The shocking facts of where Bernard Hopkins grew up

[kayjay]

plain and basic common sense...

You neglected to enlarge the last sentence of Asian's post, which is the only one that applies: "It's good for PR."

But since it's all lies, since he lived in Germantown from his very early youth until adulthood, it's clear it's ALL PR.

Just get past it, he's not the only celebrity whose PR image is mostly fiction

[C'MONMANG']

You neglected to enlarge the last sentence of Asian's post, which is the only one that applies: "It's good for PR."

But since it's all lies, since he lived in Germantown from his very early youth until adulthood, it's clear it's ALL PR.

Just get past it, he's not the only celebrity whose PR image is mostly fiction

WHERE EVER HE LIVED HE WAS IN FACT STABBED AND HE DID GO TO PRISON, SO........

[Njord777]

Hopkins cares. He mentions it in EVERY interview. But the history he gives is bull****. He grew up in a plush neighborhood.

This is just setting facts straight, as far as his PR stunt about having had a tough childhood and overcoming obstacles.

It ain't so. Otherwise carry on. I didn't see this as such an important topic, though for some reason posters have trouble accepting that Hopkins is not who they think he is as far as his past is concerned

I'm not a huge Hopkins fan, Kayjay- and I understand what you're getting at. You want to make it clear that the town Bernard grew up in was not the ****** and you feel he's portraying a false image. In America, though, I feel like "******" is as much a mentality as a place. I mean, you have drug dealers even in the ritzy, gated communities- thugs creep into nice places and try and break into garages. Young middle class kids can fall in with a rough crowd. Who's to say that Bernard didn't find himself thugging it with other middle class kids who considered themselves rough and hood- hopping on a subway and pulling **** in another neighborhood or something.

I'm not trying to defend him and say he's being 100% honest with his portrayal of his roots...but you get the point. Where you come from, or live, isn't an airtight indication of where you go in life- who you fall in with, or what happens. He did obviously become enough of a thug to go to jail for petty crimes so we know where his mentality took him, right? Even the most spoiled, private school brat can run with thugs if he really tries. He just might not make it far unless he's tough- which despite all the bull**** Bernard throws around I believe he is.

[kayjay]

you feel he's portraying a false image.

I'm sure he's portraying a false image. And I don't hold that against him.

But the fact that some of his fans react to these truths the way they do, only proves that they are in love with the image. That shows something about them, both their values, their very limited experiences, and their inability to distinguish reality from appearance.

That's the part I'm most happy to have revealed

[DrewWoodside]

I'm sure he's portraying a false image. And I don't hold that against him.

But the fact that some of his fans react to these truths the way they do, only proves that they are in love with the image. That shows something about them, both their values, their very limited experiences, and their inability to distinguish reality from appearance.

That's the part I'm most happy to have revealed

Does B-hop really have many fans? He's a bore to watch.. most people talking about him now are just people looking to watch Calzaghe win or Calzaghe lose. Not neccessarily excited about B-hop spefically.

[Burner]

Hopkins cares. He mentions it in EVERY interview. But the history he gives is bull****. He grew up in a plush neighborhood.

This is just setting facts straight, as far as his PR stunt about having had a tough childhood and overcoming obstacles.

It ain't so. Otherwise carry on. I didn't see this as such an important topic, though for some reason posters have trouble accepting that Hopkins is not who they think he is as far as his past is concerned

I dont care if he used to be gay he'd still beat your ass and mine and hes still a very talented fighter.

[Njord777]

I'm sure he's portraying a false image. And I don't hold that against him.

But the fact that some of his fans react to these truths the way they do, only proves that they are in love with the image. That shows something about them, both their values, their very limited experiences, and their inability to distinguish reality from appearance.

That's the part I'm most happy to have revealed

I think what I'm saying is I feel he's exaggerating but not necessarily lying. I hear you; his portrayal of Germantown is skewed. Yes, I'm sure- like often is the case- most of his stories are bull****. But Bernard Hopkins had enough of a thug in him to get caught breaking the law and go to jail. Despite where he came from he let his mentality degrade to the point where he was a rough guy, right? So despite where he came from he must have fallen in with a bad crowd somewhere, done some bad things at some point, and had some "******" in him at some juncture early in life. No, he didn't grow up without any bread on the table and watch people get shot on the corner outside his house- I hear you- but I feel like Hopkins obviously, at some point, became a bit of a thug. So some of what he says is probably grounded in some speckle of reality.

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

I have no doubts Hops has seen and done as much as many home grown honest to goodness street thugs. I know he hd enough juice as to where several years ago a CLOSE member of his inner circle told me how when Nard' was in jail he "walked the yard with no fear" and if you know anything about that type of jail, well, not everybody can just walk the yard like that

[mrrupo]

As a Philly native I didn't need to do any demographic research, but I did it anyway.

Germantown is one of the more peaceful and affluent neighborhoods in Philadelphia. Bill Cosby is from there as well, as was Sun Ra. White collar workers outnumber blue collar workers by about 9/2. The median income is over $40,000/ year.

Crime rates are some of the lowest in the city.

I didn't grow up in the roughest "hood" either, but even I grew up in a tougher Philly neighborhood than Hopkins did, with higher crime rates and lower median income. So I can't help but laugh when he refers to his tough background: he's a middle class kid! Sure he went to prison, but anyone can do that.

He's built a false image on being "street." But it's not him. Sorry if you thought he would be too "street" for Calzaghe or anyone else, but you have the wrong guy.



Click this link for details:

http://homes.point2.com/Neighborhood...ographics.aspx

I am sitting in north philadelphia right now. Germantown is part of north philadelphia and is not at all affluent. it is a rough place. get off of any septa train, R1, R2, R3, R4, anyone of them, at the wayne junction and walk around. you will not find affluence.

[ICEMAN JOHN SCULLY]

I am sitting in north philadelphia right now. Germantown is part of north philadelphia and is not at all affluent. it is a rough place. get off of any septa train, R1, R2, R3, R4, anyone of them, at the wayne junction and walk around. you will not find affluence.

Hey, my man, do you know where the Happy Hollow rec is?? You near there? You near Champs at all?