Shana Renee Stephenson. Photo Credit: In Her Shoes

All Sports Everything’s Shana Renee Stephenson and Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson talk about a ton on All Sports Everything! Press Play Above To Listen!

Shana Renee Stephenson is the truth. As per ESSENCE’s Charreah K. Jackson, Stephenson first realized her love of sports while she was in high school.

That love affair blossomed. Her brother played college football and her and her family would go and support him.

A Spelman grad, Stephenson is a life-long Knicks and Michigan Wolverines men’s basketball fan, circa the Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard and Chris Webber Fab 5 era.

As a fan of her work myself, one of the coolest parts of her journey that I appreciate are her posts on social media detailing the connection to sports that she shares with her dad.

Her sense of humor is pretty up there too! Need perspective on relationship goals? Just ask the big homie!

#GOALS

A post shared by Shana Renee (@itsshanarenee) on Jan 2, 2018 at 6:04pm PST

Her site: All Sports Everything embodies her perspectives as a native New Yorker and a former sports marketing executive at ESPN mixed in with being a genuine fan of sports.

Not only has Stephenson been on the print side, she’s also been in front of the camera. Additionally, she’s a sports fans dream working her audio chops in podcast form.

Did you see the chat that she had with ESPN’s Jemele Hill?

UnManning The Game TV: ESPN’s Jemele Hill is Winning in a Man’s World from Shana Renee on Vimeo.

Stephenson’s UnManning the Game is pretty dope, but her sports commentary is just as dope! Both her written work and social commentary have been featured on platforms like ARISE TV, MSNBC, NBC Online and ESPN.

She’s a star! 

Make sure to check out Shana Renee Stephenson’s All Sports Everything site and give her a follow on Twitter as well: @ItsShanaRenee

You’ll be glad that you did! 

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The post Scoop B: All Sports Everything’s Shana Renee Stephenson is talking about sports, her way appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Scott was a fixture at the World Wide Leader for years. He’d been revered for his mastery of phrases like ‘cool as the other side of the pillow’ and ‘boo-yah’ during his broadcasts.

Chris Broussard & Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson discuss Stuart Scott and his legacy 

He’d been fighting cancer since 2007. Born in Chicago, Scott spent his formative years growing up in North Carolina.

Before his death, Scott accepted the Jimmy V Perseverance  Award at the ESPY Awards in 2015.

He spoke about his fight with cancer and emphasized that it was his two daughters, Taelor and Sydni, that kept him fighting:

“Taelor and Sydni, I love you guys more than I will ever be able to express. You two are my heartbeat. I am standing on this stage here tonight because of you.”

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Photographer Ismail “Calligrafist” Sayeed. Photo Credit: Eric Salvary/Get Fit Radio TV

Photographer, Ismail “Calligrafist” Sayeed checked in with Scoop B Radio podcast’s Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson. Press Play Below To Listen!

If you read articles on the internet then you’ve seen his work. Photographer Ismail “Calligrafist” Sayeed has photographed the latest and greatest.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama, Dwyane Wade, Jay-Z, Fabolous, DJ Khaled, P.Diddy and many more have been photographed under the keen lens of Calligrafist.

His photography is a bridge between fashion, lifestyle, hip hop and culture.

He’s everywhere!  Literally!

Homeboy’s work has appeared in reputable publications such as Billboard, ESPN, Bleacher Report, HBO, CBS Sports, Complex, Catch Restaurant, Reebok, Nike, Adidas, New York Fashion Week, DJ USA, Hot 97, Power 105.1, S.O.B.’s, Tidal, BET, VIBE, Mass Appeal, The Shade Room, Hype Beast, The Source Magazine, REVOLT, RESPECT Magazine, Bleu Magazine and Elliot Wilson and Brian ‘B.Dot” Miller’s Rap Radar.

All of that said…guess what? He’s not comfortable! 

“The kind of person that I am, I just want to do more,” Calligraist told RESPECT Magazine today by phone.

“This is just the beginning.” 

Forever Uptown… it’s a Harlem Thing. | #CalligrafistChronicles | www.CalligrafistPhotography.com

A post shared by Ismail اسما عيل Calligrafist™ (@calligrafist) on Dec 15, 2017 at 7:12pm PST

Harlem, NY bred and globally influenced, Calligrafist actually didn’t aspire to be a photographer. In fact, he fell in love with the art of graffiti and calligraphy; hence the nickname, ‘Calligrafist.’

A man of faith, the devout Muslim is college educated at Jamia Madinatul Uloom University in Trinidad & Tobago, where he studied Quranic Studies and Arabic reading and writing.

Calligrafist acknowledges seasoned hip hop photographers like Johnny Nunez and Jonathan Mannion  who have undoubtedly paved the way for on-the rise photographers such as himself. Calligrafist emphasizes that he’s glad to sit at the table with them and eat, while also gaining their respect for his skin in the game. “It’s genuinely cool to have intimate conversations with them,” he said.

“It’s more humbling that I am able to have direct access to people that I look up to like them and someone like Lenny S., DJ Clark Kent, Emory Jones, that have a name in the industry, people that have a place in the culture, for people to acknowledge me for more my work; that’s an honor. That’s more humbling. But it moves me to want to do more.”

For more information on Calligrafist and his photographic/art movement, visit www.calligrafistphotography.com and scroll up and press play to listen to our chat on Scoop B Radio! 

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The post Scoop B: Photographer Ismail “Calligrafist” Sayeed is a rising star who has stayed true to both his Islamic faith & his craft appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

September 16, 2011 – Bergen Catholic’s Nunzio Campanile, left, and Don Bosco Prep’s Greg Toal lead their teams into Hawkins Stadium tonight for the Manatee Memorial Hospital Suncoast Challenge. Photo Credit: Tiffany Tompkins-Condie

Bergen Catholic football head coach, Nunzio Campanile chatted with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson about former Don Bosco Prep head coach, Greg Toal becoming an assistant coach at Bergen Catholic high school. Press Play Below To Listen To The Interview On Scoop B Radio.

The Bergen Catholic Crusaders and Don Bosco Prep Ironmen will play in a nationally televised game Friday night on ESPN at Granatell Stadium in Ramsey, NJ.

The two schools have become one of northern New Jersey’s storied football rivalries.

At 5-2 (3-0 in conference), Bergen Catholic are winners of their last four games defeating Paramus Catholic, St. Joseph, St. Peter’s Prep and Pope John. Crusader running backs Josh McKenzie and Rahmir Johnson have been off the charts and quarterback Johnny Langan has guided the offense.

Don Bosco Prep, 2-5 (0-2 in conference)  are looking for a win and have lost close games to St. Joseph and Paramus Catholic. Sophomore running back running back Jalen Berger has been one of the tops at his position in the state of New Jersey.

Aside from all of that, let’s not act like this is any ordinary game.

It’s the return of Don Bosco’s legendary coach, Greg Toal, who will be coaching on the opposite side of the field for the first time against a school he has plenty of history with.

Toal, now Bergen Catholic’s defensive line coach and special teams coach, abruptly retired as Don Bosco Prep’s head football coach. Toal held a 178-29 coaching record for 18 years as head coach at the school. He also guided the Ironmen to nine state titles and two national championships.

Toal’s coached players who took their talents to the NFL. That list includes, Ryan Grant, Corey Wootton and Cleveland Browns standout Jabrill Peppers.

 “Everyone had that mutual respect for Coach Toal,” Corey Wootton, now a Big Ten Network Analyst told me by phone.

“That’s what set him apart.”

Toal also introduced the state of New Jersey to the notion of a traveling schedule and playing other schools with similar prestige.

Don Bosco Prep head football coach Mike Teel. Photo Credit: NJ.com

Many within the area began to speculate that Coach Toal was forced to retire, rather than leaving on his own free will. The school quickly named Mike Teel the school’s new head varsity football coach. Toal didn’t show up to Teel’s introductory press conference.

Don Bosco Prep president, Father Jim Heuser addressed Toal’s retirement and hiring of Mike Teel in a released statement, stating:

“Finally, there has been much discussion concerning the announcement of Coach Toal’s retirement before and during last week’s press conference. Prior to the press conference last Thursday, representatives of the Board of Trustees, including our Board Chairman, met with Coach Toal concerning my decision and left with a handshake and the clear understanding that he had agreed to retire from his position. Respecting that decision, we communicated that to our students, faculty, and other interested parties last week, as Coach Toal was advised was our intent. We were surprised to later learn that Coach Toal had apparently reversed his decision.”

This Bosco/Greg Toal/Bergen Catholic saga has more storylines and relationships than an episode of All My Children.

Hopefully they have just as cool of a theme song as the tv show! 

“When I started hearing the real story I was extremely upset,” former Don Bosco Prep quarterback Steve Levy told me on the Scoop B Radio Podcast.

“I was embarrassed, and I was hurt. Those were the three feelings that I had the most and still feel.”

And there’s more:

Mike Teel, Toal’s replacement, was coach by Toal at Don Bosco Prep in the early 2000s and later served as Don Bosco Prep’s offensive coordinator under Toal up until he replaced him.

Bergen Catholic head coach, Nunzio Campanile is also a disciple of Toal.  Campanile was Don Bosco Prep’s offensive coordinator from 2000-2009 before leaving and becoming a head coach at Bergen Catholic. “I think he’s got a lot of gas in the tank,” Campanile told me on Scoop B Radio.

“And I told him when I left Don Bosco that a lot of people thought I would take over for him because I worked under him for ten years and the one thing that I said was he can step aside when he wants to. What he has done for high school football is tremendous so I was disappointed that it didn’t go that way from all of the stuff that we’ve all read. But in the end he is a great coach and he deserves the opportunity to coach and I think he’s done a great job focusing on the future rather than dwelling on the past. He’s had unbelievable memories at Don Bosco and I think he wants to keep it focused on that and what he’s going to do in the future and I think that’s a great way to look at it.”

Tired yet?

Bergen Catholic assistant coach Fred Stengel, formerly the Crusader’s head coach for 22 years before resigning in 2010, talks to players before practice on Tuesday, August 22, 2017. (Photo: Danielle Parhizkaran/Northjersey.com)

Coach Toal is also an assistant coach at Bergen Catholic along with Fred Stengel, Bergen Catholic’s once retired former head coach. Stengel was Bergen Catholic’s head football coach for 22 years before resigning. 

Stengel and Toal were once rivals and are now co-workers.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Don Bosco Prep is 38-28-2 all-time against Bergen Catholic.

Million dollar question: Is Bergen Catholic and Don Bosco Prep a rivalry?

“Absolutely,” says Coach Campanile.

“I mean first of all this is about the kids and the kids are going to play the game. If you ask Coach Toal, that’s what he’s going to say and if you ask Coach Stengel,  that’s what he’s going to say. And if you ask, Mike Teel that’s what he’s going to say. They are the ones who go out and play the game and they deserve to be a part of that rivalry, which is as good as it gets in America when it comes to high school sports; especially football.

Added Coach Campanile:

“Coach Toal coming to Bergen [Catholic]  has nothing to do with Don Bosco. It has to do with a great fit and him having an opportunity to coach, me having the opportunity to get a great coach, our school getting a great mentor. But at the same time, when it comes to the game, we’re going to crank it up and we’re going to play football and it’s going to be a great game like it’s always been a great game.”

With more than a few family trees involved, Friday’s ESPN nationally televised game between the two schools can’t come soon enough. 

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The post Scoop B: Coach Greg Toal’s Return To Don Bosco Prep Has More Ironies Than Your Favorite Soap Opera appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

New England Patriots’ Tom Brady and New York Giants’ Odell Beckham, Jr. are usually bug gamers in fantasy football. Photo Courtesy of YouTube

DraftKings is on the move. Bost Biz Journal’s Kelly J. O’Brien detailed that 2017 has been kind to the company as they’ve creating relationships and partnerships through radio, TV and live sporting events and they’re primed and ready to make moves exceeding just fantasy sports.

Back in fall 2015,  DraftKings took some heat when the New York Times reported that an employee admitted he accidentally released early data which provided information to cheat the system and win $350,000 on a rival website, FanDuel. People who take part in this high-stake game now question whether or not this self-regulating industry is a safe or fair bet.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson discussing DraftKings and Fan Duel On CBS This Morning. Photo Courtesy of DJ Manny EL

RESPECT Magazine’s Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson chatted with CBS This Morning’s Jeff Glor on the allegations that rocked the multi-billion-dollar industry. Press Play Below to view.

Two years later, DraftKings has mortgaged itself to be in good position for the foreseeable future.

DraftKings has made serious moves in 2017. Photo Credit: DraftKings

On Wednesday, the private fantasy sports site made waves when it hired former CBS Corp. executive Ezra Kucharz as chief business officer. Kucharz was instrumental in strongly building the digital infrastructure of CBS Radio’s play.it through CBS local.

Some of DraftKings’ partnership agreements include Major League Baseball’s investment stake in the company, ESPN’s exclusive $250 million advertising contract and 21st Century Fox’s $250M non-exclusive advertising deal.

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The post Scoop B: Fantasy Football’s DraftKings Are Solid After Hirings, MLB, ESPN, Bleacher Report Partnerships appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Sal Masekela. Photo Credit: Zimbio

Tracy McGrady was recently cemented into the Naismith Hall of Fame. Tracy McGrady was one of the most successful swingmen to play in the NBA. At a slim and lanky 6’8, McGrady had a quick first step, a smooth glide to the basket.

That explosiveness could easily be identified in an NBA Playoffs matchup between McGrady’s Orlando Magic and the Detroit Pistons. In the 3rd quarter of that first round series,  McGrady dunks on Pistons 6’11 forward Mehmet Okur.

High school senior LeBron James and Maverick Carter courtside at Orlando Magic playoff game in 2003. Photo Credit: Uproxx

What’s lost in the translation is that LeBron James, a high school senior was in attendance courtside at that game donning an all- red Chicago Bulls Orlando Woolridge jersey with his now, business partner Maverick Carter next to him.

James was excited after McGrady’s dunk.

But what’s even cooler was the interview that LBJ did afterward with Sal Masekela. Who? You know who Sal Masekela is! The X Games guy!

“Man that dunk was ridiculous,” LeBron James told Masekela courtside during the live broadcast.

“His athletic ability is beyond wonders and right now he’s showing a lot. His first game of the playoffs and if they keep going, I hope he gets a victory out of this.”

The video with LeBron James and Sal Masekela begins at the 0:48 mark

 

Masekela had a natural rapport with James and probably got more courtside tv time with James back then versus what many get now but that synergistic moment was worthy of examination. Masekela is no longer at ESPN after a 13 year run covering the X Games. He’s now making magic happen at Vice Sports Sports. “ I am hosting and executive producing Vice World Of Sports,” Sal Masekela told me on Scoop B Radio.

Check Out Sal Masekela & Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson’s Chat On Scoop B Radio 

“Which for me has become the show that I am most proud of so far in my career because I’m getting to get out and go around the world and tell real stories about places and cultures but the lens just happens to be sports.”

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The post Scoop B: Reliving Tracy McGrady’s Dunk On Mehmet Okur In NBA Playoffs & Sal Masekla’s ESPN Interview With LeBron James appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

ESPN anchor Jemele Hill and U.S. President Donald Trump. Photo Credit: Chicago Sun Times

Earlier this week, ESPN Sportscenter anchor Jemele Hill sent a tweet that had everyone talking.

Hill called current U.S. President, Donald Trump a “white supremacist” and the most ignorant, offensive president of her lifetime, stating:

“Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists.”

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders stated that that was a “fireable offense.”

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders calls Jemele Hill’s comments ‘a fireable offense.’ pic.twitter.com/M0wYyZuNUp

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) September 13, 2017

ESPN issued a statement explaining that although Hill has a right to her personal opinion, her tweets “crossed the line,” stating: 

“The comments on Twitter from Jemele Hill regarding the President do not represent the position of ESPN. We have addressed this with Jemele and she recognizes her actions were inappropriate.”

Hill issued a statement on Wednesday night:

So, to address the elephant in the room … #Facts pic.twitter.com/RTrIDD87ut

— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) September 14, 2017

President Trump addressed it all via Twitter stating:

ESPN is paying a really big price for its politics (and bad programming). People are dumping it in RECORD numbers. Apologize for untruth!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2017

NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 21: TV anchor Rev. Al Sharpton on set at MSNBC. (Photos by Charles Ommanney/ Reportage by Getty Images)

Civil rights activist and National Action Network founder, Rev. Al Sharpton issued a warning to ESPN not to heed the call by the administration to fire Jemele Hill, and will call for a meeting with ESPN executives around the issue.

“Should ESPN fire Ms. Hill, the National Action Network is prepared to take action against ESPN in response,” Rev. Al Sharpton told RESPECT Magazine in a released statement.

“NAN will not stand by while the administration uses the power of the presidency to intimidate members of the press who express their political views.”

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The post Scoop B: U.S. President Donald Trump & Rev. Al Sharpton Weigh-In On Tweets Of ESPN SportsCenter’s Jemele Hill appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.