Exploring Kaman

Chris Kaman lights off $10,000 worth of fireworks on his front lawn.

LeBron James' Life Is Apparently A 90's Hip-Hop Video

ESPN's Arash Markazi attached himself to LeBron James and his inner circle and wrote a profile detailing a night of extravagant partying in Las Vegas reminiscent of a Bad Boy music video from the mid-90's (Then again, what athlete's isn't?). Then the story disappeared off ESPN.com servers.

Here's a screenshot (click he thumbnail for a readable version) of the now-scratched article via Deadspin.com:

"Come back to reality, Dom."

To say that I have been brimming with anticipation since the trailer for Christopher Nolan's latest film, Inception broke last summer would be an understatement. Given how great Nolan's past work (Memento, The Prestige, The Dark Knight) was, I could only imagine how a film he described simply as, "a contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind" could turn out. After months of eager waiting, the July 16th release date finally arrived and I was fortunately able to catch the midnight showing.

The film was well worth the wait. In fact, it vastly exceeded the enormous expectations I set for it months in advance. Not only was I on the edge of my seat (literally) for the film's duration, but Inception was one of a very finite number of pictures in the last ten years that made me cogitate so deeply for so long after it had ended. Indeed, with this film Nolan was able to traverse the line between "summer blockbuster," mystery and drama in a way no director has before.

Of particular interest was the film's "spinning top" ending, and -- SPOILER ALERT-- whether it falls or not. There are many theories, but few have been as sophisticated or articulate as the one submitted by Devin Faraci of Chud.com in his article, "Never Wake Up: The Meaning and Secret of Inception".

Find the article after the jump.

Deciding on LeDecision

Because this is the biggest story in sports... because I'm not necessarily qualified to discuss this... because we've never seen anything like this before... because we'll likely never see anything like this again... because this was a display of narcissism on the grandest stage... because this has destroyed a city... because this has reinvigorated a city... because a triumvirate of this proportion is so rare in professional sports... because nobody knows exactly how this came together... because nobody knows how this is going to turn out... because this has the potential to change the direction of sports, period... for better or for worse...

• "LeGone: LeBron James announces he's leaving Cleveland Cavaliers for Miami Heat"- Brian Windhorst, Cleveland Plain Dealer
• Dan Gilbert's Open Letter To Fans
• "LeBron hardly a king for taking the easy way out with star-laden Heat"- Michael Rosenberg, Sports Illustrated
• "Inside 'The Decision': Miami's coup was a 'surprise' built on long-coveted goal of James, Wade and Bosh"- Brian Windhorst, Cleveland Plain Dealer
• "LeBron's 'Decision'? To Avoid the Path of Greatness"- Buzz Bissinger, Vanity Fair
  
• "Gilbert's letter signals wider backlash"- J.A. Adande, ESPN
• "Cleveland is left at a loss"- Bob Ryan, Boston Globe
• "From our Image Meltdown Files: Did LeBron James just jump the shark?"- Patrick Goldstein, Los Angeles Times
• "Easy come, easy go for King James"- Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports
• "Stars align and the sun shines on Miami Heat"- Dan LeBatard, Miami Herald
• "LeBron Watch, Day 50: What ESPN Should Have Asked LeBron James"- Scott Raab, Deadspin.com
• "ESPN Gets the Choice, Not Interview Right"- Richard Sandomir, New York Times
• "By rejecting his hometown team, LeBron James earns his slot on the Modell list of shame"- Bill Livingston, Cleveland Plain Dealer
• "LeBron's addition creates a historic opportunity"- Chris Perkins, FoxSportsFlorida.com
• "Welcome to the All-LeBron sound-off"- William J. (Bill) Simmons, ESPN 
• "LeBron James looks neither royal nor loyal"- Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times 
• "Did LeBron Become a Villain Overnight?"- David Roth, Wall Street Journal
• "The LeBron Decision"- Joe Posnanski, Sports Illustrated
• "DECISION 10!!!"- Lang Whittaker, SLAM
• "LeBron's unsavory 'Decision' spectacle"- Gene Wojciechowski, ESPN
• "Durant does the unthinkable this summer, lands deal without fanfare"- Frank Hughes, Sports Illustrated
• "Cheers Greet James in Miami as Criticism Rises"- Jonathon Abrams and Catharine Skipp, New York Times
• "That was nauseating"- Rick Telander, Chicago Sun-Times 
• "Cruella LeBron becomes villain"- Mark Heisler, Los Angeles Times
• "The DIsappointing Decision"- Vincent Thomas, SLAM
• "Counterpoint: LeBron James Is Not A Cocksucker"- Tommy Craggs, Deadspin.com
• "Gilbert lets out his frustration"- Brian Windhorst, Cleveland Plain Dealer
• "On the Media: ESPN sells LeSoul"- James Rainey, Los Angeles Times
• "The King of Contradiction"- Adam Sweeney, SLAM

The New World Order

LeBron James joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Miami Heat is the basketball equivalent of Hulk Hogan turning heel and forming the nWo with Scott Hall and Kevin Nash.

Addendum (Friday July 9, 2010 - 1:14 PM):
Just saw this on Bill Simmons' Twitter. Guess where the first link goes?

The Endless Debate

Sabermetric Guy vs. Non-Sabermetric Guy