“One Man’s Opinion” by Gordon Curvey

ARTICLE FROM ap.com (Full story click here)

As you know the Cleveland Cavs won the NBA title this past NBA season.  It was great for the team and of course it was great for the city of Cleveland and it’s fans. When a team wins, it makes everyone smile. People are happier if only for a little while.

Cleveland had not win a title in pro sports since 1964 when the great and legendary Jim Brown led the Browns to a NFL title. By the way some people think that the legend Jim Brown was and is the best football player of all time. Some say Joe Montana and a lot of the OG’s say Jim Brown was the greatest. Young people go to You Tube and watch some of the plays of Mr. Brown. Judge for yourself.

But here comes another all time great, Lebron James and his return to Cleveland. He wanted to return to the Cavs and help lead the Cavs to the NBA title. And readers he did just that! What a great story. Remember he signed only a one year contract.

People were thinking will Lebron leave again? He did what he wanted to do and help the city celebrate a title. Well the question has been answered ladies and gentlemen. Lebron James is returning!! He will sign a three year $100 MILLION contract with the Cavs. Let me say this again readers. James will sign a three year $100 MILLION contract. $33 million a year!!

I hope you are not saying James is not worth it. If so you are wrong! Hell some say he is worth more than that!! He has brought maybe a billion dollars to the city of Cleveland’s economy. That means more jobs for the citizens of Cleveland.

James has done so much already for the city of Cleveland and his home town of Akron, Ohio with his Lebron James Foundation. He helps youth attend college if they get good grades in school. He helped build a new Boys and Girls Club in Akron. And much much more. Including starting a TV and film production company in Cleveland.

A new program starts soon on CNBC called “Cleveland Grinds”. Executive Producer is Lebron James. It is about James helping a bunch of folks in a contest to possibly open a dream business in the Cleveland area.

So yes Lebron is worth $33 million and more. I see comments online from Lebron haters saying he is not worth this kind of money. The Lebron haters need to stop the hate. And realize James is great person and a great player who did not have to come back to the city of Cleveland but he did. He came back to help the Cavs and city of Cleveland celebrate winning a world title. The first since 1964. And he did just that!!

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“One Man’s Opinion” by Gordon Curvey

As a sports fan I am happy our Mariners here in Seattle and a few other teams drafted young African American players in the recent draft. This is good news and a start to get where baseball was in the 70’s and 80’s.

During those times, Major League Baseball had plenty of African American players young black kids could emulate and look up to. But things started to go downhill with a quickness starting at the start of this decade. And I mean quick when it comes to African American players. And it has never been great when it comes to African American managers.

Currently their are only TWO African American managers in baseball. Dave Roberts of the Dodgers and Dusty Baker with Washington.

That is all readers. Is this right? I say no. Heck in my opinion MLB should do away with Jackie Robinson Day in early April. That day is a freakin joke.

Mr. Robinson would not be happy if he saw the make up of baseball today. The number of African American players in the majors is only at a lowly 8%. Kenny Williams and Dave Stewart of Arizona are the only African American president/general managers in baseball. This is a big time problem in my strong opinion. This has to change.

Baker has said that similar to Black History Month, it needs to be more than just a day or month when it comes to the Jackie Robinson Day in MLB.  Baker said there should be more GM’s than Williams and Stewart and said their should be more than himself and Roberts as major league managers. And he is telling the flat out truth readers.

Where is Jerry Manual? Where is Jerry Royster? Where is Willie Randolph? Where is Davey Lopes? These fellas and more should be a manager right now. Heck our Seattle Mariners hired a manager with ZERO experience as a major league manager. Let me repeat…ZERO experience.

Here is few more names of African Americans who should be managers or hopefully be in the running for a job. How about Jacque Jones or Delino DeShields? And do not forget former Astro manager Bo Porter. And Terry Pendleton. So their are plenty of candidates that are African Americans so in my opinion as well as Dusty Baker, their should be more African American managers and GM’s. Let’s see what the future holds.

ARTICLE FROM espn.com (Full story click here)

Big news here in Seattle for the Seahawks and their fans and for sure Doug Baldwin. Today the news came out that Baldwin has signed a big huge contract extension with the team worth $46 million for four years.

It will keep Doug under contract through the 2020 season. The new contract includes $24.25 million in guarantees, averages $11.5 million a year which is a big time raise from the three year, $13 million contract he signed in 2014. So with the new huge contract will Doug Baldwin still have the nickname “Angry” Doug Baldwin? Well we will see.

Truth be told I never called him that and most people of color did not call him that too. Just the “majority” media. This happens when brothas like Doug and teammate Richard Sherman and others speak out in terms the “majority” ain’t used too. They call Doug and Richard at times “angry” and I cannot leave out Stephen A. Smith too. Folks they are NOT angry!! They are very intelligent black men. Who speak what is on their mind.

Baldwin tied for the NFL lead in receiving touchdowns with 14 last season. Jermaine Kearse of the Seahawks was the teams highest paid wideout when he signed a new deal in March. But not anymore.

Baldwin’s new deal says that $7.75 million becomes fully guaranteed in February 2017 and the other $4.5 million becomes fully guaranteed in February 2018. Baldwin, 27 had been entering the final year of his current contract. He joined the team as a undrafted free agent in 2011 and he has had a chip on his shoulder because he was not drafted.

So congrates from “Sports Inner City TV” to Doug Baldwin on his new fat contract. By the way we hope to hook up with Baldwin later in July when we travel to Renton, Washington and the Vmac for Seattle Seahawks mini-camp. More details in the coming month right here on “Sports Inner City Online” and “Sports Inner City TV” and “Sports Inner City Radio”

Gordon Curvey

Starting with this story “Sports Inner City Online” will feature nothing but NBA news and issues. Because of my love of the NBA and our city of Seattle not having a team, I have decided to make this move.

On “Sports Inner City Internet TV” we will discuss all major sports. So I hope you will enjoy my NBA coverage. Again I am doing this because of my love of basketball and the NBA. Here we go!!

The Cleveland Cavs beat the Golden State Warriors 93 to 89 to win their first NBA title. It was a Game 7 win and first title for city of Cleveland in 52 years.

Not since the great Hall Of Famer Jim Brown let the Browns to the NFL title in 1964 has the city celebrated a title.

Led by great Lebron James who won MVP honors for the third title in his Hall Of Fame career. The Cavs overcame a 3-1 GS deficit to win the NBA championship. James has a triple double of 27 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Plus three block shots and two steals. Stay tuned for a “Sports Inner City Internet TV” program right here.

Kyrie Irving scored 26 points including a big three pointer with 53 seconds left to give the Cavs a 92-89 lead. Then Lebron made a free throw to make it 93-89. Which was the final score and the Cavs and city of Cleveland started to celebrate being the new NBA champs.

I felt so happy for Lebron and the Cavs and for sure for the city of Cleveland. I remember how happy we were here in Seattle when the Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl a few years ago. A million people flooded downtown for victory parade in 15 degree temps. I am not going to lie, yours truly was at home watching on TV. But that did not take away my joy.

Lebron James left the Cavs, went to Miami and won a few titles. Left Miami to come home to Akron and help nearby Cleveland win a championship and he did just that. James is blessed ladies and gentlemen. God has touched him and folks I am telling you he really has.

It seems MVP Stephen Curry was just not himself. He said he was OK but that is not true. He missed a lot of shots that most of the time he makes and the behind the back pass he tried to make near the end of the game one was of the worse passes I have seen at clutch time in all my years of watching basketball. What was he thinking? It is beyond me readers.

Draymond Green played a great Game 7 and it was great to see Green and James hug at the end of the game. Also it was great to see the pure emotions of J.R. Smith after the game in talking about his dad who was nearby watching on Father’s Day. It brought me to tears folks watching.

One thing that bothered me was after the game, with the great Seattle area resident Bill Russell standing there, Lebron was given the Bill Russell MVP Trophy by someone not named Bill Russell. I did not understand that.

Anyway congrates to the 2016 NBA championships the Cleveland Cavs and again I am very happy for the “The Land” Cleveland. We know the parade in The Land will be off the chain. The parade is Wednesday in Cleveland.

Gordon Curvey