My Favorites: Today's 5 - NEW JACK SWING ERA ARTISTS

My Favorites: Today's 5
M.D. Wright
2.10.10

***EDITOR'S NOTE: Favorites Series, Continued. Check back daily for new updates.

Today's 5:
MY FAVORITE NEW JACK SWING ERA ARTISTS
-- Given the sheer volume of artists available, this will be one of those days where there will be a Today's 10 chosen (with honorable mentions).

Side Note: New Jack Swing Era is generally defined as the style of music that was dominant from 1987-1995 (fusing R&B and Hip-Hop elements).

1. TEDDY RILEY.
Teddy was/is THE MAN. Producer extraordinaire, rapper, singer, writer, you name it -- Teddy is the King of New Jack Swing. He fathered it and nurtured it throughout the 80s and 90s with Guy, Wreckz-n-Effect and BlackStreet and is still producing to this day. The Harlem native, along with Andre Harrell (who, while also being head at Uptown Records, also was instrumental in getting the musical acts to perform on hit sitcom New York Undercover), were both instrumental in ushering in a new sound. For those of us who grew up in the 80s and listened to a lot of 70s music, we know street and soft love songs didn't mix, nor their artists. Riley changed that.


2. BELL BIV DEVOE.
BBD made the smooth transition as 3/5 of New Edition to a New Group. They had a harder, grittier style, which was also occasionally mixed with their old vocal touches with New Edition. We sopped it up like biscuits and gravy or molasses from 1989-1993.










3. BOBBY BROWN.
Bobby Brown was that dude. I dare anyone over 25 (anyone under 25 isn't qualified to disagree ha) to say he wasn't. He did things HIS WAY and got away with it until the drug habit derailed his career. He had a nice string of hits after leaving New Edition himself. Unlike BBD, Bobby was a solo act, though. And he toured ridiculous amounts of time between 1988-1992. Maybe the drugs were a coping mechanism for all the stress and pressures of touring solo, but with all those hits songs such as "My Prerogative", "Rock Witcha", "Roni", "Every Little Step I Take", "Humpin' Around" and "Don't Be Cruel" (not to mention the album classics themselves), you can't knock him for his drug habits and failed marriage without at least acknowledging his extensive catalogue and professional successes.

4. GUY.
Good tunes here. My ABSOLUTE FAVORITE track from them was "Let's Chill". I dunno, we grew up with some great music. When we were little, everything was an occasion and a reason to play the music of the day. We would have family gatherings, barbecues, etc. and hear all this great music. That's how I am able to remember music as far back as late 1982. So even though this song was geared toward people "of age" (mind you I was only 11 when it came out), I loved it then and definitely keep it in the rotation to this day.

They had talent. Teddy Riley and Aaron Hall (the guy who R. Kelly got his style from) led the group with his screaming vocals, but they were on point. He did not beg as much as Keith Sweat, though.


5. TROOP.
Troop did their thing. I loved their music. I have always liked harmony. I think it was due to my grandmother's love for good tunes (which were blasting 24/7 on like FIVE radios at her house when I was little). I also played a half dozen instruments in elementary school, so hearing them (even if they were synthesized at times) in song hit a different chord with me -- while the lyrics were still more or less something for late teens and adults. They had some memorable records and lyrics. Classics such as "All I Do Is Think Of You", "Spread My Wings" and "I Will Always Love You" are timeless to me (and anyone else who grew up in the 80s and came of age in the 90s).










6. JANET JACKSON.
A "Rhythm Nation" under "Control". That's all I have to say. Otherwise, just LOOK at '89-'93 Janet Jackson physically and tell me you  weren't crazy about her back then (guys, that is).

Look at all these classics (by the way, both those albums mentioned were part of my vaunted "NO SKIPS" list -- which is coming up next on Today's 5) she put out between 1986-1989 alone:

1. "Control".
2. "The Pleasure Principle".
3. "What Have You Done For Me Lately".
4. "Nasty Boys".
5. "When I Think Of You".
6. "Let's Wait Awhile".
7. "Rhythm Nation".
8. "Miss You Much".
9. "Love Will Never Do (Without You)".
10. "Escapade".
11. "Black Cat".
12. "Lonely".
13. "Come Back To Me"

Who can say they've put out THAT MANY  great songs that many people can remember each of the titles for within 3 years and two albums?

7. HEAVY D. & THE BOYZ.
The Heavster was in the house throughout the New Jack era. In fact, he and his group, The Boyz were very influential on the early 90s particularly. Their music flooded the clubs, house parties, movie soundtracks, TV shows and car systems from '91-'95. Heavy goes back to the 80s, but hits like "Black Coffee", "Now That We've Found Love" and "Nuttin' But Love" were what stand out in his catalogue with the group.

By the way, the term that some of us are familiar with, "Moneyearnin' Mount Vernon" was first heard outside of the NYC Metro Area on a Heavy D. song on the late 80s -- with a song by the title of the same name. Heavy is a trendsetter for the ages.








8. KEITH SWEAT.
Ol' beggin' KEEF (that's how you pronounce "Keith" in the hood, for those wondering what that spelled ha). He may have begged more than anyone on record, but those were some memorable jams. The beats were edgy and the lyrics you can still remember by heart, especially if you grew up listening to "Make It Last Forever", "I Want Her", "Right & A Wrong Way", etc. back in the late 80s. Keith Sweat was one of the few artists whose career spanned the entire New Jack era and continued afterward with some level of success. Most of the aforementioned artists, even if they continued to put out records, never maintained the notoriety they had achieved during the New Jack Swing era. In 1996, "Nobody" and "Twisted" dropped and Keith Sweat is still going strong at nearly 50 years of age.








9. TLC.
TLC came out of nowhere, to be honest. We were rolling along just fine in the summer of '91 and then BAM! they came out with these hard-hitting lyrics, gritty beats and this image -- mind you, these three women were all GORGEOUS and could have played up the typical sexy, sultry, model image. Thankfully, they did not. It would have taken away from their vibe and creativity (as it would have pigeonholed and marginalized them as artists). You were forced to pay attention to them and take them seriously. They wore condoms on their eyes and hats to express sexual health awareness -- and a few of their songs tackle the subject directly (most notably "Waterfalls"). You could dance to TLC's music. You could vibe to TLC's music. You could have it atop of your list of songs for a 90s party. In short, you couldn't go wrong with some TLC jams during the New Jack era.



10. JODECI.
Much the same way TLC came out of nowhere, so did Jodeci. I had never heard of them before 1991 at least. But their songs were perfect for middle school kids going to school dances ha. "Forever My Lady", "Stay", "Come & Talk To Me" were frequently played at our 7th and 8th grade dances and cruise in the Baltimore Inner Harbor. They took a cue from previous four-man groups and put their on spin on the genre with in-your-face sexuality which was too much for some to handle (but would be labeled as tame, at worst, in 2010).










Honorable Mention:
SWV.
Michel'le.
Christopher Williams.
LL Cool J.
BLACKStreet.
R. Kelly & Public Announcement.
Johnny Kemp.
New Edition.

DISCUSS>>>

Black History Month: Person Of The Day - February 9, 2010

Black History Month: Person Of The Day - February 9, 2010
M.D. Wright
2.9.10


***EDITOR'S NOTE: Black History Month Series Continued.


Today's Person Of The Day:
ARTURO ALFONSO SCHOMBURG.



Arturo Alfonso Schomburg was born in Puerto Rico on January 24, 1874. He began his education in a primary school in San Juan, where he studied reading, penmanship, sacred history, church history, arithmetic, Spanish grammar, history, agriculture and commerce. Arturo's fifth-grade teacher is said to have told him that "Black people have no history, no heroes, no great moments." Because of this and his participation in a history club, Schomburg developed a thirst for knowledge about people of African descent and began his lifelong quest studying the history and collecting the books and artifacts that made up the core of his unique and extensive library.
Schomburg came to New York in April 1891 and lived on the Lower East Side. 


He was involved in the revolutionary movements of the immigrant Cubans and Puerto Ricans living in that area, regularly attending meetings and working at odd jobs while attending night school at Manhattan Central High School. Schomburg became a Mason and met bibliophile and journalist John Edward Bruce. "Bruce Grit" introduced Schomburg to the African-American intellectual community and encouraged him to write about African world history and continue to increase his knowledge.


Arturo Schomburg would look everywhere for books by and about African people. He also collected letters, manuscripts, prints, playbills and paintings. He was especially proud of his collection of Benjamin Banneker's Almanacs. In fact, his library contained many rare and unusual items from all over the world. The history of the Caribbean and Latin America and the lives of heroic people in that region was also an area of special interest to Schomburg. And he actively sought any material relative to that subject.


Schomburg's collection became the cornerstone of The New York Public Library's Division of Negro Literature, History, and Prints. He frequently loaned objects from his personal library to the 135th Street Branch of The New York Public Library, which was a center of intellectual and cultural activity in Harlem. In 1926 his collection of 10,000 items was purchased by the Library with the assistance of the Carnegie Corporation. He was later invited to be the curator of the new division which included his collections. 


He became involved in the social and literary movement that started in Harlem, known as the "Harlem Renaissance." which spread to African-American communities throughout the country. Schomburg fully shared his knowledge of the history of peoples of African descent with the young scholars and writers of the New Negro movement. One of his primary motivations was to combat racial prejudice by providing proof of the extraordinary contributions of peoples of African descent to world history. Schomburg wrote, "I depart now on a mission of love to recapture my lost heritage."




You know me. I LOVE WRITERS, being of their ilk myself. And of course, given that Schomburg is a Harlem legend, I know quite a bit about his works, contributions to the literary arts, as well as other aspects of Black culture. And yes, he was one of those Black Puerto Ricans that people seem to fail to realize exist. What makes his contributions unique were his perspective as the son of a freed Black Puerto Rican slave woman and a German father who had emigrated to Puerto Rico.  He spoke fluent Spanish and began teaching it to New Yorkers (remember, other than shortly after the Spanish-American War in 1898 and the en masse immigration of Puerto Ricans into New York in 1917, there weren't many Spanish speakers in New York City during Schomburg's time). He is definitely an inspiration to me all around and hopefully I can recreate some of his efforts in writing, being a historian and teaching Spanish (ha).
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Black History Month: Person Of The Day - February 8, 2010

Black History Month: Person Of The Day - February 8, 2010
M.D. Wright
2.8.10


***EDITOR'S NOTE: Black History Month Series Continued.


Today's Person Of The Day:
PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR.


Biography Borrowed From Online:



Paul Laurence Dunbar was one of the first African-American poets to gain national recognition. He was born in Dayton, Ohio, on June 27, 1872, to Joshua and Matilda Murphy Dunbar, freed slaves from Kentucky. His parents separated shortly after his birth, but Dunbar would draw on their stories of plantation life throughout his writing career. By the age of fourteen, Dunbar had poems published in the Dayton Herald. While in high school he edited the Dayton Tattler, a short-lived black newspaper published by classmate Orville Wright.


Despite being a fine student, Dunbar was financially unable to attend college and took a job as an elevator operator. In 1892, a former teacher invited him to read his poems at a meeting of the Western Association of Writers; his work impressed his audience to such a degree that the popular poet James Whitcomb Riley wrote him a letter of encouragement. In 1893, Dunbar self-published a collection called Oak and Ivy. To help pay the publishing costs, he sold the book for a dollar to people riding in his elevator.
Later that year, Dunbar moved to Chicago, hoping to find work at the first World's Fair. He befriended Frederick Douglass, who found him a job as a clerk, and also arranged for him to read a selection of his poems. Douglass said of Dunbar that he was "the most promising young colored man in America." By 1895, Dunbar's poems began appearing in major national newspapers and magazines, such as The New York Times. With the help of friends, he published the second collection, Majors and Minors(1895). The poems written in standard English were called "majors," and those in dialect were termed "minors." Although the "major" poems outnumber those written in dialect, it was the dialect poems that brought Dunbar the most attention. The noted novelist and critic William Dean Howells gave a favorable review to the poems in Harper's Weekly.

This recognition helped Dunbar gain national and international acclaim, and in 1897 he embarked on a six-month reading tour of England. He also brought out a new collection, Lyrics of Lowly Life (1896). Upon returning to America, Dunbar received a clerkship at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, and shortly thereafter he married the writer Alice Ruth Moore. While living in Washington, Dunbar published a short story collection, Folks from Dixie, a novel entitled The Uncalled, and two more collections of poems, Lyrics of the Hearthside and Poems of Cabin and Field (1899). He also contributed lyrics to a number of musical reviews.


In 1898, Dunbar's health deteriorated; he believed the dust in the library contributed to his tuberculosis and left his job to dedicate himself full time to writing and giving readings. Over the next five years, he would produce three more novels and three short story collections. Dunbar separated from his wife in 1902, and shortly thereafter he suffered a nervous breakdown and a bout of pneumonia. Although ill and drinking too much in attempt to soothe his coughing, Dunbar continued to write poems. His collections from this time include Lyrics of Love and Laughter(1903), Howdy, Howdy, Howdy (1905), and Lyrics of Sunshine and Shadow(1905). These books confirmed his position as America's premier black poet. Dunbar's steadily deteriorating health caused him to return to his mother's home in Dayton, Ohio, where died on February 9, 1906, at the age of thirty-three.
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Black History Month: Person Of The Day - February 7, 2010

Black History Month: Person Of The Day - February 7, 2010
M.D. Wright
2.7.10


***EDITOR'S NOTE: Black History Month Series Continued


Today's Person Of The Day:
PATRICIA ROBERTS HARRIS.

Patricia Roberts Harris (1924-85), former cabinet official and the only woman to have headed three federal departments, joined the faculty of The George Washington University Law School in the fall of 1983. Harris graduated from the GW National Law Center at the head of her class in 1960, receiving her JD with honors.

"She is truly one of the most distinguished graduates of the school and one of the most distinguished women in public life," said National Law Center Dean Jerome A. Barron in announcing the appointment. "She brings great understanding of government, as well as experience in it, to the teaching of public law. She will be an excellent model for law students of what a lawyer can do to make a better society."

Harris, who taught Public and Constitutional law, served as secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1977 to 1979, and was secretary of Health, Education and Welfare from August 1979 to May 1980. When a separate Department of Education was formed in May 1980, she became secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, remaining in that post until January 1981.

Harris' government service began in 1960, when she joined the Department of Justice as a trial attorney following her admission to the District of Columbia bar. She returned to Howard University in 1961, where she had earned her B.A. summa cum laude in 1945, as dean of students and lecturer in law. Subsequently she became associate professor, professor and dean of the law school at Howard. She returned to government in 1965 when she was appointed U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg, serving until 1967. She also served as an alternate delegate to the 21st and 22nd General Assemblies of the United Nations.

Harris was a partner with the Washington and New York law firm of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver and Kampelman from 1970 to 1977. She has served as a director of the Chase Manhattan Bank, Scott Paper Co. and IBM, and she is a trustee of the 20th Century Fund. A member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Order of the Coif, Harris received an Alumni Achievement Award from GW in 1965. She was the first African-American woman to hold a cabinet post or to be a U.S. ambassador.

"We are delighted that the Honorable Patricia Roberts Harris has chosen to join our faculty," President Elliott commented on her appointment. "She returns to the campus where she earned honors as a brilliant student and now will bring unusual experience from the legal profession and public service for the benefit of the entire institution."

In 2000, Harris was honored with a commemorative stamp in the U.S. Postal Service’s Black Heritage series saluting outstanding African-Americans.

Black History Month: Person Of The Day - February 6, 2010

Black History Month: Person Of The Day - February 6, 2010
M.D. Wright
2.6.10


***EDITOR'S NOTE: Black History Month Series Continued.


Today's Person Of The Day:
CICELY TYSON.


A biography borrowed from online:
Born on Dec. 19, 1933, Tyson was raised in Harlem, NY by working class parents who originally hailed from the West Indies. Her family was very active in the church, where Tyson sang in the choir and played piano. Because her mother did not allow Tyson or her brother and sister to go to the movies, she would also spend Saturday evenings at the church. She graduated from Charles Evans Hughes High School and went on to land a secretarial job with the Red Cross, until one day, as show business legend has it, Tyson stood up from her desk and shouted “I’m certain God didn’t intend me to sit at a typewriter.” After attending a modeling course, she quit her secretarial job and rose to become one of the top black models in the United States, appearing on the covers of Vogue and Harpers Bazaar. A suggestion that Tyson parlay her striking looks into acting led to a few bit parts in movies in the late 1950s, but a more significant presence would soon be felt onstage.


Throughout her five-plus decade career on stage and screen, Cicely Tyson was known for her dedication to truthfully exploring the broad spectrum of the African-American experience. Tyson was at the forefront of a shift away from one-dimensional, negative screen stereotypes of black women with her starring role in “Sounder” (1972), which was groundbreaking in its portrayal of the dignity, strength and courage of a Depression-era African-American family. The acclaimed film and Tyson’s Oscar-nominated leading role opened the doors for a whole new era of black storytelling, and Tyson came to represent this strong and wise image of African-American women with revered performances in "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" (CBS, 1973) and “Roots” (ABC, 1977). Television movies offered the most opportunities for this actress with a mission, and she went on to recreate renowned moments and figures in African-American heritage in “King” (1978), “A Woman Called Moses” (1978), and “Heat Wave” (1990), among others. Whether playing an educated professional, the backbone of a challenged family, or a woman moved by an extraordinary sense of purpose, Tyson continually raised the standards of African-American imagery on film.

I have always admired Cicely Tyson's work. She is a poignant actress and her characters' roles always seem to stick with me. Whether it was   on TV ("Women of Brewster Place"), Film ("Bustin' Loose"), or her work on broadway, spot cameos in TV shows, miniseries, and numerous awards nominations, you had to pay attention to Cicely Tyson. Even her latest work still rings a bell with me. She has done it the way few actresses do it anymore. I almost wonder if acting has become a lost art.

My Favorites: Today's 5

My Favorites: Today's 5
M.D. Wright
2.9.10

***EDITOR'S NOTE: My Favorite Top 5 Series, continued.

Today's 5: FAVORITE ALBUMS FROM 1995.

1995 was a seminal year for me. That summer was excellent. It was the first summer that I was eligible to work as a 16 year old and I was coming of age as of that year. I made some pivotal moves and plans that set forth the next decade of my life (and some of the things I did/didn't do are still affecting me 15 years later), so of course the music was poignant to me. As always, these are personal -- and although a soundtrack of my life, I'm sure there are others out there who got some of the same vibes from some of this music.

Here are my 5's from 1995:

1. FAITH EVANS - "FAITH".

This was my joint to mellow out to. One of my vaunted "No Skips" albums -- because of the ability to vibe to the entire album, with all its ebbs and flows from beginning to end. The sound is soft and mellow throughout and rather personal for Faith (although back then, as a 16 year old, I just made believe she was singing to me ha). And it was good slow-dance music at the parties we had back then. Good times. The hit singles were summer classics that year as well: "Soon As I Get Home" and "You Used To Love Me".

2. FRED HAMMOND - "THE INNER COURT".

I got saved in June of 1993, so I was still fairly new to the "Christian walk" -- although I had grown up in church. Fred Hammond was always that dude. My dad loves his music, even dating back to his time with Commissioned, so I am intimately fond of Fred's catalogue. This album does it for me more than any of his albums before or since (including "Spirit of David", "Purpose By Design" or "Free To Worship") and that says something. It was the background for a lot of our youth ministry outings with Minister Kevin B. Lee, that may have been the thing -- because those were some of the BEST TIMES of my teenage years. Anyone who was at Mt. Zion back then would agree (and it has gone steadily downhill there ever since).











3. RAEKWON - "ONLY BUILT 4 CUBAN LINX".

The Staten Island native. Everyone loved "Ice Cream" and "Incarcerated Scarfaces", and I was among them. This was more or less that "Get Ready for the Winter/Break out the Jeff Hamilton Leathers" grind for the latter part of '95 -- but "Ice Cream" WAS that summer jam that year, though. Rae has always been one of my sons and his debut filled the promise of all the anticipation that we had for it after two years of being thirsty for more "darts".














4. R. KELLY - "R. KELLY".

Underrated album. R. Kelly in his prime, if you ask me. Remember, the man wrote, produced, executive produced and performed all of his music. Prince used to hold all those titles (still does) on his albums in the 80s. R. Kelly was definitely the songman of the 90s, without question. He had summer jams for the ages every year from '91 forward. And he hasn't stopped yet.

But you know with all the greatness that is enclosed in this album, my jam was that simple ditty that he did with The Notorious B.I.G. It got moderate airplay, so unless you were real R. Kelly or Biggie fans, it may have slipped under the radar, but that "(You To Be) Happy" was my JOINT the summer of '95.








5. MONICA - "MISS THANG"./MOBB DEEP - "THE INFAMOUS" (TIE)

This album was Monica's best work, for better or for worse (depending on who you ask). I think anything that had a nice vibe to it and came out when I was in high school was a good look. I liked the simple tracks that everyone knows by name -- so I won't list -- and I don't know too many people who didn't.

















As for Mobb Deep, Havoc's beats made you want to fight... in Vietnam or something. I still knock "Shook Ones, Pt. II" to this day and I swear it sounds like background music to some war documentary or something -- the bassline and the sample. Then to hear Prodigy and Havoc's lyrics just served as icing on the cake. The entire album was FIRE though. And thankfully, this WASN'T their best work to date.













HONORABLE MENTION:
AZ - "DOE OR DIE".

JUNIOR M.A.F.I.A. - "CONSPIRACY".

MOKENSTEF - "AZZ IZZ".

PRINCE - "THE GOLD EXPERIENCE".

XSCAPE - "OFF THE HOOK".

KIRK FRANKLIN - "WHATCHA LOOKIN' 4".

JODECI - "THE SHOW, THE AFTERPARTY, THE HOTEL".

GREEN DAY - "INSOMNIAC".

GOODIE MOB - "SOUL FOOD".

DEBORAH COX - "DEBORAH COX".

D'ANGELO - "BROWN SUGAR".

CHILDREN OF THE CORN - "CHILDREN OF THE CORN".

CHANTÉ MOORE - "A LOVE SUPREME".

BROWNSTONE - "FROM THE BOTTOM UP".

BIG L. - "LIFESTYLEZ OV DA POOR AND DANGEROUS".

OL' DIRTY BASTARD - "THE RETURN TO THE 36 CHAMBERS".

DISCUSS>>>

My Favorites: Today's 5

My Favorites: Today's 5
M.D. Wright
2.8.10

***EDITOR'S NOTE: Today's Top 5 takes a cue from one of my readers, Candace Matthews -- as we delve into the past and wax nostalgic. This time? About shows we WISH we could have back -- especially in lieu of the trash that we were inundated with over the pasta decade.

Today's 5: TV SHOWS WE WISH WE COULD HAVE BACK.

1. NEW YORK UNDERCOVER.
I can't speak for everyone, but I loved that show. Thursday nights were my jumpoff. The show premiered my freshman year of high school and ran through my freshman year of college (although I didn't really watch the final season for reasons obvious to any other fan of the show). So basically, Thursdays in high school -- when we were out at basketball games, track meets or traveling were Martin, Living Single and New York Undercover. Doesn't get much better than that.

We all hated that Torres got killed off, even though we knew weeks in advance that it was coming. We had just begun to accept McNamara and he gets whacked by that bank robber broad (she took out McNamara AND Torres as a matter of fact!), and well, by the last season... ugh.
















2. LIVING SINGLE.
As a segue to the first post, Living Single just embodied everything that the 90s were, whether you were coming of age as I was, or already in your 20s and living the single life in New York (or anywhere for that matter; but the vibe here is different and anyone from New York and lived elsewhere during their lives during their teens and 20s knows what I mean). We don't necessarily need the same cast back, but the same format, themes, etc. would be a good look. I never missed an episode.

3. HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET.

I love those Baltimore-based shows. It's just something grimy and gritty about them that had me hooked. Plus I'm a Cop Show fanatic (thanks to my grandmother, who had us hooked on LA Law, Law & Order and In The Heat Of The Night from their respective inceptions. The acting was great and the stories hit close to home, with that real-life feel.
















4. MIAMI VICE.
The 80s were spectacular for me. I had great TV, great sports, didn't have a care in the world other than eating, playing sports and having fun (part of that fun included watching TV). Set in Miami just as Miami was experiencing a social renaissance of sorts, it made you want to move to Miami and be a part of the action. Even though Don Johnson is a clown now, who didn't think he was cool back in the day?

5. THE FLINTSTONES.

To me, they never made enough episodes of this cartoon. Quotables for a lifetime for me. I grew up watching syndicated episodes, still watch them today, had 5 of the 6 seasons on DVD (two of them were stolen somehow -- who even cares about the Flintstones that much ha?) Everyone knows someone who carries themselves and looks like each of the characters featured throughout the entire series. My sister and I (along with a few of my cousins and some friends out there my age) share inside laughs about episodes past; too bad these youngins nowadays just don't appreciate it. While I LOVE Family Guy, without appreciating The Flintstones for what it was, well, you're missing out.

DISCUSS>>>

2010 NFL Super Bowl XLIV Bettor's Guide

2010 NFL Super Bowl XLIV Bettor's Guide
M.D. Wright
2.7.10

***EDITOR'S NOTE: Super Bowl XLIV. Needs no explanation.

Okay, we've heard all the pontification, all the posturing, all the political correctness from Saints' QB Drew Brees and all the political INcorrectness (which I am usually in favor of, but was done in poor taste this time by DC Gregg Williams) and we've dissected all the angles the Colts' defense may have to play if DE Dwight Freeney cannot go or is not effective. But to get right down to it, the analysis of this game is simple:

Colts' Offense >>> Saints' Defense.
Colts' Defense >>> Saints' Defense.

And Drew Brees has NOT fared well against teams that play a Cover 2.

Rather than go down the roster and get into all the X's and O's (which really won't matter at the end of the day), I'll give you a few things to look out for.

1. Saints will look to establish the run early.

This is where Freeney's impact may be missed. Although at times, he does take himself out of running plays with his spin moves, he is still otherwise a stalwart versus the run. DE Robert Mathis plays the run well also, and the Colts' triumvirate at defensive tackle mans their A and B gaps very well -- which allows their linebackers (notably Mike LB Gary Brackett and OLB Clint Session) to flow freely to  the ball and make plays. It is why the Colts always seem as if they swarm to every play; their defensive line makes plays. Their secondary does not have to cover as long as other teams that don't play a Tampa 2, and they're only responsible for ZONES; not covering a man for potentially 3-4 seconds after the sticks.

ADVANTAGE: COLTS. No one really runs the ball that well against them, and bums like Pierre Thomas and bust-in-the-making Reggie Bush aren't about to start.

2. Peyton Manning playing chess vs. the Saints' defense and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

I like this matchup. Manning is the smartest QB in football. His audibles at the line of scrimmage can annoy viewers or Colts' opponents, but he gets to the line early, makes his reads, feels what the defense is doing, and all the gestures and voice audibles/changes in cadence are  used as a reaction to the defensive alignment. You have to love it if you love watching the best QB in the NFL at work.

ADVANTAGE: COLTS. The Saints resort to cheap shots and media talk because they know they cannot outclass or outsmart the Colts. You know you're beaten when you have to do these things.

3. Colts' Stretch Play Run/Stretch Play Action.

It is no secret; the Saints are an opportunistic team. They force turnovers and they play with reckless abandon on defense. Led by Mike LB Jonathan Vilma, they are ferocious when it comes to stripping the ball, and FS Darren Sharper is a ballhawk, leading the NFL in interceptions. The Saints are smallish on defense, nonetheless -- especially without DE Charles Grant and excluding All-Pro DE Will Smith. The Stretch Play is designed to take advantage of overpursuit on defense and utilize active linemen to get out on the perimeter to create gaps for the running back to run through. Expect to see a good bit of the stretch play in both running and play action situations.

ADVANTAGE: COLTS.

4. QB: Head to Head. Peyton Manning vs. Drew Brees.

Manning has been here before. Brees is having another stellar season, but has not won a big game (notice I am saying this even after the 2009 NFC Championship -- because the Vikings LOST it/gave it away more than Brees and the Saints WON it). They are both ridiculously accurate. Brees has a quick trigger and has more targets than Manning. But Manning has more years in with WR Reggie Wayne and TE Dallas Clark. And there is no one on the Saints who can cover Wayne. And if they devote too much attention to Dallas Clark with Vilma, they could get beaten backside with WR Austin Collie and/or WR Pierre Garçon. There will be plenty of one on one situations for Colts' receivers. The Saints won't have many, because the Colts rarely play man-to-man. And with the Colts playing a Tampa 2 defense, their safeties both have the speed and discipline to keep everything in front of them, which is the basis of the defense.

ADVANTAGE: COLTS.

5. Coaching.

Jim Caldwell vs. Sean Payton.

Honestly, this is a push. Colts haters, racists on message boards and uncouth people out there like to make fun of Caldwell's sideline demeanor and lack of expression. I've heard him called some pretty low-ball names. But you cannot negate how good of a coach he is, because Manning is so great. He coached great football at Wake Forest, turning them back into a relevant program and he's steadied the Colts' ship when a LOT of people pegged them to fall back to the middle of the pack this year.

Sean Payton is a knockoff Bill Belichick; gambles too much on 4th down, too aggressive for his team's own good and the smug look on his face (watch him during the game, he's always looking like he's eating sour patch candies with that pucker he makes with his lips no homo). BUT HE CAN COACH. His offensive game plan is lights out and it plays to the strengths of his QB, RB and WRs. That's what you're supposed to do. Caldwell kept the ship steered and had a 16-0* season, the Saints finished 13-3, despite losing 3 straight to end the season, but they've come on strong building up to the Super Bowl.

* Let's face it, the Colts don't take their starters out vs. NYJ Week 16, they win, and they DEFINITELY destroy a hapless Bills team that still barely beat the Colts' backups Week 17.

ADVANTAGE: PUSH.

Let's get to Vegas' numbers --

New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts
Sun Life Stadium
Miami, Florida
February 7, 2010
6:25 PM EST

Over/Under: 57
IND: -4.5
NO: +165
IND: -190

Pick:
New Orleans 24
Indianapolis  38

FINAL
----------------------

When You Think Of The Greatest Quarterbacks Ever...

When You Think Of The Greatest Quarterbacks Ever...
M.D. Wright
2.7.10

***EDITOR'S NOTE: We have to put this argument to rest until it becomes viable again. People are allowing hatred of certain players and teams, and their irrational and unexplained fandom of another team/player cloud their judgment. Let's be OBJECTIVE about this one.

Out of the 10 Quarterbacks that people like to list as all-time greats, and the 4 or 5 that people like to tout as "Best Ever", let's break them down and look at what made them great and also find potential areas to SHARE credit, rather than bestow it all upon one guy.

1. JOE MONTANA.
2. JOHN ELWAY.
3. DAN MARINO.
4. JOHN UNITAS.
5. PEYTON MANNING.
6. TOM BRADY.
7. STEVE YOUNG.
8. TROY AIKMAN.
9. BRETT FAVRE.
10. FRAN TARKENTON.

Off the bat, we can eliminate Tarkenton (never won anything), Young (great, but didn't play as a starter but 10 full seasons, and only won one Super Bowl as a Starter) -- I'll leave Aikman on the fence for now, because he did win three. But the basis of my argument will push him off the fence, with three other QBs who receive far too much credit having the same argument levied against them as well.

You cannot bestow an INDIVIDUAL DISTINCTION ("Best Quarterback Ever") and then bring in TEAM ACHIEVEMENTS (Winning multiple Super Bowls). That's just like changing tenses within a sentence when writing proper English. Your professor will dock you points for going from past tense to present or future tense incorrectly. It weakens your argument, and for football's sake, it's INVALID. People just use this Best QB/Super Bowl Wins argument to bolster their already-irrational and questionable objectivity and to further prove their point.

And without further adieu.

Joe Montana.
Montana was great. He was cool under pressure (although he readily admits he was nervous as hell during those comeback wins), didn't make mistakes to kill his team and ran the West Coast Offense that was designed to play to his strengths. If you are a QB, that is what you do within that system.

But let's take a moment and assess things. Montana had ALL-WORLD players at darn near every position during his entire tenure in San Francisco (1979-1991). WR Jerry Rice (Best in the NFL the entire time, best of all-time), WR John Taylor (The Prototypical "Z" receiver, even though a WCO doesn't feature one), WR Roger Craig (Highstepped like Deion Sanders and was a 1,000 yard rushing AND receiving player in the same season in the 80s), RB Ricky Watters (Craig-Lite), FB Tom Rathman (One of the Best Fullbacks since the merger), TE Brent Jones (one of the best TEs of this generation and certainly the best in the 80s/early 90s), a stellar, if not dirty offensive line that never allowed defenders to touch Montana (until '86 and '90 Giants got to him, of course), a very good defense, including ALL-WORLD SECONDARIES -- not to mention one year where their ENTIRE. DEFENSIVE. SECONDARY. were voted as All-Pro/Pro Bowl STARTERS. Are you kidding me?

Montana didn't play on a team of slouches. The 49ers won 4 Super Bowls in his tenure (and later a 5th with QB Steve Young at the helm) because they had the best players in the NFL at a number of positions. Not just QB. Montana's great, but he's not the best of all-time. He's #2 in my book.

John Elway.
For me, what sticks out about Elway was watching him while I was growing up in the 80s. They could never win. Sure, part of that was Dan Reeves' philosophy and bad breaks. But now, all of a sudden Mike Shanahan becomes coach, the Broncos go to a Zone Blocking Scheme so that your grandfather with two bad hips could rush for 1,000 yards for them (I mean, one of the guys who did it, RB Terrell Davis, was a 6th Round pick, and RB Clinton Portis could get 1,000 yards in his sleep -- but the other guys were bums and still did it), they land a great receiving corps, implement a great system and played tough defense (their offensive line was notorious for "Leg Whips" like the 80s/early 90s San Francisco 49er offensive lines were known for) and "VOILA!" they win back to back Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998. Elway has the numbers, and even won 2 Super Bowls, but ineptitude for an entire decade and a HALF has to push him down to 3 in my book.

Dan Marino.
He could zing it all day. Best arm I've ever seen. He couldn't run. Nor could his team (especially when it mattered). The Dolphins always seemed one-dimensional to me. Sort of like Dave Kingman -- it was all Home Runs or nothing with them. If Marino wasn't on, they couldn't run the ball effectively, and while their defenses were usually Top 10 while Marino was QB, they still never won a Super Bowl. And in the one Super Bowl that Marino played (Super Bowl XIX vs. San Francisco), they get utterly destroyed in losing fashion.

Sorry.

#4 for me.

Johnny Unitas.
He played in an era where defending the pass was still somewhat a new art. Pass rushers were just becoming the vogue thing (i.e. Deacon Jones and those of his ilk), defensive backs were mostly clumsy and weren't athletic as they are now. They took poor angles and most weren't even good tacklers (excluding D. Lane, D. LeBeau and guys of that ability). Unitas did his thing, however, but it's hard to put him above the others, even though he did win a Super Bowl.

#5.

Brett Favre.
One "lucky" Super Bowl win (more attributable to Reggie White's clutch pass rush on QB Drew Bledsoe who WAS going to lead the Patriots down the field for a Game Winning Touchdown in Super Bowl XXXI in 1996) and a decade-long trend of killing his team with backbreaking interceptions to kill playoff runs (including a 6 INT playoff game vs. the St. Louis Rams a few years back).

Yes, Favre has numbers for days, played more consecutive games than any non-punter, has all the passing yards, touchdowns (also interceptions), etc. etc. etc. I believe he was very much injured in 1999 and had he sat, and the Packers not gone 8-8 with Favre's mediocre play, head coach Ray Rhodes would not have been run out of town after just one year (does anyone else STILL find that odd how that turned out -- Holmgren stays for 7 years, leaves, Rhodes comes in, Favre is hurt all year, they go 8-8, he gets fired, Sherman comes in, stays for 7 himself and legitimately gets fired after having tons of time to produce results?)

Anyway, I digress.

The number of backbreaking interceptions '01, '02, '07, '09, just to name a few -- if you, the supposed best QB of all-time can't win FOUR GAMES that could've catapulted you to Super Bowls, and you're the prime reason (not sole, but PRIME -- i.e. '09 Vikes with several fumbles, but they still had a chance to win  despite those fumbles, but "THE INT" killed them) for those late losses, you can't be the best ever. Sorry.

#6.

Tom Brady.
Call me cynical. I don't care. You can't call me a hater, because I hated SF more than I have ever hated NE. And I don't hate Brady, so in this individual vantage point, you really cannot call me a hater for listing him #7, or bringing up what I'm about to say:

THE PATRIOTS CHEATED TO WIN AT LEAST TWO OF THEIR THREE SUPER BOWLS. And the NFL CAUGHT THEM DOING IT. Do (bandwagon) Patriots fans forget this? Do Tom Brady sycophants remember this fact? They were fortunate, due to bad officiating and the NFL's ongoing hatred for Al Davis, to win the 2001 AFC Championship game and barely eke out a win over the St. Louis Rams, but other than that, while they certainly had good teams for their other two wins, they CHEATED to do so. And since they've been caught, they've had an 18-0 season derailed by a tougher team and are in a tailspin back to mediocrity.

You cannot put Tom Brady NEAR the top of that list.

Steve Young.
As previously stated, Young simply did not play long enough. He did not become a full-time starter for good with SF until (he did start throughout 1991 while Montana was out for the season, if I recall properly -- I'm doing this off dome, forgive me for inaccuracies with years) 1993. While he did have spot starts whenever Montana was nicked up prior to that, only being starter from that point forward. Young retired in 2000, so even though he won 3 total Super Bowls (1 as starter), he didn't play long enough, and was often concussed (the last one leading to his retirement). #8.

Troy Aikman.
Another frequently concussed QB. He was on teams for the ages, though. The Dallas Cowboys could have easily won 5 straight Super Bowls. God knows the players they had in the years they DIDN'T win it all were there. If not for the 1994 San Francisco 49ers All-Time/All-World squad that wasn't going to lose to ANYONE and a few bad breaks to start the 1997 season, the Cowboys would have certainly won 5 straight. Aikman had great numbers most of the time, but he never passed for 4,000 if I'm not mistaken -- not that you need to with ALL-TIME RB Emmitt Smith in the backfield and some ferocious defensive squads (including All-World/Best of All-Time Cornerback Deion Sanders from 1995 forward). Aikman had a cannon for an arm and threw one of the best deep balls ever, but nah, #9.

Fran Tarkenton.
He ran like Young, Cunningham, Vick all did this generation, he could wing it, but he never won. Plain and simple. And he wasn't on bad teams in Minnesota either. The Giants were DREADFUL, however. He stays at #10.

Peyton Manning.
As long as he's healthy, he's going to have every pertinent passing record (passing yards, touchdowns, rating -- close to Young's all-time record). He may win Super Bowl XLIV, and probably another one or two.

But say he doesn't?

He hasn't had all-world players except WR Marvin Harrison -- who he didn't even have this year. His offensive lines were decent, but not great, especially not the past 3 years when they've been unable to run the ball. Their running game has been a joke outside of 1999-2005 when Edgerrin James was their feature back and did big things. Their defense's 2nd best player is almost always on IR (SS Bob Sanders), and their current best defensive player, DE Dwight Freeney, may not even play in Super Bowl XLIV at all. And given all those things, the fact that the Colts run a Cover 2 scheme, therefore, no one really has stellar numbers outside of a defensive lineman, because everyone is in a zone and mans that zone. They have not featured any real superstar players outside of the aforementioned Harrison, Freeney, James and borderline Sanders, but yet I hear people say Manning is not the best ever. He's the smartest QB ever. His audibles at the line of scrimmage are not posturing. He reads defenses better than anyone ever has. He has the arm to make all the throws. He's obviously accurate beyond belief, and for people to try to say Montana is the best of all time by mentioning Super Bowl wins (go back and read the way the 49ers broke down as a team top to bottom -- if there WAS a bottom -- in the 80s and then come back and read what the Colts have had since Manning arrived in 1998) are just ludicrous. You cannot go from making an individual distinction to bring up something that is done by a team (Super Bowls).

And those who will say "well, if he's so great, he should've been able to carry the team". BS. Montana was able to come back in games because their defense was great. WHAT OTHER TEAM HAS HAD AN ENTIRE SECONDARY VOTED AS PRO BOWL STARTERS IN THE SAME SEASON?

The Colts are fortunate if Sanders is healthy and he becomes that Pro Bowler.

The Colts' defense ranked 18th overall this season, and that's usually where they've been since Manning arrived. The 49ers were almost ALWAYS Top 5 when Montana was starter in San Francisco.

KNOCK IT OFF, ONCE AND FOR ALL.

Black History Month: Person Of The Day - February 5, 2010

Black History Month: Person Of The Day - February 5, 2010
M.D. Wright
2.5.10


***EDITOR'S NOTE: Black History Month Series.


Today's Person Of The Day:
DR. BEN CARSON.

Dr. Carson has always been interesting to me. He's somewhat tangible as a "legend" of sorts, because he's still alive and not someone who  paid their dues and left this world 200 years ago. Personally, I love it when a Black man gets notoriety for something OTHER than being a successful (or unsuccessful) rapper, professional athlete or shuckin' and jivin' in movies. Not knocking the arts, as I love them in almost every carnation that they manifest, but as a professional myself -- entering the legal field, I love an example of a successful Black man who is an attorney, doctor, scientist or something other than the stereotypical career choices. This is why Dr. Ben Carson was chosen on this day.


Biographical Information Borrowed From Dr. Ben Carson's Website:

Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., M.D., had a childhood dream of becoming a physician. Growing up in a single parent home with dire poverty, poor grades, a horrible temper, and low self-esteem appeared to preclude the realization of that dream until his mother, with only a third-grade education, challenged her sons to strive for excellence. Young Ben persevered and today is a full professor of neurosurgery, oncology, plastic surgery, and pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and he has directed pediatric neurosurgery at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center for nearly a quarter of a century. He became the inaugural recipient of a professorship dedicated in his name in May, 2008. He is now the Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., M.D. and Dr. Evelyn Spiro, R.N. Professor of Pediatric Neurosurgery.

Some career highlights include the first separation of craniopagus (Siamese) twins joined at the back of the head in 1987, the first completely successful separation of type-2 vertical craniopagus twins in 1997 in South Africa, and the first successful placement of an intrauterine shunt for a hydrocephalic twin. Although he has been involved in many newsworthy operations, he feels that every case is noteworthy – deserving of maximum attention. He is interested in all aspects of pediatric neurosurgery and has a special interest in trigeminal neuralgia (severe facial pain) in adults.

Dr. Carson holds more than 50 honorary doctorate degrees. He is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, the Horatio Alger Society of Distinguished Americans, and many other prestigious organizations. He sits on the board of directors of numerous organizations, including Kellogg Company, Costco Wholesale Corporation, the Academy of Achievement, and is an Emeritus Fellow of the Yale Corporation, the governing body of Yale University. He was appointed in 2004 by President George W. Bush to serve on the President’s Council on Bioethics. He is a highly regarded motivational speaker who has addressed various audiences from school systems and civic groups to corporations and the President’s National Prayer Breakfast.

In 2001, Dr. Carson was named by CNN and TIME Magazine as one of the nation’s 20 foremost physicians and scientists. That same year, he was selected by the Library of Congress as one of 89 "Living Legends" on the occasion of its 200^th anniversary. He is also the recipient of the 2006 Spingarn Medal which is the highest honor bestowed by the NAACP. In February, 2008, Dr. Carson was presented with the Ford’s Theatre Lincoln Medal by President Bush at the White House. In June, 2008, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by the President, which is the highest civilian honor in the land. He has literally received hundreds of other awards during his distinguished career.

Today, Dr. Carson and his wife, Candy, dedicate themselves to expanding the reach of the Carson Scholars Fund.  Their dream is to name a Carson Scholar in every school within the United States.

DISCUSS>>>