The Milwaukee Post

The NFL Draft is here. Ted Thompson needed to draft better in the first round than he has in recent years. The Brewers are off to a great start, and Wily Peralta might be the best pitcher on the staff. The Bucks will likely take Jabari Parker if they get the first pick in the NBA Draft. In two local media polls, nearly 45 percent said the NBA was wrong in banning L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life for his comments made in a private conversa- tion. Forty-five percent. I would have expected 10 percent or 15 percent at the most. I can't continue because it's all such weak sauce compared to the following comments. I got nothing as good as this. *** "I came from a small county outside Washington, D.C., me, my mom, and my brother. We moved so many different places growing up, felt like a box, felt like there was no way getting out. My dream was to be a rec league coach. That's what I wanted to do – stay home and help the kids out and be a coach. I loved basketball so much. I loved playing it. I just never thought I could make it to college, to the NBA. I had so much help. So many people believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. So many people doubted me and motivated me every single day to be who I am. I failed so many times and got back up. I've been through the toughest times – I'm still standing. I don't know why I'm crying so much. When you got people behind you, you can do whatever. Mom, I don't think you know what you did. You had my brother when you were 18 years old (and) three years later I came out. The odds were stacked against us. Single parent with three kids by the time you were 21. Everybody told us we weren't supposed to be there. We moved from apartment to apartment by ourselves. One of the best memories I had is when we moved into our first apartment. No bed, no furniture – we just all sat in the liv- ing room and just hugged each other. We thought we had made it. When something good happens, I tend to look back and what brought me here. And (mom) you woke me up in the middle of the night in the summertime making me run up the hill, making me do pushups, (and) screaming at me from the sidelines during my games at 8 or 9 years old. We weren't supposed to be here. You made us believe. You kept us off the streets – you put clothes on our back – food on the table. When you didn't eat, you made sure we ate. (You) went to bed hungry – sacri- ficed for us. (Mom) you are the real MVP." *** Those words are just a portion of the 26- minute speech given by Kevin Durant in his media conference following his selec- tion as the NBA most valuable player. The 26 minutes is even better than this portion of the speech. There have been and will be better MVP winners. There will never be a better MVP speech. It will live long after Durant is finished playing. May 9, 2014 • Milwaukee County Post • 11 "HOMER" on SPORTS STEVE "The HOMER" TRUE (Ste v e "The Homer" True, host of "Homer and Thunder Show," heard from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays on 540 ESPN, can be reached at homer@espnmilwaukee.com) NBA player's testimonial to mom impactful Durant's speech will live for a long time Post Staff Motorists driving along East Layton Avenue near Gen. Mitchell International Airport should have a better ride thanks to some recent repairs by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Supervisor Jason Haas' office announced that the DOT recently repaired Layton Avenue between South Howell Avenue and Interstate 794. The DOT used diamond grinding, which involves remov- ing a thin layer of roadway using diamond saw blades, to create a smoother surface and reduce road noise. The stretch of road was used last year as a detour during the rebuilding of I-43 and Haas said "the sound of semis clanging and clanking down the street was difficult for people living nearby to put up with." "It was negatively impacting their qual- ity of life, and that's one big reason why I worked with county and state officials to take care of this problem," Haas said in a statement. Haas said in a release the state paid for part of the project. The road is scheduled to be repaved next year. East Layton Avenue smoother ride thanks to DOT repairs Post Staff MILWAUKEE – United Performing Arts Fund member groups will present free sym- phony, theater, choir and dance performanc- es at 10 a.m. Saturday at select Milwaukee County Parks. The family-friendly programs are sched- uled with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra at Humboldt Park, 3000 S. Howell Ave.; First Stage at Wilson Park, 1601 W. Howard Ave.; Milwaukee Children's Choir at Greenfield Park, 2028 S. 124th St.; and Danceworks at Dineen Park, 6601 W. Vienna Ave. All performances will be at the park pavilions. Space is limited. No registrations are being taken. Doors will open at 9:30 a.m. Next Generation UPAF is presenting the performances in partnership with the Park People of Milwaukee County and the Milwaukee County Parks. Next Generation UPAF, sponsored by We Energies Foundation, is an affinity group whose mem- bers are dedicated to cultivating awareness of, encouraging engagement in and promot- ing philanthropy for UPAF and the perform- ing arts with the next generation of commu- nity leaders. Membership is open to donors age 45 and under who contribute $500 or more each year. For details, visit www.upaf.org/2014-cam- paign/performing-arts-park. UPAF groups to present free performances $1,250 Cool Cash Greenspeed Rebate ($1100 59MN7/25VNAU + $150 Infinity Touch WiFi control) + $225 59MN7 (NG) FOE reward. 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