Does anyone know if Manhattanville is a Nike or adidas school?
To the Editor:

Re Player's Protest Over the Flag Divides Fans

On the one hand patriotic Americans appear obsessed with the flag as a symbol of cherished freedoms. On the other hand, many opf the same Americans are angry and intolerant when Toni Smith exercises her right to practice the most fundamental of those fredoms.

Toni Smith, a senior guard on Manhattanville College's women's basketball team, turns her back to the flag during pregame playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" to silently protest America's potential involvement in a war on Iraq.

The rancor exceeds mere disagreement. The patriots are offended by Toni Smith's observance of a First Amendment right.

Because free speech is so fundamental to American notions of freedom, the act of protest is inherently patriotic, regardless of the point of view or substance. If that is not the case, it is immaterial whether the military has fought and sacrificed for the First Amendment freedom to protest.

MICHAEL HEILBRONNER
Portland, Ore., Feb. 26, 2003
The Athlete and the Flag, NYT, Editorials/Letters, 2/27/03, A30

Posted by K-Cebo at 9:08:41 PM

New Jersey Idle
Just got back from a fairly nondescript Nets game, a 29-point drubbing of a dozen or so guys Don Chaney apparently picked up at Port Authority, gave Knicks jerseys, and drove out to the Meadowlands with the promise of $20 and a bottle of Thunderbird if they could just remain upright for 48 minutes. Official Favorite Sub of The Donk Aaron Williams picked up seven points, six boards, and four assists for a triple...um...four.

The highlight was, of course, halftime, when Joe Piscopo (who I feel really bad about making fun of before now that I read he's recovering from thyroid cancer) emceed New Jersey Idol, basically four talentless folks singing off-key for about 15 seconds each. The winner sang — now get this — "New York State of Mind!" At a Nets/Knicks game! In the Meadowlands! Okay, he changed the last line to "New Jersey state of mind" but none of the other NY-themed lyrics so it didn't make any sense at all! The rest of the night kind of continued downhill after that...

Speaking of the Nets, I haven't plugged this in a while, but JoeNetsFan.com is a terrific fansite: hilarious, passionate, intelligent, etc. Go check it out.

Posted by Ken at 8:42:46 PM

"Wouldn't it be offensive if we cheered `Rah rah rah' for the Carolina Negros / With our beatbox cheer and our fake foam afros?"
Speaking of Indian mascots. one of the greatest performers in America today, Atom and his Package (it's just the one guy), has recorded a rockin' song on this very topic entitled "If You Own the Washington Redskins, You're a Cock," available from his site. And then you should probably buy all his CD's and maybe a bumper sticker.

Posted by Ken at 8:46:29 PM

Pete Gets Nominated for the Hall
"It was a tremendous honor just being nominated to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame."You know, somehow I don't quite believe Pete there, maybe because he probably hadn't heard of the place until about three months ago, or perhaps he finished in the voting behind Kirk "106-108 Lifetime Record" McCaskill.

So what's next for everybody's favorite degenerate gambler? Hey, he used to use those Mizuno bats, right? Well, how about the Japanese Hall of Fame?

Posted by Ken at 7:15:48 PM

Bill aims to ban American Indian mascot names
Natalie Stites is neither proud nor honored by school sports teams that take the field led by tomahawk-waving mascots while the crowd roars "Go Indians." "Mascot imagery is not accurate. It perpetuates stereotypes," said Stites, a member of the Cheyenne River Lakota tribe. "It's a basic civil rights issue," said Goldberg, D-Los Angeles. "We don't permit any other ethnic group to be caricatured as a part of sport." Article
Related: NATIONAL COALITION ON RACISM IN SPORTS & MEDIA: People Not Mascots

Posted by K-Cebo at 1:25:49 PM

You GOTTA love Mike Tyson
Tyson commenting on his hobbies: "I like doing other things. I like getting high, hanging out with my kids. I like drinking,'' Tyson said.

Posted by K-Cebo at 9:25:49 AM