That’s Bull! Big Ben prohibited from wearing headband

Bulls center Ben Wallace was pulled out of a game against the Knicks two minutes into the first quarter in late November. Big Ben violated a team rule prohibiting players from wearing headbands during games.

Wallace was only allowed to play during the game without his headband on -something he always wore in his days at Detroit.

The Bulls do not have a reason for the ban.

I see no reason why the Bulls have such a team rule. Other NBA teams allow their players to wear headbands during games. Not even the anti-gangster commissioner David Stern has issued a prohibition on the headwear.

This is Bull. It’s not like Ben Wallace is a showboating, T.O. imitating diva. He is a gym rat who went from undrafted free-agent to Defensive Player of the Year. He’s another rags to riches, blue-collar worker that should be left alone.

Prohibiting headbands does not benefit anyone. Some players feel as if the headbands are part of their jerseys and cannot play with out them. Headbands are even worn by kids who play basketball on the playground. Wearing the accessory does not promote hip-hop or a gangster culture.

So what’s the big deal?

Act like a professional

While I was watching the Knicks vs. Cavaliers game last night, Nate Robinson tried to pull off a highlight dunk on a fast break.

Just lay the ball in the hoop and act like you’ve scored two points before, Nate the Great.

On a break away, Robinson bounced the ball on the floor and attempted a circus dunk. Robinson missed the dunk and was called for a travel.

“I won’t be trying it again unless we’re up by 20,” he said. “But that’s spontaneous Nate Robinson. I can’t control that.” -Thanks to ESPN.com

Head Coach Isiah Thomas frowned at Robinson but did not pull him out of the game.

If Robinson was my player, he would have been benched for the game. Yes, it’s important to have fun but to showboat and disrespect the sport like that is unexceptable.

The NBA is pretty much tame when it comes to showboating and taunting. Players get a technical foul even if they glare at another player after a dunk.

However, in the NFL, players are constantly showboating after sacking the quarterback or catching a touchdown pass. Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson is infamous for being fined when he girates for a touchdown dance or uses the football as a prop. The NFL has leniently cut down on group celebrations. For example, after sacking the qb, the Giants defense would mimic shooting a basketball. Now, only the player who sacked the qb is allowed to celebrate.

These guys are suppose to be professionals. They get paid to score more points than the other team.

Act like you have scored a point before.

Nolan Changes Attire

The NFL gave 49ers head coach, Mike Nolan, permission to wear a suit on the sidelines of Sunday’s game.

Reebok had a specially made suit for Nolan to wear on the sidelines.

According to http://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/default.asp?item=280174:

“NFL coaches have worn clothes from a limited wardrobe, including sweater vests and polo shirts, since 1993 when the league formed its NFL Properties division. Reebok is the official sponsor of sideline clothing for coaches. The league’s $250 million contract with Reebok runs through the 2012 season. “

Unfortunately, our society is based on money. Back in the days of Vince Lombardi, NFL coaches wore suits on the sideline. Those were the days when you wore a suit to work, even if you were a football coach.

Even in the hip-hop NBA, coaches wear suits and do not have any contracts for sideline clothing.

Hockey players, football players, baseball players, and basketball players all wear suits before and after the game.

In football on the other side of the world, coaches wear suits and are given the utmost respect. Here, coaches wear polos and sweats, and often clash and deal with cancerous attitudes.

If coaching is your job, wear a suit.

NBA cracking down on hip-hop and backtalk

NBA commissioner David Stern has issued a zero tolerance policy for players complaining to referees.

This is great.

Players aren’t going to change ref’s calls anyway. The NBA might as well save some time and cutback on the jabbering. Stars that are constantly pleading their case to the refs will have to zip their mouths if they want to stay in the game.

Complain to the refs, that’s one technical.

Complain again, you’re out of the game.

Stern is also cutting back on the NBA’s “hip-hop” images. Players are not allowed to wear chains, bling bling, or jerseys before or after the game, they must wear suits and sports coats.

This is perhaps one of the smartest things that Stern has done as commissioner. The NBA is often related with rap and hip-hop music. Several players have “possies” and are involved in crime and shootings. (i.e. Stephen Jackson) Stern has even told players to leave their guns at home.

Kids always look up to athletes. What example are athletes setting if they are dressed in jerseys that are four sizes too big and wear chains around their necks that are fit for a giraffe? What type of message is Stephen Jackson sending to kids when he is involved in a shootout near a strip club? Kids need role models like Dr.J or Red Auerbach, the golden oldies that played ball and didn’t open up their mouths. Back then, rap and hip-hop music did not exist and players weren’t convicted of shootings or carrying fire arms. I am not bias against rap, in fact I like rap music myself, but violence is often the root of rap. I’m not saying that rap music is the cause of violence and bad image in the NBA. I’m saying that rap and hip-hop music often are linked, even in the NBA, and something needs to be done about it.

Stern has taken a step in the right direction to fix the NBA’s image.

Knicks web page

www.nyknicks.com is the web page for the New York Knickerbockers basketball team. I am an avid knicks fan and this is one of the best sites that the Knicks have had in years. The banner at the top of the page has pictures of fan favorites and key players to the knicks created in Flash 9. The autograph of the player is animated, along with the appearance of his picture. It gives the site a modern and personal feel, while connecting with the fans. It’s as if the players are personally signing their autographs for you.

(Knicks season opener is  tonight)

Redskins and the Knicks

I was reading an article for my professional writing class when I stumbled upon this.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/21/AR2006102100098_2.html

Amy Joyce, a columnist for the Washington Post writes about the Redskins’ new associate head coach, Al Saunders, and how he has affected the team. She says that he was supposed to be the offensive genius- the reason why Saunders was hired in the first place. Unfortunately, the ‘Skins are 2-4 and are having players grumble about Saunders’ playing calling.

Joyce’s article reminds me of the New York Knicks. Last season, Isiah Thomas hired Larry Brown to be the new coach, a man who everyone believed was going to bring add another ten wins to New York’s record. Brown was suppose to bring them deep into the playoffs because he was a basketball genius, a hall of fame head coach. Some hall of fame coach he was. Instead, he messed with his players’ minds and ridiculed them, especially Stephon Marbury, in the media. Brown did not settle on a rotation, leaving players in doubt of their role on the team. Brown’s stubbornness eventually got him fired from his “dream job” after only one year. Great coaches take what is given to them and make something good of it. Grumpy old men, bicker and are not willing to adapt in order to win.

Lacrosse article for The Record

 During my summer internship at The Record, my boss came to talk to me about a letter written by a grandmother whose son-in-law died in the North tower during 9/11. Michael John Simon wanted to start a youth lacrosse league for the Northern Valley Demarest area. Simon loved the game and also taught his kids to play. He felt that he could bring something back to the area by starting a lacrosse league for the town youth. He never got to establish the league because of the terrorist attacks of 9/11.

However, his dream lives on. David Poupard, a man who lives in the same area, learned about Simon’s dream through a lacrosse magazine. Poupard felt that he and Simon shared the same dream. Poupard finished what Simon started.

The worst part about writing this article was when I had to interview the widow of Simon. Eileen Simon appeared very young and had three kids with Michael. First, I interviewed her on the phone and at one point, she lost it and began to cry. I felt really bad but I needed to get the information. She appreciated that I was writing the article anyway.

After my friend’s graduation party, I met the Simon family and Poupard. They were all very open and honest, I still felt bad poking around the touchy subject. I made sure that I didn’t press too many buttons. It was a tribute to a good father, husband, and much more, so everyone appreciated my questions.

This was my second article published for The Record. There were less errors and stylistic mistakes. Having my article edited by professional writers helped my journalistic skills. This time my paper looked like a candy cane instead of kool aid.

Misinterpretation at Football Game

On Friday night, I was covering the Rowan vs. TCNJ football game for The Signal. Everything was going well, the press box was heated and had sandwiches and cookies. The game finished quickly, and there were big plays galore for both teams.

At my little spot in the press box, there was a sheet that had requests for players. I figured that if I request a player that I could speak to them in an interview area after the game.

I was wrong.

I waited around the press box for an interview until I finally asked sports information director, Ann King, about the sheet. I’m not quite sure what she said because I was confused and frustrated. She said that it was for reporters to request players and something along the lines of seeing if they were available. I am still confused about what she said and why a request sheet was there even though to my knowledge, players weren’t taken aside for interviews because of the request sheets.

In total frustration and confusion, I ran down on to the field and interviewed TCNJ’s coach and a couple of important players. The only person I really missed was senior quarterback Chris Bell, who came on to relieve starting quarterback Jeff Struble. I was able to get his cell phone number from another player and got my interview anyway.

Well, the moral of the story is……

Just go get your interviews after the game! And if you’re not sure, ask questions,like a true journalist!

Becoming a better writer

    The best way to improve your writing is to write a lot and compare your work to the articles written by professional journalists.

When I wrote my first article with The Record, a reporter sat down with me and helped to write and edit my work. If you saw my first draft, you would’ve thought that it was dipped in Kool Aid. There were so many corrections on the page. I made every possible mistake that you could make (grammer, spelling, fact checking, stylistic issues, too wordy).

Having a professional journalist edit your work really does wonders. When I wrote for The Signal as a freshman, my work was edited but I got away with wordiness and stylistic issues. Most of it went away when my article was massacred through its first editing. Yes, I was humiliated and felt that I was a really bad writer, but doesn’t everyone go throught that? My boss and the person who edited my article told me not to worry and that it happened to them as well.

The more you write and actively edit your work, your writing will improve and thoughts will come quicker to you.

My First Article for The Record

This summer, I began my second internship at The Record in Hackensack, NJ. I actually got the chance to write for the paper this time (instead of being the MS Office slave during my first internship.)Working in the sports section gives you a taste of writing on a very short deadline. Usually, deadlines are within a couple hours or the next day. Luckily for me, I had a day to write my first article as a staff writer for The Record.

On a hot and humid dary with the temperature hovering around the upper 90s, I had the pleasure of attending a North Jersey track meet, which was an outdoor event. After going through computer training and intern photos at 9 a.m., and finding out that I was going to the track meet, I had a long day ahead. I eventually got back home at around 10:30 that night.

This was my first track meet. It was extremely weird seeing kids that I knew from high school competing there. I felt somewhat “grownup”. My article was going to feature two brothers from Mahwah High School, both of whom excelled in their respective events. The older brother, Tom Stripe, was a senior 3-sport varsity athlete. He was a tremendous tight end and shotput thrower, at 6 foot 5 inches. I couldn’t believe that I was suppose to be older than this kid. His younger brother, Greg, was only 5 foot 7 inches and was extremely scrawny (about 125 pounds). There was definitely brotherly love when I conducted the interview. And just as long as Greg was busting on Tom or vice versa, Tom didn’t seem as imposing as his body frame suggested.

The Stripe brothers talked about how close they were, how they learn from each other, and about sports. They were very open and honest and even talked to me about their girlfriends.

After interviewing them, I wrote down the quotes and waited for the reporter I tagged along with to finish his recap of the entire event. I went back home and absolutely collapsed on my bed.