Since its inception in 2008 at the 9th Annual Super Bowl Gospel Celebration (SBGC) in Phoenix, Arizona, all-NFL group The Players Choirhas become synonymous with soulful performances during the biggest weekend in sports, the annual Super Bowl Weekend. Developed by Super Bowl Gospel Celebration Founder and Executive Producer Melanie Few, the choir boasts a lineup of NFL superstars, including Super Bowl Champions, Pro Bowlers, NFL Men of the Year, and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees.
In 2024, the choir had the honor of gracing the stage at the CBS Broadcast of the Super Bowl Soulful Celebration 25th Anniversary Special during Super Bowl LVIII week in Las Vegas. Sharing the stage with music icon Kirk Franklin and the Southern University Human Jukebox drumline, their electrifying performance showcased their talent and passion for music.
Additionally, the choir showcased their musical prowess at the prestigious NFL Honors ceremony, broadcast on CBS. Their performances extend beyond the football field, with appearances at various NFL games and charitable events benefiting organizations such as St. Jude Children’s Hospital and the American Cancer Society. From The White House to The House of Blues, their soul-stirring performances have left an indelible mark on audiences across the nation.
Looking ahead, the choir is gearing up for another unforgettable performance alongside fellow AGT alums, the Detroit Youth Choir, during the NFL Draft Concert Series, which will take place as part of the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit.
As they celebrate 16 years of soulful performance, The Players Choir continues to inspire with their harmonious melodies, philanthropic endeavors, and unwavering dedication to excellence both on and off the field.
The “hush” always descends upon us unannounced. Like the King of Pop. Like the Queen of Soul. Just like Prince. It transforms time into a quivering moment and shakes us. This is where the unthinkable becomes the real-life tragedy. Our feelings tremble as we attempt to come to grips with the fragility of life. In this space we slow down our speed for living to heartbeat to heartbeat. We gasp for air. The recurring news confirm what we had prayed and hoped to be untrue: Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gigi, and seven others killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, CA. (Names of the other deceased passengers were not released at press time).
As news of their untimely demise becomes widespread, we all seek to find answers to the why. None are comforting. Most are reflections. We primarily reflect on how could someone on earth just 41 years do so much? And we are saddened by the fact Kobe had so much of life still ahead. I am reminded of the old folks who would say “YOU ARE CALLED HOME WHEN YOU WORK IS DONE.” It appears as if Kobe’s work had been done. If that is true then the rest of us still have some work to do!
We marvel at athletes who achieve heights beyond our limited visualizations. During one of Kobe’s many interviews, the Laker guard said when he was just 2 years old dribbling the basketball was a sacred undertaking. Kobe explained hearing the ball pound the wooden floor was hypnotic. The NBA MVP player went on to talk about how he relished when the ball went through the hoop and strings – the “SWISH” sound it made was universal rhythmic music. With this uncanny attention to detail, most credit Kobe with exporting the game of basketball to Europe. If sports is a metaphor for life then Kobe lived life to the fullest.
Kobe without a doubt was/is a star. We follow stars because they lead us to where our imaginations have yet to take us. Kobe’s star was brilliant, radiating an illumination that was blinding at times: five NBA championships; 18 times NBA All-Star; 2 Olympic gold medals; 2 NBA Finals MVP – far too many to list here. But above and beyond sports, Kobe was a family man, husband and father. Mamba excelled equally in business, humanitarian efforts, as well as receiving an Oscar for his short film Dear Basketball.
Kobe was equally as tenacious in raising money for just causes: giving a $1M to help build the African American Museum; Kenny “The Jet” Smith, former NBA player and now TNT basketball analyst said when he was trying to raise money for the Katrina victims he reached out to Kobe. Smith said Kobe was the only one he called and shortly thereafter 25 NBA players had signed up. Smith was quick to remind all who would be playing what Kobe admonished, “to strap up your laces.” Kobe was always the competitor supreme!
For those of us who don’t believe in coincidences, let me offer you these readings from the universal order: According to news accounts, the call about the helicopter crash came in at 9:47 am west coast time. Nine plus four plus seven equals 20: the number of years Kobe played in the NBA after entering the league at 18-years old “straight outta” high school.
We now recognize there was a metaphysical underlying meaning to Kobe wearing the number 8. In numerology, the number 8 when laid on its side is the sign for infinity. What Kobe accomplished, on and off the basketball court, without a doubt – will live until the end of forever.
Later in Kobe’s career he wore jersey number 24. Basketball aficionados know this is the amount of seconds each team with possession must shoot the ball and hit the rim or they would be cited for a violation. What Kobe did within 24 seconds with the ball in his hands was magical, breathtaking, and poetic. NBA teams playing on this tragic day honored Kobe by taking the 24 second violation. Lebron James 24 hours earlier surpassed Kobe as the third leading scorer in the history of the NBA. James now wearing a Laker’s jersey, noted this historic moment took place where Kobe graduated from high school: Philadelphia. James later recalled the moment as surreal. The Los Angeles Lakers eventually retired both of Kobe’s jerseys.
When father time came knocking, Kobe refused to give in without Mamba pushback. After suffering a torn ACL, a displaced rotator cup and a broken ankle Kobe embraced a rehab regimen that made us squeamish just watching. Kobe’s last game as a Laker, Mamba scored 60 points and told us “Mamba Out.”
We now know stars don’t dissipate. NASA confirmed that for us. According to the space agency, stars transform into black holes with a gravitational pull so strong they even attract light. Even in this dark hour we bear witness to the gravitational pull of Kobe’s remarkable life and his adroit ability to attract us with the brilliant light of his magnetism. We saw his star transform right before our eyes: Black (Hole) Mamba.
THE STAR-STUDDED MUSICAL EVENT WILL PREMIERE ON BET ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1 AT 8/7c TRAVIS GREEN, LE’ANDRIA JOHNSON, COMMISSIONED REUNION, THE NFL PLAYERS CHOIR, and more talent to be announced!
The 21st Annual Super Bowl Gospel Celebration is bringing Inspiration to the BIGGEST Game on Earth. Catch the Spirit of Super Bowl LIV with star-studded musical jubilation at the LIVE BET TV show taping on Thursday, January. 30 at 7:30 p.m., at the James L. Knight Center – 400 SE 2nd Avenue, Miami, Florida.
This family-friendly, NFL-Sanctioned event blends the top gospel and contemporary Christian singers along with GRAMMY® Award-winning artists, NFL players, and special guests to give the audiences an evening of uplifting music and inspiration.
The one-hour television premiere will air on the BET Network on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020, at 8 p.m. EST/ 7 p.m. CST and again on Sunday, February 2nd, 2020. For more information, visit www.superbowlgospel.com.
You have to experience SBGC LIVE and praise with the players before the big game! If not, don’t miss the broadcast the day before the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl Gospel Celebration was launched in Miami in 1999 during Super Bowl XXXIII weekend. The event became the first, and remains the only Gospel concert sanctioned by the National Football League (NFL). The show has drawn crowds in the thousands and has demonstrated growth year-after-year, selling out venues in major Super Bowl host cities including Dallas, Tampa, Detroit, Jacksonville, Houston and Phoenix.
Today, the NFL announced two-time Grammy award-winning emcee LECRAE as the third artist to be featured in its “Songs of the Season” series. Lecrae’s “Get Back Right,” which is off his album, Let the Trap Say Amen (a collaborative album with award-winning producer, Zaytoven), will be heard throughout the NFL playoffs across several telecasts. See below for song and sample broadcast clips:
“Throughout my entire career, I have always hoped that my music would inspire and uplift. It is an amazing honor to partner with the NFL and its Inspire Change initiative to combine our platforms to change the communities we call home.”
Lecrae
Songs of the Season is a multi-tier, season-long initiative that will highlight stars and emerging artists of all genres. The series showcases musicians that deliver a song to be integrated in all NFL promotions during the season. Songs have debuted during in-game broadcasts and have been released to all digital streaming platforms (DSPs) worldwide.
A best-selling author, entrepreneur, speaker, thought leader, philanthropist, and Co-owner/President of Reach Records, Lecrae has been recognized for his social justice/restorative work in the community. He has partnered on several major projects to develop Atlanta’s English Avenue, an area known for its rampant drug trafficking and violent crime statistics. He also serves as a member of the Board of Advisory for Peace Academy, the first school in the English Avenue area to be opened in more than 20 years. In addition to the restoration of community through academic ventures and real estate acquisitions, Lecrae is promoting healthy families continuing two media campaigns – “Man Up” and “This Is Fatherhood” – encouraging male urban youth to remain responsible and active in their children(s)’ lives.
“The ‘Songs of the Season’ initiative is just one of the ways we shine a light on the great work NFL players and clubs continue to do as it relates to social justice,” said ANNA ISAACSON, NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility. “An award-winning musician and adamant social justice supporter such as Lecrae is a perfect pairing for ‘Songs of the Season’ and will help amplify the great work being done in our communities.”
All revenue generated from Songs of the Season will support Inspire Change grant recipients as part of the NFL’s social justice initiative with focus on the following priority areas: education and economic advancement, police and community relations, and criminal justice reform.
Lecrae is currently in the studio recording his 9th studio album, Restoration, and writing “I Am Restored,” a follow-up to his best-selling book, Unashamed.
Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA [CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]
On yesterday, with the announcement of the final vacancies being filled, Stephen A. called out the NFL and its owners for seemingly circumventing the beloved “Rooney Rule” which is basically affirmative action for black head coaches. And, who better to say it that the sportscaster who signed the equivalent of a “super-max” contract at ESPN, just months ago.
In the last decade, Stephen A. Smith has revolutionized televised sports reporting. His outlandish, uninhibited commentary has both endeared him and vilified him with watchers and listeners. His is perhaps the 21st Century holy grail of journalism-the ever running mouth, much more than merely a talking head. Stephen A. is synonymous with “face time” because much more than being sought out for what he has to say, he is always talking regardless of whether or not he has ‘something to say’!
This tirade was vintage Stephen A. It was good great television! It was like watching Jordan hit that corner jumper in his last All-Star game. Like watching Jerry Rice catch a touchdown in a Seahawks uniform or even watching Grandpa sprint past all the kiddos who swore he’d lost a step! This was good, but it was also problematic!
This is the same brother who invalidated Colin Kaepernick’s viewpoint and dismissed any credibility of his national anthem protest. When the NFL dubiously invited Kap to a workout late last year, Kap and his legal team sniffed out alarming inconsistencies that eroded their confidence in the fairness of the workout. Kap moved the workout and spoke disparagingly about the NFL afterward which led Stephen A. to call out Kap saying that he just doesn’t want to play. This didn’t fair well with many viewers who pointed to Mike Florio‘s (a sports writer and also a lawyer) reports which debunked much of what Smith had to say. On his show “First Take” the following Monday, Smith doubled down on his ridiculous rhetoric.
What Stephen A. must not be aware of is the fact that these are the same owners who won’t sign Kap! How can he so incredulous that there are no more than three black head coaches! Owners and GM’s are not tuned to the sports acumen of black quarterbacks, black head coaches or black interest, it seems. Well, the late Dan Rooney (former Pittsburgh Steelers owner and former chairman of the league’s diversity committee) did and that’s why the NFL adopted this rule league-wide.
The Dallas Cowboys check the “Rooney Rule” box and bring in highly publicized head coaching candidates with each vacancy. This year, it was Marvin Lewis, former coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. It was unclear how Lewis would function as coach, but Mike McCarthy has been the choice for the next phase of Dallas Cowboys football. But why can’t coaches like Marvin Lewis get hired? Why are there currently only three black head coaches in the NFL? To use Stephen A.’s logic in the Colin Kaepernick argument, one would surmise that perhaps the coaches didn’t interview well or that they somehow want to be seen and not employed, thus the acceptance of an interview albeit via enforcement of the Rooney Rule.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K31DPxVijFg
The Rooney Rule, subject of Stephen A. bloviation has been reduced to about as much a joke as Kap’s offer of a workout. With this latest rant, Stephen A. has found his way back into the good graces of black viewers who hung him out to dry late last year. Even a broken clock is right twice a day, but you have a bigger problem than a clock, if you’re relying on it to tell time for you!
Stephen A. is RIGHT. He’s spot on, what he seems to have missed or miscalculated is the fact that the culture change he is now calling for would have probably benefited Colin Kaepernick, as well.
Number 6, Julius “Dr. J” Erving, made his return to Philadelphia as his Tri-State squad locked horns with fellow basketball legend Nancy Lieberman and defending champions, Power.
It was an early “Battle of the Big Men” as Tri-State’s Amar’e Stoudamire (18 pts, 6 rebs) and Power’s Glen “Big Baby” Davis (10 pts, 5 rebs) came out hot. Cuttino Mobley added to the action and put on a show in his hometown, scoring nine points in the first half and pacing the Power to a 25-20 lead.
After surrendering a quick six points to open the second frame, Tri-State’s Nate Robinson (12 pts) single-handedly kept his team in the game, showing off athleticism and grit with a few nice finishes at the rim. First year BIG3 player Yakhouba Diawara (9 pts, 9 rebs) also added to the mounting comeback, grabbing several offensive boards and knocking down open shots.
First-year player Mychel Thompson continued to find ways to contribute to his team, chipping in 6 points while pulling down 11 rebounds. Thompson found Mobley (23 pts, 7 rebs) down low with a mismatch against Robinson for the game-winning assist to close out the contest.
Tri-State falls to (0-2); Power remains unbeaten at (2-0)
– For more information and to sign up for news updates, visit www.BIG3.com. SOURCE
