The Starting Five

Not gonna beat you all up with a serious question this week, so bear with me. As the deadline for my first book approaches, another one is being formed. I’m co-authoring a fantasy with another writer set in D.C. that should be really hot. I don’t really want to say more until the story is further developed, but on that same vein I’m thinking this question should be a travel through history. If I could be anywhere through time, there would be many possibilities: Of course I would want to be a 10 frames faster than all the assassinations, to see what happened to the dinosaurs, the day Rube Foster chose to fold the Negro Leagues, Wilt’s dime, Gary Anderson’s 1998 NFC Championship miss, Kevin Dyson’s one yard stretch and Webb’s timeout amongst other sports moments that affected me. Pac’s, B.I.G.’s, Scott LaRock’s, Aaliyah’s, Len Bias’, Reggie Lewis’ and Hank Gathers’…hell practically everyone who passed day before their last collective day including Mike, Phyllis Hyman and of course my Mother.

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Reflect if not for a moment. It was not that long ago when this country was in love with itself. Folks were crying. They were happy. Enemies were provisionally cast aside as mutable roadblocks to progress. The world watched. The world took note. It celebrated with us with the same vigor. Barack Obama’s election to the most powerful position on the planet was sui generis. Phenomenal. Out of the blue. Almost nonsensical, but it happened. It really did. Most still can’t believe it and that is part of the problem we are now facing this moment with 60′s like eyes burned unfortunately, wide shut.

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Today is the Beer Summit that hopefully will help propagate a much needed discussion on race. Every single day there is a new search with the word nigger attached to Skip Gates. It’s ridiculous but It seems all the hype attitudes throughout this have been silenced with olive branch extended. I wish a president would have had a beer with any of our political prisoners improperly jailed (Mumia, Assata, Peltier to name a few. There’s still time Barack!). How about they cat around the corner who helps you out when you car breaks down? The nurse. The coach. The teacher. The lawyer. The mentor. The doctor. Mom. Pop. Son. Daughter. Sister. Brother. Friend. So many people who will never get this shot. Sigh or le sigh like my peoples says.

Lawyer: Ex-wife won’t seek custody of Jackson’s children. I think it’s best for all if she has visitation. Psychologically the kids will be better for it despite her past demands. She’s their Mother and deserves a shot to redeem herself. (CNN)

The other side of Michael Vick as told by Tony Dungy. (All Pro Dad)

Breaking: David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez tested positive for steroids in 2003. I want my Yankee title back. Sike (New York Times)

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Got this crazy headache I can’t shake so Part IV of Webb will be posted sometime during the 1pm hour Thursday. Just so you all know, the trolls frequenting the site recently are the same person. Same IP address. Noting to be here people…mash on somewhere else. Thanks for the hits kids.

What Happened to Our Postracial President? Uh…same dude. Reality happened (National Review)

Professor’s Arrest Tests Beliefs on Racial Progress. (NY Times)

From Sister Souljah To Soledad: Etiquette Of Black Rage In The Obama Age. (Post Chronicle)

TV One to begin Sunday Show aimed at Black Politics. (Washington Informer)

Nas wasn’t allowed to witness the birth of his child??!? (Allhiphop.com)

B-Girls are Hip Hop too (NY 1)

When you assume…(5 and a possible)

Podcast of Dave Zirin and Christine Brennan commenting on Erin Andrews. (WAMU.org)

Help my peoples redesign her site by answering two questions. (The Curvy Girl Chronicles)

He’s your son. (Sable Verity)

Jim Johnson, the architect of the Philadelphia Eagles blitzing defense for over a decade lost his battle with cancer today. He was 68.

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As journalists and fans, we always wonder why a player does this or that during competition. Why he Dwight Howard smiles or Kobe Bryant scowls. It’s the way he or she passes or shoots…their in game personality. Sometime it’s different, often it’s not. What makes us watch is the person behind the talent.

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Now that Michael Vick has been given the green light to sign with any team we all have an idea on who/where may be the best fit for him as a quarterback and as a person. What I’ve decided to do is break things down team by team and find the best fit for Vick. Feel free to offer your opinions as well.

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Part III of our interview with Webber will posted during the 1:00 pm hour. Thanks to all the sites that have picked it up. Appreciate the love. I really do. Oh a special thank you goes out Dream Hampton for reminding me of this with one of your daily mind banging tweets. Bang the drum Ma…bang it.

Free Leonard Peltier…now! (WILP)

What do you think about this Mos Def piece? (The Root)

Should Michael Jackson win a Nobel Peace Prize? (Sky.com)

Is Wayne Brady gonna have ta choke a… (Just making sure you are paying attention)

Brawl breaks out, groom’s brother dies. (Philly.com)

The velocity of time part II. (Maynard Institute)

Recap of Shaq hosting WWE. (The Big Lead)

As we all know, the caller never mentioned race…calling in question this so called morally indisputable police report. (Richard Prince)

Columnist calling Whitlock to task for his deplorable Serena Williams piece. About time. Elmer Williams has a great quote in the piece as well. (Courier-Journal)

Black Dante and the fellas…

I can hear his head banging on the wall in the next room…

After 2 years away from football, Michael Vick is back in the NFL on a conditional basis.

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I became a writer because of athletes like Chris Webber and the rest of his forever brothers. It seems there isn’t any middle ground regarding the Fab Five. Rock stars to some and thug passion to others. Guess what folks? What were you doing when you were 18 and 19? Think back, what type of responsibility did you have? If you had children by that tender age, then you get my respect and I would never diminish such a responsibility by comparing your life to the exploits of a hybrid next flex generational basketball dream that shot on the scene like a Jupiter blazed comet and bounced off it just as quickly…but did you see the impact it left? The impact so known, you can almost dunk it. Some might not remember the all the Michigan Wolverine names those two seasons, but they know the five: Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson.

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Three champions gone in one month? August can’t get here fast enough…

From AJC:

Atlanta police say former professional boxer Vernon “The Viper” Forrest was killed Saturday night in an attempted carjacking, according to a WSB-TV news report.

Police told WSB that Forrest stopped at a gas station to put air in the tire of his Jaguar when he was approached by two men.

Police told the station that Forrest, 38, was shot multiple times and the suspects had semi-automatic weapons.

I’m stunned this is happening so much. Just don’t understand. RIP Vernon Forrest. Our prayers are with your family.

I’ll add more to this piece after I shake the stunned feeling outta my mind.

Those who have been well respected readers of this site know why it was created. TSF was created to pay respect first and foremost to history. We go hard so hopefully others will speak their minds just the same with unfiltered determination and resolve. Why should we let others control our historical voice? This site and very few others give a true perspective of how Blacks feel about issues stripped of fear and insecurity. We get straight to the point. There isn’t a need to sugarcoat issues for we all have more important things to do in our lives than to BS others. The current racial tensions (watch) has given us a opportunity to think about how this society will move forward when it comes to race. Racism is a scourge. It’s despicable, fear laced, irresponsible and downright stupid. That being said, why the hell should we all have to deal with an evil force that affects 300 million people in America one way or the other? If we don’t face it head on, it will continue.

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There might be differing opinions here on CNN’s Black in America doc. For what it’s worth, I actually enjoyed what I was able to watch (I saw the first hour before work). In one segment, Malaak Compton-Rock, wife of Chris Rock, took a bunch of at risk kids with limitless albeit, locked away potential for a Journey of Change to South Africa. The trip had in mind not only the lives of some very poor South Africans in dire need of supplies just to survive (1-5 is HIV positive. Over a million orphaned children), but the 30 children who volunteered to take the trip as well. The kids were impacted positively by showing them a way of life Bushwick, Brooklyn could never experience. The trip reinforced in line gifts of compassion and survival in children that was transferred to the smiles of foreign strangers.

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Hopefully the solar eclipse will somehow bring about a change in the news. There is a lot of depressing stuff going around. Scouring the web, stories of death and inexplicable violence were unavoidable. The Paris, Texas link below is the most distressing. A man gets dragged to death and the charges are dropped? I don’t get it. Is it Thursday yet? At least the Cambridge PD realized the error of its ways and dropped the charges against Skip Gates. Will there be a lawsuit?

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This one hits close to home for reasons I’ll explain later in the week. Director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard University, co-founder of AfricanDNA.com and The Root Editor In Chief, Henry Louis Gates, was arrested outside his home Thursday for disorderly conduct after trying to get into his own residence. He most likely was frustrated he actually had to force his way into his own crib and probably surprised the police were called. After all, it was his house! Make sure you read the report which is provided below. If you have ever seen Skip on TV or read his work, he definitely (because of his demeanor) should have received a break that has nothing to do with his status. He was in fact in his own crib! Seems like a pattern is occurring in Cambridge as well. Read on.

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