2022-23 NBA Thread

[MuggsyB]

Because he is a stupid person who thinks he is smart.  Very easily manipulated and hates to be embarrassed.  Know anyone else like that?  At this point he is just a snapshot of a large portion of the US population.  Media literacy is the number one problem affecting our populace, and Kyrie is the poster boy.

Isn't "media literacy" an oxymoron?

[MUBurrow]

Because he is a stupid person who thinks he is smart.  Very easily manipulated and hates to be embarrassed.  Know anyone else like that?  At this point he is just a snapshot of a large portion of the US population.  Media literacy is the number one problem affecting our populace, and Kyrie is the poster boy.

This is exactly where I come out here. 

Of course, that doesn't mean he shouldn't be treated like an anti-Semite.  When someone says offensive ish, we don't have a duty to "see whats in his heart" or whatever other bullcrap people like to say.  All the more because he isn't exactly falling all over himself with apology.  (Not saying Hards or Wags were suggesting any different treatment for him, just adding an additional two cents.)

[lawdog77]

From the Raleigh News-Observer:

Jon Scheyer has built a solid relationship with Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving since the latter replaced him as Duke’s starting point guard 12 years ago. So Scheyer intends to talk with Irving about his recent actions on social media, which have appeared to sympathize with antisemitism.

“I’ve known Kyrie for a long time, and I’ve had nothing but incredible interactions with him,” Scheyer, in his first year as Duke’s basketball coach, said Wednesday night. “For me, it’s less about Kyrie. It’s more just about what’s happening all across our country, right? I mean, you see things in the news and it’s concerning. Antisemitism of any kind, is horrible and wrong and unacceptable.”

Irving came out with a PR stunt yesterday, pledging to donate about one game check to "fight hate." But he didn't apologize for his overtly anti-Semitic post, and he won't because he thinks it was just hunky-dory.

Is he an anti-Semite? I'm not sure why Wags or others would think otherwise. He willingly made an anti-Semitic post ... and, just in case it was only done only out of ignorance, he doubled-down even after the anti-Semitism in his post was pointed out to him.

Kind of like how you and Rico are against all evangelical Christians.

[Hards Alumni]

Isn't "media literacy" an oxymoron?

I get the joke you were trying to go for here, but that is exactly my point.  We can blame the 'media' all we want about 'bad journalism', but it's never going away.  There's just too much money to be made and power derived from bad journalism.

Educating the general public regarding media literacy is the only option.  Unfortunately, human nature works directly against this endeavor.  We are predisposed to agree with news that supports our beliefs and ideologies. 

[MuggsyB]

This is exactly where I come out here. 

Of course, that doesn't mean he shouldn't be treated like an anti-Semite.  When someone says offensive ish, we don't have a duty to "see whats in his heart" or whatever other bullcrap people like to say.  All the more because he isn't exactly falling all over himself with apology.  (Not saying Hards or Wags were suggesting any different treatment for him, just adding an additional two cents.)

My take is that in his heart he absolutely thinks he's not antisemitic, but that he clearly is.   Worse is that he knows a lot of people that agree with him and that reinforces his prejudice.  I give props to TNT but the fact is very few players have condemned what Kyrie posted.  This is the most troubling part of this whole conversation imo. 

[Hards Alumni]

This is exactly where I come out here. 

Of course, that doesn't mean he shouldn't be treated like an anti-Semite.  When someone says offensive ish, we don't have a duty to "see whats in his heart" or whatever other bullcrap people like to say.  All the more because he isn't exactly falling all over himself with apology.  (Not saying Hards or Wags were suggesting any different treatment for him, just adding an additional two cents.)

No, you're exactly right.

[JWags85]

Because he is a stupid person who thinks he is smart.  Very easily manipulated and hates to be embarrassed.  Know anyone else like that?  At this point he is just a snapshot of a large portion of the US population.  Media literacy is the number one problem affecting our populace, and Kyrie is the poster boy.

This is exactly where I come out here. 

Of course, that doesn't mean he shouldn't be treated like an anti-Semite.  When someone says offensive ish, we don't have a duty to "see whats in his heart" or whatever other bullcrap people like to say.  All the more because he isn't exactly falling all over himself with apology.  (Not saying Hards or Wags were suggesting any different treatment for him, just adding an additional two cents.)

BINGO.  Ive excused none of it.  As I mentioned its reprehensible and my reasoning isn't trying to justify it away or give him the benefit of the doubt.  Its just to highlight the difference and also sort of point out that you don't have to be racist/bigoted/anti-Semitic to say stupid things that fall into that category and cause real harm.  I feel needing to slap the label on someone glosses over the sort of situation that really allows this stuff to fester.  The sort of complacent microaggression statement from someone that doesn't necessarily hold that belief. 

As I mentioned with Kanye before, I take it very seriously due to the Jewish roots and members in my extended family.  But this is a dumb person trying to be galaxy brained.  Could have easily been Catholics or some other religious or ethnic group.  And maybe will be in the near future, given Kyrie's troubling track record.

[Hards Alumni]

My take is that in his heart he absolutely thinks he's not antisemitic, but that he clearly is.   Worse is that he knows a lot of people that agree with him and that reinforces his prejudice.  I give props to TNT but the fact is very few players have condemned what Kyrie posted.  This is the most troubling part of this whole conversation imo.

They're basketball players.  We shouldn't be expecting them to be any more knowledgeable than the average American.  Remember, many of these guys never finished college.

[MuggsyB]

They're basketball players.  We shouldn't be expecting them to be any more knowledgeable than the average American.  Remember, many of these guys never finished college.

So in order not to be antisemitic, or racist, or homophobic, or misogynistic, etc, etc, etc, you need to "finish college"?  This is compete nonsense. 

[forgetful]

They're basketball players.  We shouldn't be expecting them to be any more knowledgeable than the average American. 

I wonder how many average Americans, and/or basketball players actually know what the book/film he tweeted about actually contains in it. Heck, I wonder how many scoopers even know.

[JWags85]

So in order not to be antisemitic, or racist, or homophobic, or misogynistic, etc, etc, etc, you need to "finish college"?  This is compete nonsense.

Thats not what he meant/his point.  He was citing the often lacking intelligence or, more often, stunted intellectual/knowledge growth of many of these athletes.  Leading to short term thinking, not looking at the entire picture, etc... Critical thinking isn't a strength for many of them.

A poorly educated white person, who isn't at all racist, might see absolutely no issue with using N***a cause they hear it in songs.  Or why a tweet with that lyric isn't a problem.

[Jockey]

Kind of like how you and Rico are against all evangelical Christians.

I have never said that.

Rico and I are nowhere even close on our opinions about a belief in God. And since I (and Rico) actually believe in the Constitution, that is fine.

[MuggsyB]

Thats not what he meant/his point.  He was citing the often lacking intelligence or, more often, stunted intellectual/knowledge growth of many of these athletes.  Leading to short term thinking, not looking at the entire picture, etc... Critical thinking isn't a strength for many of them.

A poorly educated white person, who isn't at all racist, might see absolutely no issue with using N***a cause they hear it in songs.  Or why a tweet with that lyric isn't a problem.

Why stereotype "basketball players"?  There are plenty of highly educated people that are prejudicial, racist, and antisemitic.  There have been Holocaust deniers teaching at Universities such as Northwestern.  Compared to the average person NBA basketball players should be more worldly with their resources and travel across the globe. He plays for a team that resides literally in the most diverse spot in our entire country.  Taking classes in college, and getting a degree, is a pretty minor component of one's actual education and very nuanced.  And diversity of thought is at its all-time low at our colleges and universities. 

[Hards Alumni]

Why stereotype "basketball players"?  There are plenty of highly educated people that are prejudicial, racist, and antisemitic.  There have been Holocaust deniers teaching at Universities such as Northwestern.  Compared to the average person NBA basketball players should be more worldly with their resources and travel across the globe. He plays for a team that resides literally in the most diverse spot in our entire country.  Taking classes in college, and getting a degree, is a pretty minor component of one's actual education and very nuanced.  And diversity of thought is at its all-time low at our colleges and universities.

You expect too much from athletes, homie.

[Jockey]

And diversity of thought is at its all-time low at our colleges and universities.

Untrue political statement.

[lawdog77]

I have never said that.

Rico and I are nowhere even close on our opinions about a belief in God. And since I (and Rico) actually believe in the Constitution, that is fine.

that was to mu82

[WhiteTrash]

Untrue political statement.

Agreed. Colleges and universities have never been places of diverse opinions and thoughts. No different today than 100 years ago or more.

[Jockey]

that was to mu82

Then I would say that I think morality and decency are much more important to MU82 that they are to Evangelicals.

[lawdog77]

Then I would say that I think morality and decency are much more important to MU82 that they are to Evangelicals.

And I would say it is not very ethical or moral to paint everyone practicing one religion with a broad brush.

[MuggsyB]

The Nets have suspended Kyrie for 5 games. 

[4everwarriors]

Not nearly long enough, hey?

[MuggsyB]

Not nearly long enough, hey?

The whole saga is a little weird.   I guess he met with Silver but I'm not sure. 

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Weird because the NBA is usually more on top of these things. They can “read the room.”  This seemed to catch them off guard and only responded after people said “WTF?”

[MuggsyB]

Weird because the NBA is usually more on top of these things. They can “read the room.”  This seemed to catch them off guard and only responded after people said “WTF?”

Ya....this seems like something they thought would just go away.  Which is bizarre in itself.  As far as I know Silver hasn't publicly said anything.

[Pakuni]

Ya....this seems like something they thought would just go away.  Which is bizarre in itself.  As far as I know Silver hasn't publicly said anything.

He did today, but yeah, it took an unusually long time.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/34939644/commissioner-adam-silver-disappointed-kyrie-irving-apologize