IRANIAN OLYMPIC BASKETBALL PLAYER TO JOIN NBA TEAM?

“It has come to our attention that representatives of Hamed Hadadi, an Iranian basketball player, may be contacting NBA teams to discuss the possibility of signing Mr. Hadadi to an NBA player contract. We have been advised that a federal statute prohibits a person or organization in the United States from engaging in business dealings with Iranian nationals.”

The NBA must first get the permission from Washington bureaucrats first before they begin negotiations with the Iranian player. The Grizzlies are reportedly already engaged in that part of the process.

Isn’t it amazing what American business will do to gain competitive edges on their competition. I mean were not even debating the fact that his country has hostile relations with our country. Nor, that all diplomatic relations between our countries are figid at best, especially since we have reason to believe Iran is developing nuclear weapons. When does the desire to WIN supercede the rights of American families?

I support his desire to want to play in the U.S., but I find it inconcievable the NBA would attempt to move heaven & earth just to land a 7′2″ giant of a man with minimal basketball talent. We are the land of the brave, not land of the stupid. Meaning, I think there could be political fallout if Memphis signs him IMO. (in my opinion)

Hadadi said, “I will undoubtedly join Memphis Grizzlies by the end of next week. I met Memphis’ officials yesterday to discuss joining the team.”

This dude is speaking as if he has the personal number to the bureaucrats in D.C. whom must first approve this deal. From my understanding no word has been given yet if he can come, until then we have to assume he can’t because its against the law. His agent must be filling his head with all this nonsense to keep his morale up, and his bank account in the black. According to NBA rules, foreign players have to legally wait for their work permit. Who knows how long that could take, its not a swift process. 

“I recieved many offers from European teams but just playing in the NBA is my dream. Hopefully, I can join Memphis as soon as possible without any problem” the 7 foot 2 inch Iranian Olympian Hadadi said.

 

 

IN DESPERATION, BENGALS RE-SIGN CHRIS HENRY

This after head coach just said late last month that, “I’m not interested,” Lewis said at the team’s annual preseason luncheon on July 22. “I don’t think it would be productive for our football team. You have to be a productive part to be an NFL player, and there’s responsibilities to being an NFL player. It’s a privilege, it’s not a right. There’s a lot that comes with being an NFL football player.”

After their last pre season game Pro Bowl wide out Chad Johnson went up high for a catch and came down hard on his shoulder. The Bengals other wideout T. J. Houshmandzadeh has been missing in action due to problems with his hamstring.

The Bengals had released Henry after he was accused of puching a college student and breaking his car window with a beer bottle. Certainly, Henry had become a problem within the organization with multiple arrests. Out of desperation to their top two recievers they decided to go back to Henry. However, Henry must serve a 4 game suspension for past infractions before he can actually suit up for teh Bengals.

Team president, Mike Brown had got into the Henry saga saying, “His conduct can no longer be tolerated.” ”The Bengals tried for an extended period of time to support Chris and his potentially bright career. We had hoped to guide him toward an appropriate standard of personal responsibility that this community would support and that would allow him to play in the NFL. … But those efforts end today, as we move on with what is best for our team.”

The Bengals had 10 players arreste over a ten month time period, prompting commissioner Roger Goodell to levy stricter sanctions on the league’s conduct policy.

SOURCE CELEBRATES 20 YRS WITH ALL STAR COVERS

Ice-Cube, Nas, LL Cool J, and Queen Latifah grace the cover for the 20 year celebration of Source hip-hop magazine. Each artist has their own special edition cover that will be sold as a collectors item. Certainly, these four are hip-hop royalty.

Ice Cube is a big time director, with his Entertainment company, CubeVision. he’s one of the hottest young new directors in Hollywood. With his cult hit Friday, Cube became a household name. He’s best known for his gangsta rap days with the group NWA. However, his star has shone well beyond gangsta rap. Meantime, word on the street is Cube has another rap album coming out.

Nas is arguably one of the greatest rappers of all time. He inspired Jay-Z, & Biggie Smalls East coast dons in the rap game. He’s been around so long, yet his lyrical ability is still ferocious when motivated. Remember, the instant classic ONE MIC. Nas went on to marry R & B sensation Kelis, moreover, he put his feelings out there by recording a song about there “hooking up’, and had Neo Soul giant Maxwell singing backup. Creatively, lyrically and consciously Nas has no equal.

Queen Latifah, like LL Cool J, are triple threats. They rap, act & sing in Latifah’s case; LL has dabbled in production work behind the scenes from his TV spot few years back. No one commands the attention of the female persuasion like L. At the same time, he maintains legitimate street credibility because he has “bodied” so many rappers with his storied “rap beefs & battles.” L battled rapper Cannibis years ago, and no one has seen or heard from ole boy since.

Latifah, released a soft-jazz album a couple years ago that showed the industry her diverse skills. She even has a new song tehy play call champion, which has been endorsed as the unofficial TEAM USA song. At least, on commercials that is…..

JAMAICA WINS AGAIN, WOMEN’S 100M, BEIJING OLYMPICS

“Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser destroyed a world class field in the 100m women’s final meet to win the Olympic title. Fraser, dragging along fast-finishing comrades Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart to complete a historic shutout at the games of the 29th Olympiad. Fraser ran down Simpson, who had the early lead. It was a dramatic finish to what has been an historical two days in track and field for TEAM JAMAICA.”

“JAMAICANS CELEBRATED for the second night in a row at the Beijing National Stadium when little-known Shelly-Ann Fraser, a fun-loving 21-year-old from the Waterhouse community in St Andrew, led a historic sweep of the medals in the women’s 100 metres final.”

Shelly-Ann Fraser won the women’s dash Sunday, pumping her fist as she was clocked in 10.78 seconds. Teammates Sherone Simpson and Kerron Stewart finished in a dead heat for the silver, 0.20 second back for a (1-2-2 finish)– the same margin Jamaica’s Usain Bolt won by Friday night when he flamboyantly celebrated to the finish in 9.69 seconds.

“When I was thinking about it, I was getting ahead of myself,” Fraser said about a gold medal. “I was like, ‘Calm down. First you need to go out there and do it.”‘

She won the meet in the widest margin since the 1988 games. . So, its safe to say, TEAM JAMAICA has the fastest men & women sprinters in the world. I mean, seldom have we seen team dominance like this. Fraser & Bolt are dynamic world class athletes that deserve all the praises they no doubt will recieve.

As she crossed the finish line a full body length ahead of the rest of the field, the judges had to go to the cameras to determine who finished 2nd. As they did, Reggae music could be heard blaring from the crowd as they celebrated Jamaicas 2nd Gold medal in as many days.

Torii Edwards, finished last, thought she had false started, and her coach filed a protest on her behalf. Muna Lee, finished fifth and Lauryn Williams finished fourth.

“It was a flagrant and a blatant false start that was not recalled and had tremendous impact on the race,” said Lee’s coach, Vince Anderson, just before the rejection. “But they’re not going to rerun the Olympic 100. Anyone who knows anything knows that.”

That’s history now, and is after-the-fact.

JAMAICA WINS!! NO EXCUSES!!

LIGHTINING BOLT: WORLD’S FASTEST MAN, BEIJING OLYMPICS

Usain Bolt from Jamaica shattered the Men’s 100m record in dramatic form. Out pacing the competition by at least 10 yards and shutting in down after about 90 meters.. Bolt made his final record setting victory look easy. Its as if he was more driven to win, as opposed, to setting records.

Indeed, he’s been on the scene for 6 years, winning his first championship at the tender age of 15 years old. Bolt is a phenomenal athlete who seems primed to break more records in Beijing and in the world at large.

DESTINY

In the Olympic men’s 100m final on Saturday night, Bolt, who eased down 30-metres out, looked both sides and started his celebrations. Even then, Bolt still was able to break his own world record (9.72) with a 9.69 stunner.

It was behind this, Donovan Bailey, who a couple months ago picked Bolt to win, was quick to say, “the time was not surprising at all”. “Usain is going to lower that time significantly over the next year and during his career,” he said while staying away from saying how low.

PRODIGY

Injuries had restricted the arrival of Jamaica’s Usain Bolt on the international scene, but signs of his dominance & skill-set were on view in 2002. In 02, when he became the youngest 200m junior world champion at 15 years of age, finishing with a remarkable 19.93 seconds winning time.

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

Bolt’s last historical moment came just a few short months ago. May 31, 2008, Bolt made headlines around the world with a stunning new world record of 9.72 seconds in the 100m. The dramatic irony is that this race, the 100M isn’t his race. He only ran this distance as apart of his training regime. In fact, prior to the Olympic win he hadn’t ran that race more than a 3-4 times.

Unbelievable! certainly, making his rise to preeminence that more outstanding. Everyone, had American runner Tyson Gay as the clear favorite and the man to beat. Although, as the qualifying times were posted, it was clear Gay wasn’t his usual dominant self. Reports say he injured his hamstring about 30 days ago. It’s a bitter ending for Gay who was looking to make history in Beijing.

Now, he was a first hand observer & commentator on the history that Bolt made. Indeed, even his neighbor and fellow “yardie” was also picked ahead of Bolt. Usain silenced all his detractors. I don’t think anyone has won that convincingly as Bolt did, and he’s only 22 years old.

EXCLUSIVE CLUB

“I induct Usain into the exclusive club of being world-record holder and Olympic champion all in one … I was the last guy that did that (in the 100m) and, to be honest, I am happy to have him as a part of that exclusive club,” Donovan Bailey said.

PROUD JAMAICAN

In Atlanta 1996, Bailey, born in Jamaica, won the 100m title in a world record 9.84, which until Saturday was the Olympic record. However, he said he was delighted Bolt had erased it.

“You don’t even understand how happy I am that it (record) went to him,” Bailey said.

“I am the Olympic champion of the world … number one … 9.69, no one can beat me,” Bolt says. That’s right, sun, show the world your swagger! Do you!

U.S. MEN SWEEP 400M HURDLES, BEIJING GAMES

The American track team had turned into a disappointment until Angelo taylor stepped his game up, and put the U.S. track back on the map. Taylor, became the first 400-meter hurdler since Edwin Moses to win gold medals eight years apart Monday.

“We wanted to uplift the track team,” Taylor said, “and bring home the sweep.”

So, not only did Taylor sweep the event, but he restored history, by replacing it with his own. Taylor won the race in a personal-best time of 47.25 seconds to defeat teammates Kerron Clement and Bershawn Jackson.

“To go through what I went through and be back on top again — I’m just so blessed right now,” Taylor said.

 

 

The hurdlers were considered sweep candidates, but the U.S. had learned over the first three days of the meet that there’s a big difference between being picked to do something and doing it. Like, Tyson Gay whom was the clear-cut favorite as well in the Men’s 100m. Although, Taylor didn’t choke, he delivered BIG for a country that loves its track teams..

Taylor is a feel good story because he’s had legal troubles in the past, and everyone loves a comeback story.

“Any mistakes I made, I put the blame on me,” Taylor said earlier this month, when asked about his legal troubles. “It was up to me to do something, to change things.”