Not Waiting Until 2014 to Clean My Financial House

            I transferred some money from my savings to my checking to payoff my Perkins student loan. I figured that I had the money why wait until 2014 to pay it off.  Furthermore, it would decrease my indebtedness, increase my creditworthiness, receive a payoff letter that I can send to all three credit bureau, and help my 2013 tax situation. 

The momentum I created today won’t stay in 2013. It would continue well into 2014 because I aim to payoff another student loan.  I have already decided to pay money each paycheck to accelerate my repayment. I will be done by July 1, 2014.  When I receive my state and federal tax refunds, I will use these funds to pay down my debt. Improving my finances are a 2014 resolution.  Even if it means my missing NBA All-Star then so be it because my credit rating matters more.

NBA Jam Session, Celebrity Game and BBVA Rising Stars Challenge Game

            Yesterday I attended the NBA Jam Session and Celebrity Game.  The Jam Session was sensory overload!  There were so many events happening simultaneously: autograph signing, hoops action, people in the NBA Store, Hall of Fame wall, everything!  The Jam Session gave people the full-fledged All-Star experience in a family-friendly environment. If I were a kid, I would had never wanted to leave.  45 minutes into the Jam Session, the Celebrity game line started backing up. I decided against getting in line until after security started letting people in.  Viewing the celebrity game map, I wouldn’t be that far from the stage so I was nonplussed.  Once it got closer to 5:30pm, I started looking for the exit.  The volunteers couldn’t tell me how to get from the Jam Session to the Celebrity game so I went through the black curtain. I showed my ticket to the lady and walked into the bleachers.  Section 202 was closer to mid-court which was advantageous for photo-taking.  I had both my camera and Blackberry on hand though I hadn’t used the latter until tonight because it gave better resolution (I will break down and purchase a professional camera that photojournalists use because I am fanatical about taking the BEST photos!).

Me in front of the Basketball Hall of Fame

Center Court End Zone Access

Me in front of the Center Court Wallpaper

Me in the Spacesuit

NBA2K13 

NBA Banners

NBA Store and Jam Session Sign

When the West team roster was announced, I was confused as to why Common was on it though he lived in Chicago which was in the Eastern conference. Conversely, I was perplexed as to why former San Antonio champion Sam Elliott was on the East though he played for the West.  

Houston Rockets Little Dippers

Houston Rockets Power Dancers

Celebrity Game

Rapper Common on the Foul Line

Usain Bolt being introduced on Jumbotron

Carl Sager and NBA Mascots

Anyhow, I had to skip out to walk to the Toyota Center for the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge game.  I was proud that Cleveland had 4 players! I went through security then came to the section 121 club level.  There was every amenity and convenience I needed: gift shop, food court, bathroom. I ordered my pizza and drink in the Amex card lane because using mine to book my trip, it would be rude not too! My seat was in the fourth row right behind Team Shaq where three Cleveland players sit. Someone was sitting in my seat because they decided that it was four of them. Fuming I snapped ‘Well, at least I can get my pop holder!’ He moved his drink.  I ate my pizza and ready to see my Cavaliers in action; and, although Team Shaq got blown out by Team Chuck, I was happy to see Kyrie dominate.  When he broke Brandon’s ankles twice I was there in the front row.  Having this kind of experience, magnified why I didn’t spend $220 for the Saturday Night upper-deck and $519 for the NBA All-Star game upper-deck seat.

Toyota Center All-Star Houston 2013 Sign

Houston Rockets Mascot Clutch

BBVA Rising Stars Game in Action

Player Introductions

Team Shaq Bench

Inside Club Level Suite

Walking to Section 121

Inside Club Level Suite

Air Elite NBA

Air Elite

Cleveland Cavaliers Kyrie Irving

Kyrie on Floor

Cleveland Cavalier Tyler Zeller

NBA All-Star Practice

            I snagged these tickets through Amex pre-sale before they were open to the general public January 30^th.  My ticket cost $50 and the majority of attendees were seated in my section 202.  Since I arrived 15 minutes later, I sat a couple of risers higher than yesterday’s celebrity game, however, I managed to take pretty good photos.

Western and Eastern Conference All-Stars converge on center court

Eastern Conference All-Stars warming up

NBA All-Star practice stage

Western Conference All-Stars

Wishing Derrick Rose Well

            Though I am sadden by Derrick Rose tearing his ACL during game 1 of the NBA playoffs, I agree with a blogger that David Stern and the greedy owners creating this abbreviated schedule are at fault!  First, no one knows whether it is a partial or a whole ACL tear.  Second, many NBA players had torn ACL and rebounded.  Dirk tore his in 2009 and three years later won the championship with Dallas! Finally, Derrick will listen to his doctors, fully healing from both his ACL.  Instead of returning to the NBA in January 2013, Rose should go to the developmental league for the remainder of the 2012-2013 season.  This move lets me regain his contact play.  Chicago and the Bench Mob can get the Bulls back into the playoffs.  Derrick must care about himself and his future.  Though it is hard to take ego out of the situation, Derrick must do this for survival else meet Brandon Roy’s fate.  Roy suffered an injury, returned too soon, won a playoff game for the Portland Trailblazers but was forced to retire because of said injury.  Rose is far too smart for that.  Playing in the D-League from January to April will get him back into game shape.  It isn’t as if the Bulls or Adidas will say no.  

The NBA Hall of Famers are Right to Call Out LeBron!

Michael Jordan and Ervin 'Magic' Johnson are absolutely right for calling out LeBron James as a follower who does not have the heart to compete against his other NBA rivals! One, LeBron will not win a ring in Miami for three reasons: 1) he is no longer the leader who cannot make 100% of the decisions, 2) in between him, D. Wade and Chris Bosh there are too many egos on this team and 3) friends and business do not mix. Unlike Yahoo! Sports blogger Trey Kerby who has neither won a literary award nor won a championship, Jordan and Magic are not complaining. These two men have 10 championship rings to LeBron's 0 rings! Furthermore, when MJ arrived in Chicago, the Bulls were not contenders. He made them one by winning 6 titles! Moreover, both MJ and Magic are astute businessmen. This commonality directly derives from them not quitting when things go bad! Magic Johnson has amassed a $500 million dollar business empire. Michael Jordan's staying in Chicago has taught him to stick it out in the hypercompetitive business world. This is the reason why Jordan now owns his own NBA franchise the Charlotte Bobcats! This translates into money or in James' case the loss of money. This week it has been reported that James is no longer a top-3 endorser slipping to #4. This is crucial because companies will not pay as much for him as a follower versus LeBron as a leader. Dwayne will get all of the money! I doubt that LeBron will ever make it to this MJ's and Magic's sports and business levels because he has bailed out of a tough situation. This character trait reappears in business. Finally, what MJ and Magic think about LeBron matters because it leads to my third point: NBA Hall of Fame entry. Current Hall of Famers determine future Hall of Famers. If MJ and Magic words are any indication, LeBron James will not receive enough votes for entry. In between, the loss of respect, money and Hall of Fame status, there is no way LeBron will ever win a championship or recapture the credibility everyone once had in him!

LeBron's Cowardice Will Never Win a Championship in Miami

LeBron has made a very, very bad career decision by going to the Miami Heat that will have career implications for four reasons. First, is the Shaq factor. Dwayne Wade has not won a championship without Shaquille O'Neal; whereas, Kobe has won two NBA championships. Wade is the catalyst for the Miami Heat so if he cannot get over the hump, how will LeBron James and Chris Bosh? Second, LeBron James will never be considered a first-round NBA Hall of Famer because he jumped shipped. Look at Kobe Bryant. Even when things were bad, he stayed in LA helping the Lakers win two more championships. The same with Tim Duncan staying with San Antonio winning 4 championships. From a historical point, look at Michael Jordan staying with Chicago winning 6 championships; Larry Bird staying with Boston winning 4 championships; and. Magic Johnson staying with the Los Angeles Lakers staying winning 4 championships. There is no way that the voters would send LeBron to the Hall of Fame after pulling this stunt. Third, I knew that when Chris Bosh was interviewing for ESPN instead of Wade, that there would be problems in paradise because now he thought that he was at the level as Dwayne and LeBron. Chris was never an All-Star starter. Now he thinks that he is at their level and going to get plays drawn up for them? That's three directionless prima donnas in Miami versus a cohesive Los Angeles Lakers team? I reside in Washington, DC and have seen how Gilbert Areans, Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison have fizzled going up against Cleveland. I am taking Kobe over Dwayne, LeBron and Chris. Finally, LeBron cannot function well in a subordinate position. He is used to being the 'King' for seven years and celebrated as this generation's Michael Jordan. Now he has relegated himself to the Scottie Pippen role. This is not going to work. It is a train wreck waiting to happen!