And the meek shall inherit the earth

Bishop's charity generous to bishop | ajc.com: "Bishop's charity generous to bishop
New Birth's Eddie Long got $3 million

By JOHN BLAKE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/28/05

In 1995, Bishop Eddie Long established a nonprofit, tax-exempt charity to help the needy and spread the gospel.

But it was Long, leader of the largest church congregation in Georgia, who became the charity's biggest beneficiary."

ESPN.com: Page 2 : Don't blame Huggins

ESPN.com: Page 2 : Don't blame Huggins: "Yes, the saga continues. Another institution used poor blacks for its benefit, disrespected them in writing and then kicked them to the curb. Some will blast Zimpher and UC for its callousness. I won't. Again, I offer her praise. I respect her honesty. What must be questioned is the sanity of the black community that continues to allow its youth to be used by institutions that don't respect them."

ESPN.com - NBA - Kreidler: Phil of the future

ESPN.com - NBA - Kreidler: Phil of the future: "Lakers' three-year plan might be too farsighted for Phil
Kreidler
By Mark Kreidler
Special to ESPN.com
Archive

On so many levels, the Los Angeles Lakers' approach to the next few seasons appears straightforward and even sensible: Cut payroll, limit most players to short-term contracts and try to free up scads of money for 2007 or 2008, when a fresh crop of high-profile free agents comes to market.

It's a plan. It has at least an intermediate goal set within it. It may yield a longer-term payoff.

Phil Jackson
Phil may need to meditate more with this Lakers team.

Just wondering: What in the seventh concentric circle of Hades is Phil Jackson doing in the middle of it?"

Eminem's Relatives Sue Rapper Over House | ajc.com

Let me get some understanding here: the man GAVE you $165,000 dollars and a home for two years and now you're suing him. It would be different if you were providing some service other than freeloading. It would be different if there was some kind of contract but this doesn't even sound logical. I'm sick of people suing somebody for something instead of just working for your money. No house payment for two years and you have the nerve to be distressed. I say carry yo' ass and welcome back to the real world!

ESPN.com - NCF/PREVIEW05 - Pat Forde: The second coming

ESPN.com - NCF/PREVIEW05 - Pat Forde: The second coming: "Humbled Vick ready to take over Hokies
By Pat Forde
ESPN.com

If Marcus Vick's offensive line protects him the way the Virginia Tech hierarchy has this preseason, they won't have to wash the quarterback's jersey once all year.

Nobody will lay a hand on him.

Tech did not take its prodigal QB to ACC media days in Hot Springs, Va. When media members inquired at that event about the possibility of a short jaunt to Blacksburg to talk to Vick, they were given the David Spade Capital One response: no, nyet, nein, nunca, saint happenin'. Since fall camp started, Vick's availability has been limited to twice-weekly group interviews, with Tech personnel present. There have been no one-on-one interviews. And those planning to be part of the group interviews are given a preemptive warning that the junior is not very receptive to questions about 'the past.'"

Prodigal son returns home

By H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY

"He's too good," Marcus says.

No such rule follows Marcus in real life, where he is expected to be his big brother, or at least a right-handed mirror image, each time he takes the football field.

Marcus Vick will lead Virginia Tech in its Sept. 4 opener at North Carolina State on ESPN2. It will be his first start as quarterback at Tech, where his brother memorably made his name on his way to video-game fame.

Hokies fans expected to see Vick's debut as a starter long ago. But he missed all of last season due to a school-imposed suspension following a pair of criminal cases.

"I was young," says Vick, 21. "I made a lot of crucial mistakes."">USATODAY.com - Prodigal son returns home: "Prodigal son returns home
By Erik Brady, USA TODAY
BLACKSBURG, Va. — When Marcus Vick and his friends play Madden, the NFL video game, they follow one house rule: No one gets to be Michael Vick.
Marcus Vick spent time with older brother Michael during his suspension last year. 'I wanted to spend time with him and, you know, get his mind right,' Michael says.
By H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY

'He's too good,' Marcus says.

No such rule follows Marcus in real life, where he is expected to be his big brother, or at least a right-handed mirror image, each time he takes the football field.

Marcus Vick will lead Virginia Tech in its Sept. 4 opener at North Carolina State on ESPN2. It will be his first start as quarterback at Tech, where his brother memorably made his name on his way to video-game fame.

Hokies fans expected to see Vick's debut as a starter long ago. But he missed all of last season due to a school-imposed suspension following a pair of criminal cases.

'I was young,' says Vick, 21. 'I made a lot of crucial mistakes.'"

The upside....

I am so tired of hearing every sports reporter, commentator, or expert use the phrase 'upside'. When exactly was it declared that if you can't think of anything specifically good about a player to say, but you still felt the player was good, that 'upside' is how you would describe the player? Why does upside trump potential? Potential is a much more powerful word in my opinion. PO TEN TIAL . . . hell potent is in the word. Upside....geez....it would be different if it were only one or two folks saying it but now you hear it pretty much when the expert has run out of ideas. 'With that said, this kid has a lot of upside....' People, I say again, are sheep.....

Hair

So I have been growing my hair out since our matrimonials. I was starting to ponder the idea of getting dreads. I just don't know if I have the commitment. It could take 12 months for the hair to lock and I have rarely had hair longer than a year before cutting it completely bald.

On top of this, I brought it up in passing with my boss and she intimated that she's not a dreadlock fan. She feels they look dirty. I tried to 'splain to her that it's based on the person who has them but she didn't seem to sway.

On top of THAT, the twists in my hair were on their way out so I tried to retwist them myself because $70 for a week and half long hairstyle isn't something I can commit to either. The sides and the back went weel but the top ended up a true mess. It may be better if I let Mrs. Xpinionated do it but I wasted 3 hours the other night doing my hair and have been slightly jaded.

So now I have to decide if I wanna get it cornrowed if for no other reason because that's cheaper and buys me some time as far as a final decision or twisted again, somewhere else that may be cheaper?? Suggestions??

CNN.com - Jury convicts video game defense killer - Aug 10, 2005

CNN.com - Jury convicts video game defense killer - Aug 10, 2005

So this kid kills three cops and then claims the video game Grand Theft Auto made him do it. Well, the jury says bullshit and convicts him of capital murder. Now the family of the victims is suing the video game manufacturer. ?????????????????? Remember the good old days when a family member's death was a tragedy and not a financial opportunity?? My take is that if the jury said the video game has nothing to do with it, then the civil case shouldn't even make it to the courtroom. It would be different if the kid had been found guilty because of insanity or something which would indicate the video game had a stake in this. But he wasn't.

The family is even trying to sue two stores, presumably for selling the game. Why two stores, did each store sell half of the game to him? There definitely needs to be some kind of laws put in to determine when civil suits can be filed....let's put tax money into figuring out when someone has really been wronged by a corporate entity and when personal responsibility is the deciding factor. Instead of wasting our money so these gold diggers (and not just the victim's families in this case, but all instances of random civil cases) can find a get rich scheme and make them work like the rest of us.

A common rule of thumb in my opinion for civil cases, if you wouldn't sue a janitor for doing whatever, then don't sue someone else 'cuz they got money. In this specific case, if you're not going to sue the person who actually killed your family members, don't sue a company with some indirect, unproven link to the tragedy.

Updates From Camp:

From Fanball.com:
Redskins: Arrington close to returning
Redskins linebacker LaVar Arrington passed a conditioning test on Tuesday and is close to returning to practice. Arrington is recovering from multiple right knee surgeries, and Tuesday's test involved him running 14 40-yard dashes. "He passed it with flying colors," director of sports medicine Bubba Tyer told the Washington Post. "We're real proud of him. He did great. We're getting close." Arrington could practice on a limited basis starting next week.

Redskins running back Clinton Portis told reporters on Tuesday that he added roughly 20 pounds over the offseason. He was listed at 205 last season but claims to be at 225 right now. "I picked up 20 pounds getting in the weight room," he informed the Washington Post. "Pretty much it was just working [out]. I knew what it was going to take. I knew I needed to pick up weight for the type of offense that we're running. In the two-yard gains, I probably need this weight to turn 'em into four or five."

Arrington? Who is this Arrington of which you speak? I seem to remember signing someone of that name that had amazing (as the 'experts' love to say) upside but he vanished. Could this be the same Arrington? Lavar has maybe one more season in Washington to prove his worth before it's time to start calling for a trade in my opinion. I also remember reading recently that he is involved in a contract dispute for 17 months. How can you dispute your pay when you haven't worked?

Jackson Lawyer Ridicules Unhappy Jurors | AccessAtlanta

Jackson Lawyer Ridicules Unhappy Jurors | AccessAtlanta

These two jurors should be charged themselves. One, for trying to capitalize off being a juror and in order to do so changing their story now. I hate to say it but I agree with the lawyer. These fools won't get any of my money....

Washington Redskins - 5 things from CBS Sportsline

Washington Redskins, National Football League - CBS SportsLine.com

Everything said here I agree with. As such, I provide it to you for your analysis.....

Not Exactly Related

Found this on the MaddenNation.com website in reference to Auburn fans complaining about not being named National Champions.

It's a photoshop based on NCAA Football 2006 but it is hilarious.

Not Exactly Related

Found this on the MaddenNation.com website in reference to Auburn fans complaining about not being named National Champions.

It's a photoshop based on NCAA Football 2006 but it is hilarious.

Ramsey's Turn

Clipped from: AP article by Joseph White posted at Washington Times, 8/2/05

Patrick Ramsey opened training camp as the starting quarterback of the Washington Redskins, but not necessarily as the quarterback of the future.

Ramsey looked at ease - much more comfortable than last year - as he tossed passes Monday to newcomers Santana Moss and David Patten and the rest of the receivers. Always the optimist, he spoke of making the best of his opportunity, even though his status has been muddled yet again by the team's decision to select a quarterback in the first round of the draft.

Of this year's quarterback threesome - Ramsey, Brunell and Campbell - Ramsey is the only one not hand-picked by Gibbs. In essence, Ramsey has been given the job with a one-year lease, knowing that Brunell's career is on the wane and that Campbell - came to terms with the team late Monday - will probably need a season of grooming.

"Patrick's been up here a while now," Gibbs said. "He's been through some stuff a lot of young guys go through, to be truthful. He's established himself as the lead quarterback, and I would say he needs to take this thing and go with it now. Our opportunities in life - this is one where he's perfectly situated."

If Ramsey succeeds, he'll bring stability to a position in flux more or less since the days of Mark Rypien in the early 1990s.

Physically and mentally, Ramsey is miles ahead of where he was 12 months ago, when he was coming off the foot injury and shaking off two seasons of unorthodox coaching from Steve Spurrier. Just the fact that he gets to go first in the practice drills helps his rhythm and confidence - and affects how he is viewed by teammates.

"Where you stand with the guys is what's different," Ramsey said. "But it's not something I'm going to assume. I want to produce early. ... I want to play well in the preseason and show that I deserve the distinction I have as a starter."

Ramsey's career quarterback rating is a modest 74.4, but he played well at the end of last season, completing at least 64 percent of his passes in five straight games. He has always had a strong arm, but he's worked to improve his touch passes this year. He's excited to have speedsters Moss and Patten, who should help him get the ball downfield more often and improve an offense that ranked 30th last year.

"I see potential," said Patten, who spent the last four years working with one of the game's best, Tom Brady, in New England. "I see the way he's running the huddle. He's just gotten more and more confident. He's really starting to take control of the offense."

"I have an opportunity," Ramsey said. "I need to continue to earn the opportunity. You can't ask for more than that."

I personally have been a fan of P-Ram since the Spurrier days. I was captivated by his perseverance through the fiasco known as Spurrier Pass Protection. Let's hope he can take full advantage of this opportunity.

Ah

My lip is all busted up. Swole like Jay Z. Mrs. Xpinionated beat me up. Don't get it twisted, it wasn't a fight. We were playing around and her shoe somehow left her foot with velocity and trajectory that I, to this very minute, still find hard to believe. Now, I'm walking around work trying to hide my huge lip like I'm a battered husband...not looking folks in the eye, turning away to avoid giving them a clear shot of the grotesqueness known as my left upper lip...My normal cockiness is not to be found today.....I've kept conversations limited 'cause I didn't want anyone to see my malformed mouth.....

Ok, Mrs Xpinionated should feel bad enough now...if she even reads this...

'Tis Official

Kwame Brown and some cat I've never heard of (Laron Profitt), as well as some cash, are coming to the purple and gold in exchange for Caron Butler and Chucky Atkins.

I liked pre-March Chucky Atkins. Post-March Chucky got a little to mouthy with the reporters and started to be a distraction in my opinion. So I'm not particularly sad to see him go, especially if Smush Parker is as solid as his play was in the Summer Pro league. I don't think Smush is going to be ready for a starter's role but we should be able to find a decent point before the season starts.

I will miss Caron (especially since my mom in law bought the jersey for me). It's sad to see him go because I felt he was making strides toward the end of the season and I thin khe would have been a very legitimate number 3 if not number 2 option.

Kwame better step up.....

Signing Day

Well, all the collective bargaining agreement delays are done, words are on paper, and the fun of the offseason began at noon eastern. The Lakers have yet to make the Kwame deal official. Let's hope there are some other surprises in store as well. So far, Bonzi Wells to Sacramento is probably the biggest news. Actually no it's not....The big faker, Shaquille O'Neal has duped Miami for $100M over 5 years....I'll give him two before he a)starts some feud\negativity with D-Wade, or b) injures his widdle toe or big stomach and decides to retire to fake being a cop. Yeah, I hate that dude...and what?

In other news, a nice tribute to Chick Hearns is on the Lakers page today.