Jalen Rose and his bat

[nostar]

Am I the only one who thinks that Jalen Rose carrying a bat while on national TV is pretty messed up. Not sure I can think of any other commentator/pundit carrying a weapon on national TV.

I guess it's still cable but still. Is it just me or is this weird?

[SHAQATTACK]

He wants to be d new BATMAN

[BudweiserCeltic]

"Messed up" + "weapon" = OK...

[Nerf DPOY]

"Messed up" + "weapon" = OK...

Sometimes casually toying around with a potentially lethal weapon in the presence of other people can make them feel uncomfortable. Obviously Rose is just using it as a prop or something but it does seem out of place.

I'm not exactly sure what you're getting at...

Edit: It would be a stretch to describe him as "brandishing" it.

[Eddie20]

I think it's supposed to be like Tom Cruise's character in a 'Few Good Men', where holding the bat helped the character think.

[Nerf DPOY]

I think it's supposed to be like Tom Cruise's character in a 'Few Good Men', where holding the bat helped the character think.

All you did was weaken a blog with that post. That's all you did. Sweet dreams, son.

[BudweiserCeltic]

"Messed up" + "weapon" = OK...

Sometimes casually toying around with a potentially lethal weapon in the presence of other people can make them feel uncomfortable. Obviously Rose is just using it as a prop or something but it does seem out of place.

I'm not exactly sure what you're getting at...

Edit: It would be a stretch to describe him as "brandishing" it.

It's a sport equipment on a sports show, at most a prop. But it's a complete stretch calling it messed up or a weapon.

The issue here is Jalen Rose with a bat, nothing more and nothing less. Not that it's messed up or that it's a weapon. Describing it as such simply manipulates the discussion to an area that it has no business venturing into.

[nostar]

It's a sport equipment on a sports show, at most a prop. But it's a complete stretch calling it messed up or a weapon.

It's baseball equipment on a basketball show from a basketball commentator who has talked about using it for defense numerous times. He doesn't talk about playing little league. There is actually a video where he says he wishes he would have had a bat handy after intentionally (maliciously) fouling Patrick Ewing.

The issue here is Jalen Rose with a bat, nothing more and nothing less. Not that it's messed up or that it's a weapon. Describing it as such simply manipulates the discussion to an area that it has no business venturing into.

Actually I started this thread and I very much meant for the discussion to venture in this direction. You can frame the issue as a guy with a bat an nothing more. I feel differently. With the recent controversy in the NFL involving domestic violence, and that giving rise to questions about a violence culture in athletics, I tend to think that this is relevant. If you don't that is fine but I didn't see you make any points other than "it's a sports show". As someone who watches sports shows with some regularity I can tell you this is not common behavior. Would it be normal for Troy Aikmen to hold basketballs while calling NFL Sunday games? Probably not. It would be far less inappropriate though as bats are weapons and basketballs, well, aren't.

At the very least this behavior from Rose is weird. At most it's inappropriate and tone deaf. I'm not saying he's done anything criminal or worthy of punishment. I am saying it's strange and, by my standards, inappropriate.

[D.o.s.]

Fair enough, but I think you're going to find your opinion in the minority. It does have the effect of driving conversation away from Rose's bona fides besides "Willing to Tolerate Bill Simmons," though.

[LarBrd33]

It's just a gimmick.  I forget what his explanation for having the bat was, but now when he shows up on video podcasts without the bat people go, "why didn't you bring the bat?"... it's just his trademark.  Casual fans will know him as the sports personality with the bat.  SNL will make fun of him eventually.  It will allow Jalen to stand out amongst the countless other sports personalities, increase his celebrity, and thus increase the interest in the shows he's on.

I don't know jack crap about tv ratings for sports shows, but my guess is that right now people still choose to watch Charles, Kenny and Ernie if they are planning on watching a basketball show.  Gotta do what you gotta do.

[BudweiserCeltic]

It's a sport equipment on a sports show, at most a prop. But it's a complete stretch calling it messed up or a weapon.

It's baseball equipment on a basketball show from a basketball commentator who has talked about using it for defense numerous times. He doesn't talk about playing little league. There is actually a video where he says he wishes he would have had a bat handy after intentionally (maliciously) fouling Patrick Ewing.

The issue here is Jalen Rose with a bat, nothing more and nothing less. Not that it's messed up or that it's a weapon. Describing it as such simply manipulates the discussion to an area that it has no business venturing into.

Actually I started this thread and I very much meant for the discussion to venture in this direction. You can frame the issue as a guy with a bat an nothing more. I feel differently. With the recent controversy in the NFL involving domestic violence, and that giving rise to questions about a violence culture in athletics, I tend to think that this is relevant. If you don't that is fine but I didn't see you make any points other than "it's a sports show". As someone who watches sports shows with some regularity I can tell you this is not common behavior. Would it be normal for Troy Aikmen to hold basketballs while calling NFL Sunday games? Probably not. It would be far less inappropriate though as bats are weapons and basketballs, well, aren't.

At the very least this behavior from Rose is weird. At most it's inappropriate and tone deaf. I'm not saying he's done anything criminal or worthy of punishment. I am saying it's strange and, by my standards, inappropriate.

I know what you meant, which is why I immediately dismissed the premise upon which you began this topic.

No different than dudes that like to dress up with a cane. That being said, I'll be careful when grandpa goes on set carrying his walking weapon.

[Csfan1984]

It's better than a chainsaw

[cons]

I saw the first half hour of that show and also thought it was odd. Did they ever explain it?

[Csfan1984]

Do think he had just for nerves/anxiousness the first few podcast. Current "in jest" running tale is he has to have it because "Basket Ball people", may try to stop him from saying gritty details on the pod cast and he has to defend himself in case they rush in.

[nostar]

I know what you meant, which is why I immediately dismissed the premise upon which you began this topic.

You dismissed it with nothing though, which is ignoring...except that you posted in a public forum. So really you just disagreed.

No different than dudes that like to dress up with a cane. That being said, I'll be careful when grandpa goes on set carrying his walking weapon.

While I have no problem with disagreement but I think it's silly to say that an old man with a cane is the same as a 40 year old man with a baseball bat. For starters, a walking cane is an ADA approved mobility device. That is like saying that someone with insulin test kit is the same as an IV drug user.

I agree that both bats and canes are made of wood. So are some desks. I don't have a problem with people sitting as desks on TV. I don't have a problem watching spring training on TV, with dozens and dozens of bats! I do think it's strange that Jalen Rose holds a bat while talking basketball in studio, with his friends and on national television.

I saw the first half hour of that show and also thought it was odd. Did they ever explain it?

Not on the Grantland show, at least I don't remember it.

Do think he had just for nerves/anxiousness the first few podcast. Current "in jest" running tale is he has to have it because "Basket Ball people", may try to stop him from saying gritty details on the pod cast and he has to defend himself in case they rush in.

That is an interesting notion. Maybe it's like a safety blanket or something. It's a pretty ridiculous plan to carry a bat to defend yourself against crazy people, especially other rich, famous crazy people. I would guess that Bill Simmons has more enemies in the world than Jalen Rose.