Kids Kept Out of Swimming Pool for Being Black?
July 9, 2009
WHEN YOU call The Valley Club, in Huntingdon Valley, a recorded message by a chipper-voiced man says, "Things are really starting to heat up here in July!"
Things are heating up, all right, but probably not in the way that the club’s board would prefer. That’s because families of minority children enrolled in Creative Steps Day Camp, located inside Carnell Elementary School, in Oxford Circle, are alleging that racism is the reason their kids have been kicked out of the overwhelmingly white club.
The accusations are ugly.
In early June, Alethea Wright, founder and director of 13-year-old Creative Steps, registered her 65 campers – online – to use the pool on Monday afternoons from 3:30 to 5. The special arrangement, a first for the club, was approved by its board and was to run from June 29th through Aug. 10th.
McNair Was Shot While He Slept
July 9, 2009
More details are starting to come out about the murder of former NFL quarterback Steve McNair and his 20-year old mistress Sahel Kazemi. According to the Associated Press, Nashville police believe that McNair was killed while he was sleeping. The evidence is leading investigators to believe that Kazemi shot McNair in the head while he slept on a couch, then shot him twice in the chest and then in the head once more. Before shooting herself, Kazemi apparently tried to position herself to fall on McNair’s lap, but instead her body slid to the floor and lay at McNair’s feet. The gun was found under her body.
Tiger Woods Wins Another One
July 6, 2009
Long before it was over, the 2009 AT&T National had become a character study of the reigning sovereign (Tiger Woods) and the man who could be king (Anthony Kim).
The former has been golf’s most jaw-dropping natural talent for most of the last 15 years, the latter the most promising up-and-comer for the last 15 months.
So when Woods and golf’s would-be Li’l Tiger clashed at the AT&T National at Congressional Country Club outside Washington, D.C., over Fourth of July weekend, few could imagine a more compelling scenario.
Despite a surprise run by Hunter Mahan (62, 12-under), Woods prevailed, shooting a final-round 67 to edge Mahan by one stroke and Kim by four.
"I don’t think you can go through the history books and find anyone as consistent as Tiger," Rod Pampling said on the eve of a third-round pairing with Woods. "Even Jack I don’t think was as consistent as Tiger."
The results of the autopsies Sunday, via The Tennessean:
Steve McNair was shot twice in the head and twice in the chest.
His girlfriend, Sahel Kazemi, was shot in the side of the head. A semi-automatic pistol was found on the floor under her body. The police have not announced whether they think she was the victim of a homicide or committed suicide.
The Nashville police spokesman Don Aaron said at a news conference this afternoon:
“While it is clear McNair’s death is a homicide, the police department is not classifying Kazemi’s death, pending further investigation and interviews with persons who knew her and McNair.
“We can’t be close-minded. All scenarios are on the table.”
Where was Steve McNair’s Wife when He was Killed?
July 4, 2009
There are rumors circulating that the murder of Steve McNair may have been a murder suicide between himself and the 20 year old female who was also found dead. While his wife was reported to have been in Mississippi at the time of the shooting, there are some who are speculating on whether or not she played a role in the murders.
Read more on the Steve McNair murder.
More to come!
Steve McNair Killed in Nashville
July 4, 2009
Image: Dr Boyce Watkins with Steve McNair in 2004
Media outlets are reporting that former NFL MVP Steve McNair has been shot and killed in Nashville, TN. The incident is being reported as either a double homocide or murder suicide, depending on the outlet. McNair, 36, was found to have died from a gunshot wound to the head. McNair was the third overall draft choice by the Tennessee Titans in 1995. He led the team to one Super Bowl and was named co-MVP in 2003.
Black News: Serena Wins Wimbledon Again!
July 4, 2009
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Serena Williams kept telling herself she was facing just another foe in the Wimbledon final Saturday, just another woman who hits the ball quite hard, just another player trying to deny her a Grand Slam title.
She wasn’t facing just anyone, of course. She was playing her older sister Venus. And when the latest all-Williams final finished, when Serena wrapped up a 7-6 (3), 6-2 victory for a third Wimbledon championship and 11th major title overall, she jogged to the net with her arm extended for a handshake.
Venus pulled her close for a warm embrace, instead.
"I didn’t think about Venus at all today. I just saw her as an opponent," said Serena, who also beat her sister in the 2002 and 2003 finals at the All England Club. "At one point, after the first set, I looked on the side of the court at the stats, and it was like ‘Williams,’ ‘Williams.’ I couldn’t figure out which was which."
That also might have been because she was facing the only other woman who can equal her power and court coverage on grass courts. Monday’s rankings will say Serena is No. 2, and Venus No. 3 — behind No. 1 Dinara Safina, a 6-1, 6-0 loser to the elder Williams in the semifinals — but it is clear who the best woman in the world is at the moment.
Why Don’t We Support Women’s BBall?
June 29, 2009
by Dr Boyce Watkins
My beautiful daughter Carmen just helped her school win its first state championship. She is the shortest person on team, the quickest and the scrappiest – both a lady and a monster when she has to be. As I sat in the stands cheering like a lunatic, I noticed that there weren’t enough parents cheering along with me. The stadium was half empty, and most of the people cheering in the stands were women and children. I wondered how these young women felt, knowing that while their stands were only partially full, the boy’s game (which they lost) had been sold out.
I couldn’t quite figure out why we don’t support women’s sport the way we should: The fundamentals of the WNBA are better than the men, and the women are incredibly talented and competitive. But after some long reflection on the disparity of support, I gave myself the answer to my own question.
When planning our trip to New York City. I said to Carmen, "How would you like to see a Knicks game?" Her eyes brightened like Times Square and she shook her head up and down so hard I thought she was going to break her neck in the process. I then realized my mistake: While it was quite natural for me to think about inviting my daughter to a Knicks game, I didn’t think for one second to invite her to see the New York Liberty, the women’s team in the city.
For years different people have always grumbled about the lack of activism and social change involvement of professional athletes. Specifically our most successful athletes like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Tiger Woods. In a recent interview with HBO’s Real Sports, former NFL great Jim Brown went in on the lack of activism for social change from both Tiger and Jordan in recent years.
"There are one or two individuals in this country that are black that have been put in front of us as an example," Brown told Real Sports host Bryant Gumbel. "But they’re basically under a system that says, ‘Hey, they’re not gonna do a certain thing.’ Yes, that
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Michael Jordan’s Son Quits Basketball
June 27, 2009
Jeffrey Jordan is Michael Jordan’s son. That little proposition, as it relates to basketball, can not be an easy one for any offspring to undertake.
It’s not just that your dad was a great NBA basketball player. Your dad was the single greatest basketball player who ever lived. Your entire life, you’re not just a classmate to your friends. You’re the son of their hero. Imagine that! For all of the sundry benefits of being Jordan’s son — the money, the basketball shoes, the unimaginably awesome toys you’d get as a kid — the specter of anticipation, of "hey, that’s Michael Jordan’s son out there" would haunt you for as long as you played basketball.
It appears those days are over for Jordan’s eldest offspring. Jeffrey Jordan, a walk-on-turned-scholarship-athlete at Illinois, has apparently decided to hang up his balling kicks for good:
"I loved playing for the Fighting Illini and appreciate the support I was given by my teammates, coaches and the great fans here," Jordan said. "But I have come to the point where I’m ready to focus on life after basketball. I will concentrate on earning my degree from the University of Illinois and the opportunities that await upon graduating."
A judge on Monday will consider whether former NBA star Jayson Williams should be sentenced for covering up a fatal shooting at his mansion in 2002, given Williams’ recent erratic behavior, including an assault arrest in North Carolina.
Williams, 41, was acquitted of aggravated manslaughter in 2004 but convicted on four counts of trying to cover up the shooting of a hired driver at his Hunterdon County mansion. The jury couldn’t reach a verdict on a reckless manslaughter count, and State Superior Court Judge Edward M. Coleman has delayed sentencing pending Williams’ retrial on that charge.
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Lebron Visits Barack Obama
June 21, 2009
The White House. A movie premiere in Maryland. A store opening in Harlem.
LeBron James is making the rounds this summer.
Fully recovered after undergoing surgery two weeks ago to have a benign growth on his jaw removed, the NBA’s MVP is keeping a busy schedule.
On Monday, Cleveland’s All-Star forward and a group of close friends visited President Barack Obama and were given a tour of the West Wing before attending the U.S. premiere of "More Than A Game," a documentary about the basketball star and his friends’ rise to national champions while playing at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio.
Looks like Michael Strahan’s post-NFL keeps getting better. Awhile back we announced that Strahan just signed a deal with FOX to star in his own sitcom this fall and now he’ll be marrying Eddie Murphy’s ex-lady, Nicole Murphy. The two have been dating for some time now and according to People Magazine, Strahan popped the question on a beach in the Bahamas.
"I have a great relationship and she’s a great girl," Strahan told People. "I don’t like to talk much about my private life, but I’m really happy."
“Chosen One” Leaves High School at 16 – Only Because he doesn’t play football or Basketball
June 16, 2009
Read below about Bryce Harper, the 16 year old who is going to college next year only so he can be eligible for the 2010 MLB draft. If he were a basketball or football player, he would not be able to do this. So, not only does this story make a mockery of our educational system, it also points out the hypocrisy which exists in the way basketball and football operate relative to sports dominated by non-black athletes.
When big Bryce Harper made the cover of Sports Illustrated two weeks ago, I knew we’d soon again be hearing from the 16-year-old ‘chosen one.’
But not quite this soon.
On Sunday, the sophomore from Las Vegas found his way into national headlines again when his father announced that Bryce will forgo his final two years of high school and use a GED to enroll in a community college this August. Though it more or less makes a mockery of our education system, the Harpers’ plan would make Bryce eligible for the 2010 draft, where he could conceivably be the Nationals’ No. 1 pick and eventually join forces with Stephen Strasburg to save Washington baseball from itself.
Dr Boyce: How Kobe Bryant Rebuilt His Brand
June 16, 2009
Kobe Bryant started his career with the LA Lakers as a tremendous athlete with a valuable brand. His stock rose like an elevator, as Madison Avenue loved him as much as Laker fans. Then life took a strange twist. First, there was the nasty departure of Shaquille O’neal, which instantly reduced Kobe and the Lakers to "also-rans" in the NBA playoffs. A man who was used to winning championships was reduced to simply playing for pay.
Off the court, things got even worse. In 2003, Kobe was accused of a horrifically embarrassing sexual assault, a case that was later dropped. But even though the charges were dropped, the case still had a lasting impact on Bryant’s reputation: Sponsors ran the other way and everyone wondered if Kobe might turn into another "coulda, woulda, shoulda" black athlete.
But he persisted. The Lakers got a little bit better every year, with that improvement culminating in what some believe to be Kobe’s first "real championship" this year; a title without the boost of a dominant big man. For the first time, the Lakers are champions under Kobe’s watch. He has proven that he is more than a replica of Anfernee Hardaway.
Where does Kobe Stand in History?
June 15, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. — Where does Kobe Bryant rate among the modern superstar NBA champions? Here is a good place to start:
Michael Jordan — 6 championships
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — 6
Magic Johnson — 5
Kobe Bryant — 4
Tim Duncan — 4
Shaquille O’Neal — 4
Bryant may now be viewed as being on the same tier as Shaq, who was the dominant force in basketball and MVP of the Finals during all three of their championships together with the Lakers from 2000 through ‘02. The tension that ultimately divided them was created by both of them, but one of the obvious issues was mired in Bryant’s ambition to fulfill himself. He wanted to become more than Shaq’s "sidekick," as he referred to himself disparagingly in Phil Jackson’s book on their final season together.
"From the standpoint of responding to the challenge," Bryant said Sunday, "from people saying I couldn’t do it without him, [winning the title] feels good because you prove people wrong." But he chooses to focus more on what they accomplished, as opposed to the additional titles they might have won.
Read More black sports on our Black Athletes blog.
ATL Falcons Release Michael Vick
June 14, 2009
“It’s a situation that we have been thinking about for quite some time,” Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. “We did our due diligence. We’ve been searching around the league and were looking for some interest as far as a trade.
“In the very end, we came to a conclusion that it was time. It was best for both us and Michael Vick to move on, to turn the chapter.”
McNabb Signs a New Contract
June 14, 2009
PHILADELPHIA, June 12 (UPI) — Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb has agreed to a restructured contract with $24.5 million guaranteed, his agent said.
The deal was announced Friday at a news conference attended by Coach Andy Reid.
McNabb agent Fletcher Smith told the Philadelphia Inquirer the deal makes his client one of the highest paid quarterbacks in the NFL.
McNabb signed a 12-year contract in 2002, but had the final three seasons voided after incentive clauses were reached with the restructured deal.
"The Philadelphia Eagles organization and the entire city of Philadelphia are fortunate to have a quarterback the caliber of Donovan McNabb," Reid said on the team’s Web site.
"It was appropriate to make some adjustments so that he was rewarded commensurate with the way he plays," team President Joe Banner told the newspaper.
Derrick Rose Gets heat for gang signs
June 14, 2009
Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls is trying to say that he’s not flashing a gang sign. But let’s see – he grew up around gangs and his fingers probably don’t naturally look that way. I’m not sure if I believe his story.
But here is his statement:
"Recently, a photo has been circulating on the Internet which appears to depict me flashing a gang sign," Rose said in the statement. "This photo of me was taken at a party I attended in Memphis while I was in school there, and was meant as a joke … a bad one, I now admit. I want to emphatically state, now and forever, that Derrick Rose is anti-gang, anti-drug, and anti-violence. I am not, nor have I ever been, affiliated with any gang and I can’t speak loudly enough against gang violence, and the things that gangs represent.
"In posing for this picture, I am guilty of being young, naive and of using extremely poor judgment. I sincerely apologize to all my fans for my mistake. I pride myself on being a good citizen, and role model, that young people can look up to and I want to urge all my young fans to stay away from gangs and gang-related activities."
Boxer Mike Tyson Remarries….Again
June 12, 2009
Most likely riding a wave of emotion after the death of his daughter, Exodus, Mike Tyson married his girlfriend, Lakiha Spicer. According to the Associated Press, Tyson and Spicer, who is not the mother of Exodus, married at the La Bella Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas’ Hilton Hotel-Casino.
Chapel owner Shawn Absher told AP that the couple came straight from the Clark County marriage bureau and got married around 10 p.m. This is Tyson’s third marriage. His first to Robin Givens in 1988 lasted less than a year, and his marriage to Monica Turner in 1997 lasted five years.
