Michael Cooper Inducted in Basketball Hall of Fame, Bethenny Frankel Says NYC Too Violent, MTG Says Eclipse & Earthquake Are God's Warning to Repent, What I'm Watching, Queen Sings "Bohemian Rhapsody"
On Dawn Staley. First, if higher powers intervened to help her win, then these same higher powers helped other teams lose. I don't want my spiritual boss to get involved in deciding outcomes of sports events either; and if my god does pick sides, I would switch faiths. Second, with all the horrors and wars, why isn't god intervening in things like Ukraine or the Mideast wars?
Please cite the source of the crime statistics. Is it based on indictments or is it based on raw police reporting. For example if a criminal commits a felony, like armed robbery, but he is indicted for a lesser crime then the statistic becomes questionable. If a criminal commits a crime, and the sergeant in charge orders his officers to change the charges, how does that get recorded into the raw stats. These questions may help to elucidate the state of our cities. When old people are afraid to ride the subways it calls into question what is really happening under ground and on the streets of NYC. Transparency is the key to perception. And right now, due to skepticism about media sources, most citizens are wondering about what is real and what is perception .
You are right about Coach Staley and her ability to win and develop her players. That said your story brought up some disturbing remembrances of when my sons played sports through HS. I had many conversations with coaches that if they were going to pray at games or practices they needed to include a Hebrew prayer since my sons were Jewish. I even gave one the transliteration of a prayer. Soon after that they stopped. One particular conversation was with the principal of my son's PUBLIC middle school who was being pressured to post the 10 commandments in the school. I told her if she did that she'd have to post all 613 laws from the Torah in both Aramaic and English. That ended that. When I played, in the dark ages, we didn't "pray" before games we focused and tried to remember what our coach told us moment by moment. I'm frankly tired of this and tired of fighting for my rights in this country as a Jewish American. Clearly the work continues.
Thanks for your comments on Roseanne. I adore the show and loved Roseanne Barr. I certainly don’t agree with her current comments, but also don’t think they should be taken at all seriously.
Michael Cooper's induction into the Hall of Fame is well-deserved. I always acknowledged the supporting cast of players that anchor championship teams. The foundational heroes. A good thing to comment about. Not so much when it comes to Marjorie Greene and Roseanne Barr. I find them going off the deep end and taking weak-minded people with them a tragedy in the making. That makes them very dangerous considering we have so many people struggling with mental health issues. So many school shootings and other acts of deadly violence are attributed to people afflicted with mental deficiencies. They don't need unglued celebrities nudging them to act. Silence on this issue should not be an option.
I was in the first row at the Forum the night Coop became the first defender ever to shut down Michael Jordan. Along with his incredible defensive skills, he had a deadly 3-pointer. He was always one of my favorites on those great Laker teams.
Putting Bethany Frankel in the same pot with Roseanne and Greene is a little misleading and dishonest. An anecdotal observation (which may be the only really genuine expression most of us have) cannot be lumped with the character assassination coming from the two clowns.
RE: Bethany Frankel. Maybe some guy who hates her TV character recognized her and just let her have one. Not saying that what happened to her is OK, just that it might not have been as random as she thinks.
Robert Wood Johnson IV - owner of the New York Jets (Jest). Are you a crack baby? Trump is compassionate? The world would be a safer place if he gets re-elected? My hope is that the Jets (sorry for their players, except Rodgers), tank this season and never win another championship as long as the "Jackass Johnson" owns that pitiful dumpster fire of a team. Again, I feel sorry for their players that they have to represent such a crap-ass team, with a clueless owner. The Curse of Sonny Werblin has now been made eternal!
So much to comment on, and the community has already expressed many of my feelings and thoughts. Would like to say I wonder why Coop’s jersey isn’t hanging in the rafters at Staples/Crypto, with the other retired Laker greats. Last time I was there (I’m sorry to say the season of the pandemic before it hit), it wasn’t.
One of the things that always bothers me after a team or an athlete wins is when they thank God for the victory. I thought God did not play favorites? What does this say about the losing team? Did they just not believe enough? or weren't they devout enough? Why would God tip the scale in one team's favor?
I think it is more appropriate to thank God for helping you prepare, and to help you play your best. But we should remember that God does not play favorites.
On Dawn Staley. First, if higher powers intervened to help her win, then these same higher powers helped other teams lose. I don't want my spiritual boss to get involved in deciding outcomes of sports events either; and if my god does pick sides, I would switch faiths. Second, with all the horrors and wars, why isn't god intervening in things like Ukraine or the Mideast wars?
Please cite the source of the crime statistics. Is it based on indictments or is it based on raw police reporting. For example if a criminal commits a felony, like armed robbery, but he is indicted for a lesser crime then the statistic becomes questionable. If a criminal commits a crime, and the sergeant in charge orders his officers to change the charges, how does that get recorded into the raw stats. These questions may help to elucidate the state of our cities. When old people are afraid to ride the subways it calls into question what is really happening under ground and on the streets of NYC. Transparency is the key to perception. And right now, due to skepticism about media sources, most citizens are wondering about what is real and what is perception .
You are right about Coach Staley and her ability to win and develop her players. That said your story brought up some disturbing remembrances of when my sons played sports through HS. I had many conversations with coaches that if they were going to pray at games or practices they needed to include a Hebrew prayer since my sons were Jewish. I even gave one the transliteration of a prayer. Soon after that they stopped. One particular conversation was with the principal of my son's PUBLIC middle school who was being pressured to post the 10 commandments in the school. I told her if she did that she'd have to post all 613 laws from the Torah in both Aramaic and English. That ended that. When I played, in the dark ages, we didn't "pray" before games we focused and tried to remember what our coach told us moment by moment. I'm frankly tired of this and tired of fighting for my rights in this country as a Jewish American. Clearly the work continues.
Another good one, Kareem! You help me keep my sanity with each column.
R.I.P. O.J. Simpson - great player, questionable character, but still venerable.
He has risen. And not just his socks. Congratulations, Michael Cooper. Man, he was quick.
Thanks for your comments on Roseanne. I adore the show and loved Roseanne Barr. I certainly don’t agree with her current comments, but also don’t think they should be taken at all seriously.
Brilliant!
Michael Cooper's induction into the Hall of Fame is well-deserved. I always acknowledged the supporting cast of players that anchor championship teams. The foundational heroes. A good thing to comment about. Not so much when it comes to Marjorie Greene and Roseanne Barr. I find them going off the deep end and taking weak-minded people with them a tragedy in the making. That makes them very dangerous considering we have so many people struggling with mental health issues. So many school shootings and other acts of deadly violence are attributed to people afflicted with mental deficiencies. They don't need unglued celebrities nudging them to act. Silence on this issue should not be an option.
Listening is a question of character.
I was in the first row at the Forum the night Coop became the first defender ever to shut down Michael Jordan. Along with his incredible defensive skills, he had a deadly 3-pointer. He was always one of my favorites on those great Laker teams.
Putting Bethany Frankel in the same pot with Roseanne and Greene is a little misleading and dishonest. An anecdotal observation (which may be the only really genuine expression most of us have) cannot be lumped with the character assassination coming from the two clowns.
RE: Bethany Frankel. Maybe some guy who hates her TV character recognized her and just let her have one. Not saying that what happened to her is OK, just that it might not have been as random as she thinks.
Robert Wood Johnson IV - owner of the New York Jets (Jest). Are you a crack baby? Trump is compassionate? The world would be a safer place if he gets re-elected? My hope is that the Jets (sorry for their players, except Rodgers), tank this season and never win another championship as long as the "Jackass Johnson" owns that pitiful dumpster fire of a team. Again, I feel sorry for their players that they have to represent such a crap-ass team, with a clueless owner. The Curse of Sonny Werblin has now been made eternal!
So much to comment on, and the community has already expressed many of my feelings and thoughts. Would like to say I wonder why Coop’s jersey isn’t hanging in the rafters at Staples/Crypto, with the other retired Laker greats. Last time I was there (I’m sorry to say the season of the pandemic before it hit), it wasn’t.
One of the things that always bothers me after a team or an athlete wins is when they thank God for the victory. I thought God did not play favorites? What does this say about the losing team? Did they just not believe enough? or weren't they devout enough? Why would God tip the scale in one team's favor?
I think it is more appropriate to thank God for helping you prepare, and to help you play your best. But we should remember that God does not play favorites.
Imagine what might happen if the media ignored MTG. No longer gave her a platform or amplified her ridiculous thoughts.