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Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 125
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 06:14 pm: | 
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BlackAthlete Sports Network-www.blackathlete.net
Editorial
Can Our Athletes Ever Be Men Again? Don’t Count On It
By Boyce Watkins
Sep 17, 2006
NEW YORK---I am speaking this week for the NAACP.The topic:The black male athlete and their role in American society.Exactly what that role is, I am still not sure.All I can say with certainty is that they are not fulfilling it.I happen to be a second cousin to Muhammad Ali, who fought bravely to defy authority and become his own man.He loved children, cared for the poor and fought through the public backlash.He spoke truth to power, especially when it came to the Vietnam War, and the world hated him for it.Years later, he is immortalized in ways that no other athlete will ever achieve.Even without having been the greatest fighter whoever lived, he became the greatest fighter whoever lived…..If you know what I mean.
After Ali, number 2 on the Sports Illustrated list of most influential athletes is Michael Jordan.He is not just second, but a DISTANT second.Comparing him to Ali is like comparing The Lion King to Tony the Tiger.Sure Jordan was an amazing player, but like many other athletes, he became so socially castrated that he was never able to do anything of significance outside of dribbling a basketball.He will live and die, and most of the world will forget him:especially outside of the US.Catholic Priests, Kings, nuns and clock makers will remember Ali, for he outgrew his gym shorts and showed the world that he had something more than a great right hook.
Any challenge athletes pose to the status of our racist society, any efforts to protect the interests of the poor people dying in New Orleans, or any defense of the millions of black men enslaved in the prison system leads to quick abandonment and dismantlement by the athlete’s sources of financial support.Our most powerful gladiators have been reduced to mindless little boys at a time when their community most needs their leadership. I am not sure why Kanye West is the only case in which a black male celebrity has put his butt on the line to shake up the system to call attention to poor black people.All of these guys are also influenced by the drunk uncle, the brother in prison, the cousin who just got shot or the mother who can’t pay the rent.What in the hell is wrong with you?What in the hell is wrong with us?
Solving the problem of the black male athlete is nothing more than solving the problem of the black male, period.Educational empowerment is one solution, so that the guy with the mike in front of him is taught to articulate statements other than “I felt good out there in the offense…”Economic empowerment might be another solution, in which the athlete is taught to use his money to buy something other than a new Rolls Royce on 24 inch rims.Social empowerment and consciousness might be another solution, in which players actually care about something other than salary caps and points per game.It is sad when your strongest voices in sports are Terrell Owens and Chad Johnson, and their issue of the day is who will be allowed to dance in the end zone.
While I am hard on the athletes, I can’t blame them for wanting to escape these negative realities by engrossing themselves in a fantasy where all is right with the world, and everyone wears a Lakers uniform.The black male athlete is the sleeping dragon, and when he wakes up, he’s going to bring fury.It is my hope that one day, the revolution will be televised, and the channel on which they show it will be ESPN.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and author of "What if George Bush were a Black Man?" He makes regular appearances in the national media, including ESPN, USA Today, Fox News, and The New York Times.
© Copyright 2005 by BlackAthlete Sports Network
http://www.blackathlete.net/artman/publish/article_02360.shtml |
Yvettep
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Yvettep
Post Number: 1314
Registered: 01-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 08:21 pm: |
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Interesting piece. Reminds me of this new Starbury line I've been hearing about. http://www.starbury.com/
It is being described as a "movement." I do not know enough about this player, what he's all about, etc. What do people think? Is this the kind of change needed in sports that the above writer talked about or is this just more hype?
P.S. I know nothing about this writer, but he sure knows how to pick an intriguing book title. LOL |
Robynmarie
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Robynmarie
Post Number: 148
Registered: 04-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 09:27 pm: |
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I question this author's POV...
Why pick on MJ? Michael is apolitical, and never tried to be anything else. The author should have addressed Tiger Woods who has far greater influence than MJ since golf is a global sport.
Athletes are entertainers, nothing more, nothing less. Muhammed Ali, whom I adore, was the exception to the rule. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 6561
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: 
Votes: 2 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 09:53 pm: |
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It's a different time. Ali was a product of time when there was at least some belief that principles, honor and courage meant something.
Jordan was not.
And Tiger...well, he don't even know what the hell he IS. And that wife of his will just about guarentee his children will be even MORE confused. |
Robynmarie
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Robynmarie
Post Number: 150
Registered: 04-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 17, 2006 - 10:49 pm: |
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Abm-
Did you mean MJ was part of a different era, where principles mean more and Benjamins mean lots? I agree with that.
MJ is the ultimate self-promoter. What he accomplished allowed the young cats coming up now, the ability to get zillion dollar shoe contracts, sponsorships, etc, which made many young brothas (and their families) rich beyond their wildest imaginations.
Still MJ gets dissed for not speaking out on social issues, which I believe is unfair. |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 5203
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 12:00 am: |
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Most black athletes may be apolitical but they are not totally uninvloved: they all have these charitable foundations that they establish if for no other reason than to create tax write-offs. These athletes are, after all, sought after for endorsements and that being the case, they have to cultivate good public images and do things to create good impressions. They appear in photo ops participating in school reading programs and lend their names and faces to support worthy causes in the cities they play for. A lot of them own restaurants and clothing lines. Magic Johnson, gives a good accounting of himself by owning a theater chain. In Chicago, Michael Jordan has established Ronald MacDonald house that provides free living quarters for parents during the recuperations of their critically-ill children. Jordan is also part-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, all of this despite his being the quintessential, self-absorbed ego-centric. The 2 NBA athletes from my hometown, Michael Finley and Glen "Doc" Rivers both purchased playground equipment for the local parks and refurbished basketball courts and sponsor summer basket ball clinics. And they are pretty typical of their colleagues. Muhammad Ali did exhibit a degree of defiance in embracing a religion that referred to white people as blue-eyed devils, but it was shameful the way he humiliated and debased Joe Frazier referring to him as a monkey and an ape. And Ali was clearly color-conscious, and was never seen in the presence of anything but light-skinned women, who he flaunted like trophys. I don't necessarily agree that black ahtletes are emblematic of black men in general. Jocks are physically talented. Politically-ambitious, Charles Barkley is one step above being a buffoon. We should be focusing on the captain of the chess team or the president of the national honor society or the computer nerds. They are our best hopes for the future. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 6562
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 07:53 am: |
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Robynmarie,
Michael Jordan has been a great athlete and a good man.
Muhammad Ali has been a great athlete and an even GREATER man. |
Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 2761
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: 
Votes: 1 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 09:52 am: |
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Everybody saw what happened to Ali and don't nobody want none of that--
Negroes need to quit looking to atheletes, performers, and comedians to step out and be leaders, men, whatever.
Those type of people don't usually gravitate to those fields anyway.
Some people say most heroes get cornered into it--same with Ali. If the government hadn't moved to draft him it wouldn't have put him in the position to defy it.
When all the signs and stuff came down, that was it with upper class negroes going to bat for the race. These people fly first class, stay at the finest hotels, wear the finest clothes, meet the finest chicks, have everything.
Why the hell should they give that up for some people who ain't got the guts to step out on their own.
This brings us back to the discussion of leaders. You do need leaders because the average man or woman hasn't the guts of a louse and needs somebody to take them forward. But the leader needs to know that he has to have somebody at his back.
Everybody seen what happened to King, Evers, Malcolm X, as well as Curt Flood, Muhammad Ali and them two brothers who stood up down in Mexico City in 1968. All they done for the coons and they can't even get one to buy them a cup of coffee these days. |
Moonsigns
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Moonsigns
Post Number: 1453
Registered: 07-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 01:05 pm: |
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I think that, if more parents were healthy role models for their children, our culture would not put pressure on entertainers/athletes to be more than they are (or should be).
Regarding Tiger Woods, he knows exactly "who" he is. And on more than one occassion, when asked by the media, he has publicly clarified how he self-identifies --which doesn't bother him at all. It's other people who are uncomfortable with his right to claim both "races". And because he is so grounded, I seriously doubt his children will be "confused".
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Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 126
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 01:39 pm: |
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My only question is: Rustang!! ...did you write this!?! (LOL)  |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 6563
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 01:42 pm: |
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Chris,
It seems today’s especially strong, smart and capable Black person is relegated to essentially 2 eventualities:
A) Selling out to the mostly-White owned/controlled power structure.
or
B) Annihilation.
Moonsigns,
I NEVER would have expected YOU of all foks to defend the multi-colored Tiger Woods. Not in a million years.
[Please insert sarcasm "HERE".] |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 5204
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 01:42 pm: |
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Pulleeeze, chrishayden. Since according you, all AAs who ascend to leadership roles pee on the peons and turn from black people into negroes, then why do we need leaders? And you are very selective in your criticism. Your idol MLK did a lot of compromising when it came to race, and Malcom X had started to re-invent himself at the time of his death. As for Muhammad Ali, he became a "national treasure" only after he mellowed out and deteriorated into a benign cripple. You scold the middle class, but you think the average black is cluless and needs someone to take him forward. Then you chide everyone for placing their hopes in a charismatic savior. One thing is certain: black folks don't a need a vascillating malcontent to lecture them about their shortcomings. Maybe, instead of needing leaders to tell them what to do, what they need are successful role models to inspire them to try and do it for themsleves. IMO, the day of heroic leaders at the head of the pack is over. |
Chrishayden
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Chrishayden
Post Number: 2763
Registered: 03-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 02:00 pm: |
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Cynique:
We are talking about athletes here. What are YOU talking about?
I can't understand a word she posted. She hasn't been the same since I put the Tombstone Piledriver on her three times at Wrestlemania. It's her or its me. It's her, isn't it? |
Cynique
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Cynique
Post Number: 5206
Registered: 01-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 18, 2006 - 02:16 pm: |
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Everything I said was in response to your mouthin off in the post on this thread, chrishayden. You're the one whose brain is addled from the numbing effects of wrestling fandom. You're the one who brought the names of MLK and Malcom and Medgar Evers into the discussion. You're the one bitching about the treachery of middleclass leadership. Face it, knucklehead. You're busted. |
Ntfs_encryption
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Ntfs_encryption
Post Number: 728
Registered: 10-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 21, 2006 - 02:23 pm: |
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Well, this is something I will never agree with, this longing for a black messiah to rescue impoverished and disenfranchised black people from oblivion. Black athletes and rappers seem to the major choice for emulation by our black youth. That's a recipe for disaster. No serious or meaningful future can be expected by such choices.
Blacks have to develop grass root activism on community levels and create strong family bonding and support systems for each other. The fantasy of a black savior who will rescue black Americans from the current abyss of social pathology, racism, widespread illegitimacy, drug dealers, legions of thugs and gangs and proliferation of black on black violence, IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN -PERIOD!
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