DON'T HATE THE PLAYA

One of the few differences between the corner drug dealer and a corporate CEO is the way they filed their taxes.

If you ever had any doubt that professional sports is a simple microcosm of the society at large, this week’s sports pages will remove all your doubts.. In my lifetime, there has never been a more tempered sports climate—or (ironically) a better time to sit your child down and explain a few of life's lessons that far exceed any parental handbook.

Page 1: San Francisco slugger, Barry Bonds
Barry is the superstar son of baseball Hall of Fame outfielder, Bobby Bonds. The senior Bonds hated the media more than junior. And, six years ago the prodigal son was a shoe-in to join his (now deceased) dad in the game's exclusive shrine. However, in light of a so-called “mountain” of suspicious steroid evidence, Barry’s once red carpet ride into The Hall is now very questionable (not to mention, personal). His fate rests in the hands of a mostly white press, who have a mutual disdain for him and his dad. If you were an NBA referee, how would you like Bonds' odds? For the record, Barry has never tested positive for the drug. Nor has he ever admitted to such use (unlike some of his former peers). Most significantly, at the height of the alleged steroids era, baseball NEVER tested its players for the cheating substance. Yet, baseball commissioner, Bud Selig who conflictingly doubles as a team owner, has all but convicted Bonds in the court of public opinion. These suited drug dealers ain't bull-shitting! Historically, baseball has never been kind to black ball players; so consequently some black ballas have never forgiven or forgotten that racist fact. And, in this case, those embedded memories are shared by two men who happen to have more than a family bond.

Page 2: Suspended Falcon Phenom Michael Vick.
The sad truth here is if Vick decided to kill his wife, have involuntarily sex with an under age stranger or shoot an ordinary citizen—all with the same eyewitness that are accusing him of this federal crime, his chances of freedom would be a lot less compromised. So murder, rape and domestic violence all take a back seat to fighting dogs. Only in America. In essence you have people like Kobe Bryant and OJ Simpson whispering, damn, I'm sure glad I am not that Nigga. Vick says he is innocent, his “friends” say he is guilty, the Monday after Thanksgiving only one of them will be truly grateful. The other will be sleeping with his back to the wall.

Page 3: Rouge NBA referee, Tim Donaghy
Iron fist hoop Commissioner, David Stern is simply sick at the possible fall-out behind this indictment. All of Stern's foolish, league-mandated attempts to make his sport more yuppie friendly and less new jack swing may be flushed down a crap table by a league official. Stern says he felt betrayed by one of his hand-picked, $260,000-per employees. You'd think with all of Dave's alphabet boys on this case, they would've noticed the diamond in the back of Tim's white Cadillac. Now the only thing white collar about this crime is the perpetrator. And the worst is rumored to be on the horizon, especially if Donaghy gets on the stand and sings like Neno Brown. Stern can take some comfort in knowing that while Donaghy was shaving points, at least he adhered to the NBA's dress code.

click title for bonus track

1 love,

Ray Lewis

VICKstory

The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike & destroy its victim -Sun Tzu

For a variety of reasons I really try to refrain from mainstream stories — mostly due to the saturation of it all, and partly due to a lack of a unique perspectives. In the Michael Vick case, I decided to make an exception - although I am really not sure why. In this country being indicted of a crime (still) means innocent until proven guilty, unless of course the Federal Government is doing the indicting. Then it means, pack lots of Vaseline and always sleep with your back to the wall.

I have never been a huge fan of football and I am probably less of a Falcon fan. However, like most Georgia residents, I could not help but watch and marvel at the once-in-a-lifetime skills of the Falcon Wonder. I remember one Sunday while I was sitting in church I could have sworn that I heard the pastor speed up the ceremony as the kick-off clock crept closer to 1pm—and that pastor was a female! The following Sunday, I witnessed a traditional white family (mother, father, sister, brother)—all with their faces painted black and sporting Michael Vick's home jersey. I wonder what color dad’s face would've been if Michael Vick actually came by to pick up his J-Lo hipped daughter?

I read most of the dog fighting indictment, which incidentally, is extremely suspect of any CREDIBLE evidence as far as placing Vick at the actual scene of the horrific—and I mean—horrific crimes. I am not sure a jury of his peers will be as objective; especially since this will not be a jury of his peers. His peers will be fighting for a Super Bowl, while Vick will be battling for a bowl, but there will be nothing super about it.

Innocent or guilty, I truly believe Vick has thrown his last pass as a Falcon. If Vick is guilty, he has thrown his last pass as an NFL player... if the latter is true it will truly be difficult to find this man’s best friend.

(click on title above for bonus track)


1 love,
Ray Lewis

R.I.P.

“We probably wouldn't worry about what people think of us if we could know how seldom they do.” Olin Miller

So its official… The NAACP has buried the “N” word. Am I alone in the ironic fact that the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People took the time out of their archaic schedule to bury the “N” word, yet still (proudly) call themselves Colored people? Stop it, y'all are killing me!

I imagine Mark Fuhrman woke up this morning from his hooded linen rest to ask; where were these Niggas during the O.J. trial? I wonder how many neighborhood liquor stores the N-Word funeral procession skated passed on the way to the Detroit graveyard? The
-AACP (remember there are no more “N” words), may want to swing the funeral procession pass the University of Michigan and get an update on the Affirmative Action ban that those crackers buried.

This Motown comedy act got a lot less funnier when you consider the fact that Ward Connerly is the mastermind behind this ridiculous ritual. And, I waited very patiently wondering (aloud)when the N-Word eulogist was going to mention that Ward Connerly was also the right wing creator of the Proposition 209 Bill, which was lawfully designed to outlaw all race and gender preferences in state hiring and state university admissions. Or, quite simply, a bill to eliminate Affirmative Action. If you listen carefully, you can still hear the faint giggle from Donald Goings’ grave.

Honestly, I applaud all great intentions, no matter how silly. But there are so many other things going down in the motor city that I think would take precedence like:

 How much of the city’s building fund is going towards the 24” rims on Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick’s Cadillac Escalade?
 Why wasn’t Eminem at the “N” Word funeral?
 How do the Detroit pimps get purple gators from a green alligator?
 Why didn’t Chris Webber call a time out before the AACP got started?

Click link or blog title for Motown Bonus clip.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii6ujiw9sdE

1 love,

Ray Lewis