mt MARCH 31 - APRIL 7 2016
ALL BUT A DEBATE
THEATRICS DOMINATE SGA DEBATE ARTICLE BY : CHAD RHYM
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MT Staff SENIOR MANAGEMENT Jayson Overby Editor-in-Chief jaysonoverby@gmail.com Jerrel Floyd Managing Editor jfloyd134@gmail.com Annick Laurent Deputy Managing Editor annicklaurent007@gmail.com Amber G. Johnson Business Manager ajohn175@scmail.spelman.edu MT EDITORIAL TEAM Chad Rhym Campus News Editor chadjacksonrhym@gmail.com Kadijah Ndoye World & Local Editor kndoye@scmail.spelman.edu D’Shonda Brown Arts and Entertainment Editor dbrown86@scmail.spelman.edu Tyra Seals Features Editor tseals2@scmail.spelman.edu Malcolm Banks Sports Editor malcolm.banks@morehouse.edu Tiffany Pennamon Opinions Editor tpennamo@scmail.spelman.edu STAFF WRITERS Alexandria Fuller Arts and Entertainment Afuller4@scmail.spelman.edu Alexander Woods Fashion awoods4969@gmail.com Kylan Kester Features Kylan.Kester@morehouse.edu Isaiah Smalls Contributing Sports Writer Irayah.cooper@students.cau.edu Haili Blassingame Features Columnist hblassin@scmail.spelman.edu Clarissa Brooks Opinions clarissabrooks152@gmail.com Denae McKinney Fashion denae.mc@gmail.com Irayah Cooper Campus News rayah.cooper@gmail.com  Javon Wilson Opinions javon.wilson12@gmail.com
THEATRICS DOMINATE SGA DEBATE Chad Rhym Campus News Editor chadjacksonrhym@gmail.com The annual Morehouse College Student Government Association debate embodied the spirit of American politics. With an emphasis on drama and a hint of authentic political debate, the event as a whole was more fun and entertainment than an expression of candidates’ platforms and ideologies. “I feel that the debates went very well,” Junior Board of Trustees candidate Amari Brown said. “The turnout was a complete surprise for me, and it was great to see Sale Hall packed with all students from the AUC. I hope moving forward the crowd doesn’t support when candidates take personal shots at other candidates. “Even though it may be exciting at the moment, it still isn’t a good look overall for the SGA because students should be informed about student concerns at the debate, not people’s dirty laundry. However, that’s the culture of the AUC. I just hope next year more candidates get (ooohs and ahhhs) when they make great points about platforms and policy, not an attack on another candidate.” Respectively, debates commenced by the importance of positions sought. The evening began with a small crowd at 5 p.m. for the rising sophomore class senator candidates, and finished with a packed house four hours later for the last and main event: the presidential debate. The theatrics increased with the progression of the ballot, however each candidate, regardless of the position he was running for, expressed a platform. “The SGA and class council debates were an assessment of hypothetical change vs. actual change,” sophomore class presidential candidate Marcus Battle said. “I can conclude that each candidate seeks greater for Morehouse, but the only difference
is what each candidate defines greater as. At the debates, I wanted to express how genuine and passionate I am to serve not only as a voice, but as a movement to encompass all of my brothers of the Class of 2019. “My platform is simple: Advocate. Innovate. Motivate. (A.I.M.) I aspire to advocate for my brothers of various demographics, using innovative ideas to motivate and enhance the brotherhood within our class while serving the surrounding area.” The format of the debate was constructed to create a spectacle. Perry Washington, chairman of the election committee, served as the moderator of the events. The scene resembled that of a boxing match. The format allowed candidates to give opening statements and then they were attacked by questions from the audience, questions from the elections committee, and even questions from fellow candidates that promoted slight, slander and pettiness. “The culture of the debates needs to improve,” presidential candidate Anthony McCloudod said. “The debates are supposed to give the candidates the platform to debate their platforms and issues the college is facing, but instead, it’s a shady throwing contest. No one fact-checked the information they use against another opponent, which makes the debates a joke that no one takes seriously.” The attendance, noise level and intensity was at its highest when Washington announced the “final debate of the night” – the presidential debate. The atmosphere was comparable to the fourth quarter of a sporting event. Avery Jackson, the first presidential candidate to give his opening remarks, began with the statement that “a presidential candidate has an ongoing sexual assault allegation pinned on him.”
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MT Staff DeShay Kidd Campus News deshaykidd@gmail.com Taylor Lewis Features tlewis31@scmail.spelman.edu Kailah Covington Features kcoving1@scmail.spelman.edu Lee Williams Jr Sports. lee.williams@morehouse.edu Copy Edit Isaiah Avent Chief Copy Editor  Irayah Cooper Copy Editor Photography Chad Rhym Photographer Justice Anderson Photographer Leron Julian Photographer
After Jackson’s opening statement, Washington said that the elections committee had cleared each candidate to run for office. The presidential candidates received questions about topics that ranged from funding to faux political stunts to inclusiveness. “I thoroughly enjoyed the debates as a whole,” presidential candidate Jonathan Hill said. “It was a great chance for the campus to not only see candidates but also get a chance to hear their platforms. But of course, if there’s one part that truly set candidates apart, [it was] the Q&As.” After candidates were given the opportunity to ask each other
questions, a large chunk of the audience within Sale Hall briskly left the room. About a fourth of the crowd remained for the closing statements, which had an uncanny resemblance to 2016 American primary politics. Unfortunately for the candidates, the event was transparently more for entertainment than a chance for them to convey their political rhetoric and to further their campaigns. “I thought the debates were terribly ineffective,” vice presidential candidate Lonnie Washington Jr. said. “Candidates spent more time with petty personal attacks instead of explaining their platforms and convincing the student body that their vision was the most appropriate and effective. Unfortunately, we were mired in sensationalism.”
“Candidates spent more time with petty personal attacks instead of explaining their platforms and convincing the student body that their vision was the most appropriate and effective. Unfortunately, we were mired in sensationalism.” - Lonnie Washington Jr.
TIGER TV Deshon Leek Associate Producer Breylynn Donyae Reporter Grant Nelson Reporter Kalin Tate Reporter BUSINESS TEAM Amina Shumake PR Coordinator Anecia Evans PR Coordinator Ashley Younger Advertising Jamel Smith Marketing Kendall Perkins PR Coordinator Lanae Kearse PR & Marketing Matthew Jone Marketing Ron Thomas Advisor Ron.thomas@morehouse.edu
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WHERE ARE ALL THE FEMINISTS AT MOREHOUSE? ASKING IF IT TRULY EXISTS Karys Belger Staff Writer kbelger@scmail.spelman.edu
Where are all the feminists at Morehouse? Does such a thing exist at this institution?
own her sexuality is a “hoe;” and that most of the women who cry rape are either lying or asking for it.
This is exactly what came to mind when I recently had a conversation with two acquaintances of mine at Morehouse College. At one point, the topic turned into whether or not a black man could oppress a black woman. I sat silently and listened to the individual spout off every reason why this could never happen.
Any request for a rebuttal is often met with silence. What I have noticed is that our brothers are quick to request out support and the use of our voices when we must stand in solidarity with them, addressing threats to black men. Why is it that they are unable, or unwilling, to stand in solidarity with us when the time calls?
Afterward, I began to think about how I shouldn’t be surprised. During my time as a student in the Atlanta University Center, I’ve seen and heard how the “men” of Morehouse speak to and about their Spelman “sisters.” If they are not the objects of sexual desire, Spelman students are subject to any number of insults and they all tend to correlate with a man of Morehouse not getting what he wants from her. While I have nothing against the men of Morehouse, I do have a problem with the complete lack of regard they seem to have for their Spelman sisters. Over the years, I’ve asked many a man of Morehouse about women working, making a certain salary, owning their sexuality, and seeking justice when they are treated unfairly. I’ve been told that a woman working is unnecessary, and that only men should worry about making money; any woman who wants to
From where I’m standing, the men of Morehouse need a lesson in feminism. Born and bred of black mothers and all the support they can muster, is it too much to ask that when a woman of color needs support to fight inequality, that these “men” behave as such? I have noticed a recent show of solidarity with women at Howard University, and as glad as I am that the men of Morehouse recognize that there are women in the world who deserve support in the face of inequality, they speak up so long as those women are not their Spelman sisters. So if solidarity is only shown to some women and not all, I have to ask are there any feminists at Morehouse?
INSTAGRAM OF THE WEEK @THECOLLEGECHARITYRUN 28 POSTS 299 FOLLOWERS 498 FOLLOWING REGISTRATION IS OPEN! Wanna participate?! Register at TheCollegeCharityRun.com Follow us at @TheCollegeCharityRun to remain updated on this AUC initiative!
@adiarebecca supports the AUC initiative The College Charity Run. Do you? Make sure you register at www. thecollegecharityrun.com (Link In Bio) Save the date: April 16, 2016
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In promoting unity in the AUC, The College Charity Run looks to raise funds and bring awareness to a meaningful cause affecting African Americans . Be sure to follow the instagram and keep up with all things the College Charity Run has in store in April.
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THE DEBATERS BEHIND THE CHAMPIONSHIP: MATIER AND UCHEHARA Bria E. Paige Staff Writer, Features bpaige1@scmail.spelman.edu
Two Morehouse College sophomore debaters, Keith Matier and Best Uchehara, are redefining the face of collegiate debate after recently winning the Phi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament Worlds Debate Title at the University of Kentucky. “This was one of the few tournaments where going in we were the favorites to win, so I felt like that was just added weight on our shoulders,” Uchehara said. “And so, I think anything less than a victory would have been quite a disappointment for the two of us because we knew were more than capable of winning. It just felt good; it was a big relief.” In preparing for the tournament and earning the championship title, the pair admits they spend a lot of time together in order to understand how one another thinks. This is a key advantage for the duo in a debate round. In addition, Uchehara considers another major key to debate is to be constantly reading. Within the many forms of debate Matier and Uchehara have participated in together, the underlying core of the sport remains the team’s ability to be wellversed in debate principles, philosophy and world issues in order to persuade the judges in their favor. Topics of debate range anywhere from politics and pop culture to feminism and international relations. “We have to spend a lot of time focusing on the principles of the debate,” Matier said. “I think that’s our identity as a partnership is that we’re really good at identifying what the principles and the debate are broadly about and being able to fit specific examples into that.” Before coming to Morehouse in the fall of 2014, both Matier and Uchehara did not have previous debate experience compared to their competitors, many of which have debated since high school. Yet, the pair found their way onto the debate team and after the first semester of the season developed into two of
the best emerging freshmen on the team, prompting their unification as a duo. The debate team, approximately 20 members, travels the country and the world participating in various styles of debate. One major benefit of debating at Morehouse is the array of opportunity available to the debaters, specifically traveling to destinations like Malaysia, Germany and Greece to participate in tournaments and competitions. Many team members consider debate to be a co-circular activity versus an extra-curricular activity, meaning debate works in conjunction with their studies in order to help team members evolve in various aspects, including expanding the perspectives in which they view the world. The team is under the direction of two Morehouse alumni. Ken Newby ‘97 and Derek Reed ‘12 were both previous debaters on the team. Student leadership includes current Morehouse College junior and Phi Kappa Delta Debate Fraternity President, Jonathan Carlisle. As a third year debater, Carlisle recognizes the lack of diversity and lack of HBCUs presence within the collegiate debate field and emphasizes Morehouse’s unique struggle within that realm. “The majority of the teams we do face are not HBCUs,” Carlisle said. “Literally, we’re the only Black squad there. Not only do we have the weight of wanting to win the tournament for the team, but I think there’s a level of representation that happens at these tournaments.” Matier and Uchehara are leading the charge as National Debate Champions to not only continue, but maximize the legacy of the Morehouse debate team in the future. Revolutionizing collegiate debate one tournament at a time, the duo in addition to the other debaters on the team are putting HBCUs on the map, particularly Morehouse College, bringing light to the talent and intellect of young Black individuals across the country.
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Experiencing and Expanding Your Cultural Palette Upcoming Atlanta Festivals Kadijah Ndoye World and Local Editor kndoye@scmail.spelman.edu
The Vanguard of the Revolution: A Party, A Movement, And Its Legacy 1. Sweetwater 420 Dates: April 22-24, 2016 Location: Centennial Olympic Park Line-Up includes Ludacris, The Roots, and Atmosphere http://www.sweetwater420fest.com/
Irayah Cooper Staff Writer, Features Irayah.cooper@students.cau.edu “What made people most enthusiastic was confrontation with the police,” Kathleen Cleaver, former Communications Secretary of the Black Panther Party, said. “Why? Because the police were very violent and very viscous, and the idea of having a method to fight back was very appealing.” The Black Panther Party for Self-Defense started 50 years ago in West Oakland, California. The party would eventually grow into a movement that swept the nation, albeit the world, and empowered Black people to stand up against the injustices of police brutality. Inspired by the powerful rhetoric of the late el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz, (Malcolm X) and “Black Power” famously coined by Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael), Huey P Newton and Bobby Seale co-founded the Black Panther’s. Newton would often refer to the party as the “heirs of Malcolm,” Mumia Abu-Jamal, activist and journalist, said.
2. Atlanta Caribbean Carnival Dates: May 8.2016 Location: Historic Fourth Ward Park 680 Dallas St NE Atlanta, GA 30308 http://www.atlantacarnival.org/ Continue On Page 12
The party was more than black teens toting guns and monitoring the police. It became a movement that enticed many different people to join, find and release their revolutionary voice. They were not afraid of making use of their second amendment right to bear arms, and use them if need be. The party was created as means to “retaliate against police, the occupying army of the colonized nation,” Akinyele Omowale Umoja, a Professor and Chair
of the Department of African-American studies at Georgia State University, said. TAKING UP ARMS In 1966, the Panther’s began their police patrols, weapon in tow, and followed Oakland police to make sure Black citizens were aware of their Miranda rights while being detained. Soon after, legislator Don Mulford introduced a bill to repeal the law that permitted citizens to carry loaded weapons in public places so long as the weapons were openly displayed. On May 2, 1967 a group of Panther’s caravanned to the Sacramento State Capitol building to protest the passing of the bill. With loaded shotguns and rifles, members of the party made their way through the building. Some even ended up on the floor of the legislature with their guns in hand. “The photographs went around the world of these Black Panthers holding weapons in the State Capitol, and it blew everybody’s mind because they had never seen anything like this,” Cleaver, former Communications Secretary of the Black Panther Party, said. “All kinds of people wanted to be a Panther.” THE RISE OF THE PANTHERS Even with their newfound publicity, the party began to fall apart. The party lost their office in Oakland, many members were in jail, and they were not having any meetings. On the evening of October 28, 1967, John Frey, “a
GENERAL EDITION THE MAROON TIGER very well known bully in the Oakland Police Department,” Cleaver said, stopped Huey Newton. Soon a struggle ensued; Frey wound up dead and Newton was injured from a gunshot. The party began to brainstorm on how to get the message out to free Huey. The mobilizing began with Kathleen Cleaver, and her idea of marching at Huey’s court date. The mass efforts surrounded by Newton’s trial and the Free Huey Movement revived the organization, and it spread nationwide. It was an enthusiastic uprising in a time where police were the enemy and antagonist against the Black community. In his autobiography Panther Baby: A Life of Rebellion and Reinvention, Jamal Joseph revisits his years in the party. “In 1968 nobody was badder than the Panthers,” Joseph said. “Not only were they willing to fight and die for ‘theirs,’ they were also willing to lay down their lives for every man, woman and child in the black community whether they knew them personally or not… They were willing to take on the police, the army, the government, every-damn-body.” The FBI and COINTELPRO With the heightened publicity of the party and member number skyrocketing, the Panther’s were placed at the top of the FBI’s hit list. Through their Counter Intelligence Program (COINTELPRO), the FBI began surveillance on the Panther’s. COINTELPRO operations had caused the demise and infiltration of many pro-Black organizations since 1910. J. Edgar Hoover and his white supremists
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ideologies caused him to become hell-bent on disrupting, discrediting, and destroying any entity that was pro-Black. The program “infiltrated the BPP at every entry level by agent provocateurs, all of them harnessed to the task of disrupting its internal functioning,” Ward Churchill, author and political activist, said. The FBI worked tirelessly to destroy not only the party but also its credibility in the Black community. By sending informants into the party, the FBI was able to disseminate misinformation among members to cause quarrels. With arrests, raids, and murders happening all too often to member of the party, it still did not stop the work that the Panthers needed to get done. As pressure from the FBI increased, many members were forced into exile or pushed underground in order to evade arrests. THE LEGACY The Black Panther Party influenced freedom struggles across the world. England (Black Panther Movement), Israel (Black Panther Party of Israel), Bermuda (Black Beret Cadre), Australia (black Panther Party) and India (Dalit Panthers) all drew from the organization. In the United States, The Black Liberation Army has been noted a successor to the Black Panthers. Many members of the East Coast Panthers moved into high ranks within the BLA until being forced underground or into exile. The Panthers are still influencing modern day pop culture, as Beyoncé displayed at Super Bowl 50. When we think of “Black Power” we tend to recall the image of the Panthers. 50 years later, and the Panthers are just as relevant today as they were at their height.
SPELMAN STUDENTS PREPARE FOR NEW ERA OF LEADERSHIP Tiffany Pennamon Opinions Editor tpennamo@scmail.spelman.edu On the Founder’s Day weekend of April 7-10, 2016, Spelman College’s student body and board of trustees will officially inaugurate Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell as the 10th president of the college. Dr. Campbell has been a leader in education and the arts for almost 40 years and began her time as president of the college on Aug. 1, 2015. This year’s inaugural theme is equality, which honors the legacy of Spelman’s two founding women, Harriet E. Giles and Sophia B. Packard. As the number one HBCU solely for Black women, Spelman has a legacy of producing the top thinkers and leaders of the world. Each president’s work is to push students to their full potential, and many students already feel that connection with Dr. Campbell. Some students note that they are excited that the president has a background in the arts – a department that sometimes falls into the shadow of STEM and other larger humanities. Dr. Campbell’s era of leadership will be important for Spelman’s growth in the following years, and it is essential that student organizations and representatives work together with the president to make Spelman better everyday. “Dr. Campbell has truly been a pleasure to work with,” said junior Mathematics major and Spelman College Student Trustee Mya Havard. “From the first day, she said she would always make students her main priority and she has kept her promise.” “She consistently meets with SGA and other student groups so that she is always aware of the issues that concern students. She also personally acknowledges students’ achievements, which has helped her build personal relationship with her students. She is a great addition to the Spelman community and embodies all aspects of a Spelman woman.”
Other organization leaders speak highly of Dr. Campbell and look forward to her inauguration and presidency. “I really like what [our president] is doing right now.” Prenessa Lowery, class of 2017 and the Spelman Granddaughter’s Club president said. “I think she has a good plan for Spelman. One of her main things is equality, which I really like because we all are equal.” “From the first day, she said she would always make students her main priority and she has kept her promise.” – Mya Havard.
“We’re all still African Americans but we still have a different background. To say that we’re all equal kind of makes it seem like the sisterhood is even closer than what it was before.” Spelman College’s official website for the inauguration states, “The inauguration of Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell celebrates the enduring spirit and mission of Spelman’s founding principles. Please join us in this historic moment in the life of the College.” Visit http://www.spelman.edu/about-us/office-of-the-president/inauguration for a schedule of inauguration programs, guest information, and how to RSVP for events. Tiffany Pennamon is a senior, English major at Spelman College. She covers topics including social issues, social media, higher learning, African American studies and college lifestyle.
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THIS REVOLUTION WILL BE TELEVISED: THE AUC HIP HOP REVOLUTION Alexandria Fuller Staff Writer, Arts and Entertainment Afuller4@scmail.spelman.edu
“After reading this I started looking at vides of KRS-One and then I realized it’s bigger than music. Rap is something you do and hip-hop is something you live. I realized what we have to fight for our sisters and brothers being marginalized.”
As a sophomore in 2014, Morehouse College senior Michaelangelo Hayes was inspired to take his love for music to the next level by dissolving the negative perceptions of hip hop music on campus through his organization The AUC Hip Hop Revolution. With founder Hayes and 18 members, the AUC Hip Hop Revolution has worked to reshape the education and atmosphere of music on campus by connecting hip hop with social issues of the African American community.
Every year since 2014 The AUC Hip Hop Revolution have hosted a weeklong series of events based upon themes like chess and sacred fire in the spring semester that focuses on their intentions to revolutionize the music environment of the AUC.
This organization, now in its third year, was created as a dedication to the positive switch of the paragon of hip-hop in the AUC. Founder Hayes’s background and knowledge in hip-hop music influenced the motto of positivity and conscious rising of The AUC Hip Hop Revolution. “Growing up m parents did not let me listen to hip hop music because of the curse words,” Hayes said. “In 9th grade I went to a black school and I started to listen and study hip hop music by Biggy and LL Cool J.” After joining rap duo Rhyme and Justice in high school, Hayes found his calling to create the AUC Hip Hop Revolution at Morehouse as an RA during his sophomore year. “Dr. Livingston of the African American studies session introduced me to a book called ‘The Hip Hop Wars’ by Tricia Rose freshman year,” Hayes said.
“Our principle is I am what I am, which was started by KRS-One,” Hayes said. “Drake also said ‘you know it’s real when you are who you think you are.’ We move in a certain way that is strategic like chess.” Unlike many organizations the AUC Hip Hop Revolution has managed to gain success and membership on campus without being an officially chartered organization at Morehouse College. According to Hayes some have called the AUC Hip Hop Revolution the spring version of homecoming. This recent year the organization held their week during March 14-20 with the theme go to war, where they focused on fighting mental health, misogyny and homophobia in the African American community. “This last week was the most successful week since year one,” Hayes said. “It was like a movie. Wednesday we did a live battle for 200 people. Georgia State University also came by. Thursday we had the Rappers of Light Concert 2016 in front of Kilgore. Friday was a block party. We did line dances and had a blast.”
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In the same week the organization also partnered with the Miss Maroon and White Court, Spelman PEPers and Morehouse Chill to host the event We Gone Be Alright: The Mixtape on Mental Health.
is something you live. I realized what we have to fight for our sisters and brothers being marginalized.”
“This was a conversation on how we can tackle mental health in the black community,” he said. “Through this we convised a tactic to tackling mental health with an actual written policy.”
“The Rappers of Light is a fraternity of rapper MCs and FEMCs of all schools of the AUC,” Hayes said. “We provide them with a free studio in Atlanta. Some of our artists opened up for SZA of TDE. We’ve helped them to get to the platform to expand their bands to the record label Def Jam. They have gone on to start their own labels in Atlanta.”
Preceding this event the organization held a fashion show in conjunction with designers Karon Smith of Raggs Boutique, Dominick Jackson and Annisah Agnew. They also worked with Morehouse College’s chapel and Good Life, the largest bible study on campus, to hold a church service that Sunday. Along side hosting events the AUC Hip Hop Revolution also serves as a platform for developing artists under their section called The Rappers of Light. This section currently includes AUC artists such as Mike Smoove, Oliver Twixt, Trend $etta, Chakkra Tara, ESI-only and The Renaissance. and then I realized it’s bigger than music. Rap is something you do and hip-hop
Since it’s founding in 2014 the AUC Hip Hop Revolution was featured on its own page in the Morehouse yearbook. Founder Hayes was also the first sophomore to win the Office of Housing and Residential Life Program award and received a feature inside MT’s 2014 Man of the Year issue. As the AUC Hip Hop Revolution is currently working to become a chartered
organization on campus they are continuing to strive to promote positive outlooks on music within the AUC community.
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Listening and Expanding Your Music Palette
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GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS CHASING HISTORY Malcolm Banks Sports Editor malcolm.banks@morehouse.edu
3. Shaky Knees Music Fest Dates: May 13-15, 2016 Location: Centennial Olympic Park Line-Up includes Florence and the Machine http://www.shakykneesfestival.com/
4. Atlanta Jazz Music Festival Dates: May 27-29, 2016 Location: Piedmont Park Line-Up will be announced on April 5 http://atlantafestivals.com/
The 2015-2016 National Basketball Association season has been one for the record books with only a few short weeks until the playoffs. In a league usually controlled by LeBron James controlling most of the headlines, this season has been all about the Golden State Warriors, who are on the verge of breaking Michael Jordan’s 1996 Chicago Bulls record for the greatest single-season record.
Green, the loud and outspoken leader of the Warriors is a 6-foot-7 power forward who often creates frustrating matchup issues for larger athletes who aren’t fast enough to keep up with him.
The 67-7 Warriors, led by Stephen Curry, have been nothing short of dominant in every aspect of the game. Curry, in only his seventh season, is cementing himself as the greatest shooter in the history of the game. With averages of 30.0 points, 6.6 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game and a league record 356 3-pointers made, no one has figured out how to contain the sharp shooter who worked similar miracles in the 2008 March Madness tournament for Davidson College.
“There’s nothing we can’t do,” Green told reporters after a defeat to San Antonio last week. “It’s possible. We’re going after it, so it’s possible. I’m not going to shy away from saying we want the record. We want the record, and we’re going after it.”
As dominant as Curry has been, often drawing comparisons to Jordan for his ability to take over a game, he isn’t the only one deserving of high respect. Curry’s backcourt teammate and the other half of “The Splash Brothers” duo, Klay Thompson, is arguably the best shooting guard in the entire NBA. At 6-foot-7, Thompson is a large guard who has an exceptional 3-point shot and great defensive abilities as well. Thompson and Curry are good enough to carry a team together, however there is another All-Star on the team who is beginning to receive much attention and respect around the league. Draymond
With eight games remaining on the Warriors’ schedule, the team isn’t shying away from the record that once looked impossible to be broken.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who was a part of the legendary ’96 Bulls team that went 72-10, has such great confidence in his players that he will allow them to have some influence down the stretch. “It’s the players who are setting a record,” Kerr told reporters before the Warriors battled the Los Angeles Clippers. “It’s not the organization. It’s the players who are doing it. So they will absolutely have some say in matters down the stretch in terms of how we approach everything. I know they want to get it. So we’ll act accordingly. If the players want to go and they’re fine physically, we’ll probably play them.” With the magic number down to six, every game here on out will be must watch TV.
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ALL IN STRIDE:
THE MOREHOUSE COLLEGE RUGBY CLUB Malcolm Banks Jamel Smith Sports Editor Staff Writer malcolm.banks@morehouse.edu JamelSmithWrites@gmail.com The Georgia Black Sabers, more famously known as the Morehouse College Rugby Club, was founded in 2012, and has grown leaps and bounds into one of the more formidable and highly competitive teams in the South East. With a roster now consisting of over 20 student athletes the Sabers are the first all black rugby team in the entire nation. Since its creation in 2012, the team, led by Anthony Stewart and Seifuddin Saafir has grown into a force that is ready to compete for the division title in the near future. “We started in 2012 and each year we keep making progress and this is our best year yet, Stewart said. “We are currently 5-1 and getting ready to play the team we lost against for the championship.” The team, which had as little as five athletes show up to practices at a time in 2012, has now grown into a formidable group of dedicated individuals thriving to get better. The team now has an impressive 28-man roster, which continues to grow yearly. Due to the history of Rugby not including many African Americans, this group takes on a different approach that no other team in the nation can truly relate to. “Being black in general, I always kind of carried that underdog mentality on my back,” Stewart said. “There’s always someone who is going to be rooting against you.” Stewart, a junior at Morehouse College has been playing Rugby for the past eight years and has a vision for the game well beyond his personal career. “If you look at Rugby internationally there are many black people who play the sport,” Stewart said. “I would love to teach and pass my knowledge of this sport down to the next generation of young African Americans coming up.” Saafir, a senior at Morehouse College has been one of the most dedicated
student athletes on campus and is appreciative of the journey he’s been apart of with the club. “The fact that we have had this longevity is a blessing,” Saafir said. “I just thank God that we’ve been able to have this level of success so far. Being the first all black rugby team in the nation, the odds were certainly against us.” Stewart and Saafir much to the agreement of many of their teammates would like to start Urban Youth Leagues’ for Rugby soon after they graduate from Morehouse College. “I want to foster kids into a sport that teaches you discipline and command of yourself,” Martin said. “If you look at rugby on a global level there are many people of color who are playing in so many different fascists. If we can take that and apply a Morehouse mentality to it, the sky is the limit.” Morehouse College, like many other black institutions were never built on a strong understanding or support of a sport like Rugby, many cite the fact that the sport never gained popularity within the African community. However, something special is arising at Morehouse where Saafir and Stewart have little worry about the future of the program. “Its been a thought in my mind about what might happen to the program when I leave, but not plausible,” Saafir said. “We are working very hard to make sure the program continues to prosper.” “We have guys in every class,” Martin said. “We take this very seriously. Guys from my high school talk about wanting to attend Morehouse and be apart of this team. We have a program that is literally fostering the youth.” In the immediate aftermath of an already successful season, Martin and Saafir solely want to see Morehouse College actually begin to get on board and provide the club with extra publicity moving forward. “We are bringing publicity and money to Morehouse without any real acknowledgment or backing from the school yet,” Saafir said. “We only need publicity. We want to be known as a real school sport and become established. That will help attract more student-athletes to the program and campus moving forward.”
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GENERAL.EDITION THE MAROON TIGER
WEEK OF MARCH 31. SPORTS
HARD WORK MADE PROFESSOR ADAMS’ SON A STAR Malcolm Banks Sports Editor Malcolm.Banks@morehouse.edu
For many young and talented athletes, the norm has greatly shifted. The days of young basketball prodigies going to college, graduating, and then pursuing a career in sports has almost become non-existent. Dr. Jann H. Adams, a professor of Psychology at Morehouse College, helped shape her son, Malcolm Brogdon, into a highly talented basketball player who always put hard work and education first. Brogdon, a 6-foot-5 senior guard at the University of Virginia, is one of the nation’s best basketball players. His averages of 18.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists were good enough for him to be nominated for the Naismith Trophy given to the male and female college player of the year. Unfortunately for Brogdon, his college career ended Sunday when No. 10 seed Syracuse upset No. 1 seed Virginia in the Midwest Regional Final of the NCAA Tournament. The world may finally be noticing the supreme skills Brogdon possesses on the hardwood, however his mother was one of the first to notice it years ago. “I knew by seventh grade he was really good compared to his peers,” Adams said. “He was on a really good seventh grade team at his school and I could tell Malcolm was the best among his peers at the time.”
Malcolm is the youngest of three boys. Gino Brogdon, 28, is a 2008 Morehouse graduate and John Brogdon, 25, is currently enrolled at Harvard Law School. Much of Malcolm’s hard work on the hardwood and relentless competitiveness is credited to his brother John, who shared a similar love for basketball and extreme work ethic to get better. “My older brother was always in the gym and I saw how hard he worked,” Malcolm told ESPN.com. “Around middle school, I was in there with him and I started to love it.” Adams, who is a true believer in work ethic and performing to the best of your ability, has noticed the trend spread throughout her entire family, including Malcolm. “I think we have a family that really has always focused on work,” Adams said. “The idea is some people are super gifted and talented. I think you just have to be talented enough and outwork everybody. Our thing around schoolwork and everything was work ethic. My (former) husband was a hard worker and I work hard as well. I think our children really got to see that first hand.” Brogdon has built a reputation for working on his weaknesses since arriving onto the national scene in 2013 as a freshman. That same mindset and intensity toward getting better is what helped lead him to Virginia before he even knew it.
Although clearly talented at basketball early, Brogdon showed equal promise on the soccer field. Great success in both sports put Brogdon in a crossroads early in his life as he was forced to make a decision between the two sports he loved the most.
“People would say things like his feet were too slow and he’s not this or that,” Adams said. “They would say to him as early as the ninth grade that he wasn’t athletic enough to play D-I (Division I) basketball. But he continued to work.”
“His soccer club was in a highly competitive league at the time as well,” Adams said. “We realized he couldn’t play both sports due to traveling and practices. He ultimately decided to go for basketball.”
The early critics of Brogdon have now proven to be false to the core. However, those same naysayers helped motivate him as he continued to outwork his peers, which eventually led to colleges noticing.
GENERAL EDITION THE MAROON TIGER
WEEK OF MARCH 31 SPORTS
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(L-R) Dr. Jann Adams, Malcolm Brogdon and his brothers John and Gino Brogdon/Photo courtesy of Dr. Adams That was my motivation,” Brogdon told ESPN.com. “People would downplay how good I was, or my athleticism would be the knock, and that added fuel to the fire.” Brogdon received his first offer at the end of 10th grade from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. Upon visiting that summer, Brogdon wasn’t the biggest fan of the heavy military format of the institution. A year later, Brogdon received his first big offer from Clemson University. Following Clemson came a number of impressive schools including Vanderbilt, Harvard, Georgia and Virginia, where he ultimately decided to attend after a memorable visit. “I liked the visit to Virginia because I know how some of the recruiting processes can be,” Adams said. “They take you out to steak dinners, and bring you to parties. Virginia didn’t do any of that. By the end of our visit, Malcolm wanted to commit that night, but I wouldn’t let him. The commitment came the very next day. I loved the way they treated him. The visit was respectful of our values and focused on the right things.” Brogdon had his fair share of difficult moments at Virginia. During his freshman season, Brogdon broke a bone in his foot, which sidelined him for the remainder of that season, and ultimately led to a red-shirt sophomore year in which he remained in school but did not play on the team. The broken bone healing process was a very difficult one that served as a character-building period for the Atlanta native. Although Brogdon was healthy enough to play by January of his sophomore year, the red shirt prohibited him from doing so.
“Going through something like that totally changes your perspective,” Brogdon told ESPN.com. “It’s humbling and shows you that you can be a big, D-I athlete but in the flick of a moment you can be taken down. It made me realize that basketball is just a game; there’s also other things in life that you should put your focus toward.” Brogdon used that time sidelined to work even harder, which helped him refocus on his education. Last spring Brogdon received his bachelor’s degree in History and is now enrolled in an accelerated masters program at UVA’s Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, which he will graduate from this May. “I feel super proud of him,” Adams said. “My philosophy in life has been if you have good character and you’re willing to work, it will all work out.” Brogdon has already won the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors, and remains in contention for the Naismith Trophy with Buddy Hield (Oklahoma), Tyler Ulis (Kentucky) and Denzel Valentine (Michigan State). Adams remains grateful and excited for his opportunities in the near and distant future. “Malcolm’s actual long-term goal has always been to start an NGO (non-governmental organization),” Adams said. “He very much wants to do work in West Africa and that’s honestly what I want for him. If Malcolm can play in the NBA for 10 years, he will be in his 30s. So then he’s going to have a whole long life after that and he can use his masters and build relationships that will allow him to do great work.” Maroon Tiger Staff Writer Renny Robinson contributed additional reporting to this article.
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