What women want...

I was watching television the other night, and was amused as I watched a commercial advertising a new breakfast sandwich at Dunkin Donuts.

The commercial had a woman with a man. I couldn't tell if they were co-workers or dating. But the woman commented about how the sandwich was kind of hot (spicy), but not too hot and kind of referenced that same comparison to the guy.

I'm convinced that's what MOST women really want in their lives. They want a guy that's good looking, with a hot quality here and there. But not too hot that other women fall at his feet, and give them something to worry about when he's not around.

You know, a guy that's kinda HOT, but not too hot. LOL.


ANOTHER THING


Doesn't it seem like your significant other is cooler, more understanding, creative and willing to do more of the things you like to do early in a relationship, or simply during that get-to-know-you period? Seriously.

When that person gets comfortable then the out of the blue questions, accusations and expanded curiosity begins... along with a number of other investigative tactics.

Why not simply keep everything going in the same direction things were seemingly progressing from the start? Why not always communicate freely, as friends do? When a person feels like he or she can't express something due to insecurity of a significant other is when bigger issues begin.

Communication is very key. We all know that. Simply remember to always keep it real with the people you want in your life, whether it be friends or significant others. Don't fake or front for anyone. Because the moment the act comes to end is when true attitudes, personalities and behaviors are exposed.

Like the voice in those FUNNY Time Warner commercials: "DON'T BE EXPOSED. Keep it real."

Couple thoughts on verdict... latest blog

Most of us have been consumed with the Zimmerman trial, verdict and opinions on everything related. The mass media has done a great job of making sure that was number one on our plates.

I'm definitely taken back a little after the not guilty verdict. Definitely.

I'm really sick of people trying to defend that verdict, and take the attention away from the obvious racial tone of this whole trial. I am not saying it's an issue to cause a riot. But this is definitely some bullshhhh. Really.

I don't want to hear about how O.J. Simpson got off, or how Michael Jackson was acquitted after being accused of having questionable communication with underage kids. Last time I checked, Zimmerman wasn't a former Heisman trophy winner or Grammy nominated artist.  Just some half-white guy in Florida. Nothing more, or nothing less. Not saying the situation would be justified if he were. Just noting the obvious difference with those cases. From what I can tell, a lot of REGULAR citizens have lost their case when trying to use the STAND YOUR GROUND law as their defense.

It's as simple as this: If it were ME on trial for chasing a black, white, hispanic or asian kid down a neighborhood street; and we got into a scuffle when I finally caught the kid... whether I was threatened or not, I am going to jail or being proven guilty of something if I ended up KILLING the kid. Hell, I would be praying for justice if someone broke into my house to rob me, and I had to kill them... hoping the jury believed I truly did the act to protect myself.

I would hate to be a law student, trying to debate all the cases that went the OTHER WAY when taken to trial. How are students going to justify this verdict when there are countless cases of the person on trial for murder going to jail or being proven guilty of SOMETHING even if they were dealing with this STAND YOUR GROUND LAW?

Dating Divorced/ Seperated folks

One of the first things you learn coming up is to not fall for someone that already has sombody. I mean, you're really only setting yourself up to be hurt in the end because no matter how much you develop feelings for her or him... he or she is probably going to stay in their relationship.

The famous 80/20 rule is probably going to keep them at home. Everyone else is always a 20 until you get to know the other person well enough to see otherwise. That's if your present relationship is worth anything.

I was recently discussing this matter with a friend. He's in a relationship with a female that's going through a divorce. Actually, that's not the issue. The issue is her husband, baby daddy or ex-lover. In North Carolina, a couple has to be SEPARATED for a year before a divorce is final. So, the husband or ex-lover has been dragging his feet. From my understandings, was telling his wife or ex-lover that he's ready for things to be over.

Now that a year has come or whatever he's starting to realize that he doesn't quite want anyone else. My friend is just frustrated because that's leading to constant calls and text messages to his lady. I told him to just squash it. A dude is gonna do what he can to keep what he once had... sometimes even when he doesn't want her anymore. I told him that he would be OK if he trusted that his lady really loved him, or wanted to make their relationship work.

He seems to feel like she's down for him. But at the same time, he can't get over the fact that some dude that his lady used to love is pitching (trying to holla) at her on a daily basis. And, conversations that's supposed to be about picking up the kids turn into him trying to get her back and finding out where she may live.

I really am lost in this situation. I've never dated a married or separated woman. The only divorced women I've dated were females that hated their ex or baby daddy. So, I didn't have to face a jealous dude like that.

I really didn't know what else to say about the matter. So, I am asking if it's OK to even date a separated or divorced person SO SOON after their ordeal?

Thinking BACK...

I sat back and started thinking while I looked at some of my old friends and/ or old classmates (via facebook) recently.

It's amazing how much some of us have changed through the years. I know I have my share of alterations as well. But I would like to think that my changes fit me today. I am not simply talking about physical changes.


The best football players I grew up around didn't make it to the league. A number of them didn't even make it out of college. One of those guys stick out in my mind more than the rest. I'm not going to say his name. But he was the best running backs I knew when I was younger. He and I used to always talk about how our lives were going to be different after we both made it to the NFL. Needless to say, neither one of us made it that far. His fall from glory is more of a surprise than my mine, though. Also, the best basketball player I grew up around ended up going to prison and gaining a lot of weight. He's living a normal, decent life now from what I can tell. But he's not in the NBA or balling like I imagined he would be when I was coming up.


Some of the prettiest girls don't quite look like they used to back in the day, to say the least. One of the smartest guys I knew turned out to be lose his way somewhere between high school graduation and his 22nd birthday. Today he's in a mental house. One reality that hurts me the most is to think about my little brother, who's everything to me. He's even made mistakes that have altered his life in ways I never could imagine. I never thought in a million years my younger brother would be in trouble with the law, be in prison or have a tough life.



It kind of makes me wish I could get in a time machine, go back to childhood and warn all of these people of the pitfalls they will face later. Give them advice on what to do to make it. Tell them all to stay focused and remain hungry for success.

There's so many examples that come to mind while I write this blog. Seriously. But there's no need to note everyone, or dwell on misfortunes. It's kind of one of those issues you wish you could bottle and deliver to younger people that may be dealing with things. You want to just show them the paths of some of the people from your life, and let them know that everything that glitters ain't gold, there's no guarantees or sure things. It also would help some of them realize that all things come to an end, no matter how great they may seem.

Everyone must make the proper audibles in life when things seem to be going the other way. Never give up or think things will change just because. DO SOMETHING. And, keep GOD first.

Hornets guard Jarrett Jack chats

I recently spoke to New Orleans Hornets point guard Jarrett Jack at an event he and I both attended.

Jarrett and I had a great conversation, and I simply decided to record a portion of it for my blog.  I first met Jack while he was a star at Georgia Tech. I still remember him saying, "We came to Winston-Salem to beat up Wake, and now we're taking it to the house."

Take a look at some of the things we talked about during a recent interview.

Anthony: J-Jack. What's good. I'm just gonna ask you a few fun questions. Nothing crazy. We're just gonna have some fun. You with it?
Jarrett: Let's do it.

Anthony: How's the NBA been treating you, J.J.?
Jarrett: It's been nothing but a pleasure. I couldn't ask to be doing anything better. I worked so hard to get to this moment. I'm taking it all in, and enjoying every aspect of it.

Anthony: I'm looking around at all of these NBA stars. And, all of you are friends and hanging. Growing up it seemed like the best players didn't like each other. Did you ever think the NBA was going to be like this?

Jarrett: I don't think so. (Laughs.) But I think our friendship comes from having a mutual respect for everybody. When you get to know some of these guys off the court you'll see that they're pretty likable guys. That's how friendships start.

CP and Jarrett Jack have been friends since playing AAU.

Anthony: You and CP (Chris Paul) actually met during an AAU tournament when you like like 11 or 12 years old.
Jarrett: (Smiles.) It's kind of crazy how God brings people together. I was playing in a tournament when he was 11, and I was 12. He was watching me and I was watching him. His father even said that he came over and had a conversation with me at that particular time. I guess that was the a start to a good friendship.

Anthony: (Smiles.) How good were you back then?
Jarrett: (Smiles.) I was pretty good. That was basically why his father came and talked to me. He told me that I was going to be something special. Hopefully he was right. (Smiles.) I don't know.

Anthony: I hear that. What are you doing when you're not balling, J?
Jarrett: I actually like to go to the movies. I go to the movies by myself. It's kind of my way of getting away from everything. You know what I mean? That's pretty much all that I do.

Anthony: OK. Who was your favorite basketball player growing up?

Jack loves to watch movies.

Jarrett: I really didn't have a favorite player growing up. Everybody liked Jordan. (Smiles.) Everybody wanted to be like Mike. I just liked teams. I looked at teams and saw who was matched up against who.
Anthony: Give me your top 5 players in the NBA right now.
Jarrett: Top five right now. (Pause.) Kobe, LeBron, um.... I'd put Chris in there. He's my guy. Kevin Durant and D-Wade.
Anthony:  Cool.  Let's finish with free association. Point guard.
Jarrett: Myself.
Anthony: Georgia Tech.
Jarrett: Winning.
Anthony: Atlanta.
Jarrett: Black Hollywood.
Anthony: Chris Paul.

Jarrett: Good friend.
Anthony: The Joel. (Wake Forest home court)
Jarrett: A tough place to get a W.
Anthony: Toughest point guard to check in the NBA.
Jarrett: It used to be Baron Davis.
Anthony:  No doubt.
Jarrett: Right now it's probably Derrick Rose.

Past convo with Bob Johnson (founder of BET, former owner of Bobcats).

Former Charlotte Bobcats owner Bob Johnson with Maverick owner Mark Cuban.

Throwback interview with Bob Johnson (founder of BET, former owner of Bobcats). 

(Interview from March 23, 2004)

This was one of my favorite interviews of all-time. I talked to former Charlotte Bobcats majority owner for the first time in March of 2004. We talked right before the Bobcats were an official NBA team.

I still talk about this interview with some people today. I'm quick to point out that I know Bob Johnson. I didn't know him before doing this interview. I only admired him from a distance. We all know him as the founder and former CEO of BET. He also serves on the board of a number of businesses. Johnson has his hands in a number of things. He'll tell you that his life isn't that busy. And I'll continue to tell you and him differently. Busy or not, he's still the coolest guy in sports and business.

I've talked to Bob countless times since this interview. Yet, this is the conversation that I will probably remember forever.

Bob: Hey, Anthony. How are you?

Anthony: I'm doing good. How are you doing, Mr. Johnson?

Bob: I'm doing great.

Anthony: Is it OK if I call you Bob?

Bob: Sure.

Anthony: OK. So how's everything been going?

Bob: Things have been going great. Charlotte is a great city to live in. It's a great city to work in. And the town is a great sports town, obviously. The people have really embraced the new Charlotte Bobcats franchise, completely. I'm looking forward to the start of the season this fall.

Anthony: OK. Bob, how would you compare being the founder of BET (Black Entertainment Television) to being the owner of both the Charlotte Bobcat and Charlotte Sting (former WNBA team)?

Former Bobcat owner Bob Johnson.

Bob: There are a lot of parallels. You're in the entertainment business, in a way. Sports is very much entertainment. Just like at BET, you've got to deal with celebrities, stars and their managers, to some extent. And every night your players have to go and perform. Sports is also an emotional connection, just like drama. People cry when you lose and cheer when you win. There are a lot of parallels in terms of visibility as well.

Anthony:  Tell me how long you've wanted to own a sports franchise?
Bob: I've been looking into getting an NBA franchise, oh probably going back the last six or seven years. Again, it's a product that I understand. It was something that I thought I'd like to do once I left BET.

Anthony: You have a very busy life (Both smile.) Can you tell me what a day with Bob Johnson is like?
Bob: Well, Anthony. It's not as busy as you might think.
Anthony: Really?
Bob: No, I've got a lot of people who run the businesses that I've involved in. That leaves me with a lot of time to sort of strategically think of new business opportunities. It's more fun than it is work.
Anthony: Bob, tell me what some of your hobbies are.
Bob: I like to play tennis. I read books. I might learn how to play golf one day. (Both laugh.) I go out to dinner with friends, and that's about it.

Anthony: What sports did you play while you were coming up? 

Bob: I played a little bit of basketball and baseball. 

Anthony: Were you any good? 

Bob: Well, not good enough to go to college on scholarship.
Anthony: Which NBA team was your favorite to watch before you became an owner?
Bob: I used to watch the Chicago Bulls, just like everyone else. That's where Michael (Jordan) played, so everybody watched them. I also watched the Wizards when he played with them. I'm obviously fans of teams that are close to Philly. I like (Allen) Iverson. I also like C-Web (Chris Webber) because he used to play in D.C.

 

 

Anthony: Speaking of Michael, what happened with the partnership with you and M.J.?
Bob: Well, it wasn't a partnership. Michael and I have been good friends, going back 10 or 12 years. We've always talked about one of us owning a basketball team one day. He made his run at the Wizards and it didn't work out. Then I got the (Charlotte) franchise, and I started talking to him to see if he wanted to be a partner with this. He's like me and got the "ownership bug." So once you get that there's not much you can do except do your best to try to buy a team. And that's what Michael is doing. We talked about him coming with me, but at the end of the day he wanted to be an owner. As an owner I can understand that emotion. So one day he will be an owner. 

M.J. and Johnson sit courtside.

 

 

Anthony: (Smiles.) Let's switch this up a little bit. Tell me your favorite movie.
Bob: "Gladiators." 

Anthony: Who's your favorite entertainer?
Bob: Denzel Washington is a great buddy of mine. Of course, he's a great actor. Morgan Freeman is also one of the finest actors in the country.
Anthony: Do you have a any future plans do get into politics?
Bob: No.

Anthony: (Smiles.) OK. I'll leave that alone. Let's conclude with free association, where you simply tell me the first thing that comes to mind.
Bob: (Smiles.) OK.
Anthony: Earth, Wind and Fire.
Bob: Great band.
Anthony: Bill Cosby.
Bob: Funny.
Anthony: We're done. (Smiles.) Thanks for the time.
Bob: You bet.

Panthers' Smith catches questions

Carolina Panther star wideout plans to excite this season

Carolina Panther wide receiver Steve Smith always seems to be misunderstood. People that don’t know him think that he’s got a quick temper, while those that do know him understand his passion for the game. He also doesn’t get as much credit as he should for the way he plays on the field.


There’s a lot more to Steve than his ability on the field, though. He’s a genuinely good person. He serves as a mentor and friend to the boys of the Carolina Panthers Courage House. He visits often to play basketball, video games and assist with homework. He also buys all the guys at the Courage House season tickets every year. That’s only a sample of what Steve is all about.

I wanted to see what he was up as training camp was approaching. Take a look at what one of my favorite football players and I talked about recently.

Anthony: What’s going on, Steve?
Steve: Nothing much.

Anthony: As you know, I thought you did your thing this past season. Give me your thoughts on the past football season.

Steve: Oh yeah, it was real nice. The team did a great job of rallying around Cam (Newton). We accomplished some of the goals that we set at the beginning of the year. But, we still wanted to end the season stronger. We definitely think some things will work out better this season.

Smith chats with D'Angelo Williams and Cam Newton.

Anthony: No doubt. I feel good about Cam. What type of things do you like to do when you’re not running routes, catching balls or doing something related to football?
Steve: You know, play video games, interact with my children, barbecuing and things like that.
Anthony: Oh yeah?
Steve: Yeah.

Anthony: What kind of games do you like to play?
Steve: I’m into the snow boarding games.
Anthony: You like snow boarding?
Steve: (Laughs.) Yeah.
Anthony: OK. How often do you get back to California? (Steve’s home state.)
Steve: I go every May. (Both laugh.) I make sure I go when it’s sunshine over there.

Anthony: (Smiles.) How does a California guy end up going to college in Utah?
Steve: I didn’t want to go somewhere too far from home. But, I wanted a free trip to somewhere different. I always told myself that I wanted to go somewhere for free, that I wouldn’t ever visit. I liked the atmosphere. And, I was from California and had never seen snow. (Both laugh.) There were a lot of things that I liked about the school. Plus, they pass the ball a lot, so that helped me.

Steve Smith will actor Will Smith, during his visit to Charlotte.

Anthony: No doubt. How are you enjoying Charlotte?
Steve: It’s great. (Laughs.) I actually live in South Carolina. South Carolina is even better.
Anthony: When I watch you on the field, I’m always impressed by your ability.Do you think that you get enough respect?
Steve: Probably not. But respect is actually in the eye of the beholder. You don’t have to respect me, but corners know that when they line up against me it’s going to be a tough game. Just because nobody says a lot about me doesn’t mean that players don’t respect me. Teams run a different coverage from what we watched in their previous games.

Anthony: (Smiles.) OK. Is there a lot of trash talking that goes on during football games?
Steve: Yeah, sometimes. I did a lot of trash talking my first couple of years, but now I don’t. It exerts too much energy. I may say something to a guy to see where his head is.
Anthony: (Laughs.) Uh huh. I bet, dawg.

Steve: (Giggles.) A lot of times a guy is talking to me, and I just ignore him. (Both laugh.) And, that kind of irritates him. He can’t get me out of my game.
Anthony: Which defensive back would you say has played you the tightest?
Steve: I would have to say, “Champ.” Champ Bailey. He usually does a good job against me. 

Anthony: You began your career as one of the premier kick return guys in the league. Now you’ve obviously elevated your game as a receiver. Where are you in your career?
Steve: I’m kind of where I would like to be in my career. I am enjoying playing. I'm enjoying life. I’ve got my goals. I want to be a consistent pro bowl receiver and a hall of famer. But only time will tell.

Anthony: If you could play any other position, what would it be?
Steve: Honestly?

Anthony: (Smiles.) Of course
Steve: Punter or long snapper.
Anthony: (Laughs.) Come on now. Why?
Steve: They have long careers and don’t do anything. (Both laugh.) What they make in three checks, I probably make in eight or nine checks.
Anthony: What’s your favorite TV show?
Steve: “Law and Order.”

Anthony: I used to watch that all of the time. That used to be my show too, dawg. What’s your relationship like with coach Rivera?

Steve: (Laughs.) Uh, I’d say day to day.
Anthony: (Laughs.) Let’s conclude with free association. 

Steve: OK.

Anthony: The Temptations.
Steve: Good music.
Anthony: Rocky Balboa.
Steve: (Laughs.) Ugly.

Anthony: USC.
Steve: Shammed.
Anthony: Utah.
Steve: Up and coming.

Smith with his wife at a Bobcats game.

Anthony: Peyton Smith. (Steve’s son)
Steve: Future first rounder.
Anthony: The lovely Baylee. (Steve’s daughter.)
Steve: Staying at home until she’s 30. (Both laugh.)
Anthony: Well, we’re through dawg. I appreciate you taking the time to do this.
Steve: It's cool. You know that. I'll see you later, man.

Anthony: You already know.