A Warped POV by A. Dacosta Brathway

September 12th, Saturday/ I watched the Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee Show last night. I usually don't watch shows like that but it was recommended by a friend so I watched. I missed David Robinson's speech but I did see and hear the others and I have to tell you, Michael Jordan's piece did not disappoint me! I used to work for a NBA team around the time Jordan played and aside from his competitiveness, style, athleticism and basketball intuitiveness, I remember him as the coolest guy in the lockerroom. He was the guy who told the jokes at any and everyone else's expense. I remember him pulling Glenn Rice's sweat pants down at an Allstar game! It didn't seem to matter to Jordan that Rice was also a professional basketball player who carried the same amount of basketball dignity as Jordan. All that Jordan wanted to get across to the other allstars was that he was the 800 pound gorilla in the arena!

After last night, I realized that Jordan is still the 800 pound gorilla in the room and he is also now the butt of the joke! He is not taking his basketball (final) retirement gracefully. He is still playing the game in his head and he is taking no prisoners. I would have never said this about Jordan but I now believe that he has every video (or CD now) of every game he ever played on any level in his life in his possession! Every one. (Maybe the excuse is that he is breaking down film?) He knows all of his moves and how he did what he did to his opponents... Even if the game was 10 years ago!

He may even have the copyright to "I Wanna Be Like..." so that LeBron James and Dwayne Wade can't use it without a fee to be paid? I would not be surprised if he did. Sorry MJ, the game has passed you by as it will pass everyone who has ever played it on any level. The only thing I wonder about you is, did you want them to build you your own private hall of fame building for your induction? I ask that because, after you said your speech (rant) I thought you were the only inductee in the room!

A Warped POV by A. Dacosta Brathway

September 10th, Thursday/ Okay, if you have been sleeping and missed the confrontation between the representative from South Carolina and the President of the United States, check this out... Representative Joe Wilson (Rep. South Carolina) called President Obama a "liar" during his speech on health care the other day. Now... I don't know where people stand on this but this is where I stand. People are going to stand one way or the other on this. There will be many opinions about who said what and how it is disrespectful to heckle the President and whatever; but, The very fact that the Representative felt comfortable enough to say what he said is appalling to me. Yes, this is America and you have the right to do whatever... You also have the right to remain silent...Here is an elected official who doesn't even have the self respect or the intelligence to know what is appropriate in that setting to say what he said. How the fuck did he get elected in the first place? But it does not matter that he is elected. What matters most is how he will be treated after the fact. What is the perception of Joe Wilson now? Is he just a guy who made a mistake or is he a guy who harbors racist views?
Yeah, right, he will be forgiven and all will be forgotten by those who think the same way. He was insubordinate and probably should be kicked out of his position... But, of course, that wouldn't be American now would it?