"The Only Thing That's Pure Is The Truth"
A lot of people don't have a grasp on reality. Unfortunately, if you read the HBL Insider or visit HBL Online often you have a front-row seat to one person's lack of this. His name is PureSugar, and he writes the wildly popular column, The Pure One Speaks. He also plays in the HBL. Now that you probably didn't know, because let's face it, his presence on the court could never compare to his delusions of grandeur off of it. Let's look, for example, at the newest edition of this monstrosity, written just the other day:

The first thing Pure says is actually very truthful: he says that there are five teams, each one trying to prove something to everyone else. However, that is where the truth leaves and Pure's delusions take over. Now I could care less about what he says about others, especially since some of his analysis of others is on point. For instance, yes, Joker does have quite a problem with sportsmanship. However, this is a perfect example of Pure being a hypocrite. Pure isn't exactly the greatest sport either. If anyone in this league can point the finger on sportsmanship, it's not Pure. But that's just the beginning.

Pure goes on to say that among other things, I'm a "mediocre" player. First off, let's look at his evidence: Oh, he has none. As usual, Pure has no factual basis to support his rant. So I'll help him out. Let's see. My shooting has never been the most accurate, my rebounding is about average, and I'm usually in the top half in the league in turnovers. Pretty mediocre. Oh, but wait! There's some other things I forgot to mention. Like that I'm second in all-time scoring, scored more than Shooter in '97, was third in the league in scoring in '98. Not to mention that I have led the league in assists all three years, and have won two championships. Oh, and my highest scoring game, 40 points, is almost twice Pure's highest scoring game. I'm the first and I believe only person in HBL history to have a triple-double.

Now, let's do something Pure has NEVER done: take a look at himself. Pure had a pretty much disappointing rookie year in '98. Only because of Joker's great year did they manage to be 4-4, as Pure shot about 30% the first two weeks of the year. Then last year Pure was on a Lightning team that bowed out mid-season at 1-6. Pure's contribution? An under 10 ppg scoring average, and an 0-17 Week 2 shooting performance. Then near the end, Pure somehow salvages his season by jumping onto the Titans and riding Derek's skill all the way to an HBL Finals appearance, where Pure pulls a few threes out of his ass and now is seen as a great clutch player. Now, that's fine and dandy, but excuse me if I'm the only one who doesn't think that just because he had about 5 good games that he's just so awesome now.

I'm well aware that I'm not the greatest player in the league and probably won't ever be. However, that doesn't mean I can't perform as well as anyone on any given day. I'm also well aware that I'm extremely underrated and have played in Shooter's shadow for two years. Who cares if I assisted on about half of Shooter's baskets in his career? Who cares that I made the game tying basket in 1998's Week 4 that allowed us to get into the Finals that year? Well, I care. I'm tired of being underrated and underestimated and this year it's going to change. There are people like Pure who never gives others credit, and that's fine. That's fine because I know that deep down you will all know whether you say it or not that I am a force and that I am one to be reckoned with. So while most of you sit around the next few months, dreaming of your success this summer, I'll be in the gym working for mine. And we'll be able to see the difference this summer, believe me. Especially when it comes time for one PureSugar to face me and back up his words. And when the game ends, with the first of many Killer Bee losses, and a single digit number in the points column for Pure, while I exploit him for a great game, I will start earning my respect.

One down, seven to go.

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