Concrete Soul: Rap Session, Week 6

B-ballers,

What’s poppin?

It’s been an eventful week.  We’re now one game away from the championship round of our double elimination tournament.  This season has been filled with over the edge excitement, buzzer beaters, overtime periods and trash talk that would make the great Gary “The Glove” Payton bite his tongue.  Word is bond!

The excitement on the death row rec yard isn’t limited to the prisoner’s exhibition of fanfare and gamesmanship.  The staff is enjoying the action as well.  Though most wouldn’t admit it, death row basketball has become the sunshine rising in the darkness of their workplace.  Now, I don’t know about you, but for me, every sunrise represents another opportunity; a new day, a chance to iron the wrinkles of yesterday.  A sunrise is nothing less than a sight of beauty.  Feel me?

This particular rap session is like death row b-ball back in 2000.  It’s the 1^st of its kind and as the masses continue to read this, it will be like a fine wine.  It just gets better with time.  Na mean?  Traditionally, I’m trading verbs with the ballers or coaches of the row, but this rap session will feature someone who doesn’t have a death sentence hanging over their existence.  

Speaking under the condition of anonymity, the individual – he or she – is more than familiar with our “Ball Til We Fall” movement.  Speaking from the shadows of our sunshine, this voice feels the rhythm of our bounce.  Ya heard?

MannofStat:  What’s good, Peoples?

Shadow:  It’s been a hot summer, but other than that, everything is good my man.

MannofStat:  I know you don’t have much time, so I’ll try to squeeze in as many questions as I can, before you have to return to your duties.

Shadow:  Yeah, let’s do this.

MannofStat:  As someone on the inside, what would you tell society about the people they’ve been led to believe are, “the worse of the worse?”

Shadow:  That’s a great question, because I just read about a shooting that left a 14 year old dead, in North Philly.  It went down at a rec center, if I’m not mistaken.

MannofStat:  Yeah, You’re talking about 33^rd and Diamond.  That’s the stomping grounds of Rasheed Wallace and the late, great, Hank Gathers.

Shadow:  Well, apparently they don’t play basketball there anymore.  The shooting took place during a party.  When the director addressed the media, he used the violence as a means to justify why they no longer permit basketball games to be played there.  He said the culture brings on a whole negative side.  

If basketball brings forth negativity in the free world, then I find it ironic that basketball breeds collectiveness and peace of mind, on death row.  In my experience, with death row, I’d have to tell society that no matter what someone may have done in their past, you always have time to change.

MannofStat:  As frustrating as times may be, what role has death row b-ball played in your life?

Shadow:  Death row b-ball always reminds me, that playing the game of b-ball is a great way to escape stress and other problems in life.  It also reminds me that no matter what problems you may have in life, doing something you love is far more powerful than any stress you may have.

MannofStat:  Aight.  I hear your walkie talkie coming to life, so this is my last question.  Who is the greatest clutch shooter, Dirk Nowitzki, Reggie Miller, Larry Bird or Ray Allen?

Shadow:  (Decreasing the volume on the walkie talkie) without question, Larry Bird.  He’s made clutch shot after clutch shot.  Not just one year, or one playoff series, but his entire career.

Nuff Said,

MannofStat

Copyright © 2012 by Leroy Elwood Mann