Charlie Manuel Loves Him Some Bernard Hopkins

Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel isn't one to watch boxing or talk about it. But if you ask him about Philadelphia boxing champion Bernard Hopkins, he may never stop talking about him.

He's crossed paths with Hopkins once before, but was so impressed by him that he would like him to make a stop by Citizens Bank Park and have a conversation with him.

"I absolutely love listening to him," Manuel said. "That's one tough guy who wants to be a champion. I know in baseball, that's what separates the average guy from the real good one."   

If you've ever listened to a Hopkins interview the guy can talk for days. He'll also let you know he has the same drive and determination he had when he got out of prison. That's what Manuel likes about him. It seems like an odd pairing, but Manuel likes hard nosed players.

"It's about being a champion," Manuel said.

And in my eyes Hopkins is what being a champion is all about.


 

Quote Of The Week: Cam Newton

Cam Newton isn't the most quotable person around, but this one caught my eye. Here's Cam speaking on his upcoming NFL career.

 "It's not something that's going to be instant, like instant grits. It's more like collard greens that need to sit and wait." 

Don't take this the wrong way, bu you can tell he was raised down south.

Stromile Swift Arrested For Stalking

When someone gets out of a relationship, both parties usually move on. No matter how they feel about each other all parties agree to move on. Somewhere along the line, Stromile Swift missed the memo about that little nugget of life. And this isn't his first run in with the law about this type of crime.

Swift, the former number two pick in the NBA draft, nine year vet, and Vancouver Grizzlies bust, was arrested for stalking an ex-girlfriend, according to KTBS television in Shreveport, La.

Shreveport police said they arrested the 31-year-old Swift about 9:40 p.m. Thursday after officers were called to a domestic dispute on the west side of the city. Police said a woman told them she had been arguing with Swift and he was following her in a vehicle as she tried to get away from him.



Patrol officers got a description of the vehicle and eventually arrested Swift without incident in the 3300 block of Ivy Lane. Police said they found a shotgun and a handgun in Swift’s vehicle.

As an average man tring to make a living, I would think that Swift would have some NBA/China basketball money in reserve and he wouldn't have to resort to such tactics with women. This is a situation that he should've played "do you know who I am?" card with the woman. It doesn't carry much weight, but you can still throw it around.

As I stated earlier, this wasn't his first run in with this kind of problem. Back in February he was arrested on aggravated assault charges with the same woman. He should've got the hint that this might not have been the woman for him.

Police said they were investigating a report of vandalism at the 28-year-old woman's southwest Shreveport residence when Swift showed up there with a gun. 

If Swift can get past these legal issues, he needs to leave this woman alone.


   

FSU's Singleton To Start A Clothing Line

With the NBA draft looming as well as a possible lockout, it would be wise for potential draftees to find other avenues of income. That advice would be wise to current players as well.

In the past professional athletes weren't very smart in their business endeavors. Plans that weren't well thought out, trusting the wrong people and investing in lousy deals are just some of the problems that have plagued current and former athletes when they enter the business world.

Florida State's Chris Singleton seems to have a well planned venture underway. Free from the shackles of the NCAA prohibitng student athletes from having any kind of earning power, Singleton and teammate AJ Yawn and a couple of other friends from FSU, are starting a clothing line called Doughpe Clothing. It's pronounced "dope", a hip-hop term meaning fresh or cool.

Yawn gave a brief overview of the company.

[AJ Yawn]: The uniqueness of the company name, paired with the familiarity of the term as it relates to the common phrase ‘dope’ meaning cool, and socially acceptable in the hip-hop culture, will attract customers within the target demographics. Consumers in our target audience won’t have a problem accepting the name because the word “dope” is used in daily slang describing something that is fresh, new, or cool. Doughpe is a creative spin on this word and places the customers in a mindset that even before they see the product, they are assured that the clothing will be something they would like and desire to purchase. 

Singleton, who will most likely be a first round NBA draft pick, will be the biggest name affiliated with the company. It was a good decision to be involved with a small group that you know well to start off. He won't be involved in the day to day, since he'll be playing basketball. It's more of a Tallahassee based venture for now, but I'm sure they'll try to take it to another level. Most of the company's sales will be carried out online at Doughpeclothing.com.




   

  

Tyson Chandler Won't Be On Kendick Perkins' Christmas List

Anyone that watches the NBA knows that Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins is one of the meanest, if not the menaest players in the league. So it should come as no surprise that he came out after game 1of the Western Conference finals and made it no secret that he doesn't like Dallas Mavericks center Tyson Chandler.   

"Me and Tyson never got along. I'm serious," said Perkins, whom the Thunder acquired in a trade deadline deal with the Boston Celtics. "He don't like me, I don't like him and that's pretty much how it's been. Everybody always looks at me as kind of like a dirty player if you're on the opposite team, but he's just as dirty as anybody else."


The two got tangled up 70 seconds into game1 and both were assessed a technical foul. The thing is Chandler doesn't harbor the same feelings toward Perkins.

"I have nothing against him," Chandler said of Perkins. "He won a championship with the Boston Celtics, and that's where I'm trying to take my team. I mean, I've got respect for him, what he was able to accomplish. But all the chippy stuff, the after-the-ball stuff, that's all nonsense and I'm not going to get involved with it."


"Honestly, my motive is not to get into it with Kendrick Perkins," Chandler said. "My motive is to make my team better when I'm on the floor and give my team an opportunity to win. My team is not going to be better with me off the floor, so there's no reason for me to get into it with him. The only benefit that's going to have is me off the floor and giving them a better chance to win, so I'm not getting into it with him."

Perkins needs to watch himself since he already is the owner of four technical fouls. Three moreand he's gone for a game and the Thunder need his defense and rebounding. The officials will be watching the paint a little closer with this coming out. Just chill and stop trying to out-macho your opponent.

On the other hand it is good to see someone just flat out hate their opponent. There's not a lot of that these days in te NBA. It's kind of refreshing.

It's safe to say that Chandler won't be getting a Christmas card from Perkins anytime soon.   

Rafer Alston To Coach High School

After having no NBA offers on the table, former Houston Rocket point guard Rafer Alston is going to coach high school basketball. Personally I think Alston still has some game left but I'm not an NBA exec, and they're the ones that say he's done.

Alston will be the new coach at  Humble (Texas) Christian Life Center.  Alston has no previous coaching experience, feels he can get the job done and wants to give back to the kids.

“We have about four or five guys that played [last year],” he said. “Some kids that didn’t play that much. There are a good amount of people coming back and then we have to add on. But it should be no problem getting the kids to play together and work together.”


Alston harbors no regrets over his NBA career and feels that he could get some overseas offers but would rather be stateside.

“I’ve had a good career, long career, 11 years,” Alston said of a career that included stops in six NBA cities and a stint in China. “I had fun. I can’t complain about my NBA career. It’s been wonderful.”


“I’ve had offers,” he said. “Overseas is always an option. This summer some offers are going to come along at some point. People can always use a point guard.”


Still, he added, “Getting one more year older and doing this job, the chances are slim to none.”

A least he's still doing what he loves and that's being a part of basketball in some capacity.

Marcell Dareus Can't Wait To Play The Panthers And Broncos

Buffalo Bills first round draft pick, Marcell Dareus, is a little pissed about being taken number three in the draft. To me and many others that's not to shabby. Anyone would be happy to be chosen that high. Marcell should remember that Detroit Lions great Barry Sanders was selected at number three. Don't try to tell that to Dareus.

He was specific in an interview about what teams passed him over in an interview with Michel Irvin on   WQAM in Miami. It doesn't take much to figure it out either since he was selected at number three. And he was hot about it.

When he was asked whether he should have been picked number one, his answer was "Yes". Then he let the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers know that he's going to bring the pain.

“If I ever get a chance to play Carolina I’m going to make them pay for passing up on me,” said Dareus. ”Denver I’ll get a chance to play them in the regular season (this year) and I’m going to make it hell for them every time I play against them.”



“I worked my butt off to the point where I’m not going to give you a reason not to pick me,” he said. “You’re not going to look at me and be like, ‘Well he’s good, but…” That ‘but’ word is never going to come up when you mention my name. My sole focus was for me not to give you a reason to not pick me and you still don’t? Okay, I understand you have needs somewhere else, but if you need somebody to control your front and be a commander across the front and not let anything happen? I work my butt off to do that, and you pass me up still? Okay, I’ve got something for you.”


This is something I may keep an eye on if there is an NFL season.