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Basketball, Out; Lacrosse, In?
Are the outliers “in?” History was made in March when African-American swimmers finished first, second and third in a single event in the women’s Division I NCAA championship. African-American. Swimmers. For a long time, when it came to African Americans and sports, it was a safe bet to follow the money. The trail ended at what it…
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Jameis Winston: A Good Player With a Bad Reputation
Most folks have made up their minds about quarterback Jameis Winston, having read and heard enough about misbehavior and alleged misdeeds by the Heisman Trophy winner from Florida State University. They have been inundated by reports of the silly stuff—stolen crab legs and soda, obscenities screamed in public, BB-gun battles—and the gravely serious matter of a sexual…
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Tiger Woods: Worse Golfer, but Better Man
If the number seven represents completion, Tiger Woods has about 18 months until his roller coaster comes to an end. Considering all that has occurred since that fateful Thanksgiving in 2009—when then-wife Elin Nordegren chased Woods out of the house and he crashed his Escalade into a fire hydrant—you might think the last year and…
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Hey, Floyd, I Want My Money Back! Mayweather vs. Pacquiao Was 12 Rounds of Bore
Where was Public Enemy when we needed them? In the heavily promoted run-up to a bout that was five years in the making and 10 years late, we would have been better served if Chuck D, Flavor Flav and Terminator X had formed a reunion tour to sound the alarm and warn the masses about…
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Mayweather vs. Pacquiao: A Fight of Extremes
Saturday’s long-awaited Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao bout is a fight of differences. Of excess and access. Of past and present. Of crime and punishment (or lack thereof). Of the loved and the hated. It’s a fight that ultimately exposes gaps in how we think, how we feel and how we live. It underscores cultural chasms that are…
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Obama: 'The Heat' to Romney's Jeremy Lin?
(The Root) — With all due respect to President Obama, Mitt Romney is no Jeremy Lin. Romney, scion of a heavyweight businessman and politician, enjoyed a life of power, privilege and prestige en route to becoming the GOP presidential nominee. Lin, the son of a computer engineer who emigrated from Taiwan, overcame rejection from major…
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Notre Dame Football Needs More Criminals?
(The Root) — Allen Pinkett, a former star halfback and current radio analyst for Notre Dame, was sincere Wednesday when he said the Fighting Irish need “a few bad citizens” on their roster in order to succeed at the highest levels of college football. “I mean, that’s how Ohio State used to win all the…
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NFL Taking Risks With Replacement Officials
(The Root) — It’s official: The NFL’s regular officials won’t be in action when the season kicks off on Wednesday. Hard as it is to believe, the world’s richest and most powerful sports league will entrust its product to officials who aren’t even at the top level in college! NFL executive Ray Anderson has told…
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NFL Star Should Not Be Treated Like a Baby
(The Root) — I’m glad that troubled Dallas Cowboys star receiver Dez Bryant realizes the error of his ways. I’m glad that he wants to make some changes. And I’m glad that people are in place to help him. But I don’t like the notion of special rules that essentially relieve Bryant of all responsibility.…
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Gabby Douglas: Impact Far Beyond Sports
(The Root) — Truth be told, we weren’t that inspired by Olympians like Michael Jordan and Carl Lewis. While they dominated their sports like few have ever done, it’s commonplace to see African Americans conquer basketball and track and field. This is by no means a putdown, but seeing Jordan and Lewis excel in their…
