Damon J. Smith's Sports Blog

Brazilian Street Kid Publishes Inspirational Book with Help from American Professional Athlete

2010-09-27T11:24:00.000-07:00

Brazilian Street Kid Publishes Inspirational Book with Help from American Professional Athlete

The Olympics of Amateur Motocross

2008-08-13T12:36:00.000-07:00

If you don't know much about Motocross, you might not have heard about the National Amateur Championships that have taken place at Loretta Lynn's Ranch every summer for the past 28 years. But for those of you who know Motocross, you know how huge this event is. It's like the Olympics for Amateur MX riders.

Every spring, thousands of racers from across the country begin the process of regional qualifiers, striving for a top 10 finish in the initial qualifiers, and then a top 5 finish in the final qualifier that will grant them entrance into the prestigious Loretta Lynn Championships. The qualifiers are typically packed with the region's top riders who attempt to qualify in a number of different classes with the goal of making it into at least one class, but preferably the two classes that are allowed for the 3-moto format of the Championships.

In my second year of racing (and second year attempting to qualify), I made it into two of the three classes I raced in the qualifiers, and additionally qualified as an alternate for a third class. So we began our preparations for the 2,250 mile journey from Sacramento, California to Hurricane Mills, TN.

We do things a little different than the average motocrosser. Or at least what appears to us to be the "average" motocrosser nowadays. At most of the events we attend - even the local races - we get up extra early on race day only to pull up in our Toyota Tacoma truck (which is loaded to the max with 1 bike, all my MX gear, folding chairs, tent cover and picnic supplies), and search through the plethora of RV's and toy haulers for a decent spot to set up camp for the day.

There are pros and cons to doing it our way - the obvious con is driving at the wee hours of the morning before a race, or having to use port-a-potties and hand sanitizers all day long. The pro, on the other hand, we notice when we quickly pack up and head down the highway at a comfortable speed, passing and waving at all the heavily loaded RV's and toy haulers (typically packed with 2+ bikes, MX and camping gear). Not to mention the savings on gas and absence of extra RV costs. There's something to be said for simplicity.

However, since we don't own an RV or toy hauler, we had to consider how to make this cross country trip that ends in a place called "Hurricane Mills" - a campground located an hour outside of Nashville without much else near by. Fortunately, some friends who live close by were driving their rig and had spare room to haul my bike and gear. So we had the benefit of flying into Nashville, renting an RV and camping right there on-site at Loretta's Ranch.

Now, coming from a crossover athlete's standpoint, this is what sets motocross apart from the rest of the athletic world. In my football days, the team flew to away games, stayed in fairly nice hotels, reviewed strategy over meals, watched film, had a small preparation practice on the game field and got a good night's sleep. Come game day our gear was cleaned and prepped and we were ready to play without much effort in the "getting there" process.

But for motocross, the "getting there" process is half the battle. And since a huge segment of the motocross population has seen fit to buy huge motor homes and toy hauling rigs, utility ATV's, pit bikes, two (or more) racing bikes per rider, and home school their kids so they can add travel days with ease, the ante's been seriously upped for the "average" motocross athlete to get a sporting chance at success. In addition to the "getting there" costs, most people add at a minimum a few thousand dollars in bike modifications to an already brand new bike.

As much as I love this sport, I often wonder how it can grow when the financial standard is so high. And the rules and requirements to win at the national level are foggy at best. Most stock classes don't seem to be "stock" at all - but more accurately how fast can you make your bike go while still looking "stock". The entry fees, along with gate fees, hook up fees and transponder fees would drain most responsible citizens' bank accounts. Responsible being a family with life insurance, health insurance, contributes 10-15% of their income toward retirement, pays the mortgage on time and stashes a little away in an emergency savings. The costs are magnified further when the amateur national schedule contains 6-8 races, consuming at least 8 weeks, not including drive time. That's 8 weeks of vacation per year at minimum. Nevertheless, most folks are simply thinking about the next race and rarely give much thought to the cost until it hits them.

I guess my point is that money shouldn't be a determining factor for success in athletics. Success in athletics should be dependent upon one's talent, work ethic, dedication and desire. But in motocross finances can play a large part in success.

Despite the challenges and road blocks, I, like many others, still choose to line up every weekend and twist the throttle.

This has never been a particularly cost effective sport. So with increased gas prices and the current economic climate, one might expect to see only a select few die-hards making the trek to an event like this, plus those fortunate to live in a closer radius of proximity to Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.

Not so. We rolled in on Sunday morning (the day before Monday's practice day) into what appeared to be an endless sea of motor homes, parked back to back, side to side, like a huge transportable city assembled and dissembled in less than two weeks. Riders came from almost every state and even a few different countries. Someone told us there were about 1,000 less RV's this year than last, which baffled us as to how another 1,000 RV's could fit into such a setup.

I felt like a kid in a candy shop. Every vendor associated with motor sports was there. And they each had their own attractions - from rock climbing to movies to nightly concerts, fashion and talent shows - adding even more excitement to the week.

But on to the main reason for the event... motocross.

We walked the track twice on Sunday, sweating bullets in the 95 degree heat and 85% humidity, plotting strategy, riding style and bike logistics. This track was one of the best I've seen, technically challenging with lots of sand that would disappear by race day and the threat of surprise thunder storms to make it even more rough and rutted.

Monday I started my week off with two 20-minute practices. I figured my experience playing college football at places like Oklahoma, Baylor and Louisiana State University would prepare me for the heat and humidity. But I must say, by the time I put on my gear and helmet I was "pleasantly" surprised to feel the heat and humidity rise another 10%! Monday's practice was HOT. Some didn't hesitate to pull right off the track. But I decided to stay out there and "get 'er done" - since I needed as much track time as I could get. Practice went great. My lap times were competitive and once I acclimated to the heat, I was able to get comfortable on the track.

Tuesday, on the other hand, was crazy! It started off with clear blue skies and 90 degree weather. Then during my first moto out came the clouds and in a period of 2 minutes we were racing under thunder storms. I had to take off my goggles to see. Needless to say, I finished the race and felt OK about how I rode. At least I could use it to build on. I was scheduled for another race that day, but the rain came down so hard it flooded a portion of the track, so quite a few motos had to be postponed while they re-routed the track.

My rain delayed moto started at 7:30am Wednesday morning and the track was still muddy. Extremely muddy. Again, my goggles were of no use and I finished the race without them. But it was a step up from the day before and I was still happy with how I rode.

My second set of motos ran on Thursday without rain. I was able to find a flow and I ran my fastest lap time so far. I finished both races in respectable positions. At this point I was really looking forward to my last two motos the next day.

Friday was the big day. I finally felt comfortable with the weather and track conditions. I was excited to see what I could do. On the first lap I ran my fastest lap time of the week, improving by over 13 seconds. That's almost unheard of. The track maintenance crew watered the track before my moto, however and I hi a slick spot going around a corner jump. It threw me about 10 feet in the air and off the track. I ended up screwing myself up real good. My entire body hurt but I refused to stay off the track. An incomplete race (or DNF) can destroy your overall results, so I got back on the track and gutted it out.

After the race I went to the onsite medical facility where they took some X-rays of my wrists and shoulder. I was impressed by the fact that at any other event, you'd have to go off site, wait your turn and pay a sum just to be seen by a doctor, let alone get an X-ray. But here, the friendly volunteers from Florida's Jacksonville Orthopedic Services provided their medical expertise free of charge (apparently the owner is an avid MX rider and fan himself). It was comforting to have peace of mind that nothing was broken... great! But I still had a race just two hours away.

I did not plan on racing after that fall, but I decided to do so because, again, I did not want a DNF. So I showed up at my 6:00pm race and gutted t out. My wife would write crazy messages on the pit board like, "Don't Quit!", "Almost There!" and "Keep Going!" I kept waiting to read one that said "Last Lap!" - but she never wrote that one.

Anyway, finished the week 33rd out of 42 riders in my first class. Come to find out, that class consisted of a lot of pro riders, which felt good to know I could hold my own with them. In my other class I finished 34 out of 44. It was respectable and something to build on.

I plan on qualifying next year, returning to Loretta's and winning! But my goal is to compete in the Canadian Pro Nationals, which would make me the first athlete to reach the professional level in both football and motocross.

I figure if I'm gonna write it, I might as well live it... Don't Stop the Swagger!

Barry Cheated, But What’s Really Going On? (Why I Hate Barry, Part II)

2007-11-07T10:58:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday, on November 15, Barry Bonds was indicted for perjury and obstruction of justice. I must say, my first thought was, isn’t this over and done with? How many other names have surfaced and faded since the BALCO fiasco?

Now Bonds could go to prison facing five years for perjury and ten years for obstruction of justice. This indictment follows a four-year investigation into steroid use by elite athletes. The same doggone day Barry was indicted, Greg Anderson, his personal trainer, was ordered released after spending most of the past year in prison for refusing to testify against his longtime friend.

In Washington, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said, "the president is very disappointed to hear this. As this case is now in the criminal justice system, we will refrain from any further specific comments about it. But clearly this is a sad day for baseball."

WOW! A White House spokesman feels the Barry Bonds BALCO fiasco is important enough to comment on! This is really amazing, given all the important issues facing the U.S. and world today, that a Whitehouse official would find the time to comment about Barry.

I truly believe that the one thing BIG Brother wants is an unconscious, thoughtless, uninformed public. They (the media) seem to have an agenda to keep us distracted by irrelevant news, divided by racial issues and confused by religious inconsistencies that never provide us with an example needed to unite people of diverse backgrounds.

If we as people stay dazed by irrelevant news, like Barry Bonds or Paris Hilton, divided by racially biased media reporting that creates fear and anger and results in division, we will never see the real issues and enemies facing our country. The powerful elite, which is bipartisan, oppresses regardless of race. Its one goal is to keep the masses preoccupied with nonsense while more civil liberties are taken and more power is assumed by the elite.

Barry Bonds is irrelevant, and I am sure the Justice Department feels the same way. But nevertheless they decided to use your taxpayer money to bring down one individual who incites the right negative emotions (anger, jealousy, resentment) after four years of investigations. Basically, Barry’s the perfect distraction.

We, the people, have a few Issues affecting our country that need to be addressed. So since a White House spokesman found it so important to make a statement about Barry, I figured we, the people, should come up with a few questions and/or statements of our own.

Iraq War: Over three trillion dollars is missing from the U.S. budget, all as a result of the D.O.D. (Department of Defense). How many people could we educate and motivate with that chump change? Is the media willing to do its job and hold our officials and representatives accountable? And let’s talk about the 80 percent Army desertion increase since the U.S. invaded Iraq in 2003. Is the media willing to ask the government to address the growing sentiment against the war by our own troops? Whether you’re for or against the war, these questions need to be answered.
Blackwater Worldwide – The definition of a mercenary is a person or party who takes part in an armed conflict (war) for the desire of private gain, be it monetarily, politically or otherwise. Backwater Worldwide is a private military firm formed by former Navy Seal, Erik Prince, that has close to 40,000 privately trained mercenaries, some U.S. citizens and others foreign nationals, at its disposal. Blackwater Worldwide is under contract right now with the U.S. Department of Defense. Blackwater has recently come under investigation by the FBI for smuggling weapons into Iraq and firing on unarmed Iraqi civilians. An anonymous U.S. military official was quoted as saying that Blackwater's guards opened fire without provocation and used excessive force. The U.S. D.O.D. has paid some fifteen billion dollars to companies such as these. This is big business. Will the media do its job as the constitution instructs us to and ask the questions that need to be asked? We, the people, want to know.

North American Union – This is a plan that will ultimately undermine the U.S. constitution and our civil liberties. Basically, this includes uniting Mexico, Canada and the U.S. to what would be called the North American Union. This includes a highway from Mexico through Texas to Canada, one currency, and modern day slavery – just say CHEAP LABOR, which is the Mexican people. Lou Dobbs of CNN is the only mainstream media person that seems to be concerned. Oh, and one last thing, the removal of our Constitution, which is what makes America the land of opportunity. Will the media do its job? We, the people, want to know.

Katrina Survivors – Still a mess… need I say more? Who will be the voice? We, the people, need a voice.

These are just a few issues I know of that our more important than Mr. Bonds, who I seem to grow more impatient with as he is just one of the many media topics they use to keep us distracted and uniformed.

Regardless of our background, we must come together in love to save the impoverished, cultivate the youth and fight against the evil that seeks to destroy us.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph [of evil] is for good men to do nothing” – Anonymous
Until next time, don’t stop the swagger!

KOBE TRADE: AGAINST THE RULES

2007-11-07T09:54:00.000-08:00

Kobe’s trade is against the rules. It’s against the secret code of athletic competition. If Kobe is to be compared to high caliber athletes such as Michael Jordan, Lance Armstrong, Roger Federers and other NBA greats, a Kobe trade is against the rules.

Is Kobe one of the greatest? Yes. Does Kobe’s athletic ability justify being compared to the all time greats? Yes.

See, most sane people don’t have a problem with Kobe Bryant’s athletic ability – well, at least anyone with any type of integrity. It’s these types of things that give reason for people to call him selfish, arrogant, aloof and many other negative tag words. Everyone knows I like Kobe, and I, too, can be called somewhat of a spin-doctor by intellectualizing, explaining and/or defending some of Kobe ’s situations and character traits.

Just don’t call me Sean Hannity. But this TRADE is WRONG. KOBE IS WRONG! Kobe demanding a trade is like Charles Barkley joining the Celtics during the great years (85-89) to win an NBA championship. It goes against the competitive rules.

You see, when you’re the guy, the leader, the numero uno, you have to take your licks. You have to do everything within your power to make your ship better. You have to fight the battle with the soldiers you went in the hole with, not jump ship when you find out you MIGHT NOT WIN and join the other team because you think they MAY WIN!

Kobe is playing for the best franchise in the NBA, period. Playing in front of loyal fans that understand the media pressure, playing for a team and city that has enough room for a super size star such as Kobe.

This all started because someone within the Laker organization told the media that Kobe was the reason Shaq was left unsigned and traded to Miami. Mistake number 1. Don’t throw your number #1 guy under the “buss” and expect him to be happy about it. Even if people already thought this, it was a bad move. Kobe may have issues with the Lakers because they allowed him to be the scapegoat when Shaq ended up in Miami.

Anyone with any sense knows Kobe Bryant does not write the checks, and a millionaire like Kobe just doesn’t tell a billionaire such as Dr. Buss what to do with his money. If anything, I would say the Lakers possibly told Kobe many people were going to blame him for Shaq leaving, so take this one for us. After going through the whole Denver mess, Kobe possibly felt a sense of loyalty and decided that it wasn’t too much to ask.

But now a trade… you gotta be kidding me! This is like coming to local basketball court on a team of five guys and after losing the first two games you ditch the guys you came with for the winning team. You just don’t do that, unless you want to be left at the court and ride home by yourself.

If Kobe is traded, I’ll finally root against him. Please don’t make me do it! But if Kobe is traded, as Dave Chappelle would say, “don’t make me do it, but I will.”

Why I Love Sports... Or Golf, That Is

2007-09-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

My love for sports started when I was a child learning how to ride my first bicycle, throwing from the pitcher's mound for the first time and feeling my father's excitement as he watched Monday night football. Sports are the great unifier. Sports unify people who differ in every imaginable way yet share one passion: baseball, football, soccer, track, volleyball, golf, and so many other sports. They are an equalizer of sorts, one of the few places in life where performance triumphs over sex, religion, association, race and culture.

Stereotypes are very real to the people who think according to them, even though they may be based on limited or biased information. Because of stereotypes, some would assume that professional basketball players are black, gifted soccer players are Brazilian, great gymnasts come from Russia and awesome swimmers reside in Australia. Although we may find some truth in these statements, this may only be part of the equation.

In American inner cities, for example, black youth can easily see the preparation and steps needed for athletic success. They are clear cut: practice, work hard, compete by the rules and the results will speak for themselves. By contrast, in a corporate environment, the rules may be unknown or ambiguous, the competition may be objectionable and the results difficult to measure without personal bias. Black males succeeding in athletics has nothing to do with a predisposition or genetic makeup and more to do with what African American males see as attainable. The very fact that they believe they can become a professional athlete is the reason many to rise to that level. Some believe blacks lack intellect. Combine that way of thinking with a substandard educational system and you will find lack of success in business and academics. The results are low percentages of African American males in the corporate infrastructure and beyond.

But look at an NFL playbook, which is usually over 1500 pages easy. Ask an athlete to learn this entire playbook in a 4-6 week training camp. After learning the playbook, the athlete is required to make decisions in a matter of 2-3 seconds or less. From my experience playing football, I know that sometimes a missed play at the wrong time could cost you your job, which in turn would cost you at the very least hundreds of thousands of dollars. Yet athletes make split second decisions under a tremendous amount of pressure based on playbooks they learned in 4-6 weeks. Talk about a stressful work environment!

A poor predisposition to learn in an academic environment is not the basis for such a small percentage of African Americans in corporate America. The cause is simply a lack of examples and equal opportunity in the corporate infrastructure. Just like Brazilian soccer players, Russian tennis phenoms and the like, their athletic success has more to do with what they believe is attainable. Given good odds, they believe they have the opportunity to succeed if they put their heart, body and soul into a chosen field.

The key to success is believing that if I put my mind to it, I can do it.

It is not the educational system failing urban youth or lack of intelligence in young African Americans, but the opportunity available to these young people once they’re qualified. Uh oh… no, I’m not talking about any kind of agenda to keep African Americans out of corporate America, but rather, I am talking about having a systematic approach to providing opportunities within corporate America. We all have used the phrase, "it’s not what you know, but who you know." And if there are low percentages of women in upper level management positions and low percentages of ethic minorities in the corporate environment, wouldn’t make sense that there are most likely low percentages of opportunities for them in those areas? Most people hire not only who is qualified, but who they feel comfortable with, who they understand and who they are more likely to trust.

This is why success in corporate America is so complex and rather ambiguous. When you look at the ethic makeup, lack of women in upper management positions, low percentages of Hispanics and blacks at all levels, success becomes more complicated for these groups. Not unattainable, but complicated.

I am a big supporter of individual sports that eliminate or decrease the need for referees or outside influences, such as swimming, golf, tennis, track and field, motocross and bicycling. With the recent issues coming out about biased NBA referees and the like, it is evident that they can influence a game and/or make a player ineffective. In team sports such as baseball, basketball and football, a coach, agent or scout must say you have the ability to play and give you an opportunity on the field. This, too, can become a very biased and ambiguous process that at times won’t make sense. In individual sports talent, hard work, perseverance and dedication are always rewarded because failure only arises when you choose to quit.

This is the reason I love sports -- or specifically, golf, because with all things being equal, performance is always rewarded.

I'd Rather Be a Dog

2007-08-29T12:17:00.000-07:00

I thought I was going to stay away from this situation.

I figured there were enough people debating, advocating and conversing about the love of dogs here in America. So I thought it best to use my time elsewhere.

But the more I thought about it, I realized if I were a dog, I’d probably be a lot better off! In fact, I think I’d rather be a dog… maybe Paris Hilton’s pooch. I certainly wouldn’t lack any bling! Or maybe ex-Kansas City Chief cornerback Eric Warfield’s doggy - he lugged his prized Chihuahua around in a $1,500 Louis Vuitton bag and lavished it with a $6,000 necklace.
But I think I would settle for “Trouble”. That’s the late Leona Helmsley’s white Maltese, to whom she left a whopping twelve million dollars. Whoa! Twelve million for boo boo-in’ wherever I want, biting whomever I choose, and ripping the clothes of my dear masta! Yes, I’d rather be a dog.

Think about it… a dog gets to walk around claiming territory at will. You could make a killing in Real Estate! If someone upsets you, you just crap right there - or maybe a nice little tinkle right there on their foot.

But seriously, though, have we lost all touch with reality? Do we realize that people are murdered everyday in Iraq, there is genocide going on in Africa, the majority of Latin America is living in poverty - and don’t forget are problems here in America. Lack of education in inner cities, crime and poverty on the rise, to name a few. But I guess it’s not our problem. Trouble needs bling on the neck and caviar for dinner.

Quite possibly this fascination with our dogs has more to with America’s indulgent lifestyle and separation from the rest of the world and its problems. You certainly can’t worry about Trouble being fed when you’re worrying where your next meal is coming from. Or poochie’s 1100 sq ft play house when you’re worrying about how you’re going to pay rent. Is this healthy folks?

Oh, I’m not immune; I found myself enjoying walking Billy Bob (my friends 5 year old Golden Retriever) through the park last night. I almost had my initials engraved in his teeth (as one Milwaukee Brewer once did). But I thought, what would the mob - or (oops) PETA do to me?
Has American culture become so consumed with itself that we no longer place value on human life? The struggles of others no longer affect us. I’m not saying a dog, cat or other kind of pet doesn’t have a place in American society, but it seems that we have gone beyond having a pet for the purposes of companionship, assisting the elderly or handicapped, to a completely excessive over the top behavior – a behavior that is offensive to the rest of the world.

What Michael Vick did was not simply against the law, because even without the law, what he took part in goes against the laws of nature. Legality did not make Vick a criminal, but the violent nature of the act made him immoral.

Will we as Americans be advocates for the rest of the world in need in the same way we came to the defense of the pit bulls in the Vick case? Will we roar, scream and holler for the people of St. Louis, Sudan, Iraq and Latin America… Or are we too tired and too busy with poochie to care?

I don’t know, but right now in America I’d rather be a dog.

Dawg Killa vs. Black Man Killa (aka BMK)

2007-08-22T11:19:00.000-07:00

Today Ms. Jemele Hill decided to write a letter to me and all the other black men in the universe because we so need her encouragement. Ms. Hill suggested that if we don’t straighten up, as Michael Vick failed to do, we might all land in prison tomorrow (if we’re not already there). So it is only appropriate that I write back. Of course, this response most likely won’t be posted on a national media website.

Dear Ms. Hill,

I commend you on your rise to ESPN columnist and your expertise on race and sports culture. However, I am beginning to suspect that the real reason you’ve attained your position is due to your negative opinions about black men. It’s very easy for a media outlet to give someone a position of influence to speak about African Americans in a negative light.
Maybe the fact that you speak so negatively about African American men says just as much about you and who you associate with.

Ms. Hill, you wrote in your article about the numerous black men (I guess that includes me) who are falling behind in society. I guess all my friends, as well as my 2 homes and white picket fence lifestyle, weren’t included in the Harvard study you referenced.

I can name 10 black men, with whom I have been close since my teenage years, who contribute to their families and society, are financially secure, physically fit and mentally stable. I can quote statistical data that supports increasing income levels and home ownership for blacks in general.
You see, I don’t share your view of black men because my association seems to be well beyond yours and your counterparts.

To me, Michael Vick is an awesome athlete who committed a federal crime and gave people who already had a hammer a shotgun. The Vick case is not limited to biased media outlets, black men, racism, stereotypes, and indulgent behavior in both American culture and athletics, but it encompasses all of these elements. Mr. Vick will serve his time and overcome the mounting negativity surrounding this case.

Your column and interview on ESPN perpetuates a negative stereotype that is already in place.

The very fact that ESPN refuses to have a columnist who opposes your narrow view is at the very core of the irresponsibility of your column and their responsibility as a news outlet.

I have several friends, all black and under the age of 36, who have played professional or collegiate sports and have created something from nothing. I have known each of these men for over 10 years.

Kevin B – Motivational Speaker (speaks directly to AA youth)Erin V – College Dean of Education – Masters DegreeAubrey T – Owner of 5 group homesRich L – Social Worker – Masters

DegreeHope M – Senior Manager at Intel Corporation

But I suppose I know the only good black men in America.

You spoke of black men not wanting to leave the street culture alone after making it. Quite possibly your view is so negative because you yourself have not left street culture. Perhaps your failure to screen your personal relationships affects your views of black men.

Our thought lives affect what we say. And I am a firm believer that what we say – especially when negative – comes to life.

When I see young black men, I see over comers. I see young men with perseverance and talent, who are resourceful, strong and looking for someone like myself to speak life and inspiration.

But this is why you (and anyone else who shares your opinion) should stay as far away from young impressionable black men as possible. Your view is tainted and the rhetoric you espouse will only damage a young black man’s self esteem.

This is what Larry Johnson was saying when he said he would rather play for a black coach. Not because the white coach lacked talent or X and O ability. But the difference was what Herm Edwards would see versus someone without any understanding of black men.

Ms. Hill, I respect that you worked hard to earn your position of influence. But I am disappointed that you lack the wisdom, grace and understanding to really take advantage of it.
At the very least, there should always be an equally intelligent, articulate columnist with a counterpoint for controversial subjects. That is what I call keeping it real.

The only thing is, I can’t figure out who is worse - a dog killa or a black man killa who consistently gets off the hook.

Why I Hate Barry Bonds

2007-07-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

It seems that the media has two agendas when reporting sports. The first and most obvious agenda is to report sports in an accurate and open manner that doesn't lack integrity. The second is to engage its audience.

The media has no problem engaging and entertaining its audience. But often this involves a compromise of integrity and reveals a bias in reporting.

Take the criticism of Barry Bonds. It goes much deeper than race, but at the same time race is a large part of what's going on. Historically, most sports writers and media have never represented the very athletes they cover. It's no wonder most media pundits cannot understand Barry, Terrell, Kobe or any other black athlete that doesn't "get in line". Throughout history the black male has always been scrutinized. The irony is how much we celebrate the Babe Ruth’s and others, given their questionable lifestyles and lack of competition.

Given all of Barry’s so called shortcomings, he is one of the most dedicated athletes in all of sports. I do believe he used performance enhancing drugs. But do you remember that between seasons in 1992-95 Barry complained about the number of players using steroids? The MLB ignored him and continued to market other stars well below Barry's skill level.

Barry’s steroid use has a little to do with ego and a lot to do with MLB’s failure to monitor the game. It has even more to do with how black men see themselves in America and how some people view black men. Quite possibly, Barry refused to get left behind and accept second place when he felt he was a better player. He may have concluded that sometimes the rules, or "game within the game", aren’t a perfect match.

This isn’t about Barry choosing to cheat - it is about him making a decision to play within the rules that the MLB set, which crossed the line of competitive integrity. If we judge Barry, we must put this entire era, which means every player, under the same scrutiny.

If you ask Barry, he never thought he would hit 700 home runs, let alone 60 in a season. But once Mark Maguire hit 70 home runs, that was like saying, "Barry, we know you're good but we think Mark is a little bit better." This has been the history of black men in Major League Baseball. "We know you're good, but he is better."

We've always placed such emphasis on Babe Ruth's 714 home runs, even though those home runs were hit during the time of segregation. But at the same time, sports writers and Major League Baseball refuse to give much credit to Josh Gibson's 800+ home runs in the Negro League. Race and Major League Baseball have been integrated for a very long time - but not in unity.

It seems now that more people are just willing to “play the game,” if you know what I mean.

The bottom line is Barry's criticism is multi-layered. You throw in jealousy, biased sports writing (based on the fact that 90 percent of sportswriters are white), Barry’s complicated personality and race, and the result is serious criticism. And race itself is very complex: based on race we perceive things differently, carry certain stereotypes. (See previous column for statistical evidence, as well as recent article on Yahoo.com for further research on racial bias in baseball.)

Would it go too far to say that our tolerance level could be shorter or longer based on what race the person is? Criticism lesser or harsher? This is an honest question to ask ourselves.
What’s the answer? Say no to drugs of any kind, get a comprehensive testing method and move forward.

Race, Racism and NBA Refs

2007-05-05T10:32:00.000-07:00

Justin Wolfers, an assiatant professor of Business and Public Policy at the University of Pennsylvania Wharton, and Joseph Price, a Cornell graduate student in Economics, recently conducted a study finding evidence of racial bias among NBA referees. Studying 13 NBA seasons from 1991 through 2004, the study found that white referees called fouls more often against black players than they did against white players.

The problem with this NBA study is that when race is brought up everybody automatically thinks "racism". But this Wolfers-Price Study does not say anything about racism being intentional. To a degree this bias indicates that the referees' actions are subconscious.

The study actually tells us more about our human nature than the game of basketball. We see the same thing in corporate America and all walks of life. The high profile of the NBA just brings to light an issue that is relevant in society and opens the door for discussion and debate of a real social issue.

Of course, many NBA writers have come to the NBA’s defense. Most likely in hopes of mainting a job that consistenantly pays the bills. NBA President David Stern's neglect to acknowledge the validity of the report clearly highlights his lack of understanding of social pre judgment which all of us fall prey to at some point in our lives.

NFL, NBA, players and Barry Bonds are probably the most scrutinized group of people in the United States, including our polititians. Why? This is a honest question we need to ask ourselves.
And this study strikes David Stern in the heart right about the time he has his ongoing NBA cleanup act in affect. The NBA has addressed the NBA dress code (which was more for corporate sponsors than the fans), this year he gave the NBA refs free will to eject players at a moment's notice - in addition to a "no confrontation rule," meaning players cannot challenge a call. A few years ago the NBA put a cap on how soon you could be become a young millionaire. Why? So the NBA could become more appealing to the fans. Was it that fans could not relate to being talented, black and rich? Or more about protecting the player?

The NBA for years has said they have a image problem but I really think what is going on is a jealousy problem.

And then you factor in that the major participants of the NBA are black but they are under represnted in every other area. Upper management, ownership, corporate fan base and the sports writers who cover the sport. It’s no wonder they face so much criticism -- the very people who write about them have no understanding of who these players are. So the disconnect is magnified by the time information arrives to the fan.

This study brings to light an important social issue, which is race. It is a reflection on all of us and how easy it is to treat people differently in ways we don’t even know or understand.

The bigger question is why are minorities so under represnted in all other areas, excluding sports? Possibly sports is one of the only areas where success and failure are very easily measured, so the likelihood for success is attainable for the black athlete whereas in other structures, where so much human intervention is needed and social bias is involved, you see the numbers fall.

Nevertheless… the conversation we need to have is more about our human nature than NBA refs.

Have you ever been introduced to someone and, based on them being a man or woman, had a instant connection and understanding that did not need to be discussed? If the answer is yes, this is prejudice. Or more specifically gender bias.

Prejudice is part of human nature… but we need to consistently check ourselves to ensure that our bias does not limit opportunity for others, put others in harms way and/or create an environment that lacks equality.

Joey Crawford and 50 Cent Shaq Up Together

2007-05-01T09:33:00.000-07:00

On April 14 Tim Duncan was ejected from a spurs game against the Dallas Mavericks.
Why?

For laughing on the Bench.

To be fair, Duncan has been known to pester, whine or throw his arms up in frustration over a call, but remember... Magic Johnson could be called the biggest complainer of them all - and don’t forget Michael Jordan’s patent finger point, death stare and sometimes quick as a dart flare up during play off time.

But what’s the problem here… With the NBA cleanup, the League project and the NBA giving the officials more power in this year's zero tolerance rule aimed at players attempting to challenge calls, some would argue the league gave officials a machine gun when they already had a shot gun.

The issue is after receiving this ejection, Tim Duncan complained that Joey Crawford had a vendetta against him. Joey went as far as challenging Duncan to a fight. Had Duncan pulled out a can of WHUP #$@# it would have been Duncan facing penalties not Crawford. Are refs letting personal dislike affect the integrity of the game?

After Kobe received a string of flagrant 1’s, Phil Jackson made similar statements.

"It shouldn't even have been a flagrant 1," Jackson said Tuesday. "That's crazy. That's a vendetta. They have a witch hunt going on. Its nuts. Guys riding somebody - everybody does that in this league. It's just becoming a witch hunt now."

Iverson made similar comments earlier this season but most wrote him off because, well, it’s Iverson. He's got tattoos, he’s aggressive, he fits the stereotype of the anti establishment so he just might have done something wrong. Kobe is Kobe: greatness personified. But some perceive him as aloof and arrogant, so some might feel Kobe deserved those flagrant 1's. But Tim Duncan… Mr. Professional! As Shaq (Shaquille O’Neal) would say, "the Big Fundamental" (Shaq's nickname for Tim Duncan).

As in proper technique, he says the right thing and refuses to be the anti establishment. This brings the question, is it the league that dislikes the players that represent them or is it the players that misrepresent the league? Probably a little bit of both. Joey Crawford may have his reasons. We will never know. Tim Duncan may come off as having a little too much thug in him so Joey decided to pull out his can of whup A!@$! and challenge him to a fight. It's a good thing Tim refused to let it get personal and resort any of Fifty's (rapper 50 Cent) tactics and bum rush him under the arena.

Nevertheless, maybe the NBA should start questioning all of the officials before allowing them to officiate in an NBA game. It might include questions such as: How do you feel about Allan Iverson? Who is your favorite player? Do you have personal issues that will affect you in officiating an NBA game? If ever frustrated will you challenge the Big Fundamental to a fight?…

Fifty would be proud.

Don Imus... The Next Great Hip Hop Star?

2007-04-17T12:39:00.000-07:00

After the debate surrounding “nappy headed hos” and recent firing of Don Imus for these comments, many now suggest that rappers need to face the guillotine. Many argued Don Imus is only repeating what rappers say in their music. Many continue to stay away from the core statement and issue surrounding Don Imus’ statements and point to a double standard that exists among rappers and Don Imus.

Hey, if a double standard exists and rappers continually use the word "bitch" (which seems to be the point of reference for most media pundits), then it’s important to note that at least 75% of all hip hop is purchased by Caucasian teens. So who exactly is being called a bitch? African American women? White women? Or is it just watered down word within the rap community to place an exclamation point on a statement?

We might need a Hip Hop dictionary for this. To bring it into context, we may need a “rap-ologist” or expert in the area of translating hip hop lyrics!

This is not to give rappers a free pass because they certainly share some community responsibility. The community needs role models who can demonstrate how they’ve overcome obstacles and developed entrepreneurial skills. But they need to reevaluate some of the music that is hitting the airwaves as to what level it benefits the community. The difference here is that Don Imus is a real show that leans toward politically based content, including guests John McCain, who still planned to come on the show after the remarks based on Imus’s apology, and Cal Ripken, who decided to cancel his plans to come on the show for fear people would associate him with Don Imus’ remarks. Imus receives millions of dollars because of his political influence. Don Imus Show is real, based on real topics and humor biased toward innocent people who have no means of defending themselves.

Hip Hop, on the other hand, is fictionalized form of expression that is sometimes based on personal experiences. Hip Hop illustrates over hyped characters fantasizing exaggerated lifestyles. If this were not the case, the police could and would arrest every rapper who has spoken about a criminal act. The problem with most people in the public and even the so called media elite is that we can not and will not discuss race and athletics in an intelligent forum.
Most people still do not understand what constitutes racism.

Very clearly, racism is when a person and/or persons use their personal feelings to impose, control, enact violence, obstruct one’s means of making money, limits opportunities and/or creates a hostile environment by use of rhetoric and stereotypes.

The problem with Don Imus’ statements begin with him having a real show dealing with real topics. His guests include government officials, like Arizona Senator John McCain, former Democratic U.S. Senator Bill Bradley, co-host of CNN's "Crossfire" and Democratic political strategist James Carville, and Senator Chris Dodd from Connecticut - all of whom participate in setting policy for this country. Do all of these people share the same beliefs? His 360,000 listeners must share his same humor. Where exactly does it stop? The people want to know…

Me being a radio host myself, I would have much rather see him keep his job. At least we know where we stand with the guy. It’s more difficult to pin point when people share racist beliefs but never come out and say what they believe – they just manipulate, control financial opportunities and set policy for this country based on beliefs that lack any real understanding.

Don certaintly has the controversy piece for Hip Hop figured out. But selling records would be another issue.

Only As Loyal as I Wanna Be

2007-04-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

Recently Bob Huggins gave Kansas State the finger and headed for his alma mater West Virginia. He made this decision only one year after professing his faithfulness and dedication to the Kansas State program -- and less than two months after promising basketball recruits he would at least be there to coach them for the 2007-08 season. Highly touted basketball recruit Micheral Beasley's mother, Fatima Smith, clutched the MVP trophy at this year's McDonalds All Star game and while posing for pictures was asked whether her son resents not having the chance to go pro right now.

She responds, "I would love to see him have the opportunity, but he's going to go to the best coach in the world for my son."

That coach is Bob Huggins.

"He still needs some fine-tuning, and he's going to get it," Smith said. "Discipline, sportsmanship, character."

Whoa…Bob Huggins the model of character and citizenship? Less than 2 1/2 years removed from Cincinnati after drunk driving charges and less than 2 months removed after promising Fatima and Micheal Beasly that he would be coaching next year.

A coach leave a school and not lose a year of eligibility, but if an athlete transfers he automatically loses a year unless moving to a Division I AA or Division II, Division III school. Ah, that’s another discussion…

The question here is loyalty. Quite possibly the NCAA needs to sanction some forced loyalty for coaches or allow players to leave if a coach decides to leave. Now that Beasely has committed to Kansas State it is up to the University whether or not they will allow those players the option to transfer to other schools. It would only be fair given the players chose K-State under the belief that “Huggy Bear” would hold up his end of the bargain.

In a sport such as basketball, when coaches, media pundits and the like are constantly criticizing players for lack of teamwork, loyalty and unslefishness, it’s no wonder so many players have the attitude… "I’m only as loyal as I wanna be."

Kobe's Dilemma: He’s Just Better Than the Rest of Us

2007-03-25T10:05:00.000-07:00

In less than one week, Kobe faced both suspension for multiple flagrants and the possibility of referees limiting his effectiveness. In a game against the Sixers, Kobe went up for a shot but after releasing followed through with what seemed a elbow to Kyle Korvers head. Could Kobe have been punishing opponents for referees failing to call a foul? Or could this have been unintentional? Kobe will never tell, so it’s up to the cameras and the refs.

When Kyle Korver was asked what he thought, he responded as follows. “I didn't think it was that big a deal, I thought it was an offensive foul. After I saw it on replay, it looked a lot worse than I thought it was during the game. It all happens fast. It's no big deal. It's just part of the game," as told by Korver to the Associated Press.

But is Kobe just too good? If you watch him play, clearly he gets fouled more often than the refs are willing to call. His mental focus is rare, his competitive drive is probably far beyond any active athlete in the world, excluding Tiger Woods. The question is, does his greatness and personality result in the dislike for him by many -- and possibly even the NBA office? If you listen to Phil Jackson, he summed up this Kobe elbow fiasco as a witch hunt. People have always opposed what they themselves do not have inside of them. Are refs turned off by Kobe? Does their personal dislike for him creep into the game or Stu Jackson's trigger happy “FINE-O-METER”?

Kobe is just a different type of guy. He speaks five languages, spent time in Europe and is the offspring of another well known NBA player, Jelly Bean Bryant. His experience watching his father provided Kobe with an inside view of the NBA life. A life where everything is scrutinzed, every word evaluated and your play is only a portion of NBA success. What many see as aloof Kobe sees as keeping a clear boundary from the media and the game he loves. What many say is arrogant Kobe views as an unwavering confidence he must have to dominate on a day to day level in the NBA.

That's something many of us just don’t understand. And most likely are not willing to understand. Quite possibly the league doesn’t have an image problem but a jealously problem. Jealousy of players such as Kobe, who have inner characteristics that many of us cannot even comprehend. Jealous of the money these players make. Jealousy - the root of evil - and why Kobe’s dilemma could be that he is just plain better then the rest of us.

Needless to say, Kobe followed up the barrage of flagrants and possible mutiple game suspensions with 4 straight 50 point games.

Welcome to the League, OJ

2007-02-01T11:48:00.000-08:00

On January 26, high basketball phenom OJ Mayo was ejected from the game after and alleged dunk and what seemed to be mildly at most to passive indifferent behavior. OJ completed a fast break with a dunk and, after holding the ball too long, received a technical. He then proceeded to walk away and was caught on film walking through a crowd of players, jawing at each.
He then drew a second technical. Following this technical he followed the referee to the scorer's table and the rest is for fictional story tellers. Some say he bumped the ref, others say he brushed the ref, many say he didn’t touch him at all. But what followed was a flop that ole Vlade Divac and Bill Walton would be proud of. The ref hit the ground, made a barrel role to put a little mustard on it, and made OJ think twice about this NBA thing.

After looking at the film on YouTube or other media outlets, many will agree the ref is preparing for a Hollywood career. But the bigger question is what is the ref's mission? Make a quick buck on a law suit? Or was it personal? Have the salaries and lifestyles of the NBA elite turned people off so much that jealousy, difference in social class and simple envy created a situation where even the referees can’t call fair? Or is race the issue? Has the dislike for hip hop culture in the NBA created this situation?

Whatever it is, get prepared - because it doesn’t get any easier.OJ faces a 3 game suspension but in two years for a similar offence could face over $100,000 in game checks for a similar offence. Some say this is all part of money, fame and glory.

I say get some thick skin and welcome to the League, OJ!

What Mark McGuire Should Have Said

2007-01-11T12:50:00.000-08:00

On January 9, 2007, one of the All Time Baseball Greats, Mark McGuire, was excluded from the Baseball Hall of Fame by about 75 percent of baseball writers. Their reason, excuse, and/or statement of hypocrisy was, “Mark McGuire cheated.”

You see, no one seems to like a cheater, whether it’s Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson, an ex-spouse, old boyfriend or tax evader. But what I don’t understand is the inconsistency of each sports writer, government official and average Joe’s moral, up-standin' outrage.

Really this all stems from Trevor Graham’s infamous syringe of “Peak performance Balco serum” that he sent to Olympic officials. This Benedict Arnold move has caused one of the biggest meltdowns in sports history. Balco's exposure resulted in Balco investigators probing more closely… they found that numerous athletes were involved in this, including the hated Barry Bonds. This gave everyone who disliked Bonds, had an axe to grind or was just simply a HATER a reason to assassinate the accomplishments of Bonds -- ultimately motivated by their personal feelings rather than use of steroids.

But back to McGuire and how all of this ties in.You see McGuire got caught in the crossfire. No one expected his name to surface the way it did. Jose Conseco, feeling ostracized and unfairly scrutinized (somewhat like Barry) decided to write a book. Ironically, the book never implicated Bonds. Jose in several televised interviews seemed to implicate McGuire as a steroid user and wondered, "will you judge him the same way you judged Bonds and myself?" Jose basically forced the hand of 300-500 or so sports writers that control most of what people read and hear. Not much when you consider how many people live in this country and actually how many of those writers reflect the diversity of our amazing country. Sportswriters, of course, took the bait and so-called moral high ground and now Mark is feeling the punishment.

Oh, how we sportswriters are so morally cleansed and free from sin! Mark in 1998 was considered to have saved baseball from the depths of boredom. This included a Time Magazine "Hero of the Year" award. Mark went from probably the most popular baseball great since Babe Ruth to outcast without a cause. It was a sad day when he sat before congress, the great people we elected to represent this country. Mark was asked that famous question, "did you take steroids, Mr. McGuire?"

Mark's Response: “I don't want to talk about the past. I want to stay positive." For me, that meant, "Yes, I’ve done some things I’m not to proud about. I felt that in order for me to overcome some injuries and endure some of the stresses, I needed a little help."

But for most people and congress the statements weren't enough. He was expected to give an eloquent statement of guilt and repentance… one that King David would be proud of. It might have been better if he prayed out loud, "Oh God, remove thine enemy whom seek to destroy and rob me!"

But what I think he should have said is,"did I take steroids? You guys sit up here on your moral pedestal judging me for a crime I committed against myself and no one else. Have you, Senator, ever been divorced? Have you ever cheated on your wife, watched pornography, lied or didn’t tell the entire truth to get elected? Have you ever been to a strip club while your wife was at home waiting for you, ever spent government money on personal issues? Do you care that we're at war right now? Have you ever smoked pot, have you ever driven while intoxicated but never got caught? What’s a bigger problem: drugs and violence in schools or steroids? You sit here judging me. As Jack Nicholson would say, 'you want the truth?' I’ll tell you the truth…screw you I took steroids!" And that would have been it. End of story. Happy ending!

Well not really, a little fictitious, but he could have said something like that. The bottom line is McGuire could have been that one person to say "screw you" to us sportswriters, congress and people alike. McGuire could have been the one who said "screw you" and people actually would have listened and agreed.

I’m not condoning steroid use or any of the above mentioned behaviors. I am simply saying that before we as people start to judge others we really need to examine not only our external actions, but our thought lives as well.

Black Athlete Misunderstood

2007-01-09T11:32:00.000-08:00

Recently Jemele Hill of ESPN and ex-ESPN writer Jason Whitlock commented on statements made by Kansas City Running Back Larry Johnson. When discussing the topic of Larry Johnson's former coach Dick Vermeil and current Kansas City Chief Coach Herm Edwards. Former NFL receiver Chris Carter on the HBO Show, "Inside the NFL," asked Larry, "Do you think Herm Edwards, being an African-American, and you being raised, of course, by an African-American, that you see a lot of similarities in Herm that you saw in your dad that made you open up to him?"

Larry Johnson's response: "I think so. I could relate to Herman. I couldn't do that with the other coaches I had because they had not done it. You know, they haven't put those pads or they haven't been in the situation as a young black athlete and know what we had to go through.
Larry received a lot of heat about this statement from Bob Costas, Dan Marino as well harsh criticism from black sportswriters Jemele Hill and Jason Whitlock.

In summary, Jemele and Jason wrote Larry's statements off as a black kid from the suburbs looking for street cred. Attempting to brand himself as a tough but misunderstood guy and instead established himself a reputation as an immature malcontent.

Race, religion and culture are absolutely a part of society and race is integral part of all athletics.

Now, I am talking about race, not racism. There is a huge differences based on race, people interact and perceive differently, including having certain stereotypes. Racism, of course, is when one may choose to oppress, manipulate or violently oppose another based on those perceptions or realities.

The problem is whenever a person of African-American descent brings up race people get it confused with racism.

I won't get into LJ's (Larry Johnson) mind, but clearly he was talking about race. We all know Dick Vermeil's record in the NFL and especially how he deals with players. Vermeil has built a solid, impeccable reputation on his compassion for all players. A lot of Larry's issue with Vermeil stemmed from Vermeil wanting a defensive player instead of a running back with Kansas City in the 2003 draft. Vermeil didn't help the relationship when he chose to stay with black player Priest Holmes instead of the better Larry Johnson at the time.

But still the question lingers: do white coaches have a hard time relating to African American players?

Recently Quarterback Jeff Garcia had a loss of composure in the fourth quarter against the Giants that almost cost the Eagles a win. With the Eagles ahead, 21-16, Garcia scrambled for 10 yards and a first down. After sliding out of bounds, he spiked the ball in the direction of Giants linebacker Carlos Emmons and was called for a taunting penalty. Two plays later, still angry over the penalty, he forced a ball downfield to wide receiver Reggie Brown that was under thrown and easily intercepted by Giants safety Will Demps. The Giants ended up scoring on their next possession to take the lead. When Andy Reid was asked about Jeff's loss of composure he replied, "He's a redhead, man. We calmed him down, but he was upset. He's a competitive son of a gun."

One would imply from Andy Reid's statements that he understood Jeff, his behavior wasn't foreign to Reid. Andy Reid somehow related to Jeff based on something other than a player coach relationship - it extended to race.

The problem with Larry Johnson's statements is that many people, especially white people, interpreted them as Larry saying he didn't want to play for a white coach, or simply that a black coach is a better coach in the NFL. This is not what Larry was saying. All things being equal, LJ was simply stating that as a young black man a black coach will understand that experience with more clarity than a white coach. Certain things about his personality based on his experience as a black man won't turn him off, won't cause him to label him as a "bad kid" or a "thug".

This is not to say that a white coach cannot have a positive influence in a young athlete's life. I can name countless coaches who have made a significant contribution to black athletes, in addition to developing them as men. One that comes to mind is former LSU coach Dale Brown.

The issue here is race, and based on race we perceive things differently, carry certain stereotypes. Would it go too far to say that our tolerance level could be shorter or longer based on what race the person is? This is an honest question to ask ourselves.

I firmly disagree with Jemele Hill and Jason Whitlock and adamantly think they had it wrong on this one. But as a side note, I will say that I certainly enjoy Jemele's column, Riding Along with Jemele Hill," where she interviews sports figures while riding along in their vehicle of choice. For example, she and Buffalo Bills tailback Willis McGahee talked about ridiculous things such as, "what's more troublesome, an ex-wife or a baby momma?"

That ended up being a difficult one for Willis. Let me try to help him. A wife is entitled to half versus a baby's momma feels like she deserves half. You do the math!

'Til next time, "Don't Stop the Swagger!"