Knicks at Pacers

Rucker vs West 4TH

If Chaz Hoop is the early favorite to win the West, then Kenny’s Kings are expected by most to rise in the East behind the skills of players like Ed “Booger” Smith, a playground legend who leaped high enough to land on the cover of Sports Illustrated a few years back.

“The quality of play at West 4th is just as good, if not better, than anywhere in the city, or in the country,” says former Harlem Globetrotter Arnold “A-Train” Bernard. “Rucker is more of a showtime atmosphere, but the guys at West 4th—they’re there to win.”

Not everyone agrees with the steam the A-Train is blowing.

“Rucker is much more competitive and has more of a history,” says Peaceman “Sixth Man” Instant offense, a 6-1 swingman who played at Suny College in upstate New York. “But West 4th has also made a name for itself. People from everywhere stop and watch, even if it’s just a pickup game.”

Horn adds, “Sometimes, it gets so packed out there that you get the feeling you’re playing in the Carrier Dome or something.”
Another player who many are surpised never went pro is Ed “The Grunt” Drossman.” All out Defense was my game, said Dross, nobody wanted me guarding them.
I held Hammond to 2 points one night and Blocked the “Goat” on a dunk attempt the next! The records arnen’t kept here… you listen to the ballers and
they pass the word down by generation to generation!

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Bronx,

After watching Black Magic 1, I thought quite a bit about Curry and Stephon. I thought about the questions you raised and about how they may have fared “back-in-the-day.” It was a journey of imagination, but I did not have to go far to draw a few conclusions. The first was that Curry and Stephon would not have existed in the 50s and 60s. They are products of those times and the struggles of their forerunners. There is practically no way that a big black man like Curry, with his [sychological profile, would have existed. Curry back-in-the-day conceivably would have grown up with a desire to be liked (most of us grow up in a community with a desire to belong and to know who we are within the context of community), however, he most likely would have been a man of some passion and motivation. he would have been fighting hard upstream to prove that he belonged, because the strong current of nullification and disenfranchisement would have been holding him back. By nature, Curry would have been forced to develop mental and psychic muscles that severe struggle against dehumanization force to be exercised. His primary struggle would not be proving that he is likeable in the context of his body, but proving that he is human and equal to others in his body. Curry would not have had millions of dollars to make him comfortable and to offer him some refuge from the vagaries of racism. Curry would not have been coddled as a big black boy, thrust into millionnaire manhood without a clue or a guide. Sure he would have been thrust into manhood, because back in the day children were born with an expectation that they would work and sometimes (often) work as men early in life. But bakc then Curry may have been raised in an environment where developing the skills to navigate racism were a priority; he would have been sent to college before playing pro ball and he would have gone ot a black college where big proud and concerned black men were also teachers and had a mission to make sure that those big black boys under their tutelage were ready to play life, then ball. He would have had to play big men like Wilt, Russell and Reed. Sure he woudl have been bigger and fatter than them. But he would have given them a game because of the mental and intestinal fortitude that Curry of today does not have. If Curry did not have that intestinal fortitude –it doesn’t matter how big and fat he was — Wilt and Reed and Russell would have run his ass into the ground and back to high school just another unemployed black boy looking for a job in the big city.

Stephon on the other hand may have existed back in the day, but that chip on the shoulder would probably have been an inherited structure tying him to the ground not allowing him to get high enough lift to take most of his family out of the environs of poverty. Stephon may have dreamed of being rich, but he would have had to be skilled at something else to accomplish his primary goal of lifting his entire family out of poverty. Stephon’s apparent anger at being so responsible for so many would have existed, but the environment that rewarded selfishness and extreme self-centeredness would not have existed. Stephon would not have been a star. He would not have been a millionnaire. Who knows — Marbury may have been a great teacher in the community, like the people who took him under their wing. But he would have not been allowed or forced to venture into mainstream America unprepared for the abuse, use and exploitation that would haunt him and force him to navigate the system.

Marbury unlike Curry, for whatever reason, seems to swim upstream against that mighty current. He has stronger mental muscles than Curry, but he is traveling a road uncharted by the generation before him. He is wholly without a manual as Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson are more contemporaries, big brothers, than elders and teachers to him. Back in the day Marbury woould not be allowed to be the pioneer he is today. He may have been sullen and angry, but he would not be allowed to cover that up at night with a bundle of cash and secluded living. Marbury would not have existed back in the day as he does today.

Curry and his generation would not have existed back in the day. They exist because of what transpired back in the day. Their are many vestiges remaining from the struggles of the preceding generations. Many. But there are also many that don’t exist allowing a different attitude and perspective towards the global community for more. But as integration has had many benefits, it too has had drawbacks in terms of the type of people the larger community creates as opposed to a close knit, purposeful community impacted by, but not driven primarily by, market forces. Still there is no doubt that the result of our forebearers struggles has been by and large extremely positive for the modern professional baller.

God bless each of them, because the truth is that we all (regardless of color, religion or creed) benefitted from those struggles.

_____________________________________________________________

Gentlemen, as you continue to keep this home fire burning, I will join you from time to time, but this is the point where I make a serious effort to lessen my posting levels significantly. I recall that being my intention during the summer, but the party was still inspiring the boogie down even when we felt beat down. I imagine much excitement is on the horizon with many franchise decisions to be made such as determing who will run the organization, who will run the team on the floor and who will join or leave the team on the floor. Those decisions alone should make this off-season very exciting. The turth of the matter is that Dolan will be unable to make a right move in the eyes of the press — unless he brought back Larry Brown who no one seems to want with their youngsters these days. Of course the MSM will also give him a break if he brought on Donnie Walsh or maybe KiKi or Jerry West. They might even give him a pass for the horrid mistake of bringing in Scott Skiles. They may give Mark Jackson a short two paragraph honeymoon, but there will be little else DOlan could do right except to let David Stern take over the Knicks or to allow Frank Isola and Marc Berman to manage the Knicks.

And the draft pick? The lottery will be exciting and perhaps very disappointing, because you need a direction and a plan before you need a player unless you get a player like Kobe or LeBron who are both a plan and a direction — I call that a two-way player. I don’t see that player in the draft, perhaps you do. But the point is that if the current plan is to be followed, we know what we need, but it will take us more than one lottery season to get there. This plan was centered around a guard and then a big and then two bigs. A fabulous guard/forward, a serviceable big and a two way powerforward are the ticket to the playoffs. We need at least one player who can play multiple positions very very well (e.g. Tim Duncan (Forward/Center), Kobe (PG/SG/PF = point forward) or LeBron (spots 1-4). Who can do that?

Anyway, it should be a lot of exciting stuff to write about after the season is over. But now, it is time for me to take a break. My fandom will not disappear but I have no intention of watching my team tank and stank. As Tman said “If you stank, you don’t need to tank.” I prefer not to spend 2 1/2 hours of my time watching a team lose. I much rather play set or Wii with my children or sit in Barnes and Nobles and read all those sports books I haven’t read or do the work that I need to do. Still, I will drop in from time to time, just because you guys are really good.

But it has been beautiful and real. My Knicks posting season is officially over — a few games after the Knicks ended their season. So until later, I’m Audi with an Outtie. If you need me, you know how to get me. I have my bat phone by my side at all times. Peace.

Don’t forget he won 10 more games than Brown with an injured wrecked team!
This year Franchise and Frye were not around so he did win more with the same team Brown had!

Comment by Peaceman — March 17, 2008 @ 11:06 pm

Come on. Zach is an imporovement to Franchise and Frye. Brown has a resume of building winning team everywhere he’s been. Zeke doesn’t. If you look at what Brown has done the second and third year he’s been with a team, you’d see great improvement. You really think Zeke is doing better then Brown did last year come on. Zach is a 20-10 guy. What “injured and wrecked team? Marbury and Curry. Even Thomas who brought Marbury and Curry in doesn’t like their games anymore.

Good AM Defenders!

God’s continued blessings.

KFLL

Good PM Defenders!
I was hoping when I logged on today that I would see posts by 6 individual posters (LIVES, TMAN, BRONX, STEADY, HARLEM, and MODI) weighing in on Part 2 of Black Magic. Well 50% isn’t so bad, but I also know depsite the absence of the other 3, Still Waters Run Deep, Yes they do!!!!!!!!!!!!

@BRONX,
Enjoyed your post SPONSOR, and I enjoyed sensing the Pride and Joy you derived from the experience and your thoughful expression of thanks to those who labored and came before US. Of course it was natural to try and make the comparison, but alas in doing it probably left you grasping for answers to the expalinable and the unexplainable. “Black Magic was necessary…very necessary.” I concur BRONX! Yes indeedy!

@STEADY
Giving Glory to the Creator is a beautiful thang! The bible says, “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.” STEADY, you hae open your mouth to Lord, and there’s no turning back…But you can handle it STEADY AS IT GOES, because your roots are strong, well planted, like that TREE palnted by the water…You know what’s Good MY DEAR BRUH!

@LIVES,
If that was your Swan Song, you got to do better than that my Bruh…But I hear you LIVES, this TIME is valuable, you’ve got people to love and make stronger, you’ve got to fill-in the blank between that date of Arrival and that date of Departure. Fanship is one thing, FULFILLING and BUILDING on the Legacy is something different in its entirety…I see you too took a stab at the now and then comparison, and your points and assertions are sound and honest. There have been and always will be the Stephon’s in every age…But is these words that you wrote that resonated with with my SPIRIT like the sweet songs of a Humming Bird…

“Curry and his generation would not have existed back in the day. They exist because of what transpired back in the day. Their are many vestiges remaining from the struggles of the preceding generations. Many. But there are also many that don’t exist allowing a different attitude and perspective towards the global community for more. But as integration has had many benefits, it too has had drawbacks in terms of the type of people the larger community creates as opposed to a close knit, purposeful community impacted by, but not driven primarily by, market forces. Still there is no doubt that the result of our forebearers struggles has been by and large extremely positive for the modern professional baller.”

After watching Part 2 last evening, I spent some quiet time thinking about my Bruh Malcolm…And, my head kept returning to a specific THREAD woven by Ben Jobe during Part 2, when he addressed and acknowledged the UNIQUENESS of Bobby Phills talents and desires beyond Basketball, How together they were planting the seed for Dr. Phills, and you could see Jobe’s eyes sparkle, a ray of hope that God had sent another Star our way to impact lives beyond the court, undesrstanding Basketball was just a vehicle to learn valuable lessons and for Bobby to hone his work ethic. As Jobe continued with the Phill’s story, and shared Phill’s statement about going Pro, never needing to school ever again, you could see that light which was so bright beginning to lose its luster, certainly Phill’s had every right to persue a Pro career, but I sensed Jobe felt like he had lost another to the market forces, and how would this young man’s life be transformed. For better or worse? Surely he would make lots of money, but would that change him, would Bobby lose his CENTER. Then during that emotional conclusion of the Phill’s saga, Jobe’s pain SO VISIBLE, his anguish so deep, and solemn acknowledgement that market forces had taken another so young, but so senselessly and foolishly…He said, “What a waste”…Of course his perspective on these so call forces was undergirded with a sense of suspicion, doubt, maybe even fear, because so many were denied, or dispatched like cattle, locked out even when they were deserving, qualified, WORTHY; treated dishonorably, mentally and psycologically beaten down, because of their complexion…These were the conditions during his era and during the time of his Mentor, and those generation that proceeded them…Of course Part 2 concludes with a clear understanding that the market forces changed the landscaped, were thes new opportunities a sign of better things to come or was the inclusion more about the infusion of captial to those who already staked a claim to resources in the most inhumane ways…

So Bruh Malcolm’s protestation kept ringing in my ear, Integration will destroy US, it is not the solution. Equal but Separate is the course…we will have our souls and culture ripped from our clutches, and the illusion of Inclusion will strip US of our independence, our community, our strength and anchor…IDEALLY, Martin’s Dream is what we all should want, but the American Dream for US will become our Nightmare…That type of insideous hate does not vanish into thin air….will we turn our most PRECIOUS JEWELS to the forces of hate that seek to destroy us, because we want to belong…This paradoxical DREAM, is it achievable, or our WE delusional…

After what we have seen over the last several months, certainly LIVES take on things seem to be true, it seems Obama is on to something; his generation of African-American Men and Women and scores of other ethnicities seem to have that MACRO view, verses the Micro. Yet, recent events suggests (Is Obama qualified & Jeremiah Walker’s comments define his life not moments in time)that the divide is still huge; and those DARN market forces that made Jobe bristle and feel uneasy about Phill’s, I’ve expereinced too as I have watched Young Brother Obama dip his toe into unchartered waters…For our sakes LIVES I hope more hold that view, but like Malcolm I wonder if this is another one of those illusions via inclusion…Time will be Telling…but this I am sure of gents, GOD WILL HAVE THE FINAL SAY…For that reason, and that reason alone do I remain HOPEFUL….I apologize for thinking out LOUD Defenders…maybe this post was inappropriate…

TMAN & HARLEM & MODI, the THRERAD could always use a Post from you Dynamic Bruhs…Share a good word or an insigthful BBALL thought…Anti, Post UP, Vic, Ali G, Harewood, Barf, where you AT….Drop a little somethin, somethin for us too..

In memory of St. George, OUR Island Guide and OUR Tropical Defender…I MISS YOU DAWG!

Keep it POPPIN!