What the HELL was the NBA/Silver thinking involving Karl Malone so much in all-star weekend?

[Ugalde]

reminds me of fox sports, shannon sharpe, and skip bayless, always pretending they so woke and then having mike vick on their show.

like don’t say something controversial we will cancel you for that. but if you drown dogs, electrocute them, hang them from a tree, or feed house pets to fighting dogs for practice, we can forgive that. just don’t say the wrong word while you do it.

Pretty sure Vick went to jail for his crimes

is that supposed to mean something ?

[DoctorX]

Ok, this pregnancy stuff was revealed in 1998. Malone played in the NBA until 2004.

What was league’s perception of him at the time?
Why it’s ok to play in the NBA and not ok to participate in ASW?

I was 14 back in '98 so I can tell you what it was like back then. The biggest thing is to know the internet wasn't as powerful back then as it is now in influencing media. Social media was pretty much nonexistent back then so the news and media would cover whatever they wanted to cover.

They way I found out about the Malone story in '98 was actually in a basketball chatroom on AOL which was huge back then. Someone posted a link to an article about Malone fathering bastard kids. The key part of it was the articles didn't list the age of the mother of Malone's kid when she got impregnated. Malone at worst was portrayed as a deadbeat but not as child molester. Which back then was not a big deal, and you can say even today it's not a big deal. The story of Malone even being a deadbeat didn't make national headlines back then with the mainstream media. You really had to be a hardcore basketball fan and in basketball chatrooms to know Malone had bastard kids.

Malone lucked out back then due to the era he was in. If a player today had a similar story to Malone, he would be cancelled.

[Fo-Real]

dont try to spin me as giving a pass.

Oh ok, I'll keep reading and keep an open mind.

But in the 70's, 80, this issue wasnt as heated. Her family actually supported the relationship, witch in those days was common. The age gap is crazy to me but still happened often. One example, Melanie Griffith was 14 and Don Johnson was 22 when they started dating. She moved in with him when she was 15 years old, making him 23!! The **** happened and wasnt focused on in those times. Dont make it right, just makes it fact.

This is you justifying the behavior. This is rape culture.

Ok.



(I AM NOT SAYING WHAT HE DID ISNT HORRIBLE.... in no way, he is horrible so dont try to spin me as giving a pass. )


You forgot some stuff that shows actual opinion. Its all good though, I was probably lying.

[QingJames]

She got pregnant. She was not a biological child. So please, he was not a pedophile. That doesn't make this less weird or completely socially indefensible, but Malone is very clearly not sexual attracted to a child (someone who has not gone through puberty). I'll let you all decide if it is better or worse to be an actual pedophile but freaking use the words correctly.

12 years old is basically on the absolute cusp of beginning puberty. Yes he is a pedophile, even if the victim he raped had just entered puberty. I really don’t think the pedo apologists can spin this one as hE’s OnLy a HeBeoPhiLe!

He raped a 12 year old little girl. Some of you have no recollection or interaction with 12 year olds and it shows.

You're wrong.

Why are you intent on stressing that Malone isn’t a pedo?

Does it make his rape of a child more palatable to you because the little girl had her first period before Malone raped her?

[TacoLord]

I AM NOT SAYING WHAT HE DID ISNT HORRIBLE.... in no way, he is horrible so dont try to spin me as giving a pass. But in the 70's, 80, this issue wasnt as heated. Her family actually supported the relationship, witch in those days was common. The age gap is crazy to me but still happened often. One example, Melanie Griffith was 14 and Don Johnson was 22 when they started dating. She moved in with him when she was 15 years old, making him 23!! The **** happened and wasnt focused on in those times. Dont make it right, just makes it fact.

Ok, when the NBA decides to invite Don Johnson to a nationally televised event and give him an award, we can roast them as to why it's wrong.

Do you see how those two things are not the same? You're making a false equivalency, and you look like a pedophile apologist by doing so. Nobody would be talking about Malone if he wasn't honored at NBA Allstar weekend. He should be forgotten and left out of NBA events.

She got pregnant. She was not a biological child. So please, he was not a pedophile. That doesn't make this less weird or completely socially indefensible, but Malone is very clearly not sexual attracted to a child (someone who has not gone through puberty). I'll let you all decide if it is better or worse to be an actual pedophile but freaking use the words correctly.

She was 13 when the child was born, 12 when she got pregnant, and who knows how long the relationship was going on before that. It's inexcusable regardless. Making comparisons to other criminals are not relevant to this thread, unless the NBA decides to honor them. If Roman Polanski was asked to be a Dunk Contest judge, you damn well better believe there would be the exact same thread on the GB. That's why it's on the NBA discussion board, because it's relevant to the NBA. You trying to play games with the boundaries of Pedo/Hebo/Ephebofile is just a gross misdirection of the issue at hand and makes you look like an apologist. The accepted nomenclature for this crime in America is "pedofile", regardless of how under-age the victim is.

This is basically you right now:

Watch on YouTube

[dhsilv2]

12 years old is basically on the absolute cusp of beginning puberty. Yes he is a pedophile, even if the victim he raped had just entered puberty. I really don’t think the pedo apologists can spin this one as hE’s OnLy a HeBeoPhiLe!

He raped a 12 year old little girl. Some of you have no recollection or interaction with 12 year olds and it shows.

You're wrong.

Why are you intent on stressing that Malone isn’t a pedo?

Does it make his rape of a child more palatable to you because the little girl had her first period before Malone raped her?

Because words have meaning and you're lessening the stigma of a very serious and gross disorder with people who actively prey on younger women who are sexually developed but we don't believe are remotely ready for sex mentally. Understanding and using words to separate the two things is VERY important.

[Pharmcat]

reminds me of fox sports, shannon sharpe, and skip bayless, always pretending they so woke and then having mike vick on their show.

like don’t say something controversial we will cancel you for that. but if you drown dogs, electrocute them, hang them from a tree, or feed house pets to fighting dogs for practice, we can forgive that. just don’t say the wrong word while you do it.

Pretty sure Vick went to jail for his crimes

is that supposed to mean something ?

One paid for the crime and the other one didn’t . Not applicable

[jokeboy86]

I guess I'll post this because this is the inevitable fate of this thread and any other threads opened like this about Malone. Mods take it from here:

[dhsilv2]

Ok, when the NBA decides to invite Don Johnson to a nationally televised event and give him an award, we can roast them as to why it's wrong.

Do you see how those two things are not the same? You're making a false equivalency, and you look like a pedophile apologist by doing so. Nobody would be talking about Malone if he wasn't honored at NBA Allstar weekend. He should be forgotten and left out of NBA events.

She got pregnant. She was not a biological child. So please, he was not a pedophile. That doesn't make this less weird or completely socially indefensible, but Malone is very clearly not sexual attracted to a child (someone who has not gone through puberty). I'll let you all decide if it is better or worse to be an actual pedophile but freaking use the words correctly.

She was 13 when the child was born, 12 when she got pregnant, and who knows how long the relationship was going on before that. It's inexcusable regardless. Making comparisons to other criminals are not relevant to this thread, unless the NBA decides to honor them. If Roman Polanski was asked to be a Dunk Contest judge, you damn well better believe there would be the exact same thread on the GB. That's why it's on the NBA discussion board, because it's relevant to the NBA. You trying to play games with the boundaries of Pedo/Hebo/Ephebofile is just a gross misdirection of the issue at hand and makes you look like an apologist. The accepted nomenclature for this crime in America is "pedofile", regardless of how under-age the victim is.

This is basically you right now:

Crime? No...the crime is statutory rape which everyone has used correctly for the most part. Seriously, words have meanings, and if you're going to use very technical ones, they should be your correctly. Otherwise one can't have a conversation. It's like when morons say "theory" instead of "hypothesis" when talking about science. You have to just end the discussion because they aren't capable of having one.

Remember this thread is very much in the context of how should the NBA act and from there we'd see a precedent for future players actions. This is very much a clear technical and legal context that's we're ultimately focused on. This isn't a few people at a bar talking about how Malone is gross. Otherwise the thread of course is closed because it's not basketball related.

[Capn'O]

IMO he shouldn't pay eternally for what he did. We don't even know how is his relationship with his son and the mother right now. What if the guy reconciled? Would it be suddenly be ok? Is this for us to judge?

It looks like Bell and Malone do have more of a relationship now.

https://www.totalprosports.com/nba/karl-malone-seems-to-finally-have-a-relationship-with-the-son-he-fathered-with-a-13-year-old-pics/

[ocelot17]

Mike Tyson was arrested for raping a woman in the early 90s. His former trainer pulled a gun on Tyson for inappropriately touching his underage daughter, yet people love Mike Tyson.

[HanzGruber]

Slippery slope here. There are countless stories of baby sitters around Malone's age (mostly female) molesting little boys. Should they be stoned as well?

Are you honestly asking if adults raping children should get people punished?

Uhhh, being stoned means being executed. If thats the proper punishment, then so be it. I was just bringing up the fact that what happened between Malone and the girl is unfortunately not a one off situation in the world. If all statutory rapist should be executed, then there will be a lot of executions. When I was in high school there was always a handful of seniors (17-18) that would get expelled or arrested for messing around with the freshmen (14-15).

a senior and a freshman is a bit different than a 20 yr old with a middle schooler

[YogurtProducer]

The cancel crowd is too funny. If Malone asks me for directions to the supermarket, I tell him where it is that means I SUPPORT child rape.

Seriously, where does it end. We can have a discussion about whether Malone should be judging a dunk contest but we're not going to have a constructive one if any time someone says something for Malone that means he supports raping kids.

Telling Karl where Wal-mart is, and celebrating him, are two very different things.

[UglyBugBall]

Mike Tyson was arrested for raping a woman in the early 90s. His former trainer pulled a gun on Tyson for inappropriately touching his underage daughter, yet people love Mike Tyson.

Who 'loves' Mike Tyson? He's a boxing legend and one of the most feared men in American sports history. Acknowledging that, or being interested in some of the other things he does/says doesn't mean we 'love' him as a person.

[NBA Sheady]

dont try to spin me as giving a pass.

Oh ok, I'll keep reading and keep an open mind.

But in the 70's, 80, this issue wasnt as heated. Her family actually supported the relationship, witch in those days was common. The age gap is crazy to me but still happened often. One example, Melanie Griffith was 14 and Don Johnson was 22 when they started dating. She moved in with him when she was 15 years old, making him 23!! The **** happened and wasnt focused on in those times. Dont make it right, just makes it fact.

This is you justifying the behavior. This is rape culture.

Ok.



(I AM NOT SAYING WHAT HE DID ISNT HORRIBLE.... in no way, he is horrible so dont try to spin me as giving a pass. )


You forgot some stuff that shows actual opinion. Its all good though, I was probably lying.

[tekkon]

This thread is messed up

[TacoLord]

I AM NOT SAYING WHAT HE DID ISNT HORRIBLE.... in no way, he is horrible so dont try to spin me as giving a pass. But in the 70's, 80, this issue wasnt as heated. Her family actually supported the relationship, witch in those days was common. The age gap is crazy to me but still happened often. One example, Melanie Griffith was 14 and Don Johnson was 22 when they started dating. She moved in with him when she was 15 years old, making him 23!! The **** happened and wasnt focused on in those times. Dont make it right, just makes it fact.

Ok, when the NBA decides to invite Don Johnson to a nationally televised event and give him an award, we can roast them as to why it's wrong.

Do you see how those two things are not the same? You're making a false equivalency, and you look like a pedophile apologist by doing so. Nobody would be talking about Malone if he wasn't honored at NBA Allstar weekend. He should be forgotten and left out of NBA events.

I see porn legend, moral high ground a paramount. It is what it is. If you gleaned "pedo apologist " out of that, then your further valuations of my moral fiber are idiotic to me. You do you though, be well.

I said you "look like" an apologist. You shouldn't point to other examples of crime to detract from the actual criminality of the issue and excuse the culprit. You are making excuses for the behavior or arguing why the crime should be ignored, hence the term apologist. The NBA is solely responsible for who and what it puts on TV.

The NFL doesn't have OJ Simpson at their Hall of Fame events for a reason, but if they did, would you be pointing to other murderers as a reason that they should entertain him? It makes no sense to try to downplay a particularly heinous crime by pointing to other people who did the same thing, but don't have the actual relevancy to the issue. Again, it's an NBA issue, not a "other pedofiles exist in society" issue.

[ocelot17]

Mike Tyson was arrested for raping a woman in the early 90s. His former trainer pulled a gun on Tyson for inappropriately touching his underage daughter, yet people love Mike Tyson.

Who 'loves' Mike Tyson? He's a boxing legend and one of the most feared men in American sports history. Acknowledging that, or being interested in some of the other things he does/says doesn't mean we 'love' him as a person.

He’s rehabilitated his public image. He’s been in movies, tv shows, roasts, podcasts. No one even brings up his past.

[Ugalde]

Pretty sure Vick went to jail for his crimes

is that supposed to mean something ?

One paid for the crime and the other one didn’t . Not applicable

both are horrible humans who we really shouldn’t have in our society. i’m always willing to stand up for those who may be innocent. even people who are convicted if there is a chance they didn’t do the crime i will give them the benefit.

but when someone for sure raped a 12 year old. when someone for sure drowned dogs, electrocuted them, and hung them from a tree. i see 0 reason to forgive them. i just don’t see those people as humans. those aren’t things that they should of had to of been taught.

[UglyBugBall]

The cancel crowd is too funny. If Malone asks me for directions to the supermarket, I tell him where it is that means I SUPPORT child rape.

Seriously, where does it end. We can have a discussion about whether Malone should be judging a dunk contest but we're not going to have a constructive one if any time someone says something for Malone that means he supports raping kids.

Telling Karl where Wal-mart is, and celebrating him, are two very different things.

Can we differentiate between celebrating Malone the person vs Malone the Utah basketball player? I don't think anyone celebrates him as a person. I think 99% of us can agree he's no role model, and there hasn't been any evidence of him having atoned for what he did, as far as we are aware of, to change that fact.

I'm a fan of Michael Jackson the performer/entertainer. But even if you don't believe the allegations against him (and that's a big if), there are so many other aspects of his life that make him an incredibly poor role model that I would never celebrate him as a 'person' and would never want my kids to look up to him as a sort of role model.

I don't think the NBA was celebrating Karl the man. They were celebrating Karl the all-time great basketball player. I'm not sure how pretending that he's not changes that reality. We can acknowledge the player without celebrating the person is all I'm saying. We can do that without minimizing his crimes and being honest about how bad they were when it comes up for discussion.