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Basketball bobbles, the Hub's last blast, a trying conversation
© St. Petersburg Times Shaquille O'Neal once starred as a genie in the movie Kazaam. Maybe that's why Darryl Madison continues to think that if O'Neal had shown up for last weekend's celebrity basketball fiasco, everything would have magically turned out right. The truth is O'Neal's appearance would not have corrected the event's many problems. More than one person I spoke to last week expressed dismay about the entire event, particularly the basketball clinics. Here's a sample: Organizers first told parents that only kids participating in the clinic could enter the University of South Florida Sun Dome. (With the rash of child abductions, who would let their children enter an arena by themselves?) There was no bottled water for participants. Kids were not separated into age groups and lunch was not provided until someone called for pizza at the last minute. Madison did not respond to a request for comment. But one observer told me, "if Shaq had shown up, it would have been complete chaos." Of course, O'Neal's half-hearted explanation that he never committed to a full weekend of events came far too late in the week. And it should have been made to the Tampa Bay community, not the Los Angeles Times. The only way to correct this situation -- the only way to make it right for disappointed kids -- is to come back, do it again and do it right. It's a sentiment Madison echoed, but at this point I don't think either he or O'Neal has the credibility to make it happen.
Because of family commitments, I sent my stunt double to the Hub for its final hurrah Saturday night. The stunt double is thin and white; no one seemed to notice. Business looked good, but then again, the stunt double has never been a good judge of anything. The Hub has found a new home, a block away at 719 N. Franklin St. The tentative opening date is Sept. 14. They'll take the staff, the neon signs and the bar over to Franklin Street near Tampa Theater. They'll even keep the bar facing the same direction, south. New digs were needed because property owners First Presbyterian Church will build a parking lot on the spot. At the old Hub, dueling Ricks -- Bowman and Parnell -- sat drinking Guinness. "I'll miss the ambience of nicotine on the walls," said Rick I. "It may take a while for the graffiti to build up on the bathroom walls," said Rick II. Word is the old Hub will be demolished with a wrecking ball. When it comes down, Hub manager Scott Imrich and his buddies will be there. "We'll sit out on the curb with a six pack and boo the construction workers," he said.
In the grand scheme of things, it was just one of those darn things that kids say. And in the Leave It To Beaver era before political correctness, I may not have given it a second thought. But I was a little troubled when my boys said they told their friend, "You look just like Jackie Chan." I tried to explain there are many countries in Asia and it was quite likely their friend was not from the same country as Jackie Chan, the martial arts actor best known for playing in the Rush Hour movies with black comedian Chris Tucker. My explanation went on for what seemed like five minutes, and the only response from my boys was, "Why would he get upset?" I tried again. "How would you feel if someone said you looked like Chris Tucker?" I asked. "That would be tight," Matthew said. "Chris Tucker is cool." One side of my brain reminds me how I felt when I was in the third grade, and a white classmate asked if I was a "walking, talking Tootsie Roll." The other side of my brain tells me at ages 8 and 9, I should let my kids be innocent for at least another year or two before letting them know the world isn't as colorblind as they might believe. I also know the world is a better place today than when I was in the third grade. That's all I'm saying. -- Ernest Hooper can be reached at (813) 226-3406 or Hooper@sptimes.com.
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Times columns today Ernest Hooper From the Times Metro desks |
