The Celtics Dynamics - Rebuttal
It had to happen sooner or later; I knew at some point I was going to write a serious post within this site and now it’s happened. This post functions as a semi-rebuttal to the posting The Black Man/Celtics Dynamic by Vincent Thomas at SLAM. I had far too many issues about this important article to just sit back so feel free and read my rant or if you prefer not thinking, please ignore. Oh and for the record, I am neither white or black. My ancestors are Aztecs.
First off it has to be said that while well developed and insightful, Vincent’s article smacks of the rationalization inherent in band-wagon fans. By laying the groundwork for a perceived “change” in the methods of the Celtics organization, he is building the board for his now undeniable powerhouse of the league. Never mind the notion that although the team makeup is predominantly African-American it is not profoundly more so than it has been throughout much of the current decade. In fact, the 2005 team featured such prominent black players as Antoine Walker, Paul Pierce, Ricky Davis, Gary Payton, Al Jefferson and was coached by Doc Rivers. To say that this year’s Celtics are somehow more representative of the black majority within the NBA is both misleading and ignorant.
Vincent also cites players such as Larry Bird and Kevin McHale in a manner that downplays the abilities of these two players. Although never much of a McHale fan myself, it was clear that during his career he was a legitimate talent and a player capable of starting/subbing in a majority of the teams across the league. And if we’re going to talk about not giving enough credit where deserved, the glossing over of Larry Bird’s abilities is a downright travesty.
Still, it resulted in deep, pervasive, long-lasting backlash within the black community. (And from players, too. When Dennis Rodman, later cosigned by Isaiah Thomas, said that Larry Bird wouldn’t be lionized if he were black; that was not essentially a knock on Bird, it was indictment of the American media and public.
Immediately, one should call into question the wisdom of suggesting that Isiah Thomas and Dennis Rodman are worthy representatives of the Black community. By reaffirming the quote as an indictment of the American sports media; the author not so subtly confirms his own belief in this theory. Anyone who has seen Bird play in person or highlights cannot question the immense talent and willpower this man possesses. To state that the 80’s Celtics were Larry’s teams downplays the fact that Bird possessed the the talent to be the go-to man on any team in the league including the author’s own Lakers. And Magic would have been glad to have him.
To give the author some credit, his paragraph concerning “hood-heroes” is spot on; the same sentiment can be seen today in people perception of my own San Antonio Spurs. Just replace Dr. J with Allen Iverson or Moses Malone with LeBron and you have the very same feeling which makes the Spurs the “scourge” of many current NBA fans. Now, as was then, people are attracted to flash and style which all too often is trumped by form and function. As a result seeing LeBron fail miserably in the Finals versus a team based philosophy has the same affect on the Spurs as seeing Dr. J fail against a team based in Boston; more often than not people will prefer to discount the team over the person.
In addition, the author makes many good points concerning the cities past in regards to race relations in the nation overall. Boston was at the center of one of the most divisive issues in our nations history, segregation in school, and no doubt had a great number of people who would openly identify themselves as racist. However, this was in the past and while some of those ideas persist, it is primarily in the actions of the past generation exposed to that nonsense. To hold, the modern and better educated citizens of Boston liable for the sins of their fathers is cruel and unfair.
In fact, the most disconcerting notion of this article is that the author continues to push the notion that the color of the team is a reasonable method for choosing your favorite team. Only now it is in the reverse; a portion of Black basketball fans are using race as a rationale for selecting a favored team. I’m not saying that one cannot oppose a clearly racist institution; in fact, it is every persons duty to oppose ignorance in any form. However, I am hard pressed to state that the Boston Celtics franchise is a racist institution while evidence suggests quite the contrary. Ultimately, this article boils down to a race-based view of team favoritism. This shows a lack of progress on our parts as Americans and human beings; indeed it does a disservice to those who fought and died for their belief in a united human race.
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
- Martin Luther King, Jr.