Black or White

The All-American Basketball Alliance announced in a news release Sunday evening that it intends to start its inaugural season in June and hopes Augusta will be one of 12 cities with a team.


"Only players that are natural born United States citizens with both parents of Caucasian race are eligible to play in the league," the statement said.


To read the full article, click here or the title. 
 
So much to say, so I will keep it sweet and simple. This idea of starting an all white basketball leagues touches on so much more than sports. As I was reading the comments left by article readers, it reminded me of a question that has always been in the back of my mind, but you never want to publicly admit it because your personal everyday life is not impacted by it: DOES RACISM DOES STILL EXIST?


I’m not upset at the fact that the commissioner of this new league wants to start an all white league. It’s his time and money and he can do what he wants. That doesn’t mean me or you have to support it. However I am bothered by his reasoning for wanting to start the league. He said he “wants to emphasize fundamental basketball instead of “street-ball” played by people of color.”

The last time I checked, Tha Professor from the And-One mix-tape circuit is WHITE. One of the most fundamentally sounded basketball players of this generation is former Davidson standout Stephon Curry, now of the Golden State Warriors, who is BLACK. Kids (black and white) growing up today are idolizing the likes of Kobe Bryant and Lebron James just like Chris Paul grew up idolizing Magic Johnson and John Stockton. They are not looking at the color of their skin; they are looking at the way they play the game!

Secondly, he says “the white game of basketball, which is essentially a fundamental game, works." My response is so does street ball, just ask Rafer Alston, who started out as a street ball player before landing at Fresno State and then the NBA. And since when did the game basketball become associated with race or color? The perpetuation of such foolishness makes no sense. In all honesty, he sounds like a bitter dad whose son got cut from the high school basketball team.

GOTCHA *****!

Talking about a prank gone wrong! 

In an attempt to spoof College Humor's Prank Wars Half Court Million Dollar Shot, the school told Olathe Northwest girls basketball coach and science teacher, Joel Branstrom Branstrom if he made a half-court shot while blindfolded, he would win NCAA tickets. However, the school never had NCAA tickets to give him, as they never expected him to make the shot. Not only did he make it, he sunk it. Nothing but net, baby.

"I really thought it was going to be pie in the face, especially when they put me in a jersey and covered my hair up, I thought I was going to get hit in the face," Coach Branstrom told FOX 4 News. "I probably didn't really know I made it for about a minute."

The student body was told to cheer when Branstrom missed the shot. When he made it, the students were momentarily dumbfounded. Now, the school is scrambling to find someone to donate NCAA tickets for the coach who turned the joke on them.

 Watch the real spoof being played out first at the Wake Forest - Maryland game almost two weeks ago.  LMBO at buddy who really thought he made that shot!

“To Infinity through Perseverance”

Sometimes it’s not a matter of how, but when. And even after that it’s not a matter of when, but for how long? I’m sure if you asked the latter question to Jeff Moonie Jr., it wouldn't be hard to find an answer, to infinity through perseverance.

It’s a 2005 summer night in downtown Charlotte. I’m not afraid to admit it now but frankly it was my first time being in that specific area, looking up at the gigantic buildings that make up part of the Charlotte, North Carolina skyline. The exact location escapes me but most likely somewhere on Tryon, go figure. It was also the first time I met Jeff the musical artist, the film writer/producer/editor, the talent.

But unless you sat down and had a conversation with him you wouldn’t know that there was more to the boxing fan and collector of every hip hop magazine ever published or at least it seemed that way to me. I recollect seeing pictures of the UNC alum’s (go HEELS) family members on his fireplace mantle and the only word that can come to my mind now is indescribable, because only he can find the right word or words to describe a delicate, yet precious pass, marred by the tragic death of sister, the lost of his father, and deferred dreams. I never asked him to find the words. I didn’t have too.

The hundreds of pictures that covered the walls of his creative and musical think tank up-stairs told even more stories, not to mention the words of encouragement from friends and followers who at some point in time stopped by to show their support and undoubtedly inspire productivity.

And that was just the beginning. While there are constant reminders of the past, deferred dreams are now becoming his reality. Jeff filmed a critically acclaimed documentary titled “Donor” in which he won top prize at the Asheville Film Festival in 2005 as it detailed his father’s fight and battle with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).

Since then, the award –winning director, producer, writer, and editor has moved out to California, continuing to pursue his dreams, while impressing upon his followers those near and afar. Musically, under the stage name Jeff Lucky, he recently released an official leak from the upcoming album Soul Motivation. In addition, Jeff’s original songs and lyrics were featured in an episode of CBS’s Cold Case back in November 2009.

In addition to music, he’s continuing to make an impact through film with his company Dark Prometheus Films. Says Jeff in a phone interview from California, “I realized that I couldn’t do one without the other,” in reference to his passion for continuing work in both music and film. To see more of Jeff’s work, visit darkprofilms online at http://www.darkprofilms.com/.  

And on that cool summer evening… that started for me with a drive through the breezy mountains of Asheville, NC from Tennessee, to meeting up with a few fraternity brothers exploring downtown of the Queen City, refusing to pay to enter a night spot where the cover was not in the budget of a grad student and a couple of undergrads…we waited! Soon after I would first learn of Jeff’s perseverance as we all pitched in to help sell CD’s of the well received Love Letters the E.P. out of the front seat of his black Ford Explorer. And it was right then and there I realized the potential. The same potential Jeff already knew existed.

Written by Ni-Eric for http://www.itoodream.blogspot.com/

Remembering the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Thank you for allowing me to be where I'm at today.

Two quotes from the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that you may or may not be aware of.

"Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love."

"If a man hasn't discovered something that he will die for, he isn't fit to live."

And of course, arguably the best speech ever.

"Precious"

While the ending of the movie Precious was not the greatest, I will say it's deserving of all the accolades, including a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress earned by Mo'nique.  I don't think any other actress could have played that role better than Mo'nique although it was tough to watch.  Now a little less yelling on that dang talk show!

In case you missed it, listen and watch her emotional acceptance speech below. 

 

The Week that Was...Lane Kiffin, RIP Teddy P, HELP Haiti

Hello Itoodream followers.  Thanks everyone for your support and I hope everyone had an opportunity to catch up on on my blog while I took a break to recharge.  I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!

"Lane Change"
In the sports world, Lane Kiffin, former coach of the University of Tennessee did an about face and "Changed Lanes," accepting a job of the same title with USC.
 What happen to the integrity in college sports?  It seems to me everything revolves around money and not the athletes or more importantly, the ACADEMICS.  There will come a day in college sports where schools will put a huge price tag on long term commitments from proven coaches. If not, the Lane Kiffin's of the world will continue to put self before team.  Students started to tear up campus on this.  Like Teddy P said (see below), "Think I'd (they) better let it go..."

#1...AGAIN
In Higher Education news, UNC-Chapel Hill was named once again # 1 overall best academic value in the U.S. public education according to Kiplinger's Personal Value Finance magazine.  So what does that mean?  For the quality of education (strong academics) you receive, if you look at the cost of tuition, WE are the cheapest (very affordable).  Carolina does everything but guarantee you a job right of college...but then again, what college or university does?  Not to be left out, ther UNC system schools were N.C. State, 10th; Appalachian State, 22nd; UNC-Wilmington, 27th; UNC-Asheville, 44th; and UNC School of the Arts, 61st.

RIP Teddy P.

Musically, there will never be another.  In his prime in the 1970s, Pendergrass was one of the premier R&B singers in America.  One report I read about Teddy P indicated that while his agressive brand of soul and his smooth ladies man image were sexually charged, they were never coarse or vulgar.  Some of these R&B singers today should take note of that.  One of my favorite Teddy P songs of all time is "Love TKO."  What's your favorite Teddy P song?
"Think I'd better let it go...looks like another love TKO"

"Help Haiti"
All around the world, millions are stunned by the recent Earthquatke in Haiti that have killed thousands of people and left countless others in dire need of help.  Lets do our part.  I applaud President Obama and his team for their swift response.  Wyclef is doing is part.  Tiger Woods is donating 3 million as well.  And big ups to everyone else who's giving whatever they can whether it's 50 cents or a dollar.  For more information on how you can help, visit the Haiti Earthquake Alliance online here.

"One good deed after another...

Anybody have that family member (aunt, uncle, or cousin) who growing up you probably called him or her every name in the book underneath your breath?  But the older you get and the older they get, the more respect you have for one another.  Although he make it hard for others to respect him, he don't have to worry about me.  You alright with me Uncle Junior!

See my uncle at the end of the video, in the yellow coat in the boat! 

Alidore Community stay up!

And Another...

Minnesota Lynx player Charde Houston has only been in the WNBA for a couple of seasons but she's adamant about making a difference when she can. She recently reached out to Aiyanna Bardwell, an 11-year-old girl whose mother was allegedly murdered by her father back in November. Aiyanna and her little brother, 8-year-old Tabari Strong, were left homeless because of the incident.  Read More.

She didnt have to do it, but she did as well.  We need more stories like the two above to offset the troubling news that seem to overshadow all the good in the world. 

"Can I Take Your Order"

"Two McDonald's employees were arrested after police say both were using drugs at the restaurant and at least one of them was selling drugs along with fast food. Police arrested 20-year-old Estevan Quiroz at a McDonald's in Floresville last week. Investigators say Quiroz admits to selling marijuana inside the restaurant during his shifts." - 4 News

Apparently this wasn't your normal fast food "joint."  Pun intended!  I'm not surprised.  Both workers are suspended, not fired!  Does anyone else have a problem with that?  Everytime society as a whole takes two steps forward, an act of bufoolery such as this sets the world back a few years.

On another note...did someone say "sweet tea...?"

"Dumb and Dumber"

Washington Wizards teammates Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton drew guns on each other during a Christmas Eve locker room argument over a gambling debt, according to The New York Post.

Last week, the Wizards and Arenas acknowledged that Arenas had stored unloaded firearms in a container in his locker, and the NBA said it was looking into the situation.

It was during that investigation that a confrontation between Arenas and Crittenton was revealed, according to a Yahoo! Sports report.

Citing an anonymous source, the Post reported in Friday's edition, however, that the standoff was sparked when Crittenton became angry at Arenas for refusing to make good on a gambling debt.


First off, how DUMB can you be?  I understand wanting to carry a gun (legally) because of you live/work in DC and there is somewhat of a star appeal as it relates to the amount of money you make.  However, why have a gun in an NBA locker room?  Arenas makes 16 million a year (not deserving of it) and Crittenton makes close to 1.5 million a year.  Why not just pay the dude his money, unless that gambling debt is worth more than a  couple thousand dollars.

Arenas had an awful 2009 personally, his 2010 is off to a bad start as well.  I wish him the best.

Happy New Year Everyone!

-Niz