The Whole Delivery

Halftime Thread, Real Madrid 1-0 Bayern Munich  It was total Bayern domination at the beginning, but the minute Rafinha was caught on a counter, it was the fear that Pep Guardiola sent himself up for by putting him there. Now Philip Lahm can also find himself strayed too froward, but in this instance, it was all the Brazilian right back as Boateng and Dante couldn't recover for the gap that needed to be filled.  Benzema just couldn't miss from there and set up Ronaldo on a platter for the second, only for the Portuguese to waste his chance.  Benzema, for a player who doesn't track back, had the key track back moment of the half that lead to his goal and was firmly rewarded. Wonderful indeed it was from him to show his all around world class when he is at his top level.  Alaba was exposed defensively again as well, as Benzema made the run and he lost him there while he would have been at fault had Di Maria either scored or passed back to a wide o...

Pre-Game Kickaround: Fernando's Last Chance  In a normal buildup to Champions League semifinals, the return of Fernando Torres to his former two clubs would be a story garnering frontline attention, examining in detail whether the former world class striker turned global mystery would recapture his once impeccable form. But the events of recent days has made that intriguing tale almost as irrelevant as Pep Guardiola renewing his rivalry with Real Madrid. The David Moyes saga and Torres' own current manager, Jose Mourinho negative tales, have occupied the attention well before the Spanish striker's return to his old domiciles. In fact, Atletico manager Diego Simeone is third in line for most headlines in both the English and Espana's presses, with him now being linked to the United job despite being comfortable with his position. Torres' anecdote though will return to the forefront this time around, as he is destined to get playing time in Chelsea's big...

Even before the album was released, at 18 in 1992 sir Nasir created "Halftime" with the drum Christmas snars in full effect from Large Professor's brilliance instrumental. It was the first single of his career and started it all, from the other nine tracks on the album to the career we see today. "You couldn't catch me in the streets without a ton of reefer/ That's like Malcolm X, catchin the Jungle Fever/" "Nas, Why did you do it?/ you know you got the mad fat fluid when you rhyme, it's halftime/" "These are the lyrics of a man, you can't near it, understand/Cause in the streets, I'm well know like the number man." "Puttin hits on 5-0/ Cause when it's my time to go, I wait for God wit the fo'-fo'/" So for those who still don't know, this is the first song of the career of Sir Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones. It's "Halftime", and it's needed video. More to come from Th...

All night tonight, it is definitely a total celebration of Nas' 20th anniversary for Illmatic. To acknowledging all five of its singles in chronological order to reviewing everything as in full for just this album, it is going on all night long with this one. So more of that to come at The Whole Delivery in a bit, stay tuned. Night's Schedule  Thread on "Halftime" Thread on "It AIn't Hard To Tell" Thread on "Life's a Bitch"  Thread on "The World Is Yours"  Thread on "One Love" 

As condolences are delivered to Colombia (and Mexico's) pride and joy Gabriel Garcia Marquez, there is definitely one standout tidbit that caught the attention of yours' truly. It was from CNN Tood Leopold's great obit on Marquez, where the United States' paranoia with renowned outsiders who contrast with its "ethos" was once again apparent. The book didn't ease all of García Márquez's problems, however. As a vocal leftist and defender of Castro's Cuba, he was regularly limited or denied visas by the United States until President Bill Clinton, a fan of "Solitude," revoked the ban. Clinton went on to express his condolences right after in that fine write up from Leopold and showed how Marquez remained steadfast to his rational, "all for one, one for all" perspective that fueled his writing. It also displayed the utter pettiness that came with so many US presidents from Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan and Bush with an accomp...

Photo from Liverpool Twitter's Feed 25 years later and the answers still escape those scarred by the Hillsborough crushing tragedy. Beyond the must watch peice from Daniel Gordon on ESPN's 30 for 30 in America tonight, in order to give people on this side of the world even more perspective on the long term torment the disaster has brought, is the on going search for full accountability against powerful institutions that will go beyond today's poignant tributes. The laissez-faire affair of Margaret Thatcher, the royal family and other prime ministers after her of not giving needed punishment to the Football Association, Sheffield Wednesday, and the local authorities is a prime examples of the many coverups the elites will proudly do in order to save hides. And apart of those elites sadly are big news publications, as Rupert Murdoch's The Sun played a massive role in contributing to the smearing of "The 96" from the start with the infamous "The ...

This underrated gem from six years ago never ages, and neither does Raphael Saadiq's underrated brilliance. The happy return of the Sunday Soulful series, here is "100 Yard Dash" from Raphael Saadiq. This is The Whole Delivery. 

Fulltime: Liverpool 3-2 Manchester City - The Winner from Coutinho  A man desperate for a Premier League title, Steven Gerrard displayed great emotions to the global audience after the match. He told his team to start focusing on Norwich, knowing that today's massive result is just one result.  He also had a great word to Jeff Shreeves after the match:  More to come at The Whole Delivery today, stay tuned.  Halftime Version - Liverpool 2-0 Manchester City  First Edit: Aguero will start the match on the bench.  Pre-Game Version Biggest game of the season, and somehow, I think that with Aguero supposedly coming back, I see a rare draw for Liverpool as of late.  (Halftime and fulltime versions to come) 

Photo from USATSI "I was shooting for stars, on a Saturday night...." As always, it's B.O.B leading in the Saturday night: Full coverage of Pacquiao/Bradley 2 later on in the night. Stay tuned at TWD. 

Truly one of the great songs ever, and clearly among the most underrated. From telling the full truth about Denzel and Harry's Oscars to him even being a 9/11 half-truther, this Jadakiss' effort from a decade ago on the Havoc produced "Why" for his "Kiss Of Death" album is an all-time classic. The song was so incredible that it made even Bill O'Reilly respond in anger to his attacks on The Shrub (George W. Bush), calling The Lox man a "smear merchant" and going as far as to call out, as usual, the highest of powers associated with one of his targets with the Vivendi corporation (who had Ruff Ryders/Interscope at the time) drawing his ire this time. It amazingly reached #11 on the Billboard charts despite Kiss never being glamorous enough for crossover mainstream pop music and it being a heavy modern "black (and black hood) power" song. Instead of the thug/street tracks that made him a staple in the game with Styles P and...

Patrice Evra sent everyone on shock notice and Bayern in worry with his tremendous strike.  But 70 secs later, he feel asleep real quick and Mandzukic scored. And the rest was history.  Meanwhile, as I thought below, Atletico have advanced despite hitting the woodwork three times and leaving other chances to the ground.  It just wasn't Messi's night, as he had a snap header go wide as his only true chance that was a must score from him.  Courtois amazing and Xavi couldn't finish that wild scramble in the second half to put Barcelona out and Tata Martino under major pressure.  The Team of the Week:  The @ChampionsLeague Team of the Week- Courtois; Evra, Cahill, Godin, JuanFran; Raul Garcia, Jojic; Reus, Kroos, Koke; Demba Ba — Andrew Jerell Jones (@sluggahjells) April 9, 2014 What a remarkable week of Champions League quarterfinals' finales for another season. The two big Madrid clubs, Jose Mourinho, and Pep Guardi...

The first words from Jonathan Fleming after wrongly being in jail for 25 years, becoming the latest wrongly convicted and imprisoned black man in America. "It's been a long time coming," Fleming said. "I waited for this day to come, 24 and a half years for this nightmare to be over and this day is finally here. I've dreamt about this many nights, and I'm finally a free man." And yet, some weird lady asked the question, "Did you get bitter at any point during these 24 years?" Ridiculous. On a more poignant note, the emotion his mother, Patricia Fleming, displayed for his son being free is obviously a must see . "Free man, free man, free man, it's over, it's over now, it's all over." And the words of Fleming's significant speak to how tremendous her heart is. And the real factual thing that will continue to persist is that there are thousands of more Jonathan Flemings, including those who are on death...

The rebound stats was just the major difference on the evening, as expected.  Quite the accomplishment regardless of Auriemma's sometimes silly comments. But he gets the 40-0 record and 9th title.  The other versions of the thread, down below  Halftime: Notre Dame  38, Connecticut 47 32 points to 10 is the paint differential right now for the UConn women. Still, thanks to Notre Dame 3-point shooting, they stayed in the game.  Simply put, McGraw has to keep the zone and let the guards beat them instead of roughest inside combo in the nation to have a chance, while keeping up their 3-production. Even if Achonwa was available, UConn would be the slight favorite in this one. However, without her, it will take a total off night from the Big 4 for Geno's girls to give up perfection to McGraw's tenacious side. Notre Dame must somehow make the rebounding edge to the Huskies not be too wide, along with containing the second c...

Final Version The quarterfinals' second legs can always produce dramatic moments, and that was the case once again on the evening, as Chelsea completed a dramatic comeback while Borussia Dortmund fell just shy of an even bigger, more historic one.  Real Madrid nation breathes a heavy sigh of relief while PSG fanatics have the pain of a late winner see their egress in the same round for a second straight season.  If the games were this tense and tight despite the deficits they both had, image how the pressure will be on tomorrow evening at the Calderon and the Allianz, as both legs are tied at 1-1. We as neutrals can only hope that the drama will be just as amazing.  Other neither of the four managers tomorrow will be able to match what Jose Mourinho did today.  That's Champions League coverage for the day. See you tomorrow. You can look at the pregame stuff and what I thought.  The Pre Game Setup Version  ...

From his days as a firm star of The Wire in the 4th and 5th seasons as Michael Lee, to now an R&B riser, Mack Wilds really is making that transition required for future success. In fact, he has already done that. "Own It" was the first main single from him last year for his under the radar solid effort "New York: A Love Story," and has propelled him into one to watch in the music game too. So here it is, "Own It", your Music Wakeup Call for today. More to come from The Whole Delivery in a bit, stay tuned.

Photo from USA Today  It would have been boring if they did go 39-0 and gone a whole season without any drama, any questions of inexperience, or severe tests of character before the title game. But John Calipari's 2013-14 Kentucky team wouldn't have given us the thrills of seeing their roller coaster development and create a masterpiece in maturation. It's ironic and fitting that this Kentucky team, heaped with the label of possibly being the first side since Bob Knight's 1976 Indiana team to go perfect, were the ones to end Wichita State's undefeated season. It's like they replaced the Shockers as the unblemished side trying to create history instead of the team who massively disappointed up until that first weekend of the tournament. Now two more weekends later, they are getting the results that most of us thought they would, but in a way that displays how the golden brick road isn't automatically given to high prized recruits, but so richly earn...

There have been few in the college basketball coaching ranks who have handled adversity better than Kevin Ollie. Coaches with longer resumes and years at the helm could take lessons from the 41-year-old, and that also includes those in the college football ranks who love to use their powers of leaving the kids they recruited behind as soon as the next big money, big job opportunity opens. When Ollie took over the reigns of the UConn program after Jim Calhoun retired and left him with sanctions two years ago, it could have lead to a slow but steady demise of one of NCAA basketball's prime institutions. The legacy of Geno Auriesma on the women's side of the program wasn't going to be of any significant aid to Ollie, who needed to find a way of stabling a program who had lost a legendary coach and seemed destined for the downward slope (the "demise" of the original Big East also was of no facilitation to Ollie's difficult challenge).   Shabazz Napier, R...

This track really is rising in these "urban" streets, where this DJ Mustard is becoming a top producer in the game (at 23) with the song for this. Kid Ink doesn't mess it up and provides the standout line of the song in the second verse. "My bad if my EX wants to fight you." You even forget sometimes that Chris Brown is on this track whit how smooth the beat is from Mustard, and it's really deserved its shine. Thankfully the video keeps it simple and works with the song. Your Music Wakeup Call for this day, it's Kid Ink ft Chris Brown for the DJ Mustard produced "Show Me." More to come at The Whole Delivery later, stay tuned. 

Truly one of my favorite songs of all time from a movie that deserved to be cherished much more. "Life" was one of the most underrated films ever in my mind. Martin Lawrence and Eddie Murphy were terrific, and so was their story of black wrong incarceration. Of course, a good bit of white movie critics didn't feel that way, but some others like the late Roger Ebert and the solid James Berardinelli understood the humor mixed with the pain. It only made it fitting that K-Ci and JoJo fit the movie and wrong, black imprisonment to a tee with this sweet, soulfully emotional effort. So your first Friday flashback for the day, it's K-Ci and Jojo with "Life." More to come at The Whole Delivery in a bit. 

As most know by now, Boomer Esiason makes himself Boomer Esiason with his even more idiotic loudmouth sidekick (Craig Carton) embarrassing the male gender again by not challenging the ridiculous "C-section" comment. Now look, it's Esiason's chauvinist mentality if he wanted it to be his way for his significant other when he played for the Bengals and the Jets. But anytime period, even in the "old school alpha male" days of yesteryear, still meant this was a nutty thing to do to your spouse or a fellow male. But for Esiason, this is unsurprising from his conservative, alpha male, tough guy persona. He has been so tough that he definitely hasn't even thought about tweeting today. And the same with that clown next to him in Carton. For those who never even heard of Esiason before yesterday, just trust me on the fact that Carton is even worse. Hopefully everyone at WFAN and CBS Sports, especially female, expressed to them their thoughts on his ne...

After today's latest monarchial, affluent, and elitist ruling by the John Roberts Corporate Court, allowing the Kochs and Adelsons of the world to spread their already toxic influence on American governing, it is once again salient to bring up this question I always ask: Why isn't the Supreme Court televised? I mean, seriously, this is something in 2014 that should long never be a question, but will continue to be for what I fear will be forever. Television hasn't stopped nutty Republicans (with the help of sellout and willing Democrats capitulating pure democratic principles) from awful ideas and bills passed in Congress, and you can't see lawmakers every steps no matter how much transparency was thrown during the Obama first campaign. But just imagine if there was no C-SPAN given to at least provide some visual evidence for how our public officials were either screwing us or actually fighting for our causes as general collective? It's the 35th anniv...

The most underrated right now, here is Aloe Blacc with another gem that is getting attention from his slept on 2013 album Lift Your Spirit, it's "Here Today." More to come from The Whole Delivery, stay tuned. 

Post-Game Version First, Diego special effort:  It turned out to be a captivating night, as you would hope with all these eight elite teams left in the competition.  At Old Trafford, it went from what appeared to be destined as a one-sided pasting until a real 50/50 battle next Wednesday at the Allainz. Bayern will have to rely heavy on Toni Kroos adding to his class as Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez will join Thiago as being unavailable.  It was David Moyes' best managing adjustment this season after the break, and his side has transformed from firm underdogs to having a real shot at remarkably advancing to the semifinals.  Meanwhile at the Nou Camp, when one Diego comes off, another Diego shines, as Senhor Costa's hamstring injury worsened and Senhor Ribas brilliance shone.  Another Brazilian would have the final say in this contest (at least in terms of goals), as Neymar got a vital goal not only for his side, but...