Since my last RRR, my life has taken a drastically satisfying change. I dropped the suit and untaped my wrists, for I am no longer doing backflips and handstands for The Man. The DJ HippoNation has come to know and love, NAY...adore...is back. Here comes the music and sports you've been missing. This is the first installment of 2006. I wish you a Happy New Year....

Raves:

1. "How I Met Your Mother" - This sitcom is hilarious and is carried by the most underrated of actors, Neil Patrick Harris. NPH shed the Doogie label and is showing his comic skills. I thought the show would suck immeasurable amounts of ass when I saw that the red-headed-Band-Camp-girl-from-American-Pie was in it. Then I saw that one of the main characters annoyingly reminded me of Jimmy Fallon aka The Man Who Killed SNL and was really pissed. The dude (not JF) is actually funny. And NPH is golden. He plays the friend that everybody has that does wild ass crazy stuff for no reason, but it's hilarious because he's impishly funny and cute. So pretty much like JT, without the cute part.

2. The Carter II by Lil' Wayne. This shit is insanely good, and is of course from the South. This CD, along with Paul Wall's The People's Champ are the only two CD's of the rap genre in my rotation right now. Back to Mr. Wayne. The first installment was released last year and got my attention, but when I heard this, I had to get it. Fast. Tracks 7,17, 13, and 5 will blow your mind. He is so clever with his words. It's hard for a CD to make my album, and this one jumped in without even a second listening. Oh and by the way, will somebody buy me an iPOD? That would be great. Thanks.

Rants:

1.Most Underrated Musicians/Groups:

Trick Daddy - Somehow gets lost down in Dade County. One of the most distinctive voices out there. Might be the only man to outsmoke Snoop Dogg.

Sublime - Maybe it's just because I miss them, but I realized the other day I hadn't listened to them in about 7 months. Shame on me. If tragedy hadn't struck Sublime, then The Offspring and other shitty SoCal bands like them never would have taken off. That is the real tragedy.

Velvet Revolver - I know they may not be underestimated musically anymore, but in my opinion they don't get enough credit for two other things: actually getting along and putting out good music (ala Fall to Pieces, which is pretty much a collective biography put to music) and the amount of substances, illicit or otherwise, they have put into their bodies during their musical tenures. It's like the All-Time, All-Hammered, second team list. Some would say that lead singer Scott Weiland got robbed and should have made first team. The Crue own the honor of first team, forever. This band was so good they had to turn down Dave Navarro. Kudos fellas....

2. Best Single, Shittiest Album of 2005:

Man, he got me. My mouth was wide open. When he released the single "Breathe", Fabolous pulled the greatest trick since Kevin Spacey in The Usual Suspects and every Bush-related election. I went and bought his album and not one track besides that one was worth wiping my ass with. I was all excited, and even got it sent overseas to me. But I found several uses for it: a coaster, a frisbee, a practice Chinese throwing star, and at one point even chewing gum (I was drunk). At least I got my money's worth from it....

3. Time to go to the NBA. Etan Thomas is sick. There are not many power forwards OR centers in the East I would take over him at this point. His numbers do not demonstrate how good he actually is. He suffers from Kenyon Martin disease (no not stuttering). If he doesn't dunk the ball with extreme prejudice and malice in your grill or hit you with a bone crunching screen (a lost art amongst big fellas) then he is not happy. And you don't wouldn't like him when he's mad....

4. Zo getting dunked on is a nightly thing now. I can hear him getting dunked on from the snowy confines of Finland. I know he is a warrior, but at some point even Shaka Zulu must put down his spear. He is on pace to crush Shawn Bradley's single season record of getting dunked on, which was approximately 711 times. Even his own teammate, D Wade said after one of his early season disgracings by Vince Carter that it was one of the top 10 dunks of all time. He is only guilty of speaking too soon....

5. I know he couldn't guard a slug in a salt mine, but Kyle Korver is wet. That boy can shoot. He is by far the best shooter in the East, but may well be the worst defender. I think even Hubie Brown could post him up. God that would be hilarious to watch.

6. Lamar Odom could be a perennial All-Star under Phil and Kobe's regime. The guy can do everything. He is the most versatile player in the NBA and is only 26. Until 7 days ago, I did not even know that he had a right hand. I almost lost a bet that he was the first one-armed guy to represent the USA in the Olympics. This guy absolutely refuses to use his right hand. Maybe science can graft him one or he can buy one on eBay. If that happens, watch out.

Ruminations:

1. This has been an awesome bowl season. Close games and everything. This has been the best bowl season to date for me. With a changing of the guard atop the polls, and JoPa not dying, it's been simply a great year overall. I can't wait until next year.

2. The song Humps by the BEP is by far the most played song in the world, possibly of all time. It's everywhere. I even heard it on a city bus. Over the past few years I have come to realize that even if they didn't sell one record in the US, they would still be millionaires many times over by the gargantuan overseas following they have. It's funny how you will hear someone recite every word to the song, and that is the only English they know.

3. Marcus Vick. Wow.

That's all I have for now. Short and sweet, kind of like Vida Guerrero. Now it's time to cheer for my Buffs on the hardwood. At press time, they were 10-1, but have yet to really be challenged. If they can scrape together 9 more wins in the Big XII then they can get into the tourney. I think we need to have an Imaginary DH Basketball Tourney with the field representing all of our alma maters, under and post grad. It would include Florida, CU, Kentucky, UT #2, GW, Maryland, Vandy, and Michigan. It would be hilarious to see who would cut down the nets, in Chino, CA, where the Finals are going to be held...It will be discussed at the next DH board meeting...Until next time...

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