Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted

AGAIN SPEAKING ABOUT BLACK SPORTS REPORTER BILL RHODEN BOOK.. 40 MILLION DOLLAR SLAVES.ABOUT HOW RICH BLACK ATHLETES ARE CONTROLLED AND OWNED...LEBRON JAMES LEADS THAT.....HE HAS BEEN WITH RABBI'S, HOW MANY BLACK LEADERS HAS HE BEEN WITH/DO NOT MEAN THOSE REPTILE PREACHERS MOTIVATED BY GREED/HAS HE BEN WITH MINISTER LOUIS FARRAKHAN.THEY SEEM TO BE TOLD WHO NOT TO BE BE WITH, OR TALK TO...WHAT TO DO, AND WHEN TO DO IT....THEY ARE NOT YESTERDAYS BLACK ATHLETES LIKE, JACKIE ROBINSON, BILL RUSSELL, MUHAMMED ALI , KAREEM OR ARTHUR ASHE... WHAT ARE THEY AFRAID OF, WHO ARE THEY AFRAID OF...NFL YESTERDAY. TWO IDIOTS I CANNOT STAND,CAM NEWTON AND ROBERT GRIFFITH 111//////.

  • Like 6
Posted

Those athletes, Robinson, Ali, in particular were men. They played in an era when money did not completely dominate the sport. Those men fought for something they believed and were willing to sacrifice something to do it. It was a different time. Days of men like Jackie Robinson, in sports, are over.

Posted

It was, indeed, a different time. Today's black super jocks are being paid these ridiculously high salaries to play games and inspire adulation, - to do what they'd enjoy doing even if they weren't being paid or idolized. So who's to say who's gettin over on whom? These team owners need the black athletes just as much as the black athletes need them. It's a symbionic relationship. Most black athletes do speak out against violence and encourage young blacks to stay in school, and do establish foundations to help the less fortunate (and provide tax write-offs). Why would they need to talk to Minister Farrakhan?

The only difference between Farrakhan and a talented black athlete is that one lives like a king for running around a sports arena and the other lives like a king for running his mouth about the same ol shit he's been giving marathon sermons about for years, knowing full well that his demogogory will never amount to anything. But this ego trip keeps him on track for attracting attention and being idolized by his flock of sheep.

Chicago Bulls franchise player Derek Rose's injured knee incapacitated him for last year's play-offs. He is still recuperating and still pulling in an enormous amount of money in endorsements and salary for doing nothing but going through re-hab.

You could say that a talented black athete is put in the position of selling his soul to the devil. But so is a white one. Is it a sin to capitalize off of one's god-given gift?? Let he who is without sin cast the first ball.

Posted

Cynique the athletes to make it to the level of a Derek Rose are few and far between when compared to the huge numbers of athletes who have sacrificed they bodies, and education and have gotten relatively nothing in return.

Rose's wealth does not make up for all the financial and physical resources that are misdirected by athletic programs in large universities (public and private) which are little more than minor training facilities for professional basketball and football. God forbid a Alum gives an athlete a handshake without the NCAA getting bent out of shape.

Have you check the prices of Official NFL Jerseys -- $100 on sale for a glorified tee shirt! Have you checked the prices of tickets for a half way decent seat? Have you looked at all of the municipalities that will move heaven and earth to build a new stadium but don;t have enough affordable housing. New York City completed 3 in the last couple of years. While the homeless population rises.

We don't even have adequate shelter for emergencies. My old high school a few blocks from The Brooklyn Net new arena could not admit students today because it was used as a shelter for flood victims.

Major league sports takes far more from us than we get in return. We are all the victims whether we recognize it or not.

Actually it is probably easier and safer from a mental health perspective to grab a beer and worry about who won the game last night -- instead of contemplating how many way we are getting screwed over by the rich in this country.

Posted

True, Troy. But what do you suggest? That athletes who are good enough to play for a franchise and make big bucks not do this - that talented high school athletes turn down scholarships to college?

Nobody is forcing these young men to take advantage of an opportunity to make their skills pay off. I supposed the way to stop all the harm and exploitation that goes on in the world of sports is to eliminate the whole institution of athletics as popular entertainment. But that's not going to happen. It's all about giving the public what it wants.

Sports is a business and profit is the name of the game. Athletes are products and fans are consumers. And it's not just in this country. Competitiveness is second nature to man. and many participate in sports just for the love of it. This is the way it's always been, dating back to Greek and Roman times; even before.

Jay-Z and Michael Jordan are black basketball team owners and how did they ascend to their positions of wealth and power? Through sports and rap. Life itself is a game. Unfortunately there are more losers than winners. But being a sports spectator is an exicting form of escapism,

Posted

Jay's ownership is minuscule he is more a figurehead than a decision maker, and I don't know about Jordan's ownership percentage (but you can look it up). Even if they owned the teams 100% I doubt the problems I pointed out and many more I did not raise would change.

I have one kid at Syracuse and another at William & Mary. Both schools have football teams. I attended games at both schools. $100 for a decent ticket at an SU game $20 for a great seat at a Williams & Mary game. SU's aging stadium seats almost 50K people while W&M seats just over 12K (though it does not look that big).

At William & Mary the kids attend the games for free and get freebies. At SU the kids are targeted just like any other mark in the general public, expensive beers, apparel. SU's Athletic facilities rivals anyone's -- professional or otherwise.

It was really after comparing and contrasting the two types of programs that I realized schools do not have to spend a boat load of money to have a enjoyable program. The goal is not to turn the students in rabid sports fanatics (read: ticket buyers).

I suggest we start by drastically reducing college's expenditures on athletics. Let pro football pay for their own farm teams, stadiums without the subsidy from our universities and tax payers.

I could go on actually that reminds me Check out this debate on whether college football should be banned altogether. after hearing the arguments for and against Cynique (anyone) let me know what you think:

http://fora.tv/2012/05/08/Ban_College_Football

"Corruption and a growing concern for head injury have put college football in the spotlight. Are football programs’ millions in profits exploitation? Or are they still a celebration of amateur sport? Does football’s inherent danger and violence have any place in institutions of higher learning? Or does it provide young men with educational opportunities they would not otherwise have?"

I listen to these Intelligence Squared debates on a variety of subjects via podcast. I even attended one in person -- it is good stuff

Below is a clip which summarizes some of the arguments of the full debate

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...