Where does it all go???

As a college graduate from a Division 1 school, I helplessly watched as tuition increased every year as well as season tickets for football season. Now that I think about it not only were the tickets more every year but the gear was too ( jerseys, tanks, sweatshirts). I just assumed the price of everything must be going up, but the day I paid more money for a college jersey from a team that was not even in the BCS top 25 then I did for a NFL jersey is when I said "hol' up hol' up hol' up" ( in my best Kanye West voice).

I just watched miserably as Jim Tressel and Terrelle Pryor left Ohio State because of a few little trades; during my time in college I saw many of the football players and basketball players I knew live in roach infected apartments and barely have money to put gas in their cars, if they were lucky enough to have a car that is...so here is my question...where does all the money go?

Why are college football jerseys so expensive? Why are college football games so expensive?

The schools are making so much money of these student-athletes via game sales, merch sales, media sales and sponsorships yet the players barely have enough money to buy a pair of tennis shoes. I don't even play football, but I have a major problem with this. I hate to say this but its as close to modern day slavery as you can get. A lot of these players get hurt before they even have a chance to make any real money in the NFL. I'm not suggesting these athletes get paid like they are in the NFL but they should have some rights to these jersey sales and media coverage the schools are getting. Where is all this money going anyway? Into the pockets of some big wigs? I was in college and the money sure as heck doesn't come back into the school properly like it should.

Something needs to change...something needs to be done...question is when and who is going to do it?

-Brittani J

Back to Football, Back to my LOVE

Today being the official start of the long anticapated 2011 football season, I thought of it as the perfect opportunity to start my blog again. The last few years have been pretty crazy for me, but through it all I have still hung on to my love of sports; particularly football. I loved being able to share different aspects of sports and athletes on and off the field with my readers. During the NFL lockout, myself like many other die hard football fans, didn't know what to do with ourselves when we realized there might not be a football season this year. It brought me back to the heart of football, why I truly fell in love with the game in the first place. That's when I started reading all my old blogs and let's face it...you CAN'T get away from what you truly love to do. Writing, reporting, blogging, anything that has to do with sports I love. Its funny, I always said I wanted to do something that i didn't feel like was work because I loved it so much and here it is..it has been here all along. So as this new football season commences so does a new chapter of sports chick chat...WELCOME TO MY WORLD

Keepin' it on the DOWNLOW....

Back in the day when R. Kelly was singing "keep it on the down low" he was referring to being with someone else's girl....however now a days the term has taken on a completely different meaning.

Atlanta has become the capital of the "down low brotha" .

Now what's difficult about the down low brotha is that to the naked eye he is straight. He walks, talks, acts and dresses like a straight man....and most importantly he does not say that he is gay.
Some down low brothas have girlfriends, wives and children. There have been tons of recent books that have described, in detail the lifestyles of these "down low brothas".... ideas of not using condoms because the act of putting one on means they are having sex and some don't want to look at it as having sex with a male....their denial in their sexuality has made african american women the highest percentage of new cases of HIV in America.

Now what does this have to do with sports one may ask? Well if you must ask you know very little. Playing a sport especially football is probably one of the most masculine things a man can do. With that...comes egos. Ask any man in the league right now if they are gay; the answer is "hell naw" almost in a defensive way....PROTECTING THEIR EGOS....most I would say are speaking the truth. However, thats not the case with others. Some of the greatest players in the league today are "down low". Will they ever come out ...probably not, but whose to blame them...If an athlete is gay he could possibly lose his career and lose his endorsement deals. The world is ready for a lot of things but a gay Kobe Bryant or Terrell Owens NEVER. (Not saying either one of these men are just using an example of players with big names). We as a society would rather see these athletes rape women, drunk drive and kill dogs then be gay. What does that say about us? Weird huh....but I guess they still keep their masculinity with any of the other horrible things?

So who do we blame for these down low brothas that silently creep through EVERY team in pro sports? NO ONE BUT OURSELVES

But one thing is for sure ladies....Next time your in the A or just find a sexy ass ball player, if you have any question about it his sexuality .....i would run the other way because you don't want two kids by a man who LOVES your brother...

LOVE,
B BABY

IM BAAACCCKKKK!!!!

YES EVERYONE I AM FINALLY BACK AND I MORE THAN READY TO RE LAUNCH SPORTS CHICK CHAT. FIRST AND FOREMOST I MUST SAY....HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS! NOT ONLY ARE THEY THE BEST LOOKING TEAM IN THE NFL ;) BUT THEY ARE KILLIN IT THIS SEASON....THIS IS LONG OVERDUE SINCE THE '95 TEAM. BUT ANYWAYS IM GETTING A LITTLE EXCITED HERE....WE STILL HAVE THE SAINTS TO DEAL WITH. ANYWAYS IF U HAVE ANY IDEAS OR COMMENTS PLEASE EMAIL ME AT SPORTSCHICKCHAT@YAHOO.COM ....ILL SEE YA REAL SOON


~B

Taking a break

I know I haven't written any good blogs in a little while but bear with me...I'm doing a big move across country! I haven't forgotten about my blog and I have tons of ideas forming in my head...I will be back very shortly so stay tuned!!!

Thanks for all the love and support...

Britt J

Michael Vick wrote his first blog

http://globalgrind.com/content/912587/Where-Do-I-Begin/

Sports Bar with Clifton Smith

Clifton Smith has been a friend of mine since I was very young...I did my first interview as a reporter with Clifton Smith so I found it only natural to have my first "Sports Bar" with him.

Before I get into the interview let me briefly explain "Sports Bar". When I first started SPORTS CHICK CHAT , I did it with the intentions of showing WHO the athletes were outside of the games and stats you see on TV. The good, the bad, the ugly... I wanted to show every side. So far; however, my blog has been a little on the negative side (oops) !!! What "Sports Bar" is going to convey is what an athlete does or loves to do off the field/court. Whether it is music, fashion, wives, children...whatever it may be, I just want the fans of these great athletes to be able to make a connection with them on a personal level!

Clifton Smith grew up in Fresno, CA. Ever since he was a young boy he played football and has always been Fresno's Hometown hero "Batman". After receiving offers from big time universities, Clifton's fans were overjoyed to see he was staying in Fresno as a Bulldog. His college career didn't pan out as foreseen over the next few years. He suffered from injuries and personal issues. Maybe this hometown hero was a fluke!!! The town still stuck behind him through these rough years and knew his time would come...we hadn't seen the last of Clifton Smith III. In April 2008, the whole community watched the NFL Draft and held their breath praying "Batman" would finally get his break.... day 1 went by and then day 2....Clifton Smith had went un-drafted.

Smith was eventually picked up by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he remained on the practice squad until October 25th. He had finally gotten his opportunity. One week later on November 2 he returned a 97 yard kickoff return for a touchdown! Shortly after this undrafted Rookie who had 30 other teams not believe in him was selected for the 2009 AFC-NFC PRO BOWL.

Q. Clifton, where were you at when you first heard about your Pro Bowl Selection?

A. I was on my way home from visiting with some kids at a local hospital and me and my teammates sang some Christmas songs and I got the phone call on my way home

Q. Who was the first person you called?

A. The first person I called was my mom and she was very excited and happy for me

Q. You mentioned you were singing some Christmas songs for children...what is your favorite charity to do?

A.I enjoy going to children's hospital to have fun with them, to brighten up their day and I like working football camps as well because I like to coach

Q. I noticed kids seem to have a soft spot in your heart....If you could tell them any one thing about life or football what would it be?

A. I would tell them not to be in a rush to grow up have fun being a kid and to have a dream and don't let anyone keep them from that dream

Q. Some athletes like to just sign on the dotted line to give a money donation to charities ...you actually participate in a lot of charity work...what's in it for you?

A. I like for kids to see me outside of my uniform so they can see that I'm just a normal person just like they are and (I want) "the kid" that everyone says is too small to keep his/her dreams, I want to show them that any and everything is possible!!!

Q. You are a great mentor to young children, where do you think you got that from, who were your mentors growing up?

A. My mentors growing up was My parents and My uncle Tim McDonald (former NFL player)

Q. What's one of the greatest moments you had from doing a charity?

A. For me, the best moments from doing charity is seeing the smiles on peoples face and knowing that you can change some peoples' life and make them forget about their worries and their problems even for a little bit. You have to approach every situation with a sense of humility. Humility is not thinking of yourself; but it is thinking of yourself less.

Q. If you ever decided to do a foundation what do you think it would be about and why?

A. We are putting a foundation together right now and we are going through the process of finding our identity and what we are about and the different things we are going to do

Q. And finally all your fans want to know...what are your hopes for this upcoming season?

A. I think this will be a good season for me and my teammates we expect great things with a young team and a new young 32 year old head coach

* I would like to thank Clifton Smith for taking the time out to conduct this interview with me. This one is for all the people out there who have ever had a dream and someone told you it couldn't come true...Good luck on the upcoming season and future success in the NFL, and with the foundation Cliff. GOD bless