LePippen plays the race card

[gotribe31]

Honestly, I'm surprised it took him this long.

http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entr ... 4/24932277

Code: Select all

In an appearance on Wednesday night's edition of "Primetime" on CNN , LeBron James replied that he thought race was a factor in the negative response to his decision to leave Cleveland for the Miami Heat .

"I think so, at times," he told CNN correspondent Soledad O'Brien. "It's always, you know, a race factor."

[CharacterIV]

We hate quit. Quit ain't got no color.

[papacass]

And, once again, we find that Bron-Bron has no knowledge or opinion of anything that doesn't involve basketball or Jay-Z.

I would have loved to see a real follow-up question, like "How did race play into the backlash, in your opinion?"

LBJ: "Uh, well, you know, sometimes it becomes a racial thing. And, you know, people think race is a factor. So, it's like when you get a pizza and you want pepperoni but you don't want mushrooms. And, you know, it's like, I know there are people out there that are my fans, and some people just aren't going to like me. So my goal is to win a championship for the Miami Heat."

Soledad: "Thanks, LeBron. Back to you, Wolf."

[British_Pharaoh]

Wow. Why can't it just be 2009 again :(

[FUDU]

I will say I am surprised, but not b/c he feels as such (b/c I think he has proven just how immature and out of touch he is), but b/c he fell into this trap of self justification and excuse making, to the point of using such tactics and predictable knee jerk reactions as a defense mechanism. I would have thought somebody around him would have directed him to avoid response in these past few weeks, if not especially with a topic such as the race card.

There has been a lot of talk lately of how all this negative energy directed back at LeBron (not just from CTown but basketball and its fan in general) is going to unleash that ultimate LeBron motivator, and he will take his revenge on all those who doubt him when he steps onto the court every night. I say what LeBron motivator? This whole notion of once LeBron gets dissed or sets his mind to it he gets it done has reached mythical status, like a Knights Templar scene from Davinci Code. We're not talking Micheal Jordan here, you know the guy who actually DID all those things we are so often told LeBron has done or will do.

The kid is still the most dangerous player in the game, but he is putting himself in a very tight spot with all this, a spot he will not be able to get himself out of if things don't go well in Miami right from the get go, and with a new CBA on the horizon it could only get tougher for him.

Honestly if he has reached the depths of comments and implications like this then that tells you all you need to know about just how much focus he has on basketball and ultimately winning.

[peeker643]

I would have thought somebody around him would have directed him to avoid response in these past few weeks, if not especially with a topic such as the race card.

If I may ask: WTF has transpired in the last few months that would have you thinking somebody around him would have directed him to do ANYTHING properly?

Bottom line- The dude and his fucking pilot fish were brought up in an environment of complete and utter ignorance and then watched it turn to complete and utter entitlement.

Of course he's shocked at the response. He's never heard negativity before due to the entitlement issue.


Of course he played the race card. Because he and his managing partner are stone cold ignorant.

That's got nothing to do with race.

[FUDU]

I would have thought somebody around him would have directed him to avoid response in these past few weeks, if not especially with a topic such as the race card.

If I may ask: WTF has transpired in the last few months that would have you thinking somebody around him would have directed him to do ANYTHING properly?

Somebody around him not in his little circle of ignorance, I should have clarified.

Entitlement, it's what's for dinner!

[peeker643]

Somebody around him not in his little circle of ignorance, I should have clarified.

No such thing.

If you're in the circle it's because you subscribe to, foster and promote the ignorance.

You certainly don't question it privately or call attention to it publicly because that's the fastest way out of the circle.

Look, there's a lot to pity with LBJ: He literally doesn't understand how ignorant he is. EVERYBODY ELSE is effed up. It can't be that he's an arrogant a-hole who made a bad decision. You either fail to see the genius and the reason behind his move or you're racist.

[Ziner]

The more people use the race card the more it gets ignored. Consider this ignored. Boy, Wolf, crying comes to mind.

The people who have had real racial injustices laugh at this moron with the rest of us.

Just curious how Bosh some how escaped the racism and angst. Wonder what the difference between the two leaving their respective teams was.

[aoxo1]

Well duh. That's why everyone hates Brett Favre now, too.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

I hate LeTwat because he's black? Wow, I didn't know that, so glad he and his band of criminals and morons could inform me. Here I am thinking I hate him because he stabbed us in the back on national tv. All along it was his skin color. I guess you learn something new everyday.

[Hikohadon]

And all that time I never realized the unreasoning hatred I have for Ben R was because he's white.

Damn cracker.

[motherscratcher]

And all that time I never realized the unreasoning hatred I have for Ben R was because he's white.

Damn cracker.

cracker-ass-cracker

[leadpipe]

And, once again, we find that Bron-Bron has no knowledge or opinion of anything that doesn't involve basketball or Jay-Z.

I would have loved to see a real follow-up question, like "How did race play into the backlash, in your opinion?"

LBJ: "Uh, well, you know, sometimes it becomes a racial thing. And, you know, people think race is a factor. So, it's like when you get a pizza and you want pepperoni but you don't want mushrooms. And, you know, it's like, I know there are people out there that are my fans, and some people just aren't going to like me. So my goal is to win a championship for the Miami Heat."

Soledad: "Thanks, LeBron. Back to you, Wolf."

Speaking of follow-up questions, you know what's be nice, Lebron being interviewed by someone with some f-ing interview skills. So many great (and natural) follow-up opportunities have been dropped.

[Rat_Tail]

I wonder how LBJ would do on Are you smarter than a 5th grader?

It is funny how quick LBJ went from King to the most hated man in Cleveland.

His decision to leave obviously hurts the Cavs. But had he stayed it would've likely been a 3 year deal and his soap opera of whether or not he was going to stay in Cleveland after those 3 years would still be going on now.

So good riddance.

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

So many great (and natural) follow-up opportunities have been dropped.

You want access, you give fellatio. Such is the way of the world these days.

[YahooFanChicago]

I saw the video clip on ESPN and that network is a joke (no big shock there right). They are actually supporting him over there and saying he is right and just speaking the truth. Some bs about most of the fans in luxury suites being rich crackers and the players being black means that he is right. They say the backlash is because the rich crackers can't control Lebron. WTF is that?

What ever happened to personal responsibility in this world?

Fucking race card bullshit. When will it stop.? This country elected an african american as president yet it still seems some want to hide behind the fiction that most Americans are racist. Yes, there are some racist tools in this world but they are the vast minority.

Most of the country has an unfavorable opinion of Lebron post decision show and it has nothing to do with racism just like his previous favorable rating had nothing to do with racism.

[StewieG]

So if we hate him because he was black, does that mean when we loved him he was white?

[Hikohadon]

I saw the video clip on ESPN and that network is a joke (no big shock there right). They are actually supporting him over there and saying he is right and just speaking the truth. Some bs about most of the fans in luxury suites being rich crackers and the players being black means that he is right. They say the backlash is because the rich crackers can't control Lebron. WTF is that?

Ignore ESPN. They made their bed with LeBitch, they have to sleep in it now. He could set a small child on fire and laugh and point at it as it screamed and died, and ESPN would thank him for helping with the overpopulation problem.

He's their meal ticket, and as long as they want access, they have to do exactly like Madre said:

You want access, you give fellatio.

[Triple-S]

In regards to ESPN and in terms of "reporting", they've gone from covering sports to increasingly making it a tabloid level debacle that would make the guys at TMZ blush.

I mean just look at the personalities they have on air right now, you're colin cowherd's, skip bayless's and mark may's of the world, really lack any sort of substance in their reporting, so they resort to making the story about them.

[Rat_Tail]

Will someone just lynch him already.

[aoxo1]

WTF is wrong with you? Get some help.

[motherscratcher]

Seriously

[Rat_Tail]

Sorry. LBJ with the assist.

[motherscratcher]

Barkley get's back in on the action, saying that 'Just when you think it couldn't get any stupider, it gets more stupid'.

http://outofbounds.nbcsports.com/2010/10/barkley-on-lebron-just-when-you-think-it-couldnt-get-any-stupider-it-gets-more-stupid.html.php

On the race card:

The only criticism I've heard about LeBron and it was my biggest criticism, that decision thing was just stupid. It was stupid. The second thing when they all came out there dancing around on stage, that was silly. That's the only thing I've heard LeBron get criticized about. That has nothing to do with race.

On ESPN:

They do realize the Lakers have won the last two championships. If you're going to cater to somebody at least cater to the guys who have actually won the last two championships. They have definitely crossed the line and this is unprecedented. This is unprecedented a** kissing.

I love Barkley.

I can only assume that's he's already on double secret probabtion. It's probably going to take a lot more than a nice phone call from Chuck for Lebron to put on some lipstick and cross him off his wall ala Steve Buscemi.

[FUDU]

I'm been coming around to Barkley a little more in the past year. I mean he is still an absolutely terrible analyst but his comments regarding out of game things are not that bad, anymore.

To LeBron and the race thing, it simply isn't about race. Sure the JJ/AS crowd types will always want it to be and try to make it out to be, no surprise there, but they've relegated themselves to being background noise anymore. Then you have the group of people that want to look like deep thinkers. The ones that claim there is a racial tone to these things and they try to extend their POV to blanket a lot of society and it's issues in general, make it sound like this is the stuff that we try to keep in the secret corners of our lives and only talk about in our private little parties.

It's hip to discuss race in such a fashion that one tries to distinguish themselves apart from the circles of society they themselves use as the expense for race to be the example of their own disingenuous integrity. It's the faux pas of one's desire to be noticed in today's politically correct addicted world.

With LeBron, and the vast majority of the examples including athletes, it is not about race, it is about their position in life. It is about the opportunities they have in life, and the choices they make, regardless of how significant or insignificant those choices look from the outside. Yeah it's about money b/c money so often creates so many opportunities, but people react more often due to how the said individual(s) makes decisions and rationalize their decisions in life compared to the everyday Joe Blow.

When it comes to LeBron everything is about LeBron. He needs the focus in general to be on him, and spares no expense in trying to ensure focus is on him. He works as hard on that as he does on anything on the court. Part of the reason he needs to be directly involved in establishing that attention is b/c he has not earned anything yet to obtain a more genuine level of focus. This is the age of American Idol, and LeBron James is nothing more than an American Idol winner.

Which takes us to the backlash? The backlash in general (fans and media) is a combination of a growing exhaustion with LeBron. Both of being constantly in the spotlight and being crowned in anticipation of things he might do. It boils down to the real and true disconnect that most athletes have with Joe Blow. Athletes live on a different plateau than the average person does (and it isn't just athletes). For these players to have the resources they have, the opportunities presented to them that they do, and then makes some of the choices they make? That is the crux of the issue with the everyday fan. How can these guys have so much and make such questionable choices and in some cases do so little with what they have? Enter LeBron James.

He is not the first black athlete. He is not the first black basketball player. He is not the first black athlete to be labeled a star. He is not the first black athlete to receive awards. The list could go on & on. Outside of a few NBA records he is not the first black anything. He is not unprecedented, yet he acts as if he is, and gets treated as if he is (in some cases by Demand)...and for what is the question that always remains? He has not earned anything, and in light of the Celtics series I suppose you can include a paycheck in there as well. The backlash is a culmination of all things that people see as wrong with today's world of athlete (and in some cases as what is wrong with the world in general). Granted you have not seen LeBron in the news b/c of a DUI, drugs or sexual misconduct issues, but people see him as taking things to a whole new level with the summer of LeBron and the orchestrated weeks of the Decision.

Does racism exist, of course it does, and it very well could forever. However the biggest problem with race today is the people who insist on infusing it (and the attempts of creating it where it doesn't exist pr belong), anywhere and anytime they see fit (often for their own gain or to rationalize their short comings), while ignoring the progress society has made in not allowing race to be a factor for their daily lives.

[aoxo1]

You are very fortunate to be in the position that you can think that is the biggest problem wrt race in America, DU.

[FUDU]

You are very fortunate to be in the position that you can think that is the biggest problem wrt race in America, DU.

aoxo, each situation in life is different, and objectively must be viewed as such. I'm not sure what your real point is, but for this specific LeBron situation there is simply no legit evidence for such a claim to even be implied by anyone, including LeBron himself.

Also I would think if a discussion on race were to evolve here it would/should be put in NHB, b/c it would eventually detour completely away from basketball and LeBron at some point?

[aoxo1]

DU, I don't particularly disagree with your take wrt LeBron here, just a comment on your last paragraph.

Let's leave it at that.

[FUDU]

DU, I don't particularly disagree with your take wrt LeBron here, just a comment on your last paragraph.

Let's leave it at that.

No problem, although I suspect you're just misunderstanding part of my point, and I don't get accused of being succinct very often so part of that could easily be on me.