Prospective Commencement Speakers

Commencement is on the horizon for many an undergraduate in the coming weeks (Mine was twelve years ago today), and one of the more interesting subjects that comes up around this time is the list of speakers. Some people have had the Obamas. Dick Cheney spoke at FSU once. Bill Clinton and Soledad O’Brien spoke at different FAMU ceremonies the same spring. I heard Dr. Humphries (in his final semester as president) and a state Supreme Court justice at two of my three graduations (didn’t go to the third). I heard Judge Hatchett at my cousin’s graduation…she was really good.

Anyway: if I were graduating in a couple weeks, who would I want to hear? No, I won’t count anyone I’ve heard already.

Rappers For 30

So, tickets for Yo Gotti (if you don’t know who he is, it’s not important – just know he’s a rapper) a few Saturdays ago were $30. Don’t even ask me if I went.

It made me think, though: what rappers (there’s a decent list of other musicians) would I pay $30 to see? Now, when I say “pay $30 to see”; I mean pay $30 without question under solely my own volition. Therefore, going with a group of friends wouldn’t count. I’m pretty sure it’s a small list: if it weren’t, I’d be writing about the living wage and the middle class or about sisters being nerds. Yes, those are coming down the pike.

So, who would get 30 of my hard-earned dollars?

NBA Playoff Predictions

Shoot, why not...

42 - Part II

I actually ended up talking about the movie a lot longer than I expected, so I decided to just make an additional entry regarding my thoughts that don't directly relate to the movie.

The main take-away from the movie - and from Robinson's life - is that quiet dignity always wins in the end: that keeping your head held high, turning the other cheek, and completing other actions that have been turned into catch phrases that canonize good will always produce positive results.

However, that's not all there is to it.

42 - Part I

Saw *42 this morning. I'm going to give a quick review here, so skip until the break if you plan on seeing it. It was a good movie, not great. The actors with the major roles were good (Nicole Beharie was an excellent casting choice), but minor characters had the best acting jobs. Guy who played Leo Durocher was great. Guy who played Ben Chapman was really good too. The script held things back from the film, though. I thought the movie was a bit soft, and most sportswriters whose reviews I read shared that sentiment.
 

NBA/WWE Comparisons

With WrestleMania in the rearview and “NBA Playoffs” at the ‘Next Exit’ sign, I thought it’d be fun to draw up some comparisons (dang: didn’t realize this one was this long…yes, I wrote the body before the intro and close). No, I'm not saying the NBA is scripted.

Quick Thoughts on The Greinke/Quentin Brawl

I usually don’t post on Fridays, but I’m making an exception today (by the way, I have a decent amount of stuff lined up for the next week or two). Someone needs to set the record straight about this Zack Greinke/Carlos Quentin business.

WrestleMania XXIX Predictions

After the baseball post fiasco – which, to be honest, I’m still quite bummed about – I finally decided to pick it back up and get on to WrestleMania.

This WrestleMania won’t be as much fun as last year’s for two reasons: 1) the card and buildup have both been terrible, and 2) I’m not going like I was last year and will be next year. However, it is the year’s biggest wrestling event so here I go.

Equality and Objectivity

There are many things that I find asinine about people’s opposition to gay marriage. Most of them are quite obvious: namely, what it has to do with their own lives and the religious connotation. I admit, I can almost get to a point of understanding the latter…until I get to that whole thing against judging (speaking of Christianity: not sure how other religions deal with that).

The thing I don’t get, though? “If you support gay marriage, you must be gay.”

FAMU Frustrations

I know what I’m going to say is going to test the bounds of political correctness, but I’ve reached the tipping point on this here subject so it’s time to let rip.

My school has gotten on my absolute nerves with its handling of the Robert Champion situation. I’ve seen so many wrong turns it’s not hard to imagine how the decision-makers could be so lost (figurative sense, of course). I don’t think they’ve gotten one thing right – and only two have been understandable – in this entire sordid affair. Now, I’m just saying all this as an outsider looking in…but since my name’s at the top of this, I’m going to say what I want.

Commencement, Homecoming, Celebrations, and Customs

A while back, the good brother at HBCU Digest asked on Twitter whether homecoming or commencement should be the bigger deal at our schools. Without any hesitation, I stated that homecoming should be the bigger celebration.

The reason has very little to do with the fact that I have attended the best homecoming in America (I don’t care what you DC people say: spending outrageous cash to listen to up-north music is not my idea of a great HC) for seventeen consecutive years. It’s purely based on the other side.

Crying About Onions

I usually don’t do disclaimers, but this isn’t a usual situation.

Nothing I say in this post should be taken in any way to be an endorsement of the event in question. I am in total accord with most of you that the act was despicable – yes, Mr. NABJ president, there’s an ‘e’ in it – and that it should never happen again.

Now it’s time to veer off the path.

Differing Definitions of Diversity

We black folk are funny sometimes.

For the most part, we define ‘diversity’ as meaning “the inclusion of black folk”. In the beginning of the diversity process (i.e. the “colorization of structural America”), this worked since we were the only ones who colorized America.

Dorner Situation Thoughts

I hadn’t planned on this being a two-entry day, but if you watch the news at all…you understand it’s not an ordinary day.

I’m honestly conflicted as to whether I support Chris Dorner. I am not conflicted at all as to how I feel about his stated cause, which is police corruption. Two of my best friends in life and one of my cousins are police officers. I’m sure they would all agree with me that police corruption is a serious problem: maybe not in their units (maybe so), but certainly in general.

Dying Hard on Valentine's Day

I will spend Thursday evening alone. I’ve decided against taking myself out to dinner – I just think it’d be really awkward with all the couples there – but I am going to see A Good Day to Die Hard.

That title makes sense, given the day that it’s coming out. A lot of us – both men and women – are going to be alone because certain things die hard…if they die at all.

The Challenge of Black History Month

It took me a while to think of something to write concerning Black History Month. Then, an idea hit me. What follows is the written illustration of that idea.

Taxes and Integrity

I was working on my taxes and when I got down to the end, I noticed that I owed a dollar.

Yes, ‘a’ – as in one – dollar.

The King Edition, Volume IV

So I've done three of these previously. I thought the first two were pretty good. The third, not so much. I honestly haven't looked at it, nor do I plan to. I may not think it's that bad, I may think it's even worse than I originally thought. My comparatively negative opinion of that third piece is what gives me the inspiration to (hopefully) make this fourth edition better.

(Ed. note: I looked at last year's edition. It wasn't that bad.)

Truth and Te'o

I’m a Miami fan, and I hate Notre Dame. I have no love for anything Notre Dame besides Skylar Diggins. I have surely had my fun from making jokes about this Manti Te’o situation. Even as someone who has been in a “catfish” situation, I laughed about it for almost an entire day.

Strange thing happened, though: I began to feel sorry for Te’o. Maybe it’s because I’m a Cancer. Maybe it’s the social work degree. It’s not because I’ve been in a “catfish” situation. Maybe I’m just more compassionate than I choose – or would like to believe – I am. There’s just something really wrong with this picture.
 

The Best Soundtrack of All Time

The question came across Twitter recently, and I figured my answer was worthy of an explanation.

“What is the best movie soundtrack of all time?”

Not sure if that was the exact wording, but it’s close enough.

You ask a lot of people, you’re going to get a lot of different answers. Some people will say Saturday Night Fever. Some will say The Bodyguard. Some will say Boomerang. Some will say Purple Rain. Some will say New Jersey Drive (with very good reason: it’s #2 to me). I thought Boyz N The Hood, CB4, and Poetic Justice all had their highlights. However, none of these soundtracks is at the top of the list.