running into a brick wall

Now back to our regular scheduled programming. I had a homeboy that used to play defensive back with the Washington Redskins and Eagles. When he finished playing football in college, right before the draft, he came home. At one of my infamous party’s, we exchanged dap and talked. He spoke about the interviews he had with several NFL teams prior to the draft. He said he told them all “if you pay me enough, I will run into Brick wall." Now my Boy Barry hit hard, was Memphis Buck, and fast – all 6’2”, 220 pounds of him. He led the NFL in interceptions as a rookie and had 2 interceptions during the Skins Super Bowl win over Denver when Doug Williams was the MVP. I say this as a metaphor regarding the future as it may come to fruition in November.

Most of you all know that Dr. Ron Paul was my first choice for the Presidency, followed closely by Senator Obama. But since it seemed as if folks didn’t ascribe to my position, I’m going with Obama in the title game. However, many folks are s caught up on the primaries and his nemeses that we seem to be missing the bigger picture. A few weeks ago I asked why Black folk seem to vote hook, line and sinker for the democrats. Now, I feel that if things don’t go as most expect, there maybe a form of whiplash from African American voters.

The cynicism will rise extremely quickly if the democratic primary allows for the race between HilBill and Barak Obama to be decided by a bunch of elites Super delegates. As it stands now, with this inclusive of what has happened with the democratic primaries in Florida and Michigan, shit may really hit the fan. I mean, it wouldn’t surprise me if all this sit ends up in court. Not to mention that the three co-chairs of the DNC Credentials Committee: Alexis Herman, James Roosevelt, Jr. and Aliseo Roques-Arroyo, all served in the Clinton Administration. I just wonder how serving and working for her husband for 8 years may influence how they cast their super delegate votes.

On the other side of the aisle, Obama is already talking about November – a November where he most likely will be in the title game against John McCain. Although both democratic candidates say they are the best to face McCain, the truth is Obama has the best chance. Hillary says she can, but it would be easy for her to get beat down if she did face him in the general election. First, there are zillions in the GOP who hate her husband and her as well. Most folks would use the Clinton’s as a rallying cry to motivate a stagnant party, even if many conservatives feel that McCain isn’t conservative enough for them. Add to the fire that pundits like Rush Limbaugh recently said he would help raise money for Senator Hillary Clinton in order to unify the GOP.

Obama to me would be a stiff challenge for the GOP although some, like the ultra conservative New York Post, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corps. Empire endorsed Obama in the New York primary, feel that it will be easier to defeat him. Why, well it brings us back to the feeling that hard liners hope that the race card, and the assumption that many still would not select an African American to be the President of the United States, as their player card.

Truth is he will be a visible difference versus McCain. First he will represent a strong generational difference, which McCain cannot challenge. Second, he will be a strong contradiction to McCain stance on the war in comparison to Clinton, who voted to support the war effort. Not to mention McCain sees us being in Iraq for another 100 years.

So what’s next? Well Hillary is already sending her daughter around to meet with the younger super delegates. For example, she recently had breakfast with Jason Rae who is a super delegate since he is a member of the Democratic National Committee from Wisconsin.

But the aforementioned is not the issue, it is the super delegates, who will the side with and what them three big wig Democratic Credential Committee folks will do. This has been a break out years for the democrats. It seems that they have been able to motivate young voters as well as pick up independent voters who have historically voted republican. However, if Obama has a slim lead nationally, but ends up loosing via the super delegates, it may end up back firing on them. Especially among African American and young voters, who may be so disappointed, that the party that says it stands for unity may loose a major segment of its membership. Its ok for my boy Barry to say he will run into a brick wall if they pay him enough, but I don’t think the democrats can survive running into a brick wall that may turn folks off from the voting and election process.

On the Colt 45

I wanted to wait a day before I gave my take on the super bowl. History aside, I am a sports fan and had to actually let it sit in that this was the last professional football game for a while. Therefore, I just though during this somnolent time it was best to reflect on this being the last football game for a while before giving my two cents.

First, I was elated for both Dungy and Manning. I was mad when he was released from Tampa Bay and brought in Gruden to win a super bowl with Dungy’s team. In addition, Peyton, well being from Tennessee, I bleed Volunteer Orange and I remember him never being able to beat Florida and Tennessee winning the National championship after he left.

In summary, Dungy played smash mouth football outside of a dome stadium. He beat the Ravens, Tom Brady and crew and the Chiefs by stopping the run and ball control. To win the Championship, they beat a team that played out doors in Chicago by running the ball down their throat and making Rex Grossman be Rex Grossman in the rain.

Yep that is what happened, 42 rushes, working the clock and ball control kept the defense tired and the special teams off of the field – the only legitimate offensive scoring threats the Bears had to be competitive. All of this was reflective of the coach. Dungy was smart enough to know this and it showed. He was unwilling to take a field goal because he knew the Bears would be less likely to score with the offense compared to the special teams being on the field. Then there was the strategy that was evidently no strategy at all when the Bears had second down and one on the Colt’s 45-yard line and Rex Grossman was sacked at the Chicago 44 for an 11-yard loss by Anthony McFarland. Although I think that Bob Sanders should have been the games MVP for his interception and pop that took the ball and Cedric Benson out of the game.

I still think the St. Louis – Tennessee game was the best Super Bowl Ever, but this one did show that the best coach and the better man and the teacher one,. It also showed that good men do end up first.

Death Do Us Part

As a father my nigger, I can’t imagine what Tony Dungy is going through. I don’t know if he is like me - my first born is my son, I'd be losing control. According to reports, James Dungy, the 18-year-old son of the Indianapolis Colts head coach, was found dead. At 6 feet seven, he was a massive figure of a young man.

If you have been sleeping under a rock, Dungy is the head coach of a team who just received their first lost and known for being the scape goat for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The year they fired him, his team, and not John Gruden’s, won the Super Bowl. Dungy is a man of stern character and always has the right things to say all the time. Albeit I never met the man, I sincerely suspect that he is a man in all since of the word, meaning his family (immediate and football team) come first.

The situation really puts things in perspective. After all, we are grown men who query at the extremes about a game and sport called football. We, in particular reporters - which am not, ask questions about the mundane and decisions on a 100 yard field that really don’t add much to the lexicon of daily life styles, choices and values.

According to ESPN, the medical examiner's office has not announced the exact cause of death which will be determined by an autopsy, scheduled for Friday morning. Like I said, I could not begin to fathom, how I would feel, being successful, and extremely involved in my son’s life, to hear that he was dead at such a tender age. Please , you men especially, grab your son’s, little brother’s, cousin’s and nephews and show them their value while they are still alive - all precious gifts leave our fold sooner or latter. Let’s just pray that it is latter.