Stats are facts...right?

Carlos Mencia hit the nail on the head when this so called "report" was published recently. Of course they call more fouls on black players then they do on white players, they are the majority of the NBA. I think each team might have a token white guy, though only a few are considered "stars". Almost every white star in the NBA is a foreigner as well, (see Nash, Steve and Nowitzki, Dirk). Hell, let me go take a look at this year's All NBA team and see if I see any player who is a white American.

First Team: F Tim Duncan, F Dirk Nowitzki (German), C Amare Stoudemire, G Kobe Bryant, G Steve Nash (Canadian).
Second Team: F LeBron James, F Chris Bosh, C Yao Ming, G Gilbert Arenas, G Tracy McGrady
Third Team: F Kevin Garnett, F Carmelo Anthony, C Dwight Howard, G Dwyane Wade, G Chauncey Billups

Ok, so nothing there, if I had the time I would check each roster of starters to see how many of those people are white but off the top of my head I can say Luke Walton (American), Wally Szczerbiak (Spanish), Kirk Hinrich (American), Mike Dunleavy (American), Mike Bibby (American), and Mehmet Okur (Turkish). Of those the closest one of those players who can even get into the conversation is Kirk Hinrich, MAYBE Mike Bibby and Luke Walton a few years from now, but that's it.

Of course this all came out after the Tim Duncan ref suspension incident occurred right before the playoffs. I know there are a good number of people who LOVE, I mean absolutely adore, playing the race card (see Sharpton, Al). Sometimes there are definitely legitimate concerns about how certain races are treated (see LAPD) and other times it has almost nothing to do with it (see Bonds, Barry). Personally I don't see why a study like this even has to take place. To me, someone who was raised in a multi-cultural society in Northern California, the only racism I experienced growing up was my grandfather who still used racist words because he grew up in a time where that was the norm.

Racism is a huge problem still in this world and I wish it didn't exist, but what doesn't help the situation is when people try to use it where it as a scapegoat and there is no legitimate claim. That is why I see so many people pay no regard to anything that Al Sharpton says, because no matter what the situation the fault lies in racism. Shaquille O'Neal does not get called for fouls by NBA referees because he is black, it's because he is a huge lumbering oaf who just powers people that isn't allowed by the rules of the game. Bill Laimbeer was one of the all time biggest culprits of committing fouls, and he is about as white as they come.

On a quick side note, I always loved watching Bill Laimbeer play when I was a kid. Hell, I loved the Pistons style of play, even growing up in California where we had Magic, Worthy and Kareem. He was one of my top five players I enjoyed watching growing up (Dominique Wilkins is my favorite b-ball player ever) without a doubt. I believe he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, it always bugs me that we give this decision in some sports over to writers, they can be so fickle and can carry a grudge forever.

The difference between today and yesteryear

I just gave you Dominique's Top Ten Dunks of all time (of whenever that video was produced) and in contrast here is Vince Carter's Top Ten (up to the point of the video)


The problem, Wilkins always was dunking with the entire opposing team around him. Carter seems to only dunk when he is completely and utterly alone. I think may sum up why I no longer can watch the NBA.

I Wish I Was A Balla

Jason Whitlock has a very interesting article up over at AOL about this past weekend's NBA All Star Weekend. Now if you haven't read this or heard about this in the last few days this may come as a surprise to you. Probably due to the fact that ESPN, the NBA and the MSM have not really reported anything about this weekend other then "it was a complete success". Sure, a HUGE success, if we're talking about arrest quotas.

One incident involves the man pictured, Nelly, and a NFL player Pacman Jones. Now this isn't the first time or even the second time Jones has gotten trouble in an incident at some type of club. From what I can gather from various places, at the strip club he was putting singles up on the floor where the ladies were dancing. The some other lady came by and started taking them, this is when he decided to start smashing her head into the dance floor. The bouncers tried to get him and his people to leave, allegedly his bouncers were the ones who shot the "employees". This is the type of behavior that Whitlock is speaking of.

A quick sidenote, if I'm the Titans I'd get rid of Jones finally. There are now Trailblazers in the NFL, but the Bengals are working their way there, ship his happy ass to Cinci.

As I drove home yesterday this was all that Riggins Radio was talking about. What they were saying may be why I don't really watch the NBA anymore, it has become this Thug mentality. I understand people are born and bred on the streets, but you have twenty million dollars in the bank, you can stop acting like a thug. Why are athletes constantly getting busted for pot, DUIs, assault and various other crimes? I remember growing up and the thing that mattered most to the players back then was winning. Now it appears that people could care less as long as they get theirs and continue to look tough. I believe Dave Chapelle referred to it as "Keeping it real".

Lamont Jordan called the show and talked about how some of this is the media's doing. That the media only shows light on the negativity that athletes do, not the positive things they do for the communities. I can agree to do that, the media would much rather run a story about how Jonathan Babineaux killed his girlfriend's dog then about how the various charities and organizations they help support and fund. The only instance I can think of when they did this is when Reggie Bush did those things for New Orleans, but that was because it was Reggie Bush.

There is another argument though for Mr. Jordan to confront, the fact that the media does not make up these stories. The players themselves allow this to transpire, the media is not forcing them to be arrested and being in the middle of shootings, murders and the like. I think Ray Lewis learned from his mistake of being around the wrong people and has since cleaned up his image/life. As long as people like Pacman Jones, Tank Johnson, Chad Johnson and the like continue to act the way they do the media will report that instead of activities of say a Troy Brown. It is fine to come from a rough neighborhood, a broken home, a dysfunctional family and the like. What is not OK is to continue to act like a thug, for lack of a better word, when life has handed you a gift.

Yes, I said a gift. There is not one person reading this who at one point in their life wished in some form to become some kind of sport superstar. We all had sport role models growing who told us to say your prayers, eat your vitamins (no not those vitamins Barry), drink milk, study, read and all various other kinds of things. Growing up I saw Walter Payton, Ronnie Lott, Mike Singletary and others be positive role models. I don't care if you agree with Charles Barkley when he says, "He man, we're not role models." You may not want to be, but the situation you are makes you one whether you want it or not. Average Joe off the street does not get to become the celebrity spokesman for Old Spice deodorant they give it to the celebrity because people LOOK UP TO THEM.

Now one argument is that it's this hip-hop, rap, culture that is bringing this kind of mentality out. The only merit I give that is a story (I read it this week but don't remember where) that was about this basketball player's desire to be part of Jay-Z's posse. What? You're an NBA start, making millions of dollars and your desire is to be part of a posse? I have a tremendous amount of respect for Jay-Z as an entertainer and businessman, but is he giving out gold plated diapers for his posse? Does each member get a former member of Destiny's Child as his own personal bitch? He did not once mention a desire for a championship ring and that is why the NBA is in the downward spiral that it's been for the last decade.

Some may claim this is a race attack, but I will disagree. One, the article was written by a black man. Two, they are far from the only group of people who acting like thugs nowadays in sports. Those who would say something as such will never admit to there ever being a problem, who see it is as their culture which in the end I feel does more harm then good. If some of these stories start making the MSM, investigations are begun, then it could get really ugly for some folks. Then again though, money talks, and they certainly have plenty to spend.