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Eddie Castro’s SPORTS: Brooklyn Blues

Eddie Castro
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For Nets fans, Christmas could have gone two ways. Many fans would’ve received an early Christmas gift with a Nets win the downside of that is being a fan and dealing with your team losing at home to the Boston Celtics. A loss to the Celtics is exactly what happened as Paul Pierce abused Brooklyn’s defense all afternoon long. The Nets did start off the first quarter well shooting 53% from the field, however, that came along with 6 turnovers. Midway through the second quarter, the Celtics came through with a 15-2 run and after that, they simply pulled away and left the home fans disappointed with a 93-76 loss. The officiating made it an ugly win for the Celtics and not a nice one to look at if you’re a Nets fan.

It is quite amazing how a team’s momentum can dramatically change within a month. In the month of November, the Nets had a winning record of 11-4. In the month of December, Brooklyn has lost 9 of their last 12 games and if the season ended today, they would be the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference as opposed to being the 2nd seed last month behind the Knicks. Normally when a team is struggling the way the Nets are you think it must be at the defensive end. In this case, it’s the Nets offense that has been horrendous. 76 points against a veteran team like the Celtics is not going to win you a basketball game, especially going up against the elite teams in the East. One factor of the Nets offense has been the play of Deron Williams.

Williams is so far having a very unproductive year shooting below 40% from the field where he is now on pace to have a career worst in a single season. For the time being, he has just not found the swagger and consistency he had when practically every game was a highlight reel to watch when he was a member of the Utah Jazz. He is also averaging just 8.1 assists per game, which is his lowest since his rookie campaign. The worst part about this entire scenario is that Williams has not established any sort of leadership role in Brooklyn. As a matter of fact, Williams went on record stating that coach Avery Johnson’s offensive system is the reason why he’s performance has been abysmal. As a Nets fan, that’s not what you want to hear. After all, Williams said the same thing in Utah, and that led to coach Jerry Sloan retiring in the middle of that season after 27 years.

The point is this, if you are playing in New York and you come with a big contract, you must put your talents on display every night you hit the floor. Williams has not been the point guard he was 2 years ago and his failure to perform during crunch time is having many Nets fans shaking their heads. You can only hope that this is just a super star player trying to crawl out of a shooting slump. In a recent game I attended last week, I spoke to a few fans outside the Barclays’ Center and the word around Atlantic Avenue is that Williams to many is not considered a top-5 point guard in the league anymore. There are many reasons why the Nets as a team aren’t living up to the expectations they had going for them at the start of this year. They’re just one game over 500. At 14-13, their point guard seems to be lost in the offensive system and injuries have played a factor with both Gerald Wallace and Brook Lopez being out of the lineup. Now with Lopez and Wallace, aided Joe Johnson to name a few, it should not be that hard to go out and win basketball games on a consistent basis. Whatever the problem is with Williams you can only hope that this is a situation that can be fixed as the 2nd half of the season gets near.

Sports Notes: (Football) The Jets look to finish what has been yet another disappointing season on a strong note when the face the Buffalo Bills. It may very well be the last game we see Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow wear the green and white. After losing a crucial game to the Baltimore Ravens, the Giants hope an angel is on their side this Sunday as they must defeat the Eagles at home and rely on the Vikings, Bears, and Cowboys to lose out on their gamers for the G-men to snatch the last playoff spot in the NFC. (Basketball) The Nets look to get back on track as they welcome in a struggling Charlotte Bobcats team to the Barclays Center on Saturday night. The Knicks look to wrap-up their west coast trip on a high note as they battle the Sacramento Kings.

Many sources have indicated that Amar’e Stoudemire will probably make his season debut January 1st 2013 at home against the Portland Trail Blazers barring no setbacks. Stoudemire has not played all season after having knee surgery in October.

View From Here: They Need To Be Prepared For What's Coming

David Mark Greaves
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Student in the Winter Show at the Brooklyn Brownstone School pictured here with principal Nakia Haskins,and music teacher Kevin Green, center. Photo by: Latoya Shauntay Snell

Looking at the happy, engaged young people at the Brooklyn Brownstone School, one has to wonder what kind of planet are we bequeathing to them and what preparation will they have for it?

We leave 2012 with a clear picture that global warming is creating a world very different than the one we have known. Not different just in the technology, that’s been ever changing since the invention of the wheel. What’s coming is different in its entirety, in the number of species, in the loss of the glaciers, in the rising sea levels, in what land is habitable and what is not.

What we’re seeing now, the droughts, cyclones, hurricanes, forest fires, the melting of arctic ice sheets, are only the most dramatic signs of the global warming catastrophe that is coming straight at us. By the year 2050, when these young people will just be middle-aged, the conservative predictions are that the earth’s average temperature will have risen 3 degrees Celsius. This will mean an atmosphere heavy with moisture and the predictions are that the so-called once-in-a-hundred year storms that we had with Irene’s 10-foot water surge last year and this year’s 14-foot surge from Hurricane Sandy, will become a regular summer occurrence, and we will be the lucky ones. Unlike some island nations, at least most of our land will still be accessible.

What will not change is that the world they will live in will not be kind to the unprepared, to those who have dropped out of school or learned just enough to get by.
Right now, at six and seven years old, each of these young people have exactly what the new world will require: an endless curiosity and the innate creative genius that is necessary to take full advantage of technological wizardry, to expand on it and use the new tools to create businesses and value and security in life. But these young minds are under constant assault and we need to protect them not only from the challenges on the street, but the systemic psychological violence that targets them daily, that sends their creativity down twisting paths and leaving them not believing in themselves and angry and not knowing why.

In order for these youngsters to be standing tall in their middle age, they have to be fought for now. We cannot allow them to go into that hypercompetitive and volatile future without fully developed minds. These beautiful young people cannot fight for themselves, we have to fight for them. And we have to fight tooth and nail. We have to do everything we can to enrich their lives and give them the gift of awareness of the endless possibilities that lie ahead of them. We need to go back to the old school of the former slave and abolitionist Frederick Douglass and “organize, organize, organize.” We need monthly PTA meetings as crowded as this auditorium.
We need politicians who put children first. We must live the words of Malcolm X and open the world up for them “by any means necessary.” Let’s all look forward to a good year of struggle.

Bed-Stuy Gateway BID: A GIFTWAY

Bernice Elizabeth Green
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Juan Solano, owner Solano’s Optical, 1321 Fulton St, 718-623-1220

“All of Brooklyn is invited to walk the BID this season … and beyond,” says Lori Luis, Interim Executive Director of The Bed-Stuy GATEWAY Business Improvement District along the mile-long Fulton Street business corridor from Classon Avenue to Troy Avenue. “We’re open for business … and more … all year long.”

And for Ms. Luis, “more” goes quite a distance.   The one-mile strip makes the walk a healthy one; you get some exercise and discover healthy food options along the way.

There are more than 400 businesses along that strip – making this BID one of the largest in New York State;  more combined products, services and dining opportunities offered than other BIDs in Brooklyn; there’s more of a cluster of multiethnic stories of entrepreneurial struggle and success than just about anywhere else in the world.  Established in 2009, the Bed-Stuy Gateway BID is now a favorite spot for shopping and dining.  It also is a place where you gain a sense of community.

In these businesses, this season’s heartfelt message of “peace on earth” can be heard in numerous dialects and dozens of languages, including Arabic, Farsi, Hebrew, Spanish, Indonesian, Russian, Swahili, Thai, Yiddish and more.

A walk down the BID also offers a lesson in another word: unity, plus BID members’ marketing savvy-ness.

“We’re here to serve the community!”- Ricky, CEO, Ricky’s Eat Well Jamaican Food, who offers a dinner deal for $4.

“The view from here is getting better! More than 400 members and counting,” said Solano, CEO, Solano’s Optical, easily identifiable as the cheerleader and Mayor of the Gateway.

“Kings County’s small business sustainability efforts began in this area … more than a century ago,” said Doris Porter, CEO of The Lab, a community landmark established in an historic site at the Tompkins/Fulton intersection.

“Location! Location! Location! is the mantra for prime property.  When you think about it: for products and services, Bed-Stuy BID is the shopping destination,” according to Richard Flateau, CEO, Flateau Realty.

“We’re growing — one day at a time!,” Betty Long, CEO, The Gospel Den, for 22 years, told us.

“So come in and meet the family!” invites Mr. Otis Hampton of A&W Moving & Storage, 1476 Fulton St., whose family business is one of the oldest on-going small business establishments on the entire length of Fulton St., end to end; he and his late business trailblazing wife Evelyn Hampton formally established as their own in the early1970’s.

And speaking of legacies, BID’s First Brooklyn Supply (purveyors of plumbing, electrical, lumber and hardware) is building one.  Thirty-year-old Jay K., of Guyanese nationality, has enjoyed his position as Assistant Manager for five years.  He sees the GATEWAY as a statement for the future of business and other BIDs.  “Unity always brings strength.  When we work together, we can build the community together.”

At First Supply, that belief is put into action.  Mr. K informed us that First Supply chooses not to shelve certain products.  “We leave some items alone and direct customers to other hardware stores on Fulton Street where those items can be found.” (BG)

Eddie Castro's Sports: Off The Mark

Eddie Castro
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The best words to put the Jets season in perspective would be “a roller coaster.” The team has had many ups and downs throughout the course of the year and many controversial moments as well.  All this led to the Jets going into this past Monday’s game needing a win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The scenario for the Jets was to win the final games against the Titans, Chargers and Bills in hopes of a wild card berth aided by losses from the Bengals and Steelers. On Sunday, the Bengals won their game, but the Jets got some well-needed help from the Cowboys as they defeated the Steelers. Now normally you wouldn’t call a team “hot” with just a 2-game winning streak, however, the way Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez has played this season, maybe a hot streak can get him and the team rolling. Unfortunately on Monday night, the Jets lost to the Titans 14-10, therefore eliminating them from playoff contention. Sanchez did not help at all as he had yet another horrible performance throwing 4 interceptions and 1 lost fumble. It marks the second straight year in the Rex Ryan era the Jets will miss the playoffs.

There is no word on what Sanchez’s future will be with the Jets, but you have to think, it may very well be the end of the line for him and coach Ryan. Since his rookie season in 2009, Sanchez ranks dead last in the league in the four most important statistical categories for a quarterback: (passing yards (11,887), touchdown passes (68) , completion percentage (55.2) and he has averaged at least 1 interception per game. This year so far, Sanchez has turned the ball over 24 times, which includes a staggering 17 interceptions. Also, his 87 turnovers since 2009 are second only to Eli Manning. With a guaranteed bonus of $8.25 million dollars, it is more than likely he will be wearing No.6 for the Jets next year. It may be unlikely that it will come in a starting role.

On Tuesday night during a press conference, coach Ryan announced that he would bench Sanchez for Sunday’s game against the Chargers in favor of Greg McElroy. Ryan told Sanchez about his decision after Monday night’s loss, but did not make his decision public until Tuesday. Ryan’s decision was surprising to many, after all, he does have the option to use Tim Tebow. The Jets drafted McElroy in the 7th round of last year’s draft out of Alabama. He wasn’t even in uniform for Monday’s game. Now, he will be making his 1

st career start in the NFL. So, for now, it appears that Greg McElroy will have his audition for the starting job in hopes of a full-time position in 2013. As for Sanchez and Tebow, it will be another wait and see process. All and all, there are many needs the team must address in the off-season besides the QB position. Changes will be made and the face of the Jets team and perhaps the coaching staff may very well have a new look come 2013. At the end of the day, it may seem a bit unfair that Sanchez is getting all the blame. He didn’t have his best receiver on offense (Santonio Holmes), or his best player on defense (Darrelle Revis) , due to season-ending injuries, but if you are making $60 million dollars over the next 3 years in New York, you must be able to perform, period.

Sports Notes: (Basketball)

The Knicks hope to get Carmelo Anthony back from an ankle injury in time for Friday night’s showdown at the Garden against the Chicago Bulls. Some good news for the Knicks was reported earlier in the week. Amar’e Stoudemire has been cleared by doctors to begin practicing with the team and may return on Christmas Day when they head to L.A. to play the Lakers. The Brooklyn Nets welcome the Philadelphia 76ers to the Barclays Center Sunday afternoon.   (Football) The Giants’ 34-0 loss to the Falcons looms large for the G-men as both the Redskins and Cowboys won their games on Sunday therefore creating a 3-way tie for first place in the NFC East. The Giants must win their final 2 games to get in the playoffs and hope the Redskins and the Cowboys lose their remaining 2. Eli Manning and company will have a tough task as they head to Baltimore to face the hard-hitting Baltimore Ravens.

After the Massacre – A Call to Action!

Aminisha Black
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The recent massacre in Connecticut sends a sobering message that can’t be ignored.   While reactions differ and debates over gun control ensue, the fact that 20 elementary school students lost their lives within a school building – is a wakeup call.   It’s crucial  that  parents, caretakers and relatives  realize that ultimately the lives of our children (or put another way whether our children live or die) depends (to a large degree) on our ability to provide physical  and emotional grounding; arming them to navigate through a world that sorely needs an enema.

While  details about the killer is sketchy, reports of a turbulent  and hostile relationship between his parents ending in divorce and left untreated  most likely contributed to his malfunctioning  and the mother’s  apparent passion for collecting guns raises questions about her state of mind.

We wait to see what President Obama and government is going to do regarding gun control and the debates continue bringing to surface some little known or forgotten statistics on gun violence – especially mass homicides and suicides continuing here in America.

Democracy Now!

had Rebecca Peters on Tuesday’s show sharing the April 1996 Port Arthur Massacre where a New Town, Australia gunman killed 35 people and wounded 23 more.

Peters, who was chairperson of the National Coalition for Gun Control, led the campaign that resulted in the Australian government enacting a bipartisan gun control measure 12 days after the Port Arthur Massacre.  She said that for the prior two decades, there had been one mass shooting per year.  Since the Port Arthur Massacre in 1996, there have been no mass murders in Australia. Similar to the United States, there were numerous states with their own laws but with a common goal of saving lives and expenses, they produced a result.  While we wait for our government to show regard for human life, families and communities must seize this opportunity to take on the challenge to restore individuals, especially our young to their inborn greatness.

Resources

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Terrie Williams has a B. A. (cum laude) in Psychology and Sociology from Brandeis University, and an M.S. in Social Work from Columbia University.  She continues to work tirelessly to reach out to individuals who have suffered or are now suffering—from the struggling high school student to the successful executive who puts forth the daily “mask”, to the gang member, the incarcerated and those who served time but were later proven innocent. Her drive to “save the world” leads her and the efforts of The Stay Strong Foundation to urge corporate and individual responsibility and to offer educational and leadership workshops, internships and mentoring opportunities for youth.  Author of Black Pain; It Just Looks Like We’re Not Hurting, she shares her internal emotional struggle.  E-mail: tmwms@terriewilliams.com

The Parent’s Notebook –

The 21-day Umoja Project – a project  where parent and child select something within their relationship or family that they want to change and create a program for change.  Based on the research that it only takes 21 days to break or form a habit, participating family members are empowered with the tools to  recognize and clear emotional clutter, identify  areas of needed change,  take responsibility for changing them, are supported during the time and acknowledged for their victory. For details e-mail: parentsnotebook@yahoo.com.

Remember All the Children, Mr. President

by Bill Quigley  published on Monday Dec. 17 by Common Dreams and read on WBAI’s Hugh Hamilton on Talk Back. Bill Quigley is Associate Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights and a law professor at Loyola University New Orleans.  He is a Katrina survivor and has been active in human rights in Haiti for years.  Contact: quigley77@gmail.commore Bill Quigley

Remember the 20 children who died in Newtown, Connecticut.

Remember the 35 children who died in Gaza this month from Israeli Bombardments.

Remember the 168 children who have been killed by US Drone attacks in Pakistan since 2006.

Remember the 231 children killed in Afghanistan in the first six months of this year.

Remember the 400 other children in the US under age of 15 who die from gunshot wounds each year.

Remember the 921 children killed by US air strikes against insurgents in Iraq.

Remember the 1,770 U.S. children who die each year from child abuse and maltreatment.

Remember the 16,000 children who die each day around the world from hunger.

These tragedies must end.

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