Black mamba snakes live in the savannas and rocky hills of southern and eastern Africa.
They are Africa’s longest, most venomous snakes and are among the fastest in the world. It is for this reason why two elite athletes decided to take on the moniker for their athletic performance.
Enter Grand Rapids, Michigan’s Roger Mayweather. The boxing icon passed away on March 17th at age 58. Today would have been his 59th birthday. Many know the Las Vegas transplant as Floyd Mayweather, Jr‘s uncle and the inventor of the “you don’t know sh*t about boxing” phrase.
However, the Original Black Mamba was much more than that.
Born on April 24, 1961, Roger made his pro boxing debut in 1981 with a first-round technical knockout of Andrew Ruiz after going 64-4 as an amateur.
Roger Mayweather had a professional boxing record of 59-13, with 35 knockouts. He won titles at 130 lbs and 140 lbs over the span of an 18-year career that began in 1981. His opponents read like a who’s who of boxing royalty; Julio Cesar Chavez and Pernell Whitaker among the many.
He won the World Boxing Association junior lightweight title in 1983 with an eighth-round knockout of Samuel Serrano. Then in 1987, he earned the World Boxing Council junior welterweight title with a sixth-round knockout of René Arredondo.
The Original Black Mamba was a two-time champion and when one of his other two boxer brothers, Floyd, Sr. went to prison, Roger stepped up for Jr.
Floyd Mayweather, Jr. turned pro in 1996 after receiving a bronze medal in the Olympics. That’s when Roger began slowing down his athletic career becoming his nephew’s full-time trainer. When Floyd Mayweather Sr. was released from prison in 1998, he took over until Floyd Jr. fired his father in 2000 and brought his uncle back.
Roger showed he had his family’s back during heated encounters. He was suspended for a year and fined $200,000 by the Nevada State Athletic Commission during the junior welterweight title fight between Floyd Mayweather and Zab Judah in 2006.
Judah fouled Mayweather hard twice near the end of the 10th round and Uncle Roger stormed the ring like a ‘G’ getting into it with Yoel Judah, Zab’s father and trainer.
Always the voice of reason and a stalwart presence at the Mayweather Boxing Club, Roger Mayweather’s legacy lives through the success of his nephew. The Boxing Writer’s Association of America’s Fighter of The Decade is Floyd, Jr. and his defensive style and acumen can all be attributed in part to the dedication of his uncle.
Enter Kobe Bryant, son of Joe “Jellybean” Bryant and a Philadelphia native turned Italian ex-pat.
The young Kobe was born with basketball in his veins. From watching his father play professionally to taking the sport on for himself, the word prodigy is all that comes to mind.
After spending his youth in northern Italy, Kobe came back to Philly and dominated at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, PA. In ’94-’96, Kobe Bryant was a beast in high school. He started freshman year on the varsity team and quickly becoming the team’s best player.
Pure basketball led Kobe to become a McDonald’s All-American, Gatorade Player of the Year, Naismith High School Player of the Year and more. A unique focus made him a high school champion winning his school’s first chip in 53 years.
Kobe was the first guard drafted directly out of high school when he went to the Los Angeles Lakers. He would never have another athletic home for twenty years.
At 23 years old, Bryant became the youngest player to win three championships. Bryant’s reputation as a clutch player was cemented during this time. His performance in the fourth quarter of games, specifically the last two rounds of the playoffs are now legendary. Kobe would go on to win 5 championships with the Lakers over his twenty-year professional career.
He would become a 2x NBA Finals MVP and an 18x NBA All-Star.
Unfortunately, after an amazing second act as an entrepreneur, motivator, and much more, Bryant lost his life along with his daughter Gigi Bryant and 7 others in a helicopter crash. The fact that they were on their way to a girl’s basketball game underscores how committed he truly was.
The original Black Mamba is 2x weight division boxing champion and uncle to Floyd Mayweather, the late Roger Mayweather. He popularized the term, “you don’t know sh*t about boxing.” The younger Black Mamba showed us all we didn’t know sh*t about basketball as he raised the levels of hard work and greatness upward.
Although the two were generations apart their impact and names will live forever.
Bronx, NY based rap artist, Fred The Godson passed Thursday from complications with COVID-19. A spokesman for the 35-year old artist confirmed his death via several reports.
He is the first in the hip hop world to pass from the pandemic although many have been infected in the community.
Damn, RIP my man Fred The Godson. Since like 2001 it was always great vibes and bar fests when we were around one another. Lyrical swordsman of the highest order for the city. Smh. 🙏🏽🙏🏽 #FredTheGodson
— Skyzoo (@skyzoo) April 23, 2020
The last news delivered about the rapper was that he lost his fever. This improvement, which was a huge for his chances of recovery. As a result, he and his family were hopeful as he was still in intensive care. However, the fever peaked at 105 degrees. In addition, Fred had a pre-existing condition: asthma; which made him at higher risk for the virus.
The artist also known as “Gordo” was very transparent online using the breathing treatment machine to treat asthma. Unfortunately, as a result of the disease Fred’s kidney’s hadn’t been functioning properly. His death was confirmed today.
Wow . Fred the Godson … OMG man
— Wale (@Wale) April 23, 2020
Many influential entertainers have been diagnosed with the coronavirus. Houston based MC’s Slim Thug and Scarface had the virus with the former having a very bad experience with it.
The Geto Boys member began talking to group member Willie D about his experience.
“This whole three weeks has been an ordeal. It’s the craziest sh** I’ve ever done and seen in my life,” Scarface said. “I’ve been to the point where I just felt like I was going to die.”
During the interview, he remembered throwing up to the point where there was nothing coming up but bile. He also wasn’t able to breathe.
Currently, all eyes are on black america and the way the virus is disproportionately affecting the community. Fred The Godson’s death highlight’s that point and comes at a time when increased awareness from the black entertainment world is rising.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp on Monday gave businesses across the State permission to open later this week.This announcement echoes that of other Republican Governors. However, with crown jewel cities like Atlanta full of hip hop influence, influencers like Jermaine Dupri and more are imploring people to stay home.
In cities like Chicago and states like Louisiana, the rate of infection in the black community are at an all time high. Reopening cities with heavy black populations is beginning to look intentional, however a culture with so much influence is pushing back positively.
Fred The Godson is hip hop’s first casualty. However, his death may add momentum to a spark from the culture to help the broader community.
I hate to be the one to say it, but it feels like only ’80s babies and older truly appreciate what Spike Lee brought to the game; and I’m not talking about the game of basketball (’90s Knicks fans hate him for that; just watch Reggie Miller vs. the Knicks to understand why).
I’m talking about the cinema game. Bold with his vision and controversial with his stories, Spike knew how to engage audiences with his characters while enabling them to feel a certain way with the narrative. Not only was Spike ahead of his time, but he was also what we needed at the time.
While Do The Right Thing is the movie most-associated with Spike’s early genius and labeled a masterpiece by all who saw it (and it was), the truth of the matter is that it also became a curse the same way Illmatic made Nas’ hip-hop career seemingly a “disappointment.”
That, same almost unreachable standard, in turn, caused Lee’s quality films like 25th Hour, He Got Game, and Summer of Sam and even the masterful Malcolm X, to get downgraded to decent or mediocre movies by some audiences.
Spike continues to make movies and gain accolades and his 2018 movie BlacKkKlansman was considered one of Spike’s best works in years.
It’s unfortunate that today’s generation mainly associates Spike with things such as NBA commercials and pulling the cards of his directorial peers (such as Tyler Perry, Quentin Tarantino, etc.).
Among Spike’s overlooked gems is 1990’s Mo’ Better Blues. Sandwiched between his critically acclaimed Do The Right Thing and controversial Jungle Fever, Mo’ Better Blues was a vividly painted personification of the life of a jazz artist named Bleek (Denzel Washington) and the choices he struggles with while juggling the chaotic, carefree and creative lifestyle of the jazz musician.
The natural opinion of such a life is simplistic: music, money, women, and everything in-between. But when those things intertwine into a single life, priceless things like trust, loyalty and love become compromised.
Before you know it, you’re caught looking out for numero uno and putting yourself before everyone else. Does he listen to his bandmates’ cries for more money or does he listen to his indebted manager in his ear saying his band gets enough of the take as is? Would the love of a woman complete his cipher more so than the notion that he could be the greatest jazz musician ever? This four-minute collage will give you an idea of the kind of film you missed out on if you slept after watching Do The Right Thing.
https://youtu.be/IZb8pQa5iO0
Mo’ Better Blues was not only well-written, it was superbly executed by a cast of all-stars that would drown the Ocean’s 12 crew in a sea of talent. Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes, Robin Harris (R.I.P.), Samuel L. Jackson, Charlie Murphy (before he was Charlie “Chappelle Show” Murphy), with Spike Lee assuming the role of a ’90s Puff Daddy by inserting himself into the background/forefront to steal a little shine for himself, MBB was a sign that Spike was really coming into his own as an artistic director.
Overflowing with soulful music (duh!), well-balanced themes, comedy, drama and superb acting, Mo’ Better Blues should get the kind of recognition and appreciation that Nas’ It Was Written rightfully deserves, as well.
And for the record, Spike Lee became a household name not because of the NBA or Michael Jordan, but because of his ability to personify subject matters that, while common in “urban” neighborhoods, were foreign to outside communities. Lee has the capability to build the bridge in-between the two populations, showing the cause-and-effect that can manifest and trickledown as a result.
The 2020 NFL Draft is the only vestige of normalcy remaining in professional sports amidst the global pandemic, known as COVID-19.
Draft Day.
📺: 2020 #NFLDraft starts TONIGHT at 8PM ET on NFLN/ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/FD1qknBDEC
— NFL (@NFL) April 23, 2020
Most of the free agency signings have already occurred and the oddsmakers, reveal that the Kansas City Chiefs are still the favorites at anywhere from +500 to +650 (courtesy of Sportsbooks Review) depending on where you shop.
The NFL’s annual meat market this year is rich in wide receivers and offensive linemen with as many as seven of the former and six of the latter expected to be plucked in the opening round.
Who is your team picking on Day 1? (by @MicrosoftTeams)
📺: 2020 #NFLDraft starts TONIGHT at 8PM ET on NFLN/ESPN/ABC pic.twitter.com/cvYs2QzAxN
— NFL (@NFL) April 23, 2020
Let’s focus on the big boys in the trenches, the personal bodyguards to the gunslingers under center, and predict where these talented offensive tackles will call home in their rookie campaigns.
Tristan Wirfs, Iowa, 6-5, 322 (#4 New York Giants) – The chances that the Giants opt for an offensive tackle to protect Daniel Jones’ blindside with the fourth overall pick is probably better than the prospect of Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs being the tackle they ultimately select. There is much debate as to who is the best amongst Wirfs, Alabama’s Jedrick Wills, Georgia’s Andrew Thomas, Louisville’s Mekhi Becton, and Houston’s Josh Jones. However, the consensus appears to be that Wirfs is the most game-ready which is what the Giants will need if they want to buy Jones a bit more time in the pocket this season and for years to come.
Andrew Thomas, Georgia, 6-5, 320 (#10 Cleveland Browns) – Baker Mayfield needs protection and the Browns will grant him the very thing he desires when they get their pick of what’s remaining in a very fine litter of offensive linemen. Thomas would fit the bill quite nicely as he is better suited to pass protect than run block but is equipped to do both with aplomb. We expect the Browns to spread the field and let Mayfield’s arm do the talking in Cleveland’s offensive schemes this season.
Jedrick Wills Jr., Alabama, 6-5, 320 (#11 New York Jets) – The Jets’ brass will be thinking virtually along the same lines as the Giants and Browns’ management in getting their young quarterback a physical presence to take the heat off a swarming pass rush, allowing Sam Darnold a chance to scan the field for targets. Jedrick Wills is a quick, athletic tackle with explosive strength. Reports are that Wills is more suited to run blocking as his arm length is a bit of a concern but not enough to prevent Gang Green from selecting him with the 11th overall pick.
Draft day…. And with the 11th pick in the 2020 nfl draft, the New York Jets select… Jedrick Wills, OT Alabama
#sknfl pic.twitter.com/lytTg4X70o— Madcunt (@Madcunt9) April 23, 2020
Mekhi Becton, Louisville, 6-7, 370 (#14 Tampa Bay Bucs) – The Bucs won the Tom Brady Sweepstakes and recently traded for his sidekick, Rob Gronkowski, to add to an arsenal of offensive weapons. However, their offensive line needs help with the lone exception of guard, Ali Marpet, which means they desperately need a big body in front of Tom Terrific to protect the 43-year-old quarterback. And if the dominos fall just right, they could get the biggest body of them all in an avalanche of a man named Mekhi Becton. The Louisville product was climbing up the draft boards but a flagged drug test at the Combine could see that momentum come to a halt and the Bucs would be the beneficiaries if Becton doesn’t get scooped earlier than No. 14.
Josh Jones, Houston, 6-7, 310 (#18 Miami Dolphins) – The Fish have three first-round draft picks and will use the first to select a quarterback at No. 5 while the second will be allocated towards protecting that quarterback. Miami is sitting in the catbird seat because they are virtually guaranteed one of the Fab Five offensive tackles in this draft at No. 18 overall. And if you’re a Dolphins’ fans you should be ecstatic if Josh Jones falls in your team’s lap because he could have the highest ceiling of any offensive tackle in the draft. He is considered the rawest of the five, but with the proper coaching at the next level has the potential to be a Pro Bowler.
This NFL Draft will be Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores and General Manager Chris Grier’s moment of truth. It will lay the foundation for their futures as professional football leaders. Grier, the NFL’s lone Black GM is entering his fourth season with Miami and still hasn’t had a winning record.
As far as Flores goes, we all knew what the rookie head coach from Brooklyn was getting into when he agreed to take over the reins of a rebuilding Miami Dolphins franchise in 2019.
It’s tough enough being a rookie HC– an African-American one at that — but Flores had to also oversee a tank job and by all measures, he exceeded everyone’s expectations, winning five games and managing to build a competitive culture while losing.
Flores had very little talent on the offensive side of the ball and the defense gave up more points than any team in the NFL (494). Ryan Fitzpatrick is a serviceable journeyman, but if he’s your starting quarterback that usually means your franchise is treading water, waiting for a big splash to save the day.
Miami has the fifth pick in the NFL Draft and never has a quarterback decision been more important for a head coach and GM. Heisman winner Joe Burrow is expected to be the first overall pick of the Cincinnati Bengals, who have fallen miserably since Marvin Lewis’ departure.
Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa — considered the most talented QB in the Draft prior to getting hurt and Burrow having a historical season at LSU — will be available when Miami picks 5th.
The concern about Tua is is durability, because he had season-ending hip surgery. The 13 on his Wonderlic test doesn’t help, but that test is stupid anyway. Most experts agree that if Tua is fully recovered he would be a steal for any team at 5.
The coronavirus has made it impossible for Tua to travel anywhere to work out for people in person. He looked mobile in video footage of his virtual Pro Day, but without testing that dislocated hip against contact, an owner can’t be sure it will hold up.
The uncertainty surrounding Tua aside, there’s always a QB who makes a late rise in the Draft and teams become enamored with his physical attributes or thinking he will be something different at the next level. Oregon’s Justin Herbert is that guy. There’s this lie going around that Herbert might be a “safer” choice for Miami than Tua. Some draft analysts have even suggested that Miami will pass over Tua for Herbert, allowing the San Diego Charges to grab him.
"If a team decides to draft Justin Herbert, [that means] they are so scared Tua is going to be hurt… they are willing to chase mediocrity instead of greatness." – @danorlovsky7 on @dpshow
— Andrew Perloff (@andrewperloff) April 16, 2020
I’ll tell you right now, that Chargers HC Anthony Lynn is praying every night that Miami makes the biggest mistake in franchise history and takes Justin Herbet over Tua. His career as a head coach is depending on this draft as well. With Phillip Rivers joining the Indianapolis Colts, San Diego will be seeking a franchise QB for the first time in 16 seasons. Lynn’s future and job security depend on finding a young stud to pick up where Rivers left off before he got old.
Remember Trubisky over Watson? Rosen, Darnold Mayfield Allen over Lamar? Expect much of the same if Miami fronts on Tua. Whatever happens, it will change the trajectory of Flores’ career and Lynn’s. Maybe they both get lucky like when Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger and Rivers all turned out to be franchise studs in 2004. That’s unlikely though.
This is not the time to get cute. In fact, Miami has already benefitted from Tua getting hurt because he will fall enough for them to snag him, by all reports. Don’t listen to guys like Jake Plummer who told TMZ that Tua was “damaged goods.”
MY COLUMN: Justin Herbert is a talented QB, but don’t pretend he has Tua Tagovailoa’s ability | https://t.co/pMQFwOh68O
— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) April 16, 2020
The Dolphins haven’t been to a Super Bowl since 1984. They haven’t had a All-Pro franchise QB since Dan Marino. By all reports, Tua is that guy. With all due respect to Jordan Love or Justin Herbert or even Joe Burrow — if Tua doesn’t get hurt then those guys aren’t considered in his league.
Miami can keep making bad choices. Try to outsmart themselves and grab Herbert. Or believe in what their eyes have been telling them and what every football analyst has been saying since 2018 about Tua and become a team of the future.
It still does not seem real that the rarest of musical geniuses and true cultural icons, Prince, is no longer with us. As I sit in reflection today about what the man and his music meant in my life, on this one-year anniversary of his transition into the spiritual essence, I’m taken back to my formative teenage years, and the project that changed my life.
To me, Purple Rain, in its entirety, is the best, longest and most important music video that accompanied the greatest album of the 1980s. I’ve written on the Purple Rain project before, and revisited some of my thoughts here.
Prince was in the midst of deconstructing barriers through the revolution of his music, an unexpected upheaval that would bridge gaps and bring joy to diverse and far-reaching sectors of individuals around the globe. As we sit here today, the work still remains as fresh, lush, hypnotic and emotional as it was in 1984 when it overwhelmed with its simplicity, audacity and eroticism.
Along with the remarkable band, The Revolution, Prince powerfully blended Pop, Rock and Roll, Gospel, Punk, Funk, Rhythm and Blues and love ballads in a way that made a farce of radios rigid adherence to Black or White musical formats and social concepts. And in Purple Rain, he pulled off what is popularly regarded as one of the supreme accomplishments in the history of music.
The album earned the Diamond Award from the Recording Industry of America after going platinum 13 times over. In 2007, Vanity Fair named it the best soundtrack of all time. It won two Grammy Awards for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group and Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture. It nabbed an Oscar for Best Original Song Score. It spawned four top 10 worldwide hits with the singles “When Doves Cry,” “Lets Go Crazy,” “Purple Rain,” and “I Would Die 4 U.”
A funny thing happened when I first popped the Purple Rain cassette into my boom box. I heard bits of James Brown, Little Richard, Sly and the Family Stone and other strands of music. Rock and Roll, Country, and genres that I would have previously summarily dismissed.
The minute I heard him announce, Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life, I knew that my musical journey, my thought process, my view of the larger world out there would undergo a radical re-shaping.
The more I listened to it, the more entranced I became.
Within a few weeks, Purple Rain had displaced Michael Jacksons Off the Wall as my favorite album. I intrinsically knew, through those hypnotic guitar riffs, drum patterns, thoughts conjured up of animals striking curious poses, the dizzying solos, all experienced within my transition to adolescence as a high school freshman; that my world was about to expand in ways that would be awesome, colorful, exciting, loud and unpredictable.
I began looking for purple sneakers, shirts or hats that I could incorporate into my wardrobe.
Those thoughts and feelings exploded after I saw the movie, glued to my seat, dumbstruck by the visual manifestation of this astounding music that was produced by this musical genius.
The film centered around Prince’s character, The Kid, a young, talented singer and musician on the Minneapolis underground music scene who seems to have the looks, gifts and drive to become a superstar. He falls in love with the gorgeous Apollonia, an aspiring singer and stunning physical specimen. Their rollercoaster relationship and the resulting complications of him following in his own fathers self-destructive, verbally and physically abusive footsteps provide the back story.
But the star of the show is the music.
Underneath my outer mask at the time which was adorned with shell-toe Adidas sneakers, Kangol hats, suede pumas, a mean arsenal of mother jokes, an unhealthy obsession with Bernard King and the New York Knicks, Levis jeans, mock neck sweaters and Georgetown, St. Johns and Syracuse college basketball Starter jackets I secretly yearned to know what it felt like to be a one-man magnum opus of mind-blowing sex and music that could take people through a wide range of dizzying emotions.
I wanted to be free and confident enough within myself to jump onto a huge, thunderous purple motorcycle wearing purple boots and a tight, crushed velvet purple outfit, with a guitar strapped to my back, with Apollonia’s tender self holding onto me tightly, her arms excitedly, suggestively wrapped around my waist.
“Lets Go Crazy” pushed me to think about how I wanted to spend my time through lifes journey, working hard and making a difference, yes, but also taking some time to just go nuts, because after all, In this life, things are much harder than in the afterworld and that regardless, to always be mindful of not letting the elevator bring us down. Because you could always push a button to get to a higher floor.
“Take Me With U” made my virginal, yet-to-fall-in-love-self yearn for breathtaking and butterfly inducing romance. And GOOD LAWD, when Prince told Apollonia to purify herself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka, my fourteen-year-old life changed considerably for the better. It wasn’t simply about the miraculousness of her womanly beauty, but it was also the little purple fellas confidence, mystique and swagger. I wanted to have that type of personal power, poise, self-assurance and buoyancy. He re-defined my definition of cool.
“The Beautiful Ones” taught me that this thing called love could make you lose your mind. When he set it off with, Baby, baby, baby. Whats it gonna be? I already knew, without ever having been in that situation, that he was hurting.
“Computer Blue,” though it did not garner the acclaim of most of the films other songs, was a hidden gem. To this day, I still find myself randomly blurting out, Wendy? Yes Lisa. Is the water warm enough? Yes Lisa. Shall we begin? Yes Lisa, even though I have no idea what theyre talking about, or what Computer Blue means.
“Darling Nikki” took my mind many places, snapping it out of its romance-induced fantasies to a place where some wild, uncontrollable sex fiends roamed. I didn’t want my girl to be the one pleasuring herself in a hotel lobby, but I also wondered what it would be like to hang out with one such lady, from time to time.
“When Doves Cry,” to me, is one of the best songs ever produced and Prince’s career-defining accomplishment. It made this young kid from Brooklyn want to hang out in Minneapolis, wear purple blouses, and when I was old enough to sidle up to a bar, tell beautiful women, “Either somebody put something in my drink, or you’re the finest mother****** I’ve seen in ages!”
“I Would Die 4 U,” rocked me from the opening line, where he asserted, Im not a woman, Im not a man. I am something that youll never understand Whenever I heard it, Id ask myself, Who is this mysterious dude? Throughout the previous songs, and with his vulnerabilities bared both in his lyrics and actions in the film, this song reminds us how hyped he is about himself, and how much of an enigma he is, one moment saying I would die for U, and the next moment telling his screaming fans that hes their Messiah. Like my man Bumpty said in Grown Ups 2, Whaaaaaaaaaaat!!!???
“Baby I’m a Star” became one of my mantras. I repeated the words, You might not know it now, baby, but I are, Im a staaaaaar I dont wanna stop, til I reach the top. Whenever life dealt me a blow, I emerged moments later feeling like nothing could stop me.
And of course, “Purple Rain” is one of the most mysterious, beautiful, sad, hypnotic and emotional anthems ever constructed. The delivery builds toward such a touching and sensitive climax, it was the anchor of every one of my slow jam tapes back in the day. If I called you on the phone at night and Purple Rain was playing in the background, that meant that my tender teenage emotions were on fire for you.
Most of the songs were recorded live, in front of an audience, prior to filming. And there’s an unquantifiable synergy and connection between Prince, The Revolution, the words, the instruments, and the fans.
.From the fashion, the underappreciated music of Morris Day and The Time, the scene-stealing Jerome, Apollonia’s sexy and erotic single, Sex Shooter, all of it conspired to transform Prince from great musician into a superstar and an icon.
Purple Rain took Prince off the fringe, delivering him into the mainstream. And in the process, it changed the world, and specifically my world, for the better.
While grabbing the cover of EA’s Madden video game has always been considered an honor for players, it’s also been considered the kiss of death at times because of some coincidental…or noncoincidental mishaps involving players who have graced the cover in the past.
I’m going to say it right now that Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is immune to any superstitious backlash that might come from blessing the cover of Madden 21.
"It's a dream come true." @Lj_era8 on Madden cover: pic.twitter.com/FtNibi7xt4
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) April 21, 2020
As legend would have it, more than 25 years into the iconic video franchise’s history, there’s almost no escaping the “Madden Curse.” Since Garrison Hearst broke his ankle in 1998, shortly after starring on the cover of Madden NFL 99, most of the players who starred on the game’s cover have suffered an injury the following season.
According to digitaltrends.com, “Of the 22 players who have been selected to grace the cover of Madden games through this season, 16 have had troubling or abruptly shortened seasons following their cover debut — including several who suffered season-ending injuries shortly after their game hit shelves.
Madden NFL 19 had Antonio Brown on the cover. Last we seen of AB, he was handing out chocolate penises for Valentine’s Day on the Breakfast Club.
https://www.facebook.com/TheShadowLeague.TSL/videos/963434720717662/
Nuff said.
Last season Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes Jr.’s magical season was temporarily derailed by the first serious injury of his career. Following a historical 2018 season in which he threw for 5,097 yards and won NFL MVP and NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Mahomes missed a little less than a month in 2019 with a knee injury that limited his stats. Mahomes was able to return and become the third Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl. He had one of the more favorable outcomes. Kind of like catching COVID-19, but not dying.
One might say, if it can happen to Mahomes it can happen to Lamar.
If they mean winning a Super Bowl in his second season as a starter, then, of course, it can.
LJ is on the verge of doing something big. He earned that Madden cover and as far as jinx’s go, his mama told him not to believe in superstition just the Lord and so far that faith has protected LJ to the fullest.
Just taking into account what Jackson had to overcome to get drafted and how many haters he’s annihilated, I’ll bet the Bugatti that LJ — fresh new chest ink and all — doesn’t end next year with a Madden curse. He’s hunting Super Bowl rings.
Yesterday, the anticipated epic song-for-song showdown between two of pop music’s most tenured producers went down.
It was the rematch from the first attempt at the pairing last Saturday that just couldn’t get right. However, last night’s revisit was worth the wait, even through the technical difficulties.
The Instagram Live showdown, is now a quarantine staple item for hip hop heads. This latest version featured Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds and Teddy Riley traversing their wide catalogue of hits from home. It was as unexpected as you would expect for a Monday night get down; but as craved as ever for fans of ’90s R&B.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_Pm-dnpxqz/?igshid=1w32rua3m63e7
With a packed “house” including Michelle Obama, Missy Elliott, Diddy, Pharrell, and more, it was the most lit thing happening all night. The virtual house party wasn’t without its technical mishaps, mainly on the side of the New Jack Swing king in Riley.
He eschewed a grandfather’s understanding of grandchildren’s technology that was both understandable as it could be annoying. Still, it aded to the authenticity of the Verzuz battles organized by super producers Swizz Beatz and Timbaland.
With the world now in the heavy throws of a quarantined life, the battles have helped people get past their discomfort. Starting with DJ D-Nice’s Club Quarantine IG Live series, Instagram has become the unofficial network of the quarantined.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_Onc4ipHwf/?igshid=19o3ncu00cj1y
Other video conferencing services like Zoom are also being heavily used. However, Instagram’s Live platform has become the live content conduit of choice. With sports still on the mends, the battles continue the athletic spirit of competitiveness through creativity.
Babyface, the ideal of a contemporary soul singer, was smooth as ever in a maroon velvet blazer, a glass of wine, and his Grammys flanking him.
Riley had a towel wrapped around his neck, ready like a coach to deliver hit after hit. Like a time machine, it brought you back to the 90’s where R&B was king.
Both transformed from lead singers in groups to solo artists, but Babyface and Riley’s work as producers has truly stood the test of time. The two have so many hits that you were constantly reminded that they produced something that you never knew.
https://www.instagram.com/tv/B_PyqJXJSKa/?igshid=9y8hftdedmmp
Riley is the architect of the new jack swing sound in the ’90s. He was practically the sword and shield of 90’s executives like Andre Harrell of Uptown Records and Russell Simmons and Lyor Cohen of Def Jam. He produced hits for Mary. J. Blige, Blackstreet and even Lady Gaga and Michael Jackson.
However, Babyface is his doppelganger with and without his production partner L.A. Reid. ‘Face has crafted hits for everyone from After 7, Tevin Campbell, Whitney Houston to Madonna. At one point during technical difficulties on Riley’s side, Babyface broke out the acoustic guitar and began playing his “white” songs, “Change The World” popularized by Eric Clapton.
So who won?
It depends on how you view music.
Riley, showed extreme versatility with music for the nightclubs, bedroom, and general feel good records. Babyface has a classic palate with traditional soul ballads.
In the end, the winners were the fans, who have been saved from quarantine boredom by the masters of music. When quarantine is over and the world begins to put itself back together, we can only hope that the Verzuz battles stay apart of pop culture.
The NFL has historically had its problems promoting African-Americans to leadership positions, therefore the number of Black coaches with the longevity and winning track record to be considered even very good is not plentiful.
The sample size is way too small right now and unfortunately, it’s dwindling again as the implementation of the Rooney Rule continues to go widely ignored by owners unwilling to step outside of their cultural comfort zone to find diverse coaching candidates.
In 2017, we had a record eight minority head coaches entering the season: Chargers Anthony Lynn, Denver’s Vance Joseph, Cincinnati’s Marvin Lewis, Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, Detroit’s Jim Caldwell, Cleveland’s Hue Jackson, the Jets Todd Bowles and Carolinas Ron Rivera (Hispanic).
Entering the 2020 season, there are just four minority coaches; Tomlin (Steelers), Lynn (Chargers), Rivera (Washington) and Brian Flores (Dolphins)
Some of the guys on this list will be considered iconic pioneers in 20 years, when at least half of the league’s head coaches will be African-American (we hope), which would more proportionately reflect the nearly 75 percent of African-American players that comprise the league.
So in essence, because of the uniquely aligned and deeply-rooted circumstances that have prohibited their growth into head coaches, Black coaches truly fall in a category of their own and should be honored accordingly.
1. Tony Dungy – The first black head coach to win a Super Bowl when his Peyton Manning-led Colts defeated the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001 and Indianapolis from 2002 to 2008. He was the model of consistency and the epitome of great character and set a new NFL record for consecutive playoff appearances by a head coach with 10 to end his career. Dungy also was very pivotal in helping Mike Vick get a second chance and transition back into the NFL after a jail stint for dogfighting temporarily derailed Vick’s brilliant career.
2. Mike Tomlin – Became the second black head coach to win a chip in 2009 when he beat the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. He’s the only one to appear in multiple Super Bowls. At just 47 years old, the Hampton, Va. product is considered a wily veteran of the pro coaching business. Tomlin is an arduous worker, who in his spare time reads Casinonic Casino Review to take a break from his coaching responsibilities. He’s the tenth African-American head coach in NFL history and he will probably end up being considered the best one when he’s done. In 13 seasons, Tomlin has made the playoffs 8 times and he’s 133-74-1 (.642) as a head coach.
Despite going 8-8, this past season was probably one of Tomlin’s best coaching jobs as the Steelers were ravaged by injury, drama, player discontent and fan frustration, but he had them competing for a playoff spot late in the season.
3. Dennis Green – The second African-American head coach in Division I-A history with Stanford. In 1992, Green became the second African-American head coach in the modern NFL era. Although he never won a Super Bowl, he helped revolutionize NFL offenses, proved his ability to lead men and execute with intelligence from his days as head coach at Stanford University to his glory years leading the Minnesota Vikings rebirth in the 1990’s. In 10 years with the Vikings, Green was a 97-62 and made the playoffs eight times.
4. Art Shell — He was the first black head coach in the NFL’s modern era. Shell coached for the Los Angeles Raiders from 1989-94, made the playoffs half the time and took the Raiders to the AFC Championship game in 1990. During those years in LA, Shell had a record of 54-38 and just one losing season.
5. Fritz Pollard: He was the first black NFL coach and the first African-American football player at Brown. He became the first black running back to be named to the Walter Camp All-America team. Pollard played pro football with the Akron Pros and led them to the NFL (APFA) championship in 1920.
In 1921, he became the co-head coach of the Akron Pros, while also beasting out of the backfield. Pollard, along with all nine of the black players in the NFL at the time, were permanently removed from the league at the end of the 1926 season. Pollard also published the first black-owned newspaper in New York City, the New York Independent News, from 1935 to 1942.
John Wooten, a trailblazing African American front office executive during the 1970’s, 80’s, and 90’s, called a meeting at the 2003 NFL Combine. Over a hundred coaches, scouts and front office personnel of color showed up, and Wooten, civil rights lawyer Cyrus Mehri and former San Diego Chargers Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow stressed the importance of collectively pushing for equal employment opportunity throughout the NFL. The group resolved to form an organization and took the name Fritz Pollard Alliance in honor of Fritz Pollard, the NFL’s first African American head coach.
HONORABLE MENTION: Marvin Lewis, Jim Caldwell, Lovie Smith
With the world quarantined inside the house and the opportunity to reach more eyes than it ever imagined, The Last Dance series premiere episodes were the most-viewed ESPN documentary content ever, averaging 6.1 million viewers
It was also the most-watched telecast among adults 18-34 and 18-49 since sports halted across broadcast and cable networks. Episode 1 averaged 6.3 million viewers and Episode 2 averaged 5.8 million viewers across ESPN & ESPN2.
Fans missing sports, tuned to ESPN and ESPN2 in droves to watch the first two episodes of the 10-part documentary series about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls’ quest to win a sixth NBA title in eight years.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_NYkfiHADr/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
On ESPN alone, the two hours averaged 5.3 million viewers, with episode 1 delivering 5.6 million viewers and episode 2 delivering 5 million.
The premiere episodes rank as the two most-viewed original content broadcasts on ESPN Networks since 2004, surpassing “You Don’t Know Bo” (3.6 million).
It is also the most-viewed telecast on ESPN since the CFP National Championship Game. Additionally, “The Last Dance” ranks as the most-watched telecast among adults 18-34 and 18-49 since sports halted across broadcast and cable networks.
The top 5 rated metered markets for ESPN and ESPN2 included: Chicago (12.1 rating), Raleigh-Durham (6.5 rating), Norfolk (4.9 rating), Charlotte (4.7 rating), Greensboro (4.7 rating).
The West Coast Prime re-airs at 12am ET averaged an additional 794,000 viewers, of which 414,000 were in the 18-49 demo. Episode 1 averaged 903,000 viewers and episode 2 averaged 685,000 viewers.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_IgjqZnmTZ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
In addition to viewership, The Last Dance dominated the cultural conversation and interest as the #1 trending topic yesterday on Twitter and at one point, 25 of the 30 trending topics were all related to the show. It was also the top Google Search Trend in the US on Sunday.
On Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, “Last Dance” posts from ESPN accounted for a combined 9 million engagements. Two pre- and two post-digital live shows combined for 3.5M viewers and 2.6M minutes.
Player empowerment has become a new term that media members such as myself like to use to describe The LeBron James era of NBA basketball, branding and business.
From his social justice stances to his criticisms of the NCAA to his partnership with Klutch Sports to the culturally-inspired content he puts out with Springhill ENT to his IPromise school initiative, Bron has made sure that players will no longer return to the days of Scottie Pippen.
However, at times, praising him suggests that players of the 70s, 80s and 90s were happily playing for peanuts before all of these superstars began calling their own shots in the NBA and using the financial stability gained in larger contracts and their brand popularity to strongarm once omnipotent owners into acquiescing to their financial or personal desires.
The first two parts of The Last Dance basically laid the groundwork for the Chicago Bulls’ final Championship run. It gave insight into the various relationships between players and owners and how star players were treated back then. Revealing how little some owners and GM’s valued the actual man, often treating players as no more than numbers on a spreadsheet.
Scottie Pippen only got $22.2M in his 11 seasons with the #Bulls.
He made up for it by getting $77M in the next 5 years with the Rockets & TrailBlazers.
He said his time would come and it did #TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/UnnBVZrEYz
— Etan Thomas (@etanthomas36) April 20, 2020
Viewers living this for the first time were shocked to find out that Scottie Pippen, who was considered a Top 5 player in the game during the Bulls’ first five championships, was getting paid like a lap dancer at a seedy strip spot in the backwoods of Iowa.
Here you have a guy that came to the Bulls when Michael Jordan couldn’t get it done alone and became the perfect Swiss army knife, doing all the dirty work so that MJ could illuminate his brilliance on the rest of the league.
For some reason, however, because Pippen was an unheralded draft pick out of Central Arkansas and played in the shadows of the NBA’s biggest money generator, as Chicago entered that final season, Pippen was the sixth highest-paid player on the Bulls and 122nd highest in the entire NBA.
Bulls players Ron Harper, Toni Kukoc, Dennis Rodman and role player Luc Longley, all made more than Pippen. Sure part of it was Pippen and his agent’s fault. Pippen admittingly signed a poorly-negotiated seven-year $18 million contract back in ‘91 because he wanted security and he feared that an injury could derail his paper.
In other words, he was taken advantage of.
Remember, they didn’t have supermax contracts back then. In fact, it was in 2017 that Steph Curry agreed to a new five-year DVPE deal with the Warriors, worth $201 million, ushering in a new financial milestone for players.
Players were getting paid in the 90s, but they definitely weren’t getting their fair share of the pie as the NBA expanded globally and financially. Guys like Pippen helped to enhance the product and visibility of the league and got very little for it.
Then the way General Manager Jerry Krause treated Pippen added more disrespect to the cipher. Lying to him, stringing him along, hinting that Pippen would get taken care of as his contract became outdated and inferior players started eating off a market that was expanding and growing.
When Jerry insinuated that he might even trade Pippen, that was the last straw and the relationship between the two went south, with Pippen publicly berating Krause at every opportunity. Pippen also pulled what we know today as a “Kawhi Leonard” move.
With no new contract in tow, Pippen waited until the season was about to start to get foot surgery. Following the surgery, Pippen was still without a new contract and Pippen, now 32, was scheduled to miss the first two months of the regular season and possibly three months. Pippen basically shut it down. It was a tactic he was using to try and force Chicago into giving him a new deal. He was leveraging his importance to the team against how badly owner Jerry Reinsdorf wanted to win another championship.
It worked for Leonard. He never played another game with the Spurs and got paid.
It didn’t work out for Pippen. He ended up playing in the final 44 games of the regular season and helping Chicago win a sixth championship. The relationship between Pippen and the front office deteriorated.
Pippen eventually got his bag, but in Houston with Charles Barkley. The Bulls broke up the entire dynasty and cleared house. They signed Scottie to a deal worth $67.2 million for five years – with an additional $15 million in incentives – before trading him. His salary jumped to $11 million in 1999 with the Rockets.
Problem was, Reinsdorf, who also owned the Chicago White Sox, was old school. In the documentary, he said that once a player signs a contract he doesn’t renegotiate a damn thing.
That’s how the old school team owners did business. Often taking advantage of a player or agent’s inferior knowledge of how the books work. It has since changed for players of Pippen’s caliber. They are more informed. More aware and through well-negotiated collective bargaining agreements, have gained more control and a bigger piece of the financial pie.
Winning is too important to making money these days. Having star power is everything. If a star player gets his feelings hurt, he might just bounce. Players are always scheming and trying to create Super Duos and Super Teams and play with their boys. At the very least, they have learned that destination and comfortability is something that they can control.
What happened to Pippen would never happen in this age of player empowerment. The max deals would be on the table and a six-time NBA champion and Hall of Fame player wouldn’t have to resort to clowning his GM in public because he’s embarrassingly underpaid.
Pippen’s story is one that a lot of superstars encountered in the earlier days of the NBA as the league transformed into the billion-dollar global phenomenon that it is today. He was on the front lines of players getting screwed. If there was a Rich Paul around when Pippen was balling, he would have gotten his money on the first contract and not been bamboozled by his agent and a fear of returning to poverty.
MJ said Pippen was being selfish, but that mentality is outdated. Players understand the money game so much better now. From how TV revenue is split to how their brands are monetized. But criticizing Pippen was just MJ’s desire to win another championship. He knew he needed Pippen to do it.
https://twitter.com/pompeodotjpeg/status/1252178435595624448
The story of Scottie Pippen’s financial battles with the Bulls in The Last Dance gives a deeper understanding of how much superstars were getting paid and how little financial freedom or leverage most of the players had.
The wrath of COVID-19 on professional sports strikes again. The Professional Fighters League has pulled the plug on its entire 2020 season.
PFL CEO Peter Murray issued a statement explaining the promotion will resume operations in 2021. However, all contracted fighters will receive a monthly cash stipend in the interim.
BREAKING: Professional Fighters League Reschedules 2020 Season to 2021 Due to Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic.
Full Press Release: https://t.co/WKx6WrexZE pic.twitter.com/zEzBieKpWM
— PFL (@PFLMMA) April 20, 2020
“In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Professional Fighters League has rescheduled our upcoming 2020 season for Spring 2021,” Murray said. “PFL is a global MMA league with athletes from over 25 countries, and our decision is guided by the health and safety of our fighters, fans, partners, and event personnel.
“The PFL mission is to evolve and grow the sport of MMA, and we look forward to staging our unique sport-season format with regular season, playoff and championship events on ESPN platforms next year. PFL has always been focused on delivering the best made-for-TV MMA product, and we will continue to deliver the most innovative fight experience going forward. Fans can also look forward to PFL elevating our roster with new championship caliber fighter signings such as Rory MacDonald.”
This come son the heels of the XFL suspending operations in early April. It became the first professional sports organization casualty of the coronavirus outbreak. The PFL canceling its season is just another indication that there is no real end in sight for sports entertainment.
In MMA, the UFC has boldly predicted May 9th as the restart of their 2020 schedule. With a remote island location in his back pocket, UFC president Dana White wants to reopen sports badly.
BREAKING: UFC president Dana White says the company has turned its focus to hosting its next event on May 9 at a location TBD. He remains adamant the company will get back on schedule, and barring outside factors, intends to hold a card on May 9. **Targeted matchups** include … pic.twitter.com/HBcqC8SmH7
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) April 14, 2020
However, the PFL normally starts its regular season in late spring. They then quickly convert into a tournament. During the championship the winner in each weight class receives a $1 million prize. That’s a huge come up in a sport notorious for under paying its fighters.
“For the remainder of 2020, the PFL will support our fighters with a monthly cash stipend to help provide some relief during these challenging times,” Murray said. “In addition, for sports fans who we know are looking for compelling content, the PFL will deliver new original programming across ESPN and PFL platforms. PFL will continue to be an innovator in the world of sports.”
Initially, PFL put the season on hold over COVID-19 concerns. However, the promotion feels the need to support its athletes as tantamount. The world is changing rapidly for sports in the era of coronavirus.
Today, April 19th, is a day of reflection for true Hip Hop heads. On this day in 2010, Keith Elam, better known as Guru – which stands for Gifted, Unlimited, Rhymes, Universal – transitioned into the spiritual essence after losing his battle with cancer.
It blows my mind that young people listening to Hip Hop today have no idea about his impact and artistry, Gang Starr, the Jazzmatazz projects and his incomparable creative brotherhood with DJ Premier. The brother from Boston dropped some of the most thoughtful compositions that the genre was blessed to consume. Whenever I start talking about my favorite emcees that most gloss over and sleep on, Guru is at the top of that list.
So as we take a minute to pay homage to the brother that left us with so many gifts, we offer you our playlist of what’s shaking the walls today in The Shadow League offices. If you call yourself a fan of this musical, cultural and spiritual movement that now dominates American pop culture, you need to go back digging in the crates with us to appreciate this full clip of twelve Guru essentials.
***
“You’re paranoid cause you’re a son like Elroy, and you’d be happy as hell to get a record deal, maybe your soul you’d sell to have mass appeal…”
“Heed the words, it’s like ghetto style proverbs! The righteous pay a sacrifice to get what they deserve. Cannot afford to be confined to a cell, brainwaves swell, turnin’ a desert to a well.”
“You’re in the Terror-dome like my man Chuck D said, It’s time to dethrone you clones, and all you knuckleheads. Cause MC’s have used up extended warranties, while real MC’s and DJ’s are a minority. But right about now, I use my authority, cause I’m like the Wizard and you look lost like Dorothy!”
“After that, Five-Oh came and turned the party out, and then the ambulance came to take the body out. And we didn’t even get all the equipment out and we didn’t even get to turn the place out…”
“Sometimes you gotta dig deep, when problems come near, don’t fear, things get severe for everybody everywhere. Why do bad things happen, to good people? Seems that life is just a constant war between good and evil. The situation that I’m facin’, is mad amazin’, to think such problems can arise from minor confrontations. Now I’m contemplatin’ in my bedroom pacin’, dark clouds over my head, my heart’s racin’.
Suicide? Nah, I’m not a foolish guy, don’t even feel like drinking, or even gettin’ high, cause all that’s gonna do really, is accelerate, the anxieties that I wish I could alleviate. But wait. I’ve been through a whole lot of other shit before, so I oughta be able, to withstand some more…
“I’ll splatter your dreams with lyrics to shatter your schemes!”
“I’ve never been a stranger to struggle, gotta maintain my hustle.”
“This world’s a twisted maze, but I got the swiftest blades, my swords they can slice and dice in precise ways.”
“Major effect to your sector, I’m the corrector, live and direct, waving my mic like a scepter. Supreme exalted, universal leader, descendant of the kings and queens, the overseer. The overlord, cream of the crop, creme de la creme, spent years buildin’ with cats in the streets, so they my men. Again! Gang Starr has done it, remember too much jewels back in the days? You’d have to run it.”
“Blockbustin’, like makin’ love, I’ll never stop thrustin’, into your system, so just listen. I’m like a neurosurgeon, operatin’ wit’ a purer version.”
And he’s still inspiring hits today.
Darryl “Bubba” Wallace is probably the most successful and impactful African-American driver in NASCAR history and he’s been a pioneer and blessing in further inspiring NASCAR’s D4D (Drive For Diversity) and Diversity Internship programs and introducing a new culture to the sport. He’s a country boy celebrity who has introduced Nascar to the urban dynamic.
It’s a shame that instead of celebrating all of his accomplishments, he is still addressing bigotry within his own sport. During a virtual race on Twitch on Sunday night, NASCAR driver Kyle Larson was caught dropping the “n-bomb”. Larson is white and NASCAR suspended him indefinitely on Monday. Right before the official NASCAR suspension, Larson’s race team suspended him without pay.
Wallace, of course, was forced to respond and he not only denounced racism in sports, but also forgave Larson and even spoke to him personally.
Wallace holds records for highest finishing African-American in the Daytona 500 (2nd, 2018), highest finishing African-American in the Brickyard 400 (3rd, 2019), first African-American to win in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series (Martinsville, 2014) and youngest driver to ever win at Franklin County Speedway (15 in 2008).
WATCH: The Shadow League’s exclusive 2018 interview with Bubba Wallace, live from The Daytona 500
Wallace’s forgiving grace doesn’t change the fact that this is not the first time the 26-year-old’s had to respond to racism in the Nascar community.
In October of 2017, Wallace Jr. became the first full-time African American NASCAR Cup Series driver since the legendary NASCAR Hall of Famer Wendell Scott in 1971. Richard Petty Motorsports, a full-time competitor in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series named Wallace as the 2018 driver of the legendary racing icon Richard Pettys No. 43.
The win for diversity in NASCAR was sullied when a Cambridge (Wis.) High School coach named Brent Nottestad posted several tweets commenting on Richard Petty Motorsports blessing Wallace with the No. 43 car.
One of Nottestad’s tweets included a reference to Wallace’s grandmother, who died last year: “Granny Jan die in a police shooting?” Nottestad also tweeted: “Hey @BubbaWallace. Please quit with, ‘I’m black’ bs. You’re terrible. There are 1423 more credible drivers to get that ride than you.
The number 1423 is often used by the Southern Brotherhood, the largest white supremacist prison gang in Alabama, according to the Anti-Defamation League. Nottestad, 42, also wrote in reference to a photo of Wallace posing with a white fan: “Almost looks like going to the zoo.”
The Cambridge News reported Nottestads resignation shortly after meeting with school officials, but the damage had been done.
Bubba got past that moment and he will get past this one with Larson too. It’s just a shame that in 2020 we still have so many closet racists. As usual, the Black man has to be the diplomatic one and forgive the bullsh*t. Let’s hope Larson learns a lesson and people stop downplaying how vile and unacceptable his language was.
It was almost how it would have been scripted in a movie. Arguably the greatest women’s college basketball force in history takes her act from the open trails of Oregon to the bright lights and bustle of New York City, which has been the centerpiece of the coronavirus pandemic.
Sabrina Ionescu would be playing for the Las Vegas Aces right now if she entered the WNBA Draft last year, but luckily for New York, she chilled for a season and tonight she was selected by the Liberty as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 Draft.
Just like that, she went from Matthew Knight Arena in Oregon to Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The hype that followed Ionescu in college has now exploded and she has no choice but to be the next best thing in women’s hoops. She’s already been adopted by her male peers as the leader of the next generation of multi-faceted ballers who will make the WNBA a more popular and talented league. It’s already the No. 1 women’s professional league in history. Now it has a Top 3 player, with Grade A visibility in a Top 3 market.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_H-5XUnOzR/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Yeah, the Liberty will be playing at the Barclays Center for their 23rd season. With New York needing a significant basketball boost, Ionescu’s arrival seems like destiny.
“I just think being a part of a younger team and just trying to learn from them and seeing where I fit in, what role I’m going to play, is exciting,” Ionescu said. “Bringing a competitive spirit that I have. I’m just excited to get there and work with the team and hopefully just continue to use my platform and what I did at Oregon and bring that to the Liberty.
Ionescu, a three-time Nancy Lieberman Award winner as the nation’s top point guard, averaged 17.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and an NCAA-leading 9.1 assists as a senior with the Ducks.
The 🐐 keeps making history.
Sabrina Ionescu is the first Oregon player ever to win the Citizen Naismith Trophy, her FIFTH national player of the year award! 👑#GoDucks | @sabrina_i20 pic.twitter.com/Me9fsafYoM
— Oregon Women’s Basketball (@OregonWBB) April 3, 2020
The stats-stuffer holds the NCAA record for career triple-doubles and is the only NCAA woman or man to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 1,000 assists.
A friend and mentee of the late Kobe Bryant, Ionescu’s public profile exploded after she spoke eloquently at the memorial service for the NBA legend and his daughter Gianna in February.
The Liberty used the ninth and 12th picks – its second and third selections of the first round – on Connecticut forward Megan Walker and Louisville guard Jazmine Jones. Walker, a junior, was named a First Team All-American and the AAC Player of the Year this past season. Jones capped her college career with All-ACC First Team and ACC All-Defensive Team honors.
In January, the Liberty hired former Minnesota Lynx assistant Walt Hopkins as the 8th head coach in the franchise’s history.
During his time as an assistant coach with the Lynx, Hopkins helped accumulate a 63-39 record, three consecutive trips to the WNBA Playoffs and one WNBA Championship.
He’s already inherited a solid young nucleus of potential All-Stars in this Draft, aided by the blockbuster Tina Charles trade.
"Tina Charles is a name that will forever be synonymous with New York basketball."@nyliberty trade all-time franchise scoring leader in 3-team deal: https://t.co/v0Z61hXWlL pic.twitter.com/ixpi9KkvWG
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) April 15, 2020
The Liberty traded the best player in franchise history to the Washington Mystics as part of a three-team deal on Wednesday to clean out the closet and prepare for a new era.
New coach. New team. And a 22-year-old Black Mamba disciple entering the league as a Top 5 talent — with a NIKE deal.
You built a program. You broke records. You won awards.
You still have unfinished business.
You’re ready to move the game forward,
and now your name has been called.So, what’s next?
You’ll show us. #justdoit @sabrina_i20 pic.twitter.com/INHqGI7hkf— Nike Basketball (@nikebasketball) April 18, 2020
Add the new talent in with Kia Nurse and last year’s No. 2 overall pick Asia Durr, other key players and additions and the Liberty are primed for a return to the glory days of T-Spoon and the crew.
“They have great guards there, with their ability to shoot and spread the floor out, but also run in transition,” Ionescu told the virtual media after she was drafted. “Walt runs a great offense. The pick-and-roll is something that I’m familiar with. Being able to enter an offense where it’s been really similar to what I’ve been playing with the last four years is exciting. I’m just excited to continue to grow my game in that aspect.”
In the second round, the Liberty selected two-time Conference USA Player of the Year Erica Ogwumike of Rice before trading her rights to the Lynx for forward Stephanie Talbot. Ogwumike is the younger sister of former No. 1 overall picks and current Los Angeles Sparks teammates Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike. No family has ever had three sisters play in the WNBA.
This automatically elevates the Ogwumike’s to “First Family” of the WNBA. Somehow I think she will end up in LA with her sisters.
But for now, the lights will be on Ionescu and we’ll find out quickly if she can handle the Big Apple and deliver the city its first WNBA championship.
With nothing more to really prove on the college level, the baller who carries the reputation of NYC guards on his back announced that he will enter the NBA Draft.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_FvR0onMlm/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
For the past two decades, basketball purists have lamented about the dearth of elite NYC Point GOD’s and the increasing lack of respect for Big Apple hoopers.
But little did they know that former Knicks point guard Greg Anthony, had already planted a seed that would eventually save the city and put some spek’ on the name of NYC hoops.
Something special was cooking in the schoolyards and AAU tourneys during those Dark Ages and his name is Cole Anthony; straight from Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
At 19, he became the latest and truest city product to be crowned “The Chosen One.”
He chose UNC to play his one college season and came out of the gate killing
Anthony set the school record for scoring by a freshman in his debut, finishing with 34 points, 11 rebounds and some timely dimes, while leading the No. 11 Tar Heels past Notre Dame 76-65.
Cole was living up to the expectations, averaging 19.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 steals across nine games before he partially tore his meniscus in his right knee — everyone and done player’s worst nightmare.
Anthony would go from a front runner for the Naismith POY award to missing 4-6 weeks after undergoing surgery. Being the competitor he is, Anthony returned on Feb. 1, 2020 and scored 26 points in his first game since Dec. 16 of 2019.
He played well enough the remainder of the season to solidify himself a Top 10 spot in the NBA Draft. There was some speculation that Anthony would return for his sophomore season, especially after COVID-19 canceled March Madness for the first time ever. It was wishful thinking on UNC’s part.
“Obviously not having a player of Cole’s caliber will be a tremendous challenge to our young team, but we have to play,” UNC head coach Roy Williams said. “No one player is going to replace the production Cole Anthony gives us, so it’s up to everyone who puts on a North Carolina jersey to raise his game and help our team play better.”
The son of a former Knicks point guard, Anthony grew up in front of our eyes. From his role in Little Ballers, a two-hour sports documentary exploring the journey of four 11-year-old New Heights basketball players and their quest to win an AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) championship to his three years at Archbishop Molloy HS in Queens to his year at Oak Hill Academy and then UNC.
The movie dropped in 2015. That’s when I first spoke interviewed Cole’s AAU coach Billy Council who remains a close friend and mentor and his mother, Crystal McCrary, who directed the show that aired on the NickSports programming block on Nicktoons.
Cole’s always had big dreams and a drive to follow in his dad’s footsteps as a true floor general. Despite his lofty goals, his spirit remains that of a NY city kid. His basketball talents have already taken him around the globe, but with his city embroiled in a pandemic, Anthony answered the call.
Council and Cole Anthony were together masked and gloved up three days ago helping prepare and deliver meals to the compromised health care workers on the frontlines at Harlem Hospital.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B–GX5CHUFk/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Anthony’s already accepted the responsibility of being great. Now he just has to do his thing on the court in the NBA. A backcourt of RJ Barrett and Cole Anthony isn’t too shabby for the NY Knicks who will probably have a Top 5 pick again. It’s time for NY to finally keep the hometown kid, home.
Every year, fantastic players suffer All-Star snubs. There’s only 24 spots to go around and back in the days it was even more exclusive.
Like clockwork, social media goes crazy with accusations of worthy players being snubbed. In 2017 Devin Booker became the youngest player to score over 60 points in a game, but he just made his first All-Star squad this season, pre coronavirus lockdown. Zach Lavine and Jaylen Brown are also blooming stars without an All-Star Game appearance.
Rookie of the Year, Ja Morant, who will see plenty of All-Star games before his career ends, was considered but didn’t make the cut.
But who do you believe are among the best players to NEVER make an NBA All-Star team? You won’t believe that a couple of these guys never made one.
Here’s my Top Five
Bibby was one of the best all-around guards in the NBA for a three-year stretch with the Sacramento Kings, teaming with Chris Webber, Peja Stojakovic and coach Rick Adelman to contend in the Western Conference for a scintillating sliver of time back from 2003 to 2006. His best season was in 2005-06 when he averaged 21 points per game to go along with six assists.
Miller was once known to dominate a game with the slipperiest of scoring techniques from all over the floor. A consummate floor general, Miller was always a threat to give you at least 15 points per game and 10 assists per game over a seven-year stretch. However, each year he faced stiff competition from other All-Star guards and never broke through. But his game definitely had some big drip to it.
For a span, Camby was the man! Though his most memorable years were in New York and Denver, he continued to impact the game throughout the length of his 19-year career. Long, lean, and athletic, The Camby Man was a force to be reckoned with on the defensive end. He averaged nearly four blocks per game to go along with at least 10 points and 10 rebounds per game, but the fans never saw him as anything more than a glue guy.
ROD STRICKLAND
Many diehard Knicks fans still mourn the day when Rod Strickland was shipped off to the San Antonio Spurs in 1990. Maaan, listen, prototypical size for the position, New York City playground-honed handles, the ability to finish strong among the trees, and the vision and intelligence to get his teammates involved, Strick is still one of my favorite point guards of all time.
[jwplayer l4oqemgn]
His omission from the ranks of NBA All-Star immortality is downright criminal.
SAM PERKINS: The Original Stretch Five
The Big Smooth was just that, smooth and silky with the buttery soft southpaw touch. He was also the original stretch five, shooting a career high 45 percent from beyond the arc in 1992. Though you wouldn’t know it due to his NBA championship cupboard being bare, he was a part of some excellent contending teams in Los Angeles and Seattle. His humble career averages of 11 points and five rebounds per game throw shade on a versatile skill set that was ahead of its time 20 years ago.
JAMAL CRAWFORD:
Jamal Crawford is one of the most lethal and multi-faceted shooters the game has ever seen. His ability to do one thing excellently — get buckets — made him the best Sixth Man in the game a record three-times. His epic handles earned him the moniker ‘J Crossover’.
https://youtu.be/2OAwluwKvlI
He’s had games in his career where he looked like a Top 50 to ever do it candidate. But his inability to defend regulated him to a backup role throughout his career and despite some gaudy statistical seasons, never got the All-star nod.
Hip Hop has erased racial lines for many, however, cultural lines still exist within the the marketing of music by race. Look no further than Eminem’s recent admission that white people are guests in hip hop culture.
Still, there are those artists who are walking a tight rope within the culture or straight jumping off the line.
Bhad Bhabie is one of them. The teenage rap artist is striking back at critics who slammed her for darkening her skin by pointing to Lil Kim.
Wait, how does that work you ask?
The 17-year-old rapper did an Instagram Live session recently to air out her frustrations with people who claim she is black fishing. She pointed to Lil Kim’s light appearance and reported plastic surgery in her defense to critics of her darkening her own skin.
“I used darker foundation,” Bhad Bhabie said. “Lil Kim uses foundation that … no disrespect toward Lil Kim. I’m actually a fan of hers. No disrespect to her, but the girl wears foundation that’s too light for her face. The girl went and got a nose job to have a smaller nose like white people. Like y’all don’t see that? She turned herself into … like I said, no disrespect toward her. I don’t have no problem with it. She can do what she do and make her happy.”
She wasn’t done.
“That’s all her. But I’m saying she literally got surgery to make herself look like a white person. She’s wearing makeup that’s light and y’all don’t say a g*dd*mn word about her. Y’all don’t say a g*dd*mn f*ckin’ word about her, but I put on a foundation that makes me look tan…”
The artist, whose birth name is Danielle Bregoli, posted a Instagram video of herself with a style that is clearly Black Girl magic inspired. Bregoli intentionally added that “Ion even need no wig” to questions about the length of her hair.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-o2T_eJ4xI/?utm_source=ig_embed
Bhad Bhabie also said her darker skin was for a photo-shoot. She faux defended her own sense of culture by asking, “Who wants to be Black? I don’t understand that. I just really can’t comprehend it.”
Lil’ Kim aka “The Queen Bee” caught wind of the comments and responded on her Instagram Live Stories.
“Millions of people sick, thousands dying every day and y’all worried about me getting makeup done for a photoshoot? said Lil’ Kim in her Instagram Stories. “I’m usually the wild one but y’all need to chill and focus on what’s important right now.”
Aside from letting Bhad Bhabie know that as soon as quarantine was over she is coming for her, assuming lyrically, Kim was relatively tame in response.
However, there is an interesting dichotomy occurring in hip hop. With its increased popularity as the music genre of choice, the cultural lines are blurred even more.
Look no further than Tekashi 6ix9ine and how his testifying against former co-conspirators created a chasm between older hip hop heads and younger. The once omerta like code of silence practiced by hip hop adherents is erased with many youngsters in the culture scratching their heads as to why it is a big deal.
Similarly, Bhad Bhabie’s quest for relevance and inclusion has her doing the most for black people’s respect. However, in her haste she forgot one thing: being a rap artist or follower of hip hop culture doesn’t make you Black. It also doesn’t absolve you from following cultural rules of black people when visiting as a guest of sub-genres of Black culture.
Until Hip Hop is willing to delineate the confusion among its “principled” older followers and the younger rule breakers, Bhad Bhabie and millions of other guests will never know why the culture is tripping on their self-expression.
62 years ago, Hal Greer was in his prime in forming a tandem with Wilt Chamberlain as one of the most impactful duos in NBA history.
Wilt’s chip with the Sixers may not have happened if Greer wasn’t playing a very capable Batman to Wilt’s Superman. The tough guy combo guard could score in a multitude of ways as one of the backcourt beasts of his era, and averaged 24 points, five rebounds and five assists per game in his final season with Wilt.
This week (April 14) in 2018, Greer died in Arizona after a brief illness. It didn’t hit mainstream news until a couple of days later.
Those numbers bloated to 27.7 points and nearly 6 rebounds per game during the 1967 playoffs. He’s probably one of the most underrated players in NBA history.
“The Philadelphia 76ers organization mourns the passing of Hal Greer, an NBA champion, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer and team legend,” the club said in a statement.
Throughout his 15-year career with the Syracuse Nationals and Philadelphia 76ers, Greer solidified his place as one of the greatest basketball players ever. An NBA champion in 1967 and 10-time NBA All-Star, Greer’s legacy includes being the 76ers all-time leader in points, field goals, field goals attempted, games and minutes played, culminating in him being named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996.
He was picked with the 14th overall pick in the 1958 NBA draft by the Syracuse Nationals, playing five seasons there before going to Philadelphia. At only 6 foot 2, Greer was known to midrange teams into submission night after night. Name your favorite Hall of Fame guard from the 60s, and it’s a safe bet that Greer gave him bushels of buckets.
Greer’s No. 15 jersey became the first to be retired by the Sixers in 1976 and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982. Recently, he became the first player to be honored with a sculpture outside of the team’s Legends Walk at the Philly training complex last year.
In addition to his historic contributions on the court, Greer will forever be remembered as a true gentleman who used the tremendous platform to uplift and inspires others. He is and should be remembered fondly.
UFC president Dana White has promised that his company will be the first major sports organization to return to a normal schedule amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, he is already planning his next event for May 9 at a location to be determined.
On Tuesday, White told ESPN that he is deep in the process of building out the card. Recently, he had to postpone UFC 249 pay-per-view event scheduled for this Saturday. He also had to postpone events on March 21, March 28, April 11 and April 18 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
White secured a private island to hold fight, presumably jurisdiction free. However, once he postponed, he was adamant to hold UFC 249 at Tachi Palace Casino Resort on tribal lands in Lemoore, California.
The UFC’s next pay-per-view event is UFC 250, originally scheduled to take place on May 9 in Sao Paulo. That event will no longer happen in Brazil, but that is the new date for the promotion’s return.
White already has the potential card built out.
A sample of the planned fights include an interim lightweight title fight between Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje. After Khabib Nurmagomedov pulled out over social distancing concerns, Gaethje stepped up. A bantamweight title fight between Henry Cejudo and Dominick Cruz is also planned. Last, a featherweight title fight between Amanda Nunes and Felicia Spencer.
