Well, its kind of insane that of all the ways our country is failing, this seems to be the one thing that is kind of working.
And it's crazy that it's such a priority, and getting so many resources, but honestly, I'll be dammed if it wasn't nice and refreshing to watch some live basketball.
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ButtersA glass of some milksRegistered Userregular
It feels like enough of the players considered what was best for the BLM and police reform movements before agreeing to play again. Their platforms are stronger when they are in season and as much as this is about corporate interests, I do think having a big fat "BLACK LIVES MATTER" on the court helps normalize the movement in a good way.
I do think the real estate they gave to BLM is pretty good. However, I'm not so sure that "normalizing" BLM is a good goal exactly. The more one hears BLM outside of the radical/political context, the more it just becomes another meaningless signifier in the culture war. If one can just say "black lives matter" without evoking thoughts and discussions of police brutality, state violence, racism both systemic and personal, and creeping authoritarianism, then its just yet another way for people to virtue signal and figure who is or is not "us".
I would love the BLM stuff if they ever actually talked about the controversial parts. Without it, its just defanging and neutering the term, imo.
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ButtersA glass of some milksRegistered Userregular
By normalizing BLM I meant making it and the goals mainstream by bringing it into a space that was insulated before. In the past, white people could turn to other outlets like sports for entertainment without being forced to think about things that make them uncomfortable like racism. The NBA or at least its players are taking that safe space away and I think that's a big deal even if it's not as brave as protesting on the front lines.
As for ignoring the controversial parts, I think an all-star player like Tobias Harris ceding his media time to calling for the arrest and prosecution of Breonna Taylor's killers shows at least some of parties involved aren't afraid of controversy.
I would agree with you Butters, if they actually talked about the goals of BLM. That's my main problem, is that they will say things like "we want justice" without saying justice for what. "We want equality" without stating what's unequal and how to get there. "We want change" without saying what they want to be changed. It feels like, in nearly (but not entirely) all cases, they just invoke the words BLM, as if that's enough, while divorcing it from the goals of the movement. I know this is by no means unique to the NBA, it's the nature of all corporate activism. I just get frustrated with how many pats on the back are awarded to all adjacent to this area.
As for Tobias Harris in the interview, I agree with you. That was a significant use of the platform. Kudos to him.
Lebron's interview after the game inched in that direction too. He actually uttered the words police brutality, which you almost never see. I also kind of liked when the interviewer was like "Are you impressed with how much progress has been made" and Lebron was a bit like "Uhhh what progress?" Its pretty fucking galling for this "platform" to be used (in this case, not by the player) to act as though there has been huge progress in society because a few murals have been painted while the brutality goes unchecked and escalates daily.
Doc Rivers talked postgame (loose paraphrasing) about how it was tough to kneel for 2 minutes for the anthem, which made it all the more amazing that somebody could kneel on a guy's neck for 8 minutes.
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ButtersA glass of some milksRegistered Userregular
I would agree with you Butters, if they actually talked about the goals of BLM. That's my main problem, is that they will say things like "we want justice" without saying justice for what. "We want equality" without stating what's unequal and how to get there. "We want change" without saying what they want to be changed. It feels like, in nearly (but not entirely) all cases, they just invoke the words BLM, as if that's enough, while divorcing it from the goals of the movement. I know this is by no means unique to the NBA, it's the nature of all corporate activism. I just get frustrated with how many pats on the back are awarded to all adjacent to this area.
As for Tobias Harris in the interview, I agree with you. That was a significant use of the platform. Kudos to him.
Lebron's interview after the game inched in that direction too. He actually uttered the words police brutality, which you almost never see. I also kind of liked when the interviewer was like "Are you impressed with how much progress has been made" and Lebron was a bit like "Uhhh what progress?" Its pretty fucking galling for this "platform" to be used (in this case, not by the player) to act as though there has been huge progress in society because a few murals have been painted while the brutality goes unchecked and escalates daily.
I'm not declaring it a success yet but I think there are positive signs we are trending in the right direction.
The Celtics played pretty poorly but the officiating was brutal. Every play had a whistle so the game was rough to watch, Giannis should have fouled out with the foul to Theiss, and the missed goal tend was major.
The Celtics played pretty poorly but the officiating was brutal. Every play had a whistle so the game was rough to watch, Giannis should have fouled out with the foul to Theiss, and the missed goal tend was major.
Don’t really deserve to win when tatum goes 2/17, but yikes. There was rarely two consecutive trips up and down without a whistle
maybe i'm streaming terrible dj right now if i am its here
It'd be crazy if Memphis somehow wasn't even in the play in game. I like Ja Morant, but as a Blazer fan, I wouldn't mind if there were 2 spots open for the Blazers to take.
So, decided to buy the League Pass for the rest of the season - and these games are a little weird. But maybe thats because it has been years since I saw proper NBA games.
At least they are not as weird as German Bundesliga Football games with no spectators - that is just plain wrong.
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And it's crazy that it's such a priority, and getting so many resources, but honestly, I'll be dammed if it wasn't nice and refreshing to watch some live basketball.
I would love the BLM stuff if they ever actually talked about the controversial parts. Without it, its just defanging and neutering the term, imo.
As for ignoring the controversial parts, I think an all-star player like Tobias Harris ceding his media time to calling for the arrest and prosecution of Breonna Taylor's killers shows at least some of parties involved aren't afraid of controversy.
As for Tobias Harris in the interview, I agree with you. That was a significant use of the platform. Kudos to him.
Lebron's interview after the game inched in that direction too. He actually uttered the words police brutality, which you almost never see. I also kind of liked when the interviewer was like "Are you impressed with how much progress has been made" and Lebron was a bit like "Uhhh what progress?" Its pretty fucking galling for this "platform" to be used (in this case, not by the player) to act as though there has been huge progress in society because a few murals have been painted while the brutality goes unchecked and escalates daily.
I'm not declaring it a success yet but I think there are positive signs we are trending in the right direction.
maybe i'm streaming terrible dj right now if i am its here
The Celtics played pretty poorly but the officiating was brutal. Every play had a whistle so the game was rough to watch, Giannis should have fouled out with the foul to Theiss, and the missed goal tend was major.
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Don’t really deserve to win when tatum goes 2/17, but yikes. There was rarely two consecutive trips up and down without a whistle
maybe i'm streaming terrible dj right now if i am its here
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I fully acknowledge that I would absolutely hate him if he played for an opposing team,
but I love Kyle Lowry so, so much
At least they are not as weird as German Bundesliga Football games with no spectators - that is just plain wrong.
How do folks watch the playoffs when they don't have cable?
Sports bars?
Wait. Shit.