Yes It's a Big Deal: Spencer's Best of 2008 Pix

Here goes.

Best book about basketball that's not really about basketball

Rabbit, Run by John Updike



As an author of fiction, Updike writes rings around the rest. As a young (i.e. sensitive, arrogant) American man, this book means a lot to me.

Best rock 'n' roll band that makes me wish I had a raspy voice and really good hair

The Replacements



I love these guys. Filthy, immature: they had a tendency to romanticize. Listening to songs like "Androgynous," "Kiss Me On The Bus," and "Sky Way," it's hard to deny that–as a songwriter–Paul Westerberg is a living national treasure. According to Spin, he's started playing hockey and still lives in Minneapolis. You've gotta admire that.

Best rock 'n' roll band whose members I'd probably hate if I knew them personally

The Royal We



This band is now defunct. Their songs are awesome, but betray an artiness that makes me think I'd constitutionally despise at least one or two members. They made one self-titled record and then broke up, so they've got mystique. Two things. "All The Rage" is what happens when the Vaselines O.D. on Pixy Stix. "Back and Forth All Day" is the rawest campfire gold.


Favorite rookie in the NBA

Courtney Lee - The Orlando Magic



Perhaps an obvious choice for me, especially since I don't really know how any of the other picks have done thus far. I feel some pity for Kevin Love. Not so much because he's on the T-Wolves but because I read a blog entry around Thanksgiving where he just came across as really sad and homesick. It was enough for me to forgive him Mike Love's nephew status.

As for Lee, he plays an admirable defensive game, characterized by that most glorious stalwart of urbanized sports terminology: hustle. He can sink the three, drive the lane, and is seriously impassive on the court.

Favorite Coach in the NBA

Stan Van Gundy - The Orlando Magic



Where to begin? There's the 'stache, the 'tude, the head in the hands. This guy is the complete package: lovable neurosis wrapped up in a Miami Vice sports coat. His brother Jeff is kind of a douche, but still somewhat cool.

Favorite Point Guard in the NBA

Tie:

Chris Paul - The New Orleans Hornets

AND

Jameer Nelson - The Orlando Magic



Paul:
Shitty deodorant commercials aside, this guy plays ball with a flair far too uncommon in today's Celtics-dominated league. He zips left, he spins right. He can hoist the J. He can pass it behind the back and spot the alley-oop three moves ahead. They say he's like Isiah Thomas, I can't vouch for that. He bowls in the high two hundreds.



Nelson:
Nelson was my least favorite player last year. This year he's making us all eat our words. He was player of the week in the East last week and for good reason. "My Little Friend" indeed.

Best Blast from the Past

The Brotherman OST



I can't say enough about this album. All I'll say now is "We Can Work It Out." As for this picture, the words "outta sight" fail me.

Best Country in the World

The U.S.A.



I love this place, so let's get one thing straight: we're not any more a bunch of bastards than the next country is, so the rest of you should please get over yourselves. Think long and hard and remember who gave you Rock 'n' Roll, the quarter-pounder w/ cheese, AND the game of basketball. See? We've always had your best interests at heart.

Best Car

Dad's Hyundai. I'm not sure what model it is. It's gray and has a working CD player and gets good gas mileage. Sorry, Detroit.


My dad's car looks nothing like this.

Best Rap Group

A Tribe Called Quest



I didn't like rap for a long time. These guys showed me how cool it is. Went to a Q-Tip show this month that was A-C-E.

Most Rock 'n' Roll Moment

Meeting Mark E. Smith with Justin and Ryan in Morecambe, UK. The definition of surreal.



The Annual Bill and Ted Most Excellent Babe Award

Beth Murphy - Times New Viking





Times New Viking are an amazing live band. Their keyboard player and singer, Beth Murphy, is extremely attractive. She also rocks. Killer. I read somewhere that she is a Pisces. I am a Pisces. We would probably never get along.

Coolest thing Julian made me check out

Francine



Francine is a gorgeous band from Cambridge, MA. Gorgeous songs that reference stuff like the movies Dune (the one starring Sting) and Aliens (one of my all-time faves), all written by this cool dude who works at Harvard and used to play with Aimee Mann. I even reintroduced the word "nasty" as a synonym for "cool" into my vocabulary just because of these guys. They say a new record is coming along any day now. Certainly it will be A+


Coolest thing to do back home

Watching basketball games in HD with the 'rents and the sib or else with the broheims while drinking Sam Adams Winter Lager.

Most Rock 'n' Roll Venue

Market Hotel, Bushwick, BKLYN, NY

Hopefully a film will be made about the scene one day and I will be interviewed by someone about it. I will talk about this place fondly, how glad I am that it exists even though I would be the vomitron if I had to live there.

Best Sweet Hook-up

Getting to see shows for free because I write cheeky reviews about them for PopMatters

So sweet. Hope yr. jealous.

Best thing about being graduated from college



The world is my öyster.

See you next year, friends.

ST