Voice of the Young People:The Reintroduction of YoungVito

(Tommy Silverstein)

I’d first like to thank Mike Tillery for letting me rock the mic once in a while.

You might’ve seen me in SLAM Magazine, I did the Detroit Pistons piece in the latest issue, and hopefully, that’s just the beginning. I go by the name YoungVito.

I believe the soundtrack to my life is a mixture of mid-80’s to early 90’s-R&B (the underrated sensuality of Phyllis Hyman, the soul of Anita Baker, the potential of a young MJB)

with the mid-90’s rap (lyrically ascending like Nas, wide-ranging like Jay-Z, militant and sometimes contradictory like Tupac).

Yeah, I’m from Detroit, the most hated-on, shitted-on urban city in the US and got the battle scars, apprehensiveness of the mainstream and utter distrust of the police to prove it.

I believe “protect and serve” is missing a few key details. Protecting the interests of the rich while serving the Negro on a silver platter is what it really means, but I doubt that would fit on a badge.

Influences: the G.O.A.T. Ralph Wiley, Scoop Jackson, Wilbon (when he remembers he’s from the South Side of the Chi), Stephen A (love him or hate him, brotha speaks his mind), Rob Parker (real dude, ‘nuff said)

Let’s summarize a few things: If Jason Whitlock told me he was for black folk, I’d look at dude the same way I did when R Kelly said he wasn’t on that video.

While Mike Vick got railroaded, and trust, he was railroaded. It was a fucked-up lesson learned that no matter how much money you have, it all can be taken away. Although I’m not a parent, on the day I do become one, sadly I’ll be preaching, “You gotta be twice as good to get half the distance as others.”

Here’s another belief: When a surly 40-year old black man hits over 700 home runs, he’s obviously on the juice, but when a 40-year old pitcher who lost the “fast” in his fastball in his early and mid-30’s suddenly regains it, his workouts are legendary. His work ethic is impeccable. Ring a bell? (sarcasm)

I’m a firm believer that things aren’t always black or white, that most things are a shade of gray leaning toward either direction.

I can’t tell Jamaal Tinsley not to go out late at night, or not to show the things he accumulated through his hard work, but I want him to understand there’s some jealous people in this world, be it media, fans or just haters that can’t stand to see someone prosper.

Yes, race plays a part in sports and yeah, we’ll be here to balance all that out. Some things we’ll agree with, others, we won’t feel each other all the way. Like:

Although MJ23 is the G.O.A.T., I would take Magic over him if I started a team. Any team.

Although I love Magic, Isiah Thomas is the greatest point guard of all time, in terms of playing the position naturally.

Zeke, out of his three other legendary contemporaries (23, Bird, and Magic), is probably the best coach/executive. And that, in itself is sad. Bird took at team Isiah had a hand in building and blew it to pieces. Mike has shown he can’t do anything else but hire his UNC buddies and Magic, well, dude went like 1-10 when he was coaching. And couldn’t keep Kobe and Shaq co-existing.

My starting five: MJ23, Magic, Bird, Doc, and Hakeem (that Dream Shake in the 90’s has no equal). Not Cap and the sky hook, not Shaq circa 00-03. the Dream Shake, remember it, admire it.

Barry Sanders, not Emmitt Smith, not Jim Brown, not the late great Walter Payton, is the greatest running back of all time. He just played with a crappy ass team.

Here are a few of my mistakes, just to show I’m human.

I thought Charles Rogers would be a transcendent wide receiver.

You couldn’t have told me at the beginning of the decade that Allen Iverson would still be playing at this high a level.

I thought Chris Webber and the Sac Kings would’ve had a couple rings at the beginning of this decade.

I believed Larry Brown when he said the Pistons would be his last coaching job. Alas, the greatest pimp in sports did it again.

I thought Penny Hardaway would make triumphant returns. In ’98, I believed, in ’01 I believed, this year, I believed. But when he was right, he was Magic and Michael mixed into one. (yeah, I said it)

I just knew Donovan and TO would work, you couldn’t have told me different.

You’ve seen me comment here and there, but let’s get it cracking big time.