The injustice continues with the lack of minority head coaches hired in college football

By L.A. Batchelor
sports.yourblackworld.com

On Saturday, December 30Th, The UCLA Bruins hired former alumnus and Rick Neuheisel to replace another alumnus, Karl Dorrell who was fired Dec. 3 after five seasons on the job.The irony of the hiring is Dorrell caught two of Neuheisel's scoring passes in UCLA's 45-9 victory over Illinois in the 1984 Rose Bowl. Neuheisel was the starting quarterback and Rose Bowl MVP. The connection ends there but the hypocrisy continues..............in the world of college football.

How can The Bruins really justify this hire? How could the MAFIA a.k.a. NCAA continue to turn their head to Universities who continually ignore talented and able minority coaches for head coaching positions and hire white coaches with either no experience, no real success or a disgraceful, dishonest, dishonorable or dubious coaching past. In my view, Mr. Neuheisel fits into the latter.

Neuheisel was fired in the summer of 2003 from the University of Washington for participating in a neighborhood pool for the NCAA Basketball Tournament . He first denied the accusation to investigators before admitting to it after consultation with school officials.

How could a University trust a man who clearly violates NCAA rules and then misleads investigators to further hide the truth? Can you actually tell me there are no minority coaches available right now who would have been better candidates for the UCLA Head coaching position. Dennis Green coach at Stanford, Ron Rivera played in the AC-10, Doug Williams did a solid job at Grambling and what about Norm Chow, one of the great minds behind the success of The Bruins biggest rivalry............The Trojans of USC.

The justification of hiring Neuheisel couldn't possibly be based on the fact he's been an assistant coach in The NFL because all the qualified candidates I mentioned have similar experience including Dorrell who spent time in Denver with The Broncos. Dennis Green's resume is even more attractive because he's been a head coach in The NFL.

The real truth and reality is alumni and boosters who finance most Universities along with Athletic Directors and other school officials still believe minorities in particular African Americans lack the knowledge, intelligence and leadership ability to be a HEAD COACH especially at the Division I level. It's ok to hire them(minorities) as a head coach at a Division II or HBCU school but not on what is deemed as a "big time" program.

The other actuality is like in everyday America, some whites feel more comfortable working and interacting with those who look like them. It's almost like today's political scene. Some whites will vote for Hillary, McCain or Huckabee because they are "one of us"......white(woman, southern,conservative, etc), some blacks will vote for Barack Obama because he's "one of us(black) and some Hispanics or Latinos will even vote for Governor Bill Richardson because he's "one of us"(Latino/Hispanic).
We choose comfortability rather than morality in some cases in life daily and the lack of minority head football coaches in Division I college football is no exception.

What I find equally as unfair and disturbing is when given the opportunity to hire a white male for a head coaching job in the lower division levels in college athletics or at HBCU'S, the percentage is much more fair and balanced.
In the end, UCLA will want you to believe the hiring of Rick Neuheisel was based on some measure of success as a college coach and because he is an alumnus of the school. All legitimate reasons under normal circumstances in fair situations. This is obviously not one of those.

Randy Moss Named Athlete of the Year for 2007

With all the hype the white media has given Tom Brady, almost no one noticed the greatness of Randy Moss. Tom Brady is a quarterback for the ages, but there is no substitute for Randy Moss. The embattled receiver has been the reason for the season for Tom Brady, as he gave him one of the most coveted targets in the NFL.

Drafted entirely too far into the 1998 draft, it was clear that Moss was going to be a great receiver. Putting up Jerry Rice numbers during his rookie season put all teams on notice that they'd made a huge mistake by not drafting this amazing receiver.

This was the year when a beautiful professional marriage was delivered, as the New England Patriots looked beyond the controversy and brought Moss to the Patriots. As a result, the Patriots put themselves into position to break a record that has not been touched for 35 long and grueling years. Before Moss, the Patriots were strong, but they've never been in position to do the things they can do now, and Brady would never have reached his record had it not been for the unbelievable guy going deep on every other pass.

Randy Moss is clearly the best player in the NFL and the top athlete in America, at least in 2007. That is why he is The Your Black World Athlete of the Year.

I'm tired of this Patriots s**t!

This Patriots s**t is out of control!
By L.A. Batchelor
sports.yourblackworld.com

Whether you are a New England Patriot fan or not, aren't you tired of the rhetoric and propaganda surrounding this "pursuit of perfection" goal the media is determined to keep in our face and conscious? Yes with the Giants winning last week to secure there ticket to the playoffs, surely means the Patriots have no one standing in there way of winning their 17Th game and finishing with a perfect REGULAR SEASON. But that's all it is..........A PERFECT REGULAR SEASON. I am offended and disgusted by ESPN, The NFL and the mainstream media for master minding the propaganda by comparing this year's Patriots team to some of the great teams of the past including the '72 Dolphins. ESPN added insult to injury, declaring the Patriots as the victors in most cases if they faced these gladiators from the past head to head.The '72 Dolphins were as good if not better coached, The '78 Steelers were more balanced on offense and much more dominant and superior on defense and Bill Walsh 49ERS were as explosive and creative on offense then this years Patriots team. This is most disturbing because the Patriots haven't won anything yet.

And you would think this Saturday's game is the Super Bowl, BCS or NCAA Basketball Championship considering the conviviality, fraternization and good-fellowship the three networks are displaying by televising the game on their networks. I mean the presidential debates haven't receive such attention and camaraderie and all they are attempting is to be the next President of the United States. But that's not important right?

Have The Patriots won more regular season games then anyone else? Of course, but they played three more games then the '72 Dolphins did when they were perfect and that perfection extended from the regular season, to the playoffs and eventually a Super Bowl victory but we can't say that yet about The Patriots. If The Patriots in win Saturday and finish perfect for the 2007 regular season I applaud them for that accomplishment. But they have much more work to do because the season is not over in fact for 11 other teams, it's just getting started. This is something the media has forgotten and the Patriots better not forget because as I stated in previous writings, anything short of WINNING the Super Bowl not only makes the Patriots IMPERFECT, it also EXCLUDES them from the discussion, dialog and elite status of the consideration of the great teams from the past and INCLUDES them with just another good team who fell short.

The Twelve days of Christmas

The Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas the Sports World Gave to me:
A conviction of Michael Vick I cannot see

On the second day of Christmas the Sports World Gave to me:
Clemens guilty of the "ROIDS"

And A conviction of Michael Vick I cannot see

On the third day of Christmas the Sports World Gave to me:
Spurs champions again

Clemens guilty of the "ROIDS"

And A conviction of Michael Vick I cannot see

On the fourth day of Christmas the Sports World Gave to me:
Tigers Continuing dominance

Spurs champions again

Clemens guilty of the "ROIDS"

And A conviction of Michael Vick I cannot see

On the fifth day of Christmas the Sports World Gave to me:
IIIIIIIIIMUS STUPIDITY!

Tigers Continuing dominance

Spurs champions again

Clemens guilty of the "ROIDS"

And A conviction of Michael Vick I cannot see

On the sixth day of Christmas the Sports World Gave to me:
NBA dirty referee

IIIIIIIIIMUS STUPIDITY!

Tigers Continuing dominance

Spurs champions again

Clemens guilty of the "ROIDS"

And A conviction of Michael Vick I cannot see

On the seventh day of Christmas the Sports World Gave to me:
Bonds still looks guilty

NBA dirty referee

IIIIIIIIIMUS STUPIDITY!

Tigers Continuing dominance

Spurs champions again

Clemens guilty of the "ROIDS"

And A conviction of Michael Vick I cannot see

On the eighth day of Christmas the Sports World Gave to me:
App tames the Wolverines

Bonds still looks guilty

NBA dirty referee

IIIIIIIIIMUS STUPIDITY!

Tigers Continuing dominance

Spurs champions again

Clemens guilty of the "ROIDS"

And A conviction of Michael Vick I cannot see

On the ninth day of Christmas the Sports World Gave to me:
Marion Jones has to give up the gold

App tames the Wolverines

Bonds still looks guilty

NBA dirty referee

IIIIIIIIIMUS STUPIDITY!

Tigers Continuing dominance

Spurs champions again

Clemens guilty of the "ROIDS"

And A conviction of Michael Vick I cannot see

On the tenth day of Christmas the Sports World Gave to me:
The Patriots are caught spying in "SPYGATE"

Marion Jones has to give up the gold

App tames the Wolverines

Bonds still looks guilty

NBA dirty referee

IIIIIIIIIMUS STUPIDITY!

Tigers Continuing dominance

Spurs champions again

Clemens guilty of the "ROIDS"

And A conviction of Michael Vick I cannot see

On the eleventh day of Christmas the Sports World Gave to me:
"Thrice is nice" for Appalachian State

The Patriots are caught spying in "SPYGATE"

Marion Jones has to give up the gold

App tames the Wolverines

Bonds still looks guilty

NBA dirty referee

IIIIIIIIIMUS STUPIDITY!

Tigers Continuing dominance

Spurs champions again

Clemens guilty of the "ROIDS"

And A conviction of Michael Vick I cannot see

On the twelveth day of Christmas the Sports World Gave to me:
Dungy finally gets the Championship he deserves

"Thrice is nice" for Appalachian State

The Patriots are caught spying in "SPYGATE"

Marion Jones has to give up the gold

App tames the Wolverines

Bonds still looks guilty

NBA dirty referee

IIIIIIIIIMUS STUPIDITY!

Tigers Continuing dominance

Spurs champions again

Clemens guilty of the "ROIDS"

And A conviction of Michael Vick I cannot see

Please stop this mess...I'm ready for some football!

Photo courtesy of DMN

Remember when the lines were drawn between sports and entertainment? The two were separate entities. Then there were guys who made the lines flirt with each other. Take the great Jim Brown, the former Cleveland Brown running back who left the NFL to make movies (Lawd!). Oh, and 'Broadway' Joe Namath, the former NY Jets' QB whose nickname, love for the babes and booze, and mink coat spoke volumes until retirement turned him down.

Contemporary issues are blurring those lines more everyday. Today, they're not just flirting. Heck, if I didn't know better I'd say sports and entertainment snuck off to a Las Vegas drive-thru chapel and got hitched.

Exhibit A: Terrell Owens, Tony Romo, and his new boo, pop star Jessica Simpson. Oh, and the pink #9 jersey. Not just in the news, but in the same story.

First reported by a couple of local beat writers from the Dallas Morning News, they said T.O. wasn't joking when he said Simpson took away Romo's focus, and she's not a welcomed sight to fans and [some] players, too. With a pink #9 jersey, the new millennium Daisy Dukes was at Texas Stadium for the Cowboys/Eagles game. Noticing the cameras on her, she stood up to shake her money-makers (boobs), put the jersey on display, and yelled "Romo!" That was a game in which the Cowboys couldn’t score a touchdown to save a life and lost to the Eagles 10-6. Same team Dallas lost to when Carrie Underwood (his former boo) showed up last Christmas.

Ending his sideline chatter with the few reporters who remained, T.O. said "I've got a message for her when we make the playoffs. Stay tuned."

Oh, oh! Even though T.O. has the good sense to know Simpson's not the sole blame for their loss, he said it to make light. But that was like that hot pot of grits Al Green involuntarily took to the body back in the day-smoking hot. World wide websites and printing presses (probably now overheated) couldn't spit it out fast enough. ESPN swallowed it whole and regurgitated it after every commercial break. Don't forget the entertainment news shows.

All that despite efforts of a few of the Dallas reporters there trying to put out the fire on any local Dallas radio station that would listen. That T.O. WAS laughing when he made those comments. It was just all (sound) bite and no bark!

But, we were subjected to this mess for three days.

I guess T.O. ain't allowed to be funny. Other than Michael Irvin, I think this is one Dallas Cowboy receiver who can't pass gas without it being national headline news. Something so humanly common is blown out of proportion when it comes to him.

So, on the fourth day, Thursday, T.O. makes a public apology. Really, the connection between him and Romo is still all good. They need each other. It's almost playoff time. As for Simpson, I don't think T.O. has to worry about helping Romo wipe her weeping eyes. Shoot, he just gave her a multitude of publicity that may (gulp) hike her record sales. Has she put out one lately? Or wait, she might even get away with putting out a remix of "These Boots are Made for Walking."

Jessica, just thank T.O. and all media outlets in advance for any music/video awards you'll stumble upon (and judging from the Macy's commercial, you're pretty good at it) and wish all a very Merry Christmas. And, stay away from the next game in Carolina. And Washington. For the remaining playoff games, allow Jerry Jones' PR staff to locate a nice spot, away from the Stadium, to host a watch party for you and your other family members tagging along for this Ride with Romo.

For the love of NFL, we just wanna watch the damn game!

A non-story which shouldn't have gone that far. In my opinion, it's so not sports journalism/reporting. It's tabloid-ish. A hot ghetto mess. And no you don’t have to be Black to be ghetto. It's a state of mind.

Such minds that'll send sports journalism to hell if we're not careful.

The time for Bobby Bowden to leave Florida State is now

By L.A. Batchelor
Sports.yourblackworld.com


If there ever was a time for the legendary Bobby Bowden to step down as head football coach of The Florida State Seminoles. The Seminoles are coming off yet another sub-par season and the fans and alumni are not happy.

To add insult to injury, the Noles take there mediocre 7-5 record into the unfamiliar Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl Dec 31st to face Kentucky without 20 of there players suspended because their roles in an academic cheating scandal involving an Internet-based course leaving coach Bowden and the rest of the team in a shorthanded situation.

The decline of the program has been a steady downward spiral as Florida State finished with less than 10 wins for the fourth consecutive season after posting 10 wins or more from 1987-2000.

I can’t believe the brain trust of Florida State would allow such mediocrity to go on for so long without putting pressure on Coach Bowden and making him realize like Tom Landry of the Cowboys, Chuck Knoll and others alike, had to make the tough but right decision to step down.

Now I know the Seminoles have designated Florida State offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher as Bowden's eventual successor but The Seminoles could also seize the opportunity to hire an African American head coach who either has little or extensive experience in the past. Hey, if The Miami Hurricanes can do it, why can’t the Seminoles?

A veteran coach like Dennis Green and a new comer like Karl Dorrell are just two names that are more than capable of taken on the daunted task of rebuilding a program that still has the talent, prestige and resources to once again become one of the nation’s elite programs.

Becoming one of the elite football programs in the country starts with the resignation of Coach Bobby Bowden. He was good for the game in the past but not good for the growth and progression of the Florida State Football program for the future.

Next on the “please resign” list, Washington Redskins head football coach, Joe Gibbs.

Kevin Blackistone from ESPN Sets the Record Straight

After seeing the letter from one of our writers at YourBlackWorld, my man Kevin Blackistone wanted to set the record straight on his perceptions of the Sean Taylor case. Kevin is a sports guru for AOL and XM Satellite. He is also a regular on the popular ESPN show "Around the Horn".

Kev and I were on CNN together a few months ago trying to figure out why the NFL still has work to do when it comes to hiring black coaches. At the same time, I would argue that it is the NCAA that refuses to let go of it's racist traditions.

Without further ado, here is the article that Kevin wrote on Sean Taylor:


Sean Taylor and Timothy Spicer lived and worked in metropolitan D.C., Taylor as star safety for Washington’s famous pro football team and Spicer as a short-order cook for a famous Washington eatery, Ben’s Chili Bowl.

Eric Rivera, Jr., 17, shown in the preliminary court hearing, was identified by the grand jury as the gunman in the murder of NFL star Sean Taylor.

Both were young; Taylor 24 and Spicer 25. Both enjoyed nice cars that young men often do; Taylor had a Yukon Denali and Spicer drove a shiny ‘94 Caprice on big silvery rims. Both young men were black.

And both are dead now, murdered.

Taylor died in the wee hours Tuesday morning in Miami from a gunshot wound he suffered early Monday from what authorities said was an intruder in Taylor's Miami-area home.

Spicer died two Saturdays ago in Washington after he was found shot multiple times as the victim of a carjacking of his Caprice.

The only reason the country learned of Taylor's death is his celebrity. Spicer's death remained local news, the 169th murder in D.C. this year, or as many as occurred here last year.

But Taylor and Spicer are as linked in tragedy as they were as young black men working in D.C. trying to make it to another day. Gun violence is the No. 1 killer of black men like Taylor and Spicer.

According to most recent disseminated data by the Center for Disease Control, Taylor and Spicer will be two of roughly 4,000 black homicide victims in the country this year killed by guns. Most, of course, won't be a pro athlete like Taylor but an everyman like Spicer.

It didn't matter if they were rich or working-class, went to college or dropped out of high school, lived in a near million dollar home with a remote control gate or in mom's apartment in a tough quarter of town. It didn’t matter if one was strapping, strong and fast as the wind and the other was more like everyone else.

It didn't matter if they were famous or known to only a few. It didn't matter if they were living their dreams or still chasing them. They didn't escape the pathology.

On the face of it, as news of Taylor being shot rolled through the 24-hour news cycle, it sounded as if Taylor shouldn't have succumbed to such a menace. His father worked in law enforcement. Taylor went to a prep high school and a private college, Miami. He was a multi-million-dollar athlete and even his dalliance with lawbreaking and gun brandishing was said to be something of his recent past. He was a father now too. He had someone to live for forever besides himself. But what do we know?

"Sometimes we assume that because one is raised a certain way one is going to come out a certain way," the recently retired NFL star receiver Keyshawn Johnson, now ESPN football analyst, told me by phone on Tuesday. "Look at Andy Reid's kids. He's coach of the Philadelphia Eagles and they're (sons) selling drugs out of the house. You can't assume that because Sean's dad was a police chief that his life…would be different. It depends on how you approach it." Johnson knows all too well. He was reared in the toughest section of South Los Angeles. He survived being shot twice. He was stuck up outside of his favorite barbershop with his kids in tow.

"You just become an easy target," Johnson said of being an athlete or any well-known person of means.
Darrent Williams was a Denver Broncos' defensive back doing a responsible thing while out last New Year’s enjoying the night. He was in a limousine. A wrong word or misunderstanding in a club turned into bullets fired into his ride. He was killed. He was Taylor's age and another statistic in the deadly demographic.

In the wake of Williams' death, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell expressed alarm at the senseless gun death of a league player and of run-ins with the law involving guns that other players were going through. Not long after came defensive back Pacman Jones' incident at a Las Vegas club that left one man shot and paralyzed.

But this isn't, unfortunately, just a problem of professional athletics, Johnson pointed out. It is bigger than one genre of livelihood.

"You have to be very cautious…about your surroundings and about the company you do keep. You can’t worry about feeling like people are going to look at you and say, 'He's made it now so he doesn't come around.' Well, isn't that the whole point? Secure your life and secure your family and move on? The point is to be able to be successful and make it."

Taylor appeared to have reached that point. Spicer was still working at it with a budding clothing business and dreams of – what else? – producing rap music.
Now both are in the same sad statistical pool. A Miami black neighborhood was planning this week to protest three recent fatal police shootings of young black men. It may want to protest the shooting of young black men by other young black men, which is far more prevalent, when it is through.


There was a lot of outpouring of support almost immediately for Taylor. A candlelight vigil was held. A funeral that will be covered by the national media is probably being planned.

Some athletes interviewed about Taylor's demise served up the trite words we're accustomed to after such a horrific event. They said it reminded that they just played a game and that other things were much more important. It put things in perspective, the choir sang. It shouldn’t have, of course. These things in sports never should. Other things are always more important.

Sports are not a separate thread in the fabric of society. They are no more than another spec of alloy in the mirror that reflects it all.

Sean Taylor as well as Timothy Spicer were the latest victims in what is a near epidemic among young black men. If anything good can come from Taylor's demise it will be that more of us pay as much attention to, and express as much outrage and sadness for, the Spicers where we live too.

Kevin B. Blackistone is a regular panelist on ESPN's Around the Horn, an XM Satellite Radio host and a frequent sports opinionist on other outlets like National Public Radio and The Politico. A former award-winning sports columnist for The Dallas Morning News, he currently lives in Hyattsville, Md.

Yet Another MLB Player Admits to Juicing it Up

Yankees pitcher Andy Petitte recently admitted trying Human Growth Hormone in 2002. He says that he only used it for 2 days while recovering from an injury. His admission came right after the release of the Mitchell Report, in which he was cited as being one of the many Major League Baseball players getting doped up on the side.

I believe that he used the drug for just two days as much as I believe that Bill Clinton didn't inhale. It appears that the vogue thing to do is to admit what you have to, but only after you get caught.

I love watching the house of cards fall, as this now proves that Barry Bonds was not alone in his use of steroids. The entire league is dirty and even this heavily biased report, which is full of conflicts of interest, has ripped more roaches than a crackhouse.

Barry is not the only druggie in sports. What's most interesting though is that Bill O'Reilly is quick to defend Roger Clemens, while he was quick to call Marion Jones unethical.

Again: He is a racist, plain and simple.

Blank gets a pass, Petrino gets the bird!

Posted by The Sports Diva

Sports/shock columnist Jason Whitlock never lets me down, and like on most occasions, I disagree with some of his recent comments in his recent piece. He implied it was Michael Vick who set the roof on fire at the Georgia Dome and let that mutha burn and everything that's set the Atlanta Falcons back 10 years since April is his doing. So, owner Arthur Blank should be the hero? Bobby Petrino should get a pass, despite the fact that in his inaugural season as NFL coach, he deserted his team with three games remaining only to return from whence he came-college?

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7559392

I'll admit Blank deserves every bit of a break. Considering the crises he's endured, from the Vick mess and now his head coach flying the coupe, he deserves our sympathies. Shoot, I'll even give Blank a hall pass this time for his comments during the Saints/Falcons game Monday Night Football only hours after Vick's sentencing. Blank implied he won't slam the door on the possibility of Vick returning to the Falcons once he's a free bird and he can demonstrate he's in healthy football shape, but "if he doesn't watch himself and eat a lot of fried chicken and fries, in prison and he comes out 215 pounds, then he's not going to be the same athlete he was."

Look Blank's post-traumatic stress levels are probably at an all time high. But there are no racist implications. Now if Blank verbally illustrated a correlation between Vick and a jar of pickled pig feet or plate of chitlins, collard greens, and watermelon with a glass of red soda…

Then Reverends Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have my blessings!

As a native Texan, I know us Southern folks-Black and White- eat fried chicken; I, too, have a personal relationship with it. Furthermore, prisons serve chicken. It certainly puts the pounds on you. And Blank. Who knows? He probably goes on chicken binges himself.

But, no pass no play for Petrino. We know Vick is what attracted him to the job. And granted, he didn't have a crystal ball on hand so he didn't expect Vick's transgressions to ruin his plans. Sure as heck didn't see him going to prison. He didn't harm any animals, but Whitlock and others in his amen corner should be examined if they believe Petrino isn't as much (or more) of a liar as Vick was labeled-who's mainly at fault for being too loyal to his homies and just plain stupid in his decision making. Petrino-he was stupid in his decision making but disloyal to Blank, the team, and the Falcon fans. Players' explanation of his abrupt departure via a sorry ass letter- typed and not even close to a five paragraph essay. Before Monday's game, after hearing of the rumors of Petrino courting the Arkansas job, Blank asked Petrino if he'd be around to ride out the storm with them. "You have a coach," said Petrino. Maybe that was the clue Blank didn't pick up on; he didn't specify how long he'd stick around. Hoodwinked, used and 'abused' less than 24 hours later.

Vick never intentionally 'quit' or 'resigned' from his job as a Falcon; he was asked not to return. And even though he knew this season was doomed as well, I doubt Vick consulted Petrino on an exit strategy to get the heck out of dodge. He had his own issues to deal with.

Petrino quit voluntarily. He was a smoking gun and like a thief in the night, he robbed an entire organization of trust when he threw up the two finger deuce and boarded the plane to chop it up pig "suey" style past 10 at night to announce his new play things: the kids, student-athletes at the University of Arkansas.

So for that, he doesn't deserve a pass. Current and potential Razorbacks don't deserve to stare at the question mark that'll follow Petrino around the gridiron grounds of Fayetteville. Will he stay or will he go?

A vagabond- a mover and a shaker coach like him who'd pull an about face- should serve as a plate of caution to parents whose sons will be the next student-athletes. Don't just settle on a university with a big television contract, but also a coach/leader/mentor with stability, especially in 'unique' situations. Sticking around through the tough times (i.e. losing seasons, adversity) ain't likely in Petrino's forte.

Before this (one season) disaster in lone NFL stint, he was a great coach in college at Louisville, with a 41-9 record in four seasons. So will you still give Petrino a pass to have a seat on your couch, promise your son's in good hands, but not really certain if his firm handshake at the conclusion of his speech is the most honest?

I wouldn't let him sit on my couch.

Even if the plastic was still on it!

Blank gets a pass, Petrino gets the bird!

Sports/shock columnist Jason Whitlock never lets me down, and like on most occasions, I disagree with some of his recent comments. In his piece Whitlock implied it was Michael Vick who set the roof on fire at the Georgia Dome and let that mutha burn; everything that's set the Atlanta Falcons back 10 years is his doing. So, owner Arthur Blank should be the hero. Bobby Petrino a pass, despite the fact that in his inaugural season as NFL coach, he deserted his team with three games remaining to return to the college ranks.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7559392

I'll admit Blank deserves every bit of a break. Considering the crises he's endured within months, from the Vick mess and now his head coach flying the coupe, he deserves our sympathies. Shoot, I'll even give Blank a hall pass this time for his comments during the Saints/Falcons game Monday Night Football only hours after Vick's sentencing. Blank implied he won't slam the door on the possibility of Vick returning once he's a free bird and he can demonstrate he's in healthy football shape, but "if he doesn't watch himself and eat a lot of fried chicken and fries, in prison and he comes out 215 pounds, then he's not going to be the same athlete he was."

No racist implications there. There's every truth in it. Now if Blank verbally illustrated a correlation between Vick and a jar of pickled pig feet or plate of chitlins, collard greens, and watermelon with a glass of red soda…

Then Reverends Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have my blessings!

As a native Texan, I'm well aware us Southern folks-Black and White- eat fried chicken; it even expands outside the boundaries. Prisons serve it and it certainly puts the pounds on you. Heck, at one time I was almost "exhibit A." And Blank. Who knows? He probably goes on chicken binges himself.

But, no pass no play for Petrino. He didn't harm any animals, but Whitlock and others in his amen corner are out of their minds if they believe Petrino is less of a liar than Vick. Just ask the Falcons' players and the only explanation they got regarding his abrupt departure was via a sorry ass letter- typed and not even close to a five paragraph essay. Tap Blank on the shoulder and ask him, who asked Petrino point blank is he'd ride out the storm with them. After getting satisfactory reassurance, he was still hoodwinked, used and 'abused' less than 24 hours later.

Vick never intentionally 'quit' or 'resigned' from his job as a Falcon and I doubt if he consulted Petrino on an exit strategy. He has his own issues to deal with.

Petrino was a smoking gun and like a thief in the night, he stole the trust of an entire organization when he boarded the plane to chop "suey" and announce his new play things-the kids, student-athletes, at the University of Arkansas.

Unless you simply desire your son being on prime time TV, Petrino or any coach with characteristics of a vagabond-who'd pull such an about face- should serve as a warning to parents who're looking for a stable figure, especially in 'unique' situations.

Will you give him a pass to sit on your couch? I doubt I would. Even if the plastic was still on it. He gets the bird!

Haters Be Ware: Now You Can’t just Look at Barry

Major League Baseball’s Mitchell Report, which blows the roof off steroid use, has as much scandal and intrigue as a novel by Karrine “Superhead” Stephens. For the non-geto fab inclined, Stephens wrote a book called “Confessions of a Video Vixen”, which exposed the dirty little secrets of many entertainers and celebrities with whom she’d “become acquainted”.

Apparently, “Superhead” has been “one-upped” by the Mitchell Report. Rather than the secret and forbidden pleasure being a sexy woman with brown skin, it is a slender syringe with clear fluid. The dirty little secret, otherwise known as steroids, is nothing short of a deal with the Devil, promising fame, riches, power and prominence in the halls of Major League Baseball. No sexual hormones, just human growth hormones. With both hormones being equally seductive.

Barry Bonds was, until today, one of the few individuals proven to have spent time with the mistress. But as I’ve mentioned all along, he wasn’t the only one hanging out in the brothel of performance enhancement. As a former coach, I saw many athletes exhibiting symptoms of “extra juice”: 40 year olds playing as if they were teenagers, former 90 pound weaklings showing up to camp looking like Sylvester Stallone, and guys hitting more homeruns in a season than they’d hit their entire career.

Of course, if you were to ask any of the 50 year old sports writers in America, all of whom were on the war path to paint Barry Bonds as the “unethical little black man” (something they do to at least 3 black athletes every single year), they would attribute the performances of Roger Clemens and others as being the product of hard work and commitment. But not Barry Bonds, who was considered by some to be the only cheater in the entire sport, and thus deserved to have his records tainted with an asterisk.

Sorry homeboy, now it’s time to look in the mirror. Your heroes are every bit as fraudulent as the hair piece you wear to Sports Center interviews. Your noble commissioner is every bit as compliant as the Bishop who doesn’t report the horny Priest. All of baseball was guilty during the “Era of the Asterisk”, and your efforts to write off and villify whistle-blower Jose Conseco have been muted forever. Jose might be the only honest person in the entire sport.
Of course there won’t be any deep reflection or remorse on the part of the self-righteous sports writer. He will continue to pass judgment on black athletes and question our character. I recall hearing a disgusting display on Monday Night Football about Michael Vick being a criminal and Reggie Bush needing to be taught hard work by Saints quarterback Drew Brees. I remember Randy Moss and Terrell Owens being treated worse than criminals when the public decided they were not “good boys”. I recall one conversation after another on CNN where I was being asked why black athletes display such poor ethics.

It turns out that when it comes to values and ethics, many black athletes should be teaching the lessons, not taking them. Go ask yourselves about THAT.

Dumb Athlete Award Goes to.......

Athletes just dont get it. They test you before every meet, sometimes every game. Why would Marion Jones put herself at risk to be put in a negative light? Its kinda like a regualr Joe taking a puff of some weed and losing his job after his employers test him except only his friends and co-workers will know about it instead of millions of people. I could go on and on about how dumb Marion Jones is but she knows it.

If the whole relay team that Marion Jones was on gets disqualified because of this. I would be beating a mutha*@*@ ass.

Was Bobby Petrino a Coward?

I just watched one of the ESPN analysts, Sean Salisbury, a guy that I don't even like very much, lay a verbal ass-whoopin on Bobby Petrino, former head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. In case you didn't hear, Petrino took over the Falcons job right as his super star was being indicted on dog fighting charges. Some say that he was disappointed to lose Vick, I say that he was just keeping the seat warm and clear so that he could draft Brian Brohm, the hot shot quarterback out of my hometown of Louisville, KY.

Anyway, the season was an absolute disaster, culminating with one of the most embarrassing and depressing appearances I've ever seen on Monday Night Football. Between the woeful commentary about Michael Vick, the empty stands and the pathetic play on the field, you thought you were watching your own child's funeral.

The very next day, Petrino ran off like a broke baby's daddy, abandoning the Falcons to take a job at The University of Arkansas. All I could say was "Damn." That's exactly what he did to my Louisville Cardinals.

The ESPN guys really let him have it, calling him a coward and letting his potential recruits know that he is the kind of guy who will bail when times get tough. I agree, it was pathetic.

The Pile on Continues against Michael Vick..........this time from the Judge in the case

Written by LA Batchelor: Morning Show Producer for "The Steve Harvey Morning Show" and production person for 105.7 KISS FM.

U.S. District Court Judge Henry Hudson sentenced Michael Vick to 23 months in a federal penitentiary. With time off for good behavior, Vick would be eligible for release in May of 2009. Don't bet on it.
Vick was doomed from the start. As Vick's attorney, Billy Martin, tried to explain that Vick had "accepted responsibility" for his role in the dogfighting scheme, Hudson interrupted, describing two specific statements Vick had made and the exact dates when he made them. In addition to the 23 months in a minimum-security penitentiary, Hudson ordered Vick to serve three years of "closely supervised probation."
That for a man who made a terrible mistake by fighting and killing dogs. Not humans, dogs. With all due respect to dog/animal lovers everywhere, I can't help but go back to the initial question after Vick pleaded guilty...............Does the punishment fit the crime? I would have to say it doesn't. The reality of the Vick case is that his punishment is not based on what he did but all the surrounding circumstances around the case. In respect to PETA and dog lovers, it was all about the death and distruction Vick cause those K-9's in dog fighting, but for the Pile-ons like Judge Hudson, it's all about some twisted justice in the end. His dishonesty about his involvement, his celebrity status and his huge contract and endorsements as a black man were the driving force behind what I called the "James Brown theory" or "THE BIG PAYBACK" in nailing Vick's proverbial BUTT to the cross. Some (not all) in white America hate what Vick represents. The young, successful and talented black man who succeeds in business making big money in a society where those who are narrow-minded feel they shouldn't. Judge Hudson is no different in his personal assessments of Michael Vick, how Vick feels and the level of remorse Vick expressed.
Even Michael Vick's personal apology did not impress Hudson. As Vick tried to make a statement, Hudson admonished him, saying he should "be apologizing to the millions of kids who idolize you."
Is that not personal? How many judges do you know remember what a defendant says verbatim? Not many. This is not a conspiracy it's a normalcy. Those in the positions of power like to continue the "CAUCASIAN PERSUASION". The "old boy network" is in full affect on and off the field and unfortunately, Michael Vick is just a causality of all of it.

Michael Vick is in no way innocent in this case. Bad judgement, bad influences and bad decisions have given easy access to the attackers trying to dismantle and discredit Vick but jail time and the amount of time given to Vick is UN-just.Who is the next Michael Vick? Who is the next young talented black athlete who gets caught in the web of fame, fortune, fun which can lead to distruction, negativity and ultimately the demise of the black athlete. Let's hope we learn from Michael Vick and these type of cases are few and far in between.

I wouldnt be Mad if you Left

Why do you play with the Nets Jason? Besides getting on Sportscenter every night via Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson yamming on somebody's head with a nasty dunk, What are you there for. I hope not a championship. The Nets used to be a staple in the Eastern Conference finals but Kenyon's gone, Richard Jefferson's numbers have gotten better but he's lost that edge you guys used to have. You need to relocate fam. The EAST is a weak conference, but its not so weak that you're gonna get to the Eastern Conference finals or the NBA finals. You need to leave. Fuck loyalty and whatever they're paying you. LEAVE. You're stil my favorite point guard. You could averaging a triple double on a great team. Why are you running in the same place when you could be looking behind at the rest of the NBA in the race to the Finals. You might wanna take a paycut and go to a new team. You're not gonna win with the Nets unless they make some changes that will a chip this season or next.

I TOLD YOU SO

Me and my homie Graham told a lot of people that Cory Brewer was GARBAGE. Everybody talked about how athletic he was in COLLEGE. Everybody said he played good defense in COLLEGE. Everybody said he had the potential to be good all around player in the NBA. Super negative. Corey Brewer aint shit. If I have a Lottery Pick, I'm going to get a guy that for ONE has a firm grip on fundamentals. Corey cant dribble or shoot past 19'9. Secondly I'm going to get a guy thats better than my 10th man. If I had a lottery pick, he damn sure better be showing some signs of body improvement. Corey Brewer is still 6-8 185 pounds. Who at the 2 or 3 position is he going to check effectively. Kobe and Tmac are 200 plus. Hell even Chauncey Billups, a point guard is 200 pounds. Also if the T-Wolves wanted him for defensive purposes. I could get a person with Second round talent to play defense. Why waste a LOTTERY pick on a dude that has mediocre athletic and defensive capability. And I forgot to mention once again that he cant shoot. Look at his NBA Numbers for this season

G GS MPG FG% 3p% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG
16 3 19.7 0.31 0.26 0.684 1.2 2.7 3.9 1.3 0.8 0.4 0.69 2.40 4.6

Now lets look at his Summer League Numbers and you tell me how much he sucks and the reason why I'm not surprised for this season's numbers

G GS MPG FG% 3p% FT% OFF DEF RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG
5 5 30.8 .281 .222 .840 2.4 7.2 9.6 3.0 0.6 0.8 4.00 3.00 11.0


Thats horrible for a lottery pick. If I was a GM, I wouldnt rely on that tricky word called potential because its burned us time and time again. Look at names like KWAME "Jordan made me cry" Brown, Michael Olowakandi, Jonathan Bender, Samaki Walker and the list goes on. The T-Wolves couldnt suck any worst right now. They gave up KG in order to get 3 good players(Bassy, Al Jefferson and Gerald Green). In the future draft somebody thats at least better than you're eighth man.

My response to Shaq's Rant

''If I'm taking 20 shots a game, and I'm only making two, then you can say my production is going down,'' O'Neal said. ``But I'm still shooting 60 or 65 percent from the field. So they've got to find better ways to get me the ball. It should be simple.'' -Shaq in an interview with the Miami Herald-

It worked a few seasons ago. The Miami Heat were able to play that same inside-out game and it worked because Dwayne Wade was healthy and getting every call in the phonebook, Shaq was playing a higher level and your role players were better.

NOW.......its time to retire Shaq. As the most dominant center in the history of basketball(No disrespect to Wilt, I just have'nt seen you play). Shaq you need a break. Go find a new wife, a personal trainer and work on your rap career like Ron Artest. I know you're not happy with the type of touches you get, but youre not playing that good right now. You could easily say that the Heat arent getting you the touches you need to get. You are shooting 60% on 10 attempts per game, but why would I give you more attempts if you're not in shape. You might get winded trying to score. Also how much effort does it really take to get you the ball? It "shouldnt" take that much but knowing that two or 3 players usually crowd you when you get the rock would deter me from passing to you at this point in your career. You're not that same Shaq who would take the whole team with you and score Now. You dont look like the The Big Diesel running up and down the court, you look like the Michelin Man at times. I see flashes of dominance but I havent seen much to validate you being paid that amount of money. I think you're a great player whose body has been beat up supremely over the years.

You need to retire.

Barry Bonds Pleads Not Guilty

Homerun King Barry Bonds pleaded not-guilty today of perjury and obstruction of justice charges. He has been accused of lying to a grand jury about using steroids.

The prosecutors in the case allege that Bonds tested positive for anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. Also, they claim to have evidence that he did so. In 2003, Bonds told the grand jury that he never knowingly used banned substances.

``Barry Bonds is innocent,'' said Bonds' attorney Allen Ruby. ``He has trust and faith in the justice system. We're confident of a good outcome.''


Bonds is charged with four counts of perjury and one count of obstruction. He may get a maximum of 5 years in prison for perjury and a $250,000 fine. The obstruction charge has a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Bail is set for Bonds at $500,000.

The allegations of steroid use has led some to question Bonds' records and claim that there should be an asterisk next to them. Critics of the idea, such as Syracuse University Professor Dr. Boyce Watkins, argue that such a mark would be ridiculous, since Major League Baseball is largely to blame for the increase in steroid use among players in the 1990s. "Their policy was weaker than a glass of water," says Watkins. "I argue that they didn't complain when guys were hitting 70 homeruns a year, since it helped them make money filling the stands."

OK, Bush got money, so what?

There is a new book coming out alleging that former USC superstar Reggie Bush received over $300,000 in financial benefits during his time at USC. The authors and others claim that this makes Bush unethical. OK, let's see, what's more unethical: That Bush got $300,000 under the table or that the university made over $100 million dollars off of Reggie Bush and didn't give his family jack? Pete Carroll, the USC coach probably earned $20 million dollars off Bush, the university probably earned $70 million and Reggie's mother is supposed to keep living in the projects?

What is the deal with the NCAA mafia and how they are allowed to take advantage of these athletes? If coaches were paid with scholarships, they would be outraged. So, why should the players, who risk life and limb, and who are the ones actually earning the money in the first place not get anything for their labor? When I watched USC, I never watched a single game to see the coach. I watched the games to see Reggie Bush. USC got paid because of that, and therefore, so should Reggie Bush's family. It's unAmerican to think otherwise.

Is it Just Me, or did anyone else notice that 3 of the 4 Heisman Candidates are White?

With the way that black men dominate college sports, is it noticed by anyone that they have to be supermen in order to get nominated for the Heisman? This year, 3 of the 4 candidates are white quarterbacks, even though there is a brother down at Central Florida who is about to break the all-time college rushing record. The same thing is true in the NFL, where people are much quicker to give props to Tom Brady than to Randy Moss, one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL History. It doesn't mean that Brady's not talented, he is. But this whole bias toward white quarterbacks is kind of silly. We all know that brothers run the joint.

Smith at Central Florida deserves to be on that list much more than Tim Tebow. That's a damn fact.

Just Show me the Bounce

DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN......his father must have been Kermit the Frog

Lebron James Gives to the Poor at Christmas

LeBron James, the superstar of the Cleveland Cavaliers has not forgotten his humble roots in the housing projects of Akron, Ohio, the Akron Beacon Journal reports. James funded and organized through his foundation, LeBron James Family Foundation, a unique community outreach effort last week at the University of Akron’s Student Union. The event called, ''Show Time. Meal Time. Family Time'' drew 525 area residents and specifically targeted homeless and disadvantaged children and their families.

Along with a delicious traditional Thanksgiving meal and dessert, tickets to the holiday film Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, courtesy of 20th Century Fox, and an appearance by the Cavaliers' Scream Team. Also included were free Metro passes to get all invited to the event, vouchers for free groceries and movie passes for the upcoming Alvin and the Chipmunks. But the highlight of the event was when Lebron himself paid the families a visit.

All in attendance were overjoyed and quite grateful. Mother of three, Toni Boyce said, ''I think it's great. It was a chance for us to be together as a family. My children are currently in foster care.'' While they are to be formally united in a few days, they will not get to celebrate Thanksgiving together as one of her children will be at work, so they used this opportunity to celebrate the holiday instead.

Reflecting on the event, James commented that, “The No. 1 reason is that it's a great opportunity for families to be together especially at a time like this: holiday time. Yes, it's easy to write a check. But you never see what goes on with the check, I wanted more for these families, to get them excited.'' The thunderous applause and deluge of thank yous given, proved that he gave his community so much joy.

Sending old Players out to die?

Gene Upshaw from the NFL Players Association is pictured above....Bryant Gumbel said that the Commissioner has this guy on a leash! Wow.

It seems that the retired NFL Players are putting the full court press on Gene Upshaw. I went to Chicago for the Rainbow Push Coalition meetings not too long ago, and I met a guy named Harry, I can't remember his last name. Yeah, it was Harry Carson. I was on a panel with him, Dexter Clinkscale and Alonzo Mourning, but I'd been running late after hosting a radio show with Santita Jackson (Jesse's daughter, who is a wondderful woman) so I didn't make the panel.

At any rate, I learned later that I should have been embarrassed that I did not know Harry's name. It turns out that he (a Hall of Fame player) was the only person with the testicles to make a case for the NFL to take better care of it's retired players, many of whom have no money and broken down bodies. I've seen these guys up close and the sh*t's not pretty! Some of them are 40 years old with the bodies of 70 year olds.....busted knees, bad backs, kidney problems, and whatever else comes up when you've been drugging up your body, taking bone crushing hits and then doing whatever it takes to get back on the field again.

There was a time when I dreamed of becoming an NFL player. But after seeing what happened to some of my friends in that league, I am incredibly happy that my dream never came true.

Apparently, congress is starting to get involved. Rep. Linda Sanchez and others are asking tough questions and forcing the answers from the NFLPA about why it is reported that the league keeps almost no records on injured players. Here is a quote from an investigation on the topic by ESPN :

"While the NFL has insisted that it is committed to helping disabled former players, the league does not maintain records of which players, or how many, are driven from the game by injury, ESPN.com has learned.

That fact is contained in more than 2,000 pages of documents the NFL and NFL Players Association delivered to the House Judiciary Committee last month. It has startled members of Congress who are investigating the NFL's disability benefits. And it has added to a growing feeling among key members of the House and Senate that the league's business practices deserve increased scrutiny and possibly new regulation."

The NFL should get its act together and show respect to the players who have given so much to the league. Also, the public should be better educated on the physical sacrifices players are encouraged to make in order to entertain them. A stronger policy against steroids, along with more objective health professionals would keep the sport on the up and up. I am getting tired of seeing players die before the age of 50.

Sportsman of the Year? Not Quite.

Sports Illustrated just announced that Bret Favre was the sportsman of the year. How cute. Yes, he's had an amazing season and he's a good guy. But he's not the sportsman of the year.



My choice for sportsman of the year? LeBron James. Nuff said. It amazes me how much media hype can lead to a person getting an award that they don't deserve. The Packers just got spanked by the Cowboys last week, yet we are choosing Favre as sportsman of the year because he is a "good guy."

I respect Favre a great deal, but this former drug addict is not exactly anyone's role model. Again, the media is amazing.

My prayers go out to New York's Finest (Ron Artest and Stephon Marbury)

Stephon Marbury just lost his father on Sunday. I couldnt imagine losing one of my family members, my prayers go out to you and your loved ones in your time of need.

http://www.nba.com/nba_news/marbury_loss_071202.html

Ron Artest's 4-year old daughter, Diamond is suffering from a cancerous tumor on her kidney. She's undergoing therapy right now for the tumor. Artest said there's a 90% chance of survival for Diamond. My prayers go out to you fam.

http://www.sacbee.com/kings/story/537972.html

He threw it off the backboard and looked to our student section before he caught it and dunked it. I was amazed. "This is a White Dude" doing this . I almost felt like getting up and cheering, but I stopped because he played on the other team which was our rival.

I had the privilege of seeing David Lee play in high school. I was a junior at St.Louis University High School while David was a senior at Chaminade Prep. David Lee was super sick in high school. I mean the boy was a McDonald's All-American. He won the slam dunk competition and was a four year star at the University of Florida.

It's a shame that he plays for the New York Knicks. I had high hopes for the Knicks when the season started. They just traded for Zach Randoph and the roster from last year was making some great strides. I just knew for sure that they were gonna be at least decent this year.

Whose to blame? Isaiah, Stephon, management or the whole team. It doesnt matter at this point. All I know is that somebody needs to get FIRED or TRADED.

David Lee's prolly one of the best kept secrets in the NBA. David averaged a double double last season (He didnt start and played only 30 minutes per)

Grab a Snickers

In a perfect world Kobe Bryant would be playing in another jersey by this time in the season, yet I live in a world where Isaiah Thomas still has his job, Lebron still struggles to get the best out of his overpaid teammates(Larry Hughes, Damon Jones etc) and the Miami Heat suck worst than Superhead.

Kobe's not going anywhere. You cant blame Lakers management for not trading Kobe. Who could you possibly get for Kobe in return that would satisfy both parties? The Chicago Bulls would have to give up their whole team in order to get one player. Mitch Kupchak wouldnt dream about trading Kobe to any Western Conference team, for fear of being served by another 81-point thrashing by the Kobster. Nobody in the Eastern Conferene is worth playing for besides the Celtics. I wish Kobe would've been crying vehemently in the media on draft day. Maybe the Celtics would've taken Bryant instead of Ray Allen

At the end of the day, Kobe will still be a Laker. The Lakers will still be a mediocre team who will get bounced out of the first round of the playoffs again.

Got time, Grab a Snickers

Those Who Spend their time Judging Sean Taylor Need to Judge Themselves

Today I saw an article by a chubby black sports writer in the Midwest. In his column, he was alluding to the fact that the media’s portrayal of Sean Taylor’s death, in which they’ve continuously made reference to his troubled past, is simply Taylor’s fault.


In the column, the writer stated that the white media’s negative portrayal of the former Washington Redskins safety was clearly created by him for choosing the way he lived. He argues that Taylor made choices that led to his death. That is what got my fingers clicking on the keyboard.


Taylor was surely “caught up” in some things that led to him being killed. I believe that he was murdered, and that someone was coming to get him. But someone coming to get you doesn’t mean that you are begging to “get got”.


What the chubby writer doesn’t understand is that when one lives in the black male jungle, you are going to sometimes have enemies. You get challenged when you are the “alpha male” and everyone wants to take you down: “Awe, that N*gga ain’t sh*t” is what you deal with on a regular basis. Challengers come at you constantly, many of whom have nothing to lose.


When you are dropped in Vietnam, you are sometimes forced to be a soldier. There are no angels in this game, but then again, none of us are angels are we? I know this, because I have dealt with this as a young man. My best friend was shot in the head, and I was almost shot myself. Neither of us deserved to be shot, but that’s not how the media would have seen it.


It didn’t matter that I was a straight A student. It didn’t matter that I was going to be the only African-American in the US to get a PhD in Finance. Instead, the world would have focused on what Boyce Watkins did in order to get himself killed. I understand why the chubby sports writer doesn’t get it, since chubby people don’t do well in the jungle. It’s easier to just sit in your office and run your mouth about it.


I recall being on ESPN with Method Man and I mentioned the death of his close friend, Tupac Shakur. Meth put Shakur’s behavior in perspective by explaining “When you are on top, people are always constantly coming at you.” Perhaps that is why Taylor had a gun and a machete under his bed, I’m not sure.


Was the media wrong for constantly discussing Taylor’s past the way they did? Yes. Why? Because there are many things about a person’s life we can choose to focus on. Taylor was a family man. He was a great team leader elected by his peers. He worked like hell to be successful at a very young age. He led his team in interceptions. Instead, we choose to focus on an argument that implies that he had his murder coming because he was stupid.
When Nicole Brown Simpson was killed, did we focus on the fact that she was a crackhead, or a mother of two?


If Marv Albert were to be killed, would we focus on the fact that he was tried for sexual assault or that he was a great sports commentator?


If a soldier in Iraq is killed, do we try to argue that he was silly for choosing to fight an unjust war for a corrupt administration or do we focus on the fact that he was a brave American with a family?


Bottom line: We would show respect for the dead by focusing on the great things they achieved in life. I am sure you have things about your past you would hate to have someone mention in your obituary. The same thing goes for myself.


Although none of us is perfect, it’s ironic that when black males are killed, the media tends to focus on their dark side, but the same is not true with others who have sides that are equally dark.


Nobody, no matter how much “beef” they are in, deserves to be killed. Sean Taylor was only 24 years old and surely made mistakes like the rest of us. Respect this man’s memory and celebrate his achievements. Those who want to judge him need to start by judging themselves.

My Ohio State Buckeyes are playing for the title!

Yes, I am excited. My Ohio State Buckeyes are on their way to the glory of trying to get another championship. The last time out didn't go so well, but I've got to give it up to my boy Jim Tressel, who is shaping up to be one of the top coaches in NCAA history. In just 6 years at the wheel, he has taken the team to the title game 3 times. That's truly amazing. He has also spanked the hell out of Michigan so much that the "rivalry" is no longer interesting. I congratulate him and my alma mater for making it this far.

I would still like to see Hawaii get a shot. They are the only undefeated team in the bunch and it's pathetic that they don't get a chance to play for the title.

Why the BCS Bowls are Worthless

I admit that I was elated to see my Ohio State Buckeyes playing in the national championship game again. This is the third time in Jim Tressel’s short career that he has been able to pull this one off. Much respect. But as much as I love my Buckeyes and are happy to see them in the title game, I have to say that the BCS is really nothing but BS.
I sat watching a game tonight in which I heard two commentators describing the BCS Bowls like physicists in a nuclear fusion lab:
”Well, if Team A wins against Team B, then that will put teams C, D or E in the Corporate Bowl, but if Team B wins against Team A, then Teams F, G and I may have a chance to make it to Corporate Bowl #2.”
And I thought that graduate school was complicated.
The truth is this: this BCS stuff makes college football far more complicated than it needs to be. It is also ridiculous and unfair, all for the sake of making extra money. The top two teams in this silly poll are the ones that end up playing for the title, while all the other top teams end up playing in games that don’t mean jack. We are convinced that they mean jack by the officials telling us that one bowl is a BCS Bowl and the other one is not. But that’s all dumb. The only difference between a BCS Bowl and the other meaningless bowls out here is the amount of money the university gets for winning the damn thing. If my team is not in the title game, I could care less if they are in a BCS Bowl or not.
Put it this way: If the college basketball champion were chosen in the same way as the football champion, Kansas would have won 4 or 5 national basketball championships in the 1990s. But the NCAA tournament doesn’t make you the champion just because you have a high seed: it makes you earn it on the court. The same should be true for the football champion.
What is really unfair is that talented teams like Hawaii, the only undefeated team that I know of, won’t get a chance to play in the title game. I’ve seen this team play, they are amazing. I would love to see them face up against my Buckeyes, and there is no guarantee that my Buckeyes would win.
As the techy capitalists keep trying to come up with one ridiculous system after another to explain why they don’t let teams settle it on the field, they should realize that there is no substitute for a playoff…point blank.