NBA Thread 2019-20 Season

[longislandcuse]

I mean, things are happening fast, so who knows. But would it be surprising if in the cities that have NBA franchises, the players put forward something demanding X, Y, Z for police reform local to those cities?

Look, maybe it goes nowhere. The world sucks and our country's a mess so the likelihood of that is high. But the players are taking the opportunity to exercise their social power to try to bring forward justice and change.

I take it as a good thing. Even if it amounts to nothing. I'm here for the effort.

Fair enough.. I just think you’re overestimating the effect NBA players have on society right now.

Everyone they want convincing of has already tuned them out. That’s what happens when you try to influence people by shoving a megaphone in their face.

It’s a big story, no doubt, but they’re preaching to the choir right now.

 

[Briancuse]

Is this what you truly care about or are you just sick of watching old episodes of The Great British Bake Off on Netflix?

I was planning on watching about a qtr of the game today so this doesn't affect me one bit. There is plenty of hockey and baseball to watch. I'm just not sure this is the way to enact change.

 

[CanadianSU]

Fair enough.. I just think you’re overestimating the effect NBA players have on society right now.

Everyone they want convincing of has already tuned them out. That’s what happens when you try to influence people by shoving a megaphone in their face.

It’s a big story, no doubt, but they’re preaching to the choir right now.

I don’t think public policy should be based on NBA players opinions.

they have every right to raise them and some I’ll certainly agree with. But to the effect of actually implementing public policy? Idk that’s a stretch mind you they probably have some ideas that are long overdue that the public can get behind.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Fair enough.. I just think you’re overestimating the effect NBA players have on society right now.

Everyone they want convincing of has already tuned them out. That’s what happens when you try to influence people by shoving a megaphone in their face.

It’s a big story, no doubt, but they’re preaching to the choir right now.

Nothing happening right now makes sense. I have no idea how to estimate the impact of NBA players on society these days. It might be none. It might be a lot. They've decided whatever it is that collectively they're going to make a statement. That's big, if for no other reason than how unprecedented it is.

Do you really want to be a dweeb with a statement like they shoved a megaphone in people's faces, though? Bit of an overreaction, that.

 

[Alsacs]

The Kenny Smith walkout was rather cringe. Just my opinion

He shouldn’t have even gone on. That stunt was cringe.

 

[RF2044]

I mean, things are happening fast, so who knows. But would it be surprising if in the cities that have NBA franchises, the players put forward something demanding X, Y, Z for police reform local to those cities?

Look, maybe it goes nowhere. The world sucks and our country's a mess so the likelihood of that is high. But the players are taking the opportunity to exercise their social power to try to bring forward justice and change.

I take it as a good thing. Even if it amounts to nothing. I'm here for the effort.

Justice?

I wonder if the players would have cancelled the playoffs if they'd watched more than the 5 second video clip the media has condensed.

Because there was a LOT more leading up to that unfortunate outcome than what is selectively and intentionally being shown, pared down. Including a group of police being pelted with rocks and other debris, and an officer taking a rock to the melon that sent him to the ground, and Blake getting into a physical altercation with police before being instructed to sit on the curb. So when the police took a more aggressive posture to stabalize and take control of the situation, Blake standing up and walking away, then going into his car when they were ordering him to stand down and reaching for something...

Takes on a much different spin when viewed in its entirety instead of just the end 5 seconds, showing police advancing on a guy with guns drawn.

The NBA players should use their newfound free time to watch the entire video and find out more about what transpired with the whole situation (above and beyond Blake), and then perhaps the eventual outcome might be perceived slightly differently.

Or maybe not. But the entire incident isn't encapsulated in that six second video clip being shown, which has thrown gasoline on the fire.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Justice?

I wonder if the players would have cancelled the playoffs if they'd watched more than the 5 second video clip the media has condensed.

Because there was a LOT more leading up to that unfortunate outcome than what is selectively and intentionally being shown, pared down.

The NBA players should use their newfound free time to watch the entire video and find out more about what transpired with the whole situation (above and beyond Blake), and then perhaps the eventual outcome might be perceived slightly differently.

Or maybe not. But the entire incident isn't encapsulated in that six second video clip being shown, which has thrown gasoline on the fire.

It's about accumulation. A single incidence is a tipping point. But I think culturally we're at a point where a lot of people have decided it's enough. Anything past this point that happens that adds to the pile, they're just done with it.

And it sounds like that's where a whole bunch of the NBA players are.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I agree... except the only American NBA fans left are those that agree with them completely or, at least, “get it” and/or are ok with the activism.

I don’t know that this boycott will reverberate anywhere outside of where their world view resides.

Now if the Green Bay Packers did this...

Your post is a great reason for why this is necessary in their eyes. The whole country notices this but only those of us watching the games see the jerseys.

 

[longislandcuse]

Nothing happening right now makes sense. I have no idea how to estimate the impact of NBA players on society these days. It might be none. It might be a lot. They've decided whatever it is that collectively they're going to make a statement. That's big, if for no other reason than how unprecedented it is.

Do you really want to be a dweeb with a statement like they shoved a megaphone in people's faces, though? Bit of an overreaction, that.

Simply making a statement that how they chose to express themselves from jump was bound to turn off those who they should want to reach... Couple the bubble with players, gm’s and NBA reporters like Woj openly feuding with Trump, Cruz, Cotton etc..

I’m sure they don’t care about any of what I just posted, but you need allies to effect change.

By becoming the most polarizing league in the country, you don’t develop a ton of allies.

FWIW, there may be no good way for them to go about what they want to express AND develop allies in this current environment. I’d acquiesce that possibility.

 

[Day2]

Fair enough.. I just think you’re overestimating the effect NBA players have on society right now.

Everyone they want convincing of has already tuned them out. That’s what happens when you try to influence people by shoving a megaphone in their face.

It’s a big story, no doubt, but they’re preaching to the choir right now.

They’ve already influenced MLB players. That’s going to piss off a lot of MAGAts...

...and CuseRunner.

 

[RF2044]

It's about accumulation. A single incidence is a tipping point. But I think culturally we're at a point where a lot of people have decided it's enough. Anything past this point that happens that adds to the pile, they're just done with it.

And it sounds like that's where a whole bunch of the NBA players are.

What's enough? If people obey the law, then these things don't occur

What happened to George Floyd was a senseless crime,, and I hope the officers involved get prosecuted to the full extent of the law for their crimes. The situation in Atlanta, and this situation of Kenosha are cut from an entirely different cloth.

And a big part of the problem is we're living in a society with heightened volitility ased on the presidential election, exacerbated by how the media has contributed to police being viewed as illegitimate.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Simply making a statement that how they chose to express themselves from jump was bound to turn off those who they want to reach... couple that with players, gm’s and NBA reporters like Woj openly feuding with Trump, Cruz, Cotton etc..

I’m sure they don’t care about any of what I just posted, but you need allies to effect change.

By becoming the most polarizing league in the country, you don’t develop a ton of allies.

FWIW, there may be no good way for them to go about what they want to express AND develop allies in this current environment. I’d acquiesce that possibility.

Perhaps the NBA players are the allies.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

What's enough? If people obey the law, then these things don't occur

We have a fundamental disagreement here. I mean, maybe if we're talking a perfect state of being where all people, at all times, are perfectly obedient to the law, sure, I can agree with the statement that if people obey the law then these things don't occur.

But that's nowhere near where things really are.

 

[longislandcuse]

They’ve already influenced MLB players. That’s going to piss off a lot of MAGAts...

...and CuseRunner.

Football is all that matters in this country.

NBA is becoming an international league. MLB has its own issues.

NFL is massive, with a very conservative fanbase.

Get the Green Bay Packers to do this Week One, and I could see sports become the wave.

I just don’t see the NBA having that ability, especially when they’ve already drawn their line in the sand a while back.

Again, all their right to do, and if they feel this strongly, they should. I’m simply giving my view on the reality of the sports/societal/political intersection.

 

[RF2044]

We have a fundamental disagreement here. I mean, maybe if we're talking a perfect state of being where all people, at all times, are perfectly obedient to the law, sure, I can agree with the statement that if people obey the law then these things don't occur.

But that's nowhere near where things really are.

They are always have been, and always will be people who don't obey the law. what I'm saying is that there's a massive difference between innocent people getting shot by police, and those committing illegal and borderline illegal acts and getting the police taking action accordingly.

That's why the guy in Atlanta, who fist fought police and then took one of their tasers and fired it isn't the same as George Floyd. And ANY situation where the police are summoned to deal with a domestic dispute involving gun violence (as was the case in Kenosha) requires them to show up and be aggressive with guns drawn when the crowd starts attacking them by throwing rocks. Things don't happen in a vacuum. If Blake we're pulled over for a traffic violation or something and that was the outcome, it would be a travesty. In the height of a heated event where he'd already been competitive with police, him disobeying police directives and then going to his car to reach for an unknown object is a big problem.

It isn't just an innocent guy getting shot by racist police.

 

[Day2]

Justice?

I wonder if the players would have cancelled the playoffs if they'd watched more than the 5 second video clip the media has condensed.

Because there was a LOT more leading up to that unfortunate outcome than what is selectively and intentionally being shown, pared down. Including a group of police being pelted with rocks and other debris, and an officer taking a rock to the melon that sent him to the ground, and Blake getting into a physical altercation with police before being instructed to sit on the curb. So when the police took a more aggressive posture to stabalize and take control of the situation, Blake standing up and walking away, then going into his car when they were ordering him to stand down and reaching for something...

Takes on a much different spin when viewed in its entirety instead of just the end 5 seconds, showing police advancing on a guy with guns drawn.

The NBA players should use their newfound free time to watch the entire video and find out more about what transpired with the whole situation (above and beyond Blake), and then perhaps the eventual outcome might be perceived slightly differently.

Or maybe not. But the entire incident isn't encapsulated in that six second video clip being shown, which has thrown gasoline on the fire.

FFS, there’s no excuse for shooting him that many times in the back, or even once.

 

[Day2]

For now if the rest of the season is cancelled then what?

They’ll continue to cover the players, especially if they’re heavily involved in protests and meeting with government officials.

 

[Briancuse]

We have a fundamental disagreement here. I mean, maybe if we're talking a perfect state of being where all people, at all times, are perfectly obedient to the law, sure, I can agree with the statement that if people obey the law then these things don't occur.

But that's nowhere near where things really are.

Of course everyone should obey the laws and there shouldn't be one racist person in this country but that's unrealistic sadly. Boycotting a bball game isn't going to change that. We are all disgusted by what happened to George Flloyd and I won't even call them cops they are scum. They will all spend the rest of their lives in a cell. We can't change what happened.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

They are always have been, and always will be people who don't obey the law. what I'm saying is that there's a massive difference between innocent people getting shot by police, and those committing illegal and borderline illegal acts and getting the police taking action accordingly.

That's why the guy in Atlanta, who fist fought police and then took one of their tasers and fired it isn't the same as George Floyd. And ANY situation where the police are summoned to deal with a domestic dispute involving gun violence (as was the case in Kenosha) requires them to show up and be aggressive with guns drawn when the crowd starts attacking them by throwing rocks. Things don't happen in a vacuum. If Blake we're pulled over for a traffic violation or something and that was the outcome, it would be a travesty. In the height of a heated event where he'd already been competitive with police, him disobeying police directives and then going to his car to reach for an unknown object is a big problem.

It isn't just an innocent guy getting shot by racist police.

I view it as there isn't a massive difference between the rights people have.

 

[Day2]

They are always have been, and always will be people who don't obey the law. what I'm saying is that there's a massive difference between innocent people getting shot by police, and those committing illegal and borderline illegal acts and getting the police taking action accordingly.

That's why the guy in Atlanta, who fist fought police and then took one of their tasers and fired it isn't the same as George Floyd. And ANY situation where the police are summoned to deal with a domestic dispute involving gun violence (as was the case in Kenosha) requires them to show up and be aggressive with guns drawn when the crowd starts attacking them by throwing rocks. Things don't happen in a vacuum. If Blake we're pulled over for a traffic violation or something and that was the outcome, it would be a travesty. In the height of a heated event where he'd already been competitive with police, him disobeying police directives and then going to his car to reach for an unknown object is a big problem.

It isn't just an innocent guy getting shot by racist police.

His name was Rayshard Brooks, he was running away, and they knew he didn’t have a weapon other than the taser, which he already deployed.

 

[RF2044]

FFS, there’s no excuse for shooting him that many times in the back, or even once.

FFS, police are entitled to enforce the law and protect themselves when they're being attacked. And when a guy blatantly disregards their orders when they are working to diffuse said situation, walking away while they have guns drawn and are repeatedly asking him to sit back down, and then reaches into a car to procure an unknown object, he's asking for BIG trouble. what was he reaching for in the car? It doesn't matter whether it was a gun, a piece of gum, or anything else. Under those circumstances it was incredibly stupid to do.

 

[RF2044]

I view it as there isn't a massive difference between the rights people have.

And do you believe that the police have the right to enforce the law?

do they have the right to defend themselves in Atlanta, when a guy who passed out in a Wendy's drive-thru wakes up, gets into a physical altercation with police when it becomes clear that they're going to arrest him, snags a taser from one of them, then turns around and fires it at an officer? Or is that another example of the police brutality against an innocent man?

Police put their lives on the line on a daily basis. This politically charged climate has painted them as bad guys and heightened scrutiny, but I think people need to understand that when these guys let their guard down or make a false move, they could be dead any given night. And when members of the public will break the law increases the chances for trouble.

 

[orange79]

OK, NBA folks.

I understand the lines are blurred, but discussion is veering into OT Forum territory.

Thanks.

 

[Day2]

FFS, police are entitled to enforce the law and protect themselves when they're being attacked. And when a guy blatantly disregards their orders when they are working to diffuse said situation, walking away while they have guns drawn and are repeatedly asking him to sit back down, and then reaches into a car to procure an unknown object, he's asking for BIG trouble. what was he reaching for in the car? It doesn't matter whether it was a gun, a piece of gum, or anything else. Under those circumstances it was incredibly stupid to do.

The cops were close enough to simply grab him and cuff him. This has nothing to do with enforcing the law or protecting themselves. They’re supposed to protect the people. Blake’s kids were in the car for crying out loud.

 

[Day2]

OK, NBA folks.

I understand the lines are blurred, but discussion is veering into OT Forum territory.

Thanks.

I’m sorry, but to hell with that. Ban me.