Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch- Charles Woodson!

Enough said.

“Who needs Tom Brady when you got Brett Favre?”

In the words of Steve Urkel, “Did you see that?” Brett Favre to Greg Jennings, 82-yard touchdown, game over dude, it’s a wrap, call mamma to pick you up and the Packers win!
Before pre-season and the first snap of the regular, I told people that the Green Bay Packers were going to the Super Bowl. Nobody believed me. I got this to say to all the non-believers, “look out Dallas, we coming to git yo ass.”

For all you Detroit Lions fans out their saying hold the phone we are 5-2, I say you are of no consequence to this equation. I grew up in Detroit. I went to Thanksgiving games in Tiger Stadium on Trumbull. I’ve seen Mel Farr, Charlie Sanders, Lem Barney, Billy Sims, Barry Sanders and still no Super Bowl.

Lastly for the New York Giants who play in New Jersey, Michael Strahan looks lean and mean, but beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. My eyes looked into the magic ball, shuck it and it said, “Packers.”

Daddy. Daddy wasn't there.

Inductee: Michael Boddie
Date: August 2007

Our society has sank a new low when we hand off the microphone, give the floor and lend credibility to a “dead-beat” father whose children by their own volition do not carry the last name of Boddie. If this is not disgraceful enough, he further demonstrates his immaturity and disloyalty by seizing the opportunity, “for fifteen minutes of fame”, at the expense of his sons’ reputation. Still further to add insult to injury, slaps Brenda Vick, a woman he did not marry until five years after the birth of two children, in the face who, with the assistance of her people, carried the load of both mother and father.

In times when we struggle to protect our children from Internet predators, instill in them values that protect them from bad choices and improper influences, where was daddy? Daddy wasn’t there.

Growing up in Detroit, I remember the role and importance of the alley. A lot of men matured as well as met their death in the alley. Michael Vick’s father should be escorted into an alley. Station a brother to the east and west of it and allow Brenda Vick, her family, her children and anybody else relevant to this party to pull this “bitch up”. If he is not dead by lessons end, then maybe he will resurface a man.

For those of you who feel that these comments are harsh, I only have this to say to you. There is nothing uglier than to be brought into the world due to no fault of your own only to have the experience of feeling unwanted, unloved and being unprovided for. If our children are angry, uncouth, classless, ignorant and make bad choices, we should look to ourselves. It is our blame. It is our shame.

"MICHAEL WINS"

Last week, I kept myself busy by responding to the people of Fort Myers, Florida in their response to Deion Sanders’ article on Michael Vick and the subsequent response of the NFL Network to him.

As the comments went back and forth, it was always my intention to remain respectful and I did. After all, I felt I was stepping in for a voice, similar to mine and others, which had been silenced all the while thinking and speaking not in his exact words, but marking how I thought those words might be used and articulated. I am not sure if I educated the people in that community, but they most definitely educated me. I learned that no matter how many gains and contributions African-Americans make, we still have a great work to do. This is by no means to suggest that change is our sole responsibility, but charity always starts at home and spreads abroad.

This lesson was best taught Saturday as I watched the Pro Football Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Since first watching and comprehending the magnitude of what was happening, it was never more heartfelt, spiritual and memorable. Each man as well as their presenter had something very significant to say in terms of the honor itself, their lord and savior who was clearly at the head of their lives, and the careful selection of who was responsible for their success. But no one say it better than Jerry Jones when he said, “Michael Irvin is a Dallas Cowboy.”

There is nothing more American than apple pie, the World Series and being a Dallas Cowboy. All of these things represent what our nation hold dear and sacred. Even though African Americans have proven success when given the opportunity to participate in the American Dream, yet we are still made to feel unworthy.

I thought Michael Irvin’s induction was bitter sweet because I feel that Drew Pearson should be in the Hall of Fame. Drew Pearson was the original number 88, but after Michael spoke, where he was at that moment in time made me realize that it’s much greater than the respect given to a number, but the importance of respect due a man. Michael Irvin gets much respect, and his words were worthy to be praised.

Having said all this, we (African-Americans) must encourage and make sure our children feel good about themselves. Perhaps, we need to redefine who we LOOK UP to. Perhaps, we should GET UP from being complacent and NEVER GIVE UP on the fact that the road ahead is still paved with struggle. The mistakes we make are apart of a process that will eventually get us to place called, “Equals.”

Redefine Fan

In lieu of the Michael Vick situation and the NFL Network placing Deion Sanders’ column on hold, I think it is time to give some thought to what it means to be a fan.

For those of you who criticize Deion’s column, you have a right to your opinion, but to suggest that he is a thing of the past or a has been is insane. Deion Sanders is a first or at the very least second ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer. I’m not sure about Cooperstown, but I will follow up and get back to you. Having said this, Deion Sanders has not only made a name for himself, a name mind you Fort Myers, Florida should be proud of, but a place in sports history. Like it or not, Mr. Sanders is an “ICON”, baby.

Today, I went to TMZ.com to read comments left by everyday citizens to find one that left an image in my mind for years to come. One writer wrote: Michael Vick should be hanged and while hanging castrated with a rusty fork. While I respect this individual’s right to his opinion, one could only ask, given the history of African-Americans in this country, why and how did we moved from an alleged crime to as Billie Holiday would sing it, a tree bearing strange fruit? Are you sure this is not about race?

I asked myself, who are these people, and as fans of athletics, do we have the right to hold athletes to standards that we fall short of ourselves. Again, if he did what is alleged, he should be punished. I don’t think anyone is in disagreement with this. Should he be banned from the NFL for life? I don’t think so, but this is my opinion. Should he receive the maximum jail time of 8 years? I don’t think so, but again, this is my opinion.

What I do know is that athletes are no different from you or me. People make mistakes. People do better when they know better. People also grow, and I know people change.

I am an avid sports fan. My father taught me everything I know about sports from its ugliest past to its present day triumphs. Do I think athletes make a lot of money? You bet, but I don’t begrudge them. They are paid what the market will bear. Do they participate in activities that they shouldn’t? Yes! Should our system of justice hold them accountable? Absolutely!

In addition to this, athletes make and continue to make enormous sacrifices to provide me, you, the fan with hours of memories that make and has made us laugh, cry, proud and yes, mad. I was so pissed at the Oakland Raiders for being in that blizzard in New England. Yes! Charles Woodson forced a Brady fumble. The hell with the “Tuck Rule”, but I digress. Let’s not take away from them their contribution to their sport because of off the field behavior. Keeping Barry Bonds, Pete Rose, "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and Mark McGuire out of Cooperstown doesn't make their accomplishments or contributions to baseball any less real. Let’s do our part to ensure that we are all law abiding citizens, but to wish death and claim a grown man as property in the way that the NFL Network has done with Deion Sanders and I quote, “we control your image and opinions” is a hit way below the belt.

Both Deion Sanders and Michael Vick put their pants on the same as any man in American, white, black, green or purple. Sometimes, I wonder if the fans make more of them to compensate for the lack of hero they see in themselves.

FREE DEION!!!!!!

First, I’d like to state for the record that I was not born and raised in neither Fort Myers, Florida nor do I hail from the great state of Texas.

I would like to state however that it is a sad day in America when we have to censor and censure a Deion Sanders article. I read his article, and I get it. It is extremely unfortunate that others were unable to capture its essence.

I was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and I can tell you that dog fighting is not new. I can also state unequivocally that the dogs at the center of this argument are not ones we truly care anything about.

I so thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Sanders’ connection to art imitating life and vice versa.

Question, when we watch the dog competitions on television, do you ever see them highlight the Pit Bull or the Rotweiler in the way as the Whippets, Poodles, Yorkies, Great Danes, Collies and the like? These are not the dogs in the center of the ring on Friday and Saturday nights I can assure you.

Another question, where were PETA and the Humane Society when the pit bull chewed up the baby and the local postman? In addition, where were PETA and the Humane Society when the police department used dogs and turned fire hosed on “real people” in the south during the turbulent sixties?

I hear your minds turning. We have most definitely arrived at the very issue of this “dog and pony show” displayed by the media and dog admiring organizations. You guessed it player, race.

In American, we still feel uncomfortable examining race and how it still plays a role in how we think, speak and behavior.

In the movie the Untouchables, Sean Connery’s character tells Kevin Costner everyone knows where the alcohol is, but what are you prepared to do? We know that dog fighting occurs and where it occurs. This is not new news, but what is also the same soup ole’ soup warmed over is our disproportionate treatment and opinions of African-Americans when we display that ever so often trait of being human and subject to error.

Our system of justice requires a man/woman is innocent until “proven” guilty. We should allow Michael Vick his day in court and those whose opinions that are different from our own their right to express it.

As Deion Sanders indicated, there are far more pressing issues of concern such as, will we ever learn the truth about Pat Tillman? Who will ultimately be punished for outing Joe Wilson’s wife? Should we be concerned that the courts dismissed her lawsuit against the Vice-President? Her career was taken away from her due to no fault of her own. I feel that she should be compensated. Who speaks for Mrs. Wilson?

Suggestion, I would be pleased to continue Mr. Sanders’ article in his absence. On this any many other issues we share the same core values and opinions ones of which should not be silenced.

Last question, is this articulate enough for you?

Coach Rob

With everything going on in the media this week, I guess I could have been distracted by another mainstream sports story, but I am choosing to stay with the feel good story, the right story, the Coach Rob story.

Since 1941, it’s always been Grambling. While I would be totally remiss in not pointing out that Coach Rob was the first collegiate coach to record 400 wins, responsible for sending 200 young men to the NFL, four of which have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (Willie Davis, Willie Brown, Charlie Joiner, and Buck Buchanan), to solely focus on the numbers is neither a challenge nor a tribute.

In a time when the African-American collegiate level football player had no place else but a Historically Black College to go, Coach Rob not only taught them the fundamentals of the game, but instilled in them a set of values, rich tradition and a work ethic that transcends the game of football.

The soul of Coach Eddie Robinson runs through the veins of all the lives he touched. Those life lessons are still ever present among us as we go through our daily routines of being responsible African-Americans and American.

As I examine the life of this great man, I am continuously reminded of how good and very well meaning people can still be fascinated by the story of the same old soup warmed over when at the end of the day, it’s still Grambling! Let the symbolism and power of this statement ring in our ears as we reflect on Coach Rob’s life, the times and circumstances in which he made an impact as we continue to question what our impact will be as we face these still trying times ahead.