NBA Refs

Like the players, NBA referees look very small on TV. The camera angle does their size no justice. Icame face to face with veterans like Steve Javie, Joe Crawford, Bennett Salvatore, Violet Palmer, and others. These guys (and gal) are as tall as the players they officiate. It is amazing to me.

Then I realize that when the players argue a call (and they argue many) they don't have far to bend to talk to the refs.

I had a different picture of how tall they would be.

who knew....

Saw David Stern in person for the first time... cool guy.

The czar of the telestrator Mike Fratello was around as well.

With NBA training camp starting next week for some reason I will be looking at these officials a little differently.

More Grief for the Denver Broncos

I am not sure what goes through a person's head when they make the decision to end their life via suicide. I read the story behind Def Jam VP Shakir Stewart's fatal choice, Fantasia almost ended her life and now Kenny McKinley, the Wide Receiver for The Denver Broncos has apparently taken his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot.

What I don't understand is how these three and countless others could leave young children behind. Fantasia went on record as saying she wasn't thinking about her young daughter when she swallowed a bunch of pills. How selfish is that?

McKinley leaves behind a 1 year old.

He was on injured reserve unable to play for an extended period of time. Could that have driven him over the edge? You are making millions of dollars, man. That injury is out of your control. By all acoounts McKinley was a great teammate, always smiling. It seems like those are the people that do something crazy, right?

Denver has had its share of tragedy, losing their starting cornerback Darrent Williams in 2007 to a driveby shooting.

McKinley may have been battling bigger demons. It is hard to make sense of a tragedy that no one saw coming.

The small child and family McKinley left behind are the real losers in this...

Green Dead Redemption

I am happy for Michael Vick.

In two productive weeks this young football season he has started a quarterback controversy the Philadelphia Eagles never saw coming when they made him a reclamation project last year. Now there is talk of trading Kevin Kolb the $10 million dollar heir to Donovan McNabb's throne.

To his credit Vick has handled everything well. It seems he sincerely embraces a back up role and was reportedly shocked to be named the starter for Week 3 against Jacksonville. They say things happen for a reason and Kolb's concussion was probably a strange way of saying Vick has paid his dues and he is ready to be a starter in the NFL again. There are some doubters and people skeptical about his ability to lead a team for a full season, but he is showing that he can stand in the pocket.

MichaelVick staying in the pocket? Uh oh...
A mature Michael Vick means trouble for everyone else.

We Need to DO Better

We can't complain about racism and stereotyping if little girls and boys, and even some grown men and women, continue to be loud and ignorant in public places. It may be cool and funny to your "friends", but there is always someone watching shaking his/her head and clutching her purse when you sit near.

While it is also ignorant to characterize an entire race on a juvenile few and the topic of racism covers a myriad of issues and situations, you almost can't blame the shallowness in thinking because Black folks don't do any favors with crude behavior.

Just my thoughts ladies and gentlemen...