Silky Smooth
by Seth 'Soul Man' Ferranti
They don't call him the Michael Jordan of the system for nothing. And at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds with silky smooth moves- Daryl Carpenter is the closest thing to MJ in the feds. His name has been ringing bells in the system for the last 14 years and like he says, "In here people don't give you tags such as Silk, Smooth, Pro, Batman and MJ. You have to earn them. "
This phenom who says, "I'm 34 years young" went to trial at the age of 20 and lost. "The biggest 'L’ of my life," he says and was sentenced to 32 years for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The Richmond Virginia native suited up for the Squires AAU team in his youth and admits to having several college scholarships on the table. "I loved basketball," he says. "But once my focus turned toward the streets nothing else mattered.”
And for real, this cat is like that. He's amazed his fellow prisoners with his jaw-dropping exploits for over a decade. "I could've of definitely played college," he says. "But realistically it would've taken the proper dedication and training for the pros." And in the go-hard world of prison basketball Daryl's legend has taken on mythical proportions. On compounds all across the nation dudes rave about his litany of NBA moves and Sportscenter moments.
"My natural position is shooting guard," Daryl says. "But my handles and passing skills allow me to play the point. I can score from anywhere." And dude ain't faking. He'll bust out the vintage MJ turnaround fade away, the mesmerizing post moves and take it to the rim with authority. "Prison ball is more mentally and physically challenging," he says. "In here you need more then talent you need big heart." And Daryl has both in abundance.
"From day one basketball was a comfort zone." Daryl says of the game that’s given him infamy in America's gulags. "It's allowed me to express myself. So that all my anger and bitterness has been tunneled toward my opposition on the court. Who undoubtedly got victimized, which was unfortunate for whomever. But for guys serving lengthy and life sentences it's been a show to watch." And just like MJ, Daryl Carpenter is a human highlight reel. Except his highlights are etched on the memories of prisoners across the nation.
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Seth Ferranti is currently serving a 22 year sentence in a federal prison. He'll be out in 2015. While in prison, Seth has had numerous works published including his book, Prison Stories. He is also featured on GorillaConvict.com and plans on continuing his writing career in and out of prison. ElevationMag is pleased to be able to be the first to publish Seth's latest works here.
Take a look at our back issues to see more of Seth's work and check back soon for more from the 'Soul Man'.
by Seth 'Soul Man' Ferranti
They don't call him the Michael Jordan of the system for nothing. And at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds with silky smooth moves- Daryl Carpenter is the closest thing to MJ in the feds. His name has been ringing bells in the system for the last 14 years and like he says, "In here people don't give you tags such as Silk, Smooth, Pro, Batman and MJ. You have to earn them. "
This phenom who says, "I'm 34 years young" went to trial at the age of 20 and lost. "The biggest 'L’ of my life," he says and was sentenced to 32 years for conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The Richmond Virginia native suited up for the Squires AAU team in his youth and admits to having several college scholarships on the table. "I loved basketball," he says. "But once my focus turned toward the streets nothing else mattered.”
And for real, this cat is like that. He's amazed his fellow prisoners with his jaw-dropping exploits for over a decade. "I could've of definitely played college," he says. "But realistically it would've taken the proper dedication and training for the pros." And in the go-hard world of prison basketball Daryl's legend has taken on mythical proportions. On compounds all across the nation dudes rave about his litany of NBA moves and Sportscenter moments.
"My natural position is shooting guard," Daryl says. "But my handles and passing skills allow me to play the point. I can score from anywhere." And dude ain't faking. He'll bust out the vintage MJ turnaround fade away, the mesmerizing post moves and take it to the rim with authority. "Prison ball is more mentally and physically challenging," he says. "In here you need more then talent you need big heart." And Daryl has both in abundance.
"From day one basketball was a comfort zone." Daryl says of the game that’s given him infamy in America's gulags. "It's allowed me to express myself. So that all my anger and bitterness has been tunneled toward my opposition on the court. Who undoubtedly got victimized, which was unfortunate for whomever. But for guys serving lengthy and life sentences it's been a show to watch." And just like MJ, Daryl Carpenter is a human highlight reel. Except his highlights are etched on the memories of prisoners across the nation.
----------------------------------------------------------
Seth Ferranti is currently serving a 22 year sentence in a federal prison. He'll be out in 2015. While in prison, Seth has had numerous works published including his book, Prison Stories. He is also featured on GorillaConvict.com and plans on continuing his writing career in and out of prison. ElevationMag is pleased to be able to be the first to publish Seth's latest works here.
Take a look at our back issues to see more of Seth's work and check back soon for more from the 'Soul Man'.
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