Month: August 2011

Pres Obama cutting his vacation short to monitor Hurricane Irene…

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

Politico is reporting that President Obama is cutting his Martha’s Vineyard vacation short to head back to the White House as Hurricane Irene approaches Washington DC.  The president will head back Friday while his family remains in Martha’s Vineyard as scheduled.

Overall this is a good move by the president, I am sure Obama could have easily monitored the hurricane from Martha’s Vineyard… But this move is showing leadership and at this point Obama needs all the good aesthetics he can get when it comes to him being President.  A good example of a leader taking the aesthetics of a situation for granted would be NJ Governor Chris Christie.

In late December the Northeast was slammed by a snow storm that left NY and NJ digging out for days.  During this snow storm Christie made the decision to stay on vacation in Disney World as he felt the situation in NJ was in good hands while he was being updated regularly throughout the day.  This proved to be a bad move for Christie as he was by many for not leading.

For the record I didn’t have an issue with Christie remaining on vacation as long as he was in contact with his people and kept up to date.  In all seriousness what did people want?  Did they want to see footage of Christie with a shovel digging cars out of snow drifts????

Same goes for Obama, do people expect the President of the United States to be filing sandbags and making make shifts dams to stop flooding??

At the same time I do understand this is politics and the public is all about appearances; with that said hopefully Hurricane Irene will not cause too much damage and everyone in the storm’s path will be safe.

So stock up on supplies (water, batteries, first aid kits) and stay dry, if you live in an evacuation area don’t be stupid….

LEAVE!!!!!!

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

Derek Jeter Splits From Minka Kelly????

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

Minka Kelly and Derek Jeter may have called it splitsville....

JustJared.com is reporting that NY Yankees Captain Derek Jeter has broken up with his girlfriend Minka Kelly. If this is true this is a bit of a shocker as it was just a couple of weeks ago (July) Kelly was seen celebrating with Jeter’s family at Yankee Stadium as The Captain join the 3000 hit club (the 1st NY Yankee to do so).

Oh well, can’t say that I am heartbroken over the breakup and I don’t believe many Yankee fans will be distraught over this news.  For Yankee fans they are more concerned with who will be pitching for them in the playoffs and not who Jeter is dating.  Although if Kelly broke up with Jeter, could this have an effect on his hitting?

Since getting his 3000th hit DJ has been on fire, or maybe The Captain has been feeling himself and felt he could do better than Ms Kelly, hmmmmmm…..

In all honesty who knows, this could just be a rumor I mean we did just go through the Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith alleged breakup.

Until this is confirmed, let’s sit back and enjoy the jokes.  So far the funniest thing I have read describing what happened between Jeter and Kelly was from Eli Langer aka @EliFromBrooklyn

Good one Eli!!!!

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Dedication has been postponed….

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

Due to Hurricane Irene the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Dedication that was supposed to happen on August 28th; has been postponed indefinitely.  The hope was to celebrate this newly erected memorial on the 48th Anniversary of the “I Have a Dream” speech that took place on August 28th 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

Roland S. Martin has stated via Twitter that the following events are still scheduled as planned Friday and Saturday:

  • ALL events scheduled Friday and Saturday morning is still on
  • The Friday 9am dedication for All members of Alpha Phi Alpha (MLK’s Fraternity) is still scheduled as plan at the MLK Memorial.  Alphas are expected to wear gold blazers
  • Saturday’s 9am MLK Memorial prayer service at the Basilica is still scheduled as plan.
I am happy to hear that some of the events will still happen this weekend, we may not be able to fully celebrate on August 28th but that will not take away the great honor that has been bestowed on Dr King’s legacy.  I am hoping that I will be able to take a trip down to DC in the near future so that I can visit the MLK Memorial.  From what I have heard so far it is definitely a trip worth taking.
This delay will also give those Black Celebrities who were having a hard time choosing between the MLK Memorial Dedication and the 2011 MTV Music Awards, time to get their priorities straightened out.  SMH, get it together folks!!!
As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

Happy Birthday to my sister Solange!!!

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

Happy Birthday Solange!!! I don’t get a chance to say this everyday but I just wanted you to know that I love you and admire the strong and independent person you are. You are the epitome of  a Big Sis; you beat me up, picked on me, yell at me for following you and your friends around…  But at the same time you watched over me (as the picture shows you also always sat on me) and you ALWAYS told people,

“I can make fun of my brother but YOU can’t!”

I thank you for always having my back no matter what, and for always being the one to keep me grounded.  Thank you sis, I can only hope that I can be half the person that you are.

I can’t think of anyone else that deserves all the well wishes that you will receive on this day.

Here is to you on your day, Happy Birthday Sis!!

Love,
Your Brother

aka

Bobby Broadway

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

R.I.P. Aaliyah, 10 years later….

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

10 years ago today Aaliyah Dana Haughton and 8 others were killed when their plane leaving the Bahamas crashed shortly after take-off.  Aaliyah was only 22 years old and seemingly coming into her own as a singer/performer when she died.

This is always a sad time for me as I was (and still am) a HUGE fan of Aaliyah, and to be honest I had a crush on her.  HA, my crush was so bad that I felt like all I needed was 1 opportunity to run into Aaliyah on the streets of NYC and kick some game.  HAHA, I know I was delusional but it is what it is….

Aaliyah might have been the first celebrity whose death impacted me so much… I remember feeling so sad for her family, to lose a daughter/sister so young seemed senseless.

I was sort of confused as to why this person who I didn’t know (except thru her music) affected me in that way.  I even took some time from work to watch the funeral procession, at that time I only worked a couple of blocks away from the church where the service was held.  Can’t lie, being there was a little weird but who cares… I was a fan who needed some kind of closure and it was a special moment for all her fans.

No matter who the music industry tries to prop up as “The Next Aaliyah” there will ALWAYS be one Aaliyah.

So on this day let’s celebrate the life and career of Aaliyah aka Baby Girl!!

“Still”

When the Sun is bright I still think of the moon

Everyday of my life I still think of you

When the night is cold I still reach for the dream

That one day I will still hold what I lost in between

These hands of time that go on and on

The melody of your heart in every silent song

That I hear whispered on silver rays of light

I still think of the moon when the Sun is still bright

Written by Rashad Haughton for his sister Aaliyah

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

Roland S. Martin calls out Black celebrities…

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

Roland S. Martin, a Black journalist and political contributor to CNN made it his business to remind everyone and anyone that on August 28th (Sunday) the Martin Luther King Memorial in Washington DC will be OFFICIALLY dedicated.

The ceremony that will be attended by many including the 1st Black-American president, Barack Obama will be a celebration of one of the great Americans.  I don’t have to sit here and list what made Martin Luther King Jr great; all that needs to be none is that he was someone who fought for the civil rights of ALL!

The memorial for MLK will be located on the National Mall; the 30-foot tall statue of Dr King will be the 1st non-president (with a major memorial) memorialized on the National Mall.  MLK will be surrounded by the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln; all men played a key role in shaping what is now the United States…

A fitting spot for Dr King!!

With such an honor being bestowed on one of the most influential Black people in the history of the United States you would think this moment would be attended/watched by all who have most benefited from Dr Kings hard work and sacrifice….  Amazingly enough I am not sure if this will be the most important event that for most Black people; I am trying not to be negative but with the 2011 MTV Music Awards happening on the same day as the memorial dedication…

What will prove to be more important to Black-Americans on August 28th?

Some how this is even a question, and for Roland Martin he felt he had to address this matter on Twitter.  Starting this morning Martin directly tweeted celebrities like Kanye West and Chris Brown and asked them if they would be attending the dedication.  He also reminded them that if they thought attending the MTV Music Awards was important that they should remember that it wasn’t too long ago that MTV wasn’t even playing Black Artist videos.

There is no excuse for any Black artist/celebrity to miss out on the dedication ceremony for MLK; if you believe attending an award show thrown by MTV then your priorities are screwed up!  I will be somewhat disappointed to see some of my favorite artist choosing the MTV Music Awards over MLK Memorial, but it is what it is…

What most of these artist/celebrities have forgotten is that when the cameras stop flashing and the fans stop cheering their names will MTV be there for them?  Will MTV return the favor for promoting their show, I highly doubt it… Some times there are more important things than seeing who will win Rap Artist of The Year or seeing if Kanye West will have another moment making him the latest Trending Topic worldwide.

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

Militant Mondays – Muammar Gaddafi nearing the end…

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

It appears after about 6 months of rebels fighting in Libya that included NATO forces assisting the rebels with air-strikes that have taken its toll on Pro-Gaddafi forces.  Muammar Gaddafi has been the indisputable leader of Libya since 1969 after he led a coup against King Idris and his regime; during his time Gaddafi has made his presence known with terrorism in and out of Libya.

The Arab Spring has spawned a sort of new beginning that started in Tunisia and Egypt (Bahrain, Syria, Yemen etc…) and now continuing in Libya.  The people of these nations are letting it be known that they are ready for change that will end the dictatorship hand of Kings that have unfairly hoarded the wealth and have kept the people poor and suppressed.  While The Arab Spring has developed the United States have selectively lent their support (military and moral) to the people choosing freedom.  It can be argued that the U.S. role in Middle East affairs has not been consistent; for example in the case of Egypt the U.S. only vocally supported the ousting of Hosni Mubarak.  In the case of Libya the U.S. not only have asked for Qaddafi to step down but U.S. led forces initially led the attack on Libyan forces before Qaddafi could fulfill a promise he made in killing all that opposed him.

President Obama made the decision to use the U.S. military in a limited role where no American lives would be at risk; even though the initial thought was wrong when the belief was it would take a matter of weeks for Gaddafi and forces to give up.  The news out of Libya today sounds as if the war or whatever you want to call it against Qaddafi is nearing an end; rebel forces are now in the capital of Libya (Tripoli) and bearing down on Gaddafi’s stronghold.  The word is the rebels are looking to arrest Gaddafi and have him stand trial for the crimes against the people of Libya, but do we really think Qaddafi is going to come out with his hands raised high??

I just can’t imagine Gaddafi wanting to be displayed like Mubarak has been (laying in a hospital gurney and in a cell) during his trials in Egypt.  Gaddafi comes across as having too much pride for that, he looks like he will go out blasting or he will just try to escape with a couple of million and cool out in some nation that he is cool with.

With that said, once Gaddafi is out many will ask, “What’s next for Libya?”  I am of the opinion that the only people who will know what’s next for Libya are the people of Libya; outsiders cannot have the mindset that they will come in and mold the new look of Libya.  Like Egypt countries like the U.S. and the British have to take a step back and for right now let the chips fall where they may.  That’s right, we helped get the dictator out and now we need to fall back and hope Libya will be a better place for the people.

*fingers crossed*

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

Carlos Zambrano, what a waste!!!!

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

If there was any question why the Chicago Cubs have not won a World Series in 104 years all you have to look at is the off and on relationship they have with their highest paid aka Franchise player; Carlos Zambrano!

As a great as a pitching talent Zambrano USE to be he is not worth the trouble he causes within the Cubs organization year in year out.  The Cubs invested a boat load of money into a volatile player who has anger management issues have taken away from his worth on the field.  Zambrano has let his anger get the best of him on several occasions;

  • In game frustrations with his performance have led to blow ups on the mound
  • Fought in the dugout with his catcher Michael Barrett
  • Issues with management
Through all those issues the Cubs have basically looked the other way, well I should say that Zambrano has been suspended and had to attend Anger Management classes but at the end of the day the Cubs always except Carlos back.  Part of the reason they accept him back each time is his talent, but at this point his talent does not compensate for all the baggage he carries.  And now we have the most recent incident to add to his troubled resume….
In his last start against Atlanta, Zambrano was being beat up by Braves when he frustration once again surfaced after giving up his 5th homerun on the day.  Zambrano upset with his performance threw 2 pitches at Chipper Jones (missed both times) and was immediately ejected by the home plate umpire (as you can see those anger management classes worked).  But the story didn’t en with just a bad pitching performance as Zambrano went into the clubhouse and told trainers and other clubhouse personnel that he was retiring as he packed up all his stuff and left the ballpark.
The next day Zambrano sent his stuff back to the clubhouse and apologized for his actions, but is he REALLY sorry???
As noted by the Chicago Tribune Zambrano seemed concerned about how the story of his retirement talk got out to the media.
“I say something in the clubhouse, that has to stay there,”
“That’s our home. I didn’t say nothing to the papers. I didn’t want to talk to the media.”
That quote right there tell you there is something wrong with Carlos, instead of taking full responsibility for his actions he wants to talk about how his retirement story got out.
WTF is wrong with this guy??
All of sudden he is worried about family (team) business out in the streets? Was he thinking about that when he got into a fight with Barrett in the dugout during a game?  This is guy is a NUTBAG and the Cubs need to rid themselves of him ASAP!!
The Cubs have placed Carlos on the 30-day disqualified list (without pay), of course Zambrano is appealing the suspension.  If the ball club was smart they would just swallow the remaining the $22 million on Zambrano’s contract and rid themselves of a MAJOR pain.  Now this will not solve all of the Cubs problems, it would be a step in the  right direction.  Zambrano may not be the sole reason the Cubs SUCK, but he is certainly not making the Cubs a winner lately (check their record for the past couple of years).
When I look at the Cubs and ALL their problems, as a Mets fan I look at my team and think… Things are not that bad!!!!
As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

Darryl Strawberry not happy with Dwight Gooden???

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

Most of you all know the story of Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden (Doc Gooden); they will forever be linked together in NYC sports history as 2 of the most talented baseball players to ever hit the scene.  They were the cornerstone to what was supposed to be a Baseball Dynasty with the NY Mets; if that wasn’t pressure enough on top of that Strawberry (21) and Gooden (20) were youngsters trying to find their way while living it up in NYC.

Now older and hopefully more wiser both Strawberry and Gooden are dealing with life after baseball…..

Strawberry through his ups and downs found religion and family to keep him on the straight and narrow; while Dwight has had a little bumpy road which includes a recent stint on the VH1 Reality Show ‘Celebrity Rehab’.  With that said Both Strawberry and Gooden seem to be finally putting their demons behind them.  Both are slowly rebuilding their images in the greater NY area; Strawberry opening a Sports Bar & Grill in Douglaston, NY (Strawberry’s) and Gooden setting up autograph signings and spending time with his family.  They are also giving back to the community and reconnecting with fans who once cheered them on during the 80s and 90s at Shea Stadium.

This past Saturday (August 13th) The Darryl Strawberry Foundation participated in Douglaston Community Day; it was a fair of sorts with rides and games.  All proceeds went to The Darryl Strawberry Foundation and their battle against autism as well as other local charities.  Former Mets Doc Gooden, Kevin Mitchell, Barry Lyons and Terry Leach; and former Giants punter Sean Landetta were the expected guests.

Well….

On August 11th (Thursday) Dwight Gooden sent out a tweet from his twitter account (@DocGooden16) saying that he will not be able to attend due to “a previous obligation”.

Soon after the twitter account for Strawberry’s Bar & Grill (@Dstrawberrys) sent out a tweet saying the cancellation by Gooden was more than just “a misunderstanding”.  When I read the tweet from @Dstrawberrys I thought to myself that there might be some beef here and if you read Gooden’s tweet he did point out that the “misunderstanding” was “on their part.” (Strawberry).  Then fellow Mets fan @AlMightyDJKO sent a tweet to @DStrawberrys basically asking if there was some kind of beef.  Some time after that tweet the tweet from @DStrawberrys deleted ….

At the time I figured someone made the call and had the tweet deleted so not to bring negative attention to what is supposed to be a positive event.  I also felt that maybe Strawberry himself put someone in their place for trying to air out Doc on twitter.

Ummmm…..

So on August 13th (after the Community Day event) Darryl Strawberry tweeted from his twitter account (@DarrylStrawman)

I could be wrong about all this and to be honest I hope I am, BUT the tweets don’t lie.  I sincerely hope if there is some kind of beef between Straw and Doc, that the 2 will talk it out and continue to work together for the kids.  Strawberry’s Foundation is doing a lot of great work for kids with Autism and Gooden is looking to give back with a Baseball Academy in NJ; together they could once again be a great team and make a difference in a lot of kids lives.

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!

MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell clowns Bachmann with 10th Grader

Posted on by Bobby Broadway

It’s no secret that Presidential candidate Michele Bachmann has said some outrageous things and she has definitely has screwed up facts about history and the Constitution.  Plenty of political pundits like Lawrence O’Donnell have ridiculed Bachmann showing no mercy…. and before anyone says anything about it all being about the “Liberal” media keep in mind that NY Times columnist David Brooks has openly criticized Bachmann as well.

Can the criticism of Michele Bachmann get any worse???

Well apparently it can… 10th grader Amy Myers recently joined the ‘Hate Bachmann’ club (Welcome, haha!!) when she recently sent a letter to Congresswoman Bachmann’s office

“As a typical high school student, I have found quite a few of your statements regarding The Constitution of the United States, the quality of public school education and general U.S. civic matters to be factually incorrect, inaccurately applied or grossly distorted…”

O’Donnell gave an example of Bachmann’s history failure when she stated at an event in New Hampshire that it was the state that heard the shot heard around the world.  Ummmm, its been a while for me but that wasn’t New Hampshire it was definitely Massachusetts!!!

Poor Michele Bachmann, she makes it so easy to criticize and laugh at her its borderline sad.  What might be even more sad is that Bachmann has a strong following who believe in her, strong enough to win the presidency hell no but strong enough to be a little dangerous,

By the way Michele Bachmann in case you’re wondering,

Euthanasia is the act or practice of killing or permitting the death of hopelessly sick or injured individuals (as persons or domestic animals) in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy.

As always….

If there is something to be said, “It’s On Broadway” to step up and say it!!