He Needs Papa Poop To Do His Taxes For Him

Method Man was going to pay his bills ... but then he got high.

Despite recent reports that the rapper is so broke that his 2008 Lincoln Navigator was repossessed to pay back taxes, Method Man — whose real name is Clifford Smith — insists his cash flow is just fine. In fact, he says, his penchant for marijuana is to blame for the mishap.

Citing the Wu Tang member for being $52,503 in arrears on his personal income taxes, the state Department of Taxation showed up at the Staten Island native’s home at 6 a.m. March 19 with “four NYPD cops and the repo team,” Meth told us. “I knew why they were there. It wasn’t like ‘Oh my God! Noo!! Don’t take it!’ like it is on that TV show [“Operation Repo”]. I was half-dressed, and it was so early that I just said, ‘Okay, you’re taking the truck. ... Aight.’”

The back story, according to the rapper, is simple.

“Myself, I’m a pothead,” he said on the set of a video shoot for his new album, “Blackout 2,” with Redman. “It’s no secret. Everyone knows that. I go on the road and forget everything else. Sure, [the tax department] sent letters to my house saying, ‘We need this money.’ They started sending them in 2002.

Here it is, 2009, and I never paid this s— because I don’t think like that!”

“I could have easily just written them a check for whatever amount, but no — I waited until they knocked on this door and were like, ‘We got your truck and we outta here,’ ” he laughed.

“Now I’m thinking we’ve gotta get our truck back, which means I have to get all my paperwork together,” the rapper continued. “That means days of going through mail, ’cause I got mail like woah.

I’ve found checks from 2005 that have never been opened yet. And we’re talking a significant amount of money! But I never opened [the tax department’s] letters ... so this is how the tax man came to Meth’s house and took his truck. Not because I was broke! I got plenty of money!”

When we referenced the famous Afroman song “Because I Got High,” Method Man just laughed.
“Exactly!” he said. “Because I got high, I forgot to pay. It was stupid. I’m an idiot for that.”

Syracuse vs. Oklahoma

Oklahoma 84 Syracuse 71
The game wasn't even that close, a complete embarrassment for Syracuse.
The reason Syracuse lost this game is because they had a horrible shooting night and played no defense. I don't blame Flynn's injury, the rout was already underway. I don't even blame Boeheim but it's so frustrating to see a team get killed because the opponent is just tearing up the 2-3 zone, and this coach who is supposedly so great, will never ever ever ever ever try something else. What if he had gone to man at the beginning of the second half? Would they have lost by 30? If so, big deal. Oklahoma was tearing up the zone, it wasn't working, but the great Boeheim stuck with it.

The sad part about this is I really like this team. They just weren't good enough to beat top teams, they lost to UConn, Pitt and Louisville, but they were getting better and had no seniors among their key guys. But Flynn is definitely leaving and Paul Harris will probably leave too because Boeheim hates him and rides him so hard. That's one of the worst parts about college basketball today from a fan's perspective, you don't get to enjoy the good players because they leave too soon.

:30 left
Oklahoma had 14 offensive rebounds, 8 by Griffin.

1:29 left
Great game by Flynn. He's a near perfect point guard, but don't believe that guard play wins in the tournament. Good big men will beat good little guys every time.

2:07 left
I would have chosen Spaghetti Jimmy too. How cute is that?

2:07 left
They made a brief run but now they're not even trying. They are letting Oklahoma get every rebound and loose ball. I won't say they don't have heart because they've shown they do. But they definitely quit on this one.

4:47 left
That chick behind Griffin's parents has big tits. I wonder if Griffin is banging her.

7:53 left
I love Jonny Flynn but why does he keep trying to dunk? I remember at least three times this year he missed like that.

10:19 left
23 point deficit, 10 minutes to go. That's what they call insurmountable. Oklahoma has made 9 of 16 3s.

15:43 left
Too bad Louisville is demolishing Arizona or they'd switch games and we wouldn't have to suffer anymore.

15:43 left
Devendorf gets layups block far too often.
Oklahoma is shooting 86% on their last 14 attempts. I guess that 2-3 zone isn't confusing them.

16:56 left
Oklahoma is socring every single time they have the ball. Any other coach might try changing up the defense but Boeheim is in the Hall of Fame. he must know what he's doing.

18:10 left
Great halftime speech and adjustments from the Hall of Fame Coach Jim Boeheim.

18:21 left
After Flynn cut it to one at 18-17, Oklahoma went on a 28-9 run.

20:00 left
SU is going to need to play its best second half of the season to win this game. And they might have to do it without Jonny Flynn who busted his ass when he got run over by Blake Griffin. Discretion is the better part of valor Jonny.

Halftime
About as bad a first half as you could possibly imagine for Syracuse. They played good defense for a while then Oklahoma picked apart the zone. And the shooting was just awful. 0 for 10 from 3, they will not win like that.
Unless they somehow get hot I have very little hope for a comeback.

:53 left
We do not need Jonny Flynn trying to take charges on Blake Griffin.

1:59 left
What a save by Andy ruatins. If he's not hitting shots he needs to find other ways to contribute.

2:40 left
Jonny Flynn and Rick Jackson are the only guys playing well and trying to do anything. Arinze Onuaku is playing terribly. He keeps turning the ball over, he refuses to take it up strong. What happened to that guy?

3:26 left
Syracuse is 0 for 8 from 3-point land. They have no chance to win if that keeps up.

5:13 left
Oklahoma just got about 5 shots on that possession. SU cannot allow that, though I think a foul should have been called when Flynn ran into that guy.

5:54 left
Is anyone else experiencing problems with the signal? My picture keeps shaking and there's like static at the top of the screen.

6:55 left
Jonny Flynn starting to percolate. Great play by him. He recognized the mismatch, drove it twice then got some room for his jump shot. Three straight baskets by him. Beautiful, heady leadership from Flynn. Btw, I was so furious at Sports Illustrated for their regional cover gimmick because I got the one with Levance Fields. Thankfully someone at work gets it but never reads it so I stole one with Flynn on the cover.

9:50 left
You cannot save the ball under your opponents' basket. Terrible play.

10:15 left
Syracuse picked a bad team to into a teamwide shooting slump. They couldn't make any progress with Griffin on the bench because they missed everything.

11:57 left
Rarely do you see a guy wear a long sleeve shirt under his jersey. Wouldn't you think he gets a little sweaty?

14:37 left
Nightmare start for the Orange. Most possessions they aren't even getting a shot off. And when they do they miss it. This team cannot afford to get far behind.

15:37 left
Jackson and Onuaku can't catch. They've dropped passes, rebounds everything. If they don't start playing better on offense, Syracuse is going to get killed. They need to make Griffin play some defense, wear him down at worst and get him in foul trouble at best.

16:54 left
Two awful possessions, one by each team. A lazy Devendorf gets blocked from behind, then Blake Griffin knocks his own guy over.

17:15 left
Great pass and strong dunk. First basket, we can sit down and stop clapping now.

19:00 left
One minute, 2 possessions, 2 turnovers, 1 3-pointer allowed.

19:36 left
"Here's a look at Jim Boeheim." Not even 30 seconds and we get our first stupid face.

It's Jim Nantz and Clark Kellogg calling this game. I hope to hear Clark say "the Orange need to squeeze the Orange." Or maybe he can say Andy Rautins has a "game like a baby's bottom -- soft but explosive."

In the tournament they say good guard play usually wins out. Syracuse has a definite advantage in that category. Willie Warren is good but Jonny Flynn is better. And with Devendorf playing in control, he gives Syracuse a dimension Oklahoma does not have.
But the problem for Syracuse will be Blake Griffin. SU has to adjust the zone a little bit to match up with him. They can't wait for him to catch the ball in close position before defending him. They also have to be very conscious of him or he will get 10 offensive rebounds. SU consistently allows opponents 20 offensive rebounds, if that happens tonight, they will lose.

Don't forget to get involved by posting your thoughts on the game in the comments section.

A Paul's Poop Special Event

Please join me tonight as I live blog the Syracuse-Oklahoma game.
We had some success with this on Sunday during the Arizona State game, but I'd love to have more participation from you guys in the comments section. And by you guys I mean everyone except VW.

Sweet Sixteen - Thursday Thoughts

UConn looks really good right now.

Stanley Robinson completely came out of his shell during the 6 OT game and has scored in double digits in each of the last four games. He had 4 double digit point games all season before that.

Connecticut had to deal with the trouble circulating around the team about recruiting violations and rumors of the possible retirement of Jim Calhoun and they still came out and dominated.

I like Purdue though. All five of their starters will be back next year. Their three best players (Hummel, Johnson and Moore) will be juniors next season. With the Big Ten as bad as it is, these guys should be a serious national title contender next year.

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Missouri presents an interesting matchup for UConn. Mike Anderson brings the 40 Minutes of Hell style he learned from Nolan Richardson and used to make a run with UAB in 2004.

They didn't just beat Memphis, they slaughtered them. Memphis has great athletes but they couldn't keep up.

Did you see those two shots Marcus Denmon made at the end of the first half? The first one went off the glass but was only a 2-pointer because his foot was on the line. The next time Denmon left no doubt, nailing a 70-footer.

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Villanova also blowing out Duke. They kept it close in the first half scoring only 26 points, but nearly doubled that output putting up 51.

Duke shot only 27% and 19% from the 3-point line.

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And finally the game of the night, Pittsburgh over Xavier.

Last week I said they were a flawed team that could be beaten, but I also said I liked them because of Levance Fields and his ability to get a basket when they need it.

And did he ever deliver. Onions! That was one of the biggest shots of the tournament so far. 56 seconds left, down 2. If he misses that, likely best case scenario they get it back with 20 - 25 seconds still down by 2.

And then before Xavier can do anything he steals the ball and pretty much seals the game with a layup.

And in case anyone was wondering, he definitely needed to take that layup. If he pulls it out he only kills about 5 or 10 extra seconds before he gets fouled. And he could miss a free throw. Smart play, great player. And the Big East is guaranteed at least one spot in the Final Four.

If Kansas and Louisville win the Big East and Big XII will have 7 of the 8 teams left.

From Jobless to Topless

Another groundbreaking economic investigation from the Associated Press.
I present it here in its entirety because it's good reading:

More women needing cash go from jobless to topless
By Karen Hawkins, Associated Press Writer
From jobless to topless: As economy worsens, more women give strip clubs, adult films a try

CHICAGO (AP) -- As a bartender and trainer at a national restaurant chain, Rebecca Brown earned a couple thousand dollars in a really good week. Now, as a dancer at Chicago's Pink Monkey gentleman's club, she makes almost that much in one good night.
The tough job market is prompting a growing number of women across the country to dance in strip clubs, appear in adult movies or pose for magazines like Hustler.

Employers across the adult entertainment industry say they're seeing an influx of applications from women who, like Brown, are attracted by the promise of flexible schedules and fast cash. Many have college degrees and held white-collar jobs until the economy soured.

"You're seeing a lot more beautiful women who are eligible to do so many other things," said Gus Poulos, general manager of New York City's Sin City gentleman's club. He said he got 85 responses in just one day to a recent job posting on Craigslist.

The transition to the nightclub scene isn't always a smooth one -- from learning to dance in five-inch heels to dealing with the jeers of some customers.

Some performers said they were initially so nervous that only alcohol could calm their nerves.

"It is like giving a speech, but instead of imagining everyone naked, you're the one who's naked," Brown, 29, said.

Eva Stone, a 25-year-old dancer at the Pink Monkey, said dealing with occasional verbal abuse from patrons requires "a thick skin."

Makers of adult films cautioned that women shouldn't rush into the decision to make adult movies without considering the effect on their lives.

"Once you decide to be an adult actress, it impacts your relationship with everyone," said Steven Hirsch, co-chairman of adult film giant Vivid Entertainment Group. "Once you make an adult film, it never goes away."

The women at the Pink Monkey say dancing at a strip club might not have been their first career choice, but they entered the business with their eyes wide open. The job gives them more control and flexibility than sitting in a cubicle, and "it's easy, it's fun and all of us girls ... look out for each other," Brown said.

In this economy, "desperate measures are becoming far more acceptable," said Jonathan Alpert, a New York City-based psychotherapist who's had clients who worked in adult entertainment.

For some, dancing is temporary, a way to pay for college loans or other bills. Others say they've found their niche.

Dancers at the upscale Rick's Caberet clubs in New York City and Miami can make $100,000 to $300,000 a year -- in cash -- even with the economic downturn, club spokesman Allan Priaulx said.

Priaulx said 20 to 30 women a week are applying for jobs at the New York club, double the number of a year ago.

Still, analysts say, the industry isn't immune to the economic recession. Business is down an estimated 30 percent across all segments, including adult films, gentleman's clubs, magazines and novelty shops, said Paul Fishbein, president of AVN Media Network, an adult entertainment company that has a widely distributed trade publication and an award show.

"In the past, people have said this industry is recession-proof," said Eric Wold, director of research for financial services firm Merriman Curhan Ford. "I definitely don't see that; maybe recession-resistant."

Strip club dancers and managers said they're drawing in the same number of customers, but fewer high rollers.

"They're not getting the big spenders," said Angelina Spencer, executive director of the Association of Club Executives, a trade group for adult nightclubs. "They're not getting the guys who come in and drop $3,000 to $4,000 a night anymore."

Still, the clubs' operating structure leaves them with low overhead and profit margins of up to 50 percent, Wold said.

Dancers are independent contractors, paying clubs a nightly flat fee depending on how long they work. At the Pink Monkey, for example, dancers who arrive at 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday pay a $40 "house fee," while women who don't arrive until midnight pay $90. And they keep their tips.

Wold and others say it's almost impossible to estimate the size of the adult entertainment industry because few companies are publicly traded. He does pay close attention to three that are: Lakewood, Colo.-based VCG Holding and Houston-based Rick's Caberet, which own clubs, and New Frontier Media, a Boulder, Colo.-based adult film producer and distributor.

All three are profitable.

Rick's Caberet had $60 million in revenue in its 2008 fiscal year, up from $32 million the year before, Wold said, and he estimates VCG will have $57 million for last year, compared with $40.5 million in FY2007. New Frontier Media generates more than $400 million in consumer buying a year.

Larry Flynt, whose half-billion dollar Hustler empire publishes magazines, produces and distributes films and operates a casino, said he's continued to do well. But he doesn't expect those who are solely in the film business to survive.

"A lot of the small studios are out of business now, there's no doubt about that," Flynt said.

Adult magazines also are struggling along with the larger publishing industry, and have to cut pages like everyone else.

But the economic realities aren't keeping jobseekers away.

Vivid Entertainment's Hirsch said the number of women in his business has doubled in the last couple years, with roughly 800 working as adult actresses. "It is more competitive than I've seen it in 25 years," he said.

That doesn't mean all the newcomers are planning on lengthy careers in the industry.

Stone, who has a bachelor's degree in graphic design, took up dancing four years ago to help pay her student loans. She plans to go to graduate school this year to pursue a master's in education.

Brown, meanwhile, has a ready answer for those critical of her career choice.

"I have job security," she said.

Song of the Week

"Danger" - Blahzay Blahzay
The song that escalated the East Coast-West Coast rap fued, is also the inspiration for "The Cuse is in the House."

Let's Hope We Can Get a Repeat of This

One of my favorite moments in Syracuse basketball history, the postgame interview after SU beat Kansas to go to the Final Four in 1996.
Featuring Cuse in the House and the Al Maguire Dance.
And yes that is Donovan McNabb making faces over Boeheim's shoulder.

Journalism Isn't Dying, It's Changing

Interesting, if somewhat cursory look at the problems in the news media. I for one am not worried. There will always be a place for good stories well told. And for every idiot that likes biased, made-up crap from blogs, there are still plenty of others who want to read and watch well-researched, fair, smartly presented stories.

The state of journalism is bleak, but an annual study of the industry suggests all hope should not be lost.
While the business model of many news organizations appears to be fracturing, there's little indication that consumers are losing interest in news, says the Project for Excellence in Journalism. Its sixth annual State of the News Media survey was released on Sunday.

Four newspaper companies have sought bankruptcy protection in recent months, and the Rocky Mountain News in Denver stopped publication.

Yet The New York Times and Washington Post have bigger audiences than ever, when online readership is taken into account, said Tom Rosenstiel, project director. Traffic to the top 50 online news sites rose by 27 percent in 2008, the report said.

"This is not an industry that is dying," Rosenstiel said. "This is an industry that is in disorientation."

Local television news also is in trouble. Revenues fell by 7 percent in 2008, which is eye-opening considering it was an election year and stations typically see an influx in political advertising.

Besides the Internet, cable news was a sector that flourished, due in large part to its focus on the presidential election, the report said.

Newspapers have failed to figure out how to make their Web sites profitable, Rosenstiel said. They're slow to realize that people aren't going to pay for content in the way they do for traditional newspapers.

But there are still things that can be tried, he said. They could try something modeled after the cable industry, where a fee to news producers is built into a customer's monthly fee for Internet service. They could set up online "malls" for local merchants or create specialized services for information that some in their communities might pay for.

Partnerships have been born because of the tough financial times, such as local television affiliates of NBC and Fox sharing video for breaking news events, the report said.

With layoffs prevalent, power is shifting to individual journalists away from institutions, he said.

Journalists are trying different ways of getting their work out, with Web sites such as MinnPost for arts coverage in Minneapolis. Globalpost.com pays a small fee to keep journalists working across the world.

"The news audience is out there and is in some way growing," Rosenstiel said. "If the industry cannot find a way to monetize that, it may be that individual journalists and others will."

Oy Is This a Putz

Jackie Mason is coming under fire for calling President Obama a schvartza (there is no correct spelling, Yiddish is a spoken language not a written one), during his standup.

Mason is one of my favorite comedians, thanks to years of having him forcefed to me by Papa Poop. Also Master Bates used to have this toy that when you pressed a button it would cycle through some of Jackie's best phrases like "he's a schmuck -- the biggest" and "oy is this a putz."

I don't really think there's a problem with schvartza, it literally means black and most old jews use it all the time, not in a demeaning way. Plus, he's a comedian and black comedians due much worse, as Mason pointed out.

Mason said, "I'm an old Jew. I was raised in a Jewish family where 'schwartza' was used. It's not a demeaning word and I'm not going to defend myself."

I Love the Most Hated Man in America

I love Eric Devendorf, always have. He's a good player, but he has that toughness and edge to him that I like. On a team of talented guys, Devendorf is the one who provides the energy and makes the big plays when needed, as evidenced by his performance against Arizona State. Yes, he makes bad decisions at times when he tries to play too fast, so I understand why SU fans may dislike him.
He looks like a gangster and acts arrogant at times, so I understand why other fans may dislike.
And maybe that's why I love him.

Here's Pat Forde from espn.com:

Eric Devendorf knows what you, the general public, are thinking.

"They probably think I'm an a-hole, man," the Syracuse shooting guard said with a smile on his face. "I know they do. I know everybody thinks I'm an a-hole."

He knows that because he hears it in every opposing gym, and he can read about it online as well. One sports blog, The Big Lead, compiled a list of the five most hated players in this NCAA tournament, and Devendorf was No. 1, followed by Tyler Hansbrough, Greg Paulus, Hasheem Thabeet and Jon Scheyer.

"That's pretty good company right there," Devendorf said, laughing, after shooting Arizona State out of the NCAA tournament, 78-67.

The fact that four of the five are white guys is an interesting sociological discussion for another day. For today, we're only concerned with the guy who tops the list, how he got there and how long he'll be around to irritate America in this tournament.

If being The Villain of College Basketball bothers Devendorf, he hides it well. But once you get past the endless ink, the ant-line beard, the smirk, the occasional potty mouth and an altercation with a girl that nearly cost him the season, everybody's a-hole insists he's an a-OK guy.

"I don't know if it's because of the tattoos or my competitive spirit," Devendorf said. "But sometimes people can get the wrong idea about a person. Off the court I'm a whole different person.

"I'm a good dude, man. I'm a down-to-earth dude."



Would everyone understand that if they spent a day with you, Eric?

"They spend a day with me, man, they'd have some fun."

Fun would not describe Syracuse student Kimberly Smith's encounter with Devendorf on Nov. 1, 2008, near campus. That's when Devendorf allegedly struck her in the jaw with an open hand (Smith's lawyer later said Devendorf did not hit her, and his client's version of the events was misconstrued on the police report). That incident got the Bay City, Mich., native briefly suspended and nearly ended his season.

Devendorf said he acted in self-defense toward Smith, who was the aggressor in an altercation after she got out of her car. Problem was, Devendorf already was on probation with the university for harming another student last spring, according to the Syracuse Post-Standard.

So the school's judicial board recommended suspending him in December for the remainder of the academic year, which runs through May. But Devendorf was reinstated on appeal after missing two games, a decision that has direct correlation to Syracuse's presence in the Sweet 16 and trip to Memphis this week to play Oklahoma.

Last time the Orange played in Memphis was December. Devendorf missed that game against John Calipari's Tigers while suspended. During that time, he was at a crossroads, relying on support from his parents and his AAU coach, Will Smith of the Michigan Hurricanes.

For a kid whose life had revolved around basketball since he was 9 years old, the thought of losing it was terrifying.



(Check out the caption for this picture.)

"I feed off playing basketball," Devendorf said. "I tried to stay upbeat, even though it wasn't an upbeat situation at all. I wanted to be positive, but at times I was negative. So many things were going through my mind at that time.

"I had a lot of thinking to do and had to straighten some things out. I had to be smarter about who I'm around, surround myself with the right people."

Now the father of a 9-month-old daughter, Devendorf said he's conscious of trying to be a better role model. On the court, he's played model basketball for Syracuse -- averaging a team-high 19.2 points in six postseason contests. His consecutive 3-pointers ended Arizona State's last chance to rally and upset the Orange at American Airlines Arena on Sunday afternoon.

Given the divide between Devendorf's value to his team and his popularity outside of upstate New York, he's the classic guy you love to have on your side and love to rip when he's not. Think Bill Romanowski here.

"They don't understand him or know who he is," said former teammate Gerry McNamara. "They think they do but they're wrong. He's the best teammate I ever played with. He would do anything for this team."

In some ways, McNamara and Devendorf are the same guy: stone-cold shooters who excel in the clutch and succeed at a high level in part on moxie and swagger. But McNamara's the guy who shows up in Madison Square Garden to watch his old team in an argyle sweater. Devendorf is the guy who looks like he's a rougher version of fellow Michigan product Eminem.

It was Devendorf who reportedly was told, during his freshman year, to watch his mouth on the court by none other than Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese. It was Devendorf who celebrated his apparent game-winning shot over Connecticut -- the shot was disallowed, sparking a famous six overtimes -- by jumping on the Madison Square Garden press table and screaming an F-bomb into the stands, according to those in the vicinity. And as far as we know, McNamara was never dragged in front of the school judicial board.

So the hate finds Devendorf in every gym. Whatever the reason, it's up to him to deal with it.

"The world is messed up already, and they want to hate someone who plays basketball?" he asked rhetorically.

Sure they do. Since Devendorf is unlikely to sway public opinion to his side, there is only one response.

"We keep winning and people will get madder and madder," he said.

Four more wins would shut them up for good, and give The A-Hole of College Basketball the last laugh.

Home Court Advantage

There has been a lot of uproar about Villanova playing its NCAA Tournament games in Philadelphia, allowable because they only played three games during the season at the Wachovia Center.
While it is unfair -- especially because of the perception -- I downplayed the real impact of the home-court in the tournament, and felt vindicated when the crowd was solidly behind American as they jumped out to a huge lead on Villanova, before blowing the lead and losing.

Action on the women's side though may prove the importance of this advantage.
There were two major second round upsets, #7 Rutgers over #2 Auburn and #9 Michigan State over #1 Duke. Both underdogs were playing at home, and after the game Michigan State's Coach (not Tom Izzo) said the home fans made a huge difference.

We should also point out that San Diego State got smoked by Stanford in San Diego and Gonzaga lost to Pittsburgh in Seattle, though both results were expected.

Who knows how much it really matters.

Picture of Jim Boeheim Making a Stupid Face: The Arizona State Edition

The Diesel-Trey Experiment

With Mrs. Poop and Chase away (and Alison in Isreal) I decided to take Diesel to Billy's house for a weekend of college basketball.
The experiment worked out better than I expected, but not as well as I hoped.
After a couple hours of frantic play, they finally settled down and allowed us to enjoy the Friday games. Eventually they both lied down, and it was nice, except every minute or so they'd go nuts over some noise outside, like a car door slamming or a cotton ball falling.
But when it was time to go to bed, they pined for each other, Diesel was whining, Trey was scratching, and I hardly slept.
So I decided to leave a day early, so I could get some rest.
Diesel got some rest too, he literally did not move from dinner (5:30) on Saturday night, until I took him out at midnight.
But we did get a couple good pictures before we left.

March Madness - Sunday Thoughts

Another great run of late games. A pretty nondescript middle part of the day with Xavier, Kansas and Arizona winning fairly easily.

Then things got interesting. Pittsburgh is a flawed team. They can be had. I’ve never liked them in previous years and I didn’t pick them this year even though this is by far their best edition. DeJuan Blair disappears, especially if you get him in foul trouble. He’s a monster on the boards (six offensive rebounds) but Levance Fields and Sam Young are both more important to the team’s success.

Fields is such a heady player too. Did you see that fluke free throw where everyone thought it was two shots and he snuck in for the rebound? The one thing I do like about Pittsburgh, this edition can score the ball much better when they need to than previous Pitt teams.

Michigan State is an ugly team, but they get the job done. They rebound, move the ball (20 assists on 22 baskets) and they play tough defense.

The Marquette-Missouri game was incredibly interesting. What a shame to see Dominic James like that. I almost wish he had stayed on the bench, not that he embarrassed himself, but he just couldn’t do anything.

I don’t want to hear anything about the pinch shooter rule. The guy they brought in (Kim English) shoots worse from the line (68%) than the guy he replaced (J.T. Tiller, 75%)

Marquette also has no complaint about the baseline violation. Hayward clearly stepped on the line. Tough way to lose a ball game though.

And you can’t help but feel badly for Jems and a game Siena Saints team. Most underdogs when they get down by 7 (55-48) pack it in, but Siena stormed back on a 15-4 run to take a 4-point lead with 5:30 to go. But Louisville, led by the incredible Terrence Williams, who can score if he wants to, turned it on and put them away.

For al the talk about parity this year, the top 12 teams are all in the Sweet 16. First time that has ever happened. The last two tournaments have been two of the most chalk ever.

One thing the pundits got right was the Big East is awesome. First conference to ever get 5 teams in the Sweet 16. But the real test will be to meet or exceed 1985’s 3 Big East teams.

There's No Sex in the Champagne Room, There's Job Interviews in the Champagne Room, But No Sex

The Foxy Lady in Providence is where I went for my bachelor party.



Nearly 200 potential exotic dancers, DJs, bartenders, bouncers, managers and waitresses attended a first-ever job fair yesterday at the Foxy Lady gentlemen’s club.

In January, with revenues off by 15 percent, Thomas Tsoumas, the nightclub’s co-owner, cut drink prices in half. As a result, traffic increased and 30 more staff are needed at that club and two others in Massachusetts.

“We’re as recession-proof a business as there is, but when it rains everyone gets wet,” said Tsoumas, 68. “We dropped our prices to what they were when we opened in 1979. Now, a beer or a mixed drink cost about $2.75 and business is up again.

With an unemployment rate of 10.3 percent, the naked truth is that Rhode Island’s economy is among the worst in the nation. As a result, potential employees lined up early and were brought into one of several makeshift interview rooms including the Champagne VIP Lounge, the All-Nude Solid Gold Room and the Private Dance Cabana.

Chamika Chandler, a stay-at-home mom from Cranston, R.I., said she’s an aspiring designer who creates exotic dancewear and hopes to get a start in the club as a bartender.

“If I can get my foot in the door tending bar, maybe I’ll get a chance to show my designs to the dancers,” said the redhead in a short green and blue dress.

Chandler has been job hunting for months, but has found that applicants need lots of experience. “I figured I had nothing to lose at the Foxy Lady,” she said. “I’m sure there are a lot of uptight girls that wouldn’t consider a strip club, so here I am.”

Diana Hatch, a 30-year-old single mother from Woonsocket, R.I., was there to fill one of the waitress spots. The Rhode Island College student was one of a handful of hopefuls with nightclub training.

“I worked as a waitress at a gentleman’s club in Texas, and I know what the job entails,” she said.

Steven Mangum, 29, was one of the first to arrive for the job fair. The Providence resident and ex-con wants a job - any job.

“I’ll sweep floors if they want me to,” he said. “I got bills to pay and I recently got out of jail so having a job is important to me.”

Nathaniel Grist, who works at the Woonsocket Area Career and Technical Center, said he’s hoping to land a part-time and summer gig at the Foxy Lady.

“I was a DJ at my college radio station, and I’m trying to get more experience,” he said.

Asked if he had any concerns about working in a place where women remove their clothes, he said, “This is just another place to work, you go in and do your job.”

While most of the applicants were in their late teens and 20s, not everyone fit that demographic.

Karen Bradner, a 50-something office worker from Taunton, who has been unemployed for a year, also filled out an application.

“Today was my first and only time in a strip club,” she said. “And I wasn’t there to be a stripper or a waitress. I was hoping to get an office job, but there are no openings. It’s really dead out there job-wise. I hope things turn around soon.”

Song of the Week

"Kiss Me Through the Phone" - Soulja Boy

These Girls Went to Devendorf's House Last Night Because They Wanted To Be With a Winner

Arizona State may have hotter chicks but Syracuse has a better basketball team.

Syracuse vs. Arizona State

Syracuse 78 Arizona State 67
Huge win for the Orange. They played great. I was most impressed with how they handled it when Arizona State cut the lead to four. They were patient and got two straight good shots. And Devendorf nailed two daggers to put the game away.
Let's go Orange, let's see what happens against Blake Griffin.

1:00 2nd half
The defense is forcing them to waste too much time. 12 point lead with 1 minute to go, that has to be more than 99% to win from here. Make the free throws and move on.

2:14 2nd half
Now this all comes down to free throw shooting. And SU is the worst free throw shooting team in the 64 team field. It's skewed because Jackson and Onuaku are so bad and shoot a lot of free throws. But the same was true of Memphis last year but Rose and CDR were both 70% shooters who cost them the national title with missed free throws.

2:17 2nd half
This is really the first time Syracuse has ever played a Pac-10 team in the tournament? Really? That's very surprising.

2:48 2nd half
Why is Jackson handling the ball? That's a great strategy to foul him. They can't rest both him and Onuaku at the same time. And he hit them both! Jackson has been huge in this game.

3:21 2nd half
Tough call because Boateng was still moving and so far under the basket but I think it was a charge.

3:39 2nd half
I recently read somewhere that if u have a lead of one point per minute remaining you have an 85% chance of winning. Up 11 with less than 4, those odds have to be like 95%. But if any team can lose this game, or at least make it close, it's this team.

4:00 2nd half
Devendorf is on fire!

4:50 2nd half
See that's what they need to do. Take your time but don't kill the whole clock, work until you get a good shot.

5:20 2nd half
I don't like the kill-the-clock offense but SU just played two possessions a little too fast. And both times it was bad decisions by Flynn. He gave it to Jackson too far from the basket. Onuaku's foul trouble won't be a huge deal because he can't play the last 2 minutes with a lead anyway because he shoots so bad on free throws.

6:15 2nd half
Huge 3 by Rautins!

6:30 2nd half
The lead is 4, let's see what Boeheim draws up now that SU desperately needs a basket.

6:30 2nd half
The lead is down to 7 and we're about 2 minutes away from Boeheim shutting down the SU offense. SU is still playing good defense and forcing them into long possessions, but they're hitting everything.

10:19 2nd half
The foul trouble caught up to ASU first with Jeff Pendergraph fouling out. He was open every time against the zone. But this game is being tightly called so Onuaku and Jackson could be next.

14:02 2nd half
This is why I love Jonny Flynn. Things might have started to go astray, he drove and got fouled, then stole theball and got fouled. And both times he made the free throws. That's leadership.

16:47 2nd half
Uh oh, foul trouble for Jackson and Onuaku. Jackson especially has been the difference for SU so far. Without him on the floor SU could be in trouble. And there he goes getting 2 more points. Never thought I'd say he'd be a crucial player.

19:00 2nd half
I know Boeheim isn't a big fan of halftime adjustments, but telling the guys to start turning the ball over more really doesn't make any sense.

Halftime
Great 1st half. They gave up a little at the end by allowing two open 3s and taking a couple ill-advised shots of their own. But so far so good. Boeheim needs to emphasize closing out on the shooters and playing offense from the inside out. They have no answer for Onuaku and Jackson inside. Get the ball into them and let them kick it out to Rautins and Devendorf for 3.

1:11 1st half
I guess I should have warned Flynn about Kuksiks.

2:39 1st half
Devendorf and Rautins are on fire. The defense is swarming. They're getting out on the fast break. This first half is a like a dream so far. Let's pray they can keep it up.

4:10 1st half
They just showed ASU has taken 14 3s and only 5 2s. As long as SU challenges those shots I think that ratio favors the Orange.

5:55 1st half
You don't want Rautins jacking a 25-footer on a fast break but if he's on fire, it's a high percentage shot. Add that with the guards continuing to get the ball down low, Arizona State doesn't know whom to guard.

7:06 1st half
James Harden is closer to 40 years old than 20.

8:10 1st half
SU already has more 3s made in this game than in the first round game against Stephen F. Austin. I love Rautins as a zone-killer. Shooters are streaky so I was hopeful his bad first game will translate into a great second game.

9:28 1st half
Glad to see Kristof is over his diarrhea.

10:51 1st half
The worst part about the zone is that you allow so many offensive rebounds. And the best time to take a 3 is off an offensive rebound. ASU missed both but Devendorf didn't even challenge the second one.


12:59 left 1st half
Beautiful drive and layup by Flynn. SU needs to get out and fast break against this team.

15:21 1st half
Great start by the Orange. they have a huge size advantage in this game and they are getting the ball in down low to Onuaku and Jackson who have six points combined so far.
Arizona State wants to play slow and get the zone to move. They got a couple baskets but so far SU is plaing pretty good defense.

I Hope He Takes My Advice

Here's the transcript of the brief Facebook chat I had with Jonny Flynn last night.



OK, so he wasn't exactly forthcoming but it was nice of him to answer me at all. Flynn has been awesome but he has been playing so many minutes that I hope he listened to me and went to bed early. And on the thing about Glasser too. James Harden has a good midrange game so he'll try to get inside the zone and kick it out for jumpers.