Pacman Jones: Setting The Example

News of out Dallas indicates that Adam Jones will be allowed to participate in organized team activities. Jones will also be given back his right to attend camp and play in preseason games.

Now, all this good news does not guarantee that Goodell will use his unchecked powers to grant Jones his full employment back.

Goodell has framed his unwillingness to grant full employment privileges to Mr. Jones within the context of it being some sort of a control mechanism. The spin being that Mr. Jones can't be trusted to act appropriately (in the eyes of the NFL) without having the constant threat of unemployment hanging over his head.

Certainly, there is still no mention by Mr. Goodell of the fact that Mr. Jones has not been the recipient of any judicial conviction. More certainly, Mr. Jones has not violated any line item specific NFL policy or rule. His 'punishment' was legislated through the arbitrary application of the dictator like powers of Mr. Goodell.

Mr. Jones has proven instrumental in law enforcement's efforts to solve the mysterious strip club shooting. A shooting that resulted in casualties. What is lost in all this is that Mr. Jones could very easily have been a casualty that night. He recognizes this and has done his best to provide as much guidance and leadership in this investigation process as is possible by a civilian.

It becomes clear to the unbiased observer that Mr. Goodell's reluctance to 'reinstate' Mr. Jones is purely personal. Mr. Jones took on the character assaults levied by the NFL's leader. He took on the punishment. He met the demands. All the while, never having been convicted of anything more than a minor traffic violation. He did all this with a smile and a positive attitude. Never once falling into the trap that Mr. Goodell hoped would lead to his downfall. And the fact that Mr. Jones has successfully beaten Mr. Goodell at his own game is too much for the power hungry dictator.

And, now, even more clear....Mr. Goodell's hope is that if he waits right up until game time on opening day to set Mr. Jones free from the NFL's institutionally mandated shackles, there is a chance that through some insidious, back door plotting that Mr. Jones might find more charges levelled against him by the corrupt minds of Mr. Goodell's complicit agents. And that would mean he could continue this unexplainable effort to destroy Mr. Jones career.

How galling this must be for Goodell. His plots, schemes and joint effort with the federal government worked to perfection in ensuring the incarceration of the Negro QB who was poised to change the face of the game forever. But it seems all the subversive efforts and attempts to take away the game that Adam Jones loves are going to be for naught.

And now, Adam can join his brothers in Dallas.

With Tank Johnson, TO and now Pacman forming a core in the locker room; look for the character of the Cowboys to rise toward the championship levels of the Michael Irvin and the "white house" era.

Whitlock: At It Again

Tattoos.

The reason, according to Mr. Whitlock, that the NBA has not been as warmly received by viewers as it would like.

No one wants to watch Delonte West or Larry Hughes play basketball. It's uncomfortable and disconcerting. You don't want your kids to see it. You don't want your kids to think they should decorate their neck, arms, hands, chest and legs in paint. You don't want to waste time explaining to your kids that some millionaire athletes have so little genuine self-confidence that they find it necessary to cover themselves in tattoos as a way to mask their insecurities.

Threatening appearances.

The players' looks scare an audience that can't relate to them.

You just want to watch basketball and feel like you're watching people you can relate to a little bit, people you somewhat respect.

This years playoffs.

A rousing ratings success thanks to the abundance of foreign players and non-threatening Negros on the Lakers, Spurs, Pistons and Celtics.

Part of the reason more people are watching these playoffs is because the average fan isn't constantly repulsed by the appearance of most of the players on the court. Most of the key players left in the playoffs don't look like recent prison parolees.

Mr. Whitlock's point seems to be that it is better for the league, and the business of the league if the players present a cleaner image. Better business means more money for the league. More money for the players. We get that.

But, in his bashing of the appearance of the players, he is stereotyping and grandstanding.

By diminishing the notion that much of the ratings upswing (if it is great, we didn't check the numbers) is due to the resurgence of the Lakers and Celts and propagating the notion that player appearance is anything more than a tertiary or minimal factor; Mr. Whitlock is simply attempting to turn attention towards...............himself.

Shock and a contrived contrarian view have become Mr. Whitlock's calling card.

The 'chicken little' antics that Mr. Whitlock engages in reek of self serving hypocrisy and self promotion.

Being the Negro that calls out the other Negroes and demands they change who they are and change their culture certainly must be an exhilerating position. To be the right thinking Negro must be stressful.

How could one argue with the right thinking Negro who postulates the position that increased viewership is due to the absence of ink and perceived thuggish appearance (although, Rasheed Wallace might take issue with not being single out here)?

Well, perhaps the best argument against this theory is....from the right thinking Negro's comments on last seasons Finals:

"Why don't the Spurs connect? Why were these finals a TV ratings disaster and a challenge to watch?" Mr. Whitlock writes. "Because sports fans aren't stupid. They can sniff an impostor even when we in the media try to convince them otherwise." He adds, "It's difficult to stake a dynasty claim when you've just completed the worst NBA finals series in history."

We at NOIS are sports fans.

And WE sniff an imposter.

And we sniff something else!

The 'unthreatening' Spurs and Pistons were in the conference finals last year, too. Along with the least threatening team in the league....the JAZZ! How could this year's NBA final four possibly be less threatening than last year?

Nope, it couldn't be that the ratings are due to better play this year!

Someone get some air freshener. Mr. Whitlock seems to have fouled the air.

NBA Coaching: Collins Back to the Bulls?

As the vacant jobs in the NBA coaching ranks are slowly filled, one thing is clear:

Negro coaches are being quickly and quietly escorted to the door. And their jobs are being filled by retreads and status quo ghosts.

Is it the NBA's desire to send a message to Negro coaches that they belong on the second or third seat on the bench? That, rather than give them the chance to mature and develop a program, the NBA is better suited by playing 'musical chairs' with the same old cotton swabs, over and over?

Is firing the Negro coach with the NBA's best winning percentage over the past 3 seasons and claiming the reason for the termination was playoff losses; and then hiring a man with a history of playoff failure not the very definition of bleachy hypocrisy?

Let's look more closely.

Sam Vincent was brought in to Charlotte at the beginning of the season. He was forced out after the season. One year. One year is all he was given to turn around a floundering and lost franchise. Who did Charlotte bring in? The man responsible for burning down Madison Square Garden (although the press has tried to blame someone else). Larry Brown. The King of The Road is the hired gun brought in to turn Charlotte around. Yes, the man has won a title. But he has also left carnage and destruction at virtually every stop, after he finds a bigger paycheck to chase. His experience and coaching 'the right way' will probably lead to more wins in the immediate future. But, is it worth it for the Bobcats to take one step forward, knowing full well that at the end of Brown's tenure they will end up being two steps back?

After Scott Skiles was let go in Chicago (and interim Boylan was sent to the soup kitchen), Chicago management said they were interested in hiring a 'tough, former player'. Naturally, folks thought that meant Avery Johnson (the possessor of the NBA's highest winning percentage over the past few years) or perhaps Mark Jackson. Well, apparently, 'tough, former player' is code for 'washed up, retread vanilla cupcake'. ESPN is reporting that Doug Collins will get the nod in Chi-town.

Isiah Thomas, victim of Larry Brown's most recent 'rape and pillage' expedition, was run off the bench in NYC. Certainly, arguments for Thomas' release abound. And we do not pretend to support the notion that Thomas had the team on the right track. However, rather than bring in someone with a deep connection and understanding of the NBA's flagship franchise...the Knicks brought in a coach who runs a system which the Knicks don't have the personnel to man. In the process, Knicks management managed to offend a Knickerbocker all-time great.

"There's nobody who is an assistant coach who doesn't want to be a head coach," said Ewing, who has been an assistant for five seasons and is credited with lifting center Dwight Howard to the next level. "Unless you've already been a head coach and you're older and you're just putting in hours until you retire. I'm young. I'd definitely want to be a head coach one day.
And I'm disappointed I didn't get a call, yeah.

In one fell swoop, through these firings, the NBA was able to reduce the ranks of Negro head coaches by a staggering 25%.

In contrast, the ranks of white coaches have increased by over 10%.

These are chilling numbers that, coupled with the retread hirings of Brown, Carlisle, Skiles, D'Antonio and possibly Collins, send a clear message to Negro assistant coaches everywhere:

We prefer failed white men to be the face of NBA franchises, rather than give you an equal chance to succeed.

Back to the third seat!

Yannick Noah: Charmingly Naive

Yannick Noah's son, Joakim (of the Chicago Bulls), was cited over Memorial Day weekend for a few minor infractions by the Gainesville and U of Florida Police.

Noah the Younger received citations for an open alcohol container and less than 20 grams of possibly medicinal cannabis. He was also cited on campus for traffic violations.

News of the incidents were met with puzzlement by father Yannick.

"I don't understand all that fuss for just drinking a beer on the street," Yannick Noah said Tuesday at the French Open.

Certainly, living in the sheltered and Negro accepting country of France has insulated Mr. Noah from these types of things.

How could Mr. Noah understand what all the fuss is about. He was known, and admitted, to have a fondness for the self medicating effects of the possible medicinal usage of cannabis. And, in France, he was never dragged through the mud on a rope by the media for it. How could he understand what his son is being confronted with?

How could Mr. Noah understand how offensive it must be for the local police to see Joakim show up back in Redneckville, FL, driving a fancy car and his pockets lined with money that they won't make in a lifetime?

How could Mr. Noah understand that the fuss has nothing to do with carrying a beverage in a cup on the street?

How charmingly naive of Mr. Noah to believe that this is all over a beer in a cup!

Racial Slurs at MLS Game

The beautiful sport.

The most popular sport in the world.

But, in the US, apparently a magnet for racists wishing to spew their hatred for the Sons of Africa.

MLS will investigate an incident in which a spectator at a Columbus Crew home match directed a racial slur at a black player from the New England Revolution on Saturday night.

Fabulously talented Negro soccer star Kheli Dube, from Zimbabwe, scored the go ahead goal. Much to the shock of no one, the response from the white crowd was foul language and racist venom.

Certainly, this is not a surprise. From pitches across Europe all the way to California, soccer fans are famously racist and belligerent.

In the effort to expand the popularity of the game in the US (read: to make money), soccer has been portrayed as a suburban delight. A game embraced by the mini-van driving soccer mom and her children named Madison and Austin.

But, the capture of this incident and posting of it on YouTube has exposed soccer in the US for what it is: A fetid incubator for racial hatred and potential violence.

As part of a statement, the Crew said "there is no excuse for the reprehensible behavior exhibited by the fan heard in the video clip that has surfaced. That kind of behavior has no place in our stadium, or in our society, and we strongly condemn it. . . . We will continue to evaluate and enforce safety and sportsmanship policies."

Certainly, the expected response. Although, there was no addressing the issue of why, when the vicious onslaught (which clearly was directed at Negroes the world over) took place, no action was taken. It took a posting of the incident on YouTube to generate a response from management.

One is left to wonder if the verbal assault had not been promoted on YouTube, would the Crew have ever bothered to address the issue?

How will the league respond? What is the appropriate punishment for the management of the Crew?

Allowing this to go unchecked sends a message to Negro soccer stars the world over that if they choose to bring their formidable skill and talent to the MLS, they risk verbal lynching.

MLS must act swiftly in levying a blow against the complicit racism exhibited by the Crew and the stadium staff that allowed this action to take place. The fact that the Crew made no statement until the video was available for the viewing of millions on the web makes it clear that the statement about the investigation is nothing but filler and defensive posturing.

We suggest that an appropriate start would be changing the franchise's name. A crew is a mob. And mob's lynch Negroes.

In an effort to demonstrate penance and contrition, the only recourse is renaming the team the 'Clouds'.

Soft, white and fluffy.

Marvin Harrison: Odd Situation

The gun was registered to him.

The incident happened after he was involved in an argument in the vicinity of a car wash that he owned.

6 shell casing were found on the ground and they matched his gun.

A man and a boy were injured.

But, luckily, the normal instinct (let's call it Pacman Syndrome) to convict the Negro athlete, who happened to be circumstantially related to the geography of the event, in the courts of public opinion and judiciary expedience has been avoided. In this case.

Marvin Harrison told his coach, the venerable and magnificent Tony Dungy, that he is not involved.

"At this point I'm keeping my fingers crossed," owner Jim Irsay said, according to the newspaper. "We've done everything we could do in our diligence to try to discern what happened. He said he was not involved in that shooting and ... the authorities have said there is nothing imminent.

We at NOIS congratulate Harrison for being honest, forthright and wholly believable. We congratulate Irsay for keeping his fingers crossed, rather than distancing himself from the athlete and fostering an image of guilt. Something that many other owners have done. And we congratulate the law enforcement officials involved for not getting caught up in the hype and glee so tangible when the chance to ruin the life of a Negro athlete presents itself.

Perhaps this is a sign of the change.

Perhaps it is the change we, as a Nation have worked so hard to foster.

Yes, we can change.

Obama '08.

Whitlock: Exposes Deadspin's Resident Hate-Monger

For those of you unfamiliar with the current social, cultural and economic shift effecting the mainstream media; allow us to enlighten you with a crash course.

Many in the mainstream media currently fear for their jobs, relevance and future because of the growing trend of the masses turning to Blogfrica for education, commentary, 'news' and diversion while at work.

Essentially, there is a concern that Blogfrica's ever widening influence may well be cutting into the way the mainstream media is consumed by the masses.

That gets you up to speed.

Certainly, for some members of the mainstream media, the prospect of loss is scary. It is a fear inducing endeavor to witness an unknown, 'un-understood' commodity begin to usurp the cache and currency once held in a death grip by the status quo. Particularly scary for the older, more entrenched members. The members that feel they came up the hard way, played by the rules (old rules, tho they may be) and now should be seen as the elder counsels of the industry.

Only...the industry is changing.

That background sets the stage for something that happened on HBO not long ago. Bob Costas hosted a panel made up of old-media journalist Buzz Bissinger (wrote Friday Night Lights), new-media blogger Will Leitch (writes deadspin) and token Negro presence Braylon Edwards (writes name on back of paychecks from the Cleveland Browns).

To capsulize: Bissinger loses mind, calls Leitch names and attacks Blogfrica with the fury only a senile old man could muster for some new-fangled contraption that scares and confuses him.

Nothing to see here, really. Nothing surprising.

Nothing surprising that is, until Jason Whitlock's commentary on the event.

"Some of us don't have the time, patience or inclination to help promote Leitch's book, which spends an inordinate amount of time telling prominent, successful, well-spoken African-Americans that they're not really black."

While we certainly won't take the time to listen to the link that Mr. Whitlock provided, we will take the time to point out that we believe there must be some sort of confusion.

As we have demonstrated previously on these very pages, Mr. Leitch is an avid racist. But we aren't sure that we can take it seriously that Leitch ever told Negroes that they aren't really Negroes.

In fact, if one references an interview we conducted with Mr. Leitch, it is obvious that this probably is not the case.

NOIS: Prior to leaving Mattoon, IL, had you ever seen a live Negro?

Leitch: I had heard rumors of a Negro family in Mattoon around the turn of the century, but that had never been confirmed. I thought I had seen one at an Illinois basketball game around 1983, but it turned out it was just Lou Henson.

So, certainly, it would be difficult to assume that Mr. Leitch is in any position to judge Negro-ness.

Whitlock goes on:

"Ninety minutes before Bissinger's eruption, we shared a car service from our hotel to the Equitable Center Theater where Bob Costas' live town hall meeting on the changing landscape of sports media would take place. It was my first in-person meeting with Bissinger ("Friday Night Lights"), and I found him bright, intense, straightforward and likable.
He told me on the ride over that he hated blogs. I told him that blogs weren't going anywhere and we might as well learn to live with them and enjoy them."

Excellent insight and advice from Mr. Whitlock. The insinuation, that Mr. Bissinger really didn't realize he didn't hate blogs. He didn't understand them. Hence his ill will.

Which brings us back to Mr. Whitlock's comments about Mr. Leitch's telling Negroes that they don't act Negro enough.

"And maybe Will Leitch can come along and tell us if we're all acting black enough."

It's a shame that a respected journalist like Buzz Bissinger simply doesn't 'get' blogging. The real shame is that it led to his appearing foolish on national TV, on a forum that could have led to necessary and insightful dialogue.

If journalists and bloggers have a difficult time understanding each others intent, and it leads to ill feeling (feelings that might too easily be called 'hate'), would it be a jump to say that individuals of different races might misinterpret intent of word and actions?

Again, let's refer to our interview with Mr. Leitch:

NOIS: Why do you hate Negroes?

Leitch: Hate is such a strong word. We fear what we do not understand, fine sirs. I eagerly await my re-education.

Clearly, Mr. Leitch is not the only one due for some refresher training.

If The Candidate Were A Coach...

College football and presidential politics. Two arenas filled with corruption, empty promises, high hopes, dirty money and politicians.

What if the Obama, Hillary and McCain were college football coaches?

Who would they be?

Half-rican American Barack Obama is the presidential equivalent of former Notre Dame (current U Dub) coach Tyrone Willingham.

Obama burst onto the scene as a man with a vision of renewed hope and dignity. He didn't have a truly measurable track record, but he had a commanding, polished and regal presence that has allowed for a predominantly white electorate to get over their deeply rooted desire to reject him based solely on his fraternally bestowed Negro-ness. Upper middle class and well educated whites have welcomed him with open arms. Coronating him the savior of American politics and warmly wrapping themselves in the comfort of the communication of his positive vision. But, as soon as he mis-steps or doesn't meet the incredibly high standards that will be expected of him; the clamor for his leaving office will be deafening. There will be no margin for error in his term. And, after he is run off, whomever is chosen as his white successor will be given a mandate of a minimum of two terms. Despite the strong possibility that there will be no discernible difference in performance at the time of the mandate. And, certainly, any early success gained by the successor will be attributed to the successor's 'genius'; Obama's contributions will quickly be discounted and he will be labelled as shiftless and lazy.

Hillary Clinton is Nick Saban.

Somehow, Hillary is able to convince herself that what comes out of her mouth is honest and true. Her moral character allows her to easily reshape reality to her personal needs, and her mind believes it. Whether it be NAFTA, snipers or health care; she doesn't bat an eye or hesitate to give the politically expedient and personally beneficial answer or comment. Regardless of what historical documentation of the event says actually happened. In normal life, that is called lying. In college football or politics, that is the ability to spin or sell your program. Hillary's other great talent is to look at the rules, and rather than find ways to comply with them (ie, party tenants for the number of delegates required to win the candidacy and party decisions for states that broke rules), she looks for loopholes in the language that allow her to attempt to gain an advantage over others. Hillary runs an authoritarian regime, emasculating those around her and rarely looks pleased or happy. Such is the life of one who sees every interaction as a power struggle.

John McCain is Mike Price.

Mike Price took a woeful Wazzou program and turned it into a winner. A little older than the average 'hot coach', Price seemed to be earning the chance at a plumb coaching job later in life than many coaches. Given the keys to the storied Alabama program, it turned out that Price simply wasn't a good fit for the 'party'. His 'philosophy' didn't quite match that of his constituents or the other 'party' power brokers. He ended up never coaching a game for the Tide and is now back to having some success in a smaller program with a less 'conservative' philosophy out in the Southwest.

Politicians and college football coaches.

What's the difference?

SAS: Is Stephen A. A 'Company' Man Now?

One of the most endearing things about Stephen A. Smith was his willingness to go out on a limb. To say what was in his mind. To not mince words. To hit you upside the head with an honest comment or perspective, regardless of whether his perception was not the 'party' line or shared by the mainstream media.

Smith is caricatured frequently in Blogfrica. Screamin' Stephen. Certainly, he played into the role. But, why not? It got him a lot of face time on ESPN. Although, it might have cost him his newspaper job.

And that is why we question his most recent contribution to the ESPN dot com mainstream sports 'news' outlet (and magazine).

The writing is clearly Mr. Smith's. Clearly. The ideas and vision communicated through Mr. Smith's words; however, are foreign.

Mr. Smith says things like, "Enough with the race issue."

And, "Once upon a time, I was inclined to believe that the NBA, in an effort to ingratiate itself with its viewing public, wanted more white players to serve that purpose—until, that is, common sense taught me otherwise."

Certainly, these are Mr. Smith's words. But we wonder, where did these postulations of common sense teaching anyone about race come into play?

This takes us back to our previous statement about Mr. Smith losing an income source from his newspaper affiliation. While we understand that Mr. Smith has a need to feed his family, we wonder if this gig writing for ESPN has boundaries included.

Is Mr. Smith being forced to conform to the mainstream media or espn view of the world? Is Mr. Smith gun shy, and afraid to allow Screamin' Stephen to have a go at the key board?

I've heard such noise emanating from African-American communities in the aftermath of the Brawl in Auburn Hills, nearly four years ago. The argument goes like this: The NBA hasn't had an American-born white superstar since Larry Bird, and teams will travel to any and all corners of the earth to find a Dirk Nowitzki, a Peja Stojakovic or someone else without a remote connection to Ron Artest. The noise has been echoing again this spring, as 13 of the 16 playoff teams have at least one white international player in at least a supporting role.
If the argument made sense, the NBA would be the definition of hypocrisy, considering all the hip-hop booming in arenas around the league. Except the argument doesn't make any sense at all.

Does Mr. Smith really believe that there hasn't been a concerted movement to supplant the young Negro as the face of the league? That it is just coincidence or a response to a shifting market?

We are great fans of common sense, as is Mr. Smith.

So, we step back and ruminate on the words submitted.

Which is to be expected: Mr. Smith exposing the racist tactics of the NBA and loudly complaining about them? Or, Mr. Smith supporting, in calm language, the NBA's death sentence for the young Negro as the face of the league?

Clearly, it's more shocking to see Mr. Smith support the direction the white rulers are taking the Association.

Certainly, we at NOIS wouldn't even be discussing this if Mr. Smith had written the type of column we expected.

Adding to this righteous analysis, we can find additional comfort in a statement Mr. Smith made in an interview right here on NOIS:

I consider it my responsibility to express a point of view -- even one I may admittedly not necessarily agree with...

Indeed.

We can take solace in Mr. Smith's words.

This instance of conformity and compliance to the white ruling class can only be a veiled act of contrarian resistance.

We salute Mr. Smith for taking this stand to demonstrate just how misguided, misdirected and miscalculated the NBA's business plan is.

In playing into the mainstream notion that Screamin' Stephen is wrong thinking and loud mouthed; he has effectively turned the tables on the powers that be.

They have his endorsement.

How can they hate on him and hold him down now?

And at the same time, how can the rest of us agree with what he says on this issue?

Well played, sir.

Checkmate.

Our Readers....

Just wanted to share an email exchange we had with one of our readers.

It was in reference to the recent decision to deny LSU's Ryan Perrilioux the opportunity to continue his education at LSU.

We had successfully previously argued the point that Perrilioux's suspension was arbitrary and unfair. We say 'successfully' argued the point, because not long after our post, RP was reinstated as a student-athlete.

To wit, we received this email:

Sir
"Unspecified" usually means "Not for Public Consumption". So, to be suspended for unspecified reasons is often better for the individual than telling everyone he was suspended for failing a drug test three times, getting arrested twice, being under FBI investigation, and generally being a screw-up. Who cares if he is black, white, or purple? Justice should be colorblind, and when it is, I tire quickly of comments like "a few minor incidents of non-compliance". When does non-compliance become criminal?
I feel that the LSU program has been more than fair with Ryan. Certainly talented - but talent does not necessarily mean privlege, and that is what is implied that he deserves. I disagree. The worst thing that can happen is he doesn't get to play pro football - guess what? - stand inline with the 95% of other college athletes who want to go pro. The university pays all of his costs and asks that he, in return, PLAY football, attend classes, make decent grades and avoid embarrassing the university. I think he managed to go one for four. THAT's why he's gone,not some vast whitey conspiracy to keep the brother down.

Name withheld by NOIS to protect the challenged

Hard to argue. But, we tried in our response to him.

Sir, thank you for your obtuse and overly loquacious response. While we agree that at times it is better to allow the individual some privacy; we feel it is more important to allow the individual to understand exactly what the rules are before worrying about guarding his privacy.

If the rules are unspecified, how can the young man know if he is breaking them or not?

"Justice should be colorblind, and when it is, I tire quickly of comments like "a few minor incidents of non-compliance". When does non-compliance become criminal?"

If the young man has committed a crime, why has he not been convicted? Your ability to quickly tire of calling him non-compliant with the program rules...and opt to call him criminal without going to trial or being convicted tips your hand.

You say justice should be colorblind. Implying it isn't. And we agree. Yet, you pretend here that it has been. Your deranged tirade with references to 'keeping the brother down' intensifies the suspect nature of your commentary.

Clearly, the young man was brought to LSU under the auspices of being the recipient of privileged treatment. Who (athlete or otherwise) goes to a school like LSU with the notion they will receive a reasonable education? Let's be forthright. No one aspires to the educational offerings of a third rate university located in one of the academically poorest performing states in the nation. The idea that an athlete 'owes' LSU some sort of feigned interest in academia is laughable. LSU's national rankings in academics show the university itself isn't even interested in academics. The notion that RP should be held to a standard of not embarrassing the university, when LSU's liberal use of the term 'university' is an embarrassment in and of itself is humorous at best - and horrifically delusional at worst.

We thank you for submitting your thoughts on the matter. And we choose to dismiss them as either racially motivated hysteria or a poor opinion formed out of the insufficient thought process developed at LSU.

Good day.

NOIS

Tim Tebow: The Total Package

We never quite got behind the Tim Tebow Heisman Trophy thing.

We felt that, yes he was a good QB and put up some heady numbers, but that the offense itself is what allowed the big TD numbers. To put it succinctly, any 'good' QB that had his skill set (Chase Daniel, Dennis Dixon, etc) could have matched the production. Put Tebow in another offense, and he was just an above average QB. Feel free to wrongly disagree. It hasn't stopped some of you in the past.

Anyway.

We were wrong.

Tim Tebow, who has had Gator fans worshipping at his altar for over two years now, is the bearer of skills and abilities that are simply unparalleled.

Smart......check.

Athletic....check.

Able to perform surgery without any formal medical training....check.

During Tebow's spring break in March, he traveled to his father's Filipino orphanage for five days. He spent time with orphans, spoke about his faith in schools and market places, and even assisted doctors during medical procedures. Tebow said he removed cysts from patients and performed a few circumcisions.

You read that correctly.

No word on whether Tebow will be available for work should his services be needed at a briss.

But we'll keep you informed.
We must lodge a formal complaint against Mr. Tebow.

While it is admirable that he is standing strong for his personal convictions, he should be more careful with his words.

"No matter where I am, if I'm preaching to Muslims or in a prison, if you're in the will of God, that's safer than driving down the interstate," Tebow said.

We can think of nothing more advisable and reasonable than an Evangelist attempting to witness and convert Muslim.

Other than, perhaps, driving down that interstate Mr. T-bow mentioned blindfolded.

Leonarad Little: Stuggle With The Past

A quick off topic thought:

We work under the presumption that most of you that read our work are sports fans. And fairly well versed sports fans. So, most probably have some recollection of Leonard Little.

Little is a football player. Ten years ago, he made a bad decision that changed lives. He drove drunk, and struck and killed a woman.

This morning we read an article detailing the struggle that Little has gone through. Living with the guilt and repercussions of his poor decision. Coming to terms with and communicating his regret and remorse.

All reasonable and acceptable.

Certainly, many people feel that Little may have gotten off lightly. He served a mere 90 days. Others will feel that the baggage he will continue to carry is a sufficient punishment.

We aren't here to judge either way. Drunk driving is something that most don't take seriously until tragedy strikes. Drunk driving, we believe is something that must be dealt with in the harshest terms.

Perhaps the most disturbing thing about what we read, is this:

His mother could see the pain eating away at him. His mother made him go see a psychologist in Knoxville. He saw her four or five days a week. One day in broad daylight as he was driving a little rental Toyota on his way home from the psychologist's office, still unable to shed the guilt, Little stared at the tall trees that lined both sides of the highway.

We don't get it.

Several weeks after the vehicular homicide caused by driving under the influence, Little is behind the wheel of a car?

That is all.

Athletes Involved In Spitzer Case?

Most of you are probably familiar with the Elliot Spitzer fiasco.

The former bulldog attorney general turned governor of New York was caught red handed engaging in the use of prostitutes.

Well, seems in an effort to make Spitzer's depravities and wanderlust more socially acceptable, basketball players may be being brought into the mess.

While we're not at liberty yet to disclose names - word is that a number of local basketball players will be named...

The insinuation is that these will be local NBA players.

Obviously, by connecting the players to Spitzer's depraved moral character, the intent is to try to spin the governor's actions as mainstream.

Clearly, the governor's operatives are trying to sway public opinion his way. NBA stars are renowned for engaging in wild and fun times (at times, admittedly, toe-ing the line of legality) and not losing their jobs or being convicted of crimes. This seems like a self serving attempt to somehow allow the governor to ride the privileged NBA train.

A train that runs on tracks constructed by Negro athletes.

This is the latest, and possibly most brazen, attempt to take the advantages won through the hard work of the Negro athlete and fully exploit them for the sinister and selfish needs of a rich white man.

In recent times we've seen Carmello Anthony and Stephen Jackson reap the benefits their fore-Brothers provided for them. If trailblazing athletes like Allen Iverson, Isaiah Rider, Damon Stoudemire (and the rest of the Jailblazers) hadn't conditioned us to accept the lifestyle indiscretions of young athletes...current athletes (such as Pacman Jones) might not have the employment opportunities that they have today.

Does anyone believe that Dale Davis painfully absorbed a police stun-gunning so that a billionaire heir like Spitzer could receive the benefit of a public opinion jaded and beaten into submission by continual NBA/athlete encounters with law enforcement? Or that Eddie Griffin jeopardized his life by driving with both hands on the stick shift so that a privileged white man could say, 'hey, NBA guys went to this whore house, too, so I want to be let off the hook like they would be!'

Certainly, this transparent pandering is galling. But, more sinister is another aspect of Spitzer's 'defense'.

MediaTakeOut.com just got word that the client list includes a a number of prominent fixtures in the hip hop scene.

Again, do Spitzer's operatives have no shame?

Aren't prominent fixtures on the hip hop scene some of the very people that Spitzer attempted to force to comply with the white agenda while in command of his regime of heavy handed conformance enforcement as the attorney general?

But, now, his supporters want to attempt to provide him the opportunity to steal some of the very rights prominent hip-hoppers have won for their culture? We should turn the other way and allow Spitzer to not be held accountable for his whoring, just because it wouldn't bother us if prominent hip-hoppers indulged in such activity?

The list of hip-hop pioneers who have lost their own careers or freedom in the struggle to ensure that the current generation of MC's, DJ's and rappers can flaunt their lifestyles and direct the required indignation at the law is far too long to supply.

Perhaps the most telling tip of the hat to these freedom fighters is the current practice of actually hyperbolizing one's rap sheet (see Akon) in an effort to ensure that the public understands just how important the freedoms of behavior won by hip-hoppers truly are.

Again, our indignation and offense to these latest possible revelations revolving around Mr. Spitzer is palpable.

NBA players and hip-hoppers didn't stage a significant protest (rooted in a manifested stance against the powers that be) by descending upon Las Vegas a year ago to demonstrate in an orchestrated exercise in civil disobedience during the NBA all star game, so that rich white men could justify their need to pay for physical gratification of the most illicit and illegal manner.

Let us not allow the battle won on the fields of Las Vegas in 2007 to be turned into a commemoration of the indiscretions of the prejudice worshipping ruling class.

Let us continue to support the need to hold the white rulers accountable by remaining unfazed and unmoved when we read of the odd NBA'er or hip-hopper engaged in a legal struggle to prove his innocence.

To allow Spitzer off the hook is to turn our backs on the freedoms and civil rights others have fought so hard to win.

Roger Clemens: Is Anyone Surprised?

We have been getting email after email referencing the latest choice detail in the Roger Clemens saga. That detail being that Clemens may well have been involved in an intimate relationship with a female minor.

Many of our readers are up in arms that the media is not dragging Clemens over the coals. That the media is not providing non-stop coverage. That children's and women's advocacy groups are not speaking out. Certainly, if Clemens had been a young, Negro accused of not stopping dogs from having fights on his property...advocacy groups would be organizing mass demonstrations against his very existence! Or had Clemens been the Negro Home Run King, we might now be questioning his moral character as a result of his philandering.

But, Clemens is the Cy Young and Strike Out King (read: white), so expectations are different. Media spin is different. And public reaction is different.

Many Negroes and supporters of fair reporting and unspun media commentary have suggested that the media goes out of its way to shine a negative light on the circumstances that Negro athletes find themselves. Many have said that Barry Bonds has been held to a different standard than players such as Mark McGwire. The insinuation is that the media has taken an unfair approach to painting a negative picture of Bonds. That the media has introduced things such as a loose lipped mistress to further soil the linen in which the public perception of Bonds rests.

All of this certainly begs the question: Why is Roger Clemens not being mercilessly demonized? Why is there not a public outcry to nullify his records and awards? Why are baseball people not taking an oath to keep him out of the Hall of Fame?

These are legitimate questions. And, as righteous thinkers we can provide effective and legitimate answers to them.

The answer isn't complicated. And, despite institutionalized efforts that are intertwined between the government, corporations and media; the example of Roger Clemens treatment by the press juxtaposed to Barry Bonds' is not a sinister or conspiratory plot to hold the Negro down or to sully and besmirch a race. Now, be clear in your understanding, this sort of thing is a common tactic used by the Big House to hold down the chattel, but the example we provide here is more rooted in the admission of the differences between the races than in attempts to provide a means to overcome those differences by holding the righteous and Originals back or down.

At times, institutionalized discrimination can reveal more than a simple hatred or distaste for that party or group being mercilessly persecuted and marginalized. It can lend us the opportunity to understand just where that hatred originates. Most of a righteous mind would agree that hatred between humans originates in fear. And fear is borne of a jealous womb.

And, righteous minds understand that even in an institutionally corrupt and fetid environment, the wardens and bosses occasionally allow an honest thought or action to escape them and give away their minds and thoughts. And fears. And jealousies.

Our righteous readers, at this point, understand what we are about to say. They understand that watching Roger Clemens' actions and character be treated with nothing more than a passing glance out of the corner of the media's collective eye is actually something in which the Original athlete can take pride.

We mentioned expectations and standards earlier. Why does a Jared Allen, a convicted habitual drunk driver, get a mere slap on the wrist and a record contract? While a Pacman Jones, unconvicted and characterized by some in the legal/law enforcement profession as a 'hero', get a years suspension? Why is Barry Bonds, whose story seems to parallel Clemens (except Bonds extra-marital dalliance was not started with a minor), run out of the game?

Clearly, the answer is race.

The empirical and anecdotal evidence is not confrontable. It can't be challenged. Please, save your emails. Disagreement is not entertainable.

Let's agree on that. But, also, let's understand what that means.

As we suggested earlier, hatred is rooted in fear is rooted in jealousy. What does that mean? Well, it takes us back to the words expectation and standards.

Negro athletes are held to higher social and moral expectations and standards than their bleached counterparts.

Jared Allen's contract. Roger Clemens' ability to still get a job in baseball if he chooses. These are the proof in the pudding.

Michael Vick. Pacman Jones. Barry Bonds. Carmello Anthony. The list goes on and on. Demonized and crushed under the media grind.

More is expected of our Negro athletes. The media and public don't expect a Jared Allen to be able to control himself and make reasonable choices when it comes to alcohol. The media and public don't expect a Roger Clemens to perform at a high level without chemical assistance. They don't expect a Roger Clemens to exercise the moral restraint to keep his hands off a teenage girl.
The media does expect Michael Vick to have control over what happens at property he pays for. The media does expect Pacman Jones to leave a strip club as soon as he recognizes there is the potential for trouble. The media does expect Barry Bonds to hit massive and numerous home runs with the assistance of balanced nutrition and consistent strength training. And the media does expect Bonds to set a moral example that young people can take value in.

So righteous readers, take pride in the media's continual and relentless pressure cooking of Original athletes who find themselves in odd situations. And take greater pride as white athletes who break laws, lie and show the moral fortitude of a Chicago-machine politician, are reported on in passing and small print by the media.


It's a simple and righteous tip of the hat to the Negro athlete.


More is expected of you.


Because you are better.


Better talents, better people.


Original people.


The day that Roger Clemens goes into the Hall of Fame is the day that Barry Bonds is crowned the greatest baseball player of all time.


The media set the standards.


The Original athlete simply tries to meet them.

Draft Coverage: D-Lineman Rule the Day

As we prognosticated, defensive lineman were the prized commodity in the upper half of Saturday's NFL Draft.

We predicted that after the NY Giants undressing of NE in the Super Bowl, many of the less talented NFL teams would try to emulate the Giants success. Stockpiling and accumulating waves of powerful defensive lines; built in the image of the Giants' Tuck, Strahan, Omenyiora and the rest. Big, fast, quick and dominating. Certainly every team with even a perceived need would be taking a Negro warrior and hoping to enjoy the same type of success the Giants achieved.

Of the first 8 players selected, 5 were defensive linemen. Many believe that Glenn Dorsey will provide the inside anchor that Kansas City needs to reach the next level. The athleticism of Vernon Ghoulston gives the Jets a player that can get in a stance or (if needed) fill a linebacker spot. Derrick Harvey's polish and technique give Jacksonville another talent on their line, and could put the Jaguar's in contention. And Sedrick Ellis is the latest in a recent run of USC defensive line talent to go quickly on the market.

HBCU's were well represented with Hampton's Kendall Langford going to Miami and Bryan Smith of McNeese St. to Philly in Round 3. William Hayes of Winston-Salem St. going in Round 4 to Tennessee. And Alex Hayes of St. Augustine going to Cleveland in Round 7.

Perhaps the only surprise pick was NFL legacy Chris Long, the son of Howie. Long played on a mid-major ACC team, Virginia. Playing in the ACC certainly allowed Long to excel, but also raises questions about how he will compete against legitimate players from real Division I programs. On, paper, Long has all the tools. Only time will tell us how he will compare to the other Brothers that were drafted after him.

Long is the light skinned'd brother in the pic below. We congratulate him on going so high, and looking so fly.

Huge Upgrade In Dallas Cowboys' Locker Room

Finally, the intense negotiations are over.

Pacman Jones apparently will be a Dallas Cowboy. Chalk this up as another feather in the hat of Owner Jerry Jones.

Certainly, the on-field benefits of having a player of the caliber of Pacman are tangible. Speed, quickness, agility and heart. A franchise corner and game breaking returner rolled into one. On that alone, Jones should get NFL executive of the year for stealing Pacman from the Titans.

But, throw in the intangibles...and Jones put together the greatest deal since he built a dynasty by virtually stealing 3 years of drafts from the Vikings for Herschel Walker.

Pacman is a throwback to the 90's Cowboys. He returns the swagger that Michael Irvin, Nate Newton and the rest of the bad 'Boys brought to Dallas.

The Cowboys have a relatively young squad in need of mature leadership in the locker room. The offense is steadied under the lead and example set by Terrell Owens. And now, the defense finally has someone to take the lead.

Pacman's return to football, after taking a Jordan-esque year off to try his hand at becoming a two sport superstar, has been much anticipated and talked about. And, now with the controversy of having improbably been shot at in a strip club behind him (and the apparent apprehension of the degenerate who handled the weapon), Pacman can fully concentrate on not only bringing his football skills to the Cowboys; but, on setting the example of personal betterment and achievement that the rest of the Cowboys can use as a blueprint to become champions on and off the field.

Part of Pacman's plan during his sabbatical was to continue his education at West Virginia University. Thereby meeting the need of setting an example for young people and fellow players (who never finished their degrees) that education is more important than athletics. So important, that the finest young corner-returner in the league was willing to take a year off to pursue knowledge and further his education.

Certainly, Pacman' pursuit of two-sport stardom (wrestling) infringed a bit on his educational schedule; but nonetheless, Pacman was able to set the example American youth need:

"I'm doing a couple classes online. I was thinking about going back to school, but I didn't really think that I wanted to go back to school. I'm actually taking a class, one class, online. That's about it."

So, with his commitment to education fully demonstrated, Pacman worked out a plan with Las Vegas Police and Clark County District Attorney's office to use his celebrity to bring attention to the importance of community service. Pacman, unlike many athletes who just lend their names to a cause, undertook the hands on performance of 200 hours of community service.

Education and community service have now become synonymous with Pacman Jones. And clearly, Owner Jones felt that adding someone -as the face of the Cowboys' - who had real and demonstrated accomplishments in those areas was necessary to take the team to the next level.

So, while the anticipated result of having Pacman on the roster is that the Cowboys will now be the NFC's version of the Patriots; the real world results will be far deeper reaching.

Owner Jones has fully demonstrated that in the big money world of pro sports, just being a superior athlete is not enough. You must bring more to the table. So he put his money where his mouth is and decided to make the face of America's Team a true American hero:

"I hope people consider Adam a hero in all of this," Jones' lawyer Robert Langford told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "In a lot of neighborhoods in America, West Coast and East Coast, you just shut up. Adam didn't do that. He decided it wasn't right that someone was going to get away with hurting a bunch of people."

We applaud Owner Jones for his unwavering commitment to the personal development and character of players.

And we anticipate that putting Pacman on his roster will produce exactly what America expects of a modern day sports hero.

NOIS Receives Major Media Attention, In Running For Coveted Award

For most bloggers, the daily grind of providing commentary is a thankless proposition. Most bloggers have small audiences and don't receive much attention from the mainstream media.

Certainly, NOIS can't relate to those bloggers.

As we recently alerted you, powerhouse media blogging outlet "Why Don't We Get Drunk and Blog" has been running a tournament on their site to determine the 'suckiest' blog on the internet.

NOIS has achieved a minimum of runner up status.

We'd like to thank the overwhelming participatory body responsible for brandishing this recognition upon us. While our mission is one of education, we'd be untruthful if we didn't admit that this type of high profile notoriety is appreciated.

"There's no denying how sucky these blogs are. That's not me talking. That's five rounds of mostly lopsided voting talking."

Certainly, it isn't just the media outlet running the contest talking. In the 'Final Four' alone, a full 70 people participated in voting in the NOIS match up. Clearly, the consumptive masses of Blogfrica have weighed in and spoken out in the types of numbers that prove mainstream media is a thing of the past.

Breaking down the participation even further, we see that the host blog attracts an average of about 850 unique views a day.

We can only assume that the more than 90% of the 850 average daily readers of the blog that didn't bother to take part in this barometer of bloggery were too fully captivated by the eloquence and depth of the host blogging to even make it to the poll. While we understand how the rabid and vast readership could get lost in the literary magnificence of the work; we do admonish them for not weighing in and being a part of the 70 or so people that are deciding the future of media on the net.

Obviously, wordsmithing like the following is what attracts the massive following:

How NoISB got here: I don't get what's happening at this blog. If something occurs with a black dude in the news, they seem to write about it. I don't think the writers aren't Islamic, nor is Steve McNair, who is at the heart of a recent post. Maybe the race card thing is an inside joke that I, or no one else, gets.

The thrill of being confronted by the confusion and imagery of the double negative, flipped into the rare triple, certainly is something that will eventually lead to an average of 1000 readers a day. It certainly caused our research staff to read the sentence over and over. The author does not think the NOIS writers are not Islamic, and nor is Steve McNair. This probably initiated incredible debate amongst the 70 delegates casting votes!

Perhaps the only person more confused than the readers is the author. He doesn't get what's happening on NOIS. Certainly, if someone of his formidable intellect isn't sure what takes place on NOIS, no one else would get it.

We extend our most sincere appreciation to the electorate, which we shall now look upon as our constituency. Clearly, we have been granted an undeniable mandate to continue our mission of education. For that, we are grateful. And, we acknowledge the trust and responsibility that both the initiators of the contest and the masses of participants have placed at our feet.

Thank you, one and all......all 70 of you who ensured that we reach the finals.

Now, here's hoping our server doesn't crash with the proliferation of traffic this is going to direct here.

Calzaghe: ESPN relishes the victory

After Joe Calzaghe survived certain death (with the help of a low blow that seemed to sap the energy of Hopkins), the judges reported a split decision.

Calzaghe's hand was raised in victory. And boxing lost more respect.

Interestingly enough, on the same night that boxing was busy falling deeper into WWE territory, MMA's UFC put on a card that drew a record crowd and further opened the gap between the directions of the sports.

Perhaps most troubling about the aftermath of the boxing debacle was ESPN's reporting of the incident.

ESPN.com boxing guru, Dan Rafael, seemed to take a journalistically dangerously inappropriate joy in Calzaghe's gift of victory.

"And in taking the title, Calzaghe stuffed Hopkins' own racist words down his throat. "

Rafael, in an effort to distract white boxing fans from the horrendous judging, chose to flat out slam the race card on the table.

We've already established that it was Calzaghe's greed and dubious negotiation tactics that forced the racial elements introduced into the fight build up. Yet, Rafael felt compelled to delight in, and to further the controversy of Hopkins benign statements.

Rafael went further. Openly mocking Hopkins in his reporting, the column read as if it were some sort of white supremest literature.

Hopkins loudly declared in front of the media that he would "never let a white boy beat me. Never." Well, the white boy from Wales did exactly that, letting his fists do the talking. Calzaghe never answered Hopkins' nasty taunts throughout the promotion, instead laughing them off and calling Hopkins a buffoon.

Rafael never makes mention of the difficult position that Hopkins was put in in trying to make the fight. Additionally, he condones Calzaghe's open disdain and avoidance of Hopkins comments. And even condones Calzaghe's use of the word 'buffoon' to describe Hopkins. We wonder if 'buffoon' was the actual word used. We believe that Calzaghe's Welsh brogue possibly could have masked his usage of the word 'baboon'. No matter, Rafael certainly would have had no problem with such a racially derogatory characterization of Hopkins.

"A low blow in the 10th sent Hopkins down to the canvas, where he grimaced in pain, even if it appeared he may have been doing a bit of acting. "

Rafael's effort to mitigate the effects of a blow to Hopkins' Original Man Parts only supports the growing contentions that we are exposing in this post.

"Calzaghe didn't seem to care. He raised his arms to the crowd, which responded with ear-shattering cheers. "

Seems Calzaghe and the crowd took as much pleasure in the illegal punch as Rafael did. Their disdain for Original privates was virtually terrifying.

It's a shame that ESPN and Rafael, instead of exposing the poor judging and criticising the direction boxing has been going, chose to make this fight a white versus Negro affair.

Clearly, as long as Negro fighters lace up their gloves and don boxing trunks, every time they enter the ring they will be fighting two opponents:

The boxer they signed to fight.

And the racism that is embedded in this society.

We salute Bernard Hopkins.

Though he may have been denied a boxing victory; his stand for civil rights in the face of racism proves he is the true champion.

Observation in Chapel Hill

A quick note of possible importance for next year's college basketball season.

One of our operatives was in Chapel Hill this past evening.

Enjoying the majesty of Franklin Street at the legendary Player's Dance Club (the PDC, Players...etc...whatever you choose to call it).

North Carolina basketball great Tyler Hansbrough was present.

Observations:

i. The TV adds a solid 20 pounds to him. Hansbrough is tall and thin (despite his muscular and mature appearance on TV) and in person, in street clothes, is nowhere near ready to play in the NBA.

ii. Hansbrough was drinking the Players' signature drink, 'Holy Grail'. A feminine concoction of small amounts of alcohol, beer and fruit juices. A staple of the PDC, and a favorite of management. Employees laugh at those that fall into the trap of thinking it is a high alcohol content drink. Why is this important? Because any budding NBA star who drinks two and ends up dancing, doing the white man overbite, is light years from being NBA ready.

iii. Hansbrough's female companion was not even 'desperate' NBA groupie caliber. Enough said.

iv. A well lubricated Hansbrough stated he would be back in Carolina Blue next year.


You don't have to believe us.

It doesn't matter.

We are just relaying (not reporting) what our operative heard and saw.

Hopkins v. Calzaghe: The Brit Fighter Makes It Racial

Coming out of retirement for one more payday, Bernard Hopkins faces the undefeated Joe Calzaghe this weekend in what looks to be a pretty good match-up.

Hopkins, at one time considered the best fighter on the planet, will take on not only his opponent; but Father Time, as well.

Calzaghe, a fighter who has made his 'name' in the UK, brings an undefeated record wit his only win worth mentioning a shocking upset of an under-trained Jeff Lacy.

Certainly, we are used to fight build ups that include outlandish comments and actions. That is nothing new. But, when the fight build up causes one fighter to start to make racially questionable and possibly divisive statements, we wonder what the world of boxing has degenerated into.

Joe Calzaghe seemingly is relishing some of the words that came out of Bernard Hopkins mouth. Words that stirred controversy. Words that resulted from the sneaky tactics of the manipulative Calzaghe.

Calzaghe took a very cavalier attitude towards the situation:

"You call each other out, there's a bit of controversy," he said. "He done his little bit of controversy with his little white guy [comment], which I'm glad he said to be honest, because it created a lot publicity from that."

The comment to which Calzaghe refers?

"I would never let a white boy beat me. Never."

Certainly, the white slanted media will take every opportunity to spin this into Hopkins making uncouth racial remarks. It will paint Calzaghe as simply being a polite Briton, who just happened (through no action of his own) to be the recipient of a socially unacceptable sentiment. (Regardless of the truth in it)

But, for the keener eye. For the mind that understands exactly how the white media uses race and truth against the Original fighter. For that mind, the reality is clear.

Calzaghe wanted more money. Calzaghe, who is a virtual no name in the US, wanted to pick the pocket of one of the greatest champions of all time.

Hopkins wanted to fight. Hopkins didn't want Calzaghe to have an out.

Even with a 50-50 purse split, Hopkins could tell by Calzaghe's actions and words that the fight might still not be made.

"It came together for him because I pressured him and I said the things I said where he couldn't back out of the fight," Hopkins said of his racial comments. "He had to sign the contract after that. They tried to weasel out of everything so I gave them 50-50. I didn't have to do that. I had the leverage. If Roy Jones was in my position, he would have never gave him 50-50. The fight would have never happened."

Hopkins was forced into a position to throw down the gauntlet.

Don't let yourself be fooled into thinking that there was any racist sentiment behind the remark.

Don't allow the manipulative Calzaghe to distract you from his attempts to hi-jack the proceeds from the fight.

Don't fall victim to the mainstream media's attempts to play the race card and turn you against Hopkins.

Do watch the fight.

Hopkins later added, "You can print that. I would never lose to a white person."

And that ain't racist.

It's righteous.