Shoutout to all the people mad in real life over LeBron James' casual swearing during a once-in-52-year event at yesterday's Cavaliers championship parade. Last I checked this is Ohio, where we cherish cuss words more than any other state.
And no, I'm not going to think of the kids, especially the ones raised by parents naive enough to think they'd go through life without hearing a "bad" word.
I'm not defending the drunk dude who can't stand straight hurling slurs from a family area. But if a guy who just kill-shotted every naysayer and fulfilled a prophecy that's surrounded him since he was in high school can't drop a motherfucker or two during a parade ceremony, we should cancel sports.
Until then, it's legal to show up to any job in Ohio shirtless:
"I'm not putting a shirt on." - @TheRealJRSmith #OneForTheLand pic.twitter.com/B6gvIGtSoP
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) June 22, 2016
SPEAKING OF CURSES. My long-term readers know my father is Magic Johnson, which is why I'm excited for tonight's NBA Draft. The Philadelphia Sixers will reportedly select LSU forward Ben Simmons with the No. 1 overall pick. The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to pick Duke forward Brandon Ingram with the No. 2 pick. It starts at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
As much as I enjoyed my time on the Cleveland Cavaliers' swagwagon, I could never abandon the Lakers, the team for which my dad starred throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.
Or so I thought, until I saw a commercial in which D'Angelo Russell, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft, picked an emoji to describe "rapper" Lil B. I know that sentence bamboozles or infuriates most people.
Allow me to explain.
Lil B is a trash rapper, but there's no denying the curse of The Based God is real. Kevin Durant will never win a title because he refused to play Lil B in a game of 21. James Harden was also condemned to a ringless hell because he stole Lil B's cooking dance.
D'Angelo Russell is 20 years old. He knows all this. But because The Based God cursed him last Thursday—and because 20-year-olds think they're invincible—Russell threw caution to the wind and picked the shitpile emoji to describe Lil B, despite Lil B offering him a game of 21 reprieves.
I'm surprised lightning didn't strike him dead on the spot. The Lakers will no doubt be picking in the Top 5 of next year's draft too.
Given the Cavs fans' mental state (that city will party throughout the summer), I think I may order an old Larry Hughes jersey and stay on with the Cavs, a team I have known and loved my whole life despite my dad starring for the "Showtime" Lakers in the 1980s and early 1990s.
R.I.P. KOSTA. Former Ohio State wrestler and football walk-on Kosta Karageorge went missing during Rivalry week in 2014. He was found in an off-campus dumpster, where he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. When Ohio State went on to win the 2014 championship, every player credited the influence of Karageorge's spirit and attitude.
The New York Times released an excellent piece yesterday detailing Karageorge's final days, his lifetime struggles with mental health, and information about the brain damage he suffered throughout his intensive athletic career in two contact-heavy sports:
She said there were traces of past microhemorrhaging in Karageorge’s prefrontal cortex. Damage in that area, McKee explained, usually leads to cognitive issues involving “impulsivity, dis-inhibition, poor judgment and maybe even suicidal ideation.” She pointed out, though, that it was impossible to definitively link his suicide to any brain trauma he had sustained in sports.
McKee also found a single focus of Tau — the protein associated with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease found in dozens of former football players. She diagnosed Stage 1 C.T.E., on her scale of 1 to 4.
The Karageorges interpreted the report as an explanation for their son’s erratic behavior. Several high-profile players who had committed suicide were found to have had C.T.E. In those cases, though, the disease had usually progressed to more advanced stages.
The whole thing is worth the read. This line, however, may be more devastating than reading about a 22-year-old with early onset C.T.E.:
“We raised our son to be a strong man, and maybe that was his downfall,” George Karageorge said. “He wasn’t complaining and crying. My wife coddled him, but I was more: ‘One of these days you’re going to be depended upon to step forward.’”
Rubbing his forehead, George said, “There’s a ton of guilt there.”
Just brutal.
Depression is no joke. I've struggled with it (shocker, I know), and it's painful to read about a good man feel alone to the world. And that's before the effects of multiple concussions.
I hope his story inspires people to be more open about their feelings. Everybody is small and insecure in their own way, and there's always at least one person that cares for us. If his story can help one other person, it's at least some good to come out of this tragic tale.
JALIN MARSHALL POWERS UP. It's crazy how some players take off once they're unburdened by classes and can concentrate on their craft full-time while putting money in their pocket.
I'm not saying Jalin Marshall is about to be an MVP—just he's headed in the right direction.
From jetswire.com:
You’d be hard-pressed to find a player that enjoyed a better offseason than New York’s undrafted rookie out of Ohio State. Stashed on the bottom of the Jets’ depth chart, Marshall flashed time and time again during OTAs and minicamp and was starting to see first-team reps by week’s end.
There was speed, agility displayed by Marshall that allowed him to separate from defenders. When the ball was thrown his way, he didn’t drop a pass. There was also versatility, as he took reps returning both kicks and punts.
For all intents and purposes, Marshall looked like he belonged. That, believe it or not, may take many by surprise.
"Come to Ohio State, where even if you don't get drafted you will be fully prepared for the NFL." — Hell of a recruiting pitch.
GENE SMITH LOVING LIFE. Like when Mario eats an electric starfish, every person in Ohio is running on 30% higher swag capacity at the moment.
Hanging w/ @ufc champ Stipe Miocic backstage at #cavsparade rally. Waiting on the team to make it through the crowd! pic.twitter.com/5JQsr6zibP
— gene smith (@OSU_AD) June 22, 2016.
If you made the mistake of leaving Ohio, you better hand in your transfer papers ASAP. Real estate prices are only going to go up.
SPEAKING OF RENT GOING UP... Chumley's, a bar between E. 16th and E. 17th avenues, is closing.
From thelantern.com:
Students will have to pack up their schooners and put them on their shelves — Chumley’s bar is closing.
The last day will be Monday, an employee told The Lantern.
[...]
Chumley’s sits on the block of North High Street between East 16th and East 17th avenues, which is slated for the building of a six-story, mixed-use development. Construction is set to start as early as this summer.
R.I.P. Chumley's. You were okay that one time I went from what I remember but not nearly as iconic as a mixed-use development. I've been waiting for a mixed-use building to come to Columbus for the last decade. We're about to be on the map, y'all!
THOSE WMDs. Check out the Lord of Whispers' new digs... $5 chess game... Leaked Uber data shows drivers don't make much... Surprise: Narcissists love selfies... The E-Waste Empire.
