Michael Jordan’s acceptance speech… Tyra Banks getting real…

September 13, 2009 bsmith101
Tags: Basketball Hall of Fame, black and proud, Men's Basketball, Michael Jordan, Muhammed Ali, Sports, taking responsible for your own failure or success, Tyra Banks, youtube

When I read the article on Michael Jordan regarding his acceptance speech… during his induction into the Basketball of  Hall of  Fame… I thought based upon the slant given the article that-

“Okay, maybe he had too much to drink.”

You know…celebrating.  It is after all a great honor. 

But when I woke up this morning it dawned on me…about all those years how  Michael  had probably sat around and listened to  a  bunch of  people taking credit for his success.  People who stood up at podiums with their chest stuck out like his coach at the Univeristy of  North Carolina…and all the others who Michael slapped in the face…and shook them up a bit  while delivering that speech Friday night.   And I thought about all the people who we  encounter  in lives who tell us we will never make it…and how we need to consider doing something else…or going to another school…move some place else…or not go on to college…etc…etc…

And then years later you emerge as the greatest basketball player of all times…after time after time…you were told that you didn’t have what it took … or would never make it into the pro’s…or that your were too dark…hair to nappy…that you are not smart enough…can’t talk right…etc…etc…

And so what do you do when all this is coming at you?

Well, if you’re like a Michael Jordan and half of the other black folk in this country…you pushed harder…worked harder…always striving to perfect that which they told you…you could never do…and were not good at.

It is true.  Behind closed doors white counselors, educators…school officials…coaches…tried to sway us not to go on to college…not to pursue our dreams…not to climb any mountains…or swim any seas.   Working tirelessly to deffer ever dream that could be deffered…that is what they did.    But you looked towards the stars any how…pushed against the grain…filtered through the forces…and worked harder to make it happen.  And one day it did.

Then along came those who had tried to quash your dreams…take away your aspirations…steal your hopes…ripe out your future…to feed you where they wanted to keep you…and all black folk.  And here they came as the rings started mounting up…championship after championship…contract after contract…deal after deal…and everybody now singing your glory.  All of them… all accrediting your fame to what they did for you.

So, yeah…I can understand Michael  Jordan when he stood up at the reception for his induction into the Basketball Hall of  Fame…finally deciding to clear the air…wanting to set the record straight.   Setting the record straight…that it wasn’t them…but him.  Telling every wrong thing that they had ever done to him.  It all had made him work all the more harder to get to where  he has…the greatest of all times…the one that all the young ball players coming up behind him are compared to…if  they show just the slightest bit of  promise.   He became the marker…the standard gage for talent…that they measure the young boys by today.

But like Muhamumed Ali… there will only be one Michael Jordan.  And on his night…he can say whatever  he wants to…and if truth hurts then let it…as well it should.

After years of  holding it in Michael deserved a chance to let it go.  And boy…did he.

I know so well what it is like to have people try to re-direct you  from your  path  and tell you-

“You can’t make it.” 

When I was in high school  I began sending out applications for college.  This following my high school counselor telling that I was not college material…and should consider going to business school instead so I could learn a trade. 

Needless to say…I didn’t listen to him.  I pushed harder…sending out all my own applications and doing all my own research about colleges and what they had to offer.  And this way before there was anything that even  remotely looked like a computer…and before such materials became so widely available in libraries or any other place outside of  a  school counselor’s office.

Following my graduation from high school I was off to college.  I had to figure out  all that financial aid stuff on my own…but I did it.  My first year into  college…I started getting offers to do radio.   Though our college did not offer any courses in communication…we did have a radio station.   And I almost lived in that place.

Though I had gone to school to become a lawyer…I recognized some  faults that I had.  For one,  I hated to talk in front of  people…or read anything out loud.  I also possessed a speech impediment.  And this is why I decided to go up to campus radio station to see about getting on air…I thought that it could help me.

I never thought that I  would  develop a whole other persona.   I just thought that  if  I could play music and talk every now and then…that it would help me to become less introverted…and  that I  would develop more confidence when talking with and before others.  Attributes which I definitely felt would be key for me to have…in order to be able the best  lawyer I could be…and an effective one for my clients.  So, I almost lived in that radio station…covering almost every shift…and job available to me  in our  little station.

I taped every program…and still do…listening over and over again for everything I did or said…what  I liked or  didn’t like.  I never realized that this was creating a radio personality…or anything close to it…not to mention that  I had never considered ever working in radio.  But the offers started coming in…followed my tons of  fan mail.  Who would have ever have thought such a thing would  or  could have happened  to me?  

And finally,  I decided to take one of those offers to do radio professionally and the rest is history.

But it never would have happened had I listened to my high school counselor.   When I walk into oour  teacher’s credit union…I see his face smiling down from upon the wall…as they have a very large painting of  him hanging on their wall.  And I sometimes wonder-

“How many black students had he told not to go to college?”

And if  he were alive today…and read about me…I have no doubt that he too like Michael’s past coaches…from his high school and/or colleges years…and anybody else who ever tried to discourage him…would poke out  his  chest and try to take a piece of the credit.  When  he  did nothing at all to aid  me…but everything he could to deffer me.

http://nba.fanhouse.com/2009/09/12/jordan-goes-from-classy-to-clown/

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/features/article_1500753.php/In-Pictures-NBA-Hall-of-Fame?page=5

To view the CLICKS BELOW just double click a few times and ignore the text.

I have to admit that I have vast respect for Tyra Banks and the job that she is doing…knowing good and well that many teens look up to her as both their she-ro…and model for whom they would like to embulate.

The topics she covers on her show are provocative, intelligent, moving…and touch upon many topics that no one else has dared to examine in quite the same way that  Tyra  has.  Topics such as black women bleaching their skin…teen pregnancy…teen prostitution…racism…gay for pay…and shows about loving and respecting youself…all of which our teens are in dire need of seeing and hearing.   And for some reason Tyra does it so well…that they enjoy watching her.   And I guess it all comes down to them knowing and feeling that Tyra is real…and dealing from her heart.

http://www.bvhairtalk.com/2009/09/08/tyra-banks-reveals-natural-hair/?icid=main|hp-laptop|dl7|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bvhairtalk.com%2F2009%2F09%2F08%2Ftyra-banks-reveals-natural-hair%2F

And she talks about fashion…and realizes how important it is to them…our teens.

Recently while sitting out on my parent’s front porch, I have noticed this young…   Well, I thought she was a young woman…but since school has started back…I now realize that she may well be a teen.  But she is so thin…super thin.  She looks like 2 sticks walking.  Though she appears healthy…nobody without any degree of   body fat can possibly be healthy.

Whenever I see her, I find myself staring at her because I have never seen anybody as thin as she is.  And I can tell by her dress…that she feels she looks good…maybe even sexy.

But to me…she looks anything but sexy.   Because I know she definitely is a product of an eating disorder.   The product of  disillusion…who bought into that ‘thin is in’…and beautiful.  If she could see herself as  I do…she would know that  is a lie…an absolute lie.  Because anyone the size of  this girl could never be beautiful…because she looks sick. 

And this is why a Tyra Banks is so important…because she works hard as dis-spelling the myths.

Well, I finally did in the glasses totally and completely.  Now, they are so broken that I can hardly use them.  So, you can imagine how hard it  was  for me to just trying to get through this blog…trying to see through a pair of  glass which I have to tuck tightly down on nose in order to see as best I  can through them.    But I made it through…and now I can go to sleep. 

Enjoy your Sunday…how you get out to church.  
It was dark all day today…then finally rained just a little…but remained to be dark.  We are well on our way to an early winter…and I hope you are gearing up for it.

Hope you have a beautiful day tomorrow.    

Well, God bless…

Thank you for reading this blog…and  my others.  Please be sure to continue to share this blog site with your family, co-workers and all your friends… “pass it on…”  www.bsmith101.wordpress.com  ©2009

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Entry Filed under: Media,Men's Basketball,Michael Jordan,Radio Industry,Sara Nuru,Sports,The Bishop's Wife,Tyra Banks,youtube

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