Sunday, June 10, 2007

MR. HAMILTON DOES MONTREAL...BUT CAN TORONTO BE SAVED?????

Lewis Hamilton is in for a great career. In case you don't know who Mr. Hamilton is...let me give you some background info on the 22 year old. He's an Englishman. He races cars for a living. He drives a McLaren Mercedes and he is currently the Formula One points leader. Yup you heard it...he is the best driver in Formula 1 after just six races. In fact in his first 6 races he has finished on the podium. That means he has been no lower than third place for the first 6 times he has raced in the biggest and baddest racing circuit in the world. One other fact...Mr. Hamilton is the first black driver in the history of Formula 1. Wow. It's suprising that in all these years of F1 and Lewis is the first black man to grab the reins of one of the most sophisticated machines the world has ever seen. Currently sitting at 48 points...a clear 8 points ahead of his teammate Fernando Alonso...Hamilton is rewriting the history books each time he lines up in the starting grid. Heck I want to be a racer...mmmnn...maybe I'll just stick to driving my car to and from work and to the mall on weekends.
On Sunday, Hamilton took the Canadian Grand Prix...on the circuit named after the great Canadian racer Gilles Villeneuve! I loved Gilles...he was so daring and so true to the sport...I always wonder why he had to die so young? As for Jacques...his son...he seems to be missing the spotlight and has said that Hamilton is basically getting too much hype and he really hasn't done anything special...FOOEY! Well Jacques you had your time in the sun...so please stop criticizing the man who may have the biggest impact in a very elite sport since Tiger and golf. Hamilton is the real deal and just because he's a rookie...don't think he doesn't have an eye on the prize. Alonso is the 2-time defending Formula 1 champion but if Hamilton has his way...he is going to challenge the Spaniard for the 2007 title...and why not? Who says a rookie can't make an impact? If Larry Brown(ex-Pacers/Sixers/Pistons/Knicks coach) was heading up the McLaren team you know Hamilton wouldn't have a shot in hell of the title...because Larry doesn't trust young talent too much...he prefers the veterans on the basketball court.
But McLaren's leaders are progressive thinkers who know a good thing when they see it. Years ago...Hamilton told them that one day he would drive for McLaren...He started in go-carts and
has successfully progressed to the ultimate racing series.
Currently Hamilton-mania is almost as big as Hulkamania 20 years ago in wrestling...it's growing and is about to reach epic proportions as long as L.H. keeps winning. What can't this young prodigy do? He started in go-carting and said after the win in Montreal today that he dedicated the race to his father and that he owes all his success to his PAPA. Sounds like a familiar story by a particular golf icon that has been dominating the PGA for the past few years. Yup...Hamilton's meteoric rise echoes that of Tiger Woods...but don't get me wrong...Hamilton is good...but he still has some time yet to be compared to Eldrick...but you know his impact on young black boys and other future racers of colour cannot be understated. He success will show kids that they can achieve pretty much anything they put their mind to.
I wish we had an icon here in Toronto that could solve this problem of youth violence and guns....I hate to get political on a sports blog but with all this shooting going on in the T-Dot...my question is...WHERE ARE ALL THE FATHERS? Where are the the Anthony Hamiltons(Lewis' father)? It seems like whenever the news comes on there is a shooting in an economically depressed neighborhood and I see the press conferences and the crying and tears and sorrow...I see the women and the mothers and the aunties and the grandmamas...but what happened to Daddy...Papa...Father? I am calling all the fathers out right now. I am imploring you to stop having children and leaving the women high and dry. Kids need their daddies! Kids need to know what the world means. They need to know about growing up. They need to know about sex. They need to know about love. They need to know about finances. But most of all they need to know about life and that violence is not the solution every time things go wrong or are not in your favour. Too many youth are not getting the guidance and love at home and are turning to the streets and strangers for a sense of belonging...that's why they join gangs...to feel wanted and needed. Parents please don't expect the school system to bring up your kids! Toronto is getting very scary folks. Just yesterday a young man was gunned down in the north west end of the city...and for what? I have no clue. Senseless this carnage is. But you know what was the worst part? These kids....and I call them kids because they are not men yet...they don't care anymore...they shoot people in broad daylight...they shoot people in malls when people are shopping...they shoot people at funerals for other slain youth...they shoot TTC drivers...they shoot car salesmen...they shoot innocent shoppers...and they shoot girlfriends going to pick up their boyfriends after pickup basketball games.
Dads have to be there. Dads need to be there. Dads must be there...it's plain and simple. We have reached an epidemic right now. Calling all fathers. Please don't shirk your responsibilities. Be a part of your kids lives...because we want all these kids to become Lewis Hamiltons...we certainly don't want them to end up like Jordan Manners and the young man killed yesterday. I don't know his name...but do I really need to say it? Fathers it's time...As the Nike slogan goes...JUST DO IT!

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