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Before my current writing life, there was The Hilltop, Howard University’s and the Nation’s Oldest Black Collegiate Newspaper, where many of the questions and themes I still explore first found their voice. What follows are my early published works, preserved in their original form.


From The Hilltop Archives

Originally published in The Hilltop, Howard University — January 30th, 2004

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SuperBoo XXXVIII


(Yawn) The super bowl is on Sunday isn't it? How 'bout y'all wake me up when it's over. Naw I'm kidding; I'll be watching the super bowl-- commercials, that is, though nothing can top Reebok's Terry Tate. And let's not forget the halftime show. You can have The Marathon Man, The Coors Kid and The St. Lunatic; I'll take Janet (Ms. Jackson if you're nasty) because a game isn't a game without distractions of T&A.


If y'all thought the super bowl was about anything other than that dollar bill, you're mistaken. We're talking serious money here people. And most marketable feature of the super bowl is... (I'll give you a hint, it's not the 30 second time slots.)


That's right; the players. Two points for you.


But who the hell can make money of a bunch of no-names? This is an endorser's worst nightmare. 


Where are the superheroes of the gridiron, the loud-mouth, self-centered, me-me-me role models children can awe after? Isn't that what the super bowl, better yet, pro sports are all about? 


On the Panther side, the only two people who could come close to making it solo are Jake Delhomme (I call him Del Homm-ie) and Rod "He Hate Me" Smart. And if I were Coors I'd make a killing off of Tedy Bruschi: AND I LOVE TE-DY. HERE'S TO FOOTBALL.


Honestly, how are going to sell a Tom Brady? I mean just last week he was in attendance for...


Oh snap, it's all making sense. This isn't about money, entertainment or a game, it's much deeper than that. If you want to find the big names, they're not here. 


Let's go back to Super Bowl XXXVI. The Pat exemplified camaraderie coming out of the tunnel as a team. Their unity, patriotism is you will, helped them beat "The Greatest Show on Turf." Amazing ain't it. Just four months after September 11, 2001 the Patriots win the super bowl. 


And they're back for a second run at the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the State of the Union when Bush was asking for American's support for the Patriot Act.


There's more politics engulfed in the game that the super bowl has lost its luster. I could care less about Dr. Seuss-like game, The Cat and The Pat. 


I'd, along with everyone else not from Ka-ka-lac or on that bandwagon, would have liked to see Indy and Philly or a rematch of Super Bowl XXXII Green Bay and Denver. I can't complain because you gotta love the symbolic irony. The location, Houston: a no name team (Texans), thus a no name super bowl. 


People always talking about the size of Texas, man, Texas hasn't been big since the Oilers left in 1996. The only good about the Texans is that drop-top roof; whoever designed it, brilliant. If only the Colts and Vikings had something like that maybe they'd still be here.


Now we're stuck with this, what you going to do, sa-da-te, sa-da-te.


For the record, I like my music chopped and screwed, not my super bowl.

Location: 2400 6th St NW, Washington, DC 20059, USA

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