Honda Campus All-Star Challenge

Proving that intelligence is more than just book smarts, Oakwood University leveraged teamwork and speed and knowledge to emerge victorious as National Champions of the 19th annual Honda Campus All-Star Challenge. This event is the largest annual academic competition between the nation's leading Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and was held this weekend in Orlando, Florida. Oakwood University showcased their skills and intellect by quickly and accurately answering questions on world history, science, literature, religion, the arts, social sciences, popular culture and African-American history and culture. Correctly answering the final question:

For reasons yet unknown, this disease correlates with biochemical markers called human leukocyte antigens. It does not, however, involve leukocytes but myelin sheaths protecting nerve cells. Name this crippling disease of young adults.
(Correct answer: Multiple Sclerosis)

Oakwood University topped second place finisher Alcorn State University to claim the championship and take home $50,000 in grant money for their school. More than 320 college students from 64 HBCUs across the country gathered to compete in the three-day tournament to win grants and glory for their academic institutions. Now in its 19th year, the Honda Campus All-Star Challenge (HCASC) celebrates the proud academic heritage of the nation's HBCUs and showcases the great minds these institutions have produced. HCASC provides a platform for America's best and brightest from the nation's HBCUs to come together as friends, competitors and future leaders. This event allows students to compete, engage in teamwork, and establish long-term relationships.

During the three-day tournament, the 64 HBCU teams of four compete in a modified round robin format. Teams are randomly placed into eight divisions. The divisions are named after famous Black people. The top two teams from each of the eight divisions advance to the "Sweet 16," then "elite eight" and "final four" in a single elimination playoff. The final two teams then compete for the National Champion title in a best 2 out of 3 final series. In addition to Oakwood University and Alcorn State University, student teams from Howard University and the Southern University-Baton Rouge also demonstrated their academic prowess by making it to the final four. This year's HCASC theme, "Call to Action," encouraged students to take from this experience a greater understanding of what they can do personally to positively contribute to the society. Keynote speaker Sheila Johnson, president and managing partner of the WNBA's Washington Mystics, co-founder of BET, and a major philanthropist, encouraged students to heed the call to action.

American Honda Motor Co. Inc. is the founder and host of this academic challenge and provides more than $300,000 in institutional grants each year to the HBCUs that participate in the competition. Established in 1989 by American Honda Motor Co., Inc., the annual academic challenge has touched more than 50,000 HBCU students and awarded more than $5 million in grants to HBCUs to improve campus life through facility improvements and expanded academic resources. Game play takes place during two eight minute halves. Questions are split into toss-ups and bonus questions. The toss-up questions are always ten points in value, while bonuses have varying point values, no more than thirty possible points.

2008 HCASC "Sweet 16" Teams:
Alabama A&M University
Alcorn State University
Florida A&M University
Grambling State University
Howard University
Langston University
Morehouse College
Norfolk State University
North Carolina Central University
Oakwood University
Prairie View A&M University
Tennessee State University
Tuskegee University
Southern University - Baton Rouge
University of Maryland Eastern Shore
West Virginia State University

An episode of A Different World, entitled "Goodwill Games" revolves around the premise of Dwayne Wayne and Whitley Gilbert competing in Hillman College's Campus All-Star Challenge tournament.

For their efforts, the representative schools are awarded grants
• The NCT Champion school is awarded $50,000
• Runner-Up takes $25,000
• Semifinalists take $15,000
• Quarterfinalists take $7,500
• Teams who make the first round of the playoffs take $5,000
• NCT qualifiers take $3,000
• An additional $1,000 grant is awarded to the schools of All-Star players, so designated as being the top individual scorers in each of the 8 divisions.
• The recipient of the Sportsperson Award earns their school an additional $1,000 grant

Past HCASC winners
1990 West Virginia State College
1991 Florida A&M University
1992 Norfolk State University
1993 Tuskegee University
1994 Tuskegee University
1995 Jackson State University
1996 Florida A&M University
1997 Alabama State University
1998 Florida A&M University
1999 Florida A&M University
2000 Clark Atlanta University
2001 Morehouse College
2002 Morehouse College
2003 Florida A&M University
2004 Morehouse College
2005 Florida A&M University
2006 Morehouse College
2007 Tennessee State University
2008 Oakwood University

For more information on the Honda Campus All Star Challenge, and, a list of the 64 participating HBCUs, please visit www.HCASC.com.

Third Annual USA TODAY Hollywood Hero Award

NBA Legend, entrepreneur and philanthropist Earvin “Magic” Johnson, will receive the annual USA TODAY Hollywood Hero Award for his work in entertainment and underserved communities with the Magic Johnson Foundation. A long-time humanitarian and social advocate, Magic founded the Magic Johnson Foundation in 1991 as a single-disease organization that worked to raise funds for community-based organizations dealing with HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs. Over the past few years, the Magic Johnson Foundation has awarded more than $1.1 million in funds, established 20 Magic Johnson Community Empowerment Centers, four HIV/AIDS clinics and has co-created the award-winning “I Stand With Magic” campaign to end HIV/AIDS in the Black community.

The USA TODAY Hollywood Hero Award is presented annually to an entertainment industry humanitarian who has made remarkable contributions of time and energies with a non-profit organization dedicated to enriching the quality of life for others. The USA TODAY Hollywood Hero Award recipient is unique in that his or her efforts extend far beyond a charitable contribution or simply lending one’s celebrity to enhance a cause or concern. The ceremony will take place Tuesday, May 6 at 6 p.m. at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Magic Johnson is also Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Magic Johnson Enterprises. Through strategic investments, partnerships and endorsements, Magic Johnson Enterprises has bolstered the economy by establishing brand name businesses in underserved communities (the ghetto), training and hiring local residents and employing local contractors. Magic Johnson Enterprises is comprised of a portfolio of companies including Starbucks, Burger King and AMC Magic Johnson Theatres.

In addition to his varied business accomplishments, Magic Johnson is universally known for his 13 year career in the NBA. His honors include: five national championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, three MVP awards, 12 NBA All-Star games, a gold medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain and induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. To learn more visit www.magicjohnson.org.
to learn more visit: www.magicjohnson.org

LSU Hires Trent Johnson from Stanford as New Basketball Coach

LSU introduced Trent Johnson, who led Stanford to the Sweet 16 in this year’s NCAA tournament, as its new coach today. Coach Johnson had said recently he hoped to remain at Stanford and had been slated to meet with Cardinal athletic director Bob Bowlsby on Thursday to discuss a new contract. Stanford hired Coach Johnson in 2004. He was an assistant at Stanford before going to Nevada and then returning to the Cardinal.

“The opportunity to recruit the best student-athletes across the country and have the opportunity to compete for a championship year in and year out … that is the goal,” said Johnson, who was 80-48 in four seasons at Stanford. “We have an excellent chance to get this thing turned around soon.” His decision to leave may have been helped when Stanford’s twin 7-footers, Brook and Robin Lopez, announced last week they would hire agents and enter the NBA draft, forgoing their final two seasons of eligibility. LSU went to the Final Four only three seasons ago, but failed to make the NCAA tournament in each of the past two years. The Tigers went 13-18 this season, and Coach John Brady was fired during the year. Assistant Butch Pierre took over February 8 and led LSU to victories in five of its last nine games, but the Tigers lost in the opening round of the Southeastern Conference tournament. This week, LSU also likely lost one of its best players when 6-foot-10 freshman forward Anthony Randolph announced he intended to enter the NBA draft. Randolph did not immediately hire an agent, however, leaving open the possibility he could return for his sophomore season. LSU considered a range of candidates, including Travis Ford at Massachusetts, Anthony Grant at Virginia Commonwealth and Oliver Purnell at Clemson. Ford and Purnell both withdrew from consideration Tuesday.

In his four seasons at Stanford, Coach Johnson had a record of 80-48 (a .625 winning percentage). He led the Cardinal to three appearances in the NCAA tournament and one NIT tournament appearance. His overall record as a head coach is 159-122 (.566). His 2003-04 Nevada Wolf Pac team was the Western Athlete Conference (WAC) regular season and WAC Tournament champions and made it to the NCAA Sweet 16.

Trumpet Awards, Syndicated, To Air on TV One

Samuel L. Jackson and his wife, actress LaTonya Richardson hosted the 16th annual Trumpet Awards which aired in syndication in March and will air on TV One Sunday April 13 at 8 p.m. EST. The Trumpet Awards is often referred to as “the Oscars for Black America”. More than 20 of the best and brightest achievers in the Black community were honored during the show which was taped at the Atlanta Civic Center.

Among the honored were Halle Berry (Entertainment & Pinnacle Awards); Danny Glover (Humanitarian); Najee (Arts); and Ludacris (Usher Ramond Altruism Award). Black achievement was saluted in every field including law, business, medicine, politics and public service. “The audience basked in the success stories of some very great African-Americans,” said Xernona Clayton, the founder of the Trumpet Awards and president and CEO of Trumpet Awards Foundation. “This year’s television program was syndicated for the first time and broadcast around the country, in addition, to being aired in 177 countries around the world.”

Other 2008 Trumpet Award honorees were: Sheila C. Johnson (Entrepreneur); Shareef Abdul-Rahim (Community Service); Dr. T. B. Boyd III (Business); the Honorable Judge Paul L. Brady (Legal); Brian O. Jordan (Athlete/Developer); twin brothers Dr. Vance and Dr. Vincent Moss (Medicine) and Don Thompson (Corporate Executive). This year’s Tower of Power honorees were Georgians and included Thurbert Baker, Georgia Attorney General and president of the National Association of Attorneys General; Representative Sanford Bishop Jr; Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard Jr; Representative Hank Johnson; Khalil Johnson, COO, Georgia World Congress Center Authority; Representative David Scott; State Representative Georganna Sinkield; State Representative Calvin Smyre, president of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators; Michael Thurmond, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Labor and State Representative Al Williams.

India.Arie was among the performers and among the presenters were Usher, Representative John Lewis, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Representative Maxine Waters and former U. N. Ambassador Andrew Young. Michelle Obama was also on hand to address the audience.

Candace Parker Has Whirlwind 24 Hours

The City of Los Angeles can now claim to have arguablely the best male and female basketball players in the world. The NBA’s Los Lakers have Kobi Bryant and the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks selected Candace Parker number one in the WNBA draft Wednesday, a day after she capped her college career by leading the University of Tennessee to a second straight NCAA title. "These last 15 hours or so have been just amazing," Parker said. "To win a national championship and then switch gears and come to the WNBA draft and be surrounded by my peers that I've played with ever since I was in junior high school has been amazing.” The Associated Press player of the year joins Lisa Leslie, turning Los Angeles into one of the top teams in the league. The Sparks were a franchise-worst 10-24 last season with Leslie sitting out after giving birth to a daughter in June.

"Lisa Leslie has been one of my idols ever since I was younger," Parker said. "I've never had an opportunity to play with her ... but I'm really looking forward to it. Obviously, she's a great role model and I'm looking to take in whatever she tells me." LSU senior Sylvia Fowles was taken second by the Chicago Sky. The 6-foot-6 center led the Lady Tigers to four straight Final Fours and scored 24 points and had 20 rebounds in their heartbreaking 47-46 semifinal loss to Parker and Tennessee. Stanford star Candice Wiggins, whose team finished runner-up, went third to the Minnesota Lynx. Alexis Hornbuckle of Tennessee was chosen by Detroit and Matee Ajavon of Rutgers was selected by Houston, rounding out the top five.

Candace Parker left Tennessee with a year of eligibility remaining. She chose to skip her fifth year, which she gained because of a knee injury as a freshman. Parker, Fowles and Wiggins headlined a talented class that has been hyped since their freshmen year. Crystal Langhorne of Maryland was taken sixth by Washington and Essence Carson of Rutgers went seventh to New York. Carson will be close to home, having played college ball in New Jersey. The expansion Atlanta Dream chose Tamera Young of James Madison at No. 8. Amber Holt of Middle Tennessee State went ninth to Connecticut and Laura Harper was selected 10th by Sacramento. Tasha Humphrey of Georgia went next to Detroit, and the Sun took UConn guard Ketia Swanier with their second pick of the round at No. 12. North Carolina's LaToya Pringle was chosen by the defending champion Phoenix Mercury and New York picked her Tar Heels teammate Erlana Larkins to close out the first round which included all Black players. All five Tennessee starters were drafted.

50 Cent and Universal Sued for Pushing "Gangsta" Life

Rapper 50 Cent, Universal Music Group and several of its record labels were sued on Wednesday for promoting a "gangsta lifestyle" by a 14-year-old boy who says friends of the rapper assaulted him. The lawsuit which was filed by James Rosemond and his mother, Cynthia Reed, says Universal Music Group and its labels Interscope Records, G-Unit Records and Shady Records, bear responsibility for the assault because they encourage artists to pursue violent, criminal lifestyles. The lawsuit also names 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, Violator Management, Violator CEO Chris Lighty, rapper Tony Yayo, a member of 50 Cent's G-Unit hip hop group, and Lowell Fletcher, an employee of Yayo.

Young Rosemond says he was assaulted on a Manhattan sidewalk in March 2007 by four men including Yayo and Fletcher. The lawsuit claims Rosemond was targeted because he was wearing a T-shirt by Czar Entertainment, a management company that represents The Game. The Game is a former G-Unit rapper who fell out with the group and became a rival rapper. Tony Yayo, whose real name is Marvin Bernard, pleaded guilty to harassment in February, and was sentenced to ten days of community service. Fletcher pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child and was sentenced to 9 months in jail.

"The members of G-Unit, including defendants Yayo and 50 Cent, encouraged, sanctioned, approved and condoned its members threatening violence, and or engaging in violent acts in furtherance of its business," the lawsuit said. “The attack on Rosemond was intended to "promote and maintain Yayo and 50 Cent's 'gangsta' image," which was "promoted, marketed and advertised" by record labels.”

Senator Obama Makes Major Cut into Senator Clinton’s Pennsylvania Lead

Senator Barack Obama is gaining ground on Senator Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania, moving within range of a major upset in the April 22 primary that would virtually end the hard-fought Democratic presidential race months earlier than expected. Less than two weeks before their next showdown, opinion polls show Senator Obama cutting Senator Clinton's once big lead in Pennsylvania to single digits and making gains among some voting blocs that have been her most reliable backers.

A win in Pennsylvania for Senator Obama would be a shocking twist in a Democratic race filled with them, effectively killing Senator Clinton's hopes of overtaking him in the fight for the right to face Republican Senator John McCain in November's presidential election. "If Obama wins Pennsylvania, the race is over," said one political analyst. Pennsylvania had been considered a lock for Senator Clinton because of its high concentration of the older, White, Catholic and blue-collar voters that form the backbone of her coalition. And she was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. But a successful six-day bus tour of the state and a few bad weeks for Clinton has helped tighten the race. A new poll showed Senator Clinton's lead at 6 points, down from 9 points last week, 12 points in mid-March and as much as 26 points in February. An average of all polls in the state this week shows Clinton with about a 7-point advantage. The poll showed Senator Obama gaining ground among Whites, women and those voters who rank the economy as their top issue. He also is picking up support in the populous and crucial Philadelphia suburbs.

Senator Obama's advertising had been effective and his week-long swing through the state showed him talking with voters in a more personal and effective style. He was talking specifics about health care and the economy -- really talking to people about the problems they face. Meanwhile, Senator Clinton suffered through questions about her lie that she faced sniper fire in Bosnia in 1996 -- she said she "misspoke" -- and whether she should even remain in the race amid dwindling hopes of catching Senator Obama. Senator Obama has a nearly unbeatable lead on Senator Clinton in the pledged delegates and picking up superdelegates daily. She hopes the final contests will help her close the gap in pledged delegates and catch him in popular votes cast in the state-by-state contests. All that is gone with a loss in Pennsylvania or possibly even with a narrow win. A narrow win for her and he can almost declare a victory anyway; that may not get her out of the race but it deflates her arguments.