Overflow blog

People who look like each other #2

2011-12-11T06:01:00.001-08:00

Above: Kansas City place kicker Nick Lowery

Below: British actor and comedian John Cleese

A photo of Vince Evans

2011-12-11T05:57:00.001-08:00

Vince Tobias Evans

People who look like each other #1

2011-12-04T08:31:00.000-08:00

Above: Former NFL head coach Wade Phillips

Below: Actor and comedian Bob Newhart

Somebody else made this-- not me

2011-04-28T20:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is a Lego version of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Click here for more information.

Fun with music and Lego

2011-03-16T12:28:00.000-07:00

Halloween is here

2009-10-31T06:24:00.000-07:00

Finally, after weeks of getting ready, Halloween has arrived. Everyone in Lego Land, including the NBA players, is very excited. Antoine Walker and Allen Iverson are going trick-or-treating dressed as samurai warriors (see photo above). Like every year, they will also be collecting money for the United Nations Children's Fund (more commonly known as UNICEF) to help needy children around the world. It is a good thing that Antoine Walker and Allen Iverson are professional athletes and in excellent shape, because the collection box can become quite heavy after a long night of trick-or-treating.

There is one surprising Halloween-related development, however. Due to a lack of communication, both Vince Carter and Tony Parker have dressed up in the same costume. Hopefully Jalen Rose can help them sort out this mess. (See photo above)

Below: Happy Halloween from everyone at Ape Canyon News Service and the Overflow Blog!

Antoine Walker wants you to know that drinking bottled water is bad for the environment

2009-10-30T20:44:00.000-07:00

The weekend supervisor at the water company is unhappy that some people in Lego Land choose to drink bottled water rather than regular tap water. He has decided to start a public education campaign to teach people about how wasteful it is to drink bottled water. He wants to let people know about the negative impact of bottled water, from the creation of many plastic bottles to the high cost of transportation.

Joining him in this effort is Antoine Walker. Together they are going door-to-door trying to convince folks to stop wasting money and resources on bottled water. Today they are visiting an office where the workers pitch in to rent a water cooler and pay for bottle water to be delivered. The weekend supervisor and Antoine Walker patiently explain the many negative environmental effects of bottled water. They also point out that the high-priced water in the bottles comes from the exact same source as the municipal water does.

After hearing what the two men have to say, the office manager decides that she and her co-workers are wasting their hard-earned money. As soon as they finish the last bottle they have already paid for, they will be cancelling their service.

Below: Steve Francis and Jalen Rose inspecting the forklift from the bottled water company.

Everyone is getting ready for Halloween

2009-10-24T08:25:00.000-07:00

All over Lego Land, everyone is getting their costumes ready for Halloween and trick-or-treating. Dirk Nowitzki is planning on going out dressed as Allen Iverson.

Road Kobe Bryant and home Kobe Bryant will be dressed as lifeguards.

Jalen Rose is going as Antoine Walker, and Tony Parker will be dressed as a mummy.

And finally (for now), Gary Payton and Kevin Garnett will be going door-to-door as Dracula and Dr. Frankenstein's monster.

Mountain rescue squad

2009-10-18T14:48:00.001-07:00

The number of mountain climbing accidents and wilderness disasters in Lego Land has risen steadily in recent weeks. (See photo above) Because of this, Shaq and some of the other NBA stars have decided to form a mountain rescue squad to help out during outdoor emergencies. (See photo below)

Shaq and the others have raised thousands of dollars by selling autographs and personal memorabilia on the internet, and, with this money, they were able to buy the parts so that Steve Francis could build a rescue helicopter in his workshop. Steve Francis had never built a helicopter before, but everyone is impressed with what a good job he has done.

Today, the NBA stars/mountain rescue squad have their first emergency call. A mountain climber has injured himself and needs help getting off the mountain. Steve Francis and road Kobe Bryant head out to help the injured person. They have to use a special stretcher that is attached to a long rope to reach the climber.

Below: Road Kobe Bryant uses the megaphone to communicate with Steve Francis down below.

Below: Steve Francis has loaded the injured mountain climber into the stretcher. It is a wild ride back up to the helicopter.

Below: The stretcher is almost up to the helicopter.

It turns out that the injured mountain climber is not a mountain climber at all. It is Gary Payton, who had gone out all by himself searching for Yetis. Luckily, he is not very badly injured. Mostly he is just a little scared and a little cold-- nothing that can not be cured by a nice steaming mug of hot chocolate.

Road Kobe Bryant and Gary Payton have a long talk about what happened and what Gary Payton can do differently the next time he goes out into the wilderness. Gary Payton now understands why it is so important to always take a buddy with you. Next time, he promises that he will make sure that Vince Carter comes along.

Korbball? Ja!

2009-10-12T06:10:00.001-07:00

This fall, Dirk Nowitzki is once again teaching a German class at the Lego Land Academy of Languages. Basketball has become a quite popular sport around the world in recent years, so many NBA stars have signed up to take the class. The class covers the introductory levels of German pronunciation, grammar, and usage. All of Dirk Nowitzki's students (both past and present) agree that he is an outstanding teacher.

Today's lesson is a very important one for the NBA players-- it is all about basketball, which is often called Korbball in German. For this lesson, Dirk Nowitzki has chosen a basic dialog for the students to practice with a partner.

Below: Dirk Nowitzki in front of his class

In the basic dialog, there are two people--Helga and Peter. They are discussing what they are doing that day.

Helga: Was machst du heute?

Peter: Wir spielen Korbball. Kommst du?

Helga: Ich glaube nicht. Ihr verliert das Spiel immer.

Peter: Meinst du das, oder sagst du das nur so?

The students do a fantastic job on today's assignment. If they keep up the hard work, Dirk Nowitzki is sure that they will all be speaking German fluently in no time.

Above: Steve Francis has a question for the teacher.

Below: Allen Iverson does, too.

The truth is finally revealed

2009-10-04T12:53:00.001-07:00

An excited but well-behaved crowd has gathered this morning outside of Lego Land's finest hotel, the Transcontinental. They have all heard that Lego Land's newest arrival is staying at the hotel, and they have come to find out who it is. Rumor has it that the mystery person is staying in one of the penthouse suites (see photo below).

Everyone has their own theory about who it will turn out to be. For awhile, the most popular pick was Tim Duncan, but now a lot of people are leaning towards Chris Webber.

Suddenly, though, the balcony door to the north suite opens, and it appears that someone is about to come out. (See photo above) The excitement is so great that folks can hardly stand it.

Soon the mystery figure steps forward-- it is none other than NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant, wearing his Lakers home (number 8) jersey! A cheer goes up from the crowd and Kobe waves. He is obviously happy to be here in Lego Land.

Just as soon as the crowd starts to settle down, however, there is another surprise. The balcony door to the south suite opens, and someone else comes out. Who can that be? Are there two new arrivals?

Now the crowd is in for a shock-- there are two new arrivals, and the second one is...also NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant! Only this one is wearing his Lakers road (number 8) jersey! An even bigger cheer goes up from the crowd.

Two Kobe Bryants in the same town-- just imagine the possibilities!

People are excited, but they also have a lot of questions

2009-10-03T09:33:00.001-07:00

Recently, an article was published by Lego Land's number one sports reporter (pictured above talking to Antoine Walker) that a new resident is on their way to Lego Land. Because of this, rumors have once again started spreading throughout town.

Everyone is all excited, but they also have many, many questions: Who is coming? What position do they play? What team do they play for?

Above: Tony Parker, Eva Longoria Parker, and Kevin Garnett's assistant are busy talking about the latest news. Meanwhile, Antoine Walker is getting ready to ride his skateboard.

Dirk Nowitzki, Karl Malone, and Italian soccer star Gattuso are preparing to go deep-sea diving. (See photo above) They are so excited that they are rushing through the safety precautions that every deep-sea diver must carry out before entering the water. Luckily, Karl Malone (see photo below) realizes what is happening and reminds his two friends to pay attention to what they are doing.

Still, the rumors and counter-rumors are all anyone wants to talk about. Who will it be? Paul Pierce? Toni Kukoc? Pau Gasol? Allan Houston? When will they arrive? Today? Next week?

Below: Steve Francis and Shaq study the back of the box that brought Jalen Rose, Predrag Stojakovic, and Kevin Garnett. They are trying to figure out who the new arrival might be.

Allen Iverson and Antoine Walker go to the movies

2009-09-28T19:16:00.000-07:00

Allen Iverson and Antoine Walker are very excited. Tonight they are going to the movies! Watch the video below and try to figure out what movie they are seeing.

Something is wrong with the water tower

2009-09-27T16:54:00.001-07:00

Shaq has woken up early this morning, and right away he notices that the grass outside his front window is starting to look very dried out. So Shaq decides that it is time to water his yard. However, when he turns on the garden hose, nothing comes out. In fact, when Shaq goes back inside his house, he discovers that the water is not working anywhere at all. Of course, Shaq is very concerned about this situation, so he decides to call the municipal water company to file a report. (See photos above and below)

At the water company headquarters (pictured below), the weekend supervisor answers the phone. He writes down Shaq's customer complaint and then performs a systems check using his computer. The weekend supervisor quickly determines that the water has been cut off throughout Lego Land. It appears that there is a problem with the main water tower that supplies water to all of Lego Land.

The weekend supervisor at the water company calls Steve Francis to notify him of the problem. Steve Francis is one of the best people in Lego Land at fixing things. (See photo below)

Steve Francis and his friend Antoine Walker head over to the water tower to see what the trouble is. (See photo below)

Steve Francis climbs straight up to the top of the water tower and gets right to work. (See photo below)

Above: The view from the top of the water tower.

Below: Antoine Walker climbs the ladder up to the top of the tower.

Steve Francis and Antoine Walker are able to quickly identify and solve the problem. Within a few hours, water service has been restored to all of Lego Land. Now everyone, including Karl Malone (pictured below), can water their lawns, wash their cars, or do whatever else it is that they need to do.

American Culture 101

2009-09-24T05:46:00.001-07:00

Currently, there are 30 teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Of these 30, 29 play their homes games in the United States of America. Because of this, every player in the NBA is required by the league to have a strong working knowledge of American history, culture, and politics. In the past, several players have been issued long suspensions for failing to meet the high standards set by the NBA.

Recently, Dirk Nowitzki (below) was notified by the league that he is one of the players who has been randomly selected to take a written test that covers all aspects of American life. The test will include multiple-choice items, short answer questions, and at least one essay.

Dirk Nowitzki is, of course, worried about how he will do on this test, so he has decided to talk to his friend Karl Malone. (See photo below)

Karl Malone is more than happy to help out in any way that he can. He lends Dirk Nowitzki two very important items to study-- his Nixon/Agnew campaign button and his copy of The Collected Speeches of Spiro Agnew (published in 1971). (See photo below)

Dirk Nowitzki studies hard -- Spiro Agnew made many notable speeches in 1969 and 1970, and Dirk Nowitzki knows that he must read them all.

Now that Dirk Nowitzki is done studying, Karl Malone is helping by giving him a practice quiz (see photo below)--

Question: Who are more dangerous-- the neo-isolationists or the radical-liberals?
Answer: They are both more dangerous, just in different ways. (Correct)

Question: Which rock-and-roll groups are most responsible for the blatant drug-culture propaganda that pervades our society?
Answer: The Jefferson Airplane, Ten Years After, and Steppenwolf. (Correct)

Dirk Nowitzki passes the practice quiz with flying colors. Karl Malone is very confident that Dirk Nowitzki will so just as well or even better on the actual test.

Game night in Lego Land

2009-09-22T08:17:00.001-07:00

Tonight Jalen Rose has invited all the NBA players over to play Clue-- "Parker Brothers Classic Detective Game". Clue is a game in which six players try to solve a mystery about which one of them committed a murder. The players also have to figure out where the murder took place and what the murder weapon was.

Below: Dirk Nowitzki and Shaq examine the roll of the dice.

Steve Francis thinks he is on to something-- he has found this lead pipe lying on the floor of the lounge. Vince Carter definitely agrees that the lounge is a strange place to find a slightly-bent lead pipe.

Meanwhile, Jalen Rose and Dirk Nowitzki are investigating the kitchen. They both believe that this large candlestick may hold important clues.

The time has come for the players to make their accusations and then to reveal the true identity of the murder. They have all gathered (see photo below) for the final showdown.

Everyone wonders-- "Who will it turn out to be?"

How tall was William Shakespeare?

2009-09-20T14:59:00.001-07:00

Recently, some of our readers were curious about the photo below which shows noted author William Shakespeare standing with Vince Carter and Gary Payton during the two NBA stars' trip back to the 17th century. William Shakespeare appears to quite a bit taller than both professional basketball players. This leads to an important question-- just how tall was William Shakespeare?

This afternoon, Kevin Garnett (inventor and builder of the time machine) and his friend Jalen Rose have decided to try to answer this question. Unfortunately for them, Gary Payton and Vince Carter were unable to bring back any measurements of William Shakespeare, but, by using the photo above, a few simple tools and the power of ratios, Kevin Garnett and Jalen Rose are confident that they can find the answer.

Below: Kevin Garnett and Jalen Rose are using the calculator.

Below: The two NBA stars discuss how to interpret the data and calculations.

After several minutes of work, Kevin Garnett and Jalen Rose have come up with an answer. According to their best estimate, they believe that William Shakespeare is somewhere between 10' 8" and 10' 11" tall. Both Kevin Garnett and Jalen Rose also believe that if they can find away to bring William Shakespeare to 21st century, there might be several NBA teams interested in giving him a tryout at center.

Playing soccer

2009-09-20T06:24:00.000-07:00

Today the NBA All-Stars have decided to take a break from playing basketball, so they are playing soccer instead. They have been joined by two world-famous soccer stars -- Alexandre Pato of Brazil and Gennaro Gattuso of Italy. (See photo below - Pato is on the left next to Allen Iverson and Gattuso is on the right next to Shaq.)

Both Pato and Gattuso play professionally for AC Milan, a club that is considered so important that it is owned by Italy's long-time Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi. All of the NBA stars are quite excited that they are getting the chance to play with two soccer stars as famous as Pato and Gattuso.

Here are some photos of today's historic match:

Below: Kevin Garnett gets ready to take a corner kick.

Below: Allen Iverson commits a handball inside the penalty area.

Below: Pato gets ready to take the resulting penalty kick.

Below: Pato scores on goalie Jalen Rose.

Below: Later on, Pato is fouled by Tony Parker.

Below: Gattuso and Dirk Nowitzki are fighting. Shaq and Antoine Walker rush over to break it up.

Special thanks to Dorothy for her assistance in creating this post.

Working out at the gym

2009-09-19T09:53:00.001-07:00

During the off-season, NBA stars spend a lot of time working out in the gym so that they can be as strong as possible for the start of the regular season. Physical fitness is very important for everyone, but especially for professional basketball players because of the grueling schedule they face.

Below: Antoine Walker is lifting weights.

Above: Tony Parker works on his legs.

Below: Dirk Nowitzki builds his upper-body strength.

Below: Steve Francis rides the exercise bicycle. When he is finished, Steve Francis will enjoy an nutritious fitness shake high in protein, vitamins, and electrolytes.

Kevin Garnett has unlocked the mysteries of time travel, part two

2009-09-18T10:34:00.001-07:00

Gary Payton and Vince Carter have traveled backwards through the ages in a time machine invented by NBA All-Star power forward Kevin Garnett. The time machine has landed outside a large castle in an unknown time and place. At first, the castle looks empty and deserted-- even the front door is closed. (See photo below)

However, soon Gary Payton and Vince Carter notice that a strange man is looking down at their time machine from the top of the castle. (See photo below) "Who can this fellow be?" they are wondering.

Gary Payton and Vince Carter decide to come out from the safety of their time machine to try to talk to the man in the castle. (See photo below)

The man in the castle turns out to be none other than William Shakespeare, author of such world-famous plays as King Lear and All's Well That Ends Well. He is very polite but also curious about who these two strange travelers might be.

Gary Payton and Vince Carter introduce themselves and tell William Shakespeare a little bit about who they are and where they have come from. Then they start to explain about the modern game of basketball and their desire to go back in time to become the first inventors of their favorite sport. At this point, William Shakespeare stops their explanation and invites them to come inside his castle so he can show them something. (See photo below) Gary Payton and Vince Carter are slightly concerned about following a stranger (even a famous one like William Shakespeare) into his house, but they decide that since they have come all this way, they might as well give it a try.

Inside of William Shakespeare's castle, Gary Payton and Vince Carter are in for the surprise of their life. William Shakespeare already knows all about basketball and even the NBA. He shows the two NBA stars his very own basketball. (It is the same brand as the one Allen Iverson has.) (See photo below)

In addition, William Shakespeare shows the two time-travelers a large poster of his favorite player, Predrag Stojakovic. (See photo below)

Before William Shakespeare can show Gary Payton and Vince Carter anything more, however, an urgent message comes in from Kevin Garnett back at the control center. (See photo below) Kevin Garnett's sensors indicate that there will soon be large disturbances throughout the space-time continuum. Gary Payton and Vince Carter need to return to the present right away or they run the risk of becoming lost forever somewhere in time and space.

With hardly any time for a goodbye, Gary Payton and Vince Carter rush back to the time machine. (See photo below) They are sad to leave so quickly, but, in a mission like this, safety is the most important aspect.

Below: The time machine hurtles back through the ages towards pre-season 2009-2010.

Below: William Shakespeare waves farewell to the two time-travelers. He is happy that they have left behind an unopened can of his second favorite drink-- Seven-Up, the Uncola.

Kevin Garnett has unlocked the mysteries of time travel, part one

2009-09-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

NBA All-Star power forward Kevin Garnett has been working all summer long on building a time machine so that he and his friends can travel backwards and forwards through time. Recently, he finally completed his time machine, and now he is excited to try it out. The lucky first passengers will be Vince Carter and Gary Payton (see photo above). Their goal is to go back in time and become the first people to ever invent the game of basketball.

Below: Kevin Garnett's assistant makes some last-minute, minor adjustments to the time machine.

Unfortunately for Vince Carter and Gary Payton, their basketball is far too large to fit into the time machine. They decide to leave it behind and just go back in time as tourists, rather than as inventors.

Below: Gary Payton and Vince Carter enter the time machine.

Below: The time machine has been unhooked from the power supply, and now it is ready to begin the journey.

Kevin Garnett and his assistant will stay behind at the control center and make sure that everything is working correctly. (See photo below)

Inside the time machine, Gary Payton and Vince Carter travel through many centuries in the blink of an eye. (See photo below)

The time machine finally arrives in front of a large castle in a far-off, distant land. Gary Payton and Vince Carter have no idea where they are, what year it is, or whether the locals are friendly or hostile.

Both Gary Payton and Vince Carter are wondering-- "What will happen next?"

Allen Iverson studies the map

2009-09-16T07:17:00.000-07:00

Allen Iverson spent almost the entire summer wondering where he would be playing during the upcoming season. Now that he has finally signed an NBA contract, Allen Iverson has a new challenge-- figuring out how he is going to get to work each day.

Below: Allen Iverson studies the map.

Below: Allen Iverson realizes that he is going to have a very long commute from Lego Land each morning.

Gary Payton is worried. Vince Carter is, too.

2009-09-02T16:18:00.001-07:00

Gary Payton and Vince Carter have been researching deeper and deeper into the existence of UFOs in Lego Land, and they have discovered a very disturbing fact. If you rearrange the letters in the names of many of their NBA player-friends, you can spell out messages about creatures from outer space. For example:

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL spells HELLO ALIENS U.Q.A.;

ANTOINE WALKER spells WANT ALIEN KORE;

ALLEN IVERSON spells S.N. ALIEN LOVER.

The scariest part is that neither Gary Payton nor Vince Carter knows what "S.N." stands for.

Above: Gary Payton and Vince Carter being scared

Below: One more picture of Antoine Walker

They formed a band

2009-09-01T06:14:00.001-07:00

Some of the NBA players, along with some of their non-basketball-playing friends, have decided to form a band. As with all bands, the hardest part was coming up with a name. They came up with (and rejected) many names before settling on the Lloyd B. Free Singers, although some members of the band still want to call themselves the Latrell Sprewell Experience. (See photos, above- Antoine Walker playing guitar- and below- the Lloyd B. Free Singers giving their first concert)

The members of the band are as follows:

Lead singer: Eva Longoria Parker
Guitar players: Antoine Walker and the guitar-playing guy
Bass: Kevin Garnett
Drums: Steve Francis
Keyboards: The keyboard-playing woman
Saxophone: The man who plays the saxophone
Trumpet: Shaq

Below: Eva Longoria Parker singing

Who else would be running the sound system but Vince Carter and Gary Payton?

Below: Footage from their first concert

Back-to-school pep rally at Warren G. Harding High School

2009-08-31T07:11:00.000-07:00

The principal of Warren G. Harding High School has decided that it would be a good idea to have a back-to-school pep rally to get his students excited about the first day of school. For the pep rally, he has decided to invite some NBA stars to come and talk to the students about the importance of trying hard in school so they can go to college. The following players have been invited to speak to the students: Vince Carter (University of North Carolina), Gary Payton (Oregon State University), and Shaq (Louisiana State University and University of Phoenix). (See photos above and below-- the principal is the one wearing the brown jacket and gray pants)

All three NBA players are very happy to share their thoughts and experiences about school. Both Vince Carter and Shaq are proud of the fact that they went back to college after starting their NBA careers to finish their degrees. Shaq is doubly proud because, after finishing at Louisiana State, he enrolled in an online program through University of Phoenix and earned an MBA.

Below: The students listen to the NBA stars talk about the importance of education and life-long learning.

Above: Gary Payton talks to the chairman of Harding High School's science department about how to find and capture UFOs.

Below: One of the students has become so excited that she has fainted. Luckily, Vince Carter and the camera operator are there to make sure she is all right.

Note: Special thanks to Jeff from Hoops Manifesto for helping out on this one.

The long wait is over (for some people)

2009-08-29T15:35:00.000-07:00

The long-awaited package from the Lego factory has finally arrived, and many of the people and NBA players in Lego Land are quite happy. Predrag Stojakovic was able to get rid of the white firefighter's helmet that he was forced to wear-- now he has a black captain's hat that he wears backwards. (See photo above)

The first person that Predrag Stojakovic shows is Kevin Garnett. Kevin Garnett tells him that he looks cool. (Photo below)

Below: Eva Longoria Parker (on the left) did not get anything new, but her friends did -- new heads and hair.

Below: Jalen Rose and Steve Francis are excited to try on the new flippers.

Not everyone is feeling quite so excited, however. Allen Iverson still has not heard anything about a contract for next year, and he is starting to get a little worried. Instead of relaxing and enjoying his off-season, Allen Iverson has been spending a lot of time on the computer checking to see if there are any new developments. (See photos above and below) So far, there has not been much to report.

Everyone is excited about what is coming in the mail

2009-08-28T10:48:00.001-07:00

For several days all the regular people and NBA players in Lego Land have been very excited about an interesting news item-- a shipment of pieces straight from the Lego factory will be arriving soon. There are many rumors spreading throughout Lego Land about what may be coming in the shipment -- new heads, hair, hats, helmets, legs, life jackets, flippers, beards, and/or weapons. Everyone has an opinion about what will and should be coming.

Above: Kevin Garnett discusses the rumors with his neighbors, one of whom happens to be a reporter (the man with the top hat and hook).

Below: Predrag Stojakovic waits by his mailbox. He would like a new hat or helmet to replace the firefighter's helmet that he is forced to wear.

Below: Predrag Stojakovic hopes that the mail comes soon.

One more photo of Antoine Walker hanging out at Steve Francis' repair shop

2009-08-28T06:58:00.000-07:00

All week long, Antoine Walker has been helping Steve Francis at the repair shop. Steve Francis is very happy about this, because he has been very busy. So far this week, the two NBA stars have fixed two cars and one truck, replaced the chain on a 10-speed bicycle, and repaired one broken vacuum cleaner. It has been a good week for business, but both players are looking forward to a relaxing weekend, and they hope that all the readers of the Overflow blog have one as well.

Steve Francis has a repair shop

2009-08-26T12:12:00.000-07:00

In addition to being an NBA basketball player, Steve Francis owns and operates a repair shop. He fixes cars, trucks, bicycles, and small appliances. Sometimes Antoine Walker likes to hang around the shop and help out with the work. Today, the alien guy has brought his UFO in because it is having trouble starting in the morning (especially when the weather is cold).

Above: Steve Francis and Antoine Walker discuss the problem with the alien guy.

Below: The UFO.

Steve Francis and Antoine Walker have different ideas about what might be wrong with the UFO. Steve Francis thinks that starter motor is bad and will need to be replaced. Antoine Walker believes that it is just the starter solenoid that is faulty and not the entire starter. The only way to find out is to open the UFO up, so they both get to work.

Above and below: Steve Francis and Antoine Walker try to diagnose the problem.

Above and below: More pictures of the two NBA players working on the UFO.

Below: Steve Francis uses his jack hammer.

While Steve Francis and Antoine Walker are busy fixing the UFO, they do not notice that they are being spied on. (See photo below) Gary Payton and Vince Carter are trying hard to get a glimpse of the UFO and the alien guy. They have been tracking the movements of the UFO for several days, but they have not told anybody about what they have seen because of a promise they made to Dirk Nowitzki.

Below: Gary Payton uses the binoculars to try to get a closer look.

The UFO is now all fixed and Steve Francis, Antoine Walker, the alien guy, and the pig are standing around the repair shop enjoying ice-cold sodas. In the end, Steve Francis is correct -- the entire starter has to be replaced, not just the solenoid. This is bad news for the alien guy, because that costs more money, but Steve Francis does his best to give him a break on the price.

A little three-on-three

2009-08-25T21:19:00.001-07:00

Tonight, some of the NBA players got to together to play a little three-on-three basketball. The teams were Gary Payton, Vince Carter, and Shaq versus Kevin Garnett, Jalen Rose, and Antoine Walker. Here are a few photographs of the game.

Below: Gary Payton drives right by Jalen Rose.

Below: Seeing Gary Payton go by Jalen Rose, Antoine Walker does the right thing and slides over to help out. Antoine Walker knows how important it is to keep his opponents from getting too many easy baskets.

Below: Later on, Antoine Walker shows off his dunking skills.

Below: Jalen Rose can dunk the basketball as well.

Below: Kevin Garnett and Antoine Walker both know how important it is to keep your hands up on defense.

Below: All the while, Allen Iverson is watching patiently from the sidelines. Allen Iverson hopes that he will get a turn soon.

A trip to the Department of Motor Vehicles

2009-08-25T10:18:00.001-07:00

Last week Allen Iverson received a notice in the mail telling him that it was time for him to renew the tabs on his license plates. So today he is taking a trip down to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Little does Allen Iverson know, everybody else in town has the exact same idea.

The lines are long, and they do not move very quickly. The workers at the Department of Motor Vehicles make sure to check the paperwork thoroughly so that there will not be any mistakes.

Shaq is enjoying his conversation with the man in the blue crash helmet. They are talking about the upcoming NBA season. Meanwhile, Karl Malone is helping Predrag Stojakovic decide which forms he will need to get his driver's license.

Many people have cars and like to drive, so the Department of Motor Vehicles is often quite crowded.

Gary Payton and Vince Carter have new part-time jobs

2009-08-21T10:49:00.000-07:00

Gary Payton and Vince Carter have new part-time jobs -- they were recently hired to be the crossing guards at a busy intersection. Their job is to make sure that people who are trying to cross the street between the airport and the outdoor basketball court can get there without being run over.

When people come to the crosswalk, Gary Payton and Vince Carter are in charge of making the cars and truck stop before the people try to cross. (See photos above and below) They only have one handheld STOP sign, so they take turns using it. This time, it is Gary Payton's turn.

Below: Kevin Garnett waits patiently in the driver's seat. Steve Francis and Antoine Walker are riding in the back in the trailer.

Below: Now that the cars have stopped and it is safe to cross, the people are allowed to cross the street.

Below: Traffic has started moving again. There goes Allen Iverson with his basketball on his way to shoot some hoops. Vince Carter is waving to everyone as they drive by.

Tony Parker and Eva Longoria Parker have decided to take flying lessons

2009-08-19T12:04:00.000-07:00

Tony Parker and his wife, Eva Longoria Parker, have decided to take flying lessons. Their flight instructor is the man who directed the television commercial that Allen Iverson recently appeared in. (See photo below--the flight instructor is giving them instructions using his megaphone.)

When Tony Parker and Eva Longoria Parker arrive at the local airport, they are happy to see that their friends Shaq and Jalen Rose are working there as air traffic controllers. Shaq has always been interested in law enforcement and in giving back to the community. Working to help planes safely take off and land is one way of doing that. (See photo below-- Shaq is in the air traffic control tower. He is wearing his yellow Lakers jersey and looking out the window.)

Jalen Rose (pictured below) has not been working as an air traffic controller very long, but, with Shaq's help, he is learning fast.

Below: Tony Parker and Eva Longoria Parker are ready to taxi down the runway.

Below: Tony Parker and Eva Longoria Parker are speeding down the runway.

Below: Tony Parker and Eva Longoria Parker are flying up in the sky.

Below: Tony Parker and Eva Longoria Parker are now safely back on the ground.

UFO sighting

2009-08-17T16:58:00.001-07:00

On their first night in Lego Land, Gary Payton and Vince Carter do what they always do when they come to a new town-- go out walking in the woods looking for UFOs. (See photo above) They have not been walking for very long when they see a real live UFO. (See photo below)

Gary Payton and Vince Carter are very excited and go back to find Dirk Nowitzki to tell him what they have found. (See photo below) Dirk Nowitzki is not interested in what they have to say, however, and will not come out to see the UFO no matter how many times they ask. In fact, Dirk Nowitzki is worried that the other NBA players in Lego Land will think that they are crazy for believing in UFOs. He makes Gary Payton and Vince Carter promise that they will tell no one about what they think they have discovered.

For many days after that, Vince Carter and Gary Payton spend all of their free time out in the woods looking at the UFO. (See photo above) What they do not know, however, is that the UFO belongs to the alien guy (pictured below, with his UFO) who is a good friend of all the other NBA players. If only they would mention what they have seen, then the other NBA players could tell them all about their friend, the alien guy. Sadly, they promised Dirk Nowitzki that they would not tell.

Below: The alien guy hanging out with Shaq at the UFO. Unfortunately, Gary Payton and Vince Carter were busy at that time and did not get to see it.

Three more NBA players have arrived

2009-08-17T15:51:00.000-07:00

In another exciting development, three more NBA players have arrived in Lego Land -- Gary Payton (in the pith helmet), Dirk Nowitzki (the only NBA player who comes with separate hair), and Vince Carter (in the red construction worker helmet). (See photo above)

Inside the box the players brought with them, there was an unexpected surprise-- Dirk Nowitzki came with two, rather than one, identical hair pieces. Not surprisingly, however, Gary Payton has called dibs on the extra hair piece. Do not be shocked if you see him wearing it sometimes.

Below: Gary Payton tries out Dirk Nowitzki's extra hair.

Looking for a place to stay

2009-08-15T16:53:00.001-07:00

Since they are new in town, Jalen Rose, Kevin Garnett, and Predrag Stojakovic need to find a place to stay. For the time being, they have decided to rent a house together. They have looked at a couple of places that they did not really like, and now they are meeting a potential landlord to see a possible house. (See photo above)

Below: The three NBA players follow the potential landlord into the house.

The three NBA stars do not know this, but the man they have come to see about a rental property is actually Steve Francis' supervisor from the public swimming pool. Life can be full of little coincidences sometimes.

Below: The potential landlord/swimming pool supervisor (in the white hat and red shirt) shows the three players the living room.

Jalen Rose, Kevin Garnett, and Predrag Stojakovic take their time checking out the house. They do not want to rush into anything that they will regret later. They look upstairs and downstairs and make sure to ask the potential landlord questions about the house, the utilities, and details of the lease. (See photo below) Predrag Stojakovic once got ripped off by a landlord who did not return his security deposit, and he does not want that to happen again.

After talking it over amongst themselves, the three NBA players decide to take the house. Kevin Garnett shakes hands with their new landlord to seal the deal. (See photo below) Later the three will sign the actual lease papers.

Everyone is very excited about the new place. The three NBA stars cannot wait to move in.

When Antoine Walker needs to go some place, he calls a cab

2009-08-13T14:48:00.000-07:00

When Antoine Walker needs to go some place, he calls a cab. (See recent photo above) The cab company that he likes to use has a fleet of Trabants, an automobile from the Deutsche Demokratische Republik (aka the German Democratic Republic, aka East Germany). The name of the cab company is the Ulbricht Cab Company.

Sometimes Antoine Walker likes to climb in and out of the taxi without opening the door. (See photo below)

Below: A Trabant from the Ulbricht Cab Co. is parked next Allen Iverson's car.

Below: An advertisement for the Trabant.

News from Lego Land

2009-08-12T08:12:00.000-07:00

There is both exciting and disturbing news from Lego Land this morning. First, the exciting news:

Three new NBA stars have arrived! Allen Iverson and all of his NBA friends are very pleased to welcome three new players -- Jalen Rose, wearing the Chicago Bulls uniform and black top hat; Kevin Garnett, wearing the Minnesota Timberwolves uniform and chef's hat; and Predrag Stojakovic, wearing the Sacramento Kings jersey and white firefighter's helmet. (See photo below)

Now, however, for the disturbing news:

Jalen Rose, Kevin Garnett, and Predrag Stojakovic brought with them a large box that has photos of all the Lego NBA players. (See photo below)

A close inspection of the photos on the back of the box revealed that Steve Francis and Tony Parker have been wearing each other's heads. No one knows how long this has been going on, but rest assured, the problem has been corrected.

Above: Steve Francis and Tony Parker, now wearing the correct heads

Below: Another shot of the newly arrived NBA stars

Check back soon, because word has it that more Lego NBA stars are on their way.

Allen Iverson makes a television commercial

2009-08-11T15:41:00.000-07:00

In addition to playing professional basketball, Allen Iverson also sometimes stars in television commercials. This summer, he has signed a contract to make commercials for Seven Up, aka the Uncola. Today is the first day of shooting. Here are some exclusive photos:

Above: Allen Iverson checks himself out in the mirror before the start of shooting.

Below: A lot goes on behind the scenes when they are making a television commercial.

Below: It can get very hot under the studio lights.

Below: Allen Iverson's friends Karl Malone and Steve Francis have come along to watch. There is plenty of Seven Up for everyone to drink.

Above: Allen Iverson battles a dragon for the can of Seven Up. This scene took many takes to get it right.

Below: Now that Allen Iverson has conquered the dragon, he climbs on its back and rides away -- all while carrying a battle flag and a can of crisp, refreshing Seven Up.

NBA history #1: Pistons 186 - Nuggets 184

2009-08-09T07:52:00.000-07:00

For more information, click here or here. For highlights with commentary in two languages at the same time, watch the video below.

For highlights with commentary in only one language, watch this video:

A list of Lego NBA players that I wish I had

2009-08-08T10:37:00.000-07:00

Below is a list of the Lego NBA players that I wish I had. As far as I know, Lego does not make any of these players. The players are listed in reverse order by height. All information about the players' heights comes from Basketball-Reference.com.

Moses Malone 6'10"
Robert Horry 6'9"
Maurice Lucas 6'9" (see photo below)

Carmelo Anthony 6'8"
Marvin Barnes 6'8" (see photo below)

Elton Brand 6'8" (see photo below)

George Gervin 6'7"
Alex English 6'7"
Gilbert Arenas 6'3"
World B. Free 6'2"

Also, I would like the complete set of the 2004-2005 University of Illinois men's basketball team. If it is not possible to have the complete set, I would like to have Dee Brown, Deron Williams, and Luther Head.

What people are saying about Allen Iverson these days

2009-08-07T18:15:00.000-07:00

It's Friday

2009-08-07T09:19:00.001-07:00

Today is Friday, and the NBA players are tired from a long week. They are not doing much today -- mostly sitting around and relaxing -- so instead of pictures of their new activities, here are some extra pictures from things they did earlier this week.

Above: The public swimming pool where Steve Francis works as a lifeguard.

Below: Steve Francis (holding bullhorn) makes sure that everyone is safe and having fun. Shaq is about to jump in off the diving board.

Below: Steve Francis talks to his supervisor (the guy with the red shirt and the white hat).

Above and below: Antoine Walker skateboarding

Below:A video of Antoine Walker riding the skateboard

At the swimming pool

2009-08-06T14:50:00.001-07:00

Steve Francis has a summer job working as a lifeguard down at the local public swimming pool. Sometimes, in the afternoon, his friends like to come down and hang out and go swimming. Today Allen Iverson, Shaq, Tony Parker, and Eva Longoria Parker have dropped by.

If none of his bosses are around, Steve Francis can usually sneak his friends in for free. Today, however, Steve Francis' supervisor (pictured above, in the white hat and red shirt) is there, so everybody had to pay the $3.75 to get in.

Above: Shaq likes to just float around on his back in the cool, refreshing water.

Below: Tony Parker and Eva Longoria Parker hang out by the pool.

Below: Steve Francis has to use his bullhorn to enforce the safety rules. Meanwhile, Allen Iverson waits to jump off the diving board.

A trip to the skate park

2009-08-05T09:48:00.000-07:00

Everyone loves a trip to the skate park to go skateboarding. Allen Iverson is there with Karl Malone, Antoine Walker, that reporter with the hook and the top hat, and some other guy with a red helmet on.

Above: AI gets ready to roll.

Below: Antoine Walker and the reporter can both ride on the board at the same time.

Below: Allen Iverson takes a nasty fall. It is a good thing that he is wearing his samurai helmet. (Don't worry -- AI is all right.)

Below: The skateboard is quite heavy -- it takes both Antoine Walker and Karl Malone to carry it.

Allen Iverson made sure we took a video of him riding the skateboard.

Important sports anniversaries #1

2009-08-04T09:49:00.000-07:00

It has been 2127 days since Chris Hanson (shown below playing for Marshall, his college team) inadvertently injured himself in an axe-wielding accident that took place in the Jacksonville Jaguars locker room.

Chris Hanson is currently the punter for the New England Patriots.

Tony Parker is having a party

2009-08-04T07:25:00.000-07:00

Tony Parker and his wife, Eva Longoria Parker, are hosting a party for all their friends. Steve Francis was the first NBA player to arrive (see photo above). He was happy to see Devil Smurf there - no one likes it when they show up at a party and they don't know anybody there.

Below: Karl Malone is telling Tony Parker and Eva Longoria Parker about how happy he is that he found his real legs in time for the party.

Below: Allen Iverson enjoys his conversation with the alien guy and a man in a pointy green hat. AI doesn't mind talking to strangers.

Allen Iverson rides his stationary bike

2009-08-03T16:00:00.000-07:00

Allen Iverson likes to keep in shape during the off-season. One way he does this is to ride his stationary bike. You never know when your agent is going to call with an exciting contract offer from an NBA team.

A little one-on-one

2009-08-03T07:42:00.000-07:00

Shaq is playing one-on-one with his friend Devil Smurf. Shaq thinks that Devil Smurf has all the tools needed to play in the NBA - he's big, he's tall, he has wings and horns. Shaq thinks he might be able to get Devil Smurf a contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers for next season.

Watching the game are Karl Malone (in the red bandana) and Steve Francis. Steve Francis is busy talking to a reporter (the guy with the top hat and the hook on his left hand).

Steve Francis and Antoine Walker are riding horses

2009-08-02T15:56:00.000-07:00

Steve Francis and Antoine Walker are riding horses. They are doing something called show jumping. Show jumping is a sport where you ride around and get the horse to jump over fences and things like that. Usually when riders are jumping competitively, they dress up in fancy clothes. Steve Francis and Antoine Walker are just riding for fun, though, so they are wearing what they normally wear - basketball uniforms.

Above: Steve Francis shows Antoine Walker how it is done.

Below: Antoine Walker and his horse know a little bit about jumping, too.

Antoine Walker and Steve Francis always make sure to wear their helmets - Antoine Walker has on his usual bat helmet, and Steve Francis is wearing the World War I flying helmet he loves so much.

This cannot be the ghost of Allen Iverson

2009-08-01T07:55:00.000-07:00

This cannot be the ghost of Allen Iverson because Allen Iverson is still alive. If AI were dead, I would say that this might be his ghost. Sometime in the very distant future, Allen Iverson will probably die. When he does, and if he does return from beyond the grave as a ghost, I predict Allen Iverson's ghost will come back as a Philadelphia 76er.

Antoine Walker and Tony Parker want to play basketball

2009-07-31T08:02:00.000-07:00

Antoine Walker and Tony Parker want to play basketball, so they have called a cab to take them to the court. The problem is that their basketball is too big to fit into the taxi.

They try putting it on top of the trunk, but the cab driver thinks that it is not safe. Antoine Walker and Tony Parker agree.

Just then, Allen Iverson shows up with a solution to the problem. His car is big enough to take the basketball.

Now they can all go play. Antoine Walker (in the bat helmet) plans on giving the cab driver a big tip.

Allen Iverson and his friends in a car for a second time

2009-07-30T08:22:00.000-07:00

Pay attention and you will see something come flying off the car at the end. It is the little bat hood ornament that AI had put on his car.

Facts about Billy Sims and the Detroit Lions

2009-07-30T07:20:00.000-07:00

Here are some facts about Billy Sims and the Detroit Lions:

Billy Sims won the Heisman Trophy in 1978. The Heisman Trophy is awarded each year to the most outstanding player in college football.
Billy Sims fumbled in the 4th quarter of the 1978 Oklahoma-Nebraska game, thus costing his team a chance to win the national championship that year.

Billy Sims was the number one pick in the 1980 draft and was also the 1980 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year. Due to injuries, however, Billy Sims only played five NFL seasons.
Billy Sims is not the greatest Detroit Lions running back of all time. The greatest Detroit Lions running back of all time is Barry Sanders.
Billy Sims has been accused of celebrating too enthusiastically when other University of Oklahoma players win the Heisman Trophy.
Billy Sims is currently part owner of a chain of barbeque restaurants in Oklahoma.

Honolulu blue is the name for the color of the Detroit Lions uniforms. The color has nothing to do with the city of Honolulu or the state of Hawaii.

Allen Iverson and his friends in a car

2009-07-29T13:04:00.000-07:00

Allen Iverson has a really cool car

2009-07-29T12:56:00.001-07:00

Allen Iverson and his friends have gone out for a ride in his new car.

AI is in front, driving and carrying a shovel. Steve Francis is right behind him in the WWI flying hat. He is carrying a sword.

Tony Parker has on a motorcycle helmet and is carrying one of those things knights use when they are jousting. Antoine Walker is still wearing the bat helmet. He is wielding a scorpion.

Below: A video of AI and friends when they arrived at the charity basketball tournament. Shaq and Karl Malone were already there.

Allen Iverson also played high school football

2009-07-29T09:39:00.000-07:00

Allen Iverson has not yet been signed

2009-07-28T18:29:00.001-07:00

Allen Iverson has not yet been signed by an NBA team for the 2009-2010 season. To keep his mind off his troubles and do a little good work for the community, AI decided to hold a charity basketball tournament in my living room with a few of his friends-- Shaquille O'Neal, Tony Parker, Karl Malone, Antoine Walker, and Steve Francis.

Below, Iverson (right, in the samurai helmet) faces off against Tony Parker.

AI has shaken off his defender and is driving to the basket.

Below, Shaq battles Karl Malone for a rebound. Malone is wearing a red bandana and had to borrow someone else's legs because we couldn't find his.

Malone has committed a foul and now Shaq is ready to attempt a free throw.

The National League from 1969 to 1994

2009-07-28T15:09:00.000-07:00

National League East:

Chicago Cubs

Montreal Expos

New York Mets

Philadelphia Phillies

Pittsburgh Pirates

St. Louis Cardinals

National League West:

Atlanta Braves

Cincinnati Reds

Houston Astros

Los Angeles Dodgers

San Diego Padres

San Francisco Giants

Two teams - two mascots (or are there more?)

2009-07-26T14:24:00.000-07:00

The Tacoma Rainiers have a mascot named Rhubarb the Reindeer (above). The Seattle Mariners have a mascot named the Mariner Moose (not pictured). They also have some sort of inflatable mascot that came out and breakdanced last Friday night, July 24, 2009 (pictured below).

St. Louis Cardinals football greats

2009-07-26T09:12:00.001-07:00

Head coach Jim Hanifan and offensive lineman Dan Dierdorf appear to be talking to each other.

This is way too small to read

2009-07-25T16:14:00.000-07:00

It comes from beyondtheboxscore.com. Click on the image, and then you will be able to read it.

Members of Everton FC at the Mariners game against the Cleveland Indians on July 24, 2009

2009-07-25T15:58:00.001-07:00

Above - Tim Cahill

Below - The whole gang