Larry Birds comments...

[Guest NewRulesRFatal0]

The reaction to what he said by the media, is just ridiculous. I mean he was there with 3 block men, Magic, 'Melo & 'Bron, and they didnt take it personal, i mean hell they were laughing, and the agreed with him.

Anybody else got any feelings about this "situation?"

[sahyder1]

"Black".....not "Block". I gotta watch this tomorrow. I don't really have a problem with him saying it.....people like to watch their own kind so to speak like Wilbon says.

Edited June 10, 2004 by sahyder1

[Typical Phenom]

Could have at least posted the link for those who don't know...but ah well.

He said it's a black man's league and that the top athletes are African-American. He never said it in a degrading way from what I read and just merely pointed out a fact. The funny thing was him saying he took offense when a team made a white guy guard him. Until I watch it, I can't say how he said it, but from what I've read, it's hardly anything controversial.

[Guest NewRulesRFatal0]

"with... not "wiht"....

[SeanDMan]

"with... not "wiht"....

←

Do the world a favor and enjoy a buckshot sandwhich, Pacavelli.

[sirdavinator]

It somehow makes me wonder why he was banned.

[sahyder1]

I watched it on SC right now and I gotta say that if it was someone not named Larry Bird who had said it.......it would be a huge controversy right now even though it's the truth to a certain degree. Bird talked about being insulted when the opposing teams used to use white guys to defend him. He said he didn't care if they were black, brown or red.....as long as they weren't white.

The whole interview is tonight on ESPN. It's called 2 on 2 hosted by Jim Gray. The four guests are Bird, Magic, 'Mello, Lebron.

[Guest BornToRaiseHell]

buckshot sandwich tasty?

[Guest bruins72]

I don't see how what he said is controversial. He made some good points and not in a negative way. For one, most of the best basketball players today are black. This is true and shouldn't be looked at negatively. By saying that he didn't want a white guy covering him, I understood him as meaning that he'd rather more of a challenge. I can't see anything wrong with that either. Finally, he brings up a good point about white audiences wanting to see more white players. The same point has been made in the opposite direction. It's often been pointed out that because there aren't many black players in the NHL, that black potential fans don't feel they have someone they can relate to. I can see this arguement working both ways.

[David Hassellhoff]

What they need to do is take some white NHL players and make them play NBA Basketball and then have black NBA players play hockey. There's your solution.

[Guest Takayamanofear]

I got a quick question, What race is Jason Kidd I always thought he was the best White American player there was in the NBA?

[naiwf]

I got a quick question, What race is Jason Kidd I always thought he was the best White American player there was in the NBA?

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I believe he's mixed. 1/2 black, 1/2 white. Just like Mike Bibby.

Edited June 11, 2004 by naiwf

[Commander Sheepard]

Well seeing as how according to someone (can't remember wh o now) said once that "The reason there aren't a lot of great white basketball players is because God took all of the combined talent of white players from the last 50 years and put it into Larry Bird" I can kinda see where he's coming from.

But yeah, I would imagine this will stir up some controversy, even though I doubt he said it in a racist or degrading way.

[Mishmow]

He worded it well, and it didn't come across as derogatory. Personally, I don't give a crap what race the players are as long they deserve to be there, but I'm willing to bet that there'd be a lot more people watching basketball, and a lot less watching NASCAR, if there were more white superstars.