1 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:04,840 Speaker 1: Welcome to Naked Sports, the podcast where we live at 2 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:09,760 Speaker 1: the intersection of sports, politics, and culture. Our purpose reveal 3 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 1: the common threads that bind them all. So what's happening 4 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:16,480 Speaker 1: in women's basketball right now is what we've been trying 5 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: to get to for almost thirty years. From the stadiums 6 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 1: where athletes to break barriers and set records. Caitlin broke 7 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 1: the all time single game assists record. 8 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 2: This is crazy for rookies to be doing. 9 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:32,000 Speaker 1: Our discussions will uncover the vital connections between these realms 10 00:00:32,320 --> 00:00:36,280 Speaker 1: and the community we create. Welcome to Naked Sports. I'm 11 00:00:36,320 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: your host, Carrie Champion. Yeah, as many of you know 12 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:11,120 Speaker 1: by now, Reverend Jesse Jackson passed away yesterday, Tuesday, February seventeenth, 13 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: and I am going to take some time today on 14 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:21,040 Speaker 1: Naked to not necessarily eulogize him, but to talk about 15 00:01:21,080 --> 00:01:24,760 Speaker 1: what he meant to me as a kid. I think 16 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:27,840 Speaker 1: for many of us, and probably for those who are 17 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: listening today, if you didn't grow up knowing who Jesse 18 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:36,960 Speaker 1: Jackson was, or he wasn't a vital figure in your life, 19 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 1: meaning you didn't see him on TV, you may not 20 00:01:38,959 --> 00:01:43,640 Speaker 1: have an understanding of what he meant to the black community. 21 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: When I was a kid, what I remember was my 22 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 1: mother and my grandmother telling all of us to gather 23 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 1: around the television because we were getting to witness what 24 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 1: they declared was history in real time. The Reverend Jesse 25 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: Jackson was running for president in nineteen eighty four and 26 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:15,400 Speaker 1: again in nineteen eighty eight, but the idea that a 27 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:22,639 Speaker 1: black man was able to get to a place where 28 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 1: an entire party backed him and wanted to see him 29 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 1: as president of the United States was unheard of, especially 30 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:33,760 Speaker 1: for my grandmother who grew up in the South. My 31 00:02:33,840 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: grandmother Makes You Rest in Peace, grew up in spaces 32 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 1: where she would tell me as a young kid she 33 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:45,560 Speaker 1: wasn't allowed to look at white people in the eye. 34 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: And for me, fast forward some years later, your elders 35 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: become your ancestors, and the stories you remember are pivotal, 36 00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 1: their life changing. And so as a kid, when Jesse 37 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: Jackson gave that speech keep Hope Alive, I remember it 38 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 1: only because he was known for making sure that he 39 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 1: gave that pastoral cadence right, like when you go to 40 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: church on Sunday and the pastor rhymes or he has 41 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,519 Speaker 1: a really good sermon and there's a theme of the sermon, 42 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 1: and he gives it to you throughout. If you go 43 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: to church today it's a black church more specifically, you 44 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: still know what that sounds like. You still understand what 45 00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: the message is, whether you understood anything there is, you'd 46 00:03:39,040 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 1: leave knowing you'd have some sort of saying. And what 47 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 1: we played at the top of the podcast was I 48 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 1: am somebody. I Am somebody was important, especially back then 49 00:03:55,800 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 1: set the tone nineteen eighty four. DEI really wasn't a thing, right. 50 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 1: I think this was a time historically speaking, and again 51 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 1: I was a kid, so I can't talk about it 52 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 1: as an adult, but this was a time when black 53 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 1: and brown people were getting their footing in this country. 54 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:25,239 Speaker 1: We were in a space where we were defined whether 55 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 1: it be really really important in terms of our education 56 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:33,080 Speaker 1: and what we were allowed to, how we were going 57 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: to HBCUs, and we were watching ourselves on television in 58 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:38,599 Speaker 1: ways that we had never seen ourselves before, like with 59 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 1: The Cosby Show because he was a doctor and the 60 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 1: wife was clear, Huxtable was an attorney, and all the 61 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: kids were going to HBCUs. We had a very hopeful space, 62 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:50,719 Speaker 1: but we needed to be implored and by way I 63 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:52,679 Speaker 1: mean black people, we needed to be told we matter. 64 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: And Jesse Jackson's speeches were all about you matter, no 65 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 1: matter what any one says to you, no matter what 66 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: you think you look like, you matter. 67 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 3: When you see Jesse Jackson, when my name goes in nomination, 68 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 3: your name goes in nomination. I was born in the slum, 69 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:15,560 Speaker 3: but the slom was not boring in me, and then 70 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:20,720 Speaker 3: wasn't going in you. And you can make it. 71 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:24,640 Speaker 1: You can make it. And while the words may seem 72 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 1: extremely simple, I feel like right now, more than ever, 73 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 1: there are a group of marginalized people that need to 74 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:36,160 Speaker 1: understand that they matter. No matter what you're being told, 75 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,039 Speaker 1: no matter what you're seeing on television, no matter what's 76 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:41,039 Speaker 1: going on in the White House, you need to be 77 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:45,720 Speaker 1: told you matter. Keep hope alive, you are somebody. Don't 78 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:48,279 Speaker 1: give up. You may have grown up in the slums, 79 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:50,640 Speaker 1: but the slum is not in you. I remember Jesse 80 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 1: Jackson saying that, and I feel like the reason so 81 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:00,920 Speaker 1: many people are devastated by this law because he was 82 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:03,919 Speaker 1: our last connection, at least to the history that we 83 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:07,040 Speaker 1: thought we knew. He was there. When Martin Luther King 84 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 1: Junior was assassinated he was a part of Martin Luther 85 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:16,839 Speaker 1: King Junior's essentral group of men who he sent out 86 00:06:16,960 --> 00:06:25,000 Speaker 1: into this country to fight for rights equality. And the 87 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 1: day that I remember gathering around the television with my 88 00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:35,599 Speaker 1: other family members watching him, but watching my family like 89 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 1: my mother, my grandmother, my aunt, and my uncles, my 90 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 1: cousins watching them because they were older, watching the television, 91 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:47,560 Speaker 1: I knew that it was something really significantly important. And 92 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:50,640 Speaker 1: as I got older, like many of us, as we 93 00:06:50,680 --> 00:06:54,479 Speaker 1: get older, we all had the opportunity to meet Rev. 94 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 1: Jesse Jackson, like it's a true story, like depending on 95 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:00,159 Speaker 1: what you do for a living. He was everywhere. He 96 00:07:00,240 --> 00:07:02,599 Speaker 1: was always in the community. He was making sure that 97 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:10,520 Speaker 1: he shaked hands and kissed babies. And I met him 98 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: when I was in college at a college event. Came 99 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: to our school. I shook his hand and I remember 100 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: thinking it was really important, and I told my mother 101 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 1: and I have to confess, I had to do my 102 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 1: research on why he was so important. And from that 103 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 1: moment on, I knew that we had a living legacy 104 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 1: among us. And I don't think many times we give 105 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:42,480 Speaker 1: people their flowers. In fact, even as we try to 106 00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 1: eulogize him, today, there will be people who will talk 107 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:48,200 Speaker 1: about how he was a flawed man. There will be 108 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: people who will remind us of what he didn't do 109 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:58,520 Speaker 1: even in death. And to that I say, kiss my ass. 110 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: Because no one's perfect. All men are flawed. I'm not 111 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 1: making any excuses. But today, tomorrow, for the next month, 112 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:11,280 Speaker 1: however long I feel like it, I want to honor 113 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:15,720 Speaker 1: someone who really inspired hope into a community that was hopeless. 114 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 1: If you ask anybody who's considered a leader, and or 115 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 1: anyone who is in our community, in this marginalized community, 116 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 1: do they know what he meant or what did he do, 117 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: or how he inspired their parents or their grandparents. He 118 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 1: did that, he did exactly that. He was at the 119 00:08:34,440 --> 00:08:36,720 Speaker 1: birth of the civil rights movement. He was integral in 120 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 1: the civil rights movement. He grew up not only in 121 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 1: very impoverished conditions, he was able to rise above it 122 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: and become a statesman in so many different ways. His 123 00:08:45,640 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 1: campaign was pivotal. His nineteen eighty four nineteen eighty eight 124 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 1: campaign running for president was a very pivotal moment, not 125 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:54,680 Speaker 1: only for the Democratic Party that doesn't have anything to 126 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:57,679 Speaker 1: do with us in general, but it was pivotal for 127 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:00,719 Speaker 1: us to see so that we could believe, because if 128 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:04,719 Speaker 1: he never ran, would we have a Barack Obama? And 129 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 1: so I thought that it was important just to say 130 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:10,960 Speaker 1: that it would be nice if we all took a 131 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:15,959 Speaker 1: minute to understand who our elders are, who are now 132 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:20,320 Speaker 1: our ancestors, who have literally crawled so that we can walk. 133 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:24,240 Speaker 1: I don't think that there would be a Baraque if 134 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:29,600 Speaker 1: there would wasn't a Jesse. I don't think that there 135 00:09:29,679 --> 00:09:33,319 Speaker 1: are many people, if you ask me, I don't think 136 00:09:33,320 --> 00:09:35,719 Speaker 1: that there are many people that I can't look at 137 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:37,840 Speaker 1: now and see what they have been able to accomplish 138 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:42,200 Speaker 1: if there wasn't someone before them. Do you know how 139 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:46,920 Speaker 1: incredibly selfish you have to be to want to take 140 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:50,120 Speaker 1: care of an entire community, or you feel like the 141 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:51,960 Speaker 1: weight of the world is on your shoulder so that 142 00:09:52,040 --> 00:09:55,760 Speaker 1: you can help uplift an entire community. Jesse had the 143 00:09:56,679 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 1: very awesome privilege of watching the the civil rights fight 144 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:05,440 Speaker 1: evolve so much so that he then became such an 145 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: important part of the movement that he could run for president. 146 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:11,680 Speaker 1: I'm sure as a kid growing up in the slums 147 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 1: of his and he talks about it in South Carolina, 148 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 1: he probably I don't want to say he didn't imagine that, 149 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:22,719 Speaker 1: but the day that it was feasible and real had 150 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 1: to feel so real in so many ways. I in 151 00:10:25,280 --> 00:10:30,320 Speaker 1: fact remember him greeting Barack Obama and saying, I'm just 152 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:34,080 Speaker 1: so impressed. I'm just like blown away because the moment 153 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:36,960 Speaker 1: was bigger than life. And I think it's appropriate that 154 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:41,800 Speaker 1: people are taking time to acknowledge a man who felt 155 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 1: very important to a movement that fought for people that 156 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: look like you and me, for marginalized folks, for women 157 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 1: to have equality. Fast forward some years later, look where 158 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 1: we are today. I don't want to make this a 159 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:02,640 Speaker 1: political speech, but I do think it's important that we 160 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:06,319 Speaker 1: look back and thank the Reverend for what he did 161 00:11:07,200 --> 00:11:12,960 Speaker 1: because we are in crazy times and simply listening to 162 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:16,679 Speaker 1: some of his speeches still inspire me, still give me motivations, 163 00:11:16,679 --> 00:11:21,160 Speaker 1: still remind me of what we are entitled to, what 164 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:26,720 Speaker 1: we deserve, what we should expect, despite what the outside 165 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 1: world is doing and telling. And I'm talking about whether 166 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:30,880 Speaker 1: it be in the White House, what's going on with Ice, 167 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 1: the rollback of DEI, everything that's happening right now. We 168 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:40,959 Speaker 1: are living and we literally are walking everything back. If 169 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 1: you don't document your history, someone will do it for you. 170 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:45,880 Speaker 1: If you don't tell your story, someone will tell it 171 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:50,880 Speaker 1: for you. If you don't remember, if you try to change, 172 00:11:50,960 --> 00:11:53,679 Speaker 1: if you don't tell your narrative, you don't create the narrative, 173 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:56,160 Speaker 1: someone will try to create it for you. It is 174 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 1: important that we document the Reverend Jesse Jackson did for us, 175 00:12:00,559 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 1: for this culture, for this community. Like him or not, 176 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 1: they cannot erase what he was, the figure he was. 177 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 1: They cannot change who he was based on flaws. Don't 178 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,439 Speaker 1: forget that. And with that being said, I know that 179 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 1: Jesse Jackson have been fighting an illness for some time. 180 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:17,840 Speaker 1: They say it was a nerve illness. And he passed 181 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:21,280 Speaker 1: away at eighty four years old. That still that feels 182 00:12:21,320 --> 00:12:24,240 Speaker 1: so young, that feels as if he lived so much life. 183 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 1: But I want you to listen listening to one of 184 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:36,360 Speaker 1: his speeches that I find particularly moving, and again, pay 185 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,040 Speaker 1: attention to how it works for today. 186 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 2: I give it all I had. It's my sermon when 187 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 2: I service, my sermon, when I teach children, it's it's 188 00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:51,160 Speaker 2: my sermony, my challenge the powers that be, it's my sermon. 189 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:56,599 Speaker 2: When I go to Yugoslavian challenge Melosovich and able to 190 00:12:56,640 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 2: pray with him and conquer those odds and bring out 191 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 2: soldiers back home. It's it's my sermon, so in some sense, 192 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:11,439 Speaker 2: with all my own infirmatives and weaknesses and private pain, 193 00:13:11,640 --> 00:13:14,960 Speaker 2: through it all, I have borne my cross, and in 194 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 2: the face of adversity, I have not fainted, and I 195 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 2: will keep hopingly. 196 00:13:24,800 --> 00:13:26,319 Speaker 1: I appreciate you guys for let me take a few 197 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:29,719 Speaker 1: minutes to talk about rev and Jesse Jackson onto some 198 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 1: sports because these are some definite trending topics that are 199 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:37,200 Speaker 1: happening in my world today and I'm coming off of 200 00:13:37,280 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 1: All Star Weekend full recap. I had a blast at 201 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 1: All Star Weekend in terms of the work that we 202 00:13:43,920 --> 00:13:46,240 Speaker 1: were able to do. You know, we have a new 203 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:48,760 Speaker 1: podcast out Jamal Hull and I call flavoran and funny. 204 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:52,800 Speaker 1: But I wanted to talk about a few issues that 205 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:55,520 Speaker 1: continue to come up every year when we're talking about 206 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 1: NBA All Star Weekend. There's always the complaint that no 207 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:01,880 Speaker 1: one's watching. Again, there's always the complaint that the game 208 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:06,200 Speaker 1: is boring. There's always the complaint of the athletes not 209 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 1: caring about the NBA All Star Game because it's really 210 00:14:08,520 --> 00:14:10,160 Speaker 1: like a game to get together and have fun. I 211 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:12,959 Speaker 1: don't know. I hear too many complaints. I don't know 212 00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 1: what you want these athletes to do. I don't know 213 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 1: if you want them to take the game super seriously. 214 00:14:18,320 --> 00:14:20,600 Speaker 1: The only reason why they don't, I feel, and I'm 215 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:23,200 Speaker 1: being really honest, is because the leaders that are in 216 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 1: the NBA now, the leaders the Vets, the people who've 217 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: been there the longest, the Lebron's of the world. Right, 218 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 1: I would even say because he was. You know, it's 219 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 1: hard when you become It really is hard when you 220 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 1: become a VET to still be considered in the All 221 00:14:36,760 --> 00:14:38,960 Speaker 1: Star because there's so many young guns coming after you, 222 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 1: and the way people vote now is based on popularity. 223 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 1: So Lebron obviously at the All Star Game, Lebron isn't 224 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 1: that kind of leader. Lebron isn't the kind of person 225 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 1: that wants to rip your heart out. He has killer 226 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 1: instinct when necessary. Obviously he's a champion, but he's no 227 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:58,800 Speaker 1: Kobe Bryant or no Dwayne Wade. The last All Star 228 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:01,400 Speaker 1: Game that I can think of had a significant impact 229 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:03,600 Speaker 1: in terms of how the players went about playing and 230 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:07,200 Speaker 1: how it was true competition. Lebron was still playing it 231 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 1: was Lebron, d Wade, Kobe, and I remember Kobe and 232 00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 1: d Way going at it because Kobe was always competitive. 233 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 1: In fact, that All Star Game, d Wade broke Kobe's nose. 234 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:27,680 Speaker 1: All's fair in love though, right, love in basketball. But 235 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:30,840 Speaker 1: that was that was one of these moments where I 236 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 1: was like, oh, this is this is a serious moment. 237 00:15:34,080 --> 00:15:37,760 Speaker 1: Kobe is competitive, no matter what. The stories are, legendary 238 00:15:37,880 --> 00:15:40,000 Speaker 1: even in practice. I want to rip your heart out. 239 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 1: That's who he was. They don't do that now, everybody, 240 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:50,720 Speaker 1: I believe with the Kobe retiring, the generation after him, 241 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:56,960 Speaker 1: they were everybody's friends. Carmelo, CP three, Dwayne Wade, they're 242 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,400 Speaker 1: all homies. They all kick it, they all hang out together. 243 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 1: Maybe not as close as they used to be, But 244 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:05,880 Speaker 1: there wasn't this this I want to be better than you, 245 00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 1: not in a very overt way. Yes, competition is friendly, 246 00:16:08,800 --> 00:16:12,320 Speaker 1: but everybody's friends. I grew up under the guys right, 247 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 1: sounding like I'm somebody's mama. I grew up with you. 248 00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:16,680 Speaker 1: Guys are like you on the other team, were not friends. 249 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 1: Competition is competition. I draw a line there. Maybe maybe 250 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:24,360 Speaker 1: after I retire, we're good, but we're not friends. And 251 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:29,240 Speaker 1: I think that's what's missing in these All Star games. 252 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:33,000 Speaker 1: Everybody is worried about likes and looks. What am I 253 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 1: wearing and how many people are following me. The likes 254 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:39,440 Speaker 1: and the looks have taken over. The social currency and 255 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:42,960 Speaker 1: how important it is to be influenced or an influencer 256 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 1: has taken over, and it really does bleed into the game. 257 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:48,320 Speaker 1: And that's why people are complaining that no one wants 258 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 1: to go anymore. It's not fun to watch. It's just 259 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:55,320 Speaker 1: these people don't care. And I believe that it's because 260 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:58,240 Speaker 1: one they're all friends, and two they're worried about, you know, 261 00:16:58,400 --> 00:17:00,440 Speaker 1: other things. This is their time home off they don't 262 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 1: have they're competitive during the season, I'm assuming, and now 263 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:04,840 Speaker 1: they're like, no, this is a day we look good, 264 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:06,680 Speaker 1: we hang out, we go to parties. They nobody trying 265 00:17:06,680 --> 00:17:11,440 Speaker 1: to go that hard. What's being forgotten, though, is the fans. 266 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:15,640 Speaker 1: If I flew all the way from let me make 267 00:17:15,720 --> 00:17:19,160 Speaker 1: up someplace po dunk Iowa, and I wanted to go 268 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:22,200 Speaker 1: and see this NBA All Star Game in Los Angeles, 269 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:23,919 Speaker 1: and I've saved all my money and I'm taking my 270 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:27,240 Speaker 1: two kids and we're in the nosebleeds, I really want 271 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 1: to see a game. I think it is lost on 272 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:34,119 Speaker 1: these athletes that there are more people like that in 273 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:37,880 Speaker 1: the audience than those who are looking to see if 274 00:17:37,920 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 1: they are popular, if they are how many followers they have, 275 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:45,960 Speaker 1: or what they are wearing. I think the base, like 276 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:49,160 Speaker 1: the true base, the NBA fan base, wants to see 277 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 1: something competitive, and these athletes just don't know that, nor 278 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:54,960 Speaker 1: do they care, and nor is that passed down. And 279 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:56,440 Speaker 1: what I mean by that is is that if you 280 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:59,119 Speaker 1: don't have a Kobe Bryant example on your team, then 281 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:01,240 Speaker 1: you don't know how serious the game is. You don't 282 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:03,720 Speaker 1: understand and how important this is for some of the 283 00:18:03,720 --> 00:18:05,720 Speaker 1: people who come here and play. And more importantly, you 284 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:09,760 Speaker 1: don't own that competitive DNA because you haven't seen it before. 285 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:14,919 Speaker 1: I remember Michael Jordan telling a story about how it 286 00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:18,440 Speaker 1: was so important to make sure you didn't like your teammate. 287 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:21,560 Speaker 1: I mean certain, excuse me, Michael Jordan told the story, 288 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 1: and you guys all watched the last dance, how it 289 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 1: was so important that you knew that you didn't like 290 00:18:26,119 --> 00:18:28,320 Speaker 1: the man on the other side, like he had to know. 291 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:31,520 Speaker 1: In between these lines, I don't fool with you, and 292 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 1: that competitiveness that every one of these professional athletes have 293 00:18:36,359 --> 00:18:38,840 Speaker 1: is there. It's there, it's in their body, it's in 294 00:18:38,880 --> 00:18:41,280 Speaker 1: their system, it's in their core. Whether or not it's activated, 295 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:44,680 Speaker 1: it's a whole different story. And so that's what's missing 296 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:49,160 Speaker 1: in these NBA All Star Games. It just isn't the same. 297 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:53,359 Speaker 1: It feels very performative. It feels even though it is 298 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:57,160 Speaker 1: a performance, it doesn't feel authentic. And I think that's 299 00:18:57,160 --> 00:18:59,800 Speaker 1: one of the things that many people are trying to 300 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:03,720 Speaker 1: put their finger on but can't quite understand what it is. Now. 301 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:05,880 Speaker 1: With that being said, people said they loved this last game, 302 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:08,879 Speaker 1: they said this game was better than normal. But I'm like, 303 00:19:08,920 --> 00:19:12,240 Speaker 1: in comparison to what I just feel like we have 304 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 1: such short memories. Go back and look and see when 305 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:20,320 Speaker 1: so we shall see. I applaud Adam Silver for trying 306 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:22,119 Speaker 1: to change the format, for trying to make it better, 307 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:26,560 Speaker 1: because it is something that is losing its luster, and 308 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 1: it is also something that doesn't have that same gens 309 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 1: a quad, that same appeal that it used to have. 310 00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:35,439 Speaker 1: In fact, also, our weekend is about going to all 311 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 1: the events and seeing all the people. The games are 312 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:42,199 Speaker 1: like pushed in the middle the skills competition is just 313 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:46,040 Speaker 1: kind of pushed, like it's sandwiched around all of these 314 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:49,399 Speaker 1: different pop ups and events. Case in point, I had 315 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:52,920 Speaker 1: the honor of being a part of a panel discussion 316 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:57,560 Speaker 1: with Love and Basketball, And when I tell you y'all 317 00:19:57,600 --> 00:20:00,960 Speaker 1: behind the scenes, I'm giving you ttttt behind the scenes. 318 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:03,879 Speaker 1: So I walk into the room, I see Snah laythan 319 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 1: you guys know her. She played Monica Wright in Love 320 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:12,159 Speaker 1: in Basketball Gina Prince Blithe with the director Candice Parker, 321 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:15,520 Speaker 1: who is a WNBA legend in her own right, recently 322 00:20:15,560 --> 00:20:20,560 Speaker 1: retired Jane Kennedy Overton. Let's just take a moment and 323 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:24,399 Speaker 1: clap it up for Jane Kennedy Overton. You all know 324 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:29,960 Speaker 1: Jane Kennedy was arguably one of the very first black 325 00:20:30,040 --> 00:20:34,480 Speaker 1: female sideline reporter. She was an actress as well. She 326 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 1: was a model, but she was it in her legend looms. 327 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:46,000 Speaker 1: Meaning I remember just seeing her on TV and being like, 328 00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:48,879 Speaker 1: who is that beautiful woman? My goodness, who is she? Like? 329 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:53,399 Speaker 1: She's to this very day still very stunning. She's breathtaking. 330 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:57,560 Speaker 1: She literally is breathtaking. And I don't want to harp 331 00:20:57,600 --> 00:21:00,119 Speaker 1: on her looks because she is smart and she and 332 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 1: do so many different things, but during that time when 333 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:06,159 Speaker 1: there were none, you had to be breathtaking and you 334 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:08,880 Speaker 1: had to be perfect. You still do, but you had 335 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:14,080 Speaker 1: to be And she was on the panel Lower Coates, 336 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:19,320 Speaker 1: my colleague at CNN was hosting it, and it was 337 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:23,480 Speaker 1: in Cheryl Miller. Cheryl Miller. Oh my god, Cheryl, forgive me, 338 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:27,240 Speaker 1: Cheryl Miller, the original original og. When it comes to 339 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:31,919 Speaker 1: women's basketball, everyone, if there was a WNBA, Cheryl Miller 340 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:36,920 Speaker 1: would have been in it. Cheryl Miller is known for 341 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:39,359 Speaker 1: scoring one hundred points in a game. Her brother is 342 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:43,800 Speaker 1: Reggie Miller. Cheryl Miller is I'm so glad that again 343 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 1: to my point earlier, I'm so glad that we can 344 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:47,960 Speaker 1: tell our own stories and we can remember the stories 345 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:50,480 Speaker 1: because people will erase from history and what you meant. 346 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 1: And Cheryl Miller is one of those people. And if 347 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:58,240 Speaker 1: there was no Cheryl Miller, there would be no Candas Parker, 348 00:21:58,280 --> 00:21:59,960 Speaker 1: if there was no Jane Kennedy, there would be no 349 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:02,760 Speaker 1: Carrie Champion or a Lower Coats, if there was no 350 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:06,360 Speaker 1: Gina Prince Blithewood. We would not have love and basketball, 351 00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:08,840 Speaker 1: and we would not have been able to discover the 352 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:14,000 Speaker 1: amazing talent of samal Lathan. Everything begets one after the other, 353 00:22:14,320 --> 00:22:17,479 Speaker 1: all connected, all mixed in with one another. And so 354 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:20,800 Speaker 1: this Love and Basketball panel twenty five years later was 355 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:25,159 Speaker 1: sponsored by the HBCU First Look, and the panel was 356 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:29,640 Speaker 1: put together to talk about what this film meant and 357 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:35,439 Speaker 1: how it is being conceptualized today in sports, especially with 358 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:40,120 Speaker 1: the popularity of women's basketball, women's sports in general. Love 359 00:22:40,160 --> 00:22:42,960 Speaker 1: and Basketball to me, was ahead of its time. I 360 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:45,200 Speaker 1: tell Gina this all the time, and it was really 361 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:47,720 Speaker 1: interesting because on the panel, people are begging Gina to 362 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:50,080 Speaker 1: do another one, and she's so hesitant, and you could 363 00:22:50,119 --> 00:22:53,280 Speaker 1: feel why she's hesitant, because she's just like, do you 364 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 1: mess with perfection? That film truly stands the test of time. 365 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:01,560 Speaker 1: It is Black History Month. Flying back from Los Angeles 366 00:23:02,119 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 1: literally days later after this phenomenal panel, I'm flying back 367 00:23:06,920 --> 00:23:11,040 Speaker 1: from Los Angeles to New York and they show on 368 00:23:11,080 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 1: the plane their Black History Month selections and what's number 369 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:16,919 Speaker 1: one right up there? Loving Basketball? So of course I 370 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:23,600 Speaker 1: watched it. I got and the reminder of what that 371 00:23:23,640 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 1: film does this is important and from a male's perspective, 372 00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:33,760 Speaker 1: I don't necessarily know if it resonates that way. But 373 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:36,760 Speaker 1: from a woman's perspective. For Gina to write a film 374 00:23:37,800 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 1: about a woman who loves to play basketball and wants 375 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:44,080 Speaker 1: it to be her career, and her mother didn't really 376 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:47,320 Speaker 1: understand her or why she was such a tomboy. Her 377 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:49,480 Speaker 1: mom thought she was a lesbian because she was such 378 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 1: a tomboy, and then that was taboo, and she's like, 379 00:23:53,119 --> 00:23:55,760 Speaker 1: who cares? Who cares? Who cares? I just want to 380 00:23:55,760 --> 00:23:59,879 Speaker 1: play basketball? Who cares what I am? And she felt 381 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:03,399 Speaker 1: really misunderstood, But the only time she felt understood was 382 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:05,399 Speaker 1: on the court. And now we know that this film 383 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:09,280 Speaker 1: is loosely based off of Gina Prince Blithwood's life and 384 00:24:09,400 --> 00:24:13,400 Speaker 1: Q Quincy played by Omar Epps, was her husband who 385 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:17,640 Speaker 1: she is now married to. And she tells the story 386 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:20,399 Speaker 1: and she puts a bow on it and she was like, 387 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 1: and Monica Wright goes to the WNBA, and it just 388 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 1: so happens that when she finished writing the story the film, 389 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:34,639 Speaker 1: the script the WNBA was announced prior to she didn't 390 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:37,119 Speaker 1: really have an ending. And this is because she shared 391 00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:39,399 Speaker 1: this story with me a few times. She's had some endings, 392 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:42,719 Speaker 1: but it wasn't so much that Monica Wright, played by 393 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:44,919 Speaker 1: Sana Lathan was going to go into the WNBA and 394 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:48,400 Speaker 1: her husband would be sitting courtside watching her play. Right, 395 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 1: it would probably would have been vice versa, but it 396 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:54,960 Speaker 1: was such a beautiful story that said, you can't have 397 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 1: it all, maybe not at the same time, but you can. 398 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 1: You can have love, You could do something that's someone 399 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:03,240 Speaker 1: says that you shouldn't do or you don't necessarily belong 400 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:05,720 Speaker 1: and then you can find someone who supports that dream 401 00:25:05,800 --> 00:25:08,239 Speaker 1: to whether it be your family members, whether it be 402 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:12,120 Speaker 1: your partner, whether it be your husband, boyfriend, whatever. And 403 00:25:12,560 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 1: for her to visualize I'm talking about gena visualize a 404 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:22,639 Speaker 1: world where women are leading in ways that was not 405 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:27,760 Speaker 1: that didn't even occur to many of us at the time. Phenomenal. 406 00:25:28,119 --> 00:25:31,600 Speaker 1: That's why I think Gina is a genius. And years later, 407 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:36,200 Speaker 1: here we are, twenty five years later and HBCU First 408 00:25:36,200 --> 00:25:39,360 Speaker 1: Look is a program and their idea is their very 409 00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:42,639 Speaker 1: first film festival. They said, guess what we want to 410 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:45,720 Speaker 1: honor on NBA All Star Weekend. We want to honor 411 00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 1: this film because now the generations and generations and generations 412 00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:53,639 Speaker 1: some twenty five years later are just now discovering it. 413 00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:56,160 Speaker 1: So your kids are in college and they're like, did 414 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:59,520 Speaker 1: you know about loving basketball? Or they're watching it through 415 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:01,639 Speaker 1: whatever way they find out about it, and when they 416 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:04,360 Speaker 1: do see it, they think, this is so lovely. This 417 00:26:04,440 --> 00:26:06,640 Speaker 1: is a true story, this is a love story, because 418 00:26:06,640 --> 00:26:09,679 Speaker 1: it really is a love story, a coming of age 419 00:26:09,760 --> 00:26:13,040 Speaker 1: love story filmed in my hometown. So I'm biased. So 420 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:14,439 Speaker 1: every time I watch it, I'm like, oh, I know 421 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:16,280 Speaker 1: where that is. And then I was also mad that 422 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:18,040 Speaker 1: they all went to USC because I'm all, like, I 423 00:26:18,040 --> 00:26:19,840 Speaker 1: went to UCLA. I don't care about that. That's the 424 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:22,440 Speaker 1: one fail that Gina did. And believe it or not, Gina, 425 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:25,800 Speaker 1: you went to UCLA, but I get it. You will 426 00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:30,800 Speaker 1: see the black school and a cool school. But that 427 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:35,159 Speaker 1: panel was powerful, and as a result, I got to 428 00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:37,640 Speaker 1: sit next to Jane Kennedy and give her her flowers 429 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:39,360 Speaker 1: and I said, Jane, if there were no you, there 430 00:26:39,359 --> 00:26:42,240 Speaker 1: would be no me. You made it okay to be 431 00:26:42,359 --> 00:26:44,760 Speaker 1: on the sidelines and still be beautiful and still be 432 00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:47,520 Speaker 1: smart and still want to tell your story. And I 433 00:26:47,520 --> 00:26:54,360 Speaker 1: think oftentimes are our elders feel forgotten. I feel that 434 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:59,720 Speaker 1: panel really paid respect to past, present and future. Cheryl 435 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:04,480 Speaker 1: Miller was the went to USC considered one of the 436 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:06,679 Speaker 1: best female basketball players there was, but there was no 437 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 1: place for her to go. She blew out her She 438 00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:10,639 Speaker 1: blew out her me. I think she was saying, and 439 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 1: she couldn't go pro, she couldn't play overseas like she 440 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:17,199 Speaker 1: wanted to shield. She had such a short professional career 441 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:20,280 Speaker 1: that had to be so depressing for her. But if 442 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:22,639 Speaker 1: there was no Cheryl Miller, there would be no Candas Parker. 443 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:25,880 Speaker 1: And I keep saying that it was just like, look 444 00:27:25,960 --> 00:27:30,480 Speaker 1: a look at what works if we remember our stories, 445 00:27:30,600 --> 00:27:34,520 Speaker 1: document our stories, tell our stories, share our stories. And 446 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:36,959 Speaker 1: Gina was able to do that with love and basketball, 447 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:40,159 Speaker 1: and again that film stands the test of time. So 448 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:43,320 Speaker 1: I do understand why she doesn't want to have a 449 00:27:43,320 --> 00:27:45,359 Speaker 1: part two, but I feel like we can get like 450 00:27:45,400 --> 00:27:47,520 Speaker 1: a version of it, like how they did bel Air. 451 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:49,520 Speaker 1: You know, they made it on Peacock, they made it 452 00:27:49,560 --> 00:27:52,199 Speaker 1: a series. I'm sure Gina's working on some things, but 453 00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:55,399 Speaker 1: I'm glad that everybody is telling her how perfect she 454 00:27:55,560 --> 00:27:59,600 Speaker 1: is and how wonderful that movie is. I remember when 455 00:27:59,640 --> 00:28:01,119 Speaker 1: we in for You to Hear on the pod, she 456 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:04,720 Speaker 1: shared a story about how we've interviewer twice, and she 457 00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:07,440 Speaker 1: shared a story about I said ken Love and Basketball 458 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:11,359 Speaker 1: make it now? Would you redo Love and Basketball? And 459 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:13,960 Speaker 1: she says she didn't think that they would make the film. 460 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:17,119 Speaker 1: I totally disagree. I think they would absolutely make the film. 461 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:20,920 Speaker 1: And she says it was too black focused. They would 462 00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:25,920 Speaker 1: probably try to whitewash it, sanitize it, make it much 463 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:31,240 Speaker 1: more box office appealing, and I was like, well, no 464 00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:35,480 Speaker 1: one asked them to change what they wanted to watch. 465 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:38,479 Speaker 1: The film would work still center a black love story, 466 00:28:38,560 --> 00:28:41,320 Speaker 1: You can center that. And Gina's like, you know, really quiet. 467 00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:43,600 Speaker 1: So I think perhaps there might be here some tea, 468 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:46,320 Speaker 1: there might be something coming. I don't know, but I 469 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:50,400 Speaker 1: do believe that a version of that film could be 470 00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:55,400 Speaker 1: a series, a television series, a six episode Netflix mini drama. 471 00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:59,560 Speaker 1: Who knows, but I do believe there's something there. That 472 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: entire panel. I just was looking down the line at 473 00:29:03,880 --> 00:29:09,200 Speaker 1: every single one of these women, thinking, I'm a good company. 474 00:29:09,720 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 1: I'm humbled to be here. You women are historic, and 475 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:18,000 Speaker 1: it felt like the energy in the room felt like 476 00:29:18,280 --> 00:29:22,520 Speaker 1: it was a sisterhood. It was special. It was really special, 477 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:24,520 Speaker 1: and you guys want to know something else. The other 478 00:29:24,520 --> 00:29:27,920 Speaker 1: part about it that was so exciting, the women who 479 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 1: played like who were like in if you watch Love 480 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:35,959 Speaker 1: and Basketball, you may remember the scene where the Monica 481 00:29:36,040 --> 00:29:39,760 Speaker 1: Wright was in the locker room and she was or 482 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:42,880 Speaker 1: in the weight room and she was doing weights and 483 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:45,479 Speaker 1: the senior point guard came to her and said it 484 00:29:45,520 --> 00:29:47,360 Speaker 1: was pretending to be nice and then got mad at 485 00:29:47,360 --> 00:29:49,360 Speaker 1: her and then dropped the weight zoner and said, you 486 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:51,600 Speaker 1: know you're not taking my spot. You only hear because 487 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:56,360 Speaker 1: so and so got pregnant. That character, the woman who 488 00:29:56,400 --> 00:30:01,640 Speaker 1: played you know, the mean senior hazing the Ricky was 489 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 1: in the audience supporting Sonah and Gina. Like all of 490 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:10,760 Speaker 1: the women in that film were in some capacity. They 491 00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:13,120 Speaker 1: went on to do amazing things. I forgot that the 492 00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 1: older sister. I'm watching it like it's brand new. I 493 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:18,760 Speaker 1: forgot the older sister is Regina Hall. What I was like, 494 00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:20,560 Speaker 1: that's the older sister who got her cute for the 495 00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:25,320 Speaker 1: dance for the spring dance. The boy that took Monica 496 00:30:25,360 --> 00:30:28,560 Speaker 1: Wright on a date when she had on that white 497 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:31,200 Speaker 1: dress and her mom said, go get grandma's pearls so 498 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:34,160 Speaker 1: she can look like a little lady. The guy was 499 00:30:34,200 --> 00:30:38,120 Speaker 1: Boris Kojo. Are y'all kidding me? I'm like texting my 500 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:41,120 Speaker 1: friends I'm like, this is Boris Kojo's in this, Regina 501 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:46,360 Speaker 1: hall Is in this. Gina prince Blythewood had such an 502 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:50,040 Speaker 1: eye for talent, and she explained how Sannah could not 503 00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: play basketball. She didn't want to give her the role 504 00:30:53,200 --> 00:30:56,360 Speaker 1: because she could not play basketball, but because she was 505 00:30:56,520 --> 00:31:00,280 Speaker 1: such a great actress and she embodied everything that fight, 506 00:31:00,360 --> 00:31:04,120 Speaker 1: that that awkwardness, that shyness, that all of those things. 507 00:31:04,160 --> 00:31:06,760 Speaker 1: She was like, give her the role. And she said, 508 00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:10,240 Speaker 1: and by the way, for someone that was her very 509 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:13,280 Speaker 1: first film. For for that to be Gina's first film, 510 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:17,480 Speaker 1: and she take a I'm assuming a creative risk on 511 00:31:17,560 --> 00:31:21,800 Speaker 1: the lead actress and she can't play basketball. That had 512 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:25,960 Speaker 1: to be nerve wracking for everybody on set, just nervous, 513 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:27,880 Speaker 1: you know, because Gina can play ball and she knows 514 00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:31,719 Speaker 1: what it's supposed to look like. Nevertheless, Gina had an 515 00:31:31,720 --> 00:31:34,320 Speaker 1: eye for talent. I didn't know Boris Kojo was the boyfriend. 516 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:36,800 Speaker 1: He had a thick accent. You know, he's from Germany. 517 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:39,280 Speaker 1: He had that thick accent. That's why he probably had 518 00:31:39,280 --> 00:31:41,520 Speaker 1: a hard time getting work because I coudn't even understand 519 00:31:41,560 --> 00:31:42,760 Speaker 1: what he was saying. I was like, wait, hold on, 520 00:31:44,480 --> 00:31:48,080 Speaker 1: but it worked. Shout out to my homie Boris Regina Hall. 521 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:53,680 Speaker 1: Alfree Woodard played the mom Sona tells a great story 522 00:31:53,720 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 1: about how Alfree Woodard didn't think that she was shown 523 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:04,320 Speaker 1: enough emotion and during the scene in which she slapped her, 524 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:07,959 Speaker 1: she slapped her really hard and she was like, oh, 525 00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:10,280 Speaker 1: I'm sorry to me to slap you that hard. Turns out, 526 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:12,480 Speaker 1: in fact, she did mean to slap her that hard 527 00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:15,880 Speaker 1: because she so now wasn't going there emotionally. She was 528 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:18,520 Speaker 1: being surfaced with her acting. And Alfrey's like, not, on 529 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:21,720 Speaker 1: my watch, that's this film. It's just it's this classic 530 00:32:21,840 --> 00:32:24,000 Speaker 1: cinema and I don't even have to put black in 531 00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:26,240 Speaker 1: front of it. But it's just classic cinema. And when 532 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:28,600 Speaker 1: I watch it today, it's still, like I said, stands 533 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:31,120 Speaker 1: the test of time. Omar App's excellent actor. Of course, 534 00:32:33,040 --> 00:32:36,440 Speaker 1: just Angie. I don't even know her name, you guys. 535 00:32:36,480 --> 00:32:39,360 Speaker 1: She was a big soap opera star at Jesse and Angie. 536 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:43,480 Speaker 1: She played the mother Quincy's mother, Omar Epps's mother. There's 537 00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:47,080 Speaker 1: just so many great actors, and then for the most part, 538 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:52,160 Speaker 1: those who had supporting roles showed up for this panel 539 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:54,760 Speaker 1: just to say this film meant so much to me. 540 00:32:55,720 --> 00:32:58,160 Speaker 1: It changed my life, whether it started my acting career, 541 00:32:58,200 --> 00:33:02,280 Speaker 1: whether it whether it changed how people saw me as 542 00:33:02,320 --> 00:33:05,920 Speaker 1: an actress, how emotionally it put at the friendships I've 543 00:33:05,920 --> 00:33:09,720 Speaker 1: made on set, the relationships that I still keep. It 544 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:14,840 Speaker 1: was so clear, and if I had anything to say, 545 00:33:15,280 --> 00:33:18,840 Speaker 1: you know, I was so happy that to me for 546 00:33:18,880 --> 00:33:21,440 Speaker 1: the very first time in a long time, because I 547 00:33:21,440 --> 00:33:24,360 Speaker 1: saw Gina all weekend at so many different events, and 548 00:33:24,360 --> 00:33:26,280 Speaker 1: people were honoring her for the first time in a 549 00:33:26,360 --> 00:33:29,680 Speaker 1: very long time. This film is sitting in its proper 550 00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:35,880 Speaker 1: place in history, Black history, our history, and she was 551 00:33:35,880 --> 00:33:38,160 Speaker 1: given her flowers all week and long, and she was 552 00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:41,760 Speaker 1: so humble about it, and I was so so happy 553 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:46,280 Speaker 1: to see it. I started the podcast by saying, if 554 00:33:46,280 --> 00:33:50,280 Speaker 1: you don't know your history, if you don't tell your history, 555 00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:55,200 Speaker 1: if you don't control your narrative and create your own narrative, 556 00:33:55,280 --> 00:34:00,320 Speaker 1: someone will do it for you right now as we 557 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:05,200 Speaker 1: at least for me, as I recall what Jesse Jackson 558 00:34:05,240 --> 00:34:07,400 Speaker 1: meant to my family and meant to me as a 559 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:10,120 Speaker 1: little girl, not understanding what he was really trying to do, 560 00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:12,600 Speaker 1: but understanding that the importance of a black man on 561 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:16,880 Speaker 1: a screen in a suit, speaking to an entire arena 562 00:34:16,920 --> 00:34:20,440 Speaker 1: full of people telling them to keep hope alive felt 563 00:34:20,600 --> 00:34:23,880 Speaker 1: very important. I didn't understand why, but it felt very important. 564 00:34:24,239 --> 00:34:27,319 Speaker 1: That's why I am sharing that story. No matter what 565 00:34:27,360 --> 00:34:29,279 Speaker 1: you'll read today, no matter how people will try to 566 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:33,520 Speaker 1: truncate and then troll what he did, truncate his story 567 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:36,560 Speaker 1: and then troll what he did that wasn't necessarily great, 568 00:34:37,160 --> 00:34:42,080 Speaker 1: I'm not having it. Documenting the history, our history, Black history, 569 00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:48,400 Speaker 1: and that's what we did during All Star Weekend for 570 00:34:48,480 --> 00:34:54,759 Speaker 1: Love and Basketball. That is black cinema, classic Black cinema, 571 00:34:55,120 --> 00:35:01,839 Speaker 1: Our history. Our story felt familiar, still feels familiar, and 572 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:04,879 Speaker 1: so I'm just happy to be a part of it. 573 00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:07,319 Speaker 1: A lot of takeaways from All Star Weekend, but that 574 00:35:07,440 --> 00:35:11,640 Speaker 1: arguably is one of the biggest takeaways that I had 575 00:35:11,760 --> 00:35:15,240 Speaker 1: because it was a learning lesson, still learning lesson, still 576 00:35:15,360 --> 00:35:19,640 Speaker 1: learning lessons. And with that being said, uh, I'm gonna 577 00:35:19,640 --> 00:35:24,680 Speaker 1: wrap the podcast and I'm going to leave us with 578 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:30,040 Speaker 1: a few words from the Great Reverend Jesse Jackson. May 579 00:35:30,080 --> 00:35:32,760 Speaker 1: he rest in peace. We must never. 580 00:35:32,800 --> 00:35:37,560 Speaker 3: Written, though a miracle will get better and better. Chep 581 00:35:37,560 --> 00:35:43,880 Speaker 3: hope alive, chee cheap line on Lama. 582 00:35:47,520 --> 00:35:48,399 Speaker 2: I Love you very much. 583 00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:53,520 Speaker 1: Naked Sports written and executive produced by me Carry Champion, 584 00:35:53,719 --> 00:35:57,760 Speaker 1: produced by jacqueses Thomas, sound design and mastered by Dwayne Crawford. 585 00:35:58,080 --> 00:35:59,960 Speaker 1: Naked Sports is a part of the Black Effect pot 586 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:01,560 Speaker 1: Cast network in iHeartMedia