Red Light

"Depend on me like the first and fifteenth..."

2PAC - All Eyez on Me

It's October and while that means a lot of things to many people...for me it's the month when a World Series champion is crowned. Yesterday I tweeted the following: "Just so I don't look like I jumped on the bandwagon, the @Phillies will win the World Series, and go @Yankees..."

Conflict Resolution

I'm from the City of Brotherly Love...Philadelphia for those who don't know. And while I cheer for the Eagles with fervor, it's my affection for the New York Yankees that confuses everyone. New York City is a place like none other, and yes I lived there for a long time, and one of the things I picked up over the years is a love for baseball. I could never cheer for the Mets, since I'm a Philly native...I knew that much, so I began watching that pinstriped team in the south Bronx.

When the Yankees didn't make the playoffs in 2008, it opened the door for my hometown Phillies to win and bring our championship starved town a winner. I was happy for the Phils in '07, and a year later they did what many thought was impossible...and that made me even happier!

I attend a number of Phillies games because I love baseball, and instead of driving to NYC or Baltimore for the Bronx Bombers, I take a quick trip to South Philly. So here is my moment of honesty...I actually like the Phillies, however the Yankees are my team. I know it makes zero sense, and this post is like covering myself with a security blanket.

Can the Phillies win it all...yes they can. They have 3 Aces in Halladay, Hamels, and Oswalt, and they have an American League style of play with Ryan Howard, Rollins, Utley, Werth, and Ruiz. Pitching is the key to any pennant and World Series...so if the Phils bullpen can hold and save games, it'll be a red October in Philadelphia.

Baseball is tricky and anything can happen, so I wanted to write this ahead of the first game to explain my loyalty to the team everyone loves to hate.

By Any Means Necessary...

"No matter how much I elevate, I kiss the floor..."

Common - Forever Begins

Dreams

Monumental

Professionalism

"We got to live out our dreams, like the people on tv..."

Alicia Keys - Unbreakable

Around the sports world, I'm known as a basketball writer...and when I was younger my mother would always pray for me, as she still does today...nevertheless I just consider myself ambitious...nothing more, nothing less.

The Real Thing

I have been afforded the opportunity to not only cover not only the Philadelphia 76ers in preseason this week, but I have also been on site for the NLCS to witness the Philadelphia Phillies walk into the history books of Major League Baseball.

Baseball is one of my real loves in sports, and to interview Joe Torre, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, and several others delights my heart. I truly love my job. Last night Rollins won Game 4 with one swing in the 9th inning, as the Phils went up in the series 3-1. I've been to Citizens Bank Park numerous times, however when he smacked the ball into right field I'd never felt anything like that, as the building shook, and erupted into a lion's roar.

After the game I interviewed J-Roll, and if you were listening closely on ESPN, you could hear my question. Here is the score on our conversation:

We spoke a few weeks back, and I asked you about your role as a leadoff hitter...and you basically expressed that it's just a teams game...you're out there as a team, playing together. You always hear professional athletes talk about when they step into the moment, when they get into the zone. When you stepped up there for that at-bat...did you feel things slowing down for you?

"Yeah, things do slow down. You know, you--I don't know. You already have it planned out in your head how you want things to go. Sometimes it goes that way, sometimes it doesn't. But being confident in your ability helps a lot. You don't question what you're going to do. And like I said, after the first pitch, I was able to make an adjustment. If you go back, you see me in the box trying to get my feet in the right position. I was saying to myself, 'do I want closed [stance], and not open up? I decided to go with an open because I felt my hands get in the slot. From that point it was just a matter of getting a good pitch. If you think about it, 60 feet is a long ways to see the ball, even at 100 miles per hour, and he threw it basically where I was looking.

Really it was funny, right before he threw it, I say to myself...hit a ball in the right-center field gap. Kemp was playing me slightly to left-center. [Andre] Ethier was squeezing, and I was like 'hit the ball in the gap right over Broxton's head, and that's at least one run...and it went all the way to the fence, so we were able to get two [runs] and a victory."

Photo: Chris McGrath/Getty Images, Johnathan Grzybowski

The Glass Slipper

October's Best

"Bare witness to the greatest, can't beat us...join us..."

Beanie Sigel - It's On

The MLB playoffs begin this week...and much has been made about the Tigers collapse (since September 29th), the Yankees starting pitching, and the Phillies closer or lack thereof...Brad Lidge.

Proving Grounds

Instead of joining the ranks of the mainstream media...you know my contemporaries...I'm going to look at the Brad Lidge situation like a glass that is half full. Yes he has blown 11 saves this season, after going a perfect 41 for 41 last year, but starting this week, all of that is in the past, as the Fightin' Phils will face off against the upstart Colorado Rockies.

Yes the closer position is a BIG key to a teams' success, however the Philadelphia Phillies possess a strong offense, and solid starting pitching. The point I'm trying to make is, that if Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Raul Ibanez, and Shane Victorino do what they do best, then Lidge may not have to save as many games, which will put less pressure on him and the rest of the pitching staff.

In basketball there is a saying...it's not how you start...it's how you finish, and as it relates to this story and Brad Lidge...if the glass slipper fits...by all means wear it.

Photo: Zelevanskly/Getty Images

At Bat with Jimmy Rollins

Last week I sat down with Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins...and not only did the interview go well...this video is currently appearing on BET.com, and with that said...I truly believe that this is the beginning of something special in my career.

There is no substitute for hard work.

Dreams

24/7

"I can get you BET and TRL too..."

Jay Z - Encore

Today is September 1, 2009...on the surface it indicates the end of the summer months, however for me it signifies a new beginning.

Sign of the Times

The writing industry changes on a daily basis, and as a journalist...I also work as an agent of change and consistency. With that said, I am now officially a correspondent for BET.com. This is a step of maturation...as I'm growing and learning everyday. You can expect the same in-depth coverage on BET as GAME TIME, however with a media conglomerate such as VIACOM, I trust that more doors of opportunity will open because of the heightened exposure from working as a national writer.

On Thursday, I'm going to sit down with Philadelphia Phillies infielder Jimmy Rollins...stay tuned, and as always...thank you for support AXG and my work.

Wait 'til Next Year

Victory

"To weak what we do...buck 'em down word life..."

Buck Shot - Black Moon

Pedro Martinez returns to the National League under the bright lights of Wrigley Field, as the Philadelphia Phillies open a new chapter in their franchise against the Loveable Losers.

Primetime

The Phils are the reigning World Series Champions, however this season has had its fair share of ups and downs, from Jimmy Rollins to Cole Hamels things have been different, but like the saying goes...no progress without stuggle.

Now the Phillies are far from pushing the panic button on the season, as they are in 1st place, with about 2 months to go until the post season. Latley the talk has been about new starting pitcher Pedro Martinez taking the place of hometown favorite Jamie Moyer. Sports is all about competition, and sometimes it comes from within. This isn't a bad thing...in fact this can make the Phils stronger as they continue to defend their crown.

Stay tuned. First picth is at 8:05PM ET on ESPN, Wednesday Night Baseball.

Champion

"Hotter than a summer day in California..."

Aaliyah - Hot Like Fire

Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard are my two favorite Philadelphia Phillies players, and while surfing on ESPN's website, I found this video. I'm going to interview J Roll at some point this season, and trust me...it will be as informative as it is entertaining.

No Place Like Home

Fearless

"Well this is the time that you waited for..."

Sadat X - Shinin' Star

On Tuesday night the Phillies played against their NL West rival the Dodgers, and amidst the Manny Ramirez buzz, something amazing happened in South Philly.

Phanatic

Phillies Right Fielder Jayson Werth had one of the biggest games in his career by stealing 4 bases, including home...a base rarely stolen. The Phils won the game 5-3, and with Jimmy Rollins now batting 5th in the lineup, a lot of question marks were settled as he played well, and Werth captured the crowd. He sealed the victory with his speedy play, and determination.

Full Count

J-Roll - the 2007 NL MVP

Rollins patrols the infield

"Okay if knowledge is the key, then just show me the lock, got the scrawny legs, but I move just like Lou Brock...with speed, I'm agile, plus I'm worth your while, 100% intelligent, black child."

Q-Tip - Check The Rhime

Baseball is a numbers game, which is interesting because I'm not a fan of math. The game however, is built on statistics, from batting averages and RBI (runs batted in), to ERA (earned run average) and OBP (on base percentage).

The schematics of baseball are intriguing, but its the decrease of black players that concerns me more than home runs, or wins and losses. In my childhood approximately 20 years ago the number of black players in the big leagues hovered around 30%. Currently that number has plummeted to 10%, making the following interview with Philadelphia Phillies Shortstop paramount to GAME TIME with AG.

Aesthetically, Citizens Bank Park is an amazing place for a baseball game, and the club house is just as beautiful fit for a championship team. I had a few minutes with the reigning MVP as he sat at his locker Nike footwear and apparel for he and I. (Would an aluminum bat and a pair of Hyperdunks be too much to ask for...)

Below is our conversation of baseball, admiration, numbers, change, and Nike:

Nike is a very prestigious brand talk about your affiliation:

"I'll put it this way...first of all I used to always buy Nike growing up...you know with Michael Jordan and all. And then one day the powers that be...even before I got called up to the big leagues...I got called up in 2000...there was a Nike representative that contacted my agent because they [Nike baseball] came out with a new equipment, glove, sun glasses and all that stuff. I was asked to try it, and I was like 'hey its Nike...sure, I used to pay for it, and now I'm getting it for free? Sure I'll try it! So when I tried the glove, it was okay, I was able to make some adjustments to it, and I didn't even sign with them yet, but we were in talks, and they let me have influence on their products. I was one of the first guys to wear the sun glasses and then I was given a head to toe deal with all the equipment, all the gear up to a certain amount, and its been on ever since 2000...2001."

Talk about competing against Ken Griffey Jr.:

"I met Ken Griffey Jr. back in 1996 as I was going through the draft and I was just hanging out in the clubhouse...and he didn't have to come up to me at all, but he decided to come over and give me some words of wisdom that I still remember. It helped me get through the minor leagues, and he told me 'I've never seen you play, and I don't even know how good you are, but you are here for a reason, and along the way you are going to have coaches, trying to tell you this and trying to tell you that, and some of it is going to make sense...some of it isn't, but whatever you do, continue to do, because that's why you're here now. So from right there whenever I saw him I was like a kid, I used to wear his shoes and everything. That really made it personal to me and from that point for the next 4 years I was waiting to get to the big leagues just to ask him if he remembered that, and he cracks up, because he actually does. But if you look at him, he has transcended the game if you look at the way he plays center field by being The Kid, being that personality. He was something that baseball needed, and look what he did with Nike. He has his own shoe and now we are going to surprise everybody soon with the SWING TEAM."

What is the significance of your number?

"Well actually the number 11 was my basketball number and the number 6 was my number for baseball. When I first got here Doug Glanville was wearing 6, so I went with my second favorite number from basketball. It was a number in basketball that I had success in, I was a good defensive player, I had good seasons wearing it, I liked it, it felt good, it fit me, it looked good...I'm short and the 1's are vertical so they make me to appear a lot taller, so it looked good on my back. When I did switch over to 6, people said it made me look short and round, and why did I switch? It was just an opportunity to get my number back, but everybody had grown to know number 11. Then there is my nickname J-Roll, with the two LL's, the 11, and Rollins, every thing is symmetrical and made me look taller. Its a great number, Isiah Thomas wore it and he won championships, Barry Larkin wore it, Ozzie Smith wore number 1, so that number is a good number in sports period."

What does the Negro League mean to you?

"I remember when Soul of the Game came out, back in '95 or '96...I was still in high school, I probably watched that special on HBO maybe 20 or 30 times, I mean over and over, and over again, because you can never get tired of hearing the stories and trying to imagine what it was like for them playing ball. When I grew up, there was still racism but there was no segregation. I could eat the restaurants, I could make a reservation to sit in a particular area of the restaurant, and they had to go to the back door or walk through the kitchen, and sometimes they had to get the food delivered to them because they weren't allowed in the restaurant. I think about how they had to go about and play the game separate from Major League Baseball, even before that, the barnstorming leagues, and they went through a lot for us to step onto the field. Not only that, look at the way they changed society, when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball...it gave blacks a sense of pride, that they could change things and that they can make a difference. If you look at that, you can see how it changed America. It gave black people opportunities to do things in this country and in the world...like run for President. We have Barack now, so the world has definitely changed. It started with a vision, and now we are starting to seeing the fruits of the labor."

Extra innings -

Remember those red Nike contact lenses...did you wear them?

"They were like real sun glasses expect they were contact lenses. I had the auburn color first, and I wore them on a Nike trip to Hawaii. Now I had never worn contacts before, and I was fine having someone else to put them in, but when you are trying to put them in yourself...I was having trouble [laughs]. Once they are on they are really cool, no irritation to the eye and it was like wearing glasses, without wearing glasses. That technology is off the chain, and that's why they [Nike] are one of the biggest companies in the world."