Suspend Whitlock
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by user DNL
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| more "on the DL" opinions |
Congratulations, Jason Whitlock -- you've once again made it clear that you're a total idiot.
Today, in his ESPN Page 2 column, Whitlock demands that the NBA suspend Mark Cuban. Why? Because Cuban's antics, Whitlock argues, are a predecessor to an Artest-like brawl. Quoth Whitlock:
- "Not only did [Cuban] overshadow the unveiling of Dwyane Wade as the league's most embraceable megastar since Jordan, but its fallout foreshadows a potential Artest-like eruption in the stands. Maybe you missed the American Airlines Center public-address announcer admonishing Mavericks fans not to throw objects on the court. Maybe you turned off your TV before witnessing Mavericks fans drown out with boos Stern's championship trophy presentation to the Heat. Cuban, Johnson, Nowitzki and the co-signing Dallas media turned Game 6 into a Rodney King-verdict powder keg."
Continues Mr. Whitlock:
- "You think Cuban's antics haven't planted the seeds of discontent that could blossom into a nutty Mavs fan going after a referee or sparking an in-arena melee?
Artest didn't hop into the stands without warning. When you heard that an NBA player ran into the stands and set off a riot, you were not surprised at all when you learned it was Ron Artest. You never suspected Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, Shaq, Reggie Miller, Rip Hamilton or Kevin Garnett. The list of candidates was very short, and Artest was always the No. 1 suspect.
If an NBA ref gets attacked on the court or hit with an object, you won't be surprised when the story has a Dallas dateline. Cuban has created the environment. His complaints about officiating have some merit. There's a kernel of truth in every extremist's argument."
In short, and in bold -- so Mr. Whitlock can see it through his otherwise awful myopia -- here is the argument that ESPN is now publishing:
- "Ron Artest acted out by being a thug on the court. Mark Cuban acted out by speaking to the press about his view on the officiating. Ron Artest's acts couldn't be stopped by fines. Mark Cuban's acts can't be stopped by fines. Ron Artest's acts lead to a riot. Mark Cuban's may incite people to one, also -- he's creating the environment."
If "creating the environment" is grounds for a suspension, I hereby demand the ESPN suspend Whitlock. Why? The NBA, which for decades, has teetered on the edge of the impropriety chalice. The Patrick Ewing/frozen envelope theory. The Michael Jordan/gambling rumors. Allegations of result-oriented officiating. The NBA climate seethes with this tension already; Cuban's only addition is that he speaks with a lot more authority than a standard conspiracy theorist or even an investigative journalist. Cuban is a cog in the machine -- at worst, a paranoid maniac, but at best, a whistleblower in a corrupt organization.
The same can be said for Whitlock. Whitlock himself notes that the sports industry -- and sports journalism, specifically -- "seethes with racial tension" (fourth full paragraph after the 2nd image). And Whitlock often touches upon racial issues, and does so in an unrepentantly abrasive manner. Check out the above link, discussing whether race played a factor in Steve Nash's first MVP award. Or this column, where Whitlock asserts that "black athletes participating in Division I sports graduate at an alarmingly low rate because the people running the institutions don't view the athletes as capable of being truly educated, and the institutions are ill-equipped to educate the black underclass." Or this one, featuring this vignette: "Given the post-Katrina racial climate, Bonds' critics might be just a little more cautious about vilifying a black slugger when they whiffed on their chance to vilify a white one. And black sports fans who might have been indifferent about Bonds' bid might be more apt to defend Bonds now." And of course, there's that column about the Notre Dame coaching contract issue. There's no doubt that Whitlock, like Cuban, is dancing on a third rail.
Racism is to Whitlock as officiating is to Cuban. Both see a problem. Both may be maniacally insane or may be correct. Both are touching a nerve in a tense enviroment. No, riots aren't yet likely to break out because of what Whitlock is saying. Then again, three years ago, we could say the same thing about Cuban's speech. Certainly, it's not due to lack of access, for either of them. Cuban and Whitlock both have near-unfettered access to ESPN's pages and television broadcasts.
That's Mr. Whitlock's deadly equation, isn't it? Tense environment, potential sparkplug, and access to make the fire start. It doesn't matter if you do it with your fist (Artest) or with your voicebox (Cuban). Given that, shouldn't he be calling for his own suspension? Or at least a hefty fine? (As Whitlock notes, it's a tax write-off!)
Ludicrious?
Yep.
So is Whitlock's underlying argument. Look, if Mark Cuban's antics are just the blatherings of a madman, then the NBA need not rely on fines or suspension to defuse them. Instead, rely on the facts and make the argument, exposing Cuban for being a fraud. That's what Whitlock's critics do, time and time again. And if Cuban's arguments have merit? Then they should be addressed as such -- as should Whitlock's if the same is true. (And it may be.) Suspending Cuban or Whitlock is the exact opposite of how to address speech.
Leave that punishment for guys who go into the stands and pummel fans.
Date
Fri 06/23/06, 6:30 am EST
