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| "I'm just doing MY thing!" |
The most powerful and influential person in the history of sports has been Michael Jordan. However, he's never used that power to do anything but play basketball and sell shoes. If life were only played on the court he'd be a national hero. Unfortunately, life goes well beyond the game of basketball.
Jordan came into the league in 1984 and you've never seen him take a stance on any issue whether civil or social other than winning basketball games. As a African-American he has an obligation to be a leader for change both on and off of the court because of his influence. It's not often that black athletes posses the economic power that he did as a player and now as an owner.
Athletes like Jim Brown, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Muhammad Ali put their careers on the line daily by supporting the civil rights movement and other social issues in this country. People hated Ali until he was unable to speak, now he's a national hero. He stood up to the government in protest of the draft and the Vietnam war etc. Brown founded the Amer-I-can program in 1988 to help young African-American males transition out of the gang life and prisons in L.A. and Cleveland. Kareem was very active in the civil rights movement in the late 1960's.
Jordan was given the opportunity to make the impact that he has as a result of the efforts of those gentlemen. So he's obligated to pull the next generation of not only black athletes but all athletes because the American sports landscape is so diverse now.
It's not just about playing your particular sport and making money. It's about being an influence for change and helping our youth progress. Let's keep it real, our kids are suffering the most. I put Jordan in the same category as Michael Jackson when it comes to our community. Yeah, he was a huge philanthropist around the world but he never did one thing for his home town of Gary, In.
I grew up just four blocks from 2300 Jackson St. in the “G“ as we so affectionately call it. Jackson traveled all over the world spreading hope and joy and never once spoke to kids from his own neighborhood or donated a dime to the schools or music departments there. That’s a shame bruh!
Jim Brown has called both Jordan and Tiger out on several occasions because they continue to stick their heads in the sand on social issues. For those that don't understand why he needs to step his game up let me explain. God doesn't bless you just for you. He gives you an abundance so that your overflow will spill over to help those that are standing underneath you. All Jordan wanted to do is make money and play ball so anything that would jeopardize that was taboo. I’m not asking for him to donate a million dollars. I’m asking him to be seen and use his influence to encourage kids that look like him.
I did an article just recently entitled “The Jordan Effect” on how Mike completely changed the sports marketing game and how that has allowed other players to prosper off of the court. However, that doesn't do anything for the kids in the hood dreaming of getting out. As products of the black community we all have an obligation to reach back and help or encourage others to become great and in my opinion Mike hasn't done that. He'll sell them some shoes though!
I’ve got the utmost respect for Oprah because she put her entire career on the line in 2008 when she endorsed Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Regardless of how you may feel about Obama and his policies she endorsed him when that one move could've nose dived her career. She wasn’t ashamed to let the world know how strongly she felt about it either. That was a power move. Magic even supported Hilary regardless of how you felt about that. He at least stuck his head out there. Where was Mike? I'll tell you where he was, playing ostrich with his head in the sand next to Tiger.
During the whole Katrina situation celebrities were on TV using their influence to help those people effected by the storm and protesting the government’s lack of concern for the people. Again where was Mike? Trying to protect his money! I’ve got no respect for Michael Jordan at all.
Holla At Ya Boy!
Jay Graves
Twitter: @jaygravesreport
While I certainly agree with some of this article, I do have a difference opionion on some. See, I have a ton of respect for Michael Jordan simply because I only see him as a basketball player. Just because MJ was the best ever at putting a ball through the hoop, doesn't mean he should be imparting his beliefs on me and my family. I think that athletes should be regarded to what they truly are, entertainers. One of the most important commercials ever made was the Nike ad with Charles Barkley where he stated he was not a role model. "Just because I can dunk a basketball does not meant I should raise your kids." It does not get any realer than that quote. We put athletes on pedestals and then when they fail, we are hurt as a society. Honestly, I only revere MJ as a phenemonal ball player and one of the more impecably dressed men of our time, nothing else. While I would certainly love for my kids to enjoy his level success in the sports world or whatever profession they choose, I want their morals and ethical standards to come from me.
ReplyDeleteWhen we place these burdens on athletes to take on more than their job as an athlete, they inevitably fail. How much of a role model is MJ when he truly was a womanizer and gambling addict? Anyone from this area and worked on the casinos knows MJ spent numerous nights in E.C. on the boats gambling and never came in alone or with Juanita if you get my drift. MJ was protected by the media because if you ran a negative story on him, he would never interview with you again. Pretty tough when you think about the biggest star in the country won't do a interview with your publication because you pissed him off. Little known fact, MJ won't do a interview to this day with Sport Illustrated because they ran a cover talking about how he sucked at baseball. MJ also broke Steve Kerr's nose in practice and we never heard about it. Now that's power!
Now back to the other icons you mentioned, they all did great things for their sport and even greater things for the black communtity. Question is, are they truly appreciated? Jim Brown, who I consider one of the greatest football players ever, has been alienated from the Cleveland Browns. If you ask me, he IS the Browns! Kareem, doesn't even get to sit on the Lakers bench and is lobbying for a statue. Due to the causes he believed in, Kareem doesn't get the respect from the mainstream media when we talk about the all time great b-ball players. And Ali, he lost several of his prime athletic years and financially caused him to fight way past his prime, thus causing some of the health issues he has today. Not saying what these guys did was wrong by taking up social causes, but where are the athletes today celebrating these icons? Every member of the Browns should be fighting for Jim Brown, especially the black ones. And far as why we don't have MJ or Tiger Woods taking up social causes, it's because they know the backlash if their secrets come out. Trust me,if Tiger would have publicly endorsed Obama, his infedality would definitely brought negative press to the campaign. Oprah, please. She waited until the end of her career to take a political stance, she was already a billionaire and about to end her show, she had nothing to lose. And you know what I don't mind it. To me, true heroes are the normal people who hit the grind against all odds to provide for their families and work hard to teach their kids right from wrong and how to play the game of life. I look at someone like my mom, who raise 3 kids without a husband, or someone like yourself. You have a disability, wouldn't allow it to be any barrier, participated in sports at a high level, and now you are great husband and father showing your kids the right way to live. To me, those are the type of folks we need to champion. Let's leave the applause for Lebron James for putting the ball in the basket and for Adrian Peterson being able to run the ball.
Lovell it is rare that it say this, but I couldn't have put it any better than you did. I can feel Jay's passion for sports, and lifting up our people. I have also known the author from growing up in GI, and have found him to be great person as well as a great athlete. However I feel that, athletes who leverage their careers for the betterment of out people should be commended and lifted up in our community. I "humbly" offer this opinion, lets hold ourselves individually to the same standard that we hold these athletes and entertainers to. Anyone who reads this piece can see the desired outcome that the author is seeking, which is extremely honorable. When we try to make athletes and celebrities our pillars of our causes, is a slippery slope. Michael Jackson as a person vexes me as one of the most philanthropic individuals on the planet, never doing a thing for his hometown. Which hit home for me, as my father was the music chairperson for Roosevelt High School. I remember before his death the lack of "reach back" by way of the Jackson family. The very music auditorium in Roosevelt, named after my father, never received a dime from the Jackson Family. The same auditorium that many of the older siblings honed their craft. Jay some individuals just don't share your passion, and altruistic approach to life. It is admirable, but realistically in this me me me society, with individuals thrust into the limelight due their talents. WEB Dubois speaks of the talented 10th leading us, I completely adopt this doctrine. I don't want all individuals speaking publicly on behalf of our cause. I wont throw any names out, but i am sure you can immediately think of dozens of athletes that you want to grab the mike from, every time they speak. The charge that you put over these athletes, should be over all of us as Black Folk, as opposed to waiting on the Cosbys, Jordans, and Johnsons to speak out for us. Similarly as a people we should speak in terms of what these people understand "money". Jordan's retort would be, is that this current youth generation never saw him play, and will drop $200 on his shoes. Thats where we as a people should speak with our dollars. People by and large respond to pressure, and as long as we fail to leverage our dollars as a people, these do nothing athletes will exist. We cant keep lifting up people who do nothing for us, that is not their fault, but ours for continuing to worship these folk. In a perfect world these individuals would realize that they are in a privileged position to do some good, and have the stones to leverage that to facilitate change for the better.
ReplyDeleteWhile I can certainly respect and appreciate the above comments my stance is unmoved. When you are the most famous black man in the world beside Barck Obama you have an obligation to reach out and at least touch our children. Black men in this country are dying at an alarming rate and going to prison at an even higher rate. These are the same people that are buying the Jordan brand at a rate higher than any other group of people on the planet. Of course I speak to young males at schools in the Indy area but I don't have the influence that 2nd most famous man in the world would have. We can't act like it's ok for a person that is getting rich off of our dollars to completely ignore that very individuals that idealize him. I'm not asking for his money, I'm asking for his influence to help inspire kids that look like him. He doesn't get a pass because he's Mike! I can hear the same women that are raising boys saying that he doesn't need to step up. His influence at a school or graduation ceremony would only encourage those that don't have the male influence around that has done great things. Don't say, "how do you know that he's not already doing that?" The reason that I know is because we live in a 24hr news cycle with Facebook, twitter and all of the other news outlets. If the 2nd most famous man in the world showed up at a school in the ghetto it would make news. Holla At Ya Boy!
ReplyDeleteU R TELLING THE TRUTH GREG HODGES CALLED HIM OUT WHEN HE WAS A BULL AND GOT TRADED
ReplyDeleteU R SO RIGHT GREG HODGES CALL HIM OUT WHEN HE PLAYED FOR THE BULLS AND GOT TRADED
ReplyDeleteDid you do ANY research for this piece? People are who they are whether it's the homeless guy on the corner or the greatest basketball player ever. I will post this link and leave it at that. http://voices.yahoo.com/michael-jordan-greatest-basketball-player-great-123418.html
ReplyDelete