Legendary Coach Hank Smith Is Fired Mid-Season With No Explanation To Players or Alumni

After 2010 Championship Loss and My Last College Basketball Game Ever

Before Coach Smith's arrival EC Basketball was 21-131 but won over 200 games during his tenure. The wins don't even match the success of the people that have emerged from the Men's Basketball program because of its leader Hank Smith. At any other institution, a coach and man like Hank Smith would be celebrated by the administration instead of deciding to go a different way after 16 years of success, hard work and commitment. It has taken me over a week to gather my thoughts and emotions to be able to comment on this situation. Today I attended the EC v. JWU game and the atmosphere of Emerson Sports pride and enjoyment is no longer in the basement of the Piano Row building and sadly it may be gone forever. Many students, staff, parents and even opposing coaches who have never had the pleasure of playing for coach also commented on the emptiness in the building. Those who are a part of the program already know the immense affect that Coach Smith has had and will continue to have on our lives. I will say that Coach Smith is the most influential man in my life after my father but I have chosen to keep my comments about how much I love Coach Smith exclusive to the personal documentary I am releasing in June 2011. I rather take this time to comment on the constant mistreatment of all athletes in Emerson Athletics since the current administration has been in office. Is there no consideration for the current players to get an explanation as to why there coach has been fired mid-season? I had my former teammates call me hysterical because their everyday role model and mentor taken from them with no explanation. I know EC isn't a "sports school" but during my time at EC I felt more like an outsider who was renting time to play basketball and use the facilities than someone who was celebrated for proudly representing my team, athletics and college. As an athlete who turned down Division 1 and 2 opportunities to attend EC I was very offended that I did not receive the proper treatment that every athlete representing a college should receive. Communication from the athletic administration was minimal (and still is as an alumni) as well as the support, basic necessities like socks being cleaned or trainers/team assistants being present on road trips were suddenly non-existent. As a student who paid to go to the college, why was it that I had to pay extra money for the only 3 pairs of socks that were allowed to be washed and not be able to keep them at the end of the season? I'm not sure if I will ever get answers as to why during one of the most successful runs in Emerson athletics history, my teammates and I were suddenly not  treated fairly. Similar to not being able to get answers then, we have no answers from the administration as to why someone who was an inspiration and leader for so many and credit him for their success is suddenly gone. It doesn't matter if we never receive answers for any of our questions it will never affect the success and pride that has come from the Emerson Men's Basketball program and the legendary Hank Smith. B Phi B!

Hip Hop History: Lil Wayne Announces “I Am Music 2" Tour With Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross and Travis Barker! (January 23rd-29th)

Wayne has officially decided to hit the road, taking on a part 2 of his highly successful “I Am Music” tour that went down from late 08 into 2009. This one should be so crazy! A great rap/rock infusion! The tour starts March 18, 2011 in Buffalo, NY and ends May 1, 2011 in East Rutherford, NJ. Fresh off a bid Weezy is ready to get back on stage and has the #1 female in the game, the hottest Hip Hop artist from 2010 and a Rock legend hitting the stage at one concert! 

Hip Hop History: Wiz Khalifa Performs “Black & Yellow” at AFC Championship (January 23rd-29th)

Although I don’t consider Wiz a true Hip Hop artist, he is part of the evolution of what Hip Hop has grown into. When I say Wiz is not a true Hip Hop artist, I don’t mean it in a negative way I just don’t think that he and many other rappers of this new generation fit the traditional model of Hip Hop artists. Many rappers today are also singers, some pull it off and some don’t but I think Wiz has definitely been able to make it work for him. The Rap game is so crazy these days as artists with no albums out are doing better than most seasoned veteran. For example, Jay Electronica (Mountain Dew Commercial), J.Cole (Europe Tour) and now Wiz Khalifa (AFC Championship). Although, Wiz isn’t your traditional fire spitter but he definitely has bars and makes great music. Most notably, his biggest mixtape “Kush and Orange Juice” and his biggest single “Black and Yellow” have blown up on the internet! But that leads me to the question could Wiz and other rap artists of this new internet crazed generation survive without the internet? Either way Wiz is a very strategic artists as he created the song “Black and Yellow” to represent his hometown of Pittsburgh which is most notably recognized by the color of the NFL Pittsburgh Steelers. Its good to see new artist gain so much success almost instantly off of mixtape campaigns but are there negatives to gaining so much success so quickly? Even though the Steelers reached out to Wiz and he is signed to a major label I think the performance would have been better promoted to the fans if there was an album out already. Watch the video, big up to Wiz for making some history! #MYOL

Hip Hop: Everybody Late-Diggy Simmons ft DOE (January 23rd-29th)

Produced by Jahlil Beats

"Jetsetter General eating these niggas, cannibal/

eat em' like they got ham on them/literally go H.A.M. on em'"

"See me coming, everybody wait/I'll be on it early, everybody late"

"I'm the real deal, you a makeshift...holiday/you only get busy on occasion/I'ma problem, you not in the equation/a lil nigga hungry, got muchies but I ain't blazin/from stages to stages, 20 thou for an hour thats a basic"

NBA: Spurs 1st Team To 40 wins, 18 Straight Home Wins (January 23rd-29th)

Team is EVERYTHING and they say age is just a number! If you ask the San Antonio Spurs they’ll tell you that health is really the issue. For the first time in over 4 years San Antonio’s Big 3 is healthy and the results are showing. Manu Ginobili scored 22 points and the Spurs hit 40 victories by winning their 18th in a row at home, beating the Houston Rockets 108-95 on Saturday night. With the number one spot in the NBA, the West and championship experience, San Antonio is looking like a major threat to the two-time defending champion Lakers. Although the regular season is a big factor in home court advantage throughout the playoffs but the Spurs are one injury away from not being a contender. I also think that the after the All-Star break Coach Popovich is going to have to really preserve playing time for Tim Duncan in order for him to be ready to really produce as he is the only low post threat for the Spurs. The 2011 NBA Playoffs will be amazing, who do you have winning it all?

NBA: Kobe Bryant Passes Hakeem Olajuwon, No. 8 on All-Time Scoring List! (January 23rd-29th)

NBA: Kevin Durant Matches Season Highest Scoring Total With 47pts (January 23rd-29th)

KEVIN IS NICE! Durant and Love! Just so you know Kevin Durant ios opnly suppose to be a rookie this year and has already become the youngest scoring champion ever. Oh and Kevin Love is suppose to be a senior in college and is in the conversation for his first ever All-Star nomination. The young talent in the NBA is literally unbelievable, I think the league has truly benefited from demanding that players spend one year in college and these great players are the result. KD matched rookie Blake Griffin for this years game high amongst all players in the league with 47 points and also matched Griffin’s 18 rebounds. The other Kevin racked up 31 points and 21 rebounds in the loss! Love’s other teammate who should also be a senior in college this year, Michael Beasley, had 30 pts, 9 rebs and 7 asts! Even though Love and Beasley put up great numbers Durant and the Thunder came out with win.

NBA: 2011 NBA All-Star East & West Starting 5 (January 23rd-29th)

              

                      

                     2011 NBA ALL-STARS 

WEST                                                       EAST

Chris Paul                                                 Derrick Rose

Kobe Bryant                                             Dwayne Wade

Kevin Durant
                   VS.                  Lebron James

Carmelo Anthony                                  Amare Stoudemire

Yao Ming                                                  Dwight Howard

Let the game begin! February is officially here and the most exciting all-star game of all professional sports is coming! This year’s starting teams are stacked with a guaranteed 6 Hall of Fame players (I’ll let you figure out who those players are yourself).  Although I feel like the East has the better starting 5 as a team as everyone is in their natural position, the all-star game is about buckets! Lets not even front, nobody really plays defense in the All-Star game and with CP3 at #pointgod and Kobe, KD and Carmelo assigned to get buckets its going to be tough for the East to win this year. I can’t necessarily pick a winner though because both of these teams are stacked and I don’t know who will replace Yao Ming because obviously he can’t play. In the past, majority of the NBA All-Star games have been blowouts and just about highlights but this year I feel like there is a lot of pride involved and top players like Kobe, Lebron, KD and D.Wade want to show who is the MVP and best player in the league this year. With Kobe coming off of 2 straight championships potentially en route to his 3^rd and being teamed up with KD (youngest scoring champ ever) v. Lebron and his new teammate D.Wade, this amount of talent reminds me of the Magic lead West v. Jordan lead East! I think this is going to be one of the best NBA All-Star games of all-time! All-time! (Kanye Voice)