Life With No Sports Or No Life At All?

            What would life be like without sports? Does anyone really know the answer to that question? I believe that there is not a definite answer to that question because sports have been around since I can remember. So, again I ask myself, what would life be like without sports?

            Sports are of huge importance to our society and culture. On Sundays most men across the country are locked in a lazy boy watching Americas wonderful sport. This is the joy football brings to more then half of Americas population. Sundays are known to be football days for almost half of the year. So could you imagine what this new football lockout would do to society? This football lockout would leave people devastated, without a sense of knowing what to do on Sunday’s. Football is away to get away from all your surrounding problems. Without football people would have to figure out some other ways to occupy there time on Mondays and Sundays. For the first year it would be hard to get over the fact that there is no longer any football, but eventually people would have to move on. Athletes would have to focus their talents elsewhere and try to get a better education because without sports they would be left with nothing. They would have to live their lives as the average citizen. This could benefit society in many ways, but there are also just as many ways that it would hurt society. Sports play a huge role in society and everyday life. It would be crazy not having sports as an influence of our everyday lives.

The Big Dance

       So, as we all know this years March Madness has been very unpredictable. Watching the division tournaments before the Big Dance fans would have known this years tournament was going to be crazy. Starting with the Big East tournament where everyone was sure that Pittsburgh was going to come out on top, surely everyone that believed this to be true was left in a state of confusion. Kemba Walker was sensational throughout the whole tournament. He set the record for the most points in the Big East tournament ever, Kemba also made the center for Pittsburgh fall to his hands after a crucial crossover that led to knockdown of the game winning shot. Seeing this showed me that college basketball is so unpredictable. Kemba Walker is showing the same signs that Aaron Rodgers showed all season. He is showing dedication, heart, and most importantly that he is clutch. This could mean that Kemba and the Huskies will win a national title this year.
        What came as a shocker to all college basketball fans is the succession of Virginia Commonwealth. The VCU Rams came into the tournament as the eleventh seed, and now they are in the final four. After watching them play in the tournament fans realized that their defense is not as week as everyone thought. They shut down the Morris brothers when they played Kansas and that is a feet in itself. There shooting is phenomenal, they are not scared to shoot the ball when they have open looks and they knock the majority of their shots down. This could pose a potential problem for hot Butler Bulldog's. Matt Howard and Shelvin Mack seem to be the heart of these Bulldogs. For some reason they always turn it up during the Big Dance. Last season they made it all the way to the championship game and feel short to Duke Blue Devils. This season they are coming back strong with the national title loss in the back of their minds. This years Final Four is going to be very exciting and stressful, but my heart is riding with Kemba Walker and the Connecticut Huskies.

Some May Call Him A Sharpshooter

      After years of striving to achieve greatness, one man may actually be able to say he did. Ray Allen is one of the most phenomenal basketball players of all time. Every basketball fan probably has the same words to say about Ray, "that he is the best three point shooter ever". These words can be authenticated. Ray Allen has made many achievements during his career.
      Starting his career with the University of Connecticut Huskies,  he remains third on the all time scoring list with 1,922 points. Following his college years he was drafted into the league in 1996 to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Ray was immediately traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. He made his first all star appearance while playing for the Bucks and  won his first three point shootout at all-star weekend. His career was ready for improvement when he was traded to the Seattle SuperSonics. Although he never won a championship in Seattle, he had one of his best seasons there. Averaging 26.4 points per game, Ray couldn't be disappointed until he had to have ankle surgery on both ankles and missed the remainder of his season.
      Now Ray Allen resides in Boston where he plays for the Celtics. This is where his career made its peak. Ray Allen played an amazing 48 minutes and recorded 19 points and 9 rebounds in the game that became one of the most amazing comebacks in finals history. Allen recored 22 three pointers during this series, which contributed to victory of the NBA Finals in 2008. Ray still remains on the hunt for another.
     While playing for the Celtics, Ray has broke one of the most monumental records in basketball history. Reggie Miller used to hold the all-time three point record for 2,560 baskets made. On February 10,2011 Ray Allen broke this record. This could not have come at a better time. Talk about making history, Ray Allen accomplished this feat during this years black history month. Ray Allen currently sets the bar for all three point shooters, and he is not done yet. One man is able to say he achieved greatness, while others thrive off his success.

Black and Yellow?

   What comes to your mind when you hear the words Black and Yellow? I hope fear, hatred, perfection, Wiz Khalifa and Steelers come to you mind. For me there's only one thought to come to my mind and that is the Pittsburgh Steelers and everything that comes entailed with those words. Living in Montgomery County, Maryland and being a Steelers fan is not to uncommon. Even though most people will hail to the Redskins around these neck of the woods. I have been a hardcore Steelers fan since August 22,1990. I do not even like to admit this,  but when i was growing up i had always wished to be able to play like Kordell Stewert. Most of you are like WHO?

   So, When people started hopping on the band wagon i was thinking to myself like why? Why do people have to get on band wagons and take away the authenticity from the actual fans. This is where the Steelers originated many more haters. Thats completely okay though! What would an organization be without haters? So for all of you that are hating on the Steelers, keep hating "we" love it. Home of the Pittsburgh Steelers the leaders of the steel city will go back to the drawling board and try to get another championship next year. Ill just say we will take our six super bowl championships for now, but we are hungary for another one. Lets Go Steelers!!!

A True Ballers Valentine

       How would it be to grow up with two loves right at your hand? Ones name Monica and one Spalding. Quincy McCall was growing up in a suburban Los Angeles neighborhood, where he met his neighbor Monica Wright. Monica was not the average girl growing up, she was in love with the game of basketball. Growing up Quincy and Monica were the best of friends, even after having some minor altercations. Quincy was by far the best player around in their area. Likewise Monica was the top female baller in their area.
      During their high school years they both had phenomenal seasons playing for the same high school. Both of them being expected to play at the next level of competition. Quincy was fortunate enough to have many schools interested in giving him full scholarships to attend their universities. However, Monica seemed to have anger problems on the court, which led to her bitting her nails near signing days. As fate came into play both of these players ended up attending USC in the third quarter.
      Monica's and Quincy's career at USC differed from each other completely, while their love life did not. Monica was riding the bench behind the starting point guard and was not getting the exposure she deserved. On the other hand, Quincy was the star of the USC Trojans mens basketball team. He was speaking of going to the league right after his freshmen year. In my eyes this is never a smart idea for a young sport Phnom. Monica was still struggling for tick on the basketball court. She got her break when the starting point guard suffered an injury to her knee. Monica stepped right into the limelight and starting fulfilling her role on the basketball team as a dominant starter. Everything was going right for Quincy when he found out his dad was cheating on his mother. This is when things started falling apart. Monica was so into her season she forgot to be there for Quincy when he was going threw all of this. So he turned to cheating on Monica because i guess to him he felt he needed more attention. This led to the end of there high school sweetheart days.
     Following Quincy's freshmen year he made the decision to opt to the NBA draft. He was drafted by the Las Angeles Lakers in one of the earlier rounds. Monica finished her seasons with USC and then was drafted to play for Barcelona, where she one an international title. Although, Quincy was fighting for time on the court, when he finally got that. Quincy was on a fast break he went up for a dunk and came off the rim wrong and tore his ACL. After years of not speaking the two reunited when Monica flew in to see Quincy in the hospital. This is where is was brought to Monica's attention that Quincy had a fiance. After, that day it seemed Monica had given up basketball and Quincy was in serious rehabilitation to get back into the game.
    As the wedding day came closer Monica started to realize her true love for Quincy. It seemed to be eating at her. She knew she did not have much time to do something about the situation. So, the night before she challenged Quincy to a basketball game of one on one. This game had much more meaning then just winning. This game was for Quincy McCall's heart. Monica played a hard battle on the court but she came up short of the victory. Quincy realized her love for him and as she was walking away, he said " double or nothing". This is when Quincy had a change of heart and fate took the right path. These two ended up getting married and having a child, while Monica made it to the WNBA. Love is not easy, which is why we fight so hard for it.



Love & Basketball (2000)  Gina Prince-Bythewood Author and Writer