Endless debate



The media, particularly the sports media, has evolved over the years. Some question whether that evolution has been a good thing. We marveled at the brilliance of Howard Cosell calling the Muhammad Ali fights or anticipating the next "Whoa, Nellie!" from Keith Jackson on ABC's college football broadcasts. The early days of ESPN "SportsCenter" was must-see television if you wanted to capture the best of the best on a daily basis. Sports broadcasting was highlighted by some of the brightest and sometimes boldest personalities. Although Cosell was never one to shy from controversy, he had a level of respect that made him the barometer of sports-speak.

Then, somehow, things changed, and the transformation from being a voice of the show to becoming the show was complete...

 

There are several examples of athletes taking on the media, but at the end of the day the personalities behind the mic were never the story until the (staged?) fight between then LA Rams quarterback Jim Everett and noted sports talk show host Jim Rome. Now we are in an era in which people tune in  to see the people who talk about sports as much as they do the players on the field or court. Never is that more evident than every weekday morning, when barbershops and television sets tune in to see ESPN's "First Take," which is the epicenter of their "Embrace Debate" era in which we see essentially the same topics being discussed ad nauseam. The most polarizing figure of them all (and even that's debatable!) is one Skip Bayless.

 

To be honest, I've always admired his work as a journalist. He was one of the main writers who helped expose the scandals at Southern Methodist University during the infamous "Pony Express" days that led to the school eventually getting the death penalty. However, to many people he is known as the "Terrell Owens-hater" and staunch supporter of one Tim Tebow during his ascent into the NFL. Love him or hate him, he and his cohort Stephen A. Smith draws people in daily to see their views on all things sports.



I'm not a fan of "First Take." I think it's nothing more than a network's desperate attempt to tug at the heartstrings of passionate fans with contrived arguments, although they are willing to touch upon serious issues, most notably racial situations when appropriate. However, I do believe that what this and other talk shows of its ilk have accomplished is that it has forced people to take a side, which is rare in this "banana boat" era of sports. Sometimes we are afraid to take a stand on something we feel strongly about, regardless if we're right or wrong. While we may not be compensated to give our opinion like Bayless, there is a place for having healthy debates and discussions on issues not only in sports but in more important topics.

While Bayless will be leaving ESPN for FS1, I'm sure that he will continue to be polarizing to all who follow. My question is to you: to what extend are you willing to go to take an opinion, no matter what side of the fence you are on?

When culture matters...

It lasted all of 18 minutes...but it may have infinite value...

That's how long last year's and the probable favorite MVP for this year Stephen Curry appeared on the court for yesterday's playoff game against the Rockets. He had arguably his worst game of the season, and left with a sprained left knee, and as of this time he is scheduled to have an MRI, which is never good news.

Of course, the instant Twitter reaction became the land of second guessers:

"They never should've played him"
"The Rockets had no chance to win anyway, why risk it?"
"This is going to end their chances of a repeat!"

We love to live life in the rear view mirror, and hindsight is always 20/20. However, in this case, having him out there was about more than just trying to defeat a slightly lesser team in Houston. As the second half proved, this may have been a window into displaying the character of this team. The Golden State Warriors made an NBA-playoff record 21 3-pointers en route to victory, and the way they rallied around their fallen leader is more about the culture and community that this team has more than anything else.

Life is often defined by how a person deals in crisis, not when everything is clicking well. Golden State has developed a culture of unity that is able to withstand keeping on without Curry. Now although we don't know what will be the extend of his injury, or even if it will end their title run this year, I believe that they will continue to be successful because they focus on the bigger goal and work together to do so? Can you imagine the Cleveland Cavaliers holding on without LeBron James? Just look at what happened to the Oklahoma City Thunder without Kevin Durant last year. They came apart.

Bottom line: A great team is enhanced by their culture, which the San Antonio Spurs have mastered to a T. While "fans" all over are mourning the potential loss of Curry for several weeks, what we must be reminded of is that they have the structure in place to handle such a setback.

To pause and reflect

 

 

On most days I would use this platform as an opportunity to express my personal viewpoints on the impact that the decision makers have on the world of not only sports but in society.

 

Today is not that day. I was prepared to write about the recent comments on former ESPN analyst Curt Schilling, but that will have to wait for another time. Two recent tragedies have occurred within the past 12 hours that necessitated a change in plans.

 

The first one came from Southern California, where news of one Joanie Laurer, aka Chyna to wrestling fans of the late 1990s, passed away from an apparent overdose. Whether or not that is true is not the story at this time, neither are the events in the latter years of her life. I take you back to my college years which coincided with the famed "Attitude Era" of 1998 when she first made waves as the proclaimed "Ninth Wonder of the World" in the WWF. Normally my friends and I would pack the community room at Virginia Commonwealth University to see the antics of Shawn Michaels and HHH as they formed Degeneration X and took over the WWF by storm. However, our eyes would quickly be averted to the woman standing behind them, with a chiseled physique and stone-cold look.

 

Over the months and weeks of late 1997 and beyond we would marvel at how physical she would be with the other male wrestlers, even beating them on several occasions. She was nothing like the Barbie-doll types that usually would be featured on Monday Night Raw broadcasts. Chyna even won the Intercontinental title while battling Chris Jericho. As a matter of fact, we'd be surprised when she competed against the women, as if it was somehow unfair for her to even lower herself to that level.

Later she would go on to be known as "Mamacita" with Hall of Famer Eddie Guerrero, and find a new level of stardom before leaving the wrestling business.

 

What made her so special and unique was that she was unlike anyone we had ever seen, or have seen since then. I don't know if she ever made peace with those in the business, but she left a lasting impression at a time when we were looking for something different. Male or female, wrestling fan or not, Chyna was truly a wonder to see.

 

The next story, while not directly sports related, hit me and I'm sure millions of others like a ton of bricks as Prince Rogers Nelson, affectionately known as simply "Prince," passed away today at the age of 57. Iconic, legendary, gifted, there aren't enough words to describe what this man did as an entertainer, actor and producer. If you grew up in the early 1980s, you watched or knew someone who had seen "Purple Rain," sang "1999" and knew what he meant "When Doves Cry."

 

Prince was known by many as an avid basketball fan in the state of Minnesota. He played for Bryant Junior High in the early 1970s as an undersized 2-guard along with his half-brother Duane before making beautiful music with his guitar on near Hendrix-levels. Even as he went on to become the second greatest musician along with Michael Jackson in the 1980s he was still a figure with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx, frequently attending their games and making his usually quiet presence known.

 

 

 

Younger generations may only remember him from the Dave Chappelle skits of 2003 with him playing basketball and offering pancakes to his defeated opponents. I will always remember him for his affectionate love of purple, the mysticism in which he performed on the keys, to the vivid imagination in which he expressed himself through his music.

 

If there is a lesson to be learned from these respective lives, it's that to enjoy the days of your life as much as possible. Live, love, and learn.



A second chance...

I was always a fan...

I used to marvel at the talent of one Stephon Marbury, and even though he spent only one season at Georgia Tech, I was one of the few who thought he was better than Allen Iverson. He had a rare combination of ball handling proficiency with scoring gifts that made him the pride of Coney Island. When he went to Minnesota I was excited at the possibility of him and Kevin Garnett being the northwest version of Shaq-Kobe. They had a phenomenal duo before they traded him to New York and he became the epicenter of the disaster that was the Isiah Thomas regime with lawsuits and poor results on the court.

However, all of that changed when "Starbury" went to China to play in the Chinese Basketball Association in 2010. Gone were the Vasoline eating videos and emerged was a man who found not only unprecedented success, but overwhelming peace, both on the court and off of it. He was recently bestowed the honor of receiving a permanent residence card, in addition to a statue and a postage stamp in his honor. Truly a remarkable turnaround!

What's so special about this is that he realized that what many of us have to in life; that sometimes it takes a great risk for a great reward. We have to step away from situations that while familiar to us and sometimes comfortable, don't provide us the peace that we need. It's stepping away from bad influences and toxic situations that only deteriorate our character in the long run. It's Abram leaving behind his family to become a father of many nations. It's that songwriter moving to California in the 70s on nothing but a tank of gas and a lot of dreams. It's the person reading this blog thinking "I need a change in my life." Marbury realized this while on the path of self-destruction, and now has a whole new outlook on life.

I was a fan of his as a teenager for what he did on the court; I am now a bigger fan for the excellence he displayed in making the right choice.

The sins of our past...

There's a saying in life: "Avoid the big mistake." We may forget to pick up the laundry, or turn off the lights after leaving the house; those are small slip-ups. We may even forget our spouse's birthday(which, depending on the spouse, could lead to an even bigger problem down the road) but I digress. However, those incidents can be quickly swept under the rug and forgotten the next day. Then there are those times in which we commit atrocities so great that they label us with a scarlet letter; that "S" is tattooed onto Rafael Palmeiro for life.

You may remember the photo above. It was from the infamous Congressional hearing in 2005 on steroid use in Major League Baseball (you know, the one in which Sammy Sosa coincidentally forgot how to speak English, or Mark McGwire not being there to "talk about the past"). Palmeiro's defiant stance on his never taking steroids was later discovered to be a lie as he was suspended for 10 games. The punishment was miniscule compared to the eternal shame of not being voted into Baseball's Hall of Fame. Even more so, he has seen his peers McGwire, Sosa, and players like Jeff Bagwell not get inducted yet; though Bagwell seems to be closer to getting voted in next year. This year, former catcher Mike Piazza, long accused to taking PEDs without any positive proof, was finally inducted and as time goes on there is hope that Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens.

Personally, I believe that regardless of PED use or not, the players who were the best of the best at their profession should be included. Palmeiro put up great numbers, but no one would ever consider him one of the best players of his era. Even if he had came out and admitted to his PED use, I don't think it would've changed the minds of the baseball writers. His story and admitting how tormented he is at the thought of not getting in should serve as a reminder of how we cannot place ourselves in situations that we know will create long term damage.

If you want to see someone who is successful, don't look at just their work ethic, look at the decisions they make day in and day out. It's those decisions that don't lead to later regret; a life filled with pain because there is no finality. For Palmeiro and countless others, his big mistake wasn't taking steroids, it was not owning up to it when he had the chance. He could've been a symbol for other players to step up and do what was right instead of focusing on their reputation.

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The definition of defiance

Relentless...

Driven...

Stubborn...

Powerful...

Beautiful...

Low emotional intelligence...

 

(Shout out to my brother Tony for sharing some of these thoughts...check out his blog at AFreshWord.org)

These are just a few terms that are used to describe Kobe Bean Bryant, both the player and the man. For 20 years he donned the purple and gold of Tinseltown and has graced our television screens and arenas since coming to the NBA in 1996 out of Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia. He has experienced the highest of heights (5 championships) to the lowest of lows (the 2004 Finals, Colorado, playing with Smush Parker). He is an enigma wrapped up in a mystery; defined as the final bridge to a woebegone era when the player's brand was how many rings he won, and not based on his Twitter followers or mentions on SportsCenter. He was defined by his incessant desire for greatness, to the point where friendships were considered trite and a nuisance in his eyes. However, if there was one term that could best describe the life and career of #24, it would be defiance.

The final days of the Michael Jordan era concurred with His Airness flailing around the Verizon Center trying to carry a young and immature Washington Wizards franchise to greatness (it never happened). What it also did was spawn a litany of copycats like Allen Iverson, Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady and Steve Francis who all fell for the Gatorade ad gimmick but lacked the heart or leadership to do what was needed to bring their team to carry the Larry 'O Brien Trophy. Jordan's ultimate pupil also tried to imitate Jordan, right down to the mannerisms and cold-hearted demeanor that alienated teammates.

If Jordan was Emperor Palpatine, Kobe was his Anakin: wooden, confused and ultimate misled into thinking the Dark Side was the way. Kobe believed that there was only one way to win...his. He didn't care that he was called "uncoachable" by Phil Jackson in his book, or care that he was ultimately responsible for killing a potential dynasty with Shaq. Sure, you'll hear the Los Angeles Lakers brass claim that Shaq was getting old and they chose Kobe over him. Ask Dwayne Wade if Shaq was too old when they won it all in Miami in 2006 (with help from the refs but I digress).

Kobe's defiance was never more evident than in 2013 when he tore his ACL towards the end of yet another losing season. He refused to take help from anyone on the bench, sank two free throws, and refused help walking back to the trainer's room, when he knew it was all over. His defiance submarined the Lakers franchise for several years by refusing to help the team financially by draining their salary cap. He wanted to be so much like Lord MJ, that he forgot one simple thing: Jordan's career ended with him busting his chin on the MSG floor trying to teach Rip Hamilton and Kwame Brown how to be winners. Kobe's ended with him taking 50 shots in some self-promoting display and taking advantage of referee manipulation to score 60 points. While the recaps and tweets showered praise upon him as if he was riding on a donkey through Jerusalem, I turned the television to watch the new era of team ball accomplish NBA history in the Golden State Warriors. Jason Whitlock of FS1 said it best (and I'm paraphrasing since this is a family blog): "Last night at the Staples Center Kobe had a public display of self-intimacy and we're calling it the greatest love scene of all time."

Defiance can be a good thing, it can keep an individual focused in the toughest of times; refusing to bend to the will of those who they deem are in the way. When combined with wisdom it can change the course of history, as the end goal is more outward than myopic. Kobe's defiance, while it has been praised by old school heads, should also serve as a reminder that when we take that final lap, we should be able to look back at not just the accomplishments, but the individuals we have impacted along the way.

Now I ask: what was Kobe's impact on the players who adored him, and was his defiance worth the cost?

Follow @JohnReidIV with comments or suggestions.

What do you stand for?

"You don't steal the base you just left. You steal the base ahead of you."

-Jackie Roosevelt Robinson

As discussed in detail yesterday, the life of Jackie Robinson was defined by not so much what he did to integrate baseball, but what we was as a man. Dedicated, committed, and a fierce competitor on the diamond and off of it. His later years were more revealing of who he was more so than when he was stealing bases at Ebbets Field. Although his body was breaking down by age 33, his spirit never did. Once he had finished his epic career, he transitioned into business management at Chock Full O' Nuts, while being the first black writer at the New York Post. It was then when he decided to use his platform for social change, with the rising civil rights movement beginning to take America by storm. 

The 1960s were an era of an awakening; when the echoes of America's forefathers gave way to the rising voices of youth who were disenfranchised with the establishment dividing the races and decided to take their fights to the streets. Robinson felt he had an obligation to be a voice, and met with dignitaries such as then-Vice President Richard Nixon as well as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to encourage America to put away its legalized racism and embrace other cultures. Baseball had already crossed the color line, he thought, why not our businesses and government?

He wasn't alone, as later star athletes such as Jim Brown and Muhammad Ali would lend their voices outside the field of play and draw attention to very serious issues plaguing the black community. Before he retired, he would often speak about not being able to see black third basemen coaches in baseball. A few days before he died in 1972, he got to see Frank Robinson as one of the coaches during the World Series.

We live in an era in which the pursuit of social justice is either misguided or secondary to the pursuits of worldly gain. We still as fans look for voices who are not afraid to stand up and say, "No!" to the rafters when they see injustice happening to their communities and families affected by poor leadership in Washington. Remember the "Justice for Trayvon" movement? A movement's greatest impact should be not just about changing laws, but bettering lives. That is a lesson many athletes are now realizing, especially in the social media era where any voice can be heard over 140 characters.

The next time you hear someone quote Charles Barkley's "I'm Not a Role Model" speech, ask the children who marveled at the very sight of a man who didn't set out to be one at first, but later realized how he had no other choice, and in that changed the course of history. 

What's Love Got to do with It?

"Without Rachel Robinson, I believe there would be no Jackie Robinson..."

-First Lady Michelle Obama

Jackie Robinson was one of my favorite athletes growing up. As a matter of fact, whenever my friends and I would meet at the local Houston County sandlots to play baseball, I made sure I got to play shortstop so I could imitate number 42 of the Brooklyn Dodgers. I bleed Dodger blue because I was such a fan. I've seen every adaptation of his life and career, even the not-often-discussed movie regarding his court martial.

That's why I was so excited to see the PBS two-part special yesterday (and concluding tonight) on the life of Jack Roosevelt Robinson and his humble upbringing in Cairo, Georgia to his athletic ascent in Pasadena, CA. It took an introspective look at his life as a child and showed some of the gifts that he displayed not on the baseball diamond but on the gridiron at UCLA. However, throughout his development in athletics and in the military, there was a consistent theme that is often overlooked as the epicenter of what made him a civil rights pioneer, and it's his wife, Rachel.

While I won't get too deep into the history (watch tonight's special!) you often hear people such as Jackie's mother and Branch Rickey encourage Jackie to marry Rachel before enduring what was a challenging endeavor of crossing Major League Baseball's color barrier in the 1940's. Rickey said something to Robinson during their initial meeting and I'm paraphrasing, "You'll want to marry this woman, because you're gonna need her." I agree with First Lady Obama that he needed someone to help him with this burden of being called the N-word and having watermelons thrown his way as he headed toward the dugouts. 

Take a look at the Johnny Manziels of the world and ask, "Do you really think he'd be in this much trouble if he had a wife to go home to each night?" Mark Sanchez (now of the Denver Broncos) said recently that he thinks he will be able to be successful because he's single. That couldn't be any further from the truth. I'm not saying singleness is a bad thing (I did it for 35 years, and I much prefer marriage) but history has shown that the more stable your home life is, the better a person is able to perform on the field. Especially when you are a person in the public spotlight. You think that Bill Clinton wins the Presidency had Hillary walked out on him after the Gennifer Flowers debacle? When Sanchez throws 3 picks and puts up another butt fumble against Kansas City at Arrowhead, who's going to be there to console him when he gets home? His dog? His Twitter followers? That 3rd bottle of Natty Light? 

Now, is this a public service announcement to get out there and get married as soon as you find someone who won't dip out of the restaurant before the check comes? No, but understand that in life you will need that special someone to support you when you go through the stresses of life. Life hits you hard, so who will be that person in your corner rooting you on? No one is an island unto themselves; even the Lone Ranger had Tonto!

So as you're watching the later years of Jackie's life, and when you watch MLB celebrate Jackie Robinson Day this Friday, take time to remember the lady in his life who took on as much of a burden as he did. They say that behind every great man is a great woman. I say, without this great woman Rachel Robinson, there would be no great man. 

Got any special ideas or suggestions for future topics beyond the scoreboard? Follow me @JohnReidIV with comments.

When things go wrong....

Yesterday was the fourth-lowest audience to ever watch the race for the hallowed Green Jacket at Augusta. What people missed was the epic collapse of last year's Masters winner Jordan Spieth as he blew a five stroke lead with nine holes to play, with the biggest fall coming at the 12th hole, otherwise known as "Amen Corner." Suffice it to say, Spieth's prayers weren't answered on this day as he lost to Danny Willett. He maintained his composure throughout the Norman-esque collapse, yet he was unable to recover in time and saw the Englishman walk away with the title.

We all have those moments in life; these moments in which we think everything is going well and before we know it, disaster strikes. Not on the golf course, but in life. A mysterious illness, financial setbacks, the news of a loved one passing away without warning, we all experience things that can change our lives in one way or another. Spieth can recover from this within a month, but the question is how do we deal with the shifts in the wind in our own lives? Do we press on to the goal ahead, or do we allow it to bring us down? The design of maturity is not how we are when things are well, but when they are not.