PULL YOUR DAMN PANTS UP!

Welcome back to The Big B Spot where "The Real" speaks volumes. Once again I'm happy to be back in the blog game. Let's get right into it.

I'm sure many of you heard about the college football player who was arrested in an airport for sagging his pants. When I saw the news report I couldn't do anything but shake my head. Is it that serious? I went into deep thought, after the news report, and debated on whether I'd address it here at The Big B Spot. After some deep thought I decided I wasn't going to attack or criticize this young man. Instead addressing the issue as a whole seems more appropriate.

Without getting into the history of the sag too much I can say that it originated in prison as a way for inmates to identify themselves as "available" for courting. Another theory is that inmates aren't allowed to have belts so their pants sag because they have nothing to hold them up. There are probably more theories, but it doesn't matter. The bottom line is the sag is something that comes from prison culture and shouldn't be imitated. What sense does it make to walk around showing you butt and underwear?

As someone who has worked with a lot of youth I know saggy pants to be very prevalent in our communities. It has crossed all color lines so it can't be said that only certain races of kids are sagging. It has also crossed economic divides. You can go to the suburbs and see those kids sagging as well as kids in the inner city.

The question that has to be answered it why is sagging so "cool". I've had encounters with kids that will fight you to the tooth and nail over being told to pull their pants up. I'm sure that those of us that have experience with working with youth know exactly where I'm coming from. It's like you are taking something very dear to them from them so they defend it with veracity.

A feeling just came over me. The more I write about it the less I understand why it exists. Many people who have anti-hip-hop sentiments will say it's the hip-hop culture and the rappers. I say to those people go and learn something about REAL HIP-HOP and them come back and tell me you feel the same way. What you see in the media and mainstream is not hip-hop. It's nothing more than exploitation of kids who don't have enough guidance in their homes.

I will say thug culture has plenty to do with it. It makes perfect sense since the sag's origins are from prison life. It's fair to say that the sensationalism of thug and hoodlum life has had a direct impact on the way today's youth express themselves through the clothes they wear, the music they listen to, and the kinds of shows they watch on television. So all you Hip-Hop haters can blame corporate America for commercializing thug, hoodlum, and prison culture.

I only have one thing to say to the grown man and women (YES THERE ARE WOMEN THAT SAG TOO). PULL YOUR DAMN PANTS UP! I think that says enough.

I could go on and on about this subject, but I have to give the people an opportunity to weigh in and express their thoughts on the matter. Here at The BIG B SPOT we welcome all commentary.

I want to thank everyone who took the time to read my blog. Please post your comments. Until next time, keep it 100.

The Return. It's good to be back.

It's been a long time, people. No need to ask where I've been or what I've been doing. We'll just say that I've been in the lab getting the science on things. I didn't want to come back until I was ready to give the people what they need. I realized after many months away in the lab that all the people want is "The Real". So that's what I'm going to give them. Let's get into it.

Now that it's had time to simmer for a bit, it's time I addressed the Lebron James fiasco. I remember when I was telling everyone that would listen that he would bolt Cleveland to join D-Wade in Miami. All I'll say is there's a reason I was right and I was right for a reason. I don't blame you all for believing a guy such as Lebron, but if you would have stepped back from the situation and looked honestly at what was going on you would have seen it coming. But enough of that because he's in Miami now and we have a whole other issue to touch on.

With all his talent and ability some might say Lebron has a chance to become the greatest basketball player of all-time. Yes we are talking about better than Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and whomever else we like to bring up in those kinds of discussions. I hope this trip to the Finals has put all that to rest once and for all. What people don't understand is that Lebron, at this point, doesn't have the fire and "it" that gets a team over the hump and wins championships. There's a long list of great players that have had the same problem. When Lebron and his Cleveland Cavaliers were swept in the Finals by the San Antonio Spurs in 2007 there were many that felt Lebron played poorly because it was his first Finals and he didn't have any help. I'll give him a pass because those are considerable factors even though I still consider it a bit lame.

Now what excuse does he have? He can't say he didn't have help. He had plenty in Wade and Bosh compared to what he had in Cleveland. It was hi second Finals appearance so that excuse is out. Truth is he has no excuse. At this point in his career Lebron is missing the killer instinct to go out and win championships. I can't tell you how many shots and opportunities he passed up in these most recent Finals because he didn't have the stones to take it upon himself to will his team to victory. He left it up to D-Wade. Go figure!

I'm going to cut Mr. James a little slack because it is a team game. No one man can win a championship by himself. Although, it 2006 D-Wade did exactly that when his Miami Heat beat the Dallas Mavericks in the Finals. For those of you who maybe have forgotten or didn't watch the 2006 Finals go check the stats and YouTube the games. D-Wade, as single handed as you can in basketball, won a championship. It is and always will be, arguable, the all-time greatest Finals series performance ever.

For now Lebron fans are going to have to have to face the fact that "The Chosen One" is merely a stat stuffer who doesn't have the heart, courage, and gall it takes to win on the biggest stage there is in basketball. It's not his fault. He just doesn't have it. The question is will he ever get it. Or will he ever have to get it? If the Miami Heat can add a solid point guard and a decent big man to their roster Lebron might not have to change anything. If that becomes the case it will put to rest all the greatest of all-time conversations and debates because he won't be better than Jordan or Kobe. He will be a guy that teamed up with another guy who does have "it" and got carried to the promise land.

I know it hurts Lebron fans but if you are honest with yourself you'll see that, right now, King James is King Scarecrow.

Well people it's been fun. Feel free to comment or write me about other topics you'd like for me to get into. I welcome all suggestions.

Until next time, keep it 100.