JUPITER, FLA – While Charles Barkley and I have been on the opposite sides of a couple of issues, the fact that White America has now chosen him to be Black America’s spokesman is amusing.
Barkley is on camera for any and all subjects. “Whatever Charles says must be the way the rest of them think” has been the meeting room banter when it comes to getting that “tell it like it is” guy on the air who may just say anything. Barkley has emerged as must-watch TV, whether it is his insightful analysis on TNT or a one-on-one with President Obama recently. He was really good.
When it comes to social issues like the Michael Sam situation, Barkley said all the right things to Wolff Blitzer on CNN, coming clean on the locker room issues. While there are many black people who may be smarter and more in tune with reality than Barkley, Sir Charles is the flavor of the month and he should run with it as if it were the Olympic torch.
Agree or disagree with him, he is a distinctive voice – a voice that will cause you to laugh or raise an eyebrow with a response of “what did he just say?”
The X Olympics
The Olympics is like no other event in the sports world. An athlete trains tirelessly for years to get one chance, and all of a sudden, because it may not be their day, it’s gone, over, thank you for coming. Just like that, you are back in the real world.
Aside from hockey, this Winter Olympics has been a snoozer. You have to wonder: What if they had not come up with the X Games produced by ESPN a few years ago? Some of these events are now “Olympic events”? Who is kidding who here? These are as much an event as me going down Art Hill in Forest Park on an inner tube in July!
Sorry, Olympics, bring back my regularly scheduled programming. The bigger story appears to be how the American press has painted Russian President Vladimir Putin as a modern day Al Capone. Heck, it worked over here, why not Russia?
Blacks contend for Cardinals
I wish I could tell you more about Cardinals spring training, but we are in the very early stages where rounds of catch and batting practice are the norm. There will be competition for a few spots for sure, as this team is being built to play in October. It will have a different look then than it does now.
As for the annual question about the Cardinals – where are the African-American players? – one has a chance to make the team. Left-handed reliever Sam Freeman is fighting for a spot in the bull pen. Despite his size, 5’11”, 165 lbs., Freeman throws hard and will be a handful from the left side for the Cardinals.
Another intriguing player who may start in the minors is Xavier Scruggs. A first baseman by trade, Scruggs set the team record for home runs in class AA in Springfield last season. He is now working at third base where his chances to get to the big leagues should be better.
Incognito must go
A raise of hands. if you please. Who is tired of hearing the name “Richie Incognito”? That is what I thought.
This guy will not go away. After a Twitter tirade that was followed by a scathing report from the NFL investigation, which implicated him and others in the Jonathan Martin case, it seems that Incognito wants to continue his banter, if not his career.
A free agent in March, Incognito will have a chance to sign with any team, as it has been made very clear that he will no longer play for the Miami Dolphins, who suspended him during the season. Now that the league has scorned him, what NFL owner will take it upon themselves to give this guy a job?
He is an embarrassment for the league, and yet he feels entitled to a job because he has above-average skills. If the NFL wants to do the right thing, they need to turn the page on this guy. This is the NFL, and this no fantasy league when it comes to ending someone’s career for indefensible acts toward the Shield.
Quickies …
No one puts on an event like the NBA and All Star weekend. Parties and, yes, the legends are in the house all the time. This league takes care of its own and never forgets the legends who built it.
For those of you who think it is a good idea for Saint. Louis University to lose a game before the tournament starts, could you leave the room? Your senses are malfunctioning, and we do not want it to be contagions.
Mizzou will have to win at least two in the conference tournament if they do not want to find themselves in the NIT. If that happens, Frank Haith will be introduced to the well-known hot seat. That is how they roll in Columbia. I always found that amusing, considering none of the previous coaches have ever found their way to the Final Four.
What will Lo Lo Jones do next after the Olympics?
The NFL Combine is set to start this week. I wonder how many teams will visit with Michael Sam? I wonder how many of them will be wasting his time because they only want to hear the details?
