Comments on: On judging a ballplayer’s effort level

By: Peggy D.

Peggy D. — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 16:52:11 +0000

Hmm it looks like your website ate my first comment (it was super long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I wrote and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to the whole thing. Do you have any tips for inexperienced blog writers? I’d genuinely appreciate it.

By: Touching All The Bases » Fans, Media, And Racism Without Racists

Touching All The Bases » Fans, Media, And Racism Without Racists — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:39:50 +0000

[...] ways, sports have become post-racial. I have a hard time accepting that viewpoint. As I have noted elsewhere, there were racial conflagrations in American cities in the 90’s. Race is still a touchy subject, [...]

By: JP

JP — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:53:36 +0000

Didn’t read the comment thread….but the article basically contends that

1) We can’t really judge whether players are dogging it or trying hard simply by watching them play on TV,

but

2) In the absence of such knowledge, we are supposed to assume they are trying hard and care.

I’ll buy #1, but #2 is a crock. If you don’t know, you don’t know. I’ve spent the better part of my life on a career, too, and yeah, on some days, and during occasional weeks or even months of my career, I’m sure my effort level has fit the description of “dogging it.” I hope there have been more periods where I was giving the proverbial “110%,” but I’d never suggest to anyone that this was the norm.

We’re all human; only the rarest of the rare put forth 100% effort all the time, no matter what the cliche’s say.

By: Lanny

Lanny — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:46:54 +0000

It’s a race thing. The white guys are the gritty hustlers who have dirt everywhere. The latin and black guys glide and have “natural” ability and are smooth.

Who was the last white guy they said was lazy? Who was the last black/latin guy who worked hard and got everything out of his talent?

By: The Honorable Congressman Mondesi

The Honorable Congressman Mondesi — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:19:42 +0000

So what’s the reason you think this thing you perceive about the NBA is applicable here? Because you perceive racism in the NBA does that have any affect on the conversation we’re having about racial stereotyping of athletes by fans and the sports media?

I just don’t see why it’s relevant to this discussion.

By: The Honorable Congressman Mondesi

The Honorable Congressman Mondesi — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:17:50 +0000

Moshe said it well below and I think rbizzler addressed this above, too.

Have we made great strides towards racial equality? Of course. But that doesn’t mean we’re a post-racial society. We’re far from it.

And, frankly, nobody here is saying we’re some horribly racist society. We’re just saying racial stereotyping exists and happens to athletes today and has happened to athletes for a long time.

By: Rocky Road Redemption (formerly RAB poster)

Rocky Road Redemption (formerly RAB poster) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:14:54 +0000

Yeah, I guess…but then the NBA could be racist/prejudiced in a different way and yet it’s never discussed.

By: Rocky Road Redemption (formerly RAB poster)

Rocky Road Redemption (formerly RAB poster) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:13:43 +0000

Also I always had a little bit of a minor issue (want to make it clear I don’t go through the day bitter or angry at the world) with the idea that America, and western civilization, is horribly racist. It’s actually the opposite. EVERY civilization has had bigotry and prejudice and slavery. What all/most Western Civilizations have in common is the ABOLITION of slavery and the making of great strides toward racial equality.

By: The Honorable Congressman Mondesi

The Honorable Congressman Mondesi — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:11:07 +0000

But nobody here is talking about whether teams sign black guys or white guys, we’re talking about fan and media racial stereotypes. You’re kind of veering off a bit into a different conversation.

Do you not think the stereotype we’ve been discussing is true when applied to the NBA? (Per comments above and below in this thread, things like praising certain players for natural ability vs. praising others for effort and smarts, etc.)

By: Rocky Road Redemption (formerly RAB poster)

Rocky Road Redemption (formerly RAB poster) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:06:40 +0000

I don’t think that happens in the NBA. The NBA has probably 90% or more black people, yet nobody considers it racist when a team doesn’t draft white players, it’s only considered racist when a team with a lot of white players decides not to sign black players-Larry Bird was semi-villainized for this.

I don’t think it’s fair.