Herbert L. Seward III
Bio
Sports & Culture Contributor, HBCU Digital Network.Host,The Black Techies Podcast,Sports Contributor, FanSided/Busting Brackets/Saturday Blitz... Breaker Of Chains. Lover of BBQ.
Stories (25/0)
Series Review: 'Godfather Of Harlem'
I got a chance to take a load off this weekend for some long overdue TV binge-watching, so I was able to finally sink my teeth into the first few episodes of Epix's new original series, Godfather Of Harlem. The series is three episodes in, and it's already one of the best things I've seen on television in 2019. Let's start with some of the all-world cast that's heading up this project:
By Herbert L. Seward III5 years ago in Geeks
HBCUs & The Non-Traditional Student
Before I really pour my thoughts into this topic, I'd like to clarify a few things: I am a PROUD product of an HBCU (Historically Black College or University), having grew up in the shadow of the campus of Washington DC's Howard University, and having matriculated at both the University of The District Of Columbia, and Alabama State University. I'm a Veteran, an IT Professional, and soon-to-be second time student that will fall into the 'non-traditional' student category.
By Herbert L. Seward III5 years ago in Education
HBCU Football Spectacles 2019: Hampton vs. Virginia Union
If you're from the Mid-Atlantic area of the US and you're an HBCU football fan, then you know that the landscape there is chock full of colorful and storied institutions and rivalries. The CIAA (Central Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) and the MEAC (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) reign supreme in these parts, and they both have a rich and vibrant brand of sports culture. Hampton University's recent jump to the Big South Conference may have officially removed them from the MEAC as an athletic program, but they're still a huge part of the HBCU tradition that exists in the Virginia Corridor that's part of the footprint of both leagues. The long-standing 'Battle Of The Bay' rivalry of Hampton vs. Norfolk State has gotten most of the visibility over the years, but HU's conference move has put that on a bit of a hiatus. It's also allowed an older rivalry to be renewed. Virginia Union University is a small, private HBCU that's located in the state capital of Richmond, Virginia. The school is part of the CIAA and already has a nationally-recognized championship pedigree when it comes to hoops (they've got more National Championships at the NCAA Division II level than any other HBCU, at ANY level), but the match-ups on the gridiron with the then Hampton Institute back in the golden age of CIAA football were must-see attractions for the HBCU football head.
By Herbert L. Seward III5 years ago in Unbalanced
HBCU Football Spectacles 2019: The Magic City Classic
August is always a really great time to be a football fan. Training camps and the anticipation of the upcoming season alone are enough to really get the juices flowing, whether you're a fan of pro football, big-time college football, or otherwise. HBCU football games, in particular, could be considered home to some of the most unique and enjoyable fan experiences imaginable for the sport. Black College Football holds a special place in my heart in terms of an overall game day experience. I'm an alum of the Alabama State University "Mighty Marching Hornets" band program, so I've been blessed to view the HBCU game day experience as both a game day participant, and as an old-fashioned fan. There may not be a spectacle more representative of the unique nature of the Black College Football fan experience than one of the oldest HBCU Football Classics in existence, The Magic City Classic.With the organized version of the event starting in 1945, it's considered one of the oldest and most venerable of the HBCU Football Classics in existence today. The Bayou Classic (Southern vs. Grambling State), The Florida Classic (Florida A&M vs. Bethune-Cookman University), and the Southern Heritage Classic have all had a TON of visibility over the years, but the MCC has a fan and overall game day experience that rivals some of the best in the nation. The typical MCC festivities start almost a week in advance of game day with a myriad of parties, social events, and student recruitment efforts. Performances by major R&B recording artists, Stepshows and related events, and a "Battle of the Bands" face off between the MMW (Marching Maroon & White) of AAMU and the MMH (Mighty Marching Hornets) of ASU really make the entire week an exhilarating experience for any fan. Sensory overload is a REAL thing for this event prior to any turf in venerable Legion Stadium being disrupted by cleats and pigskin.Then, there's Magic City Classic game day...
By Herbert L. Seward III5 years ago in Unbalanced
SmartPhone Choices for the Mobile Contrarian
If you live in the United States and own a smartphone, odds are that you fall into one of two camps: Apple or Android. Apple is... well... Apple. It's hard to summarize the following Apple has in the US marketplace sometimes; Cult-like immediately comes to mind, but the popularity of the brand is unmatched in the US marketplace. Android is the other elephant in the room, offering more diversity in terms of handsets and manufacturers to the general US consumer. Android's also overwhelmingly the operating system of choice for everybody else outside of North America (meaning practically the rest of the world), which gives manufacturers from around the globe an immense pool to sell to. The trend of packing second-tier or non-flagship devices with as much high-end functionality as possible has carried a great deal of appeal in other areas of the world when it comes to android phones. Innovation to get to new markets has been driven because of this diversity. The great thing about all of this is that diversity of thought, and cost-effectiveness is starting to gain a foothold here in the United States, with more and more international names being imported into the marketplace or being available online via platforms like Amazon, New Egg, etc.
By Herbert L. Seward III5 years ago in 01
'Wild C.A.T.S': Worthy of the Silver Screen?
DC is reviving one of the dopest, most underrated comic superhero teams out there, and I want all of the smoke that comes with it. Jim Lee deciding to bring WildC.A.T.S. out of mothballs to spearhead a re-imagining of the entire WildStorm Comic Universe in a limited collection got me thinking about how the original Image iteration of the WildC.A.T.S. would translate to the big screen. A couple of things need to be clarified before we explore this fan topic any further.1) THIS cheesy representation of the comic CANNOT be the first thing in folks minds IF a movie re-make is thought about (the show opening IS pretty dope, though).
By Herbert L. Seward III5 years ago in Geeks
'Static Shock': Worthy of the Silver Screen?
Soooooo... I'm a Static Shock stan. There... I said it. I've read a lot of comics and watched a ton of DC-based animated shows over the years, but Static's presence in DC via the Dakotaverse represents a specific type of diversity that DC really hadn't had until it absorbed those characters via a merger with Milestone Comics. We all know that the Static Shock character eventually made its way to the consciousness of DC comic heads everywhere over time. Static even had a pretty dope Saturday morning cartoon hustle going, where it quickly became a cult-classic among a generation of young viewers that were excited to see a bonafide superhero that looked like they did.
By Herbert L. Seward III5 years ago in Geeks
- Top Story - June 2019
Google Stadia Wows at E3Top Story - June 2019
As a gamer, I'm always looking for new things to check out, explore, etc. E3 normally one of those events that pique that curiosity for me every year. There's always a presentation that just has that 'it' factor going for it, whether it's a game, or a console release, or maybe another console competitor altogether. This year, Google decided to make themselves known by unveiling a truly ambitious vision for the future of gaming with the Google Stadia reveal. Console-free, Cloud-based gaming isn't a new idea. Back in the day, a service called OnLive had essentially the same kind of dream; before Google even thought about stepping out into these cloud gaming streets, the folks at OnLive had the bright idea to stream games of all types for a subscription price. Of course, this was in the very infancy of cloud computing, so the dream of cloud gaming was still kind of like an unexplored country of sorts. OnLive's time in the spotlight was short-lived, as the company was eventually bought out by Sony entertainment, but their early foray into the promise of cloud gaming was a glimpse into a truly different direction for gaming. Fast forward to over a decade later. We're seeing a re-birth to the concept of truly console-free gaming (and some say the return of the spirit of OnLive) with Google's announcement of their ambitious vision for gaming with Google Stadia. Google had already been seriously exploring the idea of streaming and containing games within their cloud infrastructure with the beta program Google Stream prior to Stadia's introduction at E3. Check out the Connect E3 presentation below:
By Herbert L. Seward III5 years ago in Gamers
- Top Story - June 2019
Series Review: 'When They See Us'Top Story - June 2019
So... when I saw this dramatic re-telling of the ordeal of the Central Park 5 being advertised on Netflix, I was already pretty sure that it was going to be must-watch television. I was also extremely apprehensive about seeing the events through the eyes of these five kids (now grown men) and being able to emotionally process it all. The case (and the legal and societal issues it brings to the forefront) kind of hits close to home for me as a parent, and as an African-American man. I'd seen the Ken Burns documentary on the Central Park 5 a while back, so I was already very familiar with the case, and some of the very problematic issues it brought to the table for the American public to address. Systemic racism, classism, and lack of accountability for law enforcement and agents of the legal system were all things that were at the forefront of the documentary. Ava Duvernay did an excellent job of showing the social and personal toll this case had on these men and their families, as well as the greater impact that the institutions of the law and media played in that accrued trauma. Every episode of this mini-series was visceral and traumatic. Whether it was the very public shunning of Yusuf Salaam, Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, and Raymond Santana upon their release from custody as adults, to the entire fourth episode being devoted to the ordeal of Korey Wise's experiences at Riker's Island as an adult, the entire progression of the series takes a huge emotional toll on the audience watching it.
By Herbert L. Seward III5 years ago in Criminal
Who Will Be the MCU's Next Big Villain?
AvengersEndgame weekend has come and gone, leaving all sorts of emotions for fanboys, fangirls, and casual fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to deal with. Besides the sense of closure that comes from ultimately bringing a saga that's a decade in the making to a close, there's inevitably going to be conjecture and speculation regarding the next phase of the cinematic Marvel Universe experience. One of the more popular topics of speculation has to do with who (or what) will be the next big villain to threaten the safety and continuity of the MCU. General details regarding the roll out of Phase 4 remains vague, but it's still fun to speculate on who'll we'll see coming for the crown of top villain now that Thanos has taken the proverbial dirt nap. Here are some potential names that could be making that claim before it's all said and done:
By Herbert L. Seward III5 years ago in Geeks
The Reparations Debate Is More Than a Dollar Figure
The topic of reparations for African Americans isn’t a new concept. America as a country has touched on this issue, albeit briefly, quite a few times during the course of its history. Recent political jockeying for the 2020 election season has brought the topic back to the forefront for both African Americans, and the greater public. What are reparations? Why is the debate taking place now? Wasn’t slavery a long time ago? Those questions and others are typical of how the dialogue on this topic has gone during my experience exploring it. Those questions will continue to be asked until arguably the simplest question regarding this issue is answered:
By Herbert L. Seward III5 years ago in The Swamp
The Ernie Grunfeld Era in D.C. Is Over...
Sixteen years... that's a long time to be a General Manager in the NBA. For long-suffering Wizards fans, it's been 16 years of near misses, disappointments, and just flat-out bizarre decision-making for an NBA franchise. For a hoops crazy metro area, that's practically dying for a winning basketball professional culture, the removal of Ernie Grunfeld as GM is a welcome and cathartic relief. As a fan that's old enough to remember the dark days of Wes Unseld as a GM, and the cavalcade of coaches and wasted draft picks that era represented. I can appreciate the job Ernie DID do, in terms of bringing talent to the squad at certain times, but the opposite can be said for his draft accumen, and overall stewardship of the team. Ultimately, the question on every fan's mind at this point is:
By Herbert L. Seward III5 years ago in Unbalanced