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Tim Duncan & LaMarcus Aldridge Join Forces on San Antonio Spurs

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tim duncan joins lamarcus aldridge on san antonio spurs 2015 nbaThe biggest star of NBA Free Agency 2k15 has made up his mind—LaMarcus Aldridge will be sporting silver and black for the next four years after signing an $80 million contract with the San Antonio Spurs.

Coming off a less than spectacular season as defending NBA Champions, San Antonio is entering the final year of an era. 2015-2016 may very likely be the final season for sure-fire Hall of Famer Tim Duncan, and it will definitely be the end of Manu Ginobili’s professional basketball career. Five NBA Titles later, things will be looking a bit different on Gregg Popovich’s squad.

That’s where Aldridge comes in. Sure, people will question why he went to a team which will be losing two of its biggest stars after one season; but they don’t realize that it really doesn’t matter—the Spurs’ championship window is more like a perpetually-open door.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics are the NBA’s two winningest franchises, but even they are going through a regrouping stage after seeing a lot of success from 2007-2010. That’s normal. Most teams win, rebuild, win, and repeat.

Not the Spurs. Since Duncan arrived in the 1997 NBA Draft, San Antonio hasn’t missed the playoffs. And if you let the 1996-1997 season slide, you’ll have to go all the way back to 1989 to find a playoffs without them.

Well, now the Spurs are looking to extend that streak far past Duncan’s final season. With The Big Fundamental on the team, San Antonio will always be in championship contention; but even after he calls it quits Aldridge, Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker, and Danny Green will be there to just keep on winning.

That’s really not why Aldridge decided on San Antonio though. He had that with the Portland Trailblazers to an extent. If he was satisfied with just making the playoffs, LA would still be in Oregon. That’s not what he’s looking for. He wants to win. He wants to win fast, and he wants to win now.

Unfortunately for Aldridge, his contract was pricy. That $80 million had to come from somewhere, and big men Tiago Splitter and Aron Baynes got the short end of the stick. Baynes is off to the Detroit Pistons to continue to get posterized by anybody and everybody, but Splitter is actually a pretty big loss for the now-centerless Spurs.

As a result, Tim Duncan will be even more important to this team than before. Duncan is an extremely underrated defender and rim protector, but with no one bigger than him on the roster, he’ll be thrown into the center position. Not a problem. Duncan can already post-up, rebound, and clog up the lane; so the name change is basically a formality.

Aldridge and Duncan will also be absolutely fantastic together. Their play styles complement each other perfectly. Both stretch the floor from the lane all the way to the edge of the three-point line. Whether they’re posting up or shooting a jumper, these two can score. Throw in rebounding, and the Spurs have quite the duo on the court. On top of that, Aldridge could very likely have the best year of his career simply because Duncan makes his teammates so much better.

Finally, the Spurs are helping set a trend that the rest of the NBA seems to be seriously considering. Everyone watched the Golden State Warriors win it all with a small lineup, so Popovich decided to one-up them by forming a big-small-ball squad.

Because of their ability to stretch the floor, Duncan and Aldridge can matchup with just about any formation a team could throw at them. Neither is afraid to work the post against a center if need be, and they are still bigger than anyone the Warriors would have been able to put on them.

Ginobili wants one more ring. So do Duncan, Parker, Pop, and even Leonard. LaMarcus Aldridge wants his first.

Good luck stopping a determined championship contender with an additional superstar in the arsenal.

Phil Jackson Blows Through New York Knicks Salary Cap With Bad Choices

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phil jackson blows through new york knicks cap salary 2015 images nbaThe New York Knicks are slowly but surely turning into the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NBA. I guess someone had to take the Charlotte Bobcats’ place. Things just haven’t been as comically bad there since the name change.

I digress, but don’t let it distract you from the fact that the Knicks were in a bad position before Phil Jackson’s arrival and have been even worse off with the Zen Master at the reigns.

Jackson had one job this offseason, and it was to bring in a star to compliment Carmelo Anthony. He failed to do so in the Draft, taking Kristaps Porzingis at No. 4 overall despite much safer choices still on the board; and he failed to do so in free agency as well. You wouldn’t think that playing in New York would be a tough sell, but Jackson is sure making it look that way.

With LaMarcus Aldridge choosing the San Antonio Spurs, the Knicks are pretty much out of luck this offseason. The team actually had a scheduled meeting with the Portland Trailblazers’ superstar, but it was cancelled by Jackson who didn’t want to waste time with someone that he felt had no intention of joining the Knicks.

The classic “That’s fine, we didn’t want you anyways.” Solid choice, President Jackson.

As if failing to bring in a superstar weren’t bad enough, Jackson also did the unthinkable: he blew threw $28 million in cap space WITHOUT bringing in a superstar.

That’s right. Jackson blew $28 M’s on one legitimate starter in Robin Lopez and three other players that the majority of NBA fans probably have never heard of (Derrick Williams, Kyle O’Quinn, and Arron Afflalo). I like Afflalo. I guess there’s that.

Wasting cap space has consequences, Mr. Jackson. The Knicks want to keep Jason Smith, Lou Amundson, Lance Thomas, and Alexey Shved on the roster as well. With $2.8 million to split between the four of them.

What’s your sales pitch going to be? “We’ll probably win eventually.”

Honestly, if Jackson manages to keep all four of those players without going over the cap I would be impressed. Although it wouldn’t really impact the team much, it would be the first thing he’s done to show he belongs in the front office.

James Dolan hired Phil Jackson for the magnetism of his 11 championship rings. So far they’ve been nothing but a repulsion.

BIG BROTHER 1706: Audrey’s Dysfunction Continues Being Success

big brother 1706 audrey gets davonned fight 2015 recapThe dysfunction and miscommunication has really set in on tonight’s episode of Big Brother, as Shelli said she was really nervous and excited about being head of household. Clay said he was stoked that Shelli is a head of household because he trusts her. Vanessa said Audrey is now the biggest problem in the house. The girls then argued about their alleged alliance because not all of them felt comfortable with it. Da’vonne called a house meeting to get things out in the open.

Audrey said she knew she put herself in a vulnerable position in the game. Jason said he was nervous about the house meeting but he was ready for it. He also said Audrey is a liar and has been loyal to no one but herself. Vanessa said the last thing she wanted was for Audrey to be hated in the house. Audrey said her strategy was to lie down and play dead because she has been backed against a law. Da’vonne said she and Shelli were broken in terms of their relationship as housemates.

big brother hoh shelli 1706 images 2015Shelli brought everyone to the head of household room. She and Becky then read aloud letters their loved ones wrote them. They talked about putting Steve up for eviction and discussed gathering information to help them do what is best for both of them.

Shelli talked to some of the housemates about how to move forward in the game. Clay said that Audrey couldn’t be trusted and that playing with Audrey is like playing with fire. He also said he wants Shelli out of the game. Audrey said she was laying around playing dead and waiting to talk to Clay. Audrey said she wasn’t targeting anyone in the game because she had already hit rock bottom. Audrey was accused of trying to use Clay as her puppet and manipulate him. Clay told Shelli to go after Da’vonne and she agreed it was a good idea. Shelli said she would never campaign for Clay to go home. Shelli said to stay head of household she had to put up a pawn against Da’vonne. She asked John to help them get Da’vonne evicted from the house. John said he didn’t want to be used as a pawn and that he doesn’t even play Chess.

Becky talked about how last year she was hit by a commuter train and broke her wrist and her leg. She also said she crushed her nose and had to have her lips sewn back on. Jackie said that based on this she wanted an alliance with Becky.

Sherri and Becky had to decide which housemates to nominate for eviction and Da’vonne said she wanted to be nominated. Audrey was aware she was in the bad seat because the housemates don’t like her. Jason said last week he put Becky up for eviction so this week she could easily do the same to him.

At the nomination ceremony Shelli nominated John and Da’vonne. Becky nominated Jason and Steve. Becky said Steve was a great guy but they hadn’t talked about the game and she wished him luck. Audrey said she thought someone might have a secret agenda since she wasn’t nominated for eviction this week.

Da’vonne and Jason said they were targets because they opened their mouths. Jason called the week a full blown assault against him and Da’vonne. Shelli said it should be an easy week for Steve and Jason if they both lay low. Audrey asked if there was a plan B if Jason and Steve threw the competition. John said he and Da’vonne had to sleep that night so they could succeed at Battle on the Block the next day.

big brother 1706 davonne john on block 2015Battle of the Block required the four nominees for eviction to act out the nine shots they were shown. Shelli said her plan was to get Da’vonne out and she hoped John wouldn’t throw the Battle of the Block. Both teams had to work attached together as Siamese twins. Jason and Steve tackled the challenge slowly but strategically. Da’vonne and John used a more complicated method though John said Da’vonne had come up with a dumb strategy. Da’vonne said she was just pulling John along because he was doing nothing, Shelli said John and Da’vonne were doing terrible and this might help her pull off her master plan. Jason and Steve won Battle of the Block. Shelli said she was ready to send Da’vonne out the door of the house. Becky said she was getting everything she wanted and she was waiting for hell to let loose in the house. Da’vonne said she would do whatever it took to stay in the game.

David Grohl’s Powerhouse Throne & Kate Middleton Christening

kate middleton charlotte christened for prince william 2015 gossipPrince William and Kate Middleton’s second child, daughter Charlotte, was christened Sunday afternoon at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Norfolk.

Donning an all white Alexander McQueen ensemble, topped off with a fascinator, Kate looked glowing as she wheeled Charlotte into the church. Alongside Kate and Charlotte was William in a navy suit and son George, who was wearing a more casual red and white tee shirt and shorts combo.

As for Charlotte, she wore a replica of the royal gown that has been in the Royal family since 1841, which is the same gown that George wore during his christening in 2013. William, however, got to wear the original gown at his 1982 christening.

prince william kate middleton christen daughter charlotte 2015 gossipBoth William and Kate selected five of their closest friends and family to join them at the ceremony. This did not include the attendance of William’s brother Harry, who was also missing from George’s ceremony two years back.

Kensington Palace took to twitter to show off some throwback photos of the original gown that Charlotte donned a replicate of.

They also revealed that the stroller that Charlotte was being pushed in by Kate was the same previously used by Prince Edward and Prince Andrew.

Kensington Palace, twitter post:

foo fighters david grohl perfumes injured for july 4 2015 imagesIt’s not only the Royals who have the opportunity to sit on a throne this week. Foo Fighters’ front man David Grohl made himself comfortable in a throne made of guitar pieces, amps and stage lights, on-stage at a Fourth of July concert in Washington, D.C.

Dave is recovering from a broken leg, which happened during a performance less then a month ago.  He was injured after accidentally falling offstage during a June 12 show in Sweden, where he ended up with a broken fibula. He was right away treated to and actually continued performing within minutes of the fall.

dave grohl performs foo fighters injured throne 2015 gossipDave later found out he would need surgery and therefore his band was forced to cancel their remaining European tour dates last month. However, Dave decided this wouldn’t stop him from taking the stage in D.C. for the Independence Day celebrations.

July 4 was the 20th anniversary of the debut of the band’s self-titled album, so it was surely a special performance.

Wearing a purple cast, David gave a killer performance despite his immobility.

In seemingly good spirits, the Foo Fighters took to twitter to thank D.C., accompanied with a picture of David on his rock n’ roll throne.

Foo Fighters, Twitter post:

vanessa williams married to jim skrip for 4 of july 2015 gossipFourth of July wasn’t simply for celebrating Independence Day for actress Vanessa Williams. The 52-year-old star decided it was the perfect day to also celebrate her love and wed fiancé Jim Skrip.

William’s teased the ceremony on social media where she tweeted about her “road trip for the holiday weekend.”

The couple’s engagement was officially announced in September when Vanessa showed off her ring on the Queen Latifah Show. Going on to tell the host that she was celebrating turning 50, rehearsing for Broadway and her new engagement.

This is Vanessa’s third marriage, as she was previously married to Roman Hervey II and basketball player Rick Fox.

Congratulations to Vanessa and her new husband, Jim!

 

 

TRUE DETECTIVE 202: Night Finds You But Not Colin Farrell

colin farrell killed off true detective 2015 imagesI don’t know if it was night that found Detective Ray Velcoro, but a weirdo with a mask and a scattergun sure did! What a short run for Colin Farrell. Two episodes in and it’s lights out for what should have been a major character in this season’s rendition of True Detective. We’ve not seen the last of Velcoro however. Don’t get your hopes up, Farrell fans. Dude is definitely dead. But there will be plenty more flashbacks like the one we saw last week with a younger version of the detective.

This episode was much better than the setup that was episode one. We got more information about each character this week and in addition we saw the moves they were making. The opening scene saw Frank lying in bed with his wife talking about his rough childhood, The story he told of his drunken father locking him in a dark basement was chilling to say the least. This man rose up from horrid conditions to be in a position of power and it was full on creepy to hear him say “What if I’m still in that basement? The dark? What if I died there?” What a dark dark thought! This is a troubled man.

We learned a bit more about the death of Casper. It was more brutal than we thought and by the way he had Gonorrhea. Let’s be honest. No one cares about this murder. It’s the dirty deals and people connected to Casper that make this mystery worth caring about.

true detective 202 nights finds you 2015 recap imageaVelcoro is told by his superiors to control the information flow when he wisely asks if they even want this case solved. That’s a good question to ask in case you ever find yourself as a dirty cop investigating a crime that could implicate your connections.

Motorcycle enthusiast Paul Woodrugh visits his mom and an uncomfortable visit it was. She keeps telling him he can have “his old room.” I don’t know what went on in his old room and I hope it never gets revealed.

I loved the back and forth between Velcoro and Ani Bezzerides as they share a ride. Velcoro would love to bed her obviously and her e-cigarette is driving him crazy. I was looking forward to more of these two together, but clearly that is now over. The next time they are together Ani will be staring down at Velcoro being pulled out of an icey drawer.

I hate to see a decent gangster down on his luck and that is just the case with Frank Semyon. He has gone all in on this rail deal and has basically lost his life savings since Casper died with the money in his possession. So Frank is broke but thinks he can get it all back. I hope he does, however it took him half a lifetime to stack all that cash. Getting it back quickly is easier said than done. I do think I am going to enjoy watching Vince Vaughn play a desperate criminal though. That look suits my boy much better than the high society criminal we saw in episode one.

We know Ali loves her knives and we find out the theory as she laid it out to Velcoro before his untimely demise. She knows she can be overpowered by the opposite sex and plans to bleed the fool who makes the mistake of laying hands on her. She and Paul are the only ones who even remotely want to find Casper’s killer.

I loved the courage that Velcoro’s ex-wife showed when she told him face to face that she is going to force supervised visits on the hot headed detective. This was a bad decision to tell him in person, but she kept her ex in check by telling him she would have a paternity test done. Clearly Velcoro is not the boy’s real father. She also mentions the fact that he killed her rapist, a tidbit that could be used against him as well. She insults her former soulmate by saying “You’re a bad person Ray,” which truly is the worst thing you can say about a person. Simple and to the point, and he knows it’s true by the way.

We see how Frank plans on getting back some fast money as he has his goons beat down another criminal as a threat. Frank is much more a fit for this criminal activity than the corporate type mega deals. It’s like Avon told Stringer Bell in ‘The Wire’, “You not hard enough for the gangster life, and maybe, just maybe you not smart enough for the corporate business world out there.” This episode showed that Frank is plenty hard enough for the gangster world. It’s the corporate dealings that have left him broke and scrambling to get back on top. The upper level crooks don’t have any code at all as they squash guys like Frank as soon as he comes up short on money.

The visit to Casper’s psychiatrist is telling….more about Ani than Casper. The therapist knows her dad and remembers how she was raised. We later find out that Ani is maybe addicted to porn. It started out with case work online then turned to pleasure.

night finds true detective 202 colin farrell dead vince vaughn 2015night finds true detective 202 colin farrell dead vince vaughn 2015Frank and Ray’s last meeting was pretty depressing as Ray shows he is no longer even interested in money. He hints at suicide and leaves his pay on the table for the pretty but scarred waitress who had invited him to take a vacation with her. That was the last tip Detective Velcoro would ever leave. He went alone to check out Casper’s second home only to be gunned down by the masked freak waiting on him. I have no idea why a cop would holster his gun after seeing something suspicious like he did inside the house. Ray was probably a bit drunk as usual so that may explain the poor decision making and slow reflexes. It made for a shocking ending to episode two though and it has the internet reeling at his death. Yes, once again, no way he survived that second blast. The shot was so definitive that I would not be shocked if the stunt double was actually killed while filming that scene!

I have no idea how valuable the upcoming flashbacks involving Ray will be. We already know he did regular dirty work for Frank and that he killed the POS that raped his wife. What more trips down memory lane will accomplish remains to be seen. If nothing else, the death of Colin Farrell got many fans worked up after a somewhat disappointing debut episode in the eyes of many fans. I am definitely in a hurry to get to episode three myself. See ya next week and beware of folks in bird masks.

TRUE DETECTIVE 201: Western Book of the Dead Recap

After the epic performances of Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson in season one, not many folks give season two of True Detective a chance of hitting that level. Even as a huge Vince Vaughn fan I have trouble seeing this year topping last year’s version of the crime drama. Season two looks to have the same elements as season one, with shady politics mixed with murder, along with far from perfect cops trying to find their way. The main players have changed of course with Colin Farrell, Rachel McAdams, Taylor Kitsch, and Vince Vaughn hitting the scene.

Detective Ray Velcoro, played by Farrell, is a train wreck of a cop. He struggles in his relationship with his bully magnet son. We see his love for his kid as he drops him off at school, worrying about how the overweight redhead will be treated. Later we witness a drunken Ray calling his son a fat pussy because he won’t tell him who cut up his new sneakers. Not a dad of the year performance. Ray’s son is likely not his biologically, as we find out about his the detective’s wife being raped about nine months before the kid was born.

colin farrell on true detective season 2 2015In a flashback, Velcoro gets information about his wife’s attacker from Vince Vaughn’s character, Frank Semyon. Frank is a club owner at that time and into the shadier side of business. He gives this info as a moral gesture to the police officer, but clearly wants future help in return. In the present time Frank has risen up from a bar owner to a big time player in his city. He has gone from hustling strippers and booze to running elaborate land deals.

The newspapers are doing a big series on corruption in the city so Frank needs that to come to a stop. We see the payback from the flashback as Detective Velcoro is sent to send a violent message to the reporter. The city manager is missing and Velcoro has to look into that as well. The manager is a freaky old dude with lots of sex related items in his home that has been trashed.

Rachel McAdams is playing the role of Ani Bezzerides, a hard charging cop with daddy issues and a ton of family problems. She finds her sister working in a webcam studio and is clearly disgusted with her “porn” career. Bezzerides sees her father while investigating a missing person report. He is a guru at a new-age religious center and he drives his cop daughter crazy with all his peaceful “mumbo jumbo.” He thinks she is a miserable person because she can’t force her will on the world instead of accepting it and others as they are. I would agree with the weirdo dad.

Taylor Kitsch, from the series Friday Night Lights, plays motorcycle cop Paul Woodrugh. He promptly gets suspended after a celebrity accuses him of solicitation for sex during a traffic stop.

true detective 201 western book of dead recap 2015 imagesFrank Semyon is forced to make the pitch to a room full of investors and developers for a high speed train rail system. This project is a huge money deal that will line the pockets of local movers and shakers that know how to play the game. The city manager Casper was supposed to handle the speech, but he has been supposedly kidnapped. Semyon meets with a nasty Russian named Osip Agronov. These two men clearly don’t like each other though they have an uneasy agreement. Osip however isn’t ready to pull the trigger on this land deal and Semyon is pissed.

I don’t know if the beating that Detective Velcoro put on the bully’s dad was more out of love for his son or the fact that he enjoys hurting people. Either way the bully got what he deserved, even if his dad was innocent in the shoe incident. Don’t raise bullies is the lesson here I guess.

Semyon gets what he wants as Velcoro delivered the reporter’s files to him over dinner. He tells his “boss” that the writer will no longer be a problem to them directly. These two men have a very personal conversation as Frank talks to Ray about his son and how Frank and his wife are trying to have kids. Either they have become close over the years or this is just a way for a power broker like Frank to manipulate the detective.

The final scene brings all three cops together. Ray, Ani Bezzerides, and Woodrugh are at the murder scene of the city manger Casper. Dude has had his eyes burned out with acid and died a pretty horrific death from what I can tell. He likely crossed the wrong person in this big land deal and paid the price with his life. So now we have three officers with all kinds of personal demons investigating the crime. That should make for some interesting situations. Two drunks, one corrupt and the other on the edge of a breakdown, teamed with a cop with PTSD could be trouble.

true detective season 201 2015The first season of true Detective did a good job of leading us in many directions in order to get to the truth. I can tell you from just this one episode that this season will be similar. I have no idea who killed Casper and I’m not sure who is supposed to be the good guys here, though it’s clearly not Ray. I don’t know how dirty Frank is at this point, but I generally root for gangsters with a code of some sort.

This first episode basically set up all the characters so we know who they are and some of their motivations. Frank Semyon is trying to go next level business man. Ani Bezzerides is trying to avoid her family issues through her police work. Detective Velcoro is trying to drown his demons with a bottle while making extra cash to somehow improve his relationship with his son. Paul Woodrugh likes to ride motorcycles and that’s about it.

I’m looking forward to episode two even though the first episode seemed all over the place. True detective certainly has a different feel to it than other shows, even other HBO series. But that’s a positive thing even though we don’t yet know where it is headed.

National League Winners & Losers Week 12

tim lincecum giants national league week 12 winners losers 2015 imagesThe long 2015 Major League Baseball season delivers many ups and downs for every ball club around the game. That showed up this past week as the National League was delivered a critical blow as well as the Miami Marlins. Despite find themselves in a battle to compete with the Philadelphia Phillies for one of the worst records in baseball the club also lost All-Star outfielder Giancarlo Stanton.
Stanton the home run leader in all of baseball under went surgery on Sunday Morning  putting the Marlins best player on the disabled list. Dr. Patrick Owens a hand specialist performed the procedure on Sunday at the University of Miami Hospital in Florida. The injury will land one of the games biggest sluggers on the disabled list for at least the next four to six weeks.

This is a devastating blow to the club now putting the Marlins in a position to sell as the 2015 Major League Baseball trade deadline approaches. The injury also takes out one of the games best home run hitters from the upcoming home run derby that will take place in one of the best hitters ball parks in all of Major League Baseball.

While the game will see injuries come and go this is still a blow that neither the Marlins or Major League Baseball wanted as the Mid Summer Classic approaches.

Winners:

Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies: The Rockies third baseman has been red hot of late entering a difficult one for four performance on Monday against the Oakland A’s. Entering that contest, Arenado was riding nine straight games with at least a hit including five of them with two. In that stretch, Arenado put up 14 hits including two doubles, one triple and eight home runs to go with 19 runs batted in. On the season the Rockies third baseman is hitting .292 with 24 home runs and 68 runs batted in.

Washington Nationals: This continues to be an up and down season for the Nationals as they now have regained first place in the National League East division. The latest stretch saw the Nationals pick up eight wins over their last ten games including an eight game winning streak in the middle of the two losses. The club picked up three game sweeps over the Pittsburgh Pirates as well as the Atlanta Braves as well as a series win over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals: Scherzer continues to turn in Cy Young performances for the club that handed him a boat load of cash this offseason. Over his last three outings, the Nationals ace has allowed just two earned runs over 26 innings including back to back shutouts. The second of those shutouts came on his no hitter back on June 20th against the Pittsburgh Pirates that only missed being a perfect game by a hit batter in the ninth inning. Scherzer improved his record to 9-5 on the season with a 1.79 earned run average to go with a whip of .79 for the season.

St. Louis Cardinals: The Cardinals were able to accomplish something that we haven’t seen since the 2005 Major League Baseball Season. That season the Chicago White Sox were able to pick up 50 wins before landing 25 losses. The White Sox would go on to win the World Series that season. The hot start landed the Cardinals on the list with 17 other clubs to be able to achieve this feat. 13 of the 17 previous clubs won at least 100 games while the 1984 Detroit Tigers, 1986 New York Mets, 1998 New York Yankees and 2005 Chicago White Sox all went on to win the World Series.

Losers:

All-Star Game & Home Run Derby: The 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game and Home Run derby took a devastating blow last week as Giancarlo Stanton underwent what appears to be a successful hand surgery. That is good news for Stanton and the club but terrible news for the Mid Summer Classic as well as the fans favorite home run derby. Now Stanton will miss this opening up the door for hometown favorite Todd Frazier who is second in Major League Baseball with 25 home runs.

Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants: The Giants starter has complelty redeveloped his pitching motion from a few seasons ago. That being said of late he has struggled to work deep into games failing to reach six innings in his last four outings. That included his last two starts where he has failed to get through two innings. In those outings, Lincecum has pitched just three total innings while allowing eight earned runs. On the season, Lincecum has posted a 7-4 record to go with a 4.13 earned run average.

Miami Marlins Fans: The fans of the Marlins continue to be handed bad news from the teams blowup sale a few seasons back now to the latest bad news for Stanton. Now the fans will have to go through another selling spree that could see the club part ways with most of the veteans including Mat Latos and Dan Haren as well as a possible move of a player like Dee Gordon to return some valuable pieces for the future.

Miami Marlins: The Marlins are landing all over our losers list now it is for their play on the field. The Marlins have won just two of their past 11 games and now will be without their best player for the next month and possible longer than that as the team will probably look to avoid rushing him back as the have fallen to the back of the standings in the National League East. In this latest stretch the club lost series to the New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dogers as well as being swept by the St. Louis Cardinals.

American League Winners & Losers Week 12

j.d. martinez american league winners losers week 12 2015 imagesThe 2015 Major League Baseball season continues to cruise along as the calendar month of June comes to an end. The action continues to be red hot in the American League, as we have seen a few teams make strides to put themselves into position to battle for the division while we have seen some teams continue to struggle. This gives us a chance to take a look at the top winners and losers of the past week.

One of the teams that have found themselves on the winners list this week is the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles were written off by many just a few weeks back including the fans of Baltimore. Now after a red hot month of June the Birds of Baltimore under Buck Showalter has found a way to the top of the American League East division.

On the losing end the Cleveland Indians land on our list this week after a struggling stretch as the club picked up just three wins over their past 10 games prior to Monday Nights wins over the Tampa Bay Rays. This included a bad trip to Baltimore over the weekend that saw the club lose all three contests including being shut out in both games of a double header on Sunday.

In the three game series the Indians offense managed to produce just three runs coming on Friday Night. In all the Indians were held scoreless from the top of the ninth on Friday Night all the way till the first inning on Monday Night.

Here is the rest of the winners and losers around the American League for the final full week of the calendar month of June. Who will make the list to start the month of July? Check back next week for our all new list of Winners and Losers!

Winners:

J.D. Martinez, Detroit Tigers: The Tigers outfielder has been red hot of late for the club that spans over the past two weeks. In his last 10 games, Martinez has 11 hits including six home runs. Three of those blasts came back on June 21st against the New York Yankees as he also added six runs batted in. On the season Martinez is hitting .270 with 14 doubles, 19 home runs, 46 runs batted in and a 43 runs scored. The Tigers will need Martinez to stay hot if they want to jump the Kansas City Royals in the standings.

Kansas City Royals: The Royals had been hot entering Monday nights contest against the Houston Astros. That included winning seven of their past ten ball games including a three game sweep over a Oakland A’s team that was coming off their own sweep as well as winning two of three against the Seattle Mariners. This stretch of ball while the Minnesota Twins and Tigers failed to put together a winning stretch has seen the Royals pull to a 5.5 game lead in the division.

Brett Gardner, New York Yankees: Gardner has been red hot for the Yankees and that success continued on Monday. Prior to Monday’s success against the Los Angeles Angels, Gardner has picked up hits in eight of his last nine contests. In that stretch, the Yankees outfielder picked up six multi hit games as well as four with at least three hits. In all Gardner 20 hits in 40 at bats with five doubles, one triple, three home runs and 13 runs scored.

Boston Red Sox: While it was hard to find any other clubs outside of the Orioles and Royals that were really hot of late. That being said the Red Sox after struggling for weeks put together a solid past week plus. In that stretch the club picked up two of three against the Tampa Bay Rays and the Kansas City Royals with their only series loss coming in between against the Orioles. If this club can sustain some of this momentum the American League East should be a fun division to watch down the stretch.

Losers:

Texas Rangers: After just making our winners list a few weeks back the Rangers have found themselves on our losers list after losing eight of their past ten ball games before the teams win on Monday against the red hot Orioles. The stretch saw the club fall behind the Los Angeles Angels in the American League West while also losing ground on the Houston Astros. That stretch of losing saw the club lose two of three against the Chicago White Sox before being swept by the Oakland A’s and losing two of three to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Seattle Mariners: The Mariners continue to make the list as they continue to disappoint all season long after spending to land Nelson Cruz this offseason. The latest stretch saw the club lose two of three to the Angels over the weekend. That came after the team dropped two of three to the Royals. In the past seven games the club managed to score more than three runs just once and that come in the teams 7-0 win over the Royals.

Michael Bourn, Cleveland Indians: The Indians outfielder has struggled of late including going hitless in seven at bats over the weekend against the Orioles. Entering Monday Night’s contest Bourn was hitting just .226 on the season while his on base percentage dropped below the .300 mark. In his last eight games, Bourn has only two hits in his last 22 at bats.

Nick Martinez, Texas Rangers: Martinez turned in an awful performance back on June 26th against one of the better hitting ball clubs in the Blue Jays. In that contest, Martinez managed to get through six innings allowing nine hits, eight earned runs and four walks. Two of those hits left the ball park helping raise his season earned run average jump from 2.77 to 3.39 while his record moved to 5-4 for the year.

American League Week 12: Cardinals Can’t Be Beat

nolan arendao rockies national league week 12 cardinals 2015 imagesThe National League is shaping up to be a race to catch the first place St. Louis Cardinals. Entering Monday, the Cardinals sat atop the National League Central Division at 51-24 making them the only team in baseball with at least 50 wins. The next closest team in the National League is the Los Angeles Dodgers who are 43-34 through their first 77 games.

On Saturday the Cardinals handed the Chicago Cubs an 8-1 loss but the win was more than just another notch in the standings. The win pushed the Cardinals to 50-24 while also making them the first team since 2005 to win 50 games before posing 25 losses in the standings. The accomplishment was a big feat as they became just the 18th team in Major League History to accomplish the feat.

The win also gave the team, fans and organization something to be happy about as the last four teams to pull off the feat went on to win the World Series. That includes the 2005 White Sox, 1998 New York Yankees, 1986 New York Mets and 1984 Detroit Tigers. Of the previous 17 teams, 13 of those teams went on to win at least 100 games.

Let’s take a look at each of the three National League Divisions individually and see how all 15 teams have performed to this date.

East Division: The National League East isn’t as strong as what many had predicted entering the season and has struggled to keep up with the American League East. Currently only the Washington Nationals at 42-34 and New York Mets at 40-37 are above the five hundred mark to start the season.

Since our last update the National East continues to see two teams battle it out for the division. After struggling the past few weeks the early favorite in the National League have played well of late winning eight of they’re past 10 games including an eight game winning streak. In that stretch the Nationals have picked up a three game sweep over the Pittsburgh Pirates, a three game sweep over the Atlanta Braves and two of three against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The team’s success was contributed to how well the pitching staff pitched over those eight games. This included not allowing more than two runs in all eight wins with two runs only being scored a total of three times. In all the Nationals allowed just nine runs in an eight game stretch helping them take back over the top spot in the East.

Following the Nationals in the standings are the Mets who have bounced back winning four straight contests after losing six straight games. In third place sit the Atlanta Braves followed by the Miami Marlins and Philadelphia Phillies who introduced Andy MacPhail as president.

Central Division: Over in the Central, the Cardinals are slowly running away with the division after one of the best starts we have seen in at least 10 years. The teams’ success this season has been with their pitching as they enter Monday allowing an Major League best 211 runs over the first 12 weeks of the season. Add in a team that has scored 309 runs and it attributes to the wins piling up in the National League Standings.

This division continues to be one of the better divisions in baseball as both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs join the Cardinals above the five hundred mark. The Pirates are currently 42-33 while the Cubs sit in third place at 39-35. The two teams rounding out the bottom of the division is the Cincinnati Reds at 34-40 and the Milwaukee Brewers at 29-49.

As we look at the Pirates this is a team that could make a serious run at the division with a lineup that includes former MVP Andrew McCutchen, Starlin Marte while the rotation includes one of the top starters in the National League in Gerrit Cole. The rest of the rotation is rounded out by an outstanding start to the 2015 season by the aging veteran A.J. Burnett. Burnett elected to skip retirement to rejoin the Pirates on a one year deal and has rewarded them with a 6-3 record along with a 2.01 earned run average.

West Division: Out West, the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants continue to tend for the lead. The Giants enter Monday with a slight one game lead over the Giants but that lead has reduced over the past 10 games. The Giants played to a 7-3 record over that stretch while the Dodgers were able to go 5-5.

These two teams as well as the rest of the West have been able to put up a ton of runs this season but the concerns have shown up on the pitching side. When you look at this division all five teams have scored at least 324 runs but four of the five teams have allowed over 300 runs. That includes the Colorado Rockies who have allowed an outstanding 384 and have been outscored by opponents by 40 runs.

The Dodgers are the only team in the division that has allowed fewer than 260 runs while outscoring opponents by 66 runs through the teams first 77 games. One of the biggest surprises for the team this season has been the play of outfielder Joc Pederson who leads all rookies with 19 home runs.

In the middle of the pact is the Arizona Diamondbacks followed by a disappointing San Diego Padres team and then the Rockies.

Now that we have taken a look at each of the divisions around the National League we can take a look at a few individuals. Here is our list of top individual performers over past two weeks.

Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies: The Rockies third baseman has put up MVP like numbers this season as he has hit .293 with 24 home runs and 68 runs batted in. The question we wonder is should the team look to move this young third baseman for a nice prize return. This is even more of a question after his last seven games that saw him pick up eight home runs with 15 runs batted in.

Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals: Scherzer has been red hot of late including picking up a near perfect game before hitting a batter in the ninth inning. The Nationals starter has allowed just two earned runs over his last 17 innings while striking out 17 batters.

American League Week 12: Orioles Flying High

j.d. martinez detroit tigers orioles on top american league 2015 mlbThe first 12 weeks of the Major League Baseball season is in the book as we can take a look back at how the action has shaped up over the past two weeks in the American League. Since our last American League recap article we have seen a little bit of a shakeup in the American League East.

Opening up Monday June 29th, the American League Standings now has the Baltimore Orioles atop the division after the team posted a 7-3 record over their last 10 games. This success has helped them move up from fourth place in the division to the current leader. Following them in the standings is the Tampa Bay Rays who only trail them by .002 of a percentage point.

This is the same American League division that many had written off a few weeks back saying there are not as strong as they have been in the past. Now the division has four teams that have at least five more wins than losses. The only other division to have at least three winning records is the Central Division in the American League. No division in the National League has four teams above five hundred as well.

Let’s take a look at each of the three American League Divisions individually.

East Division: The American League East continues to be an up and down motion in the standings from week to week. The latest shuffle has the Orioles atop after the team completed a three game sweep of the Cleveland Indians over the weekend. That included a sweep of a day night double header on Sunday.

In that double header the Orioles pitching came alive as Ubaldo Jimenez fired eight scoreless innings in the day game as the team went on to win 4-0. The team’s ace entering the season Chris Tillman responded with his own gem firing seven scoreless innings as the Orioles pitched their second straight shutout 8-0.

The recent success has been with some solid pitching but more so the team’s ability to produce runs. The team has scored at least four runs in four straight games as well as eight of their last nine games. This has helped the Orioles avoid losing back to back games all but once since June 4th.

Following the Orioles in the American League East is the Rays who enter at 42-35 just fractional points behind in the standings. The Rays have played to just a 5-5 record over their past 10 games while the team’s strength continues to be their pitching. Rounding out the rest of the division is the New York Yankees at 41-35, the Toronto Blue Jays at 41-36 and the Boston Red Sox at 34-43.

Central Division: Kansas City continues to find themselves at the top of the division after another solid stretch of play that saw the team go 7-3 including winning their last four games. The Royals have allowed the fewest amount of runs in baseball through their first 72 games at just 258 averaging out to just around 3.5 runs per contest.

The Royals recent success has come against the American League West division as they took two of three against the Seattle Mariners last week before a three game sweep of the Oakland A’s over the weekend. In the teams recent three game series, the pitching staff allowed just seven runs in three games. Starter Edinson Volquez improved to 8-4 on the season while Chris Young improved to 7-3 and Jeremy Guthrie to 6-5.

As far as the next best team in the division it has been a tossup between the Minnesota Twins who sit at 40-35 and the Detroit Tigers who sit at 39-36. Neither team helped themselves out as both have played to just a 5-5 record of late. The Tigers however picked up back to back games over the weekend.

The bottom of the division has seen the Indians struggle as they were recently swept in Baltimore while the Chicago White Sox have lost two straight and four of their past ten games.

West Division: Nothing new atop the American League West division as the Houston Astros continue to hold on to first place with a 44-34 record. That comes after the team posted just a 4-6 record over the past two weeks. The Los Angeles Angels were able to move above the Texas Rangers into second place and now trail the Astros by just four games.
The Astros have been able to hold on to the top spot with the through the teams offense. Entering Monday, the team ranked first in home runs (110), fifth in runs (346) and third in doubles (140). The one odd stat has the Astros 26th in Major League Baseball with just a .240 batting average. This team produces a ton of runs through extra base hits.

Currently the Astros have five players with at least 10 home runs including Luis Valbuena who has a team high 19. Evan Gattis and Chris Carter have 13, George Springer has 12 and Colby Rasmus has 10. The team also has seven additional players with at least four home runs.
One flip in the division saw the Angels move into second place as the Rangers have struggled after a hot stretch just a few weeks back. The Rangers are just 2-8 over their past 10 games as they travel East to take on the Orioles. The Oakland A’s and Seattle Mariners are in the bottom with just 34 wins.

Now that we have taken a look at each of the divisions around Major League Baseball we can take a look at a few individuals. Here is our list of top individual performers over past two weeks.

J.D. Martinez, Detroit Tigers: The Tigers outfield put up some big power numbers over the past two weeks. Martinez has six home runs over his past six games including three back on June 21st against the New York Yankees. In those six games Martinez has six home runs to go with 11 runs driven in.

Carlos Correa, Houston Astros: The next wave of talent has arrived for the Astros has Correa has been hot since his callup. Correa has picked up 14 hits over his last 10 games including two home runs, six doubles and eight runs batted in for the first place Astros.

LOVE & HIP HOP ATLANTA 410: Those Friends With Benefits

love hip hop friend benefits 2015Love and Hip Hop Atlanta just continues to heat up and all I keep saying to myself is, “It’s about time.”

Joc crashes on Rasheeda and Kirk’s couch because of all the shit that went down between him and Khadiyah. He gives them the low down and Rasheda tells him he has to shut that shit down with his kids’ mom. She tells him that she is going to meet with Khadiyah to go over details for her store and he takes this as the time to ask if she can talk to his soon to be ex-woman. She says only “If you are truly in love with her.”

So later, Rasheeda meets with KayDee about a place for her store and then tells her that “her man” has been laying up at her place. She tells Rasheeda everything that happened. The boss lady tells her to give him a chance because he is very sincere. KayDee tells her that even though he put her through a lot of shit, “I still love his dirty dead drawers.”

Joc and KayDee meet at a restaurant later to talk and it is all thanks to Rasheeda. He tells her I need you blah, blah. He gives her a big red box with handcuffs inside. “You can hand cuff me tonight.” She says okay gets up, cuffs him right there and asks who he stayed with before Rasheeda.  He said Sina and when she asks if they had sex, he dodges the question. She cuffs him to the table and leaves.

love hip hop atlanta 410 friends benefits 2015 recap imagesJessica Dime and whatever it is that she does got some shine during this episode. She meets with Dawn her Miami boss chick and tells her about Mimi and her. “All the talking is cool, but I need some results.” Dawn tells her to come to her an she will get her $5000-$7500 a week just on appearances. Must be nice.

Later, Dime meets with Karlie to ask her what she thinks about dropping Mimi. So of course, Karlie is messy. She tells her what Joseline said about them not really being friends back in Miami and Dime drops the bomb that they were more than friends, “Joseline was my trick.” Then she says that she really could have taken her man on several occasions and that’s why she is trying to keep her away from Stevie. Karlie takes it all in with a dumb founded look on her face and pretty much just encourages Dime against Joseline (now I see why Joseline whooped her ass)

Not to be out of character, she met with Joseline and told her what Dime said about her being her trick. Joseline says “Yes I ate her p****” but she’s my trick. She says everyone paid her for money because she’s a trick. Well at least she is honest about what happened.

Mimi goes to visit her bestie Ariane at her new place. She tells her that she owes her an explanation about her actions. “Ariane’s instincts proved to be right.” She asked her what exactly she lied about and Mimi tells her that she didn’t tell her the truth because she didn’t feel that she could trust her. “You’re judgmental as shit.”love hip hop 410 recap 2015

Ariane corrects her, “I have an opinion.” Mimi accepts that and then says that she doesn’t like her “relationship” with Margo.  Ariane assures her there is nothing to worry about because she would never come between their friendship.

Speaking of friendship, that is exactly what she wants Mimi and Margo to build so she invites them both over unbeknownst to the other. It started off okay but Margo went off the deep end calling Mimi all kinds of things. She feels it was a trap and goes off and Ariane escorts her out.

Kalenna takes Rasheeda’s advice and goes to meet with Deb about her career. She tells her what happened between her and Tony and how she needs to get back out there with her singing. Deb pretty much tells her, “I got you.” The only thing she has to do is get Tony to sign the papers letting go of his manager tasks. She goes to Kapture to get Tony to sign the papers. He doesn’t put up a fuss and she can’t believe it. They argue, he signs it and she walks out.

The episode ends with Joseline in the studio with Stevie. Jessica Dime shows up in the middle of their session and asks for Joseline. She goes into the booth to talk to Joseline. It cuts off before we see what went down but I trust it is sure to be some shit.

ABOUT LOVE & HIP HOP ATLANTA

Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta follows the lives of Atlanta’s hip-hop elite as they take on the trials and tribulations of juggling both their professional and personal lives…which often intersect and unravel for the whole world to see! After 3 seasons of ups and downs in both personal and professional pursuits, the cast of Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta have either learned from the ATL game of mixing business and pleasure, or are about to have the same game turned on them! With artists rising and falling, and families growing or being torn apart, the cast members are about to have their lives changed in ways they never imagined…for better or worse! Nothing is off limits as they explore the good, the bad, and sometimes even the naughty side of love, passion, fame, and hip-hop!

ATL’s hip-hop scene is ever evolving, and this season our cast is looking to continue to be on the cutting edge of what’s hot in this music mecca. The Love and Hip-Hop Atlanta ladies have evolved from aspirational artists and businesswomen into savvy entrepreneurs, mothers, wives, and lovers who still struggle to deal with all of the challenges their fast-paced lives throw at them. After seasons full of infidelity/deceit towards their female counterparts, the men of ATL are seriously about to learn what goes around DEFINITELY comes right back around! The substance abuse, infidelity, and legal issues affecting the male cast will no longer just be blog fodder; they will learn that karma is a “biznayee!”

Stevie J’s “Life Partner Gang” is back in full-force! After Mimi’s tumultuous breakup with Nikko, she is looking for the professional and personal redemption she needs post-sex tape. Mimi is concentrating on her and her daughter’s future, and is ready to profit from her autobiography Let’s Have Some Wine. However, Stevie’s support is not guaranteed, especially when he has to face the legal ramifications in his own life story!

Meanwhile, after the events that occurred in New York (at the Season 3 reunion), Joseline has taken a break from Atlanta for self-reflection. When Joseline returns to ATL, she may have to support Stevie through his personal/professional issues as Stevie plans to build his musical comeback, and leave his rockstar lifestyle behind to avoid jail time!

Just when Mimi thought she gotten rid of her ex-lover Nikko for good, he’s found a way to keep a foothold in her life by reminding her he’s attached to her upcoming book deal – demanding his 25% stake. Since his separation from Mimi, Nikko has reunited with his heretofore secret of a wife, Margeaux, who is making her debut this season. Margeaux is still trying to learn how to forgive her estranged husband for his involvement in the sex tape with Mimi and she has moved down to Atlanta to see if their marriage is worth salvaging. However, Margeaux is none-too-pleased to know Nikko is still dealing with Mimi – even if it’s not personal, but all business this time.

Scrappy returns this season seemingly comfortably settled in with girlfriend Bambi, and out of the dog house! This on-again, off-again, homie/lover/friend pair are looking to see if they can make it past the “Friendship, Promise, Love” ring stage of their relationship to something more lasting. Unlike Bambi, Erica Dixon is feuding with Scrappy over support of their daughter. Erica feels its time to hold Scrappy accountable, and goes after him with a vengeance! However, Scrappy has his own side of the story, protesting he’s not only financially responsible for his daughter, but he’s a great father and is tired of being made to look like a deadbeat dad. Aside from being the best father he can be, Scrappy is also fighting to prove himself as an artist as he looks to regain his status as a force on the Atlanta music scene. Ironically, Scrappy is feeling pressure from an unexpected source; his own mother, Momma Dee, who had her own surprise hit with her song debut, “I Deserve”.

Notorious for meddling in her son’s affairs, Momma Dee may be too wrapped up in her own love-life having reunited with her ex-husband, Ernest, who has spent the last seven years in prison. However, Momma Dee’s tumultuous and traumatic past with Ernest may be too much for Scrappy and his sister Jasmine to want to re-visit.

Rasheeda and Kirk’s personal life seems to be back on the right track until new secrets in come to the surface. Rasheeda is adamant on opening up her ImBossy/Poiz storefront in Atlanta and will no longer take Kirk’s refusal! However, with secret properties and a sexy new female artist named Ashley Nicole, Kirk may get tired of Rasheeda’s constant push back and go back to his old “I do me” type ways!

Singer/entrepreneur Karlie Redd is on the top of the world right now, re-fashioning herself as a triple threat, actress, businesswoman, and recording artist – she has a hit single (“Heartbreakers”), a blockbuster movie (Top Five), and is planning on opening a store for her cosmetic and lingerie lines. In the spirit of onwards and upwards, Karlie Redd is over her past high profile relationship with rapper Yung Joc, and is proudly “married to her checks” at the moment! Messy Karlie is about her business and is not afraid to burn any bridge that doesn’t lead to her success.

After a year of living in Atlanta, a very pregnant Kalenna is ready to pop out both her new album AND her baby in the next few months! However, Kalenna is plagued with anxiety about her music and baby coming out into the world, especially when her and her husband Tony Vick are in a financial crisis. Kalenna is struggling to finish her ‘Black Orchid’ album, and wants her “husband-ger” Tony to step it up to help her career! However, when Tony decides to invest their life savings in a club, and put Kalenna’s career on the back burner, Kalenna may be forced to choose between her marriage and her career.

Veteran rapper Yung Joc has learned the hard way about the ups and downs of hip-hop, and this year, the pendulum continues to swing for this ATL native and hip-hop scene fixture! Yung Joc’s arrangement with mother of his 1-year old twins Sina, and his current girlfriend, Khadiyah, is a disaster in the making! With a career to revive along with his brood of children, their mothers, and Khadiyah to provide for and keep satisfied, Joc has his plate extra full.

Also, with the additions of fashion entrepreneur PreMadonna (the owner of the world famous “Waist Gang Society” waist trainers), Joseline’s former stripper friend Jessica “Dimepiece”, and hip-hop star Tiffany Foxx, the veteran cast may be given a run for their money by the new girls in town! Jessica Dimepiece & Tiffany Foxx share a lot in common – both moved to Atlanta for a new beginning, both are rap artists, and both are determined to be on top. As Mimi attempts to represent both women on MF Management, Mimi will get caught in a rivalry between these two fierce and opinionated artists!

POWER 204: You’re the Only Person I Can Trust Recap

power recap 204 images 2015This week, shit went down on Power. It was intense, it was sexy and it was sooooo good.

Ghost lies in bed thinking about what happened in Miami. Tasha sees that something is wrong and he confesses to her that he is not the one who killed the girl in Miami. She sits and listens as he tells her that he thinks Kanan is behind everything from the beginning. She asks how he knows and he says because when he asked the girl as she died if Rolo sent her she said no. He tells her that he can’t say anything just yet but is going to paly it cool until he knows for sure.

Kanan hits up his baby momma (Shawn’s mom) for a little something, something. After they get it on with her son in the next room, he asks for his bag of cash. She hands over a huge bag of rolls of money. He opens it, and tosses her a couple (probably about $20,000).

Later he meets up with Tommy and Ghost. Ghost tells him that everything went down the way it should have in Miami with killing the girl with the pink shoes but of course doesn’t mention that he didn’t do it. K and Tommy tell him what went down with killing Q Dubs, which makes Ghost even more suspicious.

Speaking of Tommy, this guy is out of control, head over heels about Holly and he needs to stop. He doesn’t let her leave the house because he wants to protect her, but then goes all the way off when Jorge stops by his place. Tommy wasn’t there, but his bitch let Jorge in and walked around in her panties in front of him. When he finds out he goes and beats him up.

power only person i can trust recap images 2015The passion of the men on this show runs deep and that is especially true for Shawn. Although he and Keisha (La La Anthony) had a real sexy moment at the beginning of the show, with Keisha showing her boobs during the sex scene, that still isn’t enough to keep him away from Tasha. After she finds out that Ghost did go to Miami with Angela, she goes on a rampage. Once she found a receipt in his coat and called the hotel (who spilt the beans by asking her how her massage was) she changes the code so that Ghost can’t get in. She later confronts Shawn about knowing and he says he didn’t tell her because he didn’t want to hurt her. They end up kissing and almost doing it but are interrupted by Tasha’s momma duties.

When Ghost arrives and is told about the code changed, he goes off. Because Tasha doesn’t answer her phone or the house phone, he calls Tariq and Tasha takes it. She tells him that she knows he went to Miami with Angela and he’s speechless.

Then there IS Angela. She presents her findings to the big boys about Tommy being Ghost and they let her back on the case. Greg takes over during the meeting and pulls out pictures of possible people to look at in connection with Tommy and… yep you guessed it… Jamie St. Patrick…a.k.a Ghost is one of them. Her heart stops.

In the meantime, while dealing with getting kicked out of the house and Kanan going after him, Stern has assigned a Vibe Magazine event to Ghost with pretty much no budget. He is faced with making that a success as it will put him one step closer to getting Truth back.

Ghost tells Jorge to get the chicks and people together to make the event pop and he does. While that is going on, he tries to mend things with Tasha by catching her at Tariq’s school. He corners her in the locker room and tells her about his suspicions of Kanan being behind the assassination attempt. And we find out that it is revenge for he and Tasha sending him to prison ten years ago. She almost falls for it until he says he needs to come back home to protect her and the kids. She tells him no and walks out.

power 204 recap your only person to trust 2015 imagesLater that night, Kanan shows up at Tasha’s house with presents for her and the boys. He offers her his dick services, she passes and after he leaves we see she was packing her nine. This is why Ghost needs to keep her. She is too down.

This week, after confronting Kanan and pretty much (in his own way) letting him know that he is low key on to him, he picks up Holly who ran out of Tommy’s place, and gives her money and a ticket to leave. She refuses but that doesn’t stop Ghost. He gives her three days to make it happen and then he’ll take her to the train station because she has to disappear.

In the end, we are not sure what happens with Angela and Ghost as she finds out that Tasha kicked him out AND that he never really planned on leaving her.

It just gets better and better.