In past years, I used to scrounge newsstands for any piece of needed information to fill out mimeographed bracket sheets, only to later lose my hard-earned money in the worksite pool. Don’t get me wrong — I still sequester myself watching the first two rounds through bloodshot eyes, with the mute button at full volume. […]
March 2013
Posted inSports
Why so little love for the NIT?
The National Invitational Tournament (NIT) and the Women’s National Invitation Tournament both offer “deserved opportunities” to men’s and women’s basketball programs that, for one reason or several others, don’t make the NCAAs. Yet, both by college basketball fans and snobbish media types, the two national tourneys that annually crown champions are treated like lepers. This […]
Posted inNews
Tubby Smith relieved of coaching duties at Minnesota
University of Minnesota Director of Athletics Norwood Teague announced today that head basketball coach Tubby Smith has been relieved of his coaching duties, effective immediately. A national search for the 17th men’s head basketball coach in the history of the Golden Gopher program is ongoing. “Tubby has had a long and distinguished career and we feel it’s time […]
Posted inNews
Job vacancies at highest point in seven years
DEED report shows 318 occupations in demand By Charles Hallman Staff Writer A recent Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) survey found that job vacancies in Minnesota have risen 18 percent over a year ago, the highest in seven years. DEED Assistant Labor Market Information Director Oriane Casale, in an interview with […]
Posted inNews
Way to Grow shows one way to close the achievement gap
Intensive home program supports students and their families News Analysis By Dwight Hobbes Contributing Writer Way to Grow Executive Director Carolyn Smallwood is passionate about the community empowerment institution. Sitting in a South Minneapolis coffee shop, she animatedly attests, “I have been blessed over the past eight years to be affiliated with such a great organization. […]
Posted inArts + Culture
Film documents a year of inner-city high school reality
A documentary on one year at an American high school will premiere on public television next week. 180 Days: A Year inside an American High School airs Monday-Tuesday, March 25-26, 8-10 pm on TPT Channel 2.
Posted inNews
South High students walk out to protest lack of Native cultural activities
By Sheila Regan Contributing Writer The smell of burning sage filled the commons area of South High School on Monday morning, March 11, as what was planned as a student walk-out was turned into a school-sanctioned assembly — and then ended up being a walkout anyway. Students from the All Nations Program, which offers American […]
Posted inArts + Culture
Black & Single Blues: Keith worries he might — god forbid! — have found his soul mate
Lesli threatened to — hell, had done it — make a lie of Keith’s conviction that soul mates do not come along in real life. For one, she understood his concerns about identity in relation to her own. That night of their first “date” so long ago, hanging at her crib, he’d listened close as […]
Posted inArts + Culture
This week’s Entertainment spotlights!
The Music Herschel & The Detainees Present… BOOMBASTIC! Sat., Mar. 23, 8 pm • Fine Line Music Café 318 1st Ave. N., Mpls., 612-338-8100 or www.finelinemusic.com Herschel & The Detainees will be rocking the house along with their brothers and sisters of RJ & The Soul, Devine Collection, and Ceewhy! The Cool: Live Performances w/B-Down, […]
Posted inArts + Culture
Living the Single Life: Trina James
This Week’s Single: Look here every week for MSR’s profiles of local men and women who are, at least for now, unattached and…living the single life. Trina James Age: 45 Profession: Service Specialist with Lifeworks. Lifeworks supports adults with cognitive and physical disabilities. City: Brooklyn Center Single life is… getting to know who you are and […]
Posted inArts + Culture
Shá Cage solo theatrical debut examines the N word through women’s eyes
In Twin Cities spoken word, a field glutted with grandstanding hacks, gifted veteran Shá Cage is an exception that proves the proverbial rule. Nine out of 10 alleged artists are antagonistic, interminably posturing, self-congratulatory frauds who expect a standing ovation for breathing while Black, substituting a lousy attitude for having something to say. Cage, with […]
Posted inOpinion
White unions get $1 million to train workers of color to build stadiums? — It’s time for the B.S. to end
Which legacy for the Vikings Stadium? Only qualified White workers or qualified workers regardless of color? Employment apartheid or inclusiveness? Employment inclusiveness and fairness, or employment apartheid and unfairness? The 100 qualified Gentlemen of the Roundtable of Kansas City, Missouri, journeymen construction workers introduced in a previous column, have since talked with the Vikings. Next: […]
Posted inOpinion
Hugo Chavez was worthy of respect
I asked some young Black people recently if they were familiar with Hugo Chavez. Unfortunately they weren’t, but I got their attention when I told them that he was the democratically elected president of Venezuela who had recently died after losing a bout with cancer. I told them that Chavez was a great man and […]
Posted inOpinion
Salaried vs. hourly and why all pay is not equal
By Dedrick Muhammad Guest Commentator If unemployment rates fall to pre-recession levels, will our economy be as healthy as it was in 2006? Not necessarily, the research shows. Even as rising housing prices and falling unemployment rates show signs of an economic recovery, it’s important to note that the recession has permanently shifted our job […]
Posted inOpinion
Are opposite-sex friends okay if you are in a committed relationship?
I came across on Facebook a sister by the name of China La’Amour, who has a BlogTalk Radio program, “Tha Strawberry Lounge,” giving a heads-up to tune in for some interesting subjects for discussion. One is whether, if you’re in a committed romantic relationship, you can have friends of the opposite sex. To me, it’s […]
Posted inResources
Spoken Heroes
Often times people in our community and their giving spirit to others goes unnoticed. This is our opportunity to recognize these heroes and their accomplishments. Simply download the form provided here and nominate your hero. Once the nomination form is completed, mail it to P.O. Box 8558 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55408. Nominations will be accepted continually […]
Posted inSports
Finally, parity in men’s college hoops
Can we say with all surety that parity was finally achieved this year in men’s college basketball? KFAN’s Henry Lake (HL) and Robert Littal (RL) of BlackSportsOnline recently shared their thoughts on this and this year’s cliché-filled NCAA tournament already in progress. (Please note: Lake and Littal’s comments were made prior to Sunday’s tournament selections.) […]
Posted inSports
Wild, wild NFL win and lose!
Give the NFL credit for being smart. Number one, all they do is win. Revenue-ratings, popularity, continued growth, and they do all this while assaulting the NFL Players Association. The recent flurry of activity in free agency is so deceiving. Like Mike Wallace leaves Pittsburgh and signs with Miami for $60 million, $30 million guaranteed. […]
Posted inSports
State tournament highlights
Wow! What a state tournament. So much that could be written, but only so much space to fill — two three-peats, a historic moment for a coach, another coach leaving the game, and some outstanding prep careers coming to a close. Here are some highlights from the tournament. CLASS 3A FAITH JOHNSON-PATTERSON(DeLaSalle) became the first […]