Couple quick note here.
First of all, I just watched the first episode of "The Bronx is Burning" on the Abc.com Web site. I guess it's an ESPN series that started right after the All-Star game. But it certainly rocks. At least for me personally. It's about the 1977 Yankees, which is one of my favorite teams of all time. It was the first Yankees team in my lifetime to win the World Series. And I even remember staying up late to watch Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in the sixth and final game of the series to clinch it, and then sprinting through the crowd, which was pouring onto the field after the game. You certainly don't see that anymore. The first episode had the whole "Straw that stirs the drink" quote thing in it, which was a dig by Jackson at my favorite player at the time, Thurman Munson. I'm like 10 when all this is going on, so to me these guys were larger than life.
Can't wait to watch the second episode. And the video quality online is outstanding.
In addition, I just ran across this great perspectivce on the whole Mike Vick thing. I don't have the streed cred to have said it even close to as well as Mr. Granderson does.
That's about all for now.
Cheers.
Ralph
Oh yeah, and what the fuck is up with the Tour de France? Can that even be considered a sporting event anymore?
2 comments:
Ralph,
I read the article and it touches on a number of themes that I encounter when I teach African American Literature. The impact of slavery in the US is still with us every day, and the prison statistics truly are obscene.
Things are beginning to change to some degree, particularly through higher education, but there are very few avenues available to black men outside of sports, music, and drug sales. I've been to dozens of business trade shows over the years and everybody in the house is white. Women have had more success breaking into the American business world than black men.
It's ironic, too, because so much of black culture is idolized by young whites.
I guess we return to the notion of Black Nationalism, where Malcolm X said that blacks need to own the businesses in their own neighborhoods...that's the only way to open economic opportunities to young black men.
The hope, from my view, lies with the upcoming generations: as we move farther from the days of slavery, there is hope that the same opportunities become available to black men as white men.
As for Michael Vick, I understand that some of his behavior can be explained by "keeping it real", and if that means snorting coke and getting laid, then that's fine as long as all participants are legal and willing. But when you start involving brutality toward another species, then I can't sanction it.
Enough for now.
Doc
Doctor Dee:
As always, thanks for your insights. You know what would make an interesting study, "how much farther ahead are blacks in the predominantly white busienss world today, than they were 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years ago?" I wonder if we haven't moved backward in recent years and if something needs to be done to reverse this trend. Just a thought, but it seems, in light of the stuff going on in Mid-East that perhaps we are actually moving backwards in our race relations...as for cruelty to another species, yes, I love the original Planet of the Apes and all... but here's my thought on how it pertains to Vick: How much less violent is an NFL game than a dogfight. Vick is pretty much risking his life (and has been since he was very young) every week for the entertainment of millions of people. How much more barbaric is it to ask his dogs to do the same? Really, if you think about it, isn't professional football - with human beings, more barbaric than dog fighting. Not to denegrate dogs, but pit bulls especially, were bred to fight and most likely enjoy going into the pit for the battle. Yeah, it's rough and bloody and violent and dangerous, but if you've ever stood on the sidelines of an NFL game...Anyhow, all the dog lovers in the world can now release the hounds upon me.
Cheers.
Ralph
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