Newport News Celebrates Michael Vick

 

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) — Community organizers in Michael Vick's (FSY) Virginia hometown are preparing a "celebration" for the former NFL quarterback.

Andrew Shannon, who is president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference chapter in Vick's hometown of Newport News, says the event is scheduled for Aug. 8.

 

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Your Black Athletes: Michael Vick Being Chased by NFL Teams

by Jason Henry – www.BleacherReport.com

Let the Michael Vick sweepstakes begin.

In a report on ESPN.com today, Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff stated that the team wants to trade away the rights of former quarterback Michael Vick. The team has taken small steps to rid themselves of the troubled player since his subsequent jail sentence in 2007.

The Falcons drafted Matt Ryan third overall in last spring’s NFL draft, and that pick has worked out well for the team so far. They made an impromptu playoff run last season and have not looked back.

Since the Falcons have been able to get past the Vick distraction, they are now ready to move on completely without him. But you may think, “What team in its right mind wants to trade for a former player that has been sitting in prison for the last two years?”

Try a team that is in desperate need of a quarterback or a difference maker on offense.

Let’s not forget that Michael took the Falcons to the NFC Championship game some years back, and they either led the league or were near the top of the league in rushing when he was under center. Your favorite team’s wide receivers may not like him, but your running backs will.

With Vick in the backfield, he opens up so many opportunities for your offense. He may not warrant being the starter for your team, but he can run a version of the wildcat offense and play a little receiver. Vick may be able to return punts and kickoffs if he gains a little more muscle when he comes back into the league.

But what teams would actually think about trading for him?

 

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Your Black Celebrities: Serena Williams Wins Another Major

Serena Williams routed Dinara Safina 6-0, 6-3 Saturday to win the Australian Open for her 10th Grand Slam title and a return to the No. 1 ranking.

It was total domination for the second-seeded Williams, who moved fluidly on the court and looked at ease in winning back-to-back majors, including the U.S. Open title in September.

"I absolutely, clearly, love playing here," the 27-year-old Williams said. "You guys root for me so much. I don't get that everywhere. So thank you so much."

Williams becomes only the seventh woman with double-digit Grand Slam singles titles. She leads all active players and broke a tie with two greats of the game -- 2009 Hall of Fame inductee Monica Seles and Maureen Connolly -- who each won nine majors.

Justine Henin was the last to win back-to-back major singles titles, at the 2003 U.S. Open and 2004 Australian Open.

Williams' near-perfect performance was in sharp contrast to No. 3 Safina, who was tight from the start. Later apologizing to the crowd for her performance, Safina said Williams was just too good, leaving her feeling like a ballboy.

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Serena Williams Settles Book Deal

Serena Williams was in recent negotiations for her memoir. Well, Ms. Williams will be writing about her life on and off the court with the book being published by Grand Central Publishing. The exact amount of the final deal was not released, but bidding reached at least $1.3 million according to the Associated Press.

"Serena Williams is one of the world's most remarkable athletes," Grand Central editor Karen Kosztolnyik said Tuesday in a statement. "We've watched her rise to No. 1 despite physical and emotional setbacks, and her hard work and determination have inspired legions of fans young and old. Serena will give her memoir a strong motivational slant."

Definitely good to see Serena continuing to represent on and off the court!!

Big Shaq Traded to the Phoenix Suns

"The Daddy" has been moved. Shaquille O'neal, long-time NBA superstar and dominant center, has been traded to the Phoenix Suns. The deal comes as a surprise, as the once great O'neal has reached the sunset of his career.

The Suns acquired O'neal in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. The Suns gain a stronger inside presence and a seasoned veteran, but not the dominant player that O'neal once was.

O'neal didn't talk to reporters when he arrived in Phoenix, but the crowd gave him the same kind of warm welcome he received when he went to Miami. He didn't make the open promise that he would win a championship (as he did when he arrived in Miami), but he did point to the ring on his finger and give a thumbs up. This made the crowd go wild.

The chances that O'neal could lead the Suns to a title are not as great as they once were. However, it is not out of the question. O'neal has brought championship caliber performance everywhere he has gone, since his days with The Orlando Magic, LA Lakers and finally, the Miami Heat. Should O'neal choose to step up his performance, a title may be in the works for his new team as well.

O'neal has recently been out with a hip injury and had an MRI on Tuesday.

"I'm well aware that I'm on the line," Suns General Manager Steve Kerr said. "That's my job. That's why I'm sitting in this seat."

Over 16 years, Shaquille O'neal has averaged 25.6 points and 11.5 rebounds. This year, has has only averaged 14.2 points and he is dealing with a highly publicized divorce off the court. He was also not selected to the All-Star team for the first time in 14 years.

"We have to move on with our team," Miami president and coach Pat Riley said. "This is not the most desirable place to be right now."

O'neal is set to earn $20 million per season for the next two years.