411 Sports Issue III NBA Brawls and Fights by Cedric E Lyons

Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame 14 Inductees Volume XIV Issue III • Jan. 23-30, 2018

NBA All-Stars Revealed... pg 7

911...

It’s Angela Bassett... pg 15

pg 12

Dallas Cowboys Dak Prescott report card for 2017.. pg 6 Jan 23-30, 2018 www.411sportsnews.com www.411sportsnews.com • www.411radionetwork.com • twitter: @411sportsdfw • facebook/411sportsLLc 1

Volume XIV • Issue III • Jan 23-30, 2018 Publisher /Founder Cedric E. Lyons

Executive Officer

Robert L. Woodard

NBA Brawls and Fights

Editor Shellye Lyons

Contributing Writers Eugene Lynch Stacy Branch Phil Benson Paul Jefferson Star Davis

his entire NBA season has been an all-out brawl between the petty, the uninterested, the furious, and the unintimidated. Four months into the 2017-18 schedule, it already feels like the league has met its quota for bonkers events. Monday night alone produced a short novel through a series of Woj tweets on the Rockets and Clippers madness. But Chris Paul’s tunnel adventure was just the peak of what’s been an unusual stretch of scuffles and real-life fights. Tensions are high in the league, and that goes between players and referees, too. Everyone seems angry and ready to go. Well, maybe not Lonzo Ball — but mostly everyone. A random fight between Nemanja Bjelica and Arron Afflalo on Tuesday night affirmed that. Let’s examine some of the most bizarre beefs and brawls of the season and rate them on a 1-10 scale of ridiculousness to recap.

On-Air Talent Desiraye Hill Louis Medford The Benchwamer Brittney Iwegbu Andréa Jackson-Randle JaShae’ Jackson Valder Beebe Dante Wesley

Marketing/Sales Tyrone Davis Phyllis Vaughn Brittney Iwegbu Erika Anderson

Design Layout

Dallas Cowboys Dak Prescott Report Card

Jan 23-30, 2018

7 Questions with David Brown

By: Harrison Barnes

Social Media in 2018 By: Shellye L

Lyons

asketball is my first love, but it’s not my only one. From the small town in Iowa where I grew up, to Chapel Hill for college, to the Bay Area and now to Dallas, I’ve been lucky in my life to get to meet a wide variety of people, each with their own beliefs, dreams, habits, and outlooks on the world. Interacting with different people with different stories sparked my curiosity about what makes people not only good at what they go, but good, period. I am drawn to leaders who set out to make positive change in their communities.

www.411sportsnews.com

The Lyons Group LLc

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 Each time I write I will give God His praise. This week’s blessing is “Stay in Your Own Lane”. By Max Lucado: Stir up the gift of God which is in you. 2 Timothy 1:6

BRAND CONNECT FOLLOW A PLATFORM, DESIGNED WITH THE ATHLETE IN MIND... CONNECT ALL THINGS SPORTS, FITNESS & WELLNESS RELATED.

LIKE US, FOLLOW US, SHARE US FACEBOOK.COM/FOLLOWBCPRO INSTAGRAM @BRANDINGCHAMPIONS TWITTER @ FOLLOWBCPRO

A little boy named Adam wanted to be like his friend Bobby. Adam loved the way Bobby walked and talked. Bobby, however, wanted to be like Charlie. Something about Charlie’s stride and accent intrigued him. Charlie, on the other hand, was impressed with Danny. Charlie wanted to look and sound like Danny, Danny, of all things, had a hero as well: Adam. He wanted to be just like Adam. So, Adam was imitating Bobby, who was imitating Charlie, who was imitating Danny, who was imitating Adam. Turns out, all Adam had to do was be himself. Stay in your own lane. Run your own race. Nothing good happens when you compare and compete. God does not judge you according to the talents of others. He judges you according to yours. His yardstick for measuring faithfulness is how faithful you are with your own gifts. You are not responsible for the nature of your gift. But you are responsible for how you use it. ••••• Now, let me talk about the playoffs last week. One game I want to focus on is New Orleans vs Minnesota. This game started out as a blow-out in the first half. The saints could not do anything right and the Vikings could not do anything wrong except the field goal they missed at the end of the first half, which proved to be a pivotal part of the game. The saints came out in the second half and found the real Drew Brees and he may have played the best 2nd half we’ve ever seen. Brees picked the Vikings apart like Swiss cheese and this looked like the Vikings curse was back on. With 10 seconds left at their own 39-yard line, the Vikings ran a play titled “Buffalo Right, Seven Heaven.” Keenum took a shotgun snap with running back Jerick McKinnon to his left. Kyle Rudolph, the tight end, ran an out route underneath

WWW.BRANDINGCHAMPIONS.COM

www.411sportsnews.com

near the right sideline, while wide receiver Adam Thielen ran a comeback route near the left sideline. Wide receivers Jarius Wright and Stefon Diggs ran corner routes, or “seven” routes, to the right sideline. McKinnon, who was an extra blocker for this play, and the offensive line blocked the 4 Saints rushers. Keenum was able to set his feet and complete a pass to Diggs near the right sideline, who caught the ball at the Saints’ 33 yard line. As he attempted to make the tackle on Diggs, Saints’ free safety Marcus Williams collided with cornerback Ken Crawley, allowing Diggs to stumble yet stay in bounds with no Saints defender in sight. Although the original intent was for Diggs to catch the ball and run out of bounds to set up a field goal attempt, seeing that no one was in front of him to tackle him, and no one immediately behind him to bring him down, Diggs sprinted down the sideline to the end zone just as time expired. Assuming the game was over due to the score differential, broadcast and stadium crew packed the field, and most Saints players left for the locker room. Eventually, both teams returned for the mandated conversion attempt, in which Keenum led the Vikings’ famous “Skol Chant,” and knelt to end the game on the extra point try. Only eight players—punter Thomas Morstead, wide receiver Austin Carr, defensive lineman Cameron Jordan, linebackers Manti Te’o and Gerald Hodges and offensive linemen John Fullington, Josh LeRibeus and Larry Warford—took the field for the Saints on the final play; only three of them were defensive players. While a 15-yard excessive celebration penalty was to be assessed to Diggs for throwing his helmet, excessive celebration can only be enforced on a kickoff. Since there was no time left on the clock for a kickoff and the Vikings decided to line up as if it were a two-point conversion, Keenum took a knee at the 2-yard line, rather than the 17-yard line. Thus became The Minneapolis Miracle The curse has been lifted from Minnesota. The catch was made on the same side that Drew Person made the Hail Mary catch. Minnesota is free now they might win the Super Bowl.

Cedric E Lyons clyons@411sportsnews.com

Jan 23-30, 2018

2018 Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame Inductees The Class of 2017 includes: Locious Williams, Artis Gilmore, John Lucas, Debra Rodman, Cassius Green, Allen Wilson, Leonard Bishop, Aaron Glen, Merton Hanks, Billy “White Shoes” Johnson, Russell Maryland, Lee Carter, Rita Crockett, Dorothy Miles. This class has names that brings back memories of why we play the game. Billy “White Shoes” Johnson brought us the end zone dance. It might have been the funky chicken but is was a celebration of a touchdown and that has sparked so many end zone celebrations from the Redskins fun bunch to the Iky shuffle. Butch Johnson doing the California Quake or Jamal Anderson doing the dirty bird. This class gives us the #1 draft choice in Russell Maryland. Drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1991. Russell was another cog in the Dallas Cowboys machine. Maryland started as a rookie and was very relentless as a run stopper. He was the first overall pick in the 1991 NFL Draft, by the Dallas Cowboys, after the initial No. 1 prospect Raghib Ismail decided to sign with the Toronto Argonauts. [3] After the New England Patriots failed to sign Ismail, the Cowboys attempted to do so by trading for the first overall pick, sending the Patriots Eugene Lockhart, Ron Francis, David Howard, a 1991 first round pick (#11 Pat Harlow) and a 1991 second round pick (#41 Jerome Henderson). Maryland started as a rookie defensive tackle and from the beginning showed the relentless motor and effort that he would be known for. He was especially stout against the run and helped the team win three Super Bowls. In 1993 he was named to his only Pro Bowl. Oakland Raiders

the team record for longest interception return with a 100yard touchdown against the Miami Dolphins.[6] In 2001, he started 12 games, missing 3 contests with a sprained knee. He had 39 tackles and 12 passes defensed (second on the team). Houston Texans Glenn was acquired by the Houston Texans through the 2002 NFL Expansion Draft. He started 16 games at left cornerback, registering 75 tackles, 5 interceptions, 16 passes defensed and one sack. He and teammate Gary Walker became the first Texans to reach the NFL Pro Bowl in 2002. In 2003, he started 11 games and was declared inactive in 2 because of injury, before being placed on the injured reserve list for the final 3 contests. He finished with 29 tackles, one interception and 16 passes defensed. The next year, he started 16 games, making 5 interceptions and 14 passes defensed. He was released because of salary cap reasons on April 26, 2005. Dallas Cowboys Glenn signed with the Dallas Cowboys before the 2005 season reuniting him with Bill Parcells, who was his head coach with the New York Jets. Coming in as a 33 year old free agent, he surprised observers with his high level of play. Although he was projected to be involved only on the nickel defense, he started 7 games in place of an injured Anthony Henry and recorded 4 interceptions (led the team).

In 1996 he signed as a free agent with the Oakland Raiders and played for the team until the end of the 1999 season when he was waived.

The next year, he played in 16 games (1 start) and was used mostly on the nickel defense, registering 20 tackles with one interception. In 2007, Wade Phillips was hired as the new head coach and released Glenn on September 1.

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

In 2000 he was signed as a free agent by the Green Bay Packers where he played only one year.

On September 3, 2007, he signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars.[9] He played in 5 games (4 starts) and was declared inactive for 11 regular season games and 2 playoff games.

During his 10-year career he started 140-of-154 games, had 375 tackles, 24.5 sacks and forced nine fumbles. Aaron Glen: New York Jets Glenn was selected by the New York Jets in the first round (12th overall) of the 1994 NFL Draft. He played his first eight seasons in the NFL with the Jets, from 1994 to 2001. In 1996, Glenn set

Jan 23-30, 2018

New Orleans Saints Glenn signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Saints on April 7, 2008. He injured his ankle during the second game of the season, which limited his playing time until being placed on the injured reserve list on November 27. We will go over other inductees until the induction ceremony.

www.411sportsnews.com

Dallas Cowboys Dak Prescott Report Card

ow that the season is over it is time to give out grades, how did the Cowboys do after a season of disappointments. Let’s break down each position starting with the QB, so without delay, here we go. Quarterback: Dak was thought to have gone through a sophomore slump before the season began. With a previous season that saw a rookie 3rd string quarterback rise to lead the Cowboys to a 13-3 season and Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Prescott was a bit of a surprise winner over teammate Ezekiel Elliott, who led the NFL with 1,631 rushing yards. However, the quarterback was every bit as impressive with 3,667 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He also added six touchdowns on the ground while leading the Cowboys to a 13-3 record. So, what does the 2nd year brings to the impressive rookie. Not the year he had last year. With the Cowboys going 9-7 this year amidst a lot of distractions off the field, which includes Elliot suspension and Jerry Jones comments about kneeling or not kneeling. Prescott had to overcome a change in strategy with Elliot. What looked like a great offence after the Chiefs game, became a disaster during the Falcons game where Dak was sacked 8 times and looked like he never recovered. Recency bias is the tendency to think that trends and patterns we observe in the recent past will continue in the future. Because it’s easier, our minds are hardwired to use our recent experience as the baseline for what will happen in the future. In many situations, this bias works just fine, especially if you’re making short-term predictions. Even for highly changeable events like the weather or the stock market, making short-term predictions according to events in the recent past works fine much of the time. But predicting the future in the long term according to what has recently occurred is no more accurate than flipping a coin. Recency bias is a very real thing in Cowboys Nation right now. Under the impression of the last three games against the Raiders, Seahawks, and Eagles, in which the Cowboys offense didn’t just squander their playoff chances, but also barely managed 13 points per game, some people are calling for Scott Linehan’s head, others are calling for the Cowboys to draft a QB in the first round, and the really clever ones are sharing their idea that the Cowboys should hire a real GM.

All valid points of course - based on the last three games, and perhaps even a few more games beyond that. Nobody is going to deny that Dak Prescott has played poorly over the last three games, averaging a passer rating of just 64.9. This performance (and previous performances) has many an agitated fan getting upset at the notion of Dak Prescott being called a franchise quarterback, going on lengthy rants against perceived Prescott apologists, wondering whether firing the QB coach can fix Prescott’s issues, or simply wishing Tony Romo back. But what if the sailing passes, short throws, hurried deliveries, and slow reads you’ve seen from Prescott over the last few games are not the actual problem, but merely the symptom of an underlying but different problem? Dak Prescott has played 32 games in his NFL career, winning 22 of them. Todd Archer of ESPN Dallas provides some perspective on those numbers. Since the 1970 merger, only Russell Wilson has more wins in his first two seasons (24). His 45 touchdown passes are 11th best. His interception percentage (1.79) is second best, with 17 picks in his first 32 starts. He is 11th in passing yards (6,991) and is the only Cowboys starter with consecutive 3,000-yard seasons to open his career. Prescott played an outstanding game in 2016, and continued that game into the first half of 2017, the early-season meltdown against the Broncos notwithstanding. For the first eight games of 2017, Prescott was still a top 10 passer as measured by passer rating, throwing 16 TDs to just 4 INTs, and accumulating 1,800 passing yards. The numbers here show a significant increase in sacks an QB hits over the last eight games of 2017 versus the previous periods, and while correlation does not always imply causation, I think it’s fair to say that the increased pressure Prescott faced over the second part of the season impacted his performance. Does this mean Prescott has become gun shy? I don’t think so, at least not with the way he kept taking hits even in the season finale. But you’ve

www.411sportsnews.com

got to wonder whether the increased pressure he’s been facing has resulted in his forcing some throws, throwing with the wrong mechanics, or even making the wrong reads. In addition to pressure, there is one other key factor tied to Prescott’s performance, and that’s Tyron Smith’s availability. Remember, Smith sat out the 9th and 10th game (Atlanta, Philly), played three snaps in the 15th game (Seattle) and then sat out the season finale. Here are Prescott’s numbers with and without Tyron Smith in the lineup: Dak Prescott, Games 9-18, 2017

With Tyron Smith

Passer Rating

Without Tyron Smith

88.8

Yards/Attempt 7.8

61.5 5.4

Sacks 5 17 QB Hits 16 28 With Smith in the lineup, Prescott saw the same amount of pressure as he did in the first eight games of the season, and his passer rating was okay-ish, even if it dropped by 8 points versus the first eight games. His yards per attempt of 7.8 were even up versus the 7.0 he had in the first eight games. But without Tyron Smith in the lineup, things came crashing down in a bad way. And it’s likely that the issue for Prescott wasn’t just about Tyron Smith, but the knock-on effect Smith’s absence had on the rest of the offensive line. There is no doubt that Prescott will have to continue working on his mechanics, his reads, and his accuracy for next year and the years beyond. But there is no reason not to believe Prescott can get back to the performance levels he showed over the first 24 games of his career - if he gets the protection he needs. But wait, doesn’t every quarterback look great if he has great protection? Not necessarily. Dak Prescott had some very good pass protection in 2016 and ended up with a 104.9 passer rating for the season. Over the last 10 years, the No. 1 ranked offensive line in pass protection as ranked by Football Outsiders produced a QB with a 100+ passer rating just twice: Tony Romo in Dallas in 2014 and Peyton Manning in Denver in 2013. Dak Prescott is no Aaron Rodgers, no Tom Brady, no Peyton Manning, not even a Tony Romo. And he never will be. But put in the right situation, and afforded the right protection, he has shown that he can produce at a similar level. If the Cowboys want Prescott back playing at the level he did over his first 24 games, they’ll need to make sure they afford him the same type of protection he had for those games, even if that means a little more draft capital or free agency dollars for the O-line. And Prescott will still have to work on his mechanics, his reads, and his accuracy.

Jan 23-30, 2018

NBA All-Stars Reveled Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James, Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry named starters, captains for 2018 NBA All-Star Game James, Curry will choose team rosters, with reserves yet to be named, for upcoming showcase in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 18 The Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James and the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry lead the list of 10 players selected by fans, NBA players and media to start in the 2018 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles. James and Curry will serve as team captains after finishing as the All-Star starter from each conference who received the most fan votes in his conference. The 67th NBA All-Star Game, featuring Team LeBron vs. Team Stephen, will take place on Sunday, Feb. 18 at 8 p.m. ET on TNT and ESPN Radio. The midseason classic from Staples Center will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages. Under the new All-Star Game format that replaces the traditional matchup between the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference, James and Curry will choose the team rosters from the pool of players voted as starters and reserves. The AllStar teams will still feature 12 players from each

conference, but the captains will select the team rosters without regard for conference affiliation. Each captain’s first four selections must come from the pool of eight remaining starters. As the top overall finisher in fan voting, James will make the first pick. In addition to James (frontcourt), who has been named an All-Star for the 14th consecutive year, the starters from the East player pool are the Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (frontcourt), the Toronto Raptors’ DeMar DeRozan (guard), the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid (frontcourt) and the Boston Celtics’ Kyrie Irving (guard). Joining Curry (guard) as starters from the West player pool are the New Orleans Pelicans’ DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis (both frontcourt), the Warriors’ Kevin Durant (frontcourt) and the Houston Rockets’ James Harden (guard). The starters – two guards and three frontcourt players from each conference – were announced tonight during TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by Autotrader. The network will unveil the reserves, as selected by NBA head coaches, on Tuesday, Jan.

23 at 7 p.m. ET during TNT NBA Tip-Off. The team rosters will be revealed on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. ET in a special one-hour edition of TNT NBA Tip-Off. Fans accounted for 50 percent of the vote to determine the NBA All-Star Game starters, while current players and a media panel accounted for 25 percent each. James (2,638,294 fan votes) edged Antetokounmpo (2,530,211) as the top overall vote-getter among fans, while Curry (2,379,494) led the West. Durant (2,238,406) and Irving (2,170,833) also had the highest fan totals in their respective position groups. After all votes were tallied, players were ranked in each conference by position (guard and frontcourt) within each of the three voting groups – fan votes, player votes and media votes. Each player’s score was calculated by averaging his weighted rank from the fan votes, the player votes and the media votes. The two guards and three frontcourt players with the best score in each conference were named NBA All-Star Game starters. Fan vot-

see NBA continued on page 8

YOU NEED EXPOSURE! ASK US ABOUT OUR FULL COLOR BLOWOUT SALE “FEATURE YOUR BUSINESS”

Are you Ready to Break Free from the Destiny Terminator and live life on purpose? Sign Up NOW $

CLUB ï RESTURANT ï REAL ESTATE

ï CAR DEALERSHIP ï INSURANCE ï ETC... SPACE IS GOING FAST!!!!! ADVERTISE NOW!!! GET HALF OFF STANDARD ADS

469-249-2411 ACT NOW DON’T WAIT Jan 23-30, 2018

In this 3 Day Experience You Will.... • Craft your Destiny Blue Print • Discover 3 Keys to a Dream builders success • Gain Clarity & Confidence • Unleash Your Hidden Potential

www.411sportsnews.com

NBA continued from page 7

ing served as the tiebreaker for players in a position group with the same score. This year, the tiebreaker was not needed to determine a starting spot. ALL-STAR GAME STARTER POOL Eastern Conference

Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks (2nd All-Star selection): After starting last year’s game in his All-Star debut, Antetokounmpo will become the first Milwaukee player to start consecutive NBA All-Star Games since Marques Johnson in the 1979 and 1980 midseason classics. DeMar DeRozan, Raptors (4th AllStar selection): Toronto’s all-time leading scorer will start the All-Star Game for the second year in a row after earning his third straight selection. Joel Embiid, 76ers (1st All-Star selection): A first-time All-Star in his second season, Embiid will be the first 76ers player to start an All-Star Game since Allen Iverson in 2006. Kyrie Irving, Celtics (5th All-Star selection): An All-Star for the fifth time in seven seasons, Irving was the MVP of the 2014 All-Star Game as a 21-year-old in his third season. LeBron James, Cavaliers (14th AllStar selection): The four-time Kia NBA MVP will make his 14th All-Star Game start, one behind Kobe Bryant (15) for the most in NBA history. James has tied Michael Jordan, Karl

Malone and Jerry West with his 14th All-Star selection, trailing only five players: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (19 All-Star selections), Bryant (18), Tim Duncan (15), Kevin Garnett (15) and Shaquille O’Neal (15).

All Ask

Western Conference DeMarcus Cousins, Pelicans (4th All-Star selection): This marks the fourth straight All-Star berth for Cousins, who made it with the Sacramento Kings in each of the previous three seasons. Stephen Curry, Warriors (5th AllStar selection): The two-time Kia NBA MVP will be the first player in Warriors history to start five consecutive All-Star Games.

Before You Turn The Lights Out

Anthony Davis, Pelicans (5th AllStar selection): Davis, who scored a record 52 points in last year’s All-Star Game, has passed Chris Paul for the most All-Star selections in Pelicans history. Davis joins Cousins to give New Orleans two All-Star starters for the first time.

By Charlene Austin

Kevin Durant, Warriors (9th All-Star selection): The 2012 All-Star Game MVP has been named an All-Star for the ninth season in a row. James Harden, Rockets (6th AllStar selection): His six All-Star nods have all come in his six seasons with Houston, putting him third behind Hakeem Olajuwon (12 All-Star selections) and Yao Ming (eight) for the most in Rockets history.

www.411sportsnews.com

Jan 23-30, 2018

Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles fly into Super Bowl, rout Vikings 38-7

A bit later, after their stunning and resounding 38-7 rout of the Minnesota Vikings earned them the NFC championship, they listened as nearly 70,000 made the Linc shake with “Fly Eagles Fly.” Hey Philly, you’re in the Super Bowl. “It was electric. The fans are awesome,” All-Pro tackle Lane Johnson said. “We’re going there to prove we belong,” added Brandon Graham of the meeting with the AFC champion Patriots in two weeks. And maybe it’s time for everyone to put aside Carson Wentz’s injury. Nick Foles might be good enough to win the Eagles their first NFL title since 1960.

he’s been through and battled, he stayed the course and we all believed in him.” Foles was helped greatly by the Eagles’ domination on defense and a spectacular weaving 50yard interception return TD by Patrick Robinson. Philadelphia ruined the Vikings’ hopes of being the first team to play in a Super Bowl in its own stadium. “I’m so proud of our players,” team owner Jeffrey Lurie said. “The resilience this group of men has is unequaled.” Defensive end Chris Long had a huge hand in Robinson’s 50yard interception return. Long burst in from the left side and got his arm on Keenum to disrupt the throw for Adam Thielen. The ball went directly to Robinson, who sped down the left side, then made a sharp cut to the right and got a superb block from Ronald Darby to reach the end zone.

Foles was on fire Sunday night against the stingiest scoring defense in the NFL. Next up after their most-lopsided playoff victory: the Eagles’ first Super Bowl appearance since 2005, against the team that beat them then.

Turnovers, something Minnesota rarely committed with an NFC-low 14 during the season, hurt again and not only ended a solid drive, but set up more Philly points. On third down from the Eagles 15, Keenum was blindsided by rookie Derek Barnett, and the ball bounced directly to Long.

“I just think you’ve got to keep going at it,” Foles said. “And we all believe in each other. I’m blessed to have amazing teammates, amazing coaches. Everyone here that’s a part of the Philadelphia Eagles organization is first class.”

A blown coverage – another rarity for Minnesota – on thirdand-10 allowed Alshon Jeffery to get wide open for a 53-yard TD, and Philadelphia tacked on Jake Elliott’s 38-yard field goal to make it 24-3 at halftime.

Foles’ best work might have come against Minnesota (144) and its vaunted defense that was torn apart in every manner. Foles threw for 352 yards and three touchdowns, showing poise, escapability and moxie in going 26 for 33. “I’m so happy for Nick and the offense,” said coach Doug Pederson, “and for Nick, everything

Jan 23-30, 2018

“Credit to Philadelphia, they got after us pretty good tonight and we didn’t do enough good things,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. “I’m still proud of my football team with the way they worked all year. The way they went about their business. The way they competed all year and tonight we didn’t get it done.”

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Give ’em a hand: Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are heading back to the Super Bowl. Brady shook off a hand injury and threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Danny Amendola with 2:48 remaining, rallying the Patriots to a 24-20 comeback victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC championship Sunday. Brady, wearing a black bandage on his right hand after needing stitches to close a cut that happened on a play during practice earlier in the week, showed no signs of being hampered. And, with the game – and the season – possibly on the line, the Patriots star came up big again. “I’ve had a lot worse,” Brady said. “I didn’t know that on Wednesday. It was a crazy injury. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday was a little scary. Then I started getting some confidence and today we did just enough to win.” Brady finished 26 of 38 for 290 yards and two touchdowns to Amendola for the Patriots (153), who’ll play the Philadelphia Eagles in Minneapolis on Feb. 4. It’s the eighth Super Bowl appearance for Brady and coach Bill Belichick, who have won five times – including last year’s 34-28 overtime rally against the Atlanta Falcons. “It’s pretty amazing. Just to be on a team that wins these kinds of games, it’s just a great accomplishment,” Brady said. “I’m just so proud of everyone on our team, we made so many great plays. Defense played so great when they needed to.” Blake Bortles and the Jaguars (12-7) led 20-10 early in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t hold against the defending champi-

www.411sportsnews.com

NFL Playoffs

PHILADELPHIA – With one quarter remaining, Eagles players on the field and sideline already were dancing.

Tom Brady-to-Danny Amendola sends Patriots back to Super Bowl

ons. The NFL’s second-ranked defense kept Brady and the Patriots at bay for most of the game, but lost linebacker Myles Jack and defensive tackle Marcell Dareus on consecutive plays on New England’s winning drive. “It’s a locker room obviously with a lot of pain,” Jaguars coach Doug Marrone said. “I’m sure they’re hurting inside. I’m hurting. The players are hurting.”

With New England trailing 2017, Amendola returned a punt 20 yards to put the ball at the Jaguars 30. Brady hit James White for 15 yards, Amendola for 8 and then the quarterback ran up the middle for 2 yards and a first down. Jacksonville – looking to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history – had one more shot, but Bortles’ throw on fourth-and-15 to Dede Westbrook was knocked away by Stephon Gilmore. “Guys are upset,” Bortles said. “It’s not what anybody expects – contrary to popular belief. Those guys fully expected to win that game.”

The Patriots ran out the clock, with Dion Lewis’ 18-yard scamper with 90 seconds remaining sealing the victory. And they played most of the game without tight end Rob Gronkowski, who left late in the first half and didn’t return. He reportedly suffered a concussion.

Brady hurt his right hand during practice earlier in the week. “Of all the plays, my season wasn’t going to end on a handoff in practice,” Brady said. “Big play in the game,” Brady said. “Ended up being a huge drive for us.”

March Madness: Can strength of schedule help us identify national champion, Final Four teams?

dentifying potential Final Four teams or national champions is a difficult, often fruitless exercise. College basketball is the ultimate “expect the unexpected” sport. But while accurately filling out an NCAA tournament bracket hinges on good fortune, there’s enough science involved to be satisfied when you nail a Final Four pick. Or better yet, a champion. Strength of schedule is a common talking point when breaking down tournament teams. Today we’re asking the question: is it a reliable indicator of success or failure in the Big Dance?

nal Four team with the toughest strength of schedule didn’t win the national championship. But it happened in 2016 and 2017. •T he Final Four team with the easiest strength of schedule has also won the title twice – in 2012 and 2014. •T he 10 teams with a sub-11 strength of schedule are a combined 3-7 in their semifinal games. Teams 65 or higher are 4-2.

• I f the No. 13 team happens to be rolling heading into the NCAA tournament….. not saying, but just saying. The verdict: Strength of schedule can be a helpful metric in selecting Final Four teams and national champions, but shouldn’t be the only metric you consult. It’s most useful in predicting a title winner, which happens to earn you the most points on your bracket.

10 myths about Selection Sunday and how the committee picks the field

“It’s obviously a perception that’s out there, but it couldn’t be any more inaccurate. Past team performance or conference counts are completely irrelevant. Teams that have a great history of doing well in the tournament and winning championships have no advantage over a team in the current year. Everything is based on what you’ve done over 30-some odd games in the ‘17-18 season. What All-Americans you’ve had, what coaches you’ve had, what tournaments you’ve won means absolutely nothing.”

Bats are blind, Napoleon was short, and the NCAA Tournament selection committee lives and dies with the RPI.

4. Oh, those fun-loving committee members do have a flair for the dramatic. That’s why they set up some of those early round matchups.

All myths. It’s the last one that brings us here today. The committee will be at center stage soon, and here are the top-10 misconceptions surrounding its work, with rebuttal from David Worlock, the NCAA’s director of media coordination and statistics, and a constant presence in the committee room.

5. Nothing gets put into that bracket without the television suits nodding yes.

Some observations:

•T hat said, no team has won the national title with a strength of schedule higher than 28. The average SOS of champions since 2010 is 15.1. •O f these teams, 10 entered the tournament with a strength of schedule of 10 or lower. Eight were between 11 and 20. Five were between 21 and 40, while nine were 41st or higher. •A pparently, 13 is a lucky number in college basketball. The last three national champions have entered the NCAA tournament 13th in strength of schedule. Who’s currently in that spot, you may wonder? Villanova, the No. 1 team in the AP Poll. Likely a coincidence, but if the No. 13 strength of schedule team wins for the fourth year in a row, it would be something. •T he school with the toughest strength of schedule hasn’t made the Final Four in the last eight years. •T he Final Four team with the easiest strength of schedule in this stretch was 2013 Wichita State, which lost in its semifinal game. 2014 Kentucky (No. 2) was the highest, and it lost in the national title game. • Between 2010 and 2015, the Fi-

“No, conference affiliation and the conference’s RPI are not part of the decision-making process. In essence, teams are viewed as independents by the committee when it comes time to select teams. In fact, the Nitty Gritty reports and team sheets don’t include the conference RPI for each team.” 3. Last year’s bracket must be taped up on the wall in the committee room, since if a conference had X number of teams last year, it’s almost a lock to get that many this year. Also, the blue-bloods will always get the benefit of the doubt. The mid-majors? Not so much.

Here’s what the data from the last eight years says. The number next to each team is where it was ranked in strength of schedule heading into the NCAA tournament. The lower the number, the stronger the schedule.

•O f the 32 teams who have made the Final Four since 2010, their average strength of schedule ranking is 28.6.

2. Membership matters. Conference affiliation is huge in team selections.

•H owever, those four winners would all go on to lose in the national championship. •H ere are the Final Fours (judged by strength of schedule) ranked from hardest to easiest: 2014, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2010, 2011, 2017, 2013. •T eams with a 45 or higher ranking seem to make the Final Four in pairs. That’s happened four times – in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2017. Great. So how can you apply this to your bracket? •W hen choosing a champion – it’s good to select a team that has a faced a tough schedule, but not too tough of a schedule. Some possible reasons behind that: perhaps squads get worn out facing rigorous tests night after night. Some highly-rated teams don’t, you know, win very much, and a high SOS ranking doesn’t always equal a high tournament seed. That makes the path tougher. At the same time, you want a squad that has faced a decent number of quality teams, and fared well. •Y ou can be a little more daring when choosing Final Four teams – at least by the strength of schedule metric. Gonzaga blew through its first five games in the 2017 tournament despite the No. 80 ranking, but fell to North Carolina in the title game.

Give the strength of schedule rankings a look before filling yours out – and realize that anywhere between 10 and 30 is the sweet spot. •

1. The RPI is the Holy Grail for the committee, and what it says goes on Selection Sunday. “Not true. The RPI is rarely mentioned in the room. Because of the wealth of game and team information available to the committee, they are able to dig much deeper in analyzing any team. The RPI is one of several components, but it doesn’t drive the process.

www.411sportsnews.com

“Turner/CBS records brief footage of the room periodically during the meeting, with no selection information visible. Otherwise, no one besides the committee and NCAA staff is present while any of the selection, seeding or bracketing is taking place.” 6. Imagine a backroom of secret handshakes, only without the cigar smoke. That’s the committee when it comes time for granting favors to its own schools and conferences. “While the voting process and discussion in the committee room is

See March continued on page 18 Jan 23-30, 2018

7 Questions with David Brown By: HARRISON BARNES you expand a little bit on what you meant by that? David Brown

In that spirit, I’m doing a series of interviews I’m doing this season with people who I admire from afar. I want to get to know them better and share our conversations here. My latest interview is with one of Dallas’s most recognized and respected people, the former police chief David Brown. Chief Brown is Dallas through and through. He grew up here, he became a cop here in his early 20s. He patrolled some of the same streets he’d grown up on. Then, more than twenty years later, he rose to police chief, where his efforts at reforming the department received both praise and criticism. Before he retired last year, Chief Brown led Dallas through one of its most trying periods, after five police officers were killed in July 2015. In fact, the first time I met Chief Brown was at the memorial service for the fallen officers, only days after I moved to Dallas. Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which felt like the right time to share my conversation with Chief Brown. This year is actually the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s death. Since I was a kid, I was in awe of Dr. King’s commitment to civil disobedience and human dignity. He made such a massive contribution to this country, but as we all can see, there’s still a lot of work left to be done. And if you’re in Dallas this weekend, check out all the events going on. Dallas is known for having one of the biggest MLK Day parades in the country. Harrison Barnes At our dinner a few months ago, you described Dallas as a “big small town.” Can

Jan 23-30, 2018

Harrison You grew up in Dallas. Tell me something that people would be surprised to know about this city. David It still struggles to come together around race and economic class. And much of it is from a historical perspective — it goes back generations. Economically, Dallas has been one of the fastest-growing cities in the country — real estate’s been on fire. But it’s still got this wound in its history that it continues to struggle with. Harrison Over this summer you and I partnered up to put on a camp in Dallas with the Police Athletic League (PAL). You’ve always championed PAL, which is described as “a program for Dallas kids and use educational, athletic, and recreational activities to create trust and understanding between police officers and the community.” What’s the story of how it got created? David There’s a history from the 1980s of the Dallas Police Department’s Police Athletic League, but it was an unfunded effort, so it went away in the ‘80s. I brought it back when I became chief in 2010. It’s such a great program — because it’s a positive interaction between people and police. I don’t know how many times I almost got fired over doing it, because there’s a culture of policing that goes, This is waste of time to have an officer interacting with young people like this. People who didn’t like it, typically the unions, would constantly go to politicians to try to get me fired over the program. The attitude I had was: You’re gonna have to fire me for it. I’m never getting rid of it. And if you did, it would be worthwhile to get fired over PAL. It was such an important, critical program that I was willing to put my career at stake over doing it.

www.411sportsnews.com

The relationship between police and African-Americans has probably always been strained. You were a police officer for over two decades. Over your career, what has improved, what has gotten worse, and what have taken away from that? David What has improved is that there is more diversity in policing, especially compared to when I started back in 1983, which is 34 years ago now. But what we still struggle with is challenging the culture of policing — challenging it to reform itself. And the difficulty is, as I alluded to before, police leaders have to put their careers on the line oftentimes. It is a very difficult thing to try to reform policing for the betterment of the community. Often what happens is that police departments get in trouble and then the Department of Justice has to come in and a judge has to order the reform. But to try to make the reform happen before you get ordered, you have to fight tooth and nail and your career is at stake. But I feel like I owed the community that I came from. I never forgot where I came from. Putting my career at risk to be a community-oriented police department — I’m proud of that legacy. Harrison At our dinner a few months ago, you talked about being a beat cop in your neighborhood that you grew up in, right around here. What’s your definition of community policing? David It’s being transparent, holding officers accountable, and creating positive interactions with the community, especially with young people of color. We want to impact their view of the police officers — from a negative to a positive. Without any of those components, you don’t have community policing. So you can interact with young people all you want, but if the cops are not doing the job the right way, or not being held accountable, you’re a hypocrite. Nothing really changes in the way they treat people in the community. And when officers do make mistakes — and you try to hide it and not be transparent about it — the conspiracy is always the worst thing. What are you hiding? So you have to be the first to admit your mistakes, in policing. Don’t let the media make you say what you did wrong — when you know a mistake is being made, be the first to say you made a mistake, hold officers accountable, and create interactions that are positive with the community. In my opinion, that’s the definition of community policing.

Player Profile

Dallas is neighborhood-centric. You can be in an affluent neighborhood and have a totally different lifestyle and worldview as one of the poor areas, like where I grew up, where you have fewer services and fewer opportunities. So each neighborhood has a different personality across the city. It’s a blend of affluence and poverty. And the transportation system is not as supportive as you’d find in maybe other major cities because everybody drives cars. So it’s really about the neighborhood — many people don’t leave their neighborhood and hardly ever cross over to another part of town. But it’s the same city.

Harrison

Read the rest of the story on www.411sportsnews.com 11

NBA Brawls and Fights

Ridiculous Rating: 6 Bradley Beal vs. Draymond Green A fight happened involving Draymond, and it wasn’t at all started by Draymond. Brad-

Monday night alone produced a short novel through a series of Woj tweets on the Rockets and Clippers madness.

Cover Story

But Chris Paul’s tunnel adventure was just the peak of what’s been an unusual stretch of scuffles and real-life fights. Tensions are high in the league, and that goes between players and referees, too. Everyone seems angry and ready to go. Well, maybe not Lonzo Ball — but mostly everyone. A random fight between Nemanja Bjelica and Arron Afflalo on Tuesday night affirmed that. Let’s examine some of the most bizarre beefs and brawls of the season and rate them on a 1-10 scale of ridiculousness to recap. Bobby Portis vs. Nikola Mirotic A season of fights started before the first game of the year even tipped off, and it happened between a pair of teammates! In practice, Portis punched Mirotic and gave him a facial fracture and concussion that kept him out until the second week of December. Portis was suspended for eight games. That’s a strange story in itself considering how few teammates beef to that point. But this isn’t where the story ends. Mirotic and Portis have played outstandingly well on the court together, and suddenly the Bulls aren’t terrible! Because of course. They even appear to be on-court friends.

Ridiculousness Rating: A perfect 10 Chris Paul, Trevor Ariza, James Harden, Decoy Capela, Gerald Green, and Tarik Black vs. Blake Griffin and Austin Rivers No words. Ridiculousness Rating: Infinity

ley Beal, why would you do this? This was a bizarre grappling fight that was really just a takedown with no punches. But the standout event is that Beal actually clawed Green’s jersey off. That’s what makes this scuffle memorable. Ridiculousness Rating: 7 Shaun Livingston vs. A Referee In 14 seasons, Livingston had never been ejected. Leave it to the 2017-18 season to see him AND a referee get suspended for butting heads in a game. Ridiculousness Rating: 9 LeBron James vs. Enes Kanter and Frank Ntilikina

Goran Dragic vs. DeMar DeRozan

What a beautiful mess this was.

After the buzzer of the same Heat-Raptors game that Ibaka and Johnson fought in, Dragic and DeRozan went at each other for reasons we may never know.

Ridiculous Rating: 7

The beef here isn’t clear aside from whatever words were exchanged in the moment. A DeRozan-Dragic fight may have been my 500th prediction at who would scrap this season. Have I mentioned that this was a random League Pass game?

It’s mature as hell, but wow, his teammates couldn’t have been pleased.

Ridiculousness Rating: 6

WHY WOULD YOU MESS WITH A BLACK BELT IN KARATE LIKE THAT, SERGE?

I have never in my life seen, and may never again see a nine-person fight in which the 10th walks away. Lonzo really did it. “It’s the NBA,” Ball said after the game. “People ain’t really going to fight. I ain’t trying to get no tech.”

Lathered in pettiness from statements made before the game, James bumped Ntilikina, and the Knicks rookie shoved back. James had vocalized his support for Dennis Smith Jr. in pregame interviews, who was passed by in the draft by New York in favor of Ntilikina. LeBron’s comments didn’t sit well for any of the Knicks, and Kanter in particular. So Kanter went on to defend his rookie.

Serge Ibaka vs. James Johnson

Lakers (except Lonzo Ball) vs. the Suns

Kevin Durant vs. Russell Westbrook Everyone knows why these two hate each other, but who thought that a full year later, they’d still be going at each other like this?! Face-to-face! The pettiness is through the roof. Ridiculous Rating: 9

www.411sportsnews.com

When you combine trash talk and the physical nature and high emotions of an NBA game, things can sometimes get out of control. The NBA has seen hundreds one-on-one fights through its many years of basketball history, but it is the all out brawls among teams, players, coaches, and sometimes even fans, that remain etched in our collective sports memories. There have been instances where a fan has hit a player in the face with a cup of beer, ongoing feuds between players and teams, and healthy rivalries that blossomed into perpetual battles royale. During the 1980s and 1990s the NBA was used to seeing scuffles breakout on a nightly basis with teams like the rugged New York Knicks, the “Bad Boy” Detroit Pistons, the Chicago Bulls, the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat, and the Boston Celtics all regularly contributing to the mayhem. All out brawls became commonplace in the NBA during the final quarter of the 20th century and they weren’t always broken up in a timely fashion. One of the most memorable major brawls in NBA history was, of course, when the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers came together in what became known as “The Malice in the Palace.” There have been many scuffles in the NBA but these are perhaps the biggest basketball brawls and fights of all time. Kevin Garnett Howard

Head-butts

Dwight

The head-butt that left the NBA world buzzing on Jan 12, 2015 happened after Garnett fouled Howard with 7:53 remaining in the first quarter. The two lightly shoved each other, which set something off in Garnett– prompting him to throw the ball at Howard’s back and head-butt him near his mouth. Howard, of course, retaliated, which caused a bit of a tussle between the teams. Garnet was thrown out of the game, suspended for the next one and fined $15,000.

Jan 23-30, 2018

NBA Brawls and Fights Ben Wallace and Ron Artest: The Malice in the Palace It all started in the final minute as Ben Wallace gave Ron Artest a shove to the face. Artest was being held back by an official and Wallace stalked him across the court. Being a proponent of world peace, Artest decided to relax his back on the scorers table while cooler heads prevailed.

Kermit Washington and Tomjanovich: The Punch

Alonzo Mourning, Larry Johnson... and Jeff Van Gundy? The Knicks and Miami Heat provided plenty of great NBA Playoff battles in the 1990s and a big reason for it was the altercations that came nearly every time they faced each other. In this fight, notorious tough guy Charles Oakley was so busy trying to unhook his coach from Mourning’s ankle that he forgot to continue the fight. Thankfully, Oakley chose to be a good guy by saving his coach, because he could have knocked Mourning out with a one-hitter quitter while the 7-footer was too busy looking down in dismay at the Knicks coach who was hanging off of his foot. Kurt Rambis and Kevin McHale: The Clothesline One of the dirtiest plays in NBA history came in the finals between the two foes who make up one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports. The crazy thing is, it was simply called a personal foul and didn’t result in any ejections, despite the fact that the benches quickly emptied. Still, the clothesline alone warrants inclusion on this list. Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal Two of the biggest characters in NBA history

P.J. Brown and Charlie Ward: The Flip The footage is pretty grainy, but you get the point. It turns into total mayhem after Brown flips Ward, who thought he was done taking hits like that when he opted for an NBA career over one in the NFL. Charles Barkley and Bill Laimbeer It’s weird to find names like Charles Barkley, Rick Mahorn and Bill Laimbeer on a list like this, but we managed to find some footage of these NBA gentlemen exchanging un-pleasantries on the court.

Rudy

The most infamous punch in NBA history didn’t need to happen. Tomjanovich, the future NBA championship coach had his career ruined and his future altered when he ran to the defense of his teammate, who was in a seemingly innocuous bear hug from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. What happened next changed two lives forever and spawned an unlikely friendship between Washington and Rudy T.

Jan 23-30, 2018

Kobe Bryant and Chris Childs

Let’s face it, you would at least think about doing the same to Laimbeer if you had a free shot on him, right?

Cover Story

It was then that some high-IQ Pistons’s fan decided to lob a cup of beer into the grill of the Pacers’s star. The rest is history. A history that includes players going 10 rows up in the stands, fans coming onto the court and a lot of punches being thrown.

went at it when Barkley threw the ball in Shaq’s face after O’Neal gave him a quick stiff arm to the face. Both teams quickly emerged on the scene to create a dog pile, which saved us all from having to watch, “The Round Mound of Rebound,” and “Shaq Diesel,” rolling around on the hardwood together. Of course, the two held a pseudo rematch many years later on the set of TNT’s Inside the NBA.

Hakeen Olajuwon Mitch Kupchak

Kobe Bryant is in rarified air when it comes to his competitiveness on the court. His attitude and arrogance have endeared him to Laker fans for nearly two decades, while infuriating opponents and opposing fans alike. However, Kobe should stick to his day job because his fighting skills are lacking. Maybe the dude has a great jab, but it’s Chris Childs. Come on, Kobe! Larry Bird and Julius Erving Larry Bird is one of the greatest players, and trash talkers, in NBA history. Needless to say, his game and his mouth created some tension amongst his peers. When the Eastern Conference powerhouse Celtics hosted the 76ers, another of the East’s top teams, things got out of hand quickly. Dr. J took Bird down in transition and Bird went after him. The end result was Bird being held back by tough guys Charles Barkley and Moses Malone, while Dr. J landed jab after jab on Larry Legend’s face. Robert Parish and Bill Laimbeer By the time he had thrown a series of elbows to Larry Bird’s dome in game 2 and issued one hard foul after another in games 3 and 4, Bill Laimbeer became public enemy number one in Boston. That when Boston’s old-school leader, Robert “The Chief” Parish came to the rescue of the Celtics’s star player. Parish attacked Laimbeer from behind while they were fighting for a rebound.

www.411sportsnews.com

and

Mitch Kupchak, the future general manager of the Lakers took exception to “The Dream” slapping his hand away as they battled for position. So, Kupchak took a shot at Olajuwon’s chin. Hakeem answered with some wild hooks that all missed, in part because the referee went low to tackle the future Hall-of-Famer to the ground, which nearly incited a riot near the Lakers’ bench. Chicago Bulls and New York Knicks: The 1994 Playoff Brawl

The Knicks and Bulls had their moments in the late 80s and early 90s, including this battle between Jo Jo English and Derek Harper in the 1994 playoffs. Harper slammed English to the ground in front of then-NBA Commissioner David Stern, creating a mob scene between the bitter rivals. Kevin Johnson and Doc Rivers

The mayor of California’s capital city and the mild-mannered NBA Championship coach ignited what nearly turned into an all out riot in 1993. Doc Rivers of the Knicks (yeah, those guys again) and Kevin Johnson of the Suns turned your average inter-conference regular season game into absolute bedlam. Derek Harper and Jo Jo English: 1994 Playoff Fight Derek Harper slammed Jo Jo English to the ground right in front of then-NBA Commissioner David Stern. After English hit the hardwood, both teams flooded to the scene and mayhem ensued.

www.411radionetwork.com www.411radionetwork.com www.411radionetwork.com www.411radionetwork.com www.411radionetwork.com 14

www.411sportsnews.com

Jan 23-30, 2018

TIDBITS

9-1-1… It’s Angela Bassett!

By Shellye L. Lyons

k. I LOVE me some Angela Bassett. She is one of my favorite actresses. So, when Benchwarmer said he wanted to highlight her in this issue, I was more than excited to do the write up on her. Although she starred in a number of productions prior to 1991, my first glimpse of this seasoned actress was in one of my all time favorite movies, Boyz in the Hood. In this film, she played a single mother who decided to send her “coming of age” son (Cuba Gooding, Jr.) to live with his father (Laurence Fishburne) because he needed guidance and direction for his life. The role she played was simple, but I immediately liked her. I related to her role and knew she was an actress I was going to want to follow. And I did.

sodes of American Horror Story. She’s been nominated and won a number of awards throughout the years including the Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Primetime Emmys, and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards. (For a detailed list of her awards and nominations, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_awards_and_nominations_ received_by_Angela_Bassett) When I was asked to choose my top 10 favorite movies that Angela Bassett has starred in, my mind went into overload. I could list at last 20! However, since I can only list 10, they would be as follows with 1 being my favorite and 10, being the least favorite (but a favorite nonetheless!):

Angela (I feel like I know her and we’re on a first name basis!) was born in New York City and raised in Harlem in her early years. She was a very good student in school and her interests over the years led her to attend Yale University. She earned a B.A. in African American Studies in 1980, and then went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama in 1983 despite opposition from her aunt who helped raise her. Within two years of earning her degree, she began her acting career at a local theater. In all, in her role as an actress, Angela has starred in over 45 Movies, over 15 TV movies, over 30 TV series (including a leading role in the new TV series, 9-1-1!), 5 Theatre productions, and even had a voice role/motion capture in a video game. She directed the TV movie, Whitney, and two epi-

1. M y most favorite Angela Bassett movie is Waiting to Exhale (1995). This movie follows the lives of four African-American women friends —Savannah, Robin, Bernadine, and Gloria—who go through different stages of love and life. Angela starred alongside Whitney Houston, Lela Rochon, and Loretta Devine, as Bernadine “Bernie” Harris who abandoned her dream and desire of having a catering business to raise a family and support her husband who ends up divorcing her for a white woman. Not only was this a great movie, the soundtrack was off the chain! I loved this movie because, again, I could relate to her character. I think I like this movie so much because I could actually relate to a lot of the situations amongst all four women. It made me cry, it made me laugh, and it made me shout! And when she walked away from that burning car with her hair blowing in the wind and she snapped her fingers in the air – THAT was all she wrote for me. When we watched DVDs, that part was played back over and over and over again because she DID that! 2. My next favorite Angela Bassett movie is What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993). In this biography of R&B recording artist, Tina Turner, Angela starred as Tina

Jan 23-30, 2018

www.411sportsnews.com

Turner (aka Anna Mae Bullock) alongside Laurence Fishburne as Ike Turner. This was another amazing movie with an awesome soundtrack and my favorite part was when Tina got the courage to stand up for herself after years of abuse and leave the situation. Another reason I liked this movie is because Angela was extremely fit! She had to be in order to do the dance moves for the part. Whew! 3. N ext up is How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998). Angela starred as Stella Payne in this movie with Taye Diggs, Whoopi Goldberg, and Regina King. She’s a successful 40-yearold stockbroker raising her son. Her bestie persuades her to take a well-deserved trip to Montego Bay, Jamaica where she meets a handsome islander who is twenty years younger. Can you say, Cougar? Well, actually, in the movie, the young man pursues her, so I guess it’s the reverse. Initially she resists because of the age difference, but eventually, love prevails! The soundtrack includes a variety of R&B and reggae music that will get your body moving and grooving. 4. N ext favorite is Boyz n the Hood (1991). As I mentioned earlier in this article, Angela Basset plays Reva, a single mom trying to raise her almost teenage son. He gets in trouble in school so she decides to send him to live with his father for guidance and direction. Anyone who has been a single mom with a son can appreciate this movie. The significance of this movie to me is that, try as we might, there are just some things we can’t teach our sons. I like the fact that she realized that her son needed his father. Even though they may not have gotten along and things didn’t work out between them, she didn’t let that stand in the way of the father-son bond. This movie was also the film

See 911 continued on page 19

HE SAID; SHE SAID

Men are intimidated by women who makes more money than them? By: Star Davis Derrick Cadillac Patterson: False, The more money she makes the more money I have Manage Star Davis: Is that what you think? Stacey Cofer: A few men may be but not all. If a woman treats the man with respect and do not remind him that she makes more than he does, then he will not be intimidated. Shantelle Hawkins: Insecure men yes, Alpha Men no Alberta Doingfabulous Doingme: Hmm. Good question Darrell Cador: Most men aren’t Star Davis but there is a considerable number who are. I never understood that whole dynamic myself because rarely will two people earn the same amount, but me SOME MEN have shown discomfort in their woman earning more than them. Ezell Seals: No, not intimidated at all. Hell, make that money girl. Its the ones that make more, and dont let you forget that they make more that make it bad.

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.

Corey Hubbard: Some men are not me....ones that feel that way are more controlling Kingdom K Tatum: False Ray Bayley: Not at all.... honestly that would be refreshing Derrick Evans: False... Dwayne Williams: False...if I got a choice between a rich bih and a broke broad..I’m goin after the rich one EVERYTIME Fred Owens: I’m not Preston Fingers: False, has nothing to do with money, we just might not like something about y’all as a person. Jonathan Stewart: Extremely false and is used as a copout. Dwayne Williams: I was jus talkin to my homies on this subject last nite... he went on a first date with a chick and she pulled up in a new Rover and he felt a lil intimidated...so I gave him my take on it... Rayshode Djlilbill Amos: What was your take on it Dwayne Williams: Hol up...I’m goin to copy and paste it was a lot of typing Jerald J. Evans: As long as she spending that shit on me...get that money baby! Samuel Henderson: False. But......we do get disrespected and pissed off by a woman who makes more money and lets it effect her thinking, like she’s running sumpn. Danny Stewart-Waters: Speaking for myself, He’ll Naw, I welcome her with open arms

www.411sportsnews.com

Jan 23-30, 2018

HE SAID; SHE SAID Off Da Rickterscale False...Women just tend to ACT differently in such arrangements. Scott Hughes: I don’t think “intimidated” is the right word. But men like to think they are “running thangs” and often equate salary with hierarchy. (Which is incorrect)...See More Jared Coleman: So very false...who comes up with these negative connotations?? Definitely a feministic perception. Um...no...weak people get intimidated by money because they give it power. Last I checked my black ancestors initiated the batter system. Let’s just sa...See More Scott Hughes: They invented the batter system too. My grandpa made THEEEE BEST fish batter... bar none. Jared Coleman: Haha...jokes...take it up with fb’s bootleg spellcheck then Steve Jones: Question should have been why so many black folks are jealous of black success? ..males /females. ...To answer question I’m OK with that Jared Coleman: Its an after effect of hate being forced into their mentality from slave owners’ inferiority complex, however unbecoming of our TRUE royal heritage

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

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

J.r. Atkins: False Women can’t handle it when they make more money. They swear they’re queen of Zamunda Jared Coleman: It’s the whole womanhood validation complex...I thought that ended with the Women’s Equal Rights Act...guess not..BRUTALLY HONEST MOMENT: Um women technically have been making more money since the beginning of time. Too bad we can’t apply the moral value though James Scott: Hell no not the real ones. Cuz we be like she make more than me all s*** trips not going to stop we going to live good!!! I wouldn’t give a damn!! But if she one of the ones that throw it in your face like it’s some big deal she will lose because it’s more than money to make a relationship .. Albert Al Henson: I’m not...I’m a KING regardless. Been there, done that. Kindra Linell: No not true men like a challenge but at the same time they can’t stand a woman that feels like they don’t need the man just because of money James Scott: I’m just saying LOL you have broke women feel like that now what’s the difference... only a fool would want to struggle Byron Jackson: False on my end. But I detest the women who ALWAYS throws shade and says she doesn’t need a man. She can do it by herself. I make more than u. I am the man and I wear the pants. Ur gonna follow me. James Scott Star our race is so divided between the black man and the black female everything has to be a battle with each other that’s why we’re last well almost!!! Cornell Mallory: Two words....(Stedman Graham) if HE ain’t intimidated your measly thousandaire ass ain’t intimidating nobody) Kalvin Walker: Granted if She earned it She deserves it a Man should be supportive if she’s making more than him. Just like a woman should be supportive of her Man looking to one day make just as much. Star Davis: And you have men that are jealous of their own woman!

Jan 23-30, 2018

www.411sportsnews.com

March Madness continued from page 10 strictly confidential -- so that committee members may speak candidly -- there are also specific safeguards to avoid conflicts of interest. At no point is a member present for conversation about or vote on a ballot including a team the individual represents as an athletics director or commissioner. Also, a committee member may not vote and shall not be present during any discussion regarding the selection or seeding of a team in which an immediate family member is a student-athlete on the team, is a member of the coaching staff, or is a senior athletics administrator of the institution. An athletics director or commissioner is permitted to answer general factual questions-- i.e. injury dates, player availability -- about teams in the conference the individual represents.

about 40 computer screens but not a single television. They have a dedicated viewing room which receives feeds of all games for breaks, meals and late-night viewing. But while in the meeting room, they only receive occasional game updates.

7. What it really comes down to is the eye test, right? What they see on TV?

9. Why is the committee like an elephant? It never forgets. So any bubble teams that have complained in the past or tried to put the heat on the committee can start making plans for the NIT.

“Literally tens of thousands of pieces of information are available to the committee, including all box scores and results, game summaries and notes, direct input from each conference with the rationale for each team, various computer rankings, head-to-head and common opponent results, details on coach and player availability, rankings, polls and the NABC regional advisory committee rankings, collected each month, January through March. The committee room has

8. Who can remember December or January? What happened the past two weeks is a lot more important, like it’s always been. “Now subjectively, committee members may look at it and say, `OK, this team really started playing well in February because a player became eligible or an injured player became healthy,’ so that could come in. But the bottom line is, your results in November mean just as much as they do on March 1.

“Bracketologists and others on social media have lots of opinions and we hear them. That’s great. The discussion helps the interest in the game. But the committee uses its own information to gauge the strength of teams. Lobbying through newspaper ads, and in more recent years through social media, have been attempted but the committee’s not impacted either way by what’s said in a positive sense or a negative one. It’s 10 people

www.411sportsnews.com

whose collective opinions determine whether or not a team makes the tournament and where it’s seeded.” 10. The magic number is 20. Reach that many victories, and you have the golden ticket. A winning conference record vital, too. “Using 20 wins, people are starting to figure out, is just not feasible. Because of the number of games teams are playing, to have every team with 20 wins, you would have a field much larger than 68, and that’s not being discussed. Just getting to 20 wins is not a magic number that puts you in the tournament or in consideration for the tournament. “As far as a winning conference record, these conferences have expanded, so teams are playing more conference games but they’re not playing true double-round robin. So the committee has to break down exactly how a team arrives at a 10-8 conference record vs. a team that may be 8-10, but may have played a more difficult conference schedule, Maybe they had to play the upper echelon teams only on the road. One team being 10-8, the other team being 9-9 or 8-10, doesn’t necessarily give that 10-8 team an advantage.” So that’s that. By the way, Napoleon was 5-7. Pretty tall for his time in France.

Jan 23-30, 2018

9-1-1… It’s Angela Bassett! continued from page 15

debut for both Ice Cube and Morris Chestnut.

5. W ho can forget Angela Bassett’s portrayal of Betty Shabazz in Malcolm X (1992)? They definitely needed a strong actress who could hold her own next to the debonair, Denzel Washington. And those tears? She made you feel every one of them! I just feel that anytime Angela plays in a biographical film, she’s going to kill it! I have yet to see the movie Betty & Coretta, but I bet it would be right up here with this one.

South Central Los Angeles and families trying to make the best of the cards they’ve been dealt

9. M eet the Browns (2008). This is a Tyler Perry film so you know it’s got to be good. It is based on the stageplay of the same name. In this movie, Angela Bassett plays a single mom in dire straights who finds out she’s inherited a delapitated home from a father she never knew. Not only did she inherit the home, she inherits a whole new family and new way of life and a new man to boot!

6. I n Olympus Has Fallen (2013) and the sequel, London Has Fallen (2016), Angela played a secret service director. Both movies are basically about terrorist attacks, one on U.S. soil and the other in Europe. Spoiler Alert! I’m terribly disappointed that they killed Angela off in the sequel!

10. T he Jacksons: An American Dream (1992). In this biographical mini-series film, Angela was perfectly cast and as a lover of all things Michael Jackson, I give her props for portraying the matriarch of one of the most profound entertainment families of this century. The movie focuses on the life of the family during the years of the Jackson 5,

7. J umping the Broom (2011). Now, this was a fun movie. It appears that Angela’s roles have expanded to more of the motherly roles. In this movie, two families from different backgrounds, converge on Martha’s Vineyard one weekend for a wedding. Angela plays a snooty mother of the bride who appears to have it all together, but Loretta Divine plays an insecure, overbearing mother of the groom who uncovers the family’s dirt because she doesn’t like their boogue ways. In the end, everyone comes together once they get to know each other. 8. A keelah and the Bee (2006) is an inspirational film and like Boyz in the Hood, it portrays life in

SUBSCRIBE T ODAY!!! TO

RECEIVE THE

in life and using the gifts they were given to

A YEAR

YEARS

Of special note, Angela is set to play the role of Ramonda, the mother of the title character in Marvel’s Black Panther opening in theaters February 15, 2018. Get your popcorn ready because the revolution will not be televised but THIS movie is going to be HOT! I might have to move it to the top of my list once I see it. Let’s see!

Nam e: Address: Cit y:

St at e:

Zip:

Day Phone:

411

Eve. Phone: E-m ail:

ONLY $ 3 5 FOR 2

AT YOUR DOOR STEPS

$20

overcome obstacles despite difficult challenges along the way. At first, Angela’s character, has objections to her daughter wanting to participate in the national spelling bee, but eventually sees that she has what it takes to become a champion. Laurence Fishburne also plays in this film.

Chec k Ter m :

1 year $ 2 0 .0 0

2 year s $ 3 5 .0 0

Paym ent M et hod: Chec k enc losed (payable t o 4 1 1 Spor t s) M oney Order Char ge M y

Visa

Disc over

Credit Card # Exp. Dat e Signat ure (if paying by c redit c ard) M ail order s t o 4 1 1 Spor t s LLC 3 1 0 2 M aple Ave 4 t h f l Dallas, Texas 7 5 2 0 1 Phone (9 7 2 ) 7 6 3 -5 1 8 0 TOP

H OW

TS POR 10 S

‘RUIN LOOD T F C UR EB ALL B AS 10 PG

IES M OV

n o a o m y R o y s ... o n e b h T d w o w W it h e C h o u l ? t s f o r a t t ch w h w a

ED ’

, yo u y r ea d m e? f or AB BY ... G 1 1 PG

Ar e

S TH ER B RO ARS OF NN ER YE B RO TE 6 5 15 RA E . PG CE LEB LLE NC EX CE

T OM

EK A

IN EVE B ELI TIN Y? D ES NY. STI IN DE TH AT VE BE LIE BE LIE VE TH EIR O ER . ALS ALT WE LL CA N AS OD NY E GO DE STI AK S! M ION DE CIS

OU DO Y

ON E

FAC

Jan 23-30, 2018

www.411sportsnews.com

EBO

OK .

www

.4 1 1

sp o r

t sne

w s.co

DFW S RTS NEW SPO RTS SPO / 411 . COM / 411 . COM TWITT ER AC E • YSP LLC W. M RTS WW SPO / 411 COM

Social Media in 2018 By: Shellye L. Lyons

common ground.

ocial Media. In the beginning, social networks were created to connect people and build upon existing and new personal relationships. It was a way to “bridge the gap”, so to speak, for family and friends who lived 1,000s of miles apart. Eventually, businesses, especially those that feed off of the business to consumer (B2C) sales model, got wind of the opportunity to use social media to reach their consumer base and social media for business was born. It has grown so much over the years that Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, one of the largest social networking communities, has recognized the imbalance and released a statement earlier this month to reassure consumers that he realizes the importance of the foundation his social network was built on. In an update on January 18, he says: Continuing our focus for 2018 to make sure the time we all spend on Facebook is time well spent... Last week I announced a major change to encourage meaningful social interactions with family and friends over passive consumption. As a result, you’ll see less public content, including news, video, and posts from brands. After this change, we expect news to make up roughly 4% of News Feed -down from roughly 5% today. This is a big change, but news will always be a critical way for people to start conversations on important topics. Today I’m sharing our second major update this year: to make sure the news you see, while less overall, is high quality. I’ve asked our product teams to make sure we prioritize news that is trustworthy, informative, and local. And we’re starting next week with trusted sources. There’s too much sensationalism, misinformation and polarization in the world today. Social media enables people to spread information faster than ever before, and if we don’t specifically tackle these problems, then we end up amplifying them. That’s why it’s important that News Feed promotes high quality news that helps build a sense of

The hard question we’ve struggled with is how to decide what news sources are broadly trusted in a world with so much division. We could try to make that decision ourselves, but that’s not something we’re comfortable with. We considered asking outside experts, which would take the decision out of our hands but would likely not solve the objectivity problem. Or we could ask you -- the community -- and have your feedback determine the ranking. We decided that having the community determine which sources are broadly trusted would be most objective. Here’s how this will work. As part of our ongoing quality surveys, we will now ask people whether they’re familiar with a news source and, if so, whether they trust that source. The idea is that some news organizations are only trusted by their readers or watchers, and others are broadly trusted across society even by those who don’t follow them directly. (We eliminate from the sample those who aren’t familiar with a source, so the output is a ratio of those who trust the source to those who are familiar with it.) This update will not change the amount of news you see on Facebook. It will only shift the balance of news you see towards sources that are determined to be trusted by the community. My hope is that this update about trusted news and last week’s update about meaningful interactions will help make time on Facebook time well spent: where we’re strengthening our relationships, engaging in active conversations rather than passive consumption, and, when we read news, making sure it’s from high quality and trusted sources. With these new changes, marketers are challenged to ensure the businesses they work for are more relational and engaging with the communities that support them. Important to note is, if a business page is not having meaningful, useful communication with its community, regardless of the number of fans that follow, they will start losing impact and visibility with the consumers that are on Facebook. Let’s see if other social networks will follow suit!

www.411sportsnews.com

Jan 23-30, 2018

469-249-2411

Jan 23-30, 2018

www.411sportsnews.com

Jan 23-30, 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 23-30, 2018

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