Category Archives: Sports

Welcome Back!! Seattle Seahawk’s Richard Sherman Returns to Alma Mater

Fresh off a brain buster of a Trig problem, Sherman is more comfortable in the gym. Image Photo: LA Times

Fresh off a brain buster of a Trig problem, Sherman is more comfortable in the gym. Image Photo: LA Times

Whoever said you could never go home again never met Seattle Seahawks’ Richard Sherman. He made a surprise stop at his old high school –Compton Dominguez High–to give the grind hard and reap the benefits spiel.

May sound cliché but he did beat the odds in getting out of South Central, getting accepted to Stanford and really crushing statistics entering the NFL. So, listen up kids.

According to LA Times, Sherman praises his parents for giving him a good foundation by being hard-working and supportive. Not everyone has it like that, unfortunately. Sherman is sympathetic to that, saying that’s how many fall through the cracks. However he still suggests being responsible for your choices.

It’s one of many visits the cornerback has made to his old stomping grounds, but a first for tackling Trig problems on the blackboard. Brave man…to be fair he got an assist from a kid  I’m guessing studies complex math problems like Sherman does those X and O’s.

After sprinting out the classroom, Sherman held a Q&A session in the school gym and took selfies with the teens. Best. School. Day.Ever. Unless you’re a Patriots fan.

The mentoring meetup will be televised as a commercial, so keep your eyes peeled.

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY | Basketball Team Refuses to Play Against Rival Team for Good Reason

The Gainesville Texas Tornadoes make a surprising entrance into the game. Photo courtesy: CBS News

The Gainesville Texas Tornadoes make a surprising entrance into the game.
Photo courtesy: CBS News

In honor of the NCAA tournaments (how’s your bracket looking?) that are hijacking TV screens across the nation, this week’s FEEL GOOD Friday story is about two rival basketball teams and redefining what un-sportsmanlike behavior means.

The basketball team at Vanguard College Prep—-a private school in Waco, Texas—-turned down a showdown with the Gainesville,Texas Tornadoes, a juvenile detention center team, because they would have an unfair advantage. Not in terms of their skills on the hardwood but with crowd participation.

Instead of taking advantage of the Tornadoes Achilles heel, Vanguard players recruited volunteers from their school to cheer on the opposing team. Watch what happens next below:

Source: CBS News

IF YOU BLINKED Woman Crush | Mo’ne Davis Creates Kicks for Charity

Mo'ne Davis holding her newly unveiled sneaker collection. Photo Courtesy: ShoesbyMade Instagram

Mo’ne Davis holding her newly unveiled sneaker collection.
Photo Courtesy: ShoesbyMade Instagram

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Mo is reinventing the throw like a girl stereotype. Photo Courtesy: shoesbymade instagram

As if we needed another reason to love Mo’ne Davis. The Little League legend gives us one more. The 13-year-old is creeping into pro athlete territory by releasing a custom sneaker–with a baseball styled stitch–that will benefit other young girls like herself.

I never thought at the age of 13 I’d be a role model, but having young girls look up to me is pretty cool!

ESPN reports Mo is working with shoe company M4D3 and the “Because I am a Girl” initiative to unveil a limited edition sneaker collection, which 15 percent of sales will go towards helping impoverished girls.

As if that’s not enough. Mo has a memoir in the works.

Girls really do run the world.

Serena Williams Supports UNICEF’s 1 in 11 Challenge

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Now that the powerhouse Tennis champ has the extra shot of energy, she’s using it to support UNICEF’s 1 in 11 challenge. To represent the 1 in 11 children around the world out of school.

To change those numbers, UNICEF, FC Barcelona Foundation and Reach Out to Asia have teamed up to start three pilot education programs that marry sports with schooling.

The orgs are raising money to jump start the programs in three of the most impoverished countries–Indonesia, Nepal and Bangladesh–and expand from there.

To take the 1 in 11 challenge, grab a ball (doesn’t matter what kind) and a camera or smart phone. Shoot a short innovative (no pressure) film using the ball or making it an accessory. Then, blast the short film on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr with #1in11 and nominate two friends to take the challenge.

Finally, and most importantly, make a donation, if possible.

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Keep tabs on the 1in11 challenge as you could win some cool offerings. Including a Serena Williams autographed Murakami Flower ball. To see the full list of prizes click here.

The challenge runs from Jan. 11th to Feb.13th. Winners will be chosen based on originality and creativity of the videos.

Who knows? Maybe this will be the new ice bucket challenge.

Allen Iverson Coaches Basketball Team for Charity

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Former 76ers baller Allen Iverson headed to the Philippines earlier this month to volunteer his b-ball skills–not as a player but debuting his coaching abilities–to American and Asian street players. Iverson’s roster consists of of Larry Williams aka “Bone Collector,” for his bone crushing skills battling against defenders and Taurian “Air up There” Fontenette , a slam-dunk champ.

The “All In” charity basketball game had Iverson facing off against Philippines most winningest coaches, Tim Cole, who had NBA veteran Eddy Curry in his arsenal.

Cole took the win, but the real victors are those that’ll benefit from homes built as a result of the charity game.

Iverson’s two-day give back visit also included a press conference and basketball clinic for Filipino kids. Iverson and Cone schooled at least 80 kids–aged 10 to 14–on how to play basketball, according to Philstar.

It’s nice to see the once MVPer in the headlines for something other than his fleeting fortune.

Ballin’ 4 Boobs!!! Breast Cancer B-Ball Brings Out R.Kelly, Bobby Valentino and Many More

The victors at the #ballinforboobs event in ATL. Photo Courtesy: Facebook

The victors at the #ballinforboobs event in ATL. Photo Courtesy: Facebook

Big name stars hit the hardwood in ATL this past weekend for breast cancer awareness. The first annual “Ballin’ for Boobs” event held at Morehouse College, and hosted by Love and Hip Hop: ATL’s Karlie Redd and a local radio station raised  money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Hooping it up were R. Kelly, who put in work as a coach and player, Shawty Lo, Bobby Valentino, Q Parker of R&B group 112, R.L. of R&B group Next, Wingo of R&B  group Jagged Edge, Case and 2 Chainz, who also served as a coach.

Do you think after the game they combined melodies? Just sayin…that’s a lot of R&B singers on the B-ball court, take advantage of it.

But I guess they were too winded from the game to take the mic. Singing trios Bliss and Havok Jones performed for the crowd.

The event reportedly brought out hundreds of ATL-ans, including Momma Dee of L&HHATL, and was the vision of Pamela D. Hogan and Janet Jackson of Boss Chix, an event planning company. More photos below.

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R.L. and Case pose for the cameras. Photo Courtesy: Instagram

Bobby V attempting to dunk against R.Kelly. Image Courtesy: Instagram

Bobby V attempting to dunk against R.Kelly. Image Courtesy: Instagram

Slam Dunk or Foul? Dwayne Wade Partners with SANDALS for Youth Charity Program

Dwayne Wade in Turks & Caicos with kids from Sandal Foundation. Image Courtesy: Instagram

Dwayne Wade in Turks & Caicos with kids from Sandal Foundation. Image Courtesy: Instagram

Newlywed Miami Heat baller Dwayne Wade is taking his charity Wade’s World Foundation overseas. The NBA champion will take his philanthropic talents to the Caribbean (and, of course Miami) where he’ll enlighten at-risk teens about the benefits of a good education. And provide sports and rec centers for them to stay fit.

Not unlike what he does in the states, except this go ’round he’s teaming up with Sandals Resorts Foundation, an org that matches Wade’s World Foundation mission to create education and environmental projects for teens. In Sandals case, they cater to Caribbean communities–Jamaica, Turks & Caicos, Bahamas, Antigua, St. Lucia, Grenada and Barbados– they have their resorts in.

The “game changer” program (yes, that’s the official name) aims to upgrade 11 multipurpose sports courts in the Caribbean and South Florida for kids to have a place to play and stay fit.

So why did the M.I.A baller decide to venture into foreign territory with his charity?

The opportunity to partner with the Sandals Foundation was a natural progression to the work we do and affords us the chance to continue to expand our reach internationally providing today’s youth with safe and fun places to learn explore and develop their potential.

Those willing to water those seeds of promise can make a donation to the game changer program here, or if you wanna give your fingertips a workout text GAME to 41444 to donate.

Honestly, I wasn’t too excited to hear that Mr. Gabrielle Union was partnering with the resort, given their homophobic past. Learning years ago that they banned same-sex couples from their resorts cast a shadow over their sandy white beaches, for me.

Yet, nothing is forever, including same sex bans, but I can’t lie and say I don’t feel some type of way about it. On one hand it’s a fitting way to synchronize two charities with one specific goal: enriching kids lives. Buuttt they’ve banned a whole group of people based on their sexual orientation for 23 years. Two decades!?. I know it’s time to let it go. The ban has been lifted. It’s a new day. Maybe so, but does it give anyone else pause over what kind of teens (is it straight AND gay or “Or”?) their willing to help?

Let me know what you guys think below.

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tinacharlesIn other sports related news, WNBA player Tina Charles slashed her salary in half to jump start her charity Hopey’s Heart Foundation, which purchases and distributes defibrillators to local schools around Michigan. The New York Liberty center launched the org in her aunt’s honor, who died of organ failure last year, and spent over $14K (she makes $100,000, according to Black Enterprise) purchasing 10 defibrillators for donation before she passed.

She’s raised $48K for the foundation so far and wrote a $50,000 check to go towards the charity’s goal of getting 100 defibrillators.

No qualms about this one. You go girl.