STAY HOME | Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos

"Black is back, all in, we're gonna win..." - @MrChuckD

Everyone has a story, and professional athletes have narratives that some people know better than their own family history. Nonetheless, the only constant in this world is change, and while that might seem far-fetched, the reality is, change is as necessary as it is evident.

The end of the way things used to be

Earl "The Pearl" Monroe is one of the NBA's 50 greatest players, and he, like a lot of players from his era, attended HBCU's prior to establishing themselves in the league. Monroe (Winston-Salem State University) was one of three players, along with Willis Reed (Grambling State University), and Dick Barnett (Tennessee State University), on the '73 championship team that had starred on teams at black universities.

Two decades later New York was back in the Finals and there were two members on the Knicks, whose background was rooted in an HBCU. Charles Oakley (Virginia Union University), and Anthony Mason (Tennessee State University) were key pieces to that '94 Eastern Conference championship team.

Currently only Robert Covington (Tennessee State University), and Kyle O'Quinn (Norfolk State University) share the distinction of HBCU graduate turned NBA player. The legacy does not have to stop there. If a highly touted player takes their talent to the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, the paradigm will shift, potentially opening the door for others to follow suit. 

The argument has been that the HBCU's do not have the facilities, TV exposure, or funding, to attract the caliber of players who attend the bigger programs. However, if the students from the Jordan Brand Classic declared for Maryland Eastern Shore, there would be an influx of money, and the networks would out bid each other for the broadcast rights.

Kevin Durant, stayed home, and his year at Howard University was one to remember:

• Naismith College Player of the Year
• MEAC Player of the Year
• First Team All-MEAC
• 2007 USA Today Sports national player of the year
• HBCU Athlete of the Year
• 32 points per game, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, & 3 blocks
• 34-3 for the best record in school history
• Final Four appearance (lost to #1 seed Hampton University)

Stay home.

Shake up the world.

Words: @axgilbert

Photo: @8eyemedia

Thin Line

"First they love me, then they hate me, then they love me again..."


Jay-Z - Meet the Parents


Last week the Miami Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-106 to win their second championship in franchise history.


Destiny's Child


When the topic is LeBron James, people either hate or love him. This wasn't always the case...when he first entered the league in '03, he was praised as the boy who would be king, and now he has become a polarizing figure that has everyone choosing sides including members of the media.


Journalists are supposed to be biased...leaving their personal opinions at the press room door. James isn't the first athlete to have everyone turn against him, take Muhammad Ali for instance, he wasn't appreciated for who he was until he had been retired and away from the sport he helped to make great.


The facts are that LeBron R. James is the League and Finals MVP, and accolades aside, he has removed the albatross from around his neck. He has been on a path to acquire a championship, and now that he has tasted success at that level, he will only want more. 


It's a cycle that goes unquenched, and for basketball fans the time is now to buckle up and enjoy the next few years.


He should only be measured on what he does in between the lines of a basketball court. He's a professional athlete, so fans and the media alike should stick to the script and not worry about his personal life. We all make mistakes, he just makes his in front of the world, while most people do things anonymously.


Unfortunately perception is reality, but it's not always the truth.


Words: @axgilbert


Photo: Webster Riddick

Counterattack

"Legend in 2-games like I'm Pee Wee Kirkland..."


Pusha T - Grindin'


The Mavericks evened the series at 1, in a Game 2 that the Heat would like to soon forget.
At the conclusion of the first match, I wrote that the pressure would be on Miami to tighten up the series and go up 2-0, however the only thing the road team wants to do in these situations is to steal a game, and go back to their building with the home court advantage.


Never say Never


Despite 36-points, 5-rebounds, and 6-assists from Dwyane Wade, and 20-points with 8-rebounds from LeBron James...the Mavs were able to overcome the barrage and some costly turnovers for a 95-93 victory.


This proved to be a much more exciting game, as Dirk Nowitziki provided some late game heroics scoring all his team's points down the stretch. Shawn Marion and Jason Terry added 20 and 16-points respectively to keep Dallas within striking distance as the Heat surged to a double digit lead.


The game was sealed on a left-handed Nowitziki lay-up, nonetheless...the Mavericks won the rebounding battle, and out scored Miami's bench 23-11.


Sunday is the pivotal swing game, and just like before...the onus is on Miami to prove themselves and take charge.


Words: @axgilbert


Picture: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

One More

"You gotta go the distance..."

Common - The Game

The Lakers have extended the NBA Finals to a Game 7...and the rest will be history come Thursday evening.

Tomorrow Never Dies

The Lake Show earned an 89 - 67 victory over the Celtics Tuesday night in LA, and they did it playing as a team. In the last two losses, the Lakers failed to hustle, fight, and rebound...nevertheless everything changed in Game 6.

The Celtics lost their starting center Kendrick Perkins to a knee injury, and they succumbed to the Lakers defense and grit.

As with any win or go home situation, anything can happen...so both teams will have to play with heart, and intelligence. The stakes are at their highest, and with the Staples Center playing host...the home court advantage could prove positive for LA. Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett will not go quietly into the night, as this upcoming matchup can easily go either way.

Before the Finals began, I wrote that both teams are evenly matched...and that this series will go the distance. Will Kobe stop at nothing for his 5th championship ring, or will the C's bounce back, and win on the road?

The team that rebounds and defends walks into the history books, while the other will vow for revenge just as the Lakers did in '08.

Photo: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Mean Green

"Business before pleasure..."

P. Diddy - Victory

Game 1 of the NBA Finals tips off tonight in the City of Angels...and while this matchup will go into the history books as the most storied rivalry in basketball...I feel there is no clear favorite.

No Fear

I was watching an NBA Finals preview on ESPN Wednesday, and everyone on the show picked the Boston Celtics to win the series in 6 games...and while agree that the C's are a very tough team, I just don't see one team over the other. Tonight's game will not give me enough information on either franchise, so I'll reserve my full opinion until after Game 3 in the TD Banknorth Garden.

This is the Finals that both teams wanted. With bragging rights and basketball history on the line, my expectations are few...I understand that everyone on the floor has the experience, heart, and savvy to win.

The big story right now is Derek Fisher and Rajon Rondo, however the Lakers have had to deal with really good point guards throughout the playoffs, so the bigger story is team defense which the Lake Show lacked in their '08 Finals loss.

This series goes the distance, and we as fans will be there for a memorable ride. These teams are even, and it's the team that does the little things and pays attention to detail that will emerge victorious.

Photo: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Championship Mettle

4

"Victory is mine..."

Guru - Work

The 2009-10 NBA season begins tonight, and every team begins with a clean slate.

Craft

Last season I covered my first NBA Finals, and as I continue to grow in this business, I feel blessed to do what I love for a living. I've been busy lately covering the Philadelphia Phillies, however in the midst of the MLB...I got a head start on basketball, as I just interviewed Travis Outlaw for the next issue of SLAM magazine on Sunday, and I'm currently working on a piece to honor the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for HOOP magazine.

Its going to be a great season...and you can expect nothing short of my best as I have some editorial and video interviews with the League's elite players.

Stay tuned sports fans.

Peace.

AG.

The Last King of Akron

Calm before the storm

"You're messing with this joker, but you need a KING..."

Kanye West - Magic Man

The "Dream" Finals with LeBron James pitted against Kobe Bryant failed to come to fruition, so instead of moving forward on the series that begins this Thursday...many members of the media have decided to harp on the what happened last week...when LeBron, after losing to the Magic, walked off the court without congratulating his competition.

Pain

So what do I think or feel about this "so-called" situation...well I will say that I cannot wait to get to my assigned seat at the Finals so I can do what I do best, and that is stick to the script. If I were LBJ, and lost, I'm not sure what I would do? Let's give this man some credit for playing hard and giving his best to his team and the game of basketball. 

It is easy to throw stones at him, but the pain that night was so deep that the best thing he could do was to do nothing at all. Top tier athletes dedicate their lives to the sport they excel in. As a journalist I run 2-miles per day to stay in top shape for my 4 TV appearances a year, and if I arrived at the TV studio and the producer decided they didn't need me, I'd do my best to mask my feelings. I'd be upset, but it would be best not to say anything to save myself from making a mistake.

I'm not making excuses for anyone. I can only be responsible for my actions, however I can understand what happened. And to all you highly paid, out of shape, unprofessional media experts, I'll see you in my thoughts during my workouts...we are all ordinary people...even LeBron James.