Terry DeHere's Political Career Ends Quicker Than His NBA One

Terry DeHere finished his college career as Seton Hall's all-time leading scorer, second team All-American, the 1993 Big East Player of the Year, and was selected 13th overall in the NBA draft that year.

By 1999, he was out of the Association. He returned to Jersey City, where he once played for legendary Bob Hurley at St. Anthony's HS, and became entrenched in the community as a restaurant owner and philanthropist.

With star power and local ties, politics seemed a likely path.

After an unsuccessful bid for a council seat in 2001, DeHere won a seat on the city's board of elections in 2007.

Last night, quicker than his NBA career ended, DeHere got trounced in his re-election bid.

Crushed.

Sterling Waterman - 6,946 votes
*Angel Valentin - 6,453 votes
Carol Lester - 3,848 votes
Sebastian D'Amico - 3,391 votes
*L. Terry Dehere - 2,199 votes
*Gerald McCann - 2,199 votes

(* = incumbent)

DeHere ran on a slate with Gerald McCann, the city's former mayor, that was opposed by the local teacher's union after they (McCann & DeHere) "voted against a teachers contract that called for roughly 4 percent raises for the next four years."

With the state's new governor going head-on with the teachers unions as a whole (namely due to his plea to them to implement a salary freeze for one year), "voters rejected school budgets in about half of the state's school districts, a dramatic drop from the 74% that were passed in 2009." Jersey City seems to be an exception to the rule, and DeHere ended up paying the price for trying to be fiscally sound at the expense of an apparently electorally influential group.

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FanFoodie.com: Philippe's Los Angeles - An Eatery & An Institution

Philippe’s, an institution in downtown Los Angeles, is known not only for its french dip au jus sandwiches but the atomic hot mustard accessory that is "eat at your own risk."

Located on the backside of downtown in a building that was originally a machine shop on the bottom and an Inn on top, it is the go-to place before Dodger, Laker and Clipper games. They serve beer and wine at a price worth going out of your way for to get your grub and chug on before you tackle the expensive concession stands at game-time.

Read the Rest at FanFoodie.com

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Have You Gotten Your BlogsWithBalls Tickets Yet?

Where's the Backlash?

I've waited on posting my thoughts on the topic, only because I was certain that after the Becky Hammon "controversy" that came about with her joining the Russian National team, people would soon turn their patriotic wrath against Chris Kaman.

It never happened.

So in case you weren't aware, the Grand Rapids, Michigan-native has been lighting up the courts for the German team alongside actual German Dirk Nowitzki.


So why were we so adamant in chastising Hammon?

Was it because she did it for the money?

What's more American than capitalism? At least Becky lives more than half the year in Russia.

Kaman, whose great-grandparents were German, became a German just this month and to my knowledge really has no other ties to the country.

Yet, we hear not a peep of criticism. No OTL specials. No coaches criticizing his Americanism.

I personally don't fault either athlete for their choice to play ball elsewhere. But I do fault critics for having a double standard.

Elton Brand spurns Baron, heads to Sixers

I know most of the folks at HHR are estatic that Elton Brand pulled the old switcheroo on Baron Davis and signed a nice little 5-year, 82 million dollar contract. I got no problem with Brand heading back to the East (he is from Peeksill, NY...not to be confused with the Catskill and their animal farms), but the way in which it was done is a little jarring.

Brand has built a solid reputation as Mr. Good Guy. He stayed with the Clippers longer than anyone else would or should, and then it even appeared he had formed a plan with pal Baron Davis to make the Clips a power. B-Diddy went first- much to the chagrin of my friend Drew (a Warriors lifer) - and then Brand was to follow suit. But then a funny thing happened on the way to the Forum (now Staples Center)...he bounced.

Kind of reminds me of when you go out to eat with a friend and you guys agree to split an appetizer, "yeah dude- let's do the nachos." Then as soon as the waitress shows up and your friend says we're gonna get the nachos, then you go and say, "Nah, let me get a cheeseburger." It's kind of like that, only that doesn't involve 82 million dollars.

Anyway good luck Brand, it's only a matter of time before the Knicks are back in front anyway. And by "matter of time" I mean 7-10 years.

-posted by Cadillac Mescale