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Apr. 7, 2006 1) To the victors go the spoils. And now that March Madness is over, it’s time to salute the winners: • Maryland (Women’s NCAA Division I champion) • Florida (Men’s NCAA Division I champion) • Kansas State (Women’s NIT champion) • South Carolina (Men’s NIT champion) • Grand Valley State (Women’s NCAA Division II champion) • Winona State (Men’s NCAA Division II champion) • Hope College (Women’s NCAA Division III champion) • Virginia Wesleyan (Men’s NCAA Division III champion) The eight schools listed here survived incredible competition to stand at the top of their respective divisions. Sometimes, even the most die-hard sports fan takes that kind of effort for granted. But make no mistake, these teams have done their communities and their schools very proud. One other school that did itself proud was LSU, which put both its men’s and women’s teams in the Final Four. Although they both got knocked out in the national semifinals, their performance is a testament to the resolve of the people of Baton Rouge and the hurricane-battered Gulf Region. 2) Once again, we’re reminded how precious and fleeting life is. Maggie Dixon, the coach of the women’s basketball team at Army, died on Thursday after suffering an episode of heart arrhythmia. Not only did Dixon led the Black Knights to their first NCAA tournament appearance—after taking over the team merely eleven days before the start of the season—she was also part of the first brother-sister tandem to ever coach in the Division I tournaments the same year. Her brother, Jamie, coaches at Pittsburgh and was the one who encouraged her to enter coaching after she failed to latch on in the WNBA. Although Army was blown out by perennial women’s power Tennessee in the first round of the tournament, the Black Knights were excited about their accomplishments and their coach. Maggie Dixon’s life lasted just 28 years—not nearly long enough. Her friends and family have my deepest sympathies. 3) Katie Couric is leaving her plum job on The Today Show to anchor and serve as managing editor of The CBS Evening News. And Meredith Vieira will leave ABC’s gabfest The View to replace Couric on Today. Both women have big shoes to fill, though the early analysis is that Vieira may have the easier time of it. Vieira is no stranger to doing hard news, working as a correspondent at both ABC and CBS for many years. She has won Emmy Awards for her reporting, as well as for her stint as the host of the syndicated version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. That background, and her work on The View, will make her a nice fit with a team that includes co-host Matt Lauer, weatherman Al Roker, and newsreader Ann Curry. Couric, meanwhile, will be stepping into what is still considered the Holy See of Television Journalism, filling the seat once filled by Douglas Edwards, Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather and, most recently, Bob Schieffer. Worse yet, she’ll be helming a network newscast that consistently follows ABC World News Tonight and NBC Nightly News in the ratings. The idea is that Couric will help draw in the younger audience that CBS head honcho Les Moonves is going after. But CBS naturally skews older, though not necessarily as liberal as some would like to believe. At question now, though, is whether Vieira will continue hosting Millionaire once she starts hosting today. Memo to the good folks at Valleycrest Productions and Celador, which produce Millionaire: I’ve got a great voice and I look great in a monochromatic suit. 4) Cynthia McKinney owes the Capitol Police officer she assaulted recently an apology. McKinney made headlines recently when she walked past a security checkpoint without acknowledging an officer’s command to stop. At the time, McKinney was not wearing a special lapel pin that identified her as a member of Congress, which would have allowed her to pass the checkpoint without going through metal detectors. The officer called upon McKinney three times before physically reaching to pull her back, and that’s when McKinney hit him. McKinney proclaimed that she was a victim of racial profiling, and that the officer, who was white, had no business touching her. But McKinney was asked three times to stop, and only when the officer touched her did she react. And it’s not like McKinney is a rookie who didn’t know what was going on. The woman is in her sixth term on the Hill, so she should know the drill by now. To their credit, other black members of Congress did not take up McKinney’s cries of racism. Instead, they met with her and encouraged her to resolve this situation as quickly as possible. Despite the fact that she offered an apology about escalating the incident, she may face criminal charges for her actions. To get onto my company’s property, and to get to my office, I have to have a photo ID badge. If I don’t have that badge, I don’t get in. And if I lose it while I’m in, I can’t get out. It has nothing to do with my skin color or my gender or my hair style. It’s part of a corporate security policy to ensure that everyone that comes to my building has legitimate business to conduct in that building. It was that way long before the terrorist attacks on the United States. And in the age where the slightest misstep could be construed as a security breach, people have to remain vigilant in protecting both facilities and employees, including the men and women who represent us in Washington. 5) Timothy Stelly’s recent piece, “Black Students Need A Black History Update” (April 7, 2006), is as timely and necessary an article as I’ve seen on Useless Knowledge in some time. It’s a disgrace to know that even now, the story of Black America doesn’t get the attention and respect it deserves, and that our children are growing up ignorant of the achievements and sacrifices of some of our nation’s true heroes. I also like the fact that he’s willing to take the lead in forming a group dedicated to teaching black children that achievement in the black community doesn’t always involve a basketball hoop or a microphone. Hopefully, this effort will extend far beyond Tim’s home in Northern California, and encompass black men and women from all disciplines and backgrounds. He can go ahead and count me as a contributor. 6) The National Football League has released the 2006 schedule. There are some great matchups on the slate, as well as a few that will be less fun than watching concrete cure. In late July, look for my 2006 NFL Season Preview. I will highlight key matchups and changes that promise to make for another exciting pro-football season. ------------ About the author: Claxton Graham has written a number of articles for Useless Knowledge. He works as a business systems analyst. Email: scifiwriter8502@email.com Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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