – Concussion
He scored the only touchdown of the game for the Giants. Eli really threaded the needle with the pass he threw to Smith in the end zone. As he caught it, 2 defensive players converged on him, he caught an elbow to the head, and he suffered a concussion. He returned to practice Tuesday, and he's lookin like he should be ready to go.

4) PR Michael Jennings – Torn Achilles Tendon

Jennings caught a nice ass pass as he was going out of bounds. Somehow, someway during the scramble the shit popped. You already know how I feel about the Achilles. Damn that Achilles!!

5) C Greg Ruegamer – Sprained Ankle
Backup center, hopefully it stays just a sprained ankle.

Not only that, there was another scare on the sidelines. Third string QB Jared Lorenzen ran out of bounds on a play and stepped on RB Brandon Jacobs foot. Big ass 6'4, 285 lb Lorenzen steppin on big ass 6'4, 264 lb Jacobs foot. Jacobs ended up ok, but damn. We cannot afford to have Jacobs injured, missing games with a foot injury. We all saw what happened to Shaun Alexander last season...

For the Ravens, Troy Smith came out in the 4th quarter and as a Big Ten fanatic, it was nice to see him on the field. He looked good, and if there was more time on the clock he might have been able to lead them to a game winning score. He's fightin for the 3rd QB spot against Drew "Who" Olson, and uhh, the Heisman Winner will get it. He was 4-8 for 60 yards. Smith learning from Steve McNair? He did his thing at OSU, and his future, like his past, is very bright.

Unsigned Hype

The 2007 NFL Draft came and it went, but up until today there were 2 first-rounders that were yet to be signed. The #1 pick, outstanding LSU QB Jamarcus Russell, and #14 Darrelle Revis, a corner out of the University of Pittsburgh. Russell was drafted by the Oakland Raiders and Revis by the New York Jets.

The Jets and Revis had differing views of how the contract should be structured. The Jets, who traded up in the draft in order to snag Revis, want as much out of this investment as possible. They'll pay him the money, but they want him for 6 years. Revis, not wanting to be locked into a long contract, was looking for 5 years. Most of the first rounders signed 5-year contracts and the Jets are pretty much tryna buck the system. Revis hadn't reported to training since it started on July 27th. Well, after weeks of negotiating the two parties finally reached an agreement, in principle. The deal is believed to be worth $36 million over 6 years. I'm assuming there's some sort of opt-out clause somewhere in this 50+ page contract, but things are still pretty vague. After missing more than 20 days of practice, and the Jets preseason opener, Revis is expected to report to camp within in the next few days. With the solid offense the Jets have, this deal was going to get done either way because Revis is expected to be a starter. Hey, defense wins championships.

And then there was 1...
The issue with Russell and the Raiders is simple. Oakland wants the talent but refuses to pay. With a bass ackwards offense, and the number 1 pick in the draft, the Raiders chose Russell. If you watched the kid in college like I did, then you know Jamarcus is the troof. And yes, I said troof. At 6-6, 263 lbs, he's a beast with a monster arm. Not only can he throw deep, he's great on his feet and hard to bring down. The Raiders really don't wanna come outta pocket and pay Russell what the 1st overall pick is usually paid. Every year the price gets higher and higher, and yes, it's getting pretty ridiculous. Remember last year's first pick Mario Williams?! He signed his $54 million contract with $26.5 guaranteed the night BEFORE the draft!! And he's a defensive end! The Houston Texans ain't no joke!! And clearly, the Raiders are and enjoy it. They're the laughing stock of the NFL, and with this punk ass, cheap ass face-off they've got goin on with Russell, that stands to be the case for at least one more season. With all the information I've heard, a deal is no where near being reached, so we shouldn't expect to see Jamarcus in preseason. Scratch that, the ENTIRE 2007-2008 season. What a damn shame!! Have you even seen the depth chart at QB for the Raiders? Josh McCown and Dante Culpepper are fighting for the starting spot. Oh yeah, Andrew Walter is somewhere back there too. If Culpepper is healthy, I’m a smidgen less worried about the Raiders. Not only would it be impressive, but it would also give the Dolphins a real kick in the fins for dropping him after one objectionable season. If he gets hurt, which seems to be his thing the past few seasons, then we’re left with McCown and Walter. I. Am. Not. Impressed.

Tim EFFIN Donaghy

TIM DONAGHY!! Name sounds familiar but you can't quite place it? That's because with all the attention that the Barry Bonds steroids scandal and the Mike Vick dog fighting brouhaha got, Donaghy's name got lost up in the mix. Of all 3 stories, Donaghy's seemed to get the least attention but I think it deserved the most. Fighting dogs - bad. Steroids - bad. But a referee fixing NBA games for the purpose of financial gain? That's just low.

And this "Rogue Official" wasn't only betting on any old NBA game. He was betting on games he officiated. If that's not a conflict of interest I don't know what is. We've all been there; you're watching a game thinking, how the hell did the ref miss that blatant foul? Or, wow, he really pulled that one out of his ass. And what about the looming threat of a technical foul for being too animated about a call a player doesn’t agree with? Now all the refs are handing out technical fouls like the shits are goin outta style. We can pretty much count on Rasheed Wallace leading the pack when it comes to technical fouls, but what about a guy like Tim Duncan pickin up back to back techs, even one from the bench, and getting tossed from a game?! Crazy? FIXED? One may say so... This scandal throws shade on all referees and brings to light the fact that they are given too much power. It's been said many times that we don't want refs "deciding games," especially down the stretch. We all recognized that a ref's call can shift momentum from one team to another. Calling a shooting foul can give a team a number of points with the clock stopped. With a few bogus calls, a team can get right back into a game, take the lead, or lose it. Players can pick up quick fouls and spend a majority of their time on the bench. Those few calls affect the way a guy plays. Is he going to be aggressive and risk fouling out, or does he now have to play soft and let guys come right at him?

This scandal is bigger than the Donaghy, and even the NBA. Donaghy has mob ties. Yes, he was taking bets and placing orders for and with THE mob. Donaghy is soooo illegal. Mind you, referees are prohibited from gambling on ANYTHING but, of all things, horse racing. Not in casinos, on the NFL or even frickin American Idol. And now they're talking about him cooperating with the FBI. He could be giving up as many as 20 names of other referees who were involved in some form of gambling. Yes ladies and gentlemen, that is what we in the hip hop community like to call a snitch. Donaghy not only thumbed his nose at the rules, he was in cahoots with in one of the most underground, illegal, and dangerous organizations known to man. Donaghy is rat and he compromised the integrity of a game that I have loved all my life. People say basketball has fallen off, but many of us still watch and support. To know that someone on the inside who is supposed to be impartial and fair can be so corrupt and deceitful is appalling. Damn you Donaghy. Throw the book at him son.

He's a Wrestler, He's A-He's A Wrestler Homie!

LOL, Adam "PacMan" Jones!! I swear, if it's not one thing it's another! If he's not making it rain on some strippers, he's inciting gun fights. If he's not in a courthouse, he's in the ring! A wrestling ring that is! Pacman made his debut with TNA, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, on Thursday night. He came out Thurs night, mainly to announce his appearance on TNA's pay-per-view event, "Hard Justice."

When the Tennessee Titans heard about his latest stunt they went buck wild! They went to court on Friday, 8/10, and filed an restraining order preventing him from being involved in any activity that could "pose risk of significant injury." No one knows for sure the extent of his participation, but the Titans weren't having any part of it. Pacman can't "touch or be touched, use or be hit by any object or anything else that could injure him." He's been suspended this entire 2007 season, and in his efforts to fill his schedule, he has taken up wrestling. I actually like this idea. Jones will lose almost $1.3 million sitting out this season, so let him live and find some other arena that'll at least let him recoup some of that money. I've heard a lot of negative feedback about him taking this step, but what's the big deal with him wrestling? I understand the physical aspect, and if I were in the Titans front office, I would bar him from physical contact as well. I watched wrestling growing up and I'll admit something to you many don't know. I still watch. DON'T JUDGE ME!! You don't have to get in the ring and wrestle to be a part of a show. He can create drama, incite fights, and just show his face.

I just feel like people will have negative feelings about most of the things he does. People were mad when he spent his free time in strip clubs, people are mad when he wants to wrestle. Sure there are more productive things he can do with his time; that community service that was part of his suspension, finally get his degree from the University of West Virginia, preach to the youth about the pitfalls of violence, Habitat for Humanity. Hell, even soap operas! Instead the man decided to do something he likes, something that not only interests him, but something that pays. Yall know he got all those friends from the hood he has to take care of; buy them expensive cars with humongous rims, bail them out of jail, and pay for those DNA tests from all those chicken heads tryna trap a nuh with babies. Let the man live. Let him live.

Hard Justice comes on tonight, and I'm not spending a dime on TNA wrestling. I'll catch his ass on YouTube.