Q Probate - Omega Psi Phi

On this past Saturday, the 18th of April, a new line in the greek organization of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated was brought out to the rest of the campus here at Tennessee Tech as well as many others. At this probate anyone would be entertained as well as moved while these 4 individuals showed the school that they truly were one with their line. I am not too much of a fan of these fraternities even though I am friends with members of the Alpha's, the Q's, as well as one Kappa from back home. I do not think I'm the greek type because, well, all I like to do is play ball and kick it... I don't really go out too much or get into too much except for the gym.

There was one interesting thing that I learned about during the Q probate: They didn't have an ace... and won't have an ace... and haven't had an ace since the death of an ace that was on line. The deuce however set it off!!! He was a good strong leader for the line. We had recruits in so this was a good event for them to go to, especially because the after party was jumpin'! I haven't been to a party like that at Tech yet, they really got it going right and had the night set up well.

Literature Fair

At 11 O'clock as I made my way up the steps of the RUC, I noticed a gathering of people. This gathering was for the Literature fair in the main ballroom of the 2nd floor. In this literature fair there were a lot of tables with poster boards and different displays of individuals doing their own form of the anti-essay. Some of them include poems being recited, a large array of pictures, or even the group who was beating on drums. 

My favorite was a magazine that was really a poem by Brooke Basten. The piece was meant to be ironic because even though she was telling what the magazine could help teenage girls do, it was being sarcastic in the sense that it was the wrong things. I also liked the 24 hour abs, that was HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!!! It was a video that was basically  making fun of the instructional workout videos and these guys were acting a damn fool on there. They were dancing and acting crazy like they were meditating in order to focus. That was too funny!

There were also some things that I thought were kind of weird. Like the tattoo one, the people were saying think before you get a tattoo, and yattayatta... But they also had pictures up of peoples tattoos, and I think that if the people DIDN'T want the tattoos, then they wouldn't have gotten them. I also didn't get the Zombie one, but who am I to judge? All - in - All I really enjoyed the event I stayed the whole time because I  thought it was fun and hella funny. there were some BAMF's.

TTU Student - Athlete Pride

TTU Sports, from basketball to volleyball to football, dance, and tennis... and all in between! All in one building filled with food, inflatable fun, and competitive juices all tied in one building. This is what the Student-Athlete pride event held at the Hooper Eblen center was an event to be remembered. The admistration and volunteers did a great job at really making us feel like we did a good job this year and that they still support all of us.

Some of our teammates got involved in competitive activities on the inflatable devices. Bassey Inameti and Henry Sailes battled in a 3-round race on the inflatable device that you are hooked to the wall and you have to run as far as you can to smack a velcro piece on to the middle pole. Bassey won but Henry put up a big fight. Henry is little, and Bassey is 6'8" so he had a little, BIG, advantage. The funniest thing about it was that Henry was running so hard that he broke the strap and fell off the ramp. I'm glad he's ok.

Then all, ALL, of the football players ended up battling in the jousting area. This was real funny to see these guys knock eachother off and it was surprising that the kicker did real well against the linemen. Thank you administration and staff for a great event!

What's In A Name?

A name might be viewed as something you go by, something to match a face with, or a label with deep meaning and heavy thought. All of these are true for different individuals, however, to me a name means so much more. A name is that taste in your mouth after my team beats yours, or the way you talk about me after you have just met me, or even how individuals mention me in conversations. People will always talk, I just make sure they are speaking correct about me.

My AAU coach and mentor Nimbo Hammons always told me to leave my name on this world no matter what I do or where I go. That's why every time I step on the court I come with a fire and passion. I want the team that we play to be so pissed off after the game at how hard we play that they say "I do not want to play them again." I want coaches to leave the gym saying "Man, Newt plays hard and he's a good player, we have got to have him." I want word of mouth to get around on how I hold myself as a man with a great presence. I want people to talk about my deeds that I have done on this world long after I am dead and gone.

A name doesn't just have to do with basketball though. I want my teachers to remember me as a positive influence in the classroom and an active member in class. I have faults, who doesn't?, but I will work hard so that when it comes time to put in grades teachers will be able to put my name to a face in their grade book and a light will light up. Every individual I engage in a conversation with, I want to leave a mark on them that makes them talk about at a later date. I know there are many ways to leave my name, but I want to have mine left in a good light, a light that makes people smile and still be able to use what I have left on Earth for them to use.

I want to leave my seeds with the youth so that they can continue to push individuals to strive for better. I was blessed to have learned from my father, uncle leon, mr. B, and Nimbo... I would be putting everything they gave me in the garbage if I didn't pass on the knowledge and lessons I have been blessed with (even though it didn't seem so at the time) to the youth. I want the cycle to continue thru generations, thru history books, thru everything. Charlotte Court - Newt is a name that will be remembered until the Earth is no longer in form.

Spring Break

Spring break is a relief, a time to go HOME and spend with family and friends. Well, my spring break was something like this... more or less. I went home to Lexington for two days, then realized nothing has changed, same people doing the same things. People are either playing ball or getting in trouble, and now-a-days it's more of the latter. Out of all of my friends that I consider family, only a few of us have made it out of our hometown. The rest... well, they aren't doing to hot. 1 is in jail, 1on probation, 4 with kids, and too many still hustling. This is why I can't stay home, and this is why I go to Indianapolis, Indiana to visit one of my brothers Shelvin Mack.
I went up to watch Shelvin and his Butler Bulldogs play Cleveland State University in the Horizon league championship game. Shelvin came out and balled!!! However, his team lost in it's third meeting with the visiting Cleveland State team. After the game ended, I hung with Shelvin and talked about what we would be doing with the week, and the summer. That week we watched the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis and just hung like always.
I love my brothers, but some of them aren't making the right moves with their lives and this is why I want to make my name and pave the way so that others in the future do not follow the negative footprints left by individuals who chose to fail.

The most wonderful time of the year

FIRST AND FOREMOST I GIVE TACARRA HAYES ALL OF THE CREDIT FOR MY IDEA TO DO THIS BLOG!
Now...
March Madness is more than just basketball, it is the way of life along with it. Normal fans turn into crazy fanatics, atmospheres in gyms get better, games get closer, players get better, and championships are won. March madness has really been my favorite time of year since I was a "twinkle" in my parents eyes. Every March it seems like the second half of a basketball season picks up. Teams are really playing their best basketball and coaches are doing everything they can to pull them to victory. Fans show up at games with body paint, and crazy signs. Dick Vitale loses his mind, and Jay Bilas calms him down. Now-a-days Bob Knight makes fun of Digger Phelps and his matching tie to hi-lighter.
March... The beginning of something new. From winter to spring, from winners to champions. March has seen many great teams, such as Kentucky Wildcats, Duke Blue Devils, North Carolina Tar heels, UCLA Bruins, Michigan State Spartans, Indiana Hoosiers, and the Florida Gators. March can either make you or break you. It all starts with conference tournaments that lead to selection sunday. Then it goes down 64-32-16-8-4-2-1... ONE. Thats all it takes, one game at a time, one shot at a time, one defensive stop at a time. One shining moment, this must be March's theme song. One... One month, one play, one team, one national champion! One month, starting on March 1... March Madness, is a beautiful thing...
"Stay as long as you can."

White Privelages - McIntosh

As a white male, it is interesting to read this article. It is also interesting when I completely agree with what Miss Peggy McIntosh was addressing. As a white male in America I am well aware that there are still underlying issues with the racial barrier and how people are treated. I realize that when I am with my friends and teammates and they point out certain things and blame it on the issue "because I'm black." This statement comes off as a joke, but if individuals really dig deeper into the underlying issue, it's not just that white people are born with this sense of common like towards their race, or that black people are born knowing that white people are viewed different, however... it is a learned trait!
Nobody is born racist, or born hated. This is a trait that we have learned from society, our parents, and have followed the mold that has been our past. However, in order to progress, we must break the mold and make changes. Parents, in order to end this idea of stereotypes and racism, put your kids in public schools and don't describe anybody by " the black boy" or "the white girl." Call individuals by their names. I remember watching the movie Crash, and really seeing how different races act around eachother. This was interesting because it showed me that not only are there "white priveleges," but there are priveleges for many races.
"We must be the change we want to see in the world."

Hidden Intellectualism - The Brainiac vs. the street cat - Part 1

In the scholastic setting, individuals are either perceived as intelligent, or dumb. Where is the line drawn and how thin is this line? Obviously there is gray areas, as in most cases, but who determines individual beings intelligence level and what exactly is defined as intelligence? Growing up in the educational system I learned quick that I was not a bright young man and that I was more suited for playing sports. However, now that I reflect on my years spent, I believe that I am an intelligent being just in a different matter. Mathematicians might be able to out number me in a classroom, just as well as english teachers might be able to grammatically break down sentences better than I can. But what about in my world, the world outside of the walls? Could they survive and succeed there as they do in the classroom? If I'm living outside of those walls and the rest of my life is bigger than just the arithmetic, geography, and sciences then should I really consider myself less intelligent? No.
Scholarly individuals, brainiacs, don't have to go through the everyday events that I see or come in contact with the type of individuals I socialize with everyday. I have never had a fluent, enjoyable conversation with an individual spoon-feeding numbers down my throat, or trying to talk about the scientific method. And I'll be damned if you come to my friends and try to talk about quantum physics or Eastern-European philosophies at any given point. If those individuals were to come with me for a day, they might be the "dumb" one in the group because nobody would be able to engage in a conversation with them. The life of my surroundings and my past has been the street cat. In the street cat world, it's real. Everything is right in your face, just every day life situations. Connections and relationships are what matters the most. I feel as though being a street cat might be more beneficial in the real world, because it is the real world. You have to interact with people and share a common interest with people, not to mention having a real conversation with people that involves listening, as well as talking.
Although the line between braniacs and street cats seems to be a thick and well drawn out line, I am part of the group that is making a gray area. I am a street braniac. I have the ultimate package for the work place. I encounter real life situations everyday and still I am striving to pursue my full potential in the classroom. I might know grammatically correct sentences, and history such as who our 16th and 44th presidents are (OBAMA!) but I would rather kick it with my boys and talk about real stuff that goes on in the real world. Now define intelligence.