R.G.'s Weekly Sports ReCap: Saturday 4/20 - Friday 4/26/2K13

Notable happenings from this past week in the sports world:

NFL: The New York Jets traded disgruntled All-Pro cornerback Darrelle Revis to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for draft picks; Revis then signs a six-year, $96M deal with the Bucs; The Jets selected equally talented cornerback Dee Milliner out of Alabama with the ninth overall pick in the draft to compensate for the loss of Revis, and also picked QB Geno Smith out of West Virginia in the second round (39th overall)....The Green Bay Packers re-sign their franchise QB Aaron Rodgers to a five-year, $110M extension through the 2K19 season....The Kansas City Chiefs selected offensive tackle Eric Fisher out of Central Michigan as the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft....Controversial but talented linebacker Manti Te'o out of Notre Dame was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round.

NBA: The 2K13 postseason got underway, and as of Friday 4/26, the Miami Heat, New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs all hold commanding 3-0 series in the first round of their respective matchups against the Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, and will look to end their series in 'sweep' mode on Sunday, 4/28....All-Star guard Russell Westbrook will miss the remainder of the playoffs for the Oklahoma City Thunder with a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee which he suffered in Game 2 of the first round against the Houston Rockets. The loss of Westbrook will hurt the Thunder's chances of returning to the Finals this season and will have to rely on their backup guards - veteran Derek Fisher and young Reggie Jackson to pickup the slack in a big way....Postseason Awards: Sixth Man of the Year - G J.R. Smith, New York Knicks; Defensive Player of the Year - C Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies; Most Improved Player of the Year - F Paul George, Indiana Pacers.

NHL: The lockout-shortened regular season comes to a close on Sunday, 4/28 with both the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Chicago Blackhawks earning top seeds in the East and West conferences respectively in the upcoming playoffs, which jumps off on Tuesday, 4/30.

Men's College Basketball: Eddie Jordan is officially hired as the new head coach of Rutgers, replacing disgraced former head man Mike Rice.

Six Tips On How Celebrities Can Maintain Their Privacy

By Stan Popovich (www.managingfear.com); Remixed by Ross Guity aka R.G. Major

Many celebrities have a difficult time maintaining their privacy. Here are a few suggestions on how they can manage their private life and deal with the media:

1. MONITOR YOUR FAME & ADJUST ACCORDINGLY.....The first step a celebrity can do is to monitor their fame. If a celebrity becomes a househlod name, then he/she should expect the kind of media exposure that is coming their way...That's the way it is and always has been for years, so it's nothing new! If a famous person isn't always in the news, he/she can expect a little less attention.

2. DEVELOP A PLAN.....A celebrity should have some kind of plan that will help maintain their private life. DO NOT wait unitl the last minute to decide that you need your privacy. Plan ahead of time to avoid any problems in the future. It may not be fair, but that's the price you pay from being popular.

3. BE CONSISTENT  IN DEALING WITH THE MEDIA.....It's important to be consistent in how you deal with the media. If they know ahead of time what to expect from a celebrity, then that celebrity won't get as much attention. The media will give more attention to those who are ALWAYS causing attention to themselves.

4. STAY OUT OF THE SPOTLIGHT.....Why is that some celebs are always in the spotlight while others seem to slip under the radar when it comes to the media? A celebrity can't have it both ways If you want privacy, then stay out of the spotlight and learn to lay low.

5. WATCH YOUR ACTIONS.....Be consistent with your behavior whenever you are out in public. The media and your fans will be eager to jump on ANYTHING that raises any question marks. If you want to have some privacy, learn to stay under the radar and DO NOT give the media something to talk about from a negative standpoint.

6. LEARN FROM OTHERS.....Learn from what other celebs on how they handled their privacy. Thsi will help you come up with different strategies on how to go out maintaining your level of privacy.

Remember that FAME and POPULARITY doesn't last forever. If you are a celebrity who gets a lot of attention, just remember that it won't last forever. There are ALWAYS other young celebs who WILL catch the media by storm, and they will get all the attention whether they'll like it or not. The media will ONLY deal with you if they know they can INCREASE THEIR RATINGS and MAKE MONEY. Use that to your advantage when you desire to have more privacy!

MY INTERVIEW WITH THE LEGENDARY HEATHER HUNTER

 

The Date: July 2K7
The Locale: Barnes & Noble Book Store, W.8th Street and 6th Avenue, New York City

To many, when the name HEATHER HUNTER comes up in conversation, her exploits as a popular pornstress back in the day gets talked about for the most part. HH has since retired from the Adult industry game for more than a decade now and has reinvented herself in a BIG way!

She is now an accomplished painter in the world of Visual Arts. Heather's also grinding hard as an up-and-coming Hip Hop music recording artist and you can now add the title of Book Author amongst the many hats that she's wearing nowadays. Hunter has recently released her first fictional novel she penned with Michelle Valentine titled INSATIABLE: THE RISE OF A PORN STAR (St. Martins Press). I won't give any of the story away, but I CAN tell you that it is a very compelling and interesting read from the front cover to the back cover.

Heather in person is so petite in size! I don't know how she made it through doing the porn movie thing back in the days, but it comes to show you that size doesn't matter at all! Heather still looks the same - GORGEOUS all over from her head to her toes, and is also very sweet, well-versed, and down-to-earth as well. The one constant that will NEVER change with HH is that she ALWAYS KEEPS IT SEXY! I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing the legendary Ms. Hunter during the NYC leg of her book tour promoting INSATIABLE.


RG: Tell us briefly about your debut novel, and what you can expect the readers to come away with after they've read the book in it's entirety.

HH: In the novel, the character SIMONE YOUNG is loosely based on some of my own experiences within the timeline of my life as far as how I got into the Adult industry and dealing with the struggles in trying to make it big in the world....What I want is for the readers is to see the journey that Adult porn stars and even strippers take to reach that claim to fame, more or less.

RG: How long did it take you to write this story and what inspired you initially?

HH: INSATIABLE took me about ten years to complete....What inspired me to actually finish the book was the heartbreak I had to endure during my last relationship - which ended almost five years ago. Finishing the book was very therapeutic for me and a blessing in disguise. I thank my ex-boyfriend for that! Much love to him! (Both laugh)....It also took me to another level in life when I was finally able to complete the book.

RG: OK, that's cool! Will you be writing any more books in the future?

HH: Yes! If it was up to me, I would be writing books for the rest of my life based on everything I've gone through....The most important reason why I wrote INSATIABLE in a fictionalized way is that I respect people's privacy, but at the same time, I believe that I still have the right to tell the story.

RG: Since you've retired from the Adult industry, has the transition been a smooth one from you as far as what you're doing now with your music and visual art paintings?

HH: NO! (Laughs)....It hasn't been easy at all. It's been a struggle for me without a doubt. Coming from the Adult industry, I had a lot of doors that wouldn't open from me. I would wait for the next one, but I try to go in through the side door, you know? (Laughs)

RG: When did you get into art painting? I've seen your work on your website, and I think your style is AMAZING and BEAUTIFUL like yourself!

HH: Awwww, thank you! You're too sweet!.....Well, drawing was and STILL is my first love. I started when I was a child, and as I got older, I became a graffiti artist. When I got into trouble doing the graffiti art on the streets (Laughs), I then decided to continue my talent by putting the paintbrush to the canvas. I've gotten so much positive feedback on my artwork from so many people, and to me, that means A LOT!

RG: Are you working on any new music and actual motion picture projects?

HH: Yes! I am currently working on new Hip Hop music produced by Kwame', who was a popular Rap artist back in the days and put Polka Dots on the map, fashion-wise. Everytime I go in the recording studio, I get better as an artist because I'm learning from the best in the business like Kwame'....On the motion picture side, I had a bit-role as one of the 'Red Top' girls in the 2K7 hit film AMERICAN GANGSTER, which was directed by Ridley Scott and stars two of the best actors around in cinema - Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. Even though my role was small, I had a great experience being part of such an amazing movie, and I hope that it can lead me into more magnified roles in the future.

RG: In your opinion, what are the keys to being successful in the game of LIFE?

HH: You MUST have patience. You also MUST have a hard hustle and constantly be on your grind. Being very ambitious is also a key to success and staying low-key while on the road to success is WAY better than being overexposed in the limelight, in my opinion. I notice that the more you are just 'out there,' per se, there's always the critics that want to bash you negatively and start false rumors about you which are out of control! (Laughs)

RG: Three notable dinner guests at your table, living or deceased.

HH: Prince, Oprah Winfrey and Wyclef Jean.....That would be the dream of dinners for me! (Laughs)

RG: What's the best advice Heather Hunter can give to anyone?

HH: For the fellas: To live a happy and healthly life, practice SAFE SEX by USING CONDOMS. It's OK to keep it pimpin', but most importantly, WRAP IT UP!

www.Hunter-Glam.com

*Connect with HEATHER HUNTER on Facebook and Twitter.




 

REMAINING OPTIMISTIC AFTER LOSING AN IMPORTANT SPORTING EVENT

By: Stan Popovich (www.managingfear.com); Edited by Ross Guity aka R.G. Major

Some athletes who do not perform well at their event may have a difficult time in getting over their most recent loss. As a result, here are a list of techniques that an athlete can follow in staying optimistic for their next event:

*First, DO NOT make excuses or blame others for your defeat. Many athletes tend to make excuses on why they lost, instead of looking at themselves and their performance. The fact is that the competition was better than you that day, and the only way to get over it is to FIND WAYS TO DO BETTER the next time around.

*Evaluate your performance and learn from your mistakes. Regardless of how good you may be, you will always make mistakes in any given event. The key is to learn from your mistakes, and NOT TO REPEAT THEM AGAIN. This is the attitude you need to have in getting over your most recent loss and get ready for your next event.

*Focus on the BIGGER PICTURE. As an athlete, you will perform in many events. DO NOT focus on only that one event where you did not do that great in. Instead, look at the BIGGER PICTURE in that you will be performing in many other events down the road. Use your loss as a measuring stick on what you need to improve on for your future events.

*Try to have a more persistent attitude for your next event. Many athletes who lose or make mistakes in an important event tend to doubt themselves for a while. DO NOT do this. Accept the fact that you lost, and BE DETERMINED that you will do things differently the next time around. DETERMINATION is the key in getting over any loss.

*If you are not sure of what you did wrong, then ASK. Talk to a coach or your friends on what they think you did wrong. Get their advice on how you did in your last event, and then try to see if they are correct in their assessment. There is NOTHING WRONG with asking for help. Even the best athletes get advice from others.

*Finally, you MUST be patient in trying to improve your performance. Some athletes who get into a losing streak do not know how to get back to their winning ways. They start to doubt themselves and put more pressure on themselves to do better if the losing continues. It may take time to get back to your winning ways. DO NOT put pressure on yourself when things do not go right. BE PATIENT, and try to make small, subtle changes in your performance. The last thing you want to do is to panic.

Enjoy the fact that you are an athlete. You can't win all of the time, and there will ALWAYS be somebody who is better. DO NOT compare yourself to others who may be better or worse off than you. Focus solely on YOUR performance, and and develop your OWN personal goals in acheiving your MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE! 

Red Carpet Q&A with legendary rapper/producer KWAME' HOLLAND

 

 

The Date: Monday 11/19/2K12
The Locale: New York Times Center, Times Square vicinity, New York City
The Event: 1st Annual Global Spin Awards

RG: Briefly give me your thoughts on the importance of the DJ in the history of Hip Hop.

KH: There's nothing more important in Hip Hop than the DJ. With me being an MC, first and foremost, and also a producer, I am NOTHING without a DJ!

RG: What can we anticipate from you in 2K13?

KH: As far as production is concerned, myself and legendary MCs Dana Dane, Special Ed, Monie Love and Chubb Rock - we formed a group called The Alumni. Coming into 2K13, The Alumni are gonna go on tour and bring the classic Hip Hop experience to the audience, and at the same time, I'll be producing the new music for the group. I also have a Pop music artist currently on Atlantic Records; Her name is Lauriana Mae, and I'll be producing music for her and also R&B singing legend Chante' Moore as well.

RG: I loved the song you produced for Tweet and Missy Elliott a few years ago, 'Turn The Lights Off.'

KH: Thanks a lot, my brother! Music is my grind, and I've been loving doing what I do for a minute now.

RG: What's the most important piece of advice you can give to an upcoming producer that's trying to make a name for themselves in today's music industry?

KH: Don't just rely on making beats....Find an artist, and learn how to create actual songs.

*Connect with KWAME' HOLLAND on Facebook*