Less than an hour before tipoff in Game One of the National Basketball Association Finals, and I still don’t know if I’ll be able to root for the Lakers.  The reason?  I hate Kobe Bryant … possibly more than I hate the Boston Celtics. That’s hate.  I want to stop. I want to forgive. If you have, [...]

It’s gonna happen.
Shaq vs. Kobe.
Kobe vs. Shaq.
The one thing that can save the NBA from the turgid brilliance of the San Antonio Spurs–you are killing us with your frigging unselfish balance!–is going to happen. Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal are going to meet in the playoffs and the NBA, which has seen its popularity and [...]

WED. OCT. 31: PAUL TIBBETS AND THE ENOLA GAY
Tues | Oct 30 Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona is indicted on federal corruption charges that could land him in prison for 105 years. That’s a long time for anyone, let alone someone known as “America’s Sheriff.” I mean, I don’t know a lot about prison—my friend [...]

OK, the Lakers lost yesterday, 118-104, to the New Orleans Hornets so maybe all those people who thought the team was gonna run the table shold take a deep breath now. On the other hand, don’t discount what the Lakers have accomplished so far.
After an off-season that saw no additions of any weight, and a fracturing of the relationship [...]

Laker star Kobe Bryant, who spent the off-season demanding a trade from the team because he said it was not constructed to win now and couldn’t compete with the top teams in the NBA, has seen the absolute worst happen: the Lakers are winning now by beating the top teams in the NBA. The team [...]

if{open}: Continuing on with Retro Row’s so-called rebirth, {open} hosts its fourth-anniversary party with Dublab and cupcakes. The event will also kick off the bookstore’s “if{open}” exhibit, in which 25 artists from around the world imagine and re-imagine the word “open.” 7pm. Free.
{OPEN} 2226 E Fourth St, Long Beach 90814. 562.499.6736; thestoryofopen.com.
Tree Planting: Wrigley residents [...]

Former L.A. Times sports columnist J.A. Adande writes on ESPN.com that the Dodgers’ signing of Joe Torre as manager will do little to improve the team’s local standing. What’s to improve? Afterall, the Dodgers drew their usual three million-plus fans (3.8 milion to be exact) last season, which is pretty good for a fourth-place team [...]

One good thing about the start of another interminable NBA season–have you got your tickets for the league finals? In June?–is that we get to read the LA Times Mark Heisler write on basketball. Heisler is simply one of the best, and he is always great when giving advice to hapless NBA franchises. Until recently, [...]

Tues | May 29 I was reading “The Canalis Report” on the Press-Telegram website today. This particular report, published a few days ago, follows new councilman Dee Andrews around his Sixth District neighborhood and contains this line from author John Canalis: “If Long Beach is a body, I know the head uptown, the feet downtown, [...]