sports
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Could Russell Wilson Be on the Move?
Do you like to get hit? I don’t. Unfortunately, as the franchise quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks, it kind of comes with the territory. So if you’re Russell Wilson, when you’re not preoccupied with recreating Busta Rhymes music videos or living your best life with your Grammy Award-winning wife, you’re getting hit. A lot. How…
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ESPN's The Undefeated Is Giving Us a Glimpse into HBCU Sports With Why Not Us: North Carolina Central Basketball
When it comes to nailing the intersection of sports, race and culture, ESPN’s The Undefeated has been holding us down since 2016. With its masterfully executed articles, personality profiles and captivating conversations with some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment, it’s a must for every sports head eager to get their fix beyond…
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28 Days of Album Cover Blackness With VSB, Day 10: The Brothers Johnson's Winners 1981
To be Black (especially in America) is to know the Brothers Johnson. They had several No. 1 singles on the R&B charts in the ’70s and ’80s. Even though they didn’t write “Strawberry Letter 23“—that distinction goes to Shuggie Otis—their rendition is probably the one most of us are familiar with. They also gave us…
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The Biggest Winners From Super Bowl Sunday Had Nothing to Do With Tom Brady
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Tom Brady won his 7th Super Bowl. Who cares? Super Bowl LV was about much more than just Tom Brady—it was a seminal moment for so many others. So instead of heaping all the praise on some wayward white man, here’s who also deserves their flowers in the immediate aftermath of Super…
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Well, Damn. Mahomes Is Human After All
When I play Monopoly, I often deploy a strategy I call a “Slow Motion Ass Whooping”. Broke or not, I snatch up every single property I land on during my first few times around the board. From railroads to Baltic Avenue, from the Electric Company to Marvin Gardens, I’m on a suicide mission to put…
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Legendary Boxer and Former Heavyweight Champ Leon Spinks Dies at 67
Boxing legend Leon Spinks—who is most well known for his 1978 upset victory in the ring against Muhammad Ali—died Friday after a long battle with prostate cancer and other ailments. On Feb. 15, 1978, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Spinks, an undersized heavyweight, became the undisputed heavyweight champion after going toe-to-toe with Ali for 15 rounds…
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Dianne Durham, First Black Woman to Win a USA Gymnastics National Championship, Dies at 52
Before Dominique Dawes, Simone Biles and Gabby Douglas there was Dianne Durham. The first Black woman to win a USA Gymnastics national championship died in Chicago Thursday at age 52. According to the Associated Press, Durham’s husband, Tom Drahozal, said that she died of a “short illness” in a Chicago hospital with him and her…
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Martellus Bennett Exposes the Rotten Underbelly of NFL Football: 'It’s a Traumatic Experience'
Throughout the course of his 10-year NFL career, Martellus Bennett endured more than his fair share of labels. He was deemed a malcontent, immature and an assortment of other descriptors that unfairly detracted from his contributions on the field. But despite whatever coaches or journalists have tried to brand him, one thing they’ll never accuse…
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Because Absolutely Nobody Asked, Here's My Pick for Sunday's Super Bowl
Do you know how hard it is to repeat as a Super Bowl champion? In a past life, I made valiant attempts to reconcile with my exes. I apologized for things I didn’t even do, took accountability for the things I actually did, and forgave transgressions that didn’t deserve an ounce of grace. I kissed…
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Does the NFL's Concussion Settlement Program Discriminate Against Black Players? Clinicians Who Apply the Protocols Seem to Think So
While the NFL maintains that race doesn’t factor into the eligibility requirements of its concussion settlement program, clinicians are coming forward with their concerns that the league’s recommended protocols do in fact discriminate against Black players. According to ABC News and ESPN, when former players file for compensation, they are required to undergo a battery…