NASHVILLE, TN — Defense was the cornerstone of the philosophy that enabled Nashville SC to reach the MLS playoffs in their inaugural season, despite not landing a berth in the Welcome Back tournament due to COVID-19 player infections. That excellence was acknowledged last week when the leader of their defense, and by extension the entire team, was honored for his accomplishments by the league. Center back Walker Zimmerman was named the 2020 MLS Defender of the Year. Zimmerman helped Nashville SC become the sixth expansion club in MLS history to clinch a spot in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in…
Author: Ron Wynn
By Ron Wynn It seems no matter how hard they try, the National Football League can’t quite get things right when it comes to issues of diversity, whether it’s head coaches or upper management. They’ve spent the past 10 months trying to figure out ways to improve their numbers, which remain awful for a league with a 75 percent Black playing membership. This season began with four teams having minority head coaches (three Black, one Latino), and just two with minority general managers. As the year has evolved, two more Blacks have inherited jobs via the interim route when white…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Lebron James is keeping busy on and off the basketball court. While still basking in the glow from the Lakers winning the NBA championship, he’s also staying active with projects for his production companies. Along with their forthcoming Black Wall Street documentary, this week Uninterrupted, a division of James’ The SpringHill Company, announced their newest project. It covers the still controversial subject of high school athletes foregoing college for a professional career. The documentary “Gap Year” spotlights highly touted NBA prospect Darius Bazley. He is skipping college for a “million-dollar internship.”The film will be…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — It’s a busy fall season for vocalist Mariah Carey. Her newest book has just been released, and this week Apple TV+ announced the details of her upcoming Christmas special. It’s titled “Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special.” It will debut on Dec. 4. The show spotlights a holiday crisis at the North Pole. Only one person in this situation can save the day. That’s Santa’s great friend, Mariah Carey. The special blends musical performances, dynamic dancing and groundbreaking animation. Carey as the undisputed Queen of Christmas jumps into action to create a holiday spectacular to…
Many people are aware of the long and distinguished Tennessee State tradition in football. Whether it’s the coaching excellence of such names as John Merritt or Joe Gilliam Sr., or the exploits of such players as Hall-of-Famer Richard Dent, Ed “Too Tall” Jones or Jim Marsalis, TSU football is a nationally known and greatly respected commodity. However the Tigers also have an equally impressive, though much lesser touted and recognized tradition of greatness in basketball. From the coaching genius of John McClendon to the on-court dynamic play of Dick “Skull” Barnett, Leonard “Truck” Robinson, Carlos Rogers and Anthony Mason, the…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Steve McQueen has made history while arousing emotions and audience response in such past films as “12 Years a Slave” and “Widows.” He won an Oscar for the former in 2013, becoming the first Black director of an Academy Award winning film. But one thing that McQueen, who grew up in West London and whose parents are Grenadian and Trinidadian, had never previously done was turn his cameras inward and explore life in the world where he was born and raised. But that’s now changed with the debut of his anthology series “Small Axe.”…
Whether Nashville’s Mookie Betts wins the National League MVP award this week or not, he’s emerged this season as baseball’s top personality. This should not be confused with its best overall player, though a case could clearly be made as well for Betts that way. But after leading the Dodgers to their first World Series win in 32 years (and a good case could be made he should have been World Series MVP also) Betts has become a rare transformative player in a sport where few names are known beyond the circles of hardcore fans and those who root for…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — It’s hard to find many positive things to say about a season when a team has lost all five games it’s played while also losing a host of players to injuries and COVID-19 opt-outs. The Vanderbilt Commodores knew it would be rough going facing an all-SEC schedule, and standing at 0-5 as they head to Lexington for a Saturday game against Kentucky, the odds on them pulling out at least one victory don’t look very good. The best thing that can be said is they are identifying some potential stars for the future, and…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — The Tennessee Titans get a chance to stretch their AFC South lead Thursday night as the second place Indianapolis Colts come to town. The Colts are furious at 5-3 after losing at home 24-10 Sunday to the Baltimore Ravens. The Thursday game is the first of two clashes between the Titans and Colts sandwiched around a game against the Ravens. With that tough schedule in front of them, it makes Sunday’s 24-17 victory over the Chicago Bears that improved their season mark to 6-2 even more welcome. But it also highlighted some problems that…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Whitney Houston and Biggie Smalls AKA the Notorious B.I.G. were among six artists inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s during the Class of 2020 celebration. What is usually a star-studded, well-attended event this year was a virtual HBO special minus any performances. That was due to the impact of COVID-19. The event had originally been planned for May in Cleveland. There was also a very somber feel as Houston and Smalls, along with T. Rex’s Marc Bolan, were posthumous honorees. Houston was inducted by Alicia Keys. Keys credited Houston with helping…