What's The Word TV

By: Demarrio Smith 08/30

It all started with the Miami Heat.

            Well technically, it began with the Celtics in 2008. The Celts added Ray Allen and acquired Kevin Garnett via trade, to add to a team that included Paul Pierce and an upcoming Rajon Rondo. The team would mesh together well throughout the trials and tribulations associated with an arduous 82 game season. The culmination of their hard work and intense effort that season would result in an NBA championship.

            Danny Ainge had discovered a formula for success that others were now hoping to replicate. Three is often said to be the perfect number because it’s seemingly perfect balance. In basketball, having three elite players allows for the optimum amount of scoring options with the least amount of court confusing and clogging of passing lanes. But honestly most teams wanted to acquire as many top-level players as possible, but the cap room would only allow for three max contracts.

            Now it starts with the Miami Heat.

            Lebron James made the Decision to take his talents to South Beach, along with Ex-Raptors’ F Chris Bosh. With Dwayne Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh; Miami had assembled a better “Big three” than Boston, on paper. Although they didn’t win a title in their inaugural season together, they would return to the finals the following season and thoroughly defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games.

            Other teams, however, have yet to match the success of the previous “big three” archetypes. The New York Knicks have Amare’ Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and Tyson Chandler. Although Chandler isn’t an elite offensive weapon, his defensive capabilities are only second to Dwight Howard’s. Can Amare’ figure out his role on the team, and can Carmelo be the top 3 player we believe he be?

            The newly relocated Brooklyn Nets have pieced together an interesting compilation of players. They managed to resign Deron Williams, traded for Joe Johnson, and hope that the likes of Brooke Lopez and Gerald Wallace will sustain them in the frontcourt. Johnson and Williams gives them possibly the best backcourt in the league, and Johnson’s length makes him a versatile defender. Is Avery Johnson the answer as the head coach? Is Brooke Lopez one of the better centers in the league?

            The LA Lakers without a doubt made the biggest splash this summer; trading for both Steve Nash and Dwight Howard. Nash, 38, can be the commanding floor general at point guard that the Lakers desperately need. That’s if Kobe allows Nash to do what is necessary for him to do his job, which if Kobe wants to maximize his chances of winning a sixth ring it seems very likely. Howard’s unmatched defensive skill set accommodates for the defensive deficiencies of Nash. But is this team too perfect? Can Mike Brown coach this team to a title?

            With the raise in popularity of “Big three” teams, the ilk of the Chicago Bulls, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Indiana Pacers have become a rarity in the league. These teams build through the draft, which used to the norm in the NBA. Times have changed, and teams have begun to reflect the change in our society. Most people live in big cities,  and more are progressively moving to them; in the NBA everyone want to see star players. 

With the Olympics currently going on across the Atlantic in London, designers have recently infused a large amount of Red, White, and Blue into their Spring 2012 collections. One might think this is strictly an American happening since prominent designers such as Thom Browne and Ralph Lauren are taking part in this patriotic trend but it is not. French designers such as Lagerfeld, who designed a shirt with a red, white, and blue collar, and Lacoste are also taking part in this trend. The English are also making their contributions with pieces from designers like Sir Paul Smithe. The trend has an amazing trickle down effect with fast fashion brands such as Topshop and H&M being ambassadors of this phenomenon as well. Street fashion, usually known as either the trendsetter or the late bloomer in the fashion world, has even adapted the trend with sneaker companies such as Jordan and Adidas releasing shoes in the patriotic colorway. Streetwear brands like Stussy and Supreme are also on this bandwagon. So this summer, get patriotic and show your love of this great nation of ours, or France, or the UK.

Written by Justin Redding
Www.DopeDandy.com
Follow him on twitter @DopeDandy

By: Demario Smith

Over the past two seasons, Bulls fans have relished in the regular season success of the team. The 2011-2012 season, as well as the 2010-2011 season, saw the team surge atop the NBA eastern conference. Last season the team won statement game after statement, with or with out Derrick Rose, which was a substantial improvement because one of the few criticisms of the 2011-2012 team was that the Bulls didn’t win many games against the NBA’s elite.

HOWEVER, most Bulls faithful (myself included) would trade all those regular season wins for an NBA Finals title. Which would be the first since the last of the Bull’s final “three-peat” in 1998.
Unfortunately, our best chances to win it all since were probably the each of the last two years. Last year ended abruptly because of an untimely ACL injury to star point guard, Derrick Rose. The Bulls lost to the 76ers in the first round of the playoffs, regardless of having the best record in the NBA. In 2011, the team suffered a more gracious defeat at the hands of the 2012 NBA champs, the Miami Heat. Although the team lost game 6 at the United Center, The Bulls made it to the eastern conference finals. A feat not reciprocated since 1998.
This year, the team faces a level of uncertainty that wasn’t expected or predicted given the relative success of the last two seasons. First of all, Derrick Rose probably won’t be available until, at earliest, sometime in January. Who knows how this injury will affect him, although it seems that leg injuries are typically bad for explosive, driving point guards. In this year’s draft, the Bulls selected Marquis Teague late in the first round. Teague has potential, and can be an above average floor general for a while. He isn’t, yet, quite the point guard his brother, Jeff is. And there are analysts who believe that he will never be as good as his brother, whom they consider to be at most a mediocre point guard. The Bulls also traded deadly three- point shooter, Kyle Korver, to Atlanta for cash and a $5 million trade exception
Free agency has also been a conundrum for the Chicago team. It was announced today that the Bulls wouldn’t match the three-year, $25 million offer sheet the Houston Rockets gave Omer Asik. The offer is extremely back loaded; as Asik would receive 14.1 in the final year of the contract. Asik is a legitimate 7 footer and can guard the paint. Having a 7ft center on the bench in the NBA is rare, especially one as defensively capable as him. The team has attempted to fill the shoes of Asik with that of veteran center, Nazi Mohammed and deep shooting big-man, Vladimir Radmanovic. The Bulls didn’t pick up Ronnie Brewer’s $4.37 option either, allowing the New York Knicks to sign the versatile guard. The Bulls have replaced Brewer with the European shooter, Marco Belinelli. Reports are also suggesting that the team has no interest in re-signing the likes of Mike James or John Lucas.
THE BENCH MOB IS NO MORE.
…. Or is it? Can the Bulls acquire the chemistry and production the previous members of the Bench Mob were able to achieve?
As with most things in life, I’m very skeptic. The team will win around 45- 55 wins this year, and there is the possibility that a much a more complete Pacers’ team will win their division. The biggest question is what will the Bulls do in the playoffs.The 2012-2013 season is one marred with questions and uncertainty for the Bulls, in a season that most fans have high and lofty expectations.

By: Dorissa White

If you’ve been watching the news lately you’ve seen the tragedy thats unfolded in Aurora, Colorado. Early Friday morning an armed man by the name of James Holmes entered a century 21 theatre that was premiering the much anticipated ‘Dark Knight Rises’ premier. Holmes was armed with at least three different arsenals and armor. He disrupted the crowd by throwing a can of tear gas into the audience. Some of the audience thought homes was an actor and started clapping until he fired two shots into the ceiling. As chaos rose, homes began to take lives one by one. Killing 12 and injuring 58  more the youngest victim was a 6 year old girl, Veronica Moser-Sullivan. During Holmes first court briefing Monday Holmes bizarre appearance shocked the public. He appeared with bright dyed red hair and making quizzical expressions and seemed like he was forcing to keep his eyes open. Some may argue that he was drugged. The Colorado jail refused to comment. The nation has reached out to this small community at this time everyone from the president to the ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ stars. It seems a if history has repeated its self, when just 13 years ago, and 20 miles away from Aurora  where Columbine began grieving there losses. Stay updated to “What’s The Word” for more information about the tragedy, including Holmes next scheduled court appearance next Monday.