Get Ready For The Hodgepodge

CLEVELAND - The remarkable Deante Young has once again created a tangible example of his irreverent brilliance.

Young, whose 32nd birthday is tomorrow concludes the month of March in style with his latest edition of the web series, a Date with Deante. In the 24th installment (season two's 4th episode), the shockster encounters a cow on crutches, a sex-offender (pictured above), a wanna-be homeboy and a group of apparently gay Mexicans.

He's doin' a whole lot.

The episode, entitled "Mexicans in the Closet" makes its international debut later today on Facebook, MySpace and of course, adatewithdeante.com.

Jordan's Basketball Heroics Began in Carolina

CLEVELAND - Michael Jordan's legend truly began in 1979 when, as a high-school sophomore, he decided not to quit basketball after not making his high school team.

The world however, didn't find out about him until 1982.

Today marks the 27th anniversary of Jordan's famous jump shot in the NCAA title game between his North Carolina Tarheels and the intimidating Georgetown Hoyas. Jordan's historic shot put the Tarheels ahead with 17 seconds to play. An untimely turnover by the Hoyas' Fred Brown followed and UNC escaped with a nail-biting 63-62 victory.

The game, played in the New Orleans Superdome became a flash point in MJ's career. The 19-year old freshman had already made history by being a starter on the team. Head coach Dean Smith had a strict policy against first-year players being in the starting lineup. Jordan in fact wasn't even the star of the team. James Worthy was Carolina's signature player and was even named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

The devastating Hoyas were coached by the great John Thompson and led by the "Hoya Destroya," shot-blocking maniac Patrick Ewing. None of it mattered as the Tarheels used their formidable talent (which included Sam Perkins) to counteract Georgetown's physical play.

Jordan's legendary shot was featured on the cover of the 1982-83 Wilmington, N.C. phone book and his overall status expanded from there. This was Worthy's final collegiate game, as he entered the NBA draft afterwards, which opened the door for Jordan to become the Tarheels' flagship player.

Of course, the entire planet knows what happened after that. Jordan went on to become the greatest basketball player in history, thanks to a wildly successful pro career. He'll always be remembered as the basketball giant in Chicago red, but the roots of his legend will forever be hued in Carolina blue.

And it all started in '82.

Jordan's Lucky Day In Basketball Was March 28th

CLEVELAND - I'm the biggest Michael Jordan fan in history, which means that today couldn't possibly pass without me mentioning the sterling performances that took place on this monumental day in his NBA career.

March 28!

Jordan's first March 28th game took place in his rookie season. On March 28, 1985, a 22-year old MJ had a super 35 points, 10 assists and 8 rebounds, but the Bulls lost to the Cleveland Cavs. In his 5th season, he had a high triple-double (33 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists) on March 28, 1989 in a victory over Golden State. The following season, 1989-90 would produce his most prolific output on an NBA court ever. Playing in Richfield Coliseum nearly 11 months after his famous buzzer-beating jumper eliminated Cleveland from the 1989 playoffs, Jordan (pictured in this famous game above) dominated with a career-high 69 points along with 18 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals. Chicago won, 117-113 in overtime.

The next season would culminate in the Bulls' first-ever NBA championship. On March 28, 1991, MJ scored 42 points in a mere 30 minutes of a 34-point Bulls blowout of the host New Jersey Nets. A year later on March 28, 1992, Jordan was unguardable as he drilled an amazing 21 of 32 shots including several post up fadeaway jumpers over the woefully mis-matched Steve Kerr, who played for the Cavs at the time and was given the thankless task of defending the soon-to-be six-time NBA scoring champion Jordan.

Jordan retired in the fall of 1993 after an epic, decade-long career, then returned to the court in the Spring of 1995. He struggled mightily in his first three games back in uniform (a peculiar looking number 45) but had a break-out performance March 25 in Atlanta. But it was his virtuoso performance on March 28, 1995 in Madison Square Garden that became legendary. Facing the New York Knicks for the first time since the classic 1993 NBA Playoffs, MJ netted a vintage 55 points and drew a double-team in the closing seconds, only to find teammate Bill Wennington with a flawless pass for the game-winning basket on the assist.

Filmmaker and MJ colleague Spike Lee "coined" the term "double-nickel" to describe Jordan's outstanding 55 point explosion.

That 1995 game was Jordan's final super human March 28 game. In his final game on that day, his luck seemed to run out. On March 28, 2003, a 40-year old Jordan took to the court in Hollywood for a meeting with the defending champion L.A. Lakers. MJ, now a member of the Washington Wizards was facing the league's premier offensive juggernaut, 24-year old Kobe Bryant.

Bryant was similar to what Jordan had been 15 years prior; an unmatched scoring machine with boundless energy and endless creativity with the basketball. He was also completely indefensible in every area of the court. Bryant put on a clinic, scoring a whopping 42 points in the first half alone before finishing with his own double-nickle of 55 points, mirroring MJ's effort from eight years in the past. In this game, the Wizards' Jordan had a tepid 23 points and the whole contest felt like a passing of the torch. Jordan's team was trounced by 14.

March 28 will always be a special day for me as all of the great Jordan memories come to my mind. To the most iconic figure in the history of basketball, I salute you.

You made my day every year.

Biggie's Final Masterpiece Was Ahead Of Its Time

CLEVELAND - Rap legend The Notorious B.I.G. blasted onto the music scene with a stunning debut that meticulously detailed the harsh realities of the crime infested streets of urban America.

His sophomore album took all of that to another level.

Today marks the 12th anniversary of the bittersweet release of Life After Death, a sprawling double CD produced by Bad Boy Records CEO and founder Sean Combs (as Puff Daddy) and starring the master of lyrical dexterity, Christopher Wallace (as B.I.G.). Of course, the fervor over the highly anticipated album was both dampened and elevated with Biggie's shocking murder in Los Angeles three weeks prior to the LP's release. Even still, the album was a true classic and further affirmed what we all knew; Biggie was a giant in his field and was getting better.

Life After Death was noticeably different from B.I.G.'s 1994 debut, Ready to Die. On this LP, he was more refined, polished and of course, accomplished. His life had become one of immense success and decadent pleasure. As a result, the gritty complexion of Ready to Die was present only in spurts. This album was a celebration of surviving the streets, while still tethered to them in the subtlest of ways.

Combs, then a 27-year old entertainment mastermind with a remarkable sense of what would best get his target audience's attention, was the man who urged Biggie to craft more mainstream music. It was his shrewd way of getting B.I.G. to appeal to a wider range of people while retaining his street credibility.

It was a flawless concept.

That 1997 album was clearly ahead of its time. Biggie's narrative was deliberately theatrical and it told the tale of a Brooklyn hustler turned Madison Avenue superstar. The hustler still existed in him and was even gangster-like if need be. But outwardly, the stunning ascension was something to celebrate and for his followers, even strive to emulate. Other rap albums of that time wasn't even close to being this complex. Study the epic set a little closer and notice Biggie adopting different rhyme schemes ("Notorious Thugs"), delivering a song in rap form, then delivering it again in conversation form ("I Got a Story to Tell"), and even paying tribute to the West Coast ("Goin' Back to Cali") even though he was clearly persona non-grata out there.

Life After Death will forever be Christopher Wallace's magnum opus. It will also always be the historical artifact that cemented his legacy.

Jordan Was A Caged Lion In Final College Game

CLEVELAND - Today marks the 25th anniversary of Michael Jordan's final college basketball game, a day that still bothers him to this day.

Talk about March madness.

Jordan was a 21-year old junior at the University of North Carolina at the time and was the catalyst in the Tarheels' glittering 28-2 record. They went into a matchup with the Indiana Hoosiers with high hopes, given their roster full of talent besides Jordan. The Hoosiers were inferior, they had six more losses than UNC and only a couple decent players on the team.

None of that mattered.

Playing in the East Regional, the Hoosiers' rambunctious and controversial coach Bob Knight employed a highly effective strategy to counter Dean Smith's Carolina attack. Knight also assigned obscure guard Dan Dakich to defend the dazzling Jordan.

Talk about a mismatch.

Amazingly, Dakich was successful with his hard-nosed defense. MJ was tagged with two early fouls and spent most of the first half on the bench and frustrated. With Hoosiers star Steve Alford scoring at will and Jordan unable to find a smooth second half rhythm, Indiana stunned Carolina with a 72-68 victory on a searing 70% shooting.

Jordan finished with a meaningless 13 points and a very significant five fouls. Two weeks later, he announced his decision to forego his senior year and join the NBA. Dackich was relieved when the game was over, but didn't think much of his success against the 1984 College Player of the Year.

Until Jordan became what he became.

Once MJ became a super legendary basketball hero in the pros, Dakich's defense on him during that final game became something of a mythological event. "Dakich is the only guy that could stop Jordan," said countless people once Michael became an offensive juggernaut in the NBA.

Jordan looks back on that moment now and commends Dakich for his efforts, but maintains that it was his own fault for not knocking down the "good shots" that he had. Either way, the hyper-competitive Jordan walked away from that game with a broken heart.

I'm glad it didn't ruin his NBA career!

Happy Birthday: Spike Lee Turns 52

CLEVELAND - Filmmaker Spike Lee, one of my all-time favorite people in the entertainment industry celebrates his 52nd birthday today.

Happy Birthday, sir.

Lee, a Brooklyn, N.Y. product through and through made his name as a controversial, envelope pushing filmmaker in the 1980's. His first six films, beginning with 1986's She's Gotta Have It and ending with the 1992 epic Malcolm X are hands down, some of the best films of the past 25 years. I became aware of him after his gutsy Do the Right Thing, a 1989 film that remains his most popular work and the flick with which he is most identified by.

Hope your day goes well, Mr. Lee and may you live long and continue to prosper.

Jordan's 1995 Return Caused Tears of Joy and Sadness

CLEVELAND - Michael Jordan is an American icon and a basketball hero. On the court and off, he was the quintessential competitor and the most revered figure in all of sports.

Today marks yet another of his watershed moments.

Jordan returned to pro basketball 14 years ago today following a shockingly unexpected early retirement from the NBA. He had played nine remarkable seasons for the Chicago Bulls and was coming off a 3rd straight NBA championship season that also earned him his 7th consecutive scoring title, third steals title and yet another Finals MVP.

Then he walked away.

MJ crushed the sports nation at large when, on October 6, 1993, he retired just two days before training camp began. He stayed away for nearly 18 months while pursuing a career in major league baseball. Alas, he never made it past the minor leagues and even still had major difficulting finding his way on the field.

When Major League Baseball went on strike in the summer of 1994, it seemed to be something that wouldn't affect Jordan. But when Spring Training arrived for the following season and neither side willing to budge in negotiations, Jordan decided that he wanted no part of the bickering and back-and-forth between owners and players. He stunningly issued a simple, two-word fax to the NBA offices.

"I'm Back."

Just like that, MJ was a pro hoopster once again which of course was met with mixed reactions. Millions of fans wanted him back ever since he'd left and were overjoyed at his decision. In contrast, many observers wondered if he could return to his accustomed heights with such a long layoff. Additonally, he had just celebrated his 32nd birthday the previous month -- an age in hoops where a player's skills begin a steady decline.

He was poised to make history.

Jordan returned to the lineup in a Sunday matinee game broadcast on NBC. It was the Bulls v.s. the Indiana Pacers in Indiana and the "prodigal son" (as he was being called) replaced Pete Myers in the starting lineup. During the highly anticipated game, Jordan struggled mightily; he had no lift on either his jump shot or forays to the hoop. His timing was noticeably off, he got winded early and often and he appeared tentative at times.

But the biggest difference in Jordan was his jersey.

Michael's world-famous jersey number 23 had been replaced with an awkward looking number 45. He later explained that he wanted to keep 23 retired because that was the last number his father (who was tragically murdered in the summer of 1993) saw him play in. In this game, Chicago struggled to contain the Pacers' attack. Sharpshooter Reggie Miller was a major thorn for the Bulls, who used a 29-19 fourth quarter charge (led by Scottie Pippen) to rally from a huge deficit and send the contest into overtime.

When the dust settled, the Pacers had earned a 103-96 victory. Miller's 28 points led Indiana while Pippen poured in 31 points for the Bulls.

What did Jordan do?

The super rusty basketball genius was anything but brilliant in his "re-debut" as he played a grueling 43 minutes and struggled his way to 19 points on an awful 7-of-28 shooting performance. His floor game however, was very good as he posted six rebounds, six assists and 3 steals.

The game was a sign of things to come for MJ. He struggled the remaining 16 games and 10 more in the playoffs. With the exception of his 32-point and game winning jumper at the buzzer at Atlanta and his sterling 55-point gem at Madison Square Garden, his abbreviated '94-'95 season was a bust.

Or was it?

After the Bulls got bounced from the playoffs by upstart Orlando, Jordan took a long, hard look in the mirror. Blaming his team's loss on his plethora of missed shots and turnovers, he vowed to return the following season better than ever. In other words, his lackluster showing drove him.

Three years later, Jordan capped off the Bulls' second three-peat of the decade with a championship winning jump shot against the Utah Jazz. All he did in his three full seasons after the 1995 playoff loss was garner two more MVP awards, 3 more scoring titles (for a record of 10 overall), lead Chicago to a record setting 72 victory season in '95-'96 and earned three more Finals MVP awards.

His championship total grew to six in eight years!

Bottom line, Jordan's 1995 return brought tears of joy to all of us ... his fans. For his opponents, their tears were filled with heartbreak and sorrow. If it weren't for his return, luminaries such as Miller, Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway, Patrick Ewing, Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton and Karl Malone and John Stockton may very well had won titles. Not all of them, but at least a few. Hakeem Olajuwon's title run may have went further than two.

Don't blame Jordan. Blame the baseball strike!

Their Own Worst Enemies

CLEVELAND - In the latest installment of a Date with Deante, the cutting edge entertainer fulfills a long-standing goal of his during an afternoon road trip and later proves why he is the King of Exploitation.

He witnesses a series of train wrecks.

That's right. Young happens across several folks who seem to be on the outside looking in as far as sanity and intelligence go. Once Deante goes one-on-one with them, they prove to be their own worst enemy.

Episode 2.03, "Attack of the Train Wrecks" has arrived. Enjoy or be disgraced!

O.J. Simpson Murders Three More People On Family Guy

CLEVELAND - In a previous article, I declared that Family Guy is uproariously funny. I want to amend that statement by saying that it is arguably the funniest show I have ever seen!

No joke.

The animated series, which premiered in 1999 is a rival of the iconic The Simpsons. Last night, it took a poke at its fellow Fox television resident but the real story was the infamous O.J. Simpson, who appeared on the show, albeit in animated form. 

Peter Griffin, the comically clueless patriarch of the Griffin family stumbles across a raffle ticket from 1989 that was a winner. The prize? A golf outing with former NFL star Simpson, who in '89 was still regarded as an All-American, wholesome guy. For whatever reason, Griffin is oblivious to the infamy that has followed Simpson since his highly-publicized double murder trial in 1994 and 1995.

Griffin doesn't understand why his family, friends and neighbors are against him allowing O.J. to come to their town. In the end, their reservations prove prophetic; Simpson gains everyone's trust, then unexpectedly kills three people and runs.

Though laugh out loud funny, the man can't even get a break as a cartoon!

LeBron: A Weapon Of Mass Destruction

CLEVELAND - I have been saying for months now that LeBron James is an illegal alien based on his out-of-this-world basketball heroics and the obvious advantage it gives him over his opponents.

Take a look at last night's game.

James, the super leader of the Cleveland Cavaliers once again clawed and dug his suddenly defensively limp team out of their funk and steered them to a rousing 126-123 victory over the Sacramento Kings.

The victory ended their three-game west coast road trip and gave them a 3-0 record, but given the nature of the games, there is hardly reason to celebrate. In a matchup with the L.A. Clippers to kick their trip off, the Cavs rallied from a huge 19-point deficit in the fourth quarter and actually won by four, thanks to James' sterling 32 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. 

Two nights later in Phoenix, LeBron was super galactic again with 34 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists for his third straight triple-double. On one play, James raced back on defense as Suns star Jason Richardson leaked out for a breakaway. Nearly impossible to catch, Richardson went up for a 360 degree dunk but LeBron, pedal to the metal leaped and blocked the once sure-fire dunk from behind.

It was breathtaking.

That victory, a 119-111 decision gave Cleveland their first victory in Phoenix in 10 years. For last night's contest with Sacramento, the Cavs were facing a futile, 14-50 team. After falling behind early, Cleveland led at halftime by a single point. After a blazing third quarter for the Kings, the Cavs entered the final period down by 14.

Enter LeBron. Again.

The 6th year wonder netted 16 in the quarter and outdueled Kings' star Kevin Martin, even stealing a pass in the closing seconds that led to his game-tying foul shot with five seconds left. James defended Martin very well down the stretch, including the final play of regulation which caused Martin to miss and sent the game into overtime.

When the dust settled, LeBron had six of his glittering 51 points in the extra session including an audacious 28-foot three pointer that put his team up by six. With the victory, Cleveland earned the Central Division title -- something that they haven't owned in 33 years.

With a month left in the regular season, LeBron is proving himself to be the brick wall that separates other teams from an NBA title.

Maybe they should look for their own alien to compete with King James.

Bristol Palin's Break-Up Could Be Seen For Miles

CLEVELAND - The train wreck that is the Palin family just continues to crash and burn in front of the entire planet.

Bristol Palin once again looks ridiculous.

Palin, the 18-year old daughter of Alaska governor Sarah Palin is a single mom now. Her now ex-fiancee Levi Johnston announced yesterday that they called off their engagement "a while ago" but he wouldn't disclose any specifics.

He didn't need to.

The young Palin, who gave birth to Johnston's child at the end of December was interviewed on Fox News last month and made their relationship sound peachy keen. She even gave off the impression that the hockey-playing Johnston was thrilled to be a father.

But I saw right through her words.

Ever since Gov. Palin was selected to be Sen. John McCain's presidential running mate last summer, I sensed something woefully inept about the Palin family. Shortly after Palin became an instant spark plug for the GOP, she revealed to the nation her then-underage daughter's pregnancy. Anytime Bristol was shown on television with Johnston, they were always holding hands with her smiling or grinning and Levi wearing a very uneasy expression. The few times he managed a smile, it always seemed forced; very transparent.

And then there was MySpace.

Johnston wrote on his MySpace page that "[he doesn't] want kids." This was around the time that Palin was five months pregnant and her family was still nationally obscure. When her mother became a national fixation in early September, it unexpectedly vaulted Johnston into the spotlight, something he clearly was uncomfortable with.

He needed a way out.

Remember, Bristol is only 18...still a kid herself and a high school student. Levi is only 19. For people that young, marriage and parenthood are enormous burdens to bear. I believe that Johnston stepped back and looked at the big picture once the child was born and their nuptials grew closer (they were scheduled for a summer '09 wedding). High school sex with your girlfriend is great for that moment, but when it morphs into a legal commitment and lifelong obligation, suddenly it becomes scary.

I'm not gloating about their split. I'm only saying that it should come as no surprise. This union was snake bitten from the start and destined to fall apart at the seams. The question now is very simple.

How are the Palins going to spin this?

The South Comes North

CLEVELAND - There is an old adage that says to "respect your elders." Deante Young believes in that more now than ever.

And it's all because of his talk-show.

Young's raunchy series, a Date with Deante debuts the second episode of season 2 today with a slight deviation from its typical content. In the newest installment, Young welcomes his relatives to Cleveland from Baton Rogue, Louisiana and what follows is both informative and ultimately, stunning.

Young's great aunt, aged 90 is as sharp as a tack.

Along with his aunt is 80-year old Mr. Percy, who spices up the conversation with his uproarious revelations and philosophies. Young himself says through his publicist that these two seniors gave him a new found appreciation for older folks and that he'll "respect [my] elders" even more.

But he'll continue to piss everyone else off!

B.I.G.'s 1997 Murder Still Hurts

CLEVELAND - Between 1994 and 1997, a young man from Brooklyn, N.Y. rapidly became a rap phenomenon and soon, an icon of popular music. Physically, I was being compared to him early and often.

I hated it.

Today marks the 12th anniversary of the murder of The Notorious B.I.G. (nee Christopher Wallace) and years ago I became aware of his legacy. That made me proud to be compared to him, even if the comparisons were meant to be cruel. Wallace, with his formidable 6'3," 380 pound frame was even larger in rap music. He wasn't simply "a rapper," he was precision personified on the mic. When he was gunned down in a still unsolved drive-by shooting on that March 9, 1997 day in Los Angeles, the music industry suffered a cataclysmic loss of staggering proportions, even though it still doesn't realize it.

As I've stated many times, I wasn't a fan of rap music until Eminem came around in 1999. When Biggie was dominating the charts (and car stereos), I paid little attention. Make no mistake though; I knew of him...I just didn't know how amazing he truly was. Biggie's obvious skill for vivid storytelling was the catalyst in Bad Boy Records founder and CEO Sean Combs becoming so enamored with the young man. Combs, 23 at the time, signed B.I.G. to his label with a plan of making history, which they did. Combs (popularly known as "Puff Daddy" at the time) was just the ambitious and relentlessly focused leader that Biggie needed to steer him to superstardom.

They greatly benefited from each other and dominated.

B.I.G.'s critically acclaimed debut, Ready to Die catapulted him to the forefront of rap music. Prior to that point, the West coast seemed to monopolize the genre with their great roster of talent, especially once megastar Tupac Shakur (2Pac) joined Death Row Records in late 1995.  

With Biggie's star rising and Shakur in jail for most of '95, the stage was set for a very competitive 1996. Tragically, Shakur was murdered in September and B.I.G. was seriously injured in a car accident. It was six months later in '97 that Biggie was killed and everything changed.

Of course, B.I.G.'s second album, Life After Death was brilliant. He'd clearly refined his already stunning skill set to near perfection and developed a keen diversity in his subject matter. When the LP hit shelves on March 25, 1997, it was a bittersweet moment because of its epic quality and scope coupled with the knowledge that the man would never again bless us with his greatness.

It was awful.

Combs has become an extremely successful entrepreneur in the dozen years since that horrific night. Now known as "Diddy," the 39-year old mogul has amassed a fortune worth hundreds of millions of dollars and a legacy worthy of encyclopedic inclusion. The specter of Biggie's murder still looms though, even for Combs himself. Last night, the tycoon was driving through the streets of L.A. and lamented the still painful loss of his friend and colleague. "I couldn't sleep so I was driving down Sunset [Blvd.] blasting Life After Death," he wrote on Twitter. "It feels surreal...it's my first year in L.A. on March 9 since '97. Miss you..."

Combs isn't the only one that misses B.I.G. 

Continuing Story: Cavs Can't Handle Big Boys

CLEVELAND - The Cleveland Cavaliers have had a season like no other in their nearly 40-year history. LeBron James has had yet another brilliant season and both he and the team look destined for further greatness in the postseason.

Or maybe not.

The Cavs lost, 105-94 last night to the defending champion Boston Celtics who were playing without one third of their star triumvirate. Kevin Garnett missed his seventh straight game to injury and reserve spark plug Glen Davis was ejected early in the third quarter. None of that adversity slowed the Celtics, who moved into a virtual tie with Cleveland for the best record in the Eastern Conference. This win was huge for another reason; it gave Boston the edge if both teams finish with identical records which will ensure a game 7 will be played in TD Banknorth, the Celtics' home court.

James was ineffective with a lackluster 21 points, while his superstar counterpart, Boston's Paul Pierce scored 29 efficiently. With Boston's big men dominating Cleveland in the paint by a 58-22 scoring margin, the East-leading Cavs seemed undersized and overmatched. Recent reacquisition Joe Smith couldn't provide an answer and the absence of injured big man Ben Wallace made this a cakewalk for the Celtics.

The disturbing thing about this game was that it continued a dangerous cycle for the Cavs. They were similarly dominated by the super L.A. Lakers and East rival Orlando Magic. In the matchups with the Lakers, the Cavs were clueless against the long, active and athletic Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol. When they came to Cleveland, L.A. got 10 rebounds from Odom in the third quarter alone and the Cavs lost their first (and only) home game.

Orlando dominated the same way.

The Magic, thanks to strong efforts from Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkoglu killed the Cavs on the interior. In fact, Boston, L.A. and Orlando have collectively averaged fifty points per game in the paint v.s. Cleveland. This has become an enormous problem and will definitely get worse in the playoffs if the Cavs don't figure this thing out. Last night, Mo Williams knocked in 26 points, but at 6'1," he wasn't exactly what the doctor ordered.

All is not lost for the Cavs, though. With Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Anderson Varejao, Joe Smith and J.J. Hickson, they have big bodies. They just have to have a better game plan.

But us fans should still be worried.

Jackson Comes Out of Hiding

CLEVELAND - Everyone who has ever met me knows that I am an enormous Michael Jackson fan. Obviously, my eyes lit up yesterday when the entertainment icon took to the podium for a very brief announcement.

He's about to tour again.

That's right. Jackson, 50 is preparing to wow his legion of fans with his first stage show in eight years. Problem for us U.S. fans is that the performances, 10 in all will take place at the famed O2 arena in London beginning in July.

"This is it," said Jackson amid the incessant screams and cheers of his fans. "and when I say this is it, I mean this is it." Even still, he did leave the door open for the possibility of concerts at other venues, presumably contingent on the success of the London dates.

Jackson's historic career in music has been very well documented. From his start as a child in the 1960's (as the lead singer of The Jackson 5) through his seminal solo works in the '80's and '90's, he has attained immortality in the music industry. However, during the past 16 years, his public image has endured one smackdown after another. Artistically, he has released just one album of all new material in the past 18 years; 2001's Invincible which was generally panned.

Punctuating his long stints of inactivity has been his serious legal troubles. His saving grace the past 15 years or so has been his larger-than-life accomplishments during his prime period of the 1980's. Last year, the iconic Thriller album was celebrated for hitting its 25th anniversary.

In spite of Jackson's stunning and rapid downward spiral of productivity and popularity, I am still a die-hard fan of his. I still get chills when the man makes a public appearance, something that has been almost non-existent since his June 13, 2005 acquittal on child molestation charges.

Until yesterday.

Michael Jackson will forever be music royalty; a pioneering giant of epic proportions who has simply proven to be flawed and conflicted, just like every other person on the planet. He just happens to have more issues than the average person.

He has more talent and success than us too.

Many Happy Returns: Shavar Ross Turns 38

CLEVELAND - Shavar Ross is a very understated man these days so there probably won't be much pomp and circumstance on his special day.

Today is the man's 38th birthday.

Ross, the actor/director hyphenate is a friend and mentor of mine so I feel it necessary to wish him a very happy birthday, and I hope he receives thirty-eight spankings from people all day.

It is a tradition on days like these.

In many ways, Ross doesn't seem to be more than two decades removed from his most well-known television role, that of Dudley Ramsey on the popular NBC series Diff'rent Strokes. He also doesn't seem to be 15 years past his pivotal role on ABC's Family Matters. In any event, his directorial career has taken center stage these days in his creative endeavors. He's also pursuing a degree in film which will only make him even more lethal.

Ross will celebrate 38 candles today in Los Angeles. I am about 3,000 miles away, but I still will be right there with him; vicariously, of course.

Happy Birthday, my man. May God bless you with a hundred more.

Though Great, Chamberlain's 100 Points Were Deceiving

CLEVELAND - There have been some indomitable offensive players throughout the 63-year history of the NBA. From Elgin Baylor, Jerry West and Rick Barry to Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, and Kobe Bryant, pro hoops has seen its share of indefensible scorers.

Wilt Chamberlain set the standard.

Today marks the 47th anniversary of Chamberlain's historic 100-point game which took place in Hershey, PA in front of a paltry 4,100 or so fans. The game, a 169-147 Philadelphia Warriors triumph over the New York Knicks was amazingly thought of as an afterthought at the time. In the decades since, it has taken on a mythical status, especially since no video footage exists of the contest.

Chamberlain's offensive prowess was very well known at the time. He'd recently scored an amazing 78 points in a triple overtime game earlier that season and hit the 60 point mark on an unreal 16 other occasions during the 1961-62 season.

But that 100-point game wasn't as impressive as one would think.

Wilt, known as The Big Dipper for his propensity to dunk the basketball over anyone in a game towered over everyone in the league. What's more, the NBA was only in its 16th season when this scoring feat occurred and had yet to fully establish itself or its players. Don't get me wrong. Some of the greatest basketball stars in history were around and dominating; Oscar Robertson (who averaged an unthinkable high triple double that season), West, Baylor and Chamberlain's chief rival Bill Russell. But defensive strategies against him weren't the comprehensive, intricate schemes of the NBA of the past 20 years or so.

Not to mention that Wilt was the biggest and strongest guy in the game.

The 100-point game also degenerated into a farce towards its conclusion. Once it became obvious that Wilt was going to set a huge record, his Warriors teammates began dumping the ball down low to him on every play. Ironically, he was drilling his foul shots at an amazing clip -- a stark contrast to his notoriously awful career percentage. So when the Knicks were instructed to not foul him down the stretch, it spoke volumes about their determination to prevent him from hitting the century mark.

But he hit it anyway.

During the past 25 years, the NBA has become much bigger, stronger, faster and more sophisticated. Chamberlain's legendary '61-'62 season saw him average an unreal 50.4 points and an impossible 25.0 rebounds per game, numbers so extraordinarily high that they've been unthinkable for more than 40 years.

Beginning in the mid-1980's, super mid-sized players became the top offensive machines. Wilkins was a major scoring threat, but the 1984 arrival of Jordan took scoring to another level in the modern game. It was Michael that, in 1986-87 became the only player in history outside of Wilt to score at least 3,000 regular season points. With Jordan being a lithe, 6'6" guard, the feat was remarkable, especially since he dominated in a league of much bigger and stronger players.

When Jordan had two 61 point games that season, many suspected he may break Chamberlain's record. Indeed, scoring the basketball was extremely effortless for him, evidenced partly by his record 10 NBA scoring titles. He had a career best 69 points in 1990 and another 64 points three seasons later at age 30. That was his last time scoring in the sixties. A year later, Spurs star center David Robinson netted 71 points, second only to David Thompson's 73 in the previous 16 years.

Bryant entered the league in 1996 as a former prep star in Philadelphia. After eight years playing second fiddle to Shaquille O'Neal, Bryant's overwhelming scoring brilliance flourished without restriction when O'Neal left for Miami in 2004. Less than a year and a half later, Bryant pulled an amazing feat by scoring a Herculean 81 points in a mid-season matchup with Toronto. It was the second most points ever scored and set the stage for Kobe's outrageous scoring spree over the next couple seasons.

Bottom line, the NBA in Chamberlain's day was still in its infancy. On top of that, he had a clear and decided physical advantage over every player in the game. The 100 points are still a marvel, but if he had to face the players and defensive schemes of the '80's, '90's and today, he may have topped out at somewhere in the 60 to 65 point range, with everything else being the same. Even still, he holds the record and set the standard.

That can never be taken away from him.

Breaking News: Young Premieres New Season

CLEVELAND - It has been 121 long days since Deante Young's groundbreaking talk-show last aired a new episode. 

Today changes all of that.

Young, the portly entertainment icon of creativity and brutal honesty debuts the long awaited and highly anticipated 2nd season of a Date with Deante. In the new installment (produced by Young's new film company "Dirty Truth Films"), Young has a very close call at the hands of an ironic assailant before he returns to his accustomed searing wit and impudent defiance.

Check out "Chris Unlocked," the first episode of the 2nd season of an American classic.