AntJChillous’ blog

This week, jury selection for the R.Kelly sex tape trial began this week in Chicago. After 6 years of continuous attempts by the R.Kelly defense team to delay the case, a judge blocked their latest request, leaving the door open for what could be an embarrassing trial for R.Kelly.

We all know about the sex tape that became and still is an internet firestorm. There is concrete evidence that shows R.Kelly doing horrible and degrading things to a 14-year old girl (the girl is now in her twenties). He's been made fun of, disected, and even givien the chance to still go on tour and make new albums. But this is where it all might end for one  of the most successful but enigmatic entertainers of our generation.

I'm not going to spend a lot of time trying to say why R.Kelly did it. I'm also not going to defend him on any account. I saw the tape, and I feel that R.Kelly is really guilty. Those of you who might read this may want to defend him. I'm hear to tell you don't bother. If you do defend him, you should be committed to a mental institution.

In closing, I'll say that just because you're a famous celebrity does not give you the right to do whatever you want and not face the consquences of your actions. R.Kelly is guilty, and a Cook County judge will give him the punishment that he deserves, and the justice the young woman and her family they deserve.

On Sunday April 13, 2008, the Seattle SuperSonics defeated the Dallas Mavericks 99-95 in front of a emotional home crowd at Key Arena. It was emotional because the Sonics appear to be moving to Oklahoma City next year. After 41 years of tradition, the first pro sports franchise to be located in the Pacific Northwest will be gone, but not forgotten.

The Sonics were established in 1967. Since that time, they have appeared in the playoffs 22 years, won several division titles, three Western Conference titles, and their lone NBA title in 1979. Players such as Gus Williams, Freddie Brown, Jack Sikma, Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Lenny Wilkens, Tom Chambers, and Ray Allen have all played in Seattle, and became fan favorites. Seattle has had some of the most loyal fans in the NBA, even though they have played in sereval venues( Seattle Center Coliseum, The Kingdome, Tacoma Dome, and Key Arena). The SuperSonics have been one of the most successful teams in the modern era of the NBA.

Fast forward to today. The team has suffered through three straight losing seasons, and are in the process of rebuilding the team with Kevin Durant and Jeff Green as key cogs on their roster. Owner Clay Bennett, who is a Oklahoma City native, once wanted to keep the team in Seattle if the city came up with public funds for a new arena. But when the city and the State of Washington rejected a 500 million dollar project for the arena, Bennett took his problems to Commissioner David Stern. After several months of negotiations, the NBA board of governors will meet later this month to decide if the team can move to Oklahoma City. If the owners have their way, it could happen.

So if Sunday was the last time we may see an NBA game in Seattle, let me say it has been fun watching Sonics games on TV for the last several years. The NBA will probably be shooting themselves if the move occurs because they will lose a great NBA city with a winning tradition. Hopefully, the city will get a new franchise. Unitl then, farwell Seattle. The NBA and I will miss you.

This NBA season has been a very exciting one. With milestones achieved, great plays and pretty solid teams, the last couple of months in the regular season will be fun to watch. One thing to watch is the race in the Western Conference. Since the break up of Chicago Bulls dynasty of the 90's, the west has won 7 of the last 9 NBA Championships (San Antonio and LA Lakers have all 7). But this season, 10 teams are over .500, but only 8 can get in. The most amazing part of this is that the 10 teams are separated by 7 games. That means that one big injury to a marquee player or a mini slump can hurt a teams chances of getting in to the playoffs.

Another interesting factor is that several of the contending teams in west made big roster moves before the trading dealing. With Pau Gasol going from Memphis to LA, Shaquille O'Neal from Miami to Phoenix, and Jason Kidd going back to Dallas from New Jersey, these moves can give a team a upper hand in their quest to win an NBA title.

Let's look at some teams who figure to be in the mix

1. LA Lakers- The trade of Pau Gasol gives the Lakers a versatile big man who can play the perimeter and the low post. This also gives them a very solid 2nd scoring option to Kobe Bryant. Gasol gives them more flexibility in Phil Jackson's triangle offense. When Andrew Bynum returns from his injury, they will have a long and athletic front-court with Lamar Odom, Bynum, and Gasol. The bench players have also played well lately. If the Lakers continue their recent run, they could win their 15th NBA title in franchise history.

2. San Antonio Spurs- The Spurs were inconsistent earlier in year with injuries to key players such as Tony Parker. They also began to show their age. But since their annual Rodeo Road Trip, they have been playing great basketball. Tim Duncan is a solid low post player, and Parker has been playing well since his return from an ankle injury. But the x-factor has been Manu Ginobili, who leads the team in scoring, and has been ripping the nets, averaging 30 ppg in his last several outings. The addition of Kurt Thomas from Seattle gives them another solid rebounder and low post scorer to compliment Duncan.

3.Phoenix Suns- For the last several years, the Suns have been one of the highest scoring teams in the league. Their run and gun style has produced 3 straight 60 win seasons. However, it has not translated into a title. Their biggest weakness was a lack of a dominant low post player. The trade of Shaq from Miami for forward Shawn Marion should give them that low post threat. So far, it's hasn't worked. Keep in mind that O'Neal is playing in a new system, and is coming off a long layoff due to injury while with Miami. But if he can get on the same page with Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire, they can win their first ever NBA championship.

4. Dallas Mavericks-The Mavs pulled a stunner by bringing veteran point guard Jason Kidd back to the team that drafted him 14 years ago. Kidd brings leadership and experience, having played in 2 NBA Finals with New Jersey. The move gives Dallas a sound floor leader who can do it all, score, pass, and rebound. This also could reopen the window of opportunity of the Mavs, who are too talented of a team not to win it all. After losing to Miami in the Finals in '06, and losing in the first round to Golden State last year, the team pulled all the stops to get back to the finals. If the move pans out, the Mavs can win their first ever NBA crown.

5. New Orleans Hornets- This is the feel good story of the NBA. After playing the last two years in Oklahoma City due to Hurricane Katrina, the Hornets are playing some very good ball. Point guard Chris Paul is an MVP candidate, leading the team and scoring, assists, and steals. Coach Byron Scott has silenced his critics, and is in the running for coach of the year. If the fans can show more support, the team's future in New Orleans looks bright.

6. Houston Rockets- The Rockets have won 14 straight games, and are the x-factor in this years playoff chase. But the Rockets suffered a major blow when All-Star Center Yao Min suffered a season-ending foot injury. The load now will be carried by guard Tracy McGrady, who is trying to win his first ever playoff series. They go as far as he takes them. But with Yao gone, Dikembe Mutumbo, who is in his 40's, must find the fountain of youth, and give the team a solid presence in the middle.

Overall, the last two months will be fun to watch. With the playoffs starting in April, we will see who has enough talent and moxy to make a serious run to an NBA title.

Yesterday, five students at Northern Illinois University had their lives taken away by a gunman. The same person who killed these five people also killed himself. This is just the latest in a disturbing trend of university shootings. Several months after the Virginia Tech massacre, many people are starting to wonder is any place on earth safe.

Several years ago, you wouldn't think that incidents like these would happen on a college campus. There was a time where colleges and universities were viewed as a safety zone, where students can train in their field of choice and develop relationships with other young collegians. Now in the wake of this latest tragedy, the safety of students is in serious jeopardy.

One of the problems that I have with this is that the gunmen in these latest incidents had some kind of mental illness. I understand that treating these people would have cost the schools money, but why wasn't their past histories brought to the attention of the administration? It would have been great for the parents of students to know if their child was in harms way due to the unstableness of another student. Yes, the information of a person's mental health is confidential. But colleges and universities must understand that they can no longer treat take things lightly. One suggestion I have is if a student has a history of mental illness before he or she enrolled, they should force that student to mandatory counseling. That way, there can be some kind of repetitive intervention.

In closing, let me just say that this needs to stop. Universities are no longer safe havens as the used to be. Everybody has to do their part. Parents need to check on their kids, professors must take a stand and take action if a problem arises, and the administrators must make counseling a priority. 

Yesterday, Illinois Senator Barack Obama defeated New York Senator Hillary Clinton in 3 more Democratic primaries in Maryland, Virginia, & DC. The victories made it 8 states in a row Obama has won, and has now taken the lead over Clinton in the Democratic Presidential Race. With several more primaries to go until this summers' National Convention, many people believe that Obama can win this race.

I think Barack Obama can win this race because of two key factors.

1. His appeal to young voters- With the presidential election less than 9 months away, young voters are more important in this year's election than any other in recent history. Young people are clearly fed up with the way things have been going in the last 7 years, and are looking for a change. Obama has the charisma and the appeal that swings towards young voters, which can play a major part at him possibly taking the White House. Also, Obama is in his 40's,which makes him more attractive to younger voters while the other candidates are over the age of 50.

2. His appeal to all races-Unlike black candidates in the past, such as Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton who used their agenda to push the issues of Black America, Obama has steered clear of that fateful tatic, and has reached out to every race in this country. His focus on combating issues such as the economy, healt care, the environment, and national security has drawn interest from Democratic voters, regardless of color. Also, he has never used his racial background as the reason why people should vote for him.

In conclusion, Obama's drive and ambition in making America revelant again on the world stage is one of the reasons I believe that he can become the first person of color to be elected Commander-in-Chief. If Obama can win two more important primaries in Ohio and Texas, he will more than likely win the nomination from the Democrats. Nothing against Clinton and John McCain. They're great in their own right. But as Obama says, America is ready for a change. Judging from his recent string of victories, I think he's right!!

On February 3, the final game of the NFL season will take place in Glendale, Arizona. Super Bowl XLII will feature the New England Patriots and the New York Giants. Both teams earned a trip to the big game by winning their conference title games. This game has so many interesting story lines. Here they are:

1. Dynasty in the Making- The Patriots are trying to win their fourth Super Bowl in the last seven years. That's very impressive, considering that in today's NFL, the talent pool is even across the board. They have a future hall of fame quarterback in Tom Brady, a coaching genius in Bill Belichiek, and a host of other very good players.

2. More Records might be broken- If the Patriots win this game, they'll join the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only teams in NFL history to win all of their games in the regular season and playoffs. The '72 Dolphins went 17-0, and all season America watched as the 2007 Pats matched the Dolphins run at a perfect season. 18 down, 1 to go for the Pats.

3. A Manning is playing in the Super Bowl- For the second year in a row, the big game features a quarterback named Manning. But it's not Peyton, but his little brother Eli. After having an up and down first four years in New York, Eli is starting to live up to his potential, and has proven why the Giants traded for him on draft day back in 2004. The last month has been very good for Eli, completing more than 60 percent of his passes, and has not turned the ball over. How he plays on the world's biggest stage will determine if the Giants can win.

4. Can the Giants win one for the Gap?-Instead of trying to win one of the Gipper, the Giants will try to win a world title for the Gap, as in Defensive End Michael Strahan. I call him the Gap because of the gap he has between his teeth. Say what you want about his facial features, but he is a very good football player. After 15 years in the league, Strahan will try to win his first Super Bowl crown.

5. Boston vs New York- I know this last one is not important, but you have to wonder if fans in both markets will be talking a lot of trash towards each other before the game. If you think the Yankees- Red Sox baseball rivalry has bad blood, then that's just the tip of the iceberg. Whenever a Boston team plays a New York team in any sport, you can expect a lot of jawing between the fans. Also, these are two of the top 20 media markets in the nation, accounting for 5 percent of the US population.

I am looking forward to watching this game. This will be a good game to watch, with both teams giving it their all for a shot at eternal glory. So if you haven't gotten ready for this game, then you should. I know that the Pats are probably going to be favored by double digits to win, but don't be surprised it the Giants give them a game. The final game of the 2007 NFL season is near. Get ready folks, it's going to be a good one!!

Today, news was made across the country that New England Patriots Wide Receiver Randy Moss was accused of assaulting a female friend down in Florida on January 6. Moss has vehemently denied that he assaulted the woman, claiming she is trying to extort $600,000 from him. Just when you thought he really cleaned up his image, it's just another case of a great athlete making some bad choices. Let's turn back the clock and see exactly what led to this moment.

1. Before he became an  All-Pro Receiver, Moss was an All-State football and basketball star in Belle, WV. He had a football scholarship to play at Florida State University, but head coach Bobby Bowden revoked his scholarship after Moss was charged with assaulting a young female during his senior year in high school. He ended up playing his college ball at nearby Marshall University, we he became a 2-time All-American and was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy in 1997.

2. When he came out after his sophomore year, Moss was projected to be a top 5 pick in the 1998 NFL draft. But due to character issues, his draft stock slipped. The Minnesota Vikings ended up taking Moss with the 18th pick. During his time with the Vikings, Moss grabbed headlines on the field for his spectacular play. But he also grabbed headlines off the field for his erratic behavior. He was fined for numerous acts such as squirting a water bottle at a referee, telling teammates "I play when I wanna play", and for quitting on plays on numerous occasions. The most serious incident occurred in 2004, when he was arrested for bumping a female traffic cop with his car in downtown Minneapolis. Upon his arrest, police also found drugs in the vehicle. He was traded to Oakland Raiders after the 2004 season, and after two unproductive seasons there, he was traded to New England prior to this season.

3. When the Patriots acquired Moss, many people wondered if could he fit in with the Patriots, and could he co-exist with quarterback Tom Brady and Head Coach Bill Belicheik. Moss proved the doubters wrong, and as a result, the team rewrote the record books with arguably the the greatest season by any team in NFL history. The Pats went 16-0 during the regular season, which no team had never done before. Moss broke Jerry Rice's 20 year old record for most TD catches in a season with 23. You never heard about Randy getting into trouble because the team has been playing great all year. Now comes this latest incident, and some people, including myself, have once again started to question the character of Randy Moss.

Overall, the facts of this latest incident have not been fully documented. Right now, it's just another case of he said/she said. But, when you look back the past incidents that Moss has been involved in, it's only natural to do a knee-jerk reaction and say he's still the same old Randy Moss. But I am a firm believer in the facts, and I will not pass judgment on him until all of the facts of this case surface. Until then, I'll give Randy a free pass.

After 23 years of memorable moments, the final NFL game was played at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. The defending Super Champion Colts lost a tough game to San Diego Chargers in the AFC Divisional Playoffs. In August of  this year, the team will move to Lucas Oil Stadium, across the street from the old dome. Before anybody in Indy or anywhere else who is a Colts fan gets teary-eyed, let's look at some reasons why the RCA Dome probably won't be missed by anybody.

1. The size- The RCA dome was the smallest stadium in the NFL for some years now. In recent years,larger, state of the art stadiums have gone up in places like Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Detroit. Jim Irsay, the owner of the team, knew that if he wanted the team to remain marketable, and here in Indy, he had to get a bigger, newer stadium built before the lease of the old one expired in 2009.

2. Not that much memorable moments- Aside from last seasons comeback against New England in AFC Championship Game and the raising of the teams Super Bowl Banner, the RCA Dome did have enough noteworthy memories to put in a scrapbook. Sure the dome hosted the NCAA Men's Final Four Four Times, and it was co-host of the poorly planned World Championship of Basketball in 2002, but nothing besides that game against the Patriots stands out. In short, the dome was just a place that was flexible enough to host a majority of events. But it did not develop a national reputation such as Lambeau Field in Green Bay, and Texas Stadium in Dallas.

3. Same Design, Same Dreadful Result (possibly).-Two years prior to the RCA Dome, the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome opened in Minneapolis, MN for the Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. If you look at any pictures of both stadiums, the design of the roof is similar. Both domes were made with an air-supported, fiber glass roofs, which can control the temperature of the dome. It was considered state of the art at time, but if a storm or tornado ripped through any of the cities, the roof of the dome would be severely damaged, costing the the city millions of dollars in repairs.

As much I'm going to miss seeing the RCA Dome near the city skyline, I'm also looking forward for the new stadium to be complete and ready to go. Since 1984 the dome helped reshape Downtown Indianapolis. But Lucas Oil Stadium will REDEFINE downtown Indianapolis. So long RCA Dome. Like Mike Vanderjagt, you will not be missed. In other words, good riddance.