BLACKS IN BASEBALL
Anybody who knows me well will readily acknowledge that I have a surplus of quirks and drawbacks. Despite my issues, one thing I am not is a racist or a bigot.
With that mentioned, I couldn’t help but chuckle and scoff at the latest report that only 8.2 percent of Major League Baseball players are African Americans.
I found the statistic comedic because I curiously can’t recall any mainstream report documenting the percentage of Caucasians that are currently employed by the National Basketball Association. Why is it that the lack of blacks in baseball is always noted by the media, and the minuscule number of whites in basketball never is discussed?
Seeing a white American man playing on an NBA hardwood is akin to finding a virgin in Vegas, and the media needs to become more balanced in their reporting. If they don’t, I will continue to “scoff” and “chuckle” at their unbalanced disclosures to the public.
BARACK OBAMA
On cue with what I broached in my first topic, below is a quote by Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama on a recent segment of HBO’s “Real Sports” when he discussed his love of playing basketball during his youth:
“Here is a place where being black was not a disadvantage.”
JAMES DOLAN
James Dolan, a recovering drug addict and alcoholic who moonlights as a singer in the blues band “JD and the Straight Shot”, is the most incompetent and rudderless owner in the history of the New York Knicks franchise.
Since taking over the Knickerbockers in 2000, he has transformed a once proud and upstanding organization into a national laughingstock and one of David Letterman’s favorite punch-lines.
Despite his status as a mental gimp for the ages, Dolan genuinely came through for the Garden faithful at Monday’s home finale against the Boston Celtics when he provided long-suffering fans with free food and non-alcoholic drinks throughout the game.
Without sarcasm, the Miles Davis wannabe deserves great credit for his tremendous gesture. Knicks fans may never have a chance to drink championship champagne with Dolan at the helm. But, at least some supporters received grub on the house thanks to the silver spoons chairman.
LEBRON IS OVERRATED
Washington Wizards guard DeShawn Stevenson called Cleveland Cavaliers icon Lebron James “overrated” prior to their teams first game in the 2008 playoffs this past Saturday.
Stevenson, a mediocre player, obviously has either a 24th chromosome or he is horribly delusional.
King James is, at 23 years
10 comments Last one added 4 months ago — Leave a Comment
Mike Hempel about 1 year ago
couldn't agree more about the race issue. It seems every football season I see a piece on the lack of african american coaches in football and in front office positions. Yet when the NBA season comes along, us "white boys" are whipping boys in a sport dominated by african americans.
What's next? an uproar about the lack of blacks in hockey?
Give me a break.
Edit Comment Cancel
Colin Linneweber about 1 year ago
Mike,
Thanks for the read, pal...Means alot to me....
Unfortunately, the issue of race will never go away...Ever.....So, we may as well get used to it...
Hope all's well...
Colin
Edit Comment Cancel
Dan Siegel about 1 year ago
People are going to play what they are going to play. If there was some poor kid (exclusive of race) out there who wanted to play a particular sport, but couldn't afford equipment or didn't know how to get involved, someone would reach out to him.
Edit Comment Cancel
Colin Linneweber about 1 year ago
Hey, Dan!
I hope you are right about that....I'm not sure...But, you could be right...
Thanks for the read!
It's great to see your comments.
Colin
Edit Comment Cancel
Dan Siegel about 1 year ago
I live near a poor area. There are sports of every kind and charitable organizations forming baseball teams, local minor league hockey and baseball teams reaching out the the community, and multiple ways to get involved in football. Kids are getting the chance at a young age, maybe there needs to be more attention paid to this kind of thing when they are teenagers and start getting involved in gangs and other kinds of trouble.
Edit Comment Cancel
Rob Calonge about 1 year ago
Good read Collin. As you, I'm completely over all the race baiting in sports. Sports should be about who plays the best. If a particular culture or race wants more representation then they ought to do more within their communities to make that happen. But really, it's pretty disgusting that we all can't just enjoy the best players playing their sports without having to make some sort of political statement to go with it.
Edit Comment Cancel
Colin Linneweber about 1 year ago
Rob,
Thanks so much for the nice comments....It's nice to see...I generally get ripped....This change of pace is welcome....
I just want the best players playing on the top levels....
Hope you're great, man...
Colin
Edit Comment Cancel
Bryan Trafford about 1 year ago
when there is a discussion on the lack of players in MLB, its because there are black men with the talent to play pro baseball who simply dont and choose to play other sports or are not sought after enough or encouraged enough to play baseball allegedly. it is no secret that baseball is not the number one or even number two sport in the african american community. as far as your baskeball reference i may be wrong(but i doubt it) but there is no mass denying of talented white basketball players from playing in the nba. there simply arent enough good white guys available to play basketball. so there is the difference. and as far as the reference to owners and coaches, it is a disgrace that the majority of players in the nba and nfl are black, but very few are owners or even coaches. now whether or not this situation is due to blacks being denied opportunities or just not enough candidates is up for debate still. Also what was your point with the obama reference?
Edit Comment Cancel
Raider Card Addict about 1 year ago
Race in sports, has always been a touchy subject, not just because in the beginning, there was the gentlemen's agreement, to keep blacks out, but when it's finally starting to become commonplace, you'll always get some guy, who feels he's singled out, because he's black, but in reality, he really stinks as an athlete.
The biggest joke, to me, is the NFL Coaches issue, where you automatically have to interview at least one coach of color....black, yellow, red, even green, if you could find one. What does this prove?
There's other coaches out there. If I had to choose, say, between Art Shell, and John Madden, you know who i'd go with? Right, Madden. The fact is, this NAACP committee, that has absolutely no intellegence on coaching in the NFL, is trying to force mediocre coaches into the system, when it's not wanted, or needed. That's like the ACLU telling us that we can't have a team prayer before the game, because God isn't really on our bench....it's because one player out of 50 people is offended, and can't tune it out.
Put the perspective back into sports, and just let them play the game.
Edit Comment Cancel
Chris Law 4 months ago
My boys are 7 and 8 now. They often sit and watch NFL or NBA with me. My 8 year old keeps asking "how come everybody that plays football (or basketball) is black?" I respond with, "not everybody that plays is black...look there a white guy right there!" I'm usually not at a loss of words on any issue, but I've gotta admit...I don't know what to say to my kids about this. What is the "right" answer?
Edit Comment Cancel
Leave a Comment
You must register to post a comment.