tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-919005350615571362011-12-13T14:51:20.712-05:00The "convening space" for anyone who seeks to discuss sports, random stuff, and ocassionally, a place to diss a terrible journalist or two.Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.comBlogger941100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-22055438783556668022011-12-13T14:49:00.003-05:002011-12-13T14:51:20.723-05:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-38323665265185340082011-10-19T16:35:00.020-04:002011-11-02T15:30:43.382-04:00

"Whenever something looks good, it's compared to something that was good."I was riding shotgun this time, talking television with my pal Smalls in his passenger SUV. In his early years, Smalls was a production assistant for a comedic titan on one of his spin-off prime time sitcoms. We always commute to work together, which gives Smalls time to dish advice to a kid walking in his tread marks."I

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-21698958945119715242011-08-06T21:31:00.005-04:002011-08-06T21:50:31.379-04:00

In the wake of Tiger Woods' resurrection, I'd like to promote a piece I wrote a few weeks ago for my boy Terrell McCoy's new sports cavalcade, Real McCoy Sports. The post can be found in its original state here. Feel free to stop on by, vote for us in Blogs with Balls' annual popular vote, and let TMC and the crew know how you feel about the general decor. Don't worry...I helped pick out the

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-57028850566030437002011-06-13T13:36:00.019-04:002011-06-15T16:08:06.882-04:00

"Should I be who you want me to be?"I started reading "The Triangle" for the first time last week. It's a new concept blog, driven by a vibrant young writing contingent, and molded in some parts by sports media maven and Boston native Bill Simmons. The Triangle's pioneering article was a weighty one, a violent dialogue bent on rocking America's general sensibilities. Carles (our mononymous author

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-82387840055701499272011-04-21T13:00:00.013-04:002011-04-27T13:05:12.674-04:00

Editor's Note: I wrote this post mentally and buried it, but Simmons' opus on Sactown forced me to unearth this. Transparency is the writer's best/worst friend.My mother never let me listen to rap. And I hated him for it.Our family was sober in every sense of the word. My Dad force-fed me cod liver oil teaspoons before I left his hugs for elementary school. Our car radio was preset to Family

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-37964537828884068022011-02-09T01:28:00.013-05:002011-02-09T10:51:13.700-05:00

Mistakes were made. (By who?)Me. I waited too long to post the second half of this mega blog.Like a good neighbor wannabe lawyer, I reviewed and deliberated the facts. I looked at my four protagonists (Jay-Z/MJ and 50 Cent/Kobe) closely. I listened to more of their music than I’m comfortable admitting in public. I read and re-read their lyrics, even drawing parallels between 50 Cent’s “How to Rap

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-75424711105044078012011-01-29T03:58:00.015-05:002011-01-29T11:29:21.422-05:00

In twenty years, some idiot is going to goof around on Wikipedia, find out about a guy named Curtis Jackson, look at his record sales and start a blog declaring “50 Cent” the best rapper of this decade. My 15-year old son will then believe this blogger, blindside me with a definitive statement about 50 Cent while we drive to the Poconos, and leave me speechless as my wife massages my arm and

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-47102533463122827902011-01-25T23:36:00.014-05:002011-01-29T11:28:10.674-05:00

Stylish and versatile.I've been called many things in my life, but usually stylish AND versatile aren't included. Stylish? Only on the day I wore my Allan Houston jersey to a Javits Center car show. Versatile? I guess. I'm as versatile as an ottoman in a beauty salon.OK, enough jokes. Currently there's a movement afoot by bloggers far and wide to name their favorite writers who they feel are "

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-87028722615570054142011-01-13T10:00:00.033-05:002011-06-21T15:29:56.580-04:00

Will my friends make fun of me?I remember when "The Game" premiered on the CW, if only because my sister was singlehandedly getting Wendy Raquel Robinson's clothes dry cleaned (only 2.1 mil viewers). I'd checked out a few episodes and bailed, simply because none of my friends were watching. It was a back-door "Chick Sit"(com), and I wasn't going to be the fish to get baited with the hook.If I

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-1183014165485694262010-12-27T20:39:00.019-05:002010-12-27T22:53:11.355-05:00

This year, I finally got what I wanted for Christmas.RESPECT.The New York Knicks were cruising past the Bulls, save a few Derrick Rose highlights, and I was getting more feeeback about this unforeseen dominance than "Merry Christmas!!1!!!11!1!" mass texts. I'll like to pretend I was gracious in accepting this praise, knowing that we're bound to kiss this goodbye with a quick first-round exit, but

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-63953930196225985852010-12-22T16:01:00.007-05:002010-12-22T17:04:07.273-05:00

My Mom told me never to talk to strangers. But I had to break the rule this one time. New York City was buzzing, all of the heels of his decision to rip apart our unusually flaccid defense. Plus, I wasn't talking to one person in particular. My sordid cheers were being transmitted to the entire world. MICHAEL VICK HAS RETURNED.A simple tweet, no? I had it resting in my queue, but declined to

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-60523301963780608622010-12-03T11:59:00.016-05:002010-12-05T00:39:11.727-05:00

"Why are we booing, Daddy?" Lebron. Cleveland, Ohio. December 2010.Where do you begin? How do you substantiate and codify an act that drains the life force from your being on a sheer mention? How can a father extract teachable meaning for his son without breaking character and cursing the very thing he once loved?Moloch! Solitude! Filth! Ugliness! Ashcans and unobtainable dollars! Children

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-85555914658524898012010-12-01T14:33:00.005-05:002010-12-01T14:45:34.765-05:00

Yup, I've begun the precipitous transition to radio. My dude Yung Knox has a kickin' podcast, and asked me to dish on some NBA and NFL stuff. I know...I don't have a NY accent.You can check it out HERE.(Don't worry...I'm coming strong with a Roy/Drexler piece in short order.)

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-16532043689498932742010-10-27T10:47:00.026-04:002010-10-28T10:23:30.636-04:00

Guess who's back?Back again?Basketball's back! Tell a friend! (Oh, Eminem...how you stay relevant is beyond me.)After a long hiatus, spelled only by a brief tourney in Turkey's capital city, true hoops has returned. The most anticipated season of hoops is upon us, and as my man J-Till said, I don't even need to tell you why. (It has to do with a certain triumvirate in South Beach.)I started this

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-30074364827298989782010-10-22T11:28:00.040-04:002010-10-23T01:54:15.370-04:00

Hello. My name is M.B. It's been five months since my last confession.Life was simpler back then. I was giving tours in the grays at 30 Rock to despondent tourists, sweating profusely through the wrinkle-free fabric. It was busy season, but something became more important to me than monitoring my sweat glands.Basketball season was reaching its climax.She was so frisky back then, tantalizing me

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-59782641537687345802010-09-13T12:14:00.025-04:002010-09-20T14:45:54.757-04:00

I've missed you.I've missed you, Donovan McNabb, with your propensity to skip passes into your receivers, dismissing the praised concept of YAC. I've missed you too Jane Lynch, with your unabashed wit lending comedic decadence to a show not much more than Broadway in a can. I've missed you most, Phil from Modern Family, as your willingness to flirt with your father-in-law's second wife knows no

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-5226946162526494042010-08-16T11:05:00.019-04:002010-08-16T14:49:55.758-04:00

I watched Black Dynamite last night. I followed that up by shooting myself in the face.If you didn't hear about it, don't worry...you're not missing much. It's a big screen hodgepodge, with your Crock Pot of black C-listers (Michael Jai White? John Salley?) combining their fading stardom to spoof the dead-ball blaxploitation era. It put up such paltry numbers in Europe that they couldn't even

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-49158380330768947872010-07-10T20:27:00.019-04:002010-07-11T03:20:01.056-04:00

Be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger.I'm trying to live by words like these.I caught this one from a wise man I know, and added it to my personal repetoire. Don't cry over spilled milk. What's in the past, is in the past. The heart of a fool proclaims foolishness. That sorta stuff.I watched The Decision from my job. The white walled interior reflected my visage as the

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-36194802607041963272010-06-25T10:46:00.026-04:002010-07-07T10:24:42.099-04:00

Michael Jackson died this day last year, and I was stuck in an awful Richmond airport.I'd just finished another interview for a job that couldn't even promise me I'd make rent, and I was wiped out. I sat at that dreadful Applebee's 2 go and ordered an appetizer sampler. Yup, I was ready to take my anger out on my body.I sat at the barstool talking shop with the local vendor, a gal who kept her

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-69956891240129085352010-06-22T13:56:00.022-04:002010-06-23T00:05:17.201-04:00

Everybody needs something to inspire them.Jesus had our sins and hate from all sides. Ron Artest had the Malice at the Palace. Garfield has lasagna. Travis Henry has his alimony payments. Eddy Curry has his dream concept of a drive-thru Denny's. We all need some inspiration to kick our lives into overdrive.For me, good music inspires me to write. No, not YOU, Justin Bieber. I went back to my

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-39140821272710317542010-06-04T13:42:00.016-04:002010-06-04T15:26:53.607-04:00

I realized something last night: I like the Lakers team. I hate Lakers fans.You've met them before. They appear in your congregations and water coolers, looking like fans of the home team before going rogue. They open up sports converations with blaspheme like "Kobe's the best player of all time." They rock fedoras and Ed Hardy shirts (at least that's what they wear in my nightmares) , and have a

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-17575556312631313532010-05-20T09:25:00.008-04:002010-05-20T11:27:54.605-04:00

I can’t believe they were saying those things about Myron Rolle.Somehow, they skipped over his stellar resume. Myron graduated college in half the time, finishing all of his pre-medical school requirements and boasting a 3.75 grade point average…all while playing football at a top-flight school that expects excellence and demands success.Perhaps they frowned upon Myron’s affiliation with Bobby

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-26300936507098504532010-05-03T13:23:00.009-04:002010-05-03T15:13:55.389-04:00

He was confused. This team, HIS team, had dominated the competition throughout the tournament. He was ready to make a true ascension to the throne. His marketing team had peppered the country with advertisement all but declaring his greatness, a campaign that he rode to the doorstep of decadence.And then, the unthinkable happened. An unnoticed trio of magicians (Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis,

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-16564207935912579322010-02-12T09:55:00.013-05:002010-02-15T17:35:26.191-05:00

The orange sphere danced around the cylinder, clanging violently against the metal, yelling for silence from the massive Miami-Dade crowd. We hated them, and they hated us. It was simpler that way.It was before the years of intense AAU basketball, the unspoken meeting ground of future NBA superstars who meet time and time again in tournaments designed to bolster their draft stock. It was well

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-64190478346829664742010-02-08T16:35:00.008-05:002010-02-08T17:20:53.631-05:00

The Super Bowl is such a weird "holiday."The hype machine knocks softly when the month of January begins, then gets increasingly violent as championship Sunday comes and goes. Diehard fans are thrust into the fray with wannabes and jigaboos, like a Los Angeles Lakers bandwagon gone wrong. The three-hour tour begins and ends before we can get a refund on our wasted time, and then the depression

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-25616702169239911512010-02-05T19:04:00.010-05:002010-02-05T19:27:30.717-05:00

(Editor's Note: Hello, all. After reading about 10 gillion people all along the Eastern Seaboard complain about the impending snowstorm, I decided to eschew my planned Super Bowl column for a Snow Day piece. If you care, I'm taking the Colts over the Saints, 31-21. Just can't bring myself to bet against a Manning. Or a black coach. So, indulge me please, after the not-so-random picture...)Last

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-11055181735826750712010-01-15T13:26:00.020-05:002010-01-16T13:04:09.117-05:00

I knew I should've made this a combo post from the jump.I know, I know. I promised you that I'd be back with Part 2 like, yesterday. I ain't gonna front. I knew ahead of time that we'd be going hard on a serious back-to-back, but I thought I'd find time to squeeze in another post during the off-peak cool down. I didn't want to intimidate you guys with a monster 1,000 word expression of my love

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-25434394979834846922010-01-13T22:31:00.020-05:002010-01-14T11:31:40.677-05:00

(Editor’s Note: I’ve decided to transcribe the conversation that I overheard in my brain the other day. You know…the talk that every man would like to have with his wife (God, PLEASE BLESS ME WITH A SPORTS WIFE!) around this time of the year (if we actually had any say in what goes on around us):PLAYOFF FOOTBALL + HDTV + MY TEAM!! = DO NOT DISTURB.Okay, so I may have taken some liberties with the

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-65963659710047274832009-11-12T17:40:00.013-05:002009-11-12T17:57:25.339-05:00

We had no business being there.It was a season to forget for most, one miscast among a decade of supremacy and legitimacy for a league that had once feared expulsion. Money rained down from sponsors, consumers, and television networks into the hands of the league's glowering tyrant, a media maven whose sanguine expression hid a more sinister disposition. This sport, once dismissed by Madison

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-14207563953782001702009-11-11T15:04:00.004-05:002009-11-11T15:12:39.557-05:00

In the wake of Eddy Curry's monastery diet and will he/won't he return talks and Ty Thomas's injuried shoulder, it's time to talk about the butterfly effect of that disastrous Isiah Thomas trade which led to those three (counting Utah's freebie in 2010) first rounders that left the Mecca back in the good ole year of 2005.Today, on November 10th, 2009...it looks like Joachim Noah, pupil of the

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-76270299474667895632009-10-27T21:57:00.011-04:002009-10-27T22:20:55.870-04:00

Ladies and gents, turn up your sound system to the sounds of Carlos Santana. Na, just kidding…we've got something even better courtesy of one of our favorite guest artists, Johnathan Tillman, the creative force behind the blog Fundamentally UnSound. Readers, you've definitely seen J-Till's rhetoric disseminated across various comment sections, and some of you have even dialogued with Tillman and

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-86213372700013129142009-10-13T01:23:00.029-04:002009-10-13T21:55:25.329-04:00

Shhh, I've got a secret.I never shared this with anyone before. I'd rather not say, but we've been together for so long now. I feel like I can trust you. I think it's something you should know. I hate power rankings. I know I know…hate is such a strong word. Power rankings are the biggest slap in the face to the sports fan. Power rankings declare your ineptitude. Power rankings take your mother

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-55941157707719434402009-10-04T16:46:00.009-04:002009-10-04T17:02:41.585-04:00

We've all had bad colds before. I'm not talking about your garden variety cough to break up a monotonous conversation, but those big whooping coughs, jarring wheezes, and loud sneezes that thrust your body backward ten feet. You know…the ones that force everyone at your friend's dinner party to give you some room.Hands down, the worst colds I've experienced are those that rob me of my voice.

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-14890702015888830082009-08-22T16:03:00.014-04:002009-08-22T17:37:11.565-04:00

Folks, when the guys at Free Darko have admitted it, it's true: We are officially mired in the dog days of summer. Minus the occasional playground tourney and the distant EuroBasket, summer marks the time when hoops heads are deprived of their daily dose of the round ball. Even I can only follow the White Chocolate Comeback Tour but for so long.Because we writers love to be undercover innovators,

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-36570630738299363192009-08-12T00:20:00.011-04:002009-08-12T00:53:24.403-04:00

"And even though it felt warm…and safe…I knew it had to end. It's never good to live in the past too long. As for the future, it didn't seem so scary anymore. It could be whatever I wanted it to be." (John Dorian, M.D.) I started watching Scrubs on Comedy Central in my freshman dorm room at Howard University. Sure, the show wasn't as dramatic as ABC's Grey's Anatomy or as suspenseful as Fox's

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-25578515884644256952009-07-24T15:58:00.024-04:002009-07-24T17:41:59.663-04:00

"Ladies and germs, welcome to our coverage of the 16th Annual ESPY Awards! That's right…it's the only award show on television that rewards sports employees for…gasp…trying to be the best at their jobs! I'm your host, Michael Benjamin, and I just sold my dignity to the highest bidder on EBay! I've been practicing my fake-laugh for weeks! Let's Go!!!!!!!!"(You have now entered Mike Benjamin's

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-448456415369374712009-07-20T17:18:00.011-04:002009-07-20T17:36:43.660-04:00

Folks, I need you to be honest for a second.When someone mentions the phrase “sports blogger”, what’s the first image that comes to mind?(Thinking…)(Thinking…)YES! That’s it!"Alec, I’ll take a fat, lazy, white guy living in his parents’ basement for $400, please!"Since I began writing regularly four years ago, I fought hard to erase that unceremonious image from your brain. We writers are a proud

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-77271996412577777092009-07-06T22:56:00.009-04:002009-07-06T23:02:58.639-04:00

The most exciting day on the NBA calendar is the start of the free agency period. NOT.I’ve always imagined David Stern pre-free agency acting like Ryan Seacrest at the very end of American Idol when he’s pressing loyal viewers (not named “Mike Benjamin”) to dial I-D-O-L-S zero-whatever for Bo Bice, Tamyra Gray, or some other singer not named Kelly Clarkson destined to flame out like the famed

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-77149617293278197332009-06-24T18:36:00.012-04:002009-06-24T19:06:30.422-04:00

For the past 15 years, we Yankee fans have been blessed to hear a certain noise emanate from the loudspeakers at the top of the 9th here at our stadium, the House That Ruth George Built. A certain Panamanian pitcher emerges from this second dugout and begins moving – from quick walk to compact trot – to his throne seat, which sits surrounded by his faithful companions. During his confident stroll

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-28318495090833731982009-06-16T20:39:00.009-04:002009-06-16T21:00:27.817-04:00

In sports, whenever a superstar is precariously close to realizing their biggest individual dreams, a myriad of historically relevant questions tend to saturate our discussion. In the case of one Kobe Bean Bryant, one question tends to become more pronounced than the others:Has “The Mamba” eclipsed M-Jeff Jordan?See, I've never been big on saying anyone has "eclipsed" anyone, because basketball (

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-17671014441157921642009-06-02T20:42:00.019-04:002009-06-10T13:06:27.570-04:00

The four most common comments I get about the blog are these:Dude, why don't you show (Player X) or (Team X) some love?Even though I don't know ANYTHING about sports, I love your writing!Mike, I need more of you…write more columns! Wait, wait…so, you write? I thought all English majors became teachers!Yup, this is the life I live. No, I don't plan on becoming an English teacher, to answer your

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-2392515463960613202009-05-21T10:33:00.020-04:002009-05-21T12:04:25.581-04:00

Where can we find today’s mythical American heroes?Surely not in the coal mines of the mighty Alleghenys, or in the dusty pages of a Dean Koontz novel.Definitely not in the pockets of worn windbreaker jackets, or in the amalgam of individuals clamoring for attention on city streets.Perhaps they can be found in the realm of politics, where a junior senator from the Midwest can rally an unstable

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-53482689863403006172009-05-17T23:48:00.008-04:002009-05-18T13:41:50.105-04:00

A few days ago, I was rummaging through my Dad’s room for a clean pair of socks. Like a smart college student, I used my entire stash of clean sockage before leaving Howard so that I could abuse my Dad’s free washer-dryer at the house. I mean, I figured since we’re big believers in the mi casa es su casa policy…it wouldn’t be a big deal! Right? But then again, this economy ain’t no joke.(Make

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-64903741041649856972009-05-06T12:17:00.014-04:002009-05-06T12:28:18.433-04:00

This “Bucket List” idea has to be one of the greatest ideas ever conceived by my brain.God, you are the man for this one.If you didn’t already know or haven't see me for the last two weeks, I’ve been tinkering with this idea of a “Bucket List”. No, I don’t plan on dying anytime soon. Instead, this “bucket list” contains a litany of events that I want to complete and ideas that I want to flesh out

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-83493779941360522942009-04-18T13:45:00.005-04:002009-04-18T23:28:22.896-04:00

Have you ever been around someone who's reasonably funny...but tries to be hilarious? It's a dreadful sight. Really, it reminds me of Bill Bellamy's standup comedy career. You know...great in select spots but not terribly enthralling otherwise. Bill's the type of comedian that will entertain you up until the commercial break, but one that you probably won't come back to after flipping to that new

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-31013483619872732552009-04-02T00:12:00.007-04:002009-04-02T01:09:57.275-04:00

Have you missed ME?Well, I've been busy over the last few weeks trying to, you know, graduate from college. As much as I like to wander aimlessly around the sports underground, I'm busy trying to graduate with honors from an institution of higher learning. Yeah, God's awesome. I can't afford to hang around school for another year. I would say it's because of this economy deal (Obama!!) but I

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-91733178612580013382009-03-26T20:10:00.017-04:002009-03-26T21:19:30.627-04:00

Editor's Note: We're back again, with all most of the teams we've talked about (Missouri, Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Arizona, Gonzaga, Morgan State) still holding serve in the NCAA Tournament. (Yeah, our guest writers are kinda good at what they do.) However, the team that some of us thought would bite the dust is still hanging around, trying to ruin our fun. Yes, the Duke Blue Devils are still in

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-38075000059911581042009-03-18T15:50:00.013-04:002009-03-21T02:10:30.099-04:00

Editor's Note: Because both of these teams decided to hang around for another round of the NCAA Tourney, let's run with J-Till's second contribution to the Monster Mash before this post becomes irrelevant. I was trying to wait up for the other contributions (you know who you are), but I can't chance either one of these teams going down in the meantime. Remember to check our Tillman's stylings at

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-34060115398998871732009-03-17T01:29:00.033-04:002009-03-18T23:13:40.426-04:00

Way to go, Howard University. You scheduled our Spring Break during the Tourney...AGAIN.Yeah, I know some of you are sunbathing on Mexico's beaches, or ghost-riding your yellow buses to Alternative Spring Break, or even working on a cool project with your Engineers Without Borders team. But...by choosing to schedule our Spring Break alongside the beginning of the NCAA Tournament, our Board of

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-58340144213868054102009-03-16T00:56:00.017-04:002009-03-16T03:24:02.298-04:00

"MY-KEY! Stop it! What are you DOING? Come ON! Change the channel! This is torture!"My brother was pleading with me to change the channel, but I refused. The primary goal of college basketball is to enterta--, I mean, provide young amateurs with the opportunity to receive a higher education (ahem), and the MEAC championship was doing just that. No, not with the education part, but with that “

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-35675395439490512702009-03-10T23:53:00.038-04:002009-03-12T10:33:58.359-04:00

Before we get wrapped up in March's Madness, let's stop and indulge in Points Off Turnovers' first Guest Post, courtesy of the great Johnathan Tillman. J-Till's currently finishing up at the University of Maryland and serves as the creative force behind the blog Fundamentally UnSound. (Readers, you've definitely seen J-Till's rhetoric disseminated across various comment sections, and some of you

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-4581720019408874972009-02-27T05:17:00.028-05:002009-02-27T20:51:36.138-05:00

Joshua "OD" Mitchell, my good friend and current roommate at Howard University, walked into our dorm room one night with negative body language and a wearied look of his face. Josh was returning from his group study session with his classmates, and was presently talking to someone on his cell phone. After he hung up, I moved in to assess the situation.“Yo, Josh…what’s up bro?”“Mike, hey, I’m all

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-64883505523479254472009-02-25T02:50:00.018-05:002009-02-25T04:53:08.799-05:00

By all accounts, Michael Jeffrey Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time.I’d like to pretend that depicting Michael Jordan in the context of this series was a cinch. I’d like to believe that I’ve imbedded enough hyperlinks for my reader to understand and embrace the grandeur of the game’s greatest ambassador. I’d like to declare my ability to instantly summarize the impact of “His

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-54646828035710339442009-02-15T01:16:00.012-05:002009-02-15T01:23:53.140-05:00

Whenever possible, I want to bellow a hearty laugh. And thanks to my school’s daily newspaper, I didn’t have to even watch reruns of The Office to get my daily cackle.Last week, the Hilltop (Howard University’s daily newspaper) listed their top-ten songs for Valentine’s Day 2009. I scanned the page and saw that Beyonce’s hit song “Single Ladies” appeared at the top of the list. Of course, I

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-71286716946877255102009-02-10T18:01:00.023-05:002009-02-10T19:07:14.080-05:00

(If you haven't read PART 1 or PART 2 as of this post, you should go back in order to get more clarity on this theory's origins. Thanks.)Earvin “Magic” Johnson was a basketball player that embraced Africana “form” in basketball, and exists as the purest “formal” basketball player in the NBA’s storied history.Magic, like my father, was born in 1959, a tumultuous year in our world’s history. Field

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-49617756323326710272009-02-06T19:24:00.010-05:002009-02-06T19:51:27.065-05:00

[Before we get started, there's some housekeeping to attend to:First, for all of you American football and tennis fanatics, here's my Monday column that was published in the Hilltop, Howard's daily black newspaper. Secondly, my friend and fellow black scholar Obehi Utubor is directing a stage production of Toni Morrison's classic novel, "The Bluest Eye", at Georgetown University. Check out the

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-30054063941243255722009-01-29T00:11:00.013-05:002009-01-29T00:51:51.791-05:00

Before we begin conversing in this P.O.T. blog space this week, I first would like to thank everyone who actually takes the time to read/browse/skim my articles. Last week, I found out from a friend that one of my articles was nominated by the Hilltop staff for the “Best Column of the Year” award given by the various newspaper staffs at HBCUs around the country. When I heard this news, I was

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-30762096460931717952009-01-22T00:00:00.007-05:002009-01-22T00:32:12.468-05:00

Congratulations to Mr. Barack Hussein Obama, II....the 44th President of the United States!- Mike Benjamin, II

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-1849186250954155532009-01-17T16:30:00.014-05:002009-01-17T16:44:59.720-05:00

My ankle socks sit comfortably in the drawer, admitting their uselessness against the natural elements. Colorful T-shirts from gospel concerts, basketball tournaments, and family trips become faithful undergarments, preparing to shield my birdcage from the slicing wind. Baseball caps adorn my closet wall purely for their aesthetic quality, the cold forcing me to wear a wool cap that completely

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-13035696027234793822009-01-12T15:51:00.010-05:002009-01-13T15:33:59.480-05:00

I saw the best minds of my generation, trapped in business suits, clutching leather briefcases, being siphoned into a job market that doesn't really want or need them. I saw our innocence disappear behind full smiles at a moment's notice, with empty conversation flooding the parameters of the room. I get it. We'll pretend that we know about your regional, for-profit organization and agree that

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-50396418517353863662009-01-10T13:24:00.016-05:002009-01-10T13:51:48.344-05:00

Fact: College is the best four years of your life.ENNNNNN! Wrong answer!I hate it when people use this phrase to summarize their college careers. Whenever someone casually tosses this cliche into conversation, I wince, peer into their eyes, and give them the People's Eyebrow. True, I'm enjoying college, but if this experience serves as the highlight of my life before I've lived my next two months

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-85283231875897543682009-01-01T22:51:00.005-05:002009-01-01T23:11:18.420-05:00

I, like most of the sports world following the opening of presents on Christmas morning, watched the revenge play unravel on network television with the Lakers/Celtics matchup. First, I'll admit that the game was well worth the wait. After living through a plethora of promotional commercials and melodrama over the last few weeks, I was glad to see both teams involved in a frenetic and stimulating

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-13835835501041320702008-12-16T13:30:00.014-05:002008-12-16T13:52:04.724-05:00

Editor's Note: A few Facebook "notes" ago, I stated that I'd be "sporadically writing about certain memories that have influenced and encouraged my writing career". However, I decided against spending my next few Facebook "notes" writing about those influencial writing moments for two main reasons. First, who really wants to spend ten to fifteen minutes reading about my life? As we English majors

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-10975147323850415132008-11-21T19:10:00.012-05:002008-11-21T19:52:26.728-05:00

As Flavor Flav would say...WOW. Honestly, I really don't know how to react. If you didn't hear about the trades, here's the story from ESPN.com,The Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks have received league approval to complete a trade that will swap disgruntled Warriors forward Al Harrington for Knicks guard Jamal Crawford.ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher confirmed the league's sign-off after

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-91914108842005249592008-11-17T20:22:00.009-05:002008-11-17T20:40:31.964-05:00

Hello Loyal Readers,Sorry for not checking it at all over the last two weeks. I've been writing columns for the sports section at my school's newspaper, the Hilltop. I've pretty much had a personal mission to make our sports section the awesomeist location for sports news in campus news outlets, and we're well on our way. (Big ups to Howard for beating a Pac-10 team last week!) Secondly, my

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-25578041700887280192008-11-04T17:19:00.006-05:002008-11-04T17:27:25.414-05:00

Hail to the Redskins!Well, maybe not in every game, but tonight’s anyway.According to Forbes magazine’s report in 2007, the Washington Redskins are the second-most valuable franchise in the NFL, trailing only the Jerry Jones-led Dallas Cowboys. The fiscal success of this Washington-based franchise is predicated on their preservation of a number of great traditions. Those traditions include the

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-49955241583824432072008-10-28T14:17:00.009-04:002008-10-28T14:43:13.833-04:00

(Editor's Note: This first appeared in the sports section of Howard University's daily newspaper, The Hilltop, on October 27, 2008. However, here...well, it appears unedited (*full length too long to fit in paper*). Enjoy!) Greetings, my fellow Americans. In less than two weeks, we will embark on an historic journey. The road will be filled with a myriad of twists and turns, some anticipating

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-61201611803045550122008-10-21T13:43:00.009-04:002008-10-21T14:05:08.060-04:00

(Editor's Note: This article was first written in Howard University's daily black college newspaper, The Hilltop. You can check out this and more of my writings for the Hilltop, at www.thehilltoponline.com. Now, onto the article. Enjoy.)We’ve got to stop scheduling Morgan State for homecoming. I saw it go up. Coach Carey Bailey had just called a great play-action pass for the Bison, leading to

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-81309344122244263462008-10-18T12:21:00.002-04:002008-10-18T12:25:46.203-04:00

Editor's Note: Over the next few months, I'll be sporadically writing about certain memories that have influenced and encouraged my writing career. Don't worry, sports fans. I'm currently writing a sports column every Monday over at Howard University's daily college newspaper, The Hilltop. You can check out those articles online at The Hilltop Online.com. I'm also co-hosting my sports talk

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-51184258071246656362008-09-23T23:19:00.001-04:002008-09-23T23:22:03.425-04:00

Don't know if I mentioned it before, but I wrote an article about the Jeremy Shockey trade for my school's newspaper, the Hilltop.Here's the link: http://media.www.thehilltoponline.com/media/storage/paper590/news/2008/07/28/Perspectives/Loyal.N.y.Giants.Fan.Vents.Frustrations.To.General.Manager.CoOwner-3394913.shtmlSo, check it out, and lemme know what you think.-TTK

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-82543976153625724602008-09-21T22:39:00.005-04:002008-09-21T22:55:22.428-04:00

Last weekend (September 12-14, 2008), while most some of Howard University drove down to Virginia to see the battle of the Real HU (Howard!), I got a chance to travel to North Carolina for a college Christian retreat with a great group of students from both Howard and Georgetown University. Unfortunately for me, it was the weekend right after the Georgetown/HU football battle at Greene Stadium

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-48918640337179620992008-09-18T13:07:00.005-04:002008-09-18T13:21:44.256-04:00

Mike, I can’t believe you were in China?So, Mike, how was Beijing?You’ve got to tell me all about it! Coming back to Howard University after a tremendous summer that took me to Cancun, Philadelphia, Delaware and of course, Beijing, I realized that I’d have to answer that question. With everyone awaiting my return with baited breath, I knew that I’d have to come prepared with exceptional stories,

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-28862116836014922182008-07-06T22:36:00.006-04:002008-07-06T22:57:14.223-04:00

David Stern:"And with the 6th pick in the NBA Draft, the New York Knicks select..(dramatic pause)...Danilo Gallinari..."(Chorus of boos ensues)Stern:"...of Italy."Danilo, what did you expect? Two weeks ago, no one knew who the heck you were in the Big Apple. Like most New Yorkers, I was still praying that Donnie Walsh (no Isiah, YES!) could pull a trade that could get us one (or more) of these

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-46310049136456011232008-06-23T23:50:00.003-04:002008-06-23T23:55:01.674-04:00

"Dagger!" my dad yelled at the TV while my kid brother and I sat staring at the increasingly annoying Yukon Denali commercial in disbelief."Ray Allen just put the Vu-Ya-Shake on Sasha Vujacic."Indeed, after Kobe had taken the ball to the rack and gotten fouled, after Derek Fisher had drained another clutch jumper to cut the Celtic lead down to 3, we saw what I can only classify as the Sa-sha

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-24487373824249698272008-06-23T23:46:00.010-04:002008-06-24T00:13:25.316-04:00

I used to always knock people who would use the creative space of the Facebook "blog" to proclaim one of the most annoying phrases ever:THANKS EVERYONE FOR THE BIRTHDAY WISHES!That is, until my birthday came and went last Monday, May 26th. Yup, I've become one of those people. It's just easier to use the "note" space to thank everyone, especially with my tagging technique, than to write on

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-29020963217789877052008-04-09T16:54:00.008-04:002008-04-09T17:05:03.620-04:00

I'm so glad that the Kansas Jaykawks won the NCAA Championship.You can make fun of me for hopping on their bandwagon after my bracket went down in flames (I had picked UCLA to win it all), or after reading my Facebook "ballad" to Stephen Curry after watching him torch the Georgetown Hoyas, or after hearing me predict a team that shot 59% from the charity stripe (Memphis Tigers) to win the

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-5589212638208972292008-02-11T00:22:00.000-05:002008-02-11T22:01:03.336-05:00

I absolutely love sports.Sure, I had my doubts. From a distance I saw Big Ben Roethlisberger tossing touchdown passes in Pittsburgh while the pimple-faced Eli Manning was slinging interceptions for scores at an unbelievable rate (see: Minnesota Vikings, Week 12). I, like most New Yorkers, wondered aloud about the draft-day decision the Giants brass had made that faithful day and believed that

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-21842520222320907932008-01-26T22:57:00.000-05:002008-01-26T23:04:44.338-05:00

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."- Theodore RooseveltLike most Howardites entering the university in the fall of 2005, I had a smorgasboard of goals for college. I wanted to serve my community, live for Christ, gain acceptance from my new peers, and balance precariously on the unstable line separating my inner Steve Urkel and Stephon Urquelle. Basically, I wanted to leave my

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-88312195127461218712007-12-22T02:00:00.000-05:002007-12-22T02:20:37.759-05:00

To: Reader of this Blog NoteAddress: Random College or University in the United States of America1234 Zoinks Blvd. Washicagofornia, USA.Attn: College Student, (that means you)There used to be a time when Thanksgiving meant celebrating another Detroit Lions loss and Cowboys’ victory with friends, enjoying a slice of your grandma’s sweet pecan pie after supper, tying your Adidas Superstar II’s in

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-73442950501855926062007-11-27T11:10:00.001-05:002007-11-27T11:10:52.638-05:00

Really, kudos to Ufford at With Leather for digging up this clip with these NBA players on the feud. Two interesting things I picked up from the clip:1. Richard Jefferson's mom's name is Meekness. Wow.2. David Lee is the man...wait, I already knew that.3. Grant Hill's mom is white. (Sound of Suns fans rushing to buy reams of #33 jerseys...)-TTK

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-58362368601786766582007-11-23T19:58:00.001-05:002007-11-23T19:58:44.314-05:00

Hakeem Olajuwon's famous move in which he proved that he was the superior big man to David Robinson. Basically, DR just got got. I Love This Game!!

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-90746915467567538012007-11-19T16:18:00.000-05:002007-11-19T16:38:56.208-05:00

BREAKING NEWS:Mike Vick definitely just turned himself in and will start serving his jail time.http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/7466336?MSNHPHMA"The order added that Vick was taken into custody "based solely on his desire to begin his period of incarceration prior to his sentencing hearing and not because of violation of any condition of his bond." Wow. Looking at Bonds, Vick, Pacman, and Gary

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-30735039773240492792007-11-14T17:01:00.000-05:002007-11-14T18:06:15.803-05:00

After I dissected the hit black college show, “A Different World” in my last blog entry, many people took umbrage with my rating of the show’s primary theme song with Aretha Franklin. (D+)Before you throw a fish net of disdain and anger on my soggy response, allow me to build a “bridge over troubled water” so that we can connect on this issue. Aretha Franklin is probably, hands down, one of the

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-16213651004073780362007-11-13T00:56:00.000-05:002007-11-13T00:56:49.167-05:00

Here's one of my articles from "The Hilltop", published last December.N.J. Begins Testing High School Athletes for Steroids - Sports

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-13485191454008098352007-11-06T22:02:00.000-05:002007-11-08T13:51:41.946-05:00

During my years as a college student, I’ve always lived by this mantra to squeeze by the horrible Fall Semester.<?xml:namespace prefix = o /> “If you can get by unscathed during the month of October, you can handle the rest of Fall Semester.”- TTKOkay, maybe it’s not exactly the inspirational quote that you were expecting. However, with Election Day (for the High Schoolers, yeah I’m still bitter

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-64128657699392008612007-11-04T15:37:00.001-05:002007-11-04T15:37:05.080-05:00

I was just goofing off on YouTube and stumbled across this Tecmo Bowl masterpiece. "The Nigerian Nightmare" must be the greatest nickname ever created for a running back. Christian Okoye, I salute you!

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-25252279488938492642007-11-03T22:44:00.000-04:002007-11-03T23:38:59.508-04:00

Sorry for slacking off on the posts...On Monday morning, I found out that one of my good friends from NY, Darius Jenkins, was shot and killed in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, NY. This is a very sad time for the Bethel Gospel Tabernacle church family, as all of our young people are very close. Darius and I worked together as sound technicians at BGT, and was a diligent, consistent,

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-43556431273240683612007-10-19T14:59:00.001-04:002007-10-19T15:21:49.218-04:00

This weekend's gonna be crazy. You see, I am a college student. A college student that goes to "The Mecca," "The Capstone," "The Hilltop." I am a black guy that goes to Howard University. Stereotypical, isn't it? Our school's "Homecoming" for 2007 happens to be this weekend. If you don't know anything about black college homecomings, gather up some dinero, put it in a plastic bag, and make it

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-63644024619048175412007-10-18T22:47:00.001-04:002007-10-18T22:55:15.876-04:00

Kenny Lofton is officially= "The Man."As Eric B. and Rakim once said, "Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em."And for the record:In Dancing= Black/Hispanic Guys > White Guys.-TTK

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-56029965723743421812007-10-18T13:44:00.000-04:002007-10-18T14:13:08.855-04:00

Red Sox fans have just gotta love Manny Ramirez. He takes a routine run to the little boy's room during the middle of covering left field during games at Fenway, he derisively mocks all that baseball represents (and Bud Selig wants), and doesn't think his team still has a shot at winning the pennant even though the season isn't over....what, wha??"Why should we panic?" he said Wednesday in a rare

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-35764551061597233382007-10-17T16:34:00.000-04:002007-10-17T17:12:33.889-04:00

There's been one question that has overshadowed the entire baseball playoffs. No, not if God will keep the Colorado Rockies loss-free this postseason, or C.C. Sabathia finally pitching a big game for the Tribe, or even if Coco Crisp, Dustin Pedroia, or Julio Lugo will even attempt to get on base for the Red Sox during this series.Here's the whopper that has effectively glossed over the entire MLB

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-86097934171342254962007-10-13T16:15:00.000-04:002007-10-13T16:38:35.249-04:00

Before I break down the rankings of these top NFL teams in what I have now dubbed “CoorsSpeak”, I have to let everyone know why my heart has been so downtrodden over the past two weeks. As a fan or enthusiast of every team associated with New York City (and if you want to count the Buffalo Bills, NY State), it has been a tumultuous, heart-wrenching, disastrous run since the advent of October.

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-51710420892218303432007-10-10T18:55:00.001-04:002007-10-10T19:06:09.046-04:00

I am elated. Just speechless. Now, maybe Modells' can finally get those old jerseys off the shelves. Trust me, the ESPN gig just wasn't for you.Ladies and gentleman...the king has returned!Allan Houston, welcome back to the Garden, baby!! -TTK

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91900535061557136.post-85435295293015950692007-10-09T01:40:00.000-04:002007-10-08T23:13:10.260-04:00

(Editor's Note: This blog was first published at Facebook.com, where the author had previously been posting his blog notes and such.)Yes, I know already. I've been slacking on my Facebook "note" game.Maybe it's because Facebook doesn't let me tag all of my friends and classmates to these creations even though someone can make an "event" or "group" and tag everyone. Maybe because I'm busy

Mars Blackmonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11527946359990230374noreply@blogger.com0