Black Ink
Page 12
Lighter Side
August 24
Bo Don't Know Squat (and I don't mean weightlifting)
real difference, the true road to respect,
The Scene: My frolicky freshman
shoes one should choose.
I’m a big 'moving image' guy,
year, in the Hinton James 4th floor
is paved through intelligence, educa­
lounge o ‘ social intermingling.
tion, and combined action. I’m not
because movies and television and
Point After Touchdown
saying that Bo is stupid, because I’ve
video tapes are strong mindset formers
seen him in an interview and his head
in America. People see something
that elicits cheers equal in happiness
is actually in the right place. But how
through one of these media, and figure
to fatherhood announcem ents and
screams equal in anguish to That
w ould w e ever know through these
that enough to base their attitudes on.
The Event: Monday Night Football,
that impenetrable male ritual, the one
commercials?
Skiing Guy on Wide World of Sports
(I’m sure).
By Chris L. Brown
It is early second quarter, and I re­
It is important to convey the positive,
As I always try to do, I offer a
constructive aspects of our community
solution. Let’s see Mr. Jackson do a
through this large vein, because if we
series of non-profit commercials on
d o n ’t the opposite view will pem ieate.
topics such as illiteracy and alcoholism.
If Bo knew anything, h e ’d get his agent
“Bo knows how to read.” “Bo knows
to counter the single-dimensioned
image that he’s portraying.
establish my place on the couch with a
half a Dorito hanging attractively from
this is understandable, even admi­
fresh bag o f Doritos and som e Grape
the corner of my lips, staring at the
rable. Then came the “Bo Knows”
not to drink and drive.” Even “Bo
commercials.
knows about safe sex.” The attentkan
These advertisements are com­
posed of shots of Bo attempting a
that he so easily and deservedly snares
Seahawks' four-game winning streak
could be directed to a more positive
against the Raiders (YEAH!).
and serious direction than w hat type of
Soda. The rest of the guys, chit­
replay, while about six guys— Gary,
chatting, grow silent as the last
Steve, Mike, Jason, John, and Cliff—
commercial jingle fades into the
victoriously dance around, fists of
perennial blackness that underlies all
television programming (I used to
victory in the air, waking R.A.s in
sport, then having a bigshot from that
Alderman with their pro-Bo cheers.
sport confirm that Bo 'knows' that
w onder if the Bogeyman lurked down
That’s all I heard for 48 hours: “BO!”
sport. There are different endings, one
there).
1 thought it was bad, because the
o f the more popular being the
Of course, 1 am in the minority as
villainous Seahawk-haters hailed a
honorable guitarist Bo Diddley
usual— the only Seahawks fan in the
triumph over all that was good and
announcing that “Bo, you d o n ’t know
place. Not that everyone else are
clean and wore number 45. But the
Diddley!” This lack of dominance in
diehard Raider fans, they are simply
lighthearted teasing was the least of
one area couldn’t possibly be allowed
anti-Seahawks. Besides the rising cost
my worries; It was the daw n of the Era
by NIKE, so during the Super Bowl,
of Dorm life, this is probably my major
o f Bo, as I'm sure it will be remem­
the new version of this commercial
complaint with Carolina: too many
bered.
aired: Bo Jackson is successful in
anti-Seahawkers in James during my
I’ll admit that Bo Jackson is a
strumming Diddley’s tunes, thus
freshman year. Not to worry, though,
modern wonder. When we get older
concluding that Bo indeed does know
my boys have just scored and my lone
and married and sprout a few young
Diddley.
w hoops of vengeance give me hope
ones. I'm sure I’ll proudly answ er my
kids’ inquiries about the dual-sport
know squat. These commercials are
Bo, was it.
athlete w ho set America on it’s side, as
amusing and all, but w hat do they tell
The Raiders line up from their own
we watch the holographic image of
black children? The stereotype of the
field, but I have n o fear because giant-
“Football’s Greatest Moments” on
ESPN. He is the kind of phenom enon
in the same boat as Babe Ruth and
African-American male being solely a
physkal threat is being furthured.
Even his new commercial for AT&T,
killer Kenny Easley counters his
Michael Jordan. Have you ever seen
presence in the Seattle defensive
him break a bat over his monstrous
“Bo knows telephones,” is not in a
positive direction. I hear kids saying
secondary.
thigh or on his head? He has so much
that this may be a night to remember.
9, second dow n and eleven. The much
heralded number 34 is in the back-
Know what I think? Bo doesn’t
“Give it to Bo,” som eone said.
They did. I’ve run this play through
talent in both sports that it is almost
that they want to be like Bo Jackson
w hen they grow up, but w hat about
unfair. He is glamorous and good, a
Jesse Jackson? What about Douglas
my head a million and one times, but I
rare combination in sports (just ask
Wilder? What about all the influential
still can’t figure out w hat happened
Deion “Prime Time” Sanders). He
African-Americans w ho strive to make
faster— my heart sinking into the vicin­
deserves to be viewed with much
a difference in more than the digital
ity of my bowels o r the streaking mass
of sliver-and-black muscle outrunning
respect.
And in m odem day sports, stardom
scoreboard? I'm not saying that
Easley, w ho ain’t slow, and not
achievements in that area are un­
stopping until he reached the showers
com es hand-in-hand with endorse­
ments. Commercials about everything
(it’s tm e). Now, I’m sitting there with
and anything imaginable. To a point.
teach our kids and ourselves that the
m
athletes should be downplayed; our
equaled. I’m saying that w e’ve got to
Office o f Student Counseling
is announcing
the beginning o f its Minority
Advancement Program
AMRyHHON
BARBER
SHOP
R€STnURnNT
Pi2za • Authentic Gr«ak Food
Sub* A S alads • Din* In Or
Carry Out
MA Orientation
August 26,27
MA Staff Meeting
Sept. 4
933-0590
70S W. ROSEMARY ST., CARRBORO
Also, he’d do something to stop the
122-C Fidelity St.
Carrboro, NC 27510
(919) 967-3918
William A* Burnette
Oumer
Morris Neville
Manager
All meetings 4:00-5:00 p.m. in
the Union Auditorium
Please be prompt