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http:/Avww,thecharlottepost.com
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C|)arIotte
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2005
SPORTS
Business 8C
Section
‘Banner’
open to
our own
groove
For a while there, R. Kelly
almost had me in a quandary
As was the case with many
people, I at first didn’t know
how exactly to take Kelly’s
“steppers” rendition of “The
Star-Spangled Banner”
before the Bernard Hopkins-
Jermain Taylor boxing match
a few weeks ago. So I waited
a week and watched the
replay of Kelly’s performance
- and the fight
— on HBO.
Now, I finally
get it.
I know how I
truly feel about
the perfor
mance.
I love it. .
With a
straight face, I
C. Jemal
Horton
can say Uiat R. Kelly ranks a
close third behind Jimi
Hendrix (1969) and Marvin
Gaye (1983) on my list of peo
ple who have provided the
greatest renditions of “Tlie
Star-Spangled Banner” over
the years.
Kelly’s version came across
just as heartfelt and, yes,
patriotic as those Hendrix
and Gaye gave us years ago.
I’ll admit being a bit sur
prised when I first saw the
steppers in the boxing ring,
but the version of the song
itself was brilliant, if not
classy
And in the spirit of the
ideals the song and this coun
try allege to represent,
“Kells” had a ri^t to do it
diat way — yep, even though
he threw in a “Come on, clap
ya hands!” before that
smooth breakdown near the
end.
Apparently though, I am in
the minority
Perhaps it’s because he’s an
accused pedophile. But since
giving his adaptation that
night, Kelly has beai roundly
criticized - to say the least -
for ‘bastardizing” the United
States’ national anthem.
That was evident by the
smattering of bcx)s that could
be heard after Kelly finished
singing. It became even more
obvious in the days after the
fight, when some writers who
cover boj^jng - and many who
do not - npped Kelly apart in
print
Morris W. O’Kelly, who
writes something called the
Mo’Kelly Report, said R.
Kelly’s version “was probably
one of tbe most horrible and
disrespectful abominations of
the song on record ... EVER.”
Gregory Moore, writing on
See NAT10NAU3C
n W
PHOTOS/CURTIS WILSON
Charlotte Bobcats forward Sean May (above) and point guard Raymond Felton (left) have
been forced to cope with losing on a consistent basis with the second-year NBA team.
Growing pains
Losing in NBA toughens Bobcats rookies
Felton
By C. Jamal Horton
FOR 7HE CHARLOTTE POST
As scores of U2 concert-
goers began lining up outside
Charlotte Bobcats Arena late
Monday morning, Raymond
Felton and Sean May sat just
below them, inside the
Bobcats’ darkened locker
room, and talked.
This was a rare moment for
the promising rookies. Even
though they are close fiiends
and former college teammates
at North Carolina, they don’t
often spend a lot of time
together when they’re not on
the court. There’s coveted
sleep to get and a new city to
learn on their individual
t«ms.
But on this day, having
arrived about an hour before
most of their teammates.
Felton and May just sat and
shared some time.
The central topic?
What they could do to
change the Bobcats’ losing
ways ~ the team had lost
seven consecutive games at
that point — and how they
could transform themselves
as players.
Gfoing fiom the reigning
See BOBCATS/2C
Vdung
learning
rapes
By Cherts F. Hodges
chenshcxiges@ihecharloitepost.com
Taylor
The Johnson C. Smith women’s bas
ketball team is experiencing growing
pains.
With two sophomores and a fiesh-
man in the staiting lineup,head coach
Vanessa Tajdor said the 4-6 Golden
Bulls have had their share of ups and
downs.
“With a young team, it’s like Oacker
Jacks. Sometimes you get a prize you
like and sometimes you get a prize you
don’t like,” Tajdor said.
At times, she said, the 'fi^shmen
have been a spark. One
of the best is fi^shman
Janai Jackson, this
weeks CIAA rookie of
the week. In Tuesday’s
loss against Paine,
Jackson played 36 min
utes, scored 11 points
and pick^ Paine for
five steals.
Jackson said she isn’t
intimidated about starting so soon.
“I came fiY)m a good high school and
we had a g(xxl record,” she said. “I feel
like I’m ready It’s a challenge but I
have to stand up and play”
Off the bench, fi:eshman Whittney
Barnes added 19 minutes and
grabbed eight rebounds.
Barnes said she was surprised that
she’s playing so many minutes as a
fi^hman.
“I know I have to step up and do
what a fi^hman wouldn’t normally
have to do at a larger school,” Barnes
said.
When she’s on the floor, Barnes said
all the “fieshman stuff” has to go out
the window.
Taylor said getting the younger
players ^q^erience early in the season
will pay off down the stretch when
conference play begins.
PHOTO/WADE NASH
Freshman Janai Jackson is one of
J.C. Smith’s top underclassmen.
Ex-S.C. State
standout named
to football hall
SPECI.AL7VTHEPOST
Donnie Shell now has the ultimate small-col-
l^e football honor.
Shell, an all-America football player at S.C.
State who wait on to a professional careo* with
the Pittsburgh Steelers, was one of three play
ers inducted into the Division 11 Hall of Fame
last week in Florence, Ala.
Since 1994, Shell, who lives in Rock Hill, has
served as Director of Player Development with
the Carolina Panthers.
Shell, a standout defensive back and line-
badcer for the BuUdcgs during his collegiate
career (1970-73), will be joined in the 2005
class of inductees by former Valdosta State
quarterback and later head coach Chris
Hatcho* and former Pittsburg State running
back Ronald M(X)re. The trio was chosen by a
20-member selection ccanmittee.
Shell and Hatcher are the second inductees
fix>m their respective sdiools into the Division
Rease see SHELIJ3C
*l \ Filial 3 games measure Panthers’ will
By David Dawson
7HF. CHA RLOni: POST
Running
bac k DisShaun
Foi.ter ivxl
Carolina arn
tieo for firsi in
the NFC South
at 9-4.
The Carolina Panthers are
best poi itioned to clear their
own fuzzy playqff picture.
Last weeks 20-10 loss to
Tampa Bay left both
teams 9-4 atop the NFC
South. However the
B accf nee 3 ajs a^iead with a
3-1 record compared to
C.'JX)li;ia’s 2-2-division record.
Bnt (fon’t tell Panthers’ head
coach Jolni Fcx that.
“Tf 3re ire till three games
Ic'ft. The I'ecoi Js a "e tied; we’re
tied for first in the standings.
WheA*e It’ll end up, who
kiJDwssa^d Fox.
The regular season is down
to the last thiee games.
Oi Simday,
Carolina faces
New
Orleans in
Baton
Rouge, La.
The Saints beat the Panthers
PHOTOS/CURTIS WILSON
Panthers receiver Steve Smith was brought to his knees after a
Will Allen hit in Carolina’s 20-10 loss to Tampa Bay last week.
23-20 in the season opener. On
CTiristmas Eve, theyTl saddle
up against Dallas for their
final home game at Bank of
America Stadium and then
Atlanta at the Geor^a Dome
on Jan. 1.
“These games are like playoff
games,” safety Mike Minter
said. “Mth this loss, we have
to continue to win and we have
to win them out. In order for us
to get to where we need to get
to we need to win them out.”
Defensive end Julius
Peppers believes the division is
up for grabs.
“The division isn’t won,” he
said. “Tt wasn’t won before (the
See FINAIJ3C
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I