Ray’s Boom Boom Room

By Ray Rife – raysbbr@gmail.com

Welcome to Ray’s “Boom-Boom” Room.

I live in the beautiful city of Atlanta and the weather was fantastic for most of the week. Once the weekend came, it was almost sinful. Spring is in the air. The dreaded pollen clouds are starting to collect in the air (allergies didn’t bother me until I moved to the South). So I took advantage and did what any red-blooded American male would do in this kind of weather, I washed my car and drove around the neighborhood with my windows down and my latest CD in the player. It was great.

1. The Japanese People

As I follow the stories coming out of Japan about the earthquake and tsunami, I keep hearing about the incredible courtesy of the Japanese people during this crisis. You read stories about how people are standing quietly in line for water even after being told that the water truck is empty. How the Japanese people are courteous to their fellow drivers even though gas stations are running out of fuel. As one blogger noted; “There hasn’t been any looting or violence.”

Then, then inevitable comparison ensues. The difference between how American and Japanese people act during times of crisis. New Orleans is cited and the utter lawlessness in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is presented as evidence. Then there are the cries of the “good ole days” and what’s happened to America. I’ve even read where they want to institute civility classes in public schools? To use a social media phrase…wtf?

That’s great that the Japanese people act…well…Japanese. That’s the thing that people are forgetting. That is what the Japanese culture is all about. The group before the individual! The betterment of the collective good is ahead of the success of one. This is what makes the Japanese…well, Japanese.

We, on the other hand, are American’s. Our culture is one of self-determination and independence. We applaud the stories of individuals that overcome enormous odds to achieve success (See Anthony Robles). Our society trumpets financial success. Warren Buffet has the nickname of “The Oracle of Omaha,” because of his grasp on our economy. We put Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerburg on pedestals because of their ability to take their computing and social networking (or marketing) ideas to the masses and amass a small fortune. We value people by their wallets. Why else would we have a Forbes 500 list?

We cherish these stories because it gives us hope and belief in ourselves. It makes us feel like if we can just create the next best thing then I will be able to build the marble statue that says, “The World is Mine,” like Al Pacino’s character in Scarface. We teach our kids in school and in our living rooms that being sure of themselves, independence, speaking out and being self-directed are the traits to admire and strive to exhibit. Granted, we always tend to leave out that most hyper-successful people are assholes. (Note: The asshole comment is not a commentary but a observation, I get called an asshole all the time but I’m not on the Forbes 500 list. It’s a common denominator, not the only denominator.)

So to all the people who are now berating American culture and pleading for us to be more Japanese…get over yourself. Stop telling us that we are wrong. I’ll admit, that we could probably be a bit more civil and neighborly to one another, but we have too much of that pioneer spirit to turn back now. We are a competitive society. Why else would we pay a person millions to play a game and teachers $30,000 a year. LeBron James makes $30,000 in under 7 minutes. (Sorry to be in your wallet LeBron).

Our society doesn’t reward civility and courtesy in a time of shortage. Look at how we treat the unemployed? The homeless? The uninsured? How are people responding to the health care bill that was created to assist people that can’t afford health insurance therefore live a longer healthier life?  We are trying to eliminate the bill because it’s socialist. How dare you think about the collective good!

It’s Un-American!

1. Adrian Peterson…the slavery comment.

“It’s modern-day slavery, you know? People kind of laugh at that, but there are people working at regular jobs who get treated the same way, too”

Adrian Peterson

With those words to Yahoo! Sports writer Doug Farrar, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson got the sports world in a social tizzy. How could Peterson, making $10 million a year, compare playing football to slavery?

“His use of the term slavery is a massive insult to the memory of millions who did suffer from that horrible institution.” Internet poster

Slavery isn’t an American phenomenon. We didn’t create it nor were we the first to use it. The Romans used it to build an empire and the Egyptians used it to build the pyramids. But slavery IS a collective emotional scar of American history that still reminds us of an ugly time in the life-cycle of our country. When American’s think of slavery, we think of the mini-series Roots, Nat Turner, Abe Lincoln, the KKK, Emmett Till and lynchings.

If you don’t think its still emotional topic? How did YOU feel when you read the word “lynching?”

“There is a great difference between slavery and the NFL. Any player can stop playing any time they wish. Their greed keeps them playing, nothing else” – Internet poster

Because of this societal shame and anger, we immediately take the word out of context. Yahoo! Sports took down the quote and asked for a comment from Peterson regarding the “context” of his words. Granted, he was in an interview and had the ability to do it then.

Some of his NFLPA brothers have come out against him, calling him an “idiot”, “misinformed” and “moronic.” Sportswriters attempting to line themselves with the NFL commissioner have called him “out-of-touch” and “ungrateful.”  In this internet age, fans, protected by screen names have said and implied much worse. It is just more gasoline to the racial fire that has been burning hotter over the last couple of years.

“it was just dumb to make the comparison. It doesn’t fit. Even worse, it was ignorant and insensitive. Though it should be noted that nobody ever confused AP for a genius.” – Internet poster

That is a surface or “knee-jerk” reaction to his comments. What happens when you look a bit deeper at his comments? What happens when we resolve to explore his words and try to understand what he was saying?

Yes, they are forced to play football and make millions. IDIOT! – Internet poster

First, we must ignore the fact that he makes $10M/year. I remember reading about Curt Flood during his free agency battle with Major League Baseball saying, “A well-paid slave is nonetheless a slave.” His salary creates feelings of jealously and resentment. (Note: I still don’t understand why sports salaries are public knowledge? They are employed by private companies, why do they do publicize salaries? Is it to create ill-will towards these athletes?) That jealousy and resentment can cause paralysis of thought.

[Peterson]… only offends himself–his character, and his credibility. He has my pity, not my condemnation. – Internet poster

Second, there have been books written by sportswriters about the slave concept in professional athletics. Other athletes in the past have used this analogy and yet, we still hear it, and still condemn the messenger for saying it. If it keeps coming up, shouldn’t we explore it?

“Black players have created a billion-dollar market but have no voice in the industry, no power. That sounds an awful lot like slavery to me. On plantations slaves were respected for their physical skills but were given no respect as thinking beings. On the football field, we are treated as what appears like gods, but in fact this is just the ‘show and tell’ of the management for their spectators. In reality, what is transpiring is that black athletes are being treated with disrespect and degradation. As soon as we take off that uniform, behind the dressing room doors, we are less than human. We are bought and sold. Traded and drafted, like our ancestors, and the public views this as a sport, ironically the same attitude as people had in the slavery era.”

Former NFL player Anthony Prior

(Zirin, 2011, The Notion)

I’m not deciding if he’s wrong or right about using the word, what I’m saying is we need to dig deeper than the surface reaction that we all have and feel. Instead of always looking at the glitz and glamour of their lives; look at the situation through their eyes, in their shoes.

All he accomplished was to make himself look like an idiot and that he never listened in history class. – Internet poster

You graduate from college with a degree in mechanical engineering. The industry is lucrative but only has 32 companies nationwide. Prior to an interview, they have you come into a room of recruiters and line managers and have you parade around in your underwear. They measure, poke and prod your body and your psyche (like they did at the slave auctions, by the way), and then ask questions about your mother’s moral character. (I mean, they are about to spend big bucks on you.) Then, instead of fielding offers from employers and deciding whom to work for, the companies hold a draft and tell you where you are going to work. You get selected to an organization, whether you like their mission statement or not. You are now their “property”…literally. If you choose a different profession or retire and decide to come back, that company still has your “rights” to be employed in that profession. If the company tires of you, they will trade your services with or without your blessing…

Some one PLEASE treat me like these “slaves” and pay me millions a year while making me a house hold name with millions of fans. Oh the horror of it all….- Internet poster

Do you get the point? I’m not saying that he had a great choice in terminology but looking deeper into the meaning would help.

Now, I’m not paid to write this blog, speaking of slavery….

1. The One-Legged Wrestler

This past week was the National Championships for NCAA Division I wrestling. This is one of the fringe sports. One of the sports that always seems to get cut when university presidents have to start cutting during their budget process. When schools were getting audited for Title IX, many schools cut collegiate wrestling to adhere to the Title IX standards, but I digress.

In Philadelphia all the collegiate wrestling powers were there; Arizona State, Penn State, Iowa, Iowa State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. All these student-athletes were there to compete at the chance to call themselves National Champion.

One of the stories that made headlines in Philadelphia during the championships was the one about Anthony Robles, the Arizona State senior who won the 125lbs. title. He’s a one-legged wrestler. He was born without the leg. He uses crutches to get around and admits that it helps with his grip, an important physical skill in wrestling. Robles didn’t start participating in the sport of wrestling until he was 14 years old. He always has to wrestle at the lowest weight class because of his missing appendage.

His career, once he figured it out, has been fairly impressive. He won two state championships and a national championship in high school, which led him to being offered a partial scholarship to Arizona State. He’s a two-time All-American and three-time all Pac-10 selection and has accumulated over 120 wins in his career at Arizona State. He added NCAA National Champion to his resume with a 7-1 victory over defending national champion Matt McDonough of Iowa.

Full Disclosure Alert: I am a huge Iowa Hawkeye fan and grew up in the state. Through osmosis of some kind, I became a fan of wrestling. Similar to how people who grow up in Indiana must love basketball. I had many friends in high school wrestle (I tried but got slammed on my neck, end of career) and I attended the state wrestling championships many times. I even enjoyed wrestling meets between the University of Iowa and Iowa State University in the 90’s when the wrestling team would sell out the basketball arena more than the basketball team. Usually one of the schools was ranked #1 at the time.

Mr. Robles is a great feel good story and someone to admire. This man does not make excuses for his disability. Why should he though? I mean, he has a competitive advantage. Wait, before you start calling me an asshole…and I am. Think about it…It’s not the WWE or NWA. There are no turnbuckles to climb and jump off of. This is a true gladiator sport. Mano y mano!

Look, in wrestling, there are weight classes. This is so Shaquille O’Neill doesn’t get into the ring with Ryan Seacrest. They attempt to make the competitors as physically even, as possible. With the loss of a rather large appendage, he lost several pounds of weight. Losing just one pound is crucial in this sport.

Okay, maybe saying he lost the weight is a bad choice of words because he didn’t lose it; he stores it elsewhere, like his larger and stronger upper body. Looking at pictures of him and his fellow wrestlers in that weight class it’s night and day. (Sour grapes alert: He did just beat a Hawkeye).

Plus, with the loss of limb, that is just one less thing to grab as a competitor. If he gets on the ground and just spins to his left (he’s missing his right leg), then the competitor must reach across his body EVERY time to control Mr. Robles lower body. While Mr. Robles can attack from any direction and grapple any leg to create leverage for a takedown and therefore, it’s an advantage.

I know, I may be grasping at straws here but an advantage is an advantage. In a sport where an extra pound is considered too much of an advantage and a competitor can be disqualified, this is really blurring the lines a bit. Since he doesn’t make excuses, I’ll make them for his competitors (He did finish undefeated this year).

When I saw the video of him wrestling earlier this week, my first thought was; “He has an advantage!” Maybe beating a Hawkeye has made me a little more vocal about it.

Mr. Robles, plans on becoming a motivational speaker. By all accounts, he’s a remarkable young man and has an amazing passion for life.

Congratulations Mr. Anthony Robles, for overcoming your obstacles and becoming not just a champion in wrestling but in life. Even without a leg!

1. Nate Dogg…R.I.P.

For many hip-hop fans of the 90’s, Nathaniel Hale, better known as Nate Dogg, reverberated through your stereo speakers with his smooth baritone voice. He became popular laying down tracks for the likes of Snoop Doggy Dogg, 50 Cent, Eminem and Ludacris, as well as many others. He was known in hip-hop circles as the King of Rap Hooks.

Nate Dogg passed away on March 15^th ending 41 years of life. Born in Long Beach, California, Nate Dogg was instrumental in helping west coast hip hop reach the masses and pop appeal. I remember a time that it seemed like anyone that came out with a track from the west coast had to have Nate Dogg adding his vocal to the track, if you wanted a hit.

He collaborated with fellow Death Row member, Warren G, to make Regulate a track on the Above the Rim soundtrack. Truthfully, it may have been the best thing about the movie. Regulate created mainstream recognition and appeal for Nate Dogg. Just about EVERYONE knows that song. You can see people of all kinds of backgrounds start nodding their heads when the signature line starts at the beginning…”Regulators…mount up!”

Some of my personal favorites were:

“Ain’t no fun (If the homies can’t have none)”

“Deeez Nuts”

“How long will they mourn me”

“The next episode” (Hold up! Heey yeah!)

“Area Codes”

The last couple of years saw his health deteriorate. He had his first stroke in December of 2007 and a second one just 10 months later. He was receiving treatment at a medical rehabilitation facility in California.

Nate Dogg was nominated for 4 times for a Grammy.

Gone too soon but not forgotten.

Pour a little liquor.

Quote of the week

New Media Strategy employee who lost his job after posting this tweet; the company represents Chrysler:

“I find it ironic that Detroit is known as the #motorcity and yet no one here knows how to f*cking drive.”

Final Thought

I’m going to piggyback a little from the quote above. It still amazes me how many people post just about anything on the internet. People don’t have mental filters anymore (I know, mine doesn’t always work). Just remember, anything you post you should be comfortable enough to have said in an open court of law.

Thanks for stopping by…

Ray

raysbbr@gmail.com