theroot--2020-12-30--In Today's Edition of Things That Will Never Die, Terrell Owens Blames Super Bowl Loss on Donovan Mc

In Today's Edition of Things That Will Never Die, Terrell Owens Blames Super Bowl Loss on Donovan McNabb Being Hungover

There are few certainties in life , but I ’ m quite confident that there will never be a day in which former teammates Terrell Owens and Donovan McNabb don ’ t despise each other .
Back in January , McNabb went on Bleacher Report ’ s Untold Stories to revisit the drama of what it was like to play with the Hall of Fame-bound diva wide receiver .
“ The [ 2005 ] offseason goes through and then all of a sudden there ’ s turmoil there and ( Owens and the Eagles ) are in a conversation going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We had to answer those questions instead of focusing on what we need to do in order to get back to where we were .
I thought that was a major distraction for us .
[ … ] That was something that kind of broke us up.
” McNabb insisted at the time that he was merely stating facts and would prefer to keep things cordial moving forward , but where ’ s the fun in that ?
Owens will forever and always be here for the smoke .
On Wednesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own debut on Untold Stories and had absolutely no problems pulling the pin out the grenade to clap back .
“ I ’ ve tried to be cordial with the situation .
I thought we had squashed it , but then you guys did an interview and all this resurfaces again , ” Owens began .
“ Just listening to some of the comments and statements about ‘ I pretty much ruined the opportunity to run it back ’ [ rubbed me the wrong way ] .
Leading up to the Super Bowl @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were geared around ‘ Was I gon na make it back.
’ For him to be the quarterback [ ... ] really the face of the franchise , I felt like he could ’ ve answered those questions [ in a better way ] .
I guess , for whatever reason , the statement of him saying that he didn ’ t need me to win the Super Bowl or play in the Super Bowl , I felt that was a slight.
” Owens then doubled down on his previous allegations that McNabb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Super Bowl XXXIX loss to the Patriots , before revealing that it more than likely wasn ’ t just nerves .
“ Why would somebody lie ?
There were teammates that said he threw up in the huddle , ” he continued .
“ Personally , I didn ’ t see it , but there are guys , and I know there are teammates that I ’ ve talked to recently , that said they saw him throw up in the huddle .
“ I ’ ve talked to teammates since then , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was out the night before .
He was out the night before , before the biggest game pretty much of all of our careers .
There are people that saw him out the night before that said he was drinking , and I think that contributed to him throwing up in the huddle .
He ’ s obviously had a history of conditioning problems .
So for me , knowing all this information , I felt like that was irresponsible , especially for somebody of his caliber , his status , to obviously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and you ’ re out the night before the biggest game of your career .
You ’ re out drinking or what have you , and then that maybe contributed to him throwing up in the huddle .
It ’ s just [ ... ] not good.
” Damn , Donovan .
Say it ain ’ t so .
Clearly , 50 Cent and Rick Ross will squash their beef before T.O .
and McNabb ever will , but watch Terrell ’ s interview in its entirety on Facebook Watch .

There are few certainties in life, but I’m quite confident that there will never be a day in which former teammates Terrell Owens and Donovan McNabb don’t despise each other.
Back in January, McNabb went on Bleacher Report’s Untold Stories to revisit the drama of what it was like to play with the Hall of Fame-bound diva wide receiver.
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“The [2005] offseason goes through and then all of a sudden there’s turmoil there and (Owens and the Eagles) are in a conversation going back and forth,” McNabb said. “We had to answer those questions instead of focusing on what we need to do in order to get back to where we were. I thought that was a major distraction for us. […] That was something that kind of broke us up.”
McNabb insisted at the time that he was merely stating facts and would prefer to keep things cordial moving forward, but where’s the fun in that? Owens will forever and always be here for the smoke.
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On Wednesday, the six-time Pro Bowler made his own debut on Untold Stories and had absolutely no problems pulling the pin out the grenade to clap back .
“I’ve tried to be cordial with the situation. I thought we had squashed it, but then you guys did an interview and all this resurfaces again,” Owens began. “Just listening to some of the comments and statements about ‘I pretty much ruined the opportunity to run it back’ [rubbed me the wrong way]. Leading up to the Super Bowl, all the questions within the media were geared around ‘Was I gonna make it back.’ For him to be the quarterback [...] really the face of the franchise, I felt like he could’ve answered those questions [in a better way]. I guess, for whatever reason, the statement of him saying that he didn’t need me to win the Super Bowl or play in the Super Bowl, I felt that was a slight.”
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Owens then doubled down on his previous allegations that McNabb threw up in the huddle during their Super Bowl XXXIX loss to the Patriots, before revealing that it more than likely wasn’t just nerves.
“Why would somebody lie? There were teammates that said he threw up in the huddle,” he continued. “Personally, I didn’t see it, but there are guys, and I know there are teammates that I’ve talked to recently, that said they saw him throw up in the huddle.
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“I’ve talked to teammates since then, and know for a fact that he was out the night before. He was out the night before, before the biggest game pretty much of all of our careers. There are people that saw him out the night before that said he was drinking, and I think that contributed to him throwing up in the huddle. He’s obviously had a history of conditioning problems. So for me, knowing all this information, I felt like that was irresponsible, especially for somebody of his caliber, his status, to obviously be the leader of the team, and you’re out the night before the biggest game of your career. You’re out drinking or what have you, and then that maybe contributed to him throwing up in the huddle. It’s just [...] not good.”
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Damn, Donovan. Say it ain’t so.
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Clearly, 50 Cent and Rick Ross will squash their beef before T.O. and McNabb ever will, but watch Terrell’s interview in its entirety on Facebook Watch.


theroot--2020-12-30--It Was the Best of Times and the Worst of Times at the Same Damn Time: Top 10 Moments of Joy From 20

It Was the Best of Times and the Worst of Times at the Same Damn Time: Top 10 Moments of Joy From 2020

If I could sum up 2020 in one phrase , it would be “ whew , chile ” ( see also : “ I hate it here ” and “ I ’ m tired of this church.
” ) As we near the end of this unprecedented year , I can ’ t help but reflect on all the tumultuous things that have transpired up until now .
Actually , I take that back .
I don ’ t want to reflect—living through it was hard enough .
Instead , let ’ s take a look at some lighter moments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some semblance of joy during these uncertain times .
( Man , I can ’ t wait to abolish that phrase . )
From the top , the world dropped their jaws in shock when “ Bodak Yellow ” rapper Cardi B and “ Savage ” rapper Megan Thee Stallion teamed up for their spicy , sex-positive anthem “ WAP.
” Coupled with risqu é lyrics and provocative dance moves , the music video had everyone from celebs to politicians absolutely shooketh .
Black Twitter erupted in mostly praise in response to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thanks to a surprising guest that made a 10-second cameo in the middle of the video .
In an unsurprising twist , however , the discourse surrounding the song changed when men decided to enter into women ’ s business to complain about the sexually explicit nature of the song .
Enter Cee-Lo Green ( who even asked him ? )
, a few conservative leaders ( again , same question ) , and even Snoop Dogg ( now Uncle Snoop , have you listened to your own music lately ? )
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ folks were and are still bumping that track .
So they and anyone else who ’ s still got something to say about it can take their worthless-ass pronouncements somewhere else .
Don ’ t take it into 2021 though , we ’ ll still be too busy twerking to care .
THIS REMIX .
I still remember the day that this song dropped .
I was sitting up in my room like Brandy , doom-scrolling on Twitter when I saw Megan announce that the song was now available .
I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Beyoncé gets in her rapper bag all of my edges start racing to the back of my head .
“ Please don ’ t get me hype , write my name in ice .
Can ’ t argue with these lazy bitches , I just raise my price .
I ’ m a boss , I ’ m a leader , I pull up in my two-seater .
And my Mama was a savage , nigga got this shit from Tina.
” I mean !
The flavor that has , the shit-talking that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And then when you add the innovation of viral # SavageChallenge creator Keara “ KiKi ” Wilson on top of it ?
I have no choice but to continue stanning Black women .
While we ’ re on the subject of sta nning , let ’ s go ahead and discuss… As if her 2018 headlining performance at Coachella wasn ’ t enough to make us all believe in the power , creativity and beauty of Blackness—the Disney+ visual album Black Is King certainly did .
Dropped in conjunction with the Disney live-action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ film left Black folks all across the diaspora incredulous , in awe , and in utter amazement and pride at the lengths Beyoncé took to masterfully shine a light on the richness of our African heritage .
And don ’ t even get me started on “ Brown Skin Girl ” with Blue Ivy , SAINt JHN , and Wizkid .
My inner brown skin girl and hundreds of others across the world felt seen , heard , and loved .
( Also , I think it ’ s time we give more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seems to effortlessly glow in just about anything she does .
Maybe she ’ s born with it .
Maybe it ’ s melanin .
Whatever it is , I need her to bottle it up and sell it .
ASAP . )
And since we ’ re on the subject of Blackity-Blackness and representation , let ’ s grab our snacks so we can talk about… Sister , Sister .
Girlfriends .
The Parkers .
One on One .
Moesha .
Half & Half .
The Game .
Netflix and Strong Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they announced back in July that they were bringing a handful of our favorite shows to the streaming platform .
For a while up until the shows made their debut , I didn ’ t know whether I wanted to book an appointment for microbraids and write in my diary , get on Amazon to order an original Fashions By Lisa fit , run off and marry a random man from Jamaica or skip out on the chance to go to med school and move to San Diego .
( Spoiler alert : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What I did do , however , was practice my pandemic version of “ GO HOME ROGER , ” which essentially was “ GO HOME SO I CAN GET OUT OF THIS DAMN HOUSE ” by yelling it at every person I saw posting travel pics on Instagram .
I mean seriously , everybody just had to go to Tulum during the panny ?
Tuh . )
Let ’ s stay on the tv/film front for a second and discuss… As a ’ 90s kid , I have to admit that I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at not being old enough to witness Michael Jordan ’ s greatness in his prime .
And when I was old enough to witness his prowess before he finally retired , I just didn ’ t care .
( Barbies and books had my attention , OK ?
Although , like most ’ 90s kids , I did love Space Jam and I ’ m still salty that I can ’ t find that VHS anymore .
But that ’ s neither here nor there . )
So when ESPN dropped the Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watched with my eyes wide open ready to learn .
And what did I learn , you ask ?
Well , three things .
No .
1 , take everything personally .
No .
2 , create however many scenarios necessary in my mind so that I can come out on top .
Even if they never happen IRL .
No .
3 , never order delivery pizza from Park City , Utah , and never be afraid to take a last minute 48-hour vacation in Las Vegas .
( They don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” for nothing , right ? )
And while we ’ re talking about history-making winners , let ’ s give a standing ovation to ... At the end of a very tense election week , Joseph Robinette Biden and Senator Kamala Harris emerged victorious , leaving the Head-Cheeto-In-Charge to lick his wounds in defeat ( or not ; I really don ’ t care what he did or does from here on out . )
Not only is Senator Harris the first female vice president ever , but she ’ s also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that office .
Leave it up to a Black woman to break barriers and make history .
Can you say , legendaric ?
We did it , we did it Kamala !
# YoureGonnaBeTheNextVicePresidentOfTheUnitedStates .
Now let ’ s join hands ( virtually because , social distancing ) and dance in Euphoria over… We already knew Zendaya was a star , but thanks to this year ’ s primetime Emmys , the whole world now knows it , too .
The former Disney star won the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the HBO high school , coming-of-age drama , Euphoria .
She also joined Viola Davis as the second Black woman EVER to win that award and the youngest recipient of that award in 72 years .
Even though I ’ m overly tired of Black folks still experiencing firsts in 2020 , I ’ m still extremely happy that she won .
I mean , look at this reaction .
It ’ s , dare I say it , euphoric .
( You know I had to do it , don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ d like to take a minute ; just sit right there so we can cry together about… Fans of The Fresh Prince were certainly maxin ’ and relaxin ’ all cool when Will Smith and HBO Max announced a special “ Banks Family reunion ” in celebration of the shows ’ 30th year anniversary .
Speculation initially ensued as to which Aunt Viv was going to show up , but every mouth got shut when Daphne Maxwell Reid and Janet Hubert appeared and every got eye misty when Hubert and Will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They both got to express their feelings regarding their fallout and dammit if that wasn ’ t one of 2020 ’ s biggest but most heartwarming plot twists—I don ’ t know what was .
As someone who obsessively watched reruns of the show growing up , even forcing one of my best friends to adopt the handshake Will and Jazz did , this reunion meant a whole lot for a whole lot of reasons .
And since we ’ re on the topic of the Smith ’ s ( kinda ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oh what a tangled web we weave , when we first attempt to get entangled with August Alsina.
” Wait , I don ’ t think that ’ s how it—nevermind .
The point is to highlight the hilariously controversial Red Table Talk episode that had Jada Pinkett Smith bringing herself to the table for the first time .
Though only lasting for about 13 minutes , the conversation between her and hubby Will Smith was long enough for me to feel somewhat uncomfortable ( “ bad marriage for life ” still makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relieved at the fact that they were able to have that level of transparency in the first place .
I ’ d also like to point out , “ Jada ’ s Entanglement ” sounds like the title of a bombass romance-thriller movie .
Secondly , I think we all should adopt that phrase now and use it to describe any little indiscretion from this moment forward .
Running late ?
“ I got caught up in Jada ’ s Entanglement.
” Got a stain you can ’ t remove ?
“ Just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Entanglement on it and you should be good.
” Get caught slipping and tipping on your significant other ?
“ You got it all wrong , all this is is Jada ’ s Entanglement.
” See ?
It works for everything .
Now y ’ all know I couldn ’ t end this without mentioning our newfound extraterrestrial existence thanks to… It seems like all the stars aligned to make this year ’ s Winter Solstice arguably one of the funniest days of 2020 .
Thanks largely in part to a viral @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and literal planets being on their Great Conjunction tip , Black people everywhere waited ( and tweeted ) in anticipation of their supernatural download on the newly dubbed Negro Solstice .
I can ’ t speak for anyone else but I did receive special superpowers on the night of the 21st : vibranium-powered Meg Thee Stallion knees .
And to say I was overjoyed would be putting it lightly !
Sadly , what they didn ’ t tell you about those powers is that they only last for 24hrs .
So when I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , let ’ s just say “ di strenf of thee Bleck Pentha ‘ ’ was nowhere to be found .
And we ’ re just going to leave it there .
Now if you ’ ll excuse me , I need to go ice my joints .
I do want to give some honorable mentions to a handful of things that didn ’ t make the top 10 but still deserve some serious recognition .
Those being : Johnniqua Charles ( aka the iconic “ You About To Lose Yo Job ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the championship nine months after the death of Kobe Bryant , Megxit , twerking at brunch time in Black-owned businesses , Brandy and Monica ’ s Verzuz battle , Patti LaBelle ’ s mirror and last but not least—Tyrese for finally throwing in the tile .
You know we ’ re never going to let you live that down , right ?
.

Shanelle Genai on The Grapevine, shared by Shanelle Genai to The Root

If I could sum up 2020 in one phrase, it would be “whew, chile” (see also: “I hate it here” and “I’m tired of this church.”) As we near the end of this unprecedented year, I can’t help but reflect on all the tumultuous things that have transpired up until now. Actually, I take that back. I don’t want to reflect—living through it was hard enough. Instead, let’s take a look at some lighter moments across culture and entertainment that brought us some semblance of joy during these uncertain times. (Man, I can’t wait to abolish that phrase.)
Let’s kick things off with...
Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “ WAP ”
From the top, the world dropped their jaws in shock when “Bodak Yellow” rapper Cardi B and “Savage” rapper Megan Thee Stallion teamed up for their spicy, sex-positive anthem “WAP.” Coupled with risqu é lyrics and provocative dance moves, the music video had everyone from celebs to politicians absolutely shooketh. Black Twitter erupted in mostly praise in response to the video, but also confusion and upset thanks to a surprising guest that made a 10-second cameo in the middle of the video.
Advertisement
In an unsurprising twist, however, the discourse surrounding the song changed when men decided to enter into women’s business to complain about the sexually explicit nature of the song. Enter Cee-Lo Green (who even asked him?), a few conservative leaders (again, same question), and even Snoop Dogg (now Uncle Snoop, have you listened to your own music lately?) At the end of the day though, folks were and are still bumping that track. So they and anyone else who’s still got something to say about it can take their worthless-ass pronouncements somewhere else. Don’t take it into 2021 though, we’ll still be too busy twerking to care.
Advertisement Advertisement
Speaking of Megan Thee Stallion, let’s talk about…
The “Savage Remix” feat. Beyoncé
THIS REMIX. I still remember the day that this song dropped. I was sitting up in my room like Brandy, doom-scrolling on Twitter when I saw Megan announce that the song was now available. I don’t know about you, but when Beyoncé gets in her rapper bag all of my edges start racing to the back of my head. “Please don’t get me hype, write my name in ice. Can’t argue with these lazy bitches, I just raise my price. I’m a boss, I’m a leader, I pull up in my two-seater. And my Mama was a savage, nigga got this shit from Tina.” I mean! The flavor that has, the shit-talking that has, the savagery that has. And then when you add the innovation of viral #SavageChallenge creator Keara “KiKi” Wilson on top of it? I have no choice but to continue stanning Black women.
Advertisement
While we’re on the subject of sta nning , let’s go ahead and discuss…
Beyoncé’s Black Is King
As if her 2018 headlining performance at Coachella wasn’t enough to make us all believe in the power, creativity and beauty of Blackness—the Disney+ visual album Black Is King certainly did. Dropped in conjunction with the Disney live-action version of The Lion King, the film left Black folks all across the diaspora incredulous, in awe, and in utter amazement and pride at the lengths Beyoncé took to masterfully shine a light on the richness of our African heritage. And don’t even get me started on “Brown Skin Girl” with Blue Ivy, SAINt JHN, and Wizkid. My inner brown skin girl and hundreds of others across the world felt seen, heard, and loved. (Also, I think it’s time we give more props to Kelly Rowland. She always seems to effortlessly glow in just about anything she does. Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s melanin. Whatever it is, I need her to bottle it up and sell it. ASAP.)
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And since we’re on the subject of Blackity-Blackness and representation, let’s grab our snacks so we can talk about…
Netflix Bringing Back Our Favorite ’90s and ’00s Black Hit Shows
Sister, Sister. Girlfriends. The Parkers. One on One. Moesha. Half & Half. The Game. Netflix and Strong Black Lead turned things all the way when they announced back in July that they were bringing a handful of our favorite shows to the streaming platform. For a while up until the shows made their debut, I didn’t know whether I wanted to book an appointment for microbraids and write in my diary, get on Amazon to order an original Fashions By Lisa fit, run off and marry a random man from Jamaica or skip out on the chance to go to med school and move to San Diego. (Spoiler alert: I did none of those things. What I did do, however, was practice my pandemic version of “GO HOME ROGER,” which essentially was “GO HOME SO I CAN GET OUT OF THIS DAMN HOUSE” by yelling it at every person I saw posting travel pics on Instagram. I mean seriously, everybody just had to go to Tulum during the panny? Tuh.)
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Let’s stay on the tv/film front for a second and discuss…
ESPN’s The Last Dance Documentary
As a ’90s kid, I have to admit that I’ve always felt some sort of sadness at not being old enough to witness Michael Jordan’s greatness in his prime. And when I was old enough to witness his prowess before he finally retired, I just didn’t care. (Barbies and books had my attention, OK? Although, like most ’90s kids, I did love Space Jam and I’m still salty that I can’t find that VHS anymore. But that’s neither here nor there.) So when ESPN dropped the Last Dance back in April, admittedly I watched with my eyes wide open ready to learn. And what did I learn, you ask? Well, three things. No. 1, take everything personally. No. 2, create however many scenarios necessary in my mind so that I can come out on top. Even if they never happen IRL. No. 3, never order delivery pizza from Park City, Utah, and never be afraid to take a last minute 48-hour vacation in Las Vegas. (They don’t say “treat yo’self” for nothing, right?)
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And while we’re talking about history-making winners, let’s give a standing ovation to...
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Senator Kamala Harris Becoming Vice President
At the end of a very tense election week, Joseph Robinette Biden and Senator Kamala Harris emerged victorious, leaving the Head-Cheeto-In-Charge to lick his wounds in defeat (or not; I really don’t care what he did or does from here on out.) Not only is Senator Harris the first female vice president ever, but she’s also the first woman of color to occupy that office. Leave it up to a Black woman to break barriers and make history. Can you say, legendaric? We did it, we did it Kamala! #YoureGonnaBeTheNextVicePresidentOfTheUnitedStates.
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Now let’s join hands (virtually because, social distancing) and dance in Euphoria over…
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Zendaya’s History-Making Win at the Emmys
We already knew Zendaya was a star, but thanks to this year’s primetime Emmys, the whole world now knows it, too. The former Disney star won the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama for her role as Rue in the HBO high school, coming-of-age drama, Euphoria. She also joined Viola Davis as the second Black woman EVER to win that award and the youngest recipient of that award in 72 years. Even though I’m overly tired of Black folks still experiencing firsts in 2020, I’m still extremely happy that she won. I mean, look at this reaction. It’s , dare I say it, euphoric. (You know I had to do it, don’t give me no lip.)
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Now I’d like to take a minute; just sit right there so we can cry together about…
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The 30-Year Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion
Fans of The Fresh Prince were certainly maxin’ and relaxin’ all cool when Will Smith and HBO Max announced a special “Banks Family reunion” in celebration of the shows’ 30th year anniversary. Speculation initially ensued as to which Aunt Viv was going to show up, but every mouth got shut when Daphne Maxwell Reid and Janet Hubert appeared and every got eye misty when Hubert and Will shared a special moment together in conversation. They both got to express their feelings regarding their fallout and dammit if that wasn’t one of 2020’s biggest but most heartwarming plot twists—I don’t know what was. As someone who obsessively watched reruns of the show growing up, even forcing one of my best friends to adopt the handshake Will and Jazz did, this reunion meant a whole lot for a whole lot of reasons.
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And since we’re on the topic of the Smith’s (kinda), we have to talk about…
Jada’s Entanglement
“Oh what a tangled web we weave, when we first attempt to get entangled with August Alsina.” Wait, I don’t think that’s how it—nevermind. The point is to highlight the hilariously controversial Red Table Talk episode that had Jada Pinkett Smith bringing herself to the table for the first time. Though only lasting for about 13 minutes, the conversation between her and hubby Will Smith was long enough for me to feel somewhat uncomfortable (“bad marriage for life” still makes me cringe a little) and somewhat relieved at the fact that they were able to have that level of transparency in the first place. I’d also like to point out, “Jada’s Entanglement” sounds like the title of a bombass romance-thriller movie. Secondly, I think we all should adopt that phrase now and use it to describe any little indiscretion from this moment forward. Running late? “I got caught up in Jada’s Entanglement.” Got a stain you can’t remove? “Just spray a little bit of Jada’s Entanglement on it and you should be good.” Get caught slipping and tipping on your significant other? “You got it all wrong, all this is is Jada’s Entanglement.” See? It works for everything.
Advertisement
Now y’all know I couldn’t end this without mentioning our newfound extraterrestrial existence thanks to…
The Negro Solstice
It seems like all the stars aligned to make this year’s Winter Solstice arguably one of the funniest days of 2020. Thanks largely in part to a viral tweet, a crazy conspiracy theory, and literal planets being on their Great Conjunction tip, Black people everywhere waited (and tweeted) in anticipation of their supernatural download on the newly dubbed Negro Solstice. I can’t speak for anyone else but I did receive special superpowers on the night of the 21st: vibranium-powered Meg Thee Stallion knees. And to say I was overjoyed would be putting it lightly! Sadly, what they didn’t tell you about those powers is that they only last for 24hrs. So when I attempted the #CryBabyChallenge some days later, let’s just say “di strenf of thee Bleck Pentha ‘’ was nowhere to be found. And we’re just going to leave it there. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go ice my joints.
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Honorable Mentions
I do want to give some honorable mentions to a handful of things that didn’t make the top 10 but still deserve some serious recognition. Those being: Johnniqua Charles (aka the iconic “You About To Lose Yo Job” creator), the Lakers for winning the championship nine months after the death of Kobe Bryant, Megxit, twerking at brunch time in Black-owned businesses, Brandy and Monica’s Verzuz battle, Patti LaBelle’s mirror and last but not least—Tyrese for finally throwing in the tile.
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You know we’re never going to let you live that down, right?.


theroot--2020-12-30--Why Pixar's Surprisingly Polarizing Soul Is So, Well, Surprisingly Polarizing

This morning , I began the celebration of my 42nd year on Earth with Esomeprazole ( for acid reflux ) , Lisinopril ( for blood pressure ) , a vitamin C pill , a vitamin D pill , and a zinc supplement .
At some point today , I will drink a cup of bone broth .
And maybe this evening I will eat a gluten-free slice of cake accompanied by a scoop of oat milk ice cream .
There ’ s no more expository relationship than the one between us and what we decide to put in our bodies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conspicuous reactions to my respect for , and fear of , death .
An irony of existing while Black and male and middle-aged is that as soon as you advance out of the age range where you ’ re at a wildly disproportionate risk of dying violently , you age into the space where you ’ re disproportionately at risk of dying from unnaturally fraught “ natural ” causes .
We age out of bullets and into high blood pressure .
And this year , more than any year I ’ ve been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the proximity of death .
Death in the air .
Death at Giant Eagle .
Death at the barbershop .
Death while hugging your dad .
Anyway , I ’ ve been thinking about this while attempting to deconstruct my feelings about Pixar ’ s Soul .
Namely , why I loved it while so many of y ’ all didn ’ t .
I usually don ’ t bother with the sort of sensibility excavation happening here , because spending bandwidth to specifically explain why I liked a thing that other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and dumb as fuck .
What makes the Soul discourse different is that , after reading some of the criticism of it , it felt like I watched a completely different movie .
But I didn ’ t .
And I actually believe that many of the critiques are valid .
But the movie ’ s flaws just didn ’ t register with me while watching it because of what I was bringing to it .
The death thing is the most obvious .
Soon after getting the opportunity of a lifetime , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) dies , and his death shook me so hard that when my daughter asked “ Daddy , did he die ?
” I was too shaken to answer .
And when a piece of art shakes me like that , it has me hooked .
And then there ’ s the “ middle-aged Black man choosing to pursue his passion instead of a safer vocation ” thing .
And the “ struggle to live in the moment and appreciate life instead of waiting for professional and artistic validations as proof of living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things !
And then it also reminded me of Inside Out ( my favorite Pixar film ) and Defending Your Life ( one of my favorite comedies ) .
From that point , the barbershop and jazz and mom scenes—the “ Black ” scenes , essentially—felt like gravy .
And that ’ s exactly what they were .
Gravy .
Soul is a movie about a Black guy , but it is not a Black movie .
It could have been , but it wasn ’ t .
And it feels like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from that point .
Which is a valid one .
Soul was not originally conceived to be about a Black character and that construction is obvious with some of the choices in it .
Joe loses his body ( and his Blackness ) almost immediately , and perhaps if Soul was Black from the ground up—with a Black lead director ( Kemp Powers codirected , but this is Pete Docter ’ s film ) —it would have been more cognizant of the frustrating historical context of Black Disney characters existing outside of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve chosen a different actress to voice 22 .
I wasn ’ t as bothered with Tina Fey as so many others seem to be—I wasn ’ t bothered at all , to be honest—and the choice to give 22 a middle-aged white woman ’ s voice was even explained in the movie in a dig at middle-aged white women .
But maybe a “ Black from the ground up ” movie would ’ ve anticipated this reaction and cast Issa Rae or Michaela Coel or any other Black comedian with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Freaky Friday subplot with Joe and the cat would ’ ve been nixed .
And maybe a girlfriend and/or some homies would ’ ve been created too .
And maybe it would ’ ve been more sensitive to how it would feel to ( some ) Black audiences to see Joe essentially sacrifice himself so the white female-voiced 22 could live .
And maybe—and most importantly—it would ’ ve been something completely fresh , instead of Inside Out-ish .
Again , I believe these critiques are valid .
And it ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) with them .
I ’ d love to see a Black from the ground up Pixar film too .
It ’ s just ... the flaws just didn ’ t matter enough to me while watching it to take away from my enjoyment of it .
It ’ s like “ Yeah , I see your point about that thing !
And that other thing !
I just don ’ t care enough about those things , with this movie , for them to bother me like they ’ re bothering you.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also somewhat due to expectation .
I was not anticipating this movie .
I ’ d actually forgotten about it , but was reminded of it in an ad on Christmas Day , and decided to watch it in-between NBA games .
Maybe if I was expecting Pixar Moonlight I ’ d feel differently , but I wasn ’ t so I didn ’ t .
Anyway , I ’ m off to get my 10,000 daily steps in .
I hate doing this !
But I will continue to because I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I need to replace basketball with something active so that I can keep having birthdays !
Bye !

Damon Young on Very Smart Brothas, shared by Damon Young to The Root

This morning, I began the celebration of my 42nd year on Earth with Esomeprazole (for acid reflux), Lisinopril (for blood pressure), a vitamin C pill, a vitamin D pill, and a zinc supplement. At some point today, I will drink a cup of bone broth. And maybe this evening I will eat a gluten-free slice of cake accompanied by a scoop of oat milk ice cream. There’s no more expository relationship than the one between us and what we decide to put in our bodies, and my choices are deliberate and conspicuous reactions to my respect for, and fear of, death.
An irony of existing while Black and male and middle-aged is that as soon as you advance out of the age range where you’re at a wildly disproportionate risk of dying violently, you age into the space where you’re disproportionately at risk of dying from unnaturally fraught “natural” causes. We age out of bullets and into high blood pressure. And this year, more than any year I’ve been alive, has been a ceaseless reminder of the proximity of death. Death in the air. Death at Giant Eagle. Death at the barbershop. Death while hugging your dad.
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Anyway, I’ve been thinking about this while attempting to deconstruct my feelings about Pixar’s Soul. Namely, why I loved it while so many of y’all didn’t.
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I usually don’t bother with the sort of sensibility excavation happening here, because spending bandwidth to specifically explain why I liked a thing that other people didn’t just feels time-consuming and dumb as fuck. What makes the Soul discourse different is that, after reading some of the criticism of it, it felt like I watched a completely different movie. But I didn’t. And I actually believe that many of the critiques are valid. But the movie’s flaws just didn’t register with me while watching it because of what I was bringing to it.
The death thing is the most obvious. Soon after getting the opportunity of a lifetime, Joe Garner (voiced by Jamie Foxx) dies, and his death shook me so hard that when my daughter asked “Daddy, did he die?” I was too shaken to answer. And when a piece of art shakes me like that, it has me hooked. And then there’s the “middle-aged Black man choosing to pursue his passion instead of a safer vocation” thing. And the “struggle to live in the moment and appreciate life instead of waiting for professional and artistic validations as proof of living” thing. And these are my things! And then it also reminded me of Inside Out (my favorite Pixar film) and Defending Your Life (one of my favorite comedies). From that point, the barbershop and jazz and mom scenes—the “Black” scenes, essentially—felt like gravy.
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And that’s exactly what they were. Gravy. Soul is a movie about a Black guy, but it is not a Black movie. It could have been, but it wasn’t. And it feels like the bulk of the disappointments with it stem from that point. Which is a valid one. Soul was not originally conceived to be about a Black character and that construction is obvious with some of the choices in it. Joe loses his body (and his Blackness) almost immediately, and perhaps if Soul was Black from the ground up—with a Black lead director (Kemp Powers codirected, but this is Pete Docter’s film)—it would have been more cognizant of the frustrating historical context of Black Disney characters existing outside of their natural bodies. And maybe it would’ve chosen a different actress to voice 22. I wasn’t as bothered with Tina Fey as so many others seem to be—I wasn’t bothered at all, to be honest—and the choice to give 22 a middle-aged white woman’s voice was even explained in the movie in a dig at middle-aged white women. But maybe a “Black from the ground up” movie would’ve anticipated this reaction and cast Issa Rae or Michaela Coel or any other Black comedian with a distinct voice instead. And maybe the Freaky Friday subplot with Joe and the cat would’ve been nixed. And maybe a girlfriend and/or some homies would’ve been created too. And maybe it would’ve been more sensitive to how it would feel to (some) Black audiences to see Joe essentially sacrifice himself so the white female-voiced 22 could live. And maybe—and most importantly—it would’ve been something completely fresh, instead of Inside Out-ish.
(Also, this is not a kid’s movie at all. It is daaaaaaaaaark as fuck and somehow makes the afterlife both as abstract and as Kafkaesque as possible. If there’s a 7-year-old alive who understands what’s happening in this movie, that 7-year-old needs to run for president. Of the galaxy.)
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Again, I believe these critiques are valid. And it’s not so much that I disagree(d) with them. I’d love to see a Black from the ground up Pixar film too. It’s just...the flaws just didn’t matter enough to me while watching it to take away from my enjoyment of it. It’s like “Yeah, I see your point about that thing! And that other thing! I just don’t care enough about those things, with this movie, for them to bother me like they’re bothering you.” And maybe this difference in perspective is also somewhat due to expectation. I was not anticipating this movie. I’d actually forgotten about it, but was reminded of it in an ad on Christmas Day, and decided to watch it in-between NBA games. Maybe if I was expecting Pixar Moonlight I’d feel differently, but I wasn’t so I didn’t.
Anyway, I’m off to get my 10,000 daily steps in. I hate doing this! But I will continue to because I can’t hoop right now and I need to replace basketball with something active so that I can keep having birthdays! Bye!


theroot--2020-12-30--Black Man Files Lawsuit After Being Jailed Due to Error in Facial Recognition Technology

A Black man in New Jersey has filed a lawsuit against police and county prosecutors after a misidentification by facial recognition technology resulted in him being jailed for 10 days .
According to NBC News , 33-year-old Nijer Parks went to Woodbridge police headquarters on Feb. 5 after finding out from his grandmother that a warrant was issued for his arrest .
He was accused of shoplifting from a hotel gift shop in Woodbridge and clipping a police car with his vehicle .
The problem was Parks , a native of Paterson , N.J. , had never been to Woodbridge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and had never gotten his license .
“ Plaintiff also gave ... a solid alibi that proved he could not have done what he was suspected of doing , ” Daniel Sexton , Parks ’ attorney , wrote in the lawsuit .
Despite providing this information to police , Parks claims that he spent 10 days in jail and that the police didn ’ t take fingerprints or do any DNA testing that could ’ ve cleared him .
Instead , the suit alleges that their investigation relied entirely on facial recognition technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solely on the faulty and illegal [ facial recognition software ] or some analogous program while all evidence and forensics confirmed the plaintiff had no relationship to the suspect for the crimes , ” the suit states .
The usage of facial recognition technology by law enforcement has been under steady controversy and not simply because it ’ s some creepy-ass , Minority Report-ass , flat- out weird-ass shit .
It ’ s also mad racist .
Studies have shown that Black people were 100 times more likely to be misidentified by this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nathan Freed Wessler , a staff lawyer for the ACLU ’ s Speech , Privacy , and Technology Project , released a statement on Tuesday calling Parks ’ arrest the result of “ flawed and privacy-invading surveillance technology , ” adding that “ this technology disproportionately harms the Black community.
” The charges against Parks were dropped according to his attorney .
The suit names county prosecutors , the Woodbridge Police Department , and the mayor as defendants .
A spokesperson for Woodbridge told NBC News that the township has not yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to comment .
Unfortunately , this is not the first time an incident like this has happened .
In Detroit , two Black men were arrested , with one facing a felony charge , after facial recognition misidentified them .
It ’ s almost like the police shouldn ’ t be using technology that is clearly not capable of doing the job they ’ re asking it to do .
While there are no federal laws regarding facial recognition technology yet , cities across the country have taken steps to ban or greatly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law enforcement .

A Black man in New Jersey has filed a lawsuit against police and county prosecutors after a misidentification by facial recognition technology resulted in him being jailed for 10 days.
According to NBC News, 33-year-old Nijer Parks went to Woodbridge police headquarters on Feb. 5 after finding out from his grandmother that a warrant was issued for his arrest. He was accused of shoplifting from a hotel gift shop in Woodbridge and clipping a police car with his vehicle. The problem was Parks, a native of Paterson, N.J., had never been to Woodbridge, didn’t have a car and had never gotten his license.
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“Plaintiff also gave ... a solid alibi that proved he could not have done what he was suspected of doing,” Daniel Sexton, Parks’ attorney, wrote in the lawsuit.
Despite providing this information to police, Parks claims that he spent 10 days in jail and that the police didn’t take fingerprints or do any DNA testing that could’ve cleared him. Instead, the suit alleges that their investigation relied entirely on facial recognition technology.
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“Defendant police department was relying solely on the faulty and illegal [facial recognition software] or some analogous program while all evidence and forensics confirmed the plaintiff had no relationship to the suspect for the crimes,” the suit states.
The usage of facial recognition technology by law enforcement has been under steady controversy and not simply because it’s some creepy-ass, Minority Report-ass, flat- out weird-ass shit. It’s also mad racist. Studies have shown that Black people were 100 times more likely to be misidentified by this type of technology than their white counterparts.
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Nathan Freed Wessler, a staff lawyer for the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project, released a statement on Tuesday calling Parks’ arrest the result of “flawed and privacy-invading surveillance technology,” adding that “this technology disproportionately harms the Black community.”
The charges against Parks were dropped according to his attorney. The suit names county prosecutors, the Woodbridge Police Department, and the mayor as defendants. A spokesperson for Woodbridge told NBC News that the township has not yet been served with the suit and declined to comment.
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Unfortunately, this is not the first time an incident like this has happened. In Detroit, two Black men were arrested, with one facing a felony charge, after facial recognition misidentified them. It’s almost like the police shouldn’t be using technology that is clearly not capable of doing the job they’re asking it to do.
While there are no federal laws regarding facial recognition technology yet, cities across the country have taken steps to ban or greatly limit the use of the technology by law enforcement.


theroot--2020-12-30--Did You Know Kobe Bryant and Nike Were Reportedly Headed Towards a Bitter Divorce Prior to His Death

Did You Know Kobe Bryant and Nike Were Reportedly Headed Towards a Bitter Divorce Prior to His Death? Yeah, I Didn't Either

Built around a sample of Eddie Kendricks ’ breezy 1977 hit “ Intimate Friends , ” Keys invokes just about every famous Black couple in the history of ever—Will and Jada , Oprah and Stedman ; even Flo and James Evans—as a point of reference to reaffirm the fact that her own rapport with her beau is eternal .
After defecting from Adidas in 2003 , I always assumed Kobe Bryant and Nike shared a similar love story .
But according to Insider , tweets from venture capitalist Shervin Pishevar , whose business interests include co-founding Virgin Hyperloop and pouring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Airbnb , indicate that apparently couldn ’ t be further from the truth .
If you let Pishevar tell it , despite the success of Kobe ’ s signature shoe line with Nike , the five-time NBA champ had big plans to disrupt the entire industry by creating his own sneaker company , Mamba , that would revolutionize the game by deploying a business model in which players did the unthinkable : retain ownership .
“ I met with Kobe Bryant in late December 2019 , ” Pishevar began on Twitter .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was going to leave it in 2020 .
Kobe was going to start Mamba , a shoe company owned by players .
He passed away weeks later .
What he was about to do in business was going to eclipse his sports career.
” The serial entrepreneur then pulled out receipts , including mock-up designs of potential sneakers and a screenshot of the reminder in his calendar .
When asked why in the hell the future Hall of Famer would dip from Nike when he was essentially the face of the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , too .
“ He wasn ’ t happy with Nike ’ s marketing and promotion commitment to Kobe ’ s line , ” Pishevar tweeted .
“ And the sales of his shoes were anemic and he blamed Nike .
He retained tight control because he didn ’ t trust Nike ’ s judgment in design.
” That sound you hear is Hypebeast Twitter imploding .
And for any traumatized individuals doubting the validity of Pishevar ’ s claims , Pat Benson , author of Kobe Bryant ’ s Sneaker History ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the odds of this bitter divorce coming into fruition were “ very likely.
” “ It ’ s shocking because Kobe was Nike ’ s golden goose and habitually toed the company line , ” Benson told Insider .
“ Many of his fans were upset with Nike ’ s handling of his signature line following his retirement .
It feels redeeming that Kobe was unhappy about it , too.
” Uhhh ... so how should we expect Nike to react to this news getting out ?
“ It ’ s certainly going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the future , ” Benson continued .
“ But it adds to the beautiful complexity of Kobe .
Always pushing the envelope.
” Among his peers and the current crop of athletes , the 18-time All-Star was universally revered .
So imagine what kind of influence he would ’ ve had in defecting from Nike and encouraging others to follow suit .
“ It ’ s hard to explain how big of a disruptor Mamba would have been in the sneaker industry , ” Benson said .
“ A player-owner sneaker brand ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ would ] have put other major brands on their heels .
“ This was such big news that it ’ s going to take time to fully unpack it and think about all of the ramifications .
But it ’ s such a brilliant idea and made me tear up because it ’ s yet another reminder of what we lost on January 26 , 2020 .
Kobe was one of one , and his best chapters were waiting to be written.
” Kobe definitely had much more to contribute to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll continue to hear stories about his ambitions and aspirations in the coming years .

Do you remember Alicia Keys’ “Unbreakable”?
Built around a sample of Eddie Kendricks’ breezy 1977 hit “Intimate Friends,” Keys invokes just about every famous Black couple in the history of ever—Will and Jada, Oprah and Stedman; even Flo and James Evans—as a point of reference to reaffirm the fact that her own rapport with her beau is eternal.
After defecting from Adidas in 2003, I always assumed Kobe Bryant and Nike shared a similar love story. But according to Insider, tweets from venture capitalist Shervin Pishevar, whose business interests include co-founding Virgin Hyperloop and pouring money into thriving businesses like Uber and Airbnb, indicate that apparently couldn’t be further from the truth.
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If you let Pishevar tell it, despite the success of Kobe’s signature shoe line with Nike, the five-time NBA champ had big plans to disrupt the entire industry by creating his own sneaker company, Mamba, that would revolutionize the game by deploying a business model in which players did the unthinkable: retain ownership.
“I met with Kobe Bryant in late December 2019,” Pishevar began on Twitter. “Kobe wasn’t happy with Nike and was going to leave it in 2020. Kobe was going to start Mamba, a shoe company owned by players. He passed away weeks later. What he was about to do in business was going to eclipse his sports career.”
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The serial entrepreneur then pulled out receipts, including mock-up designs of potential sneakers and a screenshot of the reminder in his calendar.
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When asked why in the hell the future Hall of Famer would dip from Nike when he was essentially the face of the company, Pishevar had an answer for that, too.
“He wasn’t happy with Nike’s marketing and promotion commitment to Kobe’s line,” Pishevar tweeted. “And the sales of his shoes were anemic and he blamed Nike. He retained tight control because he didn’t trust Nike’s judgment in design.”
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That sound you hear is Hypebeast Twitter imploding.
And for any traumatized individuals doubting the validity of Pishevar’s claims, Pat Benson, author of Kobe Bryant’s Sneaker History (1996-2020), confirmed to Insider that the odds of this bitter divorce coming into fruition were “very likely.”
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“It’s shocking because Kobe was Nike’s golden goose and habitually toed the company line,” Benson told Insider. “Many of his fans were upset with Nike’s handling of his signature line following his retirement. It feels redeeming that Kobe was unhappy about it, too.”
Uhhh...so how should we expect Nike to react to this news getting out?
“It’s certainly going to make things awkward with Nike in the future,” Benson continued. “But it adds to the beautiful complexity of Kobe. Always pushing the envelope.”
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Among his peers and the current crop of athletes, the 18-time All-Star was universally revered. So imagine what kind of influence he would’ve had in defecting from Nike and encouraging others to follow suit.
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“It’s hard to explain how big of a disruptor Mamba would have been in the sneaker industry,” Benson said. “A player-owner sneaker brand? It’s a revolutionary idea that [would] have put other major brands on their heels.
“This was such big news that it’s going to take time to fully unpack it and think about all of the ramifications. But it’s such a brilliant idea and made me tear up because it’s yet another reminder of what we lost on January 26, 2020. Kobe was one of one, and his best chapters were waiting to be written.”
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Kobe definitely had much more to contribute to the world, and hopefully, we’ll continue to hear stories about his ambitions and aspirations in the coming years.


theroot--2020-12-30--Close Out an Awful Year By Grabbing Some of 2020’s Best Games at Some Good-Ass Prices

For all intents and purposes , 2020 was the worst fucking year .
At least it wasn ’ t a bad year in gaming , though ?
While it didn ’ t quite hit the highs of 2013—the last transition between console generations—there were still some solid bangers to drop .
Even better , you can grab most of the year ’ s best games at heavily discounted prices .
The Last of Us Part II , $ 29.99 ( PlayStation Network ) This is probably one of the most divisive games of the year , which is to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the most acclaimed games of all time .
I was firmly in the camp of “ The Last of Us doesn ’ t need a sequel.
” Having completed the game , I more or less feel the same way .
I don ’ t think it ’ s a bad game by any means , and there was quite a bit I enjoyed about it .
I just left the game with the same feeling I had after Toy Story 4 ; it was good but unnecessary .
Those are just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and there is a good chance you won ’ t share those same sentiments .
I mean , it did win Game of the Year at The Game Awards , so clearly this game resonated with a large swath of people .
If you were interested in the game but were feeling a little iffy on it , this is a solid price to grab it at .
I ’ ve written about this game already this week , so I ’ m not going to go too deep here .
FFVII @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the classic Japanese Role-Playing Game ( JRPG ) .
I would recommend this game to anyone who has even a fleeting curiosity about Final Fantasy .
While it only contains about the first third of the original game , it ’ s still a blast to play and the ending actually left me both satisfied and excited to see this interpretation of the story continue .
Trust me , if my prolonged rambling about JRPGs has grabbed your interest in even the slightest , this is the game you should check out .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of good games the series has been on since 2018 ’ s Black Ops 4 and last year ’ s Modern Warfare .
While Black Ops Cold War has a slightly slower pace than those games , it ’ s still a solid shooter all around .
Personally , it ’ s been my go-to game over the last month and a half simply because it ’ s a satisfying pick up and play experience .
Between the campaign , multiplayer suite and zombies mode , you ’ re getting a decent amount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my opinion , this was the sleeper hit of 2020 ; the little Star Wars game that could .
A dogfighting game controlled entirely from a first-person view of a cockpit , Star Wars : Squadrons allows you to live out your fantasies of being an ace X-Wing pilot .
A dual narrative campaign allows you to play as both a pilot for the Empire and Rebel Alliance , with each ship having its own strengths and weaknesses .
While the campaign is a fun but slight ride , the multiplayer is where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A budget title , the game initially launched with a light amount of content but a recent update added some new ships and a new map .
I hope that we see at least one or two more content drops because this is a really fun and unique Star Wars game .
Those are only a handful of the games on sale right now .
Ghost of Tsushima , Tony Hawk ’ s Pro Skater 1+2 , Hades , and Persona 5 Royal are just some of the bangers that are also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was a title you were interested in this year , trust me , it is more than likely on sale .
So as always , stay safe , wear a mask , wash your hands , and play more video games .
See you in the new year .

For all intents and purposes, 2020 was the worst fucking year. At least it wasn’t a bad year in gaming, though? While it didn’t quite hit the highs of 2013—the last transition between console generations—there were still some solid bangers to drop. Even better, you can grab most of the year’s best games at heavily discounted prices.
The Last of Us Part II, $29.99 (PlayStation Network)
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This is probably one of the most divisive games of the year, which is to be expected as a follow up to one of the most acclaimed games of all time. I was firmly in the camp of “The Last of Us doesn’t need a sequel.” Having completed the game, I more or less feel the same way. I don’t think it’s a bad game by any means, and there was quite a bit I enjoyed about it. I just left the game with the same feeling I had after Toy Story 4; it was good but unnecessary.
Those are just my feelings on the game, though, and there is a good chance you won’t share those same sentiments. I mean, it did win Game of the Year at The Game Awards, so clearly this game resonated with a large swath of people. If you were interested in the game but were feeling a little iffy on it, this is a solid price to grab it at.
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Final Fantasy VII: Remake, $29.99 (PlayStation Network)
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I’ve written about this game already this week, so I’m not going to go too deep here. FFVII: Remake is a fun reimagining of the classic Japanese Role-Playing Game (JRPG). I would recommend this game to anyone who has even a fleeting curiosity about Final Fantasy. While it only contains about the first third of the original game, it’s still a blast to play and the ending actually left me both satisfied and excited to see this interpretation of the story continue.
Trust me, if my prolonged rambling about JRPGs has grabbed your interest in even the slightest, this is the game you should check out.
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Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, $44.99 (PlayStation, Xbox, PC)
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Black Ops Cold War continues the streak of good games the series has been on since 2018’s Black Ops 4 and last year’s Modern Warfare. While Black Ops Cold War has a slightly slower pace than those games, it’s still a solid shooter all around. Personally, it’s been my go-to game over the last month and a half simply because it’s a satisfying pick up and play experience. Between the campaign, multiplayer suite and zombies mode, you’re getting a decent amount of content for the price.
Star Wars: Squadrons, $23.99 (PlayStation, Xbox)
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In my opinion, this was the sleeper hit of 2020; the little Star Wars game that could. A dogfighting game controlled entirely from a first-person view of a cockpit, Star Wars: Squadrons allows you to live out your fantasies of being an ace X-Wing pilot. A dual narrative campaign allows you to play as both a pilot for the Empire and Rebel Alliance, with each ship having its own strengths and weaknesses. While the campaign is a fun but slight ride, the multiplayer is where the heart of the game really shines. A budget title, the game initially launched with a light amount of content but a recent update added some new ships and a new map. I hope that we see at least one or two more content drops because this is a really fun and unique Star Wars game.
Those are only a handful of the games on sale right now. Ghost of Tsushima, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2, Hades, and Persona 5 Royal are just some of the bangers that are also available at a discounted price. If there was a title you were interested in this year, trust me, it is more than likely on sale.
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So as always, stay safe, wear a mask, wash your hands, and play more video games. See you in the new year.


theroot--2020-12-30--2 More Officers Involved in Breonna Taylor Raid Set to be Fired

Breonna Taylor may never receive the justice she and her family deserve , but the fallout from the March 13 botched drug raid in Louisville , Ky. , continues as two more officers involved in the raid are set to be fired .
Until now , officer Brett Hankinson was the only officer to be fired and to face criminal charges related to the raid .
He ’ s still the only one facing a charge—and not a meaningful charge at that—but detectives Myles Cosgrove and Joshua Jaynes will get matching pink slips due to their involvement in the raid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York Times reports that Cosgrove and Jaynes both received notices of termination from the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department on Tuesday .
Cosgrove fired the fatal shot that killed Taylor , according to an FBI ballistics report , and Jaynes—who didn ’ t actually participate in the raid—obtained the search warrant .
Jaynes swore in an affidavit that he personally verified through a postal inspector that Taylor ’ s former boyfriend Jamarcus Glover—who was the target of the drug investigation—had been receiving packages at Taylor ’ s home .
According to NBC News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Jaynes ’ notice of termination that he “ lied when he swore ” he spoke to a postal inspector .
“ Detective Jaynes did not have contact with a US Postal Inspector , he received the information from Sergeant Mattingly , who got it from a Shively Police Officer , ” Gentry wrote , NBC reports .
Of course , Jaynes ’ attorney , Thomas Clay , believes that his client ’ s lie shouldn ’ t be grounds for termination and that he ’ s being scapegoated .
“ LMPD and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ botched this whole investigation , and I think they ’ re looking for people to throw under the bus and I think Joshua Jaynes , unfortunately , is one of those individuals who is placed in the path of this bus , ” Clay told WAVE 3 .
Cosgrove ’ s lawyer , Jarrod Beck , confirmed to the Times that his client also received a termination letter Tuesday but declined to comment further .
According to NBC , both men will have an opportunity to fight their firings in a pre-termination hearing @ @ @ @ @ @

Breonna Taylor may never receive the justice she and her family deserve, but the fallout from the March 13 botched drug raid in Louisville, Ky., continues as two more officers involved in the raid are set to be fired. Until now, officer Brett Hankinson was the only officer to be fired and to face criminal charges related to the raid. He’s still the only one facing a charge—and not a meaningful charge at that—but detectives Myles Cosgrove and Joshua Jaynes will get matching pink slips due to their involvement in the raid that should never have happened.
The New York Times reports that Cosgrove and Jaynes both received notices of termination from the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department on Tuesday. Cosgrove fired the fatal shot that killed Taylor, according to an FBI ballistics report, and Jaynes—who didn’t actually participate in the raid—obtained the search warrant.
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Jaynes swore in an affidavit that he personally verified through a postal inspector that Taylor’s former boyfriend Jamarcus Glover—who was the target of the drug investigation—had been receiving packages at Taylor’s home. According to NBC News, LMPD Interim Chief Yvette Gentry wrote in Jaynes’ notice of termination that he “lied when he swore” he spoke to a postal inspector.
“Detective Jaynes did not have contact with a US Postal Inspector, he received the information from Sergeant Mattingly, who got it from a Shively Police Officer,” Gentry wrote, NBC reports.
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Of course, Jaynes’ attorney, Thomas Clay, believes that his client’s lie shouldn’t be grounds for termination and that he’s being scapegoated.
“LMPD and the mayor’s office have totally botched this whole investigation, and I think they’re looking for people to throw under the bus and I think Joshua Jaynes, unfortunately, is one of those individuals who is placed in the path of this bus,” Clay told WAVE 3. Cosgrove’s lawyer, Jarrod Beck, confirmed to the Times that his client also received a termination letter Tuesday but declined to comment further.
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According to NBC, both men will have an opportunity to fight their firings in a pre-termination hearing before their outings become official.