The Media : Destruction & Praise

The Media Is Amazing. Yes Tiger Woods Has Cheated On His Wife, But For All intents and purposes He hasn't not broken any government laws, or had any criminal charges pressed against him. He is by no means right in any of his actions, and I do not Condone Any of Them. Ben Roethlisberger was charged with sexual assault, and the story has relatively been kept quiet; Louisville Head Men's Basketball Coach Rick Pitino admitted to cheating on his wife, and having his pregnant mistresses get an abortion, and nothing else has been said about the situation since his press conference. The media by Choice makes an attempt to destroy an individual. But even as this unfolds, He Is Still Currently the #1 GOLFER in The World. I Guess The Media Can't Take Everything !

The media has the ability to create an image and destroy an image. This happens all too often not only with celebrities in the worlds of sports politics, and entertainment, but also in the local world of individuals in the world. By local world I mean the people in a community, whether its a certain race of people, a church, police department, charitable non profit organization, etc. We as individuals allow the media to form our perspectives and viewpoints on how things should go, and how people should be viewed and treated, rather than by following the golden rule of treating others how you want to be treated. It is as if the media will allow themselves to sell their soul to destroy or magnify another human being, group or organization. This is one reason that I feel that the media is less credible than it was 40 years ago. IN the past the media was concerned about getting its viewers and readers the truth, and was also concerned about the person, subject, or subjects being reported on at that point in time. The media works in a "Monkey See-Monkey Do" Assembly line, always ready for praising or destroying.

Karma Is A .................

April 1, 2009. April Fool's Day... This is the day that all jokes and pranks are played on everybody, and is celebrated in this culture. 

Location: Memphis, TN

One of the biggest pranks of all time was played in the sports world on Wednesday. University of Memphis Men's basketball coach John Calipari announced that he would be leaving the University to accept his dream position of coaching the Men's Basketball program at the University of Kentucky. Calipari stated, that this was not about money, but simply about him following his goal of becoming head coach at the distinguished university. Calipari has taken the last 9 years to not only elevate the University of Memphis Basketball program to an elite and respectable program within the national landscape of Division I collegiate basketball, but he has also been able to elevate himself to an upper level, respected coach, and recruiter within the realm of collegiate basketball coaches. Calipari did this in a manner that on the outside appeared to elevate the stature of the University of Memphis as not only a force to be reckoned with on the basketball court, but also as a nationally respected and top notch university for students of all kind to attend. In actuality the total opposite happened. Calipari used his time at The University of Memphis to set himself up for the position which he has now accepted. His experience prior to coming to the University of Memphis ( A Final Four Team as Head Coach at UMASS and a short tenure  as Head Coach and Executive with the New Jersey Nets of The NBA) was a solid foundation which he used as a spring board at the University of Memphis. His abilities to recruit and sale ideas, dreams, goals, and hopes snowed an entire community over at its lowest period as a University. Prior to Calipari's hiring, Tic Price was handed the keys to the University of Memphis basketball vehicle, and seemed to be on his pathway to success with two productive seasons, a N.I.T. appearance and new following from the longtime supporters of the University. Price Resigned as head coach of the Tigers due to his admission of an affair with an undergraduate student at the University. Prior to Tic Price, the greatest name in the history of the University held the reigns as the Men's Basketball Coach; Larry O. Finch. As a homegrown player from Memphis,TN he single handedly influenced the city not only in the realm of athletics, but also racially bringing together a city that was adversely divided due to the turbeulent race relations, and the civil rights movemnt of the sixties. He led the University to its First Ever Final Four and NAtional Championship game as a player. He spurned offers to play in the NBA to remain home and play with the Local ABA team, and furthermore displayed his love for his Alma mater by becoming an assistant coach at then Memphis State University and eventually the head coach of Memphis State University and later the University of Memphis. His ability to recruit and relate with all of the players, especially local players was a gift that proved to be instrumental in his success within the University.

Coach Calipari had an agenda from day one. To make the University of Memphis a University that appealed to national prospects that could compete nationally. Calipari's ability to recruit and his experience on the professional level enabled him to gain the best prospects in the country, which in turn led to the development of a National Program that brought prestige and validity to John Calipari as a collegiate coach ; Not The University of Memphis. The greatest example of Coach John Calipari showing an interest in his personal career rather than the Univeristiy of Memphis as a university was when he rejected a bid for the University of Memphis to join the Big East. The Big East is widely regarded as the Premiere conference in college basketball. The joining of this conference would have solidified the University of Memphis's men's basketball program as one of the top programs in the nation. But the joining of this conference would have also caused for more competition for John Calipari, as he would have had to recruit with more proven coaches such as Jim Calhoun, Rick Pitino, and Bobby Huggins to name a few. This would have in turn led to more difficulties winning which would not have allowed Calipari to so easily claim the stake as a winner and great coach. He was somewhat exposed in every big game that he coached at The University of Memphis as a coach that could not win the big game ;2002 overtime loss to No. 4 Cincinatti 2005 N.I.T. Tip Off Championship Game Memphis Vs. Duke, 2006 Elite 8 UCLA Loss, 2007 Elite 8 Loss Ohio State, 2008 Home Loss to No. 2 Tennessee as Mephis was ranked No. 1, 2008 National Championship Games Loss in overtime after having a 9 point lead with 2 minutes to go in the game. These major losses have been covered by the fact that Coach Calipari has been able to win in a weak conference and get one-and-done players to the NBA. These things have done nothing to elevate the University or the overall basketball respectability of the University of Memphis. All of his actions have allowed him to look like a savior of a University, not a leader of a University.

After The loss of some of the top recruits in the city and a couple of sub par season the University of Memphis Fired Larry Finch; at a Concession stand in the Pyramid the home arena after a Tigers game. The firing was not the worse part, the manner in which the firing occurred was the most disrecptable manner in which a person that has been so loyal to a job can be dismissed, without the decency or privacy of a one on one termination.

Coach Calipari lost his last game as coach at the University in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Upon flying home, Calipari announced at the Airport that amid speculations about his Coaching Future, The University of Memphis is where he wanted to be. Fast forward a couple of days later, and the Great Calipari not only accepts the University of Kentucky's Men's Basketball Coach Position, but with it he will also possibly take some of the players from the University of Memphis as transfers, and the number one recruiting class which was to be enrolling at the university in the fall, putting the University of Memphis Men's basketball program in complete disarray as the summer approaches, and the uncertainty  of a solid head coach looms over the program. 

The same people that hailed Calipari as a genius and savior  for the University are now calling him a traitor and in total disbelief as to not only the fact the he left the program, but the manner in which he left the program. Coach Calipari made his intentions known via a text message to an ESPN reporter while University of Memphis Supporters, Boosters, and Fans were in total darkness as to his intentions.

I GUESS THIS JUST GOES TO SHOW HOW KARMA CAN COME BACK ON A PERSON, IN THIS CASE A UNIVERSITY !

THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther Kings Jr, Rosa Parks, Frederick Douglas, THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS, W.E.B. Dubois, Booker T. Washington, Nat Turner, Marcus Garvey, Medgar Evers, Dick Gregory, DR. CARTER G. WOODSON, Barbara Jordan, John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, Thurgood Marshall, Stokley Carmichael, Mary McLeod Bethune, TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, John Brown, Linda Brown, Abraham Lincoln, Dred Scott, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Ralph Albernathy, Coretta Scott King, Betty Shabazz, Jim Brown, Muhammad Ali, Ida B. Wells, The Little Rock Nine.all others that are not mentioned unintentionally...THANK YOU ALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Your perseverance, strength, bravery, courage, faith, pride, and your ability to stand up for what is right is the reason that We As AFRICAN AMERICANS CAN FINALLY THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR WORK AS A PEOPLE WITH A FINISHED PRODUCT...EVERYTHING that you all had a vision of seeing and believed could be done was accomplished on November 4, 2008. Barack Obama was elected the 44Th President of The United States By The People Of The United States. No Racism is not now non-existent in the United States of America; it is definitely still here, and the reactions to Obama's victory has reinforced this fact to everybody alive and breathing. But this man is and has become the finished product of the vision that we as a people have had since slavery. Being able to become something that at one time in our nation's history was not foreseeable, is simply overwhelming to many individuals in this country, both Black and White. We as human beings and citizens in this country need to take time to reflect and appreciate the event that just took place in our country. This was more than a Presidential election; this was about a people seeing fruits of their labor in a forever struggle for equality. Barack Obama you have embarked on your destiny. This happened, because it was supposed to happen. the People made it happen. In the same way, that the people made forms of segregation legal and life so difficult for blacks, the people have seen there effort make it possible for a Black President of The United States of America. THANK YOU TO ALL THAT HAVE CRIED, BLED, and DIED for November 4, 2008.

~The Man Obama~

Barack Obama....Barack Obama !!!!! Barack Obama ????? "Barack Obama."

No matter how you say this man's name, or no matter how you view or feel about this man, there is only one thing that everybody, Democratic, Independent, or Republican can conclusively agree on in regards to this man. Senator and Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama is a man that has never been seen before by the United States of America. He is what the country in all of its complete success and triumphs has produced the years and centuries of unprecedented progress and struggle. The first thing anybody notices about Barack Obama is the color of his skin. Even with his status, this visual fact is what people notice about him. All of his other attributes, that of being a man of high intelligence, high scholastic achievement, charisma, charm, highly esteemed principles, confidence, humbleness, and love, are obliged initially in regards to his skin color. There are many in this country that do not feel this way, yet there is a greater number of individuals that do feel this way. This man is on the verge of making history, simply because of his skin color. This is how the American Public views this election, and this view is rightfully justified, because if Barack Obama wins he will become the first Black President in The history of The United States of America. But lets take a Look at this man from a scholastic viewpoint. Has the United States of America ever had a President "hopeful with the academic background of Barack Obama ? This is a man that that graduated from Harvard Law School and became the first black man to become President of the Harvard Law Review. Do You think he encountered the type of scrutiny and backlash for that position, as he has encountered during his run for President of The United States ? Of Course he hasn't, but this just goes to show where people are in regards to acceptance. Could it be that citizens of this country aren't able to accept him as a President because they are so much different then he is (in contrast to those at Harvard Law School. All at The Harvard Law School we "on the same page/level, working for law) and that their background and heritage will not allow the to "Change." I feel that it is time for "Change." If a person were listening to the two candidate's background and history, and listened to their views and plans of action in regard to the United States, without knowing skin color, it is fairly obvious he would win this race convincingly. America needs to wake up and realize that our problems in this country are bigger than black and white. There are poor black people and there are poor white people. Poverty is not racist, poverty doesn't discriminate. Poverty hits any and everybody. Gas prices affect everybody. Unemployment affects everybody. In McCain you have a man that has supported actions that have led the United States to its present state. Now ask yourself do you really think it would be good to put a man like this in power ? Barack Obama is a man that has made his plan for this country clear to you, and hasn't had to lean on irrelevant (War Stories ) experience to sway a voter, or had to rely on smearing and untruthful reports to gain The American Public's Trust. I Endorse Barack Obama because he is a man of great intelligence, an eloquent speaker, a leader, accomplished, a Man of God, and a person that shows me that as a Black Man, I can achieve anything I want to, in spite of circumstances.