Shortly after the craziness that was NBA All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas a few months ago, AOL Sports columnist Jason Whitlock went off on the influence hip-hop culture has on sports and the African-American community in general. He demonized the hip-hop attitude and music and called out the athletes that exemplified it. In column for The Huffington Post, Washington Wizards Etan Thomas talked about meeting Whitlock at a recent discussion panel and then proceeded to put him in his place.

“Mr. Whitlock, hip-hop is not the problem,” Thomas wrote. “Baggy jeans and boots are not either. Hip hop is a style and a culture that apparently you do not understand. First of all, there is no direct correlation between one's apparel and partaking in criminal activity. Wearing oversized clothes, t-shirts and chains do not make you a criminal, but if you are constantly living in fear every time you see a young person dressed a certain way, then that speaks volumes to your own insecurities.

In addition, there are positive aspects to hip-hop as well as negative, and I understand that negativity is what sells, but don't limit that to hip-hop. That is a societal ill, which includes the media, movies, television, politics, pick your poison. Negativity sells. Just as when I challenged the journalists on the panel as to why the positive things that athletes do are never shown, the general explanation was that negativity sells. Unfortunately, this includes hip-hop. Believe me, I wish my favorite MCs like Rakim, Talib Kweli, Common, The Roots, Mos Def, Nas, would be the ones riding the waves of guaranteed triple-platinum-selling artists. However, that doesn't mean that they, or professional athletes doing positive things, do not exist. I just don't think you realize how you come across.”

To read the rest of Thomas’ thoughts about Whitlock’s controversial columns, check it out here.

Serena Williams the rapper?

Not another rappin’ athlete. Serena Williams is currently on a campaign with Vick’s DayQuil Sinus & NyQuil promoting … we guess the relief of sinus pain? Anyway, Serena and Vick’s are launching the “Vicks Sinus Send Off” where a grand prize winner will win a trip to Wimbeldon 2007 to watch Serena play. In the midst of this campaign, Serena was stopped by Star Magazine asked what her hidden talent was. Her response?

“I'm a talented rapper,” Serena told Star Magazine. “A lot of people don't know that about me, but I am. I don't freestyle or anything, but I can definitely rap. I also play the guitar.” As far as plans for an album?

“No way!” She said. “A rapping guitarist? That would be so weird. I'm too shy to do that.” That’s good news. Maybe she’ll stick to being in rapper’s videos like she was at the end here.

$1 mil for Bonds’ 756th homer

While the world is arguing on how legit Barry Bonds’ home run record is, he’s only a few more from breaking Hank Aaron’s record. And if the San Francisco Giants are rolling through your city this summer, you might want to grab a seat in the outfield. Heritage Auction Galleries of Dallas is willing to give up $1 million for Barry Bonds 756th home run ball. "We invite the lucky owner who delivers this historic baseball, as verified by Major League Baseball, to redeem it for a $1 million bounty at a Dallas news conference within 15 days of the record-breaking homer,” Chris Ivy, drector of Sports Auctions for Heritage Auction Galleries of Dallas, told ESPN. “The baseball that sets the mark could truly be considered 'priceless,' but we expect that $1 million dollars will be very tempting to the fan who catches that ball."

At press time, Bonds was just 11 homers shy of Hank Aaron’s all-time home run record of 755. We guess we better start looking at that Giants game schedule.

Tiger, Melo, Tiki top charitable athletes

Sometimes us regular folk bug out at the extravagant things athletes that buy with their money. At the same time, some of these rich athletes do plenty of giving as well. The Giving Back Fund compiled a list of the celebrities who made the largest public donations to charity in 2006.

Tiger Woods is at No. 5, having given $9.5 million to the Tiger Woods Learning Center, the Earl D Woods Sr. Scholarship Fund and the beneficiaries of the Tiger Woods Foundation. Carmelo Anthony was at No. 8, giving up more than $4.2 million to the CAF Youth Center in Baltimore, AAU Basketball, Syracuse University Basketball and various other charities. Tiki and Ronde Barber also gave up $1 million last year towards the University of Virginia, Virginia Athletics Foundation, Children’s Hospital, a scholarship fund for African-American students and other charities.

Aside from athletes, Oprah is at No. 1; she dropped $58.3 million for her various charities. Denzel Washington, Rosie O’Donnell, Bob Barker, Gloria Estefan, Dr. Phil and other celebs made the list as well. View the list in its entirety here.

Dungy on Time’s 100 Influential List

Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy is still getting props months after he won the Super Bowl. Time Magazine named Dungy to its list of “The 100 Most Influential People in the World” and will be on one of the 11 covers for the special issue.

"I'm flattered by this recognition because I don't necessarily see a football coach as being tremendously influential in the big scheme of things," Dungy said. "My sister, Sherrie, is a nurse at a correctional facility. My other sister, Lauren, is a doctor. My brother, Linden, is a dentist. While my sphere of influence may be larger, I think there's a very big difference between influence and importance. What my siblings do is incredibly important. I take great responsibility in being recognized in this manner by Time magazine because if I am viewed by others as being influential, it is critically important that I influence people in a positive manner."

The Time 100 recognizes "the men and women whose power, talent or moral example is transforming our world," and the list is divided into five subsections: Leaders & Revolutionaries Builders & Titans, Artists & Entertainers, Scientists & Thinkers, and Heroes & Pioneers, the category in which Coach Dungy is presented.