SWEET HOME CHICAGO
AFRICAN AMERICAN WEEK CHICAGO STYLE
By JERRY RILES
It’s ALL about being number one!
Or should I say JUST about being #1?
It, or they, come in the form of Oprah Winfrey, Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan and Pres. Barack Obama.
What a week of #1s making a national splash in the swimming pool of America/Chicago to closeout the Labor Day weekend.
Talk about these African Americans who have labored for years to gain the prestigious honor of being called number one in the respective fields they represent.
And believe me you can’t forget the Chicago/African American honorable mentions this week. How about, Jennifer Hudson, Jay-Z, and Serena Williams. Did I mention Pres. Barack Obama?
In a nutshell, the incredible impact of these extraordinary individuals making a powerful impression upon this city and the nation this week was impeccable.
Oprah blocked off the Magnificent Mile of Michigan Avenue to host her 24th Anniversary broadcast in front of an estimated crowd of more than 40,000 Chicagoans. A feat never accomplished before in one of the greatest cities in the world.
Pres. Obama addressed the nation’s students on their first day back to school to encourage them to work hard, set goals, and to go for it. That was on Tuesday of this week. The next day, on Wednesday of this week, 09/09/09, the president went after the big boys and pretty much told them and the country in a nationally televised speech that his Health Care Plan was going to work here in these United States.
Yes “you” can, Mr. President!
Jordan will finally be inducted into the NBA Hall-Of-Fame on Friday to close out the week with Comcast Sports paying a special tribute to the best basketball player ever to lace them up by broadcasting 23-straight hours of the best of Jordan.
This is a guy who should’ve gotten a free pass to enter into the Hall the minute he called it quits. But to be fair, who knew if he would comeback again? He’s in folks!
Set your VCR, Tivo, DVRs, and whatever recording devices you may have. Twenty three hours of the King.
The best player in golf, although not of late since the growth of his family, Tiger, returns to the Midwest to take part in the BMW Championship being played at Cog Hill (Dubsdread) just outside of Chi-town in Lemont this weekend.
Jennifer jammed during Oprah’s block party, Jay-Z rocked the House Of Blues the same night and Serena powered to the semi-finals of the U.S. Open to defend her title on Tuesday as well.
Let me also mention, I did forget to acknowledge the Bulls Derrick Rose and home-town home-boy Dwayne Wade chillin’ at the House Of Blues grooving’ to Jay-Z rockin’ the House.
Could the Bulls, Rose and Wade have something brewing? Stay tuned as I always tell ya.
Olympics aside, Chicago took center stage this week and the world was watching. If you thought that was something, there’s more to come.
You would think it’s Black History Month, but based on all that has happened this past week, one might want to think of the first week of September as being the first ever Black History Week.
It’s all about being #1. Holla at yo boy Chi-town!
(Jerry Riles is a weekly 5on5 contributor featured every Tuesday in the RedEye) click here
Comments (2)
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Posted by HEEL LIFTS | December 21, 2009 5:29 PM
Posted on December 21, 2009 17:29
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Posted by TIGHTS | December 21, 2009 9:18 AM
Posted on December 21, 2009 09:18