Lebron’s CNN transcript and other things
2010-09-29-Here’s the transcript of LeBron and Maverick Carter on CNN. Enjoy. Included: LeBron saying there’s a race factor to the antipathy directed at him. Yes, this was something Barry Bonds leaned on as well. I’ll just say two things:
1. Race is a factor in a lot of things, regardless of whether we’re aware of it or not.
2. Like Bethlehem Shoals said on twitter earlier, the fact that LeBron is actually saying something “controversial” is almost as important as whether or not you agree with what he said.
-And here’s an article on J.J. Hickson being ready to emerge as a leader. He certainly seemed ready to go when I talked to him in Vegas. Good night.
PS — RIP Sally Menke, Quentin Tarantino’s longtime editor and a major force behind Pulp Fiction, one of my five favorite movies ever and other great works, and a victim of the recent LA heatwave. This goes out to all the Tex Winters, Tom Thibodeaus, Michael Pietsches, great role plays, and whoever else worked behind the scenes of greatness. Without people like you, genius would just be another six-letter word. As someone who’s had the privilege of having the best editors on the planet over the course of my brief and relatively insignificant “career,” I know something about just how crucial you were to the art you helped make. Wherever you are now, I hope you’re getting the credit and praise you deserve.
LeBron’s absolutely right. Race did play a part in his Q rating – it kept it higher than it should have given his ridiculous actions.
The funniest part of this is the lunacy of LeBron saying this. Nothing makes white Americans re-embrace someone as much as when that figure calls them racists. His PR people are still driving him off the cliff. Truthfully, though this probably matters little globally. Nike will increasingly care a lot more about selling Nikes in China than in the U.S.
Debating whether or not the reaction to LeBron was race-motivated? You may as well debate whether or not god exists. Everyone has pre-determined conclusions that shape their view of the evidence and thus no one can argue in good faith. I don’t blame John for deferring on the issue.
LeBron didn’t play the race “card.” Soledad played it, and LeBron signed off on it. That’s quite different.
And he’s right–it has played a role. LeBron’s negative Q-rating went up substantially amongst non-blacks, but moved up a mere point amongst blacks. That doesn’t sound to me like race had “zero” to do with it.
Really? This is a RACE issue? It isn’t the fact that he besmirched his own brand, cost himself potentially millions of dollars, and essentially slammed an entire city by being an arrogant ass? What a prick.
Why, exactly, is it important that Lebron say something controversial? “Almost as important”, but why is any of it important? BS often expresses the profundity that these players represent, but is any of it actually profound? It’s just a game…?
Or, if it’s more than a game, if their off the court persona’s matter on a level of importance worth debating, isn’t that as sad as the irrationally passionate fans who burn jerseys and curse his name?
In other words, their off the court personas are the fuel to both the intellectual and the passionate.
ditto what Brad said.
Ask people in Boston how the feel about Roger Clemons. It’s the same situation. Race has ZERO to do with it.
Race is ‘A’ factor, how much ‘A’ factor is not known – probably very little. Howver to say that race is no factor at all is just as stupid as saying the entire backlash is just about race. Hannes is right, it’s ridiculous to transform LeBrons acknowledgement that race is a factor into him playing the race card.
I’m sorry LeBron, but all I’ve read from people is that you have acted like a douche. White, black, green, blue, purple… it doesn’t matter what color you are, if you act like a douche, people will call you a douche.
Krolik – do you have a take on this? If you’re going to post inane Lebron comments, then give your take on it. There’s plenty of sites I can go to to hear what Lebron said. I come to your site for some analysis. If you’re too afraid to give your opinion on a matter, then ignore it altogether.
Good call, Hannes.
It’s funny, within half a day, the lines
O’BRIEN (on camera): Do you think there’s a role that race plays in this.
JAMES: I think so at times. It’s always, you know, a race factor.
transform into “LeBron plays the race card”.
And he’s right, just by O’Brien asking this question, race became a role in this.
It’s a shame to see people play “the race card” like this when there are people who deal with *actual* race-related problems in the world…
The only issue of color here is that of the colors “wine” and “gold” being disrespected on national TV.