Keeping it 100?

I place a question mark by this because I often wonder when I hear folks talk, watch TV, or read FB and Twitter statuses how many folks REALLY do keep it 100? And why is honesty (or fake honesty) a sudden fad? Why should it even be a fad?

One of my main purposes in my blogging (and life in general) is to be honest and real. I value honesty whole heartedly. Can't stand obscessive liars and lying. Even distorting the truth isn't good. So basically, I've been "keeping it 100" before it became a big deal or a fad. I'm not ashamed of that either.

I get asked things, and I give my honest, tactful opinion. I express myself and I'm often not afraid to. At day's end, I have no regrets, my stomach doesn't ache, and I sleep well at night as a result. I'm not perfect, but I am honest.

I see folks all the time not only on social networking sites but in the workplace, clubs, churches, etc, that are faker than silicone. They live double lives, try to be something they're not. Many are sooo scared of not being accepted or looked at as different than they "fake the funk" or go along with the crowd. They may not like to watch True Blood, but will watch it because America is obscessed with vampires at the moment. Not that there is anything wrong with vampires or True Blood, but there is a point here. Being true to yourself is important. Even if you're the ONLY person that doesn't like what's being said, doesn't agree with someone, it should be okay. You are you and you don't want anyone to change what you really are. Do you?

I know I do not personally. I was taught to be honest and real at an early age. I was taught the time-old "boy cries wolf" story. This is the story of where the boy kept crying that there was a wolf in the woods to his family and the town. They would get frightened and get upset at him for lying when there would be no wolf. Finally, he played the joke so frequently, that a real wolf showed up, he cried wolf for real, no one believed me. Consequently, the wolf ate him. Heck of a scare tactic for a 9-year old boy. But it kept me straight.

Stories such as the wolf stories and lessons from the Holy Bible has helped me to choose my friends and associations carefully. I do not want to hang with people that do not want me around, or that I don't care to be around. One of the major characteristics I look for in a person is honesty. If I cannot trust what they say to me or others, I have to keep them at arm's length, or simply not hang around them. You have to have verbal credibility to me, whether or not I agree with what you're saying. I want to know it's coming from your true heart and mind.

Now I can say that practical jokes or suprises such as a birthday surprise or April Fool's Day are exceptions. They are in a sense, but at the same time, a lie is a lie. But it's not like you're being completey fake. I'm talking about not being true to who you are, having to put on a facade to impress others, and say things just to get folks to like you. That isn't what is cool.

I ONLY want 100%, honest folks around me. So in short, if you're reading this, and you don't keep it 100, well, you know where to go. I still got love for ya, but I can't associate with you on a regular basis. And if you do keep it 100, well, we can always have something to talk about it. We can start with this blog.

DA PROMOSEUIR

I go hard all the time, far as promoting stuff, things, causes, etc. I am also a connoseuir of fine movies, dining, events, and the like. Someone named me "The Promoseuir" a while back, and I affectionately accept that title.

Here are a list of things/places/causes that I promote (for free and for $$$$)

-The Good Ole Boys radio show
- Your Best Body Fitness Center and Day Spa
- Daddy Joe's BBQ and Grill
- Papa G's Restaurant
- Winthrop University
- Alltel
- Blackberry
- Droid (yeah I know I don't own this phone but it's a nice one, gotta admit)
- Playdate Charlotte/Unique Affairs
- 2DaRealness Entertainment
- Wee Print Tees
- The J-Dub Show
- Yahoo Sports
- Blogger (gotta shout you guys out)
- 2010 Blacksburg High School Black v. Gold Alumni Football Game
- Jay Batista the semi-professional wrestler (returning in October 2010 or sooner!)
- The Twisted Spur
- DJ Dawk
- DJ Billy
- R Elegance Event Planning Services
- Green Sky Radio (next best thing to the Good Ole Boys radio show)
- Mellogroove
- Louis Jones photography
- Gentry's Heating and A/C Service
- Rapper E-Clipz
- MAZ Entertainment
- Elliot's Lawn and Garden Service

And here are some things/businesses/causes that I'm a connoseuir of

- Broncos restaurant
- Courtney's BBQ
- Papa G's restaurant
- Daddy Joe's BBQ and Grill
- Gaffney Entertainment
- Coldstone Creamery
- Texas Roadhouse
- Copper River
- Gamestop
- Blackberry
- Good comedies (Friday, Half-Baked, 40 Year Old Virgin, Hangover, etc)
- The NoDa arts district in Charlotte, NC (The Wine-Up, Evening Muse, etc)
- Charondas Restaurant
- Friday Night Lights
- The Boondocks
- Little Brother
- REAL ILL Hip Hop (check the previous blog and the playlist currently playing)
- Sunnydale (best meats, especially for grilling)
- Aldis
- Chevrolet Motors
- Wal-Mart (may as well have them do a auto-draft from my check each week)
- Xbox 360
- ESPN
- Carrabas Italian Grill
- Buca de Beppos (another great Italian place)
- Braza's Brazilian Grill
- Eagles' Nest Restaurant




I'm sure there are others that I'm missing. If you can think of any and you're reading this blog, just let me know. I'll be sure to add them later.

OK on to promote another good cause and watch some Boondocks!C

BONUS BLOG: 2010 ESPYs Awards Comments

- Is every major award show in NY or LA?

- They better not talk about Mayweather and Mosley!

- Hell yeah UFC, now there’s a sport

- I love these highlights!

- I love these tributes to those in sports that have passed on. Glad they showed Wooden and Steinbrunner

- OK these previews are too damn long. Get to the show PLEASE!

- Seth Myers talks like a little whiny wimp that used to get stuffed in trash cans in high school

- Shaun White looks like Carrot Top

- Did Seth just take a shot at Kim K?

- He mentioned the Lakers, Yankees and Duke. I HATE all THREE! #fail

- These Brett Favre old jokes are lame

- What’s up with Tim Tebow wearing the Tar Heel colored Elvis outfit? VINTAGE!

- TO looks like Pee-Wee Herman with a purple tie

- Tracy Morgan has that look like “I should be up there, but Chris Rock has messed up hosting white award shows!”

- Stoudemare looks like Ray Charles with those shades

- I forgot Stuart Scott was married to a white girl and she’s hot

- More Kardashian jokes!

- That blonde in the peach dress has a great rack!

- Wait is that Christina Applegate?

- Murphy’s Law strikes again: the ONE awards shows I comment on, no one else is. I’m seeing crickets on FB and Twitter

- I still say Bosh looks like an alien without his trademark dreads #fail

- That model looks like such a little person besides Bosh

- I really like the “John Wall” dance. One of few dance moves I have

- Chris Johnson looks like Lil Jon. YEAAAH!! WHAT? WHAT?

- Did Chris Johnson just thank uStream and Twitter? And shouted out his Twitter handle, @chrisjohnson28

- OK Paul Rudd and Steve Carrell are spoofing the LeBron decision interview

- Now are the Cleveland Cavaliers supposed to be the NBA’s equivalent of Chilis? And if the Heat are Outback, are the Lakers the Cheesecake Factory?

- OK and Kyle Busch just looks like Pee-Wee Herman in the face and head. That’s one pale white dude!

- Is Greg Stink MacGruber?

- What the Hell is this performance, who is that and waddup wit that hair?

- Here comes Lindsay Vaughn and Shawn White (I mean, Carrot Top)

- I like CCR. Good theme song for Best Record Breaking Performance

- Deana Favre is cougarlicious!

- Even Brett is looking like “who the Hell won this record-breaking award over me?”

- Mark Ingram (Heisman winner) has absolutely no neck

- What is up with all of the SNL cast cameos? Andy Sanberg as an octopus? Seriously?

- Andy Sanberg is about as funny as Bob Saget, minus the extreme profanity

- Danica Patrick needs to comb her dang hair #thatisall

- Chris Berman could recite the recipe for boiling water and make that exciting. Soo much enthusiasm

- Glad Jim Joyce and Armando Gallarga are making peace. Joyce looks a lot like Wilford Brimley, and dang Gallarga is tall!

- I always thought figure skating was a hot sport, and got even hotter in 1994 when Tonya Harding took out Nancy Kerrington and her horse teeth (that’s right, Chad Burgess, I said it!)

- I didn’t know Bill Clinton was at the FIFA 2010 World Cup

- OK so that guy is Landon Donovan! I can’t help it, I don’t really watch soccer.

- Good Lawd Lisa Leslie could play in the NBA with the guys RIGHT NOW!

- There’s Tebow again with that leisure suit!

- So this band is, uh, something Monet?

- Ashley Green and Tracy Morgan, this should be interesting

- WOW, Ashley Green is smoking!

- Tracy Morgan, my cat Tiny is funnier than you sleeping!

- Always nice to hear Eminem rap over an awards highlight

- And “Cinderella Man” by Em is the business!

- Clint Black doing a Chariots of Fire rendition? OK country music already makes folks feel sad enough, is this really necessary?

- January Jones’s legs are almost as skinny as the microphone stand

- Alright Carrot Top just won an ESPY!

- And I thought I knew sports up, down, left, right. I don’t know half the folks in the audience, smh

- They can keep the camera on Deana Favre all night long!

- Gotta love high school football highlights. So ready for it all to begin!

- OMG that’s sooo sad about Ed Thomas!!! Dude went schizo on his coach.

- That’s sweet how the whole town still consoled the Beckers. At least they realized mental illness is a serious thing, and maybe one day people will stop being judgmental of those that have these evil illnesses. OK off of that soapbox.

- And there’s weird Janelle Monae again, singing swing music. Strangely addictive.

- Maya Moore is one of the few cute women’s basketball players. I’d take her out any day, any time.

- OK Will Ferrel, another SNL alum.

- Take the camera off of Lisa Leslie, PLEASE AND THANK YOU!

- So is this going to be the next character Will Ferrell plays in a movie?

- And now he’s with Monae!

- Emmanuel Streekie is too FINE!! Legs for years!

- I so have to start watching Entourage! Or at least read Maxim. I know Ms. Emmanuel has been in that mag.

- Is the WNBA still revelant? My over/under on how long it will be before the league folds is 3 years, under.

- The Winter Olympians are REALLY dominating the awards tonight.

- With a few exceptions (like the emotional Arthur Ashe award presentation), this year’s ESPYs has just been bleh so far.

- OMG they are NOT spoofing the Blind Side!

- LOL!! The Dark Side!

- The hot gal in the peach dress from earlier is SI’s swimsuit model Brooke Decker

- I’ve noticed that they’re using a lot of corny comedy mixed with eye candy during this year’s ESPYs. The eye candy I like of course. Don’t really care for the comedy.

- And the great play goes to the old man, Brett Favre. Show Deana again, please!

- Greg Lewis looks like a slightly-lighter Kadeem Hardison

- Sam Jackson, yeahh u MFers!

- Guess where George Karl comes from? UNC baby, go Heels!

- It’s sad what cancer can do to folks. Karl has so much courage.

- Wow even Danica looks hot, even with that jacked up hair

- Luke Wilson, what’s up with the hobo beard?

- And Danica looks like ole girl from The Ring with that crazy hair

- Drew Brees is having another boy, cool!

- Exit quote from Brees “And I would like to thank ‘WHO DAT’ nation!”

- The Saints won “Best Team” ESPY. “WHO DAT” nation does it again!!! Thank God the Lakers didn’t win team of the year, or the Damn Yankees (RIP Steinbrunner).

- Am I the only one that noticed these extra long acceptance speeches? They need exit music like most of the other award shows?

Baseball: Still American's pasttime

Before I begin this blog (on a rare Saturday night), I have a few things to get off my chest. First, I'm blogging tonight instead of Sunday due to the fact that I'm resting up for the final night of my weekend long birthday celebration. Therefore, I didn't want to be blogging on my birthday night. Second, I appreciate and welcome you guy's feedbacks. Keep it coming as it makes me a better blogger. I welcome the positive as well as the negative comments. I want to continue my overall writing skills and believe it or not, you guys are a major part of that.

With that said, on with the blog, which begins with an age-old song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4-gsdLSSQ0

Remember when this was one of the many anthems of the summer? Going out to the ball park? Enjoying cotton candy, franks, and getting those huge pointy-fingers! Wearing your caps and visors to ward off sunburn? That's all part of the game of baseball, America's past-time.

Lately in the sporting world, baseball has taken a backseat. It has for years in the rural, inner-city, and urban communities, where the focus is football, basketball, and not many other sports. After the NBA Finals and NBA Draft, the dog days of summer are considered just a hiatus until training camp begins for the NFL and college football. Right now in sports, the main storylines have been Lebron James leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to attempt to win his first championship with the Miami Heat and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Even with the Homerun Derby and the MLB All-Star Game upcoming this week, the "boys of summer" aren't getting much respect lately.

Baseball is considered by some to be a game with "not enough action" and where there isn't many athletes anymore. Back in yesteryear, many pro baseball players except for some like the famed Babe Ruth were in excellent shape, played pretty much every game in the regular season and playoffs, and could run the bases well. Now you have as many CC Sabbathia's as you do Chone Figgins and Ichiro's. It seems the major headliners in the MLB lately are anybody from the defending champion New York Yankees, their rival Boston Red Sox, and Stephen Strasburg, the newest minor-league pitching sensation (whom my beloved Atlanta Braves took it to on June 29). Beyond that, baseball hasn't received much attention lately, although it is still considered the third-most popular sport in America.

Many Americans no longer play major league baseball anymore also. Many Latinos and East Asian players fill MLB rosters. And very few black athletes (outside of guys like the retired and controversial Barry Bonds and Torri Hunter) play as well. Therefore, you lose a broad fan-base as well. I won't even go into how summer vacation can hurt attendance at ball games.

Another deterrant in the MLB quandry is the LOOONG regular season. Each team plays 169 regular season games between April and September, with the playoffs being in October. If you're a pro baseball player, you basically have a game at least 5 games out of each week during each month. Those can get taxing to even watch, let alone play.

However, here are some of the positives of pro baseball. One is the thrill of seeing a homerun go across the park. Guys such as Barry Bonds (the current record holder) A-Rod, Ryan Howard, and Prince Fielder are extremely exciting because they bang lots of homeruns each season. However, the sport received a black eye when Jose Canseco of the famed "Bash Brothers" of the late 1980s wrote his best-selling book "Juiced". He exposed several baseball players, himself included, for using steroids such as HGH. This eventually led to a widespread investigation and stricter testing of the entire MLB. They have since found steroids of some form in A-Rod and Manny Rodriquez's systems. But none of this cases are more popular than Barry Bonds. Although it has yet to be confirmed whether or not the current leader for most homers in a career was juicing, there is much suspicion. However, until he is proven guilty, he should be left alone, let the record stand, and let the homers continue.

Also, the famed no-hitter gets plenty of attention during a MLB game. It is considered a "jinx" if one talks about the pitcher possibly earning a no-hitter about the 3rd inning. Not many no-hitters occur during a 169-game season, so when one is about to take place, EVERYONE is paying attention. Furthermore, everyone except the opposing team and fans wants to see it occur.

The game of baseball is an extremely stat and record-driven sport. I honestly had stopped watching a lot of baseball, especially since my Braves had started a downward spiral. That is, until I started playing fantasy baseball in 2008. I was then forced to pay attention to every game, statistic, and player, even on the minor leagues. It made the sport more exciting and I was a true fan again (at least of every team but the Yankees, although I've owned at least one Yankee player since I began).

Baseball, like many things in life, is what you make of it. It, also like many sports, is much better in person. I attended the Braves game in June 2001 with two of my friends when Cal Ripken Jr. was making his farewell tour. It was an exciting one, especially when EVERY camera in the stands at Turner Field were flashing whenever Cal got up to bat. I only wish there was an MLB franchise closer than Atlanta. I've been to a Charlotte Knights minor-league game. While it was fun, I would rather see my Braves, or any other MLB team (the Yanks included) play.

So I encourage you to give the sport another look if you're not already doing so. Watch some Baseball Tonight on ESPN. Read the baseball section of the sports page. Tune into the MLB channel if you have DirecTV. And finally, try watching a complete 9-inning game. There can be more than meets the eye!

Now don't get me wrong here, football and basketball are still my favorite sports, and I look forward to watching some action on the gridiron. However, until (and when) football starts, baseball will do, as it is my third-love in the sporting world. After all, it is summertime, and baseball is still American's past-time.

It's now time to go set my lineups for tomorrow in my MLB fantasy leagues. But remember that the MLB players are dubbed "the boys of summer" for a reason. Hard to beat that with a Louisville slugger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqYBGcv41M8

The Mid-Year Cowbell List

Yep, it's that time again. Since we're officially at the half-way point of the year, I'm posting my list of things in 2010 thus far that "need more cowbell."

For those that have seen my past lists on Facebook, you already know the deal. For those that haven't and don't watch much SNL (especially classic SNL), "cowbell" is from a famous SNL skit featuring Will Ferrell and legendary actor Christopher Walken. That was the line he was known for when critiquing the band in that skit. "Fellas I need more cowbell, gotta have that cowbell.". I would post a YouTube video of the actual skit but it's no where to be found on YouTube for some strange reason.

Without further adieu, here's the list:

1. 4th of July (just not the same anymore). It used to be about celebrating independence and freedom. Now it's about who's cookout to go to, where to vacation (Essence festival, beach, etc) and where to watch fireworks. Most of that is fun (especially the cookouts) but, like Christmas, takes away from the true meaning of the holiday. Bringing me to,..
2. Fireworks. Sorry but I just don't get the thrill in them. Sitting outside in 90 degree weather watching a bunch of smoke and sparkle up in the air. Big whip!
3. The weather this year (extreme frigid coldness in January followed by the horrid heat in June). What the heck? That kind of stuff is enough to kill even the most active car batteries.
4. BP corporation, Self-explanatory.
5. The oil spill situation. How in the world can we not STOP this, when we as a nation have stopped soo many other calamities?
6. The Chevrolet corporation, for discontinuing the Cobalt after many recalls and such. And guess what type of vehicle I currently drive?
7. Shannon Price (Gary Coleman's ex-wife/widow). Really Shannon, do you think you're gonna get off this easy, even if you are innocent?
8. Too many breakups and divorces this year, including mine in April 2010.
9. BET Awards (another self-explanatory one). Although I've heard from several folks and critics that it was much better than last year, I am still boycotting it (and any of the millions of reruns of it). I did watch the Chris Brown performance on YouTube and in my opinion, those are real tears.
10. The improving yet deceiving job market. There are jobs out there, but not the quality of jobs there once was. You have to start somewhere but still.
11. Careerbuilder.com. I would like to know if anyone has actually found a REAL job off of there. Over the past six months, they have turned into nothing but a front for spam and a network marketing recruiting site.
12. Mainstream radio. I mean, I like Drake also. But he gets played all the time like he's the G.O.A.T. or something. And let's not even get started on Gucci, Wocka, etc. Vary it up some!
13. Alicia Keys. First you steal Swizz Beatz from his wife, then he knocks you up and now you're getting engaged. What???
14. Nicki Minaj. Another self-explanatory one.
15. The NBA Playoffs. We knew the Lakers were gonna make it, and then the Bobcats bow out after 4 games. Next The Orlando Magic sweeps the aforementioned Bobcats and then the Atlanta Hawks. Then the Celtics make y'all look like a bunch of high-school scrubs.
16. The entire NBA. It's just boring now really. Not as exciting as NCAA ball, even with Duke winning it all.
17. The Cleveland Cavaliers. Y'all were the favorites all season, and you blow it two years in a row. Now your head coach is gone, and your star LeBron may be also.
18. Movies (just not the same as they once were, so predictable, expensive, and mundane).
19. Kobe Bryant. I covered this briefly in another blog. Too cocky, arrogant, and thinks he's Jordan.
20. Ron Artest. We knew the season couldn't end without any antics from you. First you color your hair like you're Dennis Rodman. Then that insane post-game speech? Good Lawd!
21. The NCAA for allowing the destruction of the Big 12 conference and allowing the Pac-20 (or whatever they're calling it now) to become a mega-conference).
22. The We Are The World remix for the Haiti victims. C'mon now, why in the world would you mess up that classic?
23. The smoking baby. Geez!
24. Facebook, it's becoming too much like Myspace.
25. Brett Favre. We know you're pretty much gonna return to the NFL, your lazy tail just doesn't want to go to training camp! What makes you above the NFL laws?
26. Nikki Haley. Please SC, don't let her win! It has nothing to do with her being a female, a Conserv, she just had crooked policies. Plus she's much like Sanford and Sarah Palin endorses her, hint hint!
27. Sidenotes (SNs) on Facebook status updates, ESPECIALLY when the SN is longer than the frikkin status itself!

That's all for now my blogging fans!