Fantasy Fall Out 3.... the end

Ok,,, time to put this story to bed.

It really is a shame that all of this had to happen over a Fantasy game...

I mean, ThaShow was not created to address my "personal issues with other people" - it was created to discuss larger issues that impact us all; as a society, a nation, and a people struggling to understand our lifes' purpose.

But, this story to me, seemed to be somewhat related to those lager, big picture topics; Such as how race affects how people treat Other people. I do wonder if things would have gone the same way, if I were a white guy.

Would I have been called ignorant; a cheater; would my motives have been questioned the same way; Would my response to these accusations (if they came) been treated with the same disrespect, if I were white?

These are the kinds of questions black people have. Like the Professor Louis Gates; as a black man, I and many others already know what kinds of things he was saying to the Police Officer; We all come from a shared experience in America, where we feel the Police unfairly target us; pick on us; harass us, and for a man of his stature to be harassed In His Own Home, I can understand totally, why the man got Irate.

White people on the other hand, don't.

It stems from their insensitivity towards the black experience... their lack of understanding, perhaps derived from a lack of Care, to find out, what it means to be black "in America" ...

Jenny, likewise, could not understand why I go so Irate with her on her voicemail; because she called me Niggorant; Oh... I mean Ignorant.

I think it's one of the worst insults for a white person to lob at a black person; because of the history; the meaning of the word, and the ongoing bad relationship between the white and black race -- which many whites are quick to point at and say "it's gotten better!" ... but better, ain't all that great still; and that my dear white people of the world; is the real issue.

I'm a very direct person. When I have a problem with someone, I tell them.

Perhaps that too, is part of being black; you whitness a lot of directness growing up, in your family, and others - so you naturally take hold to it as well. The White world would view this as "being confrontational" ... and yet, I believe the only way to truly solve problems, is to face them - to take them on - and to ... Confront them.

So Confrontational is not always bad.

I would have much rather preferred to have never spoken out about this private situation. I'm not the guy to name names; and so I can understand why those who got named are upset about it. However, had they never done, what they did, this all never would have happened.

Its too hard for them to see that, apparently, because they are continuing to whine and cry about what I post here, even though it's ME who was victimized - NOT them.

I'm the one who was insulted, offended, mistreated, disrespected, and slandered; Not them; I'm the one who's OWED $80 ... Not Them. ... and what sucks about this is, they seem to be taking a 'white is right' approach; a refusal to admit wrong doing; a desire expressed for me to just move on, and forget about what happened in the past. ...

We're right; You're wrong; Let's not talk about it ... and act like it's all good.

As a black man, I have been called racist plenty of times, simply for wanting to Talk about racism. It's the topic, that white people avoid like the plague; And when they do address it, they seem to do so, with such dishonesty, that no progress ever gets made.

Heck, it's early ... only 40 years into this "new world" that was Racist as hell for 400 ... So I guess I'm expecting too much, too soon.

Here's to the hope that progress is made... and to the hope that more white people will start Doing Right by others; This is not to say that blacks don't also wrong people; I know plenty who do it all the time; however their disrespect and wrong doing seems to have Less to do with the race of the other person; and more to do with the "lack" in their own lives; coupled with a misunderstanding of how to get More -- they feel you get more by Taking from others; They do not realize you get more, by GIVING to others.

My past (and character) was brought up in the comment section - and it goes to show you how stupid some of these people are; one incident does not outweigh the multitude of good things I have done in my life.

I have always been pro-love -- even what I did, came out of a center of love, and a desire to make others happy. That's my character... that's who I am.

Even the facts of what happened in the Fantasy league spell out who I really am. My actions, were done at a time when I most likely was NOT going to even make it to the final round; My actions were done to make the championship round more interesting, more even; The people in the Consolation round should have understood that; They should have stopped playing - they should have realized that they were taking Away players from people who EARNED the right to play "for the money" ...

But they were selfish; they were self centered; they did not care about the Good of the Game; They only cared about them selves here -- they didn't care about being right either; not 'really right' ... because that's who they are. That is their character...

And ,,, Like attracts Like.

(opposites attract, was a song by Paula Abdul, not a researched, documented fact.)

That's right folks, birds of a feather truly do flock together. Similar people are attracted to one another; This is most likely why they don't understand where I'm coming from; I'm too different from them. My actions are puzzling, and baffling to people like this... it is not in their mental make up, to grasp, that they wronged me, they owe me money, they could have avoided all of this by paying up;

Everyone else paid up ... My friend in AZ sent his money; one guy who thought it was still $10, and didn't realize the price changed to $20 (based on a league vote) complained, voiced his displeasure, and then paid his $20 ... none of their names got dragged into this ;) ...

As I've explained to others close to the story; It's really not even about the Money; To me, it's like these people decided they were gonna Punk me; and I'm not for being punked... :)

For now, this story is going to bed ... no more will be said here at thaShow until a decision is made on what I am going to do; I thank all of you who emailed me, called me, to discuss this with me like an adult; I say shame on you who posted comments under the "anonymous" tag; You are a coward, whoever you are -- and here's to all of you seeking to play Fantasy with 'friends & acquaintences' ... my advice, Stick to the friends; leave the people you don't really know OUT ... you never know what kind of Trouble they may create; or what kind of Character (or lack of it) they have...

Fantasy League Fall out - Race, Law, Politics

Ok, so here's a quick run down of the events.

Ran a fantasy league last year, for basketball, with 12 teams/GM's, for $20 per player - the winner took all; A total of $240.

After 22 weeks; there was a Playoff; The top 8 teams made the playoff, the bottom 4 went to the "losers bracket" - After the first week of the playoffs; 4 teams remained in the winners bracket; 4 more teams went to the losers bracket for a total of 8 teams in the losers bracket.

Now, in the losers bracket, you had The "winners" of the losers round 1 vs. the Losers of the winners round 1 - In other words; the teams from the winners bracket who Lost; Played the teams from the Losers bracket who won.

Mind you, all the games going on in this losers bracket were for No prize, no money, No anything... but for example purposes, there was a top 4, in the losers bracket and a bottom 4 in the losers bracket.

Meanwhile in the Winners bracket ... it was Thursday; Games were somewhat interesting; In My match up however I was Far behind and most likely was about to lose. In the other Match up it was somewhat close; So, I Released the players from the Bottom 4 teams in the Losers bracket, in order to make the Semi-Final weekend And Championship Round even, and fair... for the 4 Winner bracket teams that were still Playing for the $240 prize.

BUT - One of those loser GM's got upset with me; accused me of Cheating - and it's been all downhill from there.

The guys name, is Mandy - he's a Friend of Jennifer Loftin, who was matched up against a friend of mine; Her Other friend, Mike Yoss was playing against me. They had one more friend, Albert Landi, who was also in the losers bracket, and another guy who I've known since High School, who's got a reputation for being a shady character, We'll call him "Shady K" (who's black) - and all 5 of them are 'siding together' - refusing to pay their $20 - a total of $100

So - enter Race.

The 4 people mentioned above are white. Shady K ... a brotha, who often sides with 'white views' -- and that is where the biggest issue is; It's a shame, but a black man in America cannot take on 4 white people with phone calls, and conversations; because when the conversation gets 'heated' - white people start thinking about the Angry Black Man idealogy that was passed onto them; and they get scared, and take legal action; which often benefits them; and negatively impacts the black man.

I know there are white people reading this who feel, that I should not 'feel' this way; and my response to those white people is, You're not being realistic. These are one of the many after-effects of racism and segregation in America for over 400 years; the way of life is still with us; the lack of justice for blacks is real.

It began with text messages from the white girl, a blonde, blue eyed woman (America's favorite) - calling me a cheater. When I backed her into a corner, asking her to explain what prize Mandy was playing for... or whether or not I was the ONLY GM who could sign the newly released players; She had nothing for me; So, rather than admit that she was wrong, she called me "ignorant" and decided it was the end of the conversation.

Now, my problem with this is ... The word Nigger = Ignorant; and often when a white person calls a black person Ignorant; What they really mean is "Nigger".

There is a lack of respect amongst many white people, for intelligent blacks. If a black man makes a point that is better than theirs, they simply call that black person Ignorant. It's an insult to their intelligence... and that's how I took it, because that's what it was.

She wouldn't take my call, of course, so I left her a piece of my mind on her voicemail. Now, of course, in addition to calling me ignorant, she has convinced her white friends that I'm also Crazy too.

This is a side-effect of our Sex-laws in America which have gone wrong; Women feel everything they do is right; so when a man disagree's; if a man gets upset at how he's being treated and voices it; He's called 'crazy, psycho, insane' and so on.

In my opinion, all of this falls in the area of "Slander" - but again the problem is if I pursue it further; she can call the cops on me, and because I'm black and a man, I Go to jail without question.

I'm considering small claims court; to get my $100 back; and I'm also considering asking them to cover the costs of going to court; as well as see what kinds of damages I can add on for Slander;

Do you think I have a case?