Dexter's Vantage Point!

Rashard Mendenhall, 9/11 and Freedom of Speech: Can We All Just Speak Our Minds?

2011-05-05T11:08:00.000-07:00

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall's statements regarding the announcement that Osama Bin Laden was killed have come under fire. From his Twitter account Mendenhall issued the following: "What kind of person celebrates death? It is amazing how people can HATE a man they have never even heard speak. We've only heard one side..." Mendenhall then went on to express his thoughts on

Cam Newton Is No. 1 in Carolina's Panthers Book: Let the Scrutiny Begin

2011-04-30T09:55:00.000-07:00

It’s a done deal. The Carolina Panthers selected Cam Newton with the No. 1 pick in this years NFLdraft. Newton caps a tumultuous year off the field but a superlative one on it. Off the field Newton was the subject of persistent media scrutiny as he guided the Auburn Tigers to the BCS National Championship and an undefeated season. Newton’s father, Cecil Newton, was believed to have brokered

Cincinnati Bengals: Why Is Carson Palmer Getting a Media Pass?

2011-04-26T12:57:00.000-07:00

Why is Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer is getting the royal treatment from the media? The embattled quarterback has consistently harped he wants out of Cincinnati. Palmer has stated if he’s not traded he’ll simply retire. Where’s the media outcry? Why is the story flying so far under the radar? I will give you part of the reason: Palmer’s trade demands are not deemed serious

Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant Fined for Slur, but There's a Bigger Issue Here

2011-04-26T12:50:00.000-07:00

NBA Commissioner David Stern did not waste any time in levying a fine against Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant for uttering the slur “f**king fa**ot” to a referee during a Tuesday night contest against the San Antonio Spurs. Bryant suggested he meant no ill-will towards the referee. He was just frustrated and meant no harm. “What I said last night should not be taken literally," said Bryant

Bill Russell: Most Want to 'Be Like Mike' but I'd Rather 'Be Like Bill”

2011-04-26T12:43:00.000-07:00

Now that the NBA Playoffs are set to start there are many questions. Should Derrick Rose be named the MVP? Will the Los Angeles Lakers and Kobe Bryant repeat as champions? Can the Miami Heat and LeBron James hoist the championship trophy this year? Looking beyond the spectrum of this years playoffs I asked a fellow journalist the following question: Who is the greatest winner in NBA history

Warren Moon: Does Race Factor in How Cam Newton Is Portrayed in the Media?

2011-04-26T12:37:00.000-07:00

As Cam Newton strives to be the first quarterback taken in the upcoming NFL draft, some suggest he’s been subjected to racist stereotypes. Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon has been advising Newton. Moon—who experienced a lot of scrutiny as an African-American quarterback coming out of college—suggests the way Newton is being portrayed in the media is racist. Mike Freeman of

Duke and Michigan Renew Rivalry Amidst 'Uncle Tom' Controversy

2011-03-20T13:25:00.000-07:00

Oh the irony. The Duke Blue Devils are set to square off against the Michigan Wolverines today for a trip to the Sweet 16. No matter the outcome of the game a storyline that will not be avoided is the Fab Five’s (Jalen Rose, Jimmy King, Chris Webber, Ray Jackson, and Juwan Howard) recent documentary which aired on ESPN recently. Controversy swirls around both teams resulting from

Jalen Rose: Fab Five Documentary on ESPN a Job Well Done...

2011-03-18T09:44:00.000-07:00

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Jim Tressel Keeps His Job at Ohio State, but Should He?

2011-03-14T12:16:00.000-07:00

Ohio State head football coach Jim Tressel just got smacked with a two-game suspension and a $250,000 fine for not notifying the NCAA that he knew two of his players were under investigation by the FBI. The players in question were also receiving improper benefits for selling property they owned. In an email sent to Tressel by a lawyer dated April 2, 2010, Tressel was made fully aware of

Ali & Frazier: Was ‘The Fight of the Century’ the Greatest Sporting Event of All-Time?

2011-03-08T12:36:00.000-08:00

Murder in Mississippi: Lynching or Suicide?

2011-02-24T14:57:00.000-08:00

In Response to a Racial Slur: ‘I’m Nobody’s Nigr!’

2011-02-18T14:41:00.000-08:00

Michael Vick Media Persecution Continues: Will the Haters Ever Let Him Be?

2011-02-14T16:50:00.000-08:00

After winning Comeback Player of the Year and being issued an honorary key to the city of Dallas, Michael Vick is being publicly bashed for his past and not what he’s doing in the present. For instance, Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle doesn’t believe Vick has been punished enough for his role in a gambling ring he funded where he tortured dogs. Buehrle issued the following in a

Jimmer Fredette: Is Fredette Legit or Another “Great White Hope?”

2011-02-12T13:09:00.000-08:00

ESPN Radio personality John Ireland asserted on ESPN’s First Take Brigham Young University sharp-shooting guard Jimmer Fredette is a lock to be selected in the first round of next years’ NBA Draft. Ireland went on to state Fredette “can start” immediately for an NBA team based on his skill set. Start at the next level? We’ll see. In my opinion this is another attempt by so-called authorities

Ben Roethlisberger Fails to Deliver In Clutch, Green Bay Wins Super Bowl

2011-02-07T15:57:00.000-08:00

For once in the past year Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger told the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. After losing to the Green Bay Packers in yesterday’s Super Bowl 31-25 Roethlisberger stated the following: “I don't put the blame on anybody but myself. I feel like I let the city of Pittsburgh down, the fans, my coaches, my teammates. It's not a good

Mike Tomlin’s Super Bowl Return Is Proof Affirmative Action Works

2011-02-03T12:41:00.000-08:00

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is out to claim his second Super Bowl title in three years as his team prepares to square off against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday. If the Steelers win, Tomlin will be the first African American to lead his team to two Super Bowls. Not bad for the 38-year-old coach nobody wanted to hire. But Tomlin wouldn’t likely be roaming the sidelines if

Pittsburgh Steelers: Ben Roethlisberger Evades Media Scrutiny, Seeks Third Ring

2011-01-24T16:25:00.000-08:00

Ben Roethlisberger is on the cusp of leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to another Super Bowl appearance. All he has to do is lead his team past the persistent Green Bay Packers in two weeks. Roethlisberger has quietly positioned himself to win as many Super Bowls as the New England Patriots’ Tom Brady. Roethlisberger has been characterized by the media as a leader. He’s hailed as the guy who

NFL: Jim Harbaugh, The Rooney Rule, and the Good Ole Boy Network

2011-01-06T15:03:00.000-08:00

Michael Vick, Tucker Carlson: Analyst Out of Line Calling for Vick's Execution

2011-01-04T13:11:00.000-08:00

Fox News commentator and animal rights activist Tucker Carlson recently suggested Michael Vick should be executed for the dogs he killed and tortured that resulted in him being incarcerated. Carlson also took a jab at President Barack Obama. Carlson finds it hard to believe that President Obama would endorse Vick’s second chance based on his past. Carlson issued the following: “I’m Christian.

The White World of Sports Journalism

2011-01-03T11:07:00.000-08:00

January is a month of sports news. From college bowl games to NFL playoffs, we hide from the cold and indulge our inner fanatics. As someone who’s made a career of chronicling sports, it’s both an exciting and troubling time, because it reminds me that sports media remains a bastion of white privilege in journalism. I covered my first World Series in St. Petersburg, Fla., in 2008 at Tropicana

Allstate Sugar Bowl 2011: Buckeyes Should Boycott; It's Time To Pay Players

2010-12-28T14:22:00.000-08:00

Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor and four teammates have been suspended by the NCAA for the first five games of next season for selling items that belonged to them. Pryor and his four teammates admitted to selling their Big Ten championship rings, trophies and other items for cash to help their families. You and I can take our personal items and list them on eBay or Craigslist. If

NFL, Media and Race: Are Brett Favre and Ben Roethlisberger Protected?

2010-12-16T15:32:00.000-08:00

Brett Favre’s consecutive games streak is over, now all we need is a resolution to the Jenn Sterger situation. In 2008, Favre allegedly sent inappropriate texts to Sterger while Favre played for the New York Jets and Sterger was an employee with the team. An investigation was completed by NFL league investigators last week. The results were promptly given to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell

Miami Hurricanes Hire Al Golden To Resurrect the Days of Old: Is He a Good Fit?

2010-12-15T16:36:00.000-08:00

The Miami Hurricanes made a big splash by filling their head coaching position. In arguably the best hire in school history, the administration went out and got a perennial winner in Al Golden from Temple University to replace the fired Randy Shannon. The Hurricanes faithful should be happy now. They have landed a coach who was a certain upgrade and can bring back the days of old. Not.

Cincinnati Bengals: Carson Palmer Gives Pittsburgh Steelers an Early X-Mas Gift

2010-12-15T14:45:00.000-08:00

The Cincinnati Bengals have lost 10 straight games. The primary reason why the Bengals are struggling lies directly on the shoulders of quarterback Carson Palmer. The Bengals, particularly Palmer, seemed to be in a festive mood on Sunday as they managed to hand the Pittsburgh Steelers a 23-7 victory by consistently turning the ball over by courtesy of Palmer’s less-than-stellar play. Let’s

Does quarterback Ben Roethlisberger get a pass because he’s white?

2010-03-13T13:56:00.000-08:00

Pittsburgh Steeler quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has been accused of sexual assault.For the second time mind you. Roethlisberger has been accused of assaulting a 20-year old student in Georgia.Where is the media coverage?Why is Roethisberger seemingly getting a pass on the level of media coverage as compared to the likes of Michael Vick, Plaxico Burress and others?Allow me to get to the point.