The Mis-Education of the Black Athlete
by Darrell Holmes
The black athlete has held an unenviable place in Sports Americana. He is both respected and feared. Respected for his prowess and showmanship, no one can turn the conventional into the spectacular like him. Feared because his physical stature is only surpassed by the wily passion for competition housed in his eyes. It’s not co-incidence that sports that advertise the Black athlete are also the most profitable. And while America’s love affair with it’s “trophy buck” remains intact, there is no hesitation about periodically reminding him of his place in society.
The recent situations with Adam Jones, Mike Vick, Odell Thurman, etc. are very much of their own doing. Some of them haven’t been formally convicted of any crime, BUT ain’t nobody stupid. A lotta times where there’s smoke there’s fiyah, and these brothers haven’t done the best job of showing they’re candidates for Man o’ the Year.
CONVERSELY, anyone else think it’s ironic that every major villain in sports right now is Black? If it wasn’t for a corrupt, White NBA ref trapped in a gambling scandal, sports radio shows would still be denigrating NBA players for on-court violence, hip hop culture, and all things Ron Artest. Barry Bonds has had every shred of his life nitpicked apart as the media vultures devour his corpse. Michael Vick and Pacman Jones have both shown the ability to be amazingly stupid on their own accord. Still, the witch hunt for Black male pariahs to poster all over your local evening news is hitting an all new high. It almost reminds me of how they used to show the most crazed “colored” folk during on-site interviews when tragic events would happen. Only now the ante is upped because they bringing the po-po’s AND the feds with.
All colors of races have individuals who are frankly just bad people. A few years back NFL tight end Mark Chmura was caught giving an inappropriate post-prom party for his children’s babysitter. Bill Romanowski is a former NFL’er notorious for antics that would be considered assault off the field ranging from spitting in opponents faces to grinding parts of their bodies with his cleats. Hey, isn’t that the same thing Marcus Vick got chastised for a couple years back? Shawn Kemp is a horrible baby-making machine while Tom Brady spreads his All-American gene all over any model or actress willing to hear his Super Bowl stories. Barry Bonds is a liar that “cheats the game”, but THOUSANDS of MLB players knowingly and willingly took uppers for years with the near endorsement of the owners. Hell, Jason Giambi admitted to using steroids but he was given what amounts to one month of probation in the court of public opinion and has had no major threats of federal prosecution or audits from the IRS.
NOTICE: If you’re young, Black, and gifted know this. My parents always told me that as a person of color you’re going to have to do a little better than your melanin-deficient counterparts. That means that you might have to tell your weed-smoking, dog-fighting cousin he can’t live in your house in Atlanta because he always in trouble and he gone mess everythang up for you, your $130 million contract, and Black folks all over the country.
August 4th, 2007 at 2:19 am
I understand what u are saying, but u have to be sure not to fall into the same catergory. What you are saying the media does towards blacks, is the same thing u just did to others. It should not make it right to do it either way.
A crime is a crime. Trying to lessen anyones crimes by bringing up others, should not justify or soften the blow to either. If a guy robs a store he robs a store. You can not say, “Well, Tom, Dick and Harry did it, too.” The store was still robbed. Just ask the victim.
I am just saying none of us can accused if we do the same in our own way. There should be no double standard.
August 4th, 2007 at 8:31 am
Excellent post!
August 5th, 2007 at 3:10 pm
RC, you are right. Two wrongs doesn’t make a right. I just detest when the wrong is one-sided and it has been so for far too long.
August 5th, 2007 at 10:21 pm
Darrell,
That is true, but I can think of 3 white women that get the most negative press than anybody in the media. I think we all know who I am talking about. The more negative media these girls get the more famous they become.
I can also think of an R & B singer that became more successful after making a sex video with an underage girl. There is a show about Catching child predators but yet this singer is still on the streets and making more money off our children. So, what are parents that support these entertainers, saying to their children?
As minorities, maybe we are more sensitive to negative press. But, I do not think minorites only get bad press.
August 6th, 2007 at 7:30 am
I think you make arguments and examples of an opposing opinion in any discussion. I think the 3 young ladies and the R&B singer are mor anomalies than the norm. Par for the course is, and has become, the rebirth of the social ostracization of Black America to show that we are different and should therefore be feared and mistrusted.
August 6th, 2007 at 10:12 am
rc & darrell,
Could there be a sense of envy from mainstream media? An indirect (or even subconcious) plot to undermine the success of African-Americans.I feel in some way there is a double standard. But a crime is a crime and the final decision should be determined by the courts. If the offender is guilty, then the punishment should fit the crime.
Maybe I am sensitive to the issue, but that’s where forums like this come into play. It’s our job to point out the inconsitencies. rc, thanks for visiting the site and participating in the discussion.
August 6th, 2007 at 1:15 pm
Hey Guys,
“Feared and Mistrusted” Come on, one of the leading candidates on the democratic ticket is Barak Obama. And as for the “plot to undermine the success of African-Americans,” did you see who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this past weekend? Sanders, Irvin, and Thomas were honored. I do not know what station you watch, but when I see the news and see them reports on Barry and Vick, I do not hear them say Black Barry or Black Michael. Is that what we are TRAINED to hear?
It is great to have forums like this, but I do feel it would be more productive if we discuss the positive and how we can all advance more. Some of the people mentioned, I can honestly say, I had not heard of their scandal. When you focus on the negative you bring more negative attention to the problems. It is about breaking the cycle not making yourself stay in it and dwell on it.
Minority parents of our generation were not able to accomplish the things being done today. So, why not teach our kids anything IS possible, not it may be possible. Focus on the good thing Black Athletes have done; charity work, breaking records, etc. I know there are many stories. A Houston Texan gave a lady a house last month, and yes that was on the news. Talk about that. Don’t just focus on the negative.
August 6th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
RC, I can appreciate your comments, but because I choose to disagree that is my opinion. The Bible says “We are to be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves”. While focusing on the positive is important WE would all be foolish to ignore the impact that negativity has on Black culture, particularly when it comes in so many forms and from different areas. How can any person or people progress without learning from their mistakes and avoiding pitfalls?
My favorite quote is from James Baldwin and says, “People pay for what they do, and still more for what they allow themselves to become. And they pay for it very simply by the lives they lead”.
We can not afford to pop our collective collars in unison while ignoring the Don Imus when he calls a Black woman a “hoe” nor can we allow Nelly to say it either because both messages imply that it is ok to call a woman that as long as you don’t point out one woman in particular…unless, of course, she really is one.
If you read more of the posts on this site, you’ll realize we talk on a WIDE variety of topics from GREAT, unappreciated hip hop artists with VERY positive messages to Global warming to those who have been victimized by institutional racism on the basis of “the law”. We do “our kids” no justice by telling them that those victims should’ve just been more careful and done what they were asked and they’d have been fine. Genarlow Wilson is no Dr. King, BUT his struggle is just as significant and relevant. If it were not for Black bloggers like Theo and his contemporaries we may not even know of the the injustice people like him have undergone. I thank God for Theo’s blog and for the opportunity to contribute. If you don’t agree, then I respect your opinion, but I offer two thoughts. 1) Your hostility in your previous posts suggests that you have a deeper resentment to what was stated in this blog posting. 2) For every example of African American accomplishment you offer there is a 12% Unemployment rate among African Americans that suggest we HAVEN’T come as far as you would prefer to think.
August 6th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Sadly character is not one of the criteria for getting into the Hall of Fame. They made it on their accomplishments on the field. The same holds true for everyone else who’s been inducted. In reading the post, I felt the purpose was to point out inconsistencies in the media. I don’t consciously look for them, but I think as a black man, I was trained to hear and see the world in that manner. Our generation is the first that hasn’t had to deal with outright segregation (I’m 31). My mom and dad remember the times when they weren’t able to do things because of the color of their skin. But not one time did they tell me I wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything I set my mind on. They did tell me it wouldn’t be easy and people (even my own) would try to stand in my way. But they showed me how to move past it and remained focus on my goal. I plan to do the same with my kid. I want for him to be able to see the injustices in the world. Not so he can dwell on them. Just so he can find a way to correct them.
As for using this type of forum to advance our cause, please check out some of the posts below. The whole purpose of each one is to open discussion and inform. Even with the stuff I feel is negative, a lesson can be learned. In breaking the cycle you’ve got to know how you got in the cycle in the first place. That’s all I’m trying to do here. The negative stuff has it’s purpose. I just have to make sure some of the positive is sprinkled in also.
Podcasts 1-27
http://www.theotalks.net/category/podcasts
What the President Has Signed Into Law - July 2007
http://www.theotalks.net/2007/07/what-the-president-has-signed-into-law-july-2007/
Road Home Project
http://www.theotalks.net/2007/05/road-home-project-for-katrina-and-rita-survivors/
Celebrate Juneteenth
http://www.theotalks.net/2007/06/celebrate-juneteenth/
Free Genarlow Wilson
http://www.theotalks.net/2007/06/free-genarlow-wilson/
Trade vs. Aid in Africa
http://www.theotalks.net/2007/06/trade-vs-aid-in-africa/
Scholarship at Grambling State University
http://www.theotalks.net/2007/06/scholarship-at-grambling-state-university/
Feeding the Homeless
http://www.theotalks.net/2007/05/feeding-the-homeless/
Top 10 Colleges For African-Americans
http://www.theotalks.net/2007/05/top-10-colleges-for-african-americans/
Black Spending Power
http://www.theotalks.net/2007/04/black-spending-power/
The Cause of Black Male Failure: It’s the “P”, not the “N” Word
http://www.theotalks.net/2007/04/the-cause-of-black-male-failure-its-the-p-not-the-n-word/
Help Me Fund A Child’s Education
http://www.theotalks.net/2007/04/help-me-fund-a-childs-education/
August 6th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
rc,
I guess darrell beat me to the post, but I want to let you know I respect every opinion given here. Whether against or for the stuff posted here I want to hear about it. Discussion is what makes an average blog better and I appreciate readers who are willing to leave their comments. This is what it’s all about.
August 6th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
Darrell,
I think u totally missed what I am saying. If hostility means, encouraging positivity, I guess I am guilty. All my replies have said to be encouraging not discouraging. I NEVER said Racism is ok. I never said ignore racism.
I do agree u should share struggles, that have been made, with your kids. It is history. But I refuse to teach my kids they have to work harder because of WHAT they are. I teach them they need to be hard workers to succeed in life. The end of racism starts in our own homes, because it does go both ways.
If there is a 12% unemployment rate, then that means there is an 88% employment rate. So, focus on raising the 88%. I just am about half full not half empty.
August 6th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
I agree that I missed what you are saying. I also agree that your kids will have to work hard to succeed. We seperate at the thought that race has to do with it. I only wish I could agree with your experiences because mine don’t allow me to believe that our world is quite that utopian. Thanks for the opportunity to discuss and agree to disagree. Please also continue to read the other blog postings because there will be plenty more offering both sides of the coin in the future.
August 6th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
Trust me I experienced extreme racism at the worst time of my life, a parents death. But I will not let them change who I am and what I am about because then they win. They would control my emotions.
I think we agree more than u think we just express it differently.
August 6th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
Big group hug everybody.
August 6th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
RC, I’m sorry to hear about your loss.
If I came across as crass, I apologize. I think RC and I agree with the root of the discussion even if we choose to hang onto different branches. I appreciate his diversity of thought from mine and hope to have more discussions like this.
August 24th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Hi:
You are gifted in hyperbole. I hope you don’t get caught up in it so much that it will detract from the solid principles you present by simply offering us an eloquent and brassy screed.
Fairness and even-handedness are extremely important as you point out. But let me say what it is I mean by that.
Modern American athletes seem to be raised in a subculture of fear and hate(of competitors, defeat, and failure). It is obvious that race, color, national origin don’t figure at all when compared to cultural influences in producing personal traits making individuals prone to irrational violence.
This is no excuse for the behavior of some athletes, but it does implicate ALL of us who ignore what the athletic culture has become by letting commercial interests control athletics.
I am a melanin challenged American geezer but I have a long memory that includes inspiring accounts of African American athletes who exemplified what classical athletics is about. They showed what we geezers used to simply call sportsmanship on the field combined with good works in the community. I want to hear more about them rather than those few individuals (of any color) who fall short.
I think that his is a more powerful way to restore balance and fairness.
August 25th, 2007 at 10:59 pm
Geezer,
Thanks for the compliment. I do love hyperbole but I do hope my points don’t get lost in a whirlwind of rapper quotes and double entendre. I agree with your points and I do hope my writing doesn’t appear to defend as much as it does to create thought and discussion that may otherwise be ignored. Thanks for visiting I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts in the future.
August 27th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
I very much liked what you said, actually. It is all about reestablishing a balance and what you presented in your article meets my internal test of looking ALL around to establish a larger context. The choice whether to inflame or inform when exposing the negative aspects of this society is a responsibility vested in publishing and that is most certainly your prerogative.
The various “estates”, the most important of which is the press, used to have a clear set of ethics that governed individuals’ choices, emphasizing honesty and fairness. Focused bashing of black athletes in the press is an example of the sad decline in this vital avenue of news and information. It reflects as you pointed out, uneven and unfair representation. It exemplifies a general disconnection with reality. Above all in my mind, singling out certain selected cases is a violation of trust and willful neglect.
I look for some place to start in understanding how this can happen. I am no economist but it seems that the amoral nature of corporations is seeping into the fiber of our institutions. Corporations are not human beings. Without putting too fine a point on it, they are unprincipled and count only profit so letting them have control of certain of society’s institutions is a bad idea. They have taken sports and the sports media over to mine profits. Where pure profit is the motive, all sense of balance and fairness is supplanted.
The Sensational nature of some of the latest cases is just more profitable than reporting the generous and charitable activities of a large number of black athletes.
The media corporations will be unable to correct this problem by themselves, tied as they are to simply making a profit. On the other hand, more people are reading pages such as yours to get another perspective and I think that is a promising sign.
August 27th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Wonderful commentary Geezer and quite enough material to start a whole other blog topic on. Like most starving artists, I can only hope that my message is never castrated by my wallet.
The sad truth about all sports is that they are inherent cash cows. This weekend you could literally hear the bank teller counting out the billions (in ones) that the Disney Networks were raking in off of Little League Baseball. I’m not saying teams/kids should get paid off of those games but ESPN ain’t putting it out there for free either.
It’ll be interesting to see what ultimately happens with Vick and how desperate sports media will be to find it’s next pariah once we’re in the post-Vick era.