…Again I Rise!
On November 19, 2004, Ben Wallace drove to the basket for an attempted layup and was fouled particularly hard by Ron Artest. This wasn’t a foul early in the game to establish defensive tone nor was it a foul to send Wallace to the free throw line to win the game. Both teams are heated on-court rivals and Ben Wallace returned the gesture with a shove to Artest sparking a brawl that would eventually spill over into the crowd. The fallout from the infamous brawl would mean 9 players would serve over 146 games of suspension, several arrests, and the effectual DEATH sentence for the National Basketball Association. Many media outlets had already cited the “thug element” of the NBA as a major reason why NBA ratings and ticket sales were on the decline and pointed towards the “The Brawl” as simply the materialization of what that element represents. You know…things like tattoos, cornrows, players wearing $80K+ diamond necklaces to postgame interviews and highly sought after throwback jerseys. In a league where no less than 73% of the players are African-American common perception was that the league had been forever lost to a subculture that the “average season ticket holder” can’t relate to. According to a longitudinal study by The Harris Poll, professional basketball has lost chunks of market share among those polled from 1985 – 2008 with the largest decrease occurring between the years of 2002 and 2004. All this amidst a global campaign that focuses on bringing a high number of foreign players to the NBA that further reinforces the disconnect between the majority US demographic and the league.
Then, there was 2008…
It all began during the summer of 2007 when Kevin Garnett left the Minnesota Timberwolves to join Ray Allen from Seattle in Boston with Paul Pierce. Then, as the NBA Western Conference began to heat up before the trade deadline, Pau Gasol left Memphis for Hollywood to play with Kobe. To counter, Shaq left D Wade in Miami to play with Steve Nash in Phoenix. Add to that Jason Kidd going back to Dallas from New Jersey, C-Web going back to Golden State from retirement, and Damon Stoudamire and Kurt Thomas adding to the perennial all-star team in the SA Spurs. And all that doesn’t even take into account the B-level trades. At any given point during the Playoff run, only 5 games seperated the #1 and #8 seeds in the Western Conference playoff bracket.
Additionally, 2008′s NBA frenzy has been fueled by the Western Conference playoff run. At one point only one game seperated the projected #1 and #5 seeds in the West. There were also 9 teams with 44 or more wins. To add to all that, the Houston Rockets achieved the 2nd longest winning streak in NBA history at 22 games.
By the time the dust settled, the NBA had it’s masturbatory dream matchup between the Boston Celtics nee The Boston Three Party vs. the LA Lakers featuring the league’s MVP in Kobe Bryant. The two rivals each sported their respective conferences’ best records, and more importantly, two of its best media markets in a contest to see who can put on the best show that will keep the Commish from having to respond to questions about Tim Donaghy. Then on June 17th the Boston Celtics were again crowned NBA Champions; a full 22 years since their previous title. That game drew the highest ratings for an NBA Finals game in 8 years.
Detractors will point to the league’s perpetual drama now manifest in the Donaghy scandal. Tim Donaghy is a former NBA referee currently being prosecuted by the FBI on illegal gambling charges. The shockwave sent throughout the sports world of a league official fixing games resounded much louder than a league image issue. This strikes right at the heart of the legitimacy of the game, and basically marks the line between major league sports and the WWE. Common consencus is that this could usurp any and all momentum gained by this season’s unusual resurgence sending the NBA back into its own recession. There’s no argument in that David Stern is a genius (crooked or otherwise) and is smart enough to manipulate any publicity into good publicity for a league dying to maintain or regain the #3 sports position. Stern also knows that most hardcore NBA fans will return next season at least in TV ratings. His goal MUST be to put and keep fannies in the seat and he hopes that will be influenced positively by this Summer’s Olympic Team USA performance.
All in all, for every free minute of advertisement the NBA can get during the Summer Olympics, the Donaghy trial, and the Disney Sports Network’s uncomfortable infatuation with all things related to Boston that could translate into more season tickets sold across all NBA cities. After a season like this it would be a crime not to.
Throw Down That Box
Filed under: Blog Entries, Community, Our Rights, Society & Culture
For those who watched the Cosby Show, I’m sure you remember Bill getting excited over his favorite cowboy hero Colt Kirby. The Wild, Wild West was a time when you could walk around with your gun on your hip and challenge anyone who offended you to a duel at high noon. Times have changed, but the discussion around the right to carry a gun around in public has not.
I was listening to a local talk radio show and they were discussing the issue of allowing Texans to open carry in public places. This means people, other than police officers, would be able to walk around town with a gun on their hip in plain sight. Their argument was that it would be a deterrent of crime and would allow them to protect themselves if the need arose. One such proponent of open carry policy are the folks at opencarry.org. They are making a big push here in Texas (and around the country) to get the governor and legislature to allow open carry in public. I’m interested in seeing how it goes.
While I do believe every American citizen has the right to bear arms, I have some reservations about open carry. While it might make criminals think twice, it will in my opinion just force them to work a little harder in getting what they want. And imagine me and five of my boys walking around the Galleria (an upscale mall) open carrying our legally acquired handguns. If you think people are already on edge, this will just make things worse. Sure the local hoodlum will not think twice about harming you, but there are other things we can do to curb crime. I like the element of surprise. Concealed handguns allow you to keep that.
What do you think? If you live in a state where open carry is legal, how many people actually participate in their right to do so? Would we be making law enforcement’s job harder?
Obama Is Changing the Game
Recently I was reading an article on Yahoo! that profiled Black Conservatives conflicted with the choice of party loyalties vs. communal allegiances. In particular, JC Watts noted that the Republican party has largely ignored and forgotten poor and disenfranchised African-Americans. Other Black Republicans mentioned in the article included Joseph C. Phillips (Cosby Show’s Martin Kendall), Colin Powell, and John McWhorter from the Manhattan Institute. The aforementioned all have varying opinions on Obama’s campaign and his votability as a candidate, but they all see his candidacy as hope for the African-American community as well as the entire country.
Additionally, I read an interview with rapper Nas on www.hiphopdx.com. He discussed in the interview his aversion to politics. However, Nas gave Obama credit for giving birth to his interest in the 2008 elections saying, “You’re gonna start seeing more rappers evolve into politicians. If we have a change this year and it’s a positive thing, we trusting the system now. We believe in it more. We see something positive coming out of it that makes us want to get involved more. Five or 10 years from now, you might see somebody like me trust it more. Who knows? I won’t say for sure.”
These are just isolated examples of what I believe to be proof of a larger “political renaissance” in the Black community that hasn’t been seen in over 30 years. I still talk to people trapped in the “why vote when it doesn’t matter” concrete bubble. Those people have always and will always be present. Obama’s candidacy has caused a groundswell that is managing to unite peoples of a wide variety of colors and, even more so, ideologies without polarizing the majority of those who will never vote for him anyway.
Hopefully, whomever Obama chooses as a running mate can join his campaign and blend with his platform without being a token or lap dog. I think it will enhance his votability if he can find someone who will present ideas alternate to his own without becoming a distraction or threat to his power as president.
The Best Athlete In The World…
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..or at least one who doesn’t wear a jersey. Still, he may be the best competitor, jersey notwithstanding. On Monday, June 16, 2008, Tiger Woods won his 3rd US Open on one bad knee and only months after surgery. In order to achieve the win, Woods had to persevere through excruciating pain to sink two eagles and a birdie on the 3rd day along with a 4th day marathon playoff round of 18 holes PLUS one sudden death par to bring in the eventual win. It was the stuff that defines a champion and gives evidence to why we immortalize athletes like we do. The up-and-down drama of Tiger’s play throughout the tournament played out like a film with all the dramatics of Tiger using his clubs as a cane intermittently on the course.
Tiger’s dominance speaks for itself:
#2 all-time majors winner trailing Jack Nicklaus by only 4 wins in less than half years of Nicklaus’ career
#3 PGA Tour wins all-time
#2 PGA Tour win streak
Named PGA Player of the Year 9 times
#1PGA Tour record for most consecutive rounds at par or better (52 rounds)
First golfer to win four PGA Tour events five times or more.
He’s only been out of the Top 5 on the Golf Money List ranking once. His first year on tour.
I think you probably get the point. He’s the best golfer around. What makes Tiger legendary is his unyielding desire to truly dominate his competition without relent every single time he steps onto a course. Even when he went through his “slump” in 2004 he still managed to win one PGA Tour event and finished 4th on the Money List.
With Tiger’s re-injury of his knee at the US Open, he will need to go through ACL surgery which will force him to miss the remainder of th 2008 season. Here’s to hoping a speedy recovery for Tiger post-surgery as he moves onward towards tying Jack Nicklaus.
Obama Opts Out Of Public Financing System
I received a video message from the Obama campaign announcing his decision to opt out of the public financing system. By doing this he will forgo some $84 million that would have been available to him in the general election. This is a big deal and something like this hasn’t been done since Watergate.
While $84 million is a lot of money, Barack has proved he can get over and above the spending limits set if he were to participate. There’s a lot of chatter on there about whether he broke his pledge about reforming the system. But I’m sure he’s taken everything into consideration and is trying to push McCain in a corner. Let’s get ready to rumble! You can listen to the video message and donate a couple of bucks while you’re there.
It’s Official: Barack Obama Opts Out Of Public Financing System; Did He Break His Own Pledge?
World Championship Boston Celtics
It’s finally over. Last night the Boston Celtics annihilated the Los Angeles Lakers by 39 points to become the 2008 NBA World Champions. When the playoffs started this is exactly how I wanted it to go. The Lakers and the Celtics are basketball dynasties and it was only fitting that they would battle it out in the end. I watched most of the post-game coverage on ESPN and was extremely happy for the “Big 3″. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Finals MVP Paul Pierce put it all on the line from the beginning of the season to the end. You could feel their excitement during the on-camera interviews.
But I was even more excited for Doc Rivers. During the photo shoot with the NBA trophy, he said he didn’t want to touch it until it was actually his. Well now he’s got it and I’m sure he’ll enjoy it. The hard work and sacrifice has paid off. He said in an interview that it was hard to not begin planning for next year. Now that’s a coach on a mission.
History was made last night and due to a team effort a deserving group of basketball players are living their dream as champions. Way to go guys.
Is America Ready for a Black Prez and VP?
I was listening to a talk radio show this morning and they were discussing possible vice president possibilities for both candidates. One of those combinations was an Obama/Colin Powell ticket. When I heard them say, that I thought it would be interesting to see something like this play out. But one of the hosts on the radio show made a good point. He said he felt while America has come a long way, two African-Americans on a ticket would not win. I thought race and racism was still too big of an issue for them to win.
I was offended at first, but after thinking about it for a while, it made some sense. I have to admit, as a kid I thought I never would get the chance to see someone of color be a serious contender in a presidential race. It’s sad that I would think that, but it was the reality of how I viewed this country. I realized racism was real (my birth certificate shows ‘Negro’ as my race) and I knew that while I could rise above it, a glass ceiling was there waiting for me. But after seeing history in the making, you better believe I’m going to make sure my sons have a different frame of thinking than I did.
Can two very qualified African-Americans win the White House? Obama’s weakness is foreign policy and Powell has the experience needed to offset what Obama lacks. Would America vote for an “all black” ticket? Who knows. Obama is smart enough to choose someone who will help him reach his goal. This is not an easy task, so let’s hope he choses right. America’s watching.
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell Thinking Of Voting For Obama
Photo Phinish: The Outsider
This is the first of many pictures I wanted to share with you in the Photo Phinish. Have you ever felt like the duck in the background? This photo makes me think how I felt on my first day at college. I’d gone to majority black schools all my life, so attending Texas A&M was definitely a culture shock. But as I’ve stated in many posts before, attending A&M was good for me. I met a lot of great friends (including my wife) and learned a lot about myself and the world around me in the process. Sometimes you’ve got to step out of your comfort zone to make things happen. That’s the only way change can happen.
What is Photo Phinish?
Photo Phinish
As a Father’s Day gift to myself, I finally went out and purchased me a decent camera. It’s been something I’ve been wanting to do and I’d saved up the money over the last couple of months so I afford it. I made the decision after returning from an East Coast Mancation (vacation for guys only) with my brother-in-law.
During the trip, I got to visit my dad’s side of the family, who I hadn’t seen in a long time. I hadn’t seen them since 2001 when my dad passed away, so it was good hang out with them and hear stories about my dad as a kid. He was very big into photography and he shared that love for photography with his brother. My uncle told me stories of how meticulous he was when it came to organizing and taking photos. I knew this to be true because as a kid I got in trouble a couple of times for messing them up. But I also remember how he let me use his camera and taught me the basics of taking a good picture. He gave me the photo bug.
I’ve always known it was there, but I never took the time to do something about it. Photography allows you to take a moment in time and freeze it forever (or until your hard drive crashes). it’s a great way to see God’s beauty in the surroundings He’s given us. It forces you to stop and notice the little things we take for granted in this fast-paced, microwaving, instantly gratified world of ours. Best of all, it’s a stress reliever.
Every now and then, I’ll post a picture that I’ve taken in Photo Phinish with a description of why I like it. I’d like to hear what you think.
Transgender Husband Becomes Pregnant
I’m sure most of you have seen Oprah’s interview with Thomas Beatie, the world’s first pregnant man. I watched it with my wife so that I could form my own opinion of the matter so I wouldn’t be accused of pre-judging them. Even though Beatie is legally considered a man, I have a hard time hearing people calling her/him the first pregnant man. Now the definition of a man is subject to your interpretation, one thing holds true. Scientifically, a man has different chromosomes than a woman. You can change the outside as much as you want, but in my opinion the Beatie is a woman in a man’s clothing.
As a man, it’s offensive to hear people call her a man. It just doesn’t seem right and really does bother me. I consider myself to be a pretty open-minded person, but in this case I don’t feel I can make the stretch. But it’s her body and she has a right to do whatever she pleases. Just don’t make me feel as if I’m in the wrong for not feeling otherwise. Cause if your momma call you Clay, I’m gonna call you Clay.
A man cannot have a baby. Plain and simple. When people can show me one who hasn’t been altered in any way, then I’ll change my mind on the subject. Read the article below and let me know what you think.
Pregnant Man: Transgender Husband Becomes Pregnant Dad
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