Tragedy in AZ; Oh Duke!; Heat get Cooled Off & Karma's a Bitch

This Jared Loughner guy is some piece of shit.  This phenomenon is something that seems to happen all too often.  But who's at fault? 

Police?  Not really.  You can't expect them to keep an eye on every single person alive - scouring profiles, internet posts, articles; interviewing friends, classmates, acquaintances.  It's not realistic. 

The guy?  Probably.  His parents?  Unless they're legally blind in both eyes, then yes.  They're just as much a part of this mess as their son.

I am not waxing poetic about what it takes to be a parent (Lord knows I have no idea, but I'll let you know come April).  But this is your son, your flesh and blood.  You can't tell me they don't speak or communicate with him.  I  know it's wrong to judge a book by the cover, but this guy looks the part of a killer.  He's looks like a cold, deviant, psychopath. 

He kept articles on Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in a safe.  What do you keep in a safe?  Money?  Jewelry?  Family heirlooms?  Chocolate even.  But the things you generally associate with being kept in a safe are things that hold some value to you.  I never had a safe.  If I had, I probably would have put my Frank Thomas (The Big Hurt) baseball card collection in there - instead, I stuffed them into shoe boxes.

Communicate.  I am 29 years-old and speak with my parents regularly.  He was what, twenty-two?  As parents, you have got to see something wrong, abnormal, off with your son.  All it takes it communication.  When I was twenty-two, I spoke with my parents regularly.  Maybe this guy's family was a pack of jackasses, or maybe they were just too dumb to see what a monster they had raised.  Were they embarrassed?  Afraid of him?  Ignorant?  Blind?  I'm going with all of the above. 

What happened was a tragedy.  Are there more people like this loser running around out there in the US?  Yes.  Are we gonna stop them all?  No.  Just make yourself aware of the people you surround yourself with.  If someone looks shady, chances are they are.  If you hear them talking about creepy shit, walk the other way and/or tell the police.  Be safe friends, family, co-workers, Blog Army!

On a lighter note (for some), sports.  As you already know, #1 Duke lost in Tallahassee last night to the unranked Seminoles.  There was no inside game for Duke, the shooting was horrid, and they made this Derwin Kitchens guy look like Michael Jordan.  Miles Plumlee is soft which directly related to their lack of an inside presence.  Five points and five rebounds a game?  You're 6'10" tall.  Act the part.  Thirty-one percent shooting?  35 three-point field goals attempts?  15 turnovers to 9 assists?  It seems like every time they play down there, they lose (it's actually only the third time in 9 years).  Derwin Kitchens?  10.2 PPG on the year and he goes off for 22 points?  Put a hand in his face, the guy was 9-13.  Anyway, it was a good run as #1, we'll see how far they fall from here.  Back to Cameron Indoor for a game against the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday.  (I'll be stuck at Draddy for a Manhattan game).

NBA basketball sucks.  Except when the Clippers (13-24) beat the Heat (30-10) and LeBron James gets hurt, all in one night.  I don't wish ill upon anyone, but this guy just runs his mouth left and right.  Blake Griffin is a BEAST (24 pts./14 rebs. - 30th double-double this season).  LeBron only sprained his ankle, so he probably won't be out for long, but he tweeted about karma the other day when the Lakers pumped the Cavs by 55.  Soon after, karma bit back.

Time to get busy!