Queen of Soul Breaks Ribs In Fall!

The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin has been forced to cancel 2 free concerts she was scheduled to perform in New York next week due to breaking her ribs in a fall over the weekend. Get well soon Queen!

The Article ESPN.com Didn't Want You To See About LeBron!

This story has flown a little under the radar, but Deadspin has the article that hit the ESPN.com site last week about LeBron James' fun times in Las Vegas written by Arash Markasi. The article which depicts how any 25 year-old with millions of dollars would probably behave isn't exactly flattering to James, and was pulled because Markazi failed to identify himself. All I can say is that James, who isn't married but has 2 children by his baby mama, clearly is enjoying his time in Vegas, but in this case what happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas.

Roy Barnes Ignores Obama Visit!

President Barack Obama made a visit to Atlanta yesterday to speak in front of a group of disabled veterans and raise money for the Democratic party. More interesting is the fact that present Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue greeted the president at the airport, but present Democratic nominee for governor Roy Barnes was nowhere to be found, campaigning in the southern part of the state. Barnes clearly felt that he had nothing to gain by greeting the president, and that perhaps he even feels that President Obama is a liability.

A lot has changed for our president in the last year and a half. The euphoria that he once generated has been replaced by second guessing and skepticism. He's putting his presidential face on, but he needs to regain the trust of the American people and his party in order to change his fortunes.

Homeless To Scholarship!

It's amazing that students born into this country don't take advantage of educational opportunities to master the simple skills of reading, writing and arithmetic. Orayne Williams of Brooklyn overcame being abandoned by his family and homelessness to earn a full scholarship to Manhattanville College where he will major in Biology. Born to a poor family in Kingston, Jamaica, Williams' thirst for knowledge lead him to become an A student in high school, and when his story was profiled by the New York Daily News in June, scholarship money started flowing in from readers of the article including the college that he will be attending.

This is a heartwarming story that gives all of us a break from the normal stories of violence and crime that cloud the news on a daily basis as a result of teen behavior.

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Lorenzen Wright Tragedy Was So Unnecessary!

The moment that Lorenzen Wright's family reported him missing, we knew that this story wasn't going to end well. Wright's body was found 2 days ago in Memphis with his body covered in a wooded area of thick brush. Wright, who played 13 seasons in the NBA, and made millions, apparently was having a rough time. He'd recently lost 2 million dollar homes in Atlanta and Memphis, and now a new revelation that his ex-wife Sherra Robinson Wright had received a visit at her Memphis home from 3 men with guns in their waistband looking for Wright in recent weeks. When Wright returned to Memphis from Atlanta, he was gunned down on July 19th.

Speculation on the cause of Lorenzen Wright's death will not end the pain for his family and his 6 children. Wright had achieved the American Dream, and apparently lost it. His story should be a seminar to all athletes that the money can be lost and that you can return to the addictive lure of the streets from which you came. Lorenzen Wright's life deserved a better ending, and all we can do now is pray for his family in friends in their time of sorrow.

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The Sean Bell Settlement!

It took nearly 4 years for the City of New York to settle a federal wrongful death lawsuit involving the shooting of Sean Bell, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield. The $7 million settlement was divided amongst the 3 friends, with Bell's estate receiving $3.25 million as his 2 friends survived the more than 50 gunshots from police officers.

Sean Bell left behind 2 children and a fiance, with his fiance being the executor of his estate. Paultre Bell, legally took Sean's last name after his death, stated that the settlement was fair but bittersweet, since it will not bring back the father of her 2 children.

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Viewing A Bad Move!

President Barack Obama will be making an appearance on "The View" tomorrow instead of addressing The Boy Scouts of America's 100th Anniversary. President Obama needs positive press, but I don't think that visiting Barbara Walters and company will do the trick.

Obama is looking increasingly detached from the realities of economic hardship and providing the message of "change" to the country. While he needs positive press, we probably need to see less of him talking about "change" and more implementation of policies that will positively impact change for our country.

Mama Knows Best!

I honestly thought that Michael Vick was toast after the birthday party altercation, but lucky for him he gets to play another day. Vick was cleared by the NFL to play yesterday and he met with reporters on the first day of training camp discussing the events of June 24. Vick stated the following concerning listening to his mother:

"If I could recheck and do it all over again I would listen to my mom and have it private and let her and my fiancé orchestrate the party," "I didn't do it and that goes to show that mama knows best. . . . You got to start listening to your mom at some point."

He also stated that he knows that he's on thin ice, and that his career hangs by a thread in terms of any type of negative transgression. Vick will have to be a perfect citizen for the remainder of his career, and he truly knows that now.

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Lorenzen Wright Still Missing!

Former NBA player Lorenzen Wright has been reported missing by his family according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Wright was last seen on July 18, and the family suspects foul play. Wright played 13 seasons in the NBA with, and played college basketball at Memphis. As of right now the police don't suspect foul play, but the family states that his disappearance is out of character for him. Hopefully this story will have a positive ending.

Why Doesn't Charlie Do The Right Thing!

Rep. Charlie Rangel was charged with serious ethics violations yesterday. The exact violations were not disclosed, but seem to be related to Rangel not reporting and paying taxes on rental income on a property in the Dominican Republic among other violations according to the New York Post. The trial begins on Thursday, and Rangel allegedly has paid out $1.7 million in attorney fees to defend himself. Rangel should do everyone a favor and just resign his position. The country doesn't need this unnecessary spectacle.

Shirley Sherrod Offered Job Back!

Shirley Sherrod continued to make news yesterday in a good way, when USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and White House spokesman Robert Gibbs apologized for the rush to judgement that took place when she was asked to resign Monday because of a speech that she gave months ago that gave a hint of possible racist views. The segment of the speech, which was brilliantly edited was telling a story of her ultimately assisting a Georgia family in keeping their farm and preventing them from going into bankruptcy.

Sherrod, who was also offered a new job, has been vindicated but has not decided if she should accept the job offer. This whole story should be a case study on racism, politics and the media in our country. The rush to judgement on a assumed racist statement before knowing the facts is ridiculous. The political slant with the White House's involvement is still unknown, and the media's dictating of forced resignation is comical. It's amazing that the White House doesn't have a backbone. Being the first black president doesn't mean a thing if you don't stand for something.

Shirley Sherrod is to be commended for not backing down and calling out everyone involved to save her good name including the White House.

Did The White House Force Shirley Sherrod Out?

Shirley Sherrod, a federal agriculture official states that she was forced by the White House to resign her position after video surfaced of a speech she gave to the NAACP stating that she didn't give her full support to a white couple she was assisting to save their farm from forclosure. The initial video, which was heavily edited didn't allow her to tell the entire story that she ultimately helped the couple save their farm. The couple, Eloise and Roger Spooner state that Sherrod kept them out of bankruptcy and is a friend for life according to a story in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Obviously there can't be double standards when it comes to race based remarks by public officials. However, if the White House forced the resignation of Ms. Sherrod, it may have been a bit hasty. Sherrod is obviously not going away quietly as she was on CNN aggressively defending herself yesterday. In her defense, the NAACP which initially chastised the remarks, backed off and apologized to Sherrod after viewing the entire speech. Perhaps Sherrod ultimately would've lost her job, but she never had a chance to defend herself, which just doesn't seem fair.

Brooklyn Bloodshed!

The New York Post reports on 3 people shot dead in a 24 period in Brooklyn, including 15 year-old Tyquan Jamison who was shot in the chest by a bullet intended for his friend. Jamison was shot at 3:30 a.m. so the first question has to be why is a 15 year-old doing out at 3:30 in the morning. This whole story about the 3 people murdered in what has been 6 shootings total is a complete tragedy, but unfortunately a sign of the times.

The-Dream's Drama!

Reports surfaced last week that music producer The-Dream and his wife Christina Milian's marriage was on the rocks after pictures hit the net with him in the Caribbean with another woman. The-Dream took too his personal website to address the rumors, stating:

"I've cried about this for months, after interviews, after prayer and I've tried to take my own life at a point because of the failure that was looming."

The-Dream, who is one of the hottest producers in the business, is at a crossroads as a solo artist as his latest solo effort "Love King" has tanked. Hopefully he can regain some normalcy in his personal life.

Scottie Pippen Returns To Bulls!

Future NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen will be returning to the Chicago Bulls in the role of team ambassador, specifically meeting with fans and sponsors while also making community related a appearances according to the Chicago Tribune. Pippen, who will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame next month, has an ultimate goal of moving into coaching, so the new position is a good starting point.

Usher "There Goes My Baby"

Usher just released a video for his hit "There Goes My Baby" from his platinum CD "Raymond v. Raymond." Good to see Mr. Raymond back in good form musically and visually. A great song goes a long way towards resurrecting a potentially floundering musical career.

Diversity Job Fair Struggling Into Charlotte!

We often hear about the struggling economy, but when you read that the economy has lost 8 million jobs in less than 3 years, it only confirms the reality. The once thriving Diversity Job Fair heads into Charlotte today with the city's Unemployment Rate at 11.1%. There was a time that the fair would have has many as 40 employers on hand recruiting potential employees, that employer number today is closer to 20. Jim Carter, who runs the Kennesaw, GA company tells the Charlotte Observer that he once had a database of about 1800 contacts, that number is down to 892. Reading an article of this nature, clearly highlights the rough economic climate.

Raleigh Woman Arrested For Trying To Sell 2 Month-Old Baby!

Sharri Butler of Raleigh, NC was arrested yesterday and charged with contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile for attempting to sell her 2 month-old child according to the Charlotte Observer. Butler is only 22 years old herself and attributed attempting to sell her baby to "a crazy baby father." Crazy story!

R.I.P. Walter Hawkins!

Gospel singer Walter Hawkins lost his battle with pancreatic cancer yesterday, succumbing at the age of 61. Prayers go out to the family.

Miami Here I Come!

I personally applaud LeBron James for doing what he felt was best for himself in deciding to join the Miami Heat along with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. While he may not have handled everything perfectly, he's 25 years old and wielding his power while he has it. As he stated, business is business and he's handling his business. Good luck and much success in Miami, Mr. James.

Stick A Fork In Vick!

We can effectively stick a fork in the football career of Michael Vick. Vick's been in the news for the last 2 weeks involving the infamous White Party that Vick hosted in Virginia Beach and his former friend and co-defendant Quanis Phillips was shot. Phillips has refused to cooperate with authorities so the case has been closed, but prosecutors did report yesterday that Vick was involved in some sort of altercation prior to the shooting.

The altercation if it indeed did happened coupled with the shooting will allow the Eagles to eventually cut Vick, who is their back up quarterback. This will effectively end Vick's career in the NFL leading him to become a journeyman player floating from minor league to minor league. The Eagles gave Vick a chance to resurrect his career, but ultimately Vick couldn't make the decision that would keep him out of potential trouble.

King James Going To Miami?

The world hasn't been turned on it's axis awaiting the LeBron James announcement of where he's going to play next season on ESPN tonight, but it almost feels like we've all been had by the media uproar and with the 6 teams that met with James last week to put on a dog and pony show for him and his peeps. Stephen A. Smith called this weeks ago and was dogged out by everyone who had an opinion, when he stated that James would be joining Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami as members of the Miami Heat.

Now most media outlets are stating just what Stephen A. reported on citing reliable sources. If James is indeed going to the Heat to form a new "Big 3" more power to him. It's just interesting that the anointed one, who is no doubt a great player, wouldn't keep the announcement more low key if he is indeed leaving. James will be criticized regardless of what decision he's going to make, but for him the proof of his greatness will be winning championships, not holding the media hostage on your next decision.

John Crowder Couldn't Escape The Streets!

While the sports world is mesmerized by Tiger's divorce, and where King James is going to be signing, the story of Baltimore's John Crowder always brings everything back into perspective about how rough it is for many talented teens to escape the lure of their surroundings. The Baltimore Sun reports on the sad story of the 17 year-old John Crowder being found bleeding in a Northeast Baltimore yard Monday morning ultimately dying of gunshot wounds.

Crowder was a nationally ranked high school basketball player whose mother died when he was 2, his father wasn't around and he already had had 2 brothers shot and a best friend murdered. It's probable that his murder may not be solved (I hope I'm wrong) and that he will become another murder statistic. I know that stations such as ESPN need ratings and it's more noteworthy to see which vehicle LeBron James is riding in to his next free agent meeting, but the story of James Crowder is a tragedy that deserves more that just a footnote in the local newspaper.

Purple Drank Quietly Destroying Lives!

The "Purple Drank" is a mixture of prescription strength cough syrup containing codeine, mixed with a soft drink such as 7Up and pieces of Jolly Rancher candy. It's been prevalent in the hip-hop community for years popularized by such artists as Lil Wayne and Three 6 Mafia. ESPN ran a segment recently highlighting it's impact on the athletic community, and with former #1 NFL draft pick JaMarcus Russell being arrested this week for possession of a controlled substance, the Purple Drank phenomenon now as a new audience.

Russell's career is likely over, and while he was clearly a bust after receiving a signing bonus of over $30 million, it's not out of the question to suspect that Purple Drank contributed to his demise. Just what we need, another vice to derail our community.

Teen Calls Police on Crackhead Mom!

The Philadelphia Daily News reports on a disturbing but all too true story of a 13 year-old boy calling the police on his 45 year-old mother who was smoking crack in his presence. The mother physically abused her son for calling the police and verbally abused the teen upon her arrest. Crack is definitely whack, and hopefully the teen, who has been placed with a relative will get a shot at a normal upbringing without dealing with the perils of a parent who is addicted to drugs.