We're more into Keisha Cole's drama than Burress' real life ramifications

By Gregory Moore

When I began doing research on my book project, I had a myriad of topics I could have chosen from.

I have floating around in my mind two fictional books about predominantly successful black characters and I have probably three or four ideas that are non-fiction in regards to Black athletes.

Out of all of those topics floating, the one that gravitated to me the most was the one I'm working on now, how Black athletes cannot handle success in today's society.

While the topic may not seem intriguing enough for the intellectually gifted, the fact that in our society there are more stories about black athletes getting in trouble than their Latin, Asian or Caucasian athletes should be troubling; at least it should be troubling in the Black community.

But it really isn't and that is probably why I'm writing the book.

Let's face the facts.

The Black society as we know it, thinks its pretty damn cool to be thugged out and it embraces everything that is the negative stereotype of thuggary as a positive message.

So when Plaxico Burress got arrested on gun charges, you didn't see anyone get upset from the Black community. Nobody took the issue up on CNN. DL and David Allen Grier can't find material funny enough for his show.

The point is that when it comes to this situation or situations like this, the Black community would rather find a reason NOT to say anything rather than tackle the issue head on and bring to to a national attention.

MORE OBSESSED WITH O.J. GOING TO JAIL AND KEISHA COLE'S CLAN

Burress' "non-coverage" by Black America shouldn't be shocking.

After all the only thing that has been abuzz lately is the fact that President-elect Barack Obama is weeks away from making history and everybody in the community is awaiting the "c-note with Barry's face on it".

We, as a people, are more interested in the fact that Oranthal James Simpson is going to jail for 15 years and that Keisha Cole's sister, Neffi, and her momma, are still ghetto as hell and never mind the fact that in a time like this, we should be finding ways to own businesses, start up media empires and become a backbone to the American economy on the production side and not the consumption side of the equation.

We are more in tune with why a guy like Burress got caught and fail to realize that he and so many others continually fall into the trap of the gangsta lifestyle and the complacency that it brings.

And do we get any of this when family members of these guys find out that the bread maker has screwed up potential gains?

Of course not.

The first thing that comes across is that, "the white man took my money away."

You know what's sad about that statement?

In a sense it is true but it is still a guy like Burress' fault that it happened.

UNDERSTANDING THE RAMIFICATIONS OF REALITY

De La Soul came out with a song called, "Reality used to be a friend of mine" and for years I used to hate that song.

But then I got its message.

Reality is only what you make it out to be.

Guys like Burress continually fail to realize where they are on the life chain of pro athletes who are successful and those who are just given an opportunity.

You want to know professional athletes who are successful?

Those are the guys who aren't getting themselves into trouble.

If you don't believe me, google a few guys and prove me wrong.

Just on the wide receiver end of things I'll give you a name; Terrell Owens.

As much as people want to say bad things about T.O., guess what? The guy has never been associated with any social shenanigance during his playing career.

I'll move away from football and go to basketball. Have you ever heard of King James getting caught up in the mess you read about when it comes to clubbing and what not?

Want another one? I'll give you three more names of prominent sports athletes. Tiger Woods. Ken Griffey, Jr., and Freddie Adu.

What's my point in mentioning these names? It's quite simple; you don't become successful by having your name plastered on page one of the New York Times because you were dumb enough to be out at a club with a handgun when you should have had your butt at home.

The ramifications of reality when you do stupid things is that the opportunity to make mega cash is taken away from you.

UNDERSTANDING THAT LOSING MONEY IS REAL THESE DAYS

I look at some of the shows that come on these days and shake my head.

For BET to put a show on about the drama that Cole and her family have on a daily basis draws down the chances of showing SUCCESSFUL family units in the real world.

The fake world that is portrayed on the network is the very reason why guys like Burress lose millions of dollars; that crap just ain't real folks.

A friend of mine told me something a few weeks ago when the stock market crashed and you know what, it rings true. My friend told me the following scenario that he has said about a year ago at a cocktail party he was attending.

"There will come a day when guys like LeBron James and Jay Z will lose a lot of money because they just don't know the rules of the game," my friend said.

"Think about it. These guys come into huge sums of money and they know nothing about investments and so their 'financial advisor' says put your money in Lehman Bros. or Merrill Lynch; two of the oldest stock institutions on the planet."

"These guys do that and when Sept. 15h hit, they went from $100 million on paper to $10 million or just pennies on the dollar."

"They trusted people who may have been looking out for their best interests but because they didn't give a crap about their own future, they got took."

That same principle could actually be used in the case of Burress and other athletes who think "packing" is rule in society and that rule is based on an attitude.

The NFL is pretty darn strict about how it expects its players to act both on and off the field.

Yes the league pretty much dictates what players can and cannot do but then again if you're getting paid a seven figure salary do you really give a darn?

In the business acumen you shouldn't because you are a contract employee and you are expected to conform to whatever is set before you.

The problem with guys like Burress and others is that they don't get that message. Sure the union is going to file a formal complaint but what the NFLPA really should be forcing is the fact that had Burress complied with what the Giants wanted and if he complied by "society's laws" in New York state, he may not be losing $27 million in future earnings.

That is where reality should be biting Burress in the arse.

The union should be pushing for Burress to find new employment with another team and basically tell him that he screwed this opportunity up with the Giants because the reality of the situation is that he did do just that.

That's strike two folks.

He screwed up a chance with the Pittsburgh Steelers and he's now screwed this one up with the New York Giants.

Tell me, how many more chances should he get for being an imbecile?

The bottom line to all of this is that if Black society was serious about how we want to be perceived, we would be pissed off that Burress has become the latest black athlete to squander a chance at building wealth and we would be having some serious discussions about how athletes and entertainers are not our best role models for the rest of th world to see.

Instead we brush off a guy like Burress and we chuckle it up over what Neffi and her momma are raving about this week.

We have younger generations enjoying the clown show and then we wonder how come we can't find better jobs.

Gee maybe we need to step into reality and realize that fantasy is just that; make believe.

Because losing $27 million future earnings for being stupid is real life and not some fake reality show on B.E.T.