The Golden State Warriors are so far gone when it comes to being ahead of the pack in the NBA. Nothing was the same when the Warriors decided to employ the small ball lineup (as known as the lineup of death). When Assistant coach Luke Walton finds a head coaching gig soon, head coach Steve Kerr might as well say Thank me later. The Golden State Warriors are on pace for an-all time great season spearheaded by reigning two-time MVP Stephen Curry and rumor has it that they’re interested in Kevin Durant this off-season.
Kevin Durant. And if you’re reading this it’s too late because it’s a done deal. The Warriors like I said look unstoppable on both ends of the floor thanks to Curry in addition to all stars Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, as well as a collection of good role players who have bought into the system. What a time to be alive if you’re a Warriors fan. It is likely that they repeat as champions and cement themselves as the G.O.A.T. There may be nothing or nobody who can stop them…well maybe there is a factor that we should seriously consider…Aside from possible injuries, the Warriors do in fact have a serious threat to their G.O.A.T. ambitions and I’m not talking about the Cavs, Thunder, or the Spurs. That serious threat is *drum roll turn into Hotline Bling instrumental* the DRAKE CURSE. Countless sports teams and athletes have been recipients of the Drake curse. He’s a fan of sports in general just like the average person. However, he’s been accused of being a bandwagon and every time someone is on the verge of winning/greatness, they come crashing down and Drake is always at the scene, it’s just a fact and nothing more to it! The lists of victims are long and not many have combated this curse. We’ve seen Drake get more comfortable with the Warriors players over the past year and it is concerning. We have to pray and hope that the dubs don’t end up on this infamous list of the Drake Curse recipients. Serena Williams The Toronto Blue Jays Kentucky Basketball The Miami Heat DeMarcus Cousins Kobe Bryant Liverpool Manchester United Johnny Manziel …And there are possibly more to come. We need Drake to stop this madness. He’s even cursing his own hometown teams! (Toronto) The Warriors have got to be careful. He has already cited the team one way or another in his music or interviews. He mentioned Curry in his song 0-100 and Draymond in Summer Sixteen. Speaking of that, he even said the Warriors run practices at his house…Coach Kerr WHY? He hangs out with Curry and his wife Ayesha a lot, goes to their games frequently, and even worse, he’s good friends with their sideline reporter Rosalyn Gold-Onwude. He admires thirst over her presence whenever they’re near each other whether it is at all-star weekend or regular season games. If the Warriors can overcome all these markings and signs of this curse, then we truly have an all-time great team on our hands (we probably will regardless). Not only would they break many NBA/Overall records but also they would be the ones that escaped that culture vulture’s terror. So please, let us pray for Golden State to continue the success they’ve had this year. They’re still at fewer than 10 losses but if the recent loss at the hands of Damian Lillard (51/6/7) and the Portland Trailblazers is a tell tale sign of things to come, then all hope is lost. So please Golden State, know yourself, know your worth, and realize that Drizzy is no good for you.
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And then there were three. Week three of my Black Excellence series celebrating the accomplishments of African Americans throughout history in a variety of areas whether it be in politics or sports among others. Last week I shouted out Bill Russell, Ken Griffey Jr, Kanye West, and DeRay Mckesson. This week another pair of talented music artist get their shout outs along with a special lady who is special to this country. And last but not least, another key leader in the Black Lives Matter movement. All four of these individuals represent black excellence in their own unique and beneficial way. I salute them and their efforts as they continue to make strides in their professions. Ladies first? I think so. Let me begin my shout outs with the lovely, strong, and caring Johnetta Elzie. Also known as, Netta. Johnetta Elzie; (Activist) – My description of her in the prior text is exactly that. She is strong because she fights for what she believes in. She is lovely because of her genuine persona (based on what I see on Twitter). She is caring because she cares about my blackness as well as yours (if you’re black that is). Netta is one of the leaders involved in the Black Lives Matter movement. She was very active during the protests that took place in Baltimore and Ferguson among other places. She also is apart of spearheading the project Mapping Police Violence, which tracks the amount of people killed by the police. Her pride, bravery, and hard work exemplifies Black Excellence and the future is in good hands thanks to someone as young, pretty, and intelligent like her (By the way, she never shy’s away from providing a clapback to someone who needs to be put in her place and I must say, it’s dope). Beyoncé; (Music Artist) – Another Black Women who is proud of who she is and where she’s from. Queen B of the #BeyHive, is coming off of a controversial showing at the Super Bowl. At halftime, she performed her latest single Formation which had a video released a day prior (If you haven’t heard the song or seen the video I encourage you to do so). In short, the song, video, and performance were unapologetically black where she made it known that she is proud of her heritage and well being of other black folk. People criticized her for days on end and when you’re speaking up on how you truly feel, the critics will come. Even when you’re pleading for police to stop their brutality. I appreciate Beyoncé using her platform and trying to spread the message. Regardless on how you feel about her, the least you can do it respect that in addition to her many accolades throughout her huge career. May God bless the mother of Blue Ivy Carter herself, Beyoncé (Red Lobster should thank her too). Kendrick Lamar; (Music Artist) – The Compton native is known as many things, K. Dot or King Kendrick are the two names I’d like to call him. He recently won five Grammy awards for his critically acclaimed album To Pimp a Butterfly, which incorporated some Jazz, Funk, and Soul influence. The album was dense with content, very complex, yet rewarding (I would also encourage you to take a listen to it). Similar to Beyoncé, he also came under some fire for his performance at the Grammy awards where again, came off as unapologetically black and honest. Controversy struck and like Beyoncé he still rose to the occasion. The man takes risks and is a talented MC. He cares about his people and defied the odds by going from a kid living in the tough streets of Compton to a Hip Hop Superstar. He does a lot of help for many communities and always looks to be of help. He is easily one of if not the best of his era already. Even with a few differences aside, Kendrick is one of many examples of Black Excellence. Michelle Obama; (First Lady) – The first black first lady to the first black president of the United States otherwise known as Michelle Obama, wife to Barack Obama, and mother to Malia and Sasha Obama. Michelle strives to take the initiative in whatever does. Whether it’s to visit and assist in homeless shelters/soup kitchens, advocating for healthy eating, or joining social campaigns such as #BringBackOurGirls among other things. The Illinois native is very educated and a prized scholar as she graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. A black woman defines excellence when she stays the course and finished the race. In Obama’s case, she finished it and took a few victory laps by her continuing with her education. She is in tune with her audience as well as charismatic with her glowing, welcoming personality. President Obama is lucky to have a woman like her in his life and while it’s sad that this is the last year we’ll see the Obama’s in the white house, we’ll never forget the lasting impact they’ve had. And the gorgeous, intelligent, charismatic first lady that is Michelle Obama will have had a lasting impact. Got any Black individuals you’d like for me to shout out on next week’s edition of Black Excellence? Shoot me an email with the description and the person to [email protected]. The person could be anyone from famous, to someone who you know personally in your local area, or to someone you even follow on social media. Let me know! Here we are with part two of my month long series celebrating Black Excellence throughout the history of the arts, politics, and sports among others. In part one, I shouted out a few names from the past and present such as Anderson .Paak and Coretta Scott King. In this one I shout out another favorite musician of mine as well as one of sport’s greatest champions. Before that however, the first recipient of this shout out shall be none other than the one and only DeRay McKesson.
DeRay McKesson; (Activist) – DeRay has been a key figure in the recent Black Lives Matter movement. His proficiency in spreading awareness on what goes on is vital and much appreciated. I believe this man has good intentions and is very open with his thoughts along with ideas. DeRay is interactive with most people on social media which adds on to his genuine persona. I admire his hard work and willingness to help inspire change for the benefit of People of Color and to that I salute you. Good luck in your campaign to become Mayor of Baltimore good sir! Kanye West; (Musician) – Kanye Omari West is the name. Kanye is a lot of things. Kanye is the most polarizing figure in Hip Hop. Kanye is obnoxious. Kanye is a mad genius. However most importantly, Kanye is Kanye. Yeezy himself is one of the few who got me into Hip Hop/Rap as a middle schooler. His versatility and ability to take risk in attempts to change the landscape of music is what I admire from him the most. Kanye has sold millions of records, produced quality ones at that, and has garnered success (he has 21 Grammys and counting among others). Even though sometimes he can be erratic and volatile with his personality, I can respect him for the fact that he does not shy away from how he feels and approaches everything head on. And for that I salute you Mr. West. Ken Griffey Jr; (Athlete) – Shout out to this recent first ballot hall of fame inductee. Ken Griffey Jr was one of the MLB’s premier and popular star for years. The 600 home run club member was one of the reasons many African American youth invested their time into baseball. A lot of children looked up to him and wanted to be like him. He was himself and a great player. In a sport which African Americans made up the small percentage, he was one who stood out over many of all races. Hopefully we see his hall of fame plaque with him rocking the baseball cap backwards because it would be too dope. Shout out to you KG, your shoes are dope as well. Bill Russell; (Athlete) – The eleven time NBA champion recently turned 82 recently and he’s still going strong. The former Boston Celtic now hall of famer is not only one of basketball’s important pioneers but also important for his civil rights work. He was active in the Black Power movement and often would fight for his own right as well as others to be treated properly in the world of sports among others. Aside from being one the greatest defensive players ever (many of the rules/stats in basketball exist today primarily because of him and Wilt Chamberlain), I commend his bravery from withstanding all those years of dealing with the prejudice and racism from Boston fans. He never backed down and would command respect. Today, the NBA Finals MVP trophy is named after him and it’s presented every year by him which is fitting since he is an eleven time world champion. Topping it all off with a fun fact, he was the first NBA player to visit Africa. It’s always nice to visit your roots while winning championships. Now that is Black Excellence. While the season of winter is my least favorite of the four seasons, the month of February has its perks and is a very important month in the early quarter of the New Year. What’s so special about February? Black History Month. A month where we take the time and appreciate black excellence throughout history. Black folks in general have endured so much plight for centuries and centuries but we have also made strides despite the roadblocks and pitfalls that have been thrown our way. Within our community we do have our ups and downs but at the end of the day whether you’re black, brown, or caramel, being a cohesive unit and supporting one another is key and for the most part we have that patted down. If you aren’t black but yet you take the time to appreciate our culture, understand/listen on the struggles we go through, and show support when necessary, you’re in good spirits and I salute you.
For the rest of this month, I will give quick shout outs to Black individuals who exemplify Black Excellence. Those who excel in the arts, politics, and athletics, among such will receive spots throughout the month. With so many people to go around, I may not get to everybody but just know that says a lot on how impactful as a race we have been despite the lack of credit we get. The shout outs will be short and sweet to the point so let’s get started with the late and great Marvin Gaye. Marvin Gaye; (R&B Soul artist) – Dubbed as one of the greatest musicians ever, Gaye was a prominent figure during his time in addition to assisting in shaping the sound of Motown back in the 60’s and 70’s. He has a wide collection of great music which includes the classic What’s Going On. The song’s origins centers around police brutality and with the events that have been brought to light recently, this song speaks volumes. If you aren’t familiar with his music, I urge you to check him out. Anderson .Paak; (R&B/Hip Hop artist) – I know I know, I do often mention this guy a lot in my blog posts but another mention won’t hurt. The West Coast artist known as Anderson .Paak has really been a favorite of mine within the past few months. His style is smooth and offers a positive vibe. He’s pretty versatile as well and his work ethic is quite impressive. Seeing black men driving like this man does will always get recognition from me. Check out some of his music. He has a new album out called Malibu and was featured multiple times on Dr. Dre’s new album Compton which includes his own song called Animals. LeBron James; (NBA Superstar) – I’m not gonna lie, I used to be on that “We hate the King” trend. However, that was in High School and I decided to grow up. As I learned a bit more about the NBA, I appreciated the things LeBron has done. He will arguably go down as one of the best athletes ever and also, I won’t rule out that he may end up as the best basketball player ever. He’s that special. LeBron is also a good human. He always has good intentions and finds ways to help the people within his community. I may at times be critical of his play and how his team performs but I’ll always have respect for a black man with a good heart and great talent. Stuart Scott; (Anchor/Reporter) – Another prominent black figure who left us too soon due to Cancer, Stuart Scott was a sportscaster/anchor for ESPN. His swagger, charisma, and catchphrases was the key to every sports center broadcast. He was a unique part of television and he is in fact one of the reasons why I want to go on the similar career path he was on in terms of Radio-TV-Film and Journalism. Before his death, I only knew him from the times I would watch sports center but upon hearing of his death I felt strange and down about it. A lot of people cared about this guy and were sadden. I want to know more about him and how he got to where he was. I encourage you to do the same if you like. Coretta Scott King; (Activist/Leader) – Coretta helped lead the African American Civil Rights Movement along with several others. One of those people included her husband Martin Luther King. I admire the bravery and strength she had while combating everyday ridicule due to not only the fact that she was black but that she was a woman as well. Young black woman should try and emulate Ms. Scott and stay strong while poised. Losing her husband at the height of the movement didn’t stop her from continuing the work she was doing and that speaks volumes. Rest in peace Queen Coretta. Got any Black individuals you’d like for me to shout out on next week’s edition of Black Excellence? Shoot me an email with the description and the person to [email protected]. The person could be anyone from famous, to someone who you know personally in your local area, or to someone you even follow on social media. Let me know! The 50th anniversary. The big five zero. The golden bowl. The Roman numeral that is L but the question is, which team will receive an L? The Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos face off in the final game of the 2015 NFL season to avoid receiving an L. Super Bowl 50 looks to be an intriguing one with a lot of storylines involved, key matchups, and the fact that the game is being played for the 50th time.
Before I get started on this preview, there was something I wanted to share. I read an interesting post on Bleacher Report comparing Super Bowl V to this one where The Baltimore Colts took on the Dallas Cowboys and when they described circumstances of the game it sounded like a de JA vu. Johnny Unitas at the time was washed yet he was anchored by a very solid defense. The Dallas Cowboys were an upstart team with swagger and would eventually go on a run for over a decade. The game wasn’t entertaining and was pretty much dominated by the defenses. The Colts won that game but Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley won MVP. Now that’s not to say Peyton Manning is going to win out like Unitas did or the game will be terribly (It might though) or that the Panthers are about to embark on a dynasty but the parallels are there. Anyway, let’s get on with the preview! Carolina Panthers (15-1; NFC Champion) vs. Denver Broncos (12-4; AFC Champon) The Panthers dismantled the Cardinals and the Broncos outlasted the Patriots. That’s how each team got here. Most people has their doubts about both teams headed into the playoffs but as number one seeds they proved the doubters (including myself) wrong. The Panthers seeking their first Super Bowl title are a dynamic team in which they do things in the “old school” way. Playing good defense and running the ball. Let’s take a look at some of the numbers; Panthers Offense: Overall Rushing Overall Passing Sacks Allowed Giveaways (least) 2nd 24th 15th 8th Panthers Defense: Overall Rank Run Defense Interceptions Fumble Recoveries 6th 4th 1st 2nd The Panthers are in the middle of the pack in terms of allowing sacks but this offensive line has improved over the course of the year and I dare say that this group of lineman tasked to protect Cam Newton and open up holes for the running game is darn near underrated. They can give Newton time to sling it if need be and if all else fails, he can run. The weak spot here would be the receiving corps. They don’t really scare anybody especially the Denver secondary so I would guess Carolina will be running the ball more with Newton and the playoff leading rusher Jonathan Stewart. Their opportunistic defense can and will come with points and decent field positioning as they led the league this year in takeaways. Even if Jared Allen and Thomas Davis are hobbled with injuries, Josh Norman, Luke Kuechley, and Kurt Colman can find ways to get/create turnovers. Keep an eye out though, this defense tends to give up leads often. On the other side of the turf we have the Denver Broncos. Their second Super Bowl appearance in 3 years, are headlined by a stout defense with stars all over the place. Von Miller and company do a lot of the heavy lifting with this team while the offense just does enough. Let’s take a look at their numbers; Broncos Offense: Overall Rushing Overall Passing Sacks Allowed Giveaways (more) 17th 14th 20th 3rd Broncos Defense: Overall Rank Run Defense Pass Defense Points Allowed 1st 3rd 1st 7th The Defense is pretty darn good. They have the number one ranked defense in pro football and with the amount of talent they have on their team, it’s expected. Take a look at who they have. Aside from their best defensive player in Von Miller, this defense features DeMarcus Ware, Derek Wolfe, Malik Jackson, Danny Trevathan, Aqib Talib, Chris Harris Jr, Bradley Roby, TJ Ward, Shane Ray, and Darian Stewart. That is a pretty good core and they should be respected as such. A matter a fact, they bail out the offense majority of the time. The Broncos offense leaves much to be desired. They’re committed to running the football but they do it in uninspiring fashion. Their passing game may be slightly below average. Peyton Manning is not what he used to be. The 39 year old signal caller has now been reduced to a game manager and his mediocre offensive line does not help matters. His receiving core consisting of Emmanuel Sanders, Owen Daniels, and Demaryius Thomas among others who often bail Peyton out. I call this team’s offense, a slightly glorified Kansas City Chiefs team because they might struggle more to score points yet they have possibly more talent than they do. Matchups On paper, the defenses on both teams seem even. So I expect this game to be determined on who plays better on defense. Talib and Harris are shutdown corners and will have to problem taking care of a receiving core lead by Ted Ginn Jr. They’ll have to lean more on running the ball but that too won’t be easy. The Broncos would like to run more with the tandem of C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman but that matchup against the Panthers front seven looks like trouble. So it’s probably advised they throw the ball. Problem is, Peyton is the one doing so with his diminished arm strength. He was 2nd in the league with 17 interceptions and while he has been careful with the ball more lately, the Panthers defense is thirsty for turnovers. Let’s look at the head to head match-up advantages between both squads; Quarterback Advantage; Panthers “But what about the Super Bowl experience!?!” Well Russell Wilson had less experience than Peyton Manning did and see how that turned out? Cam Newton is more talented at this point. Head Coaching Advantage; Panthers Ron Rivera is a Mike Ditka product and has done a great job of turning this team around through the years. Gary Kubiak isn’t bad but in the Conference Championship games, he was easily the 4th best coach remaining. Running Back Advantage; Panthers Remember what I said about the Broncos rushing attack? Wide Receiver Advantage; Broncos The Bronocs WR’s could go Super Saiyan if need be. Ted Ginn and Corey Brown on the other hand are Krillin and Tien. Tight End advantage; Panthers Greg Olsen is great. Owen Daniels is cool. Whatever happened to Vernon Davis? Offensive line advantage; Panthers Top interior offensive line in the league right now Defensive line advantage; Panthers Another one! Linebacker advantage; Broncos Slight edge in this one Conerbacks advantage; Broncos Josh Norman is elite but Denver has two elite corners Safety advantage; Broncos Just to be on the safe side! Special Teams advantage; Panthers Both Gano and McManus are good kickers but Ted Ginn is the difference here with returns. Panthers X-Factor: TE Greg Olsen Broncos X-Factor: WR Emmanuel Sanders The Verdict: As far as rooting interest goes, I’m conflicted in a way. I want to see Cam Newton succeed even if it means we’ll hear a lot from Josh Norman afterwards. I’d like to see any African American QB succeed especially with the unnecessary criticism he has been a part of this year from analyst and fans alike. It annoys me and I hope he dabs some more, smile a whole lot, give more football to kids, and compare anything and everything to collard greens because it’s great. A fun/talented guy like him is good for football and as a Colts fan, I’m gonna need Andrew Luck to step up. Speaking of Colts…that’s the thing…Peyton Manning is my favorite NFL player ever. He’s one of the reasons I got into football. He’s had his ups and downs but in the end, he’s one of the best signal callers ever. This is more than likely his last game (he can be coy about it but we all know it’s time). Him riding off into the sunset winning ring number two would mean something. It would be a storybook ending to one of the best players ever. Again though, Peyton isn’t himself anymore and Cam Newton is hot. Both defenses will impose their will but at the end of the day, Cam will find a way to make plays when it matters most. Peyton will want to but his body will say “I can’t”. Besides when have you ever heard of good guys having good endings? (There are probably plenty). The Broncos on paper just seem outmatched and if they aren’t careful, the Panthers might get them out of here in a hurry. Regardless of what happens, let’s just end this awful season with a slightly less awful game, please? Panthers def. Broncos 24-13 |
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