Young Phil Jackson on white vs. black players in the NBA

[Laker1]

I agree with Phil, he was just being straight up in his observation. He's pretty spot on too.

[spearsy23]

why would he get absolutely blasted? everything he said was in good taste. some of it is subjective, but it's not offensive or rude or anything.

black kids really do tend to focus more on 1on1 play, etc.

why do we have to crucify someone just because they discuss race? kudos to phil for having the courage to give what is a very taboo but totally innocent viewpoint. good read.

Broad generalizations are bad, regardless of the intent. PEACE.

Broad generalizations can also be true.

In addition, there's no question the game has become 'blacker'. And that style of basketball is a lot better than the pre-80's. There's certainly a line though.

[sprint2thecup]

why would he get absolutely blasted? everything he said was in good taste. some of it is subjective, but it's not offensive or rude or anything.

black kids really do tend to focus more on 1on1 play, etc.

why do we have to crucify someone just because they discuss race? kudos to phil for having the courage to give what is a very taboo but totally innocent viewpoint. good read.

Broad generalizations are bad

the irony is that that statement itself is a broad generalization.

[Mamba Venom]

Phil is no racist

He explained that he thinks environment and a person is raised = adult values

DUH

Back then the stereo types were more true. Before affirmative action. Stereo types regarding culture (not racism) exist because that is the way things were 25 years ago.

Example cocaine was a hell of a drug in the 80s. That is a generalization that is unfair to American culture but had truth to it

I still thing PF and centers are more team oriented than wings players

It takes a certain mind set to be a scorer

[karkinos]

Broad generalizations are bad, regardless of the intent. PEACE.

it's inefficient to talk around every exception and to account for every possibility.

[Massamba]

Fail of a psychosocial perspective by Phil Jackson! It was relevant untill he tryed to explain why white kids and black kids play different.

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

why would he get absolutely blasted? everything he said was in good taste. some of it is subjective, but it's not offensive or rude or anything.

black kids really do tend to focus more on 1on1 play, etc.

why do we have to crucify someone just because they discuss race? kudos to phil for having the courage to give what is a very taboo but totally innocent viewpoint. good read.

Broad generalizations are bad

the irony is that that statement itself is a broad generalization.

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

I will say, he could have worded it differently than straight up splitting it between black and white though. Thats not the case, but the whole inner-city vs more suburban type families/ideals is an interesting take.

[Marvin Martian]

BREAKING NEWS! VINNY DEL NEGRO FIRED.

Sources suggest Donald Sterling will welcome Phil Jackson with open arms.

This. I think Sterling has found his soul mate.

[Tolverines]

Sounds reasonable.

[HuskerJeff]

Much of what he said was overgeneralizing. These statements do still ring true today, but only to an extent. What he said has more to do with the situation of a child growing up and maturing, which i find to be the more accurate approach. The facts are that a higher % of blacks are growing up in poverty (35% vs 13%) and more black children are raised by a single parent (60% to 75%, from various sources vs. 20 to 25%). If you dont think these facts have an effect on children, you have your head up your ass. If you think these arent accurate, go and look them up for yourself. This statement by Phil is only relevant in the sense of its underlying issues. Too much emphasis is put on race, and it swings both ways. Many blacks and whites are racists to this day, while ignoring underlying problems.

Props to all the great fathers out there, your work will pay off in many ways and is under appreciated by society. We also need to congratulate all the kids that make it out of bad situations and to the NBA. The best style of play is the style that wins championships. The Detroit pistons of and the Spurs were an example, countering Phils claims.

[DeBlazerRiddem]

Bringing race into it is in bad taste, even if it is a "more likely to happen to black players" phenomena going on. Someone isn't "me-first" because they are black.

[[GR]]

Bringing race into it is in bad taste, even if it is a "more likely to happen to black players" phenomena going on. Someone isn't "me-first" because they are black.

Is 30 years a "phenomena" or a cultural characteristic?

[DeBlazerRiddem]

Bringing race into it is in bad taste, even if it is a "more likely to happen to black players" phenomena going on. Someone isn't "me-first" because they are black.

Is 30 years a "phenomena" or a cultural characteristic?

I'm not saying they are different. I'm just saying skin color and genetic heritage aren't part of that equation.

[Neutral 123]

Hes not completely off but in todays overly pc world we can never discuss or the differences between cultures races etc without people whining and being overly sensitive

Yeah that's because losers turn it into their own personal platform to spew garbage instead of discussing issues with a modicum of intelligence.

[narmerguy]

I love how people are acting like races are actually different.

[Jakay]

I love how people are acting like races are actually different.

Yeah, obviously they don't hang out with all those tall chinese kids and well tanned Scots. I mean, it's one thing to profile a race too much in any direction, or to assume that there aren't always exceptions to the rule, but you have to be kind of an idiot not to notice that there actually differences still.

Black people are able to handle higher heat and exposure to prolonged sunlight.[/racism]

[lorak]

excerpt from his book "Maverick"

"Throughout the years the black players on the Knicks have possessed much better physical ability than the white players, being generally faster and better jumpers. I also think that they have always had superior one-on-one talent."

"White players are more often willing to run patterns and to work collectively."

"Because of the predominance of blacks in pro basketball, the sport is rapidly disintegrating into a one-on-one sport. There are only five or six NBA teams who play with more than a superficial degree of team unity."

On the Knicks: "The starting front court played white basketball while guards played black basketball."

"Black kids growing up want to be the superstar of their neighborhood. They want to be the toughest kids on the block, the richest or, once they get to the playground, the best one-on-one basketball players. White kids, on the other hand, usually are raised in a more homogeneous environment which provides other outlets for personal expression. They're also constantly being taught the principle of subordinating their own personal glory for the good of the group."

"The average player's career is a very short period of his life, and the minute he's through nobody knows who is. Twenty-five years from now the only people who will remember me will be a few trivia experts, and that's exactly how it should be. A lot of black players look at their careers differently. Many blacks have let themselves believe that being in the NBA is one of the greatest things a person can accomplish. I believe this type of feeling is ultimately very destructive, because the only way you can live with it is to get into a heavy fantasy trip. I've seen the process develop many times, and very few players ever find happiness that way."

couple questions

1) how come this hasn't gotten much attention? if someone (coach, player, media) were to say this today they would get absolutely blasted.

2) to what extent, if any, is what he's saying true? (back then and today)

100% true (back then and now). And only political correct people wouldn't admit it.

[DeBlazerRiddem]

I love how people are acting like races are actually different.

Yeah, obviously they don't hang out with all those tall chinese kids and well tanned Scots. I mean, it's one thing to profile a race too much in any direction, or to assume that there aren't always exceptions to the rule, but you have to be kind of an idiot not to notice that there actually differences still.

Black people are able to handle higher heat and exposure to prolonged sunlight.[/racism]

Physical or cultural differences, ok, there can be a cautious but adult conversation.

But when someone starts suggesting black people have a "me first" attitude (or similar mental/personal peculiarity) because they are genetically black (instead of because they came up in a poor neighborhood) that is where it stops making sense, and starts sounding prejudice. Because of the culture we live in, this line must be carefully outlined.

There was just no need for the original statement by Jackson to mention skin color. He should have highlighted the problem with poor people seeing the NBA as their only way out or pitfalls of giving someone with no idea how to handle their money millions of dollars. There is no need to tie it to race, because those type of things are not dependent on the color of someones skin. They are dependent on how that person was raised, not by the genetics they carry.

Again, there can be an adult conversation about impoverished black culture, with the understanding that black culture is a result of more than their genetic make-up, and that simply having black skin does not mean that someone was raised or was part of that culture. But a poor white person is just as likely to come to the NBA with a "me first" attitude because the factors that cause that are independent of genetic heritage.

[DeBlazerRiddem]

2) to what extent, if any, is what he's saying true? (back then and today)

100% true (back then and now). And only political correct people wouldn't admit it.

Do you believe it is true because of black genetics, or because of the culture of poverty that many black NBA players come from?

There is a world of difference, and as I said, a clear line must be drawn between the two opinions. If it is the later, why must race be mentioned at all, the problem is poverty, not race.