Gilbert Arenas needs to go to jail

For years I have stated that entertainers need to be treated just like any other person when it comes to the law and the violations of them. For years I have been especially harsh on Black entertainers, as their actions directly and far too quickly reflect on their young fan base. And in all those years only a relative handful of bloggers have agreed or made similar comment.

Now there is the issue of Gilbert Arenas.

I'm no great fan of basketball, so I missed the initial outbreak of the news. It appears that Arenas has been carrying a gun, to the NBA Wizard's locker room, on a regular basis. This is a violation of law - there is no quibbling on that.

In addition there is an allegation that Arenas, just over the holiday, had an arguement with a teammate which devolved into both men pulling guns on each other. In the same locker room.

All of this has prompted the FBI (I believe it was that agency, though it is not clear which Government agency is involved) to get involved. Of course such attention could not exist without a Black "leader" getting involved - enter Rev. Al Sharpton.

Now Gilbert Arenas has done several positive things. I won't throw him under a bus without at least noting that he has made donations to local high schools in the D.C. area, that he is a mentor of a small boy (not related to him), and that generally he has maintained a low profile (for the NBA and professional sports). He has done good things in the past. None of that equates to, or supercedes what we have now learned.

Rev. Al Sharpton has stated

"The NBA needs to stand up and send a strong message by dealing with this situation," Sharpton told the Daily News. He also chided black leadership groups for not speaking out about the "culture of violence being perpetuated in professional sports." Sharpton cited former Giant Plaxico Burress as an example of professional athletes run amok."

Burress is hardly the singular example that Sharpton could have made. The list is too long for anything but perhaps Wikipedia to note. But the problem is real, and it goes back decades.

As a side note, while Rev. Sharpton makes a valid point above, the question must be asked of where were all the "Black leaders" for the last decade? Where were they as some of us pointed out and screamed about entertainers violence and rampant drug use? These issues are more than a soundbite, and it's about time that the "Black leadership" join the rest of us that have been speaking out for more than a decade.

Getting back to the point, Arenas needs to go to jail. It's the harshest penalty that the law will allow for this crime, and he deserves it. Not because I think he's a bad guy, I don't know him. Because a point needs to be made.

NBA commissioner David Stern needs to penalize Arenas as well. Again, harshly. Perhaps a year or 2 of UNPAID suspension.

Why do I advocate jail and the unpaid suspension? Why so harsh?

Because of several factors. First, a gun never should be in a setting where high tempers flare. That will eventually lead to an "accident".

Secondly, this is a violation of the law. Entertainers are not above nor equal to the law. They ALL need to be reminded of this.

Third, and this is most important, ALL the players in professioanl sports -
as well as all entertainers these days - are role models. They are the figures that kids wrongly mold themselves after. Kids emulate these entertainers in clothing, speech, and mannerisms. If it's ok for Arenas to have a gun in his locker room, then why not some other kid that thinks he's God's gift to basketball? Which refers back to the first point.

For decades the media, professional sports, and law enforcement have turned a blind eye to these entertainers as they commit crime after crime. In the rare instances that something has been done, it frequently has been a slap on the wrists (all without a word from Rev. Sharpton and other "leaders").

I dare anyone to present a positive example or outcome from kids increasing emulation of the violence and drug use among entertainers. It doesn't exist. Therefore this needs to end, and to do so an example must be made, then followed.

Gilbert Arenas may be a nice guy, he may be an excellent NBA basketball player. But there is no question that he is a criminal (by his own admission about his gun possession) and MUST be punished by the law. Because if he isn't, mark my words, there will be a kid that will be going to jail because he too had a gun in a locker room - and had an "accident".

Nightlife Review: Scoreboard in Binghamton NY

Binghamton NY is a city that recently hit the national news. But the city is far more than that tragic event. Even now the city and its populace are trying to move forward from that day.

One aspect of the city that was not covered by the media is the nightlife. There is a robust college student presence in Binghamton. Like all college students a desire to go out and let off steam is as important as getting good grades. The Scoreboard Bar is an important, if somewhat new, part of that process.

The Scoreboard Bar is located on State Street, downstairs from the street level. It's a sports bar primarily, but also has a nightclub with a dance floor and DJ. The bar is split into 2 sections, which can be traversed with ease. Half is the sports bar with over 8 seperate flat screen televisions covering baseball, basketball, hockey, golf and other sporting events daily. The other half is the nightclub, with a dance floor, DJ booth, strobe lights, and more.

No matter which side you might choose to go to you can find plenty of room for dancing or just sitting at the bar and watching a game. On the sports bar side there is additional seating with booths that are open to the rest of the bar. Both sides feature a pool table with enough room for even the tallest player. And there are bathrooms for men and women on each side as well.

There is a lot that can be said for the Scoreboard, but I think the photos give a better indication of how well liked it is already. I say that because the bar has only opened up this month, and is still not known to the populace at large yet. And there are more things to come in the near future - including a kitchen.

The music is lively on either side (the sports bar side tends to play music later in the night after most sporting events are over) though the nightclub is a bit more danceable and festive. The sound system is powerful, but never so loud that your ear will be spliting. The bars are well stocked, with an attentive staff. Plus there are several bouncers on hand to ensure the safety and good time for all patrons.

In addition to all of that there are the various promotional events from time to time. One example is a wet t-shirt contest that recently occured on the nightclub side. It wa an idea that went over very well as you can see from the video. The entire crowd, young men and women, seemed to have a great time. I would imagine that the event will become more of a fixture in the future based on the response the crowd gave to the show.



There aren't a lot of things you can say about a bar beyond if it's worth going to or not. I would say that the Scoreboard is worth the time. It's safe, well located, roomy even when the crowd comes in, friendly, well-staffed, clean, and good music. There are many places in Binghamton, or any town for that matter, that can't say the same things.

If you are in Binghamton and want to watch a sporting event, or want to go out and dance, or even just want to go and play a game of pool going to the Scoreboard will let you do all of the above and more.

Madison vs. Barbs: a basketball game with higher rewards

It’s just so nice to hear about a story in the news of sports that is positive. I ran across this the other day and felt I had to write about it.

Most everyone is aware of the fact that in high school sports the competition between rival schools can be quite intense. This is especially true in smaller towns and the mid-west. A critical game between rival schools is something that local fans may talk about for years.

Just as often, these big games can come down to a matter of a few points. So every point counts. Thus when I saw that Coach Dave Rohlman of the Barbs had the chance for 2 points from a technical foul against rival school Madison, I was surprised that the choice of shooter was left to volunteers. It got even more interesting that once team captain Darius McNeal did volunteer he was told

“You realize you're going to miss them, don't you?" Rohlman said.”

Yes McNeal did understand this. And miss them he did. McNeal

“..went alone to the free throw line, dribbled the ball a couple of times, and looked at the rim.

His first attempt went about two feet, bouncing a couple of times as it rolled toward the end line. The second barely left his hand.“

What in the world was going on?

Well earlier that day, Johntel Franklin - a member of the Milwaukee team - was at the local hospital. His mother had just suddenly lost her battle with cancer. Several teammates were at the hospital with him. In fact the basketball game had been delayed an hour because of this.

But Franklin wanted Milwaukee Madison to play the game rather than cancel. And the DeKalb Barbs, visitors in this matchup, were willing to go along with whatever the team decided. So the game started late.

In the middle of the game, Franklin showed up to cheer on the team. And asked to join in, trying to use the game as a way to deal with the sudden loss of his mother. The Milwaukee team had no problems accepting. But this caused a technical foul, giving the Barbs a 2 point free throw. Which they argued not to take. But rules are rules.

The results are as stated above.

In a world were success is often desired above all else, especially in sports where winning is always the ultimate goal, its comforting to hear of compassion. I don’t mean just giving up, or throwing the game. Both teams played a good game, and there was a winner and loser according to the score.

But there was a respect given. A rarity these days in almost any potion of life we hear about. A respect of the humanity of rivals, of the situation at hand. And that ultimately is more valuable than stats, or scores.

The loss of a parent is always a difficult thing. Even in my 30’s the loss of my father was devastating to me. So I can easily understand the feelings of Franklin.

And I must credit the Barbs. They had the chance of easy points. They could have improved the stats, maybe even altered the course of the game. But instead they took the high road. Which should been blasted across all the sports radio and television stations across the nation.

Winning at all costs has a cost. A loss of humanity, compassion, and/or any number of other negatives at times. We as a society lose that perspective these days. Far too often. Mostly because the money at risk is too large it seems. Or the notoriety is too valued.

2 points can make or break a basketball game. At the same time, the very same 2 points can help define men (and women) for their lives. I think Madison, Barbs, McNeal, and coach Rohlman won far more than what the basketball game was intended to give.

Yes you could beat Michael Jordan

I am sure that it won't take long for this interesting item to circle the net, if it has not already. But i just lucked upon it and you need to see it.

Michael Jordan, in his post-Wizard's days had a basketball camp. And those that went to it got the rare pleasure of playing against the super athlete. Of course mere mortals would lose against him, just as beating Tiger Woods on his home course would be unthinkable.

But the laws of averages says that even the most improbably outcome can happen at least once. And as it happened a CEO named John Rogers Jr. was able to beat Jordan. Not only did this happen in front of witnesses, but there was video of it too.

Add to that the fact that Damon Wayans was in attendance. So the camp-goers got the rare treat of watching Wayans let loose his stand-up wit on Jordan as well. My only question is why did it take this long for the video to come out. You know that no one believed Rogers back home.

Going to Michael Jordan's basketball camp - a lot of money
Playing Michael Jordan and not being NBA quality - almost unreachable

Beating Michael Jordan, in front of witnesses while being video taped, and having Damon Wayans take your back - truely priceless



So where is Tiger at? I feel lucky.

Roger Clemens vs. Congress - 2.13.2008.1

Is it just me, or do most agree that the current Congressional inquiry on steroids in baseball a waste of money and time. I mean I really don’t care if Roger Clemens used steroids or not. It doesn’t change a thing in the world nor improve my life at all.

This is going to cost the American public tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of dollars. It’s taken multiple days so far, and who knows how many more in the future. In the end, nothing dramatic will change. There might be a few notations in the stats, and maybe a player or 2 will be denied entry into the baseball Hall of Fame. And life as well as the MLB will continue unabated.

This is not worthy of the attention it is garnering. It’s not worth the money. It’s really pointless for Congress to delve into this. It’s an internal baseball issue, one that fans can address by refusing to go to games until assurances can be made that every player is steroids free. But the actual fact is most fans don’t care. They just want to be entertained.

If Roger Clemens goes to jail, there will still be steroids in baseball. If he does not go to jail, there will be steroids in baseball. There is too much money at stake for there not to be steroids in baseball, football, basketball and every other professional sport that exists today (with the exception of perhaps curling). That is a reality that invalidates all the hoopla that is surrounding the Congressional hearing today.

But the news is wasting our time covering every word. Congressman Waxman is again involved in an action that serves no purpose beyond wasting the taxpayers’ money. [If I recall correctly Congressman Waxman was involved in the investigation of Alberto Gonzalez and the firing of attorneys that had positions at the pleasure of the President. At the end of that waste of money and time in 2007, the conclusion was that no law was broken – as that was impossible to break a law - and that the individuals were still fired. No change except for spending my taxes and the time that was not spent on important issues like Darfur, or the Child Soldier Prevention Act.]

Am I wrong? Do you care about this? Will this affect your lives in any manner? I really would like to hear a justification for this waste.

Harlem Globetrotter Curly Neal to be honored Feb 15th - 2.12.2008.2

For a bit of positive news I want to mention the Harlem Globetrotters. On the 15th they will be retiring the 5th number of a Globetrotter in the 82 year history of the basketball team. This honor will be going to Fred "Curly" Neal who played with the team for 22 years and played 6,000 games and whose number is 22.

Curly Neal is one of the most famous Globetrotters, starting with the team in 1963, he has been highlighted along with other members on television and cartoons. He was part of the teams 38 year winning streak, which is unprecidented in any sport to my knowledge.

For those that think the players on the Globetrotter team are just entertainers and not highly skilled basketball players, I suggest these facts.

The Globetrotters membership includes:

• Wilt Chamberlain (played number 13 that was retired as well)
  
• Connie "The Hawk" Hawkins (Hall of Fame 1992)
  
• Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton (first African American to sign a NBA contract)
  
• Marques Haynes (the possibly best ball handle and longest proferssional career in basketball ever)
  
• George "Meadowlark" Lemon (played with Curly Neal for 22 years, and recipient of the higest honor of the Hall of Fame – the John Bunn Award- and is a member of the Hall)
  
• Jerome James (who currently plays for the New York Knicks)
  
• John Chaney (a Temple University coach)
  
• Reece "Goose" Tatum (a WWII veteran and inventor of the sky hook that Karem Abdul Jabbar – an honorary memeber after 1989 - is famous for).
  

That’s just a few of the members that are known in basketball. Baseball Hall of Famers Bob Gibson, Ferguson Jenkins and Lou Brock were also former Globetrotters.

The Harlem Globetrotters hit 22,000 wins in February 2006 (not that the major media covered it much as I recall) and have a current winning percentage of 98.4%. Oh and back when the NBA was still segregated (a mere 58 years ago) the Globetrotters beat the league leading Minnesota Lakers (an all-white team) 2 years in a row.

Curly Neal has played in 97 countries of the 118 that the Globetrotters have played in, before a good number of the 125 million fans that have seen this team, of which I include myself as a fan. This is an honor I am happy to hear of, and it’s hard for me to imagine a Globetrotter team that does not include him. I’m also happy to mention that later this year Curly Neal will be inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.

I congratulate him on these honors, and thank him for the performances and joy he provided me and so many others with.