Lebron calls Celtics fans racist

[nickagneta]

In my side job I get to talk to sports fans from all walks of life, all colors of skin and all parts of the country. Living in Florida and me having a thick Boston accent, they know where I am from.

What they all comment about Boston sports fans is that we are hard core, entitled, pompous a$$holes that are devoted to our teams and that we travel well. No one mentions racism.

The non Tampa fans(Tampa is called Champa Bay down here) comment about the amazing success of all our Boston sports teams and wish their teams were so good.

There's definitely some racist stuff that has happened and been said in the Garden and Fenway, but from my numerous talks with sports fans across the nation, people I have talked to don't see Boston sports fans in that light. Maybe it's because those racist things that happen and are said everywhere.

This is just me postulating this but that is what I think from my experiences talking to sports fans from everywhere and also going to games of various sports in San Antonio, Austin, Cleveland, Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Orlando, Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Chicago and Washington DC.

[SparzWizard]

I think this is just a ploy to manipulate Jaylen Brown to leave Boston and go to a team like say LA or somewhere else, since JB publicly expressed himself as a proponent of fighting racism/a social advocate. Trying to convince JB more "truth" about the city of Boston. Typical LeBron tactics.

I think all cities have some sort of racism going on (some not even publicly covered by media). But not all fans are racist either.

[JSD]

Shortly after LeBron left for the Lakers, didn’t he claim that his LA house was vandalized with racial appetites spray-painted on his garage door?

Nothing like that has come close to happening to him in Boston

[JSD]

This fairytale was created by Adam Jones and enabled by John Henry and the Red Sox ownership who essentially confirmed he was called a racial slur on the field of play, when that in fact never happened.

So every opposing player treated poorly in Boston now has license to call the city racist. Of course it makes no sense at all as we have many black players here in Boston.

Opposing players are not treated poorly because of their race, opposing players are treated poorly because they are deemed the enemy and we want our team to win

[kraidstar]

Something must have happened to LeBum in Boston between 2017 and today to change his mind.



Full article and video interview with LeBum at https://amp.tmz.com/2017/05/04/lebron-boston-racism-adam-jones/

Certainly not denying that racism exists in our country, including in Boston. As someone who is biracial, whose mother is a minority, I haven't experienced it myself but I know others who have. But odd for him to single us out on the basis of having a beer poured over his head. Maybe we could look at statistics to see how disadvantaged minorities are in our city compared to others, or incarceration rates for white vs non-whites, or other metrics rather than fans wearing "F--- LeBron" shirts"

Not to make this a political issue, but people who have racist inclinations have been emboldened to voice those views since 2016. Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if Lebron had a few incidents in Boston in the past 5 years.

If he has, he should name them, rather than attacking the entire fan base as being extremely racist.  The examples he gave just aren't inherently examples of racism.

He’d be better off trying to get some acknowledgement that we all make judgements based on physical attributes, one of which is a person’s skin color. People can deny it I suppose but I think the denial is more a lack of self-awareness than truth.  That doesn’t mean that I believe we are all racist - but it does mean that I believe we all make judgements prior to getting to know the content of a person’s character.  Most of us non-racists are willing to accept that we are imperfect and that we draw conclusions (sometimes sub conscious notions) that we are more than willing to overlook once we know something about the person.  Racists cling to their judgements, justify their judgements, and act upon their judgements even in the face of contrary evidence.

I agree with you.  Every human has prejudices, stereotypes, biases.  Those can be conscious or unconscious.

Lebron may have his own bias, believing that any criticism of him coming from white fans is rooted in racism.  Particularly hostile criticism -- like he gets in Boston -- may mean particularly hostile racism in his mind.

But, I'm willing to bet that isn't true outside of Lebron's head.  The statement "some Celtics fans are racist" is undoubtedly true.  As are some Knicks fans, some 76ers fans, some Mavericks fans, some Lakers fans.  But, singling out Boston fans as "racist as f---" requires an in-depth conversation with examples, in my mind.

Exactly. It's the singling out of Celtic fans without any concrete examples that is the problem. Especially after saying in 2017 he hadn't experienced such incidents.

And I agree, much like Kyrie, that he might be subconsciously - or deliberately - assigning the hostility to the wrong causes to avoid accountability.

(Most) fans don't hate LeBron or Kyrie because they are black. This is a black player's league, for God's sake.

They hate them because LeBron is a Laker, a self-perceived demigod, media binkie, and a Celtics-killer. They hate Kyrie for his dishonesty, toxicity, and narcissism.

Non-Pats fans have despised Brady and Belichick for similar reasons for decades. It comes with the territory. LeBron should know better.

[celticsclay]

One of the only thing good about getting older is knowing Lebron will soon be in the news a lot less.

[gouki88]

One of the only thing good about getting older is knowing Lebron will soon be in the news a lot less.

Really? I think he'll find ways to remain in the spotlight. He craves it

[GreenlyGreeny]

One of the only thing good about getting older is knowing Lebron will soon be in the news a lot less.

Really? I think he'll find ways to remain in the spotlight. He craves it

LeBron can run around fantasizing that the the NBA is just going to give him an expansion club in Las Vegas, diluting profits for the remaining 30 teams and bringing the aggregate talent level down by adding yet another team. Even if they do expand, which obviously seems unlikely,  they’re not going to hand expansion clubs out for below market rates. The Rockets sold for $2.2 billion about half a decade ago, so why in the world would an expansion club sell for under $2 billion? Can you imagine the bidding war for an NBA expansion club in Vegas, or even Seattle (it seems quite unlikely that an expansion club in Seattle would not spark the interest of Bezos, Gates or another west coast tech titan, so that seems a safer bet than Vegas)? LeBron may be a made in China billionaire, but he’s not a liquid multi-billionaire and probably never will be. In other words, he’s soon going to be diminishing from the spotlight, just like Kobe in 2016-2019 and MJ before him. Out with the old, in with the new: That’s just the way of things in professional sports when you leave the playing field.

[Neurotic Guy]

This fairytale was created by Adam Jones and enabled by John Henry and the Red Sox ownership who essentially confirmed he was called a racial slur on the field of play, when that in fact never happened.

So every opposing player treated poorly in Boston now has license to call the city racist. Of course it makes no sense at all as we have many black players here in Boston.

Opposing players are not treated poorly because of their race, opposing players are treated poorly because they are deemed the enemy and we want our team to win

I believe racial prejudice is alive and well in Boston and throughout America, but generally I agree with you that the vast majority (99%+) of fans do not get on opposing players due to race.  There might be subtle influences positive and negative that are race related, but I think it’s rare that fans hurl racial epithets (but probably not never). 

Lebron’s stereotyping is wrong just as all stereotyping is.

[gouki88]

One of the only thing good about getting older is knowing Lebron will soon be in the news a lot less.

Really? I think he'll find ways to remain in the spotlight. He craves it

LeBron can run around fantasizing that the the NBA is just going to give him an expansion club in Las Vegas, diluting profits for the remaining 30 teams and bringing the aggregate talent level down by adding yet another team. Even if they do expand, which obviously seems unlikely,  they’re not going to hand expansion clubs out for below market rates. The Rockets sold for $2.2 billion about half a decade ago, so why in the world would an expansion club sell for under $2 billion? Can you imagine the bidding war for an NBA expansion club in Vegas, or even Seattle (it seems quite unlikely that an expansion club in Seattle would not spark the interest of Bezos, Gates or another west coast tech titan, so that seems a safer bet than Vegas)? LeBron may be a made in China billionaire, but he’s not a liquid multi-billionaire and probably never will be. In other words, he’s soon going to be diminishing from the spotlight, just like Kobe in 2016-2019 and MJ before him. Out with the old, in with the new: That’s just the way of things in professional sports when you leave the playing field.

Kobe was still in the spotlight with his analysis for ESPN. MJ is still in the spotlight with Charlotte and his documentary + fashion. What separates LeBron is that a) I think he cares more for the spotlight, b) he has son(s) who may be headed for the NBA, who he might play with, and c) he is already a billionaire as a player AND has an interest in ownership.

I like the casual xenophobia in your post though. Charming little touch

[GreenlyGreeny]

One of the only thing good about getting older is knowing Lebron will soon be in the news a lot less.

Really? I think he'll find ways to remain in the spotlight. He craves it

LeBron can run around fantasizing that the the NBA is just going to give him an expansion club in Las Vegas, diluting profits for the remaining 30 teams and bringing the aggregate talent level down by adding yet another team. Even if they do expand, which obviously seems unlikely,  they’re not going to hand expansion clubs out for below market rates. The Rockets sold for $2.2 billion about half a decade ago, so why in the world would an expansion club sell for under $2 billion? Can you imagine the bidding war for an NBA expansion club in Vegas, or even Seattle (it seems quite unlikely that an expansion club in Seattle would not spark the interest of Bezos, Gates or another west coast tech titan, so that seems a safer bet than Vegas)? LeBron may be a made in China billionaire, but he’s not a liquid multi-billionaire and probably never will be. In other words, he’s soon going to be diminishing from the spotlight, just like Kobe in 2016-2019 and MJ before him. Out with the old, in with the new: That’s just the way of things in professional sports when you leave the playing field.

Kobe was still in the spotlight with his analysis for ESPN. MJ is still in the spotlight with Charlotte and his documentary + fashion. What separates LeBron is that a) I think he cares more for the spotlight, b) he has son(s) who may be headed for the NBA, who he might play with, and c) he is already a billionaire as a player AND has an interest in ownership.

Kobe and MJ were still in the spotlight to a degree, but nothing comparable to their playing careers. LeBron is headed towards the same fate, like every other great player after retirement.

Of course he has an interest in ownership, but current owners have no interest in diluting their product by 1/31th to accommodate LeBron. And if he wants to buy an existing franchise and move it to Vegas or Seattle or St. Louis, the only markets that make sense, he’s not rich enough for that unless the economy spirals into a depression and he maintains his position somehow. Like so many millennials, LeBron will not be able to afford what MJ could buy on the cheap 20 years ago.

I like the casual xenophobia in your post though. Charming little touch

There’s nothing xenophobic about opposing communist party-supplied/controlled labor that is essentially the 21st century version of slavery. There’s nothing xenophobic about turning one’s nose up at those in the West, or anywhere in the world, who are ”billionaires” because of this modern-day enslavement of 1+ billion Chinese people who yearn to be free. There’s nothing xenophobjc about calling them what they are: Made in China billionaires. The Communist Party of China imposes slavery and oppression on its people and, it is now documented, even commits genocide on certain ethnic minorities within mainland China (and would like to do so to the free Chinese in Taiwan just as they have recently done to the previously free Chinese in Hong Kong). All of this is far worse than anything happening in Boston, but where’s LeBron’s comments on those social injustices? If he really, truly cared about social justice throughout the world, he would stop profiting off business arrangements endorsed by the Communist Party of China.

There is nothing xenophobic about saying shame on those who profit off modern-day slavery. They can still make decent profit margins off making their stuff in free countries like Taiwan, India, and the list goes on, so why do their prioritize their greed over human rights? Standing for freedom and human rights is not xenophobia. In contrast, here is example of xenophobia: Caring about social justice domestically, but thinking those abroad can suffer social injustices if it improves the bottom-line in America…

[nickagneta]

One of the only thing good about getting older is knowing Lebron will soon be in the news a lot less.

Really? I think he'll find ways to remain in the spotlight. He craves it

LeBron can run around fantasizing that the the NBA is just going to give him an expansion club in Las Vegas, diluting profits for the remaining 30 teams and bringing the aggregate talent level down by adding yet another team. Even if they do expand, which obviously seems unlikely,  they’re not going to hand expansion clubs out for below market rates. The Rockets sold for $2.2 billion about half a decade ago, so why in the world would an expansion club sell for under $2 billion? Can you imagine the bidding war for an NBA expansion club in Vegas, or even Seattle (it seems quite unlikely that an expansion club in Seattle would not spark the interest of Bezos, Gates or another west coast tech titan, so that seems a safer bet than Vegas)? LeBron may be a made in China billionaire, but he’s not a liquid multi-billionaire and probably never will be. In other words, he’s soon going to be diminishing from the spotlight, just like Kobe in 2016-2019 and MJ before him. Out with the old, in with the new: That’s just the way of things in professional sports when you leave the playing field.

Kobe was still in the spotlight with his analysis for ESPN. MJ is still in the spotlight with Charlotte and his documentary + fashion. What separates LeBron is that a) I think he cares more for the spotlight, b) he has son(s) who may be headed for the NBA, who he might play with, and c) he is already a billionaire as a player AND has an interest in ownership.

I like the casual xenophobia in your post though. Charming little touch

There’s nothing xenophobic about opposing communist party-supplied/controlled labor that is essentially the 21st century version of slavery. There’s nothing xenophobic about turning one’s nose up at those in the West, or anywhere in the world, who are ”billionaires” because of this modern-day enslavement of 1+ billion Chinese people who yearn to be free. There’s nothing xenophobjc about calling them what they are: Made in China billionaires. The Communist Party of China imposes slavery and oppression on its people and, it is now documented, even commits genocide on certain ethnic minorities within mainland China (and would like to do so to the free Chinese in Taiwan just as they have recently done to the previously free Chinese in Hong Kong). All of this is far worse than anything happening in Boston, but where’s LeBron’s comments on those social injustices?

There is nothing xenophobic about saying shame on those who profit off modern-day slavery. They can still make decent profit margins off making their stuff in free countries like Taiwan, India, and the list goes on, so why do their prioritize their greed over human rights? Standing for freedom and human rights is not xenophobia.

It's the "Made in China" comment. Not good.

But I have seen your many posts about the hypocrisy of some in the NBA having stances of seemingly similar things being bad in US but okay if it happens in China and vice versa, depending on subject, so I got it, but it's not well worded.

[gouki88]

One of the only thing good about getting older is knowing Lebron will soon be in the news a lot less.

Really? I think he'll find ways to remain in the spotlight. He craves it

LeBron can run around fantasizing that the the NBA is just going to give him an expansion club in Las Vegas, diluting profits for the remaining 30 teams and bringing the aggregate talent level down by adding yet another team. Even if they do expand, which obviously seems unlikely,  they’re not going to hand expansion clubs out for below market rates. The Rockets sold for $2.2 billion about half a decade ago, so why in the world would an expansion club sell for under $2 billion? Can you imagine the bidding war for an NBA expansion club in Vegas, or even Seattle (it seems quite unlikely that an expansion club in Seattle would not spark the interest of Bezos, Gates or another west coast tech titan, so that seems a safer bet than Vegas)? LeBron may be a made in China billionaire, but he’s not a liquid multi-billionaire and probably never will be. In other words, he’s soon going to be diminishing from the spotlight, just like Kobe in 2016-2019 and MJ before him. Out with the old, in with the new: That’s just the way of things in professional sports when you leave the playing field.

Kobe was still in the spotlight with his analysis for ESPN. MJ is still in the spotlight with Charlotte and his documentary + fashion. What separates LeBron is that a) I think he cares more for the spotlight, b) he has son(s) who may be headed for the NBA, who he might play with, and c) he is already a billionaire as a player AND has an interest in ownership.

I like the casual xenophobia in your post though. Charming little touch

There’s nothing xenophobic about opposing communist party-supplied/controlled labor that is essentially the 21st century version of slavery. There’s nothing xenophobic about turning one’s nose up at those in the West, or anywhere in the world, who are ”billionaires” because of this modern-day enslavement of 1+ billion Chinese people who yearn to be free. There’s nothing xenophobjc about calling them what they are: Made in China billionaires. The Communist Party of China imposes slavery and oppression on its people and, it is now documented, even commits genocide on certain ethnic minorities within mainland China (and would like to do so to the free Chinese in Taiwan just as they have recently done to the previously free Chinese in Hong Kong). All of this is far worse than anything happening in Boston, but where’s LeBron’s comments on those social injustices?

There is nothing xenophobic about saying shame on those who profit off modern-day slavery. They can still make decent profit margins off making their stuff in free countries like Taiwan, India, and the list goes on, so why do their prioritize their greed over human rights? Standing for freedom and human rights is not xenophobia.

We've already gone over your cluelessness about world politics in plenty of other threads, but if you think India is a free country then I seriously think you're no longer acting in good faith, or you live under a rock.

Go have a look at the treatment of the ~200 million Muslim Indians (and other non-Hindus) since Modi was elected. What China does is bad, but when India does it it's fine because they're not big scary commies, right?

[GreenlyGreeny]

One of the only thing good about getting older is knowing Lebron will soon be in the news a lot less.

Really? I think he'll find ways to remain in the spotlight. He craves it

LeBron can run around fantasizing that the the NBA is just going to give him an expansion club in Las Vegas, diluting profits for the remaining 30 teams and bringing the aggregate talent level down by adding yet another team. Even if they do expand, which obviously seems unlikely,  they’re not going to hand expansion clubs out for below market rates. The Rockets sold for $2.2 billion about half a decade ago, so why in the world would an expansion club sell for under $2 billion? Can you imagine the bidding war for an NBA expansion club in Vegas, or even Seattle (it seems quite unlikely that an expansion club in Seattle would not spark the interest of Bezos, Gates or another west coast tech titan, so that seems a safer bet than Vegas)? LeBron may be a made in China billionaire, but he’s not a liquid multi-billionaire and probably never will be. In other words, he’s soon going to be diminishing from the spotlight, just like Kobe in 2016-2019 and MJ before him. Out with the old, in with the new: That’s just the way of things in professional sports when you leave the playing field.

Kobe was still in the spotlight with his analysis for ESPN. MJ is still in the spotlight with Charlotte and his documentary + fashion. What separates LeBron is that a) I think he cares more for the spotlight, b) he has son(s) who may be headed for the NBA, who he might play with, and c) he is already a billionaire as a player AND has an interest in ownership.

I like the casual xenophobia in your post though. Charming little touch

There’s nothing xenophobic about opposing communist party-supplied/controlled labor that is essentially the 21st century version of slavery. There’s nothing xenophobic about turning one’s nose up at those in the West, or anywhere in the world, who are ”billionaires” because of this modern-day enslavement of 1+ billion Chinese people who yearn to be free. There’s nothing xenophobjc about calling them what they are: Made in China billionaires. The Communist Party of China imposes slavery and oppression on its people and, it is now documented, even commits genocide on certain ethnic minorities within mainland China (and would like to do so to the free Chinese in Taiwan just as they have recently done to the previously free Chinese in Hong Kong). All of this is far worse than anything happening in Boston, but where’s LeBron’s comments on those social injustices?

There is nothing xenophobic about saying shame on those who profit off modern-day slavery. They can still make decent profit margins off making their stuff in free countries like Taiwan, India, and the list goes on, so why do their prioritize their greed over human rights? Standing for freedom and human rights is not xenophobia.

It's the "Made in China" comment. Not good.

But I have seen your many posts about the hypocrisy of some in the NBA having stances of seemingly similar things being bad in US but okay if it happens in China and vice versa, depending on subject, so I got it, but it's not well worded.

I mean, he’s not a billionaire without profiting off stuff made in China. That’s the point of calling someone a made in China billionaire—they would not be billionaires without doing business in a country that has a political party enslaving its ordinary people who, like all people on earth, yearn to be free.

[GreenlyGreeny]

One of the only thing good about getting older is knowing Lebron will soon be in the news a lot less.

Really? I think he'll find ways to remain in the spotlight. He craves it

LeBron can run around fantasizing that the the NBA is just going to give him an expansion club in Las Vegas, diluting profits for the remaining 30 teams and bringing the aggregate talent level down by adding yet another team. Even if they do expand, which obviously seems unlikely,  they’re not going to hand expansion clubs out for below market rates. The Rockets sold for $2.2 billion about half a decade ago, so why in the world would an expansion club sell for under $2 billion? Can you imagine the bidding war for an NBA expansion club in Vegas, or even Seattle (it seems quite unlikely that an expansion club in Seattle would not spark the interest of Bezos, Gates or another west coast tech titan, so that seems a safer bet than Vegas)? LeBron may be a made in China billionaire, but he’s not a liquid multi-billionaire and probably never will be. In other words, he’s soon going to be diminishing from the spotlight, just like Kobe in 2016-2019 and MJ before him. Out with the old, in with the new: That’s just the way of things in professional sports when you leave the playing field.

Kobe was still in the spotlight with his analysis for ESPN. MJ is still in the spotlight with Charlotte and his documentary + fashion. What separates LeBron is that a) I think he cares more for the spotlight, b) he has son(s) who may be headed for the NBA, who he might play with, and c) he is already a billionaire as a player AND has an interest in ownership.

I like the casual xenophobia in your post though. Charming little touch

There’s nothing xenophobic about opposing communist party-supplied/controlled labor that is essentially the 21st century version of slavery. There’s nothing xenophobic about turning one’s nose up at those in the West, or anywhere in the world, who are ”billionaires” because of this modern-day enslavement of 1+ billion Chinese people who yearn to be free. There’s nothing xenophobjc about calling them what they are: Made in China billionaires. The Communist Party of China imposes slavery and oppression on its people and, it is now documented, even commits genocide on certain ethnic minorities within mainland China (and would like to do so to the free Chinese in Taiwan just as they have recently done to the previously free Chinese in Hong Kong). All of this is far worse than anything happening in Boston, but where’s LeBron’s comments on those social injustices?

There is nothing xenophobic about saying shame on those who profit off modern-day slavery. They can still make decent profit margins off making their stuff in free countries like Taiwan, India, and the list goes on, so why do their prioritize their greed over human rights? Standing for freedom and human rights is not xenophobia.

We've already gone over your cluelessness about world politics in plenty of other threads, but if you think India is a free country then I seriously think you're no longer acting in good faith, or you live under a rock.

Go have a look at the treatment of the ~200 million Muslim Indians (and other non-Hindus) since Modi was elected. What China does is bad, but when India does it it's fine because they're not big scary commies, right?

India is a free and democratic country, certainly compared to communist party-controlled China. Admittedly I am not aware of every social injustice in India, but I certainly oppose systematic oppression wherever it resides and do not agree with doing business in such places, or at least doing so minimally to the most practical extent possible. The counter example of Taiwan stands, same goes for Japan and South Korea and on and on the list goes including countries throughout Africa and all of the Americas. There are plenty of places to build factories to benefit free people and still maintain healthy profit margins. One should not allow their greed to lead to doing deals with devils like the Communist Party of China, who have made it abundantly clear that they wish to see the Communist Party control all resources in the world by the turn of the century. It’s time to stop being conned by these devils, and see the world isolate them until they allow their people to be free, rather than allowing tragedies like Tiananmen Square to unfold daily and quietly. We tried normalizing trade relations in hopes they would become more free and liberal. It did not work. Time to try a different approach.



That image above? LeBron likes to market himself as if he’s like that guy, but what he really is, is a dude profiting off those tanks and that system, among the most oppressive in the world. There’s nothing uncool about calling such people made in China billionaires. If they don’t like it, stop profiting off stuff made in China.