Connect with us

Sports

At $75 a Game, Indoor Football Isn’t About the Money

Published

on

In this photo from May 16, 2015, Omaha Beef players Jesse Robertson (9) and Demichael McWilliams (99) tackle Sioux City Bandits' Fredrick Bruno (2) in a Champions Indoor Football league game in Sioux City, Iowa. Robertson doesn’t mind living a Spartan existence in Omaha if that’s what it takes to move to a higher level someday. The Omaha Beef provides lodging at the Best Western for him and about a half-dozen other players who have no local ties. The team also gives the out-of-towners vouchers for meals at restaurants that are sponsors. The entire team meets on Fridays for a pregame meal of chicken wings at a Hooter’s. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

In this photo from May 16, 2015, Omaha Beef players Jesse Robertson (9) and Demichael McWilliams (99) tackle Sioux City Bandits’ Fredrick Bruno (2) in a Champions Indoor Football league game in Sioux City, Iowa.  (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

ERIC OLSON, AP Sports Writer

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Chuck Wright was hooked the first time he tried professional indoor football. His pay for that game: a $10 bill and six-pack of Bud Light.

“If I never did anything else,” he said, “I could always say I got paid to play. It’s true.”

That was 10 years ago, and the 34-year-old is still going strong, now with a team called the Omaha Beef. It’s an eclectic mix of dreamers hoping to get noticed by a team in the Arena Football League, CFL or even the NFL and realists like Wright who know they’re going nowhere.

Each Beef player signs a contract promising $75 a game, and each will tell you it’s not really about the money.

Jesse Robertson and Davon Bridges are among the dreamers. They drove here together from the East Coast, took up residence at a motel and spend their days painting and cleaning apartments, working out and hanging out. They live for the two nights a week the Beef practice and the Friday or Saturday nights they play games. For them, the games are an opportunity to put their skills on film and send it to talent evaluators in more prestigious leagues.

Established in 1999, the Omaha-based team is the oldest indoor football team in the nation. The Beef found the spotlight a couple years ago when owner Rich Tokheim offered Tim Tebow a roster spot the day after he was cut by the New York Jets. The Beef’s quarterback at the time, James McNear, famously cracked, “I think Tim can learn a lot from me.”

Laugh if you will, but coach Cory Ross said the talent in the Beef’s league, Champions Indoor Football, is better than you think.

“You can see why some guys aren’t at the next level, but with other guys, you wonder why they haven’t gotten an opportunity,” said Ross, 32, who played running back for Nebraska and the Baltimore Ravens. “There are 2,500 college kids who come out as seniors, and only 255 get drafted. That’s a lot of football players trying to find a place to play. Some go to Canada, some go to the arena league. And then there are leagues like ours.”

CIF is one of five U.S. leagues with a total of 44 teams. The Indoor Football League, where players make better than $200 a game, is considered the best of the five and is one step from the AFL.

The eight-on-eight indoor game is played on a 50-yard field laid inside a hockey rink. Dasher boards, sans glass, are the sidelines, and the fans eat it up when receivers go up and over them to catch passes.

The Beef’s quirky nickname is a nod to Omaha’s reputation for great steaks. Their home is the Ralston Arena, aka “The Slaughterhouse,” where they draw about 2,800 a game heading into Saturday’s season finale. The female Prime Dancers and male Rump Roasters, along with a mascot named “Sir Loin,” provide in-game entertainment.

The booster club has been known to fill a 53-passenger bus, “The Meat Wagon,” for games hundreds of miles away. As the team has struggled to a 1-10 record this season, the road following has dwindled to only the most ardent fans, like the five tailgating two hours before kickoff a couple Saturdays ago in an otherwise empty parking lot at the Sioux City (Iowa) Bandits’ arena.

Wright, known as “Gunslinger,” was a three-year starter at now-closed Dana College in Blair, Nebraska, and works at Bellevue University near Omaha. He’s played in several indoor leagues and in his best season earned a total of $5,000, not to mention other forms of pay ranging from that six-pack of beer to vouchers for tattoos.

“I go out there to entertain people,” Wright said. “They’re not paying 10 or 20 bucks to see Chuck Wright the person. They’re paying 10 or 20 bucks to see the Gunslinger. It’s like a wrestling match. That’s what they want to see, someone getting lit up and thrown over the wall.”

Receiver Brandon Kinnie also is in it for the love of the game. He played at Nebraska and went to training camp with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2012. Now he works full-time as an assistant manager at a shoe store and part-time at a Nike outlet.

“I used to envy some of my good friends because they were playing in the NFL and I wasn’t, and I didn’t understand why I wasn’t there,” Kinnie said. “It just doesn’t happen for everybody. It’s OK. I’m enjoying the company I’m with now.”

Robertson and Bridges don’t mind living on the cheap if that’s what it takes to move to a higher level someday. Robertson led Division II in solo tackles for West Virginia Wesleyan in 2013, and Bridges was a three-year starter for FCS-level Villanova.

The Beef provide lodging at a Best Western motel for the handful of players who have no local ties. The team also gives them vouchers for meals at sponsor restaurants. The entire team meets on Fridays for a pregame meal of chicken wings at Hooters.

“Hey, if they’re offering to feed us, we’re going to eat it,” Bridges said. “There is no trying to eat healthy.”

Indoor football’s greatest success story is running back Fred Jackson, who played the 2004 and ’05 seasons for the Sioux City Bandits and in 2007 was starting for the Buffalo Bills. The CFL is a more realistic goal for the best indoor players, but even that’s a longshot.

Calgary Stampeders assistant general manager John Murphy said one or two players a year from indoor teams might make his team’s active roster or practice squad. He said he admires their willingness to sacrifice to pursue their passion.

So does Ross, who told his players as much during his pregame talk before their recent game at Sioux City.

“It’s another day to continue to do something you love,” he said, his voice raised. “Age waits for nobody.”

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Activism

McClymonds High Names School Gym for Star Graduate, Basketball Legend Bill Russell

William “Bill” Felton Russell was born on Feb. 12, 1934, and died on July 31, 2022. He achieved fame as a U.S.  professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career.

Published

on

Bill Russell and Brian McGhee in McClymonds High School Gym, 2011. Photo courtesy of Brian McGhee.
Bill Russell and Brian McGhee in McClymonds High School Gym, 2011. Photo courtesy of Brian McGhee.

By Ken Epstein

West Oakland’s McClymonds High School, “the School of Champions,” this week named the school’s gymnasium in honor of one of its most famous graduates, basketball legend Bill Russell (class of ’52).

William “Bill” Felton Russell was born on Feb. 12, 1934, and died on July 31, 2022. He achieved fame as a U.S.  professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career.

Russell is widely known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. In 2011, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civil honor, from President Barack Obama for Russell’s contributions to basketball and the Civil Rights Movement.

The McClymonds’ naming ceremony was held on Wednesday, the same day as Russell’s birthday.  Oakland leader Bill Patterson, a longtime friend of Russell’s, was scheduled to cut the ribbon at the reopening of the gym, which had been closed for several months for renovation. Russell’s daughter Karen was scheduled to attend the ribbon cutting.

Russell’s name and signature are now printed on the gymnasium floor.

Patterson was working at DeFremery Park when he met Russell. “I befriended him as a boy and during his years at University of San Francisco” said Patterson. “We stayed friends for the rest of his life.”

Said McClymonds Principal Darielle Davis, herself a McClymonds graduate, “We are excited to honor Bill Russell for his sports accolades and because he broke color barriers. He is part of our legacy, and legacy is really important at McClymonds.”

Brian McGhee, community schools manager at McClymonds and former football player at UC  Berkeley, said that Russell meant a lot to him and others at the school.  “He was a beacon of light and hope for West Oakland,” he said. “He did a lot for sports and for civil rights.”

Starting in 2018, Ben “Coach” Tapscott worked with Patterson and other McClymonds grads, community members, and former coaches to encourage the Oakland Board of Education to endorse the naming of the school gym, which finally happened recently.

“We worked hard to make this happen,” said Tapscott. “He’s an important part of McClymond’s history, along with a lot of other famous graduates,” he said.

Continue Reading

Activism

OPINION: Politics, Football and Identity in Trump’s America

If you haven’t noticed, all Americans are engaged in an even bigger game that means so much more than the Super Bowl. Our democracy is falling apart.

Published

on

iStock.

By Emil Guillermo

Two Filipino American stories made headlines recently.

First, Nikko Remigio, the Filipino and African American kick returner for the Kansas City Chiefs, did not win Super Bowl LIX.

The other, Alameda’s Rob Bonta said no to running for governor.  I don’t blame him. It’s not like a mass of people wanted him to run.

But I did.

Whenever there is a Filipino American in a place you don’t expect, I’m rooting for that person.

As California’s Attorney General, Bonta is probably the most active defender among Blue States pushing back against Trump’s Extreme-Right agenda.

I’d like to Bonta run for California’s top job, but he’s better off waiting in line. The Democrats need a spot for Kamala Harris, and Bonta not running obliges the hierarchy.

History can wait. Bonta’s just 52.

Harris has held off speculation of her next move, saying she just moved back to the state. But it seems governor is the path for her.

For now, Bonta needs to continue taking the fight to Trump in the courts.

Football and Identity Politics

My dad, whose birthday would have been Super Bowl weekend, came to the US in 1928 as a colonized Filipino, an “American National,” where he couldn’t be a citizen, vote, own property or even marry the person he wanted.

Not if they were White.

Still, he believed in America.  He never gave up.

Sort of like Nikko Remigio.

My dad would have loved Nikko.

If you haven’t noticed, all Americans are engaged in an even bigger game that means so much more than the Super Bowl. Our democracy is falling apart.

You want to get passionate about Eagles and Chiefs?

Let’s be passionate about our Founding Fathers, too.

Nikko didn’t change the game. He touched it three times and provided more yards than all of KC’s running backs.

That’s all I needed to see.

He’s our Filipino guy.

Detractors may call it “identity politics.”

People don’t seem to understand the fight for visibility. To be recognized. To be seen. It’s all wrapped up in the big idea of Civil Rights.

I was nowhere near as good as Nikko when I played. But when you are blessed to play football, you play your hardest.

For me, that was when I was 12 and 13 playing Pop Warner football in San Francisco. I was MVP for my team as a running back.

But I was ashamed of my dad. He wasn’t like the other dads. And I remember going to the team banquet to retrieve my trophy alone.

I didn’t realize it probably meant more to him than I thought.

I wish I had shared my MVP moment with him like Nikko shared his joy with his dad, Mark, born in Seattle to two Filipino immigrants, and his mom, whose mixture of Black and White made Nikko the picture of diversity.

Filipino American and Black and White at the Super Bowl.

But don’t forget, there is one game bigger.

The Super Bowl for Democracy. We’re battling for it every day Trump pushes a cockamamie idea that shakes the foundation of our Democracy.

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is an award-winning journalist and commentator. Watch his micro-talk show “Emil Amok’s Takeout/What Does an Asian American Think?” on www.YouTube.com/emilamok1  Or join him on http://www.patreon.com/emilamok

Continue Reading

Bay Area

Tina Thompson: Champion, Legend, and Pioneer of Women’s Basketball

Known for her signature red lipstick, Thompson displayed confidence and style on the court, becoming an icon both for her gameplay and her individuality. Her ability to score from anywhere on the floor, combined with her defensive prowess, made her one of the league’s most formidable players.

Published

on

Tina Thompson at 2013 WNBA All-Star game at Mohegan Sun. 27 July 2013. Photo: Danny Karwaski/Wikimedia Commons.
Tina Thompson at 2013 WNBA All-Star game at Mohegan Sun. 27 July 2013. Photo: Danny Karwaski/Wikimedia Commons.

By Tamara Shiloh

The establishment of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) in 1996 was a turning point for women’s sports, creating a professional platform for female basketball players to showcase their skills at the highest level. Among the trailblazers who helped launch the league, Tina Thompson stands out as the first African American woman drafted into the WNBA.

Tina Thompson was born on February 10, 1975, in Los Angeles, California. Raised in a basketball-loving household, she quickly developed a passion for the game. Thompson improved her skills on the playgrounds of South Central Los Angeles, often playing against boys, which toughened her game and fueled her competitive edge.

She attended the University of Southern California (USC), where she became a standout player for the Trojans. Known for her versatility, scoring ability, and relentless work ethic, she earned All-Pac-10 honors multiple times and cemented her reputation as one of the top collegiate players in the nation.

When the WNBA held its first-ever draft on April 28, 1997, Tina Thompson made history as the league’s first African American player to be drafted. Selected as the first overall pick by the Houston Comets, she joined a team that would go on to dominate the early years of the WNBA.

Tina’s selection was a historic moment, symbolizing the league’s commitment to showcasing diverse talent. As a Black woman in a pioneering role, Thompson carried the hopes of aspiring African American female athletes who dreamed of playing professional basketball.

Tina wasted no time making an impact in the WNBA. As a key member of the Houston Comets alongside legends Cynthia Cooper and Sheryl Swoopes, she helped lead the team to an unprecedented four consecutive championships from 1997 to 2000. The Comets’ dynasty became the gold standard for excellence in the league’s early years.

Known for her signature red lipstick, Thompson displayed confidence and style on the court, becoming an icon both for her gameplay and her individuality. Her ability to score from anywhere on the floor, combined with her defensive prowess, made her one of the league’s most formidable players.

Over a career spanning 17 seasons, Tina established herself as one of the WNBA’s all-time greats. She retired as the league’s leading scorer, a record she held until it was broken by Diana Taurasi. She was a nine-time WNBA All-Star and was named to multiple All-WNBA teams, cementing her status as one of the sport’s legends.

In 2018, Thompson’s contributions to basketball were recognized with her induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The honor underscored her influence not just as a player, but as a trailblazer for African American women in sports.

After retiring from professional basketball, she transitioned into coaching, using her experience and knowledge to mentor young athletes. She has served as a head coach at the collegiate level, inspiring the next generation of players to pursue excellence both on and off the court.

As a role model and advocate, Thompson has consistently emphasized the importance of education, empowerment, and self-belief. Her story resonates with countless young women who see in her the embodiment of perseverance and success.

Tina Thompson is presently in her third season as an assistant coach at the University of Texas at Austin.

Continue Reading

Subscribe to receive news and updates from the Oakland Post

* indicates required

CHECK OUT THE LATEST ISSUE OF THE OAKLAND POST

ADVERTISEMENT

WORK FROM HOME

Home-based business with potential monthly income of $10K+ per month. A proven training system and website provided to maximize business effectiveness. Perfect job to earn side and primary income. Contact Lynne for more details: Lynne4npusa@gmail.com 800-334-0540

Facebook

Trending

Sports

At $75 a Game, Indoor Football Isn’t About the Money

Published

on

In this photo from May 16, 2015, Omaha Beef players Jesse Robertson (9) and Demichael McWilliams (99) tackle Sioux City Bandits' Fredrick Bruno (2) in a Champions Indoor Football league game in Sioux City, Iowa. Robertson doesn’t mind living a Spartan existence in Omaha if that’s what it takes to move to a higher level someday. The Omaha Beef provides lodging at the Best Western for him and about a half-dozen other players who have no local ties. The team also gives the out-of-towners vouchers for meals at restaurants that are sponsors. The entire team meets on Fridays for a pregame meal of chicken wings at a Hooter’s. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

In this photo from May 16, 2015, Omaha Beef players Jesse Robertson (9) and Demichael McWilliams (99) tackle Sioux City Bandits’ Fredrick Bruno (2) in a Champions Indoor Football league game in Sioux City, Iowa.  (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

ERIC OLSON, AP Sports Writer

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Chuck Wright was hooked the first time he tried professional indoor football. His pay for that game: a $10 bill and six-pack of Bud Light.

“If I never did anything else,” he said, “I could always say I got paid to play. It’s true.”

That was 10 years ago, and the 34-year-old is still going strong, now with a team called the Omaha Beef. It’s an eclectic mix of dreamers hoping to get noticed by a team in the Arena Football League, CFL or even the NFL and realists like Wright who know they’re going nowhere.

Each Beef player signs a contract promising $75 a game, and each will tell you it’s not really about the money.

Jesse Robertson and Davon Bridges are among the dreamers. They drove here together from the East Coast, took up residence at a motel and spend their days painting and cleaning apartments, working out and hanging out. They live for the two nights a week the Beef practice and the Friday or Saturday nights they play games. For them, the games are an opportunity to put their skills on film and send it to talent evaluators in more prestigious leagues.

Established in 1999, the Omaha-based team is the oldest indoor football team in the nation. The Beef found the spotlight a couple years ago when owner Rich Tokheim offered Tim Tebow a roster spot the day after he was cut by the New York Jets. The Beef’s quarterback at the time, James McNear, famously cracked, “I think Tim can learn a lot from me.”

Laugh if you will, but coach Cory Ross said the talent in the Beef’s league, Champions Indoor Football, is better than you think.

“You can see why some guys aren’t at the next level, but with other guys, you wonder why they haven’t gotten an opportunity,” said Ross, 32, who played running back for Nebraska and the Baltimore Ravens. “There are 2,500 college kids who come out as seniors, and only 255 get drafted. That’s a lot of football players trying to find a place to play. Some go to Canada, some go to the arena league. And then there are leagues like ours.”

CIF is one of five U.S. leagues with a total of 44 teams. The Indoor Football League, where players make better than $200 a game, is considered the best of the five and is one step from the AFL.

The eight-on-eight indoor game is played on a 50-yard field laid inside a hockey rink. Dasher boards, sans glass, are the sidelines, and the fans eat it up when receivers go up and over them to catch passes.

The Beef’s quirky nickname is a nod to Omaha’s reputation for great steaks. Their home is the Ralston Arena, aka “The Slaughterhouse,” where they draw about 2,800 a game heading into Saturday’s season finale. The female Prime Dancers and male Rump Roasters, along with a mascot named “Sir Loin,” provide in-game entertainment.

The booster club has been known to fill a 53-passenger bus, “The Meat Wagon,” for games hundreds of miles away. As the team has struggled to a 1-10 record this season, the road following has dwindled to only the most ardent fans, like the five tailgating two hours before kickoff a couple Saturdays ago in an otherwise empty parking lot at the Sioux City (Iowa) Bandits’ arena.

Wright, known as “Gunslinger,” was a three-year starter at now-closed Dana College in Blair, Nebraska, and works at Bellevue University near Omaha. He’s played in several indoor leagues and in his best season earned a total of $5,000, not to mention other forms of pay ranging from that six-pack of beer to vouchers for tattoos.

“I go out there to entertain people,” Wright said. “They’re not paying 10 or 20 bucks to see Chuck Wright the person. They’re paying 10 or 20 bucks to see the Gunslinger. It’s like a wrestling match. That’s what they want to see, someone getting lit up and thrown over the wall.”

Receiver Brandon Kinnie also is in it for the love of the game. He played at Nebraska and went to training camp with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2012. Now he works full-time as an assistant manager at a shoe store and part-time at a Nike outlet.

“I used to envy some of my good friends because they were playing in the NFL and I wasn’t, and I didn’t understand why I wasn’t there,” Kinnie said. “It just doesn’t happen for everybody. It’s OK. I’m enjoying the company I’m with now.”

Robertson and Bridges don’t mind living on the cheap if that’s what it takes to move to a higher level someday. Robertson led Division II in solo tackles for West Virginia Wesleyan in 2013, and Bridges was a three-year starter for FCS-level Villanova.

The Beef provide lodging at a Best Western motel for the handful of players who have no local ties. The team also gives them vouchers for meals at sponsor restaurants. The entire team meets on Fridays for a pregame meal of chicken wings at Hooters.

“Hey, if they’re offering to feed us, we’re going to eat it,” Bridges said. “There is no trying to eat healthy.”

Indoor football’s greatest success story is running back Fred Jackson, who played the 2004 and ’05 seasons for the Sioux City Bandits and in 2007 was starting for the Buffalo Bills. The CFL is a more realistic goal for the best indoor players, but even that’s a longshot.

Calgary Stampeders assistant general manager John Murphy said one or two players a year from indoor teams might make his team’s active roster or practice squad. He said he admires their willingness to sacrifice to pursue their passion.

So does Ross, who told his players as much during his pregame talk before their recent game at Sioux City.

“It’s another day to continue to do something you love,” he said, his voice raised. “Age waits for nobody.”

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Activism

McClymonds High Names School Gym for Star Graduate, Basketball Legend Bill Russell

William “Bill” Felton Russell was born on Feb. 12, 1934, and died on July 31, 2022. He achieved fame as a U.S.  professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career.

Published

on

Bill Russell and Brian McGhee in McClymonds High School Gym, 2011. Photo courtesy of Brian McGhee.
Bill Russell and Brian McGhee in McClymonds High School Gym, 2011. Photo courtesy of Brian McGhee.

By Ken Epstein

West Oakland’s McClymonds High School, “the School of Champions,” this week named the school’s gymnasium in honor of one of its most famous graduates, basketball legend Bill Russell (class of ’52).

William “Bill” Felton Russell was born on Feb. 12, 1934, and died on July 31, 2022. He achieved fame as a U.S.  professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was the centerpiece of the Celtics dynasty that won 11 NBA championships during his 13-year career.

Russell is widely known as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. In 2011, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civil honor, from President Barack Obama for Russell’s contributions to basketball and the Civil Rights Movement.

The McClymonds’ naming ceremony was held on Wednesday, the same day as Russell’s birthday.  Oakland leader Bill Patterson, a longtime friend of Russell’s, was scheduled to cut the ribbon at the reopening of the gym, which had been closed for several months for renovation. Russell’s daughter Karen was scheduled to attend the ribbon cutting.

Russell’s name and signature are now printed on the gymnasium floor.

Patterson was working at DeFremery Park when he met Russell. “I befriended him as a boy and during his years at University of San Francisco” said Patterson. “We stayed friends for the rest of his life.”

Said McClymonds Principal Darielle Davis, herself a McClymonds graduate, “We are excited to honor Bill Russell for his sports accolades and because he broke color barriers. He is part of our legacy, and legacy is really important at McClymonds.”

Brian McGhee, community schools manager at McClymonds and former football player at UC  Berkeley, said that Russell meant a lot to him and others at the school.  “He was a beacon of light and hope for West Oakland,” he said. “He did a lot for sports and for civil rights.”

Starting in 2018, Ben “Coach” Tapscott worked with Patterson and other McClymonds grads, community members, and former coaches to encourage the Oakland Board of Education to endorse the naming of the school gym, which finally happened recently.

“We worked hard to make this happen,” said Tapscott. “He’s an important part of McClymond’s history, along with a lot of other famous graduates,” he said.

Continue Reading

Activism

OPINION: Politics, Football and Identity in Trump’s America

If you haven’t noticed, all Americans are engaged in an even bigger game that means so much more than the Super Bowl. Our democracy is falling apart.

Published

on

iStock.

By Emil Guillermo

Two Filipino American stories made headlines recently.

First, Nikko Remigio, the Filipino and African American kick returner for the Kansas City Chiefs, did not win Super Bowl LIX.

The other, Alameda’s Rob Bonta said no to running for governor.  I don’t blame him. It’s not like a mass of people wanted him to run.

But I did.

Whenever there is a Filipino American in a place you don’t expect, I’m rooting for that person.

As California’s Attorney General, Bonta is probably the most active defender among Blue States pushing back against Trump’s Extreme-Right agenda.

I’d like to Bonta run for California’s top job, but he’s better off waiting in line. The Democrats need a spot for Kamala Harris, and Bonta not running obliges the hierarchy.

History can wait. Bonta’s just 52.

Harris has held off speculation of her next move, saying she just moved back to the state. But it seems governor is the path for her.

For now, Bonta needs to continue taking the fight to Trump in the courts.

Football and Identity Politics

My dad, whose birthday would have been Super Bowl weekend, came to the US in 1928 as a colonized Filipino, an “American National,” where he couldn’t be a citizen, vote, own property or even marry the person he wanted.

Not if they were White.

Still, he believed in America.  He never gave up.

Sort of like Nikko Remigio.

My dad would have loved Nikko.

If you haven’t noticed, all Americans are engaged in an even bigger game that means so much more than the Super Bowl. Our democracy is falling apart.

You want to get passionate about Eagles and Chiefs?

Let’s be passionate about our Founding Fathers, too.

Nikko didn’t change the game. He touched it three times and provided more yards than all of KC’s running backs.

That’s all I needed to see.

He’s our Filipino guy.

Detractors may call it “identity politics.”

People don’t seem to understand the fight for visibility. To be recognized. To be seen. It’s all wrapped up in the big idea of Civil Rights.

I was nowhere near as good as Nikko when I played. But when you are blessed to play football, you play your hardest.

For me, that was when I was 12 and 13 playing Pop Warner football in San Francisco. I was MVP for my team as a running back.

But I was ashamed of my dad. He wasn’t like the other dads. And I remember going to the team banquet to retrieve my trophy alone.

I didn’t realize it probably meant more to him than I thought.

I wish I had shared my MVP moment with him like Nikko shared his joy with his dad, Mark, born in Seattle to two Filipino immigrants, and his mom, whose mixture of Black and White made Nikko the picture of diversity.

Filipino American and Black and White at the Super Bowl.

But don’t forget, there is one game bigger.

The Super Bowl for Democracy. We’re battling for it every day Trump pushes a cockamamie idea that shakes the foundation of our Democracy.

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is an award-winning journalist and commentator. Watch his micro-talk show “Emil Amok’s Takeout/What Does an Asian American Think?” on www.YouTube.com/emilamok1  Or join him on http://www.patreon.com/emilamok

Continue Reading

Bay Area

Tina Thompson: Champion, Legend, and Pioneer of Women’s Basketball

Known for her signature red lipstick, Thompson displayed confidence and style on the court, becoming an icon both for her gameplay and her individuality. Her ability to score from anywhere on the floor, combined with her defensive prowess, made her one of the league’s most formidable players.

Published

on

Tina Thompson at 2013 WNBA All-Star game at Mohegan Sun. 27 July 2013. Photo: Danny Karwaski/Wikimedia Commons.
Tina Thompson at 2013 WNBA All-Star game at Mohegan Sun. 27 July 2013. Photo: Danny Karwaski/Wikimedia Commons.

By Tamara Shiloh

The establishment of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) in 1996 was a turning point for women’s sports, creating a professional platform for female basketball players to showcase their skills at the highest level. Among the trailblazers who helped launch the league, Tina Thompson stands out as the first African American woman drafted into the WNBA.

Tina Thompson was born on February 10, 1975, in Los Angeles, California. Raised in a basketball-loving household, she quickly developed a passion for the game. Thompson improved her skills on the playgrounds of South Central Los Angeles, often playing against boys, which toughened her game and fueled her competitive edge.

She attended the University of Southern California (USC), where she became a standout player for the Trojans. Known for her versatility, scoring ability, and relentless work ethic, she earned All-Pac-10 honors multiple times and cemented her reputation as one of the top collegiate players in the nation.

When the WNBA held its first-ever draft on April 28, 1997, Tina Thompson made history as the league’s first African American player to be drafted. Selected as the first overall pick by the Houston Comets, she joined a team that would go on to dominate the early years of the WNBA.

Tina’s selection was a historic moment, symbolizing the league’s commitment to showcasing diverse talent. As a Black woman in a pioneering role, Thompson carried the hopes of aspiring African American female athletes who dreamed of playing professional basketball.

Tina wasted no time making an impact in the WNBA. As a key member of the Houston Comets alongside legends Cynthia Cooper and Sheryl Swoopes, she helped lead the team to an unprecedented four consecutive championships from 1997 to 2000. The Comets’ dynasty became the gold standard for excellence in the league’s early years.

Known for her signature red lipstick, Thompson displayed confidence and style on the court, becoming an icon both for her gameplay and her individuality. Her ability to score from anywhere on the floor, combined with her defensive prowess, made her one of the league’s most formidable players.

Over a career spanning 17 seasons, Tina established herself as one of the WNBA’s all-time greats. She retired as the league’s leading scorer, a record she held until it was broken by Diana Taurasi. She was a nine-time WNBA All-Star and was named to multiple All-WNBA teams, cementing her status as one of the sport’s legends.

In 2018, Thompson’s contributions to basketball were recognized with her induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The honor underscored her influence not just as a player, but as a trailblazer for African American women in sports.

After retiring from professional basketball, she transitioned into coaching, using her experience and knowledge to mentor young athletes. She has served as a head coach at the collegiate level, inspiring the next generation of players to pursue excellence both on and off the court.

As a role model and advocate, Thompson has consistently emphasized the importance of education, empowerment, and self-belief. Her story resonates with countless young women who see in her the embodiment of perseverance and success.

Tina Thompson is presently in her third season as an assistant coach at the University of Texas at Austin.

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright ©2021 Post News Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.