End of the Decade, What did I learn?

Time to wind down 2009 and ease onto 2010 and hey wouldn't you know it, the 1st decade of the 21st Century is over! Who knew? How time flies, weren't we just selling off the surplus food and emergency supplies from Y2K on ebay not too long ago? So much has happened from 2000 until now, so much history made (good and bad) which leaves us wondering what the future will hold as we are still in uncertain times in so many ways. So what did I learn this decade:

1. Tiger Woods should have stayed single.

His father told him at one time, don't get married! I think those words are echoing in his head more and more these days as he looks for a divorce lawyer. You can really argue that the way he went about his infidelity was all on him and you could also say he should have kept it in his pants. Either way what I know about parents is that they know their children. Earl Woods knew his son would be out there either way so it would have probably been best for all involved that he had not married his wife and he could get all of the kinky sex he wanted with chicks I wouldn't f*ck with your d*ck.

2. Post-Racial is complete Bulls*it:

Obama gets elected and a new low for politics is set. Now you have tea parties, birthers, FOX News and racist whack jobs all rising out of the wood work to incite fear. How do you think the President, himself a Constitutional lawyer can take your guns away? Were you absent from school the day they taught government? He can't do s*it without Congress having some say on it! America did show that we could and together in tough times and elect a black man to our nation's highest office. But to say that racism as we know it is over because of that is a lie in opinion simply because I have seen a great disrespect for the office since Obama assumed it and no one has had an awakening to end any type of racial strife. There is a long way to go to truly get to Post-Racial, I hope that I will be around to experience that day.

3. I'm not sure we are all that safe:

Just when you thought we were getting a bit better on the homefront in terms of airline and anti-terror security, all of the stuff pops off during Christmas on the flights from Amsterdam to Detroit. Many would argue that all that was done post 9/11 was not effective as now we have to wade through long lines of security checks to get on a plane and not being sure that air marshals are on every flight (albeit your flight). I partially agree but I am not sure what could be done any differently or any better. Knowing the threat helps and intelligence is sometimes either dated or late, on time intelligence is a rare thing IMHO. All we can do is be more vigilant as we travel and in our personal lives. Prayer doesn't hurt either!

4. Entertainers don't exist anymore:

We have plenty of "celebrities" but very few (if any) are entertainers. Celebrity is being bestowed on any random mofo who has a sex tape, date-me reality show or attempts to sing, rap or dance. Music as an art form has been relegated to a secondary position as record conglomerates continually cram cookie cutter hip-hop, R&B and American Idol winners down our throat. You don't actually need talent, just look pretty, wear something tight and scream really loud over this Swizz Beats track. (Sound familar? Insert name of just about any singer here). We miss Michael Jackson!!!!

It's not all bad, this has overall been a good decade. For me, love is here to stay and I am blessed with family and good friends. Things have been good and I am hoping that things will get better not only for me but for you, yours and all of us. Be easy and Happy New Year! Look for more entries and some blog rewinds as I celebrate the coming of 2010. I dare not blog drunk...

The obligatory Tiger Woods blog

I was really, really, really trying to avoid this. Everyone in the world is talking about this guy and now that the dust has settled a bit, what is left to be said about the world's greatest golfer and his ladies? First off, it appears that Tiger is human!! Oh no, newsflash...can we get that to ESPN's Bottomline right now! Yes people, he plays a game like an indestructible, superman. What we have found out is that his kryptonite is the booty, the same kryptonite that has brought down alot of famous men. I am not defending what he has done, he cheated on his wife and that should not be given a pass. What he realizes though is that he has made a grave mistake, is very remorseful for his actions which not only affect him, but also his children who are not old enough to know what is happening but will one day read or hear about it.

When this story first broke, I knew that many would lose all respect for him. Not only because he had such a squeaky clean image but also because he plays golf, a very exclusionary sport and a mostly white sport. Many look at golf as the last bastion of civility, self defined as a "gentlemanly game." I don't know about you, but I think there is no such thing as a civil sport nor there ever was. Mainstream sports like baseball and football have dished their dirt and continues to do so even more in this age of twitter and tell all books. The reason we know more about other sports like Tennis and Golf is because of how they have crept onto our radar and their names are as familiar to us as the heroes of the past in more well known sports. Andre Agassi in his autobiography told about drug abuse while he played pro tennis. Drug abuse in pro tennis? I can see the outrage of many who either are in disbelief or are mad that he told. If all of this is going on in Tennis, why should golf be any different? These are men playing a game and are being held to a gentlemen's standard that probably died off in the 60's. Tiger has the pressure of being the best in his sport, being black in his sport and dealing with scrutiny of being married to a white woman, a woman who was the nanny to a tour competitor (more about him in a minute). So I suspect at this point, the whole house of cards has come crashing down around him as his reputation takes a gigantic blow, he has in the eyes of some has smashed the civility and pureness of the game and has put himself on the list of brothas who while married to a white woman just couldn't keep it in his pants.

I agree that he owes no explanation to any of us. He has enough problems that he has to address and wounds at home to heal. If he wants to tell what he feels is important, then so be it. I feel like what has happened is between him and his wife. The other women in all of this are your worse type of groupie, you got him, he gave you some "Buy you some shit and shut up money" but you still want to tell it all. I thought there was a code or rule book for both parties in a high finance cheating situation? Well as these women have proved, there is no honor among jumpoffs!

Jesper Parnevik, the golfer whom Tiger's wife Elin worked for when he met her publicly ripped him a few days post incident. Parnevik stated he wished he had never introduced them and he felt like he owed Elin an apology. That's funny, but isn't that kind of fucked up? I wonder how Tiger felt about that. If I was him, I would have to text him and say "I wish I could hear you over all my major championships and this billion dollar bank account...bitch!" Just straight hateration and that's from a fellow tour member. Just try and imagine how some of the fans feel?

When asked today on the Dan Patrick Show about Tiger's situation, Charles Barkley offered a wide range of opinions but this was the best one. Sir Charles talked about when he got his DUI not too long ago and how many people (those he knew well as well as the media) ripped him about his behavior. Barkley took note of those folks and he made sure that he ripped them or will rip them when they do something stupid. He suggested that Tiger do the same, cause you know they talking. Tiger, I would suggest putting Mr. Parnevik Number One with a bullet on that list!!

Class dismissed...