Opinion

An NBA, Western Conference check-in: the 2nd quarter of the season
NBA, Opinion, Sports

An NBA, Western Conference check-in: the 2nd quarter of the season

By JAVIER DOSAMANTESPima Post We're in the midst of the second quarter of the NBA season. The trade deadline and the All-Star break came and went, yet everything remains the same around the league. Kinda. The top 10 teams are who we expected them to be, with the surprising addition of the Sacramento Kings and New York Knicks into the mix. The Brooklyn Nets are about to drop out of that group, and a suddenly feisty LA Clippers team will replace them. Out of that top 10, the top five of each conference make up the top teams in net rating — and those teams are the contenders to win the championship. However, the Phoenix Suns are about to surge in the net rating rankings. They were the surprise team who made a trade that reinvented their roster and changed the trajectory o...
An NBA check-in: the 2nd quarter of the season in the Eastern Conference
NBA, Opinion, Sports

An NBA check-in: the 2nd quarter of the season in the Eastern Conference

(Illustration by Javier Dosamantes) By JAVIER DOSAMANTESPima Post Whatever happens in the Western Conference might ultimately end up not mattering because the two contenders in the East — the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks — look and play the part of a championship basketball team. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are fronting the Celtics' revenge tour. They're currently residing at their apex mountain, playing the best basketball they've played in their young careers.  Their team plays almost perfect basketball, the Celtics are nine-player rotation deep and with the least amount of questions about who they are and who they'll be in the playoffs. Giannis Antetokounmpo has become the personification of “a man on a mission” and has turned into the basketball equival...
An NBA check-in: the 1st quarter of the season
Arizona Sports, Opinion, Sports

An NBA check-in: the 1st quarter of the season

(Illustration by Javier Dosamantes) Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Golden State Warriors Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James dribbles during first half of an NBA basketball game against the Boston Celtics Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid, right, tries to get past Sacramento Kings' Domantas Sabonis during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry shoots past Milwaukee Bucks' Bobby Portis during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)Brookly...
PCCEA president seeks transparency from Chancellor
Arizona News, News, Opinion, Pima News, Top Stories

PCCEA president seeks transparency from Chancellor

By MAKYLA HAYSPresident of Pima Community College Education Association The Pima Post welcomes opinions from students, faculty and staff. If you'd like to submit an op-ed,email [email protected]. For quite some time, representatives from PCCEA, the full-time faculty association at Pima Community College, have called for more transparency from the Chancellor and upper administration.  This past year, several events have transpired that reveal an issue with transparency from the Chancellor. While each individual situation may not seem like a major issue on its own, the pattern that emerges when viewed together is what concerns PCCEA the most.  At the Governing Board meeting in September, I gave a public comment attempting to address this pattern. My...
‘The massive’ legacy of Nic Cage
Arts & Entertainment, Opinion, Reviews

‘The massive’ legacy of Nic Cage

By JAVIER DOSAMANTESPima Post “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent”Directed by:Tom GormicanRating: RRun time: 1 hour, 47 minutesShowing in theaters In “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” Nicolas Cage plays a fictionalized version of himself that is on the edge of financial and professional demise. After ruining a meeting with a director for a potential role and his daughter’s 16th birthday party on the same day, Cage has seemingly hit rock bottom. Then our protagonist has no choice but to reluctantly accept a $1 million offer from mysterious superfan Javi Gutierrez (Pedro Pascal) to attend his birthday party in Mallorca, Spain.  When I first heard the movie’s premise, I thought it would be a weird, over-the-top meta comedy. Instead, this project took s...
‘The Northman’: revenge of the action epic
Arts & Entertainment, Opinion, Reviews

‘The Northman’: revenge of the action epic

By JAVIER DOSAMANTESPima Post “The Northman”Directed by: Robert EggersRating: RRun time: 2 hours, 16 minutesShowing at The Loft Cinema A movie like “The Northman” is rare nowadays, and even more rare is for studios to greenlight this type of movie. So this is how I imagine the pitch meeting went (it’s the only explanation): And we’re off. “The Northman” is a uniquely balanced film. It is raw and gruesome but at the same time beautifully shot without compromising artistry for fireworks. Most Shakespeare adaptations err in insisting that the dialogue has to remain in the Shakespearean style. That's great for people who have those artistic sensibilities. But when doing a version of “Coriolanus” as a contemporary war movie like Ralph Fiennes in 2011 … you might want ...
An NBA check-in: the Eastern Conference edition
Opinion, Sports

An NBA check-in: the Eastern Conference edition

By JAVIER DOSAMANTESPima Post In my last NBA column, we took a look at how the Western Conference Playoffs would play out.  At the time, I wanted to wait a week to get a larger sample size from the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers before discussing a convoluted Eastern Conference Playoff picture. However, that week turned into a month, the regular season is over and there is still no clarity on who could come out of the East. However, I’m of the unpopular opinion that we need to analyze things with nuance and perspective. And the Eastern Conference has been hard to figure out all season long.  With that said, I am glad that I did not participate in the initial hyperbole that anointed the 76ers as champions after the James Harden for Ben Simmons trade happe...
Tucson Taco Madness: The last taco face-off
Arts & Entertainment, Food, Opinion, Reviews

Tucson Taco Madness: The last taco face-off

By JAVIER DOSAMANTESPima Post This March, we had a tournament for the books. We witnessed upsets, future stars shining and legends coming up short. The 2022 Tucson Taco Tournament has now concluded, and a new champion has been crowned. Last night’s battle went down to the wire and culminated in a grueling journey for everyone who played. Tacos del Rancho and El Tacoson had to reach deep and put together their best tacos on the plate for one last time. It took a hard-fought and complete effort from both, but there could only be one winner. El Tacoson represented the South Central Conference with an al pastor taco, which is most emblematic of Mexico City. While Tacos del Rancho came out from the North Conference with a carne asada taco — the signature taco of the state of...
Tucson Taco Madness: the final four
Food, Opinion

Tucson Taco Madness: the final four

By JAVIER DOSAMANTESPima Post The table was set, and the winners of each division went against each other to compete for their respective conference titles, and advance to the tournament finals. Every taco had to step up against competition that was outside its comfort zone. We saw differing styles within divisions in the last round, but this round was a clash of completely different styles of play. All tacos had to adapt and make the necessary adjustments to come out with a win. A battle ensued between traditional and contemporary in the North Conference. An iconic style of taco versus a new style of taco that has been steadily gaining popularity — and one day perhaps will reach icon status. And in the South Central Conference, we witnessed an all-out prizefight betwee...
Tucson Taco Madness: fish food fight
Culture, Food, Opinion, Reviews

Tucson Taco Madness: fish food fight

By JAVIER DOSAMANTESPima Post Making a fish or shrimp taco sounds like a simple task, right? You grab a tortilla, pack it with fish, pour some “powers” (veggie toppings and salsas) on it and you’re good to go. Well, actually … no. No, I tell you, no. What is known as a fish taco or a shrimp taco, isn’t made willy nilly with any kind of fish or shrimp. Nor with random powers and any kind of tortilla. It is not a simple taco. It is one of the most layered, colorful and loudest tacos. Jazz music is just random sounds and noises, struggling to find a flow and rhythm without structure to the unfamiliar ear. When in fact, it’s a beautiful collection of melodies within a structure. And that from time to time, it steps out of that structure in search of more adventurous soun...