PSUsarge wrote:I guess, but I would point back to my earlier comment that if these guys truly think that them not playing basketball games would have prevented this awful situation from happening, or that they've somehow failed because it happened,

CalvinBall wrote:Suspect is a white kid whit a huge rifle. Same kid can be seen being given bottled water from cops before the shootings. He then runs back to the cops with his gun still swinging by his side. Everyone yelling he just shot someone. Cops do nothing.

Maybe Jacob Blake shouldn't have tried to get in his car I guess though.

Bucky wrote:

PSUsarge wrote:I guess, but I would point back to my earlier comment that if these guys truly think that them not playing basketball games would have prevented this awful situation from happening, or that they've somehow failed because it happened,

the first time you typed this i thought maybe you misspoke, but now that it's twice...

I don't think anyone thinks if they didn't play this wouldn't have happened. In fact, quite the contrary. they were hoping to achieve some kind of healing by playing.

"We shouldn't have even came to this damn place, to be honest," Hill said Monday of the season restart in Orlando, via Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. "Coming here just took all the focal points off what the issues are. But we're here. It is what it is. We can't do anything from right here. But I think definitely when it all settles, some things need to be done."

"I think this world has to change," the guard said Monday. "Our police department has to change. Us a society has to change. Right now, we're not seeing any of that. Lives are being taken as we speak, day in and day out. There's no consequence or accountability for it. That's what has to change."

Gimpy wrote:Sarge is just saying that the players couldn’t have stopped this and shouldn’t have any regrets for making the choice they made

momadance wrote:

CalvinBall wrote:Suspect is a white kid whit a huge rifle. Same kid can be seen being given bottled water from cops before the shootings. He then runs back to the cops with his gun still swinging by his side. Everyone yelling he just shot someone. Cops do nothing.

Maybe Jacob Blake shouldn't have tried to get in his car I guess though.

This shit is crazy. 17 years old and drove up from Illinois. The captures from his facebook page are just Blue Lives Matter shit and pictures with guns.

PSUsarge wrote:

Bucky wrote:

PSUsarge wrote:I guess, but I would point back to my earlier comment that if these guys truly think that them not playing basketball games would have prevented this awful situation from happening, or that they've somehow failed because it happened,

the first time you typed this i thought maybe you misspoke, but now that it's twice...

I don't think anyone thinks if they didn't play this wouldn't have happened. In fact, quite the contrary. they were hoping to achieve some kind of healing by playing.

Maybe I'm misinterpreting George Hill's quotes below, and if I am I apologize, but that's what I took away from them.

"We shouldn't have even came to this damn place, to be honest," Hill said Monday of the season restart in Orlando, via Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. "Coming here just took all the focal points off what the issues are. But we're here. It is what it is. We can't do anything from right here. But I think definitely when it all settles, some things need to be done."

"I think this world has to change," the guard said Monday. "Our police department has to change. Us a society has to change. Right now, we're not seeing any of that. Lives are being taken as we speak, day in and day out. There's no consequence or accountability for it. That's what has to change."

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/290 ... to-orlando

Gimpy wrote:Sarge is just saying that the players couldn’t have stopped this and shouldn’t have any regrets for making the choice they made

Exactly, and also that they (individually) had a choice to make and they made it. George Hill (for example) could have opted out, so it's a little odd to hear him talk like he didn't have that option.

mcare89 wrote:

PSUsarge wrote:

Monkeyboy wrote:

Augustus wrote:Many players openly questioned whether it was appropriate to play given the circumstances as well as whether they should leave their families during these times. They were persuaded by the league that the games would give them a platform to make a difference. I totally understand why some would feel crushed.

The league really did that? It's kinda crazy. They'd have a better chance to make a difference by NOT playing and working for things in their communities.

Totally get what you're saying, and don't necessarily disgaree, but these games are also probably the most-watched television program every afternoon and evening with an enormous BLACK LIVES MATTER across the entire court and the social justice messages on individual jerseys.

I'm not a fan of slacktivism or corporations just jumping on whatever CSR trend is hot at the moment, but there is also an enormous value to that type of exposure for any message.

Also, agree re: pro athlete egos.

I think there's definitely a case to be made that boycotting games in the name of civil rights would have been a massive stand and might have been more impactful than the gestures that the league has made. I don't know if it would have had the desired effect because of how the reasons for doing it would have been entangled with the pandemic, but it would have been a historic moment in terms of race relations in this country.

And I think it's silly to say it's "pro athlete egos." The reality of the situation is that many of the most influential Black people in this country are basketball players. They've become activists in their own right, and I think it's moreso that a lot of players had concerns that people would stop talking about the racial issues once games resumed and things went "back to normal," which I don't think they're wrong about. Sure enough, only a few weeks in, another incident that's more of the same, and now, they're effectively trapped in a bubble putting on a TV show. It's not ego, it's just a different kind of powerlessness.

CalvinBall wrote:Suspect is a white kid whit a huge rifle. Same kid can be seen being given bottled water from cops before the shootings. He then runs back to the cops with his gun still swinging by his side. Everyone yelling he just shot someone. Cops do nothing.

Maybe Jacob Blake shouldn't have tried to get in his car I guess though.

CalvinBall wrote:they arrested the murderer from kenosha. he had gone back to illinois. coward.

Monkeyboy wrote:

CalvinBall wrote:Suspect is a white kid whit a huge rifle. Same kid can be seen being given bottled water from cops before the shootings. He then runs back to the cops with his gun still swinging by his side. Everyone yelling he just shot someone. Cops do nothing.

Maybe Jacob Blake shouldn't have tried to get in his car I guess though.

Don't be dumb. You are just making things up. Nobody thinks Blake should have been shot and nobody said the cops acted appropriately with this kid. You are just trolling.

Monkeyboy wrote:

CalvinBall wrote:The murderous cop put his kids in danger.

But once the gun was drawn, the man should have stayed away from the car.

Monkeyboy wrote:Plenty of blame to go around in this one, imo.

CalvinBall wrote:

Monkeyboy wrote:

CalvinBall wrote:Suspect is a white kid whit a huge rifle. Same kid can be seen being given bottled water from cops before the shootings. He then runs back to the cops with his gun still swinging by his side. Everyone yelling he just shot someone. Cops do nothing.

Maybe Jacob Blake shouldn't have tried to get in his car I guess though.

Don't be dumb. You are just making things up. Nobody thinks Blake should have been shot and nobody said the cops acted appropriately with this kid. You are just trolling.

Monkeyboy wrote:

CalvinBall wrote:The murderous cop put his kids in danger.

But once the gun was drawn, the man should have stayed away from the car.

Houshphandzadeh wrote:

Monkeyboy wrote:Plenty of blame to go around in this one, imo.