What the last person who tried to spit game taught me about having 'genuine faith'

You might wonder what is the relation between some dude trying to get at me and having genuine faith.

Let me explain by setting up the scenario.

Click below to read the full story.

NEW: DUNK360 post: Discussing the NFL and Los Angeles

The Meaning of Veterans Day in 2015

Fun times on my brother's Navy ship!

Like many who have family members or friends who served our country, Veterans Day is a time to reflect on the impact of their service.

My great-grand uncle, whom we called 'Lolopop,' (which is a take on the Filipino word for grandfather, 'Lolo') served in WWII.

While I was too young to remember his stories, what I do remember is when anyone was suffering from a back pain or strain, they would go to Lolopop and he would give this intense massage that was feared by many.

That's because he served in the medical division and it all made sense as I got older. Boy do I remember how painful those massages were, but how healing they were as well.

[RELATED: Why Rome Must Fall: Breaking Down the Eternal City]

Lolopop passed away many years ago, but his memory still lives on. And it's days like these that remind me of his legacy.

But for many Veterans who served our country in the past, they're suffering from a lack of support in their own home country. Yes, the same country that they put their life on the line for.

Take a look at this link:
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/signs-of-progress-in-the-va-backlog-of-disability-claims/

Veterans were not getting the medical attention in a timely manner. The CBS article says the number of claims in the disability backlog has dropped, which means more and more are being seen.

So for me, Veterans Day 2015 means more than a 'thank you' for your service, but ensuring the veterans who can't take care of themselves anymore will not go ignored.

Photos: The future of data analytics in sports

Brooklyn -  The stats about how effective Steph Curry's shots have been since the beginning of the NBA season are just bonkers.

His average field goal attempts and actual shots made are absolutely fascinating.

Which leads me to the significance of digesting data analytics so that fans can get a different perspective on their favorite athletes. 

Take a look at how ESPN integrated such data  into their programming during the #sportsfest conference.

Video: What's the big deal, woman?

I'm glad you're curious because I'd like to share something with you:

*Edit*

 The site's own video function apparently doesn't work on mobile platforms [lame and rather disappointing].

I will fix this!!

Listen to: 'How loud is too loud on your headphones?' by Missy for Rivet Radio

Click the image below to hear what Assistant Professor Stephen M. had to say about the topic:

Catch Missy on DUNK360!

More outlets you can be sure to catch Missy on!

She'll try to be as SERIOUS as humanly possible... while NOT thinking about Magnolia's banana pudding, tacos or Shake Shack burgers.

Video: Nike Summer League Championship Game

Chicago - One team now holds the 2015 Nike Summer League Champion title. 

Be sure to check out the video recap below for game highlights!

Video: Chi-League Semifinals

Chicago - Fans packed Whitney M. Young High School's gym last night to catch the Chi-League Semifinals.

If it wasn't the screaming crowd that made you do a double-take, it was trying to see a certain NBA Hall of Famer.

Chicago's Scottie Pippen hung out court side as four teams played for their chance to make the championship game.

Be sure to check out the full video recap below!

CBS's Megan Mawicke Shares Her Experience as a Sports Journalist

"One thing I'll never be is unprepared." 

Megan Mawicke - Chicago's WBBM-TV Sports Reporter

By Missy Enaje

It wasn’t necessarily luck nor was it fate: it was hard work and preparation that Megan Mawicke credits as the ‘secret weapon’ on her journey to success. Eleven years ago, it was that combination that helped reaffirm her credibility on Chicago’s sports reporting roster as an anchor at WBBM-TV.

Early in the 2004 NFL season, Mawicke was set to cover the afternoon Bears-Giants game in East Rutherford, New Jersey. But before the 3 p.m. kickoff, her to-do list for that day included running 26.2 miles at the New York City Marathon.

The average finish time for the 2004 race was 4:37. As an avid runner, Mawicke’s best time was 3:41. The NYC Marathon gun went off at 10:30 that morning, which meant she had only one option that day: to be better than her best.

Word was buzzing about her race, especially after an article describing her challenge made the Chicago Tribune’s sports section. It was titled “She’s Up For a Busy Sunday.” Mawicke recalled what she was thinking at the time.

“All of Chicago knows that I’m going to run, I can’t back out now,” she said.

If Mawicke succeeded, she could finish without disappointing the Chicagoans who were watching on their TV sets to take part in the action. Being busy was an understatement.

She crossed the finish line and successfully made it to the Meadowlands by the first quarter of the game. From the perspective of the viewers on TV watching her, she would have seemed in tiptop shape. Except for one thing left unseen because it was below camera-level view.

 “I had blood blisters connected on my toes,” said Mawicke. “It was the most disgusting thing you have ever seen.”

She remembered how gruesome the challenge was as she hobbled into the press box in her suit and tennis shoes, but how it also brought about a wave of praise.

“I put my thumb up in the air like I finished [the race] and everyone started to cheer in the middle of the Bears game,” said Mawicke.

During the game, former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher came up to her and asked how her race went.

Even after the game, players in the locker room wanted to know how she finished. On that afternoon in MetLife Stadium, the athletes on the field also included a female sports reporter.

“It was just such a cool moment,” she added.

Undertakings such as double-booking her schedule on game days doesn’t come as surprising for the former tennis star at Indiana University.

Growing up in Kenilworth, Illinois, a town just north of Chicago, Mawicke was a self-proclaimed “tomboy” and “jock” whose life revolved around her tennis career. Since she was seven, she played at least 30 tennis tournaments a year. By the time she was eight, she was already a nationally ranked player. Being at the top of her game meant missing a lot of days at school to travel with her parents for matches.

The payoff allotted in a list of accomplishments as she pursued journalism on an athletic scholarship at Indiana University, which included being a four-time Big Ten Women’s Tennis Team champion and two-time Illinois State Tennis champion.

The moment she knew the next step in her career was going to involve sports and journalism came under the mentorship of Chicago sports director Marc Giangreco.

“He hates to say that I was his intern in 1991, because he says that makes him feel old,” Mawicke said.

"Being able to get paid to watch sports was the greatest thing ever." 

Watching Giangreco as a journalist made her realize that being able to get paid to watch sports was “the greatest thing ever.”

Being able to cover the teams she grew up watching with her family was just an added bonus. Sundays at her parents’ house meant watching Bears games with her dad, especially since he was a lifelong season ticket holder. Mawicke refers to her mom as someone who “loves the Cubs for life.”

After graduating from Indiana in 1995, she continued her post-graduate journalism education at Medill until 1997 and traded her tennis racquet for the broadcast microphone. Mawicke’s first broadcast gig was as a sports anchor at WBAY-TV in  Green Bay, Wisconsin and she credited working in a small market as the best choice for someone starting out in the business.

“You need to get all your glitches out in a small market, you need to learn how to ask questions properly,” said Mawicke. “You learn how to see the story visually and it makes you a better reporter.”

As a one-man band carrying 70 pounds of broadcast equipment around, she remembered what she did by her third day on the job: called her parents and told them she needed a massage. But being out of her element also taught her a huge lesson.

“When you learn your craft, you learn your confidence,” said Mawicke.

Just as an athlete refines his or her fundamentals through rigorous practice, Mawicke continued defining her craft. Most of her life she had to prove her capabilities on the tennis courts. Her mission was to ace every opportunity in order to reach the top and it was her competitive spirit that led the way.

She made it to Fox Sports Net and anchored for the Chicago, Bay Area and Ohio regions. She also hosted games for the Cubs, White Sox, Bulls and Blackhawks while serving as a correspondent for the Bears.

It took five years to get from being the reporter learning imperative career lessons while covering deer hunting season and fish derbies to being the sports reporter back in home court advantage at Chicago’s WBBM-TV.

One thing is certain: she loves her job. Except it’s not just her background as an educated athlete that helps her perform better. She credits being a mom to her two boys – Luke and Jack – as what makes her appreciate her job even more.

“If I’m going to be away from my kids, it better be for something I love, and it better be worthwhile,” Mawicke said.

With her role in the CBS newsroom, no two days are alike and her hours are set merely the night before an assignment. With her role as a mom, her hours at home mean having quality time with her boys.

“When I’m away from them, it makes me appreciate my time home with them even more,” Mawicke said.  “I am a better mom for working.”

Click 'Read More' for our Q & A with the CBS sports reporter!

The Other Side of the Gallery: Conversations Around the Mike Brown Exhibit

"Angelitos Negros" by Eartha Kitt in 1950 plays in the background.

Walk past the glass windows of Gallery Guichard on the intersection of Martin Luther King Dr. and 47th St. in the South Side of Chicago and a peculiar art piece hangs from the ceiling: a shredded Confederate flag.

But stare closer and nine names are staring right back: Cynthia Hurd, Ethel Lance, Susie Jackson, Mira Thompson, Tywanza Sanders, Daniel Simmons, Rev. Sharonda Coleman-Singleton, Rev. Depayne Middleton and Rev. Clementa Pinckey.

The name of the nine victims who were shot in the basement of a South Carolina church during Bible study are plastered on the Confederate flag as part of a new exhibit entitled 'Confronting Truths: Wake Up!' by Ti-Rock Moore.

But what has caused a social media uproar is the piece recreating the crime scene of Michael Brown. 

A life-sized depiction of an unarmed young man who was shot by a Ferguson, Missouri police officer is the focal point upon entering the art gallery.

"I think it's a perfect show of white privilege and other issues we're dealing with our nation today," Josh Boss, 20, a Moody Bible Institute student said. "I think she attacks a lot of key issues including mass incarceration and current events such as the Michael Brown shooting and the shooting in Charleston as well."

Brown's body lies juxtaposed against a television screen with Eartha Kitt's 1950's eerie ballad "Angelitos Negros" echoing in the background.


Step away from the crime scene tape and more than 40 other art pieces make up the exhibit.

The thread holding the pieces together since it opened in July is what artist Ti-Rock Moore wants visitors to explore: the "honest and ... acute awareness of the unearned advantage" her white skin color holds.

Mike Brown's mother was at the opening reception and had requested that the gallery cover-up the body of her deceased son.

Another art piece has the paragraph "Gentrification - Doing Some Christopher Columbus Shit and Bogarting" written in white letters over a black wooden board. Next to it is a neon sign that lights up with "Strange Fruit" above a pile of nooses.

With topics such as slavery, gentrification, stereotypical slang words like "crackers" amongst others, it's hard to imagine entering through the doors of the gallery and leaving silent.

Silence is even hard to find outside.

Beyond the vacant grass lot across the street of the gallery is the Bronzeville neighborhood, an area fatigued by gun violence and gentrification.

Yet the owners of the gallery, Andre and Frances Guichard, are far from speechless since word of the exhibit has gone viral. They have hired a marketing representative to handle the public's negative response, from death threats to hate mail.

Except for a visit from Ayana Berry and her 11-year-old son Ahmad, the exhibit becomes a different kind of experience.

"I'm using this as a learning tool for him just to really understand," Berry said. "He's going to school with white kids and like I was telling him, a little over 50 years ago, that wouldn't have been possible."

The two stand in front of a modern-version of a jail cell with faceless shadows in the background. Ahmad's mother asks him what he sees.

"A black man behind bars and the bars are made of money," Ahmad said.

I asked him how it made him feel.

He pauses for a while. An eerie voice singing over her tears fills the air.

"Bad, because it's just not right," Ahmad responded.

Almost a year after the fatal August shooting of Michael Brown, the conversations a mother wants to teach her son about the world he's growing up in continues.

To see more pictures from the "Wake Up!" exhibit and others, click "Read More" below. 

Audio Feature Story: 'How professional is black 'natural' hair?'

The M Report spoke with the brainchild behind the story, Bethel Habte.

M: So why did you choose this topic?

BH: "I have it and more and more women are choosing to do the same. I thought it would be fun to follow one implication of that - how it's perceived.

The workplace is the one environment where perceptions really matter.

So I went with that angle."

Video: Spoken Word at Open Mic Night

Chicago- Heartland Cafe hosts Open Mic nights on Wednesday evenings in the Rogers Park neighborhood.

A lively crowd filled with musicians and poets gathered in one roof to share their art.

The energy was amazing.

I wanted to share my latest written piece. In case you can't watch the video below or if you prefer to read my poem in written form, I got you either way! Enjoy.


'the thrill of falling'

she doesn't give off the usual signals
her clothes aren't in disarray
her hair isn't a mess
she maintains her cool
But at the moment she had to jump
she doesn't think twice
the bottom wasn't going to hurt anymore
so she closed her eyes
and forgot her heart
Who's going to save her?
the moment she loses her grip again
will he extend his arm?
will he take a step in her direction?
before it's too late
she whispers goodbye
swiftly, softly, smoothly
His eyes are set
he sees her
and he doesn't know why but he holds on
if even for one second
because maybe the risk is worth something
no one really knows
maybe that's the thrill of f a l l i n g
with no expectations
something mysterious
nothing serious
she just forgot that her wings
even exist
How can the unknown meet at the point it's supposed to?
what if it's a disastrous crash?
an oxymoron of moments
two stars set in motion
reaching for the sky
swiftly, softly, smoothly
Her eyes are set
she sees him
and she doesn't even know why but she holds on
if even for a second
maybe that's the thrill of getting back up.

Jordan Exhibit Takes You Back To the Bulls' Glory Days

The exhibit, entitled "Open Air," is open at Chicago's Field Museum until Sept.8.

Chicago- Some relationships come at the perfect time.

For Michael Jordan and renowned Sports Illustrated photographer Walter Iooss, it was in the 1980s.

At that time, both were peaking in their respective industries. Jordan was not only taking the Chicago Bulls to the center of the national stage, but he was also taking over the international stage as a member of the U.S. Olympic team.

Iooss spent time documenting the Hall of Famer and recalled Jordan as "charming" and "easy" to photograph.

He wanted to do this for the city of Chicago after seeing an outdoor exhibit in Paris more than two decades ago. 

The 30 photos are part of the exhibit entitled "Open Air" and will be at the Field Museum until September 8th. 

Click "Read More" to see all the photos from the exhibit!

The Solution for Online Shopping

By Penny Wang

You must have heard that Amazon now offers same-day delivery in some areas and that Google just rolled out their magical buy button. Blogs and newspapers praise these new inventions that make online shopping seamless. But are they really?

Amazon’s new shipping policy now makes it possible for people in 14 cities to get their orders on the same day. But you have to be a Prime user or order a minimum of $35. Otherwise you’ll still have to pay. (Or if you live in Chicago like me…) 

Google buy button is another beast that will allegedly revolutionize the shopping experience. Soon, Google Wallet users will be able to buy within search results making buying a much more impulsive behavior than ever. 

All major players are getting ready to step-up their game in the online shopping realm. Pinterest announced their “buy pin” is coming soon. Instagram is also cooking something up.  

Can we really say online shopping is just this wonderful thing in our lives that we just have to buy more stuff more frequently now? 

I have been working on an online shopping tool with a small group of students here at Northwestern University. What we hear way too often is that people are overwhelmed by options and deals that it takes them some 40 tabs and a few good hours to figure out whether they should just click the button or push it off till later. 

Yes, people are anxious about getting their packages sooner than later. Yes, people want fewer payment barriers between them and the products they are looking at. Online retailers compete for more customers in every way possible: rebate programs, personalized ads following you everywhere, social media, etc. But what do people really want?

A blog post we saw a few weeks back had an interesting comparison between online shopping and grocery store shopping. When you shop in a store, everything is organized and shoppers can compare different options side by side, wrote Sarah Doody (@sarahdoody) on Medium. When shopping online, we do not have the option to compare things on Amazon with similar products on eBay.  Yet. 

My team, Breadcrumbs/ (breadcrumbs.ninja), is building a Chrome extension that breaks online retailer boundaries. This tool gathers products on different websites you’ve looked at and puts them into categories. It is still very basic, but this is exactly what online shoppers want to see when they are trying to decide what to buy. Keeping tabs open or copying links to a document should have been made illegal. Because to solve this problem is simple, something like our Chrome extension would do.

It’s just no one is doing it. 

Not Amazon. Not Google. Even though they have way more resources to do it really well in a day than the four of us trying to make it happen while juggling a million other class assignments.

We just hope consumers will have the technology that enables them to make simple decisions.

Introducing the M Report Contributor: Penny Wang

The M Report has another new voice!

Penny's extensive knowledge in digital content and strategy will provide readers with expertise about the latest trends affecting the industry.

Get to know our new contributor, Penny Wang, after the jump.

Click 'Read More' for the interview!

Why Rome Must Fall: Breaking down the Eternal City

By Michele Trizzino

perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim Be patient and tough; some day this pain will be useful to you.

Gone are gladiator arenas, days when togas were common garb, and when knees bent upon hearing the name Caesar. It is no coincidence that Hollywood romanticizes an era which left an impressive historical footprint, a beloved Shakespearean drama, and most especially, a city which bears the name and the physical ruins of the empire which was. In awe, modern day Rome is frequented by millions and the standing fossil we know as the Colosseum ranks high on bucket lists of ‘Places to See’. My infatuation with Rome began in freshman year of high school when I was required to study Latin as a foreign language. Therefore, I'm cool and qualified to throw out expressions like, "Ave et Vale" (Hail and farewell), "E Pluribus Unum" (Out of many, one) and "Cave Canem" (Beware the dog). 

Triumphantly, I came, I saw and I conquered two National Latin Exams and the New York State Latin Regents Exam, but Latin class was my window to a glorified culture that tragically collapsed.

Portraying Cleopatra at Bishop Kearney High School's Classics Fair
Brooklyn - 2004

Portraying Cleopatra at Bishop Kearney High School's Classics Fair
Brooklyn - 2004

When prompted, "If you could experience or witness any era..." I often envisioned myself strolling through the Forum wearing a headdress adorned in golden filigree, occasional outings to the thermal baths, and being a spectator at Circus Maximus. Therefore, it wasn’t a surprise that I had my heart set on attending an institution that would offer me the ability to study abroad in Rome. In 2008, my dreams (minus the headwear) became a reality. Not without gelato in hand, my Latin textbook was brought to life before my very eyes and I experienced five weeks of pure bliss in The Eternal City.

I wasn't exaggerating about the gelato in hand.

The Roman Forum

The Colosseum

Circus Maximus

While present at the aforementioned landmarks, I imagined what it must have been like to hear the roar of the crowd at the Colosseum, the echoes of the chariots encircling Circus Maximus, or what it felt like to unwind in the spa-like haven located at the Baths of Caracalla. Despite the array of photographs and not-so priceless memories, I was nostalgic for a land and time that could never be tangible. Those sentiments were a main reason why I was taken aback to hear the words, “Maybe it was a good thing that Rome fell. Maybe it was an intercession…” escape from…my mouth.

Without an in-depth historical analysis, this reflection was fueled by the principle that the Roman dynasty was enwrapped in practices which were toxic to the society. Greed, gluttony, lust and savagery are considered some of the deadliest of sins; however, these ideologies were condoned as well as encouraged. Although temples and shrines of grandeur were built for deities, an emperor’s authority was revered limitless without restriction. It was demanded that any threat be eliminated and ultimately, this led to the persecution of a man who in the course of days was exalted and then crucified. To the fortune of the Christian community, specifically those who are Roman-Catholic, Christianity did not fall like Rome when Jesus was executed. Ironically, it was essential for the empire to descend. It was vital for the civilization to be stripped of its contaminated ways. It was imperative for a stimulus to be created so that there would be transference from sin… to love.

While conversing with an attending priest at my parish, he advised that adversities are often intercessions in disguise. It took me some time to process how or if I would be able to appreciate this statement. Would I be able connect God’s intercession with the crosses which I bear daily? Would I be able to entertain that when confronted with various hardships and limitations, God’s will is being carried out? Is it possible to be at peace with the ability to not understand, but accept? How often do I create my own ‘Rome’ when emphasis is placed on attaining the desires of the flesh vs. the spirit? How often do I reflect on the consequences of my free will and get lost in my own dynasty? Am I constantly under construction? Are my wildest dreams restrictive to what I could be if I surrendered my earthly desires and expectations? What if I broke down the subconscious walls of my ‘Eternal City’ so that I can allow God to pave the path toward eternal life?

Although typically deduced to a negative connotation, the word ‘fall’ is not void of hope. Hope to get up and stand. Hope to re-build. Hope to convert one’s ways. Hope for better days to come; to be faithful, dependent on Who lives rather than the idea of what was.

 

Hope to return to the Eternal City thanks to a certain tradition.

Until next time, ciao for now!

per aspera ad astra!  Through difficulties to the stars!