Tee It Up To Support Young Black Scholars

Some of you may or may not know, but I recently became a member of 100 Black Men of Los Angeles. One of our most effective programs is Young Black Scholars (YBS), which is dedicated to ensuring college preparation, leadership development, community responsibility and successful life planning for Southern California high school students.

To date, approximately 14,000 students have matriculated through the YBS program.

We will be holding our primary fundraiser for YBS on Monday, April 6th at Mountain Gate Country Club, and we would greatly appreciate your sponsorship and/or participation in our annual golf tournament.

Winners in all categories will receive trophies and other exciting prizes. In addition, the entry fee includes a continental breakfast, drinks/refreshments on the holes, lunch, dinner and a Mardi Gras show.

Funds raised allow us to assist YBS students in mastering standardized tests (i.e. PSAT, SAT, ACT) by providing a comprehensive test prep series. Low standardized tests scores continue to be a barrier for many Black students applying to major colleges and universities.

You can also sign-up by calling 323-295-2700, by e-mail at: ybsgolf@pacbell.net or online at
http://www.youngblackscholars.com/

Donations made to 100 Black Men of Los Angeles and/or Young Black Scholars are tax-deductible.

PAC-10 Tournament Lived Up To The Hype

For the last several weeks, my colleagues on the PAC-10 television package and I have been saying that the 2009 version of the tournament could be one of the best in recent memory. The strength of competition was so good all season that we believed as many as seven teams were capable of winning the tournament. And that belief turned out to be right on the mark.

Since the tournament was reinstated in 2002, every winner had been either a 1, 2 or 3 seed, except for 2007 when Oregon claimed the title as a 5 seed. This year, USC did the Ducks one better by winning the championship as a 6 seed.

But it wasn't just that the Trojans made an incredible run to the title that made this year's tournament so good. The real dramatics were in the individual games.

You saw superstar players (James Harden, Jordan Hill, et al) put together superstar performances.

You saw some of the best coaches in all of college basketball (Tim Floyd, Herb Sendek, et al) devise impeccable game plans.

And you saw a championship game that displayed the drama that makes March Madness one of the best sports events of the year.

The PAC-10 couldn't have asked for more!

What Happened To The SEC?

As I sit here and watch the championship game of the SEC Tournament, I am fascinated by what I see on the court between Tennessee and Mississippi State. And not in a good way.

The level of play is, quite frankly, pathetic. That statement is not so much an indictment of these two respective teams, but rather the league as a whole.

What happened to the SEC? Whether it's the coaching, the players or both, the league is a shadow of its former self.

We are not that far removed from Kentucky going to three straight NCAA Title games (1996-1998), winning two titles in the process.

And even more recently (2006 & 2007), Florida won back-to-back national titles.

But heading into Sunday's title game, the SEC was only guaranteed to get two teams into the NCAA Tournament. Mississippi State would have to beat Tennessee to make it three teams from the conference earning a trip to the Big Dance.

Both numbers are ridiculous when you consider the wealth of athletic talent in the nine states making up the Southeastern Conference. The league should be able to get at least four teams in the NCAA Tournament every year, even if they just held open tryouts for pickup games.

The SEC may still be King of the college football world, but on the hardwood, the league is close to holding down the last seat on the bench.

Billy G Will Never Change

UK fans forced Tubby Smith out of Lexington because of what was happening--and not happening--on the court, only to replace him with a guy who has produced much worse results on the court and has been a jerk off of it.

And oh yeah, by the way, he's making more than both Tubby and Rick Pitino. Last time I checked, both of those guys won a national championship.

In some regards, I think it's fitting actually. Typical case of people needing to be careful what they wish for. They wanted Tubby out, and look what they got.

You pick the cliche--"the grass is not always greener on the other side" or "you don't know what you've got until it's gone"--because they both apply.

But this situation is bigger than Billy Gillispie. This is about the program, which is always bigger than the coach.

At the PAC-10 Tournament championship game, I spoke to a former coach who knows Billy G really well. He proceeded to tell me that Gillispie doesn't care what people say about him. He just wants his money and he won't change his ways for anybody. John Clay confirmed as much in a recent column in the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Kentucky made a mistake in hiring Gillispie in the first place. An obvious realization to just about anyone, but that mistake should not be compounded by allowing him to stay on the job.

The Sign of the Apocalypse For UK Basketball

If you still need more evidence as to why Kentucky should fire Billy Gillispie, check out this e-mail I received from a close friend in Lexington. I am withholding the name to protect my friend's anonymity.

I mean it's one thing to lose games and be a jerk in the process, but running off former players is blasphemous.

"Yo, the whole program is a JOKE! They do not reach out to former players AT ALL! In fact, they charge them for tickets. Here's what I don't get: If you are an athlete at UK and get a DUI, you get your scholarship taken away (see Desmond Allison). If you have 2 DUI's they hire you to be the Head Basketball Coach and pay you more than Tubby and Rick. Hypocrites bro! All former players are now migrating to Louisville games where they get in for free, hang with Jurich in his suite and get treated like they should.....with respect. It starts with Barnhart. I worked with the man and as we all know, you can't bring in too many outsiders to run this program. It is and will always be run by the Blue Bloods. Instead of trying to run them off, work with them. Whew....I'm done."

Billy G Needs To Go

So this is what it has come to? Both Western Kentucky and Morehead State locked up automatic bids to the NCAA Tournament, and Louisville could very well end up with a number one seed, yet Kentucky--the team with the most NCAA wins in history--is headed to the NIT? The freaking NIT? Seriously?

Well, that's it. Enough is enough. Billy Gillispie needs to go!

Even though I thought it was a mistake by Kentucky to hire Gillespie to replace the under-appreciated Tubby Smith, I gave the man the benefit of the doubt. Not because I personally saw potential in his abilities, but because Texas coach Rick Barnes and Oklahoma coach Jeff Capel both assured me that Gillispie was capable of being the coach UK needed.

Maybe they were trying to hype up the Big 12 or maybe they simply didn't want to bad mouth Gillispie, but either way, they were wrong. Gillispie is about as far away from being the coach UK needs as Chris Brown is from being Time's Man of the Year.

Not only is the team under performing--NBA execs tell me both Jodie Meeks and Patrick Patterson have a future in the pros--but the program has no sense of direction. Can you tell me what style of play the Cats are supposed to be playing? And if you do know, can you please tell the players, because they obviously have no clue either.

And if that alone wasn't bad enough, Billy Gillispie treats people--including diehard UK fans--as if they don't matter.

Dana O'Neill wrote recently on espn.com that "(Gillispie) is perceived as prickly, aloof and guarded, a lunch pail of bad personality traits in the fishbowl that is Kentucky basketball... He has been brusque with the media, both local and national, and his rude dismissals of ESPN sideline reporter Jeannine Edwards have been a hot topic in Kentucky. He is not one to engage in small talk with anyone, brushing into and out of meeting rooms, locker rooms and breakfast rooms with a purposeful stride."

Tubby Smith was never like that, and although Rick Pitino was a bit leery of UK fans in the beginning, at least he was winning!

Gillispie acts like a jerk--oftentimes for no apparent reason--but can't beat Georgia at home. Nobody likes an asshole, especially one headed to the NIT!

I agree with Kenny Walker and others back in the Bluegrass, who are calling for Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart to do something drastic: recognize that he made a mistake and fire Billy Gillispie after just two seasons on the job.

Fan morale could be at an all-time low, and player morale seems to be even lower. Both deserve better.

The job at Kentucky is certainly not made for everyone, and it's readily apparent to me that it certainly wasn't made for Billy Gillispie.

PAC-10 Announces Men's Basketball Honors

No real complaints on my part with these awards. In a very competitive year in the conference, all of these honorees stood out in their respective categories. The coaches did a great job with these selections.

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., – In a vote of the 10 Conference coaches, ARIZONA STATE sophomore guard James Harden has been named the 2008-09 Pacific-10 Men's Basketball Player of the Year, WASHINGTON guard Isaiah Thomas has been named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year; USC junior forward Taj Gibson has been named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year; Washington senior guard Justin Dentmon has been named Pac-10 Most Improved Player of the Year and Lorenzo Romar of Washington is the Pac-10 Coach of the Year, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today.

You can access the PAC-10's complete news release through this link.

DODGERS FANS PURCHASE 49,000 TICKETS ON FIRST DAY OF SINGLE GAME SALES

Amazing what the signing of Manny Ramirez can do for the first day of ticket sales, huh?

-Figure is 33% higher than the 37,000 last year-

LOS ANGELES – Fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers today purchased more than 49,000 tickets for the 2009 regular season, a 33% increase over the 37,000 they bought on the first day of single game sales last year.

The club, which brought back free agents Manny Ramirez, Casey Blake, and Rafael Furcal, and which added such stars as Orlando Hudson and Randy Wolf, held tickets at 2008 prices.

“We are seeing how eager families are to incorporate the Dodgers into their spring and summer plans,” said Chief Operating Officer Dennis Mannion. “We also saw such evidence today at Camelback Ranch – Glendale, where our third home game drew our biggest crowd, 11,896. Enthusiasm is high.”

Single game tickets for the regular season went on sale today via dodgers.com, via telephone (866-DODGERS), and at TicketMaster outlets and the Dodger Stadium box office.

LAKERS TO HOLD 10th ANNUAL YOUTH BASKETBALL CAMP IN SANTA BARBARA

EL SEGUNDO – The Los Angeles Lakers will conduct “Camp Lakers”, presented by dazadi.com, a youth basketball camp for boys ages 9-18, this July in two sessions, it was announced by the team. The camps will be held for the 10th consecutive year on the campus of UC Santa Barbara. Session one will be held July 3-7; session two will be held July 8-12.

As in the past, both current and former Lakers players and coaches will make guest appearances to help with on-court instruction. Previous players/coaches who have made appearances include: Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson, Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic, Rick Fox, Derek Fisher, Brian Shaw, James Worthy, Kurt Rambis, Tex Winter, Jim Cleamons, Frank Hamblen, Bill Bertka and Mitch Kupchak to name a few.

“We are pleased to offer Camp Lakers to young basketball players as a unique opportunity to improve both their skills and overall knowledge of the game,” said Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak. “The campus of UC Santa Barbara is an excellent setting for a camp, and the experience is made even more memorable for the kids with an experienced coaching staff encouraging the importance of teamwork, dedication and sportsmanship coupled with instruction from Lakers players, coaches and scouts reinforcing these core concepts.”

There will be no price increase over last year; cost of the camp is $670 per camper, per session for overnight campers (includes $20 refundable key deposit) and $470 per camper, per session for day campers. Net proceeds from the camps are used by the Lakers for charitable purposes.

Approximately 6,500 campers have attended Camp Lakers over the past nine years, and the camps have sold out every year. It is anticipated that this year’s camps will sell out by late May. For more information, please call the camp hotline at (310) 426-6055, email camps2009@la-lakers.com or visit the Lakers website at www.lakers.com.

DODGERS & MANNY RAMIREZ AGREE TO 2-YEAR, $45 MILLION DEAL

In case you didn't know, it's official!

Future Hall of Famer Makes Commitment to Community

CAMELBACK RANCH – GLENDALE – The Los Angeles Dodgers today signed 12-time All-Star outfielder Manny Ramirez to a two-year contract with a player option following the first season. In addition, Ramirez will make a $1 million commitment to the Dodgers Dream Foundation that will help fund Dodgers Dreamfields.

Ramirez is expected to meet with the media at a news conference tomorrow at approximately 10:30 a.m. (MT) at Camelback Ranch – Glendale, located at 10712 W. Camelback Road.

“We are thrilled that Manny wants to be a Dodger and that he has made such a tremendous commitment to the Los Angeles community,” said Dodger Owner Frank McCourt. “We witnessed something very special last year in the way that our fans connected with him and the manner in which the team came together. Now, we focus our complete and undivided attention on our primary goal – winning a World Championship.”

“Manny has shown that he has an ability to significantly alter our lineup,” said Colletti. “Our organization has maintained its commitment to our core of young, homegrown talent while also retaining such key veterans as Casey Blake, Rafael Furcal, and now Manny, all of whom helped us reach the National League Championship Series.

“Manny showed great leadership in the clubhouse and on the field last season and to say we’re very pleased that he’s back with the Dodgers is an understatement.”

Ramirez, who hit .396 (74-for-187) with 17 homers and 53 RBI in 53 regular-season games in a Dodger uniform, helped lead the team to a 2008 National League West Division Championship, a sweep of the Cubs in the Division Series, and its first National League Championship Series appearance since 1988. He became one of the most popular players in franchise history after he was acquired by the Dodgers July 31 along with cash considerations from the Boston Red Sox at last year’s trade deadline as part of a three-team deal with Pittsburgh.

Ramirez’s 21 homers as a Dodger from August 1 through the postseason were the most by any player on the team for the entire season, one more than Andre Ethier’s 20.

The right-handed hitter batted a combined .332 with 37 homers and 121 RBI in 153 games with the Red Sox and Dodgers in 2008. He ranked third in the Majors in batting average, tied for fourth in homers, and tied for sixth in RBI. He also ranked second in the Majors with a .602 slugging percentage, behind only Albert Pujols (.653), and fourth with a .430 on-base percentage.

In the 2008 postseason, Ramirez batted .520 (13-for-25) with four homers, 10 RBI, 11 walks, and a .667 on-base percentage in eight games as the Dodgers swept the Cubs in the National League Division Series before falling to the eventual World Champion Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Championship Series.

Ramirez ranks 17th on baseball’s all-time home run list with 527, and is one of only eight players in baseball history with at least 12 seasons with 30 or more homers (1995-96, 1998-2006, 2008). He is also one of just nine players in history to hit at least 20 home runs in 14 straight seasons.

Ramirez, 36, is a career .314 hitter in 2,103 games with Cleveland (1993-2000), Boston (2001-2008), and the Dodgers (2008). Among active players, he ranks sixth in hitting, third in doubles (507), fourth in home runs, and second in RBI (1,725) behind only Ken Griffey Jr.’s 1,772. Only Griffey Jr. (611), Alex Rodriguez (553), and Jim Thome (541) have more home runs among active players. Ramirez has won nine AL Silver Slugger Awards for outfielders during his 16 Major League seasons.

Ramirez ranks 20th on baseball’s all-time RBI list. He has logged at least 100 RBI in 12 seasons, including nine straight campaigns from 1998-2006. Since “RBI” became an official statistic in 1920, only eight players in history have recorded nine consecutive seasons of at least 100 RBI. Ramirez has 1,353 RBI since the start of the 1998 season, trailing only Alex Rodriguez (1,378) among all Major Leaguers in that time. Ramirez’s 418 home runs in that same span rank second behind only Rodriguez (489).

A veteran of 10 postseasons, including four World Series, Ramirez is baseball’s all-time post-season home run leader with 28, and he ranks second with 74 RBI, just six behind Bernie Williams. Ramirez won two World Series championships with Boston in 2004 and 2007, and was named the World Series Most Valuable Player in 2004. He also played in the 1995 and 1997 Fall Classics with Cleveland.

Among active players, Ramirez ranks fifth in on-base percentage (.411), and seventh in batting average. He also ranks eighth in baseball history, and second among active players behind only Albert Pujols (.624), with a .593 slugging percentage. His 2,392 hits rank ninth among active players, while his 507 doubles are third.

He was the AL batting champ in 2002 with a .349 average and the 2004 AL home run champ with 43.

Ramirez was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Washington Heights, NY, graduating from George Washington High School in 1991. He was originally selected by the Indians as the 13th overall pick of the 1993 First-Year Player Draft. He then signed with Boston as a free agent on December 13, 2000.