Bernice Perkins was a hard-working woman with pride, but none of it was false.
She raised her family on modest means without complaint but great dignity, teaching them to treat others as they wanted to be treated.
She was proud of all her children equally, and to her Sidney Moncrief was just one of her beloved flock. In the decades Moncrief was the high-flying University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Razorbacks guard and later with the Milwaukee Bucks, she would mention his little brother, Doyle, right along with Sidney.
Moncrief lightened his mom's load after he signed with the Bucks and would have done more, but she was not one to ask for much.
Last Friday, with Super Sid there, Perkins died. She was 92 and had a good life that was filled with friends and family.
At the same moment when she passed Doyle quit breathing, but he was resuscitated and made it until Tuesday when he died, too.
A celebration of their lives will be held Friday -- the day the family reunion was supposed to start -- at 1 p.m. at the William Robinson First Baptist Church at 811 SA Jones Drive in North Little Rock. That was Doyle's home church.
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AETN has a feature, Men and Women of Distinction, and the latest documentary is on boxing Hall of Famer Ray Rodgers, who has run the Golden and Silver Gloves tournaments in Arkansas for decades.
Rodgers has touched tens of thousands of lives through the years, teaching boxing along with self-control, self-discipline and self-confidence.
He also worked as the cut man for Jermaine Taylor and got national attention during the first fight with Bernard Hopkins when he was trying to stop the bleeding on the top of Taylor's head.
The referee wanted to stop the fight or get it restarted and said something to Rodgers, who shouted over his shoulder, "Get out of here and let me do my job."
The bleeding stopped and Taylor won the fight.
AETN will broadcast the documentary on Rodgers at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 6.
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Much is being said and written about the fact that Paul Finebaum's contract with ESPN and the SEC Network expires at the end of the month.
Finebaum has announced he intends to be in Atlanta for the SEC football media days next week.
The rumor is that he may be going to the Big Ten Network, but in the world of TV, much like the world of coaching, someone has to want you before are going to get a better contract.
Finebaum has become synonymous with the SEC Network with his daily television show that is very similar to a radio call-in show but televised.
It is a good show.
Finebaum has paid his dues, too. The Memphis native and graduate of the University of Tennessee started his career as a newspaper reporter, moved up to columnist, added a small radio show that he later syndicated and was part of the groundbreaking broadcasts of the SEC Network.
Finebaum has a good agent and both are aware of the layoffs and financial cuts ESPN has been making for almost two years.
Look for him to get a new contract with the SEC Network.
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USA Today named Little Rock and Fort Smith to its list of worst cities to live in. Going on the crime numbers and jobs it quoted it would be hard to argue against those choices.
Of course, the miles of miles of the Arkansas River Trail in central Arkansas weren't taken into account, nor did anyone attend a game at Dickey-Stephens Park.
They probably didn't visit the River Market, eat at Corky's, Doe's or any of the other fabulous restaurants, and most likely didn't hear The Villa is reopening next month.
Little Rock and Fort Smith have a lot going for them, too.
Sports on 07/12/2018