The Washington Wizards exited their first week of preseason action with a 2-1 record and added a few more followers to a growing bandwagon. It’s preseason, so grading Washington’s win-loss record in meaningless games must center on the performances by its young players. And what rookie John Wall and a few other young Wizards showed […]
Author Archives: Stephen D. Riley
Special to the AFRO
Former Engineer Turned Fitness Trainer Embarks on Charity Walk for Diabetes
Health nuts and gym rats can be quite annoying—critiquing everything you eat, flashing their firm physiques at every opportunity, devouring food you wouldn’t touch even if you were starving—the nerve of them. But Kenneth Clarke isn’t like that. The physical trainer doesn’t want you to envy, he simply wants you to enjoy and live life. […]
All Hail, Leonsis , the New King of D.C.
Football is alive and well in the District, but new Washington Wizards’ owner Ted Leonsis did his best to steal a little bit of the thunder last week. The Wizards held their Midnight Madness Tuesday morning and open scrimmage on Sunday’s Fan Fest at the George Mason Patriot Center with surprising turnouts. Over 3,000 fans […]
A Cut Above: Family Trade Passed Down through Generations
Longtime barber Saint Paul Davis knows no boundaries. He knows no colors, no biases and no age limits; all he knows is persistence. It’s the trait that has kept him cutting hair for over 50 years and helped turn his seven children into skilled barbers. It’s the devotion behind his 43-year hair business, EXPERT Barbershop, […]
Gonzaga Finally Defeats DeMatha–After 10 Straight Losses
Click here to view a slideshow of Gonzaga’s victory over DeMatha Ten straight losses to an opponent doesn’t exactly scream rivalry, but the facts don’t often tell the whole story. There isn’t a bigger matchup in the Washington, D.C. area than DeMatha vs. Gonzaga, even if the latter hadn’t defeated DeMatha in the last ten […]
NBA Analyst David Aldridge Talks Arenas, Wall and Wizards
Moving through the crowd at the Washington Wizards Media Day, longtime NBA analyst David Aldridge was gracious enough to offer his insight to the AFRO about Gilbert Arenas, John Wall and the Wizards’ chances this season. AFRO: Gilbert Arenas showed up today looking a bit dazed and confused. Bearded, no smile, a short interview and […]
Wizards Media Day Notebook: Wall, Wizards Open Season with Q and A
The Washington Wizards hosted their Media Day on their practice court at the Verizon Center on Monday and left the field open to reporters. Trying to get face time with members of one of the NBA’s youngest teams can be hazardous. New rookie John Wall accidentally threw a no look pass into the lens of […]
Wizards Open up New Season in Midnight Madness Style
Grade Washington Wizards owner Ted Leonsis’ idea to host an NBA-style Midnight Madness a success; it worked brilliantly. A formidable crowd at George Mason University’s Patriot Center loved every minute of it and his roster compilation of 20-somethings, one 30-year-old and one dazzling teenager put on a show in its glorified first practice session. The […]
The Secret World of HBCU Sports: ‘More Than Just Games’
Proud and productive, I’m a child of an HBCU – a 2006 graduate from Morgan State University, but you won’t catch me in any letter jackets or riding with personalized school license plates—I’m much too discreet for that. However, whenever prompted to state my affiliation, I reel off my origin with no hesitation. My graduate […]
N.Y. Urban League Classic Coverage: Bears Take Bite out of Bison in Big Apple
It’s always a fiery battle when the Howard Bison and Morgan State Bears meet. But the rivalry received a little extra seasoning Saturday after both teams headed north to play in the New York City Urban League Classic. The appearance of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway adversaries at the New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., helped […]
Three Downs from the District: Analyzing the Redskins 30-16 Loss to the Rams
After opening up against two of Texas’ best and staring at a road affair with the Philadelphia Eagles next week, the Washington Redskins were facing the proverbial “Trap Game” against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday. It was a trap they would fall right into as the normally rancid Rams stole a victory against the […]
Automakers and Government at Impasse over Proposed Fuel Grading System
The government is considering making the task of identifying fuel-efficient cars as easy as ABC—literally. A fuel economy grading system that would inform car buyers about gas consumption has been at the center of opposition between automakers and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Under the new EPA-proposed notion, letter grades of A, B, C and […]

