OT: Phil Jackson and the NBA

18IsTheMan

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He made some surprising comments that he has stopped watching the NBA because it had turned too political. I guess from his perspective, he's 77, he's won 13 NBA titles as a player and coach, his career is done, so he can say what he wants.
 

Gradstudent

Joined Feb 11, 2006
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He has made controversial comments before.

Jackson on the dress code in 2005:

“The players have been dressing in prison garb the last five or six years. All the stuff that goes on, it’s like gangster, thuggery stuff. It’s time. It’s been time to do that,” he told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune as the dress code was introduced.

In October 1999, these words came out of his mouth:

"I don't mean to say [that] as a snide remark toward a certain population in our society, but they have a limitation of their attention span, a lot of it probably due to too much rap music going in their ears and coming out their being."

He caught the ire of LaBron when he said he had a posse in 2016

The main source of anger from James and his partner, Maverick Carter, comes from Jackson's use of the word "posse" to describe the friends of the Cavs star. James had remained quiet on the issue until he was asked about it Tuesday.

To use that label, and if you go and read the definition of what the word 'posse' is, it's not what I've built over my career. It's not what I stand for," James said "It's not what my family stands for. And I believe the only reason he used that word is because it's young African-Americans trying to make a difference."
 
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18IsTheMan

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He has made controversial comments before.

Jackson on the dress code:

“The players have been dressing in prison garb the last five or six years. All the stuff that goes on, it’s like gangster, thuggery stuff. It’s time. It’s been time to do that,” he told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune as the dress code was introduced.

In October 1999, these words came out of his mouth:

"I don't mean to say [that] as a snide remark toward a certain population in our society, but they have a limitation of their attention span, a lot of it probably due to too much rap music going in their ears and coming out their being."

Different times when those comments were made.
 
Mar 8, 2023
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I'm fine with what he said. If it's OK for the "woke" crowd to speak out and not "shut up and dribble" then sports celebs should be able to speak out if they have a different point of view on the same topic... especially when BLM has proved to be a fraudulent organization.
 
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18IsTheMan

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I'm fine with what he said. If it's OK for the "woke" crowd to speak out and not "shut up and dribble" then sports celebs should be able to speak out if they have a different point of view on the same topic... especially when BLM has proved to be a fraudulent organization.

I'm fine with it also. I don't want to see politics at all, conservative or liberal, in sports that I watch. Who does? Sports is an escape.
 

KingWard

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I'm fine with it also. I don't want to see politics at all, conservative or liberal, in sports that I watch. Who does? Sports is an escape.
Supposed to be, at least from the perspective of the consumer, which should count for something.
 
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Lurker123

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Is posse now controversial? I didn't realize we turned that into a race thing too.
 

Gradstudent

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Is posse now controversial?

Apparently you cant say it around LaBron.

 

NYC_Gamecock

Joined Jun 16, 2007
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I totally support Phil Jackson's comments then and now. We all know darn well many other people share his opinions but are just too afraid to voice them. Phil is now untouchable given his age and accomplishments so kudos to him.
 
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gamecox4982

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Would like to Popovich, Kerr and Jackson on a Podcast talking politics , would be interesting
 

18IsTheMan

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It's funny that some people seem shocked that a guy born in 1945 has different views that someone born in the 1990s and 2000s
 
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18IsTheMan

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To use that label, and if you go and read the definition of what the word 'posse' is, it's not what I've built over my career. It's not what I stand for," James said "It's not what my family stands for. And I believe the only reason he used that word is because it's young African-Americans trying to make a difference."
Just because Lebron didn't like doesn't mean it's controversial.

I did look up the definition of "posse": "a group of people who have a common characteristic, occupation, or purpose." or "a body of men, typically armed, summoned by a sheriff to enforce the law."

People have this idea that if there's anyone who disagrees with what you say, then that makes it controversial.
 
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winloseortie

Joined Feb 21, 2007
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Two thoughts

1. Has Jackson entered his old age “get off my lawn”. This is a man who literally took to the streets to protest Vietnam and Richard Nixon.

2. I want sports to be politics free so I can watch them through the eye’s of my 10 year old self. But sports have pretty much always been political. From the 36 Olympics, racism in sports, the miracle on ice against the Russians, to economic battles over money.

Typically WE/I say shut up and dribble to athletes we disagree with and then turn around and say what a champion of ethics he/she is when our politics align
 
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Deleted11512

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Two thoughts

1. Has Jackson entered his old age “get off my lawn”. This is a man who literally took to the streets to protest Vietnam and Richard Nixon.

2. I want sports to be politics free so I can watch them through the eye’s of my 10 year old self. But sports have pretty much always been political. From the 36 Olympics, racism in sports, the miracle on ice against the Russians, to economic battles over money.

Typically WE/I say shut up and dribble to athletes we disagree with and then turn around and say what a champion of ethics he/she is when our politics align
You used to be able to protest things b/c of what you believed, not just b/c of how you vote. Vietnam is equivalent to Iraq...neither should have ever happened. And I'm a conservative. Richard Nixon is a choir boy compared to what current presidents and federal government are getting away with.

My biggest problem with the NBA is they try to be the leader in "human rights", yet they continue to cozy up to the CCP. Hypocrites. Morgan Wallen? Bad. Xi Xi Ping? Good. You cannot protest our country based on human rights issues, then openly support the CCP and refuse to criticize them.
 
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