To recap, Barry Bonds testified before a federal grand jury for three hours in 2003, which led the government to charge him with 15 felony counts related to lying under oath. Eight years later — with the list of charges slashed to four — a jury deadlocked this week on three charges that Bonds lied…

One big difference between Juan Williams and a lot of folks is that he’s been brutally honest about thoughts that cross his mind in certain situations. Five months after he shared such thoughts on how airline passengers in “Muslim garb” make him “worried” and “nervous,” Williams has done it again. This time, while guest-hosting The…

The average NFL fan can’t identify too closely with NFL players — and certainly not NFL owners. But most fans know what it means to work and receive a paycheck, regardless of how little they get in comparison. That’s what makes Adrian Peterson’s comments so disturbing and disgusting, reinforcing the stereotypes of dumb jocks and…

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin got straight A’s at Denbigh High School in Newport News, Va., and he competed deep into statewide academic competitions. But he never let his football teammates know about his book smarts because he wanted to be viewed as a tough guy, not some soft brainiac. Now, even as he’s…

New York Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell was the “it” black candidate this off-season when it came to NFL head-coaching vacancies. Fewell interviewed for the top job with the Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns, all of whom hired someone else. His full slate was due to two factors, his status as a highly…

Venus Williams’ rise from the rough streets of Compton, Calif., to become a world-champion tennis player is an incredible, inspiring tale. Along with her sister Serena, Venus Williams has smashed the country-club stereotype with a force harder than one of her blistering serves. But a problem that has developed over the last few years is…

Any time a school basketball coach requires his young men’s hair to be above their eyebrows, collars and ears, it’s just a matter of time before some player complains about the rule. And considering the popularity of hairstyles such as dreadlocks and cornrows, it won’t be surprising if African Americans are among the loudest protesters…

One of college football’s brightest young coaches — black or white — Mike Haywood was poised to celebrate 2011 in grand fashion, having risen to a big-time school after just two seasons as head coach at lower-tier Miami (Ohio) University. The University of Pittsburgh announced him as its new coach on Dec. 16, giving him…

There has been a loud outcry in the wake of President Obama’s recent comments about star Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick’s post-prison second chance, with protesters falling primarily into one of two camps. They’re either shouting, “He’s only getting a second chance because he can play football!” Or they’re bellowing, “He doesn’t deserve a second…

Former San Francisco 49ers head coach Mike Singletary’s skills with the X’s and O’s — the nuts and bolts of coaching football teams — were suspect enough. But even if he was deemed adequate in that regard, his persona made his suitability as coach of the 49ers questionable. Society has not reached the point yet…