Do you honestly care that Nash/Morrison are white?

by **EGarrett** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 9:37 am

Somebody on another board joked "White Power!" when he talked about Nash getting MVP.

I also read this article on ESPN where a guy talks about the significance of two white guys being considered the best NBA prospects in the country (Morrison/Redick of course).

Whenever this issue gets brought up, I noticed that it's almost always by a white person.

As a black guy, I honestly don't give a damn that the MVP and #1 draft pick will both most likely be white this year. When I play Live with friends, I pick Nash all the time without even thinking about whether or not he's white.

Do the other black people on this board REALLY think about that stuff when it comes to basketball? If you're not black, does it seem special to you that Nash or Morrison are probably going to get those honors this year?

Very weird situation. And I have to also say, that it's interesting that when the majority/minority roles are reversed...you get white people who have just as many conspiracy theories (again: see the ESPN article) as black people are accused of having in other areas.

In fact, a lot of the majority/minority behavior seems more like human tendencies than a race thing, doesn't it?

(and let's try to be mature)

by **Jing** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 9:39 am

as long as they can ball i dont care if they are green
but people like too see people of their own color suceed.

by **Ruff Ryder** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 9:42 am

Lol, it's kinda funny that this is the issue now, when like 50 years ago, it was completely reversed. :lol:

by **EGarrett** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 9:46 am

By the way, I just noticed that both the MVP and #1 pick were white guys last year and nobody even mentioned it.

by **The X** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 9:57 am

the difference is that Adam & J.J. are American white guys....previously the top white guys (including Nash) were international players....

I like Morrison mostly because he's a throwback player....whilst J.J. is a Dukie which no one likes, I like the fact that a player I can associate with (he's white, only slightly taller, less weight) can succeed with the same skill sets that I have IRL (can shoot the rock)....there are pre-conceived notions that you have to be a great athlete to play in the NBA....heck, I saw WVU play yesterday & enjoyed watching them, especially Gansey, a pleasure to watch a 6'4" guard lead their team in rebounds....I think it could be like a reverse of the past, where white Americans are now seeing baller succeed on the national scale & are once again believing they can be stars in what was for a long time considered an African-American dominated sport....

by **-BHZMAFIA-** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 10:47 am

I know one thing, Larry Bird is about to shit his pants because he is so happy there are a ton of white guys entering the draft this year :lol:

by **Mikki** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 10:54 am

BHMMAFIA wrote:I know one thing, Larry Bird is about to shit his pants because he is so happy there are a ton of white guys entering the draft this year

omg LMFAO

by **Fewrookies-From2kW/Love** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 10:54 am

EGarrett, are you sure you're black? I mean, you're avatar...
But anyways, I think people only feels that way when they are the minority.
Its nature, I don't think its racist.

by **peaches** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 11:02 am

Are you friggen serious? I had Chris Webber as my avatar a while ago and do you think im Chris Webber? and now i have Amare as my avatar, does that mean im also Amare Stoudemire?

by **Drex** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 11:35 am

That means you're a bandwagoner :crazy:

by **Eugene** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:13 pm

Well, they (psychologists) do research on this stuff all the time, and it applies to all groups, not just racial...

As far at the two best prospects being White... (you can make the argument that they aren't really the two best prospects, but anyway) it is kind of an anomaly, especially in such a Black dominated sport, but no real significance beyond that.

And to answer your question, EG, social psychology research suggests that Blacks might care about this stuff. The research states that a member of the in-group (in this case Black basketball players) might feel their group status being challenged by successful White basketball players (Nash, Morrison, Redick, to an extent McRoberts and Hansbrough), and feel the need to further differentiate themselves from the out-group (the White basketball players).

What that means is, they might feel the need to point out the differences between their style of play and the play of their White counterparts, i.e. "Yeah, he can shoot, but he's not athletic" and usually resorting to cliched criticisms.

Before everyone pitches a fit, this is just what the research might suggest based on previous studies and me applying the findings to this scenario. I'm not saying that this is what will happen or that all Black people feel this way. I'm Korean, and I can't even speak for my own race, much less another race.

But I digress. There's also research suggesting that Whites will care more about this than Blacks. It's called "basking in shared glory" (an actual psych term, believe it or not). Whites will identify more will Redick and Morrison simply because their White. This is a no-brainer, but what the theory says is this: members of an in-group will identify more with the representatives of the in-group if that representative is successful--like cheering for your hometown team only if they win, and ignoring them when they lose.

So, long story short, I wouldn't be surprised if someone made a huge deal out of this pretty soon...

Bluesky · by **Andrew** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:16 pm

In a way I suppose it is significant given a majority of NBA players are black and historically the players nominated as being all-time greats are also predominantly black; especially the small handful who are the most popular choices for "greatest of all-time". However, the whole "white man can't jump" stigma, the big white stiffs throughout time and the success of black players tend to label basketball as a "black man's sport" and thus exaggerates the significance of successful white players.

If we as a society are supposed to ignore a person's colour and judge them on their personality and their actions, the sporting arena shouldn't be any different. Ideally, the only thing we should be talking about in regards to these players is how they've established themselves as a frontrunner for the NBA's MVP award or the likely #1 pick, and their play on the basketball court that has earned them those honours.

It doesn't matter to me, but I'm sure a lot of people like to find much more significance in the success of white players.

by **TRUball** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:19 pm

BHMMAFIA wrote:I know one thing, Larry Bird is about to shit his pants because he is so happy there are a ton of white guys entering the draft this year

Larry Bird once said that he was insulted whenever he was guarded by someone that was white.

by **hipn** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:25 pm

This shouldn't be an issue. This game is supposed to be an international game.

And.... you do know this sportused to be all white (and I recall it being pretty boring back then).

And as a Canadian, I am ashamed of the Americans, thinking this is their game, thinking Canada is not supposed to have anything to do with basketball, but hey... who created the game basketball? Where was he born? Ahh... he was born in Canada.

So fu** all you people who think, "CANADA SHOULD STICK TO HOCKEY!" because thats just like saying, "AMERICANS SHOULD ONLY BE ALLOWED TO PLAY BASEBALL" or, "EUROPE SHOULD STICK TO FOOTBALL (SOCCER)."

by **J@3** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:55 pm

I don't even notice. My only physical preference for who I use in things like Live, or who I make sigs about is how ugly they are. Like I don't intend on making anything with Zach Randolph or Chris Kaman, because they're both ugly fuckers. I could care less what colour their skin is. It might be different in the USA.

by **zmac** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 1:09 pm

The only thing that makes me feel 'special' or whatever, is when I see someone of my nationality (Greek or Aussie) succeed.
But I dont go out and root just for those guys.
In fact I hate Australia's current "best" player....

by **Its_asdf** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 1:52 pm

Well, when was the last time there was an American all-star SF/SG that wasn't black?

by **NNpF** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 2:40 pm

zmac|two3 wrote:The only thing that makes me feel 'special' or whatever, is when I see someone of my nationality (Greek or Aussie) succeed.
But I dont go out and root just for those guys.
In fact I hate Australia's current "best" player....

I never would have even noticed that there is a possibility that the last two #1 overall picks were white if you didn't mention it.

It doesn't make a difference to me at all, I don't pay that much attention to race. However, as zmac said, I do like to see players of my nationality succeed.

The thing is, I have yet to see someone of my nationality succeed in the NBA, the closest thing is Maciej Lampe...

by **Abctest123** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 2:42 pm

as long as they have a heart for the game and achieve, they're fine. doesnt matter what colour you are.

by **Axel** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 2:54 pm

I don't care personally, but I think it is good for the game that it is not completely black dominated. Normally we say it the other way around, but I think diversity is good either way.

by **EGarrett** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 3:27 pm

Fewrookies-From2kW/Love wrote:EGarrett, are you sure you're black? I mean, you're avatar...
But anyways, I think people only feels that way when they are the minority.
Its nature, I don't think its racist.

You're right, sorry. I forgot. I'm Donnie Wahlberg of NKOTB.

Eugene wrote:And to answer your question, EG, social psychology research suggests that Blacks might care about this stuff. The research states that a member of the in-group (in this case Black basketball players) might feel their group status being challenged by successful White basketball players (Nash, Morrison, Redick, to an extent McRoberts and Hansbrough), and feel the need to further differentiate themselves from the out-group (the White basketball players).

Good point. As a "minority" member, I personally take joy in it whenever anyone overcomes some type of stereotype or preconceived notion. So if anything, I'm rooting FOR Morrison and Nash because it reinforces the notion that your skin color doesn't dictate who you can be.

(and before someone brings up athleticism, there are PLENTY of non-black guys who can/could jump. Guillermo Diaz, Kaour Duani (no idea how to spell that?), Henry Bekkering, Brent Barry back in the day, etc.

Andrew wrote:However, the whole "white man can't jump" stigma, the big white stiffs throughout time and the success of black players tend to label basketball as a "black man's sport" and thus exaggerates the significance of successful white players.

You make it sound like there's no such thing as the big black stiff...

its_asdf wrote:Well, when was the last time there was an American all-star SF/SG that wasn't black?

Ginobili and Szczerbiak, for two.

*phew*...this post was a nightmare to format.

by **Axel** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 3:50 pm

Well, when was the last time there was an American all-star SF/SG that wasn't black?

Why does 'American' matter? Maybe it's just that blacks in the US like basketball more than whites?

We're discussing skin color, so as far as I can tell, people like Kirilenko, Nowitzki, Nash, etc are still white....

by **J@3** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 3:52 pm

RIP to the greatest of all time.

Bluesky · by **Andrew** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 3:56 pm

EGarrett wrote:
Andrew wrote:However, the whole "white man can't jump" stigma, the big white stiffs throughout time and the success of black players tend to label basketball as a "black man's sport" and thus exaggerates the significance of successful white players.

You make it sound like there's no such thing as the big black stiff...

That wasn't what I meant though. I'm just saying the big white stiffs contribute to a point of view that perpetuates an exaggeration of the success of white players; when there's an exception it really stands out, compared to a player like Yinka Dare who can be countered with several standout centres who were black.

EDIT: Re-wording. Knew I should've proof-read...both times.

by **TRUball** on Sat Mar 25, 2006 4:04 pm

EGarrett wrote:
its_asdf wrote:Well, when was the last time there was an American all-star SF/SG that wasn't black?

Ginobili and Szczerbiak, for two.

He said American.

Do you honestly care that Nash/Morrison are white?

Do you honestly care that Nash/Morrison are white?

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