Jay Connor – Page 72 – The Root

Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude

Russell Westbrook Lives to Terrorize Kevin Durant. The Rest of the Nets Were Just Collateral Damage

After spending almost my entire Sunday hiking—if you live in Los Angeles and have about eight hours of your life to kill, definitely check out the Bridge to Nowhere—I did what any sensible Black man would do: I ordered some chicken wings and watched basketball. As I thumbed through NBA League Pass on my iPad,…

By

Jay Connor

Published

February 1, 2021
Channeling the Spirit of Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Drew Brees Just Terrorized Us All With Ashy Red Beans and Rice

Trigger Warning: This article contains graphic details of alleged rice and beans. Let me preface everything that I’m about to say by admitting that I am by no means a chef. Now that we got that out the way, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees isn’t either—and I’ve got the unsettling receipts to prove it.…

By

Jay Connor

Published

January 29, 2021
The Choice Is Simple: If Deshaun Watson Wants to Win a Super Bowl, He'll Join the Denver Broncos

Earlier this week I went on a lengthy spiel about how ridiculously overrated loyalty in sports is. It’s been proven time and time again that no amount of blood, sweat, and tears poured into a professional franchise will deter the powers that be from getting rid of your ass once they no longer view you…

By

Jay Connor

Published

January 29, 2021
My Brother's Keeper Alliance, ESPN Launch Mentorship Program for Boys and Young Men of Color

The value of mentorship can never be understated, as it imparts invaluable guidance, support, and expertise upon mentees eager to conquer the obstacles that lay before them. To that end, My Brother’s Keeper Alliance is in the business of building safe and supportive communities for boys and young men of color. And to ensure that…

By

Jay Connor

Published

January 29, 2021
For the Love of God, Would Somebody Please Rescue Bradley Beal From the Washington Wizards?

Loyalty is overrated. Once upon a time, there was an NBA All-Star named Isiah Thomas. No, not the guy who drove the Continental Basketball Association and the Toronto Raptors into the ground before eventually getting slapped with a sexual harassment suit. I’m talking about the 5-foot-nine one who was an instant bucket for the Boston…

By

Jay Connor

Published

January 28, 2021
Kirk Franklin, Sony Music Combine Super Powers to Bring Us Some Good Words

Pastors have a tendency to be a bit long-winded. But when you need your soul fed, there’s no better chef than sanctified superstar Kirk Franklin. That’s why it should come as no surprise that the 16-time Grammy award-winning artist is bringing his gift of gab to the wonderful world of podcasts. According to Deadline, the…

By

Jay Connor

Published

January 28, 2021
Remember This Face Because This Monster Should Never Play Another Down In the NFL Ever Again

Trigger Warning: This article contains graphic details of domestic violence. Prior to the arrival of Surviving R. Kelly, as the tide began to turn against the embattled singer, Spotify tried to get ahead of the curve by banning controversial artists from its popular playlists. This new “hate content and hateful conduct” policy was the streaming…

By

Jay Connor

Published

January 28, 2021
Booked and Busy: Amanda Gorman to Recite Original Poem at Super Bowl LV

All she does is win, win, win no matter what. Barely a week removed from eloquently telling the truth to shame the Devil at the inauguration ceremony for our president, Joe Biden, and Vice President Kamala Harris, Amanda Gorman’s victory lap continues. As we reported at The Root, she’s already signed on the dotted line…

By

Jay Connor

Published

January 27, 2021
Because We Can Never Get Enough of Black Is King, Spotify's Dissect Podcast Is About to Break It All the Way Down

The early months of the pandemic were short on joy and a bit too heavy on confusion and chaos. But in July, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter—the first of her name and last of her kind—blessed us with the mind-bending Blackstravaganza that was Black Is King. In the time since its auspicious arrival, her magnum opus has…

By

Jay Connor

Published

January 27, 2021
Celebrated NBA Analyst Sekou Smith Dies of COVID-19

This one hurts. Celebrated NBA analyst Sekou Smith, one of the most beloved figures within the NBA community, died Tuesday after a battle with COVID-19. He was 48. After graduating from Jackson State University in Mississippi, the Grand Rapids, Mich., native cut his teeth at the Clarion-Ledger in Jackson before becoming a beat writer for…

By

Jay Connor

Published

January 27, 2021

Menace to supremacy. Senior Edior at The Root. Consultant and friendly neighborhood NDA signee elsewhere else. Impatiently waiting for y’all to stop putting sugar in grits.