Innocent lost, part 1

One of my favorite (well most watched) shows on TV is A&E’s ‘The First 48.’  ‘The First 48′ follows homicide dectectives from various cities from around the country, from Birmingham to Cincinnati, from Dallas to Detroit, from Kansas City to Louisville, Las Vegas, Memphis, Phoenix and Minneapolis. 

Nine year-old Sherdavin Jenkins was killed in a crossfire in 2006. Her case was featured on the A&E show 'The First 48.'

All week I’ve been following the trial of Damon Darling on ‘In Session’ and ‘Courtside’ during the CourtTV portion on truTV. Darling, 24, is on trial for the murder of 9-year-old Sherdavin Jenkins on July 1st, 2006. The trial is interesting to me because the case was featured on the fourth season of ‘The First 48′ in the episode entitled: “Innocent Lost” (see video clip here).  Jenkins was killed when she was caught in the crossfire of a shootout between Darling and Leroy Larose in the Liberty Square Housing Projects in Miami, also known as the ‘Pork ‘n’ Beans Projects.’

Larose is serving seven years in prison for his participation in the murder.  Darling could face life if convicted.

The most intriguing testimony was that of Miami homicide detective of Rolando Garcia.  Garcia exposed ‘The First 48′ as a fraud — sort of.  It dispelled A&E’s claim that the show is real.

“‘The First 48′ is based on reality,” Garcia said on the stand. “It is a dramatization.”  He went on to say that they are given scripts to read.

This makes me view the show in a different light.  ‘The First 48′ to me now is like a suped up ‘CSI: Miami.’  The cases are real, there are real victims, real suspects and real police officers but the show needs the editorial stamp: based on true events like it does with movies like “Remember the Titans,” despite the fact that real-time interrogations are aired.

I will continue to watch the show, just with a different eye.

“Behind the Music” is VH1’s last great contribution

 

In the era of celebreality, VH1 has been leading the charge in showing America what bad TV is.

VH1 began in 1985 as an alternative to MTV for an older demographic to watch the ’softer’ side of popular music.  But oh how that has changed.  I don’t know when the last time I’ve watched an actual music video on VH1.

Turning to VH1 nowadays is like turning to see one long ‘When celebrities go broke’ program with the subtext: “I love Money.”  All of VH1’s celebreality shows deal with either/or, resurrecting Flavor Flav’s career and showing just how much women love money.  Looking at the lineup you see one common thread — defunct celebrities, money and women.

Strange Love, Flavor of Love, I Love New York, I  Love Money, Real Chance of Love, The Surreal Life and Hogan knows Best.  With so much trash that VH1 throw out at us, it gets lost that VH1 can produce something great.

Behind the Music is the last great show left on VH1 (along with the “I Love the …  series).  The show began in 1997 and have featured everyone from Cher to Natalie Cole to Sting to the late Notorious B.I.G.  The new season began on Sept. 10 with Lil’ Wayne.  After watching Bobby Brown’s episode Thursday, I now know that VH1 can be saved.

Until the new season of Flavor of Love is aired.

The Best of college football

Every since Spring practice, all of the Heisman talk in college football has been around quarterbacks — Florida’s Tim Tebow, Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford and Texas’ Colt McCoy.  But after three weeks into the season, the best player in the NCAA plays on the west coast and NOT for Southern California.

The University of California’s junior running back Jahvid Best has been the most dominating player in college football after three weeks of the season than any other player (except for Florida A&M’s LeRoy Vann who has four punt returns for touchdowns) in the nation — outplaying Tebow, McCoy and the injured Bradford combined.

California's running back Jahvid Best hopes that he will be holding a stiff-armed trophy at season's end. (Photo courtsey of Jed Jacobsonh/Getty Images)

Best has rushed for 412 yards and a national leading eight touchdowns (nine overall) after rushing for five in the Bears 35-21 win over Minnesota.  California went into the game against the Gophers ranked No. 7 according to USA TODAY  and undefeated after dismantling Maryland 52-13 in Week One and Eastern Washington 59-7 in Week Two.

California has two weeks before it faces USC, which if Best can lead his school to the victory, rushing for two or three scores, he will no doubt cement himself as the Heisman front runner — or at least he should.  Recent history has shown that the Heisman doesn’t go to the best player in college football — especially if they’re running backs (Ladainian Tomlinson, Darren McFadden).

So for the sake and integrity of college football, let’s hope that history doesn’t repeat itself — because Jahvid is the Best, above all of the rest.