back at school

O man, finally, after a long time offline, this blog feels back at home.

Just to update what i've been doing for the last 2 weeks, after Jan. 2nd i took a plane from CA back to Champaign, IL and then proceeded to take an Alternative Spring Break trip to Alexandria, VA, where we worked with Community Lodgings in community development and their after-school child program. Very similar to the volunteer trip w/ ASB i took last winter, and i met a great group of people this time just as i did to start off 2007.

So basically, my vacation spanned almost all the time zones: From Hawaii, to CA, to Champaign, to the surburbs of the D.C. area. Wow, what a vacation. Lotsa busy stuff. Tell you what, not to sound conceited or anything, but at the end of the ASB trip going back to Champaign, i felt really tired, burnt out from all the vacationing.

But anyway, now i'm back and it's a new semester, and i'm really pretty excited for the semester to start, my last undergrad one, let's make it a memorable one. Or at least try to learn SOMETHING.

It's also a new year of fantasy sports, although it's right in the middle of NBA season, and there's stuff going on that u need to know about.

The big story from yesterday was the injury of andrew bynum, and if u've watched the lakers this year u know that has a tremendous impact for the growth of that team, they need him back if they want to do somethin in the playoffs. He is one growing man, and even if he doesn't come back at 100% this year and struggles, he will be darn good next year. Kobe should say.

You know who benefits most from bynum's injury, though? I don't think it's his immediate replacements, kwame brown or ronnie turiaf ( Let's be honest, has kwame ever had any serious fantasy value?) No, i think the main beneficiary here is lamar odom. I might be a homer because he's on my fantasy team, but realistically he restores his place as the #2 option on that team, he comes out from under bynum's shadow to post more rebounds, and he holds the ball more w/o bynum's post presence so that he can pick up his point forward duties and get more dimes. I'd say lamar's value has really risen w/ this news.


Tracy McGrady still not back yet? Can't say i'm too surprised. EVERY season about this time of year he gets some nagging injury. Have seen this movie too many times before. Same w/ Jermaine O'Neal. He's basically day-to-day on every game, and you can never really feel like he's "recovered."

Still waiting on a marcus camby. Hey, u know what, it might never happen. However, don't think that the nuggs get anything done in playoffs even w/ him, which is sad cuz so many teams could use a 7-foot shot-blockin big man. And w/ carmelo and iverson on that team, they should be able to go places, but it doesn't look like that's ever gonna happen. They could even miss the playoffs in that loaded western conference.

Kevin Martin has returned to the Kings and come off the bench, and maybe he should just keep doin that. 25 points first game, 39 last night in a thrilla over the Mavs. This man is an offensive stud, and don't even mind the lack of defensive numbers, just smile at his lack of TO's and great %'s. I'd take this guy over a bunch of overhyped past stars like paul pierce, ray allen, and jason kidd. He's the real deal.

Don't buy into the return of mike bibby being too big an impact. Who knows how well he's healed and what his role in the offense is now. The kings might just want to limit his touches and give the ball more to brad miller and kevin martin. Now with ron artest comin back, it's almost bcoming a case of not enuff ball to go around in sacramento. The kings are an enigma, they always have intriguing fantasy players but a bad record. And sometimes they beat dallas in very excitin games, and then they'll lose to like seattle in the coming weeks.


Glad I'm back.
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan