It’s been a rough couple of weeks for the image of the National Hockey League. First, long time Hockey Night in Canada commentator and former Boston Bruins coach Don Cherry was fired after refusing to apologize for ugly on air comments he made questioning the loyalty of Canadian immigrants. Then just as the furor over Cherry’s comments was dying down, an even worse controversy erupted. This one involved the current coach of a successful team. Bill Peters was in his second season as head coach of the Calgary Flames. They were regarded both this season and last as Stanley Cup…
Author: Ron Wynn
Things went from bad to ugly in the NFL last week. The incident between Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Myles Garrett and Pittsburgh Quarterback Mason Rudolph had already given the league bad publicity with the spectacle of one player hitting another with a helmet, provoked by the QB trying to take off the lineman’s helmet. Plus there was the specter of a possible full fledged melee breaking out, with players from both sides openly clashing on the field. After Garrett and Rudolph issued public statements of regret and apology, it seemed things were quieting down. But right after Garrett’s appeal of…
By Ron Wynn The Tennessee State Tigers got big wins on and off the basketball court this week. They survived blowing a 10-point lead with two minutes remaining to edge Lipscomb 79-78 Tuesday Night at Gentry Center, then Wednesday announced the signing of two premier players for next year’s basketball squad. The win improved their record to 2-1 for the young season, and was their second straight home victory. Michael Littlejohn, one of only three seniors on this year’s team, had a career-high 23 points, but it was his final two that provided the margin of victory. Littlejohn drove the…
Major League Baseball isn’t the only sport getting negative publicity for incidents of racial insensitivity. Hockey, a wonderful game of speed and action that has also had its problems over the years with diversity and inclusion, had an ugly incident last weekend with a prominent commentator voicing remarks that were at best divisive, and at worse racist and xenophobic. Former Boston Bruins head coach and longtime Hockey Night in Canada commentator Don Cherry has long been known for making acerbic, right-wing comments that border on reactionary, and being outspoken. But last week he hit a new low in public commentary…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Two of the city’s premier jazz vocalists will be appearing this weekend at Rudy’s Jazz Room. Friday night’s feature attraction is Dara Tucker, while Saturday night offers the Diane Marino Octet. Both Tucker and Marino are dynamic, gifted and versatile interpreters comfortable operating in a broad idiomatic spectrum. Each will also accompanied by heavyweight lineups of musicians. Tucker’s become one of Music City’s most prolific, nationally known jazz artists.. She’s opened for Grammy Award-winning vocalist Gregory Porter, guested with Vince Gill and The Time Jumpers, toured with master guitarist Charlie Hunter, and appeared on…
Willie Taggart found out Sunday the harsh reality of major college football in the 21st century. No longer will schools give coaches time to build programs, at least not those who inherit jobs where their predecessors routinely challenged for national titles. Taggart had a good reputation as a recruiter and bench coach prior to coming to Florida State, but he was following Jimbo Fisher, whose eight seasons were mostly marked by victories, and either winning titles or being in contention. By comparison Taggart was only 9-12 in his less than two years at Florida State. Saturday they were embarrassed 27-10…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Despite controversy over casting and content, Kasi Lemmons’ “Harriet” did much better than expected in its first weekend. The film which stars Cynthia Erivo as freedom fighter Harriet Tubman, grossed $12.2 million and finished in fourth place for the weekend. It was projected to get at minimum $7.5 million and at most $9 million. But it was helped by almost universal audience appreciation, as it got an A+ from Cinema Score and a 98 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Interestingly it started off better than Spike Lee’s “BlackkKlansman, which opened with $10.8 million…
By Ron Wynn NASHVILLE, TN — Before departing Nashville to become an acclaimed filmmaker, Rel Dowdell was an accomplished scholar at Fisk University. He grew up in Philadelphia, and at Fisk earned a Bachelor’s degree in English with Magna Cum Laude honors. Later he earned a master’s degree in Film and Screenwriting with highest distinction from Boston University. Dowdell’s made three successful, highly praised films, and is returning to Nashville Friday to screen and discuss the documentary “Where’s Daddy?” This is part of Fisk’s Homecoming Week activities, and also part of events around the school’s new Social Justice Institute Celebration.…
By Ron Wynn There’s been a lot of controversy regarding the casting of British actress Cynthia Erivo as the lead in the upcoming film “Harriet,” the first biopic dedicated to the great freedom fighter. But according to director Kasi Lemmons, a lot more attention should be paid to the production’s zeal for accuracy. The film will incorporate images and present a portrait of Tubman that’s been crafted from comprehensive study of everything not only everything that’s ever been written or shown, but also photographed. Lemmons is highly critical of some past Tubman biographies, and last week told the New York…
They’ve been consistent headliners and enormously popular since the mid-70s, but while many of their contemporaries have faded or disappeared from the scene, Maze featuring Frankie Beverly are still heavily in demand. Indeed longtime lead singer Beverly says things couldn’t be going better these days. “It’s unbelievable to me,” Beverly said last week during a phone interview. “We’re busier now than ever. I’m grateful and I’m thankful. If you had ever told me way back when we started that after all this time we’d still be touring and doing festivals and making appearances all over the country and the world…