So, I haven’t been inspired to write–you know, with all the lock outs and all–it’s been a rough couple weeks… [That's not the real reason. It just sounded all sincere so I gave it a try.]… Trust me, there isn’t a lack of interesting and writable stories, but for me, the stories have to stir something up within in. And one such story did just that…

Let’s cut to the chase… Why would anyone marry Pittsburgh Steelers’ quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger? I could end it right there. I was totally stunned by the news. The end of the NFL lockout totally paled in comparison to the Big Ben news, and hence my question of ‘What in the world?’…

I get it… I get it. The whole character rebuild thing. He’s a changed man. Yes, that’s great. But uh rah, you don’t see Michael Vick opening an animal shelter, do you? It would be the same thing.

You know, I’m all for rehabbing and being all you can be. And, I am the last person in the position to judge someone else, but really? Really, Sir? Last year you had this whole bar and woman and non-consensual thing going on. And now you’re married? The lesson here is quite self explanatory but if you like it Ben, I love it… Mazel Tov!

Watch your mouth!…

If you’re older than, let’s say 10, I’m sure you’ve said something you wished you could take back… You know, like a cartoon, you can literally see your words being retracted back into your mouth? Whether it gave the wrong impression, was completely inappropriate, hurt someone, or ended up taking on a life of it’s own, the likelihood of finding yourself (or your mouth in all actuality) in this situation is a very real one… but, hopefully not a frequent one.

Just imagine having a world platform and saying something that has now resounded through decades of interpretation, judgment, opinions, and believe it or not popular culture. The beginning of July celebrates (if that’s what we’re doing) the 30th anniversary of John’s McEnroe’s “You Cannot Be Serious” outburst during his 1981 Wimbledon title match (Obviously, this is a crack up for me because I’ve inadvertently adopted this saying with a shortened twist in ‘Seriously?’.).

Whatever your opinion, McEnroe goes down in history as one of the famed (and infamous) professional athletes of all time… And a soundbite mouth that takes a close second to his very own infamy.

So, obviously I could use this space to talk about the latest in professional sports’ lockouts, where the NBA is now the newest group containing billionaires and millionaires (and some newly drafted prospects that have virtually no money at all) fighting over millions and billions. And there is possibly some comedic value associated with NBA.com (a site dedicated to, well, the NBA) having no reference of the individual NBA teams (Good times!)… And we now know, from this site, that there can be no practices, no mentionings of practices, and no pro ball player saying words that begin with p-r-a-c (Thanks for that.)… But no, what I think is more news worthy and of more value in terms of space is the admission by veteran actor, Charlie Sheen, that he used steroids during the 1989 baseball movie, Major League, where he played Ricky Vaughn. Seriously, when you compare the two, there’s really no comparison, right?…

And while there were many quotes from Sheen, on this story, that would satisfy a litany of ills, I thought the following would offer just the right amount of  ”huh?” for your day.:

“Let’s just say that I was enhancing my performance a little bit. It was the only time I ever did steroids,” Sheen told Sports Illustrated. “I did them for like six or eight weeks. You can print this… my fastball went from 79 to like 85.”

A buddy of mine (a.k.a. Young Boy) passed this off to me (on the humble) and I had to share the love… Not a pro sport thing, but really something worth sharing.

Summer time, asphalt, grudges, and idol time are almost always toxic ingredients for drama, fights, jail-house calls to Momma, and gunned down corner kids laying in gutters. I’m happy about the “almost” concept… Specifically, the possibilities within these same conditions that allow for dramatically different results.

There is a basketball court with 12-foot fences surrounding it and is one of the few places where the neighborhood’s 2,729 residents can escape the harsh realities of life. Nike donated $50,000 for the court to be done up (redone, that is). And back in the day, “The Farm”, as it’s called (Barry Farm Dwellings, in southwest Washington), was a tobacco plantation before it became a community for freed slaves.

Read this fascinating story on how the “almost concept” can be the norm…

Thanks, Young Boy!

Why am I writing about LeBron James again? One way or the other I find myself being drained by the news surrounded around him, but this takes the proverbial cake (lemon, if I have my choice).:

“Absolutely not, because at the end of the day, all the people that were rooting on me to fail, at the end of the day, they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before they woke up today,” James said. “They have the same personal problems they had today. I’m going to continue to live the way I want to live and continue to do the things that I want to do with me and my family and be happy with that.”

Now, I know this quote has resounded around the world as millions witnessed (that was funny) the Dallas Mavericks river dance on the throats of the Miami Heat for the 2011 NBA Championship, but there are so many things to address here. I like to parallel the sport stories to that of every day life and I feel the range of human emotion and reaction involved around this Dallas win does just that (The numbered bullets were successful last time, so let’s try that again.).:

1. I hope with this statement that those who were stupefied by a ridiculous comparison between Michael Jordan and James will now come to their collective senses as even the Majestic Jordan never stooped so low as to rub people’s socio-economic situation in their faces… Oh and yes, after the 7th season, doesn’t have a ring.
   1. Let’s chat about this a little bit… Even if he was just talking to or about his haters or the media, the whole world heard this crass statement and may have taken it personally. The thing is, there are marginal people out there who just jumped the fence to now being a LeBron hater because of his snobbish comments (Thanks, I’m a billionaire and you’re not. Thanks for that.).
2. He [James] drains me… period… And his hairline has a remarkable resemblance to Paul Pierce’s hairline (Random? Yes, but true.).
3. I actually feel like he or some family member must have been threatened or something because he was not King James during the entire series… He was extremely inconsistent, lazy, disengaged, and all around just average.
4. There is no secret that Kobe Bryant is my fave. And one thing I love about him, which is very Jordanesque`, is that every game he shows up to play. He puts it all on the table, night in and night out. Why is it that James displayed such cry-baby-like tendencies, was a sore loser, and could ever think of being just average when the game required greatness?
   1. Dwyane Wade, during this entire stretch, displayed crazy maturity and poise. I think I have to give Marquette (his college) the credit for that. I think the training there prepared him for such moments. This is something James never experienced. Even being the high-school champion, it cannot groom you in the art of manhood and sportsmanship. I believe it’s something James will need to learn in order to be a champion in the League.
5. Savannah Brinson, James’ fiancee`, is being accused of having an affair with Washington Wizards’ Rashard Lewis and this turn of events is also apparently the reason for James sub-par play on the court.
   1. Okay, first off, I thought you had to be married in order to have an affair. Having a lot of children by someone doesn’t count.
   2. The fact that she has a lot of children by him counts… (cha-ching!).
   3. I want to know why Brinson and James’ mother like these NBA stars so much… There are other professional sports, you know?
6. Why was Chris Bosh crying so hard?
7. And my new fave quote, “The ring is the thing… and everything else is just statistics.”

Did I leave anything out??

My sports sporadics don’t necessarily line up with the latest headlines… I don’t seem to flow that way. These are just my thoughts surrounded around some countries within the world of sports, recent or not.

1. LeBron James is not better than Michael Jordan. And until he wins something, which is the point of this game called professional basketball, the NBA, he will never be as good. He will simply be another awesome player who never won a ring… Like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said, “the ring is the thing… and everything else is just statistics” (In context, he actually said this in reference to #2 [with Bill Russell having 11 championship rings], but it fits quite nicely here, too.).

2. Why is Scottie Pippen trippin’ (I’d usually ask why a person is on crack, but that can be considered defamation of character here.)? Did his PR person tell him he needed to do something to bring attention to himself? Who is he anyway to even open his mouth, ever? I can’t even think of a parallel to make this make sense [Did I mention Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said the ring is the thing? And Scottie can think Jordan for this honor.].

3. Mike Brown? Really? The end…

4. Why do colleges pick and choose integrity? Jim Tressel tenders his resignation to Ohio State? But, there has been recent press around the fact that “maybe” these college athletes should get some type of stipend above room, board, tuition, and such (People are so dramatic. Drained.)…

5. FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association [a.k.a. soccer]) can now join the other elite professional sports with [opened to the public] scandals, lies, betrayal, bribery, isolation, embarrassment, and denial. Good times…

6. After the first NBA Finals game, Dirk Nowitzki is who we thought he was…

7. I went to Dallas this past weekend. Is there any other sport/team there outside of football?… There was no shortage of Cowboys memorabilia, symbols, or random stars that weren’t isolated to the Lone Star State. It was a crack up… It definitely shows who brings in the money (Or, who has the most money at least).

8. Roger Federer is a man god…

9. Did you know Kim Kardastian’s fiance`, Kris Humphries, plays for the New Jersey Nets?… I didn’t either (Yes I did. It was just funnier to say I didn’t. Love is grand!).

10. “The ring is the thing… and everything else is just statistics,” is my new single-sentence argument.

Yeah, I’m feeling a combination of shock and wonder… I can’t help but be in shock about the literal break down, before my eyes, of one of the longest running and most prolific dynasties in American professional sports history. No matter how you feel (those of you shall remain nameless), you cannot deny the superb outfitting of fundamentals along with the essentially talented group of semi ever-changing men that made up the L.A. Lakers.

I don’t think it’s saying too much to feel and discuss the deep and ominous hole that surrounds the subject of the Lakers and where they are to go from “here”… For me, “here” is this itchy, head-turning-of-the-dog feeling of what happened? What happened to the cool and smooth sailing they always played with, never becoming bothered by the pre-season win-lose columns (inferring that it would all work out in the wash of the post season)? This gigantic question bumps right up against one of the last questions for their season, of inquiring what exactly happened to the grace and maturity with which the Lakers always possessed… They were the studious ones that other teams immolated (or tried to at least). The Dallas Mavericks’ win over the Lakers (a 4-0 broom stroking in the 2^nd round of the NBA playoffs) was one for the record books, but one also that the Lakers should be quite ashamed of (for the varied violence that ensued, not the loss).

With Phil Jackson retiring and the roster in flux, what can I count on (Crack up!… My mind just went to, like, five things that were off the subject)? After reading a few articles on this subject, there was a slight tone in the air that Phil wasn’t the biggest fan of this latest group of guys he was coaching. That speaks volumes from a coach who has seen the likes of perfection in Michael Jordan and the skill and cunning in Dennis Rodman.

I can’t lie, I’m a Lakers fan. And while I know Kobe’s rein as the centerpiece for the team may be (may be!) coming to an end, I’d still like to see them rebuild and quiet as kept, for Kobe to win another one… More importantly though (Uh, maybe just as much rather), I’d like to see the continuity of seamless play and the chaotic calm they once had reborn once more.

The NFL Draft is going on and all I can think about is rejection…

So many dreams hang in the balance and yet rejection is still so much a part of that reality. It’s something, in life in general, to prepare and be the best at your skill (or one of a very limited number), and still not necessarily be a shoe-in. Being #1 is relative, right?… For instance, Cam Newton is the #1 overall pick (going to the Charlotte Panthers) and still, there are so many components to determining greatness. He experienced media and rumor-mill rejection. But today, today celebrates him as the best of the best.

It’s hilarious how one can experience the heights and depths of perceived greatness. I’m all about celebrating hard work, tenaciousness, gifting, and discipline. My heart just bleeds for those who will feel the indelible sting of rejection. It’s something that can only be explained after it is experienced.

Generally, I think teachers are different today than when I was in school. I feel a good number of them don’t seem invested as they’re beating their students out of the door when the bell rings. I’m sure some of you remember the days when teachers stayed hours after their regular school day to tutor or just to talk some sense into a student… Not to mention the home visits. Well, uh rah, I think this teacher might get a pass…

When your elementary school teacher was twisting your classmate’s ear, pulling him to his seat for his latest bout of misbehaving, I’m certain you weren’t wondering if your teacher had a right hook… (Yes, Mike Tyson style).

Sonya Lamonakis, a 36-year-old Harlem [New York] elementary school teacher, is also a professional boxer. Despite her classifying this “gig” as a hobby (Crack up!), Lamonakis is a top-five-rated female heavyweight who is being groomed for a title shot (I know, I know… a collective Lil’ John “What“!).

Turning down fights if there’s a PTA conflict or school-day event, Lamonakis makes her priority clear:

In February, when [Promoter Lou] DiBella had a show televised on Broadway Boxing at BB Kings [in New York City], he asked me to be on the card. I couldn’t, because I had made a promise to the kids. I was actually going to take them to a show. I already made these plans like three months ago. So I told him I had a commitment to the kids, to my students, and I just couldn’t disappoint them.

While she loves the sport and really knows her stuff, I love that she loves the children. I mean, as someone who loves young people and is committed to their tomorrows, I am impressed by Lamonakis’ dedication and her overall compassion for her students.

I know teachers can’t throw down (a.k.a. beat down) with children the way they did back in the day, but uh, kids may want to think twice before talking back to tight-bun-glasses-on-edge-of-nose-flat-shoe-wearing Ms. Brown.

It’s a crack up to me ’cause every time I attempt to bring a story from another sports arena, some NBA star grabs my attention. And for me, its a must tell…

We all remember Allen Iverson, right?… Well, probably not, but he was a prolific point/shooting guard for the Philadelphia 76ers for many years, giving up his body night in and night out (Uh, ask your significant other to translate that for you.). He then went all Rambo after he was past his prime and asked to come off the bench, which lead him to now being a star (once again) for the Turkish Basketball League. Iverson isn’t primarily known for his charity work, which he’s done a great deal of, or for giving back and re-building black (African-American… for the PC side of you) communities, which he’s also contributed to for many years. Rather, he dons the stamp of celebrity approval for being a bad boy, say-what’s-on-his-mind type of fellow… It appears that hasn’t changed.

Born to a single, 15-year-old, Iverson has known some hardships, but I’m not one for excusing ridiculousness because of childhood woes. I believe we’ve all, relative to our situations, have experienced one hardship or another. Anywho… Iverson’s Lamborghini was pulled over by an Atlanta officer who noticed the vehicle changing lanes without signaling (Yes, a bit extra, I know, but stay with the story.), and after some time this once NBA All Star became irate because he couldn’t leave his vehicle (He was the passenger.) to eat (Wow!).

Okay, let’s forget the expired tags (Don’t even ask…) since 2009 and the 20 minutes, apparently, that Iverson needed to explain who he was to the officer… Let’s focus on the fact the he said to another human being (1) ”Do you know who I am” and (2) ”Take the car. I have 10 more.” And I like this one best, him telling the officer (3) “I make more money than you will in 10 years.” What, in the name of all that’s holy (I just got that weird mother-wouldn’t-like-that-phrasing feeling.)?… Who does that? This once MVP deemed it necessary to berate an officer for doing his job? Of course, later, he apologized (Whatever.). He’s lost so many cool points. How do you explain to your kid or younger sibling that this is inappropriate behavior when the world says, verbally and in action, that it’s okay… You get a pass since you entertain us. Even as a realist, a small piece of me (a little circle on my ankle) believe people have to be better than this.