Get down girl, go 'head get down!

On Tuesday evening at the Nokia Theatre, 1600 proud American Express Card members and friends of AmEx members got to see a free, promotional show headlined by none other than Chi-Town's finest, Kanye West. When I first heard of this show, I admit that I was rather skeptical. Images of a room full of suits throwing up diamonds at the feet of Mr. West danced through my head as I entered the venue. After a lengthy set by DJ AM (a.k.a. Nicole Richie's ex-boyfriend), the crowd began to get ansy.

Then, the velvet curtains parted to showcase two backup singers, a cellist, 3 violinists, and the turntables of DJ A-Trak. Marching onto the stage with his trademark shades, black button-down shirt, white slacks, and thick gold chain, Kanye then proceeded to rip through a rousing "Diamonds From Sierra Leone". And then I knew. This was no half-assed, gimmicky show. Kanye, ever the consummate performer, was ready to tear it up, all the more effectively thanks to the scratching of DJ A-Trak and the string ensemble behind him. The crowd went wild for College Dropout's "The New Workout Plan", "We Don't Care", and "All Falls Down".

During an instrumental interlude, which included snippets of The Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony", a grand piano was wheeled out onto the stage in the dark. The man seated at the ivories? John Legend. A cameo? Oh, hell yeah. 3 songs later, the crowd is even more amped. That's when things started getting crazy. As the familiar intro to "Get 'Em High" started off, onto the stage bounces Common. This is not just a show anymore...it's an all-star jam. Common even busts out "The Light", his classic track from back in the day when I was young (I'm not a kid anymore. I kinda wish I was a kid again. And yes, I know that's a different song).

The crowd is real live, and over the speakers croons Ray Charles. "I got a woman...way over town, that's good to me." You know where I'm going with this. Even Kanye reminds the white people in the crowd that this is their one chance to say...oh, you know ("But she ain't messin' with no broke...what!). Good times all around.

In a little bit, Kanye slows the proceedings down, and in classic fashion, takes the time to remind everyone of some of the numerous beats he's put together over the years...When I move, you move...H to the Izzo...and don't forget to Drop It Like It's Hot. And that's when Snoop rolled into the joint, right? Nah, I'm just kidding, no Snoop. Oh, but that's when Pharrell did strut into the room, camo jacket and baseball cap tipped to the side. Like I said: All-Star Jam (with capital letters now), a bonafide Party. A little bit of "Frontin'" and a little bit of "Number 1" later, what was there left to do? Ahh, yes: Praise Jesus on high, get on a Spaceship and fly, and last but not least Touch the Sky.

Hopefully, pics and a video to come. I'm out. Oh yeah, and sign up for American Express.

Field of Realities

You may remember the intense fervor generated by the story of Jason "J-Mac" McElwain, the high school basketball team manager with autism who got a chance to live out his dream of playing in a game. Not only did he get in, he scored 20 points in a 4-minute span. Here's a video recapping that incredible story:



Well, with the current Little League World Series underway, there has been some not-so-inspiring press about another story you may or may not have heard. Check out this link from ESPN.com about a Little League event that took place in June. During a championship game, with the tying run on third base, a coach decided to walk the opposing team's slugger intentionally to face the next batter, Romney Oaks. Ask any baseball strategist, and they'll say it's the right move. Only those strategists are usually talking about MLB, not Little League. See, Romney Oaks was a 9-year-old boy who was diagnosed at age 5 with a brain tumor. He has since recovered wonderfully, but the intensive treatments have prohibited him from engaging in contact sports. As a requirement, he is only allowed to play baseball as long as he wears a helmet in the outfield. So, cue the theme music to "The Natural", right? Wrong. Romney struck out on 3 pitches, and the opponents worked their "strategy" to perfection.

Now, was it the numbers game? Or, was it an opportunity to take advantage of a child's disability to win at all costs? Such is the question that plagued not just this game but youth sports in general. When does youth sports transition from teaching kids about fundamentals, teamwork, and sportsmanship to focusing on wins and losses? Interestingly enough, there is now a reality show on MTV, "Two-a-Days", which chronicles the Hoover High Buccaneers, an Alabama powerhouse. It's Varsity Blues + Friday Night Lights + Laguna Beach all rolled into one, but the message is clear. Football is life, and these kids have an incredible weight on their shoulders to play their best and not embarrass themselves, the school, or the state. Ouch. It's a good thing I never let the pressure get to me when I rode the bench during my 2 years of high school basketball.