Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Without Bias airs tonight on ESPN. It's part of the network's 30 for 30 series of documentaries.

Of all my ridiculous sports obsessions, Maryland basketball probably runs the deepest. I can get pretty worked up watching a game, to the point where I've seen friends recoil at the illogical intensity of my passion.

So it was a pretty rough day when, at 12 years old, I learned that Len Bias had died of a cocaine overdose. I remember riding my bike furiously down Riverside Drive in Salisbury, Maryland and just bawling after hearing the news.

I didn't know nothing about cocaine then. But I'd try plenty of drugs in the ensuing years: pot, acid, ecstacy. Pretty much whatever I could get my hands on. However, I largely stayed away from coke. Even when I was in the belly of the beast in South Florida some years later, surrounded by people hoovering nose candy, I passed on the rolled up dollar bills.

I've sampled enough blow, though, to understand it's allure. You feel indestructible on that shit. But Bias was always in the back of my mind.

So it's interesting to read this post by Ta-Nehisi Coates -- a black kid growing up in West Baltimore when Bias died -- and learn that it ingrained in him (and the folks he ran with) a similar revulsion to cocaine.

It's little consolation, of course, but perhaps Bias' death saved a whole bunch of us idiots from chasing that particularly perilous high.

6 Comments:

Blogger Reel Fanatic said...

The movie will slay you .. It rather abruptly changes course at the end to do some(very correct) preaching about mandatory minimums, but it's mostly a lot of Len and his teammates ... tough stuff, but still great

5:07 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

2015-10-15leilei
ugg boots sale
Abercrombie Outlet Store Online
true religion outlet
cheap ugg boots
coach factory outlet
Air Jordan Retro 6S Shoes
authentic louis vuitton handbags
Canada Goose Outlet,Canada Goose Outlet Online,Canada Goose Clearance
true religion jeans
Michael Kors Handbags Outlet
Louis Vuitton Handbags Discount
michael kors bags
Ugg Boots Outlet Clearance,Cheap Uggs On Sale Discount For Women
Canada Goose Jackets/Coats And Parka Online
celine bags
Christian Louboutin Outlet Authentic sneakers
Louis Vuitton Outlet Official Site
ugg boots sale
canada goose
Louis Vuitton UK
Louis Vuitton Handbags Outlet
tory burch sale
toms outlet
Michael Kors Outlet Discount
Coach Outlet Coach factory
Louis Vuitton Handbags
ray-ban sunglasses,ray ban sunglasses,ray bans,rayban,ray ban wayfarer,raybans,ray ban glasses,ray ban aviators,ray ban clubmaster,ray ban eyeglasses,cheap ray bans,ray bans sunglasses,ray ban aviator,ray bands,fake ray bans,ray ban prescription glasses,ray ban outlet,ray ban canada,ray ban sunglasses sale,ray ban sale
Michael Kors Handbags Outlet Clearance
jordan shoes
Canada Gooses Sale,Canada Gooses Jackets,Canada Gooses Coats,Canada Gooses Parka

9:44 PM  
Blogger chenmeinv0 said...

discount jordans
montblanc pen
cheap ray ban sunglasses
ray bans uk
air max 95
cheap jordan shoes
oakley sunglasses
cheap ugg boots
cheap uggs
adidas yeezy
2016.9.29xukaimin

8:08 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

saints jerseys stationery
nike air force 1 of
los angeles clippers jerseys the
cheap oakley sunglasses have
cheap nba jerseys the
nike trainers it
fitflops shoes stuffed
michael kors handbags wholesale obvious
skechers shoes cute!
omega watches weekly

1:45 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

nike huarache
pandora jewelry
michael kors outlet
nike shoes
mbt shoes
tory burch outlet
michael kors handbags
burberry outlet
michael kors handbags
hermes belt
20170804caihuali

10:35 PM  
Blogger jeje said...

canada goose jackets
prada outlet
kate spade outlet
coach outlet online
giuseppe zanotti shoes
nike chaussure femme
kate spade outlet
moncler jackets
michael kors outlet clearance
coach handbags

8:56 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home