Bill Simmons smites Scoop about the head...

Re: Columbia Journalism Review plans Whitlock attack....

What if during the fight weekend or another high-profile weekend in Vegas it was found out that the arrests made were comparable to the NBA all-star game, would that change the perception of the event? I agree with the previous poster, that is very pertinent information.

 

Re: Columbia Journalism Review plans Whitlock attack....

Me too. I kept adjusting my screen to see if used a blue font there.

 

Re: Columbia Journalism Review plans Whitlock attack....

jemele

wouldn't change mine. i attended a lot of tyson fights at the mgm in the 1990s. went to holyfield-riddick bowe fights. i don't need stats that can easily be manipulated to tell me about what transpired in vegas last weekend. tyson fights were my favorite sporting events. tyson fights attracted great black crowds and there was the gang element at those fights. but this was far, far different, far worse.

funny how we as black people want to rely on stats when they suit our purpose and then we want to run from them when they don't.

 

Re: Columbia Journalism Review plans Whitlock attack....

I think the arrest numbers and all can be telling to a point, but they don't tell other stories. Maybe on another weekend the Vegas PD was understaffed. Maybe they were All-Star weekend. Maybe the cops decided to turn their heads to certain things but not to others. Maybe they arrested more All-Star weekend because, as cops are wont to do, they arrested more black offenders for crimes that they let white offenders off for on other weekends. Maybe they let more off All-Star weekend because they knew they'd have problems if they busted everybody for everything. There's a lot that the numbers just don't tell, though they do give some information. A lot comes from describing the atmosphere around Vegas that weekend, the atmosphere that the average person would experience walking the strip.

 

Re: Columbia Journalism Review plans Whitlock attack....

And it wouldn't change my mind, either. Your column should have been written. Friends of mine that attended the All-Star game -- black friends -- all talked about how ridiculous the scene was. There was a level of uncomfortability, they said, because there was no security anywhere. And if there was security, they weren't enforcing anything, which made people just feel unsafe.

Like I said, your column should have been written and was well done. But -- and really, this isn't your fault -- I think there should be balance in coverage. I personally feel when similar acts of unruliness happen among mostly white crowds, the coverage is not nearly as damning. An entire race is not indicted.

The reason people reacted so strongly to what Jason wrote is because he hit on the shame factor. Black people bristle at the stereotype that we are unable to gather in large groups without fights or violence errupting, but sadly, we prove that stereotype to be true more often than not.

 

Re: Columbia Journalism Review plans Whitlock attack....

Please. I'm not Dave. I saw that column recently and felt that it was worth posting to get another viewpoint. From a WHITE guy who makes some great points. This is a journalism site, right? His column, despite whatever so-called holes, it has was well thought out. It made me think. It actually altered my stance. That's what good columns do. My main qualm with Whitlock's column is that it screams for attention, as many of his columns do. Not all, but many read like they take 20 minutes to write, and try too hard to be different. To be "real." As the Zirin guy points out, Black KKK, is a terrible analogy. That's but one thing of quite a few flaws in the column. But at least it got everyone's attention. You have to give Whitlock credit for that.

 

Re: Columbia Journalism Review plans Whitlock attack....

Although in general, this really isn't a 'black people in groups' issue...I've been around a lot of 'white people in groups' who made me pretty sick, but we don't classify them as 'white people in groups'...we just say 'rowdy and unruly fans.'

Jason is in a nearly impossible spot here. CJR is questioning why there are no other reports...but it's easy to see why they don't exist: How many white reporters want to write about 'black people in groups'? As for balanced reporting, I read it as a personal and somewhat painful account of how he felt being there--not a news report.

Reserving judgment until the CJR story appears, but I'm troubled by why the CJR reporter would take the word of the Vegas mayor and police chief on this subject.

 

Re: Columbia Journalism Review plans Whitlock attack....

I have to imagine there has been stories about the out-of-control NASCAR or Derby culture, which is predominantly white, as well as out of control college sports culture, also white. Does anyone remember any such links? The main problem is none of those type of stories indict the "white race" because it's so homogenous and, well, it's the majority. Condeming the actions of a small faction of a minority race, particularly blacks in America, is rife with so many conflicts, I, for one, can understand why people are uncomfortable with it, even when coming from a black reporter.

But I commend Whitlock for being "brave" enough to say, what the fuck, this is what I saw, and it sucks, and I don't care if I'm too hard on my own people, because what i saw in Vegas was wrong.

 

Re: Columbia Journalism Review plans Whitlock attack....

Are you suggesting the Vegas mayor and police chief might have a reason to have their city cast in a better light? Surely they wouldn't manipulate the truth to make it look that way. I mean these guys are politicians in Vegas. If you can't trust them, who can you trust?

 

Re: Columbia Journalism Review plans Whitlock attack....

just had a lovely 45-minute conversation with dave zirin... he made stronger points on the phone than his blog. it was a good debate and will lead to another column.

21, you read it properly.

jemele, obviously i'm very defensive right now.

as for unruly white crowds... there are many... the missing ingredient is the dead bodies filled with bullet holes.

 

Re: Columbia Journalism Review plans Whitlock attack....

I'm with 21 here. How many reporters at any paper are going to go out of their way to write about any stuff outside the arena?

 

Re: Columbia Journalism Review plans Whitlock attack....

Heck, the out-of-control culture in the Tallageda infield is lauded, pointed to as the "best" on the NASCAR tour. Not saying it is anywhere near the alleged Vegas scene, but it's been said to be very rowdy.