O'Neal Leaves A Giant Legacy Of Dominance and Influence

CLEVELAND - Shaquille O'Neal officially retired yesterday during a brief, often hilarious and very effusive press conference at his Florida home.

I hate to see him go.

O'Neal, 39 leaves a basketball legacy that few ever have. A 19 season NBA career that spanned four different U.S. presidents, began during Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls dominance and ended in the midst of LeBron James' evolution, has ended. More importantly, O'Neal will forever remain one-of-a-kind; a true original in size, skill and personality and the NBA has lost one of its most significant figures.

I remember so vividly the Spring of 1992 when the Bulls were dominating the league, led by the 29-year old Jordan. They were shooting for their 2nd straight NBA title while incessant talk of Shaq's soon-to-be pro career permeated the hoops landscape. The '92 NBA Draft was dubbed "The Shaq Sweepstakes" because the man was a 20-year old mountain of force blended stunningly with agility, athleticism and skill. So, whichever team earned the good fortune of winning the draft lottery would be immeasurably blessed with endless basketball success for years.

In theory.

As it were, Shaq was drafted by the three year old franchise, the Orlando Magic and immediately made headlines for his contract ($39.9 million/7 years), sheer size (7'1" 315 pounds) and nightly dominance on the court. He was unstoppable in the paint and was a consistently active presence off the ball which would often lead to a lob pass from a teammate and a monstrous slam dunk from him. Twice during his rookie season, O'Neal "ridiculed" a basketball hoop. He dunked so hard one time, it shattered the backboard. Another time, on a follow dunk, the entire basket support folded to the ground from his impact.

Ah, his impact.

O'Neal was joined in his second season by Penny Hardaway, a multi-talented guard from Memphis State. Together as a tandem, Shaq and Penny were a seemingly demoralizing pair for opponents. Even though they were very young and inexperienced, they made the Magic very intimidating. By O'Neal's 3rd season, the team advanced to the NBA Finals but were overwhelmed in a sweep by Hakeem Olajuwon and the eventual two-time champion Houston Rockets. This served as a sobering lesson for Shaq, but it wasn't enough to avert his departure from the team after the 1995-96 season. During the summer of 1996, there had been plenty of talk about O'Neal possibly going to the L.A. Lakers, something that didn't seem plausible to me. Soon, it had become a stunning reality and O'Neal was now part of another interesting dynamic; teaming with just drafted prep star Kobe Bryant.

Though Bryant needed about three seasons of pro ball to evolve into a true star player, he was always at odds with Shaq. Both men were naturally gifted and possessed gigantic egos, but nothing could derail the Lakers' ascension to NBA champions in 2000. That was Shaq's tour-de-force season; he turned in a 61 point, 22 rebound masterpiece on his 28th birthday that season and was an easy choice for league MVP with a nearly 30 point, 14 rebound per game average.

Of course, L.A. won the title again in 2001 and 2002 but when they went for an almost never heard of "four-peat" in the '02-'03 season, Bryant had become too singularly great a player. In other words, the team was no longer able to function the way it needed to in order to win titles. O'Neal always should've been the featured player on offense, not Kobe. That disconnect with coach Phil Jackson's philosophy contributed greatly to their '03 Conference semifinals meltdown to the Spurs and to their flame-out in the 2004 NBA Finals.

I was surprised to see Shaq leave L.A. in the summer of '04 for the Miami Heat. I understand that Bryant was a younger superstar with a much more tenacious work ethic. But I can't help wondering if better communication would have fixed the dissension between the two stars.

Who knows?

By the time Shaq joined the Heat, he was on the downside of his career. He turned 33 years old during the season, but still managed some great numbers. Even still, his truly transcendent days were over and he soon ceded the spotlight to yet another megastar upstart; Dwyane Wade. It was Wade that dominated the 2006 NBA Finals while Shaq could no longer dominate the lane on his usual myriad of high percentage shots. From then on, O'Neal became less and less effective until he was no longer a star. He ended his career by playing for three more teams in a very marginalized role, with the exception of the '08-'09 season in Phoenix when he experienced a rebirth of sorts.

All in all, O'Neal is a true all-time great. He is certainly top 5 amongst centers and dare I say, maybe even top 3. Yes, he focused too much on doing rap albums and bad movies in his early years and his free throw shooting was insanely awful. He missed many games to injury and often didn't keep himself in proper shape. But in spite of all that, Shaq changed the game and revolutionalized it. His incredible showmanship, outrageous wit and one-of-a-kind sense of humor enhanced his status and uniqueness. He was unassailable on the court for about 13 or 14 years, and that is huge. He was giving and humble, all while being tough and at times impossible. But more than anything else, Shaquille O'Neal was a true legend.

And that's for all time.

20 Years Ago Today: Jordan Finally Defeats Pistons

CLEVELAND - The Chicago Bulls were eliminated last night by the Miami Heat, denying them their first trip to the NBA Finals in 13 years. But there was a time when the Bulls couldn't be kept out of the championship series no matter who they were playing.

That was when Michael Jordan roamed the skies.

It was 20 years ago today that Jordan, at age 28 led his Bulls to a 115-94 victory, and a 4-0 Eastern Conference Finals series sweep over the Detroit Pistons (on Detroit's home court), who were the two-time defending NBA champions. The Pistons had eliminated the Bulls in each of the previous three seasons, but were no match for the upstart Windy City boys in this series. Jordan, who had a smooth 29 points in the clincher was particularly overjoyed because he was headed to his first ever championship series after years of dominating the league with his offense and defense. Now, he was headed to the one place where his singular brilliance could be validated as being among the best hoopsters in history.

The league finals.

The Pistons displayed defiance, immaturity and cowardice in the closing minute of the rout. Led by Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer, the team walked off the court in anger, unwilling to congratulate the new Conference champions. It was behavior that seemed in-line with their own unsportsmanlike reputation across the league. For the past few years, they used a litany of cheap shot tactics to defend teams and star players, Jordan in particular and thusly, were given the moniker The Bad Boys.

In this series, the Bulls were badder.

The victory served as a coming of age for Chicago and MJ, as they were finally playing phenomenal basketball on both ends of the floor. I remember vividly watching every game in this series, knowing full well that Detroit served as the Bulls' Achilles' Heel, and praying that Chicago could finally rise up and oust the Motor City knuckleheads. Towards the end of Game 3 in Detroit, I remember seeing Jordan at the foul line, knocking down a free throw with a huge look of gratification and satisfaction at the realization that his team was headed for a virtually insurmountable 3-0 series stranglehold. Some folks predicted the Bulls would beat the Pistons, but no one ever dreamed it would be done in a dominating sweep.

Within days, Chicago was back on their home court playing the vaunted L.A. Lakers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. It was a dream matchup of Jordan and Magic Johnson and was heavily hyped. But that historic series became possible because of the Detroit demon that Michael and the guys slayed so thoroughly.

Great memories, even 20 years later.

Oprah Winfrey: The Ultimate Teacher...The Ultimate Legacy

CLEVELAND - Oprah Winfrey is an international celebrity with a net worth that reaches into the billions. She also developed and hosted the most successful daytime talk-show in television history. But the most remarkable thing about her is the fact that none of her above accomplishments qualify as her most remarkable feat.

Seriously.

Winfrey, 57 ended her iconic The Oprah Winfrey Show yesterday on a stage in Chicago, Ill. in front of a studio audience of hundreds of history witnessing individuals and a global audience of well into the millions. Many elements of what makes her so endlessly remarkable was on full display as she brought to a close the show that brought her to the world's attention way back in 1986.

She explained to us what makes her tick and encouraged us to capitalize on the powers that we all hold inside us. It's what she has done from Day One, and it's that preoccupation with constant self-improvement that has enabled her to possess the gigantic influence that she does.

Looking at Oprah now, after she has accomplished so much and enlightened so many people, I can't help but to think back to when she was a newcomer to our consciousness. That was in the late 1980's, the waning years of the Reagan administration and for her, the early years of her 30's. My family, especially my grandmother were always interested in what Oprah had to say each and every weekday at 4PM EST. I remember vividly watching her show on television back then during the "tabloid era" of her show. That is when its subject matter didn't seem too different from the sensationalistic Geraldo Rivera or later, Jerry Springer.

But Oprah really was different. Even back then when her show was still in that tabloid mode, she always had an inspiring aura about her. When she famously wheeled that wagon of fat onto her stage while sporting size 10 jeans in the fall of 1988, it was clear that she was on to something enormous. She was cathartic for many people across the U.S., first and foremost women, but eventually and certainly for men and children as well. She was still mostly unknown at the time she co-starred in The Color Purple in 1985. But by the time she developed, produced and starred in the uplifting television miniseries The Women of Brewster Place in 1989, her ascension was clearly on the fast track. The higher she rose in the entertainment industry, the more she became a valuable role model and a stunning representation of what anyone can accomplish with the proper amount of discipline and drive.

Pure inspiration.

Something great has been said many times over the years and especially during the past few days about Oprah's meteoric rise, but it bears repeating again. For Oprah to have come from the time, place and circumstance that she comes from, her legendary achievements become even more incredible. Born in the racist South in the mid-1950s (during widespread discrimination and hatred towards Blacks), she was instantly thrust into a seemingly impossible and closed off world, especially with her being a Black female. Her first 15 years of life were filled with an endless array of bad luck, tragic situations and general hopelessness. From poverty and low self-esteem to sexual assault and drug use and an adolescent pregnancy, Oprah knew adversity all too well and actually more than most people would ever know. When she excelled at journalism in school and soon earned a media position in Baltimore, MD, it was a testament to her courage and relentless ambition. Even back then, close to 40 years ago, Oprah was using the tools and principles that she eventually gave all of us to overcome the odds and create our own happily ever after.

That is just one reason why she is so special.

When Oprah, at age 39 traveled to California in early 1993 for an historic interview with the iconic yet extremely reclusive Michael Jackson, I was beside myself with anticipation and joy. I couldn't wait to see Michael on television again, especially in an interview situation which was a very rare occurrence. During the famous broadcast (which took place at his Neverland Ranch), the entire planet learned details of the megastar that we had not previously known; he publicly disclosed for the first time ever the skin condition he suffered from called vitiligo which, when combined with treatment creams and makeup made him appear ghostly white. He also revealed his fear of his father as well as details of the childhood beatings that he endured. He sang and danced for Oprah and gave the world a new angle from which to look at him. That amazing Oprah episode perfectly encapsulated Winfrey's ability to be a friendly ear of empathy for anyone-- even a guarded and legendary entertainer like Jackson.

America fell in love with her for that trait from the beginning.

By the mid-1990s, Oprah transitioned from talk-show host to motivational speaker with an enormous platform. Her episodes became more positive and uplifting, as opposed to controversial and gossipy. She started the "Oprah Book Club" and "O The Magazine" and ventured more into film production with her Harpo Productions at the helm and continued her financial generosity to many charitable causes. By 2003, she had become the first Black women in history to amass a net worth of at least $1 billion. She built a girls school in Africa, funded hundreds of college tuitions for people and most of all, appeared on her daily show as always, dispensing hope and lending a helping hand and an attentive ear to millions who desperately needed it.

Wow.

This past Monday and Tuesday, a grandiose celebrity-filled tribute to Oprah aired on television as a build-up to the finale of The Oprah Winfrey Show. Her show producers, without her prior knowledge arranged for a diverse collection of A-list stars of television, film and music to salute Oprah with glittering words of praise or modified musical numbers and dance steps. Oprah's mentor, the amazing Maya Angelou even recited a touching poem she had written specifically for Winfrey. The illustrious affair took place at Chicago's United Center arena and also included a heavily cheered appearance from the great Michael Jordan, who of course starred for the Chicago Bulls for 13 seasons and led them to six NBA titles. Jordan, like Oprah arrived in Chicago in 1984 and he made it clear to her just how deeply she has inspired him over the years.

That's saying a ton coming from Jordan.

That affair, with all of its sparkling star power was highly impressive, yet still pales in comparison to the scores of regular people whom Oprah has helped or influenced. Without question, she will go down in history as a very important and transcendent figure who educated and inspired hope, courage, confidence and love. The world is a trillion times better because she lived in it and used her gifts and platform in the most tremendous and selfless of ways.

We all owe her a debt of gratitude.

The Complicated Legacies Of Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson

CLEVELAND - After the supposedly mighty L.A. Lakers went down in embarrassing fashion yesterday to the suddenly amazing Dallas Mavericks, a pressing but unspoken question begged to be answered. What now are the legacies of Kobe Bryant and retiring coach Phil Jackson?

The short answer: they're both quite complicated.

Yes, the Mavs swept away the 2-time defending NBA champions, 4-0 in the Western Conference Semifinals. It goes without saying that no one expected a sweep and most people expected the boys from Hollywood to at least advance to the championship series. Instead, the uber successful Jackson ends a 20 season coaching career in the most unexpected of ways; indeed, his teams have never before been swept. For a man coaching since 1989 (except for two seasons), that is an astonishing accomplishment. In Bryant's case, he ends his 15th NBA season in the worst of ways; a humiliating and uninspired end to a chase for the sixth league title of his career while scoring just 34 points combined in the final two games of the Dallas series. Given his historical stature in the game, those are damning realities that need to be considered when the inevitable (and annual) comparisons to Michael Jordan are made.

But, this is not an epitaph or condemnation. Instead, it is an appraisal of both men.

For Jackson, he has often been accused of being the beneficiary of superior talent on the teams he has coached to numerous championships. From 1991 to 1998, he coached Jordan and Scottie Pippen to six NBA titles. Then, he took a year off and returned to coach Shaquille O'Neal and Bryant to a trifecta of titles from 2000 to 2002. A long drought followed before Jackson again coached Bryant (as the team's top star) to two more titles in 2009 and 2010. Each of those superstars were either the best player in the league at the time or in the top 5. In Jordan's case, he was (and still is) considered to be the best in history. So Jackson's unbelievable 11 coaching championship rings have been said to be the result of a sizable talent advantage on his teams. There's a lot of truth to that, but he also deserves extensive credit for his esoteric coaching philosophies and knack for turning clashing and sometimes difficult stars into a cohesive, flourishing unit.

Everyone knows about the complex "triangle offense" that he used with the Bulls and then Lakers. But it was also his insistence on elite and dedicated defense that produced such endless amounts of success. As much as the 1995-96 Bulls dominated because of Jordan's killer ability and drive, Pippen's stunning versatility and Dennis Rodman's mammoth rebounding, they also marched to a league record 72-10 mark because of Jackson's intricate system and guiding hand.

For Bryant, he has long been regarded as the heir to Jordan's status as the most gifted, competitive megastar in the game. With eerily similar skill sets and demeanor, he has come closer than anyone ever has of embodying MJ in both style and substance. What has dogged him in the comparisons is the fact that he played as the second star to a still-in-his-prime O'Neal for eight NBA seasons and won three of his five titles with the 7'1 giant leading the way. The story has always been that Jordan may have had Pippen, but never a low post force of nature like Shaq to rely on like Kobe had.

It's a fair caveat.

Even still, Kobe's legacy is impressive and sizable without being equal to MJ's. He's been a great offensive and defensive player for a decade and is, at least since his game matured after the '05-'06 season, a dependable leader. He also has a long standing reputation as a crunch time master, though in the Mavs series that proved not to be the case. Now at an advanced pro sports age, Bryant isn't the same high-flying, boundless energy player he was even three seasons ago, let alone seven. But, much like Jordan, he has a lot of details in his game and is intelligent and savvy as a player. Those attributes continue to make him a still-elite player in spite of his obvious fade.

Let's acknowledge Jackson's good fortune of having the best players in the league to coach while also crediting him with simply being a brilliant and legendary coach as well. After all, the man managed to make talented misfits Rodman and Ron Artest submerge their menacing ways in favor of delivering their special talents to title winning teams. Also, let's acknowledge Bryant's deficiencies when evaluated against the epic career of Jordan while also commending him on evolving tremendously from a talented high school project to become one of the top 10 players in basketball history.

Even as the Lakers lost, Jackson and Bryant reign forever victorious.

25 Years Later, Jordan's Playoff Feat Still A Marvel

CLEVELAND - Michael Jordan went down in NBA history as the greatest basketball star ever. Fueled by an iconic career of stunning milestones and groundbreaking impact, Jordan's status in the pantheon of great hoopsters remains mythological.

And his epic display of brilliance 25 years ago today truly began his legend.

That's right. A quarter century ago today, Jordan put on the most searing exhibition of indomitable will mixed with unmatched talent and athleticism the game had ever known. He scored a still unsurpassed postseason record of 63 points in Game 2 of the Chicago Bulls' first round match-up with the Boston Celtics.

What was truly special about MJ's effort were three key facts; one, he was just a 23-year old 2nd year player. Two, he'd missed 64 games that regular season due to a stress fracture in his foot and three, he laid this dominant offensive assault on the vaunted 1985-86 Boston Celtics. That team not only finished 37 games better than Chicago, but they also notched a record 40-1 mark on their homecourt. The location of this Sunday afternoon game?

Boston Garden.

Jordan played as if he were possessed by some weird hyperactive basketball potion. He whirled and spun for spectacular drives and layups. He threw down emphatic slam dunks in traffic. He hit feathery jumpers and crunchtime free throws and almost always scored in, through and around a crowd of defenders. This would've been impressive against any pro team, but against these Celtics (the eventual league champions), it was tantamount to an earth shattering flash point in sports history. And with the legendary status that Celtics team has attained to this day, MJ's feat stands as even more unbelievable.

Of course, the Celtics won the game in double OT and swept the series 3-0. But Jordan's burgeoning legacy was immeasurably augmented with this superlative performance, which also happened to be broadcast on national TV. He had been a superstar player in his rookie season, but with this showing in the '86 NBA Playoffs, he had the look of an icon in the making.

Which he became.

I'll always be fascinated by that young man's dominance that afternoon. No NBA player since then has managed to be so stupefyingly brilliant and determined against a more gigantic foe as those Larry Bird-in-his-prime Celtics. It's just one of many Michael masterpieces that he (and we) can forever look back on and say "Wow...I (he) did that!"

Happy anniversary, MJ.

15 Years Ago Today: Bulls Win 70

CLEVELAND - The Chicago Bulls enter today's NBA Playoffs as major contenders for the title for the first time in 13 years. That fact was more than enough to remind me of the days when they truly were the most unstoppable force in sports.

That is, when Michael Jordan roamed the skies in a red uniform.

Today marks the 15th anniversary of the Bulls' record breaking 70th victory. The grind-it-out ugly win came in Milwaukee at the expense of the Bucks with megastar Jordan knocking in a sub-par 22 points on a horrid 9-of-27 shooting. That was an example of just how unassailable the team was during the 1995-96 NBA season; MJ could struggle, but the team could still emerge victorious.

Mostly.

The Bulls went on to finish with a stunning 72-10 record and capture the 4th of their 6 NBA titles in a match-up with the Seattle Supersonics. Michael, at age 33 earned his 4th league MVP award not just because he was once again incandescent (30.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg and his record 8th scoring title). But the man had also successfully returned to the legendary form that was his trademark prior to his 17 month retirement.

Today's Bulls team is led by a fantastic guard named Derrick Rose. But as wonderful as he is and as impressive as the 2010-11 Bulls may be, they will always have a gigantic mountain to climb to even approach those Bulls of the 1990s.

After all, Jordan doesn't wear red uniforms anymore.

27 Years Ago Today: Michael Jackson Goes Up In Flames

CLEVELAND - Michael Jackson stood at the top of a staircase in front of around 5,000 fans surrounded by television lights, cameras and very dangerous pyrotechnics. As he descended the steps to a stage occupied by his brothers, sparks from the setup landed in his hair and set his scalp ablaze.

The next several moments were spent frantically extinguishing the flames by almost everyone close enough to do it.

This dramatic scene took place 27 years ago today in the Shrine Auditorium in L.A. on the set of a pioneering Pepsi commercial starring Jackson and his brothers. MJ, just 25 years of age at the time was rushed to the hospital where it was revealed that he'd suffered second and third degree burns to his scalp. Once news of his very dangerous accident spread across the world, the music industry and millions of fans held their collective breaths as tears fell and prayers flowed.

What made the event particularly horrific was Jackson's status in the entertainment industry at the time. He was less than two months removed from the release of his iconic "Thriller" music video and two weeks past his grand showing at the 1984 American Music Awards. That was the ceremony that garnered Michael a record 8 trophies for the Thriller album including a special Award of Merit and a host of gushing, fawning accolades and superlatives from his music industry brethren.

In other words, Michael was at the very apex of his historic career and was the planet's most popular, celebrated and omnipotent  megastar by a wide margin at the time. It was a classic tragedy in the making to almost everyone in the U.S. Thankfully, he recovered, donated the $1.5 million he settled with Pepsi for to burn victims, then dominated the Grammy Awards just a month later.

That part was NO accident.

Larry King Deserves More Praise For Iconic Career

CLEVELAND - With a few bittersweet words and obviously suppressed tears, Larry King ended his venerable prime-time show last night after 25-plus years of historic interviews with major celebrities, politicians and everyone in between.

It was a moment of great significance and palpable emotion.

King, 77 hosted CNN's Larry King Live since 1985 and predictably became a ubiquitous staple of prime time cable television. On his swan song show last night, President Obama called him a giant in broadcasting, the most apropos and succinct evaluation of the man.

King had a reputation as an interviewer who asked too many simple, softball questions of his guests. He's most recently been labeled by critics and other observers as a has-been relic from a bygone era. Ratings for his show have been in decline for some time, which in part prompted King to announce his retirement in June as a pre-emptive strike over the powers that be at CNN.

Forget all of that. King never stopped being a pivotal conduit to pop culture and the major news events of our times. He interviewed every U.S. president since Richard Nixon, covered major celebrity stories such as the historic O.J. Simpson case and death of Anna Nicole Smith extensively as well as major news events such as the 2001 terrorist attacks and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Every night at 9PM EST, King was the man to see to be updated or informed on current events. I always thought of him as must-see TV whenever a news event occurred that I cared greatly about. Last year, King's coverage of the great Michael Jackson's death was what I was most interested in seeing from a journalist. He later broadcast live from Jackson's former storied estate Neverland with MJ's brother Jermaine. This year on the one year anniversary of Michael's death, King broadcast live from outside of MJ's burial site. As always, Larry King went a few steps further in his coverage of current events.

I wish more people besides his broadcasting peers realized his significance and gave him his just due. Not only did King host his show for 25 years, but his overall broadcasting career spans 50 total years. He was, in many ways a more journalistic Johnny Carson. Not nearly as funny or entertaining, but just as present in our homes and as trusted with the delivery of breaking news as was Walter Cronkite.

I was never a wearer of prescription eyeglasses and suspenders (both major King trademarks), but Larry King has inspired me for around 20 years. As an interviewer of people, I most admire his everyman style, i.e. asking major stars questions that the common man would. He wasn't trying to adhere to typical lines of questioning. He was, at his core a person who's curious as to how other people think.

I salute you, Mr. King. Journalism is forever indebted to you, sir. And so am I.

Despite Criticisms, New Michael Jackson Album Impressive

CLEVELAND - Anytime an artist of any kind is unable to finish a project of their own creating by virtue of their unexpected death, there's always a sense of what might have been mixed with a lot of frustration. Michael Jackson is now the latest creative genius this has happened to.

But the results, though not perfect, actually impress.

Today marks the release of Jackson's first full album of "new" material in nine years. Entitled Michael, the album has received the predicted amount of criticism, bashing and unacceptance by many in the media and more than a few fans, many of whom question if it's actually MJ's voice on the recordings or a bootleg impersonator. However, after a few careful listens, I can say with great confidence that it's indeed Michael...assisted (necessarily) by savvy studio production here and there, which surprisingly doesn't overshadow the soaring beauty of his vocals.

Of course, MJ was shockingly taken from us (his multi-millions of devoted fans) 18 months ago, so this album isn't truly Michael. He was famous for being a meticulous perfectionist with his art, so the cut-n-paste nature of this latest offering would surely gain his ire. That fact is sort of besides the point when evaluating this record. Comprised of 10 different songs recorded over a 28 year period, Michael has a few notable moments. The Akon duet "Hold My Hand" is a beautiful and uplifting song and finds MJ in excellent voice.

The cautionary tale "Hollywood Tonight" is also better than expected. "Keep Your Head Up" sounds a lot like the anthemic style songs from Jackson's 1991 album Dangerous but is still a great listen. On "(I Like) The Way You  Love Me," Michael's voice is pure elegance, his vocal delivery as soft as silk. "Monster," a track featuring 50 Cent is boisterous and aggressive and actually works well sandwiched between the ballads and slow tempo tracks.

Maybe my favorite track of all is "Behind the Mask," which was allegedly recorded during Michael's legendary Thriller era prime of the early 1980's. Whatever the case, it's an excellent track.

Yes, Michael made far better albums in his career than this, but understand that his two best, Off the Wall and Thriller were made before he'd set an impossible standard of greatness and unprecedented success for himself. Anything he made post 1983 would never be able to scale such a high and slippery mountain. Also, it must be remembered that the tracks on this new album were things he either purposely rejected many years ago or things that were still works in progress at the time of his death.

He didn't release this. His estate did.

When those factors are considered, it becomes a must to crown the new album as not only a success, but a delicious treat for his endless array of fans around the world who are grinning from ear to ear and dancing in the streets at the opportunity to hear our beloved hero one more time singing with that beautiful and indelible voice.

Much love, Michael.

West's Genius Dominates New LP

CLEVELAND - For all of his headline grabbing insolence, his occasionally detestable behavior and an ever-increasingly polarizing reputation, Kanye West remains both a music maven and a cultural phenomenon.

Latest evidence: his new album.

That's right. West's 5th solo LP, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy made its much anticipated debut this week and gained almost universal praise from fans and critics alike. Not only has his writing skills evolved to the point of his lyrics often being choke full of thought provoking relevance, but his production skills continue to ascend. The net result is a brilliantly polished opus long on innovation as well as substance.

The most fascinating thing about the album is West's intuitive ability to blend an enormous ego with a healthy offering of self-examination. He is both psycho-therapist and patient on this record and the balance makes for a greater realization of the man's genius.

After a tempestuous year that saw his already complicated public profile absorb damaging hits, it speaks to his resilience and immense gifts that he's re-emerged better than ever. The album's stand out track, "Runaway" greatly epitomizes his tapestry of musical excellence juxtaposed with his predilection for "being a jerk."

Forget Jay-Z, the hip-hop legend most responsible for Kanye's initial public popularity a decade ago. Forget Taylor Swift, the doe-eyed country music star who was famously disrespected by West at an awards show last year. And forget Kanye himself when he's in "douchebag mode." Instead, remember Kanye West the budding legend and hip-hop innovator. That person more than any of the others is the true sight to behold and the one we should all direct our attention to.

Seriously.

REPORT: Young Filming Movie For Series' 70th Episode

CLEVELAND - Deante Young's notoriously controversial reality series, a Date with Deante has amazed and appalled critics alike in its three seasons. Now, Dirty Truth Films is reporting that the star of the show, Young himself is in the process of filming a movie to end the show's 3rd season.

It will also serve as the 70th episode.

An anonymous source at Young's film company revealed that the movie is entitled, "Renegade" and is scheduled for global release on Saturday, November 12, 2010. No official word from Deante Young has been released as of yet.

Dirty Truth Films did indicate that there might possibly be a special video released later this week in which Young will disclose plot details and an assessment of the soon-to-be-complete 3rd season of the raunchy show.

The O.J. Simpson Verdict: 15 Years Later

CLEVELAND - Just like nearly everyone else in the U.S., I watched and studied the O.J. Simpson murder trial during the first 9 months of 1995 after having watched the drama that led to it during the final six and a half months of 1994. And here we are today, on the 15th anniversary of the fateful verdict that sent the world into a tizzy.

Where did the time go?

Simpson was born into a challenging world. Poverty stricken and saddled with a leg ailment called rickets, he seemed destined to live an average life at best. But he wound up enjoying a charmed existence of athletic excellence, celebrity and wealth for some 25 years beginning in the late 1960's.

Then he supposedly murdered two people.

Of course, everyone knows the story well. We've all heard about the stunning and callous events that took place at a quaint condo in Brentwood, CA on June 12, 1994. We all know that Simpson's wife Nicole and her friend Ron were the victims of a gruesome double murder and that O.J.'s DNA was all over the crime scene. It is all of that which we know that made the "not guilty" verdicts 15 years ago today so baffling.

To some.

I'll forever marvel at the way O.J. willfully threw his life in the toilet. Not for murdering two people, because I don't know for certain that he did such things. I'm stunned at how he never showed any real grief over the loss of his two youngest children's mom's death. Also, he's behaved as though he was in fact the murderer in the many years since. From near confessions in interviews to a puzzling book that purportedly told of how he would've murdered the victims if he were in fact the assailant, O.J.'s judgment has been AWOL.

It's as if he wanted to be hated worldwide.

I just hope that the two years (of a possible 33) that O.J. has spent so far in a Nevada prison on far lesser charges has given him time to realize his colossal failure in life. Taking such a privileged life and destroying it is simply stupid. But then again, O.J. only told us he was a great athlete and a product pitchman. He never said he was smart...we simply assumed he was.

We were wrong.

Rethinking 2Pac...14 Years Later

CLEVELAND - If someone were to study media reports about Tupac Shakur in 1995, they would have found a consistent pattern of negativity. Whether brought on by his own reckless and menacing ways, or just biased and unfair opinions, the man was as repudiated in the press for his behavior as he was revered in hip-hop for his artistry.

And now, in 2010, the man continues to ascend the ladder of legend.

Today marks the 14th anniversary of his game changing death. Yes it is unreal that it took place that long ago. Back in the days of dial-up, ultra basic Internet. During the Clinton administration but before Monica and her stained dress. Way back when LeBron was a poverty stricken 11-year old unknown. Back when no one had ever heard of  DVDs and cell phones were as rare as a bad game by Michael Jordan and as big as a VHS tape.

His death was THAT long ago.

It's interesting that 2Pac's career started off the way it did. In 1990, he seemed as family friendly and non-threatening as Will Smith. That is when he was nothing more than a roadie for the hip-hop group Digital Underground. But in the three years between 1992 and 1995, 2Pac evolved from a young, militant musician to a notoriously brash criminal who often spoke of and epitomized a "thug lifestyle" of deviant and even felonious behavior. Television images of him often depicted him in handcuffs, in courtrooms or speaking in an animated and ruthless fashion about violence and what he felt was his persecution.

He came off as a peerless troublemaker with no intention of slowing down.

His music became more eerie, violent and contradictory. It also became more polished and popular and by the time he was released from a months long prison stint in the fall of 1995, he was one of the top two superstars in hip-hop along with bitter rival The Notorious B.I.G. He spent the first eight months of 1996 atop the world of rap music thanks largely to the February release of his seminal LP, All Eyez On Me. Now a high-profile member of Death Row Records (and a de facto protege of the villainous Suge Knight), 2Pac decided to tamp up his own hubris and cockiness as he openly and shamelessly basked in the glow of his modified image and Death Row allegiance.

When he was murdered in that now infamous September drive-by shooting in Las Vegas, there was a huge feeling of anger and sadness for both a life lost at just 25, and for a brilliant artist who was too caught up in crafting an invincible street image instead of using his obvious intelligence, ideals and talent to ascend to an ever higher, more significant place in the world. 2Pac could have changed the world in amazing ways that had nothing to do with music. The man was an intellect and a visionary, two terms that never would have been used to describe him during his lifetime.

He's celebrated as an important icon nowadays, but in truth...he was bigger than that. It's a shame he tried so hard to hide that from us while he was alive.

September 11, 2001: A Perfect Reason To Appreciate Life

CLEVELAND - If the infamous terrorist attacks on the United States nine years ago today can't make a person appreciate the value of life, nothing will.

Such a shame.

With that impossibly awful day still such an indelible aspect of America, I think it should come to symbolize the event that taught the world more than a few sobering lessons. Too often, we get caught up in what we don't have or how much we wish we did have. The senseless and callous murder of some 3,000 people that historic morning serves as a flash point in the evolution of us all; love what you have and appreciate it tremendously because even if others have so much more, there are still others that have so much less.

Seriously.

Imagine what must've went through the minds of the passengers on those doomed airliners once they realized that they weren't going to ever see their loved ones again. What must it have been like to live (even for a few moments) with not being able to kiss their husbands, wives or children ever again? Yes, life is full of struggles everyday and we can't help being angry or overwhelmed by them. But 9/11 is the most seminal event that everyone was affected by in some way that should cause us to prioritize and gain some serious perspective on life.

Love your life, unconditionally. You will one day wish you still had it this good....no matter what it is like at this present moment.

Michael Jackson: A Birthday Declaration

CLEVELAND - With great sadness and incredible memories, I am celebrating the 52nd anniversary of Michael Jackson's birth in a very interesting way.

I'm declaring the man a Saint.

That is right. A Saint. Of course, I'm not officially qualified to declare anyone as such, but I believe that today is as good a day as any to bestow that high honor on such a world-class individual, whose very being shifted an entire planet's beliefs, sensibilities and standards. Michael Joseph Jackson would have turned 52 today had he not left us 14 months ago, but in spite of his departure, he remains a huge part of our lives.

Especially mine.

Why do I declare the birthday boy a Saint? Why would I seemingly ignore his very public disgraces and questionable character in favor of highlighting his brilliant music accomplishments? Well first off, I'm not speaking of just his brilliance in entertainment. Secondly, those so-called public disgraces had more to do with opinion than fact. His "questionable character" is another opinion that was never explicitly proven. Furthermore, Michael's contributions to this planet over a 45 year span will live on forever, and it's about far more than his music and artistry.

He made the world a better place.

Forget for a moment all the things that the media reported about MJ's private life. Look past the stunning transformation his face underwent during the last 30 years of his life. Disregard all the biased media reporting about the man that was based on opinion, conjecture and prejudgments.

What are we left with? Just facts.

The facts about Michael Jackson are as follows: He lived a very high-profile, stress filled abnormal life from the time he was a small child. He was teased and humiliated by his family and other adults for his nose and his acne as a teenager. He became the most successful and acclaimed entertainer in the history of music in his mid-20's, then by his mid-30's he was widely portrayed as a weird has-been with an appetite for molesting young boys. By his mid-40's, he was portrayed as a deformed, middle-aged creeper with an iconic career very much in his past. Truth is, what Michael gave to the world eclipses such blithering idiocy. Like it or not, Michael Jackson is a giant in entertainment, and is also a legendary humanitarian.

On the megastar side, he is a peerless icon. No one in history has enjoyed as much admiration and global fandamonium for a longer portion of their life as he has. Elvis Presley was famous for 21 years of his life. The Beatles had a phenomenal following, but admiration for them was divided amongst several members, mostly McCartney and Lennon. Their immense fame is still present, but they became famous as adults, and a decade later, they were split up.

Michael is the most awarded entertainer in history. The seminal Thriller era in the early '80's remains a cultural touchstone that impacts artists to this day. His iconography is mesmerizingly expansive. From details of his upbringing to his insatiable admiration for Peter Pan and James Brown, the world knows MJ very well. Better than a family member.

Now, the true reason I am annointing Michael a Saint is the way he lived his life and tried to heal the world of its problems. In 1984, MJ was infamously burned badly while filming a Pepsi commercial. Though he was the biggest super-duper star on the planet at the time, he opted not to sue Pepsi for many millions and instead accepted a $1.5 million settlement which he immediately donated to a burn center. He very generously gave away his millions of dollars in earnings on U.S. and world tours to charity. He frequented hospitals of underprivileged, ill or dying children and gave even more money, time and emotional energy to these people very often.

He created his Neverland Ranch as a de facto fantasy land from the rest of the world, but also to entertain children and improve their lives. Oprah Winfrey acknowledged MJ's amazingly caring heart in her famous 1993 interview with him after seeing hospital beds built into his home for ill children. He wrote numerous songs for the benefit of children, donated and raised untold multi-millions of dollars for a litany of charities and worthy causes and thusly, set a Guinness world record for most charitable entertainer in history.

Let's not forget his crusade to save and protect the Earth and its environment. He was always a staunch advocate for animals, but what is less known is his affinity and concern for trees, water, air and the negative effects of pollution. Being a part of projects such as "We Are The World" and "Heal The World" are just the tip of the iceberg as far as MJ's love of Mother Earth goes.

He always spoke publicly of the need to improve the world by starting with ourselves. In his never-meant-to-be-a-documentary documentary "This Is It," he repeatedly mentions that we need to put "love back into the world." His message of hope, love and improvement was always overshadowed by the sensationalist aura of his life, which is a shame.

Critics of Michael Jackson will dismiss him as a weird child molester cum drug addict who stopped being a brilliant artist 20 years prior to his death. That saddens me because that perspective takes too many liberties and avoids too many facts. Michael was not only never proven to be a molester, but the so-called "evidence" points overwhelmingly to a man who simply enjoyed being around young boys, saw himself as one and just made poor, non-criminal judgments at times. Given what we know about his "weird and strange" life all those years, it makes sense that his mentality would be odd to us who grew up without the circus. No one gives as much as Michael gave of himself and his time without genuinely loving children from the bottom of their heart.

As far as his drug use, I tend to put recreational drug abusers in a different category from people like Michael, who only turned to painkillers after he couldn't take the searing pain from surgeries and the like. Once he became addicted to other drugs, it wasn't like being hooked on cocaine or crack. For a star of his magnitude, with as many demands on his time as he had, he became an insomniac. Being a major entertainer, he has the highest pressure to deal with. People need sleep in order to function, but if one can't sleep, they can't function. Michael knew this, so he found a solution to get himself to sleep. If ever there were good and understandable reasons to get addicted to a drug, not wanting to suffer horrific pain and wanting to actually get much needed sleep are the two best.

So to call Michael a drug addict is very misleading, no matter how accurate it is.

I'm not suggesting that Michael was perfect. I'm not saying he was always an angel. But since it is a proven fact that no one is perfect and everyone has flaws, he should be allowed his. People need to separate opinions and rumors from truth and fact. Just because someone THINKS MJ is guilty, doesn't make it true. As for his extensive plastic surgery, he changed his face because he was given an inferiority complex as a child that never evaporated. He had the means to change it so he did. Any of us would likely do the same thing if we were placed in that same scenario and had the means. His skin color? It has finally been proven that he truly did have a skin disorder that he couldn't help.

Besides, what does a person's appearance have to do with their good heart and great intentions? Not a thing.

And so it is today, Michael Jackson's 52nd birthday that I declare him a Saint. He continues to bring joy to millions of people who listen to his music, watch his short films, wear his trademark clothing and remember attending his tours live or obsessing over him at the peak of his popularity. They remember how good it felt. The millions of people helped by his lifetime of charity and giving heart and his message. The lives he saved and improved. The hope he inspired.

Michael Jackson is a world treasure. And a Saint.

LeBron James Is An Embarrassment To Basketball

CLEVELAND - Right now, I feel as though I owe Kobe Bryant an enormous apology. Though I have always admired him, I also criticized his late '90's, early '00's selfish ways while playing with an in-his-prime Shaquille O'Neal. After last night's unbelievably stunning LeBron James egofest on national television, I now realize that Kobe was a saint by comparison.

LeBron, to put it nicely is literally an embarrassment to the game of basketball.

I know many people may think that it's an unfair statement by a disgruntled and angry Cleveland Cavaliers fan, but the truth is, (even though I enjoyed watching the team play) I didn't care where James landed next year after an unprecedented display of arrogance, selfishness and disloyalty in this year's long anticipated NBA free agency extravaganza.

James, 25 starred in his own one off reality series on ESPN last night to tell the salivating sports world where he would be playing pro basketball next season and beyond. When those stunning words, "I'm taking my talents to South Beach to become a member of the Miami Heat" trickled almost clumsily out of his mouth, he immediately became something far worse than the proverbial Benedict Arnold. He became the most overhyped, fictitious wanna-be legend any sport has ever known. It wasn't so much that LeBron left the Cavs, he left his credibility and his good name in the dust as well.

Let me explain.

Many people have expressed bewilderment at the backlash that James has gotten since that announcement last night at 9:28PM EST. They have said things like, 'he didn't have enough help' or 'no one has to justify to their former employer that they are signing with a new employer.' People talk of the "seven good years" he gave the Cavs. While I understand that those are merely people's opinions, it is still frustrating that folks feel that he did nothing wrong. Yes, it is his life. He is an adult who has to make choices that are best for him and his family. But for LeBron to have been conceived, birthed and raised in Northeast Ohio, then fawned over in his last two years in high school like a hapless nerd drooling over the prom queen and all but deified in his seven years as a pro by first and foremost his hometown, it is stupefying that he didn't feel any obligation to handle his departure more graciously. Indeed, he didn't even alert the Cavs of his plans until moments before he stepped on stage and in front of the cameras.

Then, he slaughtered his city with the same callous iciness of the reviled Art Modell.

Millions of hard-working people spent countless millions of dollars, time and energy on worshipping James. After decades of stunning heartbreak in every sport at the hands of opposing teams' megastar players, Cleveland's fortunes took a dramatic turn for the better when the Cavs lucked out and earned the right to draft first in 2003, the very year that James was exiting high school as the most acclaimed prep star in history. He came to town and shattered the impossible expectations that were placed upon his broad, 18-year old shoulders.

After seven brilliant seasons that yielded two consecutive MVP awards, six all-star nods and two scoring titles, James decided he'd had enough of Cleveland. In his "press conference" last night, he indicated that he'd just made up his mind that same morning. But there is great reason to believe he made the decision weeks ago. In Game 5 of the East semifinals against Boston, LeBron did something he and no other bona fide NBA legend has ever done-- he quit. He played listlessly, limply and wore a hollow and detached expression the entire game which was a pivotal match which Cleveland lost and gave the Celtics a 3-2 series lead. A national debate ensued about what made James suddenly tamp down his superlative game at the worst possible time. He downplayed it and shook it off as just one bad game in a seven year career. He followed that empty performance up with another weak effort in Game 6, though his 27 points and 19 rebounds tell a very misleading story about his tenacity, which was absent for about 44 of the 48 minutes.

And he has yet to take ownership of his cowardly acts in those games.

The Cavs, winners of 66 and 61 games during the past two seasons lost the series to Boston and LeBron seemed to not even care. That was shocking and unacceptable behavior for a man so highly skilled, so talented and who proclaims himself to be the "King." Comparisons to history's greatest icons are inevitable and no way would Magic Johnson or Larry Bird have ever played so vacantly in such a critical postseason game. Or any game for that matter. And Michael Jordan? Forget about it. LeBron has explained countless times how he idolized MJ as a child, but he certainly didn't study his hoops DNA. Jordan was an assassin because of a searing determination to best his opponents and win at all costs. Yes, LeBron says he only cares about winning, but forsaking his hometown team who has a billionaire owner willing to spend whatever it took for the Cavs to contend and win for the "easy way out" choice of Miami is beyond puzzling.

The Heat's resident megastar, Dwyane Wade entered the pros in '03 just as James did. But Wade has been the fiercer, more offensively aggressive performer of the two and actually led an arguably less talented (than the '10 Cavs) Heat team to the 2006 NBA title in dominant fashion. LeBron had many excellent pieces around him to do the same and with his unique skill set coupled with his body build, his presence alone should have compensated for whatever flaws his teammates had. With the free agent signing of all-star Chris Bosh earlier this week, Miami already possessed a dynamic duo. Adding James to that only undermines his own brilliance and legacy because it illustrates a supposedly awesome megastar leaving his talented although flawed hometown teammates in favor of joining a star studded squad. I read somewhere that Jordan would never have wanted to link up with the league's other stars...he wanted to crush them.

LeBron could have toughed it out and shaped the Cavs into a dynasty, which would have elevated him to the highest peak imaginable. The first guy to lift the oft-humiliated city of Cleveland to world champion status several times over in more than half a century.

That would've been off the charts.

Cavs owner Dan Gilbert unleashed a no-holds barred tirade of the most caustic variety against LeBron in the form of a letter online. He castigated James and expressed utter disdain and intolerance for James' diva-styled attitude for the months leading up to this overblown, overhyped self-aggrandizing fiasco. In other words, it was less about him leaving and more about how he did it. No matter how you slice it, LeBron owed this city and his team far more than that. Anytime more than one party enters into a long-term relationship in which they experience highs, lows and everything in between, an obligation and responsibility forms automatically between those involved. That's why LeBron's actions can't be simply dismissed as "his life, his right."

The world has finally met a new LeBron James. The real one. He's immature, self-absorbed and highly narcissistic. He'd better hope he doesn't ever run into someone else like that. But, as he proved last night, anything is possible.

Loser.

Michael Jackson Was Victimized His Entire Life...And Beyond

CLEVELAND - Michael Jackson lay motionless in his bed around noon on June 25, 2009. In his bedroom, a frantic and nervous doctor noticed that the legendary entertainer wasn't breathing. Simultaneously, millions of people across the U.S., unaware of what was happening to MJ at that moment, perceived him as a once-amazing talent that had long ago become an embarrassing sideshow. Within a few hours, those same people reconfigured their perception of the man and began expressing sympathy and grief over his sudden and Earth shattering death.

All of those people need to go to hell.

Head shaking as it is, today marks the one year anniversary of Michael's departure from life. It was an unspeakably horrific day for me personally and for the tens of millions of his fans globally. I still have a difficult time accepting it as reality, even though Michael was such an emotionally fragile and sensitive person who was forced to deal with a pressure cooker of a life for 45 years. I look back on that dark Thursday with endless contempt and impossible bitterness.

I've thought about the man's life in great detail. His successes were of epic magnitude. His failures were tragic and colossal. And although Michael Jackson was perceived by many as the ultimate oddball and a raging weirdo, the truth is, he was very much like the common man. He only wanted to be loved and admired. He was blessed with a gigantic amount of talent, yet he was also prone to making bad choices and being irresponsible. He had several lapses in judgement just as we all do, but none of that should ever overshadow what he was truly about.

He wanted to make the world a better place.

Long ago, it became the "cool thing to do" for many people to not only criticize Michael, but to completely assassinate his character and spew some of the most vitriolic hate ever conceived towards him. In the years after Michaelmania dominated the U.S. and abroad in 1983 and 1984, Michael began being vilified and mocked for his constantly changing facial appearance, his reclusive and eccentric lifestyle and for the failings of his music to eclipse the impossibly high standards of his historic Thriller album. Years after those criticisms began, he was mutilated in the media and court of public opinion for what many considered to be his seemingly seedy relationship with pre-teen and teen boys.

It may seem as though the mid-1980's was the beginning of the sniping at MJ, but in reality, his entire life had been that way. Since he was a child, he was forced to support his family through intense dedication to his music career. True, his brothers were all a part of The Jackson 5, but with Michael being the lead singer and far and away the biggest talent, the pressures on him were greater, and he wasn't yet 10 years old. He had to endure heavy criticism because of his nose, which even family members mocked and took to calling him "big nose." For a kid who was already sensitive, that sort of attack was almost too much to take. It heavily shattered his spirit. Then as an adolescent, he endured the cruel effects of acne to his soon-to-be-adult face. Of course, he was made fun of for having "so many spots" on his face.

The level of pressure that was upon Michael Jackson during the late '60's and throughout the '70's was incredible. Not only did he have to excel musically for the sake of his family and others in the music industry with a vested interest in him, he had to do so with a face that was constantly frowned at and mocked. He didn't have the luxury of hiding. His face was public property.

He began to flex his muscles as an adult solo artist in 1978 when he turned 20 and co-starred in "The Wiz." Shortly thereafter, he crafted his masterpiece Off The Wall album which launched him into orbit on the path to megastar. Beneath it all, he was more ambitious than he'd ever been, yet very insecure. He had been tethered to his brothers for years and now, he was finally developing his own sound and legacy.

Of course, Off The Wall became a huge success in an unexpected way but the phenomenon that came with the late 1982 release of Thriller was beyond comprehension. That seminal era, early 1983 through late 1984 was owned by Michael. The entire U.S. was consumed by his music, style and artistic trademarks and his work sold in record numbers. The Thriller era was such a charmed, fairy-tale time for Michael that it felt almost too good to be true.

As it turns out, it was.

Michael had been a man who could do no wrong during the whirlwind dominance of Thriller and its accompanying music videos. When he and his brothers ended the Victory Tour in late 1984, it was as if the clock struck midnight for Cinderella. Beginning in early 1985, the immense love affair that the public had with Michael began to fade. I remember this time vividly, even though I wasn't yet eight years old. Over the next 2 and a half years, his character took major hits in the media for his various eccentricities and lack of a new album. By the time Bad, the highly anticipated follow-up to Thriller debuted in August 1987, he had been getting major criticisms for his much lighter skin tone as well as other modifications to his face. It occurred to me that the man did exactly what many people would do if they had been in his shoes and had the means. Remember, he had been ridiculed since childhood by people (including members of his own family) and thus, carried a complex about his nose in particular and his face in general. If I were subjected to that and I was a multi-millionaire, I would have made changes as well.

During the last 20 years of his life, the criticisms and insults grew harsher and more insidious every moment. There were complaints about his record sales which were still awesome but always fell short of the juggernaut that was Thriller. MJ was already a notorious perfectionist, so he naturally put tons of pressure on himself to please his public. As his skin appeared more and more pale white and his face changed shape often, endless jokes and repudiation of the man fell upon him. No one believed he suffered from the skin disease vitiligo as he stated. Instead, they poked fun at him, called him a liar and hurled insults at him.

No one bothered to care about what pushed him to remodel his face. No one cared that his skin lightening was essential to even out what the disease was doing to his color. Imagine having to deal with that from a few people. Michael had to deal with a nation of people ganging up on him.

Then, the child molestation charges that effectively turned him into a pariah. Sure, it is bad judgement for a grown person to surround themselves with underage kids. It is also puzzling as to why and how Michael ended up in the same situation a second time after the horror of the first time. What people ignore is that Michael isn't an average Joe. Yes, he was an adult. But he was an adult who surrendered his childhood in favor of an entertainment career. The significance of that is it explains why he took to creating a childhood as an adult that he never experienced as a child. He may have been an excellent businessman, but he certainly didn't see himself as an adult. From what I saw, he looked at himself as a 10-year old boy and thus, saw nothing wrong with being around young boys.

To him, they were his "peers."

His thinking was clearly unconventional, but when such epic success isolates a person, it becomes understandable. Remember, Michael's closest female friends were women who were sometimes decades older than he; Diana Ross, Liza Minnelli, Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Fonda and Katherine Hepburn. He always tried to surround himself with people who best understood him or whom he could truly connect with and relate to.

People ignore the fact that Michael spent his adult life donating endless amounts of his time, energy, emotions and money to countless charities. Children were his inspiration and he loved them. No one gives as much as he did without genuinely caring for the cause they're supporting. Not only that, but it was disclosed several months ago that MJ had been under surveillance by the FBI for 13 years and nothing was found that showed him to be a molester. In sum, he was acquitted after a trial in 2005 and the FBI found nothing improper on him, but no one ever mentions those things. Instead, he gets castigated for what was actually just allegations against an easy target and the possible "appearance" of impropriety. People label him a pedophile as though it was ever proven.

Add another stress inducer to his life.

I'm not saying that Michael didn't bring any of this on himself. He certainly placed himself in compromising situations, but he never deserved such malicious treatment by people. It infuriates me that so many people say such nice things about him now that he's gone, but never would have done that while he was alive. Jay Leno was always delivering below-the-belt jokes about him, but now speaks of him like he's a beloved icon, which he is, but Leno never spoke that way before.

I read unbelievably cruel comments all the time from idiots who continue to disparage Michael, even in death. It just further underlines the hell that MJ had to deal with daily while millions sat back and judged him. Those same people are hypocrites who clearly know nothing about class and love.

I will forever love Michael and I will use this awful anniversary as another opportunity to appreciate the gift that God gave us.

Michael Jackson forever.

Eminem Masterful and Dominant On 'Recovery' LP

CLEVELAND - Eminem exploded onto the music scene in 1999 like a meteorite engulfed in flames. His skills were undeniable and his popularity was stunning. Then he lost his focus and as a result, it undermined his unmatched brilliance for years.

Folks, the brilliance has returned.

Eminem, the famous moniker of Marshall Mathers releases his 6th major-label album today a full two weeks after it leaked online. Recovery, as it's titled was originally due out tomorrow but instead was moved up a single day to whet the public's appetite for an album that has gotten mostly rave reviews. And it's not just for its content, it's also for Eminem's return to the searing dominance that won him endless praise and critical acclaim a decade ago.

Em opens the album with guns blazing, as he drops clever zingers at Elton John, Michael Vick and the Parkinson's Disease-stricken Michael J. Fox on "Cold Wind Blows." It is instantly apparent that his prodigious lyricism is reborn and he intends to be all business on this LP. His ammunition is in the form of metaphors and one-liners and his trademark smart-alecky wit is razor sharp.

"Talkin' 2 Myself" is an earnest confessional in which Eminem admits his own jealousy of the immense success of Lil' Wayne and Kanye West during the last few years. He also touches on his declining self-esteem (during his nearly five-year absence from the spotlight) as he cleans out his own psychological closet. Admissions of self-loathing, holding a false bravado and enduring writer's block are all stunning because of the sheer brutal honesty of the words, yet riveting because it delves into the psyche of an insecure genius.

He even disavows his previous two albums, both of which were considered lackluster by fans and critics yet they both still went multi-platinum.

"On Fire" once again puts Em's phenomenal skills on center stage. His lyrical dexterity is flawless as is his biting wit. Listening to this track reminded me that he's always been masterful at composing tongue-twisting, multi-syllabic rhymes about inane and preposterous things.

"Won't Back Down" is a surprising collaboration with pop-star Pink, ironic because Em made a career out of insulting pop stars. But if ever there was an appropriate pairing of him with a pop star, this is it. Both Em and Pink have cultivated defiant, fearless personas with non-conformist attitudes. They come off like two renegades declaring their toughness in the face of critics and anyone else turned off by them.

"W.T.P." harkens back to Em's early albums which usually featured a light-toned, party track. It's a silly song, but it's also more lyrical than its similarly themed predecessors.

"Going Through Changes" is another brutally honest confessional. Em discusses everything from his murdered friend Proof to drug dealers being at his beck and call during his heavy drug abuse period. He talks about how immense fame has isolated him and admits that he acts "high and mighty" while he's really "dyin'" on the inside. The powerful song also features Em saying that the "only thing [he] fears is [his daughter] Hailie."

"Not Afraid" is the album's lead single. Uplifting and potentially transformative, it's also an unusual first single for an Eminem album. In it, he disses his own 2009 album Relapse and acknowledges that he may have overused the strange accent with which he littered the LP (and also annoyed many fans with). He also apologizes to his fanbase for essentially putting out subpar material the last few years. One complaint I have about this song and various other points during the album; Em's unusual use of metaphors at times seem forced and unnatural. Still, they are very effective in some cases.

"Seduction" is an R&B-style track. Em is cast as a smooth playa' cum ladies man. He unleashes a torrent of rhymes while extolling his prowess as a chick magnet (mostly due to his rhyming skills).

"No Love" could be considered the album's centerpiece. It's a delicious collaboration with Lil' Wayne and is maybe the best Eminem collab since he teamed up with Jay-Z for 2001's "Renegade." Here, Wayne authors a pitch-perfect lyrical masterpiece delivered in his trademark methodical drawl. He certainly paints a dramatic picture: "Married to the game, but she broke her vows. That's why my bars, are full of broken bottles..and my night stands, are full of open bibles." Also: "been to hell and back, I can show you vouchers" and "I'm stickin' to the script, you niggas skippin' scenes." The hook, a re-working of a familiar, early '90's pop hit merges Wayne's verse with Em's rapid, machine gun delivery. Em drops such zingers as "get these wack cocksuckers off stage, where the fuck is Kanye when you need him?" Awesome track that just happens to join two of the most acclaimed and popular figures in the genre's history.

On "Cinderella Man," Eminem once again bad mouths Relapse, saying "fuck my last CD, that shit's in the trash." The song feels like a pep rally for him and his resiliency in the face of his much publicized, former drug addiction. Em is full of swagger on this track, but it's effective because he admits to artistic missteps, especially with lines like, "mediocrity can no longer fly."

"25 to Life" is a concept song in which Em portrays the hip-hop game as a metaphor for a committed relationship. He's dedicated more than "half [his] life" to that relationship and feels under-appreciated despite his tireless dedication to it.

"So Bad" is, from the very start an obvious Dr. Dre-produced track. It's also a reminder that the legendary producer is mostly absent from this album, uncharacteristic for an Eminem set. This song is a great example of how much Eminem vacillates between humble self-loathing and cocky braggadocio from song to song and even verse to verse.

"Almost Famous" is another punchline filled, lyrical roller coaster as Eminem name drops everyone from David Carradine to Verne Troyer and Sean Hannity.

"Love The Way You Lie" features another surprising pop star choice; Rihanna. Her feathery voice punctuates the catchy track with a silky and beautifully crooned hook. Em meanwhile, seems to wistfully recall his complicated relationship with his ex-wife Kim. Rihanna's voice is so good, so sugary to the ear that the sad surrender of her words are not immediately obvious. Em sounds remorseful throughout for bad decisions he made in his past relationship until the very end of his verse when his devious, sociopathic alter-ego Slim Shady emerges with a closing threat to set [Kim's] house on fire with her in it.

"You're Never Over" is a spirited tribute to Proof, celebrating him as his guardian angel.

A bonus track called, "Untitled" is actually one of the best on the album. It's three minutes of Eminem spitting an impossible series of rhymes, metaphors and punchlines with awesome precision.

All in all, I am highly impressed with this album. Eminem's first three albums are considered classics, yet beginning with 2004's Encore, he's been criticized as having "lost his greatness." Though I liked Relapse, this new album blows that one out of the water. Eminem hasn't sounded this fresh, crisp or driven since 2002's The Eminem Show. And dare I say it, but Recovery is not only an instant classic, but might be just as brilliant as his earlier strokes of genius. The fact that I specifically discussed all but one song says a lot.

The real Marshall Mathers has finally stood up!

Debating Kobe Bryant's Legacy

CLEVELAND - I am a Kobe Bryant fan. He is a truly amazing basketball player with an unbelievable will to succeed and his enormous cache of skills make him nearly impossible to defend on the court. Where he started at the beginning of his career and where he is now is one of the biggest phenomenons in sports history.

But his place in NBA history remains complicated.

Yes, even after Bryant led his L.A. Lakers to their second straight (16th overall) NBA championship Thursday night, discussing his legacy is far from simple. In fact, it's nearly impossible. The 14-year superstar is now a member of five NBA title teams of the past 11 seasons and his Lakers seem poised to challenge for more during the next year or two.

But, let's not get too far ahead.

Comparisons in sports are inevitable. The most difficult ones to make are the ones that compare players across different eras and with different circumstances. For years, Bryant has been compared very favorably to the great Michael Jordan (my all-time hoops hero). And now that Bryant is just one championship behind MJ, the comparisons are as heated as ever. Many have even placed Kobe above Earvin "Magic" Johnson as the greatest Laker in history. It's entirely possible that Bryant is Johnson's superior, but he is still miles behind Jordan.

Here's why:

To be fair to both men, I'm only going to consider Bryant's last 11 seasons, since his first three were spent learning the NBA after jumping straight from high school. His productivity was far below what it came to be. For Jordan, I won't consider his two year stint with Washington, when he was a very advanced-in-age 39 and 40 and it's also pointless to consider his 18-game second season and his 17-game comeback season in 1995. In other words, I'm comparing Kobe's best 11 years with Michael's best 11 years.

In Kobe's 11 seasons, the Lakers have won the title 5 times. In each of those seasons, he not only didn't win a league MVP award, but the consensus opinion was that he was no higher than the second best player in the NBA. Not the best. His role on the Lakers' 2000-02 title teams was as the killer wing player. Shaquille O'Neal was the best, most dominant player on the floor and the league and his ability to virtually guarantee a Lakers basket every time down the court was their strongest asset. He was more physically imposing than anyone and had a litany of post skills that made him the focal point of opposing defenses. Bryant, with his myriad skills was the beneficiary of Shaq's paint presence. Though Kobe seemed to resent having to share the ball with O'Neal at the time, he still prospered from being the best one-on-one player in the game who was hardly ever required to go one-on-one.

So even though Kobe played a very pivotal role in those first three titles, he played with a very unfair advantage. Let's also not forget about the rest of the talent that L.A. had during those years. When Kobe became the team's leading scorer for the first time in his career during the 2002-03 season (30.0 ppg), the Lakers lost in Round 2 of the playoffs. It was the first time Bryant's thirst for glory impeded the team's goal; he had a 13 game stretch at midseason where he averaged more than 42 points per game. That type of monopoly on the ball is inexcusable when a guy like O'Neal (just 31 at the time) is around.

In the 2004 season, the Lakers lost again, this time in the NBA Finals to upstart Detroit. By then, O'Neal and Bryant's rift was at an all-time high in the animosity category. It was the last time they played together as O'Neal wound up in Miami the following season. With Bryant as the team's Number 1 star for the 2004-05 season, the Lakers were a mess and stunningly missed the playoffs. In '06, Bryant unleashed the full capacity of his brilliant offense and averaged a career high 35.4 ppg. He even dropped 81 points in a game v.s. Toronto, but come playoff time, his Lakers got bounced by Phoenix, an occurrence that repeated itself in 2007. It was during that off-season that Kobe fumed in the media and disparaged his teammates while mentioning that he wanted a trade. Of course, the ensuing 2007-08 season saw the shocking trade (steal) for all-star Pau Gasol. This move, along with the great improvement of the Lakers' Andrew Bynum put L.A. in the NBA Finals for the first time in four seasons.

Even though Bryant won the 2008 MVP, his Lakers lost the title to Boston. The following season, L.A. steamrolled Orlando en route to capturing the 2009 NBA title, Bryant's 4th overall, but first as the team's best player. They repeated the feat two days ago when they won in a delayed rematch with the Celtics. Bryant won Finals MVP for the 2nd straight season, but he never had a standout game.

For Michael Jordan, his path was very different. After six seasons of awesome accolades, breathtaking highlights and endless praise, his Chicago Bulls still possessed no championships. When they finally broke through in 1991, Jordan loomed very large. He averaged 31.2 ppg, 11.4 apg and 6.6 rpg! He dominated in the '92 Finals as well as he outshone his supposed equal Clyde Drexler with a 35.8 scoring average. For the Finals in 1993, he set a record with a 41 ppg series average against Phoenix. He stunningly retired nearly four months later, then returned two years after that. He led Chicago to another trilogy of championships in 1996, '97 and '98 before riding off into the sunset. The major difference between Jordan's showings in the championship series v.s. Bryant's is simple. Jordan had games so great that they remain some of the most transcendent moments in league history.

Bryant, in seven different Finals, never had a masterpiece game like that.

In the regular season, MJ won 10 NBA scoring titles, 9 NBA 1st team all-defense, 6 Finals MVP's, 6 NBA titles, 5 league MVP's and a Defensive Player of the Year award. He was always the best player on his team and though he had an awesome sidekick in Scottie Pippen, he always played with one-dimensional role players and had lousy centers and point guards on his team. His regular season resume is filled with 60, 50 and 40 point games but his playoff resume is filled with series winning performances that impact basketball history greatly. In his final two Finals series alone, MJ authored two of the greatest single game performances the championship series has ever seen. He was always the focal point of his team's offense as well as the other team's defense.

Kobe meanwhile, has had awesome regular season games but almost no playoff games that jump out at you. Even when he went on a one-quarter scoring explosion in Game 4 of this year's Finals, the Celtics still won. He has one MVP, which he earned during the same season his team lost in the Finals. Jordan won 4 of his 5 in seasons that ended in championships.

I agree that Kobe has skills that are virtually equal to Michael's which is amazing in and of itself. But this nonsense about Bryant being a better shooter than MJ is ridiculous. Yes, Bryant became a good shooter earlier than Jordan did, but once Michael perfected his mid-range jumper, he was automatic. MJ, even by Phil Jackson's admission was a better finisher at the rim than Kobe (since Jackson coached both men, I give added weight to his evaluations of them) Michael was also a superior post-up player even though Kobe is excellent in that category. Kobe has been an outstanding defender, Jordan was better. On the ball, he was more ferocious. Off the ball, he played the passing lanes with better anticipation. Both players have shown reluctance to pass the ball, but they are very effective when they do. Michael saw the floor better mostly because he was trained in college by Dean Smith to play as a team before playing as the hero. Even though Jordan was known as a ball hog, he still displayed that fundamental skill to look for the open man.

Bryant shoots the 3-pointer better than MJ, but takes far too many shots from that distance. Jordan was an inconsistent 3-point shooter, but he was a very good "situational" 3-point shooter. He also had the sense and discipline to take higher percentage shots instead of "the home run ball" which has a tendency to take a team out of their game. Both men were brilliant in crunch time, Jordan made a habit out of drilling last second shots and breaking the hearts of many teams. Bryant nailed several game winners this season alone.

All in all, Kobe Bryant is awesome. Granted, I can't be as big a fan of his as I'd like to be because my allegiance to Jordan won't allow it. With that being said, I make these arguments in MJ's favor with complete objectivity. I presented facts and opinions based on facts and I gave each man the benefit of the doubt. Kobe is not as great as Michael, and that is just fine.

He's a legend already. That ain't too shabby.

The Self-Destruction Of O.J. Simpson

CLEVELAND - For a person that overcame so much adversity, it remains one of the great mysteries as to why O.J. Simpson chose to destroy his charmed life. He was once considered the American dream and a great role model, yet he willfully ruined the public's perception and will forever be loathed with passionate intensity.

What a waste.

Today marks the 16th anniversary of Simpson's transformation from hero to hellion. His ex-wife Nicole and her friend Ron Goldman were both savagely murdered at her condo in Brentwood, CA on that evening over a decade and a half ago. O.J. didn't get formally charged with the crime until days later, but suspicions swirled about him almost immediately. Of course, Simpson famously went on trial for the murders that he denied committing and the televised courtroom proceedings dominated conversation and media for months.

That turned the trial into the biggest spectacle in history.

Eventually, O.J. was stunningly acquitted in the autumn of 1995, an occurrence that divided the nation along racial lines. It was obvious that he dodged a major bullet in the trial by being set free, but he lived his post-trial life with a stupefying arrogance and reckless behavior. After being ordered to pay over $33 million to the victims' parents in a 1997 civil trial, Simpson decided to stonewall the judgement and vowed never to pay it. Many years later, in 2006, he wrote a book which featured a controversial chapter detailing how he would have hypothetically murdered Nicole and Ron if he had been the "real killer." The unbelievable gall and insensitivity he showed in that endeavor outraged the public and a year later, Goldman's family successfully won the rights to publish the book themselves and profit from its sales.

If all that wasn't enough, O.J. masterminded an armed robbery and abduction caper in Las Vegas in 2007 and a year later, was found guilty on several criminal counts. He was sentenced to a prison sentence of at least nine and at most 33 years. Many observers contended that Simpson's harsh sentence was essentially "payback" for "getting away with murder" back in 1994.

O.J. Simpson was born into a poverty stricken family and was afflicted from birth with a leg disease called rickets. His impoverished neighborhood and absentee father only made matters worse, but he recovered and became a superstar football player. The pinnacle of his college football career at USC may have been when he won the Heisman trophy in 1968. Five years later, he set an NFL record for rushing yards and was fast becoming America's favorite son. He became a Hollywood figure as well as he starred or appeared in numerous minor films during the 1970's and '80's. Also, his career as a commercial pitchman for several companies flourished after he retired from the NFL in 1979. By the time his marriage to Nicole Brown grew contentious enough to warrant divorce in 1992, Simpson was also a successful television commentator on NBC.

The charmed life disappeared the night his blood ended up at a grisly crime scene and the victims' blood ended up on his vehicle and on his driveway. Apparently, O.J. lost his cool in a huge way and allowed his lack of control to force a very bad choice that destroyed his good name forever. Either way you look at it, the saga of O.J. Simpson is equal parts riveting and tragic.

Has it taught anyone else a valuable lesson?

20 Years Ago Today: Jordan Learns Hard Lesson From Pistons

CLEVELAND - In a seminal career of breathtaking excellence, Michael Jordan authored one historic moment after another. His genius was so expansive and his drive so tenacious, that he became the best basketball player in history by the time he reached age 30. But before he led the Chicago Bulls to a half-dozen NBA championships in less than a decade, he served a hard knocks apprenticeship that reinforced his ruthlessness.

Thank the Detroit Pistons.

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Detroit Pistons' Game 7 trouncing of Jordan's Bulls in the 1990 Eastern Conference Finals. It was the third consecutive season that saw Detroit end Chicago's season. Jordan, then 27 years of age and in his 6th NBA season had been beyond brilliant all season and series. With the Pistons' ultra physical play and defensive focus on MJ, the Bulls as a team struggled mightily in spurts and went down 0-2 in the series. Then, ferocious as ever, Jordan responded with back to back 47 and 42 point games to tie the series at 2-2. The final game, played at The Palace of Auburn Hills, saw Chicago lose handily, 93-74. This was the infamous "Scottie Pippen migraine game" which rendered the 3rd year upstart ineffective and left Michael alone to fight against Detroit's suffocating defense. Jordan miraculously managed 31 points in the game, but no one else did anything of note.

It was with this Game 7 loss that Jordan broke down in tears at the reality of losing yet again. Each season, he  was the ultimate megastar standout, yet he was hearing growing criticisms that he would never lead his team to a championship. His career was so phenomenal up to that point, yet he would never be thought of as an all-time great without a league title. Naturally, he went into the summer with an even higher level of focus than normal. The result?

Chicago won three consecutive NBA titles twice during the remainder of the decade!

It may have been the sharpest, cruelest pain at the time. But that Game 7 loss was the exact fuel that Michael Jordan needed to power his space shuttle of excellence into the stratosphere.