EPIC DOUBLE POST

This past weekend an awesome movie about the Michigan basketball team from the early 90’s popularly known as the Fab Five premiered on ESPN and the response to be honest has confused me. The most polarizing point of the entire film has been when Jalen Rose referred to Grant Hill and other black players on Duke as “Uncle Toms.” Talking heads and editorial writers have filled the blogosphere and the airwaves with condemnation of Rose’s comments.

Allow me to shed some light on his comments, which I am not saying were correct but were most definitely taken out of context.


Well actually I feel I don’t now, here is a guy looking back on how he thought as an immature 19 year old kid and giving what he thought at the time. Does he still believe Grant Hill or black people at Duke are Uncle Toms? No, he has matured. Let me ask this of those criticizing Rose, look back when you were young. Did you ever say something that in hindsight was wrong or misguided? If you can show me one that claims this I will show you a liar. I understand where Rose was coming from, the black face of Duke was someone who was a lot like him in many ways but differed where it mattered most. Having that famous father but one was there and the other was not, it’s simple he was bitter. I understand that. I had friends growing up who I deeply resented for having that father figure where I did not; I look back and realize it was not the fault of friends.
Equally Important


My other problem with the criticism has been that they were not the most important black team, that title many feel belongs to the Georgetown Hoyas of the 80’s. Even the star of those teams Patrick Ewing has come out and asks where their movie is? Well first, they were more important but that doesn’t mean the Fab Five weren’t important. They are important because they changed the culture of basketball, for better or worse. Baggy shorts, black shoes, black socks? Something that simple blew America’s mind. Their brash attitude and cockiness shocked the world, but let’s be real that has always been a part of the game. Also it was unheard of for five freshmen to not only start but they made it to the championship game. Twice.

Alright, I’ve ranted enough on that subject. I guess I’ll end there ...or will I?
Boom! Double dose!

So my Chicago Bulls recently topped the Washington Wizards, no big deal. The big deal is that they took over first place in the Eastern Conference with that win. But that’s not what this is about; I just wanted to brag for a second.

My beef today is with ESPN’s resident asshat Colin Cowherd who I recently railed against for his assessment that John Wall is a future terrible leader because he did the dougie once at the behest of an assistant coach who just happens to be Sam Cassell and knows a little about winning. Yesterday the esteemed talent evaluator that he is declared via twitter no less among other things “When D rose wins a big playoff series, it will be his first. Lebron gets crushed by media yet w less talent, has already been to finals.” And he is right, it will be his first playoff series win, never mind it’s just his third season in the league and the Bulls drew the Boston Celtics both times, never mind that he did this with a coach who had no idea what he was doing, the man he is comparing Rose to DIDN’T EVEN MAKE THE PLAYOFFS HIS FIRST TWO YEARS.

“thats it. Rose wants his OWN fame. the ‘GET IT’ guys like lebron, wade. kobe, K.G. want rings. Iverson wanted own fame 2” All of these players that he is listing are established stars who took many years to get their first ring and in the case of Lebron have yet to get a ring. You see Rose doesn’t hold elaborate pre season dance parties at the United Center, he doesn’t have a lot of commercials and tv appearances like King James, and when the NBA world was salivating at the altar of Lebron where was D-Rose? That’s right; he was in the gym working on his jumper, strengthening a weakness in his game. But hey this the guy who proclaimed flashy guys don’t become all time greats, you know except for Bob Cousy, Wilt Chamberlain, Pete Maravich, Dominique Wilkins, Dr. J, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson…you know there are too many to list.
Too bad you'll never win because you have playing the game...oh wait

I’ll end by saying this is extremely biased as I am a Bulls fan, but please if you are going to make statement as asinine as the above by Mr. Cowherd then please make sure you can’t drive a Mack truck right through your theories.

NCAA= The height of hypocrisy

The world of college athletics is a confusing one. The young men and women who participate in these are supposed to be the best examples of two worlds, academic and athletic. Instead what we see are a bunch of kids being pimped out so athletic directors, coaches, and the top brass at the NCAA get multi million dollar payouts.

Now I have heard all of the arguments against paying college athletes, such as, "they're receiving a free education." But are they? With the grueling schedule of a full season and then the post season, and if you factor in practices and team meetings, these kids barely have enough time to go to class, let alone find time to study.

Another argument against the free education people is the amount of money being made off of these kids. In basketball alone, the NCAA currently has an 11 year, six billion dollar contract with CBS, and this does not even factor in ticket sales, team apparel sales, and concession sales. If you want to say that all these kids deserve is $30,000 a year then you are insane. Billions of dollars are made off these kids hard work, image, and performance, yet they can't even get a job to have money in their pocket.

Even the coaches are guilty of exploiting these kids for their own personal gain. Take the case of Ray Ray Mcelrathbey. He was the young man who took legal custody of his little brother while a member of the Clemson University football team. The university had no problem parading him on national television making the university look good by association. LAst season he dealt with some injuries and then had his scholarship basically taken away. Like thanks for making us look good, we don't need you anymore. Some coaches make up to 3.4 million dollars a season, yet the main people responsible for that eat ramen every night because they can't afford anything else.

One of the grossest examples of exploitation is the case of the Fab Five. Not only did they sell alot of jerseys, pack arenas across the country, and basically usher in a new brash and in your face style of basketball to society, these guys came in as freshmen and flat out dominated their opponents. Yet because of the NCAA's rule that student athletes can't work, some of these teams took money from boosters. Not to buy cars, not to buy drugs, but to buy basic needs for survival such as winter coats. This was such a "vile" crime that they have been all but stricken from the record books.

I am willing to bet the NCAA won't be returning any of the money that they received from these young men's hard work.

For another example of exploitation of an athlete see this post by the good guys at gimme dat brew: http://gimmedatbrew.blogspot.com/2008/04/run-til-you-die.html