Browsing: Sports

  The Pioneers Classic honored the 75th anniversary of Chuck Cooper, Nathaniel “Sweetwater” Clifton and Earl Lloyd breaking the NBA’s color barrier in 1950. The event was a deserving reminder of the historical significance of the aforementioned trio, each a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, Lew’s home state. Still, Lew has not made it there with them. It’s time he receives his rightful induction.  

  So wrote W.E.B. Du Bois in his seminal work “The Soul of Black Folk,” published in 1903. One of the most effectuating figures in the history of this country, Du Bois was a leading intellectual of his time, a social scientist, civil rights activist, and the first Black man to earn a Ph.D from Harvard University. His words to open this piece aptly applies, 123 after he penned them, to the current state of the National Football League.

       Among this year’s semi-finalists for the 2026 Hospital for Special Surgery Jr. Knicks Coach of the Year award are one woman from New York and one from New Jersey, whose passion for uplifting young people matches their passion for basketball.

Nunnie on the Sideline

  Bobsled brakeman Azaria Hill of the U.S. Olympic bobsled team grew up the proud child of two Olympic medalists: mother Denean Howard-Hill, a three-time Olympian and winner of a gold and two silver medals, and father Virgil Hill, an Olympic silver medalist in boxing. In addition, her aunt, Sherri Howard, is an Olympian with gold and silver medals.

Nunnie on the Sideline

       Coco Gauff has made a donation to the United Negro College Fund to support student athletes at HBCUs. The tennis player donated $150,000 to the organization. Last year, Gauff had already gifted $100,000 for scholarships to student athletes.

Nunnie on the Sideline

     Tomlin informed the team of his decision Tuesday afternoon at a team meeting following Monday night’s home play-off loss to the Houston Texans.

       Those words framed the entire afternoon. Not as charity. Not as optics. But as access. And in women’s basketball, access still matters—especially for HBCU programs.