NorthEast Wiz

Here is OAK waxing about race and the media. Tyruly one of our great social commentators of the year 2003:

http://www.washtimes.com/sports/20030117-40498686.htm

OAK CHIMES IN — Forward Charles Oakley said if high school sensation LeBron James were not black, he would not have gotten the attention he did for driving a brand new Hummer.
"Everything about us is magnified," Oakley said. "That's just how it is. It's always magnified and blown out of proportion. There is a different standard for black people. That's how it is when you're black and the microscope is on you."
Oakley said that if James had grown up in a middle-class neighborhood and were white, the big stink over his new car would never have come up. James' mother, with whom he lives, is unemployed.
"Look, a lot of [white] people drive Mercedes to high school and nobody stops them and ask them about their car," Oakley said. "But if a black guy is seen driving something like that, the first thing people say is he's a [drug] dealer. But that's just how society is. Blacks are living in the back of the bus and we might never get to the front of the bus. We are never going to be able to drive the bus like we should. What are you going to do about it? You just have to keep going ahead."

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superdave

Oak speaks his mind, that's for sure.

Per the Lebron debate, he is dead wrong. When you are the #1 HS player in America, the most hyped up draft pick in ages, an 'amateur' to whom many are making serious money from (see ESPN, St.Vincent, etc.) then of course your every move is going to be scrutinized.. on and off the court. The color of his skin is of little consequence.

Per the 'different standard for blacks' debate, this is nothing new. Many, many NBA players have complained of unfair treatment by the police, media, and your regular Joe NBA fan. Oakley and AI may be the most vocal to express this, but the sentiment is real. I am not African American nor do I claim to understand what black professional athletes go through... but Oak may have stumbled upon a nugget of truth concerning society's views (whether explicit or implicit) toward's blacks.



VD

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Re: Nocioni Sploogefest
Noch certainly has improved a great deal from the beginning of last year and is probably the most consistent player on our team, at least in terms of how he plays and the effort he gives. He's pretty much always turned up to 11 and it's nice to have a guy like that, even if it means dealing with the occasional mistake.

Glad he's on our side.
PC Load Letter <4/6/06>

jazzy1

Not being black slants you perception on Oaks perspective. I'm black and I damn well see Oak's point as valid. Everyone makes money off the kid, his moms goes to a bank to get a loan based on future earnings potential of her son and so he gets a hummer what the big deal. She didn't get the money from an agent , drug dealer or some other shady situation but people are up in arms because of it. The networks, his school, highschools all over this country and a local cable company exploit a highschool player and the very highschool player who wants to trade in on his rep to acquire a fancy ride is some how questioned for his standard. His mother bought a damn car, I went to highschool with some whites who drove Benz's it was excepted. No they weren't highschool phenoms but thats beside the point who caress what the kid drives, would it be more appropriate for the kid to wear tattered clothes, messed up shoes and standing at a bus stop. Lebron James life is that of a pro who are we kidding, so he should live according to the lifestyle of a pro or else then lets treat him like every other highschool person and not put him on espn 2 not in the magazines and not on pay per view. Then he should give the damn hummer back.

Why is color of little consequence thats whats always said when the debate arises sometimes from non blacks. Its always relevant when it comes to irrational criticism of blacks. When valid fine when not then what's driving the criticsim other than racism. Why does it matter what this kid drives to school, if his mother got it through legal means with a loan. In six month's he could get it himself so why wait nothings normal about this kids situation so driving a hummer somehow fits with whats going on as long as he hasn't violated any laws to attain it.