Laruan Queen, Sidney "Big Sid" Murdock & Tony "Tone" Morgan
When the nation's capital is mentioned, many diverse images come to mind. The White House, the United States Senate and the Lincoln Memorial all call DC home. As do the Redskins, Wizards and DC United. The city is famous for the jumping nightlife in Georgetown and the vibrant go-go scene.
But there’s also a flip side to the Chocolate city.
The controversial, but ever-loved former mayor and federal inmate Marion Barry conjures up images of Washington DC as does the Oliver North-Contra affair and the notorious drug kingpin turned snitch, Rayful Edmunds.
The city is a diverse collection of extremes. From the steps of the Capitol building which serves as the stronghold of democracy to the crime-infested and drug-ridden neighborhoods of southeast. How can one city which promises so much hope wallow in such despair?
There was a time when DC was called the Murder capital of the world. The media hype and glare was so bad that their NBA team felt compelled to change their name from the Bullets.
DC juxtaposes two extremes – politics and poverty. But the President pays no heed to the streets. In a hail of real bullets, street legends like Wayne Perry were born. And the young men from the district, who were trapped off into a vicious game just trying to make ends meet,
were shipped south into Virginia. To a hell created especially for them.
Lorton, the DC prison.
Lorton was infamous as a dog-eat-dog facility rampant with corruption, drugs and unlimited violence. Guns were even said to have been in possession of prisoners on the compound. Lorton was for the worst of the worst and the baddest of the bad. But still redemption was at hand.
In the late 90's Lorton was closed and the DC prisoners were shipped into the federal system to such far flung locales as USP Lewisburg, USP Lompac and FCI Gilmer. All the cats from Chocolate city were spread far and wide in the feds. And in the feds there were dire warnings of their coming.
"Those DC cats is dangerous," they said.
"Don't let them Lorton prisoners hit the compound," they pleaded.
"Them bammas is crazy," they hollered.
But the BOP didn't care and in came the DC prisoners from Lorton. No major drama jumped off. The DC dudes blended in. But don't get it messed up. They bring it when they have to. But for real imagine being released from hell.
Anyway a lot of them are more interested in balling, as in b-balling, than creating chaos. It’s always a few who jump it off for all the rest. Dudes are just rolling with their boys. A lot of the DC dudes experienced enough of the foolishness at Lorton, which at times could have been considered an insane asylum. So to them, the feds were a cakewalk. And you know they were balling at Lorton so what do you think they doing in the feds?
They balling, straight up. They express themselves on the court and in the intramural leagues and you know they going hard on them Redskins and Wizards. Can you say DC's finest?
Let me introduce you to three Lorton penitentiary b-balling veterans. Dudes who represented in the harsh environment of DC's roughest jail and are now doing the same thing in the feds. These cats are straight soldiers and they go hard without question. Meet Laruan, Big Sid and Tone.
"I spent more then half a decade at Lorton," Big Sid says.
Born Sidney Murdock, Big Sid is 31 years of age and calls Southwest DC home. This solid 6-foot-1 dude can play. Big Sid is what dudes in here call versatile.
"My game is more than one-dimensional," he says. "I can play the 1, 2, 3 and 4 spots. My M.O. is scoring."
Dude ain't faking. He will put the rock in the hole.
His homeboy Tone (Tony Morgan) is 34 years of age and comes in at 6-foot-1, 210 lbs. He spent half of his bid at Lorton too and has been in 14 years now. Tone got multiple dimensions to his game also.
"I can post up, most definitely shoot and penetrate," he says. "Anybody would describe my game as the complete package."
The last of the trio and perhaps the most talented is Laruan Queen, a 37-year-old, 6-foot-2, 185-pound flyer. Like his homies, Laruan put in his time at Lorton. He describes himself as "a great shooting guard with excellent defense and a knack for rebounding."
And the cat can fly too. He's gone on the break and when he gets the ball on the baseline, you know he’s going to the hole. Most of the time it'll be an and one.
These guys got basketball history also. I'm talking pedigree. Laruan, who played at McKenly Tech (84-86) and U.D.C. (87-89), says he also played streetball all over the DC area and in prison at Lorton from 1992 to 1997.
Main man Tone is strictly streetball and prison ball. Big Sid played high school basketball for the varsity team at Anacostia in 1990-91. He also played prison ball for Youth Center 1 varsity team (at Lorton) from 1992 to 1998. So these cats just didn't hop off the bus. They been bidding and been balling. From the streets to the penitentiary. That’s just how they carrying it.
These cats are All-Stars too. Big Sid got 10 chips in prison ball.
"I've always played on and loved the varsity competition," he says. "And I've had my share of All-Star appearances."
Laruan claims Lorton glory also – "92 and 93 championships on varsity teams at Lorton."
Tone has been a part of all these. "Some glory and some not so glory," he says. "But all over its been fun."
That’s what basketball is suppose to be about – reccing and having fun.
Tone keeps it real though, "I'm all about just playing and reccing. Showing up your man and going hard is all in the game."
Big Sid has a different opinion though: "Playing basketball is all about desire, determination and effort plus exercise. It's far more important than just reccing and showing up your man."
"You have to take your game to another level in prison because they go a little harder in here than they do on the street," Laruan says.
Big Sid backs up his homeboys words: "Prison ball is far more different than organized ball. It’s a lot more aggressive."
"There’s a respect factor in here," according to Tone. "If you are well-respected off the court, it’s all good. But if you're not then you have to just keep balling. And that’s real."
We start talking about streetball, And1 and all that and how it compares with the prison game.
"Streetball and And1 is totally different," Tone says. "They is strictly showing up their man. Don't get me wrong, it's cool for entertainment."
But prison ball is not, Big Sid says.
"I'm not too much of a fancy type of b-ball player. I just try to get it done."
A lot of dudes in here are just trying to win by any means necessary, but still others are trying to bust some moves.
"I am And1 when the pill is in my hands," says Laruan.
He ain't fronting either. Both him and Tone got some razzle-dazzle to their game while Big Sid is more the Karl Malone rough-it-off type.
When we talk about the NBA, these dudes give props to their favorite players. Laruan goes old-school and names Magic Johnson as his man and then compares his game to Bernard King's.
Big Sid's favorite player is Donyell Marshall. "Him and I were born on the same day and year." He compares his game to that of Glenn Robinson, whom he also gives props to.
Main man Tone says, "Of course MJ. But my other main man is no other than Sam Cassell. I love him. In my opinion he’s the best point guard by far."
BASKETBALL DREAMS
All three of these DC cats had hoop dreams also.
Big Sid lays it out there: "Playing pro b-ball was a dream and goal for me coming up. What went wrong was the streets took me under and there was jail time to do."
Tone relays a similar sentiment: "I never saw the bigger picture. The streets deceived me. I was so caught up. But basketball was my dream."
Laruan keeps it simple.
"Yes, it was a dream of mine but I got into the drug game."
So just like a lot of dudes from the hood, these brother's hoop dreams got put on hold for street dreams. They were in the game – but in the wrong game. And look were it led them.
Straight to the penitentiary.
Prison can hold a man's physical body captive, but it can't trap off a man's soul or his dreams. And when incarceration destroys misguided street dreams, a man has the choice to turn back to his first dream – basketball.
Although this ain't the NBA, a prison baller can still find some glory and make a name for himself by gaining the respect of his peers. Not for how gangsta he is but for his skills and talents on the basketball court.
Inside these fences dudes are reccing too. They going hard, trying to win chips and get their respect on the court. Because you could of been the biggest baller in the world on the street, but if your game is some shit then your game is some shit.
In the end, when the feds took away everything else – the Lexus and the Benz, the gold chains and cheddar, the freedom and the dime piece girl – all a man has left is his word and his balls and along with his dreams and the respect he gets, these things can define him.
For these three DC cats basketball is their ticket. It helps them do their time and makes their bids pass by.
"Watching and playing basketball is a big part of my life," Laruan says.
Whether its the NBA, WNBA, NCAA, And1 or the prison intramural league games, these dudes is getting down. And when it comes down to it, you'll find them on the court. Free rec, blacktop, one on one or A-League. It don't matter. It’s all good.
Main man Tone says, "I don't have the passion as I once did. I rec because it keeps me stressed minded."
But he’s still reccing and watching because he loves the game.
At the end of our conversation, I take it back to the streets and ask them to name the DC streetball legends.
"Curt Smith," Tone says. "Man, this dude was awesome. Just ask some of them NBA dudes about him. He was the real deal."
Laruan talks up a cat named Greg Jones, who he says is "one of the best ball handlers in DC."
Big Sid names a prison ball legend who was one of the best ever to play at Lorton – Purple. "He had game and is a memorable legend."
Laruan adds the b-ball tournaments DC is known for – Aurbo Collission, The Midnight, The Berryfarm and The Run and Shoot. You know these dudes would rather be out there in the streets and playing in the tournaments . But instead they are in here creating legends of their own.
Because wherever you're at, you gotta make the best of the situation you're in. These DC cats have survived and thrived in the pen as stand-up guys and prison ballers. They're respected, admired, and even hated on due to their reputation, skills and talents.
Like they say, you can't keep a good man down and the creme always rises to the top. But I think Tone sums it up best with his last words that paint a strong message to all his homies in DC and to prisoners all across the nation. Tone keeps it real and inspires hope with this shout out to all.
"Remember," he says. "A setback is a setup for a comeback. So don't never give. Don't never give."
Courtesy of Seth "Soul Man" Ferranti
