Does the Silence of Athletes Speak Volumes?
NBA, Politics March 18th. 2008, 1:08pm
Yesterday, we briefly mentioned that we attended a sportswriter forum last weekend. One of the hot topics was this column that ran in the New York Times Saturday. In summation: Should athletes speak out about Civil Rights issues? They certainly have the platform to potentially make a difference. Michael Jordan never did. Neither has LeBron. Should it matter?
Anytime this topic arises, we think of Charles Barkley’s commercial: “I am not a role model.” Our days of hero worship for athletes are long gone; posters of Don Mattingly and Magic Johnson that adorned our bedroom walls in elementary school have been replaced by nerdy prints like this and this. (Feel free to mock our taste.) Is it a bit disappointing that LeBron isn’t chiming in on some of the international atrocities that have taken place? Sure. But that doesn’t mean we’re going to turn off Game five against the Pistons in the midst of one of the greatest playoff performances in NBA history.
73 Responses to “Does the Silence of Athletes Speak Volumes?”
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March 18th, 2008 at 1:11 PM
what does it matter what LBJ or any athlete thinks…its the same thing with actors/actresses
if lebron says hey i think darfur really sucks does that mean the gov’t will spring up and get it better?
March 18th, 2008 at 1:13 PM
That New Yorker poster is the reason I hate NY resident. All the kids from NY/NJ I knew in College started every story/comment with – “Back home in LongIsle/NY/NJ…” I get it your from NY and think its the center of everything, go light your grease fire of hair up and see what happens.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:13 PM
Mmmonast, beat me to it. Why, why, why does it matter what they have to say? If they say it that’s great, if they don’t that’s also great. They get paid to play a sport, with that comes the responsibility of keeping out of trouble. That is how they can be role models, not by giving their views if they don’t feel like it.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:13 PM
You arent as bad TBL, although every now and then it slips, but you are more the exception to the rule as I see it.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:14 PM
I say no, unless they have a hankering to. Under no circumstances do famous people have to discuss the world’s ills. I would say that in the majority of cases, their insight would equal your average household pet.
Athletes are people like the rest of us, except they have a singular talent that has made them famous and wealthy. Having said that, there are plenty of people that walk among us that contribute precious little to the world.
I bet a few of these athletes are smart enough to realize they would contribute little if they spoke out on certain issues.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:15 PM
TBL, i knew you were a Lebron homer.
now all my thoughts about you are out the window
March 18th, 2008 at 1:16 PM
personally i believe it’s ridiculous when celebrities think anyone cares what they think about on any issue. if you are so shallow that you need a celebrity to help shape how you feel about an issue or candidate than you need to do some real soul searching and figure out what kind of person you really are.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:18 PM
J2B — excellent points!
March 18th, 2008 at 1:18 PM
In much the same way I don’t care to hear sabremetrics or the merits of the BCS debated on the floor of the US Congress, I prefer that professional athletes not deign to opine on matters wholly separate from their realm of expertise. There simply is no good that come out of athletes politicizing themselves. To his credit, Tiger Woods recognizes this.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:21 PM
Mmmonsat, agreed. Who gives a crap what “celebrities” have to say about politics, really? Frankly when these people do speak up, they wind up making absolute fools of themselves. See: Penn, Sean; Sarandon, Susan; Glover, Danny; etc.
Heh.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:21 PM
Well said all. I don’t really have anything meaningful to add as the first posts have taken care of it.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:24 PM
The Big Lead Crew: 169 Entries @ 12:25 MST.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:25 PM
First of all…Sterlin take a globe and get to NY…looks what’s to the left and right of it…everything else…hence we are the center of the globe and the center of your life…seriously though…This has popped up before..I am not really inclined to get my social commentary from a rich 22 year old high school graduate…who cares…the most he has to do for his race (and for everybody for that matter) is to show that he is someone who has talent and works hard with it to be the best you can be…Since he is a public figure he should probably not break the law but all he is needed to be for social reasons is an example of what someone who works hard can do. If he chooses to speak he certainly has the platform but he should not feel he has to.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:25 PM
the fact jeter and a-rod haven’t come out to discuss gay rights in america is very sad.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:26 PM
It’s not the 1960s anymore. Big name athletes are too image conscious to speak out about anything. Even if Jordan or Tiger or LeBron felt strongly about issues, they probably wouldn’t do it because it would be too much of a blow to their marketablility. I’m also in the “I don’t care what celebrities think” camp, but I also respect people who speak their mind and don’t care about the repercussions.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:29 PM
tiger did say something recently. he thinks slow play sucks and i couldnt agree more. he’s raising social awareness to the fact that most golfers play too fucking slow.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:30 PM
And one more thing I should add…where as 40 years ago the highest profile African Americans were Athletes…now..The richest woman in America is a Black woman…there are black congressman and women and Senators and other black captains of industry…not to mention a Black man running for President with a solid chance at getting his parties nomination and winning…the days of needing the shooting guard or the running back leading the social commentary are long over.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:31 PM
spencer096, you’d love Tony Stewart.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:32 PM
I have a feeling that there are going to be a few athlete demonstrations during the Olympics (maybe even someone from USA basketball). It’ll be interesting if NBC squashes any coverage.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:32 PM
Do people posting above really think Muhammad Ali had no effect? Granted an athlete can or cannot say whatever he wants. They have a platform to say their mind and be heard and that is a huge power. They have the power to influence and to speak out for worthly causes really does help. They should not be forced to do anything, but if they really believed in a cause or wanted to take a stand it could be powerful.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:34 PM
Jay…i do love tony stewart.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:35 PM
SM…I agree with that if he felt he believed in a cause go ahead and take a stand…but to think we NEED LeBron or MJ or Tiger to stand up and scream what you think their beliefs are (thats the key people want them to take their position)then you are wrong…they have every right to speak as not to speak..
March 18th, 2008 at 1:35 PM
Maybe it is just me, but I am guessing that 80% of athletes couldn’t point out Darfur on a map or tell you what is going on there.
With that being said, I don’t mind it when a celebrity puts their point of view out there. It is when they reach Bono level, that I start to get annoyed.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:36 PM
i think the larger issue is we need 18-26 year olds to start giving a shit again.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:37 PM
Don’t call Bono number 2 ever dammit, it brings back bad memories!!!!!!!
March 18th, 2008 at 1:37 PM
cbh…great reference
March 18th, 2008 at 1:38 PM
good point Spencer
March 18th, 2008 at 1:38 PM
One difference between Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali is that Jordan does things to make a difference too. Not as socially aware as Ali, but his actions also don’t reek of self-promotion. Jordan didn’t invite all of the networks to follow him around and remind us how great he is.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:38 PM
@CBH: was that a reference from an episode of South Park?
March 18th, 2008 at 1:39 PM
Ali rose to prominence in a slightly more racially and politically charged time than LeBron James and Tiger Woods.
@spencer – I swear to God that if I have to wait to tee off on another par five because some duffer is waiting for the green to clear from 275 yards out, I’ll kill him and it’ll be justifiable homicide. I’m not claiming I’m good, but I am claiming at least awareness of that fact.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:39 PM
My job started doing reports of how much Internet usage people have here. I am number one by a mile, I am also one of the most productive people here, think they will take that into account if they ever look at those reports?
Also probably doesnt help I constantly hit refresh on this site. I seriously look at about 4 sites all day. Don’t know why I brought this up, I guess I am curious if your guys places do that or I wanted to speak out about the social issues of Internet usage at the workplace.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:39 PM
Is there a difference between saying something and doing something? These guys have millions of dollars that they have “earned” for doing nothing of real value. Why can’t they try to make a difference? Nobody was complaining when KG built those homes after Katrina. Do you care if Lebron gives money to an organization or spearheads a group trying to make a difference in Darfur?
March 18th, 2008 at 1:41 PM
soencer, i agree; they don’t even vote.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:41 PM
Does anyone think there is a responsibility to give back? You may not have to preach/say something, but in the form of an organization (Tiger Woods Foundation, etc.) or time (all the Ballers and the NBA cares, etc.) Do the athletes, while not having to give their social stance on issues, have a responsibility to help those, who in part put them in the lofty financial position a good majority hold?
March 18th, 2008 at 1:41 PM
*spencer (sorry i suck at typing)
March 18th, 2008 at 1:42 PM
PK, yes, fantastic episode, taught me how to measure crap.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:42 PM
@hef: I have to say that Dunn is one of my favorite players in the NFL. Not because of what he does on the field, but what he has done off it. I am one of those people who tends to like a player more when they actually DO something rather than just talk about it.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:43 PM
i wouldnt want to mock anyone with those posters up in their homes since i consider my mom to have very good taste.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:43 PM
CBH..My question would be what kind of relationship do you have with the people looking at the reports…that may give you an indication of where you stand…on the flip side if the are trying to crackdown in a “even handed” way then they might make an example of a hard worker like yourself and write you up or whatever punishment your job doles out.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:45 PM
was that a reference from an episode of South Park?
I’m not just sure that was a reference from South Park, I’m HIV Positive.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:47 PM
Jay…equally good reference. that episode seriously creeped me out. i had trouble watching cartman give kyle AIDS.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:47 PM
Roman, it’s pretty vague, the IT guy said managers could look at if they want to. My manager is the CEO, we have a good relationship, she is so busy and scatter brained I would be shocked if she ever looked at it.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:47 PM
@Sterlin: Yes, I believe there is a responsibility to give back. However, there is no need to stand on a pulpit and preach to the masses about the cause du jour, unless the athlete wishes to do so. Tiger, KG, and Dunn are great examples brought up recently.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:48 PM
Someone get Jay an injection of concentrated cash quick!
March 18th, 2008 at 1:48 PM
@pki: I agree. I like Steve Nash almost as much for his off-court persona/activities as his on court ability. He’s said some controversial things (which I happen to agree with) but he’s done a ton of work by building hospital(s) in Uruguay (or where ever his lady’s from). We are more than just athletes and actors so why can’t we have opinions? If we extend the analogy, I shouldn’t be allowed to have an opinion on sports because I sell paper for Dunder Mifflin. Isn’t that what the “expert” journalists are saying?
March 18th, 2008 at 1:49 PM
Let’s go to Ja Rulem who is on the scene.
Ja?
March 18th, 2008 at 1:50 PM
@ SterlinSharpe: I think there is a responsibility to give back. I’d like to believe that most athletes do give back in some ways, we just don’t hear about it. TBL linked to a story about an athlete that paid for some kid’s funeral a while back. When athletes do the right thing, it’s not as newsworthy as “making it rain”.
Now, do I think athletes have a responsibility to “speak out” or do things pubicly? No.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:51 PM
K- I just got done giggling over my use of “pubicly”
I’m 12
Meant publicly.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:53 PM
heehee…pubicly.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:53 PM
I do a lot of things pubicly with trimmers.
March 18th, 2008 at 1:55 PM
i prefer keeping loggers away from my italian crotch jungle
March 18th, 2008 at 1:58 PM
Now all loggers seem gay. Nicely done.
March 18th, 2008 at 2:03 PM
most of these athletes are dumber than a bag of hammers. hell most of them only graduated high school or college because they could do a sport well. so they are doing us all a favor and keeping quiet. what do you want them say? “yeah …civil rights is good with me!” if they do say something its gonna sound stupid. and since when being able to shoot a basketball or hit a baseball and play football qualify someone on a issue that not even some of the greatest men in the world couldn’t solve or make sense of. please dont ask anymore questions like this. it makes my brain hurt. and didnt SAS ask the same question in a speech he made for some black history gala in nyc?
March 18th, 2008 at 2:04 PM
It’s easy to say that we don’t care about what athletes think on certain issues because as some have pointed out, often times we’re talking about individuals that don’t have degrees or spend any amount of time thinking about real difficult policy issues. But some instances, like the one that the NYT article talks about with Ira Newble and the letter to China’s president, present some pretty stark choices that even the most ignorant athlete should want to know about. 99 times out of 100, what LeBron says probably wouldn’t amount to much, but with that 1 out of 100 chance—like for instance if LeBron said he would not show up in Beijing without action in Sub-Saharan Africa—things would happen. Whether he likes it or not (or we like it or not), LeBron does wield that kind of power, primarily because we want to watch him play above all others.
March 18th, 2008 at 2:06 PM
LeBron James boycotting the Olympics unless there was action in sub-Saharan African would amount to nothing. Countries would not change their course of action to get James into the Olympics.
March 18th, 2008 at 2:07 PM
agreed. tiger is intelligent, at least he attended stanford, so i guess thats cool. but really, people overestimate his impact. his foundation does HUGE work worldwide, but the guy just doesnt want to talk about it, nor should he. he foots the bill, makes an appearance, helps as much as he can, but really, unless the foundation is making better golf clubs, he’s simply not the most qualified person to be speaking about societal issues. his actions speak louder than anything he could possibly say.
lebron, kobe, MJ…who says these guys are omnipotent beings who know the best thing for everyone? let them put their ball through their hoop and let’s watch and smirre.
March 18th, 2008 at 2:09 PM
chinese ruling body “oh so rabron james wont come to owimpics? maybe we should fwee tibet” yeah thats not gonna happen. oh and “goddamn mongowians!”
March 18th, 2008 at 2:10 PM
FUCK YOU HANS BRIX!!!!
March 18th, 2008 at 2:12 PM
Suddenly we took an uncomfortable turn.
/looks over shoulder to make sure no one is watching.
March 18th, 2008 at 2:14 PM
yea, perhaps we should venture away from to a new topic.
ali was overrated.
March 18th, 2008 at 2:23 PM
It wouldn’t bother me none to hear someone besides Etan Freakin Thomas speak up publicly about injustices, current events, etc… That’s what made “overrated” Ali who he was/is. These folks have a stage they may as well use it. But it’s not surprising w/ the amount of endorsement dollars out there and agents in athletes ears telling them to shut the F#@* up. MJ summed it up best when he said, “Hey, republicans buy shoes too.”
March 18th, 2008 at 2:27 PM
People want the athletes and celebrities to bring the issue to light because they don’t want to do it themselves.
Instead of wasting time asking why someone in the spotlight isn’t talking about a problem, a step in the right direction would be to shine the spotlight on the problem and ask people talk about it.
March 18th, 2008 at 2:38 PM
Another thing is alota of guys just dont want the extra attention that comes with speaking out on the issues.Thats why some guys try to champion a cause so to speak under the radar without the media attention. MJ couldn’t go anywhere without a shitload of people there imagine if he would have came out and said hey I dont support operation desert storm.
March 18th, 2008 at 2:41 PM
But MJ didn’t mind the extra attention (or xtra $$$) that came with posing in his Hanes briefs with Kevin Bacon.
March 18th, 2008 at 2:55 PM
@walfredo: why is MJ’s ability to pick and choose his publicity a bad thing? Why can’t MJ endorse underwear and not speak out on issues if he so chooses?
March 18th, 2008 at 3:03 PM
He can do whatever he wants I’m just using him as an example, or more of a symbol of a large amount of athletes who seem to cratft their image in the least controversial way, in order to capitalize on edorsement deals. I guess the issue is more systemic in nature. In the 60’s, there wasn’t all this money to be made, so athletes weren’t afraid to speak out.
March 18th, 2008 at 3:03 PM
Don’t want to belabor this point, and I don’t personally believe that LeBron should boycott unless he felt compelled to, but to say that LeBron’s boycott of the Olympics would do nothing is a little absurd. It would send shock waves throughout the sports community, and throughout the world in general. Would it shut down the Olympics? Of course not. They’d still play basketball, with gold medals and all, but whenever folks looked back at 2008, they would remember it as the year that LeBron, and presumably other NBAers stood up and said they wouldn’t participate in an Olympic contest because they didn’t agree with the host’s policies. Basketball is a central part of the summer games, and China intends to use it as a centerpiece to their Olympics (and a showcase for their talent). Without a legitimate US contingent there to represent, that would be upset, and if nothing else, US citizens would be more aware of China’s policies.
My point was that there are some times when athletes can have tremendous affect, and if the example of Ali has shown us anything, it’s that their stances can leave an impression. That is not to imply that inaction will do the same though.
March 18th, 2008 at 3:10 PM
@Schnaars – minor point, but at first it was action in Africa, now it’s Chinese policy. Whatever you want it to be though, his actions will not change policy in our government or in China’s.
It would be akin to the boycotts of the Olympics in the ’80s. Was it a large gesture? Yes, but nothing more. It did nothing to change the policies of the host nations in either case and this would be no different. In fact, it would probably be smaller.
March 18th, 2008 at 3:22 PM
I was referring to Chinese policy vis a vis Africa.
And, I still think that you are under selling the effects that a boycott would have. While overt policy might not change, citizens the world over would be forced to acknowledge that someone they were interested in seeing compete has refused because of an issue. Even if they dismiss it entirely, they would at least be aware of it. That is not to mention the real economic losses, which again might not be huge, but would be something.
March 18th, 2008 at 3:29 PM
Average person on Chinese policies toward Africa before LeBron James boycott: Aren’t the Chinese investing a lot of money over there or something?
Average person on Chinese policies toward Africa after LeBron James boycott: Aren’t the Chinese investing a lot of money over there or something?
March 18th, 2008 at 3:33 PM
Haha, fair enough. I guess I have more hope for the average person, but lord knows that’s been proven misguided in the past. Honestly, I don’t think LeBron gives a shit, which is a shame.Tthe question makes for good debate anyway.
March 18th, 2008 at 3:49 PM
Schnarr – Agreed LeBron probably doesn’t care. But it’s not really his fault. I wouldn’t care either of I had a bunch of hanger-on agent-type folks who had my ear at the age of 16 telling me to shut the hell up and smile so that Nike and Gatorade could give me millions.
March 18th, 2008 at 4:14 PM
is there really an athlete that transcends culture enough that skipping the Olympics would be remembered and understood beyond coverage on Sportscenter?
none, what so ever.