blkexec wrote:I'm from New York. Until the fans change and support, like how they do in San Antonio, there is going to be a bunch of chaos. They need to stop blaming the players, and stop blaming the ownership, and the fans as a whole need to blame themselves." Artest
During the last major labor war, it became pretty apparent that many NBA players are simply out of touch with their fanbase and with reality.
Outside of soccer, the NBA SHOULD be the No#1 professional sport in the world. During the last labor war, Bill Simmons had some interesting discussions about individual professional athletes and how NBA players are some of the most recognizable in the world. Then he pointed out how NBA players and their behavior simply drives away many fans.
Ross Tucker was a former NFL offensive lineman and he pointed out, unlike MLB and the NFL, NBA players don't have the same dues process involved. Even if you are a top notch prospect in baseball, you still have to play in the minors. You still have to ride buses and stay in crappy motels and police your own gear and live on the edge of nothing, along with lots of other guys who are barely hanging on. In the NFL, the fear is constant that if you get hurt, you will lose your job and someone is always hunting to take your job. Tucker pointed out there is rarely a case like LBJ, where a player gets a massive endorsement deal BEFORE he's even played a minute in the NBA, then dubbed royalty, and never has to pay any dues, and immediately is one of the best player in the league.
Blame the fans for what? They pay for their tickets, they have the right to boo if they want. This comes part and parcel with all the BENEFITS of being a pro athlete. Alonzo Mourning needed a new kidney, once he announced his health problems, he got offers for EIGHTEEN donors the next day. Would this happen for Mourning if he was just a non celebrity working a regular Joe job? I call that kind of option in life a TINY price to pay to hear some occasional boos.
I've been in places in the world where CHILDREN are sold into sexual slavery. I've been to places where no one has even basic clean drinking water. I've been to places where children are armed and used as soldiers and cannon fodder.
And your biggest problem in life is hearing some boos?
Some people are out of touch with reality. For example, if you have never played in the NBA, and you talk like you compare your athletic history on a message board with the issues and complications of being an NBA player, like you "get it", to me, that's completely out of touch with basic reality. But some people are going to do it.
Most of us saw Wayne Chrebet play for the NY Jets. Undrafted. Fought to just make the roster. Fought to start. Fought to be productive. Bled for every inch of it. NO ONE GAVE HIM ANYTHING. He never acted entitled to anything. He never acted like he was owned anything. He just dug in, kept his head low, outworked everyone and bled for it. NO ONE EVER BOOED HIM. Play the game the right way, and then you'll start to hear things you want to hear. And if you are the kind of person who can't handle some boos, then it means you can let others invade your personal frame, your own sense of ability and self to do your job, and what does that make you? Society expects that out of women and children, but not men. Anyone who can't handle public criticism as a pro athlete and can't handle a few boos, well to me, that's a good job reacting like a f**king woman. Changing your tampon, princess, and deal with it.
NO ONE GIVES YOU JACK SH!T IN THIS LIFE. MEN UNDERSTAND THAT. YOU WANT SOMETHING? YOU WANT RESPECT? BLEED FOR IT AND GO AND TAKE IT.
Ron Artest and anyone else who wants to cry otherwise need to go change their tampon because their mangina is leaking too much.
