How I Overcame The Scary Horror of September 11th

CLEVELAND - With today being the 10th anniversary of arguably the most seminal catastrophe in U.S. history, I feel it's the perfect time for me to re-live the great things that diverted my attention from that epic tragedy.

September 11, 2001.

That fateful morning, which began very peacefully but ended in calamity was one of great anticipation for me. I went to sleep the previous night with three major things on my mind; the new Jay-Z album that was set for release that day, the pending return to pro hoops of Michael Jordan and the forthcoming, new Michael Jackson album.

Those things delighted me during an otherwise nerve-wrecking day and beyond.

By noon on 9/11, the U.S. was in full panic mode. The terrorist attacks and the cowardly masterminds behind them had successfully shattered the nation's collective morale and feeling of safety. The 8-month old Bush Administration did its best to assuage any lingering fears us civilians may have had, but it was still a very tension-filled day, mostly because none of us knew what would happen next. Seeing two seemingly unassailable giants like the World Trade Center destroyed by hijacked airliners was enough to frighten anyone into thinking that the terror could soon reach all parts of the country.

But that morning, I had the new LP, The Blueprint, the aforementioned sixth album from Jay-Z. I took the bus to a record store to purchase the highly anticipated opus and couldn't wait to hear a track on the album that I'd heard was on it. "Renegade" featuring Eminem, who was nearing the apex of his colossal popularity and as a meticulous lyricist, he was never better during the three year period from 2000 to 2002. Of course, any fan of that genre of music now knows that The Blueprint went on to attain legendary status. Some even consider it to be Jay-Z's master work.

Also on my mind that day and in the healing months after was Jordan, who just the day before announced that he would be returning to pro basketball as a player (for the lowly Washington Wizards) after being retired for the past 3 years. With me being the biggest of MJ fans, I was totally enthralled and excited, even as questions of his potential effectiveness floated around the media and the general public. With him being 38-years old (ancient in pro sports), there was major questions and doubts that he'd be able to dominate the basketball court the way he had during 13 brilliant seasons for the Chicago Bulls. When news of the terrorist attacks filled television and newspapers the following day, Jordan decided to postpone his official press conference announcing his return for a couple weeks out of respect for the thousands of lives lost that day.

Of course, Jordan's rock star status in basketball gave the country a much needed diversion, even though he struggled often to play up to the glittering heights of his Bulls days. I was a kid in a candy store having him back in the game, and 9/11 felt less depressing (though still quite tragic) to me because of him.

Finally, the other MJ, the man I admired since the age of 5 dominated my September 11th thoughts too. The great Michael Jackson had given two concerts, one on Sept. 7 and the other on Sept. 10. Both were held, ironically in New York City, site of the most destructive attacks. He was celebrating 30 years as a solo artist with those concerts, which were not shown live, but were instead filmed for televised broadcast two months later. Jackson, 43 at the time was also just several weeks away from releasing his first album of all new material in 10 years, and my eagerness was heavy.

Invincible, Jackson's new LP was released on Oct. 30, 2001 while the nation was still shell-shocked with grief and disbelief. As a double delight to me, Jordan made his regular season debut that day as well...a double MJ return that prompted me to label that day "National Michael Day." Unfortunately, both MJ returns fell far below critical and fans' expectations. For me personally, I was just excited to have my heroes back in the saddle. The ethereal nature of both men's historic careers was unprecedented. And it's safe to say that their impact on sports, entertainment and culture will forever influence and inspire.

On an impossible day and during an impossible time, these men gave me and millions of people something rare in a time of evil.

A reason to smile.

September 11, 2001: A Perfect Reason To Appreciate Life

CLEVELAND - If the infamous terrorist attacks on the United States nine years ago today can't make a person appreciate the value of life, nothing will.

Such a shame.

With that impossibly awful day still such an indelible aspect of America, I think it should come to symbolize the event that taught the world more than a few sobering lessons. Too often, we get caught up in what we don't have or how much we wish we did have. The senseless and callous murder of some 3,000 people that historic morning serves as a flash point in the evolution of us all; love what you have and appreciate it tremendously because even if others have so much more, there are still others that have so much less.

Seriously.

Imagine what must've went through the minds of the passengers on those doomed airliners once they realized that they weren't going to ever see their loved ones again. What must it have been like to live (even for a few moments) with not being able to kiss their husbands, wives or children ever again? Yes, life is full of struggles everyday and we can't help being angry or overwhelmed by them. But 9/11 is the most seminal event that everyone was affected by in some way that should cause us to prioritize and gain some serious perspective on life.

Love your life, unconditionally. You will one day wish you still had it this good....no matter what it is like at this present moment.

'National Michael Day' Returned My Heroes To Me

CLEVELAND - Whenever I become a fan of someone or something, that relationship lasts forever and becomes ultra-intense. Michael Jackson and Michael Jordan are both all-time treasures of mine, and after long hiatuses from their brilliant craft, they both returned to me 8 years ago today.

I called it, "National Michael Day."

It was October 30, 2001, just seven weeks after the horrific attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon that both of these legendary men returned to their public. In Jackson's case, he'd gone six years without releasing an album, and 10 years without releasing a complete album of new material. Dangerous, his 1991 opus was the last original work he'd released. 1995's HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I was a double disc set that featured an entire disc of his greatest hits. But on this day in 2001, his 10th solo album, Invincible hit stores. It received many negative reviews from critics, but it was a very good album in my opinion. Of course, many would call me biased, but this may help that perception; I felt that it was a bit uneven and loaded most of its best songs on the first half. I rarely even listened to the second half.

Jackson, at the time 43 crafted more soothing and sonically brilliant ballads on that album than anything he'd done since 1979's Off the Wall. He had an updated sound on the album, and sounded very confident of his still incredible abilities as a world-class musician. The record's lead single, "You Rock My World" had been my favorite track since it hit radio the previous month. To me at that time, it was just refreshing to have the reclusive icon back in the saddle after so many years away.

The same can be said about Jordan.

Basketball hero turned exalted deity, Jordan played the first non-Chicago Bull game of his NBA career on this night. After a masterpiece finish to his career in June 1998, Jordan retired seven months later. A year after that, he became President of Basketball Operations for the lowly and clueless Washington Wizards much to my bewilderment. Beginning in March 2001, tantalizing reports of his possible return to pro hoops began surfacing in the media. They were soon confirmed and on September 10, 2001, MJ made the official announcement of his utterly shocking decision to play for those same horrible Wizards. Needless to say, I was both delighted and disgusted that he'd willfully "taint" his luminous legacy, especially at a very ripe 38 years of age.

Jordan's Wizards opened the season that October 30th night in a matchup with the New York Knicks. Since the game was played a short distance from where the World Trade Center's destroyed remains still smoldered, Jordan visited Ground Zero and paid tribute to the thousands who lost their lives. He soon announced that he planned to donate his entire $1 million salary that he was to receive for playing the 2001-02 season to the WTC charity.

Many don't realize it, but Jordan was born in Brooklyn, NY.

In the game, Michael looked woefully out of sorts. Even though he hadn't played in a very long three and a half years, us fans expected his trademark aerial artistry to rear its beautiful head. It didn't. He scored just 19 points on 7-of-21 shooting, but his floor game was outstanding. He contributed 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals in 37 exhausting minutes. The talk of the night wound up being his miss of a three-pointer with 18 seconds left that could've led to a win. Instead, the Knicks rode Latrell Sprewell's 28 points to a 93-91 victory.

Even though Michael Jackson didn't returned to his accustomed heights with Invincible, it was still an incredible joy to have the man back on the radio with new material. And even though Michael Jordan was past his sizzling prime of basketball dominance, it was beautiful to watch him perform his occasional magic and have a vintage performance of unstoppable precision. Even when he was less than stellar and his team was suckish, Jordan was a marvel to witness. You could see the raging inferno of intensity and drive in his eyes.

"National Michael Day" may have been an unofficial holiday, but for me that day will forever represent pure genius and another chance to fall in love again.

Twice.

The Absolute Horror of 9/11

CLEVELAND - Today marks arguably the worst, most brutal day in United States history. It was an unspeakable tragedy of epic proportions that felt like sudden Armageddon and ended in over 3,000 deaths.

September 11, 2001.

Eight years ago today was an overwhelmingly tragic day for the nation, but it was also a terrifying day to those of us that weren't directly affected. Thankfully, I didn't lose any loved ones in any of the attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Shanksville, PA, but it was a very nerve-wrecking day nonetheless. I awoke that morning with two thoughts on my mind; reports had surfaced the previous day about Michael Jordan's decision to return to pro basketball, this time with the Washington Wizards after a nearly four year hiatus. Also, Jay-Z's highly anticipated album, The Blueprint was set for release on this day. Both things delighted me to no end, but watching the see-it-to-believe it situation unfolding on television caused initial shock, then as the day progressed, absolute fear.

I was scared.

There was an air of panic that hovered over that day. There was apprehension just getting on a bus or rapid transit. Bomb threats were reported in Cleveland and the normally populous downtown section was a veritable ghost town at noon, normally the busiest time of the day.

Interesting to me, Jay-Z was set to release The Blueprint 3 today (he released it three days ago) and Jordan is being enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame in a few hours. Talk about irony and coincidence.

With the massive deaths and heroism, this is clearly an indelible day that will forever live in infamy. It is also a day that is symbolic of America's resolve.

God continue to keep us safe from a repeat of such cruelty.