The sports world is always in search of the next dominant force in the game. Yes the NBA has been valiantly trying to find someone to replace the marketability of Jordan, with Lebron being the closest. However, there is still the quest to find the next “Shaq.” This search is not limited to the men’s game as more and more coaches on the women’s side are also seeking that dominant force in the paint. The thing that has always disturbs me about the whole concept is the damage we do to our youth at a very early age in trying to make them live up to such lofty expectations. You have seen this occurrence take place on playgrounds and courts across the country. Whenever there is a young boy or girl who is taller and bigger than everyone else, coaches and fans alike expect them to take over a game even at the tender age of 11. What people often miss are the feelings of the individual. They fail to appreciate the beauty of their game. If they are not breaking back boards, dunking on someone’s head or sending people flying as they make their move to the basket, they are critical. Nor do they consider for one moment the person’s damaged psyche when they fail to live up to the “Big Man” mystique.

I have personally witnessed the harm this can do. In fact the friend who called to tell me about the passing of the high school all star was expected by many to take the mantle of becoming the next great Big man, but instead his game was not one of brute force, despite being the tallest in his class. His game was more finesse. Think Ralph Sampson as opposed to a younger Patrick Ewing, he had a beautiful jump hook, could run the floor like a gazelle, rebound and when he blocked shots he kept the ball inbounds much like Bill Russell instead of sending the ball to the 5th row.

The fans never truly appreciated his talents, despite helping our high school team win a state championship. He was often the target of crude remarks, jokes and taunts. I use to feel bad for him, especially being his best friend. To his credit he never showed or let the naysayers have the pleasure of seeing how they got to him. He developed a layer of skin so thick, you’d need a diamond tip drill just to break the surface. I use to wonder how he dealt with all of the negative comments. Years later it dawned on me how he dealt with the pain. My friend turned to alcohol to anesthetize the pain and rejection.

Recently, I had the opportunity to coach a young woman who stood 6’4, the tallest player in the school’s history. Not only was she tall, she was built like a wall. She had all of the physical appearances of “Shaq” but her skill level said otherwise. People quickly wrote her off, all of the big universities didn’t give her a second look. I recall while watching one of her high school games another college coach who was in attendance shared his opinion: “What a God given waste of talent and size, she is AWFUL.” I was stunned that a person who is in charge of leading young people and sharing values could make such a disparaging comment. I recruited her anyway, because I saw and appreciated the potential she had, all she needed was someone to believe in her. In fact the line I used to get her to attend my institution was “I’m not recruiting you to be “Shaq.” I want you to be the best player, you can be.” I’ll never forget the look on her face. Finally there was someone who believed in her and appreciated her skills just the way they were.

She was a beautiful person inside and out. We had a great four year run together. During her four years I watched her go through some of the same antics my high school teammate went through, the comments she endured were brutal. “She sucks.” Or, “If I had that height I would..” The fans taunted every facet of her game from physical appearance to her limited skills, and the referees were just as bad. They would allow her get beat up and manhandled on a regular basis, her arms were covered with bruises and scratches. I would give the refs an earful whenever I witnessed this unfair treatment by shouting “Goliath has feelings too” or “there is nothing in the rule book that states if you are bigger or taller than everyone else you should be allowed to take more punishment.”

Unfortunately this is all too common. For some reason just because an athlete is bigger or taller than their peers that somehow disqualifies them from being human or having the same rules apply. The late Wilt Chamberlain could attest to this fact. My center also had an escape mechanism; she would immerse herself in drawing beautiful illustrations of scenery, places that brought her serenity. And we also had long reassuring pep talks affirming that I believed in her. It was because of our relationship that she worked extra hard and gave me everything she had. She played a pivotal role in our successful run during her career.

As the world tunes in for the NBA Finals between the Lakers and the Magic, There are 2 big men who will be on center stage. Orlando’s Dwight Howard and the Lakers’ Andrew Bynum. One of them will play a pivotal role in the series and for the other hopefully he has people around him who truly appreciate and love him just because.

Tony Price is a collegiate athletics administrator and head basketball coach with over 20 years experience as an athlete and instructor. His unique perspective on sports and society are also featured on his blog, “The Darker Shade of Sports,” www.darkershadeofsports.com.

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100 days on the job and the nation has overwhelming given our President Obama a pretty decent grade and in some cases a higher then expected grade point averages. But how much value shall we place on this national grading? It took the Bush administration eight years to lead us into the economic mess that we’re currently facing; but Obama only gets 100 days to get us on the right track back to economic recovery?

And what about all the critics who challenged Obama’s message of Hope and Faith during his campaign run? It appears that these same critics are looking for miracles themselves; expecting that in 100 days Obama would “fix” the nation.

Instead of focusing on what he YET to do (he has at least the next 4 years on the job), let’s focus on a few things that he is doing and has accomplished…

1) In 100 days, President Obama has done more to mend international relationship tensions, than Bush ever did in eight years. This is evidenced by the sincere exchange of hand-shakes and human touch between him and other foreign leaders that his critics have attempted to judge poorly. Grade: A

2) In 100 days, President Obama has helped to instill optimism and hope in the American people; even in the midst of crisis and now the Swine Flu outbreak. Evidenced by the fact that the Dow and consumer spending are up. Grade: A

3) In 100 days, President Obama and Michelle have offered a refreshing perspective to life at the White House that invites the American people in, versus ostracizing the majority of the nation. Grade: A

4) In 100 days, President Obama has proven that he is a man of Patience and Prudence. Did you see how he handled the Somali Pirate situation? Without being bullied by the press or critics to speak-out aggressively on national TV; the professionals were able to come in, do their job, and we got our man back! That was the goal, wasn’t it?? I think some Obama critics may have forgotten that. Grade: A

5) In 100 days, President Obama has acted in the best interest of the country and not some special group that has lobbied for power and position. Grade: A

And, in 100 days, President Obama is redefining “Swagger.” Okay so maybe this isn’t the #1 issue, but you have to admit the brotha has swagger!! Every picture is impeccable, his walk is smooth and his demeanor is cool.

The bible records that we will know a tree by the fruit that it bears/produces. President Obama is producing the fruit of a true presidential leader and champion.

Najuma Smith is a preacher, world traveler, writer, and proud parent. She currently serves as the full-time Sr. Pastor of St. James AME Church in Los Angeles. Unapologetically saved and full of purpose, she enjoys sharing words of encouragement with anyone who will listen, bringing a fresh look at life in light of the Word of God. Her collection of motivations and observations are exclusive to Urban Thought Collective. Visit her at www.myspace.com/revjuju.

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For me that person was a coach named T-Bone. He was a tall, slim, dark skinned young man who spoke with a soft tone, a few decibels above a whisper, and my team mates and I thought was so cool. T-bone always came to the game clean and well dressed and he had a way of motivating us without yelling or using abusive language. He was the epitome of cool and I admired him as a role model. I was a lanky 13 year old athlete who just started to pick up the game of basketball after segueing from my first love of baseball.

I decided to join a local league at the urging of a classmate who happened to be the best player in the league. He noticed my height and convinced me to sign up. The details of my first game are still vivid, I was nervous to say the least, as I knew my skills were not up to the level of some of the players in the league. I didn’t possess an arsenal of ball handling wizardry such as a killer cross over, behind the back or between the leg dribble that would wow you. In the hood if you don’t have game, everyone will let you know about it, but for some reason T-Bone saw something in me and started me for the game. I did not score a basket, but I did defend, rebound and made some great passes to help the team to victory. As the season progressed I settled into my role, my stat’s were hardly anything to brag about, but I quietly came to the game, played within myself and we went undefeated that season and won the championship. It helped that we had the best player in the league on our team, who surprisingly was very unselfish. T-Bone was great at keeping the focus on the team and not just one player; he somehow convinced us all that we had an important role.

T-Bone was the perfect coach for me at that time, as I was just coming from an abusive relationship with a former baseball league coach who kicked me off the all-star team in my last season of little league. This coach was the antithesis of T-Bone, and took my confidence. At the conclusion of the championship game Bone took us to a local pizzeria to celebrate, it was here that he made his biggest deposit into my life. As he doled out the accolades MVP, defensive player and so on, he announced that he had a special award to issue the “Unsung Hero.” To paraphrase T-Bone, it was like the MVP, and he began to describe the characteristics, played hard, sacrificed personal stats, efforts often over looked, etc.

He concluded by saying the award goes to Tony Price. I was both dumbfounded and elated as my teammates and I didn’t really know what the award meant, but I do remember catching the words, “like the MVP” and that’s all I needed to feel 10 feet tall. I raced back home to the housing projects to share the good news with my mom. From that day on there was no stopping me, T-bone made me a believer. Fortunately I had the chance years later to thank him. Who was that unsung person in your life? Are they still alive? Have you ever thanked them?

Now is the perfect time for some spring cleaning.

Tony Price is a collegiate athletics administrator and head basketball coach with over 20 years experience as an athlete and instructor. His unique perspective on sports and society are also featured on his blog, “The Darker Shade of Sports,” www.darkershadeofsports.com.

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My vision for the poor, the under-served, and the wealth-less of the world is to help them see themselves — differently. We can do this by helping to expose, to educate, to empower, and ultimately to inspire them. We can help them become “dreamers, with shovels in their own hands,” quoting my friend Dr. Dorothy Height.

I pray the poor can see themselves for what and who they truly already are; rich in spirit. Assets, and not liabilities on the world’s global balance sheet.

I have seen, time and again, that given an informed choice, the poor do not want a hand out, but simply a hand up. They want the dignity that comes from doing for self.

Education is the ultimate poverty eradication tool, and when you know better, you tend to do better.

Moving from civil rights to silver rights. From integrating the lunch counter, to integrating the dollar too.

Low-wealth communities, the world over, represent future emerging markets waiting to be born. That one person can make a difference, and we are that one person. That we are all accountable and responsible for the world we live in, because it is literally the world we create.

A little hope can make the difference.

John Hope Bryant is a philanthropic entrepreneur and businessman, in the business of empowerment. This includes Mr. Bryant’s non-profit work throughout the United States, through Operation HOPE, his global non-profit work led by HOPE Global Initiative and his vast work in public policy. Hope has coined the phrase “Silver Rights” to empower urban communities to increase their understanding of how money works. Find out more at http://www.johnhopebryant.com/.

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There is no question March Madness represents different things to different sectors of people. For many it represents Big Business. Just look at the commercials in between games. The same goes for merchandising. While some watch to familiarize themselves with the next generation of NBA stars, others watch because of school pride. Lastly, the games serve as a temporary diversion from the troubled economy. I on the other hand watch the games for another reason; I enjoy watching a collective group of individuals work together and demonstrate what you can achieve with preparation and faith, not luck despite the predictions of the experts.

This is the time of the year when millions of fans become familiar with a school or players who have flown under the radar screen for most of the season. Suddenly we watch them become overnight heroes. For me the attraction of the games comes down to the unfolding story line “small school overachieves and defeats Big time University.” Besides, like many Americans, I love cheering for the underdog and seeing the “nobody’s of the college basketball world” stick it to the Big Dogs. There’s something exhilarating about watching that happen right before your eyes. There is also a spiritual principle we can learn through watching the triumphs of the Cinderella’s of the big dance.

I’m referencing a story found in the book of Numbers from the Bible, Chapter 13. It is the story of Moses sending out a team of individuals to go and spy a land that was promised to his people. The land was beautiful filled with resources; a virtual paradise. However, when the team returned the majority came back with a negative story based on fear (they saw giants) and did not think they could overcome these mighty people to possess the land.

The naysayers spread their message of doubt and unbelief amongst the rest of the people, convincing them to give up their hopes and dreams of a better life, despite seeing evidence to the contrary. But a couple of the spies came back with a different perspective. Yes, they saw the same giants the others witnessed, but they still believed they could win. They knew they were prepared and the desire to taste victory was a strong enough motivating factor to press on.

Today, many of us are facing scary and tumultuous times filled with uncertainty, yet the will to succeed and not live a life of fear has to be great enough to overcome the negative reports we are constantly bombarded with. I encourage you not to succumb to the reports of the doomsayers. You have to adopt the same philosophy the small programs have that win in the NCAA tournament. When no one else believes in you or gives you a chance, step onto the court of life with confidence and take your best shot!

Tony Price is a collegiate athletics administrator and head basketball coach with over 20 years experience as an athlete and instructor. His unique perspective on sports and society are also featured on his blog, “The Darker Shade of Sports,” www.darkershadeofsports.com.

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I don’t know who originated this quote but it has made the rounds both before and after the election. What does it really mean and is there any truth to it?

The quote argues that no one is really responsible for their own success but that individual success is due at least in part to these who have walked that same path before you. Do African-Americans owe a debt to those who came before us and if so how does that relate to our decision to give back or support those who are less fortunate?

When I think about this issue, I’m reminded of a line from Jay-Z’s song “H.O.V.A.” where he talks about his past and explains that he experienced certain events in his life so that the next generation would not have those same difficulties: “Hov did that, so hopefully you don’t have to go through that.” He acknowledges that the difficulties he experienced paved the way for those who came after him were so that future artists would not have to face those same challenges. This concept is not just limited to the world of hip hop.

Is any portion of our academic success, financial security or general prosperity a result of our predecessors? Most of us would not have been able to achieve the successes that we have, if we did not have parents and grandparents who sacrificed to make things a little bit better, socially and financially. While most of us would agree that we owe a debt of gratitude to our direct ancestors, who sacrificed for the benefits we now enjoy, what about those that we’ve never met who made sacrifices for the larger “cause” or “movement” so that we could get to where are?

The names we know like Martin Luther King, John Lewis and Rosa Parks–but also those unsung he-roes and she-roes whose names never made it into the history books.

But that was a long time ago. For many of us these are individuals who did their greatest work before we were even born so why are their actions relevant to me today? Fifty years later, do we really have owe anything to Rosa Parks and Thurgood Marshall? Forty-five years later do we really owe anything to Martin Luther King? Should we just say thanks for the three-day MLK holiday weekend and move on with our lives?

We shouldn’t forget those unidentified people who braved water hoses to register to vote so that 45 years later we could not only vote, but vote for an African-American presidential candidate. We wouldn’t be able to live in integrated neighborhoods and go to the best schools in the country (and have parents who could afford to send us to them) if it weren’t for those who fought for equality before us.

We would not be rejoicing over President-Elect Obama, if Shirley Chisholm, Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson had not tried to become President before him. And even though they did not get to the “promised land” of the presidency themselves, they paved the way so that we as a people could get to the “promised land.”

This isn’t a history lesson and everyone has heard what I just said before. The question is “what should I do about it?” The answer: you should “give back” in some way and give someone else a helping hand. Marion Wright Edelman said, “Service is the rent we pay for living.” Well, the rent check is past due. Each of must do something to contribute.

Some of us think that we have no one but ourselves to thank for our success. Everything that we have is because we are smart, talented and hard-working. But we are not unique– there were and are others who were just as smart, just as talented and just as ambitious, who did not have the same opportunities. “To Whom Much is Given Much is Expected.” Many things have changed—we are able to vote without paying a poll tax, we do not have to worry about being turned away from the polls because of the color of your skin, and we’ve been able to vote and elect a black president. We can’t take that luck for granted. We have to DO SOMETHING.

This summer HBO aired the documentary “The Black List”. One of my favorite segments was Al Sharpton, when he talked about a conversation he had with someone who said “I didn’t make it because of civil rights; civil rights didn’t write my resume.” Mr. Sharpton’s response was “Yes, but civil rights made someone read your resume.” As we celebrate our new President lets not forget not only how far we’ve come but also how far we need to go. We owe a debt of gratitude to those giants on whose shoulders we stand. The best way to start to pay back that debt is by paying it forward, lending a helping hand and making a commitment to make a difference by using your time and financial resources, no matter how large or small, to make someone’s path a little easier.

Enough preaching, now solutions . . .

To be continued…

Angelia Dickens is an attorney and author with lots of thoughts and opinions, and now a place to share them (other than with her friends and family). Her blog is a compilation of her musings and commentary on charitable giving, volunteerism and philanthropy from an African-American perspective. Her writings have appeared in the Nonprofit Times and the Root.com. She can be reached at speakyourvoice@gmail.com. Read, comment and circulate.

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Many people measure their value as a person on external objects such as people, places, or things. When you have those things or don’t have those things your self esteem increases or decreases respectively. In these challenging economic times, anxiety and depression are on the rise as more people are experiencing loss or financial difficulties. It is common for people to associate their self-worth with financial success. People who link their self esteem to money find themselves more susceptible to depression and anxiety when their pockets are empty.

Remember, your mind locks its attention on those things you focus on. It is easy to focus on what we don’t have or are lacking. Unfortunately, this does nothing to change your situation and could make it worse. By focusing on lack, your mind only shows you options that confirm the belief that you are lacking things in your life. In this way you begin to block you blessings, because you are no longer looking for them. Your ego conspires to be right. And if you believe yourself to be without, the mind will only focus on those situations that correspond with that belief.

Some of us (including myself) have a past where financial difficultly was the norm. We must make peace with those past financial issues, in order to allow wealth to flow into our lives with less resistance. This explains how some people who have experienced some form of financial gain find themselves losing it because their frame of reference is still that of an individual that is lacking.

Another way you maybe blocking your wealth is not recognizing your self-worth. I remember when I was just starting in my career I was always afraid to ask for the salary I thought I deserved. This is because I truly didn’t believe I deserved it. I’d always assumed It was luck that got me to where I was and not that I had something of value to offer and that I should be reciprocated for it appropriately.

It is very important to be aware of how you measure your self-worth. It is good to set goals and these goals can be material. But be careful of attaching your self-worth to these external variables. By measuring your value as a person with external items you give those items emotional power over you. This can have direct effects on your mental, spiritual, physical, and financial health.

To insure you stay healthy financially and allow more money to flow into your life effortlessly, you must first unhinge your self-worth from your net value. Realize that you are worthy of everything the world has to offer simply because you exist. This will keep your emotions stable and not dependent on the ebb or flow of your finances.

Second, be grateful for what you have instead of focusing on what you don’t have. This will focus your mind’s attention on looking for opportunities that will benefit you financially. You can strengthen your focus on financial prosperity by resolving and letting go of past financial weaknesses. Also beware of financially limiting thoughts (such as; Money is the root of all evil or you can’t have money and be spiritual). These thoughts hinder your financial success.

Some good tools to help you visualize your financial success are “Vision boards” or “Mind Movies.” To create a vision board you take a piece of cardboard and paste pictures from magazines (or other publications) that match your vision of financial success. To make a mind movie you can make a simple power point presentation containing positive affirmations and pictures (you can collect off the web) that match your vision of financial success. Use these tools to remind or motivate yourself when you find yourself facing challenging times.

Lastly, seek out help from experts. If you are unable to afford professional help, look for individuals in your life that you know make good financial judgments and discuss your finances with them. You may find discussing financial issues to be difficult, but it is necessary that you overcome this challenge. To be helped we have to communicate with others in order for them to help us. By discussing your financial issues you are shedding light in the darkness, allowing yourself to move further down a path of financial prosperity.

“Prosperity is a way of living and thinking, and not just money or things. Poverty is a way of living and thinking, and not just a lack of money or things.”

*Eric Butterworth

Roderick Watkins is a Certified Hypnotherapist and doctoral student in Metaphysics. His mission is to aid you in finding resolutions for conflicted parts of your being using spiritual resources to guide you on the path towards a unified self.

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Well, words may not hurt your feelings, but if you ask Don Imus, words can hurt your career and cost you a job.

If you ask Jesse Jackson, words can hurt your name and cost you the respect of your constituents.

Or if you ask Ludacris, words can hurt your pending endorsement deal and, as of late, friendship with the 2008 presumptive Democratic nominee.

If you ask the family of Megan Meir, words will do more than hurt feelings but they can lead a teenage girl to commit suicide and cost her family immeasurable pain, not to mention the case brought against Lori Drew, whose words it is claimed led to the teen’s suicide based on a bogus MYSPACE entry.

And we all have been recently involved in discussion and dialogue over whether or not Jeremiah Wright was right in what he said!

On the flip side, if you ask a Dr. Martin Luther King , words can lead a nation into a movement that is still impacting the world “I have a dream…”

Recently, I taught a class on the Power of the Tongue. We looked at several case studies and scriptures that pointed us to the fact that one of the smallest muscles in our body has the ability to do so much damage, yet the same muscle can do so much good. Our words can cause irreparable damage to the mind and soul of a person or build internal confidence and strength in that same person. Our words can start street fights and wars or bring peace to chaos. This is a lot of power!

In this age of YouTube, Myspace, Tagged, Camera Phones, miniature digital recording devices, palm pilots, text messaging, instant messaging and so much more, our words have greater reach, thereby increasing their power. In less than 3 minutes, our words can be sent across the globe and affect people we will never meet in person.

Admittedly, I’ve said many things I regret and have had to return to the person(s) with whom I spoke to seek their forgiveness. Likewise I’ve said many things that encourage people to go on and do great things in life. One of the reasons I write and speak publicly is in hopes that my words will be a positive influence and do some good in this life.

UTC reader, with all this power, what are you doing with your words?

Building or destroying? Strengthening or weakening? Affecting or infecting? Killing or creating? Something or nothing? What are you doing with your words?

Doctor, Lawyer, Coach, Teacher, Preacher, Writer, Singer, Rapper, News reporter, Poet Mom, Dad, Friend, Confidant, Politician, DJ, and the list can go on, what are we doing with your words?

The creator has given us great power with the tongue and our words; and we have responsibility over them. I can’t tell you how, when or where to use this power, I am only responsible for what I say; but it is my desire to be a master of my words. And today my thoughts are on His words: “Set a guard over my mouth and watch over my lips.” Psalm 141:3

Najuma Smith is a preacher, world traveler, writer, and proud parent. She currently serves as the full-time Sr. Pastor of St. James AME Church in Los Angeles. Unapologetically saved and full of purpose, she enjoys sharing words of encouragement with anyone who will listen, bringing a fresh look at life in light of the Word of God. Her collection of motivations and observations are exclusive to Urban Thought Collective. Visit her at www.myspace.com/revjuju.

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