$#*& that $*&&%#

[PhilaPhans]

Way to go Andrew Harrison. Way to go. (See link if you don't know what I'm talking about.)

I thought we learned from Nigel Hayes' "God, she's beautiful," that the mikes pick up everything.

And this was after the Harrison brothers skipped the post-game handshake.

Good luck in the Finals, Wisconsin!


http://sports.yahoo.com/news/kentucky-reviewing-andrew-harrisons-postgame-comments-055018061--ncaab.html

 

[_dave_]

He called him a nagger? Everyone hates them.

 

[Caliknight]

No outrage? Shocking display.

 

[Mike from MD]

Just proves that only white folks are racists and the black community lives falsely by a double standard.

Steven A. Commentary

 

[MGSA99]

I am sure that UK will respond by immediately expelling him from school, leaving him no choice but to declare for the NBA.

 

[KJ_RU]

Mike, blacks can be racist too. There, you're racism is justified, happy now?

 

[Mike from MD]

Originally posted by KJ_RU:
Mike, blacks can be racist too. There, you're racism is justified, happy now?

As Steven A. pointed out, if it was Kaminsky that made the comment there would be an avalanche of backlash.

This is nothing new. It goes back to the late 1960s and 1970s when black mob behavior was tolerated. It's OK if blacks call themselves the n-word. It's OK when blacks are churned up to riot because they are making up for years of slavery and Jim Crow society.

 

[bac2therac]

If Kaminsky did this it would be headline news on every single media market

 

[KJ_RU]

If Yao Ming said this there would be outrage.

 

[mychaljohn]

If you don't see a difference, then nothing will convince you.

 

[RU_DIO]

Pretty racist. Would be huge if the comments were reversed. can you even imagine if Julie Hermann said it?
This post was edited on 4/5 5:01 PM by RU_DIO

 

[SkilletHead2]

Stephen A. Smith explained this exceptionally well. Point one: Harrison did a dumb thing and called Kaminsky to apologize for it. Point two: The use of the racial epithet is a problem wherever used. Point three: It's not the same thing going one way as the other.

As to whether its being covered or not; it's everywhere.

Harrison did a really dumb thing. He's 20. Twenty-year olds do not have a fully developed prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that controls emotional maturity and judgment. Not to say it's at zero, but late teens and early twenty's folks do all sort of dumb things. And they need to be held accountable, which I'm guessing Harrison will. But 20 year olds have historically done dumb things, and they will continue to do them, especially in times of real emotional stress, which I'm sure Harrison was feeling. He called Kaminsky and apologised, so how about the kid gets some sort of punishment, maybe sits out a couple of games, and we then give him a second chance?

 

[Caliknight]

Would Harrison have called Frank the Tank if he wasn't so ignorant as to say it in a live mic, and only to his teammates in the locker room?

Doubtful. Racism is racism, even the most stupid form of it.

 

[SkilletHead2]

Originally posted by Caliknight:
Would Harrison have called Frank the Tank if he wasn't so ignorant as to say it in a live mic, and only to his teammates in the locker room?

Doubtful. Racism is racism, even the most stupid form of it.

Seriously? That's your point here?

Put a mic in either locker room and I'm fairly certain you could find all sorts of comments being made that would have to be apologised for if made public. Put a mic in any locker room after the game and see what happens.

Juvenile behaviour from a juvenile. But Smith's point about lack of equivalence here still holds.

 

[Caliknight]

Your point is it is a kid being a kid? Funny how that works certain times...and not others.

There is no point other than what was displayed. Racism is racism. It doesn't matter who is doing or it why. That "kid" made a racist statement, and a simple apology over Twitter isn't enough.

 

[mrslate]

Just out of curiosity, how is the comment "racist?"

 

[bac2therac]

Are people actually excusing his behavior

 

[Mike from MD]

It's hilarious seeing people dismiss Harrison's comment as nothing more than "youthful" ignorance. These same tolerant people likely never attended a city high school or had been jump by gangs of black youth for the simple crime of being white. It's easy to be tolerant when there is no impact on your personal well being.

 

[RUMcMahon]

Originally posted by bac2therac:
If Kaminsky did this it would be headline news on every single media market

^This, can't see everyone being "over it" in a day.

 

[mrslate]

Originally posted by bac2therac:
Are people actually excusing his behavior

No one is excusing it, but I don't think it is "racist." Are you saying he hates black people? Now, if he had said, "F that [offensive term describing white people]," that would be much different.

 

[SkilletHead2]

Originally posted by mrslate:
Just out of curiosity, how is the comment "racist?"

I was kind of wondering that myself, Slate.

It was a dumb, spur of the moment, comment that the kid thought wouldn't be heard except for the guy next to him. But he didn't dodge it, called up the guy he offended and apologised.

It was on the front page of the NYTimes and the Washington Post, but for those revelling in their victimhood by proxy, savouring the moment cannot be extended too long.

 

[MadRU]

Guess I have a different idea of a juvenile. If a 20 year old is not old enough to be responsible for his words, then what age is?

Should a 20 year old vote then? Operate an automobile? Drink in some states? Go to the military?

Guess I am from a different generation.

 

[Mike from MD]

Skillet, you're embarrassing yourself trying to justify Harrison's comments. A bunch of goofy white kids just stole his pride. Harrison expressed his everyday opinion of white kids. Saw plenty of it this behavior in youth sports leagues - especially from the coaches and parents. The denigrating behavior expressed by the coaches and parents toward their kids was eye-opening, not to mention the vandalism these parents would inflict on the team that just beat them.


This post was edited on 4/5 9:20 PM by Mike from MD

 

[PhilaPhans]

Mike, I actually agree with Skillet on this one. It was a dumb, disrespectful comment (and the point of my OP was that it was dumb that he didn't realize he was saying it over an open mic) moreso than it was a racial attack of any sort.

The racial stuff comes in in the grand scheme of things. I can't stand the language and I hate the double standard. This is the language that a number of guys use and I'd hope more people get called on it. I can guarantee he WOULD have used the same slur if he was talking to or about a teammate (white, black, or any color), because that's how he speaks. This has nothing to do with white people. This has to do about being pissed that somebody just made him lose in his second straight Final Four that he should have won. Just bad sportsmanship.

 

[Mike from MD]

PhilaPhans, your view is rather naive. This stuff plays out in youth sports leagues. Not surprised it carries over to the collegiate level. Can't play a double standard here. If Kaminsky or Decker said something derogatory they would have been heavily sanctioned by the NCAA and the PC crowd. They would be banned from the final game.

 

[STPGopherfan]

"It's hilarious seeing people dismiss Harrison's comment as nothing more than "youthful" ignorance. These same tolerant people likely never attended a city high school or had been jump by gangs of black youth for the simple crime of being white. It's easy to be tolerant when there is no impact on your personal well being."

What if the reverse happened to you? What if your teammate said the N word about an opponent on film and you were the only black person in the film room? What if you were chased home, spat upon, pissed on, etc., etc.

Unfortunately Stuff happens in all directions. Most from all directions never makes the news.

Terrible comments by the Kentucky player. Hopefully Kentucky disciplines him internally.

 

[SkilletHead2]

Originally posted by Mike from MD:
Skillet, you're embarrassing yourself trying to justify Harrison's comments. A bunch of goofy white kids just stole his pride. Harrison expressed his everyday opinion of white kids. Saw plenty of it this behavior in youth sports leagues - especially from the coaches and parents. The denigrating behavior expressed by the coaches and parents toward their kids was eye-opening, not to mention the vandalism these parents would inflict on the team that just beat them.


This post was edited on 4/5 9:20 PM by Mike from MD

Actually, the embarrassment is all yours, Mike, and you continue to add to it. What we have here is what I said earlier, a stupid comment made by a kid who just got schooled, was really embarrassed and upset, and said something he thought would not be heard publicly. He immediately called the person he offended and apologised.

All of this other stuff you are bringing up in your posts is only telling us about you, not about Harrison, Kaminsky, what was said, or how the media has reacted to it.

 

[Mike from MD]

Skillet, do you think Harrison would have offered an apology if not caught making his statement?

Bet you never experienced the violence perpetrated by angry black parents after your lily-white team beat their kids in a U10 football game. You are an ivory tower liberal has no idea what he's talking about.

 

[RU85inFla]

Blacks call other blacks the name Harrison used. All races and ethnicities have derogatory names that they call their own people but are highly offended if someone outside their race/ethnicity uses it. The comment by Harrison was directly anagolous to Kaminsky calling Harrison a F#$king pollock had Kentucky won. Nothing more. Bad media relations on his part not to realize the mic might pick him up.d

This post was edited on 4/5 11:09 PM by RU85inFla

 

[PhilaPhans]

Originally posted by Mike from MD:
Skillet, do you think Harrison would have offered an apology if not caught making his statement?

Bet you never experienced the violence perpetrated by angry black parents after your lily-white team beat their kids in a U10 football game. You are an ivory tower liberal has no idea what he's talking about.

I know the question wasn't to me, but you did reply to me in another post.

No, I don't think Harrison would ever offer an apology if it wasn't caught, and no, I don't think it was a sincere apology. I think it was as stupid as originally saying it.

Here's what I don't think you understand from my point of view. I'm not giving it a pass. I'm just saying I don't believe it was a racial thing against Kaminsky. I think it was just one pissed off dude who lost, like Skillet said. I think it's just a bad history of blacks using the word as if it should be acceptable for anybody to use with its connotation. Unless a white person says it, it feels like it's meaningless any more to people like Harrison. Common vernacular to Harrison and it shouldn't be. I've coached high school (various sports). I've taught high school. I've worked in college athletics. I'm not naive to think it's not said all over the place all the time. And I hate that it is.

But to think this was a black vs. white attack is what I believe is the naive part of it all. It's a loser attacking the winner. It just happened he used a word which most people find revolting, but some people use anyway. It's NOT the same connotation as if Kaminsky used it.

 

[RU76]

No different than Imus, Jimmy the Greek or Howard Cosell, except that those individuals arguably were not racists. They just said stupid things trying to be funny, analyzing black athletic superiority or were caught up in an exciting moment in the game.

 

[SkilletHead2]

Originally posted by Mike from MD:
Skillet, do you think Harrison would have offered an apology if not caught making his statement?

Of course not. Who would? Think about what you're saying, Mike. People say derogatory things about other people in private every day. Put a mic in any locker room in the country and you will hear awful things about players from the other team. It's life. People don't apologise if the person they are offending doesn't hear the offense. Not very noble, but hardly unique.

Bet you never experienced the violence perpetrated by angry black parents after your lily-white team beat their kids in a U10 football game. You are an ivory tower liberal has no idea what he's talking about.

I'm guessing this is your real issue here, Mike. You're upset over things that have nothing to do with this situation.

Have I been in racially-charged situations? Sure. I'm in my 60's. Seen a lot of nonsense in all directions over the years. But once I am out of such a situation, I try to understand it. Doesn't mean I don't get upset over it, but I try hard to put the anger or other emotions aside and make sense out of it.

Because I am, in fact, an "ivory tower liberal," I see it as a special responsibility to try to work toward understanding behavior, explaining it, and thinking about how to improve it. I think that after making his dumb comment, Harrison has done the right thing, and Kaminsky has responded graciously in return: "He reached out to me, we talked about it, [I'm] over it," Kaminsky told reporters Saturday. "Nothing needs to be made out of it."

As Slate hinted at above, I don't think Harrison was really making a racist comment so much as speaking in a regrettable vernacular particular to African American youth today (and to which Stephen Smith noted is a real problem). Kaminsky (and Decker) was the cause of Harrison's grief and he knew it. I think his sentiment was "I hate that SOB." And in a perverse fashion, it was a sign of respect. BUT, name-calling, using a racial epithet, and a profanity all wrapped up in one is really not a good thing. Apology offered whole-heartedly, and accepted graciously, good things.

This post was edited on 4/5 11:36 PM by SkilletHead2

This post was edited on 4/5 11:39 PM by SkilletHead2

 

[Caliknight]

Indeed, selective outrage around here, on display again. I promise you Skillet would have a much, much different opinion if Kaminsky did the taking. Until the same penalty is levied against any offender, this will continue.

Black people would be best served not using the word at all. The same treatment should be had whether it is Jay Z saying it or someone else, though not Gweneth Pawltrow. She has major street cred, lol.

It gets a little confusing, as unbecoming as it all is.

 

[SkilletHead2]

Originally posted by Caliknight:

Indeed, selective outrage around here, on display again. I promise you Skillet would have a much, much different opinion if Kaminsky did the taking. Until the same penalty is levied against any offender, this will continue.

Black people would be best served not using the word at all. The same treatment should be had whether it is Jay Z saying it or someone else, though not Gweneth Pawltrow. She has major street cred, lol.

It gets a little confusing, as unbecoming as it all is.

Glad we can agree on your outrage being selective, Cali, but you'll get over it. Mike and some of the others may take a bit longer.

I would have a somewhat different opinion if Kaminsky had said the same thing. Because it wouldn't have been the same thing. To see why, look at the very reasoned argument made by Stephen Smith. The same words coming from different people do not necessarily mean the same thing.

 

[Caliknight]

Then you are accepting of double standards. I'm not.

You will come around someday.

 

[SkilletHead2]

I accept that life is complex, Cali. I always take into consideration who said something and the context in which it was said in interpreting a statement.

I suspect you do, too; you just don't choose to do so here.

If a cop says, "Get out of the car and go stand on the sidewalk," I do it.
If a guy with a squeegee says the exact same words, I don't do it.

I'm guessing you'd do the same. Double standard?

Same words. Different folks. Different meaning. "Double standard?" Your words, not mine.

Will you come around someday? I sincerely hope so.

 

[Caliknight]

When you have to make a comparison between a cop and bum on the street telling you do to something, you hurting your position.


They are the same. Two college basketball players, one of whom happens to be a color which allows him to say anything with little consequence, to some.

I have higher expectations of people. That doesn't change because they are black.

Complex? You are choosing to make it so.

 

[SkilletHead2]

Actually, PhilaPhans has this explained very well up above.

I won't judge the sincerity of Harrison's phone call to Kaminsky, but both of them said it was a good call and that the incident was over for them.

This post was edited on 4/6 1:48 AM by SkilletHead2

 

[SkilletHead2]

Originally posted by Caliknight:

When you have to make a comparison between a cop and bum on the street telling you do to something, you hurting your position.


They are the same. Two college basketball players, one of whom happens to be a color which allows him to say anything with little consequence, to some.

I have higher expectations of people. That doesn't change because they are black.

Complex? You are choosing to make it so.

Reducto ad absurdum, Cali. Your position is shown to be illogical by taking it to the extreme. Easy as. Could have done it with, say, Reagan and Obama, but the cop and the squeegee guy seemed more entertaining.

The complexity here revolves around Harrison's choice of words, which, as Stephen Smith explained, have dramatically different impact depending upon the race of the speaker and the context in which it is spoken. To ignore that is to be wilfully ignorant.

 

[mrslate]

Mike from MD accusing anyone of racism has to be one of the great ironies in the history of this forum. Here is google's definition of racism FYI: "the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races."