“Sports Inner City Radio” podcast based in Seattle, Washington hosted by Gordon Curvey. “Urban” sports news and issues plus classic soul/hip-hop & r&b plus exclusive interviews and public service announcements to the youth. To advertise with us call 206-445-3989 or e-mail us at gcurvey@yahoo.com

I have to tell the truth I was very surprised when I went to cnn.com which I do all the time to catch up with politics etc and saw a story by NBA writer David Aldridge in which he called the NBA Star Weekend “A Black Thanksgiving”

So readers is Aldridge telling the truth? Do you understand what he is trying to say? Well myself being a African American and a tremendous NBA fan, I understand what he is saying.

Basketball is what African Americans excel in big time. African Americans dominate the sport just like whites dominate hockey and other sports.

Some will say what if a white writer wrote (Aldridge is black) “The NHL All Star Weekend Is A White Thanksgiving” will that be fair? And they may have a point. But truth be told readers, you have to understand the African American culture to really understand why their is B.E.T (Black Entertainment Television) or TV One (another African American network) and their is Ebony and Jet Magazine etc.

We suffered 400 years of slavery. We lost our culture. We could not even vote for President for a long long time. Could not sit a cafe to have dinner, could not drink water out of a fountain etc. Fact of the matter is African Americans are the minority and whites are the majority. We lost our culture, and now we have it back. One of the things we can relate to is the sport basketball.  We love the game.

Going back to Elgin Baylor, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, then Dr. J and “Ice” Gervin and Clyde The Glide Drexler, then Scottie Pippin, Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp, Shaq and of course MJ and others. Basketball is the game we love to play and love to watch.

To me and many African Americans, baseball is boring. Too slow. Plus baseball does a TERRIBLE job in reaching out to the young inner city youth. The baseball All Star game in my opinion and many other African Americans opinion is boring. And the NFL Pro Bowl is terrible. So to make a long story short, basketball is the game African Americans love. All Star Weekend is a time to celebrate the game we love with parties and of course the game.

Finally, who do you see doing TV commercials when it comes to sports stars? It is African American basketball players like Charles Barkley, D-Wade, Derrick Rose, “The Black Mumba” Kobe Bryant, Shaq and others. Guys with personalities and charisma. This is what in my opinion why David Alridge meant when he says “NBA Weekend Is A Black Holiday” If you are not African American, it will be hard for you to understand. Gordon Curvey

Los Angeles Clippers young star Blake Griffin won this year dunk contest at the NBA All Star weekend at the Staples Center in Los Angles. One of his dunks was him jumping over a doggone car!! Congrates to the young fella.

ARTICLE FROM ajc.com (Full story click here)

Los Angeles star “The Black Mumba” Kobe Bryant won his 4th MVP award in his home city to lead the West to a 148-143 exciting win at the Staples Center.

Bryant also had 14 rebounds and three dimes. The West took big leads in the first half led by Bryant and OKC Thunder star Kevin Durant. Durant finished with 34 points.

Lebron James led the East back in the second half after barking at his East team during timeouts. James ended up with a triple double of 29-12 & 10. Including a tremendous full court drive that ended in a rim bending slam dunk that excited the crowd.

One thing for sure in my opinion the NBA has the best All-Star game and the best atleletes too. The whole All-Star weekend was just great. The NBA is today. The NBA is hip. The NBA reaches the youth in the inner city and out. Unlike baseball and other sports.

All the TNT crew of EJ, Kenny, Barkley, C-Webb, McHale, and the NBA-TV crew of Brent Barry, Steve Smith and others do a great job. The programs are very entertaining and it makes a person a like me love the sport of basketball even more.    Gordon Curvey

ARTICLE FROM stltoday.com (Full story click here)

I have been following the situation with St; Louis slugger Albert Pujols. If you don’t know, he is asking for a contract worth $30 million a year for 10 years. Let me repeat, $30 million a year for 10 years.

Who in the hell does he think he is? He is NOT worth that much money. In my opinion the only sports star that was worth that much was Micheal Jordan.

With people trying to put food on their table, gas in their cars etc how can Pujols ask for this kind of cash from the St. Louis Cardinals. That’s crazy readers.

I hope the Cardinals take a stand and do not give Albert that kind of money. Some people think he is the best player in baseball and he may be, but he is not worth $30 million a year.

With the steroid situation out here how can Pujols ask for this kind of money? He is wrong. Who is giving this cat advice to go after $30 million a year?

I love pro sports, but this kind of story makes me wonder that some of these players get big money and forget where they come from.     Gordon Curvey

ARTICLE FROM usatoday.com (Full story click here)

NBA legend and Seattle area resident Bill Russell received a great great honor when he got the Medal Of Freedom by President Obama in the White House.

The former Boston Celtics star was a great player and back in the day spoke up on racial issues with Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Jim Brown and Muhammad Ali.

He won eleven titles with the Boston Celtics and was the first African American head coach of any pro team when he named to replace Red Auerbach.

Russell also was the head coach of the Sacramento Kings and our dearly departed Seattle Sonics here in Seattle.

He and his wife bought a house in Mercer Island, Washington which is right outside of Seattle in 1975 when he was the head coach of the Sonics and he has been here ever since.

One day I saw Russell going to one his favorite places he like hang out here in Seattle sometimes and I asked him for his autograph. It was a joke because if you know the history of Russell he does not sign autographs.

Anyway shout to Bill Russell. A NBA legend and a great man.  Gordon Curvey