VICTORY - PART II

So last X-mas if some y'all from BEB remember, I wuz talkin bout a young brotha from McKinley Houses who got hisself a schollie to a DII school. Spent a lotta time wit this kid seein him grow up in my hood wit only his moms and then learn to ball the right way with the choz (Gauchos).

So it got me thinkin, specially wit all y'all down wit St. John.

Y'all may look at college ball and see a straight up bidness. And y'all right bout that. 
Y'all may look at college ball and see nuthin but wins and losses. And I cant fault y'all fo that.
Y'all may look at college ball and get all filled wit nostalgic pride. And that straight up beautiful.

But when I look at college ball, I see an agent of social change. One where a brutha from gang bang central can strive to make hisself better when his option at 18 is limited or none.

The greatest day fo college ball aint the BE Tourney. It aint the Final 4. Its not even signing day. Its the day when the brutha leave the hood fo his new life.

So yesterday, I wuz at the PA waitin fo a bus to pull in. Them X-mas carols wuz playin. People wuz all busy runnin to get they ride. Bags of presents wuz bein swung all ova. Lots of yellin and some cussin. Even the homeless wuz getting energized askin a lil too aggressively fo change at times.

Bus from Pennsylvania pull up. Off came a young brotha who I hardly recognize. He look me in the eye and shake my hand wit a real grip. Four month ago, he go off as a boy. Yesterday he come home a young man.

So y'all gotta excuse me if I aint all down in the dump over Tulane or Ohio. Cause I already got the only VICTORY I care bout.

Merry Christmas to all y'all on the Jungle.... And keep in yo heart what the day is truly all bout!

-Choz4Life

So last X-mas if some y'all from BEB remember, I wuz talkin bout a young brotha from McKinley Houses who got hisself a schollie to a DII school. Spent a lotta time wit this kid seein him grow up in my hood wit only his moms and then learn to ball the right way with the choz (Gauchos).

So it got me thinkin, specially wit all y'all down wit St. John.

Y'all may look at college ball and see a straight up bidness. And y'all right bout that. 
Y'all may look at college ball and see nuthin but wins and losses. And I cant fault y'all fo that.
Y'all may look at college ball and get all filled wit nostalgic pride. And that straight up beautiful.

But when I look at college ball, I see an agent of social change. One where a brutha from gang bang central can strive to make hisself better when his option at 18 is limited or none.

The greatest day fo college ball aint the BE Tourney. It aint the Final 4. Its not even signing day. Its the day when the brutha leave the hood fo his new life.

So yesterday, I wuz at the PA waitin fo a bus to pull in. Them X-mas carols wuz playin. People wuz all busy runnin to get they ride. Bags of presents wuz bein swung all ova. Lots of yellin and some cussin. Even the homeless wuz getting energized askin a lil too aggressively fo change at times.

Bus from Pennsylvania pull up. Off came a young brotha who I hardly recognize. He look me in the eye and shake my hand wit a real grip. Four month ago, he go off as a boy. Yesterday he come home a young man.

So y'all gotta excuse me if I aint all down in the dump over Tulane or Ohio. Cause I already got the only VICTORY I care bout.

Merry Christmas to all y'all on the Jungle.... And keep in yo heart what the day is truly all bout!

-Choz4Life

Great post Choz.  You are always keepin' it real and putting things in proper perspective for us all.  Basketball, as much as we are passionate about it, is just a game to us mere fans, but it can be way way more important and powerful to those who get the opportunities you just discussed from it.  This, IMO, is part of what makes America as great as it is.

Happy Holidays to Choz and the rest of the Jungle, if anyone else has stories like that share 'em because this is what it is ALL about.

Merry Christmas

Brian

Thanks Choz for a reality check regarding what is truly important.

"May God bless us every one"

Merry Christmas to all

You always seem to put things back in perspective choz.  Thanks for reminding us whats really important.  Merry Christmas and happy holidays to everyone.

first...merry christmas.  i mean it to all of you who celebrate.

second...pullleeeeze.  basketball is keeping it real?  college or pro sports is a pipe dream for the overwhelming majority of anyone who ever bounced a ball or put on a glove. 

a brother i work with just had a son.  i asked him about sports.  he said, "no way man, my son is hitting the books".

that's keeping it real.

first...merry christmas.  i mean it to all of you who celebrate.

second...pullleeeeze.  basketball is keeping it real?  college or pro sports is a pipe dream for the overwhelming majority of anyone who ever bounced a ball or put on a glove. 

a brother i work with just had a son.  i asked him about sports.  he said, "no way man, my son is hitting the books".

that's keeping it real.

Man, I wanted to keep this a nice one and I will cept gotta make a detour to respond to this critic.

Irony is mad thick since you come here all high an mighty and challenge this, but you include a fact that defeat yo own argument. 

That kid you talk bout has a father. Even better, one who care. 

Most my kids I work wit aint eva seen they pops. Y'all have no idea how far behind that set you.... just readin from what you wrote.

Second... you insinuate that this young man neva hit the books witout eva knowin the fact. This young man work mad hard not only to stay eligible in high school but even get honorable mention 2 times. 

Third... this young man who fill me wit mad pride wudn't goin to no college cept fo two option:

1) A schollie from ball (he had the qualifyin grade and score, but he aint got enough for any academic schollie, wudn't eligible fo UNCF and his moms wouldnt take on any loans and I aint goin into that).

2) Joinin the army/navy/marines and then goin back on the GI Bill... if he live long enuf.

And last but not least... I dont even know what you mean by "keeping it real." Yo words, not mine. Seem you usin a term you dont even know. Neva a smart move. Betta hit them books, bre.

-Choz4Life

P.S. Y'all have to excuse me fo layin a smack down on this Christmas Eve. Couldnt let it go, though.

no smackdown. 

back in the day, i boxed amateur out of the upper park avenue community center.  it was in the basement of an old church on 125th and park.

the men running it were former top pros who were all about giving back.  almost all the fighters were looking for that way out.  the only ones who got out were the ones who made books their priority.  the others ended up with their brains beaten in.

my father died way too young from a disease that killed my younger sister.  my grandfather was murdered.  my wife's grandfather was also murdered and her father spent part of his childhood in a concentration camp.  fathers are great.  i try to be a nreat father.  however, i know my kids can survive without me if they had to.  that "o father" thing is a crutch.

you sound like you're about giving back.  i'm suggesting in the spirit of the holiday that you keep the priorities in order.  hitting the books is the surest way out.

peace.

no smackdown. 

back in the day, i boxed amateur out of the upper park avenue community center.  it was in the basement of an old church on 125th and park.

the men running it were former top pros who were all about giving back.  almost all the fighters were looking for that way out.  the only ones who got out were the ones who made books their priority.  the others ended up with their brains beaten in.

my father died way too young from a disease that killed my younger sister.  my grandfather was murdered.  my wife's grandfather was also murdered and her father spent part of his childhood in a concentration camp.  fathers are great.  i try to be a nreat father.  however, i know my kids can survive without me if they had to.  that "o father" thing is a crutch.

you sound like you're about giving back.  i'm suggesting in the spirit of the holiday that you keep the priorities in order.  hitting the books is the surest way out.

peace.

We straight.
Peace out, bre.

-Choz4Life

Sometimes reading some stuff on here really makes doing all this work uneasy for me. Can't we just be happy for this kid instead of making it out to be who had a harder up bringing? Everyone goes through their own trials and tribulations and lets be happy for this kid trying to over come his and striving to be successful. God Bless

i had a great upbringing.  i've had a great life.  i wouldn't trade with anyone.  that wasn't the point of my post.

i had a great upbringing.  i've had a great life.  i wouldn't trade with anyone.  that wasn't the point of my post.

nor should anything about you be the point of anything in this thread and thats the point you're missing

S'all right bre.
We all cool.

Quote from: newsman13 on December 24, 2007, 02:21:26 PM

i had a great upbringing.  i've had a great life.  i wouldn't trade with anyone.  that wasn't the point of my post.

nor should anything about you be the point of anything in this thread and thats the point you're missing

you sound like you're very young.

Quote from: JJ on December 24, 2007, 02:24:53 PM

Quote from: newsman13 on December 24, 2007, 02:21:26 PM

i had a great upbringing.  i've had a great life.  i wouldn't trade with anyone.  that wasn't the point of my post.

nor should anything about you be the point of anything in this thread and thats the point you're missing

you sound like you're very young.

i don't think i should say how you sound...lets just leave it all be though merry christmas

always enjoy your posts Choz...Merry Christmas!!!