Sports columnist William C. Rhoden complains in the New York Times:
Between the Tebow phenomenon in the fall and the recent Lin explosion, I had been asking myself a variation of Lobo’s question: When was the last time a young, untested professional African-American athlete had been on the receiving end of this type of adulation? Specifically, adulation that had more to do with positive, universal characteristics — faith, humility, selflessness — than with athletic acumen.
The intensity and suddenness of Lin and Tebow’s acceptance has led to a flotilla of half-baked ideas about sports and religion and ill-conceived, even insulting notions about race and ethnicity.
Examples involving African-American athletes were difficult to come by, especially adhering to the criterion of athletes who had come from out of the blue, because very few athletes do these days.
LeBron James was on the cover of Sports Illustrated when he was a 6'-8" 240 pound high school junior.
(Tim Tebow didn't exactly come out of nowhere: he was one of the most famous college football players ever. But he has the worst throwing motion in the NFL since roughly Doak Walker's era, so it was very interesting watching him try to make it in the NFL. He is a white quarterback with a typical black QB's skill set (good runner, not so good passer), so that was intriguing. Plus the super-sophisticated passing game of white NFL QBs these days is a little intimidating, so it was interesting watching him try -- and often succeed -- at winning games through old fashioned heart, guts, and sheer dumb luck, like a high school quarterback in a Chip Hilton boy's novel.)
The point of bringing up Robinson and the Williamses in the context of Tebow and Lin is that African-American athletes faced and continue to confront negative stereotypes that militate against being invested with the type of universal character traits that are at the root of the Tebow and Lin phenomena.
Asian-Americans often complain about being stereotyped as smart, authors of perfect College Board scores. The Asian-American is stereotyped as unathletic.
African-Americans fight the stereotype of lazy, undereducated products of dysfunctional homes. The African-American is stereotyped as ultra-athletic.
You know, there's something blacks could do about that: stop being so often lazy, undereducated products of dysfunctional homes. C'mon, just do it to spite us.
The panel at the Connecticut Forum never did satisfactorily answer Rebecca Lobo’s question about black equivalents to the Tebow-Lin phenomenon. Lobo’s inquiry is actually an important question for the 21st century. As we in the United States continue to dance around issues of ethnicity, using diversity as a diversion, we will continue to struggle with the pick-and-roll of race.
From CNBC in 2010:
In fact, LeBron is now the sixth most disliked sports personality, according to The Q Score Company, behind Michael Vick, Tiger Woods, Terrell Owens, Chad Ochocinco and Kobe Bryant. ...
Perhaps equally as interesting is the fact that James has apparently dragged down the general population’s opinion of his new teammates.
Dwyane Wade’s positive Q score went from 21 in January to 15 today.
His negative Q score rose from 18 in January to 25 today. Chris Bosh – whose move to Miami was part of what sealed the deal for LeBron – saw even a worse drop.
Personally, I think the public's negative reaction to LeBron James' decision to team with two other stars in Miami to try to win an NBA title was unfair. I think he just got caught in an ongoing unspoken reaction to the long series of events that culminated in the craziness of Obamamania in 2008. Talk about a guy coming out of nowhere for no particular reason other than his race. But, that's history now, and, though we're not supposed to articulate it, attitudes have been changing since 2008.
Blacks aren't the underdogs anymore, so people are looking for new underdogs. As I mentioned before, linebacker Dat Nguyen could have been a great story back in the 1990s, but that was the Michael Jordan era and people weren't interested. By now, however, blacks have been top dogs in sports and popular culture for so long, and lots of people are tired of that and less naive, so they are open to alternatives.
P.S. If you want to group Tebow and Lin, the real connection is that neither one is cut out to be a humble, team-first role player. Both need the ball in their hands all the time to do their thing. John Elway would have been very happy if Tebow had volunteered to help out at, say, tight end or linebacker. But Tebow has been dead set on being an NFL quarterback, so that's out. Similarly, no NBA team figured out a subordinate role in which Lin could contribute. Only when the Knicks, having lost their three biggest stars for one game, simply turned the entire offense over to Lin did a role for him in the NBA emerge: star.
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69 comments:
the Tebow-Lin phenomenon
A lot of humanities grad students just got their dissertations taken care of.
Lin not humble?
Boy, you don't research ANYTHING, do ya?
There is a growing impatience with negative black behavior and the exalted status that many black athletes and entertainers enjoy. I don't think it's a major wave or anything, just a mild irritation with constantly having to look the other way when they leap over the loosest of ethical boundaries.
The bit that makes me laugh is how Asians - allegedly, I've never heard any of them say this myself - complain that people think they're sooooo smart.
Yeah, my heart bleeds.
I've spent my whole life looking far smarter, nice and better adjusted than I actually am. It's not so bad.
I'm really not sure what the problem is - even more so for people who really do tend to be more intelligent and industrious.
What is the Asian comparative advantage in sports? If Asians have good visual-spatial abilities, and that arose from hunting, does that mean they should have good aim? Should we expect them to be good at things like hitting free throws and playing darts? Asians do seem to be good at racquet sports like badminton and table tennis, which require aim or control but not much power or speed.
Who was the last humble, underdog black athlete? Maybe the undersized heavyweight boxer Chris Byrd?
That article was just impossible to read. It was a classic of the "World coming to an end... women and minorities most affected" theme.
That Rhodes guy searched relentlessly for a way to make the attention Jeremy Lin receives a lesson in white racism toward blacks.
One of the dumbest bits I've ever read in the Times. That takes some effort.
I never really understood all this jock sniffing so many guys engage in (not specifically calling out Sailer). To me it just seems almost emasculating, worshiping guys with far higher status; and, it's unfathomable to me that some guys actually wear a jersey with another man's name on the back.
Does Jackie Robinson count? I suppose his nowhere was the Negro Leagues. Still, lots of publicity. Robert Griffin seems to have come on strong in the last half of the NCAA football season. He was new to me and a substantial underdog to win the Heisman until a couple weeks out.
Spud Webb was an NBA sensation due largely to the fact thast he could play effectively in the NBA, despite his height.
Although not as nationally well-known, Atlanta Falcons linebacker Jessie Tuggle, an undrafted free agent who was listed at 5-11, 230, went on to play in 5 Pro Bowls and remains one of the Falcons' all-time most popular players (admittedly, not a long list).
For African American underdogs who pull off a Lin-like success, I think you're going to have to look at undersized players from obscure schools. Jerry Rice kinda sort might fit the category too, having played at Jackson State, and running a 4.71 40. But Rice is probably stretching it.
I think the most striking examples are just going to be obscure, undersized players like Tuggle, who nobody really though had a chance in the NFL. IF I remember correctly, he was just given a courtesy try out with the Falcons because one of the assistant coaches knew his uncle.
"c'mon, just do it to spite us"
That's why we keep coming back.
The only thing unlikeable about Jeremy Lin is Spike Lee.
Dan in DC
"By now, however, blacks have been top dogs in sports and popular culture for so long, and lots of people are tired of that and less naive, so they are open to alternatives."
Blacks being top dogs also means race is real. This is troubling to liberals. They speak of equality and diversity, but there isn't much of either in sports.
Same is true of mathletics: Wall Street elite and Silicon Valley elite. This is embarrassing for liberals. And so they grab onto the Lin-factor and say IT PROVES THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS RACE AND THAT THE MAIN REASON WHY SO MANY ASIAN-AMERICANS MADE IT IN SPORTS IS DUE TO RACIAL STEREOTYPING.
So, if we/blacks stop thinking of blacks as less good at school, they'll become better at school. And if we/asians stop thinking of asians as less good at sports, they'll become better at sports.
We need to change the social constructs in our mind.
It has nothing to do with reality but our perception at reality. Most Asian-Americans are Michael Jordans but don't know it cuz they've been reminded that they are a bunch of Eugenes.
And most blacks are Einsteins, but they don't know it yet cuz they've been told by society they aint good for nutting but dunking balls.
So, it's OUR fault.
Blacks are not lazy. Just lazy at things that don't engage them. But play some music or throw them a ball, and they'll go crazy and dance or play all night.
"When was the last time a young, untested professional African-American athlete had been on the receiving end of this type of adulation? "
Kimbo Slice?
I have an idea. Build lots of Section 8 Housing in Winnetka, the town that voted for Obama in 2008.
Does this mean everyone will defacto be required to have a facebook page to be hired? If they don't have one or have an account that's privately restricted, the company might feel the person is 'trying to hide something'. Big Brother Is Friending You.
"Asians complain about the stereotype of being thought of as smart.."
Is that really so bad? There are a lot worse things people can think of you then that. Is it better to be thought of as a bunch of idiots?
I guess some people just like to complain...
It may be hard to remeber now, but there was an outstanding black athelete who had a reputation as a nice guy, bright, articulate, etc. If I recall his name was O.J. Simpson ... not sure how that turned out.
Love seeing black people like Mayweather panic about their racial dominance in sports while at the same time cry about racism elsewhere. Fun!
Lin not humble? Boy, you don't research ANYTHING, do ya?
I had to laugh at that one too.
Comparisons between Tebow and Lin are tenuous at best. Tebow's prospects as an NFL QB were doubted ab initio not because of his race but rather because his throwing mechanics are seriously flawed (.cf Andrew Luck, who has no such impediments). Lin, meanwhile, since high school was never heretofore given even the opportunity to perform on the big stage because he was dismissed out of hand on account of race.
I am Lugash.
Should we expect them to be good at things like hitting free throws and playing darts? Asians do seem to be good at racquet sports like badminton and table tennis, which require aim or control but not much power or speed.
As Steve has noted, South Koreans dominate archery, probably due to putting their best athletes into the sport.
I am Lugash.
Anonymous said...
But play some music or throw them a ball, and they'll go crazy and dance or play all night.
Speaking from extensive direct experience, right? No?
Which brings us back to Sailer's OP. Hopefully what America's getting is direct experience and a real idea about our neighbors. Positive or negative, what passes for thought about race is just embarassing. Other countries don't understand the mix we have here - but they don't *have* the mix we have here. We're still hashing out "Hey what are they like? Don't know any of them. Those people over there?"
We shouldn't have to, since they're over here.
"When was the last time a young, untested professional African-American athlete had been on the receiving end of this type of adulation? Specifically, adulation that had more to do with positive, universal characteristics — faith, humility, selflessness — than with athletic acumen."
Read Gary Smith's famous Sports Illustrated article on Tiger Woods from '96, "The Chosen One."
The article says very little about Wood's golf-game, and instead focuses on how mature, intelligent, courteous, genteel, and humble he is.
But I guess Woods probably isn't black enough to count.
Obama marks the apex of black power in America. Interestingly enough I think Jeremy Lin's emergence is a sign that black influence in America is due for a major correction.
It doesn't mean that Asians will fill the void, just that there will be less black influence.
"Asians do seem to be good at racquet sports like badminton and table tennis, which require aim or control but not much power or speed."
In my mind ping-pong and badminton are associated with super-quick reaction times.
From the Wikipedia article on ping-pong:
"After the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, the International Table Tennis Federation instituted several rules changes aimed at making table tennis more viable as a televised spectator sport.[12] First, the older 38 mm balls were officially replaced by 40 mm balls in 2000.[6][13] This increased the ball's air resistance and effectively slowed down the game."
...
"However, this created some controversy as the Chinese National Team argued that this was merely to give non-Chinese players a better chance of winning since the new type of balls has a slower speed, while at that time most Chinese players were playing with fast attack and smashes. A 40 mm table tennis ball is slower and spins less than the original 38 mm (1.5 inch) one."
In addition to James, Dwayne Wade, Dwight Howard, Kevin Durant, Vince Young ( For a while ) and now Cam Newton have all been hugely hyped. Whoever thinks that the sports media, particularly ESPN ( Which is the equivalent of Rockefeller's Standard Oil in the sports media biz.) doesn't hype black athletes is living under a very large rock. Of all of these, Durant is quite unassuming and humble, but he plays in Oklahoma City, not NYC, so people who are members of the East Coast media establishment like this guy apparently don't know he exists.
"To me it just seems almost emasculating, worshiping guys with far higher status;"
I have a lot of respect for guys who are smarter than I am, more knowledgeable about stuff that's worth knowing, guys who are accomplished in fields that I respect - science, technology, real (i.e. not modernist or hipsterish) art. Do I get envious sometimes? Sure, but at least I realize that it's petty to feel or show envy and downright immoral to act on it.
"...and, it's unfathomable to me that some guys actually wear a jersey with another man's name on the back."
To me too, but that's not because I can't or don't want to admit that I'm not as good as other men. It's because pro sports is a useless distraction (the proverbial circuses) and because a large percentage of star athletes are morons. There's a lot of courage and teamwork in sports, but to what purpose?
Lin, meanwhile, since high school was never heretofore given even the opportunity to perform on the big stage because he was dismissed out of hand on account of race.
That's complete and utter BS.
There were plenty of reasons to be skeptical of Jeremy Lin's ability to make it in the NBA.
He has a relatively short wingspan for someone his height, is not blazingly fast from sideline to sideline, isn't a great leaper and does not have a strong frame. These would all be necessary things for him to play shooting guard, which was his projected position since he didn't even play PG in college.
The NBA scouting reports on him are still quite accurate - his positives are that he's aggressive, smart and beats defenders by using a good (but not great) first step. His numbers at Harvard were decent (but not phenomenal), especially considering that the NBA routinely passes over drafting mid-major guards averaging 20-25 points per game.
Certainly race may have been a factor in him not getting the recruiting attention you would have expected up until this point, but he's been far from a dominant athlete until as of late.
"Asian Americans complain of being stereotyped as smart. That is the silliest thing I have ever heard of."
That is silly but not in the context of American culture. In America, smarts = geekery/nerdishness. Americans love rap thugs and sports stars, not geeks.
Also, Asians share the same kind of fears that Jews do. Notice Jews don't like it when we say, "Jews are smarter." It wouldn't matter if Jews or Asians were majorities but they are minorities, and so they feel afraid if the majority were to see them 'smarter alien elites' taking over society.
It could also be culturally rooted in Asianness. Though Asians like to succeed, they prefer false modesty to act humble and stuff.
Am I the only one sick of hearing about Jeremy Lin?
When was the last time a young, untested professional African-American athlete had been on the receiving end of this type of adulation?
It's not hard to think of a young, untested professional African-American who has been on the receiving end of this type of adulation. Barack Obama.
Just as with Lin, the adulation was partly due to the race of the person in question. It's impossible to imagine any white politician being treated with the near-religious reverence which Obama received, and to some extent still receives.
The Asian-American is stereotyped as unathletic.
The African-American is stereotyped as ultra-athletic.
There's a lot of truth to that. Just look at the comments on the HBD blogs, were Asians are portrayed as nerdish klutzes and Africans as just half-a-step removed from wild animals.
If not for the stereotypes, held by coaches and the public alike, Lin doing well at basketball would not be such a man-bites-dog story. Racism is alive and well in the US, though it's not your fathers idea of racism.
Gentrification--or gentric cleansing--and driving blacks out to suburbs and small-towns may be necessary to push the globalist-progressive agenda. Jews may dominate America at the top, but the key to their success is the support of the top 30% of white folks. The lower 70% are not smart enough to lead; they just follow.
If the top 30% of white Americans were to come to face to face with racial reality, they might wake up and change the way the think. To keep the upper 30% going along with progo-globalism, their eyes, ears, and bodies must be shielded from the real threat of racial 'diversity'. And to do this, dangerous blacks must be moved out of cities and settled in poorer white communities so that the 'creative class' of whites--with the brains and money--will go along with progo-globalism. Indeed, it was the increase of crime in big cities that turned so many city folks to the right in the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
What about blacks pushed via section housing to lower income white communities.
With the spread of rotten values, hip hop culture, and etc, poor whites will end up mixing with blacks, and that will take care of white nationalism among the angry poor whites. White females will put out to blacks, and scared white guys will just slink away with their tails between their legs.
Lord Whim, why you protecteth Jewish folks as a favored people?
I don't want to anthropomorphize blacks, as I'm aware of their shortcomings, but I'm continually shocked that they are shortsighted enough to believe that their lives will improve as white hegemony wanes and eventually vanishes entirely. The phrase that comes to mind when naive white progressives and their pet minorities revel in white dispossession is: be careful what you wish for. Because if you think whites are bad, things are all downhill after that.
An anecdote that illustrates this is my experience taking a polysci course in college in which I became friends with a guy from Iran. As you may imagine, he was a realtalker on a number of issues (try to guess which), and when I became more comfortable around him I eventually hazarded to ask his opinion on race relations in America, namely Americans' subservient attitudes towards the black lumpenproletariat.
His response? He couldn't believe that white Americans even take black grievances seriously, let alone give them precedence over the majority welfare. I've heard similar opinions from Asians and (ironically enough) Hispanics, as well.
What's the point? Whites are the best friends blacks ever had. Whites, in their heart of hearts, think of blacks as stupid humans, which sounds bad until you consider that the other races don't even think of blacks as humans at all.
" I'm continually shocked that they are shortsighted enough to believe that their lives will improve as white hegemony wanes and eventually vanishes entirely."
Races in general will prefer being led by their own race and being poor to being ruled by another race and being well off. Perhaps whites are the exception; but I don't think Zimbabwe or South Africa will welcome whites back even as they are aware that economically they are worse off.
Robert Hume
You know, there's something blacks could do about that: stop being so often lazy, undereducated products of dysfunctional homes. C'mon, just do it to spite us.
Alternatively, they could think twice about the racial status quo in America; the myth of equality and the mandate of integration necessitate Blacks being characterized as lazy and undereducated, with dysfunctional families (since these characterizations only arise in comparison with other races). Similarly, liberals could ponder how liberalism destroyed the only system under which Blacks have shown even a modicum of success in living up to White norms.
be careful what you wish for
True for a whole lot of consequences of the coming White minority. Whites are the glue that holds this country together. They're the perpetual adult in the room. As Whites dwindle, so will these things.
I have an idea! All the Black athlethes that have not been adulated in the manner of Tebow and Lin could sue the entire non-black population of the planet for unconscious racism. Same as that lawsuit in Iowa.
"I think Jeremy Lin's emergence is a sign that black influence in America is due for a major correction."
Was that an "I think" or an "I hope?"
"The only thing unlikeable about Jeremy Lin is Spike Lee."
Let me help you here, Dan:
"The only think unlikeable about Jeremy Lin is Spike Lee being really happy about his ascent, and wearing is jersey, because it makes it much more difficult for me to incessantly whine about him being a "black supremacist without making a total fool of myself, because I am a white supremacist."
There.
"There's a lot of courage and teamwork in sports, but to what purpose?"
The same purpose as there is in the courage and teamwork involved in your job, Big chief; to make the guy who signs your paychecks wealthy.
OT, but you've covered the Iranian speed boat threat before.
Here's something even more alarming - the Iranian female ninja threat:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYF1RUJV89A
"It's impossible to imagine any white politician being treated with the near-religious reverence which Obama received,"
You must be too young to remember "Camelot" or even "Dutch." The former received huge props for being white, coming from a rich family and marrying a "beautiful" woman who looked like a preying mantis.
The latter, was best known, before his presidency for making movies with a monkey.
"You must be too young to remember "Camelot" or even "Dutch." The former received huge props for being white, coming from a rich family and marrying a "beautiful" woman who looked like a preying mantis.
"The latter, was best known, before his presidency for making movies with a monkey."
But Truth, at least neither of these white boys promised the oceans would stop rising if he was elected.
From the NYT article: "African-Americans fight the stereotype of lazy, undereducated products of dysfunctional homes."
They do? That's news to me. I've known dozens, if not hundreds of African-Americans, and for years lived and worked in not just daily but hourly contact with them. Far from fighting that stereotype, the overwhelming majority of them confirm it in every particular.
And that's certainly the impression I get now from reading news from all over the country.
The one time you can count on African-Americans to exert themselves is when they get a chance to grab something for free.
This reminds me of a Steve post a while back: we're not supposed to notice race, but we're supposed to know exactly who's what.
In this case, we're not supposed to follow 'stereotypes', but NYTs finest is able to recite them chapter and verse. This despite the fact that no one has dared repeat any of this in polite society for years. Perhaps Mr Rhoden has been attending NASCAR BBQs under deep cover.
Gilbert Pinfold.
"The only thing unlikeable about Jeremy Lin is Spike Lee."
Let me help you here, Dan:
"The only think unlikeable about Jeremy Lin is Spike Lee being really happy about his ascent, and wearing is jersey, because it makes it much more difficult for me to incessantly whine about him being a "black supremacist without making a total fool of myself, because I am a white supremacist."
There.
Truth,
God bless you but you've obviously never seen Miracle at St. Anna. Spike's just a miserable dude.
Dan in DC
You must be too young to remember "Camelot" or even "Dutch."
I certainly do remember "Dutch", and he was never treated with the sort of reverence which Obama has been awarded.
It's true that after leaving office, Reagan in his later years came to be viewed with a hazy glow. But that is a very different thing than being swept into office by people who believe that you are a demi-god. (And in many cases, even the "demi" was discarded)
JFK was before my time. Perhaps he was seen as a messianic figure even while running for President, though I doubt it. Like Reagan, his stature increased greatly after his death. In Obama's case the adoration of him peaked a couple of months after he moved into the WH. It's not possible that he can ever reclaim those heights.
Rhoden asks: "When was the last time a young, untested professional African-American athlete had been on the receiving end of this type of adulation? Specifically, adulation that had more to do with positive, universal characteristics — faith, humility, selflessness — than with athletic acumen."
I ask, "When was the last time a young, untested professional African-American athlete exhibited positive, universal characteristics — faith, humility, selflessness — as much as athletic acumen?"
Anyone care to take a shot at this?
You must be too young to remember "Camelot" or even "Dutch." The former received huge props for being white, coming from a rich family and marrying a "beautiful" woman who looked like a preying mantis.
The latter, was best known, before his presidency for making movies with a monkey.
He was best known as the two-term governor of California. But hey, we can't expect people like you to let pesky reality intrude on your being an ass.
JFK was before my time. Perhaps he was seen as a messianic figure even while running for President, though I doubt it.
Given that he was able to defeat Richard Nixon thanks to the votes of a couple thousand dead people in Chicago, his popularity wasn't that high.
"He was best known as the two-term governor of California."
Oh certainly that's what he was best known for, just as that is what Ah-Nold is best known for.
"I don't want to anthropomorphize blacks, as I'm aware of their shortcomings, but I'm continually shocked that they are shortsighted enough to believe that their lives will improve as white hegemony wanes and eventually vanishes entirely."
They don't really seem to believe this cuz no black American goes back to Africa while tons of Africans wanna come here. And even during Apartheid, no black South African left but whole bunch of blacks in black-ruled nations went to South Africa for jobs.
"Oh certainly that's what he was best known for, just as that is what Ah-Nold is best known for."
Boy, you really absorbed the BS mudslinging of the 1980 campaign well! You took it as dogma for the rest of your life.
Kind of like that Star Trek episode where the book about gangsters is accidentally left on some planet, and when Kirk and the dudes visit it, it's like a bad Untouchables ripoff.
"Boy, you really absorbed the BS mudslinging of the 1980 campaign well! You took it as dogma for the rest of your life."
I was 13, the only thing I accepted as Dogma at that time was Darcel from Solid Gold.
But I kinda liked Dutch, he did a whole helluvalot more for blacks than Barry has (So did Tricky Dick).
You mean it's over already?! Not again: first I never saw a single episode of Friends, and now I didn't ever really get into 'Obamamania' before it ended. But I have to say missing the 'Big Short' hurts the most.
"You know, there's something blacks could do about that: stop being so often lazy, undereducated products of dysfunctional homes. C'mon, just do it to spite us."
Sailer couldn't have written a more succinct essence of Sailer.
De profundis clamaverunt: where is OUR Jeremy Lin? We can compare him to Obama, but not to Romney/ Gingrich/ Santorum. Lord, send us an inspiring white guy, please!
"Lord, send us an inspiring white guy, please!"
A good looking, charismatic, white guy who speaks from his heart? I don't know, that Morris Dees feller is pretty impressive.
Black See, Jerry Rice went to Mississippi Valley State and caught balls from Willie "Satellite" Totten. They averaged almost 60 points per game in Archie "The Gunslinger" Cooley's five-wideout, spread offense. Not a white face in sight.
Mr. Lomez, I forget where it was published, but there was a 90s article in a major magazine exposing just what an asshole Tiger Woods was. It was roundly criticized at the time, but history has proven it correct.
Bébert said...
I don't want to anthropomorphize blacks...
hahahah. Funniest thing I've seen in a while.
Love seeing black people like Mayweather panic about their racial dominance in sports while at the same time cry about racism elsewhere.
I hear Mayweather won $900,000 betting against the Knicks last night. I think he's okay for the moment.
Mr. Lomez, I forget where it was published, but there was a 90s article in a major magazine exposing just what an asshole Tiger Woods was. It was roundly criticized at the time, but history has proven it correct.
Criticism and disagreement are quite different things.
which sounds bad until you consider that the other races don't even think of blacks as humans at all.
The one Iranian I knew well had similar views. He said, "some people are only fit for slavery." I think he had arabs foremost in mind, but since blacks gave his business trouble I've no doubt he'd extend the sentiment to them.
The Knicks would probably be better off without Carmelo Anthony. His style of play - hogging the ball on the wing to play one-on-one while everyone else stands around - kills the momentum and style of play that's gotten the Knicks their wins recently.
Lin adds more value to the team than Anthony in terms of winning and spreading the offense around:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/22/sports/basketball/knicks-novak-and-lin-are-flourishing-together.html
Related:
"Finals MVP Nowitzki still battling stereotypes"
www.foxsportssouthwest.com/02/21/12/Finals-MVP-Nowitzki-still-battling-stere/landing_mavericks.html
"irk Nowitzki and I were talking criticism recently — specifically judgments based on ethnic stereotypes — when we had a tense misunderstanding.
I was talking past tense. He was talking present.
"I have heard that all along," he said, "and still people call me soft to this day."
"Wait, what?" I said. "I was talking about the criticism when you first came into the league, and how stereotype-based it was."
"Oh, early on you mean," he said. "I thought you were talking about what people were saying this season."
"Yeah, there was that too," I said. "This is crazy."
This was an actual conversation between Dirk and me. The context was New York Knicks phenomenon Jeremy Lin and what constitutes fair criticism and what slips into unfair cultural stereotypes. Dirk listened to plenty of "White guy can't lead" and "Soft Euro" criticisms on his way through the NBA."
"A few were fair, but none of those were a result of him being white or from Germany.
Dirk finally dismantled every bit of that nonsense in June, by outdueling LeBron and Co. in the NBA Finals. And what he demonstrated is the questions rarely go away, just change.
Here is a former league MVP, reigning NBA champion, and NBA Finals MVP who hoisted his Mavericks teammates on his back to beat what was supposed to be an unstoppable Miami Heat team last summer. Yet, by December, Dirk was taking on waves of criticism for:
a) Getting his butt kicked by Father Time, his best days thereby done.
b) Being lazy and out of shape with a bleep-it attitude.
a) Having lost a status he had only finally earned in June — a winner."
Well, nobody's going to follow me on this but it's a fluke charisma thing, or possibly just his name. Think about it, as TNT shows the 20th sign with some linane pun on the guy's last name, this is just a mass display of the eveready human capacity to become excited about a meaningless but enjoyable lark. The (quite funny) Saturday Night Live opening last week played on this, but the racial novelty and evangelical characteristics are mere epiphenomena in the mix. Sports fame and film/TV celebrity have a lot of overlapping elements, stage names being one. Of course for every cool Lew Alcindor name change there's a dud like Ron Artest
"But I kinda liked Dutch, he did a whole helluvalot more for blacks than Barry has (So did Tricky Dick)."
Truth, why don't blacks just do for blacks? You know, get up in the morning, put one foot in front of the other, work, any damn kind of work, just damn do it.
I'm black, I have the one foot in front of the other thing down pretty well.
And understand, there is no such thing as "charity." That's a concept most men don't get until they're oh, 60, 70 years old, if they ever do.
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