About Me:
Adam Best is a filmmaker and sportswriter who resides in Miami. He and his brother Zach have their own Kansas City Chiefs blogsite -- Arrowhead Addict.com. Best also covers the Miami Dolphins and NFL for Real Football 365.com. He was one of 16 finalists o
About Me:
Adam Best is a filmmaker and sportswriter who resides in Miami. He and his brother Zach have their own Kansas City Chiefs blogsite -- Arrowhead Addict.com. Best also covers the Miami Dolphins and NFL for Real Football 365.com. He was one of 16 finalists o
About Me:
Adam Best is a filmmaker and sportswriter who resides in Miami. He and his brother Zach have their own Kansas City Chiefs blogsite -- Arrowhead Addict.com. Best also covers the Miami Dolphins and NFL for Real Football 365.com. He was one of 16 finalists o
AbsoluteBestNews: Fresh Views on Sports, Entertainment, & News
"If you can't get your foot in the door, make your own 'effin door" - Adam Best
Opportunity knocked, and as a result of how these 10 (5 more than I promised!) FoxSports.com regular bloggers stepped up and capitalized, they are coming through the "'effin door" called AbsoluteBestNews.com with me. Wish them well, as these are your own (in no particular order)...
Burton (who made the FoxSports.com Next Great Sportswriter II Final Four) has long been a favorite of mine. In fact, I thought that his take on the possibility of an A.I. trade-quite the popular subject nowadays-was as good, if not better, than any other writer's anywhere. Only Rocky Balboa rivals his passion for all things Philly, but Burton covers much more than just the City of Brotherly Love. His incendiary coverage of the NBA and NFL never disappoints. Considering how much we like those leagues over here at AbsoluteBestNews.com, Burton will more than fit in.
"Tastes great... Less-filling," remember that old slogan? Not only does Cox's (a Next Great Sportswriter I Finalist) commentary taste great, but he also has great taste. Whether he is highlighting the work of other talented writers or covering unusual topics in his posts, he simply knows how to pick 'em. Fortunately, he mixes vast sports knowledge, pop culture prowess, and smooth journalistic style smoothly, so his writing is "less-filling" as well. Cox's many talents will be utilized at AbsoluteBestNews.com.
Point blank-Siddhartha is the best NASCAR writer of the bunch. Quite frankly, I don't think that any other NASCAR blogger here on FoxSports.com is even in the same league. Sidd also impressed me with his ability to cover music and various other categories, and will play numerous roles over at AbsoluteBestNews.com. His slightly off-topic Oak Island post he submitted showed me that he'll be De Niro-esque when it comes to playing those different roles.
Wholf (a Next Great Sportswriter II finalist) describes herself as "part Carrie Bradshaw and part Lee Corso." Well, Corso never looked this good while doing his thing. This "Jill of all Trades" is not only a sportswriter, but also a successful stage actress and reality TV personality. Her social commentary on both sports and society is both entertaining and informative. New York may have had Bradshaw, but this L.A.-based site now has its answer-Tracy Wholf.
Meadows was recently proven to be the most popular blogger on FoxSports.com. He deals with relevant material, speaks for the people, and is insanely productive. And he does it with a certain swagger that is requisite for all of the good ones. I compare Meadows' writing to Shaq. You know he's going to give you a big game each and every night, speak his mind, and leave you with a couple of gem quotes to chuckle over. Meadows will be the Rick Reilly of AbsoluteBestNews.com, breaking down the most prominent stories in sports early, often, and effectively.
Krinkos' stuff cracks me up every time I stop by his blog. His style is just so damn readable and enjoyable that there was no way I could have left him off of this list. Speaking of lists, Krinkos seems to have that format mastered. Apparently I am not the only one that enjoys his blog posts and lists, as he has recently been FoxSports.com's Blog of the Day several times. Like every other writer on this list, Krinkos also has impressive range.
Deeley is easily one of the most-respected writers in the FoxSports.com community, but also possibly the most-versatile. His professional style and on-point observations really caught my eye, but in the end it was his hockey writing, arguably the best on FoxSports.com's blog community, that set him apart from the field. Additionally, the fact that he is a talented radio personality makes him a more-than-welcome addition to the AbsoluteBestNews.com team.
Rivera (a Next Great Sportswriter II Finalist) is a talented writer and the consummate professional. I compare him to Scottie Pippen, as he seems to do absolutely everything well, yet other than his NGS selection, he doesn't get the credit he is due. I came away impressed by his submissions, and even more impressed by his attitude and willingness to do whatever it takes to help AbsoluteBestNews.com succeed. Rivera possesses the exact combination of talent and teamwork that we were looking for and we expect him to excel as a Featured Contributor over on our site.
Is Wilkinson eighteen? Nope. Did Rolling Stone magazine snub a young Cameron Crowe because he didn't have to shave daily? No. Wilkinson may not have been old enough for FoxSports when the judges selected him for NGS II, but over at AbsoluteBestNews.com I have a little saying, "what matters isn't your age, it's what you can put on the page." After all, we're judging writing, not wine. Plain and simple-the kid can write. Already a featured writer for sites such as RealGM.com, the future is bright for Wilkinson. I'm glad he's onboard, and look forward to letting him, "write, Forrest, write."
Like his beloved Steelers, this PA sports nut turned blogger extraordinaire lays it all on the line every time he steps up to the keyboard. Gallo's passion-filled anecdotes, lists, and columns are always distinctly "Eddie." His stories about Pap, the Hummer, and his Weekly Truth Series just stood out when considered against the rest of the field. It didn't take me long to figure out that I wanted him to be an important ingredient in the original AbsoluteBestNews.com recipe.
That being said, thanks to everyone that submitted and the glowing support this project has received from this community. I was flabbergasted by nearly every submittal, but when it came down to it, these 10 were perfect matches at this point and time for what I am trying to accomplish at AbsoluteBestNews.com. I really feel that these fellas, and a certain talented lady, are ready to start crafting some of the best material on the web today. Who knows, after this turnout I might even be back for OKWC II.
Anyway, it's time for me to put on my chef's hat and start cooking up those ingredients I talked about. Expect a site launch from us sometime in August!
Thanks Again,
Adam Best
AbsoluteBestNews.com
Editor-In-Chief/Lead Writer
absolutebestfilms@gmail.com
No. I'm not promoting the cheesy Dana Carvy movie of the same name. I'm inviting every member of the FoxSports.com blogging community to take advantage of a unique opportunity. You see, I love this site and think that it is possibly the best blogging community on the web. I will continue to post here and promote the site as just that and send people its way. And I thank and applaud Fox for having such a space when ESPN and other competitors refuse to allow their readers to have this kind of outlet. However, there is too much talent getting wasted over here. Sure, you have a small fan base of readers and are respected by quite a few people, but what else?
Not much.
Other than one person winning the NGS every half-year, who else profits from this site? Honestly-nobody. Sure, the community is fun, but for many of us this is about so much more than simply being fun.
That is why I, along with a business associate of mine, am launching a live sports (NBA, NFL, MLB, Soccer/MLS, NHL, NCAA, NASCAR, GOLF, UFC, potentially everything!), entertainment, and news supersite-AbsoluteBestNews.com. Columns, blogs, news, podcasts, etc... this site will have it all.
Where do you come in? I am looking for featured contributors, writers featured by the site that would contribute a weekly column and potentially be involved in podcasts. The column could have almost any format, I just want talented, creative, writers with fresh voices. Your name, picture, bio, and material would be featured on a site that we expect to receive big-time traffic. This would be fantastic exposure. I also would let all featured contributors completely control their own material. Initially this will not be a paid gig, but that could definitely change in the not-so-distant future. The main thing is the exposure. Instead of people going to Fox and stumbling across your blog (which is probably 1 out of 1,000) every once in a while you would be one of ten to fifteen featured writers on one of the hottest new sites on the web. You'd be one of the original writers whose talent and rep helped build the site from the ground up. I would also link to your website or page if you have one already.
Here's the deal: I want to take a minimum of 5 writers from this site, and everyone gets a fair shot. If we think 20 writers are worthy, 20 will be selected.
How do you audition for the Opportunity Knocks Writing Contest?
Simply send your best sample of writing, either brand new or older, to absolutebestfilms@gmail.com along with why you think you'd be a great addition as a featured writer. I'll be announcing at least 5 winners a week from today and will include a slice of writing that shows why each writer was selected.
Hopefully, there will be a decent turnout and a select group of us can start making things happen. Only 1 writer wins NGS, but at least 5 writers will win the OKWC. Looking forward to hearing from you guys!!
Two fantastic NBA Playoff games took place last night. Here are my post-game reflections...
Detroit Pistons vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
Rasheed doesn't just throw headbands, he throws fits.
Guaran-Sheed?
Being a die-hard Indiana Pacers fan, let's just say that I'm not particularly fond of Detroit Pistons star forward Rasheed Wallace. I can't stand the way he runs his mouth. I can't stand his wannabe-Dirk Nowitzki game. I can't stand the way he whines and protests after every single foul that is called on him. I can't stand when he throws temper tantrums and flings off his headband. I can't stand that bird poop stain on the top of his dome. Most of all, I can't stand his "Guaran-Sheeds." I hate "Guaran-Sheeds."
As you can imagine, last night I took great pleasure in watching a "Guaran-Sheed" victory prediction go up in smoke for the first time. He previously was 3-0 after making these pre-game predictions, with two of those "Guaran-Sheed" wins coming against my beloved Pacers. I was at the second of those two games--Game 4 of last year's second-round Pacers-Pistons playoff series--where I witnessed Wallace and teammate Chauncey Billups tear my Pacers apart firsthand. That was the last time I saw my favorite player of all time--Reggie Miller--play in person. That was also the last time I went to the Pacers state-of-the-art venue Conseco Fieldhouse. I still have this nasty, bitter taste in my mouth. I-puked-and-didn't-brush-my-teeth nasty.
Monday night's Pistons-Cleveland Cavaliers game was also Game 4 of a second-round playoff series. I guess Wallace and the Pistons think that they can waltz to the Finals every year simply by guaranteeing victories every time any Eastern Conference team comes within striking distance in a series. LeBron and his Cavs disagreed. The Cavs won the game 74-72 and sent the series back to Detroit tied 2-2.
Another problem I have with Wallace's promises is that he doesn't always show up after making these predictions. Last night Wallace looked disinterested. He was so out of it that when the "Kiss Cam" made its way around the arena during a timeout, he playfully was trying to kiss Billups. He scored a pedestrian 7 points and ended up sitting out a large portion of the game with what seemed to be nothing more than a lightly sprained ankle. That also bugs me, because most so-called NBA gurus rave about the Pistons toughness. Nowitski has returned to play after losing teeth, spraining ankles, etc... Why has he been labeled "soft" while Wallace gets "tough?" It simply doesn't make sense.
I think guarantees are becoming far too prevalent in sports today. Back in the day, these predictions were reserved for the likes of the NBA Finals and the Super Bowl. For example, flashy Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson could be a meteorologist for the local news with all the forecasting he does. Wallace is making his "Guaran-Sheeds" such an annual ritual that his latest assurance hardly even generated any news. In my opinion, if you make one of these guarantees you need to A.) Be the best player and a leader on your team; and B.) Follow it up with a monster stat line.
Wallace is not the best player on his team (he's the fourth best, for the record), he's' not a leader, and he didn't even come close to a monster stat line last night. He finally wrote a check that his butt couldn't cash. I suppose that's what Wallace meant when he made the post-game comment "The sun even shines on a dog's ass some days." This is suddenly a series as the Pistons biggest dog is now feeling some heat being applied to his rear end.
Anderson Varejao, er, I mean Sideshow Bob.
Sideshow Bob no longer
During the Pistons-Cavaliers game last night, I couldn't help but notice the inspired play of young Brazilian Cavs forward Anderson Varejao. The guy resembles the character Sideshow Bob from The Simpsons, but last night his game was no sideshow.
Varejao was all over the court, playing like the second coming of Dennis Rodman. Not only did he have 10 points and 6 rebounds in 28 minutes, he matched Ben Wallace's intensity, and made countless hustle plays. His biggest play of the night was a charge he took from Chauncey Billups with 30 seconds left in the contest. Cavs Head Coach Mike Brown gave this beauty of a quote as a response "Andy's charge was huge. He has about the quickest feet of any guy that I know that is seven feet, or six-ten and some hair. He's great. His feet are extremely quick and he is a very smart basketball player."
Varejao will definitely have to maintain this level of both play and energy for the Cavs to have a shot at stealing this series from the Pistons. However, he is playing the finest basketball of his relatively short career, so I think both he and the Cavs have an outside shot.
My Forecast (No, this is not a "Gauran-Sheed")
I'm still thinking Pistons in 7... But, if I were Detroit I'd try to close this baby out in six games. They do not want to give LeBron James the opportunity to knock them out with clutch heroics late in Game 7. No matter how clutch Mr. Billups thinks he is.
What is going on in the NBA these days? Yes, the play indeed has been "Fantastic" during this first round series, but I'm not talking about the play. I'm talking about the fashion. In the past year or so we've seen both pig tails and Baryshnikov-esque tights become somewhat popular. My thoughts on the fads of the NBA...
Dancing with the Stars
King James, Half-Man/Half-Amazing, T-Mac, KB8 and Flash have all donned the tights this season. Players claim the increased circulation helps prevent injuries. The NBA doesn't agree. No matter how practical the tights are, Stern and his cronies do not want the league's stars dressing like ballerinas. I mean, what's next? A Serena Williams-inspired skirt replacing player's shorts? Pink uni's? Eyeliner?
Rockin' the Socks
Frankly, Mr. Shankly, this fad has to go. Long socks may have been cool back when Magic sported 'em with the stripes, daisy dukes and Converse Weapons, but now they are out. Just look how goofy T-Mac (pictured above) looks in both long socks and tights. He looks downright goofy. Drew Gooden and J-Will are among the worst culprits here. The knee-high black socks they rock are the worst.
Tatted-Up
Love tattoos, and hate them, too. A.I.'s are sick. Starbury's look random. Love Kobe's crown. Not a big fan of Brad Miller's Scrappy-Doo and Greg Ostertag's Fred Flintstone. The artwork on Doug Christie's shoulder is sick. Tyson Chandler's tats are weak. See what I mean. This fad can be good or bad.
Big Red occasionally played in between "Dead" shows.
Do the 'Do's
Hairstyles are a fashion staple in the NBA and have been since Dr. J had the 'fro and Bill Walton was stylin' as Big Red. Scot Pollard has probably the most versatile locks in the league. He has gone with everything from the Samurai to the short-long mini-mullet he wore in this year's playoffs (mostly from the bench). Josh Childress has the Eraserhead mini-'fro going. A.I., J.O. and Kwame Brown go with ultra-stylish cornrows. The worst hairstyle fad has to be the pig tails that Latrell Spreewell, Troy Hudson and Danny Fortson had last season. After that embarrassing debacle, I'm glad Spree is out of the league. This is another fad that can go either way.
Headband-ing Together
This is a fad that caught on about 4-5 years ago and has become common throughout the league. Slick Watts and Cliff Robinson (yes, he's still playing... broken hip and all) were headband pioneers back in the day. Now, players on every team wear them. Rip Hamilton even uses one to pretty up his Jason mask. This fad, along with wristbands and armbands, can stay.
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