GeneTherapy

• Gene Therapy: Guilty Until Proven....Guilty - The Case For and Against Deshaun Watson

  Mar 15, 2022 Gene Clemons 0 Comments

  

   

  by Gene Clemons

   

  On March 11th a Harris County grand jury made up of 12 people sat and heard evidence presented to them for six hours and at the conclusion of their deliberation, they decided that there was no reason to go forward with sexual misconduct charges against Texans’ quarterback Deshaun Watson. It was a decision that marked the first legal action being decided in a case that has been tried in the court of public opinion for a year. The verdict had already been rendered. It was loud and almost unanimous; guilty! So of course, people were surprised to see this decision from the grand jury. After all, there were 23 women. They can’t all be lying, right?

   

  If we take a look at the timeline of this case, things never really seemed black and white and at best always felt like something wasn’t right. When the initial civil suit was filed, Watson’s attorney had documentation that they said showed that the accuser attempted to blackmail Watson about a consensual encounter and once he was non-compliant, the lawsuit was the next level of escalation. Shortly after the same attorney was able to get other women who were willing to file civil suits against Watson. As the suits piled up, so did the doubt about Watson’s innocence. After all, where there is smoke, there’s usually fire and this was quickly becoming a blazing inferno. But there was information that made no sense. The lawyer filing all of the suits, did not want to release the accusers' names to the defense. None of them made any criminal complaints and many of them met with Watson more than once. None of those things are enough to say a man is innocent, but it is enough to say there’s doubt.

   

  Shortly after the Houston police department opened a criminal investigation into Watson surrounding these allegations. Now things took a real turn. Media and those that were following the case felt as if this was the worst thing for Watson who was still actively trying to force a trade out of Houston because the team seemed as if they were going in a direction that Watson did not want to go. Some of the regular words and phrases that you heard used to describe Watson and his case were, “radioactive” “Not reliable at this time” “not worth the backlash”. Some people said that teams would be foolish to trade for him “given the uncertainty of his situation.” But the truth is that his situation was pretty simple. He had been accused of something that he emphatically denied and had not even been charged with a crime. So, the projections about Watson seemed to be based on a presumption of guilt and the risk associated with being linked to someone like that.

   

  So, after being drugged through the mud for the past year and called a “serial predator” Watson finally saw a victory. The grand jury decision meant that there would be no criminal case against him, and that allowed all of the trade discussions to pick up once again. Many teams are rumored to have shown interest and why not. For a team without a quarterback, Watson represents the lifeblood every team needs to make a run at a championship, and they all know that Watson not only has championship DNA, but he is also still one of the young guns in the NFL with room to continuously improve. But as soon as we began hearing the rumors about where he might end up, we started seeing the negatives pop up from people again.

   

  It's always amazing to watch people conveniently pull out their moral values in situations that are not warranted and don't really concern them. So many were too quick to condemn Watson and now, even with these new developments they don't want to admit that they may have been a little hasty with their condemnation. It is pride that gets in the way of people admitting that they could be wrong. As a result, they double down and in many cases get even louder. Trying to sway the people with their passion and anecdotal information rather than with the facts. This is what prolongs the embarrassment for all parties involved. For the accused, they never get the chance to put the incident in their rear view. For the accuser it is a reminder that they either were not believed, or lied and almost ruined someone’s life. 

   

  When Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and others died in a tragic helicopter crash, so many people came out to celebrate the life of this extraordinary man. Someone who had been taken from the world too soon and one that many believed had the opportunity to have a major impact on society well in the future. The stories talked about how much he loved being a father to girls and the responsibility he carried. There were stories about his support and advocacy for the WNBA and all of the countless philanthropic endeavors that he never wanted to be made public. But in the midst of all of the positive remembrance of his life and impact, there were still people who brought up the 2003 rape charge that was dismissed. Even in tragic death, people felt the need to bring up the lowest moment in an otherwise stellar life. That is the impact an accusation can have.

   

  In the end, there are no winners, there are only victims. That’s the sad part. The only people who will ever know what happened in those massage sessions are Deshaun Watson and those women. Everyone else is left with speculation. If we truly believed in the words “innocent until proven guilty” we would give those that have not been charged with a crime the respect of not being referred to as criminals. We must never forget that being accused is not the same as being convicted. The accused deserves as much respect and consideration as the accuser, especially when the evidence is he said, she said. It is ok to wait and see. Nobody is harmed by patience.

   

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  Gene Clemons is a Sports Analyst and Contributor to CWN Sports. His weekly column and podcast - Gene Therapy focuses on Sports, Politics and Social/Urban issues.

   

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• Gene Therapy: NFL Scouting Combine 2022 | Speed Kills

  Mar 11, 2022 Gene Clemons 0 Comments

  

   

  by Gene Clemons

   

  The moment we saw all of the receivers blazing fast times on day one of the on-field drills, we should not have been surprised by what we saw on the final day from the defensive backs. 13 prospects recorded sub 4.4 forties during the premiere drill of the combine. They wrapped up what will go down as one of the fastest NFL combines in history. But why?

   

  There's curiosity behind these turbo-charged times. Why now? What made this year different? Is this an anomaly or is this a turning point in history? Will this result in a recalibration of what is considered a fast time? It used to be that a sub 4.5 marked elite speed, and those that recorded times below 4.4 were considered freaks of nature worthy of track and field consideration. 4.2’s that was flirting with all-time greatness, the Prime Time, CJ2K elite that would net you an immediate shoe contract.

   

  This year a defensive end ran sub-4.4, that’s right, a defensive end!

   

  Overall, three players broke into the 4.2’s. Baylor cornerback Kalon Barnes was the fastest man at the combine, recording a 4.23. 28 players ran faster than 4.4 seconds and 36 players crossed the laser in under 4.5 seconds. That’s 67 players who ran under a 4.5 forty. That’s more players who ran sub 4.4 than they did in 2021 and any other combine in the 21st century. But again, why? The interesting part of evaluation is that the forty is not the best drill to assess talent at the next level because it is only a straight-line drill. The three-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle are both much better drills to assess a prospect’s ability because they incorporate change of direction and acceleration. However, neither of those drills really show well on camera, they don’t do well with a simulcast. It is not easy for the laymen’s eye to decipher the difference between a good performance and a bad performance. At the end of the day, speed kills on the field and it sells off of it.

   

  Preparing for the event

   

  With the spotlight being shone on the forty-yard dash and teams proving that speed moves players up draft boards it is not surprising that more and more prospects are focusing less and less of their pre-draft workout on getting better at their craft and more time on being better at the 40. It has become its own competition with costly ramifications. Performance institutes seem to work on increasing explosion, stride length, form and leg drive. It seems to be working if we go by the numbers. More players are running faster times but at what cost?

   

  Dane Brugler, draft analyst for The Athletic, tweeted that there were only two receivers that ran sub seven seconds in the three-cone drill; that’s compared to 23 in 2017. The steep fall off can be directly related to the effort expended training for the 40. They spend less time training their change of direction because they know many novices don’t pay attention to it and those numbers don’t seem to move the needle on draft day. 

   

  We also see more and more prospects cherry-picking their events and it is not surprising that we see so many draft hopefuls only complete the 40 and maybe one of the two explosion drills (vertical or broad). They want to put their best foot forward and then maybe double back to the other drills at their pro day. It is a smart strategy when it pays off but it does not answer questions like it used to. There was a time where the combine was stressful because it was a one shot deal, a place where everyone got to do everything at one time. With their film in hand and the information gathered from the combine, an evaluator would have all they needed to give an accurate assessment of a player's potential at the next level. It also showed the ability of the player to perform under stressful conditions. Now prospects are choosing to piece out their performances over several stops which might help them produce better numbers but does not answer any questions that may be there regarding their internal makeup. It definitely makes it more difficult on an evaluator who would rather see things with their own eyes instead of relying on just numbers. 

   

  Evaluations are blinded by speed

   

  The fascination with speed has led to many teams missing on talented prospects because they fell in love with the speed of their contemporaries. In this draft University of Arkansas receiver Treylon Burkes was thought by many to be the top guy at the position. He ran a 4.55 40-yard time and people started backing off that prediction. It is funny because nothing about his football performance changed, he just ran a slower time than prognosticators believed he would. Because of that, many believe he has fallen below other receivers who have produced better times. That seems Counterproductive, especially when you consider the NFL player he has been compared to; Deebo Samuel. 

   

  Samuel ran a 4.48 forty at the combine in 2019 and received similar reactions. That caused him to drop out of the first round where he was projected to go. Marquise Brown and N’Keal Harry were both taken in the first round as Samuel draped into the second round and was chosen with the 36th overall pick. Samuel just finished an All Pro season for the 49ers and while neither Brown or Harry have been bad, they have not lived up to their draft status. AJ Brown and DK Metcalf were also taken late in the second round of that draft. So clearly there is no formula for a receiver that should be based on speed alone. 

   

  Every NFL Draft season mistakes are made because people get enamored with speed, at every position. Does it really matter that an offensive linemen ran sub five seconds on the forty, does that equate in any way to on-field success? The answer is no. But every year we marvel at those behemoths running items that used to be reserved for tight ends and linebackers.

   

  Speed kills, and when people believe that you lack it, it can kill so much more.

   

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  Gene Clemons is a Sports Analyst and Contributor to CWN Sports. His weekly column and podcast - Gene Therapy focuses on Sports, Politics and Social/Urban issues.

   

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• Gene Therapy: NBA - Is Philly Special?

  Feb 27, 2022 Gene Clemons 0 Comments

  

   

  by Gene Clemons

   

  Ben Simmons and James Harden finally got what they were looking for and in doing so they have possibly changed the entire landscape of the NBA's Eastern Conference. While New Jersey will definitely miss what Harden brings to the table as a scorer and a facilitator, removing him from the lineup and inserting players secure in their roles, and willing to do some of the dirty work offensively and defensively that Harden was not committed to, can actually improve the team. Adding to that intrigue is the opportunity for Kyrie Irving to return to the team full time with New York relaxing their restrictions. For Philadelphia it is simple. They will actually get a player willing to play. While getting rid of a player who has been a tremendous distraction to their team since the end of their 20-21 season. 

   

  If Simmons can return to the court and become the player he was with Philly, he is a plus defender and elite athlete who could be a slasher in an offense that would not require him to play the point or dominate the ball. He also provides them with another ball handler who can facilitate with a second unit. The Nets also received help in the form of sharpshooter Seth Curry, who can provide even more off-the-ball scoring power or to compliment the on-ball offensive prowess of the team.

   

  My problem with Philly

   

  Although the "trust the process" days are over for the sixers, the stigma behind what they did still permeates the halls and affects everything. What they created was a culture of losing with zero accountability. The thought that you could purposely lose your way to a winning team is a flawed logic. While you may end up drafting valuable pieces, if you never teach them the value of winning, how do you expect them to build and sustain a winning culture? The process stunted Joel Embiid's progress as he spent too much time on the sideline and not enough on the court becoming the leader, and dominant force that we see today. Now he's spent the last few years figuring out the dedication necessary to be a champion. That's something Ben Simmons never learned (we'll put a pin in that).

   

  In steps James Harden who, because of his immense skill, has been able to skate by without absorbing full responsibility for his postseason shortcomings. Harden has never been the model of health and fitness (similar to Embiid) and when the lights were brightest, he seemed to shrink. But more damming is when it was time to collect responsibility, he's looked for the out and now for the second time in his career he purposely sabotaged his current team to force a trade to what he believes is a better option. That type of behavior doesn't scream champion, but this is what we sew being sold as legitimate championship contenders. Two supremely talented stars who have never won anything with a history of fitness issues and a track record of unavailability or coming up small in big moments.

   

  My Problem With Brooklyn

   

  This issue with Brooklyn is simple. They can't be relying on Ben Simmons, right? There's nothing about the Ben Simmons situation that would make me feel good about putting him on the court. I have long suspected Simmons was fool's gold. Choosing to go to LSU over all the major players who understand what the one and done life is all about, felt like he was afraid of the pressure that would come with attending one of those marquee universities where basketball is king.

   

  The second red flag came with his disinterested game at LSU and inability to elevate that program to a tournament level. Then there was his rookie season. While most believe that Simmons misses his first season due to injury, the truth is that he was capable of coming back but he (armed with the blessing of an organization dedicated to losing on purpose) decided that making a couple million dollars by sitting out and waiting until next season to play and possibly win rookie of the year was worth more than playing the second half of the season and gaining valuable experience. 

   

  Finally, after last season, where he was upset over receiving deserved criticism, he wanted out. He refused to show up for work this NBA season and when the Sixers began to fine him, he announced that he was dealing with mental health issues. The issue was that with Philly, Simmons was not expected to play this season but magically when he's traded to Brooklyn now, he's preparing to return. Did a trade really solve his mental health issues or is it fair to wonder if he ever really had issues. That's the type of element that Brooklyn is welcoming in.

   

  Instant rivalry 

   

  At the very least, this immediately becomes the best current rivalry in the NBA. Not since the Pierce/Garnett Celtics were bumping up against the Heatles'' has the Eastern Conference been so spicy. KD and Kyrie will definitely be looking to cook Harden when they match up and of course Harden will look to show them what they are missing. Of course, Embiid will jump into whatever beef as he is the biggest troll in the NBA and maybe, just maybe Ben Simmons will stand up and show the type of fire that could make him a legit factor in a series.

   

  As of now, the Sixers are the new Belle of the ball. Harden has come out doing all the things that make you fall in love with his talent and if you listen to Embiid, life has never been better, and the game has never been easier. We've seen this honeymoon phase before. The question is, will this marriage last or will the Wandering eye of Harden and his unwillingness to work on his flaws rear their head once again?

   

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  Gene Clemons is a Sports Analyst and Contributor to CWN Sports. His weekly column and podcast - Gene Therapy focuses on Sports, Politics and Social/Urban issues.

   

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• Super Bowl LVI - Here for the Halftime Show

  Feb 14, 2022 Gene Clemons 1 Comments

  

   

   

  by Gene Clemons

   

  Super Bowl LVI took on an HBCU feel this season. Congratulations to the LA Rams and all of their mercenary players who were able to turn this team into a winner. It has been said that the Rams have justified moving back to LA because of the success they had. The truth is that they had the same type of success in St. Louis. Ultimately this was a money play and fortunately for them, it worked. SoFi Stadium was packed to capacity and on full display. It’s over five-billion-dollar price tag was spent on every amenity that a high dollar fan would ever want but only a fraction of a percent was spent to protect players as the synthetic turf claim yet another victim. It was the type of game that most of us are used to a back-and-forth chess match where referees made calls and no calls on both teams that helped impact the outcome. We waited to watch offensive innovation and once again the spotlight was stolen by defensive brilliance. Stars were stars and the Rams had more than the Bengals. In the end that was the difference. It was OBJ, Cooper Kupp, Vonn Miller and Aaron Donald walking away champions and shedding tears of joy.

   

  But did anyone really care? From the moment it was announced everyone was buzzing about the Super Bowl halftime show. The idea of Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog, Eminem, Mary J, and Kendrick Lamar all gracing the stage together for the night seemed like an homage to the West Coast. The halftime show commercial was released almost three weeks before the big game and garnered over 15 million streams on YouTube. It was clear that everyone was hyped up about the halftime show more than the game. But what made this halftime show different? What made this one unique?

   

  For me and for many others like me, it was personal. We have seen performers grace the Super Bowl stage that we have grown up with but the aggressive, outlandish, outlaw nature of Hip Hop, especially Hip Hop in the 90’s, that we fell in love with and that defined our generation was something we never believed would get the opportunity to headline that event. It was too raw, too real, too rebellious. Hip Hop artists might get a song on the set of another Pop artist set but never the stage to itself. Hip Hop has finally had the opportunity to do what many of its artists have not been able to do throughout the years due to untimely death or incarceration, mature.

   

  Never forget Dr. Dre was once a part of a group that openly defied police and their practices and was arrested repeatedly for performing “F The Police”. Snoop Dogg was on trial for murder. These two guys have grown up to be luminaries of the genre. Dre is a billion-dollar mogul and Snoop Dog is every artist’s cool-ass uncle. Mary J was the round the way girl that grew up to be the unquestioned queen of Hip Hop Soul. Eminem went from being the enigmatic caricature vulturing black culture for profit, to one of the most socially conscious performers of the time. Now they were able to receive their flowers in the light reserved for the hall of famers.

   

  The performance was everything and certainly lived up to the hype. Dre and Snoop kicked it off and both performed the songs we would expect to hear. They didn’t sound run down or old, they were definitely more mature but also still masters of the craft. In true hip hop fashion, the surprise performer was, another hip hop artist and 50 Cent hung upside down doing his smash hit “In Da Club”. Mary J was glammed out and did her thing although I admittedly thought there were a couple other songs that would work better than the songs, she performed but that’s just me nitpicking. The fly thing about the halftime performance is that you were able to see the torch being passed from those luminaries to one of the hottest performers today, Kendrick Lamar. He embodied everything we love about the performance aspect of the genre. Then came Eminem with high energy and raw emotion. Even a star like Anderson Paak was there on the drums smiling from ear to ear because you could only imagine that he too grew up like we did listening to this music and now he was a part of making history. How many artists do you know would be humble enough to play the background like that?

   

  The audacity of Hip Hop to embrace its brand right there for everyone to see. It was reported that Dr. Dre was told to not say “still not loving police” and he did it anyway. Eminem was told to refrain from kneeling, and he did it anyway. Why would we expect anything less from this genre? It was epic and the perfect respect paid to the ones who came before them.

   

  This halftime performance ranks third for me. Number one will always be Prince because how do you top singing Purple Rain in the rain; it was epic! Second is the Beyonce performance because it really was one of the most action-packed half-time shows ever, it just kept coming. I felt tired after it was over. Then comes this show followed by Michael Jackson and then the Bruno Mars show. I originally said Katy Perry on the podcast but my guy Brandon Howard who I travel down memory lane with on the podcast made me change my mind.

   

  From a nostalgic aspect, it hit all the bells and really left me feeling good about the opportunities for hip hop going forward. It has broken through the glass ceiling and now the sky's the limit. It has renewed my hope that we will see more hip-hop headliners and keep alive my dream of an Outkast Super Bowl halftime show.

   

  Let’s make this happen Jay Z!

   

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  Gene Clemons is a Sports Analyst and Contributor to CWN Sports. His weekly column and podcast - Gene Therapy focuses on Sports, Politics and Social/Urban issues.

   

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• Gene Therapy: Addressing Racial Discrimination in the NFL | If Not Now, Then When?

  Feb 5, 2022 Gene Clemons 0 Comments

   

   

  by Gene Clemons

   

  The Brian Flores lawsuit brings to light all of the issues that many people have pointed out that exist in the NFL regarding their questionable hiring practices. There is only one black head coach in the NFL and despite multiple head coach openings, the Rooney Rule and public scrutiny waiting, there has not been one black head coach hired so far during this cycle. That's where Flores comes in. He believes, and seems to have proof, that the Miami Dolphins fired him because he refused to lose on purpose and that the New York Giants interviewed him for their head coaching job knowing they had already made a decision to hire a white coach. Since its inception claims have been made that the Rooney Rule is nothing more than a front so that arrogant, white owners can save face when asked about diversity in their hiring practices while continuing to employ the people they really want to hire but for as much conjecture as there has been out there, there's never really been any legitimate proof.

   

    The fact that the NFL, before doing any investigation to see if any of these allegations were true, would come out and make a statement saying that the allegations were meritless only proves that regardless of whether they believe they've done something wrong or not, there is zero chance that the NFL would take action against their own teams when it comes to diversity hiring impropriety. After all the NFL is not afraid to swing their hammer. They spent months investigating whether or not a football was underinflated during a game. They then levied punishment against an organization that included a heavy fine and a loss of draft picks. This Flores case should not have even been a difficult press release to write. Something like this would have worked while they actually took time to investigate:

   

  "We were informed of the lawsuit by Coach Flores and disappointed that one of our more respected coaches felt as if he was treated improperly. We care about our diversity initiatives and take any allegations that our Rooney Rule has been violated or that the integrity of our game has been compromised seriously. We will investigate the allegations and when we have a better understanding of the facts, address it in further detail."

   

  Instead, they Dismissed Flores and immediately, several media members took to their platforms to discredit Flores' claims. The regular smear campaign was on. People saying that they had first-hand knowledge that his claims were false while producing no evidence and hiding behind anonymous sources. People like Tiki Barber came to the defense of the Giants based on his love of the organization and the fact that they had a black GM. It is the same claim that so many Giants fans made while arguing against Flores.

   

  "He's just mad because the Giants didn't hire him." and "This isn't going to help him get another head coaching job." are common responses you can find about this situation. The truth is these people are somewhat right but like what happens with issues of race and equality, they completely miss the point and only focus on the low hanging fruit. Yes, he's mad but not because the Giants didn't hire him. He's upset because they used him to make a mockery out of a rule meant to give coaches like him legitimate opportunities to ascend to head coaching positions. And yes, this isn't going to help his cause for getting another head coaching job.

   

  But those who question him should ask themselves 'why?'

   

  Why would a man who spent 15 years working his way up from a scouting assistant to get his opportunity to be a head coach in the NFL want to ruin the lifestyle he has crafted as a professional football coach?

   

  Why would a coach who cut his teeth in an organization committed to winning want to purposely lose?

   

  Why would a man of color who understands how difficult it is for coaches like him to elevate to a head coach position, try to sabotage his opportunity to do so in the future?

   

  Why would a coach who has never sought the spotlight at any time in his almost 20-year NFL career, all of a sudden decide he wants to throw himself into a situation that is sure to garner all of the attention he's actively avoided? 

   

  Why would a man who has been applauded as a man of integrity just fabricate these stories out of thin air?

   

  The answers are simple, and they all come back to one undeniable point; there is definitely merit! Eventually one of these minority coaches were going to get tired of being quiet for fear of losing their livelihood and blow the top off of a problem that has been around for as long as black men have been allowed to coach professional football. You can't continue to discredit people and expect that all of them are going to just shut up and be content with their fate in this profession.

   

  While the sports world was digesting this news, the Vikings and Jaguars both hired new head coaches, and neither were minorities. So even during a time where the diversity hiring practices of NFL teams were being publicly debated, NFL teams continued to keep things status quo with their hirings. This says there is no change coming regardless of this case. So, what is there to do to get change?

   

  Unfortunately, the responsibility comes back on the players. They have another opportunity to show that this is about more than just money and that if they are united, they have the power to create change in their profession. The NFL is made up of 70% minorities. That means if that 70% disappears, there is no NFL. The question becomes do they really care. Do they feel as if they should be coached by men that look like them? If so, the answer is simple. Don't play until there are legitimate changes made and not sometime in the future, but right now! Demand that people of color be hired until 50% of the head coaches in the league are represented by people of color. There are more than enough qualified black men to do the job correctly. If they don't really care, then it's time to get rid of the Rooney Rule and refer to the NFL in the proper context, one that doesn't include them as a leader in the efforts to increase diversity or support the causes of equal rights and opportunities.

   

  The time for talk seems to be over, actions are the only thing that's going to get this done. If this climate of empowerment and inclusion is not the time, when is it? If this is not the cause to get behind, what would be? If this isn't more important than money, nothing will be. If the players are as tired as their people are, what would keep them from acting? 

   

  If not now, then when?

   

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  Gene Clemons is a Sports Analyst and Contributor to CWN Sports. His weekly column and podcast - Gene Therapy focuses on Sports, Politics and Social/Urban issues.

   

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