WHERE IS YOUR MAN?

Now that the football season has officially kicked-off you ladies out there shouldn't have to ask that question.   Your man should be sitting in front of that flat screen TV watching the game.  College football had a couple games on tonight, a few more Friday night, and a full slate beginning Saturday September 1st at 9 in the morning until 9 at night.  Pro football kicks off this Wednesday September 5th with a season opener between the Dallas Cowboys and last season's NFL champs, the New York Giants. (Check back in for my preview of that game in a few days).

By my calculations you should be able to watch a football game every day of the week except Tuesday and Wednesday.  And it will be like that until Super Bowl in February.

What does this mean to the average household?  It means you ladies might as well throw that 'honey do' list out the window.   That flower garden that needs weeding won't get weeded.  The trash won't get taken out until the last minute.  The garage sale won't happen. The car won't get washed until it turns into a dust bowl.

As dad sits in front of the television for countless hours, only moving robot-like to the refrigerator to get a drink or more dip for the giant bag of potato chips sitting on the coffee table,  the kids will complain that dad has a 'football headache'  and maybe he needs to go to the hospital!

So there is something you can do.  You can accept the fact that your man won't be available for a few months and you can get interested in football and vegetate with him.  And while you are vegetating,  keep those rollers in your hair and that old robe on.  Maybe that will get some action out of him.   Maybe he will get up and do something!

HE WAS THE GREATEST

It was the fall of 1963 and I was a senior at Central High School in Detroit Michigan.  Football practice was just about over and I was happy for that.  There were more important things in life right now:  Like catching a glimpse of the Greatest of All Time: Muhammad Ali.

The school was abuzz with the rumor that Ali was paying a visit to the Muslim Temple No. 1 which was located directly across the street from Central on Linwood Avenue.  Everybody knew who Ali was; he had fought hometown favorite Sonny Banks in 1962 and was knocked down for the first  by Sonny.  Ali came back and was awarded a TKO over Sonny in the fourth round.  But that is not what made Ali the greatest.

Ali was outrageous.  He recited poetry, he predicted the round he was going to knock out his opponent.  He floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee.  But most importantly,  the message he sent to Black People was that it as okay to speak about what was on your mind.  It was okay to be different.  It was okay to be a man and speak about what was right and what was wrong.  He told us it was okay to be yourself.

But that's not why I wanted to see Ali.  Ali needed to know there was a challenger right in our midst.  My football coach,  Corky Foster said he could best Ali in arm wrestling.  Corky was a short powerful man with large forearms.  Could he beat Ali??  Suddenly there was an entourage of cars traveling down Linwood stopping in front of the Temple.   A crowd had gathered and all of a sudden there he was!  Being the showman that he was when hearing of the challenge Ali asked,  "Where is he?  I'll Kill him!!"  Ali struggled  briefly with his body guards, winked at the crowd and went into the Temple.  There would no arm wrestling today.

That's how I will always remember Ali:  that brash young man that played to the crowd who always spoke his mind.

KAREEM IS RETURNING TO STAPLES

I remember when the Lakers acquired Kareem Abdul Jabbar in a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks.  The morning after the trade I was awakened by a radio announcer with "Wake up everybody and put some Kareem in your coffee!"  They then got Magic Johnson in the 1979 draft and a dynasty was born.  The first game of the season was against the San Diego Clippers and was on tape delay.  In other words the game was broadcast after the news and other programming had played out.  These were the days before basketball had multi-million dollar network contracts.  The game was a tight one and was won by Kareem with a sky-hook in the final seconds.

Magic leaped into Kareem's arms as if they had won the world championship.   Kareem looked at Magic as if he wanted to say, "Long season rookie; relax!"

Kareem is getting his statue at Staples Center this season.  I don't think it's overdue but just in time. After all,  I don't believe anybody doesn't believe that Jerry West, the mastermind of the 80's dynasty, and Magic Johnson, the general of Showtime, shouldn't have statues at the Staples Center.  I am sure that the Lakers had every intention of statuing Kareem.  Nobody doubts that Kareem is the greatest center of all-time, especially the Lakers.  No slight was intended.  Sometimes Kareem can come off as aloof or distant and some may interpret that to not caring.  I think the big fella is a little shy and maybe passive aggressive.

Kareem will always be part of the Laker family.  I think it is up to him to let the Lakers know what role he would like to play.  After all, he was the greatest....................

WHO'S AT CENTER

I can hear Lawrence Tanter, the Laker P.A. Announcer introducing the starting line-up, "At the guards Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant, at the forwards, Metta World Peace and Antwain Jamison, and a center, Pau Gasol."

Wait a minute!!  What happened to Dwight Howard??  Well, even though Dwight is now a Laker it appears he won't recover from his back surgery until around Christmas time.  That means Mike Brown, the Laker coach will have to juggle his lineup.  This may be a blessing in disguise for Pau Gasol.  With the emergence of Andrew Bynum last year and more plays called for him, Pau got less calls than in previous years.

Let's not forget that Pau was one of the best power forwards/centers in the league until it was decided that the offense would evolve around.  His numbers were down last year but I don't think he has lost a step and I think that he and Steve Nash running the pick and roll will be a thing of beauty.

I don't think it will matter that much; the Laker goal will be to get to the playoffs, and I don't think anybody doubts that even though they won't have Dwight's services for the full year.

Who' on first

I can hear the Laker PA  Lawrence Tanter announcing the starting line-up for the opening game,  " At the guards, Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash, at the forwards, Metta World Peace, and

TROJANS ROLLING

       The University of Southern California (USC) Trojans open their season Saturday, September 1, at the Los Angeles Coliseum against the University of Hawaii, at 4:30p.m. .  The Trojans will enter the game ranked No. 1 in the writers poll which is the Associated Press poll and No. 3 in the coaches poll.  The Trojans will be making a run for the national title with their best team since winning back to back titles in 2003 and 2004.  Eligible for a bowl game after coming off a two year bowl suspension, expect to see USC playing in the BCS title game against either against Alabama or LSU.

        The Trojans have a Heisman Trophy candidate at quarterback in Matt Barkley, who came back to play his senior season and give the Trojans a shot at a national title.  Matt will be throwing to Robert Woods and Marqise Lee, the best pass-catching combo in the nation and handing the ball of to returning starter Curtis McNeal and the transfer from scandal ridden Penn State Silas Redd.  USC is loaded offensively and should be able to score lots of points.

    There is hardly no experience at the tackle spot.  USC won national titles in 2003 and 2004 with experienced players that pressured quarterbacks and helped the Trojans rank among the national leaders in turnover margin.  The Trojans will need consistency if they hope to win their first national title in eight years.  The USC defense will have to get better quickly and as the season goes on.     

CROWD AT DODGER STADIUM ELECTRIFIED TONIGHT

The Crowd at Dodger stadium was electrified tonight when Adrian Gonzalez came to the plate tonight for the first time as a Los Angeles Dodger. And what did Gonzalez do? He promptly hit a 3-run homer into the right field seats! Gonzalez became a Dodger yesterday after the details to the trade with the Boston Red Sox were finalized. Gonzalez may be the missing piece to the puzzle that spells WORLD SERIES.

And the Dodgers have put the baseball world on notice. 'We will spend whatever we have to spend to get deep into the postseason.' Afterall, the new ownership spent a couple of billion to buy the team; what's 200 million more? Los Angeles is a hell of a sports town. They deserve a winner and the Dodgers are finally on the right path.

SUPERMAN IS COMING - DWIGHT HOWARD TO THE LAKERS

Dwight Howard, pending approval by David Stern, is now a Laker.   Dwight wouldn't sign a long term contract but I bet that championship culture that he will experience next year will convince him to stay put rather than bolt.  Not surprisingly, Orlando did not get Andrew Bynum but a relative unknown 7-footer in Nikolo Vecevic who played a year at USC.  This kid could become the next Beast at the center position and may be more coachable for the new Orlando coach. Remember, I said about a week ago that Dwight Howard would not play for the rookie Orlando coach Jacque Vaughn, but Vecevic will.
 

The Magic also picked up Aaron Affalo (15.2 pts) and Al Harrington (14.2) both very coachable.  Congratulations to the Laker front office for getting it done during the off-season.  This filled their two greatest needs: a point guard, and a center that will play every game.  Now if we could only teach Dwight how to shoot free throws!