Good writing

Color me impressed with Adam Mansbach’s piece in The Root the other day, an excerpt from his upcoming book, “The Speech: Race and Barack Obama’s ‘A More Perfect Union.’”  Other than making Obama’s speech his jump-off point, I found a lot that clicks.  Mansbach is rich with the details.

Stupid White People

Un-Fracken-Believable.  Via Obsidian Wings.

Michael Steele’s fictional counterpart

First, a defense of the Republican National Committee chairman’s “fried chicken and potato salad” crack… he made it in response to someone who was shouting out, “I’ll bring the collard greens,” and in that context what he said made sense.  But the rest of his answer was Palinesque in its vapidity — beginning with the opening, “Y’all come,” a more clumsy and out-of-place marker than the “fried chicken” response. 

 Watch these videos and tell me you don’t see a bit of David Brent in Michael Steele. 

Harry Allen pinpricks Kirstie Alley

Over at Media Assassin, he takes the air out of the actress, but she doesn’t seem to notice.  Her balloon still floats.  (By the way — I took the “pinprick” idea right out of Allen’s post.) 

In the latest proof of Twitter the medium causing near instantaneous amazement, Alley tweeted: “I WANT every African American in the country to follow me..i was born the wrong color..should have been black Italian..lol”

Allen asked why.

Alley responded: “…becuz it is my experience and obsevation that african americans are more free and fun and light hearted, as are Italians..”

Woah.  The normal course of action when a similar set of comments comes to light in the mainstream media is for lots of type to be wasted in which essentially black people are shown to be angry and white people to be clueless, with almost no elucidation of why exactly the offensive words were offensive.  

Not the case here.   In three tweets — no more than 420 characters combined, and I haven’t even counted — Allen deftly addressed Alley’s offense in the most generous manner possible to Alley.  Condensing the three into a single quote: 

“Can’t speak for Italians.  That Black people are ‘more free and fun and light hearted’ is a crusty, 300-year-old stereotype.  Like hosts smiling through their teeth at guests who’ve overstayed their welcome, a lot of what you may perceive as free and fun is just a way of navigating the extreme discomfort we suffer under white people.  But I can’t speak for Italians.”

All this happened in a 21-minute span in view of the nearly 66,000 people following Alley and Allen on Twitter.  (I’m not one; I’m not on Twitter.  Haven’t joined Facebook, either.  But man, have I hear plenty about what happens on each!)  

OH!  I almost forgot.  Alley didn’t even deign to respond to Allen’s lucidity.  That’s why I said her balloon still floats.

Check the full post — it’s worth the read.  Whenever I think about Allen — knowing him mostly from his blog and his radio show, NONFICTION, on 99.5 FM/WBAI in New York, the phrase that comes to mind is, “With care and with purpose.”  If it’s coming from him, he’s communicating with precision and conveying exactly what he considers important.

RIP, Peter Pan of pop

Wasn’t ready for this.

“Thriller” was the first must-have album of my life. 

The man was a loon. 

The man was an incredible performer.

He never really grew up and I always had a hard time imagining him growing old.

He didn’t.

P.S.  For another less-than-common Michael Jackson video, check this out.  (Welcome back, UBM.)  Note a young Tom Joyner doing the interview, and check the devastatingly simple question he asks at the 2:10 mark:  “So who are your real friends?”  It’s devastating for the way it makes Mike squirm.

From my moving bicycle

 

My second mock NBA draft

Again, just the top 10 picks.  A recap of my predictions from last year:

1.  Derrick Rose to the Bulls.  Yup, and he had a rookie season befitting an eventual legend.

2.  Michael Beasley to the Heat.  Yup, though he didn”t go to the Bulls, and he showed promise but was inconsistent.  He put up decent numbers but played smaller than I anticipated.   Which might be fine… but the league has plenty of great 3s, not so many solid 4s.

3.  Brook Lopez to the Wolves.  Nope, fell to the Nets at 10th.  But he had a great first campaign, finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting.

4.  O.J. Mayo to the Sonics, uh, Thunder. He went third and was traded to the Grizzlies.  Was second in Rookie of the Year voting, put up 18, 4 and 3 in heavy minutes.  Solid.

5. I had the Grizzlies trading the pick to the Clippers, who’d take Jerryd Bayless.  Instead Memphis took Kevin Love and traded him and parts for Mayo and parts.  Bayless went 11th, to the Pacers, and was traded to the Blazers.  He’s probably a year or two from contributing much.  Love did well with the Wolves but probably won’t get much better.  Not a bad pick, though — better than I thought he’d be.

6.  Russell Westbrook to the Knicks.  He went fourth, to the Thunder, and is part of a promising core with Kevin Durant and Jeff Green.  Very solid pick.  The Knicks took Danilo Gallinari, who was hurt most of the year but didn’t show all that much when he was healthy.

7.  Joe Alexander to the Clippers.  He went eighth, to the Bucks, and was a bust.  He wasn’t too hot when he started at West Virginia, though, and he’s apparently working hard to make a big leap in his second year.  The Clippers took Eric Gordon, who’s an explosive guard like Jerryd Bayless, except Gordon had a very nice rookie year.  His main weakness is that he plays for the Clippers.

8.  Eric Gordon to the Bucks.  See above.  I’m sure Milwaukee would rather have taken Gordon.

9.  Donté Greene to the Bobcats.  Instead, it was D.J. Augustine, who I thought wouldn’t go so high.  Greene went at #28 and ended up with the  Kings, for whom he had little impact.  But  he did prevent a potential drowning on Memorial Day.  Augustine, meanwhile, was decent  in his rookie year, averaging 12 points per game in 26 minutes.  Props to Michael Jordan, who seems to have an affinity for small point guards (Felton, Raymond; Singletary, Sean).

10.  Danilo Gallinari to the Nets.  See above.  This was the Brook Lopez pick, probably the best value of the Top 10 other than Rose.

For 2009:

1. Los Angeles Clippers — Blake Griffin, Oklahoma, forward.  It’s already been said, so this isn’t much of a prediction.  I have no idea how Griffin will do as a pro.  The only skill I’m sure will show is rebounding, which isn’t a bad one.  And he’ll have more than his share of dunks.  The questions are whether his low-post game will be beyond rudimentary, whether he’ll have any kind of jump shot, and whether he’ll play defense. 

2.  Memphis Grizzlies — Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut, center.  Really, the Clippers should be after Thabeet.  I have the same uncertainty about his development as with Griffin, but Thabeet is a legit 7′3″, 270.  I don’t think you turn down that kind of size with Thabeet’s upside.  He might not impress in year one but he’ll be a cornerstone for a decade.  Mark my words.

3.  Oklahoma City Thunder — Jonny Flynn, Syracuse, guard.  This may seem high for Flynn, but I think he’s a good fit for the Thunder, a young team that can play fast AND that doesn’t need him to be steady right away.  He’s probably a year or two from having an ideal outside shot and game-management ability.  But I’m more sold on his development than, say, Tyreke Evans’.

4.  Sacramento Kings — Brandon Jennings, Italy, guard.  I’m not sold on Ricky Rubio, the Spaniard who’s been getting all kinds of hype.  Meantime Jennings, IMHO, would be challenging for the #1 pick if he waited another year before returning from Europe.

5.  Washington Wizards — Jordan Hill, Arizona, forward.  They should take DeJuan Blair, out of Pitt.  But they’ll take Hill.  They need a young big man who can rebound.  So why do I think Blair will eat up more space and be more productive than Hill?  ‘Cause he’s a beast.  Hill is an athlete with potential.  Reminds me of Michael Olowokandi.  I wouldn’t mind if the Wizards considered James Johnson, from Wake Forest.

6.  Minnesota Timberwolves — Stephen Curry, Davidson, guard.  I think Curry’s a bit overrated as a high draft pick, though he’ll last a long time ’cause he’s got a great shot.  But the Wolves are actually a great fit for him.

7.  Golden State Warriors — Ricky Rubio, Spain, guard.  Dude plays with flair and has some legit skills.  And he’s still young.  But he’s got a weak body and he’s slow.  He will put fannies in seats, though, at least for a year or so. 

8.  New York Knicks — James Harden, Arizona State, guard.  I’ve never seen him play.  But he’s touted as crafty and productive, which is good for any team.

9.  Toronto Raptors — DeMar DeRozan, Southern Cal, guard.  Potential, athleticism.  Won’t help much in the first year.

10.  Milwaukee Bucks — Jeff Teague, Wake Forest, guard.  He brings some swagger but he’s a bit erratic too.  The Bucks have an ugly roster and could use a point who can push.

Equivalent to stupid

Pete Hoekstra got himself served when he compared Twitter use by Iranian street protestors now to that by U.S. House Republicans last fall.  My favorite line:

“My neighbor stopped me to talk today. Now I know what it is like to be questioned by the Basij!”

Iran so far away

Kudos to my clearinghouse, here, for coverage of protests that follow the elections stolen last week.

Face of a terrorist

Why wasn’t James Von Brunn in Guantanamo?