Pimp Slap; New York Sports Express; Snopes

[Bapopik at AOL.COM]

   Another brutal 11-hour day of parking tickets on Friday, with another
brutal week ahead.  What other scholars work at McDonald's?


PIMP SLAP--NEW YORK POST, TV Sports section, 12 September 2003, pg. 72, col.
2:

_"No offense intended"_
_Scott defends "pimp slap" comments_
    By ANDREW MARCHAND
   When you watch ESPN'S _SportsCenter_, you shouldn't have to explain to
your kids what "pimp slap" means.
   But this past Sunday night, Stuart Scott, who has two daughters, used the
term to describe how the Raiders beat the Titans in last year's playoffs.
   "There is absolutely no offense intended toward anyone, especially women
and especially people who might think I was irresponsible," Scott said when
asked to bottom-line his view after a half-hour, one-on-one debate on the topic.
   "I don't look at the expression in that way.  I look at the expression
_pimpin'_ only meaning swagger, confidence, someone who gets beaten so badly it
takes away their confidence.
   "That is an interpretation that has probably been driven by my culture, by
my friends,  That's how I interpret it.  That is the only meaning.  I don't
even think about it any other way."
   This reasoning doesn't fly because Scott--like him or not--is emulated  by
kids.  The term _booya_ is part of the mass culture, mostly because of Scott.
 He does commercials.  With this comes responsibility.  Using a term that is
derived from beating women is wrong.
   Scott intends to ask his wife and his friends if he should use this term
again.


NEW YORK SPORTS EXPRESS--NEW YORK PRESS (a free weekly, like the VILLAGE
VOICE) has a new free publication this year called NEW YORK SPORTS EXPRESS..  The
writing is a combination of ESPN's Stuart Scott plus David Spade.  If you're
interested in this type of "snarky" language, check it out at
www.nysportsexpress.com.  For example, it's not enough to say that New York Knick forward
Antonion McDyess has had many surgeries.  He's had (as written this week) "more
surgeries than Michael Jackson."  Ugh.  The "smart" commentary on the Kobe Bryant
rape trial is sponsored, of course, by back-pages ads for prostitutes.

SNOPES--I've written another letter to the CHICAGO TRIBUNE for a "Windy CIty"
correction, so expect a correction right away.  This has gone on for seven
years.
   I've also written Snopes.com (the Urban Legends page) to add "Windy City."
 I'd written to Snopes before.  Carl J. Weber or others can also write.
   If you type in "hot dog" and "Dorgan" into Google (not hard, but believe
me, no one who writes for a newspaper can do this), Snopes.com is the first hit
that you'll see.  My work appears without credit.