Deaths of Bernie Mac and Isaac Hayes Are Weekend Tragedies

Learning of the deaths this weekend of legendary comedian and actor Bernie Mac and singer and songwriter Isaac Hayes has been painful. I, personally, was a big fan of both of these talented and accomplished men. My heart goes out to the families of Bernie Mac, one of the Original Kings of Comedy, and Isaac Hayes, who gave us some of the dopest jams in music history for decades, in this period of grief.

Female Reporters In Men's Locker Rooms ... What If The Shoe Was On The Other Foot?

I was intrigued by a recent column on ESPN's Web site written by Jemele Hill. Hill was opining on the issue of women reporters conducting interviews in the men's locker room with male athletes. So, the image is of male athletes coming of the shower and half naked with cameras, recorders, notepads, microphones and reporters in their faces and crowded around them. I will provide the link so the story can be read ... thus I will not go to deeply into the particulars of her specific argument (you can read that for yourself). What I will say, however, is that the issue is intriguing to me for several reasons: (1) Why do reporters come into the locker room to interview athletes anyway while they are still changing? (2) Why are athletes not made available outside of the locker room after they have changed? My biggest question, however, is this one: (3) How would we feel if there were male reporters crowded into a locker room during the U.S. Open interviewing a half-naked Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova or Anna Kournikova in the locker room? I wonder how comfortable people would feel about such a situation. Would female athletes be as comfortable with such a situation as, say, Pistons star point guard Chauncey Billups might be sitting in his locker room stall topless with male and female reporters in his face grilling him with questions? Personally, I think the locker room should be off limit to reporters, but athletes should be compelled to face the media and not be allowed to escape through some back door of the locker room that leads out of the arena and away from the crowds of the press. Facing the media, the conduit to the fans, is a small price for athletes to pay for hundreds of thousand dollars to millions of dollars they make on the backs of hard-working men and women.

ESPN article:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hill/080806

Lions Still A Work In Progess

The Detroit Lions, quite clearly, are a work in progress as the exhibition season officially is underway. I had a chance to travel down to Ford Field (love that place) in Detroit to watch the Lions game against the New York Giants. A few things jumped out and grabbed me right off the bat: (1) The Lions' running game remains atrocious (even with a solid rookie back in the mix). By the time the running backs took the hand off they ran into a wall of New York Giants' linemen. My optimism about the running game pretty much went up in a puff of smoke. Granted, it was just the first game of the preseason and maybe the line will improve or the passing game will help open up a few more running lanes and take eight men out of the box. (2) Jon Kitna looked pretty good in there with the first unit and that could be cause for optimism. The Lions are going to have to pass to open up the run, but that offensive line has to get it together. (3) Drew Stanton, the former standout Michigan State University star quarterback, gives me some reason to feel optimism that the Lions did not work to move up higher in the draft to take him for nothing.

Kilpatrick Mess In Detroit Is Not A Racial Issue

As a former newspaper man, there are many aspects of a newspaper I find interesting. With respect to online editions of newspapers, I am always curious to read many of the comments to stories posted by readers (cloaked by the comforts of anonymity). One of the posts I recently found disturbing was tagged onto the end of one of the many stories about disgraced Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. The individual posted that Kilpatrick (who is black) is giving all black people a bad reputation. This is, of course, nonsense. If we've learned nothing else during the last eight years of the presidency of George W. Bush and vice presidency of Dick Cheney, or even going back through the presidency of Bill Clinton, it is that corruption comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors. So, Kilpatrick no more gives black people a bad name than George W. Bush or Cheney give all white people a bad name. Individuals are responsible for their own actions and hopefully Kilpatrick's situation will be sorted out because it certainly casts not only the city of Detoit in a negative light, but it hurts all of Southeast Michigan and the state of Michigan with nationwide coverage of a dirty little secret that suddenly is not so little. It seems less about race and more about greed, a sense of entitlement, the feeling of being untouchable, corruption, etc.

Columnist Robinson Is On The Right Track

Republicans are doing their sneakiest to paint Sen. Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee for President of the United States as an ungrateful black man who has everything yet plays the race/victim card. One of the chief abusers of this dubious strategy, most recently at least, has been Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina. This is a calculated strategy to make conservative whites, who are bitterly angered by affirmative action policies, to view Obama as the poster child for what has damaged so many of their hopes and dreams (affirmative action). Also a part of this strategy has been the ridiculous portrayal of Obama as "elitist" and "arrogant." I find it laughable to hear right-wing extremists like Newt Gingrich and Karl Rove calling anyone arrogant or elitist. Although I suppose you could argue they are authorities on topics of arrogance and elitism. I could go on and on about how Fox News commits journalistic atrocities (among so many others they commit) when they parade the likes of Rove, Ann Coulter, Oliver North and Gingrich as "objective" analysts. I don't want to digress too much, however. As columnist Eugene Robinson correctly points out, this is a dangerous strategy. It is an offensive and insulting strategy. But, it is a strategy that is the product of desperation on the part of Republicans who have to be stunned by the reality of losing to Obama at this stage of the race.

From the Detroit Free Press:
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080806/OPINION03/808060308

Cheeks Kilpatrick Wins In Detroit Despite The Troubles Of Her Son (Kwame)

I know a lot of people are bitter that U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives. Essentially, it means Cheeks Kilpatrick has secured her place in the House since no Republican has a chance of beating a Democrat in an area where the Democrats historically have run so strong. Now, if former state representative Mary Waters, who apparently lost by a small 1,700 or so votes, should run as an independent who knows what might happen. The killer for Waters was that a third candidate (state senator Martha Scott) was in the race and sort of siphoned off some of the anti-Kilpatrick votes. With all of the venom against Kwame, the mayor of Detroit, I think his mother would have lost in a one on one race. Scott, as is said in the Detroit Free Press article, essentially played a spoiler role in tripping up Waters' bid. Waters ran an interesting campaign in that she did not run against Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, but rather ran against Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (he of the bulging list of scandals).

From the Detroit Free Press on the Cheeks Kilpatrick win:
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080806/NEWS15/808060414

Livonia (Mich.) Residents Do The Right Thing ... Reject Underhanded Land Grab From Neighbor Northville Twp.

I wish I could pinpoint why I was so bothered by what seemed to me to be an underhanded ploy by a few people in the city of Livonia, Mich., a suburb of Detroit, to make a land grab at neighboring Northville Township. For some reason it has been gnawing at me and I have not lived in Detroit, regularly, in more than 10 years. I did, however, attend school for a couple of years at Schoolcraft College, and so that area is familiar to me. It's a long story and I will provide a link or two rather than sum it all up again right here. In brief summary, some individuals in Livonia were trying to "acquire" a coveted piece of land in Northville Township, some people moved onto the land (sympathetic with the annexation plan and the money that was supposed to be a product of it) and those individuals voted to allow themselves and that property to be annexed. Then, after some legal haggling, the matter was put to a vote in Livonia. Fortunately, the good and decent people of Livonia smelled something foul and voted the proposal down. Good for the people of Livonia to realize that you don't steal from your neighbor (Northville Township) just because you might profit.

This is from the Detroit Free Press:
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080805/NEWS15/80806004

This is from the Detroit News:
http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080805/METRO/808050437

Fox News Missing Boat On Lone Black Reporter Booted From McCain Campaign Event

UPDATE: I am looking for something on the Fox News Web site about the black newspaper reporter, Stephen Price, singled out and removed from an event for Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (along with apparently a white woman reporter who stood up for him). I know it's shocking, but Fox News seems to not have anything on its Web site about that. Hmm. I wonder why. At least CNN links to some other Web sites and blog sites that have covered the issue. Difficult to find anything on Fox News. I know MSNBC interviewed Price on its broadcast last night.

Things Are Not Looking Too Promising For My Beloved Bulldogs

The release of the 2008 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coaches Poll, to kick off the football season, is hours away. With that being said, I am going to offer a glimpse of my poll and see how it stacks up. Now, I could go and take the poll from last season and factor Tiffin into it (and factor out Gannon and Mercyhurst), but I am going to try and avoid that approach as best I can.

So, that being said, here is my prediction:

1. Grand Valley State: A national championship contender ... highly unlikely they will lose a game and very likely they will scarcely be tested

2. Ashland: Arguably the second-best team in the conference ... coming off a playoff berth ... this year will be one of the hunted.

3. Saginaw Valley State: A new coaching staff, but still has some talent from last year's team that had a strong year (don't be fooled by the forfeits).

4. Hillsdale: Keith Otterbein just continues to build ... even at Hillsdale ... Look for the Chargers to be in contention for a playoff spot if things go their way.

5. Indianapolis: Will be right there in the mix with Saginaw Valley and Hillsdale in a bunch for those 3,4,5 spots.

6. Northwood: Another new coaching staff, but a program that always has talent on both sides of the ball.

7. Ferris State: A lot of changes in the Bulldogs' offense and numerous changes on the coaching staff ... A wild card that could finish in the top three or in the bottom half of the league.

8. Michigan Tech: Still has some offensive firepower and will be right there in the mix with Northwood and Ferris, but could sneak a little higher with a few breaks.

9. Northern Michigan: Another wild card that could bite some people ... Bernie Anderson will build it there, but it takes time ... NMU could be a sleeper.

10. Findlay: Has struggled in the GLIAC, but generally plays tough against most teams ... could sneak up on a few middle-of-the-pack squads.

11. Wayne State: Has probably the premier back in the league when he is healthy ... the question is can the Warriors provide Bell with some help.

12. Tiffin: A major wild card ... Tiffin has played some GLIAC teams tough, but largely has been untested against most of the league's teams. The top-half teams in the GLIAC can give some people a rude awakening.

Report: Lone Black Reporter Booted Out of McCain Event

I was shocked, to say the least, as I watched MSNBC on Monday night to see Keith Olberman interviewing a black newspaper writer from the Tallahassee Democrat named Stephen Price who was booted from an event for Sen. John McCain, the Republican candidate for president. Apparently, there was some bull made up that he was standing in a place reserved for national writers. Problem was that supposedly Price was not the only non-National reporter in the area ... he was just the only non-National reporter booted for the most heinous of crimes, RWB: Reporting While Black. I commend the other reporters who stood up for Price and questioned why this man was being singled out for doing little more than his job. McCain's campaign spokesperson was full of excuses and declared (even though he was not present) that it had nothing to do with race. Too bad no one can come up with a concrete answer as to what it was about. What are the odds that the only person singled out for this was the one black reporter in a sea of faces of other reporters. Apparently, at least one reporter who stood up for Price also was booted.

From The Daily Kos:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/8/2/141655/8118/37/561349

The Tallahassee Democrat:
http://www.floridacapitalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080802/CAPITOLNEWS/808020312

Buying a Lions Jersey?

Yes, I am thinking of purchasing a Detroit Lions jersey when I make this pilgrimmage to Ford Field on Thursday (Aug. 7) to watch the Lions take on the Super Bowl champion New York Giants. Ah, decisions, decisions, decisions. There are some of the high-profile jerseys I could buy (Ernie Sims or Calvin Johnson). But, I am thinking about going a little off the board and getting a player who is a bit less high profile. I have thought about Drew Stanton, Mike Furrey, Kevin Smith, and Dan Orlovsky. Or, I might look for the bargain rack to see if there is something I can get on the cheap (no, not jerseys of Kevin Jones they are practically giving the way with the purchase of an overpriced cup of beer). Time will tell, but it will be fun to get a little work done, take in the Lions, visit Detroit, and possibly bring home a jersey. It'll be nice to stop by Hockeytown Cafe for the alumni reception as well prior to the start of the contest. Should be a fun time.

Pudge Rodriguez Was Tremendous For Tigers, But ...

In no way, shape or form should Pudge have his number "7" jersey retired by the Detroit Tigers. Sure, Pudge came to Detroit when no one wanted anything to do with the Tigers (albeit for a boatload of money that few other people were willing to give him at the time). True, he was a part of the renaissance that helped bring the great Detroit Tigers franchise back to baseball respectability. Pudge was a solid offensive and strong defensive catcher for the Tigers during his years and he is a surefire Hall of Fame player (in my estimation and in the estimation of a lot of other people). Rodriguez, who will probably go into the Hall of Fame as a representative of the Texas Rangers (although he should consider the Tigers), was a strong figure for Detroit, but in no way does he warrant jersey retirement. It disappoints me the Tigers traded him for not much (sorry, Kyle Farnsworth is an average relief pitcher we received in exchange for a Hall of Famer). I saw that Detroit columnist Drew Sharp made that pitch. I don't often agree with Drew and this is yet another instance. I can see (slightly) how Drew might have such a thought enter his head, but that thought should have been shown the express route to the exit.

Michigan Football Ranked In Top 25? Interesting

I have to admit, I was slightly surprised to see the University of Michigan football team ranked No. 24 in the nation in the preseason USA Today Top 25 poll. Lloyd Carr is no longer coach and also gone are top college players like Chad Henne, Mike Hart, Mario Manningham, Ryan Mallett, Justin Boren and others. Considering how much talent the Wolverines lost and the fact they have a new coaching staff installing a new system makes me a little skeptical of any more than maybe seven wins for Big Blue. But, my advice to U-M opponents would be to get them this year ... because I think it will only get tougher in the years to come. Michigan and Michigan State are programs on the rise in the Big Ten. Illinois also is a program on the rise in the conference as well.

Justin Boren's Comments About Michigan Football

I don't have a problem with players transferring ... even if it is former Michigan football player Justin Boren leaving the Wolverines to go play for bitter rival Ohio State. Transferring is just a part of the college game more and more these days. If a player is not happy with his or her situation there is nothing wrong with taking a look at other options or going for other options. My only issue with Boren is go to Ohio State, but don't throw the new coaches and the program that gave so much to you and that you gave so much to under the bus. I think he did a disservice to himself, his former teammates and his former school. Personally, I wish him good luck even though he will be playing for Ohio State. I wish he had held a similar feeling to his former school, his former teammates and some of his former coaches. But, apparently something pretty bitter was gnawing at the guy and perhaps it had something to do with new coach Rich Rodriguez, his staff and their different approach to college football. Only Justin Boren really knows.

McCain Wants More Debates ... Well, Duh!

One of the big news items of the weekend is that Sen. John McCain, who will be the Republican Party nominee for president, is eager to schedule more than the three agreed-upon debates (with Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic Party nominee) for the upcoming election. Obviously McCain wants more debates. The candidate who is trailing in the poll is looking for any Hail Mary (to borrow a football phrase) he can toss in the air to try and get himself back into the race for the presidency. I suppose he is still in the race, to be fair, but he is trailing and needs some kind of shot in the arm that his whining about coverage and so-called race cards have yet to bring him. The candidate who is behind is looking for more debates because debates present an opportunity for any kind of slip up McCain might be able to pounce on. But, to be fair, it also is an opportunity for Obama to further pound McCain into the ground and expose the Arizona's poor civil rights record, admitted lack of knowledge about the economy, his pro-war stance in Iraq and so on. When you're up by a touchdown in the final minute you run the ball and run out the clock. When you're trailing by a touchdown in the final minute you are looking for bigger plays to try and move the ball down the field as quickly as possible. It's not quite Hail Mary time for McCain, but clearly there is concern in his camp.

Is ESPN Overdosing The Public On Brett Farve?

We know Brett Farve's hero status extends even beyond the borders of the state of Wisconsin, but at what point does media coverge go beyond normal bounds to the absurd? I think media coverage of Brett Farve's soap opera of whether he will or whether he note has long since spiraled out of control and pushed many of us to the break of nausea. Farve proved last season that he certainly is still a productuive an dynamic quarterback (albeit flawed as all of us human beings are in one way or another), one capable of leading a team to big things, but this has gotten out of hand. is it any wonder professional athletes tire of the media when you have to answer the same questions over and over again? How annoyed must quarterback Aaron Rodgers be every time he has to answer questions about whether Farve will return and what will that mean to his status as the Pack's quarterback of the future? Sure, Rodgers is a professional athlete, but it must be irritating to answer the same questions over and over again ... the same is true for the Packers' coaching staff and front office leadership. Farve will make the decision he needs to make, but hopefully he will make it soon so that we can move on from the drama and get into soem real football. I have to think this Farve situation can be covered without turning it into some dramatic sports vigil where every single move is documented.

Tigers Are Reaching Their Most Desperate Hour

After watching the Tigers, during stretches of their recent series with the still-hot Tampa Bay Devil Rays, it's becoming clearer that the clock is beginning to tick toward the end of Detroit's realistic chances of making the playoffs. Of course, the deal that shipped Pudge Rodriguez to the New York Yankees was not in fact a case of waving the proverbial white flag and call it a season. But, the deal does show that the franchise was a little late to the party in realizing the need for bullpen help was far more serious than originally thought. Kyle Farnsworth is a nice arm, but does anyone think he is the answer for what ails these Tigers? Perhaps if Detroit had acquired Farnsworth or someone of that caliber earlier in the season (when the team was off to its horrific start in the first couple of months) it might have meant a little more. Now, however, it's almost akin to putting a Bandaid on a gunshot wound. Detroit has made some progress in the season's second half, but it's reasonable to fear that the late surge is too little and too late. Chicago and Minnesota continue to stand atop the division and Detroit is struggling with those two teams as well as Cleveland within the division. The Tigers are running out of time to make a real push.

Do O'Reilly and Hannity Have Guts To Face Vincent Bugliosi? I Doubt It.

Right-wing extremist talk show hosts like Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Bill O'Reilly do not have the guts to face author Vincent Bugliosi and his evidence that charges Presidenr George W. Bush and those in his administration for their parts in the deadly debacle that is the current war in Iraq ... a war that has cost us far too much in the way of the lives of our soldiers.

I have been watching Bugliosi on C-SPAN2; the speech is part of BookTV. I wonder if O'Reilly, Hannity and Ingraham - and others of the live - fear Bugliosi's passion, research and intellect. Plus they are the true definition of bigot - hostile to all opposing viewpoints. Bugliosi has a new book out and it is called "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder."

Here is the Amazon.com link: http://www.amazon.com/Prosecution-George-W-Bush-Murder/dp/159315481X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1217796849&sr=8-1

McCain's Latest Ad Mockingly Compares Barack Obama to Moses

Presumptive Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain's campagin is hard at work trying to come up with funny ads to try and smear presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama in this presidential campaign. I'm sure America is in the mood for humor with wars going on in Iraq and Afghanistan, soaring gas prices, a general energy crisis, ridiculous amounts of home foreclosres and so on. Well, if Moses was trusted with the word of God and had the ability to lead Hebrew slaves out of suffering and into freedom, I think Sen. Barack Obama is capable of leading the United States of America as president for the next eight years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id1IKJGVkvg

McCain Campaign Is Divisive

Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for the presidency is making what could be a costly assumption about the American people. It appears McCain is banking on racial prejudice as an issue that will drive a wedge between presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama. This, obviously, is a historic presidential campaign with Obama as the first black candidate on a major party ticket to be this close to the presidency. McCain, clearly, is threatened by the vision of Obama being so close to the finishing line and being this close to possibly winning. Who knows whether or not Obama will win, but the fact that he is has some people feeling more than a touch nervous these days. McCain's only prayer is to appeal to the people of middle America who have fear of a younger black man as president (something that was illustrated numerous times in exit polling data) of the most powerful nation in the world: the United States of America. If so many people were openly willing to discuss their discomfort with a black man as president then how many others are quietly thinking the exact same thing, but felt unwilling to discuss it with pollsters? This is why many conservatives have worked overtime to try and paint Obama and his wife as black radicals, as haters of America, as elitist (McCain and Repbulicans referring to anyone else as elitist would be laughable if it were not so real), as Muslims (to play on post-9/11, xenophobic fears of Muslim people and immigrants of other kinds) and so on and so forth. Don't be fooled. McCain wants race as a central issue in this campaign ... no matter how much he tries to front like he does not want it that way. He wants to look like he is being attacked by extreme and left wing black radicals. He wants to use that as a way to capitalize on the fears of many people in middle America who fear a black president they feel is Muslim or too heavily sympathizes with Muslim ideals and perspectives. This is the politics of fear and division at its worst. Maybe this is the same John McCain who was so outright once upon a time in his opposition of the Dr. Martin Luther King Holiday, who has opposed many civil rights initiatives in Congress, etc.