Scoops civil response to Whitlock

"The NBA is where Scoop shines."

Right. That's why he had to write a column during the playoffs last year basically saying "Hey, look, I'm not an sports analyst or anything, I'm just a writer." Which is a nice way of saying "My picks were garbage, I don't know the sport, but, hey, the bruh's in the league think I"m 'down,' and ESPN employs me, so my schtick must have SOME value, right? Right?" One of the first writings which turned me off of Scoop was a piece in SLAM which included a rant about how he - and many in the NBA - just KNEW that all of the (overwhelmingly white) foreigners were being brought in to racially 'balance out' the rosters and make the fans feel more comfortable. This, of course, was probably before the US 'Dream Team' was getting SERVED in international competition, and it became obvious that foreigners were vastly superior in terms of fundamentals to the homegrown talent who, by coincidence, grew up being fellated by Scoop and his ilk in magazines like SLAM for dunks and sneakers and not for winning. You see, Scoop, that's what's called being part of the problem, and not the solution. But you're cool. Just like Clarence Thomas. You got yours, you got into Columbia, and now you're MORE than willing to not only toot your own horn (# of black sportswriters < # black NBA players, a specious argument at best), but effectively 'pull up the ladder' behind you by dooming future 'bruhs' to failure through your "its all about race, Gangsta - style" tripe. Good job. Keep cashing that check, playa!' What do you call it when you're Bojangling, and you don't even know it? You're achieving 'the man's' ends, but, damn it, you get to do it using YOUR OWN writing style. Real. Good. Scoop. Good job.

 

I think I see referee Mills Lane stepping in to stop this one...

 

"sportsbruh can't continue!"

 

Perhaps Mr. Whitlock is posting now as both SportsBruh and Rokski.

It's either a multiple-personality meltdown brought on by stress, or a devious and ingenious strategy to ensure that, no matter what, The XL Sexy wins every argument he engages.

 

jgmac

you know i'm much too glory hungry to write what rokski wrote and not want credit for it. and even though i can be stupid at times, i could never be as dumb as sportsbruh.

 

Sportsbruh,

I am about to make a massive mistake. I am about to reason with you.

Just because there are more of x than y doesn't automatically mean that it is more difficult to achieve x. According to the EEOC, there were 150 black men working at used car dealerships in 2000. Lets assume that the number is criminally underreported and double it to 300. Are you honestly going to tell me that a black male has a better chance of playing point guard for the Celtics than he does trying to sell me a '98 Accord?

There are so many barriers to playing in the NBA, not the least of which is the inherent athletic ability that puts you in the top 0.5% nationally. To work in a newspaper, you need to be willing to work odd hours, write in coherent sentences and be paid jack shit. To work at a used car dealership, you need no sense of dignity and a working knowledge of cars.

 

To take his argument further does that mean we should tell all the young white kids out there to quit wasting their time playing basketball because they have no chance of going anywhere?

 

I have a strong suspicion that sportsbruh is not a sport and definitely not a bruh.

 

I am not J Whitlock, or any alter ego of his or Scoop's. Nor am I a past or present boss, co - worker or subordinate of either of theirs with an agenda. Further, I don't personally know Scoop, JW, or (previously) Wiley. I wrote JW's KC Star email in the last few days telling him I wrote a comment at The Big Lead supporting his position. I don’t work for The Big Lead, either. I just read their stuff. That’s the extent that I’ve ever had contact with JW. Never mentioned SJ in my email, and I used a different name, so JW wouldn’t know it was I posting here even if he had wanted to. No co – ordination going on b/n JW and myself, these are my own takes.

I'm just an outside observer who has read Scoop, JW, and writers they interact with for years. I've read most of what Ralph Wiley wrote, and - like many - felt a real sense of loss at his early passing. He left a gigantic void - in both writing in general, and ESPECIALLY sportswriting.

The truth is nobody can replace Wiley. This is a guy who even reached out to Rush Limbaugh after Limbaugh's Donovan McNabb meltdown. He was that mature, that self - confident that it didn't threaten his personal, professional, or racial identity (i.e., he wasn't scared to lose his 'hood pass' over it) to have a real dialogue with someone who got fired for, and labeled as, being a racist. That's courage. That's trying to have a positive impact on America as one of its few Black sportswriters.

It's easy to pound your own chest and say "I'M even more elite than NBA ballers, % - wise! What's up now?!" Ok, Scoop, now what are you going to do with that access? Unite people over - and - above racial categories, like Wiley tried to do? Or just stick with the lucrative, racially - divisive bunk that plays to the wanna - be Eminems? The early answers were in, Scoop, and that's why JW wanted out of the mix. As you and JW well know, Sportsbruh, a lot of ignorant people will read two Black writers at the same website and think they're the same person, and that they hold the same views. JW didn't want that association to be made b/n him and you.

ESPN doesn’t care if you’re Martin or Malcolm, as long as you get hits. They don’t have to care about responsible writing. Clearly there is a market for the "Gangsta - style, my race is da’ real ballers, you Others are jealous because of it, and you wouldn’t understand me b/c you’re not my race" sack - of - monkey - dung, race – peddling, ignorant, divisive garbage that Scoop (and many others, to be fair) write. Ask "Survivor" how well race sells.

Race sells. Hey, crack sells, too. I mean, it’s all about money and fame, right Scoop? Doesn’t matter how you get it, right? By any means necessary, right? Right. As long as you’re not BROKE, like the other, dissenting posters here.

Here’s what it seems JW came to: JW gotta take care of JW, b/c ESPN isn’t and isn’t going to. He tried to protect his own name, the legacy Wiley had built up at Page 2 over the years, and the eroding edifice of current American cultural dignity, especially Black American cultural dignity. (That is, he seems to not be down with the ‘pimpization’ of all men, the ‘stripperization’ of all women, and the ‘Ho for Hire - ization’ of all writers.)

Well, not only did ESPN not help him protect those things, they repeatedly shrugged their shoulders at his protestations and then handed out gas cans as the flames raged. Seeing he couldn’t stop the blaze, and understanding the fire company wasn’t on the way, JW got out before he got burned. Then he spoke and wrote that the fire was no accident. And now the arsonists are pissed they got named. So we have ombudsman writing fluff pieces, and former colleagues taking written shots at the arsonists to show ‘solidarity’ with their departed co – worker. How touching.

And how utterly worthless.

Ask Lance and Mark how meaningful that stuff is. Empathy is cheap; action is costly. JW took action, and that’s why he’s getting respect. He blew the whistle, so he’s getting respect. Remember, this isn’t just about Scoop, it’s about Lupica, Albom, and ESPN, too. I know, of course, that Scoop trumps those three names but, surprisingly, those other names mean a hell of a lot more than Scoop’s does to many journalists. JW called it straight, so he’s getting respect. And he took the hit for his beliefs, so he’s getting respect.

Meanwhile, Scoop is still being anti – establishment. For The Establishment. Cashing that Establishment check. No contradiction there. And when The Conductor changes the tune, Bojangles will dance a new step. Perhaps with longer sentences this time. It’s all about money and fame, remember? By any means necessary, remember? Rock on, Rosa Parks! Rock on, Jackie Robinson. Keep stepping on Wiley’s grave while you dance.

When Bojangles’ Conductor stops, and He will when His audience tells him to, I hope Scoop lands on his feet. For now, my respect goes to the flawed but clearly – correct – in –this – instance JW.

 

Let's leave the Bojangles references alone, please.
Rok, I know you know this, but Bill Robinson wasn't a minstrel show black person. He was independently wealthy, practically invented one whole segment of modern dance, and, among other relevant things, owned a big piece of several Negro League baseball teams.
You want to call minstrel-show-Negro on someone, go with God. But you're wrong about Bojangles.

 

RokSki

Off the charts! Thank you. Empathy may be cheap, but I do take great satisfaction in the fact that at least one person gets it.

 

Bojangles tap danced for the amusement of white audiences and he was paid well for doing it. Period.

We're all impressed that you know a little more about Bill Robinson. Your parents are proud. But know this, it's 2006 and we all have access to wikipedia.