Comments on: The Playground Gave Us “THE BIG O” – The Holiday Archives Edition

By: ali

ali — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:39:32 +0000

cisco kidd,

unfortunately, many of today’s players are not grateful, nor do they even recognize the depth of the struggle that was endured, enabling them to reach the astounding benefits they enjoy today. but there are some current players that are students of the game, and its rich history, that value every second of the privileges they have in playing the game at its highest levels.

for the most part, the racial slurs have abated, but there is still an undercurrent of unease and even jealousy by folks who pay the exhorbitant ticket prices and let the liqiour induced courage act up.

sometimes, they act like the athletes are animals in the zoo and show some crazy verbal disrespect. and sometimes, fans buy into that anonymous mob mentality and do things they wouldn’t do by themselves, like throw objects and beer on players. but my man ron artest gave folks pause about those actions, after he went queensbridge on those fans in detroit.

but you’re right in that, overall, the majority of players are embraced by the majority of fans because of the majestic skills they display day in and day out.

By: Cisco KIdd

Cisco KIdd — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:23:07 +0000

We should be forever greatful to the great ones who had to endure deep rooted hatred based on race. Who were probably driven to excel just to prove worthy. Now the same faces who flood the statiums and arenas today are not screaming racial slurrs but embracing the God given gifts our athletes possess.

By: ali

ali — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:05:17 +0000

it’s a shame that starbury’s shine has diminished to such an extent. i hope he can resurrect some semblence of respectability, game wise, because personality issues aside, he’s still a world class talent. and he is, knicks fiasco aside, firm in his position among the illustrious history of ny’s point guard tradition.

as far as pacman, he’s exhibit #1a of sports thugs gone wild, fighting for his right to inebreation and making it rain at the gentlemen’s club. not much substance there.

By: illest

illest — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 12:43:35 +0000

o man plax and steph. sounds like bad diseases that need to get out of new york. even though they need to pay steph. its not like the knicks havent wasted money for years. even though the giants will miss plax. pacman is not fighting for anything at all.

By: ali

ali — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:22:14 +0000

keelan,

the old timers made good money for sure, as opposed to the average working man but the disparity between average folks and sports stars back then was not nearly as wide as it is today. those guys could not be set for life (and future generations as well), based on what they earned as pro athletes.

a lot of players worked 2nd jobs during the offseasons back then. they lived in regular neighborhoods and were part of the fabric of their communities.

and i think it’s more than just a scrutinizing media that’s ever more invasive today. yes, players have always had some negative behaviors that never saw the light of the daily news cycle back in the day, part and parcel with the boys will be boys philosophy. shoot, if babe ruth were playing today, he’d make plaxico burress and stephin marbury look like bryant gumbel.

but there is a drastic difference in terms of the overall mind set, societal experiences and frame of reference between players of these two drastically different generations, especially when you consider the breadth of the athletic and commercial landscape today.

we cannot also forget that back then, african americans were not far removed from the suffocation of american apartheid. oscar’s generation was fighting for equal rights, to be seen and valued as human, for voting and housing rights. they were fighting for their inaliable right to live. what is pacman jones and others like him fighting for today?

By: Keelan

Keelan — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:24:01 +0000

Same stuff, just a different day.
The founding fathers of the NBA and their teammates were not any holier than the players of today. As was so clearly described, the difference between now and then is media. Without such a scrutinizing lens from society the founding fathers were able to act as they pleased with very few consequences while the players today can’t even sneeze without being examined by the dozens upon dozens of media sources. This is not to legitimize the improper actions of our supposed role models of today but to bring to light the increased social pressure facing today’s ballers. In regards to the seemingly increase in greenbacks there actually hasn’t been that great of a change. The average salary for a baller in 1975 was 20k, the minimum wage in ‘75 was $2.30. Do the math, pro ballers have been making bank since then. The increase in salaries we see today seems so great only because of inflation and the additional contractual responsibilities.
With all that said it’s still a numbers game. It’s not about what you make or should have made ($$$), or how bitter or grateful you are.
You got to sink the bucket, dish the rock, and bring down the boards.
As far as that is concerned the “Big O” is the greatest baller of all…..so far.

By: ali

ali — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:37:37 +0000

casey,

you could make a very compelling argument that he was, indeed, the best ever.

By: Casey Lee

Casey Lee — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 23:07:03 +0000

I don’t care what anybody says…best ever!

By: ali

ali — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:53:50 +0000

i hear you funk. but i see a winner’s mentality in lebron as well. he’s got a competitive streak that borders on mean, in the fact that he wants to rip your throat out. he shows no mercy on the court. i haven’t seen him back down to anybody.

By: funkalot

funkalot — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:48:06 +0000

Ali,

LeBron is the next link in the basketball evolutionary chain. So, I agree he resembles “Big O” the most, in today’s game.

Where LeBron differs, from Oscar, is in temperament. Oscar had a mean streak, which he ably utilized to intimidate opponents. It was well known that if you angered him, you would pay a heavy price. He was not opposed to meeting you outside (locker room) to handle
differences. Oscar played to win at all times and detested losing.