O.J. SIMPSON (AP Photo/File)

by Aubrey Bruce
Hey guys and dolls. Happy Mothers’ Day to you all.

Now I always hear the loud and clear message of mothers who are forced to wear the hats of both parents when for whatever reason the absentee fathers are not on the scene.

AC Milan forward Mario Balotelli scores on a penalty kick during a Serie A soccer match between Pescara and AC Milan, at the Adriatico stadium in Pescara, Italy, May 8. (AP Photo/Sandro Perozzi)

MILAN (AP) - FIFA president Sepp Blatter was "appalled" when he learned that AC Milan's match against Roma was suspended because of racist chanting.

 Sunday's game was stopped for 97 seconds during the second half when visiting Roma supporters would not stop chanting at Milan players cg.

 "Appalled to read about racist abuse in Serie A last night," Blatter tweeted Monday. "Tackling this issue is complex, but we're committed to action, not just words."

 Blatter added that FIFA's taskforce against racism and discrimination is "serious about devising a unified approach for FIFA's 209 members."

 Referee Gianluca Rocchi made the decision to suspend the match briefly after warnings issued over the stadium speaker system went unheeded. Roma captain Francesco Totti had also attempted to calm the fans to no avail.

 Balotelli was born in Italy to Ghanian immigrants and is the star forward of Italy's national squad. Boateng was born in Germany to a German mother and a Ghanian father and plays for Ghana's national team.

 The match at Milan's San Siro stadium ended 0-0.

 Roma general director Franco Baldini said it was uncertain whether the chants were racist.

 "The boos were directed at Balotelli because he's a feared player," Baldini said, according to the Gazzetta dello Sport. "The nature of the chants was not clear. And I clearly heard the Milan fans chanting 'romano bastardo' - 'roman bastard' - which is just as discriminatory. It's difficult to figure out where the border is between racial discrimination or simple boos."

 This was the first time a Serie A match was suspended due to racism.

 In January, Boateng famously walked off the field with his teammates after enduring racist abuse during an exhibition against a fourth-tier Italian club.

 "The perception is still that in certain areas of the stadium you can do anything," Italian players' association president Damiano Tommasi said. "It's important to make those people feel more and more in the minority.

 "The goal is to make people who behave poorly leave the stadium, although that's not simple for reasons of public safety," Tommasi added. "It's always a very fine line between penalizing the majority of people who go to the stadium to enjoy the show and punishing the minority who ruin it. It's not simple but it seems to me that yesterday everyone was in agreement with Rocchi's decision."

 Lil'Wayne walks past Warriors bench during playoffs. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

:10 Just so you know, cause I know it got by ya, there’s a great long standing church on the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Shetland Avenue in East Liberty, Sixth Mt. Zion Baptist Church, celebrating 115 years of glory. My grandfather was there for 93 of them 115 and my family is still rooted there. Not only is the church celebrating 115 glorious years of  service to the Pittsburgh community, but they have been blessed with a new minister. Welcome home to the good Rev. W. David Lee, and he can preach ya’ll!

Now listen to me on this one. If you grew up there, go back there. If you been away for a little while, come back the church doors are open. And if you’ve never been there or you’re looking for a place to go to praise his name, Sixth Mt. Zion is waiting for you, and that you can take to the bank…God can cash that check!

:9 All that said, them boys, Golden State, is giving San Antonio all they can handle. They won’t win the West, but they’re in the fight. Still on record, the Spurs win the West and upset “The Heat” for the title…say what!?!

:8 The Pens beat the Islanders in the first round to advance in the NHL playoffs. That’s all I got. I don’t know who they play next…that’s all I know…oh please, that’s all you know too!

:7 Your Pittsburgh Pirates took three out of four from the Mets this past weekend.  Granted the Mets are not about to win the World Series, but it all counts towards winning and  finishing above “500” for the first time in forever!

:6 How good is Floyd Mayweather? He’s the richest boxer in history!

:5 There is no question that Mark Jackson, the coach of the NBA Golden State Warriors, is one of the greatest guards to play in the NBA.  In fact, still one of the top five assist leaders of all time. And it goes without saying that he has seen and played with and against some of the greatest of all time.  And so that you know…that I know…he was     trying to motivate his backcourt combo of Curry and Jack to be the best they can be, but to suggest they’re the best tandom to ever lace up a pair of sneakers would make him “outside his mind” and here’s a few people that would agree with me—“Magic” and Norm Nixon, “Magic” & Byron Scott, Michael and Scottie, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, Walt Frazier and Earl Monroe…wait, wait, wait…does Cousy and Jones ring a bell, do you not remember Isiah and Dumars and as much as I hate to give it up, is he not aware of the boys down south uh…uh…uh…LeBron and Wade.  Mark Jackson c’mon man!!!

:4 Sergio Garcia said Tiger pulled his club out of his bag on purpose when he was about to swing so the crowd would make noise and that caused him to bogey the hole. What?  Sergio, shut up mmmaaannn!!!

:3 The Champions Association/Champion Enterprises, now celebrating “38” years of  dedicated community service and here’s what we need…volunteers, grant writers,     coaches and anybody that wants to help us help save the lives of our young people.  Just call us.  412-628-4856.

:2 Speaking of champions…and I was, the 38th Annual Connie Hawkins Summer Basketball League—Youth Development Division, we are now accepting 14 and under middle school boys’ teams for the league starting June 15. Call the Champions now.  Only four team spots are open.  412-628-4856.

:1 I keep telling ya how much fun you can have at The Savoy, but I never had more fun than I did last week. Ya’ll know they’re the best wings in town. Well, at least me and LaTonia think they are. But noooooo not Miss Stephanie. She thinks her wings are the best. Well, we know better. And I told “Chef Kevin” to take her Savoy “eatin’ card.” Let her go home and be a “connoisseur”over her own wings. I ain’t scared of Stephanie, even if she is packin’!)

:00 Double Overtime:
See, I told you everybody should be concerned about O.J. Apparently somebody cares because he’s going to get a new trial. I’m just sayin’!

:000 Triple Overtime
The next and best Harlem Nights Old School Par-tay is coming Friday, May 31–3 Lakes Golf Course–8-1 p.m.–the line dance master Roland Ford will be there—music by the legendary Sly Jock—free parking—cash bar—cash kitchen till 11 p.m.—50/50—best dressed man and woman—cash prize—The Corvette Club and their cars will be out on display and yes—this is the big one to kick off Memorial weekend and the summer—we need ya’ll on this one.  It raises money for the 38th Annual Connie Hawkins Youth Development Summer Basketball League. Starting June 15 at the Penn Hills YMCA—come out and meet former world heavyweight kickboxing champion Jacquet Bazemore and light heavyweight champion Rayco “War” Saunders as he gets ready for his title fight—and,the Spring Cabaret brought to you by “Happy Feelings” and my man former Penn Hills football star, Kenny Lewis, Saturday, May 18, 8 p.m.-2 a.m.—The Moose Lodge, 120 51st Street in Lawrenceville. Call 412-512-9873 for info. BYOB  well…say what!?!
~ GAME  OVER ~  

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Rutgers President Robert Barchi stands with new Rutgers head coach Eddie Jordan during a news conference April 23, 2013, in New Brunswick, N.J. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

by Ralph D. Russo

(AP)--New Rutgers basketball coach Eddie Jordan is not a graduate of the university as the school had claimed, another embarrassment for an athletic program still smarting from the firing of previous coach Mike Rice.