Burlington Alumni: “Welcome to Brotherhood”

The Burlington Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated has been active in 2013.  We have seen brothers in our Chapter become fathers, achieve at the highest levels of law enforcement, all while remaining steadfast in their commitment to the Fraternity.  These are but a few of the reasons why our Chapter has made such an impact, despite being one of the newest Chapters in the Fraternity.    

Kappa League Initiative: Karolina Diamonds

Our major Kappa League initiative, the Karolina Diamonds (“the Diamonds”) 15 and under AAU basketball team is off to an amazing start.  The team is coached by Burlington Alumni Polemarch and charter member, Brother Kevin Graves.  The team was such a dominant force as a 14 and under team last year that Brother Graves made the decision to allow the Diamonds to play up two age divisions (17 and under) during the 2013 Spring/Summer AAU circuit.  The Diamonds have been more than holding their own against rising high school seniors, despite being rising high school sophomores.  Off the court, they have displayed humility, civility and passion for others that well exceeds their youthful ages.  The Diamonds have also made an appearance on SportsCenter Top Ten Plays this summer.  If you would like to know more about the Diamonds, please visit their website at: www.Karolindiamonds.com. 

Diamond Day 2013

On Saturday, June 8, 2013, the Burlington Alumni Chapter hosted its first annual Diamond Day.  The program was designed as part of our Kappa League initiative with the Diamonds.  The day began with members of the Diamonds receiving speech coaching from a professional speech coach who has worked with many NBA and collegiate teams.  She spoke to the Diamonds regarding the importance of learning how to successfully respond to questions posed during interviews.  She also spoke with them regarding the ills of social media and how one false move can ruin or damage their reputations and ultimately their careers.  Immediately following her discussion with the Diamonds, she conducted mock interviews with each of the players.  This kind of professional coaching is usually reserved for high-level collegiate players or professional athletes.  This portion of the program was particularly important because many of the Diamonds will play on the collegiate level some day soon.  Some of them may actually play at the highest level of professional sports and their ability to respond to questions will be very important to theirs careers.

Immediately following the interviews, 7 members of the Burlington Alumni Chapter, who each represented a different profession met with the young men.  The professions represented were as follows: nursing, education, legal, law enforcement, business, professional sports, and communications.  The players were charged with speaking with the professionals and trying to determine what each person does for a living.  This session lasted about 45 minutes and the players and professionals each learned a great deal about each other.  Then, each professional spoke to the Diamonds about the role sports played in their professional careers.  The key objective was to help the Diamonds understand that no matter how great a person may be on the basketball court, he will eventually have a job where his ability to shoot or pass will not pay the bills.  Following this session, the Diamonds played two basketball games against Team Felton.  In game 1, the Diamonds faced Team Felton’s 14 and under basketball team.  In the second game, the Diamonds played Team Felton’s 15 and under basketball team.  The Diamonds won both games in typical Diamond fashion.  Certain players from the Diamonds and Team Felton participated in a dunk contest and three-point contest as well.  These competitions occurred before the beginning of the second basketball game.  Overall, the day was a major success and will become an annual Burlington Alumni event.

 

Captain Shon Barnes

One of our own, Brother Shon Barnes, has achieved an incredible feat yet again.  On April 30, 2013, Brother Barnes was promoted to the rank of Captain with the Greensboro Police Department.  He became the youngest African American Captain in the history of the Department.   Brother Barnes is a charter member of the Burlington Alumni Chapter and the current Exchequer of the Chapter as well.  The Chapter is very proud of Brother Barnes and we vow to continue to push each other towards “Achievement in Every Field of Human Endeavor.”

Other Summer Events

We are hosting our annual Seersucker and Sundress social in August.  We will also be sending a delegate to the 81^st Konclave in Houston, Texas in August.

 

To learn more about our events, please follow us on Twitter @BurlingtonNupes.

 

Peace

 

Miami v. Indiana: Game 7

The Miami Heat versus Indiana Pacers series has been frustrating to watch.  Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have completely forgotten that they are all-star players.  The referees are dictating the outcome of games.  Roy Hibbert is Patrick Ewing circa 1992.  Miami has forgotten that they were the best team in the NBA during the regular season.  Shane Battier, and, to a lesser extent, Ray Allen, have not made an open shot in the series.  Without a Herculian effort from Number 6 during game 7, the Heat could be headed to the lake for some offseason fishing.

Wade and Bosh

Dwyane Wade is not healthy.  His knee is the source of more problems than he is willing to admit.  Although I admire his desire to help his team, at some point, a player can become a hinderance to a team's success despite his intentions to the contrary.  That point is here for Wade.  He has been inefficient on the offensive end.  Defensively, Paul George has scored almost at will against him.  Wade has yet to score at least 20 points during any game in the playoffs.  

Chris Bosh does not have a physical bone in his body.  Against Indiana, he has been passive, and he looks like a boy competing with grown men.  His limited rebounding ability is usually offset by his ability to score on the offensive end.  He is usually the guy that keeps the floor spaced for cutters, drivers and open jump shots.  That has not been the case against the Pacers.  He is averaging just under 4 rebounds per game during this series and had just 5 points during game 6.  He is not injured, so his performance must be attributed to his lack of effort.  He has to step it up if the Heat are to advance to the next round.

Referees

The referees have exercised entirely too much control over this series.  During game one, they called a phantom foul on Dwyane Wade that almost caused the Heat to lose the game.  During game five, they called an offensive foul on Lebron James (his 6th foul) with just under a minute remaining in a hotly contested game.  During game six, they called another foul against Lebron James as he drove the lane against Roy Hibbert, who was clearly inside the circle, in the 4th quarter.  Not only did they call a personal foul against Lebron, but they also called a technical foul against him as well.  These calls changed the momentum and complexion of each game.  Players should decide the outcome of games; referees should not.

Tempo

Miami had the best record in the NBA during the regular season.  They played a brand of basketball that is currently referred to as "small ball."  They played at a faster tempo and forced many turnovers.  In order for that system to be effective, however, role players must make open jump shots.  During the regular season, Shane Battier and Ray Allen were two of the best at making doing just that.  Despite their defined roles and known ability to fill this niche for the Heat, both have been grossly ineffective against Indiana.  Miami's offensive struggles could be offset if they played great defense as they did during the regular season.  Well folks, that simply has not happened. They are not forcing turnovers and they are being dominated in the rebounding category.  Oh, and there is just another "small" problem, and his name is Roy Ewing, I mean Hibbert.  The Heat have had no answer for him.

Lebron James

Lebron James is the best player in the world.  He has played well against the Pacers, but he is not receiving any help from the usual suspects.  That said, Lebron has to dominate in game 7.  He has to return to his Cleveland days and show everyone why he is the best player in the world.  He has to stop deferring to role players.  

Lebron knows that his legacy is on the line.  A loss in game 7 would mean that he wasted another "prime" year of his career.  It will push him further away from his goal of attaining multiple NBA championships.  He is capable of posting ridiculous numbers and that is the effort the Heat will need to win against a very confident Pacers team.  I am thinking that 38 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists should be sufficient to get the job done.


Peace  

Conspiracy Theory: NBA Finals

The four remaining teams in the 2013 NBA Playoffs are not who I selected at the beginning of the year.  In fact, of the four remaining teams, I think I only chose one-The Miami Heat.  Memphis, San Antonio and Indiana are all dark horse selections.  The star power between the remaining teams is relatively low.  Last year, when Miami faced OKC, the star power was really high.  Lebron, Wade, Bosh, Durant, Westbrook and Harden.  This year, Z-Bo, Gasol,Paul George, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and the Miami Heat trio remain.  

I spoke with one of my good friends the other day and he believes that "the powers-that-be" will dictate the teams advancing to the NBA Finals.  I agree with his assessment.  If Indiana plays Memphis in the NBA Finals, I think the ratings would be the lowest in quite some time.  Both teams play a brand of basketball that is not appealing.  Both teams hang their hats on defense and do not score a lot of points.  Neither team is known for highlight plays by superstars either.  Zach Randolph might score 20 points, but you can be sure he won't make one amazing athletic play. The teams are just boring and I would not be excited to watch either team play.

Now, the more likely and more profitable matchup would pit Miami against San Antonio.  There are quite a few story lines that would make that matchup worth watching.  It would mark the second time that two hall of famers, Duncan and Lebron, meet in the NBA Finals.  It would pit one storied franchise with a historic "big three" against an up-and-coming "big three."  It would also symbolize San Antonio's likely last hurrah with their current core of Duncan, Parker and Ginobili.  Let's face it, but for injuries to Westbrook and Kobe, the Spurs probably would not be in their current position.  Next year, these players, along with other upstart teams and players, will make the Western Conference even more competitive.

Some may say that David Stern does not possess the power to dictate the teams in the NBA Finals.  I would caution against that kind of thinking.  David Stern is powerful.  I believe he orchestrated the NBA Draft Lottery in 2003, which allowed Cleveland to draft Lebron James, who just happened to be from nearby Akron, Ohio.  Make no mistake, David Stern has been an ambassador for the NBA and has made many moves in his efforts to grow the brand of the NBA.  Having a NBA Finals that features the Grizzlies and Pacers simply would not advance his objectives.  Therefore, David Stern won't allow it to happen.

Peace

Kevin Durant and the Lebron James Rules

Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder recently lost a series against the Memphis Grizzlies.  Prior to Russell Westbrook's injury, OKC was widely considered to be the favorite to win the Western Conference.  After his injury, many people still believed  OKC could be successful in the playoffs.  They believed that Kevin Durant would be able to carry his team.  Those people were wrong.  A team with one superstar player and a bunch of decent players, who may or may not produce at a high level during the playoffs, is doomed.  That scenario sounds eerily similar to Lebron James' Cleveland Cavaliers team from a few years ago.

Lebron lead his Cavaliers team deep into the Eastern Conference playoffs multiple times and he also guided his team to the NBA Finals as well, despite not having a legitimate secondary star.  I think Lebron had the foresight, even as a Cavalier, to know that he would need high level talent, who also had the ability to produce during the playoffs, if he had any chance of winning the big games.  The playoffs are a different ball game and the magnitude of the games sometimes reduces average players to mediocre players.  Do you recall how poorly Mo Williams played in the playoffs during Lebron's last year in Cleveland?  Do you also recall that he was an "all-star" that year?  One great player is not enough to compete in today's talent laden NBA. 

Kevin Durant is the second best player in the NBA.  He is probably the best scorer in the NBA and is also one of the most likeable super star athletes in the history of the game.  Despite the great things many people say about Durant, he, alone, was not able to will his team to victory against the Grizzlies.  I am well aware that Russell Westbrook's injury and James' Harden's departure played major roles in OKC's ultimate outcome.  However, I remember people saying that Lebron was a failure or incapable of winning the big games when he carried below average teammates to the NBA Finals.  In short, the standard applied to Lebron and KD is not the same. 

Durant played relatively well against the Grizzlies, but he began to wear down in the 4th quarter of games.  In game three, he was 1-5 from the field and finished with only 2 points in the fourth quarter.  During game four, he was 2-13 from the field and finished with only 5 points in the 4th quarter.  In game five, he was 1-4 from the field and finished with only two points in the fourth quarter.  I have not heard one member of the media say that Durant choked or that he is incapable of leading a team.  The main reason is that Durant is not considered to be the best player.  He is not Lebron James, so he does not carry the burden.  He is not judged by the Lebron James Rules. 


Peace

Los Angeles Clippers: What Does the Future Hold?

The 2011-12 season ended in a second round loss to the San Antonio Spurs.  For Clippers fans, that marked a decided improvement from years past.  It also marked the beginning of a young team being led by the best floor general.  Fast forward one year and the picture is quite different.  The L.A. Clippers, fresh off a Pacific Division championship, lost to a hungrier, grittier and more well coached Memphis Grizzlies team.  For the Clips, the once bright future is suddenly in a state of disarray.  Their franchise player will become a free agent on July 1, 2013.  And, it is obvious that Blake Griffin is not a super star.  What next?

The first move the Clips must make is re-signing Chris Paul.  Chris is the best point guard in the NBA and the only legitimate star on that team.  They can pay Chris more money than any other team.  But, Chris is likely thinking about his legacy.  Thus far, he has been unable to get past the second round of the playoffs.  For a player of his stature, the critics are going to start questioning his abilities, much like they did with Lebron if he does not start winning the big games.  He has certainly done his part, but Griffin is not the player people thought he would be.  Ultimately, because Los Angeles is a great market and they can pay him about $30 million more than any other team, I think they have a good chance of re-signing him.

The supporting cast of the Clippers is not bad.  But, they need to make some moves.  Blake Griffin is a very athletic post player, but he does not have any offensive moves.  When the game slows down, as it always does in the playoffs, he is a fish out of water.  He is simply incapable of scoring in a half court set against good defense.  He is not a good mid-range shooter and he is a liability at the free throw line. His defensive and rebounding abilities are not what they should be.  If he can develop a consistent go-to move in the post and a steady mid-range shot, he will be very effective.  Until then, he is only a highlight reel player, who is very ineffective when it really matters.

Deandre Jordan is terrible.  This guy cannot make a free-throw and he has not developed a consistent offensive game.  He should average 12 rebounds per game because of his sheer athletic ability. The other players on the team are close to being over the hill.  Jamal Crawford, Grant Hill, Lamar Doom, Caron Butler, Chauncey Billups,and Matt Barnes are all in their 30s.  Those players are effective in their own right, but none of them are go-to guys and none of them really help a team in a half court set.  The Clippers need a player in the mode of Zach Randolph.  

Vinny Del Negro has a winning record as the Clippers coach.  But, it still seems that he should be released.  He does not do a good job of making adjustments.  His offensive schemes are predictable and Lionel Hollins out coached him in the series against the Grizzlies.  If they hire a new coach and make a few trades, CP3 may re-sign a max deal with them.  If they do not make any significant moves, CP3 may decide to try his hand at free agency.  Without him on board, the Clippers will lose the momentum they have gained over the past two seasons.


Peace

Mos Def & Slick Rick: The Show

Mos Def a.k.a. Yasiin Bey (hereinafter "Mos Def") and Slick Rick are hip hop legends.  Slick Rick "the Ruler" is a pioneer of hip hop and the original story teller.  Mos Def emerged from the underground hip hop scene in the mid-1990s and is widely considered one of the best lyricists of all time.  I attended the concert on a whim; that is, I had no plans to attend until the last possible moment. I made the decision to attend the concert slated to begin at 8:00 p.m. at 4:00 p.m. Usually, when I make such decisions, my results have been positive.  So, did my quick decision pay dividends this time? Please continue reading.

SLICK RICK

Slick Rick came to the stage first.  He was draped in at least five pounds of jewelry (maybe I am exaggerating a little).  He is probably the first, or one of the first, flashy, braggadocios rappers.  Despite being 48 years old, Ricky D was sharp, for the most part.  He performed some of his classic hits including Mona Lisa, Children's Story, and La Di Da Di.  His voice was clear and did not sound much different than listening to his old records.  That said, it was clear that he does not perform as much as he did when he was actively on tour.  He stumbled through a few parts of some of his biggest songs.  I was very surprised, but some of these songs were written over 25 years ago.  Overall, I think Slick Rick did a good job and I am very thankful I was able to see his performance.

MOS DEF

Mos Def has been one of my favorite artists since the mid-1990s.  His album Black on Both Sides is a certified classic and still remains one of my favorite hip hop albums.  When he came to the stage, the atmosphere in the building changed.  His stage presence and rapport with the audience was immediately apparent.  

His set up was a little different than Slick Rick because he utilized two DJs.  His approach to his performance was laid back, yet very energetic.  He alluded to not having a set lineup of songs to perform from show to show.  He said his DJs randomly play songs and he kind of goes with the flow.  That is particularly impressive because he said his DJs often play songs he has not performed in years.  He also noted that he has never forgotten a single lyric, ever.  

His performance was true hip hop.  The words that come to mind are: passion, sincerity, lyrics, social consciousness, awareness, and energy.  Between songs, he engaged the crowd in dialogue about various topics.  He discussed Assata Shakur and her recent classification as a terrorist by the United States government.  He expressed that he knows her family and that people need to investigate, and be skeptical of accusatory reports because "today it is Assata, but it can be you or me tomorrow."    

As with any concert I attend, I always have a list of songs I want to hear performed.  My list for Mos included: Ms. Fat Booty, Umi Says, and Auditorium featuring Slick Rick.  He did not disappoint, as he performed each of these songs.  One of the best moments of the night occurred when Slick Rick came to the stage to perform his verse on Auditorium.  It was definitely a good night for hip hop.  

Peace

The Announcement

I have been watching NBA basketball for as long as I can remember.  During those years, I can scarcely remember a non-basketball related announcement from an NBA player that received the level of press coverage that Mr. Collins has received.  One announcement comes to mind, and that is Magic Johnson's announcement that he had contracted the HIV virus in the early 1990s.  Besides the obvious substantive differences in their announcements, there is another glaring difference.  Magic Johnson was a legitimate super star at or near the top of his superstardom.  Jason Collins, on the other hand, is a 12-year NBA veteran who has never been an all-star, or led the league in any statistical category.  In fact, if you are not an avid NBA fan, you probably had never heard his name mentioned before April 29, 2013.

On Monday, April 29, 2013, he became the first active male in major team sports to come out as openly gay.  He made the announcement in an article published in Sport Illustrated.  The article is well written and reveals that Mr. Collins is a pragmatic, articulate, and intelligent person.    

I am not surprised Collins decided to make this announcement.  The world we live in today is much more accepting of differences in opinion, religion, and sexual orientation than it was 20 years ago.  As a result, I think, people are becoming more and more comfortable with expressing their lifestyles to the public-at-large.  Former professional basketball player, Cheryl Swoopes, and most recently, collegiate star, Britney Griner, have revealed their sexual orientation.  I do not recall the media covering either announcement with the interest that Mr. Collins' announcement has received.  

The truth is, there are many other people in professional sports that will make similar announcements in the near future.  The public reaction from Mr. Collins' fellow NBA players has been positive and supportive.  Honestly, it is difficult to discern whether these remarks are made out of respect for Mr. Collins' announcement, or for some other disingenuous reason.  Only time will tell.

Peace