Tuesday, March 07, 2006

RIP Puck.

Kirby Puckett died yesterday.

I really liked him as a baseball ambassador considering I never even played/ watched/ liked baseball that much I was in awe of his Magic Johnson-esque personality even if I only watched for so long. In fact, his career mirrored Magic's in a few ways he helped re-establish a team (The Twins would probably have been gone without that championship) and his career was marred by a horrific biological circumstance that eventually ended his career.

On Saturday in a convo with my mom she got on my ass about eating better. I mean, I have been working out since Nov and my weight loss has been hindered by my eating habits. Still, my moms didn't have to call me out. But she's right... we do have diabetes in our family and even if we didn't.. we're black... and diabetes is in our culture as well.

But in Puckett I find myself finally getting it. Kirby was a good man who enjoyed life to the fullest. Even when glaucoma took him out the game he was never gone. He wasn't a sulker and wasn't lost without the influence of baseball. He had health issues.. heart, eyes, and more than anything his weight. Often times old teammates would see him and express their concern. His glowing personality would assure them that he was okay.

Kirby's weight killed him, just like Luther before him and many many of our loved relatives who cannot control their eating nor get in the exercise they need. Today I have decided to not let it kill me. I don't have the discipline I want yet but I'm getting there. Not that I'm fat or close to obese I just want to set the groundwork so that I can keep in shape into my 30s and beyond.

RIP Puck.

Kirby Puckett died yesterday.

I really liked him as a baseball ambassador considering I never even played/ watched/ liked baseball that much I was in awe of his Magic Johnson-esque personality even if I only watched for so long. In fact, his career mirrored Magic's in a few ways he helped re-establish a team (The Twins would probably have been gone without that championship) and his career was marred by a horriffic biological circumstance that eventually ended his career.

On Saturday in a convo with my mom she got on my ass about eating better. I mean, I have been working out since Nov and my weight loss has been hindered by my eating habits. Still, my moms didn't have to call me out. But she's right... we do have diabetes in our family and even if we didn't.. we're black... and diabetes is in our culture as well.

But in Puckett I find myself finally getting it. Kirby was a good man who enjoyed life to the fullest. Even when glaucoma took him out the game he was never gone. He wasn't a sulker and wasn't lost without the influence of baseball. He had health issues.. heart, eyes, and more than anything his weight. Often times old teammates would see him and express their concern. His glowing personality would assure them that he was okay.

Kirby's weight killed him, just like Luther before him and many many of our loved relatives who cannot control their eating nor get in the exercise they need. Today I have decided to not let it kill me. I don't have the discipline I want yet but I'm getting there. Not that I'm fat or close to obese I just want to set the groundwork so that I can keep in shape into my 30s and beyond.

Thursday, January 26, 2006

Down With The Swirl

If you haven't heard by now (and if you are like me you miss large events in current pop culture) the WB and UPN have decided to take the plunge and go half on a baby. Their new network, the CW, will be born from the WB and CBS owned UPN. Interestingly, in an odd twist this new station will be mostly controlled by the staff from the lesser regarded and more ethnic UPN.

The CW ambitiously plans to air 30 hours of programming each week, including two hours of prime-time fare every weeknight with three on Sundays, afternoon blocks, and five-hours of pure Saturday morning cartoon goodness.

I swear, it was just 10 years ago that those crazy kids came into our homes for the first time... yet... it seems just like yesterday.

What is interesting about this is each has very distinctly different cultural identities. UPN makes really bad sitcoms for African Americans and the WB makes predominantly really bad dramas for young whites or sellout blacks (KIDDING!!!!!). Between them they have had some winners though: Tyra Banks' America's Top Model, Girlfriends, Veronica Mars, Everybody Hates Chris, Gilmore Girls, etc. (I never said any were good... and don't start with the finer points of Gilmore Girls). But all of the aforementioned shows will be brought back to this newborn channel for next season so your fanboys and girls can change .

(Sorry fans of Everwood, One Tree Hill, and uh.. whatever other shows UPN had between reruns of Fear Factor)

The offspring of this unholy matrimony could be either very good or very bad. On one side currently they have one of the hottest line ups for young viewers. The kind of young and not yet brand loyal viewers advertisers drool over. On the other side (conservatively) 95% of these shows suck. Then again, quite frankly, compared to much of the rest of popular TV, these shows are the entertainment equivalent of gummi bears... cheap, fun, light, not to be taken serious (or mass consumed) romps. (Except for Tyra... who, with her motley crew of debatable talented cronies, seem to take modeling a smidge too seriously) This instantly makes many of them better than most of the shows of dubious quality on the big four networks. (And, yes, I'm looking at you, Desperate Stankin' Housewives.)

In cherry picking the quality shows, a ratings bonanza is created where underrated shows like "Everyone Hates Chris" can be properly promoted and grown. Many of these shows that have succeeded on each of these channels have also suffered from many of the mainstream viewers not giving the shows a proper chance due to network prejudice. Not a racial thing more of a crappy network thing, people ignore those stations altogether. I mean, I don't know WHEN was the last time I watched the WB.

Ultimately, the potential to use this ad revenue creating monster may mean more hipper younger and fun shows skewered towards minorities and women. This is a good thing. Most of which will be as memorable as Bean Baxter in the early Fox years... That is a bad thing. Still, I'm sure there'll be one I will enjoy sufficiently. The potential is truly great for a union such as this one. Just one warning: GOD help them if they have a My Name Is Chris / Gilmore Girls crossover. GOD HELP THEM ALL!!!!!