An American Icon, An American Tragedy...

 

When I first saw Orenthal James Simpson it was as a sideline reporter for NBC Sports football. My father would describe to me how Simpson's game on the gridiron was a manifest of power and beauty, whether it was at USC or for the Buffalo Bills of the NFL. He had such a presence on our TV screen that in the black community he was as big an icon as Michael Jackson or Bill Cosby. I would often see Simpson's image on Hertz commercials as he ran through the airport and Spot-bilt ads in my comic books. When I would play football with my brothers on the streets of Warner Robins, we would often yell out "The Juice is Loose!" whenever we got the pigskin.

When I found out that Simpson was going to appear in the "Naked Gun" movies I was stoked. He was a combination of goofiness and clumsiness as Norberg. I often wondered why he wasn't in the movies for long, as I later found out it was because of his poor acting, but when he did show up I always had a good laugh at his expense. Again, he was O.J.! Of course I was going to enjoy it!

Then June 16, 1994 happened. I was preparing myself for my graduation from Woodbridge High School, thinking about how I was going to celebrate later and say goodbye to friends I knew I would never see again. It was a hot and balmy 94 degrees as we all sat outside waiting for the next level in our lives as graduates. Once the pleasant exchanges were over and we all made plans to meet up later that evening, my family and I returned home. I figured I'd catch Game 5 of the NBA Finals between Houston and New York and then I turn on the remote control to catch this...

 

As that white Ford Bronco was cascading down the I-5 of the Los Angeles Freeway, with hundreds of onlookers with their signs above the bridges, everything I thought I knew about O.J. Simpson vanished with every passing mile. Suddenly, my thoughts weren't about his 2,000 yard season in 1973, or wearing a goofy afro with Leslie Nielsen. No, my thoughts went to "He's killed two people and now he's going to kill himself!" What occurred next has been the focus of the recent FX drama "The People vs. O.J. Simpson" and now being told in an ESPN 30 for 30 "O.J. Made in America."

 

As my wife and I saw the first part of this riveting 5 part series, it was a throwback to an O.J. I never knew. While the nation was burning in the heat of the civil rights movement of the 1960s, it was the one time Simpson deliberately wanted to stay on the sidelines instead of strapping on the helmet of justice. There was a line that really brought it home for me. One night at a club in Los Angeles, a young blonde woman saw O.J. sitting with a group of black men. The lady said, and I'm paraphrasing, "There is O.J. with those niggers." According to a white man who was in earshot of what was said, he mentioned that O.J. responded with, "She's right. I am O.J.!" No defense of his brethren in attendance, and it was in that one statement that I realized that he wasn't such a hero after all.

 

We are all fallen individuals, but there is something special about identifying with who you are and standing alongside those who are the same. Simpson called an audible, thinking that his rising tide of Hollywood stardom would encourage others to do the same. His ideology was that the only way to achieve equality was to avoid all mention of who he really was, a black man playing football, receiving the cheers of a divided America only because of his exploits on Saturdays and Sundays. Once that Bronco stopped in the residential neighborhood of Brentwood, CA, he realized that harsh reality.

 

Was I one of the individuals who celebrated when he was acquitted of double murder in 1995? Yes, and I'd be lying if I didn't say that it was less about O.J. and more about some misguided revenge for what happened to Rodney King three years earlier at the hands of corrupt policemen. However, I realized how wrong that was. Again, we are fallen people. As I now see the images of O.J. Simpson rotting his latter days away in a Clark County, Nevada prison, it was a stark reminder of being careful of the people we admire. Sometimes we need to realize that the stars that shine the brightest crash the hardest.

 

 



 

 

How do we stop it?

Sexual assault, football program, small town...

Do these words sound familiar? It should be, and unfortunately it's a string of words that have rang in our conversations and news reports for far too long. It's a disease that has infiltrated academic institutions for years, whether it's in Happy Valley, Tallahassee, Steubenville, or more recently Knoxville, there has been a long trail of pain, power, and criminality that has been a part of the football environment as much as the pigskin and tailgate parties.

What happened today in Waco, Texas among the allegations of nine sexual assaults that led to the firing of long time head coach Art Briles and the re-assignment of Baylor University President Ken Starr (yes, that Ken Starr) will appease some. Granted, there are still those who will still think that the NCAA is out to get their beloved school (because never mind the women who were attacked against  their own will, as long as we beat Oklahoma! Go Bears!) but they bleed green and gold. However, it's not the fans who are the problem, there's a reason fan is short for fanatic. It's much bigger than that.

Whether it's the Catholic priests who are molesting young boys, or the recent stories by actors such as Elijah Wood coming out against the rampant pedophilia in Hollywood, the theme is the same: a crime has been committed by someone in power, and the higher-ups look the other way, hoping it will go away. The media who is afraid to challenge the system because of fear of losing access, to the police force in these small towns who dismiss the reports, everyone is accountable when they know and won't do what is necessary to bring this evil to light.

Rather than focus on the problem, it's time for solutions. There needs to be an independent counselor assigned to these institutions when an accusation comes about. Someone who can thoroughly investigate these matters without threat of obstruction. Someone like, I don't know...their own Ken Starr!

Sexual assault is no joke, and the time for administrators, law officials, and media to start dealing with this with the severity it deserves. Although Briles should be held accountable for his lackadaisical approach to reprimanding his players, his primary focus should be on developing players for being successful each Saturday in the Fall. He is no preacher, and that is where leadership above him comes into effect.

It's as Starr said, "Our hearts break for those whose lives are impacted by execrable acts of sexual violence." Starr told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "I am in favor of transparency. Stand up, take your medicine if you made a mistake."

It's time for these football institutions to get a taste of their own medicine and be held in check. It doesn't matter how many wins you get over your rival, when innocent people are violated and left to defend themselves, everyone loses.

So you're not good enough...?

Above is the following analysis for then Davidson combo guard Stephen Curry prior to him being drafted in the NBA. As a matter of fact, it was the first point that scared the then-GM of the Minnesota Timberwolves David Kahn from drafting him when he instead chose two point guards ahead of Curry. While Ricky Rubio has emerged as a starting guard on a potential playoff team, the other, Johnny Flynn, is out of the league. And what happened to Mr. Curry, you may ask?

Well, that last point of him relying too much on his outside jump shot is one of the reasons he is the league's reigning MVP of the World Champion Golden State Warriors. Despite the doubts cast upon him by many that last year's title was a "fluke" (I'm looking at you Doc Rivers!) Curry has continued to defy the odds and has supplanted even LeBron James in the minds of many as the best player in the NBA. That said, if you just read the scouting report on Curry coming out of college you would think that he had no chance of being successful. He wasn't even offered a scholarship at his father's alma mater Virginia Tech, but did not allow that to deter him from reaching his goals. To this day he continues to demonstrate what one can do when they don't allow the views of others to get his way.

If you thought that report was harsh, take a look at this one...

"Very disingenuous — has a fake smile, comes off as very scripted and has a selfish, me-first makeup.  Always knows where the cameras are and plays to them.  Has an enormous ego with a sense of entitlement that continually invites trouble and makes him believe he is above the law — does not command respect from teammates and will always struggle to win a locker room . . . Lacks accountability, focus and trustworthiness — is not punctual, seeks shortcuts and sets a bad example.  Immature and has had issues with authority.  Not dependable.” 

Now I don't know what a "fake smile" has to do with being able to read a Cover-2 defense, but what I do know is that this was the scouting report about a quarterback facing his own questions about his ability to be a championship athlete at the highest level. Unlike Curry, he came in with a history of poor decisions (throwing a stolen laptop out of a window) and people wondered if he had the mental makeup that other great players of his ilk had...

It was Cam Newton, and the report was written by Pro Football Weekly's Nolan Nawrocki. While many derided the report as racially motivated, Newton has taking his tremendous talent to the next level, and is largely considered the MVP of the league up until this point. Despite the naysayers, Newton continues to defy critics and in spite of some of his end zone antics (to which I respond, if you don't want to see him dance, don't let him score!) he has emerged as the unquestionable leader of the Carolina Panthers.

Curry and Newton are just two examples of what happens when people don't allow the views of others to impact their destiny. Whether it was Walt Disney (fired from his newspaper for having "no imagination) to Meryl Streep (called "too ugly" for the role in King Kong) you can't let what others think of you to get in your way. The only limit is in your mind, and the second you decide to remove those limits, watch how our life will change. Don't let the views and reports of others to limit your purpose in life. Besides, you never know when your paths will cross with someone who also hurdled over first impressions, no matter how wrong they were. Defy the odds!

Who are our rivals?

The final weekend of November has always been a special time for sports fans. Whether it's still recovering from Mom's Thanksgiving dinner, or exhausted from waking up at midnight to fight with millions of other shoppers on Black Friday, it becomes all worth it when you are able to sit on the couch and watch your favorite collegiate team take on their hated rival in what is billed "Rivalry Weekend." Growing up in Georgia this was always a great time for football fans in the south, as we would prepare to watch the Bulldogs take on the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech (or billed "The Nerds on North Avenue, but I digress), and each year the fans on both sides would revel in the opportunity to talk trash to each other, hoping to have a full year of bragging rights throughout. Even on the local levels, we used to see a lot of battles take place when the Warner Robins football squad would take on their hated rival Northside. It would lead to parking lot fights which would extend onto the gridiron. Some call it passion, I always questioned the mindset of some of these people. I remember the famous story of Harvey Updyke Jr., who poisoned the iconic Toomer's Corner at Auburn University to show his love for the Alabama Crimson Tide. This was just one example of how angry people allow simple allegiances to carry their actions.

Rivalries have existed since the dawn of time. Israelis-Palestine, Christians vs. Rome, Republicans vs. Democrats, there have always been this extreme point of view which tears away at our very fabric as human beings in our need for companionship. What has happened in today's society is a need to seek companionship on the basis that "you must always agree with my point of view, and anyone who disagrees is the enemy." My father always says to me, "you can disagree as long as you are not disagreeable." That's a big difference in how we should treat one another.

We have seen the rhetoric spill over from our sports teams into the political realm. We have allowed an agenda-based media to direct the attention from unity to black vs. white. It has corrupted our thinking to the point where family members can't even come together at the dinner table without turning into a battle of philosophical differences. The question is, do we really know our enemy?

The "Art of War" teaches that concept, that we should 'know thy enemy.' However, we believe that our enemy wears the colors of a different college, or aligns themselves with a different party affiliation, or even has a different skin pigmentation. Our enemy is one that is not of flesh, but one in spirit. It is an enemy who's primary purpose is to destroy us because he knows his time is coming to an end, and we need to recognize that instead of allowing hate to be directed toward our fellow man.

The sooner we understand that there is a true enemy out there that wants nothing more than to prevent us from reaching our destiny in God, the sooner we must submit ourselves to God in order to have the power to resist the enemy's subtle plans. Life is not a game, and the opponent that designs himself to stand in our way can, and will be beaten.

What is Power?

They say that the love of money is the root of all evil, then what is the fear of losing it? Was that the primary decision in former University of Missouri president Tim Wolfe stepping down in the wake of pressure stemming from ignoring the signs of racial tension on the campus? Whether it was the regents pressuring Wolfe to resign (which he did) because it was in danger of losing up to $1 million had the football team skipped its game on Saturday or not, the point is that change had to come. The students, and more specifically, the football players, had enough of being looked upon as nothing more than weekend gladiators who entertained the Columbia faithful. They wanted their voices to be heard and went to an extreme that forced the administration to listen.

One can debate whether or not if they had a perfect record would this protest even have taken place, the point is that there was a line that these young men felt had been crossed by the actions of a heinous few. It drove one young man to declare a hunger strike until changes were made, and more players began to chime in. It led to a campus-wide protest that led to the president's ouster. However, it wasn't just the fact that these protests have changed the face of the campus, it had demonstrated that in this day and age, taking a stand for justice is still an option.

Sports is an arena in which we cheer for our favorite teams and jeer our opponents, and once the clock hits 0:00 we are supposed to return to our reality. There comes a point and time in which the battles that athletes face isn't on the gridiron, court, or diamond, but it's in society. If nothing else all athletes should take a look at what took place in Columbia and realize that they can speak out. We've seen it in the NFL with the stand against domestic violence, and to see it on a major collegiate football power demonstrates courage and sacrifice for the greater good.

This wasn't about money, or gaining more power, but it was about making a difference at any cost.

A second chance to make a first impression...

Remember the last time someone gave you a second chance to get it right? It could be a boss, giving you a chance to re-submit that project, or the wife letting you stop sleeping on the couch after one too many nights out with the boys. Either way, you were very careful about what you said and did, desperate to change the perception, and at no time would you ever mention anything about "the incident" or give others a chance to do the same. Someone should have given that memo to Dallas Cowboys' defensive end Greg Hardy, who is set to return from a year-long suspension on Sunday against the New England Patriots.

Hardy, who was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2013 after registering 15 sacks with the Carolina Panthers, spent 2014 on the Commissioner's Exempt List after his ex-girlfriend accused him of domestic violence and throwing her on a couch covered in guns during an altercation. The charges were dismissed when the accuser did not show up for the hearing. Whether guilty or not, Hardy has developed a reputation for being one of the league's most volatile players, and his recent comments in regards to his return Sunday did little to change those views. According to Brandon George of the Dallas Morning News in an interview, Hardy responded to how long it would take for him to get back into his Pro Bowl shape with: "I hope I come out guns blazing."

Like it or not, life is about perception, and right now Hardy's is one of no contrition, as if his 'Kraken' persona will be enough to make people forget about past transgressions. Does he deserve a second chance? Absolutely, but when we've been forgiven we must do whatever is necessary to make it right. Now, I don't expect him to be a Rhodes Scholar, but at the very least he should be mindful of why he spent the past 19 games away from the gridiron. He should have a conversation with Michael Vick about how to take advantage of another opportunity to live out his dream, before it's taken away from him again, this time permanently.

Friday Night Fights

Friday nights across America are filled with the sounds of cheers from fans all over as their favorite high school teams meet on the gridiron in spirited competition. Young athletes compete against their arch rivals to conclude their week, with some dreaming of the day they can play on the collegiate level, or in the case of 1.2%, in the pros.  While high school football can bring a level of passion and excitement among adolescents, when emotions run high it can also lead to everlasting pain, which is what took place a few weeks ago in San Antonio.

The photo above highlights referee Robert Watts, who was blindsided in an attack by two players from John Jay High School. Michael Moreno and Victor Rojas were given instructions by an assistant coach to hit the referee after he missed some calls and, according to the players, used racial slurs directly towards them. The assistant coach, Mack Breed, has been placed on administrative leave. The players are now suspended from the football team, with possible assault charges pending.

This goes beyond whether or not Breed ordered the "Code Red" (go watch "A Few Good Men" for that reference), and it's not about whether or not the referee actually used any epithets. This is about accountability, plain and simple. As a former athlete, I understand that you must follow the direction of the coaches, but only when it's in the best interests of the team. How is any of what these young men have done justified? It is not, and ultimately, the decision to carry out the attack rests on them.

Whether it's government, our occupations, or even with coaches, our first and foremost obligation is to do what is right and just. We are to obey the precepts of God above those of man, and in this instance, there is an accountability that must be upheld, and it is something that the athletes have to comes to understand.

When it comes to making the tough choices in times of high emotion, it is the foundation on what we believe in that will force us to make the right decision, or else.

Who is to blame?

This time of year is a time of great anticipation into America's great pastime, and it's football (no apologies to baseball fans, in 10 years it'll be a niche sport that will battle hockey for ratings). Whether it's parents getting their children ready for their Pop Warner games, to the NFL fantasy drafts that are being conducted as we speak, everyone is excited for the action to begin on the gridiron. No more so do we see the passion of the sport than on the collegiate level, where you can see more than 100,000 fans fill the seats on any given Saturday. Students are displaying the colors of their alma mater with pride, thinking that this is their season to finally break through and win it all. In Champagne, Illinois, however, those students are simply wondering who will be the head on the sidelines after the news broke that former football head coach Tim Beckham was fired this afternoon among allegations that he mistreated former Illini offensive lineman Simon Cvijanoic. 

Once other former players informed the Chicago Tribune that Cvijanoic's claims are true, and the university performed an internal investigation, they released their coach of three years a week before the season starts against Kent State. Granted, the Athletic Director would've been justified in releasing Beckham after comprising a 12-25 record, but once these claims were released, they had no other choice. Cvijanoic stated that when he sustained injuries in 2013 & 2014 that Beckham urged him to continue playing, even after dealing with psychological problems due to shoulder and knee injuries that ended his career. He also mentioned being pushed to play after tearing his labrum, with Beckham's offensive line coahc telling Cvijanoic that the injuries were in his head.

This isn't about wins and losses, and forget about scholarships, this is about a person's livelihood vs. the old adage of "win at all costs." The latter mentality is what led former Ohio State Buckeyes coach Woody Hayes to hit a player during a game, or current Washington State coach Mike Leach to get fired in 2009 after claims that he mistreated a player while at Texas Tech. Coaches who are being paid top dollar are in this quandary of doing the right thing by their players vs. getting them out there, healthy or no, to get that win against Rival U. We see it all the time, a coach allowing players who have questionable actions being allowed to play, but this is on a completely different level. This is short-sighted thinking at worst, treating the player more as a commodity and less as an individual. 

Parents entrust their children to these coaches to attend their program with the belief that they will train up their child to become successful on and off the field. These players should not feel as if they are unable to express their challenges for fear of not being allowed to play the game their love. We have seen some coaches show compassion in these types of situations, but then this is the opposite end of the spectrum, in which the seriousness of an ailment goes beyond a simple "tape him up." 

We teach children to be tough and handle pain, but there is also a time to use discretion and wisdom to deal with a delicate injury. Coaches must understand that when left untreated, the greatest harm to a student-athlete isn't the physical pain, it's the mental scars that remain long after they hang up the helmet.