O.J. Simpson

[Lennys Tap]

Nowhere in the piece does he write "It's still a mystery."
Be mad, I guess.

“Was he a murderer? Did he do it? Did he not do it? The answers are SECRETS that will be buried with the Juice”

So to Rhoden it’s still very much a mystery.

Everyone has things that make them uncomfortable or even a little angry. For me, an obit whitewashing the actions of a brutal murderer qualifies. For you, it’s someone opining that people who transition from male to female should be disqualified from competing in women’s athletics. For others here, it’s golfers joining the LIV tour or Scott Drew recruiting violations. Whatever.

[Uncle Rico]

“Was he a murderer? Did he do it? Did he not do it? The answers are SECRETS that will be buried with the Juice”

So to Rhoden it’s still very much a mystery.

Everyone has things that make them uncomfortable or even a little angry. For me, an obit whitewashing the actions of a brutal murderer qualifies. For you, it’s someone opining that people who transition from male to female should be disqualified from competing in women’s athletics. For others here, it’s golfers joining the LIV tour or Scott Drew recruiting violations. Whatever.

It makes me angry. 

O.J. became a proxy for the racial problems in this country and that was unfair to his victims. 

While a good legal strategy by his defense team, it was a disgrace that it reflected the racial injustices in the legal system.  Of all the cases we could use to highlight these injustices, it was this case used.

There is no mystery and those still claiming it are doing a disservice to the victims of this heinous crime.  They’re also doing a disservice to real victims of racial disparity in criminal proceedings.

A victory for OJ didn’t change any of these realities and it was a shame it was celebrated as if it did or would change anything

[Lennys Tap]

It makes me angry. 

O.J. became a proxy for the racial problems in this country and that was unfair to his victims. 

While a good legal strategy by his defense team, it was a disgrace that it reflected the racial injustices in the legal system.  Of all the cases we could use to highlight these injustices, it was this case used.

There is no mystery and those still claiming it are doing a disservice to the victims of this heinous crime.  They’re also doing a disservice to real victims of racial disparity in criminal proceedings.

A victory for OJ didn’t change any of these realities and it was a shame it was celebrated as if it did or would change anything

You are 100% correct, Rico.

No mystery, OJ was a brutal murderer.l

And the irony of a privileged guy like OJ (white cops who idolized him routinely gave him a pass when called to investigate wife beatings) morphing into the poster child for all the black males truly underserved by our legal system was rich. OJ didn’t travel in that world - he had nothing but disdain for it.

[MUBurrow]

But this on the other hand...

https://x.com/HeismanTrophy/status/1778441403594366996

No one was looking for a statement from you. I have no idea why you decided to make one.

LOL this is fantastic.  I, a very smart man, never form an opinion on anything until I hear what the #brands have to say.

[cheebs09]

https://x.com/HeismanTrophy/status/1778441403594366996

No one was looking for a statement from you. I have no idea why you decided to make one.

Well, at least he didn't take money for his family like Reggie Bush. That's where the Heisman draws the line. Not murder I guess.

[Uncle Rico]

You are 100% correct, Rico.

No mystery, OJ was a brutal murderer.l

And the irony of a privileged guy like OJ (white cops who idolized him routinely gave him a pass when called to investigate wife beatings) morphing into the poster child for all the black males truly underserved by our legal system was rich. OJ didn’t travel in that world - he had nothing but disdain for it.

Yeah, it was pretty gross

[Pakuni]

“Was he a murderer? Did he do it? Did he not do it? The answers are SECRETS that will be buried with the Juice”

So to Rhoden it’s still very much a mystery.

Everyone has things that make them uncomfortable or even a little angry. For me, an obit whitewashing the actions of a brutal murderer qualifies. For you, it’s someone opining that people who transition from male to female should be disqualified from competing in women’s athletics. For others here, it’s golfers joining the LIV tour or Scott Drew recruiting violations. Whatever.

When did you become so disingenuous? Please point out when I've been angry over "someone opining people who transition from male to female should be disqualified from competing in women’s athletics."

Anyhow, you're free to feel however you feel about Rhoden's piece. But don't misstate what he wrote and then get upset when someone points it out.

[dgies9156]

It makes me angry. 

O.J. became a proxy for the racial problems in this country and that was unfair to his victims. 

While a good legal strategy by his defense team, it was a disgrace that it reflected the racial injustices in the legal system.  Of all the cases we could use to highlight these injustices, it was this case used.

There is no mystery and those still claiming it are doing a disservice to the victims of this heinous crime.  They’re also doing a disservice to real victims of racial disparity in criminal proceedings.

A victory for OJ didn’t change any of these realities and it was a shame it was celebrated as if it did or would change anything

One of the difficulties of the OJ trial was we turned it into a morality play governing the relationship between African-Americans and Caucasians in Los Angeles. If OJ won, it supposedly was a win for African-Americans against "the system." If he lost, oppression reigned.

Nothing could be further from truth.

Attorney Cochran used race and the relationship between the Los Angeles Police and the African-American community to instill reasonable doubt in the minds of jurors. As I said before, Cochran was outstanding at what he did and was able to free OJ. The only persons who won in the trial were OJ -- and probably Cochran, F. Lee Bailey, the Kardashians and any other lawyer who represented the Juice.

The African-American community didn't win. Their suffering and their abuse at the hands of a barbaric police department was exploited by Cochran. Their lives didn't get any better because of the visibility from the OJ trial. South Central LA is still a problem and that's not going to change.

We all suffered from this trial because we were exposed to the Kardashians. OJ should burn in hell for that alone!

[JWags85]

It makes me angry. 

O.J. became a proxy for the racial problems in this country and that was unfair to his victims. 

While a good legal strategy by his defense team, it was a disgrace that it reflected the racial injustices in the legal system.  Of all the cases we could use to highlight these injustices, it was this case used.

There is no mystery and those still claiming it are doing a disservice to the victims of this heinous crime.  They’re also doing a disservice to real victims of racial disparity in criminal proceedings.

A victory for OJ didn’t change any of these realities and it was a shame it was celebrated as if it did or would change anything

There were a number of videos I saw online yesterday of huge crowds of African Americans in ballrooms/theaters watching the verdict and exploding in celebration normally reserved for reaction shots of game winning championship celebrations.  Just wild to watch in retrospect.

And the pathetic thing about it was, as others have mentioned, OJ had long since distanced himself from the black community by any number of preferences and stances

[Hards Alumni]

There were a number of videos I saw online yesterday of huge crowds of African Americans in ballrooms/theaters watching the verdict and exploding in celebration normally reserved for reaction shots of game winning championship celebrations.  Just wild to watch in retrospect.

And the pathetic thing about it was, as others have mentioned, OJ had long since distanced himself from the black community by any number of preferences and stances

The real lesson wasn't that a Black man could beat the system, but that wealthy people can beat the system.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

There were a number of videos I saw online yesterday of huge crowds of African Americans in ballrooms/theaters watching the verdict and exploding in celebration normally reserved for reaction shots of game winning championship celebrations.  Just wild to watch in retrospect.

And the pathetic thing about it was, as others have mentioned, OJ had long since distanced himself from the black community by any number of preferences and stances

Just remember this was just a couple of years after the Rodney King incident and riots - and in the same metro area.

IMO you can’t separate the reactions to this verdict from the ongoing resentment of the LA police.

[Uncle Rico]

Just remember this was just a couple of years after the Rodney King incident and riots - and in the same metro area.

IMO you can’t separate the reactions to this verdict from the ongoing resentment of the LA police.

There is so much nuance to the reaction to the verdict.  This is correct as is the disappointment of the verdict.

It’s an incredible representation of America and I’m not sure we learned anything

[cheebs09]

As someone who was 5 years old when the trial happened, the ESPN doc was fascinating just to learn about everything surrounding that case.

[Pakuni]

What may be glossed over a bit here is that the LA police department and district attorney's office handled this case in a way that opened the door for OJ to beat the system, and it reflected on the biggest stage possible the systemic problems within those agencies that led to actual unfair treatment and unequal justice for those who couldn't afford Johnnie Cochran. People didn't see OJ as a Black guy beating the system. They also saw him as a Black guy the system would work against, despite his wealth and fame.

I don't doubt that OJ was guilty, but those looking for reasonable doubt - and the jurors clearly were - had it teed up for them by the cops and prosecutors ... the failure to collect and preserve evidence from the scene, the improper storage of evidence, errors with the autopsies, making Mark Fuhrman a key witness, the glove catastrophe, etc.
To suggest this was simply jurors nullifying a slam-dunk case ignores how mishandled the whole thing was.

[Hards Alumni]

What may be glossed over a bit here is that the LA police department and district attorney's office handled this case in a way that opened the door for OJ to beat the system, and it reflected on the biggest stage possible the systemic problems within those agencies that led to actual unfair treatment and unequal justice for those who couldn't afford Johnnie Cochran. People didn't see OJ as a Black guy beating the system. They also saw him as a Black guy the system would work against, despite his wealth and fame.

I don't doubt that OJ was guilty, but those looking for reasonable doubt - and the jurors clearly were - had it teed up for them by the cops and prosecutors ... the failure to collect and preserve evidence from the scene, the improper storage of evidence, errors with the autopsies, making Mark Fuhrman a key witness, the glove catastrophe, etc.
To suggest this was simply jurors nullifying a slam-dunk case ignores how mishandled the whole thing was.

This is what I was getting at, but a much better explanation.

[Uncle Rico]

What may be glossed over a bit here is that the LA police department and district attorney's office handled this case in a way that opened the door for OJ to beat the system, and it reflected on the biggest stage possible the systemic problems within those agencies that led to actual unfair treatment and unequal justice for those who couldn't afford Johnnie Cochran. People didn't see OJ as a Black guy beating the system. They also saw him as a Black guy the system would work against, despite his wealth and fame.

I don't doubt that OJ was guilty, but those looking for reasonable doubt - and the jurors clearly were - had it teed up for them by the cops and prosecutors ... the failure to collect and preserve evidence from the scene, the improper storage of evidence, errors with the autopsies, making Mark Fuhrman a key witness, the glove catastrophe, etc.
To suggest this was simply jurors nullifying a slam-dunk case ignores how mishandled the whole thing was.

All this.  That’s why there is so much nuance here.

It’s a quintessential American moment.

[Jockey]

It makes me angry. 

O.J. became a proxy for the racial problems in this country and that was unfair to his victims. 

While a good legal strategy by his defense team, it was a disgrace that it reflected the racial injustices in the legal system.  Of all the cases we could use to highlight these injustices, it was this case used.

There is no mystery and those still claiming it are doing a disservice to the victims of this heinous crime.  They’re also doing a disservice to real victims of racial disparity in criminal proceedings.

A victory for OJ didn’t change any of these realities and it was a shame it was celebrated as if it did or would change anything

The verdict was nothing more than a slap back to the racist policies of the PD that existed - and still do - in Los Angelis.

[MU82]

It makes me angry. 

O.J. became a proxy for the racial problems in this country and that was unfair to his victims. 

While a good legal strategy by his defense team, it was a disgrace that it reflected the racial injustices in the legal system.  Of all the cases we could use to highlight these injustices, it was this case used.

There is no mystery and those still claiming it are doing a disservice to the victims of this heinous crime.  They’re also doing a disservice to real victims of racial disparity in criminal proceedings.

A victory for OJ didn’t change any of these realities and it was a shame it was celebrated as if it did or would change anything

Best comment in the thread, Unk. Thanks for posting.

There was, and still is, systemic racism in law enforcement, but Simpson couldn’t have been a worse proxy for the situation. I got pissed all over again reading your post.

The real lesson wasn't that a Black man could beat the system, but that wealthy people can beat the system.

Yep. I’m always stunned when a rich person actually gets convicted of something, no matter how heinous the crimes might be.

[dgies9156]

And the pathetic thing about it was, as others have mentioned, OJ had long since distanced himself from the black community by any number of preferences and stances

As OJ said, Brother Wags"

"I'm not Black, I'm OJ!!"

[Lennys Tap]

Anyhow, you're free to feel however you feel about Rhoden's piece. But don't misstate what he wrote and then get upset when someone points it out.

As are you. He may not have used the exact word “mystery” but he absolutely said it in so many words. Defending it or denying it is pedantic, disingenuous or both.

[Plaque Lives Matter!]

Adios mf'er, hey?

Relax, we aren’t talking about Palestinian infants

[Autoengineer]

The real lesson wasn't that a Black man could beat the system, but that wealthy people can beat the system.

Dumbest take on the whole thing I've ever read.

[BM1090]

Dumbest take on the whole thing I've ever read.

It’s really not, though.

[Hards Alumni]

Dumbest take on the whole thing I've ever read.

Oh, it's you again.  Hi.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Oh, it's you again.  Hi.

Did you steal his girl or something?