Here is an article written by Scoop Jackson about how the industry of sports journalism is "a white industry." In this article he notes that there are less black sportswriters than black players in the NBA. From this dubious statistic he concludes that it is easier, as a black man, to become a player in the NBA than it is to become a sports journalist. Seriously. He says that. I have to say I'm a bit skeptical. I don't have the exact figures, but I would have to guess that there are vastly more black youths aspiring to be professional athletes than there are aspiring towards the glamorous world of sports journalism.
I remember a few years back when Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton landed a job as a radio commentator for the Minnesota Vikings. Shortly before the season began, a caller to his syndicated show asked him what his opinion was in regards to why there were so few black sports journalists and radio hosts. Hacksaw told the caller that, in his experience, the black members of the sports journalism industry were, more often than not, interested only in the big three; NFL, MLB, and NBA (Not necessarily in that order). A fair argument, it would seem, coming from a man who has been in the industry for a good long time and has had many, many interactions with athletes and journalists both black and white throughout. It is also of note that I have personally heard Hacksaw field questions regarding such non-mainstream sports as pro Bowling. Obviously, he feels it is important to have knowledge of the wide range of topics his audience may want to address. Needless to say, Hacksaw lost his job with the Vikings shortly after making his brazenly racist comments.
Anyway, there is so much more in this article to feed your white guilt that I can't possibly cover it all here, so please peruse it for yourselves and feel free to throw me to the wolves if I'm overreacting.
3 comments:
White guilt seems to be rampant in Minnesota. I suspect, if Hacksaw made the same comments in an area where blacks actually lived (meaning, Not Minnesota), no one would have thought anything of it. Of course I could be wrong.
From the last census, 75-77% of America is white. That leaves the last 25% for everyone else. The black population is 12%.
Look here
Remember these numbers when affirmative action rears is ugly head.
Also, considering the literacy rates of blacks vs. whites, this 1.3% number in the ESPN article is probably perfectly in line with the stats.
This reminds me of a recent debacle with Pixar and their wanting more land for their PARKING LOT. The local libs could not leave well enough alone. The city was going to give Pixar its land at a fee, but some groups would not let this happen because of the lack of local minority representation at Pixar. In the end it had to go to a vote for the public, wasting everyone's time and money. The public approved the extra land for Pixar by a 77% vote.
The libs (always) backwards argument was that Pixar was not hiring local talent of color.
Pixar's argument was "We're the best animation house in the world, find us local people of color who can animate at our level and we'll hire them".
What did the libs want? Pixar to hire the local Emeryville homeless??
I'm sure the same exact example can be drawn to the ESPN article. Its not about race. Its about QUALIFICATIONS. Funny how the author doesn't even stop to question the 85% black number for percentage of players in the league. THAT'S RACISM RIGHT THERE, NO? I mean 75% of America is white. If there ever was a violation, its the 85% number if you hold the authors same logic to his own argument.
I couldn't have put it better, Baron.
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