Kwame Fricken Brown

Are you kidding me? I woke up this morning to learn that the Pistons were interested in Signing Kwame Brown. This is the big move that the Pistons have been waiting to make all summer? This signing makes the Darko draft debacle look almost respectable in comparison.

This summer began with Joe D promising to shake up the roster. To most of us we thought he was referring to trading one of his starting five for a premier player. First their were the Carmello Anthony rumors and then the Baron Davis and Tracy McGrady stuff for a couple days. Heck, even Ron Artest's name had been floated. Now I didn't really like all those potential moves but at least they were getting some talent back.

Now instead they get a 7 foot stiff who wouldn't be in the NBA if he were three inches shorter. The guy cannot score, doesn't rebound very well for his size, is inconsistent at best on defense and yet the Pistons are paying him 4 million a year. This is the kind of move I expect the Clippers to make, not the Pistons.

This move also puts a strain on developing our young big men like Samb, Maxiel and Johnson. There simply won't be enough minutes to go around and I would much rather give one of them a chance to play and develop instead of watching Brown steal money for being big, slow and out of shape.

The very worst part of it is that I have always been able to mock Michael Jordan for drafting Kwame with the first overall pick. Now the Pistons are going to equally share in over reaching on Brown. I do give Joe Dumars credit for turning around the franchise but this one is certainly a head scratcher.

McCain's Veep?

I just read that McCain might name his Vice Presidential selection as early as next week. The idea is to take some of the spotlight away from Obama and give McCain a couple weeks of free publicity before the Summer Olympics.

I am torn on this idea. I like that announcing early is a bit unorthodox as I think McCain is at his best when he is acting against the status quo. However, I am worried that the actual person being selected is going to be Mitt Romney which would be a big mistake.

The Romney people have been pushing hard to get him the position. Their argument is that he is already vetted, has a background in business and can help raise tons of needed money. There is also some thought that he helps put Michigan in play.

Frankly he is a terrible choice. McCain needs to choose an unconventional partner. Romney is hardly unconventional. The biggest problem is Romney doesn't really help with the general electorate. He is a cookie cutter Republican in a year that is not trending Republican. He ran a lackluster campaign despite outspending all his other opponents. Finally, his fund raising prowess doesn't really help because McCain has already stated he is taking the federal campaign money which limits the amount he can spend.

It looks to me like the McCain camp is a little nervous. The see their poll numbers slipping and are desperate to change the tone and course of the campaign. A better approach might be to announce a major economic policy. Furthermore once you make the VP announcement you only get one bounce and it might be a little too early to use it. Especially while not many people are paying attention.

I'm back

As many of you noticed and commented upon, I have not posted in some time. Too be honest, I haven't really had much to write about and needed a little break I guess. But today I thought I would get back in the saddle again, so to speak.

Tonight I went to a going away party of sorts for my friend Dan. It was his second going away party this week. He is moving to Indiana Monday morning. The party was fun as it usually is, when he and I are together, but it is also very sad to me. I first met Dan two years ago when I started going to Barefoot. He is one of the founding fathers of the church. I remember it vividly as we spoke in the kitchen and talked politics. I knew at that time that he and I would become friends. Then he moved in with me back in January while he was going through some tough times and we bonded even more.

Truthfully, it really sucks that he has to move away just to find a job. I am sick of the crappy economy in Michigan. I am sick of Lansing be such a transient town. I am sick of losing good people in my life. I am sick of having to make new friends. I am sick of having to fill the gap in my life that is left by their absence.

A few days ago I started counting up all the good friends that have moved away since I moved to Lansing 10 years ago. During that time period, I have had to say goodbye to over 20 friends of mine. You'd think I would get better with practice but it never gets easy saying goodbye.