Monday Mural: slam dunk

This fabulous new mural has the quirkiest POV I've yet to see.  For the uninitiated, this is an image of Golden State Warrior Kevin Durant slam dunking during the NBA finals.  It's believed to be inspired by a photo taken from above the basket.  What do you think?

                                       

Now it's on a vertical wall of a new shoe store with the basket near the sidewalk and with Durant looking like he's dropped from the skies.  (Well, to us fans, his joining the team does feel like a gift from heaven).  (Just in case you didn't know, the Warriors won the championship).  Brooklyn born jr.co is the artist and his video of creating the mural can be found here. Check out his other work here.  You'll recognize his slightly cubist treatment of singers and other athletes.

Welcome to Monday Mural. If you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you; just follow the Linky steps below.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to your mural finds posted this week.  Google+ users, please configure your post so we all can leave a comment.  Thanks.

“ Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”  Rev. John Watson

Monday Mural: visit Oakland

The downtown Marriott now has a large mural by Illuminaries advertising many of Oakland's sights.  If you look carefully you'll see the Oakland oak tree logo, iconic buildings, a giraffe from the zoo, a BART train, logos of our pro sports teams, and a reference to Lake Merritt, the Black Panthers, and the Dragon School muralists.  The Marriott also houses the training facility for the Golden State Warriors, who will now battle it out with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the NBA championship.  This is the third year in a row these two teams have faced each other for the top title.  Go Warriors!!

Welcome to Monday Mural:  if you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you; just follow the Linky steps below.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to your mural finds posted this week.  Google+ users, please configure your post so we all can leave a comment.  Thanks.

“ Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”  Rev. John Watson

skateboard park

It was fun to watch all the guys (yes, almost exclusively boys and men) practicing their sport.  I failed to get a shot of someone in the air but will try again now that I know where the park is.

Nate the Great

A great player and an even greater gentleman.  Rest in Peace, Nate the Great. 

reality setting in

Pretty much how Dub Nation is feeling about the Warriors losing the NBA Finals.  Nooooo!

Dubs reach the NBA Finals---again!

This is déjà vu all over again.  For the second year in a row the Golden State Warriors have battled their way to the NBA championship finals.  Their opponents are the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Again.  Can lightening strike twice?  Dub Nation fervently hopes so.  Last night was a good start with the Warriors winning Game 1 104-89.  The noise in the arena was deafening as the team locked in and definitively pulled away from the Cavs.  Waaaariors!!

This photo is a grab shot from television during last year's Finals.

Monday Mural: Homage to the Warriors

Found this in West Oakland on the front of a small market.  At first I didn't understand why some of the Cleveland Cavaliers were in the mural.  Then I realized Kingi57 painted this last year after the Warriors won the NBA championship.

Why am I posting this today?  Because less than a minute ago the Warriors beat the San Antonio Spurs on the Spurs' home court, thus equaling the best season win record in NBA history.  They also set a new record for road wins.  And they gave the Spurs their first home loss of the season.  Wow!  If the Warriors win the last game of the season on Wednesday, they set a new NBA season win record.  They're definitely going to the playoffs and we're all hoping they'll win another championship.  Pretty radical.

Welcome to Monday Mural:  if you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward your mural finds posted this week.  Google+ users, please configure your post so we all can leave a comment.  Thanks.

 “ Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”  Rev. John Watson

Warriors' practice makes perfect

The Warriors practice in a facility in the Oakland Convention Center, which is is the Old Oakland neighborhood downtown.  Can't complain about how the practice is impacting their performance this season.  12-0 is looking pretty darn good.  Warrrrr-yers!

Monday Mural: the champions

Yet another Warriors-centric post.  This mural, by a crew called Illuminaries, is in North Oakland at 27th and Northgate; it went up a week or so ago.  I  think the signatures are names of those who helped paint the mural.  At least I hope so.  The Steph Curry pose looked odd to me.  Illuminaries says the gesture is "the infamous Mac Dre thizz face."  Yea, I don't know what that means either.  During the time I was at the mural, two cars pulled up so their occupants could get their pictures taken in front of it.  It looks like this will be a mini shrine for the Dub Nation.

Welcome to Monday Mural:  if you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below; you decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward your mural finds posted this week.  Google+ users, please configure your post so we all can leave a comment.  Thanks.

“ Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”  Plato

Oakland Warriors parade

Yesterday was the parade and rally for the Warriors' NBA championship.  It was an intense yet mellow experience considering more than a half million people showed up to celebrate.

Drat, Steph Curry just would not turn towards me, so this is the best I could do.  Note the championship trophy at his left hand.

Steve Kerr, the brilliant rookie coach (although he owns 5 NBA championship rings from his playing days) did turn my way.  His speech at the rally was the best of all.  Oakland is bursting with pride at the Warrior's accomplishment.  Now, if they would only decide to stay in Oakland.  I guess 40 years of devoted fandom isn't enough to keep the owners from looking elsewhere.

W is for Warriors

Oakland's Golden State Warriors have won the NBA Finals!  This is their first championship in exactly 40 years.  At least one drought is over.  If you follow basketball, you know what an incredible season this has been for the team.   The Dub Nation is celebrating tonight!!  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

Warriors make it to the Finals!!

In case you were wondering, the Warriors won the Playoffs and are champions of the Western Conference of the NBA.  This is their first division championship since 1975!  Is Oakland excited?  Oh, just a little.

Yesterday was the first game of the Finals; they played the Cleveland Cavaliers (who won the Eastern Conference) which has the great LeBron James.  The Dubs got off to a rocky start but the game soon turned into a neck and neck heart stopper.  In the last seconds the Warriors tied the score and the game went into overtime.  In those extra 5 minutes the Dubs found their A-game and won 108 to 100.  19,000 fans were screaming in happiness and relief.  They only need to win three more games to become the NBA national champions.  OMG, it seems so possible.  For my Aussie friends, your countryman Andrew Bogut is a pivotal player on the Warriors and is amazing to watch as he defends the basket.  Next game is Sunday night here in Oakland.  Go Warriors!!

p.s.  This photo is a grab shot from my television.

Q is for question: can they pull it off?

 

The Warriors won the first game in the second round of the NBA playoffs.  This photo shows the jubilation that followed the win.  Yippee.  In the next game they lost to the Memphis Grizzlies.  Uh oh.  The question remains, can they pull it off to make it to round three?  The Dub Nation has its collective fingers crossed.  Linked to ABC Wednesday.