Whitlock plays the race card...DOUBLE DOWN!

[picnroll]

The suspensions are to send one message to players, "YOU DO NOT GO INTO THE STANDS, PERIOD". Stern is saying I'm sending this message so there is no misunderstanding what the consequences will be if you're as stupid as Artest or Jackson. Further if a fan is stupid enough to come on the floor you let security handle it or at most use the force necessary to deal with the situation, You don't whale on somebody like O'Neal did. Stern is probqably thanking God O'Neal didn't kill that guy or put him in a coma.

Beyond that the issues of attendance and popularity are mul ude and not related. Of course high dollar bystander fans feeling like they risk being injured by 6'8" 240 lb enraged professional ahtletes if they sit in $200 - 300 seats doesn't help with marketing.

[Marcus Bryant]

I think it is fair to say that the "customer" does and should drive any standard.

I don't see the need to draw the conclusion you seem to be drawing from that statement.

I'd agree with you if the author had not chosen to couch his argument as this situation being a case of white customers imposing a standard upon black players which the black players better heed if they want to continue to enjoy the white money. The implication is that it is an unnatural standard to expect the black players to heed.

[bigzak25]

don't act like trash. respect yourself. respect the game. whatever color you are. period.

[Marcus Bryant]

don't act like trash. respect yourself. respect the game. whatever color you are. period.

So is that a "white" standard?

[IcemanCometh]

I think you have to ask yourself is why did that fan throw the beer on Artest, why then did a riot erupt shortly thereafter fans vs players. Why during the Olympics did you see Americans openly rooting against the American team?

Theres a feeling of resentment these days vs athletes, especially black athletes. They make too much money, they talk too much trash, they're not thankful enough for what they have, they are too y, they are too emersed in hip hop culture, they are thugs, they are gangstas. Just ask Tpark, he'll tell you.

[travis2]

I'd agree with you if the author had not chosen to couch his argument as this situation being a case of white customers imposing a standard upon black players which the black players better heed if they want to continue to enjoy the white money.

I agree with you that Whitlock did indeed write this...and I think he could have made the same point without couching it in these terms.

The implication is that it is an unnatural standard to expect the black players to heed.

I'm just not seeing this part.

[picnroll]

Will we see a rule like in the NFL? Technical fouls for excessive taunting or celebrating?

[IcemanCometh]

don't act like trash. respect yourself. respect the game. whatever color you are. period.

not using this fight, give me an example of acting like trash please.

[Marcus Bryant]

So the white money is oppressing the black players because the white money is holding the black players to a white standard. If the black players don't conform then the white money will go to those who will.

[Marcus Bryant]

Here's the problem. First the author writes...

What the players must come to grips with is that just because race is an element in the backlash, that doesn't mean the backlash is fueled by racism.

He claims that race isn't the issue and yet in the next paragraph...

We're witnessing a clash of cultures. A predominately white fan base is rejecting a predominately black style of play and sportsmanship.

He identifies the backlash as being a culture clash between two 'cultures' which are basically defined by race.

[bigzak25]

okay. instead of "not act like trash" how about i say, be a professional.

[travis2]

Where are you getting this, MB???

To me, the obvious read is "Here are the rules, there's nothing wrong with the rules, and if you can't abide by them, too bad".

No "oppression", no "unnatural expectations", or anything like that.

Now, I agree he didn't need to use race to make his argument and he shouldn't have. But having said that, I don't think he used a heavy hand in the way he wrote it into his article.

[Marcus Bryant]

This sentence:

We're witnessing a clash of cultures. A predominately white fan base is rejecting a predominately black style of play and sportsmanship.

His argument is that the white customers are holding the black players to a non-black standard, which implies that such a standard is unnatural and one that the black players are incapable of living up to.

[IcemanCometh]

can you define be a proffesional?

[travis2]

OK, MB...show me "oppression" in that sentence. Show me "unnatural standard".

[Marcus Bryant]

His argument is that the white customers are holding the black players to a non-black standard, which implies that such a standard is unnatural and one that the black players have been incapable of living up to.

Hence the white customer backlash.

[bigzak25]

well. the players are at work. how about they do their job and follow the rules.

unsportmanlike conduct is not professional. and artest's cheap shot to wallace is what started the whole damn thing. attacking fans is also not professional.

[GoSpurs21]

how bout the simple fact that most fans are sick of athletes acting like assholes and not being accountable for their behavior

if you want to act like a gang banger go play in a league where the gang bangers pay your salary. for the most part most people in this country would not care if gang bangers were eliminated from the planet. after all what is there usefulness to sociaty except thinning out the gene pool by killing off each other

[travis2]

His argument is that the white customers are holding the black players to a non-black standard, which implies that such a standard is unnatural and one that the black players have been incapable of living up to.

Hence the white customer backlash.

You're way out on a limb with this one, MB...

Look, you know I've got your back on any racial issue you want to name...and I've been accused of over-reaching in my arguments more than once. But I just don't see this one...

[IcemanCometh]

i did say aside from the fight mention something that was trashy (unprofessional). fouling is extremely professionl, simply part of the game. it was hardly a cheap shot, no more than wallaces foul on artest the previous possesion, however you might deem wallaces retaliation to be unprofessional

[IcemanCometh]

how bout the simple fact that most fans are sick of certain athletes acting like assholes and not being accountable for their behavior

if you want to act like a gang banger go play in a league where the gang bangers pay your salary. for the most part most people in this country would not care if gang bangers were eliminated from the planet. after all what is there usefulness to sociaty except thinning out the gene pool by killing off each other

thanks for your opinion tpark

[picnroll]

Up fifteen, seconds to play = cheap shot.

[IcemanCometh]

oh so its professional now to not play 100% at all times?

[Marcus Bryant]

His argument is that the "black players" must realize that they are being held to a "white" standard. Despite his claim that this is not racially driven he couches this as being a conflict betwen two cultures, cultures which he identifies in terms of race.

He ends by arguing that if the black players do not live up to this white standard then they will be out of the NBA.

The general tone of his article is that this is indeed unfair, save for the "reality" that the customer is always right.

[bigzak25]

ice, it looked like artest though an elbow or forearm to the back of wallaces head or at least in his neck area.....that was from me watching that replay once though....that is not part of the game. that is a trash play.

artest wanted his time off and he wanted his street cred. wish granted.