Archive for April, 2008

Congratulations, Manu!

Congrats to San Antonio Spurs guard, Manu Ginobili, for being named the NBA’s best sixth man for 2007-08 season.

Ginobili received 615 out of a possible 620 points, including 123 of a possible 124 first-place votes, from a panel of 124 sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Leandro Barbosa of the Phoenix Suns finished second with 283 points and Jason Terry of the Dallas Mavericks finished third with 44 points.

In order to be eligible for this award, players had to have come off the bench in more games than they started. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote.

Courtesy, AP

What I want to know is who’s the clown that didn’t vote for Manu. Seriously? I mean…I don’t want to take anything away from Leandro Barbosa. The guy is definitely lights out. But Manu clearly had the strongest argument. His efforts are clearly missed on the court when he’s injured. And he led all Spurs scorers with a career-high 19.5 points per game.

So, I went searching through pages and pages on the Internet to see if I could find the culprit. All I could find is this page published on April 15, 2008 on ESPN.com of NBA award picks. ESPNmag writer, Chris Palmer, chose Leandro Barbosa. I thought graduating from Howard University implied intelligence. C’mon, CP. (Ok, I admit…I’m biased. But I think my contention is valid…right?) I definitely figured CP would pick Manu for his Xtreme Sports-like play on the court (Chris also covers extreme sports for ESPN).

Anyway congrats again, Manu!

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Toshiba 37AV500U — An Impressive 37″ LCD HDTV

If you’re looking for a straight forward, no nonsense TV…this is it. I’m an “open box” junkie. So when I noticed the price on this TV, I thought for sure it was included in that category. But the Toshiba 37AV500U is a new TV, not ready for the OB shelf.

Toshiba 37AV500U: not just a pretty face

Before purchasing a TV, I like to see them in action…side by side…mano a mano. I compared this one to a 37″ Regza and a 37″ LG (both also new). The Regza was about $100 more and the only difference I could find was an extra HDMI slot. The LG was also impressive, but it was almost $300 more.

Aside from being aesthetically pleasing with its glossy black thin bezel, the Toshiba’s picture is sharp…crisp. Black screens are black instead of gray. And you’d never know it was only 720p without reading it on the specs first. But given that it’s only 37 inches, the resolution is sufficient. So far, I’ve watched everything from CNBC (moving tickers) to movies to San Antonio Spurs games…all in HD. Videophiles worried about response times and lag commonly associated with LCDs will be pleased (I’m using the HDMI connection). And the SD channels actually come through really nice compared to other HDTVs. Finally, the SoundStrip speakers actually provide clear and rich sound up to a certain volume. I expected it to sound like an alarm clock. But for a home theater setup, you’ll want to add speakers.

I’d rate this TV is a solid 8.0 out of 10.0. What the 37AV500U does lack in features, it definitely makes up for in picture quality and overall value! Like I said…this TV is easy to use, easy to hook up, and easy on the eyes!

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New Video Feature

I invite you to check out the new video feature on DERRICH.com. It’s located over on the sidebar, and it includes the last 5 videos shown on the site. And given the frequency with which I’ve been posting lately, this is your key to entertainment when visiting the blog. If you have a video you think I should include, don’t hesitate to send it to me!

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Be Kind. Review Within 24 Hours!

Are you kidding me? Apparently I’m a little behind the curve on this news. Last night, my DIRECTV DVR list included a message regarding the recording of Pay Per View movies to my DVR. The message reads as follows:

Effective April 15, 2008, DVR recordings of PPV movies will be available for 24 hours of unlimited viewing after purchase. Major movie studios have required that satellite and cable providers alike may no longer allow their customers to view these recordings for longer than 24 hours. During the 24 hour viewing period, you will continue to enjoy all of your DVR features such as pause and rewind.

Um. Why on earth would anyone purchase a movie and record it to their DVR when in the same timeframe, they could hit up Blockbuster Online or Netflix for a movie…and then keep that movie for days without late fees? Luckily the movies I have stored on my DVR already won’t be deleted.

I can see it now. No more fast forwarding through commercials.

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That Just Happened — A-Rod Attacked By Hawk At Fenway Park

Could it be a sign of what’s to come? Some may think that it’s no coincidence that Alexa Rodriguez, a 13-year-old girl, was attacked by a red-tailed hawk at Fenway Park yesterday. Many fans are releaved that it wasn’t a girl named Dereka Jeter or Alberta Pooholes.

So your tax refund was a little lower than expected? Can’t wait for that stimulus check? Try MissingMoney.com. The website developed by the ACS Unclaimed Property Clearinghouse will search its database for unclaimed property including bank accounts and safe deposit box contents, stocks, mutual funds, bonds, and dividends, uncashed checks and wages, insurance policies, CD’s, trust funds, utility deposits, and escrow accounts. Before you hire Russell & Tate to git yo’ money, try this site.

Regardless of how you look at it — 4 years too early or 6 years too late — the New Kids On The Block are back. They appeared on the Today Show this morning reunited for the first time in 14 years. The band will return to TODAY on May 16 to perform their first live concert since 1994 as part of TODAY’s summer concert series on the Plaza. I can see it now…new video introduced by Kennedy and Bill Bellamy.

The Final Four descends upon San Antonio once again. Festivities begin today, games begin tomorrow. With four #1 teams, this city is gonna be a madhouse. I can’t wait! Aside from visiting my bar, RETOX, and the Alamo, I created a things to do in San Antonio list for you tourists. My only amendment to the list for downtown sports bar is The Ticket. Go there. And when it gets packed, come to RETOX. See a schedule of events for the NCAA® Final Four® in San Antonio.

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In Memoriam: Nathan Alden Robinson Remembered On The Office

To get ready for the new episodes of The Office, which airs next Thursday, I watched the mini marathon of the show tonight. It included the last few episodes from the last season. The show threw a refreshing curveball into the credits: a YouTube-ish video of some kid playing the show’s theme song. So I searched for it.

The kid in the video is 15-year-old Nathan Alden Robinson. We share at least one thing in common — his first instrument was the piano. Actually two things. He was a fan of The Office. According to his obituary in the Boston Globe, Nathan and a friend were discussing the show. One thing led to another, and Nathan was playing the theme song…and here’s the video:

…and to think my contribution to the show was only the best spoof of The Office on YouTube. Nathan passed away in March as a result of methicillin-resistant Staph, pneumonia, and flu. Thank you for sharing with us, Nathan.

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