With the advent of the digitial music revolution, your favorite tunes are now more accessible than ever.  However, as with every great advancement, there are bound to be certain things that get left behind.  With the ipod, it can be argued, came the demise of the album.  Now that fans can pick and choose which songs they want to download off a new release, there is less and less of a need to create that cohesive, quality from top-to-bottom album.   
         Perhaps even more apparent is the antiquation of the album cover.  Back in the day (not that I was actually alive for most of this but...) a record was something to behold.  Often, it was just as much art on the outside as was contained within the grooves of the vinyl.  While there are certainly a couple groups out there still keeping it real with the album art, for the most part this is a lost craft--a casualty of the digital revolution.  Even if one were to argue that the quality of album art has remained high, with the majority of consumers purchasing their music digitally, it seems impossible that any one cover could gain enough exposure necessary to be deemed iconic.
         What makes album cover art iconic?  Well for starters, it is instantly recognizable.  The image it displays symbolizes the band itself, or, moreover, music in general.  It is simple, yet profound--worthy of being displayed on the back of a bumper, or framed in one's living room.  Of course, art is going to speak to every person differently, and I am not here to tell you what art was most visually stunning or held the most meaning.  Rather, these are the ten most iconic album covers of all time.  Comments welcome....

1. Pink Floyd- Dark Side of the Moon-In March of 1973 Dark Side of the Moon was released.  741 weeks later, it remained on the Billboard charts, longer than any other album in history. With an estimated 45 million units sold, Dark Side may be the greatest album ever (without a doubt in my humble opinion...)  Exploring issues of ageing, greed, war, and the mental illness that was inspired by Syd Barret's LSD-fueled descent into madness, the album was one of the first concept albums to ever hit record stores.  The landmark prism design was inspired by a photograph that longtime Floyd designer Strom Thorgerson had seen during a brainstorming session with colleague Aubrey Powell. Meeting Richard Wright's request for a "simple and bold" design, the prism also harkened to the band's famous stage lighting.  It has since come to epitomize the word "iconic."
2. The Beatles- Abbey Road- On the morning of August 8, 1969, photographer Iain Macmillan was given ten minutes take a photo of the fab four crossing Abbey Road for the band's next album cover.  Little did he know that that negative would go on to become perhaps the most iconic group shot in all of music.  A couple points of interest:
   --Paul McCartney is bare-footed and out of step with the other three, later providing fuel for the "Paul is dead" urban legend in late '69.
   --The man standing on the pavement in the background is Paul Cole, an American tourist unaware he had been photographed until he saw the album cover months later. 
   --The Abbey Road cover is the only Beatles album cover of their original UK albums to have neither the group's name nor an album title visible.
3. Queen- Queen II- It's hard to believe now, but when Queen II dropped in '74, critics were less than impressed.  Record Mirror wrote: "This is it, the dregs of glam rock. Weak and over-produced, if this band are our brightest hope for the future, then we are committing rock and roll suicide."  The reveiwer for Melody Maker expressed similiar sentiments, writing: "It's reputed Queen have enjoyed some success in the States, it's currently in the balance whether they'll really break through here. If they do, then I'll have to eat my hat or something. Maybe Queen try too hard, there's no depth of sound or feeling."  So how'd that hat end up going down, hotshot?
4. The Grateful Dead- Steal Your Face- To be clear, this is not a list of great albums (though all but this one are admittedly classics).  If it were, this selection would be nowhere near the top 10, not even if this was a list of Grateful Dead albums.  Widely considered to be the Dead's worst live album, the record was dubbed "Steal Your Money" by unhappy fans.  However, the image adorning its cover would go on to grace a billion bumper stickers and t-shirts, becoming almost synonymous with the hippie culture at large.  Designed by Owsley Stanley and artist Bob Thomas.
5. The Velvet Underground- Simple. Artful. Iconic.  Designed by close friend Andy Warhol, the origial record sleeve featured a yellow banana with “Peel slowly and see” printed near a perforated tab. Those who did remove the banana skin found a peeled, pink banana beneath.
6. The Beatles- Sgt Peppers- The Grammy Award-winning album packaging was art-directed by Robert Fraser, designed by Peter Blake and his wife Jann Haworth, and photographed by Michael Cooper. The collage depicts more than 70 famous people, including writers, musicians, film stars and several Indian gurus. The final grouping includes Marlene Dietrich, Carl Jung, W.C. Fields, Diana Dors, Bob Dylan, Marilyn Monroe, Aldous Huxley, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Sigmund Freud, Aleister Crowley, Edgar Allan Poe, Karl Marx, Oscar Wilde, William S. Burroughs, Marlon Brando, Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, and comedian Lenny Bruce. Also included was the image of the original Beatles bass player, the late Stuart Sutcliffe. Adolf Hitler, Mahatma Gandhi, and Jesus Christ were requested by Lennon, but ultimately they were left out, even though a cutout of Hitler was in fact made.  The final bill for the cover was £2,868 (equivalent to $72,460 today), which was roughly 100 times the average cost for an album cover in those days. 
   
7. Nirvana- Nevermind- Kurt Cobain conceived the idea for this cover while watching a television show on water births with drummer David Grohl. Cobain mentioned it to Geffen's art director Robert Fisher, who found some stock footage of underwater births that were then deemed too graphic for the record company. Instead Fisher sent a photographer to a pool to take pictures of a three-month-old infant named Spencer Elden, the son of the photographer's friend Rick Elden. Geffen prepared an alternate cover without the penis but relented when Cobain made it clear that the only compromise he would accept was a sticker covering the penis that would say, "If you're offended by this, you must be a closet pedophile."
8. Bob Marley- Catch A Fire- Perhaps it's a tad ironic that the lucky 20,000 to first get their hands on this 1973 vinyl release received an album that was in fact missing this landmark Bob headshot.  These folks instead received their record encased in a Zippo lighter sleave.  The sleeve opened at a side hinge to reveal the record within, an assembly operation that required hand-manufacture.  Not surprisingly, the Zippo idea was deemed too expensive to mass-produce and subsequent pressings featured the Ester Anderson portrait you see here.
9. Jimi Hendrix- Axis: Bold a Love- For all the accolades this famous cover has received, Jimi Hendrix was actually a little disappointed with the finished product. Although he appreciated the symbolic design, he mentioned in an interview that it would have been more appropriate if the cover art showcased his American "Indian" heritage. The British Track records art department had independently chosen to use the current fad for all things Indian to create the cover, and thus the album's cover has a photographed copy of a cheap, mass produced religious poster of the Hindu devotional painting known as Viraat Purushan-Vishnuroopam showing the different forms of Vishnu with a small, superimposed painting of the Experience by Roger Law blended in.
10. The Rolling Stones- Sticky Fingers- Andy Warhol appears yet again in the top ten with his work here for the Stones' Sticky Fingers.  The original record cover featured a working zipper that opened to reveal a man in cotton briefs.  The cover, a photo of Joe Dallesandro's crotch clad in tight blue jeans, was assumed by many fans to be an image of Mick Jagger. However, the people actually involved with the photo shoot claim that Warhol had several different men photographed (Jagger was not among them) and never revealed which shots he used.  The album also features the first usage of the "Tongue and Lip Design" designed by John Pasche.

Honorable Mentions:  Allman Brothers- Eat a Peach, Led Zeppelin- IV, Jimi Hendrix- Are You Experienced?, The Who- Who's Next?, Cream- Disraeli Gears, Pink Floyd- Wish You Were Here, The Doors- The Doors, Led Zeppelin- I, Santana- Abraxas, The Beatles- Let It Be, Lynyrd Skynyrd- Street Survivors, Peter Frampton- Frampton Comes Alive, The Harder They Come Soundtrack, Parliament- Mothership Connection, Notorious BIG- Ready To Die, Nas- Illmatic, Public Enemy- Nation of Millions. 

I tried. I really did. I tried harder than I did in high school when I was trying to hook up with the prom queen (Chelsea Ruplin, I’m still trying if you’re reading this). Unfortunately, much like in high school, I couldn’t do it. I wanted to write a cheerful, positive column on the upcoming New York Mets season, but the more time I spent thinking about the Metropolitans, the more depressed I became about the 2010 season. For those of you who don’t know what it’s like to be a Mets fan, let me try and paint a picture for you. My friend Devers and I were talking at a party the other night when the conversation shifted to the Mets:

Devers: “Did you hear what happened?”

Me: “No, what?”

Devers: “Wait, this is Mets related, let’s go outside so nobody hears us.”

This led to a discussion on Jose Reyes’s recent thyroid problem and, needless to say, a half hour of what the Costanza’s would call “The Airing of Grievances”. To steal a joke from the great Conan O’Brien (Rest in Peace), the motto has changed from “You Gotta Believe” to “You Gotta Be Kidding Me”. With that out of the way, let’s get on with the preview for CitiField’s second inaugural season.

Key Additions:

• Jason Bay – Coming off a huge year at Fenway, the Mets decided to break the bank on a power hitter, even though they play at one of the least hitter-friendly parks in the MLB. Whether or not he works out, though, is a moot point. The Mets needed another power bat in the middle of the lineup to replace Delgado and they got it.
• Gary Matthews Jr. – Wait, really? This is their second biggest signing? There has to be someone else. Rod Barajas? Moving on…

The Lineup

The biggest story coming out of Spring Training is the possibility of Jose batting in the 3^rd spot. This would leave the middle of the order looking like Reyes third, Wright fourth, and Bay fifth. Looks pretty good, no? Well that depends on the health of Reyes, who happens to be more fragile than Samuel L Jackson’s character in ‘Unbreakable’ (I would use the character’s name but I don’t know it. I only watch bad sports teams, not bad movies). I’ll set the over/under on the number of games Reyes plays this year at 60, and I’ll take the under. The only positive thing in the lineup this year was the same as last year: David Wright. Although he had a down year in terms of power, expect big things this year. Look at the equation: Jason Bay as protection + Lower outfield walls at CitiField + Possible steroids scandal = Huge year for Wright. The rest of the lineup? Ho-hum. Angel Pagan, Louis Castillo, Daniel Murphy, Barajas, Matthews Jr…any of those guys scare you? M

e neither.

The Pitching Staff

If Johan Santana felt pressure to win last year, I strongly hope his doctor upped his Xanax prescription this year. Johan needs to win at least 20 games this year or it’s going to be ’09 all over again. Well, if you look at the rest of the staff, we are looking at ’09 all over again. Mike Pelfrey, Oliver Perez, and John Maine; pardon my language and sarcasm but that’s f**king awesome. Mets fans have been waiting for these guys to turn the corner much like hip-hop fans have been waiting for Dr Dre’s new CD. In both cases, it may never happen. On the bright side, Frankie Rodriguez should be solid, as long as he actually gets some save situations.

Prediction:

84-78 Good enough for 3^rd Place in the NL East and another year where we miss the playoffs.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go rush out and buy my Rod Barajas jersey before they sell out.

1. James Bond --22 films by 6 Bonds with no end in sight.
2. Star Wars
3. Lord of the Rings- Flawless from minute 1 to 683 (extended version)
4. The Godfather
5. Indiana Jones
6. Rocky--The series that taught roman numerals to a generation.
7. Harry Potter -- Highest grossing series of all time at $5.4 billion.
8. Terminator
9. The Clint Eastwood Dollars Trilogy--The third installment of "The Man With No Name," The Good, the Bad and the Ugly might be the greatest western ever made.
10. Die Hard
11. The Bourne Trilogy--An untitled fourth film is in the works.  My vote: The Bourne Illtrocity
12. The Hannibal Lector Movies
13. Matrix
14. Spiderman--$2.5 billion grossed so far with #4 slated for 2011 and a Venom spinoff in 2012.
15. Batman (The Shumacher-Keaton Series)
16. Superman
17. X-Men --5 more films have all been given the greenlight, including Deadpool and Magneto spin-offs.
18. Star Trek--The JJ Abrams installment (11th overall) was a huge success, and 2 more are in the works.
19. Alien
20. Back to the Future
21. Lethal Weapon
22. Shrek--$2.1 billion grossed with 3 more in the works.
23. Pirates of the Carribean--One decent movie and two stinkers.  Still, you can't argue with $2.7 billion grossed.
24. Dirty Harry
25. Cheech and Chong
26. Naked Gun--OJ's second greatest acting job.
27. National Lampoon's Vacation
28. Austin Powers
29. Friday the 13th-- 12 films and counting...
30. Beverly Hills Cop
31. Jurassic Park
32. Nightmare on Elm St--The Nightmare continues in 2010 staring Jackie Earl Haley as Freddy
33. Halloween-- 10 films and counting...
34. Ocean's Trilogy--The modern day rat-pack earned over a billion on this trio.
35. Scream
36. Saw
37. Jaws
38. Mad Max
39. Robocop
40. Karate Kid
41. The Exorcist
42. Major League--Would be much higher if not for the putrid Back to the Minors installment.
43. Rush Hour--Rush Hour 4 sounds like a go.
44. Child's Play --A "darker and scarier" remake of the original 1988 Child's Play is supposed to be in the works.
45. Blade
46. The Mummy
47. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles--Another TMNT is reported to be likely.
48. Poltergeist
49. Mighty Ducks
50. Rambo

Star Athletes today have it all. Money, women, expensive sports cars, and over-sized mansions to stuff flat screen TV’s, pool tables and stripper poles to flaunt their success. As sports fans, we love when athletes succeed in pressure-packed situations. To me, there is nothing better than watching a buzzer-beating three pointer, a game winning touchdown pass or a sparkling defensive play to end a game. High profile athletes often relish in pressure-cooker moments to help propel their careers and help their respective team win. Crosby, Kobe, Brady, Jeter and athletes of this caliber have been known to come through when it matters most and because of this, they are loved and respected for their ability to make plays when the game is on the line. But winners like these got me thinking, what about athletes that would rather run and hide when their team needs them? I decided to rank the top-five most afraid athletes in sports today. High profile characters that would rather let someone else have the limelight, afraid of failure or negative press.

1) Floyd Mayweather Junior

-Best boxer alive, eh? Please. Mayweather is no doubt extremely talented and uses his mouth to get inside of the head of his opponent – except when it comes to Manny Pacquiao. Mayweather/Pacquiao would have been a fight for the ages and drawn in more hype than Lebron in his rookie season. At times, Floyd seems unstoppable and has proven to be a gifted boxer. But Floyd seems to have misplaced his spine when it comes to Pacquiao. All of a sudden, Mayweather wants blood testing for performance enhancers and will not fight until justice is served. Floyd is all of a sudden ethical now? Riiiight.  Floyd is flat-out afraid to get his ass beaten by an equally talented fighter and has taken the high road in this one. Floyd is scared of Pacquiao, end of story.

2) Nomar Garciaparra

-Nohhhhhmaaaaaaar. Now I know Ramon-spelled-backwards had a fabulous career playing short-stop-up in Beantown and has had plenty of special moments in his solid career as a major leaguer. But the lasting image of Nomar sitting in the dugout of the old Yankee Stadium, giving off the look of an eight-year-old girl who’s hamster died is reason enough for me. The rest of the Sox on the top step of the dugout, taking it on the chin as the Yankees continued their dominance spelled the end of Nomar in Boston. In my opinion, he never fully recovered from this moment. He was shipped off the next season and the Sox began their mini-run of World Series titles. Number Five will never be viewed in Boston as a hero, but more as the end of the Sox’ run of despair and disappointment. I’m pretty sure that your average horror movie gives Nomar nightmares.

3) Patrick Ewing

-As a die-hard Knicks fan (yes, we still do exist) it was never good enough for old number 33. Pat Ewing was as solid as they come in terms of NBA centers. He is an all-time great, racking up high scoring totals and giving off an aura of tough defensive presence in the paint. But Patrick Chewing never seemed to relish in the moment. He evaporated in big moments and never got the ring. He was also a surly gentleman who did all he could to disappoint Knick fans in the post-season. He let Hakeem have his way in the 1994 finals against H-Town and it became the watershed moment of his career. Ewing will always have a special place in my heart, but not the part that pumps adrenaline and pride throughout my disgruntled Knicks veins. This is the same Ewing who will Coach Dwight Howard to be the same type of player: Great Numbers, Zero Rings.

4) Peyton Manning

-How could you!!? Peyton is a sweetheart for most Americans, outside of Boston and Baltimore that is. He is a funny, energetic and spectacular player who has revolutionized the position of Quarterback. I am convinced he may retire the greatest to ever stand under center. But by the standards of winning Lombardi Trophies, Peyton has become a tragic figure. Yes, he does have a title. Yes, he silenced his critics when the Colts beat the awful Bears in the rain in Miami. But in retrospect, Peyton has failed in MANY big spots. The Patriots owned young Peyton until the AFC Championship game in 2006, making him Mister Interception and causing him to point fingers at the offensive line, coaches and play-calling in these games. And who could forget this past Super Bowl, when the Colts who were picked by everyone to win were slapped back down to Earth by the virtue of a pick-six. The normally unflappable Manning looked like a child again against a Swiss-cheese Saints defense. Peyton needs to win another Super Bowl before I take this posting back.  And I bet Peyton would trade ALL of his MVP trophy’s for another ring.

5) Phil Mickelson

-The unlucky lefty. Phil seems like a good enough guy for a pro golfer. He has been through hell with his wife’s condition, keeps a positive attitude when the going gets tough and best of all, tanks when it matters most. Phil has had more than a few chances to kick the stigma of being a loser. Is there anyone better at blowing it in a big moment? How many majors has Phil taken himself out of with poor shots and mental errors? Too many to count.  I almost feel bad calling this guy out for being such a bum in a big spot, but it helps out with this post. Now that Tiger has fallen like a weather balloon, maybe Phil can rise up and prove me wrong. But until then, the unlucky lefty closes out the top five of scared athletes.

Some quick Olympic notes:

--Its always bugged me how they rank the countries by the total number of medals won.  That is why Definitive Dose has devised the AOMR, or Actual Olympic Medal Rankings (patent pending).  Each medal is weighted according to it's worth (3 points for gold, 2 for silver, 1 for bronze) and then a new total is formulated. Using this system, the US led the way in both total medals (37) and AOMR (70).  Although Germany had six more medals than host-nation Canada, the two tied for second place with an AOMR of 61 apiece.  Norway and South Korea round out the top 5 with AOMR's of 49 and 32 respectively. 

--For the first time in its history, Canada won gold at an Olympic Games that they played host-nation to, having failed to do so at both the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Not only that, Canada also became the first host nation since Norway in 1952 to lead the gold medal count.  Their 14 broke the record for the most gold medals won at a single Winter Olympics.  The United States' 37 medals broke the record for the most medals won at a single Winter Olympics.  Boo-yah!

--Blame Canada. Vancouver had what can only be described as a less-than-savory time hosting the game s in 2010.  First Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili is killed during a training run moments before the Opening Ceremony.  Queue Olympic torch statue to raise from ground.  Hello?  Anyone?  Then we have breakdowns of ice resurfacers that delay speedskating events, bad weather that delays a host of others, and thousands of voided tickets and angry would-be spectators.  Then again, Sid Crosby did win Olympic gold for Canadian hockey, so I’m guessing there aren’t too many Vancouverians (?) that are all that concerned. 

--Speaking of hockey, how good was that gold medal hockey game?! Although the US fell short in the end, it was everything you could have asked for and then some.  And how fitting that Sid the Kid got the game-winner in OT; 23-years-old and he's the best hockey player on the planet.  Sorry Ovechkin, but if we learned anything from this Olympics, its that Sidney Crosby is the heir-apparent, hand-down.  And congratulations to hockey itself; you've officially sold me.  And I suspect there are a lot more casual fans out there who feel the same.

     George Clinton is to funk what Bob Marley is to reggae.  George doesn't just play funk music, he is funk music.  And he never stops being relevant.  Though the heyday of the genre have long since come and gone, Geroge Clinton & The Parliament Funkadelic stand today as arguably the single most important influence on the development of hip hop.  From Dr. Dre to Snoop Dogg to Outcast, samples derived from their material positively litter the modern urban music scene.  However, those that came to Friday's House of Blues show were not there to see hip hop.  They were there to see the real thing, the godfathers of funk.  And did they ever.  Friday's George Clinton & The Parliament-Funkadelic show was an auditory and visual spectacle in the truest sense.  If you've never seen this group or any manifestation of it play before, do yourself a favor and go out right now and buy tickets.  Seriously.  I'll wait... 
     This was everything a concert should be and then some.  Musicians both legendary and unknown performing their asses off to a packed house of music-lovers ranging across all races, ages, and creeds.  You had your classic numbers (Flashlight, Atomic Dog) and your new material that left you thinking "I don't know what that was, but I must own it."  Oodles upon oodles of singers, dancers, drummers, guitarists, horn players and one 57-year-old mohawked black man in a diaper (that would be Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famer Garry "Starchild" Shider, and yes, you're going to want to refer to the photos for this one) all seemlessly moving across a stage that was at times more crowded than the floor below.  Always something ridiculous to look at.  Never a dull moment.  Music that positively envelops you.
   Truth be told, this is not your father's P-Funk.  Heck, this might not even be your older brothers' P-Funk.  Today, the band seems like more than anything else a vehicle with which to showcase new and talented musicians.  And boy do they know how to pick 'em.  George did his thing for awhile, but you would be fooling youself to come expecting 1970's-era George.  So he's old.  Not quite poop-my-pants old, but he's getting there.  At this point, George is a bit more like a figure head, not all that much unlike a dreadlocked Queen of England.  This is not to say that this took anything away from the show.  The shear rapture this man exudes on stage is unlike almost any performer alive today.  He still knows how to work a crowd, and yet is willing to step to the side when need be to give a young artist their spotlight.  George can often be seen standing alongside whoever is doing their solo at the moment, pointing at them as if to say, "you gotsta be checking this shit out." 
     And he's right.  You gotsta be checkin this shit out.  Each artist was phenominal in their own unique way.  Take Belita Woods, a vet of the 70's R&B/disco scene who combined the soul of Aretha Franklin with the gutteral cry of Macy Gray.  Or the intoxicating acapella stylings of saxaphonist Greg Thomas. Backup singers transported directly out of 1970's Soul Train.  And who can forget the jaw-dropping, guitar-shredding rendition of Maggot Brain. Just wow.
     PS, if you haven't yet been to Boston's House of Blues, you are seriously missing out. Located just across from The Cathedral, Fenway Park, HOB offers music-lovers a new house of worship. Adorning the ceiling above the stage hangs a series of religious symbols that culminate in a centerpiece that reads All for One-- Who Do You Love? How very apt.  A venue as it should be- a place where people of all creeds can come to celebrate life in its purest form- through music. Like religion, we all might have different tastes but at the end of the day, it's all music, the language of the divine.  Make my funk the P-Funk, today and forever after.

TO SEE ALL CONCERT PHOTOS CLICK HERE

      With the trade deadline having come and gone, only one thing is certain: The Cavaliers and Mavericks owe Gilbert Arenas at least one fruit basket. Had he not foolishly followed Plaxico Burress’s example, the Wizards would not have scrapped their whole team and traded Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood to the Mavericks and shipped off Antawn Jamison to the Cavs for a chance to buyout Big Z’s contract. With roughly 20 games left on the schedule it’s time for the elite teams to distance themselves (Orlando, Cleveland, Los Angelos, Denver, and Dallas) while the contenders get themselves ready for a playoff push (Boston, Atlanta, Utah, and Phoenix). In the end, I have Cleveland over Orlando in the east and Dallas over LA in the west with Lebron taking home his first finals MVP to go along with his second regular season MVP.  Here are some other things to think about during the last month of the season:

• Is there a player in the league more under the radar than Brook Lopez? Maybe there is a little bias here because of my Nets fandom (ok, maybe a lot of bias) but this guy is in his second year in the league and has one of the most complete post games in the NBA. Mark my word, this man will be a main-stay in the league for years to come. Brook Lopez on the Nets is like Adam Sandler in Billy Madison. One superstar looking great around a bunch of talent-less kids. It’s only a matter of time before Lopez decides to grow up and move on to high school.
• I think we’ve finally hit the point where Kevin Durant is clearly an elite scorer in the NBA. If I need a basket, he is definitely in the top 5 of players I would want shooting. My list looks like this in no particular order: Kobe, Lebron, Durant, Carmelo, and D-Wade. One more year and the Kobe vs. Lebron debate will shift to a Lebron vs Durant debate.
• While on the issue of Kobe vs. Lebron, the conversation is over. After seeing how the Lakers played with Kobe icing his ankle, it is clear that Kobe’s MVP days are behind him. If you take Lebron off the Cavs, they are a bottom feeder in the East. I guess we can just wait until next year when King James takes his throne in Manhattan to see just how much he meant to that Cavaliers team.
• Watching that Ohio State team from a couple years ago, did anyone think, “Mike Conley will turn into a much better pro than Greg Oden”? Well, it appears that this is the reality we are living in.
• Tracy McGrady on the Knicks is like Mickey Rourke being cast in “The Wrestler”.  T-Mac needed a team where he can showcase his talent to a wide audience. On the Knickerbockers, he can now shoot freely and create offensively while caring less about defense than the ’99 St Louis Rams. Let’s not forget that the Knicks aren’t concerned with winning until next year and bam! Perfect fit for a McGrady comeback.  
• Steve Nash is one of the funniest men in basketball. Need proof? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdNiXidfLcc

For those of you that feel sorry for me for being a Nets fan, don’t. The longer it takes them to get to that magic win number 9, the longer I remain interested in watching the games. I’d rather flirt with loser history than watch another meaningless Knicks or Pacers game.

If you missed it, here is the Tiger Woods press conference in its entirety for your viewing pleasure. No big revelations to speak of, ("I do plan to return to golf one day. I just don't know when that day will be. I don't rule out that it will be this year") but you still probably owe it to yourself to take a look.                                                                            


And now to Bill Simmons of ESPN.com for the insta-nalysis:

"...Trust me, you should have gone with 'I got married too soon, I should have sowed my oats first, I didn't, I'm an ass.' Much better...

...In a few weeks, or a few months, Tiger will start hitting golf balls and everything will be fine again. I just want to get there. For now, we apparently have to put up with a few more weeks (and possibly months) of the Tiger Woods Rehabilitation Tour. There will be more rehab, more staged photos, more secrecy and eventually a carefully planned interview with the right person who won't be a threat to ask him anything interesting. Wake me up when he plays a tournament..."

Read Simmons' full speech here

If you haven't seen it, this updated 'We Are The World' video for Haiti is nothing short of phenomenal.  Featuring Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie, Justin Bieber, Nicole Scherzinger, Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Nettles, Josh Groban, Tony Bennett, Mary J. Blige, Janet Jackson, Barbara Streisand, Miley Cyrus, Enrique Iglesias, Jamie Foxx, Wyclef Jean, Adam Levine, P!nk, BeBe Winans, Usher, Celine Dion, Orianthi, Fergie, Nick Jonas, Toni Braxton, Mary Mary, Isaac Slade, Lil Wayne, Carlos Santana, Akon, T-Pain, LL Cool J, Will.i.am, Snoop Dogg, Busta Rhymes, Swizz Beatz, Iyaz, Kanye West, Patti Austin, Bizzy Bone, Ethan Bortnick, Jeff Bridges, Zac Brown, Brandy, Kristian Bush, Natalie Cole, Harry Connick Jr., Hayden Panettiere, Kid Cudi, Faith Evans, Melanie, Fiona, Sean Garrett, Tyrese Gibson, Anthony Hamilton, Keri Hilson, Julianne Hough, India.Arie, Randy Jackson, Taj Jackson, Taryll Jackson, TJ Jackson, Jonas Brothers, Jordin Sparks, Al Jardine, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Joe Jonas, Kevin Jonas, Gladys Knight, Benji Madden, Joel Madden, Katharine McPhee, Jason Mraz, Mýa, Freda Payne, A. R. Rahman, Raphael Saadiq, Trey Songz, Musiq Soulchild, Jordin Sparks, Robin Thicke, Alex Williams, Rob Thomas, Vince Vaughn, Ann Wilson, Brian Wilson, and Nancy Wilson.  Try not to get just a little bit choked up...

And the original Michael Jackson composed video from 25 years ago featuring Quincy Jones, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Kenny Rogers, James Ingram, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Willie Nelson, ‎Al Jarreau, Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Loggins, Steve Perry, Daryl Hall, Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper, Kim Carnes, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Dan Aykroyd, Harry Belafonte, Lindsey Buckingham, Mario Cipollina, Johnny Colla, Sheila E., Bob Geldof, Bill Gibson, Chris Hayes, Sean Hopper, Jackie Jackson, La Toya Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Randy Jackson, Tito Jackson, Waylon Jennings, Bette Midler, John Oates, Jeffrey Osborne, Anita Pointer, Ruth Pointer, Smokey Robinson.

1) Doritos- Little Black Kid

2) LeBron v Superman

3) E*Trade- Gotta Love the Babies

4) Doritos- Snack Samurai

5) Bud Light- Autotune ft. T-Pain

6) Career Builder- Dudes in Underwear

7) Bud Light- Lost Spoof

8) Teleflora- "Don't Touch Me"

9) Boost Mobile- The Boost Mobile Shuffle

10) Bud Light- Light House

PS: How much are we guessing CBS paid The Who to play 'Who Are You' in their set?  And how sad is that the second that song started, almost everyone in the room immediately thought "Oh, its the CSI song"?

PPS: How 'Favre' is it that that little shit would try to bogart all the attention that should be on Peyton and Brees with yet another "I can't decide whether or not I want to retire, how adorable am I?" commercial?  Ugh!

PPPS: WHO DAT? WHO DAT? WHO DAT SAY DEY GONNA BEAT DEM SAINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow.

Here are the 50 most well-crafted, intriguing, mesmerizing, or just plain bad-ass characters of the past 50 years.

1. Vito Corleone- The Godfather
2. The Joker- The Dark Knight
3. Hannibal Lector- Silence of the Lambs
4. James Bond- Goldfinger
5. Anton Chigurh- No Country for Old Men
6. Jules Winnfield- Pulp Fiction
7. Tyler Durden- Fight Club
8. John Doe- Se7en
9. Gollum- Lord of the Rings
10. Red Redding- Shawshank Redemption
11. Wooderson- Dazed and Confused
12. Luke- Cool Hand Luke
13. The Dude- The Big Lebowski
14. Oscar Schindler- Schindler's List
15. Darth Vader- Star Wars
16. Forest Gump- Forest Gump
17. Daniel Plainview- There Will Be Blood
18. Indiana Jones- Raiders of the Lost Ark
19. Tony Montana- Scarface
20. Marty McFly- Back to the Future
21. Travis Bickle- Taxi Driver
22. Han Solo- Star Wars
23. Costello- The Departed
24. The Man With No Name- The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
25. John McClain- Die Hard
26. The Terminator- The Terminator
27. Michael Corleone- The Godfather
28. Harry Callahan- Dirty Harry
29. Michael- The Deer Hunter
30. Derek Vinyard- American History X
31. William 'Bill' Munny- Unforgiven
32. Edward Scissorhands- Edward Scissorhands
33. Patrick Bateman- American Psycho
34. Ron Burgundy- Anchorman
35. RP McMurphy- One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
36. Detective Alonzo Harris- Training Day
37. Butch Cassidy- Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
38. Jack Torrence- The Shining
39. Mr. Blonde- Reservoir Dogs
40. Austin Powers- Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
41. Lil Dice- City of God
42. Ferris Bueller- Ferris Bueller's Day Off
43. William Wallace- Braveheart
44. Bill 'The Butcher' Cutting- Gangs of New York
45. Malcolm X- Malcolm X
46. Sgt. Elias Grodin- Platoon
47. Derek Zoolander- Zoolander
48. Napoleon Dynamite- Napoleon Dynamite
49. Carl Spackler- Caddyshack
50. Bluto-Animal House

1)  The Notorious BIG- Ready to Die -(1994) Around the years '87-'88, a young crack dealer named Christopher Wallace began entertaining local passersby by rapping into a beat-up old amplifier on the street corners around Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.  Six years later, he was the biggest rapper in the world.  Three years after that, he was dead.   During the short flash that was his career, only one album was to be released, a top-to-bottom classic with the eerily prophetic title 'Ready to Die'.  This album has it all.  Sick beats, brilliant lyrics, crazy flows, and that intoxicating voice of Biggie Smalls.  Key Tracks: Warning, Juicy, Ready to Die.

2) Nas- Illmatic --(1994) Five months prior to Ready to Die, this 20-year-old Queensbridge native paired with producers Large Professor, DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and Q-Tip and burst onto the scene with what would be his masterpiece. Calling the album Illmatic after his incarcerated friend Illmatic Ice, Nas originally wanted the cover to feature himself with Jesus in a headlock. Key Tracks: N.Y. State of Mind, Life's a Bitch, One Love.

3) Dr. Dre- The Chronic --(1992) Fresh off of his split with supergroup NWA, Dre took it solo and ended up creating perhaps the best produced rap album of all time. The Chronic would introduce Parliament-laced G-funk to the mainstream and made Snoop Dogg, Warren G, and Nate Dogg stars before they'd ever even released albums of their own. Key Tracks: Nuthin' but a "G" Thang, F*ck wit Dre Day, Let Me Ride.

4) Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt --(1996) In 1996, Jay-Z blew audiences away with his debut effort and first release on label Roc-A-Fella records.  Sean Carter had been known as "Jazzy", a nickname that developed into his stage name Jay-Z as an homage to his musical mentor Jaz-O and to the J-Z subway lines that stop by Marcy Avenue.  Jaz-O had given Jay-Z his first break by recruiting him on the 1989 song "Hawaiian Sophie."  However, it wasn't until seven years later that J truly broke through, and he's never looked back since.  Key Tracks: Dead Presidents, Brooklyn's Finest, Can't Knock the Hustle.

5) Public Enemy-It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back --(1988) Chanelling the black anger and urban tension so in need of an outlet, Nation of Millions was one of the first truly socially conscious hip hop albums. Key Tracks: Bring the Noise, Don't Believe the Hype, Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos.

6) The Wu-Tang Clan- Enter The Wu-Tang Clan - 36 Chambers --(1993)  In 1993, Ghostface Killah and RZA decided to create a hip hop group whose ethos would be a blend of "Eastern philosophy picked up from kung fu movies, watered-down Nation of Islam preaching picked up on the New York streets, and comic books."  Recruiting the best rappers they could find, RZA set out to produce an album layered with eerie beats, martial-arts movie clips and soul music samples.  To decide who appeared on each song, he forced the Wu-Tang rappers to battle with each other.  The album's title originates from the 1978 martial arts film 'The 36th Chamber of Shaolin'.  Key Tracks: C.R.E.A.M, Protect Ya Neck, Bring Da Ruckus.

7) NWA- Straight Outta Compton --(1988) This debut studio album pioneered gangsta rap and scared a whole lot of white people in the process. Instrumental in shifting power to the west coast, Straight Outta Compton became the first album to reach platinum status without any airplay support or major tours. Key Tracks: Straight Outta Compton, Express Yourself, F*ck The Police.

8) A Tribe Called Quest- The Low End Theory --(1991) Fusing hip hop and jazz, childhood friends Q-Tip and Phife Dawg and high school mate Ali Shaheed Muhammad created an unique brand of intelligent, socially concious music.  Low End features contributions from jazz great Ron Carter on upright bass. Key Tracks: Excursions, Jazz (We've Got), Scenario.

9) Snoop Doggy Dogg- Doggystyle --(1993) Following the success of The Chronic, Doggystyle debuted at number one and sold over 800,000 copies in its first week, the record for a debuting artist. Key Tracks: Gin and Juice, Who Am I (Whats My Name)?, Lodi Dodi.

10) Raekwon- Only Built 4 Cuban Linx --(1995) Raekwon brought producer RZA and Ghostface Killah along for his solo debut, an album widely regarded as the pioneer of Mafioso rap, a genre later perfected by Biggie and Jay-Z (It was also the first hip hop album to name drop Cristal). It's title suggests that the music was as tough as Cuban link chain jewelry.  Key Tracks: Criminology, Glaciers of Ice, Rainy Dayz.

11) Outcast- Aquemini --(1998) Outcast's third studio album took its name from a combination of the duo's astrological signs (Aquarius for Big Boi and Gemini for André 3000). The sythesizer-laden, distinctively Atlanta sounding record took only 2 months to go platinum. Key Tracks: SpottieOttieDopaliscious, Rosa Parks, Return of the "G".

12) The Fugees-The Score --(1996) The second and final album of super-group Wycelf Jean, Lauren Hill and Pras. 18 million sold. Key Tracks: Killing Me Softy, Fu-Gee-La, Ready or Not.

13) 2Pac- All Eyez On Me --(1996) All Eyez was released after Suge Knight, CEO of Death Row Records and baddest mofo on planet earth, bailed 2Pac out of jail in exchange for signing to the label.  Arriving in studio to begin work hours after being released from jail, 2Pac would lay down what would become his crowning acheivement.  Key Tracks: 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted, California Love, Ambitionz Az a Ridah.

14) Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force- Planet Rock: The Album--(1986)  Respectfully known as the "Grandfather" for his monumental impact on the early development of hip hop (it was he who in fact coined the term), Bambaataa recently became one of the first hop hop artists to enter the rock and roll hall of fame.  Representing Zulu Nation, he released the seminal Planet Rock over two decades ago as a collection of previous singles that had up until then never appeared on an album.  Key Tracks: Planet Rock, Looking For the Perfect Beat, Renegades of Funk. 

15) Boogie Down Productions-Criminal Minded --(1987) With Criminal Minded, KRS-One and BDP laid the groundwork for gangsta rap, as it was the first album to feature gun-toting MCs on its cover and crime naratives within its tracks. Their hardcore lyrics would become all too real after DJ Scott La Rock was shot and killed a mere five months after this seminal release.  Key Tracks: The Bridge is Over, Criminal Minded, South Bronx.

16) Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five- The Message --(1982) Releasing their debut album on upstart Sugarhill Records, DJ Grandmaster Flash and MCs Melle Mel, Kidd Creole, Cowboy, Mr. Ness/Scorpio, and Rahiem essentially wrote the rule book on turntablism, break-beat deejaying, and rapping.  The title track was the first hip hop song to integrate socially and politically concious lyrics. Key Tracks: The Message, Scorpio, She's Nasty.

17) Eric B. & Rakim-Paid In Full ---(1987) After Rakim responded to Eric B.'s search for "New York's top MC," the duo got to work as Rakim's friend and roommate Marley Marl allowed them to use his home studio.  They would end up creating one of the most influential rap albums ever for its use of samples, internal rhyme, complex lyricism, and laid back flow.  Key Tracks: Eric B. Is President, I Know You Got Soul, Paid in Full.

18) Dr. Dre-Chronic 2001 --(2001) Almost a decade after releasing his landmark album, The Chronic, Dre took back to the studio to begin work on his much-anticipated follow up.  Dre did not mince words about his motivations: "For the last couple of years, there's been a lot of talk out on the streets about whether or not I can still hold my own, whether or not I'm still good at producing. That was the ultimate motivation for me. Magazines, word of mouth and rap tabloids were saying I didn't have it any more. What more do I need to do? How many platinum records have I made? O.K., here's the album -- now what do you have to say?"    Key Tracks: Forgot About Dre, The Next Episode, What's The Difference. 

19) The Notorious BIG-Life After Death --(1997)-This double album released posthumously featured guest artists 112, Jay-Z, Lil Kim, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, R. Kelly, The LOX, Kelly Price, and Puff Daddy.  Considered a seminal mafioso rap album, it is one of three hip hop albums to ever be certified diamond (10 million US sold). Key Tracks: Notorious Thugs, Hypnotize, Ten Crack Commandments.

20) Eminem-The Eminem Show --(2002) Eminems fourth studio album was the first to be mainly self-produced and was the first of his albums to be released under Shady Records.  The album sold 1.32 million copies in its first full week of sales and would go on to sell 19 million worldwide. Key Tracks: Without Me, Cleanin' Out My Closet, Superman.

21) Beastie Boys- Licensed To Ill ---(1986)-Some fast facts: --It is the first rap LP to top the Billboard 200 chart.  --It is Columbia Records' fastest selling debut record to date and sold over 9 million copies.  --Kerry King of Slayer made an appearance on the album playing lead guitar on "No Sleep 'Till Brooklyn".  --The '3MTA3' on the cover image of the plane spells 'EATME' when viewed in a mirror.  --The original title for the album was Don't Be a Faggot but Columbia Records refused to release the album and pressured Russell Simmons into having the Beastie Boys to come up with another name.  Key Tracks: Fight for Your Right, No Sleep Til Brooklyn, She's Crafty.

22) Kanye West- Graduation --(2007) Amended to be released the same date as 50 Cent's 'Curtis' in a publicity stunt over who could sell more records, 'Graduation' not only won the bet but went on to win Rap Album of the Year at the Grammys.  Key Tracks: Stonger, Flashing Lights, Good Life. 

23) Puff Daddy & the Family- No Way Out --(1997) Originally titled 'Hell Up In Harlem' until the The Notorious B.I.G.'s death, the album topped the album charts in the US with 561,000 units sold in its first week of release. It would go on to win the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.  Key Tracks: Victory, Been Around the World, It's All about the Benjamins.

24) Ice Cube- AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted --(1990) Primarily produced by The Bomb Squad, AMW made use of several tracks Cube had originally written for NWA before their acrimonious split. Taking on the american justice system, race relations, poverty, and drug addiction in South Central, LA, Cube produced an instant classic that is as powerful today as it was two decades ago. Key Tracks: AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, Endangered Species, Who's the Mack?.

25) Jay-Z- The Blueprint--Despite the unfortunate coincidence of being released on September 11, 2001, The Blueprint sold over 426,000 copies in its opening week, becoming Jay-Z's fourth consecutive album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart.  Produced by Kanye West and Just Blaze, The Blueprint was reportedly cut in two weeks, with Jay-Z allegedly writing the lyrics in two days.  Key Tracks: Izzo (H.O.V.A.), Renegade, Girls, Girls, Girls.

26) Big L- Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous --(1995) Like Biggie Smalls' Ready to Die, Lifestylez was the only studio album to be released before it's creator was shot and killed.  The tremendously underrated LP introduced up-and-comers Jay-Z and Cam'ron.  Key Tracks: Put It On, M.V.P., Street Struck.

27) Mobb Deep- The Infamous...--(1995) This rap duo is the third act on this list to hail from Queensbridge. Key Tracks: Shook Ones Pt. II, Temperature's Rising, Survival of the Fittest.

28) LL Cool J- Radio --(1985) This first full length album release on Def Jam Records was primarily produced by co-founder Rick Rubin.  Key Tracks: I Can't Live Without My Radio, Rock the Bells, I Need a Beat.

29) Outcast- ATLiens --(1996) "It's deep. So deep that listening to 'ATLiens' you might feel like drowning, but the smooth vocals of Big Boi and the earthy flows of Andre always push you back up to the surface. They are players in the truest sense of the word; not just playing for ends but playing to win in the ultimate battle of life over death, good over bad, and righteousness over evil." --Steve Juon, RapReviews. Key Tracks: ATLiens, Wheelz of Steel, Two Dope Boyz (In a Cadillac).

30) Run D.M.C.- Run DMC--(1984) Run DMC's debut effort was the first hip-hop album to ever have a 5-mic rating from The Source. Key Tracks: Rock Box, It's Like That, Sucker M.C.'s

31) Bone Thugs N Harmony- E. Eternal 1999 --(1995) Released four months after executive producer Eazy-E's death, Eternal spawned the landmark single "Tha Crossroads", which won a Grammy, went double-platinum, and tied The Beatles' 32-year-old record (1964's "Can't Buy Me Love") for the fastest rising single on the pop charts. Key Tracks: The Crossroads, 1st of tha Month, East 1999.

32) Wyclef Jean- The Carnival --(1997) Wyclef kicked off his solo debut with an electric record that combined hip hop, reggae, folk, disco, soul, Son Cubano and Haitian music.  As a tribute to his homeland, the final three songs are sung in Haitian Creole.  Key Tracks: Gone Till November, We Trying to Stay Alive, Guantanamera

33) Nas- Stillmatic --(2001) Nas harkened back to his Illmatic days with his fifth release, 2001's Stillmatic, which instantly received a classic 5 mic rating from The Source magazine.  On Stillmatic, Nas retaliated against Jay-Z with the much-anticipated "Ether", which insinuated that Jay-Z had stolen lyrics from The Notorious B.I.G. several times and that he had sold out.  Key Tracks: Got Ur Self A..., One Mic, Ether.

34) GZA- Liquid Swords --(1995) GZA's second solo album is up with Cuban Linx as the best of the Wu Tang solo efforts. Key Tracks: Duel of the Iron Mic, Liquid Swords, Shadowboxin'.

35) Lauryn Hill- The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill --(1998) After breaking with The Fugees, Hill released her solo debut in 1998, a fusion of Hip Hop, Soul, Reggae, R&B, and Gospel.  The album garnered ten Grammy nominations at the 41st Grammy Awards, winning five, including Best New Artist and Album of the Year.  Key Tracks: Doo Wop (That Thing), To Zion, Everything Is Everything.

36) Eminem- The Marshall Mathers LP --(2000) Em's third studio album was gritty, angry, and brutally honest, lashing out against critics and illustrating the troubles that his newfound fame had unearthed. The album sold more than 1.79 million copies in its first week in the US alone, making it the fastest selling solo album ever. Since its release, The Marshall Mathers LP has sold over 19 million copies to date.  Key Tracks: Stan, The Way I Am, The Real Slim Shady?

37) Wu-Tang Clan- Wu-Tang Forever --(1997) The long-awaited follow-up to 36 Chambers, Forever showcased a stream-of-consciousness style of rap.  Key Tracks: Triumph, Visionz, As High As Wu-Tang Get.

38) Jay-Z- The Black Album --(2003) J's 8th studio album was promoted as his last, though he would obviously return years later.  This epic has been mixed with everything from the Beatles and Grateful Dead to Linkin Park and Prince.  Key Tracks: What More Can I Say, Dirt off Your Shoulder, 99 Problems.

39) Cypress Hill- Black Sunday --(1993) This stoner opus marked the first time a latino group would go platinum.  They would later be banned from Saturday Night Live after Muggs smoked a joint on-air and the band trashed their instruments while playing their second single "I Ain't Goin' Out Like That".  Key Tracks: Insane In The Brain, Hits From The Bong, I Ain't Goin' Out Like That.

40) Kanye West- The College Dropout --(2004) After years of producing behind the scenes for the likes of Jay-Z, Kayne took the country by storm with his debut album, College Dropout.  It would go on to win the Grammy for Best Rap Album and expand the size of Kanye's head to unprecidented proportions. Key Tracks: Slow Jamz, Through the Wire, Jesus Walks.

41) De La Soul- 3 Feet High and Rising--(1989) Produced by Prince Paul, this album takes its title from a Johnny Cash song called "Five Feet High and Rising". Key Tracks: Me Myself and I, Buddy, Eye Know.

42) Eminem- The Slim Shady LP --(1999)-For a kid in 6th grade, I remember exactly where I was when I first heard Eminem intruduce himself to the world.  This was something unlike anybody I'd ever heard; raw, revealing, humorous, and at the same time brutally violent.  The album erupted a firestorm of opposition, as parental groups balked at lyrics that discussed everything from drugging a fifteen-year-old girl to desposing of Em's dead wife's corpse.  Key Tracks: Guilty Conscience, My Name Is, '97 Bonnie & Clyde.

43) 2Pac- Me Against The World --(1995) Recorded in a matter of weeks before Pac was to go to prison on sexual assault charges, MATW would make the embattled rapper the first and only artist to ever have a number one album while serving a prison sentence. Key Tracks: Dear Mama, Me Against the World, Outlaw.

44) Run DMC- Raising Hell --(1986) One of the most important rap albums ever for its success in bringing the genre mainstream, Raising Hell silenced critics who had called hip hop a passing fad.  It made its biggest mark with Walk This Way, a collaboration with Aerosmith that became the first hip hop video in heavy rotation on MTV.  Key Tracks: Its Tricky, Walk This Way, My Adidas.

45) EPMD- Strictly Business --(1988) One of 43 albums to ever receive a 5-mic rating from The Source.  Key Tracks: It's My Thing, Strictly Business, You Gots to Chill.

46) The Roots- Things Fall Apart --(1999) The Roots' fourth studio album turned out to be their commercial breakthrough.  During recording, the group laid down an astonishing 145 songs, which they later whittled down to the 14 that appear on the album.  Key Tracks: Adrenaline!, The Next Movement, Act Too (The Love of My Life).

47) Mos Def- Black On Both Sides --(1999) Mos Def's debut solo album post-Blackstar featured live instrumentation and socially-conscious lyrics. Key Tracks: Ms. Fat Booty, Brooklyn, Mathematics.

48) Beastie Boys- Paul's Boutique --(1989) Incorporating production by the Dust Brothers, the album makes use of samples from 105 different songs.  The sampling was uncleared, which was one of the last albums to do so before the landmark Grand Upright Music, Ltd. v. Warner Bros. Records Inc. case against Biz Markie that forced artists to obtain the rights to any song from which they sampled.  Key Tracks: Hey Ladies, Shake Your Rump, The Sounds of Science.

49) 50 Cent-Get Rich Or Die Tryin' --(2003) Produced primarily by Dr. Dre and Eminem and introducing 50 as well as fellow G-uniters Young Buck, Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo, Get Rich tore up the airwaves upon its release and remains one of the best club records ever. Key Tracks: In Da Club, Patiently Waiting, P.I.M.P.

50) Busta Rhymes- When Disaster Strikes --(1997) Busta's second solo effort reached #3 on the Billboard 200.  Key Tracks: Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See, Dangerous, Turn It Up.

Honorable Mentions:

Method Man-Tical, Outcast-Stankonia, Nas-I Am..., LL Cool J-Mama Said Knock You Out, Big Pun-Capital Punishment, Beastie Boys-Check Your Head, Notorious BIG-Born Again, Run DMC-King Of Rock , Ice T-O.G. Original Gangster,Missy Eliot-Supa Dupa Fly, A Tribe Called Quest-Midnight Marauders, Salt N Pepa- Blacks Magic, Kurtis Blow-Kurtis Blow, Eric B. & Rakim-Follow the Leader, Gang Starr-Daily Operation, Common-Like Water for Chocolate, KRS One-KRS One, Nas-It Was Written

Jersey Shore--the crack-cocaine of American television.  So bad for you, yet so addictive.  Between this and those opening nights of American Idol when all the crazies come out, America has a couple of serious guilty pleasures.   Like some kind of twisted voyeurism, we all tune in, and within minutes start to feel just a little bit better about ourselves.  "I might have some issues, but at least I'm not 'The Situation.'"  And yes, I watch.  I hurt for these poor fools, and yet, I can't look away....

These toddlers do a (sadly) spot-on rendition of the Jersey Shore crew.  And remember kids....crack is whack.

So Big Mac is finally out of the closet.  Shocking, I know.  I'm long over it, but honestly, how much does it suck that EVERY SINGLE PLAYER I grew up idolizing is practically a proven juicer.  All those hundreds of prized rookie cards: Clemens, Bonds, McGwire...all worthless.  And I'm not going to even get into those cherished Red Sox World Series memories.  Ugh....
Well, to make my point, here's a list of the great ballplayers from my generation, and the degree of steroid suspicion associated with each.  Try not to throw up....

*=slight suspicion of steroid use
*****=proof or admittance of steroid use

Jose Canseco*****

Ken Griffey Jr-I swear to God, if he ever ends up positive, I'm quiting baseball for good.