UPDATE: It's hard for kids to reject hip hop culture

Jason Whitlock adds some perspective to the recent events at Kansas, where the football and basketball teams engaged in some on-campus brawls.

It's hard for kids to reject hip hop culture - Kansas City Star

UPDATE: Another one of my sports journalism colleagues, Justice Hill, adds even more insight and perspective to what transpired on the KU campus. However, unlike Whitlock, Hill argues that "What this fighting means in a larger context isn’t simple to discern."

Some People Aren't Taking This Very Well

Considering this was arguably the most polarizing presidential election in our country's history, it's no real surprise that some leftover bitterness is starting to spill its way into the national headlines, including sports.

In another example of "Why Facebook Can Be Dangerous," Texas offensive lineman Buck Burnette has been kicked off the team after he posted the following message on his Facebook page.

"all the hunters gather up we've got a #$%&er in the white house"

Shortly after his dismissal from the team, Burnette issued an apology that read, in part, "I grew up on a ranch in a small town where that was a real thing and I need to grow up. I sincerely am sorry for being ignorant in thinking that it would be ok to write that publicly.. and to spread that kind of hate which I don't even believe in."

The acceptance of his apology is not mine to make, but rather his Longhorn teammates. However, it's rather hard to believe that Burnette does not advocate "that kind of hate" if he was so willing to post it on one of the country's largest social networking sites.

I have never met Mack Brown personally, but I applaud him for dismissing Burnette from the team. Not only did he potentially save the kid from serious issues with his black teammates, but he is also teaching Burnette a valuable lesson.

Hate can never be accepted, even if it's not yours.

But Wait There's More: Employees at Hampel's Key and Lockshop on Randolph Street in Traverse City, MI flew an American flag upside down Wednesday in protest of Sen. Barack Obama's victory in the presidential election.

And one employee directed a racial slur at Obama during a telephone interview with a Record-Eagle reporter.

"(The inverted flag is) an international signal for distress and we feel our country is in distress because the n----- got in," said Hampel's employee Rod Nyland, of Traverse City.

NICK YOUNG DOCOMENTARY TO AIR ON ESPN2

UPDATE: The documentary on former USC basketball player Nick Young will air tonight at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2 instead of tomorrow at 9:30 p.m. as it was originally scheduled.

“Second Chance Season” Depicts Former Trojan’s Journey To Success

LOS ANGELES – The documentary “Second Chance Season” which depicts former Trojan Nick Young’s compelling story of loss, redemption and success will air on ESPN2 on Thursday (Sept. 25) at 9:30 p.m.

The movie, directed and co-produced by Daniel H. Forer, orginally was screened at the Los Angeles Film Festival in the summer of 2007. That same summer Young was selected with the 16th pick in the NBA Draft by the Washington Wizards.

Young averaged 7.5 points in 75 games last year during his rookie season with the Wizards. Young played for USC during the 2005-07 seasons and finished sixth all-time in school history with 1,486 points.

The 90-minute documentary mostly follows Young during his senior year of high school, one that almost didn’t happen if not for an eleventh hour reprieve by the school board. The movie also explores the long-term residual effects that the senseless murder of Nick’s brother had on the family and how they coped with the tragedy. Young is able to overcome it all, have a successful career at USC and parlay that into the fulfillment of a dream with his selection in the NBA Draft.

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Seven Is Not Enough: Lance Armstrong To Enter Tour de France Again

It seems as though retirement is not as fulfilling as Lance Armstrong may have thought. The 7-time winner of the Tour de France tells Vanity Fair that he is coming out of retirement to enter next year's race.

Considering where Armstrong took the race, in terms of international spotlight, and where it has since fallen after his retirement, the cycling world must be overly joyed to hear this news.

I do wonder, however, if Armstrong does indeed come back to win a ridiculous eight consecutive Tour de Frances whether it will re-ignite questions about his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs or if it might go a long way in finally putting those questions to rest.

Either way, I know I'll definitely be watching next year. Something I haven't been able to say since Armstrong retired.

Top High School Baseball Talent In The Country Will Be On Display At Dodger Stadium

This year's 2008 Aflac All-American High School Baseball Game will be played at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, the first time in the game's six-year history that it will be played at a Major League stadium.

The premiere high school All-American game in the country will take place Saturday, Aug. 9, in Dodger Stadium at noon Pacific time, and it will be televised live on FSN.

The annual Aflac All-American High School Baseball Game showcases 38 of the nation's top high school players in an East versus West matchup following their junior year. Aflac All-Americans are chosen by the experts at official selection partner, Perfect Game USA, and receive the benefit from the game's relationship with media partner Baseball America, baseball's most influential magazine.

Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith will return as this year's honorary chairman and, in addition to promoting the game, will be on-site in LosAngeles for game week activities. This is the second consecutive year that Smith has served as honorary chairman. Past honorary chairmen have included Hall of Famers Reggie Jackson (2006), Cal Ripken (2004-05) and Stan Musial(2003).

"I wish this game existed when I was in high school, as it's such a tremendous opportunity for these young men to show their skills in front of a nationwide audience and MLB scouts," said Smith. "Aflac does a tremendous job promoting this game and working hard to support pediatric cancer research, and I'm proud to be a part of it once again."

Since the game's inception in 2003, 52 Aflac All-Americans have been selected in the first round of the Major League Baseball first-year player draft, including current major leaguer Justin Upton (No. 1 overall, 2005) of the Arizona Diamondbacks. In the recently completed June 2008 draft, 10 AflacAll-Americans were selected in the first round, including the No. 1 pick overall, Tim Beckham (the 2007 game's MVP), by the Tampa Bay Rays. Also chosen in the first round were Aflac All-Americans Eric Hosmer (No. 3 overall to the Kansas City Royals), Buster Posey (No. 4 overall to the San Francisco Giants), Kyle Skipworth (No. 5 overall to the Florida Marlins) and Ethan Martin (No. 15 overall to the Los Angeles Dodgers). Overall, 143 of 192 Aflac All-Americans have been drafted by Major League teams.

As part of Aflac's ongoing commitment to the fight against childhood cancer, all game proceeds from the 2008 Aflac All-American High School Baseball Game will benefit ThinkCure, the official charity of the Dodgers, which supports critical cancer research at City of Hope and Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles. Since 2005, the game has generated nearly $525,000 for charity.

"Having the game at Dodger Stadium really raises the Aflac All-American Game to the next level," said Al Johnson, vice president, Marketing Services, Aflac. "This is a historic year for the Dodger organization as it celebratesits 50th anniversary in Los Angeles. We hope to help the organization make more history -- through its ThinkCure initiative -- by raising more funds in the fight against pediatric cancer."

The Aflac All-American High School Baseball Game is considered the country's marquee prep All-American event. All participants must have just completed their junior year of high school, be in good academic standing and display redeeming qualities off the field that embody the ideals of the sportof baseball, including discipline, determination and hard work.

For more information and tour stop photographs, visit http://www.aflacallamerican2008.com/.

Chiefs TE Gonzalez Saves Man’s Life In Restaurant

Check out this Associated Press story about Tony Gonzalez saving a man's life. We often refer to professional athletes as heroes. I think this is a case of it actually being true.

By DOUG TUCKER, AP Sports Writer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)—A California man says Pro Bowl tight end Tony Gonzalez of the Kansas City Chiefs kept him from choking to death.

“Tony saved my life. There’s no doubt,” Ken Hunter, a shipping company manager, told The Associated Press in a phone interview from Huntington Beach, Calif.

“Tony came up behind me and gave me the Heimlich maneuver. Thank God he was there.”

Gonzalez, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection who has set numerous NFL records, was having dinner with his wife, brother and 5-week-old daughter at Capone’s restaurant in Huntington Beach Thursday night. Hunter, 45, was dining with his girlfriend at the next table when suddenly a piece of meat stuck in his throat.

“I tried to take a drink of water, but I couldn’t swallow,” Hunter told The AP. “Then I couldn’t breathe. That’s a terrible feeling. I couldn’t breathe. Then I guess I started to panic.”

Gonzalez, sitting with his back to Hunter’s table, looked around when he heard Hunter’s companion yelling.

“She was screaming, `He can’t breathe, he can’t breathe,”’ Gonzalez said by phone from California, where he lives in the offseason. “The whole restaurant was quiet. Nobody was doing anything.”

Then I saw he was turning blue. Everybody in the restaurant was just kind of sitting there wide-eyed.”

The 6-foot-5 Gonzalez, about a foot taller than Hunter, jumped out of his chair and came up behind the stricken man and began to perform the Heimlich maneuver.

“After just a few seconds, the piece of meat popped out,” Hunter said. “I could breathe again. It’s a good thing Tony is so tall because I had stood up— I think.”

Diana Martin, a restaurant employee, said no one else seemed to know what to do.

“He was so lucky Tony was there,” Martin said. “In a situation like that, every second counts. It helped a lot that Tony’s a big, strong guy because you have to be able to apply some pretty good pressure. I don’t think I would have been strong enough to help him.”

Hunter went into the restroom to clean up and didn’t realize he’d been saved by a famous athlete until he came out.

“I’m a big NFL fan and I recognized him right away. I was still kind of dazed when I went over and thanked him and said, `What can I do for you?’ I guess I said it about 1,000 times.”

Gonzalez, who has been active in charity and community activities during a brilliant career with the Chiefs, said he had no intention of having the incident become public.

“The next night I had a dinner for my grandmother’s 90th birthday, and people were saying, `Why didn’t you tell me about that?’ I honestly don’t want to make a big deal out of it. But of course it does give me a lot of satisfaction to know that I was able to help somebody.”

One of the most productive receivers in pro football history, Gonzalez holds the NFL record for tight ends with 820 career receptions and 102 catches in a season. He needs only 79 more yards receiving to become the career leader among tight ends.

He has never received any formal instruction in the Heimlich maneuver.

“I had seen it done, so I just did it,” Gonzalez said. “When you find yourself in those situations where you have to take action in a crucial situation, you just do it. I got the same feeling I get when I go on a hospital visit.”’

Hunter is a lifelong fan of the San Diego Chargers, one of Kansas City’s key rivals in the AFC West, and plans to be at the game when the Chiefs visit the Chargers on Nov. 9.

“I’m Tony’s No. 1 fan now,” he said.

And what will this longtime follower of the Chargers do if they’re ahead by four or five points in the final minute and Gonzalez runs into the end zone and leaps up for what would be the game-winning touchdown for K.C.?

“I’m going to be yelling for Tony to catch the ball,” Hunter said. “I think all my friends will understand.”

Courtesy: Associated Press