Josh Howard In The News Again!

[The Guilty Party]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3592734

Apparently there is a video on YouTube of Josh Howard saying the following during the National Anthem while at one of Allen Iverson's celebrity events....

"The Star-Spangled Banner' is going on. I don't celebrate this [expletive]. I'm black."

The man is entitled to his political beliefs and I'm not questioning that in any. way, shape or form. What's weird is that Josh Howard more or less flew under the radar with bad publicity for years and then BAM... we keep reading about him. It's almost as though this is some 80s movie where he and Stephon Marbury touched the same object at the same time and they switched personalities. What's the deal with this guy? I'm just happy as all hell he isn't an athlete in Philly.

*********
For those that want to see it.... here's the video.

[bedjaw]

Just like Josh I am going to exercise my constitutional right of freedom of speech. Josh Howard is a disrespectful punk. He has spit on every single black man (and their are plenty) who has died in support of the US flag and so his black ass can play basketball for a living. WAY TO GO JOSH!

[Slacktard]

This is America, he's entitled to say whatever he wants to. But there is no law saying you are not allowed to criticize him for it.

I get so sick and tired of hearing Freedom of Speech used by people to stop other people from criticizing them. Guess what? Fredom of Speech means you are able to say what you want without facing being thrown into jail.

It's not a protection from others talking or disagreeing with your views or statements you've made.

I believe every should execute their freedom of speech and tell Josh Howard what a jackass he is.


BTW does anyone find it kinda interesting that at an Allen Iverson event he's not the one making the news for something stupid?

[barkley34]

Just like Josh I am going to exercise my constitutional right of freedom of speech. Josh Howard is a disrespectful punk. He has spit on every single black man (and their are plenty) who has died in support of the US flag and so his black ass can play basketball for a living. WAY TO GO JOSH!

+1

We are really lucky right now as Sixers fans, our guys all have high character. I give credit to Snider because he has put an emphasis on character the last couple of years since the fan appreciation fiasco.

Here is the link to the video.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDxf35b06s4

[geiger]

Hey, as the marines say, they fight and die so people can exercise their freedom of speech. Hence, civilians should exercise their freedom to say whatever they want to the Marines and the Marines will exercise their freedom to punch people in the face when they don't agree with what they say. Well, Josh Howard is entitled to his opinion. This is a free country. The rest of us are free to call him a punk, not buy his jersey, boycott Mavericks games, not buy any Mavericks gear, protest at their games, and write petitions to the league and the team for Howard to be suspended, fined, whatever. That's how a democracy works. You can say whatever you want to say, but there are consequences to vile bile and ignorance. It applies doubly to public figures who make money as the result of being in the public lime light. It applied to Imus and it by God should apply to Josh Howard.

[CPops57]

the Marines will exercise their freedom to punch people in the face when they don't agree with what they say.

Excuse me Sir. This isn't what freedom is.

[The76thDegree]

What would you do
If you were asked to give up your dreams for freedom?
What would you do
If asked to make the ultimate sacrifice?

Would you think about all them people
Who gave up everything they had?
Would you think about all them War Vets
And would you start to feel bad?

Freedom isn't free
It costs folks like you and me
And if we don't all chip in
We'll never pay that bill
Freedom isn't free
No, there's a hefty f'ing fee.
And if you don't throw in your buck 'o five
Who will?

What would you do
If someone told you to fight for freedom?
Would you answer the call
Or run away like a little p'ssy
'Cause the only reason that you're here
Is 'cause folks died for you in the past
So maybe now it's your turn
To die kicking some ass

Freedom isn't free
It costs folks like you and me
And if we don't all chip in
We'll never pay that bill
Freedom isn't free
Now there's a hefty f'ing fee
And if you don't throw in your buck 'o five
Who will?

You don't throw in your buck 'o five. Who will?
Oooh buck 'o five
Freedom costs a buck 'o five

[UptownPhilly]

He has the right to say whatever he wants, but he has and will continue to offend people, more so than startle them. It's obvious that in the video he was being sarcastic.

He has the right to feel that way. America has taken advantage of and exploited black people for hundreds of years, and as his words implied, he owes this country nothing.

However, he does not speak for all black people. His word choice is poor, and his message will obviously be misconstrued, since he is a professional athlete.

[geiger]

Every country has oppressed and exploited someone. Black people have exploited and oppressed black people in Africa. There is still slavery in some parts of Mauritania. This kid grew up with every privilage afforded by country - including free public education, free college education, and a massive NBA contract paying him millions of dollars. Any discrimination he might have personally experienced in his life at his tender young age was from an individual and he likely has discriminated against others in just the same way. It was not state sponsored discrimination. He doesn't like this country, he has the freedom to leave it. WHat do you mean he owes this country nothing? Every single citizen owes their country allegiance or they should not be citizens. That's the fundamental principle of citizenship. Does this country then owe him any protection from arbitrary punishment? From crime? Roads? Schools? Education? Anything? That's just a silly nonsensical statement.

[The76thDegree]

He has the right to say whatever he wants, but he has and will continue to offend people, more so than startle them. It's obvious that in the video he was being sarcastic.

He has the right to feel that way. America has taken advantage of and exploited black people for hundreds of years, and as his words implied, he owes this country nothing.

However, he does not speak for all black people. His word choice is poor, and his message will obviously be misconstrued, since he is a professional athlete.

he owes this country the millions of dollars that he makes every year among many, many other things - also a whole lot of people have been exploited for a whole lot of things so get over it and try to abandon the whole "give a black man a break" implications - but back to basketball: Howard was a ball player i used to respect for both his on court play and his lack of off court issues but now my view of him has totally changed

[Mik317]

BCuz I got high
bcus I got high
BCUZ I GOT HIIIIIIIIIIGGGGHHH

da da da da da da daaaaaaaaaa.

[83SixersRocked]

Every country has oppressed and exploited someone. Black people have exploited and oppressed black people in Africa. There is still slavery in some parts of Mauritania. This kid grew up with every privilage afforded by country - including free public education, free college education, and a massive NBA contract paying him millions of dollars. Any discrimination he might have personally experienced in his life at his tender young age was from an individual and he likely has discriminated against others in just the same way. It was not state sponsored discrimination. He doesn't like this country, he has the freedom to leave it. WHat do you mean he owes this country nothing? Every single citizen owes their country allegiance or they should not be citizens. That's the fundamental principle of citizenship. Does this country then owe him any protection from arbitrary punishment? From crime? Roads? Schools? Education? Anything? That's just a silly nonsensical statement.

Personally, I have allegiance to this country (but don't believe I 'owe' it simply by virtue of the latitude and longitude where I took my first breath), and I have 0 allegiance towards an inanimate object. The pledge is about obedience as much as anything else, IMO. Perhaps he feels the same way.

[geiger]

This was not a pledge of allegiance. It was the national anthem. And again, he can do whatever he wants, but there are consequences to actions. He can call the American Anthem **** and say he won't sing it and people can boycott his team, demand he be fined, suspended, not buy his jersey, and not go to Maverick games. He is an entertainer. He makes money because the American people pay to watch him entertain. If he offends them, it's perfectly within their right not to watch him and not to pay the money and it will be perfectly well within the right of the Mavericks ownership to fine him, suspend him, or even void his contract - same for the NBA. Not saying this should be done or will be done, merely that this is an option people have in a democracy to respond to actions or words of others.

[CoachK]

It's a shame but by the time the season starts if not before this will be all forgotten. I think Howard should go over to Iraq and play. Maybe he would appreciate what he has in the US.

[83SixersRocked]

This was not a pledge of allegiance. It was the national anthem. And again, he can do whatever he wants, but there are consequences to actions. He can call the American Anthem **** and say he won't sing it and people can boycott his team, demand he be fined, suspended, not buy his jersey, and not go to Maverick games. He is an entertainer. He makes money because the American people pay to watch him entertain. If he offends them, it's perfectly within their right not to watch him and not to pay the money and it will be perfectly well within the right of the Mavericks ownership to fine him, suspend him, or even void his contract - same for the NBA. Not saying this should be done or will be done, merely that this is an option people have in a democracy to respond to actions or words of others.

My bad, it was the anthem. I agree that the fans can do that. I'm not so sure about the Mavs or NBA though, especially as far as voiding a contract...depending on the infraction. A morality clause is one thing but IMO it's a slippery slope other than 'conduct detrimental to the team'.

[geiger]

In Howard's case (and understand that this is purely hypothetical and they would never do it as it would not benefit their business and he would be signed by a rival the same day) they could justify releasing him under the "conduct detrimental to the team" clause based on a number of infractions, including his arrest, his public admission of drug use, and his comments about the anthem, if they can show that these things have determinentally impacted the team - a boycott of the team by season ticket holders (a few hundred would probably do), negative media coverage that leads to a decrease of jersey sales, etc. It would be litigated, but the Mavericks could likely win.

Anyway, this has gone away from basketball into the reals of political and legal world, which are never a good idea between friends, let alone strangers trying to come together to talk about basketball, so I'll stop commenting on Howard.

And I do agree with you that no one will remember this by the time the season starts. We are a forgiving country with a big heart so to speak.

[Stanford]

Wow, talk about making something out of nothing. What kind of place scorns someone for not 'showing respect' in some arbitrary way, like the singing of some stupid meaningless song. 'Go play in Iraq', lol. stfu

[The Guilty Party]

Wow, talk about making something out of nothing. What kind of place scorns someone for not 'showing respect' in some arbitrary way, like the singing of some stupid meaningless song. 'Go play in Iraq', lol. stfu

Spoken like a true Canadian.

[Stanford]

I'll take that as a complement.

[dbodner]

This is the Josh Howard who had to forego his freshman year at Wake because of an SAT score "in the 500's". Not that intelligence and ignorance go hand in hand, but it's becoming increasingly obvious Howard has neither.