Duke Basketball vs. Louisville: 63-85

This game was the opposite of the Michigan St. game (my opinion of Duke's chances).  After the first few minutes, I figured Duke was going to lose.  Louisville was playing at a speed that Duke just couldn't keep up with on both offense and defense. Sure, it was close at the half, and I believe Duke even took a slight lead at some point in the 2nd half, but you could just tell that Louisville was the better team.  

The key for why this looked like a lost game during the first half:  Duke couldn't even get the ball across half court without turning it over.  For the game, they had 11 turnovers, but I believe most of those happened in the first half.  

Also, it probably hurt that Ryan Kelly got into foul trouble early in the game.  And so this is why I always wonder why Duke doesn't develop at least an 8 person rotation -- my one criticism of Duke basketball.  No one was able to come in and really play.

Oh well, Duke had a solid season.  It would have been nice to win it all.  The year started out without anyone really giving Duke a chance.  Then Duke played a few games and hopes started to increase.  Then Ryan Kelly went down and hopes diminished.  Then he came back and hopes increased.  But then we hit the buzz-saw that is Louisville.  Here's hoping Louisville wins it all.  We can at least say we lost to the eventually champions.  

P.S.  Here's hoping Kevin Ware has a full recovery.  

Duke Basketball vs. Michigan St: 71-61

A hard fought game where it just seemed from the start that Duke was going to win.  For me, they just looked like the superior team.  Why?  Mason Plumlee wasn't getting pushed around.  When Plumlee isn't getting pushed around, Duke has both an inside and outside game.

Seth Curry had one of those crazy games -- 29 points.

Ryan Kelly still can't hit three point shots, but he did hit shots.  It looks like he's getting back into the flow.

Quinn Cook looked like he was a bizarro world.  He ended up sitting out the last few minutes.  Hopefully, it was just one bad game.  Match-up problem, perhaps?  One of his shots was so nutty, it was embarrassing.

Rasheed Sulaimon was the guy getting fouled at the end.  The freshman has nerves.  He missed only 1 of those last few fouls.







 

Harper Simon at The Satellite

Harper Simon's final night at The Satellite brought some excitement.  First off, Harper Simon came by before his set and said hello to this photographer.  I'll have to send over some photos.  Second off, just as his set was starting off, he broke a string on his guitar.  Hey, I say that's rocking it.

A couple guests came up for a couple songs.  Z Berg from JJAMZ hit the stage followed by . . . Dan Aykroyd.  From what I've read on blogs, Aykroyd performed "Rubber Biscuit."

Prior to the start of his set, Mandy Kahn had a poetry reading with the backing of the Angeles Ladies' Choir.  And there was also a comedian -- forgive me, but I missed her name.

Was it a great way to end a residency?  You bet.

Killsonic at The Satellite

A friend told me about Killsonic awhile back. It took me awhile, but I finally was able to catch one of their sets. They have an awesome dissonant sound created by drums and horns.

Don Juan Y Los Blancos at The Satellite

I saw Don Juan Y Los Blancos over two years ago. The Mo-odds were doing a secret show in the middle of nowhere Los Angeles.  It was good to catch up with this band.

Comment of the set:  I have to work tomorrow morning.  I'm a capitalist.

Jeff Crosby and the Refugees at Silverlake Lounge

Jeff Crosby and the Refugees were the residency band at Silverlake Lounge.  I haven't been to Silverlake Lounge for over a month and it felt good to be back.

There was a very cool atmosphere going on that night.  Members from both Downtown Train (the band before Jeff Crosby) and Jeff Crosby came by and said  hello.  And crowd dancing was highly recommended.

Downtown Train at Silverlake Lounge (photo)

Downtown Train

Duke Basketball vs. Creighton: 66-50

It wasn't pretty, but Duke advances.

Plumlee and Kelly almost immediately got into foul trouble and so the freshman (Sulaimon and Jefferson) had to step up.

Seth Curry had a slow start, but got going in the second half.

Thornton hit a wild three like he did last year in the Maui Tourney.  This time, he did it as the 1st half was coming to a close.  I'm sure it got Duke pumped.

The announces were saying Duke kept McDermott in check.  I suppose so.  He only shot 25%, but he still scored 21.

March Madness 2013: 2nd Bracket

My Second Bracket

Midwest:  2nd round

Louisville
Colorado St
Oregon
Saint Louis
Memphis
Michigan St.
Creighton
Duke

South:  2nd Round

Kansas
N. Carolina
VCU
Michigan
Minnesota
Florida
San Diego St.
Georgetown (out)

West:  2nd Round

Gonzaga
Pittsburgh (out)
Wisconsin (out)
Kansas St. (out)
Arizona
New Mexico (out)
Iowa St.
Ohio St.

East:  2nd Round

Indiana
N.C. State (out)
California
Syracuse
Bucknell (out)
Marquette
Illinois
Miami (Fla.)

**************

Midwest:  3rd Round

Louisville
Saint Louis
Michigan St.
Duke

South:  3rd Round

Kansas
Michigan
Florida
Georgetown

West:  3rd Round

Pittsburgh
Wisconsin
New Mexico
Ohio St.

East:  3rd Round

Indiana
Syracuse
Bucknell
Miami (Fla.)

**************

Sweet 16

Louisville
Michigan St.
Kansas
Georgetown
Wisconsin
Ohio St.
Indiana
Miami

**************

Elite Eight

Louisville
Ohio St.
Georgetown
Miami

**************

Final Four

Ohio St.
Miami

Winner:  Miami

Yeah, my West and South regions were toast after only 1 day.

Duke Basketball vs. Albany: 73-61

This was a game that shouldn't have been that close.  From what I could tell, Albany was just outmatched.  Many of their shots in the 1st half seemed lucky.  One of their players would take a wild shot, the ball would bounce in a strange fashion and Albany would get the rebound and send up another wild shot that would go in by what seemed luck.  They'd also throw wild passes that would end up as a turnover.  Also, Mason Plumlee and Seth Curry played well.

And yet it was a close game.  Worry sign for Duke going forward?  We need Ryan Kelly back to his old self as soon as possible.

March Madness 2013 bracket #1

My First Bracket

Midwest:  2nd round

Louisville
Missouri
Oregon
Saint Louis
Memphis
Michigan St.
Creighton
Duke

South:  2nd Round

Kansas
N. Carolina
VCU
Michigan
Minnesota
Florida
Oklahoma
Georgetown

West:  2nd Round

Gonzaga
Pittsburgh
Wisconsin
Kansas St.
Arizona
New Mexico
Notre Dame
Ohio St.

East:  2nd Round

Indiana
Temple
California
Syracuse
Bucknell
Marquette
Illinois
Miami (Fla.)

**************

Midwest:  3rd Round

Louisville
Saint Louis
Michigan St.
Duke

South:  3rd Round

Kansas
Michigan
Minnesota
Georgetown

West:  3rd Round

Pittsburgh (already out)
Wisconsin
New Mexico
Ohio St.

East:  3rd Round

Indiana
Syracuse
Bucknell (already out)
Miami (Fla.)

**************

Sweet 16

Louisville
Duke
Kansas
Georgetown
Wisconsin
Ohio St.
Indiana
Miami

**************

Elite Eight

Louisville  (yep, at this point I need to cross out Duke).
Ohio St.
Georgetown
Indiana

**************

Final Four

Louisville
Indiana

Winner:  Louisville

My 2nd bracket (dark horse) has Miami winning it all.

LA Fashion Weekend: Additional Photo

LA Fashion Weekend: Favorite Dress

LA Fashion Weekend: my favorite photo

Here's my favorite photo from LA Fashion Weekend:  Ermelinda Manos fashion.

Hunter Hunted at Bootleg

Hunter Hunted gave a rousing set at the Bootleg.  It was needed as (I believe) one of the bands cancelled so there was a long gap between bands.  The two leads in the band got everyone grooving in a packed Bootleg.  And this band is keeping busy.  As soon as they finished their set, it was off to LAX for a red eye.

 

Alto at Bootleg

Alto hit the stage at Bootleg. They're a female string trio with the occasional (from what I've read) guitarist. Their music is folksy and catchy.

And the set was filled with quirky comments from bassist Jessica.

Comment 1 of the set: Not only are you super polite, but you're also good clappers. Can you tell I teach music? I'm grading you.

Comment 2 of the set: We'd love for you to come by and say hello. We're not unapproachable. I'm not 6 feet tall. I'm wearing heels.

Santa Anita Race Track: March 10th, Sunday

What a disaster this past Sunday at Santa Anita.  I should have quit betting after the first race when nothing worked out on the betting scheme.

I don't believe I've ever lost so much money -- though I don't make big bets so someone might find my losses amusing.

I decided on a new strategy.  I mainly bet on exactas or pick 3s.  I also occasionally bet on a slight longshot to show or a trifecta if there were 3 horses that looked like they were expected to come in.

My thinking was this:  I might win less, but maybe when I did win I'd win more.

So the first race came up and I was thinking I should skip making a bet on this race as there appeared to be no real front runners.  Oh well, I decided to go for it and the slide started.

For the second race, I went with two different exactas.  One of the exactas came in -- my only exacta of the day -- so I did okay.  However, I decided to bet that a long shot would come in show.  The horse came in 4th so my upside from the exacta disappeared.

I'd say in the 3rd and 8th races, I came in close to potentially hitting an exacta but another horse came in to mess me up -- though I did select the proper order of finish (excluding that "misplaced" horse).

I was so frustrated that I just took off before I could lose even more money in the 9th race.

Here's my thinking of potential future betting:

1.  consider still doing the exactas.
2.  skip the pick 3s or daily doubles.
3.  instead of going for a longshot to come in show, pick a favorite to come in show.

Maybe this strategy will result in a bit less money loss than this past Sunday, but prove more interesting versus my pass strategies (betting carefully by just betting on horses to place or show) which usually equaled slight gains or losses.

Duke Basketball vs. Carolina: 69-53

It was senior night at Carolina, but the Duke seniors are the ones who tore it up.  Seth Curry hit everything in the first half, even hitting a shot while falling on his but.  Mason Plumlee was slamming everything.  Ryan Kelly was quiet, but that was mainly because he was in and out in the first half and then in the second he didn't seem to get much of an open look.  Does Duke look like a team that can win it all?  Let's get Ryan Kelly at least 2 more games in the ACC tourney before calling that one.

Harper Simon at The Satellite

Harper Simon is the residency singer-songwriter at The Satellite. And what did he bring?  A hall of fame drummer.  A poet, Mandy Kahn, that I'm told is the inspiration for Berkeley Girl.  And an over-all lyric driven set.

And would you believe I saw Harper Simon play a set in Sevilla, Spain?

Jenny O at The Satellite

I am falling in love with the Jenny O sound. I can't lie. And when she smiles, the whole venue comes alive.

The Living Sisters at The Satellite

It was off to The Satellite where I saw The Living Sisters. Their set was a mixture of cover songs and their own material.  Four women singing a lovely tune.

Comment of the night:  You can't fail with harmony.  When it is perfect, it is beautiful.  When it fails it is hysterical.

 

Duke Basketball vs. Virginia Tech: 85-57

A 28 point win makes it look like this was a blow out win.  Not true.  Virginia played tough and had a decent lead throughout much of the first half.  And Duke only led by 10 with 6 minutes left in the game.  Though it was close through much of the game, it did appear that Duke had the game under control and that there were just some missed opportunities that prevented Duke from taking a solid lead in the first half.

Ryan Kelly came down to earth a little, scoring 18 points.  As was pointed out on the telecast, during the last few minutes of the game he looked exhausted.  In fact, on the offensive end I'd say he took a breather, hands  on his shorts.

It was good; however, that Ryan Kelly came back down to earth.  Plumlee, Curry and Cook made the offensive attack far more balanced.

Alex Murphy played only 3 minutes according to the stats sheet, but I have to say his one bucket was a nice slasher to the basket.  He had a similar sort of shot against Virginia.  I say this is a good sign for next year.

Emily Kinney at Hotel Cafe

Emily Kinney from Walking Dead hit the stage at Hotel Cafe. Hopefully, that doesn't mean she's about to be killed off on an upcoming Walking Dead episode.  Anyways, her set was filled with some shy humor and random comments regarding her songs.

Song comment of the set:  I like cleaning things out.  Sometimes you have to do that with boyfriends.

The crowd loved the set.  They called her back for an encore.

Scott James at Hotel Cafe

It was off to Hotel Cafe for the first time in awhile. Scott James was up first.  He provided us with an understated, moving set.

The Vim Dicta at the Chinese New Year Festival

Interestingly enough, I was randomly watching the local news when a segment came on about gas prices. The lead singer of The Vim Dicta was interviewed. As for the band, they're young, they're sexy, watch out.

TM87 at the Chinese New Year Festival

I was about to take off for vacation, but there was a music festival going on in Chinatown. My last music festival was Culture Collide so I figured it was time to at least check out a couple bands. One of those bands was TM87, a band powered by their female lead singer. There was some amusing bickering regarding a water bottle. Is the lead singer a bit of a germaphobe? If so, I like her.


 

Duke Basketball vs. Virginia (l) and Miami (w)

Against Virginia, Duke never looked like it was gaining any momentum in the 68-73 loss.  Mason Plumlee just couldn't get going.  Joe Harris from Virginia was able to get whatever he wanted.  It was one of those games where you kind of knew Duke was going to lose after about 5 minutes.

Against Miami, Ryan Kelly returned, 79-76.  I was talking to a co-worker this past Friday about March Madness.  I said I'd need to see Ryan Kelly play a few games with Duke before I decided how far Duke would go.  I also said that I was considering picking Miami to win it all.  Unexpectedly for me, I got to see Ryan Kelly play a game earlier than anticipated.  Let's just say he played beyond expectations.  My one concern:  Duke went back to a 7 man rotation.  There were no minutes for Amile Jefferson or Alex Murphy. Of course, this game was so close that perhaps having a tight bench is acceptable.  On the other hand, Miami went 9 deep for the game (2 players only got sparse minutes, but Jefferson and Murphy could have also been given some sparse minutes).  As for thinking about selecting Miami to win it all?  They played a solid game.  One game does not make Duke the best team in the nation, especially when that one game saw an unreal performance.  We still need to see how Duke plays over the next 4 or 5 games (I'm assuming they at least make a semi-deep run in the ACC tourney).  As for Miami, they're tough and good and March could be kind to them.  Of course, one can always make various March Madness entries so I could still select both Duke and Miami to win it all.

The Mowgli's at The Satellite

Super late post, but I was on vacation. The Mowgli's hit the stage at The Satellite for their February residency and their fans didn't need much encouragement to get with the show. One friend said they're a bit like Grouplove. I say with that hat (see below) we're talking a bit of Milo Greene style tossed in.

Comment that I overheard as I was heading home:  The music was great, but I hate those band names.

My silent response:  Coyol, Terraplane Sun, The Mowgli's.  You just got to get used to them.

Terraplane Sun at The Satellite

This is a super late post, but as I mentioned previously, I was on vacation. Terraplane Sun hit the stage and gave us a rousing set along with a little sneak peak of The Mowgli's.