My thoughts on UCLA in the Final Four

The last time I attended the NCAA Finals was in 2006 when UCLA played the Florida Gators for the championship. As I was walking down the tunnel with Bill Walton to enter the stadium my cellphone rang. It was Coach Wooden's family calling to let me know Coach was in the hospital in serious condition. I was stunned as I entered the stadium in the midst of almost 80,000 fans. I had to sit and watch UCLA be outplayed while my Coach was in the hospital. To say the least it was an overwhelming moment. I left immediately after the game and flew overnight to be by Coach's side first thing in the morning. Luckily he survived diverticulitis, but his health has been up and down since then. So watching UCLA beat Xavier in the latest round has helped prove to everyone that the program is still one of the best. This has been UCLA's third Final Four appearance in the last three years.

The Xavier game was not as interesting to me as the win over Western Kentucky, because Western Kentucky did an exceptional job in speeding up the integration of college basketball and hasn't been given a lot of credit for it. Although I'm a Bruin in heart and soul, I was rather torn while watching this game. Western Kentucky is my oldest son, Kareem Jr.'s alma mater.  Another connection I have to WKU is alumni Greg Smith, who was my teammate on the Milwaukee Bucks for two years and the starting forward on our 1970-71 World Championship team. Greg was also a really good friend and my buddy on road trips, where we got to indulge our movie addiction. But my feelings for Western Kentucky go back even further. Western Kentucky was the forefront of the fight to integrate college basketball in the 1960s and early '70s. While head coach at WKU, Coach John Oldham (who took over for previous head coach E. A. Diddle in 1964) dealt with some very ugly situations while the transition took place, and he has not been recognized for his courageous stand. For his part, Coach Diddle had recruited Clem Haskins and Dwight Smith in 1963. Coach Oldham continued that legacy, recruiting black players and eventually starting five African Americans on the WKU team — and staying the course in spite of criticism from some of the fans and faculty. Along the way, he coached his team to four NCAA appearances and probably would have made it to the finals in 1966 if a very controversial call hadn't cost them the semifinal in the NCAA Tournament. In 1967, Clem Haskins broke his wrist, which kept WKU from being at full strength for the season. Nonetheless, college peeps owe WKU a tip of the hat for the positive changes it  helped to promote.

(Photo Credit: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jr., Sonny Rollins & Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Sr.)

Exclusive interview with Donald Trump on the eve of 'The Celebrity Apprentice' finale

(Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Donald Trump and Deborah Morales)

My interest in "Celebrity Apprentice" is more than just the fun of seeing these dignified celebrities battle it out with such intensity.  I’m also interested in how these icons that have achieved so much professional success and are willing to put themselves on the line in order to benefit their personal charities. 

My own dedication in this area has led me to become involved with Iconomy, a company that represents celebrity icons in their quest to achieve more than momentary success.  In fact, I was drawn to Iconomy's promise to help icons go from “Success to Significance.” Iconomy represents celebrity, sports, and business icons in broadening the appeal of their name to other business and charitable opportunities by creating customized products, platforms and distribution channels. “Kareem had achieved everything he wanted as a basketball player," said Iconomy founder Deborah Morales.  “Now we’re helping him achieve everything he wants to as an educator, author, businessman, and humanitarian.  Whatever he wants to accomplish in business and with charities, we make it happen.”

Ms. Morales helped me create "On the Shoulders of Giants: My Journey through the Harlem Renaissance" so that I could help educate people on black history.  So as you can tell I have a significant interest in hearing about how other celebrities raise money for their charities. Yesterday I had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Donald Trump about his show "Celebrity Apprentice" (whose finale airs tonight on NBC). You can read our short Q&A after the jump.

Dr. George Grant: Golf fit him to a tee

(Tiger Woods for the WGC CA Championship at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa, in Miami.)

My relationship with golf is rather distant. I can enjoy watching but I don’t have the desire to spend my free time on the course or at the range. I’m from the Mark Twain school of golf. Mark Twain described golf as "a fine walk ruined." I couldn’t agree more, but we are witnessing the continued rise of Tiger Woods as golf's reigning king of kings. No other golfer is close to challenging him as the best in the game these days. I have enjoyed watching his rise to prominence. Some 25 years ago I was intrigued to watch footage of Tiger playing golf at 5 years of age with his dad and local sportscaster Jim Hill. As an avid fan of the game, Jim had the perfect human interest story when he showed young Tiger as a precocious preschooler on the golf course. But that was just the start.  Tiger  has gone on to dominate that sport like no other golfer has. He is poised to pass Ben Hogan for lifetime major wins and he is just 32 years old.  But there is another black golfer who is totally unknown and who is responsible for a major contribution to the modern game. His name is Dr. George Grant.

What was golf like before the invention of the golf tee in 1899?  Golfers had to carry a bucket of sand from hole to hole.  They would scoop the sand out and build a little mound, placing the ball on top like a cherry on an ice cream sundae. 

Then along came Dr. George Grant (1847-1910) to completely revolutionize the game by inventing and patenting the modern version of the golf tee.  But Dr. Grant was used to being a revolutionary.  Born in Oswego, N.Y., this son of former slaves was the first African-American to receive a scholarship to Harvard University Dental School.  Two years after graduating, Dr. Grant became the first black faculty member of Harvard, where he was a highly respected professor for 19  years.

His passion for golf led him to invent his tee, a carved wooden peg with a concave top.  Dr. Grant did not market his invention, nor did he pursue any moneymaking schemes.  He merely gave the tees away to anyone who wanted them.  Ironically, it would be another 63  years before Charlie Sifford would become the first African-American allowed to become a member of the PGA tour.

Photo credit: David Cannon / Getty Images, LA Times.

James Forten: A man with the wind at his back

James Forten (1766-1842) was born in Philadelphia, the grandson of slaves. Forten began working with his father at Robert Bridges’ sail loft when he was only 8 years old. When his father was killed in a boating accident a year later, young James had to work even harder and longer hours to help support his family. During the Revolutionary War, 14-year-old Forten became a powder boy, working the cannons on a ship. Although he was captured by the British, they released him and he went back home to resume his work in Bridges’ sail loft. Bridges admired Forten’s work so much that when Bridges retired, he loaned Forten enough money to buy the business, which employed 38 people.

Soon after, Forten invented a sail that provided greater maneuverability and speed. He never patented his sail, but in part because of his invention, his sail loft became one of the most prosperous in Philadelphia. Forten was wealthy by any standards. But what’s especially admirable about Forten is not so much the ingenuity of how he made his fortune, but the humility in what he did with it.

Forten spent more than half of his fortune helping others. He was an avid abolitionist who not only supported William Garrison’s abolitionist newspaper, but he routinely purchased and freed slaves, as well as using his home as a depot for the Underground Railroad. In addition, he supported women’s suffrage and financed a school for black children.

(photo credit: painted by William Ranney in 1845. Public domain.
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Obama, the Rev. Wright and the legacy of Emmett Till

The recent uproar about Barack Obama’s former pastor has pushed a very explosive issue into the presidential campaign. The issue of our country’s history with regard to race is one that Sen. Obama literally embodies in his physical being as well as various political stances he has taken.

I’m responding to the attacks that he has endured because of the statements made by his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Obama has pointed out the failures our nation has made in trying to live up to the words in the Declaration of Independence that state that "all men are created equal." I am mentioning these events to give a more complete background to the Rev. Wright’s comments from his pulpit.

From his perspective, America is not always able to deliver on some very important issues, and the effect on him over time is to become enraged and at times to overreact. The wonderful thing about life in America is that we can address and remedy even the worst of problems when the collective will of our nation comes into play. The civil rights movement would never have achieved what it did if this were not true. That potential gives us the hope that Sen. Obama so articulately identifies as the force that can bring us together to effect positive change. I, for one, hope that people will unite and work together to make sure that the unfortunate events of the past do not kill the positive potential of our future. Together we can make the dreams of the Founding Fathers a reality for all Americans.

An example of this situation can be seen in the mess that developed in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina struck. Racist policies that were in place in the 1920s and '30s caused a hugely disproportionate share of grief to fall on the shoulders of the black residents of New Orleans. The decision to build homes in an area that is 12 to 15 feet below sea level, immediately adjacent to a lake and also located on a shoreline that sees hurricanes every hurricane season, could only be seen as wishful thinking. This disaster was bound to happen whenever a hurricane hit the coastline somewhere near New Orleans. A direct hit wasn’t even needed to inflict damage.

Common myths about me: Why was Kareem so mad?

(Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson) Photo Credit: Malek Mansour

    Which of the following is not true:

    A. You can catch a cold from going outside with your hair wet.
    B. You have to drink eight glasses of water a day.
    C. Candy makes kids hyperactive.
    D. Reading in dim light will ruin your eyesight.

The answer: none are true. A cold is caused by a virus and studies show that those who are exposed to the virus become infected whether or not they are chilled. Most people get plenty of water simply through their normal diet. Experts agree that there is no evidence that feeding children a high-sugar diet causes any hyperactivity. Reading in dim light may temporarily tire your eyes, but otherwise has no permanent effect.

Most celebrities know that this same kind of misinformation can be circulated about them simply because the more outrageous the claim, the more people will want to read it. I’ve been subjected to some of those claims, some outrageous, some merely annoying. And, like the myths I presented above about colds, water, candy, and reading, they persist even though there’s no truth to them. One of the common myths about me was repeated last week when a friend of mine was playing in his weekly basketball league and a teammate asked him, “Why was Kareem always so angry?” That’s not the first time I heard this charge. What’s weird about it is that every morning when I get out of bed, bluebirds, squirrels, and deer help me get dressed while we sing “We Are the World.” By the way, squirrels really suck at tying shoes. And deer often mumble the lyrics.

Even that doesn’t make me angry.

What’s interesting about the question is that the person who asked the question is white. In fact, no black person has ever asked that question. That’s because they already know the answer. In the 1960s and 1970s, when the civil rights movement was at its most intense and volatile level, I often used my celebrity to speak out against certain injustices. This seemed to irritate some people who expected black athletes to simply be silently grateful for their opportunities and not rock the boat. However, being given this tremendous opportunity to play college basketball at UCLA, how could I not speak out to help the many other black athletes who were not being given the same opportunity? To not stand up for integration of college athletics would be to dishonor the brave heroes who spoke out and made my opportunities possible. People like Bill Garrett (who is sometimes called the Jackie Robinson of college basketball), Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell, and dozens of others. How could I not be angry to realize that many great players were being denied a college education and/or the chance to play before larger crowds( and therefore be more valuable if they chose to turn professional)? They were being denied a future.

The integration of college sports would have happened without me. But I like to think that I made some small contribution by adding my voice to those who fought to make this a better world. For some, my voice may have seemed shrill or angry; but for those on the right side of the issue, it seemed loyal and compassionate.

How do I feel now? Grateful that we’ve come so far. Encouraged that so many people are still adding their voices to the fight for equality for all people. In other words, I feel happy. Just ask the bluebirds.

The care & maintenance of the over-50 athlete: Strength training

Whether you’re still trying to be competitive with much younger athletes or are just looking for the maximum health benefits from a fitness routine, strength training is a must.  The problem is that strength training is mostly misunderstood—and therefore misapplied—by many who are over 50 (and even under 50).  And it’s very important that they get it right, because we all start losing muscle strength each year after we turn 30.  That’s right, 30!

Men too often focus all their strength-training attention on their biceps, pumping out preacher curls and dumbbell curls until they can see a small ice-cream scoop of a muscle when they flex their arms.  Forget it, men; bulging biceps do not turn back the clock.  And women too often completely ignore strength training to just focus on cardio and stretching exercises, using the lame excuse that they don’t want to look like the buff women on "American Gladiator."  Don’t worry, there’s no chance of that happening.

Men and women have much to gain from strength training, including lower blood pressure, increased resistance to injury, decreasing arthritis symptoms, and fending off osteoporosis.  Some may lose weight because the body keeps burning calories after the workout is done; some may not actually lose weight (because muscle weighs more than fat), but they will lose pants- and dress-sizes.  In general, you’ll look and feel better.

Getting started

There are some basic rules whenever you start a new exercise routine:

• Check with your doctor to ensure that you are physically fit enough.
• Form is more important than weight.  Some muscle-heads at the gym love to stack on the weights and then grunt loudly through their repetitions.  Many of them are using such poor form that they are receiving very little of the benefits.
• Start with the amount of weight that you can lift 10 to 12 times without losing the form.  You should struggle to complete the last couple reps.  If they are easy, increase the weight by the next increment.
• Keep breathing.  Generally, you exhale when pushing against the weight and inhale when lowering it.
• Rest about one minute between sets.
• Rest two days between working a particular muscle group.  For example, if you work on the chest and arms one day, wait 48 hours before you work them again.  If you want to work out the next day, target a different set of muscles, like the legs and buttocks.  All your muscle and strength gain takes place during these rest periods.

Exchanging e-mails with Obama

(Sen. Barack Obama, seated at center, with his junior varsity basketball team in the 1977 yearbook of the Punahou School in Honolulu.)

I was exchanging some e-mails with Sen. Obama and he was able to answer some questions that people have run by me when his name comes up. The one issue that people raise the most is that people question Sen. Obama's ability to lead all of America.  I asked him  the following questions.

Q. You have made an appeal to lead all of America. What were the obstacles to conveying that message?

A. One of the biggest obstacles we've faced is the cynicism many Americans have about politics. And I understand it. Year after year, politicians make promises on the campaign trail but then go back to Washington and nothing changes. Because the lobbyists write another check or partisan bickering stands in the way or politicians don’t say what they mean or mean what they say. But I'm hopeful because all across this country, I'm meeting Americans who are willing to stop settling for what the cynics tell us we must accept and reach for the kind of real change we know is possible. And that's what this campaign is all about.

The tarnished image that has become the fare of America in many parts of the world is a great concern for many people who will vote this fall. The Iraq War has changed many aspects of how we are seen in the world.

Q. What should our approach be to diplomatic relations with the world at large?

A. I'm running for president not just to end the Iraq War -- a war I opposed from the start -- but to end the mindset that got us into war. And that includes the Bush-McCain-Clinton policy of not talking with leaders we don't like. I don’t think that approach makes us look tough; I think it makes us look arrogant. I agree with President Kennedy, who once said, "Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate." And that's the kind of diplomacy we will re-establish when I am President.

Sen. Obama feels that the time he spent as a community organizer in Chicago gave him an insight as to how to shape his tactics in the political world.

Q. How did community organizing affect your political outlook?

A. What I learned as a community organizer on the streets of Chicago is that together, ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things. That's a lesson I carried with me in the Illinois state Senate, when I brought Democrats and Republicans together and passed the most sweeping lobbying reform in 25 years. It's a lesson I've carried with me on this campaign by reaching out to Americans of every race, region, and political party. And it's a lesson I'll carry with me to the White House to enact a middle-class tax cut, pass universal health care, and bring about real change in this country.

Finally, I mentioned to him that I've seen several pictures of him playing basketball. He told me that basketball was a passion for him throughout his lifetime and should he get to reside in the White House there would absolutely be a hoop on the White House grounds.

Number One

I’ve been honored by being chosen the Number One college player of all time.  It is a very special honor for me because I have been picked ahead of some of my heroes and many superb collegians.  When I’ve been asked about my status, I have always deferred to Oscar Robertson and Bill Russell as the greatest players in college ball.  They get that acknowledgment from me because I learned so much from the way they played, and I would not have been as good as I was without their examples to emulate.  So a special thanks to the “O” and Bill for the paths that they blazed. 

Another factor has been the more recent trend of college players leaving the game for the professional ranks.  Players in my era had to stay in school or wait for their high school class to graduate college before they could enter the NBA.  That forced us to stay in school and learn the game in a less-intense atmosphere –- something that allowed us to mature and develop a work ethic.  Today’s players miss out on that bonus, and it slows their ability to be at their best when they reach the pro ranks.  But I’m sure they don’t mind being paid the multimillions that are available to them as soon as they decide to go pro.

I’d like to add a few words about the best college game I ever attended.  Being raised in New York, I was so lucky to be able to catch the best college teams at various times in the old Garden on 48th Street and 8th Avenue.  While in grade school I got to see great Providence teams featuring Lenny Wilkens and Vinnie Ernst; Nate Thurmond and Howie Komives from  Bowling Green; and the Bradley Braves led by Chet Walker and Laverne Tart.

During my senior year in high school, Dec. ’64, I attended the Holiday Festival matchup of University of Michigan vs. Princeton.  It was a truly superb contest, with Bill Bradley leading the Princeton Tigers and Cazzie Russell leading the Wolverines.  Both teams were ranked in the Top 10, and the game was exceptionally close.  Bill scored 41 points before fouling out with less than three minutes left in the game.  Cazzie calmly took over from there and Michigan finished with a two-point win over the Tigers.  The Princeton team could not compete without Bill on the court.

For me, that game was the finest example of college ball I had ever seen.  It gave me a great look at what my future could be like if I continued to improve.  I want to say thanks to all the college players and coaches that have given us this incredible sport in which to compete.  Without them, we would be at a loss for our aspirations.  Thank you one and all.

Click here to see at ESPN.

It is how you play the game that counts

All last week I was reminded of the speed and great distance that a person can fill in such a short time.  The great track and field athlete Marion Jones had to surrender herself for incarceration at a federal penitentiary in Texas. I had admired her talent and poise as she dominated her sport.  She was a prominent face at the Olympics and undoubtedly served as a positive role model for young females who aspired to reach athletic greatness.  For so many of us who followed her career, the revelations that exposed her performance enhancing drug use and financial missteps were a shock and great disappointment.

The temptation to cheat has seemed to overwhelm a whole generation of athletes.  Football, baseball, track and field, bicycling and boxing have all been affected by this evil.  I feel that the only remedy is to return to the core values of sport that made them such a valuable measuring stick for humanity.  The dedication and discipline that was necessary to excel at sports seemed to give athletes a leg up on the rest of humanity.  Those inner forces seemed to indicate that any individual who possessed them was someone special.  Teamwork and willingness to play by the rules made athletes more capable of succeeding outside of the field of play and helped to shape many leaders in all walks of life.  If we can get back to these simple values, we may be able to give those who participate in sports a direction for their aspirations.  Hopefully the next Marion Jones will be a person to emulate and not someone we pity for her failure to make the right choices.

(photo credit: Sports Illustrated cover)