411 Sports Volume 18 Issue II by Cedric E Lyons

Mavericks, Derek Harper Immortalized in Dallas

College Gridiron Showcase A Week that was... pg 7

411 Tidbits The Rise of Tiffany Haddish... pg 15

Roll Tide Alabama Wins the BSC with Freshmen.. pg 10

pg 12

Jan 12-19, 2018www.411sportsnews.com • www.411radionetwork.com www.411sportsnews.com • twitter: @411sportsdfw • facebook/411sportsLLc

Volume XIV • Issue II • Jan 12-19, 2018 Publisher /Founder Cedric E. Lyons Executive Officer Robert L. Woodard

Athletes in the MLK era

Editor Shellye Lyons Contributing Writers Eugene Lynch Stacy Branch Phil Benson Paul Jefferson

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 411 Sports wants to take a look back at those athletes of that era. Most of these athletes we know, but there will be some that were in the background but helped shape how we view sports today. By the way MLK was a very good pool shooter. Even though pool is not a sport, we felt we still need to point that out.

On-Air Talent Desiraye Hill Louis Medford The Benchwamer Brittney Andréa Jackson-Randle JaShae’ Jackson Valder Beebe Dante Wesley Marketing/Sales Tyrone Davis Phyllis Vaughn Brittney Erika Anderson Design Layout The Lyons Group LLc

Steve Kerr “LaVar Ball is the Kardashian of the NBA”

teve Kerr weighed in with a lengthy assessment of ESPN‘s LaVar Ball coverage, dismissing the voluble Ball as the “Kardashian of the NBA.”

Done in the Dark By: LAMAR ODOM

This isn’t the first time Kerr has gone after the LaVar media cir- I started trying to pull them out, but I couldn’t because my hands cus. were so weak. The nurses came Current and former NBA coaches running in to stop me. You ever have come to Luke Walton‘s de- had a really bad dream, where fense after LaVar criticized him. you’re trying to run away from a monster or some shit, and you Per the SF Chronicle: “I was just can’t run? Your legs don’t thinking about ESPN, and they work like they should, and the laid off, I don’t know, 100 peo- monster is coming right behind ple,” Kerr said. “How many peo- you, and it’s like you’re in slow ple did they lay off over the last motion. That’s what it felt like. year? Well over 100, many of whom were really talented jour- I was laying there, looknalists covering the NBA. ....... ing up at the ceiling, and the doctors kept .......

Jan 12-19, 2018

H&M blasted for using Black child model to wear racist hoodie

&M has become the latest major brand to catch flack over a racially insensitive ad. The Swedish clothing company posted an advertisement that featured a sale for their kids’ line. In one ad, a Black child is wearing a shirt with the words, “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” printed across the front. The ad serves as another example of how a lack of diversity at ad agencies can lead to insensitive messages. It also reveals how each person who was responsible for the ad did not think twice about why it would be viewed as improper by the public. Recently, Dove faced criticism for also running........

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Advisory Board Kevin Lyons Chris Arnold Rolondo Blackman Roger B Brown Ken Carter Derek Harper Charlie Parker Preston Pearson John Wooten Mel Renfro Rayfield Wright R. L. Woodard

Subscription and advertising rates Inquiries call: 469-249-2411 • Issn 1933-2092 • 411 sports llc Is published by 411 sports, llc. all rights reserved. reproduction In whole and in part without written consent is prohibited. • Views of editorial content do not necessary reflect the views of 411 sports llc, • 3201 Maple ave • Dallas, TX 75202

Spittin’ at the water cooler From the Publisher Welcome to the new year and 411. I have to say 411 because multiple departments are a part of 411 now. We are truly a multimedia company. You already know about 411 Sports. So, I won’t hammer that nail again. Now we have 411 Radio and 411 Sports Talk Radio all under the 411 Radio Network.

BRAND CONNECT FOLLOW

To get to all departments you can still go to www.411sportsnews.com or you can go to www.411radionetwork.com. I’m still the Benchwarmer and Louis is still the Professor. Dante Wesley still appears from time to time as the Player and Shellye still works as the Social Media Director for all of our 411 Brands. The newest addition to the crew is Desiraye Hill, the Entertainment Mogul. So many things have taken place this past year that I can’t began to write it all down so I will try to cover the highlights. We’ve added three new shows: Life after Birth, Women 2 Women, and The Valder Beebe Show. We will bring a Jazz show to our jazz channel and continue to add to our talk shows. Affiliates have started to show up. We are part of the NFLPA DFW Chapter; we just partnered with Branding Champions for our first weekend as media sponsor for the 2018 College Gridiron Showcase (CGS) which highlights many of the top college players entering the NFL Draft; and, we are the official radio station of the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame. Oh, by the way, we are the official Radio Station of (CGS) and we will broadcast live at the TBSHOF, so stay tuned. Later this year, we will participate in the local NFL Draft event as well.

Now let me get on my soapbox. I think we are allowing BET to exploit us as African Americans with a show coming out called Black Card Revoked. At first, I thought they were going too far with Black’ish... now this. Each 30-minute episode will feature three teams, each with a celebrity and contestant partner. Like the party game, a piece of a team’s Black Card gets challenged for every wrong answer — for example, if you haven’t seen The Color Purple or Friday, you’re in trouble. The teams will have a chance to win up to $10,000. I was looking at the previews and it’s basically saying that if you don’t know about “black culture”, you will get your black card taken away. So, if I don’t eat chicken or watermelon, drink red kool-aid and play dominos or drink Hennessy, then I’m not black enough and will have to give away by black card. Plus, all I get is $10,000 for being the blackest on the show. That’s bull. Let me say this, those things are not what makes me black. My skin color does that all by itself. I could lose on the show and have my black card taken away but still get profiled outside of the show for being black. People we gots’ to be better than this. Or do we? I’m just saying.

Cedric E Lyons clyons@411sportsnews.com

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Jan 12-19, 2018

Mavericks, Derek Harper Immortalized in Dallas 15 Brad Davis and 22 Rolando Blackman.

Jeff Slotts @InStreetClothes

Those are the only two jerseys that hang in the rafters at the American Airlines Center in Dallas…until Now. “Like every Mavs fan around the world, we are proud of Derek and everything he has done and continues to do for Mavs fans,” Mark Cuban said via the team press release. “His contributions can’t be overestimated. We are excited that he will join Ro and Brad in the rafters as we retire number 12 forever.” Harper is being immortalized for his efforts on the court for the Mavericks, but it’s his efforts off the court currently that has made him known to the younger crowd. Harper is currently in the middle of year seven in his stint as part of the broadcast team with Mark Followill. As far as his time on the court for the Dallas Mavericks, he ranks right up there with the best in franchise history. Among Mavs franchise leaders, he ranks fourth in points (12,597), first in assists (5,111), fourth in field goals (4,899), fifth in field goal attempts (10,454), fifth in 3-point field goals (705), fifth in 3-point field goal attempts (2,030), fourth in free throws (2,094), fourth in free throw attempts (2,804), first in steals (1,551), third in games played (872), third in starts (620) and third in minutes (27,985). Harper played a total of 12 seasons (1983-94, 9697) with Dallas in his 16 year NBA career. In 872 total games with the Mavs, he started 620 times and averaged 14.4 points, 5.7 assists while .468 shooting (4,899-10,454 FGs) from the field. It is also worth noting the opponent in which the Mavericks will be playing against that night as Harper has his own history with the New York Knicks. Harper spent two and a half seasons with the Knicks where he helped lead the Knicks to the NBA Finals in 1994.

I spent my early hoops days wearing #12 & #22 when everyone else was rocking #23. Happy both are hanging in the rafters of the AAC. Congrats @D_Harp_12 #Harp12 Dirk Nowitzki @ swish41 Congrats Harp_12! deserved!

@D_ Well

Marc Stein@TheSteinLine “The league’s defensive rules were changed because of Derek Harper” — Mavs legend Michael Finley in a Jumbotron interview here on @D_ Harp_12 Jersey Retirement Night, recalling Harp’s prowess as King of the Handcheck Roy Golden@roygolden What a tremendous honor and well-deserved recognition tonight for my very favorite Maverick when I was a kid, the incredible Derek Harper!Congratulations, @D_Harp_12! #Harp12 #MFFL Chris Henderson@Seehend0 Congrats to @D_ Harp_12 on the jersey retirement. Well deserved to one of the biggest influences in my media career. Thank you sir Kacey Kasem@ thekaceykasem My mom was always the biggest @D_ Harp_12 fan. She’d be so thrilled to witness his number being retired, and I know she’s looking down with a huge smile on her face (just like she was when the MAVS finally won it all) Ben Rogers@BenRogers Was 13 when Mavs drafted Harp. 23 when he went to NY. Rarely missed games til I went to college. Was a pleasure to watch him play the game. Reunion Arena, Aguirre, Ro, Perkins, Davis, Schrempf, Donaldson, Tarpley, Ellis, Vicent... flooded w/ great memories. Much love, @D_Harp_12!

Twitter Reaction: Mavs fans congratulate Derek Harper on number retirement:

Jan 12-19, 2018

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Steve Kerr “LaVar Ball is the Kardashian of the NBA” Assisted Living Facilities at Ada M King Adult Foster Home in Dallas, Texas Our goal is to assist you in finding the best available independent and assisted living facilities in the state of Texas. There are more than three thousand Texas Assisted Living Facilities to select from. Just Click on the county of your interest below to see the list of Texas assisted living facilities available in your area. Texas defines an assisted living facilities as homes or faciliites that provide assistance with the activites of daily living (ADLâ ™s). There are several types of assisted living facilities in Texas: Â· Type A facilities require residents to be capable of selfpreservation in case of an emergency, does not require supervision while sleeping, and can follow directions. Â· Type B facilities require that residents not be bed bound, though they can need help in an emergency, and need assistance transferring and supervision at night. Â· Type C facilities are a four bed foster care program for adults. Â· Type D facilities required residents that are very independent, as no assistance with ADLâ ™s are permitted beyond medication supervision. Residents must be able to follow directions, evacuate within three minutes in case of an emergency and not need supervision while sleeping. Ada M King Adult Foster Home 1320 Bar Harbor Dr Dallas, TX 75232 Facility Type: Adult Foster Care Home

Steve Kerr weighed in with a lengthy assessment of ESPN‘s LaVar Ball coverage, dismissing the voluble Ball as the “Kardashian of the NBA.”

substantial pieces. People like Ethan Strauss and Marc Stein are getting laid off. This is not a condemnation of ESPN. It’s not. It’s a societal issue.”

This isn’t the first time Kerr has gone after the LaVar media circus.

•

Current and former NBA coaches have come to Luke Walton‘s defense after LaVar criticized him.

Rick Carlisle Blasts ESPN for LaVar Ball Coverage Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle ripped ESPN for an article it published, in which LaVar Ball claimed that

Per the SF Chronicle: “I was thinking about ESPN, and they laid off, I don’t know, 100 people,” Kerr said. “How many people did they lay off over the last year? Well over 100, many of whom were really talented journalists covering the NBA. So, this is not Dallas Mavericks Coach: Rick Carlisle an ESPN judgment, it’s a societal thing more than Luke Walton had lost the Los Angeles anything. Where we’re going is we’re Lakers’ locker room. going away from covering the game, and we’re going toward just sensation- Carlisle called the piece a “disgrace” alized news. It’s not even news, really. and an “ignorant distraction.” It’s just complete nonsense. But if you package that irrational nonsense with Per the Star-Telegram: “As president of glitter and some ribbon, people are the NBA Coaches Association, I view going to watch. the ESPN article as a disgrace,” Carlisle said. “Luke Walton is a terrific young “So, I talked to people in the media coach bringing along a young team,” this year. I said, ‘Why do you guys Carlisle said. “It’s a difficult task. If you have to cover that guy?’ And they say, don’t believe it, ask me. We’re going ‘Well, we don’t want to, but our boss- through that now and went through it es tell us we have to because of the last year.” ratings, because of the readership.’ Somewhere, I guess in Lithuania, La- He went on to suggest ESPN, as a teleVar Ball is laughing. People are eating vision partner of the NBA, had violated out of his hands for no apparent rea- the trust of NBA coaches. son, other than that he’s become the Kardashian of the NBA or something.” “ESPN is an NBA partner and they’ve been a great one. Part of that partnerHowever, Kerr went further Monday, ship is that, the coaches do a lot of explaining why ESPN’s coverage of Ball things to help them with access, interis symptomatic of a larger societal is- views and all those kinds of things. In sue. exchange for that, they should back up the coaches,” Carlisle said. “It doesn’t matter if there’s any substance involved in an issue,” Kerr “Printing an article where the father of said. “It’s just, ‘Can we make it really an NBA player has an opinion that is interesting for no apparent reason?’ printed that is anything like legitimate, There’s nothing interesting about that erodes trust. Our coaches are upset. story. Do you know how many parents Luke Walton doesn’t deserve that.” of my players have probably been at home like, ‘Man, he should be playing Challenged to clarify by ESPN’s Tim my kid?’ And yet, we’re sticking a mi- McMahon if Carlisle was suggesting crophone in his face because, appar- that ESPN should run news based on ently, it gets ratings. what coaches will like, Carlisle said, “No. I’m saying they should look at “I don’t know who cares, but people their sources and do a better job of care. Or else ESPN wouldn’t be spend- determining if their sources have any ing what they’re spending to send re- merit or any validity or are they just porters to Lithuania, when they laid blowhard loud mouths. That’s not fair.” off people who were writing really

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Jan 12-19, 2018

College Gridiron Showcase… The week that was!!!

he College Gridiron Showcase (CGS) came to Addison like a college championship game. Bringing at least 200 NFL hopefuls from college including 8 Canadian college players, NFL scouts, trainers, and agents. This event is a little different from the traditional bowl games, as where players are taught the lessons of life in football from former players. Workshops help players see the reality of life that they never thought about. The CGS Scouting Workshop Presented By Inside The League offered an opportunity for individuals who are considering or wanting to become a scout or to further advance their career as a scout at a higher level. The courses where taught by experienced former NFL scouts and executives. Those attended received hands on experience during a live player workout. The course covered, how to interview, understanding player characteristics, grading scale for players, how to write a scouting report and developing/setting a draft board which was a bonus course. The CGS Trainer Workshop offered the opportunity for Trainers on the local, high school, college and semi-pro levels to gain insight and knowledge into a career on the pro level.

The CGS Trainers Workshop was meant to improve the overall knowledge of a trainer. The vision of the workshop was to create an atmosphere where the various types of trainers are introduced to the next level of opportunities and to open the pathway for trainers (of all levels) to mix and mingle in the Pro Ranks. The course covered lifestyles and wellness, Nutritional guides & Supplements of pro athletes, taping techniques & benefits, recovery, technological advances, and a panel discussion. One of the big hits at the showcase was Rodd Newhouse of 44 Management. He spoke to the NFL hopefuls about managing their money once in the NFL. Most players came out of the that course with eyes wide open. One player said it was totally different that he thought going into the course. The week started with a casino night hosted by Branding Champions. Players came to Cimana Event Center to attend a charity event. Chips were given to the players to gamble with, eat and be a part of the silent auction. A portion of the proceeds went to Night of Superstars. Players felt like they were going to get off the plan

and start practicing, but that didn’t happen until Monday. This was an event that was well planned and very timely. The workshops were taught by professionals like 44 Management, Halo Neurocsience, PowerPlus Mouthguard and Transition Sports & Entertainment. All 32 NFL teams were represented by their scouting departments. The showcase and symposium provided exposure and education for top college senior football players from around the country. The players are selected by a panel of football experts. Players will came in for 5 days and 4 nights and was evaluated by professional football league scouts. The players received professional coaching, mentoring, life coaching and seminars that will benefit them as they move forward in their professional lives in or out of football. CGS is the first all-star event to implement an OTA style format for football professionals. The format showcased the player through practices and a controlled scrimmage to scouts and executives from top professional leagues such as the NFL and CFL. The players also attended meetings, practice, perform individual drills, 1 on 1’s, team drills and in many cases have personal interviews with the scouts and executives from these professional clubs. Rext next Page

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The event also contained a strong professional football education symposium component. Athletes attending the event were provided education through seminars relating to Financial Education, Life as a Professional Athlete, Player Expectations (on and off field), first-hand accounts from former NFL rookies, social media responsibilities, and more. ABOUT CGS CGS is a college post-season showcase for NFL Draft-eligible players across all college football divisions. CGS selects via a panel of football experts. Players come in for 5 days and 4 nights to be evaluated by professional football league scouts. The players receive professional coaching, mentoring, life coaching and seminars that will benefit them as they move forward in their professional lives in or out of football. Since 2015, 273 CGS participants have had an opportunity to extend their careers through the NFL draft, free agency, rookies camp invitations and tryouts, with several others being drafted or signed to play in the CFL. For more information about the College Gridiron Showcase, please visit cgsallstar.com.

ABOUT ADDISON, TX Addison, Texas offers the energy, vibrancy, restaurants and businesses of a big city, in a compact 4.4-square mile urban enclave that is friendly and accessible. Home to 180+ restaurants, 23 hotels, upscale living, world-class special events and more than 10 million square feet of office space, Addison is where It All Comes Together. To learn more about all Addison has to offer, visit Addison at http://www.addisontexas.net. ABOUT GREENHILL SCHOOL Founded in 1950, Greenhill School is one of the premier, independent, coeducational schools in the nation, preparing students for success in college and beyond. With 1,290 students, the School offers excellence in education for children in PreK through 12th grade. Greenhill’s history is defined by innovation and achievement in a balanced program of academics, arts, and athletics which prepares students to thrive in an ever-changing world. The School’s culture reflects a value of and a commitment to diversity and individuality. An inclusive environment that celebrates and supports all voices, Greenhill is a community committed to the core principles of honor, respect, and compassion. Greenhill School’s challenging academic program incorporates experienced-based learn-

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ing and uses leading teaching practices, inspiring students while ensuring a strong foundation. For more information, visit www.greenhill.org. ABOUT CROWNE PLAZA Crowne Plaza is a full-service hotel brand focused on business travelers as well as meetings and conventions. Ideal for both business and leisure travelers, the Crowne Plaza Dallas Near Galleria-Addison features modern and spacious rooms with high-quality amenities, evoking the perfect balance for both work and relaxation. The hotel allows guests a range of experiences – from our three meal restaurant McArthur’s, to enjoying the Atrium Lounge, and outdoor swimming pool, and keeping up with a workout regimen at our two on-site fitness centers. The Crown Plaza Dallas Near Galleria-Addison also features a 24-hour on-site business center, 32,000 square feet of flexible event space and provides the latest technological equipment to ensure a successful meeting. Complimentary outdoor parking is also available to hotel guests and there is a complimentary shuttle within a three-mile radius.

Jan 12-19, 2018

NFL’S FINAL EIGHT TAKE CENTER STAGE IN DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS And then there were eight. The NFL heads into the Divisional Playoffs with a slate of four key games on tap. On Saturday, January 13, the Philadelphia Eagles (13-3), who won the NFC East and secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC, will host the Atlanta Falcons (11-6) at Lincoln Financial Field to kick off the weekend (NBC, 4:35 PM ET). That night in primetime (CBS, 8:15 PM ET), the New England Patriots (13-3), who won the AFC East and own the No. 1 seed in the AFC, will host the Tennessee Titans (10-7) at Gillette Stadium.

Among the final eight are the Eagles and Jaguars, who both completed “worst-to-first” turnarounds. At least one team has won its division the season after finishing in or tied for last place in 14 of the past 15 seasons. Half of the remaining eight clubs – Eagles, Vikings, Saints and Jaguars – finished in either third or fourth place in their divisions last year. And, with the addition of the Titans, five of the final eight clubs are new teams in this year’s playoff field.

This is the fourth postseason meeting between the teams and the first since 2004 when the Eagles defeated the Falcons in the NFC Championship Game 27-10 (January 23, 2005) to advance to Super Bowl XXXIX. The Eagles lead the all-time series 18-14-1, including the postseason. Philadelphia won the last meeting 24-15 in Week 10, 2016 (November 13). The Falcons defeated the Los Angeles Rams 26-13 last week to advance to the Divisional Playoffs. Quarterback MATT RYAN threw a touchdown pass to wide receiver JULIO JONES and posted a 101.8 passer rating. Ryan has registered a passer rating of at least 100 in five consecutive playoff games, tied for the second-longest streak in the Super Bowl era. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer JOE MONTANA (eight) owns a longer streak. Ryan has a 102.4 career postseason passer rating, the third-best mark in NFL history (minimum 150 attempts). Only Pro Football Hall of Famers BART STARR (104.8) and KURT WARNER (102.8) have a higher mark. Atlanta had two players selected to the 2018 Pro Bowl: wide receiver Jones and center ALEX MACK. The Eagles tied a franchise record with 13 wins (2004) and earned the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the fourth time since 2002. Philadelphia had six players selected to the 2018 Pro Bowl: guard BRANDON BROOKS, defensive tackle FLETCHER COX, tight end ZACH ERTZ, safety MALCOLM JENKINS, tackle LANE JOHNSON and quarterback CARSON WENTZ. Three Eagles had at least eight touchdown receptions this season: wide receivers ALSHON JEFFERY (nine) and NELSON AGHOLOR (eight) and tight end Ertz (eight).

Jan 12-19, 2018

Quarterback MARCUS MARIOTA threw two touchdown passes in the Wild Card victory, including a six-yard touchdown pass to himself. He is the only player in NFL history to throw a touchdown pass to himself in a postseason game. Running back DERRICK HENRY rushed for 156 yards, including a 35-yard TD, against the Chiefs and joined EDDIE GEORGE (162 yards on January 16, 2000) as the only players in club history to rush for at least 150 yards in a playoff game. Tennessee had three players selected to the 2018 Pro Bowl: defensive tackle JURRELL CASEY, punter BRETT KERN and tackle TAYLOR LEWAN.

New England won its ninth consecutive division title, the longest streak in NFL history. The Patriots are the only team to win 14 division titles in a 15-year span. New England has won at least 12 games in eight consecutive seasons, the longest streak in league annals.

ATLANTA FALCONS (11-6) at PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (13-3) (Saturday, NBC, 4:35 PM ET)

TENNESSEE TITANS (10-7) at NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (133) (Saturday, CBS, 8:15 PM ET)

The Titans earned their first postseason win since 2003 (January 3, 2004 at Baltimore in the Wild Card round) with last week’s 22-21 come-from-behind win at Kansas City. Tennessee erased a 21-3 halftime deficit and joined the 1957 Detroit Lions as the only teams to overcome an 18+ point deficit to win a road playoff game.

NFL Playoffs

On Sunday, January 14, the Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3), the AFC North champions, will welcome the AFC South-champion Jacksonville Jaguars (11-6) to Heinz Field (CBS, 1:05 PM ET) and the Minnesota Vikings (13-3), who won the NFC North, will host the New Orleans Saints (12-5) at U.S. Bank Stadium (FOX, 4:40 PM ET), the home of Super Bowl LII.

This is the third postseason meeting between the teams and the first since the 2003 AFC Divisional Playoff (January 10, 2004) which New England won 17-14. The Patriots lead the all-time series 2416-1, including the playoffs, and have won six in a row. The teams last met in Week 15, 2015 (December 20) with the Patriots coming out on top with a 33-16 victory.

Quarterback TOM BRADY, who led the NFL with 4,577 passing yards this season, has 25 career playoff wins, the most in NFL history. Brady is also the NFL postseason leader in career completions (831), attempts (1,325), passing yards (9,094) and touchdown passes (63). The Patriots had four players selected to the 2018 Pro Bowl: quarterback Brady, fullback JAMES DEVELIN, tight end ROB GRONKOWSKI and special teamer MATTHEW SLATER.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (116) at PITTSBURGH STEELERS (13-3) (Sunday, CBS, 1:05 PM ET)

This is the second postseason meeting between the teams. The Jaguars defeated the Steelers 31-29 in the 2007 AFC Wild Card Playoffs (January 5, 2008). Jacksonville leads the all-time series 13-11, including the postseason, and defeated Pittsburgh earlier this season, knocking off the Steelers 30-9 in Week 5 (October 8) at Heinz Field.

The Jaguars defeated Buffalo 10-3 last week as the team earned its first home playoff win since 1999 (January 15, 2000 vs. Miami in the Divisional round). Quarterback BLAKE BORTLES connected with tight end BEN KOYACK for the game’s only touchdown. In Jacksonville’s Week 5 win at Pittsburgh, the Jaguars recorded five interceptions – returning two for touchdowns – and rookie running back LEONARD FOURNETTE rushed for 181 yards and two touchdowns. The Jaguars had four players selected to the 2018 Pro Bowl: cornerbacks A.J. BOUYE and JALEN RAMSEY, defensive end CALAIS CAMPBELL and defensive tackle MALIK JACKSON. Pittsburgh won the AFC North for the second consecutive year, the

See Playoffs continued on page 18

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Alabama wins with an unlikely gamble Following a sluggish first half, Alabama Coach Nick Saban gambled on a true freshman quarterback, and it paid off with a national title. Tua Tagovailoa hit another freshman, Devonta Smith, for a 41-yard touchdown in the first overtime to give the Crimson Tide a 26-23 triumph over Georgia in the College Football Playoff championship game. Tua Tagovailoa hit freshman wide receiver DeVonta Smith with a 41yard touchdown pass, and Alabama defeated Georgia 26-23 in overtime

to win the College Football Playoff national championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The win gives the Crimson Tide their fifth title since the 2009 season and first since the 2015 season. “I don’t know how Coach (Nick) Saban found me all the way in Hawaii from Alabama,” Tagovailoa said. “Thank God he found me and we’re here right now.” This is the fifth national title for Saban as head coach of the Crimson Tide and sixth overall. With the win against Georgia head coach -- and former Alabama assistant -- Kirby Smart, Saban improves to 12-0 against his former staffers in his tenure as Alabama’s head coach. But it was a nail-biter for Crimson Tide fans. In a first half that was dominated by defense, Georgia took a 13-0 lead. That led to Alabama benching quarterback Jalen Hurts in favor of Tagovailoa at the start of the third quarter. “I thought Tua would give us a better chance and a spark, which he certainly did,” Saban said. A 6-yard Tagovailoa touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Henry Ruggs III made it 13-7 with 8:52 left in the period, but Georgia responded on the following drive with an 80yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Jake Fromm to sophomore wide receiver Mecole Hardman to make it 20-7. And later tempers flared, as Crimson Tide linebacker Mekhi Brown, who was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, was seen being restrained on the Alabama sideline. But Alabama didn’t go away. With 3:49 remaining, Tagovailoa found Calvin Ridley in the end zone to make it 20-20.

“This is very big for us kids back home,” Tagovailoa said. “Making our state proud is the biggest thing.” It was more heartbreak for fans in the state of Georgia, coming less than a year after another local team, the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, blew a 28-3 lead in Super Bowl LI. The Bulldogs haven’t won a national championship in football since 1980. “Give (Alabama) credit, but I think everybody can see that Georgia’s going to be a force to be reckoned with,” Smart said. “I’m very proud of this team and this university, and we’re not going anywhere.” One guarantee heading into Monday night was that the champion was from the Southeastern Conference, which Alabama (SEC West) and Georgia (SEC East) are both members. This is the ninth time in the last 12 seasons that a team from the SEC has won the national championship. With that, it seemed fitting that this season’s championship game was played in the heart of SEC country: The University of Georgia, which is located in Athens, is about 70 miles away from Mercedes-Benz Stadium, while the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa is a 200-mile drive. No. 4 Alabama (13-1) was playing in its third straight national championship game. The Crimson Tide, who reached the playoff despite not making it to the SEC championship game, defeated No. 1 Clemson 24-6 in the Sugar Bowl semifinal, avenging the Crimson Tide’s loss to the

Tigers in last year’s national championship game. No. 3 Georgia (13-2), the SEC champion and in the playoff for the first time, defeated No. 2 Oklahoma 5448 in double overtime in the Rose Bowl semifinal. This is the first time two teams from the same conference reached the College Football Playoff, a fourteam seeded postseason format that began for the 2014 season and replaced the Bowl Championship Series (BCS). The SEC also had two teams featured in the 2011 season finale, when Alabama defeated Louisiana State in the BCS title game. Counting the national championship, the SEC went 5-6 this bowl season. College football dates back to the late 1800s and is older than the NFL. The sport, which is a pipeline to the professional level, is well known for its loyal and passionate fan base, including enthusiasts pulling for their alma mater or channeling their rooting interests for another university. The College Football Playoff determines the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) national champion. The FBS is the highest level of football in the NCAA.

Alabama had the chance to win in the final seconds of regulation, but the 36-yard kick from Andy Pappanastos was no good. He was saved in the extra period by Tagovailoa, a dual-threat quarterback from Ewa Beach, Hawaii, who played at the same school as Tennessee Titans quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota. Both Tagovailoa and Mariota played at Saint Louis School in Honolulu.

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Jan 12-19, 2018

Done in the Dark By: Lamar Odom

hen I woke up in the hospital room in Nevada, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t talk. I was trapped inside my own body. My throat hurt like hell. I looked down and I had all these tubes coming out of my mouth. So I panicked. I started trying to pull them out, but I couldn’t because my hands were so weak. The nurses came running in to stop me. You ever had a really bad dream, where you’re trying to run away from a monster or some shit, and you just can’t run? Your legs don’t work like they should, and the monster is coming right behind you, and it’s like you’re in slow motion. That’s what it felt like. I was laying there, looking up at the ceiling, and the doctors kept coming in and standing over me and saying some stuff. Then they’d leave. Then they’d come back. Leave, come back. Leave again, come back again. Or maybe I was just going in and out of sleep. My ex-wife was there in the room with me. After all the shit I had done, I was surprised to see her. Honestly, that’s when I knew that I was probably in bad shape. At some point, the main doctor came in and told me what had happened. He said, “Mr. Odom, you’ve been in a coma for the last four days. Do you understand?” I couldn’t talk. So I just nodded. He said, “It’s a miracle that you’re here. We didn’t think you were going to make it.” I was in total shock. Couldn’t say any clever shit back. Couldn’t ask questions. It was the first time in my life that I felt helpless. I felt like I was two inches tall. It was just … it was real. At that point in my life, I was doing coke every day. Pretty much every second of free time that I had, I was doing coke. I couldn’t control it. I didn’t want to control it. I remember sitting there in bed, and for the first time in my life I couldn’t talk my way out of the situation. I was trapped all day in my own thoughts. And I kept thinking about something that my grandmother used to say to me when I was a kid.

Jan 12-19, 2018

I was laying there in that bed, hooked up to all these machines, people all around me crying, and there was no running from it anymore. It was like God was telling me, “Whatever the fuck you think you’re doing, you need to slow down. Or it’s gonna be worse than this.” Only one thing worse than this. Rick James said it best. “Cocaine is a hell of a drug.” It’s a hell of a drug.

just gotta make sure you’re alright.” Then she went back to the sidelines like it was nothing. That was my mother. She always had my back. When I was 12 years old, she got sick. I knew she had colon cancer, but I didn’t really know how bad it was. She kind of kept it from me to protect me. I just remember that she went into the hospital for a while, and when I went to visit her, it seemed like she was getting … smaller. Like she was disappearing, you know what I mean? One day, when my grandmother was driving me home from the hospital, she said, “You know, your mother is probably going to pass away soon. I just want you to be ready.” The day that she passed away, I remember going to see her, and I remember how the cancer had just ravaged her body. Like if I could go back to that time, and you could put me in that room, I probably wouldn’t even recognize who she was. Her face was so small and she was bleeding out of her mouth. And she kept saying “Mookah, Mookah….”

It will make you do things you never thought you’d do. It will turn you into a different person. It will put you in situations where you say to yourself, “How the fuck did I get here?”

I just sat right next to her bed, and one of the last things she said to me … I still think about it every day.

When I was in that hospital bed, I kept asking myself that question. And I kept thinking about all the people in my life who aren’t here anymore. Mostly, I thought about my mother. My dad wasn’t really around when I was a kid. He had his own problems with addiction. But my mother was my best friend in the world. She was just so caring. My first memory in life is hearing the sound of her voice. She had these really wide eyes and a real soft voice.

I don’t think anything can prepare you for losing your mother at 12 years old. It leaves a mark on you. I don’t care how strong you think you are.

If we were at a family party everybody would ask me, “Lamar, where’s your mother? Where’s Cathy? Where’s Cathy?” She was like the center of the universe in Jamaica, Queens. I remember when I started playing peewee football, I was already big as hell. I could take care of myself. But I got hit on this one play, and I was just dinged up a little bit. I’m on the ground for six seconds or seven seconds max, and just as I’m about to get up, I hear my mom’s voice. She’s running from the sideline out onto the field. Sprinting, yelling, “Mookah! Mookah! Talk to me, baby!” That was her nickname for me. She gets to me and I’m like, “Mom, what are you doing? Are you crazy?” I mean, this is New York City. Everybody’s looking at me like, Yo. Come on, man. She says, “Mookah, Mookah, are you O.K.? What hurts?” I said, “Mom, I’m fine. Get the hell off the field!” She’s like, “O.K.! O.K.! I’m going! I

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She said, “Be nice to everybody, Mook.”

The only reason I was able to get through that time was because of my grandmother, and because of basketball. Those two things protected me. On the day my mother died, I went straight to the park to play ball. It was all I wanted to do. It was an escape for me. I remember the news had started to get around the neighborhood about my mom, and people started showing up at the court. Then more people. After a while, the whole block was out there with me.

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I could see her face, like she was right there in the room. “What’s done in the dark,” she would say, “will come out in the light.” I think of all the sneaky shit I tried to get away with. All the times I did wrong. All the stuff I tried to hide. If it’s not in the public light, it’s in God’s light.

I had this feeling, like, It’s gonna be alright. Your grandmother has your back. Your neighborhood has your back. God has your back. So go on. Get on with it. Keep going ’til you get your suit and you shake that old man’s hand. See, I used to have this vision in my head, from the time I was 10 years old. I could already see David Stern up at the podium calling my name, saying what team I was going to, and me kissing my family. I could already see it. Read the reat www.411sportsnews.com

The Athletes in the MLK era

n honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 411 Sports wants to take a look back at those athletes of that era. Most of these athletes we know, but there will be some that were in the background but helped shape how we view sports today. By the way MLK was a very good pool shooter even though pool is not a sport we felt we still need to point that out.

Cover Story

The sports figures will not go in any order we just thought you’d like to go down sports history with us:

Jim Brown: He was a fullback for the Cleveland Browns of the NFL from 1957 through 1965. Considered to be among the greatest football players of all time, Brown was a Pro Bowl invitee every season he was in the league, was recognized as the AP NFL Most Valuable Player three times, and won an NFL championship with the Browns in 1964. He led the league in rushing yards in eight out of his nine seasons, and by the time he retired, he had shattered most major rushing records. In 2002, he was named by The Sporting News as the greatest professional football player ever. Brown earned unanimous All-America honors playing college football at Syracuse University in New York, where he was an allaround player for the Syracuse Orangemen football team. He also excelled in basket-

ball, track and field, and lacrosse. The football team later retired his number 44 jersey. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1995. In his professional career, Brown carried the ball 2,359 times for 12,312 rushing yards and 106 touchdowns, which were all records when he retired. He averaged 104.1 rushing yards per game, and is the only player in NFL history to average over 100 rushing yards per game for his career. His 5.2 yards per rush is third-best among running backs. Brown was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971. He was named to the NFL 75th Anniversary AllTime Team, comprising the best players in NFL history. His number 32 jersey is retired by the Browns. Shortly after his football career, Brown became an actor, and had several leading roles throughout the 1970s.

Bill Russell: Russell played center for the Boston Celtics of the NBA from 1956 to 1969. A five-time NBA Most Valuable Player and a twelve-time All-Star, he was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty, winning eleven NBA championships during his thirteen-year career. Russell holds the re-

cord for the most championships won by an athlete in a North American sports league (tied with Henri Richard of the NHL. Before his professional career, Russell led the University of San Francisco to two consecutive NCAA championships in 1955 and 1956, and he captained the gold-medal winning U.S. national basketball team at the 1956 Summer Olympics. Russell is widely considered one of the best players in NBA history. He was 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) tall, with a 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m) wingspan. His shot-blocking and man-to-man defense were major reasons for the Celtics’ domination of the NBA during his career. He also inspired his teammates to elevate their own defensive play. Russell was equally notable for his rebounding abilities. He led the NBA in rebounds four times, had a dozen consecutive seasons of 1,000 or more rebounds, and remains second alltime in both total rebounds and rebounds per game. He is one of just two NBA players (the other being prominent rival Wilt Chamberlain) to have grabbed more than 50 rebounds in a game. Russell was never the focal point of the Celtics’ offense, but he did score 14,522 career points and provided effective passing. Russell played in the wake of pioneers like Earl Lloyd, Chuck Cooper, and Sweetwater Clifton, and he was the first African American player to achieve superstar status in the NBA. He also served a three-season (1966–69) stint as player-coach for the Celtics, becoming the first African-American coach in North American pro sports and the first to win a world championship. In 2011, Barack Obama awarded Russell the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his accomplishments on the court and in the Civil Rights Movement. Russell is one of seven players in history to win an NCAA Championship, an NBA Championship, and an Olympic gold medal. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. He was selected into the NBA 25th Anniversary Team in 1971 and the NBA 35th Anniversary Team in 1980, and named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996, one of only four players to receive all three honors. In 2007, he was enshrined in the FIBA Hall of Fame. In Russell’s honor the NBA renamed the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player trophy in 2009: it is now the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award. Ernie Banks: From Booker T. Washington of Dallas, Texas nicknamed “Mr. Cub” and “Mr. Sunshine”, who starred in MLB as a shortstop and first baseman for the Chicago Cubs between 1953 and 1971. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977, and was named to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team in 1999. Banks is regarded by some as one of the greatest players of all time. He began playing professional baseball in 1950 with the Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro leagues.

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Jan 12-19, 2018

The Athletes in the MLK era heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and turned professional later that year. At age 22 in 1964, he won the WBA, WBC, and lineal heavyweight titles from Sonny Liston in a major upset. Clay then converted to Islam and changed his name from Cassius Clay, which he called his “slave name”, to Muhammad Ali. He set an example of racial pride for African Americans and resistance to white domination during the Civil Rights Movement.

Ali is regarded as one of the leading heavyweight boxers of the 20th century, and remains the only three-time lineal heavyweight champion. During 1964, Ali reigned

In 1962, Banks became a regular first baseman for the Cubs. In the mid-1960s, Cubs manager Leo Durocher became frustrated with Banks, saying the slugger’s performance was faltering. Durocher said he was unable to remove Banks from the lineup due to the star’s popularity among Cubs fans. Between 1967 and 1971, he was a player-coach. In 1969, through a Chicago Sun-Times fan poll, Cubs fans voted him the greatest Cub ever. In 1970, Banks hit his 500th career home run at Wrigley Field. He retired from playing in 1971, was a coach for the Cubs in 1972, and in 1982 was the team’s first player to have his uniform number retired. Banks was active in the Chicago community during and after his tenure with the Cubs. He founded a charitable organization, became the first black Ford Motor Company dealer in the United States, and made an unsuccessful bid for a local political office. In 2013, Banks was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contribution to sports. Banks lived in the Los Angeles and Chicago areas. Muhammad Ali: Muhammad Ali born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; was an American professional boxer and activist. He is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated sports figures of the 20th century. From early in his career, Ali was known as an inspiring, controversial, and polarizing figure both inside and outside the ring. Cassius Clay was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, and began training as an amateur boxer when he was 12 years old. At age 18, he won a gold medal in the light

Jan 12-19, 2018

Cover Story

He served in the U.S. military for two years, played for the Monarchs again, and began his major league career in September 1953. The following year, Banks was the National League Rookie of the Year runner-up. Beginning in 1955, Banks was a National League (NL) All-Star for 11 seasons, playing in 13 of the 15 All-Star Games held during those years. Banks was the Cubs’ main attraction in the late 1950s, the National League Most Valuable Player in 1958 and 1959, and the Cubs’ first Gold Glove winner in 1960.

In 1966, two years after winning the heavyweight title, Ali further antagonized the white establishment by refusing to be drafted into the U.S. military, citing his religious beliefs and opposition to American involvement in the Vietnam War. He was eventually arrested, found guilty of draft evasion charges, and stripped of his boxing titles. He successfully appealed the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, which overturned his conviction in 1971, by which time he had not fought for nearly four years and thereby lost a period of peak performance as an athlete. Ali’s actions as a conscientious objector to the war made him an icon for the larger counterculture generation.

At a time when most fighters let their managers do the talking, Ali thrived in and indeed craved the spotlight, where he was often provocative and outlandish. He was known for trash talking, and often freestyled with rhyme schemes and spoken word poetry, both for his trash talking in boxing and as political poetry for his activism, anticipating elements of rap and hip hop music. As a musician, Ali recorded two spoken word albums and a rhythm and blues song, and received two Grammy Award nominations. As an actor, he performed in several films and a Broadway musical. Additionally, Ali wrote two autobiographies, one during and one after his boxing career. As a Muslim, Ali was initially affiliated with Elijah Muhammad’s Nation of Islam (NOI) and advocated their black separatist ideology. He later disavowed the NOI, adhering to Sunni Islam, practicing Sufism, and supporting racial integration, like his former mentor Malcolm X.

After retiring from boxing at age 39 in 1981, Ali devoted his life to religious and charitable work. In 1984, Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson’s syndrome, which his doctors attributed to boxing-related brain injuries. One of his last acts as an athlete is on July 27, 2012, Ali was a titular bearer of the Olympic Flag during the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. As his condition worsened, Ali made limited public appearances and was cared for by his family until his death on June 3, 2016, in Scottsdale, Arizona.

These are just some of the athletes of the MLK era and as we end this history moment we always need to celebrate the person that opened a way for Africans Americans to get started on the road to equality. Here are some of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. quotes:

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

as the undisputed heavyweight champion. His record of the most wins in heavyweight title bouts in modern boxing history at 22 was unbeaten for more than 35 years. Ali is the only boxer to be named The Ring magazine Fighter of the Year six times. He was also ranked as the greatest athlete of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated, the Sports Personality of the Century by the BBC, and the third greatest athlete of the 20th century by ESPN Sports Century. Nicknamed “the Greatest”, he was involved in several historic boxing matches. Notable among these were the first Liston fight; the “Fight of the Century”, “Super Fight II” and the “Thrilla in Manila” against his rival Joe Frazier; and “The Rumble in the Jungle” against George Foreman.

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They’re words we all instantly recognize as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s. And although he is most famously known for that speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Dr. King delivered countless others—each one filled with its own inspiring statements and notable quotes on leadership, motivation and hope. This man stood up for justice, so now we’re standing up for him. As we observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we remember his legendary leadership with 10 of his most moving quotes: 1. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” 2. “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”

See Cover continued on page 18

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Jan 12-19, 2018

TIDBITS

The Rise of Tiffany Haddish

Read the 18-Minute Tiffany Haddish Speech

.K., this is not a grapefruit. This is a microphone; I’m much better with that. The Tiffany special [a special cocktail]—I wanna call it the Tiffanicity-tini. It’s delicious. I’ve had two, and I do feel like magic. First, I want to look at the award and make sure they spelled my name right—because I remember when I ran track, they spelled my name wrong. It’s right. Somebody did this with calligraphy and everything. [To a friend at her table] Remember when we took calligraphy class? I have my best friend with me, and my other best friend, and my other best friend. O.K. First, I want to thank God, because without God, my mama and daddy wouldn’t have put their two uglies together and they wouldn’t have made me. That was all God right there. He put two crazy people together to make this one awesome, crazy person. So I super-thank God. I want—[looking at the statue above the stage, a many-armed goddess holding several different items] I’ve been staring all night. Y’all see this?

Beth Harrow Phone: (817) 980-6260 Fax: (817) 796-2940 www.guidinghandsagency.com Guiding Hands Agency, LLC staff provides compassionate teaching and end of life care for patients as well as their loved ones.

All night I’ve been staring at this bitch. I’m trying to figure out “Who is this bitch?” Her name is Quan Yin. Quan Yin is a goddess in Hinduism. I’m here to teach you. And when I look at her, I feel like I’m looking at myself. Like she taking a nap, but she doing a lot of stuff all at the same time. That’s what my life has been like the last year. I’m asleep, but I’m woke. I’ve never been more tired in my whole entire existence, and I feel like I do all these things. Like, she got some weed or some drink in both hands; she holding on to the rings, you know, because she trying to get a ring on it. She working out—she got dumbbells. She holding feathers because she take care of animals and creatures. She got an eraser to erase the bullshit. She holding on to some seeds or a pinecone, which means she’s trying to produce and create, and that’s exactly what I’m trying to do. I’m not trying to get pregnant yet, Michael, but I’m working on it. B. Jordan. You see these plates that she got? I

Jan 12-19, 2018

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too.

don’t know if these are plates or if this is distributing medication, because I worked in a pharmacy for two days. This brings us to feed people. I’m going to go with that’s a plate to feed people, because she feeds people with spiritual knowledge. That’s where I’m going because sometimes I do that

She got the sun in her hand because she light this motherfucker up. That’s me too! Then I think she got a cracker because she get hungry. And then she’s got another little thing in her hand . . . [speaking up to the lights] Can y’all light this? Y’all have it lit up all night—I get up here and you turn it off. I seen the bitch blink twice. It scared the fuck out of me. Did y’all see her blinking? I was like, “I know I didn’t take my drugs today.” She’s got a key over here that looks like a heart, and I’m always holding my heart. For me, in this business—I’ve been doing stand-up comedy since I was 15. I’m 21 for the 17th year now. And I’ve been in a lot of different projects. To get in Girls Trip was absolutely amazing. First off, I didn’t even know the movie was happening. I did a movie with Jordan Peele called Keanu, and we shot it in New Orleans, where I was a gangster chick. I was a different type of person, but the same. And I hung out with the crew. I always feel like when I work with people, I work with everybody— from the person that’s working the camera to the person that’s running the water to the person that’s putting the clothes on me, the person that’s combing my hair, my makeup, the person that’s like, “You gotta sign these papers.” I try to hang out with everybody. Because all of y’all make my money come through. So now that I get to meet the critics, first off, thank you, guys. I don’t even—I don’t read reviews. I don’t. The most reviews you’ll see me read is something that either my publicist sends me and says, “Read this,” and I’m like, “You read it,” because if it hurt my feelings I’m going to cuss their ass out in my soul, and then I’m going to pray for them, and I’ll laugh. • Read the rest on the site.

HE SAID; SHE SAID 10 INSIGHTS TO RELATIONSHIPS 1. Y ou pick the wrong person because you expect him/her to change after you’re married. The classic mistake. never marry potential. The golden rule is, if you can’t be happy with the person the way he or she is now, don’t get married. as a colleague of mine so wisely put it, “you actually can expect people to change after their married...for the worst!” so when it comes to the other person’s spirituality, character, personal hygiene, communication skills, and personal habits, make sure you can live with these as they are now.

3. Y ou pick the wrong person because the man doesn’t understand what a woman needs most. Men and women have unique emotional needs, and more often than not, it is the man who just doesn’t get it. Jewish tradition places the onus on the man to understand the emotional needs of the woman and to satisfy them. The unique need of a woman is to be loved.-to feel that she is the most important person in her husband’s life. The husband needs to give her consistent, quality attention. This is most apparent in Judaism’s approach to sexual intimacy. The Torah obligates the husband to meet the sexual needs of his wife. sexual intimacy is always on the woman’s terms. Men are goal oriented especially when it comes to this area. as a wise woman once pointed out, “Men have two speeds: on and off.” women are experienceoriented. when a man is able to switch gears and become more experience-oriented, he will discover what makes his wife very happy. Then the man forgets about his own needs and focuses on giving to his wife.

Ace the KwireBoi

EleVation

2. Y ou pick the wrong person because you focus more on chemistry than on character. Chemistry ignites the fire, but good character keeps it burning. Beware of the “I’m in love” syndrome. “I’m in love often means, “I’m in lust.” attraction is there, but have you carefully checked out this person’s character? here are four characteristics to definitely check for: a. humility: Does this person believe that “doing the right thing” is more important than personal comfort? b. Kindness: Does this person enjoy giving pleasure to other people? how does s/he treat people s/he doesn’t have to be nice to? Does s/he do volunteer work? Give to charity? c. responsibility: Can I depend on this person to do what s/he says? what s/ he’s going to do? d. happiness : Does this person like himself? Does s/he enjoy life? Is s/he emotionally stable? Then ask yourself: Do I want to be more like this person? Do I want to have a child with this person? would I like my child to turnout like him or her?

4. You choose the wrong person because you do not share a common life goals and priorities. There are three basic ways we connect with another person: a) Chemistry and compatibility, b) share common interests, c) share common life goals. Make sure you share a deeper level of connection that sharing life goals provide. after marriage, the two of you willeither grow together or grow apart. To avoid growing apart, you must figure out what you’re living for while you are single-and then find someone who has come to the same conclusion as you. This is the true definition of a soul mate. a soul mate is a goal mate . . . two people who ultimately share the same understanding of life’s purpose and therefore share the same priorities, values and goals. 5. Y ou choose the wrong person because you get involved sexually too quickly. sexual involvement before the commitment of marriage can be a big problem because it often precludes a fully honest exploration of

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ace the kwire boi Jan 12-19, 2018

HE SAID; SHE SAID

important issues. sexual involvement tends to cloud one’s mind. and a clouded mind is not inclined to make good decisions. It is not necessary to “test drive” in order to find out if a couple are sexually compatible. If you do your homework and make sure you are intellectually and emotionally compatible, you don’t have to worry about sexual compatibility. of all the studies on divorce, sexual incompatibility is never cited as a main reason why people divorce. 6. Y ou pick the wrong person because you do not have deeper emotional connection to evaluate whether you have a deeper emotional connection or not, ask: “do I respect and admire this person?” This does not mean, “am I impressed by this person?” a Mercedes impresses us. we do not respect someone because they own a Mercedes. you should be impressed by qualities of creativity, loyalty, determination, etc. also ask:”! Do I trust this person?” This also means, “Is he/she emotionally stable? Do I feel I can rely on him/her?

Janelle Gamache 1565 W. Main St., Ste 240 Lewisville, Tx 75067

janelle@jannicointl.com 214-542-8001 www.jannicointl.com

7. Y ou pick the wrong person because you choose some one with whom you don’t feel emotionally safe. ask yourself the following questions: Do I feel calm, peaceful and relaxed with this person? Can I fully be myself and express myself with this person? Does this person make me feel good about myself? Do you have a really close friend who does make you feel this way? Make sure the person you marry makes you feel the same way! are you afraid of this person in any way? You should not feel you need to monitor what you say because you are afraid of how the other person will view it. If you’re afraid to express your feelings and opinions openly, there’s a problem with the relationship. another aspect of feeling safe is that you don’t feel the other person is trying to control you. Controlling behaviors are a sign of an abusive person. Be on the look out for someone who is always trying to change you. There is a big difference between “controlling” and “making suggestions.” a suggestion is made for your benefit. 8. Y ou pick the wrong person because you don’t put everything on the table. anything that bothers you about the relationship must be brought up for discussion. Bringing up the uncomfortable stuff is the only way to evaluate how well the two of you communicate, negotiate, and work together. over the course of a lifetime, difficulties will inevitably arise. you need to know now, before making a commitment: Can you resolve your differences and find compromises that work for both of you? never be afraid to let the person know what bothers you. This is also a way for you to test how vulnerable you can be with this person. If you can’t be vulnerable, you can’t be intimate. The two go hand in hand. 9. Y ou pick the wrong person because you use the relationship to escape from personal problems and unhappiness. If you are unhappy and single, you’ll probably be unhappy and married, too. Marriage does not fix personal, psychological and emotional problems. If anything, marriage will exacerbate them. If you are not happy with yourself and your life, take responsibility to fix it now while you are single. you’ll feel better and your future spouse will thank you. 10. You pick the wrong person because he/she is involved in a triangle. To be “triangulated” means a person is emotionally dependent on someone or something else while trying to develop another relationship. a person who hasn’t separated from his or her ties with someone else is one how likes the drama of a relationship. That person is uncapable of have a drama free relationship. They are afraid of a one on one commentment because of is envolved.

Jan 12-19, 2018

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Playoffs continued from page 09

team’s eighth division title since realignment in 2002. The Steelers have 36 postseason victories, the most in NFL history.

Steelers wide receiver ANTONIO BROWN led the league with 1,533 receiving yards and is the only player in franchise history to lead the NFL in receiving yards multiple times. Brown has 582 receptions and 7,848 receiving yards over the past five seasons, the most in NFL history over any five-year span for both categories. The Steelers had an NFL-best eight players selected to the 2018 Pro Bowl: running back LE’VEON BELL, kicker CHRIS BOSWELL, wide receiver Brown, guard DAVID DE CASTRO, center MAURKICE POUNCEY, quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER, linebacker RYAN SHAZIER and tackle ALEJANDRO VILLANUEVA.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (12-5) at MINNESOTA VIKINGS (13-3) (Sunday, FOX, 4:40 PM ET) The teams will meet in the playoffs for the fourth time with Minnesota holding a 2-1 advantage. In their last postseason meeting, the Saints defeated the Vikings 31-28 in overtime in the 2009 NFC Championship Game (January 24, 2010) en route to winning Super Bowl XLIV. Minnesota, which leads the all-time series 21-11 (including the playoffs), defeated New Orleans earlier this season, knocking off the Saints 29-19 on Kickoff Weekend (September 11).

The Saints recorded a 31-26 victory over Carolina in last week’s Wild Card showdown, the team’s first playoff win since 2013 (January 4, 2014 at Philadelphia in the Wild Card round). Quarterback DREW BREES passed for 376 yards and two touchdowns and wide receivers MICHAEL THOMAS (131 yards) and TED GINN, JR. (115) each recorded 100 yards. Brees has seven career 300-yard passing games in the postseason, the third-most in NFL history. He has passed for at least 300 yards in seven of his 12 career playoff games. New Orleans had six players selected to the 2018 Pro Bowl: quarterback Brees, running backs MARK INGRAM and ALVIN KAMARA, defensive end CAMERON JORDAN, cornerback MARSHON LATTIMORE and wide receiver Thomas. Minnesota captured the NFC North for the second time in the past three seasons and earned a first-round bye for the first time since 2009. The team’s 13 regular-season wins are the most since 1998 when the club went 15-1. Quarterback CASE KEENUM, who played in 15 games and made 14 starts, set career-highs in attempts (481), completions (325), completion percentage (67.6), yards (3,547), touchdowns (22) and passer rating (98.3). Keenum posted a passer rating of at least 100 in eight games this season and the Vikings were a perfect 8-0 in those contests. The Vikings had four players selected to the 2018 Pro Bowl: linebacker ANTHONY BARR, defensive end EVERSON GRIFFEN, cornerback XAVIER RHODES and wide receiver ADAM THIELEN.

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Cover continued from page 12 3. “Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” 4. “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” 5. “A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.” 6. “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” 7. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” 8. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” 9. “If a man has not discovered something that he will die for, he isn’t fit to live.” 10. “We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”

Jan 12-19, 2018

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H&M blasted for using Black child model to wear racist hoodie H&M has become the latest major brand to catch flack over a racially insensitive ad. The Swedish clothing company posted an advertisement that featured a sale for their kids’ line. In one ad, a Black child is wearing a shirt with the words, “Coolest Monkey in the Jungle” printed across the front. The ad serves as another example of how a lack of diversity at ad agencies can lead to insensitive messages. It also reveals how each person who was responsible for the ad did not think twice about why it would be viewed as improper by the public. Recently, Dove faced criticism for also running a racially charged ad. In the ad, a Black woman removed her brown shirt and became clean after somehow turning into a White woman. The ad was ridiculous and racist. It was blasted on social media and Dove’s owner, Unilever, eventually apologized. In a statement, the company wrote, “Dove is committed to representing the beauty of diversity. In an image we posted this week, we missed the mark in thoughtfully representing women of color and we deeply regret the offense that it has caused.” H&M has since apologizes for the ad. However, the company is facing severe backlash on social media. So this is how H&M responds and tries correcting accusations of their lack of diversity in their campaigns. The Mother Speaks out The mother of the child model at the centre of the H&M race row has branded the backlash to the image ‘unnecessary’. Terry Mango, of Stockholm, Sweden, spoke out after the retailer faced accusations of racism over an image of her son Liam, five, wearing a jumper emblazoned with ‘coolest monkey in the jungle’.

In a series of Facebook posts, Ms Mango urged critics - including high profile musicians and sports stars - to ‘get over it’ and to ‘stop crying wolf’. Manchester United footballer Romelu Lukaku, basketball player LeBron James and music mogul P Diddy are among the celebrities who slammed the advert as shoppers called for a boycott of the chain. Meanwhile musician The Weeknd, who has collaborated and modelled for H&M said he was cutting all ties with the retailer. The outrage prompted H&M to remove the image from its UK and US websites and to issue a statement saying it was ‘deeply sorry’. However Ms Mango has blasted the fierce public response in a series of Facebook posts that have been widely circulated on social media. She wrote: ‘Am the mum and this is one of hundreds of outfits my son has modelled... stop crying wolf all the time, unnecessary issue here... get over it [sic].’ The dismissive comment was met with surprise by some social media users, who questioned why Ms Mango was endorsing the ‘racist’ image. Clarifying her stance, Ms Mango explained she ‘really doesn’t understand’ the issue, adding: ‘Not coz am choosing not to but because it’s not my way of thinking sorry [sic].’ In a separate post she added: ‘Everyone is entitled to their opinion.’ Speaking to Gulf News, Ms Mango later revealed she had been targeted by trolls over her comments, including those who used ‘monkey’ as a racial slur. She said: ‘How can you fight racism if you make racist remarks?,’ she said. ‘You cannot try to defend my son and use the same words to describe me.’

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Jan 12-19, 2018

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Jan 12-19, 2018

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Jan 12-19, 2018

411 Radio Network: Our Shows - Gospel 411 Radio Network is an ever expanding station with 24/7 Gospel music. Knowing what God has done for this platform it would be wrong for us not to give Him his own space. He died on the cross for our sins and became a saviour for us.

2nd we’ve added Women 2 Women: As Women of God, our mission is to provide women with the necessary tools to effectively carry out God’s will and purpose for their lives; these are the tools that should be added to your faith.

This station will show as much love as we can to His sacrifice by continueing to add more programing to the station.

We’ve also added the The Valder Beebe show regularly invites celebrities, industry experts and spiritual leaders on air for interviews that provide educational and inspirational messages for its audience members.

We have started out with Life after Birth with Brittney: it is an ode to the whole mom! Being a mom is never easy, nor is being a mom all about the kids!

Jan 12-19, 2018

Stay tuned to more news from www.411radionetwork.com