How glorious it is-and also how painful-to be an exception
February 26, 2001 How true that saying is.
Its is truly great to be back to my old surrounding's. After months of traveling and working, am finally back in the best city of the world.
So since I missed all of you and lots of events, Let me start of with wishing all a healthy and prosperous New Year, which you only have 10 months left, so make it good.
I missed lots of the high school action, but I always keep in touch with all that make it so fun.
But is late, and so I let you guys now that HRU is back in the action.
Oh, by the way, thanks for all the great emails, and to those who get our newsletter, expect something new on the next issue.
Fall seven times, stand up eight.
Japanese Proverb
November 12, 2000 As Election Day came and went, we realized that our efforts, in getting the Green Party the 5% needed to win federal funds, fell short.
But I do not want to linger in the failures but in the victories that we obtain while fighting for our goal. I would first want to thank all the people that took the time and email HRU, I was happy to see that young student-athletes and parents got involve with us in fighting for our young. I especially was surprise when many of you email me asking for more information on Mr. Nader. Some of you even help out on Election Day. And for that I am graceful.
As Confucius Bell said, "The journey of ten thousand miles begins with a single step", we, as a young generation, have made that first step to our journey.
I again would like to thank all of you for your emails, which where many, and the love you have share with me. Remember that we might have lost this battle, but not the war. and with words that bring us back to the '60's "We Too, Shall overcome!"
"In the mountains of truth you never climb in vain"
Friedrich Nietzsche
November 7, 2000 I would like to start off with the words of President Theodore Roosevelt;
"...is not the critic that counts.., credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, strives valiantly, who errs and often comes up short again and again.., at best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.."
I last wrote my endorsement to Green Party Candidate Ralph Nader. Mr. Nader whose work have included, working for consumer rights and the environment, needs 5% of the overall nationwide vote to secure the Green Party federal founding for the next election and it also makes the Green's an official nationwide party. Although Mr. Nader as acknowledge the fact of him not having a chance to win the presidency, your vote can help bridge the cap that our communities face.
Democrats as well Republicans, have lost their vision of making this place a better place. What does one community benefits from gaining all the riches and losing their young. These political parties are for the same old politics. Reaching the profits and forgetting the people. Last night I wrote about youth programs needing funds to keep reaching our young. Did you know that in these elections no candidate, exception Mr. Nader, talked about the need that minority communities are facing? Both parties' candidates choose to reach the wealthy and forget the struggling. One says, "but the economy is better then ever", the other, "I will bring decency back to the White House" while everybody's talking about this and that, another gang related crime was just committed in a struggling community. It is time for a grass root movement that helps the people. It is time for real change, real issues and better people to lead our communities.
Remember today as you walk towards the voting booth, Think hard, feel deeply and chose wisely! And remember a vote for Mr. Nader is a vote for real change.
Today, you can help start a movement that will benefit all.
I leave you with my answer to an email I received today,
'Mr. Johnson, a radical is one who speaks the truth, and in the word of King George the III, I too, "desire what is good; therefore, every one who does not agree with me is a traitor."
HRU Endorses Nader/LaDuke for President!
November 5th, 2000 On tuesday Vote for Ralph Nader for Prsident and Winona LaDuke for Vice President.
I know this is an Amateur basketball site. But I believe that is important to also address the needs that our community faces. I truly understand that the only way to help our young is to teach them, that in everything they do, they must respond back to our communities.
As you might already know, local and federal governments fund youth programs. In a study in the NY Times, it calculated that 85% of youth programs are funded by federal money. Which simply means this, if we are getting money for our programs from the federal government, then we must seek to it that we elect the right people to distribute these funds.
"He who allows oppression shares the crime." Wrote Erasmus Darwin in the 1700's. And his words stand true today. If you follow HRU, you know that my biggest dilemma with the AAU, is that some clubs have left the desire to help young lives, and opted instead for glory that no body cares about. Let me explain. Does anyone care at this present time that Elton Brand played with the Riverside Church? Does any NBC broadcaster talk about Jason William playing his teen years with the Madison Broncos? Or does any fan of the sport, besides those who run these programs, care that Deshawn Stevenson Played for Youth Empowerment? The only time that these AAU clubs get local and national cover by the Media scene, is when they are in a scandal. We saw that when the NCAA for violating the rules, suspended Eric Barkley.
AAU clubs where assemble to help our young reach new heights. They where made to serve our communities in a positive way. AAU, which stands for Amateur Athletic Union, was invented to help young athletes reach their full potential, both on and off the competition stage. Today, must of these clubs is in dire need of a shape up. They must first clarify their mission. Second, they must believe that amateur sports are as essential to a teen's life, as a good education. A study in TIME's magazine showed that amateur athletes between the ages of 12 to 19 years old spend 56% of their time with a certain sport team. That means they see their coaches more then they do their schoolteachers.
This is why I always critizied some AAU, as well as High School coaches. This people are in a position to help or destroyed a young person life. In August of this year, I bought the NY Daily News. As I was passing trough the pages, I came to a picture of a young man in handcuffs. Since he was wearing a basketball tee shirt, I started to read the article. It so happened that these kids killed a Chinese food deliveryman. As I finish the article I remembered that an AAU program cut this 16-year-old kid. I called that coach and asked him about it, he simply replied, "well he wasent a good kid, we all knew". I remember Jamel Murphy pretty well. I saw him a few times in the famous UDC league in the Bronx.
The needs of youth programs are essential to our communities as food is to our body. We need more programs that are willing to help these young man and woman. But more importantly, we need warm-hearted people, which look beyond themselves to lead these programs. I read a great line the other day, it read "Professional coaches measured success in rings. College coaches measure success in championships. High School coaches measure success to titles. Youth Coaches measure success in smiles." We need man and women to step up in our society to lead by true example. The fall of man, is his love for himself.
Good programs are needed to help reach these young lives. They need help in education, and in drug and violence prevention. We need better schools, with better teachers. We need safer streets and better after school programs. We need more community centers, and counselors. We need better and safer recreation parks. We need better student loans for the college bound student. We need better television programming. These are issues and concern that everyone should be concern about.
Today is the eve of the elections. We must think hard about our choice. More then ever this election will shape our youth lives. We need leaders that are for the needs of our young. Our next president is going to guide us into a new phase in our communities. Tax cuts means less money for youth programs. Did you know that for the past 12 years the city counsel has not increased the founding for youth programs? In the past 3 years more local program had to cut down in cost because they did not have the financial backing? That means fewer programs for our youths.
We need a true leader, a leader that's for the people and by the people. We need a leader that puts people before profits, a leader that will fight for our young. That man is Ralph Nader!
Fall IS 8 one to Remember
November 3rd, 2000 |
Roscoe Biggers, Luis Rodriquez, Julius Hodge, Lenny Cook, Curtis Sumpter.
What all these players had in common? Well for starters they all participated in this fall's IS 8 tip off classic.
But the main thing that brings them together is that all of them made this year IS 8 tip-off classic a true Classic.
In the years that I have watch this league, which is run by Peter Edwards, who by the way those a great job, I can tell you that this year was the most exiting. We can argue that this year's talent was not as pact as the years before and that most AAU teams are in there rebuilding year, if we choose to view it that way.
But we saw Lenny Cook, who I still have fate, that he will continue to grow emotionally and in maturity, and choose to go to a good college after his long high school years are done with. Lenny made the few unbelievers; believe that he is one of the best players in the nation.
This year's classic gave us a new team to cheer for. Youth Empowerment who was the most exiting team in the league, beating the Panthers by 1 in the quarters, Lenny's team in overtime in the semis and losing to a Riverside team in the finals. But although Youth Empowerment lost the championship the showed that playing together, pulling for one another, learning from mistakes, (They Lost there first 2 games), and giving 110% can take you a long way, and win over a few hearts. I tell you this much, if you saw the game they played the Panthers, the whole GYM was rooting for YEI.
Roscoe Biggers, made a believer out of me. He should have being MVP! He took over those playoff games, and showed why is one of the top point guards in the city. His very underrated, maybe because of his mouth, but he can help it, his to of a competitor. But one of the biggest things that I saw this year is that the AAU is changing, Riverside is not the powerhouse they where in the last year, neither is the Panthers. BQE is dead, and for good reason, and well for all these coaches out there, AAU as extended so much that players are not heading just to one team.
I tell you this much, and people that follow HRU; know that I preach this all the time. Amateur sports in changing. Everyone knows it, and is a good thing. We need more youth programs like Dickman's, the local 92nd YMCA, and Beacon IS 10, which I hope that they can find someone that can keep the tradition that Coach Sanchez brought.
IS 8 gave us hope this year; we saw great plays made by great kids. Teams led by great student-Athletes and a hope for a purer amateur sport!
By the way Congrats to Riverside!
|
