Friday, February 28, 2014

Thoughts on a Friday

In this small southern college town...this is the final day of the shortest month.



February.  The month with only 28 days.  The Black History Month.

You know why they gave us this month...28 freakin' days?!?

We could not have a month with 30...or 31.  Oh no!    Those months are reserved for the established white holidays.

But...we're not complaining.   At least we have a month.  A month to celebrate our heritage.

Five things....I ....think I think:

The Sochi Olympics....were...extremely ...boring.

The NFL....and this pending "nigga" rule is so ridiculous.

NASCAR....and the Daytona 500...with Dale Jr. winning was great!

Comcast and Time Warner ....merger...bad.  Very bad.

Best shows on TV?   Still the nature shows on NatGep Wild.

So ....that's that.

Have a great Friday...this last day of February.

The Feathers are Coming Off

These birds of prey...are done.  Too many injuries...too few superstars.

These are...our Atlanta Hawks.

Lets just see how many games we can lose.  Just might help out in the NBA draft.  But for now...it's just plain pitiful. 

Hawks edged out by Celtics
Jeff Teague had 26 points but the Hqwks fell 115-104 to the Celtics, losing for the 10th time in 11 games.

The Mask...LeBron Style

Leave it to LeBron James to make a fashion statement out of a mask designed to protect his broken nose.

You gotta give him his due.  It is an intimating image.

Our guess it is now the entire Miami Heat team will be sporting these masks before the season ends.

LeBron James' Black Mask Looked Like It Belonged In A Comic Book

It may not have been the Bane masked he wanted, but the black mask LeBron James wore on Thursday night still looked like it belonged in a comic book.

It might be unclear whether the hero or the villain would wear it.



lebron james


Nigga...Please!

So now the NFL wants to penalize teams and players that use the "N-word" during games.

Our response?

Nigga please!  These are grown ass men.  And there are two distinct words here.  Nigga....and nigger.  

"Nigga" is a word used by blacks among our own.  "That's my nigga".

"Nigger"  is a word used by whites to degrade blacks.  "We got ourselves an uppity nigger here".

Shane Paul Neil makes some excellent points in his blog.

From the Huffington Post:

 

When Good Intentions Go Wrong: The NFL 'Nigga' Penalty

Posted: Updated:
Before I even get into the proposed NFL rule accessing a 15-yard penalty for using the word "nigga" (I refuse to say "N-word" as it is a complete cop-out) in all its iterations on the field, I offer a moment of full disclosure: I don't use the word, or at least I make conscious effort not to. This is mostly in deference to my mother who grew up in the midst of Jim Crow and my great-grandmother who was born into slavery (yes, my family is only three generations out of slavery). I have friends and family who do say "nigga" unflinchingly, and for the most part I pay it little mind.

This week at the behest of John Wooten, whom I have a great level of respect for, and on the tails of the Martin/Incognito controversy, the NFL rules committee is considering the idea of a 15-yard penalty for saying "nigga" during a game. The proposal has, to no surprise, re-sparked conversations and debates about the use of the word ranging from its morphing etymology to who can say it and how.
I really hope the league sees all the reasons why this can't work, including...

The rule already exists
The NFL has rules addressing player conduct during game play including...
2014-02-26-NFLRule.JPG

Pretty straight forward to me.

If you ascribe to the idea that the word "nigga" is offensive what part of this rule doesn't apply? Creating a rule addressing one word or phrase is redundant at best. It also creates an unwanted hierarchy of offensiveness. It's not ok to call Michael Sam "nigga" but there is no "fag" or "homo" rule, so...
For those who argue that the NFL needs to conform to the laws that govern workplace culture 1) it's by no means a standard workplace 2) the rule does not address the NFL workplace as a whole but rather one relatively small, though important, portion of the overall NFL work environment. It is the equivalent of saying that there is no cursing in the office bathroom on Fridays from 1 to 4 p.m.

The rule enforced by (very) rich (very) white men
I am under no delusion that Roger Goodell or any NFL owner has ever owned any of my ancestors. That said the word gained its prevalence and pervasiveness during a time when some -- if not all -- of their ancestors owned the ancestors of the black players who make up 70 percent of the league. Should an organization with no black majority owners and a very small handful of black coaches and executives be legislators of black culture? And yes, regardless of where you stand on the "nigga" line it is in fact a matter of culture.

No NFL referee will (or wants to) throw that flag
Consider this part two of the previous paragraph. There are a relatively small number of black referees in the NFL and I have a hard time picturing Ed Hochuli calling a 15-yard "nigga" penalty on the offense. Add to this the number of judgement calls a football referee has to make during the course of a game as 22 incredibly large, incredibly fast men collide into each other and I would venture to guess that how players address each other is the least of their concern.

The rule will do nothing to curb the word's use
The John Wootens of the world would love nothing more than to see the word and all its forms erased from the lexicon. So much so that it has become the Lord Voldemort of language (he that shall not be named). To that cause, this rule is the most ineffectual option possible. This cause is a cultural one, not one of fair play or competition. This rule is the equivalent of cutting the top off of a dandelion and ignoring the roots that choke off the flowers around it.

There are so many other issues the league needs to address first
If the NFL is in need of addressing cultural taboo, there are a plethora of issues that are staring the league in the face that trump how black players acknowledge each other. The Washington Redskins sorely need a name change (and possibly the Chiefs as well). Again I call attention to the lack of minority ownership and executives. The specter of domestic violence (hello, Ray Rice). Marijuana use among players (hello, Bears/Ravens). Add to all of this, the entire world watching to see where the league's first openly gay player will get drafted and subsequently treated among his peers.

When cleaning a house it's best to throw out the garbage before you worry about sweeping up the dust.

Follow Shane Paul Neil on Twitter: www.twitter.com/shanepaulneil

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

On This Day...


Today is Tuesday, February 25, 2014


Today in
Sports History

1940 - The New York Rangers and the Montreal Canadiens played in the first hockey game to be televised in the U.S. The game was aired on W2WBS in New York with one camera in a fixed position. The Rangers beat the Canadiens 6-2.

1941 - The Boston Bruins set an NHL record after going 23 games unbeaten. Their record during the stretch was 15-0-8.


1951 - The first Pan American Games opened in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

1957 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that baseball was the only professional sport exempt from antitrust laws.

1964 - Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali) became heavyweight-boxing champion in an upset victory over Sonny Liston.





1978 - O.J. Simpson was a guest on "Saturday Night Live."





1981 - The Boston Bruins and the Minnesota North Stars set a record for most penalties in a game. There were 84 penalties that totaled 392 minutes.

1989 - Jerry Jones, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, fired head coach Tom Landry after a 29-year career.





1995 - Major league baseball announced that regular season games would be played in Hawaii for the first time.

2002 - Jayson Williams, the former NBA star, surrendered to New Jersey police. He was charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death of Costas Christofi. Christofi was killed by a shotgun that was recklessly handled by Williams. Williams was released on $250,000 bail.

2005 - It was announced that the Walt Disney Co. had agreed to sell the Anaheim Mighty Ducks to billionaire Henry Samueli and his wife Susan. Samueli's company was the operator of Arrowhead Pond, the Mighty Ducks' home arena.






Monday, February 24, 2014

Junior...Raced...One Hell of a Race

Dale Jr.   NASCAR's most popular driver...but hasn't been a winner for quite a while.

His dad, Dale Earnhardt,Sr. died at this same racetrack. "Senior"...nicknamed the "Intimanater"   is probably smiling down from the pearly gates.

Weather...wrecks...fierce driving...This 88 car was prepared to be the fasted car on the track.  It was beautiful to watch.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/#ixzz2uDJoZ5zL

What The Hell...Was "Ray Ray" Thinking?

Ray Rice...You just beat up a woman....Shame on you!

 

Source: Police have video of alleged assault involving Ray Rice

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Ray Rice
Ray Rice comes off an injury-riddled 2013 season during which he rushed for just 660 yards.
Mark Lyons/Icon SMI
Police investigating Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice for allegedly knocking his fiancée unconscious at an Atlantic City casino have video evidence of the blow, according to a person with knowledge of the investigation.
Another video, released by TMZ this week, shows Rice, 27, dragging his unconscious partner from an elevator within the Revel Casino in Atlantic City last weekend. Rice's identity was authenticated by his attorney, who says the video was incomplete.
Police said Rice and fiancee Janay Palmer hit each other, and both were charged with simple assault -- domestic violence upon being arrested Saturday. The Ravens told USA TODAY Sports the pair "returned home together after being detained."
He would be a first-time violator with respect to the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy, which in the last decade has carried increasingly harsher punishments for public malfeasance under commissioner Roger Goodell, though not typically for players with previously clean sheets.
Rice's five-year, $35 million deal signed in July 2012 includes $22 million in guaranteed cash, and if the Ravens chose to cut the former Pro Bowler, they would lose over $14 million against the 2014 salary cap by doing so prior to July 1. The two-time All-Pro Rutgers product played in 15 games last season but rushed for just 660 yards while struggling with injuries.

Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nfl/news/20140220/ray-rice-baltimore-ravens-assault-police/#ixzz2uDJ1xhjl

Sunday, February 23, 2014

2014 Winter Olympics Final Medal Count

Our USA 230 athletes did well!

Sochi Closing Ceremonies

It's over!



Sunday, February 16, 2014

2014 NBA All-star Week - John Wall dunks, dances, wins

I'm enjoying the All-star events.  You have got to see John Wall's dunk!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2014/02/15/john-wall-dunks-dances-wins/
 http://cdn2.mocksession.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/JOHN-WALL-DUNK.gif

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Air Jordan...Times Two

Seems Michael Jordan and his new bride have been kind of busy.

From Sports Illustrated:

Posted February 12, 2014

Michael Jordan, wife Yvette welcome birth of twin daughters

Charlotte Bobcats, Chicago Bulls, Michael Jordan, Yvette Jordan
Michael and Yvette Jordan were married in 2013. (Alexander Tamargo/WireImage)
Michael and Yvette Jordan were married in 2013. (Alexander Tamargo/WireImage)
Michael Jordan and his second wife, Yvette, welcomed the birth of identical twin daughters in Florida on Sunday.
The Associated Press reported Tuesday that Estee Portnoy, Jordan’s spokeswoman, confirmed the Feb. 9 births of Victoria and Ysabel.
“Yvette Jordan and the babies are doing well and the family is overjoyed at their arrival,” Portnoy said in a statement.
Jordan and Yvette Prieto, a former model, dated for a number of years before getting engaged in December 2011. They were married in an elaborate Florida wedding ceremony back in April 2013 and word of Yvette’s pregnancy first surfaced last November.
The children are Jordan’s fourth and fifth. The Bulls legend divorced his first wife, Juanita, in 2006 after 17 years of marriage. They have three children — Jeffrey (25), Marcus (23) and Jasmine (21) — together. Both Jeffrey and Marcus played college basketball and Jasmine is currently in college.
After a Hall of Fame career that included six championships with the Bulls in the 1990s, Jordan retired from basketball in 2003, becoming majority owner of the Bobcats in 2010.
Jordan, 50, had relocated to Florida with Yvette, 35, in recent years. Back in October, he decided tried to auction off his Chicago-area mansion after it failed to fetch its original $29 million asking price. The house did not receive any bids that met the auction’s $13 million reserve price.
“My kids are grown now and I don’t need a large house in Chicago,” Jordan told the Wall Street Journal at the time. “It was time for some warmer weather down at my new home in Florida.”

Thursday, February 13, 2014

We Learned our Lesson!

Yes...we...Georgia...the ATL...were the laughing stocks of America two weeks ago.

But thanks to  6eVoice and his North Carolina counter parts...who's laughing now?

Ha ha!

This is Raleigh...yesterday:



And this is the ATL today....Marta...is ...smarter!

These Hawks are Losing Their Feathers

Make that three losses in a row...for out beloved Atlanta Hawks.  Every time we try to get behind this team...every time we think they have turned the corner...every time the ATL gets a little excited about the "Association" here...

These Hawks let us down.

They are who they are.   A just above .500 team who will make to the play-offs...and will get bounced in the 1st or 2nd round.

No Championship...but then again...no lottery pick either.

These Atlanta Hawks fired a coach...then hire a coach whose style was just like the coach they fired.

They fired him too.  Now,  coach Mike Budenholzer seems like a decent coach...but without at least s superstars...the Hawks will forever be just...mediocre.

From YahooSports:


Game Story
TORONTO (AP) -- DeMar DeRozan scored 31 points, Kyle Lowry had 16 points and 13 assists, and the Toronto Raptors snapped a five-game home losing streak to Atlanta on Wednesday night, beating the struggling Hawks 104-83.


Wednesday, February 12, 2014

This is ....Embarrassing!

Embarrassing...maybe putting it mildly.  These United States of America are in uncharted waters.

We are not winning.  We are losing.  And losing badly.

Ok....these winter sports are not our strong points.  There is snow and ice.  And our best athletes tend to like football and baseball and basketball.   Not on the calender of Winter Olympic sports.

But...we are the most powerful nation in the world...full of unmatched resources!

So ...."What the problem is?"

From Business Insider:

 

The US Is Getting Smoked At The Olympics

The US Is Getting Smoked At The Olympics

Love & Marriage in the NFL

One of our favorite subjects...Love and Marriage.

This is a good story.  We may even buy the book.

From GaPeach913:

 

Black Gays...In the Pros?

Black gay guys in pro sports?  Yes there are.  And you know...and I know...there are way more than just the 2 who have come out.

Your thoughts?  

Looks like they could be dating each other...Just saying.



Jason Collins is the first openly gay "active" basketball player. Collins has an endorsement deal with Nike; however, he is not currently on any NBA roster. Hum, could it be that he's just not good enough?

Michael Sam an All-American defensive lineman from Missouri and the Associated Press' SEC Defensive Player of the Year, said that he is gay. He has aspirations for going pro and is eligible for the NFL draft in May. Let's see if he's good enough to play in the NFL. 

~ Observations by GaPeach913




Sochi Medal Count






The medal count as of today:


Medal standings

Country
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Total

1
Germany
6
1
1
8

2
Canada
4
4
2
10

3
Norway
4
3
5
12

4
Netherlands
4
2
4
10


5
United States
3
1
5
9


Hump Day News & Views

A winter wonderland has beset this small southern college town.  "Dandruff" from the North Pole. Ice trees...

So while we are home-bound for a few days...let do some "blogging"!


Happy Trails Derek Jeter:

Derek Jeter: 'The 2014 Season Will Be My Last'

Derek Jeter




Hey....He don't look gay!
 

Michael Sam's Dad May Not Be As Supportive As His Teammates

Michael Sam Missouri




Can anybody?  I said...can anybody stop Sir Kevin?
 

HIGHLIGHTS: Durant Lifts Thunder

Kevin Durant




Not a very..."smart" thing to do:
 

Marcus Smart Suspended For Shoving Fan

Marcus Smart

Texas Tech Fan Denies Using Racial Slur

 

 

So there it is...yes we are back.  Thanks to GaPeach913 for keeping it going.  Be safe and have a great "Hump Day"!

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Sochi 2014: Winter Olympics opening ceremony

All eyes are on Russia.

Keep up with the medal count at http://www.sochi2014.com/en


Seahawks dominate Broncos in SB XLVIII rout

The Seahawks won their first Super Bowl crown by punishing Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos 43-8.