Iverson: A Final Curtain Call

Last week, Allen Iverson officially retired from the NBA.  It is hard to believe he will no longer compete in the NBA.  His retirement is a sure sign that nobody is invincible and that father time is undefeated.

I have been a fan of A.I. for as long as I have been a basketball fan.  My first recollection of Iverson came during 1993.  I remember watching SportsCenter and hearing about his unlikely success story.  They discussed how he was raised in poverty by a single parent and how he received a pardon from the Governor of Virginia for a very shaky criminal conviction. They also showed highlights of Iverson on the court, and he was quite frankly the fastest player I had ever seen on the court.  From that point going forward, I followed his career and even patterned my basketball game after his (that did not quite work in my favor).

If you saw Iverson in a room full of strangers, he looked unassuming.  He did not look like a basketball star.  He was not particularly tall.  He was not skinny, but he was not very muscular either.  He looked like a regular guy until you saw him on the court.    

By the time I started high school, Iverson was a legend on a national level.  However, he had long been a legend in my hometown of Winston-Salem, NC.  During his junior year of high school, he came to Winston-Salem for an AAU tournament.  He played for Boo Williams, which was a team from Virginia.  At some point that weekend, his team matched up against the Charlotte Sonics, which featured Jeff McGinnis, Jerry Stackhouse and Jeff Capel.  Legend has it that Iverson destroyed the Sonics to the tune of 40 plus points in the game.  Legend also has it that Iverson was playing up a division because he was a year younger than the other players.   Stackhouse and McGinnis were two of the best players in the Nation and this skinny kid from Virginia destroyed them.  It would not be the last time Iverson played the roll of giant killer.  

I always wondered what made Iverson such a great player.  After watching him play in hundreds of games, I am convinced that his will to win was second to none.  He always believed his team could win as long as he was on the court.  Always.  He believed he was the best player on the court, at all times. He played every game like it would be his last.  He was fearless and it was readily apparent that he really loved the game.  He had that look of sheer joy that all athletes have enjoyed at some point in life.  However, for most of us, the feeling was fleeting.  For Iverson, it was lasting.

I have so many favorite Iverson moments, but my favorite is his performance in the 2001 NBA Finals.  His team that year should not have made it to the Finals.  He truly carried that group.  During game 1 of the Finals, he put on a show.  I believe he scored 41 points that game.  Tyron Lue guarded him during parts of the game.  I think Iverson was tired of people saying Lue was the "Iverson-Stopper."  On one play, Iverson was isolated against Lue in the corner.  He made a quick dribble, then he stepped back and released a long jump shot.  In the process, Lue fell to the ground.  Iverson made the shot and stepped over, no, stomped over Lue for emphasis.  What a great moment.

I could say more, but I won't in the interest of time.  The game has lost a titan and A.I. will be missed on the court.

Peace

Kendrick Lamar: Back to the Basics

It is very befitting that Kendrick Lamar dropped his verse on "Control" this week.  After all, Sunday marked Hip Hop's 40th anniversary.  It took someone of Kendrick's status in the hip hop community to guide the hip hop community back to its origin; it was time to get back to the basics.

Kendrick Lamar is the hottest rapper in the game.  His verse on "Control" went against the grain and either caused two feelings among his contemporaries: (1) Appreciation; or (2) Anger.  Based on the feedback from artists such as Cassidy, and Joel Ortiz, the former feeling represents the status quo thus far. 

K. Dot challenged the industry; he challenged legends; he challenged contenders.  He gave great deference to four great artists.  He essentially said Jay-Z, Nas, Eminem, and Andre 3000 are future hall-of-famers.  Some believe he merely paid homage to the legendary emcees; I disagree, and think his challenge to them is subtle.  A literal translation of what I think he means is "Y'all are dope artists and I respect what you have done for the game, but, I want what you have.  I want to be considered the greatest of all time."

There was nothing subtle or indirect when he addressed the younger artists.  He told J. Cole, Big KRIT, Wale, Pusha T, Meek Mill, ASAP Rocky, Drake, Big Sean, Jay Electronica, Tyler the Creator, and Mac Miller that he wants to be the best.  In fact, he said he wants to make their core fans forget about them and never want to hear another verb or noun from any of them. I think people who understand the true essence of hip hop realize he did not disrespect any of the artists mentioned.  In fact, to the contrary, I think he paid them the utmost respect by mentioning their names.  

Do not be fooled though, he unequivocally declared his supremacy as the best in the game.  This kind of challenge is good for hip hop and I am glad to see a new group of talented artists who prefer quality over quantity.  There was a time not too far in the past when hip hop was watered down.  However, the current group of new artists seem to be focused on bringing back the lyrics and competitive spirit.
    

Kendrick's verse reminds me of the classic battles of the 1990s and early 2000s.  During this time, M.C. Shan battled KRS One; Canibus battled LL Cool J, Common battled Ice Cube, Jay-Z battled Nas, and Biggie battled Tupac.  The battles between these artists sparked some of the best music each artist had ever released.  Before the battle, Nas was fading into inevitable obscurity.  After Jay-Z attacked him on "Takeover," however, Nas responded with "Ether," which was followed by his critically acclaimed album, Stillmatic.  I hope K. Dot's verse has the same impact on today's  promising artists.  I hope his verse makes each of them pause before releasing music to the public.  Hip hop fans deserve and should demand nothing less than the best from our favorite artists.

If you have not heard the song, please check the link below.  To say that he dominated Big Sean's track would be a gross understatement, but check it out for yourself.

Peace

Hip Hop Turns 40: You Are The Perfect Verse Over A Tight Beat

You don't know where you are going until you know where you have been.  Well, it appears hip hop is not going anywhere in the foreseeable future.  But, how did hip hop begin?  Was there a singular moment that sparked the culture?  Yes.  On August 11, 1973, exactly 40 years ago today, D.J. Kool Herc hosted the first ever "hip hop" party (the copy of the original flyer for this party is depicted above).  That moment is often cited as the beginning of hip hop.  Although I have not been around since the beginning of hip hop, I have witnessed its widespread growth and I witnessed the golden era of hip hop.  

Despite hip hop's international popularity in 2013, it was not always a popular art form.  In fact, when it was being formed, many people did not want to see it succeed.  Some people believed it was not an art form at all; these naysayers believed it was a fad, with no staying power.  Boy were they wrong; thank God.  Others wrongly categorized hip hop as a form of expression for thugs and criminals.      I suppose the culture's founders should not have been surprised by the push back because people tend to be afraid of things they do not understand.  I think its safe to say that was the case with hip hop.

My personal experience with hip hop began during the early 1990's.  Considering I was born and raised on the East Coast, my first memories of hip hop are from West Coast artists.  In retrospect, however, it makes perfect sense that I was introduced to NWA, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.  The West Coast artists dominated the airwaves around the time I began listening in 1992.  A year or so after my introduction to hip hop, I began hearing more East Coast music and that is when I embraced the culture.

By the time I reached high school in the late 1990's, I was fully immersed in the culture.  Hip hop influenced the way teenagers dressed, spoke and interacted with each other.  Many of the more influential hip hop artists told stories of struggle.  They painted a picture that certain circles did not want to see.  They told stories that people did not want to hear.  The music transcended race, class, and gender.  It enabled a group of otherwise voiceless individuals to have a stage and audience to tell their stories.  That captures the very essence of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and its guarantee of a  Right to Freedom of Speech.

Hip hop is a resilient culture that has endured multiple attacks on its legitimacy and place in the music industry.  40 years later, it is still here, it is still a force to be dealt with and it is still defiant in the faces of critics.  Hip hop captured my attention at a young age and my love for the culture has only grown over the years.

I will end this post with one of my favorite hip hop quotes: "You are the perfect verse over a tight beat."

Peace 

2016 U.S.A Olympic Basketball Team

Team USA dominated the 2012 Olympic games, for the most part.  Coach K and Jerry Colangelo have helped restore the prestige and importance of representing the USA in Olympic competition.  Following the 2012 Olympic Games, there was some concern that Coach K would not return for the 2016 Olympic Games.  However, recently, he committed to the Team.  With him in tow as the coach, I am anticipating another gold medal for Team USA in 2016.  That said, it is time to discuss the 12 players who I think will represent the USA in a few years (The players on the team below are likely to change due to unforeseen injuries).

Starting Five:

1. Chris Paul:  As the best point guard in the game this choice is simple.  He controls the game like no other point guard and he is the best on-ball defender at the point guard position.
2. James Harden: With Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade being three years older in 2016, James Harden is the clear choice for the starting two-guard position.  He is a great competitor and a guy that is a very solid shooter and defender.
3. Kevin Durant: In three years, Durant will be coming into his professional prime, and will be impossible to guard.  He will likely lead the team in scoring as he did last summer.   
4. Lebron James: Greatest basketball player since Michael Jordan.  Enough said.
5. Dwight Howard: I am not a fan of his, but he is the best center in the game.  He will provide much needed rebounding and shot blocking.

Bench:

1. Kyrie Irving: Kyrie is the best of the very young point guards in the NBA.  He is already a better shooter than all of his contemporaries not named Steph Curry.  He also possesses the best handle in the game and a very high basketball I.Q.  He will only be 24 in 2016.  Scary!
2. Russell Westbrook: I realize that his selection over Derrick Rose may be controversial to some people.  However, I think that both players are very similar.  The biggest difference is Westbrook played on the 2012 team and he is the superior defensive player.  He can guard 1's, 2's and 3's.  He is a slightly better shooter as well.
3. Carmelo Anthony: He is the OG of the team. His game is tailor made for international competition and he has the size to play the 3, 4 or 5, in certain circumstances.  
4. Kevin Love: Two words: rebounding and shooting.
5. Lemarcus Aldridge: I think he is one of the most underrated power forwards in the game.  He has the height, and size to play the 4 or 5 in international competition.  He is also a very good shooter for someone his size.
6. Stephon Curry: He is on the team for his ability to shoot.  He is probably the best shooter in the world.  This is the first of my specialist positions.
7. Paul George: He will play the X-factor position.  He is an excellent defensive player, and has the ability to effectively guard positions 2-4.  

Notable Snubs:

1. Derrick Rose
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Dwyane Wade
4. Blake Griffin
5. Anthony Davis

Peace

Law School: Lessons From My First Semester

August 2008 was the month and year the trajectory of my life changed, forever.  I was very excited about the possibility of being a first-year law student and eventually becoming an attorney.  As an admitted student at NCCU School of Law, I received a summer reading list and I believe I read every book on the list (lame, I know).  That summer, I also must have watched every lawyer movie I could find: My Cousin Vinny, A Few Good Men, A Time to Kill, etc.  I knew I was about to make a deep plunge into the legal profession; however, the plunge was much deeper than I could have anticipated.

I received so much advice that summer from many people including friends, associates and random strangers.  My friends and family members were very supportive.  Some friends told me that I was ready for the challenge and that it "would not be that bad."  Others told me I was prepared and that "I was born to be a lawyer."  My lawyer friends offered kind words by saying that if they could do it, then I was certainly capable of doing it.  I respected and appreciated each piece of advice I received that summer.  However, the most helpful piece of advice I received came from an unlikely source.  I randomly ran into someone in the law library who could probably sense that I was a first-year student.  He told me one thing: Law school is hard.  That was all he said and then he walked away. That was the best advice I received that summer; and it proved to be true.

I vividly remember sitting in Contracts during my first week of classes and thinking that I would not be able to live the life I enjoyed before law school.  It became clear to me that I would not have the free time I used to take for granted.  The professors often told us students that for every hour we spend in class, we should spend three hours studying.  When I started doing the calculations in my mind, I honestly did not think it was possible.  Were there enough hours in the day?    I thought: "If I am in class 20 hours per week, that would mean I would need to spend an additional 60 hours per week studying."  Whoa!  I wondered how I would adjust; I wondered how I would piece it all together.  One word came to mind: Sacrifice.

Sacrifice became the word of the year.  I hoped that my family and friends would understand what I was about to go through.  I began feeling like the road ahead of me was one I would be traveling alone.  During my first semester, I had the internal struggle between wanting to have my pre-law school life and wanting to attack law school with every bit of passion and fervor I could muster.  After the first semester, I found my balance (somewhat) and was able to push forward.

Law school is a challenge that will force you to dig deep. It will make you realize who you really are and how bad you really want to become a lawyer.

I learned other lessons during my law school career that I will discuss at a later time.


Peace

Riley Cooper: A "Sincere" Apology Is Inadequate, Sometimes

I have been out of commission for a few weeks for a number of reasons, but I am back on task.  That said, I want to discuss Riley Cooper and his poor choice of words.  If you are not familiar with Mr. Cooper's choice words, I will enlighten you.  Riley Cooper is a caucasian member of the Philadelphia Eagles.  His race is important here because he made a racially insensitive comment.  Unfortunately for him, he was filmed at a public event while making the comment.  Because he was caught on film, he had no way of denying the comment.  The only thing he could do was apologize, repeatedly.

Cooper used the "N" word and said that he would "fight every [N] in here."  That word is one of the most derogatory and offensive words ever created.  For many people, it is a constant reminder of slavery, Jim Crow, and institutionalized racism.  If you watch the video of Riley's comment, you may notice that he seemed very comfortable using the word, despite being at a public event.  Obviously, many people make racially, or otherwise insensitive comments, but, making those kinds of remarks at a public event is not smart.  Of course, he has made it clear that he was drinking alcohol at the time he made the comment.  However, some people say that only two kinds of people tell the truth: (1) children; and (2) drunk people.  You be the judge.  Additionally, we live in the social media era where every event is subject to being recorded and uploaded to Twitter, Facebook, Worldstar or Youtube.   This is especially true when the person making the comment is a celebrity.  He should have known better and he should have used better judgment.

To his credit, I suppose, he has offered an apology.  He has stated that he cannot believe that he said something so repulsive. For many people, however, his apology has fallen on death ears.  Also, some people probably believe that his apology was not sincere, and was made because of media pressure.  Others undoubtedly believe that his apology should be accepted and that his comments were not that big of a deal.  These people may contend that members of the hip hop community use the word all the time and that any person should be able to freely use the word.  Regardless of your thoughts on that issue, Cooper's future with the Philadelphia Eagles will likely be determined by the players in the locker room.    

The Eagles suspended Riley from the team and are making him enroll in a cultural sensitivity class.  I am not sure how long he will be away from the team, but I am sure that some of his teammates will not forgive him.  If they do, it won't likely be anytime soon.   If he is not able to make a sincere plea to his teammates, I think he will be ostracized and ultimately released from the Eagles.  His comments simply have the potential to be corrosive and divide the Eagles' locker room. It will be interesting to see how this situation is handled in the near future.



Peace