In case you have forgotten or live under a rock or just don't generally care it is that time again February the shortest month, the one month out of 12 that black folks get to talk about Martin, Malcolm, Sojourner, Harriet, and Fredrick Douglas to their hearts content then we are generally swept under the rug once again. Since I'm black 365 days of the year I made it a point to learn african-american history not just the oft talked about hero's but the ones that aren't given as much shine or often not talk about at all as well as a general history of how we came to this country and much of the south was built on the backs of our ancestors. However most black folks are not interested in what's behind them but rather the here and now and that is how history gets lost and is rewritten because no one is making sure that the history tellers (the prevalent culture) is telling the truth. Just like how the tea party wants to rewrite history to tell a gentler tale soon history will be a fairy tale and fiction altogether. So if you have kids it would behoove you to tell them their history, not just gucci mane, wacka flacko flames, lil wang, and all the rest of the foolishness that make up current pop black
Now moving on to the next part of this post concerning pop black culture the television shows that star predominately african-american cast like the game, especially the game. I think I get what they are trying to do with the game but it is still a bitter medicine to watch a mockumentary of black athletes that truly mirror what black athletes do and how they act. I wasn't a fan of the game when it was originally on and now that its back I'm still not a fan but like a train wreck on the side of the freeway you can't help to slow down and look at the wreckage. Anyone that has just a little bit of sense knows that most athletes are from the hood and if they have talent they are preened and pruned and coddled from an early age from parents to coaches to sponsors up until they get on their NFL or NBA teams and then these same athletes who grew up with nothing are suddenly given more wealth then they have ever seen in their life before and they are just left unchecked to do whatever. They don't have to take classes to learn how to act with dignity and decorum, they aren't given any life skills to cope with going from nothing to something or in rap speak from ashy to classy. The money, and fame, plus endorsements feed their egos and then their lives spiral out of control. Couple that with fast living and bad judgement and you have walking monsters on your hands I said all this to say in case you are not getting some of the lessons you should be seeing from watching The Game on BET I'm going to break it down for you and in case you need a recap of what has been taking place on The Game thus far head on over to My Sincere Thoughts blog he recaps the episodes verbatim so you won't feel like you missed a thing.
1. Alcohol + pain medications+ yes men = bad decisions, mood swings, and possibly the loss of your livelihood
2. Sex Unprotected with groupies, ex-girl friends, strippers, ho's will always = maybe its your baby, child support if it is your baby, millions of children with your last name millions paid in child support even if you stop playing the child support will still come so you might want to invest a small fortune in condoms before you slap some skins.
3. Driving under the influence of drugs + Alcohol + bad decisions + being pulled over by the cops acting belligerent and assaulting an officer and being uncooperative = they have the right to shoot first and ask questions later, they have the right to call for back up and subdue you by any means necessary, sometimes you get a cop that is an asshole and uses his badge as an excuse to intimidate and bully but like Tasha Mack said it's hood 101 when you're a black male you already know you got two strikes against you from the jump so giving them even more reason to fuck with you is just stupidity at its finest.
4. Cheating with the owners wife + doing it in a flagrant way = stupidity at its finest and you are asking to be caught and cut from your sports team, in other words you're never supposed to eat where you shit!
5. An Aging athlete that has injuries + he is no longer in his prime + his stats have went down + his endorsements have dried up or come to a slow trickle + a wounded ego and his manly pride+ if you're stupid with your money while you were making top dollar+ if you never learned anything, invested in smart investments, built a well rounded portfolio, + child support current, present, or late, + multiple divorces = stupid decisions , bitch ass tendencies, lashing out at the world, crying the blues later, would've, should've could've thoughts, broke, bankruptcy, repossession, tax lien, owing the IRS, living in your car, sleeping on the street, working at walmart or as a janitor if you can read and write past a 5th grade level.
6. Counting on everyone else to handle your business + being stupid enough not to read your contract + not having a after you are not playing for a team anymore plan + injuries + break down/ wear and tear on your body = Health problems no insurance, no plan for the future, lost without a plan, loss of income.
7. Black athletes with money + not realizing they are like thoroughbred horses + not realizing that it will be over sooner then they care to think about not planning accordingly and not looking out for themselves instead of making stupid and avoidable mistakes that will cost them millions, endorsements, jail time, and issues =a bitter forgotten assed out has been with nothing unless you think ahead.
8. This is for the women who mess with, marry, have children by, sleep with, etc athletes if you don't have a plan for yourself and your children you will be screwed, he can leave you at anytime with nothing and you will have no recourse and you will have to scramble to make a living if the shit goes south. So in being with this athlete don't forget about self because if you don't look out for your wellbeing and that of your children you will be in a trick bag of your own making but there is always VH1 as long as that channel is around you can go on there and make some money so pray it never goes off the air.
Bottom line what you should be taking away from The Game is that as an athlete your days are numbered, you are not guaranteed anything once you are no longer useful to the franchise you play for you are one of many and you are replaceable in a heartbeat. While you making a pile of money you should be putting some up for a rainy day put a pile up in an IRA and an high interest bearing account. Keep your penis slinging to a minimum stop having all the illegitimate kids you gotta shell out money for. Keep your entourage small, build a network of trust, stay on top of your financial business as well as all contracts and endorsement deals and stop buying more than you need. Stop buying gaudy ass jewelry, flashy suits, cars, and houses that are big enough for 20 families to live in when its just you be smarter with your choices and life decisions.
Now I know I typed all this and I know that no athlete is going to sit down and read this but I felt like I had to put it out there who knows maybe someone will see it by accident and it will be the shoot heard around the world, dare to dream right but there are some lessons in there for all not just athletes but people in general who are making foolish decisions with their lives.
