I see; now I understand. I named 4 basketball players and they all happened to be black. This could not be coincidence, since only 3/4ths of the league is black so 1 of the 4 I listed should have been white. I must be a racist.
Look, I don't know you, I don't know what your values are, but calling Kobe and McGrady, punks makes me wonder, I'm sorry. There are plenty of punks in the league, don't get me wrong, but I just question your motivations on these guys.
A cynical person would say that those are also done for PR reasons, because you apparently know about it.
Jordon said AI called him privately to offer his spot. I think AI's classier in his way. Thursday, January 30 Jordan reveals Iverson's offer to step aside -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Associated Press MILWAUKEE -- Michael Jordan said thanks, but no thanks. Iverson McGrady Jordan turned down offers from Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson to relinquish their starting spots in the All-Star Game so that Jordan could be in the starting lineup. McGrady, the Orlando guard who led the Eastern Conference in fan balloting, made his offer Thursday. Iverson made a similar offer in a private phone call a week and a half ago, Jordan revealed before Thursday night's game between the Bucks and Washington Wizards. "It shows what type of people they are, about the history of the game, about guys who have paved the way,'' Jordan said. "I would have done it for Dr. J. and I'm sure Dr. J. would have done it for someone else. "That, to me, just shows how much they care about the game. I take it as a compliment, but I would rather for them to play and start and let me come off the bench.'' Jordan said Iverson called him after the starting lineups were announced earlier this month. "He said, 'If you don't mind, I'd like to step aside and let you start,''' Jordan recounted. "No one knew about it. He called me personally and I didn't make it known.'' But Jordan said he's not bothered by not starting. In his previous 13 All-Star selections, the fans voted him in. "I have no ill feelings,'' Jordan said. "I am very happy for them. If I hadn't done it for 14 years, OK, it's a different scenario. I experienced it for many years and I think it's something they should feel proud about.'' The 39-year-old Jordan almost certainly will retire after this season. "I've got plenty more chances of being an All-Star starter,'' said McGrady, making his third All-Star game appearance. "It's about me being there and witnessing his last All-Star Game. It's a blessing, man. It's an honor, too.'' The game will be played Feb. 9 in Atlanta. Jordan has averaged 20.2 points in 12 All-Star appearances, missing the 1986 contest because of injury, and was named the game's Most Valuable Player in 1988, 1996 and 1998. In 1997, he had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for the only triple-double in 51 years of NBA All-Star Game history. "What he's done to the game, for the game, he's very inspirational, especially for a guy like me who grew up watching Michael Jordan,'' McGrady said. "He's always been known for being an All-Star starter, so why not?'' Precedent has been set for McGrady's and Iverson's offer. John Havlicek started in 1978 because current Wizards coach Doug Collins stepped aside. "I've always kidded him to this day that it was very difficult for a Sixer to step aside for a Celtic,'' Collins said. "But I would do it again in a minute.'' Tim Hardaway also sat in 1992 so Magic Johnson could start. Johnson turned out to be the game's MVP. "I think it's a great move. Good p.r., Tracy, way to go,'' Milwaukee coach George Karl said. "But I'm kind of ticked that Vince Carter didn't think of it.'' Carter was named a starter in fan balloting even though he's been hurt most of the year. But Jordan said he didn't begrudge the Toronto Raptors star for not stepping aside. "It's a Catch-22,'' Jordan said. "If he gives up his spot, some fans will be disappointed. Even me accepting Tracy's or Allen's spot would make fans look bad. That's not the way it's meant to be. Keep it the way it is. There's no bad person in this whole scenario.''
I don't understand your implication. Why am I against racist but for punk, in your mind and based on my previous posts? Look, JV is a fan and, as such, will make silly judgements about players as he sees fit - it is not something that is important to either him or the player, so I just didn't see the need for you to try to bring race into it. I, as someone who understood JV's description, thought I would point that out. I generally place the "scrub" label on players that annoy me for whatever reason. That includes someone such as Jordan and his six rings...is he really a scrub in the general sense? No, not at all, he is the antithesis. I, however, do not like him so I always have and always will call him a scrub. See how it works?
Wow, I almost like AI after that...even more classy than what T-Mac did. But Iverson is still a punk. As is the rest of the 76ers team. Except for Keith Van Horn and Toddy Mac.
JV, please e-mail and tell me how you do it. If that garbage had been directed at me, you have a good idea how I would've responded.
AI just wanted to step aside and not attend the game so he can go out and bash some women and homosexuals.
On the board, besides seeing actually racist posts, the thing I find the most insulting is accusations of racism. It's not a light thing and racism isn't something one should lightly accuse others of. At the same time, it is very difficult because, as a community, we want to police for racist remarks and call people out when they are out of line. So, I was offended by the accusation (which seemed baseless to me), but I also recognize that pgabriel is carrying out his civic duty in trying to keep the boards racism-free. I think he got it wrong, and jo mama got it wrong with the Bert/Yao thread too, but his heart was in the right place. Sorry for the rolleyes, pgab. Btw, classy move by Jordan to decline the offers for the sake of the fans. He's still a punk though.
Probably with a slew of obscenites. To gather that JV is racist from what he posted is so far out there, it's ridiculous. And to assume the worst of someone based on something as trivial as what he posted is garbage. Yeah, yeah, I know I've probably done it before too. BTW, just so you know, I'm not one to easily dismiss charges of racism. However, ones as baseless as this piss me off more than anything because what it normally does it makes those who are blind to the still occuring problem of racism less likely to ever agree that it still exists in any meaningful form. Those people will just say that "people like pgabriel think everything's racist" instead of looking at the problem on a case by case basis. It happens all the time in the Hangout with Timing. So many people won't even consider what he has to say because they think he makes everything about race. While I'm not judging him or his posts by any means, I'm just pointing it out as an example.
Seriously, you are right, I shouldn't have made that assumption about JV just because of a silly post. In general, I just get tired of hearing people call NBA players punks, thugs, gangsters, etc. I know there are bad apples in the the NBA, i.e. TrailBlazers, but when I hear terms like that thrown out about players, I think sometimes there are racial overtones. To call Iverson a thug or punk, I can understand, he probably would like to be called a thug. But when someone calls Kobe, one of the hardest working guys in sports a punk, I tend to get a little suspicious, or Tracy McGrady, who from what I have seen is a pretty good teamate, and definitly a guy who leaves it all on the court. (pardon the cliche') And one thing I really can't stand, this is just a pet peeve of mine, is when people take shots at High School kids. At least wait till they graduate.
I hear ya. The thug thing gets to me too. I do feel that there is a bit more of racism from people when it comes to basketball than any other sport. How else do you explain that there's an uproar when basketball players skip college to go to the pros, bet nothing is ever mentioned about tennis players, golfers, or baseball players who skip college and sometimes don't have any more high school than a hired tutor?
I didn't say you defend a racist remark, I saw you would defend the person who the allegation was made against.
