Basketball Wives Recap: Damage Control

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This is going to be good, y'all!  The mean girls are back with tagalong Suzie Ketcham trailing not far behind.  It will be interesting to see if Evelyn Lozada, Shaunie O'Neal, and Tami Roman can keep their promise to keep tempers in check.  Newbie Tasha Marbury is also going to be thrown into the craziness, but not this week.  Of course, first VH1 needs to explain away Ev & Ocho.

A bittersweet melody plays as we're treated to a photo montage of Evelyn and Chad Johnson's wedding peppered with redacted police reports and Chad's mugshot.  A somber Evelyn tells of her brother-in-law's death two days after she learned of Chad's cheating and the subsequent head butt that left her with several stitches in her forehead.  She feels like people blamed her for ruining Chad's career.  Is this Basketball Wives or the lead in for a 20/20 special?

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Blaming the media for her negative portrayal as a hothead, Evelyn has taken a break from Twitter in an effort to collect her thoughts, and she is prepping for two interviews that will share her side of the story.  She's meeting with her publicist to discuss her story, and dare I say I'm actually feeling sorry for Evelyn?  On the day of her televised sit-down, a very conservative and demurely dressed Evelyn is prepping for her interview.  She calls her mom for words of encouragement.

A teary Evelyn goes to visit her mother the following day, and she's still mourning the loss of her brother-in-law and her marriage. Damn!  I'm getting teary.  Thanks a heap, VH1.  Evelyn is concerned that people are going to think she provoked his behavior, and her mother reveals that Chad has been texting her.  He tells her mother that he was trying to restrain her when she was going off on him for cheating after three weeks of marriage.  Evelyn's mother responds to Chad that she is extremely disappointed in his behavior, and Evelyn knows she's secretly hoping that her daughter and Chad will work out their problems. However, Evelyn is still livid with Chad for not publicly taking full responsibility for the incident and allowing her to look like a loose cannon in the media.

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Tami and Shaunie are meeting up to discuss how they are consciously aware of how their behavior effects others.  Tami wants to pause before she does or says anything rash, while Nostrils is ready to shed her quiet, soft spoken (oh please) demeanor in favor of being much more opinionated.  A very calm and robot-like Tami (is she medicated?) is under a lot of financial hardships due to her ex-husband not contributing and her mother's illness.  She wells up, sharing that the doctors aren't giving her mom much more time.  Man, VH1 is certainly working overtime to make us feel sympathetic to the mean girls!

Evelyn goes to visit her daughter, and Shaniece inquires as to whether Chad has signed the divorce paper yet.  He is, of course, dragging his feet.  Shaniece hopes that her mom isn't harboring any hopes of a reconciliation, and she reminds her mom that she's been vocal about her dislike for Chad since he started dating her mom.  Evelyn tries to defend Chad, but Shaniece isn't buying any of it.  She'd never marry someone that her mother didn't approve of, but her mom was quick to marry Chad in spite of her objections.  Shaniece never trusted him.  How did Evelyn raise such a mature, well-spoken, insightful daughter?  Let's give Shaniece a spin-off, please!

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Shaunie is baking and playing therapist to Evelyn.  Evelyn explains that she knows Chad loves her, and she's no longer mad at him.  She just can't forgive him.  Chad is still vying for Evelyn's affections.  Shaunie is proud of Chad for not giving up, although she thinks he needs to work on himself.  Evelyn feels like her soul is intertwined with Chad's, and I do wonder if she'll ever entertain a rekindled relationship with him.

The fierce foursome is meeting for drinks, and Suzie is talking about her extensive jaw surgery.  Right out of the gate, Tami jokes that she's not sure if she's on board with Suzie's new face, and Suzie admits that she's been celibate for ten months…probably because her mouth has been wired shut.  Thanks for the update, Suz!  Let's cut to the chase, though.  Tami wants the down low on Evelyn's divorce.  Her friend will open up to Iyanla, but she's yet to tell Tami the whole story.  Shame.

Basically, it wasn't finding out that Chad was cheating that upset Evelyn the most, it was that he didn't tell her.  If he was going to be a crappy husband, he needed to be more discreet so she wouldn't be humiliated in public.  Evelyn reveals that Chad is trying to get to her via subliminal Twitter messages.  Did Shaunie just say that was sweet?  Tami encourages Evelyn to give him a second chance, and she has to rely on faith since she has no guarantees that Chad won't get violent again.

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Suzie can't believe her ears–no man should ever head butt a woman!  She thinks her friend could do so much better. Unfortunately, she can't vocalize this since she can barely move her mouth.  Who knew that Suzie would be the voice of reason? I'm not sure I'm on board with this change of pace!  Shaunie asks if Tami would give her daughter the same advice.  Of course, she would!  She wants to see Rihanna and Chris Brown back together too.  Who is this woman?  Tami believes that Chad now knows there are repercussions to his behavior since she did leave.  He made a mistake, and he's trying.  Oh Lord, Tami.  I think I liked you better when you bat shiz violent.  Suzie agrees with me.

TELL US-WHAT DID YOU THINK OF LAST NIGHT'S EPISODE?  DO YOU THINK THE WOMEN HAVE CHANGED?  COULD YOU BELIEVE TAMI'S ADVICE?

[Photo Credit: VH1]

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