There will be other shoes to drop. Where does Andre Miller land? How many sign and trades will go down after July 8th? So many possibilities as teams jockey for 2011. (Still don’t think LeBron is going anwhere) These are gonna be a very interesting next two seasons huh? Right now, I’m going with Boston over the Lakers in 7…especially if Sheed signs with the C’s. Of course, the Celtics have to be healthy, but I just don’t see a more cohesive unit. Who ya got?

As evidenced in the recent passings of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson and Alexis Arguello, we never know when our number will be called. I know we all have wished we were at a certain sporting event no matter how historic, you may even be makng plans for the next big event.

Today I’ve made a bucket list comprised of three events that I wish I had attended, three I would like to attend in the next calendar year and three in the future.

The Past

1. Watch the Negro League - I would love to bear witness to one Josh Gibson’s gargantuan home runs, watch Satchel Paige hurl a no-hitter or witness the blinding speed of James ”Cool Papa” Bell.

2. See the Thrilla in Manila - It was the first sporting event I remember seeing as a child. My lasting image then was Muhammad Ali knocking Joe Frazier’s mouthpiece into press row.

3. Doc gets his ring - May 1983, Moses Malone, Julius Erving & Co. finish off the L.A. Lakers in four games to win his only NBA Championship.

The Present

1. See the Williams Sisters - I’ve got to make it to Flushing Meadows next September for the U.S. Open, although my money may be on Venus to win, as long as I see Serena in her finest, it’s well worth the trip.

2. See Mayweather/Pacquiao - Don’t rule this fight out. Mayweather is talking a good game, If he can get past Juan Manuel Marquez and possibly Miguel Cotto, this one may actually go down.

3. Attend a Hall of Fame Induction - I’m waiting for 2011 when Deion Sanders goes in but the 2010 class will be historic as Jerry Rice (All-Time leading receiver) and Emmitt Smith (All-Time leading rusher) will be inducted as will Cris Carter (fingers, toes, arms and legs crossed)

The Future

1. Attend the Indianapolis 500 - Helio Castroneves is the best in his sport when it’s money time. And I need to bear witness to that. Besides, I need to see what something going 200 M.P.H. looks like.

2. See Manchester United play - Maybe not so much for the Red Devils as it is to see their stadium. Old Trafford Stadium, and to hear what 90,000+ sounds like.

3. Go to the Super Bowl - I’ll go to any of them as long as the Cowboys aren’t playing.

Well, sad to report, but it appears the ex-champ and current mayor of Managua, Nicaragua…his birthplace…committed suicide via gun shot wound to the chest. An autopsy is being performed to find the exact cause, so please withhold judgment. So much death is going around. Do not take anyone for granted.

The NBA Free Agency period kicked off this morning - one of the biggest potential signings has Rasheed Wallace headed to Boston (Great! Now they may have a center shooting from behind the arc). My concern is with the 76ers who need to take the next step before all of this young talent becomes stagnant. I don’t know if these potential moves will help their position this season as much as it puts them in a better position for the 2010 free agency class.

According to Martin Frank at the Courier Post online, there is a rumor circulating that has the Sixers looking to trade center Samuel Dalembert and guard Willie Green (Louis Williams has been ruled out) to the Houston Rockets for injury-plagued forward Tracey McGrady. The prognosis of Houston center Yao Ming (may miss the entire 2009-10 season) and the Sixers’ willingness tor grab McGrady’s expiring contract despite not returning to February at the earliest may make this a deal worth exploring. The potential roadblock is the 15 percent trade kicker which adds 3.8 million to his contract worth 11.4 million already.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel is reporting a rumor that has the Sixers trading Elton Brand to the Miami heat for forward/center Jermaine O’Neal and guard Daquon Cook. This will not happen unless the 76ers add another player or a third team is added. IMO, this deal would kill the Sixers, I’ll roll the dice on another season with Brand, I’m not touching Jermaine O’Neal.

Finally from the Philadelphia Daily News, there is word that the Sixers may be willing to do a sign and trade with free agent point guard Andre Miller that would send him to the Portland Trailblazers for guard Steve Blake and another player. This all falls apart if the Blazers are able to sign free agent Hedo Turkoglu, as they cannot afford both.

Stay tuned as I look into some potential deals that may improve the 76ers next season.

When the Flyers signed  former Ottawa Senators goalie Ray Emery earlier this month, two questions came to mind - what took them so long and how long will the marriage last?

Ray Emery at the age of 26 stands alone on an island - hockey’s goal crease. He is the last line of defense and the gate. Any individual between his opponent and pay dirt should be hell to get through - in the NBA it comes in the form of Dwight Howard, the NFL produces Ed Reed. This isn’t to say that Emery is the NHL’s best but for his position, he can hold his own…literally.

The Philadelphia Flyers are historically known for their physical play - be it the Broad Street Bullies of the 1970’s or the Dave Browns or Tim Kerrs of the 1980’s no one wanted any part of coming to South Philly. From the late 1980’s to mid 1990’s there was one player that was the face of enforcement for the Flyers… goalie Ron Hextall.  In my eyes Emery is Ron Hextall and I truly believe Flyers GM Paul Holmgren (a former teammate of Hextall) had Hextall in mind when acquiring Emery.

There are similarities between Hextall and Emery - both are fiery emotional players unafraid to mix it up with opposing players, or Emery’s case even his own. Both even led their teams to the Stanley Cup Finals very early in their careers. But it is their differences that cause intrigue in a city that hasn’t won a Stanley Cup in almost two generations.

Ray Emery lives a Diddyesque lifestyle in sport ill prepared for someone engrossed in the Hip Hop culture. The tattoos, several (his nickname ”Razor” across his chest) and hanging out with celebrities is something that has made the NHL very uncomfortable.  Being a Black goalie in the NHL is not the issue concerning Emery, some of his perceived behavior is. After reading up on Emery, I sense fear and reluctance on the part of the NHL to deal with Emery and anyone else of color that resembles his personality. While most NHL players are laid back guys Emery is out and about and what do you expect from a 26 year-old athlete? It seems that the major sports leagues have come to the conclusion that this is the way of the world for today’s athletes.

It’s time for the NHL to fall into line.

An incident involving Emery in 2006 shows how far the NHL has to go in terms of dealing with it’s players born during or after the Reagan Administration. Emery had his goalie mask painted (as all goalies do, it normally depicts the city or something/one inspirational to the goalie) with the image of Mike Tyson, after speaking to the Ottawa Senators’ brass, they came to a “mutual” understanding that Tyson’s image on the mask was inappropriate for hockey because his conviction as a rapist. Emery has since had Muhammad Ali and Floyd Mayweather painted on his mask. It’s apparent that the NHL is trying to avoid the image issues that have affected the NFL, NBA, and MLB. Prevention is one thing, ignorance is another.

Emery’s incidents range from missing practice to fights with teammates in practice, he has also been known to be late and in some cases absent from practice. These issues raised flags following the 2006-07 season in which Emery led the Senators to the Cup Finals and signed a three year 9.5 million dollar deal the following year. Trade rumors surfaced but there were no takers for Emery. Following seasons end it was announced that Emery would not be on the Senators 2008-09 roster. Emery would play with Atlanta in the Moscow league this past season, that would end in Emery disputing his salary at mid-season and a run-in with the team trainer.

The blackball was in full motion.

On one hand there’s Todd Bertuzzi who (then-Vancouver Canucks) ended Steve Moore’s career with a blatant cheap shot, and got away with basically a 20-game suspension, he was allowed to play on team Canada during the 2006 Winter Olympics and has since become a sympathetic figure in the NHL. On the other you have an upstart goalie who has had maturity issues that he has put behind him and only one team in the league was willing to take a chance on him. He’s not a bad goalie, his .902 doesn’t make him Bernie Parent but he isn’t Garth Snow either.

If one thing has kept the Flyers from winning the Cup in recent years it’s been the breakdown at goalie in the playoffs. They’ve never been quite the same since Hextall’s departure. Help at the defenseman spot has been a lingering issue as well. Without making many moves this off-season, the additions of Emery and defenseman Chris Pronger may be the cure for its aling fanbase.

Soap box time.

Just like sports, everything is not simply about the here and now just to stroke the insecure egos of man and woman. Check yourself.

Call me ideological, but I can care less.

Is something wrong with me? Am I one of the few that listened to my Mom and Pop when they drilled into our psyche “If you can’t say nothin’ nice, don’t say nothin’ at all?”

I wonder.

Maybe it was the lackluster show that exacerbated a monstrosity of ridiculous and unrelenting criticism. Maybe it’s our current culture. I don’t know. I never watch BET because I’m not attracted to it’s superficial, bubblegum, stroke the mainstream programming.

So, I decided to use Twitter’s technology during the BET Awards and also post my tweets simultaneously on facebook. I wanted to see how the world responds to an awards show the entire world was watching because of a scheduled tribute to the King of Pop. There are many questions surrounding Michael Jackson’s life and death and regardless of what you think of him, last night was not the time for stupidity.

It could have been a moment of class…a time of iconic energy.

Let me say I was patient with the show. The advertising was geared toward this massive Michael Jackson tribute that became a disrespectful showcase of individual talent with Michael Jackson “big ups” at the end of performances. I thought there was going to be more song tributes. Something like Tyrese singing Billie Jean or Trey Songz doing Rock With You or Tevin Campbell performing Can’t Help it or even Beyonce and Usher doing this:

Read the captions please.

Scream was what I wanted to do after reading all the comments. Look, constructive criticism is one thing, but when did Black people begin to hate on their own kind in the same way others have hated on us since the first slave ship sailed?

If it was a comment here or there, I’d be over dramatizing, but trust, most of the comments about people were overwhelmingly critical. Seriously and in that unconscionable objectifying way people just love oh so much.

I know I wasn’t raised that way. Thanks Pop.

If I was producing the show, the first part would have been showcasing talent with the last hour and a half an impromptu dedication to passionately honoring Michael Jackson’s body of work with anyone who had the balls enough to get on stage…culminating with a final mass offering by performers really getting down to some of Michael’s classics to end the show.

Could you imagine how emotional that would have been? It would have been memorable.

Repeating the entire Motown 25 Billie Jean performance (on the big screen) would have been hot as well.

Here’s the thing, did Debra Lee and BET furiously attempt for something obvious like this to go down and the talent selfishly resisted because they couldn’t handle the pressure, or was BET’s feet held to the fire from its admin? I know it’s hard work putting together a show of this magnitude, but other networks do it relatively without hitch.

The world was watching and when Wayne did some whack track about having sex with every girl in the world complete with pre-teens on stage, I was sick. Really sick. I saw my daughter and became disgusted.

Where have we taken music? What the hell is going on? Some of that mess was almost demonic. Who gave the final OK for such a performance? Heads should roll because the world was watching and BET flubbed.

Wayne you ought to be ashamed of yourself bruh. For real. What’s up with the little girls?

It had its moments. I thoroughly enjoyed when grown folks showcased what our music is all about. Our contribution to the world’s culture at its best.

Janet appearing on stage and making a statement mere days after the brother she loved passed? Amazing. I love you Janet. Ne-yo doing a nice rendition of Lady in My Life, New Edition opening the show with a Jackson Five tribute, Mary Mary and Latifah performing a great song, Ke Ke Palmer is a true talent, Tevin Campbell coming out of nowhere and doing his thing, Maxwell coming back strong, The OJay’s giving the world Black music in its truest form, Tyrese Gibson, Johnny Gill and Trey Songz doing great covers of the O’Jays and Keyshia Coles and Monica being a professional force. Jaime and Ne-yo’s performance of I’ll Be There was great as well.

Beyonce and Jay-Z, IMO took the occasion to make their performances memorable in the moment. I can’t fault that. At least they are good at what they do.

Jaime Fox did a good job, but there was almost too much comedy. It took away from the moment and lowered expectations of what could have been. I was embarrassed for BET. I really was, but I wasn’t going to slam the show as it was going on. I wanted to focus on all the performances as they were. I wanted to soak in the history of the show for Mike’s sake.

I thought it should be class over cash.

Please BET, please make better decisions. You represent an entire race–or at least try to–and fail miserably. I don’t know what’s going on down there, but whatever it is, it ain’t working–both on the website and the tube. Tear up the entire model, hire conscious, witty, edgy, hungry, positive people and shoot for a goal of representing our people outside of what you think everyone wants to see. MTV should not be your model. How could it? Represent our race and its rich history of can’t stop won’t stop talent and hard work. It should never be about gossip, or hate or whatever is hot (make people work for getting on your show first). If you do it right, things will change.

Get back to the Negro Leagues.

Dumbing down America with all these ghetto reality shows just because everyone else is doing it straight sucks.

What about the kids? What about the beeps that didn’t catch the lyrics?

It should have been a show President Obama could have attended.

Get it right or get out!

During the show, I was pissed off at all the hate. I understand people are just trying to be funny, but I wasn’t getting the entire world wide vibe of visceral hate pointed toward the entire production.

Again, demonic.

I hope people weren’t going off like they did on twitter in front of their kids.

I’m not holier than thou, but damn man some of that stuff was straight childish. It was like someone walking through a room with the entire audience screaming out criticisms before, cheering wildly and asking for pictures during, then straight hating with mad passion after they leave the room.

What is that?!?

Does it make you feel better about yourself? Are you better than these people? Do you understand the hard work they put in while you sit on your butt burping beer and Cheetos? Laughing at this and pointing at that like someone who just doesn’t know better under the age of 10.

So, the entire time I would try and sway the negative into positive to no avail.

The world was watching. CNN was interviewing Joe Jackson and others on the red carpet while BET was using the moment to reinforce every sick stereotype known to sick White and stupid ass Black man.

I do understand folks were frustrated there wasn’t a more MJ based tribute show, but it seemed the hate showed its face way before knowing what was going to be the case.

The Don Cornelius comments were specifically troubling. He’s 78 and the moment had to be hard for him. Let the man speak his piece despite age related difficulties because this might be his last shot. I’m sure many in the field are facing their mortality head on like it’s a hard and fast ticking clock ready to explode. He was there when Mike was developing into an icon and saw it all. I could have cared less if he took up the whole damn show because that’s somebody’s grand pop. What happened to respect? The man has contributed to our culture just as much as any artist alive or dead.

All of those performances before the show with cats rockin’ painted on jeans saggin’ below their ass was again, disgusting. What about that is right? How is that crap fashionable? I would say the same if it was women dressing similar.

Mizzo Jr. and Gaston. If you ever…

Here’s some of my comments on twitter:

“You know what, BET could b a great resource 4 all people if they learn 2 b independent of others. Let them do their thing and you do yours.”

“Is ths how U live yr lives day by day? Hatin’ on others? Do U realize the hard work they put in? U shld try it sometime. h8 is easy.”

“cn I ask a question? Is anyone gonna giv anybody props 2nite? 1 time? Is everyone a critic? cnt a brotha just enjoy the show? WTF man”

There are countless others. I guess when you walk the path you learn to appreciate the artists more for the travel. I’ve had so many people tell me no I’m used to it. Does it stop me? Hell no! I’m can’t stop won’t stop until my sun sets. I do want to make change and turn the tide of this  negative spell of kiddie journalism that says bad press is good press. That’s bull crap. Get some balls and get creative. Work hard. I ain’t nowhere near the goals I’ve set for myself, but I will get get there and I damn well know hate ain’t stopping me for one day, the haters will become cheerleaders in their right space and time.

You should read some of my emails…

Hate - Wale

Atlanta and Washington very much put their names in the competitive Eastern Conference hat by picking up capable players to move into that tier below Orlando and Cleveland. Some speculation has Rubio ending up in Boston. Could that be? That would explain Danny Ainge’s public criticism of Rajon Rondo huh? Don’t do it Boston, Rondo is one of those players who will be seen as underrated as his career matures. Plus, didn’t you just win a championship with dude? Really interested in seeing Brandon Jennings play and also if Ricky Rubio is as good as advertised. His scrutiny is mos def on the clock. Best believe…especially after Jennings dropped. Do you think all of these young point guards will become the next generation of leaders? What do you think was going on with the Timberwolves. Seems like they are trying to dispose of their mediocre existence of the present and wreck shop in the future. Is it basketball season yet? Who will be Rookie of the Year? I’m going with Tyreke Evans.

First the draft day trades:

1 - Dallas traded the rights of C B.J. Mullens (No. 24) to Oklahoma City for the rights to G Rodrigue Beaubois (No. 25).

2 - Los Angeles Lakers the rights of G Toney Douglas (No. 29) to New York for a future second-round draft pick and cash.

3 - Minnesota traded the rights of G Ty Lawson (No. 18) to Denver for a future first-round pick.

4 - Washington traded the rights of G Jermaine Taylor (No. 32) to Houston for cash.

5 - Denver traded the rights of G Sergio Llull (No. 34) to Houston for cash.

6 - Portland traded G Sergio Rodriguez, the rights of F Jon Brockman (No. 38) and cash to Sacramento for the rights of F Jeff Pendergraph (No. 31).

7 - Miami traded the rights of G Marcus Thornton (No. 43) to New Orleans for two future second-round draft choices.

8 - Detroit traded the rights to F Chase Budinger (No. 44) to Houston for a future second-round draft pick and cash.

9 - L.A. Lakers traded the rights to G Patrick Beverley (No.42) to Miami for a future second-round draft pick and cash.

10 - Charlotte traded the rights to G Robert Vaden (No. 54) to Oklahoma City for cash.

Pre-draft trades

Magic/Nets

Magic get Vince Carter, Ryan Anderson

Nets get Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston, Tony Battie

Cavs/Suns

Suns get Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, second-round pick in ‘10 Draft and $500,000

Cavaliers get Shaquille O’Neal

Hawks/Warriors

Warriors get Acie Law and Speedy Claxton

Hawks get Jamal Crawford

2009 NBA Draft

FIRST ROUND
	Team		Player	Pos., Ht., Wt.	School/Country
1	L.A. Clippers		Blake Griffin	PF, 6-10, 248	Oklahoma
2	Memphis Grizzlies		Hasheem Thabeet	C, 7-3, 267	Connecticut
3	Oklahoma City Thunder		James Harden	PG, 6-5, 222	Arizona State
4	Sacramento Kings		Tyreke Evans	PG, 6-6, 220	Memphis
5	Minnesota Timberwolves (from Washington)		Ricky Rubio	PG, 6-3, 180	Spain/DKV Joventut
6	Minnesota Timberwolves		Jonny Flynn	PG, 6-0, 196	Syracuse
7	Golden State Warriors		Stephen Curry	PG, 6-3, 181	Davidson
8	New York Knicks		Jordan Hill	PF, 6-10, 235	Arizona
9	Toronto Raptors		DeMar DeRozan	SG, 6-7, 211	Southern California
10	Milwaukee Bucks		Brandon Jennings	G, 6-1, 170	Lottomatica Roma/Italy
11	New Jersey Nets		Terrence Williams	SF, 6-6, 213	Louisville
12	Charlotte Bobcats		Gerald Henderson	SG, 6-5, 215	Duke
13	Indiana Pacers		Tyler Hansbrough	PF, 6-9, 234	North Carolina
14	Phoenix Suns		Earl Clark	SF, 6-10, 226	Louisville
15	Detroit Pistons		Austin Daye	PF, 6-11, 192	Gonzaga
16	Chicago Bulls		James Johnson	SF, 6-8, 257	Wake Forest
17	Philadelphia 76ers		Jrue Holiday	PG, 6-4, 185	UCLA
18	Minnesota Timberwolves (from Miami)		Ty Lawson (traded to Denver)	PG, 6-0, 197	North Carolina
19	Atlanta Hawks		Jeff Teague	PG, 6-1, 175	Wake Forest
20	Utah Jazz		Eric Maynor	PG, 6-3, 164	Virginia Commonwealth
21	New Orleans Hornets		Darren Collison	PG, 6-1, 166	UCLA
22	Portland Trail Blazers (from Dallas)		Victor Claver	PF, 6-9, 224	Pamesa Valencia/Spain
23	Sacramento Kings (from Houston)		Omri Casspi	SF, 6-9, 211	Maccabi Tel Aviv/ Israel
24	Dallas Mavericks (from Portland)		B.J. Mullens (traded to Okla. City)	C, 7-1, 258	Ohio State
25	Oklahoma City Thunder (from San Antonio)		Rodrigue Beaubois (traded to Dallas)	PG, 6-2, 182	Cholet Basket/France
26	Chicago Bulls (from Denver)		Taj Gibson	PF, 6-10, 214	Southern California
27	Memphis Grizzlies (from Orlando)		DeMarre Carroll	SF, 6-7, 207	Missouri
28	Minnesota Timberwolves (from Boston)		Wayne Ellington	SG, 6-5, 202	North Carolina
29	L.A. Lakers		Toney Douglas (traded to New York)	PG, 6-2, 183	Florida State
30	Cleveland Cavaliers		Christian Eyenga	SF, 6-5, 210	DKV Joventut/Congo

SECOND ROUND
	Team		Player	Pos., Ht., Wt.	School/Country
31	Sacramento Kings		Jeff Pendergraph (traded to Portland)	PF, 6-10, 240	Arizona State
32	Washington Wizards		Jermaine Taylor (traded to Houston)	SG, 6-4, 207	Central Florida
33	Portland Trail Blazers (from L.A. Clippers)		Dante Cunningham	PF, 6-8, 227	Villanova
34	Denver Nuggets (from Oklahoma City)		Sergio Llull (traded to Houston)	PG, 6-2, 180	Real Madrid/Spain
35	Detroit Pistons (from Minnesota)		DaJuan Summers	SF, 6-9, 243	Georgetown
36	Memphis Grizzlies		Sam Young	SF, 6-7, 223	Pittsburgh
37	San Antonio Spurs		DeJuan Blair	SF, 6-7, 277	Pittsburgh
38	Portland Trail Blazers		Jon Brockman (traded to Sacramento)	PF, 6-7, 255	Washington
39	Detroit Pistons (from Toronto)		Jonas Jerebko	PF, 6-8, 231	Sweden
40	Charlotte Bobcats (from New Jersey)		Derrick Brown	PF, 6-8, 225	Xavier
41	Milwaukee Bucks		Jodie Meeks	SG, 6-4, 211	Kentucky
42	L.A. Lakers (from Charlotte)		Patrick Beverley (traded to Miami)	PG, 6-1, 172	Ukraine
43	Miami Heat (from Indiana)		Marcus Thornton (traded to New Orleans)	SG, 6-3, 194	LSU
44	Detroit Pistons		Chase Budinger (traded to Houston)	PF, 6-7, 206	Arizona
45	Minnesota Timberwolves (from Philadelphia)		Nick Calathes	SG, 6-6, 194	Florida
46	Cleveland Cavaliers (from Chicago)		Danny Green	SF, 6-6, 208	North Carolina
47	Minnesota Timberwolves (from Miami)		Henk Norel	PF, 6-10, 230	DKV Joventut/Netherlands
48	Phoenix Suns		Taylor Griffin	SF, 6-7, 238	Oklahoma
49	Atlanta Hawks		Sergey Gladyr	SG, 6-5, 190	Ukraine
50	Utah Jazz		Goran Suton	C, 6-10, 245	Michigan State
51	San Antonio Spurs (from New Orleans)		Jack McClinton	PG, 6-0, 185	Miami (Fla.)
52	Indiana Pacers (from Dallas)		A.J. Price	SG, 6-2, 193	Connecticut
53	San Antonio Spurs (from Houston)		Nando De Colo	SG, 6-5, 190	Cholet Basket/France
54	Charlotte Bobcats (from San Antonio)		Robert Vaden (traded to Oklahoma City)	SG, 6-5, 205	Alabama-Birmingham
55	Portland Trail Blazers (from Denver)		Patrick Mills	PG, 6-0, 165	St. Mary’s (Calif.)
56	Dallas Mavericks (from Portland)		Ahmad Nivins	PF, 6-9, 235	St. Joseph’s (Pa.)
57	Phoenix Suns (from Orlando)		Emir Preldzic	PF, 6-9, 205	Bosnia and Herzegovina
58	Boston Celtics		Lester Hudson	SG, 6-2, 190	Tennessee-Martin
59	L.A. Lakers		Chinemelu Elonu	PF, 6-10, 235	Texas A&M
60	Miami Heat (from Cleveland)		Robert Dozier	PF, 6-9, 215	Memphis

I can’t believe this. He’s really gone?

A Cleveland breakdown. Hope it works out for you LeBron. (Plain Dealer)

Same thing from Phoenix. Steve Kerr better get this team back on track quick. (AZ Central)

Phil Jackson will not have a part time gig. (The Daily Breeze)

Yao’s still has a bad foot. (Houston Chronicle)

Ray Ratto on the US upset of top ranked Spain. Don’t follow soccer like that, but I know enough that his is a shocker. (SF Gate)

Cats are killing football coaches now? RIP (Des Moines Register)

When being underrated is a crime. Rass Kass is possibly the lyricist GOAT

So bad, had to rock Kass twice

The last and most provoctive part of Todd Boyd’s interview will go up next week.

Michael Tillery: Is Black ownership a solution to provide others a base to see through the stereotypical images you allude to?

Dr. Todd Boyd: I think ownership is a part of it, but that’s not all of it. Bob Johnson owned BET and currently owns the Charlotte Bobcats. Oprah is a billionaire. These are wealthy individuals but how do common platforms change? Their own lives are changed. Ownership is a start but it’s more than that. We’ve been saying that for a long time. Certainly since the late 60’s.

It’s about having the right mind state. It’s about understanding more than ownership. It’s deeper than that.

We have images of Black ownership…Magic Johnson…and it’s great symbolically. I’ve always said we have to impact things across the board, not just in one area. Not just financially and economically, but culturally, socially, politically and holistically. Everything needs to be connected to be effective over time.

MT: Just wanted to put this out there to see how you respond. Are successful Blacks considered a threat…intellectually, emotionally, physically, mentally…if they ascend to a point of impacting a total social America?

TB: I don’t know if we need to worry so much about being a threat. A threat is in the mind of somebody else. If I threaten someone because of my intelligence, that’s on them. I’m not going to do anything to comfort anyone’s insecurities. That’s for any individual to deal with. I have issues to deal with on my own. If my intelligence, physicality or presence intimidates someone they need to deal with it.

We’ve made too much out of minimizing a threat. Sometime that threat can be useful. If you are consciously trying to threaten somebody, that’s another story but we cannot go out of our way to convince others that they have nothing to fear. What they have to fear is right in front of them in the mirror. That’s a personal issue. I’m not going to go out of my way to make someone feel comfortable if the reason they are uncomfortable is unjust.

MT: The reason why I ask is there is greatness in the Black community that is never able to bubble to the surface. That’s why I tried to tie it into the whole ownership dynamic regarding where we want to go. I have a squad of talented and hungry writers who should have a bigger impact journalism because the sports we cover are made up of mainly of Black athletes.

Anthony Gilbert, Anthony Carter, Vinnie Goodwill, Ron Glover and I are making headway, but I want to see Terrence McNeil, Jerold Wells Jr. and Jeff Young get some traction. Are we asking to get into golf like that? Nah. Basketball and football is where we live.

It’s never just about me. My main objective in doing this is to bring the talent we have in our community to the surface and impact the future because I know for a fact the younger kids we influence are reading our stuff and asking questions about a lot of the BS that’s out there.

TB: I feel that 100%. Things sometimes don’t happen as fast as we would like, but eventually it’s gonna have an impact if the quality is there. It might not be the impact we assume. You know Martin Luther King said, “Truth crushed down to the earth will rise again.” There are gonna be challenges, obstacles and difficulties but you just have to keep grinding. You can’t let those hindrances stop you from grinding. It’s just like attacking a defense. If a team puts forward a complex defense, your job as an offensive player is to try to figure out how to attack that defense.

Injustice clearly still exists in terms of people being overlooked. The NBA is a business…a corporation. I don’t need to tell you this Mike, you know it just as good as I do. We invest ourselves as observers, as critics, as commentators and as fans.

Also the NBA means something to us as Black people.

I’ve said this for a long time this is ours. This is our game. Damn James Naismith. This is our game. What you look at when you watch the NBA now is something that emerged from the Black cultural condition. That’s something to be proud and conscious of.

It is not our game in a sense we own all the teams or control the league, but it is our game in terms of the culture that has given birth to this global phenomenon. As time goes forward, we will continually be able to cash in on that fact, because without that, there is no NBA. Now, that doesn’t mean the NBA suddenly recognizes you or will afford you the respect you think you deserve, but it does mean that because of that culture, you, I and many others have access to that that can’t be denied anymore because that cultural impact is so strong.

When I look at that and I look at the fact that Yao Ming is an immigrant to America whose knowledge of the English language is defined by his relationship with Black basketball players. To me, Yao Mings view of America is gonna be very different than that of a traditional immigrant coming to this country who are not going to have that same access.

That’s subtle, but on another level it’s profound.

Quick story on this video. Jeff was shooting and I was walking in the back almost looking like Deebo. It’s crazy, but it was funny seeing all the hater faces as we walk through the hall or sit down with LeBron, Wade or Bryant on our never ending tour to document the league and add something different. One hilarious moment was a well known writer from DC shouting out to us “Who does he work for!” and pointing at Jeff almost as if Jeff was invisible standing right next to us. He was heated and resembled a little kid having a temper tantrum simply because he couldn’t get this type of stuff. Knock yourself out. No one is stopping you. Step your game up because we aren’t going anywhere.

Here’s a Kobe Bryant AXG production also from DC.This is for all you cats who think Kobe is just a kid from the burbs licking shots of that Jelly Bean silver platter.

MT: Elaborating on your point, the brothas here have unique relationships with the biggest and the baddest. Take your pick of who I’m referring to. These relationships have been cultivated through years of hard work spending our own dime to get what are in fact exclusives. Our conversations are more deeper and streamlined than most reporters (of course because we are our own editors).

One LBJ interview linked above became a State Farm commercial.

Is it all about game recaps and soap opera metro sexual gossip?

So it seems like America may not want to hear our voice as it is, but ultimately our content or something similar is made more palatable for the masses.

TB: Has a lot to do with the gatekeepers. Media is still predominately controlled by the same people who’ve controlled it all along. We have a place in it now that we didn’t have twenty or thirty years ago…a much more prominent place. We are dealing with corporate entities and situations that are gonna deny you access when you should have access.

On the same token, I remember working at NBC in Detroit during the late 80’s before I went to grad school. I saw Michael put 59 on the Pistons on Easter Sunday in 1988. I’ll never forget. I had to go and get Chuck Daly’s (RIP) press conference. I thought, by the time I get to Michael, he would have probably said the same thing over and over again. Maybe he’ll be gone. I’m trying to get over there as fast as I can. I had to do what I had to do and get Chuck first.

So I get into the Bull’s locker room and there’s a group of reporters standing in front of Michael that was hard to get into. So I just used my street instincts and went over to the side. When there was a gap, I said, “Michael, you said in the past Joe Dumars guards you better than anybody in the NBA, but obviously if you put 59 on somebody, then they are not doing that good of a job…at least not today.”

He turned and his whole body language changed. He turned and faced me directly. It was funny because you could see all these reporters now shift and now they were all standing behind me.

MT: Exactly!

TB: You know what I’m saying. So, I’m standing there going back and forth with Michael for a minute and I remember when we finished and I said “Thanks man” and he said “Nah, thank you.” There was a level of understanding. Game recognize game. That’s what that was. These other “journalists”…if you will…they don’t have the ability to ask a question like that because they don’t have the same knowledge. There are not able to approach the subject in the same way you are able to approach it or your boys are able to approach it because they don’t have that same experience. They don’t understand the culture of the game the way you understand it. There has always been this sort of arbitrary relationship between players and media because a lot of people in the media do not understand what they are talking about!

They might understand it at a service level, but they don’t understand the level again that you understand because of the community you grew up in, the relationships you have, because of the historical background.

So, you really are talking about people approaching things from two completely different perspectives and that’s when you become a threat because you have the ability to ask questions and dictate a conversation doesn’t have. When they see that, perhaps they (other reporters) feel left out.

On the same token, I love the fact that Charles (Barkley) and Kenny (Smith) are on television now bringing that sort of cultural commentary to the game that has never been there before. You sit there listening to Charles and that’s like sitting at the crib with your boys talking about ball. It works because it’s so authentic. It’s so real and relevant to the culture. They took it from your boys at the crib to national television. That level of discourse, to me, is much more relevant than a lot of other things I hear when people are commenting on the game who again, really don’t know what they are talking about.

That’s not to say the only people who know anything about basketball are Black.

I do interviews all the time as you know Mike. Some people call and ask the dumbest fuckin’ questions that has absolutely nothing to do with anything!

I remember when Kobe was going though that who sexual assault charge stuff. People were talking about him snitching on Shaq. This reporter talked about how Randy Moss took plays off and then about Kobe snitching on Shaq. Moss was just being real and there was obviously fall out for saying that, but snitching?

If you come from a community where the police are actually helpful to you, then you understand why somebody is saying stop snitching.

If you come from a community where fireman climb up in trees and rescue cats then you don’t understand that line of thinking. If you come from a community where no matter what your accomplishment may be and you can have a gun put to your head by a cop just because of the color of your skin, then you start to see those things differently.

I have never in my life looked favorably upon cops. That doesn’t mean there aren’t cops who don’t do good jobs, but dang…as an institution? I have never had love for cops based on the way I grew up.

So when somebody says to me “Stop Snitchin” I understand where it comes from but again if you come from a community where cops do what they are supposed to, then that sounds crazy.

Simply put, if you are coming from different cultural perspectives then you obviously are gonna arrive at different conclusions.

MT: I have never heard anybody talk about stop snitching when it comes to the mob or Italians either.

TB: Thank you!

MT: The main point I was trying to make about my boys and I speaking to someone and all the sudden the mics get closer was that if we are in there a lot more, history is impacted. The day after a game our quotes are all over the world in stories and I’m good with that despite not getting the credit.

Think about the big moments in sports past and present that would have been looked at with a totally different eye if more Black (the ones who care about more than gossip and stroking America’s insecurities) faces were allowed to have an impact. There’s no doubt in my mind history would be viewed differently.

TB: No doubt. Without question. Case in point, I look at a guy like Isiah (Thomas). To me, Isiah is still paying the price for that comment he made about Larry Bird (if Bird were Black he ”would be just another good guy” instead of being portrayed as the league’s best player)back in ‘87.

That was a comment that a million and one Black people have made over and over and over again. What he said about Larry Bird was not at all controversial amongst Black people. Not everybody may agree with it, but that was not a controversial statement to say Larry Bird was overrated because he was White.

But, in that time when the sports media was overwhelmingly White and they were able to make that such a significant issue that it still dogs him to this day. A lot of animosity surrounding Isiah goes back to that moment in time. As you’re saying, had their been a larger Black media presence that issue would have been discussed and thought about a lot differently. You are exactly right.

MT: We add educational value to the game. Why would you want to ask the same stupid ass questions and wonder why you get the same both teams played hard stupid ass answers? This is not about the dough. This is about history. When it’s all said and done, we did our part but we are not done yet. It’s not just about Black voices either, don’t get it twisted. Readers know exactly what I mean.

TB: Again, I totally agree. When I wrote Young, Black, Rich and Famous, I wanted to make the kind of conversation you and I are talking about part of the public record. So, when you talked about basketball going forward, you couldn’t just talk about it from that old school approach because there is another voice in the debate. Not that everything I say is right or wrong, but people can agree or disagree…I don’t care. The point I tried to make is my perspective of basketball was common around me as I grew up watching the sport. I’ve been watching basketball for over 35 years now and the way the sport has been spoken about is not the only way to talk about it. There’s other ways you just don’t get. You can’t get it if you don’t have the knowledge of the culture and experience.

MT: You read my mind because I wanted to segue into your books (click each book cover for purchase info). Could you give me a brief synopsis of each starting with Notorious Ph.D?

TB: The Notorious Phd’s Guide to the Super Fly ’70s was about making the connection from culture in the 70’s to contemporary culture. Blaxploitation films. I was trying to bridge the gap between my childhood and my adulthood. It was a personal thing. It also applied to a lot of other people as well. When you are talking about Dwight Howard breaking the shot clock, that’s one thing, but you need to know Chocolate Thunder was breaking backboards regularily back in the day.

A lot of people don’t know that, so you don’t have that connection. That did not originate with Dwight. I saw it as a way to bridge the gap. When you listen to Jay-Z:

Or Snoop:

Or T.I.:

Or Rick Ross:

Or whatever, but there is a history of where those images came from. It’s like a cultural warehouse.

Think back to the heyday of David Thompson:

Dr. J:

Iceman:

You know, Muhammad Ali in his prime:

That’s my life. Everything I grew up with has been recycled in a different cultural form. It’s deeper than what you see right now.

MT: You spoke of it earlier, but get a little deeper on Young, Black, Rich and Famous.

TB: Getting my perspective…a Black street perspective about ball. I call it a Hip Hop history. The history of the NBA from 1979 forward is a history very different than how the NBA has been told previously.

MT: The New H.N.I.C.

That’s self explanatory. The book came out in 2002. Everything I said in that book came true. People were hatin’ on me at the time because I had the nerve to say the death of civil rights and the reign of hip hop. What I was saying is the Civil Rights era is past. Leaders, thoughts and what have you represented a different generation. We saw that last year when Jesse Jackson was hatin‘ on Barack Obama. That’s what i was talking about. There was a generational split between older and younger Blacks. How they were brought up. The differences between ourselves and our parents and grandparents. At time, to me, Hip Hop was the thing that linked everything together. No one was willing to say, what I was willing to say in that book. This is what I’ve always thought and what I say. I’m not trying to be pc. My energy is from the street. The homeless, the drug dealers, pimps, thugs. Those people speak through me. I wanted to bring a Hip Hop edge to the court writing a book to where you wanted to dominate the opponent…capturing all that in writing. You see a lot of people on TV that don’t know what they are talking about. They have a lot of jibberish they kick in but I’m coming from a different place. I grew up in the culture.

MT: Just for clarification, can we have a total mind of who we are now if we don’t know where we came from?

TB: It’s impossible. We have to have that historical background. At the end of the day, none of this stuff is new. It might be in a different package…”those who don’t know their history are doomed to repeat it”. Malcolm told us a long time ago that ”Of all of our studies history is best-suited to reward all research”. To me, it all started with Malcolm, so I always go back there.

We don’t know our history, we are in trouble.

Descriptions of the rest of his books and the rest of this interview to be posted tomorrow.

Our peoples Michael Lee breaks down the Wizards/Suns trade. (WaPo)

Amir Johson traded for just traded Fabricio Oberto. Oberto will be released. (Detroit News)

Bill Rhoden comments on Epiphanny Prince going pro. (NY Times)

Phil Jackson alludes to making his gig with the Lakers part time. Why hasn’t Kareem ever seriously been considered for the Lakers position? (L.A. Times)

Evans’ cousin sentenced to 9-20 years for murder. Big case here in the area. (Philly.com)

Sixers going back to same logo used during championship seasons. Uh…can we get past the first round first? (Philly.com)

Native and African Americans chronicle history together for first time in Louisiana. (Digital Journal)

The history that Black radio is afraid to tell. (Ebony/Jet)

Cynthia McKinney and others sail for a cause. (The Peninsula)

Hell yeah!

Where will Lance Stephenson end up in school? (NY Daily News)

Gloria and Emilio Estefan to become minority owners in Mami. (Miami Herald)

Woman puts man in sleeperhold and stops robbery. (SFGate)

Gwen Knapp writes why Donald Fehr didn’t do his job on steroids. (SFGate)

Thoughts on DC after deadly Red Line crash. (WaPo)

Clarence Paige asks: What if Congress apologized for slavery and no one cared? (Chicago Tribune)

Yeah, 200 years…

This type of hype almost gives the cat the ROY because of all the attention he’ll receive during the year. Reminds me of how they were giving Nash the MVP after ten games in a season where Kobe scored 81 points in a game or the year Shaq helped turn around Miami and Nash still ran away with the award. How many rings do Dirk and Nash have? How many do Kobe and Shaq have? This cat better be scrutinized like any other BLACK player who has come into the league with so much hype. A line of 6 points and 6 rebounds his rookie year is not gonna cut it. No excuses. He’ll definitely not get any here. For the record, this has nothing to do with Ricky Rubio the person….just the hype. I don’t care how many years Rubio has spent in a SPANISH pro league, until he does it over here then shut the hell up. This BS is not based on talent alone. Why am I talking about this? Ask the sleep deprived Madison Square Garden crowd after 6 overtimes who the man was and you have your answer.

Michael Tillery: What was your opinion of race before undergrad?

Dr. Todd Boyd: I learned about college by watching college sports…college football and basketball. Nobody in my family had gone to college, so it’s not like I grew up with educated people. To be on the other side of that and I’ve been on the other side for a while now, I always see guys missing out on a great opportunity. Obviously the objective of going to college is to graduate and do well in life, but not everybody graduates.

The exposure…maturity that you’re getting is important. For me, it was all bout expanding my horizons by being exposed to different ways of looking at things. The nature between ball and college life impacts me personally. It’s always been there…it’s just grown over time and influenced the way I think about a lot of these issues.

MT: So, that brings up an interesting point about how we as Blacks view education. Do you think that’s a prevailing theme in our community? Do we learn about college through sports? is it necessary for us to view college the way the mainstream sees it? Not the culture, but the educational value.

TB: It’s a little different now then when I was coming up. I always laugh when I hear…for instance…guys…when you ask what they are doing…and they say they are a rapper. I always find that funny. When I was coming up that wasn’t a job title. That came about over time. I say that to say…I was in college…Jordan and Barkley and those guys are a year older than me…Patrick Ewing…a year ahead. So I was in college as the game was changing. Ten years later when you get to the 90’s and KG, Kobe, McGrady came straight out of high school and started having a lot of success. This was something I saw as it’s evolved.

When you think about college in terms of the Black community, if you can play ball…or if you can’t…college is about going beyond where you are. It’s about learning how other people live, how other people think and how other people do things. It can only help you.

When I think of a lot of Black people…for a long time the focus was on getting money. Unfortunately, when people are desperate, they need a quick buck or fast money.

Going to college is slow money in a sense. It’s like you are making an investment and over time the investment will really pay off but, it’s not something you can cash in right away. Of course, to be in a position to think long term, you need to be fairly comfortable, but if you’re not, you are wanna go for the fast buck.

When I was in college, a friend of mine pulled my coat and told me something I never forgot. We were sitting outside drinking, smoking and doing what we do. Often in moments like that you seem to come with your most profound insight. My man pointed over to the library and said they can kick me out of school but I still know how to use the library. I thought wow that’s me. It’s like somebody gave you a tool to use and transform your life if you are actively going after it.

Without education, where are we? I can’t see anyone hatin’ on consciously getting an education. Everyone has different circumstances so people do what they need to do, but how can you hate on education? Maybe you don’t have the opportunity to get an education or afford to get an education, but the point is you can’t hate on it. That knowledge allows you to build and evolve and have an impact. I’m not saying you can’t make it without that knowledge in life…it just makes it easier. Another way to look at it if you are playing basketball and all you can do is go left, then you are easier to guard at a certain point. You need to be able to go to your right, put the ball on the floor, create your own shot and play defense. We praise the ball players who have a versatile skill set. If you are only able to do one thing, you aren’t going to be that successful. Dwight Howard…he can play defense, but on the offensive end all he can do is just dunk.

College is just adding another element to your arsenal. That’s the way people need to focus on it as opposed to this either or situation.

MT: How did you end up at the University of Utah?

TB: I went to University of Iowa for grad school. I went for three years. After three years I needed to eat. I laugh about it, but I kinda did my own hardship (part 2 upcoming) thing. I left after three years and when I left, I hadn’t finished my PhD. I finished up a short time afterward but leaving early, the only place I could get a gig was the University of Utah.

So I look at it as the Utah Jazz drafted me in the second round thinking what’s to lose? After being there for a year and demonstrating my skill set, I was able to make the move to come to USC. I wouldn’t be at USC if I hadn’t left Utah early because when I got to Utah I got people to see me as a professor as opposed to a graduate student. It was the only opportunity I could get at the time. I was hungry enough to go to Utah, but I didn’t care. I looked at it like they had an NBA team, how bad can it be? It was pretty bad, don’t get me wrong, but I was willing to go anywhere and do whatever it took to get to that next level.

MT: How did the educational eyes viewing you as a professor change from the culture of Utah to the culture of Southern California? Was it a major difference how they view and interacted with you?

TB: When I got to Utah in the early nineties, the Utah Jazz had five Black players: Karl and Jeff Malone, Blue Edwards, David Benoit and Tyrone Corbin…maybe one or two more cats. That was a different era. Being in Utah was difficult. It is a predominately Mormon culture…overwhelmingly White and conservative. I was young. That’s why I say that stuff speaks to me. I was 27 when I got my PhD. and only came out of the streets a couple of years before that so I stil had a lot of deeper energy. I really wasn’t paying much attention to how they looked at me or responded to me. It wasn’t my concern. My concern was how was I gonna get my shot off basically.

Looking back on it, I made a lot of enemies and there were a lot of haters, but that’s the way it goes. When I got to USC, This was like 1992 so, I was in the midst of it. You had The Chronic, Doggystyle, the riots and Death Row Records. This was that moment in time when I got to LA. I was a year out of grad school at the top film school in the world and I was also close to the center of the culture at the time where all the energy was being generated. It wasn’t like I was watching it on television, I was right in the middle of it.

I remember at the time you would go to spots and see Snoop and Suge (Knight) and Dre. This was really before any of those cats were known on a national level even though it certainly changed a short time later.

The difference for me was being in LA in a more permanent environment and a larger more diverse community.

USC was the perfect place for me to be. Utah was a stepping stone. This was Boyz in the Hood. This was Menace II Society…and incredible moment in the culture. Jordan was on top of the world. I was able to maximize all that being in the center.

MT: What was the idea behind The Wood? Obviously that’s how we view each other as Black men in terms of loyalty and relationships but what was your inspiration coming out of the culture of the early nineties to co-write a movie such as that?

TB: If you grew up in a Black community like most of us have, there may be difficult times and challenging circumstances but, it’s not like it’s 24/7 that cats are dodging bullets, running from the police and mean muggin’. That’s not realistic. There are times when we all laugh, enjoy life and celebrate whatever we are celebrating. The Wood was basically speaking to those who knew the culture that yeah, we do this too. We get married. We get nervous before we get married. We aren’t getting all of our people together and there’s 2000 arguments…sometimes it’s love. It was putting a human face on a lot of things that were going on at the time. Not to diminish some of the other more pressing images we had seen but that’s why you had a character like Stacey in the film who shows you that even these thugs and these so called gang bangers…even these people have connections to regular life. We are human. The film was about showing a Black humanity. A lot of people who didn’t know or who didn’t grow up that way wouldn’t think that way of life existed.

If you look at The Wood, you can find something there that speaks to you. Our experience is a universal experience. It grew out of Hip Hop as well. It grew out of LA and what was happening in the country.

It’s like if you saw Cooley High. That’s still a classic. We were hoping as time went on that people would see The Wood as the same kind of film. It was about friendship, conviction and bonds and again, Black humanity.

MT: That was a great time because there was a lot of creativity that came out of what was (Ironically, as I type this a Ghetto Bird is hovering nearby.) a very influential era. Was there almost an evolution of the Cosby era to show America that we do have and do everything you alluded to earlier? We saw ourselves as equals and so should everyone else?

TB: Well Cosby certainly was popular and visible back in the eighties. I think a lot of people refer to Cosby as a landmark example of popular culture but what we were trying to say is that Black people are broad and complex. In other words, you can’t just pigeon hole Black folk as all doing the same thing, thinking the same way…we have broad diversity in our community.

It’s not often that people outside of the community come to recognize the diversity that exists. You can have a Black middle class with an aspiring thug like Stacey in the family. You talk to any Black person and you don’t have to go far in the family before you find someone incarcerated or on probation.

People wanted to say the Cosby show represented all Black people and it didn’t. Nothing does and that means The Wood, the Cosby Show or Boyz in the Hood.

We have different thoughts and ideas and controversies. When people think of us as broad and complex, then it’s difficult to reduce us into something simplistic.

MT: With our site we are trying to show mainstream America just what you said. There is no monolith. Maybe this is generalizing, but I want to hear your answer, but why do you think America doesn’t get that we do have depth as a people? Why can’t they see the depths of our soul and want to make it mind comfortable?

TB: Most people outside the community have very little interaction with the Black community. Maybe they watch sports on television or Hip Hop videos or whatever images that may be circulating in the media. There’s a big difference from watching something on TV or in a movie or listening to music than dealing with real people.

Unless you’ve had that interaction, how would you know?

Using the media to determine your thoughts about a group of people that’s a pretty limited example. How would you know? You just can’t make this up.

There’s more now than it’s ever been (interaction), but even that is pervasive. I also think that people tend to think and act based on their own self interests. You start to question someone who pigeon holes and stereotypes an individual, but what is that saying about how they view themselves and their relationships?

In other words, all you have to do is look at the way some people are looking at the election of Barack Obama.

People are quick to say that look how far we’ve come as a country and they celebrate this as a celebratory statement. What people don’t say is that in order to get to this point, there was a lot of wrong done and that wrong didn’t just disappear.

You have an African-American in the most symbolic position in the country. A lot of it has to do with people trying to control the narrative to see how it applies to them. I think it’s easier to see Black people as monolithic.

You don’t have to work and we have a lot of intellectually lazy people in our society…Black, White and otherwise.

MT: On the other hand, do you think we see White America as the monolith?

TB: I think some Black people do. Again, if you don’t interact with people, then how are you gonna know about them? I’m someone that’s quick to say there are broad degrees of differences in White culture. You see that representative in the media. I always say if the only representation of White people we have is the Three Stooges, then we would think of White people very differently. Come up with a more contemporary example…say a Jack Black, Will Ferrell or Chris Farley. If they were the only images we had of White people, coonin’ and tommin’ and jeffin’ then we would have a different view. That’s not the case. We have a broad view at any given time so you don’t take one image for more than it’s worth. You see it in a context. I think that’s the problem you don’t have a myriad of Black images contradict the few images that seem to define us.

Yes, there are some Black folks who see the “White Man” if you will.

Part II

This ain’t about that.

This is about loyalty. Loyalty amongst friends makes for a happy existence. I have very few people in my inner circle because if you can’t trust your peoples, then who can you trust? If there is no loyalty, life becomes a frustrating exercise in maddening paranoia and your mind will never be free to trust. I can smell it a mile away and I don’t care if I’m banging on bongos with calloused and bloody hands while my girl is belly dancing…both broke, hungry as hell and sleeping on wet cardboard boxes, she’ll remain forever my soul beautiful if she’s ride or die. There is no love without loyalty. Just saw on the news where a couple has been together for 80 years in nearby Springfield, PA. Now that’s love huh? Security is last on the list because it don’t mean shit if you don’t have the other two. A lot of women will disagree on this (or not) but that’s how I roll. My daughter knows to get hers without having to depend on a man. Her aunt is a great example. There is no knight in shining armor who will rescue you from the doldrums of poverty if that’s all you are looking for because when you get it, you’ll be just as unhappy as you were before. You have to go get it yourself right? Respect and honor = loyalty. What say you?

Allow me to open up by saying that I missed you guys terribly. TSF Family is as near and dear to me as my writing. The toughest time was during the NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl, it was hard to even go to the site. I felt like I had let a multitude of people down including the one person that gave me the opportunity to shine. I wish there was some warning that I could’ve given prior to my hiatus, but when the Man Upstairs calls an audible in your life; you’d better be prepared to run the hot route.

December 5, 2008:

Things seemed pretty normal at my day job (I always considered TSF a 24-hour gig because of my commitment to its cause). Although rumors were circulating about a possible downsizing, I never paid much attention until I got the call to meet with the CEO that afternoon. “We regret to inform you that today will be your last day with us.” he continued, “Your termination is not performance based, it’s just that you are the least experienced in your department.”

In other words, “Last hired, first fired.”

My immediate thoughts went to my son and the mortgage, I was pretty much done my holiday shopping for him so that wasn’t an issue but the mortgage could be if things didn’t change in a hurry. Through it all, I kept saying to myself, “This is happening for a reason.”

Three weeks earlier, I applied for a Project Director position overseeing youth programs for my State Representative. The job seemed ideal since I had a good bit of experience with the youth in my old neighborhood. They seemed very impressed with my background and experience but there was a serious conflict with my current job. Although the position was part-time and the salary was good I was unable to take the position and it was filled.

At least that’s what I was told.

Unbeknownst to me a former co-worker was a secretary in the Rep’s office and heard my name bouncing around the office. Upon inquiring, she proceeded to tell them how much of an asset I would be to the program and that I should be given a chance.

December 17, 2008

I get a call from the Rep’s counsel asking if I was still interested in the position, so we set up an interview with the Rep and things go great. I explained my passion for giving our youth the best opportunities to empower themselves and how I felt I was in a position to make that happen.

Know all we had to do was iron out one minor detail…salary.

As I was presented the budget for the program, I noticed that my salary was nearly double what I was originally told. I wanted to make sure things wouldn’t come back to bite me later. After questioning the salary, I was told that the budgeted version was correct.

Today

My first event was a Christmas party that the Rep gives each year to the children in his district. After eating lunch and some other activities they get a visit from Santa before the day wraps up. It was there that I came to the realization that I may want to enter the political arena on a smaller scale for now.

Part of my job is to visit schools, I’ve spoken to many principals and teachers. Surprisingly, the biggest problem facing many students in the inner-city is nutrition. Many of these kids come from homes where they have to fend for themselves and their siblings and sometimes breakfast isn’t an option.

One startling statistic is the State of Pennsylvania’s plans to build 6 prisons at $600 million a piece. The flip side to that is that there are plans to cut education costs, close schools, and trim after school programs. For this to happen in the United States in the 21st century is unacceptable.

As months have passed, the job has become more demanding and I realize more often than not, I’m in a position to make an impact, I don’t say make a difference, because that comes when you begin to see results. In the meantime, I’ll continue to put my arms around the programs and the children and families that seek to benefit from it. I’ve always been taught to give back, more importantly, I’ve always WANTED to give back.

Thanks to Mizzo for being an ear through high and low, he left me a message that touched me to the point where I still have it and listen to it. AXG and I were just getting to know one another. There is something special about him and his work, I hope that it gets noticed on a larger scale.  I’m glad to see that the TSF enrollment has increased and I’m positive that it will continue. Keep those torches lit.

With that being said, dust mine off..

I’m back!

Since we are on a Hip Hop vibe here the last few days, I’ll post an interview with Professor Griff in the morning. Doing an interview with Todd Boyd today. Any questions, please shoot them to my email and not on the site.

To the links.

One agent could deliver two point guards to the Sixers. (Philly.com)

Jesse Jackson’s commentary on the rise of guns and hate. (Chicago Sun Times)

The much anticipated Lox renunion is in fact real. (SOHH)

Davey D posts a lost interview with Tupac Shakur. Good work D. (Davey D’s Hip Hop Corner)

Muslim Hip-Hop: The Dawah Hope, The Dawah Reality and Changing The Game. (Muslim Poet)

Supreme Court rejects final appeal in ‘Cuban Five’ spy case. (Miami Herald)

Back at it.

The Rooney Rule has been expanded to include NFL high level vacancies. Really interested in your thoughts on this. (PFW)

Thoughts on Sammy Sosa reportedly testing positive for PED’s in 2003? (Chicago Tribune)

Verbum Dei: Black Institution or Done? Andre Miller’s high school makes historical coaching hire which has split its administrative and alumni base. (The LA Sentinel)

The Mighty Mos issues a rap battle challenge to Jay and Kanye. Damn right. We’ve all been waiting for something like this for a long time. (MTV)

An open letter to the class of 2009. Congratulations (Real Talk Express)

Surviving the summer. (Final Call)

The remix of one of my all time Hip Hop tracks:

Barry Bonds’ timing mechanism. Reggie Jackson’s swagger. Tiger Woods’ precision. Michael Jordan’s desire. Tim Duncan’s consistency. Derek Jeter’s professionalism.

After last night, now we can add Kobe Bryant’s level of commitment.

Kobe Bryant is without question the best player we have in the game today and proved it the way it should have been done…he earned it.

He hates losing. He hates losing so much people hate him greatly for his will to win.

Don’t doubt him because he will competitively kill you.

Just ask the world after he hit big shot after big shot during the Olympics. Do you remember? You should.

There is a distinction in professional commitment between who wants to be good and and who wants to be great.

Damn right he’s great, but it hasn’t always been this way despite his prodigal roots.

Three air balls in Utah. Colorado and the adulterous aftermath. Phil Jackson’s book. Shaq’s indifference. USA basketball pressure. Diminished respect in light of new NBA talent. Haters out the ass.

How many of us would close up shop and say the hell with it? How many of us would still be married? How many of us would have totally snapped after all the scrutiny and just settled into a good but not great career?

Not Kobe. Every failure became an inspiration to become the best in whatever next moment there is.

Like Lamar said, “Champagne on my shirt.” Sums it all up huh?

Something I asked him before USA Basketball headed to Vegas:

Michael Tillery: Kobe in terms of your development as an NBA player…obviously you are going to be one of the legendary players who has played the game. Do you look at these moments as something you focus on just a little bit more to try and challenge what already is a superior talent?

Kobe Bryant: “The way I approach it is I just stay in the moment. I look at the here and now.”

Simple, but complicated answer grounded in 2008-2009 critical NBA mass.

The critical moment in my opinion was his inability to hit free throws late in the Magic’s lone Finals victory for whatever reason.

His Larry Bird moment.

After Kobe missed 5 of 10 free throws in a Magic Game 2 win, Kobe went 16-16 the rest of the way.

Champion.

He did what he had to do. He didn’t make excuses. He stepped his game up by getting out early before Game 3 and shooting from the line until he knew he wouldn’t miss again and let his team down.

He never smiled. He scowled, frowned, pushed, smacked, banged and didn’t crack.

“It feels like a big ole’ monkey was off my back!” Kobe said with comedic validation while fielding questions in the post game presser.

He finally could smile. Yeah it was personal. He cares less what any of you think of him that is seen as negative. That specifically means the media. A media who has tried to bring him down any chance it collectively gets. You should have heard some of the questions posed to him this year.

How some of these people have jobs is beyond me, but that’s besides the point.

Yeah he was tired. What is to be expected after so much time with the soul rock?

Phil Jackson cut his minutes this season. He’s played 200 plus NBA games the last year…excluding the Olympics…and it was all for this moment.

Nothing would stop him.

It’s inspiring. Kobe inspires me though his commitment. I acclimate his desire for excellence and funnel it through my need to learn how to become the best writer I can be. Right now, I’m Dwight Howard just out of high school and I know I have to put in the time to advance immaterial “potential”. Nothing is given to you. Nothing. There is no easy way. If you were in fact given something early on, there is going to be a moment where your ability will be questioned and it’s up to you to summon whatever is inside of you to see it through. No whining, crying, making excuses or any of that.

Set the bar high and achieve it.

Kobe has set the NBA bar so incredibly high it’s gonna take something really special to surpass his weathered eyes and mind of determined fury.

Not getting along with his own Mom and Pop?

Check.

Committing adultery in front of the world?

Check.

Losing all his endorsements?

Check.

Haters calling him selfish for scoring 81(second all time) points in a win where he shoots 28-46? What?

Check.

Steve Nash winning two MVP awards?

Check.

Dirk Nowitzki winning the next year? Seriously?

Check.

Dwyane Wade winning Finals MVP with his former teammate Shaq in support?

Check.

Tim Duncan shutting up and playing until the final buzzer 4 seasons past?

Check.

Olympic hatred from our own people here in America?

Check.

Boston winning by 39 on their way to a championship he thought was his?

Check.

Tell me how my ass tastes?

Check.

LeBron James winning MVP a year after Bryant took the Lakers to the Finals and was the definitive favorite this season? Huh?

Check.

Ron Ron and the Rockets attempting to take the Lakers mental and physical will?

Check.

Denver trading for Chauncey Billups just to beat his squad?

Check.

Mizzo and everyone else calling the Lakers soft defensively?

Check.

He can’t win it without Shaquille?

Check.

Kobe has dealt with a lot of BS…self induced and otherwise…but has fought through the drama to become one of the most unique champions we’ve had since Mike.

Wade had Shaq.

He too has help. He wouldn’t have won the title without the contributions of all of his mates…Pau Gasol, LO, Trevor and Derek Fisher specifically…but his leadership and drive was the strike force on a team led by arguably the greatest NBA coach of all time.

It’s not that Phil Jackson is lucky. He’s won championships with Mike and Scottie (6), Shaq and Kobe (3) and now has one with Kobe, Gasol and Lamar.

Jackson is a perfectionist so he’s not one to deal with stretched out drama. If you remember or have read stories of Phil Jackson the player, you know he didn’t take any stuff from anyone. He expected nothing but the best and when you are coaching, you want to bypass everything that prohibits a player from properly focusing on winning the championship.

In Kobe Bryant, he has an athlete who encompasses everything great. Kobe leads by example. He’s a coach and has had to learn what leadership is all about. Emulating Michael Jordan, Kobe in his mind has dissected the game in ways one could only imagine.

James Beale of the City Paper here in Philly and I were trying to simplify what Kobe sees on the floor and James mentioned that it’s quite possible Kobe sees the floor as a grid.

Kobe may drive on an angle here or bank a shot there. Pass here or bomb a three there. Implement players into that grid and his thoughts become more streamlined to navigate the obstacles before him. It’s not that he diminishes NBA talent, he just knows what to do in a moment regardless of who is guarding him from studying film like no other.

Kobe is as close to Michael Jordan at this stage in his career as we will most likely see…well at least until LeBron gets his bearings and advances his learning curve.

Maybe you do in fact have to go through something. Life slows down the game. I tell my kids there is no such thing as athletic pressure.

Pressure is a fireman in a dark hot child screaming room or a construction worker working 100 stories high on two hours sleep. Pressure is not sports.

You have to become the moment and make it yours. Two seconds left on the clock, down one and walking to the line with 20,000 screaming fans moving frantically beyond the glass with hate in their eyes? You better want it. You better not shrink up. Let ‘em hang and bang two with grown man courage.

Not many athletes see it that way. Maybe it’s the way they were raised. Maybe it’s entitlement but regardless of what the case may be, there are few players who want the entire universe on their back with it all on the line.

One of them is Kobe. The only other true champion in the NBA is Tim Duncan. Everyone else is questionable.

The crazy thing is, Kobe is still in his prime. Judge yourselves accordingly because he ain’t done yet. All that GOAT stuff is a bunch of BS but trust…he’s coming for you Mike.

How it all ends up is up to him.

Flagrant Fouls: None
Technical Fouls: PLAYERS: 2 ORLANDO ( H Turkoglu 1 ) LALAKERS ( T Ariza 1 ) - TEAMS (def3sec): None - COACHES: None
Officials: Ken Mauer , Dan Crawford , Joe Derosa
Attendance: 17,461
Time of Game: 02:31

That was me when Magic went 42, 15 and 7 to go along with Silk’s 37 and 10 rips. My little black and white TV went out because I smacked the mess out of it and watched Magic smile historically on my sister’s TV as she slept. Still stings.

Damn right I cried. Cried like I had on one of those onesy jawns you could moonwalk with…yeah the ones my two rock heads used to wear. Damn Messy Marvins…

Oh, my bad.

Yeah, I wanted it for Doc. I wanted it for Philly. For the Lakers to do it on our floor had me sick until ‘83. Matters were made worse when the Dodgers beat the Yankees in ‘81. I can still see that punk ass penguin Ron Cey round the bases after hitting a bomb moments after Steve Yeager hit one of his own out to left.

Point being is these are the games that make or break a young fans view of history. Obviously, the Magic won’t be thinking along these lines when they tape up tonight, but it is what it is.

They might not get back ala Dan Marino if they don’t ball out tonight. It’s never over is what I say. Your blood should be left on the floor if need be. This is what you love the game for right?

You’ll be able to tell a lot about everyone’s commitment watching this game. You’ll see it in their eyes, emotions, movements, how they listen in the huddle, shoot free throws, go to the hole, fouling, diving on the floor…

Despite Kobe’s shooting going from bad to worse the last three games, he will get off tonight. He will be the Great White smelling blood 20 miles away…evidenced by how he took the ball from Dwight just so bully the other night. Ain’t no time for friends, fans, autographs and all that BS.

It’s money time.

Black Mamba time.

Winning the championship time in one of the strangest, but entertaining seasons in a long time.

The Lakers will obviously pressure Rashard Lewis into bad choices. They know as he goes, so do the Magic.

Dwight! Can you get 30 and 20 with 5 blocks one of these games bruh? Damn…

Derek Fisher shows what kind of pro he’s been over the course of his career. Think about it: how many times have you seen him pull up from deep off the break? Not many times right? Champion.

Pau Gasol has convinced me he is one of the most talented fours in the league. He’s definitely skilled and a great compliment to Kobe. Dude has done his job.

Trevor Ariza pretty much assured he’ll get a substantial raise this offseason. He’s played very effectively on both ends. I love it when an athlete turns the corner and realizes his worth to the game. Ariza is there right now.

Lamar Odom has been somewhat inconsistent but has stepped up in big moments. If they win tonight, he will be emotional. Very emotional. Trust.

Andrew Bynum hasn’t been able to get off because the refs have told him to get off the floor after so many phantom fouls, but he’ll learn from this and hopefully will spend a lot of time with Kareem this off season so he becomes the all star he’s destined to be.

What can you say about Phil? He’s on the cusp of replacing one of the greatest NBA icons in Red Auerbach if his team is victorious. He won’t over coach tonight. You know how he does with the timeouts. Even if the Magic go on a crazy run, he might wait for the TV timeout to get his team back on track. Don’t get it twisted, the Lakers aren’t taking this game for granted. They will play the same as if they are down 3-1. They don’t want to reminisce pissed about how the Celtics took what most thought would be their ring. I thought that was crazy because of how Boston put that team together, but hey that’s me.

On the Magic side of the ball, who plays more tonight? Jameer or Skip? Look, Stan Van Gundy is loyal to his team despite notorious public criticisms of his players. They are in the Finals right? He’s going with Jameer because he trusts him. He’s loyal to Chester PA’s finest. Jameer gets the ball in Dwight’s hands and if the big fella keeps the ball up high and starts taking no shorts, he’ll foul out the damn world. Cats all over the place will put their warm ups on as if they did the hackin’.

Skip whatcha gonna do fam?

Does it matter if the Magic have yet to lose three straight all season?

Hedo Turkoglu and Howard have to make quicker decisions out of the pick and roll to prohibit the above from happening. Do they pass, shoot, what? Both look tentative at times. I’ve noticed Dwight not looking for the ball immediately in the post off the roll. I don’t get that. Bang out bruh, bang out.

Mickael Pietrus has done a great job of making Kobe work on the defensive end and has shot the damn lights out with swag from time to time. Who will be the key tonight? Pietrus? Courtney Lee? Nelson? Skip? Howard? SVG? Who?

Van Gundy must coach the same way he’s been coaching all year. The Lakers are gonna come out hot. The Magic have been very resilient in these playoffs but I’m not convinced they want this enough. It’s not that there’s a lack of effort, but realize the damn moment and take what’s yours.

Nope.

Always bet on black. I thought I would see more heart out of the Magic in this series. You see it in spurts, but when you have a team down you have to go for the kill.

Beans will.

Kobe Bryant and the Lakers close out the series 104-99 and win the NBA Championship.