My 12 questions
1. After various athletes verbally objected to Rush Limbaugh, Stephen A. Smith wrote in an article on CNN.com, “Since when did athletes have a political conscience?”
Has he forgotten about…
A. Steve Nash speaking out against the war in Iraq?
B. Adonal Foyle’s group Democracy Matters that is specifically dedicated to engaging young people in politics?
C. Greg Oden verbally supporting Barack Obama throughout the presidential campaign?
D. Chauncey Billups introducing President Obama at an event in Denver?
E. Josh Howard speaking against the war in Iraq and then President George W. Bush while still in college?
F. Former Cavs player Ira Newble leading an effort to obtain signatures on an open letter to the government of China regarding its investments and business dealings in Sudan – where hundreds of thousands have been killed and millions have become refugees in Darfur Province?
G. The dozens of athletes that made donations to the Obama campaign? Check the list.
2. The NBA has done a great job showing the positive things that athletes are involved in. (Kudos to David Stern). If it wasn’t for NBA Cares, most of the times we’d be shown just when we do something wrong. Why does negativity dominate the mainstream media and why is it so much more appealing to the public?
3. Why does the NBA, an almost 80 percent African-American league, constantly uses terms that reference slavery? Why are the CEO’s of the teams called owners? Why do they use the term “property” of a certain team when referring to a player’s employment? Why is the term trading block utilized? Why all the references to slavery, and why hasn’t anyone up until this point objected to this?
4. How disappointing is the feud between two basketball icons like Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas?
5. Once the economy turns around, now that we have some decent leadership (sorry, had to throw that in), what will be the NBA’s argument to justify why certain teams aren’t making as much money as they feel they should be?
6. Would it be possible for the NBA to instill a rule for which reporters covering the league would be fined if they misreport, contort facts or simply write blatant lies? Are the fans not deserving of accurate, factual reporting, instead of articles laced with anonymous sources, embellishments and overall inaccuracies?
7. Has the dress code instilled a while ago made fans feel more connected, safer, more comfortable and whatever else the goal of implementing that rule was?
8. Why didn’t Paul Silas get another head coaching job?
9. Does anyone see it as un-American to not allow people to earn a living once they turn 18? I’m talking about the NBA age limit.
10. Can any doctor state to a medical certainty that injecting yourself with the swine flu/H1N1 vaccine will have no ill effects, repercussions or reactions in the near or distant future? Is there enough data on this vaccine for team doctors to attempt to force, no, strongly suggest that players take this?
11. While on the subject of team trainers and doctors, is it possible to impose a fine or forced firing when a team trainer or doctor consistently misdiagnoses numerous players? Not to call out any names but certain teams (not here with the Oklahoma City Thunder) employ trainers and doctors who regularly make medical mishaps (if that’s a politically correct way of saying it).
12. After seven players and the union went public and stood up to Rush Limbaugh, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was quoted as saying that Limbaugh’s “divisive comments ” had no place in the NFL.
“I have said many times before, we’re all held to a higher standard here,” Goodell said. “I would not want to see those kinds of comments coming from people who are in a responsible position in the NFL. No. Absolutely not”.
Colts CEO Jim Irsay said, “I, myself, couldn’t even think of voting for him… I’m very sensitive to know there are scars out there. I think as a nation we need to stop it. Our words do damage, and it’s something that we don’t need. We need to get to a higher level of humanity, and we have.”
Other owners had lukewarm comments about the possibility of sharing space with Rush.
Enter Donald Sterling, CEO of the Los Angeles Clippers, who recently agreed to pay $2.73 million to settle a federal case alleging he discriminated in the rental of apartments he owns. This settlement was described as “the largest monetary payment ever obtained in this kind of case by the U.S. Justice Department”. Sterling’s company was accused of targeting and discriminating against Blacks, Hispanics and families with children in renting apartments in greater Los Angeles.
After seeing seven NFL players, league commissioner Roger Goodell and Colts CEO Jim Irsay stand up against Limbaugh, I wonder… Who in the NBA will have the moral courage to publicly denounce Donald Sterling and his practices?
Justin MH Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 4:41 pm
The NBA isn’t denying anybody a living. They are simply keeping a certain standard for entry, just like the professions of doctor and lawyer. They can go work at McDonald’s in the meantime. I don’t think the Bar Association is discriminating against me by making me go to law school.
Seriously, Etan, you aren’t very smart. You are a faux intellectual and every time you open your mouth it pisses me off.
Clark Matthews Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 4:42 pm
Looks like you just need six more players to stand up against Donald Sterling to match the NFL.
Jack Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 4:53 pm
Very interesting, I hope this is a recurring column with the same format and subject matter.
Jerry C. Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 5:04 pm
Thoughtful questions here. RE: #3 though, those terms are ingrained into the language (well, maybe not “property” as I haven’t really heard players referred to as that; more often as “assets”).
Slavery was around well before America, so the terms have stuck.
nepaballin Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 5:07 pm
i hope to never read another article by you again
Jerry C. Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 5:07 pm
RE: Justin MH’s comment, isn’t it unconstitutional to bar anyone from employment based on age, race, gender, or sexual orientation? the med school and law school examples are incorrect here; they are asking that you be educated to a certain level as it pertains to the profession you are applying to.
the nba age limit is exactly that, an age limit.
Mephisto Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 5:18 pm
“G. The dozens of athletes that made donations to the Obama campaign? “ You can’t state that it’s all about Obama, although that is all you seem to say, when others spent on Johnny boy. Ah to be liberal, rich and given a place to speak. By the way what does the hand that feeds you taste like? Please bring back the prison ball writer.
W2 Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 5:20 pm
“I hope to never read another article by you again”
Which part of the content of this piece do you object to? Are these sentiments to liberal? Do you think it is not the place of a pro athlete to discuss topics related to their employment in a public forum? Are you uneasy when people make reference to the terms slavery?
I am only left to speculate as your comment is brief to say the least.
It is refreshing to see athletes discuss politics, beit Spencer Hawes (conservative) or Steve Nash (liberal).
Mr. Thomas I too hope to see more pieces like this and want to give you big ups for your return to the court and the early season accomplishments of your team.
You survived Dwight so verbal darts thrown at you by some anonymous internet warriors I would hope won’t put you off too much.
Brian Boitono Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 5:32 pm
Seriously With the Racism comments??? its unbelievable how quick (Many) African Americans are to Judge White people as racists. Not to start a race conversation but as a white male between 18-35 I can speak for most of the white people that I know and would agree Racism allegations are thrown around far to quickly in this country.
Andrew Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 5:45 pm
Nice Article! I’ve liked reading Etan Thomas since he was with SLAM.
@Justin MH - I would agree with your comments if it wasnt for the fact that a Degree or level of education is not required to be a basketball player as it is a lawyer.
The age limit the NBA imposes is done purely to allow colleges to PIMP ’student athletes’ for big bucks not because a year of college gives them the required qualifications to be able to play in the NBA.
I’m not a fan of jumping straight to the NBA from high school. but the reality is that in sports all across the world children as young as 14 are professional athletes. If the person leaving high school to go pro has the talent and teams are willing to pay them, let them get paid!
This is one of the reasons i admire Brandon Jennings for the humbling path he has chosen, Unfortunately i dont think we will get the same result with Jeremy Tyler because the american high school system seems to instill an ego that is to big from the likes of tyler to swallow.
Imagine you finish your law degree and have all the tools necessary to become a lawyer, of course once employed you will experience a learning curve because the real world is never like school but what if when you applied for jobs they said sorry we don’t want applicants under 25 we just feel over 25 years old makes for a better lawyer. You would be screaming age discrimination having devoted the last X years of your life to learning the finer points of law. only to be told that someone of your age is to young to be ready to contribute as an actual lawyer!
Nix Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 5:50 pm
You say:
Can any doctor state to a medical certainty that injecting yourself with the swine flu/H1N1 vaccine will have no ill effects, repercussions or reactions in the near or distant future? Is there enough data on this vaccine for team doctors to attempt to force, no, strongly suggest that players take this?
But Obama’s administration was attempting to force ALL Americans to get swine flu shots.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLqHmIVDLwM
You’re upset there’s an age limit, and you have a problem with them forcing you to wear a suit.
But isn’t that a part of what liberals to accomplish? Be a governing body that regulates what we can or can’t do?
I’m not approaching this from a Republican mindset at all. I can’t stand what Republicans have done. (I’m a member of the Constitution Party in case you’re wondering.) The truth is that the NBA is a microcosm of our Big Government system. You let them set age limits, set pay scales, set rookie pay scales, give evil men high positions (I do believe NBA players should strike when playing the Clippers. It’s completely justifiable.) and for some reason you’re upset the NBA is this way, but not the Government. Hmm….
I saw you play Dwight Howard solid last night in person. You’re play in the Lakers game was massively underrated. I’ve been to every home game so far this season. WAY up in Loud City. I’m very happy to have you on our team for sure. Welcome back to OK! I genuinely hope you feel at home.
Paully Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 6:05 pm
From wikipedia: “It is claimed [...] that the ban on 18-year-olds entering the NBA may violate antitrust law. However, it has been established by U.S. courts that age limits are legal if part of a collective bargaining agreement. Football player Maurice Clarett lost a lawsuit against the NFL concerning this very matter on the grounds mentioned here.
Paully Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 6:11 pm
I know Wikipedia is flawed. But what the NBA is doing seems legal. Heres the link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBA_high_school_draftees
Nix Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 6:13 pm
@Andrew
The problem with your argument is that the NBA is saying you’re not equipped to handle this job. It’s not simply having the tools to play basketball. You have to be able to handle: the media, the money, the schedule and the popularity.
I don’t see how that’s different then a law firm expecting you to meet your college requirements. A law school student is generally going to have to do an internship.
Why can’t the NBA consider College/D-League/Overseas as an internship?
Omar Comin Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 6:18 pm
Rite now racism be everywere for real.
I neva thought on that ish in the nba until my N Etan scoped it.
Matt Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 6:48 pm
Mr. Thomas, congratulations on joining the hoopshype team! This is a brilliant article that raises some extremely critical questions about the nature of sports, athletes, and the greater society as a whole.
As a recent college grad who majored in sociology, I find that your observation of the terminolgy of sports “owners” and their employees - the athletes - being referred to as “property” to be quite suspect, especially considering that the vast majority of professional athletes, especially in the NBA, are of African ancestory.
Nix Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 6:54 pm
@Omar Comin
My ‘N’ Etan…
Isn’t that short for a racial slur?
Seb Hutchinson Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 7:34 pm
I got to point 3 before I had to stop reading.
Who else in the NBA, or the world for that matter, would think that the terminology used by fans, personnel and players alike was a reference to slavery? Do you think Stephen Jackson feels like a slave because he is on the trading block? Does Lebron feel aggrieved when he discusses his contract with the owner? No.
Etan Thomas is a low-profile player who has attempted to raise his status by presenting himself as the NBA’s token ‘thinker’. He has done this by occupying the moral high ground and finding prejudice where there is none.
When Andrew Bogut made a few perfectly legitimate comments about the lifestyles of some NBA players, Etan Thomas was the first to cry racism but Bogut was simply expressing his opinion. It seems you can’t be honest when you’re an NBA player, at least not when your white and from overseas.
However, when Tim Hardaway made some blatantly homophobic comments about John Amaechi, where was Etan Thomas’s sermon criticizing the prejudice that seemed to be prevalent amongst NBA players? What about Carmelo Anthony and his ’stop snitchin’ message to the kids or Latrell Sprewell’s infamous ‘I can’t feed my family’ protest. Etan Thomas said nothing.
To answer the question Etan Thomas posed in his article, no one has objected to those terms because no one, except you, has ever dreamt
DG Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 7:51 pm
You could have also noted that many professional athletes also supported McCain. It would have only strengthened your argument.
DG Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 7:57 pm
I wouldn’t get too optimistic about the economy. You clearly haven’t read all the financial reports on what will happen if this healthcare bill and cap and trade clears the senate…
brofmfa Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 8:26 pm
Questions thrown by Mr.Thomas had provide us perspectives of many different way to approach all everythings. Gotta love the man. Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion, why pissed ?
DuJuanB Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 8:40 pm
To the very first poster…then why is it not an issue in MLB?
Mephisto Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 9:17 pm
“Questions thrown by Mr.Thomas had provide us perspectives of many different way to approach all everythings. Gotta love the man. Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion, why pissed ?” Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion. I believe that would be your answer.
Alex Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 10:14 pm
There’s a problem with his question about racism in the NBA dealing with slavery. Slavery you were forced to do tasks that you were not paid for and would not wish to do due to the consequences that would occur even if you did it correctly.
The NBA is optional, you are paid for your work, and the only adverse thing that happens when you play well is that you could lose a game.
Overall though, Etan you seemed well on. You have some things that are off, but overall not bad.
knock knock Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 10:40 pm
writer: horribly written article. Seriously, slavery?!? SLAVERY??!? What would you call a hotel you own or your HOME?? ITS called property, dummy. And just like nba players, their employees, not slaves. Lemme guess, your a white guy?? because i have never in my life heard anyone refer to the nba (where the smallest contract is what, 350,000??). Stopped reading after just a paragraph, hoopshype is really slipping.
SamP Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 11:43 pm
Really interesting points and looks to have provoked some healthy discussion. My only point of contention is the dress code. There is no problem with someone asking you to dress professionally for work everyone else has to do it. If dressing casually is so important to you, get a job that isn’t customer facing.
pointguard Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 11:47 pm
Why is Etan Thomas so obsessed with race in his questions?
Does Etan Thomas call himself an American now or African American?
Why isn’t Etan supporting Limbaugh who backs his right to make as much as he can with equal opportunity for all?
Did Etan believe the lying quotes about Limbaugh?
Did Etan back the blackballing of Limbaugh? (not racist but I am sure it will be interpreted as such)/
Would Etan support his own blackballing of him in the NBA if he was not Politically Correct?
Etan, Don’t you think the dress code gives the nba a better image?
Will Etan admit Limbaugh’s “divisive comments” were about the media favoring McNabb or will he go along with the misinterpretation of the facts?
Will Etan report accurately and not falsely like he wants the rest of the media to do?
Is Etan a Hypocrite?
10 questions for Etan.
Nick Said,
November 9, 2009 @ 11:53 pm
I have to agree with Justin MH on this one Etan. And how is Obama providing us with “decent leadership”? He hasn’t done SQUAT. I like the man, but c’mon. You only get four years (eight at most), partner. Do SOMETHING. As for most everything else in this column, stick to The Huffington Post - where the sole purpose has become not to inform, but to whine like little girls about Fox News.
Allanaaron Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 12:17 am
Great stuff to think about whether we agree with everything you say or not. Made me think. Some of the naysayers got a little emotional in their reactions, perhaps revealed a little too much about themselves than they realized. The problem I have with the slave arguement is the amount of money the pro’s make. It seems the college scene and the small amount of players who actually can make a living is more distrubing to me. Overall I loved what you had to say.
Skraight Up Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 12:42 am
#12
In regards to Donald Sterling Etan…. Why are NBA players held accountable for their actions on and off the court, but this is never applied to NBA owners (in particular Mr. Sterling)? It’s a double standard, and why hasn’t the NBA players association done anything to address this situation? Please respond…
Skraight Up Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 1:12 am
#9
I beleive it is absolutely obsurd that a young man can go fight for our contry at age 18, but is refused entry into the league.
Here’s what I think:
Allow these young man to play in the league at age 18. In doing so, they should have NBA mentors (guys who have retired from the NBA). They should also be made to take University classes towards obtaining their degrees. There is no way and 18 year old should be allowed to try and manage an NBA lifestyle own their own. Hell, 30 year old millionaires in the NBA can’t manage themselves, how can an 18 year old do so? The NBA says it cares? Then the league should do the right thing and allow 18 year olds to enter the draft, and by doing so, take care of them accordingly!
John Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 1:41 am
3- People who own the sports team are called the owners just like people who own other businesses are called owners. I’m pretty sure “trading block” is a general term used in sports, its used in baseball, football, and hockey too so I don’t really think it has anything to do with slavery.
5- I don’t know if they blame the economy or not but they are in fact not making a lot of money. To put it in perspective, if you take out the top 1/3 profiting teams of the league and combine their total profits, they ended up losing money. I don’t know if you consider them greedy or not, but when 1/3 of the teams are losing money, and your personal salary ($7,350,000) is higher than what 16 out of 30 teams made.
9- Yes it is un-american to not allow 18 year olds to make a living, but I wouldn’t say the NBA rule is unamerican. I definitely don’t agree with the rule and think it’s unfair to players coming out of HS who are ready. What the NBA will likely claim is that the extra year will allow the players to mature in college and be a better professional. Why they really do this is so that they have an extra year of scouting on a player against better talent, an extra year of training at no cost to the team (which it might cost them millions to train a player for a year), and they also probably had some kind of payoff from the NCAA since they get much more talented players in their league.
11- I’m pretty sure your talking about the Wizards, and if you are THANK YOU! They have misdiagnosed soooo many injuries. They very well might have ruined Gilbert Arenas’ career.
reggie miller Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 1:50 am
they are called owners because they own the team..
Bill Rosecan Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 2:55 am
How come you don’t cover the N word? Everyone can say it
but white people? Your a worse writer that basketball player!
Instead of spending so much time at dunkin doughnuts, check out what is really going on! MLK would be rolling around in his grave if he read this! He said ownership was important to white and black people. i dont think he would be upset if players were asked to wear a suit. I wish people would stand up to what this is reverse racism!
Hey if 90% of the NBA is Black, we need some affermantive action!
where are all the asian? Mexicans? Swedes? Italians, lets spread the wealth!
friedrichcarlosjerome Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 3:32 am
Dear Etan,
I am a american born and raised in Europe and thus a little bit different perspective on things:
1. Stockholders of sport teams are called owners in Europe as well. As war as I am concerned the top salaried managers is called CEO or just manager or what ever. The correct term for somebody how owns the assets of a team and also the rights to its players is owner. The term property in the sense of a contractual commitment to exclusively work/play for a certain team is also used for players in Europe (it is true though that this term is not that often used for other professions, e.g. coaches or business men).
2. Viewed from a liberal (in its original usage) point of view the NBA is totally anti-competitive and actually even disrespects personal freedoms as such as where to live and work etc. if compared to European sports. Nobody can be traded in the Europe against there will. You sign with a certain club and if you want to leave or the club doesn’t want you anymore a deal (usually not trade for other players but for money) cannot be reached without mutual consent. The whole concept of trading and especially all the rules that go into how the salaries should match and thus result in players being shipped around the countries just in order to make other deals work are robbing one of this freedom (obviously everything one does in work takes a piece away of ones freedom, e.g. you have to be at work at 9am, but you get compensated for it; but this trading of humans for each other and especially these trade rules are totally unnecessary).Moreover, why aren’t you allowed to play in the league at any age, why would you take age as a barrier? In Europe 14 year old have played in major leagues. Obviously these players need protection and they are required to finish school and thelike by law but they are not forbidden to participate.
Finally, the rules that determine max (and also min) salaries possible are straight forward collusion. Obviously the player organization and owners have agreed on this rules and thus they are not legally anti-competitive but in an economic sense they deviate from the “so american” way of leaving the market to sort out everything. I am not saying that these rules are bad but just want to point out that the whole system is anticompetitive in an economic sense and also deprives players from a high degree of freedom.
3. I do not like to use the term “un-american” since i don’t like to define things as uniquely american and thus holy and untouchable. This sort of anti-pragmatic and nationalist mindset is exactly what let to the economic downturn and the worsened opinions of foreigners about the US.
P.S. Justin, your comments are terrible qualified.
uberVU - social comments Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 3:48 am
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by hoopshype: Etan Thomas dishes on Rush Limbaugh, Donald Sterling, the NBA media and more on his HoopsHype debut. http://tinyurl.com/yeuk6mn...
Arthur Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 4:05 am
Glad to have another race baiter here on Hoopshype.
Just remember everyone….if you are white and you bring up race for ANY REASON…you are bigot.
If you are black and bring up race…you are a “thinking man”!
Its this type of shameless race card playing that allowed an avowed Marxist and racist to become President. What a disgrace. The inmates are running the prison.
Dan Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 7:09 am
The dress code HAS made the league look more professional. If players don’t like it…there are free pick-up games all over the place they can wear what they like to.
Millionaires whining about being forced to ear shirts with buttons??? In this economy where their fan are scratching to pay bills.
The trials and tribulations of picking out a shirt to get paid to sit the bench must be horrible.
Nate Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 7:22 am
#9 is legal. The NBA has a right to control who it hires and set qualifications for those who seek employment. If you dont like the rules, you can play for a different league where there is no age requirement like Tyler and Jennings did. But American products of the high school system believe that they have a right to the big money right after high school because they schooled a few other teenagers. Thats not right. I don’t have a problem with kids skipping college and going to Europe if thats what they think can get them to the best league in the world. It’s they’re choice, they’re college degree in basketball. Otherwise, we go back to the old way and we have more Kwame Browns and Eddy Currys huffing and puffin their ways up and down the court. I respect both Tyler and Jennings because both took matters into their own hands and got money, thats great, but the NBA is looking out for itself and making sure it gets the best players in the world. There are options out there, but people want it to be easy. Stop complaining, keep playing, or go to a lesser league and get paid less. Its that simple.
Flip Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 7:57 am
Are you kidding Justin? Comparing being a lawyer or a doctor. Livelyhood and health aren’t something you even have the knowlede to do @ 18.
You’d be lying if you said the same could be said for basketball.
Big ups to Etan. Your team is showing some heart
thomas Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 8:13 am
some comments are pretty good, some show his lack of understanding. Point 3 is absolutely stupid and uses a ignorant PC term. Our current leadership (point 5 comment) is the worst we have had in my lifetime. Points 6 and 12 contradicte each other. He complains about false reporting but Limbaugh (not a Limbaugh fan, but a fan of fairness) was denied based on comments he didn’t even make. Point 1 shows many athletes should just play since they have no clue. Maybe Silas hasn’t earned another job yet. Rest of the points aren’t worth talking about. Reading this was a total waste of time.
Skraight Up Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 8:24 am
ARTHUR WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?????
Its this type of shameless race card playing that allowed an avowed Marxist and racist to become President. What a disgrace. The inmates are running the prison
WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THESE COMMENTS?
Wzz 4eva Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 8:57 am
Keep it up Etan!
They should have professional youth/feeder leagues like they do in Europe
Ignore the hate-talking idiots and keep being yourself, good for you for being a complete person and not hiding it.
Wizz 4eva
Maurice E. Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 9:07 am
Wow some of the comments I can relate to being an Black Man in America and some of them you guys have no clue it’s fine that Etan speaks his mind and voices his opinions so deal with it if I don’t want to hear FOX News or Rush Blimpbaugh I don’t have to turn it on so skip the article next time and grow some thicker skin…
tony (syracuse) Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 9:18 am
the race issue will never be dead til all concerned let it die Etan,there are white coachs too that deserve another coaching job as well Etan why dont you stick up for them as well? And maybe just maybe the NBA has the age limit because the younger players just dont have the life skills needed to function as adults i.e Kwame Brown
JWight Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 9:19 am
Wow! A whole lota comments.
#9 - Unamerican isn’t exactly the right adjective (It could be equally unrussian, unchinese or unturkish I’m not sure). Basically, for those who have the ability to play at that age it is unfair, because their ability to play basketball is the criteria and their not being allowed to reach full earning capacity.
I’ve heard David Stern’s reasoning on the matter and it has merits. The idea is that it impairs teams drafting in the lottery because they are less likely to get a ’sure thing’ and Stern wants the draft to be the key tool enabling bad teams to improve themselves.
He encourages players who don’t want to go to college to enter the D-league and then declare. This would enable teams to make more accurate assessments about the player for draft purposes. He is not trying to support college basketball as some have asserted.
The issue is further complicated by the rules about ‘guaranteed contracts’. If, for example, there were no guaranteed contracts then this would be whole different issue for players deciding to declare.
Eligibility requirements at the college level make things complicated as well. High school players should be able to declare and then go to college if they don’t like where they are drafted.
tony (syracuse) Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 9:33 am
oh Etan would these doctors and trainers that you are refering to be white ?
Etan Thomas Has A Lot On His Mind | Thunder Rumblings Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 10:11 am
[...] day later, Thomas’ first blog for HoopsHype.com was published and the entry, “My 12 questions,” touches on everything from the NBA’s age limit, to its dress code, to negativity in [...]
Etan Thomas Has A Lot On His Mind | Thunder Rumblings Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 10:11 am
[...] day later, Thomas’ first blog for HoopsHype.com was published and the entry, “My 12 questions,” touches on everything from the NBA’s age limit, to its dress code, to negativity in [...]
Squeak Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 10:16 am
Didnt sound to me like he was opposing the dress code, just asking to stir up the dialogue. Seriously some of these comments are unwarranted, especially those of you who “stopped reading after the first paragraph.”
And as far as racism is concerned, if the doesn’t fit, move on.
These were questions,not necessarily observations. And they did do one good thing for Etan, they got people commenting on his article. Which is the whole point anyway, to stir up dialogue.
It’s a wonder no one here has addressed questions: 2, 6, and 11. Those are questions as a true NBA fan, that i’d care about.
The other stuff was made to push people’s hot buttons, sad how easy it is.
Tuesday Bolts – 11.10.09 | Daily Thunder.com Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 10:16 am
[...] Etan Thomas, blogging for HoopsHype: “Why does the NBA, an almost 80 percent African-American league, constantly uses terms that reference slavery? Why are the CEO’s of the teams called owners? Why do they use the term “property” of a certain team when referring to a player’s employment? Why is the term trading block utilized? Why all the references to slavery, and why hasn’t anyone up until this point objected to this?” [...]
DS Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 10:51 am
Some of you guys are so ignorant.
1. The dress code when I watch an NBA game I don’t care what the players have on as long as they put on a good show. They are going to play a physical sport not to some business meeting.
2. The age limit is dumb as hell becasue most of these players end up staying 1 year and they leave. There are allegations that someone took the ACT or SAT (whatever test Rose took) for him. That doesn’t effect his NBA career whatsoever but it pretty much screwed Memphis out of an entire year. Comparing that to a lawyer or doctor is abusrd. You have to be trained thourougly since you hold the fate of hundreds of people in your hands. People could die or go to jail if you aren’t properly trained in that area. You only hurt yourself if you flop out of the NBA.
3. Rush Limbaugh is a bigot and a fool. The media doesn’t hype up black QB’s at all and how can he say that football games look like a game between the bloods and crips. I guess I missed the games that had players with blue and red rags hanging out.
4. I will say that black players only recently got involved with politics when Obama came out. Most of the time they didn’t say much about these issues and it was was probably because they voted Republican and didn’t want anybody else to know.
Gil iz Back Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 10:52 am
Etan you need to worry about your game before worrying about what words could mean other than their real definitions. You are a moron and you think you are a Poet. Well, newsflash, you aren’t. How about being thankful that the league allowed you to work for them?? I know there are millions other willing to wait in line. Instead of bashing the league and making these indirect assertions that they could be racist (which by the way on # 3 your points contradict each other so bad it’s not even funny), how about just playing the game and actually doing something with your soon-to-be-over career??
Truth About It » Etan Thomas, Subtly Firing Shots at the Wizards Medical Staff Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 10:54 am
[...] thinks about such perks including a higher platform for activism. But as Thomas points out in his blogging debut on HoopsHype, there are plenty of NBA players who have been politically (or more accurately, socially) [...]
Andy Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 11:25 am
Great article Etan one person’s perspective on things that shine light on things around the NBA. I look forward to reading more from you.
David Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 11:41 am
I have trouble with someone being paid MILLIONS of dollars to play a game complain about having to wear a suit.
frank b Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 11:43 am
Etan,
I like the fact that you are speaking your mind in this article.
You really tried to bite a little bit too much off in one article though. It seems to me that you could have written 5 different blogs on the 10 questions you posed. The way that you wrote this is in a little bit preachy or in a lecturing rather than an elightening or interesting tone.
I learned from you about the slavery references that I was not really aware off, even though I am a well educated multiracial person. Expanding question 3 into an entire coherent piece would be fascinating and educational.
Many persons share your distrust of the H1N1 vaccine marketing boondogle that we are all being subjected to. You could have a solid voice in talking about this from the perspective of an employee being mandated to do something that doesn’t make sense for the profit of others.
Of course, the whole issue of Donald Sterling, from his ridiculous basketball strategies, to Elgin Baylor and tenants suing him for overt racism, would also warrant an entire blog.
Your answer to Stephen A. Smith shows that you are not old enough to remember Mohammed Ali’s “No VietCong ever called me N***ger”, or Lew Alcindor changing to Kareem Jabber or Tommy Smith and company raising the black gloves on the Olympic Medal Stand. Athletes with political consciousness are not a new thing.
ray Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 11:52 am
i guess you knew it was going to cause a storm. brought out the fox news people for sure. i just like the questions, keep asking them. i did think the words on the age limit were interesting, never thought about in terms of a law agree, getting your internships, but all in all i think you can’t turn away somebody because of their age. And some people were going crazy about the “slavery” angle, chill out i think etan is on to something, are we the only country that has a “draft” i don’t know any other country that has anything like that, i mean i don’t mind the draft i watch it, but it kind of seems like an “auction” sometimes, but maybe not. keep asking the questions, but maybe get into your day to day as well.
thomas Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 12:11 pm
of course some will agree with him not all are smart enought to see how wrong he is. The only thing I disagree with is the age limit but not for the reasons he stats. I think if the owners (that is what they are) are willing to give the money to an 18 year old right out of High School then they should be able to do so. I also take issue with 18 being ok to fight and die for our country (I did 25 years in the USMC) but not old enough to drink or play pro basketball. However, every point he makes is totally ignorant and out of touch with reality. Stick with something you are half way decent at Etan and be happy that someone with your lack of talent can still make millions in the league. BTW, Ali was a coward and his fights were fixed. maurice…english…learn it
Lemonpen Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 12:16 pm
FYI, the league age limit is the product of two apparently misunderstood motives. (1) Player greed. NBA vets saw an opportunity to end the trend of underskilled high school entrants eating up a significant portion of salary cap before participating in their first tip off. Opens more jobs for league vets. (2) NBA management needed a means to protect themselves from themselves. Too many of them were blinded by their own hype. Softer rules were enacted to help make the kids competitive in a game of men.
Ted N Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 1:02 pm
I don’t disagree with most of what Etan writes in the article, but I do think he comes across as an ignorant militant.
For example, terms like “trade” and “owner” entered the sports lexicon while baseball was still segregated: hard to call them racist when they were first used in an all white league…
justin Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 1:58 pm
Great stuff - Gotta love this guy. Intelligent and out spoken.
Lebron - Are you taking note?
frank b Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 2:03 pm
It seems telling that so many posters are calling you ignorant when all you are doing is asking questions. If they indeed had some intelligence they would simply give you the answers rather than attacking you personally.
Is it “ignorant”, “out of touch with reality”, or not very smart to ask us how 400 years of slavery, segregation, and Jim Crow have crept into the lexicon?
Normally persons who are able to frame intelligent questions have superior intelligence to those who only know how to call people names.
Mike C Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 2:09 pm
I have one question: What did Rush limbuagh do that kept him from being part of a buying group? Please educated responses only
Porky Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 2:39 pm
Any hoop player who gives his opinion on politics or anything else is doing simply this: they are giving their opinion. While they may be famous, let the reader beware- its just a personal opinion. You can disagree and also believe you have a superior opinion because playing hoops is no ticket to the right conclusion. Personally, I dont really give a crap what a hoop player thinks about anything other than…hoops. That is what they know best, sometimes.
Steve Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 2:41 pm
2. “…Why does negativity dominate the mainstream media and why is it so much more appealing to the public?” Well, that’s what the media does. Have you not gossiped or spread a rumour once in your life? Same thing.
3. This question is comical.
5. Decent leadership because Obama’s black? I don’t get it. What did he do besides having you accept him without him earning your trust.
7. It’s not about feeling connected. It’s to make the image of the NBA more formal. Before this, you had guys like Iverson blinged out looking like a rapper (who usually portray the image of a thug). He’s a role model for kids, especially black, and since he is such a popular public figure, they’re going to copy his style. I think David Stern is protecting the league in the coming years so there’s nobody like Iverson to cause problems in the NBA.
9. Life skills, simple as that. C’mon Etan, you went to college, you should know that college opens up a whole other world where you could learn to be a better person in all ways.
10. Agree with this completely.
Kris Johnson Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 2:48 pm
Etan, You got a big contract from the man years ago and have done nothing to earn it. You were paid while you rehabilitated your illness and wrote poetry and articles. Your team never benefitted from its investment in you. You write about slavery while you benefit more than 99% of the population. You sound like a racist for all you do is put down white people and you are against the establishment that provides you with so much for so little in return. You love Obama, as he may be breaking the country in ways we have never experienced before. Its all an experiment and so far just an expensive one. Unemployment and War and partisanship and dirty politics even more divisive than at anytime I can remember in my 53 years. Try playing basketball, at least you were once good at that, and you owe the owner who paid you. By the way the company that I work for has an owner too, and I dont feel like a slave when he pays me my check. I guess my great, great, great grandfather wasn’t black. Although we were poor white trash.
Barno Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 2:50 pm
“Seriously, Etan, you aren’t very smart. You are a faux intellectual and every time you open your mouth it pisses me off.”
This is the smartest comment I have read so far on this page. Etan Thomas is a bigot, plain and simple. Every time he opens his mouth, he spews his pitiful ignorance for the world to see. He is as unintelligent a person as there is in professional sports, and it’s simply sad that the media largely gives him a pass.
Take for instance his comments about the NBA and slavery. First off, they ARE owners and they DO own the rights to the players performing their skills. Contracts of all kinds are referred to as “property” this is not specific to the NBA nor does it have anything to do with slavery. Secondly, perhaps someone should point out to the bigot Etan that the NHL also has what are referred to as “owners” and that league is 99% white. But I suppose those too are references to slavery according to the bigot.
Etan, just go away.
Papa Burgundy Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 3:24 pm
12 questions eh? Well:
#1 - It’s friggin Stephen A. Smith - who even reads what he writes in the first place?
#2 - The public eats up what the media gives them. Negative stories come from unplanned “events” - whereas the positive ones are (generally) unplanned. But unplanned positive stories make it on when they happen too - like Joe Girardi stopping to help a lady after winning the World Series….
#3 - Not sure I really want to touch this….but what else do you call the owner of a company besides the owner?
#4 - agreed
#5 - not really following you here…
#6 - no, it would not be possible for the NBA to do so…
#7 - I can’t recall exactly what the stated goal was….but I like it - they are all professionals who make good money and can afford some suits…they are representing their team (company) and should do so with class…
#8 - no clue
#9 - agreed - don’t like the age limit
#10 - I’m not a doctor
#11 - I’m sure a team can fire a doctor/trainer whenever they want….I don’t see where a fine helps at all - they also could possibly be liable for malpractice in some cases too…
#12 - this one I’m with you on - HOWEVER, in the NFL they were talking about keeping Rush - who is not at all in the league - out of ownership, not just speaking out about him….In the NBA - Sterling is already in the league, so the bigger and better question - or perhaps more accurate question - would be will someone in or with the league seek to somehow get Sterling out?
Brian Boitono Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 3:24 pm
My ancestors were slaves WHHHaaa whhhaaa whhhaaaa. I want reporations from all you whites because your great great great Grandparents may or may not have owned slaves. I Treat all people equally, I dont owe african Americans anything and the constant deep digging for racism is extremly irritating.
Top 10 Finger Linkin’ Goods (11/10/09) « LT Sports Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 3:28 pm
[...] My 12 questions – …And a good 12 questions they are… [...]
DS Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 3:34 pm
reporations=no black person should pay anymore taxes if they were owned by slaves sounds fair to me.
Elliot Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 3:49 pm
You know, it really is amazing to me how these African Americans are relentless, nay, annoying in demanding that they be treated equally.
Last time I checked, this country was a free country. If I own an apartment and decide I don’t want to rent to blacks why CAN’T I? WTF? I worked as a server in college and I can tell you, the rudest and most annoying customers were USUALLY black. That is just a fact.
We use terms like owner and trade block because they are PROPER ENGLISH and were used well before slavery and will be long after it.
We make requirements for jobs ALL the time. To work at Google you need a PhD, to be a teacher you need at least a bachelor’s degree (most of CA). Now, if I own a company and decide that I don’t want people to work for me who are under 18, SO BE IT. Who are you to complain, cry racism, and get that overturned?!? What gives you the right? It’s my damn company if you don’t like it go play somewhere else.
And lastly, it’s unfortunate that you don’t understand that medical certainties are a rare thing. Nothing is guaranteed. If I invest 10 million dollars a year on you, and ask you to take a vaccine that will protect you from disease, that doesn’t make me a monster for crying out loud.
I promise you I am not racist though I can acknowledge that my post may sound that way. I believe in treating everyone equally until they give you a reason not to. But we can’t go around crying that everything is racist and relating to slavery.
G Dawg Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 4:12 pm
I appreciate Etan’s opinions, but I don’t see how calling an owner of a team an owner is a slavery reference. An NBA team is a business enterprise and can be owned just like any other enterprise - no one considers this a reference to owning the players.
Also, I think the swine flu comment is pretty ill-considered. If you can find a doctor who can offer 100% assurance on anything, you are probably dealing with someone who is not a doctor. I understand people want to make their own decisions, and don’t look to be pressured, but it is amusing how, as a culture, we’ve gotten so smart that we know better than the World Health Organization and every major expert in respiratory diseases worlwide, who are unanimous that the shot is a low-risk way to avoid a serious new disease. But hey, who needs years worth of professional expertise and schooling when you have Google and the Internet?
Skraight Up Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 5:10 pm
ELLIOT… you said the following……..
You know, it really is amazing to me how these African Americans are relentless, nay, annoying in demanding that they be treated equally.
“THESE AFRICAN AMERICANS” you’re joking right?
You can’t even hide it!
enough said….
Skraight Up Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 5:13 pm
ELLIOT…you said this as well”…
“demanding that they be treated equally”
THEY BE TEATED EQUALLY?
enough said….
Skraight Up Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 5:17 pm
SKRAIGHT UP!
When a person has to tell you he’s not a racist…I ask myself who he/she are trying to convince? Me or themselves? Proof is in the puddin my man.
ab_40 Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 5:32 pm
I really liked your stories at slam online but some of your points are a little over the top. you know you can write better then this and so can we. Too bad mr. Thomas
CP Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 6:46 pm
Thoughtful and articulate.
You’re probably already familiar with Cornel West, but in case you’re not, I really recommend reading some of his work. Hell, you’re a high profile rich dude, you could actually meet him and pick his brain. That would be the coolest part of being rich and famous in America, I think–being able to actually meet and interact with people with that kind of brainpower.
I agree that there is a lamentable absence of anything approaching good sports journalism, but I don’t think the NBA imposing more draconian restrictions on who writes what, even if it’s done with the good intention of “punishing lies and mistakes”, is the answer. I don’t know what the answer is, but institutionalized coercion is usually not a good option.
I’d really love to read someone on the inside (preferably an athlete or even a team doctor) write in detail about the issues you raise in #11. I know it is unlikely to ever happen, because there would be organized retribution from the media-entertainment-ownership complex, but I’ll bet knowing what really goes on would be fascinating and horrifying.
Anyway, great work. Hope you keep it up.
Steve Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 7:00 pm
gotta love a guy like etan thomas — the dude considers the nba to be a racist organization even though it pays him $8 million a year based on career averages of 6 pts/5 rebs/18 mins played per game. if someone paid me $8 million to play 18 minutes of bb 3 times a week for 9 months, they could “own” and “trade” me all they want!
JDizz. Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 7:09 pm
I just love the way how Elliott feels the need to state that he’s not a racist, but starts off the SAME post by generalizing.
“You know, it really is amazing to me how these African Americans are relentless, nay, annoying in demanding that they be treated equally.”
FAIL.
tony (syracuse) Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 7:11 pm
as far as #8 read the Wikipedia entry for Paul Silas and tell me Etan you would play for this man, even Michael Jordan didn’t want him as coach for the Bobcats
polling Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 7:26 pm
Wow Thanks for the thoughtful words
Hope to see more articles like this from you in the future
Its nice to hear from an athlete who’s speaking his mind and not talking about a play, a dunk, a play, a series or some bling
Nice to read this blog
Feels like it came from the soul
It almost as if Stephen A treats athletes like slaves by saying you guys have no right to mettle in Masters Bizness
Keep it up Etan
Speak Your mind
Bullets70s Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 9:18 pm
Etan, I defended you when you were with the Wizards. But then you attacked Ivan Carter with the Washington Post because he wrote that he was worried your heart condition might prevent your playing again, and now you express your First Amendment rights by urging reporters be fined when they express theirs? You hypocrite! I’ll never support you again. I’m glad you were traded.
pointguard Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 9:33 pm
“reparations=no black person should pay anymore taxes if they were owned by slaves sounds fair to me.”
DS…. What disadvantage did you have… born in a country with all the freedoms, education and opportunities you want as long as you apply yourself. Heck you could have been born with a single mother and no father and become President of the United States.
Only Victicrats think America owes them something. Those who were owed reparations i think are being paid by the big Guy in the Sky. You aren’t the victim they were.
pointguard Said,
November 10, 2009 @ 9:39 pm
Steve good comment..
“gotta love a guy like etan thomas — the dude considers the nba to be a racist organization even though it pays him $8 million a year based on career averages of 6 pts/5 rebs/18 mins played per game. if someone paid me $8 million to play 18 minutes of bb 3 times a week for 9 months, they could “own” and “trade” me all they want!”
I can just imagine if Etan’s ancestors were slaves his great great great grandfather saying in Heaven looking down at Etan…. “WTF”
Scott Said,
November 11, 2009 @ 12:13 am
I want my 5 minutes back. I live in OKC and I liked the addition of Etan’s game for the Thunder so when I saw the article I was interested. Dang. Up until now I thought he was intelligent. These are not good questions, this is ignorance at its finest. Etan, I like you. Please don’t blog.
bk Said,
November 11, 2009 @ 2:12 am
7. Has the dress code instilled a while ago made fans feel more connected, safer, more comfortable and whatever else the goal of implementing that rule was?
Everyone is expected to dress appropriately when they go to work.
Do-rags and baggy clothing just don’t cut it when you are representing your employers. I’ve been fallowing you since your Syracuse days and had hoped you had more sense then this. PLEASE stop blogging and concentrate on improving your severely lacking game.
curak Said,
November 11, 2009 @ 3:04 am
Question 3 is silly. The “owner” of a team is called that because he/she owns the team, not the players. That person may also be chief executive officer, but not necessarily. And “trading block” has been used in American sports long before the NBA became a primarily African-American league. It’s been used in baseball for a long time.
DC Said,
November 11, 2009 @ 8:15 am
tony (syracuse)
“as far as #8 read the Wikipedia entry for Paul Silas and tell me Etan you would play for this man, even Michael Jordan didn’t want him as coach for the Bobcats”
The Paul Silas question is a valid one. Tony, I can’t beleive you are referencing Wikipedia to help prove your point. Furthermore, you try to use Michael Jordan to strengthen your argument. MJ is a horrible evaluater of talent and possibly the worst GM ever (yes even worse than McHale). Tell me something….how have MJ’s decisions on coaches/players worked out so far in Charlotte (or even DC for that matter)?
thomas Said,
November 11, 2009 @ 8:39 am
African-American is a crap term. What do you want to call the white people from Africa who move to America? Many people today who call themselves this couldn’t find Africa on a map and have never been outside of their home cities. In order to qualify for this term you must have been born in Africa and moved to America. If you never had duel citizenship you don’t qualify. That is the new rule, we all have to abide by it. Obama is white and to the individual who made this comment:
“reparations=no black person should pay anymore taxes if they were owned by slaves sounds fair to me.”
Slaves never owned anyone, that’s why they were slaves.
Hersey Said,
November 11, 2009 @ 9:31 am
Glad to see you writing Etan. I’ve enjoyed your blogging over the years because it sparks a discussion or makes me think about something from a different perspective. Mildly dissapointed there is so much racism here but it’s the Internet and anonymity makes fools bolder. I have thoughts on 3 of your points.
On the slavery terms, not sure on the etymology of trading block but I think you are right to ask. It’s a good question but as a counter point on the racial overtones: an NFL player with a non-guaranteed contract may be a more credible source on feeling like property.
On the age limit, legit question and other commenters have touched in the answer. The age limit itself is fair as a business practice but unfair to athletes and college students because guys are claiming scholarship dollars to be exploited by the NCAA while they pretend be students. I feel the lack of a legit developmental minor league or junior club option is the culprit. It’s a business opportunity that has not been explored enough in the US.
On Donald Sterling, this one is a mess. It’s got to be disturbing as a Clippers fan because you’re putting money in this guy’s pocket. I wish we knew more about how league owners (which I think is an appropriate term. Players are employees of a franchise not property) police themselves. We’ve seen Mark Cuban get fined for his antics but that’s within the confines of an NBA event. We often are ignorant of how owners made their money or how they run those businesses. Perhaps this (and the immediate response to the ‘possibility’ of Limbaugh) will lead to greater transparency and media members doing old fashioned investigative reporting on the subject. To one of your previous points, I want to hear if the teams I support are run by slumlords, con men or cockfighters. If there is something negative I’d like to know more than just the positive PR events.
I just took 30 minutes of my time to think about your questions and respond so your article was worth reading. I do hope that your curiosity about the world you are employed is not a rebellion against a system that has been quite lucrative for you. I do hope that your curiosity leads to meaningful action that perhaps creates more opportunity.
Porky Said,
November 11, 2009 @ 11:01 am
There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, you can’t take part. And you’ve got to put your body upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you’ve got to make it stop.
– Mario Savio
Arun Said,
November 11, 2009 @ 1:52 pm
Etan,
I don’t agree with all of your comments but I appreciate your willingness to ask questions and express opinions on a variety topics. Too often we only hear from/about athletes when they’re trying to sell something or when they’ve done something controversial. Please continue blogging.
The NBA isn’t racist; its interest is in whoever will boost ratings & revenue. This motive explains most of their actions.
7. The dress code is absurd & pointless. I know this an attempt by the NBA to make their product more presentable for marketing purposes but there are plenty of people who will act unprofessionally regardless of what they wear. Tim Duncan, or any player, can wear whatever he wants- it has nothing to do with how he plays on the court. In fact, Duncan is more than professional on the court so that means more to me than him wearing a t-shirt to the game.
9. The age limit is also pointless serving only to help bad owners & GM’s make poor decisions on freshman & sophomores instead of high school players. Very few players are ready at that age but if an NBA team thinks that a high school player can help them then they should be able to employ them. Has the age limit, implemented in 2006, helped anybody?
12. Yes, is the NBA investigating Donald Sterling? I doubt the NBA is doing anything but hoping that the issue will go away. Unfortunately, because of revenue sharing, we are all supporting (and sending $$ to) Donald Sterling by watching & going to games. By doing nothing, the NBA is saying his (allegedly) discriminatory practices are tolerated by the NBA.
As a Clippers Fan & LA resident, I’ve been subjected to many years of more than indifferent management & daily self-serving ads that Sterling publishes in local newspapers. The apartment ads have recently disappeared but he continues to publish ads promoting groups honoring him. It’s nice that he contributes to charities but it doesn’t justify questionable, if not illegal, business practices.
There certainly is an amount of hypocrisy if the NBA doesn’t even investigate this settlement. If it was a player I’m sure the league would be doing more. The NBA’s ethics are in question if it doesn’t investigate Sterling for discriminatory business practices while it fines players, coaches, and owners for criticizing the officiating.
I wonder if some of the people in the LA Clippers NBA Cares commercials are also apartment applicants that Sterling has turned away.
john Said,
November 11, 2009 @ 6:17 pm
3.They’re called owners because they own the team dumbass. Why are you so race conscience? Why do you act like you’re so oppressed? Your “owner” is paying you 8 million dollars a year for five points a game. He must be racist I guess.
5.”Now that we have some decent leadership” we have 10.2% unemployment. 18% if you count people who have given up looking for full time jobs. But to answer your question: the argument the NBA could use as to why some teams aren’t making a lot of money is that people don’t want to pay to watch crappy teams (like yours). I’ll bet you think that Communism would fix that problem.
6.”Are the fans not deserving of accurate, factual reporting, instead of articles laced with anonymous sources, embellishments and overall inaccuracies?” You mean articles like My 12 Questions by Etan Thomas?
9.Does anyone see it as un-American to not allow an innocent American to not enter into a business contract? I’m talking about Rush Limbaugh.
11.Is it possible to impose a fine or forced firing of players that play bad?
12.What divisive comments? Al Sharpton is the one who made a big deal about Rush Limbaugh. The same Al Sharpton who perpetrated the Tawana Brawley hoax. The same Al Sharpton who calls black people niggers. The same Al Sharpton who has led race riots against Jewish and white people. The same al Sharpton whose angry mobs burned alive seven innocent people and stabbed a young rabbinical student to death. And You’re calling Rush Limbaugh divisive? Tell me what he has said in context that you call racist. Nothing. But you’re going to side with Al Sharpton, a man with blood on his hands?
Adrian Said,
November 11, 2009 @ 8:54 pm
Thank you Etan for showing others that NBA players do have active minds and are aware of what is going on in the world around them.
Alex Said,
November 11, 2009 @ 11:51 pm
And Hoopshype, you should be ashamed to have this kind of garbage on your website. It isolates whites and it makes your audience question your endorsements and beliefs when you post this sort of thing on the front page. It is humiliating for the writer and it is even more humiliating to any American.
Hak Said,
November 12, 2009 @ 4:01 am
First of all, let’s be real gentlemen RASCISM is real, it is real in every corner of the planet, and history is littered with examples. The fact of the matter is that it’s has been predominately executed by Caucasian men, from British colonialism, to American colonialism, the Caucasian man has been the biggest contributor of CRIMES AGAINST humanity, you guys have destroyed the Earth for all intensive purposes, and shriek when you are verbally held accountable. The truth is for your crimes against nature you should be on DEATH ROW.
Caucasian man you should not complain because everything said about you is true, you have stolen, killed, butchered, diseased, enslaved, raped, pillaged, and destroyed the ecology of the planet….for what…Nothing!!…your wealth is a wealth derived from of ill gotten gains. Crimes in India, Australia, New Zea land, China, the Middle East, North/South America, and AFRICA….makes you Caucasian worse than viruses and diseases…you have killed and wiped out more species on this planet than any natural virus or disease could possibly imagine to do….so just shut up and listen….When indigenous people are talking you have lost the right to speak on anything remotely concerning morality…or what’s right and wrong……I am sorry if this post is offensive to you Caucasian men…but what you done to the planet….is the greatest OFFENSE of all………..so sit down and shut up!
Hak Said,
November 12, 2009 @ 4:17 am
The world is put in motion by indigenous people, while a select few enjoy the fruits of others labors…whether it’s sports, sweatshops in china for NIKE, any field of human endeavor. This is known as business, until this system of things is over thrown redone, revamped, this is the nature of the relationship. They may allow an indegiounous owner in america, or england, but the system is firmly embbeded…Now i will say unequivically that I beleive that the average caucasian is enherithly a good person, they just happen to be born to the caucasian race and have been born into the benefits of caucasian rule. But do they want to exterminate Africans, native Americans, and endiougnous people world wide to garauntee a postion in life, occupational/quality of life thanks to generational nepotism…No I don’t believe that….BUT THEY AREN’T TRADING IT IN BECAUSE IT WAS GAINED UNFAIRLY….so it is what it is….
Seb Hutchinson Said,
November 12, 2009 @ 7:43 am
After reading Hak’s posts, I have realised that I am a monster and I am now overcome with guilt.
Apparently I should be on death row along with a few billion other white people because I have ’stolen, killed, butchered, diseased, enslaved, raped, pillaged, and destroyed the ecology of the planet’. However, I don’t remember doing any of that and I doubt Hak has any first-hand knowledge of my heinous crimes, maybe he read about it on the internet.
Still, luckily it looks like he might be able to forgive me because I’m still ‘enherithly a good person’.
jim jones Said,
November 12, 2009 @ 10:08 am
Hey Hak,
Whites have done quite a bit of good for the world too, you know. People in Africa would still be scrounging in the dirt for their food and living to the ripe old age of 25 if it weren’t for whitey.
While we’re on the subject of racial grievances, can white people talk about how blacks have destroyed American public education and commit a hugely disproportionate amount of crime in this country?
Cordell Said,
November 12, 2009 @ 11:16 am
I do think that players should say something about Sterling’s discriminatory practices because it also reflects his attitude on how he manages his team and treats management (see Elgin Baylor). I think high profile players like Kobe, Lebron, etc should say something, fringe players would probably get blackballed (ala Craig Hodges) and never get opportunities to be the 10th or 12th man on a team. I wonder when NBA players will stand up and say something about Sterling, its time.
frank b Said,
November 12, 2009 @ 11:44 am
Wow,
You would think that Etan asked the following questions based upon the responses:
1) Are all white people bad?
Why hasn’t Barack sent me any money yet?
2) How much do I hate white people?
3) When are my reparations coming?
4) Would everyone who sypmpathizes with the Ku Klux Klan please write in and call me ignorant and stupid?
5)Why can’t I just behave properly?
6) Why aren’t I happy that the white man taught me how to read and write and think?
7) Where are the hot white chicks?
9) Why aren’t I more happy that racism is dead?
10) Yes Sir! No Sir! Oops that’s not a question but it is helping me with question 5.
11) Why does everyone think I am a racist?
12) Why did I believe that people who read HoopsHype are intelligent?
Ted N Said,
November 12, 2009 @ 12:08 pm
Frank B,
First, ignorant does not mean unintelligent, but uninformed.
Anyway his questions are a. not particularly intelligent and b. extremely loaded. His opinion is pretty clear in the questions. Can the NBA fine journalists who are always writing things that are untrue or doctors from certain teams (not OKC)???? Hmmm… wonder what he’s saying about journalists? Wonder what organization’s doctors he is referring to since he played for only one other organization before OKC?
Both are ignorant stances ignoring. He ignores both the NBA’s relationship with the media and the laws in this country. If you have a problem that’s recognized as such by this country’s legal system then sue for slander or malpractice. What juristiction does the NBA have to fine someone who writes anywhere but NBA.com or another NBA publication? Does he really think the Wizards doctors were out to get him and screwed him on purpose? Who is he, Roy Williams?
I do not believe that the words “trade” and “owner” originated with slavery. Things were traded in England far before slavery was instituted in the US (or the American Colonies or whatever they called it at the time), so that word probably existed. Just a guess. People also owned things in a country that spoke English long before anyone owned a slave in the US.
You might as well ask whether the use of the term organization is an anti-Italian reference to organized crime… it’s equally ridiculous. “Slavery terms” have not entered the sports lexicon. I can trade commodities or currencies, and I can own about a million different things. Am I a racist for doing these things?
No doubt that institutional racism still exists in a big way. However, ignorantly pointing to minor things that are clearly not racist as racist only hurts the cause of actually fixing real problems, injustices, and inequities.
I like some of his points. The way he presents them is what makes him come across as an ignorant militant.
Ianscot Said,
November 12, 2009 @ 12:18 pm
The H1N1 silliness aside, Etan’s an interesting guy. He may need some editing — it’s “conscience” Stephen A. Smith wondered about, not “conscious” — but I’m all for people being open about addressing stuff.
Trying to dismiss the slavery question by saying ownership predates the institution of slavery is a little tortuous…. For one thing, slavery as an institution predates the English language. But more to the point, the idea of “owning” people as commodities is rather different than the idea that I own a plot of land. Etan’s list maybe blurted out that set of reactions, okay, but it’s an interesting point and not one to be dismissed out of hand at all.
Ted N Said,
November 12, 2009 @ 12:41 pm
Ianscot,
The idea is not that they own people… the idea is that they own a team, a company, an organization. They do own those organizations, therefore they are the organizations’ owners. Are all business owners unwittingly racists for partaking in this perpetuation of “slavery” terms? (Maybe if you are a Marxist. In all seriousness, not taking a swipe at Marxists… but, you know, we live in a capitalistic society, so it doesn’t really matter.) This is why I say that it is a fabricated and manipulated occurrence of racism or perpetuation of slavery. It is completely ridiculous.
I really didn’t find the list very interesting, to me perfectly honest. A few points, yes. Several others were ridiculous.
Ted N Said,
November 12, 2009 @ 12:48 pm
Also “For one thing, slavery as an institution predates the English language.”
Absolutely. I thought about this, but this slavery involved all races of people. If Etan Thomas is literally just offended in a Marxist way by the exploitation of labor… ok.
However, Etan Thomas is clearly referencing ONLY the American slavery experience: “Why does the NBA, an almost 80 percent African-American league, constantly uses terms that reference slavery?” He specifically mentions African-Americans. He doesn’t really seem to care about all the people who have been enslaved previous to that.
frank b Said,
November 12, 2009 @ 12:55 pm
Ted N
“First, ignorant does not mean unintelligent, but uninformed.”
“The word “Ignorant” is an adjective describing a person in the state of being unaware. The term may be used specifically (e.g. “One can be an expert in math, and totally ignorant of history.”) or generally (e.g. “an ignorant person.”) — although the second use is used less as a descriptive and more as an imprecise personal insult.” (Wikepedia)
Since the way that Etan has chosen to ask questions is so “Ignorant” what is your excuse for knowledgable statements like these:
“Both are ignorant stances ignoring.”
“Things were traded in England far before slavery was instituted in the US (or the American Colonies or whatever they called it at the time), so that word probably existed.”
Let’s think about this. Etan is an ignorant militant when he asks why terms used in the Slave trade are still used today. Your answer is get over it you racist, when someone says organization they don’t mean Italians and trading block was , you guess, probably used even before the American Colonies or whatever the US was called back at this time.
So is this response lacking in knowledge, intelligence or both?
Ted N Said,
November 12, 2009 @ 1:27 pm
“Since the way that Etan has chosen to ask questions is so “Ignorant” what is your excuse for knowledgable statements like these:”
I never said that I am not ignorant about a lot of things. I do not choose to get up on my soapbox and write published articles on these subjects, however. My excuse for the first is that it was a typo. I am not an expert on history or linguistics, so my response is definitely lacking in knowledge. I don’t think it’s particularly lacking in intelligence, though. “Trading block” was used before the American Colonies existed. It was certainly used in many languages referring to people of various ethnicities in various slave trades, and it was also used and still is today for other commodities. I’m not saying that it’s ok that slaves were commodities, I’m just saying that they were. And slaves were commodities thousands of years before a single African was sent against his/her will to the “New World.”
Do you seriously find it racist that people still use the terms trade and own? I still find it completely ridiculous, but am open to a reasonable explanation of why it is so.
The players are being objectified as commodities or assets. Mike Miller was traded this summer along with Randy Foye. I don’t think Minnesota would tell you that they traded Foye, but politely asked whitey Mike Miller if he would be interested in changing teams to Washington… the home of his slave owning forefathers. If you have a problem with objectifying and exploiting workers (extremely highly paid workers in this case) then join the Communist party or move to Cuba. If unpaid college players (and I hate the NCAA and am completely open to questioning if on matters of racism) were being traded around against their will (I mean they’re forced to do other things, but at least not traded) then I’d agree that this is somewhat immoral and reminiscent of slavery, but when a company decides to trade an asset it’s just not racist. If Morgan Stanley trades a department for cash or something else of value it may be affecting hundreds of people’s livelihoods. I wouldn’t call it racist, though: it is capitalist.
So, yeah, I agree that putting a person on a “trading block” is degrading, but I don’t think it’s for racist reasons in this case. Again, Major League baseball players were traded before African-Americans were even allowed to play. They were commodities then, and are at least assets now.
So: 1. these terms were used before the integration of American sports, 2. they were used before American slavery, 3. they are not referring to these players as commodities/assets due to race but due to their position in the capitalistic structure.
As I said, I agree that racism exists and that we need to continue to work on it as a society. I just feel that making crap up hurts this cause.
I also can’t particularly stand the whining of some millionaire who gets free meals, amazing training facilities, private jet travel, etc, etc. comped by the racist organizations that employ him and his buds. Suck it up cuckcake… your life isn’t all that bad. Leave the lists why questions to Jadakiss, he’s a lot more eloquent.
Alex Said,
November 12, 2009 @ 1:49 pm
Let’s be honest, whites blacks Asians etc have all done wrong things. The only thing that keeps racism alive now is the reverse racism by blacks. Blacks wanted slavery over and they got it. Blacks wanted civil rights and they got it. Slavery wasn’t ever right in the first place, at all, but at some point you have to try to integrate and stop using racism as a scapegoat for problems.
llperez22 Said,
November 12, 2009 @ 1:50 pm
wow, i never really heard etan speak before and I’m glad I haven’t. The nab age requirement is so that the GM’s who are investing millions of dollars can better evaluate these guys against tougher competition. The kids can go to the D’league or europe or go work any where else they wish, so how is the nba keeping them from making a living.
The whole slave talk stuff is ridiculous. Are you seriously upset about the term “owner”? Any local business in america has “owners” because they own store the store, franchise or whatever. Your making millions of dollars, and your upset about some terminology?
This dude sounds dumb.
SIMON Said,
November 12, 2009 @ 2:26 pm
wow, white people sure get offended by a fella just talking about racism. it still excists weather or not your racist. and Im white, but id rather be refered to as human, or alive.
and 1 year to wait to play is soooooooooo long poor kids. psssssh
rush is a big d-bag
and obama hasnt done anything? its like inheriting a run down trashy house…from the former administrations….give it some time. I mean it hasnt even been a full year.
america….come be a whiner…..or a weener, on second thought move to canada
Steve Said,
November 12, 2009 @ 3:04 pm
On the topic of Sterling, the problem is $. Sure, the owners could say something but they are in business with this guy. This is not the NFL’s situation with Limbaugh, he is a potential owner among a pool of many others. They can choose who they want in that situation. It’s a much bigger process when the guy is already an owner, especially in a league where there will not be people lining up to take his place. An opening for an NFL team produces a much bigger pool of candidates than the NBA, which would probably struggle to find a new owner.
Alex is an igonrant fool Said,
November 12, 2009 @ 4:21 pm
Alex… are you blind? African Americans only make up a small minority % of the U.S. population yet make up a majority population in prisons. Blacks who are convicted of murder of white folks get far more severe sentences than black folk that kill other black folk. Institutionalized racism is very much a reality in our society, black inner city schools get less government funding and poorer schools. Urban ghettos that were built before civil rights advancements still have the exact same problems because little has been done by the government to break the cycle of high unemployment, low education standards, unbalanced and racist police and criminal justice. if you can’t wrap your simple mind around a larger concept like that, you should educate yourself. (btw, I’m not African American, but I have two eyes)…Your comment “balck and asian have all done wrong things”… is the height of ignorance…yes, every individual of every race has committed wrongs, no doubt, but what we are talking about is the MAJORITY race IN POWER in this country, that just by being a majority gives power, and it needs to be recognized that with power comes responsibility to make sure that power is not being used to subjugate others in less positions of power, making them 2nd class citizens.
Alex
moksharaver@gmail.com
moksharaver Said,
November 12, 2009 @ 4:25 pm
yes ted, but combined with the continued reference to nba players as
thoroughbreds, property, and references to trading block is pretty damn insensitive and could be EASILY replaced with words that didn’t have such connotations…when you realized how easy it would be to use less offensive words, you have to ask…why are these still used?
p13k Said,
November 13, 2009 @ 5:25 am
Ethan, I believe a walk of a thousand miles starts with a first step, and not with a bunch of questions.
If you feel offended by the presence of Sterling in the league, you could group yourself with other players and do some protesting, but you haven’t.
If the words owner and trading block are, in your opinion, slavery-related, then abolish them from your vocabulary and offer us, not so bright people like you, with alternatives, like big kahuna and shopping window.
If malpractice is occurring, than it can be fought legally, with no further rules and fines necessary. And I do think the NBA contracts turn players like YOU into ball and chains (oh my… this is probably slavery-lingo) that fiscally damage a team, preventing them on investing that money on better players, making their teams attractive, and we have to waste our time reading from a 8 million dollar sub-par player that he is a victim?
HoopsHype.com NBA Blogs - Gabe Muoneke » It’s getting old Said,
November 13, 2009 @ 6:44 am
[...] basketball. You’ve got the good, with Pete Mickael, Caron Butler and, thank the Father above, Etan Thomas (I love that guy and I don’t even know him). You’ve got the bad (sort of) with Paul [...]
C5 Said,
November 13, 2009 @ 5:28 pm
Etan,
Focus on basketball. You’ve got the size but lack the talent. You’ve got every right to speak your mind and I’ve got every right to now stop paying to watch you play. I don’t like racist people and you my friend are a racist. Also do you and the other Obama supporters regret your support. It’s funny how people like you who make so much money and now get to pay more of it to Obama.
Earl Said,
November 13, 2009 @ 5:36 pm
I don’t agree with the age limit but I agree why it was done. I understand that NBA players want certain things but the thing is David Stern has to do what he has to do so that people that may not know or understand the culture that most African Americans or minorities come from that are fans can a least feel comfortable with those players and also with some of those player making millions when they are not. Without fans there is no huge contracts. My to people that are against some of what David Stern has done. Would you take a pay cut to have all the rights you are arguing about. In this world you will not have everything your way, sometimes there are compromises. As a player I would deal would some of the unnecessary stuff if it meant that I could make enough to help my family and some unfortunate people get opportunities to succeed. I also think that a lot of vets probably wanted the age rule because for every young kid that comes in and has to learn to play there are vets that know the game out of jobs and also it takes time for some of those players to develop. This happens to some players from college too but let us take Gerald Green if he would have gone to college he would have come out more prepared for the NBA because with the new contracts for rookies you can be out of the league after 3 years or 2 and unless you are lucky there may not be another opportunity to show that you can ball because there are lot of ready players available.
Ianscot Said,
November 13, 2009 @ 6:48 pm
Ted N,
Like I said, Etan just sort’ve blurted out a lot of this, but the whole “ownership” thing isn’t just about team ownership. US professional sports leagues all use language to do with ownership when it comes to player rights in various senses, for example. While that’s not specific to the NBA, it’s still not a completely idiotic thing to ask a question about it. European league systems in futbol or basketball don’t have a single coherent system for things like draft rights, and partly as a result they use quite different language. It’s not outrageous to ask whether the terms are carrying a little extra weight, there.
Thomas can be faulted for his delivery, but he’s at least talking candidly about ideas that aren’t completely canned political memes…. I have to give him points for that.
Who's the real racist? Said,
November 14, 2009 @ 4:13 pm
He who looks for racism in every situation is himself the racist.
To guys like Hak- Just knock it off. Middle aged whiter guy here and I’m sick and tired of being labeled a racist simply because I exist. Do you really believe that more than three quarters of the population hates you because you’re black? Truly ignorant. Try being an American for a change.
As far as Obama, he’s done nothing to merit any praise at all especially from the poor and people of color that he claims to care about.
He’s just a politician who happens to be black and he’s counting on people like you to look the other way on everything he tells you to. The fact is that he will betray you in the end to take care of his own special interest. Bush loved oil companies Obama loves the Pharma’s and the Financials. Things are great at Goldman-Sachs? Are they so good in your house?
And if the NBA is a “plantation” all I can say is I’ll be happy to work the fields.
Orrin Said,
November 15, 2009 @ 1:42 pm
The dress code, in my opinion, goes along way. Just as someone has to wear a suit and tie to a job interview or their first day on the job, it’s just about showing you take your job seriously and it does help the league’s image.
If the African-Americans in the league are going to complain about it because it takes away your individuality, then you’re just acting higher and mightier then your African-American counterparts in the workforce who don’t have that luxury of wearing whatever they want to work.
Harry Said,
November 15, 2009 @ 5:39 pm
Wow, provocative in all the right ways. This was a great blog entry Etan, keep up the good work. The expression and discussion of different points of view is the ultimate American activity. The founding dads thought this was so important not only did they make sure the government could never prevent it, they put it first in the Bill of Rights.
To those guys that are telling you to shut up and go back to basketball, they really don’t understand the values of the country they live in. For those who disagree with you, more power to them! But a little civility goes a long way. Calling someone an ignorant moron or something like that reflects more poorly on the person writing than the person they are responding to. The same is true of calling people communists or Marxists. I mean, can they really expect to be taken seriously? Tone down the talk and turn up the knowledge.
Regarding the H1N1 vaccinations, let me ask you a question. Is it unreasonable for the state or an employer of nurses in a nursing home to require an employee of the nursing home to get the vacination? Clearly, the employee deals with vulnerable adults all the time. If you agree that’s not unreasonable, then where do you draw the line?
Regarding the lanague of slavery, it’s been pretty well discussed, but I certainly hadn’t considered it before. That what I like about your article. It makes me think. While I see your point, I’m not sure how significant I think it is.
What I do think is significant is how you and the other players respond to Sterling. You are in a position to really make a difference. His behavior is wrong, legally proven so, and should not be tolerated.
Good stuff, keep writing! Kudos to Hoopshype for publishing this American experience.
Jon in Chicago Said,
November 15, 2009 @ 9:15 pm
I find it incredibly ironic and irresponsible for a millionaire African American to find offense in what you call “slavery” terms. Its ridiculous to suggest that their use is in any way associated with slavery as it was. And in case you hadn’t noticed, every person employed by someone else is in the same boat regardless of color. Of course, you’re the millionaire.
Besides, if you are that sensitive to such benign terms, you should be appalled at the casual use of the term “nigga” in the African American community. I suggest you fight that battle first if you really want to the world of “slavery” terms.
Complaining about having to wear a suit to work? Why? Because you’re rich? If your boss tells you to wear a suit to work, you wear it. You’re the employee- you do as you’re told or you can find a job more to your liking that doesn’t have that requirement.
And the age limit is about two things- the quality of the product and the ability for veteran players to continue to find work. The fans deserve a better product, and veterans provide that product. The quality of the NBA product has increased since instituting the age limit. Teenagers who impact the game are too few and far between, and the millions invested in them could be much better invested in players with experience. Tell your teammates Ryan Bowen and Kevin Ollie that an 18 year old is worth employment and they are not.
Jon in Chicago Said,
November 15, 2009 @ 11:35 pm
One more thing- I noticed that Etan was using the term “CEO” to describe Donald Sterling and Jim Irsay. News flash- neither is the CEO of their respective Franchises, they are the Owners.
A CEO is an Executive Manager who is employed by a corporation or company and reports to a board of directors. While an owner can assume the responsibilities of a CEO, they techinically cannot be CEO of their own company. They cannot fire themselves.
Jim Irsay and Donald Sterling own 100% of their respective franchises. They report to no one.
llperez22 Said,
November 16, 2009 @ 2:42 am
people need to stop calling it an age limit or age discrimination. It has nothing to do with age. It is a one year removed from highschool limit because owners got tired of investing millions into kids who hadn’t played against real competition. They want to see these guys play against a higher level, and as a business, they have every right to do that. The kids can go to college, the dLeague, overseas, or work at hot dog on a stick for all the nba cares. It just got out of hand with all the kids coming out who were not good enough.
And like the guy above me said, if the nba is a plantation, where can I sign up?
Ted N Said,
November 16, 2009 @ 3:35 am
Ianscot,
Hadn’t even thought of that, but it’s a great example to support my argument. In Europe they talk about “buying” players all the time.
llperez22,
Whose fault is it that they drafted players who weren’t good enough and have no formal system for developing young talent? The owners inacted the age limit as a way of saving themselves from both themselves and the incompetent former players with little or no education they hire to invest tens of millions of dollars a year for them. Deciding to run competent organizations would have been preferable compared to putting unnatural restrictions on the player market.