Dome Pondering

So what if Lisa Leslie was thrown to the ground? Yeah, I said it. Not quite the introduction your were looking for, huh? Well, neither was the coverage the WNBA has received as of late for its version of the "Brawl at the Palace". Despite the irony of the location of the WNBA's first throwdown, everyone has seemed to approach this situation as if it is a huge black eye on the league in its entirety. From all of the WNBA analysts to the sport beat writers that cover basketball as whole, all look upon this situation as marring the game. Now yes, it is totally agreeable that disagreements, fights, and brawls occur in professional sports. It happens all the time. And yes, it is definitely unacceptable behavior for professional athletes, the game, and the many youngsters that idolize them to partake in such a manner. It should not be condoned, and is totally unacceptable. After all, the WNBA's motto is "Expect Great." On the other hand, treating this si...

So when did sports become so serious? So unforgiving to the fan? Sports and the world that it makes its home in, has always been one of escape. Escape from our jobs. Escape from our politics. Escape from controversy. Escape from our lives. Escape from ourselves. A world where a fan can throw his or her heart into and forget about all the wrong doings of the world. A world where there is only victory and defeat. It's a love for the game. A love for your city. However, as of late it seems that sports have become as real as your 9-to-5. Scratch the love. Sports now involve all the quirks, perks, and legality that you might see in an episode of Law and Order. Everyone has heard the cliche so many times that, "Sports is a business", however, it seems the line between the two has been blurred, and that shade of gray has been replaced with politics. Ultimately, leaving fans out of the equation. Need an example? Look no further than the situation with the Seattle Superson...

With the sixth pick in the NBA Draft, the New York Knicks select...Danilo Gallinari. Booooo! A familiar sound heard on draft night in the MSG Theater regarding the selection of the Knicks. Nonetheless, in what is deemed as the most crucial selection in New York Knickerbocker history, the Knicks selected the young Italian nicknamed "The Rooster". After initial doubt, Gallanari has grown on many including yours truly. After being heralded by Fran Fraschilla on draft night as having the potential to be amongst "the untouchables" of New York City such as Derek Jeter and Michael Strahan, Gallanari has shown in a short amount of span that Fraschilla might have been on to something. However, "The Rooster" has yet to play a game, or even lace up a pair of kicks under the Garden lights. So he may be far away from the Jeters and Strahans, but compared to the trash most New Yorkers see on the Knicks roster, Gallinari's looks like a gem. After all, what ...

Is it possible for A-Rod to make more money? And isn't that thought scary? After all, he is potentially the greatest player to ever don a Baseball uniform, and according to the latest results, one of "The Greatest Athletes in the World." So you would think that he would (and should) be fairly marketable, right? Currently, A-Rod is the ninth highest paid athlete in the world behind the likes of Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Flloyd Mayweather, and some guy named Tiger Woods. Rodriguez's base salary is in actuality the highest at a whopping $29 million dollars per year. However, he only (and let's use that term loosely) makes an additional $6 million in endorsements, an area others obviously thrive in. It is hard to believe, a guy like Rodriguez who is the best in his sport, similar to the likes of Woods, James, Mayweather, and Bryant, cannot step to the foray of the mainstream media. Rodriguez, who has turned down endorsements in the past (commercials & photo shoot...

Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea has had quite a rough stretch lately. This has not been a secret as the "Hulkster" has seen his life crumble before him as if he were in the fist of the late great, Andre The Giant. Hogan has experienced the canceling of his TV show, Hogan Knows Best , a messy and public divorce, various scandals regarding his newest lady Hulkamaniac, witnessing his son being sent to jail, and a potential life altering lawsuit. It's been very rough to say the least. Many have sympathized with Hogan, and have shown their support for him in many ways. Although, any individual experiencing such a downward spiral deserves sympathy and support, this situation has been coming for a long time. It was as obvious as the finish to any of Hogan's matches or any major wrestling event in the late 80's-early 90's. Except this time, the finish was very different. This time, Hogan is the one that has been defeated. As the old saying goes, what ...

So Kimbo Slice is the next great fighter? According to Elite XC he is. The street fighting legend who became a household name because of his fights on YouTube and his rags-to-riches story was victorious in his third MMA fight for Elite XC. In the main event role, Slice was a sure lock for interest and ratings for the struggling MMA company as it not only broke through on the national stage for the first time, but represented the entire sport on it's quest for mainstream recognition. In a fight which seemed right out of the book from Don King's manual, the entire night was built around Slice's fight, his background, and his merits. From the pre-fight interviews and introduction, to the announcers excitement for every Slice haymaker and jab, the night almost seemed disrespectful to the fighters that have learned honed the MMA honor and discipline for years. In what was MMA's breakthrough night, the entire sport laid rest on the back of a two fight, internet sensation.

Five dollars a gallon. In some parts of Alaska, that has become the norm for gas. Soon, those prices will make their way toward the mainland, hurting many Americans along its path. Rising food and the luxuries of life will follow, sending many into caution during this "recession". It seems not too long ago that the world seemed much more on axis. It wasn't perfect, but things were much more aligned, almost serene, compared to the here and now. It was a mere decade ago when the world's biggest issue surrounded Y2K, and the future of technology. In today's world of YouTube, Blackberrys and the high speed internet, post September 11th has brought us... Darfur. Dead soldiers. South Iraq. Katrina. The War on Terrorism. Earthquakes. Cease of International Relations. 100,000 dead. Cancer. Myanmar. 10,000 dead. Israel. Diabetes. Global Warming. Continent-wide hunger. And yes, unforgiving rising oil prices. No longer is expanding our quality of life an issue, but the sheer...

The New York Knicks are on the road to recovery. Stephon Marbury's career is on life-support. The franchise which has been slowly dying in the past years, and which was bludgeoned severely by a weapon with the hand prints of Isiah Thomas, has begun its slow climb back to respectability. Hopefully, one day amongst the elite again. Nonetheless, as fast as they have become credible, the organization has presented several crossroads for many within the organization, especially Stephon Marbury. Upon hearing of new head coach Mike D'Antoni's hiring, Marbury immediately called the newly hired coach to welcome him to Gotham. After all, Marbury more than anyone else is excited for a replacement for the friend gone foe, Isiah Thomas. That is because, Marbury more than anyone else knows that this might be his final shot to not only save his name and career, but himself. With Mr. "Seven seconds a possession" planning to inject his philosophy into the Knicks mentally los...

22,000 people dead and counting... That is the bottom line after a vicious cyclone whipped through Myanmar. In what seems to be one of the greatest natural disasters in world history, has also seen a change in people - a change in heart. In a country often ruled by a repressive military regime, citizens of Myanmar, soldiers, Buddhist monks, and Catholic nuns all have come together to clear away trees and damage from Cyclone Nargis. However, even though the cyclone's unmeasurable damage seems to be completed, the struggle has just begun as survivors face greater challenges than finding the bodies of those who remain missing. Such struggles include loss of electricity, spreading disease in the world's worst health systems, and a lack of food, water, and shelter for over 6 million people.

"Louis Farrakhan is one of the most influential people of the last 20 years." That comment alone is evident of the absurd tirade that Jeremiah Wright has indulged in for the past few weeks. His latest outburst which consist of praise for Louis Farrakhan, claiming United States conspiracy regarding AIDS and blacks, "God damning America", and being a consistent nuisance to Sen. Obama's campaign reek of a man seeking attention. It's unbelievably sad when a man who through his distorted and twisted views along with his various degrees and accomplishments has the urge to voice such vulgar, detrimental, and outrageous comments that affect everyone. Comments which vehemently contradict those of Americans and the constant pursuit of Dr. King's Dream . Nonetheless, however sad it may be, Jeremiah believes he is right.