Sending out love to our veterans and their families.  This is probably the most difficult time in our nation’s history to be in the military with what we have going on in Iraq and Afghanistan alone.

The sacrifices all of you make are deeply appreciated.

Thank You!

And God Bless You Abundantly~

Recently I went to a local watering hole to have a cold one while watching some Sunday night football.

While there I had a brief conversation with BR. BR is a respectable enough fellow. He proudly wore his Vietnam Veteran baseball cap.  Upon noticing it I thanked him for his service to our country.

Shocked he thanked me and said, “Wow I don’t get that too often. Since those days I’ve normally gotten the opposite.”

I assured him that regardless of the politics of the war itself he was a soldier following orders and he should never be faulted for that. I appreciated BR as an American and my thanks to him was indeed sincere. After that we dabbled in a little conversation about politics and since he was rather full of the vine he was kinda loud with it.

It was clear that BR had too much to drink. After a while as he was saying his goodbyes I asked him how he was getting home. He showed me his keys and started to stumble for the door.  I knew he had no business driving that Lincoln Continental in the parking lot so I tried to convince him to let me take him home.  He tried to convince me that he was just fine and didn’t need my assistance.  As he stated his case and started to make his way to the door he stumbled into my arms.  I looked him in the eye and said, “BR, I know you think you are OK and perhaps you aren’t used to another man challenging you in this area.  But this is not about that.  Screw pride.  You are in no shape to drive.  This is not a judgment on you, but a plea that you accept the help.

BR was a tough customer.  I sensed he wanted to let me drive him home but he didn’t want to leave his car at the bar.  I supposed the thought of trying to get it the next day was burdensome.  I had to go for broke and pull out all the stops.

“Where do you live BR?” 

“About a couple miles from here,” he said.

I told BR that I would take him home in his car and arrange my own way back.  This seemed to satisfy the chap.  I drove him in his car and when we got there walked him into his home.  It took about 10 minutes to get from his drive way to his side door entrance as the man was totally six sheets to the wind. 

How are you getting back he said?

I’m walking… but its cool.  I’m in excellent shape!  Have a good night BR.  See you around.

Fast forward to this past Friday:

I celebrated my daughter’s 21st birthday where she was looking to get inebriated.  Not that this was her first day of drinking, but first day of legal drinking.  She was great on transportation as she and her family on her mother’s side took a school bus where they all rode together. 

When I got to the restaurant/bar I tried to get some photo shots of the birthday girl with my blackberry and initially had trouble with the lighting.  I decided to check my car to see if I had my camera handy.  Upon walking out the door I noticed two women leaving and walking toward the parking lot.  Well sort of.

Really they were all but stumbling towards the parking lot.  If I were to estimate the level of intoxication of the two, I would say woman 1 was about a 5 on a scale of 10.  Woman 2 was an easy 9 at best.   As they looked at me one of them made some sort of comment and laughed as I walked by.  I went to my car to search for the camera.  After a few minutes as I locked my car door noticed woman 1 had escorted woman 2 to her car.  Woman 1 literally had to help woman 2 into the passenger seat.  Woman 2 couldn’t stop laughing at herself obviously amused at her state.  Woman 1 said to woman 2 between chuckles, “Call me when you get home so I will know you are alright.” 

These two events are what prompted this post.

This isn’t about the drinker who has too many and decides to get in the car irresponsibly.  That’s because most of us understand the dangers in that and there are plenty of organizations to sound that alarm.  Not to mention we do have millions of alcoholics in our nation.  Alcoholism is an addiction and as such I understand that any addiction brings with it irresponsible behavior.  Driving while impaired is dangerous for any and everyone on the road.  That includes myself, my family and friends as well as any of yours. We get that?  Or do we?

My problem in these two instances were not so much the drinkers, but the other patrons and friends who see someone in a drunken state whether a stranger or worse yet a friend about to get behind the wheel of a car and let them.   Believe me when I tell you that though I took BR home that night, I knew him the least of everyone in that bar and not one of them was willing to help him.  They were fine to watch him possibly turn his car into a missile and hurt himself and or others.  Woman 1 whom I referenced seemed to have thought to come to a stopping point where she wouldn’t be so bad off.  Yet she had no problem putting her “friend” behind the wheel knowing full and well she was not capable of expertly handling that vehicle.  Why wouldn’t she take her home?  Why not call her a cab?

Think about it.  Where I live there are thousands of restaurants and bars where one can buy liquor.  When I go to a bar, I know within 5 minutes who needs to drive who doesn’t.  In most every bar there is a great chance that every single night of the week there is at least one person that drives away intoxicated.  Victims of drunk driving can testify to the damage.  So can police I’m sure.  But how many of us enable people by not even saying a word.

BR could have kept blowing me off.  I don’t know what I would have done if he had.  Maybe I would have followed behind him.  Maybe I would have called the police.  Maybe I would have asked for some assistance.  I don’t know.  It just didn’t seem right to do nothing.  I think at the end of the day, the man knew that I cared and that made the difference.

I know we live at a time when folk don’t want to get in other folk business.  I know that challenging someone not to drive drunk can cause conflict.  It just seems to me that I would rather have a person tell me ‘no’ than to not say anything at all.  It don’t seem right to see someone who may have had too much get behind the wheel when it could be a tragedy waiting to happen. 

I hope others will extend a hand and show someone you care when someone can’t help themselves.  The life you save may be your own or someone you love.

Questions to ponder while the Yankees try to put the Phillies away and prove Jimmy Rollins’ 4-1 Philadelphia victory prediction to shame.

Speaking of Jimmy Rollins, has anyone ever seen he and actor Anthony Mackie in the same room at the same time?   I’m just sayin!

Philadelphia Phillies  Jimmy Rollins

Actor Anthony Mackie

Folk can officially get off of A-Rod’s back.  Dude is balling… not only at the plate but he plays a very underrated third base. 

Johnny Damon stealing third base after stealing second realizing that no one was covering third was the most heads up play in a big time situation I have ever seen in the game of baseball!  PERIOD!

With the NBA getting through it’s first week here are some comments!

Danny Ainge tried to play all Tony Soprano with  Rajon Rondo.  But he was smart in making sure this guy got his respect and his money!

Look forward to seeing the Saints tonight!

Brett Favre officially got over on the Packers twice.  I give him credit for this; he didn’t mess the games up with turnovers though there were a couple opportunities that Green Bay could not take advantage of.  Favre, like every other game he has played with the Vikings manages the game and is able for the most part to make a big play when he needs to.   Still I can’t give him the props people at ESPN continue to shower him with.  After all, there is still a very good offensive line, Adrian Peterson, my god that rookie from Florida Percy Harvin, (Devin Hester of old) and a pretty good defense to boot making him look very good.  I’ll even be bold enough to say that many of the Packer players and coaches really punked out against the Vikings.  Some of the play calling on defense was especially suspect, and most of the offense triggered by a late wake up call by the offensive lineman took too long to actually play football. 

So while I admit that the Vikings are serious with Favre at the helm because of his big play ability, no way he does what he does without that team.  Favre has always been able to manage a game and make plays.  His consistent downfall to me is when the team is behind a couple touchdowns and he becomes ‘The Old Gunslinger” chucking the ball all over the field looking for a miracle.  So far he has not been in that position. 

Let’s see what else is there to talk about?

Oh yea and those East St. Louis Flyers started their road to repeat as Illinois State Champions with a 50-43 crazy ass victory over Bradley Bourbannais. 

Go FLYERS!

Glad to see the NBA is back and the Lakers are set to defend their championship.  They got things started with a win over the cross town Clippers without Pau Gasol who sat out with a minor injury. 

I think the Ron Artest thing is going to work out too.  Kobe looks like Kobe already.  Drew Bynum looks great and if we can keep him playing he may be an All-Star by mid season. 

On the other tip the Cavs suck!  Let me be clear, LeBron is great.  But the Cavs suck and the Celtics showed them that last night by punking them on their own court.  Shaq does not command the double teams he used to.  LeBron has to go 1 on 3-4 people. 

Daniel Gibson has not gotten any better whatsoever.  They miss Delonte West for sure.  I hope that he is able to settle his life down first and is able to return to the team soon. 

Let me say this up front.  I grew up a huge fan of both of these guys.  The first NBA game I watched on TV was the Lakers vs. the Sixers in the 1980 Finals.  It was then that I fell in love with Magic and the Lakers organization.  I was an instant fan of team LA and as many of you know who read this blog regularly, I speak in terms of ‘we’ and ‘us’ when I refer to the Lakers. 

Since Magic left the team, my loyalty hasn’t changed towards him nor the Lakers.  I loved them when they were horrible, and I’ve celebrated with the championships as if they were my own.

As a player Isaiah Thomas is a well deserved member of the Hall of Fame.  I loved his game and for the most part his attitude.  I appreciated the way he competed even against my Lakers, especially during the Finals when he played the most incredible injury ridden third quarter you will ever see from anyone.  Thomas was the little man with the heart of a fierce lion.  Some may have been fooled by his infectious smile, but he didn’t take no shorts from no nobody as he took his team from nothing to two-time world champions.

Magic and Thomas were not only fierce rivals, but very close friends as well.  They greeted one another with a kiss before each Finals game before trying to rip each other’s hearts apart on the court.  Fitting.

Like Magic, I always wanted to meet Thomas and talk to him about life and basketball.  One of my favorite authentic jerseys is his #11 that I probably wear less than once a year.  It’s flat-out classic!

Thomas’ fall from grace for me however, started when he walked off the court during the Eastern Conference Finals when Michael Jordan’s Bulls finally got over on them.  The Bulls were the Piston’s bitch for years as they laughed at MJ when he would try to beat the team that invented the “Jordan Rules.”  Jordan would spend all of his energy in one on one battles while the better Pistons team dismissed the Bulls year after year.  When Michael got a better team around him and treated them like a team, they beat the Pistons fair and square, even at the Piston’s own game.  But instead of congratulating the Bulls and shaking their hands, Isaiah and several of his teammates walked off the court with well over a minute left in the final game.  It was the ultimate “F You!” moment. 

Thomas can say what he wants about that.  But I remember when the Pistons were the Celtic’s bitch.  When they finally beat Boston and advanced to the Finals it was Kevin McHale, (a proud champion in his own right) who I distinctively remember talking to Thomas after the game exhorting him to finish the job and beat the Lakers to get his own championship.  Isaiah is a gamer, a real sportsman who appreciates the best of competition and that gesture by McHale meant a lot to him.  In this way Thomas was a hypocritical not to give Jordan that same respect.

Since the two have retired from basketball the paths of these two basketball icons have taken on different altogether.  For Magic, he tried coaching but was unsuccessful and eventually kept to the owners box when it came to the NBA.  He dabbled in show business and in the long run became one of the most successful entrepreneurs certainly in modern times.  Some know him more for his business associations than his NBA legacy.  In spite of being diagnosed with HIV in 1991, Magic totally reinvented himself and has contributed more to the world than most any athlete I could think of save Jim Brown.  Today, when you see Magic’s face, you see the success of a brand that took a life time to achieve.

Thomas’ life is quite the contrast.  He ruined the CBA, the former minor league of the NBA.  He was a successful coach with the Indiana Pacers and those teams were always playoff contenders.  When Larry Bird was hired as team president, he quickly released Thomas, (years of bad blood there) and Thomas was forced to move on.  His tenure with the New York Knicks was a disaster.  He was in charge of everything and he pretty much wrecked the entire organization.  The players he drafted and hand-picked were bad, the play was bad, the results were bad.   Thomas, like Michael Jordan seemed to be one of those players who played like a champion most of the time but was horrible at team management. 

Then there was the sexual harassment case against him, and the sleeping pill incident where he overdosed and needed medical attention but allowed his daughter’s name and reputation to be sullied by saying publically it was her who took the pills.

Thomas’ life seemed in pieces since he left the Knicks.  Finally something good happened as he was hired as head coach of Florida International.  Even that started as a joke when he was introduced as ‘Isaiah Thompson’ at the school’s press conference.’  He raised a stink about having to play North Carolina in an early season game where the proceeds benefit cancer research.  I thought to myself, ‘Boy was this guy going to say or do anything right?’

Comparing the post NBA lives of  Magic and Isaiah seemed like a contrast of success and tragedy.  Well not quite.  Isaiah isn’t broke by any means.  He’s not in jail and it seems like in spite of his spoiled attitude he still has the good sense his mother Mary instilled in him.  I think Thomas, while making mistakes is a decent man, a loyal man who has made some bad decisions like the rest of us.  The difference in he and Magic is that Magic’s mistakes were not made so public with the exception of his HIV confessions in the midst of legendary extramarital sexual escapades.

Which brings me to the story that broke on SI.com regarding  the new book Magic wrote as part of a collaboration with Larry Bird. 

In this book Magic buries his old buddy by confessing that he got him blackballed from the 1992 Olympic team.  According to the book Magic said,

“Isiah killed his own chances when it came to the Olympics. Nobody on that team wanted to play with him. … Michael didn’t want to play with him. Scottie [Pippen] wanted no part of him. Bird wasn’t pushing for him. Karl Malone didn’t want him. Who was saying, ‘We need this guy?’ Nobody.”

Other accusations include that Thomas questioned Johnson’s sexuality when he retired following his HIV announcement.  And that he spread rumors to people in the league that Johnson was gay or bi-sexual.  Johnson also claims that it was he who got Thomas hired with the Knicks, as if he convinced owner James Dolan to do Magic a solid by giving Thomas an opportunity.

Thomas makes a pretty good case regarding his feelings for Magic and the past in the SI article.  For his part denies such accusations and expressed being ‘hurt’ and ‘blindsided’ by Johnson’s claims.  He claims he stood up for Magic when no one else did during those early HIV days.   In the early 90s Thomas was the head of the players association and he said he fought prejudice among players who were misinformed about HIV.  He pushed for Magic’s participation in the All Star Game in Orlando which lead to Magic making a brief come-back with the Lakers.    

Putting all that aside what bothers me the most is what was Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson thinking about when writing this book?   Isaiah is simultaneously a hero and a pariah all at the same time.   He will always have his fans and detractors.  Magic’s reputation is all but flawless.  In the game of life he seems to have won over his former friend and rival.  What does he get out of this?  Am I supposed to appreciate Johnson more and value Thomas less?  If anything I feel the opposite.  I think Johnson should have left that dirty laundry out of the book and talked about something more productive.  I think if he had a problem he should have manned up and talked to Thomas about these things years ago and been a bigger man if he thought he was slighted.  I actually see Johnson, my childhood basketball hero as a petty and self promoting giant sticking it to a little man when he’s down.  Thomas is an easy target. 

I say this in light of my own friendships with men whom I respect yet have had hard disagreements with.  There were hard feelings because we were close.  Words were exchanged,  even some conversations among common friends where each heard our sides of the stories.  Eventually understanding and reconciliation was reinstated.  Respect and friendship was restored.  And even if it were not, no way am I burying even an ex-close friend in such a public fashion for the sake of a book.  Even if I didn’t have Magic’s status and reputation.

I never saw Magic Johnson as a celebrity snitch.  Never thought of him as a Jon and Kate plus 8 side story clammoring for a spot on Larry King and TMZ.  I never saw him as petty.  I thought he was ‘Magic.’  Now he seems more like a trick.

When I read this story yesterday it really pissed me off.  I know it shouldn’t.  But it did.

It seems that University of Central Florida player Marcus Jordan aka Michael Jordan’s son wants to wear his father’s named shoe as he suits up for the basketball team.  The problem is that the university has a contract with Adidas. When an apparel company sponsors a program, they give away free shoes, uniforms, sweats, warmups, baseball caps and everything else the company thinks it can slap a logo on so that you can represent their brand.   All the gear a guy ever wants is at his disposal.  Not to mention the school also received a lot of cash from the company to have their players wear their stuff.  According to ESPN that cash for UCF is $3 million per year.

Well Marcus in the spirit of dear old dad doesn’t understand that simply because he can have as much free Air Jordan gear as his heart desires, neither he nor the school is actually a signed to a Nike/Jordan deal. 

As a matter of fact, Marcus Jordan isn’t even a top 200 college player.  If it were not for his father, no one would know his name. 

This reminds me of when his dad famously went ‘cover up’ with the American flag as his weapon of choice during the olympic games in 1992.  Jordan was obviously with Nike and his own label but Team USA had been sponsored by Reebok and thus had Reebok made uniforms and warmups. While the actual uniforms didn’t have a company logo on them, the team warm up jacket did.  Jordan, while standing on the podium, put the large flag over his shoulder as if he were a proud American when in reality he simply wanted to cover the Reebok logo.  On one hand it’s understandable that he was in a competetive shoe business and didn’t want his image associated with a competing company.  Equally true however is that Jordan didn’t have to play in the olympics.  He could have paid more money to Team USA than Reebok did and had his logo on everyone’s gear.  But he didn’t.  Instead he used the opportunity and reaped the benefits while doing something shewed and calculating while masking patriotism.

So I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that young Marcus thinks he’s also better than everyone else on his team, and at his school.

The fact is Marcus can rep his father’s gear everyday of the week in class.  He can wear Jordan’s in practice.  But in the game he represents the University of Central Florida not Air Jordan.  Its a shame the school will bow down to this foolishness based on being scared that this average player will leave and go to some other school where they can say, “Hey, that’s Michael Jordan’s son on our team!”

Shutever!

As for the people at Adidas;  

If Marcus shows up in a game with some Air Jordan’s on… they would be well served to yank that contract right out from under them.  Let Marcus sponsor the team.  Maybe he should coach it too!  Maybe all the fans should be required to wear Jordan gear.

I digress~

Seems the justice of the peace Keith Bardwell in Louisiana refused to marry an interracial couple.  Of course like other racist, he denies that he is and says he’s “worried about the kids.”  WHAT?   Oh he really cares about the kids!

I see.  Well I am sure the gentleman pictures above and his bride to be will work things out.  But Bardwell need not hold this post.

Not only that!  Please make them pay for all of the police and manpower work that it took away from other needful cases.  The things folks come up with to try to get fame!  Freaking shameful!

Richard Heene can say what he wants.  But he is the pathetic one!   The last thing I’m going to do if I think my child is in some balloon flying across the country is to do a round robin of network and cable news shows talking about how scared I was and I relieved I am. 

CHARGE THEM I SAY!  And make examples out of them for this foolishness!

I’ve been pretty busy lately and didn’t have much of a chance to blog.  But I have to back track a bit and discuss the old news of Barack Obama winning the Nobel Peace prize.  First of all I have to say I am proud.  Though many were put off at his winning it, saying that he hadn’t accomplished anything, that in itself is ridiculous.  But besides that the reasons given were very specific.

I don’t have much of an opinion on whether Rush Limbaugh owns the Rams or any other NFL team.  It’s a free country and certainly there are racist owners in all of professional sports.  (See Donald Sterling)  And could he be worse as an owner than say, Al Davis?

What this does tell me though that Dave Checketts’ trial balloon of Limbaugh as a partner didn’t fly like as hoped.  And it also tells me that though Limbaugh has amassed wealth in the hundreds of millions of dollars by being a pariah and a hate mongerer, this is drawback that even his money couldn’t buy him out of.  At least not yet.  This is the price, or at least a side effect of the hate medicine he has sold for his life’s work.

Don’t get me wrong, I agree with Stephen A. Smith who don’t believe many African-American NFL players would turn down money to play for an unapologetic demagogue like Limbaugh.  Lord knows most of them don’t stand for anything but the game they play and the money they make from it.  I’m just saying I won’t cry tears or carry water for Rush in order to be politically correct or in some attempt to be more fair to him than he is to people who look like me.  Oh no. I won’t get on that wagon.  If it happens it happens.  But I truly IDGAF about Rush’s rights to buy an NFL team.