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Since everyone now-a-days complaining about how athletes take the MJ-route and stuff their mouths with money instead of speaking on social issues,Lets say we had this top5 player in the league, who instead of listening to his agent, shoe company, etc. and spoke and tried to resolve social issues. Basically, if Arenas(not a top 5 player) used his powers for justice instead of blogging. Would you be anooyed or relived that a major athlete finally is doing something.

note: i know most, if not all, athletes have foundations, etc but when pressed to a mic, they always give a stock answer.

so Bill Walton? Obviously that would be a good thing, provided it's not a completely ridiculous cause.

It depends no the social issues.

Would I be upset if an athlete worked for a good cause?

Um, I think everybody can safely say no....right?

It would depend partially on the cause, but of course.

Didn't Steve Nash walk around with a peace/end war T-shirt at an All-Star game a few years back? Not way over the top, but I remember liking him for that.

The NBA already had activists like Deke or Bol, they just did not do it publicly like crusaders. I think it depends on the goal. "PR friendly" goals like peace or vs hunger are ok, but in soccer e.g., you have this guy called Oleguer Presas (Barcelona), a radical Catalan seperatist. That def hurt his career.

Oleguer just is not good enough for Barcelona, and he played a lot in Barça becasuse his politics opinions. And def. I don´t think have a separatism feeling is a bad thing, it´s only his opinion.

I guess it depends. If it affects how or when he plays then I would tell him to get the hell out of the kleague

If the players starts to do things like:
- I will not play in states or countries that do not support the gay rights movement or vice versa will not play in states that do support gay rights.. or abortion (pro /for)... or treatment of natives...

You still have a job that you are responsible for.

why dont we just watch them play basketball...

The league definitely would have a problem with it. How much has Mark Cuban been fined for speaking his mind? Remember how fast Tim Hardaway got excommunicated?

Unless the player's activism "just happens" to reflect the league's stand on every issue.

Etan Thomas is not the caliber of player you're talking about, but he's a fairly outspoken progressive activist.

one of the main reasons im of big a fan of russell as i am is because he was a bright guy who semed to give a s*** about something other than shoes and girls.

rsavaj wrote:Would I be upset if an athlete worked for a good cause?

Um, I think everybody can safely say no....right?

^

Honestly, I would have more respect for them seeing that the majority of players only seem to think for themselves. These guys are willing to use whatever influence they have to try and raise awareness of the world.

Usually any organization is fine, unless they turn to a PETA freak.

theTHIEF wrote:why dont we just watch them play basketball...

x 2

I'm OK with it, but how do you define "major"? To me, Muhammad Ali would be considered a major social activist as he really put his career on the line several times in the name of equality and against the Vietnam War.

I think we're past those days, but there are some fine examples of players working on discrete causes:

1. Ira Newble on Darfur and China's role as an investor in the Sudan

2. Starbury and low cost sneakers

3. Steve Nash for his willingness to express his opposition against the Iraq war.

I think it shouldn't be a problem, but actually I also doubt that some kind of activism would not become a problem to the eyes of many people.

As an example, I'm not sure that an activist in favour of the rights of gay people wouldn't get into many troubles, specially if you remember how much of a polemic was created with John Amaechi declaring gay himself.

There are still many "tabu" things, so everything will be OK... unless you push one of those "tabu" buttons. But it's just my opinion as a foreigner, so I may be wrong.

ISB wrote:so Bill Walton? Obviously that would be a good thing, provided it's not a completely ridiculous cause.

Bill Walton only cares about decriminalizing pot. You're thinking of Bill Russell.