Posted by Nalod:
Jordan and his domestic situation was always kept very private. He did his job on the court and kept his image up. He kept his end of the bargin and promoted the league and his sponsers whom profited from his talent and image. IT has widely been noted his marriage was not that great but they kept an arangement in tact until it no longer could be maintained. Even still, Jordan is selling underwear!
Isiah marriage and public image has also been rather postitive and despite his effeminate smile he kept a nice image up while he was a championship caliber player. He opened his mouth at the wrong times but it was not big deal. What Isiahs problem alway was overstepping his boundries and ability off the court. He polorized Jordan and lost, expressed a bitterness even if sarcastically about Bird being white, and somehow also polorized himself with Bill Davidson and divorced form the piston organization. It seems he has an overinflated sense of self off the basketball court. Race has nothing to do with it.
Does Race play into both Jordan and ISiah? Of course, it plays big. There are a cross section of the american public that enjoys seeing a black man fail. But lets be real, Isiah is a successful man despite the current problem. Jordan is a magnificent success! These men fall from very high levels but still land in the Penthouse! Isiah lacks substance and his reputation does not give him the benefit of the doubt here.
Race will always play around here but really I think most of the posters have handled it as good as one could. In fact, it may be said that our forum shows a great deal of maturity and is a good example of many people form differnt backgrounds are able to come together dispite those differences and have a good time!
If only the world was as good as UK!
Aplaud this man. Nalod, you have kept it pretty real in here and I'd like to applaud you. I co-sign everything you've said here.
This is all I've ever been looking for, is an honest assessment of Isiah and the way race plays into this whole thing. I never pretended to know what actually happened, but I am painfully aware of the way media and 'a cross section of america' as you put it, have framed this, the vick situation and others. Regardless of whether (Isiah, Vick, Bonds, et al) are right or wrong, there is a certain venom with which they are attacked that, to me, is an indication that race 'plays big' in many minds.
Thats been my main point, and also that saying "I dont give a **** about these white people" in the context in which it was allegedly said, isnt a racist remark. But the people who get worked up about it, do not truly grasp what racism and discrimination are about.
And this has been a very civil discussion in here too. Very mature and respectful, no name calling. This is actually more civil than many of the basketball threads.
[Edited by - Killa4luv on 09-19-2007 11:10 AM]
) by going back to the 60's. 
9/19/2007 3:32 PM